Bibliothon Day Six | 25 Facts About Me

I don't know if I can come up with 25 fun facts about myself, but I'm going to try. This is, of course, for day six of the Biannual Bibliothon, day six challenge, this challenge is being hosted by Mary (I think that's her name? Some people names are hard to figure out).

1. I've always been a reader.
2. My mom and I use to go to Borders every weekend (RIP).
3. I have chronic pain in my back that's believe to be scoliosis.
4. I've been to seven (?) Harry Potter conventions.
5. I'm flying to London and then Dublin with friends for the next one later this summer. 
6. I have a Harry Potter tattoo.
7. I want so many more tattoos.
8. I play too much of the Sims 4 - way too much.
9. Watch too much YouTube.
10. And RoosterTeeth/Achievement Hunter. 
11. I started crocheting in September of 2015.
12. I really like doing it, it's soothing, and I'm considering opening an Etsy shop.
13. 85% (about) of my friends live too far away to see regularly.
14. I've been to BEA three times and would love to go again.
15. Reading has been hard the last year+ because my vision is getting worse.
16. I don't need reading glasses, though, just the astigmatism becoming a problem.
17. I once visited New York for the day and was in the city for six and a half hours before taking the train home. 
18. I don't own a dog but would like to in a future.
19. A pitbull because that's what my aunt had and I grew up with him (RIP Diego. Dogs are good).
20. I had a rabbit for almost a year but couldn't keep her because thought was a dwarf, turned out to be a meat rabbit (IDK actual breed, but the rabbit people breed to eat which WHY). I get pictures from the friend of a friend who has her though. Bunnies are fantastic pets, but high maintenance (the way she followed me literally everywhere, though, was worth it).
21. I live by myself.
22. But my mom has an apartment in the same building.
23. Which is good because: I don't drive.
24. I'm 22 (I realized this might not be known by you guys widely? Turned 22 a month ago).
25. I am always tired. Be it depression, chronic fatigue, medicine side effects. There's always something.

Those are some random facts for you. Don't know if they're fun facts but I'm not an overly complicated person and didn't want to do really anything about books/reading that I think you might know just from following me here or on twitter/instagram.

If you took part in this challenge, please link me your post so I can see it.

Andddd Happy Readathoning!

Three Star Reads | Discussion (Bibliothon day 4)

It's day four of the bibiliothon and today's prompt? Challenge? is to talk about book(s) you've rated three or less stars. This challenge is being hosted by burstingwithbooks. I use to be, and still kind of am, pretty lenient in my ratings towards most books. Unless it has something that really annoys me or rubs be the wrong way.

I'm going to mention one in particular - Zom-B by Darren Shan I rated one star. Now, it was so long ago that I don't quite remember the scene but I do remember the why. I mean, first of all, it was just a meh book to begin with, but then it got racist and that's fucked up. Yes, they're teenagers, blah, blah - whatever, I wasn't a racist shithead when I was a teenager. If you have racist characters it needs to be corrected/commented on by the end of the book - someone calling them out, come on.

Wow, it's been over three years and I'm still full of salt about that one, but I mean - racist bullshit, I will always be salty over. (disclaimer, I guess, but I'm white. So if you feel differently, let me know).

Examples of more one (1) star reads (I don't have a lot): The Girl in the Park, Twilight series, Opal Fire

Two stars are a low rating for me, but they're not I hated it. And, also, normally I only rate books I got at least 50% into it. Though, if I DNF a book I normally didn't really hold on that long. And I have a surprising amount of two star reads, but a book has to make me angry at how bad it is to get a 1 star.

Examples of two (2) star reads: Heir of Fire, Cold Kiss, Girl with Guitar, 172 Hours on the Moon, Monument 14, Dead Ever After, 

Overall, though, a three stars isn't really a low rating for me. It can be, if it's a book I was really hyped for and it fell flat. However, romances get a three from me a lot and I'm not sure why, but I definitely think of it as just "i liked it." It was good, but there wasn't anything that made me go: I loved that part, it was just a good, solid book.

For example, I gave two of the Vampire Academy books I've read three stars but - I enjoyed them, and I am planning on continuing with the series. I think that's why half stars and such can come in so handy when rating something, but since I mostly use goodreads I guess it doesn't matter (I do normally put half stars in my review, though, if I do them. And they're also in my spreadsheet. Yes, I keep track of what I've read in a spreadsheet).

Examples of three (3) star reads: Wife by Wednesday, If it Ain't Love, All Our Yesterdays, Lord of Shadows, The Screaming Staircase

I'm not going to list more because I have a lot of three stars - and my rating system has gotten more strict as I've read more things. I would of never rated Lord of Shadows three stars even just last year, probably, I would of felt guilty about it since I loved Lady Midnight and her other books (also didn't want the haters clawing at my throat). But now - meh. And, actually, going through those ratings I'd change some - bump them down, mostly, just because I really feel meh about the book in general.

I don't think this is exactly what the challenge/prompt was suppose to be but it's what I thought of for it. And I don't think I've ever really talked about how I rate books, mostly because at the beginning I was still kind of new to it all.

How do you rate books? Is three a bad rating from you? If you did this same challenge, let me know so I can see how you did it.

Happy readathoning!

Bibliothon Day 3 | The Villain's Synopsis

It is day three! Well, presumably, I'm prewriting these so hopefully it is. This challenge is being hosted by Dominique over at Pirates and Pixie Dust. And the idea behind it is to take your favorite book - or just as book, I guess - and rewrite the synposis from the villain's perspective. So. Let's do this.

(There isn't a lot of books I read, apparently, with one focused villain. So this was harder then expected but please enjoy - I definitely went the humor route)

Spoilers for: Harry Potter (kinda?), The Grisha Trilogy, 

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone by J.K. Rowling (as soon from Voldemorts POV)
This women did a thing and made it look like her baby defeated me and now I have to live on the back of a dude's head. Ow! Someone hit with me something! Ugh, I hate dealing with Snape. (This is not how I imagine Voldemort's internal monologue but it's too amusing).

Want by Cindy Pon
I am so cool. I am the coolest. The 1% with flourish in our bubbles and the peasants will die. Global warming? The skies use to be blue? HA, fantasy (why do people not believe in global warming??)

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brook
(Zombies) grrrr arghhh bleeee grrrrr

The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
(The Darkling) This seems fun, let's destory the world because my mommy doesn't love me. Why do all these fangirls love me? Even though I literally want to destroy the world an am never sorry about it whoops.

Duma Key by Stephen King
Fuck that one guy in particular.

Alright, that last one is probably funny to like one person who clicks on this link but I don't care it made me laugh. Honestly, none of them are very funny. And the Grisha one is me just being salty about how much the fandom loves the Darkling (why? honestly why are you guys like this?). I don't read a lot of books with specific villains, I guess, and these were the only ones I could remmeber clearly enough to even try. And they're not really synopsis of the books, more just like internal monologue for the books.

I mean you don't really see the "villain" in Want all that much, and zombies.

Anyway - hopefully you were a bit better at this then I was, definitely link me if you did this one, I had fun!

Happy readathoning!

Book Review: Tash Hearts Tolstoy (Bibliothon Day 2)

Titles: Tash Hearts Tolstoy
Author: Kathryn Ormsbee
Genre: Contemporary YA
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 367
Publication Date: June 6th, 2017

Plot (from goodreads):
After a shout-out from one of the Internet’s superstar vloggers, Natasha “Tash” Zelenka finds herself and her obscure, amateur web series, Unhappy Families, thrust into the limelight: She’s gone viral.

Her show is a modern adaptation of Anna Karenina—written by Tash’s literary love Count Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy. Tash is a fan of the forty thousand new subscribers, their gushing tweets, and flashy Tumblr GIFs. Not so much the pressure to deliver the best web series ever.

And when Unhappy Families is nominated for a Golden Tuba award, Tash’s cyber-flirtation with Thom Causer, a fellow award nominee, suddenly has the potential to become something IRL—if she can figure out how to tell said crush that she’s romantic asexual.

Tash wants to enjoy her newfound fame, but will she lose her friends in her rise to the top? What would Tolstoy do?

Review:

First off - I've never read any Tolstoy, so if that's why you're putting off this book then don't bother. Yes, they do mention it at points and I had no real clue what they were talking about it, but it didn't really take away form the story for me? It was like - ah, yes, ships, good. And then his work isn't that important to the plot, though I do love that she has conversations with her poster of him. I felt that.

Tash is our main character and she definitely acts like a teenager - which isn't a bad thing considering she's suppose to be a teenager. It drove me crazy a time or two, as happens in all YA novels, but I remember being a teenager like it was yesterday (how did I turn 22 recently? That feels fake). Anyway - what I mean is that she is so focused on her that she doesn't take others feelings into account or notice things right in front of her. And that doesn't make her a bad person, I'm not saying she's selfish, she's just... trying to figure herself and everything else out at the same time.

Now. The miniseries. I don't know if this was like an 'official' quote, but I've heard a few people make the reference and I definitely felt it - their webseries made me think so much of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (which I rewatched on the fifth anniversary. If you haven't watched it's a retelling of Pride and Prejudice through vlog form and is incredible. Love it so much). I'm getting off topic again, but - if you watch any actually webseries I think it'll bring a smile to your face to see them filming it.

The main thing I loved about this book, which I have saved for last, is our main character is asexual. And they use the word in the text - she even talks about how, when she was trying to figure out what she identified as, she came across demisexual and greysexual. I just appreciated it, and loved how it was handled, so much. She's heteroromantic asexual, just to be clear, and I hope we start getting more and more books with all kinds of LGBTQIA+ characters.

Overall - this book was a good, fun young adult novel. The writing didn't stick out too much for me, her best friend Jack I want a whole book about (if you agree, let's talk in the comments, I kind of want her to bench press me?). It was cool, though, that she was a vegetarian and, I believe, a buddist. There was also talk about how her family came to be where they are - talk about her mom's family living so far away, their Czech history.

That's where this book was completely solid - the charaters. I really loved Tash, her two best friends, the cast of the webseries. And the way social media was handled seemed very realistic.

I'd definitely recommend checking this out out if you're interested in something like that - rich characters, some ace rep, webseries production, teen angst. 

(if you know of any reviews by heteroromantic aces let me know so I can link them here to speak on the ace rep, or just asexual)

This challenge is being hosted by Kassie over at MissSassyKassie.

Happy Readathoning!

Biannual Bibliothon + BookTubeAThon | Update Post

My update post for both of these readathons! I don't know how much I'm going to focus on getting the challenges done, probably not too hard. There's a few I'll just get to no matter what: finish a book in a day, LGBTQIA+ book, throwback: graphic novel. For everything else, I have no idea, and am trying not to stress about it because I don't actually really need to do the challenges, but for some reason I feel like I do? (Ah, anxiety).

Anyway - I'll be updating daily. And I'll definitely add if any of the books match the challenges in my updates. The dates don't match up completely, they're one day off. So this is what the dates look like for the three readathons in one week (three, Casey? WTF? Yes - 24in48 the weekend before/you'll see):

• 24in48 - July 22nd + 23rd
• Biannual Bibliothon - July 23rd - 29th
• BookTubeAThon - July 24th - July 30th

So, basically from the 22nd - thee 30th, my life is a readathon. Also, I'm going to start my period like the weekend of the 24in48 so I'm not going to want to do anything, anyway, because of excruciating pain. (which is why audiobooks) And if you're like - ew, TMI - then I cannot help you, because I've been having this happen to be about every month for 10+ years and have no sympathy for you.

Oh, also! Almost forgot. The Bibliothon has prompts for blog posts every day (I believe) tags/discussion posts/to post a review - and so far I'm writing a post for all of them, 4/7, so I'll probably post those in the notes here of the day they go up I guess? If you're doing them, let me know. And if you're updating on your blog - or social media - let me know!


Sunday, July 23rd (start of bibliothon!)

Books:
Hold Your Own by Kate Tempest (started and finished - 108 pages)
Dimension W, Volume 3 Yuji Iwahara (started and finished - 208)
Dimension W, Volume 4 Yuji Iwahara (started and finished - 208)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Screenplay by J.K. Rowling (started and finished - 293 pages)
The Gauntlet by Karuan Riazi (started and finished - 294 pages)

The Gunslinger by Stephen King (continued - 20 pages)

# of pages read: 1,131

# books read: 5

time spend reading: 5 hours, 8 minutes

Notes:
It was the 2nd day of the 24in48 readathon, so not every day will look like this at all, though starting the week of readathons with this made me feel super inspired to read more this week? Which is great because, while I've been reading, I haven't been reading a lot.

If you want my general thoughts, you can check out my #24in48 update post.

Monday, July 24th (start of booktubeathon!)

Books:

Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward #2) by Seanan McGuire (started and finished - 187 pages)
Exit, Pursued by Bear by E.K. Johnston (started and finished - 242 pages)

# of pages read: 429

total # of pages: 1,560

# books read: 2

total # of books: 7 

time spend reading: 3 hours, 32 minutes

total time spent reading: 8 hours, 40 minutes

Notes:

I didn't expect to have a great reading day after the 24in48, but really the 24in48 just kind of reminded me why I love reading so much? Also how much I fell in love with Adaptation - right book, right time. Anyway - Down Among the Sticks and Bones was good and I now love Jack even damn more then I did before, but overall it didn't give me that same feeling as the first book did. Still a solid 4 stars, maybe 4.5. Highly recommend this series.

Exit, Pursued By Bear was just... heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time? Trigger warning for rape. I don't normally read books about rape because the word makes me nauseous, and normally the book thinks it's important to show you the rape - which, no, no it isn't. At least in my opinion. This book, though, was incredible. A solid 5 stars. I cried through most of it, to give you a full depth of how much I loved this book, and mostly from how much I loved her friendship/relationships? Not everyone, of course, was incredible but most people were. And I loved it a whole hell of a lot, best girl friendship I've ever damn read. Check this one out if you can.

Tuesday, July 25th

Notes:
Didn't read anything cause had a doctors appointment that went longer then expected, and then politics and just... it wasn't a good day for my mental health. I did get a book in the mail I'm really excited about, which is why I didn't really set a TBR.

Wednesday, July 26th

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Thursday, July 27th

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Saturday, July 29th (end of bibliothon!)

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Sunday, July 30th (end of booktubeathon!)

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Bibliothon Day 1 | Blogger Tag

It is the beginning of the Biannual Bibliothon - summer edition! I'm pretty sure I've never taken part in this readathon before in a serious way, but I've been craving a readathon and I'm so glad there are are blog post challenges. How cool! I'm probably not going to do all seven, if there are seven? i think there are? Anyway - probably won't do all of them because if I'm not feeling it, it'll probably be boring to read.

Love these tiny surveys, though, no idea why. So let's start off the week with some questions and my reading plans for the week, which is the first question.

This challenge is being hosted by 4TeenReaders, more info should be up their blog today.

•  What are you planning to read for the Summer Biannual Bibliothon?

Hopefully all the things! Day one of this readathon is day 2/2 of the 24in48 readathon - which I adore, if you haven't heard of it they host it twice a year - and so I'll still probably be reading small things on day one. But then hoping to dive into some of these:

• What is your favorite genre to read in summer?

I'd say contemporary, cause that's what I think of when I think of summer. I'm a mood reader, though, and I'll read pretty much anything at any point.

• What is your favorite place to read in summer?

Inside, in the AC. Listen. It's hot, anything above 77 is way too hot for me, I'm Irish. And also has asthma, and we've having more and more air quality alerts (aka: why am I gasping just going up one flight of stairs? Ohhhh). I do like sitting outside when it's perfect out, but... then people interrupt my reading.

• What if your favorite challenge done in the Summer Biannual bibliothon?

I don't really know, since we haven't really started, but I like the blog challenges in general! And I'm sure I'll like the instagram ones, whether I'll take part or not depends how many spoons I have. I love the idea of the video challenges - and definitely love watching people do them - but, alas, not this year.

• What fictional character would you hang out with in the summer if you could?

Fictional? I mean just my friends would be pretty cool - so many live so far away. I don't know, I never really think of fictional characters as wanting to meet them, which is probably weird, but maybe because most of my fav fictional characters are... sad?

• What are you plans for the summer?

No real plans for the rest of the summer unless end of August into September counts because I'm flying to London for a few days, before heading to Dublin for a Harry Potter convention. 19 years later in Dublin, with a bunch of friends, in a hotel that looks like a castle? Hell yes.

• Do you have a summer playlist? If not, what would be on it?

I guess I kind of do, actually. There are certain songs/artists that make me feel summer-y, and I'll play their music as soon as we get a nice day. Owl City - older stuff, nothing new - and anything by The Mowgili's. Wrock music, obviously, cause cons. And I guess Maybe Trapped, Mostly Troubled by Tessa Violet?

• What is your favorite summer movie?

I'm not a big movie person in general. And I can't really think of a movie I associate with sumer - like Harry Potter I associate with winter. Um... I mean Jaws? But I don't think it's my favorite, though I do really like that movie. Maybe Ferris Bueller's Day Off? 

• What book do you read every summer? If not, what thing do you do every summer?

I don't think there's a specific book I read every summer - though IT would be a good one to read every summer, I normally end up rereading it once a year or so, anyway. Or Duma Key. Weirdly enough both Stephen King books, but that's how it goes, I guess

• What other book tags are you planning to do this summer?

Um, I guess none? Wow, all of my answers are boring. I don't really end up doing tags here on the blog, don't know why, maybe I'll try one or two out, though!

Happy Readathoning! (if you did this, post yours in the comments so I can read it!)

#24in48 | Update Post

Obviously, this is where I'm going to be updating my progress during the forty eight hours of the 24in48 readathon. I like having a kind of easy place to do it all and have it all in one place. And, sure, I don't have to update on my blog considering I normally post on twitter, instagram, trying to remember litsy, but I really like doing it? it just doesn't feel right unless I'm updating my blog periodically with how much reading I got done.

For 24 hour readathons I usually do 4 hour chunks, but I don't have a set plan for when I'm updating for this readathon. Probably twice a day, maybe three if I get a lot of reading done. I'm probably going to spend most of one of the days listening to an audiobook to save my eyes because going to try and read a lot for the biannual bibliothon - which will have it's own update post!

Saturday - July 22nd

Time updating: 10:30am
Books:
Adaptation (#1) by Malinda Lo (finished -  )
Dog Songs by Mary Oliver (started and finished - 121 pages)
Kill or Be Killed, Volume 1 by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (started and finished - 128 pages)
Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher (started and finished - 226 pages)

# of pages read: 639

# books read: 4

time spent reading: 3 hours, 29 minutes

Notes:

I loved Adaptation - no idea what it was about it, probably just right book, perfect time. I'd recommend checking it out, though, definitely enjoy Malinda Lo. Dog Songs was really good - and how couldn't I like a poetry collection completely about dogs? Kill or Be Killed was super interesting and kinda weird. Postcards from the Edge was something I didn't fully understand, but I enjoyed listening to her read it.

This updates kind of just for me, since I know people don't really read them - which is understandable, considering it is READING TIME. But if you are reading - let me know what you're currently reading / how the readathon is going for you.

Time updating: 7:30pm

Books:

Dimension W, Volume 1 by Yuji Iwahara (started and finished - 208)
Dimension W, Volume 2 by Yuji Iwahara (started and finished - 192 pages)
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuirre (started and finished - 169 pages)

The Gunslinger (Dar Tower #1) by Stephen King (started - 120 pages)

# of pages read: 520

total # of pages: 1,328

# books read: 3

total # of books: 7  

total time spent reading: 7 hours, 53 minutes

Notes:

I forgot how good Dimension W is - have read volume 1 before, after watching the whole first season of the show, but that was a while ago so didn't remember much. Reading The Gunslinger for the third time - mix of audio and physical - and I'm determined this time to move onto the rest of the series.

Every Heart a Doorway was so fucking good? I loved it way more then I expected to - I've been seeing the hype since it came out, I just didn't expect to love it so much? I like portal fantasy, but I don't love it over anything else. Definitely recommend checking this one out.

end of day total books: 7
page count: 1,328
time: 7 hours, 53 minutes

Sunday - July 23rd
Time updating: 10:00pm

Books:
Hold Your Own by Kate Tempest (started and finished - 108 pages)
Dimension W, Volume 3 Yuji Iwahara (started and finished - 208)
Dimension W, Volume 4 Yuji Iwahara (started and finished - 208)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Screenplay by J.K. Rowling (started and finished - 293 pages)
The Gauntlet by Karuan Riazi (started and finished - 294 pages)

The Gunslinger by Stephen King (continued - 20 pages)

# of pages read: 1,131

# books read: 5

time spend reading: 5 hours, 8 minutes

Notes:

I am very tired and loopy, even though I got enough sleep. My brain is so full of stories now with everything I read in the last two days. Loved both Dimension W volumes, and The Gauntlet. Enjoying The Gunslinger but didn't want to try and rush through to finish it, I could of it isn't a long book, but want to try and remember and move on with the series.

I think my one downfall with this readathon is I seem to only be able to read so much before my brain is like: no, cannot do this.

I had a fantastic time, as always, if you participated link me to your wrap up/update! As always, cannot wait for the next one.

Happy Readathoning!

total # of pages: 2,459
total # of books: 12
total time spent reading: 13 hours, 1 minute

Readathons! | BookTubeAThon + Biannual Bibliothon (#summerbibib)

Ah yes, more readathons. I am addicted and love a good readathon. These readathons are taking place the same week so I thought I might as well take part in both of them. I'll probably end up participating more in the Biannual Bibliothon just because they have daily (I believe) blog post challenges - which I think is so cool! Both have instagram and video challenges, I'll probably take part in the instagram ones but probably not the video ones? My ability to upload at the moment isn't great though I really want to vlog this readathon we shall see.

BookTubeAThon - self explanatory, I think. Takes place from July 24th - July 30th. More information here: YouTube, Twitter. There are reading challenges, which I may or may not find things to fit (I'm such a mood reader that these things are hard for me. I respect people that just make a TBR and read it, also kind of fear them.

Reading challenges (for you, and my own, convience cause I keep having to go back to the video):

• Book with a person on the cover
• Hyped book
• a book in a day
• with a MC different then you
• read completely outdoors
• a cover buy
• 7 books in total

They're pretty loose, though I think a lot of people are like why for the "read outside" one since it's like the hottest days of summer (I agree, fuck that). And seven books can be a lot of graphic novels count and short things, you can do it!

Biannual Bibliothon - (say that five times fast). Taking place from July 23rd - 29th, a bit of overlap with 24in48). This is a readathon hosted by a bunch of people that happened, I believe, twice a year? Winter and Summer. I have kind of taken part before but not really thrown myself in it and it looks fun this year!

And I'm super excited to take part in the blog challenges, which they're announcing on instagram this week, and also watch the crazy/insane responses to the video challenges that people put out. YouTube, Twitter, Instagram

• Group Read (Flame in the Mists by Renee Adieh)
• A Host's Favorite Genre (a list in the description of video but, examples: high/epic fantasy, diverse books, paranormal romance...)
• Banned Book
• Throwback challenge (I think I'm going to go graphic novel, but there's a bunch)
• Book to movie adaptation
• a book you've seen somewhere other then booktube
• one with LGBTQIA+ themes (this is my fav, I approve)

I know both of these are more BookTube focused then blog focused - which is why I love that the Biannual Bibliothon is trying to be more inclusive - but I hope you'll think of taking part! If you do plan to, let me know the comments so I can stop by and cheer you on during the week.

Happy Reading (marathoning)!

Book Review: Dreadnought (Nemesis #1)

Title(s): Dreadnought (Nemesis #1)
Author: April Daniels
Genre: MG/YA SFF
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 276
Publication Date: January 24th, 2017

Plot (from goodreads):
Danny Tozer has a problem: she just inherited the powers of Dreadnought, the world’s greatest superhero.

Until Dreadnought fell out of the sky and died right in front of her, Danny was trying to keep people from finding out she’s transgender. But before he expired, Dreadnought passed his mantle to her, and those secondhand superpowers transformed Danny’s body into what she’s always thought it should be. Now there’s no hiding that she’s a girl.

It should be the happiest time of her life, but Danny’s first weeks finally living in a body that fits her are more difficult and complicated than she could have imagined. Between her father’s dangerous obsession with “curing” her girlhood, her best friend suddenly acting like he’s entitled to date her, and her fellow superheroes arguing over her place in their ranks, Danny feels like she’s in over her head.

She doesn’t have much time to adjust. Dreadnought’s murderer—a cyborg named Utopia—still haunts the streets of New Port City, threatening destruction. If Danny can’t sort through the confusion of coming out, master her powers, and stop Utopia in time, humanity faces extinction.

Review:
First of all, a disclaimer: I'm not transgender myself so my thoughts on this book should be taken with a grain of salt/that in mind. However, some reviews by transgender or genderqueer individuals: Cheryl Morgan + Nicole Field.

I wanted to write a review of this book for myself, though, to just get word out there. I want more people to see this book / hear about it and maybe pick it up. And you should pick it up. It's a book that straddles the line between middle grade and young adult with a protagonist at fifteen, and I've heard it labeled as both but apparently it's YA (but it's fine for MG, in my opinion).

Anyway - Danny is our main character and right off the bat Dreadnought is dead. Less then ten pages, I think, and there is a bit of info dumping in there at the beginning just because that with a world that, while like ours, is also vastly different there's some things we need to know.

We learn how superheroes came to be in the world, the many ways in which they did, and also the Dreadnoughts who came before, how the mantle is one that is passed from person to person.

The first half of this book is heartbreaking as it's Danny - who chooses to go by Danielle later in the book, but seems to want to keep the nickname? She's probably unsure, we're unsure. Anyway - heartbreaking. I mean I literally was sitting on a train with my hand over my heart and trying not to cry.

Danny's parents aren't supportive or her only real friend. Hell, even the league of heroes isn't exactly super accepting, either. And it sucks and it hurts but then - she hooks up with a "greycape" she'd met at the beginning and the classic crime fighting begins, that ends up with a fast paced end with twists and surprises, and an epic battle.

The one thing I do want to point out about Danielle as a character is that she's angry at points. She flies up and screams her heart out she's so angry, and she just generally is feeling things more. And there's a line about that even though it hurts, she likes it, feeling things. Sometimes that's something I need to remind myself, so it was good to see. Also fantastic to see unapologetic female anger/rage, always here for that. I'm not kidding, it felt good as hell to read.

I didn't talk much about the representation of a trans main character just because I really don't feel like I'm the right person to talk about it. However, I will say that reading from a cis perspective there were some simple things about the beginning, when she's struggling against everyone, that made my heart hurt. And I hope this book is able to help someone realize they aren't alone.

(I haven't seen any reviews bashing the rep or I would of scrapped my idea to do a full review, no matter how much I, personally, love the book. If you do have problems with it, though, please tell me in the comments and give me links if you've done a full review so I can add that to this post as well)

If you've read, or now want to pick up, Dreadnought please let me know!

Cheryl Morgan (trans women writer)
Nicole Field (multigender writer)
Goodreads

Happy reading, friends.

Short Book Recommendations | 24in48 Readathon

I've been meaning to post more recommendation lists and, I thought, this would be the perfect chance to post a list since it's the perfect chance to read some over the weekend for the 24in48 readathon (website for more information). It's a little last minute, sure, but most of the stuff I'm recommending is kindle based, anyway.

This is a long post so I've separated out genres with a lot in them. If you don't like romance/erotica then don't go there, or SFF/Fantasy - you get the idea. Also if you've got any recommendations for me, then please leave those in the comments! I'm always up for more books to add to my never ending TBR.

Romance/Erotica - my favorite super quick read for readathons

Coffee Boy by Austin Grant - short (60+ pages) of romance, there's a sex scene at the end that's pretty graphic but the only one. Kind of an enemies to lovers premise? Oh with a trans main character. Highly recommend checking this out even if not for this readathon, just in life. (goodreads)

Defying Convention by Cecil Wilde - this is super fucking cute? Two friends meeting (if I remember correctly, for the first time) at a convention and feelingssssssss. One is a bi trans man, the other is genderqueer/nonbinary. This story is so damn cute I couldn't handle it? (sex is also not as involved in this until the end) (trigger warnings: MC is dead named) (goodreads)

By My Fantasy duology by Alisha Rai - these are hot and kinky as hell, so far warning if you're not super into the sex thing. Super well written, though, and a lot of fun. Alisha Rai's a fantastic author (wouldn't know where to start with trigger warnings so be careful or just ask me in the comments/twitter and I'll get back to you ASAP) (m/f) (goodreads)

So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon - this is the first in a series but I haven't read the rest. Girl is chubby and guy is older, and it's a 'sugar daddy' kind of situation but real feelings and I feel like it was handled super well? (about 100 pages) (goodreads)

Grinder by Samantha Whiskey - this is about hockey players and because of a certain webcomic (checkplease) I've been super interested. This also has a guy that's a single father and an adorable child - super damn cute romance (there's explicit sex but not erotica levels) (goodreads)

Club Shadowlands by Cherise Sinclair - this is has a little bit of dubious consent, I'd say but others might not agree? Either way, I super enjoyed it, it was was, one, hot as hell and, two, kinky as hell. Haven't read more in the series but I would like to considering how good this one is. (150+ pages) (goodreads)

SFF/Fantasy - some insanely good and short genre fiction

Binti + Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor - This is a SciFi novella series (I think just a trilogy, the third one comes out early 2018) and they go places I didn't see coming a mile away and are just incredible. The first ones about 90 pages, the second about 170. Both fantastic (series goodreads)

Forest of Memory by Mary Robinette Kowal - I read this months ago and I'm still not over how much is packed into less then 100 pages. Its incredible and my first read by this author, definitely should check this one out. (goodreads)

The Secret Lives of Rockstars by Suzanne Lazear - I read this the beginning of the year and loved it, considering rereading it (maybe for this readathon?). It's more YA leaning and steampunk and adorable as all hell. Highly recommend and I can't wait until we get more. (goodreads)

Love Beyond Body, Space, and Time: An Indigenous LGBT Sci-Fi Anthology - This anthology. I can't even explain how much I loved it? (And I'm not qualified to, so here's people who are: Nicole Field, Polenth Blake, Bogi) (goodreads)

The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson - this was one of the first Sanderson things I read and it's incredible. I'd definitely highly recommend checking it out, it's just so unique? (170+ pages) (goodreads)

Short audio - for giving your eyes that much needed break, also there are probably things you need to do that aren't reading (blasphemy)

The Dispatcher by John Scalzi - This was an interesting book, it was far from my favorite Scalzi, but I did enjoy it (3/5). It's really weird book about people not dying... correctly? Audiobook is 2+ hours and read by Zachary Quinto. (goodreads)

Legion + Legion: Skin Deep by Brandon Sanderson - a strange series of novellas about a man who solves mysteries with the help of his hallucinations. Though, are they hallucinations? These are super fun, and Sanderson. The first audio is about 2 hours, the second I think around 4. They're available both for listening and on ereaders. (series goodreads)

The Breathing Method by Stephen King - this was a weird as hell audiobook? And, actually, now that I'm thinking about it I think I want to relisten to it. Creepy, unsettling, fun read (maybe don't listen/read when it's night out?) (goodreads)

MISC -

The Machine Stops by E.M. Forester - An older one, that I listened to so that's always an option, but I really enjoyed this and wanted to know what the hell was going on so I couldn't stop listening until I knew. Surprised me how much I enjoyed this. (goodreads)

A Thousand Mornings: Poems by Mary Oliver - read this recently, so damn good. Only 96 pages and good as hell poetry. (goodreads)

Sex Object by Jessica Valenti - this was an incredible memoir and different then anything I'd ever, and probably will ever, experience. I didn't know about Jessica before reading this but I was blown away by how much she was willing to share of super personal experiences (trigger warnings: drug use, abortion, depression) (goodreads)

I had more I could of added but decided to not keep going forever. If you end up reading any of the ones I recommended then please let me know, I love hearing my book pushing ways are doing well. Let me know if you liked it or didn't, everyones different! And I hope, if you are taking part in the 24in48 readathon this was helpful (link me to where you're updating for it, if possible!).

Once again, if you want to recommend me anything based on this or just short things, feel free to because too many books isn't something I comprehend.

Happy reading!

24in48 | Readathon (July 22-23)

It's that time of year again! Time for the 24in48 readathon - a readathon where you try to read for 24 out of the 48 hours that the weekend entails. I've never made it to 24 hours and, honestly, probably never will with how bad my eyes have become (thanks astigmatism for giving me eye strain at the worst possible time always).

Anyway - I don't have a TBR ready or anything, just wanted to post about it so if you didn't know it was coming up, now you do, and also to post my sign up. I'll be posting mainly on twitter and instagram, of course.

However, I am planning to post a recommendation list on Thursday or Friday before the readathon of short novellas/books to help you try and power through. Some people can read the same book all day, both days, but I like to complete a few short things early on to feel like I'm getting shit done!

Let me know if you're taking part, and where you'll be posting. My favorite thing for readathons is seeing everyone reading!

24n48 website + Sign Ups

June 2017 | Monthly Wrap Up

June was a hell of a month - I forget how busy summer gets. There was BEA and then friends visiting and me going to NYC to visit friends/book even for friend. Oh and my birthday, my moms birthday. It's a tad bit of a crazy month.

I did, however, find a new bookstore that's like twenty minutes away and glorious, I love it a lot. I can't wait to go back, I'm dying to but also want to try and read some of the things I bought before going back. But also want to try and dive into the pile of ARCS I have from BEA. Oh and all the books that've come out in the last few months that I haven't gotten to yet. Does anyone else have this problem?

Now, onto what this post is actually suppose to be about, what I read in June.

Books:

• 27 Hours by Tristina Wright (5/5)
• Wallbanger by Alice Clayton (3/5)
• Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare (3/5)
• Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee (4/5)
• Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee (4/5)
• On Thin Ice by Dana Burkey (2/5)
• A Thousand Morning: Poems by Mary Oliver (4/5)
• Timekeeper by Tara Sim (4.5/5)
• Dreadnought by April Daniels (5/5)
• Strangely Beautiful by Leanna Renee Hieber (5/5)

First off - I've been spewing love for 27 Hours around the internet since I finished it and it's not out until October. On one hand, I feel bad about that, but it is worth the wait. And I will continue to spew love for it (and have a review up closer to the release date).

Lord of Shadows was just meh for me - I didn't care about Julian/Emma as much, but did care about Cristina/Mark/Keiran. My new OT3, please let it be a real thing that's going to happen.

You might be seeing a theme in my reading. It was Pride month, of course, so I was trying to read as much LGBTQIA+ books as possible. And, trust me, I am not lacking in books I own with those themes (though I am always looking for me, rec me some). And, honestly, most of the straight stuff I read wasn't that great this month - except for one, which we'll get to.

Tash Hearts Tolstoy was so damn good, and also adorable, and I want to read more ace characters, I need them in my life. Not Your Sidekick was really damn good, as well, and I cannot wait for the next one. I really can't wait to see from Bells' perspective. Timekeeper - okay, so the ship in this is without a doubt adorable, but also the world is so interesting? And we get to see, more close up, how the time magic works and I was like loosing my mind, I cannot wait to get my hands on boo two. I highly recommend all three of these - hell, all the queer books I read this month were four to five stars, obviously I'd recommend them.

Dreadnought. I want to write a full review of this one - I'm not trans so I'm currently planning to link to at least one review by a trans female reviewer. I loved this book, though, a whole hell of a lot. I bought it and immediately started reading it and kind of never wanted to put it down? The way it ended was bonkers and I need more. I wasn't going to mention this until my full review but one of my favorite things was how angry Danielle is - the female rage is real. And also the feelings in general? I don't know, I just - I loved it?

And last, but not least, Strangely Beautiful. This series has a lot of nostalgia for me and is written by a friend, but that doesn't affect my opinion of this. The first time I read anything of Strangely Beautiful was right after meeting Leanna at a signing that we went to to hang out with Robyn and there was pretty much just us there. This book is richly written and, of course, gothic. It's definitely a romance, though, above all else. I love it, though, and love our cast of characters. I'm a sucker for a group of friends and their banter. Also a twist on the Persephone/Hades myth.

If you've read any of these, let me know. Have recs based on what I read. Or, of course, did your own wrap up - especially, but not only, if you tried to focus on LGBTQIA+ books as well - link me in the comments!

On the Blog:

May 2017 | Monthly Wrap Up
#30DayBookBinge Challenge + June Reading Plans
Top Ten Tuesday: Top 2017 Reads (so far)