Category Archives: Blog Hops

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Fall 2019 TBR

In: Blog Hops

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I decided to narrow this week’s topic down by only discussing books that have been or will be published in the autumn of 2019. When I actually read them depends on how long the wait lists are at my local library, but I’m hoping at least a few of these titles will become available soon.

Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by Jessica McDiarmid book cover. An eye with a native american symbol for a pupil and spruce trees for eyelashes is crying a single tear on it.

1. Title and Author: Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by Jessica McDiarmid
Why I Want to Read It: The murders and disappearances of Indigenous women is a serious issue here in Canada. Our mainstream media isn’t giving this topic the attention it needs, so I’m glad to see there’s a book about it.
Publication Date: Today

Alex McKenna & the Geranium Deaths by Vicki-Ann Bush book cover. Image is of sprayprainted outiline of man's head with an X over where his eyes should be.

2. Title and Author: Alex McKenna & the Geranium Deaths by Vicki-Ann Bush
Why I Want to Read It: A witch who can speak to ghosts? Sign me up! I’ve also been trying to read more novels about characters who are trans in general, so that addition to the plot is icing on the cake.
Publication Date: Today

How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones book cover. Image on the cover is of a red, abstract swirly object.

3. Title and Author: How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones
Why I Want to Read It: 2019 has not been a year of reading many memoirs or autobiographies for me. I’m trying to change that before the year ends for good.
Publication Date: October 8

:The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson book cover. Images on the front are drawings of a man and woman. Their organs are showing for illustrative purposes.

4. Title and Author:The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson
Why I Want to Read It: I never grow tired of reading books about all of the unusual things the human body can be capable of doing.
Publication Date: October 15

Small Hearts by Bryan W. Dull book cover. Image on front is of yearbook photos. Some faces are crossed out.

5. Title and Author: Small Hearts by Bryan W. Dull
Why I Want to Read It: I’m still deciding if this is the right book for me, to be honest, but I do like the idea of reading about the aftermath of a school shooting rather than the crime itself.
Publication Date: October 15

Supernova Era by Liu Cixin book cover. Image on cover is of bright ray of light hitting Earth.

6. Title and Author: Supernova Era by Liu Cixin
Why I Want to Read It: There aren’t many books out there about supernovas. I get excited every time I find another one.
Publication Date: October 22

When They Come for You: How Police and Governments are Trampling our Liberties - And How to Take Them Back by David Kirby book cover. Image on cover show three houses. One of them has been targeted by a red dot from a missile launcher.

7. Title and Author: When They Come for You: How Police and Governments are Trampling our Liberties – And How to Take Them Back by David Kirby
Why I Want to Read It: Civil liberties are important. It’s crucial for everyone to know what their rights are and how they should respond if their rights or the rights of someone close to them are violated.
Publication Date: October 29

The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown book cover. Image on cover is of a young girl staring straight ahead.

8. Title and Author: The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown
Why I Want to Read It: So many of the books on my list this week are serious. A fun, middle-grade horror novel might be just the thing to help me relax after them.
Publication Date: November 5

The Deep by Rivers Solomon book cover. Image on cover is of a mermaid swimming in the ocean with a whale.

9. Title and Author: The Deep by Rivers Solomon
Why I Want to Read It: I love the origin story of these characters’ ancestors. The thought that pregnant slaves who were thrown overboard ships hundreds of years ago somehow managed to thrive on the ocean floor is fascinating.
Publication Date: November 5

Wild Life: Dispatches from a Childhood of Baboons and Button-Downs by Keena Roberts book cover. Image on cover is of young girl sitting on an inner tube in a lake. She is surrounded by hippos.

10. Title and Author: Wild Life: Dispatches from a Childhood of Baboons and Button-Downs by Keena Roberts
Why I Want to Read It: The author of this memoir spent part of her adolescence in a remote part of Botswana thanks to her parents’ field work with baboons. This sounds like such a cool way to grow up that I’d love to know more about it!
Publication Date: November 12

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: What Is My Superpower?

In: Blog Hops, Personal Life

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

What a fun prompt this one was!

I have several different superpowers. Almost all of the humorous things I was going to include on this list fit better into the Strange or Useless Talent prompt that’s coming up in November, so keep an eye out for that one. It’s going to be delightful.

1. Analyzing stuff. That is, I’m really good at picking a story apart, figuring out what did (or didn’t) work in it, and then writing a solid review about that book, TV show, or movie.

2. Working quietly behind the scenes. I’m a little too bashful to want the spotlight pointed at me, but I excel at keeping things going behind the scenes while someone else gives a speech or otherwise acts as the public face of whatever it is we’re working on.

3. Using up leftovers. I grew up in a family culture that deeply disliked waste, especially when it came to food. If there was only half a serving of rice or potatoes left, it went back into the fridge and someone would eat it before it went bad. Sometimes this means my meals are a little nontraditional, but I love the feeling of making sure that everything that is cooked is eaten. For example, I recently ate three ears of corn, two hardboiled eggs, and a slightly soft pear for dinner because that was what needed to be used up in the fridge. I like those kinds of mish-mash meals, though!

4. Seeing the best in people. If someone does something I find perplexing, I do everything I can to find a rational explanation for it. We all have off days, and I have a lot of grace for people who accidentally say or do the wrong thing.

5. Making and updating spreadsheets. This is something I’ve done for years for fun. It’s so satisfying to see neat, little rows of numbers in a document.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question. The image below is the list of upcoming prompts for this blog hop.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Things to Eat/Drink While Reading

In: Blog Hops

 

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Seriously, how fun was this prompt? I had such a good time coming up with my list this week, and I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone else answered it, too.

1. Mint Tea

Caffeine tends to make me anxious, so I try to stick to caffeine-free beverages and foods as much as possible. Mint tea both smells and tastes nice.

2. Vegan Yogurt

I’m not vegan, but I eat a lot of products marketed to that demographic group due to my milk allergy. Non-dairy yogurts have gotten pretty good these past few years, so thank you to the vegan community for creating a demand for them. You’re awesome.

3. Salted Pistachios or Other Mixed Nuts

Nuts are such a satisfying snack.

4. Fresh Fruit

It’s hard to remember the last time I tried a new type of fruit and disliked it. Just about any sort of fruit is delicious to me.

sliced and whole Kohlrabi sitting on a cutting board. There is a knife placed beside them.
This is what kohlrabi looks like.

5.Crunchy Vegetables

I love crunchy vegetables like carrots, celery, radishes, or kohlrabi. It’s so satisfying to munch away at them, especially if I’m reading something a little frightening or atmospheric. Somehow having a plate of food to snack on makes me feel a bit less nervous in those circumstances.

6. Hard-boiled Eggs

I eat hard-boiled eggs with a little salt and pepper. They’re amazing. As soon as I pick up another bottle of hot sauce at the grocery store, I might try them that way next.

7. Cinnamon and Sugar Toast

This has been one of my favourite snacks since childhood. It’s even better if the toast is whole grain. My mom always bought healthy bread like that when I was growing up, so I developed a strong preference for it.

8. Grape Jolly Ranchers.

Will I eat other flavours of jolly ranchers? Absolutely, but the grape ones will always be my favourite. They are so delicious.

Peanut Butter spread on a sliced apple9. Almond Butter.

Honestly, any nut butter is appealing to me. it can be spread on toast, apple slices, celery, and so much more.

10. Sardines

I totally expect to be the only Top Ten Tuesday blogger who mentions this snack this week, but I love sardines. They have such a unique taste, and I find them really filling. They’re also a good source of certain nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D that I need to make sure I consciously include in my diet due to my milk allergy .

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Books I Keep Meaning to Read (But Haven’t)

In: Blog Hops

Hosted by Long and Short Reviews.

I’m hoping to find plenty of interesting things to read in all of your lists this week! Mine was a lot of fun to put together.

Title and Author: Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories by Ellen Datlow
What It’s About: The title says it all.
Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: Halloween is my favourite holiday, so I want to wait until we’re closer to that time of year before reading about spirits and hauntings.

Title and Author: In West Mills by De’Shawn Charles Winslow
What It’s About: The lives of various members of an extended and sometimes overly-close family between the years of 1941 and 1987.
Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: The library list for it has been ridiculously long. I’m nearly at the top of it now, though!

Migraine: A History by Katherine Foxhall

Title and Author: Migraine: A History by Katherine Foxhall
What It’s About: The title says it all.
Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: The release date for the library copies of this book keeps getting pushed back!  I’m on the waitlist for it, so I will have it eventually.

Title and Author: Becoming by Michelle Obama
What It’s About: The former First Lady’s life from birth to present day.
Why I Haven’t Read It yet: I actually have read some of it! I’ve been reading this memoir so slowly over the last few months because I want to savour every last word of it. Mrs. Obama is a wonderful storyteller.

Title and Author: Daughters of the West Mesa by Irene I. Blea
What It’s About: The murders and burial of eleven women and one fetus. This novel is based on a real case from Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was recommend to me by a fellow WWBC participant.
Why I Haven’t Read It Yet: My local library doesn’t have a copy of it. I’ve sent a request in that they buy it and am waiting for a response before I decide if or when to get my own copy of it.

Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question. The image below is the list of upcoming prompts for this blog hop.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My TBR I’m Avoiding Reading and Why

In: Blog Hops

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I honestly don’t have much to say in the introduction to this post this week, so let’s jump straight into my list.

Title and Author: Networking for People who Hate Networking: A Field Guide for Introverts, the Overwhelmed, and the Underconnected by Devora Jack
What It’s About: The title says it all.
Why I’m Avoiding It: Most of the reason why I haven’t read this book yet is because there’s a long list for it at the library. I’m also a little worried about it being one of those “just pretend like you’re not an introvert and magically don’t get nervous!” sort of books.

Title and Author: Tell It to the Bees by Fiona Shaw
What It’s About: Two women falling in love in the 1950s in a rural British town.
Why I’m Avoiding It: I had major issues with certain plot twists in the film. I don’t know if the book followed the same path, so I’m a little hesitant to give it a try.

Title and Author: The Ministry of Truth: the Biography of George Orwell’s 1984 by Dorian Lynskey
What It’s About: Why George Orwell wrote the famous novel, 1984.
Why I’m Avoiding It: I’m trying to take a long break from the dystopian genre as a whole. I know I’m going to enjoy this book once I’m in the right frame of mind for it. Right now, I need lighter, fluffier tales.

Title and Author: Haben: The DeafBlind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
What It’s About: The title explains it all.
Why I’m Avoiding It: As I said earlier, these days I’m more into short, fluffy reads. I’m saving this book for when I’m ready for something serious and thought-provoking again.

Title and Author: Suzanna by Irene I. Blea
What It’s About: Child marriage, desperate loneliness, and what I think may turn out to be an emotionally abusive relationship.
Why I’m Avoiding It: This book sounds like a powerful read, but I don’t think I can handle such heavy themes at the moment.

Title and Author: Wilder Girls by Rory Power
What It’s About: A F/F romance, a deadly disease raging through an isolated school, and the mystery of what might lie beyond the fence the students have been forbidden from walking past.
Why I’m Avoiding It: Just about everyone loves it. I’m simultaneously excited to read it and worried that it won’t live up to the hype for me.

If you’ve read any of these books, please do share your thoughts on them.