Dk_Phoenix Promises Nothing (and Reads Everything) in 2017

Hello, friends! Long time, no...uh, type? I'm back to start a thread to track my reading this year, but unlike previous years where I've fallen off the wagon in terms of online engagement in the group but promised over and over to get better... this year I'm going to be more gentle with myself and my expectations.

I'll be keeping this thread open & will continue to update my reading list in the header, will lurk about & enjoy hearing about your reads, etc., but will keep expectations low in terms of how much time I have to spend here. I do love this group and I can't seem to stay away, however. :)

These days I'm also quite active on Instagram, posting fun book photos (@boughanfire) or just silly, random daily life images (@embers_of_a_boughanfire). You can also find me on Twitter, though I'm determined to cut down on social media time this year so I can be more productive during the work day.

I'll be reading a ton of YA debuts this year (by virtue of having my own this fall!), but when I'm not reading YA in general, I'll usually pick up fantasy or sci-fi, with some contemporary romance thrown in. The occasional graphic novel, mainstream fiction, or totally random non-fiction isn't unusual either -- but to be completely honest, I never rule any genre or topic out and will pick it up if it interests me.

My goal for this year is actually 100 books, which I fell short of last year. I'm trying to do better with my work-life-downtime balance in 2017, so... we shall see.

Thanks for popping in, friends! Here's to a lovely year filled with excellent books.

****

January

1) Finding Audrey -- Sophie Kinsella
2) Shadowshaper -- Daniel Jose Older
3) Allegedly -- Tiffany D. Jackson
4) The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett -- Chelsea Sedoti
5) Poison's Kiss -- Breeana Shields
6) The Girl on the Train -- Paula Hawkins
7) Hexed -- Michelle Krys
8) A Study in Charlotte -- Brittany Cavallero
9) RITA #1
10) Royal Bastards -- Andrew Shvarts
11) Soulmated -- Shaila Patel
12) No Living Soul: A Lexi Carmichael Mystery, Book 9 -- Julie Moffett
13) The Star Thief -- Lindsey Becker
14) RITA #2
15) RITA #3
16) The Wood -- Chelsea Bobulski

February

17) RITA #4
18) The Beast Is An Animal -- Peternelle van Arsdale
19) RITA #5
20) RITA #6

March

21) To Catch a Killer -- Sheryl Scarborough
22) RITA #7
23) Who's That Girl -- Blair Thornburgh
24) Carmer and Grit, Book One: The Wingsnatchers -- Sarah Jean Horwitz

April
25) Desert Secrets -- Lisa Harris
26) Song of the Current -- Sarah Tolcser
27) The Last to Die -- Kelly Garrett
28) Kat and Meg Conquer the World -- Anna Priemaza
29) Prisoner of Ice and Snow -- Ruth Lauren
30) The Midnight Dance -- Nikki Katz
31) The Thing With Feathers -- McCall Hoyle
32) Shimmer and Burn -- Mary Taranta

May
33) Feversong -- Karen Marie Moning
34) Even the Darkest Stars -- Heather Fawcett
35) The Invisible Orientation -- Julie Sondra Decker
36) The Last Namsara -- Kristen Ciccarelli
37) Kiss Me Kill You -- Larissa Hardesty
38) Ultraviolet -- R.J. Anderson
39) Quicksilver -- R.J. Anderson
40) Unfair: Christians and the LGBT Question -- John Shore

June

41) I Believe in a Thing Called Love -- Maureen Goo
42) The Takedown -- Corrie Wang
43) The Love Interest -- Cale Dietrich
44) Optimists Die First -- Susin Nielsen
45) The Wishing Heart -- J.C. Welker

July

46) Post High School Reality Quest -- Meg Eden
47) At First Blush -- Beth Ellen Summer
48) Between Two Skies -- Joanne O'Sullivan
49) One of Us Is Lying -- Karen M. McManus
50) Skeleton Tree - Kim Ventrella

August

51) Rescue at Cedar Lake -- Maggie K. Black

September

52) Nice Try, Jane Sinner -- Lianne Oelke
53) Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Hammer of Thor -- Rich Riordan
54) The Breathless -- Tara Goedjen
55) Heroine Complex -- Sarah Kuhn

October

56) The Castaways -- Jessika Fleck

November

57) Done Dirt Cheap -- Sarah Nicole Lemon
58) Replica -- Lauren Oliver

December

59) Braced -- Alyson Gerber
60) Turtles All The Way Down -- John Green
61) One True Pairing -- Cathy Yardley
62) Hooked -- Cathy Yardley
63) Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead -- Rick Riordan
64) The Female of the Species -- Mindy McGinnis
65) Holly Farb and the Princess of the Galaxy -- Gareth Wronski
66) Seeking Mansfield -- Kate Watson
67) The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City -- Jodi Kendall
68) You're Welcome, Universe -- Whitney Gardner
69) The Hidden Memory of Objects -- Danielle Mages Amato
70) The Disaster Artist -- Greg Sestero & Tom Bissell
71) Ms. Marvel Volume 4: Last Days -- G. Willow Wilson
72) Wink Poppy Midnight -- April Genevieve Tucholke
73) Made You Up -- Francesca Zappia
74) The Duke of Bannerman Prep -- Katie A. Nelson
75) Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening -- Marjorie M. Liu

Happy reading in 2017, Faith, two books to be published, wow!

I am part of the group.
I love being part of the group.
I love the friendships bestowed upon my by dint of my membership of this wonderful fellowship.
I love that race and creed and gender and age and sexuality and nationality make absolutely no difference to our being a valued member of the group.

Thank you for also being part of the group.

Welcome back!

Hello and Happy New Year!!

Welcome back and happy reading!

Hi Faith!

Love the thread title. Happy lurking!

Dropping my star, Faith. Happy New Year to you!

Stopping in to say hi and drop a star! I'm also now stalking you on all the social media sites! 😄

Happy New Year, Faith!

I'll lurk a bit myself ;)

Happy New Year! (dropping a star)

Hi have a *.

>2 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita! :D

>3 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! Glad to be back for another year, in whatever form that takes. ^_^

>4 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>5 DFED: Thanks and Happy New Year right back atcha!

>6 archerygirl: Thanks so much!!! All the familiar "faces" (names?! lol) make me feel right at home... *warm fuzzies*

>7 norabelle414: HELLO REAL HUMAN!!! :D :D :D

>8 London_StJ: Thanks, I'm trying to be more realistic this year in what I can/can't do in numerous areas of my life... less expectation produces less guilt when I can't meet my impossibly high goals. I realize that "setting the bar low" is kind of opposite of what most folks do in the new year, but... I'm finding it somewhat freeing to just admit that I can't do it all, no matter how much I might want to. Ugh, the constraints of arbitrarily measured reality we call "time"! Why can't we all just have MORE of it?!

>9 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie, and Happy New Year right back! I seriously need to get back onto the Step wagon. I had a terrible autumn when it came to physical activity and I find it hard to get motivated in the winter. I know, I know, excuses!

>10 tapestry100: Hah! Thanks, David! I find that different social media sites provide different needed outlets for me...they serve different but satisfying purposes. Also, I don't always have to make sense there. LOL.

>11 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! Happy 2017 Reading!

>12 Kassilem: Ah, yes, fellow lurker! Join meeeeee... *pulls up hood, dims the lights, stares at computer screen until all hours of the night*

>13 ronincats: Thanks, Roni! :D

>14 BBGirl55: Ooh, thank you Bryony, I do love stars! ;D

1) Finding Audrey -- Sophie Kinsella

I love Kinsella's adult works, so I gave this a try (her first YA), and I'm glad I did. It's rare to find such a compassionate, realistic, and poignant look at anxiety in fiction, but this book did an excellent job of it. While I couldn't relate 100% to Audrey, I saw glimpses of myself in her. Clearly, no one person or character can define the experience of having anxiety, but I enjoyed this particular portrayal and found it very well done. Plus, it's an entertaining story, and the rest of the characters (especially Audrey's family) were really quite fantastic.



2) Shadowshaper -- Daniel Jose Older

Highly evocative YA urban fantasy about a girl who discovers she can weave spirits into her graffiti art -- and that she actually comes from a long line of "shadowshapers"... and now their world is in trouble. This was a gripping story about family, culture, and (believe it or not) social issues. It's a seriously strong entry in the genre plus features a female PoC main character. Worth every moment and I'm anxiously awaiting book #2 later this year.



3) Allegedly -- Tiffany D. Jackson (releases Jan. 24th)

Mary Addison killed a baby...or did she? This book. This BOOK. It's gripping, shocking, haunting... gritty... twisty... surprising... heartbreaking... I'm not sure how many more adjectives to use to get the point across that this book is so incredible. I tore through it and every time I had to set it down to do things like, you know, eat... or go to the bathroom... this story was all I could think about. Jackson is one serious talent, I can't even be jealous, I'm just amazed and so, so excited for others to read this too.



4) The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett -- Chelsea Sedoti

A girl goes missing, and the main character comes up with her own bizarre theory as to what has happened...a theory that no one can take seriously, until someone does. And the more she talks about it, the deeper her belief grows, until the truth is all tangled up and she's not sure what's real and what's not anymore. I enjoyed it and I think readers who enjoy YA contemporary with an air of mystery and uncertainty will appreciate this one too.



5) Poison's Kiss -- Breeana Shields

Yet another debut that I ripped straight through, beginning to end in just a few hours, because I couldn't put it down. I read an advance copy but I'm definitely going to grab the hardcover because, uh, yes I want this on my shelf and I also want to be able to place it in the hands of friends and tell them no, seriously, read this!!! I'm super stoked for the next installment, but whiny that I'll have to wait (I assume) another year for it. Hmm...maybe if I ask Breeana really, really nicely... :P



6) The Girl on the Train -- Paula Hawkins

Well. That was certainly a book, wasn't it? Yes, I suppose it was. Right-o. Moving on...

Wow, you are moving right along this year, Faith!!

Hi Faith! I found you! And you've read six books already!

It's so awesome that you have a book coming out this year. When is it going to be out, what is it called, and what is it about?

Faith! Yay! Always happy to see you! Although your thread is super dangerous with all the siren calls for YA books I can't fit on deck right now.

Wow, good for you Faith! Six books already!

Nice reviews, Faith! Shadowshaper sounds like one Abby would like.

I also need to get back with the stepping, so you are not alone.

Six books already! That's fantastic! Although a bit dangerous when you spray the book bullets around so indiscriminately...

You sold me on Allegedly and Shadowshaper :-)

>17 ronincats: January is always my "biggest" reading month...I'm not sure why? But it's definitely been a pattern! (Yay for LT thread stats from previous years!)

>18 kgodey: It helps that none of my "extracurricular" activities have started yet (ie. things outside the house), so I've just been sitting around reading every evening. ;) Umm, yes, my YA debut is called Cinderella Necromancer and it's a dark fairytale retelling...the title pretty much tells you what you're going to get (haha!) but in one sentence, I'd say: "There's no fairy godmother coming to save her: this time, Cinderella fights back." ...which I realize is kind of a generic one-sentence, I should be able to do better, but I'm still working on my first coffee of the day...LOL!!! Here's the GoodReads entry, maybe that will be more useful than I'm being right now: Cinderella Necromancer. And thank you for asking!!! ^_^ (I have 2 pseudonym titles releasing this year too, but I'm not as excited about either of them by any stretch. Hah!)

>19 MickyFine: *mua-hahaha* ...no regrets!!! Can't say it's going to lessen at any point, either, I know for a fact there are some incredible YA books releasing this year and I am going to SQUEE ABOUT THEM ALL!!!!

>20 ChelleBearss: Thanks, I always read more in January than any other month, so I don't imagine this pace will keep up nearly as much!

>21 Crazymamie: Yes, let her know about Shadowshaper!! Such a fantastic concept and executed very, very well. It's an "own voice" title too, ie. the author is from a similar background (I believe) as his PoC main character, which brings such a marvelous level of authenticity. Also, hmm, I'd like to say "glad I'm not alone" in regards to the stepping, but I definitely can't say that because it's no good for either of us! I'm actually awake before 8am right now because I told my husband to wake me up early enough to go work out this morning before sitting down to write...hopefully doing that a few days this week will jumpstart my feet to get moving again.

>22 archerygirl: And I will not apologize!!! Ahhh-hahaha!!! *gleefully rubs hands together* But seriously, those two are amazing, I hope you get a chance to read them & love them like I did! :D :D :D

Last year I went to an author talk for Libba Bray and Daniel Jose Older (and another YA author who unfortunately is slipping my mind) and Older was so cool. Very intimidatingly cool.

I'm so excited for your YA book, Faith!!

7) Hexed -- Michelle Krys

This book was billed as Bring It On meets The Craft, which is maybe why I didn't love it? There's nothing wrong with it, I just didn't quite connect with the main character. If that comparison appeals to you, maybe you'll have a better time with it.



8) A Study in Charlotte -- Brittany Cavallero

Oh. My. Goodness. YES. The great-great-great (great?) grandchilden of Sherlock Holmes & John Watson meet at school...and then suddenly a student they both know dies under strange circumstances. And by "strange," I mean "someone is recreating the crimes from the Sherlock Holmes stories", and the teen descendants become the prime suspects. Charlotte Holmes is a brilliant drug addict, Jamie Watson is an everyman, and it's brilliant. So freaking brilliant. Book two comes out in a month or so, and I will be reading it immediately.

>24 norabelle414: Oh oh! Was the third one Jon Skovron? Those three did a talk in DC in Sept 2015, was that the one? (There are clips all over the place online...super cool!) It's always nice to hear when authors are cool humans instead of entitled robots (LOL). :D

>26 dk_phoenix: I think so! It was a great talk. I've seen a LOT of authors, from super-popular to unpublished, and only one has ever come across as an entitled robot! His name rhymes with "Grave Keggers"

Ahhh, this thread is dangerous. You had already convinced me that I need to read Allegedly as soon as it's available, and now A Study in Charlotte is on the wishlist as well.

A Study in Charlotte goes on the wishlist AND reminds me of another series. Have you read The Clockwork Scarab and sequels? Bram Stoker's sister and Sherlock Holmes' niece end up investigating murders, made more difficult by the fact that they have diametrically opposed personalities. Lots of fun and recommended for you.

>25 dk_phoenix: I went to add A Study in Charlotte to my wishlist, but it was already there! So clearly it's time to add it to my library holds :-)

>25 dk_phoenix: OK, A Study in Charlotte has gone onto the wishlist!

Add another hit for A Study in Charlotte. Dang you and your warbling. *shakes fist*

And another!

Found you! Congratulations on the upcoming book (among many!). You make many of these YA stories sounds very, very tempting...

>27 norabelle414: Bwa-hahah! Oh dear...but, only one among many is a great track record!!

>28 _Zoe_: #noregrets

>29 ronincats: Yes!!! I've read the first two and have the third on my shelf. I love that series! Honestly, I'll eat up just about any type of Holmes tribute or pastiche. I love how create folks can get with the source material.

>30 archerygirl: Yes it most definitely is!! And reserve book #2 while you're at it, if your library lets you do that before books are released!

>31 tapestry100: Yasssssss!!!! (Hope you love it!)

>32 MickyFine:

>33 drneutron: I can't stop!

>34 justchris: Yay, thank you! They are really good...you probably want to read them...you know you do... reeeead theeeeem... *waggles eyebrows*

Happy 2017, Faith! Looks like you have an exciting year ahead of you.

Also adding A Study in Charlotte tot he list - your thread is dangerous, Faith!

>35 dk_phoenix: My library does indeed allow me to add books to my hold list before they're out! Although I see a few other people got there first. Darn, I'm in a queue!

And I join the crowd, you get my first BB of the year! A study in Charlotte goes on the wish list!

>36 rosylibrarian: Thanks, Marie! It's going to be an interesting one, for sure...

>37 Crazymamie: Ah-hahaha, I won't apologize for reading good books!

>38 archerygirl: Aww...well, at least you're on the list now, hopefully it won't be too long!

>39 BBGirl55: Huzzah! I feel so honored! ;)

All righty, well... as last year, I've entered one of my books into the RITA Awards, the prestigious literary award bestowed by the RWA each year, and a condition of entering your book is that you have to be a judge, as well. So I've received a pile of books that I have to read over the next month and a half, and judge according to certain criteria... but to protect the judging process, while I'm reading, I can't say what book it is or what it's about, or really any details that could hint at what the book might be. Last year, I just posted a one-line vague thought about each book as I finished it, so I think I'll do that again this year. I finished my first over the weekend, so... this should be interesting.

9) RITA #1

Well, that was... graphic. Not convinced it was in the correct category. The writing was actually very smooth, though.



10) Royal Bastards -- Andrew Shvarts

Another YA fantasy debut coming out in just a few months, this book definitely makes use of existing fantasy tropes but places enough of a clever spin on them to make the tale feel fresh and exciting. I loved the idea of the bastard children of the kingdom having to come together to try and make a difference when the world goes to hell, and the main characters have very strong, individual voices. There's one particular twist at the end that I didn't anticipate (I love that!), and some really cool visual imagery during the action sequences. Can't wait for release day so I can buy it & shove it into the hands of friends!

11) Soulmated -- Shaila Patel

Shaila is a "pub sister", ie. we're both with the same (very small) publisher, so I wanted to read her debut to offer support. What I didn't expect was how much I would love this book. It's YA Paranormal Romance, so I honestly figured it would be a decent few hours of enjoyment, followed by me politely offering support as best I could. Uh, yeah, no. Shaila writes romance so freaking well, I'm bloody intimidated. LOL.

Her main characters are Laxshmi Kapadia, an Indian-American high school student with an overbearing mother, and Liam Whelan, an Irish royal empath who's searching for his soulmate, in order to facilitate a union that will solidify his family's position in the empath political sphere (and give him & his soulmate legendary powers).

Very often, I find that straight-up romance in YA feels contrived, which is why I don't often pick up books where the romance is central... but these characters had the spark right away, and even with near insta-love (I mean, the falling-in-love aspect only happens over the course of a few days -- not a spoiler, it's PNR so you know it's going to happen) I found it totally believable, engaging, and I'm actually kind of upset that I have to wait to find out what happens in the next book. Liam and Lucky are delights and just burst through the page with cultural authenticity.

After finishing my eCopy from the author, I immediately went online & preordered a hard copy to photograph for bookstagram... and to lend to friends. I'm rooting for this book, and since it's from a small press, it could use all the help it can get -- so if you're interested in reading it, please consider bumping it up your TBR nice & early, or even just putting in a request at your local library (or both!).

You've had a heck of a run here! And you've hit me with a few book bullets, too...

>41 dk_phoenix: and >42 dk_phoenix: Both books sound lovely! Will keep them in mind.

>41 dk_phoenix: Interesting (and a little daring) to call a YA title Royal Bastards. I don't see it making the shelves in Kuala Lumpur, Faith.

Have a great weekend.

>43 London_StJ: January is always a strong reading month for me! I've had more free evenings than usual this month, also. No complaints here! And here's to a year *full* of book bullets... *mua-hahaha*

>44 justchris: Fantastic! I hope you're able to pick up / enjoy them one of these days! Both of the authors are also really cool / nice people who I like very much, too, which is always fun. Andrew has a wicked sense of humor & Shaila is an utter sweetheart. ^_^

>45 PaulCranswick: The original title was "The Bastard Table" but apparently the marketing department thought "Royal Bastards" sounded better... I think it managed to get through since in this case, "bastard" is a description of familial status (literally bastard children of kings & queens) and not an insult... though certainly it might be able to serve dual purpose in some aspects! Hah! Thanks for stopping in, Paul! Hope you enjoy your weekend as well!

****



12) No Living Soul: A Lexi Carmichael Mystery, Book 9 -- Julie Moffett

Not sure why the touchstone isn't working in this one, but... okay, whatever. :/

I've been reading the Lexi Carmichael series since book 1, and though I still enjoy them, there are a few things that irk me in these later books. Sometimes it's a bit heavy-handed with the "OMG REMEMBER HOW KLUTZY LEXI IS?!?" bit, which I thought we'd have moved away from by now due to character growth, but I suppose it's a small complaint compared to how some series tend to decline as the installments near double-digits. I'm making a prediction that book 10 will be the last! Let's see if it pans out.



13) The Star Thief -- Lindsey Becker

Hmm...touchstone not working for this either. Odd.

This is a beautifully imaginative middle-grade debut novel that releases this April. In this story, constellations come to life, the description is beautiful, and the steampunk touches here and there (airships! mechanical bees!) are truly lovely. I think young readers of fantasy will really enjoy this one, it would be a great read-out-loud book due to all the "word images" so to speak. I also appreciated that who the villain is, is definitely a grey area... which was intriguing. Reminded me a bit of the His Dark Materials series in that respect, though the similarities end there. If there are more books to follow, I'll definitely pick them up.

14) RITA #2

Surprised to find that I actually rather enjoyed this one! So, that's two down, five to go...

Missing you loads around here, Faith.

Please come back and update us all soon on your adventures.

Hello, Faith!

>47 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! I just handed in my second of the 2 books I had due within a time span of 3 months... so I'm feeling a massive weight off my shoulders and am now ready to ease back into life. I'm feeling that odd sense of displacement at the moment, though -- it's only been a few days without working 12+ hours per day, every damn day, on these books -- so I feel like I'm "re-learning" how to use free time to actually, you know, do things to relax. Last night I had a few hours with zero on the schedule, and I realized that I was buzzing around my computer and doing tasks instead of sitting down to recharge. I have so many incredible books I want to read that have piled up over the past three to six months that I almost need someone to strap me to a chair and throw a book into my hands so that I *have* to learn to relax again. Argh!

>48 alcottacre: Stasia!!! JHello hello hello!!! Nice to see you here! ^_^

>49 dk_phoenix: It's incredible how hard it can be to get back into the habit of having free time and using it to recharge and relax! Even though the deadline is past, everything is in, that nagging sense of looming-deadline-must-work takes a long time to go away.

>49 dk_phoenix: Congratulations on getting the remaining book sent off. Woohoo! And have fun settling back into free time instead of work-work-and-more work.

Congratulations on getting the book done! And here's to some downtime :).

Great accomplishment, Faith! Enjoy getting back to some reading time.

Hope you have a great Easter weekend!

Faith, I hope all is well with you and that you'll have a superb weekend. xx

>50 archerygirl: And of course... it never did go away, instead I just committed myself to a pile of other things. Ahhhhahahahaaaaa... *twitch*

>51 justchris: >52 lunacat: >53 ronincats: Thanks, everyone! I was able to read more than I had in the previous few months, but of course I went ahead and took on new projects, like "yes of course editor, I will send you a 3-book proposal in 2 weeks", because I have no self-control and apparently hate the concept of "balance." *facepalm* LOL.

>54 ChelleBearss: Thank you so much! I realize that was ages ago, but... still hope yours was lovely. ^_^

>55 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul! Things have been rather decent, I'd say. I'm definitely feeling in brighter spirits these days with warmer weather here in Canada and lots of sunshine. There's something about being able to sit on the porch and read or write that makes me feel human again... just a little more at peace, even with the world being such a mess. I hope you've had many superb weekends since I last checked in here!

Faith!! Glad things are going well. Learn to say NO! ;-)

15) RITA #3

???



16) The Wood -- Chelsea Bobulski

Eerie, delightful, frightening, and compelling. The main character is a guardian of the wood, tasked with protecting travelers who accidentally slip through portals... from different time periods. But there's something wrong... the wood is poisoned, and nothing is working the way it should. EXCEPT THIS STORY!!! I'm not just being cheeky, I really loved this difficult-to-categorize debut (is it fantasy? time travel/sci-fi? horror?!) and loved the developing relationship between Winter and Henry, a traveler from eighteenth-century England. I don't want to risk spoilers, so... that's all I'll say. But if the thought of "creepy woods" and "time travelers" makes you salivate, put this one on your wish list.

17) RITA #4

???



18) The Beast Is An Animal -- Peternelle van Arsdale

Oh. My. Goodness. This story is so dark, so delicious, so creepy, that you'll be glued to its pages and unable to uncurl your fingers from around its edges. Alys is a girl who lives in a world that fears the soul eaters, twin sisters who were once abandoned by their father and slowly became something "not quite human"... and who feed off human souls. The villagers also believe that these soul eaters are controlled by the Beast, but Alys... well, she begins to feel connected to the soul eaters. Maybe even to the Beast. And when the forest calls to her, beckoning and offering freedom, Alys finds herself on a journey not only for herself, but for everyone in the world she calls home. It's strange and wonderful and horrifying and absolutely riveting. I think I might need to read it again.

19) RITA #5
20) RITA #6

??? ...it's been a long time since I read these, but I do recall the final selections from my batch not being terrible. So, there's that?!

>57 ronincats: Hahaha! You sound like my husband. "No, Faith, taking time off means TAKING TIME OFF." :P But on the other hand, I did sell that 3-book proposal, so I mean, it was worth it in the end?!?! Now I just have to write two of them before the end of the year, no big deal, wait a minute OH NO WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO NOW

>58 dk_phoenix: Number 18 there sounds like one I need to find!

Glad things are good, albeit nutty. Hope you can find some of that elusive downtime in between writing two books. :O

>60 drneutron: It's so worth it!!!

>61 MickyFine: What... what is this downtime of which you speak?!?! *twitches*

21) To Catch a Killer -- Sheryl Scarborough

A really strong, twisty YA thriller debut that kept me up late, turning page after page, eager to solve the mystery... the main character's mother was murdered when she was a toddler, and she survived for three days in the house next to her mother's body before being found. As a result, she has become obsessed over the years with forensics and with solving the case of her mother's murder, because the killer was never identified or brought to justice. However, when she finds herself linked to the current murder of one of her teachers, she fears that the killer has come back and struck again. But now she finds herself targeted both by the authorities... and maybe the killer, too. This is one of those stories that keeps you guessing -- is she guilty or isn't she? who's telling the truth? what really happened? -- and I found the ending both surprising and satisfying. What else can you ask for from a thriller? I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!

22) RITA #7

The final RITA book I read was... terribly disappointing. Oh well!



23) Who's That Girl -- Blair Thornburgh (no touchstone yet, boo... releases July 11)

A YA contemporary debut with adorable/funny awkwardness, a strong group of friends, musical theming, and compulsive readability. I loved the voice in this book -- for such a large cast of friends, the dialogue came naturally and felt very distinct, which is a difficult task! The basic premise is that main character Nattie discovers that the boy she had a massive crush on / sort-of kissed the previous summer has hit the big time with his band's song "Natalie"... and when the band comes to town to play a local show, she becomes a news-gossip celebrity by default as everyone suspects the song is about her. But she'd assumed that Sebastian never gave her another thought after they'd parted ways. Life understandably gets complicated at this point, especially when she starts to develop feelings for her guy friend Zach. Chaos ensues! A LGBTQIA-friendly, fun read that's perfect for summer! (I always read more contemporary books when it starts to get sunny outside... I don't know why, but it happens every year!)

Nice to see you pop back, Faith.

Have a lovely weekend.

>59 dk_phoenix: Congrats on the sale! That's a good one! And two books in six months is totally doable...for some writers :-D I hope you're one of those writers :-)

Note to self: if I ever sell a book, don't commit to writing two more in six months...

Hello, hello! It is long-lost Faith, at a writers retreat for a week and finally, finally, FINALLY having a chance to poke my head in and update (since I promised to do that when I could!).

I haven't been reading a ton but I've been updating my list above as I finish books... mostly it's been YA and MG debuts, but everything has been really fantastic. I've been surprised at the amount of incredible debut books this year... it's inspiring AND intimidating, hah.

Mostly I've been back on the writing treadmill and preparing for my YA debut book release. I'm hoping, hoping, HOPING that I will get back to a better work-life balance after this book releases, because leading up to it I'm expected to do so much promo and such that anytime I get two seconds to sit down I feel like I have to get on social media and start working again. Ahhh!!!

But in case anyone hasn't seen my cover, here it is (I assume it's not against LT rules to post about my own book in my own thread?!):



It's out on September 5th! (And I'm running a pre-order campaign for bookish swag, in case anyone is interested... if you're not, please ignore my ramblings... lol).

Hmm... okay, I don't know if I'll have time to go back and review all of my favorites I've read from the past few months, but maybe I'll list a select few that I've loved. Okay, here goes:

Song of the Current -- Sarah Tolcser (pirates! swashbuckling! snarky heroine!)
Who's That Girl -- Blair Thornburgh (hilarious, snappy but realistic dialogue, very clever)
Skeleton Tree -- Kim Ventrella (this will be SO PERFECT for children dealing with grief)
I Believe In a Thing Called Love -- Maureen Goo (girl tries to attract the boy she likes by using techniques from K-Drama!)
Prisoner of Ice and Snow -- Ruth Lauren (awesome MG for kids who loved Frozen, also just a really fun fantasy story)

I'll try to pop back in before I'm pulled back to reality (ugh) but meanwhile, I really hope everyone is doing well and reading amazing books. Miss you all & hope to drop in again soon!!!!!!!

>66 dk_phoenix: Pre-ordered! Good luck with the release, Faith!

Hi Faith! I'm very excited for your book Cinderella, Necromancer!

Good luck with the release and everything that comes with it, Faith.
Please push, if possible, a Dutch translation of your book!

>66 dk_phoenix: Lovely to see you, Faith, as always. Good luck with all the book release stuff. :)

Chiming in with my Good Lucks! Love the cover!

Congratulations Faith. I will certainly buy it!

>66 dk_phoenix: - How exciting!

>66 dk_phoenix: I guess I had missed the part where you are a published author!! Congrats on your upcoming release!

>66 dk_phoenix: That's so great! Congrats!

Hope all is well Faith.

Happy September!

This is a time of year when I as a non-American ponder over what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for this group and its ability to keep me sane during topsy-turvy times.

I am thankful that you are part of this group.

I am thankful for this opportunity to say thank you.

It is that time of year again, between Solstice and Christmas, just after Hanukkah, when our thoughts turn to wishing each other well in whatever language or image is meaningful to the recipient. So, whether I wish you Happy Solstice or Merry Christmas, know that what I really wish you, and for you, is this:

Wishing you all good things this holiday season and beyond.

Dear Faith, best wishes to you and yours at Christmas!