Moment of Truth by Kasie West

About This Book
Summary
📌Trilogy: Love, Life & the List #3
📌Release Date: March 3, 2020
📌Format: Hardcover
📌Setting: I don't remember. Somewhere in the U.S.A.
📌Page Count: 341
📌Genre(s): Romance, Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
📌Date(s) Read:  (Finished) 5/24/20
📌Rating:   Book:  3.5/5   Audio:  4/5  Narrator(s): Caitlin Kelly


My Rambles:

As always, I enjoyed the book. It wasn't a favorite but still really enjoyed it all the same. This is part of a series but I do believe it can be read on its own. There may be some things that may be semi confusing when mentioned because it was a part of other books. But mostly, it could be considered a stand-alone. The book was predictable but I still loved the characters. Especially the love interest. He was my favorite from the start.  

Kasie West is an auto-buy author for me. I love her characters and writing. I can barely wait to see what's next. 

Well, there's not much else I can think of to say so I will hush and end it here. 

Happy Reading,

Bridget

Animal Crossing Readathon Wrap Up (3/9-3/20/20)

Okay, well, I forgot to post this. But, here it is...

The link to the twitter page is here~>Animal Crossing Readathon

Any pictures I put up, unless otherwise stated, came from their twitter account and do not belong to me but the person/people who created it.

Okumuraflowers <<~~Her tweet is where I found the photo below with the prompts

Photo Link<<~~here is the link to her photo just in case you can't see it here/below.

Now, scroll to below the picture to see what prompts I got done and how I did. I will only put the names of each prompt and what I read for them, if I read anything for a particular prompt. And sorry about all the yellow in the picture, I know it's kind of hard to see but again, it isn't mine.

Prompts:

✅1. Resetti-No Good Tea Goes Unpunished by Bree Baker

✅2. K.K. Slider-No Good Tea Goes Unpunished by Bree Baker

❌3. Able Sisters-

✅4. Tom Nook- A Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung

❌5. Animal Crossing Game Cube- 

❌6. Isabelle-

Challenges: (from co-hosts)

❌1. Amiee: cosplay your favorite villager or do an animal crossing inspired up look

✅2. Tori: Post a screenshot of your pocket camp

✅3. Diana: post a picture of your TBR or a book you plan to read for it (posted books read)

(My Instagram is linked above) 

There were other things we could have done but I didn't include those. 

Happy Reading, Stay Safe & Sending love to everyone. 💜💜

Bridget 

Backlist Readathon Wrap Up (3/9-3/15/20)

Here are the prompts and the ones I finished. I finished two books for multiple links...I will link my thoughts in just one of them and it will say where it is linked.

☁️ Read your shortest backlist title: A Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung (linked) ☁️ Read a book on your backlist that intimidates you the most: ☁️ Read a backlist you added as a recommendation from someone else: A Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung ☁️ Read a backlist title you are most excited for: ☁️ Read a diverse backlist title (ex: lgbt rep, fat rep, poc, authors or characters with disabilities): A Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung (The diverse I used for this prompt is for mental health) ☁️ Read a backlist with blue on the cover: No Good Tea Goes Unpunished (#2) by Bree Baker (linked)

Two books for multiple links was semi intentional. I knew I wanted to read both and I saw the prompts and filled them into the ones they are at. Both were library books. A Quiet Girl in a Noisy World was an e-book.


Covers:

 

All Sales Final (Good Buy Girls Mystery #5) by Josie Belle

About This Book
Summary
📌Series: #5 
📌Release Date: September 1, 2015
📌Format: Mass Market Paperback
📌Setting: St. Stanley, Virginia
📌Page Count: 276 
📌Genre(s): Cozy Mystery, Romance, Fiction
📌Date(s) Read: (Finished) March 17, 2020
📌Rating:   Book:  3/5   

My Rambles:

I don't remember right now exactly when I started this book. Maybe sometimes in February? I just know that I had to sit it down because I kept getting bored. It had aspects of the book that I wasn't expecting and just wasn't really enjoying. I want to say that right around the last hundred pages or so (maybe a bit more), it finally started getting really good and as it went on, it began to pick up. 

This is the final book in the series and as much as I loved the characters and see things wrap up nicely, I am glad I finally finished this book. I am going to miss the characters a lot. It has bargain hunting tips at the end of this book and if I remember correctly, it's that way for all of the books. 

I can say that if you like cozy mysteries and haven't read this series, it is very much worth the read. Just because this book isn't my favorite and didn't enjoy many parts of it, doesn't mean you, the reader of this blog, won't love it. I would suggest for anyone to pick up the first book and give it a good try, see what you think and move forward in the series if you like it enough. 

This series was written under a pseudonym and the name of this actual author is Jenn McKinlay. My favorite series by her is the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series. I just need to get book twelve. If it isn't out already, it will be out soon. Ready to get it when my budget allows. The books in the entire series is linked here~>Good Buy Girls Series.

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And, I just want to say, I hope that everyone is staying safe with this Covid19 situation we have going on. Only go out when necessary and hopefully during the least busiest times of day in your area. Stay safe in this time and use wisdom! I am sending love and prayers out to all of you! If you feel the need to go out, take a walk and make sure you keep a good distance from people you do not know. Not to be mean, but of course, for safety reason is how I mean this. 💜💜💜


Happy Reading,

Bridget

No Good Tea Goes Unpunished (Seaside Cafe Mystery #2) by Bree Baker

About This Book
Summary
📌Series:#2 
📌Release Date: February 26, 2019
📌Format: Mass Market Paperback
📌Setting: 'Charm, North Carolina'
📌Page Count: 330 (334 with recipes)
📌Genre(s): Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Romance
📌Date(s) Read: 3/9-3/13/20
📌Rating:   Book:  4.5/5   Audio:  5/5  Narrator(s): Therese Plummer


☼Popsugar Reading Challenge 2020
-a book by or about a journalist (side character was a journalist)

☼Booklist Readathon
-Read a backlist with blue on the cover

☼March Mystery Madness
-Book with 5 or more words in the title
-Book with a page count divisible by 5 (I am counting the story itself that end on page 330)

☼Animal Crossing Readathon
-Resetti: Don't forget to save! read a book of your choice while using a book mark 
-K.K. Slider: listen to an audiobook or read a book that has musical elements


My Rambles:

This is my second time having to type this blog because it kept just acting janky on me. So, I just deleted the entire blog and restarted. So, I may not have as much to say as I did before. 🤦‍♀️

This book I do believe I enjoyed it a lot more than Live & Let Chai (summary linked). It kept me interested throughout majority of the book. I didn't give it a 5/5 because it's a bit harder for me to give books 5/5 & it wasn't a favorite. 

I loved the characters in the book. The aunts, the main character and even the love interest! Even most of the side characters I enjoyed and have a feeling there will be some who show up in others, or at least the next one. 

Out of all of the suspects, did I keep one at least one or two (or more) in mind the during the most of the book? Yes. Was I right on the ones I thought of? Yes. I had mostly three that I kept in mind when they showed up in the book. One I didn't think much about until they had their "scenes" in the book sometimes. 

When it came to the "whodunit", I was not surprised at all when they were brought in as the killer. I am actually looking forward to the other books in this Series (linked). Three of the four already seem to be out. Hopefully I will be able to get to the third book fairly soon. But, with my mental health this week, I won't push it. That is what took me so long to get through it this week.  

Well, I guess I did have some more to say about the book but just not the same way. 

Rambles are done, for now!

Happy Reading,

Bridget

Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story by Debbie Tung

About This Book
Summary
📌Stand-Alone: 
📌Release Date: November 7, 2017
📌Format: e-book (library)
📌Setting: N/A
📌Page Count: 181
📌Genre(s): Graphic Novel, Nonfiction, Memoir
📌Date(s) Read: 3/11/20
📌Rating:   Book:  5/5   

☼Favorites of 2020
☼Backlist Readathon (3/9-3/15/20)
-Read your shortest backlist book*
-Read a backlist you added as a recommendation from someone else**
-Read a diverse backlist title (i.e.-lgbt, fat rep, P.O.C., Authors/Character with disabilities)***
☼Popsugar Reading Challenge 2020
-A book that has a book on the cover
My Rambles:

So much of this book is me! I could totally relate to so much. And even the parts that don't fit me, I still understood. I laughed at least once while reading this book. She had a boyfriend in the book and that part, right now, I can't relate to because I really don't want to put all of this on anyone (and yes, I've had boyfriends before...lol). I hope that if I do get into a relationship and/or married, I hope they do their best to understand as much as her boyfriend did. He sometimes wondered about things, which is normal when you don't deal with it. And chances are, I will probably end up with an extrovert too...lol..But until that time, I will continue to do my best to deal with it as best I can. 

I am a believer in Jesus/Yeshua so I do read my bible quite a bit. Maybe not as much as I should sometimes but I do read it more than I used to. This isn't me preaching, this is just me talking about my faith because it is a part of who I am. Anxiety & depression is just a part of ,my imperfection as a human being, among others. So, I have to go to God/Yahweh a lot. I do get counseling and it helps many times but not always because he is at our local mental health facility which isn't a Christ believing/talking place. I may have to start going to a place like that soon. I'd like to have someone who can work not only with what I am dealing with anxiety and depression wise but also Spiritually. But I do love my therapist. He's soft spoken and just calm. 

Okay...about the book right? 

Well, what else can I possibly say other than if you deal with anxiety and/or depression, you're an extrovert and trying to understand the introvert in your life, this would be a perfect book to read. I will try to get the book for myself and tell my mom to check it out on her tablet from the library. I think she tries to understand but I think this would help even more. I doubt she's into graphic novels but I will try to get her to read it. I wasn't sure about it either until I started it and it pulled me all the way in!

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*I chose this book because it was published in 2017 although I hadn't heard of it until this year.
**This book was talked about ZoeReads/Zoe Delaney so I counted it as a recommendation
***I chose this book for the diverse book because it talks about an introvert with a mental health issue

Judah's Wife: A Novel of the Maccabees (The Silent Years #2) by Angela Elwell Hunt

About This Book
Summary
📌Series: #2
📌Release Date: January 2, 2018
📌Format: Paperback 
📌Setting:Not Sure
📌Page Count: 384
📌Genre(s): Historical/Bibilical/Christian Fiction
📌Date(s) Read: 2/18-3/3/20
📌Rating:   Book:  4/5   Audio:  4/5  Narrator(s): Rachel Botchan

🌼Popsugar Reading Challenge:
    -a book with a main character in their 20's 
(Dual POVs so I am counting Judah as a main character and he was in his 20's)
My Rambles:

(Again, I began typing this out as I read it and in some parts, it may show)

This was a strong start for me & I really loved Leah & Judah! I had my moments I got a bit bored but I think it was more me than the book as this isn't a genre I'm used to, yet! I plan on getting used to it though. I want to read the rest of this series and some others in the Biblical Fiction area. 

There is a bit of a connection throughout each book, in one way or another. By scanning the summary of the next book and even this one to Egypt's Sister. Read each summary as you get to each book. I skimmed over the third books summary just to see if there was but without getting any possible spoilers (boy do I want to read it in its entirety! lol).

Now that I have finished this book, I can easily say that it was not an easy read! Not because it was a bad book but hard some hard to read moments. If you haven't read this yet, go into it prepared to want to set it down sometimes. If you cry with books, get yourself plenty of tissue and possibly some eye drops for the red and dry eyes because this book might take you there. I'm not a huge crying person when it comes to books (or period) but this was a struggle for me. I already was struggling with my mental health. This didn't make it any easier.

There is a trigger warning for abuse and talking about abuse. So be prepared for that. 

With all of that, it was a really good book. Not perfect, but really good. This got a 4/5 because it is our of my comfort zone still and I got bored a couple times but mostly because my mental health was already struggling. So, it was more me than the book itself.

Seasonal Challenge: Spring 2020

This challenge will take place from March 1-May 31, 2020. 

The best way to describe what this is for those of you who are seeing this the first time is to link the post for it through the Cozy Mystery Group on Goodreads. Seasonal Challenge: Spring 2020. 

It also has the list of words you can choose from. 

I only chose one word again this season because I tend to do readathons and sometimes, I just want to do other things other than reading (gasp). 

So, the word I chose was FLOWERS. As always, I have the option of adding a word if I do well with the one I chose. 

For March I will be semi doing two readathons as well that last all month long so hopefully I can find a book or two to go along with my word And in April, I may be doing one more readathon too. But that one is a bit intense for me so I am not sure what I will be doing. I want to but with the way my reading has been lately, I have been iffy with how often I read. 

Although January & February have been pretty good reading months even with the iffyness. It's not 15+ books but hey, I have read some pretty good ones and I am not looking at the quantity, I am looking for quality in my books as well as me just getting back to the roots of when I read before finding booktube...Reading when I felt like it and usually having some pretty good books, even some amazing ones! 

As a mood reader, I don't pick my books out for this. And when I do TBR's for readathons, they are usually pretty tentative. 

Welp, I did it again...Rambling. 

So, click the link, see if it's something you want to do and it would be nice if you let me know if you do it or not. 

Happy Reading,
Bridget

Adultathon

The dates of this readathon [that I forgot to do a blog for] went from February 1-February 29, 2020 and has 7 prompts. One for each day of the week.

So, how did I do?

Well, let's take a quick look:

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Prompts:
✅1. Monday: Don’t we wish it was still yesterday. Read a historical fiction or classic. Egypt's Sister by Angela Hunt

✅2. Tuesday: Is it still only the start of the week? Black coffee please. Read a book with dark themes. -Live & Let Chai by Bree Baker (4/5 Stars)
(Although the book is a cozy mystery, death is still a dark theme)

✅3. Wednesday: Happy hump day! It’s a long week. Read a book with 350+ pages. Egypt's Sister by Angela Hunt

✅4. Thursday: Let’s pretend it’s Friday. Adults can have fun too! Read a book by an author you love, or a sequel to a series you love. -Mother: A Cradle to Hold Me by Maya Angelou (32 pages) -[No Review. Summary Linked] (5/5 Stars)
✅5. Friday: We survived the week! Give your eyes a rest. Listen to an audiobook (or read a book under 100 pages!)-Mother: A Cradle to Hold Me by Maya Angelou
❌6. Saturday: Time to live it up with friends. Buddy read something! (If you’re a lone wolf, read something with the word ‘night,’ ‘dream’ or ‘moon’ in the series or book title).

❌7. Sunday: The day to chill at home with a good film. Read a book that has a film adaption.


Extra(s): My thoughts linked 1. Practicing the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
2. The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life's Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey

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-If I did a review, it will be linked in the title.

-And, I am not going to put the covers of the books because the book covers will be on each page that I did a review for.

-Or, If I didn't do a review, I will link the summary in the title of the book.

The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life's Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey

About This Book
Summary
📌Stand-Alone: 
📌Release Date: March 8, 2019
📌Format: Hardcover
📌Setting: N/A
📌Page Count: 208
📌Genre(s): Non-Fiction, Self-Help
📌Date(s) Read: (Finished) 2/25/20
📌Rating:   Book:  3.5/5   

☼Adultathon 
-Extra Book. Didn't fit a prompt

My Rambles:

I did like the book but just not as much as I did The Wisdom of Sundays. It kept my attention of course, because I did finish it after all. There were quite a few people that I had never heard of that contributed to this book so I did scan over the "contributors" in the back of the book to see who some of them were. Most of the ones I was interested in knowing a bit more about were authors. There were a couple of pastors in there. One of which I listen to on a regular basis. There were some gems in there that I wrote down in my journal that I hope to go back to and read from time to time. Maybe one day I will re-rent this book from the library and go through it again. Not sure if I liked it enough to buy it. Maybe if I happen to see it for a really good price I'd pick it up. But I am hoping to one day pick up The Wisdom of Sundays because I liked that one a lot more. 

You don't need to be a fan of Oprah's to appreciate these books. You can always get it from the library if you have access to one and they have it or get it from a used book store. I don't dislike her by any means but I know there are many who don't. Naturally, I question some things based on what I hear but one thing I've learned about rumors, not all are true and/or many times, there's some not so true things added into with the facts. All that said, anything I buy, would be bought from a used book store (online or physical book store). But, if you like Oprah and her interviews, especially Super Soul Sundays series, then you'd probably like this book and The Wisdom of Sundays book if you haven't picked them up already.  

Anyway...that said, I liked it well enough to finish and suggest it to anyone who wants some little gems on how to see things differently in life. In both books. 

The Leap Year Book Tag

I originally found this on YouTube and I will link the person I originally watched and the creators of the tag (if I can find them) in the blog. More than likely, towards the bottom.

If it counts, I will add my thoughts on the book. Otherwise, it will just be linked to the summary (if I link my thoughts, the summary of the book will be in that blog). I also did a vlog that will be linked here as well.

So, without further ado, here are the prompts for the tag.

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(If some titles are skipped, it's because I already linked the summary/my thoughts else where)

Tag questions:
1. An extra day: what is one book that brought a little something extra?
-The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle (my thoughts linked)
-The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman (my thoughts linked)
-The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy by Pauline Chiziane (my thoughts linked)
2. Taking a big leap: what is one book that you are/were afraid to read?
-Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson (series page linked)
(Already Read Mistborn (my thoughts linked). Just need to read: Well of Ascension & The Hero of Ages)
-The Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien (Series page linked)
-Queen by Alex Haley (Summary Linked)
-The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children #1)by Jan M. Auel (Series page linked) 3. Every 4 years: what is the 4th book you read this year?
Okay, this part gets a bit tricky for me because I completed 3 books on the same day and one of these books had to be the 4th book right? I just don't remember which I finished first, so, I just will put down all 3.

-Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell
(my thoughts linked-some of my thoughts may trigger the overly sensitive)
-Pete the Cat:Out of This World by James Dean (Summary Linked)
-Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama (Summary Linked)
4. 366 days in the year: looking at your 3rd shelf, name the 6th book on that shelf, and name the 6th book after that!
-Red Velvet Revenge (Cupcake Bakery Mystery series #4) by Jenn McKinlay
(Series page linked-didn't do much of a review)
-The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events #13) by Lemony Snicket (Series Page Linked)
-The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (my thoughts linked)
5. Leaping ahead: name 4 books that you want to read by the next leap year [alternative: name something on your bookish bucket list that you want to complete by the next leap year].
-Queen by Alex Haley
-[Finishing] Mistborn Trilogy & at least one more book by Brandon Sanderson
-The Clan of the Cave Bears by Jean M. Auel
6. Leapfrog: name a book on your TBR that has green in it.
-All Sales Final (Good Buy Girls Mystery #5) by Josie Belle (pseudonym for Jenn McKinlay)
(series page linked)
-The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3) by Lemony Snicket
-The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

7. Bad luck: what bookish things do you steer clear from?
There can be many types of books I steer clear from mostly but abuse is one. Especially abuse towards children, elderly and animals (of course,abuse of all kind is a problem) I still have yet to read The Hate U Give because it just hurts too much to even try. Especially as I am a mom of color raising two boys of color. I don't read many horrors or thrillers (Although I'd read thriller before horror and I do love thrillers. The few I've read). I love mystery but don't get to read many of those. I love true & fictional crime shows but even too many of those can bring on anxiety and depression. If I am watching or listening to someone who has read books that have certain triggers, I will determine then if it is something I want to read or not. I also do not read erotica. Too much sex in books isn't my thing. I can get the subtle hints. I mean, I do have two sons, so I think I know how sex works at least a little bit. lol
8. Tag 4 people!
Well, I have no one to tag in the blog world either so, whomever is reading this and have a blog or does videos, go for it. I hope you have a lot of fun with it. 😊


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Videos linked below:

Krista from BooksAndJams

Hillary from Melted Books:

(one of the creators of the book tag)

Amy Myers:

(Co-Creator of the book tag)

My Leap Year Book Tag Vlog: