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Changing Reading Habits

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

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.

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The Glass Sentence Review

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

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

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August Wrapup

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

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.

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Year of the Reaper Review

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

I need to review all the books that I did for Magical Readathon as well as doing a wrapup for that readathon. But I really enjoyed the Year of the Reaper so I wanted to review it first.

Year of the Reaper Cover

Three years ago Lord Cassia was on a mission from the King, until he was ambushed by enemy soldiers and spent three years rotting in prison. Meanwhile a plague sweeps over the land leaving countless dead and deavesting the kingdom. Cas is spared, and finally manages to free himself from his prision.

Now all he wants is is to return to his home in the mountains a forget his time as a prisoner. But with the shadow of the plague hanging over everyone his home is not what he remembers. It has become a refuge for the royal court and they have brought the past and the shadow of the reaper with them.

So when an assassin targets those closest to the Queen, Cas finds himself with a mystery on his hands one that leads him to need the help of brilliant young historian Lena. But Cas and Lena soon realize who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. On the trail of a terrible secret that could threaten newfound peace between two kingdoms and plunge them back into war.

Cas and Lena must solve the mystery save the queen and figure out the secrets of the past before it comes for them.

Review of Year of the Reaper

Cas was a great main character he was well written and believable in his thoughts and fears. Normally I don’t like male MCs but Cas was written very well and had a complex and believable personality so that I made an exception to my rule. I’m also reading more of Lucier’s work and it seems like this ability to make me like her male characters extends to other pieces of fiction so I will give her points for that.

I also loved the mystery it was very well written and it kept me guessing till the end, which is tough for most books to do so I’m happy with that as well. I’d give the book at 5/5 especially for its relevance to modern events.

Amazon: Year of the Reaper

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Pirateathon

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

Another readathon you say? Always I say. I still be finishing up Orilium in September since some of the prompts slowed me down but I’ll also be taking part in the pirate theme readathon lead by Scurvy Sal. I’m running as Captain Liza Deepsea, and here is a little bit more about how the Pirateathon is structured.

Reading Prompts for Pirateathon

Required

Acquire a Ship: Read a book that’s 200+ pages long. The bigger the book, the bigger your ship. This prompt only needs to be completed once.

  • 200-300 pages: Sloop
  • 301-400 pages: Schooner
  • 401-500 pages: Frigate
  • 501+ pages: Brigantine

Hoist the Colors: Read a book whose cover is predominantly one color. That’s the color of your pirate flag, matey! This prompt only needs to be completed once.

Name Yer Vessel: Read a book whose title shares a word in common with the book from Acquire a Ship and/or Hoist the Colors (this can be “a” or “the”). This prompt only needs to be completed once.

Optional

Figurehead (10 bonus points): Read a book with a female-identifying main character. This prompt can be completed multiple times.

Treasure Map (1 gold for every page read): Read a book you expect to rate as a 5-star read. This prompt can be completed multiple times.

Mutiny! (1 gold for every page read): Read a book with an ensemble cast (more than two MCs). This prompt can be completed multiple times.

Scurvy (1 fleet ship for every page read): Read a book you’ve owned for at least 3 (three) years. This prompt can be completed multiple times.

Port Royal (1 fleet ship for every page read): Read a book featuring a pirate (fiction, nonfiction, space pirates, airship pirates- as long as there’s a pirate featured, it counts). This prompt can be completed multiple times.

Cannon & Saber (1 reputation point for every page read): Read a book written by a BIPOC author. This prompt can be completed multiple times.

White Squall (1 reputation point for every page read): Read an apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic story. This prompt can be completed multiple times.

NOTE: One book may count toward up to 3 (three) prompts!

Find more information about Pirateathon here

I can’t wait to take part in this fun readathon led by one of my friends and I can’t wait to do some more reading for September!

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Polar Nights: Newest Frozen Novel

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

So were back to the Frozen universe and I couldn’t be happier with Jen Calonita, and Mari Mancusi at the helm I’m never worried about my post Frozen 2 books. Some people may not thinks the post Frozen 2 books are cannon, but they are so wonderful I really don’t care one way or another. They are cannon to me. This book Frozen: Polar Nights was especially good because it was a mystery.

This book start off like most of the other with the characters doing something adorable. This time Sven, Kristoff, Anna, and Elsa and Olaf are on a camping trip and as you do on a camping trip are telling scary stories. They are on this camping trip to give Anna a break from her preparations from the important Polar Night festival in which the sun disappears from the sky for awhile due to Arendelle being in the arctic circle.

As they are telling tales Kristoff tells the tale of two sisters one that wanted the power of the other and pushed the other over a waterfall, now the sister who was wronged has come back as vengeful spirit called a draugr—an undead creature that steals memories in an effort to make others forget the misdeeds it committed when it was alive. And it is supposed to come back if you tell the tale on the night it was wronged exactly what Kristoff is doing.

At first only Olaf is scared but when things start going wrong a people start forgetting Anna and Elsa start trying to get to the bottom of what turns out to be a true story of two princesses much like themselves who their family is tied in with.

I won’t spoil the ending but they find out the truth about the draugr and the two princess, and the darkness in their own past. They are able to make things right for another who they think is an enemy as well. And even though things haven’t been prepared Anna’s first Polar Lights celebration is a memorable one because she has her family with her.

Amazon: Polar Nights

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Summer Update

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

You know SAD, seasonal affective disorder that thing everyone gets in the winter. Nope not me I get it in the summer. If you look at the blog every year I have problems posting in the during June, July and August. I’ve tried different things to help. But I think I’m just going to have to end up taking summers off. I’ve had no motivation since May. Now it’s coming back. I don’t know if it’s the heat it has been pretty mild for summer where I am. It might be part of my schizophrenia as I just saw a poll where people voted that their symptoms get worse in the summer.

Mine sure do, plus I had, this summer, COVID for a month, a stomach virus from hell, and messed up my meds so I was out of it, this came to me being sick the whole summer. So posting wasn’t my first priority but I was reading and while I don’t think I’ll reach my goal of 125 books this year. I’m going to keep reading a try for 50 with a 75 stretch.

Want to know what I’ve read over the summer?

Disney Frozen Polar Nights: Cast Into Darkness

Ellen Outside the Lines

I Am Not Starfire

Every Body Shines: Sixteen Stories about Living Fabulously Fat

Dust & Decay

Apple Crush

Fight + Flight

The Genesis Wars

So it wasn’t the worst Summer when it came to reading I read some great books, all of which I plan to review here. Still personally it could have been better, on the upside though I got into D&D which has really been fun and has improved my life. So that was one positive from the summer. Tomorrow we will look at my TBR for the Magical Readathon which I’m so excited to be a part of.

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Sick Day Edition

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

So turns out the reason I’m super tired is that I have a roaring sinus infection. I went to the doctor to confirm it. Which they did. I’m getting some strong anti-biotics which means me on the couch for 3-4 being feeling like a blob, and so there may no be any posts, but hopefully I’ll be recovered just in time for the Chopped Readathon. So if there there nothing for me for a few day just just consider it me taking a few sick days. I’ll see ya’ll when I’m feeling a bit better, be back in a few days.

Plaid Reader

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The High Priestess

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

The High Priestess is one of the strongest female energies in the whole entire deck. This card is about secrets, she knows about your inner mysteries and maybe the stuff you aren’t willing to face. When this card comes up in a reading think about reexamining those secrets before they come up at a time you don’t want them to. The high priestess knows your secrets but she cares about you too she wants you to be as open as possible.

  1. Aquicorn Cove

Summary

Aqicorn Cove was all about strong female energies and secrets, from the secrets about Lana’s mother, to her aunt as well as the underwater priestess. To the secret Aqicorn Lana helps raise this piece is all about female energy/nurturing and the connection to nature as well as the need to bring out secrets for the good of the family and town.

Amazon: Aquicorn Cove

2) The Goddess in the Machine

Summary

This is another one about female power and secrets. Though the implications for this are a bit darker maybe a reverse reading of the High Priestess. We have both female heroes and villains here both with a lot of secrets a supposedly a lot of power, then there is even a female Darkhorse of a character. I think this group could use the High Priestess in a card reading to explore all the secrets they are having to deal with.

Amazon: Goddess In the Machine

3) The Nightmare Thief

Summary

Another one with a female hero and villain and secrets. Maren Partridge works at her family’s dream shop, she makes a mistake and then is blackmailed by an evil villain who has her make nightmares.

With her family with power she is able to stop the villain and with her family by her side she is able to make things right, but not before a few secrets are kept, worries felt and power is shifted from different women in power.

Amazon

Sources

Art Credit to Sami Martin and Marisa De La Pina and How to Deal

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Taurus Characters

Posted on by Plaid_Reader

We will start off today with Taurus characters, our hardhead but hard workers. We will see them in books where they show off both their positive and negative traits the first one being:

Taurus in Dragon Fury

So I’m going to say the twins are both this sign though they show it in different ways, they are both hard workers, one kept up Artime during the Frida Stubbs issue, the other had to deal with imprisonment.

Both have girls value honesty and neither will change their mind unless they really have a change of heart. I think we’ve seen this in Thisbe’s ability to hold a grudge. They are both great leaders in different ways so they fit they idea of being the calm in the storm and staying clearheaded and logical.

I think we’ve seen the Taurus trait of having an issue with being critiqued particularly in Fifer. I’m not sure that the other twins weren’t born under this sign as well but I’d have to go back and look, what is for sure is that the girl a great leaders with a stubborn streak.

Amazon: Dragon Fury

The Dragon Egg Princess

Jiho from A Dragon Egg Princess shows more of the negative traits of a Taurus until the book gets going Jiho is stuck is his routine afraid of losing what little stability he has with his family. He is also holding a grudge against his father and the forest.

He blames the forest for making his father disappear. Before the chance of money to help his family appears he is not willing to be moved. He will not go in the forest. Once he is in the forest though he shows the Taurus qualities of leadership and and clearheaded logical thinking.

Amazon: The Dragon Egg Princess

Revenge of Magic

Fort is a Taurus he is a good leader with calm logical thinking. But he can also be stubborn and set in his ways and he refuses to give up on rescuing his father once he knows the possibility exist. He has a hard time listening to other people when he thinks his way is best, has that put the world in trouble, I don’t know. I haven’t gotten that far in the series yet, but he’s very determined in what he wants and not likely to stop even if it’s the best thing for the group.

Can you think of any other literary Tauruses? Let us know who you think might fit in the comments!