Goodbye August

August, it was nice knowing you...I think.
September, take it a bit slower now, please.

Here I am again checking in with my 2019 resolutions:

(1) Keep learning

(2) Write [almost] every day

(3) Don't stop reading

(4) Complete something (e.g. a manuscript)

(5) Get [a little] professional 

This month went better. I mean not my best, but a lot better than I have been doing.

(1) Again, no real "evidence" of this to share. 

(2) I did better. 17-20 pages written. Sounds better typed out like that, makes me feel more accomplished then I actually was 

(3) I read 6-7 books in August (including the first 3 Percy Jackson books again (yes, I caved)).

(4) So I switched manuscripts. I didn't abandon my "new/2019" project, just set it aside for a while. I picked up my project from 2017. Have some new ideas and some interesting stories to tell. Before I started writing this month my "new/2019" text had 164 pages (I think), and now it has 166 pages. Before My "old/2017" text has 189 pages, and now it has 204-206 pages. Progress. Slow (yes) and steady (meh).

(5) Posts in August: 9 (that includes this one).

I'm going to (try) to do this at the end of every month, or close to it (that is, if I remember, and my life isn't too too crazy at that time).

What are your big September reads?

Anything I should check out?

As we say at the daycare I work at during circle time:

"Goodbye, August!"

"Hello, September!"

It sounds silly, but just imagine 6-10 two year olds repeating that after you. It could make almost anyone smile.

#newyearsresolutions #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #goodbyeaugust #helloseptember #bookstagram #books #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pumpkinheads

Like does everything Rainbow Rowell do in her life perfection?

Rainbow wrote the perfect story. Faith Erin Hicks made it visionally perfect.

["Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends.

Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.

But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if—instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut—they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years . . .

What if their last shift was an adventure?"]

Much like "Carry On," just because the story takes place in media res (in the middle), does not mean you miss something. You immediately get the sense of familiarity or nostalgia. It's the feeling of fall all wrapped up in a cute, easy read: love, leaves, flannel, pumpkins, apples, runaway goats, hay rides, fudge, pie, etc, etc, etc.

Do yourselves a favor and read it. Now.

#pumpkinheads #rainbowrowell #faitherinhicks #graphicnovel #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Winterhouse

Chosen One Trope (including the most commonly used minor Orphan Trope). Bookworm + Trouble-Starter + Mystery-Solver Troupe. Adults-Thinking-They-Know-Better Children's-Trope. Plus some really ancient and really, really gorgeous hotel/architecture/countryside. And some toffee candy. And some magic (real magic). And a fabulous, Belle-worthy library.

That's "Winterhouse" by Ben Guterson.

["Orphan Elizabeth Somers’s malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms―most notably its massive library. It’s not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But the deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel’s curse and solve the mystery. But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to care for, and even Winterhouse itself?"]

Any suggestions on a great children's mystery book and/or series? The less predictable the better.

#winterhouse #benguterson #books #childrensbooks #childrensmysteries #mysterybooks #bookphotography #bookstagram #ilovebooks

Fence (vol 3)

Another titillating edition to the "Fence" graphic novel series. Written by C.S. Pacat. Illustrated by Johanna the Mad.

["Scrappy fencer Nicholas Cox comes to the end of his path to prove himself worthy of a father he never knew in the face of surly upperclassmen, nearly impossible odds, and the talent of his rival, sullen fencing prodigy, Seiji Katayama.

Sparks fly white-hot on the pitch as Nicholas and Seiji finally face off once again in the halls of King’s Row. It’s a match that will change King’s Row (and both of them!) forever, and set the stage as the team journeys to face their bitter rivals and prove themselves once and for all."]

Can't wait for the next edition!!

#fence #fencevolumethree #cspacat #johannathemad #graphicnovel #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Just My Luck

Jennifer Honeybourn's novel "Just My Luck" was....exceptionally okay. It wasn't anything great. But it wasn't horrible. I've read better, but I've infinitely read worse.

But before it was really cute and had some good messages in it (along with a guide to Hawaii), I'm still suggesting that you pick it up if you get the chance.

#justmyluck #jenniferhoneybourn #books #Bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Someone please convince me to not reread Percy Jackson when I'm already really, really behind on my TBR pile(s).

Or ya know, convince me to, doesn't really matter to me at this point.

#percyjackson #percyjacksonandtheolympians #rickriodan #books #childrensbooks #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Worlds Greatest Detective

The World's Greatest Detective by Caroline Carlson was really good and really cute. Like any great mystery novel, even though its a kids book, I was unable to predict the ending. Behind the murder and the solving, it is about friendship, family, being yourself, following your passions.

["Detectives’ Row is full of talented investigators, but Toby Montrose isn’t one of them. He’s only an assistant at his uncle’s crime-solving business, and he’s not sure he’s even very good at that. But he sees his chance to prove he could be by entering Hugh Abernathy’s crime-solving contest in his uncle’s place.

Toby’s friend Ivy is the best detective around—or at least she thinks so. But she can’t show off her sleuthing skills and take the title because she’s not allowed to join the investigators’ ranks. Even though the competition is being held at her house.

Then a detective is found murdered before the games begin and his death becomes the World’s Greatest Mystery. And Toby and Ivy may be the only two who can crack the case.

In Caroline Carlson’s newest novel, hilarity and hijinks abound as the greatest detectives around try to solve the greatest mystery they’ve ever come across."]

Honestly, it was a little like Sherlock Holmes (a very different version of him) set up a detective contest in the middle of the country, with the assistance of John Watson (again, a slightly different version of him) only for things to go....well totally not as planned.
#theworldsgreatestdetective #carolinecarlson #books #childrensbooks #Bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Good Omens

I keep seeing posts about Good Omens, the Amazon Prime TV show. I saw quotes and fake-quotes and screen grabs and fanart, and I feel in love. I fell in love before I even picked up the book (before I watched the show).

Both were so ineffably amazing. I mean what more can you ask for. This thing is like full of classic, cliched tropes, and yet...and yet its so fucking awesome. It's a classic. It's a national treasure.

["According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.

So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist . . . "]

So in other words: an angel who is obsessed with food and old books accidentally, or otherwise, has done quite a few things to have gotten himself kicked out of heaven but hasn't--teams up with--a demon who got himself accidentally thrown out of heaven to accidentally, or otherwise, help humans but lies to hell about it while taking care of his plants and his angel.

There's the tropes/themes/motifs: good/evil, light/dark, bookshop/flower shop, slow burn, angst, witches/prophecies, nuns/satanic nuns, etc

There's the representation: asexual, gender-fluidity/non-binary, ethnicities, backgrounds, etc.

It explores a few major historical events in ways you've never seen before.

Plus the cast! You need to read the book NOW so you can go watch the show. It's the best 6 hours you'll have had in a long time. I know I'm totally missing stuff, but like go NOW and buy the book.

#goodomens #goodomenstheniceandaccuratepropheciesofagnesnutterwitch #neilgaiman #terrypratchett #books #LGBTbooks #booksmadeintomovies #booksmadeintoTV #bookstagram #Bookphotography #ineffablehusbands #ilovebooks

Heartstopper: Volume Two

Heartstopper: Volume Two, by Alice Oseman was everything I wanted/needed/expected and more.

Spoilers from here on out. If you haven't read Heartstopper: Volume One (1: go read it, like seriously; 2: stop reading this post; 3: yeah, that's about it), stop now. You've been warned.

At the end of the first graphic novel, Charlie and Nick kissed. It was awesome...until Nick runs back to his popular, joke friends, and Charlie is left alone and crying.

Well, let's just say, it goes up from there as they explore their feelings for each other.

Please read it and explore their totally adorable love story.

#hearstopper #hearstoppervolumetwo #aliceoseman #books #LGBTbooks #bookphotography #bookstagram #ilovebooks

Goodbye July

July...seriously? 
August...how?

But really, how?

Here I am again checking in with my 2019 resolutions:

(1) Keep learning

(2) Write [almost] every day

(3) Don't stop reading

(4) Complete something (e.g. a manuscript)

(5) Get [a little] professional 

Again, this month was...bad. I still got nothing done.

August really will be better.

(1) Again, no real "evidence" of this to share. 

(2) I sucked at this, in general, all month...yup. 

(3) I read...some in June. I think I read about 2 books in total. Which isn't a lot...at all.

(4) My manuscript has ~153 pages done (and counting). That's about 0 more than last month...so, yeah.

(5) Posts in July: 1 (that includes this one...yup, really).

I'm going to (try) to do this at the end of every month, or close to it (that is, if I remember, and my life isn't too too crazy at that time).

What are your big August reads?

Anything I should check out?

But seriously, give me something addictive to read. My book count is staggeringly low for this time of the year. It needs help. I need help. Send help.

As we say at the daycare I work at during circle time:

"Goodbye, July!"

"Hello, August!" (even though its already here)

It sounds silly, but just imagine 6-10 two year olds repeating that after you. It could make almost anyone smile.

#newyearsresolutions #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #goodbyejuly #helloaugust #bookstagram #books #bookphotography #ilovebooks