It’s time for my January 2021 Wrap Up. I have to say this has been one of the most heartbreaking months that I’ve ever experienced. My church was burned down … Continue reading January 2021 Wrap Up
The Body by Stephen King Review
Stand By Me has always been one of my favorite Stephen King movies. There’s just something special about it. So I wanted to read The Body to see if I felt the same way. I did. It was so good. It’s definitely one of my favorite King stories now.
It’s 1960 in Castle Rock, Maine. When a boy from a nearby town goes missing, Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body. This coming of age story explores contrast between loneliness and friendship as the boys face life and death.
I loved The Body. I’m so glad that I finally made the time for it. It gives more depth into the mind of the main character. Years after the event, Gordie became a successful writer and The Body is his memoir. I’m impressed by King’s ability to create an entirely different tone from his own. There are glimpses of Kings style, but it truly feels like this was written by someone else.
While this is considered a coming of age story, it is overwhelmingly nostalgic. We get to see how the events in this story effected an adult Gordie. He shares the good memories along with the bad. King captured the feeling of a late summer day as a kid. I started to miss my own childhood friends.
The Body deserves a ton of love. It shows King’s talent. It’s out of usual style, but it’s wonderful nonetheless.
My Rating: 5/5
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout Review
I had to see what the hype was all about. From Blood and Ash has been everywhere. Let’s get to it.
The Maiden is chosen by the gods to bring in a new era. She can’t be touched, spoken to, or interacted with. Poppy’s life is not her own. All pleasure is forbidden until after Ascension. And even then, she doesn’t know what awaits her. Her guard, Hawke, catches her eye. He makes her question….everything…. Poppy’s world will never be the same.
The beginning of From Blood and Ash was slow. There’s no way around it. It takes a bit to build the world, and I still never had a completely clear grasp of it. However, all that will be solved later.
Poppy is hard to get to know in the beginning. I wasn’t convinced that I would like her. Luckily, she develops more throughout the book. By the end, I liked her. I think she’s a great character.
I liked Poppy as a character, and I loved the romance between her and Hawke. They are both so sassy. I love a good witty romance.
Lastly, I expected the twist. It was quite obvious, but I loved the execution. It brought the whole story to a place I loved, and answered all of my question. Not to mention, that cliff hanger was killer. It set up for the next story perfectly. I need it now.
Don’t forget to subscribe!
My Weird Reading Habits
Like most bookworms, I have a few unusual reading habits. So I’ve decided to share them on the internet for some reason. 😂 Here they are. 1. I hate mass … Continue reading My Weird Reading Habits
TBR Chapter Challenge
As you can tell from my last haul, I need to stop buying books. So to trick me into actually reading the books that I buy, I decided to make it a game. This is my TBR Chapter Challenge. I pulled three books off my shelf. Then I decided to read the first chapter and make a prediction on what I think I will rate it. I thought this might be a fun way to see how well I know my reading taste. So let’s get started.
The Devil All the Time
Initial Thoughts: I’ve heard so much hype around this, but I’ve never had any experience with this author. I’m not sure what to expect going into it. I think it’s set in the 60’s so I hope it has those retro vibes that I love.
After the Chapter Thoughts: I can already tell this is going to be gritty. It feels like a storm is building. I’m very intrigued.
Rating Prediction: 4 Stars. I think this might be something that I really enjoy.
Outlawed
Initial thoughts: I loveeee this idea. I also enjoy a good western. It’s giving me Kissing Kate Barlow vibes from Holes. I hope it delivers.
After Chapter Thoughts: Hmmm. So far it’s not what I expected. I can’t connect with the writing. And while I know it’s and alternate history, it’s so far removed from other westerns that it doesn’t even feel like the same period.
Rating Prediction: 2. I hope I’m wrong because I want to love this. I would love to read about a female outlaw gang.
Kingdom of Wicked
Initial Thoughts: I have a love/hate relationship with Kerri Maniscalco. I’ve read the first two in the Stalking Jack the Ripper Series. I loved the concept but felt like something was missing. I’m hoping more experience will bring a more developed story.
After Chapter Thoughts: Ohhhh. I think this is going to be great. It’s super atmospheric. Plus, I love the witchy elements.
Rating Prediction: 5. I’m going out on a limb. I think I’m going to devour The Kingdom of the Wicked. I hope it doesn’t disappoint.
So those are the books I’m going to read for my tbr chapter challenge. When I finish them, I will come back and see if my predictions were right. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these. Did you like them?
Books I’ve Bought Recently
It’s been a minute since I’ve done a book haul. My birthday was January 11th and I might have treated myself to some of the books that I’ve been wanting. … Continue reading Books I’ve Bought Recently
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo Review
I finally read Siege and Storm. I’ve wanted to move on with this series for a minute, but I kept procrastinating. Unfortunately, after reading Siege and Storm, I’m not sure if I want to continue this series. Let’s get into my review.
Alina and Mal have fled the Fold, but darkness still haunts them. The Darkling survived that monumental day on the Fold and brought a new power with him. With the help of a charming privateer, Alina chases her new destiny. As her power grows, her connection to Mal suffers. She will have to decide if she wants to save her country, or lose everything she has ever loved.
Ugh, the angst. The whole book was focused around the angst between Mal and Alina. Even during major events. Mal was almost never off of Alina’s mind. Plus, there is a possible love triangle, or square, developing. Let’s just say Alina has a lot of options. It was all very dramatic.
After getting past the angst, the story is mostly filler. A few new characters and plot points were introduced, but it mostly felt like filler to start the next book.
I was disappointed by this. It didn’t give me the sequel I wanted. I loved Shadow and Bone, but Siege and Storm wasn’t great. But it did set up an interesting power change for the last book. I might continue on with the series just to see how it plays out.
My Rating: 2/5
Needful Things by Stephen King Review
I’m happy to be back in Castle Rock. It’s been so long since I’ve read anything by Stephen King. So the first book I grabbed this year had to be Needful Things.
There’s a new store in Castle Rock. It has something for everyone. Literally. Anyone who enters finds the object of their dreams. In addition to payment, the proprietor, Leland Gaunt, requests that each person performs a “deed” on someone else from town. These deeds soon cause unrest in Castle Rock. Sheriff Alan Pangborn is the only one who begins to suspect the new shop owner.
My Thoughts on Needful Things
I don’t think Needful Things gets the hype it deserves. It was never on my radar until recently. I’m glad I picked it up. I almost liked it more than IT and I know I liked it more than Carrie. It had everything I need in a suspense novel. Plus, King brought back one of my favorite bad guys, Ace Merrill. He was the antagonist in The Body, which was adapted into the movie Stand By Me.
Needful Things is one of the most character driven stories that I’ve ever experienced. There is a lot of backstory and minute details that you have to pay attention to. I personally enjoy that, but if you enjoy plot driven stories it might drive you crazy.
There was a ton of miscommunication in this one. Basically, the whole climax was built on miscommunication with a little nudge from Leland Gaunt. He just set the wheels in motion and then watched the chaos unfold.
Lastly, the imagery at the end was amazing. It was spooky and thought provoking. I do think it wrapped up a little too easily for all the build up, but that was my only negative thought. I’m ready to move on to my next King title. Recommend a few in the comments!
My Rating: 4/5
The Book Room Diaries, Part 1: Chaos
When I started Reading in the Wildwood, I had no real working space. I worked mostly from my living room couch. I also didn’t have shelves. As you can imagine, that was a huge problem for an avid reader. I had books everywhere. It was getting out of hand. So this year my husband and I decided to turn one of our extra bedrooms into an office/book room.
That wasn’t as easy as it sounds. The bedroom we chose had some moisture damage, so we basically had to start from scratch. And by scratch, I mean we had to rip out all of the walls and the carpet. When we got the carpet ripped out we noticed that there was some damage to the subflooring as well. So, of course, that had to go. I’m not exaggerating when I say that we basically started from the ground up.
Right when we decided to do this my husband’s job started to pick up, which is a total blessing. However, he is the construction master of this marriage. I know nothing about it. I just wanted to get past this part, so that I could pick out paint colors. Luckily, my grandfather has a construction company. He came and put my floor and walls back together. Let me just tell you. That was a process, but we got through it.
After the Construction
So now the walls are painted and the flooring is down. This is where I come in. This is what I’ve been waiting for. It’s time to turn this room into my dream room.
Piece by Piece
My husband bought my this awesome antique roll top desk for Christmas(below). This was the first piece of furniture to go in this room. Now I’ve got a little recliner for reading in the corner of the room. It’s right next to a window with a beautiful view.
Slowly, the pieces are coming together. Last night we brought in my shelves and my books. I’m going to find some contact paper to wrap the white shelf in. It has some damage and since it’s not real wood I can’t paint it. But I think contact paper will work just fine.
Today, I’m organizing my shelves and getting everything into place. I still have a few more pieces of furniture that I need, but it will all come with time. I’m so ready to start decorating, and I’m ready to finally have the book room of my dreams. I’m so thankful and I’m definitely blessed. I can’t wait to share the finished book room with y’all!
The Birthday Book Tag
Today is my birthday! It’s a rainy, cold day here in Alabama. It would be a great day to stay in. We even had a chance of snow in the … Continue reading The Birthday Book Tag
Reading in the Wildwood 