Reading about medieval queens and warring Franks while this precious boy sleeps. Being an aunt is the best!

Once again learning about aspects of WWII I knew nothing about from Ruta Sepetys. This time, the deportation, imprisonment, and extermination of people from Baltic nations (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) by Stalin. When the NKVD come to their house in the middle of the night, Lina and her mother and brother are whisked away to Siberia where they are branded as criminals and forced to work under deplorable conditions. A heartbreaking read.

1. The Dark Queens, Between Shades of Gray, and True Biz

2. Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson

3. It's been a while since the weather has been nice enough, but if I had to hazard a guess maybe The Secret Life of Fungi. Looking forward to more now that the weather is nicer.

"They took me in my nightgown."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwls

Immediately downloaded another Ruta Sepetys book after finishing Salt to the Sea. Also put another one on hold 😂

I had never heard of the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, one of the worst maritime disasters in history with far greater loss of life than the Titanic, until reading this book. Almost 9,000 people, mostly civilians, died when a Russian sub torpedoed the German vessel. This novel follows a group of young people each hiding dangerous secrets who hope to reach safety in Germany. Told in short alternating POV chapters and impossible to put down.

YA historical fiction! I'm planning to do a round-up of must-read middle grade historical fiction later this year too.

https://bookriot.com/must-read-ya-historical-fiction-novels/

I've got some recs for some of the best sci-fi novellas over on Book Riot:

bookriot.com/short-sci-fi-novellas/

My precious little nephew loves rhymes, but I must admit this one almost did me in 😅 He's not even two months yet but we're not wasting any time getting started reading to him.

1. The Dark Queens by Shelley Puhak -- I know, just one book; who am I?

2. Hydrangeas and sunflowers

3. Not much. Gonna try to get ahead on work and maybe go to the plant store, because you can never have too many plants of books right?

#WeekendReads

Another rainy day which is not what I was hoping for afters days of storms, but I am loving this nonfiction biography of two rival Merovingian queens.

Look at these gorgeous new releases 😍

"When Princess Brunhild was led into the great hall, the assembled men jockeying for a glimpse of her, craning their necks or standing on tiptoe."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

My first bingo for #LGBTQBookBingo @Kenyazero

Book mail 😍

Another cute romance novella in the STEMinist series. I loved how grumpy Hannah was even if her reasons for being closed off were sad (if not terribly well explained). The story moved back and forth in time which also really added to the tension and excitement. And Mara and Sadie showed up! Great fun.

This memoir from Hannah Gadbsy traces the course of her life from growing up in small town Tasmania where homosexuality was illegal until the mid-1990s to her journey toward comedy. She's overcome so much to create this life for herself and it was really remarkable--and heartbreaking-- to read about. I felt it could've been tightened up a bit, but it's a great piece of nonfiction nonetheless. Even inspired me to rewatch Nanette last night.

A smoothie bowl with one of my current reads. I was hoping to finish this one before the end of April, but alas. I do think I'll finish it tonight though. Quite good, if a little long.

April wrap-up!

Total books: 18
Pages: 4,145
Longest: Portrait of a Thief (384)
Shortest: My Evil Mother (32)
Female / NB authors: 15
BiPOC authors: 8
LGBTQ books: 10
Favorite(s): I Kissed Shara Wheeler, Where the Wild Ladies Are, and The Love Hypothesis

A cute romance novella about an environmental engineer whose mentor leaves her a house... that just so happens to have another co-owner who can't seem to stand her. Ali Hazelwood writes a good enemies to lovers, what can I say?

A sweet romance i think will appeal to fans of The Charm Offensive about a 22-year old movie buff with a film degree who's never been kissed. I loved the dawning realization and acceptance of his demi-sexuality and how he and Derrick figure out their relationship dynamics. Also the drive in and exhumation of a lost, local horror flick! Great, fun read.

Loving this book so far 😍

Anyone else obsessed with the new Heartstopper Netflix series and looking for some similar reads? I've got you covered!

bookriot.com/books-like-heartstopper

Finished two books today! Excited to have freed up my reading to start Love on the Brain and Siren Queen though tbh 😅

Your box absolutely blew me away @BookNAround ! Several of these books were on my radar and I'm so excited to read them! (Also... is Manywhere signed?? I die.) Kara is clearly already interested in her new toy, and i can't wait to put these bookmarks, book sleeve, and adorable tote to good use! Thank you thank you thank you!

And thank you to @DinoMom and @ShelleyBooksie for putting this whole swap together! #LitsyLovesAnimals

An unbelievably sweet graphic novel about a girl learning to love her natural curls and pushing back against her family's bias about "good hair." The artwork is lovely and the story is part heartbreaking, part heartwarming and all excellence.

Little man just reached up to hold on to my overalls and is making it very hard to concentrate on my book (which, if I'm being honest, I was having a hard time concentrating on anyway).

A cute new middle grade from the author of Ghost Squad about a group of young witches who have to go up against a monster to prove themselves or else be turned into toads forever. Lots of fun magical worldbuilding, but my favorite part was the character development and arc of the main trio who go from strangers / enemies to best friends.

Book mail!

I was dragged kicking and screaming onto the Ali Hazelwood bandwagon but I'm so glad @sebrittainclark convinced me it was worth it. All the Reylo comparisons put me off, but the truth is its just a wonderful enemies (ish) to lovers fake dating in STEM novel and you only see the comparisons if you know they're there. Plus demisexual rep! Already put all her 2022 releases on hold at my library.

I absolutely adored this collection of loosely connected short stories about strange and supernatural women (and men) in Japan, many inspired by classic Japanese stories. I've been enjoying Japanese surreal / speculative fiction lately and after seeing how much @sebrittainclark enjoyed it last year for the #NewYearWhoDis challenge, I knew i needed to read it too. So glad I did because it was a 5 star read. Highly recommend.

1. The Love Hypothesis, I Will Die in a Foreign Land, Ten Steps to Nanette, and Portrait of a Thief

2. The Queens of Animation

3. Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond (another yellow cover), coming May 2nd

3.

#WeekendReads

A wide range of genres this weekend, which is pretty typical for me: a heist novel, a memoir, romance, and contemporary fiction.

#WeekendReading @Andrew65

Ahh my #LitsyLovesAnimals box came in, complete with cute stickers 😍
@DinoMom @ShelleyBooksie @BookNAround

I love a short book from time to time so I gathered up some of the best over on Book Riot, all under 200 pages. Check 'em out!

bookriot.com/best-books-under-200-pages/

I did a newsletter for Book Riot not that long ago on Ukrainian historical fiction but I've also been looking into fiction and SFF from Ukrainian authors as well, so I thought I'd share a few I've found in case anyone else is interested and wants to put my research to good use.

Please feel free to share any other titles you know in the comments!

An interesting premise that fell flat. I expected something more speculative but got something very philosophical instead as a dying man agrees to let the devil dissappear something new everyday to get another day of life, first phones, then movies and clocks. It wasn't bad, I just wasn't all that invested either.

So excited for this surprise finished copy ARC I got in the mail today! Susie and I were in a theatre program together as kids and now both write for Book Riot so it's fun to see her first book about to go out into the world. Can't wait to start reading it!

Reading with my favorite little man

1. Portrait of a Thief and Where the Wild Ladies Are

2. Both, for sure!

3. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

#WeekendReads

Incredible. Chloe Green only has one thing standing in her way of becoming valedictorian at her Christian high school: perfect, popular Shara Wheeler. Then Shara dissapears after kissing Chloe, leaving behind a series of mysterious notes for Chloe, the stoner she apparently also kissed, and her boyfriend. It's part mystery, part high school outcast story, part rom-com, and all great reading.

5 stars / ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚📚📚

"Chloe Green is going to put her fist through a window."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

My #LitsyLovesAnimals package is officially in the mail! @DinoMom @ShelleyBooksie

I managed to snag an audiobook ARC of Shara Wheeler and I couldn't be happier 🤩

Kara really thinks there's something in here for her, but it's actually just my #LitsyLovesAnimals package which I'll be sending out tomorrow. @DinoMom @ShelleyBooksie

This book did what it was trying to do--satarize and horrify--quite well, but deals with topics so appalling that I would have a hard time recommending it. A virus has rendered animal meat deadly. "Special meat," ie meat from human livestock, is now the norm. I have a hard time believing humans would turn to cannibalism so readily when vegetarianism and lab grown meat is so accessible, but I guess that wasn't the point. This is satire after all.

1. Portrait of a Thief and Where the Wild Ladies Are

2. The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

3. Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby

#WeekendReads

My favorite way to relax in the evening: book and bath.

Reading these lovely blue and teal books this weekend 💙

#WeekendReading @Andrew65