Tag: jackaby

Tags

Tag Time |The Greek Gods Book Tag

bookishluna13 Comments

TagTimel12:17This tag is way overdo and I apologies for that. I was tagged by the wonderful Zoë, go check her out. I was really excited about being tagged because I have always loved mythology and I have read many stories about the Greek Gods since I was little. I remember always going to the library and eyeing up the books always wanting to take the same one out.

The Rules

  • Pingback to Zuky here so she can read all your posts!
  • You can use her graphics if you like, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.
  • Tag as many people as you want, but please share the love.

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Little Women

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott has been my favorite book for some time. I remember reading it for the first time when I was about 10, maybe even younger. But, I really

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Image result for Minerva McGonagall

I think one of the most strong badass female characters would have to be Professor Minerva McGonagall. She has no problem standing up to anyone and does not take anyones nonsense. She is smart, strong, and a you can tell she really cares about her students.

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The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1)The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert was one of the best books I have read this year. It took few turns I didn’t expects and it was truly a roller coaster ride. I loved how the author incorporated the fairytale elements and blended them together very well. I read this book in a single day.

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The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt

The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt by T.J. Stiles is my favorite nonfiction that I recommend to those who really love US History, History of Economics, or just a story of someone who was able to go against the status quo and build their lives up to something amazing. It is well written and throughout. I like how it talked about what was going on in the country and the world at the time to give his story more context.

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Jackaby (Jackaby, #1)

One book I always recommend to people is Jackaby by William Ritter. It is a wonderfully magical story filled with monsters, ghouls, and other creatures. Ritter entwines aspects of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes to create a wonderful main character who is helped by a smart and strong woman who is extremely brave.

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The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan, this book was pretentious and badly written. I even passed it on to someone else to see if it was just me. My friend read it as well and they couldn’t even manage to finish it.

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Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, it was one of the best books I have read. It is brutally honest in a way that I think a lot of people could benefit from reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

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Lincoln in the Bardo

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders is one of the most beautiful book covers I have on my shelf. The picture is a beautiful landscape and the colors used are a wonderful array of blues. It is almost calming even though this is a beautifully treat breaking story.

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Lying in Wait

Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent is a book I devoured in a day. Liz Nugent is one of my favorite authors, her thrillers will leave you on the edge of your seat even though you know exactly where some of her story are going because she tells you right at the beginning. Not only are the plot twists great, but the entire story line has been amazing.

I Tag

Amy

Jenna

Reg

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Tags

#Blogoween |Bonded, Bewitched, Drowned

bookishluna2 Comments

Blogoween

Prompt:

Tuesday 23rd: Bonded, Bewitched, Drowned
A Halloween version of Kiss, Marry, Kiss with your favourite book characters!

The Three Characters

Jackaby from the Jackaby Series by William Ritter

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Sherlock Holmes from The Sherlock Series by Arthur Conan Doyle

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William “Bill” Weasley by the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

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The Results

Drowned: Sherlock Holmes

I know, I know this sounds horrible but, it is what I have to do with the choices I am giving myself. The reason I picked Sherlock Holmes is because he has done a lot with his life and his creator tried to off him, but the masses wanted him back. So ultimately I am trying to help Doyle.

Bewitched: Jackaby

I feel like being around Jackaby would be a lot of fun for a short amount of time. Being around him for a period longer than even an hour could be very dangerous for anyone because of the things that always seem to happen around him and the creatures that find him.

Bonded: Bill Weasley

He is a kind and caring individual and stands up for what he beliefs in. On top of that,  family is important to him and to me that is kinda important if you are going to marry someone. Also, he is mature enough to actually be in a place where marrying could be an option.

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What would be your Bonded, Bewitched, Drowned?

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Tags

TAG |The Sunshine Award Vol. 5

bookishluna5 Comments

TagTimel12:17

First off I would like to thank Regina over at bookishinbed for the tag! This is my 5th time getting this award and it s truly amazing. I would have never though I would be nominated for these awards when I first started my blog and here we are. You guys are all amazing, thanks for continuing to support me!

For this nomination there are 4 rules to follow:

1.) Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you for the blog post and link back to their blog.

2.) Answer the 11 questions that the blogger asked you.

3.) Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 questions.

4.) List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or blog.

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Previous Sunshine Blogger Award Posts

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1.) Why did you start your blog?

I started my blog because I wanted a place I could have to discuss the things that I loved. While it is mostly books, you may have seen a few of my others posts about DIYs, cooking, and hobbies. While I write mostly about books and such I like to spread into other things I enjoy as well. You never know what you will have in common with someone unless you share it.

2.) What is some advice you have for other bloggers?

Just write about what makes you happy. Everything else will fall into place as long as you remember that this is meant to be fun and enjoyable.

3.) What fictional place would you travel to if you could?

If I could travel to a fictional place it would be Bag End or Hobbiton. I love the Hobbit and I always wanted to see what the little town and home would be like if I was truly there.

4.) What author do you wish you could be friends with?

I would love to be friends with Louisa May Alcott, I think she would be supportive, but would put you in your place if needed.

5.) Whose your favorite author that you’ve met?

I honestly have not met any authors at book signing or anything. I am hoping to change that in the future.

6.) What author would you trust to write your biography?

Gah, I have no idea. I think I would go with Stacy Schiff, she did a great job writing The Witches so I think she would do a great job.

7.) What is your favorite book to movie adaptation?

Harry Potter of course, but if I had to name a different one it would be The Shining by Stephen King. I love the 6 hour edition, yes there is a 6 hour edition.

8.) Which book to movie adaptation do you wish never happened?

I honestly cannot answer this. When I go to see a movie adaptation I go into it seeing it as something completely different. There is no way to make a perfect adaptation.

9.) What book do you wish would be turned into a movie?

I think I would love to see Jackaby by William Ritter make into a movie. It has adventure, lovable characters, and mystery. It is my second favorite series, only beaten by Harry Potter.

10.) What book do you wish had a cookbook for it?

I think I would love it if there was a cookbook based off of a biography. That way I can try all the foods that person loved. I mean if I am reading a book about them I would be interested in them so why not have a meal like them at least one time?

11.) What is your most anticipated release of 2018?

I think my most anticipated release for this year was The Hazel Wood, I did a full review which you can find here: Review | The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. I was looking forward to this the moment I saw the description and it did not disappoint. If I had to pick one that is not yet released it would be Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft by Tess Sharpe or The Honey Farm by Harriet Alida Lye.

DividerI hoped you enjoyed reading, please feel free to do this tag for yourself!

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Let's Talk

Lets Talk | Preordering Books

bookishluna17 Comments

LetsTalk12:17

Hello and welcome to the March discussion post. I have been loving these the past few months. Being able to hear your options and talk about books just makes me want to blog more. I started bookishluna because I wanted to talk books and to see all the support through comments and taking part in my polls has been great. Thank-you for talking books with me. If you want to read my previous discussion post you can find them here; Lets Talk | Reading Formats , Lets Talk | Big Books.

Last month we talked about big books, this month lets talk about preordering books. But, before we move on to this months discussion topic I want to go over the poll results.

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The Results


The poll this month shows that most people like big books. I will admit I was thinking that more people would say no because they can be intimidating. Either way, if you like big books or not, we can all agree that books are amazing.

What do you think about the poll results?

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When you preorder a book, you are taking a chance, it could work out in your favor or not. A big fear of mine is preordering a book and absolutely hating it. We have all been there, we read a book description or review on a fell bloggers page and thought, “This book is for me”.  We preorder it and wait. When it finally arrived we happily open it and maybe share our bookmail on our social media accounts. Then when we go to read the book it falls flat for one reason or another. This is large con when it comes to preordering books. There is no guarantee we are going to like the book.

The pros to preordering are numerous. Sometimes there are preorder goodies, I know when I preordered The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon I was sent a beautiful full colored map of the world. I still have it displayed. Other times there may be exclusive covers, extra art, stickers, and other bookish goodies. Another bonus of preordering books is they are sometimes cheaper. This is not guaranteed, but in some cases if you preorder in advance online they prices may be cheaper. But, I will admit I am an advocate of preordering at a physical books store, chain or independent if you have access to that. When you do this, chances are you will not get a discount.

Another pro, which I find the most powerful is that it supports the author. It helps them get better release day/week numbers which helps them gain support for publishing another book. Now obviously, you can do this by going to the store on opening day, but I am horrible about remember release days. This way you don’t need to remember, it either shows up at your door or you get a phone call saying you can pick up your book.

If you want to hear it from an author you can see that Melissa Albert herself says the best says to support an author when you preorder or buy it in store on the appropriate date. Buying them before release date  does not support authors. So if you see a book out before their release date, it does not help their numbers. If you want to ensure you get a copy asap preorder it online or at a bookshop. I myself have seen them out before their date and have gotten super excited because I feel like I have found buried treasure. After realizing it does not help authors I will no longer buy books early.

Thanks again for letting me use your tweet! 

Now I want to take a moment to say that you can support authors by requesting their books at the library, I don’t always have money for book and I know a lot of people are also in the same boat. Now, I did a bit of reading and the amount of financial support authors get from library sales differ from author to author. I recently read a great post on the topic, How do authors make money from library books? I was curious because I wanted to know that these authors still get the support they deserve when I put a book on hold. It seems that they do, but in different ways. Divider

For me preordering books is something I do when it meets my criteria. For me to preorder a book it has to hit at least 2 of the following; I have read 1 or more of the authors works already and enjoyed them, the description of the books pulls me in, and/or I read a review by someones I trust or know I have similar tastes too. Having this criteria has helped me greatly. I am very rarely disappointed by books I preorder anymore.

Of course there is an exception, if I have read the book as an ARC and I loved it, I am going to preorder it as well. While I do want to support authors, I want to be as sure as I can be before spending money on a book. They can be expensive and sometimes my disposable income in limited.

(Some) Books I have Pre-Ordered and the Criteria They Met

  • Illustrated editions of Harry Potter: I read them all in original format
  • The Hazel Wood By Melissa Albert: Received as an ARC and reviewed
  • Review | The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
  • The Cruel Prince by Holly Black: I read 2 books by her and the description sounded amazing.
  • The Dire King: A Jackaby Novel by William Ritter: I read the other books in the series and loved it, plus the description sounded like it was going to continue being amazing. (P.S this series is one where I loved every book) 
  •  I currently have Stephen Kings newest book The Outsider that comes out May 22nd, 2018 preordered. I have read at least 8 of his books and really enjoyed them. On top of that the description gave me the creeps, which is the point of a Stephen King book.

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What do you think about preordering books?

Do you preorder books? Let me know in the poll below.

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Tags

TAG | Valentine’s Day Book

bookishluna3 Comments

TagTimel12:17Hello Everyone! Today I am coming to your computer, tablet, or phone with a holiday themed tag. I was tagged by the lovely Amy over at  Tomes with Tea, you really need to check her out. Thank-you again!

The Rules

1. Link back to this post and mention Taiwo @ Stuffed Shelves as the creator of this tag.

2. Link back to the person who tagged you and thank them!

3. Answer the questions (of course!)

4. You can use Taiwo’s graphic if you want but please mention them as the person who made it.

5. Tag 5-10 other bloggers.

The Questions

1. What book(s) have you been given as a gift that you loved?
I have to say that the best bookish gift I have gotten would be Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. If you have been around my blog, you know I LOVE this book/series. My aunt gave me a copy when I was very young and I fell in love with the story and characters. To this day if I am upset I start to read this classic and I instantly feel better.

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2. What book(s) would you like to give as a gift to someone else?
If I were to give a book gift it would be personalized for that person. In the past I have given my bf nice copies/collectors editions of his favorite manga. I have given my mom non-fiction books about World War II. But, if I had to say a single book that I could recommend generally to a bunch of people it would have to be Jackaby by William Ritter. Many say it is a mixture of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes. If it is fun read that is the start of a series. The books are short, but packed. I have not once been disappointed by any of the books in that series.

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3. If you could gift a random person any bookish item, what would it be?
I would give everyone a bookish mug. Everyone can use a mug, specially with a sassy saying taken from the pages of a book. (I didn’t want to steal Amy’s idea, but darn her answer is great!)

4. If you could gift a random person any non-bookish item, what would it be?
If I had to gift someone a non-bookish item I would give them a comfortable blanket. I don’t know one person who has complained about having a plush and soft blanket before.


5. What do you say when a person gives you a gift you don’t like?
It honestly depends on who it is and how close I am to them. I know for me I would want someone to tell me if they do not like something so I can give them a receipt and they can return it and get something better. I also know that some people don’t ask or say anything so I always gift with a gift receipt. That way no one is put in this situation. Let’s just say if I am close to that person I am going to say something. 

6. Mention a book based around Valentine’s Day.
AI honestly don’t know a single one… oops. 

7. Mention any two tips for blogging as a gift to other bloggers and to those who may want to start a blog.

  • Never write about anything you are not interested in. It is your blog fill it with things you love. 
  • Never force yourself to write, I have seen great bloggers burn out because they turned something that was a fun way to communicate into “work”. Find what works for you, but make sure to never over pressure yourself. Just because someone else is doing something does not mean it is right for you.

8. Link to some posts by other bloggers that you loved or were very helpful.
I could go on forever, but I would have to say the most helpful and fun blog posts I have found have been:

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Now, I know that Valentine’s Day is now over, but these questions are great. I tag anyone to continue this past the holiday!

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To Be Read

September TBR | 2017

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TBR

This month I am only planning on reading 2 books, mainly because I have been slowing down on my reading lately and I do not want to force myself to read and make everything worse. So without further delay here are the books I plan on reading in September…wow, it is already September. Where is 2017 going?

Where the Light Falls by Allison Pataki & Owen Pataki

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This is a historical fiction novel that takes place during the French Revolution. I am excited to see where this novel takes me.

From the courtrooms to the battlefields to the alleyways of Paris, with cameos from infamous figures in French history, the Patakis have crafted an epic, action-packed novel of the French Revolution as it has never been seen before. Three years after the storming of the Bastille, Paris is enlivened with the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The monarchy has been dismantled and a new nation, for the people, is rising up in its place. Jean-Luc, a young optimistic lawyer, moves his wife, Marie, and their son to Paris, inspired by a sense of duty to contribute to the new order. André, the son of a former nobleman, flees his privileged past to fight in the unified French Army with his roguish brother. Sophie, a beautiful young aristocratic widow and niece of a powerful, vindictive uncle, embarks on her own fight for independence.

The Dire King by William Ritter

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This is the fourth book in the Jackaby series, which if you are new here, is one of my favorites. I have never been disappointed by one of these books. Each one is always better than the last. If you have never read any of these books I would encourage you to try them.

The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook.

What are you going to read this month?

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Tags

The Cake Book Tag

bookishluna1 Comment

So I was watching some booktube instead of reading today and I saw PeruseProject do this tag and I thought would be fun to do. I did make it a bit more challenging by making myself stick to books I have read in the last 12 months. Time to mix all the ingredients together and make a great book cake! P.S. All titles are linked to go to the books goodreads pages if you are interested in learning more about the books. 

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source: Princeton Public Library

 

FLOUR: A book that was a little slow to start, but really picked up as it went along.

Euphoria by Lily King 

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Euphoria by Lily King is a great book, when I finished it I knew it would be a book I would revisit. But, it didn’t start off that way. At first it was a little slow even though it was interesting, but I almost put it down for good. Then, the story picked up and I couldn’t put it down. Talk about a 180. 

Blurb: “Inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead, Euphoria is the story of three young, gifted anthropologists of the 1930s caught in a passionate love triangle that threatens their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives.” via goodreads

BUTTER: A book that had a rich, great plot. 

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

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Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel was one of the best books I read last year. I was so engrossed in the story and invested. It had an interesting concept and the plot took unexpected twists and turns. The sequel, Waking Gods, came out not that long ago and I cannot wait to get to it. 

Blurb: “A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.” via goodreads

EGGS: A book you thought was going to be bad, but actually turned out quite enjoyable. 

The Picture of Dorian Gray

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While the description of this classic sounds interesting for some reason I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it at all. But, I was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed it. It was the perfect mixture of having the classic critiques, gothic style, and it can still be related to the modern world. 

Blurb: “Written in his distinctively dazzling manner, Oscar Wilde’s story of a fashionable young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty is the author’s most popular work. The tale of Dorian Gray’s moral disintegration caused a scandal when it first appeared in 1890” via goodreads

SUGAR: A sugary, sweet book.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

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Ah, the sugar in this book cake, The Rosie Project. I have to say I just adored this book, I think mainly because it speaks a lot to my personal life and I made a connection to it. I fell in love with this book nearly right from the beginning. 

Blurb: “Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project.” via goodreads

ICING : A book that covered every element that you enjoy about a book.  

Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter 

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The Jackaby series is an auto buy series for me, I even have the next book on preorder. From the three that are currently out I have loved every single one. For my personally, that has never happened before. Even with my beloved (and most likely a lot of other peoples) Harry Potter series. There are books I am just meh about, but still enjoy. But Ghostly Echoes is great and so is the rest of the series, it is a mixture of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes. I know I should not be comparing this series to other series (TV and books), but it really is. 

Blurb from book one: “Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary–including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose.” via goodreads

SPRINKLES: A book series that you can kind of turned back to for a little pick me up when you’re feeling down.

Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling

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Do I really need to explain this one? lol.

THE CHERRY ON TOP: Your Favorite book you have read so far this year.

The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel 

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So far The Stranger in the Woods has been my top read. Mainly because it has a sense of adventure, justice, psychology, and a wonderful story that is not intimidating at all to read. This book is with well researched and has personal touches that make a great narrative. 

Blurb:”In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothing, reading material, and other provisions, taking only what he needed but terrifying a community never able to solve the mysterious burglaries.” via goodreads

If you have made it this far into this post I congratulate you, it was a bit of reading for sure. This posts question is…

What book would be your butter in your Cake Book Tag?

Thank you for reading, have a great day and happy reading!

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