life

March lasted for absolutely freaking ever. ಠ_ಠ

It’s simultaneously been the most exciting month and one of the most stressful, and I genuinely am exhausted. Utterly EXHAUSTED. 2020 needs to sit down and take a nap and come back when it has a better attitude, because wow, the world is toppling into devastation with COVID-19. I feel guilty for actually having good news to share this month when so many are suffering. But also it’s important to cling fast to the good things too?!

But first: I hope you’re all staying home (if you can) and being safe. Mental health is definitely taking a beating this month, so I feel for all of us smothered with anxiety too. Australia isn’t too badly affected right now (so grateful) but our shelves are bare, our lockdown measures are extremely strict (people are being fined $1000 for social gatherings and standing too close together), and borders are closed. Gah, just hope it works and soon. Very ready for this tragedy to be over. (Though I have to admit lockdown life is just…my life as is. I don’t really, er, leave the house anyway? 👀)

But I have good news too…🥺

I’ve officially signed with a new literary agent! YOU BETTER BELIEVE I CANNOT STOP SMILING. I’m now represented by Tara Gilbert of Corvisiero Literary! Tara’s love and vision for my writing is just filling my heart and I’m super excited for everything we have planned. We have a lot planned. I’m about to launch into edits for my next contemporary (this one darker and more whimsical than the others). And, look, I haven’t felt this encouraged and motivated about my writing in so so long!! 😍🥰😘😚

I’ve also been shortlisted for the CBCA Book of The Year Award!

Which is honestly mind blowing and such an honour. The Boy Who Steals Houses is being loved and recognised so much, I’m totally overwhelmed and grateful. (And it also got its first translation deal this month!! I’ll give details when I can.)

TBWSH is also turning 1 on the 4th of April. 😍 Baby is a year old! Ahhhh.

I will likely do a Q&A on instagram, and some sort of sappy post here. 😂 Because a year!!!!

I think I said something hopeful about March being for writing? So cute. 😂 But I had reasons to be distracted! I went back to querying in January and it has honestly been the most stressful time of my life. I don’t think I slept for 3 months. So while I didn’t launch into my new WIP in March, I still managed to write a 20,000 word outline! I was going to dive into that for Camp NaNo, but now I have edits. I HAVE EDITS! I am so excited to do edits!!!! Just leave me in my little nerd corner here okay.

• I celebrating getting an agent with eating ice cream so I think that counts as writing.
• It was really satisfying to write a very detailed outline again — I pantsed my last two books and it was stressful and I gnashed my teeth and I really prefer plotting.
• The edits I’m heading into will include a lot of book surgery. I’ve gone into deep edits feeling overwhelmed and despondent that I “didn’t get it right” before. But this time? I’m actually excited. I can feel how much better the book is going to be and it’s making my heart leap.

I still read 16 books this month, but also feel like I was a total lazed potato?! It was either reading a full book in a day or not reading for several days. We don’t do middle-ground here. We do drama and angst.

My library is obviously closed now too (because of COVID-19) and I’m really upset…no more reserves and snagging interesting looking books off the shelf on impulse. 😭 I still can use the online library but I prefer physical books. But I managed to borrow out a lovely stack on the last day at least! And it’s not like I dON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO READ IN MY ROOM. #selfburn

(all covers link to goodreads)

BOOKS BOUGHT…

From library

FOR REVIEW…

Vote and help meeeee!

because I have a lot to read (most of the review-copies are unsolicited!) and I’m very grateful but also overwhelmed? 😂

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Here are my reading highlights of February!

The Name Of All Things // absolutely my favourite of the month! 😍And this series is fast fighting for “best of the year” category too because it’s just SO GOOD. It’s adult fantasy and has intricately complex backstory and world-building. But I’m just obsessed with the characters and the magic system. And it’s unapologetically queer. 🥺 Love.

Chosen // This is the sequel to Slayer, which I loved a lot last year! And this? SO FUN. It’s like a comfortable paranormal read (seriously Supernatural as well as Buffy fans need this) and it’s has the best group squad and banter. And also little bit o’ murder.

The Henna Wars // Oh I LOVED this! An #ownvoices contemporary about a Bangladeshi teen who starts a henna business, but two other girls in her class compete for clients and it’s a nuanced and excellent discussion on cultural appropriation. Also rivals-to-lovers f/f romance! Plus the BEST SISTER BONDS I’ve read for ages!

Woven In Moonlight // An #ownvoices Bolivian inspired fantasy that was just so much fun! Vigilante and royalty story lines aaaand enemies-to-lovers. 😚I also loved the magic system (she weaves and it comes to life) and there’s a cute baby sloth.

Suggested Reading // Absolutely ADORED this book. It had such a phenomenal discussion on book banning, and shows different sides. Plus the power of books, how even readers can be judgemental and fjkdslad just so so good. The characters weren’t very dimensional is my only comment.

The Sleeper And the Spindle // I really love fractured fairy tales, and this is just a 92-page story, but it’s illustrated and LOVE the expressions so much. Basically a queen goes to wake a princess with true love’s kiss, and basically the ending was perfect. She was so done 😂

My Life As A Potato // super cute MG read that was just wholesome and adorkable. Pretty romance focused, but like SO CUTE and had messages on friendship and being true to your own weird self. Also so many potatoes, clearly.

Iphigenia Murphy // this had a really literary style to it, and such heartbreak themes of homelessness and abuse. It really breaks you, but also rebuilds you. About the missing girls that no one looks for. 💔

Other Books I read

how are you fairing with the lockdown? and is anyone writing for Camp NaNo? tell me books you’ve bought/borrowed/been gifted lately!!!

goodbyeeeee July, you industrious month of quality procrastination and writing.

I accidentally instigated a #ProcrastiBAKING cult on instagram and, no, I am not sorry. It has amused me very much. Yes ProcrastiBAKING was already a thing; but I keep posting about it and now my instagram friends are baking instead of writing and ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ look. I’m so proud of the quality chaos I spread.

I mean, I laugh about the procrastinating levels I go to; but it’s a sobbing laugh because I’m stressed 🎉 depressed 🎉 and at least well dressed. Hence the procrastination. But I consider it a successful July. 😌

• For like exactly half a minute, I caught up on my Goodreads challenge. (Lol I’m behind again now.)
• I wrote an immense amount on a secret WIP. It was supposed to be an “edit” but I ended up rewriting every second sentence because apparently I hate myself.
• I’ve been working super hard with Melissa from @thereaderandthechef helping host @mtmctours! This is a tour company where we promote books (indie + traditional authors welcome!) and we make a sensational team if I do say so myself. #Humble.
• Instagram royally spat in my face by taking away likes as a “test” for select countries. Sometimes I hate instagram. 🙃I posted my reasons here in a tidy little rant.
• I’ve been freelance blogging with Hooked To Books which is fabulous. And you can see my latest posts about How To Read More Books and 50 LGBT YA Book Recs.
• I have recently made a lemon meringue pie and also chocolate ice cream and these are reasons to live I swear. 🙌🏻

exciting news!! The Boy Who Steals Houses is now available on Kindle and Nook in the USA!

I’m CHEERING. I was so disappointed when this didn’t happen for so long (no don’t ask me why it took 3 months 😒 overlooked small author life apparently) and I’m always terrified people will just go pirate it. Aka leave me with less chance of more book deals. So this is a relief, sweet sweet relief.

You can find TBWSH on Amazon USA here!

My first book, A Thousand Perfect Notes, should also be available on kindle. And oh wow if you want to leave reviews? I would be so so so so so grateful. Every review and photo and tweet helps an extraordinary amount.

And A Thousand Perfect Notes has has been shortlisted for an Inky Award!

Which is pretty surreal 😍This is an Aussie award and the judges are all teens — I love this because this is exactly the audience who my books are for and knowing they’re reading and loving it is intensely special. If you’re between 13-19 you can vote for me here. I’m up against BIG NAME AUTHORS so kind of freaking out!

I’m super lucky to have had some incredible moments this month. THIS in particular has been so encouraging.

And then I get constant messages from incredible people on instagram, reading and supporting and cheering for my books. 😭💛 It means the WORLD to me. My mental health is really rough, my next two books have been rejected and I’m honestly very low and blocked. But I’m just happy/sobbing that I’ve been writing again. It’s giving me hope when I’ve been so stalled. 💛 I’ve only been an author for one year (ONE YEAR!!) and these author boots are overwhelming to wear; but I’m still so grateful for the chance.

So someone gave me library access again and I am UNSTOPPABLE 🙌🏻 Also…I have borrowed too much and my ARC tbr is yelling at me. But then when is it not.

Still behind but catching up. Fear me.

And I also am floundering trying to remember when/where/WHY I have received books so…um, bear with me.

(all covers link to goodreads)

BOOKS BOUGHT…

From library

FOR REVIEW…

Vote and help meeeee!

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here is a round up of my reads and thoughts!

JADE CITY | Absolutely the BEST of the month and I’m totally obsessed and freaking out over the Kauls. This is adult fantasy and it’s clever, political, family-centric, and punched me in the mouth. Several times. Hilo is my favourite, I won’t deny; he would fite, will fite, and is waiting to fite.

SPIN THE DAWN | This solidly takes second place for favourite of July! It was so so good. Whimsical and also full of the most perfectly hysterical banter. Edan x Maia are one of my fave ships of 2019. Also the ending??? So rude??? I just got hit yET AGAIN and I am bruised and need the sequel.

CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT | Another Kemmerer favourite to leave me sobbing with emotions. It was soft and powerful, and also the friendships in this one. 😍I am forever in love.

ALL OF US WITH WINGS | A controversial one in the community and I had a lot of detailed thoughts about what was being called problematic. 👀It’s a story about grief and healing; but also contains a lot of adult things and a creepy romance. I DON’T think it was YA but I think it’s an important very #ownvoices story from a POC author that shouldn’t be dismissed because it’s dark.

HEARTSTREAM | a super twisty and messed up thriller about the terrifying obsessive levels people go to with boybands/social media. It was pretty clever, but also…not my fave content? So I recommend still.

MOONCAKES | the actual cuuuutest graphic novel!! It was so SOFT and the art is beautiful, whimsical, and just homey. It’s not out till October, but it was Read Now on Netgalley if you want to try it! It’s queer, nonbinary love interest, both main characters are POC, there are werewolves and witches and 🤗It’s good.

HUNGRY HEARTS | The anthology of my DREAMS. 😌13 stories, ALL food based (although tbh it needed more desserts but ok) and they all interconnected so cleverly I’m in awe of the authors. Anna-Marie McLemore’s story was my favourite; but there is so much diversity, love, and heart in them all. Some are also super dark lol. I loved it.

SORCERY OF THORNS | I expected to love this but 😔It felt like a rehash of The Infernal Devices, and I just had no connection or interest in Elisabeth. Meanwhile Silas/Nathaniel had the most intriguing demon/sorcery backstory, connection, and dynamics but they always took a backseat. I wanted the whole book to be about them, oops.

YOU ASKED FOR PERFECT | ok this was CUTE. It’s a soft contemporary about this over-achieving, super stressed straight-A and violinist student who is just…cracking under the stressed. I was so so stressed reading it ok. Softly queer with #ownvoices Jewish rep too. It was just lovely…when Ariel and I weren’t panicking about a test.

OTHER BOOKS READ

So I have this deep adoring love of fanart…

And I decided to splurge and get a few pieces of Redbubble!! Which is really affordable if you buy postcards. I do wish I could support artists more because they deserve it. omg the talent. Anyway I have to show you because I’m so excited. 😂I’ll link all the photos to the artists’ accounts!

Am I a little obsessed with The Raven Cycle? WHO CAN SAY. But these are just freaking everything. 😍😍

| WHAT DO YOU THINK |

how was your July? tell me your BEST read? and did anyone do camp NaNo and how did you go???

I realise the title of my recap posts is “what happened in March”…but I am still not quite sure.

Like, a lot happened. But also it freaking d r a g g e d out 50 x longer than a normal month. Because sOMEONE’S BOOK COMES OUT ON THE 4TH OF APRIL WHICH IS OFFICIALLY…

5. DAYS. AWAY.

Only…only 5 days until The Boy Who Steals Houses is hereeeeeee.

(Except it’s actually out in Australia on the 9th so you all need to just suffer quietly in the background there ok. Sorry about that. At some point I will ask why books don’t release on the same dates, but publishing is a mysterious beast.)

So if you can help me celebrate release day on the 4th of April by posting about The Boy Who Steals Houses…I will love yoooooou forever.😍

Like, just a tweet or an instagram post or a mention in your instagram Stories or…anything!!! I can’t even say how much I’d appreciate it. Basically I’m a small author with a small release so ALL the help is appreciated. 🎉

UGH LOOK AT THIS ATTRACTIVE BOI.

PREORDER DETAILS

Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Booktopia | Book Depository

➸ So obviously I’m freaking out with Author !!! nerves !!! here.

Everything about The Boy Who Steals Houses has been really really different to the lead up from my debut last year (A Thousand Perfect Notes). ARCs went out later, there are less reviews up, it’s not featured in any book boxes so I don’t have that to promote…etc. etc. I’m so nervous about it doing well?! I need it to. I desperately want to be able to write and sell more books — so it’s like all this ajfdskladj < error > ajfdksladjkl pressure in my head.

BUT. I’m also enjoying the anticipation. The messages from people! The excitement! I’ve read some such meaningful and lovely reviews my soul cried happy tears.

I’ve got one author-copy but I’ll get a box eventually and I can’t waaaaait for that either. (I’ve cleared out a place in my shelf haha.)

And I’m just freaking proud of this book, ok? I am. It has my heart and I’m still not fully over being immersed in it.

I’m just so so happy it gets to exist in this world.

➸ There’s going to be a UK blog tour!

My publishers organised this and I’m so excited for the content that’s going up!

I wrote a personal piece on Autism Representation in YA + another piece on all the inspiration behind the book. And remember how I was whining about cutting a cute fluffy scene about potatoes??

WELL GUESS WHAT YOU GET TO READ!!!!!

It’s going to be up! Extra content!! So make sure you keep your eyeballs on this tour, ok, and I’ll be shouting out links here + on my social medias. (Even my publicist said it’s super cute ok 😍)

➸ And reviews? Reviews are so helpful.

So if you’ve read it or are going to read it = I’d loooove if you reviewed it! Goodreads, Amazon, retailers, your blog, etc. etc. Of course there’s no pressure. But it’s so so helpful and I would give you, like, half the kingdom if I could.

➸ I also splurged and commissioned fanart.

I’M SO EXCITED. I’ve got prints coming, so I’ll reveal it when they arrive but ajfdkslad it is the actual most best thing.

➸ I also blogged about my publishing journey for The Boy Who Steals Houses!

So don’t forget to catch that here if you want to read it! Plus here are some books to read while you’re waiting for release date. (PS. I recommend these wholly!)

➸ Speaking of blog posts…I’ve done some interviews with amazing bloggers, so please do check them out!

• Over on my publishers blog → I list 10 things you need to know about TBWSH before reading!
• Reading Anyone → I talk about motivation to keep writing and the pressure of blogging vs writing.
• Everlasting Library → I talk about the importance of writing books about mental illness and disabilities + my favourite book worlds!
• Chasm of Books → I give querying tips and talk about my author inspirations!
• Keturah’s Korner → I talk about how I found an agent and landed my book deal + talk about how many buried book drafts I’ve written.
• Imi Reviews Books → we do an epic back-and-forth discussion style and both chat about writing styles and writing ownvoices autism rep!
• Uwadis → super excited about this behind-the-scenes interview wtih Thy Bui, my cover designer! There are some early drafts of the cover here too. Thanks to Etinosa for organising this!!
• Book Dragonism → am chatting to Rain about why I wrote a genderbent Goldilocks retelling + how I handle the ups and downs of publishing.

(Also PS. if you want me on your blog for an interview?! I WOULD LOVE TO. Just email me cait@paperfury.com and we’ll get it set up!)

➸ And lastly…Laini Taylor said THIS:

So basically I can retire now omgggggg.

➸ My goals is 18 books per month…but I’m struggling.

yes yes I might also be a bit distracted with book releases etc. But I’m constantly behind on ARCs and I feel bad. Also I used to always read 200 books a year with zero problems?! Now I barely know when to possibly fit in writing time, gah. So I’m probably going to cut back. Even by just a book or two. But #DoNotLike this reality check that I’m not superhuman.

((all covers link to goodreads))

BOOKS BOUGHT…

From library

FROM AUTHORS…

FROM PUBLISHERS…

FROM NETGALLEY / EDELWEISS…

excuse me while I be ridiculously proud that I actually read a ton of these the MONTH I GOT THEM. 😂 The bar for being proud of me is on the ground.

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(hover over covers to flip them for a mini review !! and click to see full-length review!)

Such a whimsical fairy-tale type story, with a girl who makes magical tapestries. ✨

LOVED this! Murdery + super quirky characters. Really addictive writing and I have so many questions. ★★★★☆

Buffy spin-off! Looved Nina being kind but sassy. Predictable plot, but super fun so! ★★★★☆

Definite FAVE of the month! Super cute + feelsy. Prince and president's son fall in love. ★★★★★

V. highly anticipated omg. I liked it! But it was slow/I expected more. But AHH NIKOLAI!★★★★☆

REREAD! Fave of the Grisha trilogy because NIKOLAI. ajfdskald I love this world. ★★★★☆

REREAD! Still least fave of the trilogy BUT I liked how badass/dark the ending got. Satisfying reread conclusion.

REREAD! My top pick of aLL the Bardugo books fajdsklad. Kaz and his stabby gang 😍3rd time read!★★★★★

REREAD! In prep for sequel. And fajdkslad I love this witchy and gorgeously messed up book😭★★★★☆

Buries the gays + problematic disability rep. But oof I got attacked for saying this on Goodreads so 😒

Stranger Things-esque story! Loved it! The eerieness + great characters. Although the sci-fi spirals theory thing lost me.😂★★★★☆

This was sad and sweet...and #LoveOzYA about a boy out of juvie and he turns so Soft™ and loving. 😍★★★★☆

Total feminist EPIC story. Girls outwitting a maze to get into uni. Plus values all types of girls.😍★★★★☆

afdjsakdl the most BEAUTIFUL and soft graphic novel 😍queer and disability rep, and loving, and TEA and dragons. Art is 😍★★★★★

Bad boy meets good girl etc storyline...I usually like this storyline but this felt very safe 😂😬no one was even bad lol. lots of toxic masculinity tho

kind of the backstabby girls story where everyone might be a sociopath

complex Chinese-esque fantasy with a very political and twisty plot

beautiful historical fiction France story + girl who can change things shape + magical dress (bit slow but still liked it!) ★★★★☆

I really enjoyed doing a full Grishaverse reread before tackling King of Scars too!

I’m still listening to the audio of Crooked Kingdom but hopefully I’ll finish it today or tomorrow. So just imagine it’s here haha. I definitely think Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom are her masterpieces, but I just looove the world. AND NIKOLAI.

Overall it was a good reading month but mostly rereads? And the really only new one I feel completely in love with was Red, White & Royal Blue.

➸ And YAY for April because it’s #AutismAcceptance Month! Yeah we’re skipping the “autism awareness” slogan because (a) that’s from Autism Speaks who are confirmed garbage, and (b) people know about autism, they just don’t accept it. I also saw someone call it Autism Pride month and I’m like 💖✨💕😍🎉 to this title too.

Anyway I hope to do some autism posts! I have a collab idea in mind and am gathering some autistic friends to contribute. And I’m gonna give you some book recs too! Also this is like the PERFECT month to read The Boy Who Steals Houses because the main character’s brother is autistic and I love him so.

➸ Also…I’m moving house again. Look someone call me out about writing a book where a character craves a steady home while I move around all the time looool (CUE SOBBING IN THE BACKGROUND). No, but I’m keen for this move, I just hate the actual process. I will, however, have a good local library again. That is worth everything. I’m not sure the exact date we’ll go? But probably in a month or so. Watch me spiral into stress. Because you know who handles change well? Not me.😌(And yes, I do still live with my parents for health reasons.)

➸ And because of moving house…I had to rearrange my shelves. Ok here’s the story: I had my main bookshelf in the centre of my floor so I could use both sides. I have a lot of books ok. Now apparently this isn’t conducive to selling a house if you try to walk into my bedroom and you have to squeeze through this narrow gap between shelves. (WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM.) Cue entire room rearrange. But it looks good so I’m happy!

And, omg, I had a massive book clean out. We’re talking culling like 140+ books. I donated to the library and the local secondhand stores. It hurt to see them go. But I also didn’t…even…like…those books? Where is the sense, son, where is it.

Anyway I like to contemplate my MORTALITY AND SURE DEATH while sleeping below this. I don’t have a bed, ok, I have bookshelves. (Also you can see my A Thousand Perfect Notes Beck/August fanart! And those are edit notes on my wall…for mysterious things.) And yes there’s a shrine for ATPN. As there should be.

The rainbow shelf is still here of course!

So basically I rearranged everything for photos + selling the house. And in a month I’ll have to pack it all up to do the actual moving-house. So 😂 who’s exhausted already? Meeeee.

I left space for my author copies of The Boy Who Steals Houses!

And you know the real problem here? I did all this and NO ONE brought me cheesecake as a reward. I live in a fallen world.

Now when you think to yourself, “Wow I bet Cait is busy prepping for her book’s release,” you can know I do indeed have 100 things I need to do. I am procrastinating 99 of them by reorganising my shelves.

➸ Most of my news goes up on Instagram and Twitter! So do follow me there if you want to know what’s going on. I mean not that *I* know what’s going on. But between the three of us (you + me + the ghosts in the walls) we should figure this out. 🙌🏻

right, so what have you been up to in March? what was your best vs worst read? do you often rearrange your shelves? and are you ready for my book to steal your house!!!! 🤗

Hello from your smol favourite author who has 0% chill with a book coming out in one week.

I MEAN.

I have been waiting 7 years for this and I just????? I aM a liTTle ovERWhelmED. And everyone’s support has been just so freaking amazing, I actually discovered I have emotions and am now a damp piece of bread in thankfulness. I feel like I’ve brought you all along on this publishing journey full of plaintive shrieking, the occasional weeping, and and overabundance of memes. I’m just !!!! No really, my entire self is just !!!!!

I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE HERE WITH ME, SAMWISE.

Don’t forget I’m hosting a #bookstagram challenge from 1st to the 7th of June!

AKA please join in, don’t leave me in the cold darkness. I’ve never done this before so that’s fun. Also I’m giving away a signed/annotated copy of A Thousand Perfect Notes (open INT!) so what more could you want than my pithy commentary on my own book, hmm?!

All the details are here!

I got to hold a finished copy of A Thousand Perfect Notes and I AM PLEASED.

Talk about a freaking dream come true. Get an umbrella. I’m going to cry on you. Although I only have one copy which is a little distressing but this is the life of living in Australia while being published in the UK! My author copies are who knows where, but I hope they’re having fun. (hURRY UP, POST OFFICE).

Also IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: I got to announce my second book, The Boy Who Steals Houses, coming April 2019!

It was a 2-book deal so this isn’t a surprise. But we had to get a move on with announcing it since there’s actually a sneak-peek in the back of ATPN! YES. You will read ATPN + half a chapter of my next book = your life will never be the same.

ONLY 8 DAYS TO GO TILL UK RELEASE DAY

You can preorder via: Book Depository, Amazon, Amazon USA, Booktopia, Hachette Australia, Hachette UK, Waterstones, Wordery! Also those who’ve preordered via Book Depository — they’re being shipped NOW. You might even have yours on release day on the 7th of June!

• Look I know it’s coming out in the UK and AUS, but if you live in America, go ask your local bookstore to order it in!! And it’s still available on most online retails so goooooo. I still love you, see.
• Also Australia release date is 12 of June. So wow. You all get to wait longer.
• This is a secret — but last month I said it was being translated into Polish and now there’s another translation coming (!!) I can’t give details but ATPN is going to frolic into 3 languages now and afjdkslad.
• I HELD A FINISHED COPY OF MY BOOK.
• I FEEL THIS IS NOTABLE.
• I’m currently madly typing up guest posts for blog tours and getting ready for some Twitter and Instagram takeovers with my publishers so that’s huge.
• I am extremely nervous. Haha. Hold me.
• I’ve had some extremely incredible reviews come in that make my heart so full.
• Like I wrote a book and people actually like it. Hooooold me.
• So if you want to go give some love to Chiara’s review, Bee’s review, and Autumn’s review!!
• I know I seem like a big blogger so everything must automatically be 100% successful for me — BUT that is not so true without your continued looooove and support. So every preorder, every review, every time you squeak about ATPN online or to friends, actually makes a life’s worth of difference for me to have more books in the future + have this as my career!
• I appreciate it. I do so so much.
• Anyway I’m excited.
• and exhausted
• how are you.

Everyone’s having SO MUCH FUN with my book. It’s lovely.

There’s a lot of typos here unfortunately and they mean to say “I LOVE YOU”  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Love you toooo!!

My TBR has next to know chill and am I keeping up??? Oh what a funny funny joke.

My goal for this year was to read 18 books per month which is a LOT but also not as much as I read last year. And I swear I’m not even getting as many books from publishers so like??? What is going on. I am monstrously behind. I actually read 1 book all week because I was editing. And this emoji-thing ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ HAS BECOME A SUMMARY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE I CAN’T STOP USING IT PLEASE SEND HELP.

Thank you to Walker Books, Allen & Unwin, Flatiron Books, and Owlcrate!

The photos on the right are the ones I’ve won and bought! And FINALLY a bunch of my preorders showed up so #yas.

FROM EDELWEISS OR AMAZON OR LIBRARY!

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Lots of oil and grease and blood, robots, shouting, etc. But kinda predictable. ★★★☆☆

Pretty much the most boring/worst fantasy I've read this year. I actually died and my soul ascended. 😂😂

NEW ALL TIME FAVOURITE. I CAN'T EVEN. Con artists, wicked cities, queer cast, BEST CHARACTERS.😍★★★★★

Super loveable protagonist! OCD/disability rep. Frustrating plot that kILLS tho. ★★★★☆

HECKIN' YES. Pirates and sirens + quite dark and sassy and mine I love it mine mine mine. ★★★★★

The dude was AWFUL and it's full of fat-shaming + problematic autism rep. ★★☆☆☆

I liked this one! But could've been darker?! Plot felt tired because I've read it so often...★★★☆☆

SO highly anticipated. Loved the writing (laughed SO MUCH) but hated ending.😒😒Disappointed tbh. ★★★★☆

YES THIS IS MY 2ND TIME READING IT THIS YEAR. I love it so so much. ❤️💔★★★★★

Little novella from The Wicker King! Liked it! Jack's perspective. 10/10 would've read it as a whole book.

HATED IT. Boring and RUINED characters I loved in 1st series. Burned friendships. Wish I'd never read it. ★☆☆☆☆

Read like MG but was YA??? Super problematic romance. But MC has cerebral palsy + there's cute humour.★★☆☆☆

YES I REREAD IT. TRY AND STOP ME. 4th time and I am 😍😍for my raven boys. ★★★★★

REREAD! Before the sequel! So stinkin' adorable I laughed/love it so much. ★★★★★

THIS WAS SO GOOD! Fae sass + art + so funny and schemey clever plot! I adore Rook. 😍★★★★★

HEARTBREAKING. Mental illness + messy boys. Loved but it wasn't super well written? ★★★★☆

Memoir but very negative + ends with problematic and harmful messages to anxiety sufferers. 😳 ★★☆☆☆

Piratey monster hunting siblings. SO SOFT AND LOVELY but monsters + blood.😍 ★★★★☆

THOR RAGNAROK || ★★★★★

This was so so good. I mean. It was funny and exciting and the pacing was PERFECT (which is saying something for me because I always get bored watching movies?!) Thor is a Hufflepuff. Fite me. And Loki is a darling. And Taika Waititi should direct every Marvel movie ever thank you.

I also have NOT seen Infinity War and I am 100% spoiled now tHANKS INTERNET and all the people who think 2 days is long enough before telling everyone everything. (Although I’m less caring about spoilers these days because … ready for it… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ WHATEVER.)

GAME OF THRONES SEASON 5 || ★★★★☆

So I took about 2 years off watching this and legit couldn’t remember where I was up to. I stopped because (1) MY FAV WAS ABOUT TO DIE and (2) the show has now outpaced the books and this makes me quite annoyed.

Anyway, S5 was good …but I’ve since started S6 and it’s being frikkin amazing so far. I so rarely watch things (I feel guilty if I’m not working okay?!) that this is a nice creative-tank refill, it’s also so bloody I can’t even, and I’m actually invested but also know everyone is going to die so not that attached. Also been pithy in my Instagram stories so here you go:

Click on them to make them bigger!

• The fact that I actually have tWO BOOKS coming out.
• I can’t actually believe it (!!!!) Hard work and black magic pays off oh wow, everyone, 10/10 recommend.
• I blogged a pitiful amount this month because I was deep in edits. And by “deep” I mean I was just laying around screaming but ok. This is the process.
• I made cheesecake for my mum’s work function and you better believe some of it went “missing” and “oh no” and “that is so unforeseen and such a shame”.
• Signed a copy of ATPN for my friend and that was stressful. I nearly forgot my name. I DEFACED A BOOK. Shout out to authors all over the world who handle signing with such ease and grace. I nearly wrote “help” and left it at that.
• 2 of my sisters suggested to me (on the SAME DAY) that I give them a copy of my book.
• Like I don’t see what the point of having 5 siblings is if they’re not all going to buy a copy of my book. Or 10 copies, at least. I haven’t put up with them for 24 years to be subjected to this nonsense now.
• I also made some Society6 designs for A Thousand Perfect Notes. Because I’m my biggest fan, what can I say. You can get them here and here!
• There are so many new releases I should have read by now but I HAVE NOT. RIP me while my TBR beats me up in a back alley. I need to read Allied, Legendary, The Smoke Thieves, Thunderhead, Mirage and All Of This Is True…like yesterday. Hahaha. Oh no.
• I also reached 24,000 followers on twitter and and 42,000 on instagram so look at me this month. I am AFLAME.
• No really. I am. Please someone put me out I am so stressed ah ahah hahaahaha.
• I had so so many wounded middle-aged white men upset over this tweet.
• *drinks tears*
• Also just a little not-shouty-but-a-little-shouty update…Don’t tag me in negative reviews!! I am totally aware not everyone will like my book but your reviews are for YOUR READERS. Not me! I have anxiety and do not need to read negative reviews! But totally tag me if you’re freaking out with love for my genius. I am just sayin’. (Oh my halo is slipping.)
• My dog is currently eating and playing with my socks. While they’re still on me. So I should probably finish this post now before I lose a foot.

The second picture of Atticus was a video but I can’t upload it! But he had his paw on my laptop and wouldn’t take it off until I petted him. DEVIOUS.

so I’m bESIDE MYSELF WITH NO CHILL. quick! distract me! what books have you been reading lately?! (good? bad?) do you watch Game of Thrones?? are you joining in my Bookstagram challenge?? DO YOU FEEL LIKE EATING CHEESECAKE?