5 On My TBR: 5 Books Hyped in the Past

April 20, 2020 silverbuttonbooks6 Comments

#5OnMyTBR is a bookish meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook and you can learn more about it here or in the post announcing it. Since my TBR can always use more focus, this meme is a great way to get organized. Each week has a theme and this week is: 5 Books Hyped in the Past. Thank goodness I remembered this meme because, holy moly, everyday here in quarantine looks like the one before it! Dear brain, today is Monday. MONDAY!!!

(The hyperlinks will take you to Goodreads!)

#1 Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

I had a physical copy of this book and lent it to a friend who needed it for a required reading assignment. I have just realized that when I moved to Chicago this summer I didn’t remember to get it back. *Gasp*

#2 Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Couldthurst

This gorgeous cover was irresistible to me and so, of course, I own this book. Why haven’t I read it yet?? Who knows! I mean, the second book is already out and I should just crack into it already. I’m ridiculous.

#3 Less by Andrew Sean Greer

This book was massively hyped and I had numerous friends that picked up a copy and recommended it to me. I have, embarrassingly, borrowed it from the library at least twice and returned it unopened. That is a lot of effort to just not read this book. Maybe I should just admit that I don’t want to read it?

#4 The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

Yet another book I own that I haven’t read yet. This book was wildly hyped to me and I saw it everywhere so I picked it up and promptly shelved it. Seriously??

#5 Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Do I own a copy? Yes! Alright! Perhaps this is why I haven’t really felt lonely during this quarantine…I have four bookshelves of unread gorgeous books to keep me company. I regret nothing!

Tell me, please!

Which of these hyped books should I read first?

Uncategorized

2020 Books in Two Sentences: March

April 3, 2020 silverbuttonbooks2 Comments

At the very beginning of 2020 I saw The Knight is Dark and Full of Books do this with their 2019 books and I was in awe. I knew I wanted to do the same for my 2020 books but I also knew that if I didn’t make it a monthly habit it would be a hot mess at the end of the year. I did better than I thought I would considering the stress of COVID during March but I hope to get back into the reading groove come April.

Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living for Best Life by Ali Wong: Intimate is the word this books holds most dear as the author spends a tremendous amount of time talking about her body, body hair, body functions, and how many public incidents with those body parts she has had. The best parts are when she talks about her parents and her heritage with an extremely helpful chart on how to pick fantastic Asian restaurants.

The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz: This middle grade fantasy features Clementine, the daughter of the Dark Lord, who is trying to hold their castle together when her father is cursed. A sweet adventure about self-discovery and finding your place in the world and in your home.

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend: I thoroughly enjoyed the movie so when I discovered it was a book I picked up a copy right away. I regret reading this though because the movie did the story some huge favors – this one is not worth the read.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: The first in the Flavia de Luce mysteries introduces this 11-year-old chemistry wiz to the world. An adult book featuring a middle-grader is such a unique spin and a five star read.

Cary Grant: A Class Apart: Graham McCann’s autobiography of Cary Grant carries the reader through his life from birth to death with intimate looks at every stage. I have loved Cary Grant since the first time I laid eyes on him and this book did nothing to shake that love.

The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Flavia de Luce #2): This second book had me just as riveted by Flavia’s sleuthing and adventuring. A bold, and slightly scarier, follow up has me even more infatuated with Flavia!

Midnight at Austenland: Hello gorgeous! This romance book set in the world of Austenland was a perfect mixture of romance and intrigue for me.

Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything: This brief history of the worst ways to cure everything is the ideal nonfiction primer on the many ways humans have attempted to extend and enhance their lives through the years. Written by a practicing medical doctor, Lydia Kang, and historian / librarian, Nate Pedersen, the book reads like a duo of friends explaining to you the various ways science put the cart before the horse and why we should be grateful to have been born late enough to avoid so many of these treatments.

The Matchmaker’s List: I was so mad when I finished reading this book that I wrote a five paragraph hate review (and immediately threw it away). This book was not a romantic comedy, which could have been forgiven, by the character’s willingness to pretend to be gay to avoid matchmaking is not.

A Darker Shade of Magic: A slow burning magical book that features a layered London and the struggle between each iteration’s use, or lack, of magic. I have had this book on my shelf for far too long and I cannot wait to read the next in the series.

To Be Honest: After The Matchmaker’s List I was worried about being burned again but this was actually a romance book. Although, I was more moved by the main character’s self possession in the face of her own mother’s body shaming.

humor · nonfiction · Uncategorized

NonFiction Friday: Quackery by Lydia Kang, MD and Nate Pedersen

March 27, 2020March 26, 2020 silverbuttonbooks4 Comments

This brief history of the worst ways to cure everything is the ideal nonfiction primer on the many ways humans have attempted to extend and enhance their lives through the years. Written by a practicing medical doctor, Lydia Kang, and historian / librarian, Nate Pedersen, the book reads like a duo of friends explaining to you the various ways science put the cart before the horse and why we should be grateful to have been born late enough to avoid so many of these treatments.

SYNOPSIS

A tour of medicine’s most outlandish misfires, Quackery dives into 35 “treatments”, exploring their various uses and why they thankfully fell out of favour – some more recently than you might think. Looking back in horror and a dash of dark humour, the book provides readers with an illuminating lesson in how medicine is very much an evolving process of trial and error, and how the doctor doesn’t always know bests. from Book Depository.

Add to Goodreads

REVIEW

This book is divided into five different divisions. Elements, Plants and Soil, Tools, Animals, and Mysterious Powers. Each divisions covers both the history and the science behind a variety of techniques or thoughts about certain cures. Interspersed with sarcasm and dark humor, this book’s only downside is the inclination to read whole sections out to family and friends and become that person that just won’t shut up about they book they are reading.

Elements was, by far, my favorite section but that is because I am fascinated by poisons right now. In this section the authors comb through the various uses and reasoning behind using mercury, antimony, arsenic, gold, and radium. It turns out that in the past, being extremely pale but also plump was a difficult ideal to meet naturally. Apparently no one ever tried sitting inside during a pandemic and just eating through your food supply. Arsenic gave you all that and a painful death! I’ll take my lockdown and donuts please.

Plants and Soil were almost as fascinating because this section covers opiates, strychnine, tobacco, cocaine, alcohol, and earth. I knew that alcohol was used medicinally. But I had no idea that strychnine was considered an energy booster that was recommended to athletes. The 1904 winner of the Olympic marathon, Thomas Hicks, was given two strychnine doses and finished the race clearly in the throws of strychnine intoxication. Also of note, drinking water was considered unhealthy for athletes during this time.

This was also the section where I became completely annoying. After all, here is where I learned the origin of the term, “blow smoke up your arse.” Anyone over the age of 65 probably had someone blow tobacco smoke in their ear. It was a commonly recommended treatment for earaches. But, British physicians took it to the next level when they recommended a nice tobacco enema for any drowning victim. There was a whole organization dedicated to this cause! Just picture people walking up and down the banks of the Thames with their enema kits ready to pull someone out and save a life! There is no mention in this book on whether it worked (ever) but this is the fact that I just couldn’t stop taking about. Etymology, history, and science are rolled into renegade lifeguards? Yes, please!

After this section the book covers tools, animals, and mysterious powers. I enjoyed each of these sections in turn but the book had already won my heart. Although, the section on corpse medicine shouldn’t be read while eating…

It seems only fitting that, as I was finishing this book, President Trump was loudly touting the combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a promising treatment for COVID. Meanwhile Dr. Fauci, a veteran of outbreaks dating back to the HIV crisis here in America, emphasized a need for methodical clinical testing prior to taking these medicines. I am generally not pleased with our President but I would be more than happy to celebrate his instincts being correct in this situation. However, after reading Quackery, taking a medicine on a hutch smacks of another “worst way” to cure our current crisis.

This book emphasized what I have long held dear – quality testing. I don’t want anecdotal evidence that the King’s touch cures boils. Prove it to me. One of my biggest take aways from the whole book is that it was probably a good thing that so many people couldn’t afford medical treatments for large parts of history. Because, certainly, the radium spa would set you back a pretty penny. And, in a time when blood soaked aprons were the mark of a good doctor and hand washing wasn’t a thing, I don’t know that turning to a professional did anyone much good.

Tell me, please!

If you had to pick, are you more interested in science or history?

Uncategorized

5 On My TBR: March 23, 2020

March 23, 2020March 22, 2020 silverbuttonbooks9 Comments

Romances / RomComs

Sadly I don’t have many RomComs on my physical TBR. Actually, I’m struggling to find a RomCom on any of my lists. So, instead, I give you a mix of romances and romcoms that had been buried by my massive TBR.

To Be Honest by Maggie Ann Miller looks so cute. Here is the blurb from Amazon:

Savannah is dreading being home alone with her overbearing mother after her big sister―and best friend―goes off to college. But if she can just get through senior year, she’ll be able to escape to college, too. What she doesn’t count on is that her mother’s obsession with weight has only grown deeper since her appearance on an extreme weight-loss show, and now Savvy’s mom is pressuring her even harder to be constantly mindful of what she eats.

Between her mom’s diet-helicoptering, missing her sister, and worrying about her collegiate future, Savvy has enough to worry about. And then she meets George, the cute new kid at school who has insecurities of his own. As Savvy and George grow closer, they help each other discover how to live in the moment and enjoy the here and now before it disappears.

To Be Honest is another sharp, witty novel from Maggie Ann Martin, about a spunky heroine who is dealing with very real issues―body image, parental pressure, loneliness, first love, and finding your way―with heart and humor. from Amazon

Likewise both The Switch and The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary have shown up time and time again on my friend’s TBRs.

The Switch is billed as:

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some long-overdue rest.

Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She’d like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen.

So they decide to try a two-month swap.

Eileen will live in London and look for love. She’ll take Leena’s flat, and learn all about casual dating, swiping right, and city neighbors. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire: Eileen’s sweet cottage and garden, her idyllic, quiet village, and her little neighborhood projects.

But stepping into one another’s shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected. Will swapping lives help Eileen and Leena find themselves…and maybe even find true love? In Beth O’Leary’s The Switch, it’s never too late to change everything….or to find yourself. from Amazon

and Flatshare has this description:

Tiffy and Leon share an apartment. Tiffy and Leon have never met.

After a bad breakup, Tiffy Moore needs a place to live. Fast. And cheap. But the apartments in her budget have her wondering if astonishingly colored mold on the walls counts as art.

Desperation makes her open minded, so she answers an ad for a flatshare. Leon, a night shift worker, will take the apartment during the day, and Tiffy can have it nights and weekends. He’ll only ever be there when she’s at the office. In fact, they’ll never even have to meet.

Tiffy and Leon start writing each other notes – first about what day is garbage day, and politely establishing what leftovers are up for grabs, and the evergreen question of whether the toilet seat should stay up or down. Even though they are opposites, they soon become friends. And then maybe more.

But falling in love with your roommate is probably a terrible idea…especially if you’ve never met. from Amazon

The Matchmaker’s List

Raina Anand may have finally given in to family pressure and agreed to let her grandmother play matchmaker, but that doesn’t mean she has to like it–or that she has to play by the rules. Nani always took Raina’s side when she tried to push past the traditional expectations of their tight-knit Indian-immigrant community, but now she’s ambushing Raina with a list of suitable bachelors. Is it too much to ask for a little space? Besides, what Nani doesn’t know won’t hurt her…

As Raina’s life spirals into a parade of Nani-approved bachelors and disastrous blind dates, she must find a way out of this modern-day arranged-marriage trap without shattering her beloved grandmother’s dreams. from Amazon

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can’t seem to heal through literature is himself; he’s still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.

After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country’s rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself.

Internationally bestselling and filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people’s lives. from Amazon

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother…only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love. from Amazon

Tell me, please!

What are the 5 RomComs on your TBR?

Graphic Novels · Middle Grade · Sunday Comics · Uncategorized

Sunday Morning Comics: Guts by Raina Telgemeier

March 22, 2020March 21, 2020 silverbuttonbooks2 Comments

This middle grade graphic novels features the author’s own memories and experiences dealing with the physical manifestation of anxiety. The accessible message paired with the bravery and kindness of the characters makes this an ideal read for the stressors of today’s world.

SYNOPSIS

A true story from Raina Telgemeier, the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning author of Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts!

Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it’s probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, where she’s dealing with the usual highs and lows: friends, not-friends, and classmates who think the school year is just one long gross-out session. It soon becomes clear that Raina’s tummy trouble isn’t going away… and it coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships. What’s going on?

Raina Telgemeier once again brings us a thoughtful, charming, and funny true story about growing up and gathering the courage to face — and conquer — her fears. from Amazon.

guts

REVIEW

I don’t know if I have anxiety or if I would have been diagnosed with anxiety as a child. But, I do know that I worry a lot. Growing up with a sister with disabilities and all of the complicated health problems that accompanied her day to day life made me acutely aware that the world was not a safe place. And, when I mentioned it to friends they acted like I was insane.

Today, so many children deal with school shootings, suicide, and now a pandemic. Guts is an easy way for children and caregivers to open up a conversation both about how stress and worry can get out of control and how to act with kindness to others dealing with unknown issues.

Raina has established herself as an author that speaks the truth to children. Through her previous books, Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghost, Raina has proven a reliable source for a variety of social issues that many children are confronted with on a daily basis. Obviously I’ve been a fan for a long time but Guts had me just sitting there, reading, and nodding my head.

Whether it is because of COVID19, the general state of the world, or because you feel like a child in your life is struggling with feelings they don’t understand, I highly recommend this book. Actually, you know what? I recommend this book to everyone because even if you aren’t worried, someone near you is and this book is a great insight into what that feels like.

Tell me, please!

Do you have any books on anxiety you would recommend?

Graphic Novels · Middle Grade · Sunday Morning Comics · Uncategorized

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

February 16, 2020February 15, 2020 silverbuttonbooksLeave a comment

A middle grade graphic novel that speaks to the power of communication in families. I couldn’t love Moth Hush more if she used her magic to make a million copies of herself.

SYNOPSIS

A School Library Journal Best Graphic Novel of 2019!

Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Roller Girl in this hilarious, one-of-a-kind graphic novel about a half-witch who has just discovered the truth about herself, her family, and her town and is doing her best to survive middle school now that she knows everything!

Magic is harder than it looks.

Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.

In this spellbinding graphic novel debut, Emma Steinkellner spins a story packed with humor and heart about the weird and wonderful adventures of a witch-in-progress. from Amazon.

theokaywitch — A young teenage girl with huge eyes and flowing hair is standing suspended on a flying broom with a black cat clinging to her leg.

REVIEW

Graphic Novels are powerful. This book will take approximately thirty minutes to read and two and a half hours to read again and again. The Okay Witch is quite simply a gorgeous story ripe for opening a conversation about family, fitting in, bigotry, and second chances and bravo to Emma Steinkellner for layering all of it so beautifully in such an accessible story.

Moth Hush is such a likable character. On Halloween she meets the new student, Charlie, who is just as easy to root for as Moth. Together, the two of them are navigating how to fit in with their peers and their families. But both kids’ parents have been keeping their histories from them and it is hard to move forward when you don’t understand the past.

Children and adults alike will find this book a delightful, but occasionally serious, read. Together this book has the power to do more than entertain. It has the ability to start a conversation about how each person’s history and choices affect our future. More importantly, it showcases the vital role communication has in families. And, it is just pure fun to read.

Tell me, please!

Have you read a graphic novel that you couldn’t stop talking about?

Sunday Comics · Sunday Morning Comics · Uncategorized

Sunday Comics: March 22, 2020

February 9, 2020February 5, 2020 silverbuttonbooks3 Comments

Whether you are a fan of The Awkward Yeti or have never experienced the anthropomorphic delights of Nick Seluk’s body parts, How I Broke Up With My Colon, will have your gut giggling. I read it once and immediately again!

I have been a fan of The Awkward Yeti comics since the first time I saw adorable Gallbladder holding his little stones. He had me at “I maked these.” I want one of these pins but every time I check The Awkward Yeti’s store site it is sold out.

Sad-Gallbladder-Magnet-Front_1024x1024 — Sad Gallbladder from Nick Seluk

I tore through Heart and Brains, an Awkward Yeti Collection (Vol. 1) and Heart and Brain, Gut Instincts, an Awkward Yeti Collection (Vol 2). Both had me in utter stitches.

SYNOPSIS

Fascinating, bizarre, and educational true-life medical stories retold in cartoon form by the creator of the bestselling Heart and Brain book series.

Mysterious illnesses. Freakish injuries. X-rays revealing something weird that got stuck in your foot. These strange but true stories are among the 24 medical tales retold in hilarious fashion by New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Nick Seluk. Featuring fascinating stories submitted by people all over the world, How I Broke Up with My Colon is an educational and highly entertaining tour through the bizarre workings of the human body. from Amazon.

REVIEW

Seluk’s latest publication is a combination of comedy and true medical stories. Now, blood and gore doesn’t bother me. And, as you can see, I find cute little body parts misbehaving absolutely hilarious. These twenty-four stories of real medical are half quotes taken from real storytellers and half commentary from the cast of characters created by Seluk. Little Gallbladder made an appearance and my joy knew no bounds.

The whole collection is cleverly done and deeply funny. I finished it and immediately flipped back to the beginning to read it again. Even as a big fan of Seluk’s work I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this latest work.

Clearly, based on how much I enjoy little Gallbladder, body humor is just as funny to me as when I was eight. But, I know, for some people these medical stories can hit too close to home. I do have someone near and dear to me who has Crohn’s Disease and I still thought the chapter on Ulcerative Colitis was funny. I just laughed and laughed. I think it is the way Seluk draws these characters. There is no malice or negativity, rather they feel like well intentioned (occasionally insightfully brilliant) children.

And, while I feel that Seluk provides that perfect balance of humor, information, and caring in his strips, others may not. To see if this is your style I recommend checking out a series of strips he has written. I really love this series on anxiety.

Meanwhile, I’m going back in for a third read-through. I just cannot get enough of these comics!

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. I received this copy in exchange for an honest review! How I Broke Up With My Colon will be available for purchase on March 24, 2020!

Tell me, please!

Which body part do you think is the funniest?

historical fiction · Romantic · Uncategorized

Scot Under the Covers by Suzanne Enoch

February 4, 2020 silverbuttonbooks2 Comments

The second in this historical romance series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Enoch is sure to make you feel Scot under the collar. A strong hero, a smart heroine, and a truly despicable villain make this regency romance a true delight!

SYNOPSIS

In Scot Under the Covers, a resourceful English lady and a hot-blooded Highlander join forces to trick a scoundrel, and every rule will be broken!

Miranda Harris is known for her charm, wit, and ability to solve any problem she encounters. But when her brother lands neck-deep in gambling debt to a crafty villain and Miranda is subsequently blackmailed into marrying him, she must enlist the help of the devil himself to save the family honor―and herself.

“It’s time to fall in love with Suzanne Enoch.” ― Lisa Kleypas

Devilishly handsome Highlander Aden MacTaggert knows next to nothing about the ways of the ton, but he most certainly knows his way around gaming halls and womens’ hearts. Still, Aden is not sure how he’ll manage to find a Sassenach bride in time to save his family’s inheritance. When his almost sister-in-law Miranda comes to him for assistance, he proposes a partnership: She will help him navigate London society and he’ll teach her everything about wagering…and winning back her freedom. The beautiful, clever lass intrigues Aden―but is she playing her own game, or are the sparks between them real? He is accustomed to risking his pocket. But betting on Miranda’s love is a game he can’t afford to lose. . . Amazon

scotunderthecovers

REVIEW

I love Regency Romances and have been reading them for years. While there are seemingly innumerable different subcategories of Regencies they fall into two major classifications for me: the first is when the couple gets to the culmination of the story, becomes engaged, and sneaks one (perhaps two!) kisses. The second has more bedroom action. It is easy to tell the difference because the cover for the more open door romance scenes usually features a scantily clad individual. As you can see, Scot falls into the second category. In this book, even the open door scenes weren’t so outlandish as to make me uncomfortable but I know some of my readers prefer a heads up about these things. Don’t let it deter you, the romance and the villain are the bulk of the story!

This book is part of the The Wild Wicked Highlanders series which follows the three MacTaggert brothers in their journey to England to reluctantly search for a bride. Scot Under the Covers focuses on the middle child, Aden, while the first in the series, It’s Getting Scot in Here, focuses on the youngest son. While I missed the first book, Scot Under the Covers did an admirable job catching me up on the backstory. I truly never felt like I was missing anything. Still, I plan on getting my hands on the first book as quickly as possible because I would really like to know everything about Niall and Amy’s love story.

Scot Under the Covers sets up a great tale of romance with a reluctant Aden and an indifferent Miranda being brought together to thwart the villainous Captain Vale. Captain Vale has wagered with Miranda’s brother, Matthew, and won a fortune but is willing to accept Miranda in lieu of the payment. Matthew is engaged to Aden’s sister which is how Miranda and Aden are initially brought together. Disgusted with her brother’s culpability in this situation, Miranda turns to Aden to learn about gambling in an attempt to get herself out of this situation. Sparks fly and the fire of love is lit! I love when two people are brought together with a common goal and fall in love. It makes the partnership more balanced and I certainly felt that Miranda was an equal participant in rescuing her own future.

I have only two small things that I didn’t fully enjoy about this book. First, Aden’s speech patterns (as well as his brothers’) were very repetitious. I got a little annoyed with the number of “nae”s and “Sassenach”s thrown about. I am sure the author did this to fully flesh out the character but it grated just a little bit.

Second, I really enjoyed how Aden dealt with Matthew but I wanted Matthew to have a little more punishment than he seemed to receive in the story. He wagered more money than he could ever hope to repay and then seemingly guilt-free handed over his sister in place of his debt and returned back to the loving embrace of his fiancee and his own life. The author gave us great insight into the workings of Aden’s mother and her thoughts about what was happening but I would have loved to see Matthew’s turmoil over what he did to Miranda.

These two tiny things aside, I could not put this book down. It is unusual to find romances that are written so that you really understand both the male and female components and this book does that so well. In addition, I thoroughly enjoyed hating Captain Vale. Watching Aden and Miranda work against his dastardly deeds was nearly as good as watching them fall in love!

I want to thank St. Martin Press for sending me a complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tell me, please!

Do you enjoy Regency Romances? Who are some of your favorite authors?

Uncategorized

WWW Wednesday: January 29, 2020

January 29, 2020 silverbuttonbooks7 Comments

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! My favorite meme was last hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and has found a new home with Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. Don’t forget to check all the other participants. It is the #1 way I keep my TBR overflowing!

And today, all of my activity is going to be on the socializing part. I posted my WWW last week full of energy and enthusiasm about what I was going to read and accomplish before today only to get sick sick sick. That sick where you’re too tired to hold a book and an audiobook just puts you to sleep. So, not much has changed from last week.

But, for the sake of participation – here it is!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

What am I Currently Reading?

“Burnout” Pink Cover with ripped page

“My Novel, Chapter by Chapter,” A cartoon man sits at a desk writing.

“The Zookeepers Wife” a gate to a zoo with the sky in the background.

“The Philosopher’s Flight” Three silhouettes fly towards a yellow cloud.

Nearly identical to last week except I added more because apparently this sickness also gives me the inability to stick to anything for more than 20 minutes.

I am ahead on my readings for Burnout which is a buddy read. Thank goodness I zipped ahead because I didn’t read anything new this week.

I have mad no progress on How to Outline My Novel or Snoopy but I did read a lot of The Philosopher’s Flight and I hope to finish it today. This book is a fascinating mix of science fiction and historical fiction and it is the only book I have managed to cling to everyday this week.

I also read nearly half of Scot Under the Covers but managed to misplace my kindle somewhere. If I get any extra energy today my one goal is to find Ken (my kindle) so I can continue this romance. Suzanne Enoch has written a most excellent bad guy for true romance to overcome in this historical romance.

What Did I Recently Finish?

Nothing nothing nothing.

What Do You Think You Will Read Next?

All I want to do is find Kindle Ken.

Tell me, please!

What’s on your WWW?

Challenges · Uncategorized

2020 Reading Goals and Challenges

January 1, 2020 silverbuttonbooks9 Comments

I have been spending the past week thinking about my reading habits, what I want to change, and how I want to grow as a reading and reviewer. I started by looking at my successes and failures of the past year and selected challenges that would (1) not make me insane and (2) would help me achieve my goals. As much as I would like to be the kind of person that would successfully complete a crazy challenge I think I have hit a point in life where I realize that being a mood reader is not something I can (or am really even willing) to change. And so, drumroll please, I present my 2020 Reading Goals and Challenges!

If you are looking for a fun challenge, check out The Master List of Challenges Tanya @ GirlXOXO has compiled!

Goal: Read My Stack of Books

I have a gorgeous stack of books in my house. I need to stop feeling guilty about all the books I own and replace that negative feeling with the joy having those books brings me. So, for 2020, I will no longer refer to it as a burden or an embarrassment. Instead, I want to read my Stunning Stack of books. All of them.

Challenge: Start on Your Shelfathon from The Quiet Pond.

CW @ The Quiet Pond has the most beautiful site and I am so glad that this particular challenge popped up because I will look forward to checking her site more and participating fully in the StartOnYourShelfathon which challenges us to start with the books we are reading on our own shelves.

Goal: Read Through My Backlist

As of today I have 305 books on my To Be Read list on Goodreads. This list grows exponentially every week. I am fine with it continuing to grow but I am sad for the books that keep getting buried further and further down the list. I must rescue those books! I want to read 24 books from my backlist this year.

Challenge: Beat the Backlist from Novel Knight

This will be my third year participating in Novel Knight’s fantastic Beat the Backlist Challenge but I vow that this will be the year I fully participate. This means looking at the mini-challenges and actually logging my books. This challenge really inspires me to tackle that backlist every year but I never follow through with the social aspect of it. Which is changing this year! For 2020, I am going to request to join the Borrowers team and try and get all of my TBRs from my library.

Goal: Listen to More Audiobooks

I love audiobooks! Listening to audiobooks means that I am never “wasting time.” Running errands = reading time. Commuting = reading time. My frustration level with the general junk life throws at me is almost totally gone because everywhere I have to go I am listening to or reading a book all the time. I would like to listen to 24 audiobooks this year – two a month.

Challenge: Audiobook Challenge from Caffeinated Reader and Hot Listens

Hot Listens and Caffeinated Reviewer co-host this challenge. In 2018 I participated for the first time and last year I saw my audiobook reads go through the roof. If adding audiobooks to your year is something you want to try, I highly recommend this challenge. You can sign up here!

Goal: Keeping Better Data

One of my biggest failures of the past few years is not keeping track of my data. I don’t remember who recommended books to me so I can’t tag them back. I don’t transfer data from my Goodreads into my other challenges. I’m ridiculous. There is no challenge for this (that I know of right now) so I am going to start my own.

Challenge: Social Saturday

Hosted right here @ SilverButtonBooks. Every Saturday I am going to be social. That means checking other sites, entering my data on the challenges, and just being a responsible participant. If you struggle with this or just need to designate a day to be more social, feel free to join me!

Tell me, please!

What are your 2020 Reading Goals and Challenges?