July 2021 Reading Wrap Up

It's that time of the month: my reading wrap up! This is a separate little series that you won't see over on my bookstagram, so stay tuned here for the wrap up of each month!

Natives, Akala

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Physical book

Rating, out of 5 stars: 5 stars

Red Queen, Victoria Aveyard

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: N/a

The Red Prince, Helen Carr

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: 5 stars

She-Wolves, Helen Castor

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: E-book, Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: N/a

Rebel of the Sands, Alwyn Hamilton

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: E-book, Kindle app

Rating, out of 5 stars: N/a

The Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead

Did I read this? Yes    No

How I read it: Physical book

Rating, out of 5 stars: 4 stars

Books I read that weren't on my TBR

The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett

How I read it: Physical book

Rating, out of 5 stars: 3.5 stars

Imperial Metropolis, Jessica M. Kim

How I read it: E-book, Kindle app 

Rating, out of 5 stars: 3.75 stars

The Paris Orphan, Natasha Lester

How I read it: E-book, Kindle app 

Rating, out of 5 stars: 5 stars

Salt to the Sea, Ruta Sepetys

How I read it: E-book, Kindle app 

Rating, out of 5 stars: 3.75 stars

The People We Keep, Allison Larkin

How I read it: Physical book

Rating, out of 5 stars: 3.75 stars

Books I started but haven't finished

N/a

Mid-Year HBR Bookshelf Re-Organization

At first, I was drafting this post for publication in late September. However, as I thought about it, this post fit better in July. I kept my bookshelf organization and set up the same, for the most part. However, since I recently received most of my books for the Fall 2021 semester, all of which I plan to keep, I wanted to figure out a better way to fit them in. I also have some personal reading books coming within the next week or two, so I need to make sure I have space for those as well.

I have 1 full bookshelf (5 shelves), 1 hanging shelf (fits around 6 books, depending on size), 1 1/4-circular "bookshelf" (4 shelves), and 3 cubbies on my desk that I use for books. Additionally, I have 186 physical books,  57 audiobooks, and 15 ebooks (not including any borrowed ebooks). Adding all of these books together, I have 258 books in total. I also have 3 physical books on the way and an ebook that'll be delivered to my Kindle library (bought through Amazon) on its release date of August 31. If I include all of those books, I will have 262 books in total near the end of August.

So let's get into my mid-year bookshelf re-organization!

How my bookshelves were before re-organization:

Hanging shelf - 6 books

1. When Women Ruled the World, Kara Cooney
2. The Woman Who Would Be King, Kara Cooney
3. Circe, Madeline Miller
4. The Paris Orphan, Natasha Lester
5. The Paris Seamstress, Natasha Lester
6. The Paris Secret, Natasha Lester

Full bookshelf - 5 shelves

1. Shelf 1 - 3 series, 18 books
2. Shelf 2  - Mythology books
3. Shelf 3 - Mythology books, Classics, and Historical Fiction
4. Shelf 4 - History
5. Shelf 5 - History

1/4-circular "bookshelf" - 4 shelves

1. Shelf 1 - journals, 2 book rentals for my Fall 2021 semester classes
2. Shelf 2  - History
3. Shelf 3 - History
4. Shelf 4 - History

Desk - 3 cubbies

1. Cubby 1 - History
2. Cubby 2 - History
3. Cubby 3 - History

Most of my books were organized by genre and then by location (i.e. Greek mythology or British history).

How my bookshelves were after re-organization:

Hanging shelf - 6 books

1. When Women Ruled the World, Kara Cooney
2. The Woman Who Would Be King, Kara Cooney
3. The Paris Orphan, Natasha Lester
4. The Paris Seamstress, Natasha Lester
5. The Paris Secret, Natasha Lester
6. [space for The Riviera House, Natasha Lester]

Full bookshelf - 5 shelves

1. Shelf 1 - 3 series, 18 books
2. Shelf 2  - Mythology books
3. Shelf 3 - Mythology books, Classics, and Historical Fiction
4. Shelf 4 - Autobiographies, History
5. Shelf 5 - History

1/4-circular "bookshelf" - 4 shelves

1. Shelf 1 - journals, 2 book rentals for my Fall 2021 semester classes
2. Shelf 2  - History
3. Shelf 3 - History
4. Shelf 4 - History

Desk - 3 cubbies

1. Cubby 1 - History
2. Cubby 2 - History
3. Cubby 3 - History

The overall organization of my books stayed pretty much the same. However, I changed it from location to alphabetical. I do have a small autobiography section, but it's only 3 books for right now.

6 Types of Characters I'd Like to See More Of

I've seen a lot of videos, posts, reviews, and more where "unlikeable characters" made a book less enjoyable for a person. This kind of makes me wonder if the character (especially the main character) was intentionally written as unlikeable or not. If they're intentionally written as unlikeable, then there's a reason for that.

As I was thinking about this, other thoughts began, especially the question of what kind of characters would I like to see more of. Hence, this post was born. Here are 6 types of characters I'd like to see more of in fiction.

Character Type 1: Unlikeable main characters

If unlikeable characters are written well, then they can be, weirdly enough, likable. I'm not talking about the Mary Sues or the Gary Stues (those bland, one-dimensional characters) - I'm talking about well-rounded, well-written characters. It's one of those situations where you have a love-hate relationship with a character: they're unlikeable, but you love that about them, and that makes them a good character. Even if you hate the unlikeable main character, that doesn't make them a bad character for the story and its plot. Good writing evokes emotions, so if you really dislike a character, that's probably a good sign.

Character Type 2: Likable villains.

This is a similar concept to unlikeable main characters, so it's not something that I'll go into much detail about. I'm not saying "likable villains" as in you're rooting for the villains (although this certainly can be part of it). What I mean is that the villain is bad, 100% evil/not good, and you just like them. One character I can think of from cinema is the character Captain John Simcoe from the AMC show Turn: Washington's Spies. He is a villain for the show (based on a real person), and he's just so well written that I have to say "You're a great villain and a likable one at that."

Character Type 3: Morally grey characters.

I feel like morally grey characters have been popping up more in books lately, but I would like to see more of them around. And, for the most part, I don't care one way or the other if the author writes them intending for readers to root for them or not. But morally grey characters are so interesting (especially as main characters).

Character Type 4: Main characters who make mistakes and learn from them.

I feel like there are too many main characters who fall under 2 categories. Category 1: The main character makes mistakes, but doesn't learn from them for whatever reason. Character 2: The main character is incapable of making mistakes. And these two tropes are so annoying in my opinion. I just think that we need more main characters who make mistakes and actively learn from them.

Character Type 5: Characters who are avid readers.

Maybe I'm not reading the right genres for this, but . . . it's not something I see a lot of other readers on social media (Instagram, YouTube, etc.) talking about. You may get some readers in books, but there never seems to be any hints at characters being avid readers.

Character Type 6: Characters who have some sort of disability.

This has been improving over the past couple of years. However, I feel like there is still plenty of room for improvement, especially when it comes to invisible disabilities. As a person who has a relative with a few invisible disabilities, it would be amazing to see their disabilities represented in literature.

There are so many other character types that would be great to see in literature. In some cases, I understand that it's easier to translate certain things through film and cinema rather than books. However, in most cases, characters can be easily translated through the written word without falling into the typical, one-dimensional tropes that happen a lot.

20 Gift Ideas for Readers

This is something I feel confounds a lot of people: what to get your reader family members and friends. Yes, you could get them books. But, although this is always a greatly appreciated gift, this is also a bit unoriginal. So what else can you get your bookish family members and friends?

Here are 20 gift ideas for your reader family members and friends. With all of these gift ideas, although it's not always explicitly stated, all of these can be bookish-related if you come about these items with bookish themes.

Gift Idea 1: Bookplates

Gift Idea 2: Blankets

Gift Idea 3: Pillows and/or bookish pillowcases

Gift Idea 4: Bathtub caddies

Gift Idea 5: Candles

Gift Idea 6: Booklights

Gift Idea 7: Bookish jigsaw puzzles

Gift Idea 8: Tote bags

Gift Idea 9: Book box subscriptions (or a subscription to other monthly literary stuff)

Gift Idea 10: Clothing

Gift Idea 11: Accessories - pins, jewelry, etc.

Gift Idea 12: Bookends

Gift Idea 13: Personal library kits

Gift Idea 14: Mugs

Gift Idea 15: Journals

Gift Idea 16: Page holders

Gift Idea 17: Tea or coffee

Gift Idea 18: Ornaments

Gift Idea 19: Gift cards to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or other bookstores

Gift Idea 20: Bookish pop socket

My Top 10 Reading Locations

I feel like there are some reading locations that are quite contested. It's understandable why some of these locations are as contested as they are, but there are quite a few fun ones.

Here are my top 10 reading locations, in no particular order. Please note that these are my personal favorite reading locations. You don't need to agree with me, and I don't need to agree with you on what the "best" reading locations are.

1. Bed
2. Bath
3. Desk
4. Living room rocking chair
5. Window
6. Pool
7. Beach
8. Car or another moving vehicle (audiobook only)
9. On a walk or hike (audiobook only)
10. Hotel room during vacation

8 Phrases for Combatting any Reader Pressures You May Feel

I was planning to combine this post with yesterday's post, "6 Pressures I've Faced as a Reader." Initially, I had the post "6 Pressures I've Faced as a Reader, and How I Combatted These Pressures." However, as I continued with drafting the post, I realized that it was better for me to have 2 separate posts on this topic.

It's very easy to feel reader pressures, especially with everything that inundates the bookish community via the internet. You may feel other pressures aside from the ones I've personally felt and mentioned in yesterday's post. This post, hopefully, will help you combat those pressures.

Here are 8 phrases for combatting reader pressures.

Phrase 1: Reading 50+ books in a single year may work for other people, but I don't need to read that many.

Phrase 2: I don't need an aesthetically pleasing bookish social media account, or even a social media account dedicated to books, to prove that I have or read books.

Phrase 3: If I decide to attempt an aesthetic bookish social media account, it doesn't need to be similar to other bookish social media accounts, and it doesn't need to "stand up to" other bookish social media accounts.

Phrase 4: I don't need to read from every single genre, and I don't have to stick to a single genre. I can read whatever I want.

Phrase 5: I don't need to have physical books of every single book I want to read or have read. Ebooks and audiobooks are perfectly acceptable.

Phrase 6: Borrowing library books before I buy a book is a great way to save money and avoid buying books that I may ultimately unhaul.

Phrase 7: Unhauling books is perfectly okay. There are plenty of others who most likely will enjoy the books I'm unhauling.

Phrase 8: I don't need to have 2+ bookshelves. Having one bookshelf is perfectly fine.

If it helps you, feel free to add "to be a good reader" to the end of each of these phrases. I didn't include it because it would have eventually felt repetitive, and I feel like that's a little redundant for this post.

There are so many other ways for you to combat reading pressures. The main thing to do is remind yourself that you are a good reader, no matter what you do as a reader.

6 Pressures I've Faced as a Reader

This is something I've seen a couple of times on Booktube, Bookstagram, and bookish blogs. I haven't seen this a whole lot, though, so I thought I'd give it a shot here on my blog.

You may think "How can a reader face pressure?" or "What are you talking about? There's no pressure to reading!" That is, safe to say, ignoring the bigger picture of reading, no matter the reason. Reading is something that is capable of touching both our personal and our social lives. There are personal pressures, and there are social pressures.

Here are 6 pressures that I personally have faced as a reader.

Pressure 1: I need to set a reading goal of 50+ books per year.

Pressure 2: I need to try to have an aesthetic bookish social media account that "stands up to" the aesthetics of other bookish social media accounts.

Pressure 3: I need to keep up with every new release, and that I'm not a "good reader" if I read backlisted books.

Pressure 4: I need to read from every single genre available.

Pressure 5: I need to only read from "my genre."

Pressure 6: I have to own physical copies of every single book I buy.

6 Questions to Ask for Organizing and Managing a Buddy Read

I was looking through some of my posts in early June when I came up with an idea. I was looking through my post 12 Tips for Approaching a Goodreads Reading Challenge (Or Any Reading Challenge) when I read the 7th tip. The 7th tip was to do a buddy read or two if you have friends and/or family members who are readers.

Buddy reads can be hard to set up, organize, and manage. Even if you want to do it, it can be daunting to break into it and start doing buddy reads. Hopefully, this post will help in setting up and run a buddy read or two. Here are 6 questions to ask for organizing and managing a buddy read.

Question 1: What are you going to read?

Deciding on what you'll read is probably the most important question to answer. It'll be easiest to choose a book everyone in the buddy read has a copy of. However, there are ways to go about doing a buddy read if not everyone has the book. (I.e. the library, loaning apps like Libby and Overdrive, if someone has an extra copy, etc.)

Question 2: Are you going to set a pace for the read?

Is everyone going to try to read a chapter a day, or are you all going to read it in your own time? Answering these questions will help you decide how you'll go about reading the book in the buddy (or group) read. Also, deciding if you'll do any reading when you meet up is a good thing to decide if you decide to meet up.

Question 3: How are you going to meet up?

Are you going to meet up in person or virtually? If you meet up in person, where are you meeting up? If you're meeting up virtually, are you doing it via a phone call, Zoom call, or another virtual meet-up application?

Question 4: When will you meet up?

Will you meet up regularly during the buddy read during the time you're reading? If so, when? Deciding on when you'll meet up can be time-consuming because we all have lives outside of the buddy read. However, it can be so useful to have this all sorted before you begin your buddy read.

Question 5: Will you meet up during the time you read the book?

Reading the book together, in real-time can be a fun aspect of a buddy read. Whether you meet over a call, FaceTime, Zoon, another call app, or in person, deciding when and how you'll meet up to read the book can be fun to do. And you'll have someone, in the moment, to turn to with certain scenes.

Question 6: Will you meet up when everyone is done with the book?

Meeting up when everyone, including yourself, is done with the book gives you the opportunity to go over and discuss the book one final time during your buddy read. It doesn't matter what exactly about the book you discuss, but it can be a nice little wrap-up to the buddy read. (Of course, you can always talk about the book later, but this is in relation to the buddy read itself.)

2021 Mid-Year Reading Goals

I came up with this idea while I was looking around (as I've been doing lately) for blog post ideas. A post idea given by Vivatramp's 100 Book Blog Post Ideas post was to set some reading goals. I decided to put my own twist on it by making a Mid-Year Reading Goals post.

Everyone creates new reading goals at the end of one year and going into the new year. It could be the Goodreads reading challenge, reading more new authors, or reading more from authors you love. I thought it would be fun to do a mid-year reading goals post so that I could lay out what I wanted to accomplish within the last half of the year, at least where it concerns my reading. So let's get into my 2021 Mid-Year Reading Goals!

Goal 1: Try to keep my currently reading pile at no more than 4 books, unless it's for university.

I'm one of those people who, once I'm reading at least 3 books, I'll just keep piling books onto my currently reading pile. For the rest of the year, I really want to keep an eye on how many books I'm currently reading. I tend to hit a reading slump if I'm reading too many books at once without pacing myself.

Goal 2: Re-read books I've been wanting to re-read for a while.

I have always been open to re-reading books, but I don't act upon it often. There have been a few books where, when looking at them, I've thought, "I really need to re-read that." But, even if I think that, I just move onto a book I haven't read. Which is fine, but I love re-reading books.

Goal 3: Borrow more books from Libby, but keep the number of books I'm borrowing at one time low.

I use Libby more than I use Overdrive, mainly because I find it a bit easier to use. But I would love to use Libby more often. I feel, though, that I need to try harder to keep the number of books I'm borrowing low so that I'm not stressed to return so many books at one time.

Goal 4: Use ebooks and audiobooks more often.

Similarly with re-reading books, I'm always open to using ebooks and audiobooks. And by using Libby, I have been using more ebooks. (I haven't tried using any of Libby's audiobooks yet.) However, I want to try buying more ebooks and audiobooks so that I'm not cramming books into my one bookshelf.

7 Tips for Borrowing Another's Book

This post is the caveat to yesterday's post.

As mentioned yesterday, there's a certain, unspoken protocol to borrowing a book, whether it's from a friend, family member, or the library. And sometimes, these unspoken boundaries can vary from person to person. So here are 7 tips for borrowing books from another person.

Tip 1: Ask what their boundaries are.

Yes, there are the unspoken rules of not dog-earing another's book, or not writing in it. But just double-check what their boundaries are. It's better to be safe rather than sorry.

Tip 2: Return the book in the condition it was initially borrowed.

If the book comes with a dust jacket, return the book with the dust jacket. Don't dog-ear the pages, write in the book, or anything else. If you want to take notes on the book, either for remembering specific quotes or for remembering specific scenes, use a notebook or a document.

Tip 3: Return the book in a timely fashion.

Returning the book within a good amount of time. We all understand that things happen, life happens. So if you can't, for whatever reason, let the lender know that you'll get them their book as soon as possible.

Tip 4: If something happened to the book during the time you borrowed it, be honest about it.

As mentioned in Tip 3, we all understand that things like accidents happen. If an accident happens, be honest about it. In most cases, the lender will understand if you're honest about what happened. Maybe even offer to buy the person a new copy.

Tip 5: Be willing to talk about the book once you're finished with it and return it to its owner.

You don't have to talk for hours upon hours about the book, but at least be willing to talk about the book for a little bit. That way, you can see what the lender thought about the book, what you thought about the book. There is also the possibility that you can better understand the book - either a couple of scenes in it or the entire book - by discussing it with the lender.

Tip 6: Use a bookmark at all times.
As mentioned in Tip 2, you should return the book in the condition it was given to you. That means no dog-earing the pages, no matter how much you love doing it. So use a bookmark. And if you don't have a bookmark easily accessible, use something like a receipt, tissue, or piece of scrap paper.

Tip 7: When in doubt, treat the book like you would treat a library book.

If you're not entirely sure about what the lender does or doesn't want done with their book, treat it like a library book. That way, you're not doing any harm.

7 Tips for Loaning Out Your Books

This is an idea I had while thinking of the Libby and Overdrive apps.

When you're borrowing books from someone, there's a certain, unspoken protocol you follow. That will be the topic of tomorrow's post. Today, however, I want to talk about tips for those of you who are nervous about loaning out your books.

Loaning out your books, especially your favorite books, can be a difficult experience. Even if you know and trust the person, your books are another thing. So here are 7 tips for loaning out your books.

Tip 1: Make your boundaries known.

If you don't want your pages dog-eared or don't want the person to go off somewhere (like on vacation) with the book, let them know. Expressing what your boundaries are will help the person understand better what to do (especially what to not do) with your book. Yes, there are pseudo, unspoken "rules" to borrowing books, but letting a person know your specific book boundaries helps set the standard.

Tip 2: Lend a bookmark with the book.

If you are someone who gets livid at seeing dog-eared pages, lending a bookmark with the book most likely will guarantee that your pages won't be dog-eared. Even if the bookmark isn't actually used, it still prevents the possibility of it happening.

Tip 3: Let the person when you hope to get the book back.

Loaning out a book to someone obviously puts pressure on them to return it to you in a timely fashion. However, things happen, and our lives get in the way. Letting the person know when you hope to get the book back eases the pressure, but let's them know that you still want your book back.

Tip 4: Stick a post-it note with your name on one of the inside covers.

Let's face it: no matter how young we are or how good we claim our memory is, it sometimes fails us. And on some of those occasions, we may not remember who we borrow books from. Sticking a little post-it note with your name on one of the inside covers will help to remind the person "Oh, yeah. This is [insert name]'s book."

Tip 5: Keep track of the books you're loaning.

Piggybacking off of Tip 4, keep track of the books you're loaning, and who's borrowing them. (You can buy personal library kits on Amazon.) Whether you do it via a whiteboard, notebook, document, or other, keeping track will help you in the long run.

Tip 6: Don't lend books you yourself are borrowing.

Just don't do it. Yeah, someone may enjoy the book, but it isn't yours to lend out. There are other places someone can borrow that book from, like a local library or apps like Libby and Overdrive.

Tip 7: Make sure it's a book you don't plan to use or read soon.

If it's a book you don't plan on picking up for a while, then that will probably be a good book to loan out. However, if it's one you need for whatever reason, then it's not a book to loan out in that moment.

8 Tips for Buying Books

As I was searching around on Google for possible book blog post topics, I stumbled upon this idea of tips for buying books. (Yes, I do search around for book blog inspiration.) When I saw this topic idea, I immediately realized that this kind of post would help me. I also realized that if it would help me, it would help many others like myself.

I think that many of us readers are just so used to buying books, more books, and even more books. However, for whatever reason, we may hesitate to buy books now. Hopefully, this post will help you out in buying books.

Here are 8 tips for buying books.

Tip 1: Look up the book in your search engine and on Goodreads.

Looking the book up in your search engine and on Goodreads will give you access to ratings, reviews, and links to buying the book online. Looking at the synopsis, reviews, and ratings online will help you see if it's actually a book you'll enjoy. You may also get some information on the book's author.

Tip 2: Look up the author online and on social media.

In the past 2-5 years, there has been a lot of stuff going on about authors in their social circles. And if the author has put out some controversial statements or opinions, it may be best to borrow the book rather than buy it. And even if the author hasn't done or said anything controversial, it's still good to look the author up to see what kind of books they write, and within what genre.

Tip 3: Create a shelf on Goodreads for books you want to buy in the near future.

No matter what you name the shelf - "Books I Want to Buy" or "Books to Buy Soon" or something else - it might be helpful to create it. It'll help because it's an easy way to keep track of any books you want to buy soon - anticipated reads, recent releases, new books from your favorite author, or any others.

Tip 4: If you're unsure about the book, see if it's one you can borrow through your local library or through apps like Libby or Overdrive.

We've all been at this point in buying books: we want to read the book, but we aren't 100% sure we want to buy it. Seeing if you can borrow the book, either from a physical library or from apps like Libby and Overdrive, will help you out in this situation. You're not investing money by using your library, Libby, or Overdrive, but you may have the opportunity to read the book. But please note that libraries, Libby, and Overdrive may not have access to every book you want to look into and read, especially if it's a newer book or an older one.

Tip 5: Ask any reader friends or family members about their thoughts on the book.

If you have friends and family members who read a lot, they may have read the book, or they've at least heard of it. You can ask them what their thoughts on the books, even if they've only heard about the book and haven't read it.

Tip 6: See if there are any posts on bookish social media to see what people's thoughts are.

Going to bookish social media accounts on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, or others can really help you find out more about a specific book or two. Bookish social media can also help you find possible new books you may want to buy and read.

Tip 7: If you prefer paperback to hardback, you may want to wait a while before purchasing the book.

Most books come out in hardback in their initial publication, and the paperbacks usually come out within 6 months to a year after the book's first publication. So if you prefer paperback, you may want to wait a little while before you purchase the book.

Tip 8: Follow authors and bookish accounts on social media.

Following authors and bookish accounts on social media, similarly with Tip 6, can really help you out in the long run. It'll help you find new books, view reviews on books you're interested in, and so much more.

10 Book Recommendations for Beach Reading

I know I said I was only going to do 2 book recommendations posts this month, but July was the perfect time to post this. When prepping some blog posts, I was thinking about an upcoming beach day. My next thought was, "Wouldn't it be nice to do a book recommendations post for beach reading?" Thus, this post was formed. I have similar posts lined up for the later seasons.

Honestly, I love reading at the beach. In my opinion, there's just something about the beach ambiance that's wonderful for reading.

Here are 10 book recommendations for beach reading:

1. The Arabian Nights, translated by Sir Richard Burton
2. Helen of Troy, Margaret George
3. The Iliad, Homer
4. The Odyssey, Homer
5. Circe, Madeline Miller
6. The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller
7. The Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean, John Julius Norwich
8. The Mummy, Anne Rice
9. The Passion of Cleopatra, Anne Rice
10. The Fountains of Silence, Ruta Sepetys

My Top 8 Netflix Documentaries

It's another documentary recommendations time! As with others I've done, I will focus on history documentaries in these posts.

I'll be honest: I haven't watched a history documentary in a while. While most of these history documentaries are "older," I think these still are worth watching.

My top 8 Netflix documentaries:

1. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
2. Geniuses of the Ancient World
3. The Last Czars
4. Myths & Monsters
5. Secrets of Great British Castles
6. Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb
7. Tales of Irish Castles
8. Witch Hunt: A Century of Murder

My Top 8 Historical Fiction Book Recommendations

It's another book recommendations post! (Wow, two in one month . . . I won't post any more until next month lol.)

Unlike my post on historical fiction recommendations that don't revolve around WWII, this post will focus on my top 8 historical fiction book recommendations, no matter the setting.

My top 8 historical fiction book recommendations:

1. The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue
2. Helen of Troy, Margaret George
3. The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller
4. The Paris Orphan, Natasha Lester
5. The Paris Seamstress, Natasha Lester
6. The Paris Secret, Natasha Lester
7. The Fountains of Silence, Ruta Sepetys
8. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

Book Addict Book Tag

It's time for another book tag! As with every book tag I do here on my blog, the questions will be on their own, without my answers, at the end of my blog.

Let's get into the Book Addict tag!

1. What is the longest amount of time you can comfortably go without picking up a book?

Probably a couple of days.

2. How many books do you carry on your person (physical or device) at any one time?

I carry roughly 78 in total, usually around 15 in the Kindle app and 63 in the Audible app.

3. Do you keep every book you buy/receive, or are you happy to pass them on to make space for more?

No, I don't. I'm always willing to unhaul books - no matter who they're going to.

4. How long would you spend in a bookshop on a standard visit?

Maybe 30 to 45 minutes.

5. How much time per day do you actually spend reading?

Roughly an hour, depending on the day.

6. Where does the task "picking up a book" appear on your daily to-do list?

After breakfast, before I start working on things, and then before I go to bed.

7. How many books do you reckon you own in total (including ebooks and audiobooks, if possible)?

I have roughly 78 electronic books (see question 2), and I own 174 physical books. So, in total, I own 252 books. Not a lot, but it's a hefty chunk.

8. Approximately how often do you bring up books in conversation?

I bring books up a lot in conversation, but it really depends on whom I'm talking to.

9. What is the biggest book (page count) you have finished reading?

Probably Ron Chernow's Grant at 959 pages.

10. Is there a book you had to get your hands on against all odds (searched bookstore, online digging, stalked author, etc.)?

There isn't really a specific book, but I always try to get my hands on any of Natasha Lester's books or Kara Cooney's books.

11. Is there a book you struggled to finish because you refused to DNF?

I can't really think of a book that I should have DNF-ed, mainly because I have always ok with DNF-ing books.

12. What are 3 (or some) of your main book goals for 2021?

My Goodreads reading challenge is 125 books. Another book goal of mine for 2021 is to actually DNF books if I'm not feeling them.

13. Have you ever had the privilege of converting someone into a reader (by inspiration or your incessant nagging)?

Not really, no.

14. Describe what books mean to you in FIVE words.

Escape, learning, happiness, admiration, comfort.

1. What is the longest amount of time you can comfortably go without picking up a book?

2. How many books do you carry on your person (physical or device) at any one time?

3. Do you keep every book you buy/receive, or are you happy to pass them on to make space for more?

4. How long would you spend in a bookshop on a standard visit?

5. How much time per day do you actually spend reading?

6. Where does the task "picking up a book" appear on your daily to-do list?

7. How many books do you reckon you own in total (including ebooks and audiobooks, if possible)?

8. Approximately how often do you bring up books in conversation?

9. What is the biggest book (page count) you have finished reading?

10. Is there a book you had to get your hands on against all odds (searched bookstore, online digging, stalked author, etc.)?

11. Is there a book you struggled to finish because you refused to DNF?

12. What are 3 (or some) of your main book goals for 2021?

13. Have you ever had the privilege of converting someone into a reader (by inspiration or your incessant nagging)?

14. Describe what books mean to you in FIVE words.

The Bookish Dilemma: Getting a New Book and Then Immediately Finishing It

I have been waiting to get to this bookish dilemma. Partially because I am very guilty of this exact dilemma. It's also a bookish dilemma that I feel like every reader can relate to and have done at some point in their reading life.

You get a new book, pre-order or not, and add it to your bookshelf. But once you finish the book you're currently reading, you pick up your new book, read it, and breeze through it. Afterward, I (at least) get a bit annoyed myself for not getting to other books that have been sitting on my shelves for 6+ months.

Here are 6 prompts to ask yourself that may help you with this dilemma. Unlike with my posts that include tips, I won't be adding my own little thoughts, because you should really answer without any extra thoughts or details.

Prompt 1: Is it an anticipated read for you?

Prompt 2: Who is the author? How do you feel about this author?

Prompt 3: What genre is the book? How do you feel about the genre?

Prompt 4: What is the book's synopsis? Does it intrigue you?

Prompt 5: Is it getting a lot of hype in social media? If so, how do you feel about the hype?

Prompt 6: Do you know anyone who's already read the book? If so, what were their thoughts on it?

Controversial Bookish Topic: Rating Books You’ve Abandoned or DNF-ed

This is, in my opinion, one of the touchier controversial bookish topics. If you abandoned a book, or "DNF-ed" it, then you set it down without getting to its end.

Many think that if you didn't finish a book, then you shouldn't rate or review it. Others think that it depends on how far you got into the book - if you get past a certain point (usually around 50%), then you can rate or review it. There are still others that don't care one way or another.

Unlike with some of the other controversial bookish topics I've posted about here, I understand where this one comes from. You haven't finished a book, you didn't see it wrap up and end. As a result, I understand why people say, "If you DNF-ed a book, you shouldn't rate or review it."

I personally don't care if someone reviews a book they DNF-ed. Most of the "DNF Reviews" (as I call them) that I've seen around just state why they DNF-ed a book.

DNF-ing a book is something that I've been trying to remind myself is okay to do. It doesn't matter what the reason is. Whether I'm not enjoying it, or if I'm not in the right mindset for it, I have to tell myself (sometimes audibly), that it is okay to DNF books.

I want to discuss what I do when I DNF books. I look at how far I got in the book. If I got at least 50% through, then I'll leave a brief review of the book, but no rating. If I got at least 75% percent through but DNF-ed the book, then I do a brief review and a rating. However, if I got 25% or less in a book, I'll say where I DNF-ed the book and why I DNF-ed it with no actual "review" in the true definition of the word. (For example, I'll say "DNF-ed at 25%, I just couldn't get into the book."

However, no matter where I DNF a book, I always include "DNF-ed at [insert percentage]." That way, people know that I am giving a review or rating with a DNF in mind. Depending on where I got in the book, I may include a "may pick up later" or "don't plan to pick up again."

5 Steps for How I Unhaul My Books

Unhauling books can be a bit of a controversial topic. Why? "Because you shouldn't get rid of your books." I don't agree with the idea that you can't get rid of your books because you've already bought them. I think I've made a post on tips for unhauling (i.e. getting rid of) your books. However, I wanted to give a more personal spin on the topic.

In this post, I go over my 5 steps for how I unhaul my books when I'm ready to get rid of a few. I decided to do this as a step-by-step guide with my reasonings so that it would be clearer how to unhaul books and easily understood.

Step 1: Remember it is okay to unhaul books.

There has been an underlying stigma that doing a book unhaul is "not okay," as I brought up earlier. Just remind yourself that it is perfectly fine to unhaul your books for many reasons. It clears up space on your shelves. Your shelves also become more of a reflection of you, since after an unhaul or two, the books are mostly the ones you enjoy.

Step 2: Clear off your bookshelf, and take a look at each book as you do so.

This may seem tedious, but it'll help out in the long run. As you clear off your bookshelf, look at each book. If it's one you want to keep, set it to one side. If it's a book you want to get rid of, set it to the other side. Don't worry about organizing your books until later.

Step 3: Once your bookshelf is cleared off, go through all the books you set aside to unhaul.

Giving the books you're thinking of unhauling a second look through will help you really decide if you want to give the book away. There is the option of sticking some books into boxes in your garage or storage if you still want the book, but don't want it on your shelf. If, after a second look through, you decide that you still want to give a book away, then stick it into a new unhaul pile.

Step 4: See if any of your books are something a friend or family member might enjoy.

Even if your friends or family members aren't big readers, you may have a book or two that someone you know might enjoy. I've often given books to some friends if I think they'd enjoy it more than me. (But don't be offended if they eventually unhaul the book as well.)

Step 5: Look up places you can take your books to.

Many places will accept books: bookshops, donation centers, libraries, and so many others. Some places may even buy your books from you. You just really need to do your research.

6 of My Bookish Pet Peeves

Bookish pet peeves are very interesting to think about in my opinion. I don't consider myself someone who has a bunch of pet peeves left and right, but I do have a few.

Today, I want to go over 6 of my bookish pet peeves.

Bookish Pet Peeve 1: When people get mad that you're reading a book from a "controversial author."

This has been a hot topic recently, especially with J.K. Rowling. It's one thing to continue supporting a controversial author by buying their books, any merchandise, or following them on social media. But it's another thing if you already have their books and merchandise but don't want to get rid of them.

Bookish Pet Peeve 2: When a book isn't returned in the condition it was borrowed.

One thing I've always said when I've loaned out books is that if something happens to the book, I just want to be told. I won't be mad or upset, I just want to be told that this happened and that it was an accident. If I'm not told, then yes, I will be annoyed if it's damaged in any way. But I won't be annoyed if you tell me. It's common bookish decency to take care of a book you're borrowing - and if something happens, just admit it.

Bookish Pet Peeve 3: People acting snobbish about a certain book format.

Thankfully, this has settled down in recent years. But when people act snobbish about a certain book format - any book format - it really annoys me. If you want to read only a specific book format, that's perfectly fine. But that doesn't mean everyone else has to do the same.

Bookish Pet Peeve 4: Being judged for reading a certain genre.

This happens a lot with people who are in their mid-20s or older who read YA: they're judged because "it's not their age bracket." If you enjoy a certain genre, then it is okay to read from it. It's no one else's business what genres you read or why you read those kinds of books.

Bookish Pet Peeve 5: Being judged for reading only one genre.

A lot of people say that you shouldn't read from only one genre, because then you're a "snob." However, you're only a snob if you act like that one genre is the best one out of all genres. If you read one to two genres, like I do, then that's okay as long as you don't act high and mighty about it.

Bookish Pet Peeve 6: Being judged for reading many genres.

This does act as a foil to the pet peeve right before this. You have people judging others for reading only one genre, and yet you have another group judging people reading many genres. This honestly confounds me. If you read from many genres, that's fantastic. Do what you feel comfortable with.