To Be Read | March 2021

March 1, 2021February 27, 2021 bookishluna4 Comments

Hello and welcome to my March TBR list! I cannot believe I am already planning my reading for March, I still feel like February just begun and I have a ton of time to keep reading my February TBR. Nope, not the case at all. I will have to move a few books from February to March since I just ran out of time…oops! Anyway, this month quite a few of the books I don’t quite have a physical copies for so they are not in the picture. Some are ebooks and another is a preorder I can’t wait to get my hands on.

The Books

The Discomfort of Evening by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, ebook not pictured. This is a book for my read a shortlist challenge for 2021, if you want to see the details you can see that in my post called, Reading Challenge | Reading a Shortlist 2021. I am excited to get to this one because it was awarded the International Booker Prize so I have high hopes especially since I have enjoyed the other books on this list so far.

The Unexpected Joy of the Ordinary by Catherine Gray, audiobook not pictured. I am really excited to get to this book, I have not read a book quite like this one is described in some time and I think it will be very refreshing and uplifting.

Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb, pre-ordered not pictured. This is the book I currently and waiting for release day, which is early on in March. This will be the third book I have read by Hobb this year and I am really enjoying her style of writing and the world she has created.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, pictured. I started this tome in February and I really want to continue and finish it up over the next month. As always I am curious as to what Clair and Jamie will be getting into. I am actually crocheting a few Outlander inspired things as I read this book, which has really added to the fun.

Dead Blonds and Bad Mothers by Sady Doyle, pictured. I have had this non-fiction on my shelf for a bit and I am really feeling the urge to read it now. The second part of this title is “Monstrosity, Patriarchy, and the Fear of Female Power”, I mean that alone just draws me in.

The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, pictured. I am reading this with Jenna this month so we can discuss it as we read, which I think will be really good and spark some very good discussions on systematic racism.

What do you plan on reading this month?

Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

To Be Read

To Be Read | Last TBR of 2020

December 1, 2020November 28, 2020 bookishluna6 Comments

Hello and welcome to the final TBR of 2020, it is hard to believe I am writing that sentence honestly. While this year has been very difficult, it has felt slow, but also really fast to me. But, here we are, tis the season to write an end of the year TBR. I am going to be keeping it quite small this month, but I still have a few books I want to get to before 2021 comes our way.

Book stack of Lovecraft Country, The Changing, An Orchestra of Minorities, The Incarnations, and A Promised Land.

Love Craft Country by Matt Ruff, this first book on my TBR was picked by Erica for the Someone PicksMy Books series I have on my blog. I have to say, it took a lot of self control not to read this book sooner. I have been eyeing it since she picked it for me.

The Changeling Novel by Victor LaValle and The Incarnations by Susan Barker are both horrors I wished I had gotten to sooner. I feel like in general this TBR should have the theme, “books Luna should have gotten to sooner” honestly. But, both of these sounded really fascinating and I really want to read already.

An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma is the last book I am reading for my reading a shortlist Man Booker challenge. I decided I am not going to be reading the sequel to the Handmaids Tale because I really don’t think she should have won. Anyway, I have been looking forward to An Orchestra of Minorities for a few reasons, the first being it is narrated by a guardian spirit and secondly a life changing event.

Lastly, I am planning on reading A Promised Land by Barack Obama. I had this book preordered at my local bookshop and did not get around to starting it in November, but I want to read it ASAP. I really loved his wives book and her story and I am interested in hearing his story in his won words as well.

There you have it, those are the five books I plan on reading before the end of the year. I am really hoping I am able to finish them all in time. I know my reading slowed down quite a bit the second half of November, but I hope this post motivates me a bit to get going and pick up a book!

What are you planning on reading before the end of 2020?

Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Hauls & Unboxings

Book Haul | November 2020 | Celebrating 0 Books on TBR

November 12, 2020November 4, 2020 bookishluna13 Comments

Hello and welcome to a book haul post! This book haul has been a long time coming because I have not done a book haul for months. The reason I am finally doing one now is because my owned TBR finally hit 0 books and I could not have been more excited. I never thought that it would happen, but it did! But, of course as a book lover I had to celebrate by buying some books. I do plan on keeping my TBR on the lower side, never going above 10 books, but I would like it to sit more around 5. Anyway, here are the books I decided to buy to celebrate.

The Books

First I want to start off the the JRR Tolkein boxset of the hobbit and Lord of the Rings. This is not actually adding to my TBR, but I have always wanted these small leather (faux I am pretty sure) editions. I figured since this was a celebration and I had a coupon I would treat myself to them as well as a reread soon!

Now, these are the books that are now my owned TBR. Some of these were actually gifts, but I figured I would just add all of the books all together. I will follow the image above from top to bottom.

The Beautiful Struggle by Ta-Nehisi Coates, I decided to pick up this book mainly because I just recently read Between the World and Me and I really liked it. I didn’t know this author had another book, but it was on display in my local bookstore and I picked it up without a second thought. His other work that I have read mentioned and hinted at the content in this book, but I very much looking forward to exploring it even more.

Cursed Objects by J.W. Ocker, I happened to come across with in a recommendation list on the side of goodreads. It talks about objects around the world that are thought to be cursed. It would have been a perfect Halloween read, but I never was one to stick to seasonal reading. Anyway, this shares the story of these objects and the myths that surround them.

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas, I have heard a ton about this book and I am curious to see if I enjoy this one. So, when Jenna from JK I’m Exploring asked me if I wanted it , I jumped at the chance. I don’t know too much about the plot, but I feel like that might be the best way to read this book.

The Law of Color by Richard Rothstein. I saw this book on a lot of anti-racist reading lists this year so I really wanted to get my hands on it. I was going to get it from the library, but I am happy to say that the waiting list for this book is still really long. So, I decided I would get it for myself. This book takes a close look at how our country and government have segregated the US. I think it mainly discuses housing policy, but other subjects are also brought up from my current understanding.

Tomie by Junji Ito, I have read about 4 or 5 of his horror mangas and I have to say I have never been disappointed so I picked up another one of his works. His stuff is thought provoking, disturbing, and beautifully illustrated.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, I have been hearing amazing this about this book left and right. But, the thing that made me really want to read this is the fact that the dynamic of the two main characters was compared to the dynamic between Aziraphale and Crowley from Good Omens and for me that is an auto buy dynamic.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, I cannot believe I am finally this far into this series, but I am really happy with how it is going. I wanted to just pick up the next book so I could continue. I need to know what happens to Clare and Jamie!

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton, I read and loved this author s previous work and when I saw that this book was available I knew I needed to get my hands on it. I really enjoyed his writing style and the twists of his previous work, so I have high hopes.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, This was on a display for anti-racist reading so I decided to add it to my pile. I will be honest, I do not know too much about this book, but from what I read from the description it is taking a closer at the past and present of American society and how it ties into a caste system and how it influences daily life and opportunities.

What was the last book you added to your TBR? Have you read any of them, if so what did you think?

Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Hauls & Unboxings

Read 5, Buy 1 | The Happy Failure of July 2020

August 19, 2020July 29, 2020 bookishluna9 Comments

Read 5, Buy 1

Hello and welcome to my happy failure! I say happy because I added some really awesome authors to my TBR this month. I added 16 books to my TBR to be exact, that is why it is a failure. But, I have to say even with adding 16 books, my owned TBR is still only 26 books.

This first book stack features…

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

The Beauty of Breaking by Michele Harper

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora

American Sherlock by Kate Winkler Dawson

Girl From Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This second stack features…

Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin

G’morning, G’night! by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Johnny Sun

The Secret River by Kate Grenville

Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Himself

Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

Remarkable Creatures by Tracey Chevalier

After the Quake by Haruki Murakami

Flowers of Mold by Ha Seong-nan

Teen Titians Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo

I am truly pleased to be able to have these books on my shelf waiting to be read. I am for the most part still on schedule to finish my TBR by October as planned as well. I did not see that still being the case after being able to go into a bookstore and browse the shelves again. That is what lead to me getting all these books, I really missed just walking around the store and finding books I have not heard of before.

How did the Read Rush go for you? What have you read this past week?

Sign Off 2020

Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

To Be Read

To Be Read | August 2020

August 2, 2020July 17, 2020 bookishluna7 Comments

To Be Read

Hello and welcome to my TBR for August. My TBR is a bit larger than it normally is due to the fact I am taking part in a few challenges this month. One of the major ones is hitting 0 books on my owned TBR by October 6th, 2020. At the time of typing this I am on track to meet this goal, so I am excited about that. But, to keep this up I had to keep my reading pace high, but also enjoyable. To meet this goal and others I added all of these books onto my pile for August. I am really confident in reading these books and maybe even a few others, who knows?

Book Stack Photo

The Books

The Secret River by Kate Grenville, I am reading this as part of my reading a book from every continent. This takes place in Australia being used to send convicts away from Europe as well as discussing those settlers forcibly taking land from local indigenous inhabitants . It is a historical fiction, but I think it will discuss a really important events that not only took place in one part of the world, but all over. From the reviews I am confident in the author giving such a topic the attention is deserves.

After the Quake by Haruki Mauakami, I picked this up recently on my first visit to my local bookstore. It was the first time. I was able to actually go brows the shop in MONTHS so you will see a few more books on this list from that day. But, that being said I really was intrigued by the description of this book and I look forward to reading it.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Himself, I am ashamed to say that I never read this and I am rectifying that this month. I will say, I did read the first few pages at the end of July, but I did not want to rush through this mans words.

You Were Born For This by Chani Nicholas, I picked this book up as a group read and I kinda forgot about that..oops. But, I am still intrigued so I still pan on reading this.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu, I picked this book up because I was recommended it from mytbr.co. It sounded really interesting so I have to say first impressions with this service are pretty spot on. Will report when I have read all three books they recommened me.

American Sherlock by Kate Winkler Dawson, I was really in the mood for some non-fiction last month and I came across this on my stroll around the bookstore so I picked it up. I am interesting in learning about the history of Forensics in the USA.

Fever Dream by Samantha Schweblin, This is another book I picked up for my reading a book from each continent. This books takes place in Argentina. I will be honest, I don’t know much about this book. I saw that it took place in Argentina and that it had the phrase “nightmare come to life” in the description.

Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman, I have been slowly reading more and more books by this author and I have enjoyed most of them. I read the description of this novel while walking around my local bookstore and I had to pick it up. I mean how can I turn down a book that is described that can “transform a mundane world into a place of terrible wonders”.

G’Morning, G’Night! By Lin-Manuel Miranda, I will flat out admit I bought this because I watched Hamilton on Disney+ in July and I wanted to checkout what else he was capable of. I have a feeling I am going to be slowly reading this throughout the month, but we shall see. It seems like a really uplifting book, which I feel like can only help.

What are you planning to reading this month?

Sign Off 2020

Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

To Be Read

To Be Read | July 2020

July 1, 2020June 19, 2020 bookishluna9 Comments

To Be Read

Hello and welcome to my monthly TBR, where I name some books and chances are I wiill end up reading others ones because I am a total mood reader. Anyway, there are two that I must read for a few challenges, but the other three that are listed here I really want to read. But, as I said I am a mood reader, so let’s see what happens. Here are the books I plan on reading!

The Books

The Tempest by William Shakespeare, this play is my July pick for my 2020 Shakespeare Challenge. I really have no idea what it is about, so I don’t have an opinion on how I am going to feel or a prediction.

March by Geraldine Brooks, I picked this up on vacation in December and lately I have really wanted to read it. I have high hopes because it is Little Women inspired, it is meant to be following the father of that story during the Civil War. Plus, I feel like it will remind me of my vacation and I really miss traveling at this point, even day trips.

The Five by Halle Rubenhold, this was a gift from Reg for my birthday and I am really excited to learn about Jack the Rippers victims because I honestly have no idea who they were, but I know a lot about the crime.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas, this was picked for me to read for my Someone Picks My Books series on my blog. I have read books by this author in the past, but I have not read her last one or two. So, we shall see how this one fairs!

What are you planning to reading this month?

Sign Off 2020

Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

To Be Read

To Be Read | June 2020

June 1, 2020May 31, 2020 bookishluna1 Comment

To Be Read

Hello and welcome to my June TBR! I am actually excited for the month of June for a few reasons. We are officially in the last month of the first half of the year, which is a bit mind blowing. On top of that I feel like it will be a nice fresh start for my reading since it was a bit subpar last month and I am actually not forgetting about my ebooks for once! I don’t want to ramble this month, but I really feel like it is going to be a great month. On to the books!

Physical Books

The first book is going to be a mystery one that was picked for me by Melinda from Basement Bookcase. It is a new to me author and something that is very outside my normal reading so I am excited to see how it works out.

The first book pictures is Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. Last year I read my first book from him and I really fell in love with his writing style. Plus, one of my goal this year is to read a book recommended by one o my favorite authors and this was on Joe Hill’s list. So, I get to read a book by a great author and cross a 2020 goal off of my list.

Next I have Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King, which is the Stephen King book that I have had on my owned TBR the longest and I am in the mood for something scary so I am picking this up. I am not really sure what to expect because I completely forgot the description at this point. I just remember picking this up at The Strand in NYC at last years Bookcon.

Twelfth Night is my Shakespeare pick for June, I really don’t have a ton of thoughts on this just yet.

Lastly I am buddy reading Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz with Jenna and Reg this month. I have never read anything by Dean Koontz, but I know they are a popular author and I am always seeing their name everywhere so I am excited to give them a shot.

Digital Copies

I have really been neglecting my digital books as of late and I really need to get to them. So, this month I want to read three of these.

The first listed here is The Devil in the White City by by Erik Larson. This story shares some of what transpired around the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, including Americas first serial killer. It is a morbid one, but I really want to know more about the World Fair because I hear about it often, but also about this criminal history.

The second book is I’m Ju I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual by Luvvie Ajayi. The tag line “Perfect for starting important and meaty discussions about all of the topics your mama told you never to bring up at polite dinner parties.” really sold me.

Lastly, we have Your Goddess Year: A Week-by-Week Guide to Invoking the Divine Feminine by Skye Alexander. I have always been interested in leaning about the gods and goddesses from a wide range of civilizations. I feel like a lot of them are not talked about a lot because they are not part of the major circles of gods we study in school so I am excited to learn about 52 new ones!

I just noticed that all my ebooks were nonfiction! This really excites me because I have been meaning to read more of it since I read none last month.

What are you planning to reading this month?

Have you read any of these books, did you like them?

Sign Off 2020

Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Hauls & Unboxings

Book Haul | April & May 2019

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 bookishluna3 Comments

BookHaul12:17

Hello everyone, it has been some time since I posted a bookhaul. I didn’t realize it has been two months until I ran out of room on my cart where I put the books I need to haul officially. Then, I realized I put some on my shelves without actually hauling them… oops. It turns out I acquired more books that I thought I did between treating myself and my birthday this month. The good news is I already read some of the books I hauled and some are replacement copies. So my overall TBR isn’t being completely bogged down.

Divider 2

-The Books-

Literary Witches by Taisia Kitaiskaia, birthday gift and read.

You Asked For Perfect by Laura Silverman, unread.

If Walls Could Talk by Lucy Worsley, unread.

Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides, unread.

That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston, Thank-you Reg! Unread.

Blaze by Richard Bachman aka Stephen King, unread.

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien, replacement copy and gift

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien, replacement copy and gift.

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick, unread.

Peace and Turmoil by Elliot Brooks, unread.

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan, gift and unread.

The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer, unread.

Classic Penguin by various editors, read.

The Englishman Who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects by John Tingey, read.

The Things I Would Tell You edited by Sabrina Mahfouz, read.

Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill, read.

Ask Baba Yaga by Taisia Kitaiskaia, birthday gift and read.

Divider 2 So over the past two months I acquired 17 books, not to bad for a birthday month and for such a long period of time. Plus, I already read 8 of them already.

Divider 2

Have you read any of these books? Which one should I read first?

What book have you acquired or borrowed this month?

SignOff12:17

Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Bullet Journal Jottings, Writing & More

#Blogoween | Book Spine Spells!

October 11, 2018October 8, 2018 bookishluna6 Comments

Prompt:

Thursday 11th: Spell List
We’re all familiar with Book Spine Poetry by now. No? Stack up your books in an order that allow the titles to create a poem. For this prompt we’re using horror or Halloween themed books only to line up and create Book Spine Spells!

Oh goodness, this was a hard one for me. I was never good at poetry. The only time I enjoy writing poetry is when it is blackout poetry. So this one was a prompt I was kind of dreading, but over all it didn’t turn out as bad as I thought it would be. So without further delay here is my spooky book spine poetry!