Bookish News: December 2019!

Oh, hello! Yes, it is December and has been for an alarmingly long time and I’m aaalmost recovered from NaNo, I think. XD So it’s time to share about some book Ishness and releases and what I’ve been reading!

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DECEMBER(ish) RELEASES

So, a couple of these were at the end of November, but anyway. XD

• The Piper’s Pursuit by Melanie Dickerson — Another Hagenheim book! It’s gorgeous and I’m excited to read it!
• Between Homes, book #8723648763876 in the City Between series by W.R. Gingell. XD — Okay, actually book 5. I still need to read the first book and every time I think I’m going to, I end up farther behind because Some Authors write way too fast. XD
• Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl by Laura A. Grace — Delightful little nonfiction book which I just wrote a review for which I’ll share here in a day or two! ^_^
• Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig — I read some sample chapters of this one in a booklet I got at Realm Makers and it’s space opera from Enclave Publishing and looks interesting.
• Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean — I have a smol Geraldine McCaughrean obsession so I’m really excited to try this one. XD I loved The Pirate’s Son, Peter Pan in Scarlet, and The Death-Defying Pepper Roux, and I need to try more from her. Very curious about this based-on-a-true-story book.
• Hollow by Kyle Robert Shultz — I edited this novella and it just came out at the end of November, but anyway… It’s really good. 😀 I don’t think I’ve recovered from it yet. XD

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NOVEMBER READS

I didn’t have time to read much during November, because NaNoWriMo… It’s kind of hard to read many books when you’re writing one of your own! But I got a few reads in — mostly small things. 😀

• Hollow by Kyle Robert Shultz — Hollow just came out and OH MY GOODNESS. It’s so good and mind-blowing! Sleepy Hollow meets Wonderland with time travel and feels. My review.
• The Boggart Fights Back by Susan Cooper — I found out there was a third Boggart book and there was much shrieking. I got it from the library and read it immediately. XD Contemporary Scotland and magical shenanigans. So much fun! I loved it and I totally recommend reading The Boggart if you haven’t!
• Compass South by Hope Larson — So… this is a graphic novel? I haven’t really read graphic novels?? But I had so much fun reading this one! I saw it at the library and it wanted to come home with me and it was delightful! It’s a fun, clean, historical fiction graphic novel about two sets of twins and I loved it. ^_^ I just got out the sequel and I’m excited to see how their story ends.
• Highway Robbery by Kate Thompson — Actually I think I mentioned this in the last bookish news. XD It was okay.
• Arbrook Huxley and the Miraculous Confection by Mollie E. Reeder — (Reread) I love this short story so much. XD I read it back in the summer when it first released and I re-read it aloud to my younger siblings this month because it’s so fun. 😀
• The Shortest Day and The Word Pirates by Susan Cooper — (Picture books) Fun picture books by an author I enjoy. The second one was writerly so I enjoyed it more. 🙂
• Little Angel by Geraldine McCaughrean — (Picture book) Cute Christmas picture book by another author I like. 🙂 (See above smol Geraldine McCaughrean obsession. XD)
• King Arthur’s Very Great Grandson by Kenneth Kraegel — (Picture Book) THIS BOOK!!! It’s one of the most fun picture books I’ve read (I don’t read a TON… but I do tend to pick up more during November, because who has time to read long things during NaNo. XD) and I highly recommend it! It’s about a little boy (great-great-great-great-etc.-grandson of King Arthur) who goes on a quest to “have ado” with various monsters… but they have other ideas. IT’S SO FUN. XD I love it so much. 😀

Not pictured:

• The Black Claw by Jessi L. Roberts — I edited this and it’s a really good space opera novella, releasing in a month or two, I think. Sequel to Hand of Steel.
• Two Jeeves short stories by P.G. Wodehouse in two different collections, because I was in a Bertie Wooster mood. XD
• Another Jayden and Dana short story! *cue heart eyes* There are now twelve of them and I’m ecstatic. 😀 They’re my favorite!
• Casters’ Court by Calley Jones — A superhero serial on Tapas.io which is Wattpad-ish. IT’S SO MUCH FUN, HALP. I’ve been keeping up with it and I’m addicted. The author is a very good NaNo friend of mine and there has been much chatbox insanity during NaNo concerning these superhero characters of hers. XD (I need to interview them on here someday…) Anyway, if you like superheroes, it’s a super fun serial to check out! I will talk more about it someday. (Also, Mage is my favorite. And there’s a shapeshifting Phoenix. And yeah. :D)

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CURRENTLY READING

• Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge — I’m borrowing this from a good friend and slowly getting through it. It’s one of those rich books you have to take slowly and savor it and all the descriptions! But I’m getting a strong flavor of all the settings and characters and really enjoying it and hoping to finish this week…
• The New Emperor’s Concerto by Hazel B. West — I’m beta-reading this and it’s coming out in February! Check out a sneak-peek on the author’s blog. It’s set in futuristic London and EXCUSE ME I think this is one of my favorite genres. XD It’s really good so far! 😀 Also hoping to finish this soon but we’ll see how time goes.

Also, Hazel is raising money for cover design, and selling some scrumptious-looking books to do so, so check out her sale!

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TBR

I have several review books but I am kind of tired right now so I might wait to read them until after Christmas. Taking a break from certain responsibilities might be necessary to stay sane after such a stressful and busy NaNo season… Anyway, I have about five of those that I will either read soon or in January. We’ll see. I’m excited to read them! I just sometimes find that being “supposed to” read and review something is something I don’t have the mental space for when I’m really busy or tired.

Oh, and I have Knife’s Edge (sequel to that Compass South graphic novel) and a Jeeves book from the library…

I’ve also been reading Christmas stories — small ones so far — and that’s been delightful. 😀

I might have to share a Christmas-books list post in the next week or so…

Basically I want to read many things! We’ll see how the month goes. 🙂

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That’s all I have today! Just a few bookish things. Anything catch your eye? Thanks for reading!

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Bookish News: November 2019!

Heya friends! Happy November! (And NaNo, to those doing it! *raises hand*)

I probably won’t be blogging much this month, due to trying to write 50,000 words of a novel, but you never know. XD

Meanwhile, here’s a book ishness update, featuring this month’s releases, a free short story, a cover reveal, and what’s been up in my bookish/reading life!

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NOVEMBER RELEASES

Here are a handful of books releasing sometime this month that I have to share with you!

• Burnt Silver (H.A. Titus) — Celtic urban fantasy with fae! This series is on my very-excited to read list. 😀 Currently on preorder.
• Death Warden (C.J. Stilling) — YA fantasy about a reluctant assassin girl. This is from a Realmie author and sounds really cool. Also, that cover! ❤
• Head in the Heavens (E.B. Dawson) — AWK! So, this is a collection of all the sci-fi short stories from this author, which I binge-read and shrieked about on my blog earlier this year. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. Even though I’m not a huge sci-fi person! They’re now collected in one beautiful anthology which released this last weekend and I’M SO EXCITED! You can find it here!
• Thirst (Jill Williamson) — Apocalyptic and dystopian stories aren’t my favorite, but look, a new Jill Williamson book! 😀 *cheering* It’s part one of a prequel duology to her Safe Lands series!
• A Very Bookish Christmas — This is a limited edition anthology of four bookish Christmas novellas from four authors: Sarah Holman, J. Grace Pennington, Rebekah Jones, and Kate Willis. I’ve loved books from all these authors! In this collection, I read Gingerbread Treasures by Rebekah Jones (since I edited it), and it’s an absolutely delightful Holmes-inspired cozy Christmas mystery, with a modern desert town setting and characters I adored. It was utterly charming! Also, the mystery/treasure hunt was SO unique! I’m sure the rest of the stories in the collection are just as fabulous. 🙂 It’s releasing on Thanksgiving, I think, but it’s up for preorder now!
• Kate’s Christmas (Sarah Holman) — I beta-read this and I LOVE THIS SERIES! Christian FBI mysteries with characters who stole my heart and a good dose of fun mixed in throughout the mysteries and questions of faith. And this one has cozy Christmas parts which make me happy! Releasing on Thanksgiving. (Preorder.)

And the next middle grade superhero novel from Bryan Davis is supposed to come out this month too! It’s not on Goodreads yet but there’s a preorder up on his website. My younger brother and I are really excited to read this one! (Read my review for book one.)

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SHORT STORY FREEBIE!

Kyle Robert Shultz has this short story available for free on his newsletter! Check it out!

It features Nick Beasley and Cordelia Beaumont encountering the Afterverse versions of certain Asgardians, including a version of Thor and Loki, who are masquerading as Nick and Cordelia! It’s hilarious and I love it so much. XD

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RECENT READS

• Ghostlight (Rabia Gale) — I mentioned this in my last bookish news but it was sooo good! Regency-esque fantasy, fun and witty but spooky (but just short of too spooky for me), and with characters I ADORED. I’m hooked and can’t wait to read the next book! *bumps it to the top of my wishlist* I had a bit of a book hangover after this one. Ghostlight was the book of the month for my favorite bookclub, Fellowship of Fantasy. ❤
• Pumpkin Spice Pie-Jinks (Selina J. Eckert) — This novella I edited is the ABSOLUTE ESSENSE of Fall! It’s so cozy and I absolutely adored it, with the magical pies and the dash of Hansel and Gretel and the modern setting mixed with fantasy and the fae prince and the harassed magical baker heroine and a smidge of adorable romance. It just FELT like autumn and was absolutely delicious — plus, it made me want to eat delicious pastries. XD Check it out if you’re a Fall person!
• Dark is the Night (Mirriam Neal) — *SCREAMING* A new Mirriam Neal book is out! I won’t make you go through all the squawking I did in my review again, but I’m Very Pleased that Skata and Angel’s book is out in the world now! ❤ So much snark, my word. 😀
• Magician’s Gift (H.L. Burke) — I got to beta-read this delightful short story featuring Jericho and the other characters from the Spellsmith and Carver trilogy! AWK! It was so fun and full of magical shenanigans and a dash of “aww!” and it made me sooo happy to see Jericho, Auric, and Rill again, years after the end of the trilogy! ^_^
• Strayborn (E.E. Rawls) — This one was SO fun and exciting, and a tiny bit spooky, and adorable, awesome, and totally unique! I had so much fun reading it, and you can check out my review if you missed it!
• Dancing and Doughnuts (Rachel Kovaciny) — This one was my rather small attempt to do something for Twelve Dancing Princesses month (!!!) since that was the fairy tale of the month in October over at The Fairy Tale Central. It was a fun, non-magical, western novella retelling of the 12DP story, which was definitely unique! It also made me want doughnuts. 😛 I had won a copy from the author and finally read it and it made me smile! The only other 12DP thing I did last month was write a flash fiction for a prompt, and I posted it on my other blog. It was so fun but now I want to write a whole book about it! Oh well. At least I did two small things to celebrate my favorite fairy tale! There just was NOT enough time in October!
• Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl (Laura A. Grace) — Scroll down for the cover reveal for this one later in the post! It’s her first book, releasing December 3, and I’m SO EXCITED! I read an ARC of it and it’s short and sweet, fifteen letters to writers/authors (and including ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE illustrations by Hannah S.J. Williams!). I loved it and hope to review it soon. 🙂
• (Re-read) House of Many Ways (Diana Wynne Jones) — October was stressful, and I went on a short re-read stint since cozy favorite re-reads were how I coped with all the stuff going on. I had a blast re-reading this one (aloud! with the voices!), especially rediscovering Charmain and Peter, and TWINKLE. XD
• (Re-read) The Boggart (Susan Cooper) — If you haven’t checked out this contemporary fantasy, set in Scotland and modern-day (ish; ’90s, when it was written) Toronto, you are missing out! This was the first time I read the physical book, but I’d listened to the audiobook twice before and I LOVE IT. It’s so much fun and one of a not-very-long-list of modern fantasy I love. I devoured it in an evening, sitting by a campfire, and it was a delight. ^_^
• Highway Robbery (Kate Thompson) — I actually read this in November, unlike the October books which are all the rest pictured. It was a short, quick read, with illustrations that were half quirky, half realistic (LOVED the horse art! GORGEOUS), and the story was very intriguing though I wanted more of it and wished it’d had somewhat of a different outcome. Still, it was cute. (I got it at a libary sale and ended up reading the whole thing the night of the 1st of NaNo, which says something about how curious I was to know what happened. XD)
• Not pictured, I also edited or beta-read some books and novellas and short stories — all good! I’ll have to share about them when they’re available. 😀 (Watch out, Afterverse fans! There’s an epic storm coming. *cackles*)

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CURRENTLY READING

• I just started The Scorpio Races, FINALLY. Everyone has been telling me to read this for so many years. XD I keep meaning to read a Maggie Stiefvater book (goodness knows I own like seven of them. XD) and I finally started one. I’m only a few chapters in but it’s very interesting! I figured November is the right time to read it. 😉 We’ll see if I can get through it and also keep up with my writing!
• I’m really enjoying Strange Waters (Phoenix Fiction Anthology — see my spotlight for more info!) and Mardan’s Anointed (part of the Mardan series I reviewed)! Both are review books and I hope to finish them this month, but we’ll see. I’M EXCITED. ❤

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TBR

It’s always dangerous having a To-Be-Read list during November, because between writing a 50K novel, going to writing events, having Thanksgiving, and all the other things life throws my way, I often find myself with no time to read.

But here are some that are up next on my radar!

• Death Warden — This YA fantasy about an assassin is releasing this month and I have an ARC and it sounds super interesting! Can’t wait to dive in!
• Sword of Soter — Sequel to Armor of Aletheia (read my review), and I’m suuuper excited to read this one! (Also an ARC. I know, I’m behind on review books!)
• Green Dolphin Country — Actually, this is also on my currently-reading, I just hadn’t put it on that shelf on Goodreads. XD It’s really interesting so far, just HUGE, so I haven’t had time to finish it yet!
• Beyond the Shadowed Earth — Releasing in January! I have an ARC and I’m sooo excited to read it (THIS AUTHOR WROTE ECHO NORTH! And Beneath the Haunting Sea! And I love her writing so, so much!), but also nervous because the main character is someone from Beneath the Haunting Sea who I didn’t like. XD But I can’t wait to jump in when I have some time! Possibly not in November, but December for sure if I don’t. 😀

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BOOKSTAGRAM: 5 Straight Months, 500 Followers, & Phone Woes

I just hit 500 followers on my bookstagram and I’m so excited!! Thanks to everyone who follows me there! ^_^

I also posted every day on there from June 1 to October 31, five straight months of posting (only skipping one week while I was away for Realm Makers) and I’m pretty excited about that. 😀

However, my phone died and I haven’t gotten the replacement in yet, so I’m currently cameraless, and after I post a couple of books pictures I still have ready, I’ll not be posting on there for a bit. Also, since it’s NaNo, I’m stepping back from posting anyway. XD

So that’s what’s up in my Instagram world!

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COVER REVEALS

Here are a few cover reveals I’ve shared recently around my social media sites but want to share here as well — including one reveal from TODAY, namely for Dear Author by Laura A. Grace!

Dear Author: Letters from a Bookish Fangirl
Laura A. Grace
Genres: Self-Help, Motivational
Publication date: December 3, 2019

About the Book

Think your words might not matter? Think again.

Words have the power to change lives, especially when they are used to create meaningful stories. In this collection of letters, bookish fangirl Laura A. Grace addresses topics related to every writer’s journey. From “character conversations,” to embracing one’s unique writing style, to celebrating a release day—there is a letter for every author no matter where they may be in sharing their story with others.

 “Dear Author” includes six illustrations by Hannah S.J. Williams.

Signed Paperback — Amazon — Barnes & Noble — Book Depository (Coming soon!)
Pre-Order Goodies Form

About the Author

Laura A. Grace had a lifelong dream of getting to know authors behind the covers of her favorite reads. Little did she know that one day she would become an author too! Now an avid book blogger at Unicorn Quester and writer of clean, Christian manga, Laura creatively balances her passions of supporting indie authors and feeding her readers new stories. In between, she wields plastic lightsabers with her children and binge-watches anime with her husband. Join her quest to find wandering unicorns for your favorite authors at unicornquester.com!

Website — Newsletter — Facebook — Twitter — Instagram — YouTube

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More covers

I had so much fun taking this picture for Burnt Silver!

My old review of Retrieve!

Merchant of Menace on Goodreads!

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NANOWRIMO

It’s not super bookish but it is somewhat — even if it’s writing instead of reading. XD As I mentioned, I’m doing NaNoWriMo! I’m writing a secret project under the codename Operation Foxtail, which I shared just a little about on my other blog, here and here.

So that’s what I’ll be busy with for the rest of November! If I’m around less, or don’t read as much, or take awhile to reply to things, it’s just because I’m busy writing! 😉 *hangs sign: Busy Writing a Novel; Will Be Back in December* XD

It’s going well so far — I’m at 5K at the time of writing this (hopefully more when this posts) and having a blast so far! I’m just waiting for it to turn difficult. 😛

If you are doing NaNo as well, I’d love to be buddies over on the site — you can find me here! GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE! YOU’VE GOT THIS! And I hope all of you who are not doing NaNo have a beautiful (and sane) bookish November!

Whew! That’s all the news I have for you today. Anything here you’re excited about? Thanks for reading!

*disappears back to writing and pretends this post wasn’t a full NaNo day’s worth of words, because that’s just awkward since they don’t count toward my goal* XD

August Nightstand Books {2017}

Due to a very busy July full of a spontaneous Camp NaNo and the Silmarillion Awards, I’m a bit behind on reviewing and reading (but more reviews will be coming!) and did not read anywhere near all the books on my July Nightstand — however, it’s now time to update that for August! 🙂

(Nightstand Books was created by DJ Edwardson and Jenelle Schmidt — join the fun by sharing your own picture of what you’re currently reading!)

August Nightstand

• The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien — Didn’t quite finish this during the SilmAwards due to a very busy end of the month, but looking forward to finishing my reread of it soon. ❤
• The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead — Still re-reading parts of this aloud. 🙂
• Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl — Didn’t quite get to starting this, so I hope to soon. 🙂
• On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and North! Or Be Eaten (by Andrew Peterson) — I don’t know if I’ll get to these this month, but North! Or Be Eaten is currently in my grasp because it’s out of the library (I own book one) so IF I can manage it, I’d like to read them both, but I’d like to catch up on review books too, sooo if I don’t get around to it this month, I’m sure I’ll read them someday. 🙂 (Also, I just love saying that title. “North! Or Be Eaten” — one of my fave titles EVER. XD)
• I also got some picture books from the library. Because picture books! ❤ And at least I know I’ll have time for THOSE. XD

Virtual Nightstand

• Perception (Vintage Jane Austen) by Emily Ann Benedict — This just released (!!) and is a retelling of Persuasion which I’m currently reading, and I’m VERY excited, because Persuasion is awesome. 🙂
• Magicians’ Trial (Spellsmith and Carver, #2) by H.L. Burke — THERE’S ANOTHER SPELLSMITH AND CARVER BOOK OUT. MORE SNARK. MORE JERICHO. MORE AURIC. MORE OF BOTH OF THEM BEING AWESOME TOGETHER. I CANNOT CONTAIN MY ELATION. Must. read. soon!
• Ewan Pendle and the White Wraith by Shaun Hume — Still working through this and enjoying it!
• An Earthly King by Hazel B. West — Still on the readalong in preparation for book 3 releasing… maybe this month? So excited! I love this book. 🙂
• Yorien’s Hand by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt — Want to re-read very soon because I miss this world. 🙂 (I’m sure a lot of this will make more sense now that I’ve read the first two books in the series as well. XD)
• I also have a couple of books to beta-read so I will try to get those done this month.

Rundown/update on last month’s nightstand:

Read (and loved): The Tomb of the Sea Witch (review coming soon!), Coiled, The Invisible Library, The Reluctant Godfather, and Kate’s Capitol. I also read Poison Kiss by Kendra Ardnek, which wasn’t on the nightstand post, but I greatly enjoyed it! Look for a review as part of the release blogtour next week. 🙂

Still reading: An Earthly King, Ewan Pendle and the White Wraith, The Silmarillion, The Skin Map, and Perception. Carried over Starflower, unstarted thus far.

Postponed: Heartstone, The Illusionist’s Apprentice, and Intermission, I sent back to the library without reading them because I didn’t have time. *sadness* Another day! I decided I’d rather finish Camp NaNo, and I’m glad I did. 🙂

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So that’s what’s up with my reading and what I have on my Nightstand! What’s on yours? 🙂

Thanks for reading!

Keep dreaming away in those pages . . .

~ The Page Dreamer / Deborah O’Carroll

100th Post! + July Nightstand Books {2017}

100th Post!

This is my 100th post on The Page Dreamer! Happy hundredth post to meee!

*confetti and leftover-Independence-Day-fireworks*

*passes cookies around*

I’m very excited! ^_^ I started this little book-blog a bit over a year and a half ago, on the first day of 2016, and I’m so pleased to have come this far!

Thank you SO much, all you lovely readers, for putting up with my bookish babblings and reading and commenting! Y’all are the best! ❤

Nightstand Books

What with the Silmarillion Awards (Award Presentations begin today! :O) and reviews and such, I’ve been too busy blogging about other things to get around to a nightstand books post until now!

But here I am, halfway through the month, to share my July books, that I’ve either read this month, am currently reading, or hope to read soon. 🙂

(Nightstand Books is a blogging meme created by Jenelle and DJ to share our currently-reading books each month and be excited about them. …With me it’s more like my-bookish-plans-for-the-month, but still. Join the fun if you like!)

July Nightstand

• The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead — Still working on re-reading through this aloud, so the amount of time I spend reading it is kind of out of my control… But hopefully we’ll get through it this month.
• The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien — Re-reading this for the third/fourth/whatever time, because the Silmarillion Awards is an awesome excuse and it was just way overdue for a re-read. (I think last time was 2010? Yeah… But I’d read it a few times before that, so anyway. ;)) I’m reading a chapter every day and enjoying it SO MUCH. It’s like coming home. ❤
• Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl — For another Goldstone Wood readalong. 😀 Haven’t started yet but I’m SO excited to!
• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman — I got this from the library; how appropriate. (It was a visible one though. *cough*) I’ve heard great things so I’m excited. 🙂
• The Illusionist’s Apprentice by Kristy Cambron — This caught my eye when it was up for review one time when I was too busy to read; so I was excited to find it at the library. Let’s be honest: I’m here for the character names (Wren and Elliot), Houdini + murder mystery, and that pretty cover.
• Heartstone by Elle Katharine White — Found at the library — yay! Pride and Prejudice retelling with dragons? Yes please and thank you.
• Intermission by Serena Chase — Also libraried (totally a word, hush). I honestly don’t think this is going to be a “for me” book, but I’m curious about it anyway. XD Disclaimer: I miiiight not get around to finishing the library books before they need to head back. >.> We shall see! *must read faster*
• Coiled by H.L. Burke — I won this gorgeous book in a giveaway, and I hate snakes but… this author got me addicted to cute snek memes and I love her writing, so. XD And mythology YA romance thingy with a prettiful cover… yes. I just read it this weekend and it was fantastic! ^_^ This author is awesome. ❤

Other Books Not In Above Picture

• Kate’s Capitol by Sarah Holman — I breezed through this on Independence Day and quite enjoyed it. 🙂 [REVIEW]
• The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo — Quite a funny and enjoyable novella I accidentally read one evening. XD Aside from punctuation errors driving my editor self somewhat batty, it was super fun and hilarious! XD Plus Burndee. 😀
• Ewan Pendle and the White Wraith by Shaun Hume — Currently reading this review book and it’s been very intriguing so far!
• An Earthly King by Hazel B. West — A readalong book, this is a re-read for me. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUUUCH! ❤ Re-reading this series is absolutely delightful! ^_^ *flails* (There’s still time to join the readalong, which is HERE!)

• Perception by Emily Ann Benedict — The next in the Vintage Jane Austen series, this one is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, set in the 1930s; it’s releasing this month and I can’t WAIT. 😀 (Plus THAT COVER!!!! :O)

• The Tomb of the Sea Witch by Kyle Robert Shultz — This is the much-anticipated sequel to The Beast of Talesend (which I flailed about earlier), and it’s releasing NEXT MONDAY! I’m so so stoked! 😀 I can’t wait to read more hilarious Nick and Crispin and Cordelia adventures!! ^_^

As far as how my reading in the last month went: I read 12 books in June, so I got through almost all my reads from the last post like this I did! Leftover from my June nightstand post is only my re-read aloud of The Skin Map, and Ewan Pendle and the White Wraith. Not bad… (There’s also a beta-read that I didn’t get around to, and I dropped The Tempest for now, just ’til I have time.) But I did also read a book (For Love and Honor by Jody Hedlund) in June that wasn’t on my June list. So things more or less even out. XD

As usual, some of these may migrate to August, especially as I seem to accidentally be doing Camp NaNo…? Ahem. So that’s kind of eating into my reading time and I’m not reading as fast as I had been, between that and the Silmarillion Awards and general life insanity. But in any case, there’s a glimpse at what I’m reading these days. 🙂

What’s on your nightstand? Read any good books lately? Or any of these?

Thanks for reading! 🙂

Dream away in those pages . . .

~ The Page Dreamer a.k.a. Deborah O’Carroll

Nightstand Books: April {2017}

Just a quick post today! 🙂

Being the first Wednesday of the month, it’s Nightstand Books day! (A meme to share our currently-reading stack every month, created by Jenelle Schmidt and DJ Edwardson.)

Here’s what’s on my nightstand for this month.

• King’s Blood by Jill Williamson — This one is taking me far longer than I anticipated! (Review books shouldn’t take this long to read. *cough* In my defense, it’s enormous and I’ve been busy? 😛 But I’m steadily working through.) It’s still dark, like the first book, and very long, but I’m enjoying it somewhat for all that.
• Second Son by Jenelle Schmidt — Yep, finally reading this one! I’m really excited. I’m reading a chapter a day on the side of my busyness, so I’m hoping in that way to get it read this month even though I don’t have a lot of time. Really enjoying it so far. 🙂
• Viper by Jamie Foley — This is a prequel to the Sentinel trilogy, and I haven’t started it yet, but as this is a novella, I’m hoping to zip through it in a day here pretty soon. Looks like it’s going to be different than what I usually read, but that can be fun too.
• Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones — I haven’t started this yet, but I know it’s dangerous to do so until I have a good long time available to read it in, so I’m holding off for now. XD But I can’t wait to devour this DWJ book I haven’t read! New DWJ books are always exciting. 🙂

I’m also still working through a couple of beta-reading books and hoping to finish them at long last! I’ve been making steady progress on my backlog of betas this year, so that’s exciting too. 🙂

Also not pictured above (because ebook), like Jenelle mentioned in her post, Beggar’s Magic by H.L. Burke is the Fellowship of Fantasy Bookclub book for April. I haven’t started it yet but I hope to soon. 🙂 (Maybe that chapter-a-day trick I’m using on Second Son will help?)

As usual, I have no idea if I’ll  make it through all of these this April, but they’re what I’ve started or am focusing on at the moment!

What’s on your “nightstand” that you’re reading this month? 🙂

Thanks for reading!

Dream away in those pages . . .

~ The Page Dreamer

FYI: Reading Randomosities (Giveaway, Cover, Chant)

FYI (For Your Information Ishness), here are some Reading Randomosities of a couple of random things that don’t make posts on their own but I wanted to say, so I’m tossing them together! 🙂

#1 — Awesome Giveaway from Jenelle Schmidt!

Look at that! Jenelle is giving away a Christmas Givaway Ultimate Prize Bundle from Stormcave, including her three books (King’s Warrior, Second Son, and Yorien’s Hand) and other good stuff (CDs and another book), and it’s open for most of the rest of December, so go enter!! ^_^

#2 — Illusionarium Audiobook Cover

Okay, so this is TOTALLY random (which is kind of the point of this post?) but I noticed the other day while I was glancing over Goodreads that there was an Audiobook done of Illusionarium AND IT HAS A DIFFERENT COVER AND I LOVE IT. LOOK. BEHOLD ITS AWESOMENESS. (No, I don’t, in fact, know what you’re supposed to do with this information. Unless it’s to just stare at it. You’re welcome.)

#3 — I’m spontaneously rereading Chrestomanci

Yes, this is a thing. I should be doing all sorts of things like getting ready for Christmas and getting through other things I need to read… but I somehow got it into my head that it would be a blast to (finally!!) re-read Diana Wynne Jones’ Chrestomanci series… aloud… because voices… and because I needed something to semi-reward myself with/relax after the insanity that was NaNoWriMo.

So I just reread Charmed Life and alskdjflskdjlfj SO MUCH LOVE. ❤ (Fun fact: I read it for the first time almost exactly two years ago, in early December 2014. I read it the 11th then, and finished it the 9th this month. History does repeat itself.) I’m now on The Lives of Christopher Chant, which is a prequel about Chrestomanci’s childhood and it’s AWESOME.

I love these books even MORE on the second-reading, if possible. o.o DWJ books are like that.

(These are kind of strange covers but at least they match and aren’t AWFUL like some other ones… I actually have both these books in a double-book collection so I don’t have covers for them… *coughcough*) *dies of laughter at “follow your dreams” on the second cover* XD

That’s it for today! Thanks for reading!

Dream away in those pages! ❤

— The Page Dreamer