Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

So I read Jane Eyre as a part of a college course...but I didn't actually finish reading it.... because I was an English major and I had a lot of books to read. So I know what happens, but I couldn't remember all the exact details....
I relate so much to how Jane can get people to share stories with her..
....Chapter 15... I'm fine.
I feel like I shouldn't like Mr. Rochester but I do.... a lot...
Jane and Mr. Rochester are so snarky to each other and I am here for it.
Also fortune tellers.... cool. I forgot about that.
..Chapter 23.....
Cranky Mr. Collins look-alike needs to go.
The last three chapters *angelic sounds*
I just love the idea of being with someone who lets you be a wildfire, and a wildfire that’s harnessed for good. I think it really helps that Jane is super self-reflective and she tells the readers what she thinks and feels, because then metaphors. I just love comparing how Jane’s suitors affect (or attempt to affect) her. Because one has an image of Jane that she is not, and wants her to conform to that image; and the other delights when she is herself, fiery as she may be. Just leave me to my screeching.
I feel like I need to make a giant post about me fangirling over Mr. Rochester....
680 Pages

Bible in A Year- Tim Gray (Editor)

I love the way they've divided up the readings, so that there's a reading from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and something from the Psalms/Wisdom Literature, so it's not like you're reading all of Genesis in one go.
The reflections were awesome too.
I loved that they put Esther in order in terms of the story, rather than in order of when they were found and translated.
P.S. It's a Catholic Bible (so there's 73 books, not 66), RSV translation.
1344 Pages

Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige and Stephen Byrne (ill.)

Mera is a rebellious princess that wants to be a warrior like her mother, yet her father just wants to marry her off to the prince of the Trench who will rule Xebel instead. Surely, if she kills Arthur Curry, she will free Xebel from Atlantean rule and prove to her father she is strong enough to rule, right? Yeah, no. This is a YA comic silly. You're going to fall in love. Still, I loved getting an entire book focused on Mera-one of the most underrated DC heroines.

A unique take on Mera's (and Aquaman's) origin story.

206 pages

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater

Ronan, my cranky baby. I love you more than you love your cows.
Parcifal my angsty particular cinnamon roll who deserves to be protected
Adam, you brain, you wonderful Slytherin who has a heart of gold.
Ronan cares about everyone and I can't handle it. The way he sees the world speaks to me on a spiritual level....Like he cares about everyone, but he's only friends with a few people and those people are the people that he loves fiercely.
Declan deserves the princess fairy tale ending that he says he doesn't want or need.
I love Chainsaw. I want one.
.....Sargento...
I have some crack theories after the last chapter. Hit me up if you're interested.
480 Pages

Tell it to the World by Stan Grant

A shocking memoir of an Aboriginal Australian growing up and living with the legacy of racism and oppression in his country. Although I have read similar memoirs of African Americans or Native Americans in the states, it was enlightening to read the voice of someone dealing with very similar issues in another country. His writing is very honest and conversational. It would be a good read for those who enjoyed Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me, or for those looking to challenge their own implicit biases.


An important look at the legacy of colonialism and discrimination in today's world.

256 pages

Romance Galore!

I got onto a romance kick in the beginning of December. All of them are ones I've read before, but they are still some of my favorites. :)

 Morgan and Seth strike up a business deal marriage and move to New Mexico for one year so she can get her inheritance from her father. Could they perhaps fall in love in that year???

Pages: 440

 Vivian inherits a beach house from her great aunt on the west coast and begins renovations, but since the house is on the Historic Homes list, she has to get everything approved by the local librarian/archivist Clark. They butt heads from the beginning, but could that be hiding other feelings for each other?

Pages: 256

Lucy and Josh work right next to each other and play the hating game all day long. But there is a fine line between hate and love.

Pages: 387

Darcy is a no nonsense woman who likes to run away from her problems. But when her old childhood friend comes by to help her with a project, she can't decide whether to stay or go.

Pages: 368

The Dempsey sisters, daughters of a successful con artist, come to a quiet town named Temptation to film a movie with a townie turned Hollywood actress. Sophie Dempsey soon meets the towns mayor Phin Tucker, and begins a short love affair that changes her world.

Pages: 416

Chole gets cold feet and runs out on her wedding to a man she doesn't love, and begins a new life running a pit bull sanctuary. She gets the help of the local vet and the vet's cute son Lucas in more ways than one.

Pages: 272

The Boys Omnibus Vol. 1-6 by Garth Ennis

I watched the tv series and got curious and ended up reading the whole series in about 2 weeks. So good!! Very graphic but the story line is amazing. Essentially, The Boys are a group secretly funded by the CIA to keep tabs on superheroes and the company that made/sponsors them, Vought American.

The story is told mainly from the point of view of Hughie, who joined The Boys after his girlfriend was accidentally killed by a speedster "hero" who then showed no remorse and everything was swept under the rug. The other members are Billy Butcher, Mother's Milk (M.M.) Frenchie, and The Female, who all have their own stories of why they hate the supes.


Pages

• Vol. 1: 354
• Vol. 2: 376
• Vol. 3: 344
• Vol. 4: 328
• Vol. 5: 420
• Vol. 6: 358

Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake

I don't like Emelia and I don't know why.
But Billy. I stan Billy. Harriet. Gosh.
Pietyr. Why
I love that bear and the only people who are allowed to get near him are people who are actually trustworthy...I will defend him with my life.
I am getting so many Wicked vibes...Elphie, you're trembling....So many No Good Deed vibes.

Billy is Arlo.
....socks
Jules...Don't you mean Joan of Arc? "I am not afraid; I was born to do this."
....Ok but I need more epilogue...ok I found like two pages that were sent in a special giveaway box, thank goodness.
HOW ARE THERE ONLY 17 FANFICTIONS FOR THIS SERIES. I AM DISGUSTED

464 Pages

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

I am loving this world and the concept. I love Erin's writing style. She has like twenty-seven million stories going on and it's perfect. Her descriptions.. chef's kiss
Alexa play "Into the Unknown"
....Am I the only one getting tons of LOTR references.
But seriously they are living the dream. *Insert gif of Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast raising his arms yelling "and BOOKS!"
Cats...I love the cats.
The kitchen *sobbing*
Eleanor *more sobbing*
Simon *uncontrollable sobbing*
I'm fine.
I knew there was going to be a Pirates of the Caribbean reference...Now if only I can find the jar of dirt...

512 Pages

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

It all starts with a letter from jail. A letter that is written to help sway an attorney to take up a case because,
"Mr. Wrexham,
There is no way I can make you listen to my case. So I'm just going to have to do my best to set things out. However long it takes, however much I mess this up, I'm just going to keep going and tell the truth."

Set in the Highlands of Scotland, The Turn of the Key is the 5th novel by acclaimed mystery writer Ware, and tell the story of a nanny who takes a job that seems to be too good to be true. Knowing at the beginning that the nanny is writing this story from jail, questions form right from the beginning about what really happened at Heatherbrae House.

I admit, I gasp out loud at the ending of this book and can't wait to read another by Ware.

337 pages
 

The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli, Christina MacSweeney (transl.)

Man, this book is weird. An auctioneer named Highway works at a juice factory and is obsessed with teeth. He collects teeth, he auctions off teeth, and he even has Marilyn Monroe's teeth implanted into his own mouth. (gross!) In addition, there are creepy clowns, a terrible son named Siddhartha, and extravagant stories about the teeth and the people who (supposedly) owned them. Interesting for the Mexican cultural references, but all around an odd little book.

Surreal. Bizarre. You're probably either going to love it or hate it.

195 pages

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

I love Will. And I love how much he loves Lyra..  He protect. I'm fine. I'm just going to focus on that and not all of the....yeah.
And I love my wonderful bear friend.
And Pan. I love Pan.
TEXAS
I have a lot of opinions about this book and this series, and I think the book was really good if you get rid of all of the politics. I love Lyra and Will and Pan. I love the relationships between the characters, and how they can be selfless for each other.

Going into a minor rant, because theology, so you can totally skip this part:

Any human organization is going to have failures, because humans are inherently imperfect. There is corruption and evil everywhere. But where there is evil, there is also good. Darkness requires light. Desire is not inherently evil; it's what you do with those desires that has the potential to be bad.
Science and religion can go together, and you can seek knowledge and strength and still be humble. You don't need to be in a relationship to be "whole" or "satisfied" or "happy."
I have a lot of feelings about Mary, but I won't get into because I could write a thesis on it... .

I'm just going to go home and read Aquinas and Augustine and St. Teresa of Calcutta

518 Pages

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

So I definitely am liking The Subtle Knife better than The Golden Compass.
I love Will. He's a sweetie.
...Although I feel like I need to make multiple flow charts to actually understand who's the bad guy...because they're all bad. Except Will. Will must be protected at all costs. And Texas balloon guy.

352 Pages

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

August, your heart. AGH sfdajklsjkld
I live for angsty teenagers having existential crises.
I love Alegro.
Hey look, Dementors and Harry Potter's scar communication.
I just love battle scenes
Henry...Augh why

...There's a song from a French Broadway musical I want to reference, but spoilers.
And it reminds me of an anime where one of the characters plays the violin, but AGAIN spoilers.
.....No one prepared me for this, and it's not fair.
544 Pages

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia, Gabriel Picolo (ill.)

After losing her memories and her foster mother, Raven is taken in by her mother's sister. We get to see her navigate high school, New Orleans, and her prom, while dealing with emotions, spirits and demons. I really enjoyed the addition of her sister, who has her own unique abilities, and the voodoo lore. I will likely pick up the next book in Garcia's Teen Titan series. 

A fun take on Raven's backstory.

166 pages

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Volume 12 by Naoko Takeuchi

....Did they mean to reference the ghost of Christmas future...
"I'm 16, I'm a grandmother" vine
....There's an Oprah of Sailor Guardian Crystals, apparently.
The classic trope of being under the control of someone evil and fighting them. Hehe
I think Stephanie Meyer was reading Sailor Moon when she got the idea for Renesme's powers.
....connections to everyone.
Chibi Chibi....How did I not figure that out...
Epilogues...Cry.
280 Pages

My One and Only Cowboy (Meadow Valley #1). By A.J. Pine.

My One and Only Cowboy (Meadow Valley #1). By A.J. Pine. 2019. Forever. ISBN-13: 978-1-5387-4980-7 ( ARC ebook).

Two years ago, Vegas veterinary technician Delaney Harper’s con artist ex-husband emptied out their joint bank accounts, putting her dream of running an animal rescue on hold. But now she is determined to take back the California land he illegally sold without her consent. This brings her to a guest ranch in Meadow Valley, California, facing off against rancher Sam Callahan. Sam, his brother, and his best friend have been working hard for almost two years to bring their dream of running a guest ranch to fruition and now it’s finally happening. But getting a new business off the ground isn’t easy and the stranger claiming his property is hers isn’t helping matters.

Fortunately for Sam, the small town of Meadow Valley has shut down their businesses, including the mechanic and local government offices, for a whole week for their upcoming festival; and Delaney’s car is broken down. Providing her room and food in exchange for helping out at the ranch, Sam hopes he can persuade Delaney to forgo her plans of taking control of half of the land. He never imagined he’d be fighting her for control of his heart too.

While this is an enjoyable enough contemporary cowboy romance it took a while to warm up to Delaney, who comes onto the land (now ranch) after two years and confronts Sam without doing any due diligence regarding legal matters beforehand. I also had a problem tracking the time. For me there are times the impression is given that all of the events take place in three or so days, leaving several days unaccounted for. When compared to the Crossroads Ranch series by Pine, I found this first installment of Meadow Valley a bit disjointed and lacking in the level of connection between the main couple. However I am not writing this series off as the men are interesting and I’m curious to see how the guest ranching fares for the Callahan brothers and their friend Colt.

*Does not include the bonus novel The Toughest Cowboy in Texas by Carolyn Brown.

239 pages

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Volume 11 by Naoko Takeuchi

I do appreciate that they made the stakes higher.  The villains are harder to beat, which sometimes can be a challenging thing to accomplish in a series with multiple villain arcs.
You get to be a guardian, and you get to be a guardian.
....how on earth do you get a bun to be shaped like a heart?.....I mean goals, but still....
248 Pages

Strange Planet by Nathan W. Pyle

A collection of the hit web-comic, featuring the Beings who seem much like ourselves. I love the silly literal phrasing of everyday things, as well as getting to read a lot of comics that didn't make their way through social media.

Cute, colorful comics poking fun at the absurdities of life.

144 pages

Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot, and Cara McGee (ill.)

Middle School is hard enough without learning how to control your superpowers! This is a fun origin story for one of my favorite DC characters that has seemed to get more of a spotlight in recent years. Part of DC's recent imprint of comics for children and younger teens, done by the brilliant Meg Cabot.

A fun, colorful Black Canary comic great for younger readers.

160 pages

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

A mysterious inheritance, an old mansion, and the legacy of a cult's suicide pact. These are the things Libby recieves on her 25th birthday. But nothing seems completely clear in the story behind her birth parents and their home. An engaging thriller with enough twists and turns to give readers whiplash, this story is as fun as it is shocking.

A great read for fans of thrillers and family mysteries! 

340 pages

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955) by Robert Lacey

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955) by Robert Lacey

The official companion to the critically acclaimed Netflix series offers an in-depth look at the early reign of Elizabeth II, highlighting the extensive research and additional material that helped form the show. Author and historian Robert Lacey serves as a historical consultant for The Crown.

322 pages.