Month: December 2021

Posted in Discussion

Entrée-Chopped Tag

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

So for the late post today I didn’t sleep well last night and have been having migraines, plus my ankle has been hurting so yeah, just a big party of fun. I’m still doing better about making post in advance so this doesn’t hit me so badly, but I’ll try and do better next year. So here is the Entrée post for the Chopped tag.

Entrée

Has to be meatier to get you to the dessert round

Protein: Another book that was either long or hard hitting.

The Best Worst Summer Ever wasn’t long but it was surely hard hitting as it was about how friendships can fall apart as and get back together many years later and how new friendships can form.

Amazon: Best Worst Summer Ever

Vegetable: Something healthy, you reading something off your TBR.

Red, White, and Whole by [Rajani LaRocca]

Red, White and Whole was on my TBR as soon as it came out out it tells the story of a young Indian American girl who is growing up as a teen in the 1980s and pushing against her parents rules, it would be a normal story of rebellion except for what happens later in the book. It’s definitely healthy as it talks about healthy and her mother is a doctor.

Amazon: Red, White and Whole

Starch: A comfort read or something that had a found family.

Dragon Fury (The Unwanteds Quests Book 7) by [Lisa McMann]

Dragon Fury is the last book in the Unwanteds Quests books which has great found family and is a great series of comfort reads if you like dragons, magic and multiple worlds.

Amazon: Dragon Fury

Durian: A book that was tough to work with.

The Dark Lord Clementine

The Dark Lord Clementine by [Sarah Jean Horwitz]

Though it turned out to be one of my favorite books of the year, it was difficult to work with at the time because I really didn’t know where the plot was going. I got about 2/3 in and finally got a better idea and then it was a much easier book to read. Great book and maybe it was just me but a little bit confusing in the beginning.

Amazon: The Dark Lord Clementine

Since this is the entrée I would make dinner and a drink I would make Indian Butter Chicken with spices from the Dragon World. Then my Drink would be a slushy with apples to represent both the Dark Lord Clementine and The Best Worst Summer.

Posted in Discussion

New Year Goals For the Year

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

What are your goals for the New Year, are you shooting high are you keeping to your same goals from last year, or are you reducing what you are doing to relax some? I have to say I’m shooting a bit higher for the coming year. Maybe because I see the blog as sort of a business and I want to start reading more material to work with.

1) Starting with the number of books I want to read in the New Year I’m shooting higher this coming year. I managed to read 100 this year so I’m shooting for 125 this coming year with a stretch of 150.

2) I want to make sure I take part in readathons, they encourage me to read and allow me to read outside of what I would normally read. I know so far I’m taking part in two, Pondathon Part 2, and Finshathon both are going all year long but I know I will find month long Readathons to take part in throughout the year, for example there are several from this year that have promised to have second parts in 2022 that I’m excited about.

3) Posting regularly, In the new year I’d like to post 5-6 days a week, I want to get more people visiting the site, I want to get my numbers up, and this so far is how I have see that you can do it. So expect to see plenty of me on the site, and me being annoying as I argue with myself to keep consistent. Summer is going to be a problem I already know it. I should write posts for June and July now.

4) Engage on social media more. I think I’m starting to do this, I’m hosting a readathon in February. Chopped Readathon for anyone who wants to know we still need another organizer, and we have a prize. Also, I’m going to try to do better at blog hopping and commenting on other blogs.

What do your goals look like for the next year? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter!

Posted in Bookmas, Discussion, Feature

Successes of the Year

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

It’s almost the end of the year, I know we’re all still reading away. But I just wanted to think about some of my successes for the year.

1) I hit 500 posts for the blog

This is one I’ve been going after for awhile, so to finally hit it was a good feeling. I’m really looking forward to going after my next goal of 1000 posts.

2) I’ve got almost 200 followers for the blog I’m at 197, so if you know someone who would like to follow please send them my way. But seriously that is way up from the 163 followers I had at the start of the year so I’d definitely call gaining more followers one of my successes.

3) I successfully completed several readathons throughout the year and manage to read lots of books due to them. I’m also looking forward to part two in some of these readathons which will take place in 2022 next year.

4) The fact that I was able to get my reading books per month up to the teens. This is the first year I’ve been able to do that. I read 16 book one month this year and 12 and 13 in other months so I’m really proud of myself about that. I’m hoping next year I’ll be able to to reach 20 a month.

5) The fact that I’m going to hit my reading goal, even though I thought it was going to be a stretch in November I managed to read a 30 books in 2 months and I’m going to read the most books I’ve ever read in a year at 100 despite the fact that I was out of the reading game for three months recovering from my broken ankle.

What are some of your successes from this year? Let me hear about them in the comments!

Posted in Bookmas, Memes

Appetizer-Chopped Tag

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

Yesterday I put up the Chopped tag but I didn’t fill it out, you guys deserve to read my version of the tag to see how I want it done. I was just was too tired yesterday to fill it out. I’m going to do part of it everyday because it’s the end of the year and I’m tired so today I’m doing the appetizer

Appetizer

Needs to be light but still impress the judges.

Light Book: A Book under 300 pages

This book would Just Pretend a graphic novel that has that is sweet and focuses on the power of the written word as the protagonist focuses on her own version of reality through her stories, to deal with her parents divorce.

. Amazon: Just Pretend

Protein: This section of books still needs to have some impact. A book that hit you in the heart or a meaty book

For this book I’m choosing American as Paneer Pie, because it really hit me in the feels and was overall just a good meaty book, and not just because it was about food, it dealt with important issues in unique ways and showed the main character’s strength.

American as Paneer Pie by [Supriya Kelkar]

Amazon: American As Paneer Pie

Vegetable: A book that was on your TBR.

For this prompt I’m picking a book I’ve been trying to read all year Five Things about Ava Andrews. I kept wanting to read it but I could only find it in audio book form and I really don’t have the patience for audio books.

Five Things About Ava Andrews by [Margaret Dilloway]

Amazon: Five Things about Ava Andrews

Wild Card: An book that surprised you or was unique.

I picked this book because it’s the first published indie I’ve read and actually liked. It’s plot was very good and the worldbuilding and thriller aspects were used very well to make the story well rounded and and believable.

Amazon: A Place Inside the Storm

I call my dish from these book, the Imaginative Improv Neurodivergent Pizza Pie. Come back and see what I do tomorrow with Entrée and Dessert.

Posted in Discussion, Feature, Memes

Chopped Tag

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

For those who don’t know I’m a huge fan of cooking shows, that’s usually what’s in the background when I’m writing the blog. One of my favorites is Chopped, for those of you not familiar with Chopped four chefs get baskets with four ingredients, these ingredients are usually a little oddball and the chefs have to make a cohesive dish to impress three judges

Now I thought I’d apply that to books, there are three rounds in Chopped. Appetizer, Entrée, and Dessert. Can you bring through four different books to make a cohesive reading experience?

Appetizer

Needs to be light but still impress the judges.

Light Book: A Book under 300 pages

Protein: This section of books still needs to have some impact. A book that hit you in the heart or a meaty book.

Vegetable: A book that was on your TBR.

Wild Card: An book that surprised you or was unique.

Entrée

Has to be meatier to get you to the dessert round

Protein: Another book that was either long or hard hitting.

Vegetable: Something healthy, you reading something off your TBR.

Starch: A comfort read or something that had a found family.

Durian: A book that was tough to work with.

Dessert

Sugar: A sweet book

Flour: A hearty book.

Berries: A book about nature

Candy Canes: Something you’ve had to wait all year for.

I’m going to fill this out tomorrow. I was also wondering if people would be interested in this a a readathon. Please comment if you think it would be a decent idea for a readathon or something you’d be interested in, I’d do the readathon on a theme most likely. But I think there is a lot of material to work with here so I think it would be worth a try.

Posted in Bookmas, monthly goals, Wrapup

Takeaway: December Goals ?

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

So how did I do goal wise for December? What was the takeaway? Did I learn anything new I can apply in the new year? Let’s take a look and see.

Try to finish 100 books

I turned into a book goblin and read 13 book so far in December so that’s only two for the last week, which is totally doable. I might even get in more than 100 so that a nice bonus.

Post Regularly

I’ve been posting almost ever day every day except for a few days around Christmas I took off to spend with my family. I think one takeaway from this month is posting regularly, as in everyday really pushes my blog numbers to where I want them to be. That’s going to take stamina to maintain but I think it will be worth it in term of followers and hopefully ARC opportunities over the next year.

Work on my readathons

My own readathon kind of fell through due to me having to be on some strong medicine in early December, but I’ve almost completed the Reindeer Readathon I’ve only got two prompts lefts.

Start making plans for the new year

So I’ve spent December about what readathons I want to do next year, the first one is going to be Pondathon 2, a year long readthon where you can add items to your garden it’s very cute and sweet and you can find more information here.

I know I’ll be doing lots of follow ups to readthons I did in the fall that promised to have second parts in the spring such as Orillium. Now as for number of books I’m going to try for, I think I can do 125 I did 100 this year and that was with 3ish months cut out for recovery for a broken ankle. I think back at semi full strength all year long I can read the required number of books it would take to do 125.

Of course the eventual goal is to be reading 200 a year but I figure you do that incrementally, so I’ll do 150 next year and so on. Any super readers out there with tips on reading more per month?

I’ve also done Bookmas pretty well and enjoyed it. So I’d say December was pretty successful.

Posted in Bookmas, Challenges

Trees! Characters Christmas trees

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

So I’m back, I just wanted to take awhile off but I can’t stop blogging for long lol, so since today is Christmas I’ve been thinking about Christmas trees and what character’s Christmas trees would look like.

A Chance to Fly

I can see Nat twisting her family’s arm into a musical based tree after she did the show during the summer. Or maybe the whole cast did one together to commemorate their first show together. I can see the cast doing trees every year for every musical that they do.

Amazon: A Chance to Fly

Dark Lord Clementine

Assuming someone told Clementine about Christmas she’d probably want to put up a tree but to stay loyal to her father she’d probably keep it dark and foreboding even if she wanted something more traditional and sparkly. I think she’d maybe keep a small traditional tree in the area where she does her magic, I think it would have multicolored lights and and a jumble of ornaments that she made herself.

Amazon: Dark Lord Clementine

Vespertine

If the Revenant found out about Christmas one he would first possess Artemisia so he could wear a Santa hat but after she shook off the possession and the hat. I’m sure he would demand a Christmas tree. I’m sure Artemisia wouldn’t love the idea but would give into the Revenant because he’s kind of a pain, I think the Revenant would want a sparkly Christmas tree and that Artemisia would shoot that down quickly. I think they would fight over decorations but eventually agree on skulls.

Amazon: Vespertine

Luminous

I imagine if there were Christmas in Liora and Evran’s world they would have a white tree with stars decorating it and white lights. Partly to celebrate Liora’s power and partly to celebrate the role of falling stars in her life.

Amazon: Luminous

What kind of Christmas trees would your characters be celebrating with?

Posted in backlog reviews, Recommendations

Powerful Black Mermaid: Skin of the Sea Review

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

Skin of the Sea was a great book. So good I want to hand it out to friends as Christmas presents, Also that cliffhanger at the end was just plain cruel, so I can’t wait for 2022 when the second book arrives. I normally love a book where the main character is a mermaid but this book just took it to a whole new level.

Skin of the Sea by [Natasha Bowen]

Summary

Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.
 
But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi goes against an ancient decree and does the unthinkable—she saves his life. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy the gods.
 
To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There’s the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail . . .
 
Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she fails, she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

Review

TW: Vivid descriptions of people on slave ships, injuries from slave ships. Vivid descriptions of someone being captured for the slave trade

Simi is a great heroine she’s willing to stand up to the Orisha Yemoja or goddess who turned her into a mermaid when it comes to the idea of sinking slave ships of saving Kola, the boy she found who was drowning but alive, she is fiercely loyal, to Yemoja and to Kola and his group of friends once she gets close to them, and she isn’t willing to stop until her mission is done even if she butts heads with Kola from time to time. Even though she’s a mermaid her humanity is a defining characteristic, she misses being human and it influences her choices.

I really love that she’s willing to make hard choices for her friends and the other Mami Wata even at her own expense. I also love the West African mythology and information about different rituals which I hope to hear more about in Book 2. It was very informative and made me want to read some of Bowen’s sources which she lists at the end of the book. Overall this was one of the best books I read this year. It was was well researched and beautifully written. More Simi and her friends as soon as possible please.

Amazon: Skin of the Sea

Posted in Author Recommendations, Bookmas

Yule Celebrations

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

Happy Yule to everyone who celebrates! To everyone else enjoy the Winter Solstice or the shortest day of the year. I want to envision what some of my favorite characters are doing Yule.

Sweet and Bitter Magic

Sweet & Bitter Magic by [Adrienne Tooley]

I think Tamsin and Wren are with the Coven preparing for a huge Yule celebrate. I think they are going to have some kind of dinner with Tamsin’s mother and that Wren is enjoying the work she wanted to do at end of the book, so they might be celebrating her progress on that front. I just see a sweet happy meal and maybe some rituals to celebrate the day.

Amazon: Sweet and Bitter Magic

The Tea Dragon Society

The Tea Dragon Crew is totally celebrating Yule, everyone is having tea and all their friends have visited. Greta is blacksmithing gifts for others with her new apprenticeship and Minette is making special tea for everyone.  Hesekiel and Erik have welcomed everyone in town to the teashop for special celebration

Amazon: The Tea Dragon Tapestry

Bridge of Souls

Bridge of Souls (City of Ghosts #3) by [Victoria Schwab, V. E. Schwab]

I can see Cassidy celebrating Yule and Christmas, but I think her Yule celebration is quiet, just her and Jacob and maybe she calls Laura for for non corporally challenged company, I see her just kind of reflecting and honoring the work she does all year. Though I see Jacob making her do a gift exchange, not sure how that would work since he’s a ghost and can’t go pick out gift but I think he makes it work. I think she cleanses her mirror on this day.

Amazon: Bridge of Souls

Ghost Girl

Ghost Girl by [Ally Malinenko]

I can see Zee celebrating both Yule and Christmas, for Yule I can see her building some kind of memorial to her mom, and maybe having her friends over and drinking hot chocolate and telling not too scary stories in front of a roaring fire. Because I think even though she lived through a ghost story she still likes to tell the occasional tale. I think her friend chime in with their own stories, I think her dad and sister are around and maybe even Nellie’s aunt.

Amazon: Ghost Girl

All of these are just my imaginings, all respect goes to the authors who created the characters and who I hope are having happy holidays!