Happy New Year Readers!
Sorry to have been so MIA lately, honestly I'd love to say that I was holed up somewhere reading all the books, planning out reviews and read-a-longs, but I wasn't. I was dealing with grief, depression, holiday feels realness, and emotional stagnation. Thankfully, I'm coming out of that.
January has been a very bookish month for me. I've gotten through 12 reads, only one wasn't the best, and I'm 23% through my Goodreads challenge. Yes, this year I've only challenged myself to read 52 books, just one a week for 2019. Something I've noticed while reading my way through grief is that I will read a LOT, and listen to a LOT of audiobooks and podcasts as a way to avoid my emotions. For the past few years I've set myself up for these reading challenges, to successfully complete them, and while I have finished everything I wasn't fully enjoying the stories. I was reading to fill in the time that freed up in my life because taking care of my dying parents was no longer on my plate. I was reading to fill the hole in my chest that grief created. Yes I loved some of the books I read last year, I still can't shut up about Sadie, but I put all of this immense pressure on myself to be the book girl that I lost the fire that made me a reader in the first place. So 2019 is the year of the story for me. I'm reading books, I will always be reading books, but I'm reading them solely for the stories they contain. I'm not trying to fill bingo cards, check off challenges, or hit triple digits like I have in years past. This year, I'm just reading for the sole enjoyment of reading.
So, without further ado.....
Here are the first 12 books of 2019!
1. Essentialism by Greg McKeown
2. Empress of the East by Leslie Peirce
3. Nixonland by Rick Perlstein
4. Impeachment by Jeffrey Engel, Jon Meacham, Timothy Naftali, and Peter Baker
5. Playing With Fire by Lawrence O'Donnell
6. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
7. Verity by Colleen Hoover
8. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass
9. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Mass
10. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
11. White Lies by Lucy Dawson
12. Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus
What I'm currently reading:
Queen of Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
Stay tuned for my RBG special, my hot take on Bad Blood, and much more this year.
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Showing posts with label Book Log. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Log. Show all posts
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Review Time: With You Always by Rena Olsen
Good Morning Readers!!
Today we're talking about a book I just finished, the second by one of my favorite authors,
With You Always by Rena Olsen; her first book is The Girl Before and she doesn't disappoint with her sophomore novel. Just a heads up, I will be spoiling the novel, so if that is going to bug you read the book first and come back tomorrow. Additionally, I listened to the Audible version of this book, because Brittany Pressley is amazing and I love listening to her; also, psycho thrillers are way more fun as audio books.
Told in multiple parts and from the perspective of Julia, our gem of a leading lady, With You Always brings you in and then leaves you feeling trapped. (In a good way I swear!)
"In the wake of a painful breakup and struggling to prove herself at work, Julia feels adrift. When Bryce blows into her life, he seems like the perfect anchor. Handsome, charming, secure, and confident, Bryce brings out the best in Julia, sweeping her off her feet with attention and affection while grounding her with his certainty and faith. Together they embark on a path guided by the principles of his family and their church, each step a paving stone leading to happily ever after.But this is no fairy tale.
Step by step, one small concession leading to another, Julia is slowly isolated from her job, her friends, and her family, until she comes to find that her dream come true is a cage. Then one day everything changes...and Julia is faced with no choice but to find a way out"
As the story begins Julia is relatable to every single woman in the world who has dated a terrible guy. Her fiance leaves her, after cheating on her multiple times, and she is seriously lacking in confidence. She has some great friends from college, a good to great relationship with her sister, nephews, and parents, and a domineering female boss that makes her feel inferior, though she's starting to make her mark at work. Julia feels disturbingly normal, and Bryce feels somehow planted. He just happens to be there when Julia is taking a break from work outside when the wind blows and scatters her papers, he just so happens to be at the bar she's at with her friends after she and Bryce have gone on a few dates. He's perfect with her nephews and parents, he even gets along with her sister's (probably soon to be EX) husband, and the only one who is skeptical is Julia's sister Kate.
So when we get brought into Bryce's life, with his "parents" the Reverend and Nancy, the church life and culture, I was getting some Scientology vibes. (I also picked up on the drug thing as soon as "The Gathering" was described the first time.) Everything about Bryce felt fake, especially compared to how real Julia felt. Their relationship, the dynamic, you know from the synopsis what's going to happen, but I wasn't anticipating HOW it happened.
Like I said this story is told in parts, and I liked that. We start off with a large cast of characters as well, and as each part is told references to other characters start dying down, I flat out forgot about a couple of them by the end, not that they weren't well written, just that the story had so completely focused on Julia and Bryce by that point that I started feeling Julia's isolation as I listened. It's brilliant.
I do wish that the bits and pieces of Bryce's back story that we got were larger. There are some flashback scenes that happen, giving us clues as to why Bryce was so enthralled with the Reverend, why Bryce left his home and changed his name from Bruce to Bryce, and sure, he killed an abusive jackass to save his mother and sister, but I wanted more from Bryce. Hell, I want more from Reverend and Nancy. Like a whole book of their backstory, how many people in their church are abusive assholes, the whole nine. I want more info on the school, I want to know what the hell happens in that punishment closet, can these characters have a spin off? Can we be told their story and have Julia and Bryce be background characters? They're so addicting!!
One thing I wasn't expecting was the foreshadowing or outright explanation of the ending. About halfway through the book, when we're getting used to the narrator telling us about Bryce's back story, we start hearing about a dead man in a tub, about him being held down by a woman, and it's written in such a way you think it has something to do with something "Bruce" did, or maybe even something Nancy did, that woman is shady as hell, when in reality, it's Julia killing Bryce.
All in all, this novel was every single bit as compelling as The Girl Before. I couldn't finish it fast enough, and I want more. I'm excited to see what comes next from Rena Olsen, because hands down I will always be here, ready to read or listen.
Until Next Time!
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
P.S. Rena Olsen's first novel is also how I found J.P. Delaney, who's second book I'm currently listening too. Sooooo you'll get that review by the end of the week I'm sure.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
BOB 20: The Rewrite
Good Morning Readers!
Today is the second day of Bout of Books 20 and you still have today to sign up! I'm working on keeping a list of what I get through this week, along with what I start but don't finish. Plus it's fun to categorize books and make lists.
The prompt or challenge for today is to rewrite a book synopsis from another character's point of view. They gave an example from Harry Potter, with Hermoine's view, and I am attempting to tackle this challenge with Stephanie Garber's Caraval.
My sister Scarlett and I have never left home before; our abusive and monstrous father keeps us locked here as though we were saints for purchase and Scarlett's price has just been paid. Sure, she's been getting letters from her bethrothed, but I know they're my father's lies. I have to escape, Scar has to escape, and their is only one person who can help us do just that. For years my sister has been pining to go to the Caraval, a mysterious game that consumes its players. Whatever happens inside the game happens in a perceived reality, but remember dear sister, it is only a game. I am getting off this island, and if Legend keeps his promise, my sister will leave too. I've bargained my life away betting on my sister; I hope I wasn't wrong.
Okay, I hope that wasn't terrible. It's acutally hard to rewrite a synposis without giving anything away!! There's a reason that one POV usually dominates them.
Until Next Time,
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Today is the second day of Bout of Books 20 and you still have today to sign up! I'm working on keeping a list of what I get through this week, along with what I start but don't finish. Plus it's fun to categorize books and make lists.
The prompt or challenge for today is to rewrite a book synopsis from another character's point of view. They gave an example from Harry Potter, with Hermoine's view, and I am attempting to tackle this challenge with Stephanie Garber's Caraval.
My sister Scarlett and I have never left home before; our abusive and monstrous father keeps us locked here as though we were saints for purchase and Scarlett's price has just been paid. Sure, she's been getting letters from her bethrothed, but I know they're my father's lies. I have to escape, Scar has to escape, and their is only one person who can help us do just that. For years my sister has been pining to go to the Caraval, a mysterious game that consumes its players. Whatever happens inside the game happens in a perceived reality, but remember dear sister, it is only a game. I am getting off this island, and if Legend keeps his promise, my sister will leave too. I've bargained my life away betting on my sister; I hope I wasn't wrong.
Okay, I hope that wasn't terrible. It's acutally hard to rewrite a synposis without giving anything away!! There's a reason that one POV usually dominates them.
Until Next Time,
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
The List by Patricia Forde
Goooooood Morning Readers!!!
Day Two of my Birthday Week is all about The List by Patricia Forde, which happens to publish TODAY!!! While it is a middle grade book, yes I am a grown woman reading middle grade books, the concept of language and its importance in society is so profound, abstract, and intense, that The List does a great job of getting younger readers into that critical thinking space; hopefully it starts a discussion that never ends.
A quick synopsis...
In the city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. Speak outside the approved lexicon and face banishment. The exceptions are the Wordsmith and his apprentice Letta, the keepers and archivists of all language in their post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval world. On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words. But when she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob Ark's citizens of their power of speech, she realizes that it's up to her to save not only words, but culture itself. (Thanks Goodreads!)
Let that sink in for a moment. THIS GIRL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAVING LANGUAGE! Throughout history the right to speech, the access to speech, the very nature of speech, has been the stuff of wars! Cultures have lived and thrived based on their means of communication. And we have ALL been that person using primitive sign language and interpretive dance to find out where the bathroom is.
As I was reading The List I found myself having to wonder why the importance of language has never really been brought up in my circle. We're avid readers, intellectuals, and most of my friends are artists of some form, heck I'm married to a poet who proposed via poem. When I wrote my wedding vows, even when I write these blogs I subconsciously pick and choose the vernacular I use, the dialect and tone, even the syntax of a sentence to best convey the message I have.
Forde does a great job of blending some time periods and genres, this book is futuristic and medieval at the same time, and she does a good job giving us characters to root for. There are some plot issues, and one or two holes you can skirt around, but I think the biggest asset to this novel is Letta. The maturity she exhibits, as well as the urgency of her position aren't to be taken lightly. However there is the good risk that a lot of this book is going to be glanced over, or not even considered. "Everything is a risk. Life is a risk. We have to be what we are. Our souls are not like the soul of a fox. Hour hearts are not like the heart of a sparrow." - Marlo pg 86
The relationships in this book are bitter sweet, and the undying allegiance can be frightening to an over thinking adult like myself, but read The List, and ask yourself why language matters. I asked some of my friends, and their answers surprised me.
"Let's eat kids! Let's eat, kids! Punctuation saves lives." -B. Scott (Can you tell he's a teacher?)
"The written word lets you say what cannot be spoken." E. Savageau
"Language allows sharing and fosters relationships and (I hope) cooperation. It is how ideas spread." - L. Meyers
"The way we speak effects, and is effected by the way we think. It is expression but it is also neural programming." A. Estes
"We are all here because we believe in the power of communication based on love and trust." B. McBroom quoting the #WhyISign campaign.
"Language is important because it has the potential to open doors and close them. It can mean the difference between access or restriction in a modern, global, and competitive market." S. Bilquist
(Seriously, I know some great teachers!)
"Language conventions provide the order and scaffold that allows for common understanding." S. Carpenter (See... GREAT teachers!)
Personally, I find that language is what finds us loved, freed, understood, and what gives us hope. If I can express to you my ambition, excitement, joy and love, language is what lets you understand me. I could go on forever about cultures and their languages, how some cultures don't have the same words for the same things, how some have words for emotions that can't be described any other way, but for now I'll leave you with this, language matters.
Until next time....
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Day Two of my Birthday Week is all about The List by Patricia Forde, which happens to publish TODAY!!! While it is a middle grade book, yes I am a grown woman reading middle grade books, the concept of language and its importance in society is so profound, abstract, and intense, that The List does a great job of getting younger readers into that critical thinking space; hopefully it starts a discussion that never ends.
A quick synopsis...
In the city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. Speak outside the approved lexicon and face banishment. The exceptions are the Wordsmith and his apprentice Letta, the keepers and archivists of all language in their post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval world. On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words. But when she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob Ark's citizens of their power of speech, she realizes that it's up to her to save not only words, but culture itself. (Thanks Goodreads!)
Let that sink in for a moment. THIS GIRL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAVING LANGUAGE! Throughout history the right to speech, the access to speech, the very nature of speech, has been the stuff of wars! Cultures have lived and thrived based on their means of communication. And we have ALL been that person using primitive sign language and interpretive dance to find out where the bathroom is.
As I was reading The List I found myself having to wonder why the importance of language has never really been brought up in my circle. We're avid readers, intellectuals, and most of my friends are artists of some form, heck I'm married to a poet who proposed via poem. When I wrote my wedding vows, even when I write these blogs I subconsciously pick and choose the vernacular I use, the dialect and tone, even the syntax of a sentence to best convey the message I have.
Forde does a great job of blending some time periods and genres, this book is futuristic and medieval at the same time, and she does a good job giving us characters to root for. There are some plot issues, and one or two holes you can skirt around, but I think the biggest asset to this novel is Letta. The maturity she exhibits, as well as the urgency of her position aren't to be taken lightly. However there is the good risk that a lot of this book is going to be glanced over, or not even considered. "Everything is a risk. Life is a risk. We have to be what we are. Our souls are not like the soul of a fox. Hour hearts are not like the heart of a sparrow." - Marlo pg 86
The relationships in this book are bitter sweet, and the undying allegiance can be frightening to an over thinking adult like myself, but read The List, and ask yourself why language matters. I asked some of my friends, and their answers surprised me.
"Let's eat kids! Let's eat, kids! Punctuation saves lives." -B. Scott (Can you tell he's a teacher?)
"The written word lets you say what cannot be spoken." E. Savageau
"Language allows sharing and fosters relationships and (I hope) cooperation. It is how ideas spread." - L. Meyers
"The way we speak effects, and is effected by the way we think. It is expression but it is also neural programming." A. Estes
"We are all here because we believe in the power of communication based on love and trust." B. McBroom quoting the #WhyISign campaign.
"Language is important because it has the potential to open doors and close them. It can mean the difference between access or restriction in a modern, global, and competitive market." S. Bilquist
(Seriously, I know some great teachers!)
"Language conventions provide the order and scaffold that allows for common understanding." S. Carpenter (See... GREAT teachers!)
Personally, I find that language is what finds us loved, freed, understood, and what gives us hope. If I can express to you my ambition, excitement, joy and love, language is what lets you understand me. I could go on forever about cultures and their languages, how some cultures don't have the same words for the same things, how some have words for emotions that can't be described any other way, but for now I'll leave you with this, language matters.
Until next time....
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Monday, August 7, 2017
Little Gray Dress
Happy Monday All!!
Today we're kicking of my birthday week with something I find to be pretty amazing, A NEW RELEASE BOOK TOUR BLOG!! Needless to say I'm pretty excited to be a part of this and super grateful to Aimee Brown and Crooked Cat Publishing for this opportunity. So poke around at will, I've got plenty of goodies packed into this post! We're talking a review, an Author Q&A, and even an excerpt from the book! All rounded out by a giveaway! Can you tell I'm excited?
Let's start off with the details shall we? #BookBlub time!
Author: Aimee Brown
Release Date: August 2nd, 2017
Publisher: Crooked Cat Books
Genre: Romantic Comedy/Chick Lit
GoodReads: add Little Gray Dress to your to be read list
Emi Harrison
has avoided her ex-fiance, Jack Cabot, for nearly two years. Her twin
brother Evan’s wedding is about to end that streak.
From bad
bridesmaid’s dresses, a hyperactive sister-in-law, a mean girl with even meaner
secrets, and too much to drink, nothing seems to go right for Emi, except when
she’s wearing her little gray dress.
When she
speed-walks into Liam Jaxon’s bar, things get more complicated. He’s
gorgeous, southern, and has no past with Emi. He may be exactly what she
needs to prove for the last time that she doesn’t need or want Jack!
Her favorite
little gray dress has made an appearance at nearly every major event in Emi’s
adult life. Will it make another when she least expects it?
Wasn't that tease too much to handle? Get yourself a copy!!
Wasn't that tease too much to handle? Get yourself a copy!!
Barnes & Noble: print –
$9.99
Side note, I am in love with the name of this author! We're both Amy's- spelled with "i's"!! (Though I don't use the ee at the end of my name.)
Aimee
Brown – author bio:
Aimee Brown
is a writer and an avid reader. Little Gray Dress is her first
published novel. My second novel is in the works now. She’s currently studying
for her Bachelor’s degree in English Writing. She spends much of her time
writing, doing homework, raising three teenagers, binge watching shows on
Netflix and obsessively cleaning and redecorating her house. She’s fluent in
sarcasm and has been known to utter profanities like she’s competing for a
medal.
Aimee grew
up in Oregon but is now a transplant living in cold Montana with her husband of
twenty years, three teenage children, and far too many pets.
She would
love to hear your thoughts on Little Gray Dress! If you’d like to
chat with her she’s very active on social media. You can find her at any of the
networks below. Stop by and say hello!
An introduction is never enough, and I had a few questions I wanted to ask! Aimee was kind enough to respond to them.
An introduction is never enough, and I had a few questions I wanted to ask! Aimee was kind enough to respond to them.
We've
all heard of the LBD, that sexy dress giving you all the confidence in the world,
or at least a free drink at the bar. Why did you opt for Gray? How did it
become Emi's favorite color? Did your own Little Gray Dress give you
inspiration?
I think the part of the book that represents
me the most is the fact that Gray is Emi’s favorite color. I love the color
gray and if it’s an option in any clothing I like, it’s what I choose. My
closet looks like I spend every single day mourning a loved one, it’s all black
and grays! LOL.
I didn’t want to be ‘just another book about a
little black dress’ so I opted for another color, my favorite color, Gray!
Actually, I don’t think I’ve worn a dress
since my wedding day in 1997. I’m just not really a ‘dress’ kind of girl. Jeans
and t-shirts fill my closet. I love the idea of the girly girls wearing dresses
and heels though so it would figure that I would write my characters with that
trait.
In
an era of body positivity Emi seems pretty harsh on herself appearance wise; do
you feel that you're representing a more realistic image of women post break
up?
I feel like Emi is true to life. As a woman
myself who is not a perfect size 2, I can say that in that same ‘body positive’
world you’re speaking of, it’s still hard to be the ‘nonperfect’ girl. Despite
everyone screaming for body positive thoughts, judgment
is still around every corner.
Every woman, no matter how positive they try
to be on the outside, has some kind of body issues. Whether it be her weight,
hair, stretch marks or ingrown toenails. There is just no way around it. Emi
represents that woman, the woman who loves herself but wishes that maybe it was
a little easier to lose that extra 30 pounds.
Romance
novels have either had a cult following or taboo feel to them, think of the dimestore, throbbing members of older
generations, how do you feel you've enhanced the genre? Do you believe that
Romance is making a comeback?
I actually don’t think romance has ever gone
out. If you look at the Bestseller lists there is ALWAYS a romance novel on
there. Whether women want to admit it or not, they love romance. Some like the
dirty kind, some the sweet kind and some the funny kind (like Little Gray
Dress).
We all dream of that ‘happily ever after’
feeling. Even if we’re married. It’s fun to read a book that you can close with
a smile, feeling like you’ve just made a new group of friends and went on a
tiny vacation right from your favorite chair.
Little Gray Dress is a fun read, you’ll laugh
out loud and not regret skipping a meal or two while you finish it. I think
those are the kinds of books that really make you feel good. The ones you
absolutely can not put down. I think that is what Little Gray Dress adds to the
world, fun and a bit of laughter.
What
about the Romance and ChickLit genres made you decide to write LGD as a
Romance? Were these genres long held favorites of yours?
For me, romantic comedy/chick lit is just what comes out when I try to write.
I love it as much as I loved the 90’s rom/com
movies. From the first Sophie Kinsella book,
I knew it was the genre for me.
I saw Sleepless in Seattle in the theaters when it was released when I was a
teen… it (and so many movies after) have held a piece of my heart. I just can’t
get enough of the quirky heroines and happy endings.
I have no doubt that most every book I write
will be in this genre. It’s just me.
Where
will we be seeing your career take you next? Any upcoming projects?
Absolutely! I’ve got all kinds of tricks up my
sleeve.
Right now I’m working on another romantic
comedy, whose main character, Riley is not
the smoothest with men. She’s hilarious and completely real as she navigates
through set-ups, accidental run-ins, and
some real oddballs. There may even be a character I love from Little Gray
Dress. 😉
The Getaway
“He
asked you to go away with him? Already?” Lily almost drops her fork into her
lasagna when I say it. Like it’s such a shock that a man could ask me to go
away with him. Even though it has never actually happened.
“Yeah.
I guess his parents own a house in Malibu, California.”
“Out
of state?”
“Yes,
Malibu… Like where Barbie lives.” I wink at her.
“What
did you say?”
“I
said yes, duh.”
“I
hope you’re planning on having sex with him, because guys don’t take girls to fancy
Malibu beach houses for a long weekend and not expect to get laid. Not to
mention that you’ve been dating six months and you still haven’t given it up.”
She scrunches her face in confusion.
“I
wanted to be sure!” I glance around the restaurant to see who now knows what a
prude I am since she’s talking so loud about it. No one appears to be listening
in, but who knows?
“Sure
of what?”
“That
he wasn’t just one of those guys who would screw me and then move onto the
next.” I shrug my shoulders. “Apparently, he’s not.”
“I’ve
told you the whole time, Ems, he’s a good guy. You should stop holding him at
arm’s length like you’re scared of him. This is a big step in your
relationship.”
“I
know it is, and I’m so freaking nervous. I have no idea what this is going to
be like.”
“Don’t
even pack clothes, you won’t need them.” She takes a bite of her lasagna before
nearly choking on it when she looks up at my horrified face. “I’m kidding! If I
know Jack, and I think I do, it’ll be all romance and rainbows and he’ll set
the tone for your entire relationship.”
“A
good tone?”
“A
rich, romantic tone, but yes, probably good too. Maybe we should go shopping?”
“For
what?”
“Uh,
hello, have you not been listening? For lingerie ya weirdo. You do want to make
him want you on your first time, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then
you need good lingerie. Have any?”
I
think about my underwear drawer for a minute. “I have a pair of bra and panties
that match.”
“You’re
so sad.”
“I
know, seriously, you have to help me.”
“I
know. Don’t worry, I will.” She grabs her phone and starts tapping away,
planning goodness knows what, in order to get me ready to consummate my
relationship.
When
we walk into the shop I’m almost a little scared. This is no Victoria’s Secret. Lily’s
friend Merri used this shop when she was shopping for her wedding night. They
make private appointments and do fittings to suit your body type.
“I
don’t know about this…” The room is filled with racks of swanky lingerie,
expensive underwear, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. “I feel like I’m in a secret
sex shop.”
“Ladies!”
A middle-aged woman in a dress far too tight and far too short comes walking in
from the back part of the shop, carrying an armload of what looks like hot pink
lace string bikinis.
“Are
you Esther?” Lily asks.
“I
am!” Esther has a sing-song type voice. “You must be Lily! I’m thrilled to meet
you!” When she speaks, every single sentence ends with either a question mark
or an exclamation mark. Lingerie obviously excites her.
“And
you must be Emi!” She looks at me with a huge smile on her face. “Lily told me
a bit about you, and based on what she
said I pulled out a few items for you to try on. They’re waiting in here…” She
leads me to a giant dressing room with three-way mirrors and a plush velvet
couch. “Try them on and come out for our opinions.”
“I
have to model?”
“Well…”
She glances over at Lily. “You don’t have to
come out, but we’re here to help you make the best decision for this special
occasion. You’re in a safe place and there is no one here with us.”
“No
cameras?”
She
bursts out a laugh then quickly stifles it away. “No! No. No cameras; that
would make the news, dear. No, go, try and model.”
Personally, I found my own little gray dress while reading this book. Very similar to the Emi's! I never thought of gray being this sexy, powerful, beautiful color until now.
Personally, I found my own little gray dress while reading this book. Very similar to the Emi's! I never thought of gray being this sexy, powerful, beautiful color until now.
Alright, so now you've come to the nitty gritty, my review of The Little Gray Dress by Aimee Brown. To begin, I've broken my cardinal rule to never read romances; and thankfully nothing in this book "quivered". I found LGD to be refreshing, I read it in a few hours and laughed almost every other page; the situations Emi found herself in were extremely familar and comical. I loved the friendship between Emi and Lily. The genuine support, advice, and candor between the two honestly felt real. Emi and Jack's relationship seems like a Cinderella tale at first, until the pumpkin arrives in the form of "May" and midnight breaks the glass slipper. I appreciated the back and forth version of the narrative, you are never able to get mired down in something for two long, and Aimee does a great job of not letting you wonder or wander for too long. I did find the pacing to be a bit quick at times, and the stand in love interest didn't feel like it really went anywhere beyond a few great kisses; though I kind of liked that because, again, we avoided any quivering.
In the end I found this to be a great and easy read that's fun, different, and great if you're looking for something to engross you for a couple of hours or as a beach read. It is also a fantastic introduction to the Romance Genre or a great one to read if you aren't a fan of the genre; I'm also calling it chick-lit that won't annoy you. There is real substance here, the relationships are real, the love in this book is palpable, and you find yourself rooting for true love all the way. You won't be disappointed.
And, as promised, a give away!!!!!!!!
In the end I found this to be a great and easy read that's fun, different, and great if you're looking for something to engross you for a couple of hours or as a beach read. It is also a fantastic introduction to the Romance Genre or a great one to read if you aren't a fan of the genre; I'm also calling it chick-lit that won't annoy you. There is real substance here, the relationships are real, the love in this book is palpable, and you find yourself rooting for true love all the way. You won't be disappointed.
And, as promised, a give away!!!!!!!!
Aimee Brown has the cutest Giveaway for the
tour - pictured here & opened worldwide.
Included is a 'create' coffee cup,
some dark & handsome K-cup pods, a cute Life is Short, Eat Cake wall
art, some tiny macaroons, a Little Gray Dress bookmark & postcard!
Enter here:
Be sure and stay connected to the author via Social Media!!
Until Next Time!
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Monday, May 8, 2017
Bout of Books: The Readers Readathon
Morning All,
The time has come for Bout of Books 19!! (You still have time to sign up! Just click HERE!!)
While all readathons are for readers this one is low key, designed for you to simply read as much as you can in a week with no torturous goals in mind. Unless you set them for yourself. Do you boo.
I love using readathons as an excuse to tidy up my TBR, to actually start a book or get off the shelf, and to maybe tackle a different genre. After working all day it's nice to just go home and lose my brain to whatever I'm reading, like every other reader. Yet the motivation of readathons is great. I've been derailed as a reader for the past couple months so trying to get back to that place I'd been in for the first bit of this year is going to be hard won.
Bout of Books also has daily challenges. Today's was to introduce ourselves in six words, nothing more, nothing less. My introduction is simple. "Reading and Grieving and Living and..." I tweeted this and immediately felt like a moron, but it's true. At the moment this is me. Who are you? What would you read this week?
Until next time! (Which happens to be later today!)
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
The time has come for Bout of Books 19!! (You still have time to sign up! Just click HERE!!)
While all readathons are for readers this one is low key, designed for you to simply read as much as you can in a week with no torturous goals in mind. Unless you set them for yourself. Do you boo.
I love using readathons as an excuse to tidy up my TBR, to actually start a book or get off the shelf, and to maybe tackle a different genre. After working all day it's nice to just go home and lose my brain to whatever I'm reading, like every other reader. Yet the motivation of readathons is great. I've been derailed as a reader for the past couple months so trying to get back to that place I'd been in for the first bit of this year is going to be hard won.
Bout of Books also has daily challenges. Today's was to introduce ourselves in six words, nothing more, nothing less. My introduction is simple. "Reading and Grieving and Living and..." I tweeted this and immediately felt like a moron, but it's true. At the moment this is me. Who are you? What would you read this week?
Until next time! (Which happens to be later today!)
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Friday, April 14, 2017
Fairy Tales and Escape Plans
Hello All,
Yep. You get two today. Tomorrow is Saturday, a day for reading and grieving, and believing that books will get you through it. At least for me that's the truth.
Lately I've been on a fairy tale retelling kick. Something in me is craving their perfect endings and apocolyptic prose. As I'm in the middle of reading the Remnant Chronicles right now, which is a series everyone should read, I'm posting a list of my favorite retellings! Don't worry, they're hyperlinked to their Goodreads pages so you can get some more detail that I am to distracted to provide for you at the current moment.
Drumroll please........
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge
Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge
Hunted by Megan Spooner
Wintersong by S. Jae Jones
Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine
Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire
Ensared by Rita Stradling
Vassa In the Night by Sarah Porter
I guess when I'm not reading psychological thrillers or murder mysteries I'm reading fantasty and fairy tales.
Oh! And the Remnant Chronciles: The Kiss of Deception, The Heart of Betrayal, The Beauty of Darkness. All by Mary E. Pearson. Read them!
Until next time,
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Yep. You get two today. Tomorrow is Saturday, a day for reading and grieving, and believing that books will get you through it. At least for me that's the truth.
Lately I've been on a fairy tale retelling kick. Something in me is craving their perfect endings and apocolyptic prose. As I'm in the middle of reading the Remnant Chronicles right now, which is a series everyone should read, I'm posting a list of my favorite retellings! Don't worry, they're hyperlinked to their Goodreads pages so you can get some more detail that I am to distracted to provide for you at the current moment.
Drumroll please........
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge
Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge
Hunted by Megan Spooner
Wintersong by S. Jae Jones
Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine
Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire
Ensared by Rita Stradling
Vassa In the Night by Sarah Porter
I guess when I'm not reading psychological thrillers or murder mysteries I'm reading fantasty and fairy tales.
Oh! And the Remnant Chronciles: The Kiss of Deception, The Heart of Betrayal, The Beauty of Darkness. All by Mary E. Pearson. Read them!
Until next time,
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Read This
Hello All,
Sorry for the month of nothingness. My father died last month and to be honest I haven't processed that yet. It's slowly hitting in stages and at awkward times, which means the mourning and grief of his loss are an ever constant presence; just like he was.
I've been trying to keep up with my reading challenges but right now that feels impossible. Maybe I'll come back to them, maybe I'll try again next year. Right now I really just need to get back into reading.
After he died I the first line of America's First Daughter came to my mind. "Sons of a revolution fight for liberty. They give blood, flesh, limbs, their very lives. But daughters... we sacrifice our eternal souls. This I am sure of, as I stand in the quiet emptiness of my father's private chambers. I'm here now because my father is dead and buried. And I'm left to make sense of it all." And well, that's what I'm trying to do.
As a reader selecting the books to read while grieving is harder than you'd think. Not every book fits and most of the ones for women who lost their fathers don't apply to my life or my relationship with him. Below is the list I've begun to cultivate to read my way through this; and I'm still looking to add to it.
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Once and Future King by T.H. White
H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald
Smoke Gets in your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Lincoln in the Bardo by Geroge Saunders
The Nix by Nathan Hill
Until next time,
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Sorry for the month of nothingness. My father died last month and to be honest I haven't processed that yet. It's slowly hitting in stages and at awkward times, which means the mourning and grief of his loss are an ever constant presence; just like he was.
I've been trying to keep up with my reading challenges but right now that feels impossible. Maybe I'll come back to them, maybe I'll try again next year. Right now I really just need to get back into reading.
After he died I the first line of America's First Daughter came to my mind. "Sons of a revolution fight for liberty. They give blood, flesh, limbs, their very lives. But daughters... we sacrifice our eternal souls. This I am sure of, as I stand in the quiet emptiness of my father's private chambers. I'm here now because my father is dead and buried. And I'm left to make sense of it all." And well, that's what I'm trying to do.
As a reader selecting the books to read while grieving is harder than you'd think. Not every book fits and most of the ones for women who lost their fathers don't apply to my life or my relationship with him. Below is the list I've begun to cultivate to read my way through this; and I'm still looking to add to it.
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Once and Future King by T.H. White
H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald
Smoke Gets in your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Lincoln in the Bardo by Geroge Saunders
The Nix by Nathan Hill
Until next time,
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
Sunday, February 26, 2017
February is a Fickle Month
Happy Sunday All,
February, month two of 2017, 28 days of wintery bliss that somehow always goes by far to fast. February, the month where I don't feel like I accomplished as much as I wanted to regarding my reading goals. February, the month that distracted me like no other this year! Oh February, by Tuesday you will end, March will begin, and I have a plan; yes I have a plan to March straight into these reading challenges with vigor and coffee. So much coffee.
To date I've completed the following challenges:
February, month two of 2017, 28 days of wintery bliss that somehow always goes by far to fast. February, the month where I don't feel like I accomplished as much as I wanted to regarding my reading goals. February, the month that distracted me like no other this year! Oh February, by Tuesday you will end, March will begin, and I have a plan; yes I have a plan to March straight into these reading challenges with vigor and coffee. So much coffee.
To date I've completed the following challenges:
| BOOK RIOT READ HARDER | |||
| Read a book about books | The Book Jumper | Mechthild Glaser | 384 |
| Read a book published between 1900 and 1950 | The Great Gatsby | F. Scott Fitzgerald | 156 |
| Read a book that is set more than 5000 miles from your location | Tulip Fever (Amsterdam) | Deborah Moggach | 288 |
| Read a book in which a character of color goes on a spiritual journey | Norwegian Wood | Haruki Murakami | 296 |
| Read a book published by a micro-press | Margaret The First | Danielle Dutton | 176 |
| POP SUGAR | |||
| A book of letters | The Private Letters of Countess Erzesbet Bathory | Kimberly Craft | 142 |
| An audio book | Caraval | Stephanie Garber | 416 |
| A book that's a story within a story | The Miniaturist | Jessie Burton | 416 |
| An espionage thriller | Bad Monkey | Matt Ruff | 241 |
| A book by an author who uses a pseudonym | The Silent Wife | A.S.A Harrison | 326 |
| A bestseller from a genre you don't normally read | How to fight presidents | Daniel O'Brien | 272 |
| A book involving travel | Passenger/Wayfarer (Time travel) | Alexandra Bracken | 1018 |
| A book that's published in 2017 | The Possessions | Sarah Flannery Murphy | 368 |
| A book involving a mythical creature | The Bear and the Nightengale | Katherine Arden | 336 |
| A book you've read before that never fails to make you smile | |||
| A book with career advice | Getting an Academic Job in History | Dana Polanichka | 112 |
| A book with pictures | Vlad the Impaler: The Real Count Dracula | Enid A. Goldber & Norman Itzkowitz | 128 |
| The first in a series you haven't read before | Under Different Stars | Amy A Bartol | 297 |
| A book with an eccentric character | The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared | Jonas Jonasson & Rod Bradbury | 396 |
| A book you got from a used book sale | The Last Lecture | Randy Pausch & Jeffrey Zaslow | 206 |
| #LitsyAtoZ | |||
| Book A | All The Ugly and Wonderful Things | Bryn Greenwood | 352 |
| Book Z | Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald | Therese Ann Fowler | 375 |
Moving on into March I'm realizing that I need to get focused again; books can be distracting, who would have known?
Since it seems that the area I'm lacking in the most at present is my #LitsyAtoZ books they're going to be my March focus. My plan is to read at least five books slated out for that challenge and one for each of the others. Seven challenge slated books, and then whatever else I want to read. Gotta love having that goal right?
Until next time,
XoXo
BrainyHeroine
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