June Wrap Up: I Read 20 Books

Hello Everyone,

This is the lowest amount I’ve read all year I think, but to be fair I got rather busy. Only 20 books but that’s still not bad and I hope next month will double the number as I am at 130/350 for my Goodreads goal, yikes. Here’s what I’ve read for June!

I started out strong with my reading then kinda hit a slump and I barely read anything this month. 20 is a low number for me and these are some of the covers that I cobbled together for y’all.

The standout books for last month are Kaikeyi, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Love and Saffron and Alone Out Here. I also enjoyed the first half of the German Bride, and Outrun the Moon. The rest were all mostly “meh”.

I’m trying to get back into the swing of blogging but it’s proving difficult in having the motivation as well as enough signal to actually post as I don’t have internet where I am due to expenses.

I also read a hefty classic this past month:

This book was a thousand pages long and took me almost two weeks to read. It was thick, a struggle to understand with the olde English and easily one of the hardest books I’ve ever read. I gave it 4 stars, as it dragged a bit in the middle but I loved the poetry.

But otherwise that’s basically all I read. I’m hoping my reading will pick up again in the next month.

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

Brief Hiatus Over: Apologies That I Was Gone a Bit!

Hello Everyone,

I’ve been gone most of this month and for that I apologize. I still somehow managed to get followers though so welcome new people! I hope you all enjoy my content and any suggestions you have that you’d like to see on my blog, please comment down below and I’ll see what I can do.

I left briefly because of all the things: heat wave in Missouri is awful, Roe Vs Wade being overturned, I was ill briefly (just a minor bug I still thankfully don’t have Covid), and stress. So. Much. Stress.

So I took a brief break, gathered a few new reviews that I hope to post soon, a few discussion posts, and some random other things too including my monthly wrap up and next month tbr!

I’m going to try to start posting once a day. I may post more than once sometimes but I am easing back into my regular posting schedule. I hope everyone is doing okay and that they’ve had a successful reading month.

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

Reading the Classics #1: The Last of the Mohicans

Hello Everyone,

I’ve decided to start a new feature on my blog called “Reading the Classics”. It’s where I read a classic piece of literature and write my thoughts on it. Kinda like reviews lol, but a bit more than that. It’s an experiment to see how well I can review things and if the classics are still popular. Are people in agreement with my opinion or am I the odd one out? Stay tuned to find out!

I love this hardback that I found! Really it’s in excellent condition and I got it at a thrift store for $4!

I first read Last of the Mohicans back in middle grade. I was about thirteen, fourteen years old. It swept me away, and it’s still one of my favorites. It’s a struggle to describe why I love it so, but maybe it’s that I like wilderness over city life. I always adore stories about the woods. Any sort, so long as it’s good and not overbearingly sexist/racist.

Which brings up the point of the new feature for my blog.

Do I even remember the book? No. But I definitely remember that movie with Daniel Day Lewis. For all you new bloggers/readers, this was what Outlander was before Outlander became a thing.

I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one that remembers how this movie was! Subtly slow in romance, a kidnapping, death, torture and the ending made me cry. It was a masterpiece! I enjoyed it though a lot of my family felt it wasn’t that great. I was just in a phase. Naw. Not a phase, I just apparently was born in the wrong time period, lol.

So what’s the story about? It’s about sisters. The Revolution. And a kidnapping.

Goodreads Summary:

The wild rush of action in this classic frontier adventure story has made The Last of the Mohicans the most popular of James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales. Deep in the forests of upper New York State, the brave woodsman Hawkeye (Natty Bumppo) and his loyal Mohican friends Chingachgook and Uncas become embroiled in the bloody battles of the French and Indian War. The abduction of the beautiful Munro sisters by hostile savages, the treachery of the renegade brave Magua, the ambush of innocent settlers, and the thrilling events that lead to the final tragic confrontation between rival war parties create an unforgettable, spine-tingling picture of life on the frontier. And as the idyllic wilderness gives way to the forces of civilization, the novel presents a moving portrayal of a vanishing race and the end of its way of life in the great American forests.

Now what slays me is that I had no idea it was a series!!! None! Nada! And I look it up on Goodreads, and low and behold I have read book two. I have read out of order! There are five books to one of my favorite books of my childhood and no one told me!!!!!

So my plan is to read the whole series again, start to finish! I hope to do that this summer, and rewatch the film! Here is the trailer for those that are interested:

Let me add I forgot about how much I adore the soundtrack. Seriously. Click the video to hear the beautiful music you may have forgotten, or if new to the series, didn’t know about! It is one of my favorite pieces (and is now stuck in my head again, lol).

I plan to do a follow up with the series in review format, showing that I’ve read the whole series. At the moment I have requested the first book from my library. If any of you are Last of the Mohicans fans, tell me your favorite moment from the film! Let’s reminisce about this, and how it’s sort of like a prequel to Outlander…but not lol. I’d like you all to let me know what other books/series I need to read similar to Outlander!

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

May 2022 Wrap Up: I Read 27 Books!!!

Hello Everyone,

Last month was a riveting success! I managed a good chunk of big books and I have read more than I had in ages! I almost reached 30 books in a month! Goodreads says I’m still 32 books behind schedule but it’s much better than it was! Here’s what I’ve been reading:

I’m not doing all the covers because that’s just way too many and it’ll take a while. These are some that I really liked,my top favorite being Nettle and Bone and The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea. Both were exceptional! My least favorite is probably Comfort Me With Apples. It was such a let down!

What all have you been reading? Anything good? Bad? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

Book Review: The Winter Ghosts

Hello Everyone,

Book Title: The Winter Ghosts

Author: Kate Mosse

Series: Standalone

Genre: Adult Fiction,Historical Fiction

Publisher: Putnam

Page Count: 300

Type of Book: Hardback, Owned

Trigger warnings: ghosts, war, death, cold, grief/depression

Notes: The town Nuelle in the book is fictional however the story is based on real events

Goodreads Summary:

By the author of the “New York Times”-bestselling “Labyrinth,” a story of two lives touched by war and transformed by courage.

In the winter of 1928, still seeking some kind of resolution to the horrors of World War I, Freddie is traveling through the beautiful but forbidding French Pyrenees. During a snowstorm, his car spins off the mountain road. Dazed, he stumbles through the woods, emerging in a tiny village, where he finds an inn to wait out the blizzard. There he meets Fabrissa, a lovely young woman also mourning a lost generation.

Over the course of one night, Fabrissa and Freddie share their stories. By the time dawn breaks, Freddie will have unearthed a tragic, centuries-old mystery, and discovered his own role in the life of this remote town.

My Thoughts:

There’s a lot of French in this book, and I’m not well versed in french do fair warning for those that are like me in that I speak very little french. I had to keep translating but I still really liked this a lot!

My Review:

This book is beautifully designed! Lovely artwork at the start of each chapter, frayed edges, and decent sized font for once! Usually as of late, book font has been small, but while this was a normal book and not large print, it was easily readable.

The story starts with Fred locating a man that can translate a letter that has deeply personal meaning to him. Even though he’s never been able to read the letter, he treats it as a personal keepsake that he can’t bear to lose. The man realizes this letter holds key importance of a historical nature, and Fred leans in and tells a tale.

The story then goes back in time to when Fred mourns the loss of his older brother George, who was killed/presumed missing in war. After a few years he accepts his brothers death and spends time in a sanatorium. He’s released and he travels… and becomes lost in France when searching for a particular place. A heavy snowstorm with lightning leaves him in distress, and he becomes stranded in the middle of nowhere, not a soul around for miles and miles.

What follows is a great ghost story, telling history of a place that I know extremely little about. This was refreshing from the usual stories in relation to the world wars, and while the ending was a bit sad, everything wrapped up nicely. I have never read a Kate Mosse book before, though I’ve seen them several times and they are on my tbr. She just earned another reader, as I look at her other books with eager interest. I read this during a dark, dreary rainstorm which made for excellent reading material. Ghosts and creepy villages in the middle of nowhere and a nice historical revelation is always neat.

I’m happy to grant this three stars, and highly recommend for fans of history as well as ghosts.

My Rating:

⭐⭐⭐

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

New Release Review: Nettle and Bone

Hello Everyone,

Such a gorgeous cover! 🥰

Book Title: Nettle and Bone

Author: T Kingfisher

Series: Standalone (I think)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Fantasy

Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

Page Count: 300

Trigger warnings: starvation, murder, rotten teeth scene, gore, death of dogs, demonically possessed chickens, dark magic, child abuse, off screen rape, abusive husband, light language (?)

Goodreads Summary:

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.

Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.

My Thoughts:

I flew through this book in one sitting! It was sooo good! I really hope that this spins into a series though it doesn’t need to. It’s fun, fast, and just the right sort of dark that I love in fantasy stories. This is my first T Kingfisher and it won’t be my last!

My Review:

Marra is a fascinating character. I think she’s one of the first covenant raised children in a book that I actually liked. She wasn’t overbearingly religious and there was barely a hint of religion in here. I liked her attitude and her humor. She was easily identifiable with.

The story begins with her sisters. Damia is married off to a king, and she winds up dead. It’s suspected murder but nothing can be proven. Her other sister, Kania, goes to marry the same thing while Marra hides in a covenant. The family is pulled apart and Marra realizes that no one is going to rescue them. She has to do the rescuing and to do that she may need to kill a king.

She makes a few friends here and there. A witch that has a demonically possessed chicken. A forty year old sell sword. A bonedog whose name is Bonedog.

The quest is good, and fun for the reader, but for the characters they encounter all sorts of trouble along the way. And at the end there’s a brief feeling of loss and grief though we leave off with a happy ending.

I adore books like these. I love the dark atmospheric setting, the slow build up and the characters were all handled perfectly. I’m happy to rate this 5 stars. If I could, I’d give it ten stars in that I had such a good time! If you’re looking for a pick me up, I definitely recommend this one!

My Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

A Guide: How I Read More Than Most Probably Do

Hello Everyone,

A lot of people on Twitter are asking how I managed to already read 100 books this year. Many of them can’t fathom how I’m reading a 1000 pages of a book in less than two weeks, while simultaneously managing other books. I’m going to go through and explain how I read so much and offer tips!

First: I don’t do gaming.

I know a lot of book bloggers game and I love Skyrim to pieces. But I really am not enthusiastic about most games. I do sometimes play chess online, and lately I like Stormfall (available on Google play) but otherwise I don’t game. I’m weird that way I know, but I read more than game.

Second: I quit watching TV.

Most tv annoys me lately. With how loud my family listens to it in being mostly deaf, I find tv supremely annoying. I prefer quiet and solitude, though all of us are avoiding Covid like the plague. So I can’t get solitude often. I’m sometimes watching TV shows on Disney Plus, Hulu, and Paramount. But that’s only for the shows that I’m currently on. I’m picky in what I want to watch. And lately, I’m perfectly fine without tv.

Third: Reading based on mood.

I barely have set tbrs. I used to but they began being a challenge in completing so now I just read what I want when I want. I splurge for a new release but only if it’s an author I absolutely adore i.e: Seanan McGuire, Stephen King, and a lot of others. I read, finish the book, pause, pick up another book. I try not to pause too long as to avoid a reading slump.

Fourth: I have no social life.

As I said earlier, I don’t get out much due to Covid. I’m have family that’s hugely at risk for death and I’m the same. I’m disabled and I have to keep my family in mind. We’ve barely gone anywhere. So it grants me more time to read at home.

Fifth: Reading keeps me sane

I know that probably sounds like I’m overreacting but reading is one of the few escapes that I have these days. I’m incapable of going anywhere but reading lets me pretend. I’m stuck where I am so I might as well read lol.

Sixth: I am a fast reader

I speed read. Sometimes I skim if it’s not keeping my interest but I read ridiculously fast. I’m also fast at typing, though texting is another matter lol.

Seven: I don’t punish myself if I don’t finish a book.

This is a trend I’ve seen about on Instagram and Twitter that I don’t understand. I’m never going to finish certain books and I don’t care to. Why are y’all wringing your hands and doing punishments? So what? If a book didn’t suit you then oh well. There’s other books waiting and I’m not going to read a book I’m not enjoying unless it’s school/work related. Please stop it with this trend!

Eight: I have unlimited resources through internet and library.

I have so many bookish apps. I test out new ones all the time. I use the Wayback Machine. I use my own library system. I sometimes buy books off Amazon. I read in every waking moment that I can, when not busy with real life. I’m always walking about with my phone that has the Kindle app installed so I can easily read books from there. I make it a practice in taking a physical book with me wherever I go. There’s all sorts of books and things you can read online or use your library. Support your local library!!!

Nine: I read to educate myself but also to have fun.

Don’t stress over books you have to read, but enjoy the to books you want read. It’s fun, but also pick up new genres to try. Read nonfiction. Learn new things. But just read for fun.

Ten: I also read to support authors

I write book reviews. At least I’m supposed to lol. But I like supporting authors and their works. I like helping others out, and I enjoy interacting with authors on Twitter and through email. It’s fun and it’s a big reason why I try to read as much as I can as often as I can. If I could get paid to read books, I’d love it. It would be the perfect job.

And that is it. I hope that this guide was super helpful and if you still have questions feel free to leave comments down below. Click the like button to boost this post because it really does help me out. Subscribe if you want to see more content from me.

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

Current Reads: A Bit of Everything

Hello Everyone,

Tis I, the infrequent blogger returned once again! I feel like I haven’t posted a bit of what I’ve been reading so here. Lemme fix that! As there’s a historical readathon going on and Realmathon (which I’ve been sadly failing at) I hope to get more reading done soon! Here’s what I have open at the moment!

Look at me trying to make my own stickers!

Historical Fiction I’m reading:

These are just some of my hopefuls but I don’t know that I’ll get to all of them. And now onto my fantasy shelf!

Fantasy Novels I’m Reading:

All of these are huge, well over 300 pages but I hope to get through a few of them at least. I’ve been on a historical romance kick here lately and I’m flying through those for the historical romance readathon as that’s only a week long while Realmathon happens all month long. I’m barely into 50 pages for Grace of Kings, and I’m just starting the Hacienda. Both look to be good reads.

I’d love to know what you all are reading. Are you participating in any events? Readathons? Do let me know in the comments. Hit the like button and if you read this far I’d love it if you subscribed to my blog.

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

DISCUSSION: Other Bloggers Talk About 458% Traffic Increase… I’ve Yet To Get That

Hello Everyone,

I’ve written a few posts about gaining followers, attention, and the like. While it’s helped my blog to a point, I am going to be blunt and honest

I have 600 followers after six years hard work.

What am I doing wrong here?

Absolutely nothing.

For those new to blogging, there are so many bloggers right now. #Mombloggers, #Bookbloggers, and so many #lifestylebloggers.

600 million blogs. That’s how hard it is going to be to rise to the top.

I’m sure your here for tips, tricks, and ideas. I’m sorry but this isn’t a guide post. This is just me noticing why my blog is slow in gaining traffic

And it’s not your fault.

We all are struggling. Working every day to make our blog stand out and shine. I’m sure we all will power through it. Keep up the good work.

This post was just an exercise for me. I’m trying to figure out my writing and content structure and I’d love to hear your thoughts about if this was at all interesting in the comments. Click that like and subscribe button. I’d love to add you to my list of favorite people.

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book

May 2022 TBR: Reading Big Books For May

Hello Everyone,

May has a lot of Readathons going on. There’s the Historical Romance Readathon going from the 9-15. There’s Realmathon happening throughout all the month of May. There’s also lots of others, that I may or may not join yet. I’m still deciding. But onto what I’m reading!

My Potentially Ambitious TBR:

This is the month that I’m determined to read all the big books that I’ve put off and put off and put off. I’m tired of staring at them and desiring them but not reading them. I’m also going to be reading a fair bit of historical romances as they go faster than the fantasy sometimes does. What are all of you reading? Let me know in the comments what I should make a priority!

Until next time,

-Pass Me That Book