#jasmine silvera

[ellebeauregard]

Author Dream 🔑🔓 Unlocked!

A couple of weeks ago I appeared alongside Jasmine Silvera, Jo Segura, and Jen Comfort at The Ripped Bodice and basically if I die tomorrow I'll have at least that bucket list item checked off. But also, can I go back please?

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🖤 Black History Month ❤️

💛 Queer Books by Black Authors 💚

[ List Under the Cut ]

🖤 Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender ❤️ Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta 💛 Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa 💚 I'm a Wild Seed by Sharon Lee De La Cruz 🖤 Real Life by Brandon Taylor ❤️ Ruthless Pamela Jean by Carol Denise Mitchell 💛 The Unbroken by C.L. Clark 💚 Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova 🖤 Skin Deep Magic by Craig Laurance Gidney ❤️ The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 💛 That Could Be Enough by Alyssa Cole 💚Work for It by Talia Hibbert

🖤 All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson ❤️ The Deep by Rivers Solomon 💛 How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters 💚 Running With Lions by Julian Winters 🖤 Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters ❤️ This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender 💛 The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum 💚 This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow 🖤 Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa ❤️ Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia 💛 Legendborn by Tracy Deonn 💚 The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

🖤 Pet by Akwaeke Emezi ❤️ You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson 💛 Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole 💚 Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron 🖤 Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann ❤️ A Spectral Hue by Craig Laurance Gidney 💛 Power & Magic by Joamette Gil 💚 The Black Veins by Ashia Monet 🖤 Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon ❤️ The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow 💛 Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James 💚 Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

🖤 The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta ❤️ Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee 💛 A Phoenix First Must Burn (edited) by Patrice Caldwell 💚 Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson 🖤 Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles ❤️ Black Boy Out of Time by Hari Ziyad 💛 Darling by K. Ancrum 💚 The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode 🖤 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ❤️ Off the Record by Camryn Garrett 💛 Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers 💚 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

🖤 How to Dispatch a Human by Stephanie Andrea Allen ❤️ Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans 💛 The Essential June Jordan (edited) by Jan Heller Levi and Christoph Keller 💚 A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark 🖤 A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney ❤️ Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo 💛 Dread Nation by Justina Ireland 💚 Punch Me Up to the Gods by Brian Broome 🖤 Masquerade by Anne Shade ❤️ One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite 💛 Soulstar by C.L. Polk 💚 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell

🖤 Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender ❤️ Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby 💛 Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair 💚 The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 🖤 If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann ❤️ Sweethand by N.G. Peltier 💛 This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron 💚 Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon 🖤 Friday I’m in Love by Camryn Garrett ❤️ Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez 💛 Memorial by Bryan Washington 💚 Patsy by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn

🖤 Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon ❤️ How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole 💛 Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackosn 💚 Mouths of Rain (edited) by Briona Simone Jones 🖤 Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia ❤️ Love's Divine by Ava Freeman 💛 The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr 💚 Odd One Out by Nic Stone 🖤 Symbiosis by Nicky Drayden ❤️ Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas 💛 The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons 💚 Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

🖤 Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert ❤️ My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson 💛 Pleasure and Spice by Fiona Zedde 💚 No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull 🖤 The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus ❤️ Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor 💛 The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin 💚 Peaces by Helen Oyeyem 🖤 The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk ❤️ Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh 💛 Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, Joy San 💚 The Heart Does Not Bend by Makeda Silvera

🖤 King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender ❤️ By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery 💛 Busy Ain't the Half of It by Frederick Smith & Chaz Lamar Cruz 💚 Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo 🖤 Sin Against the Race by Gar McVey-Russell ❤️ Trumpet by Jackie Kay 💛 Remembrance by Rita Woods 💚 Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo 🖤 You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour ❤️ The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters 💛 Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi 💚 Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyem

[accidentalspaceexplorer]

October Monthly Recap:

Ok listen October was a hell month. Not a good time. And yet, I read 22 books??? For the first half of the month I was reading one book a day?? I do not understand my own coping mechanisms either. I read exactly two 5-star books, A Half-Built Garden and Book Lovers. The former deserves more than 5 stars though!! One of my new favorite books. Seriously, it was really fascinating, thought-provoking, and meaningful. Go read A Half-Built Garden!

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 4 by Kamome Shirahami: 4.5/5

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 5 by Kamome Shirahami: 4.5/5

The Missing Page by Cat Sebastian: 4.5/5

Book Lovers by Emily Henry: 5/5

The Dragon’s Bride by Katee Robert: 4.25/5

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton: 3/5

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna: 4.75/5

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee: 3.75/5

Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites by Joy Demorra: 4.75/5

Conjuring Moonlight by Jasmine Silvera: 2/5, dnf

Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre: 4.5/5

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 6 by Kamome Shirahami: 4.5/5

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 7 by Kamome Shirahami: 4.5/5

Ben and Beatriz by Katalina Gamarra: 4.25/5

Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron: 4/5

In the Vanisher’s Palace by Aliette de Bodard: 4/5

The Blacksmith Queen by G. A. Aiken: 1.5/5, dnf

A Half-Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys: 8/5, new favorite

Capture the Crown by Jennifer Estep: 3/5

Braking Day by Adam Oyebanji: 4/5

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey: 4/5

A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian: 3.75/5

And my goal progress below the cut:

22 in 2022: 12

Read 100 books: 162

Read 40% AOC: 35.4% (Finally going in the right direction!)

Completing Series: 27 caught up/completed vs. 24 started

Translated Works: 9

Books in Spanish: 0

Numbered TBR: 13

Discworld: 2

Books by an Indigenous Author: 2

Physical TBR: 13

Storygraph Recs: 4

[the-library-and-the-teashop]

Masterpost.

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You can also find me here (linktr.ee)

Buy me a coffee (or a tea)

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The Cat crossed the road: about me.

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Book reviews:

♿ The Forest Grimm (by Kathryn Purdie)

🏳️‍🌈✊🏾 The Burning Kingdoms trilogy by Tasha Suri

The Jasmine Throne

The Oleander Sword

The Lotus Empire (out in November)

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📖 Book-Tea 🍵 Associations:

Iron Widow (by Xiran Jay Zhao)

The Forest Grimm (by Kathryn Purdie)

The Book Eaters (by Sunyi Dean)

They both die at the end (by Adam Silvera)

Girl, Serpent, Thorn (by Melissa Bashardoust)

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[firstdegreefangirl]

March 2023 Reading Wrap-Up

(A few days late, but finally here!)

Total books read: 6 

Total pages read: 2,152 

Days read: 27/31 

Average star rating: 3.79/5 

Challenge Prompts Filled: 14 in March; 33 total. Popsugar: 4(10)/40. Romanceopoly: 5(10)/36. CRAD: 1(3)/12. BTBL: 4(11)/52 

Mini reviews under the cut!

Unpregnant by Jenna Hendriks and Ted Caplan 

⭐⭐⭐⭐(¼) 

Me, sitting down for “a few minutes” to read on my night off work. Then, also me, closing the back cover like 90 minutes later. Once this story got under way, I was hooked. The pacing was perfect for a weekend-long, time-crunched road trip. I loved watching Ronnie rebuild her friendship with Bailey and rediscover the person she should have been all along. The only thing I might have changed was waning to see Kevin face just a few more consequences for how he kickstarted the story, but that’s Ronnie’s choice to make and I’m glad she reclaimed her agency from him. When I picked this one up from the 50 cent library sale rack, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from an “abortion road trip,” but this was laugh out loud funny in places, and just perfectly heartwarming in others. All of that said, Albuquerque is too far from Missouri, which was … kind of the point.  

Challenge Prompts: Beat the Backlist – Featuring travel (time optional) 

The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

This was really cute! I love second-chance romance, and the missed connections element made it even more interesting to me. It was really fun getting to watch Jasmine and Alex get to know each other for who they are, not just the images they’d built up in their heads. That said, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ex-boyfriend arc, or Alex being really jealous when Jas interacted with her ex, even though she assured him more than once that there wasn’t anything there. They were friends first, they run in the same social group, they’re going to cross paths here and there. There was some excellent personal growth, though, seeing Jas learn to go after what she wants and do things for herself. The PR/marketing angle was really fun, as someone who took a few classes and dabbled there in college, and who doesn’t love a book about donuts? (Note: as I’m writing this review like two weeks after I read the book, I’m realizing that it was cute, but largely forgettable. It’s a light, fluffy romance, but nothing that totally changed my life. Good read, definitely recommend it, but a lot of the details and such have already slipped my memory. VIVID memories of the Dodgers cap scene, though, if that sways anyone’s opinions.) 

Prompts filled: Romanceopoly – Has yellow on the cover 

What if It's Us? by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera 

⭐⭐⭐ 

OK, first of all, as a proud Broadway fan, I’m ashamed to admit how long it took me to realize that the title and the section titles are all from Dear Evan Hansen lyrics. I should have caught on right away, that’s my show, but WOW did I miss that one. That said, this has been on my TBR for ages, but it’s longer than some of the other books, so I kept putting it off. I’m glad I finally pulled it out, even if it was my slowest/longest read for the month. The pacing was just about perfect, and I love the MCs. Liiiiiiitle weird for me because I know close friends irl with the names of two of the characters, but that’s a personal issue and I don’t expect it to be universally relatable. No fault of the authors that they named the characters after my friends. Again with the missed connections romances, but this one took a fun and literal spin on it for the first section of the book. It’s been a minute since I’ve thought about CL missed connections ads, but it was so much fun watching the characters try to find each other in all of NYC. And once they did, I loved getting to follow along as they navigated summer romance and that instant connection they felt to one another. The ending was beautiful, if heart-wrenching, but it helped me to know that there’s a sequel to follow up on where things left off. And I loved how chock-full it was of musical references and New York City through the eyes of someone experiencing that part of the world for the first time.  

Prompts filled: Popsugar – A book with a song lyric as the title; Romanceopoly – M/M romance; BTBL – Multiple POVs 

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour 

⭐⭐⭐(½) 

I judge books by their covers. I’ll say it. Especially when they’re at the dollar store so it’s a low-risk investment. The text on the cover of this one was/is SO PRETTY, and I loved the premise of “you have to do something epic this summer,” without any elaboration on what that something might be. The MCs are all freshly graduated from high school, but honestly they read enough like adults that this didn’t feel particularly YA except where it was specifically mentioned. It walked a very neat line between “handles real-world issues with characters who feel like real people” and “fluffy romance novel” that can be a hard balance to strike. I related so hard to Emi looking for the perfect couch, as someone who will get clear visions of what I’m trying to find and refuse to settle for anything less. Ava’s story is heartbreaking and beautiful, and I loved watching Emi and Charlotte try to navigate their differences from her with tact and compassion, even when they didn’t always understand what she’d been through. (Also, it’s not likely to fit better anywhere else in this review, so I’ll just point it out here: I’m picturing Clyde as Sam Elliot, and I will not be accepting constructive criticism at this time or ever.) I don’t know a lot about the inner workings of Hollywood and/or the film industry, but I really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at indie films. The ending stressed me out; there was a point where I remember clearly thinking that there was no way they’d be able to wrap everything up in the number of pages that were left, but everything felt nicely paced and the falling action wasn’t rushed. Very cute, less fluffy than other books I’ve read but not in a way that made it feel hard to digest. There were a few parts where I didn’t feel very invested in what came next, which is where the stars got knocked off, but all things considered, I enjoyed this one. 

Prompts filled: Romanceopoly – Ever Afters St/Sapphic romance; Popsugar – A book about or set in Hollywood; BTBL – This house is alive (or at least very important) 

A Million Little Things by Susan Mallery 

⭐⭐⭐(½) 

As we know, I love Susan Mallery. By and large, she writes a great blend of women’s lit and romance, all in the same story. This was a fun read, for sure, but fell a little flat for me compared to some of her others. Mostly, I think she tried to do too much with characters who spent too much time apart. The book follows three women, two best friends and one of the friends’ mothers, but for large portions of the story they’re not really on speaking terms with each other. It made the different storylines feel disjoined and distant from one another. All three stories were interesting, but I think they might have been better served separately, or at least with clearer distinguishments between the different POVs. Pam is a complicated woman and I liked watching her actively fight against her internal biases (for the record: pictured her as Wendie Malick). Jen’s growth was tangible, and her ending tugged at my heartstrings. And I LOVE Zoe. It was so rewarding to see her grow into herself as an adult and learn to take charge of her own life. Even when some of the people in her world didn’t support her, she never wavered on her own beliefs, and that’s an admirable sort of conviction. The ending felt abrupt, though. Jen’s storyline was resolved pretty completely, but everyone else’s seemed to be left more open/ambiguious -- which isn’t necessarily a bad way to end a story, but it left things feeling a little unbalanced between the three MCs. All in all, Mallery is still one of, if not my favorite author, but there are other books of hers that I’d recommend over this one.  

Prompts Filled: BTBL – Family drama; Romanceopoly – Spring/secret pregnancy; Popsugar: Book about a family 

Just My Type by Falon Ballard 

⭐⭐⭐(½) 

I love this one! What an excellent impulse purchase at Target, even if I came home from the store and remembered that I’d already been approved for the ARC and forgotten to read it before publication. Everything from the bright purple color to the journalism-themed second-chance love story felt like it was catered perfectly to my tastes, and once I made it into the story, I was excited to find out that I was right! The characters feel so real and authentic, down to their little quirks and cell phone ringtones in a way that made the story so incredibly immersive. The idea of a love story that's centered around staying single was unlike anything I've read before, and I loved watching Lana grow into herself as a person. Outside of the romance plotlines, there was just enough side plot about her life (her mom, her boss, her bestie, etc) that she felt like such a REAL person, not one half of a love story. The only thing I'd have liked to see in the ending was a bit of closure on her friend's relationship status (if you know, you know). Now I'm going to have to go back and read Lease on Love, and I can't wait to find out what stories come next! 

Prompts Filled: CRAD March (starts with next letter in the alphabet); Popsugar: BookTok recommendation; Romanceopoly: Flirts Corner/Contemporary romance by an author I haven’t tried before. 

[deer-in-headlights-stare]

jasmine, chamomile, and nutmeg :D

jasmine ⇢ do you have a movie or book you loved but will never watch/read again?

maybe They both Die at the End by adam silvera? it is one of the few books to actually make me tear up so it will be awhile until i can read it again T_T

i've answered chamomile here!

nutmeg ⇢ how’s your room/home decorated? do you have a specific theme or style going on?

i don't have any particular theme just my clutter and lights :3 im hoping to go to a printer shop today to print some posters to put on my walls though

[iwasjustgoingthere]

Books Read 2022

1. Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeros have to compete for humanity’s survival in intergalactic Eurovision. Lots of fun language and praise of glam

2. The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons

I stayed up late my last night in Washington to finish it. Historical fiction of a Jewish girl fleeing Vienna to work in a British manor, romance develops. I’m glad they gave the ending it deserved, even if the final chapter 40 years later was strange. 

3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

A caseworker, Linus Baker, who’s job is to check orphanages for magical youth is sent to an extra special orphanage on an island. He learns to love it there. Warmed my heart and made me cry while I was home alone in late winter. 

4. Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link

A series of magic realism short stories. I loved these. The point of them seemed to be to experience the stories and not understand them fully. I normally want to understand everything so it was interesting how much I could enjoy a story I don’t understand. 

5. What to say next by Julie Buxbaum

Guy with Asperger’s befriends popular girl going through grief/trauma. It was a good book, I thought.

6. Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Literally SO good. First of all the story/world-building, incredible, and then the fact that they solved a love triangle with a throuple makes me unbelievably happy. 

6. Heartstopper, books 1 - 4 by Alice Oseman

Not to be that person but I read these before the Netflix series became a thing. A happy coincidence! Yes they’re so cute 

7. And then there were none, by Agatha Christie

I borrowed this book, along with Heartstopper, from a friend so I’d have something to read in the train. 

8. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I started it and wasn’t interested, but when Alka told me it was good I finished the book, and boy am I glad I did. A psychotherapist tries to help a woman who killed her husband and hasn’t spoken since. 

9. Sperling by Katharina Korbach

A German novel that my friend’s girlfriend lent me. A college student struggling with an eating disorder meets a lonely phD student who lives near her. A sad book but well-written. 

10. Beautiful World Where are You by Sally Rooney

I’m not a fan of Sally Rooney so we’ll see if I finish this book. I���m at least mildly compelled by it, as long as I skip the email portions. (update: as of October, not finished)

11. Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

I got it for free from a book box. It’s crazy that the book is slightly older than me, the main character would be approaching 60 years old. I’m getting into it though, maybe this will relaunch a book phase for me. At this point (mid-June) it’s clear I won’t be reading 50 books this year. 

12. Ilium by Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons has male-author syndrome but unfortunately his world-building is superb. Really enjoyed this book overall 

13. The Husbands by Chandler Baker 

Yeah, this was good. While one aspect of the whole thing was clear, it was still a chilling story and made me think (the book is about what to do about husbands who don’t take on their fair share of the household and how far you can go for justice). 

14. One Last Stop by Casey McQuinston

Fluffy, but we love a somewhat supernatural fluffy lesbian romance. Girls on Ney York’s subway trains. 

15. Everyone in this Room will Someday be Dead by Emily Austin

A lesbian struggling with her mental health ends up with a job in a Catholic church and struggles to manage her life and find out who killed the person who had the job before her. This book is my comfort book right now, I have ordered a paper copy from World of Books and wish it was arriving before November. 

16. Mauersegler by Jasmin Schreiber

Finally. I’ve been meaning to read it forever. A man is on the run from something he did that lead to his best friend’s death. 

17. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Two boys find out they’re dying sometime that day and get together to live their last day to its fullest. It’s crazy how long and important a single day can be, I feel like it could be a little exaggerated in the book but it really doesn’t feel like it while reading. 

18. Dracula by Bram Stoker

Courtesy of Dracula Daily, which I can recommend. 

19. A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe

A young embalmer avoids dealing with his past regarding his best friend, their choir days, his mother, and the time he had to do emergency work after a landslide. He’s stupid but the book is good! His best friend was wonderful.

20. The Truth about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Yes, nice. A girl is traumatized by her best friend drowning randomly and tries to find some meaning in the incident through jellyfish.

21. The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin 

A girl goes to a new school unlike her previous school with a small class of colorful characters and becomes a better person while they all speculate what happened to the class legend, Paulie Fink.

22. The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

The prequel to “they both die at the end” and very nice. Makes me want to flip through the other book to catch all the references. 

23. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

25-year-old April May finds one of many giant robot statues and becomes the face of the global movement to understand their possibly alien nature. 

24. S by Doug Dorst and J. J. Abrams

A book that’s both a typed story and the interactions of two young people in the margins, trying to figure out the book, the author, and each other. 

Ok there we have it! I don’t want to count the Sally Rooney book but if I count all the Heartstopper Books individually we’re at 27 books in 2022!  Pretty good! That seems like a nice number of books for a book lover.

[hundredpages]

“I promise to see you, exactly as you are, as often as you let me.”

― Jasmine Silvera, Binding Shadows

[nanowrimo]

How NaNoWriMo and Kindle Scout Turned One Writer into a Published Author

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Kindle Scout is reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books. It’s a place where readers help decide if a book gets published. Of the over 300 titles readers have discovered through Kindle Scout, many have roots in NaNoWriMo. Learn how Kindle Scout helped author Jasmine Silvera go from plotting to published:

I've always said I'd move anywhere for love. When my husband's job sent us from Seattle to the Czech Republic, I left behind a gig teaching yoga and the vibrant speculative fiction writing community I had been a part of for nearly a decade to embrace life in the magnificent city of Prague.

Prague is an enticing combination of the foreign and the familiar. Its superb architecture and complex history make it easy to find inspiration around every corner. But It wasn’t until I met another expat and writer that inspiration turned to story. Mystery writer Beth Green suggested we do NaNoWriMo together. For the first time, I imagined life in an alternate Prague full of magic. As the weather settled into the chill and dark of late fall, we met in coffee shops all over the city to plan our month of writing.

I’d always been a writer, but aside from a short story or two, publication had been out of reach. Fearing plotting would kill my creative process, I was a die-hard pantser. I’d taken part in NaNoWriMo several years in a row and won with ease. But those attempts ended in messy, unfinishable books. I decided with only 30 days "to lose,” I'd plot the entire novel before writing a scene.

I started NaNoWriMo that year, not just writing the story, but also spending time with my characters, learning their motivations and fears. Location research amounted to long walks around the city and tours of historic sites. It took longer than I expected. By end of the first week of NaNoWriMo, I had the outline for a complete novel: 27 chapters including scene ideas.

I was also way behind on my word count. I feared that the plotting experiment would cost me my win that year. Beth and I met several times a week, and I often squeezed in a few more hours each night at home. When I got stuck, I had my outline for reference. But increasingly, writing felt magical: by knowing where my characters needed to be from chapter to chapter, bridging the gaps was effortless.

“The risk I took to plot during NaNoWriMo showed me that sometimes doing something familiar in a new way pays off.“

Though I didn’t beat my personal best NaNoWriMo word count (104k words is a tough bar!) I had something even better: a complete novel. The 30-day limit empowered me to take a chance with a new writing strategy. That gamble paid off.

I spent a year revising Death’s Dancer, working with an editor and beta readers to get it right. When a friend sent me a link to Kindle Scout, I had my doubts: no one I knew had ever done anything like it. But after researching the program, I found the process of "reader-powered publishing" intriguing.

After submitting the book through the Kindle Scout website, there’s a brief review period (usually just a day or two), to make sure the book meets some basic requirements. Readers then have 30 days to vote on an excerpt of the book, and an editorial review factors into the final decision to offer a publishing contract. I would have a decision in 45 days. Compared to industry stories of querying agents and editors for months or years, Kindle Scout would give me quick feedback and allow me to reach potential readers.

It's a new way of publishing. The risk I took to plot during NaNoWriMo showed me that sometimes doing something familiar in a new way pays off.

The Kindle Scout campaign for Death's Dancer ran in the summer of 2016 and it was selected for publication. My favorite part of being an author is hearing from readers: finding out their favorite character, and moments in the story that moved them.

Thanks to NaNoWriMo and Kindle Scout, I have the best souvenir from my time in the Czech Republic: the start of a writing career.

Jasmine Silvera followed her love of writing to Seattle, where she now lives with her family after 2 years abroad. She enjoys practicing yoga, photography, and relearning to dance. Death’s Dancer is her first novel. The sequel Dancer’s Flame is forthcoming in early 2018. She is @jassilvera on social media, and posts upcoming release news at www.jasminesilvera.com

[slaughter-books]

Blue book stack! 💙🦕

[da-rk-ac-ad-em-ia]

“I promise to see you, exactly as you are, as often as you’ll let me.”

- Jasmine Silvera, Binding Shadows (Tooth and Spell #1)

[cleverwordsandotherstuffilike]

“I promise to see you, exactly as you are, as often as you’ll let me.” Jasmine Silvera Binding Shadows

[hotgirlscoups]

here are my 2021 books for everyone who asked <33 mwah

read: 153 (including re-reads that aren't listed) 2021 goal: 100 5 stars: crooked kingdom (leigh bardugo) the wrath and the dawn (renee ahdieh) little fires everywhere (celeste ng) to kill a mockingbird (harper lee) the great gatsby (f. scott fitzgerald) finding audrey (sophie kinsella) 4 stars: the seven husbands of evelyn hugo (taylor jenkins reid) these violent delights (chloe gong) six of crows (leigh bardugo) perfect on paper (sophie gonzales) to love and to loathe (martha waters) house of hollow (krystal sutherland) the heartless divine (varsha ravi) sorcery of thorns (margaret rogerson) i would leave me if i could: a collection of poetry (halsey) they never learn (layne fargo) people we meet on vacation (emily henry) circe (madeline miller) the unhoneymooners (christina lauren) the rose and the dagger (renee ahdieh) if we were villains (m.l. rio) the vanishing half (brit bennett) jacinda ardern: a new kind of leader (madeleine chapman) one last stop (casey mcquiston) serpent & dove (shelby mahurin) gone girl (gillian flynn) verity (colleen hoover) the invisible life of addie larue (v.e. schwab) sharp objects (gillian flynn) the hate u give (angie thomas) the poppy war (r.f. kuang) the night diary (veera hiranandani) one for my enemy (olivie blake) see what you made me do: power, control and domestic violence (jess hill) passing (nella larsen) the dragon republic (r.f. kuang) layli and majnun (nizami ganjavi) pretty little wife (darby kane) hostage (clare mackintosh) forensics (val mcdermid) what my mother and i don't talk about (michele filgate) no exit (taylor adams) the family romanov: murder, rebellion, and the fall of imperial russia (candace fleming) fleabag: the scriptures (phoebe waller-bridge) our violent ends (chloe gong) conversations with friends (sally rooney) normal people (sally rooney) the shortest history of china (linda jaivin) lovely war (julie berry) 3 stars: paris is always a good idea (jenn mckinlay) a spark of light (jodi picoult) more than maybe (erin hahn) twice shy (sarah hogle) kingdom of the wicked (kerri maniscalco) the hating game (sally thorne) love lettering (kate clayborn) the shadows between us (tricia levenseller) stalking jack the ripper (kerri maniscalco) you deserve each other (sarah hogle) a promised land (barack obama) to kill a kingdom (alexandra christo) just last night (mhairi mcfarlane) shadow and bone (leigh bardugo) the jasmine throne (tasha suri) they both die at the end (adam silvera) the alchemist (paulo coelho) beach read (emily henry) if i did it: confessions of the killer (o.j. simpson) the school for good and evil (soman chainani) ariel (sylvia plath) mr salary (sally rooney) the bridge kingdom (danielle l. jensen) the song of achilles (madeline miller) love and other words (christina lauren) better than the movies (lynn painter) feminist consequences: theory for the new century (elisabeth bronfen) one of us is lying (karen m. mcmanus) red, white and royal blue (casey mcquiston) good girl, bad girl (michael robotham) the list (patricia forde) serpent & dove (shelby mahurin) the raven boys (maggie stiefvater) american predator: the hunt for the most meticulous serial killer of the 21st century (maureen callahan) beautiful world, where are you (sally rooney) the love hypothesis (ali hazelwood) i killed zoe spanos (kit frick) behind closed doors (b.a. paris) evidence of the affair (taylor jenkins reid) the bullet and the ballot box (aditya adhikari) the ramayana (r.k. narayan) sisters of the snake (sasha nanua) matilda (mary shelley) one of us is next (karen m. mcmanus) the traitor queen (danielle l. jensen) the butterfly garden (dot hutchinson) feminist consequences (elisabeth bronfen) not a happy family (shari lapena) white tears/brown scars: how white feminism betrays women of color (ruby hamad) becoming (michelle obama) 2 stars: a deal with the elf king (elise kova) a touch of darkness (scarlett st. clair) great expectations (charles dickens) siege and storm (leigh bardugo) hard sell (lauren layne) the dating plan (sara desai) dance of thieves (mary e.

pearson) crazy rich asians (kevin kwan) devdas (sarat chandra chattopadhyay) ace of shades (amanda foody) a cuban girl's guide to tea and tomorrow (laura taylor namey) the layover (lacie waldon) kulti (mariana zapata) the original folk and fairy tales of the brothers grimm (jacob grimm) you've reached sam (dustin thao) hello (from here) (chandler baker) i am malala (malala yousafzai) 1 star: the trouble with hating you (sajni patel) fifty shades of grey (e.l. james) fifty shades darker (e.l. james) shatter me (tahereh mafi) bound by hatred (cora reilly) call me by your name (andre aciman) book extras: a romajuliette christmas special (chloe gong): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ the mirror and the maze (renee ahdieh): ⭐⭐⭐ the moth and the flame (renee ahdieh): ⭐⭐⭐ the crown and the arrow (renee ahdieh): ⭐⭐⭐ the drowning faith (r.f. kuang): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[twobrokegirlswithbooks]

jomp bpc: read in February

-Nerdy Panda

💌💘

Karen's School Picture adapted by Katy Farina (A book published in 2022)

Good-bye, Stacey, Good-bye adapted by Gabriela Epstein (A book by a Latinx author)

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli

Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd (A book you can read in one sitting)

Here's to Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera (A book with two POVs)

Alice in Wonderland: A Graphic Novel adapted by Russell Punter

not pictured:

A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James

The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James

The Ugly Dutchess by Eloisa James

Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (A romance novel by a BIPOC author)

[sinterblackwell]

i don’t know who exactly created this tag but i wanted to thank @arywizm for being the one who happened to make me aware of it since it does seem cool.

book tag:

- how many books are too many books in a series?

my recent two favorite series (the skybound saga by alex london + the timekeeper trilogy by tara sim) both consist of just three books, which works pretty well for me.

but then there’s also the raven cycle series by maggie stiefvater, which consists of four books (+ an additional short story). with each book that i read, i fell deeper and deeper in love with this world the author built so i can’t forget that.

with that in mind, if i do the math, the maximum is five books. any more than that is overkill.

- how do you feel about cliffhangers?

they’re amazing.

ex: “chainbreaker (timekeeper, #2)” by tara sim.

- hardback or paperback?

some hardbacks come with a special design underneath the printed cover depending where you order them from (ex: “cemetery boys” by aiden thomas) so it is really cool to see that, plus the feeling of holding a hardcover book in my hands is immaculate.

however, paperbacks are better.

my copy of “white rabbit” by caleb roehrig proves it. it’s so floppy and brilliant, i can’t get enough of it.

- least favorite book?

“the unfortunate importance of beauty” by amanda filipacchi. it is the first (and hopefully last) book i ever gave a 1-star rating on goodreads.

- love triangles, yes or no?

i feel mostly meh about them because i just don’t care. i would prefer if there not be one because then there’d be less relationship drama but it could sometimes be fun seeing how readers are at such opposite sides when it comes to the ships.

(ex: addie & luc vs. addie & henry from “the invisible life of addie larue” by v.e. schwab. it’s not much of a love triangle but it’s close enough, i guess you can say).

i personally love addieluc.

- the most recent book you just couldn’t finish?

i tried giving “the inheritance games” by jennifer lynn barnes a second try over a month ago but i just couldn’t get into it.

if it was an adult, or even new adult (everyone in the online book community knows how many more books we need under the 18-22 age bracket), the story probably would work better, in my opinion, because it being in the young adult category just makes the writing feel off to me.

- a book you’re currently reading?

there’s two: “the weight of the stars” by k. ancrum + “china room” by sunjeev sahota.

- last book you recommended to someone?

“vicious” by v.e. schwab to a close friend of mine. i raved to him about eli ever and he found the premise really interesting so fingers crossed 🤞🏽

i have a bad habit of recommending books to non-readers but i genuinely can’t help it when i know the book in question would just be absolutely perfect for them.

like, i recommended aftg to this same friend a long while ago and it’s become so incredibly important to him, especially the character andrew, so that’s just a little fact that matters a lot to me.

- oldest book you’ve read?

“we have always lived in the castle” by shirley jackson (first published: 1962).

- newest book you’ve read?

it technically hasn’t even come out yet but it was my book of the month pick for august so it was an early release: “the heart principle (the kiss quotient, #3)” by helen hoang; it’s set to be published on august 30.

note: it can be read as a standalone.

- favorite author?

adam silvera was the first author i ever considered my favorite and he still is. but there’s also olivie blake.

- buying books or borrowing books?

i love that feeling of adding books to my personal collection but 9/10 of the time, i prefer borrowing them first so that i know for sure i want to own them for myself.

- a book you dislike that everyone else seems to love?

i don’t necessarily dislike it but i didn’t care too much about it: “the mark of athena (heroes of olympus, #3)” by rick riordan.

it was my least favorite of the series, although, “blood of olympus (heroes of olympus, #5)” was slightly disappointing, but only just because of how rushed the ending felt.

- bookmarks or dog-ears?

bookmarks!! there’s these charm ones i buy off of etsy and they’re really cute.

- a book you can always reread?

“autoboyography” by christina lauren; i originally answered this one with “masters of death” by olivie blake because it has become a huge comfort book of mine in the last couple of weeks but then someone by michael schulte just popped up in my shuffle and my mind changed.

the song’s always reminded me of sebastian & tanner from “autoboyography” so i couldn’t help including them in this tag because they mean a lot to me.

- can you read while listening to music?

i just listened to the entirety of taylor swift’s “red (deluxe)” album while reading “it ends with us” by colleen hoover so……yes.

- one pov or multiple povs?

multiple!! i especially love it when authors include the perspectives of some minor characters since personally, i think it adds more depth to the story (ex: the skybound saga by alex london).

a booktuber complained about this in “the jasmine throne” by tasha suri but it just made me that much more excited to read the author’s new adult fantasy.

- do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?

depends on the book, really.

i read the entirety of “firestarter (timekeeper, #3)” by tara sim all while laying in bed with very few social media breaks in between.

on the flip side, it took me over a couple weeks to finish “these violent delights” by chloe gong.

- who do you tag?

i wasn’t tagged to do this, it was just something i thought could be fun and it was. i hope maybe there’s any titles that stuck out to anyone who comes across this, reader or not, since i do believe that there’s always a book out there for everyone.

if this is something that could be fun for you, i tag: @tawmlinsun @kritiquer @flying-elliska @dreamingoftinystars and @minyardss

[accidentalspaceexplorer]

January Monthly Recap

This past month was hard, not going to lie, so I didn’t read as much as I’d like to have. I also didn’t read much that I really loved, either, except Elder Race and Braiding Sweetgrass.

People Who Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry: 4/5

Collective Wisdom ed. by Grace Bonney: 4.25/5

The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst: 3.5/5

Binding Shadows by Jasmine Silvera: 4.25/5

Arrow’s Fall by Mercedes Lackey: 3/5

Invisible Kingdom, vol. 2 by G. Willow Wilson: 3.5/5

Invisible Kingdom, vol. 3 by G. Willow Wilson: 3/5

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer: 4.75/5

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky: 5/5

The Loosening Skin by Aliya Whiteley: 4.25/5

I’m also going to start tracking my goals under the cut here, if you’re curious!

22 in 2022: 0/22

Read 100 Books: 10/100

Read 40% AOC: currently 44.4%

Completing Series: 3 series completed/caught up vs. 1 started

Translated Works: 0

Books in Spanish: 0

Numbered TBR: 0

Discworld: 0

Books by an Indigenous Author: 1

Reduce My Physical TBR: 1

Storygraph Recs: 1 (I think The Loosening Skin was a Storygraph rec...?)