Posted in Uncategorized

Review: They/Them Pronouns: A Guide

A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Tristan Jimerson, Archie Bongiovanni

Recap

Keeping our focus on trans issues this week I thought I’d review one of my new favorite books, A Quick and Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns. The book was written by genderqueer artist Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson, a cisgender dude who wanted an easy guide for introducing gender-neutral pronouns to his diverse workplace.

The book covers several basics of learning about gender-neutral pronouns. Starting from the basics of what a pronoun is. They go then goes into why pronouns are important with a particularly good section on misgendering dealing with issues such as the reasons misgendering is important, how to respond when you misgender someone, as well as what misgendering feels like from the artist’s lived experience. I also learned a very important thing that I didn’t know while reading this book about language usage instead of saying which pronouns someone prefers you should ask which ones someone uses otherwise it’s implying gender is a preference.

The book also does a great job just addressing the inherent idea of the gender binary in the world around us and how to keep all your co-workers and friends who may identify outside the binary safe.

Review

I’m personally getting to know someone who identifies outside the gender binary and I wanted to make sure I was up to date with what I needed to know about the topic. This book was incredibly interesting and informative. Some of it was review for me after working with social justice organizations, but some of it about the wording around using pronouns was new to me. Especially when it came to some neo-pronoun use.

I’m going to suggest this as required reading for my summer youth camp since we are having more non-binary campers and campers who use neopronouns. I’d love to see a book like this with more focus on neopronouns. They did include zir in this one but I’d like to be acquainted with more as well as the culture surrounding neopronouns.

Check it out here and add it to your TBR for Trans Rights Readathon this week.

Posted in Memes and Tags, Readathons

Trans Rights Readathon

With all the anti-trans rhetoric that is coming up in the news lately, anywhere from the book ban of Genderqueer, to bills against trans rights in the states of Florida and Tennessee like it’s all the more important to be highlighting trans rights. That’s why the author of Sim Kern of Depart, Depart, and Seeds from the Swarm decided to host Trans Rights Readathon during March 20th-27th

Check out their launch video below

I decided to try three books for the week. Raising $10 each for each book. For the books, I’m attempting.

When the Moon Was Ours

To everyone who knows them, best friends Miel and Samir are as strange as they are inseparable. Roses grow out of Miel’s wrist, and rumors say that she spilled out of a water tower when she was five. Samir is known for the moons he paints and hangs in the trees and for how little anyone knows about his life before he and his mother moved to town.

As odd as everyone considers Miel and Samir, even they stay away from the Bonner girls, four beautiful sisters rumored to be witches. But now the sisters want the roses that grow from Miel’s skin, convinced that their scent can make anyone fall in love. And they’re willing to use every secret Miel has fought to protect to make sure she gives them up– including Samir’s past.

Amazon: When the Moon Was Ours

Meet Cute Diary

Noah Ramiez feels like he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of Transhappily ever afters. There is just one problem. His stories are all fake. What started as fantasies of a trans boy who was afraid to step out of the closet has now become a beacon of hope for trans readers around the globe.

After a troll exposes his blog as fiction Noah’s world begins to unravel. He has to prove to everyone that the stories are true. But he does have any proof! Enter Drew, who walks into Noah’s life just when he needs him. Drew is willing to fake date Noah to save the Diary, but when Noah falls hard. He realizes that dating in real life isn’t like finding love on the page.

Venom and Vow

Two enemy kingdoms are forced to work together to break a curse in this lush YA fantasy, featuring a transgender prince and a bigender dama/assassin in the lead roles.

Keep your enemy closer.

Cade McKenna is a transgender prince who’s doubling for his brother.
Valencia Palafox is a young dama attending the future queen of Eliana.
Gael Palma is the infamous boy assassin Cade has vowed to protect.
Patrick McKenna is the reluctant heir to a kingdom, and the prince Gael has vowed to destroy.

Cade doesn’t know that Gael and Valencia are the same person.
Valencia doesn’t know that every time she thinks she’s fighting Patrick, she’s fighting Cade.
And when Cade and Valencia blame each other for a devastating enchantment that takes both their families, neither of them realizes that they have far more dangerous enemies

Those are the books I’m attempting, here is the sign-up form.

I’m raising money for Trans Health Legal Fund but you feel free to raise money for any trans rights organization. Please join in supporting me or join in the readathon yourself.

Posted in 5 Star, new releases

Mysteries of Thorn Manor

Recap

If you’re like me you very much enjoyed Sorcery of Thorns, if you’re also like me you were sputtering at the cliffhanger to the ending of the book. Luckily author Margaret Rogerson decided to grace us with a novella. While I easily could have read another 300 plus pages about Elizabeth, Nathaniel and Silas this was a nice little bow to tie the ending off with along with being its own self contained set of mysteries for Elizabeth and Nathaniel to solve.

This new set of mysteries are are centered around Thorn manor’s ancient wards, magical protections that have been set by the estate’s owners for centuries. The wards while usually helpful to protect the manor have gone rouge, trapping Elisabeth Scrivener inside with Nathaniel Thorn as they are just settling into their new life together with their recently returned demon companion Silas. Nathaniel doesn’t seem to mind the bushes that are attacking reporters though, as they are hungry for gossip about the city’s most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart.

The wards seem to get especially feral though when Elizabeth and Nathaniel start to get close to one another, causing things to come alive in the house, old rooms to appear, with one particularly amusing incident involving one of Nataniel’s relatives cursed knickers. But there are also wild grimoires which Elizabeth takes to task to try and fix and and a garden which makes a special appearance for Elizabeth.

Still with no access to the outside world Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas—along with their new maid Mercy—will all have to work together to find the source of the magic behind their malfunctioning wards. Especially since Nataniel is due to host the Midwinter Ball. Can Elizabeth find all the house’s secrets when all she wants to do is kiss Nathaniel silly? Especially when it’s clear the house requires a price for their closeness, will they break or will they be able to lean on their connection to grow together and take things to the next level.

Review

This book was a delightful little treat. I knew I had to have it the moment I heard it was coming out. These characters were such a treat to experience again. I especially loved that we got to see more background on the Thorns as a family and on Silas. The house itself felt like it was a character the writing felt so alive especially the living wardrobe scene and Silas’ reaction to it. I know this is probably it for these characters but anything more in this universe I’d absolutely love.

Amazon: Mysteries of Thorn Manor

Posted in Chopped Readathon, Chopped Readaton

Valentine’s Chopped Readathon

This makes a whole year since we started with the first Valentine’s Chopped Readathon and the Chopped Readathons throughout the year. I’m excited to get back to it. At the end of the year, I hoped to have another round of it but wasn’t able to. However this year we are back at it at full strength. I’ll be introducing the prompts for this round as well as the rules for anyone who isn’t familiar.

Valentine’s Appetizer

Heart Shaped Pancakes

For this prompt, we are looking for a cozy read, whatever your favorite genre is or any favorite book that you like to curl up with would fit with this prompt. Just something you would like to settle in bed or your favorite reading chair with.

Meat and Cheese Platter

For this prompt we are looking for a book with multipe points of view or with multiple authors. Like a meat and cheese platter has lots of variety we are looking for something with lots of varitey. An anthology would be a good pick for this one.

Coffee Art

For this book we are looking for the pretty covers, the book you just pick up because of the cover. It can be a cover buy or something you check out from the library, just focus on the pretty.

Valentines Dinner

Fresh Bread

For this prompt we are thinking about something that is new and fresh, that can be either a new release or a book that is fresh and new to you.

Pasta

For this prompt we are looking for a book with a lush setting, this can be either a setting in reality or fantasy just something detailed that you could fall into.

Mimosa

Mimosas made us think of friends chatting together often featured in rom-coms and romance. So for this you need a romance book, pretty simple and fitting for the Valentines Day theme.

Valentine’s Dessert

Candy Hearts

For this prompt we are looking for a book with words on the cover, doesn’t have to be all words, as long as there is a word on the cover it fits the prompt.

Box of Chocolates

Okay so I’m riffing off Forest Gump a little here, a book with a surprise since you never know what you are going to get.

Champagne

A book that gives you bubbles, any book that gives you any kind of of bubbly excicment or nerves will fit this prompt.

Find the sign up form here Sign Up

Here is the book submission form here

Posted in 5 Star, backlog reviews

Knot My Type

Knot My Type was an adventurous yet informative book was book that was one of my favorites from last year. Even though I read it at the end of the the year it still ended up in the the favorite column because it was the first examples I’ve ever seen of well written disabled erotica.

The book follows sexologist Frankie, our heroine who host a podcast called All Access which talks about love, sex, and relationships for the disabled community. Frankie who is a wheelchair user, and her group of friends with different disabilities including blindness and Crohn’s disease usually have the answers for her listeners questions.

But when a question comes up about shibari (rope play) Frankie is coming up blank. Until she finds out one of her close friends associates might be able to help she goes in simply for research but finds herself attracted, too bad Jay doesn’t do dating.

Jay is jaded after an older woman broke his spirit and made him believe he was no good. But he finds himself attracted to Frankie and he also finds her fitting in with his family and bolstering him emotionally. But he has a knot in his heart he doesn’t know if he can untie, will Frankie be the one to set him free from his past pain and give them both a chance at love?

Amazon: Knot My Type

Posted in 4 Star

Workplace Romance: Henrietta and Tyler

Negatives

Kelsie Hoss is a good romance author, some of her other piece are great. The romance between Tyler and Henrietta is very sweet. This was the first piece I read by her and probably the only reason I’m not judging it as a great piece is the way her heroine of color is written. There was just a bit to much of food descriptions for eye and skin color.

As for the chemistry between Tyler and Henrietta was very well done. Some of the scenes are very spicy. But the one particular scene where Tyler takes Henrietta’s virginity just reads really weird for several reasons, I get why narratively, but it’s just odd.

Positives

I also like the friendship that developed between Tyler and Henrietta and their friends and families, that seemed to me like the most realistic thing about the book. I especially loved Hen’s grandmother and Tyler’s brother who is supposed to get a story of his own this year.

The subplot of the two of them not being able to date each other and Hen’s jealous boss also added a little flavor. Overall it was a lighthearted and emotional nice comforting read at a good medium pace. Hoss did a good job creating relatable characters and a spicy relationship between the two main leads.

Overall

The book tended to focus more towards characters but not at the expense of the plot which was important loomed big in the characters lives. Hoss wasn’t afraid to show her characters had flaws though and spent the last third of the book showing how they overcome them.

While it followed the formula of the romance novel that’s exactly what I was looking for going in, it was cute, sweet, spicy and despite a few flaws was generally a good book. I’d give this book 4 Stars.

Amazon: Confessions of the Funny Fat Friend

Posted in Uncategorized

Changing Reading Habits

So I’ll be honest, I was gone for a long time because I was working through personal trauma related issues. I needed the time, but I missed being here, and after I had the time I kind of shied away because my reading habits had changed and I wasn’t sure the blog would support that or not. Now after talking with some fellow book bloggers, I’m okay with the blog supporting it one way or the other. I’ve started reading some spicy stuff and new adult, it may not fit with what I was reading before and it will be tagged just in case you don’t want to read about it, but I’m not going to be ashamed of it. I’ve already almost finished two books for this year both romance, but I just got a fantasy last night I can’t wait to start on plus I have plenty of books that I read last year to review. I can’t wait to get back to blogging and counting having fun. Hopefully this will be the year post leg injury that I get back into Instagram too.

I’ve also been playing D&D a lot both running games and being a player and I’ve really enjoyed the writing for that so I hope to get some work done on maybe a novel this year. Or at least play around with some original writing. Finally I’m shooting for 100 books again. I only hit 50 last year but I have Orillium twice this year plus my own readathons. So I think I’ll be back in a better place to hit it this year. I love using Storygraph to keep track.

So that’s what will be changing and what has kind of kept me away, but I can’t wait to be back. Looking forward to being active again.

Posted in Chopped Readathon, Readathons

Halloween Chopped Adventure

We’re back! It’s my favorite time of year. Spooky season and fall in general, so we had to come back with with another addition of Chopped. The prompts are based on generally fall based things as well as a few Halloween favorites with historical ties. I was going to post this list on Friday but it’s up early due to one of our biggest fans (we’re looking at you Bethwrym). The readathon will be from October 1st-October 31st. Midnight to midnight wherever you are.

So here are the prompts

Candy Corn

Candy corn is distinct for its multiple colors. For this book we want a cover with multiple colors. If you want to be especially spooky you can try for orange, yellow and white but any multiple colors work.

Pumpkin

This book makes you think of fall. Doesn’t matter if it’s spooky or cozy just something with a distinctly fallish aura about it.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

This is a trendy or popular book.

Apple Pie

This is the book you read in your pajamas in your blanket nest, whatever you consider a comfy read use for this prompt.

Sweet Potatoes

This prompt ask you to push your reading limits sweet potatoes are hearty so we are looking for readers to read a hearty book. Now what you define that as depends on what you normally read. Normally read 300 pages try for 350 or 400 for example. We leave what everyone reads to the honor system and their personal goals.

Eggs

We also considered that fall was harvest time and put in some things that would be harvested. So eggs are in here for that reason, the prompt for them is a new release.

Chocolate Buttons

My co-runner assures me these are very popular in the UK. And you can’t have Halloween without candy. The prompt for this is circles on the cover.

Resses

Of course we had to have two kinds of candy on the list! It’s Halloween. I chose peanut butter cups and the prompt for this is more than one main character because you can never stick to eating just one of these.

Apple Cider

Apple Cider reminds me of fall even though I don’t live in a state where I can go pick apples. I would love to go pick apple picking and have fresh apple cider, however as we know some apples can be a bit tart. So for this one we want a protagonist with a bit of a edge, specifically a witty protagonist.

Buttered Rum

Though some would argue this is a Christmas drink it made is think of fall because it’s toasty and warm and perfect for settling in front of a fire with. Also that spice based flavor fits best with fall. For this charming drink we want a charming protagonist to match.

Salt

Well we had to get superstitious didn’t we? Salt is suppose to form magical protective circles thought at one time to repel witches. Now it’s used in all sorts of magic work and a seen as a lovely ingredient for spells and purifying. With it’s history around witchcraft for this prompt read a book involving witches.

Radishes

Like salt radishes also have some Halloween history before people carved pumpkins they would often carve gourds and radishes to keep the spirits away as a nod to that we want you to read a historical fiction.

So those are the prompts we hope you enjoy them! You can find us on our discord channel! https://discord.gg/VGyXDykd and we hope you have a great time!

Posted in Uncategorized

The Glass Sentence Review

So for Pirateathon we had the size of our the ship we got depended on the length of the book we read. I was going to be happy reading something medium length but at the same time I was looking for a book that featured time travel to fulfil another prompt I missed from Orilium about time travel so I found The Glass Sentence and it ended up being five hundred plus pages so it worked for both this

Photo of the Cover of the Glass Sentence shows a gold compass and shadowed figures holding grappling hooks and a woman holding an orb.

While the main protagonist of the story is Sophia a girl from 1800’s Boston the book comes alive because of its ensemble cast that comes together as Sophia tries to protect the glass map.

The main story focus around Sophia’s uncle Shadrack being kidnapped by at first unknown forces and Sophia going to look for him. Along the way she meets Theo a boy who was in a circus who broke into her house to try to find her uncle. Theo become her traveling partner on her way to the Badlands where she think she can find her Uncle.

The interesting thing about Sophia and Theo’s world is different places are in different time periods ever since something called the Great Disruption. It has made cartography an important art in the world and may have been the reason Shadrack was kidnapped. The Glass Map seems especially important because as Sophia and Theo make their way down the coast from Boston members of a cult called Sandmen seem to be intent on coming after them. These are the same men that are keeping Shadrack along with a mysterious woman. They will all meet in a city where things are not what they seem, but will Sophia be ready for the revelations the Glass Map brings?

Review

I was first reading this book just because I needed a long book. However the story is one of the best constructed I’ve read in a long time. The worldbuilding is amazing and I can’t wait to read the sequel. I also loved the ensemble cast that we say throughout the book they were all interesting and I wanted to know more about each of them.

Amazon: The Glass Sentence

Posted in Readathons, Uncategorized

August Wrapup

I love the Orilium readathon, I had a great time with it in April and was looking forward to it this August. In April I managed to finish all my classes with no problem before the end of the month. But I don’t know if it was post COVID slowing me down or the fact that the fall semester was harder but I didn’t manage to finish all of the August prompts I’ll list first what I did finish then I’ll show you what I have to finish in September.

I had to get the second level Qualifed in Art of Illusion. I managed to do this via two books. For the Ordinary level Blur Face prompt: a book I didn’t know much about. I did Anne of West Philly. This was a great diverse graphic novel retelling of Anne of Green Gables.

Amazon: Anne of West Philly

For the Qualified prompt a book under 300 pages. I chose, Join the Club Maggie Diaz, a book about the changes middle school brings.

Amazon: Join The Club: Maggie Diaz

I needed an Ordinary in Spells and Incantations I got this through the Spell Recolor where I picked a book via color wheel a then had to pick a book based on color. The color I got was teal and the book I picked was Just Roll with It.

Amazon: Just Roll with It

This was an interesting book that explored OCD and dealt with it through the sufferer comfort interest of tabletop rpgs.

Need to Do

That was mostly what I finished. I still need to finish Psionics and Divination which has three books one that has has time travel, a book with the same word as your last read, I’m currently working on that one, that is second hand

I just went to the second hand book store and bought some books so I have that covered.

I also need a text with the cover the colors of the country or state flag, which is harder than I expected.

Another one I had a problem with was a book of someone’s worst list. At this point I’ve just decided to count the next book I come across because everyone hated at least one of the books I’m reading.

I’m also going to probably do some quests to get my guild points up and get ready for April when this comes around again or if there is a holiday surprise readathon.