amarisafloria

October better be the month I get it together 😂

I have allowed WAY too many books to pollute my "currently reading" shelf on Goodreads!!! So many half-read, abandoned books ... sorry friends :(

This TBR is longer than normal because there are two read-a-thons I'll be participating in this month: #GetGraphic (graphic novels/comics), which starts on Friday, October 6th and ends on Sunday, October 8th; and Spookathon, which starts on Monday, October 16th and ends on Sunday, October 22nd.

Let's get reading!


My only goal next weekend is to finish all the trade paperbacks I own, which is THREE—Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson, Black Widow, Vol. 1: The Finely Woven Thread by Nathan Edmondson, and Batgirl, Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection by Gail Simone! Definitely do-able. I also have a bunch checked out from the library, so I will read like the wind. (Note: I will only be reading comics!)


The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern // 26%
Started this back in April, STILL READING IT. I've been putting it off because it's one of those books where you have to WANT to read it or else you won't like it. I'm ready to jump back in, and it's the perfect season.

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo // 3%
I am currently reading this for Abby (from Crime by the Book)’s book club in preparation for the movie coming out on Friday, October 20th! Her book club will be officially finishing this tomorrow, so I'm a little late for the discussion portion 😅



A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis // thriller + spooky setting
I put this on my TBR two Octobers ago with every intention of reading it but I ended up not doing so. Hopefully I can remedy that this year! I’ve heard a lot (from bloggers and reviewers) about Mindy McGinnis’ other books, but nothing about this one so I’m looking forward to reading this without any preconceptions.

Basic Witches by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman // spooky word in the title + orange on the cover
I don't think this is actually about witches, but "witches" is a spooky word so it counts in some way :p

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins // a book based on a childhood fear
This may be Perkins' first teen horror/slasher novel, but don't mistake her to be unknowledgeable in the genre. I've been following her on Twitter for a while now, and she's always talking about scary movies! Although I stay away from reading/watching ANYTHING scary, I will make an exception because I like Perkins' books.



Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo
Joce from Squibbles Reads invited me (!!!) to join her book club, Storytime with Squibbles, and this is her October pick! The synopsis of this one is incredibly intriguing: 1) a monogamous married couple is unable to get pregnant. 2) The wife is introduced to her husband's second wife. 3) She knows the only way she can save their marriage is to get pregnant, and she does, but at what cost? I'm excited (and also a little nervous!) to discuss this book with other readers (y'all know I have issues translating what's in my brain to actual sentences) but I want to try and be challenged in the way I think about the stories I'm reading. We'll be using the hashtag #StorytimeWSquibbles on Twitter, so join us!

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
I love comics, I love Wonder Woman, I love Leigh Bardugo. WHAT A COMBINATION.

The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You by Lily Anderson
I want to read this before her next book, Not Now, Not Ever, which Goodreads says is the sequel. It works out because I know I will crave something contemporary after finishing these heavy books.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
I AM SO BEHIND ON THIS SERIES! I brought this book with me to jury duty a couple of months ago and ended up not reading it—but it got destroyed because my water bottle decided to leak in my book bag 😔 Of all the books on this list, I probably won't get to this one this month but I want to at least finish the Shadow and Bone trilogy by the end of this year. (Siege and Storm is the sequel to Shadow and Bone, a story that follows a girl who finds out she can wield something powerful.)


I meant to only put four books on my TBR, but alas ... I am really reaching for the stars with this list. If I magically finish all 12 items, I will have three less books on my TBR than I started this year with! (Feel free to reference this goals post to use your math skills and figure out how many books I own but are still unread.) SLOWLY making a dent in my physical pile, haha ...

Top Ten Tuesdays is a feature created by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish. If you want to share your own lists in the future, the prompts can be found on their page! You can also find my previous lists by searching the label "top ten tuesday" 😊

I originally wanted this post to be a list of all the books I've read that feature Asian main characters, but I'm sad to say I haven't read many. There are plenty that include an Asian classmate or villain—but the story wasn't about them, and they were gone in a couple of pages. Here are four I've actually read and six I am committing to read one day.




Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom by Booki Vivat
Frazzled follows Abbie Wu, who is freaking out about starting middle school. It's such a fun read, especially with all the doodles. (This book reminds me a little of Amelia's Notebook by Marissa Moss!) When I was in elementary and middle school, cute illustrations in a book meant I automatically checked it out from the library. Yes, this is targeted to younger readers, but I really think everyone of any age will enjoy Frazzled.

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
A great read about a Chinese-American girl who knows she's treated differently because of her ethnicity and status, but doesn't let it affect who and where she wants to be. I especially loved the family elements (as it is a big part of Chinese culture) and the simplicity of it all despite the subject matter being heavy. I wrote a small review on Outrun the Moon last year, if you want to read more on my thoughts.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
I'm not 100% sure about the main character's background, but I do know that she is at least half-Asian. It's been quite some time since I've read Cinder, but I can tell you it is the beginning of a really fun series. As the title suggests, Meyer uses Cinderella elements to tell her story—but in this version, Cinder(ella) is part-cyborg!

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT A CAPPELLA—NEED I SAY MORE?! (If yes, here are some other things this book includes: accurate portrayal of Asian parents, a soundtrack, so many laughable moments, and a quirky + fun gang of friends.)


Other books that feature Asian main characters: Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali, Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz, Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee, A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo, Want by Cindy Pon, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee

Imogen is a runaway heiress, an orphan, a cook, and a cheat. Jule is a fighter, a social chameleon, and an athlete. An intense friendship. A disappearance. A murder, or maybe two. A bad romance, or maybe three. Blunt objects, disguises, blood, and chocolate. The American dream, superheroes, spies, and villains. A girl who refuses to give people what they want from her. A girl who refuses to be the person she once was.

REASON FOR READING
E. Lockhart is an author I've read from before I even started blogging. I'm fairly certain that one of her earlier novels released in 2006, Fly on the Wall, was one of the first YA novels I've ever read—before I even learned what YA is—but I can't remember a single thing about that book now.

I decided to pick up Genuine Fraud because I read We Were Liars back in 2014 and loved it. It got a lot of hype, and I remember it was either well-loved or really hated. I haven't come across anyone who has nothing to say about it.

WHAT GENUINE FRAUD IS ABOUT
In the same vein as We Were Liars, you want to go into Genuine Fraud with as little information and influence as possible. So I won't give any clues as to what this book is about, but I will tell you that it's a story told from present to past. The first couple of chapters may feel a little disorienting, just trying to figure out what's going on, but I think it's worth the wait.

GOOD STORY VS. GOOD WRITING?
Lockhart is an incredible writer—the way she structures her sentences, the way she tells her stories, the way her stories flow. She really knows how to capture readers and maintain the right amount of mystery. But I have to admit I didn't really like the story itself. Almost every character is unlikeable—which, normally, doesn't matter too much to me—but because their lives are driving the plot, I wasn't invested and I didn't really feel sympathy for their misfortunes 😔

Wanting to figure out the HOW and WHY is what kept me reading. I needed to find out how it all plays out! Lockhart is also very strategic in unraveling her stories slowly, at the perfect pace, leaving you with some sort of reaction after every chapter.

VERDICT (TL;DR) + BREAKING IT DOWN
Although I love the way Lockhart writes, I didn't like the actual story. Genuine Fraud was good, but it's no We Were Liars.

• Would I re-read this? // Unlikely, but I won't say no! I was reading other reviews and some theories got me thinkin' ... what did you guys think of the ending?
• Can I read this in one sitting? // Yes! And you should, if you can. It's a fairly fast-paced book, one you can definitely finish in a day.
• Are there any diverse characters? // I think just one. He is described as "Some white and some Asian heritage, Jule guessed." (221)
• Trigger warnings? // Suicide, some detailed violence.

You guys, this year has really been kicking my butt.

I am currently getting over a case of strep throat (no idea where I caught it from, but THANK GOD for antibiotics) and had just figured out why I was having abdominal pain. I think God has been trying to teach me what REST looks like. I am always go-go-go, so having a fever + chills + swollen lymph nodes + headaches + painful throat = SLOW DOWN AND STOP DOING TOO MUCH. And by "doing too much," I mean "doing all these extra things that don't matter."

So hi again. My name is Amaris and I am not a writer (which probably explains my absence(s) and a lot of other things) but I am typing these words here because I want to share my brain with you.



I finished the first season of Westworld ... WHAT A TWISTED ENDING. It took me a while to get through it, mainly because it's an incredibly slow and detailed show. It's very heavy on the world-building and set-up, but man when it all comes together = mind blown. I would recommend it for fans of Black Mirror and Ex Machina.

I'M GETTING MARRIED!!! I said yes in the middle of June and we signed the contract for our venue this past Friday so it's really happening! So far I'm not too overwhelmed, but I know I will be once we need to make decisions on the little details ... it's hard to say whether Pinterest is helpful or hurtful right now—there are too many options!

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes is the last book I finished. The plot is incredibly intriguing—Minnow Bly escapes from a cult, ends up in juvenile detention, and is suspected to know who killed her cult leader. Also, she had her hands cut off?! 😱 I have a really strange fascination with cults, and this book was a really easy and interesting read!

I'll be in Seattle this weekend! My fiancé, my parents, and I are going as a birthday hurrah for my fiancé. He's turning 25 on Monday! We are staying 15 minutes away from Pike Place Market, so send over any recommendations on things to do and see :)



Word-Filled Women's Ministry by Gloria Furman and Kathleen B. Nielson // I mentioned back in April that this is the book we're reading through at my church as part of the women's mentoring ministry. Even though it doesn't end until December, I want to finish this asap! Basically, I am reading two more books with the church groups I'm a part of (youth ministry and a community group) and I don't want to have too many things going on at once. Anyway, I only have three more chapters!

Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda // Why I left myself only 32 pages, I don't know! But it's been so much fun reading through this and listening to each track.

The Dinner by Herman Koch // I hate to say it, but this book has been so boring 🙊 I'm 63 pages in but I don't want to abandon it because Abby from Crime by the Book thinks it's better than Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I hope I can follow along with the audiobook.



Gabi from Let's Gab About Books shared her free bullet journal printables last month! She is one of the most creative people I've ever encountered, and I dig anything she photographs/makes.

Rachel from Hello, Chelly! has been in the ice cream game for a while now, and this round-up of the places she's tried recently makes me want to hunt down all the new shops in my city. This list is gonna be my go-to the next time I visit New York City!


I named this new series 'Coffee with "A"' because "A" is my response to baristas when they ask me what my name is! I never use "Amaris" because it's unlikely that someone will spell AND say "Amaris" correctly—"A" is much easier. I'm combining all these "update" posts under WEEK NOTES!