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

Goodbye June

June ended....almost 20 days ago....its almost the end of July. I was super busy so I just kept...forgetting to do this post. Anyway, here it is, better super late than never.

July....has been happening for 20 days so...yeah...

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 was...unfortunate. I got nothing done...in terms of my resolutions. In terms of planning a fab trip to Europe next May with my Mom and I...that is going spectacularly. Here's to Europe! And here's to July being 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 June: 14 (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 July reads?

Anything I should check out?

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

"Goodbye, June!"

"Hello, July!" (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 #goodbyejune #hellojuly #bookstagram #books #bookphotography #ilovebooks