Mid-Year #BookTag #TagTuesday

Technically Mid-Year was a few weeks ago, but I’ve seen this tag all around Youtube and thought it would be a fun way to see how my reading is going this year. I tag anyone who wants to do this Tag: the questions are at the bottom in a list for easy copy/paste.

Original Tag Creators:
ReadLikeWildFire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03gz6k0IB-Y
Earl Grey Books https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Wh0rPGfRg&t=6s

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2017.

 

The Essex Serpent

By Sarah Perry

Here’ s the link for my review: The Essex Serpent Book Review – Spoiler Free

 

 

 

 

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2017.

I’ve only read one sequel so far this year!

 

Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children Book 3)

By Ransom Riggs

My review Library of Souls: Third Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #bookreview

 

 

 

 

 

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.

 

Dress Codes for Small Towns

By: Courtney Stevens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

 

Sleeping Beauties

By: Stephen King and his son, Owen King

“In this spectacular father-son collaboration, Stephen King and Owen King tell the highest of high-stakes stories: what might happen if women disappeared from the world of men?”

Expected Publication: September 26, 2017

Book Tour Updates and More: www.stephenking.com

 

 

5. Biggest disappointment.

 

Wyrd Sisters

By: Terry Pratchett

A lot of people recommended this one to me, and it was just okay. Here’s my review: Wyrd Sisters Spoiler-Free Book Review

 

 

 

 

 

6. Biggest surprise.

 

Outlander

By: Diana Gabaldon

I wasn’t sure I would like this one, and have been putting it off for years. I thoroughly enjoyed the book AND the first season of the TV show (on Netflix). I can’t wait to continue this series! Here’s my review: Outlander: Spoiler Free Book Review

 

 

 

7. Favorite new author. (Debut or new to you)

 

Diana Gabaldon

www.dianagabaldon.com

Diana Gabaldon on Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Newest fictional crush.

http://itsnucleicacid.deviantart.com/art/THIS-SAVAGE-SONG-632691550

August Flynn from This Savage Song, by Victoria Schwab. My Review: This Savage Song #spoilerfreebookreview #borrowathon

9. Newest favorite character.

 

Newt Scamander from “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, written by J. K. Rowling. His character is quirky, smart, and mysterious. I can’t wait to learn more about his past, and hopefully learn more about his interactions with Dumbledore and involvement at Hogwarts.

 

My Review: Fantastic Beasts #SpoilerFree #BookReview

 

 

 

10. Book that made you cry.

 

A Tapestry of Tears

By: Gita V. Reddy

My Review: A Tapestry of Tears #SpoilerFreeBookReview

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Book that made you happy.

 

Moms Who Drink and Swear

By: Nicole Knepper

My Review: Book Review: Moms Who Drink and Swear: True Tales of Loving my Kids While Losing My Mind

 

 

12. Favorite book to film adaptation you saw this year.

 

Outlander TV series (I watched on Netflix)

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. Favorite review you’ve written this year.

Thirteen Reasons Why #spoilerfree #bookreview

 

14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

LOVE the cover of Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

I have an ARC to read:

A Bold and Dangerous Family in Edelweiss by HarperCollins.

Fantasy Book Bingo (Reddit) r/Fantasy Challenge:

• Non-Fiction Fantasy Related Book
• Fantasy Novel on “To be read” list for over a year
• Award Winning Fantasy Novel
• Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic/Dying Earth
• r/Fantasy Big List 2016 Under-read/Under-rated
• Horror Novel
• Fantasy Novel featuring a Desert setting
• Re-use any r/Fantasy Bingo Square
• Self-published fantasy novel
• Fantasy Novel published in 2017
• Sequel: not the first book in the series
• Novel by an r/Fantasy AMA(Ask me anything) Author or Writer of the Day
• Fantasy of Manners
• Fantasy Novel Featuring Dragons
• New Weird
• Fantasy Novel Featuring Seafaring
• Steampunk
• • Five Fantasy Short Stories
  • Novel by an author from an r/Fantasy Author Appreciation Post

  Getting Too Old For This Crap: (50+) Protagonist

 

Dewey Decimal NonFiction Challenge

• A book with Dewey Decimal 400-499
• 600-699
• 800-899
• 900-999

 

A TO Z CHALLENGE — LOCATION EDITION

Book with location starting with the letter J, K, U, X, Y, Z

 

The questions:
1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2017.
2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2017.
3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
5. Biggest disappointment.
6. Biggest surprise.
7. Favorite new author. (Debut or new to you)
8. Newest fictional crush.
9. Newest favorite character.
10. Book that made you cry.
11. Book that made you happy.
12. Favorite book to film adaptation you saw this year.
13. Favorite review you’ve written this year. (Booktube version: Favorite video you have done so far in this year)
14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)
15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

 

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The Goodreads Tag #BookTag

The Goodreads Booktag

I watched Peter Monn’s Youtube video doing this tag (his video is below).

I tag anyone who would like to do this tag – link yours in the comments! 🙂

Add me on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/amandadroverhartwick

Questions are below to easily copy/paste.

1. What was the last book you marked as ‘read’?

Turning by Jessica J. Lee

“Through the heat of summer to the frozen depths of winter, Lee traces her journey swimming through 52 lakes in a single year, swimming through fear and heartbreak to find her place in the world.”

“At the age of 28, Jessica Lee–Canadian, Chinese, and British–finds herself in Berlin. Alone. Lonely, with lowered spirits thanks to some family history and a broken heart, she is ostensibly there to write a thesis. And although that is what she does daily, what increasingly occupies her is swimming. So she makes a decision that she believes will win her back her confidence and independence: she will swim fifty-two of the lakes around Berlin, no matter what the weather or season. She is aware that this particular landscape is not without its own ghosts and history.”

Expected Publication Date: May 4th, 2017

2. What are you currently reading?

Man Gone Down by Michael Thomas

In May 2014 I started reading this book, but stopped at page 246. This January 2017 I decided that one of my goals for this year was to start from the beginning and actually finish it. I’m on page 195. *hangs head in shame* I really need to pick this up again. Perhaps if i just focus on reading one chapter at a time I can get through it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I started reading The Only Child by Andrew Pyper on April 8th, and am 47% done. LOVING this one so far.

Expected Publication Date: May 23rd, 2017

The publisher kindly sent me a complimentary copy for review.

 

 

 

 

 

3. What was the last book you marked as ‘TBR’?

 

The Harry Potter Prequel is an 800-word story written by J. K. Rowling, and was published online on June 11th, 2008. Set three years before the birth of Harry Potter, the story recounts an adventure had by Sirius Black and James Potter.

 

 

 

 

 

4. What book do you plan to read next?

 

“Michael Crichton, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Jurassic Park, returns to the world of paleontology in this recently discovered novel—a thrilling adventure set in the Wild West during the golden age of fossil hunting.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Do you use the star rating system?

Yes, but I have a really hard time deciding what to rate a book.

6. Are you doing a 2014 Reading Challenge?

I’m doing the Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2017 and I’m also doing a few more challenges on Goodreads:

Let’s Turn Pages Challenge

A to Z Challenge (Location Edition)

Dewey Decimal Nonfiction Challenge

7. Do you have a wishlist?

Not really. I have some books in my cart at Chapters website, Amazon.ca website, Bookoutlet.ca, and a TBR. But not an official “wishlist”.

8. What book do you plan to buy next?

Hmmm…I’m slowly buying all the books in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. I’m also keeping an eye out for Stephen King books. I want to read the unread books on my shelf before buying more. (hopefully, haha!)

9. Do you have any favorite quotes, would you like to share a few?

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ~ Oscar Wilde

“Unless you have been very, very lucky, you have undoubtedly experienced events in your life that have made you cry. So unless you have been very, very lucky, you know that a good, long session of weeping can often make you feel better, even if your circumstances have not changed one bit.” ― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish

“Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries, hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent. What I wonder is why everybody doesn’t carry a book around for those inevitable dead spots in life.”
― Stephen King

“Sometimes, making the wrong choice is better than making no choice. You have the courage to go forward, that is rare. A person who stands at the fork, unable to pick, will never get anywhere.”
― Terry Goodkind, Wizard’s First Rule

10. Who are your favorite authors?

Stephen King

Robert Jordan

Marissa Meyer

Veronica Roth

J.K. Rowling

Ransom Riggs

Sandra Gulland

William Shakespeare

J. R. R. Tolkien

Lisa Genova

George R. R. Martin

11. Have you joined any groups?

2017 Reading Challenge

ReadingRealm ReadAlong

County of L&A Libraries – Online Book Club

Monthly Recommendations

BooktubeSFF Awards

Fiction Writing

The Book Bound Society

 

THE QUESTIONS:
1. What was the last book you marked as ‘read’?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What was the last book you marked as ‘TBR’?
4. What book do you plan to read next?
5. Do you use the star rating system?
6. Are you doing a 2014 Reading Challenge?
7. Do you have a wishlist?
8. What book do you plan to buy next?
9. Do you have any favorite quotes, would you like to share a few?
10. Who are your favorite authors?
11. Have you joined any groups?

Turning: a year in the water #bookreview #spoilerfree

Turning: a year in the water is a beautiful, extremely unique, autobiographical nature-memoir written by Jessica Lee. It will be released May 2nd, 2017.

The publisher kindly sent me a complementary digital proof copy for review.

“Through the heat of summer to the frozen depths of winter, Lee traces her journey swimming through 52 lakes in a single year, swimming through fear and heartbreak to find her place in the world.”

Jessica swims in 52 lakes throughout four season in Germany, we are given flash backs to her childhood living in Canada and Florida, brief time spent time in London before her divorce, and then to Berlin, Germany to work on her dissertation in environmental history. As she explains the physical changes of each lake through the seasons, she is undergoing her own emotional transformation, washing remnants of self-doubt, letting go of the feeling that you are not where you’re meant to be, and also learning to not fear being alone.

Reading this memoir brought me back to my own memories swimming in lakes while growing up in Labrador. She successfully expressed the strange, opposite emotions lakes impress upon us – intense beauty, stillness, quiet, but also scary unknowns lurking below while you stare hard into the dark depths.

I often find story without dialogue slightly cumbersome, however, Jessica deflty carves her way around the story, providing description of all sense for the lakes, trees, environment, food, and German people, completely making up for the lack of dialogue. We are also given some interesting tidbits of German history concerning the war, reunification, and even some German words.

The only thing I didn’t like was how abruptly it ended, not because of how the story ended, but because I wanted to keep reading 🙂 I could read her writing for hours and hours.

I recommend this book to those who like the outdoors, swimming, are interested in Germany, and to anyone who wants to push themselves to face their fears.

Jessica Lee is a badass winter swimmer, with a PhD in Environmental History.

Jessica Lee’s profile picture on Goodreads

Follow Jessica Lee on Twitter