My Latest Reads

I’ve always been a bit of a bookworm ever since I was little. My mom often read us bedtime stories and I’m convinced that’s where my love of reading stems from. The Little House on the Prairie series was my jam, and the Babysitter’s Club series – I had every single book! When I was staying with my parents last week, my mom gave me this huge tub of my childhood books she had been saving (I had no idea) and it was like walking right back into 1990. SO many books were in there that I had completely forgotten about – like Meet Penny. Did you ever read that?

Last year I noticed on goodreads that I read a TON of books! I then noticed the yearly reading challenge within goodreads and decided game on! I set a goal for myself to read 30 books this year and surprisingly am already on #29! I settled for 30 within a year because I wanted a challenge but nothing too drastic. 50 books would’ve been roughly one a week which just isn’t feasible on a school schedule, but 30 is a little more than 1 book every two weeks. If I really take to a book – I can read it within a day or two, especially if it’s part of an awesome series.

When I say reading is one of my best mental escapes, I’m not kidding. It’s my way of winding down, taking my mind off of whatever is currently weighing me down or stressing me out and completely letting go. I quickly get lost in the immersion of characters and plot development and am swept away in a world other than my own. It works well when you have zero time for a real vacation 😉

I think mindfully developing the habit of steady reading is an easy therapy for a lot of the stress in our first world lives: my new Kindle has the “bedtime” function that switches the blue light screen to a softer, more yellow toned hue that helps lull you to sleep instead of keeping your brain wired like a shot of espresso. I actually feel better when I fall asleep after reading because I’m not as tense and anxious as I would be with all my life issues running incessantly through my mind over and over again. It’s also HUGELY more therapeutic than mindlessly scrolling through social media and feeling some type of way about the content you’re streaming.

I recently upgraded my older first gen Kindle Fire for a newer, sleeker version 7 when Amazon had a deal. I traded my old one in on top of their current deal and only paid 20ish$ for a new one – a heck of a deal!

So what’ve I been reading lately…..a lot of fiction that takes my mind off of the stresses of school and life lately. Check them out below.

All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

I loved this series – I read all three books within a week, no lie. I already said I’m a total sucker for a good series – and I love one that’s mystical and mysterious (insert reading all of the Twilight books forever ago). This series envelops a bit of history discussing the infamous witch trials throughout history and the descendant witches and other creatures. Yes there is a vampire romance element but who doesn’t love that? It’s not as swoony and teen-romance riddled as Twilight – it’s more of an adult world plagued with intrigue and excitement. I also just downloaded her other book Time’s Convert – I think it’s a prequel to the trilogy? I also just saw while looking for the book links below that a Discovery of Witches is now a TV series…. um totally watching that to see how it measures up!

The Beggar King by Oliver Potzsch

This is the third installment of seven in the Hangman’s Daughter series. I adored the first book – it was a quick read with momentum and lots of 17th century historical tidbits thrown into the story. The author, Oliver Potzsch, can trace his lineage to actual hangmen/executioners throughout history which is pretty interesting to say the least. The books as they progress get a little wordier and harder to get into but I still enjoy them nonetheless. I’m a total historical fanatic, so combine that with a little fiction and I’m sold. I am currently (slowly) reading #4, the Poisoned Pilgrim.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

This is my current read, and so far it’s super cute. I’m a big fan of both Sophie Kinsella and Emily Giffin – this author writes just like them. I read the book like it’s unfolding from my daily life, which makes it both funny and relatable to some degree.

Books I Want to Read

I’ve heard a LOT about the Caraval series and it sounds right up my alley. I’ve also seen the Paper Magician series a few places – magic and mystical vibes are my weakness. One of my followers suggest the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallero that I’ve added to my list. Lastly, I’ve seen all kinds of promos for the new Henry Cavil (love him) series, the Witcher. So of course, I’ve downloaded the series to read first! I’ve got over 500 books in my to-read section, and the list keeps growing. Can I be paid to sit at home with a cup of cinnamon tea and a new books every few days? That sounds like the life to me; throw in some bird watching, a snuggly blanket and my cuddly pups, and of course – chocolate … heaven right?!

Have you read any of the books I mentioned, or plan to read? What are you currently reading? Share with my your favorites, I’m always adding to my list and exploring new genres!