What’s On Your Nightstand: May 2016

What’s on Your Nightstand is a monthly meme hosted by 5 Minutes for Books that summarizes what you’ve read for the month, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan to read next. It’s basically a wrap-up, though not as detailed depending on how you structure your reading wrap-ups. The meme is held the fourth Tuesday of every month. (I assume that means the last Tuesday of a month that has 5 Tuesdays.)

I’m still not sure how I’ll format these posts so I’ll continue with the format I used before.

What I read:

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Friday Face-Off: Witch Bird Blade

The Friday Face-Off is a bookish meme hosted by Books by Proxy that compares book covers to decide which is best.

My blogging has been spotty lately due to travelling and me being busy in general. There was simply no time to sit, think, and write. But I’m back and trying to catch up, starting with this Friday post on a Sunday. So scroll on down and let me know which of the book covers most appeal to you.

May 13 theme:

Which Witch is Which?

A cover which features a witch and/or witchcraft

Weekend Reads #48: Quick Thoughts on Jane Eyre

Weekend Reads is a weekly discussion on a variety of topics. At the end of the post, I’ll include what I plan to read on the weekend.

You’re bursting to say something, Z. Drop some thoughts on Jane Eyre.

“Soledad” by Angie Cruz

This story hooked me from the first sentence.

Quick summary:

I’m going with the synopsis on the back cover because it sums up the story well.

At eighteen, Soledad couldn’t get away fast enough from her contentious family with their endless tragedies and petty fights. Two years later, she’s an art student at Cooper Union with a gallery job and a hip East Village walk-up. But when Tía Gorda calls with the news that Soledad’s mother has lapsed into an emotional coma, she insists that Soledad’s return is the only cure. Fighting the memories of open hydrants, leering men, and slick-skinned teen girls with raunchy mouths and snapping gum, Soledad moves home to West 164th Street. As she tries to tame her cousin Flaca’s raucous behavior and to resist falling for Richie — a soulful, intense man from the neighborhood — she also faces the greatest challenge of her life: confronting the ghosts from her mother’s past and salvaging their damaged relationship.

Evocative and wise, Soledad is a wondrous story of culture and chaos, family and integrity, myth and mysticism, from a Latina literary light.

Gossip Girl Book Tag

I’m so behind on book tags that I don’t think it matters in what order I do them anymore. I tried doing them in the order that I was tagged but that’s done with. Just know that if you tagged me for something, I will get to it eventually; unless it’s something I’ve already done on here.

I loved the Gossip Girl TV show and used to watch it every Monday night when it used to air on the CW. Then when I saw it on Netflix, I rewatched all my favorite episodes. What kept me watching? Blair. I hate calling someone a bitch, but Blair is the Queen B and I love her for it. She is a strong individual, though snooty, and I respect how hard she works to achieve her goals, though she often resorts to nefarious methods.

I also loved the music used in the shows and Serena’s wardrobe. Of everything she has worn, this dress was my favorite.

Weekend Reads #47: I Took a Break Y’all

No topic this weekend. More of an update.

You may have been wondering where I’ve been, or not. Either is fine.

I took a mini break from blogging because I was feeling a tad overwhelmed, frustrated, and tired. You ever get worn out from doing the same things every day? That was me. That’s how I felt. Bored and worn.

Book Haul #22: Indie Bookstore Day & Free Comic Book Day

Book Haul #22 is an awesome one because it’s a bookhaul of firsts: the first time I went to Free Comic Book Day and the first time I visited an indie bookstore on Indie Bookstore Day. Plus, I won a wonderful giveaway so I dub this bookhaul one of my best. Let’s start with the giveaway.

Rachel at Life of a Female Bibliophile hosted a giveaway in early April that I won. I was so excited and thankful (THANKS RACHEL!!!). She sent me a box filled with books, bookish goodies, and TEA!!! I was so grateful. I love me some tea so that box was done within two weeks. Here’s some of what I got:

“Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert

My thoughts:

Though I’d like to wax poetic about how this book stuck with me, I can’t. Sometime has passed since I read it and much of it has since faded from memory. Though it’s message resonated with me and was something I needed to hear/read, it didn’t have as hard an impact as I wanted it to. Why was that? Well, I’ve read a lot of articles and books on getting started on creative projects, creativity in general, and on motivation so the message in Gilbert’s book wasn’t new.

Also, being a major fan of Gilbert, though I’ve read only two books by her books counting this one, I was so excited when I heard she would write a book on creativity that I dived into all the talks and articles and reviews she and others did about this book when it was published and I think I overindulged. By the time I read the book, I already knew much of what it contained. (Does that mean I was spoiled for a nonfiction self-help book? Is that even possible?) However, that didn’t lessen my excitement. When I started reading it, I read it quickly but in spurts and so didn’t allow the book to take hold.

Intimidating TBR Tag

I’ve wanted to do this tag since I first saw it on Lindsey Rey’s channel on YouTube. She created it but has taken down the video and is no longer producing videos so I’m unable to link to her channel. But, I consider myself tagged by Jah at Books Beyond Measure, who did this tag a couple weeks ago.

What book have you been unable to finish?

I have three, which I’m embarrassed about because I’ve been reading them for a couple years now. But I keep either reading a few pages and putting the book down or restarting the book. Anyways, they are:

Friday Face-Off: A Blue Road

The Friday Face-Off is a bookish meme hosted by Books by Proxy that compares book covers to decide which is best. Since I wasn’t able to do a Friday Face-Off last week, I’ll combine last week’s theme with this week’s. So that’s

Last week’s theme:

Like One, That on a Lonesome Road

A cover which features a road

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This week’s theme:

You Got the Blues

A cover which is predominantly blue

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A hybrid theme:

Rolling down a blue road

A cover which is blue with a road