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Thursday, January 12, 2017

Winter Wonderland

People give me a hard time about the weather. Like because I know what I like (COLD) and am 100% happy when I get to wear layers and scarves and hope for snow that I'm weird. I literally never complain about it being cold. Never ever.

But when it's January and 71 degrees out, people act like I'm a monster because I'm upset. It's not just a little warmer today, it's ridiculously warm. The average temperature in January around here is 32. So we're ~40 degrees warmer than that today. Unacceptable.

"But doesn't it feel good after it being so cold?"

No. You know what feels good? A cashmere sweater.

You know what doesn't feel good? Having to work in an overly heated building because it's 40 degrees warmer than what the thermostats are set for.

Also, it's not like we get this same unseasonable weather in the summer. The average temperatures around here for June, July, August, and September are 80, 80, 89, and 86 respectively. Also in the past few years, the coldest average day has only been 19 degrees cooler than the average. 19. Not 40.

So, come back to me when it's going to be a high in the 40s in July. Then we can talk. Or when it's going to be 20 degrees above the average for multiple days.

Give me back my winter. It's already too fleeting.

XO,
SVR

Sunday, January 01, 2017

2016: Book Boos in Review

2016 Year in Books

73 read

4 were re-reads

47 were YA (64%)

26 were adult (36%)

38 had fantasy elements

1 was non-fiction

49 are parts of series (whoa!)

34 were published in 2016

1 will be published in 2017

Top 12** (in read date order):
  • THIS SAVAGE SONG by Victoria Schwab
  • UNHOOKED by Lisa Maxwell
  • A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab
  • CAPTIVE PRINCE by C.S. Pacat
  • A COURT OF MIST AND FURY* by Sarah J. Maas 
  • UPROOTED by Naomi Novik
  • OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon
  •  CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber
  • EMPIRE OF STORMS by Sarah J. Maas
  • A SHADOW BRIGHT AND BURNING by Jessica Cluess
  • CROOKED KINGDOM by Leigh Bardugo
  • THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller
 *Favorite of the year.
**Based on top book from each month. In some cases, book two of each month would have made this list if done differently. 

Signed copies:
  • A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas
  • TALKING AS FAST AS I CAN by Lauren Graham
  • EMPIRE OF STORMS by Sarah J. Maas
  • QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas
  • OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon
  • CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas
  • THE RAVEN KING by Maggie Stiefvater
  • THE CROWN'S GAME by Evelyn Skye (bookplate)
  • A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas
  • HEARTLESS by Marissa Meyer
  • A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab
  • GLASS SWORD by Victoria Aveyard
  • A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by V.E. Schwab
  • UNHOOKED by Lisa Maxwell
  • THIS SAVAGE SONG by Victoria Schwab
 Other reads of note:
  • GAME. SET. MATCH by Jennifer Iacopelli (A book about tennis!!! AHhhh!)
  • TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard (I love this book! Can NOT wait for WINDWITCH and also, Susan is The Best online with her advice and excitement for life.) 
  • REBEL OF THE SANDS by Alwyn Hamilton (I was hooked from the first paragraph and didn't shut up about this book for months. Hoping to meet Alwyn in Arlington this spring!)
  • AT THE EDGE OF SUMMER by Jessica Brockmole. (Fan for life. Love her books with the incorporation of letters and (so far) inclusion of Scotland.)
  • FOLLOWED BY FROST by Charlie N. Holmberg (Beautiful!)
  • IVORY AND BONE by Julie Eshbaugh (I regret not going to her release party (bc of bad weather) because this book was awesome!)
  • I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS by Iain Reid (Awesome thriller you must read!)

 A great reading year and I look forward to 2017!

XO,
SVR

Book Boos: December

4. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey. (Audio). I liked the beginning of this book a little more than the back half. The plot changes a bit about halfway through and it took me by surprise and I found myself missing the beginning plot. But still, very creative take on the subject matter! 

3. THE SHADOW QUEEN by C.J. Redwine. (Audio). I liked this story a lot! It's a great take on the Snow White story with great magic, adventure, and romance. I am definitely looking forward to book two!

2. TALKING AS FAST AS I CAN by Lauren Graham. (Audio and Print). Did you know I have a Gilmore Girls podcast? Well, I do. Go listen to it! I'm a HUGE Lauren Graham fan after loving her fiction book, SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY MAYBE, I've been looking forward to her memoir since it was announced. I even went to NYC to her book talk with Michael Ausiello, which was AWESOME. She was hilarious and sweet and sincere in person and all of that comes through in her writing, too. If you're a fan of Gilmore Girls or not, this book is really fun. 

1. THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller. (Audio and Print). Stunning. Epic. Heartbreaking. This book, a retelling of the Iliad, is incredible. It's not only super creative in its storytelling, but the words and sentences used are beyond beautiful. Also, some people will hate this, but I totally imagined Brad Pitt from Troy as Achilles while I read this and that was oh so lovely.