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Paper Fury

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10 Books I’m Terrified of Because They’re So Loooooooong

Two of my top fears in life are (1) rotting exploded pumpkins, and (2) very very long books.

Don’t even get me started on my pumpkin explosion story ok, because it’s traumatic and I’m still withering from the disgusting smell. Also it happened while I was home alone, therefore dousing the pantry with cleaner to try and get rid of the odour while considering renting a kayak and disappearing into the mountain river system.

Anyway.

We’re actually here to talk about books, believe it or not (since apparently I DO run a book blog). And I have said it quite a few times but: I AVOID LONG BOOKS. It is a bit ridiculous because I’ll read two 300-page books in 2 days but I hate reading one 600-page book in 2 days. Does it make sense? No. Will I eventually out grow this and get some sense? Also no.

(ILLOGICAL) REASONS I AVOID LONG BOOKS

  • I actually have lost my attention span as I get older wow were did it go.
  • I like ticking off my TBR fast ah ahah, sorry, this is a terrible confession. But I can tick off 2 smaller books faster = makes me feel industrious.
  • Most long books just seem to draaaag. Like if you can’t say it fast, then I WANT TO KNOW WHY.
  • They’re huge and my hands are so smol.
  • They’re DAUNTING.
  • Seriously, it could’ve been edited much shorter…
  • If I don’t like the book = I’m stuck with it forever because I finish everything I read ugh.
  • If I drop one on my face while reading, I will die.

However I DO like a lot of long books and I DO have a lot of long books on my TBR that I want to read!! But am avoiding them!! Which leads us to:

Let me just list 10 Really Long Books that I haven’t read yet, but WANT TO SOMEDAY.

Probably. And also yes I’m aware 500pages is probably not “long” to some people, but it is to me so laugh at me, ok, but softly as I am delicate.

 

Top Ten Tuesday [Longest Books I’ve Ever Read]…I’m twisting the prompt just a little. REBELLION ARRIVES.

 

1. THE ASSASSIN’S APPRENTICE

Page Count: 490

Okay laugh at me, because this isn’t even 500 pages sO WHAT AM I WHINING ABOUT??? Well, sir, I whine about everything. Just give me a chance and I will come through. But I also just find epic fantasy really daunting at the moment. Getting into worlds and staying focused…ahhhh. Watch my brain fritz.

However I fully intend to start some Hobb books soon because my friend adores them!!

2. THE SECRET HISTORY

Page Count: 600

So I’m not even sure I’d like this because it’s adult and kind of literary isn’t it??? But I’ve heard it’s about dysfunctional teen squads and the blurb also indicates they all end up betraying and corrupting each other which is honestly what I am here for. SLYTHERINS??? DO I SEE YOU???

I’m so so undecided about this one bUT YET…

 

 

3. REPLICA

Page Count: 520

I actually got this one at a library sale for 50cents!! And it is so huge…so so huge. I actually love a love/hate relationship with Lauren Oliver books so I will probably just look at this one and scream vaguely at it for the next 15 years.

Why must it be so long though.

 

 

4. JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL

Page Count: 1,006

Why are adult book covers so freaking boring though. It’s like all the cover designers got together and were all: “Ok adulthood sucks so let’s make sure book covers reflect that so no one thinks there’s any possibility of fun.”

Anyway. This is about books isn’t it? I’m 99% sure it’s about books and magic and that is what I aspire to in life. BUT AT 1000 FLIPPING PAGES LONG. what the heck and why the heck.

5. TALES FROM THE SHADOWHUNTER ACADEMY

Page Count: 670

Now I’m just being a little wilted daisy here because I love Shadowhunter books. ALL OF THEM. I’m so obsessed with Lady Midnight and that series is clocking well about 600 per book.

But yet (sobbing) I’m just finding it hard to start this one because it’s so looooong.

I shall procrastinate a little more until it, perhaps, gets smaller over time. This seems logical.

6. CITY OF BRASS

Page Count: 533

I mean look at that freaking cover!! LOOK AT IT!! This book is so pretty you would name your kid after it! Or, like, your goldfish or something. But moving forward! I was so excited for it until I got an ARC in an Illumicrate box and…it…is…huge.

I keep waiting for it to magically transfer its words —> to my head —> without me stressing over the page count, but it has yet to happen. Rude.

 

7. BRIDGE OF CLAY

Page Count: 592

Look at these adult covers go again. DO WE NOT DESERVE GLITTER WHEN WE ARE OVER THE AGE OF 25???? But regardless, I was so lucky to get sent a surprise ARC of this and … I’m only slightly panicking that I haven’t read it yet. I was going to read this via audio (I find long books much more manageable that way) SO THIS CRISIS ISN’T EVEN MY FAULT.

Also my ARC says “most anticipated book of the decade” and pfft, um, excuse you? My book was the most anticipated of the decade. I mean, for me and my dog and my mum probably. But still. Settle down there, Clay.

8. BEFORE SHE IGNITES

Page Count: 480

I could’ve sworn this would’ve been like seventy billion pages long because the hardcover sure looks like it? Anyway. Apparently not. Apparently I’m panicking over nothing.

I actually got this in an Owlcrate box and it’s about DRAGONS so whyyyyy have I failed my own good name and not read it?! It’s not even over 500 omg.

 

9. THE QUEENS OF INNIS LEAR

Page Count: 570

Ok to be fair, I actually (1) used to think this was YA but it isn’t, and (2) I realised reading a retelling of King Lear might not make sense if you don’t know the original, um, at all.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I’M SMART, I TELL YOU. So I was going to buy this one, but it’s being pushed further and further to the bottom of my list.

I don’t know if I’ll ever read it?? Or if I will just complain recreationally.

 

10. THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE

Page Count: 840

Now this isn’t out till February 2019!! So It’s not like it’s on my TBR actively yet. But I’m so torn?!! I didn’t like The Bone Season but tHIS HAS DRAGONS. And the author is awesome on twitter, making me feel like an overturned codfish for not liking The Bone Season. I realise I don’t make sense, shh.

When I get back from panicked sobbing about the fREAKING PAGE COUNT I will probably try and read this! It has DRAGONS and hopefully oranges which are delicious. I don’t actually understand the title at all…? But I do love orange.

And psst before you go, just know that I DO love some long books incredibly much! I’m not a total limp seaweed spiral! So here are some I’ve read and adored and wouldn’t miss a page.

       

 

hey! chat with me!

do you like or avoid long books? what do you consider a daunting page count?? tell me which of these are still on your TBR too?! should i hurry up and read some?? HELP

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10 Authors I’ve Actually Talked To (Without Freaking Out And Vanishing) Part 2

As I’ve said quite often: authors are mystical beings whom I revere and therefore avoid talking to at all costs.

I should also mention two things here: (1) I am an author, so I am in the midst of avoiding myself at all costs, and (2) I misspelled “mystical” and autocorrect wanted me to go with “hysterical” and I’m like…where is the lie.

Most authors = mystical wondrous beings.
Me, as an author = hYSTERICAL

Now I’m also very very very shy. Many people don’t believe me when I say it, because I’m very outgoing online, but I’ve worked up to this! Talking to people in real life?!? AH HAHAHA HA NO. So when other bookworms are all “Oh I’m dying to meet my favourite author”…I am over here, dying to not meet anyone. (I have social anxiety eep.)

Online I am marginally better at making connections. All my very closest friends are people I’ve met exclusively online. And I WILL work up courage now and then to talk to authors. Although I most adore them from a distance. I mean that’s the obvious conclusion right??? If you admire someone you absolutely and entirely IGNORE THEM.

Self five.

Now it’s time to tell you about 10 Online Author Interactions I’ve had that didn’t end up with me turning into demon smoke and vanishing. Which is a very very real thing I do.

This is actually a part 2! And you can see part 1 here, where I confess to talking to Cornelia Funke, Jennifer Niven, Derek Landy, and Leigh Bardugo on twitter in the past. (Spoiler: I DIED.)

 

I’m also twisting the Top Ten Tuesday prompt of “Authors I’d Love to Meet”  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

1. LAINI TAYLOR

So no big deal but LAINI THE QUEEN TAYLOR congratulated me on my debut novel’s release and I just….!!!!! I mean she also follows me on twitter and this is totally unrelated to me becoming a truly dedicated fan who would be eaten by a leviathan in some far mystical realm for her. Totally unrelated.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

(No but seriously. As a debut author who largely gets ignored by most writers now for reasons I am completely lost by…THIS means everything.)

2. AKEMI DAWN BOWMAN

She’s also a new(ish) author too and I know has anxiety so I thought, “Ok!! Anxious people unite!” Which is hilarious considering anxious people do not unite…we hide from each other. But regardless, when Akemi posted about some things she wished she’d known in her debut year (a totally encouraging and incredible post by the way) I actually replied and said how helpful the post was!

AND SHE REPLIED BACK.

Awww!! And she’s excited about my book, which (by the by) you should read Starfish because it is actually a little similar to A Thousand Perfect Notes. They would make good friends.

3. KAYLA ANCRUM

Now you ALL KNOW how much I adore and love The Wicker King to the point where I’ve read it twice this year and frequently look at it upon my bookshelves and let out a high, keening wail. (This is true love, obviously.) I never actually tag the author in all my flails because I am shy. So shy. So ridiculously shy…

Anyhow, this happened:

I’M SOBBING. I LOVE HER SO MUCH. (Also 10000% respect that her author photo doesn’t face the camera either. Kinship here omg.)

(Also I find it hilarious how I’m like “Oh authors won’t see me being a flailing fangirl haha!” when I, as an author, search hashtags for my books to spy on people flailing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It’s like my logic has holidays, and these holidays are 363 days of the year.)

4. JAY KRISTOFF

He’s really cool ok and famous and I think as tall as 17 people on top of each other. I think I must’ve been fuelled by the power of the new moon (when I am at my strongest) because I replied to a tweet of his randomly. (I think his reply was just a laugh but I only screeshot this much.)

ALSO EVERYONE ELSE THINKS I’M FUNNY TOO I GUESS.

(Also the audio of Nevernight truly is fantastic but also not something you listen to while eating lunch, as I discovered while wondering why my sandwich wasn’t so appealing whilst listening to gory bloodbath scenes.)

5. NEIL GAIMAN

This is absolutely cheating because a retweet doesn’t count as an “author interaction”. But WHO CARES. NEIL GAIMAN RETWEETED ME THIS ONE TIME AND I IMMEDIATELY FOUND THE DOOR TO ANOTHER DARK DIMENSION AND GREW MAGIC BUTTON EYES.

6. RACHEL CAINE

I was super lucky to be on the blog tour for her latest book, Smoke & Iron, and might’ve fangirled quite a little in my blog post. And by “quite a little”, I mean “I splattered my flailing all over the place.”

I hopefully can work this into, like, my resume or something. SKILLS INCLUDE: MAKING AUTHORS SNORT THEIR MORNING COFFEE WHILE LAUGHING. I have peaked.

7. CJ REDWINE

Two things first: (1) this was actually on instagram and I very nearly died, and (2) if I had a glorious name like “CJ REDWINE” I would be writing epic magical fantasy too. Her name is the name of perfection, I swear.

This made me perfectly DIZZY WITH FLAILS. Seriously I can’t even say how much it means when a famous author says congrats to a little tiny newbie.!!! I’m still screaming softly. Forever!! AHH!

8. ELIZABETH MAY

We actually follow each other on twitter too and I so admire the way she doesn’t take nonsense from sexist/racist men. What a complete and utter hero omg. (Also I was super excited when she tweeted that she was on the autistic spectrum too! Absolute proof yet again that autistic authors can be traditionally published. Let none tell you otherwise!)

ANYWAY SHE BOUGHT MY BOOK, NO BIG DEAL. I’M FINE.

9. JULIA EMBER

It’s always excellent to know that I’m not the only one who thinks writing blurbs is an indignant sort of torture. I’m still waiting for publishers and agents to accept pitches via pinterest aesthetic boards and a list of what Hogwarts Houses my characters are in. BUT ANYWAY.

Julia Ember is clearly amazing!! She talked to me!!! Of course she is!!

10. NADINE BRANDES

I think Nadine is possibly the kindest and sweetest person ever?! She actually emails with me on occasion and has encouraged me so much during my debut year. I CRY. I am so grateful. Also (1) Fawkes is brilliant and I love it so much, and (2) she’s hilarious on instagram AND youtube so omg go follow her.

I mean no no no you’re crying about this afjdkslad these are definitely not tears on my face, it is just some odd reflection of the light. (But seriously NADINE IS SO KIND TO ME.)

things we can take away from this post?

★ I am a FANGIRLING DORK and I love it and I love promoting authors and books and am unlikely to stop.
★ Authors are magical creatures.
★ Whilst I am shy of talking to authors, you can 100% be sure not to be shy of me because I’m literally a faNGIRLING DORK. We’ve already established this. Come fangirl with me please. About all things bookish.
★ it is pretty apparent that saying 2 nice words to me will ensure I am a fan for life.
★ I have no idea how to be a proper professional author but I am, absolutely, very cute. So that counts for something.
★ And lastly, I will NOT be telling these authors I gushed about them lmao, so don’t you dare either.

 

also you can DEFINITELY take away the fact that I am super awkward! so you have utter permission to be super awkward around me! (in other words, don’t be shy of me ah hahaha. we are fRIENDS around here)

hey so chat with me!

do you talk to authors very often online?? are you very shy? have you met authors in REAL life also?? and lastly: are you more of a mystical or hysterical being?

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10 Authors I Enthusiastically Adore But…Um, Haven’t Read All Their Books

One thing I say quite often is “Oh I love this author SO MUCH and want to read everything they ever write!”

Which is very heartfelt of me but also such a huge lie, WOW CAIT. I mean the wanting part isn’t the lie. I do want to read everything they ever write. But most of the time I (A) have ample opportunity to do so as they often have plenty of backlist titles, and yet (B) I proceed to do exactly nothing.

Why??? Why.

Well I made a vague list to make myself feel justified…so here we are:

REASONS I MIGHT NOT HAVE READ ALL BOOKS BY A FAVOURITE AUTHOR

☆ what if I don’t like it as much as the other books of theirs I’ve loved???
☆ their other titles actually aren’t interesting to me? mY BAD
☆ genuinely haven’t. had. a. chance. yet. THERE ARE SO MANY BOOKS TO READ.
☆ I CAN’T FIND IT ANYWHERE. WHERE IS IT. COME BAAAAAACK INTO PRINT.
☆ I’m procrastinating it for genuinely no good reason. This is just who i am as a person.
☆ I didn’t realise they had more books out…because apparently I never pay attention to anything.

Regardless of all those pretty excuses…I really need to get my life together and read more of my favourite authors’ books!! So today I’m writing a little list of ones I need to get to. Soon!! I vaguely promise!!

I actually posted about this last year so this is pretty much part 2! (Last time I mentioned VE Schwab, Patrick Ness Cassandra Clare, Rick Riordan, Neal Shusterman etc etc.) Have things improved from that list now? Lmao. No. But I will mention DIFFERENT authors this time! Just to see how deeply out of control I am!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books By My Favourite Authors That I Still Haven’t Read

1. SUZANNE COLLINS

Aww, I love The Hunger Games! I owe them so much! They not only got me into YA and therefore blogging and I discovered Maggie Stiefvater (aka my favourite author of life) through them so they have a super special place in my heart.

(Awww! Look at me go! I even admitted I have a heart! Cold and gnarly though it be.)

I actually didn’t even KNOW there was so many Gregor books ha. And the first didn’t appeal to me at all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2. LAINI TAYLOR

I love her writing. I’m actually in the midst of rereading Strange the Dreamer and then I’m onto Muse of Nightmares (I’m so freaking lucky my publisher sent me an ARC. Like, mate, author perks of being with an epic publisher.) And I’m so ridiculously in love with the prose?! The style. The characters?! The way the descriptions literally melt in your mouth ahhhhhHHH!H!!!!!

Um, so awkward moment here, but I didn’t even realise she’d written books prior to Daughter of Smoke And Bone. I have failed myself here wow.

I genuinely want to read THEM ALL THOUGH NOW…even though I didn’t even realise she wrote faerie books until 2 seconds ago while getting this post together. Haha…oops.

3. RENEE AHEDIEH

I’m just annoyed at myself about this because I loved The Wrath and the Dawn…fully best read of 2015 (WOAH back when the dinosaurs roamed) but yet I haven’t touched a single other of her books and she has 4 more???? When I went to write this post, I actually thought there were only two more. So they’re popping out of the sNOW LIKE DAISIES NOW.

THIS GIF IS ACTUALLY A GOOD REFERENCE TO HER MULAN RETELLING. HI FIVE @ ME.

 

4. KIERSTEN WHITE

There are some authors who pretty much don’t sleep. THAT’S THE ONLY CONCLUSION I CAN DRAW WOW. Anyway this actually gives me hope because I can’t sleep and like to write things about stabbing so hopefully (!) I will grow up to be like Kiersten White.

I love the Conqueror’s Saga books so much (Lada, stabbing! Radu, cinnamon perfection!) and I’m really excited for Elizabeth Frankenstein…except for that cover. It makes my skin crawl. Apparently people love it?? I might read it as an ebook and save myself. Ha. Yes I am weak apparently.

5. HANNAH MOSKOWITZ

I love finding authors who don’t write “normal” things…like bE STILL MY BEATING HEART. I love how her books are full of monsters and claws and sad boys and sharp girls and so so much diversity and have odd plots that totally capture my heart. Never over Teeth. NEVER OVER IT. That, um, person sobbing in the corner is someone…else.

I actually struggle to find her books for sale in Australia though. What is this failure of a planet we reside on.

(Also ANOTHER AUTHOR WHO DOESN’T SLEEP??)

6. BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ

Most of his backlist titles are in Spanish, adult fiction, or poetry collections sooo…I don’t even know if I’d go back and try to read some?? Maybe this is awful to admit, but I’m really only interested in his new books (AKA THE SEQUEL TO ARI AND DANTE OMG COME TO ME PLEASE).

Although it is nice to remember that authors did, indeed, exist before 2014 when I started reading YA widely. Who would have thought.

 

7. MARIE RUTKOSKI

Honestly I think I’ll get the award for being the person most surprised by my own post…?? But I had no idea she had other books! I’m actually waiting desperately for her to announce new books because I neeeeeed more. (It’s also been two years?! Which is practically a lifetime for someone who is very very short. Shh. This is logical.) Her older ones appear to be mostly MG too which I don’t usually gravitate to honestly.

8. CORNELIA FUNKE

I FELL IN LOVE WITH MIRRORWORLD. SO HARD. I’m anxiously waiting for book 4 yet it still doesn’t have a release date. And I know this is out of authors’ hands most of the time — but I would sacrifice many chocolates and annoying boys to the trees to get to know what happens next. They were the perfect amounts of MAGICAL and DARK.

As for her other books? Ok going through Goodreads showed me most weren’t in English (I am tragically bound by one language) and also lots of picture books/chapter books. Even if I love an author, I often don’t read their MG selections. I’m sorry. I don’t mind a lot of MG! But mostly I feel too old.

I would like to finish off Inkheart but tbh that’s all.

9. ADAM SILVERA

Look technically ONE BOOK isn’t enough to be on this list…but I just wanted to flail because I love his work so much!! It’s not underrated but can the world ever flail too much over a good book?! I THINK NOT, SIR. So here I am to say that History Is All You Left Me totally smashed my heart and therefore is my favourite.

But this is also 900% of the reason why I am procrastinating More Happy Than Not is because I think I’m going to be More NOT Happy Than Anything Else Thanks Why Are You Like This Mr. Silvera Who Hurt You. (That seems like a good retitling.)

ok tell me firstly (a) where you surprised to know any of these authors had more books?! and (b) tell me some of YOUR favourite authors who you still haven’t read all their works yet!

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Bare Your Bookshelf Tag || This Is An Excuse for Shelfies…Also I Counted All My Books!

I’m pretty sure by this point I spend 87% of my life staring at my bookshelf.

Is this a good use of my time???? Absolutely yes.

Since I’m a writer, I spend a lot of time staring blankly waiting to be walloped in the face by inspiration. So I look at my bookshelf! Which is part daunting (“HOW DO THESE AUTHORS WRITE SO GOOD I WILL NEVER”) and part inspiring (“oNE DAY I WILL JOIN THE RANKS OF FAMOUS MAGICIANS”).

 I absolutely love my shelf and looks like…

☆ I like my shelves as colour-coded as possible.
☆ When I take books out for bookstagram shoots, I always put them back in the exact same order.
☆ I don’t really love ARCs because their spines aren’t pretty looool yes I am shallow.
☆ I feel most comfortable surrounded by my books?!? It’s wonderful.
☆ I decorate my shelf with flowers! 
☆ I own mostly paperbacks because…cheaper. But I prefer hardcovers.

So how about a little bookshelf scavenger hunt?!

We can tour my shelf AND I can do this instead of finishing writing an outline like I’m supposed to be. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I’m also adapting this tag from the #BareYourBookshelf on instagram…plus adding some of my own questions because how dare you leave a tag at six questions. You offend reason, sir.

1. BOOK YOU OWN BUT HAVEN’T READ YET

AKA THE MOST ADORABLE QUESTION. Book. Singular? HA. I have so so many…and honestly sometimes I just look at my TBR stack and feel this odd sense of terror that I will be 87 before I get to them all. I want to read everything, but all at once. It’s my bane.

And being a mood reader means: yes that books looks GOOD buuuuut not right now.

ME @ MYSELF AND MY MOOD READING

 

SOME PRESSING TITLES

  • Empress of All Seasons
  • Sometime After Midnight
  • Godsgrave
  • In Other Lands
  • The Glass Spare
  • Save The Date
  • City of Brass
  • Bridge of Clay
  • Little Do We Know
  • The Bear And the Nightingale
  • Before She Ignites

WE DO NOT EVEN SPEAK ABOUT THE KINDLE TBR. IT IS A BLACK HOLE. ALL WHO VENTURE THERE RETURN WITH 42 MORE BOOKS THAN THEY ANTICIPATED.

2. BOOKS YOUR FRIENDS LOVE

I think this question is the absolute cutest! Also is a 100% totally endorsed moment for me to be creepery and say I can notice some of my friends’ favourites! Or else I think I do and I’m about to get very embarrassed. OK but here we go:

  • The Hunger Games (white deluxe editions) = which Shannon @ Starts At Midnight is like THE most amazing THG collector!
  • All the Stiefvater books = Finn and I share a total Stiefvater obsession and this is glorious of us we are unstoppable.
  • Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda = Maraia!! Although I don’t think this is her ultamite favourite, but I know she loves it and (back when it came out) told me to read it!
  • A Thousand Perfect Notes = WELL NO PRESSURE BUT HOPEFULLY ALL MY FRIENDS LOVE IT  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I actually had more but then I wasn’t suuuuure so I’m going to ask you all in the comments to list your favourites so I can take note. Which isn’t, um, creepery of me at all.

3. BOOKS BY AN AUTHOR YOU LOVE

This is ridiculous because I own a lot of books by authors I love. I spent my teen years never buying books (BROKE TEEN) so it actually is the best thing ever to now have a bit of extra resources to buy books. I AM ALL THE HEART EYES. Anyway, you know my usual suspects (aka Stiefvater, Clare, Albertalli, Schwab etc…) so I’m throwing up some photos of lesser-shouted-about-loves

Adam Silvera, Mackenzie Lee, Stephanie Garber, Leigh Bardugo

4. BOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR TBR

Don’t die of shock now, but I just cleaned out a WHOLE lot of books from my shelves…and this actually included a lot of books on the bottom of my TBR. I just looked at them and my mood was pretty much:

SO I LET THEM GO.

Wow. I’m…really proud of me because I have serious attachment issues to inanimate things. People? Eh. Books? Watch me break down.

ANYWAY. Currently a book that is not very high priority but I would still like to read eventually is: Flame In The Mist.

5. BOOK WITH COLOUR IN THE TITLE

Ooh this was actually quite hard and made me use both my eyeballs and brain whilst searching my shelves. Which is not something I signed up for wow talk about rude.

6. BOOK SET SOMEWHERE YOU’D LIKE TO VISIT

I’m actually tragically opposed to the idea of travelling or leaving my room in general. But, if say…Thisby from The Scorpio Races was real? I WOULD LIVE THERE. I would find a nice cottage on a windswept hill while all the wild man-eating horses ate my neighbours and I’d write beautiful and grim stories and eat many pastries and 10/10 this is mY VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

f

7. MOST COLLECTED AUTHOR

This is absolutely without a doubt Cassandra Clare. I own a ridiculous amount of her books because: DOUBLES.

I don’t even know where they all come from! I swear! Like every time a new edition comes out, I generally get sent one to review and I love this so much and getting rid of some would break up the family. Am I a monster??? DO I LOOK LIKE A FAMILY-BREAKING MONSTER? No.

8. MISMATCHED SERIES

Does this photo make you uncomfortable? It makes me uncomfortable.

By this point I don’t even know what to do ok. I just let the Holly Black books be as wild and unruly as the faeries she writes about and I cry softly to myself at night.

When I am rich and famous I will replace all my mismatched series and have only matching ones.

9. BOOK YOU LOVE BUT DON’T REMEMBER WELL

I’m throwing this question in strictly as a salt, burn, and roast @ myself. Because I swear I am in love with so many books and yet??? Do I actually remember half of what goes in them??

Anyhow! Here are some I (a) own, (b) love, (c) what the heck happens, what the heckkkkk.

  • I’ll Give You The Sun = DEFINITE favourite. DEFINITELY forgotten all of it.
  • The Perks Of Being a Wallflower = I read this when I was a tiny teenager. All I remember is that Charlie isn’t even his real name. (You lied to me?? Why. I am young and fragile and thought we were friends.)

 

10. HOW MANY BOOKS DO YOU OWN + IS YOUR SHELF EVERYTHING YOU WANT IT TO BE?

FOR YOU…I ACTUALLY COUNTED. I actually get asked this a lot so it seemed high time I practised counting higher than four. I have around 623 books.

And I have 22 copies of A Thousand Perfect Notes. But it is my first horcrux, alright. I’m allowed to be overly sentimental.

As for if my shelf is everything I want? YES IT IS. I have a lot of side shelves, which aren’t as aesthetically pleasing, but my main square-shelf is my pride and joy. However, not gonna lie, I do want and entire WALL of shelves someday and a ladder. I will not rest until I’ve achieved this.

I basically am an author to write books –> so I can afford to buy more books.

 

ok important: tell me what books you feel KNOWN for loving?? do you like your current shelf situation, or do you dream of a different set up? and psst confess about a book you should’ve read by now.

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Is It Better To Read About Characters Who Are Like You…Or Actually Super Different?

It’s Tuesday, meaning high time for a crisis, so I want to talk about relatable characters.

I truly believe characters are the MOST important part of a book. Yes! Some bookworms do prefer a good plot and can put up with potatoes leading the narrative. But I’m opposite: you can leave me in a bucket of super-cliche…but make sure I’m wholly in love with the characters and I won’t even mind.

I absolutely live for the moments when a character explodes off the page and is so complex and real and dimensional that I feel like I’ve known them all my life?! Or those really special and amazing books that make you feel like you’re on the adventure. Readers live a thousand lives and THIS IS WHY.

You can experience the world through a hundred perspectives and never leave your room! Which you probably can’t leave your room! Books are blocking the door!

That is not our fault though. Please don’t blame us. The books just appear. They don’t ask.

But, look…here’s what I’ve been pondering lately. Do we gravitate towards characters who are completely opposite to us or ones who are similar?

There are so many pros-vs-cons for this and I’m ABOUT TO HIT YOU WITH A LIST. (I’ll hit you softly though because I’m furiously wild but also very polite because anXieTY.) But it does make me wonder which is better for us to read. Is there a blanket rule for this? If you’re part of a minority experience, does this change who you want to (or should?) read about?

And at the end of the day the answer is always: DOES IT REALLY MATTER JUST READ WAHT YOU WANT. Which is true, yes, but that doesn’t make a blog post and I’m a kettle full of crises so I must share them with you.

 

  • Best thing first…it’s relatable. We can really get into the story because it’s like “I know how that feels!”
  • Which is also validating, right?! I can’t say how GOOD it is to read a character doing something and realise you are not alone in that strange thing you do or think or feel.
  • If you’re part of a minority, often times it’s this huge comfort to read about others who go through what you do. Because your experience is NOT common. And therefore it can feel isolating! I mean this can go for anything to sexuality, illness, disability, mental health, religion, gender identity, poverty, or whether you can burst into flame.
  • For me, not everyone knows what it’s like to live with severe anxiety, so when I find a book that REALLY GETS IT — I just feel super understood.
  • Even if it’s not a minority experience, but just SOMETHING you’ve had happen in your life! Homeschooling for instance! Or moving to another country! Going through a messy and difficult family experience. A romantic breakup. Dealing with grief. Working your little brain out to achieve something. WHEN YOU DROP YOUR TOAST AND IT LANDS JAM SIDE DOWN AND YOUR LIFE IS RUINED.
  • Also personalities: it is just GOOD to read about a character who reacts to things like you do.
  • Oh is this character a Slytherin??? RELATE.
  • Depending on the genre, the book might take an experience you relate to — add in dragons and vorpal blades — and bam, wow, this is what you needed from life.
  • It’s just good to pick up a book and say, “YA THAT CHARACTER IS MEEEEEE”.
  • Although the flip-side of this all is: sometimes you want to escape to a new world, new people. I mean we read a book to have an adventure, right?? Sometimes when things are to similar to our lives it’s frustrating. (For instance, I know what it’s like to see gross amounts of sexism. When I read, sometimes I want AWAY from that. I don’t care if it’s relatable…I want a world where it isn’t happening so I can have a break.)

So let’s talk about THE FLIP SIDE.

 

  • When it comes to reading, one of the best things is you can “walk around in someone else’s shoes for a while”. Life is very narrow and boring if we only live by our perspective. And it’s also kind of problematic to avoid learning other perspectives???
  • You learn empathy for things you’ve never experienced. This can be ridiculously crucial, I can’t even express how much. Like I grew up very very sheltered and, not even joking, I thought racism was a thing of the past until I was in my mid-teens. Reading has opened my eyes so much. I’m not saying POC authors should write books to educate white people! But the fact is, I can read these books. I can listen. I can do better.
  • That goes for EVERY minority experience.
  • Even ones I’m in! Like my experience with, say, autism, isn’t everyone’s experience. So when I read #ownvoices narratives, I learn a lot still.
  • ALSO IT’S REFRESHING TO NOT BE STUCK AROUND YOU FOR A WHILE.
  • Books are great escapism, we shalt not lie. I’m actually a really shy person and have a resting-glare-face because I’m just suspicious of the world. Then I pick up a book with a really bubbly and dynamic character who EXPLODES off the page with sheer shenanigans?! AND I LOVE IT. I want this 1000 x because it’s refreshing and different.
  • Although that can backfire…I’ve read characters who are very very different personality wise to me and DO – NOT – CONNECT.
  • It can literally be such a disconnect that I end up pushing the book to the very edge of the world and being ok if it falls off.
  • When I end up disliking a book, I do feel 80% of the reason will be the characters. I didn’t connect. Couldn’t relate. Didn’t like them. And I think this happens more with characters who are opposite to you than similar. It’s like a 50/50 chance of = “will I learn from this experience” or “would i prefer to read about a tub of vegemite than this whining noodle”.

Obviously BOTH is good and we should definitely make sure we read it all!

But if you look at your favourite of ever books…what’s more common?! Relatable characters or ones who are pretty dissimilar to you? Which do you naturally prefer to read about??

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10 Signs I’m Not Going To Like That Book (Oooh Someone’s Judgey)

Look first impressions with books are pretty much life vs death.

This might seem dramatic to you, but aRE YOU JUST JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS ABOUT ME AND THIS POST????

Ok fine, yes you’re right. I am dramatic and this post is dramatic and my whole blog is just falling down that dramatic mountainside. (Writer, OK? It’s my job now. I lay claim.)

So I’ve always been a voracious bookworm. So after 150 years of this, you definitely develop the fine skill of Judging Books Pretty Early On And Being Right. I don’t consider this unfair. I know what I like! I know what clicks and what drives me to grind my teeth. And recently, with my decision not to do negative reviews, I’ve started fine-tuning my abilities to figure out if I’ll like a book before I waste time starting it.

Because also: IF I START. I HAVE TO FINISH. It physically pains me not tooooo.

So what are some of the little “Warning Signs” that pretty much assure me I won’t like a book?

Well sit down. I’m so glad you asked.

Although before we go further I want to thoroughly complicate everything by admitting (a) these aren’t ALWAYS the case, so therefore (b) I often try every book anyway, and (c) yes that is why I’m constantly screaming.

1. PROLOGUES …. O H  N O

Like obviously this isn’t an “always” so I won’t ditch a book just because of a prologue. (HELLO The Raven Cycle has a prologue and it is perfection.) But I’m just not…a…fan generally.

I find prologues tend to be (a) confusing because there’s no context, (b) usually NOT about the protagonist so why do I care mate, (c) fantasy prologues have a 97% chance of being so cliche my teeth hurt, and (d) jUST GIVE ME THE STORY I’m impatient and needy.

2. WHERE IS THE PROTAGONIST THO

I’m a big believer in the protagonist being introduced in the first sentence. But the first page = IS A MUST. If I have to go through a detailed 500-words describing, like, the town or an obscure myth that’ll be important later but is heckin’ boring now — THEN I’M SO DONE ALREADY. I need character oriented stories! Don’t send me on a mental vacation before the book even starts!

3. THE BOOK TELLS ME IT’LL BE BORING

Why would you do this.

I start a book and the first thing the character declares is: “I AM SUPER BORING AND LIVE IN A BORING TOWN AND MY LIFE IS BORING.” Possibly this is supposed to be relatable, but if I wanted boring, I wouldn’t have picked up a book. I realise this can be a tactic to say “and then life got exciting!” but honestly it’s just telling me we have a Plain Mary Jane/Greg Stu narrating and my carpet will have more personality.

Also I hate it when it’s an outright lie. Like the protagonist says “I AM BORING MY HAIR IS BROWN” and then goes on to be a code hacker, interns for a billionaire company with a shady past, has a dark family secret, etc etc.

Get yourself togEthER, mate.

4. AFTER THE 1ST CHAPTER? STILL NO IDEA WHERE THE BOOK IS HEADED

Stakes should be stated in the first chapter! I am just such a believer in this!

I’ve read books that take over 100pgs to tell me what the character (a) wants, and (b) what the plot is going to be for them to get it. No??? That needs to be up front or what do I root and care about? Just pls throw yourself into the snow and fIGHt something.

Yes I am impatient. We’ve discussed this already. I just never get on with meandering books.

5. NAKED DUDE ON THE COVER

Is this a direct burn @ City of Bones? YES. Because I love that book and absolutely did not read it for years because the nakkkkkked guy on the cover. It’s just a total warning not to even bother picking up the book (and if I do risk it and try the book, half the time if it’s YA there’s no nakedness anyway!! WHAT IS GOING ON.)

6. IT SAYS “FOR FANS OF [INSERT BOOK I HATE HERE].”

Ohhhh this is so hard. But as soon as I hear a book pitched as “for fans of Throne Of Glass” I’ve already left. I’m sprinting. The horizon is mine. But the worst part?! USUALLY these sort of pitches aren’t correct anyway! I mean for goodness sakes, I read The Scorpio Races because it was pitched as “just like The Hunger Games”. W-what. How. No. I have questions.

Also these suck for books I love too. As soon as you say “for fans of The Raven Cycle” I ALREADY HAVE WAY TOO HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND SOMEONE’S GONNA CRY SOON WITH DISAPPOINTMENT. Me? The book? Both probably.

7. PASSIVE PROTAGONIST

Change yer fate, Merida, is all I’m saying.

Look I get that some characters are thrown into their adventures. But I want them to be active participants. I read far too many books where it HAPPENS to the character. I want THEM to happen to it. If a protagonist is hugely passive then it feels like I’m cooking a marshmallow that’s going soggy and will fall into the fire and wow, fine, Hades gets to enjoy it not me.

8. ENCOUNTERING THESE SENTENCES EARLY ON.

These aren’t like 1000% for sure indications that I won’t like the book. But they are like that first sniff of smoke right before you realise your toast would excite an artist who draws in charcoal instead of your stomach that wants breakfast.

  • “Getting a boy/girlfriend is all I want.” Why. Aim higher. Where is your Slytherinness.
  • “I am a girl but other girls are dumb.” I will cut something. Girl-on-girl hate is so wrong and we’re done here.
  • “I hate everyone in my life.” Super huge chance the protagonist is actually the jerk here.
  • “My parents would never lie to me!” Indication that we’re about to have 350 pages of parents lying about your werewolf/pixie/secret organisation family history.
  • “I had a good night’s sleep.” UNREALISTIC AND UNRELATABLE CONTENT.

9. WHEN THE BOOK IS OVER 500 PAGES.

There are so many exceptions to this rule though (Strange the Dreamer, A Conjuring Of Light, Illuminae omgggg) but the reason I often baulk at really long books these days is bECAUSE I HAVE A REALLY SHORT ATTENTION SPAN I’M CRYING IT’S GETTING WORSE AS I GET OLDER is because I almost always say these books are too slow. I just like fast things. I like to get to the point.

10. CHARACTER FAILS AT THEIR “TALENT” IMMEDIATELY.

If I had a dollar for every time an assassin was introduced and fAILED in chapter one, I would have money to buy them 700 pens to fill out all the application forms for new jobs that they sorely need.

Failure is good. Shakes things up! Scares us all! But a book just feels disappointing from the get-go if the book lies! How am I supposed to trust anything if this character (spy/assassin/A+ student) has one job and they fail?!

do you have “signs” early on in reading that tell you if you won’t like a book? what things are on your “very much no” list? (do we share any peeves?)

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10 Books You Didn’t Know I Love (Not Because I’m Secretive, Just…Um Super Forgetful)

Sometimes we book bloggers get stuck talking about the same books over and over.

This can be for two reasons, like (1) we just are sUPER passionate about our favourites and can’t stop talking about them !!!, or (2) we legit can only retain the memory of about three books overall so that’s why we repeat ourselves.

Which am I? Ah HAH AHA HA HAHA…yeah ok fine I am the second.

I love a lot of books with wild and deep abandon and yet I forget to talk about them?! It’s a terror. But at least books aren’t the only ones who suffer, because ask me my favourite food and I’ll just say “oh…cake!” Because I always say it. But you know what else I really really like? CORN CHIPS. I would sell my siblings all for a corn chip. (MAKE ME AN OFFER.)

Anyway. It’s time to FIX MY LIFE and talk about…

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Hidden Gems

1. ALL OF STEPHANIE KUEHN’S BOOKS

You know those books that are really super disturbing and you finish them and go, “EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IS FREAKING ME OUT” and then slap on all the stars anyway??? Here you go. This author is here to fulfil all your needs for mind bending plots, twists that make your stomach flee, tragic characters, horrible characters, mental illnesses, and everything weird of ever.

My favourite is Charm & Strange, but also try When I Am Through With You, Delicate Monsters, The Smaller Evil, and Complicit.

2. WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS

This is about a boy named Adam who is really soft and loves to bake (literally got his girlfriend through making her lasagna) and…is also dealing with very severe schizophrenia. It is such a good book and will absolutely gut you several times. It’s told in a journal format too wHICH I LOVE.

I have no idea why I don’t talk about this book??? I have failed myself. There are literally whole pages devoted to his baking, c’mon.

3. WORDS IN DEEP BLUE

Clearly if a title has “words” in it, I just automatically forget it?  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I don’t make the rules here! My brain does! My brain and I do not talk so don’t ask for explanations!

Anyway this is an Aussie book, but it’s published in America too. Anyhow, basic summary: BOOK TOTALLY DEVOTED TO BOOKWORMS AND BOOKSTORES. It’s the gift we all deserve and an absolutely enabler to your bookstore addictions.

(I also am sitting here realising I read this in 2016 and remember like 14% of it…but I did love it!! I need to reread wow.)

4. TYLER JOHNSON WAS HERE

Yeah Tyler was here bUT YOUR HEART ISN’T BECAUSE IT’S LEFT THE BUILDING SOBBING. Which is the kind of literature we all need. Also this book is seriously beautifully written, heartwrenching, and #ownvoices about black kids who disappear and how it feels to have someone you love murdered by police.

It’s only been out since March so it is still a baby book…but I do wonder why it didn’t get much hype?

5. ALL THE KATRINA LENO BOOKS TOO

I am so massively cheating here by listing multiple books under one point, wow it’s impressive! I’m outdoing my usual rule breaking! Anyway I am firstly ashamed that I still down own any physical copies of her books, but they are super good and constantly underrated. Summer of Salt just came out but it’s all magical realism with sapphic romance + lowkey witches. But her older ones: The Lost & Found and Everything All At Once and The Half Life of Molly Pearce are so so good too.

REEEEAD THEM. Her books are full of anxious people and I, an anxious person, relate.

6. LAST NIGHT I SANG TO THE MONSTER

According to Goodreads, this has like 20,000 adds…which makes it emphatically NOT underrated in the world’s eyes. However I have never seen bloggers talk about it and it was published back in 2009 whICH IS PRACTICALLY NOAH’S ARK ERA. When this book came into existence I was 15 years old and thought I could exist on peanut butter alone. (Spoiler: I couldn’t. I was also allergic, wow, smartest teen ever.)

Anyway. This book is about: alcoholism and depression. It’s really tough to read at times and mostly set in a rehab facility. I love that it was about healing though! Usually books are about the downward spiral. But it’s really good!! I cry for Zach! Not as good as Aristotle And Dante, but still go read it.

7. WHITE RABBIT

This isn’t about Alice in Wonderland but it is about illegal drugs— OH WAIT. Kind of like Alice in Wonderland! (Shhh, Lewis Carroll was taking something when he wrote this, we know it.)

This, again, is a little baby book…only out since April! But hype? We don’t know her. It’s a shame, because it’s excellent. It’s a murder mystery with angsty queers (#ownvoices too) and it’s set over one night!

I also liked the author’s debut, Last Seen Leaving, but also feel that title describes me at any social situation.

8. A LIST OF CAGES

I mean…I actually mention this one from time to time. But not recently so let’s just go with it: I freaking love this book and it rips out my heart and watches me cry into my tea cup. It’s about broken tragic boys, disability (ADHD and dyslexia rep) and child abuse. And it has the sweetest friendship ever. I want to reread omg.

 

9. A TAXONOMY OF LOVE

I protest how this only has like 4,000 adds on Goodreads. Dude. This book is cute and fluffy AND deals with some seriously heavy topics (like depression and grief). It’s also about a boy with Tourette’s and I really look hard for books featuring disability so I’m glad this one is out there!

And I STILL love it even though it features wrestling?! Like I can think of few things more gross than wrestling (MAYBE ROTTEN EGGS) and yet here I am still recommending it.

10. THE WICKER KING

I’ll partially cheat here because I mention this one a lot (!!!) but I will mention it again (!!) because it is one of my downright favourite books. Definitely in my top ten (of ever) and I’ve read it twice this year and my heart still is all over the place. Adfjksald. It’s also about hallucinations + queer cast + very intense relationships/friendships + how society stigmatises mental health + tragic sad characters to steal your heart. And it hasn’t passed 10K adds on Goodreads which is criminal. It deserves the world omg.

MY #1 REC OF THIS YEAR.

(Also the author is super nice and noticed my wild and loving recommendations even though I don’t tag authors because #shy. And I both adore her and am mortified AHHHHHHH. I’m such a dork.)

tell me some of YOUR favourites that you never mention?! and do you tend to get stuck talking about the same books, or do you try to talk about everything you read??

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Should YA Books Focus On Friendship More? (Ft. 10 Friendships I Freaking ADORE)

You know what adds 180 years to my life? Books that focus on FRIENDSHIPS.

It clears my skin, I can see the seventh dimension, the suns burn brighter, cake is magical, the wraiths stay in the shadows, the ships come home from war. It’s incredible really. Who knew the power of friendships in books. Who knew.

I’ve been reading some utterly incredible friendship books this year that have done ALL OF THIS and has got me thinking…

Do YA books focus on friendship enough??

Because I feel we generally get a romance to take front-and-centre stage in books instead of friendship. And like, don’t get me wrong: I’m not digging at romance! I actually like romance in books and will ship all the ships. (I’m currently reading Autoboyography and frEAKIngggg out how much I LOVE that ship.) But I feel like friendships capture my imagination more and aren’t done enough???

  • I’m kind of obsessed with intensely deep friendships in books because I LOVE IT.
  • And also I’m really bad at making friends myself, so let me live vicariously through books lol lol.
  • I think romances should START with friendship anyway?!
  • The dynamics are much much different to a romance and I enjoy reading them.
  • Friendships are meaningful and complex and if they’re written well like that, then they can be so entrancing and emotional.
  • They’re not LESS than romance.
  • As a non-romantic person myself, I just…feel like friendships can affect and change your life so much and SQUAD GOALS are just the best.
  • I just basically pretty much want my own raven boys gang. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So now I’m totally going to subject you to a list of some of my favourite bookish friendships!

While going through my reads to pick out 10 friendship books I love…well yeah. It wasn’t the first 10 books on my read list. Excellent, dynamic, and epic friendships aren’t that common. (But maybe I don’t pick the right books?!)

I also understand that romance is (a) something publishers push for, and (b) something a LOT of teens are exploring for the first time. So it’s important too! And also books often feature outcasts and the lonely. So it’s needed to talk about them. (I was also the shy teen who went: books > people. EVERY TIME. So part of me LIKES reading about antisocial people too, okay?!)

Sometimes you don’t need a LOT of friends. Some people do way better with just one or two.

But I think friendship should be as flailed over and common to read about as romances!

SO.

Let me hit you with some favourites.

1. THE RAVEN CYCLE BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER

Because. of. course.

Seriously if someday I don’t mention them, assume it is because I have been kidnapped aND AM CALLING FOR SUBTLE HELP OR SOMETHING OMG. Blue and I are both in love with all those Raven Boys. I mean they do all slowly fall romantically in love with each other as well.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But it’s all how they’ll do anything for each other. They share quests and dreams and really super dark secrets and thEY DIG UP DEAD WELSH KINGS TOGETHER.

What do your friends do on the weekend??? Anything else is probably so fake.

2. LETTERS TO THE LOST BY BRIGID KEMMERER

I just finished reading this for the 2nd time and ajfdksald it is Declan and Rev who HAVE MY HEART. They’ve both had awful pasts and they’re just there for each other. Childhood friends. They rely on each other. Rev tells Declan to check is temper. Declan is there for Rev when he has PTSD moments. They have a “them against the world” attitude and I just love love love them.

3. PACIFICA BY KRISTEN SIMMONS

Why doesn’t anyone talk about this?!? HOLY WOW IT’S SO GOOD. Ross and Adam are the rich vs poor friend who basically wOULD DIE for each other. Seriously Adam goes missing and Ross practically tears apart the entire sea to find him. It’s so freaking good. I LOVE THIS BOOK.

4. EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR BY E.K. JOHNSTON

Ohhhh wow this one has some seriously tough/dark subject matter with being all about sexual assault. But you know what I can’t get over?! Hermione and Polly’s incredible friendship. I was just sitting here waiting for it to get catty and awful — and what does that say about books that this is generally what happens?! Ffsfsfhsfh. But it stayed PRECIOUS. I freaking adore these girls and how close they were. Like nothing could cut them apart ahhhhhhhhh.

(ALSO HER NAME IS HERMIONE AND IT’S NOT HARRY POTTER?!)

5. INK AND BONE BY RACHEL CAINE

It’s my BOOKNERD SQUAAAAD. Ok but the thing i most love about this lot (Jess, Khalila, Dario, Thomas, Glain, and Morgan) is that they started off as competitive enemies and just ended up going: “SCREW THE SYSTEM. WE MAKE A SENSATIONAL TEAM.”  Also this series is about BOOKS. Jess’ opinion is still “books > people” and I respect that too.

Except for Jess and Dario. There is a 97% chance one would push the other off a cliff and just stand back and laugh and laugh and laugh and then claim it was an accident. But that’s also friendship pfffft, don’t tell me otherwise.

6. AUTOBOYOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINE LAUREN

Didn’t I already mention this??? Will I just continue mentioning it because it makes me wANT TO SCREAM WITH LOVE???? Yes. Very yes.

Apart from having the cutest romance ever (that brOKE me)…it also has a really fantastic friendship between Tanner and Autumn! Okay they have issues. Like so many. Um, so they did some really dumb stuff at the end that nearly ruined everything. But like just how they’re comfortable with each other and total nerds together. Autumn is basically Hermione with sticky-notes and highlighters and 3498 school subjects. Tanner is like the cute dumb puppy you adore but also sigh at. I love them??? So much????