My Writing

Stoke for This : May 2024

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

Y’all I’m back! I officially submitted in my selections for the awards I was reading for yesterday and I am now able to tackle more of my TBR (and my backlog of galleys from NetGalley :D). So, be prepared to see more from me as I get back on track with my reviews!

May 7, 2024

The Skunks

By: Fiona Warnick

Why am I stoked for this release?

Reviews I’ve seen of this book have generally described it as being one that will sit with you well after you’ve read it. So, I’m curious to see if this will.

This novel is about Isabel who moves back home after college and just – tries to figure out her life from there. But being back home brings up old memories (including an old crush).

There are also supposedly POV changes, one of course, being a skunk, so let’s try it!

Telephone of the Tree

By: Alison McGhee

Why am I stoked for this release?

I originally heard about this book at a Publisher’s Digital Book Event. This is a book about loss and grief.

As someone who lost her dad when I was only twelve, there’s a lot of stuff I used to do as a preteen that were probably weird. I didn’t really have books like this growing up and I really cherish reading them, even now so I know what the younger generations have.

May 14, 2024

Thirsty

By: Jas Hammonds

Why am I stoked for this release?

Jas Hammond’s debut YA novel, We Deserve Monuments was my 2022 Book of the Year. I’ve been anxiously waiting for their next novel.

In this novel, Blake is doing everything she can to join the mysterious and exclusive Serena Society – but to keep her confidence up, she finds courage at the bottom of a liquor bottle.

Hammonds layered her last novel masterfully and how she talked about the trauma was amazing as well. I’m really excite to see where this one goes.

It Waits in the Forest

By: Sarah Dass

Why am I stoked for this release?

Another story that will be diving into grief – but this one is not only for people, but for the lives we wish we had.

There’s also potentially something to do with botany magic?? I may be misreading or jumping to conclusion on it, but like – the cover! Give me plant magic so I can keep my plants alive and stop accidently killing them!!

With Just One Wing

By: Brenda Woods

Why am I stoked for this release?

After breaking his arm climbing a tree to get a closer look at the mockingbird nest, Coop is stuck at home during the summer. Later, when the fledglings fly away, Coop and his friend, Zandi, discover a baby bird with one wing is left behind. Coop adopts it

This book is a lot about adoption

The Last Rhee Witch

By: Jenna Lee-Yun

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a middle grade mystery/suspense novel mixed with Korean folklore and summer camp.

Again, I know it’s middle grade, but I’m still excited about these titles. These types of novels weren’t around when I was a kid – and if they were starting to come about, I pretty much spend a year reading middle grade before jumping into YA since my reading level was so high as a kid.

And, weirdness at summer camp? Count me in 🙂

May 21, 2024

To & Fro

By: Leah Hager Cohen

Why am I stoked for this release?

I saw this one in a publisher’s email and asked for the ARC of it, I’m hoping I can read it right before it comes out so I can talk it up.

To & Fro has two mirrored narratives with flipped over covers to read each story about girls searching for understanding.

There’s also a stolen kitten involved!

Shae

By: Mesha Maren

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a coming-of-age novel about sixteen-year-old Shae and her companion, Cam. Shortly after Shae becomes pregnant, Cam begins transition and declaring female pronouns.

After traumatic C-section and the birth of their daughter, Shae is given opioids and then becomes addicted.

This isn’t going to be a candy filled read, that for sure – but I’m already rooting for Shae and her fight that so many Americans are dealing with when it comes to the opioids epidemic.

The Light Eaters

By: Zoe Schlanger

Why am I stoked for this release?

And our nonfiction of the month goes to this popular science read about plants!

As I have mentioned above, I love plants and I have quite a few sprinkled throughout my home that I (try) to take care of. Usually I can do great with them for a few months and then something dramatic happens and they die. I do have a handful I’ve kept alive for along time – including a cactus named Max who I’ve had going on 8 years who I’ve propagated three times.

Plants are also amazing out in the wild and how they are able to care for themselves out there interest me so I’m interested in this read for sure!

May 28, 2024

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

By: Onyi Nwabineli

Why am I stoked for this release?

This novel is about Anuri’s life as she tries to break her young half sister out of the cycle of abuse from her influencer stepmother.

I know I keep mentioning about the differences between when I grew up and now – but like, I’m 11 years older than Youtube. Even though I loved filming my friends and family as a kid, those videos were just for us.

Nowadays, there’s so many “influencers” that film everything they do and post it online. I think of the Franke family and how crazy that actually ended up being…

Anywho, I’m curious to see how this one reads and how it goes showing the “bad side” of constantly being online.

A Galaxy of Whales

By: Heather Fawcett

Why am I stoked for this release?

I mostly wanted this book because it’s from the author of of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. I still haven’t read that book, but it’s on my TBR and based on what I’ve heard of it, I know I will love it.

This book is a summer story that has trials and pleasures of friendships with two preteens trying to best each other in a photo contest.

Stoked for This: April 2024

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

I had a bit to deal with over the weekend and Monday so the first Tuesday of the month kind of snuck up on me – ALMOST!!

I really wanted to make sure to get this posted because as a reminder, I’m judging a few awards right now (I’ve got two categories in one Award alone). Because of this, I unfortunately won’t be posting as much because I can’t post my reviews of those books. I am giving myself a 2:1 ratio though. Two award books, one book of my choosing – mostly to mix it up but to also make sure I don’t poorly score a book simply because I want to get it over with to read another one.

So, thanks to those that stick around. Especially those who stuck around and read all of that ◡̈

Without further ado, my April’s Stoked for This!! There’s quite a few that come out this first Tuesday and there’s a ton of new books by some of my favorite authors. April will be a busy month, but I’m excited!!

Release Date: April 2

The Book of Thorns

By: Hester Fox

Why am I stoked for this release?

I’ll be honest with you here to let you know I really love Hester Fox, so I’ll read everything by her. One of my favorite gothic, dark writers.

But, besides that: sisters separated at birth, bound together by a secret language of flowers!!

And it’s set in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars?! A new historical time I can check off my list.

The Cemetery of Untold Stories

By: Julia Alvarez

Why am I stoked for this release?

Oh, just another literary icon that I absolutely love.

This one is about a writer, Alma who creates a graveyard for all of her untold stories. A legit graveyard for the manuscripts and drafts of stories she never finished. Alma wants her characters to rest in peace, but they have other plans.

As a writer who hasn’t written a fictional stories in years (I know, I know – I have a Fiction Writing Degree and I sure use it huh??), I’ve got A BOX FILLED with unfinished stories – not to mention the unfinished stories on my college external hard drive.

This just gives me hope that maybe one day, I can finish their stories too ◡̈

All We Were Promised

By: Ashton Lattimore

Why am I stoked for this release?

A historical fiction set in Philadelphia, 1837 – another time in history I haven’t read much in.

A housemaid who escaped White Oaks plantation down South conspires with a wealthy young abolitionist to help an enslaved girl escape.

I’ve watched a lot of movies about this time period, but not a lot of books. I’m hoping this one will be interesting and page turning for me.

Lightningborn (Storm Dragons Saga #1)

By: Julie Kagawa

Why am I stoked for this release?

Okay, first off – do you see this adorable dragon on the cover?? Because that’s the first thing that caught my eye. Then the fact it was by Julie Kagawa, I was asking for copy of this quickly.

You know how some girls were horse girlies? I was more of a fairies and dragons type (mostly fairies, but still loved dragons!).

Anywho, in a world where only the rich own dragons, a poor boy finds a wild dragon and becomes the focus of an evil pirate! And, by the looks of the cover, it’ll be sky pirates!!

Release Date: April 9, 2024

The Secret Language of Birds

By: Lynne Kelly

Why am I stoked for this release?

Ah, Song of Whales is a beautiful middle grade story that I love recommending for Middle Grade with a Deaf main character, so when the author’s newest book was announced, I got excited.

This is about a little girl who is obsessed with birds who finds a pair of whooping cranes nesting in the marsh of her summer camp. It’s kind of impossible because all of her resources say they haven’t nested in Texas in over 100 years. But, once wildlife officials are notified, more questions arise about the bird pairing.

Release Date: April 16, 2024

Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder

By: Asako Yuzuki, Polly Barton (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

Okay, please just read the title of this! “Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder”! Tell me that doesn’t piqued your interest?!

No?

What about this: There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.

This is inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer “The Konkatsu Killer”.

Just – I can’t explain in words my excitement for this, okay?

Release Date: April 23, 2024

Bad Habit

By: Alana S. Portero, Mara Faye Lethem (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is about a coming-of -age novel about a trans woman growing up in Madrid in the last decades of the twentieth century.

After finally finding community and kinship in downtown Madrid after growing up in a blue collar suburb where she didn’t belong, the unnamed character finds that each step forward she must confront a violence she does not know yet how to counter.

Trans experiences are getting more and more voices nowadays and I’m all for it.

Release Date: April 30, 2024

Not Like Other Girls

By: Meredith Adamo

Why am I stoked for this release?

I don’t want to get too much into this novel, but based on the description of it, it reminds me a bit of Sadie by Courtney Summers.

But this is said to take a hard look at how we treat young women and their trauma as a teen girl tries to find her former best friend after goes missing and all the secrets that come to light.

Stoked for This: November

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

Sorry this is late (but it’s being published before the first Tuesday releases!). I got the news I didn’t get a job I’d basically been working for since March on Tuesday, right before I was planning on putting this together. Ultimately, this got put aside until I could manage to look ahead at books without crying. I’m not sure what my future holds – “It just wasn’t meant to be” still doesn’t help the heartache, but, books can take me to far off places, so that’s what I’m focusing on here. #Escapism

RELEASE DATE: November 7, 2023

Bookshops & Bonedust

by: Travis Baldree

Why am I stoked for this release?

Legends and Lattes is one of my all time favorite cozy fantasy novels. This one is the prequel that follows Viv shortly after she gets wounded during a hunt.

The last one felt like a warm blanket cuddle on a chilly fall night, so I’m expecting great things from this one too.

Sail Me Away Home

by: Ann Clare LeZotte

Why am I stoked for this release?

This novel pairs with Show Me a Sign and Set Me Free – stories follows Mary Lambert, a young Deaf girl from Martha’s Vineyard, a predominately Deaf Island, in the early 19th century.

I enjoyed the other two because talked about a big part of Deaf history and culture a lot of people don’t know about. This one seems like it will be able the education of Deaf children, which is a so layer and deeper than most people think.

A Grandmother Begins the Story

by: Michelle Porter

Why am I stoked for this release?

This story follows five generations of women and bison as they navigate their traumas try to rebuild their futures.

Written by an author who comes from a long line of Métis storytellers, this novel had received beautiful reviews and as I’ve said in previous months, I love a good generational story.

The Beautiful and the Wild

by: Peggy Townsend

Why am I stoked for this release?

So this one is actually set in Alaska. Last month I believe, I thought I had a YA where it was set in Alaska, and it was not. So, this is my Alaskan novel I plan on reading this winter.

It’s supposed to be about survival in the wilds of Alaska and I watch enough hunting and survival shows that I’m ready.

RELEASE DATE: November 14, 2023

Day

by: Michael Cunningham

Why am I stoked for this release?

I mentioned about loving family dynamic novels before. This is one of those that’s supposedly painful, but beautiful at the same time.

I’ve got a few authors I’m thinking of that I’ll be comparing this to, but I won’t know until I read it. And I have a feeling this will stand all on it’s own.

RELEASE DATE: November 28, 2023

We Must Not Think of Ourselves

by: Lauren Grodstein

Why am I stoked for this release?

I used to read a ton of WWII historical fiction. So much so that I kind of forced myself to take a step back from it for a bit. I still read this time, but I limit myself to only a few a year, and not all 120 of my books.

This is inspired by the testimony-gathering project with the code name Oneg Shabbat, where those trapped in the Warsaw Ghetto began collecting the stories of those living between the walls.

It’s going to probably be a difficult read, but it’s important.

Stoked for This: July 2023

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

Okay, so I’m not the greatest at getting this out on the first, that’s absolutely for sure – but at least it’s still at the beginning of the month, right?? My family had their annual summer garage sale this past weekend and it’s a big deal (we made over $1,200 this year!). That mixed with July 4th, my days are all over the place. But, I wanted to make sure I got this out at a reasonable time so here we go!

RELEASE DATE: July 4, 2023

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

by: Satoshi Yagisawa, Eric Ozawa (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

I’m kind of a sucker for Japanese literature – especially fiction. It always makes me feel peaceful and they don’t shy away from what it’s like being human. It just feels real. So, I’m pretty stoked for this read that has a setting with a bookshop!

The Librarianist

by: Patrick deWitt

Why am I stoked for this release?

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and am actually currently reading it. It’s about Bob, a retired librarian who begins helping out at a senior center. There’s more involvement, but the seniors at this center are a hoot and I love them.

Wolfsong (Green Creak #1)

by: T.J. Klune

Why am I stoked for this release?

Firstly, it’s T.J. Klune, anything this author releases will automatically get put on my TBR shelf, which as soon as I read it, it becomes my newest favorite book. Any year he releases a book, it’s always in my Top 5 easily. I know, this is technically a reprint of the entire series through TOR, but I haven’t read it yet and I’m counting it. Plus, it’s shapeshifting wolves; leave me to run down memory lane with my teenage Teen Wolf obsession. Thanks.

RELEASE DATE: JULY 11, 2023

Alchemy of a Blackbird

by: Claire McMillan

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a historical novel based on the true story of painters and occultists Remedios Varo and Leonor Carrington, who both had to break away from their famous partners in order to become icons on their own.

I’ve been interested in Tarot Card reading so I’m excited to see how this goes because apparently that’s what connects to two women.

Ebony Gate (Phoenix Hoard #1)

by: Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle

Why am I stoked for this release?

Firstly, this is being marked as “…female John Wick story with dragon magic set in contemporary San Francisco’s Chinatown.” Like, what part of that description does not intrigue me? I’ve also been interested in dragons recently so there’s that too…

Give Me a Sign

by: Anna Sortino

Why am I stoked for this release?

I admit, I’m not one for YA romance, but this one has a main character who has hearing loss who’s a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind where she meet a Deaf counselor who volunteers to help her with her signing. I love ASL, I’ve got a Minor in the language and I sign with quite a few patrons at work. I’m always curious to see how Deaf and Hard of Hearing characters are written so I’m always up to reading books with those characters, especially with the author is Deaf themselves.

RELEASE DATE: JULY 18, 2023

A Guide to the Dark

by: Meriam Metoui

Why am I stoked for this release?

This book is marked as Young Adult, but since the two girls are college age, this could be marked as New Adult, which is one of the reasons I was interested in it. New Adult is generally marketed as 18-28 while Young Adult is more 13-18 – it’s a *newer* genre that’s still getting on it’s feet, so I’m always on the look out for that.

This is also a horror YA and I don’t know what it is about it, but I greatly enjoy YA horror (I’m going to thank Rory Power’s Wilder Girls for that one). This novel is saying it’s The Haunting of Hill House meets Nina LaCour so uh, sign me up!

Women of the Post

by: Joshunda Sanders

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a novel based on true events of the all-Black battalion of the Women’s Army Corps sorting over one million pieces of mail for the US Army during WWII.

I’ve read a lot of historical fiction set in WWII, but this is a story I haven’t heard yet, so I’m stoked to be able to read about a different point of view. I also don’t read a lot of fiction that would be categorized as “military fiction” so that’s another check off my list for excitement.

RELEASE DATE: JULY 25, 2023

The Weaver and the Witch Queen

by: Genevieve Gornichec

Why am I stoked for this release?

Anyone who knows me knows I wouldn’t shut up about The Witch’s Heart by this author after I read it. I’m constantly recommending that book to anyone and everyone. Gornichec writes historical fiction with mythology and Vikings Age history. Those are two things I absolutely love and this one is about the becoming Queen of Norway. Sign me up to enjoy this already.

Stoked for This: June 2023

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

I got this set up and going on the right day haven’t I?? How exciting! I’ve starting to try and keep everything written down BEFORE the day of – that seems to be helpful.

RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2023

Pageboy

by: Elliot Page

Why am I stoked for this release?

I’m not really one for celebrity memoirs – I mean, I’m also not one for memoirs in general (nonfiction is still harder for me to get into). But, I love Elliot Page and from the reviews I’ve seen around, I’m hoping this will be a good one to read.

The Wind Knows My Name

by: Isabel Allende

Why am I stoked for this release?

This novel follows two different timelines of children fleeing war/danger and immigrating to unknown lands. One set in Vienna, 1939, the other in Arizona, 2019.

Stories of immigration have been interesting to me, especially with the news at the US/Mexico border. How children get separated from their parents all while on the search for a better, safer life is crazy to me and I can only imagine what both a child and parents go through. I want to read these stories to know and understand.

The Endless Vessel

by: Charles Soule

Why am I stoked for this release?

In a few years from now, in a world similar to ours, there exists a “Depression plague” that people simply refer to as, “The Grey”. One young scientist from Hong Kong must travel through past and present and all over on her journey through the Endless Vessel.

This is a promise of The Midnight Library and Ready Player One, which are both books I very well enjoyed when I read them! Plus, as someone who battles with depression herself, I’d kind of like to see someone who is fighting in a world that has seemed to have given up.

My Murder

by: Katie Williams

Why am I stoked for this release?

This one is about a woman who is brought back by a government project after being a victim of a local serial killer.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love my ID network and can happily watch murder show after murder show. Some times, those stories have unanswered questions. I’m curious to see to how the writer tells this story about someone who comes back.

RELEASE DATE: JUNE 13, 2023

The Love Report

by: BéKa, Maya (Illustrator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a cute, middle grade graphic novel about two preteens trying to figure out what couples last, while others fizzle.

There wasn’t a lot of graphic novels aimed at middle grade readers while I was growing up so I do enjoy seeing the market for nowadays.

Plus, the illustrations on this look adorable.

On Earth as It Is on Television

by: Emily Jane

Why am I stoked for this release?

I’ve got two alien novel coming out this month I’m stoked for. This is first one where one day, out of nowhere, spaceships appear over various US cities – they block out cell phone towers and Wifi – but almost as quickly at they appear, they leave. This novel tells stories of their visit and it’s aftermath with various characters.

I’m not sure why I’m suddenly attracted to first encounter novels, but hey – it’s a fun thing to think about!!

RELEASE DATE: JUNE 20, 2023

Old Enough

by: Haley Jakobson

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is about a bisexual woman in college finding her adult group of friends and what it means for her friends back from high school.

I absolutely loved my college experience and the friendships I made while going. Being away from where you grew up really allows you to find more out about who you are on your own.

I miss my college friends so much and I feel like this book will be a fun read.

RELEASE DATE: JUNE 27, 2023

The Road to Roswell

by: Connie Willis

Why am I stoked for this release?

My second first encounter novel of June here. This time with someone abducted by aliens who then wants to help their new out-of-this-world friend out.

I’m going to be honest; I had no idea who Connie Willis was before I saw this book in a pile of ARCs at work. I feel like she’s someone I should know about, because some of her stuff sounds like a fun read – but I think I’m going to start with this one and go from there 🙂

Dead Eleven

by: Jimmy Juliano

Why am I stoked for this release?

On a creepy island town obsessed with the year 1994, a mother arrives, hoping to learn the truth about her son’s death but there’s more to this town than anyone knows.

I haven’t read a lot of horror, but I like 90s horror films, so I want to give this one a go. Plus, I was born in 1992, my sister in 1994 – so I’m curious to read about that timeframe.

Lay Your Body Down

by: Amy Suiter Clarke

Why am I stoked for this release?

This one is about a woman who returns to her rural Minnesota hometown and comes to find a radical evangelical pastor has poisoned everyone’s minds… and possibly a murder…

This is kind of another of my “guilty” pleasures – weird religious cults… mysterious behind them, how they members joined, what happened while in the cult, how they got out… it’s interesting to me.

This is also the author of Girl, 11, which is a book I know has received good praise, so I’m stoked for this one too.

Stoked for This: May 2023

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

I was already pretty bad at keeping up with this, wasn’t I? April kind of got out from under me, but I am trying to get my feet back on the ground for these next few weeks. I was lucky enough to have two extra days off last week and that allowed me to get caught up in some things. Of those things included my Stoked for This: May 2023 edition!

RELEASE DATE: MAY 2, 2023

Warrior Girl Unearthed

by: Angeline Boulley

Why am I stoked for this release?

Angeline Boulley wrote Firekeeper’s Daughter, which is one of my all time favorite Young Adult books – I’m constantly recommending it at work. In this book, Perry Firekeeper-Birch and a group of Misfits work together to give Warrior Girl and twelve other Anishinaabe ancestor’s remains back to their tribes. Boulley brought up Indigenous issues in her last book that I honestly wasn’t aware of and I’m anticipating I will learn a lot in this book as well.

Where You See Yourself

By: Claire Forrest

Why am I stoked for this release?

Always a goal of mine is to read more books with different representation. This one is about Effie, a senior in high school with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair, and her journey in finding the right college to attend the following year. I’m actually in the process of finishing this book right now and, while there is some romance to this, it’s not really the main focus (I’m not the biggest fan of YA romance anywho…). But the complexity of the disability representation is amazing and I’m exciting for this to hit the shelves.

Hula

by: Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes

Why am I stoked for this release?

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month so it’s a perfect time for this release and read. I’m going to be honest and admit that I haven’t read a lot of novels set in Hawi’i culture so I’m excited to read this one that dives into mother-daughter relationships, dysfunctional families, and the history and culture of Hawi’i.

RELEASE DATE: MAY 9, 2023

A Shadow Crown (The Halfling Saga #2)

by: Melissa Blair

Why am I stoked for this release?

Technically I’m excited for both books of this Saga. I already knew I was going to love the first book and shortly after I had picked that one up, did I realize there will be another. I’m kind of weird when it comes to series – and weird in the way that I hate waiting to have to read one and will just wait for the next one to come out (but what if it’s a longer series – then I usually cave) Anywho… assassin female spies in a Fantasy land? Count me in.

Daughters of Snow and Cinders

by: Núria Tamarit, Jenna Allen (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

Kaite got this in as an ARC from the publishers at work and I immediately asked for it because I loved the artwork. This will be the English debut of Spanish cartoonist and illustrator Núria Tamarit. But again, I’m so excited to see the storyline that goes with the art that I saw when I did a flip through.

RELEASE DATE: MAY 16, 2023

The Guest

by: Emma Cline

Why am I stoked for this release?

Did anyone else read Emma Cline’s book The Girls? I did quite a few years ago and I don’t remember a lot of it (it was before I would review all my reads) but I do remember that it was a crazy book. This one a young girl pretends to be someone she isn’t as a homeless “grifter” in Long Island.

The God of Good Looks

by: Breanne Mc Ivor

Why am I stoked for this release?

First off, please look at the cover of this book and tell me you aren’t intrigued! This one is about a young Trinidadian woman finding her voice and new kind of happy ending. I have a patron I adore who is from Trinidad & Tobago and this is novel will hopefully give me a bit more to insight to her island so the next time she tells me about her home, I may have more connection.

Paper Planes

By: Jennie Wood, Dozerdraws (Illustrator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

A summer camp for troubled youth after “an incident” where now to ex best friends have to rekindle their relationship? Give me.

RELEASE DATE: MAY 30, 2023

Witch King

by: Martha Wells

Why am I stoked for this release?

The description of this says, “A story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose”. That pretty much checks off a lot of my favorite tropes, so that’s pretty self explanatory as to why I’m stoked for this…

Girls Like Girls

by: Hayley Kiyoko

Why am I stoked for this release?

A YA novel based on hit song, Girls Like Girls from Hayley Kiyoko. I was the type of girl who grew up reading fan fiction of stories based on songs. I’m curious to read the actual story of a song from the singer.

Ever Flowing Judging List

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to give a quick update so you all don’t think I’m M.I.A.

I’m judging two categories in a book award that are due here in May. Between the two categories, there are 22 books.

Here’s a photo reference (minus 3 that are digital copies):

And here’s a photo for reference against my 12-year-old cat, Mushi 🙂

But, I’ve also got a few books that aren’t under book awards with publication dates coming up that I’m hoping to have read before then.

Here’s a peak at how I even manage to keep all this in order:

The green & orange are the books in my two categories that I need to read. The yellow tabs are books that have been released or are going to be released soon.

The two tabs on the right are the ones I’ve finished for this month.

So, as you can see – I’ve got a bit of a pile I’m reading through, but because I am judging, I won’t be posting those books on my website.

At least not yet!

So, be patient with me – I’m always reading and I’ll have stuff to post, but there may be a bit between postings!

🙂 Alisha

Days of Reading…

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

I feel like I should be giving anyone who is actually following this a heads up on just about how many posts you’re going to see from me in the next day or two (I’m going to space them out a bit). I read 5 books over the weekend; I finished a novel, read a collection of short stories, read another novel, and then two graphic novels.

There were a few things that allowed for this to happen though.

Wednesday the library was closed in celebration of the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl and the fact that most of downtown was going to be closed for the parade. This allowed for me to read my currently novel at the timee after I watched said parade on my TV.

Thursday I slipped on black ice and fell down the set of cement stairs at my house, horribly bruising my entire left side and my car wouldn’t start – so I stayed home from work. I actually didn’t end up reading too much this day as I was laying on a heating pad 90% of the time, but I did read a few chapters in the evening.

Friday I worked but then had no plans over the weekend besides watching ID Network and reading.

Saturday and Sunday were split between house chores and reading.

Oh, and watching The Last of Us latest episode on Sunday night obviously…

I also had a day off on Monday for Presidents’ Day. I ended up getting a lot of random chores done, including calling the Personal Property Tax Office and sitting on hold for 20 minutes, in which time, I read my book.

I guess what I’m getting at with this post is that I don’t really go out much. I’m 30 years old and in all honesty the actual thought of going out and being around people gives me anxiety most of the time anyway. Reading has always been my escape and my next few reviews’ dates read will show that – and of course anyone who signed up for my email notifications will be receiving all of them.

Be kind. Be gentle. Escape with a book if you need to.