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Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books on My Spring 2025 to-Read List
I haven’t done a very good job of reading from my TBR so far this year, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have books on my TBR. It’s a symbol of hope. That I’ll actually read these books. We shall see. 😂
Top Ten Books on My Spring 2025 TBR
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst – I’ve posted this book on a few TBR lists already and I still haven’t read it! I don’t know what’s the holdup but I hope I’ll get to it this spring!
The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman – The third book in the series; I read the first two months ago and I desperately want to continue the adventure. It’s so much fun!
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros – I didn’t like the second book as much as the first, and I’ve heard mixed reviews about this one, which scares me, but either way, I feel like I have to see it through.
The Lost Tarot by Sarah Henstra – The gorgeous cover reeled me in, and I love stories about divination, so it found its way into my TBR!
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston – Another one that’s been in my TBR for ages. It’s got good reviews so I really want to read it.
The Terror by Dan Simmons – I’m quite excited about this one. I’ve had it on the waitlist since December last year and it’s supposed to get to me soon! Fingers crossed!
Rose Madder by Stephen King – I’m on a personal Stephen King reading challenge and I heard great things about this book. It will be my first time reading it. I’m excited!
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore – I love mystery thrillers and this one intrigued me. I also heard a lot of good things about the book and author so I thought I’d try it.
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett – I loved the first book, was a little disappointed with the second, but I love the characters and want to visit with them again!
The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard – This one is so interesting; it’s a scifi with a time element, which I always love. Can’t wait to get to this!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books that Include/Feature…
Not exactly a plot device but definitely a sort of theme; I decided to go with books that feature divination. It made me realize that for someone who loves learning about divination tools, I don’t read a lot of fiction that features divination. Maybe some minor mention here and there, but not many that have divination as a main plot point.
I’m not sure that all the ones listed below do either because I haven’t read many of them, but searching for books that fit the theme certainly made me interested in reading them!
Top Ten Books that Feature… Divination
The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick – One of my favorite series, it features a form of card divination, but the beauty of the books are the characters and the relationships between them.
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware – This one features tarot cards. I remember not really liking the story very much but being impressed with the accurate portrayal of tarot cards.
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick – Featuring the I Ching. I haven’t read the book but I watched the tv series and loved it. I don’t remember the I Ching in the show though.
The Darksword Trilogy by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman – I have these books on my physical bookshelf but haven’t read them. They feature a form of tarot cards, but not exactly the same as real tarot I think. I love the Dragonlance series by these same authors!
All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue – The main character is a tarot reader who goes to a Catholic school in a conservative Irish town. I am hooked! It’s YA and looks like it’d be an easy read so maybe I’ll get to it soon.
Fated by Benedict Jacka – I haven’t read this one but I’ve heard some good things about it and I’m intrigued. The main character is Alex Verus who is a mage diviner and uses many different forms of divination. This is the first book of twelve.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig – I’m not sure if I’d consider this one a form of card divination, but it does have cards with magical powers.
The Lost Tarot by Sarah Henstra – I borrowed this from the library because of the title and the gorgeous cover. I don’t know what this is about except that it features tarot.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater – I have been wanting to read this series forever but never got around to it. I also love that there’s an actual tarot deck you can buy, my only issue with it is that I didn’t like the orange color, but I’m starting to change my mind about the color so we’ll see.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman – The alethiometer is the divination tool here, which is great because it’s different. I’d love to get my hands on one and figure out how it works if it was real. It sounds so fascinating when you read about it in the book and watch the film adaptations.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to the Sunday Post, a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer to share weekly news and updates on what we’ve been up to on our blog, with our books, and book-related happenings.
Missing You All
I don’t like that I haven’t been posting Sunday Posts. I just feel like I haven’t done very well with reading recently, and/or being organized, and taking the time to visit everyone’s blogs and replying comments. However, I’ve missed catching up with everyone and reading about what I’ve missed, and I really want to make an effort to check in with you all. And even if it’s only a couple of times a month instead of every week, I think it’s better than missing you all for months!
The weather has been warming up, which is great because I’ve been missing my runs outside but there have still been some snowy days and it looks like this week is mostly overcast. I’ll try to get it in whenever there’s a nice day. You have to take it when you can!
Crochet One thing that I have been doing better at recently is crochet; I’ve made some wearables but not many and I haven’t really worn any of them much because they don’t fit right. I’ve started getting better (or just more stubborn) and made a few I really like. I redid them over and over until I got them right, I think I frogged the first one (on the left) three times! I’m not sure yet that I like the last one (on the right). It’s not the best fit so I might redo it.
I also learned that blocking makes a huge difference! It’s such a game changer! I used to be too lazy to block but I’m going to be better about blocking my projects in the future. Unfortunately, I’m still too lazy to swatch. If you’re a more experienced fiber artist, how important is swatching, really? Do I need to change my lazy ways? 😅
The Books
Books I read last week:
Vengeful by V.E. Schwab I only finished one book last week, but it was pretty good. I enjoyed the first book in the series and I liked this one too especially towards the end. The jumping timelines were a little annoying and there were certainly some issues with convenient plotlines, but I still cared very much for the characters and was very invested in how things turned out.
Books I’m reading:
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson – A huge book I’m listening to whenever I get the chance. It’s 55 hours and I’m at 22 hours at the moment. Not sure if I’ll be done by this time next week, but I’ll try!
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao – Just started. Literally. Like, I’m on the first page. But it’s been on my TBR for ages and I really hope it lives up to the hype!
I’m hoping to finish at least two books this week. It used to be no problem to read more than that even with the huge Brando Sando books, but it’s been a struggle recently so I’m just aiming for at least two now.
How was your week? I hope you had a great week last week, and I hope you have a great one again this week!
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Things Characters Have Said
I’m not good with today’s topic because I usually don’t remember or keep track of what characters have said, but I really enjoyed last week’s topic and decided I’d do the same topic but focused on the future this time. Unlike the ones set in the past, we don’t have a set basis for these timelines in comparison to our current time. I’m assuming they are set in the future based on context and technology, but who really knows? In any case, they’re all really good books and I enjoyed reading them all!
Top Ten Books Set In Another Time – The Future
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers – Space travel, diverse species, and lots of intergalactic hijinks. This is one of my favorite books for found family, world building, and adventure. The best thing about it is the internal philosophy for learning to understand, live with, and love other diverse people.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – A dystopian future, but definitely set in the future based on context of what Panem used to be. I’ve read the trilogy so many times, but the last time was a while ago so I think I’m due for a reread!
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman – Also dystopian and quite scary if you’re in it, but so fun to read about! I’ve read the first two books but stalled because I had other books and deadlines to get to. I think about this series every day and can’t wait to get back to it.
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky – This one spans years and decades and centuries of the future! A whole species evolves over a long, long time, and I never expected it to be so amazing to read about!
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman – This book never specifies the timeline, but I’m assuming it’s in the future because certain relics from this story’s past are the things we are familiar with. The writing style is meandering and stream-of-consciousness style, but somehow it was easy for me to get into because it felt so interesting to me.
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood – Another dystopian future. It seems quite self-contained though, and it’s only the first book in a series but it sets the stage and I’m interested in seeing what the next books bring.
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell – Space travel and alien encounters. This one is haunting and painful but so good and so worth it. I don’t think I’d want to reread it anytime soon because it’s quite heavy, but it’s a book that stays with you.
Grass by Sheri S. Tepper – Alien planet migration. It’s been a long time since I read this but I remember loving it very much and feeling fascinated by the characteristics of this new planet with its indigenous plants and animals. Probably time to revisit soon.
The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber – I think of this one often. It’s about a missionary who travels to a new planet to spread the word of god and has to leave his wife behind. The interaction he has with the inhabitants of the planet is really interesting, but the thing that I remember most about the book is the correspondence between him and his wife. I remember thinking it’s such a strong story about marriage and relationships. I really need to reread this one.
Biting the Sun by Tanith Lee – This book was originally published in two separate parts, now combined to one. It’s set in a hedonistic world where people can do what they want, live dangerously, die and come back with a new body. They can custom design their bodies each time they come back, which I thought was interesting because it eliminates the external skin as part of their identity. Another one I’m wanting to reread.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Welcome to the Monthly Wrap Up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction to share our monthly wrap-up posts that summarizes our month in books, our favorite books of the month, what we did on our blogs, and anything noteworthy we want to share.
February 2025 Wrap Up
February was a little better. I’m still disorganized but doing better with getting things done and cleaning up the disorganization bit by bit. The first part of February was bad, but things improved later and I’m trying to keep things going on an upward trajectory.
The weather has started to get nicer, and I started running outdoors again! That makes me so happy and gives me a little bit of grounding that I needed. My body is sore because it’s gotten used to being lazy this past winter, but I’ll just do what I can when I can. At the very least, it’s nice to just be outside in the comfortably cool weather.
My February 2025 TBR Intentions
I ended up reading different books because of mood and library loan deadlines! I’ll come back to the ones I haven’t read soon though!
Children of Time and All Systems Red are rereads, but they were necessary because Children of Time is quite complex and I needed to refresh my memory before moving on to the next books. All Systems Red was the chosen BOTM for my in-person bookclub and I had to reread to refresh my memory for discussion as well. I enjoyed them both very much the second time around!
Vicious was a stand out; I had no expectations going in but was very pleasantly surprised. It had me at the edge of my seat and I had to keep reading because I needed to know what happened next.
The Frozen River was another surprise! I had not expected to be excited while reading about events that happened such a long time ago or that it would keep me so worked up that I wouldn’t be able to go to sleep. It’s based on true events and real people, and unfortunately it’s not completely accurate to what really happened, but this version of events was very well-written and satisfying and I loved reading it.
March 2025 TBR Intentions
Most of these are BOTMs and/or buddy reads that have a March deadline. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to finish all of them, but I’d like to try!
Vengeful by V.E. Schwab
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
The Terror by Dan Simmons
All The Living and The Dead by Hayley Campbell
How was your month in February What were your most memorable bookish moments? I hope you have a wonderful March with lots of great books!
A novel about a Malayan mother who becomes an unlikely spy for the invading Japanese forces during WWII—and the shocking consequences that rain upon her community and family.
Malaya, 1945. Cecily Alcantara’s family is in terrible danger: her fifteen-year-old son, Abel, has disappeared, and her youngest daughter, Jasmin, is confined in a basement to prevent being pressed into service at the comfort stations. Her eldest daughter Jujube, who works at a tea house frequented by drunk Japanese soldiers, becomes angrier by the day.
Cecily knows two things: that this is all her fault; and that her family must never learn the truth.
A decade prior, Cecily had been desperate to be more than a housewife to a low-level bureaucrat in British-colonized Malaya. A chance meeting with the charismatic General Fuijwara lured her into a life of espionage, pursuing dreams of an “Asia for Asians.” Instead, Cecily helped usher in an even more brutal occupation by the Japanese. Ten years later as the war reaches its apex, her actions have caught up with her. Now her family is on the brink of destruction—and she will do anything to save them.
This book is set in Malaysia (Malaya back then) and the author is Malaysian. I’m always excited for Malaysian-produced media and try to support them when I can!
The Narrator(s)
Samantha Tan. She was great and I loved hearing the Malaysian accent on the dialogues.
My Thoughts
I really wanted to like this book but I’m quite disappointed with it. The story started out really well; it was compelling and the characters were interesting even if they weren’t exactly likeable. There were a few minor problems with the book in the beginning, but they weren’t big deals and were easily forgiveable. A lot of the cultural beliefs and racism was a little triggering to me because of how familiar it was for me living in Malaysia, but in a good way, bringing me deeper into the story.
However, the part where it lost me completely was with Jasmine and her story. I am very much a character-driven reader, and while I don’t have to like the characters, I very much need to believe in the plausibility of their behaviors. She was seven, almost eight years old, in the chapters with her POV, and I won’t go into details because of spoilers, but she was just not a believeable character to me. Nothing she did made sense for her age and background. I could believe it if she was older, I could believe it if she had a horrible relationship with her family, I could believe it if there were any other myriad of changes made to her character, but as she was, it just ruined the story for me. It might even still be okay because she’s only one character and one part of the story, but her story was such an integral part to the book as a whole that I just couldn’t ignore it.
It’s a shame because I love reading stories about Malaysia. There are too few Malaysian books and authors, and it’s such a comfort to read about Malaysian people and Malaysian life. The subject matter and time frame of this book is also such an important historical event that I wanted to learn more about, and while I disliked Cecily very much as a person, she was such an interesting character to read about.
The book is still very much worth reading if you’re not a character-driven reader or as much a stickler for believeable characters as I am. It’s also worth reading to see the impact WW2 and the Japanese occupation had on Malaya at the time. I certainly learned something and despite my issues with it, I’m glad I read this book.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.
I’d heard a lot about it and been curious for a long time. There was a buddy read so I decided to join.
The Quotes
“Those fellows, they’re always crying over killers. Never a thought for the victims.”
“As long as you live, there’s always something waiting; and even if it’s bad, and you know it’s bad, what can you do? You can’t stop living.”
“I thought that Mr. Clutter was a very nice gentleman. I thought so right up to the moment that I cut his throat.”
“Nancy Clutter is always in a hurry, but she always has time. And that’s one definition of a lady.”
My Thoughts
It was difficult to get into in the beginning but it got better towards the end. This book is true crime, nonfiction, but there are some questions as to the veracity of Capote’s version of events. As for me, I’m not a fan of how much focus there is on Dick and Perry, the perpetrators, and how much effort was put into making them seem sympathetic and relatable.
I realize that this book was written a long time ago and there was probably a lot more fascination towards the criminals than the victims, but reading it now, I can help but notice how much focus there is on Dick’s and Perry’s backgrounds and stories and how little on the victims and the victims’ friends and family left behind. The two elder daughters of the Clutter family are most noticeably absent from the story.
The way the story was written also somewhat downplays the true villainy of the perps. I get the feeling that they were a lot worse than how they were portrayed. They had no remorse, didn’t feel sorry for what they did, only that they were caught. It’s very offputting. I’m still glad I read it and know a little more about this horrific incident.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.
Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.
Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.
Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.
Full disclosure, I judged this book by its cover and just really wanted to read it. Up until I started reading it, I had no idea it was based on real people and events.
The Quotes
“The act of mothering is not limited to the bearing of children.”
“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write. God only knows what they would do with the power of pen and ink at their disposal.”
“It’s an unimaginative accusation and one that I am frankly tired of hearing. Witchcraft. As though there is no other explanation for a woman who excels at her work.”
“Though you never think it possible, you can celebrate and grieve in the same breath. It is a holy abomination.”
The Narrator(s)
Jane Oppenheimer. I loved listening to the audio narration, it was perfect.
My Thoughts
I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. When I realized it was historical biographical fiction, I expected it to be a slow and meandering, but pleasant, read. I started listening before going to bed and ended up not being able to sleep because it was just so gripping! I had to switch to a different audiobook to get to sleep!
A lot of it was really emotional and infuriating; it’s unfortunate that so many of the issues women faced in the 1700s are still issues we face now. Not much has changed. Not enough has changed.
The author does take some liberties with the story, changed some details and timelines, and of course adds imagined dialogue and encounters towards the story. From what I’ve gathered, the true events aren’t as satisfying as what happens in this book. That doesn’t surprise me. However, this book is such a great read and I highly recommend it!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
How to Keep House While Drowning will introduce you to six life-changing principles that will revolutionize the way you approach home care—without endless to-do lists. Presented in 31 daily thoughts, this compassionate guide will help you begin to get free of the shame and anxiety you feel over home care.
Inside you will learn: · How to shift your perspective of care tasks from moral to functional; · How to stop negative self-talk and shame around care tasks; · How to give yourself permission to rest, even when things aren’t finished; · How to motivate yourself to care for your space.
For the Reading Challenge(s): None
The Reason
I think it’s obvious why I read this. I’ve been complaining about feeling overwhelmed and disorganized lately and I thought this book might help.
The Quotes
“You do not have to earn the right to rest, connect, or recreate. Unlearn the idea that care tasks must be totally complete before you can sit down. Care tasks are a never-ending list, and if you wait until everything is done to rest, you will never rest.”
“No one ever shamed themselves into better mental health.”
“Forget about creating a routine. You have to focus on finding your rhythm.” With routines you are either on track or not. With rhythm you can skip a beat and still get back in the groove.”
“You don’t exist to serve your space; your space exists to serve you.”
The Narrator(s)
The author herself. It was good.
My Thoughts
This book is short and sweet. There were parts that didn’t resonate very much or that I felt didn’t apply to me, but there were also parts that were like a salve to my soul and I needed those parts very much. It doesn’t give instructions for how to keep house, which was what I was looking for at first. It focuses more on getting you to the mental and emotional space for taking care of yourself and your space, which I guess was what I ended up needing.
I needed the reminder that my space is meant to serve me, that I’m not required to be perfect, that some things are more important than others and it’s okay to drop the ball on the unimportant things to keep the important ones going. Listening to the audio made me feel like the author was a friend who had my back.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books Set in Another Time
I was overwhelmed by all the books I could pick for this topic and so I decided to narrow it down a little and only do books set in the past. Maybe next time I’ll do one set in the future or some other time. I do enjoy historical fiction very much, and these are some of the ones I loved!
Top Ten Books Set In Another Time – The Past
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon – Set in 1789. This is historical fiction/biographical fiction based on real people and true events that happened in Maine in the 1780s. I just finished it at the time of this writing and I loved it! I would highly recommend it!
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows – Set in an alternate universe of 1500s England where shapeshifters are a thing. I loved this one and the TV series too, and I’m so bummed that the series got cancelled.
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid – I cannot believe that I’m calling a book set in the 1990s historical fiction but sadly, here we are. I’m not a sporty person and I don’t know anything about tennis, but this is one of my favorite books by the author.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett – It spans the 1950s to 1990s and explores racial issues in America during that time. I am wholly ignorant about American racial issues but this was such a good look into what it was like at the time. Such an amazing book I still think about it.
Universe of Two by Stephen P. Kiernan – Set during WW2, this is another author whose works I love. I would happily recommend all his other books as well, but not all of them are historical fiction and this is one I really loved that fit the bill.
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel – This one has the distinction of being the “oldest” in that it’s set during prehistoric times. I loved it when I read it, decades ago, but I never finished the series and I’m feeling the itch to reread.
The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie – I’ve talked about this one a lot, but it’s so underrated that I feel the need to talk about it as much as possible to keep it alive! It’s set in Ancient Roman times, and it’s one of the top ten, maybe top five, most influential books in my life.
Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck – Set during the Qing Dynasty in China. Another one of my favorite books that I’ve mentioned before. It’s funny because it’s a book I’ve reread many times but never finished – the last few chapters just seemed irrelevant to me back then and I haven’t reread it recently. Maybe I’ll try finishing it one day.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah – Set in Texas, 1934, during the Dust Bowl. As with so much of history, this was another era I’m completely ignorant about, but this book was so emotionally devastating and I felt so much for the characters and their story.
11/22/63 by Stephen King – The time frame is in the title! Everyone knows I’m a huge fan of King, and of course, I had to include this book because it’s one of my favorites (I have so many though!). It’s not strictly historical fiction because it’s time travel, but it is technically historical fiction because it’s majorly set in the past about real historical figures. It’s an amazing book, regardless!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
