Hello 2021

2021? Bring it.

I'm just going to keep it simple this year and renew the resolutions I made this time last year (mostly because they were great and also because well...why the fuck not).

2021 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.

What are your 2021 resolutions?

#newyearsresolutions #hello2021 #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Goodbye 2020

Good-Fucking-Bye 2020, you horrid dumpster fire.....though, a bunch of really good/fun things did happen this year (I'll try to remember the good/fun things if you do?).

Here I am again checking in with my 2020 resolutions:

     (1) Write [almost] every day

     (2) Don't stop reading

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

     (4) Share love of books/writing
     (5) Be kinder to myself

The Full Year Check Up:

(1) I did pretty darn good with this one...most months. I finished a manuscript. Started a few more/Revisited a few more. 

(2) Much, much better this year. I beat my record from last year. 100 books (6-7 of which were today, mostly rereading graphic novels to get to an even 100).

(3) For once, in the past two years of doing this thing, I actually did it. I finished my manuscript of "Two Moves Ahead" and its out there in the universe waiting for agents to answer my queries. 

(4) Posts This Year (including this one and the next one): 146-155 (I counted twice and got two different number, and you better bet, I'm not counting a third time).

(5) I was at my lowest weight in years and years...then COVID. So we're just trying to be kind to ourselves some more with positive words/vibes/foods. 

I'm going to (try) to do this whole thing (resolutions, reading/writing, blog posts, checking-in, etc) again next year.

What are your big 2021 reads?

Anything I should check out?

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

"Goodbye, 2020!"

"Hello, 2021!"

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 #goodbye2020 #hello2021 #bookstagram #books #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Goodbye December

December was just as wild and crazy as the rest of the year. Christmas feels like it was years away, but it still feels like I should be writing the date in single digits. 

At least we're almost done with this dumpster fire.

Just like 2019, I wanted to make some resolutions and (try to) stick to them. As a reminder, here were my updated resolutions.

2020 Resolutions:

     (1) Write [almost] every day

     (2) Don't stop reading

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

     (4) Share love of books/writing
     (5) Be kinder to myself

(1) I think I wrote 75-99% of the days in December. Mostly planning, mostly dialogue-based scenes (But writing nonetheless)

(2) Books read this month: 20 (though a handful of them were re-reads). (we're STILL not talking about my half-started/half-finished piles or my TBR piles, okay?).

(3) Two Moves Ahead query-waiting. Still waiting....

(4) Posts this month (including this one and the next two): 13.

(5) I exercised every day for the first half of the month. Then I just kind of...gave up. Here's to doing better in 2021?

Anyone still holding onto their resolutions?

Any exciting January/2021 reads?
Anything I should check out?

#newyearsresolutions #goodbyedecember #hellojanuary #goodbye2020 #hello2021 #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Assassin Game

Please tell me y'all remember that game everyone (everyone but me--boo) in high school, The Assassin (that's what we called it, but apparently there's other names: Killer, Gotcha, Battle Royal). Where you were assigned a "target" to "assassin" with a water pistol (again, that's just what my school used), but you had to be careful, because while you were off "killing" someone, someone was off "killing you". The last person/team alive after all of the different rounds won.

Except this one (version of the game in this book: "The Assassin Game" by Kirsty McKay) is set at an old/creepy boarding school on a middle-of-nowhere island off the Welsh coast (did I mention that the school used to be an insane asylum?).

["Who will be left after lights out?
Tag, you’re it…
It’s 4:00 a.m. when they come for me. I am already awake, strung out on the fear that they will come, and the fear that they won’t. When I finally hear the click of the latch on the dormitory door, I have only a second to brace myself before—

At Cate's isolated boarding school, Killer is more than a game—it’s an elite secret society. Members must avoid being “Killed” during a series of thrilling pranks, and only the Game Master knows who the “Killer” is. When Cate’s finally invited to join the Assassins’ Guild, she know it’s her ticket to finally feeling like she belongs.

But when the game becomes all too real, the school threatens to shut it down. Cate will do anything to keep playing and save the Guild. But can she find the real assassin before she’s the next target?"]

I made the mistake (yes again, sue me) of starting the book before going to bed (stayed up a little too late and made it halfway through the book before I told myself I had to go to sleep, even thought I was a little on edge about...everything). At least I went to bed when I did, because it only got scarier. 

I literally fell for every. single. one of the red herrings (all of them--and there were a fuck ton), so I didn't correctly guess the Killer (the real one or the game one). Can you do better?

Trigger Warnings: stalking, blackmail, misuse of power, hazing, psychological warfare, murder, poisoning, violence, attempted assault

#theassassingame #thekiller #kirstymckay #psychologicalthrillers #murdermystery #YApsychologicalthrillers #YAmurdermysteries #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #Ilovebooks

Writing Problems/Ideas/Blocks: Cinderella

Drum roll please....

I'm decided to focus all of my creative attention on.... a queer cinderella retelling.

It's a dark academia meets royal victorian version of Cinderella that, as of right now (mainly planning and preparing stage--mainly-ish), crosses somewhere between MerlinXArthur, Merthur, from ("Merlin") and HenryXAlex, First Prince, (from "Red, White, and Royal Blue") plus a bit of soulmate au magic. 

There's a friends to lovers trope, a magical masquerade, several fairy god mothers, and a slight lean away from some of the "traditional" Cinderella aspects (including the whole queer thing).

I have a bunch of scene ideas as well as several scenes already plotted out (in first draft dialogue only) as well as two entire mood-boards on Pinterest. 

If any of that interests you and you want to talk with me/let me bounce ideas off of you, please let me know.

If anything that I typed above inspired any image or idea, and you think I need to hear it, please let me know.
If you have any Cinderella adaptations (movies or books) that you think I need to watch/read, please let me know (there are like ZERO queer retellings out there, people, zero).

I think that's all...for now. You'll hopefully hear from me more on this project soon (as long as my brain doesn't murder me in my sleep) (because, even though I did "finish something" this year, that goal will be another new year's resolution of mine for 2021).

#cinderella #gaycinderella #cinderellaretellings #soulmates #soulmatesau #writer #writingproblems #merthur #firstprince #merlin #kingarthur #redwhiteandroyalblue #newyearsresolutions #books #bookphotography #bookstagram #ilovebooks

The Cousins

Another hit from Karen M. McManus: "The Cousins"

I thought about taking the photo for this post with a picture of my cousins. But my family isn't made of a recluse billionaire and a whole basket of secrets (plus I didn't have their permission). 

["Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised... and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family's past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything."] 

It took me a while to read through this, but only because I was distracted as hell. The plot twists were up to Ms Karen's typical fabulousness, and the plot just drove itself forward, and the characters were lovable (and hate-able) as anything. 

Some of the plot twists I saw coming (how can you write a murder mystery without any murder in it?).
But there were some I just really didn't (but you'll have to read the book to figure them out yourself).

#thecousins #karenmmcmanus #books #bookstagram #murdermysteries #psychologicalthrillers #YAmurdermysteries  #oneofusislying #oneofusisnext #twocankeepasecret #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Writing Problems/Ideas/Blocks

Sometimes, you're floating between that weird moment that isn't sleeping and it isn't awake, and your mind just kind of goes all...wonky. You're mind if a confusing twist between insomniac dreams and inspired poetry. You don't know what's happening and you don't know where its coming from. But the thoughts are occasionally phenomenal. Unfortunately, you're a little too comatose to move and write anything down. And then you just shout: "what the hell are you trying to tell me?!"

So here I am, floating between ideas (and by floating I mean violently ping-pong-ing without a life preserver), waiting for inspiration to hit (or the desperate will to write).

Ideas that keep me up at night/keep giving me headaches:

(1) Gay and modern adaptation of Hades + Persephone (all of the romance stuff and none of that kidnapping stuff)

(2) Gay and modern retelling of Cinderella

(3) Some sort of soulmate AU (either to add some romance or add some magical realism or to add something a little extra).

(4) Any of the above combinations (1+3 or 2+3)

(5) None of the above anythings (and yet nothing to fill in any actual blank either).

So like...anyone want to throw me a sign? Or a book to read so I can ignore the responsibilities of being a writer??

#writer #writingproblems #reader #readingproblems #waitingforinspirationtohit #dreamland #whatthehellareyoutryingtotellme #hadesandpersephone #cinderella #gayhadesandpersephone #gaycinderella #soulmates #soulmatesau #books #bookphotography #bookstagram #ilovebooks

Faraway Fairy Tales

A commentary on classism al a Fahrenheit 451, underground sex-trafficking, toxic masculinity themed serial killings, a strange connection between memory and magic, and the truth about exactly how "wicked" the wicked stepmothers really were.

A completely different twist on the classics that you never (ever) saw coming. 

I mean I knew these were a modern retelling/adaptations of classic fairytales, but did I see this coming? Hell, no. 

Did I love it anyway? Hell, yes.

So please, go read the Amazon Original Stories, The Faraway Fairytales (free to read/listen to if you have Amazon Prime): "The Prince and the Troll" by Rainbow Rowell,

"Hazel and Gray" by Nic Stone,

"The Princess Game" by Soman Chainani,

"The Cleaners" by Ken Liu, 

and "The Wickeds" by Gayle Forman.

#ThePrinceandTheTroll #RainbowRowell #HazelandGray #NicStone #ThePrincessGame #SomanChainani #TheCleaners #KenLiu #TheWickeds #GayleForman #thefarawayfairytales #fairytales #AmazonOriginalStories #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

#TheRealCinderella

I needed something fluffy and simpler (compared to high-anxiety, psychological thrillers I've been binge-reading lately), and #TheRealCinderella by Yesenia Vargas was just what I needed.

["Geeky Ella Reyes is at the bottom of the totem pole at Westwood High. Her ultra-popular stepsisters refuse to be seen with her at school, and every day she comes home to a mountain of chores.

Ella’s only friend (and maybe crush) lives on the other side of her phone’s screen. She and Baller929 know everything about each other, except their real names.

When they have a chance to meet at her school’s Halloween ball, Ella must figure out a way to get there without her stepmom or stepsisters finding out.

Is revealing her identity to Baller929 worth risking the one good thing left in her life? Or is he too good to be true?"]

This book was a little (a lot) reministent of Hilary Duff's "A Cinderella Story", but there were still a lot of plot points that I didn't see coming, a lot of twists and stakes and Fairy Godmothers. 

If you need a break from all of that heavy reading and the stress of life (and the holidays and this pandemic and...well...everything), this book will do the trick. I mean, I read it all in one sitting (about 2 hours).

#therealcinderella #cinderella #acinderellastory #abestfriendsforevernovel #yeseniavargas #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

#ShelfieSunday

An updated #ShelfieSunday for y'all.

One that contains the absolute chaos of my bookshelves lately.

And one that displays the Christmas present that I got the other day: "One does not simply stop buying books just because there is no more shelf space" (made by #CraftingWithMyChris on Etsy)

#shelfishsunday #etsy #craftingwithmychris #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Hand On The Wall (Truly Devious #3)

TRULY DEVIOUS BOOK 3: The Hand On The Wall

HOLY. FUCK.

You thing the plot twist at the end of "The Vanishing Stair" was something? Wait until you read the first chapter in "The Hand On The Wall"! I swore at least a dozen times in two pages. Like seriously.

And then all of the subsequent plot twists. I swore a lot while reading the last book in the original Truly Devious trilogy.

["Ellingham Academy must be cursed. Three people are now dead. One, a victim of either a prank gone wrong or a murder. Another, dead by misadventure. And now, an accident in Burlington has claimed another life. All three in the wrong place at the wrong time. All at the exact moment of Stevie’s greatest triumph . . .

She knows who Truly Devious is. She’s solved it. The greatest case of the century.

At least, she thinks she has. With this latest tragedy, it’s hard to concentrate on the past. Not only has someone died in town, but David disappeared of his own free will and is up to something. Stevie is sure that somehow—somehow—all these things connect. The three deaths in the present. The deaths in the past. The missing Alice Ellingham and the missing David Eastman. Somewhere in this place of riddles and puzzles there must be answers.

Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heads toward Vermont. This is too much for the parents and administrators. Ellingham Academy is evacuated. Obviously, it’s time for Stevie to do something stupid. It’s time to stay on the mountain and face the storm—and a murderer."]

Really, you need to read this book (this entire serious). 

I stayed up far too late last night so I could finish this. It was messing with my anxiety, and I figured that if I finished it, it would make me feel better/calmer. It did...sort of. I was felt at 11:30pm feeling that glorious book high. But also those jittery/anxiety feelings. I was literally shaking. It took me hours to go to bed. Once I did find sleep, I felt so much better (and sooo soo much calmer).

Now I need a nice fluffy book to keep my calm for a bit. My anxiety just gets too high with these murder mysteries/psychological thrillers. And yet...I can't seem to stop reading them. ;D

Trigger Warnings: murder, kidnapping, smoking, drinking, psychological torture, mysterious accidents disguised as murders

#thehandonthewall #maureenjohnson #trulydeviousbook3 #trulydevious #thevanishingstair #ssdgm #murdermystery #psychologicalthriller #YA #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious #2)

TRULY DEVIOUS BOOK 2: The Vanishing Stair

["All Stevie Bell wanted was to find the key to the Ellingham mystery, but instead she found her classmate dead. And while she solved that murder, the crimes of the past are still waiting in the dark. Just as Stevie feels she’s on the cusp of putting it together, her parents pull her out of Ellingham academy.

For her own safety they say. She must move past this obsession with crime. Now that Stevie’s away from the school of topiaries and secret tunnels, and her strange and endearing friends, she begins to feel disconnected from the rest of the world. At least she won’t have to see David anymore. David, who she kissed. David, who lied to her about his identity—son of despised politician Edward King. Then King himself arrives at her house to offer a deal: He will bring Stevie back to Ellingham immediately. In return, she must play nice with David. King is in the midst of a campaign and can’t afford his son stirring up trouble. If Stevie’s at school, David will stay put.

The tantalizing riddles behind the Ellingham murders are still waiting to be unraveled, and Stevie knows she’s so close. But the path to the truth has more twists and turns than she can imagine—and moving forward involves hurting someone she cares for. "]

This book really got me into the series. It was the perfect balance of new information (for Stevie's story and for the Ellingham mystery) and old information finally making sense (to Stevie and to the readers). The stakes get higher, the disappearances (and bodies) grow, and the riddles finally begin to make sense.

And JUST as things start to make sense....they don't again. Like wow. ALL of the plot twists and clues clicking and wow. 

This book was so much better than the first. READ IT.

Trigger Warnings: murder, kidnapping, smoking, drinking, psychological torture, mysterious accidents disguised as murders

#thevanishingstair #maureenjohnson #trulydeviousbook2 #trulydevious #thehandonthewall #ssdgm #murdermystery #psychologicalthriller #YA #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1)

(Hogwarts - Magic) + Sherlock Holmes = "Truly Devious"

And boy oh boy, is it truly devious. I mean, like... Okay, read the summary/blurb first:

["Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder."]

It took me about a week to get through the first book (oh yeah, did I mention that this book is the first in a trilogy?), but I was too stuck in my head over other things.

But the setting of Hogwarts (or my very own, deeply beloved college campus) but in the mountains of Vermont is magical all own its own. But then you add in an obsession of True Crime and Sherlock Holmes and the centuries oldest and most curious unsolved kidnapping/murder??? It all adds up to something that is hard to put down. 

Especially how brilliant Maureen Johnson is at adding a great plot twist right at the end of the novel, compelling you to just start the second one right away??? Yeah, go read this!!

Trigger Warnings: murder, kidnapping, smoking, drinking, psychological torture, mysterious accidents disguised as murders

#trulydevious #maureenjohnson #trulydeviousbook1 #thevanishingstair #thehandonthewall #ssdgm #murdermystery #psychologicalthriller #YA #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks