Category: Lists & Recommendations

Lists & Recommendations

My Entire Owned TBR January 2022

ClassicBhaer5 Comments

Hello and welcome to another post here on my blog. I decided that I really wanted to take a look at the books that are sitting on my shelves waiting to be read in 2022. Then at the end of the year it might be fun to take a look back and see which books I read, unhauled, or are still sitting on my shelves. So, here are all the books that are currently sitting on my owned TBR shelves!

  • The Unwanted by Michael Dobbs
  • Sons of Cain by Peter Vronsky
  • The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
  • The Vorrh by Brian Catling
  • The Erstwhile by Brian Catling
  • The Orphan of Cemetery Hill by Hestor Fox
  • Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami
  • Record of a Night Too Brief by Mieko Kawakami
  • People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
  • Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin
  • Dinner by César Aira
  • The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  • The Field House by Robin Clifford Wood
  • The House of Lobster Cove by Jane Goodrich
  • Writing On Stone by Christina Marsden Gillis
  • A Haunting Fog by Heidi Martin Washburn
  • Fresh by Margot Wood
  • Inferno by Dante Alighieri
  • Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
  • Irish Folktales by Henry Glassie
  • Afterland by Lauren Beukes
  • Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
  • Dead Relatives by Lucie McKnight Hardy
  • How to Be a Stoic by Penguin
  • Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
  • The Stone Face by William Gardner Smith
  • The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
  • Slow Boat by Iain Maloney
  • At Night All Blood Is Black by David Diop
  • Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
  • Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
  • My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
  • Billy Summers by Stephen King
  • The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

If you are curious what my current owned TBR is if you are reading this much later, you can always find that on my shelf labeled Owned TBR on my goodreads account. I usually update it about once a month, usually towards the end when I am organizing for my Monthly Digest posts.

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Lists & Recommendations

My Unread eBooks

ClassicBhaer5 Comments
picture of ereader among plants

Hello and welcome to a post where I share some of the ebooks I own and have yet to read. I will say, I mainly use my ereader to read books from the library, but there are a few books I have picked up because they were on sale. The ereader I use is a Kobo Libra H2O. I did a few posts about it when I first unboxed it, Unboxing | New eReader! and also an update on how I felt about it after some use Let’s Talk | 6 Month Review of Kobo Libra H2O. Anyway, here is a list of the books that I have sitting on my ereader ready for me read.

  • The Blade Between by Sam J. Miller
  • Breast and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
  • The Discomfort of Evening by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
  • The Orphan of Cemetery Hill by Hester Fox
  • Middle March by Mary Ann Evans
  • Horns by Joe Hill
  • 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
  • Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
  • Ships of Destiny by Robin Hobb
  • Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
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Thanks for Reading! Sincerely, Luna

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Lists & Recommendations

Ten Random Books from my Owned TBR

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Pile of 10 books from my owned tbr

Hello and welcome to a post where I show you a glimpse of a few books on my owned tbr. I planned on showing you only 10, but alas, I cannot count and took a picture of 11. I felt like it might be fun to just pick up the first books I saw and showcase them a bit. As of writing this my TBR is around 35 books so this is only a third of what I have. Anyway, here are the 11 books I picked up!

Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Dinner by César Aira

A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríof

Record of a Night Too Brief by Hiromi Kawakami

Ms. Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Heaven by Meiko Kawakami

Fresh by Margot Wood

The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig

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Thanks for Reading! Sincerely, Luna

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Knitting, Crochet & More · Lists & Recommendations

My Favorite Crochet and Yarn Arts Channels

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Mr Bobvin, Crochet With Kaye, More KopyKali

These three sisters are close knit, but love to crochet! They each have their own style, but I love each and every one of them. They have podcasts, tutorials, original patters, and organizational videos that I can just watch and chill out to while I am working on my WIP. I also really love that they all mainly work with natural fibers, which is something I really want to be exploring more personally so I love watching them trying out new yarns and seeing their thoughts to see. I can seriously say that these three have pushed me outside my comfort zone and I have started to make more wearable items.

Anna Kallajian

I found Anna though her Harry Styles sweater video which was a huge thing in 2020. I really enjoyed her vlogs and just hanging out with her viewers. I think she is the first crochet youtuber I saw that was not just tutorials. Tutorials truly have their place, I use them all the time, but I can’t crochet and watch a tutorial for something else. Also, her humor is just great!

Justine Isabelle

I love her stuff because she is learning and just trying new stuff. On top of that she is not afraid to show her messing up. Her humor and honesty are great. I hate to say this, but I just love her vibe. She is very down to earth and I can just chill with her.

TL Yarn Crafts

If you want to learn tunisian crochet her tutorials are where you go. They are clear, simple, and all around VERY helpful. On top of that, she is just a ball of sunshine with a great sense of humor. Even when I am learning something and really concentrating on her tutorials I still find myself laughing here and there and honestly. If I am learning and having a good time, there is no toping that!

Yarn as a Second Language

This channel is two friends chatting about crochet and knitting. I love that these two friends have such a great dynamic and don’t take themselves seriously and just have a good time. They have fun challenges from time to time and share their viewers work as well in between their podcast. I often laugh while watching them and every video I know I am going to love!

Tiffany Liew

While I am not a knitter, I love watching her stuff. I really enjoy her positive attitude while taking part in challenges, trying new patterns, and hauling some yarn. She honestly makes me want to learn knitting, maybe in the future. Her ability to see a sweater or something she likes and just recreate it is just something I am very envious of.

Knitty Natty

This is another knitting channel I have followed for quite some times. I mainly started to follow her stuff from her declutters and yarn organization videos. She has a podcast, random yarn related videos like yarn shop tours, as well as vlogs and sock challenges! Her attitude and personality keep me coming back even though I don’t knit.

Who are your favorite yarn arts channels or bloggers?

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Lists & Recommendations

Let’s Talk | My Favorite Romance Novels

ClassicBhaer4 Comments

Hello and welcome to a quick post where I am going to share some of my favorite books that have a bit of romance in them. This is not all of the romance books I have enjoyed over the years, the list might end up being 100s of books long, but these are the ones that popped into my head when I started to write this post.

Red White & Royal Blue Casey McQuiston, a great LGBT+ romance that goes from enemies to lovers.

Beach Read by Emily Henry, two polar opposite writers challenge themselves and swear they will never be in a relationship with one another.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, a classic love story.

Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory, an adventure and an adorable love story of older characters.

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki, a wonderful LGBT+ graphic novel that has a wonderful story and a wonderful art style.

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, a magical realism novel that has a bit of a cute romance, but is also a bit of a thriller or sorts.

The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, a beautiful LGBT+ story of opposites just falling for one another, but isn’t the main part of this beautiful story.

What is one of your favorite novels that have a bit of romance?

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Lists & Recommendations

To Be Read | My Entire Owned TBR 2021 Edition

ClassicBhaer25 Comments

Hello and welcome to a post where I share all of the books that are on my owned TBR. Now, in 2020 I actually hit 0 books on my TBR, then the holidays showed up and I have a larger than I would like TBR again, but not nearly as much as it was. I just wanted to take a moment and share those books that made their way onto my shelves. Note: This is accurate up through the month of January 2021.

  • Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
  • Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
  • The Shadows by Alex North
  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
  • Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers by Sady Doyle
  • Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
  • The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
  • The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
  • Kill Creek by Scott Thomas
  • The Devil in the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
  • Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon
  • Written in my Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon
  • The Beautiful Struggle by Coates, Ta-Nehisi
  • Cursed Objects by Ocker, J.W.
  • Tomie by Junji Ito
  • Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
  • The Whisper Man by Alex North
  • Piranesi by Susanna Clake
  • Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger
  • Titian by Ron Chernow
  • Loretta Little Looks Back by Andrea Davis Pinkney
  • The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
  • This is Close to Okay by Lessa Cross-Smith
  • The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans
  • Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb
  • The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
  • Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
  • My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
  • The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante
  • Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante
  • The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante
  • The Removed by Brandon Hobson
  • The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
  • Mrs. Dalloway by Virgina Woolf
  • The Unwanted by Michael Dobbbs
  • Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman
  • World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
  • Sons of Cain by Peter Vronsky
  • White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad
  • Lady Killers by Tori Telfer
  • One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas

Total: 43 Books

What book should I read next?

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Let's Talk · Lists & Recommendations

Let’s Talk | Series I Read or Started in 2020

ClassicBhaer6 Comments

Hello and welcome to a post where I share a few of the book series I finished or started in 2020. Now, to be honest I don’t read too many series so the ones I start I really have to be interested in. I have realized that series reading is not something to take lightly because of the commitment. I have realized that type of reading is generally not for me as the years have passed, but there are a few exceptions and here they are!

Series I Started

Assassination Classroom by Yūsei Matsui

Assassination Classroom, Vol. 01

Now, I will be honest here. I have watched the entirety of the anime and loved it. The next logical step for this reader was to read the manga. So, I finally decided to start reading them this year and at this point in time I have read the first two volumes and I have a few waiting for me on my shelf. This series takes place in a school where the students are tasked by the government to assassinate their teacher who seems to be a monster or alien that blew up the moon and promises to do the same to Earth. The funny thing is, this teacher is probably the best teacher ever and really cares about the kids and helps train them to try and get him. It really is hard to explain but I cried a few times and it takes a lot for me to cry.

Frankenstein by Dean Koontz

Prodigal Son (Dean Koontz's Frankenstein #1)

This series I started as a buddy read with Jenna and Reg. We all read the first book, Prodigal Son, in the series together but we have all stalled funny enough. It was a good start for sure, but just something I am in the mood for currently. It has a mixture of horror with an immortal and also has aspects of a thriller with a serial killer on the loose. It really left off on a great point in the plot so I really do want to continue one day.

Series I Continued

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)

I have been reading this series over the last few years and I have been enjoying it, but I have been reading about two a year. At this point in time I am up to An Echo in the Bone, which his book 7. I am hoping to read it the last week of December or early January. I tend to read one in the Winter and one in the Summer. Since I am so far in the series I don’t want to say too much at this point.

Series I Finished

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Café

I read the first two books in this series, that is all that is available in English at this time so I am going to count this as completed. I do hope the third installment of this whimsical, emotional, and magical collection of short tales. I don’t want to say too much about these because I feel like the less you know the better, but do know that these are amazing!

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Magicians Trilogy Boxed Set

This year I started and finished Th Magicians Series. I have to say I really loved this series throughout. If fact it got better as it went on. I really loved that the characters started learning magic in college and that it took place in a world hidden within our own. I also loved the fact that his fantasy novel is new adult as well. I also liked that the main character isn’t perfect, it really makes all of the characters feel like actual humans with flaws and all. I really feel like I might reread this series in the future as well. I also read these with Jenna and Reg!

Margaret Harkness and Arthur Conan Doyle Series by Bradley Harper

Queen's Gambit

This last series I read this year because I was part of a blog tour of the first book, A Knife in the Fog. I then decided to continue the series because I enjoyed the first one. This fast paced historical mystery was a ton of fun and gave off a ton of Sherlock Holmes vibes.

What series have you read this year?

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Let's Talk · Lists & Recommendations

Let’s Talk | Wintery Books

ClassicBhaer4 Comments

Hello and welcome to a post where I talk about a few of my wintery themed books. I am not usually a seasonal reader, but I feel like there is nothing better than snuggling up next to a fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa with a winter read. It is just so relaxing during the long nights. Anyway, here are the books I think wold be great to read in the winter.

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

While this is a horror novel, it has a large wintery and Christmas theme throughout. I mean it has a place called Christmasland in it, it doesn’t get more christmas-y in a horror novel than that. On top of this it really is a really enjoyable horror novel on its own that I recommend to quite a few to my friends to read this time of the year. I feel like the mixture of horror and the holiday season really is a great tie in between Halloween and Christmas.

One by One by Ruth Ware

If you are in the mood for a thriller and a wintry backdrop, this is a wonderful option. This thriller/mystery takes place at a ski retreat where the characters are trapped and cut off the from the rest of the world at the top of a mountain in the middle of a snow storm. This is a great option to read as soon as the temperature starts to drop.

The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox

Now, this one is a really atmospheric read. It is a really great thriller with a very big dark feeling to it that is hard to explain. It is not dark in a way that is evil, but the novel just reads like it takes place in the time of year where the nights are long. On top of that it takes place in a really small lovely town where everyone is really close, but also it a historical fiction. It has a lot going for it.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Does it get more wintry than a classic Russian novel? This novel is a classic for a reason, this book covers themes and such that are still relevant in todays world. While there is a lot of drama in this book, a lot of the issues the characters face are still feelings that a lot of us still feel during 2020. When I first read this novel I gave it 3 stars, but as time past I realized that I liked it more and more.

Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

I just finished this very cute romance last night, I have not stayed up this late to finish a book in a while, but this book had me needing to know what happened next between the two main characters. The main character, Vivian, travels with her daughter, Maddie, across the ocean to spend Christmas with her while working for the royal family, then the story builds from there. It is an adorable setting, the characters were wonderful, and takes place the week surrounding Christmas.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

These two collections of short stories that are about 200 pages are so wonderful and heart wrenching focus on making connections with those in our lives and celebrating and making the most of the time we have together. With all of the holidays where family is the main focus I feel like this really is a wonderful time to read both of these. Plus, a cafe where you can travel in time, I mean, this is just a great addition!

I hope you found a book that you might enjoy reading over the long nights this winter or holiday season!

Are there any wintery themed books you are enjoying currently?

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Lists & Recommendations

Let’s Talk | Favorite Board Games

ClassicBhaer6 Comments

Hello and welcome to a little post where I am going to talk about a few of my favorite board games. I know this year I have played more than I have in a long time with everything going on in the world. It has been a fun to escape back to a few of the games of my childhood, but also a few new ones as well. So, without furhter delay here are few of my favorite board games!

Photo of board games discussed below.

Clue

This one is a childhood favorite, I loved playing detective to try and figure out who the murder was, which room, and if it was with the candlestick. Even though I have easily played this game nearly 100 times, it is still a blast because the outcomes are always randomized. I always loved being Professor Plum when I play this game. Also, a nice bonus is the 1985 Clue movie.

Scrabble

Next we have another game I have played for YEARS with my family. I used to play every week with my Grandma and Mother. We don’t play that often anymore, but we still enjoy it. While this game can be really frustrating it is fun to try and convince people of words that don’t exist and also using words newly added to the dictionary that confuses everyone else because they think it is made up.

Explding Kittens

While the name is horrendous no actual kittens are exploding. This fun card based game with a huge sense of humor. It features a few catermelons, beard cat, potatocat and other funny twists on the word. It is described as a card game version of Russian Roulette where you hope you don’t get the Exploding Kitten card. All the other cards are used to help make other people draw more cards and such. It turns into a fun mess pretty quickly.

Gloom Second Edition

Now, this is a very interesting game I picked up when I went on vacation to Gettysburg last December, which feels like a lifetime ago. My Boyfriend and I picked up this card game in a game store and played it while we stayed in town. The point of the game is you control a very weird family your goal is to make your family suffer the most before they pass away. The other player tries to keep your number down while you try and make it the highest. These cards are really cool because they are transparent so when you stack them you actually can see the changes in the numbers. I think this is my favorite game of 2020.

The Oregon Trail Board Game

This is a funny classic of the old PC game. If you know the original you know what this game is like. Work together, but don’t get dysentery! The people you are playing with and yourself build a trail that gives you challenges and can lead you with living, loosing supplies, or dying. It gives quite a few nods to the original with the artwork as well as phrases like “press the space bar” on the cards.

What board games do you like to play?

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Lists & Recommendations

Let’s Talk | Books To Gift Non-Readers

ClassicBhaer1 Comment

Hello and welcome to a super quick post where I list some books I think would be wonderful gifts to those who aren’t traditionally referred to as readers. I know as someone who loves books, I always want to gift books to others or recommend books to everyone. Even my friends and family members that aren’t those who read daily or often. Well, this is a list of books I have gifted or recommended to those people in my life. On to the books!

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This such a heart wrenching, but beautiful and magical collection of intertwined short stories. This collection is short and sweet, but nothing is sacrificed. It is great to give those who enjoy a good story, but are intimidated by reading since it is under 200 pages.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

This is a very interesting book that delves into the live of a young girl who grows up in the wild and is abandoned by those she loved. It has won so many awards and the clear reason for this is because it is written in a way that it is fast paced, but doesn’t loose the reader. It is general fiction mixed with a thriller, so I feel like this would be great to get for those who enjoy lifetime movies or a thriller movie in general.

The Magicians Series by Lev Grossman

This is a book series for those who enjoy fantasy movies or shows or even someone who just like unlikable main characters. This series starts off in a magical college setting that holds nothing back, yay for magical new adult! It is engaging, fast paced, and really does a great job of hiding the magical world within ours. It also has characters that are majorly flawed instead of just the perfect hero, which is refreshing for me personally.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

This book is for anyone who just loves a good romance. It is perfect because it has a fun setting, fun characters, and a really great romance in my opinion. They challenge each other, but in a way that makes each other grow.

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

This heart breaking and wonderfully written novel follows the story of a parent learning who their child really is. It talks about really difficult topics such as death, homophobia, transphobia, and violence. Even while talking about these difficult topics that seriously break your heart it is a book I have recommended left and right because it talks about these topics so well and the family aspect in this story and the relationships are also so important.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Honestly, this book should just be handed to everyone if I am being honest. While this book is just over 150 pages it takes a close look into American society and how the past history of slavery and segregation have shaped it. This is a very interesting book on race relations and racism in the US because of the writing medium used by the author. This book is written in a manner that is very intimate because the author is writing letters to his own son and telling the story of the US through some of his own experiences. Yes, the author has another book and yes I bought that one as well.

What books would you gift to a non-reader?

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