new year, new books!

anyone else think every month is a crazy one?

December ; 

witchshadow 

heart of the deal (arc) 

feather and flame (arc) 

snapshots

in every generation (arc) 

curse so dark and lonely trilogy 

taking sides 

once upon a broken heart

Narnia: magicians nephew

narnia: lion, witch and wardrobe 

 

leaving me with 150 for the year (literally. i finished LWW at 11:56pm on NYE) 

January ; 

keeper of the lost cities 

hard to love 

Keepers: Exile 

keepers: everblaze

defy the night 

Narnia: the horse and his boy 

keepers: neverseen 

arisotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe 

narnia: prince caspian 

Will (bio) 

the inheritance games

keepers: lodestar 

keepers: nightfall 

narnia: voyage of the dawn treader 

no goal this year, again (though i am hoping for 150)

but 14 books is setting a decent start 

i am trying to keep a more open ended/mood TBR but ... we'll see... 

finish the last 3 keepers books (#9 releases later this year!) 

start an Eragon series reread

crescent city 1 & 2 

echoes and empires

kingdom of the wicked

crown of gilded bones (though i dont remember what happened anymore...)

maybe a library book or two *shrugs* 

beginning of December, manfriend went back on paternity leave (as self employed, i dont get any time so he was able to take all of mine split up) so we've had some nice family time in the last 2 months.  christmas was chaos - but as it was baby's first, i expected that. and now we're settling into a new routine since i have a new work schedule... but that'll change end of february when he goes back to work (sigh. i like having him home all the time) 

otherwise life is pretty boring. i wana do allllll the things... and can't. so trying to figure out my priorities. and goals for this year, because i'm noticing some things have to change but with the way the world is right now, i'm unsure where to start. should make for an interesting few months *fingers crossed* 

stay safe everyone 

- A 

november rain turns to snow

another month of nonsence

the days are going fast with work and jugglin a 8 month old

sheesh 

i only read 8 .. mostly library books .. 

but i'm okay with it 

not the best month 

but... 

- anna and the french kiss
- ACOSF 
- going backwards 
- the ex hex
- isla and the happily ever after
- gilded cage
- lola and the boy next door
- where theres a whisk 

138 for the year, so far.
i'm over 100 so i'm happy 

Nov and Dec share a TBR pile 
but i've yet to touch it ... 

- witchshadow 
- 3 ARCs (via netgalley) 
- vespertine 
- crescent city 
- once upon a broken heart 
- curse so dark and lonely trilogy 

but we shall see ! 

my crocheting has taken over my motivation lately. i'm trying to do a bunch of things so i can open my etsy for it, and build up some stock. christmas is also next month so theres a few things i'll need to do for that ... plus some travel which sucks. 
work slows down mid december so that'll help. 
plus manfriend is going back to paternal leave for 3 months and 'm SO excited. 
i didn't get to NaNo this month, which was frustrating, but it's just not a priority... even though its nagging on my thoughts. 
taking it day by day these days. i'm alright with it ... hopefully the new year brings some new schedules and a boost in motivation. 

stay safe everyone! 

review: a court of silver flames

 A Court of Silver Flames

Sarah J Maas 

5/5 stars 

so, i ran away last weekend 

to get a bit of a mama-life break 

(just overnight, to my parents) 

and decided i was going to read and relax

so i grabbed the first big book i could find

which happened to be ACOSF. but, 

i didn't get a lot of reading - mom had my helping with a bunch of stuff instead - 

but i started it. and got hooked. 

Nesta's story continues from ACOWAR 

and we pick up with her in very self destructing behaviour 

which finally has Rhys and Feyre saying she cannot continue to be this reckless with their money (and the bad rep it gives the night court) 

so she has two options: train with Cassian, or leave. 

She doesn't want to leave, so training it is. but it takes a while for her to be willing to actually do anything. 

the rest of the book basically covers this. after training sessions, she has also been sentenced to help in the Library with all the priestess'. 

through Nesta's journey, she meets 2 ladies who also have been though hell... and are terrified of what lays next for them. With Nesta's help (and Cas and Az), theres a beautiful journey of female power and how to not let anything control you. You deserve the life you want to lead. 

The rest of the night court peeps pop in and out; Rhys and Feyre have a death sentence hanging over them, the Queens (from acowar) are planning on taking over the world - essentially - so there is some plot with them, Mor is barely around (i wonder if we get a book on her?) and Az is pretty quiet, like usual. 

this story's focus is Nesta though. Her journey as a survivor, a sister, a mate and a friend. 

^ that felt like a lot of rambling, but hey... it's hard to sum up 750 pages. 

plus a bonus scene of just Rhys and Feyre from their POV ... which i think was just a tease for the smut lovers. 

HOWEVER

i will die on the hill that Tamlin deserves better. even in this story. 

hopefully we get Elain's story next *glances over at lucien* 

for those who have read it, i hope you loved it as much as i did. 

for those who haven't yet ... whatcha waiting for?! 

a summary of summer

i dont know where the time has gone. 

i always feel old when i say things like that

but

then i look at the calander 

and it's the middle of Oct. 

so, y'know... *shrugs* 

June

- witches steeped in gold (half. skimmed) 

- five ways to fall out of love

- accidently engaged

- dragon republic / burning god 

- you may now kill the bride

- the wrong girl 

- with you all the way 

- happily ever afters 

- twice shy 

- saints & misfits 

- misfits in love 

- love in english 

- life's too short 

July

 rebel rose

the holidaze

the loop

melody

heart stone

from blood and ash

the roommate

ex-talk 

unfinished symphony

meet cute

music in the night 

August

prison healer

the accident season

date plan 

soulmate equation

steelcrow saga (skimmed most though) 

of princes and promises 

Freed

my sweet audrina

last change books

you say it first 

the marriage game 

isn't it bromantic 

September

spiderwick #1 (read to my nephew/neices)

lore 

kingdom of flesh and fire 

sage's eyes

the hobbit

simon and the homosapien agenda

it happened one summer

mom, the wolfman, and me

what once was mine

cheerleaders: first - third horror

the secret garden 

plus i'm 6 books into October so... 

i've some some decent reading

at 122 /100 for the year 

so i'm happy 

The rest of the year is basically mood reading 

no specific plans

i have a *ton* of library books 

waiting on order 

(and a few just waiting for them to be ready) 

and i even went on netgalley this morning and grabbed a few

though who knows if those will come in .. 

just taking it one day at a time right now 

 

i've gotten back into my crocheting which has been awesome. did a bunch of blankets for christmas gifts, and a few small projects for myself. i'd love to be able to do a market of some kind one day. 

i have so many things on my "one day" list ... which is annyoing. i've also been writing in my head but finding the energy to write it all done hasn't been easy. and social media has been sucky with IG nonsense so that's a bit disheartening ... though i do it for myself so i'm trying not to care ... *side glance* 

this parenting nonsense should come with a warning label haha he sleeps great, but hes more demanding when hes awake - and crawly so i can't even do something for myself because he just wants to crawl all over me or eat everything he finds. can't wait til he starts school.
(in 4 years. ugh)

plus, work has FINALLY picked up. so that's been fun trying to balance everything plus having 1.5-3 hrs on zoom every day. luckily i work with some great people who are understanding if i have to run because baby boy is crying (though every 2 weeks manfriend is home when i have to work so that's easier. yay for shift work... hes trying to apply for a new position in his work which would open up our weeks better. fingers crossed!) 

hoping the rest of the year goes smooth.  

and you are all staying safe

review: happily ever afters

i love stories about writers. 

and cheeky rom-com vibes 

they make my heart happy

and "happily ever afters" by elsie bryant is at the top of my list! 

We follow Tessa, who recently moved to a new area

and just starting a new prestigious school for the arts 

where she spends her time writing stories

and looking after her brother while her parents are working. 

Tessa's across the street neighbor, Sam, also goes to the fancy art school

but for culinary arts...

much to the teasing of the childhood classmates who have been there for a while now. 

Tessa is nervous when she starts out. luckily, an issue with her monthly friend provides her with a new best friend 

as the story progresses, her writing does not. 

with the help of her childhood best friend, they realize that Tessa's writing is at a stand-still because her life is. 

Write what you know, after all. 

so in order to continue with her romance story, she needs to experience a romance. 

in walks Nico. the IRL character from her story who is also in her writing classes. 

little does she know, the romance she's been looking for has been in her sights the whole time 

super cute YA love story! 

i love when the writing of a story is just real. 

nerdy references and delicious snacks ; what could be better? 

predictable in the sense of it's a love story. 

and i mean, its called "happily ever afters" 

but you still want to binge it in one sitting

... which i did :) 

5/5 stars !