TTT: Halloween Reads

Hi TTT friends! I know I've not been participating in this linkup lately, but I couldn't let this one pass me up. Here are ten "spooky" books that I own, but haven't actually read just yet (with the exception of Opium and Absinthe, which I highly recommend)! Have you read any of these? If so, which would you recommend? 

I Choose Darkness: A Holiday Essay - Jenny Lawson

The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins-Gilman

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and other Short Stories - Washington Irving

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

Baby Teeth - Zoje Stage

The Family Upstairs - Lisa Jewell

Opium and Absinthe - Lydia Kang

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton

What spooky reads have you picked for this season?

Linking up with Jana!

Favorite Reads of 2021

I haven't been the best at blogging in general lately, and probably haven't done a book-related one in 6 months (I'm too lazy to check), but I have still been reading so I wanted to share my favorites from the year and hopefully I'll be better about reviewing next year!


Best Sequel You've Read This Year?
Mind The Gap, Dash and Lily (Dash and Lily #3) - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

New Release You Haven't Read Yet But Want To?
Apples Never Fall - Liane Moriarty

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?
Eight Perfect Hours - Lia Louis

Biggest Disappointment?
Outlawed - Anna North

    * This had a lot of hype around it (probably because I think it was a Reese Witherspoon book        club pick) and I thought I would like it because I unexpectedly LOVED Upright Women               Wanted by Sara Gailey last year which seemed like the same genre, but I didn't enjoy this           one.

Biggest Surprise?
One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston

    *This was a surprise because usually I don't like science fiction or time travel, but I                       absolutely loved this one (and don't worry, that's not a spoiler!)

Favorite new author (debut or new to you)?
B.A. Paris. I read Behind Closed Doors earlier this year adn already got The Therapist on deck- can't wait to read that and her backlist! 

New favorite character?
Elle Jones, the free-spirited social media astrologer who stand up for herself (and her profession) to her haters, in Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.

Book that made you cry?
All The Ugly and Wonderful Things - Bryn Greenwood

Book that made you happy?
In A Holidaze - Christina Lauren
    *This gave me all the warm and fuzzies! 

Favorite book-to-film adaptation you saw this year?
Bird Box - Josh Malerman (also the only book-movie adaptation I read this year)

Most worthy of all the hoopla?
The Last Thing He Told Me - Laura Dave

Best non-fiction?
The Home Edit Life: The Complete Guide to Everything at Work, at Home, and on the Go - Clea Shearer and Jenna Teplin (I liked The Home Edit better, but the other two non-fiction books I read were memoirs and I didn't love either one of them)

Favorite book you read in 2021 by an author you’ve read previously?
Then She Was Gone - Lisa Jewell
    *This author ALWAYS gets me out of a reading rut! I'm glad I still have her backlist to read!

Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc.)
The Push - Ashley Audrain
    *I was asking everyone I know if they had read this one! If you don't know why, you MUST          read it!

Book you can’t BELIEVE you waited until 2021 to read?
Small Great Things - Jodi Picoult
    *If I had to pick a favorite book of the year, it would be this one! 

Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2021?
To Night Owl from Dog Fish - Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
    *The friendship between Night Owl and Dogfish was so sweet! 


Book Stats
Total number read: 36
Netgalley: 5
Owned: 7
Non-Fiction: 3
WOC: 4 (wow, terrible)
Given Away: at least 10

What were your favorite reads this year? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana!

Prime Purchases

As you will see, my shopping got a little bit away from me in the last 2 months! this time I broke them up into beauty, household, and "other." Of course now I'll probably be on a bit of a spending freeze for another 2 months, because my shopping is pretty cyclical and I need to pull in the purse strings a bit! Anyway, here's what I've been "Amazon-ing" lately! 

Beauty Products

Biolage All-In-One Coconut Infusion Spray - I saw Andrea raving about this leave-in conditioning spray during the last linkup, so I bought myself the trial size just to try it out. 

Rael Healing Acne Patches - repeat purchase because I ran out. These things are EXCELLENT! I put them over a blemish overnight, and the next day it's gone! 

Flawless Brows- another repeat purchase. After I raved about it my mom and Blue both requested it and they both love it! I have very sensitive skin, but this worked great and was pain-free! 

Foot buffer(s) - While I'm happy that spas and salons have finally opened up in these parts, I'm not quite ready to go in. These little guys came in a pack of 4, were inexpensive (only $2/ea!), and work great. 

Household

Stainless Steel colander- The one I had was this little plastic one that I think I got from the Dollar Store? I don't really remember, but I eat pasta way too much for that to be acceptable. I love this one! 

Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls (with Lids- Set of 5) - Another somewhat necessity, but I love the fact that they have lids to I can just mix whatever I need to and put it right in the fridge instead of trying to find something else to put it in. I also like all the sizes. 

2-Pc Squirt Bottles - Again, I don't quite remember why I bought these but Blue and I both wanted them (maybe after watching Amy Schumer Learns to Cook?), and they were inexpensive. They'd be perfect for oil and vinegar and I'm sure many other things too!

Stainless Steel Cheese Grater - My mom bought me several blocks of cheese, and while I did cube some of it, I wanted some shredded so I bought this. I like this better than the cube ones because even though they have more options, I feel like I would definitely cut myself on those! 

Suction Hooks - These things suck, and not in a good way! They don't stick at all, and now I'm mad that I missed the return window because it's a pack of 8! UGH! 

Random/Other

Needed a new phone case, thanks to Kristin for recommending this one.

Emily purchased and shared this weekly planning pad last month, and I loved it so much I bought one too! it's a lot smaller than I thought it would be, I thought it would be like those desk calendar pads, but it's still cute and useful. 

Kindle Paperwhite and leather case - this was part of Blue's birthday present. She bought me one last Christmas and I noticed she was reading her e-books on her phone, so I got her one too! 

Jersey Girl wine glass(es) - I received one of these for a birthday many years ago, and then about two years ago (ON my birthday) I broke it. I was soooooo happy when I saw they were available on Amazon that I got one for me and one for a friend.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw - this book was a gift for my Christmas in July partner. 

Active Lifestyle Wrist Wallet - Blue requested this as a place to store her keys while she went on her morning runs. I think she likes it! 

Beach.co jewelry - An IG ad impulse buy! I thought the company was going out of business and that's why everything was 75% off, but apparently it's still open and the sale is still on! 

GermKey - I forget exactly where I heard of this, but it seemed like a great idea, especially when I'm not wearing gloves and need to pay and push the button/touch the keypad. Blue thought it was stupid because if it's connected to your keys and then throw your keys into your purse, it touches all the surfaces in your purse and your skin when you next use your keys, but I like it. I'll just Lysol it after use, okay Blue?! Gosh!

What have you been purchasing lately? 

Linking up with Tanya!

10 Favorite Gifts To Give

*This post does NOT contain affiliate links.

As much as I dislike Christmas (I know, total Grinch over here), I love buying presents. One of the things I pride myself on is being a good gift giver. I used to be a last minute shopper, like, the day before Christmas- eek! but it was so stressful. Now I listen and take notes... waaaaay before the holiday season. Not only does this save money and time before December, but also it saves my sanity! I try to buy presents that the person will really enjoy, or that follows one of these categories: Want, Need, Wear, or Read. Here are some other things I like to gift:

My favorite thing to give (and receive, tbh) are experiences. Gift cards to things like the movies, a nice restaurant, or something else I think you'll enjoy, I will try to give you that or take you there. 

Emergency kits. How cute are these? There are a bunch of different varieties too- for him, for her, the bride, the teacher, the student, tech lover, traveler, etc. I bought the fitness kit and the college survival kit last year for my nieces and they loved them.

Outerwear accessories. It's winter. Everyone gets cold right? So what person wouldn't want a cozy scarf, touch gloves, or even fuzzy socks?

via

Hot Toddy or Cocktail gift sets. Usually I put these together myself- all you need is a mini bottle of alcohol ($1), a few tea bags (I usually get a spiced variety), maybe some honey, and a cute mug and boom! Perfect, not to mention inexpensive, present! If you prefer to buy one, Nordstrom has a variety of different cocktail kits. Not a drinker? How about the hot toddy for the body sets?

Books. I don't buy books for myself, but if I know you fancy a certain author that has a new release or a famous person you love has a memoir (because everyone seems to have one these days), I'd purchase it. I also always get books for kids (and a toy, obviously, because kids).

Glassware/mugs. I love funny or sarcastic mugs and wine glasses. And everyone I know drinks either coffee, tea, or wine, so it's a useful, fun present for anyone!

via

Ornaments/collectibles. I like giving personalized ornaments, or ones with a picture in them- memories forever! And if I know you have a collection or love of a TV or movie, I'll try to add to it in some way. Those Funko Pops are fun to give, and they seem to have one for everybody!

Hobby-related. I may not share your hobby, but I will try to find a gift to support it! Runner? Happy feet pedicure set or medal/bib display rack. Hiker or yogi? Daypack or yoga mat bag. Photographer? Lens mug. Musician or music lover? A cool retro-style speaker or record coasters... it's not hard. Think outside of the box!

Pet care/related. Can't forget about your furry family members! I've never met a pet parent who didn't like something relating to or for their pets. 1 month subscription to KitNip Box or Barkbox, homemade dog treats, or just toys in general are always welcome!

Grooming/beauty. I don't know any women who don't like a little something beauty related, whether it be makeup palettes, nail polish, or maybe something to help them relax like lavender oil and an eye mask. Got a metro guy in your life? There's a grooming set for him too!

Bonus: snacks. I don't like showing up to a dinner or party empty handed, so if I'm not bringing wine or a dessert I usually bring snacks like this Bourbon Almond Brittle.

What are some of your favorite gifts to give?
Linking up with Whitney!

September Reads

First of all, CONGRATS to Steph and Jana on their FIFTH year anniversary hosting this link-up! That's amazing, and I'm so happy to have been participating since the beginning and that it's still so popular- definitely my most anticipated link-up of the month! In honor of this milestone, their giving away more books! So be sure to check them out here and here if you haven't already! 

As for me, I had a pretty great reading month. Not only that, but I finished my Goodreads goal! Huzzah! 

I also finished Erin's Reading Challenge 11.0, and started the Bonus Round! Not sure I'll get through this round, but I'm happy to have finished the original challenge, and having fun attempting the bonus.

And (icymi) I met my favorite YA author, Rainbow Rowell, at the launch party for her latest book, Wayward Son, the second in her Simon Snow series (yes I said series... #3 is in the works and she recently said that she's not letting go of Simon and Baz anytime soon!)!

So yeah, I'd say I had a pretty great reading month indeed! Here's what I read...

The Tattooist of Auschwitz- Heather Morris: 5 Stars
library hardback

I don't like historical fiction, particularly not WWII stories, but I do like memoirs and books based on true stories. I've seen some mixed reviews for this one, and I get some of it- the writing was a bit "simplistic." But I think this actually improved the story, as nothing was lost in flowery language or phrases. What a rollercoaster. Within a single page our main character is getting beaten senseless, to somehow escaping his torturer and laying in the grass with his love's head in his lap, promising that they'll both get out alive. Some of the scenes were extremely graphic and absolutely atrocious, which made the reading all the more difficult because it was true. It was a powerful story of survival, strength, endurance, and love. I particularly liked the ending where the author told the reader what happened afterwards not just with the main characters, but also some of the side characters, and I look forward to Morris' follow-up, Cilka's Journey. 

Pumpkinheads- Rainbow Rowell: 5 Stars
library paperback

As you may have already guessed, I'm incredibly biased but I adored this. It was sweet as candy corn and totally predictable, but I loved the graphic novel format and really just wish it was about 3 times longer. I read it in an hour! I also like how she was able to incorporate a non-white, non-straight, ballsy female lead so seamless into an Omaha, Nebraska farm. 

The Perfect Stranger- Megan Miranda: 4 Stars
Netgalley... lol

I'm lol'ing at the Netgalley part because this literally came out 2017 and that's when I received it, but just got around to reading it now. I've only read one other Miranda book (All The Missing Girls) and I liked this a lot more, probably because it followed a normal timeline. This had me suspecting everyone, especially the unreliable narrator, more than once. Definitely worth a read! 

Nine Women, One Dress- Jane L. Rosen: 4 Stars
library e-book

I think I rated this one a little high because I really went in with no expectations. Well, almost none- I expected it to be  a"fluff" read, and it was, but I really liked all of the women and each of their stories and motives with and without the dress (except for that super creep, but then she died and I wasn't sad about it!). 

Fangirl- Rainbow Rowell: 3 Stars
library e-book

By far my biggest disappointment this month, and my least favorite Rainbow book thus far (I only have 2 left- Land Line and Wayward Son). It wasn't a bad story, but unlike the Nine Women, I had VERY HIGH expectations about this one. I've been wanting to read this for at least a year, but this came out in 2013. If you are unfamiliar with the story, it follows a "fangirl" (duh) who writes fan-fiction about the characters in a fictitious novel.  That part I'm fine with (though I didn't find her fan-fiction or the parts of the fictitious novel she was basing her fan-fic on were all that interesting- in fact, I think I skimmed most of them). 

Except it's currently 2019 and Rainbow wrote a REAL book about the SAME Simon and Baz characters and their magical school and relationship that I've already read (Carry On) and AHHHHHH that was so freaking confusing! I feel like if I had read this first, I would have enjoyed it way more.

Regardless, even though I felt that our MC Cath was a bit overwritten I liked the other characters, especially her roommate Reagan, and the relationship between Cath and her twin Wren, and the whole story behind their father. I couldn't relate to Cath's social anxiety, but I understood it and it felt very real, which made me appreciate it more. I couldn't understand how Levi was so extraordinarily patient with her, but hey, whatever floats your boat. I think my favorite moment of Cath's was standing up to Nick though, especially in front of others. It was a total "You Go, Girl!" moment. 

Bossypants- Tina Fey: 3 Stars
library e-book

This was...fine. Her early and awkward beginnings were laugh-out-loud funny.  But as she got further into her career (and much more detail-oriented), I became less interested and she became way more... soap-box-y? I know that's not a real term, but hopefully you'll understand what I mean. Also, it probably would have helped if I had actually watched a single episode of 30 Rock. The way she went on (and on) about Alec Baldwin and including actual pieces of the script did nothing except bore me because it lacked context. 

Currently reading: Never Have I Ever- Joshilyn Jackson

What are you reading lately? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana! 

TTT: Pick a Number, Any Number!

This week's Top Ten Tuesday prompt was "Books I've Read With Numbers In Their Titles." I was surprised by how many participants said they had a hard time coming up with ten books in this category... I had a harder time narrowing it down, so I didn't! I also included those that I DNF'ed, and those that are on my TBR. If nothing else, I hope you're able to find a few that you either haven't read yet, or can provide me with some insight as to which I haven't read yet and are worth reading! So without further ado, here's what I came up with.

Read: 
One of Us is Lying // Two Can Keep a Secret- Karen McManus: 4 stars each
One For the Money- Janet Evanovich: 3 Stars (couldn't get in to it as a series)
Two Across- Jeff Bartsch: 2 Stars (not what I wanted/expected)

Daisy Jones and the Six- Taylor Jenkins Reid: 4 Stars (my first novel by TJR!)
Nine Perfect Strangers- Liane Moriarty: 4 Stars (not her "usual" but great!)
Nine Women, One Dress- Jane L. Rosen: 4 Stars (breezy and sweet)
21 Truths About Love- Matthew Dicks (not a fan of the style)

TBR: 
One Day in December- Josie Silver (on deck for my Winter TBR!)
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle- Stuart Turton (own but not read yet!) 
From a Buick 8- Stephen King (first Stephen King, but a talking car?!)
November 9- Colleen Hoover (obviously one I want to read on that date!) 
One Hundred Years of Solitude- Gabriel Garcia Marquez (first on GR TBR!)
A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini (loved Kite Runner, so obvi!)

DNF: 
Fourth Comings- Megan McCafferty (didn't realize it was a series, oops!)
Size 12 Is Not Fat- Meg Cabot (not for me- but will send if you're interested!)
Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury (not a fan of the writing style)

Honorable Mentions (aka ones I forgot I read until I was looking for this prompt):
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer- Michelle McNamara: 4 Stars (addictive!) 
Eleven- Sandro Cisneros: 4 Stars (this is like 3 pages, just download it for free!) 
The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily- Rachel Cohn and David Levithan: 4 Stars
Heating Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs- Beth Ann Fennelly: 2 Stars

If you want to read my review of any of the above (besides the TBR, obvi), you can check out my full reading list here, find me on Goodreads, or just ask me! 

Show Us Your Books: August

After an awesome reading month in July, I was off to a rough start in August. I had 2 books that stalled me in the beginning of the month, one of which I ultimately had to mark as a DNF which I haven't done in months. Luckily, a few books I had requested from the library that I really wanted to read finally came in, so it picked up a bit. 

Before we can in to what I read, did you know it was National Book Lover Day yesterday? Newsweek shared a list of books you can read in a day (I had no idea Breakfast at Tiffany's was based on a book!), and Monica shared some fun ways to celebrate. Now... on to the books! 

My Sister, The Serial Killer- Oyinkan Braithwaite: 4 Stars
library e-book

I read half of this in one sitting- all hail short chapters! I was completely captivated from the very first pages (how can you not be when it opens with a murder... by your sister, no less?!). 

I liked that there was no gory serial killer scenes, only clean up, and there wasn't a lot of police investigation, because I often feel bogged down by those details. I kept waiting to find out what made her snap and start killing though, and felt let down that that was never explained.

The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life-Changing Journey Around the World- Kim Dinan: 4 Stars
library e-book

The author really annoyed me in the beginning, but by the time she was about halfway through India, I felt more invested and she seemed more authentic. I was much more interested in her interpersonal relationships than the actual traveling parts though.

What's Your Story? True Experiences from Complete Strangers- Brandon Doman: 3 Stars
library hardback

This was...fine. I guess I was hoping that it would be a bit more like Humans of New York, and it definitely wasn't. Most of the letters were of mommy/daddy issues, regrets, and a lot of pain. I mean, NONE of them were uplifting or happy, and I guess that's to be expected when some stranger asks you to write a "secret," but I didn't find it very interesting. Also, I couldn't read some of the letters because the handwriting was illegible, and the composition itself was messy. It wasn't broken up in any sort of way, just a complete mish-mash of personal stories, and I think that if it had been divided in some way it may have felt like a more "complete" book. 

Love At First Like- Hannah Orenstein: 3 Stars
Netgalley

Maybe I should have known that this would be complete fluff after only getting through half of the first book I read by this author, Playing With Matches. As with that one, the synopsis was interesting enough, but then it just went all over the place with these outrageous setups and the MC acted more like a floundering 20-something than a functional 32-year old. Good for a palette cleansing beach read, but not much more. 

Never Let Me Go- Kazuo Ishiguro: 3 Stars
library e-book

I only picked this up for the Man Booker category in Erin's Challenge. I probably would have put it down for some other books that came in from the library that I REALLY wanted to read, but since I had such a hard time with my other Man Booker choice and I want to complete the challenge, I stuck with it. The beginning pulled me in quickly enough, but then the author's writing style started to nag me. There was a lot of "...and then this happened, but before I can tell you about that, let me go back to three weeks earlier when this other thing happened...". The middle dragged. There was also terms that were mentioned but not explained until very late in the novel like "carers," donors/donations," and "possibles," and I think had they been explained earlier, I would have been more invested in the story. It did have me thinking about it for awhile after I'd finished though. 

DNF: The Accidental- Ali Smith
library hardback 

This was a Booker Prize for short-list novel that I just couldn't get into after nearly 20%. I really tried. The synopsis was compelling- a girl randomly shows up at a family's summer rental home and each family member think she's there for a different reason. Each chapter was told by a different family member's POV, starting with the 12-year-old daughter. I think if this had started off with one of the other characters, it may have captivated my attention a little more. I may pick it up again in the future, but I'm not in any hurry. 

Currently reading: The Perfect Stranger- Megan Miranda

What are you reading lately? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana! 

* ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!