Tag: Books

February ’22 TBR

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

It’s hard to believe that we are officially into February already! Last year, I decided to do a Black History Month TBR that focused on POC authors. Not only did I read a lot of interesting, thought-provoking and engaging reads, this gave me a chance to purposefully flex my reading into genres that I don’t typically dabble in. Since I had so much success last year, I challenged myself to do it again! In addition to my BHM TBR, I was also asked to be part of a Blog Tour for an upcoming release from Flatiron Books (This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg), but I’ll get to that later in this post! For now, let’s talk my main TBR and what that lineup looks like.

To start things off, I’m reading The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. Last year, I read Jemisin’s The City We Became and it was one of my favorite books of the year. It was so unique and different, it pulled me in and didn’t let go. I’ve heard great things about her Broken Earth trilogy so I thought this would be the perfect time to give it a try! I’m not going to give.a synopsis here because everything I’ve read so far has been vague and I think that’s part of the fun – piecing the story together as you go. I only have about 100 pages left so I’ll be wrapping this one up soon and I’m curious to see how Jemisin ties this all together.

Next up will be The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo and Dear Justyce by Nic Stone. I actually read books from both of these authors last year and really enjoyed them so I thought they’d be perfect to include again in 2022. The Poet X is written in verse and I’ve heard great thing about the physical book and the audiobook (supposedly this one reads fast, so I might read it on each medium). The plot revolves around a Brooklyn high school student who begins using poetry as a means of self expression. Dear Justyce is the follow up novel to Dear Martin. I really liked Dear Martin (I wish it was longer) and I’m curious to see how this next novel plays out. I don’t want to go into plot details since it’s a sequel but I’m hoping to get a little more resolution and closure that I thought was missing from Dear Martin.

Finally, I’m round out this list with On The Come Up by Angie Thomas. This is the story of Bri a seventeen year old student who dreams to follow in her father’s footsteps and become the greatest rapper of all time. When life start to catch up to her, she’ll need to figure out if this dream can support her or if she’ll need to drop the mic in favor for a more steady option. I also read The Hate U Give last year and that was a masterpiece. I’ve heard great things about both of Thomas’ other books that I haven’t read so I have high expectations for this one!

As I previously mentioned, I was asked to participate in a Blog Tour support This Golden State, so I’ll also be reading that book in February, with a review and more content coming last this month! If you haven’t heard of This Golden State, here’s a quick summary:

The Winslow family lives by five principles:

1. No one can know your real name.
2. Don’t stay in one place too long.
3. If you sense anything is wrong, go immediately to the meeting spot.
4. Keeping our family together is everything.
5. We wish we could tell you who we are, but we can’t. Please—do not ask.

Poppy doesn’t know why her family has been running her whole life, but she does know that there are dire consequences if they’re ever caught. Still, her curiosity grows each year, as does her desire for real friends and the chance to build on something, instead of leaving behind school projects, teams, and crushes at a moment’s notice.

When a move to California exposes a crack in her parents’ airtight planning, Poppy realizes how fragile her world is. Determined to find out the truth, she mails in a home DNA test. Just as she starts to settle into her new life and even begins opening up to a boy in her math class, the forgotten test results bring her crashing back to reality.

Unraveling the shocking truth of her parents’ real identities, Poppy realizes that the DNA test has undone decades of careful work to keep her family anonymous—and the past is dangerously close to catching up to them. Determined to protect her family but desperate for more, Poppy must ask: How much of herself does she owe her family? And is it a betrayal to find her own place in the world?

I’m a big fan of YA and thrillers, so this seems to be right up my alley! Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@ItsMrGeekToYou) for live thoughts while I’m reading! What kind of books do you have planned for this month? Any recommendations for my BHM TBR? Be sure to leave a comment!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr.Geek

January ’22 Wrap Up

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello readers!

It’s me, your favorite geek, back to recap the blink that was January. I still can’t believe the month is over already – January definitely went 80 mph in a 25 zone. I feel like I was just writing about my goals and reads for the month and now it’s almost February! The weather has been wickedly cold these last couple weekends which have been really helpful in catching up on my reading. I had an ok reading month but I somewhat deviated from my original plan. So without further ado, let’s talk about this month’s books!

A few years ago, I wanted to start off the year with Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. I decided to go after that goal this year and start off 2022 as a Year of Yes. I both read and listened to this book (and Everything Is Figureoutable, which I’ll talk about next). Rhimes narrated the audiobook and it added such a personal element to the story. I don’t love nonfiction but this was really a home run. Rhimes was warm, relatable and extremely down to earth. She’s the writer of mega hits like Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How To Get Away With Murder but she also struggles with the things a normal person does (weight, self confidence, staying within her comfort zone). If you’re looking for an inspiring, feel-good read, look no further!

After wrapping up Year of Yes, I moved onto Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo. As I mentioned, this was a read and listen combo as well. Forleo also narrated this one and her energy is infectious. You can feel it in her voice and her writing. This was a re-read for me and I enjoyed it as much as the first time I picked it up. You can’t help by feel inspired and optimistic when reading this one. The stories and anecdotes are extremely applicable and relatable.

Shifting gears, I flipped over to a thriller that has been sitting on my shelf for months, Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney. I LOVED Feeney’s debut novel, Sometimes I Lie, but wasn’t really drawn into this one. The premise sounded good – a couple wins a weekend away at a secluded chapel turned house (with an underlying notion that one of them isn’t leaving the chapel alive). Overall, this felt slightly boring and drab. Things finally started to pick up in the last 100 pages but I saw one of the twists coming from the beginning and the others were just very strange. I have another one of Feeney’s books in my backlog, I might get to it eventually but I think she’s going on the back burner for awhile.

The last book I started, and have been slowly making my way through, it Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff. While I am enjoying this book, it’s a bit of a slow burn. I’m a little over 100 pages in and I enjoy it when I sit down to read but don’t feel drawn to the book. The writing style does draw you in but I just don’t have that desire to pick it up (and it’s a long one, about 750 pages).

So that was my January. I have a Black History Month TBR planned for February and then I’m going to be trying something new for my March TBR. Make sure you stop back for all the details! How was your reading month? Pick up anything outstanding? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@ItsMrGeekToYou).

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Happy New Year: 2022 Reading Goals, Life Updates & my January TBR!

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers and Happy New Year!

It has been awhile since my last post and we have a lot to catch up on! My lack of updates has been for a few reasons: 1) The last couple months have been absolutely insane (both personally and professionally, I work in eCommerce for a retail website, so the holidays are always chaos), 2) I had a huge “Oh Shit!” moment in November when I realized I was way behind on my GoodReads goal for the year and set out to turn that around and 3) I have just been feeling really burned out. With everything that’s been happening and the pandemic still going on, it all just finally caught up to me.

New Year is always one of my favorite times of the year. I usually create a few resolutions and, generally speaking, I’m really good about sticking with them. I love the idea of a fresh start and having a brand new year ahead of my full of adventures and opportunities (which, granted, hasn’t really been the case the last 2 years).

2021 wasn’t all bad though! I reached more readers with my blog and got to partner with some Publishers on their upcoming releases. If you’re reading this post now, thank you! I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to spend a few minutes with me and my thoughts. Prior to starting this post, I just set my GoodReads goal for 2022 and decided to read 37 books. 37 has always been a lucky number for me and I’m hoping that’s going to carry throughout the year. Last night, when the clock struck midnight, I started my first book of the year and it’s a long one!

For the month of January, I’m going to set the tone of the year. I’m kicking off with a few self-improvement books, most are actually re-reads. I’ve owned “Year of Yes” bye Shonda Rhimes for quite awhile and am finally going to read it. The vibe of the book seems like something I’ll enjoy but only time will tell. Sticking with the genre, I’m also planning re-reads of “Everything Is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo and “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. I’ve read both of these books in the past, enjoyed them immensely, and thought it was time for a re-read! For my non-self-help books, I’m planning to read “Empire of the Vampire” by Jay Kristoff (which I started last night). I’m about 30 or so pages in – it’s definitely a slow burn but I’m finding it interesting. Hopefully it picks up a bit because this one is nearly 750 pages. After I wrap that up, I’m planning to tackle “All The Stars And Teeth” by Adalyn Grace and potentially the sequel “All The Tides of Fate.”

One other, more general, goal I’m making for myself this year is to 1) finish some of the series I currently have in progress. I made a list and it’s embarrassing! and 2) when I start a new series, stick with it and try to finish it within the same year or within a few months. There have been entirely too many instances where I start a series, read the first book and then don’t come back to it for months (or even years) later. By that time I’ve gotten what I read and either need to do a re-read or try to find a quick summary online to refresh my memory. I’ve never been one to binge read series, I always feel bored after two books, but I think I am going to give that another try. It has been years since I tried binge reading a series and I am, thankfully, not the same reader I was back then.

Keep your eyes peeled this week, I have lots of new content planned including my Top 5 Best Books of 2021 and Top 5 Worst Books of 2021. The worst list is going to be a challenge to whittle down, I read a lot of crappy books last year. I hope you all have a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Anything But Books Tag!

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

I thought I would do something a little different for this post. I was browsing around YouTube and saw that Sam from Thoughts On Tomes recently did the “Anything But Books” Tag. Sam didn’t tag anyone in specific to do that tag and instead left it open-ended: If you see this video, considered yourself tagged. Since I’m not one to walk away from a challenge, I figured I’d give this a shot. Plus this will be more of a personal post, so hopefully everyone gets to know me just a little more! So without further ado, let’s go!

1) What is something that you own way too many of (besides books)?

This is an easy one, video games! I have a ridiculously large video game collection that spans decades and multiple generations of consoles (many of which I still own). Current gen, I own an Xbox One, PS5 and OLED Switch. My favorite console is a toss up between the PS5 and the OLED Switch (I do own a disgusting amount of Switch games, both digital and physical). My favorite genre is definitely RPGs (Role Playing Games), specifically either turn based or strategy, but I’ll play almost anything. This month I’m really looking forward to Shin Megami Tensei 5 and Pokémon Shining Diamond & Luminous Pearl (talk about opposite ends of the spectrum).

2) What’s something that you do for fun that’s not reading?

I have a few hobbies. I’d say my biggest is that I am an avid golfer. During the summer months, I play in a work league plus try to sneak out for a couple additional rounds each month. I started playing when I was in 3rd grade and have been playing ever since (which is a very, very long time now). Other than that, I love wine and coffee. I’m always on the lookout to try something new. I’m also a huge technology geek and love Apple products (this also could’ve qualified for question 1 since I buy pretty much everything they put out… as I type this on an iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard).

3) What is something special or important on your night stand that’s not a book?

My nightstand is pretty much just books or my Kindle so….. I guess I’d have to go with either my glasses or my MagSafe Duo Charger. I am mildly nearsighted, just enough to make it annoying. I typically wear contacts but do wear my glasses each night a couple hours before bed. My MagSafe Duo Charger simultaneously charges my Apple Watch and iPhone each night (see what I mean about a lot of Apple products). Fun Fact: I take the iPhone release day off of work each year to go pick up my new phone – one of my favorite annual traditions!

4) What’s something you buy at a bookstore other than books?

I usually only buy books at bookstores but I have been known to pick up the occasional magazine or Funko Pop. I recently got a free 6 month subscription to Apple News+ which gives you access to a nice catalog of magazines each month. Typically I go for tech or gaming magazines. I used to LOVE Nintendo Power when I was going up. It was always a great day when the new issue arrived!

5) What a fun gift that you have received that wasn’t a book or a gift card for books?

My Mum is seriously a thoughtful and excellent gift giver. I’m going to go with last year’s Christmas gift. She ordered me “The 12 Days Of Christmas” wine edition. Funny long story short. She ordered this and it was going to be delivered to our house. There was a slot you opened each day of the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Well this was the heart of the pandemic and FedEx wouldn’t ring our doorbell (which all wine shipments require a signature). The wine ended up getting returned which completely devastated my Mum. She is not one to easily be defeated though – she made her own 12 Days of Wine for me by hand which was probably more awesome than the original gift!

6) What’s a YouTube channel you watch that’s not related to books?

Based on my previous answers, these will come as a shock to no one. If I’m not watch book content on YouTube, I’m watching either something on video games, Apple / Tech or organization. Some of my favorite channels are Mobile Reviews Eh, Nintendo and Beat ‘Em Ups!

So that’s it! Hopefully you enjoyed this post and also learned a little more about my. I’m going to take the same approach that Sam did and, if you’re reading this post, consider yourself tagged!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Tome Topple Round 15: Check In!

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

It’s hard to believe that we are officially over halfway done with Round 15 of Tome Topple! This last week has been full of book talk, reading sprints and lots of pages (but maybe not as many as I was hoping). A friend of mine got married this past weekend, so I was busy traveling and celebrating (with a little reading thrown in on my flights)!

I’m currently making my way through Middlegame by Seanan McGuire. I’m about 50% done with my first tome (I was hoping to be done with it by now). I’m hoping to knock this book out before Friday so I can spend a chunk of next weekend reading Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff.

Don’t forget to keep track of all the books you’ve read using the convenient bingo card! Are you hoping to hit Student, Sage or Scholar status this round? Leave me a comment with your TBR and the status you’re looking to hit!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Tome Topple Round 15 Announcement!

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Helllllllllllllllo Readers!

It’s your favorite Geek here to announce the next round of Tome Topple! As the days grow shorter, our books grow longer! I don’t know about all of you, but I’m ready for some cooler temperatures, some nice warm beverages and some quality reading time! I’ve finally managed to shake off the reading slump I’ve been in pretty much all year, right in time for Tome Topple!

It has been awhile since Round 14, so let me give you a quick refresher! Read books that are over 500 pages long… that’s it! Round 15 is going to kick off on October 18th and end on October 31st. We have an awesome group of co-hosts, all returning from last time:

Also returning is our “Bingo Card” that contains all of the reading challenges for this round! This “Bingo Card” is strictly to help everyone participating keep track of which challenges they’ve completed so far! Be sure to follow along on Twitter (@ItsMrGeekToYou & @Tome_Topple) for book talk, reading sprints and motivation! We also have a Discord channel for you to connect with other readers!

Tome Topple Round 15 Bingo Card

My goal for this round is the same one I’ve had for all the previous rounds, and that’s to hit Sage status (eventually, I’ll make this a reality)! So, without further ado, let’s dive into the tomes I’m hoping to topple later this month!

Since it’s October, I’m going with a Spooky TBR all month long. I did a similar setup last year and really enjoyed the theme and thought I’d do it again this year! I’m starting off the month with A Clown In The Cornfield, Tunnel of Bones and We Have Always Lived In The Castle. For Tome Topple, I’m planning to read Empire Of The Vampire by Jay Kristoff and either Middlegame by McGuire or The Outsider by Steven King. I am leaning more towards The Outsider because I’ve been dying to watch the HBO show but committed to reading the book first! I’m open to suggestions – if anyone has strong feelings one way or another, let me know in the comments!

So that’s it! I’m really excited to join you all for some book talk and reading sprints later this month! What are you planning to read for Tome Topple? Let me know in the comments! See you all in a little over a week!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

September ’21 Wrap Up

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

It’s so hard to believe that September is over and we’re into the Fall season! I’m not going to lie, this is definitely one of my favorite times of the year. Unpopular Opinion: I am not a huge fan of Summer – it’s so hot, humid and uncomfortable. I’d take pretty much any other season but especially love the Fall – Pumpkin and Apple flavored things, cooler temperatures and comfortable clothes. Seriously, what is not to love?! I feel like I have FINALLY gotten myself out of the huge reading slump that I’ve spent most of this year in. September was a great reading month for me, so without further ado – let’s get onto the books I read!

First up was Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber. I was lucky enough to be included in a Blog Tour helping to promote Stephanie’s new book. I got an ARC and tore into it as soon as it arrived in the mail. I won’t spend a ton of time recapping here but definitely check out my full review here and the Author Q&A we did with Stephanie! This book was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. It was fast paced, interesting, had some very “fairy tale-esque” elements and overall was a really fun read. If you’ve read the Caraval series, this is a must read for you!

Next up was Tales From The Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare. For anyone who has been around this blog for a bit, you know I have a goal of reading my way through the Shadowhunter Chronicles. I finished Queen of Air & Darkness earlier this year and absolutely loved it. The Dark Artifices trilogy was by far my favorite so far. I want to move onto The Eldest Curses and The Last Hours trilogies but first I had to knock out this short story collection. Overall, I enjoyed this novellas. Revisiting some familiar faces (like Jem & Tessa) and meeting some new characters was great and I feel prepared for The Last Hours trilogy. Most of these stories were pretty interesting but there was the occasional dud thrown in there.

My final completed book of the month was For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing. HOLY. SHIT. This book was fantastic. It was a fast-paced, thrill ride from start to finish. I loved the dark academia setting! There were so many twists and turns throughout this book that I thought I was going to have whip lash. I’m hesitant to even give a summary of this book because I don’t want to spoil anything. Basically, Teach of the Year, Teddy Crutcher, does whatever he sees fit to help his students (for better or for worse). If you’re a fan of the thriller genre, give this one a try (and go into it blind). It’s such an enjoy book and it’ll definitely keep you guessing until the tail end. There are some pretty farfetched things that happen but, it’s a book, just roll with it!

I have a few books that I’ve started and haven’t finished (probably will wrap them up in October or November, planning a “Spooky” TBR for October, similar to what I did last year). The first was Under The Whispering Door by TJ Klune. I’m about 50% through this and while I’m enjoying it, reading has been a bit of a struggle. The subject matter of the book has been a little difficult to read so I’ve been picking away at this one whenever I can. The other book is When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink. This one has been pretty interesting. The book focuses on timing and when the best times are to make decisions, ask for favors or attempt a daunting task. More to come on these books soon in a future recap!

How was your September? Read anything good? Any important life events? Let me know in the comments!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Once Upon A Broken Heart Author Q & A with Stephanie Garber!

~ Mr Geek ~ 2 Comments

Hello readers!

I am coming at you today with a VERY special blog post. A little over a month ago, I was asked if I would be interested in participating in a Blog Tour to support Stephanie Garber’s upcoming release, Once Upon A Broken Heart. After taking a few minutes to contain my excitement, I quickly replied to the email from Flatiron that I would love to participate! In addition to receiving an ARC of Once Upon A Broken Heart, which I just finished moments before writing this post and freaking loved, several participating bloggers (including yours truly) were asked to submit questions for a Q & A with Stephanie.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Once Upon A Broken Heart, here’s a quick synopsis to catch you up:

For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings…until she learns that the love of her life will marry another. 

Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic, but wicked, Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing.

But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game — and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…

So, without further ado, lets dive into the questions (I’ve also linked to the other blogs down below in case you’d like to check them out as well)!

We know the Prince of Hearts, Jacks, plays a leading role in Once Upon A Broken Heart. Can readers expect any other familiar faces from the Caraval series? 

www.TreatYoShelf.blog

Stephanie: I usually try not to answer this question — I like it when people don’t know what to expect. So, I won’t say if there will be any other familiar faces in Once Upon A Broken Heart. But I will say that readers might meet one or two characters who were mentioned in the Caraval series but didn’t actually get any page time. 

Why do you love Evangeline and the Prince of Hearts and why should readers root for them?

www.ElevenThirteenPM.com

Stephanie: This is such a funny question, and I feel as if I shouldn’t confess the answer to this because I actually wrote Once Upon A Broken Heart with the hope that readers would feel as if Evangeline should run far away from Jacks, but at the same time really want them to kiss each other. 

I love Jacks because he’s pretty much the worst. He says terrible things and he does terrible things—which is why Evangeline should stay away from him. However, I love Evangeline because she’s such an optimist—I love that she believes in love at first sight and happily ever after, and even though she should probably run away from Jacks, I think she’s just the type of girl he needs in his life. 

Your books always read like fairytales (at least for me)! What are your favorite fairytales?

www.AlexaLovesBooks.com

Stephanie: Thank you so much! I love fairytales and I have so many favorites. My very favorite is anything that’s Beauty and the Beast inspired. I love stories that involve truly unlikeable beast-like characters changing as they fall in love, and I’m always sucker for the kidnapped/captive girl trope. 

If you could be transported into the world of ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART, what kind of character do you think you would be and would you be easily swayed to make a deal with a Fate?

www.ACourtofCoffeeandBooks.com

Stephanie: Ooh, this is such a fun question. I want to say that I’d make a deal with a Fate because I think it would be interesting and exciting. But, I probably wouldn’t actually make a deal with a Fate because I know it never ends well. I’d most likely stay away from all things Fate and spend time seeing the wonders of the Magnificent North. I’d eat dragon roasted apples, hunt for enchanted books, look for mermaids in the ocean, and hopefully get in a little magical trouble, but not the kind that involves Fates.

Which one of your characters do you relate to the most and why? Are there pieces of yourself in both Evangeline and Jacks?

www.MermaidReadsBookBlog.wordpress.com

Stephanie: There are always pieces of me in my heroines. I think Evangeline has a lot of my positivity and my optimism. I’m hopefully not like Jacks, but I will admit that I do relate to his character. I tend to hold onto things from the past, especially heartbreak, which is something that I have in common with the Prince of Hearts. 

Well there you have it friends! Hopefully this Q & A helped satisfy your excitement (or maybe it just fanned the flame) for Once Upon A Broken Heart! I want to give a HUGE shoutout and thank you to Flatiron Books for including me in this Blog Tour and to Stephanie Garber for taking the time to answer the questions user in this Q & A. Stay tuned for my full, spoiler-free, review coming to Treat Yo Shelf later this week!

As a reminder, Once Upon A Broken Heart is out September 28th, 2021 and is currently available for preorder!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

(Slumpy) August ‘21 Wrap Up

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

It has been a little while since I wrote. I never got around to creating my August TBR because I have been in a terrible, terrible, terrrrrrrrrrrrrrible reading slump. I haven’t been motivated to read for months (and I’m actually behind on my GoodReads goal which is the first time this has happened in 5 or 6 years). The books I’ve been picking up just haven’t been grabbing me and, instead of putting them down, I try to persevere which hasn’t been working out great for me.

For this month, I only finished 1 book (but have started several others, which I’m going to touch on). My only completed book this month was The Maidens by Alex Michaelides. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I did really enjoy it. I loved Michaelides debut novel, The Silent Patient, which came out a few years ago. It was intriguing, fast-paced and un-put-down-able. The Maidens is about a violent murder that happens at Cambridge University. When group therapist, Mariana, finds out it was her niece’s roommate, ends up becoming entrenched in the investigation. The Maidens was definitely more of a slow burn when compared to The Silent Patient. There was some setup needed before it really started to find its groove (but once it did, watch out). Overall, I enjoyed this (it was a nice beach read while I was on vacation).

The other books I’m currently reading (but haven’t finished) are: Tales From The Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare, Under The Whispering Door by TJ Klune (ARC – Out September 21, 2021) and Once Upon A Broken Heart (ARC – Out September 28, 2021). I typically take my time when reading Shadowhunter short story bind ups (I read them here to there as I have time). These have been pretty enjoyable and are gearing me up to read The Lost Hours trilogy later this year. I’ve been working my way through Under The Whispering Door for a few weeks (and it has contributed to my slump a bit). This book deals with life / death and is quite sad overall. I knew going into this novel, it was going to be nothing like House In The Cerulean Sea (which was one of my favorite reads of 2020). I’m about halfway through this one, so I’m going to save all my thoughts until I’m finished. The last book I have going, and just recently started, is Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber. My ARC arrived a few days ago and I immediately had to started it. I loved the Caraval trilogy and figured this book was going to be right up my alley (I was right). Once Upon A Broken Heart has really got me back into a reading groove and I’m hoping that this momentum continues! If you’re interested in this upcoming release, keep an eye on my blog for a full-length review post and author interview with Stephanie Garber!

If anyone has any recommendations for fast-paced books that helped you out of a reading slump, PLEASE leave them in the comments (especially since I have some catching up to do this year to meet my GoodReads goal).

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

July ’21 Wrap Up

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

I honestly can’t believe July has come and gone! My company gives us “Summer Hours” (aka 3 o’clock Fridays) from Memorial Day to Labor Day. I feel like these were just announced a couple weeks ago and now the summer is winding down! I had a great July, we were able to finally go on vacation in Hilton Head, South Carolina and I think I am finally starting to work my way out of my reading slump (this didn’t happen until the latter half of the month). So, without further ado, let’s talk about what I read!

The first book I, finally, finished in July was The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold. This was a really, really unique book that was unfortunately about a pandemic. This was definitely a long, drawn out read for me. The story is told from multiple perspectives and it’s extremely confusing when you start out. The book started to come together for me about halfway through but I just wasn’t in the mood to read about a global pandemic (when I’ve been living that for the last 18 months). I knocked out The Electric Kingdom right before leaving for vacation.

While I was at the beach, I managed to read about 1.5 books, starting with The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave. This was was AMAZING until the end. One day, Hannah Hall turns on the news and sees her husband, Owen’s, company has been raided for illegal activities. A duffle bag of money shows up at Hannah’s door with a note saying “Protect Her,” the her being Hannah’s High School aged step daughter (Bailey). Thus begins a wild mystery where Hannah and Bailey try to unravel the truth and find out what happened to Owen. This was such an engrossing and fast read. The pages seriously flew by (I read a large chunk of this one on the airplane). The ending was a serious letdown. It just had all the building and build for what, I thought, was a lackluster conclusion. It was still a great and fast read but I think there could’ve been a much better closing. The one vacation read I brought was The Maidens by Alex Michaelides. I absolutely LOVED his debut, The Silent Patient, from a few years ago. I got this book for my birthday and couldn’t wait to tear into it! The Maidens was about a murder that takes place at Cambridge University. The main character, Mariana, has a niece, Zoe, who goes to the school. The murder victim was Zoe’s roommate. From here the story starts to unfold. The Maidens was an excellent overall book but it definitely had a slower start that took 50 or so pages to really get going. There was a lot of setup and exploration in a dark academia backdrop. I really enjoyed the nods to Greek mythology and there were even a few Silent Patient Easter eggs as well!

The last book I decided on was a library eBook, Younger by Pamela Redmond Satran. Wow. This was SUCH a letdown. During the pandemic, I struggled to find engaging shows that were short and could hold my attention. A friend started watching Younger so I thought I’d give it a try. The premise was interesting, a 40-something Liza gets divorced and tries to reenter the working world after being a stay at home Mom for the last 20 years. With this huge gap on her resume, no one will give her a chance. That’s when she decides to reinvent herself – a new hair style, new clothes and she can easily pass as a 20-something. The show was funny, endearing and very binge-able. This is one of the RARE cases where I enjoyed the show so much more than the book. There were actually very few similarities between the show and book. Even the main character, Liza, was name Alice in the book. The novel lacked the charm and charism that the show honestly oozed. The cast was funny, likable and you were curious to see what happened next, this did not translate to the printed page. If you’re intrigued by this synopsis, give the show a try on Hulu and skip the book.

Well, that’s my month in a nutshell! I read some winners and some losers but, overall, I’m feeling good! I think I’m finally back on track with my reading and am anxious to tackle my August TBR (which that post is coming later this week, so keep an eye out)! Did you read anything good in July? What are your favorite books that knocked you out of a reading slump (I’d like to queue up a few to keep in reserve).

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek