Tag: life update

Reading Update: January-March 2023

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I always seem to read less in winter, which is not surprising because second semester always seems like more work. I have read around the same amount of books for college that I have for fun. For college, I have read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, part of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Wollstonecraft, Sor Juana’s poems and Response, and Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince.

Here is what I have read for fun this year:

  1. The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh:
  2. The First Binding by R.R. Virdi
  3. Rosewood by Sayantani DasGupta
  4. As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
  5. Against White Feminism by Rafia Zakaria
  6. Send Her Back by Munashe Kaseke
  7. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland
  8. Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan
  9. She’s Nice Though by Mia Mercado
  10. She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson
  11. I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib

And here is what I am currently reading:

  1. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland
  2. Babel by R.F. Kuang
  3. Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal
  4. Of Light and Shadow by Tanaz Bhathena
  5. Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

Reviews

The First Binding by R.R. Virdi – For being over 500 pages, The First Binding is captivating, emotional, and well-woven. I like how TFB is structured a lot differently from other novels I’ve read – there are stories interwoven throughout and a frame narrative. I never felt confused about the timelines of the novel. The two main timelines are between the main character’s childhood and his present time. I wanted to know more about the main character’s journey right before the present story, but I think we will get that in sequels to TFB. Overall, TFB is a promising start to an immersive epic fantasy series.

She’s Nice Though by Mia Mercado – This is the third memoir I have read this year. There were a few sections I skimmed, but I related to the various stories about growing up Filipino and a woman. I appreciated Mercado’s humor throughout, and I am hoping to read her books in the future. I decided to read this book because of the cake on the cover, and I was very excited when I found out that Mercado is a writer and is Filipino.

She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson – This is something different from what I usually read, but I really enjoyed Quinta Brunson’s memoir. I love Abbott Elementary, so when I read this, I was thinking about how Brunson mentions that she sold a show at the end of the novel. That show is Abbott Elementary!! I remember watching Brunson on Buzzfeed when I was still in middle school, so it is exciting to see her story from her childhood through 2021. I appreciated the sections about her life in college because Brunson affirmed for me that it is ok to not have everything figured out during this time in my life, and that having goals and going after them even if the road to your endgame is long is natural. I highly recommend SMW to my fellow college students.

The Future. . .

I would love to blog more consistently, so I am thinking of setting aside time in the morning each day to write. Even if I do not publish whatever I write, I think it’ll be helpful for me to improve my writing skills and to dedicate more time to this blog. My Bookstagram @solaceinreading_ will always be my first love, but I am finding that being on Instagram and social media so much is not conducive to me doing what I actually want to do, which is read, write, and other things.

How is your 2023 going? What would you like to see from my blog?

Life Update: 3/15/2022

Published on by Solace in Reading3 Comments

This is a really short post, but here’s what I’ve been up to in the two months since I’ve last posted:

  1. I’ve read 20 books this year! So far, my favorites have been: The Ikessar Falcon, The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng, Deep in Providence, and Descendent of the Crane. My least favorites have been The Witcher (honestly, I think I need to put together a list of fantasy books I want to see adapted rather than ones that have a lot of popularity already. Although Anya Chalotra is amazing!),
  2. I’e officially been working for almost half a year. I work for a book publishing company focused on academic publishing, and it’s so interesting to see how books and other materials are put together.
  3. This month, I’m hoping to read All My Rage, Ashes of Gold, and One True Loves.

How are you? What else would you like to see from my blog?

September Wrap Up ft. I’ve read 120 books this year?!

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I was on the tour for Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao for Caffeine Tours!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUCtf-ZrFb4/

I am 6 followers away from 1.4k!!! I really love how nice and inviting the bookstagram community has been, and I am so happy with my schedule of having no posting schedule – doing what I want, when I want to is so freeing. For some reason, WordPress is not allowing me to insert images, so here are links to a few of my September posts I love.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUPmMrWLENQ/

I also turned 18!! It was a great day and I got to go to a bookstore and have a slice of 17 layer chocolate cake. Chocolate cake is my favorite. Furthermore, I spent the day with both sides of my family (had to wear a mask because 1. COVID, and 2. personal health reasons).

https://www.instagram.com/p/CT7WCuzLHkY/

School is honestly taking up a lot of my energy, but I’ve read nearly 120 books this year!! I’m really excited for these October-December releases: When Night Breaks, Jade Fire Gold, Our Violent Ends, Girls of Fate and Fury, and The Holiday Switch.

What books are you hoping to read before the end of 2021?

September – December 2021: Thoughts, Aspirations

Published on by Solace in Reading3 Comments

I love fall and winter. My birthday is in September, my family has birthdays, there’s Halloween, fall weather, Christmas. It’s basically a time of food and and fun in my house. . .and also a time of great book releases!! However, I am a senior, so I have college applications. Here’s what my blog and bookstagram will (tentatively) look like this fall.

Blog

There’s a few ARCs I need to review:

  • Our Violent Ends
  • Fools in Love
  • The Bronzed Beasts
  • A Clash of Steel – for Colored Pages Book Tours – look out for my post September 10th!
  • The Red Palace
  • Within These Wicked Walls

Tbh, I DNF-ed OVE, FIL, and WTWW just because I was in a reading slump in August, but I really need to get those reviews done. I highly recommend all of the books btw!

I also want to make more lists of books with certain tropes/genres, maybe an article on why I don’t use online book tracker apps, my third year bookstagram anniversary post. I have a lot of ideas and hopefully can use my free time to work on something other than applying to college.

Bookstagram

Ah, my main platform! Time to pull out the fairy lights and wayyyyyy more props. Another fun activity that calms me during the school year.

The main post I want to have up in October is a cosplay of Kallia from When Night Breaks – I cosplayed a modern version of her in 2020, and it’s one of my favorite posts ever.

And of course, 2022 has many great book releases in store (All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir comes to mind), so I will definitely be promoting those.

Additionally, I think J. Elle may have another street team for Wings of Ebony’s sequel, so I want to sign up for that. The cover for Ashes of Gold is out!!

Shopping

Recently, I’ve gotten into online shopping. I am looking for clothes that I don’t have in colors I don’t have. As a shorter person, I fit in clothes from middle school, but then grow out of others, and I recently got some money, so that’s really fun.

I also am limiting myself to buying five books this fall, however, it depends on if I get anything for my birthday (September 25). I am grateful to have parents who support my book lovingness.

Wishlist

I am really hoping to buy more contemporary, fun books. I own a lot of fantasy series/first books in fantasy series, and I am realizing that I cannot own every single one because I am already having to double stack my books, which is not great. I actually got rid of a lot of books, or not got rid of because they are still where I live, but it feels good because I have friends who love books, so they are going to good homes. I also want to start a book collecting project at my school, but as a senior, I think I’m going to wait for myself to get into a routine before jumping into another project.

As for things other than books, I am looking to add a few new pieces to my fall and winter wardrobes that can work for both seasons AND for every occasion. There’s so many fancy pieces of clothes I have, so I’d like to add some casual clothes as well.

School

I am a high school senior. My first app is due November 1, and then I have an interview really soon.

I am taking two APs, Bio and Stats, and both go together, so I feel good about my AP classes. Stats is involved in Bio, and I love math, so I am excited to use math in bio!! I am also in Graphic Arts where we’ll get to use paper AND iPads. Art used to be something I wanted to do in college, and I want to take it as an elective because while I love talking, debating, and writing, art lets me use my thoughts in a different way!

Life

Honestly, I have such great friends both offline and online, so I am grateful to have support! August wasn’t a good month for me except for Santa Monica and LA which I am glad to say were bright spots. I am doing better now and am so grateful for the support I received in August, not only from my family, but also from my friends and school.

Do I have any goals? One of my CA’s is due Nov 1, I want to be done with my apps by December 17, and I want to find some clothes I do not have – I’m getting into experimenting with my outfits, which is a lot of fun.

Anything you want to do in Sep-Dec? Book recs for me?

Summer Break: Wrap-Up

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My end of summer 2021 post.

I cannot believe the end of summer 2021 is here! I hit 100 books and as of today (8/29/2021), I have read 112 books so far this year. I only read four books in August, but that’s because I was in. . .Santa Monica and Los Angeles.

I was cleared to go on the trip (I’d been sick the days before we left), so my experience was not the best because I was still sick when we got back home. Luckily, I am better today. There are so many amazing bookstores in LA:

  • The Ripped Bodice
  • Book Soup
  • Barnes and Noble at the Grove (I do love a good Barnes and Noble.)
  • Skylight Books
  • BookMonster – Santa Monica

I bought:

  • Wings of Ebony – got a signed copy!!
  • Raybearer – paperback and it’s so shiny!
  • How We Fall Apart – my name is in the acknowledgements, or rather, SolaceinReading is!

When I came home, I also found an early finished copy of A Clash of Steel by C.B. Lee waiting for me (for Colored Pages Tours – my post will be up on Friday, September 10) AND an ARC of The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi!!! TBB is so good, it made me cry.

I’m mostly looking forward to September – I have been sick for a while and now know what it is, so that is so great.

Fall is my favorite. . .

The leaves! The chill in the air, that sense of a light rain, my birthday, family birthdays, Halloween, school. . .I am going to be a senior but fall just makes me feel so calm. I want to make a most anticipated releases post but don’t have the energy right now.

How was your summer?

Life Update – 7/10/21

Published on by Solace in Reading5 Comments

Interestingly, July is going well for me!!! Here’s what’s been going on in my life, including what I’ve read, a peak into my reading journal, and my thoughts as I come up on my third year bookstagram anniversary in December.

Life

I’m a part of a university’s free collegiate scholars program that I’ve been a part of since the summer before my sophomore year and I LOVE my classes this year!! I have four classes and they are all helping me. Two of them are college focused, and one is about the U.S. Census, Identity, and Politics and the other one is about The Politics of Superhero Movies. I don’t know what I’ll write my personal statement about, but I have a few ideas.

I also feel a lot less stressed this summer – I’m hoping to meet up with some of my friends this month and next month, I’m going on a family trip (we are all fully vaccinated) to see colleges in the Western U.S.

Books

I’ve read about 8 books this month.

As for bookstagram, I’m trying not to be on IG as much and I think it’s super beneficial for my mental health. Last July, I posted nearly EVERYDAY. That does not work for me. I’ve also learned not to care as much about what others think (I hope) and I’ve made some really great friends.

I got to go to the library again today (very fortunate to have a great library system in my city) and checked out some books I’m anticipating:

  1. Blood Like Magic by LIselle Sambury – I’ve followed her for a while and can’t wait to read this!!! It is a very long book and I love long fantasy novels. Also, the cover!!! Voya looks amazing.
  2. Renegade Flight by Andrea Tang – I think this is a companion novel to Rebelwing and I remember liking Tang’s writing style and world a lot.
  3. A Universe of Wishes edited by Dhonielle Clayton – love anthologies!!! The cover is so cool and there are many details. I’m most excited for Dhonielle’s, Nic Stone’s, and Anna-Marie McLemore’s stories.

Below is an image of my book tracker in my reading journal:

Missing some information but I’ve read 7 books this month – need to read 9 more books to get to 100.

Bookstagram Anniversary – Less than six months away!

Love this photo my parent took of me!!

I think I’ll have to save up money to do a fun book haul MAYBE. I’m going to college next year, so I’ll probably limit myself to 3-5 books. I already have the Fairyloot edition of Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong preordered, so that might be my gift to myself, lol!

I don’t know where I would be without bookstagram. When I didn’t have many friends irl, bookstagram was there for me. I’m happy to say I follow a few people’s private IG’s and I hope to meet them irl someday.

What should I do for my third year bookstagram anniversary?

Where Have I Been: Life Update

Published on by Solace in Reading4 Comments
Some of my most anticipated books of 2021.

Hello everyone! I am happy to be back (although at the time I’m writing this, I still have two major tests and then I’m done!!). Here’s what I’ve been doing and reading.

Life

I took my AP Lit exam during the second week of May and presented my AP Research project! My project was on Asian American history curriculum in U.S. history classes. If anyone’s interested in seeing my presentation or paper, I’d be happy to share it with you. I’m pretty proud of it considering the fact that I did it all during online school.

I’m also happy because I have a research assistantship this summer! I had one last year as well and I’m excited to put in the work to learn more about what it’s like to have a job. However, I am nervous about starting my college search because I haven’t done that much work yet and only have a vague idea of what type of university I’d like to go to (liberal arts based in a city, near a bookstore, with research opportunities and a well-connected network of alumni so I can get a job after).

I also haven’t seen the majority of my friends in person in over a year, so I really hope I’ll be able to see them in person this summer (still socially distanced). I’m curious to know: would any of you ever want to meet me in person? I’ve always wanted to go to a book convention.

School

It’s actually going well? Being my junior year, it was challenging, but I feel a lot better about taking time for my mental health now than I did before. My teachers did an excellent job of checking in with us and giving us time off. I got to take two dual enrollment math classes. They were pretty fun! I think I like statistics because it’s a lot different from the math I’ve learned in schools; it’s easy to make connections to the real world.

Books

I’m going to be a part of the ChiTeen Lit Fest, a free festival for teens hosted by my city’s library network!! I’m interviewing Kara Jackson, who is the 2018 Youth Poet Laureate of Chicago and the 2019 National Youth Poet Laureate, along with a partner and I’m super grateful for this opportunity. It takes place from May 16 to May 22, and the interview is at 5:15 p.m. CST on Tuesday, May 18.

Link: ChiTeen Lit Fest

I hope any teens reading this will join! I’ve also been reading a lot more lately because I have time. I’ve only bought one book this year, and it’s shifted my mindset around how many books I buy. Not only has the library been a great resource, but also, I’ve been able to devote more time to really enjoying books that I like by reading them slowly. The book I bought is Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart, and I’ve read many positive reviews about it.

I’m also a part of two street teams: the Snake Squad for Sasha and Sarena Nanua’s Sisters of the Snake, coming out on June 15 of this year, and the Sinclair Students for Katie Zhao’s debut young adult novel How We Fall Apart (thanks to Bloomsbury and Katie Zhao for the advanced reader copy). I have some exciting posts that I’m thinking about and hope you all will support these authors.

HOW WE FALL APART can now be preordered from any major book retailers, including Bookshop, Bloomsbury, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Blackwells, etc. Bookshop : https://bit.ly/3lNXWK8 Bloomsbury : https://bit.ly/3nLgewn Blackwells : https://bit.ly/32R2K9I Amazon : https://amzn.to/2Px9C5L
The How We Fall Apart Preorder Campaign!! Love these character cards.

Finally, my favorite books I’ve read this year out of 35 are Raybearer, Cinderella is Dead, The Ones We’re Meant to Find, Elatsoe, The Infinity Courts, Reaper of Souls, City of the Plague God, The Gilded Ones, Instructions for Dancing, We Free the Stars, The Meet Cute Project, and American Betiya. Some 2021 books I read last year that I recommend are Happily Ever Afters and Wings of Ebony. Reviews of Raybearer, How We Fall Apart, and The Ones We’re Meant to Find, along with more, should be coming this summer, as early as two weeks from now! I’m also planning to write a post for API Heritage Month and a specific post with Filipino authors, because I am Filipino! Thank you for reading!

How are you? What else would you like to see from my blog?

Mini Life Update ft. My Birthday and a Book Haul

Published on by Solace in Reading4 Comments

Yesterday was my birthday!! It was so much fun, and this time next year, I will turn the age you need to vote where I live. I am super grateful to have such giving parents because in a book, I read that parents don’t care as much about celebrating as their children get older. I like birthdays! I learned that I just need to relax and go with life because the birthday is the day to celebrate you.

NOTE: I am very very very grateful to my parents and family friends and friends. I am very privileged to be able to receive money for my birthday because the $ I get from my birthday and Christmas almost entirely go to books and my bank account, which is why I am able to get so many books. During this pandemic, both of my parents have still been able to work, which is why I can celebrate events like my birthday and my sister’s birthday, etc. I know that I have a lot in life, and I am so fortunate. TW: mentions of food, birthdays

My cake was chocolate with buttercream frosting and red hearts, plus a red 17 on top. It’s sort of this rose gold brown color, which doesn’t sound the best, but it’s really pretty! Also, it tastes really good, which is the most important part to me personally. I also got 12 cupcakes made by a friend of a family friend from the family friend which was so nice. These cupcakes are gorgeous: chocolate with chocolate frosting and gold dust.

Once again, I am grateful because I got an Owlcrate box for myself and bullet journals, as well as $ to my favorite Independent Bookstore. Here’s a list of books I hope to get; the ones bolded are my top three choices out of books that have recently been released:

  1. Legendborn
  2. Raybearer
  3. A Thief Among the Trees
  4. Spellhacker
  5. Incendiary
  6. As The Shadow Rises (maybe)
  7. Maya and the Rising Dark
  8. These Violent Delights (preorder)
  9. The Burning God (preorder)
  10. Rent A Boyfriend

This year, I’ve gotten around 10-12 physical books (including physical ARCs) compared to 20-25 physical books last year. I love all of them, but realized that I don’t need to feel pressure to buy every new release that I want because I have so many incomplete series on my shelves.

Overall, my birthday was fun. My family and I got food and ate it socially distant in a park, and then went to my Dad’s bike path/bridge downtown (socially distant! with masks!). The sunset and weather were so nice, and when we got home, I ate more cake and watched Enola Holmes with my mom. For what it was, it was a pretty good and engaging movie, and I hope that there is a sequel, although it doesn’t need one.

Today? I have to study for a DE math test on Tuesday, as well as for an AP Psych exam on October 5. I’m also going to the bookstore (very strict: only four people allowed in at a time WITH MASKS and socially distant!!!!!!), so hopefully I can find the books I want.

Have you received any books recently?