Hello readers and writerly friends!

Welcome back to my blog! If you haven’t read my latest two blog posts, they’re linked at the bottom of this page! This week, we’re discussing my 2023 bookish goals and resolutions. What are your goals for 2023? Leave me a comment below!

Some of these are repeat goals and some are new. Last year, my only goal was to read 22 books and I nailed it! This year, I decided I wanted to do more than just read, but I wanted to keep them simple and SMART —- specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. I’ve given myself 5 goals to strive for in 2023

My bookshelf filled with more knick-knacks than actual books. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Read all of the TBR books on my shelf in 2023

In 2020, I went through a book purge and got rid of almost 200 books! As a result, my bookshelf seems to be filled more with rocks, figurines, and knick-knacks, than actual books, but oh well. This year, my primary goal is to read all of the books on that shelf. I started chipping away at it in 2022, and as I completed a book, I either kept it or donated it to the library. There’s 36 books to be read on my shelf. If I can read 34 books in 2022, then this year, I can clear the shelf!

Finish the Wingbound Trilogy by Heather Trim in 2023

As you can see from my #shelfie, the series is waiting patiently on my shelf. In 2023, I plan to finish this series, starting with Wingspan in January!

Set up a cozy reading space in Winter-Spring of 2023

My partner and I just moved into our apartment back in August 2022, and we don’t yet have our living room furnished. In 2023, I hope to get some big furniture pieces that are comfy, cozy, stylish, and together make for a great reading spot as well as watching our favorite films.

Get a new bookshelf in 2023

Part of the furniture plan for 2023, is to get a new bookshelf. I think we’re going with a mid-century modern or industrial themed living room with cozy accents, so this shelf has got to go. Besides, I want to use this shelf to store our towels in the bathroom. Our current shelf is flimsy at best.

Read a 2023 release early in 2023

This may be tricky to get my hands on, but I definitely want to try and read Yellowface by R.F. Kuang asap! I have never read an early release and it didn’t seem possible to get my hands on a copy at the end of 2022, so maybe once it’s out I can snag a copy and write a review on it as early as possible! Keep your eyes out for that!

That’s all for my 2023 Bookish Resolutions! I hope you enjoyed reading this post! I know this goal list was far shorter than 2020 and 2021. It’s been a crazy couple of years! But now that I’m back in the practice of reading and writing daily, I hope I can achieve these goals and I am certainly looking forward to trying! What are your 2023 bookish goals or resolutions? Did you complete or make progress towards your 2022 goals? Let me know in the comments below and as always, thanks for reading!

Related Topics:

• 2022 Bookish End of the Year Survey

• 2022 Book Wrap Up & Rating All The Books I Read This Year

Past Blog Posts:

• How to Read More Books in 2022

• 21 Bookish Resolutions for 2021

• 2020 Bookish End of the Year Survey

• 20 Bookish Resolutions for 2020

• 10 Tips For Planning Your 2020 Reading Challenge

• 5 Actionable New Year's Resolutions For Writers in 2020

  —Payton

All the books I read in 2022! Photo by Payton Hayes.

Hi readers and writerly friends! 

I am once again completing the End of The Year Book Survey created by Jamie from PerpetualPageTurner.com! Make sure you check out her post here and share it if you do decide to complete it for yourself!

Note: The survey is for books you read throughout the year, no matter when they were published, and is not limited to just books that came out in 2022! Previous years and related topics have been included at the end of this post!

2022 Reading Statistics

Number of books Read:35

Number of Re-Reads:0

Genre read from the most: Nonfiction, Mental Health

Best in Books 

1.       Best Book You Read In 2022?

I couldn’t leave any of these out. If I had to choose just one, I’d pick Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens. I couldn’t put it down!

• Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens 

• Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness by Zack McDermott 

• The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward

• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

2.       Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

• A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 

• The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday

• Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price

All of these books I had heard great things about, but personally didn’t enjoy as much as I thought I would based on the hype. I hoped they’d all be 5-star books, but was found a little wanting after closing their covers. The second two contained a lot of excellent information, but I just don’t think they lived up to the hype.

3.       Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? 

The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward

Recent updates to my Goodreads. Let’s connect!

4.       Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

• Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens 

• The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward

I told everyone I know who reads to check out Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens but I am not sure that they have just yet. I mentioned The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward and Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness by Zack McDermott to my therapist and she wrote them down, so that’s something? A coworker and I got to talking about our most impactful reads this year and I recommended The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller to her and she recommended The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine. I then had coffee with an old friend from high school and to her I also recommended The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and in turn, she recommended Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D | Key Takeaways, Analysis & Review: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, all three of which, I have added to my Goodreads “Want To Read” shelf.

5.       Best series you started in 2022? Best Sequel? Best Series Ender of 2022?

The Wingspan Trilogy by Heather Trim was the only series I read in 2022 and I only read two out of three of the books. I really enjoyed this series and I hope to finish it in 2023!

6.       Favorite new author you discovered in 2022?

L.M. Montgomery

7.       Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook by Pamela J Compart and Dana GodBout Laake 

I typically don’t read cookbooks as reading material, but I picked up and read several of them this year. I found this book the most informative and interesting because of the mental health information it contained as well as effective diets for neurodiverse people. 

8.       Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens

I just could not put this book down. The characters are just so interesting and the plot twist is fantastic!

9.       Book You Read In 2022 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday

Though this book disappointed me slightly, I think I’d pick it up again next year. I don’t have the best reading routine and with this book being a daily reader, I probably didn’t give it the best shot. I’d go days at a time forgetting to pick it up and then catch up later. 😅

10.   Favorite cover of a book you read in 2022?

Wingbound by Heather Trim

11.   Most memorable character of 2022?

Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

12.   Most beautifully written book read in 2022?

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

13.   Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2022?

The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward

14.   Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2022 to finally read? 

I think all of the books I read this year were picks from this year. I pretty much read whatever I felt like reading when I felt like reading it. I think that’s the main reason why I was able to read so many books this year compared to last year. In the past, I’ve put restrictions on my reading goals and this made it harder to motivate myself to read. 

15.   Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2022?

Page 305 from The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday 

Virtue And Kindness

October 12th 

ALWAYS LOVE

“Hecato says, ‘I can teach you a love potion made without drugs, herbs, or special spell —if you would be loved, love.”

—SENECA MORAL LETTERS, 9.6

In 1992, Barbara Jordan addressed the Democratic National Conventtion and railed against the greed and selfishness and divisiveness of the previous decade. People were ready for a change. “Change it to what?” she asked. “Change the environment of the 80’s to an environment which is characterized by a devotion to the public interest, public service, tolerance, and love. Love. Love. Love.”

Love. Love. Love. Why? Because, as the Beatles put it, “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Not just in politics, not just in tolerance, but in our personal lives. There is almost no situation in which hatred helps. Yet almost every situation is made better by love —or empathy, understanding, and appreciation —-even situations in which you are in opposition to someone. 

And who knows, you might just get some of that love back.

—Ryan Holiday, The Daily Stoic, page 305.

16.   Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2022?

Shortest: Oh Hell No!:And Other Ways To Set Some Damn Boundaries by Chronicle Books 

Longest: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) by the American Psychiatric Association

17.   Book that shocked you the most

The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward

This book blew me away. It might have just been the most spot-on book of all the mental health books I read this year, and ever. I felt noticed, called out, and understood while reading this book. At times, it felt almost offensive that some of the concepts were staring me dead in the face, like an unsettling reflection you can’t shake. It resonated with me deeply and I felt as if the author was looking into my soul. 

If you have PTSD, grew up with authoritarian parents, put the needs of others before your own needs for most of your life, and felt like you haven’t met your full potential, then this book may be for you. It gives an explanation for how readers are the way they are, helps the reader understand why they wittingly and unwittingly put their trauma back on others, and gives the reader hope for the future with a new perspective on their childhood and past.

18.   OTP OF THE YEAR (You will go down with this ship!) (OTP = One true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

Kya Clark and Tate Walker from Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens

19.   Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Anne Shirley and Marilla Cuthbert of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

20.   Favorite Book You Read in 2022 From An Author You’ve Read From Previously

I did not read any books from authors I’ve read from previously this year.

21.   Best Book You Read in 2022 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/ Bookstagram, etc.

Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens - Recommended by Mollie Tubeville from MollieReads

22.   Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2022?

I did not have any fictional crushes from the books I read in 2022. I read mostly nonfiction.

23.   Best 2022 debut you read?

I really enjoyed Jeanette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died, and highly recommend you read it if you like reading memoirs.

24.    Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year? 

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Anne Shirley’s imaginative, colorful descriptions of Avondale were so magical and reminded me of what it was like to play and imagine as a child. This book was so charming.

25.   Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

26.   Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2022?

Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness by Zack McDermott

27.   Hidden Gem Of The Year?

The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward

28.   Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

None of the books I read this year really crushed my soul. However, this book was such a disappointment that I felt like I’d wasted time reading it altogether. 

29.   Most Unique Book You Read In 2022?

Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear by Carl L. Hart 

30.   Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

My Blogging/Bookish Life

1.       New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2022?

I started following @authenticallyryan on Instagram and I enjoy her bookish content there.

2.       Favorite post you wrote in 2022?

For Content Creators and CEOs with ADHD: Strategies to Succeed Despite Overwhelm and Distractions 

This blog post was very near and dear to my heart. I worked really hard on it and wrote from a lot of personal experience. I hope that it reaches the audience it’s meant for and helps anyone who reads it. 😊

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler and a jar of hibiscus tea on a wood tabletop. Follow me on Instagram for more bookish photos! Photo by Payton Hayes.

3.       Favorite bookish related photo you took in 2022?

My photo of Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler and a jar of hibiscus tea on a wood tabletop. I took this photo after I finished the book. I think I liked the picture and cover better than I liked the book. I had high hopes for it but it left me wishing the character relationships had been a little more realistic and unique.

This photo is on my Instagram! Follow me for more bookish content!

4.       Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events,  etc.)?

I haven’t attended any bookish events in 2022, but I’m planning attend at least two writing conventions, to attend a workshop or two with the Yukon Writer’s Society, and to host monthly workshops for the Oklahoma Writer’s Society next year!

5.       Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2022?

Surpassing my Goodreads Reading Challenge to read 22 books —I read 33!

6.       Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

It was really hard to get back into writing for my blog this year. 2020 and 2021 were rough years for me, like most everyone. My mental health declined and with it, my creativity and motivation to write. But I read a lot of books, went to therapy, did some soul searching, and fell in love with being creative again. It’s been a long, challenging journey, but I’m back and better than ever.

7.       Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

How To Write Best Friends to Lovers Romance - That Feels Realistic 

This post was written in 2020 but it’s gotten 1.5k views in the last year. Best friends to lovers is a popular trope in romance. 

8.       Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

For Content Creators and CEOs with ADHD: Strategies to Succeed Despite Overwhelm and Distractions 

9.       Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I don’t think I’ve discovered any great bookish, non-book items this year. I did at a lot of new books to my TBR on Goodreads, though!

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Yes! I completed my 2022 goal of reading 22 books this year! This was my Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2022 and I actually ended up reading 33 books! 

Looking ahead

1.       One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2022 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2023?

Wingspan by Heather Trim

Next year, I hope to finish this series!

2.       Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2023 (non-debut)?

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, debuted in 2022.

3.       2023 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

4.       Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2023?

Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin. He hasn’t said it’s going to be finished in 2023, but in a recent interview from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he mentioned that the book may be as long as 1500 pages and it's about three-quarters of the way complete. 

Read more here.

5.       One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2023?

I hope to get more comments and engagement on my blog post. Every month, there’s hundreds and even thousands of views but no one leaves a comment. I’d love to get to know my readers and start some fun, bookish conversations!

6.       A 2023 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone (if applicable):

I haven’t read any 2023 releases early, but I hope to read Yellowface by R.F. Kuang next year once it’s out!

And that’s it for my 2022 Bookish End Of The Year Survey! Make sure you check out Jamie at Perpetualpageturner.com and fill out the survey for yourself here! Leave me a comment answering one of these questions and if you do decide to fill out the survey, make sure to link it in the comments and share it with Jamie and myself so we can see your results! 

Bibliography:

1. Jamie. “11th Annual End Of Year Survey – 2020 edition!!” Perpetualpageturner.com December 22, 2020.

Related topics:

• 2022 Book Wrap Up & Rating All The Books I Read This Year

• My Bookish Resolutions for 2023

• How to Read More Books in 2022

• 21 Bookish Resolutions for 2021

• 2020 Bookish End of the Year Survey

• 20 Bookish Resolutions for 2020

• 10 Tips For Planning Your 2020 Reading Challenge

• 5 Actionable New Year's Resolutions For Writers in 2020

Recent blog posts

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

Welcome back to the blog! If you’re new, thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out all of my Bookish Things posts if that’s your cup of tea! This post is my 2022 Book Wrap Up! Share your 2022 Book Wrap Up in the comments below!

It has been a crazy couple of years. I could say that again.

I had high hopes for 2020 and ended up completing 0 of my 20 Bookish Goals For 2020. In 2021, I set 21 goals, naturally. I should have dialed it back a bit to account for the unexpected. However, I stubbornly set 21 goals for myself and again, completed very few in comparison to the amount of goals I set. I didn’t read 52 books. I didn’t finish a single series. 

The goals I completed in 2021 include:

• Read the House of Night Series by P.C. and Kristin Cast. (I read four books from this series and decided to finally put it to rest. This was my second or third time trying to get through this series and it just wasn’t for me. The writing was inconsistent —you could tell where one author stopped and another began, and not in a good way —and the story’s premise was just all too familiar: YA vampire school romance, bleh. I think I’ve seen enough of that trope to last me a lifetime. So I added the series to my DNF (Did Not Finish) list on Goodreads and let myself off the hook.) 

• Read More Classics In 2022 (I read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, so I think this one counts as completed!)

My other 19  goals for 2021 were left sitting on the shelf, covered in dust.

This year was different. 

While many of my goals from 2020 and 2021 remained in the back of my mind, I set only one goal for myself in 2022.

Read 22 books. 

That’s it! I set out to get less than two books a month for a year and I knocked that goal out of the park. 

I knew I was capable of reading two books a month based on my track record for previous years — 16/52 books in 2021, 15/12 books in 2020, 22/20 books in 2019, and 2/12 books in 2018. But like I said, it's been a crazy couple of years. I learned my lesson the hard way, by setting unrealistic goals for myself, not completing them all, and feeling disappointed when the end of the year came and I had hardly anything to show for it. 

My average rating of the 35 books I read in 2022 was 3.5 stars on a 5-Star Rating scale.

2022 Reading Statistics

Number of books Read:35

Number of Re-Reads:0

Average Rating: 3.5 stars

I’ve listed all the books I read this year in the order I read them below. Each book was given a 1-5-star rating for each book based on how much I enjoyed the book overall, how well I liked the writing style, and how useful the information contained within its pages was for me. 

Rating the books I read in 2022

• Sweet Bitter by Stephanie Danler ⭐⭐⭐

• Smithsonian Makers Workshop:Unique AmericanCrafting, Cooking, Gardening, and Decorating Projects by The Smithsonian Institution ⭐⭐

• Loving Someone with PTSD: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Connecting with your Partner After Trauma by Aphrodite Matsakis ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Never Use Futura by Douglas Thomas and Ellen Lupton ⭐⭐⭐

• The CBD Beauty Book: Make Your Own Natural Beauty Products With The Goodness Extracted From Hemp by CICO Books⭐⭐

• Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge ⭐⭐⭐

• Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce ⭐⭐

• Oh Hell No!:And Other Ways To Set Some Damn Boundaries by Chronicle Books ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness by Zack McDermott ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Wild Edible Plants of Oklahoma by Charles W. Kane ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood ⭐⭐⭐

• Pride: Celebrating Diversity & Community by Robin Stevenson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear by Carl L. Hart ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The “I Love My Instant Pot” Free Holiday Menu by Michelle Fagone ⭐⭐

• The Forager’s Feast: How to Identify and Prepare Wild Edibles by Leda Meredith ⭐⭐⭐

• The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller and Ruth Ward ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook by Pamela J Compart and Dana GodBout Laake ⭐⭐⭐

• Foraging Cookbook: 75 Recipes to Make the Most of Your Foraged Finds by Karen Stephenson⭐⭐

• The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot by Kathy Hester ⭐⭐

• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Wingbound by Heather Trim ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The Courage To Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change Your Life, and Achieve Real Happiness by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga ⭐

• Consumer Economics by Wendy Reiboldt ⭐⭐⭐

• A Radical Guide for Women With ADHD: Embrace Neurodiversity, Live Boldly, and Break Through Barriers by Sari Solden, Michelle Frank, and Ellen Litman ⭐⭐

• Mastering Your Adult ADHD: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program Client Workbook by Steven Safren ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• How to Write One Song: Loving the Things We Create and How They Love Us Back by Jeff Tweedy ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) by the American Psychiatric Association ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Dracula by Brahm Stoker ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Learning About Dance: Dance As An Art Form And Entertainment by Nora Ambrosio ⭐⭐⭐

• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Wingless by Heather Trim ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Buzzed: The Straight Facts About The Most Used And Abused Drugs From Alcohol To Ecstasy by Cynthia M. Kuhn, Scott Swartzwelder, and Wilkie Wilson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday ⭐⭐⭐

All the books I read in 2022

Looking at this list, it's easy to say my reading interests have been aaaaall over the place. From cookbooks, to the DSM-5, to various mental health books, to classics, to textbooks, to fiction and everything in between, my reading habits this year have certainly been interesting and diverse. 

I’m proud of myself for reaching my reading goal and expanding my reading horizons too. I even managed to get a new bookshelf (2021 goal 😂). Well, actually, I just repurposed another shelf for use as a bookshelf, so I still need to get a new one, but I digress.

All this to say, yes, life has been crazy for the last few years —it’s been hectic, full of ups and downs, and many learning curves — but it does get easier. The tide always goes back out and the sun always comes up. And it is possible, through some discipline, to break out of a reading slump and reach your bookish goals. 

What were your bookish goals for 2022? How many goals did you achieve? What goals have you set for 2023? If you want to read more on this topic, check out the related topics and past blog posts below!

Related Topics:

• 2022 Bookish End of the Year Survey

• My Bookish Resolutions for 2023

Similar Blog Posts From Previous Years:

• How to Read More Books in 2022

• 21 Bookish Resolutions for 2021

• 2020 Bookish End of the Year Survey

• 20 Bookish Resolutions for 2020

• 10 Tips For Planning Your 2020 Reading Challenge

• 5 Actionable New Year's Resolutions For Writers in 2020

  —Payton

A stack of books I want to read in 2022. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

Welcome back and if you’re new thanks for popping in! This week in Bookish Things, I’m going to be sharing all of my tips and tricks for knocking out those reading lists and other bookish goals!

Just to give you guys a little bit of backstory and help remind you that despite all of my bookish content and strategizing I do here, I am still human and I also struggle with finding time to read and keeping up with my yearly reading goal. I also catch myself falling into reading slumps from time to time so don’t feel like you’re alone, because there’s millions of readers out there who have to actively work towards their reading goals!

In 2018 I did not meet my reading goal (2/12) 😬 but in 2019 (22/20) 🎉 and 2020 (15/12) 🥳 I did. In 2021, I fell way short of my extremely ambitious goal of reading 52 books, of which I only read 16. I look back at these recent years and my reading goals, and the life events I experienced stick out very clearly to me. This reflection serves as a great reminder that sometimes life does get in the way of reading and that’s okay. Don’t feel bad if you’ve been slacking in your reading goals. Let’s get back on track together!

Start by creating a reading plan

Why do you want to read more? Considering this question will help you firmly define your “why” and make it easier to keep on track with your reading throughout the year. Perhaps you’re reading for educational purposes or to better yourself? Maybe you want to read more novels to escape from stress and practice self-care. Maybe you want to be more well-read and explore the written word over modern media. No matter your reason, its always a good idea to read regularly as long as you’re doing it for you and you know why.

Additionally, you may want to ask yourself a few more questions to help clearly define your reading goals for 2022. How long will you read for each day? How many books do you have on your To-Be-Read (TBR) list? Is there a series you’ve been meaning to get into or a classic author you want to check out? How many books a month do you want to shoot for? What genres most interest you right now? What genres do you find yourself shying away from? Do you want to schedule your reading and plan out each months books? I personally prefer making an annual loose TBR list and choosing I can what to read as I go. Other readers enjoy making a reading schedule with specific books for each month or planning seasonal reads as the year goes on. I always try to read horror or spooky-themed books in October! Map out a book timeline that makes sense for your lifestyle, interests, and reading goals.

1. Keep track of your books by using Goodreads

This tip isn’t new, especially around the bookish community, but its worth mentioning to start, especially for anyone new to the reading scene or anyone just getting back into it! You might also be a reader who has never kept track of their reading habits before so this might be a great strategy for you to remember what you’ve read, keep your eyes out for new books, and stay focused on your yearly reading challenge.

Goodreads does a yearly reading challenge which can be a great resource for reading inspiration and motivation. Sign up, add a few books to your “Want To Read” shelf, set a reading goal for yourself, and get reading! You can also share your reviews and recommendations with other readers and authors on the app!

2. Make your reading goals public for external accountability

To make use of external accountability, consider joining a local book club or reading group, joining online reading communities, and sharing your reading goals, updates, and reading lists to your own social circles. Having a tight-knit group to share books with and discuss stories can be just the thing to get you back on track with your reading goals!

Kindles are also great for cutting down on book storage and readers can make use of the “Read Sample” prior to purchasing digital copies of books they’ve yet to read. Kindle Unlimited also offers access to millions of books every month.

4. Use a designated device solely for reading

I understand some bookworms here are still ballin’ on a budget, but if you can afford to, splurge on a tablet purposed only for reading. This separation of activities can be crucial in helping you rewire your brain for reading time. Avoid reading on your phone to eliminate distractions from social media and texts.

5. Multitask with audiobooks

You do not have to physically read a book to absorb the important and useful information contained within its pages. Many readers make use of audiobooks for the convenience, portability, and multitasking ability they have. Read a book while you cook, read a book while you walk, read a book while you clean or workout, read a book during your commute to and from work and on your lunch break —there’s a number of activities you can do while listening to an audiobook!

6. Read more than one book at any given time.

Now don’t let your “Current Reads” list get too full of unfinished books, but it can be refreshing to read more than one book at a time, especially if you alternate between fiction and non-fiction and read from different genres to avoid reading slumps! I personally enjoy having an e-book and audiobook, as well as a hard-copy on hand at any given time. This is especially useful in keeping concepts, themes, and characters separate across multiple novels.

7. Put down any books you’re not enjoying anymore.

If it’s no longer serving you or bringing you joy, feel free to let it go. Everyone can rant and rave about how good a book is but you don’t have to like it just because everyone else does. If you’re done with a book, feel free to move it to the “Read” shelf in Goodreads, leave a review if you’d like, and move on to the next read. Don’t let your disillusionment of a book you had high hopes for put you in a reading slump or worse, ruin your love of reading and learning.

8. Read for 15 minutes a day

Set a short timer to go off at the same time everyday and read for 15 minutes. This could be a really effective strategy for making regular reading a successful and sustainable habit.

9. Bring a book with you everywhere you go

Find yourself bored standing in line at the store or waiting on your oil to be changed? Bringing a book with you can help you avoid awkward queues and chip away at your TBR.

10. Get the main points of the book without having to read for 5+ hours

If you’re wanting to get into the reading scene but are feeling held back by your reading ability or lack of time for reading, consider getting the bare-bones content, main information, or essential ideas from an app like Blinkist. (If you’ve ever heard of Sparknotes, or Cliffs Notes, this app provides similar content.) Blinkist offers key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours. While its debatable how much material you’re actually absorbing via condensed methods such as this, its certainly a low-barrier-to-entry option and might work better for busier readers with less leisure time on their hands.

11. Enroll in a library membership

Much like joining book clubs and reading groups, signing up with your local library can be a great reading resource and method of external accountability, especially if you can find others to read and discuss books with. Library memberships are usually free to the public

12. Romanticize reading and make it a ritual

Not only should we be romanticizing reading, but we should also make it a ritual rather than a chore. If you enjoyed reading in the cozy chair by the window with a cup of coffee beside you, you might want to make that part of your reading ritual. Some daily readers will opt to get their 15 minutes in just before bed, making it a nighttime ritual that helps them wind down and relax, while other readers will avoid reading in the bedroom altogether. Designate a time and space for reading and it will be easier to get into the practice of reading daily. Ensure your reading environment, snacks, music, and other possible distractions or reading aids remain consistent throughout your reading practice to help further reinforce the habit in your daily life.

13. Organize a reading list that you will actually enjoy reading

As mentioned with the first step in this guide, it’s incredibly important to get a strong sense of what you enjoy reading, what your reading goals are, and what you want to read for 2022 to help you get started with your reading plan. Think about which authors and genres you’d like to read from. Consider diversifying your reading list so that its not all fiction, non-fiction, a single genre, or books from the same author.

14. Gather book recommendations influential people and other authors

Still not sure what to read? Follow your favorite authors and influencers on Goodreads and see what they’re reading each month for some inspiration. You can also check out BookTube and Bookstagram for thousands of book recommendations from other readers. Some of my favorite reads were recommended to me by the people I follow, so don’t limit your reading content to what you’ve heard of —take suggestions too! Whenever I am looking for recommendations, I ask my friends and Bookish Facebook groups what they’re reading and that usually gives me a pretty wide variety to pick from. You can also check out the New York Times Best Sellers List for the hottest reads.

15. Broaden your bookish horizons

Reading isn’t just good for intellectual growth; it can be a great avenue for personal enrichment in many areas of your life. You might not enjoy every book you read this year but you can learn at least one thing from them. Read from authors you normally don’t gravitate towards, explore genres you’ve never read from before, pick up a craft book, zoology book, a book about how to build a computer, or how to do your taxes yourself for practical reading, or read a hefty tome of a novel and lose yourself in the world-building —the options are endless!

16. Pick up a daily reader

While daily reading isn’t for everyone, its a surefire way to make steady, measurable progress towards your reading goals. Daily readers such as the Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, or The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz are all great examples of popular books with a page-a-day reading pace. Check out more from the Daily Readers Goodreads shelf here.

17. Set up a rewards system

Yes, Bookish People, this is your permission slip to go buy more books. (But only if you’ll actually read them!) Set up monthly incentives to help motivate you to pick up your current read each day! This could include a new book for every book you complete, an afternoon at a local Bookish coffee shop, cute bookish socks for each completed read, or a new bookshelf at the end of the year if you complete your challenge! Whatever you decide to implement as a rewards system, ensure that it is sustainable and makes sense for your lifestyle, environment, and budget. I like to check out books from the library and for every 3 I read, I’ll get a new book. This helps me keep from overbuying new books and it helps me tailor my personal library to only the titles I truly love and will reach for again.

18. Don’t compare your reading progress to others

It can be fun to have a little friendly reading competition, but don’t let someone else’s reading challenge overshadow your own reading progress. Read for you, celebrate the completion of your goals, big and small, and make sure you’re reading for your own enjoyment and enrichment and not for the opinions of others. In the long run, the former is more fulfilling and the latter will leave you stuck in a reading slump.

19. Visualize your reading goals with a habit tracker app or printable reading tracker

If you’re not into Goodreads, that’s okay! You might find keeping a reading list in your planner or a cute printable reading tracker taped to your fridge is the way to go for you! You can download my free printable tracker by clicking the image on the right. Pintrest also has tons of printable reading trackers and book lists too!

20. Be flexible and leave room for more reading

Don’t overwhelm yourself with an overly-planned reading list if you’re just getting into reading or getting back into it after a while. Be gracious with yourself and remember that its okay if you don’t read every single book on your list cover-to-cover or if you miss some of your reading goals this year. If you manage to read one book a year, you’re still learning and growing, so try to take it one book at a time. Leave spaces open throughout the year for new books to join the rotation and be prepared to “Do-Not-Finish” (DNF) a book if its not meeting your expectations.

Those are my 20 tips for reading more in 2022! Are there any other bookish tips you have for reaching your reading goals? What books are you planning to read this year? Let me know in the comments below!

Bibliography:

1. Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations, London: Penguin Classics, 2006. Goodreads.

2. Blinkist. “Homepage.” Blinkist.com, accessed April 6, 2022.

3. Cliffs Notes. “Homepage.” CliffsNotes.com, accessed April 6, 2022.

4. Goodreads. “2022 Reading Challenge.” Goodreads.com, accessed April 6, 2022.

5. Goodreads. “Daily Readers Books.” Goodreads.com, accessed April 6, 2022.

6. Holiday, Ryan. The Daily Stoic, London: Portfolio, 2016. Goodreads.

7. Ruiz, Miguel. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book), California: Amber-Allen Publishing, Incorporated, 1997. Goodreads.

8. Sparknotes. “Homepage.” Sparknotes.com, accessed April 6, 2022.

9. The New York Times. “The New York Times Best Sellers.” The New York Times Website, accessed April 6, 2022.

Related topics:

• How I Read A Book / My Book Reading Routine

• How I Got Started Reading When I Hated It

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

• Reading Slump Emergency Kit: 15 Surefire Ways To Break Out of a Reading Slump!

• 10 Tips For Planning Your 2020 Reading Challenge

Recent blog posts:

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This is a spoiler-free review.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager reminded me of American Horror Story’s Hotel season, where patrons of the hotel go suddenly missing under mysterious circumstances. The Bartholomew was an entity and character of its own and I couldn’t help feeling like I simultaneously wanted to visit the spooky hotel and stay a million miles away from it forever. The unsettling events that occurred behind closed doors were absolutely chilling to the bone. I found myself wishing I could shake the main character and tell her, run Jules, run!

This heart-pounding, breath-catching, page-turner of a thriller kept me hooked start to finish. I listened to the audiobook version of this novel and I was completely enthralled the entire time.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager follows a young woman whose new job apartment sitting in one of New York’s oldest and most glamorous buildings may cost more than it pays

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and into the secrets kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent (Sager 2019).

The entrance to the Dakota where John Lennon was shot. Photo by Encircle Photos.

The Dakota as seen from Central Park west. Photo by Michelle Young.

Something Riley Sager is known for in his books, is the central plot twist—a storytelling element he does very well. I didn’t see the major twist coming and when my original theory was flipped on its head, I was astonished. However, the twist made sense, once all the clues he laid out beforehand were explained.

Sager employs a history, both real and invented to weave a thrilling tale that feels equal part as urgent and realistic as present-day and equal part ancient and enchanting as The Dakota, the upscale apartment building in New York upon which the elegant Bartholomew is based! Lock Every Door is an intoxicating tapestry that is every bit as disquieting as the bizarre wallpaper in Jules’ apartment in the Bartholomew and the unsettling events it has witnessed.

“I wanted the building to be seductive yet sinister, elegant yet also creepy…I wanted people to really want to live there but at the same time, to be terrified while they’re living there.” —Riley Sager on Lock Every Door.

The Bartholomew, the setting of the story, a character as much as the people in the story, evolves as the story progresses, observed initially as sophisticated and whimsical, and eventually becoming increasingly more sinister and mysterious. From elegant, gilded cage elevators that carry patrons from the top floor to the bowels of the building, to watchful gargoyles perched on the exterior, elements of the setting grow more and more unsettling and oppressive as Jules uncovers one dark secret after another.

This story is a gripping read cover-to-cover that teeters precariously between thriller and horror and stupefies readers with a chilling plot twist that doesn’t come completely from left field.

“There’s plausibility in a thriller. No matter how weird they may get, it’s something that could potentially happen in real life… It never gets otherworldly, so to speak…it is always grounded in some sense of reality. With horror, it seems like there’s a tear in the fabric of reality and that inexplicable things are going on and that just makes it even more frightening...I like to walk that fine line between the two.” —Riley Sager on Lock Every Door.

The quotes from Riley Sager about his book is from the “Interview with Best-Selling Author of Lock Every Door: Riley Sager” on the No Thanks, We’re Booked Podcast Hosted by Mollie from Mollie Reads and Katie from Life Between Words. Check out the rest of the interview here.

“Move over Rosemary’s Baby, urban paranoia has a deliciously gothic new address.” —Ruth Ware

This book makes me want to a) read more of Riley Sager’s writing, b) read Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin, and c) get into more urban paranoia.

In July of 2019, Paramount Television, Sugar 23, and Anonymous Content announced plans to adapt Lock Every Door into a television series, and I am so stoked to see how it turns out. I cannot wait to draw comparisons between the film adaptation and AHS: Hotel.

And that’s it for my review of Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door. Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Have you read any of Sager’s other works? I cannot wait to check out Final Girls by Riley Sager to see more of Jules’ story and where it goes from here. Will you be watching the film adaptation? Let me know what you thought of this book and this review in the comments below!

Bibliography:

1. Encircle Photos. “John Lennon Murdered at The Dakota in New York City, New York.” Web article, (Photo) accessed September 19, 2021.

2. Hayes, Payton. “Lock Every Door Audiobook on Google Pixel.” (Thumbnail photo), September 19, 2021.

3. Sager, Riley. Lock Every Door. New York: Dutton, 2019. Amazon.

4. Young, Michelle. “The Top 10 Secrets of NYC’s Iconic Dakota Apartments.” Untapped New York article, (Photo) accessed September 19, 2021.

Related topics:

• Book Review: Goodbye Again by Jonny Sun

• Book Review: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

• Series Reveiw: The Angel Trilogy by L.A. Weatherly

• Book Review: Ghosted By Rosie Walsh

• Double Book Review: Before The Storm by Christie Golden and Shadows Rising by Madeline Roux

• Book Review: The Wildefire Trilogy by Karsten Knight

• Book Review: Good Morning Good Life by Amy Schmittauer Landino

• Book Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

• Check out all my book reviews on the blog!

Recent blog posts:

—Payton

Hi Readers and writerly friends!

This week in Bookish Things, we’re talking about Jonny Sun’s book, Goodbye, Again, which I read a couple of weeks ago and just loved!

I read this book after watching Katherout’s video on YouTube, “I no longer aspire to have a career” where she discussed the idea of a “dream job” and how she no longer dreams of labor —She is one of many speaking up on this greater discussion about laziness, productivity, burnout, mental health, and being overworked and I’d recommend giving her video a watch.

Goodbye, Again is a profoundly sentimental, immensely reflective, and introspective read. It touches on sensitive subjects such as loneliness, the end of the world, the rat race and losing yourself by getting caught up in the working world, depression, self-care, and the like, but not just for the sake of discussing these difficult topics. Sun handles these subjects with care and grace and carves out a space for the reader to feel less alone in their experience with loneliness, belonging, and burnout.

Goodbye, Again came into my life this spring, after I had failed three out of four of my senior college courses (not because of capability, but rather due to burnout and poor mental heath). I had gotten so caught up in school and producing content online at such a rate that it was unsustainable and quickly doomed to crash and burn. That’s exactly what happened. I lost sight of myself and what I wanted out of life and ended up being forced to take time off to focus on my mental health. All of this to say, that Goodbye, Again arrived just when I needed it to.

Goodbye, again by Jonny Sun. Photo by Jonny Sun.

Until I’d read this book, I never realized that I used productivity to cope with loneliness. Sun strives to "fill the blankness" of weekends in the city; but "instead of turning to people, or to hobbies, or to Going Places or Seeing Things, I find it easiest to turn to doing more work to try to fill, or perhaps keep at bay, that emptiness and that feeling I can't ever fill that emptiness enough," he writes. In a lighthearted tone, he confronts this learned response of coping with loneliness through productivity and invites the reader to do the same. This discussion was initiated through his alien character Jomny in his 2017 graphic novel, Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too — however this time around, he works through burnout in his own voice with his own personal experiences. In this way, his specificity actually gives way to reader relatability.

"Whenever I am in an unfamiliar place, it has become a coping mechanism for me to look for plants that I recognize from elsewhere, and to look for plants that I've never seen before anywhere else but that I can start recognizing as familiar," he writes —his words serving as a metaphor for feeling rooted in his communities and a reminder for what we can learn from them: rest is a necessity; growth takes time; some things don't change —paring these ideas with illustrations of succulents on the joining page.

The layout of the book is divided into six parts which allows the reader to take breaks between any of the stories, should they need to. It’s rare that a book will physically accommodate what the writer himself seeks to accomplish by writing the book —to create a space for the reader to sit with loneliness and burnout, even if it means you’re temporarily leaving his world to do this.

Without sharing too much, I’d like to show you a couple of my favorite sections of the book. In one titled “Playlist For A Funeral” Sun says “The playlist for my funeral is 252 songs long now, and I feel like it’s not done yet. I feel like it’s still missing pieces, or that I haven’t found the perfect single song that I love more than any of these other songs that would render my list obsolete. And I think that means I want to keep adding to it. And I think that mean, that this is some sure sign, that I want to be alive.”

This is a passage that really hit close to home for me, especially recently as I’ve been going through a major depression. Reading this section of the book made me feel validated in my thoughts and feelings and the book overall, made me feel like it was okay to feel lonely. Loneliness is neither a bad nor good emotion —it doesn’t have any particular connotation or denotation attached to it. However, people like to view loneliness as a bad emotion because it doesn’t exactly feel good to be lonely. Solitude on the other hand, is viewed as a good emotion, because it seems like the loneliness is intentional or self-imposed. Lastly, positive solitude is the state or situation of being happy or content to be alone. I’ve learned that the difference between all of these instances of loneliness is mindset. If you no longer look at loneliness as a bad emotion, but just an emotion, like any other that comes and goes, then it becomes easier to sit with it rather than trying to shove it down with substances, distractions, or toxic productivity.

If you’re dealing with depression, struggling to cope with loneliness, or just looking for a lovely book to read, I would highly recommend Goodbye, Again by Jonny Sun. Summer is here, bringing with it fun, sun, and warmer weather and the reminder that we should all slow down, take time to rest for the sake of resting, and practice taking care of ourselves. Even as the pandemic comes to a close, there’s no shame in taking a break from reading if you need it, but if you’re feeling ready for a new, meaningful but lighthearted summer read, I suggest starting out with Goodbye Again. Trust me, you won’t regret letting Jonny Sun into your life.

Have you read Goodbye, Again by Jonny Sun? What did you think of it? Do you have any recommendations based on this book? What did you think of this review? Let me know in the comments below!

Bibliography:

Related topics:

• Check out more of my book reviews!

Recent blog posts:

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Photo by Payton Hayes.

This week in Bookish Things, I’m sharing my thoughts on Erin Morgenstern’s dazzling novel, The Night Circus. I was wholly and completely enchanted with this stunning young adult fantasy, centered around a mysterious nocturnal, travelling circus.

Two starcrossed magicians engage in a deadly game of cunning in The Night Circus, the spellbinding New York Times bestseller that has captured the world's imagination.

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

—Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus

The first page of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Photo by Payton Hayes.

I cover this more in-depth in the Freelancing counterpart to this blog post, “Book Writing 101 - How To Chose The Right POV For Your Novel,” but this story is told from multiple points of view and from different story tenses as well. The narrative jumps from past to present to future seamlessly and seemingly magically to give readers a whimsical, realistic, yet ancient-feeling story. It bounces between second person and third person point of view, a storytelling method that makes reader feel like they are watching the character’s stories unfold one moment and walking through the caramel-and-vanilla-laden paths of the circus grounds the next.

While I do wish this book’s romance had been more prominent (because I just love romance and can’t get enough of it) I do appreciate that the romance present in the story both served to drive the plot in an organic, uncontrived way, and added to the whimsy of the circus itself while not taking place within the circus the entire time.

All of the characters—from the circus itself, to the performers and circusgoers—are alluring, multidimensional, complex characters. These morally-grey, deeply flawed characters are relatable, realistic, and easily loveable—a rarity in books like this one, that have a very large cast of characters. The way Morgenstern seemingly effortlessly weaves so many intriguing character arcs into a single story is truly mystifying—every character has a part to play.

The pacing of this novel is just superb. Some complain that it is a bit of a slower read, but I, charmed by the fantasy of the circus, could not devour this story faster! The way the skips through time are entwined with alternating points of view made for a remarkably interesting story structure and a pacing that never felt boring or dull. The Night Circus is a story of hope, wonder, magic, and love. If I had to pick one word to describe it, I would choose Dreamy, because the imagination and spirit of this story continues to leave me spellbound long after I’ve turned the last page.

That’s it for my review of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Would you visit the Night Circus? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Check out my other book reviews!

—Payton

A stack of books I want to read in 2021 next to my vintage typewriter and a set of candles my sister gave me for Christmas. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Last year, I hopped on the bandwagon and made 20 Bookish Resolutions for 2020, but this year I’m upping the anti by doing 21 Bookish Resolutions for 2021! I managed to knock out 6/20 of my bookish goals last year and this year, I am hoping to switch a few of those out for new goals while keeping a few I didn’t end up completing.

1.      Read 52 books.

Last year I set the goal for myself to read 30 books and I missed that goal by a long shot. I had to end up adjusting my Goodreads reading challenge to 12 books about halfway through the year because the pandemic struck and as a mood reader, I just could not bring myself to pick up a book with all the craziness happening in the world. I did end up completing the adjusted goal —I read 13 books by the end of 2020. However, towards the end of 2020, I picked up several books and finished them within a few days, and it reminded me, that I really can knock out some books. I want to challenge myself to read one book a week in 2021, if not to make up for the lost time in 2020, then to really get some of these books off my TBR and give myself a good reason to grab some new books next year!

2.      Read the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

This is the year. This is it—I can feel it in my bones. I am going to read the whole Harry Potter Series this year. I’ve spent my life avoiding spoilers but this year I am going to read it a joint the wizarding world once and for all! I think I might also watch the movies—you know, for good measure. —Me, 2020.

This quote aged well. I didn’t even pick up the first book in the Harry Potter series. I think I might have jinxed myself by being SO sure I’d read it. However, this year I am going to try even harder to get that one under my belt once and for all.

The House Of Night Series by Kristin and P.C. Cast on a bookshelf with dragon egg candles and an Artemis sculpture.

3.      Read the House of Night Series by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Last year, I planned to knock out this series as well. I’ve only read three out of twelve books, but I heard two new books came out in 2020 and I’m excited once again to read this series. After reading the tame Angel series by L.A. Weatherly, I am dying to sink my teeth into a spicier paranormal romance this year. I’ve already started the first book, so fingers crossed I keep this momentum going all year!

The Starcrossed Trilogy by Josephine Angelini. Photo by Payton Hayes.

4.      Read the Starcrossed Trilogy by Josephine Angelini

Here’s another uncompleted 2020 resolution. I definitely want to get this book read in 2021, especially since I am also craving some good ole mythological romance after devouring the Wildefire trilogy by Karsten Knight like it was candy.

5.      Read more classics

This is another resolution I had for 2020, and while I did acquire more classic literature, I haven’t yet read any of my new acquisitions. Among the new finds are, Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Lereoux, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë, and Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. I’d really love to dig into these classic reads in 2021.

The Grisha Saga by Leigh Bardugo. Photo by Payton Hayes.

6.      Read The Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Yet another uncompleted 2020 resolution—we’ll get to some new resolutions soon, I promise! Last year, I called this the Siege and Storm trilogy in my 20 Bookish Resolutions for 2020 blog post, but it’s really called the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. I think I made this mistake because I had accidentally read the Siege and Storm book first (it’s actually the second book in the series, oops!) and it’s gotten me confused ever since. This year I hope to actually read the trilogy and to read it in order this time.

7.      Read more entrepreneurial, financial, and business-related books

I did a fantastic job of reading books from this genre in 2019 and I read a few in 2020 as well, but I’d like to break up all the fantasy books with a few new entrepreneurial reads in 2021. I’d like to read some from Gary Vaynerchuck, Jen Sincero, and Napoleon hill.

8.      Complete my incomplete series by acquiring the missing books

I have several books I snagged from Dollar Tree a few years back and I’d like to get the rest of their series so I can finally read them! I picked two of them up today and saw that they were the final books in their series and was disappointed I couldn’t actually read them without spoiling them for myself. This is where buying more books is actually a good thing!

9.      Sarah J. Mass

Last year, I had planned to finally check out some of the books by Sarah J. Mass but never actually got around to it with the pandemic and all. I had a friend in college who did an entire presentation on her and have been exited to check out her writing ever since. Now that I’ve heard rumors that one of her books is getting a tv show, I absolutely have to see what all the hype is about!

10.      Read Across the Universe by Beth Revis

I reeeeeally really want to read this series. I’ve been admiring it on other bookish people’s shelves for a couple of years now and I think it’s about time I not only picked up the series but read it. The covers are stunning, and the premise just gets me every time. I need to read this series now! —Me, 2020.

I still reeeeeally really want to read this series. Looks like its time to go on  a book-buying spree (online of course!) because I also still don’t own this series yet!

11.  Killer Unicorns by Diana Peterfreund

Here’s another 2020 book goal. I’ve mentioned this series in a recent Freelancing blog post— Book Writing 101: Coming Up with Book Ideas And What To Do With Them—and it reminded me that I really need to read this series. The short story, “Errant” that Peterfreund wrote for Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love was exceptional (and even better with the audiobook to accompany your tangible copy!) and I’m still looking forward to reading more about killer unicorns—a refreshing take on the overplayed, yet majestic mythical creatures.

12.  Engage more with my online book club

Classic paperback books in a wire basket beside my vintage typewriter. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Last year I had goals of joining an IRL book club, but the pandemic really threw a monkey wrench in that one! Instead, I made a book blub channel in my discord server so my friends (whom I play World of Warcraft and other video games with) can converse about our favorite reads. As we roll into 2021, it doesn’t look like the pandemic is letting up anytime soon, so to keep myself safe and keep up the bookish conversation, I’d like to engage more with my friends in our book club channel and hopefully read more of their recommendations as well!

13.  Get another bookshelf…later

Last year I planned to get my hands on another bookshelf, but truthfully, I don’t have the space for it and I expect I’ll be moving sometime in 2021, so I’ll be holding off on that goal for a little while longer. I hope to replace my current bookshelf situation with better quality shelves, but for now, the books just continue to pile up on every available surface—the warping bookshelf I bought secondhand in 2017, the wall shelf filled to the brim with books and other fun knickknacks, and the precariously balanced stack of books growing on my floor. Here’s hoping that I get a new place before I am swimming in books—although, that many books is really more of a good problem, right? Right.

14.  Focus on my own reading goals as opposed to comparing myself to other readers

Last year I had the goal to stay current and read more books published in 2020 and read more books that were popular last year, but I’ve decided it might be better to just stay in-the-know about those kinds of books and instead try and catch up on my TBR! I’d really like to get a bunch of these bookish goals accomplished this year so I don’t have to worry about having the same goals for three years in a row!

15.  Read from a genre I don’t enjoy, again!

This year I read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (The review came out for this book last week, so check it out here!) and while I typically don’t gravitate toward dystopian fiction, I really enjoyed that novel. It certainly had more impact on me than I think it would have had I not read it during the COVID-19 pandemic, because the entire premise hit very close to home for me in 2020. Since this read was so enjoyable, I’d like to read more of Mandel’s works to dip my toes in more dystopian fiction in 2021.

16.  Take better reading notes

This is a new bookish goal for me, but I’d really like to get better about keeping notes from the books I read. I don’t really want to create a commonplace book just yet, but I have been jotting down quotes and new words I find in a little black journal and so far, that has been great! I save the page numbers so I can flip back to them anytime.

17.  Read a book to buy a book

This was a goal I had last year and while I didn’t exactly complete it, I didn’t fully fail it either. I bought a few books last year but ended up reading several of them, so technically they cancel themselves out, right? Right. I’d like to read more books that I already own and use new books as a reward for myself, though. This might help me chip away more of my TBR pile rather than just keep adding to it. (I’ll keep adding new TBRs to my Goodread’s shelf though!)

18.  Participate in a reading challenge

While I did participate in the Goodreads yearly reading challenge, I didn’t end up completing a secondary reading challenge like I had hoped. I would very much like to participate in Booktober or complete the Romance Reading Challenge for February 2021.

19.  Start one book at a time and finish it

In 2020, I had the goal to give myself permission to leave a book unfinished because all of 2019 I beat myself up about not wanting to finish certain books even though I truly didn’t enjoy reading them. I decided if it’s a slog to get through a book and the first 100 pages haven’t hooked me, then it might be better to set that book down. However, I’d like to be better about only starting one book at a time and making sure to finish it before starting another. I plan to only have one fiction book and one non-fiction book that I’m currently reading, so I don’t get stuck in reading slump, but also so that I don’t end up starting a million different books and never finishing them. Chronological order is the key here.

20.  Develop better reading habits

In 2020, my 20th bookish goal for the year was this one, and similar to goal number 18, I neither accomplished nor failed this goal because while I found it hard to get myself to read most of 2020, the pandemic was certainly a thing that happened and certainly a factor that contributed to my year-round reading slump. I’d like to get better about reading daily and carving out a space each day that I know is strictly for reading.

21.  Make more bookish friends

While my best friend, partner, and father are all avid readers, I find none of them share interest in my favorite genres other than fantasy, so I’d like to make friends with more bookish people so I can branch out and have some fresh new conversations about books and get to know what other people are reading and enjoying. Initially, I’d have hoped to accomplish this by going to an IRL book club, but as mentioned with goal number 12, that’s kind of impossible for the foreseeable future. Instead, I’ll try and make online bookish friends via Goodreads, Bookstagram, and Facebook!

And there you have it! Those are my 21 Bookish Resolutions for 2021. What do you think? Do you have any bookish resolutions for the new year? Comment below and let me know what you thought of my list!

Related Topics:

• 20 Bookish Resolutions for 2020

• Books I read in 2020

• Spring Cleaning for Writers: 10 Things Every Writer Should Do Before 2020

• How To Organize Your Digital Life: 5 Tips For Staying Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• 8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your Productivity

• 5 Actionable New Year’s Resolutions For Writers

• 8 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves in 2020

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This is a spoiler-free review.

This week, in Bookish Things, I’m doing an in-depth review of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, and boy, do I have so much to say about this book. So, with out further ado, let’s jump into the review!

[Insert satisfied, yet melancholic sigh here.]

Station Elven by Emily St. John Mandel with votive candles. Photo by Payton Hayes.

For starters, I must admit that reading this pandemic dystopian fiction in 2020 has absolutely influenced my opinion of it. The subject matter and premise felt more tangible and less like words on a page after existing during COVID-19. Station Eleven book will forever hold a special meaning for me because it represents a lot of my worst fears about how the pandemic could potentially spiral into a full-blown apocalypse scenario. This severity doesn’t seem so far-fetched. I think, if everyone read this book when the pandemic began, we’d be in a much better state right about now.

This is your friendly reminder to stay home and wear a mask if you have to go out. Trust me, we don’t want things to play out like they did in the story.

I’ll try and wrangle all my complicated feelings about this novel, but truly I feel awed and speechless. Reading Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is a lot like slowly peeling back the layers of a yellow onion— tearing it away, bit by bit until you’ve reached the center. It’s a little savory, a little sweet and it lingers, but oh, it stings, that tiny sun in your palm. The layers of this story seem to unfold all at once, past and present interwoven together like the wedded roots of a great tree—the way the overlapping storylines finally, finally click into place with the final page.

Hell is the absence of the people you long for.

—Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven, 144, Para 3.

Station Eleven is a story thick with nostalgia both for what once was and for what could have been. It’s a painfully realistic image of what life might be like thirty years after a devastating pandemic, and an economic collapse, people all over the globe desperate to survive. It’s a story of longing, sorrow, isolation, remembrance, and grief, but it’s also a story of preservation and perseverance—hope buzzing like the spark of electricity humming to life in a city just over the horizon, like a well-kept secret unleashed after decades of silence. It’s a story about survival, resilience.

These taken for granted miracles that had persisted all around them.

—Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven, 233, para 1.

The most poignant theme in this story is who and what we take for granted. During COVID-19, I learned I take a lot of mundane people and things for granted—such as grocery stores and the overnight stockers and bag boys. I always hated going out to the store before we were confined to our homes, but nowadays, I find short, necessary outings to my local supermarket (when issues arise with delivery) have become a precious commodity. And with those outings, the backbone of America—the essential workers have, in putting their lives on the line for months, enabled this country’s economy to survive against overwhelming odds.

On silent afternoons in his brother’s apartment, Jeevan found himself thinking how human the city is, how human everything is. We bemoaned the personality of the modern world, but that was a lie it seemed to him; it had never been impersonal at all. There had always been a massive delicate infrastructure of people, all of them working around us, and when people stop going to work, the entire operation grinds to a halt. No one delivers fuel to the gas stations or airports. Cars are stranded. Airplanes cannot fly. Truck remain at their points of origin. Food never reaches the cities; grocery stores close. Businesses are locked and then looted. No one comes to work at the power plants or the substations, no one removes the fallen tress from electrical lines.

—Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven, 178, para 5.

The last line struck a particular chord with me because as I was reading this book, my power went out—a rogue tree limb had fallen on our powerlines submersing my street in complete darkness for the better part of a day. I felt like a forgotten dweller of the Undersea, longing for light and warmth where it seemed none was promised.

Station Elven cover art photo. Found on npr.org.

The scariest thing about this story overall is most certainly the way Mandel explains how the collapse happened— how the pandemic spread across the globe like wildfire, consuming entire cities, and leaving crumbling civilizations in its wake, how phones and the internet went down and then electricity, and finally how gasoline staled and left people with zero communication and zero transportation. But then again, where could they go? The entire world was affected. It’s a very real possibility— a horror story rooted more so in reality than in the fantastical.

It's a story about what we leave behind, what we carry with us—baggage from a life and world before, and new beginning and just what else this awakening world might contain.

And then there’s the unwillingness to comprehend the outbreak and the severity of it, even as it is presented by the news, the unwillingness to comprehend what it meant. The panic. After getting an alarming phone call from his nurse friend Hua, Jeevan rushes to the local store and fills seven shopping carts with groceries before pushing them miles through the snow to his brother’s apartment where they hole up there for weeks. Sound familiar?

He woke at 3:00 in the morning, shivering. The news had worsened. The fabric was unraveling. It will be hard to come back from this, the thought, because in those first days it was still inconceivable that civilization might not come back from this at all. 

—Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven, 239, para 2.

Station Eleven is an impeccably cleverly written glimpse into the not-so-far-off future of modern society following a terrible pandemic. The way Mandel lays out the puzzle pieces before the reader so that as the pages turn, the parts fall into place is beyond exceptional. I can typically see plots like this from a mile away and usually have the story figured out by the time I reach the last page. Mandel kept me guessing and wondering what all the interconnecting pieces meant. When it all came together, I was astonished.

And that’s it for my in-depth review of Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven! Have you read this book? What are your thoughts on it? How do you think it applies to our current circumstances with COVID-19 and 2020? Let me know in the comments below!

Check out my other book reviews!

—Payton

This is a spoiler-free review.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly. Photo by Payton Hayes.

This week in Bookish Things, I’m doing an in-depth review on L.A. Weatherly’s Angel Trilogy! This is a series I have been meaning to read for so long, picked it up in the summer of 2019, and didn’t finish it until just before the end of 2020! After reading Hush, Hush, I needed a new paranormal romance to do with angels and I honestly thought this one was going to be my next fave. I had such high hopes for this trilogy, and even skipped reading Hush, Hush this year, to make sure I knocked it out before 2021!

“It’s worth it you know,” said Alex, smiling into my eyes.

“What is?” I said.

His thumb moved slowly over my cheek. “All of this. Having you. It’s worth—anything.”

—L.A. Weatherly, Angel

I’m going to start off with my least favorite parts of the series and then end on some positives. This biggest issue I had with the story was the romance. It just didn’t do it for me. I enjoyed the characters and felt like they really meshed well together, but the romance was just lacking and left me wishing we’d gotten to see more of it. However, I understand this series leaned more on the young side of YA Paranormal fiction, than adult.

“There is no greater universe than holding you…”

—L.A. Weatherly, Angel

Secondly, I hated the angels. I know that was the point of the story—they’re not exactly the good guys in this one! But I almost found the passages that had to do with the angels themselves to be unbearable and I often wondered, did we really need to read this? But of course, we did, it was in fact, important to character development and progressing the plot. I just couldn’t hardly stand reading about them because I despised them SO MUCH.

Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly. Photo by Payton Hayes.

On the other hand, though, the characters in this series were SO GOOD. The main character was certainly a refreshing take on the special girl trope, as were her peers. I found myself enchanted and enamored with all of the characters and was often rooting for them. There were times that this series hurt my feelings as I read because the characters would say or do something to each other and I couldn’t help but think, oh, my heart. Did you really have to say/do that? And of course, they did have to say/do that because tension and plot devices.

Another story element that L.A. Weatherly does well in her Angel trilogy is she really created a new, refreshing depiction of angels that I’ve never seen before. In Angel Burn, Angel Fire, and Angel Fever, angels are malicious, otherworldly beings who feed on human life forces and leave the people they’ve fed from irreparably damaged in their wake. In the story, AKs, or Angel Killers hunt angels by shifting their consciousness up through their chakra points so they can see the angel’s halos—their Achille’s heels—and then they shoot them down. The way angels (monsters) and angel killers (monster hunters) are portrayed in the Angel trilogy really give a new presentation of the monster hunter theme often seen in YA paranormal fiction.

The prose was expertly crafted, and the characters voices felt believable and unique. The protagonists garnered reader investment and the villains warranted loathing, as they should have. The story’s premise was a new and refreshing delineation and the mythology easily believable and digestible. The narration alternates between both Alex and Willow smoothly and seamlessly. The romance albeit lackluster aptly served to drive the plot along rather than simply being romance for romance’s sake. Overall, if I had to rate this series on a 5-star scale, I’d give it a 3.5, only for the fact that the romance just didn’t cut it for me. To be fair, I was measuring it up against Hush, Hush, and of course, it didn’t stand a chance in hell (yes, pun intended.)

And that’s it for my in-depth review of the Angel trilogy by L.A. Weatherly! Have you read this series? What did you think of it? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Check out my other book reviews.

Thumbnail photo by Payton Hayes.

—Payton

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This is a spoiler-free review.

This week in Bookish Things, we’re discussing Ghosted by Rosie Walsh. This book review was my contribution to the 15th Street News’ special 50th Edition Newspaper! Check them out here.

Almost every one of us can relate to the sour feeling and phenomenon of being “ghosted” and what it feels like to never hear from someone again. For those who have read Gillian Flynn’s psychological romantic thriller, Gone Girl, Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce and/or anything by Llane Moriarty, then you may have heard about The Man Who Didn’t Call or Ghosted by Rosie Walsh. This book is a romantic thriller from cover to cover and I devoured this fantastic summer contemporary like it was candy. Or perhaps, honey is the better word; the prose is so smooth and sweet, and it draws you in and keeps you hooked until the end. I ate up this short 174-page whirlwind of a tragic love story within the span of a single day, if that tells you how truly wrapped up in it, I was.

There’s no better feeling than picking up the perfect book for your current season of life— the ideal read you’re just craving. I nabbed this book just before summer started and left it sitting on my shelf for weeks before I realized what gold lay in store or me within its pages. I picked it up around July and was left hungering for more as soon as I’d put it down. Ghosted was sweet, to be sure, but it was also equal parts heartwarming, and heartbreaking, gushworthy, swoonworthy, and it’s a story I will always look back fondly on.

This contemporary romance has everything you could ever want— complex relationships that make your heart ache, flawed, yet deeply loveable, compelling characters, multiple layers of secrets/intrigue guaranteed to keep the pages turning, a pacing that you’ll find makes you hold your breathe one moment and sigh out of relief the next, and a premise that is just utterly dazzling. The TWIST was so, so good.

“Seven perfect days. Then He disappeared. A love story with a secret at it’s heart” —Rosie Walsh, Ghosted.

An underlying theme in this book, much like Walsh’s other works is the protagonist who is not what he or she seems. Layers of mystery woven together pull readers in ever deeper the longer they read and leaves them eager for more even after the mystery is solved. Walsh makes clever use of Facebook posts and text messages to build suspense— an apt strategy for creating a compelling and relatable read for many readers today.

Although it was hard to break away from the story, I found myself having to put the book down a few times because certain scenes were just so raw and deeply moving to me. And I would chalk this up to personal response, however after a quick glance at other reader’s reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, it’s clear I am not the only one who felt this way.

“I was ready to hate this book. I didn't pick it up for an entire day, not wanting the story to go the way I thought it was. But it called me to just see, just see how it ends. And I couldn't put it down until it was though!” —Angie on Amazon, July 28, 2018.

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh. Photo by Payton Hayes.

I was honestly touched by the unforeseen way mental illness was portrayed and the kind of dysfunctional relationships that can be wrapped up in it. I had a lump in my throat throughout these scenes because Walsh just gets it. It is always refreshing to read an author that is able to examine something from multiple perspectives, especially subjects as complex as mental illness, loss, bitterness, and tragedy. Walsh lovingly and honestly wrote around these sensitive topics with great empathy and care.

This book gets a lot of criticism for having a contrived plot, unrealistic characters, and cringe-inducing writing. I simply have to disagree. From the outside looking in, someone being “ghosted” may seem obsessed, childish, and naïve. However, I implore these readers to think back to when they were treated this way (or imagine it, if they have never experienced this) and consider how painfully unyielding this experience truly is. Closure is never promised and although people joke endlessly about “ghosting” each other on social media, its wound for some, that may never truly heal.

“This plot is focused and squeezes its reader into the manic grip of Sarah’s growing insanity, dragging us on a journey that is both obsessive and dryly comical.” —Kristin on Goodreads, July 9, 2018.

I should also say that I typically see plot twists coming from a mile away. I’m the kind of reader who has to cover the bottom-half of the page with my hand to keep my eyes from darting down as I read, eager to know whether I’ve figured out the twist just before it happens. However, this plot twist shocked me. If you think you know where this story is going, you’re wrong.

Ghosted is a real hold-your-breath-squeal-as-you-read-grit-your-teeth-can’t-stop-smiling kind of book and is absolutely the perfect summer read. (Also great for the fall if you love cozying up with a sweet read and your favorite warm beverage.) If you love Liane Moriarty’s writing, I am confident you will also love Ghosted.

You can find Ghosted by Rosie Walsh here.

Check out the 15th Street News here.

And that’s it for my review of Rosie Walsh’s Ghosted. What do you think of this novel? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Read more of my book reviews!

Thumbnail photo by Payton Hayes.

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends,

This week in Bookish Things, we’re taking a look at my reading routine. I always love seeing how other people curate their perfect reading experiences and I know it seems to be a popular topic in the bookish world, so I figured, why not? So, snuggle up, get cozy, grab a warm beverage, and let’s take a look, shall we?

Vegan gummies and green tea. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Sips and snacks

I can never read on an empty stomach, and especially not if it’s a book that talks about food often or makes you crave certain dishes. I’m looking at you, Night Circus, with your caramel corn and other carnival treats! I probably just made you hungry for that, huh. Sorry! Anyways, I usually eat before reading or bring a snack with me and I always bring a drink either way. If you read my blog post, 20 Bookish Facts About Me, you might know, my go-tos for bookish beverages are either a hot black tea, a hot/iced mocha latte, or a nice glass of rose. Lately however, I have been enjoying Arizona Green Tea and these adorable and yummy candy kittens. (Yes, they’re vegan!) If this blog post is making you hungry, stay tuned for next week’s Bookish Things post because I will be covering 10 when a book made me hungry.

Cozy reading space

Of course, I also can’t read in an uncomfortable position, because that gets old really quick. Instead, I opt for a cozy armchair by the furnace, a nice, shady spot outside, or a good ole pillow nest if it’s a bit chilly. Either way, comfy clothes and blankets are essential. I prefer to read in a pillow nest on my bed, with blankets and my favorite pair of pajamas. I’d also recommend reading in the woods, on the beach, and some place new to you! These are all great ways to spice up your reading experience.

Clear panel booklight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Ambiance and lighting

This one sort of ties in with the previous item in this list, but if you want to amp up the coziness factor, candles, mood lighting, and aromatherapy are key. I light either soy-based candles or put on my essential oil diffuser for a two-birds-one-stone kind of solution.  String lights or other soft lighting such as salt lamps are a great way to bring in some warmth and light to you reading space. Of course, if you have a fireplace, that’s always a great place to read. Piggybacking on that, reading lights can be a great way to keep the reading going late into the night. I am currently loving this flat reading lamp from Shein. (Later in this post, I mention how our power is currently out due to the ice storm, and I just have to say, this reading light has been a life-saver!)

Book and a notebook. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Taking notes while reading

I keep track of information during my reading process in a few different ways. Lately I have been using a plain, lined journal to keep words and definitions in. I sometimes like to jot down words that resonate with me so I can reference them later on. In my bullet-journal (and on Goodreads, let’s be honest here) I like to keep track of my reading progress by writing down how many pages I read each day. I sometimes like to highlight particularly striking passages and then leave a sticky tab on the edge of the page so I can find it easily and quickly if needed.

Books, a booklight, vegan gummies and green tea. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Reading regularly

I have been trying for years to establish a daily reading routine, but I’m still not quite there yet. What can I say? I am a mood reader, not an escapist reader! Anyhow, I try to read as often as possible and never let myself go more than two days without reading. Sometimes life gets in the way— for instance, I am writing this as the great Oklahoma Ice Storm of 2020 is happening and our power is currently out all over the Midwest City area. We are running off a generator at the moment, but before we got that set up, all I could do to pass the time was read. Suffice it to say, I was well-prepared to read for a few months…

I digress. My point is just that, as a mood-reader it is extremely hard for me to get myself to read daily, but that’s no excuse to not read regularly. Like I said, my 2-day rule is what keeps me reading often. If you are a mood reader too, consider trying this method to see if it helps. Additionally, keeping track of your reading progress might incentivize you to keep working through your TBR.

And that’s it for my reading routine! How do you read? What is your preferred reading environment like? Do you eat/drink while you read or prefer to just soak in the book instead? Let me know in the comments below!

Related topics:

21 Bookish Resolutions for 2021

20 Bookish Facts About Me

Read more from Bookish Things!

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This week I wanted to bring things in a little closer to home and share a bit about myself here on the blog. I thought sharing twenty bookish facts about me would be a fun, on-brand way to do that so without further ado, lets get into the list!

1. I am not an escapist reader but rather a mood reader. I am not the kind of person who reads to escape reality and especially not when I am stressed or busy. I don’t read to procrastinate or anything like that. I am what you’d call a mood reader because I have to be in the right headspace to sit down and become meaningfully engrossed in a book for any period of time.

2.  Certain songs remind me of books and books remind me of certain songs. Like for instance, I think the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson pairs really nicely with any of Juliet Simms’ work from when she was in the band Automatic Loveletter, namely her song “Let It Ride.” I mean how on-brand is that? Likewise, in middle and high school I used to listen to music while I read (don’t ask me how I did it, I couldn’t do that now) and so now, some songs transport me back to that time when I listen to them and I can still vividly remember how whatever I was reading made me feel.

3.  I’m a chronic book-starter and I’m typically reading about five books at any time. In 2021 I want to be better about this and hopefully try to read more than one genre at a time because it seems like I just keep starting fantasy books and slowly chipping away at them as my TBR pile grows in the background.

4. I’m better at finishing a series than finishing stand-alone books but its harder for me to get invested in a series because I know it will take longer to finish.

5.  I cannot read horrors or thrillers before bed or I will not sleep. I save the scary stories for daylight reading.

6.  My bookish beverage of choice is usually black tea, but sometimes I’ll spring for a coffee or if I’m feeling really fancy I will have a glass of rose’. I will also welcome the occasional Thai bubble tea.

7.  I don’t like reading in public because someone always interrupts my reading by asking me what I’m reading and proceeding to have a conversation about it even though I try to make it quite obvious that I want to get back to my book.

8.  I’ve never read Harry Potter. I know, I can hear the angry mob with their pitchforks coming for me as we speak. The thing is, as a kid I wasn’t a super strong reader and I also wasn’t into mainstream media. I just didn’t want to get into it because everyone I knew was obsessed and I wanted to be different.  I know, I was a rebel from the start. I would like to read it sometime soon, though because I am almost done watching the movies and I’d like to see how the movies compare to the books.

9.  I am a HUGE book crybaby. I cry during happy and sad scenes. I cry when characters die or when lovers break up or even when the book ends if it was particularly good.

10. I don’t like to know much about a book before I start it. I really love the idea of having a blind date with a book. (Not the actual book buying service, but that too!) If a book is spoiled for me, I will avoid reading it for years to try and forget whatever spoilers I read/heard.

The Hush, Hush Saga by Becca Fitzpatrick audiobook and paperback. Photo by Payton Hayes.

11. I love audiobooks. Some people will say they are hit or miss or that the narrator will make or break a book for them, but I personally have loved every audiobook I’ve ever listened to. I might just be lucky but still, I think I don’t really have a preference unlike most readers. I’m a really auditory person—I love music, nature sounds, ambient noise, ASMR, and podcasts so it makes sense that I’d love audiobooks as well. They’re so great for multitasking when you want to read and do menial tasks around the house or listen to a book while driving. However, if I am listening to a fantasy audiobook, I must be reading a hardcopy along with it or the story will just not stick in my brain.  

12. I am not a car reader. The aforementioned audiobook is great because I cannot, for the life of me, read in the car. I get dizzy and carsick and it’s just not a fun time.

13. I am not a journal-keeper. Though I am planning to change that. I have never been one to keep a journal or diary. There was a brief stint in middle school when I wrote my heart out about your run of the mill angsty teenager stuff but other than that, I’ve really not done much chronicling of my life and I think I’d like to start doing that. I’d really love to be able to look back on more than just ticket stubs and photos.

14.  I will read in the bathtub and in the pool. I ain’t scared! There’s something so relaxing sitting in the pool on a warm summer day with a good book and a mimosa or just chilling in the bubble bath with a nice rose’.

15. I have to put my phone away while reading because I will just get too distracted. Ironically enough, I usually just end up on bookstagram or booktube.

16.  I primarily prefer reading adult/young adult fiction. Paranormal romance, romantic thrillers, horror, psychological thrillers, motivation/entrepreneurial advice, and fantasy are my favorite genres to read.

17.  I love well-loved books. Granted that they’re still in good condition, I love books that have been dog-eared, written in, highlighted, etc. It’s so fascinating finding out what stuck out to other readers as they consumed a story. I actually paid the difference for one of my rental textbooks in college instead of returning it because there were so many interesting notes in the margins. It just fun seeing how books take on new lives and to be able to connect with other readers through the notes they’ve left behind.

18.  I love reading at night or while its raining.

19.  My bookshelf is a mess. I mean it might be due to the fact that I only have one bookshelf and over a hundred books, but still. There’s some organization going on, such as with series—I like to keep series together—but other than that, there’s no real rhyme or reason. Not even by genre or book cover color scheme. :/

20.  I absolutely judge books by their covers. :D

And that’s it for my twenty bookish facts about me! What are your favorite genres to read? What’s your bookish beverage of choice? And do you judge books by their covers? Let me know a little bit about you and your bookish quirks in the comments below!

Related Topics:

• 3 Bookish Things Tag

• I Did The "Do I Have That Book Challenge?"

• 20 Bookish Resolutions for 2020

• 2019 Book Wrap-Up: All The Books I Read In 2019

Thumbnail photo by Kaye RD.

— Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This is a spoiler-free review!

This week in bookish things, I’m doing something a little different. I decided I wanted to cover two books in one review because I wanted to compare the writing style of the two authors, the way these stories set the tone for the two World of Warcraft expansions that followed them, and my thoughts on the way these authors wove virtual game lore into a palatable, fully fledged storyline. These books are part of the World of Warcraft canon. There will be links to everything mentioned throughout and at the end of this blog post for your convenience.

Shadows Rising by Madeline Roux and Before the Storm by Christie Golden. Photo by Payton Hayes.

I am so excited to finally discuss these books. I’ve read books from the Warcraft universe before and I’ve very much enjoyed them, but these books were different from the War of the Ancients trilogy or the Stormrage book and other novels by Richard A. Knaak. I unfortunately was out of the loop when previous Warcraft novels came out as storyline precursors to their following expansions such as Christie Golden’s Warcrimes that came before the Warlords of Draenor expansion. But this time around I was able to read the two most recent books that tie into the storyline and set the pace before the coming expansions.

My first run in with reading a book that precedes their video game counterpart was Christie Golden’s Before The Storm, which I absorbed via the audiobook while it was available for free on Blizzard’s YouTube channel. I really enjoyed reading this novel and it certainly amped up my own excitement for the following expansion, Battle for Azeroth to come out shortly after. While I wouldn’t say BFA was my favorite expansion by any means, it was really neat to get a look at the upcoming storylines and to get a better understanding of the overall tone and direction of the expansion in preparation for release.

Since I had such a great experience with reading previous Warcraft novels as well as Before the Storm, I thought why not read Madeline Roux’s Shadows Rising as well. I, as well as many of my friends and guildies were incredibly excited for this next expansion to come out, and while the news of the delay was not what many players wanted to hear, I can’t deny that I personally, was pleased to have more time to finish reading Shadows Rising before BFA is officially over. Now that I’ve finished reading it, I’d like to discuss my thoughts on the two books and how they compare.

Before The Storm by Christie Golden.

Before the Storm

As mentioned, this was my first time reading a Warcraft novel in preparation of an upcoming expansion and I very much enjoyed it. Even though I did read it via audiobook, Josh Keaton did a wonderful job narrating the story in a clear, enunciated way so I could easily digest what I was hearing. Personally, I think the novel was expertly written, the pacing was excellent and kept me hooked the entire time, and Golden aptly captured the essences of all our beloved fantasy characters. However, as someone who plays the game on both sides—Horde and Alliance—I can very clearly see why many readers complained about the Horde side of the story not being adequately portrayed or there at least not being enough page time for the Horde experience. I personally agree that the story overall leaned quite heavily into the Alliance perspective and that of the Horde experience that was depicted, was mostly negative and revolved around Sylvannas being a bad person. I am not sure how much of this was intentional since the game itself receives a lot of criticism from Alliance players who believe Blizzard favors the Horde and therefore typically tends to give them the better stories, but I can’t help but feel for Horde readers who were looking for more out of this book. Overall, I would give it a 4-star rating since the writing is excellent, there are many heart-felt relatable moments, and the story is very well crafted. But it is true that the story leans heavily in favor of the Alliance perspective.

Shadows Rising by Madeline Roux.

Shadows Rising

Can I just.

This book was phenomenal. The writing incredible, the characters believable and compelling, and the story felt very, VERY well balanced between the Horde and Alliance perspectives. I really enjoyed playing through the Horde story in BFA and getting to see all the characters I came to love throughout that story come to life again in the novel was really great. I read this book via the audiobook and the hardcover and although Susan Wokoma’s character voices took some getting used to, her narrating was spectacular. I would give this book a 5-star rating because everything—from compelling characters and enchanting settings, to expertly woven plotlines and pager-turner pacing—was on point and that Horde/Alliance balance was certainly there as well. While I don’t necessarily think this novel contained anything we particularly needed to know for the upcoming expansion, it served to revamp my own excitement for Shadowlands.

I really enjoyed both of these Warcraft novels and I will likely read more of them in the future. I don’t think either writer is better than the other—they simply had different writing styles and different stories to tell. I think it is important for video game lore like with the Warcraft novels, that if there are two sides to the story, readers from either side feel equally included and there is equal coverage of the Horde and Alliance perspective throughout. If I had to pick one over the other, I would say Shadows Rising would be my favorite of the two. Perhaps I am just biased towards our Zappy boy.

One thing is true for both of these novels and that’s that they got me really excited for the expansions following in their wake. Before the Storm sowed the seeds of Sylvannas’ treachery and established Anduin’s altruism and Shadows Rising shows how the Horde and Alliance tries to mend themselves after the fourth war and sets the stage for players and readers alike to venture into the Shadowlands. Both stories serve as a hype device, but they also tie up loose ends in the stories, lend insight into character motivations, and help establish the tone and direction for the coming expansion.

And that’s it for my double book review special covering Before the Storm by Christie Golden and Shadows Rising by Madeleine Roux. What did you think of these novels? If you haven’t reads them yet, please check them out at the links below. How did the make you feel about the expansions coming after them? Are you excited for Shadowlands? Let me know in the comments below!

Before the Storm and Shadows Rising amidst Warcraft comics and poetry books on my shelf. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Mentioned in this blog post:

Warcrimes by Christie Golden

Before The Storm by Christie Golden

Shadow’s Rising by Madeline Roux

War of the Ancients by Richard A. Knaak

Stormrage by Richard A. Knaak

World of Warcraft Shadowlands Expansion Delayed

World of Warcraft Shadowlands

BlizzardWatch’s list of all Warcraft Stories in Print (Not Mentioned, but useful)

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

Last week in Bookish Things, I reviewed Karsten Knight’s Wildefire Trilogy and this week, we’re going over ten times I was attacked by the five senses while reading. I got this idea from C. G. Drews of Paperfury (she’s SUPER awesome so don’t forget to check her out!) Some of our experiences overlap and I’ sure you guys can relate so keep reading to find out more about ten times when I was assaulted by the five senses while reading.

From elaborate writing that triggers your sense of smell or makes you hungry to sticky library books—that elicit a far more physical response—I’ve had plenty of run-ins with the senses while reading. This is a phrase C. G. uses in her blog post about the same topic, and I can totally relate to how she feels. I personally feel like I’m equally as sensory perceptive as she is and many of her own stories of sensory assault while reading hit close to home for me. While I don’t easily remember math formulas or Pi in its entirety, there is a little corner of my brain dedicated to immortalizing these sensory experiences so I can drool and shudder at them for all eternity.

With that being said, let’s talk about

I’ve also written blog posts on Immersive Reading With Audio Books and Reading With the Five Senses. I must really love sensory posts, huh? I also plan to write one that covers books that made me really hungry in the future so stay tuned!

1.  The time when a library book cover was sticky

I had to put this one at the top of the list for obvious reasons. Sketchy, sticky substances on library book covers are so beyond upsetting. *Gag noises* ugh, just give me a minute to collect myself here.

This hasn’t happened to me for a while since I’ve been buying my own books as opposed to happening upon a blood-soiled book cover in the library. It’s blood, isn’t it?

Don’t get me wrong, libraries and bookstores are incredible and quite possibly my favorite place to be, short of a secluded forest or curled up, cozy in my covers with a good book. But the truth is, this unfortunate occurrence has happened more times than I’d like to remember and it’s always with library books. I’m still shuddering.

2.  The time a book fell apart when I picked it up

I usually get my books at half-priced bookstores, thrift shops, and library sales, but this actually happened to me in the sanctity of my own home. The audacity of some books, smh. My dad was going through some old items and told me I could have a book that had belonged to my mom. It was The Lady of The Lake by Sir Walter Scott, published by Maynard Merrill, & Co., published in 1908. I picked it up and the front cover came clear off the book.

The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott. Photo by Payton Hayes.

This 100+ year old book just…

DISENTIGRATED

IN MY HANDS

Yeah. Just like that.

R.I.P. Lady of The Lake.

3. The time a book I damaged a book’s cover

Here’s a throwback. This is an olddddddd photo of me with said book back in high school. Thank God for puberty. Photo by Payton Hayes.9

Okay, book police, cuff me and haul me away now, because yes, this most certainly is a travesty. For a good chunk of 9th grade, I carried around a trilogy that came in the form of one, massive tome of a book—the War of the Ancients Trilogy by Richard A. Knaak. It’s keystone story in the World of Warcraft universe and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It took me a long time to read it because a) the sheer volume of that thing. It had to be like, what, 800+ pages or something? It was A BRICK. and because b) it was my first year of high school and I was dealing with a lot as a freshman, so sadly reading got put on the back burner for a while. 

That being said, this book spent a lot of 2012 sitting around in my backpack, being carried around with my less-appreciated school textbooks and binder, left behind in classrooms as I struggled to get from one high school hellhole to the next. And thus, that book was certainly worse for wear.

And it was totally my fault. I often considered stealing that book from MCHS because of it’s quaint, “well-loved” (let’s be real, I treated that book like garbage 😭.) quality and replacing it with a new version so students before me could appreciate the words with in it without being distracted by how dusty and bedraggled my copy was. Legend has it, that book is still in my old high school’s library to this day.

I don’t know, I just find something charming in a well-loved, worn book. I’ve added a quote from Jocelyn of the 52 Letters in the Alphabet Blog because she just so perfectly describes how I feel about this:

In these crumpled pages and broken spines are signs that these books have been loved, not just by me, but by my entire family. There is history trapped in these books, and to replace them in the name of cleanliness would destroy that history. When I see these worn-out books, I smile, because they make me remember just how much I’ve loved them throughout the years.

—Jocelyn of 52 Letters in the Alphabet

Read more of her blog post about broken spines and crumpled pages here.

And that’s just how I feel about the massive brick of a book I read back in high school and how I feel about many of my own well-loved books. I remember what it was like to carry them around in and out of school, to stay up into the unholy hours of the night ravenously devouring them, and to come back to the little imperfections they developed as a result of my reading them year after year and it’s special.

4. The time a book cover wasn’t even

When I bought Shadow and Bone, the first book in the like-named trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, I was absolutely stunned. This was my first time seeing the front cover of a book not line up flush with the edges of the pages and the back cover.  AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITH THE OTHER TWO BOOKS, Ruin and Rising, and Siege and Storm. Honestly, what is the point of this? So, you can have those little strips of red and gold? I just don’t understand. My copies of Station Eleven and Ghosted are like this too. I can’t comprehend the purpose of this design choice. C.G. says she thought it was a printing error, and honestly, same. I don’t know if I can take another uneven book cover. 😵

The Grisha Saga by Leigh Bardugo. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Three Books with uneven covers. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Three Books with uneven covers. Photo by Payton Hayes.

A book with deckled edges. Photo by Payton Hayes.

5.  My first time with deckled edges

Piggybacking on the note about uneven book covers, deckled edges are another book design choice that caught me off guard. I thought this was a print design error as well. My first run-in with deckeled edges was in the Midwest City Dollar tree where I found a ton of really neat books but they ALL had deckled edges. My first instinct was that they were imperfect copies or something, but noooo. They were like that on purpose.

I repeat:

WHY???

6. The time the cover was soft or pettable

Okay, so deckled is a word and pettable isn’t? Microsoft Word, I want a refund!

I’ve actually seen this a few times in my bookish adventures but the first time I stumbled upon pettable covers it threw me. I personally prefer glossy or matte covers, but the ones with the velvet-y, hairlike texture is another thing entirely. When my sister and I found ourselves in the book aisle at Walmart, we were met with this combination of upset, cringe, and intrigue as we picked up a velvet-covered, forest-green YA fantasy novel and it practically purred as we stroked the cover. Okay, maybe it didn’t purr, but it made my sister shudder in disgust and that was entertaining. I liked the texture, but it’s safe to say that she’s not much of a fan.

Also R.I.P.Kobe.

7. Raised Titles (Also Pettable)

On a similar note as the soft and pettable covers thing, raised titles are just the best. I mean you could probably think of a handful of books with raised lettering and whether its matte or glossy, it’s nice to just sit and stroke the letters while murmuring incoherently and drooling at the…

Oh, just me?

Okay.

But you can’t deny that raised letters are quite satisfying. The Angel Trilogy by L.A. Weatherly comes to mind for me. I may or may not spend time gently tracing the raised letters and lovely, intricate gold filigree as I read. Totally normal. Who would not do this? Also, raised titles always seem to make the book feel a whole lot fancier and shinier and more precious!

8. Broken Spines

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Coming back around to broken spines and well-loved books, I have to mention my first time with a book that had a broken spine. This was actually pretty recent for me—about a week ago, I realized I was missing some classics from my collection and went to the half-priced book store to pick them up. I stumbled across a few copies of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mocking Bird and they were all pretty trashed. However, I did find one with it’s cover mostly intact and only the running, jagged lines down the spine serving as the only other indication this book had seen some things. I personally don’t think I have it in me to break a book’s spines but I know it doesn’t make a book any less whole if it has a broken spine. Just think of it this way—it’s a lot easier to read now, right?

9. Audiobooks

Okay, so this is an obvious one, but audiobooks are undoubtedly a sensory experience. And don’t even get me started on the dramatized versions. I once bought the Fellowship of the Ring dramatized audiobook and it caught me so off guard. There were character voices and music and all kinds of nonsense that I was just not ready for.

10. That good, good book smell

If you’re at all bookish, then you must have, at least once in your life, sniffed a book. I can’t explain it, it’s just heavenly. Brb real quick, I have to go find a book to sniff.

Inhale. Exhale.

Ah, there it is—that wonderfully paper-y scent with notes of ink and dead tree flesh.

Okay, now I know I sound like a crazy person.

But I see you, you book-sniffer, you. Don’t think I don’t know that you’ve done this too.

Enjoy these carefully selected book-sniffing memes for your viewing pleasure.

And that’s it for my ten sensory reading experiences. Are there any particular sensory memories that stick out to you? Can you relate to any of these? And please answer if you (a) sniff books, (b) enjoy petting textured covers, and (c) how you feel about deckled edges! Let me know in the comments below!

And don’t forget to check out C.G.’s post here! I wouldn’t have thought to write this post if it wasn’t for her!

Check out my post 10 Times A Book Made Me Hungry and read more from Reader Life and Bookish Things!

—Payton

This is a spoiler-free review!

Hi readers and writerly friends! Below is my review of Wildfire Trilogy by Karsten Knight! Check out my other book reviews here!

The Wildfire Trilogy by Karsten Knight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Wildfire By Karsten Knight

This book review starts with my first-ever book hunt in my Midwest City Dollar-Tree. I was shopping for some containers and noticed the store had an awful lot of books and many of them I’d either seen before, heard of the authors before, or the covers were just so gorgeous that I couldn’t help myself. I think I left the store with 20+ books. And guess what book just happened to be amidst all those tomes I scurried out of the store with? That’s right—the aforementioned Wildefire by Karsten Knight. I had no clue what this book was about. I’d never heard of the author or the title and the only reason I bought it was because the lovely cover sucked me in, and the punchy writing kept me hooked. It’s true, I totally judge books by the cover.

It’s been on my to-be-read list for quite some time now, and I fear I might not have seriously picked it up if it weren’t for COVID-19. But I am SO glad that I did, because once I got into it, I couldn’t stop. I binged the series in less than a week and found myself highlighting passages because the writing was JUST.THAT.GOOD.

The Wildfire Trilogy by Karsten Knight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

As per the Wildefire Goodreads page:

Every flame begins with a spark.

Blackwood Academy was supposed to be a fresh start for Ashline Wilde. A secluded boarding school deep in the heart of California’s redwood forests, three thousand miles from her old life—it sounded like the new beginning she needed after an act of unspeakable violence left a girl in her hometown dead. But Blackwood is far from the peaceful haven Ashline was searching for. Because terrifying, supernatural beasts roam the forests around campus. Because the murderer from Ashline’s hometown—her own sister—has followed her across the country. Because a group of reincarnated gods and goddesses has been mysteriously summoned to Blackwood...and Ashline’s one of them.

—Karsten Knight, Wildefire, Goodreads.com

The Wildfire Trilogy by Karsten Knight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

The Wildfire Trilogy by Karsten Knight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

The Wildfire Trilogy by Karsten Knight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

I can confidently say, that if you enjoyed reading ANY of Rick Riordan’s mythological fiction, you would likely love this series. I would categorize it as a mythological thriller because it revolves around reincarnated gods and goddesses from all different kinds of mythologies including Norse, Greek, Roman, Polynesian, Japanese, Mayan, and Aztec, and it was an absolute page turner! Without spoiling, the YA fiction is centered around the main protagonist Ashline Wilde and her newfound friends at Blackwood Academy in Southern California. She and her friends find themselves face-to-face with some unsettling foes—the seemingly nefarious cloak, inky, black creatures with singular blue flames for eyes. They are all given unique quests to carry out as they familiarize themselves with their own newly realized god/goddess abilities and struggle to fit in with their mundane, human classmates. However, school life quickly becomes the least of their worries when Ashline’s treacherous older sister appears out of the blue, other gods force Ashline and her friends to go on the offensive, and schoolmates end up caught in the crossfire.

The Wildfire Trilogy by Karsten Knight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

I of course, don’t want to give too much away because I implore you, dear readers, to please give this series a try. The pacing was fantastic (and kept me turning pages into the wee hours of the night), the characters were compelling as all-get-out, and the prose was simply exquisite.       

I can only describe Wildefire by Karsten Knight, through the title—a ruthless wildfire that swept through me, a ravenous hunger to breathe, sleep, eat, and drink in the entire story until I’ve had my fill. Unfortunately, now that I’ve actually finished it, I can’t help but want more. This story was a whirlwind of romance, mythos, angst, and a deep desire to belong. It was a wild ride and I enjoyed every second of it.

Every one of the characters are carefully constructed. You can clearly tell that Knight took his time fleshing out each character from the names down to their personality traits and compelling developments over the course of the trilogy. Everything was intentional. At times, I saw myself in Ashline Wilde, and at others, she felt like my best friend—as if we’d known each other forever and I was just now embarking on this insane journey with her. Books that achieve this level of relatability in the character-reader relationship can hard to find. Each and every character is meaningful and when some of them leave the story, it comes like a punch to the gut.

If you need more reasons why I LOVED this series, I’ve left a few below:

• The writing—duh! Fantastic, believable, well-written prose laced within an excellent premise that upsets me for the sheer fact that I had not come up with it first.

• Compelling, relatable characters that make you swoon, cry, and grit your teeth.

• Knight’s expert ability to weave and interweave plots within plots to create a constantly enthralling and complex storyline that is guaranteed to keep you turning pages.

• The mythology. Like I said, if you enjoyed Percy Jackson or any of Rick Riordan’s prose, you would likely enjoy this series simply for the employment of many different kinds of mythologies. The mythos used in Karsten Knight’s Wildefire is well-researched and expertly infused within believable character development. It doesn’t seem forced at all and where creative license is used, it is minimal and justified.

• While it’s a paranormal YA fiction, set (initially) against the backdrop of a boarding school, Knight’s take on centuries’ old mythology and paranormal romance is new, interesting, and refreshing.

But don’t just take my word on it. Read it for yourself here.

And that’s it for my spoiler-free review of Karsten Knight’s Wildefire trilogy. As promised, there’s a personal life update just below here, but I wanted to thank all of you who took the time to read this review. It honestly means the world to me. If you enjoyed this post, please consider signing up for my newsletter here! Tweet me or comment below if you decide to read this book and let me know what you thought of it!

Read more of my book reviews!

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This week in Bookish Things, we’re getting spicy again with some unpopular bookish opinions. So buckle up, grab the pop corn, and lets get into it because I’m not holding back! (Don’t worry, no book burning here, but perhaps heretic burning…🔥)

1. The Divergent Series.

(Whoa, whoa, whoa. I see you, angry mob. Yes you, with the torches and pitchforks. Lay your siege weapons down, for just a moment and allow me to share my thoughts before you burn me at the stake.) 🔥

To bee completely fair, I didn’t ready the Divergent Series, but that’s just the issue. I started Veronica Roth’s dystopian science fiction back in 2015 but it didn’t take long before I had to put the book down and call it quits. To give the series the benefit of the doubt, I will say that maybe I didn’t give it a fair shot by prematurely re-shelving my copies before reading the entire series. However, while the action-packed writing and brilliant premise had potential, the execution just wasn’t there.

I couldn’t help but agree with Goodreads user, Wigs, when he said:

“I’ve read that she did write it in a month. Whether it’s true or not, I'd certainly believe it in a heartbeat. The whole thing is rushed and just…completely nonsensical and full of trope after trope. It seemed to me that there was little effort put into analyzing the world and zero research done for it, which is a reminder to any of us who are writers to always have a reason for something, and not just because it “sounds cool.” This book is a treasure trove of COOL PEOPLE tropes and activities. Which doesn’t seem to work on me as I really can’t stand that breed of thrill-seeking people who’d rather risk their life doing stupid shit instead of… you know, not. So what is supposed to be super awesomely cool people just, to me, looked like a band of idiots.”

You can read more from his two-star review here.

2.  Dystopic Science Fiction

Okay, if my thoughts on The Divergent Series didn’t get me crucified, then these next sentiments surely will. 🔥Perhaps my disdain for the Dystopic Science Fiction genre is what led me to have such sour view for Roth’s trilogy, but I’m not letting her off the hook just because the genre wasn’t “for me”. I think you can read books that fall outside of your preferred genres and still enjoy them. Unfortunately, for this genre, I think it was just a little too mainstream. Dystopic fiction was so overplayed between 2008-2020 that if someone so much as utters “dystopic,” “dystopia” or “apocalyptic” within my general vicinity, I will readily keel over right now. (But don’t tell my partner—I think that’s his favorite genre.😂) To be perfectly fair though, I was a Maximum Ride stan from 2013-2017 and I would say James Patterson’s avian-kid series is all but dystopic science fiction…so what do I know?🔥

3. The Dark and Brooding Male Character

Ahem, let me just get this out of the way first:

PATCH CIPRIANO IS THE ONLY EXCEPTION HERE.🔥

Okay, now that we got that taken care of, let the unapologetic tirade begin. The dark and brooding, angsty love interest (or just this character in general) is SO OVERPLAYED. I could go on all day about dystopic fanfiction being overdone, but don’t even get me  started on this character trope. It seems like almost every YA fiction ever has this character and I would hazard a guess that a good nine out of ten of these YA novels use this trope as the love interest of the main character, whether it be sooner or later in the story.

Now don’t get me wrong—I love me a good tall, dark, and handsome love interest. But the angsty teen guy with the dark hair and seemingly just as dark past (most of them are younger than 21 anyways so what’s so dark about your past? Go play some Fortnite and get over yourselves.) is nearly ubiquitous with YA fiction that has any shred of romance. From the moody Heathcliff of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights to today’s Damon Salvatore of L.J. Smith’s Vampire Diaries, the brooding bad-boy is an overused trope that plagues the classics as well as modern fiction.

However, loosely related to the rant above, I found a fascinating article from the Telegraph about where this character trope stems from any why so many female readers gravitate towards stories with bad boys. You can read it here.

4. Hardbacks Versus Paperbacks

While not quite as flamboyantly controversial as my previous unpopular opinions as mentioned above, how could I forget the ages-old argument over which boom format is superior: Hardback or Paperback? I personally prefer paperbacks. I know, I know. I hear you. But all of the reasons that make hardcovers so appealing to most everyone else, make them repulsive to me. (Okay, maybe not repulsive, per se.) 🔥

Pros of Hardcover books:

• Durable, hardcovers that protect the pages within and provide ample structural support.

• Beautiful dust jackets that are required to protect those durable hard covers.

• Heavy and hard in the hand. (We’re not even going to go there.)

Cons of hardcover books:

• Hard covers don’t bend well due to the nature of the books. I personally like to bend my books and break their spines. (And while we’re at it, I dogear my pages too. You guys really are coming to take me away now, I can feel it in your rhythmic marching outside. Just make sure to bring coffee!)

• Annoying dust jackets that I almost always end up removing and throwing out. (Need I say more?)

• Paperbacks tend to be lighter and more comfortable to hold, generally speaking. Additionally, they usually have a matte finish which feels really nice to the touch. (Still not going there.)

Of course, all of this pretty much comes down to preference. I don’t think one book format is superior to the other, and there certainly are benefits to each format. Let us not forget the unmatched portability of kindle and audiobooks. But I personally prefer paperbacks.

5. Buying New Books Versus Used

Piggybacking slightly on the topic of physical books rather than the literature itself, I’d like to take a second to criticize all of the bookish youtubers and instagrammers buying new rather than used/preowned books. Similar to the previous list item of hardbacks versus paperbacks, it obviously comes down to preference. Many people out there simply prefer to go for elegant box sets, or matching book sets, but between all of the pristine white #shelfies and bookshelf tours out there, I can’t help but feel like many bookshelves just look a little too perfect. Ya feel? Like, yes, I totally understand wanting a nice Lord of the Rings box set, or a fancy Shadowhunter Chronicles set, but I’m not going to lie, I feel pretty high and mighty with my bookshelf of Dollar Tree and thrift store steals. (I didn’t really steal them, its just an expr—you know what, forget it.) 😈

So, what did you think of these 5 unpopular bookish opinions of mine? Do you agree? Do you disagree? Are you coming for me with a flaming torch or pitchfork? Tell me your thoughts in the comments!

Read more from Bookish Things!

Thumbnail photo by Movidagrafica Barcelona.

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

I’m back again this week with 3 YA Misconceptions that just need some clarification. So grab your magnifying glasses and sleuthing caps because we’re going debunking!

These are just a few widely-believed, yet completely false views on young adult fiction.

1. YA Fiction Is Free of Cursing/Swearing and Sex.

Totally False. 😂

According to the Chicago Tribune, “The most recent Gallup Youth Survey addressing the issue of swearing was published in 2001 and found that 46 percent of surveyed teens ages 13 to 17 used profanity at least several times a week or daily, while 28 percent said they heard their parents cursing a few times a week or on a daily basis.”

You can read more from the Chicago Tribune’s article “Youth Swearing: A Curse On the Rise” by Melanie B. Glover here. 

Since most kids/teens come into their own way of speaking during their teens, it’s not completely out of the question that YA Fiction contains swearing. Most American teens swear so it makes sense that literature would mirror reality if not for the authenticity of depicting the real-life teenage experience, than to at least lend a hand to the relatability of a story and it’s characters.

However, this myth might have gotten its start from a subcategory of YA Fiction called “Clean Reads” which is named after and created by Clean Reads Press (Formerly Astraea Press). As per the Clean Reads Website, the press is proud to offer wholesome reading without compromise. They “don’t believe a story has to have profanity, sex, or graphic violence to catch a reader’s attention. Our stories – rich and vibrant with life – leap from the page, welcoming readers to a world they’ll remember long after the last words are read.” -Stephanie Taylor of Clean Reads Press.

Read more about Clean Reads Here.

While there are many wonderful written books out there that are free of profanity or mature content, sometimes readers prefer a little more sauce in their reading experience. This goes for YA Fiction as well. Similar to the presence of swearing in YA Literature, sex and graphic violence are also present there. Just because YA stands for Young Adult, doesn’t mean that it’s always intended for older kids and teens. Many adults read Young Adult fiction because of the key characteristics of the genre that are just not as prevalent in more notably adult genres.

However, writers expecting younger audiences to read their work should take care to not overuse F-bombs or involve too many details in sexually suggestive or graphically violent scenes in order to avoid limiting themselves. It is easier to market a more suggestive novel to upper YA and adult readers and more G-rated literature to lower YA and children readers. Much like the TV Content Rating system, the key difference in YA and Adult literature is the severity in explicit detail of sex/sexually suggestive scenes, violence, and amount of swearing. It all boils down to how the scenes are written.

2. YA Fiction Doesn’t Contain Heavy/Dark Subject Matter

Piggybacking on the first YA Misconception, many readers believe that young adult fiction is clear of any mention of heavy topics or dark subject matter. For whatever reason, many believe that because the seemingly angelic moniker might suggest the YA fiction genre is geared towards younger audiences that it can’t possibly be graphic, or violent, or involve discussion of taboo, difficult to breach, or problematic topics and this is simply just not true.

One prime example of this is Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games, a dystopic YA novel in which children are forced to slaughter each other on the battleground in an annual event watched by millions for sport. Only, that’s not how its marketed, nor is it how it’s written. The thing is, the story breaches many hard-to-reckon with subjects and dark topics, but its all in the way these things are presented. It’s not like teens are reading explicit descriptions of children hacking and slashing at each other and imagining the overly-detailed images of the bloodshed they’re reading about—no, the story is presented as that of survival. Collins wastes no time on lengthy, bloodcurdling descriptions of child-violence. Instead, she gives the bare bones descriptions and spends more time on the pacing, emotions, character-building, and other story-telling elements that made Hunger Games one of, if not the most successful dystopian YA fictions of this decade.

Much like the use of sex/profanity/violence in YA literature, books geared for younger audiences can also contain dark/heavy subject matter. It’s all in the way it is written. Many of my favorite YA reads are pretty dark, but they key difference is that they are not graphic or overly-explicit.

3. YA Is Simple/Juvenile

Many non-YA-readers seem to think that—once again, due to the name YA—since young  adult fiction is directed primarily at younger audiences, the writing must have to be “dumbed down” or simple for older kids and teens to absorb and understand. However, once again this is just another ridiculous misconception for the young adult genre. As a writer, one of the very first rules I learned was to “never write down to your audience” and instead, writers should write their stories exactly as they feel they should be told, and expect readers to rise to the occasion.

Many adult readers believe that YA fiction is juvenile and thus, “not quite as literary,” or not as deserving of the same merit as adult fiction. However, this view is more indicative of the readers than the literature itself. Readers who say this, must not be well-read in the YA genre and therefore are not as familiar with the higher level of writing common to most YA novels. Unfortunately, there are a decent amount of flashy, big-name novels that ruin it for the genre as a whole, and this may be where this misconception stems from. That being said, I can’t ignore the fact that this view is a broad-sweeping generalization that would likely have people believing it if more people read more YA fiction.

Additionally, some of the most beautifully woven prose comes from the YA fiction genre and many stubborn, ignorant adult readers are doing themselves a great disservice by avoiding the genre altogether because they’re worried the writing won’t be of a high enough caliber for their enlightened minds to consume. (That sounded petty, but it’s not, I promise.) The interesting thing is, nearly 55% of YA titles are purchased by adults, according to a 2012 article by Publisher’s Weekly:

“More than half the consumers of books classified for young adults aren’t all that young. According to a new study, fully 55% of buyers of works that publishers designate for kids aged 12 to 17 -- known as YA books -- are 18 or older, with the largest segment aged 30 to 44, a group that alone accounted for 28% of YA sales. And adults aren’t just purchasing for others -- when asked about the intended recipient, they report that 78% of the time they are purchasing books for their own reading. The insights are courtesy of Understanding the Children’s Book Consumer in the Digital Age, an ongoing biannual study from Bowker Market Research that explores the changing nature of publishing for kids.” -Publisher’s Weekly.

Read more from the article here.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you, that this misconception is completely unfounded, I should add that it really gets my goat when people use this as an excuse to avoid YA fiction. People who look down on the YA genre because its “lesser” or “juvenile” because it is geared for younger audiences are just uninformed and spreading a misrepresentation of the genre as a whole. Additionally, many adult readers seem to think that YA fiction is somehow easier to write and thus, sell due to this misconception, but I digress. YA is not dumbed down, and nor is it simple. There is plenty of beautiful, elegant, and complex prose within this genre.

And that’s it for my top 3 biggest misconceptions about the YA genre. Have you ever heard any of these misinformed views before? Did you think any of these were true? Did I change your mind? Let me know in the comments below!

Thumbnail photo by Element5 Digital.

—Payton

Hi fellow readers and writerly friends!

This week in Bookish Things, we’re discussing something very near and dear to my heart and likely many other readers/writers’ hearts as well—do we really need to read the classics? I made the mistake of asking this to another editor early on in my freelance career and she hit me with “do you have to eat to stay alive?” Okay, got it, thanks. She was one of those nit-picky editors that new writers always fear at first. (You know the one—with the red pen, the beady eyes, and the too-tight turtleneck.) But she did have a point. And her comment reminded me of one of my favorite quotes.

“I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

And what do you know? Emerson is regarded as a classic writer. (Albeit romantic, but yes, a classic)

And he had a point too. Writing and reading at it’s core is capturing the human existence and weaving it into the written word for all future generations to read. Reading is an integral part of the humanities and is one of the things that sets us apart from other mammals. Of course, we all know that reading is important, should be valued over many other mundane activities—and above all else—reading immortalizes our words.

Classics teach us to appreciate the evolution of modern literature

So, what does this have to do with the classics? To better understand and appreciate contemporary writing, we must read older writing as well.

Stack of classic books on my shelf. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Italo Calvino tackles this question in his collection of literary Criticism, Why Read The Classics, and Ginni Chen touches on this subject in a similar blog post on Barnes and Nobel Reads. I don’t claim to provide a more comprehensive answer than these two, but I thought I’d write my own blog post as well, because not only did I question the classics, but I think there is still a vast amount of people who don’t know why they should read them or don’t have any interest to do so. However, these few reasons to read the classics will make you want to rethink tossing your copy of Pride and Prejudice in the attic, and instead crack it open, dust off the pages, and see what you can learn from it.

Ginni explains that writing is a living, breathing entity that is immortalized in the way we tell stories and pass those techniques down from each generation:

“When you read the classics, you’re reading books that have had a pivotal role in shaping the way we read and write today. Books aren’t written or read in a vacuum. They’re woven by writers and consumed by readers with the influence of centuries of writing behind us. Whether we’re conscious of it or not, reading a book is never an isolated incident but part of a tradition.” -Ginni Chen, Para 2.

I agree with Ginni in that to better understand and appreciate writing, we must also read classic writing so that we understand fully what contemporary writing and reading began as and where it came from to become what we practice today.

Basket of classic books on my shelf. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Likewise, classic writing captures the essence of humanity from the time in which it was written. They act as literary milestones of our own literary traditions. Sometimes, classics reflect values, movements (realism or romanticism) or prominent genres (such as the rise in popularity of science-fiction and fantasy in contemporary writing). The classic writers sparked literary trends because they either a) did it first or b) did it best. Additionally, classics are often hailed for their challenging of societal constructs and values of the time. Take Kate Chopin’s writing, for example. Her works were lousy with feminist values and now she is known as one of the greatest American Feminist writers of all time.

How does this make you love reading more?

When we familiarize ourselves with the classics, we gain a better understanding of where other books fit in. You’ll start recognizing common themes, influences, references, structures, and many more elements in your reading that perhaps you hadn’t noticed before.

Ginni compares it to developing a sudden appreciation of wine:

“It’s like developing a sudden appreciation of wine—different notes open up to your palate, you detect hidden floral, fruity, or oaky elements, and you’re better able to articulate your tastes.” -Ginni Chen, Para 4.

Vintage typewriter and basket of classic books on my shelf. Photo by Payton Hayes.

When you learn to love the classics, you also learn to love your favorite stories even more. When you go back to your favorites, you begin to pick up on these elements you found in the classics and unearth depths you had never known existed prior. Elements of these books that may have initially seemed arbitrary or like attempts at attention-seeking, but now they seem intentional, calculated and clever. These elements help you to unpack the bigger picture parts of the story and allow you to begin to understand where other things come from such as the meaning in a character’s name, the use of certain words, or the presence of certain themes and their importance with regard to both the story and society at the time.

Another way the classics aid in your growth as both a reader and writer is that they also help you better identify your favorite writer’s literary influences. Often, writers borrow style, subject, and themes from the classics and as you become more familiar with classic literature, you begin to see your favorite writers as one writer paying homage to another by reinventing their storytelling elements in a new, refreshing, and exciting way. You’ll begin to understand how we’ve been telling the same handful of stories over and over again throughout the years, and how the use of the same few techniques, in combination with unique writer voice, has birthed millions of books that can all be traced back to the classics.

Ginni also compares reading the classics to travelling:

“Here’s another way of looking at it:  Think about reading as traveling the world. In your travels, the classics are those must-see historical sites that you hear about and see in dozens of reproductions—the Great Wall, the Colosseum, the Taj Mahal, the pyramids. Like these historical sites, the classics have withstood the test of time, are part of an incredible heritage, and can change your worldview entirely.” -Ginni Chen, Para 7.

Basket of classic books on my shelf. Photo by Payton Hayes.

I love that comparison because its exactly right. We always hear that being “well-read” is a good thing and in the bookish world it’s a title we strive for, so that should include the classics, right? Of course! I could go on and on about worldview and how we have such a limited perception of things, but I’ll spare you that rant for another time. The biggest takeaway from this blog post is that to gain a better understanding of humanity, our own existence and experiences, and how they relate to the existence and experiences of others, we absolutely must read. And moreover, we must read the classics just as we must read extensively from any genre we wish to write in. I keep bringing up writing and reading, but in the creative world, the two are inextricably linked. And that link is part of an even bigger packaged deal—understanding

ourselves and others. At it’s core, reading is in essence, humanity.

What do you think about reading the classics? Which classics have you read? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to check out Ginni’s blog post because I would have never thought to speak out on this topic without first stumbling upon her words.

• Click here to read Ginni Chens post, “Why Read The Classics?” On Barnes and Nobel Reads

• Click here to read Italo Calvino’s Book, “Why Read The Classics?”Pride and Prejudice

—Payton

Amy Landino Author Photo

Good Morning, Good Life, readers and writerly friends!

This is a spoiler-free review!

When life gives you lemons, you write a book review, right? No? Just me?

In any case, I hope you all are doing well and being safe during this COVID-19 mess and I hope things will start to brighten before long. If you’re new to this site, I encourage you to stick around and check out some of my other blog posts! (You’ll find out pretty quickly that I am part of the Amy-llion club too!) No need to be sour about this book—let’s get into the review! 🍋🍋🍋

If you’ve followed me for any considerable amount of time, then you know I RAVE about Amy Landino. Honestly, I can’t get enough of her and all of the wonderful, actionable advice she puts out into the world. And not to mention—she has SUCH an aesthetic. Like, wow, I’m living for the berry pink and lemon vibes.

Amy Landino is known for her incredibly useful lifestyle-type videos on YouTube—one of which, titled “*ACTUALLY* WAKE UP EARLY | my 7 tips” has garnered her a lot of attention from viewers and aspiring entrepreneurs around the world. She’s an award-winning YouTuber, bestselling author, lifestyle coach, entrepreneur and fabulous podcast host. She claims she’s obsessed with helping people go after the life they want and is also the founder of her own company dedicated to doing so—GATLUW House. She’s helped thousands of people (including myself) redesign their lives their way.

Click here to watch Amy’s video, *ACTUALLY* WAKE UP EARLY | my 7 tips

So, after reading her first book, Vlog Like A Boss, and becoming a lifelong fan/follower of hers, it’s safe to say I was definitely picking up her next book. Good Morning, Good Life released in December of 2019 and now that we’ve all had a few months (and not to mention extra time thanks to COVID-19) to pick up this book and sink our teeth into it, let’s get into the tea—or lemon water if you’re a true fan. 🍋💦

Click here to view Vlog Like A Boss on Amazon!

Click here to view Good Morning Good Life on Amazon!

Good Morning Good Life by Amy Landino

Good Morning Good Life by Amy Landino

I am absolutely obsessed with everything to do with habits, habit-change, productivity, and routines, so when Amy said she was writing a book focused on helping people go after their perfect mornings, I was stoked! I pre-ordered my copy of GMGL, and when it arrived in the mail, I was ready to crack open the cover and get reading. Not only did I get the paperback version, but I also purchased the audiobook as well, so I could read them in tandem. (I have a whole blog post about immersion reading with audiobooks and you can check it out here!)

The book starts off with a behind-the-curtains look at what life was like for Amy before she became the thriving businesswoman, we all know from her YouTube channel. She talks about her experience working a 9-to-5 job, trying out for a marathon race, and the pivotal, aha-moments in her life that pushed her in the direction of her success. Layered on top of this insightful narrative, is Amy’s actionable advice for crafting a truly magical morning.

 The book is broken up into five sections—Decide, Defy, Rise, Shine, and Thrive. Throughout these sections, she offers action steps that ask probing questions to get the reader thinking, “What’s a moment that you remember being truly excited about something?” or “On a scale of 1-to-10, how well do you sleep?”. She includes writing exercises to get readers truly motivated and ready to make a difference in their mornings and ultimately, their quality of life. Additionally, she includes “Good morning” stories from her colleagues, and fellow YouTubers to offer up extra insight into the mornings of successful people she’s come to know over the years.

3 Stars —⭐⭐⭐

The novel has been dubbed an Amazon bestseller and has garnered rave reviews from readers across the globe, both on Amazon and Goodreads. However, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows in the comments. Many readers have come out saying that the book isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Readers with children argue that Amy’s advice is not really applicable or useful for them since she doesn’t have children herself and doesn’t know what it is really like to try and design a morning around them. In the book, she acknowledges this fact and urges readers to hear her out and set aside any excuses they may have in order to give her advice an honest try.

I personally enjoyed the book on a surface level—knowing it was content that Amy created and by reading it, I was getting to know her better and I was able to support her. However, despite my love of Amy’s style and content, I found the book did not live up to the hype. But before you all come for me, I just want to clarify—if you’ve never seen any of Amy’s work and have never heard her advice, this book is EVERYTHING.

It really does give you a great look into how to design a morning that works best for you, that gives you time for yourself, and ultimately allows you to practice self-love in whatever form it comes. And as a woman in her twenties without children, I found this book to be extremely insightful and useful. But in reading this book, I quickly realized, it had no NEW information to lend readers. With that being said, aside from the actual advise, Amy gives us a little narrative and peek into her life before YouTube and being a business owner which I enjoyed.

My Goodreads review of Good Morning Good Life

You can find me on Goodreads here!

So, what did you think of Good Morning Good Life? Was it helpful to you? What did you think of this review? Do you agree or disagree with anything I said? Let me know in the comments below!

—Payton