September 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!

Beyond the Halls, Mackenzie Finklea

Did I read this? Yes    Started     DNF-ed     No

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

Rating: 4 stars

The Accidental Suffragist, Gaila Gichon

Did I read this? Yes    Started     DNF-ed     No

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Riviera House, Natasha Lester

Did I read this? Yes    Started     DNF-ed     No

How I read it: Physical & Ebook

Rating: 5 stars

Circe, Madeline Miller (reread)

Did I read this? Yes    Started     DNF-ed     No

How I read it: Physical book

Rating: 5 stars

Books I read that weren't on my TBR

The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame

How I read it: Audiobook, Libby app

Rating: 5 stars

The Kingmaker's Daughter, Philippa Gregory

How I read it: Physical book

Rating: 3.75 stars

Irish Fairy Tales, Jack Jackson

How I read it: Physical book

Rating: 4 stars

The First Man in Rome, Colleen McCullough

How I read it: Physical book

Rating: 3.25 stars

The Alice Network, Kate Quinn

How I read it: Audiobook, Libby app

Rating: 4 stars

The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

Rating: 3 stars

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson

How I read it: Audiobook, Libby app

Rating: 5 stars

Dracula, Bram Stoker

How I read it: Audiobook, Libby app

Rating: 5 stars

The Nature of Middle Earth, J.R.R. Tolkien

How I read it: Physical book

Rating: 5 stars

Books I started but haven't finished

House of Salt and Sorrows, Erin A. Craig

How I read it: Ebook, Kindle app

Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel

How I read it: Audiobook, Libby app

10 Tips for Setting Up a Weekly TBR Pile

Today's my final post of September before my monthly reading wrap up! Going along with the theme I set for these last September days, I'm doing another TBR-related post. Monday's post focused on setting up a yearly TBR pile. Yesterday's post will be on setting up a monthly TBR pile. Today's post will be on setting up a weekly TBR pile.

Just a couple of notes before we get into today's post (yes, I copied and pasted these here because they're important):

1. It is okay to feel stressed about your TBR pile. Sometimes, you just need to fully trash it and go with your gut/mood if you're feeling stressed about it.
2. Your TBR does not need to be finished by the end of the week, month, or even year. If you don't get to a couple of books, that is fine. You're not doing anything wrong as a reader.

Here are 10 tips for setting up a weekly TBR pile. (Note: if any tips are repetitive, I will just leave them as a tip without the extra details.)

Tip 1: Have a Goodreads account.

Tip 2: Create a TBR jar.

Tip 3: Be open to TBR changes.

Tip 4: Only plan for one book per week.

Tip 5: You can always read more than one book per week.

Tip 6: It's okay to take more than a week to read a book.

Tip 7: Be very flexible with your TBR.

Tip 8: Start off with shorter books rather than longer books.

Tip 9: Maybe do this when you have a vacation or are on break.

Tip 10: It is okay to take your time with your reading.

8 Tips for Setting Up a Monthly TBR Pile

Going along with the theme I set for these last September days, I'm doing another TBR-related post. Yesterday's post focused on setting up a yearly TBR pile. Today's post will be on setting up a monthly TBR pile. Tomorrow's post (Sept. 29) will be on setting up a weekly TBR pile.

Just a couple of notes before we get into today's post (yes, I copied and pasted these here because they're important):

1. It is okay to feel stressed about your TBR pile. Sometimes, you just need to fully trash it and go with your gut/mood if you're feeling stressed about it.
2. Your TBR does not need to be finished by the end of the week, month, or even year. If you don't get to a couple of books, that is fine. You're not doing anything wrong as a reader.

Here are 8 tips for setting up a monthly TBR pile. (Note: if any tips are repetitive, I will just leave them as a tip without the extra details.)

Tip 1: Have a Goodreads account.

Tip 2: Create a TBR jar.

This is similar to Tip 2 from yesterday's post. However, setting up a TBR jar can help you decide what books to include in your TBR for that month.

Tip 3: Be open to TBR changes.

Again, this is similar to the corresponding tip from yesterday's post. However, I want to make it more specific to monthly TBRs. Sometimes, you include a book you want to read in a specific month at the month's start (or right before the month starts). However, you may not be able to get to it in that month, or you may just decide you don't want to read it in the end.

Tip 4: Only set a minimum number of books for that month.

This may seem a bit contradictory. You want to reach a certain number of books by the end of the year, so you want to read as many books during a particular month. However, setting a minimum number of books to read in one month can help you reach it rather than trying to read a bunch of books in one month.

Tip 5: If you read over your minimum, that's great.

I intentionally included this tip to bounce off of Tip 4 (and leading into Tip 6). If you read more than the minimum that you set in your monthly TBR, then that's great. If you can read more than what you set for your TBR that month, then go for it. Just remember to not push yourself.

Tip 6: If you don't hit your minimum, that's also great.

Again, I intentionally included this tip to contradict, in a sense, Tip 5. If you don't hit your minimum, that's also great. If you don't reach the minimum number of books you originally set for your monthly TBR, that can be a good sign. You didn't force yourself to reach the minimum, and you didn't push yourself.

Tip 7: Be flexible with your TBR.

This is another similar tip that I included in yesterday's post. However, being flexible with your monthly TBRs can really help you out in the end. It's also why I included Tip 3, and Tips 5-6.  And as I mentioned in this past Sunday's post (why TBRs are stressful), life happens. As a result, when life does happen in ways you don't expect, being flexible with your monthly TBR can really help you out in the end.

Tip 8: If you borrow from your local library, school library, or the Libby app, you may not be able to include these books into your TBR until the last minute.

I mentioned this yesterday, but this tip also helps out with Tip 7. Sometimes, you're able to loan a new book from the library, and you don't want to pass up the chance to borrow and read it. So you loan the book, read it, and return it. This is why it's good to be flexible with your monthly TBR, and why it's good to be open to possible TBR changes.

10 Tips for Setting Up a Yearly TBR Pile

Given yesterday's post, I thought it would be a good idea to give you all some tips and suggestions for setting up your own TBR piles. I decided that it would be easiest if I split the different kinds of TBRs up into 3 sections - yearly, monthly, and weekly. Most of these tips will be roughly the same, just different contexts depending on what kind of TBR you're setting up.

Today, I'll be focusing on setting up a yearly TBR pile, tomorrow (Sept. 28) will be on setting up a monthly TBR pile, and Wednesday (Sept. 29) will be on setting up a weekly TBR pile.

Just a couple of notes before we get into today's post:

1. It is okay to feel stressed about your TBR pile. Sometimes, you just need to fully trash it and go with your gut/mood if you're feeling stressed about it.
2. Your TBR does not need to be finished by the end of the week, month, or even year. If you don't get to a couple of books, that is fine. You're not doing anything wrong as a reader.

Here are 10 tips for setting up a yearly TBR pile.

Tip 1: Have a Goodreads account.

Goodreads can help you keep track of all the books you want to read in the TBR shelf. However, you can also create a separate shelf for your TBR list for a particular year - i.e. 2021 TBR, or 2022 TBR.

Tip 2: Create a TBR jar.

I'll go into a bit more detail about what a TBR jar is and how to set one up in my post for October 2nd. Not only does using a TBR jar help you be a bit more random with your TBR pile at any given time, but it can also help you make quick decisions as to your next read. And how you set your TBR jar up is 100% up to you.

Tip 3: Be open to TBR changes.

Maybe it's December, and you wanted to read a certain book coming out in June the next year. However, once it's released, you find out that there's some controversy swirling around the author, the book, or both, which makes you not want to read it. This example is a bit extreme, but things happen, so it's good to be open to TBR changes.

Tip 4: Do not plan for every book you're going to read during the year.

This is sort of related to Tip 3. You don't want to plan for every single book you'll read in a single year. That is, of course, unless you plan to read only one book per month and read 12 books in one year. If you want to hit a bigger book goal (i.e. 25+ books read in one year), don't plan for every book.

Tip 5: Your yearly TBR can consist of only your anticipated reads for that year.

Again, this is related to Tips 3-4. The simplest, and easiest, way to go about your yearly TBR is to set up an anticipated reads TBR for that year. You can do this on Goodreads by setting up a shelf for it, such as 2021 Anticipated Reads, or 2022 Anticipated Reads.

Tip 6: If you want to add more to your anticipated reads list for that year, you can do that.

Sometimes, you don't know about a book until closer to its release date. If it becomes an anticipated read for you, then it is perfectly fine for you to add it to a particular year. But try to keep lists like this to a smaller number.

Tip 7: If you don't get to all of the books you wanted to in a particular year, that's okay.

I feel like a lot of readers think that if they don't hit their yearly reading goal, then they're "doing something wrong" when it comes to reading. If you don't get to all of the books you wanted to read in a particular year, that is okay.

Tip 8: Accept that you're not going to read every book there is under the sun in one year.

You may be thinking, "But, HBR, this is a bit obvious. Of course I can't read every book in one year." However, this is one of those tips that's obvious once it's brought up. Readers, myself included, tend to forget this on occasion. It's okay to not hit your yearly goal/TBR, and it's okay not to read 100+ books a year.

Tip 9: If you borrow from your local library, school library, or the Libby app, you'll have access to books you don't usually have access to.

This tip really relates to Tips 3-4. Sometimes, your library or the Libby app has access to a book before you're able to buy it. This is a great perk because you don't have to spend money on a book you may end up disliking to some degree. 

Tip 10: It's okay to wait for the hype around a book to die down before you actually pick it up.

I don't know about you all, but I'm one of those people who gets turned off a bit when a book gets even a little hype. If I'm seeing it in multiple places, I'm less likely to pick it up at that moment. But if there isn't a lot of hype, or the hype has died down, then I pick it up. And if you do this too, that's okay.

10 Reasons Why TBR Piles Are Stressful

I thought of this post idea when I was fiddling around with my own TBR pile back in July. You can see my posts on that month's TBR at the following links: July 2021 TBR and July 2021 Reading Wrap Up. I was deciding what books I couldn't get to or just didn't want to read.

As I mentioned, I was messing around with the books I put up on my July 2021 TBR. I then started to think of the ones I'd include in my August 2021 TBR. And it struck me: TBR piles are stressful. As with any feeling, stress is relative from person to person. However, no matter who you are, TBRs can cause some amount of stress. And I don't see book bloggers, BookTubers, or Bookstagrammers talking about this much.

So I'm going to talk about it today. Here are 10 reasons why TBR piles are stressful.

Reason 1: Life happens.

It doesn't matter if it's a new workload, starting a new school/job, moving, or any other reason. Sometimes, life just happens. And when it really happens, we lose time that we could have spent reading and whittling down our TBR pile.

Reason 2: They set a goal you "have" to reach.

Many readers set monthly, or even weekly, TBR piles. As a result, there's an inherent goal within that TBR. It sets a subconscious finish line that, if you haven't reached by a certain date, then you're "behind on your reading." Which, when really thought about, you're never "behind" on your reading, which is why it's in quotes.

Reason 3: There's a deadline you "have" to meet.

This is similar to Reason 2. When readers set monthly TBR lists, they want to get all the books on that specific TBR read by the end of the month. This sets an inherent goal and "deadline" to meet. However, when you think about this, you don't need to read every book that's ever come out, whether backlisted or recently released, by the end of a certain year.

Reason 4: Mental, emotional, and physical health get in the way sometimes.

This reason does play into Reason 1 a little bit, but it does deserve its own little segment. It doesn't matter why we may not be doing well mentally, emotionally, or physically. Sometimes, we're in a mental or emotional slump, or we're going through an emotional time in our lives, or we get sick. And that can knock out our want to read for any amount of time.

Reason 5: Reading funks happen to anyone and everyone.

Similarly with Reason 4, this does play into Reason 1, but it also deserved its own little segment. I've gone through plenty of reading funks (or reading slumps), and so have many other readers. These tend to happen when we've been reading and reading and reading without much of a break. And when they happen, we still want to read and check more books off of our TBR, but we can't, for whatever reason, due to the reading funk.

Reason 6: You may not be enjoying any of the books you put on that TBR pile.

Not enjoying or liking a book happens. Sometimes, you may even hate a book. And if you're not enjoying any books on your TBR, this can stress you out. You want to enjoy them, but for whatever reason, you're not. And there can be a variety of reasons why.

Reason 7: Even if you did enjoy one or two books on a specific TBR pile, sometimes the ones you didn't enjoy outweigh the ones you did enjoy.

Let's say you enjoyed 1 book out of the 4 you read in a certain month. That means 1/4 of the books you read, or 25%, you enjoyed, and 3/4, or 75%, you didn't enjoy. This, similarly to Reason 6, can stress you out because you want to enjoy every book on your TBR, but you aren't.

Reason 8: The lengths of different books can affect your reading time.

Shorter books won't take you as much time to read as longer books will. As a result, you may spend more time on a book than you originally anticipated. And this leads to stress, especially when it's close to the end of the month, because you were hoping to have it done by a certain point.

Reason 9: You feel like you have to be reading the same amount of pages, chapters, books, etc. as another reader in your life or social circle.

This is a common theme in the bookish community. You see other readers reading however many books per year, month, or even week, and you think that you need to keep up with them. However, this can lead to reading funks, as mentioned in Reason 5. Additionally, it can stress you out even more if you're not used to reading that much in a short amount of time.

Reason 10: There's the pressure to read a book simply because it's hyped or because someone you know said it was good.

Even though a book's hyped or your friend/family member said it was good doesn't mean you'll like it. However, because it seems like everyone else is reading it, you may feel pressure to add the book to your own TBR, despite however many books are already there. There is also the possibility that you won't enjoy the book.

8 Tips for Getting Into the Mythology Genre

This is a blog post I've debated publishing here to my blog. I publish so many tips and suggestions posts here. I thought this type of post would be a bit redundant and repetitive given similar posts in the past. However, as I started thinking about it (and after a few messages over on my Bookstagram about this), I thought this may be a nice type of post to draft and publish. So Thursday, yesterday, and today, I've focused on tips for getting into certain genres that I read a lot.

Today, here are 8 tips for getting into the mythology genre.

Tip 1: Take notes.

I've given this tip out so many times at this point. But it can really help to take notes when reading mythology. I would also suggest having slightly detailed notes, such as who's who, where someone's from, what they're the deity of, etc.

Tip 2: Have a list or two of names, places, and dates easily accessible.

Some mythology books do include these lists. However, if your edition doesn't have these lists, maybe look them up online and bookmark them. That way, you can refer back to them if there's a name or place you forgot about or if you need to place the myth within chronological context.

Tip 3: Try to understand the context in which these myths were originally relayed.

Most of these myths were told orally. As a result, there may be a few redundant and/or repeated phrases or sentences. Some recent mythology book editions do edit most of the redundancy out when they can, but if you see a lot of repetition, it's because it was originally told orally.

Tip 4: Try to understand the myths from the original audience's perspective(s).

You don't have to agree with the original audience's perspective(s), but the least you can do is understand those perspectives. This will also help you better understand the myth as well, because we aren't the original, or even the intended, audience.

Tip 5: Don't stick to one person's interpretation or translation of a myth or set of myths.

Yes, one person's interpretation or translation of a myth or set of myths may be more accurate. However, you don't necessarily need to rely on only their interpretation. Reading multiple translations can help you have a more rounded view of the myth(s).

Tip 6: While you don't need to know everything about a society and its mythology, you have the option to do research.

This is very similar to a couple tips I included in yesterday's post, so I won't spend too much time here. However, it may help to do some research so you can understand the context of the myths a bit better.

Tip 7: Yes, myths are myths for a reason, but be aware that they could have some truth to them.

I think the best example of this is the Trojan War - the only evidence of it was Homer's Iliad until Heinrich Schliemann discovered it. Even if exact cities in myths aren't real, myths can give you a lot of detail about the society that the myth originated from.

Tip 8: Epic poems (think The Iliad, The Odyssey, the Aeneid, and Beowulf) do count as mythology.

This may seem obvious. However, since they're often categorized as "epics" or "epic poems," I tend to notice people forgetting and/or not realizing that they are also part of a civilization's mythology.

8 Tips for Getting into the Historical Fiction Genre

This is a blog post I've debated publishing here to my blog. I publish so many tips and suggestions posts here. I thought this type of post would be a bit redundant and repetitive given similar posts in the past. However, as I started thinking about it (and after a few messages over on my Bookstagram about this), I thought this may be a nice type of post to draft and publish. So yesterday, today, and tomorrow, I'll focus on tips for getting into certain genres that I read a lot.

For today, here are 8 tips for getting into the historical fiction genre.

Tip 1: Do your research.

Historical fiction is not the end all be all of history. It is fiction for a reason. As a result, if you want to learn more about a specific point in time, you can start with historical fiction, but you should not end there.

Tip 2: Don't worry about not knowing everything.

With historical fiction, you don't need to know everything about when the book's taking place. That's partially what makes it enjoyable. And it's also where Tip 1 comes into play. If you're curious, the option to do your research is always open to you.

Tip 3: Look into the author of the book.

This is a similar reason as to yesterday's post when I included it there. It's always a plus to look into the author of the book: do they typically write historical fiction, how much research did they put into the book, and other similar questions.

Tip 4: Look for books that focus on histories you're interested in.

Again, I included this tip for similar reasons as to yesterday's post. For that reason, I won't go into too much detail. But, like yesterday's posts, if you're reading a historical fiction book on a particular point in history (country, people, or other) that you're not interested in, you're not as likely to enjoy the book.

Tip 5: Be aware that there are a lot of sub-genres in the historical fiction genre.

Most of the sub-genres in historical fiction are genres in their own right: romance, sci-fi, etc. As a result, you won't enjoy a historical fiction romance if you're not a big romance person. This is a good thing to be aware of.

Tip 6: Be aware of the time period of the historical fiction work.

This is a similar tip to Tips 1-2. This will help you do your research if you want. Additionally, as mentioned in Tip 2, you don't need to know everything.

Tip 7: Be cautious of "What If" scenarios in historical fiction.

"What If" scenarios can be fun to grapple with, and it can be good in historical fiction if done well. However, it's good to be aware, if not cautious, of these what-if scenarios. That way, you know that it's not going to be fully accurate to actual history.

Tip 8: Be wary of how high-profile historical figures are portrayed.

I'm thinking of figures like Napoleon Bonaparte or Queen Cleopatra. There are quite a few stereotypes surrounding high-profile historical figures. As a result, if they're the focus in a historical fiction book, be a bit wary of how they're portrayed.

10 Tips for Getting Into the History Genre

This is a blog post I've debated publishing here to my blog. I publish so many tips and suggestions posts here. I thought this type of post would be a bit redundant and repetitive given similar posts in the past. However, as I started thinking about it (and after a few messages over on my Bookstagram about this), I thought this may be a nice type of post to draft and publish. So today, tomorrow, and Saturday, I'll focus on tips for getting into certain genres that I read a lot.

Here are 10 tips for getting into the history genre.

Tip 1: Start off with smaller and/or shorter books.

This may seem like a confusing tip, especially if you're used to reading longer or bigger books. However, books within the history genre can be genres in and of themselves: you have biographies, autobiographies/memoirs, countries, wars, military, groups of people/tribes, artifacts, and so much more within a single genre. This is why starting off with smaller and/or shorter books is the first and foremost tip I give. You can dip your toes into the water of the specific history you're reading about before getting a plethora of information.

Tip 2: Look for history books on topics you're interested in.

A lot of people make the misstep of "I'll just pick up a history book and read it." This isn't an outright mistake, and it is something I do recommend. However, if you're not interested in that specific history the book is relaying - a person, place, a group of people, building, etc. - then you're not going to be interested in the book. That's why you should choose history books on topics you're actually interested in.

Tip 3: Look into the book's author and see what their specialty is.

This isn't a huge deal most of the time. However, it is a good idea to look into the author. Do they have a specific area of history they specialize in, or do they study any and all history? Additionally, do they have a Ph.D. in history? These aren't huge deals, but it's good to know some of the author's background.

Tip 4: Don't rush your reading.

This may seem like another "obvious" tip. However, this is especially true when you're reading history books. If you're reading from any other genre, it can be okay if you accidentally miss a detail or two. However, this can really trip you up with history books. A single detail, even a small one, can lead to a bigger detail or event later on in the book. Additionally, if it's mentioned again in passing (and not explained since an explanation was given earlier), you may not understand what it means.

Tip 5: Try to not be in a distracting environment.

I included this tip for similar reasons to Tip 4. If you're in a distracting environment, you can miss details, forget them if something else catches your attention, and so many other reasons.

Tip 6: Take notes.

Your notes don't have to be very detailed or pages upon pages. It can simply be definitions of words you don't understand or anything else that catches your attention. But this way, it's easier for you to remember specific details or just the book in general.

Tip 7: Have Wikipedia, Google, etc. easily accessible.

This may seem unusual, especially if you've had teachers or professors say to avoid things like Wikipedia or Google. However, if there's something you're unsure about, then that's why Wikipedia and Google come in really handy.

Tip 8: Understand that bias is in everything.

You hear the argument of "But isn't [insert topic] biased?" However, bias is something that's everywhere. You just have to be able to sort through the bias, by asking the following questions:

• Who is the text written by?
• Who is the text's intended audience? (I.e. you are not the intended audience - so try to know who is.)
• When was the text written?
• Why was the text written?

Tip 9: It's okay to read older history books, but be aware that the information may be a bit dated.

I feel like there's a bit of a stigma around older history books since they are dated. However, I think it's okay to do so. You just need to sort through the bias that'll be there and understand that some information may be dated. This is where Tips 7-8 come into handy.

Tip 10: Read multiple biographies on a single person.

No single biography is the end all be all of a person. As a result, it's a good idea to read 2 or more biographies on the person and try to make sure the biographies are by different people. That way, you can get a more rounded image of the person. (If an author's biography of someone has a newer edition, it's okay to read that. Just don't rely on only that author's interpretation,)

Autumn 2021 Reading Recommendations

It's time for another seasonal reading recommendation! Today, it's officially Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere (or Fall, however you refer to this season).

The list I put together for this post is a compilation of two kinds of books: books that just give me fall/autumn vibes or books that I read during this season that I now just associate with fall/autumn.

So here are 10 reading recommendations for the Fall 2021 season:

1. Beowulf, Anonymous (I recommend Seamus Heaney's translation, though)
2. The Confessions of Young Nero, Margaret George
3. The Splendor Before the Dark, Margaret George
4. Grimm's Fairy Tales, Brothers Grimm
5. The Mummy, Anne Rice
6. The Passion of Cleopatra, Anne Rice
7. Cleopatra, Stacy Schiff
8. Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne, David Starkey
9. The Answer Is..., Alex Trebek
10. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

What I Think of Bookish Subscription Boxes

With yesterday's post, I thought I'd share my thoughts on bookish subscription boxes as a whole. If you don't know what a bookish subscription box is, it's a box that usually contains one book along with some bookish merchandise that relates to the book somehow. As the name suggests, you do subscribe to getting a bookish box, and most bookish box subscriptions arrive around once a month.

The bookish subscription boxes I hear about the most on BookTube and Bookstagram are Illumicrate, Fairy Loot, and Book of the Month. Personally, Book of the Month called out to me the most. This is because, as I mentioned yesterday, most bookish subscription boxes cater to genres like YA, fantasy, and contemporary fiction. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these genres. However, as someone who reads maybe 2-3 books from those genres per year, bookish subscription boxes weren't really calling to me. (When I'm talking about those genres, I'm talking about YA, fantasy, and contemporary fiction on their own with no connections to history or historical fiction.)

I had toyed with the idea of subscribing to Illumicrate, mainly because you get a bunch of other bookish merchandise along with the book of the month. However, while I was a bit interested in the books that Illumicrate sent out previously, the genres that Illumicrate supported and contributed to aren't genres that I go for a lot. As I mentioned before, I read around 2-3 books outside of the history, historical fiction, and mythology genres per year. Getting to 3 books outside of those genres per year is a once every 5 years type of situation.

I'm not saying any of this as a way of saying "bookish subscription boxes are bad." They're not. They're fun, they can be cost-effective for many people. (Think of BotM - 1 to 3 hardcover books for 10-20 USD? That is an amazing price.) However, I do think that bookish subscription boxes should cater to more genres.

Here are some book subscription box recommendations, according to Esquire: The 15 Best Book Subscription Boxes for Avid Monthly Readers.

My Thoughts on My First BotM Box

As I mentioned yesterday, I got my first Book of the Month box in July. When I'm writing this (July, soon after I ordered my box), I'm still figuring out BotM, its website, and what exactly comes with a BotM subscription.

So far, it seems like you get one credit per month with your subscription to BotM. With that credit, you can choose a book from that month's book selection. Additionally, you can add on 1-2 more books for around 10-15 USD, depending on the book. (Pro-tip: subscribe to some BookTubers and watch their videos, because they may have a video where they were sponsored by BotM, and you can use their code.)

The two books I got were Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson and The People We Keep by Allison Larkin. I honestly think that being able to get 1-3 books for 10-15 USD is an amazing deal. This becomes even more of an amazing deal when, from what I understand, Book of the Month deals with hardcover books, which tend to be 20-30 USD or more.

Kaia Alderson's Sisters in Arms

Think of it this way: one hardcover is normally 20-30 USD. This means that two hardcovers are normally 40-60 USD, and three hardcovers are 60-90 USD. To get 1-3 hardcovers, with free shipping, for 10-20 USD is mind-blowing for me. One of those hardcovers can be covered by that month's credit.

(Certain hardcovers may be more than this. These are numbers are the average for what I've seen hardcovers go for, not including shipping.)

If I had the opportunity, and more importantly the money, I would buy every and any book I see that catches my attention. I don't care if the book is paperback or hardback - if it catches my eye for whatever reason, I would buy it if I had the means. However, recently, I've been trying to figure out how I can still read more without spending as much money. Apps like Libby have really helped me out in this way since I can just borrow books I'm unsure about. However, I have noticed that Libby doesn't have a lot of the recent releases I want to read before purchase.

This is why BotM is useful for me. I can buy recent releases at affordable prices without breaking my wallet. Additionally, you can skip a month and roll your credit over to the next month if none of the book selections of a particular month don't catch your eye. BotM is the only book subscription box where I've understood that you can skip a month without repercussions. (There are most likely some book subscription boxes with this bonus, but I can't name them.)

Allison Larkin's The People We Keep

I really hope to enjoy Sisters in Arms and The People We Keep sometime soon. However, there are so many books currently on my up-and-coming TBR (and because I'm in school with a bunch of reading already). As a result, I'm probably going to read these when I have a bit of a lull in school work and/or am on break.

I Tried Out Book of the Month (BotM) Back in July . . .

I have seen Book of the Month floating around on BookTube so much for the past couple of months. In July alone, I watched around 4 to 5 videos where BotM was mentioned. I think that BotM sponsored most of those videos too.

I first heard of Book of the Month earlier in the year, maybe sometime between February and April. It was something that intrigued me because you could choose the book(s) that came in your subscription box. However, I wasn't too sure about it at first.

As many of you know at this point, I read a lot of history and historical fiction books. With most subscription boxes, though, they cater to the fantasy, YA, and contemporary fiction genres. However, when I was watching the BookTube videos sponsored by BotM, two historical fiction books were included.

The two books that were included in the July list were Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson and The People We Keep by Allison Larkin. These books immediately caught my attention. It wasn't just because they're in the historical fiction genre. It was also their covers and the premises of each story.

After watching some BookTubers' videos discussing BotM, I made an account for the book subscription. You get one credit each month, which you can use on one of the selected books for that month. And you can add on one to two other books, bringing your total to 10-20 USD. I talked to my sister a little bit about it, and after a while, I thought, "What the heck, let's try it for July."

For me, there were two points that convinced me to try out BotM back in July:

1. The ability to skip a month (and not lose a credit) if none of the books for that month catch your eye
2. Getting 2-3 hardcover books for 10-20 USD (versus the normal 20-30+ USD for one hardcover)

See tomorrow's post for my thoughts on receiving the July box.

My Top 10 History Books (General)

It's time for another book recommendations post! (There'll be a Fall Book Recommendations list published on the 22nd, so stay tuned for that!)

Honestly, this list was hard to narrow down to a manageable number. I started out with a larger number and slowly whittled it down to the number for this post. It was a slow process, and I can say that I got annoyed a couple of times while writing this post.

However, with all that said, here is a general list of my top 10 history book recommendations.

1. SPQR, Mary Beard
2. The Red Prince, Helen Carr
3. The Woman Who Would Be King, Kara Cooney
4. When Women Ruled the World, Kara Cooney
5. The Earth is Weeping, Peter Cozzens
6. Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari
7. Crusaders, Dan Jones
8. Jerusalem, Simon Sebag Montefiore
9. The Middle Sea, John Julius Norwich
10. Washington's Spies, Alexander Rose

The Playlist Shuffle Book Tag

It's time for another book tag! This time, it's the Playlist Shuffle Tag.

I originally got the tag from Naty's Bookshelf at the following post: The Playlist Shuffle Tag. However, I'm putting my own little twist on this tag, so take a look at the rules. If you want to see the original tag, take a look at the post I linked from Naty's Bookshelf.

In the rules and extra challenges, I placed "song/score." This is mainly because I have a lot of soundtracks in my music that include scores (i.e. just music with no lyrics or words). If any soundtracks come up in this post, I will include the movie it's from. Additionally, at first, I planned to link the songs or scores to corresponding YouTube videos that had the songs. However, I couldn't find YouTube videos for every single one.

Here are the rules:

1. Put your playlist on shuffle
2. List the first 15 songs/scores
3. Name the first book you think of seeing that song/score

Extra challenges:

• You can list one book more than once, but try to do a different book for each song/score
• Include at least one book from every genre you own

Song 1: Forever May Not Be Long Enough (The Mummy Returns)

Book 1: Sethy I, King of Egypt, Aidan Dodson

Song 2: Village Fight Vision (Kung Fu Panda 2)

Book 2: The Fountains of Silence, Ruta Sepetys

Song 3: Critters Have Feelings (Hoodwinked)

Book 3: Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales, Brothers Grimm

Song 4: Hans My Hedgehog, Suite A (Jim Henson's The Storyteller)

Book 4: The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer

Song 5: Foot Race (The Book Thief)

Book 5: The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

Song 6: The Cliffs of Insanity (The Princess Bride)

Book 6: The Borgias, Paul Strathern

Song 7: La Vie En Rose, Donna Summer

Book 7: The Paris Secret, Natasha Lester

Song 8: Good Day, Jewel

Book 8: Becoming, Michelle Obama

Song 9: Aberfan (The Crown, Season 3)

Book 9: Heretic Queen, Susan Ronald

Song 10: Serre-Moi, Tryo

Book 10: The Paris Orphan, Natasha Lester

Song 11: The White Council, Extended Version (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)

Book 11: The Medici, Paul Strathern

Song 12: Nightside, Record Player (Hatari!)

Book 12: The Greatest Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Song 13: Thankful Heart (The Muppet Christmas Carol)

Book 13: The Answer Is..., Alex Trebek

Song 14: Song of the Sea (Song of the Sea)

Book 14: Celtic Mythology, Proinsias MacCana

Song 15: In Search of the Distant Era (Porco Rosso)

Book 15: The Middle Sea, John Julius Norwich

The Historian Dilemma: “History is about Dead People”

It's another Historian Dilemma post! Today, I'm focusing on the idea that "history is about dead people."

This is something that makes a lot of my non-history-buff friends confused. It's a "true statement," but it makes historians - history students, writers, teachers, etc. - extremely annoyed when they hear it. And if you're one of those non-history-buff friends who gets confused by why historians get annoyed by the statement, this post is here to help you out. (Also, if you need something to send to a non-history-buff friend explaining why we historians get annoyed by the statement, hopefully this post will help you too.)

Here are the 3 reasons why historians get annoyed by the statement "history is about dead people."

Reason 1: Yes, history is about dead people. But history is constantly being made, whether it's 5 years ago, 500 years ago, or 5000 years ago. So the "dead people" may not have been dead for that long when you really think about it. They can be dead for one year, yet they're still a part of history.

Reason 2: In many cases, it's not only about the dead people. It's about everything and everyone they're connected to. Think about figures like Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, John F Kennedy, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. When you remember these names, you don't just think of these people on their own. You think of the social climates they lived in, what they did, how they got to their positions, and who their allies and enemies were. You don't just think of historical, dead people on their own.

Reason 3: If you know a dead person's name, you know it for a reason. Think of the following names: Henry VIII, Tsar Nicholas II, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Christopher Columbus, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. You may have had to do a bit of research to remind yourself of who some of these leaders were. However, you most likely recognized every single name I just mentioned. Henry VIII had six wives. Tsar Nicholas II and his family died due to the Bolshevik Revolution. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella funded Christopher Columbus. George Washington was the first US president. Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. You know these names, along with every other famous, dead person's name for a reason. 

The Bookish Dilemma: To Buy or To Not Buy Books

It's time for another Bookish Dilemma post! Today, we're focusing on the dilemma of "to buy or to not buy books." This may be weird to say, but I love this bookish dilemma. I love being able to write on it and maybe give you all some suggestions on what to do when you're experiencing this dilemma.

On July 20, I made a post giving 8 Tips for Buying Books. This is another post I'm writing and scheduling way back in July, so if I remember, I'll try to link that post here for you to easily refer back to it. Since I've already done that post, though, I won't be giving too many tips or suggestions here.

However, I want to share two things with you here.

1. It is okay to buy books. It doesn't matter where you buy them, why you buy them, or how. It's okay to buy books for yourself.
2. It is okay to not buy books. It doesn't matter why you can't buy books. If you can only borrow books from friends, family, or libraries, that is okay.

My main suggestion if you're unsure about buying a book, which I do mention in my post 8 Tips for Buying Books, is to borrow the book from a friend, family member, or the library. This way, you're not spending your money on a book you end up disliking.

Controversial Bookish Topic: "Paperback Books Are Better Than Hardback Books" (Or Vice Versa)

It's that time of the month again: another controversial bookish topic post. This is a similar topic to the "controversy" of audiobooks (which hasn't been an argument/controversy as much recently). However, this specific "controversy" is still rearing its head in the bookish community from time to time.

This specific argument focuses on physical books specifically, which is insane. You may hear one person saying "Paperback books are better than hardback books." On the other hand, you may hear the reverse: "Hardback books are better than paperback books."

As I think I've made clear at this point in my blog, I think arguments like "Book Format X is better than Book Format Y" are stupid arguments. Why? Arguments like this are based on personal preference, personal opinion, and personal convenience. As a result of preference, opinion, and convenience, there are no "right" or "wrong" answers or approaches when it comes to what book format to read.

My personal preference is physical books, and more specifically, paperbacks. My reasoning is that paperbacks tend to be lighter in weight, making it easier to read in bed and have on my person in multiple other situations. However, that doesn't make physical paperback books the easiest, most convenient for other people.

It may be more convenient for Person A to have ebooks since they have the Kindle app on all of their devices, On the other hand, Person B may find it more convenient to have mostly audiobooks since they don't have enough time to sit down with a physical book or an ebook.

I may have said this before, but I'll say it again. Just because you prefer Book Format X over Book Format Y due to your own convenience doesn't mean that it's the same situation for someone else. Someone else may prefer Book Format Y due to their own situation. So please be sensitive to another person's situation and circumstances.

9 Books I've Been Assigned for the Fall 2021 Semester

Given yesterday's post, I thought I'd share the books I've been assigned for this semester. I want to say that I am very excited for the reading I have for this semester. When I'm writing this point, it's mid-July, so I haven't actually begun my semester. (I am actually writing this post on July 13,  exactly 2 months before this post will be published.) By the time this post is published, I have most likely begun a few of these books.

So here are 9 books I've been assigned to read for the Fall 2021 Semester:

1. Europe and the Making of Modernity, Robin W. Winks and Joan Neuberger
2. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Simon Armitage (translator)
3. The Song of Roland, W.S. Merwin (translator)
4. The Last Duel, Eric Jager
5. Chronicles, Jean Froissart
6. Joan of Arc, Helen Castor
7. The Ladies' Paradise, Emile Zola, Brian Nelson (translator)
8. Beowulf and Other Old English Poems, Constance B. Hieatt (translator)
9. Frankenstein, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley