December Wrap-Up

Top Ten Tuesday(13)

I had a pretty great blogging month in December, I’m proud of myself! I’ve started scheduling and pre-planning posts ahead of time and opening up more time for me to read so I’ve been finishing more books as well. Hopefully I can stick to doing things this way as I find it to be a lot more satisfying!

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Books Read This Month: 13

Dear Martin by Nic StoneMs. Marvel, Vol. 1 by G. Willow WilsonBetween the Blade and the Heart by Amanda HockingThe Wicker King by K. AncrumSaga, Vol. 7 by Brian K. VaughanThere's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie PerkinsA Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. ColePaper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. VaughanPaper Girls, Vol. 3 by Brian K. VaughanFinal Girls by Riley SagerThe Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 5 by Kieron GillenThe Queen's Rising by Rebecca   Ross

I read a mix of books this month some were great, some were “meh”, and some I really didn’t enjoy. I loved “Dear Martin”, “Between the Blade and the Heart”, “A Conspiracy of Stars”, and of course “Paper Girls” and “Saga”. While I thought “Ms. Marvel” and “The Queen’s Rising” were okay but kind of meh. And I REALLY didn’t enjoy “The Wicker King”, “There’s Someone Inside Your House” and “Final Girls”. However, there were more good than bad so that’s always a great thing!

I also actually stuck 100% to my planned monthly TBR, which is kind of a first!


Reviews Finished This Month:

The Devils You Know by M.C. Atwood

No Saints in Kansas by Amy Brashear

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking


Tags & Memes Done This Month:

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Settings I’d Love To Visit

12 Days of Christmas Book Tag

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books of 2017

Christmas Song Book Tag

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Hope Santa Brings

Top Ten Tuesday: 2018 Releases I’m Looking Forward To


Other Posts Done This Month:

Down The TBR Hole #7

November Wrap-Up

December TBR

Down The TBR Hole #8

Favorite Book Covers of 2017

Down The TBR Hole #9

20+ Books! Black Friday/November Book Haul

Down The TBR Hole #10

All My Favorites Books of 2017!

Down The TBR Hole #11

Least Favorite Books of 2017

2017 End of the Year Survey


Currently Reading:

Honor Among Thieves (The Honors, #1)Heart of Iron

So right now I have like 30 pages left of “Honor Among Thieves” so I’ll be finishing quick here, but I’m kind of underwhelmed by it which is a shame because it sounded great. Then I’ll be moving on to “Heart of Iron” which is another sci-fi and hopefully more enjoyable.

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How was your reading and blogging month this December?

What were your best or worst reads?

What are you currently reading?

What books are you excited for this coming month, January?

Let me know in the comments!

The Sassy

Discussion Post: Juggling Blogging & Reading

Top Ten Tuesday(7)

I thought about doing a tips post about juggling both your blogging and reading but realized I don’t have much to say about it because I’m literally the worst at it. So here we are having a discussion post instead! I was also thinking that maybe I could make a collection of replies and then use those in a sort of mass collaboration post of tips. Let me know what you think!

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How do you make time for writing and posting blog posts?

I personally am always a mess when it comes to this because to make it easier on myself it requires a bit more planning and scheduling, which isn’t my strong suit in this case. I kind of fly by the seat of my pants most of the time as far as planning posts goes! I try and type up a post of some kind daily during the week when I have time and post it the same day as well, it’s rare that I get a chance on the weekends to do so. Sometimes if I’m REALLY good I will schedule some up ahead of time but I’m lazy and that usually never gets done.

Basically if I’m lazing around not doing anything I will try and type up a post, that’s how I make time. Or if I’m doing something else such as watching TV then I’ll put it aside to do up a blog post instead.


How do you post when you DON’T necessarily have time?

Mostly I say if you can’t make time at all don’t stress about it, blogging is supposed to be a fun hobby after all! However, something that can be a real savior when it comes to stuff like this is scheduling your posts up ahead of time. This is a very good way of keeping up with your blog, just type them up when you have a chance and don’t worry about it! Of course, as I mentioned I’m really terrible at this but the few times I’ve gotten around to doing it I found it to be very helpful!


How do you keep up with comments and other blogger’s posts?

Yet another thing that I tend to fail hard at. Normally I sit down and comment and read other posts all at once, but this is a harder way of doing it. It ends up being a lot more work than it should, I SHOULD comment and read posts immediately. But I don’t. I think one of the easiest ways to do this is to have your blog provider’s app (WordPress in my case) on your phone and just comment/read whenever you have a few minutes throughout the day.


How do you make time for reading books?

We all know how hard it can be to balance blog posts AND reading equally! I, probably like the rest of you, always ensure that I have a book with me when I go places because you never know when you’ll get a chance to pull it out and read. If you have an appointment somewhere, read while you wait! If you take public transportation to work or other places, read while you ride! I find this to be one of the most helpful ways to get extra reading time in, plus I read when I get home of course.

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Come Join The Discussion!

How do you manage your time with blog posts?

Do you try and schedule posts up ahead of time?

How do you make time to comment and read other blogger’s posts?

What do you do to make time for reading?

Let me know in the comments!

The Sassy

Down The TBR Hole #5

Top Ten Tuesday(92)

Sorry for the double up this week guys but last week I forgot to do this post on Friday so here we are, getting back on track! I’m finding these posts so helpful in cleaning up my TBR, it feels good!

If you missed my other posts of Down the TBR Hole here they are:

This was “created” by Lost in a Story!

The Rules:

  • Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
  • Order on ascending date added.
  • Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
  • Read the synopses of the books
  • Decide: keep it or should it go?
  • Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

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Current TBR Count: 781


Book #41

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

I remember when this series was actually pretty popular and so I bought this before I started blogging because before I started blogging I didn’t know what to read! So after having it sit on my shelf for a while now I just don’t think I’m going to read it, maybe I will eventually but not any time soon.

The Judgement: Go


Book #42

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

I was a huge fan of the Vampire Academy series so when I found out there was a spin off I read the first book right away. Then I bought the second book here and I still haven’t finished it……however, I do want to read it and maybe finish the series eventually.

The Judgement: Keep


Book #43

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

I’ve been meaning to read this one for such a long time and I love creepy books full of ghosties. I’ve also heard nothing but good things about it so I’m definitely keeping it!

The Judgement: Keep


Book #44

Flesh & Bone (Rot & Ruin #3) by Jonathan Maberry

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

I read the first two books in this series and absolutley loved them, the characters are fantastic plus if you like zombies it’s pretty awesome from that aspect too. So I really want to continue with the series.

The Judgement: Keep


Book #45

Zomb-B by Darren Shan

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

I bought this because it was bargain priced when I was in a bookstore and there’s zombies. That’s pretty much it…that’s my reasoning. Now of course I kind of regret it since I don’t have much interest in reading it at all anymore.

The Judgement: Go


Book #46

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

“Eragon” seems to be a classic YA/MG fantasy book and I STILL haven’t read it but I’ll get there eventually.

The Judgement: Keep


Book #47

Archetype by M.D. Waters

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

I picked this up randomly in a bookstore because it looked neat but I really shouldn’t have because I just don’t want to read it anymore really.

The Judgement: Go


Book #48

The Dark City by Catherine Fisher

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

Yet another random bookstore buy and yet another book I probably won’t ever read. Why do I do this to myself!?

The Judgement: Go


Book #49

Horns by Joe Hill

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

I actually enjoy Joe Hill’s writing style and I love horror so I’m definitely keeping this one.

The Judgement: Keep


Book #50

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Date Added: June 23rd, 2015

I read a good chunk of this book and it was pretty good and definitely creepy so I plan on finishing it at some point. I don’t know why I put it down!

The Judgement: Keep

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Have you read any of these? What did you think?

Do you think I should have kept any of these books?

Do you agree with any of my keeps or discards?

Let me know in the comments!

The Sassy

Fantastic Book Settings & Where To Find Them: Part 1

Top Ten Tuesday(3)

I know that the post title is a really cheesy pun but I love it and for some reason I thought it fit well for the theme I’m doing! Let me know what you think, I just wanted to spice it up a bit instead of just titling it “Favorite Book Settings” which is kind of boring.

Anywho! These are just a couple of my favorite book settings that I enjoyed reading about and also thought were unique and not a run of the mill type of setting.

**** P.S. NONE of these are fantasy books or settings, I may save that for another post but these are all contemporary, historical fiction, or realistic sci-fi settings! ****

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Bad Blood by Demitria Lunetta

I’m sure there are plenty of other books set in Scotland but there don’t seem to be a ton in YA. I loved how Lunetta described a lot of the buildings, architecture, and scenery in Scotland when the character arrives and explores. It was just so much fun and I have always wanted to visit Scotland so that probably helped me love it more! The added witchery also made the book more interesting, if you’re looking for a decent YA book set in Scotland and has some witchy happenings I’d check this out! Trigger warning for self harm though.

(You can read my full review here.)


The Hollow Girl by Hillary Monahan

Why are there never any YA books set in Wales? Why aren’t there any YA books set in the United Kingdom that aren’t just in England? This book takes place in an older time period (it’s never specified) and is set in Wales with a Romani main character. This is an #OwnVoices book so the culture represented is accurate and was very fun to learn about especially with the witchcraft and revenge story mixed in. This story is a bit gory and there is an off-page rape scene so it really isn’t for the faint of heart but if you can handle horror then I recommend checking this one out!

(You can read my full review here.)


The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

This book actually has multiple settings which was super fun, I haven’t read any other “Tour of Europe” style books and especially not in historical fiction. We start in England a bit then move onto France, Spain, and Italy! We don’t get to see much “scenery” when the characters are in these pages which was a little disappointing but as I said it was still a lot of fun. My favorite part was definitely Venice, Italy though.

(You can read my full review here.)


Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

This is a very unique setting seeing as how it all takes place during a convention, Supacon (basically Comic Con)! I personally am a huge geek about everything in pop culture so I thought the setting was so entertaining and I could geek out about it all! Also the characters are highly diverse and the anxiety rep is spot on, I recommend reading it.

(You can read my full review here.)


Want by Cindy Pon

While I didn’t love this book as much as I wanted to I really loved the setting of a futuristic Taipei, Taiwan. This is definitely a setting you don’t see very often and I really enjoyed it! We didn’t get too much description or cultural aspects though which was a bit of a bummer.

(You can read my full review here.)


Dreamfall by Amy Plum

Dreams, that’s a pretty unique setting am I right? This book takes place in the different nightmares of each dreamer’s mind, so of course it’s terrifying on top of being really neat. I haven’t read anything close to this but let me know if there are any other books with dream settings!

(You can read my full review here.)


The Martian by Andy Weir

Mars! I don’t think a setting gets much more unique than that outside of fantasy….well and other science fiction but this is science fiction that’s a little more realistic. So. Pretty cool! I personally thought it was very exciting reading about someone being trapped on Mars and it kept me on the edge of my seat.

(You can read my full review here.)

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Have you read any of these books? What did you think?

Do you think any of these settings are unique or interesting?

Have you read other books with these settings?

What are some of your favorite book settings?

The Sassy

Discussion Post Collab: Handling Blog Comments

Top Ten Tuesday(74)

Hello my fellow book lovers!

Today’s post is a sort of Q&A/Discussion Post in collaboration with Ashley @ Inside My Minds! So be sure to head over and check out her wonderful blog!

We are going to be discussing ALL different kinds of comments we, as bloggers, may receive on our blogs! Of course being a part of the book blogging community I find that generally nice, genuine comments are the norm but there are all kinds which is why we are here to discuss them!

So come and join our discussion but please remember to, of course, be polite and respectful of other’s opinions! Now let’s discuss!

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How do comments on your blog generally make you feel?

Ashley- I would rather have comments than likes.  I could really care less about “likes.”  Comments make me feel that all the time and effort I put into a post was really worth it.

Heather- I would also much rather have comments than likes! I feel that comments are a little more genuine and mean a lot to me, it’s such a wonderful feeling knowing that someone wanted to take the time to drop by and comment on a post! Plus the reason I started book blogging was to be able to chat books with other book lovers.


How do you respond to “nicer” comments to your blog? (Long replies or shorter replies)

Ashley- It usually depends on the comment.  If it’s a nice comment that I can really build off of and generate more discussion, I’ll try to leave a longer reply.  But if it’s a short reply like “good luck” or “good job” I’ll just leave a short “thank you.”

Heather- Once again I’m mostly agreeing with you Ashley! I find that pretty much all comments I get on my blog are very, very polite and genuinely nice! If someone leaves me a paragraph sized comment that’s fantastic, I actually like long comments more, and I will try and leave an equally long reply and generally this can bring about an awesome discussion about books or other things. If I get a shorter comment that’s just “hey I loved this post!” or “ I really loved this book too!” I’ll usually just leave some sort of “thank you” comment in reply since there isn’t much more to go off of with shorter comments!


How do you handle any trolls commenting on your blog?

Ashley- I moderate every comment I receive on my blog, so I’ve been fortunate enough that I haven’t really dealt with trolls.

Heather- I haven’t had any experience with trolls really but WordPress does a great job of blocking spam (which are kind of like trolls a little bit…) and I also moderate most comments on my blog as well. So if someone leaves a comment just to be rude they’re going to go straight to the trash more than likely.


How do you respond to self promotional blog comments aka people who leave only their links with a “hey check out my blog!”?

Ashley- The majority of time I don’t even bother checking out the blog.  I also always send those comments to the trash, I don’t want them on my blog.  The only time that I will read a linked post is if I asked for in my original post.

Heather- If a link to the blog is left on a post such as “Top Ten Tuesday” or “Top 5 Wednesday” then I think it’s perfectly fine, I’ll definitely go check out the post and answers! Or if we are discussing a book etc. in comments you they leave a link to something they posted that is relevant I have no problem checking that out either. However, if someone drops by and says “hey you should really check out my blog!” or just a link I’m probably not going to go take a look since I feel that they didn’t take the time to even look at the post they dropped a link on.


How do you handle negative comments on your blog?

Ashley- I don’t want any negativity on my blog so negative comments just get deleted.  I don’t have time or patience for negativity on my blog.

Heather- For the most part I find that the book blogging community is very easy going and laid back so there really aren’t that many people who are negative or would leave negative comments. However, if I were to receive one I would probably either delete it or try and handle it in the most respectful way I can manage. I’ve always been told to “kill ‘em with kindness” so that’s how I would more than likely treat negative comments as well!


Is there any blog comment advice you’d like to give to any newbie book bloggers out there?

Ashley- If you need something clarified ask for clarification.  Also, don’t leave links to anything unless the blogger asks you to leave them, especially self-promo links.  I feel like self-promo links look desperate.  If you want to leave a comment, make sure that the comment is actually relevant to the post and not something random.

Heather- Mostly I’d say if you’re new to try and keep away from purely self promotional comments such as the “hey check out my blog” type, if you want people to take a look at your posts then try and leave polite and genuine comments and they’ll maybe come take a look! I’d also say try and be as respectful as possible with other bloggers even if you disagree with what they’re saying!

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Come join the discussion!

How do you generally handle comments on your blog? Positive, negative, self-promotional, trolls?

Do you like getting comments more than likes?

The Sassy

Discussion Post: Self-Promoting Blog Comments

Top Ten Tuesday(59)

I actually had this come up this week and tweeted my slight irritation about it on Twitter and I was actually surprised that a lot of you had problems with it before! Thank you so much to all of you who replied to that tweet and inspiring this post: Michelle @ Book Adventures, Swetlana @ Reading Through The Nights, & Joce @ Write Through The Night!

So of course that gave me the idea to bring the discussion over to my blog and hear from the rest of you as well!

Of course everything I’ve written in this post is just my own opinion, I’m not trying to offend anyone by any means. Please keep that in mind while reading or commenting back! Thank you!

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What Exactly Do I Mean By “Self-Promoting Blog Comments”?

Just to clarify what this whole discussion is I’m talking about other bloggers who leave comments on our blogs that are only self-promoting their own blogs. For example those comments that are: “Hey check out my blog!” or “Hey, nice blog check out mine!” or even “I have a blog, bookstagram, booktube channel please follow them!” or literally just a link to their blogs and it goes on and on and on.

Strictly any comments that don’t discuss the content of your blog or post at all and only discuss their own blogs and material.


So What’s So Bad About It?

To be blunt it can get pretty annoying and down right rude at times. We all put a lot of effort and time into our blogs and posts and to have someone just comment on it to self promote themselves and not acknowledge YOUR content at all  is a little impolite. I mean I’m sure they wouldn’t like it if we went over and commented “Hey check out my blog!” on THEIR posts would they?

When it all comes down to it we are all here, blogging, to chat with other people with similar interests ( in this case mostly books!) and it’s hard to do that when some bloggers only care about getting views by leaving comments all over the place self-promoting themselves. I think the phrase “what goes around comes around” really applies to this because if you don’t LEAVE genuine comments then you probably aren’t going to GET genuine comments either.


When Is It OK To Leave “Self-Promoting” Comments?

There’s a very fine line between ONLY self promoting yourself like in the examples I’ve used and leaving a link to your blog or post while also leaving an appropriate comment on the other blogger’s post. I personally am 100% fine with you dropping a link to one of your posts if it’s relevant to mine or what we were discussing! I will be much, much more likely to check out your blog if you leave a more meaningful comment!

So if you wanna drop a link to your blog or post, do it! As long as you are also leaving a genuine comment on our posts as well and not JUST trying to get views and visitors to your blog.

Tip To New Bloggers: If you want to converse with other bloggers and maybe have us check out your new blog then all you have to do is like what I said above! Leave a more meaningful comment and maybe explain that you’re new and looking for other bloggers to talk to and we will be much more inclined to go over and check it out!

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What are some of your experiences with this?

How do you deal with self-promotional comments on your blog?

What are your thoughts on bloggers leaving self-promotional comments?

Join the discussion and let me know in the comments!

The Sassy