Throwback Review: The Game of Triumphs

Another Throwback Review, this time from February 2012. Take a looksie:

The Game of Triumphs is a YA urban fantasy by Laura Powell.

Fifteen-year-old Cat is on her way home, doing her best to avoid human contact as always, when she can’t help but notice a man being chased – a man that asks for her help. But Cat sees the gleam of excitement in his eyes, along with the fear, and figures he’s just a weirdo.

Yet something about it all sparks her curiosity, and Cat can’t seem to help pursuing the situation. Doing so brings her to an extravagant party that introduces her to the Game of Triumphs. It’s a centuries-old game played between modern-day London and an alternate, unexplainable reality called the Arcanum where game players embark on challenges having to do with the tarot cards they are dealt, or the card they are trying to win. It’s all a bit confusing to Cat at first, but the intrigue is undeniable.

Not long after becoming involved in this enigmatic game, though, Cat finds out just how dangerous and potent the information you can learn in Arcanum can be. Despite others’ single-focus goal to win and gain the power and glory of their Triumph, Cat begins to uncover secrets from her own past that alarm her – including a possible link to the Game of Triumphs from when she was very young.

Determined to learn more, Cat is drawn into the addictive gameplay – and it’s not something you can just walk away from…

My synopsis may be a little befuddling, and I apologize for that. The specifics of the actual game are a little confusing and would take a while to explain – so I’m not. The author does it far better than I could!

The Game of Triumphs has a brilliant, truly enthralling start with a creepy tarot card. It has a plot that feels fresh and new from the get-go, which is fantastic for us bibliophiles that read so much that sometimes plots tend to blur. Not here!

Laura Powell is not shy about throwing us into the story. We’re right in the thick of it from the beginning, though she kindly offers up a tad of exposition to let us a learn a bit more about Cat and her eccentric relationship with her Aunt Bel, who has been her guardian since her parents’ death when she was a child. Its’ sparse but illuminating initial detail provides us some background and explains Cat’s different, likable, maybe slightly standoffish personality.

As she gets more involved in the Game of Triumphs I was just as confused as Cat was about how the game is played. I hoped it would eventually make sense – I was captivated by it. And, happily, Laura Powell expertly lets us learn by little explanation and lots of observation without bombarding us with rules and details in one fell swoop.

The Game of Triumphs is kind of psychedelic, in a good, intoxicating, stimulating way! Mysteries and questions abound and my curiosity always mirrored Cat’s. Startling revelations, done in a hypnotic, dream-like way bring about a new level of meaning and history to the game.

Let me put it this way, since I’m not so sure I’ve made it clear yet: The Game of Triumphs is very cool, very original, and very alluring.

And I will be waiting to read the sequel the day it comes out!

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Stand-Out Books of 2015!

It’s that time of year again, you fiendish book lovers!

As always, I hope you had a Christmas full of happiness, warmth and BOOKS. Whether those books were wrapped up under your tree or bought with some gift cards!

Hopefully you haven’t burned through ALL your disposable income, as this my sixth annual Stand-Out Books of the Year post! You know you’re going to want to check out my recommendations…

Each year that I post this wrap-up, I seem to be recording less and less reading. Well, that is MOST certainly the case for 2015. Now not only do I have that same full-time job, but I have been doing overtime, went on a work trip and started college courses in September.

In other words… yikes!

Yet we must face that as we get older and gain more responsibilities and goals, well – our free time sharply declines. So you shall see that reflected in my numbers. 

Also: I am only presenting 19 books as Stand-Out’s this year.

Standard rules apply – the books I post here do not have to have been released in 2015 – I’ll just have read and/or reviewed them in 2015. Another customary disclaimer: these 19 books are not the only books I liked/loved in 2015 – just the ones that particularly stood out when I look back over 2015.

Let’s do this!

How many books did I read?

60

That's 60 less than in 2014.

How many pages did I read?

21,683

That's 19,503 less than in 2014.

How many pages, on average, did I read per day?

59

That's 54 less than in 2014.

Don’t let the dwindling numbers fool you, I am a bibliophile through and through! You are just witnessing the results of being a slave to that wretchedly unforgiving beast: Time.

As you read through my list of Stand-Out Books of 2015, you can click on each title to be transported - almost magically you might say - to my original review of the book.

Crisp Contemporary Fiction:

The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh

A piercingly raw middle-grade novel putting a family relationship in the spotlight, this book takes those rough growing up and pulling away moments and adds an extra dose of spice with secrets. For me, it was a gripping story that hurt and healed – lovely.

Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger

Apparently I had a thing about fractured family tales this year. Believe me, this isn’t the last one. Here we have a YA novel by the author of the best-selling The Duff (which I have now bought but have not yet read) that takes on a story of a distant side character and puts her front and center. Sonny’s habit of lying becomes more problematic than ever when she inadvertently begins an online friendship with someone who thinks she is her beautiful best friend. It’s painful, hilarious and altogether a great read about mending and hope.

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Pretty much anything by Sarah Dessen is a winner, but to varying degrees. What I really felt stood out about this one was how we took a girl in a longstanding high school relationship that had gotten almost too comfortable and then added in a splash of a visiting city boy and the excitement it brings – if only temporarily. But the most important visitor to town is her biological father, with whom she has a strained relationship. Without going into too much detail, I thought the end to this one was really quite spectacular.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Here we embrace a girl who, essentially, lives in a hypoallergenic bubble in her own home. She’s attended by a nurse and her physician mother and is never allowed outside their specially designed home because the world, quite literally, can kill her. She’s accepted her fate in life, though, and looks at things with an inspiring positivity. Yet when an intriguing boy moves in next door, she dares to begin to want something more… This was a page-turner with a shocker I did not see coming!

Fractured Futures, Fantasies and Fairytales:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

A wholly unique take on Cinderella, Meyer thrusts us into a creepy, enticing futuristic world where Cinder is a cyborg – a human with robotic parts. It’s a shameful thing to be in New Beijing, where full androids are nothing but slaves. She uses her mechanical savvy to provide income to her stepfamily – and this is where she meets the striking Prince Kai and learns more about the impending potential war with the mad queen of Lunar. This was awesome and I need to read the rest of the books!

Mistborn / The Well of Ascension / The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

The Mistborn series are some serious high fantasy stuff, people. You have to commit to some HUGE novels with a TON of characters and COMPLEX plotting. If you’re willing to be patient and committed, there’s a huge payoff in these books. I was blown away by how it kept surprising me and how intricately put together these books were. Definitely recommended!!!

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

OMG, Jasper Fforde is officially one of my favorite authors now. Wordplay, insane cleverness and just overall AWESOMENESS. What is it about, you ask? This is a society based on a hierarchy of the color perception you have. Eddie hopes to increase his aristocratic level with a marriage to a color higher than he – but his plans are thwarted by a sudden trip to East Carmine where generally held strict rules and mannerisms seem more lax and he is intrigued by a Grey. A GREY! So difficult to convey the utter perfection of this book – all I will say is that you must trust me and have a grand ol’ time treating your brain if you read it.

Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

Along the same vein as her stunning For Darkness Shows the Stars, Diana here takes on a retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel. It’s a follow-up of sorts, featuring a great female espionage and romance story. It beautifully renders a sci-fi, futuristic world where a revolution of the most horror is occurring. It’s an unusual, arresting story with suspense and the unsettling ugliness of revenge. Peterfreund is fantastic.

The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

Twylla is the seventeen year old embodiment of the Goddess her society is centered on, which means that she is impervious to poison but can kill others simply by touching them. Due to this, she is under guard at the castle and has a position of a glorified executioner – but she tries to find solace in her faith in the Goddess. But when she gets a new, young guard who looks at her like a girl instead of a horrifying instrument of death, something stirs in her. She cannot lie to herself any longer. I cannot say more! This book ended up being SO MUCH MORE than I expected! Simply intoxicating with suspense, royal intrigue, romance and excellently drawn characters. There is supposed to be a follow-up and THERE BETTER BE!!!

The School for Good and Evil / A World Without Princes / The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani

This middle-grade trilogy is a fantastically new spin on fairy tales, heroes and villains, princes and princesses, love and friendship! When two best friends are thrust into the School for Good and Evil they are shocked to find that Agatha – plain and generally not people friendly – is enrolled in Good and Sophie – beautiful and perky – is enrolled in Evil. Not only is this puzzling to them but they find that they are supposed to now be enemies. Will their friendship overcome this error? These books encompass a lot more than what I wrote here but they are a mishmash of surprisingly matire character development and human insight in a world of fractured fairytales, romance and twists. Great trilogy!!

Of Noble Family by Mary Robinette Kowal

Anyone who has been a faithful reader of the Bibliophile Support Group knows that I am a HUGE FAN of Kowal’s Glamourist Histories series, which provides an alternate Jane Austen like Regency era and adds doses of naturalistic magic (a.k.a. glamour). Well, this is the final book and YES I LOVED IT. It’s huge and suspenseful and, as I wrote in my original review, gave me worse nerves than Mrs. Bennett! This an amazing end to an extraordinary series!!

The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough

Imagine this: It’s the 1930s and two immortal beings – Love and Death – have set their set pieces in play, who will win? Poor Henry and Flora have been selected and are in the midst of a planned game, one of many throughout the history of time. They both have dreams and goals and difficulties – and when they realize they are falling for each other all of these things only increase. Because one is white and one is black, and that is just not okay in 1937. Can they overcome the game they have been involuntarily made a part of? Gorgeously written and heartbreakingly presented, this book provided fully fleshed characters and a storyline that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Psychological Drama… or Ghost Story?

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

CREEPY. That pretty much sums up this one. More details? Okay fine. How about a girl with a split personality – but one where one personality comes out during the day and the other only at night, without fail. One where they are convinced it is not a split personality but rather two girls trapped in one body who call themselves sisters? What if one of them disappears? What if we know a deadly fire is going to happen and they will never find her? What then? YOU READ THE CRAP OUT OF THE STORY, THAT’S WHAT. Presented in interviews, news articles, mental health appointments and freaky diary entries this frightening novel is likely to leave you a bit unsettled!

Proof That We Should Read Books for ALL AGES

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Yes, I have seen the movie version of this – and it’s actually a pretty good adaption! But we know the truth of the matter – the book is always better! When young Coraline steps through a door in her home to find a mirror image of everything, except with weird button eye and creepier personalities, she realizes there is something sinister going on… Quite creepy and entrancing, I loved Coraline and its cleverness!

The Lost Track of Time by Paige Britt

What if we could quite LITERALLY die of boredom? What if you could ACTUALLY fall through a hole in your schedule? This middle-grade novel of wordplay and subtle lessons, like The Phantom Tollbooth, shines with intelligence and readability. It’s an excellent new addition to a genre of children’s books that expects their readers to be smart and get new revelations of double meaning with each read. Great!!

Okay, there you have it! A collection of different kinds of books that I found to “stand out” this year!

Happy Reading! See you next year!!!

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Stand-Out Books of 2014!

Time to find out what I personally recommend to you, my lovely bibliophiles!!!

After what I hope was a bookish Christmas full of gift cards and novels wrapped in pretty, festive paper, I am bringing to you the fifth annual Stand-Out Books of the Year post!

Being that I am working full-time and sadly have less time to read than I used to, a lot of my numbers have dropped when it comes to statistics.

However, what has not changed is the fact that there are a whole lot of books that stood out to me in 2014!

As always, the books don’t have to have been released in 2014 – I’ll just have read and/or reviewed them in 2014.

So:

How many books did I read?

120

That's 45 less than in 2013.

How many pages did I read?

41,186

That's 15,123 less than in 2013.

How many pages, on average, did I read per day?

113

That's 41 less than in 2013.

Like I said – far busier as I get older – but a bibliophile I shall always be!!!

This year there are a whopping 44 books on the Stand-Out Books of 2014 list!

I know!!!

Keep in mind, that I may have liked or even loved many other novels throughout the year – but when going over the list these are the ones that stand-out specifically.

You can click on each title to be transported - almost magically you might say - to my original review of the book.

The Ultimate, Fantastic, Gothic Book for Book Lovers:

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Oh my gosh. Do you love gothic fiction? Do you love to be swept away fully and completely by gorgeous writing? Do you like to be both unsettled and intrigued? Do you, perhaps, enjoy feeling wholly obsessed with a novel? Then this gem is for you! A book that blew me away with mystery and utterly captivating prose, this story of a book loving writer penning the biography of a reclusive author is one-of-a-kind!

Charming “Children’s” Classics:

Howl’s Moving Castle / Castle in the Air / House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
Featuring charismatic characters, witty dialogue and clever fantasy plots, these three novels were such fun to read! A couple of them have some romance, all of them have surprising character development, and each has an astoundingly intricate story that doesn’t disappoint!

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Golly, this book is a marvel in creativity! When a young boy receives a mysterious tollbooth that magically transports him to a land where he must survive the Doldrums, take look over Point of View, jump to the Island of Conclusions and much other extremely clever wordplay – all the while learning lessons that sparkle with true wisdom – we, the readers, win the bibliophile lottery!

The Chronicles of Crestomanci, Volume I by Diana Wynne Jones
Well, this was the year I really started to read Jones and was enchanted, truly! Here we have the first two books in the Crestomanci series in one volume. Taking a magical, alternate universe and mixing in trouble, multi-layered characters and legitimate surprises and most excellent humor – we yet again have proof that “children’s” books are not always for children! In fact, the best ones (which I feel like I’m featuring in this section) are a delight to ANY age!

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente
Okay, yes, I know that this is a newer book and probably can’t officially be called a classic yet – but my goodness golly does it feel like one! Placing a smart, creative little girl in a Fairyland fraught with tyranny from a frightening queen that doesn’t look any older than her, this stunner combines incredible prose with Alice in Wonderland-like surrealism and underlying astuteness. I was absolutely blown away!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians # 1: The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan
Again – not officially a classic yet but, I believe, soon to be one! What a fun, original, contemporary fantasy take on Greek gods and myths! Mixing comedy, suspense, mystery and adventure into a clever reimagining of mythology, as soon as I finished book one I started looking at every other book Riordan wrote – not to mention the rest of this series – and started getting ready to order!

All the Wrong Questions # 1: Who Could That Be At This Hour?
All the Wrong Questions # 2: When Did You See Her Last?
File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents all by Lemony Snicket
I know, I know. Maybe I shouldn’t have named this section “classic” children’s books - but I’m sorry, I’m convinced! Lemony Snicket is back after the woefully wonderful A Series of Unfortunate Events books, telling his own tale as a youngster entered the enigmatic work of VFD – solving mysteries and avoid photographs of his face. All three are literary fun with awesome wordplay and giggle worthy silliness. File Under is especially fun, providing 13 short story mysteries that have solutions you flip to the back for. I’m ready for more, Lemony!!!

Fantastic Fantasy

The Dresden Files # 1: Storm Front by Jim Butcher
As a huge fan of the short-lived television series, I knew I had to eventually try the popular book series it was based on. Happily, this fast-paced, humorous yet serious urban fantasy was a great start to what I am hoping will be a great series! If you like your hero hard-boiled and mixing all kinds of magical beings with crime mystery, time to try this!

Valour and Vanity by Mary Robinette Kowal
Here we have the fourth entry in Kowal’s wondrous Glamourist Histories series. Tying Regency-era England, a phenomenal romance and uniquely natural magic called glamour, this series just seems to keep getting better. I especially love the characters and awesome relationship between the married leads – mix in suspense and wartime intrigue and you get quite the read!!!

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
In the second entry of the ridiculously clever, intriguing, laugh-out-loud funny Finishing School series, we get more gorgeous alt-Victorian steampunk fun with a heroine that is both intelligent and charming. Truly packed with entertainment as we enter a school of espionage amidst vampires, werewolves and more - total re-read material, this a fantastic!

The Parasol Protectorate # 1: Soulless
The Parasol Protectorate # 2: Changless
The Parasol Protectorate # 3: Blameless
The Parasol Protectorate # 4: Heartless
The Parasol Protectorate # 5: Timeless all by Gail Carriger
Set later in the same alt-Victorian world of Curtsies & Conspiracies, The Parasol Protectorate is an adult series rather than YA as the above. Full of romance, humor, and cleverness up to your eyeballs – this is pure awesome fun! Nothing like worrying about the polite society etiquette rules after accidentally killing an errant vampire during a ball!

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
This is the first book in the Thursday Next series – an out-there conglomeration of goodness! First of all it takes place in an alternative version of 1980s London – the Crimean War is ongoing, there’s time travel and the resurgence of extinct species, such as the dodo. Our main character, Thursday, is an operative the in the Literary Detection agency – in which they spend their time investigating crime against literature! Already sounds too good, huh?! Well, believe me there is so much more – a crazy awesome start to what looks to be a series that gets better and better!!!

The Rising by Kelley Armstrong
As the final book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, which ties into my beloved trilogy Darkest Powers, this one is bittersweet. I felt it was a great ending to a great series – and yet again provided a fresh romantic perspective amidst some truly excellent power and abilities and suspense!

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
I have a feeling you are going to start seeing Mr. Fforde’s name on these lists a lot in the future! This is a YA novel – the first in a quirky, yet heartfelt, Chronicles of Kazam series. With wordy, sharp humor, silly fun and a fascinating world in which magic seems to be fading until word of a dragon hits the streets, this is yet another diverting read!

Miss Mabel’s School for Girls by Katie Cross
When a teen girl slips amongst the ranks of one of the toughest magical boarding schools EVER, she makes it her mission to win an early competition that allows her to be tutored directly by the powerful Miss Mabel. Her intentions, however, are not honorable and she has alternative motives – she wants to take Miss Mabel down. This was a totally different, mesmerizing book that was very suspenseful and felt dangerous – I look forward to reading book two!

The Lynburn Legacy # 3: Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan
Ooooh boy, can’t say much as this is the third book in a trilogy that is AWESOME. I love, love, love this YA book and love, love, love this trilogy! Creepy, funny, romantic, quirky and beautiful, I am now a full-fledged fan of Sarah Rees Brennan and want more from her!

The Raven Cycle # 3: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
Again, tough to say much when it is the third book in a quartet – but Stiefvater is convincing me more and more that she is one of the best YA authors out there with a truly lovely, atmospheric tone and gorgeous writing. An astounding contemporary magical fantasy that is dark and rich with character development.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Placing a contemporary American teen girl in an English boarding school and adding in super creepy supernatural activity – such as they apparent return of Jack the Ripper – creates an awesome book! Especially when there is humor and suspense and all together great writing. I’m happy there are more books to come!

The Princess in the Opal Mask by Jenny Lundquist
Though there is a strong fantasy/fairy-tale vibe to this book, it does not feature any magic or clear fantasy elements. It does, however, provide an original, effective court intrigue story and a swap between two damaged girls. I was surprised just how much I loved this book – it is done very, very well with great suspense and excellent psychological character development. Again – yay, there’s a sequel!

Relatively Realistic Fiction

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
When a girl with a blocked memory of one pivotal summer begins to face the truth, well – let’s just say there’s a lot of twists and turns here. I wouldn’t say I NEVER guessed anything correctly here, yet it is the taut writing and well-drawn characters that help to make this stirring, disquieting novel so very affecting.

Starstruck by Rachel Shuckert
A start to a series, this book focuses on starlets in the 1930s – those who have the fame, those who want it, those who are losing it and those who are thrust into it. Soapy, suspenseful, romantic and mixed in with some mystery, this was a fascinating, undeniably addictive read that was a ton of fun but also had some decent substance to it!

Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham
A follow-up to the awesome series and fantastic movie – need I say more? I’m always ready for more mystery, drama and romance with this little blonde private detective!

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Tugging on the heartstrings and managing to, yet again, create some of the most realistic, believably flawed human beings in contemporary YA literature, this novel really stuck with me. Dealing with the betrayal of a parent’s unfaithfulness, the splitting of a family and the desire to recreate oneself – this is a great book about family and identity.

Ravishing Retellings

Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce
If you like your fairytale retellings more Grimm than Disney, this is a Snow Queen retelling for you! Combining excellent character development, romance and magic with suspense and nerve-wracking danger, Jackson Pearce convinced me yet again that she is one of my favorites when it comes to this genre.

The Mirk and Midnight Hour by Jane Nickerson
Okay, I will not say I am that familiar with the Ballad of Tam Lin – but this is a retelling of that, apparently. All I know is that this is a searing Civil War era novel that creates great characters and mixes in forbidden romance and voodoo – a page turner with substance.

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacy Jay
A bloody, dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Stacy Jay turns the story I love into a mash-up of war, hate and deep, overcoming romance. I loved the lack of superficiality here!

Sensational Sci-Fi

Fox Forever by Mary E. Pearson
A hauntingly written final book in the Jenna Fox Chronicles, this is a futuristic masterpiece, asking just what defines a human. Lovely prose, excellent thought provoking plot and a bit of a tear jerker.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Some people want to compare it to The Hunger Games – I don’t feel they’re all that similar, so don’t let that dissuade you! In fact, I felt this was an original page turner, full of suspense, character development and awesome intrigue. I was addicted very quickly and quite consumed by it!

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
A cinematic, truly scary post-alien invasion survival story! Well-written characters, great atmosphere and just enough humor from our strong female lead to not fall too far into hopelessness. Happily, there is a book two!!!

Burn by Julianna Baggott
Oh golly – this was a post-apocalyptic trilogy for the ages! Gory, creepy, frightening – this is a dark tale of what happens after all the “end of the world” events. Complex, intricate and absorbing, this finale pulls everything together for a final epic conclusion.

Neverwas by Kelly Moore, Amber Reed & Tucker Reed
The second book in the Amber House trilogy, this was one of the smartest books I read this year! It’s rare that someone can really dive into alternate futures and realities in such an interesting, diverse way, but this family of writers did! Following up from the end of Amber House in a brilliant way, I was floored by the intellect, detail and suspense involved in this awesome story – and I am breathless for the final book!

The Colors of Madeline # 1: A Corner of White
The Colors of Madeline # 2: The Cracks in the Kingdom both by Jaclyn Moriarty
I am a full-fledged fan of Australian author Moriarty – no qualms about it!!! These two books stunningly combine alternate universes with parallel storytelling – one involving the ordinary world we know and the other a world very different – but somehow, despite the many fantasy elements, just as grounded in reality – and realistic, wonderful characters. One moment it can be hilarious, the next it can break your heart. They are books of their own caliber in creativity and astounding writing – I cannot say enough!!!

Crushing Classic and Its Remarkable Retelling

Persuasion by Jane Austen
What a gorgeous, gorgeous book! Full of melancholy, maturity and lost romance – Austen has painted a beautiful portrait of a woman who regrets choices she made when influenced by others and the painful ache of acknowledging she can never remedy it… or can she? As always, Austen swept me away with prose that is quotable, searing and just simply unforgettable!

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diane Peterfreund
So, take Persuasion and turn it into a YA futuristic sci-fi novel? Sounds like sacrilege, right?! If it hadn’t been Peterfreund (who has proven her stunning writing skills in prior novels such as Rampant and Ascendant), I don’t know if I would have even tried it. THANK GOODNESS I DID!!! Somehow, she perfectly retold Persuasion with original, unique perspective of the future and made a lovely, memorable read of romance and sci-fi! Not to be missed.

Okay then, you book loving geniuses!!! There are 44 books to fill your shelves with, chat about and (hopefully) recommend madly to everyone you know!

I sincerely appreciate the ongoing readership that the Bibliophile Support Group has, despite my no longer featuring author interviews or giveaways!!! I feel that you awesome bookworms understand that life can become busier and it’s more important to focus on what we’re truly about: BOOKS

It’s been fantastic mixing in older titles with the new releases this year in an effort to return to pure bibliophile enjoyment – I hope you’ve also had fun possibly discovering some new titles that aren’t exactly “new.”

Have a wonderful New Year’s – and let’s meet back here in 2015, eh? 

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