Bookish Wishes

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Bookish Wishes

The Top Ten Tuesday for this week is to give a wishlist of books you would like people to get for you. I decided to change this a little bit and put books that I have read that I would like to eventually get a physical copy of for my collection. These are books I either read from the library or through eARCS. 

1. The Halcyon Fairy Book by T. Kingfisher- I read this book throughout January and February this year. It is divided into two different sections. The first is T. Kingfisher’s commentary on various fairy tales from many different countries. She is absolutely hilarious. I laughed so many times reading her comments. Then the second part is her book Toad Words which is a collection of her own fairy tales. This book is not sold anymore physically. I’m hoping I will be able to find a copy of it someday for my T. Kingfisher collection. 

2. Zamonien series by Walter Moers- I have read both the first and third books from the Zamonien series.  Only some of the books in the series have been translated into English. I read both books last year and loved them. It is my dream that all of the books in this series will be eventually translated and to be able to get them all. So far only the first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth have been translated into English. I do physically own the first book and have the third in audiobook. 

3 Jim Henson’s The Storyteller series by various artists - A few years ago, I read through almost all of this series with library books and loved them. Each book in the series focuses on a creature or type of character from folklore such as: witches, giants, sirens, fairies, dragons, tricksters, shapeshifters, and ghosts. I would love to eventually be able to get all of these books for my collection. 

4. The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter- I remember when Heather first announced that she was going to publish an origin story for the Evil Queen from “Snow White” that was loosely based on Anne Boleyn. This book was even better than I thought it would be. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of the book. It was a perfect book for me and I definitely want to add it to my collection sometime soon. Cannot wait for the sequel to come out next year. 

5. The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland- I read this book over two years ago and really enjoyed it. It’s a vampire novel about a woman named Collette who is also a preschool teacher. It is one of the most interesting novels I have ever read and I still have not picked it up for my own collection. Definitely, plan on getting it eventually.

6. Descender: Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1 by Jeff Lemire- Descender is a science fiction graphic novel series. I read an ARC version of the deluxe edition of this book almost eight years ago now for the first time and really enjoyed it. Then, I read it again about two years ago to read the second part of the series. I definitely want to add this to my graphic novel collection someday.  

7. Spear by Nicola Griffith- King Arthur stories have always intrigued me and this was definitely a great take on the folklore. I especially enjoy the relationship between Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot characters in the story. 

8. Death’s Country by R. M. Romero- I read Death’s Country last year with an ARC from NetGalley and fell in love with it. R. M. Romero is an incredible writer and I adore how her novels in verse so much. I could gush about this modern-day take on the myth of “Orpheus and Eurydice” all day and I do not know why I didn’t buy myself a copy of it yet for my collection. It will definitely be soon. 

9. Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa- Yet another book that I adore that I have yet to add to my collection. Most Ardently is a queer Pride & Prejudice retelling which I read last year with an ARC. It is one of the best young adult books I have ever read and is just a beautiful romance. 

10. The Collected Poems of J. R. R. Tolkien- These are the only books on this list that I have not read before. I have read a couple of the poems over the years, but not all of them. I’m hoping to add these beautiful books to my Tolkien collection. They are absolutely stunning in every way. 

All-Time Favorite Series

 

There’s no question in my mind what my all-time favorite series is. Discworld is the largest series I have ever read and it is definitely the best. I adore so many books in this series. Terry has been an inspiration to me for so many years and I’ll always feel joy when I pick up one of his books. Even when I don’t love his books there are so many great lines that just stand out. His writing was one of a kind. 

Currently Reading and Crafting

My ideal Sunday is doing some kind of art project or hobby and listening to an audiobook. Today, I’m listening to The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty and working on my beach scene diamond painting. Such a great book so far. 

Happy Birthday Daddy!

There is so much I would love to have the opportunity to tell you. I was lucky to have almost 31 years with you, but I can’t help wishing I had so many more. I love you and miss you every single day. You were a special father who taught us so much over the years. I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without you. Love you Daddy! 💖

~ Father Dear ~

A loving and present father is one of the greatest gifts

You can ever find in this life. 

My dad was the person 

I looked up to the longest.

He’s one of the reasons

I have worked as hard as I could 

To make something out of myself

Even when the self-doubt tried to stall growth.

Dear heart, please keep me going

Towards these goals

I had hoped I would be able to complete

Before anything was to happen. 

But sometimes our dreams look a little

Different with time and we 

Have to keep ourselves going even

When the days just keep getting harder. 

His was the voice of reason when 

It felt as if the world was falling apart

The person we would go to for advice

On every single one of life’s problems.

But what happens when he 

Is the one person I want to go to for 

Advice on how to handle all of this?

It hurts my heart to think of him gone. 

Father dear, I’d give so much

To be able to see you again

To hear your voice

To be able to hug you close.

Books Set During the Summer

  

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Books Set During the Summer

The Top Ten Tuesday prompt today is a Summer Freebie, meaning we were able to pick whatever topic we wanted that dealt with Summer. Here are ten books that are set during the summer that I have enjoyed. 

1. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares- One of my favorite book series in middle school and early high school was The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Each of the books in this series are set during the summer with Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen sharing a pair of jeans as they spend their summers apart. I remember loving the idea of this “magic” pair of pants that can keep these girls close even when they are so far away from each other. This was a very formative read for me that I still have fond memories of all these years later. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 18 years since I read those first four books. Also, this book is the reason why I have wanted to go to Santorini, Greece for a good portion of my life now. 

2. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare- One of my favorite Shakespeare plays that I read during the summer after I graduated from high school, in 2012. I love the antics of Puck in this story and how magical it feels. Midsummer Night refers to the night of the Summer solstice. This play is set in Athens and revolves around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta from Greek Mythology. It also deals with the fae who cause mischief during the events of the story. 

3 Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman- I read Call Me By Your Name about eight years ago during the summer because I wanted to read it before seeing the movie. It is a story about a teenager, Elio, who falls in love with an older man, Oliver, during the summer in Italy. Andre Aciman does an incredible job showing how fleeting a romance like this would be and also how fleeting summertime is. This book was an emotional one for me. 

4. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks- I have talked about this book on here before and is definitely one I think of for summertime. It is a story about a girl named Ronnie who goes to North Carolina to stay with her father during the summer. I definitely remember reading this book a couple of times during the summer along with watching the movie. 

5. Run Away With Me by Brian Selznick - The most recent book I have read on this list and is definitely one of my favorites. Run Away with Me is a historical fiction book set during the 80s in Rome. It follows two teenagers, Danny and Angelo as they fall in love during the summer of 1986. It is a story of first love, history, and the city of Rome itself. I love Brian’s books so much and how he always tells his stories through words and illustrations. This is one of my top five favorite books of the year and I look forward to rereading it very soon. I might just do so this month.

6. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan- The Percy Jackson books are set throughout the year but the majority of the books take place during the summer, while Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are at Camp Half Blood. I love Rick’s take on Greek Mythology and cannot get enough of these wonderful books. Many of Rick’s other series take place during the summer too. 

7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- This book does not fully take place during the summer but there are many important scenes that do. It takes place between the years 1933 and 1935 and focuses on Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s childhood. To Kill a Mockingbird is a beautiful story that stands out among many of the popular American classics. 

8. Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman- Another favorite from middle school for me, though I will say I always enjoyed the movie much more than the book. When I think of this book, summertime and magic come to mind. The story is about two girls named Claire and Hailey, who are spending their last summer together before Hailey and her mother move. They find a mermaid at the bottom of Claire’s family beach club’s pool and go on an adventure to help this mermaid named Aquamarine. Mermaids have always been my favorite mythological creature and I just adored this story as a young girl. 

9. Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett- I thought of this book for this list because it takes place on Midsummer’s night and deals with the fae just like A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This is the 14th book in the Discworld series and the fourth book in the Witches subseries. I’m a big fan of Terry’s elves in this book. They are such an interesting depiction.  

10. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald- Gatsby has been a favorite book of mine for over 12 years now. I remember when I first read it after watching the Leonardo DiCaprio movie and falling in love with this story. Most of the book takes place during the summer of 1922 and follows Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, and the titular  character Jay Gatsby. It is a story I definitely think about when I think of books set in the summer, especially because of one of the scenes near the end of the book. 

June TBR 2025

 

May Reads 2025

 🌸 May Reviews 🌷

May 1st- 31st

This is one of the best years I have ever had for reading with both the amount of books that I’m reading and also enjoying. In May, I read 14 books with a total of 4627 pages. 

Book 74: The Magicians of Caprona 

(Chrestomanci #4)

By Diana Wynne Jones

Read May 1st-3rd

Pages: 288

Release Year: 1980

📚📚📚

This is definitely my least favorite from the Chrestomanci series so far but it grew on me by the end. It still has Diana Wynne Jones’s wonderful writing style, whimsical storylines, and an interesting magic system. I love how each of the books in this series has the characters using a different type of magic. 

The story is about two families filled with magicians who have been feuding for centuries. They each use their musical magic to help Caprona, but are constantly bickering with each other. The two families are the Montanas and the Petrocchis.  

I enjoy stories about magical families very much but I think this story was much better when it focused on the perspectives of Tonino Montana and Paolo Montana, instead of the Montana family as a whole. It took me much longer to get into this story than it usually does for a Diana Wynne Jones’s book, but it grew on me by the last quarter.

Book 75: Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures

(Stephen Fry’s Great Mythology #2)

By Stephen Fry

Read May 3rd-4th

Pages: 415

Release Year: 2018

📚📚📚📚📚

Such an entertaining read. Stephen Fry is my favorite audio book narrator and I love his writing style. He does a masterful job of retelling these myths with his wit shining through. This was a great take on the myths. I have known most of these for years but I still enjoyed every minute of this book and learned quite a bit along the way. Stephen Fry's mythology series is one I highly recommend to both those wanting to get into Greek Mythology and those who are already fans. This is just that great.

Book 76: Troy

(Stephen Fry’s Great Mythology #3)

By Stephen Fry

Read May 5th-6th

Pages: 414

Release Year: 2020

📚📚📚📚📚

May 5th-6th reread:

I love how Stephen not only focuses on the story of the Trojan War but also gives background stories to set up many of the events which occur during the story. We find out how Priam became king of Troy, how Achilles’s parents met and married, how a golden apple was one of the catalysts of the Trojan war, and so many other backstories to many of our heroes on both the Trojan and Greek sides. One of my favorites of these stories deals with Odysseus’s actions to try and get out of going to war by pretending to have gone mad. I really enjoy how Stephen tells this story. 

This is a wonderful version of this story that I highly recommend it to those who love Greek Mythology or who want to learn about it for the first time. Stephen gives a fully rounded story with more details than many others do. I also enjoy his historical context he gives in the Appendix. 

“And his name will be remembered forever. How strange is our mortal zest for fame. Perhaps it is the only way humans can be gods. We achieve immortality not through ambrosia and ichor but through history and reputation. Through statues and epic song. Achilles knew he could live a long and happy life, but chose blood, pain and glory over serene obscurity.” 

June 2021 review:

I will forever love Greek Mythology! Stephen Fry's books are so great and I completely recommend listening to the audiobooks of this series. I have been looking forward to this book ever since I knew he was going to be retelling the Trojan War. Now, I can't wait to read his version of The Odyssey which is one of my all-time favorite stories ever.

Book 77: The Story of Gumluck and the Heroes (Gumluck #3)

By Adam Rex

Read May 6th

Pages: 128

Release Year: 2025

📚📚📚📚

Another adorable story in the Gumluck series. This one had a great lesson for younger readers and I hope parents pick it up, along with the rest of the series. Gumluck is a true example of a hero and I think children could really use that story. Helvetica’s narration was great as always and I love the joke with the titles all having to have quest in them. Gave me a little chuckle. This and the previous books are perfect books for younger readers. 

*Thank you Edeleweiss for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Book 78: Behooved

By M. Stevenson

Read May 6th-7th

Pages: 352

Release Year: 2025

📚📚📚📚📚

I had such a great time listening to the audiobook for this wonderful story. Natalie Naudus was a perfect pick for the narration and Bianca’s voice. This fantasy world was interesting and I loved the characters. 

Bianca was a character I related to on many levels. She has a hard time believing in herself because of what she has been told by her parents about her chronic illness. It was so powerful to see her find confidence in herself. Also, I’m glad that her illness cannot just be magically cured and she keeps fighting even when she is having one of her flares of sickness and pain. Many times in fantasy where there is magic being used so much in the world, an illness would have been healed quickly in the book. It feels much more real to see her having to continue on even when she feels terrible and this shows her strength. I like that this was an empowering story along with the fantasy and romance aspects. 

Arranged marriages are quite common in fantasy novels and I enjoyed seeing how M. Stevenson had Aric turn into a horse. There was so much humor because of this, especially with the horse puns. Bianca and Aric’s relationship was charming in every way. Aric is the type of character I adore. He at first seems to be aloof, but it doesn’t take long to see the man he really is. Such a sweetheart.  I like how they both are able to help the other feel more comfortable being who they are. Their romance was sweet.

I look forward getting my own copy of this wonderful book for my collection and reading more of M. Stevenson’s writing. I recommend this book to cozy fantasy fans, fantasy romance fans, and fans of My Lady Jane. 

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARCs of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Book 79: Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes #1)

By Travis Baldree

Read May 9th

Pages: 304

Release Year: 2022

📚📚📚📚📚

Such a charming book. I don't like coffee but would go to Viv's shop in a heartbeat and try Thimble's baked goods. This is the perfect comfort read filled to the brim with wholesome characters, heart, and a found family I adored. Each character stole my heart and I hope we get more of Viv, Cal, Tandri, Thimble, and the many other characters in this world. 

I love high fantasy books with low stakes.

 

Book 80: 1984

By George Orwell

Read April 10th-12th

Pages: 320

Release Year: 1949

📚📚📚

Orwell's writing drew me in at certain parts of the plot and at other times kept me disinterested. There are sections that rely too much on telling and they feel disjointed from the actual plot. They do help the reader learn more about the doctrine of the Party. I believe the story would have flowed better without some of it.  The style really wasn't for me, but it still had me wanting to see what would happen to Winston. 

1984 is a dark story which feels all too real. It's very much a cautionary tale, though I will say I have more faith in humanity than this gives us credit. I could not believe how horrific this became. Living in a world like the one depicted in this novel would be a nightmare.

It is world where the powers in charge are successfully taking away individually, freedom, and truth, while constantly using surveillance to watch everyone's every move. Big Brother is a well-known image from this novel. Pictures of him are everywhere Winston goes and are always watching.  This gives an unsettling atmoshephere to the entire story. 

I also wasn't a fan of the romance though I understand it's purpose in Winston's story. Julia was not given much other than being his love interest which wasn't surprising. 

The message the readers get at end is haunting and poignant.

 

Book 81: Odyssey 

(Stephen Fry’s Great Mythology #4)

By Stephen Fry

Read May 13th-15th

Pages: 400

Release Year: 2024

📚📚📚📚📚

A great finale to Stephen Fry's Greek Mythology series. I enjoy how Stephen not only tells Odysseus's journey home but gives even more information about the other Greeks and Aeneas's voyage from Troy.

 

Book 82: Lore Olympus: Volume 8 

(Lore Olympus #8)

By Rachel Smythe

Read May 17th

Pages: 416

Release Year: 2025

📚📚📚📚📚

Another great volume in this series. They just keep getting better with each new installment. Rachel has done an incredible job retelling the Hades and Persephone myth so far. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Book 83: A Grief Observed 

By C. S. Lewis

Read April 29th- May 17th

Pages: 76

Release Year: 1961

📚📚📚📚📚

One of my goals is to read everything C.S. Lewis wrote, at least what I can get my hands on. This one was very difficult to get through but it helped. My father passed away on November 19th, 2024. He was sick beforehand but his death was unexpected. Almost six months later, I still have moments where I get stuck in a fog. It's a common phrase to say that it gets better with time. I wouldn't say that. It just gets easier to cope with the pain, but he is on my mind all of the time.

"For in grief nothing ‘stays put.’ One keeps on emerging from a phase, but it always recurs. Round and round. Everything repeats. Am I going in circles, or dare I hope I am on a spiral?

But if a spiral, am I going up or down it?

How often—will it be for always?—how often will the vast emptiness astonish me like a complete novelty and make me say, ‘I never realized my loss till this moment’? The same leg is cut off time after time. The first plunge of the knife into the flesh is felt again and again.

They say, ‘The coward dies many times’; so does the beloved. Didn’t the eagle find a fresh liver to tear in Prometheus every time it dined?"

Grief is hard to describe but Jack (as he was known) perfectly encapsulates it here. This is his own reflections on how he felt after his wife, Joy (who he calls H. in this memoir), passed away from cancer. He fell in love later in life, after being friends for many years. His writing style always stands out to me and this is probably one of his best. At least from what I have read. 

I like how Jack's stepson, Douglas H. Gresham, wrote an introduction for the work. He gives insight into Jack and his mother's relationship, along with additional information on this piece. I definitely want to pick up Douglas's book Lenten Lands, which is about his family. There are so many fictionalized versions of Jack and Joy's love story, but her son's perspective sounds even better.

I'm glad that I picked this up now. I have planned to read it for years and it just never felt like the right time. This took me quite awhile to get through because I stopped halfway through and didn't pick it up again until today. It was worth it.

Some days are better than others. Can't say how many times I've wanted to just call Dad up and tell him something. To see him again. It helps reading Jack's inner thoughts and connecting with another writer, even just for a short time. His writing here is incredibly moving and heartbreaking. I highlighted many lines that stood out to me and I quoted my favorite section above.

Book 84: When the Tides Held the Moon

By Venessa Vida Kelley 

Read May 16th-18th

Pages: 464

Release Year: 2025

📚📚📚📚📚

An absolutely beautiful love story that feels like a fairy tale. Merpeople have been my favorite fantasy creatures ever since I was a little girl, who fell in love with Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Benigno and Río’s story holds as much magic as that story always has for me. 

Venessa is an incredible writer along with being a remarkable artist. Their artwork stands out on the page.  They made Benigno and Río’s world come alive in a way I will never forget. I’m thankful to be able to read a story like this with characters that feel so real. It is a story I know I will never forget and I cannot recommend it enough. To those who love mermaids, a beautiful LGBT romance, and a story that feels like magic: read this novel. I look forward to reading more of Venessa’s work in the future. 

I will be picking up a copy for my own library. I cannot wait to see the beautiful illustrations in person. 

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Book 85: The South Wind (The Four Winds #3)

By Alexandria Warwick

Read May 18th-19th

Pages: 432

Release Year: 2025

📚📚📚📚📚

My favorite from the series so far.

I loved reading about Sarai and Notus’s relationship. Sarai is my favorite of the female leads in this series and I enjoyed the way the importance of music in her life was shown throughout this book. She is a stubborn and passionate character, who closely guards her emotions after being hurt so many times before. I could not get enough of her story. 

There is a lot of family trauma in this book. This was emotional for me, which I was not expecting at all. 

I like that this was a second chance romance and learning about Sarai and Notus’s previous relationship during the book, while also watching them fall for each other again. Though, I do wish they didn’t keep such important secrets from each other for so much of the plot, it is understandable why they did. Notus is a character I enjoyed just as much as Sarai. He is my second favorite of the Anemoi brothers. I like that they each are so well fleshed out in their books and I look forward to learning more about Eurus in his own. His introduction in this book was perfect. 

This is a tale inspired by “Sleeping Beauty,” the Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, and also the myth of the Minotaur, three stories I love. Alexandria played with the curse of “Sleeping Beauty” in interesting ways throughout this book. I particularly liked that Sarai actually knows about the curse and how fatal it is going to be. Fairy tales and Greek Mythology are some of my favorites stories and I’m always interested in a story that retells them in new ways. 

I like that each of the books is a standalone and how Alexandria brings the other brothers into the plot in fitting ways. The South Wind was a great addition to this series. It was definitely worth the wait between books. I’m highly looking forward to reading The East Wind when that comes out, hopefully next year. 

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Book 86: A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking 

By T. Kingfisher

Read May 24th-29th

Pages: 306

Release Year: 2020

📚📚📚

Not my favorite of T. Kingfisher’s books. I do like her clever writing, but this doesn’t stand out as much as her others at least to me. Mona’s baking magic was clever and I like how magic works in this world.

 

Book 87: Castle Swimmer: Volume 2

(Castle Swimmer #2)

By Wendy Martin

Read May 30th

Pages: 304

Release Year: 2025

📚📚📚📚

I love Wendy Martin’s art style in this series. It is so beautiful! Another great volume, which surprised me in the direction it took with the prophecy. Definitely not at all what I was expecting. Kappa and Siren’s story is one that I am highly enjoying and I look forward to see what will occur next. 

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*