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  • Search Results for: kristan higgins

    • Book Review: “Now That You Mention It” by Kristan Higgins

      Posted at 5:45 am by Laura, on April 23, 2018

      32821860Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins

      Publisher: Graydon House
      Published: December 2017
      Genre: women’s fiction, contemporary
      ISBN: 9781525811364
      Rating: 
      ★★★.75

      One step forward. Two steps back. The Tufts scholarship that put Nora Stuart on the path to becoming a Boston medical specialist was a step forward. Being hit by a car and then overhearing her boyfriend hit on another doctor when she thought she was dying? Two major steps back.

      Injured in more ways than one, Nora feels her carefully built life cracking at the edges. There’s only one place to land: home. But the tiny Maine community she left fifteen years ago doesn’t necessarily want her. At every turn, someone holds the prodigal daughter of Scupper Island responsible for small-town drama and big-time disappointments.

      With a tough islander mother who’s always been distant and a wild-child sister in jail, unable to raise her daughter–a withdrawn teen as eager to ditch the island as Nora once was–Nora has her work cut out for her if she’s going to take what might be her last chance to mend the family.

      But as some relationships crumble around her, others unexpectedly strengthen. Balancing loss and opportunity, a dark event from her past with hope for the future, Nora will discover that tackling old pain makes room for promise…and the chance to begin again.

      After Nora is hit by a van and witnesses her boyfriend cheating on her, she has a bit of an awakening, packs her bags, and moves back to Maine for the summer. She didn’t exactly leave her home island with relationships intact, and wants to patch up things with her mother, her sister (albeit through Nora’s niece), and the people still there. But while she’s patching up her life, she must face the impacts of the past, and learn how to face old traumas and disappointments head on.

      This is the kind of women’s fiction I enjoy. Here’s this woman who has her life together on the surface — great job, nice home, cool city, boyfriend — but underneath it all are past fears, disappointments, and trauma. Nora was once the target for bullying, and was also the victim of a break-in and assault (trigger warnings). But she didn’t let these things prevent her from moving forward in her life. I really like how she handled everything, maturely even though the temptation to lash out at others or go on a binger would feel best in the moment. Nora is smart and intelligent, with deep empathy for others despite their treatment of her. That’s not to say she’s not facing struggles or that her life is rosy-perfect and she’s unaffected — she absolutely is impacted by everything. But it was refreshing to read from this perspective. Not everyone needs to go off the edge to tell a good story.

      The small town atmosphere was perfect, and I loved the variety of characters in this novel. I especially liked the relationships between Nora, her niece Poe, the love interest Sullivan, and his daughter Audrey. Each of them have such interesting journeys from the last fifteen years, and it’s so neat to see them come together. Oh, and Sullivan? Swoon. What a sweet and caring man, without being macho or overbearing. I liked that he was partially deaf too — a result of his own car wreck over a decade ago — as it added an interesting dynamic with Nora, with the town, and with his daughter. More deaf narratives, please!

      This was good. It’s not a light read by any means, but the pages certainly turn. Nora’s wit and humor, and her tell-it-like-it-is attitude made for an entertaining read, even in the dark moments.

      This qualifies as book 5 of 16 in my TBR challenge. 

      Posted in books, Reviews 2018, Rock My TBR | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, review, rock my TBR
    • Just a Bit of Light Reading

      Posted at 6:55 am by Laura, on July 5, 2018

      My choir was given the wonderful opportunity to be a featured choir at an international choral festival in Greece, with top direction by one of the biggest of the big wigs in the conducting world. So of course I threw my money toward it and said I’d go!

      But my usual form of planning (researching everything about the area, coming up with a list of places to visit, costs, hours, travel, etc) rerouted to just planning over reading material––we’re spending most of our time on one island, with morning rehearsals, evening concerts, and free afternoons. I expect to get a lot of reading done!

       

      So here I am, sharing with you the books that I’m hoping to start, read, and finish while abroad in the sunshine! (Yes, yes, I know this is not realistic, but I don’t care.)

      FANTASY

      Royal Airs || Book Two in the Elemental Blessings series. I read Troubled Waters last year and enjoyed it enough to want to continue on. I’m curious to see where Shinn takes us with Josetta’s narrative.

      Child of the Prophecy || Book Three in the Sevenwaters series and the original ending of the originally-intended Sevenwaters trilogy. I adored Daughter of the Forest and enjoyed Son of the Shadows, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the child!

      Dreamer’s Pool || I don’t have much of a reason other than I really want to begin Marillier’s latest completed trilogy!

      FANTASY/HISTORICAL BLEND*

      *also known as, Where Laura Starts to Flail

      A Secret History of Witches || I was chatting with an editor about what we love most in historical fantasy blends, and she mentioned this book. When I told her I hadn’t heard of it (assuming it hadn’t published yet, silly me), she completely gushed over it, convincing me to buy it and hopefully read on this trip!

      The Little Shop of Found Things || I really enjoy Paula Brackston’s novels (here & here), and this new series will be available in the fall. The thing is, I can’t take it on the trip if the Goodreads giveaway doesn’t send it…*stares at the Thomas Dunne marketing department*

      Sweet Black Waves || Ohhhhhhhhh myyyyyyyyy goddddddd, a Tristan and Isolde epic retelling/expansion/adaptation/inspiration for YA?! YES PLEASE YES PLEASE. *jumps*

      Once Upon a River || WHY WOULD I NOT BRING THIS BOOK DIANESETTERFIELD IS QUEEN I CANNOT WAIT TO GET STARTED ON THIS I AM SO EXCITED I JUST MIGHT DIE IN THE AEGEAN SEA AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

      (which would be quite fitting, upon reflection, considering a girl is pulled from the water dead in this novel…hmmmm)

      (LOLZ omg no worries I WILL NOT DIE IN THE AEGEAN SEA.)

      (I will die in the English Channel because it meant I made my way to England in my final days and I’ve found my resting place.)

      (Let’s move on to some realism…)

      CONTEMPORARY

      China Rich Girlfriend || I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to start Crazy Rich Asians, so I’m hoping to catch up on the trilogy (or at least get through 2/3) before the movie comes out in August. I love how truly crazy it is––the lifestyle is obnoxiously rich, the people seem so very shallow, and here comes Rachel, totally average, bopping around and trying to make sense of it all. Kinda makes me wonder if Meghan Markle (or at least her mother) felt anything like this around the royals initially…

      Riverbend Road || I’m branching out into the contemporary romance sector in my everyday reading, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked Kristan Higgins (based on Lauren and Hannah’s recommendations) that now I’m trying out another: RaeAnne Thayne (based on Lauren and Kelly’s recommendations). I know I chose a book in the middle of the series, but it was very much a cover-love situation!

      I know, I know. It’s a lot. And I don’t care. I’ll probably throw all of these into the suitcase and stare at them till 5 minutes before we have to load the car and head to the airport, and toss out a few impulse choices in the end. We’ll see! Keep an eye on my travels by following my Instagram. I’ll have some quick snippet reviews up––and you can see which books made the last-minute cut. *wink*

      Have you read any of these books? What are your trip planning and packing habits? 

      Posted in books, Update Post | 4 Comments | Tagged books, personal
    • Flipping Through the Pages: Spring Rewind 2018

      Posted at 6:10 am by Laura, on July 1, 2018

      Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!

      Through the Lens

       

      tasha
      tom
      kate

      Tasha received galleys of her gorgeous fantasy this season, and I was so excited to see and hold this as an almost-book! (Pre-order here.) My brother also graduated college in May, moved to a new state, and is now working for a big aviation company. I’m so proud of his hard work and dedication! And finally, I managed to get a copy of my All-Time Favorite Hands Down No Question Auto-Buy Author Kate Morton’s next novel, and I was blown away.

      Life Highlights

      Clarissa has another book deal, and I gained another client! But apart from work highlights, life has been blessedly quiet in terms of activities, and bizarrely stressful in getting everything crossed off the to-do list. Just keeping ahead of work, preparing for this choral festival in Greece in a week, and finding the little things in life that make me happy.

      Bookmarked in the Community

      1. “How I’m Writing My Story of Motherhood” @ So Obsessed With — Hannah’s journey as a mother, and how it has impacted her identity, her daily life, and her hobbies, was so encouraging and refreshing to read. She reminds the reader that not everything about motherhood is sunshine and rainbows, but to take each moment with joy as really put her mind at ease. I hope to be the same one day!
      2. “Itinerary Update” @ Belle of the Literati — Hello, Kelly, Hannah wasn’t the only one who noticed your absence! So glad to see you back and motivated on the blogging front. Kelly updates her readers on life and reads and travel, and I enjoy her very matter-of-fact update through and through.
      3. “Hi, It’s Me” @ GReadsBooks — Ginger has been going through a grieving process lately since her dear Daisy’s passing (and my heart still breaks for her), but she gives her readers and update on life and how she’s doing. I think what she has to say can really apply to any of us going through tough times. Self care is very important.
      4. “10 Nonfiction Books About Mental Health” @ The Pretty Books — Speaking of self care, Stacey has a great list of accessible, readable nonfiction books about mental health. Some of them you may know through online comics, some through pop culture media, but whatever it is, you ought to try these! As someone whose first degree is in psychology, I can’t tell you enough just how important it is to know yourself and your breaking points, and to take care of your mental health just as well as you care for your physical health.

      Popular Posts on Scribbles

      Ignoring my MSWL post, which gets hundreds of hits a month…(yay!)

      1. Book Review: Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
      2. Book Review: From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon
      3. Deal Announcement: Clarissa Harwood, Historical Fiction (see her recent blog post here!)
      4. Book Review: The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton

      Cherished Reads

       

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      Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik ★★★★

      The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton ★★★★★ (review to come closer to pub date!)

      Royals by Rachel Hawkins ★★★★★

      Progress Update on Reading Challenges

      Required Library Books: 8 / 17

      The Passion of Dolssa || Big Little Lies || The Zookeeper’s Wife
      Saga Volume 1 
      || The Night Bookmobile || Sweetbitter
      The Psychopath Test || Planetfall

      Fun Library Books: 5 / 5

      Mr. Churchill’s Secretary || Surprise Me || Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
      My Oxford Year || Malice at the Palace

      Marillier & Gabaldon Challenge: 0 / 8

      Fantasy:

      The City of Brass || Spinning Silver || The Queens of Innis Lear

      Historical Fiction:

      Between Two Fires || Mr Churchill’s Secretary || The Passion of Dolssa
      Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie || The Clockmaker’s Daughter

      Rock My TBR: 8 / 16

      Crazy Rich Asians || The Passion of Dolssa || The City of Brass
      Between Two Fires 
      || Now That You Mention It || Slightly South of Simple
      The Queens of Innis Lear 
      || Royals

      Overall Challenge: 22 / 50

      Random Obsessions

      On TV/Netflix: I watched an embarrassing amount of Netflix, partly new and partly rewatches. New to me was “One Day at a Time,” which my client Nina kept telling me to watch for ages and I’m so glad I eventually did. What I’ve been rewatching lately are the GBBO shows, because it brings so much joy after a stressful day. And a mix of the two, I’m finally all caught up on Call the Midwife! Also, there was no way I was going to miss out on the Royal Wedding on TV. GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GORGEOUS

      On Film: Beau and I finished Downton Abbey (first time watching the show for him, probably the third or fourth time rewatching the show for me), and finally saw The Greatest Showman through Redbox. My brain and heart and soul was destroyed by Infinity War, so please let’s not talk about it…

      In the Shopping Bag: I’ve had some…issues and anger and frustration regarding my wardrobe, so I purged over half of it and purchased half to replace. I’m excited to play around with the new pieces, and I’m glad they fit and feel good. I’ve also been doing a lot of preparation for this Greece trip, which has included better shoes, a floppy hat (I don’t wear hats!), and general travel stuff (snacks, medication, Euros, etc). Nothing exciting, just practical!

      Miscellaneous: Still going strong with WordBrain and Forge of Empires on my phone (LOLOLOLOL omg), and I’ve recently stumbled across Chip & Jo’s house renovation app, Flip House. I’m spending ridiculous amounts of time on that before heading to bed!

      Looking Toward the Future

      July through September will be packed with activities. July is pretty much entirely my choir’s trip to Greece for the Festival of the Aegean, followed by lots of Emily Bronte celebrations at my library (girl is turning 200 on July 30th, so we better celebrate). One mama-to-be is having a baby shower too, with a baby closely following the next month! And, hmm…I feel like more is happening in these months, but it’s probably all dominated by this trip. I’ll share some pictures with you next Rewind!

      What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts! 

      Posted in This Season's Rewind | 2 Comments | Tagged rewind, this season's rewind
    • Flipping Through the Pages: Winter Rewind 2018

      Posted at 7:30 am by Laura, on April 5, 2018

      Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!

      Through the Lens

      books2017
      chainbreaker
      impossiblesaints

      As you may have noticed, I did not update and post about October through December. I was barely on the blog then, which in turn meant I barely looked at other blogs, or commented, or any of that. With the start of the new year, I wanted to begin with a blank page! It’s still a bit quiet here and my participation throughout the community, but life happens and I don’t ever want this blog to feel like a chore.

      So in images, here were my top six favorite books of 2017, and celebrating the release of Chainbreaker and Impossible Saints, both on January 2!

      Life Highlights

      So many great things happened between October to now. Nina’s deal announcement! Tasha’s deal announcement! My birthday (here and here)! My friend’s second baby was born! Another friend announced her first pregnancy! The holidays were fun too, with Bach’s Magnificat at Christmas and Beethoven’s Mass in C in March. And finally, my best friend’s wedding just a few days ago, in which I was her maid of honor. Needless to say, life’s been busy.

      Bookmarked in the Community

      Ah yes, this is going to look very sad, okay? Please, no judgement!

      1. A New Year of New Books: My 2018 TBR @ GReadsBooks — Ginger has some excellent contemporary YA and adult recommendations here. She doesn’t go for the overly fluffy or the overly dark. There’s a sweet spot right in the middle of the spectrum, and her recommendations tend to be pretty spot on to my taste, too.
      2. Slacking Off on Your Favs @ Bring My Books — Lindsey talks about how life can really get in the way of doing your favorite things, and when you finally have those free days to do all the things you love, you find yourself…not doing them. Being a couch potato. And that’s okay.
      3. 10 Books I’m Looking Forward to in 2018 @ Pretty Books — Stacey shares some of her most anticipated reads in 2018 and I, too, am looking forward to many of these! Plus, she managed to share some UK recs I have on my TBR now from Book Depository *wink*

      Popular Posts on Scribbles

      1. MSWL for 2018 — Not surprised one bit. I’m glad it’s getting traction. Hopefully writers find it helpful!
      2. Book Cake Tag — This was a lot of fun to put together. Gosh, I love GBBO!
      3. Book Review: The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty — What a beautiful and wonderful fantasy. If you haven’t had the chance yet, read this book immediately. A gem.

      Cherished Reads

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      Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan ★★★★

      The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty ★★★★★

      Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins ★★★.75 (review to come!)

      Progress Update on Reading Challenges

      Required Library Books: 4 / 17

      The Passion of Dolssa || Big Little Lies || The Zookeeper’s Wife
      Saga Volume 1

      Fun Library Books: 2 / 5

      Mr. Churchill’s Secretary || Surprise Me

      Marillier & Gabaldon Challenge: 0 / 8

      Fantasy:

      The City of Brass

      Historical Fiction:

      Between Two Fires || Mr Churchill’s Secretary || The Passion of Dolssa

      Rock My TBR: 5 / 16

      Crazy Rich Asians || The Passion of Dolssa || The City of Brass
      Between Two Fires 
      || Now That You Mention It

      Overall Challenge: 10 / 50

      Random Obsessions

      On TV/Netflix: I’m including everything I’ve watched since October, so this list feels quite long. I’m all caught up on Outlander and I loved how they tackled all the topics in Voyager. On New Year’s Eve, friends came over to watch The Crown and eat baked Brie with me and the Beau. I’m also caught up on The Great British Bake Off on Netflix, and finished the first season of Big Family Cooking Show (cute and fun, not as perfect as GBBO). Lately I’ve been rewatching New Girl on repeat, waiting for season 6 to arrive (!!!). Otherwise, the TV is on to sportsball for the Beau, so I sit on the couch with him and read instead.

      On Film: Saw and loved The Darkest Hour and OF COURSE  Black Panther (I can’t wait to see how they do Infinity War now!). I also saw Dunkirk and I’m glad I saw it at home and not in theaters. The music put me on edge and I was near sobbing and tense the entire time. If I saw it on the big screen I wouldn’t have been able to finish it!

      In the Shopping Bag: All the new clothes. Seriously. I gained weight in the last year (hurrah! I know that sounds weird but I’ve always been too small for my height and age, and this year I finally reached the goal weight), which means all of my bottoms and some of my tops no longer fit properly or comfortably. So now I’m in the middle of a wardrobe change. Ack!

      Miscellaneous: I kinda splurged on a lot of books when my birthday rolled around… Oh, and raving over my new watch!

      Looking Toward the Future

      I’m looking forward to the most relaxed April through June I’ve had in years. There is literally nothing planned on my calendar, mostly because I needed to afford my trip to Greece in July. So! This means adding cooking classes, getting planters, celebrating the royal baby and royal wedding, shopping for clothes that fit me properly, and lots of spring cleaning. When I moved into this apartment it was very much unpack-and-deal-with-junk-later, but now our closets are overflowing with random boxes and miscellaneous stuff. Time to weed through things!

      What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts! 

       

      Posted in books, This Season's Rewind | 2 Comments | Tagged books, personal, recap, rewind, this season's rewind
    • Mini Reviews

      Posted at 5:25 am by Laura, on December 6, 2017

      Life has been crazy hectic, leaving very little time for me to sit down and write full reviews for the books I’ve read lately. I didn’t want to not review them, though, so here are my two cents on a variety of books!

      ~

      Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

      Publisher: Penguin
      Published: 2001
      Genre: gothic, historical fiction
      Rating:
       ★★★★.5
      Summary: Barcelona, 1945. Daniel’s widowed father, an antiquarian book dealer, initiates 11-year-old Daniel into the secret of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a library tended by Barcelona’s guild of rare-book dealers as a repository for books forgotten by the world, waiting for someone who will care about them again. Daniel’s father coaxes him to choose a volume from the spiraling labyrinth of shelves, one that, it is said, will have a special meaning for him. And Daniel so loves the novel he selects, The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax, that he sets out to find the rest of Carax’s work. To his shock, he discovers that someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book this author has written. In fact, he may have the last one in existence. Before Daniel knows it his seemingly innocent quest has opened a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets, an epic story of murder, magic, madness and doomed love. And before long he realizes that if he doesn’t find out the truth about Julian Carax, he and those closest to him will suffer horribly.

      Mini Review: What a thrilling, engrossing, captivating book. This is gothic fiction. Mystery, romance, suspense, murder, literary passions, mistaken identity, ghosts (real or otherwise), haunted homes, ancient cities, a web of secrecy. I savored every word. There were moments of greatness here, with scenes that captivated me, I could not tear away. There were other moments that could’ve had more to it — more character development or more depth — to make it absolutely perfect. But perhaps that’s what happens when a work is translated: not all of the brilliance of the original shines through. I know this is brilliant. This translator did an excellent job conveying Zafón’s story. If you haven’t read this book yet, drop everything and do so now.

      London Belongs to Us by Sarra Manning

      Publisher: Hot Key Books
      Published: June 2016
      Genre: young adult, contemporary
      Rating:
       ★★★
      Summary: Sunny’s always been a little bit of a pushover. But when she’s sent a picture of her boyfriend kissing another girl, she knows she’s got to act. What follows is a mad, twelve-hour dash around London – starting at 8pm in Crystal Palace (so far away from civilisation you can’t even get the Tube there) then sweeping through Camden, Shoreditch, Soho, Kensington, Notting Hill . . . and ending up at 8am in Alexandra Palace. Along the way Sunny meets a whole host of characters she never dreamed she’d have anything in common with. But as this love-letter to London shows, a city is only a sum of its parts, and really it’s the people living there who make up its life and soul. 

      Mini Review: The city of my heart! It was a fun romp of a story, racing all over the city over 12 hours. Sunny is sweet and naive, and she has her share of boyfriend troubles (in my opinion, she should’ve been angrier earlier, but that would ruin the fun of this ode to London), but I loved the way others worked with her, strangers and friends alike, to help her find the boy who wronged her. So many great neighborhoods and snippets of history, fantastic locations with interesting trivia, and all the colorful people. I laughed out loud at many points in this book, even took pictures of quotes and passages I found hilarious, poignant, and so very true to life. If you’re looking for a good, quick, light contemporary YA, this is the book for you!

       

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      Blue Heron Series: The Best Man & The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins

      Publisher: Harlequin HQN
      Published: February 2013, October 2013
      Genre: contemporary, romance
      Rating:
       ★★★.75 and ★★★
      Summary: (1) Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there’s some great scenery there….Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief – and best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it’s not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she’s having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

      (2) Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there… or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn’t easier said than done. Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind. In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn’t easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….

      Mini Review for The Best Man: The characters felt authentic, even in the cheesy and comical bits, and there was a surprising amount of depth in the development and plot. The small town feel was so cute and quirky, and the novel was a great balance of comedy and romance. There was only one scene in particular that rubbed me the wrong way (you’ll know it when you read it), but overall this was an enjoyable read. Romance isn’t normally my go-to, but I wanted something good and light to read during the chaos. Higgins delivered, and I promise you: even though there were some romance cliches and tropes, I was still left guessing to the end how the pieces would come together.

      Mini Review for The Perfect Match: Honor and Tom are two desperate souls (heavy emphasis on desperate, because that described Honor and her talking eggs (I kid you not) to a T) for two very different reasons, but they matched each other well. It was nice to be back in this small town atmosphere, even closer to the winery than the first book. I wasn’t a huge fan of Tom as a love interest, and Honor sometimes made me want to throttle her, but when the two were together they complimented one another. Together, I could root for them. I fully plan to continue the Blue Heron series!

      ~

      Hopefully writing up another full review soon before the holidays hit! Keep reading, friends!

      .

      This qualifies as books 13 and 14 of 5 library books in 2017.

      This qualifies as book 14 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

      Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 7 Comments | Tagged books, genre: contemporary, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, mini review, review
    • Flipping Through the Pages: Autumn Rewind 2018

      Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on January 3, 2019

      Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!

      Through the Lens

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      October through December was a busy whirlwind. In October we had our engagement shots taken, in November Tasha’s debut Empire of Sand released, and in December I made a roundup of my favorite books of 2018––all seven of which were five-star reads!

      Life Highlights

      Part of the whirlwind of the fall months was all the wedding planning we accomplished. I found my dress and veil, we found the photographer and immediately took engagement photos about two weeks after, and we picked our DJ (three of the four things I needed last season!). November brought on Thanksgiving in town, and we had relatives from Ohio and Arizona come in to celebrate in a relaxed and fulfilling way. December was chaotic with all the music commitments, but by the time Christmas Eve rolled around I felt the joy, peace, and wonder of the season. My family also flew out to Nebraska to visit my future in-laws, and we came back in time to ring in the new year with friends. In agent life news, I’m super thrilled to share (again) the sale of KayLynn’s YA fantasy––we worked so hard to make the magic happen, and I can’t wait to share her world with…well, the rest of the world!

      Bookmarked in the Community

      1. “November 2018 Recap: On My Shelves” @ So Obsessed With — I admire Hannah’s ability to be a mother and still find the time to enjoy her personal hobbies. In this month in particular, she didn’t blog much but she read 30 books (*gasp!*)! It took me half a year to get to 30 books!
      2. “On Playing Catch-Up” @ BookmarkLit — On the flip side is Lauren, who talked about all the reasons she’s fallen behind on her usual reading, and the ways in which she’ll try to catch up or improve her reading. Plus, I admire a good spreadsheet and goals list!
      3. “My 2018 Retrospective” @ Alexa Loves Books — Alexa compiled a heartfelt post looking back on 2018 and all the ways in which she grew, discovered, and improved. It’s so wonderful especially when you have fantastic people surrounding you and supporting you in your hopes and endeavors.
      4. “Most Anticipated Books of 2019” @ Perpetual Page-Turner — Jamie compiles lists of anticipated adult books (this one highlighting the first half of the year) and I love scrolling through them! There are plenty on this list I’m looking forward to myself, including Priory of the Orange Tree (even though I haven’t read any of her other books) and The Au Pair (even though suspense/thriller is not at all something I like to read––this one looks really good nonetheless).

      Popular Posts on Scribbles

      Ignoring my MSWL post, which gets hundreds of hits a month…(yay!)

      1. Book Review: Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield — Setterfield is one of my favorite authors, purely for The Thirteenth Tale, and it was so great to see that storytelling style happen again in her third novel.
      2. End of Year Book Survey V — I love doing this round up! It really helps you look back on your reading year and realizing which books stand out most to you. Apparently a year goes by and I’m still in awe and anguish over The City of Brass, haha!
      3. 2019 Bookish Resolutions and Reading Challenges — All in all, 2018 was a difficult reading year for me, so I made my resolutions as a way of reminding me what reading is all about: enjoyment. Read what you enjoy. Life is short. No one needs to spend time doing something they don’t like, so I’ve given myself permission to set books aside even if they’re just meh.

      Cherished Reads

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      The Romanov Empress by CW Gortner ★★★★.5

      Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce ★★★★★

      Goodbye, Paris by Anstey Harris ★★★★★

      Progress Update on Reading Challenges

      Required Library Books: 15 / 17

      The Passion of Dolssa || Big Little Lies || The Zookeeper’s Wife
      Saga Volume 1 
      || The Night Bookmobile || Sweetbitter
      The Psychopath Test || Planetfall || A Long Way Home
      Ocean at the End of the Lane 
      || Small Great Things || The Innkeeper at Ivy Hill
      The Glass Castle 
      || The Circle || Goodbye, Paris

      Fun Library Books: 16 / 5

      Mr. Churchill’s Secretary || Surprise Me || Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
      My Oxford Year || Malice at the Palace || The Bird and the Blade
      Save the Date 
      || Radio Girls || Kings of the Wyld
      The Lost Queen || The Romanov Empress || Dear Mrs. Bird 
      The Glass Ocean 
      || Meet Me at the Museum || Empress of All Seasons
      In Your Dreams

      Marillier & Gabaldon Challenge: 0 / 8

      Fantasy:

      The City of Brass || Spinning Silver || The Queens of Innis Lear
      A Secret History of Witches || The Bird and the Blade
      Kings of the Wyld
       || The Girl in the Tower || Empress of All Seasons

      Historical Fiction:

      Between Two Fires || Mr Churchill’s Secretary || The Passion of Dolssa
      Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie || The Clockmaker’s Daughter
      Radio Girls 
      || The Lost Queen || The Romanov Empress
      Dear Mrs. Bird 
      || Once Upon a River

      Rock My TBR: 11 / 16

      Crazy Rich Asians || The Passion of Dolssa || The City of Brass
      Between Two Fires 
      || Now That You Mention It || Slightly South of Simple
      The Queens of Innis Lear 
      || Royals || China Rich Girlfriend
      A Secret History of Witches
       || The Girl in the Tower 

      Overall Challenge: 47 / 45*

      *It was clear I wouldn’t be able to reach 50 books, and I was bummed about that. So I adjusted it to 45 and felt much better about my accomplishment. (Yes, that’s how this year has been.)

      Random Obsessions

      On TV/Netflix: New GBBO episodes––for New Beginnings, the two new seasons with Pru, Sandy, and Noel, as well as the holiday episodes––kept me busy during the holiday season. I was also vegging out in front of The Office. It all began with wanting to watch Christmas episodes, and turned into a full-blown multi-season rewatch…

      On Film: Finally saw The Family Stone and Die Hard on New Year’s Eve. One because it’s totally my kind of movie and I hadn’t seen it before; another because everyone’s trying to convince me it’s a Christmas movie (it’s not; it’s set at Christmas with Christmas music but it is not a Christmas movie).

      In the Shopping Bag: Old Navy’s 50% sale in November burned a hole in my wallet, but other than that I’ve kept things on the down low. Girl’s gotta pay for 2019 health insurance.

      Miscellaneous: I swear, I swear, this is the last time I will binge chips and queso. I SWEAR.

      Looking Toward the Future

      Clarissa’s Bear No Malice came out January 1, the Beau’s birthday is coming up, followed by my birthday, and lots of further wedding planning (hotel blocks, transportation, rehearsal dinner, save the dates, cake, and attendants’ outfits). Wish me luck!

      What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts! 

      Posted in This Season's Rewind | 6 Comments | Tagged rewind, this season's rewind
    • Flipping Through the Pages: Summer Rewind 2018

      Posted at 7:15 am by Laura, on October 1, 2018

      Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!

      Through the Lens

       

      syros
      engagementring
      syrosnick

      The biggest and most exciting event in my life this season was that the Beau proposed in Syros, Greece! Our choir (which my parents sing in as well) went to Syros for an annual music festival and we had an unexpected evening free. We decided to make a date night of it, and he made reservations in a tavern made of glass that sat at the top of the island and overlooked Ermopouli, the capital of Syros and where we were staying. As the sun set, we watched the pier come alive and the lights all across the city turn on. We got some great pictures after dinner, and while we were waiting for the taxi we walked further up the hill, where he proposed. We got in the taxi to head back to our hotel, and just as I was saying I wanted to share the news with my parents, we saw them crossing the street! Got out, screamed, took pictures, went to the hotel where other choir members shouted with joy. Lots of champagne popped, lots of stories swapped, lots of toasts exchanged, and you can bet those choir ladies are already planning all sorts of parties for us, haha!

      Life Highlights

      Yes, other big things happened outside of the engagement and traveling to Greece — my childhood friend and college roommate gave birth to a baby girl, and she is a miracle child. My friend and her husband have been trying to have children (and adopt as well!) for quite a while now, so this baby is such a gift for them! Tasha Suri also received THREE starred reviews for Empire of Sand (we’re three for three so far in trade reviews — Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly), so you better get your pre-orders in for this amazing debut fantasy. Finally, I’ll be able to share a deal announcement in the coming weeks, as I’ve sold another client’s work!

      Bookmarked in the Community

      1. “All Apologies…No More” @ Bookishly Boisterous — Stop feeling bad about spending money on books! Stop apologizing for going to the bookstore again and getting more books, even though you have plenty at home to read. Stop apologizing for going to the library and borrowing stacks of books you may not finish by the end of the checkout period. It’s okay.
      2. “Why I Re-Read” @ Bookshelf Fantasies — I don’t have much time to re-read, but when I do, I feel and have the same reasons as Lisa does in this post to re-read a favorite novel. Why do you re-read? And if you don’t…same question, why? Reading patterns are interesting!
      3. “Travel By Page: Behind Enemy Lines” @ Belle of the Literati — A twist on Kelly’s usual Adventures in the Great Wide Somewhere series, and perfect for WWII hist fic lovers, especially espionage. Check out these recommendations!
      4. “Living in a Small One-Bedroom Apartment with a Baby” @ Perpetual Page-Turner — Um, wow, Jamie and her husband were super creative and thoughtful when it came to making the most of their small home and baby daughter! I’m impressed…and saving this for possible future (like years in the future, please) reference.
      5. “Reaching a Blogging Milestone” @ So Obsessed With — First, congratulations to Hannah on 1K posts! Second, definitely take a look at this, because she makes some great points about blogging, adapting, and finding ways to keep the blog fresh, very her, and flexible without comparing to others’. I greatly admire her!
      6. “If We Were Having Mexican Margaritas” @ Bring My Books — Lindsey and I text nearly daily, so I’m aware how busy her life is (like seriously, holy crap, she deserves a margarita). On one hand, we have Hannah (above) who has managed to keep going with her blog; on the other, we have Lindsey who is struggling to maintain hers even though she wants to, because life happens and ya know, at the end of the day, you just want your favorite food/drink and your bed. Catch up with Lindsey and answer, what’s a hobby you wish you kept up with but are struggling to find the time to do? (Mine: scrapbooking. Not like stickers and cut-outs, but just plain putting photos in nice albums. I’m two years behind XD.)

      Popular Posts on Scribbles

      Ignoring my MSWL post, which gets hundreds of hits a month…(yay!)

      1. Just a Bit of Light Reading — The agony that is a bookworm packing for a long trip! And guess what? I only read and finished one book while away. Haha!!
      2. Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine — GOOD because I love love love love love love love love love this book and it’s sitting on the shelves with Jane Eyre, where it belongs.
      3. Book Review: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before — Not surprised at all, because of its debut on Netflix! I hope more readers become invested in this trilogy. I adore Lara Jean.
      4. Book Review: Crazy Rich Asians — Again, not surprised because of the movie! We need more books and movies and TV shows with representation of minority groups.

      Cherished Reads

       

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      Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman ★★★★★

      The Bird and the Blade by Megan Turner ★★★★★

      Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames ★★★★.5

      Progress Update on Reading Challenges

      Required Library Books: 10 / 17

      The Passion of Dolssa || Big Little Lies || The Zookeeper’s Wife
      Saga Volume 1 
      || The Night Bookmobile || Sweetbitter
      The Psychopath Test || Planetfall || A Long Way Home
      Ocean at the End of the Lane

      Fun Library Books: 10 / 5

      Mr. Churchill’s Secretary || Surprise Me || Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
      My Oxford Year || Malice at the Palace || The Bird and the Blade
      Save the Date 
      || Radio Girls || Kings of the Wyld
      The Lost Queen

      Marillier & Gabaldon Challenge: 0 / 8

      Fantasy:

      The City of Brass || Spinning Silver || The Queens of Innis Lear
      A Secret History of Witches || The Bird and the Blade
      Kings of the Wyld

      Historical Fiction:

      Between Two Fires || Mr Churchill’s Secretary || The Passion of Dolssa
      Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie || The Clockmaker’s Daughter
      Radio Girls 
      || The Lost Queen

      Rock My TBR: 10 / 16

      Crazy Rich Asians || The Passion of Dolssa || The City of Brass
      Between Two Fires 
      || Now That You Mention It || Slightly South of Simple
      The Queens of Innis Lear 
      || Royals || China Rich Girlfriend
      A Secret History of Witches

      Overall Challenge: 34 / 50

      Random Obsessions

      On TV/Netflix: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is obviously going on my top favorite teen/romcom go-to movies, right up there with 10 Things I Hate About You. Guernsey was gorgeous and made me want to re-read the book again — I love Lily James. And of course, because fall is around the corner, I’m back on my Gilmore Girls marathon. The Beau and I need to catch up on GBBO’s newest season on Netflix, and the final season of Big Bang is starting, but it’s also football season so our TV is going to be working double-time now.

      On Film: I saw Ocean’s 8 and loved it. Crazy Rich Asians was fan-freaking-tastic and I enjoyed every second of it. I hope book 2’s movie is in the works because I need more Astrid in my life!!! And one Sunday afternoon recently I binged the rest of Outlander season 3 on DVD in preparation for season 4 airing in November. Now to get started reading book 5…

      In the Shopping Bag: I think I mentioned in previous rewinds that I don’t fit in over half my wardrobe and I’m slowly updating it to my new size. And if I haven’t, well, I am, which means the last few weeks required some fall shopping. Deals on ModCloth, LOFT, and Old Navy were in order, and now I can’t wait to wear my new tops, pants, and dresses! (Even though my wallet hates me.)

      Miscellaneous: Planning the wedding! I thought my friends were kidding when they said the venue + catering takes up about half your budget. Nope. They weren’t.

      Looking Toward the Future

      Flowers, photographer, DJ, cake, and dress. Cross fingers I’ve accomplished at least two of those things by the next rewind! The Beau and I have made some headway on flowers, photographer, and DJ so far, which is great. Also, Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up (!!!) and The Beau and I will be doing lots of traveling to Ohio, Nebraska, and Iowa. Oh, and of course, TASHA’S BOOK RELEASE IN NOVEMBER!!!!!

      What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts! 

      Posted in This Season's Rewind | 4 Comments | Tagged rewind, this season's rewind
    • Hello, I’m Laura!

      I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!
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