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28 Reasons Why Being a Bookworm Actually Sucks

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1. You constantly allow people (well, um, authors) to manipulate your emotions. 

Can we just think about how stupid this is of us for a second?! You know how the old saying goes, “Don’t hang out with people who bring you down…blah blah”. Well, I sure finish every Throne of Glass book a) hyperventilating and b) wailing. Yet I CONTINUE to read the books. Is this an abusive relationship?

2. Worst of all: you’re not even sorry you’re in an abusive relationship with a book. 

You talk about it. Blog about it. Tweet about it. Tell your friends about it. Buy the book for all your friends for Christmas/Birthday/Hanukkah. Break up and move on? Not likely.

3. You become fixated on people who aren’t even real.

It’s not even healthy. It’s imaginary. But you can’t help it, because you know these unreal people so much they’re like your BFF. They understand you, you understand them, it’s wedding bells basically.

4. You get fixated to the point that you sacrifice sleep to read about these unreal people. 

5.  And you plot their futures. Aggressive shipper? Yes, yes you are.

6. Shipping is a very dangerous hobby to get started on because the really mean authors (that you continually read their books, shame on you) like to ruin ships.

Authors are never even sorry and occasionally, oh gosh, SOMETIMES it does happen. Your happy ship will sink. The wrong people get together. All goes to the dogs. And you’re left in a mess of anguish and gnashing of teeth. Why?! Why do you do this to yourself?!

7. Then there’s the times when authors don’t finish their series.

And you literally sit there for years waiting for the next book.

8. Your non-reader friends have no idea what you’re talking about half the time.

You make this awesome fandom reference or quote and they’re all, “Excuse me?”

9. And then a book BREAKS YOUR SOUL and you go crying to your friends, but they have no sympathy. 

It’s not like you asked to be this way. IT’S THE AUTHOR’S FAULT. The least they could do is offer you tissues and ice cream and perhaps pat your back, right?

10. Because, let’s face it, books don’t always end how we want them too. Bookworms have to put up with sucky finales.

I’m pretty sure the authors just sit in their evil lairs and laugh.

11. You joke about it…no big deal, right? You didn’t need your heart anyway.

Sometimes you just smile on the outside to keep from crying.

12. What is it with nice characters dying??

13. You go through grieving processes when your favourite characters die. REAL grief. And all you can do is tell yourself:

Pfft. Like that even helps.

14. At least you can live in denial of their devastating deaths, right?

15. Also buying books. DO NOT underestimate how much it sucks to be slaves to buying new books. They’re so shiny. 

Books are like air. You need them to live. And it’s not just a, “Yeah, books are cool, I like to own the occasional good one.” It’s more like “I NEED BOOKS LIKE I NEED TO BREATHE.”

16. Then you develop this awesome collection…sucks to move house.

Lifting those boxes of books…no, no no no.

17. Because you have an awesome collection, people think they can borrow from you.

Ha ha ha. No.

18. What if they rip your books? What if they lose your book? WHAT IF THEY BEND THE SPINE??!

19. Also: you worry and fret about so many things non-readers don’t.

Trust me, the list is HUGE.

20. Do your book covers for the complete series match?

21. Should you start a series now and ride the fandom wave OR do you wait until the books are all out?

22. Do you admit you don’t like a popular book?

23. What do you do when you run out of bookshelf room?

24. Hardcover or paperback?

25. Ebook or physical?!

See? Impossibly stressful list.

26. And let’s not get started on watching book-to-movie adaptations. They’re either AWESOME or AWFUL. There is no in between. 

27. And if they make a really awfully horrific adaption???

28. But at the end of the day? It all comes back to the plain and simple reason: your emotional stability is often compromised by mere paperbacks.

300 or so pages of trees’ souls and ink. THAT is what manipulates you. You have zero control and…and you can’t get out. There is no escape.

Please let no one say that being a bookworm is the most glorious thing in the world. It is like battle. And there will be no end.

Cait is not usually dramatic. Ha! Why would she be? She’s a perfectly logical and sane person and thinks Vulcanish thoughts all the time. But occasionally her fingers slip and these kind of posts come out. But she’s aware bookworms must rally together and give each other emotional support! Huzzah! Currently, she’s being tortured crying over HEIR OF FIRE.

10 Authors I Need More Of In My Life

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I…I have a little confession: I usually only read 1 book from an author.

I DON’T INTENTIONALLY MEAN TO. It’s just I have a very Dougish brand of bookish distraction. I call it Squirrel Syndrome. So I often fall in love with a book/series/author/antelope and I just never get round to reading more from them. One day this will change. But probably not this day.

I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for their incredibly awesome meme: Top Ten Tuesday. This is a meme involving lists, peoples. LISTS! I love lists.

This week’s prompt is: Top 10 Authors I’ve Only Read One Book From But NEED To Read More

1. Laini Taylor

Remember when Daughter of Smoke and Bone was on my list of books I’m too scared to read because of the hype? Well. I READ IT. I fell face-first in love with it. And now I really, absolutely, honestly need Days of Blood and Starlight. There are pretty much NO WORDS for how much I’m desperate for it.

2. Markus Zusak

I LOVE THE BOOK THIEF OH SO MUCH. I regularly obsess about it in the form of pinning things on Pinterest, liking all the book quotes on Goodreads, and wondering if my library would know if it went missing. (I’m kidding. I’m a nice honest citizen. But I do think it’d be hilarious ironic if someone [not me] DID steal The Book THIEF. What?! Irony!)

3. Terry Pratchett AND Neil Gaiman

I demand them together. I’d read Coraline by Neil Gaiman previously, but I only just got introduced to Terry Pratchett when I read Good Omens. I’ve googled, but it appears to be the only book they wrote together?! WHY.

4. Josephine Angelini

I read Trial By Fire and woah, her writing is impressive. She actually focuses on developing characters instead of just sending them on magical quests of fighting-beasts-and-not-much-else. Is her Starcrossed series good? is my next question. (My first is: Where do I get another-dimension-twin?)

5. Leigh Bardugo

It’s pretty shameful to admit I have only read one book of hers. Shadow And Bone was good! I just…get distracted.

6. Pierce Brown

Because Golden Son is taking a despicably long time to come out. It’s doing this just to spite me, I know it. AGH! See, sometimes I get mildly obsessed with a book to the point that I so desperately need the next one I psych myself to levels of fandom beyond belief. This is dangerous. Someday my head will explode. But I really, really need Golden Son.

But it comes out in January the day after my birthday, so haaaapy birthday to me.

7. Harper Lee

Well we know another To Kill a Mockingbird isn’t going to happen…but that book was amazing and delicious and kind of stuck with me. I remember every detail of it! And that’s something that never happens! (I could plan my own surprise party, basically.) I’m permanently sad she only wrote one book.

8. Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

TOGETHER. I’m aware Meagan Spooner has many books out I could read if I was pining dreadfully. But I forget. And I want them BOTH. I want This Shattered World! I want mentions of Tarver and Lilac although the chances of that are small in cameo! I want sparky wit and freaky sci-fi inventions! I WANT IT ALL.

9. Stephan Chbosky

Now I’m just being silly. But what is it with insanely talented authors only writing one book and then disappearing into a world of darkness and sadness? (Just kidding. I’m pretty sure these authors went onto rule planets of orangutans. Hence no more books.)

10. Elizabeth Wein 

Technically I’m reading my 2nd Wein book now. But a) I want a reason to screech about it, and b) since I haven’t finished it yet I need more of it in my life. 
I am such a beggar for punishment to read the sequel to Code Name Verity. I’m listening to Rose Under Fire on audio right now and — peoples: pain. PAIN, I TELL YOU. So far it’s even better than the first and I’m deep into the danger zone now. I will probably cry presently. Just so you’ve been warned. 

So, my bookish abettors, it is your turn.

Which authors do you need to revisit and read EVERYTHING THEY PENNED because of their intense goodness? And which authors on my list do I need to get to ASAP? Help me! Also: link me to your TTT posts so I can spy on your failings see which authors you want more of.

Cait is typing this post at the last minute. It’s highly unusual for her…she’s at least 24hours (if not 2 weeks) ahead with her bloggish planning. She’d apologise, but right now her mouth is full of chocolate chip biscuits. Also: her package containing a very beautiful HUGE copy of HEIR OF FIRE ARRIVED. There was much hyperventilating and squeaking. She is now 55% through. Everyone is making bad decisions, dangit.

The Bookshelf Tag || with bookshelf pictures

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Many years ago, when the world was cold and dinosaurs howled, Engie tagged me to do the Bookshelf Tag.

Okay, it was totally last week. But don’t question the dinosaurs howling. You have not lived where I have lived. Anyway. Thank you Engie! Although Mime is not here, and it’s just snivelling me. (I know you’re all sad, and I’m sorry! She’s doing school and exams and being fabulous.)

And, because I like to plug my favourite blogs, if you haven’t visited Musings from Neville’s Navel, you seriously need to. Engie posts all sorts of awesome things (not just books) and I probably stalk her blog a little too closely. You should too.

Because it’s a bookshelf tag, I figured it’s the perfect opportunity to also show you my bookshelf.

I’ve only owned it since January and…it was empty back then.

The Rules

Answer the following questions about books on your blog and then tag five other bloggers. You can answer the questions any way you want, whether it’s on your blog, in a video, or a combination of the two. Then remember to let whoever tagged you know when your post is up so they can read it.

1. Is there a book that you really want to read but haven’t because you know that it’ll make you cry?

This is a startlingly good question and yes, yes I have actually. The prize for this tissue-needing award goes to Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas.

I literally died when I read The Assassin’s Blade. For starters, I’m not supposed to be so emotionally involved in NOVELLAS. Gosh! They’re not even full length books! But my feels absolutely shredded and perhaps I stopped breathing for several weeks. It was trauma, plain and simple.

Do I want to go through it again? Well…yeah. But give me time to prepare my broken soul. Until then I’m handling it like Jack Sparrow would.

2. Pick one book that helped introduce you to a new genre.

I’ve read like every YA genre. I think. So if we rewind to the dark ages when I only read Narnia and Rangers Apprentice…I think The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater introduced me to a) paranormal/urban fantastical books, and c) Maggie Steifvater herself. I thinks he’s a genre all on her own, right? Right.

3. Find a book that you want to reread.

What do you mean ONE?! If I had time I would reared so many books! Like Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (in preparation for the movie…plus it’s been years since I read it) or The Fault in Our Stars (I bought it specifically for a reread!) or The Book Thief (even though I totally only JUST read it. I feel like I could eat it again).

4. Is there a book series you read but wish that you hadn’t?

You asked for it. The Last Thirteen series by James Phelan. It’s basically a book aimed at preteens (probably ones who haven’t grown brains yet) to load their tender neurons with cliches and tacky writing and less-than-stellar storytelling. One kid has to find 13 dreamers (because never heard the “dreamers” cliche before) and, after, THIRTEEN BOOKS he still can’t find the jolly lot!

The dude should be fired.

5. If your house was burning down and all of your family and pets were safe, which book would you go back inside to save?

I’m rather Vulcan for this one, unfortunately. Why would I save books that I could rebuy? I guess I’m supposed to have books with special emotional attachment. But I don’t. I DO have a signed bookmark by Veronica Roth which is awesome. (The actual book isn’t signed though. Just the bookmark. I don’t even care! It’s still awesome!) I might grab that.

6. Is there one book on your bookshelf that brings back fond memories?

Yes. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket brings back the best of memories. I was so obsessed with this series…and, as you can see, I own all 13 books.

I remember specifically going to a small 2nd hand bookstore in Brisbane and walking around and — SUDDENLY THERE THEY WERE. I only owned half the series, but, for $7.00 each, I completed my collection.

Mime owns two of these. I’m hoping she forgets and I can keep the set together forever.

7. Find a book that has inspired you the most.

This is an impossible question! I get inspired to do different things by different books! For instance:

The Book Thief: inspired me to write beautifully and dryly and meaningfully.
Dangerous Girls: inspired me never to go on holidays on little islands.
Throne of Glass: inspired me to write bigger and richer fantasy settings.
The Raven Boys: inspired me to not be scared of writing larger character casts. 
How To Lead a Life of Crime: inspired me to always lock things. Everything. 
The Hunger Games: inspired me not to be ashamed of loving food over boys.

8. Do you have any autographed books?

I do actually! I won The Karma Club by Jessica Brody which is signed and also Paranoia by JR Johansson, which I’m very excited about and yes, absolutely, paranoid about. No one gets to read my precious signed book BUT ME.

9. Find the book that you have owned the longest. 

Does this mean a picture book? (I think we sold and relocated all of those.) Let’s make it more detailed and say “YA book you’ve owned the longest”. Yes, that makes sense. Probably Tillerman Cycle by Cynthia Voigt…specifically Dicey’s Song. Which is actually book #2, but the only one I owned for ages.

10. Is there a book by an author that you never imagined you would read or enjoy?

I’m not kidding: I read EVERYTHING. And I like (mostly) every YA genre, too. But, in the dark-ages-before-blogging, you wouldn’t have caught me dead with a contemporary. I know, right?! That’s one of my most read genres now.

And, more recently, I accidentally (honest! I don’t know how it happened) requested Some Boys by Patty Blount from Netgalley and I looked at the cover and thought, “Oh heck, this is going to be pain.” But it was brilliant. I’d recommend it to everyone, even a brick wall.

And to think I never read contemporary up until a few years ago…


Tagging people is difficult…

Because I have an awful memory and I don’t know if a) you like to be tagged, b) you’ve already done the tag, c) you’re tired of answering questions about your reading habits. So APOLOGIES in advance if I tag you and you groan. Ignore me. I’ll still love you.

(To be honest, I’m very particularly about which tags I do, but I loved these questions.)

But be ye warned: if you do this tag you HAVE to show us a picture of your bookshelf too! We want to see it! New rules. I made them up just now.

Kelly @ Diva Booknerd 
Zoe @ The Infinite To-Read Shelf
Amanda @ Book Badger
Kara @ Diary of a Teen Writer
Lydia @ Planet Lydia come now. you must.


Although I basically want to tag you ALL because I’m curious and wish to see your magnanimous bookshelves. So if you do it, tell me! I want to read your posts!


but there’s one question I really want to ask you NOW: tell me about a book you want to read but (simultaneously) don’t want to read because you know you’ll cry??!



Cait had quite a lot of fun with this questions! Although anything is better than the “who’s your favourite author” question which is both impossible and favouritism. What are we promoting here?! Equal love for multiple authors! Huzzah! Cait also wants you to appreciate the fact that she uses more varied gifs now and not JUST Supernatural. Although, be warned, those gifs will be coming back to you soon. (She can’t stay away.) Currently, she’s drawing a Thing and listening to HUSH HUSH.

How do you balance reading ALL the blogs?

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I read a lot of blogs.

My bloglovin’ feed is just shy of 100 blogs. My blogger feed has maybe 30. And I’ve email subscribed to, maybe, 5 blogs.

THAT IS A LOT OF BLOGS.

Wait! Before you think I have superpowers (although, I won’t lie, I have a few) I don’t read that many blogs every single day.

That would be crazy. That would be impossible. I mean, I blog a lot, but I still like to read and occasionally sleep (not to mention food).

Many of those blogs only post once a month. I follow a few bookish websites (like Epic Reads) and many author blogs (and let’s face it, authors don’t post a lot, unfortunately).

But others, like me, post nearly every day. These are mostly my book blog friends. Apparently we have a lot to say?

Every night I read blogs. 

I go through my bloglovin’ feed and read reviews and discussions and memes. But: I also reply to comments on my blog and also visit all the commentor’s blogs. (If you take the time to comment on my blog, I think I owe it back to you.) That takes a long time. Sometimes I spend so long replying-and-returning-comments that I don’t even GET to my bloglovin’ feed.

I don’t stress. It doesn’t matter. If I’ve missed a few blogs, I’ll catch them tomorrow.

(Except for Thursdays. I take Thursdays completely off blogging.)

I do so much commenting because a) I want to support friends’ blogs, b) it’s a good way to meet new bookworms, c) it grows my blog, and d) I want to know what people think of different books because I’m CURIOUS.

But no matter how many blogs I read…I always forget people. 

And then I feel rather mortified because I haven’t read a friend’s blog for weeks. And so many of you read mine every. single. day. I’m absolutely staggered by this by the way, and your comments mean so much to me. THEY LITERALLY DO.

So, my question is, how do you do it?

Do you have a schedule? How do you organise your bloglovin’ feed? Do you get lots of blogs delivered to your inbox? Or do you just read whatever-whenever-whyever? I wish to know!

I also…kind of wish…to meet new bloggers.

And not just book bloggers. Any bloggers. I think I get trapped in my own niche of book blogging too much. Don’t get me wrong! There’s nothing bad about that. But I also like looking at beautiful photos and reading about people’s crazy interesting lives.

Can you do me a favour? (Again, I know. I ask a lot of favours.)

Can you recommend me your top favourite blogs to read? Book blogs and otherwise? And don’t forget to tell me how you read all the blogs…and whether I should clone myself or hire a Jarvis (not a bad idea actually).

Cait likes to read. Blogs. Books. Sticky notes. Quotes. She likes to write too, mostly books and grocery lists (she often adds important things to her mother’s grocery list…like ice cream and grapes and bombalaska). These are her favourite things, although she does quite enjoy watching TV out of the corner of her eyeball while she does Art Things. Currently she’s stabbing her pens at paper and listening to HUSH, HUSH. Patch is rude.

Goodbye August || Stacking the Shelves #30

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Even though we’ve had September for, what? A week? I’m only now doing my monthly recap. 

But that’s because I’m a wizard and wizards are never late they arrive precisely when they mean to. This post is a little different (and longer) than my usual stackering of the shelves. But it’s sorted into sections so you can peruse what you wish. I’m extremely helpful like that.


I’m linking up with these memes: Because they’re awesome.

The Sunday Post

There are a lot of books this week…and honestly I DIDN’T MEAN TO. It just happened.

I’m suddenly interested in audios because one can organise world domination and also do art and still read stories. Genius, right?! I borrowed The Host and Hush, Hush from the library. I also borrowed audios of Disruption and Rose Under Fire. I’m really terrified of Rose Under Fire since Code Name Verity absolutely destroyed my soul. But here’s to being brave.

Thank you Scholastic AUS for the epic package! They sent me The Maze Runner (which I’ve already read and absolutely adore but now I own it! HUZZAH!) and Paper Planes and Wickedpedia and Followers and The Last Thirteen: Four.

Thank you UQP for The Protected. I’ve already read this one and absolutely loved it. Because it hurt my feels. Tears, peoples, tears.

Thank you Pan Macmillan for Trial by Fire! I desperately needed this one in my life after Charnell raved about it. (She has epic book recommendations, peoples. Go to her blog. Listen to her.)

Thanks to Walker Books for The Jewel. Least to say…after the flood of less-than-pleased reviews, I’m worried.

Thank you Thames and Hudson for Otherbound. This was a complete surprise. I hope I like it.


Well, I wrote a book. I finished Them Hungry Bones (my personalised zombie apocalypse) at a puny 55,000-words. I like to fatten my books latter. Not too much though. They stay lean mean fighting machines.

I also finished round #2 of edits with my agent. (This is the real reason Them Hungry Bones was finished in, like, 8 days. I needed to get onto edits of my fantasy book.) Lots of tweaking and fixing contradictions (which I do a lot…sometimes, well, not often) and changing a few names. The entire book feels squeaky tight.

Compared to July where I read like…24 books it was a quieter reading month. Which is fine! Relaxing, even!

Best book? Daughter of Smoke and Bone without a doubt. I absolutely FLAILED over that book. Hyperventilatingly flailed. Like a giraffe.

Notably awesome? Also Messenger of Fear and Good Omens and Dangerous Boys. They were freakishly amazing and…and 5-stars.
Wish you’d never read? Well the prize of that absolutely goes to the 4 novellas by P.C. Cast & co. Never ever again.
Did you laugh? YES. Good Omens. I absolutely laughed my lungs out.

He had heard about talking to plants in the early seventies, on Radio Four, and thought it was an excellent idea. Although talking is perhaps the wrong word for what Crowley did.
What he did was put the fear of God in them.
More precisely, the fear of Crowley.
In addition to which, every couple of months Crowley would pick out a plant that was growing too slowly, or succumbing to leaf-wilt or browning, or just didn’t look quite as good as the others, and he would carry it around to all the other plants. “Say goodbye to your friend,” he’d say to them. “He just couldn’t cut it…”
Then he would leave the flat with the offending plant, and return an hour or so later with a large, empty flower pot, which he would leave somewhere conspicuously around the flat.
The plants were the most luxurious, verdant, and beautiful in London. Also the most terrified. (GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett)

Cover love? Probably She Is Not Invisible with it’s nice minimalistic look.
Most eaten genre? There’s no real reason to make a pie chart except I like pie and I like charts so…why not?

And we can all see I read a huge majority of Paranormal…although I never know whether to classify books as paranormal or urban fantasy. I’m sad I didn’t read more dystopian or apocalyptic books though.

Apparently you enjoyed:

– Me being disagreeable and not reading books I’m recommended.
– Also my #HonestYA cover remodelling. (That’s always fun.)
– Then I be disagreeable again about over-hyped books.
– And I think we all found it amusing but surprising that I actually viciously cut up books. We all have our dark and violent secrets.

People also found us with these interesting search results:

– tiny picture of mike teevee
– green eggs and ham book cover (I didn’t, actually)
– american australian marshmallow (I don’t believe I talked about it, but really, the difference is HUGE. Believe it or not, our marshmallows are sweeter than the Americans.)


As you probably remember from my ginormous post about it, we did a small excursion across country for a holiday and a wedding.

These tiny specks are Mime and I. On a rock. In the middle of outback Australia.

And SUMMER! I am so so excited for it to be warm again. I was built to burn, not die of frostbite.

feel free to link me to your weekend posts, so i might peruse what you’re fangirling over. and most likely join in. 
did you have a good august? 
and my epic question for you: opinions on audio books! have you tried them? like/hate? they sure stop me skim reading, which is both good and unfortunate.

Why I took so long to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone

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As you know (very well by now) the blogosphere threatened me with small sharp objects if I didn’t read Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

I didn’t want to.

There are serious (yet understandable) reasons for this, as in:

a) It’s really big. I mean huge. I get scared of big books. It’s a lot of commitment if the book is horrible!
b) I originally confused it with Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo so actually I thought I HAD read it. My bad. But come on! Those names are too similar!
c) I don’t like to be confused, and fantasies often confuse me…hence I don’t read them a lot.
d) I wanted to be obnoxious and just not read it. I’m a younger sibling. I specifically don’t do things because I’m told to do them. Cantankerous? Only occasionally. 

But I decided it was time to be brave and fearless and somewhat Dauntless, and just borrow it from the library. 

I seriously wish I owned it now. How’s that for irony?

I absolutely adored this book! And now I feel silly for putting it off for so long. I’ve even reserved book #2 (Days of Blood and Starlight) from the library already. I never ever do that! I usually read the first book in a trilogy and wander away from months, maybe years, and by then my bookish amnesia has set in and I don’t remember what book #1 was about. IT IS A QUANDARY. I really love that word quandary by the way. If you’ve not yet used it in everyday conversation, you’re missing out. Just do it. Feel liberated. 

I could give you a list of reasons I loved this book…but I’ve decided to take you on a journey. A gif journey. Of my reactions whilst I read it.

Oh please! Don’t thank me. I do this for you. HA. Just kidding. I love gifs. I do this for me.  Although you can read my review on Goodreads if you feel so inspired.

A Journey (with gifs of course) Through Cait’s Reactions to Daughter of Smokiness

I began as most people do when starting a highly anticipated and super-hyped book…

Although, to be honest…I had a suspicion that if I DID like it…I would most likely go Intense Fangirl Mode.

But, I was cool as a cumber in the beginning. I promise.

Chapter 1 went by and I was vaguely impressed. 

Artistic teen? Win. Blue hair? Double win. Spunky best friend? I’m impressed. 

The main character, Karou (which is such a fabulous name of uniqueness), had a real tough, but smart, but sassy personality. 

While the BFF, Zuzana? She was basically a tiny popsicle of awesomeness.

I ate a bit more and discovered the book was about MONSTERS. YAY!

I like books that deal with grey areas, and this book is one huge grey area. Who’s the badies? Are they really monsters? Define “monster” anyway? Her “monster family” is really nice! But scary.

Also angels. Um. Didn’t see that coming. (But that’s okay. I like angels.)

But QUESTIONS. By 1/3 in, I had so many questions.

Where did Karou really come from? Is she human? Is she monster? Why doesn’t Brimstone (her adopted monster-y dad) tell her ANYTHING?

And lastly: Is this Narnia?

At least Zuzana had the intelligence to make a Narnian reference. It’s just there are other worlds…a.k.a “Elsewhere” and sometimes the doors are magical and sometimes they’re not and…isn’t it NARNIA?! I feel it in my bones.

Then the emotions started to get tight. Stakes rose. Blood sprayed. Monsters creeped out of the woodwork.

I was supposed to be sort of buddy-reading it with Zoe. But…but I just kept reading. I FORGOT TO STOP. 

The tension was phenomenal and I was so badly hooked I didn’t even talk to humans. I just read.

Which is actually not different to my normal weekends…but I didn’t interrupt reading to, for example, throw cake crumbs in Mime’s hair like I would any other Saturday.

Then I began the second half of the book. Something happened. Something not good.

It changed pace. Almost changed style. It was a massive rewind to explain the beginning of the book, which was handy because I wanted the answers. But honestly? My interest dropped off.

It was less about family monsters and more about secret lovers.

Not that I have anything against love-stories, but the beginning wasn’t about that. I wanted answers about Elsewhere and monsters and angels and TEETH. (The book features teeth quite heavily. I hate teeth. I have a dentist phobia. But I digress.)

I felt complacent about the last 40%. Which really surprised me.

I thought it’d be rated ten million stars. But now?

But then: THE ENDING. What can I say?

Although I pretty much impersonated Darth Vader, because A Secret was spilt that changed everything and everyone and burned my ships and crushed my soul (like a grape) and crunched my feels.

Then I was finished. And dazed. And wowed. I felt inspired to be a better writer. I felt inspired by…by…the detailed and vivid world building.

And then? Pfft. You know what happened. I was all over twitter and goodreads.

The long and short of it is…I absolutely enjoyed Daughter of Smokiness.

It didn’t hold my heart in the middle, but the characters were vivid and the world was so intense and detailed, and the dialogue was sassy and witty. I really don’t ask for a book to be more. It gets 5-stars from me.

You can say “I told you so”. You have permission.

do you ever put off reading books and then, when you do get to them, fall absolutely in love?! or does the hype tend to kill books for you? tell me about it! OH and of course if you’ve read Smokey Daughter, do you like it?! DO YOU LOVE IT?!

Cait received a box of 5 ARCs in one day. This is slightly daunting. Therefore she’s been reading like a fiend (well, a fiender fiend) in order to a) not feel so overwhelmed, and b) keep her TBR from falling on her and kill her and c) have things neatly under control so she can, maybe, write another book herself. She’s tossing between typing about dragons or killer fairies. OH. Decisions. She just finished reading THE PROTECTED by Claire Zorn. 

Beautiful People Linkup #4 || September Edition (Villains!)

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Yay for another round of our character interview link up!

Last month there were 52 of us interrogating our characters, which is an awesome number and thank you to everyone who joined in!! Oh, but don’t forget to pop around and visit other blogs linked up, okay?! Comments make everyone happy.

Welcome to our September Edition! 

As you’ve probably noticed from my epic post title…we’re doing villains this month! YAY FOR VILLAINS. Okay, that did sound bad. I always have an intense soft spot for my villainous characters (they’re misunderstood, okay?) and we all know it’s extremely important to have well-fleshed out villains.

Beautiful People is a meme designed to help writers learn more about their characters. The hosts (that’d be Sky @ Further Up and Further In, folks, oh and also me. I’m wonderful) will give you 10 interview questions for you to answer on your own blogs.

You link up. You have mandatory fun. We eat virtual cheesecake together. What’s not to love?!

The linkup is open all month! It will run on the 5th of every month.

You can check out my announcement post here or jump over to our FAQ here for more details! If you want to read one, check out Sky’s character interview!

NOTE: If you have a private blog, you’re still welcome to use the questions. Obviously you just won’t have the bonus of meeting and chatting with other writers. But you’ll still get to know your character better. Which is awesome.


Feel free to submit questions for us to use in the future! Here’s Sky’s contact details and here’s mine.

This week’s questions are submitted by Bound and Freed.

1. What is their motive?
2. What do they want, and what are they prepared to do to get it?
3. How do they deal with conflict?
4. Describe their current place of residence.
5. If they were writing this story, how would it end?
6. What habits, speech patterns, etc. are unique to them?
7. How do they show love? What do they like to do with/for people they love?
8. Do they have any pets?
9. Where would they go to relax/think?
10. What is their weapon of choice? (FYI: words, eyes/looks, and fists count as weapons too.)

– Big or small! It’s your choice.
– If you absolutely can’t get the button to link back to my blog, that’s okay! Just make sure somewhere in your post there’s a direct link to my post…that’s so if your bloggly friends want to join in, they know where to go!


– add the url to your specific interview-post (not your whole blog!)
– you can write your name in however you like (we’re flexible) but if you want to you can write it like this: My Name @ Awesome Blog

Let’s do this! 



so, writers, will you be joining in the linkup this month? i want to hear about your characters! and who is disturbingly excited to be interviewing their villains?!! come now, CONFESS. the dark side does have delicious cookies.

24 Things You Should Know About Our Outback Trip

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We’re BACK!

Life can continue! The sun can rise again! The internet may continue spinning on it’s axis! Don’t question that. The world will no longer grieve our absence!

Because we know you missed us dreadfully. If you didn’t notice we were gone just…just keep quiet about it, okay? Don’t ruin my groove.

Now you want to hear about our trip, right? Right.

Before I jump into a list (of course it’s a list) about our outback peregrination, I need to yell a ginormous THANK YOU to Lydia and Emily! They babysat the blog while we were away. I owe you guys, okay?! And if you missed it, don’t forget to check out their posts on how to find a bloggy BBF and a discussion on skim reading, two of the most EPIC posts of ever.

1. First things first: We flew to my brother’s wedding in Katherine, N.T.

Katherine (our destination) is a very small town with one shopping centre and no real airport. Bless it. We took a midnight flight which is exciting and interesting and quite adventurous. But exhausting. And when your plane arrives in an airport at 1am…and you have until 5am while sleeping on the floor? The exciting kind of disappears to sleep deprivation. But no matter! I enjoyed the thought of midnight flights if not the actual Gee-The-Airport-Floor-Is-Hard-Can’t-They-Lay-Thicker-Carpets-Or-Something.

2. In the beginning…there were 7 of us.

Ha! I’m teasing. In the end there were 7 of us too. Minus energy.

Obviously, there were my parents and Mime and I. Then my oldest sister (I have a lot of siblings, okay?) and her two children (Xave and E.B.) came.

3. And (just to confuse you further on my large collection of siblings) we had a quick visit with my OTHER sister before we left.

My other other sister owns a small (and newish) nephew that we think is quite adorable. His name is Archie, which Xave (3yrs) thinks is the same word as “archery”. When he wishes to play archery he says, “Wanna play Archie?” I hope this is a correctable statement and my youngest nephew doesn’t end up being a target someday.

Here is Mime and Baby Archie:

4. Then airports. Flying. Not sleeping. Oh, and: SUMMER.

It’s winter where I live in New South Wales, plus it had been raining for the last week. Coldness. Jumpers. Jeans.

We arrived in Darwin, which (if you perused my educational map) is at the top of Australia and VERY close to the Equator and, as such, DOES NOT KNOW THE MEANING OF WINTER. We shed layers when we arrived. Layers, I tell you.

But I like Summer, so this was fabulous.

5. We hired a car and ate breakfast at an unusual hour and drove to Katherine.

We let the smallest member of our party (E.B. who is 1.5 years old) swim when we arrived because she’s part fish. And by “we-let-her-swim”, we basically mean we held onto the tip of her tee shirt to desperately avoid losing her to the deep forever.

Me (avoiding falling in) and EB (swimming in liquid ice):

6. We stayed in small cabins and began the terrifying task of…seeing people we haven’t seen in 4 or more years.

It’s amazing what the word “wedding” does. People pop out of the past faster than you can shout “wedding cake” and you’re surrounded by friends and relatives and ghosts of eras gone by.

I’m a mild introvert. By the term “mild” I mean, I would rather not see anyone, ever. And if I must, maybe 1 or 2 people a month. Therefore, I was a little stressed and spent a lot of time reading and hiding in our cabin. Xave, who is 3.5 years, is my smallish clone. We played cards and Temple Run on the iPad while everyone else socialised.

7. Then: Wedding things.

It was a very country/outback style wedding. The bride arrived in a road-train truck.

Obviously I am a little biased, because my brother is MY BROTHER. His wife is gorgeous and he is…not. I have a hard time fathoming why anyone would want to marry his weirdness. BUT. Why am I complaining?! I have a new very awesome sister-in-law. Who I actually grew up with and we were thick as thieves back in the day of 12 year old glory. Although I’m suspicious now if she was around to be my friend or there for my brother…hehe. JUST KIDDING. She’s such a nice person.

8. I also got to meet up with my Friend Of The Ancient Past Lydia.

We also spent our Childhood Of Gloriousness And Indestructibleness together.

EB, unfortunately, saw Lydia as a threat and therefore scowled at her a lot. My nephew and niece don’t like me having friends, actually. They demand complete adoration and allegiance from me.

9. There were bridesmaids. 

They had very nice cowboy boots too, which I think was a glorious touch with the yellow flowers and blue dresses.

10. And Mime played the flute while the bride walked down the aisle.

11. Then they were married and rather pleased with themselves.

Aren’t they adorable?! They’re so happy and smilish and huzzah! Huzzah!

12. We were all pleased for them too, naturally. 

Mime, Dad, Mum, my brother Cam, my sister-in-law Lauren, Me holding Xave, Rachel (oldest sister) holding EB

Here you can see my whole family that came on the trip with us PLUS the bride and groom.

I am short.

I can hear you thinking it. But at least it runs in the family because my oldest sister is the same height.

13. The bride felt married. I felt small.

14. And of course my parents gave the “4 down, 2 to go” statement to which I scowled.

To interpret: there are 6 of us kids. The first 4 are now married. Mime and I are left. Apparently this means I am next. <– That statement is not true.

One day I’ll understand the need to get married, I suppose. But I can’t fathom sharing my things all the time with somebody. And for the rest of your life?! No, no. I get so peopled out I even ignore myself sometimes.

Mime can be “next”.

15. Then we ate wedding cake. Said goodbye. And left for a 1-day-holiday before our flight home. 

If you’re not familiar with Australia, we have this phenomenon we like to call “THE BUSH”. It’s even referred to as “whoop-whoop”. The phrase means: “A bushy and desert extreme which is beautiful to look at and extremely hot to be in, but makes pleasant photos and please don’t touch ANYTHING.”

This is the Kakadu National Park (read the sign) where we could hike some rocks and take some photos and generally be introverts with the snakes and crocodiles.

16. I wasn’t joking about the crocodiles.

17. We saw Indigenous Australian art. 

It’s a bit hard to see…but it’s like caveman style paintings. Think of the Croods.

18. And we climbed a rock called Ubirr.


If you think the word “Ubirr” is weird, you’ve seen nothing. Other places in Kakadu were called:

– Nourlangie
– Gunlom
– Jabiru
– Mamukala
– Anabangbang
– Nanguluwur

Our conversations basically went like this:
“Are we going to see Nourlaaanggblah?”
“Turn off at Nangooooish.”
“This is Mamal-whatever.”

This is EB and I. It’s freakishly hot, but she wanted me to carry her not her mother. #auntywin

19. And here are the best parents/grandparents in the world.

Not many people are loving (or insane?) enough to take a herd of small humans with ginormous appetites across Australia for a brief holiday. They stayed calm. Relatively. And they didn’t let us starve. I am relieved. And they bought us ice cream. Told you they’re the best. And they didn’t mind at all chasing toddlers through airports instead of sleeping or carrying sweaty bodies up mountains of rock.

They are probably the best humans the world knows.

20. Although…my dad’s babysitting skills are interesting. 

This is what happens when he’s in charge of the smallest human. She’s never been more happy, though.

21. Then we ate a lot and began the peregrination home.

This conversation happened in the car:

EB (1yrs): “Ate! Ate! Ate!” This is her way of saying my name.
Xave (3yrs): “No. You can’t say that.”
EB: “Ate! Aaaaate!”
Xave: “But I wuv Cait the most!”
EB: “No MINE!”

Oh, gosh, you two adorable mites. I’m flattered. I also feel like an object to be owned, but am I complaining? No. It is a very special feeling for your slavery to be fought over.

22. I discovered I can go 24 hours without sleep.

What condition I end up in is not about to be discussed.

But let’s just say I had a small child’s head on my lap on the flight home and I couldn’t move or I’d wake him up. I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t move. SO I DID NOT SLEEP.

The second we arrived home I went straight downstairs, threw my stuff on the floor and got into bed. It was 9am in the morning.

23. I read 2.5 books and listened to nearly all an audio.

I finished The Hit and The Girl From The Well and half of Frozen on my kindle (God bless the creator of kindles). Then I listened to 70% of Brotherband: The Outcasts and I can’t even begin to explain how ANGRY I am at that book/audio. I have to finish it though. But it is probably one of the most blindly sexist and bullying and demeaning towards disabilities books I have EVER read.

24. I survived, but oh gosh is good to be home.

I like my house, I like my books, I like normality, but it was an enjoyable time away. (Particularly the last day climbing rocks at Ubirr. I LOVE climbing things and I’m happy to announce that my nephew isn’t half bad either. He has tolerable balance. Except for the time he fell down 3 steps and out a door and bashed his head…but he was tired.)

It was also nice to have Xave and EB adoring me and hearing EB shriek “ATE!” (to be interpreted: Cait) for hours. Okay, kidding, that was a bit wearying. But she likes my name. It was either “Ate” or “Poppa” over and over and over and over.

Now I get to catch up on a) sleep, b) writing reviews, c) being aloooone and d) and blogging. 

It was actually refreshingly good to have a break of blogging, but I’ll be back into reading your blogs and posting soon! Expect reviews. Lots of reviews. And, of course, lots of me, commenting everywhere as I do and tweeting useless things like confessions of allegiance to Batman.

Cait actual did not miss the internet for the first few days. She enjoyed just listening to audios and watching episodes of Psych and throwing small rocks at Mime (it’s a sign of affection). She was also slightly overwhelmed to come back to 150+ emails and (guiltily) deleted most. But while she was away, her TBR grew mysteriously so if you want her, she’s probably drowning in paper.

The Nasty Side Effects of Reading A Good Book

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No use covering it up anymore. I have found there are dark and sinister side-effects after reading an Incredible Book. 

Have you heard of a “book hangover”?

Now you have.

Book hangovers are unfortunate things that often occur after you read a really extremely incredibly unbelievably good book.

But the tricky part starts, see, when you want to start a new book. Say goodbye to the finished one. Put it back on the shelf. Exit your kindle. Whatever needs be done…you’re ready for a brand new bookish adventure. 

I find (unfortunately) that after reading a good book it’s highly possible I’ll dislike my next read.

That doesn’t seem fair! Or right! What did the next book on my TBR ever do?!

I read books according to release date if they’re ARCs and expiry-date if they’re library books. Most of my books have a small ticking bomb on them. What? I’m a writer. Drama is part of the job description. So I don’t specifically pick books according to what I feel like reading. I just grab what’s next.

So let’s look at my habits, shall we?

 From Dangerous Girls to The Seventh Miss Hatfield

I was already dubious about The Seventh Miss Hatfield because a) I didn’t request it so who knows what it holds, and b) I’m not into period time-travel books. Ever. And let’s not underestimate the mind blowing “WHAT JUST HAPPENED” feeling a poor reader gets after encountering Dangerous Girls. Honestly. I had to stop and just remember how to breathe for a while.

Miss Hatfield was a woeful transition.

From The Book Thief to Rebel Belle

I was 98% sure I’d love The Book Thief … but I underestimated myself. That book is amazing people! IT IS GENIUS. I was all feels and snivelling tears and admiring the writing style and telling Lydia (again) that she recommends me horrible horrible books that I love so much. Thanks for nothing, my friend.
I went straight on to read Rebel Belle because it was my Goodreads groups’ next book club read. I’d never done a book club, so…excited! It was…not what I thought. No fried chicken. A bit of unrealistic ninja activity instead. I was slightly skeptical. 

From Crown of Midnight to Sweetly

GIVE ALL THE STARS TO CROWN OF MIDNIGHT! Give more stars! And stickers! And tears! And, ugh, smack it hard because it absolutely messed with my feels and broke my heart into itty bitty pieces and please…leave me alone to die. 
I felt altogether way too meh about Sweetly. Barely anything even happened. I didn’t hate the villain. And I forgot to like the love-interest.

From A Monster Calls to A Midsummer’s Nightmare

I discovered a burning passion for Patrick Ness books after I read More Than This. But I didn’t think A Monster Calls would be that…that SAD. Do not underestimate the middle-grade tag. This absolutely stole my heart. A tree stole my heart. A MONSTER tree, no less. It was good, okay?!

And then…what absolutely fluff did I read with A Midsummer’s Nightmare?! I was expecting great things from Kody Keplinger because this was my second read of hers and The Duff really impressed me. But this?! This was awkward and had zero plot and was fairly “been-there-read-that”. I felt altogether too let down afterwards.

These are sad statistics!

I don’t mean to, I honestly don’t. I try to always go into a book with, a) and open mind, and b) medium-expectations. Super high expectations are dangerous and mildly exhausting. So I’m not really sure I can fix this.

Although there are exceptions.

Sometimes I wonder if there’s a tendency to rate books lower after an amazing book. But then sometimes I wonder if I just don’t always pick amazing books?! That is possible. I’m awesome, of course, but I don’t always pick the gold books.

Obviously I know wish for your opinion on this matter.

Do you notice yourself rating books lower after a particularly awesome book? Do you get book hangovers so hard you feel all the other books are dry and meh worthy?? Or do you just think it’s luck of whatever-comes-next-off-my-TBR??

Confess all. I will guard your secrets carefully.

Mwha haha ha.

Cait read a lot of good books last week. In fact, she even dished out two 5-star stickers and flailed (annoyingly? NEVER) on twitter about Messenger of Fear and why everyone should read it and why she needs book #2 right now. Despite the fact she DOES give 5-stars out, her average rating is only 3.6-stars. Obviously she sucks at picking books sometimes. (And yes, Psych is awesome. Wanna split a pineapple?)

Dangerous Boys blitz || Woah, this messed with my brain

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Happy release day to Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas!

I was freakishly excited to get onboard with this blitz because a) I loved Dangerous Girls and it messed with my head so badly and of course I need more trauma like that in my life, and b) I definitely want to support this author. Abigail Haas is a genius. SHE IS. Her thrillers absolutely smack my brain around. I still…

Nope. Still can’t even.

I’ll attempt a sensible review, but just warning you fairly: this book was all kinds of freaky awesome. My thoughts are basically still like this:

Oh! And if you haven’t read Dangerous Girls, don’t worry! You don’t need to. 

It’s not a sequel really. It’s a completely different and unrelated story. But if you want to read my gushy review for Dangerous Girls, it’s here. Good to go? Okay, let’s party.

Three teens venture into the abandoned lake house one night; hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage. Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding; the other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives? And is his death a tragic accident? Desperate self-defense?
Or murder?
Chloe is the only one with the answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece together the story of how they got there-a story of jealousy, twisted passion, and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful of faces…

You should probably buy this book (just sayin’…) at:


Abigail Haas has written two adult novels and four young adult contemporary novels under the name Abby McDonald. Dangerous Girls is her first young adult thriller. She grew up in Sussex, England, and studied Politics, Philosophy & Economics at Oxford University. She lives in Los Angeles.


How do I even…where? What? HOW.

I just want to cling to my keyboard and cry basically, because IT HAPPENED AGAIN. Dangerous Girls (book #1) absolutely messed with my brain. I did. not. see. it. coming. So I went into Dangerous Boys completely ready to guess the puzzle early. I was even suspecting that baby, peoples! I WAS PREPARED. The baby was only mentioned once and wasn’t even born. But whatever. It sounded suspicious. 

And I still got totally done.

My brain is a mess right now.

This is a thriller that will play with your mind. I promise you that.

What I particularly love about Abigail Haas’ style is that she gives you the end and the beginning. You have to read to figure out the middle. We start the book knowing a) someone is dead, b) it’s murder, and c) there will not be a hug big enough to hold you through this mind-trickery.

I read it in two sittings. I was turning pages ravenously on my kindle. I was screaming (albiet quietly because my family thinks I’m weird enough as is) “NO DON’T DO IT” for everything. Even them eating pie. I was suspicious, okay? Very suspicious of everything and everyone.

It’s hard to review this without spoilers, so I will only lightly mention the characters. 

It’s narrated by Chloe who wanted to go to college but…things happen. Her mother has severe crippling depression and Chloe stayed home to help her through this. (Nice, Chloe.) But, of course, Chloe has Little Town Syndrome, wherein she’s terrified of being stuck in a one-horse town foreeeeever.

Bring in Ethan. He’s nice. The kind of boyfriend who smiles at you and gives you a cuddle when things are bad and wants to live in the one-horse town (why the heck do I keep saying horse?! there are no horses in this book, not literally) and have his babies and be Mr. Normal Nobody.

Bring in Oliver. He is Ethan’s brother and, hey, I’m not being judgy her, but he’s probably a sociopath. Brilliant. Charismatic. Dazzling. And dangerous. Ohhh, hold my common sense, while Chloe swoons.

Ah, yah it’s a love-triangle. 

But it’s the most warped love triangle in the history of ever, and I guarentee you the outcome is not normal. NOT NORMAL AT ALL.

The writing is absolutely hypnotising and perfectly paced. It’s a thriller. It gives thrills. 

I’m suddenly addicted to thrillers. Although, this one is more NA then YA. It’s that iffy time when highschool has finished and college is ready to begun and you’re supposed to be an adult but you still have the brain of a teenager. Awkward. Lots of bad decisions. (Hopefully, though, murder is not the usual decision in most teens lives.)

I’m trying my hardest not to compare this to Dangerous Girls.

To be fair, they’re completely different books and not even related except for the author and the “dangerous” bit. The plot is 100% different. It only reminded me of Dangerous Girls with the way it was written: with the ending first and mixed with the beginning. (I love that, by the way.) But if I had to pick a favourite…it’d be Dangerous Girls. There is more romance and adulting in Dangerous Boys, both of which are not my favourite topics. But both these books completely got into my brain, took my breath away, and simultaneously HORRIFIED and INTRIGUED me.

I loved it. (In case it was hard to tell.) I was going to give it 4.5 because I liked Dangerous Girls better but then…why would I do that?! I loved this book and it deserves every shiny 5-star sticker ever. This is a psychological thrill-ride that’ll make you glare suspiciously at every character and STILL be gob-smacked at the reveal. It’s horrible. Humans are scary.

I would like a third book. Perhaps Dangerous Babies? Or Dangerous Pets?

question for you, my little dangerous friends: how do you feel about books that are technically “sequels” but are entirely unrelated to the first book?? like them, meh about them? and if you have read Dangerous Boys FLAIL WITH ME. what did you think?!! which is your favourite and were you shocked at the twist in the final chapter???

Cait is in recovery. Well, trying to be. She has the most massive book-hangover of EVER after this. She feels like yelling about this book’s brilliance from the rooftops and flailing and making dangerous cake in celebration or something. It’s okay, it’s okay…she’s calming down now. She’s considering starting GOOD OMENS, which she’s reading purely because she wants to write a review and use Crowley gifs.