Hello hello

Do you read nonfiction? • I know I know, it’s been a while since I’ve been on here. I decided to take the last couple weeks off because I was sick AND busy, so priorities had to shift a bit. Hopefully I can start posting regularly again now! • Anyways! Nonfiction. I always thought it wasn’t for me, but I’ve found a few nonfiction books recently that I loved. This one by @stephenking is fantastic. I highly recommend it for writers, as well as anyone who just wants some insight into the writing process. King’s advice is so good, and the way he explains things just seems to click with my brain. This is definitely a book I’ll be referencing a lot leading up to and during NaNoWriMo! • • • #stephenking #onwriting #shelfie #nanowrimo #amwriting #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B3sIQNMAyT2/?igshid=yb5gk8g1rw53

OCTOBER! YAY! What are you planning to read this month? • I loooove fall and I’m so excited for it to finally be here! (Well, sorta, here in KY it’s gonna be 97 degrees for a couple more days but this weekend is supposed to be glorious) I’m ready for long sleeves, PSLs, and NaNoWriMo. And it means we’re one season closer to The Rise of Skywalker and snowboarding season \(‘0’)/ Aaaanyways, here’s my October TBR! And a fun challenge that I’m going to participate in that’s being hosted by @bookwnoname @bookish_bluebird and @readerinthefog! Go give them a follow and maybe check out this challenge, the prompts sound really fun! • I’m really hoping to get through all these this month, plus a couple ebooks. I’m almost done with On Writing, which is incredible. I’ve never read about another author with a process so similar to my own! Stephen King is a pantser like me! I’m also starting Thunderhead this week for the #ScytheReadalong, and hoping to reread Skyward as well before Starsight releases. See anything here you’ve read or want to read? • #bookreadhappyhour | October 1 | life will not be contained! | #TBR • • • #shelfie #stephenking #onwriting #thunderhead #skyward #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Ff5L_AFVt/?igshid=50eo8pg2ho9j

What’s the last book you read that surprised you? • For me, it was The Nightjar. I didn’t expected to love it as much as I did, and now it’s one of my favorite books. I was recently #gifted this copy of The Bard’s Blade from @torbooks and I’m really hoping it’s one of those books that comes out of nowhere to surprise me! I think it sounds so good, and has been compared to The Wheel of Time series which is one of the best series I’ve ever read. I’ll drop the synopsis in the comments, let me know if this is a book you think you’d like too! • • • #tbrtuesday #shelfie #thebardsblade #briananderson #tbr #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2zL9kUgjfa/?igshid=1l452egctwmj5

Ugh, Monday’s, am I right? Did you all read anything good over the weekend? • Yesterday marked the start of the end of the Scythe part of the #ScytheReadalong! I sat down to read a couple chapters...and ended up reading through to the end 😅 what can I say, I love this series! As you all who are participating are finishing up Scythe this week I’d love to hear your thoughts, and if you post make sure to use the hashtag! Next week we start Thunderhead, I’m so excited! • #scythe #thunderhead #nealshusterman #shelfie #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2xW6zlgKq_/?igshid=16x65neqgcwex

What’s the last book that made you cry? Do books make you cry? • I had a totally different post planned for today, but then I spent my afternoon finishing Suggested Reading. I cried off and on for the last 80 or so pages. You all, this book is so good. So so good. It asks really great questions about whether or not books should be banned. It shows the effects books have on individuals and groups. But most importantly, for me, it shows how important books are, how beautiful and sad and strengthening they are. How they send ripples out into the world that are unimaginable. And as someone who started writing because I wanted to create something that would have a ripple like that, even very tiny barely there one, this book illustrated something really beautiful for me. I can’t recommend it enough. • My full review will be up this weekend, I’ll be sure to post on here when it’s up(let’s be real, what I mean is when I’ve had enough time to truly process how much I actually love this book and figure out how to put that into something resembling a coherent review)! • • • #suggestedreading #bannedbooks #daveconnis #shelfie #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2pRzmoADnk/?igshid=1g9q5s5z1j2gm

Do you play video games? If so, what is your favorite? • I loooove gaming! My favorites are the Legend of Zelda and Pokémon series’, but I also love Skyrim, Bioshock, Mario, Smash Bros, and a bunch more. I’m really excited for the A Link to the Past remake that comes out tomorrow(!!!) and Pokémon Sword in November. I love the Pokémon Funkos, still need Bulbasaur and I wasn’t able to get Pikachu since it was an exclusive, but they just announced a new, non-exclusive version so yay! • If I had to pick an all time favorite game I’d pick Breath of the Wild, but Skyrim, Pokemon Red, Bioshock, and Ocarina of Time are all up there for me. I’d love to hear your favorite games, or games you think you’d love to play! • • • #pokemon #nintendo #charmander #squirtle #nintendoswitch #shelfie #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mx0sxgtus/?igshid=1fr9ehwjzth4o

What’s a banned book that you love? • Ahhhhhh guysssssss it’s hereeeee!!! I’ve been so excited for this book for so long and it’s here! @dconnis wrote one of my favorite books of 2017, The Temptation of Adam, and I’ve been excited for anything else he will write since then. SUGGESTED READING puts banned books at the forefront, and I do love me some books about books! I’ll drop the synopsis in the comments, definitely check it out, and help me wish Dave a very very happy release day! And with that, I’m off to go start reading! • • • #tbrtuesday #tbr #suggestedreading #daveconnis #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2hmhO6ASFH/?igshid=17hiy2fzmzbtj

What is the last show you binge watched? • I meant to post this photo yesterday for #ShelfieSunday but uhhh I totally forgot 😅 Between community day in Pokémon Go and then coming home to binge more of Outlander(I can’t stop omggggg) yesterday zipped by. Today my brother’s car wouldn’t start so we both missed work, which sucks but I was also able to catch up on laundry(YAY) and that just happens to be a chore I can do while watching a certain show on Netflix... • • • #ShelfieMonday? #tbrcart #outlander #dianagabaldon #shelfie #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2e6ed_AxZx/?igshid=1qwoq54aqeipg

Happy #Caturday! Are you all doing anything fun this weekend? • I’ve been less active on here this week because really, I’ve just not been feeling it. More headaches+allergies+just being generally busy has kept me away from books this week. I am keeping up with the #ScytheReadalong though! I’m so excited to be starting week three’s chapters as soon as I finish Capturing the Devil! • What are you reading this weekend? • • • #bookstagram #shelfie #bookcat #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ZvgX1AeE4/?igshid=16exf701y6fqv

Do you prefer physical books or ebooks? • I do love to hold a physical book when I read, but anymore I find myself wanting to read on my kindle. It’s easy, and saves so much shelf space. PLUS reading on the Paperwhite doesn’t give me migraines which is great! • I’ve been super busy the last few days, and today I had to call in to work for a headache that I’m hoping doesn’t turn into another migraine. I was planning to take new pictures today and now it looks like that won’t happen. But I’ve missed posting the last couple days so here’s a picture I took last week! I want to start showing my kindle more in pictures here just because I feel like bookstagram doesn’t show e-readers enough love and makes people feel like they need to always buy the newest, shiniest hardcover of a book. Ebooks are great too! • • • #kindle #paperwhite #ereader #tbr #bookstagram #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2RYg6ng96K/?igshid=hzavipsl010h

What’s the last book you bought? • I’ve been trying to buy less books, but last weekend I got a great deal on all these soooo I couldn’t pass them up, could I? 😅😅😅 a few I’ve already read and just wanted them for my shelves and rereading purposes, but a few are new ones for me and I’m really excited for them! I’m hoping Sometimes I Lie has a really great twist, it’s one I’ve wanted to read for a long time now! See any here that you love or want to read? • • • #StackSaturday #booksbooksbooks #bookstack #tbr #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Hq8tPAvC4/?igshid=64546mk47482

Would you rather travel to outer space or explore the bottom of the ocean? • For me, I’d love to go into space! I’ve been fascinated by everything outside of our planet since I was a kid. Jupiter is my favorite planet, I love supernovas and black holes, and space travel is just so exciting. I love books about space travel and exploring, or books about people training to go up above our atmosphere. Skyward is one of my favorites; it blends Sanderson’s knack for fantasy with some of my favorite sci-fi tropes. I can’t wait for the sequel! • #skyward #brandonsanderson #starsight #shelfie #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B2CtRgaggAL/?igshid=1a65v6f0ays0o

If you lived in a world where you didn’t need to fear death, what would you do? • In the world @nealshusterman has created for Scythe, death has been cured. Even people who are in accidents are only “deadish”- anyone can be revived. But to keep the population in check, the Scythes choose who to kill randomly, and how to do it. So even though people don’t have to fear death the way we might today, they still have that ever present prickling in the back of their minds that I could still come for them... • For this #WaitingOnWednesday post I wanted to showcase this amazing series! The third and final book, The Toll, comes out in Nov and I can’t waaaait. As many of you already know, I’m hosting a readalong for the Scythe series right now, it just started this week! I’m about to sit down and read the first ten chapters myself, and I’m so excited to read these books! If you decide to participate in the readalong, don’t forget to use the hashtag #ScytheReadalong! • • • #scythe #thunderhead #nealshusterman #bookstack #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B1_6FySgFTJ/?igshid=bv2xvz14yjcr

What books are you excited for this month? • Happy release day to my two favorite books of the year! I beg you all, if you enjoy fantasy then check out @katyrosepool’s THERE WILL COME A DARKNESS and Deborah Hewitt’s THE NIGHTJAR. These books blew me away and I want everyone to read them so we can all discuss how awesome they are together. • There are so many other fantastic books out today- Jay Kristoff’s DARKDAWN, Maika and Maritza Moulite’s DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE, Rena Barron’s KINDGOM OF SOULS, and so many more! Let me know in the comments which new books you’re most excited for! • #tbrtuesday #bookstack #booksbooksbooks #bookbirthday #steelepages #thenightjar https://www.instagram.com/p/B19i7rpgUHH/?igshid=1s61lqqo7x4ti

August wrap-up! How many books did you read this month? Any that you loved? • So August was a huge month for me reading-wise. For about a year I’ve been reading three books tops in a month. It’s been something that’s bothered me. Not that there’s anything wrong with reading that many! Just for me personally, that number was low compared to where I used to be. And it was kind of a reflection of my life in general, all the thing I loved were falling by the wayside because of a wonky schedule and just being in not the best place mentally for a while. But this month I read 16 books. And I’m halfway through two more. It feels so good to be back to where I used to be reading-wise. • For the most part I really loved the books I read this month! My favorite was There Will Come A Darkness, but I also loved Spin the Dawn, Wild Savage Stars, Mind Games, Well Met, and Saving Fable. I read 5 graphic novels as well, of which Sparrowhawk and Paper Girls Vol 4 were my favorites. A few books disappointed me but I don’t want to focus on those rn 🤪 I read nine arcs for ARCAugust so I feel really good about that too! Overall, it was a great reading month. Now if I could just beat this unending migraine and have just as great of a September! • • • #booksbooksbooks #augusttbr #therewillcomeadarkness #shelfie #tbrcart #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B11l0saAwnm/?igshid=17qzzqhkcmas6

Sooooo something arrived a few days early... • I AM SO EXCITED! But also scared, because I don’t want to know how how this ending is going to break me, and I know it’s going to break me. Ahhh I’ve missed Mia so much, I can’t wait to start reading! • This week has just not been my week, which is why I haven’t been posting as much. I’ve been sick pretty much all week and it got worse this morning. I feel a lot better right now though, so hopefully I can enjoy the rest of my long weekend and get back to posting regularly. And don’t forget, the Scythe Readalong starts today, so we have the next week to read the first ten chapters! I’ll be diving in as soon as I finish the story of a girl and her shadow cat... • • • #darkdawn #nevernight #stabstabstab #jaykristoff #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B1zh29AgzvM/?igshid=17coltvri0u2o

What’s a series you’ve always wanted to see adapted as a movie/tv show? • Ok so there are sooo many I want haha. Throne of Glass(it’s happening!!!), Mistborn(also happening!!!), any Neal Shusterman(I think Scythe is happening? Still holding out hope for the Unwind movie!), Truthwitch(HAPPENING!!!), Saga(I would actually die), The Night Circus, Caraval, Illuminae, I can go on forever. • One series that I’ve wanted to see as a tv show for so long though is The Wheel of Time. And...it’s happening. The main cast was announced recently and my heart is full. I love these books so much, they’re a huge influence on me both as a reader and a writer. The characters are unbelievably good. I can’t wait to see them come to life in the show. And to everyone out there who’s mad that the cast doesn’t ‘look the way the characters are described in the books’? Shhhhhh. ‘But! But! Reasons! But-‘ shhhhhhh. Stop freaking out for a minute and just breathe, it will be fine, better than fine, and if you don’t think it’s fine then maybe the show isn’t for you 🙃 • • • #wheeloftime #wheeloftimeseries #robertjordan #randland #steelepages https://www.instagram.com/p/B1wdsJUgKpG/?igshid=1m3d5rxalra41