It is official: even my TBR is taller than my writing crisis.
Which is saying something because that crisis is very tol.
I also want to apologise for my lack of blog posts. See aforementioned crisis. But I’m…trying…to get myself together. Thank you for sticking with me. 😭I’ve officially been blogging for 8 years because GUESS WHO MISSED their blog birthday. Oh wow I am in a bad way. But see after this long you kind of run out of ideas, hence I’m struggling to blog at the moment. 😂
But hey you know how I moved last month?! Well I now have a library. YES A L I B R A R Y. It is mine. It’s all mine and I shall read all of it. (And yes I’m already neatly in their request box, asking them to buy my wishlist.) The only downside is signing up for a library card is always a delightful headache. 😑 It basically goes like this:
Librarian: here’s your card CAIT ANDREWS
Me: …it’s Drews?
Librarian: And oh wait sorry but your mum needs to sign for the card!
Me: ….i’m twenty five.
Me: the novel that i have written is on your shelf
I mean I actually just smiled awkwardly through the whole thing but ya know. 😂 In some alternate reality I am going to SNAP and yell “IM TWENTY FIVE” in the middle of a crowded airport or something. (They do this to me in airports too yes.) I was born in ’94, sir, not 2001. Get back before I hit you with the ’90s.
Anyhow the library is (1) huge, and (2) mine.
It’s so ridiculously good to have a library again…to be able to carry out stacks of books and wield my library card like the weapon it is. I have been starved (FOR TWO YEARS) from library access so I have a lot to make up for. The downside is I’ve read a lot of what’s on the shelves lol. But they don’t charge you for adult reservations like the last library I had!!!!! This is grand news.
I am unstoppable and full of books.
“Cait,” you start nervously, “what about all the books already in your room on your TBR pile–“
Hush.
So most importantly…I’ve been a published author for a year!!
Well, nearly. In seven days, it will be A Thousand Perfect Note’s first anniversary and I just 😭wait a second while I dissolve into so many emotions. It feels absolutely wild and surreal to have two books out already. Like ONE YEAR. I am just a baby author here, I am so green and soft and confused. And I worked so so hard for this, but I also am lucky that I got this opportunity.
However a lot of being an author IS built on luck (lol sob) so I’m in a rough patch at the moment. It takes 2-3 years after selling a book for you to see it on the shelves and…no I’m not hiding any secret surprising book deals. I’m standing shakily while look up at a wall of rejections that make very little sense to me since I feel like my first two books have been loved and done well.
I’m not here to complain to you, but I guess I’m trying to say — please be patient with me. I am a little broken about the edges (having your plans crumble + having depression is a bad mix, 0/10 do not recommend) but I’m trying valiantly to keep going.
(and this is when I pile absolutely all the grateful thanks onto you for supporting my first two books. I want there to be more books from me so so desperately. So thank you for your sales, your reviews, your love! It is, quite literally, life changing.)
*:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧ OTHER THINGS… *:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧
- A Thousand Perfect Notes hit 10,000 adds on Goodreads WHICH IS A LOT AND I JUST 😱
- The Boy Who Steals Houses has nearly been out for 2 months — and it didn’t make the splash ATPN did, no, but I love this book so ferociously afjdkslad so I’m glad it’s been really lovingly received!!
- I’m cautiously toying with the idea of writing some short stories for them…
- My author copies for TBWSH finally arrived. I’m trying not to be mad that it took 6 freaking weeks but 🙃they are at least here.
- Sometimes I do giveaways on Instagram! So be sure to watch there. I will definitely be doing something fun for ATPN’s first anniversary.
*:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧ NEW WRITING *:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧
And look, I have had a rough time recently for writing. I can’t give you all the details but arusghsoooossssssss has been the general mood. But I wrote a new draft. It is a fantastic disaster but it is finished and it was a good solid reminder that I can still do this writing thing. It took me 2 months and I wrote 89,000-words. I even had a cute little calendar with flowers on it to mark my writing word counts. I am an inspiration. 🙌🏻 It wasn’t what I should be writing, but it was a passion project with monsters. Ergo it was very satisfying for me.
(Remember when I wrote a book in 3 days? LOL @ THE GOOD OL’ TIMES. Writing fast and fiercely? We don’t know her anymore.)
erm so I basically abandoned SHIP and wrote for 2 months which is 0% helpful for one’s overwhelming TBR. All I can say is R.I.P my goodreads goal. I mean I could lower it. But chill out??? Don’t overachieve??? What are those things.
I read a lot of comics and poetry this month and I’m still 4 behind 😭😂
(all covers link to goodreads)
BOOKS BOUGHT…
From library
FOR REVIEW…
FROM NETGALLEY / EDELWEISS…
…ok so I didn’t do a wrap up last month, that’s why there are so many. But also:
H E L P M E
I have made some bad decisions. But also library life so 😍
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Usually I do the cover-hover-flippy-thingie, but…I’m feeling lazy (at least I’m honest?) so I’m just doing a rundown of my top reads of the May. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
BEST OF THE MONTH
FINALE | It was freaking amazing. I was super nervous for the end of a fave trilogy… but it was good! It lacked backstory and I felt there was missed potential but hoLY WOW I FREAKING LOVED IT. My heart soared. I can’t stop thinking about it!!! Excellence.
LEGENDARY | I did reread before Finale! ok this is absolutely one of my all time favourite books AHH. Gorgeous, vicious, beautiful and twisty…Dante and Tella are my faves and I just sort of scream softly every time they breath. Also the writing?? The world building? EXQUISITE.
ROMANOV | this is the Anastasia retelling that I’ve wanted foreverrrr. It was sad and dark, but also mixed in hope and the sweetest cinnamon heroine. ALSO magic. Good amounts of magic and heartbreak.
AURORA RISING | ahh for the mega hyped ones *awkward flail* I did enjoy it, but it felt like an Illuminae repeat. 10/10 would die for Finian but I wasn’t emotionally invested in the rest of the squad. Which made the ending a bit meh. BUT!! It was hilarious and good fun.
THE DISASTERS | Another fun space opera! A+ to the diversity with queer, trans, Muslim, and POC characters all leading!!! I want more of this in sci-fi ok. I did sadly get lost with the plot a bit and didn’t click with the humour — but I still rec it so much.
THE LOVE INTEREST | dude everyone said this was so bad AND YET I LOVED IT?!? It mocks so many YA cliches, but also tells a good story, plus two adorable dumbass boys fighting for a girl when they actually love…each other ajfdklsa. Aussie author too! #ownvoices
THE POET X | Silly me for not reading this sooner. Oh wow it hit hard emotionally too, with how cruel her mum was in the name of “religion”. I just wanted Xiamora to be herself, be epic and be loved. And her poems were amazing. I do love novels in verse.
HEARTSTOPPER VOL 1 | AGH THIS WAS SO CUTE IT IS A TOTAL FAVE. I love Alice Oseman’s cutest ever stories. And also these soft bois and their adorkable expressions. Unimpressed where the cliffhanger was lolol bring me Vol 2…
OTHER BOOKS READ
I have too many books to read, a very low attention span right now, and I need !!! to write a new novel !!! that is somewhat saleable !!! what is June and why is it attacking me.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?
tell me if you’re ahead or behind of your Goodreads challenge? 🤗 no shame here, only mutual loving screaming. and tell me what to read next because i have too many decisions!!
If you want Vol 2 of Heartstopper its available online! And the author adds to it three times a month <3 tapas.io/series/Heartstopper
Aahhh lat me know how I Wish You All The Best is, I really want to read it for Pride Month!! Enjoy the new library too xxx
I did know that about Heartstopper! I’m considering just reading the online version. It’s TOO CUTE and I need more. (and omg I have a great upcoming tbr for Pride Month clearly here yesss.😍)
You won’t regret it – I stayed up til 1am crying with happiness over my poor sons. (I may have already binge-read a book yesterday?? m a y b e)
I am ahead in my Goodreads Challenge, apparently about 8 books ahead! I had a really fantastic reading month back in March and I’ve basically been riding that wave since then. I wasn’t expecting this year to be particularly good for reading because I had my big final Uni project to do from January to March but since that was the only thing I was working on and I didn’t have 10,000 other things to do as well, I got a lot more reading done than I thought and I’m way ahead of where I would usually be at this point in the year (mostly thanks to comics, yay for VE Schwab’s comics, I read them all in like an hour and that was bam, 4 books added to my Goodreads goal). I feel you on the writing thing, my book is out for query and it’s kind of had a negative effect on my writing because getting back all those rejections makes you kind of despondent to work on your other projects, even if they’re things you really love. I’ve been back with a vengeance this week though, I basically didn’t write anything for 2-3 weeks and then this week have written over 8,000 words, so apparently I have two speeds, all the words or none at all. I also read Finale and Romanov this month and I liked them both, but not quite as much as I thought I was going to. Finale was just….I don’t know, very different to what I expected and I still enjoyed it but I felt it suffered from a lack of structure. Romanov I did eventually enjoy, but it took so long to get to the exciting part! As for what you should read next, I definitely recommend King of Fools, I read it back in April and it was SO GOOD. Congrats on ATPN’s first year!
Ohhh that reminds me I need to find Schwab’s comics haha. That will be perfect and good help to my goal 😏Whatever we need to do, hmm?
And absolutely agreed about the correlation between rejections vs writing new stuff. And it’s like The Rule: always be writing something new! But the rejections send you into a tailspin because no one ever says WHY they don’t want it, exactly. So then I’m like “ok what if I just am making the same mistakes with my new project??” And I find it so hard to keep going forward.
And I definitely agree Finale lacked structure. I missed the rules of the Caraval game, but I guess 3 games would’ve been to samey?
Ha ha yes, do anything to keep up! I would have got into comics a lot sooner if I’d realised how helpful they were to your Goodreads goal. The next arc has just started as well, so there’s another 4 comics to come.
I’m so glad you feel that way too! I agree with the sentiment that it’s good to be writing something new to keep your mind off the querying, but it’s so hard because yeah, they don’t tell you why they don’t want it. They’re always so lovely about it, like we appreciate your submission but it’s not for us, but they never elaborate, so it’s so hard to know exactly what they liked or didn’t like about your work. I’d almost rather they just told me exactly what was wrong with my work, because at least then I’d know how to make it better! My current project is also the sequel to my querying project so that also made the rejections sting a little more, but I’ve got back to a place where I remember how much I love these characters and how much I want to finish their story, even if no one ever reads it! I wish more people talked about how difficult it is to keep going writing when you’re getting querying rejections though, it feels like something that you don’t hear much about. Yeah I agree that 3 games would have been too samey, I’m not exactly sure what she could have done to make the last book more structured, I just know that it felt a lot looser than the other books.
We somehow managed to end up in a universe where we’re both discouraged with blogging and it just makes me want to weeeeeep. Ugh. Everything was so good with blogging, what happened? Just a year ago we were both struggling with TOO MANY comments, and now.. now I feel like I’m posting to the void 😀
LOL that dialogue with the librarian xD xD but oh.. it’s totally worth it, because wow LOOK AT THAT LIBRARY. That’s what our biggest bookstore looks like. Our libraries are the size of my room. I’m officially in awe of that library! I hope you can stay there foreverrrrrr now!
It’s strange, but I feel like this year hasn’t even passed. I’m still there in camp last year, struggling to answer my comments. I don’t know where this past year went. It’s as if it never even existed o.o
Also, I still really love your new blog theme. And I’m so happy about ATPN having so much Goodreads adds 🙂 it’s great. I hope those submissions work better though! What is even the deal. Your books are doing great!! Publishers *mumble mumble*
omg I know right?! Like I kind of KNEW this would happen…I was always so overwhelmed and panicky trying to keep up and now I half feel like I’m blogging to a void 😭😂It’s odd. I guess our wish for things to calm down came back to bite us. Oops.
I LOVE THIS LIBRARY SO MUCH. I feel like I deserve it after 2 years without one.😭😂
I’m really despondent about writing because I don’t know WHY my books are being shut down. Like, no I’m not famous or the next Adam Silvera or Jennifer Niven here with sad contemporaries lol. But I’m not doing that badly? So I’m confused and in a black hole.😂 Send ice cream.
Yay, I’m so glad that Legendary was really good! I just received my Romanov copy and I can’t wait to read it. Yay for The Disasters too! I know you’ve had a tough time lately and all I can say is hang in there. You know I’ve followed you for years and I can see all of the hard work you’ve put into writing. Keep going, you’re doing amazing <3
Aw thanks Jeann. 😭💛 I am hoping this year picks up but gah, it’s just been a bit of a blow after blow atm.
If I actually finish the review of the book I’m currently reading I’ll actually be ON TRACK ON GOODREADS! Considering that I just wrote my final exams of high school I’m quite proud of that. On the other hand, though, I just left my blog to die for the past… three months? Oh well, it happens I guess.
I’m sorry you’re having a rough time but I’m very excited for you and your new library and I can’t wait to read all your reviews of those books, I kinda want to buy a bunch of them as well, let’s see 🙂
It’s funny that you just read The Princess Saves Herself in This One (I didn’t know you read poetry?) as I’m currently rereading that one and I like it more than I remembered, I think, so that’s fun.
It’s so hard to keep it all up right?! Like do I read…do I do that overdue blog post…do I take bookstagram photos?! *crisis intensifies* 😂 And yes there’s a lot of bleh things happening BUT good things too! Trying to focus on the library and having an epic upcomign tbr!
I read like one poetry book a year 😂 but I just remembered that they’re helpful for upping Goodreads goals (shh yes I know that’s not a good reason to read short books). But I also really like the flow of the words.
Congratulations on your author anniversary, Cait! 2 books in 1 year is an amazing achievement, and I hope you take time to take care of yourself <3
Your local library looks amazing; there's none where I live, but since I'm going abroad for 2 months, I'm absolutely going to use the opportunity to spend 24/7 in the library 😀
I love If We Were Villains, I hope you love it if you decided to read it! 🙂
I’m so grateful I’ve gotten to have 2 books out. 😭💛And honestly if I never get lucky enough/good enough for another book deal, at least I got THESE and I need to be thankful for that!!
and ajfdsklad I love libraries, they just make me feel so happy and peaceful!! (I’m definitely reading We Were Villains asap 😍)
As a writer who usually finishes a draft in a month or two, I still envy you. It’s been almost a year, and I still haven’t finished my stupid book! Who stole our motivation? I demand it back!
Also, welcome back to the library life! I’m about to move and lose mine. :'(
I hope the reading and writing goes smooth for you this June!
*beats fist against the barricade* bring !! back !! our !! muse!! (Surely it is out there somewhere, frolicking about instead of helpfully getting us to finish more books?!)
Aw no I’m sad for your library loss. That is a great sadness. 😭
I keep seeing 5 star (it’s the greatest thing ever written) review for Aurora Rising, which is fine, but I was worried that it would feel like Illuminae all over again. Glad to see that while it may still be great, my fears are not unfounded.
Also, I’ve been so excited for Romanov but had only seen meh reviews. This makes me excited for it again!!
Also, will be screaming about TBWSH just as soon as I move house and get my actual copy from my mum’s… 💕
I mean…😂I am always skeptical for space opera. It’s not my favourite genre, but I LOVE Illuminae. So I wanted to give Aurora Rising a go obviously, and I’m not sad I read it at all. It just didn’t make me scream like it seems to be doing for everyone lese? Oops.
Romanov is excellent!!!
I finished my goal of 60 yeay me.
You can do this Cait. Hang in there. <3 Sometimes we need to go down to go up. Or that is what I try to tell myself sometimes.
Already WOOOOO!! THat’s amazing!! You can be my reading inspiration! (Aw thank you. 😭💛)
You forgot your amazing sister brought you your four incredibly cute nephews and nieces to visit.
I’m glad you are doing okay, congratulations your 8-year blog anniversary! I love the look of your library :). I hope you’ll read many great books there :D. I loved Bloom, I think you will too (it’s soft cute queer boys + baking!). I really liked I Wish You All The Best, I hope you will get to that one soon because I’d love to hear your thoughts on it :). We don’t have lots of books with non-binary main characters, so I really loved seeing that representation in the book.
I too feel like the year has gone by fast. My reading slowed down a lot in April, but I managed to read more in May because I went to the library and borrowed some mostly Dutch children’s books that I needed to read before they were due. I’ve been feeling slumpy the past while and sometimes when I read I feel like I should be doing something else instead, I don’t know if that makes sense. I’m having difficulty focusing on just reading, sometimes, and allowing myself to take some time to read (and not do other things, or feel like it would be more productive to do something else). The past two days it’s been okay, I’ve been feeling tired so I’m telling myself to rest and sometimes read, rather than do more tiring things. My sister got married two days ago so I needed to rest before and after (I’m super happy for her! It was a beautiful wedding). It’s nice to read a blog post from you, though I’m loving your InstaGram posts and stories too :D. Atticus is adorable <3.
Oh I know exactly what it’s like for people to think that I’m younger than I am. -_- It’s actually quite annoying?? Like, I have a job and I work during the day and yet people are still shocked to learn that I’m not in school anymore?? Uh, no. I’m 21. And I PROMISE YOU I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON YOU’VE MET WHO LOOKS YOUNGER THAN THEY ARE, PERSON. Get over it. xD
I’m ahead on my Goodreads goal this year, but my goal is only 30, so. xD Even if you’re reading less than you normally do, I still don’t know how you do it. O_O
I hope you have a good June, Cait!
theonesthatreallymatter.blogspot.com
Wow a year published! That’s great 😉 I just listened to the Cruel Prince (I think you’re the one that posted about it). Still not sure what I think about it. I want to like it but the main character is a bit annoying at times ;p And that’s so funny people mistake your age — I get it too, and it can be annoying. Even when I was a teenager I hated being thought a teen ;p
keturahskorner.blogspot.com
I had been behind on my GR challenge since February and I am finally four books ahead due to some poetry collections and audiobooks. I really hope you get another book deal! I know that you work very hard and when the right publisher comes around believe things will just take off for you. All rough times prepare us for great seasons sometimes the hard seasons just seem longer than we want them to be. Sending much love your way! Also congrats on your one-year release and eight-year blogoversary. So many sweet milestones!
Well, I’m way ahead on my goodreads challenge. BUT way behind on my writing of my next novel 🙁 At least I’m at that season I can write more (homeschool is out) but, it’s also all that summer reading to do!! I love this time of year. Books! Books! Books!
Congrats on having library access! That is so important!! We are considering a move next year, and that is the second thing I research about a new place, right after churches in the area.
Oh, and I don’t know what happened to May either. Every month seems to go faster.
I’m ahead of my GR’s goal, but that’s ’cause I’m a lazy overachiever and set my goal for 50 books, with the intention of actually reading 100. I just wanna double it, ya know? But I also spent last month reading when I should have been writing so (hides). I’ve got deadlines! And I’m just sitting here watching them woosh by.
You wanna read any of my books?
Let’s start a club, the I Wasn’t As Productive In May As I’d Planned Club. I read only four books, the least I’ve read this year, I usually read 6-7 books per month so I was lowkey disappointed even though it’s great I read at all. But I did read Romanov and that was a GIFT. And I just started Strange the Dreamer and I’m only about 30 pages in but it is A M A Z I N G !
Also I voted for We Were Villains because I’m slightly interested in it but want to see what you think
CONGRATS ON YOUR ANNIVERSARY!!!
YAY for having a library ahh this is so exciting, all the books you can get now, YAY!!
I’m sending you lots of love and hugs and all the best of luck for your writing, I believe in you so, so much. Also this is just one random fact I thought I’d share, but I’m trying to select some books at the moment for when I’ll have vacation with only the dear ereader and just found out that your book is kind of very very cheap soooooooooo I have one book to add to the big-book-buying-list-summer-2019 😀
I’m SO happy you liked The Love Interest, I was so hyped by this book back when it released, then… well, my hope kind of fell down a little bit when I saw all of the mixed reviews. I need to read it now!! 😀 And HEARTSTOPPER is way too adorable, I love it so so very much <3
I hope that June will be amazing for you, Cait, sending you loads of inspiration for your writing and loads of extra time to do it all and write and read it all <3 <3
I FEEL YOUR PAIN ON THIS, all of this. Writing has been painfully slow for me, and lately I haven’t even read much! I’ve pretty much exhausted my local library (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO), and while the regional system is much more expansive, it also means that I’m more likely to get overwhelmed by all the possible choices. Hence, I am literally kicking myself in the teeth. 😛 😛 Therefore, I’ve decided to just stick to books we already own that I haven’t read – and thanks to my deciding to lift the book buying ban (which included joining Owl Crate!), there are more of those around my house these days! XD
Congrats on eight years! I think I missed my 2 year blogiversary…lol.
I’m totally behind on my goal of 150. I’ve only got 57 and I read the last six in the past six days. I was super ahead until my depression/anxiety flared up and I didn’t read a single book for 2 months. (I read fanfiction, I always read fanfiction, but it doesn’t count because I didn’t need an eighth bookcase for all my fanfiction) I read a lot more before smart phones and fanfic, I kept track in 2006 and I read 260 books. *shocked face* I wish I’d had goodreads in my teens, I can’t even imagine how many books a year I read back then.
I feel ya on the writing thing. I was finally writing again and even blogged six weeks in a row (an all time record for me!) but then mental health kicked my butt and I’m basically starting over again. I feel strangely relieved that you haven’t been able to write as fast. Writing a book in 3 days is kinda intimidating, You are like 84756483 times more productive than I will ever be. *insert laughing/crying smiley here b/c I am on my laptop*
Eep, congratulations on your anniversary for both blogging and publishing! I hope you can get another book published soon, you definitely work so hard! And congratulations on moving near a big library, my library is TINY but I did recently find a slightly bigger one in my area. Time to get reading. *cracks knuckles*
I’m 30 books ahead for my challenge, though you’re 8 books ahead of me……I only made my goal 100 books because I was trying to read less this year but look how that turned out.
And I got my library card fixed recently and have also been found reading more library books than is healthy for my TBR. #noregrets
“Get back before I hit you with the ’90s” = needs to be on a shirt, and that shirt needs to be on me.
“(having your plans crumble + having depression is a bad mix, 0/10 do not recommend)” = oh hey look, it’s my life, lol/broken sobs.
Also, I for one much enjoyed “If We Were Villains”, so here’s hoping you will, too!
OMG you MUST read Jade City!! It is so good and so intense and quite different from anything I’ve ever read!! I want Jade War immediately (so I should probs put that on hold at the library…) Also just finished reading Caraval (which I freakin LOVED!! so magical and YAish and ahh my heart is bursting!!) that being said I quite literally need Legendary with every fiber of my being bc Dante and Tella are characters that stories I simply must know! I am also also behind on my heading challenge by a whopping two books *heavy sigh* but hope to remedy that this summer! Also congrats on all your accomplishments as a writer! I need The Boy Who Steals Houses ASAP!! Lovely post Cait :))
I don’t even know what I would do without a library. Like, I can’t even imagine it. I also can’t imagine being constantly mistaken as a kid! That is so rude and must suck. But hahaha, the book I wrote it on your shelves. PLEASE tell me that you actually said that! And maybe I will like Aurora Rising more since I still haven’t read Illuminae…somehow. ALSO CONGRATS ON YOUR BOOK PUBLISHING ANNIVERSARY!!!! You ate cake to celebrate, right?
IT WAS PAIN AND TORURE OK. 😭😂 I need a library at all times (and omg the mistaken-for-a-kid happens so much I kind of just wanna stay home haha sob).
I am planning to have ice cream for my anniversary celebrations mwhaha I am excited.
I am desperately behind on my Goodreads goal 😩 BUT! I just read ATPF for the first time (!!!) and it helped me through a rut I was having so THANK YOU! You’re writing style is 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻! I finished it last night and started We Hunt the Flame about an hour ago. Wishing you the best of luck with your next book – the world needs more of your stories! 💖
omg thank you so so much for reading 😭💛 I flail!!! And I hope We Hunt The Flame is amazing because it’s definitely high on my TBR too eep.
OMG that library is so nice and so BIG! <3 😀
YAAAAAY!!!!! HAPPY AUTHOR ANNIVERSARY CAIT!!!!!! WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU!
Don't worry Cait, I'm patient! I know what it's like to have mental health and life and everything get in the way of writing. That's why I'm just now doing it again after like two years. Just know that you are one of my biggest inspirations and the book I'm working on is a fantastic disaster too, but I know that if you can do it, then I can do it! And I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT! <3 😀
The time will come for you to publish another book, I know it. It doesn't make you a failure or anything if nothing's happened yet. Just look at the two amazing books you have out! And they seriously are amazing!!! I'm 40% through TBWSH right now and I'm loving it so much! My favorite thing about your writing is your characters and dialogue that make it so easy to fall in love with them and want the best for them! <3 🙂
And YES short stories for your books would be so amazing!!! I would totally read them if I could. 😀
I think I'm a couple books ahead on my Goodreads goal, but it's only because I've gotten more into audiobooks. It's still hard for me not to feel guilty that I'm not actually physically READING though. XD But I have come to appreciate them! Especially since I can listen to them at work sometimes. 😛
And I'd tell you what to read next, but I'm sure all of the books that I've actually read and would recommend you've read already. XD
AHHHH HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY TO ATPN!!! I’M SO PROUD AND HAPPY FOR YOU, CAIT!
My May was a dumpster fire too. My reading was meh. My blogging was even more meh. I had my first blogiversary though so that’s definitely a highlight of the month. Tbh I’m running out of blogging ideas too. HOW DID YOU SURVIVE EIGHT YEARS??? I’m sobbing here because I can’t think of new and good content.
Anyway, I highly recommend JADE CITY to you because even though I haven’t read it (kicking myself so hard for this), my friends love it so much. I also have a feeling I will love it so much. I hope I can read it this month because it’s been a long time since I screamed about a book so hard. I NEED ANOTHER SERIES TO BE OBSESSED ABOUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I hope you have a great June! Sending you all the cakes! Oh and virtual hugs too! 💜💛💚💙
Happy blog birthday! I also liked The Love Interest more than most people did. I thought it was hilarious. Have a great June!
I’m ahead by 5 books, but then my goal is a whole lot lower than yours! Also, it is about the only thing I am ahead on; the WIP draft zero I was supposed to have finished by end April? Yeah, still only about 1/4 into that. Life goals like having a vaguely organised office/reading space, joining a gym because I can barely kick a ball around for ten minutes with my boys before I want to collapse, all that sort of stuff… yeah, no.
Also just want to say how pleased I am you enjoyed The Love Interest. All these bad reviews, I just don’t get it – did people really think it was supposed to be taken seriously? I would ship those boys to the ends of the earth, and the making fun of all the YA tropes was THE BEST.
I went away for a few days recently and started catching up with the enormous pile of manga my brother lent me in the car, so I am actually on target on my Goodread’s challenge. For now…
My wrap-up is not only not posted yet, it is not even half-written. Pray for me. Also, how late is too late to post a wrap-up?
YES to some short stories! You should be so proud of what you’ve done so far, and even when you say you haven’t blogged or read much I am still always in awe of how much you’ve done. It’s inspiring 🙂
I am ahead on my challenge, but I’ve mostly been relying on audiobooks and manga to get me through. I’ve obsessively been reading my own work for editing, which drastically lowers my desire to read other books. But audio books in the shower every morning (or afternoon?) and some manga here and there I’ve been able to do.
Aahh your library looks so cool (and big)!! Yay for finally having access to one now — libraries are honestly my savior. And so many congrats on all the ATPN and TBWSH related things! 💖💖
And I relate so much to reading poetry/comics to catch up to your GR challenge. (Except I usually leave it towards the end of the month when I’m like 10+ books behind lmao.) I definitely want to read more of it throughout the year, though, especially webcomics! I love them so much.
I hope you have a great June, Cait! (And I definitely would read Wilder Girls next because I personally am SUPER excited for that one 😍)
AHH Cait it’s been forEVER since I’ve commented on your posts omg. This is the first year I can remember where I’m stILL AHEAD on my Goodreads challenge at this point in the year (I’m??? still 3 books ahead???? and idk how???).. It’s absolutely wiLD to me. College is treating me well 😂
The upside to me reading so many books is that I’m actually making a dent in my TBR (yeah I know, it’s insane) and might actually get around to reading your books!!! I bought both of your books, which is great and very exciting . . . except I always get to books I own last, because they a) don’t have a deadline like library/arc reads and b) aren’t easy to access like ebooks on my phone so urrrrrrrrr they’ve been put off for A LONG TIME. But!! I might actually get to read them this summer!!! yay!!!
(also idk if it’s just me?? but your images aren’t loading for me?!!)
Happy author anniversary, Cait! I read A Thousand Perfect Notes last week and it was just…all my emotions on the floor.
I’ve read If We Were Villains and it was amazing! I loved it! I’d love to know what you think of Wilder Girls. It’s on my radar.
Writing with mental illness is a tricky thing. I hope you feel better soon. I hope you know how well loved you are in our community.
I’m currently ahead of my Goodreads challenge, but my challenge is only to read twenty books this year so it’s not all too impressive. But lately I haven’t been reading anywhere near as much as I would have wanted (I’ve been a mess mentally these last few weeks so I haven’t has any energy to read which is SO SAD). I’m planning to get back into reading properly this month because I so miss being super excited about books.
I can definitely relate to the age thing. And I’m in my 30s. 😂
YES TO SHORT STORIES!!
I want to read Heartstopper! But my library doesn’t have it.
Cait you’re doing so well though! I always admire how much content you put out AND that you manage to get writing done. Not to mention the sheer number of books you read. I actually kicked myself up the butt in May and got 5 books ahead of schedule (thank goodness because my goal is currently 50 books and I *know* I can read more than that).
I’ve been trying to edit one chapter a day (excluding weekends tyvm) for my own book I’m writing (the very same WIP that has been sucking on my soul for last ten *cringe* years) so maybe ONE DAY the damn thing will be done. Then I can join you in the glorious world of endless rejections. Can’t wait *squeee* *also sobs*
YOU CAN DO IT *many fist pumps*
“Get back before I hit you with the ’90s” needs to be on a T-shirt. And I need about 10 of them, please and thank you. Oh my gosh, look at that beautiful library. 😮 It’s huuuuuge! The sort of place where you could, like, hide your tiny self in a cubby-hole somewhere and probably live there for, like, a month before getting caught by anyone. Not to give you ideas or anything. *cough* But that’s totally what I would do.
Writing is such a fickle field, and I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles. =/ I don’t understand it either, because your books are beautiful and fantastic and only idiots would turn that down, so … Just hang in there. (Which, as someone who also has depression, I realize this means absolutely nothing, but you’re too far away for me to send you cake, so well-wishes will have to do, unfortunately. I know, it doesn’t taste as good.)
Oh, and this reminds me that I need to go buy Aurora Rising. And Wicked Saints. Because I’ve come to the conclusion that my horribly adorable, cute, little library just isn’t going to stock all the books I need unless I become a millionaire and force them to, so … #goals.
Congratulations on 8 years Cait! That’s huge. I don’t know even I’ll stick around for that long 😜 I can’t even get the new ideas now when I am not that old, can’t imagine what will happen after 8 years.
Haha I totally get that situation where people think you are way too young 😜 I don’t know what people think of me now, but a few years back when I started my first job, people used to say you are a high school kid 😂
Your library is so big and beautiful. I wish we had such awesome libraries here too 🙈 And yay congratulations in advance for your book birthday 🎂 Aww I can understand how it must feel to not get a deal and going through all that trouble, but I am sure you’ll get more deals soon and you would be like world famous 😃
I had set my GR goals quote low this year.. just 30.. considering how I won’t be able to read much because of a newborn baby. But last week I completed it 😃 Well, to be honest there were lot of poetry books and graphic novels 😂
I am so glad you finally read The Poet x. It was so so good. Ahh I want to read Heratstopper too.
I am sure you will be ahead of tour GR goals soon. Have a lovely June 😊
HAPPY BELATED BLOGOVERSARY AND AUTHOR ANNIVERSARY!!! The sassiness of your leaning on the books in that picture is A+, what an inspiration, TBR disaster KWEEN.
With that said, I fully support the overloading of the TBR, get all the library books! YOU CAN READ THEM ALL. Probably. I’ve also been deprived of a physical library for the past few years, not because I don’t have one in the neighborhood, but because my parentals have the fear that is bedbugs in books. I kid you not, if I ever manage to sneak secondhand books into my home my parents make me stick it in the freezer to decimate any bedbugs if they dare reside there.
I’m pretty on track with my Goodreads challenge, however, this is not because I am a put together human being. It is because I am a liar, and set my Goodreads challenge to 150 instead of my actual goal of 200 😂
Ah, Cait, I’m sorry writing has been difficult. I know that feeling and it really sucks. Two months is pretty fast though so don’t beat yourself up too much. 🙂 I hope things get better for you with your writing! You are such an inspiration. I also can’t believe you read that many books while also drafting. That’s amazing.
It must be a lot of pressure to have so many review books. I get very stressed about my own unread pile, but no one else is waiting for me to read them, so there is that 🙂
About the rejections, that made me really sad to read. I feel like the biggest shock ever is realising it is not an easy path after being published. I always thought it would be simple to get a million books published after the first one, but it is not at all how it works, which is a big shock. But anyway, I think that sucks because I love your writing and books, and from what I see all over the net, a zillion other people do to, so I think all of that just sucks. I feel you though (dunno if that helps or not) because I also got a lot of rejections over the past year too. I hope you will keep forging ahead though because I know something will soon stick for you and already I cannot wait to read whatever you do next.
Also… I just read The Raven Boys because of you! HA!
It was a great book 🙂
I’m sorry that the writing life has been tough lately. This career can be so fickle—it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for anyone, it seems (even the people who we see as HUGE successes). I just know you have more great news to come. Keep at it!
I just went and checked out your review of Unashamed—I hadn’t heard of that book. Sounds like a great resource for LGBT Christians.