Betsy Snow White Bibliophile

Tag: books

  • Betsy’s Book Report: Untethering Dark by Desiree M. Niccoli

    Betsy’s Book Report: Untethering Dark by Desiree M. Niccoli

    Set in the Black Forest (der Schwarzwald) in Germany we are introduced to Astrid a Hexe, a witch with aspirations to become a hag like her adopted mother, Mutter Perchta. Every Night for years Astrid has left out an offering to Altes Geweih, Old Antlers, an ancient forest protector who lives with her in the forest.

    Then one night a group of hikers come to Astrid’s home causing chaos, releasing her goats, and destroying her nightly offering to Altes Geweih. Realizing he has come and accepting her fate she brings a plate of cookies, and comes face to face with the monster in the woods. Expecting to be eaten, instead he allows her to live and accepts her offer of cookies.

    Soon she is flirting with him, and he is flirting back? He reveals his true name to her, Gudariks. And, Astrid begins to feel true attraction and affection for her unlikely new friend. The two of them have a burgeoning relationship that develops alongside the two also working together to attempt to rid the forest of a group of poachers who seem to be plaguing the forest.

    The characters in the book may be monsters, but they are beautifully developed and nuanced. The relationships also feel so real, including those between Astrid and her human friends. The inclusion of lore, history, and traditions of the area just adds to the richness of the story. I can believe that in this world there are mysteries in the dark woods that we cannot comprehend, set to protect the natural world from human corruption. In fact, I want to believe.

    I gave the book five stars and would recommend highly to monster romance lovers, and to those curious about the genre. I will warn you, though, that you may come out the other side with a longing for German Christmas Cookies.

    Untethering Dark by Desiree M. Niccoli is the first Monster Romance to be released by Harlequin books, a publisher every romance reader probably knows, and I was lucky enough to get approved to receive an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). The book will be available February 4, 2025 as an ebook only at https://shop2.harlequin.com/shop/books/9780369762214_untethering-dark.html

  • 2024 Reading Recap

    2024 Reading Recap

    I read 575 books in 2024 according to goodreads, though I suspect a couple of ARCs and audiobooks may have been missed, and some of these books just blew me away with how well written they were, how immersive they were, how entertaining they were, how smutty they were, and occasionally how truly unhinged they were (looking at you Nicole Parker and Unfortunate Reads). Below is a collage of books I truly loved reading in 2024.

    Each of these books left an indelible mark on my mind and I would recommend them to anyone, well some of them I would recommend to anyone with a super open mind, but still…get into these.

    What were your favorite books of 2024?

  • Back and Bookish

    Hi! It has been a minute (or you know over a year) but I am back and, as mentioned in the title and blog rebrand, bookish.

    In the past two years (2023 and 2024) I read 947 books, novellas, ebooks, ARCs/ALCs and audiobooks. I have joined several street teams. I have attended several bookish events, boughts lots of book boxes, special editions, signed books, and so much more.

    What I am saying is that I am in my bookish era and I am taking this blog with me. I will post about events, review books, talk about authors, post unboxings, and anything else I can think of. Very bookish. Can you tell it is bookish?

    Also I am setting a goal to finish my own book in the first quarter of 2025, so I will post sneak peaks, and walk through the editing and publishing process.

    So…stick around.

    Welcome to 2025.

    Let’s read some books.

  • Bibliophilia and the Book Wyrm

    Bibliophilia and the Book Wyrm

    I saw this tweet the other day from SketchesbyBoze on twitter that said:

    Immediately I decided that this is my current situation…I am in my year of reading frivolously. 📚  I have been in school for so long that I have rarely read just for myself in the last 10 years. Now, since my masters degree is complete I am free to read just for the pure joy of reading. As on January first I have already read or listened to 10 books. I feel more like myself than I have in a very long time.

    I am also in a place with my writing where I feel like some writing will help me feel inspired. So I am reading, a lot. I reset my book goal for the year to 72 books, or six a month, with the possibility to change again if my current speed keeps up. I am reading like I am running out of time, or perhaps making up for lost time.

    I have loved everything I have read so far. And I have found several authors who I am eager to work through their other works. Other than A.K. Mulford and T.J. Klune whom I already acknowledged I also enjoyed The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue which was absolutely lovely and bittersweet and the first two books of the Paper Magician series by Charlie N Holmberg. I am getting lost in these wonderful worlds and highly recommend the books and authors.

    More books to come, lol.

  • October 19 and 20 – Creepy Reads

    October 19 and 20 – Creepy Reads

    Do you ever read a book and it isn’t necessarily scary but it just leaves you with a skin crawling feeling of creepy? These are not always horror books, but are the books that just keep you on edge and leave you uncomfortable even after the book is done. Here are some of the books that have done this for me:

    Mexican Gothic was one of my favorite reads for 2019/2020, but it absolutely left me with some major icky creepies. This is the story of Noemi who is sent to retrieve her cousin after she receives a missive from the cousin claiming that her husband is trying to poison her. She heads to High Place to find her cousin is quite ill, the house is covered in mushrooms, and everything about this home is creepy. I cannot recommend this book higher, but be prepared for the effects to linger.

    Geek Love is the story of a traveling carnival who goes to extreme lengths to create children who can fill their freak show. The book is so good, but just leaves you with this feeling of bleagh.

    Palahniuk was barely scraping the surface of wild in Fight Club and that is never more obvious than in Haunted. The plot is a “writers group” gets locked into a old Theatre and becomes a social experiment. I have whole scenes from this book that I will never forget. Not for the faint of heart, but a truly creepy read.

    The story of an adult man who “falls in love” with a 12 year old girl, gets rid of her mother, and makes himself the girl’s guardian so they can “be together”. Everything about this book is cringy, creepy and leaves you feeling icky.

    The one that started it all. I read this book at an age that was far too young, probably 10. Certainly I was not prepared for child abuse, starvation, incest, rape, and one incredibly graphic scene after being force fed castor oil. Yeah…not horror but horrific.

    This is my list of the creepiest books I have ever read. Have you read any of these? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you have books you would add?

    Here is the video for Halloween Countdown day 19:

    And from the 20th:

  • As seen on TikTok

    As seen on TikTok

    So…I was in a TikTok hole as is wont to happen at least to myself, and a girl popped in with something she had found on another girl’s TikTok. It looked like a book and it was called The UItimate Reading Challenge. Almost immediately I went out to find it and then because I had a gift card I ordered it from Amazon.

    I have it in my hot little hands now so…

    A book with the title The Ultimate Reading Challenge. Under this it says Complete a Goal, Open an envelope, and reveal your bookish prize.

    Inside the “book” is a series of tiny envelopes with reading challenges like:

    Read a novella (a short novel typically under 200 pages)

    Write a letter to someone who has influenced your reading life. This could be a parent, teacher, author, bookstore owner, or friend. It’s okay to make it anonymous.

    Attend an author event, in person or virtually

    Listen to a reading themed podcast

    Read a book that features an indigenous person

    And many more.

    I am excited to dive in to this. I have a couple planned out to finish soon so wish me luck.

  • 10 Days of Blogging

    10 Days of Blogging

    If you could live inside a book, which book would you pick? Which world would you pick? I have a couple that would be on my shortlist of worlds/ books to live in.

    1 The Starless Sea – How lovely to live in a subterranean library under the earth. Surrounded by books and cats and readers and words…lovely! The bibliophile in me says yes please.

    2 The Night Circus – Another Morgenstern, but as a child I secretly (or not so secretly) wanted to run away and join the circus, and this circus with its black and white color scheme and super magical origin just pulls my soul right in. I would absolutely accept just being a girl who runs a concession stand.

    3 Discworld – Specifically, I would want to be one of the witches even though it looks like a lot of hard work. I just love the world that Terry Pratchett created and I would love to be a part of it. I like to think Terry lives there too, so maybe I could finally meet him.

    4 Newford – This is the setting for many of the books by Charles De Lint where fairies, old gods and the modern world meet. Would love to have tea with Jilly and meet the Crow Girls. Please?

    5 The Hollows Cincinnati/ Chicago in Dresden Files – I am putting these together, because they feel like very similar worlds. This is another set of pretty modern but add magic, urban fantasy wonderland and I would love to live in either one.

    When I was younger I might have added Narnia to this list, but it doesn’t seem as great for an adult. Wonderland also might have made the list, but doesn’t appeal as much to me any more. There are other worlds that have lost some shine for me over the years. MiddleEarth I would take only if I got to live in Hobbiton.

    I have undoubtedly forgotten some, but this is a good beginning list. How about you? Thoughts?

  • 12 Days of Blogging

    12 Days of Blogging

    As the pandemic was ramping up last June I saw an announcement from Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, saying that members of her book club would be receiving an autographed copy of her new book, Broken, as one of their books. I immediately signed up for The Fantastic Strangelings Book Club. I have not regretted it. I admittedly have not read every single book I have been sent, yet, but the books are varied and interesting. I have, so far, received 8 books including the latest which is The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec a book I am planning to jump into feet first tonight when I get off work (I am on break).

    I am a huge fan of Jenny’s writing and her openness about her struggles with mental illness, imposter syndrome, and just being a bit odd. And it excites me to think that I am somehow connected to her, even if it is just by paying to be part of her book club. I also love getting books in the mail every month. As an admitted book hoarder the only thing better than books is more books.

    Jenny also announced that she will be doing a “book tour” in April where she will do live talks online with other authors including Felicia Day, Neil Gaiman and Judy Blume. I am probably going to have to invest in the Neil Gaiman, but I have a minute to decide. If you haven’t already I highly recommend Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson; it is funny, irreverent, honest and wonderful.

  • My Current Reading List

    My Current Reading List

    I am a reader who often has multiple books that I am juggling, or on my to be read (TBR) list. I thought I would share the current books that sit there currently.

    The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix : This is one I am currently reading and it is very funny, very tongue in cheek and altogether quite entertaining.

    Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: I am currently reading this one as well, and I am enjoying it so far. The NPR review was so intriguing I came home and bought it immediately.

    Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

    Crossings by Alex Landragin: I got this as a new member of the Fantastic Stranglings Book Club through Nowhere Bookshop which is owned by author Jenny Lawson. I haven’t cracked it yet, but I am excited to do so.

    Witches. Sluts. Feminists. by Kristen J. Sollee: I heard Kristen on the podcast The Devil’s Music with Pleasant Gehman and loved her style, so I picked up this book. I am excited to start it.

    Fat Girl Finishing School and Nothing is Okay by Rachel Wiley: Rachel is a Columbus poet who is so talented, and I have been reading these in bits and bobs. Fun Fact: I saw Rachel at the Fat Babes Club of Columbus Body Positive Pool Party last year and I was utterly star struck and just stared at her across the pool like a huge creeper.

    Great Godesses by Nikita Gill: More poetry. This is a gorgeous collection of poems based on mythology. I have been really inspired by poetry recently, and my next class in my MFA program is Fundamentals of Poetry.

    I have more books on the way that I ordered from local bookstores on Independent Bookstore Day Saturday. I am on a brief hiatus from school so I am hoping I can finish one or two of these.

    Are you reading anything fantastic right now? Are you a book juggler who reads more than one book at a time like me?

  • Support Your Local Independent Bookstore!

    So, in Columbus we have this amazing bookstore called The Book Loft. It is a 32 room amazing monstrosity of a bookstore that is rambling and confusing in the best way. My friend told me that once former President Clinton wanted to shop there, so the secret service came in to check it out and promptly walked back out and told him that it was impossible to clear and he could not go in. It is unclearable by the secret service amazing!

    Of course with the pandemic issue they have had to close their doors to shoppers but they are still running their online business. Last week they announced something new they are doing, Malamarkus (the skeleton god of the book loft) Mystery Boxes. You pay them $69.99 and give them a genre, book style, or theme you like as well as your t-shirt size and then they send you a box with several new books they choose for you as well as some extras and a Book Loft t-shirt. It is a brilliant idea, so to get some new books and support my local bookstore I bought one.

    I ended up with a lot of books and adult mad libs and a gray book loft shirt. I am so chuffed by my new reading material. This is absolutely worth the price. Look at all this gorgeous bounty.

    So overall, support your local bookstores, and if you would like a Malamarkus Mystery Box you can order one here. Honestly support all your local businesses. Please. They need you.