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Library Reads: Summer Reading Recommendations for Middle Grade & Teen Readers

It's been a while since I've written up a post about what I've been doing as a librarian. And, since Summer Vacation has started for some of the schools in the U.S., I decided to compile this post containing some recommendations for Middle/Junior and High School students. This list is NOT based on "Required School… Continue reading Library Reads: Summer Reading Recommendations for Middle Grade & Teen Readers

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Reading Check-In: May 6, 2023

I'm going to be honest: I barely got any reading done last month. Not since I was in grad school has my reading been so unproductive. It's not that I didn't read anything, it that I didn't read enough to finish any book. Hopefully, I will read more than 1 book this month. What have… Continue reading Reading Check-In: May 6, 2023

American History · American Society · ARCs · Asian Influence · Audiobook · Book Haul · Books · Children's Fiction · Debut · Duology · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · First in a Series · Folklore · Gender Roles · Goodreads · graphic novels · Grimdark · Literary Awards · Middle Grade Books · Middle Grade Fiction · Military Fiction · mythology · Reading · speculative fiction · Trilogy · Young Adult Fiction

Reading Check-In: April 1, 2023

March was a very productive month for me. As you will see, I managed to finish reading some books and start and/or pickup other books. What have I finished reading recently? This is a brilliant start to a new series by Shannon Chakraborty. Did the author drop a hint for how many books there will… Continue reading Reading Check-In: April 1, 2023

Advice and Suggestions · American History · American Society · ARCs · Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Award Winner · Book Theories · Books · Fairy Tale Retellings · Fairy Tales · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Folklore · history · Horror · Indie Books · LGBTQ · Literary Awards · Literature · Middle Grade Books · mythology · novella · Reading · Science Fiction · Sequel · Short Story · speculative fiction · Young Adult Fiction

Hello from Boskone!

Hello everyone! I apologize for another non-review post; but currently, I'm attending the Boskone 60 Convention in Boston! This is the first in-person Con I've been able to attend since before the pandemic. It's amazing when you recall how much fun these events are and why authors, writers, and fans attend them. So far, I… Continue reading Hello from Boskone!

ARCs · Audiobook · Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Award Winner · Book Haul · Book Theories · Book to Media Adaptations · Books · Comics · Coming-of-Age · Debut · Fairy Tale Retellings · Fairy Tales · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · First in a Series · Folklore · Gender Roles · Goodreads · gothic · graphic novels · Grimdark · Horror · Indie Books · LGBTQ · Literary Awards · Literature · magic realism · Mark Lawrence · Metaphysical Fiction · Middle Eastern Fantasy · Middle Grade Books · Middle Grade Fiction · Paranormal · Parents and Parenting · Predictions · Reading · Science Fiction · Seanan McGuire · Sequel · speculative fiction · Trilogy · TV · Video Games · Wayward Children · Young Adult Fiction

Reading Check-In: February 4, 2023

This is the second full week I have been without my computer, which means I’m typing this week’s blog post through the mobile app. Yes, I’m able to use the app as easily as the website, but I know trying to write out or to copy-and-paste my review won’t be easy for me to do… Continue reading Reading Check-In: February 4, 2023

ARCs · Asian Influence · Audiobook · Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Award Winner · Book Haul · Book to Media Adaptations · Books · Coming-of-Age · Debut · Fairy Tale Retellings · Fantasy · Favorite Books · First in a Series · Goodreads · graphic novels · Horror · LGBTQ · Middle Eastern Fantasy · Middle Grade Books · novella · Reading · Science Fiction · Seanan McGuire · Sequel · speculative fiction · Video Games · Wayward Children · Young Adult Fiction

Reading Check-In: January 7, 2023

Happy New Year Everyone! 2023 is underway and so are the books for this month. WOW! So many excellent titles are coming out this month! Anyone who follows me on Goodreads will notice 2 things about my Reading Challenge. First, in 2022, I fell short by 5 books. I still read 70 books, but I… Continue reading Reading Check-In: January 7, 2023

African Influence · ARCs · Asian Influence · Audiobook · Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Award Winner · Book Haul · Books · Children's Fiction · Coming-of-Age · Debut · Duology · Fairy Tale Retellings · Fairy Tales · Fantasy · Favorite Books · First in a Series · Folklore · Goodreads · gothic · graphic novels · Grimdark · Historical Fiction · Horror · Indie Books · LGBTQ · Literature · magic realism · Mark Lawrence · Metaphysical Fiction · Middle Eastern Fantasy · Middle Grade Books · Middle Grade Fiction · Military Fiction · mythology · novella · Occult Fiction · Paranormal · Predictions · Reading · Science Fiction · Seanan McGuire · Sequel · Short Story · silkpunk · Space Opera · speculative fiction · supernatural · Trilogy · Wayward Children · Young Adult Fiction

Why You Need to Read…My Most Anticipated Speculative Fiction Books of 2023

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! A new year means new books to look forward to reading, alongside the ones from last year that we haven't read yet. 2023 looks to be an exciting year once again for book releases. At the same time, it's daunting to know that with several prequels/sequels/companion novels getting published this year,… Continue reading Why You Need to Read…My Most Anticipated Speculative Fiction Books of 2023

African Influence · American History · American Society · ARCs · Asian Influence · Audiobook · Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Award Winner · Book Review · Books · Children's Fiction · Comics · Coming-of-Age · Debut · Duology · Dystopia · Fantasy · Favorite Books · First in a Series · Folklore · Goodreads · gothic · graphic novels · Historical Fiction · Horror · LGBTQ · Literary Awards · Literature · Metaphysical Fiction · Middle Eastern Fantasy · Middle Grade Books · Middle Grade Fiction · Military Fiction · mythology · novella · Reading · Review · Science Fiction · Seanan McGuire · Sequel · speculative fiction · supernatural · Trilogy · Wayward Children · Young Adult Fiction

Why You Need to Read…My Selections for Best Speculative Fiction of 2022

And, we made it to the end of 2022! For me, it was a very busy year! Now, I'm a full-time librarian and I'm attempting to make time for even more books to read (for work and for fun). I'm still working on balancing a career and life while continuing to pursue my other goals,… Continue reading Why You Need to Read…My Selections for Best Speculative Fiction of 2022

Authors/Writers · Award Winner · Book Spoilers · Book to Media Adaptations · Books · Catholic Church · Children's Fiction · Christianity · Coming-of-Age · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Freedom · Gender Roles · His Dark Materials · humanity · identity · Love · Middle Grade Books · Middle Grade Fiction · Parents and Parenting · Reading · Religion · religious beliefs · Review · Science Fiction · Sequel · speculative fiction · The Golden Compass · Trilogy · TV Show Review · Young Adult Fiction

TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials”: “The Break”

Will travels with Iorek and Balthamos to where Mrs. Coulter is keeping Lyra. They find a girl named Ama who knows about Lyra and Mrs. Coulter. Ama almost fell for Mrs. Coulter’s lies, but then she saw the way she treated her daughter. Ama knows about plants, especially edible ones. Will finds Lyra and confronts… Continue reading TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials”: “The Break”

Authors/Writers · Award Winner · Book Review · Book Spoilers · Book Theories · Book to Media Adaptations · Books · Catholic Church · Children's Fiction · Christianity · Coming-of-Age · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Freedom · Gender Roles · His Dark Materials · humanity · identity · Literature · Middle Grade Books · Middle Grade Fiction · Parents and Parenting · Reading · Religion · religious beliefs · Review · Science Fiction · Sequel · speculative fiction · The Golden Compass · Trilogy · TV Show Review · TV Show Spoilers · Vatican · Young Adult Fiction

TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials”: “The Enchanted Sleeper”

Season Three, after a year hiatus due to Covid-19, opens with an explanation of the previous war amongst the angels. For those of you who do not know, His Dark Materials is Philip Pullman’s retelling of the epic, Paradise Lost. So yes, this series is and is not influenced by Christianity. The beings Lord Asriel spoke to at… Continue reading TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials”: “The Enchanted Sleeper”