Author: Taylor

November 2020: What I Read This Month

On December 11, 2020

November was a rollercoaster of a month. I officially applied to graduate school at the end of the month, so working on those applications kept me pretty busy. I somehow managed to read three books in the last week and a half of the month, mostly to procrastinate finishing my grad school apps (whoops). Now that applications have ended, I’m hoping to be more consistent about reading and updating this blog! So, I’m reviving my feeble attempts at a monthly reading wrap-up that I started in April!

Things you can expect in this post:

Monthly reading stats!
Me gushing about the books I read in November because, yes, I liked them all (including my rating for each one)
My new favorite book series

Monthly Reading Stats:

Books Read: 3

Pages Read: 1181

Average Rating: 4.33

November Favorite: 🌟The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang🌟

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven: 🌟🌟🌟

Trigger warning about this book: the book is centered around the main characters’ struggles with mental health. Namely, depression, bipolar disorder, and suicide. If this is a trigger for you, I DO NOT recommend this book, and please skip this section of the post.

Before starting All the Bright Places, I expected to actively dislike this book. I was expecting a John Green-esque teen novel with a male “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” type character that discusses mental health in a superficial, almost toxic, way. The Goodreads blurb actually describes the book as, “The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park.” I loved both of those in high school, but it isn’t typically the kind of story I gravitate towards now. I also have my own criticisms of both that I won’t get into here. This gist is: I had low expectations for this book.

In some ways, this book is exactly what I expected. The two main characters are “quirky”, they bond over their struggles with depression and go on road trips where they do “quirky” things and quote Virginia Woolf at each other. It’s overdone, but it’s cute sometimes. My main critique here is that sometimes things did feel romanticized a bit.

Amidst my critiques, I felt that Niven did a good job of weaving in the importance of good support networks for teenagers struggling with mental health. One of the main characters, Violet, struggles with depression and survivor’s guilt after the death of her sister, Eleanor, in a car accident. Her parents often gloss over the magnitude of the situation and tip-toe around Eleanor’s death for months. They’ve convinced themselves that Violet just needs time when a more active role would have been more beneficial. The other main character, Finch, is struggling to manage undiagnosed bipolar disorder. He’s just awoken from a period that he refers to as “Asleep” and is fighting to stay in the “Awake”. His mom is physically present but emotionally absent, and his father is largely absent on both accounts. His guidance counselor at school recognizes what he’s dealing with and attempts to work with the parents, but doesn’t quite follow through. Both characters experience suicidal thoughts that are unknown to their parents and other support systems.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was emotional but very readable. That being said, mental health and mental illness representation is extremely complicated and the writing is often interpreted differently by everyone. This story definitely isn’t a perfect representation of the illnesses it discusses, and while aspects of this book resonated with my experiences, those same pieces may feel problematic or unhelpful to others. So, read it if you’d like, but it definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

They Will Drown in Their Mother’s Tears by Johannes Anyuru: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is probably the most unique book I’ve read this year. I picked it up on a whim from the new fiction section at McNally Jackson. I thought it sounded interesting but was blown away by what I ended up reading. This book is rooted firmly in speculative fiction but gives strong commentary on state-sanctioned violence and Islamophobia in Sweden.

The book begins with a terrorist attack on a comic book store targeting an artist known for making controversial and anti-Islam cartoons. The story focuses on the surviving attacker. She’s sentenced to an institution for the criminally insane because she believes she is from an alternate version of future Sweden where the terrorist attack did succeed and Sweden developed into a fascist state driven by Islamophobia. Non-swedes are forced to sign an annual Citizen Contract or are forced to live in government-controlled ghettos as enemies of the state. She delivers her story to an author who is also a Muslim immigrant. He becomes increasingly drawn in by her story. He reflects on his own experiences in Sweden and the increasing discomfort that he and many other Swedish Muslims are experiencing. Over time the author becomes less sure of what is reality and what is not. Something about this woman feels oddly familiar to him and her description of the future sounds plausible given the current state of affairs in Sweden.

Anyuru’s writing here is brilliant and complex. He explores ideas about what it means to be Swedish, feeling unwanted and out-of-place in the only home you’ve ever known, and the dangers of unchecked racism and xenophobia. The speculative elements add an extra layer of mystery to the story. Here the ambiguity of reality is a perfect fit for the topic and kept me wanting to read more.

I won’t write much more so I don’t give away the most interesting plot developments, but would definitely recommend this book to anyone. If you’re especially interested in reading translated works, this is a great one!

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Wow. This book is brilliant. I cannot speak highly enough of this series, and Kuang. The book tells the story of Fang Runin (Rin), an orphaned peasant who is raised by an adoptive family that didn’t want her. They use her to run their shop and hope to eventually marry her off to a trade official to benefit their black-market opium dealings. Refusing to accept that fate, she aces the nationwide talent exam and is accepted to Sinegard, the most prestigious academy in the country. Here she is trained to excel at military command and unexpectedly finds that she can commune with the gods through shamanic abilities. She struggles to grapple with her own abilities which often conflict with the life trajectory that she envisioned for herself.

Her schooling ends abruptly with the onset of a war between her home country, Nikara, and the neighboring Federation of Mugen. She faces the tragedies of war head-on: death, destruction, starvation, and a refugee crisis. Her uncontrolled shamanic abilities add another layer of unpredictability to the mix.

While the premise seems young adult, this book is definitely not in that category. It’s the epitome of grimdark fantasy and focuses on the challenges of war and international relations more than Rin’s time at school. The world draws inspiration from the Song dynasty in China and the Second Sino-Japanese War. The country of Nikara has a long and beautifully complex history. It’s rich in Chinese culture: exploring religion, politics, geography, and international relations between Nikara and other nations. Kuang is currently getting her Ph.D. in East Asian studies, so she’s an expert at weaving those elements into her stories.

I finished this book in less than a week and immediately picked up the next one, The Dragon Republic from my library. It’s a trilogy (and just got a deal for a tv series) so there’s no need to worry about running out of content to read anytime soon!

If you enjoy fantasy, history, and political drama (think Avatar: The Last Airbender, Game of Thrones, etc) you’ll love this series!

Books I’m most excited to read in December:

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang (Poppy War, #2)
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen, #4)

Check out my Goodreads page for what I’m currently reading and for book recommendations!

Let me know what you read this month in the comments below!

Much love,

Taylor

My Love Affair with Sally Rooney

By Taylor

On December 1, 2020

In Author Highlights

It feels like everyone and their mother read Normal People by Sally Rooney this year (myself included). As I finished the final page of the novel, I experienced an overwhelming emotional hangover. What just happened? What did I just experience with this story?

This hangover feeling from a book wasn’t new. Plenty of engaging novels have given me pause after finishing them. This usually stems from being so in love with the characters or the world of the book that I need to reset my brain to re-engage with my own reality. The interesting thing about Normal People is that, for a character-driven novel, I actually don’t love the main characters. This isn’t to say that Marianne and Connell aren’t beautifully written, complex human beings; they are. Even though Normal People is one of the best novels I’ve read in 2020, and I still don’t see myself being Marianna and Connell’s friend, would never date one of them, and definitely don’t want to be them.

Knowing this, why do I like this book so much? Rooney beautifully distills the feelings and messy realities of growing up and learning to navigate the world and relationships. Marianne and Connell are infuriating in their miscommunication over and over and over again. But how many times have I been in a similar place with a friend or loved one? Multiple. The beauty of these characters is in the frustrating aspects of their actions. Both are playing an internal game of tug-of-war to balance what society says they should want and the one that they are actually drawn to. Duty vs desire. This is such a human experience, and something I tackle often. In fact, one of my biggest fears in life is that, on my deathbed, I’ll regret the times in my life where I’ve opted to do what I think is expected of me rather than what I really want. This internal struggle is what Rooney does best. So, I devoured Normal People in a little over 24 hours, and am now obsessed with a book with deeply flawed main characters and their genius author.

I picked up her debut novel, Conversations with Friends, immediately after finishing Normal People. I tore through it just as fast and was equally obsessed with the messy give-and-take of the relationships. This novel carries many of the same themes as Normal People, but follows completely different characters and scenarios, focusing on Frances and her relationship with her best friend/ex-girlfriend Bobbi and their romantic attachments, or lack-there-of to a married couple, Nick and Melissa. Again, it’s beautiful and frustrating and human. To me, some of the themes were a little more well-refined with Normal People, but still well-executed in Conversations with Friends.

In conclusion: Rooney is great. I love her. You can find me anxiously awaiting, and then furiously reading, all of her future works. Her writing is achingly human and something I think anyone can enjoy and connect with. If you like having your insecurities about life poked at, and want to read unconventional, dark, contemporary romances, Rooney is a perfect fit.

If you’re looking to start your own love affair with Sally Rooney, you can get Normal People and Conversations with Friends at the links below:

Normal People

Conversations with Friends

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

And…. as always here’s the link to my Goodreads account if you’d like to keep up with what I’m currently reading or are interested in finding book recommendations!

Much love,

Taylor

Book Review | A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

By Taylor

On July 4, 2020

In Book Reviews

For my first full-length book review, I’ve decided to cover The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins; the latest addition to Panem universe and prequel to one of my favorite book series: The Hunger Games. I cannot even begin to describe my excitement when I heard this book was being released. The amount of time that passed between when I discovered it’s release date and when I pre-ordered the book was less than five minutes. My high-school self was THRILLED. Some of my favorite memories are attached to THG trilogy from everyone borrowing the next book from the people that owned them during mornings in the school cafeteria, everyone I know showing up to an open casting call at our local mall to be extras in the first film, to finally going to the movie release with my friends with our hair braided into the styles of each of the characters (check out the bottom of this post for a treat).

Also, as an aside, I’ve made it my mission to stop using receipts and napkins as bookmarks, so I bought some real ones and I absolutely love them! Two of them are featured in the image at the top of this post, so if you like them check out at The Flow Design on Etsy. I get no money from this, I’m just in love with these bookmarks and the seller sent the kindest note and coupon with my order, so I wanted to share my love and support!

But let’s just jump right into the review because that’s what you all are here for, right?

First Thoughts

When I started reading this book I decided to jot down all of my first impressions from the first 50 pages as a little teaser of what to expect without spoiling anything that happens later. So without further ado, here they are.

I had no idea how difficult it would be to picture President Snow as an 18-year-old boy. I basically pictured him with white hair and bad breath running around a high school.
The premise is super cool. The spark notes version is that Snow’s family lost everything in the war and his one chance to redeem his future and restore money/power to his family is doing a good job at being a mentor to a tribute in the hunger games and winning a scholarship to the best university in The Capitol. This is the first time mentors are being used, and it takes place 10 years after the war so the hunger games are still in the early years of development and The Capitol is very much struggling in the aftermath of the war.
Snow seems interesting enough as a character so far, but I’m FAR more interested in learning more about the side characters.
Some of the writing is a little odd. There’s a quote on page eight that says, “The cabbage began to boil, filling the kitchen with the smell of poverty.” I get where Collins was trying to go with the imagery here, but it just did not work for me AT ALL. I also think that so far Collins is doing a little too much telling rather than showing. I want to feel suspense and intrigue about the rest of the book, but Collins basically spells out Snow’s self-awareness of his fatal flaw on page seven. I was pretty disappointed at such an early admission. It changed the way I looked at every event throughout the book rather than letting my imagination run wild speculating about what Snow’s next step would be.

Final Thoughts and Impressions

I want to talk about how I truly feel about this book, but I also want to try my best to avoid any spoilers. So instead of focusing on plot points, I’m going to stick with overall themes, world-building, and character development in addition to my overall rating of the book at the end. If these things are your jam, you’ll love this review.

I think the thematic elements and world-building in this book are by far the best parts. In my eyes, they definitely out-perform the plot and character development.

Collins gives true depth to The Capitol in this book. Instead of the glamorous and shining view that we see in the original trilogy, we are shown The Capitol’s dark underbelly. The Capitol is still very much devastated from the war. We learn that its citizens were not safe from hardship in their ivory towers as we would be led to believe from the air of superiority seen 65 years later. Many people lost their lives and everything they owned. People were starving and scared. Some even resorted to cannibalism to feed themselves and their families as rations ran low and the money ran out. Many structures were still in disrepair although it had already been 10 years since the war ended. The portrayal of the hunger games themselves was amazing. The well-designed and commercialized hunger games that we know from the original trilogy did not exist. This early version was simplistic and cruel. The tributes were mistreated from the moment they were selected. They were treated like animals and many died before even reaching the arena. The games were televised but most people didn’t watch and didn’t care. Emotions were high among Capitol citizens. Many, especially the younger generation who were mentors of the tributes, weren’t convinced of the Capitol’s righteousness in hosting the games. They saw themselves in the district tributes. Many were the same age.

Snow’s story, and the story of the Capitol, is one where judgment and prejudice win when complacency and ignorance thrive. Many characters expressed doubt about the treatment of the tributes by the Capitol, and few fully believed that the hunger games were justified as punishment for the districts over the war. These reservations were concentrated in the small group of people who truly understood the magnitude of the Capitol’s indiscretions and mistreatment of the districts and the hunger games tributes. The majority remained ignorant of the Capitol elite’s true intentions of power and control over others. Not only do we see the level of tragedy that can happen when a population ignores the beginnings of horrible mistreatment, but we also get to see the development of Snow who represents the creation story of the people who are ultimately pulling the strings to take power and control for themselves. Snow could easily be miscategorized as a product of his circumstances, but over and over again he chooses to be manipulative and self-serving. He uses his circumstances to justify his behavior, but they aren’t ruling his decisions. His desire for money, power, and fame rule even when consequences are absent. It’s powerful stuff for a YA novel, but important nonetheless.

Dystopian novels often seem extreme in their portrayals of the human experience and future societies, but they typically touch on very real problems and warning signs in society as we know it. It’s easy as a reader to get lost in the dramatics of dystopian novels assuming that something so extreme could never happen in real life. While something like the hunger games seems very extreme, many of the moments that paved the way for the hunger games to exist and continue to grow into the sinister and commoditized event that we hear about in the original trilogy exist now. American society is plagued by the othering of certain groups of people like the Capitol treats the districts as others/less-than-human. Many people turn a blind eye to injustice and mistreatment, just as we see many of the characters do in this book. While we may not be headed toward the hunger games specifically, something equally as dark is closer than we may think, and that’s why I enjoyed the themes in this book so so much.

Let’s chat about the plot and character development. I think these two elements leave a lot to be desired. Snow was not a likable protagonist. He’s selfish and has few, if any, redeemable qualities. This makes sense given what we know about his future and completely appropriate. I would’ve been disappointed if Collins had attempted to redeem Snow with his past. I don’t want him to be redeemed. His assent to tyranny needs to be believable. But I think that having such an unlikeable protagonist demands that likable side-characters get adequate development to balance the scales a bit. I think Collins missed the mark on that point. Lucy Gray, Snow’s tribute, is unique, free-spirited, and quirky. Intended to balance Snow’s focus on propriety and traditional happiness/success, their pairing ultimately ended up feeling unrealistic and doomed from the beginning. Sejanus, my personal favorite character, had such interesting qualities and provided a voice of reason in the wake of the Capitol’s ruthlessness, but, he too, didn’t get the screen-time he deserved for most of the novel.

In terms of plot, the first half of the book dragged a bit and some of the scenes were a little too repetitive for me. I was eagerly anticipating some action and excitement, but simply got more visits to the zoo? The pace accelerated through the second half of the book which I greatly appreciated, and I quite enjoyed the ending of the novel. Given that, I’ll focus on something more positive. I absolutely LOVED how many easter eggs were in this book. Collins dropped in so many elements from the original trilogy that made my heart so happy to see. We learn the origins of so many of the hallmark songs and names from the original books and those were just the ones that I recognized. It’s been so long since I’ve read the original trilogy that I’m sure there were tons of fun references that went over my head, so there’s definitely a lot to look forward to about this book!

All-in-all I give this book: three stars 🌟 🌟🌟! While there were some parts I struggled to get through, there truly are some great gems hidden in the pages and the themes are so relevant to many of the injustices that currently plague the US. It’ll definitely make you think about the parallels between our society and theirs!

If you want to read this book for yourself, you can purchase the book at this link: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

If you’ve already finished reading: let me know in the comments what you thought! What was your favorite part of the book? Do you feel differently about something that I said? Do you have a recommendation for my next book review? I want to know it all! <3

And…. as always here’s the link to my Goodreads account if you’d like to keep up with what I’m currently reading or are interested in finding book recommendations!

Much love,

Taylor

As promised, here’s a photo of my friends and me from high school with our hair braided as hunger games characters going to see the first movie. Apologies to everyone in this photo for the extra embarrassment. We tried haha.

Listening to an Audiobook for the First Time || First Times #1

By Taylor

On May 12, 2020

In First Time Series

I decided to finally suck it up and listen to an audiobook for the first time. I know. It’s a shame that it took me this long to give in to the audiobook craze, but I’m stubborn so here we are. I’m a bit of a print snob and expected myself to hate audiobooks, so I simply ignored that they exist. As I dove more into the world of books online, it seemed that readers everywhere were hooked on audiobooks. So I downloaded audible to see if it’s worth the hype.

I want to focus on three main things in this post. First, I’ll be going over what I expected listening to an audiobook would be like and how much I expected to enjoy the experience. Second, I’ll cover how I feel about audiobooks now. Last, I’ll be giving my thoughts about the Audible platform specifically and whether I think it’s worth a try.

1. My Audiobook Expectations

I’m going to be frank. My expectations for this were low. I’m a hoe for a good print book, and I really didn’t expect to feel satisfied by audiobooks. Auditory learning is not my strong suit, so I really expected that I would have a more difficult time processing the more minute details of the book and lose some of the complexity along the way. I was also concerned about audiobook length. Have ya’ll ever looked at the total length of the average audiobook? The average is around 10 hours long. Others are over 24 hours of listening time. I assumed that I would be extremely annoyed with the amount of time required to listen to the entirety of each book. On a lighter note, multiple friends stressed just how important a great narrator is to the audiobook experience, so I was looking forward to finding a really well-narrated book to listen to.

2. Actual Thoughts on Audiobooks

I chose two different books to listen to for my Audible trial. The first was Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. I’m a huge fan of Trevor Noah and have been meaning to read this book in print for a really long time. After finding out that Trevor Noah narrates his own book and hearing rave reviews from friends I figured it would be the perfect choice to dip my toes in the audiobook world. It’s a fairly short comedic autobiography with a total listening time of 8h 44m. The second book that I chose was an audible original that was available for free this month called How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe. This short fantasy had a total listening time of 5h 28m.

I have three main takeaways from listening to these two books.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed actually listening to the text of each book read aloud as they were supposed to be read. There are so many moments, especially in fantasy, when it’s unclear how a word/words should be pronounced. And while I’m a firm believer that imagining the characters and settings while reading is one of the best parts of the book, understanding the author’s intentions with words from other languages or even the tune of a written-out song can seriously increase the overall reading experience!
Listening to books while I was working gives me mixed feelings. I did most of my listening while completing other tasks. Some home-related others work-related. Unlike with a print book, I felt too restless simply sitting on my couch and listening, so I had to keep myself occupied with other things simultaneously. On one hand, it was super great to be able to listen to books while I was at work. I usually spend my work hours listening to music and podcasts and often wish I had more hours that I could dedicate to reading. It was super awesome to be able to continue reading at work especially once I got to the last chapter of Born a Crime #iykyk. On the other hand, trying to work and listen to books at the same time was a challenge for me. If I focused too much on the book, I ended up making careless mistakes in my work tasks. Other times I would be focusing heavily on work and forget I was listening to a book in the first place.
Last, listening to an audiobook doesn’t feel quite as special as sitting down with a physical copy. I love the feeling of being so engrossed with a book that the world around me disappears and I didn’t feel like I could do that with an audiobook. Again, feelings of restlessness kept me from focusing solely on the audiobook. Overall they felt too passive when compared with reading a print book.

3. My Thoughts on Audible

I think Audible is a great deal if you really enjoy listening to your books. The monthly rate after the free trial is only $14.95 and includes one book credit and free access to a select number of Audible Original books. So so many of the books that you can choose will cost you way more than $14.95 in the bookstore, so you’re saving money. Plus, I was super excited to find out that books you buy are yours forever even if you cancel the membership. I was under the impression that this was structured like a library service, so this was a huge deal. I probably won’t keep my subscription, but I will be able to listen to Born A Crime or any Originals I’ve selected at any time in the future which is awesome!

Let’s talk about Audible Originals. Audible Originals are audiobooks that were written and recorded just for the Audible platform. Think Netflix original tv shows, but the audiobook version. I was super stoked to try these out in the beginning because a friend recommended an original that she really loved. I quickly found out that you can’t choose from just any audible original as your “free” choice. It has to be from a select number of “free” titles for that month, and they seem to rotate. This was a bit annoying if you’re paying for the service every month, but would be good for getting out of your comfort zone in terms of genre. The Audible Original title I ended up listening to (How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps) turned out to be in the Literary RPG genre. I definitely wouldn’t have picked that for myself, but it was nice to try out something new. Another thing I noticed is that most Audible Originals books (or at least the ones available for free with membership this month) were shorter than average. How to Defeat a Demon King was under six hours of listening time, and I wish they had longer options available in their original content.

Let me know in the comments how you feel about audiobooks/audible and if you have any favorites! I’m always open to good recommendations!

If you want to hear my specific thoughts on the two audiobooks I listened to, keep an eye out for my May Reading Wrap Up in a few weeks!

Follow along with all of the different books I’m reading, or hoping to read, by checking out my Goodreads page!

Much Love,

Taylor

April 2020 Reading Wrap-Up

By Taylor

On May 1, 2020

In Monthly Wrap-Ups

It’s May 1st, so that means it’s time for my FIRST EVER monthly wrap up. I can’t wait to share all of my April reads with y’all. There are definitely a few old loves, and possibly a new love? Before I get into how I felt about each read, I want to preface this by saying that these are NOT full reviews (don’t worry, those are coming eventually)! What you can expect to learn about is: how much I read this month, what I rated each book that I read, my feelings on each one, and which was my favorite book I read during April.

I made it through five books for April. I read literally zero books in March so I’m SUPER proud of myself for making it through so many this month! You can check out my last post for tips I used to help myself enjoy reading more this month!

Since this is my first wrap-up I’m going to start with an overview of how my rating system works:

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟: Five stars is God tier. A book that gets five stars is perfect in every possible way, and I’m obsessed enough that I would literally lay down my life for an inanimate object. These are the books that you try to pester your friends into reading so much that they get annoyed with you.

🌟🌟🌟🌟: Four stars is a really great book. I enjoyed it a ton, and may potentially re-read it later. If it’s in a series, I’ll definitely be reading the remaining books ASAP and would recommend them to anyone!

🌟🌟🌟: Three stars is the sign of a pretty good book. I enjoyed reading it, but was it super profound? Probably not. I’d still recommend this book to other people.

🌟🌟: Two stars means that this book was just “meh”. It didn’t wow me, but it didn’t completely suck. I probably wouldn’t recommend this book to a friend unless I knew that it fit their reading preferences.

🌟: One star means that I really didn’t enjoy this book, but I didn’t hate it enough to stop reading. I wouldn’t recommend this book to a friend.

DNF: I did not finish this book, and have decided that I never want to finish this book. This could be from lack of interest or because I found it to be really problematic and didn’t want to feel the misery of continuing. I rarely choose to not finish a book, so I’ll always give a reason why. Also, just because I didn’t enjoy a book enough to finish it doesn’t mean that it can’t be your next favorite read!

Total Pages Read: 1845

Average Rating: 3.4 stars

April Favorite: 🌟Caraval by Stephanie Garber 🌟

The Lightning Thief/The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan: 🌟 🌟🌟 (5 stars for nostalgia though)

If you haven’t heard of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, you should definitely pick up the first book (The Lightning Thief) as soon as you possibly can. They’re great middle-grade reads and definitely one of the foundational series of my childhood. The books focus on the titular character, Percy Jackson. Percy has had a rough childhood. He’s dyslexic, has ADHD, and gets expelled from every school he attends. It turns out that all of these things are because he’s a demi-god (half-human half-god). He learns there’s a summer camp for demi-gods (Camp Half-Blood). Here he makes new friends and enemies. Hi-jinks and dangerous quests ensue. I don’t often re-read books, but I’ve been feeling really nostalgic during quarantine so I decided to make my way through this series again.

I want to address three main things about these books:

I grouped these together because they’re brief books and I don’t have a ton to say about either of them individually. Plus, they’re in the same series and it felt the most natural to talk about them together!
My rating. Let’s chat about it. I’ve rated both of them three stars. I honestly shocked myself with this decision. Percy Jackson and the Olympians books is one of my favorite books series OF ALL TIME. Based purely on nostalgia and knowing how obsessed I was the first time I read the book series in middle school, they’re five stars. But reading them again as a 23-yr old, it’s gotta be three stars. Reading the books you can definitely tell that the characters are 12 years old. Also, the pace of the books is VERY quick. They aren’t super long reads, but there are so many events packed into it that each scene doesn’t get as much development as I like now that I’m older. But, again, very suitable for a younger audience. Regardless. I love the characters. I love mythology. I love these books, and I will be re-reading the rest of the series (and probably the Heroes of Olympus series) ASAP.
If you don’t follow Rick Riordan on twitter, do so immediately. The man is super funny and loves engaging with his readers ESPECIALLY about half-blood related topics. (@rickriordan)

Circe by Madeline Miller: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Circe kept coming across my Goodreads suggested books for at least a year before I decided to pick it up. I am so glad that I did. If my love for Percy Jackson didn’t make it apparent enough that I love all things mythology, I love all things mythology.

Madeline Miller does a terrific job weaving the tales of the witch/goddess Circe. Circe is often depicted as a self-serving, vengeful villain, but Miller does a great job of showcasing her life in a new light. In this book, Miller gives new complexity to Circe’s story, the lives of the Gods, and the idea of immortality. Circe struggles with finding comfort in her own identity as she has spent her entire life as a disappointment/after-thought to her family. Her story is a heart-warming portrayal of self-acceptance and shows that value is not only found in those that are deemed “great”.

So… I’m giving this book four stars. I thought that the story was great, and the ending provides the right amount of satisfaction for a stand-alone book. While I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story, it didn’t hit me in a profound enough way to give five stars.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of greek mythology and seeking a more in-depth look into the tale of a traditionally minor character!

Caraval by Stephanie Garber: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

First of all, if you love a good plot twist, you are going to LOVE this book. This book is filled with magic and mystery centered around Scarlett and her sister Tella. Scarlett is your classic overprotective sister, while Tella often gets into mischief from her carefree personality. Scarlett dreams of attending the magical game/competition, Caraval, that is run by the mysterious Legend. When Tella is kidnapped and becomes the central figure in this year’s Caraval competition, Scarlett will do whatever it takes to rescue her.

The main focus of this book is Scarlett’s transformation from passive bystander to active participant/decision-maker in her own life, propelled by the trials she faces to rescue her sister.

Towards the beginning of the book, I found Scarlett a tad bit insufferable. She has a really strong selfless streak that felt a little “woe-is-me”, but I was very satisfied with how her character developed throughout the story. Plus, there was definitely some juicy romance to spice things up a bit. The main love interest was really complex and I was very much invested in him as a person rather than as an accessory. Also, for being out of the picture for most of the book, Tella was a shockingly interesting character. I think that Garber did a really great job from a character development/worldbuilding perspective

As far as how I felt while reading, my heart was racing for the entire last third of this book in anticipation of what would happen next. I was definitely in a post-book depression for a little bit after finishing it, so I would absolutely recommend this book. The best news is that it’s a trilogy! So if you enjoy this, check out Legendary(#2) and Finale(#3) to round out the series. I know I will be.

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates: 🌟🌟🌟

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a beautiful writer, and I was originally very excited about reading his debut novel. The book focuses on the story of Hiram Walker. A slave fathered by the owner of Lockless plantation where he lives. His mother was sold when he was only nine, and despite his perfect memory for everything else, he has no remaining memories of her, not even her name. Faced with a near-death experience, Hiram discovers this bizarre ability that he cannot name or control. We later learn this is Conduction. His time at Lockless is tumultuous and confusing; his identity pulled between the world of the Tasked and the Quality which they serve. Eventually, Hiram is swept up into the world of the Underground. He wrestles with his own feelings about his conflicting identities, those he left behind, and the realities of freedom compared with what he previously thought.

I think the ideas this story is based on are beautiful. Coates dives into the nuances of freedom, identity, and the collective memory of a tortured people. Unfortunately, the characters themselves weren’t quite as strong as those messages. The first half of the book breezed by. I was sucked in by the high stakes of the plot and the weavings of magical realism into the darkest moments of American history. Eventually, I found myself struggling to continue with the book. I found it difficult to root for the main character. I didn’t love his personality and often felt frustrated by his heightened sense of self even though I recognize that his behavior was an important part of his character’s journey. This was compounded by the flatness in some of the side characters. Hiram completely objectified Sophia with his feelings for her for 90% of the book, and I found myself quickly annoyed. While Hiram’s journey felt resolved enough at the end, I wasn’t nearly as satisfied with the endings for the other characters in the novel.

I had hoped for more, but I can’t give this book more than three stars.

If you want to follow along with all of the different books I’m reading, or hoping to read, check out my Goodreads page!

Let me know what you read this month, and which was your favorite in the comments below!

Much love,

Taylor

Reading in the Time of Corona

By Taylor

On April 20, 2020

In Lifestyle/Advice

I can’t deny it. Part of what prompted me to begin this blog is quarantining during the coronavirus, so it’s only fitting that my first official post is focused around it (well around quarantine reading, that is).

My childhood self would’ve been elated at the idea of being in quarantine. Not the idea of a global pandemic that causes many deaths and economic collapse, but that I would’ve had a license to sit around my house and read as many books as my heart desired. I was 100% that kid that always had their nose stuck in a book. I wouldn’t get in trouble at school for talking too much, but I would get called out for trying to read my latest find under the table when I was supposed to be paying attention. But can you really blame me? Magic Treehouse was definitely more interesting than math!

All-in-all, kid me would’ve read at least 12 books in the month that I’ve been social-distancing at home. How many books have I read since being at home? TWO! You heard me. That may seem like a lot to some, but for me, that’s way under par considering my normal rate of reading. Pre-quarantine I had been averaging three books per month. That was along with going into the office full-time, studying for the GRE in the evenings, and dealing with other components of regular life that have since stalled. My pile of unread books stares at me every day, begging to be read, but for some reason, I can’t seem to devote my seemingly infinite time to them. This period sounds like a booklover’s dream, but for me (and I’m guessing many others) it hasn’t worked out that way. Books have always been an escape for me during stressful times, and I know that reading more could help make this period more pleasant. As time has passed, I’ve tried a few different things that have helped ease my brain back into reading mode, and I’d like to pass those on to you!

1. Listen to your needs

This is a stressful period, so the number one focus should be on your physical and mental health. I found that I was mentally berating myself for not reading as much as I felt like I “should” be. The truth is: there is no amount of reading that you SHOULD be doing. Reading is supposed to be a fun and enriching activity! It’s ok to step back from it if you aren’t feeling it as much as usual, or if it’s causing stress in your life. I was not enjoying trying to force myself to read books. Instead, I’m trying to focus on making reading fun for myself and truly enjoying the process. This is the MOST important suggestion I can make. Go easy on yourself.

2. Dedicated reading time

The first major difference I noticed about my reading habits is that I’d lost my built-in reading time. I live in NYC, so public transportation is an integral part of my life. I use my morning train ride to work as designated reading time, and I sometimes do the same on the train home. Having a scheduled, but brief, time set aside for reading allowed me to progress through books fairly quickly even if I was too busy after work to read more. Additionally, frequent reading kept me invested in the plot and itching to read more, so I was more likely to spend time reading in the evenings as well. Since I’m not train commuting every day, I’ve tried to replicate that experience from my apartment. Whenever I want to get some reading done I pick up my book and set my timer for 30 min. After that’s over I usually move on to the next task in my day, but occasionally I’ll be dying to know what happens next and keep on reading! This adds some dearly needed structure to my day and my reading. Plus, I find I’m more satisfied with reading a little bit than from staring at my pile of books and never picking one up!

3. Book clubs

To make reading more exciting and fun, I turned to a book club! I work with a sizable group of new graduates (including myself), so we decided to begin a virtual book club to stay in touch. While the first book we chose, Circe by Madeline Miller, was very good, the focus was not on the reading or even on our Zoom discussion session. The main goal was to designate time to socialize, but with the added element of reading and discussing a book. We have yet to discuss the book, but I imagine it will be 10% book focused and 90% goofing-off which is something I can definitely get behind!

4. Pick an old favorite and keep it cozy!

For some reason, dealing with the COVID-19 has brought out a lot of nostalgic feelings in many people, myself included. As a reader I rarely re-read books, but I’ve decided to reread the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series. I know, it’s a little cheesy reading middle-grade books as a 23-year-old, but I’m doing it. It is one of my favorite books series of all time, and I’m on a little bit of a mythology kick after reading Circe. So, why not. I ordered the first two books from a local bookshop and dove right in. I sped through the first book, and it definitely scratched my nostalgia itch. And nothing goes better with a good book than a cozy blanket and a cup of hot tea. I always try to make a cozy reading environment for myself! Try it out for yourself, and bring one of your old favorites along too!

I hope these tips help some of you as they’ve helped me. Nothing is one-size-fits-all especially when it comes to books, so find what works for you and run with it! The best advice I can give on how to be bookish during quarantine is to go easy on yourself and find what works for you!

Much love,

Taylor

Welcome to my Book Blog!

By Taylor

On April 19, 2020

In Introduction

My name is Taylor. I grew up in North Carolina, and after graduating from Wake Forest University I moved to NYC to work in a neuroscience research lab. I often wonder if I’m making the right decisions in life, especially now as I prepare to apply to graduate school. Fortunately, books have always been a source of comfort for me, so here I am creating a blog dedicated entirely to them!

I loved books and reading from the moment I knew what a book was. It began with mom reading a little bit to me each night before bed, and as I learned to read on my own, I took over. You name it, I read it. Junie B. Jones? Check. Magic Treehouse? Check. Cam Jansen? Check. Harry Potter? Double Check. I would actually be reprimanded in class for reading under the table instead of paying attention to the teacher. I once walked into a pole from trying to read and walk down the street at the same time (I know there are more of you out there that have done this, don’t lie). Books provide an escape from the stress of the real world, but also the ability to access the rest of the globe from your couch. Maybe that’s why I enjoy traveling so much now.

Some of my favorite genres to read are fantasy (especially YA; you’re never too old!), historical fiction, and anything mythology related (which I guess is a combo of the first two? go figure.). You can expect to see a lot about books in these genres in the future. I’m also getting more into memoirs lately, and hope to review a few of my favorites on this blog! I’ve listed my (ever-changing) top five favorite books on my home page with links to Goodreads, so that’s always a good place to start if you’re interested in learning more about what I like.

So, what exactly can you expect from this blog? All things bookish! Each month I’ll be posting a wrap up of all the books I’ve read along with a short review summary of my reading experience. I’ll also be choosing one or two books a month to do an in-depth review that will be posted separately from my monthly wrap-ups. Alongside those, I’ll be posting a variety of reading-related posts that will hopefully keep it fun and interesting! Lastly, my hope for the future is to impart any knowledge I’ve gained from running a book blog on to any budding book bloggers that are out there! For anything else, I’m always open to content suggestions, so I can incorporate more of what y’all want to see.

If you’re interested in following along, subscribe by email at the bottom of the page! I can’t wait to see how this blog blossoms and the community grows!

Much love,

Taylor