Apparently I don't have the brain capacity to make individual posts anymore

Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter
I feel like I've read this story before, but also I love it.
281 Pages

Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words by Annika Sharma
ok but the different cultures and like....trying to juggle that.
384 Pages

Rosewood: a Midsummer Meet Cute by Sayantani DasGupta
So it's like....if you were on the set of Bridgerton with all the actors, but they're all teens, so the shenanigans are teen level.
It's also a Jane Austen retelling (that I cant remember atm) and there's references thrown in throughout.
336 Pages

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid
Hi so I loved this, no one look at me.
Also the sensory processing and the needing space.
I love this boy. I love him so much.
436 Pages

The River of Silver by S.A. Chakraborty
When you get more content from a world you love.
256 Pages

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
LISTEN. LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN. Ashley Poston. AND IT'S IN THE SAME WORLD AS DEAD ROMANTICS.
The magic time-traveling apartment.
Kermit hearts gif
I need more content
Also I didn't guess all of the twists so I'm v happy about that.
368 Pages

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
So like...This felt low stakes so I was kind of...eh.
518 Pages

Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper
When you don't remember reading a book until you write about not remembering it.
It was ok. I'm interested in the side characters.
340 Pages

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
So like...you can tell this was written in the 2010s. It also feels closer to middle grade because of the writing style and the language, but he's 14 so like..
But also...he's 14...
Nick reminds me a bit of younger Percy Jackson
464 Pages

Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood.
So I counted the number of times Jack was described as tall (including like....times it talks about him having his own atmosphere or whatever) ...and it's a lot....like....over 100
But also like....I'm being attacked in this book. And I don't like it:

We love tattoos
389 Pages

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley
My Alchemical Romance
Grumpy demon is my favorite. I love him.
Also. Like. The solution to the problem. Smort.
390 Pages

The Night in Question by Liz Lawson and Kathleen Glasgow
It's the sequel to the Agathas, and now I'm waiting for what might be the third book because there's the set up for it.
Also I really want to hurt Alice sometimes because of her reckless driving
416 Pages

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs
the talking about blood made me a little uncomfy...because I don't like needles.
But the magic is cool.
400 Pages

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Main MC is from Missouri... which just...gives me so many happys
The SNL vibes. Also the musician vibes.
305 Pages

Five First Chances by Sarah Jost
Ow.
I'm sad and I wasn't planning on being sad and now my coworkers that sit next to me probably think I'm actually dying
400 Pages

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan
Um so I love these beach vibes.
Let's get rid of city boy...like seriously.
*Wants a tree house and a fun artsy house
TS: The Way I Loved You, High Infidelity
302 Pages

Garden of the Cursed by Katy Rose Pool
Ok but boi gives me Cardan "I love you and I hate it but I love it" vibes. Like there are so many Jude/Cardan vibes angst-wise.
Also. The curse. Like.
Must protect.
Can I have some more please
352 Pages

From Bad to Cursed by Lana Harper
sfjdsajklfdsa Panic attack on pages.
Also enemies to lovers.
351 Pages

Algorithms of Oppression

 Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism

By Safiya Umoja Noble

Pages: 256

"In Algorithms of Oppression, Safiya Umoja Noble challenges the idea that search engines like Google offer an equal playing field for all forms of ideas, identities, and activities. Data discrimination is a real social problem; Noble argues that the combination of private interests in promoting certain sites, along with the monopoly status of a relatively small number of Internet search engines, leads to a biased set of search algorithms that privilege whiteness and discriminate against people of color, specifically women of color."

I started reading this as a part of a class assignment and got pulled in to finish the rest of it. The conversation that Safiya has started with this book really makes me rethink how I use the internet and the repercussions it has on minorities. My one critique is that she often repeats the same examples and re-explains her concept that she outlined in the first chapter throughout the whole book.

180 Seconds

180 Seconds by Jessica Park
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was so compelling that I couldn't put it down. Park is killing it in the NA realm, and I can't believe I didn't read this book sooner after loving Flat Out Love (I confess, I just realized this is the same author---so oops. I should have grabbed more of her work sooner). I suspect I'll go try to get my hands on everything else she's written now, in case it's as equally fabulous as the 4 novels I've now read by her.

Not only is the basic concept intriguing (2 people stare at each other in silence for 180 seconds with unexpected results), but this story has so much depth, with such flawed but truly lovable characters. It moves in unexpected ways and feels fresh from other stories that I've read that are actually somewhat similar.

I have to confess that I get anxious around Indie novels, because I've had far more bad experiences than good ones. However, I think that's partly on me and my apparently poor ability to choose fantastic reads like this. Instead of being scared, or avoiding them out of fear they will be terrible, I should do my homework better to find indie novels that are going to be a good fit for me, because there's so much to miss when I overlook gems like this.

That being said, I'm taking suggestions below for people's favorite indie novels of all time. Just don't rec your own book, your best friend's book, or a family member's book. I get way too much of that on social media and am tired of advertising. No advertising/promotion here. I just want to hear honest comments about the Indie novels that you love to pieces and couldn't live without. If I see something that resonates with me, I'll be sure to add it to my list.

Book 50 read in 2018

Pages: 300

The Only Pirate at the Party by Lindsey Stirling, Brooke S. Passey

 The Only Pirate at the Party 

by Lindsey Stirling, Brooke S. Passey

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Pages: 258

YouTube sensation Lindsey Stirling tells her story in this autobiography. She is a dancing, high energy, electronic violinist. She shares her unusual route to success and her personal struggles. Lindsey is a classically trained musician who, after being voted off the set of America’s Got Talent, went on to have millions of fans. She had to forge her own way after being rejected by talent scouts and music reps. YouTube became her only outlet for her talent and lead her to ten million social media fans, recording two full-length albums, and touring sold-out venues across the world.

Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch

I received this book at a program at the ALA Conference, on how to create marketing for libraries, as sticky as duct tape.  Jantsch's message is crafted for small business, but in his program he gave ideas for adapting them for marketing library services.  Basically, the point is to help your potential customer, i.e. library user, to know, like, trust and then 'buy' your service.  He emphasizes defining your customer and their needs, but also reaching out through every possible source, particularly effectively using social media to create that 'sticky' marketing. 274 pg.