To Be Read | May 2020

May 1, 2020April 23, 2020 bookishluna12 Comments

To Be Read

Hello and welcome to another TBR post! This month my reading is going to be a bit more relaxed than it was last month with the #OWLsReathaon. I still cannot believe I read so much! Anyway, I just have a few books on my TBR I really wanted to get to. Without more of a delay, on to the books!

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire, picked by Evelyn over at evelynreads.com. I am really excited to be giving this a go this month. I have read about 4 of their books already and I really enjoyed them. I know this one has met some mixed feelings so I am really excited to see if I end up loving it or not.

The Canary Keeper by Clare Carson, gifted by Adrianna over at romancebookbinge.com. I am so grateful to be able to read this in May. I have been wanting to read this book for months, maybe even over a year? May is the month to get it read!

The Magicians Land by Lev Grossman, buddy reading with Reg from bookishinbed and Jenna from jkimexploring. I cannot wait to see what the last book in this series is going to bring. This series could easily become one of my favorites, I am so glad that we ended up reading this together because I might not have ever read it. Also, with that ending in book 2, I need to know what happens next!

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel, I picked this up at my local bookstore because it was given the title of ‘April 2020 Indie Next List #1 Great Read’ on indiebound.org. The description confused me quite a bit, but it said a few of my key words; ghost, hotel, and island. So, I bought it to support my local store.

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon, what can I say? This is book 5 in the series and I am ready to get it read!

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, this is my May Shakespeare as voted by on my twitter account. I actually know nothing about this play at the time of writing this, but since I loved Macbeth I am more excited about reading his works than ever before.

What are you reading in May? Are there any releases you are looking forward to?

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Reading Challenges

Reading Goals | Reading a Shortlist 2019

December 25, 2018September 6, 2019 bookishluna14 Comments

Reading Goals NEW

Throughout the year I hear about book award and short lists from time to time. One I hear about most often would have to be The Man Booker Prize. It is a literary award that has been around for nearly 5 decades. Over that time works that are published in English are eligible to win. Translated or originally published in that language, I cannot say for sure if that was always the case, but I know that now it is. Some of the notable authors that have been honored are Margaret Atwood, Kazuo Ishiguro, Zadie Smith, and George Sanders to name a few.

Well, like I said I have been hearing a lot about this award from fellow book bloggers and even on some literary interviews. So I looked more into it and I thought I would also challenge myself a little bit in the upcoming year. In 2019 I want to read the entire shortlist from 2018. Obviously, I would be a year behind, but I thought it would be interesting to see what I think about the books that this well known book award and their judges deem to amazing books.

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The Short List

Milkman by Anna Burns

The Long Take by Robin Robertson

The Overstory by Richard Powers

The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner

Everything Under by Daisy Johnson

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

Washington Black

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I guess, if you want to be technical, I am making this shortlist my 5 books I want to read in 2019. But, I think this will be a bit more interesting than picking books I already want to read. I think reading these 5 titles will get me out of my comfort zone in some aspects and maybe even expand me reading tastes. Who knows, I might even find a new favorite author. Wouldn’t that be a great outcome? I am really excited about this experience and I will update you all as soon as I read these 5 novels.

What book award do you wait to be announced each year?

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Hauls & Unboxings

Book Haul | June & July 2017

July 29, 2017July 24, 2017 bookishlunaLeave a comment

The past two months I have accumulated a bunch of new books. Some I bought myself, some were gifts, and some I received from authors and publishers. Without further delay here are the books from I picked up in June and July.

I Bought

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

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My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt

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Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman

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EleanorRoosevelt, Vol 1 by Blanche Wiesen Cook

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EleanorRoosevelt, Vol 2 by Blanche Wiesen Cook

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Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

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Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat

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Gwendy’s Button Box by Stephen King

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Mad Miss Mimic by Sarah Henstra

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Joyland by Stephen King

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The Nix by Nathan Hill

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Prince’s Gambit by C.S. Pacat

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Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie

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Gifts

EleanorRoosevelt, Vol 3 by Blanche Wiesen Cook

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First Tycoon by T.J. Stiles

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Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic

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Received from Authors & Publishers

Eye of the Storm by Frank Cavallo

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A Sea of Straw by Julia Sutton

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Here and Gone by Haylen Beck

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What is the last book you bought or picked up from the library?

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Knitting, Crochet, Crafting, Art & More

DIY | TBR JAR

July 8, 2017February 4, 2018 bookishluna13 Comments

diy Hello everyone, I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just don’t know what to read next. Most of the time I pick my next read based off of what catches my eye, but sometimes that does not work. So I decided to make a TBR jar. Now of course I went to youtube to get some inspiration. I ended up getting inspiration from J. Bookish , although I did tweak it a bit because I did not want to wait overnight for it to dry. Now on to the DIY project!

Step One: Get the Supplies

You need a jar, Mod Podge, gel food coloring, a few paper plates, a paint brush, and any decorations you may want. I picked up wooden letters and a few small paper flowers. Depending on the decorations you get you may need a hot glue gun or super glue.

Step Two: Add Some Color

For this step you are going to take your jar and add some Mod Podge, I recommend adding more than you think you will need. Then add a little bit of the gel food coloring. For the coloring I suggest starting off with a little and mixing it, then you can add more if you would like the color to be darker. Stir, stir, stir until everything is evenly mixed. This is important because it will show later on if it is not mixed correctly. P.S. don’t stir to quickly you will get air bubbles.

Step 3: Turn That Jar!

Now that your color is mixed you need to slowly rotate while slowly turning it side ways. This will evenly distruble the mixture inside the jar. If done to quickly you may have uneven coverage and air bubble.

Once your entire jar is covered continue to rotate it and pour the extra color mixture onto a plate. Get as much of this out as you can because it will speed up your drying time.

Step Four: Let it Dry

When as much of the liquid is out you place it upside down on a plate. Now at this point you have two options:

You can leave it like this and let it dry over night and continue tomorrow
Set oven to warm or 175 degrees F. Place the jar upside down for 10 min. on top of wax paper or foil. When those 10 min. are up it is now time to flip your jar over so the opening is facing up and keep in oven for another 20-30 min. If you take it out of the oven and there is still streaking you may need to leave it in for a bit longer.

While it is air drying or you are baking it in the oven now is a great time to either print and cut out the books on your TBR or hand write them. Even though I did not add reading challenges I think that could also be a fun idea.

Step 5: The Fun Part, It’s Time to Decorate!

Here are a few of the decorations I picked up, you can get whatever it is you like. I did not end up using everything.

Sorry you cannot really see the color of my jar in this picture. I had to place it on an oven mitt to protect my floor. Yes, I was to lazy to wait over night, I wanted to decorate! Anyway, I suggest planning out what you are going to place on your jar. As you can see in the top left I picked out my letters and flowers and laid them out. Now depending on what decorations you get you may need a hot glue gun, use some more of the glue we used earlier, or you have picked something that already has adhesive on it.

Step Six: Put in Your TBR Titles

Here is my final TBR jar. I really love how the color came out. It is light enough you can see all the papers inside, but dark enough that it colorful. I hope you enjoyed this little bookish DIY. I love this DIY because it is so customizable and does not require a lot of supplies. It can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it.

Do you have a TBR jar?

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To Be Read

JULY TBR | 2017

July 1, 2017June 20, 2017 bookishlunaLeave a comment

TBR

The Sign of Four by Sir Arther Conan Doyle

I have been slowly reading through all of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories and I have started The Sign of Four and I really, really want to finish it this month.

A dense yellow miasma swirls in the streets of London as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson accompany a beautiful young woman to a sinister assignation.

For Mary Morstan has received several large pearls – one a year for the last six years – and now a mystery letter telling her she is a wronged woman. If she would seek justice she is to meet her unknown benefactor, bringing with her two companions.

Goodreads.com

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

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I have a little bit of a funny story for this book. I was in the bookstore looking at new releases. Someone who worked there walked up to me and was so excited I had this book in my hands. She went on for about five minuets about how much she liked it. While the premise of the book pulled me in this girls excitement sold me completely.

On February 22, 1862, two days after his death, Willie Lincoln was laid to rest in a marble crypt in a Georgetown cemetery. That very night, shattered by grief, Abraham Lincoln arrives at the cemetery under cover of darkness and visits the crypt, alone, to spend time with his son’s body.

Goodreads.com

Joyland by Stephen King

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Once again I plan on reading a Stephen King novel. My aunt recommended this one to me and I already owned it so I decided to pick this one up next. What could go wrong in a theme park? Oh wait, Stephen King wrote it…everything. I am excited to pick this book up as well.

College student Devin Jones took the summer job at Joyland hoping to forget the girl who broke his heart. But he wound up facing something far more terrible: the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and dark truths about life—and what comes after—that would change his world forever.

Goodreads.com

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What are you reading this month?

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TAG | The TBR Tag

June 10, 2017June 19, 2017 bookishluna6 Comments

Tag Tuesday
1. How do you keep track of your TBR pile?
I use Libib and google sheets. I use libib because it is so easy just to scan a new to me book and I have a nice easy list on my phone. When I get a new book I instantly add it to libib, but it may take me a few days to up date sheets. On Sheets I record the title, author, when it was released, when I received it, and when I started to read it. So if something sits on my shelf for lets say a year I can see that instead of thinking of thinking “oh I got that a while ago” I can say “Oh man, I have had this a year and have not picked it up”. This shows me that I may not actually be interested in reading the book. Sometimes seeing a concrete date helps me unhaul my very filled shelves.
2. Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?

My TBR is mostly print, but I want to transition into ebook. As I have said my shelves are very full. So I am slowly moving to putting in requests to my library and reading books that way. Then if I am in love with the book I can buy it and have my own copy.
3. How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?

Honestly, I just pick up a book. I just walk over to my shelf and scan till I find something I have not read. I pick it up and start to read. While I do tend to do this at the start of the month and make a little TBR, but if I happen to read all of those books or not stick to it. It doesn’t bother me.
4. A Book That’s Been On Your TBR List The Longest

Salvaged Pages: Young Writers’ Diaries Of The Holocaust by Alexandra Zapruder. I picked this up when I went on vacation to D.C. with my Aunt and my Mom (2015). We visited the Holocaust Museum and I picked up 4-5 books. This is the last of that trip that I have to read. Since this is a collection of diary entries I know I have to be in the mood to read this. The topic is difficult, but to hear about it from those who saw it first hand make is more powerful.

5. A Book You Recently Added To Your TBR

Wicked Like A Wildfire Lana Popović 🙂
6. A Book In Your TBR Strictly Because Of Its Beautiful Cover

I don’t really do this. Yes, a cover will catch my eye, but I need to be interested in the description as well for me to buy the book.
7. A Book On Your TBR That You Never Plan on Reading

I plan on reading all of them, but the one I think I will be saying for when it gets lower or at its lowest is A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

8. An Unpublished Book On Your TBR That You’re Excited For

Refer to answer of question 5 in addition to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: The Illustrated Edition , The Dire King by William Ritter, and Rhett & Link’s Book of Mythicality: A Field Guide to Curiosity, Creativity, and Tomfoolery by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal

9. A Book On Your TBR That Basically Everyone’s Read But You

I feel like everyone has already read The Circle by Dave Eggers and The Secret History by Donna Tartt .

10. A Book On Your TBR That Everyone Recommends To You

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, so many people have told me to read it!

11. A Book On Your TBR That You’re Dying To Read

The book I am most looking forward to it A Court of Wings and Ruin. I am currently reading A Court of Mist and Fury and I am so invested!

12. How many books are on your TBR shelf?

Currently I have 35 books.

You can explore my entire TBR here: https://bookishluna.libib.com/i/to-be-read-pile

I Tag

Charlotte

Misty

Anyone who would like to take part, please do! I love knowing what is on everyones TBR.

What book has been on your TBR the longest?

*P.S. I did not make this graphic I found it on google, but I could not figure out who created it. If you know please let me know so I can give them credit.

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To Be Read

June TBR: 2017

June 3, 2017June 19, 2017 bookishluna2 Comments

This month my TBR is going to be small. I have been in a very odd reading mood as of late. I want to read everything so I keep reading about 20% of a book and then picking up something else. So I am keeping this short so I can keep that up, but hopefully actually finish a few of my books.

The Circle

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I have been hearing all the hype around The Circle coming out with a movie adaptation with Emma Watson, but I want to read the book before I see the movie. The little blurb from goodreads sound interesting so I want to get to it sooner rather than later.

Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in America – even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public. What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge. – goodreads

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I am about 26% through this massive tome, it is over 1000 pages. I started reading this in May and have been loving it so I want to finish it up very soon. I can’t wait for the new adaptation to come out later this year. Now I just need to find someone to watch a scary movie with or I will have to wait even longer for it to come out on DVD.

Welcome to Derry, Maine. It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real. – goodreads

A Court of Mist and Fury

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I also started to read this beautiful book in May so I want to finish it so I can finally crack open my copy of A Court of Wings and Ruin. I have been falling behind and I don’t want to be spoiled. I keep having to scroll through my instagram and twitter feed quickly every time I see one of the characters names out of fear.

Quote from A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book 1) : Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price. -goodreads

So, you have seen the books I am going to read. Have you read them? If so let me know what you though. Happy reading!

What are you reading this month?

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Knitting, Crochet, Crafting, Art & More

Bookstore Travels

May 11, 2017February 4, 2018 bookishluna2 Comments

A few weeks ago I drove a few hours to Princeton University and walk around the historic campus and downtown. To my amazement when we were walking around the downtown I found a cute little bookstore that I HAD to go into. Let’s just say I spent an hour in here easily.

The Bookstore: Labyrinth Books

What cause my eye first about this bookstore was the fact that they had 6 or 7 tables out front piled high with books. Not only were there so many outside they were ALL on sale! I don’t know about you, but I LOVE when books are on sale. It means I can buy more and not feel as guilty about spending money on them.

When I finally combed through all of the sale books I headed inside dragging my friend along. The inside was bright and beautiful. There were books on two floors. There were displays by subjects, new releases, ancient texts, and classics. What I liked the most was the wide range of non-fiction that I don’t normally find in my local bookstores. So jealous of people who live a reasonable distance away from this place. Here are a few pictures I was able to take inside the shop.

After spending about an hour in this store I ended up leaving with three gorgeous books. Still so sad I have to travel hours to get to this place!

The Haul:

I think I want to plan some more day trips to far off bookstores. On a side note, this campus is just as beautiful as the bookshop!

What is your favorite bookstore you love to visit?

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Hauls & Unboxings

Birthday Book Haul!

May 9, 2017June 19, 2017 bookishluna7 Comments

Book Haul

Some of you may have know, but my birthday was a few days ago and I was lucky enough to get a few books for my birthday this year. Normally my family and friends just pick out gift cards from Barns and Noble or Amazon so I can pick some stuff for myself, which is great. But, it is very nice when someone picks a book or books out just for you. Here are the books friends and family got me this year.

The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf

The first book my Mom picked up for me is The Invention of Nature because she knows I enjoy science, nature, and non-fiction. Even though in my picture you can only see the spine, click the title to look at the actual cover. It is absolutely beautiful. Not only does it have a beautiful cover, I read the description (below) and it sounds really interesting. I cannot wait to eventually pick it up and read it.

Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) was an intrepid explorer and the most famous scientist of his age. In North America, his name still graces four counties, thirteen towns, a river, parks, bays, lakes, and mountains. His restless life was packed with adventure and discovery, whether he was climbing the highest volcanoes in the world or racing through anthrax-infected Siberia or translating his research into bestselling publications that changed science and thinking. Among Humboldt’s most revolutionary ideas was a radical vision of nature, that it is a complex and interconnected global force that does not exist for the use of humankind alone.

– via goodreads

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

This is the second of three books my Mom picked up for me. I have been really into suspense/thriller reads as of late. Once again I read the description and was very happy with this pick. There is a great mixture of mystery and history. I am very excited to see what unfolds in this book.

West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie. Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara’s farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that suddenly proves perilous when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished without a trace.

– via goodreads

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

This is the last book my Mom picked out for me. I read The Goldfinch and generally liked it overall, but found faults with it. You can read a little bit more of my review in my post #TBRTakeDown: Wrap Up. Anyway, my mom picked this up because I have mentioned I have wanted to try another book by her. This one is much shorter so I am more confident this book will not have the same large flaws, fingers crossed!

Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last – inexorably – into evil.

– via goodreads

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

One of my best friends picked this up for me because I LOVED The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I was so happy when I finally got it open. My friend loves to wrap presents in a way that makes it very difficult to open so she can watch people struggle. She put it in a box, surrounded it by two bags, and then wrapped it completely in duct tape. I was not allowed to use scissors. Anyway, I was so excited to get it open AND it to be this book.

A single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a vulnerable teenage girl met the same fate. They are not the first women lost to these dark waters, but their deaths disturb the river and its history, dredging up secrets long submerged.

– via goodreads

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

My wonderful boyfriend bought me a personalized autograph copy of A Court of Wings and Ruin. I am so grateful and excited! I am so worried to actually read this because I don’t want to ruin it. I may put in a call to the library and carry that one around instead.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court.

– via goodreads

I am so happy with the book I received for my birthday and I wanted to once again thank all of you who wished me a happy birthday. It meant so much to me. Have a great day and happy reading!

What book would you pick to read out of the ones mentioned?

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To Be Read

MAY TBR: 2017

May 2, 2017June 19, 2017 bookishlunaLeave a comment

This month I am giving myself a small TBR for two reasons. The first reason is that this month is my birthday month and I am seeing friends I have not seen in quite some time over the next few weeks ends. If you have read my post: My Reading Routine you will know I read mostly during the weekends. The second reason is work is generally a bit overwhelming this time of year so I take quite a bit home with me. Regardless, I plan on reading some good books!

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The first book on my TBR is 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Stephen King books are my happy place I have realized. Lately, I have been DNFing a lot of books. I’m not sure if my reading tastes have changed or I have just become horrible at picking books. Regardless of the reason I have decided to pick up a book by an author who has never let me down. This book is a mixture of history and time travel, how can that not be good?

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The Next book on my list is Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon & Shana Knizhnik. This non-fiction books discusses the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I want to read this for two reasons, one I love learning about other peoples lives and experiences. The second reason is because it discusses the civil rights and U.S. government policies since she has been a Justice. Flipping through the book it has copies of documents, photos, cartoons, and other graphics that seem intriguing.

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The last book I plan on reading this month is SPQR by Mary Beard. This is a non-fiction book that discusses the history of Ancient Rome. Even though I have studied history, I have realized that this is an area I am not that well versed in. So I plan on fixing that. Now, this one is one is a large one. So even if I only get half way through it this month I will be proud of myself.

So, those are the three books I plan on reading this month, chances are there will be a few more sprinkled in between. Especially with all the non-fiction, but we shall see what happens. Just so you know all titles are links to each books goodreads page incase you want to know more about these books.

Happy Reading!

What books are you reading this month? Have you read any of the books I have mentioned?

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