Guys … winter is apparently a lie. False alarm. There’s green outside my window, and we have flowers darn it.
This is me not really complaining, but okay, a teensy bit complaining, because last time this happened, we got snow dumped on us in March. No thank you.
January was forever long, but also kind of nice to me? I’m confused. Maybe even a little suspicious. So here’s a little about how my month went:
✦ I got an out-of-state library card to the Brooklyn Public Library, and I am now rolling in aaaall the books. I don’t know whether to cry or panic or build a digital book fort. Maybe all the above. See, my local library is teeeensy. Our Overdrive is slightly bigger, but still not very big, because it’s made of a bunch of teensy libraries. The Brooklyn Public Library? *whistles* I could explore the Overdrive for days, get lost in all its 1’s and 0’s, and not be heard of for at least a month. I’m not sure I’m meant to have all this power. I don’t think I can handle it.
✦ My knee is healing up nicely, and I’ve ditched the cane and brace! It would be a sadder farewell if I had an actual cool cane, but I got stuck with a hand-me-down from my grandfather, so I’m glad to be done with it. Walking like a normal person again, with just a little lingering muscle pain. Working on building back up the flexibility and strength after not using that knee for a month, and it’s so frustrating, but I’m trying to remind myself that I have to just take it slow.
✦ My husband has agreed that our summer project will be building me some uniform, six-foot, nice shelves to house my growing collection of books. Agreed feels like a generous term. Was goaded into? Begrudgingly accepted? Was beat into submission? All of the above? In my defense, I came into this marriage with one bookshelf, him with one bookshelf, and we somehow ended up with a smaller bookshelf (I … I’m not sure how? Maybe they reproduced?) and … that’s it. That was enough for all of my books before I started blogging, so I’m honestly not sure why he’s surprised now that it’s still not enough.
✦ I got a place on my first ever blog tour. Actually, two blog tours. I’ve previously avoided blog tours, because I wasn’t very confident in my ability to make sure my posts were done on time. I actively worked on getting better about posting on time at the end of last year, and this year, I’m more confident in my time management skills. So I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to be part of them this year! I’m trying not to overload myself and only applying for ones I’m really passionate about, but I’m really looking forward to these two, in particular.
As far as books, I’m pretty sure this has been a record month for me? And do you see all those five star books? So let’s get to it!
Click titles for my review.
Witch Hat Atelier (Vols. 1 – 5) (★★★★★)
The God Game (★★★★★)
Infinity Son (★★★☆☆)
Come Tumbling Down (★★★★☆)
Watch Hollow (★★★★★)
Black Girl Unlimited (★★★☆☆)
12 Dragonblood Books (★★☆☆☆) – (★★★★★)
Burn the Dark (★★★☆☆)
The Demon Notebook (★★★☆☆)
Bulwark (★★☆☆☆)
The Will and the Wilds (★★★★★)
Diamond City (★★★★☆)
Tristan Strong Punches A Hole in the Sky (★★★★★)
Skeleton Man (★★★★☆)
Library of Ever (★★★☆☆)
All the Stars and Teeth (★★★☆☆)
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line (★★★☆☆)
Shades of Magic Vol. 1 (★★★☆☆)
Dread Nation (★★★★★)
The Girl Who Lost Her Shadow (★★★★☆)
Other Reviews This Month:
Follow me on Goodreads
✦ Signing Up For 2020 Reading Challenges: #ARCApocalypse and Pondathon
✦ Minion’s Magical Menagerie: Unicorns
✦ Lessons From A Two-Year Book Blogger (Mistakes Were Made)
✦ Christmas Book Haul (Ft. Lots of New Books to Judge Me)
✦ Battle of the Book Covers, Round Two || There Can Be Only One
✦ January 8
✦ January 15
✦ January 22
✦ January 29
✦ First Line Friday 56 || Let’s Try Something New, Shall We?
✦ First Line Friday 56 || Introducing A Black Pantheon
✦ First Line 56 || Slaying Zombies in the South
✦ First Line 56 || Here Be Witches
✦ Briana @ Pages Unbound predicts some 2020 trends in the book blogging community. She also gives some great advice on getting more traffic to your blog, and she weighs in with her opinion on tagging authors.
✦ Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub gives some great suggestions for parents and teachers on how to raise readers.
✦ Bec @ Bec&Books has some prompt suggestions to help you with your Popsugar Reading Challenge, in case you’re stuck.
✦ Jordan @ ReadWithWine explains how to get free books, including ARCs.
✦ Nikita @ Prose & Pancakes discusses her fear of big books and what she plans to do about it.
Me: *staring intently at the computer*
— Sammie (@srbetler) January 9, 2020
Hubby: Whatcha doing?
Me: Debating if I should buy these two books.
H: … why?
Me: They're only $5 each.
H: Didn't you just get a bunch of books for Christmas?
Me: You're right, I should get them. The Christmas books need friends.
STOP 👏 TELLING 👏 PEOPLE 👏 THEY'RE 👏 TOO 👏 YOUNG 👏 FOR 👏 A 👏 MEDICAL 👏 CONDITION. 👏
— Sammie (@srbetler) January 13, 2020
Unlike bartenders, medical conditions don't card you before hitting you with another.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
Starting day two of a mini readathon strong, with high hopes of reading all the books today, but it's not even noon yet and my partner in crime has already called it quits. Some accountability partner she is. #amreading pic.twitter.com/q9wZ6TwsJG
— Sammie (@srbetler) January 19, 2020
I just spelled "fearsome" as "fiercesome," and that right there sums up how my morning is going. #amwriting #writerslife
— Sammie (@srbetler) January 28, 2020
Chat With Me
How did January treat you? Still going strong on your 2020 resolutions, or have you already fallen off the wagon?
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That’s a typo right? Tell me you did not READ 35 BOOKS LAST MONTH.
I DID, BUT IT’S NOT AS EXCITING AS YOU THINK. The 12 books I so nicely summarized as “12 Dragonblood books” were little 30-page mid-grade things I read with my daughter. xD I love Michael Dahl’s books, because the artwork is so pretty and the design is engaging, and they’re one sort of book my daughter enjoys reading, which is a win. Plus, six of those were graphic novels. xD It’s not like I went out and read 35 adult novels LOL.
Ok I still like you🤣🤣
Phew. Okay, good. I was scared there for a second. 😉
Wow! You absolutely SLAYED January, Sammie! 38 books!? That’s INCREDIBLE!!! And all those five star reads too! 😍 I’m just a teeny bit jealous!! You also totally seem to be on top of your posting and reviewing game too. Absolutely killing it! Haha And yo, you totally went viral on Twitter?! That’s so cool! 🤩 Sounds like January has been treating you super well. Glad to hear your knee is doing better and those plans for bookshelves sounds perfecto! Hope February continues to treat you amazingly 🙂
As I’ve said, 12 of those were itty middle grade books I read with Anah that were, like, 30 pages. And 6 graphic novels. So … the number’s look good, but they weren’t really *that* impressive. xD
Not to jinx it, but I have a 32-day posting streak going, and I’m sort of curious to see how long this can continue. xD I’ve never had more than a 5-day streak before. I’m treading new, dangerous territory. Let me know if you see sharks, yeah? 😛
I did. It was so weird and stressful, but also amazing, because people shared their own stories, and that was really neat. January has been fabulous. February has some big shoes to fill.
So many awesome covers!! Have to check a couple of them out. You did amazing!! Happy February!
Thanks! Aren’t they? I don’t know what’s going on this year, but there are SO MANY gorgeous covers.
Sounds like a great January! I’m with you though on being wary of the weather. We have lately been getting beautiful warm Januaries… followed by cold and/or damp February through March. I’d rather have a proper winter than little mini-springs surrounded by more winter. Sigh.
Yeah, I think last time we had a January this mild, we got several feet of snow dumped on us in March. That’s just … not something I want to relive, thanks. xD Plus, it wreaks havoc on the crops, and early crops end up dying. =/
We don’t get tons of snow where I am, but we do have crop issues. The trees start thinking it’s spring and start budding, then we get heavy rains and the blossoms all die. Or we’ve had cherry crops decimated because we got too much rain once the fruit had formed, and the skins split, rotting the fruit. It was sad.
Yup. We had small stuff starting to sprout already, and now it’s forecasted to snap cold again next week, which will kill them again. =/ It’s a shame. We had this a couple years ago, too, and it was a tough farming season.
Yuck. That’s really a shame. 🙁