#bookworms rule

[bairdthereader]

So, about Isaac. I am head over heels for the way Alice created such a perfect space for this amazing bookworm in the show. The way he is an absolutely unquestioned, totally ingrained part of his friend group not in spite of his (seemingly) less sociable habits, but in a lot of ways because of those traits. There are so, so many tiny moments where the gang connect with Isaac in ways that are unique to him. Nick asking what his book is about at the bowling alley, Tara asking what he's reading at the Paris trip meeting, all of them commiserating when he's on the last page of his book at the end of the sleepover, Charlie holding his book while he competes at sports day, the Paris squad making a pilgrimage to Shakespeare & Co with him. And then the moments when they love him enough to gently take the book away to make sure he engages in making memories with the people who know him best and keep him safe... Elle during the prom photo, Tara while they're dancing at Nick's house. They all know that while Isaac loves his books, he loves his friends even more, even if it doesn't appear that way at first glance. That silent understanding and support of Isaac's core nature is a beautiful hallmark of true friendship.

I was also a girl who brought a book with her everywhere (still am, tbh), and what I wouldn't have given for my friends to understand me that way back then. Isaac, you're a star.

[bookworm-center]

"She missed Inej's stillness, the knowledge that she could say anything to her without fear of recrimination. She missed Jesper's laughing ways and Wylan's sweetness. She even missed Kaz's ruthlessness. Saints, it would have been a relief to hand over this whole mess to the bastard of the Barrel. He'd have sussed out Vadik Demidov's origins, raided the Fjerdan treasury, and placed himself on the throne in the time it took Nina to braid her hair."

Nina Zenik, Rule of Wolves (Chapter 7, page 87-88)

[maslosstuff]

This what Howard would look like since punk Heidi exist

[little-miss-romance]

“I have feelings for you. Real feelings. And I can’t believe I’m saying this to Shane Lindley when last year you were the last person I wanted to speak to. But this is it. This is the truth.”

[ziraspoetry]

my taste in men lately is fictional hockey players with dimples and I have zero complaints

[wildereader]

Another ✨library haul✨

Sooo I may have gone a bit overboard this time…

FIFTEEN BOOKS!!! And this isn’t counting the 8 or so I got before these and still have… guess I really gotta get reading!

The themes that are emerging here are trans women, lesbians, and sci-fi—all things I am always loving 😌 I’m particularly excited about These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein, a new release that I specifically requested our collection developer to buy and put on hold for me, the Monk & Robot duology by Becky Chambers (A Psalm for the Wild Built and A Prayer for the Crown Shy), and (almost) all of the books in Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries series—I’m still waiting on the second one to come back!

I’m very excited to get around to these, but more than anything, I’m grateful my library has such a great collection for so many of the books I’ve been wanting to read for so long and for newer releases too :)

[godzilla-reads]

🗡️ Rules for a Knight by Ethan Hawke

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

An old letter is uncovered dating back to the 1400’s- a father writing to his children on what it means to be a knight and what it means to be noble and just. This letter goes over the twenty rules of being a knight and how we can apply that to our everyday lives.

I really liked this little book of inspiration and wisdom. It’s given me a lot of food for thought, thinking on how to be a better human and how to lift up others as we lift up ourselves. I found the chapters “Cooperation” and “Friendship” to be the most reflective for me.

[dreamersdiariesblog]

Loneliness and solitude are two different things. When you're lonely, it's easy to delude yourself into believing that you're on the right path. Solitude is better for u, as it means being alone without feeling lonely. But eventually, it is best to find a person, the person who will be your mirror. Remember, only in another person's heart can you truly see yourself and the presence of God within you.

-The forty rules of love

[polycraftory]

Okay so we got a little lost in the sauce and we haven't done a book haul in weeks. So! Here are all the books we got (outside of AnimeNYC) from 8/20/24-9/9/24. Technically we actually got all of Hell's Paradise and most of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation on sale second hand which was exciting but that would have, like, doubled the number of books we had here so they were omitted.

We were so excited about The Husky & His White Cat Shizun (2ha) Volume 6 that both Gabe and I ate the entire volume immediately. You can find reviews for it on our Storygraphs and we'll probably make a spoiler free pitch for the whole series soon. Meatbun is our fav. Next up on my TBR is Exposed by H.L. Day since I originally subscribed to the Rainbow After Dark box from @rainbowcrate because of it.

Some other ones I'm particularly excited about are the danmei that I bought directly from Via Lactea: To Rule In A Turbulent World, Salad Days, & The Missing Piece. I'm going to be making a video comparing the quality of the ones shipped directly by Via Lactea versus what you can get from a third party like TikTok Shop soon.

Stay tuned for more soon! We are trying to un-loss ourselves from the sauce and get back into our cosplay crafting and book review posting so wish us luck.

[bookworm-center]

Nikolai, drunk: tell me why

Nina, also drunk: ain't nothing but a heartache

Nikolai: tell me why

Nina: I never wanna hear you say

Both of them: I want it that way!!!

Zoya, screaming: shut the fuck up, it's two in the morning!!!!

[pluviophile-who-likes-coffee]

Be strong. Be confident. Bullshit your way through.

Ruling Sikthand by Victoria Aveline

[alyssalikestoreadbooks]

Rules For Rule Breaking - Talia Tucker

"Winter Park and Bobby Bae are Korean American high school juniors whose families have been friends since the kids were making crayon art. They, however, are repulsed by each other.

Winter is MIT-bound, comfortable keeping people at arm’s length, and known by others as responsible, though she has a desire to let loose. This probably comes from her rebel grandmother, who is constantly pushing boundaries and encouraging Winter to do so as well. Winter’s best friend is moving abroad and won’t be attending college at all, and Winter’s wrestling with what it means to be left behind. Bobby is as Type-A, anxious, and risk-averse as you can get. He’s also been recently dumped, which has him feeling disoriented and untethered.

That’s why, when Winter’s and Bobby’s parents insist that they go on a northeast college campus tour together, both teens find reasons to accept even though the thought of being stuck in a car together for 700 miles sounds unbearable. What awaits them is a journey of self-discovery where the only rule on their road trip is to break all the rules. At first, this happens in hilariously calculated ways (using lists and reason and logic!), but they soon abandon that, challenging each other to dares in Virginia, getting high and wandering around Philly for food—and battling the subsequent digestive distress—and crashing a party in Cambridge. And, of course, realizing that they’re perfect together."

Listen Date - July 2024

Length - 304 pages

Genre - Romance, Contemporary, Teenager

Rating - 7/10

Stars - ★★★☆☆

Notes - I think the dynamic between Winter and Bobby is really cute, and the way they're rivals is a good set up for the rest of the book. I love the Korean culture, and everything i’m learning about it through this book. Bobby getting broken up with made sense, and sets the theme for the road trip. Emmy deciding not to go to college is also nice, because it shows that college just isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. Bobby getting high for the first time was a funny scene, and him tripping out was such a mood. Me too, Bobby, me too. The itinerary mocking is very amusing to me, and i love how frenemies Bobby and Winter’s relationship is. I also like how every chapter starts off with a rule, and the chapters go on the show how they break them. It’s perfect. The smoking scenes were also really cute, and i love how Bobby and Winter interact with each other. Them as friends makes a lot of sense, and i love this sort of dynamic where they’re able to get alone when they let their walls down. I like the conversation Bobby has with Winter about not atoning for his families wrong doings. Him blaming himself for his parents actions is really poignant and Winter being there for him as a best friend was sweet. The flirting in New York scene was so sugary sweet and I loved it so much. They’re SO made for each other. Bobby’s confession was so sweet and the reveal that he’s been pining the entire time is so adorable. The party and kiss was so perfect and i was waiting the entire time for them to just GO FOR IT!!! Rivals To Dating!!!!!! The cops coming to break up the party that Winter and Bobby go to was really smart and i like how the lie was played out with Jaqueline pretending to be their parents. The argument between the two because of Jaqueline in also smart and i like how Winter freaks out about the change. Bobby freaking out about his culture is realistic, and his parents hiding it from him is wrong. He should be allowed a chance to connect with his culture, even if his parents dont want to themselves. Winter trying to avoid Bobby is sad. They deserve to be together and happy. The crying at the derms office was so relatable and reminded me of Never Have I Ever (Iykyk). Winter trying to distance herself from Bobby but failing massively was cute, and i like the way they finally get together with her grandma and her friends telling Winter to seize the moment and she does. The entire bingo scene was great and i loved the competitiveness that fueled their rivalry to begin with. i LOVE the ending where they finally get in trouble for all the rules they’re breaking, and their relationship in general is so cute and wholesome.  

[headinbookishclouds]

Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall

“If there are rules, there’s a way things ought to be”.

I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but everything about this book fits right into my alley. I mean, look at the title alone. What an intriguing title. The cover was also stunning. It had all of the trademarks of a good horror book - ghosts, folktales, and monsters. Ultimately, ​​Rules for Vanishing intertwined looking for a long lost sister, a deadly ghost story and teenage angst into a riveting book.

It genuinely terrified me. I suppose I shouldn’t have been reading so late into the night but I really couldn't put it down. Marshall combines exquisite prose with a documentary-style narrative that included police reports, transcriptions of interviews, text messages. The multi-media format complemented each other because the narration was built to be unreliable to an extent. It helped to build up the creepy atmosphere of the book. The suspense and dread is apparent early on with the mention of the road, Lucy Gallows and the game. Marshall truly excelled in delivering such an evocative environment where it was so easy to picture in my head. She did the same thing with the horror e;lements of the book - the monsters were terrifying and there was always a sense of dread in the atmosphere.

However, what didn’t match was the almost laissez-faire attitude by the characters. They were all teenagers and honestly, most of them were distinct enough. But they weren’t all remarkable. I think the setting and the plot allowed this book to truly excel. I did find some of the characters a little lacklustre but Sara and her sister Becca’s bond was sweet. Additionally, while I appreciated the creepy atmosphere, there was a lot going on sometimes where I wasn’t sure what was even happening. Overall, this was a great read and I would read it again!

[blueberryshelves]

_______________________________________________

Book Review

Title: Romance Rules for Werewolves Author: Linsey Hall

Series: Charming Cove, book #3

No. of Pages: 314

ISBN: 9781648820359

Synopsis:

Autumn is a time of snuggly sweaters, crisp breezes, and…. sexy, broody werewolves?

When I inherit a magical house in the beautiful seaside village of Charming Cove, it’s just what I need to turn my dismal life around. Fresh off a bad breakup and with magic that I’ve ignored for a decade, I’m ready to rekindle my inner witch.

The catch? The house is inhabitable until I renovate it, and the only place to live is with a brooding, rugged boat-builder who definitely doesn’t want me in his space. Though there’s no denying the electric spark between us, neither of us is willing to act on it.

To make things more complicated, I have to renovate the house in thirty days or I’ll lose it. But the house hates anyone who enters it and attacks with loose floorboards and horrific odors. I can’t get a single contractor in Charming Cove to help me out.

That leaves only one option—convince my new roommate to help me until I can untangle the mystery of why my new home is so moody. It’ll mean spending every day with the sexy, infuriating werewolf, but I’ll do whatever it takes to make my dreams a reality.

Romance Rules for Werewolves is a fun, frothy romantic comedy full of laughter, love, and magical hijinks. It’s the third in a series of stand alone romances set in the seaside village of Charming Cove and the books do not need to be read in order.

_______________________________________________

What did I think of the book?

Romance Rules for Werewolves by Linsey Hall My rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 3 of 5 stars I saw the title and had a good laugh wondering what in the world is this about with a massive grin on my face. This was a hilarious find. The cover is beautiful, and the title… well, as a lover of werewolf books, I started to not even care if the story was good or not, I just wanted this thing on my shelf to make me smile any time I saw it. I was pleasantly surprised that the book was actually fun to read. The beginning few chapters felt pretty rushed in getting the MC from her mess of a life to suddenly being in Charming Cove, and the same can be said for the ending. But this story is definitely a "pick it up when you've had a bad day" because just as the cover made me laugh so did the story. It's silly, and romantic, and Poa, the cat familiar is chefs kiss. The shenanigans with Lavender House was also a whole lot of fun to read, a house with a personality is truly something else. The only major issues I had with the book were the occasional typos, slightly off pacing, and constantly feeling that there was just something missing from the story, but I can't put my finger on what exactly. Still, I enjoyed it. Favorite character/s: Poa, the cat familiar. I love her sass, and personality. She gave me many laughs. Rafe - pretty interesting concept behind his character, but I really wish there had been more chapters from his perspective, especially the emotions behind living with the curse on him. (Maybe that's what was missing from the story…? Hard to say). The coven girls, it's always wonderful to see groups of girls coming together to help each other out in witchy stories. I loved those scenes. What drew me to this book? The title and cover. It still makes me laugh every time I look at it. Stars: 3/5 stars, it's a charming little summer read, just with a few hiccups. I'll be happy to visit this one again in the warmer months. View all my reviews

Reviews for books #1 & #2 coming soon...

[jessread-s]

Thanks to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

✩💍🏠Review:

A heartwarming hate to love romance. 

“Rule Breakers Fall Hardest” follows Rosie Thomas as she enters a fake marriage to help Daire Hendricks, her former childhood crush, get custody of his child. Despite their hatred for each other, the benefits of their arrangement are worth it. But what neither of them expects, is when playing house starts to feel a little too real.

The circumstances leading up to Rosie and Daire’s nuptials make their love story unique. I admire Daire’s commitment to being a father and Rosie for helping him be a part of his child’s life. Their fake marriage gave them the opportunity needed to work through past misunderstandings and repair their relationship. Smeltzer does a great job establishing that they still feel deeply for one another and their forced proximity allowed those feelings to flourish. I love how they supported each other as their new lives took shape. I lived for the moments when they became a team, like when they formed a united front to break the news about their hasty trip to the alter to their parents, worked their way through an infant CPR class together, and went shopping for the baby together. They showed up for each other, whether that be at hockey games or wedding dress appointments. Admittedly, I thought that the way Daire’s custody battle was resolved was a little too convenient, but I adore the little family Rosie, Daire, and Sammy became!

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

[ship-of-skitties]

aob aka the only thing i could possibly ever write romance for given that nobles have wildly different standards than earth does