Hey bookworm friends, this week has been hectic but in a good way! I went to two metal concerts back to back and now I’m sore everywhere because I’m in my 30s😂. I’m not complaining though because that’s how I know I had a blast🤘! However, I need rest and a chill blog post so I’m coming to you with another edition of my meme medley. I’m excited about today’s Let’s Talk Bookish question because it asks about my Fall TBR.
Today’s Friday Bookish Memes Are:
- Book Beginnings on Fridays Hosted by Rose City Reader
- Friday Face-Off Hosted by Lynn’s Books
- Let’s Talk Bookish Hosted by Book Nook Bits
Book Beginnings on Fridays
Book Beginnings on Fridays asks us to share the opening sentence (or so) of the book we’re reading this week. Don’t forget to link up at City Rose Reader and check out her post.
I am currently listening to the season 1 audiobook of Phoenix Heart (collecting books 1-5) by Sarah K.L. Wilson
“The best part about being voiceless is that I’m great at listening. I hear everything people say, and I hear the things they don’t say.”
Phoenix Heart, Sarah K. L. Wilson
I was sold immediately with these two first sentences! The story introduces us to our main character Sersha, a young girl who does not talk and I love that it starts by highlighting some of her other strengths. I’m on book 3 out of 5 right now (each one is a short novella) and I’ve been enjoying the story and appreciating the well-thought-out representation. While we see her difficulties in communicating with others (mainly because people tend to ignore her) she makes it clear that her voicelessness doesn’t need fixing. And the first lines represent this so well!
Friday Face Off
Friday Face Off was created by Books By Proxy but is now hosted by Lynn’s Books. Lynn invites us to compare book covers. Pick a book that has alternative covers to showcase then choose your favourite. Stop by Lynn’s blog for her latest Face Off post.
Let’s compare another one of my current reads: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner.
While I think both covers are nice, I have a clear favourite. I feel like the white-lined design on the yellow background is a bit hard to see. I also think the simple noodle H design on the red background is brilliant and more iconic.
And the Winner is: Option 1
Let’s Talk Bookish
Let’s Talk Bookish is a meme where participants discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts. The topics for each month will be posted on Book Nook Bits one month in advance. Take a look at September’s prompts if you want to join in on the fun!
Do you consider yourself a mood reader?
Prompts: Are there books you’re looking forward to reading as the weather gets cooler? Do you like to read specific kinds of books during Fall? Are there any kinds of books you absolutely cannot read during Fall?
As much as I love experiencing the changing seasons every year, I don’t consider myself a seasonal reader because I just read whatever I want year-round. I do enjoy it when I can match the vibes of a book with the season but I don’t limit myself to ‘only creepy or atmospheric books during the fall’ for example. That would exclude so many potential options, like what if a certain library hold is available in autumn but has nothing to with the season? I don’t care, read it anyway! Life is just too short for those kinds of self-imposed arbitrary rules.
That being said I do have some specific books I hope to get to, here’s my high-priority Fall TBR.
- Tale of the Flying Forest by R. M. Romero (For a book tour)
- Blood Price by Nicole Evans (because the author was kind enough to send me a copy)
- Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner (a witchy read that works for Witchtober)
- Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova (works for Witchtober and Hispanic Heritage Month)
- The Queen’s Man by Sharon Kay Penman (because I already borrowed it from the library)
I’ll do my best to stick to my Fall TBR list but since it’s short I think I’ll be okay. Then, from there I’ll pick other books as the mood strikes.
More of my posts with the tag “Book Blog Memes” can be found here.
Let’s chat in the comments!
Are you a seasonal reader? Or, which cover did you like better? 🖤
Divided on the covers: I like the, but I prefer seeing a human to the noodles. I am DEFINITELY a mood reader,
That’s fair, I can understand wanting to see a human on the cover of a memoir. I feel like if the lines of the things she’s holding/her body were a different, more contrasting colour I would have liked it more. Like, I wear glasses and looking at all those details is a lot of effort 😅.
Excited to see you’ve got a witchy read planned for Witchtober! Hope it winds up being a good one!
Yes me too, I’ve heard good things about it recently and I also have another one coming from the library soon, the 12th volume for Witch Hat Atelier will fit perfectly with this theme too!
Big “yes” on the red Crying in H Mart cover, it’s so good. I’m not really a seasonal reader either, although I use the excuse of Fall/spooky season to read even more horror if I can. Good luck with your TBR, I love the sound of Lolly Willowes😁
Right? So simple yet clever and bold, it does the job flawlessly! 👏 haha yes that’s smart 😛 I’ll use the excuse to read more witchy stuff or even try to push myself a bit more with horror (I’m not a horror reader but I want to try more). Thank you, I heard about it for the first time recently and it sounded up my alley.
That is a great first line! I’m with you as far as mood reading. I can’t limit myself to one genre.
Thanks, Olivia! I thought so too 😀 & yes life is just too short not to be a mood reader, I guess 🤷♀️
I know you had a concert, I didn’t realise there were two though. I hope you had a fantastic time at both of them.
I hadn’t heard of Phoenix Heart before but that first line is really intriguing. I’ll definitely have to look it up in a minute. I’m glad you’re enjoying the novellas so far.
Omg I never realised the noodles made a H 🙈 I really can’t believe I overlooked that. And you’re right that the white lines are tricky to see on the yellow background of the other one, the figure could almost be a floating head with arms.
I always love the idea of fitting seasonal reads in (although I wouldn’t purely stick to them) but I never seem to get around to it properly 😂 this Christmas I’m determined to finally read my Nutcracker retelling though.
I’ve got Labyrinth Lost on my TBR too and don’t know how I’ve never gotten around to reading it before. I’ve heard good things though. I’ll have to look up the others on your TBR though as they’re not familiar to me. Good luck getting them read. I hope you enjoy whatever you read over the fall.
Oh my gosh, it was the best week, I had so much fun thank you 🖤!! They were accidentally back to back I did not plan it like that I just got lucky they weren’t on the same day lol.
Me neither, I needed a book with a phoenix on the cover and the one I put on hold will take a while to get here so I randomly found this one so I gave it a shot and I’m glad because I’m really liking it!
haha yeah it took me a while to notice that too but when I did I was so impressed lol 😂yesss you’re right it almost does look like she’s floating if I don’t look closely lol.
Yes that’s so relatable, love the idea of fitting seasonal reads, can’t purely stick to it. that sums it up perfectly! & ohhh what Nutcracker retelling? Maybe I’ll try too, I have yet to find a Christmas read I like. (I haven’t tried many but also I don’t love the idea of reading Christmas books I’d rather watch a Christmas movie instead not gonna lie) lol
Oh that’s funny haha well I hope you can get to Labyrinth Lost sometime soon too! & thanks, I hope you have a great time reading in fall too 🧡
I’m glad you had such an incredible week 🥰 I’m also glad they didn’t clash so you could see both of them. I’ve noticed sometimes that everything seems to show up at once. You can go months without spotting anything nearby that interests you then it all seems to show the same month 😂
Ah right, yes I remember the other Phoenix one you planned to read. I hope it turns up sometime. I’m glad you’re enjoying this one so much though.
I’m glad it’s not just me that didn’t know from the start then 😂
It seems to be a trend 😅 yeah I remember you saying you were struggling to find one that works for you. I’d like to read a few festive books but it’s certainly easier to fit the movies in. And there’s something so cosy about watching them time & time again.
The Nutcracker retelling I’ve got is Winterspell by Claire Legrand. If you want any other titles I have a few others on my TBR too that I can look up though.
Thank you 🥰
Thanks so much and yeah I have noticed that too, the saying ‘when it rains it pours’ has some truth to it lol 😂
I finished the whole first s1 of that phoenix book now and the other one is nowhere to be found yet, it had a long wait list.
aha yeah I think a big part of it is how visual and atmospheric the holiday is that it’s much easier to convey the vibes the way I want them in a movie format. Plus I can watch more rather than just one or two 😂
Oh okay okay I’m adding that to my Christmas tag on Libby right now! Thank you! For now I’m happy with just the one title but if I ever need more I know who to ask 😉
Yeah it does tend to be true. Literally too near me at the moment unfortunately 😂
Aww I’m sorry that the waiting list is so long. Hopefully it’ll turn up quicker than anticipated. Sometimes that seems to happen.
I guess maybe the music involved plays a part too. And it’s so easy to come up with Christmas staples movie wise.
I looked at my list earlier and it turns out I only know three anyway 😂 I’m sure there are more but I must have just added them to my regular list and they’re lost in the mix.
Ahaha then you know exactly the feeling I mean 😂
Thanks, yes maybe I’ll get lucky, I like when that happens!
Yes definitely that’s a good point the music plays a huge part in it too.
Oh hahah that’s rough I hope you don’t need to find them anytime soon then because sorting through the list sounds time consuming! I wish you could search your goodreads shelves by like genre or themes!
A lot of mines on paper so there’s no hope 😂 but I don’t really need them anytime soon. I already have the one Nutcracker retelling to read this year and I think the two I know of were probably the ones I was most intrigued by anyway.
oh my, yeah that’s tough😂 Well that makes sense then maybe that’s why they stuck out in your mind 🙂 !
I’m happy to hear your enjoyed both your concerts, and hope the recovery goes well 😆
I hadn’t heard of Phoenix Heart before but what a powerful opening line and I don’t think I have ever followed a voiceless character before. I hope you continue to enjoy the series.
I didn’t realise the red cover for Crying in H Mart had a giant H on it, I presumed it was a smile which is a weird presumption upon reflection. The cover is clever now I know what it is. 😂
Hope you enjoy Blood Price, I’ve heard good things and the worldbuilding sounds interesting!
ahahha “the recovery” sounds about right lol it took me 2 days to feel back to normal but let’s not talk about that 😂But I had the best time thank you 🥰
Yes, as soon as I heard that line, I was immediately invested! I haven’t either until now.
lol yes I can kind of see a smile but yeah pretty clever design for sure!
Thanks, the concept of it sounds absolutely awesome so I’m hopeful I’ll like it too 😀
Sounds like you had a fun time at the concerts last week! The opening of Phoenix Heart is a good one and would hook me instantly. I am glad to hear you are enjoying the collection of novellas.
I think I agree with your about the better cover. They are both nice, but the red one is more eye-catching.
I hope you enjoy your fall reading! I am not much of a seasonal reader either, although sometimes the mood strikes and I lean in that direction–or it takes me an entirely different one. I hope you have a great week!
I definitely did and thank you. Right? That’s one great first line!
Hmm yeah, plus the red matches with the red of H Mart’s logo so that’s another clever nod too!
Thanks, and I can relate to that! I hope you have a wonderful week as well, reading and otherwise 🧡 Thanks for visiting my blog!