A Book Review: Anastasia - The Last Grand Duchess

     Hi! Today I'm breaking my usual "mold" of only sticking to Week of Book Memes posts and sharing another book review with you. I know it's a little unexpected, but this book was so fun and amazing that I had to write about it right now!

    This review has no spoilers.

    (The discussion questions will have spoilers, since they are supposed to be used after reading the book.)

Top Ten Tuesdays: Favorite Books of 2020

  

    Wow. Just wow. WE'VE MADE IT, EVERYONE!!!!! 🎊 Despite all the new difficulties and challenges 2020 has brought to all of us, we're pushing through, and we won't have to go through this year again! (Is it weird that now my writer brain is trying to chase after a plot bunny that involves someone from the future being thrown here through the space-time continuum?) 

    In all seriousness, 2020 has not been easy. However, if you're a book lover like me, I think we can agree that stories have lifted us up, encouraged us, and given us some steady ground in the midst of such a shaky existence. I know it has for me. All the same, coming up with my top ten favorite books I've read this year is definitely a challenge. Not only because I've read so many and explored so many new worlds, but because I want to make sure that what I choose has impacted me in some way. 

    Like I've done with most of my other book-listing TTT posts, I've listed the genre, age target, and a small blurb about why I chose this book, as well as a few content warnings for whoever wants to check it out. If you click on the title of the book, you'll also be taken to the Amazon link! Hope you enjoy reading through my choices.

    (To see all the TTT lists I've done in the past, click HERE.)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #4

   

    Hi! Welcome to my fourth It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post, part of my ongoing Week of Book Memes events. (To check out what I've been posting during past Week of Book Memes, click HERE.) 

 

    I took a week-long hiatus from my weekly book blogging but am so happy to be back. I have been very busy reading and writing-wise, juggling several story projects at once while trying to power through a few series at the same time. We were able to get to the library because of Christmas break, which has allowed me to read more printed books. Woohoo! I also got the promise of a free book of my choice (as well as a fun bookworm T-shirt) for Christmas, which I will definitely be using soon!

    

    Scroll below to get a feel for what I've been reading...

Top Ten Tuesdays: Recommended Books

    I loved writing about this Top Ten Tuesday theme, because it made me stretch my brain and reminisce about a bunch of the reads I've stored as "experienced" in my mental attic. You'd think that since I blog about books for fun and regularly talk about great reads to people, that this topic would be a breeze for me to get through. But as I racked my brain for books to put on here, I realized I don't receive book recommendations as often as I give them away!

    This was a bittersweet reminder to me to be more willing to let other book-lovers have a say in what I read. After all, a book's best when it's shared, right? And, true, not every experience with a recommended book has me raving about it or even liking it, but in the end the benefits of letting other people take a peek at my bookshelf and choosing what to add next outweigh the other possibility of choosing to stop and fight for control over everything I do or don't try.

    Well, enough rambling. 😁 Onto the list!

    Like most of my other TTT lists, I include my reasons for including it, a non-exhaustive list of things to be aware of if you want to check out the book, and the Amazon link embedded in the title. (Click HERE if you want to see a full list of the Top Ten Tuesday lists I've done in the past.)

Top Ten Tuesdays: Favorite Book(ish) Quotes

 

    Welcome to my take on another great Top Ten Tuesday list theme! This post is a part of Stepping Stones Book Reviews' Week of Book Memes, the week-long event where I get to participate in a bunch of the Internet's most popular book blogger memes. (Find my first Monday meme HERE.)

    This month I decided to do something different with my Top Ten Tuesday list. Instead of putting together a list and doing a "mini-review" of all the books included, I've decided to only concentrate on each quote, whether it's from a book or about books, and note why I liked it. If you find a book on here that you'd like to know more about, let me know in the comments and I'll answer with a summary of any issues a day or so after the comment is posted. When I list a book's title, I'll also include an Amazon link, and a link to my review of the book if I've written one already.

    There are spoilers for one book that's listed here, but other than that this post is spoiler-free!

    To view all my Top Ten Tuesday lists, click HERE.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #1

    Hi, everyone! Welcome to my first ever try at a It's Monday! What Are You Reading? book blog event. If you're new to Stepping Stones Book Reviews, welcome. This is the first of The Week of Book Memes, a four-part series of posts I'm doing this week, all dedicated to participating in some of the most fun and popular book blog memes that the Internet has to offer. 

    I've had some rough stuff going on the past few weeks (including recovering from a huge surgery), so I got a little behind on my usually big reading list. As I've rested and gotten more strength up, I've begun to pick up more books and finish them too. I hope you'll enjoy taking a look at my bookshelf as of right now.

A Book Review: The Doll People

    Hello! This week I'm going to review another one of my favorite books, which I think is a perfect read anytime, anyplace! Although there have been many books and movies with similar concepts, this one stands out to me, and is definitely worth checking out.

    There may be minor spoilers as I try to give an accurate picture of the book.

    (The discussion questions will have spoilers, since they are supposed to be used after reading the book.)

A Book Review: My Father's Son (Plus EXCLUSIVE interview with the author!)

     Hi! This week I am thrilled to post yet another author interview, including a look at their recent debut. This story is full of heart, hope, and healing, and it's an honor for me to promote it here.

    This is my fourth author interview on this blog. In the past I've featured Jordyn Hadden, Avarose White, and Tara Grayce. Check out those posts by clicking on the links attached to the names.

    There may be minor spoilers as I try to give an accurate picture of the book.

   (The discussion questions will have spoilers, since they are supposed to be used after reading the book.)

Top Ten Tuesdays: Books That Should Be Adapted Into Netflix Shows/Movies

     Hi, and welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday list! I was very excited about this list's theme, as I am always finding books I think are good enough to be made into movies. Some of these are more recent reads, while some I've kept close to me through the years, hoping that someone else with the right connections will also see the "big-screen" potential in these books.

    Click below to see the list, including the genre, age target, why I chose the book for my list, and any issues I can remember for whoever wants to check it out. I've also included a link to the book's Amazon page.

    Since it was hard for me to choose just ten this time, I did some extra credit and put in three runner-up titles, just for the fun of it! I hope you enjoy these additional book recommendations.

    All of these Top Ten Tuesday lists are supposed to be spoiler-free, though minor spoilers may sneak in a few times. 

    To view all my Top Ten Tuesday lists, click here.

A Book Review: First Date

    Hi! Earlier last week I said that I would be reviewing the first installment of one of my favorite series. However, I ended up reading this book and thought it was so good I wanted to share it instead. This was my first time reading a book by this author, and after reading this one I can't wait to read more from her.

    There may be minor spoilers as I try to give an accurate picture of the book.

   (The discussion questions will have spoilers, since they are supposed to be used after reading the book.)

Top Ten Tuesdays: Books That Make Me Smile

     

    Hey all! I am so excited to share my first Top Ten Tuesday list. At first I was a little worried that I wouldn't know the right books to recommend, or even come up with all ten titles, but seeing what this list was about gave me more confidence. Soon I found myself trying to keep track of all the books I've read (which is not an easy thing) and then trying to pick and choose which go on here since there were so many I loved.

    Below is the list, including a short blurb about what made me smile about the book, and a list of the issues I can remember for those who're thinking about reading it. (Minor spoilers may be there, but I'm trying to keep those out of the picture.)

    (Edit: To view all of my Top Ten Tuesday lists, click here.)

    Let's get started!

A Book Review: My Rotten Stepbrother Ruined Cinderella

    Hey! Sorry about not posting last week. Life has gotten busier for me since more things have opened, and to be honest, I didn't have enough time to fit in drafting and posting another review. To make up for that absence (in case any of you were hoping for another one), I'm posting another review this week too. I have fallen in love with both books and hope you'll find yourselves doing the same thing.

     There may be minor spoilers as I try to give an accurate picture of the book.

    (The discussion questions will have spoilers, since they are supposed to be used after reading the book.)