Among Us Readathon TBR (with Alternates)

*Please note that there are doubles. I don’t know what books I want to read for each task. I do understand the books for this readathon do NOT double count. If you’d like to read more about this event, click here for the twitter page!

Banner credit to inner sloth.com

Well, it’s a new year new start! I joined this readathon in December as an orange crew mate and these are my prompts and picks!

Swipe Card OR Fix Wiring: read a standalone OR read a sequel

Artemis –Andy Weir

Windwitch —Susan Dennard

Archive of the Forgotten —A.J. Hackwith

Confessions of a Curious Bookseller –Elizabeth Green

Upload Data Part 1: read a book that features LGBTQIA+ rep

The Library of the Unwritten —A.J. Hackwith

The Young Avengers vol. 1. — Allen Heinberg

The School for Good and Evil –Soman Chainani

Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl –Hettie Bell

Upload Data Part 2: read a book that was recommended to you (by a friend, your fav booktuber etc)

Mirage –Somaiya Daud

Defy the Stars –Claudia Gray

The Haunting of Hill House –Shirley Jackson

Ash Princess –Laura Sebastian

Submit Scan: read a book that represents you/you see yourself in/comfort read (interpret as you wish)

The Boy on Cinnamon Street –Phoebe Stone

The Romeo and Juliet Code –Phoebe Stone

Dear Mr. Henshaw –Beverly Cleary

Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl –Hettie Bell

Start Reactor: read a book with romance (as little or as much as you wish)

The Book of Ivy –Emmy Engel

Truthwitch —Susan Dennard

Defy the Stars –Claudia Gray

From Blood and Ash –Jennifer L. Armentrout

Love & Lockdown –Alyce Castwell

Empty Garbage Part 1: read a book that you want to give a second chance to or a book low on your tbr

Kiss of Deception –Mary E. Pearson

The Republic —Plato

Sentient — Jeff Lemiae & Gabriel Walta

From Blood and Ash –Jennifer L. Armentrout

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story –Sean Howe

Ash Princess –Laura Sebastian

Empty Garbage Part 2: read a book with food on the cover

Let’s Call It a Doomsday –Katie Henry

This Will be Funny Someday –Katie Henry

Dear Coca Cola –Terry Ravenscroft

Still looking for recommendations! if I’ve made any mistakes let me know!

You can follow me on twitter to see small updates at @JKryer.

Baby’s First Readathon

Look, I know what you’re thinking, “this girl claims that she is a reader, but has NEVER done a readathon?” To answer your question, yes, I have in fact done a readathon. I just haven’t done an official one and documented it. What I actually did was escapism. But now I want to challenge myself, I want to give myself a reading list that only falls within specific perimeters and I want to see if I can finish it.

And I am excited to announce that I will be taking the steps to do that by signing up for the #ReadAmongUs readathon hosted by @hdsreadinglife! If you’re interested, here is the link to all of the general information.

My Reading list will be up in the next day or two, but until then, here is my Crewmate card!

Happy Reading!

Lore –Alexandra Bracken

*FULL DISCLOSURE* I received an ARC for an honest review.

*SECOND FULL DISCLOSURE* Alexandra Bracken was the author to bring me back into the reading world with her Darkest Minds Series (which I listened to as an audiobook). I literally screamed (not being facetious) when I saw that I got approved for an ARC.

When I saw that Alexandra Bracken was up to bat for yet another book, I knew I had to get my hands on it. And she does not disappoint. I knew from the minute I read, ” He woke to the feeling of rough ground beneath him and the stench of mortal blood” (Bracken 1) I was OBSESSED. It’s cliche to say that you were hooked after reading the first line, but I feel that there’s an exception in this case. It was going to satisfy my Percy Jackson itch. And boy, did it scratch well. If I were to try to describe what reading this book feels like, I would have to say it’s a big bear-hug from Uncle Rick!

The books starts off with a god being born into mortal flesh. I originally thought this book was going to take place in ancient Greece, but I was thrilled to find out it was set in modern times. It quickly cuts into a boxing match between the main character, Lore, and her unnamed opponent. Bracken sets Lore up to be a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense, kick-butt kind of gal that also has a sweet side (think of Darcy Lewis from the Marvel Cinematic Universe), which if I’m being honest, is refreshing in a different gender. Her main hang-up in life is that her entire family is dead because of an event called the Agon. It is a hunt for the gods to get their powers. There are four sides to the Agon, the first is the gods, then Houses of Hunters (all aptly named after people and creatures from greek mythology), which leads into people related to the Houses that choose not to participate in the Agon, and mortals. One of the deities seeks out Lore’s help because they are hurt and need her help with a conflict in the Agon. This war between the Gods and the hunters has been going on for centuries and there is a rumor going around in the hunters’ circles that there is a way to permanently end the Agon and receive a great reward. Lore decides to help the deity in the name of revenge for her family.

Lore’s introduction and entire character also reminds me of the song Raise Hell by Dorothy.

A lot of deeper references are put into this book from greek mythology and history (I guess that is to be expected) but there are references to mortals from greek mythology in the houses. As I got further in the book, I was very grateful for the denoted lineages in the beginning of the book. I found myself flipping back and forth between the story and the lineages constantly in the beginning, which isn’t a bad thing in my case. Although, it did get kind of annoying at times because I would be in the middle of Lore explaining something that I didn’t understand and then I have to go back to the front of the book. There is a hefty amount of world building in this book, but I think that Bracken does it in a way that is fast paced, pointed, and interesting.

Bracken is an expert in purposefully revealing vital information to the reader, but is careful enough to keep the reader guessing as to what she means.

It is honestly so hard to review this book because all I want to type is “omg it’s so good” over and over again. I literally did not want to finish this book, it was so good that I just wanted to daydream all day about the world. (That was not a sarcastic statement, sometimes I could only go a few sentences before having to take a break of a few seconds.)

I can only think of one time when I thought the writing was so clunky that it brought me out of the story.

This is the kind of book that makes you look up from the pages and realize, “shit, nobody else is being effected by this.” And I say that with a lot of love.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken is a love letter to Greek mythology that is beautifully written, and is just as good as, if not better, than Percy Jackson. #sorrynotsorry

A feather fallen from a wing is not lost, Gil had told her, but free.

Alexandra Bracken

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A Rating of Bookish Gifts this Holiday Season

I never know what to ask for for the holidays. Any other time of the year the list is endless, but as soon as December (or even November) hits, I completely forget. So this year as I got back into reading I consulted a few sources for gift ideas for myself. And let me tell you, I got some weird suggestions. These are in no particular order.

Personalized Library Stamp

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗📘

Look, I’m not a fan of personalized library stickers, and I’m definitely not a fan of stamps that have ink. The only ink that should exist in a book is the words on the pages and an autograph.

Just One More Chapter Throw Pillow Cover

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗

The only place this gift has is in the living room. Why the hell are you trying to decorate my living room? Unprompted, this gets a 2 out of 5. Not to mention as the gift giver, are you going to just give them the pillowcase? Because good throw pillow inserts are expensive, and most of the cheap options come in twos.

Spoon Bookmarks

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗📘

While they are aesthetically pleasing, the only thought going through my head is that I can never put a book with this bookmark into a book bag. Or stack it with other books on top. This gift is perfect for someone who reads one book at a time and puts it on an end table or their night stand when they’re done.

The Book Lover’s Journal

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗📘📙

This is perfect for an older person who can’t quite get the hang of goodreads or someone who is obsessed with having a physical representation of their reading career.

Bookie Cutter

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗📘📙📕

What else can I say, this is the cutest thing I have ever seen. It makes me want to master royal icing.

Book Scented Candles

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗📘📙📕

A candle that smells like my most favorite place on earth? I’ll take ten.

Reading Socks

Rating (out of 5): 📕

These are just tacky. If I see you wearing these or gifting these without an ounce of irony, be prepared to fight me.

Book Vase

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗📘📙📕

Ok, this is also very cute and I want it now. Please and thank you.

Book Page Holder

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗📘

Listen, I’m not gonna sit here and lie to you and tell you that I definitely haven’t thought about buying this myself. It sometimes takes two hands to read and I want to read while I’m eating lunch. However, the inconvenience of having to turn the page outweighs any benefits this product would give you. That’s why I took off two books.

Book of Books

Rating (out of 5): 📕

Literally why, goodreads is an expanding platform with an ever growing number of books.

I’d Rather be at a School Book Fair Motel Keychain

Rating (out of 5): 📕📗📘📙📕

The link that I found to this product was no longer available on Etsy, but you can totally get a key chain customized to say this!

The Prince and the Thief –P.S. Scott

I haven’t done enough posts on this blog to have any sort of tradition, but I’d like to start one now. With every review I do, I want to start off with rating the first sentence. I’ve found that the first sentence typically sets the tone for the whole book, and will either get me in the mood, or completely take me out of it.

“My story starts like any normal story—with a stolen diamond necklace.”

P.S. Scott

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

What an opening line! If I had to compare it to any other media that I’ve seen before, it would have to be Rapunzel or Shrek.

While reading this book, I am reminded of all the quips during Avengers: Endgame. And that comparison is being made because in the movie there are plenty of moments that are supposed to be serious that are broken down with laughter.

I wish that I had gotten the audiobook for this title. Sometimes while reading, Will’s quips just don’t come across how the author intends. And I know this because those moments are cringy as all hell. I will say that as the story goes on, the quips do become more pointed and purposeful, because you finally know the character. I’d hate to keep making comparisons to superhero movies, but it’s like the newest iteration of Spiderman. Peter makes these awful quips that he thinks are super cool, but in reality, he’s a fourteen year old boy that really isn’t that smooth. In other words, for those who don’t watch superhero movies (but they watch Tik Tok) he’s written like a pick me girl. To parents who are looking for positive queer fantasy for their children, this book was written by someone who knows they’re the main character of their story, which is not a bad thing. We need more children to be confident in themselves (especially those that are LGBTQ+, it’s a dark, but brightening world for them).

To the right of this paragraph, you will see a bit of word barf. I wrote it before I realized that maybe changing the sexual orientation in the trope would actually change the story. My opinion did a complete 180º. Adding LGBTQ+ representation in literature not only can create new cliches and tropes, but breathe life into old ones. I don’t know what it is about seeing the same old tropes done in an inclusive way, but I love it and I am here for it.

I’m gonna be real honest here. I’ve read this book. I’ve read it a thousand times. What makes this book different is the types of conflict in the story. The main premise is Flynn Ryder-esque character meets prince who needs help. Prince asks Flynn for help with very difficult problem, and they fall in love. I feel like the only thing separating this story from the others is the inclusion of LGBTQ+ issues and heavier topics such as sexual abuse from a family member. This story is perfect for anyone who wants a predictable, but grim, meet-cute set in a fantasy world with magic and political turmoil.

As for vocabulary, advanced words are sprinkled in throughout and are used in what seems like an unpurposeful way. However, I did look up one of the words and it was on the SAT vocabulary list. Whether the author was intentionally using words from that list, I do not know.

Over all, I think that The Prince and the Thief is a wonderful start to a great series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review*

Putting People on a Pedestal, and Why We Really Shouldn’t Do That

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” — Alexander Pope

I’ve been thinking a lot about how people like to idolize authors, actors, stand-up comedians, etc. I would also like to note that I am guilty of this too. I, and many others, thrust these people onto a pedestal that can easily fallen off of. It’s almost kind of unnerving how easy it is to say the wrong thing at the wrong time and lose your career. Now, I’m not talking about keeping one’s thinly veiled -phobias and -isms in a closet so others don’t know how bad of a person you are. The statement is generally aimed towards people who usually mean well (and want to learn how to be accepting), but are uneducated on the subject that they are talking about. For example, J.K. Rowling is transphobic. We (the fans) regarded the Harry Potter series as if it were the word of God (as much as I hate to use that term). And I think we all just assumed that J.K. was a good person based on the story she wrote, and because she was ‘diverse.’ Even though it seems a lot of the diversity was written into the subtext after she was finished with the series. I remember when I first saw the tweets she made and I was sick to my stomach. I thought, “I wasted hours upon hours engaging in a fandom and monetarily supporting someone who believes in suppressing the rights of others.” And to be honest, it was soul crushing. Yes, I know that I’m supposed to separate the artist from the art, but I feel like it’s different in the literary world and even other realms of art online. Giving a artist a space on the internet to express their view is giving them a somewhat tight leash, but they can still roam and pull on that leash to test their boundaries. I used her as an example of someone that should not be forgiven, because she clearly does not want to learn from her mistakes.

We also have to address that some people go too far into people’s internet presences. Like, levels upon levels of depth that often go far beyond the original person’s intention. Say I see a tweet that was liked by a friend who also saw that the post was like by another friend about someone beating breast cancer, do I like the tweet or keep scrolling? Of course, I like the tweet. I’m not a monster. I come to find out that the cancer survivor is a TERF. Does that mean I support TERFs? Heck no. What I’m trying to say is that realistically, I shouldn’t have to dive into someone’s internet history to find out if I can congratulate them for beating cancer.

I guess my issue with idolizing people also stems from the fact that the people being idolized are still human. They breathe the same air, are made of the same cosmic dust, and are buried in the same earth we are. Which means that they also make mistakes. People are so quick to try to take their platform without trying to educate the person who made the mistake.

I honestly don’t know why I’m writing this. Maybe someone else will see this and it will resonate with them. Or maybe I could learn something! Who knows, right?

Anomaly One –Rick Krusky

Fronson felt alive.

Rick Krusky

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The book starts off in the middle of what is a overdramatized ticket purchase. Which I guess would be cool, if I cared about why the character was getting the ticket. I realize there is value in with holding information from the reader, but like, why start there?

I have two points I’d like to make before I get into why I DNF’d

• Again, I’d hate to say this, but the narration definitely translates better into an audiobook.

• In the first few pages the main character reads almost exactly like Chip Driver (bonus points if you know who I’m talking about).

This was a DNF. I’m sorry y’all, but between the frequent time skips, the unlikeable main character, and the inability to stay on one topic in the storyline for more than a few seconds, I had a hard time understanding what the heck was going on. If I did understand, it was boring, monotonous, and most likely stroking the character’s ego. I can at least say that I got to chapter 13.

*I received an ARC for an honest review*

⭐⭐

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Who Am I? What Inspired Me to Do This? And Other Questions…

Source: Pixabay

I guess I should start off with “who am I?”

Hey, I’m Judi Kryer and I’m the sole owner and writer of Krying About Books.

What inspired me to make this blog?

I’m so glad you asked! My main reason for starting this blog is to keep track of what I read, when I read it, and my thoughts about what I was reading. I also want to review ARCs so that you, the reader, know what you’re getting into when you buy a new book.

Well, did you have any other reasons for making Krying About Books?

Yes! I wanted a creative outlet during quarantine.

Why do you write like this?

If I say something that sounds rude, I’m most likely being facetious because I think that I’m funny.

Am I going to be putting any other kinds of content on my blog?

I can say with a 99.99% guarantee that this blog will only be posting about books.