NewBookCatsREADS

A reader's favorite guilty pleasure is assuming that the sharp wits, scathing remarks, and morally questionable actions of fictional characters are aimed directly at us. These books we have associated as our safety nets do anything to catch us during jarring experiences and the emotional turmoil that typically follows. For instance, every time I revisit Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices trilogy where she showcases a love triangle, I consistently brace myself from Will Herondale's cold remarks veiling his (obvious) affection for Tessa Gray and any cruel schemes completed by Jessamine, Nathan, Magister or other villains--not that the Magister's manipulation of his soul-fueled robot army sucks away any remorse I have toward his sorrowful past lending to his desires for revenge against Shadowhunters. Still, their flaws feel personal, their choices oddly intimate, and somehow, their imperfections make the story better. Moreover, despite the immediate hatred we are expe...

After finals season, there are two activities I enjoy partaking in: reading books until the sun announces the next day and napping until my dreams resemble that of a dragon fever dream. And, when I passed all my classes of my first semester (of many) of grad school, I knew there was only one appropriate response: a pre-Christmas book haul. Especially when there is no truly no bad occasion to excuse bringing books into a good home.  Thus, the following are only a few of the acceptable reasons for a (mandatory) book haul: Earn good grades? You definitely deserve a book (or one for each A+)! Get a bad grade on a test, or have a bad day? Sop up your tears with a breathtaking story to rejuvenate your motivation for school and other difficult challenges. Bored of doom-scrolling on social media? Read for 5 minutes to achieve another addiction that is even harder to break and can be expensive on the wallet or the library card! Left heartbroken by your last re-read of Harry Potter and th...

Unless you live in the sun-blazing heat and humidity of Houston or anywhere close to the Earth's equator, summer rolls around only once a year. Nonetheless, summer in the United States is a time of change: the weather itself turns warmer as the sun works overtime, tropical storms and hurricanes become more occurrent as beach attendance rises, another academic year ends and readies for the subsequent classes to come later, and the awaited summer vacation and family traveling finally arrives.  Whether I went to my local park or partook in a family road trip to Florida, each vacation was the most anticipated part of my summer. Moreover, partaking in exciting adventures only gave me more brownie points when I inevitably returned to school and expressed all the amusement to my classmates and friends. Nonetheless, I still left energy to read imaginary stories as well as listen to my classmates' summer stories.  Meanwhile, to distract myself from the never-ending wait to reach a dest...

Every Tuesday, Jana at  That Artsy Reader Girl  hosts Top Ten Tuesday, a series of posts created to appreciate lists of books and reading-related culture. The theme changes every week and is chosen by Jana. Come join our fangirl/boy craziness by naming your top ten favorite short reads in the comments or in your very own blog/social media. Poking through the library reveals the genius of authors whose book collections line several shelves, these authors’ successes do not merely exist because of wishes made on glowing shooting stars or blowing dandelion fuzz into southbound winds. While relying on the works of a witch's bubbling purple portion or luck for success, these writers cultivate their talents through scraped outlines and near-infinity drafts until their finished work is finally released to readers. Much  time is needed to both master the writing and development of stories and the characters we empathize with or root for. Thus, it is safe to assume that the storyte...

All foundations of great relationships rely on two things: partners with shared interests and specially made mix-tapes presented on anniversaries or all-nighter parties. Meanwhile, if you were in a relationship that resembled the great 80's and 90's classic movies, then the above statement is nothing but an obvious necessity for the relationship to continue. Although I cannot relate to burning songs to CDs or creating playlists for a significant other, my high school years were spent scouring Spotify and YouTube for the next "it" song. Thus, my time spent on these platforms were in the top 1% as a musical theater nerd and overall shy, hoodie-wearing hermit crab. Consequently, after engulfing Holly Black's Folk of the Air trilogy within three days and while surviving the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, I immediately began to soak my sorrows with both tissues and sad break-up songs. These sorrows were eventually subdued after re-reading the stories again, leading me t...

Good morning to 2024! Although 2024 is halfway done, I still have yet to re-wire my brain to write nor type out the correct year; yet, that doesn't mean we have to stop the celebrations! This is my review of 2023 and all the posts written this year! Share with me your favorite posts from your blogs, Instagrams, Twitters, Goodreads, TikToks, etc.! 2023's Posts: 12 Questions with Lil' Bro Reviewing The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan | Another Success or a Boring Quest? Recent Mainstream Popular Books and Authors I Have Not (YET) Read But Are On My TBR | Featuring My Cold Soul and So Many GIFs to Shame Me But I'll Shake It Off Stacking the Shelves | So You Want to Be a Doctor... Book Review: SawKill Girls by Claire Legrand | Following Psychic Moths and Throwing Delicious Casseroles at Paranormal Monsters for Feminism Book Review: Alone by Cyn Balog | Can You Ever Be Truly Alone When You Have Cake? Ft. Murder Mysteries Book Review: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan || Three P...