How is everyone's reading going in this, the last month of December? Mine is going... it can go either way, I'm not gonna lie. I had one novella done (hooray), one DNF (boo) and having two reads on the go (one physical, one ebook - not my smartest move) and hoping to get a few audiobooks/podcasts under my belt before the end of the year. Plus, am doing Reindeer Readathon and, as it stands, I have completed one prompt (Prancer: Read a book that mentions a specific date or event in the synopsis) and, before you say it, I am not including DNFs in my prompts.
The Pewter Wolf Reads
One Man. One Blog. One Never-Ending TBR...
Sunday, 15 December 2024
Reindeer Readathon 2024 Mid-Month Update
How is everyone's reading going in this, the last month of December? Mine is going... it can go either way, I'm not gonna lie. I had one novella done (hooray), one DNF (boo) and having two reads on the go (one physical, one ebook - not my smartest move) and hoping to get a few audiobooks/podcasts under my belt before the end of the year. Plus, am doing Reindeer Readathon and, as it stands, I have completed one prompt (Prancer: Read a book that mentions a specific date or event in the synopsis) and, before you say it, I am not including DNFs in my prompts.
Sunday, 24 November 2024
NetGalley November & Reindeer Readathon 2024 Update
I thought I would touch base and let you know how my NetGalley November is going as it’s been a little hit and miss.
On the one hand (the audiobook hand), I am had a good time with Deja Brew (a cute cosy-fantasy romance audiobook) by Celestine Martin and I am currently devouring the audiobook of Hilary Mantel’s A Memoir of My Former Self, a collection of essays and articles (a genre I am not used to!).
And on the other, I quit two reads (One by One by Freida McFadden and Sleep by CL Taylor), and I nearly quit my current read as I felt the first chapter was so confusing. I think I found my footing with A Palace Near The Wind by Ai Jiang, but I am hoping that, because it’s a novella, I can power through a try another NetGalley proof (After my last DNF, I didn’t want to go near any titles and I didn’t for a good 24 hours before I started A Palace Near The Wind. Now, I have a least 3 or 4 I want to try. On the audiobook front, I have about 2 that am leaning towards and these are odd picks as they are outside my comfort zone (but seeing as next Sunday is the 1st of December, I sense am not going to have enough time to power through them! Oh well…
So, yeah, my NetGalley November is not going as smoothly as I would like, but at least I am doing it and not rushing/forcing self.
On a different note, I have quit Twitter/X. Yes, I have fled the site and deleted my account. It’s sad (as I enjoyed my time on there and using it to make bookish friends in the blogging sphere, but just became so toxic and not a pleasured place to be) but, at the same time, weirdly liberating. (I am looking at using my Instagram more, so heads up on that front. And I am looking into BlueSky – not sure I will join but we shall see…)
Also, heads up for December, but I am going to casually do the Reindeer Readathon. Casually as I am a slow reader and there are books I want to attempted to read over the Christmas period that I don’t think will fit the prompts…
On the one hand (the audiobook hand), I am had a good time with Deja Brew (a cute cosy-fantasy romance audiobook) by Celestine Martin and I am currently devouring the audiobook of Hilary Mantel’s A Memoir of My Former Self, a collection of essays and articles (a genre I am not used to!).
And on the other, I quit two reads (One by One by Freida McFadden and Sleep by CL Taylor), and I nearly quit my current read as I felt the first chapter was so confusing. I think I found my footing with A Palace Near The Wind by Ai Jiang, but I am hoping that, because it’s a novella, I can power through a try another NetGalley proof (After my last DNF, I didn’t want to go near any titles and I didn’t for a good 24 hours before I started A Palace Near The Wind. Now, I have a least 3 or 4 I want to try. On the audiobook front, I have about 2 that am leaning towards and these are odd picks as they are outside my comfort zone (but seeing as next Sunday is the 1st of December, I sense am not going to have enough time to power through them! Oh well…
So, yeah, my NetGalley November is not going as smoothly as I would like, but at least I am doing it and not rushing/forcing self.
On a different note, I have quit Twitter/X. Yes, I have fled the site and deleted my account. It’s sad (as I enjoyed my time on there and using it to make bookish friends in the blogging sphere, but just became so toxic and not a pleasured place to be) but, at the same time, weirdly liberating. (I am looking at using my Instagram more, so heads up on that front. And I am looking into BlueSky – not sure I will join but we shall see…)
Also, heads up for December, but I am going to casually do the Reindeer Readathon. Casually as I am a slow reader and there are books I want to attempted to read over the Christmas period that I don’t think will fit the prompts…
(I filled in the form. I am in Team Candy Cane and I have no idea what am doing for the prompts. Maybe the Book Gods and Goddess have mercy upon my poor bookshelves…)
Sunday, 10 November 2024
NetGalley November 2024
I am very behind on my eProof and audiobooks (hell, I am behind on reading and blogging in general!), but I wanted to try and get some of my NetGalley reads under some control. I mean, last year, I lost loads of my proofs on my kindle due to either my Amazon account being deleted or hacked so the whole 80% ratio is never going to happen.
But I do wanna try and get some control and tackle some of my audiobooks via NetGalley. So, this isn’t a “Here’s what am going to read over the month”, but I wanted to touch base, say hi, chat about my reading plans for the next few weeks and hold myself to account.
So, what am I going to do? I am going to try and listen to several of my NetGalley audiobooks over the next month or so (I have a vague idea what the next 3 audiobooks I want to tackle/am in the mood for), try and backtrack over some proofs and, over December, try and continue this plan but allowing self to be flexible and have a lot of fun on rereads and relistens (maybe even make a plans of those relistens I wanted to do this year, but kept putting off. Yes, The Diviners by Libba Bray, I do mean you).
Now, is this going to be easy? No, as I am a mood reader and so, my mood will be affect by outside events (this past week was hard as WTF world?!), but am going to try and continue to have fun and push self to discover new stories and chat about them on my socials/on here (though, be warned, I am going to quit Twitter before the year is out!).
So, here we go! Let’s try and get a wiggle on NetGalley and look forward to a calm rest of November/December (which I sense won’t happen, but deep breaths).
Oh, do you guys wanna see my NetGalley audiobooks that are on my phone?
Wednesday, 30 October 2024
When the World Tips Over - Review and Inspired Playlist
I don’t want to write a long review for When The World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson. Mainly because I fell in love with this. I knew I would within the first few pages of read that this was going to be a 5 star read and am so happy that I was proven right (I remember a few years I read another Jandy Nelson novel, I’ll Give You the Sun, and I gave it three stars but I think, if I reread it, I would change my thoughts on it).
But When the World Tips Over, I fell in love with. I think it helped that I didn’t rush reading this (the original plan was the read it over September, but it spilt into October [very similar to last year when I read Cassandra Clare’s Sword Catcher. I didn’t rush reading it and I need to do this more!) and I savoured.
Anyway, let me tell you a little about the book and this post as it’s different from my normal.
Title and Author: When The World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson
Publisher: Walker Books
Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by the UK publisher in exchange for an honest review/reaction
Buy From (Affiliate): https://uk.bookshop.org/
The Fall siblings live in the town of Paradise Springs, where you can get drunk on the air, the devil winds blow so hard that it can blow sense out of the head, and the Fall family is a family divided.
The eldest, Wynton, is a powerhouse on the violin and is on track for fame or self-destruction of himself and his family. His brother, Miles, is smart, beautiful, perfect, but he feels lost and alone, and not even his dog whispering gift can pull him out of his darkness. And the youngest, Dizzy, can see ghosts, bakes beautiful soufflés and wishes to be a lead in her own romance.
But when a mysterious girl with rainbow-coloured hair saves Dizzy from a car accident, the Fall family finds their world tipping over. Is the mystery girl an angel? A normal girl? Whoever she is, she becomes important to each of them and soon, her stories of family curses, betrayals, love stories within love stories within love stories might bring the Fall together.
Saturday, 26 October 2024
DNFing Juliette Willoughby
It feels like I am always talking about quitting reads/audiobooks lately. Mainly because I had a huge DNF (Did Not Finish) blitz over the summer. And it looks like I haven't stopped going "F*** this!" just yet.
This time, it's The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd. In theory, this is right up my street. A murder mystery, set in the art world and university, but told in three different timelines (one of which is the artist of a mysterious missing painting). And yet, at 44% and me audiobooking this over the course of several weeks, I decided to cut my losses.
Why, I hear you ask? Because of two reasons.
Why, I hear you ask? Because of two reasons.
Wednesday, 16 October 2024
Mixing It Up
I was at work last week thinking about my reading and audiobooking while I have been on my surprise blog read (due to reading slump), and I realised that the stories I chose to read were mostly in genres I don’t normally gravitate towards.
Not sure why, but I found this realisation really interesting that during this time, the stories that I class as my bread and butter (crime and fantasy) were the stories I would DNF.
So, I thought I would have a little chat and show you so you vaguely know what happened over the past few months and try and figure out if this is the route I will be going in the upcoming months.
so, throughout July and August (if you followed me on my socials, mainly Instagram), you would know that these were my reads.
Mostly, there were all short stories barring two, which I would class as novellas. We have one collection of crime short stories (The Man in Black and Other Stories by Elly Griffith - write-up can be found here), four MM romance short stories (Marrying the Guide by Nora Phoenix, Only One Beach House by K.M. Neuhold, The Head Coach by Charlie Novah and The Stargazers of Copper County by May Archer), one historical fantasy novella (Queen B by Juno Dawson) and a Disney Twisted Tale (Sally’s Lament by Mark Mancusi).
And these were fun. I had a blast (though I do admit that most were very much candy floss reads, but sometimes, these types are reads are exactly what you need. Plus, I haven’t read much MM romance this year so reading short stories was wonderful and a perfect pick-me-up and a good way to give me a good shake with my reading as, at times, I do put a lot of pressure on myself to read certain types of stories and genres for one reason or another. While that’s fine for me as a book blogger (I have a ton of books/ebooks/audiobooks I have to read for review purposes), but as a reader, this is very restricted and kinda sucks the fun and the flexibility out of it. Reading should be a pleasure and while I adore reading within certain genres, I have become a reading magpie and like to try new genres.
Which, I sense, is exactly what I did throughout September and for the rest of this year. I’m allowing myself to try new things and being impulsive while attacking the neverending TBR shelves on all my platforms (physical, ebook and audio).
And for those of you curious, this was what I (mainly) audiobook throughout September and the beginning part of October:
Ok, I fib. Two of these I audiobook and finished (and they were engrossing). We have Marple: Expert of Wickedness by Mark Aldridge (which looks into the creation of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple) and Getting Away with Murder by Lynda La Plante (a memoir of the prolific writer). Like I said, both were engrossing listens (though there were occasions I wish both were a little more critical). And the book I planned to read through September but is carrying over into October is Jandy Nelson’s When the World Tips Over, and this is a such a solidly five star read, I am savouring my time with it (very similar to when I read Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare last year and am planning to do next year when its sequel, The Ragpicker King, comes out).
And now I am eyeing what I might be reading over the coming few weeks and, yeah, I sense I am going to fall into this pattern of “It’s my genre read, but not at the same time…”. Wanna see what I mean?
Does that mean I’m going to stick to up maybe TBR? Nope, highly doubt that (mood reader). But, am I going to allow myself the space to pick books outside my comfort genres? Yep. And that’s what I’m weirdly excited about. The chance to try new genres, new stories and share them with you in new/different ways.
Wednesday, 9 October 2024
Library Audiobooks On Hold List
As I try to slowly ease myself back into book blogging and trying to to find the joy (I am now wondering if I should focus on this and my Twitter/X less in 2025 and focus more on Instagram, Goodreads and StoryGraph), I was thinking about the heck-ton of audiobooks I have to listen to.
I have a good few on my Audible that I purchased. Same goes with NetGalley (audiobooks for review). But I do snoop on my local library’s audiobook app. In the past, I look to see if I can find the audiobook version of any NetGalley eProofs I have and, if I can find it, I do try to request and listen.
But, as I am very much a mood reader, I have a tendency to request then change my mind and cancel my request, but I keep that title on “My Reading List”, which is very, very long and has a real mix of genres (fantasy, thriller, non-fiction, classics, etc), lengths and a nice mix of rereads and audiobooks I have never read before.
Now, I know I wrote a post about this MONTHS ago (it was filled on crime audiobooks), but this time, I want to show you some titles that I know I’m going to listen to in the next few months and are currently either on hold for me or are downloaded on my phone.
Sunday, 6 October 2024
*slowly edges back onto the blog*
*slowly edges back onto the blog*
Nothing to see here! I was here the whole time. Ok, I wasn't, but reading slumps and blogger slumps/burnouts happen. And it happened to me. Annoyingly.
Mainly because I was cooking up plans. I wanted to do a nice Halloween reading month (focusing on fantasy or really creepy crime!), a NetGalley reading month in November (I would like to get some of my audiobooks under control) and I wanted to just get back into fun, no worries blogging.
And then the slump hit and my plans came to a grinding halt.
I would quit everything I started, feel really underwhelmed over blogging and the idea of calling the blog and all social media a day was very tempting (I came really close to closing my Twitter account! One more strike and it's gone!). So, I took a break (feels like I've taken so many breaks this year! I don't know if my blogging has recovered from COVID burnout, if I am being honest with you [or maybe I'm too old to continue comparing self to the whipper-snappers of BookTok and Booksagram).
I've always said that I wanted this bookish blog to be like a friend you meet up in a coffee shop and have a bookish chat over. And I still want that, but maybe I should change it to a bookish friend you meet you every now and then for a coffee and a chat.
Or maybe I should, dare I say it, embrace Instagram/Goodreads/StoryGraph more. I do use these (mainly Stories on Instagram and I do like sharing songs, as I want to have some fun with you guys! Silly fun with a positive spin, I hope!) but maybe I should try and do more with them...
And use the blog to pop in and take a little of a chinwag with you (or to gush over a book or two).
So, I'm going to take it easy on here. Have fun, maybe write odd little posts here & there and, dare I say, try and put self out there more... So, if any podcasts/instragram lives want me...
And, the books I chatted about back in July as my "Here's what I am going to attempt by end of the year?". Well, one I quit, two I have put on the backburner, one I am determinded to start this year and the other three... their time will come...
But going to take it easy on self and lurk on instagram/goodreads & storygraph for a while. HUNT ME DOWN AND SAY HI!
Mainly because I was cooking up plans. I wanted to do a nice Halloween reading month (focusing on fantasy or really creepy crime!), a NetGalley reading month in November (I would like to get some of my audiobooks under control) and I wanted to just get back into fun, no worries blogging.
And then the slump hit and my plans came to a grinding halt.
I would quit everything I started, feel really underwhelmed over blogging and the idea of calling the blog and all social media a day was very tempting (I came really close to closing my Twitter account! One more strike and it's gone!). So, I took a break (feels like I've taken so many breaks this year! I don't know if my blogging has recovered from COVID burnout, if I am being honest with you [or maybe I'm too old to continue comparing self to the whipper-snappers of BookTok and Booksagram).
I've always said that I wanted this bookish blog to be like a friend you meet up in a coffee shop and have a bookish chat over. And I still want that, but maybe I should change it to a bookish friend you meet you every now and then for a coffee and a chat.
Or maybe I should, dare I say it, embrace Instagram/Goodreads/StoryGraph more. I do use these (mainly Stories on Instagram and I do like sharing songs, as I want to have some fun with you guys! Silly fun with a positive spin, I hope!) but maybe I should try and do more with them...
And use the blog to pop in and take a little of a chinwag with you (or to gush over a book or two).
So, I'm going to take it easy on here. Have fun, maybe write odd little posts here & there and, dare I say, try and put self out there more... So, if any podcasts/instragram lives want me...
And, the books I chatted about back in July as my "Here's what I am going to attempt by end of the year?". Well, one I quit, two I have put on the backburner, one I am determinded to start this year and the other three... their time will come...
But going to take it easy on self and lurk on instagram/goodreads & storygraph for a while. HUNT ME DOWN AND SAY HI!
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