January 2019 Wrap Up

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

September TBR!!

Good Morning Readers!!

It is officially September which means it is officially time for a new TBR!!

To begin with....

My Book of the Month Subscription Box picks:

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE)

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock

(I super love my BOTM Subscription and highly suggest y'all try it too! Click HERE for my referral link and we'll both get great things!)

More TBR's for September include...

To Kill a Kingdom
Jane Doe: A Novel
Always Watching
In My Own Words
The Watergate
Fruit of the Drunken Tree
Vox
Three Dark Crowns
One Dark Throne
Two Dark Reigns
The Thousandth Floor
The Dazzling Heights
The Towering Sky

And probably so many others!!!

XoXo

Until Next Time,
BrainyHeroine

August Book Round Up!!

Good Morning Readers!

August has FINALLY reached it's end, which means it's time for a book round up and then, later, a September TBR!!

So what did August look like bookishly? Like this...a whole lot of insomnia + lots of time off + lots of simultaneous reading + audiobooks

The Wildling Sisters
Still Lives
Social Creature
Black Rabbit Hall
Heart of Thorns
The Essex Serpent
The Dinner List
Ghosted
Sweet Little Lies
Dance of Thieves
Kiss of Deception
Heart of Betrayal
Beauty of Darkness
Every Single Secret
Under the Banner of Heaven
The Ghosts of the Orphanage
And I Darken
Now I Rise
Bright We Burn
Lies
The Death of Mrs. Westaway
Believe Me
With You Always
I Will Never Leave You
Ginsburg Rules: A Collection of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Supreme Court Decisions
The Lullaby Girl
The Girl in the Moss
Conan Doyle for the Defense: The True Story of a Sensational British Murder, a Quest for Justice, and The World's Most Famous Detective Writer

New Emotions & New Goals

Morning Readers,

A while back I posted about moving Lit Goals away from just reviews and more towards actual literacy; keeping with that I'd like to let you in on my newest project. Emotional Literacy During Grief.

Emotional Literacy is a term that is used to describe one's ability to understand and express feelings. It involves a self-awareness and recognition of how you feel, and how you're able to manage those feelings.

On March 6, 2017 my father died. I've written about that and about the books I read during that time to try and understand what I was feeling, how I should have been feeling, but mainly about how I wanted to escape those feelings. 345 days later, February 14, 2018 my mother died. While her death was less unexpected than my father's, it fucking hurt. Her last 12 days were hard and I'm not over it. Time moves on, and a month and 5 days later I'm in a better place to talk about it. Her memorial was last week, my father has been dead for a year. These are facts and dates on a calendar, but they're also carved into me. My calendars still say it's February, because somehow not changing them is giving me a foothold to cling to.

Which brings us to the newest goal, Emotional Literacy During Grief. ELDG. When my father died I read a handful of books, and then mainly started reading fairy tale re-tellings because escapism was a real thing and I had a dying mother to care for. This time around I can't escape from anything because escape for me implies a certain level of "hey, this thing happened and continues to happen." This time around I went a little crazy buying books, and they're geared towards helping me process what I'm feeling.

The list from before includes:
- Thanks, Dad
- The Once and Future King
- H is for Hawk
- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
- Every Last Word
- The Last Lecture

And my list now includes:
- It's Okay That You're Not Okay
- Grief Works
- Modern Loss
- Dead People Suck
- My Father's Wake
- From Here to Eternity
- The Dead Moms Club
- It's Okay to Laugh (Crying is Okay Too)
- How to Survive the Loss of a Parent
- The Orphaned Adult

I'm currently reading The Dead Moms Club by Kate Spencer. She was 27 when she lost her mother to cancer, I'll be 27 this August, I lost my mother to cancer, and on page 11 she brought up this stupid blue book "Gone From My Sight" that you get when hospice care starts, and I kid you not I finally felt like someone got it. I got that stupid blue book three times and set one of them on fire.

I'll be spending the next while reading and sorting through emotions. And then reading to find some happiness.

Until next time,

XoXo
BrainyHeroine

Side note, I wrote something amazing to make it through my mother's memorial. I'll post that next.

I'll Be Yours and You Will Be Mine...Release Time!!

Happy Friday Readers!

As many of you may know You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston has come out into the literary world and I want to scream about it from the rooftops.

YOU WILL BE MINE 

Author: Natasha Preston

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: Young Adult Thriller

 ABOUT THE BOOK 

Love turns deadly in a new, heart-pounding thriller from Natasha Preston, author of the runaway bestsellers The Cellar and The Cabin.

ROSES ARE RED,

VIOLETS ARE BLUE,  

WATCH YOUR BACK,

I’M COMING FOR YOU...

 Lylah and her friends can’t wait to spend a night out together. Partying is the perfect way to let loose from the stress of life and school, and Lylah hopes that hitting the dance floor with Chase, her best friend, will bring them closer together. She’s been crushing on him since they met. If only he thought of her the same way…

The girls are touching up their makeup and the guys are sliding on their coats when the doorbell rings. No one is there. An envelope sits on the doormat. It’s an anonymous note addressed to their friend Sonny. A secret admirer? Maybe. They all laugh it off.

Except Sonny never comes home. And a new note arrives:


YOUR TURN
Goodreads - http://bit.ly/2DUXcNm
Amazon - http://amzn.to/2DVlEhv
iBooks - https://apple.co/2DVSCyy
B&N - http://bit.ly/2DY0Ztd
Kobo - http://bit.ly/2DX1sMz

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

UK native Natasha Preston grew up in small villages and towns. She discovered her love of writing when she stumbled across an amateur writing site and uploaded her first story and hasn’t looked back since. She enjoys writing contemporary romance, gritty Young Adult thrillers and, of course, the occasional serial killer.

Website - http://www.natashapreston.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/natashavpreston
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authornatashapreston/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/natashapreston5/
Wattpad - https://www.wattpad.com/user/natashapreston/

EXCERPT 

I breathe in deep through my nose and out through my mouth—an exercise my therapist taught me when I started to feel like I was going to fall apart. I can slowly feel myself start to relax when the doorbell rings.

Sighing, I get up. My housemates must’ve forgotten their keys or be carrying too many bags to unlock the door.

I glance through the window, but no one is there.

Another doorbell ditch? 

My blood runs cold as I open the door.

An envelope is sitting on our mat. The world turns mute as the blood rushes to my ears. Bending down, I scoop up the envelope. It’s addressed to Isaac. And it looks like exactly the one that came for Sonny.

No…

I turn it over and pull out the note. My hands are shaking as I read:

YOUR TURN

“Isaac!” rips from my throat.

“What?” he calls from his room down the hall. My voice is trapped in my throat as I look up and down the street. There are still a few folks leaving flowers, looking at the makeshift memorial in front of our house. Did one of them do this? Did one of them see who left the note? I feel so exposed. Vulnerable.

I draw back inside and shut the door, trembling.

Isaac’s footsteps thud from his bedroom into the foyer. “Lylah, what?” His face falls and his eyes widen as he sees what’s in my hand. “Is that another note?”

Nodding, I hand it to him.

“Jesus,” he whispers. “Who was it addressed to?”

I look up at him, my vision blurring with tears. “You.”

 

We are so excited to be sharing the release of #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Natasha Preston's YOU WILL BE MINE. Young Adult and thriller fans won't want to miss this one--be sure to grab your copy today!

 

About YOU WILL BE MINE

Love turns deadly in a new, heart-pounding thriller from Natasha Preston, author of the runaway bestsellers The Cellar and The Cabin. ROSES ARE RED  VIOLETS ARE BLUE  WATCH YOUR BACK  I’M COMING FOR YOU Lylah and her friends can’t wait to spend a night out together. Partying is the perfect way to let loose from the stress of life and school, and Lylah hopes that hitting the dance floor with Chase, her best friend, will bring them closer together. She’s been crushing on him since they met. If only he thought of her the same way… The girls are touching up their makeup and the guys are sliding on their coats when the doorbell rings. No one is there. An envelope sits on the doormat. It’s an anonymous note addressed to their friend Sonny. A secret admirer? Maybe. They all laugh it off. Except Sonny never comes home. And a new note arrives: YOUR TURN

Add YOU WILL BE MINE to your Goodreads shelf here!

 

Get your copy of YOU WILL BE MINE today!

Amazon / iBooks / B&N / Kobo

 

Read an excerpt from YOU WILL BE MINE now!

I breathe in deep through my nose and out through my mouth—an exercise my therapist taught me when I started to feel like I was going to fall apart. I can slowly feel myself start to relax when the doorbell rings. Sighing, I get up. My housemates must’ve forgotten their keys or be carrying too many bags to unlock the door. I glance through the window, but no one is there. Another doorbell ditch? My blood runs cold as I open the door. An envelope is sitting on our mat. The world turns mute as the blood rushes to my ears. Bending down, I scoop up the envelope. It’s addressed to Isaac. And it looks like exactly the one that came for Sonny. No…  I turn it over and pull out the note. My hands are shaking as I read: YOUR TURN “Isaac!” rips from my throat. “What?” he calls from his room down the hall. My voice is trapped in my throat as I look up and down the street. There are still a few folks leaving flowers, looking at the makeshift memorial in front of our house. Did one of them do this? Did one of them see who left the note? I feel so exposed. Vulnerable. I draw back inside and shut the door, trembling. Isaac’s footsteps thud from his bedroom into the foyer. “Lylah, what?” His face falls and his eyes widen as he sees what’s in my hand. “Is that another note?” Nodding, I hand it to him. “Jesus,” he whispers. “Who was it addressed to?” I look up at him, my vision blurring with tears. “You.”

 

About NATASHA PRESTON

UK native Natasha Preston grew up in small villages and towns. She discovered her love of writing when she stumbled across an amateur writing site and uploaded her first story and hasn't looked back since. She enjoys writing contemporary romance, gritty Young Adult thrillers and, of course, the occasional serial killer. Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Wattpad

Literature Goals has a new goal

Hello Readers,

Today I would like to announce that in 2018 I will shift the focus of this blog and let you know that on top of focusing on books, I'll be focusing more on literacy as a whole.

While literacy is defined as the ability to read and write, I find that it is so much more. It's the complex understanding of the written word. Literacy is also about having effective communication skills, even using the Internet is an example of modern literacy; and the astonishing rate of illiteracy worldwide means that global problems take decades and centuries to solve. Literacy is a compound and complex skill that needs to be developed. 

So what exactly does this all mean for me? Well, I'm hoping to better craft my posts to encourage reading, writing, and understanding, along with encouraging more "challenging" reads; all while doing some self discovery to see where I stand with my own literacy knowledge. I'll be posting book reviews, reflections, and streams of consciousness revolving around books and the media. 

The goal here is to encourage literacy whenever and however I can, and we'll all just have to see how that plays out. 

Until next time, 

XoXo

BrainyHeroine

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!

Title: Little Gray Dress
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!!

AmazonUS: eBook – $2.99 | print – $9.99
AmazonUK: eBook – £1.99| print – £6.99

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. 

      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. 😉

 (Personally I hope we get more Lily! 😊😃)

Ready for that excerpt? Here you go!!

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. 

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!!!!!!!!

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:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure and stay connected to the author via Social Media!! 

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Website/Blog | GoodReads | Amazon Page | Newsletter

Until Next Time! 

XoXo

BrainyHeroine

Listening to Trees

Morning All,

Ready for my second #BoutOfBooks Day 2 challenge? This prompt was fun and a smidge challenging. We were challenged to share a book cover wiere the illustrations are part of the typography of the title. (i.e. The Water Knife or Mamita). When looking at the book cover, you just instantly know that the letters cannot be recreated by downloading a font.

I chose....drumroll please.......

Something cool....

Something different...

A book my husband would love...

Listening to Trees by A.K. Hellium!

The title and author name are in a sense carved into the tree rings that make up the cover image. While you can get close to the font, there would be no way to recreate it without doing the whole thing.

If you want to know more about the book, Click Here!

Until Tomorrow!

XoXo
BrainyHeroine

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

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

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

Stats and Stacks!

Morning All,

Just a quick wrap up to February while prepping for March.

Stats keep us accountable when it comes to challenges.

Xoxo
BrainyHeroine

Thrilling Quick Bits From Net Galley

Her Last Breath by J.A. Schneider: The perks of not knowing a book is a part of a series is that when book two so completely consumes you, you're excited to go back and read book one. I lost an entire day wrapped up in this book. I didn't move from my seat, I had to plug my Kindle in to the charger right by my chair. Not even sure breathing happened. Then, I lost hours again to book one. I haven't quite finished it yet but Ms. Schneider does a fantastic job of sucking you in and not letting you go. It isn't an easy task, but one that is so crucial for mystery and thriller writers. (Check out Book One here!) 

The Devils Prayer by Luke Gracias: Reading this novel transports you to some of the most beautiful churches and scenescapes in the world. The actual story is haunting, it creeps in under your skin and doesn't let go easily. Comparable to Dan Brown's novels, though a bit more fantastical, the differing story lines will both confuse and entrap you. And while the ending may frustrate you fear not! Book two is due out December of 2017 (AKA for Christmas!)  

The Murder of the Persnickity Diva...A Review of Charlotte Holmes Books 1 and 2 (Spoilers)

You can hardly throw a stone outside anymore and not hit a modern Sherlock fan. Either thanks to the BBC, PBS, your grandparents bookshelves, your parents bookshelves, and now we can add Brittany Cavallaro to this list of reasons. 

Need a quick synopsis? Here you go! (Courtesy of Goodreads!)

A Study in Charlotte:

"The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock's genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other. "

The Last of August:

"Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are looking for a winter-break reprieve after a fall semester that almost got them killed. But Charlotte isn’t the only Holmes with secrets, and the mood at her family’s Sussex estate is palpably tense. On top of everything else, Holmes and Watson could be becoming more than friends—but still, the darkness in Charlotte’s past is a wall between them.

A distraction arises soon enough, because Charlotte’s beloved uncle Leander goes missing from the estate—after being oddly private about his latest assignment in a German art forgery ring. The game is afoot once again, and Charlotte is single-minded in her pursuit.

Their first stop? Berlin. Their first contact? August Moriarty (formerly Charlotte’s obsession, currently believed by most to be dead), whose powerful family has been ripping off famous paintings for the last hundred years. But as they follow the gritty underground scene in Berlin to glittering art houses in Prague, Holmes and Watson begin to realize that this is a much more complicated case than a disappearance. Much more dangerous, too.
What they learn might change everything they know about their families, themselves, and each other." 

Beginning with A Study in Charlotte and adding in The Last of August I haven't been able to stop this series once I began reading it. Though it is only planned to be a trilogy, Cavallaro does a great job of encompassing the traditional Sherlock and Watson, bringing them into the present day, and having her readers embrace the complexities of their relationship in an approachable and relatable way. One of the first things you have to know about this series start with the names of the characters. Charlotte Holmes and James (Jamie) Watson. Two teenagers at the Sherringford Prep school in Connecticut. Jamie doesn't want to be there, and Charlotte is trying her hardest to make it though uninterupted. 

Their relationship is slow to start, sped along by the murder of Lee Dobson. After reading A Study of Scarlett I truly loathed Lee, he's an idiot, a rapist, and a moron; needless to say I didn't mourn his death any. The baffling part is that Lee isn't even the worse person in the book! You'll end of hating the school nurse, Augst Moriarty's ex-fiance, the architect of Charlotte's rape, and the murder of Lee and almost murderer of Jamie. She's a well written villan, causing you to, for only a moment, sympathize with her and her course of action. Then you realize she's insane and you're mad when Charlotte isn't allowed to completely destroy her. 

As their relationship progresses in The Last of August, I was drawn to their hesitation to be anything more. Jamie often feels pushe aside or forces his feelings down his throat, while Charlotte either acknowledges them to the point of insanity or becomes a robot. The complexities of their relationship surpass those of adolescents in literature, because of the writing and the history surrounding their famous ancestors, Cavallaro crafts a love/obession/hate triangle between Jamie, Charlotte, and August that makes you ache and yearn for all three of them to be happy. 

The stories themselves follow their original counterparts, brought into the modern world. I found myself far more interested in how Cavallaro modernized them rather than how she deviated from Doyle. Each mystery is centered on Charlotte and Jamie, so the real tale is truly found in their relationship. Any Sherlock fan will love them. 

I, like so many others, am eagerly awaiting her conclusion to the trilogy. (Which I estimate to be out sometime next spring!) 

Until then, or the next time, 

XoXo

BrainyHeroine

PS. Did you like my title? If you'd like to generate your own Sherlockian tale use this!

Book Two Tuesday!

Good Morning and Happy Valentine's Day!

I was so excited for this morning, not for the mushiness of today, but for the books being released! Today we get the sequels for two great series'.

First up! Following up to "A Study in Charlotte" Brittany Cavallaro gives us "The Last of August". I was hesitant to start this series thanks to my friend Erika and my experience with the Dorothy Must Die series. They can be tricky and waiting for the next book takes forever! Luckily I've only had to wait a few weeks for this one, I jumped on this train at the last minute,  and the author only ever promised a trilogy. Purchasing this for my Kindle was the first thing I did this morning.

Also out today is the second in Cj Redwine's "Ravespire" universe. "The Wish Granter" is set up to be a marvelous retelling of Rumplestilskin, and maintaining the universe not continuing "The Shadow Queen". I love when an author establishes a universe for their stories and then makes them connect. Each book will read as a stand alone with subtle references to the others. Oh! And this was an Audible pick for today, the narrator did an amazing job in the first book.

That's all for now! Work and reality await.

Xoxo
BrainyHeroine