2024 Readcap

Yeah, I've used that portmanteau before, I know. It's stupid, but I like it.

Outside of Read Harder, I really only had a few reading goals. The first, which isn't really a hard and fast thing, was to read at least 100 books. Final count? 111. How very Bilbo of me.

First book of the year, The Mirrorwood by Deva Fagan. Last book, For She is Wrath by Emily Varga. I didn't review For She is Wrath, but it's a reimagining of The Count of Monte Cristo, in a Pakistan-inspired world, and it was pretty good! I also reread seventeen books - bet you can guess a few, and I'm rereading one of them again now - and I DNFed two books, which is a huge victory for me.

My last reading goal was to prioritize reading the books I bought this year and be more intentional with which books I purchased. I think I did pretty well with being intentional - most of the books I bought were for Read Harder, my book club, or were from my monthly book subscription boxes. This year, I'm going to try to use the library more for Read Harder challenges, or pick books from my TBR backlog. And speaking of my TBR backlog, it did not grow this year because I finished ALL the books I bought in 2024! So proud of myself.

Now, what should my 2025 goals be? I've got a monthly mystery read from my TBR shelf thanks to my sister, so I'll be reading those (knocked January's out on the 1st - #SoFat #SoBrave by Nicole Byer, SO good!), and my sister and I are also making Very Hungry Caterpillar scarves with different colors for each genre we read. Those aren't really goals, they're more...fun book-related things...so, what else should I throw into the mix? Read 112 books? Reread 25 books? Read one non-fiction book a month?

The world is my oyster.

Reboot Rereads Recap

I wasn't sure when to post this, because I was writing reviews for my rereads and it seemed weird to post a recap and then post some reread reviews...so anyway, mid-June recap, here we are! Emotionally, I declare Operation Reboot Rereads a success. Even if the quantity of time I read or total number of books finished didn't go up, I found myself wanting to read more, and that's a victory.  That said...

Emotionally and statistically, Reboot Rereads was a rousing success. I reread a total of seven books, which surpassed my goal, and I also finished Not "A Nation of Immigrants," which I had been working on for quite a while, and read three* other Read Harder books, plus At the End of Everything for my book club. (Very good book, by the way, so many emotions). And now it's summer break, so hopefully this new reading energy carries over into June and July - think of all the books I can enjoy! Delightful.

*I wrote this after my last day of work, a few days before the end of May. Since then, I've read two more Read Harder books, so even MORE impressive!

November Read Harder update

Y'all, this month is kind of getting away from me. The end of the year is always such a whirlwind, and yet I never see it coming. It's extra windy this year, too, because usually I start preparing for holiday stuff super early, like summer early, and this year I just sort of...didn't. So now here I am, scrambling away. Bright spot, I guess, is that instead of doing a winter book fair the last week of school before break, this year I did it right after fall break, so at least I don't have book fair stress on top of end-of-the-year-get-ready-for-the-holidays stress! Thanks for that, past me. You're a real one.

Enough complaining about how hectic the end of the year is, though. On to the update! I finished Hood Feminism, which was EXCELLENT, and I highly recommend anyone trying to be more intersectional read it and reflect on what they can do better. It definitely gave me a lot to think about - I feel like I underlined like half the book. It's one I'll be going back to.

Last two books...I haven't started yet. 😬 I need to set a reminder for myself to get them from the library, I keep forgetting. Once I get them, though...it's over for this year's challenge!

September Read Harder update

SEPTEMBER? Is ENDING? I don't know how so much of this year is already over, someone must have sat on the remote and accidentally hit fast forward. Anyway, my books this month were Hood Feminism and Postcolonial Love Poem. I also bought a copy of Butcher by Natasha T. Miller, since poetry books are usually on the shorter side - does doubling up for this challenge compensate for refusing to read a DNF book? I say it does. I ended up reading Butcher before Postcolonial Love Poem - waiting on my hold from the library for that one. And I'm only about a quarter of the way through Hood Feminism, but WOW it is a must-read. 

As has been the case for months, I also continued to work my way (slowly, so slowly) through The 1619 Project. I'm in a bit of a reading slump, so it's a bit slower than it has been right now, but I'll pick back up soon, I'm sure.

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And now, October challenges. OCTOBER. Fuck. How?

#21: Read a book of short stories

As luck would have it, Joel chose a book of short stories for our next bedtime read after we finished two heartbreaking historical fiction novels, so I'm reading one now! Scattered Showers by Rainbow Rowell, here we go! Now I just need Joel to not work a million night shifts so we can finish it before the end of the year.

#22: Read any book from the Ignyte awards shortlist/longlist/winner list

Wow, I did not know what that award was! From their website:

"The Ignyte Awards began in 2020 alongside the inaugural FIYAHCON, a virtual convention centering the contributions and experiences of BIPOC in Speculative Fiction. Founded by L.D. Lewis and Suzan Palumbo, the awards were an attempt to correct representative gaps in traditional spec lit awards and have grown into a coveted and cherished addition to the awards landscape. The Ignytes seek to celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of the current and future landscapes of science fiction, fantasy, and horror by recognizing incredible feats in storytelling and outstanding efforts toward inclusivity of the genre."

Pretty cool. I've already read the YA winners from 2020 (We Hunt the Flame) and 2021 (Legendborn), the middle grade winner from 2020 (Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky), and a few of the runners up, which is a fun surprise! Now I'm torn between reading the 2021 middle grade winner, Ghost Squad or the 2022 YA winner, A Snake Falls to Earth. Or the 2020 middle grade winner, Root Magic. Again with the difficult choices! When in doubt, start with the first choice and proceed from there, it's worked before. So Ghost Squad it is, and then I'll read my way through the others! Should be fun.

July Read Harder update

Another month, another update. My ambitious goal was to finish four books: The 1619 Project, Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds, These Violent Delights, and Flip the Script. Did I do it?

No. No, I did not do it. Still working my way through The 1619 Project. It is not a book you blaze through. I did complete my other three challenge books though (sort of. You'll see.), and I'm working my way through this one.

Amira & Hamza: done. Overall, I liked it. I thought the Big Bad could have been a little bigger and badder, but otherwise, solid middle grade story. It isn't much longer than this, but ICYMI you can read my review of it here.

These Violent Delights, whew. I actually had to sub in Travelers Along the Way by Aminah Mae Safi because, while I am enjoying These Violent Delights, there are some ick elements that badly trigger a phobia I have to the point where just sitting here typing this is making me feel vomit-y. I'm still going to read it, but I have to do so very slowly, so I figured tagging another book in for this challenge, since I already had a few options I had been trying to choose from, was better than just slowly chipping away at it for however long it takes me to get through. Travelers Along the Way, I'm happy to report, did not make me queasy! It was a great read, an interesting spin on Robin Hood and fascinating to read more about the history of that area of the world. (Update: Squeaked finishing These Violent Delights in too! It was solid. Gross, but solid.)

Flip the Script was cute. It took on a serious topic, but overall was an easy read with a nice ending. I enjoyed it! Very hopeful, sweet main characters. Two thumbs up.

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So...August books? (I almost forgot I needed to pick August books. Whew.) Challenges seventeen and eighteen.

#17: Read a YA book by an Indigenous author. In a fun twist, I just got a couple YA books by Indigenous authors to read with my book club! I'll be doubling up and reading A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair for this challenge and with my book club.

#18: Read a comic or graphic novel that features disability representation. I'm picking two for this one - El Deafo by Cece Bell and Just Roll with It by Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie. I know the Deaf community doesn't consider Deafness a disability, so I was on the fence about including that one, but I recommend it a lot at school so I want to read it anyway. So...there you go! August books!

June Read Harder update

First update of the summer! Reading a cookbook and reading a history book. One of those continues to  make a lot more sense to me than the other. I DID successfully read my vegetarian Mexican food cookbook cover to cover, though, and I've got a few recipes saved to try. Did I gain anything from it that I wouldn't have gained by just looking through the index for things that sounded good? No. But hey, all it cost me was some time. As far as my history book, The 1619 Project is pretty hefty, and I don't want to rush through it to say that I did it, so after recognizing that I decided to swap in one of the books I had planned for July and keep working on The 1619 Project next month.

The book I swapped was The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling, which I chose for challenge 13, read an author local to you. Dusti Bowling has been on my radar for longer than I'd care to think about, and The Canyon's Edge is a nominee for the 2024 Grand Canyon Reader award, so not only did I finally read one of her books, but it's also a book I plan on book talking with my students next school year. Now I'm more prepared for that! I'm planning to write a full review for it, so I'll just say here that I thought it was excellent. For a good chunk of it, I was even live texting my husband what was happening. Great read!

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Now, July challenges! I decided to pick extra since I'll have more time over the summer, and if I don't finish them all, at least I'll have them picked out and ready for August.

#14: Read a book with under 500 Goodreads ratings

To my shock, Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds has fewer than 500 ratings! I've had this book sitting in my Read This Then Add It To the Library pile for a very long time, so it looks like July is the month to knock books of my BILF (Books I'd Like to Finish) list. Amira & Hamza, here we come.

#15: Read a historical fiction book set in an Eastern country

Oooh, this was a hard one for me to narrow down...I don't know if this really counts as a historical fiction, but I'm going with These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. In an ongoing theme, I have it on my BILF shelf in our front room, and I've been waiting forever to read it, so I'm going for it. I've got a couple of other options I'm planning to request from the library as backups in case I get started and decide it isn't historical fiction-y enough, but I think it'll be a good choice.

#16: Read a romance with bisexual representation

Okay, I'm going to need the ability to filter further than "LGBTQIA" on my BILF list, because it's really time-consuming to look through every book on my list to see if it has bi representation. Plus, more importantly, while it's great to have so much queer representation in books, when everything queer falls under one umbrella, it may look like great representation but it ends up being great representation for a few groups and a book here or there for others. Anyway, I'll be reading Flip the Script by Lyla Lee.

May Read Harder update

Before we get into books, can I just say that I am very impressed with myself for how well I've been keeping up with Read Harder this year? This school year has been uh...a lot, let's say. I've been incredibly overwhelmed, but somehow I've stayed on top of Read Harder, blogging, and with all my personal journaling goals. I'm sure there's some kind of psychology to this, like I'm using my blog and my journal to give myself a sense of control, but let's not focus on that. Let's just all be proud of me doing such a great job.

Now that that's out of the way, my thoughts on the May books. (Fun fact: I started writing this post very early and then out of habit scheduled it to post on the last Sunday of the month, well before I had actually read either Read Harder book, let alone added my thoughts. Clearly I have a lot of faith in myself.) 

I thought Cupid Calling was very good for the most part. Solid character development, cute story, nice romance. My only real gripe was the author's choice to have one character very infrequently swear and then choosing to go with "freaking" as the substitute curse. On its own, using freaking as a substitute swear word just gives me strong childish/immature vibes because the only people I hear use that word are literal kids or Mormons, but they also frequently seemed to mix up WHICH character didn't swear and have the other MC also use it. Really took me out of the story, I don't know why. Other than that, be prepared for graphic sex scenes? Didn't bother me, but fair warning if you're someone who doesn't like them.

Raybearer...I mean, the dedication alone. "For the kid scanning fairy tales for a hero with a face like theirs. And for the girls whose stories we compressed into pities and wonders, triumphs and cautions, without asking, even once, for their names." How do you not immediately fall in love with this book, before even reading a word of the actual story? But then you READ the story, and Tarisai is just...EVERYTHING. Loved it. Can't wait to read the second book.

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And now, June challenges!

#11: Read a cookbook cover to cover. This is...I don't know, seems weird? I guess I'm not super familiar with cookbooks, but are they typically meant to be read cover to cover? I don't get it. I did find a book published last year called The Mexican Vegetarian Cookbook, though, and I'll never say no to finding more Mexican food options for myself, so I guess I've found my pick for this challenge. Close second/third were World Cocktail Adventures and The Cocktail Cabinet. I did buy Joel a copy of World Cocktail Adventures since he's gotten into making cocktails, and that does seem like a "cookbook" that it makes more sense reading cover to cover, since there are histories and anecdotes about each location and drink. I'm committing to the vegetarian cookbook for now, but if it gets to be too much of a slog I might end up following Ross's advice and pivoting.

#12: Read a nonfiction book about BIPOC and/or queer history. I'll be reading The 1619 Project. This was possibly the fastest challenge decision I've ever made. Can't wait.

April Read Harder update

Whoa, a quarter of the way through the year! Wait, a third! I'm very good at math. 

Finding Me was very emotional and, frankly, an indictment of the lack of social supports in the United States. Reading about Viola Davis and her family's experiences, I just kept thinking about all the kids growing up like Viola did, hoping that someone will look their way or some miracle will come along and change things for them, and how as a society we're still failing them as badly as we were then.  

Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts was also emotional. The artwork was incredible, and Rebecca Hall not only uncovered overlooked historical events, she shone a light on how truth is erased from history ("you think you are reading an accurate chronicle written at the time...but if who we are and what we care about are deemed irrelevant, it won't be in there..."). This is a must-read.

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Now it's time for May challenges, baby! We've got #9, read an independently published book by a BIPOC author, and #10, read a book you know nothing about based solely on the cover. Easy choices! (Just kidding, they weren't.)

#9. Read an independently published book by a BIPOC author: I ended up googling recommendations from public libraries for this one and settled on Cupid Calling by Viano Oniomoh. Queer romance! Reality show! What more could one ask for?

#10. Read a book you know nothing about based solely on the cover: So at first I was like uhh this is hard to narrow down. I mean, I am a librarian. I work around books, I buy books for my school's collection, I subscribe to publisher updates...I see so many book covers, and it has been well established that I love a good book cover! So then I was like okay, think logically. Easiest way to narrow this down? Go to a bookstore! Browse! Buy the first book I see with a cover that makes me go "ooooooooh, intriguing" and read that. And then I realized that this plan was a meme.

Fortunately, I went to a bookstore in January to shop for my school collection, and while I was there I did a little personally shopping as well, purchasing a duology based solely on the covers! So for this challenge, I'll be reading Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko. I'll add to my TBR pile later. 

Read Harder - February Check-In

A Good Kind of Trouble and The Breakaways...February is middle grade month, y'all! I've got a review on the way for The Breakaways, so for now I'll just say it was solidly middle of the road for me. A Good Kind of Trouble was excellent...definitely a bit frustrating reading it as an adult and being like "please communicate, it would solve so many problems!" but also...vividly remember being in similar situations when I was that age, and that's just what it's like when you're that age! It was a great read, and I really enjoyed it.

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March challenges, what are we getting ourselves into? Nothing good. We've got challenge #5: Read a completed webcomic and challenge #6: Finish a book you've DNFed. Which. I mean. Webcomic. Fine. I guess I can find a webcomic to read. I don't know if it's completed or even a cohesive story, but Joel has a book that's a compilation of a pretty funny webcomic series. To my shame, I can't remember the name of it right now, but it's got birds. What more could you ask for in a webcomic? (False Knees. That's the comic.)

Finishing a book I've DNFed, on the other hand...I don't DNF books lightly, so I'm not sure if this is a "read harder" challenge or a "force yourself to read something terrible" challenge. I'm gonna take a pass on that. So. Wow. Exciting update, I guess. I'll let you know how False Knees goes.

Read Harder readcap (like recap, but dumber!)

I did it, I finished Powers and Thrones! Did NOT think I would, but I made it happen. Another year of reading harder, in the books. The books I chose for this year's challenge are all spread out through posts, so if anyone wants the full list all in one place, here you go:

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1. Read a biography of an author you admire: The Making of Jane Austen by Devoney Looser

2. Read a book set in a bookstore: Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

3. Read any book from the Women's Prize shortlist/longlist/winner list: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

4. Read a book in any genre by a POC that's about joy and not trauma: Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia

5. Read an anthology featuring diverse voices: Every Body Shines by Cassandra Newbould

6. Read a nonfiction YA comic: The Courage of Elfina by Andre Jacob

7. Read a romance where at least one of the protagonists is over 40: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

8. Read a classic written by a POC: Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

9. Read the book that's been on your TBR the longest: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

10. Read a political thriller by a marginalized author: While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

11. Read a book with an asexual and/or aromantic main character: Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

12. Read an entire poetry collection: The World Isn't the Size of Our Neighborhood Anymore by Austin Davis

13. Read an adventure story by a BIPOC author: Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney

14. Read a book whose movie or TV adaptation you've seen (but haven't read the book): I Love You Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle

15. Read a new-to-you literary magazine: Passages North

16. Read a book recommended by a friend with different reading tastes: Your Money or Your Life by Joseph R. Dominguez and Vicki Robin

17. Read a memoir written by someone who is trans or nonbinary: Becoming Eve by Abby Stein

18. Read a "Best [blank] Writing of the Year" book for a topic and year of your choice: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

19. Read a horror novel by a BIPOC author: The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

20. Read an award-winning book from the year you were born: Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman

21. Read a queer retelling of a classic of the canon, fairytale, folklore, or myth: Darling by K. Ancrum

22. Read a history about a period you know little about: Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages by Dan Jones

23. Read a book by a disabled author: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

24. Pick a challenge from any of the previous year's challenges to repeat (I picked listening to a poetry audiobook): The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

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 And now, it is time to get started on choosing books for 2023! First two challenges, here we go!

1. Read a novel about a trans character written by a trans author: In my quest to read my way through a bunch of middle grade and then add them to my school library, I have chosen Both Can Be True by Jules Machias. Looking forward to it! (I also put Fight + Flight by them on my list and am VERY excited. EDS! Anxiety disorders! That's my kind of book.)

2. Read one of your favorite author's favorite books: Time to stalk some of my favorite authors on Twitter, I guess? (Consider them stalked) Look...a whole heap of authors that I like collaborated on this, and I'm going to assume that they all love each other's work in it, so...I'm going to read Whiteout by Angie Thomas, Dhonielle Clayton, Ashley Woodfolk, Nic Stone, Nicola Yoon, and Tiffany D. Jackson. 

Let's do this!

Read Harder update

 Let's see, let's see...over the past month, I have finished The Kiss Quotient, shared my thoughts about that book, and finished Darling. I didn't write a review of that one because I sped through it so quickly and my brain was kind of like...holy shit, what did I just read?! After I finished it. It was a darker book than I typically go for, but I liked the way they handled it...dark without being horrifying or morbid just for shock value. It was very good, and an interesting spin on Peter Pan. One out of two, not bad?

I've also started reading Maus, although I'm only like a third or so of the way through. I'm taking this one slower, but it's a very good read. As noted in my previous post, I'm started Powers and Thrones too, but my ebook loan expired, so I'm waiting to get it back. I might need to get a physical copy, it's hard for me to do that much reading on a Kindle. In fact...yes. I just paused this recap to put a hold on it at the library. Some books you just need to read in their physical form, and this is one of them.

Over the next month, I'll keep working my way through the above two books, and if I finish I'll be continuing on to The Taking of Jake Livingston (prompt #19, Read a horror novel by a BIPOC author), and we will see how that goes, since as previously noted horror isn't really my thing. 😬 If, at long last, my hold for While Justice Sleeps comes in, I'll be finishing that (FINALLY) too!

I've got to say, I'm impressed with how well I'm doing with these challenges after getting back on track earlier in the year! Knocking them out of the park!

Almost October? Close enough.

I finished reading my last challenge book for September tonight, so I figured why not do my monthly update now? This was most certainly not motivated by the fact that I had no review ready and it was either this or skip posting this week. Nope, that wasn't it. Just really eager for this update.

I won't mince words...September was not a good month for challenge books. I Love You, Beth Cooper? Did not age well. I knew going into it that I probably wouldn't love it...but Jesus H. Christ. I should have looked harder for another book that fit the bill because yeesh. It wasn't great.

In a pretty entertaining twist, Joel never reads my blog, but he decided to read the last challenge update post. It's like he has a sixth sense for when I'm casting aspersions upon his reading preferences. Sorcery! Anyway, he read it and was like "I recommended that? Can I change my recommendation?" I would like to say he changed it to something better, but...he changed it to Your Money or Your Life which...look. I get it, I guess? But it's really hard for me to take a book seriously when it talks about breaking down your hourly wage and uses $10 an hour as the example, but then turns around and shares anecdotes about people who own multiple houses and shit like that. Don't pretend this advice will work for anyone and act like low income people can bootstrap themselves into financial independence when all your advice is clearly only intended for people with a lot of disposable income.

Anyway, as I predicted, Becoming Eve was the palate cleanser I needed. Abby's story is so compelling, heartbreaking but also inspiring, that I couldn't put it down. Coming from a high demand religion (read: cult) myself, I was grinding my teeth reading about all the ways she was forced to suppress herself by her family's religious practices, and I'm so glad that she was able to finally find a way to be herself. Abby is incredible.

Now, let's talk October. I should have thought ahead and put holds on books, because...everything is on hold? What the hell? I've got holds in now, and a couple books should be available soon, so these are the challenges I'm going with this month:

#21: Read a queer retelling of a classic of the canon, fairytale, folklore, or myth 

For this I'm going with Darling by K. Ancrum. I love Peter Pan and have read all kinds of fractured fairytale versions, retellings, etc, so I'm interested to get into this spin on it!

#23: Read a book by a disabled author

I had a couple options I was still trying to decide between, but I've settled on The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. Basically, a woman obsessed with math comes up with algorithms for everything and decides to apply her love of logic to dating. What starts out as a very straightforward plan, of course, does not go as expected. We'll see what happens!

Bonus! For #20: Read an award-winning book from the year you were born, I chose Maus: A Survivor's Tale, and after looking into getting it from the library I decided to buy it. I should get it soon, so I'm going to try to read it in October also. 

September Challenge Update

Welp, I've had bronchitis for the last two weeks, but I'm finally on the mend, and here I am with another challenge update. Are you ready?

I finished all the books I said I was going to work on for August! Woohoooooooo! The Courage of Elfina was very good. An emotional read, very quick, and the illustrations are beautiful. Let's Talk About Love I even managed to write a review for, so check that out! And Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry was pretty great. The character development was on point, and I really loved getting into their world and getting to know each of them. All in all, my August picks were a win. 

Want some sad news, though? My hold for While Justice Sleeps came in early, and my sick-haze brain was like ok, yeah, check it out! And then promptly forgot that the hold had come in, so I DIDN'T READ IT! And then my hold expired, so I had to put it on hold again...and now the wait is twelve weeks. *sobs* It came in early last time, though, so I'm sure it will again. I'll finish reading it eventually. Anyway, on to September's challenges!

14. Read a book whose movie or TV adaptation you've seen, but you haven't read the book 

I chose I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle for this. This pick took a little digging, since I really enjoy torturing myself and reading the source material after I watch something that has been made into visual media, but I finally found something that satisfied the prompt (mostly because I didn't realize the movie was based on a book). Bonus, I guess, I watched the movie so long ago that I barely remember it, so I won't be able to compare it to the book and be disappointed in the adaptation!

16. Read a book recommended by a friend with different reading tastes

Sooo. The thing about this is that I keep a very small friend circle, and most of us have similar taste in books. Which meant I had to ask for a recommendation from my husband, who doesn't have reading "tastes" so much as every once in a while he'll read a non-fiction book written by some hopefully well-intentioned straight cisgender white guy about how to improve your life or how the guy became a success or one life-changing thing to get you to the top of your game. It's fine if you're into that sort of thing, but it's pretty much the opposite of what I gravitate toward...which I guess is the point of this whole challenge, but also kind of...not? At any rate, I've made my bed, so for this challenge I will be reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. I've been mentally preparing for months, so we'll see how this goes.

17. Read a memoir written by someone who is trans or nonbinary

Excellent palate cleanser coming after the above two challenges. For this prompt, I'll be reading Becoming Eve by Abby Stein. I look forward to getting into this one!

August Reading Challenge Update

I am thrilled to report that I am working on this BEFORE the day I intend to post it, because I planned ahead. Am I turning things around? Getting organized at last?

...probably not. School started this week, and I have more classes than last year with less help, so I'm sure next week it will be 6pm, I'll be mid-DnD session, and I'll realize I never wrote anything and have to scramble after our adventure wraps up. But hey, maybe not. Maybe I AM getting organized at last.

Anyway, Read Harder update! I did not finish While Justice Sleeps last month, although not because I wasn't reading it or didn't like it. This delay is due to circumstances beyond my control, those circumstances being that the library app I checked it out from doesn't cooperate with my Kindle. Trying to read ebooks on my phone is kind of a pain in the ass, so I gave it my best shot but ultimately decided that the better option was to put a hold on it using Overdrive so I could read more comfortably. The wait list is about ten weeks, so look forward to a review around Halloween.

Since While Justice Sleeps wasn't panning out, I moved on to challenge #7, read a book where at least one protagonist is over 40, and listened to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which I've already posted a review for! I would brag about being on top of stuff, but while writing this I realized I never did a challenge update for June, so not only am I a month behind on my challenge reading, but double checking my list after I noticed that, one of the books I picked for May just completely fell of my radar and I never actually read it. WHOOPS! This really bodes well for my whole "turning things around" thing.

Anyhoozle. I don't even know what's happening anymore, but I've read 12 of the 24 books on my list, and to get back on track I'm going to try to read three challenge books in August and three in September. So, without further ado, my picks for August:

Challenge #6: Read a nonfiction YA comic

The book I chose in May returns! This time, for real, I will be reading The Courage of Elfina. Seriously. I mean it. My copy of the book is already on the way. Or...will be...like...tomorrow.

Challenge #11: Read a book with an asexual/aromantic main character

I KNOW I can commit to reading this one because I've already started it! For this challenge, I'm reading Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann. It's fantastic so far, and I look forward to sharing an update when I'm done.

Challenge #13: Read an adventure story by a BIPOC author

For this challenge, I'll be reading Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney. Sadly, my library doesn't own a digital copy of this, but I put in a request for them to get the audiobook, and in the meantime I've got a hold on the physical book. 

July Reading Challenge Update

Why are so many of the books on my Read Harder list on wait lists at the library right now? Is everyone reading the same Read Harder books that I am? People! Stop copying my list, or I'll never finish!

Ok, fine, people probably aren't copying my list, I clearly just have excellent taste in books, so all my picks are heckin popular. 😉

Thankfully, one of the apps my library uses is newish to the system so not as many people use it, which means I've only got like a two week wait for one book, AND I was able to borrow two of my challenge picks. Woo!

Pick one is for challenge #8: Read a classic written by a POC. I chose Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin because HOW HAVE I NEVER READ JAMES BALDWIN?! (Racism, that's how. I mean, I read Heart of Darkness three times in various AP and college classes, but not a single professor put Baldwin on their reading list? Come on.) I am very excited to get into this.

Pick two is for challenge #10: Read a political thriller by a marginalized author. I'm going with While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams. Life is basically a political thriller right now, so this might end up feeling a little bit like realistic fiction. 🤣😭Seriously, though, I'm looking forward to reading it. And who knows, maybe I'll even write actual reviews for these two! If not, there will at least be a brief reaction to them in a "what I'm reading now" post, I'm sure.

Oh me, oh May

Thrilled to report that not only did I finish and enjoy The Making of Jane Austen, I also survived until the end of the school year! I am still working (don't believe anyone who talks shit about how teachers shouldn't complain about pay because they get summers off...it's a fuckin lie), but I'm still hoping I'll have more energy and get more reading done, since I won't be actively TEACHING as much. Teaching = So Much Peopling = Exhausting. I can only extrovert for so long, and then I spend the rest of my day recuperating, too tired to do anything else. 

So anyway...Black Boy Joy, I'm gonna read you! I'm also going to read Every Body Shines for Read Harder challenge #5, read an anthology featuring diverse voices, and The Courage of Elfina for Read Harder challenge #6, read a non-fiction YA comic. I'm also ALSO going to be reading (well...presently reading) the graphic novel The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor, because it's recommended for ages 12+ but I had some students ask about getting it for our library, so I want to see if it would be age appropes for our older grades. So far? 👍👍

Finally, I'd really like to get back to more regular posting here, so I'm contemplating the best way to do that without completely exhausting myself. Trying to sit down and blog on Friday nights has proved tricky since my battery is very drained by the end of the week and since I frequently have DnD on Friday nights, but if I can get my ass in gear and write ahead of time, I could continue with First Page Friday posts. That's probably the best solution, working ahead. We'll see, I suppose. Only time will tell.

Did you know April means it's not March anymore?

Because intellectually, I knew it was April, but emotionally, I definitely thought we were still in the same month. Nope. April is different from March. It's a NEW month. Which means I am still behind.

I am unhappy to report that Jane Austen at Home is DRY, y'all. Like...toast with no butter dry. Cheerios with no milk. I was trying to slog through it, but I made it like five chapters in, and then I was like WAIT A MINUTE. I know someone who is a Jane Austen scholar! Devoney Looser, friends and foes. Or as I knew her when we briefly played roller derby together, Stone Cold Jane Austen. And she wrote a biography about Jane Austen! And why did I not remember this earlier? So I just ordered her book, The Making of Jane Austen, and I can't wait to start reading it. 

Know what else I can't wait to start reading? Let's see...

💭💭💭

Challenge 3: Read any book from the Woman's Prize shortlist/longlist/winner list!

I'll be reading An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. It has been described as both emotional and sad, which, if you asked my husband about it, is my bread and butter. So I'm sure I'll love it.

Also!

💭💭💭

Challenge 4: Read a book in any genre by a POC that's about joy and not trauma. My pick for this one is Black Boy Joy, an anthology of seventeen short stories edited by Kwame Mbalia. I've wanted to read this for a while, and I just got a copy for my school library, so I am SO excited to check it out!

Shhhh, pretend it's still February

Ok, I'm several days late, but I did it. I finished my February challenges. THREE of them, no less!

First up, I listened to The Hill We Climb several times, and it remains amazing. Listen to it. Over and over. It's glorious. Do I feel like this one was a little bit of a cheat, since it's like five minutes long? I mean...a little, but I didn't know that when I chose it? And it's still incredible, so. Whatever.

I also FINALLY finished The House of Earth and Blood (stayed up way too late last night to do it, but it's spring break so fuck it!), and y'all, shit got tense. TENSE. Do I feel like the first half-ish of the book could have been shorter? Yeah, probably. At least a bit. But the world building is pretty great, the characters were solid, and WHEW the last like quarter of the book had me on the edge of my...mattress, I guess, since I read it in bed. Pillow? Anyway, I probably should not have chosen this as a book that I read right before bed, because I had some wild nightmares, but I have very few regrets. I will be drinking lots of coffee today, though.

Finally, I landed on a third challenge, and that was reading a new literary magazine. Passages North, hellooooooooo! The linked short story was written by the brother of my tattoo artist, which is how I learned about it, and it was quite a ride.

⭐⭐⭐

So, now that we're already almost a week into March, which challenges shall I focus on for the rest of the month? I'm going to be honest, I'm a little bit starting to feel like if I don't go in order I'll end up sticking myself with the longer/harder books at the end of the year. 😬 Should I switch to going in order? Maybe? I don't know. I'm going to for March, at least. Challenges 1 and 2!

Challenge 1: Read a biography of an author you admire: I'll be reading Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley, because Jane Austen rules. Austen forever! I just put a hold on it at my library, so I should have it in my hot little hands early next week.

Challenge 2: Read a book set in a bookstore: Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley is my pick for this one, it sounds full of heartache and longing and romance, which is pretty up my alley. I've got a hold on the audiobook through my digital library, which has an estimated two week wait, so...looking forward to listening to it on my commute when I'm back at work!

This post was not sponsored by my local public library, but consider this a PSA in case you need it: visit your local public library! Libraries are awesome!

Bye January, not sure I'll miss you

Oh my god, January felt like it would never end. I know there are only two days left, but I still kind of feel like February will never come. I guess on the plus side, plenty of time for reading? No, wait, that's a lie, it felt like forever because there was so much going on, which meant NOT PLENTY OF TIME FOR READING. Of course, though, I picked a super long book for challenge #18, so I am not done with that one yet. (Surprised? I didn't think so.)

I DID, however, finish The Red Pyramid, and thus challenge #9, AND I read the shortest book of poetry I've ever seen, which checks off challenge #12, reading a poetry collection. I probably could have written that in a different way so it didn't seem like I purposely chose the shortest book of poetry I've ever seen, but it's already written, I can't go back. 

For the record, that is not at all what I did. We did a virtual program with a local author at my former job before I left, and his latest book was added to the library's collection, so I put a hold on it and THEN discovered that it was the shortest book of poetry I'd ever seen. Worked out well for me, though, since I was behind on finishing two challenges for January and my hold came in just in time to read it before the month ended. Also worked out well for me because it was a good book! 

Anyhoo, February is up! I guess I'll keep chipping away at House of Earth and Blood as one of my challenges...should I choose three challenges just in case, though? Might be a good idea.

Due to kismet in library holds, my second challenge will be #24: Pick a challenge from any of the previous years' challenges to repeat. I chose Read an Audiobook of Poetry from 2020's challenges and am VERY excited to listen to The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman. 💜

I'm torn on what to do for a third challenge, so I guess I'll see how I feel if it's taking a long time to get through my lingering January challenge. In the meantime, what challenge would you pick for #24?

New Year, Same Me

Well, well, well, what have we here...time, while a construct, continues to march on, and we are now in 2022. Given the rousing successes that my 2021 reading challenges ended up being (and by "rousing successes" I mean I barely finished both, but I fuckin did it, didn't I?!), I decided to carry that momentum into what will hopefully be a better year than the last couple. Even if it isn't, I guess at least I'll come out of it having read some good books.

Anyhoo...reading challenges. I'm making the switch from Goodreads to StoryGraph (bold, I know), and instead of choosing a reading goal for the whole year like I have the past few years, I'm going to do the StoryGraph monthly challenges. January's challenge: Read at least one page a day. Already read a chapter this morning, so I'm crushing it so far!

I'll also be doing Book Riot's Read Harder challenge again, and this time instead of choosing a couple books at a time, I spent my new year's eve the way all cool kids spend it...choosing books for each challenge. I'll still be aiming to complete two challenges each month, but I'm going to jump around this year instead of going in order. Ready for January's challenges?

#9: Read the book that's been on your TBR the longest: 

CALLED OUT. For this challenge, I will be reading The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan, which has been on my to be read list since July 31st, 2015. Which isn't entirely fair because this is the first book in a series, which means I'll actually be reading the SERIES that has been on my TBR the longest, which is exactly why it was still on my TBR...but here we go. It's on now, Book Riot.

#18: Read a "Best _____ Writing of the year" book for a topic and year of your choice:

Look...I should be more plugged in with book awards, but I'm not. Pretty much the only time I pay attention to awards is when I'm teaching them to students or when I see an award announcement on Twitter and am like "yay, good job!" Could I have googled around and found a cool best whatever list? Totally. Did I? No. I picked one of the reader's choice awards from the Goodreads 2020 awards...coincidentally, one that I got last year for my birthday and still haven't read! What book is this, you ask? House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas.

Which books would you choose for each of these challenges?