July Hiatus

 

I wanted to drop by the blog for a minute and mention my break. I'll largely be absent this month (except for a review that's scheduled to go up later in July). 

Quarterly Recap: July-September

It’s October, one of my favorite months of the year. The weather is finally cooling down on my end, which is something I always look forward to. But, I digress. October also means that it’s time to take a look back at the past three months and, as always, I’m starting with reviews.

July, August, and September Reviews...

• Clock Striker Volume 2: The Sharing Society by Issaka Galadima and Frederick L. Jones
• Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker
• Devil Is Fine John Vercher
• Give Me Something Good To Eat by D.W. Gillespie
• Holly Horror: The Longest Night by Michelle Jabès Corpora
• It Came From The Trees by Ally Russell
• In The Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran
• Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

Other July, August, and September Blog Posts....

• What I've Been Listening To (September)
• I Listened to Paradise State of Mind by Foster the People
• I Listened to Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay
• I Listened to What Happened to the Heart? by Aurora 
• I Listened to Megan by megan Thee Stallion 
• Short Stories I Read In June
• Quarterly Recap April-June
• I Listened to Born in the Wild by Tems
• Short Stories I Read in August
• I Listened to Brat by Charli XCX
• I Watched The Invitation (2022)
• I Listened to Dopamine by Normani

Looking forward, the holiday season is here, so I have nothing specific for this portion of the post.

Quarterly Recap: July-September

I can hardly believe it’s already ten months into 2023, but the calendar doesn’t lie. And, since it is October, it’s also time for another quarterly recap. As always, I’m starting with reviews.

July, August, and September reviews...

• A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid
• The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James
• Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix
• Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo
• Holly Horror by Michelle Jabès Corpora 
• Totally Psychic by Brigid Martin
• Field of Screams by Wendy Parris
• What Never Happened by Rachel Howzell Hall
• The Only Harmless Great Thing by Brooke Bolander
• Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno Garcia
• The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

Other July, August, and September posts...

• What I've Been Listening To Lately
• Short Stories I Read in August
• Short Stories I Read In July
• Short Stories I Read In June
• Quarterly Recap: April-June

Looking ahead…as we enter this holiday season, I’m just going to enjoy the rest of the year without really making any specific plans. My annual (and extended) break from the blog is coming up. But this is also brought to you in part by the fact that two of my most highly anticipated games released in September. I only have Fae Farm so far, and it's proving to be very fun but also distracting. I'm also looking to get Mineko's Night Market eventually.

For TV shows...I'm looking forward to the second season of Surrealestate, which premiers on SyFy tonight at ten p.m.. Who else is going to be watching?

In terms of books, this month I’m going to be reviewing Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall, and the third installment of one of my favorite cozy mysteries series as well. It’s called The Fatal Folio by Elizabeth Penney, so keep an eye out for that too.

 

Quarterly Recap: July-September

It’s October, a.k.a one of my favorite months. It’s also time for the last quarterly recap of the year. And included below are links to posts that have appeared on the blog through July, August, and September.

July Reviews:

• Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall by Alexandra Lange
• The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• Death by Bubble Tea by Jennifer J. Chow

August Reviews:

• Blog Tour & ARC Review: Daybreak on Raven Island by Fleur Bradley 
• Holiday Heroine by Sarah Kuhn
• The Cartographers by Peng Sherhperd 
• The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim
• Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer
• A Treacherous Tale by Elizabeth Penney

September Reviews:

• Lakesedge by Lyndal Clipstone
• In The Shadow Garden by Liz Parker

Other July Posts:

• I Listened to Dawn FM by The Weeknd
• Short Stories I Read in June
• I Listened to The Beginning of the End by Les Friction
• Quarterly Recap: April-June

Other August Posts: 

• I Listened to Special by Lizzo
• Short Stories I Read In July
• I Listened to Supernova by Nova Twins

Other September Posts:

• I Listened to: August Music Roundup 
• Short Stories I Read In August
• What I've Been Watching + Upcoming Movies & TV Shows

Looking ahead, I always use October as an excuse to rewatch old favorites—I think it’s time to watch Over The Garden Wall again too. Otherwise, there are a lot of new movies/TV series I’m looking forward to, which I explained in a post HERE.

There's no Short Story post this month. And as far as books, I’ve prepared reviews for two books themed perfectly for October. Plus, Adri and I are going to have a reading list for spooky novels, similar to the one we did last year. I’m also going to be participating in #Peachtober on Instagram. I likely won’t do the full prompt list, because I prefer to keep a laid-back approach to art related challenges (I’ll see how many I get to).

Quarterly Recap: July-September

It’s October 1st, and the spooky season is officially upon us. It’s also time for the last quarterly recap of 2021, as the feature takes a break in December when we post our favorites lists before our annual break from blogging. Without further ado, here are the reviews and other posts that have appeared on Our Thoughts Precisely from July to the end of September.

July Reviews:

• Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
• The Brilliant Abyss by Helen Scales
• Your Favorite Band Cannot Save You by Scotto Moore
• The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien 

August Reviews:

• Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno Garcia 
• Mine by Delilah S. Dawson
• You Can Never Tell by Sarah Warburton 
• Seven Year Witch by Angela M. Sanders

September Reviews:

• Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez-Wallach
• The Case Study of Vanitas vol. 8 by Jun Mochizuki
• What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie
• Fire & Ice by Natalie Starkey 
• Chapter and Curse by Elizabeth Penney 

July Other Posts:

• Short Stories I Read in June
• I Listened to Planet Her by Doja Cat
• Quarterly Recap: April-June

August Other Posts:

• Short Stories I Read in July
• I Listened to Pink Noise by Laura Mvula
• I Listened to Last Year Was Weird vol. 3 by Tkay Maidza

September Other Posts:

• I Listened to Music by Magdalena Bay
• Short Stories I Read in August
• Thought Corner: What I've Been Watching (2021)
• I Listened to If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power by Halsey

Looking ahead, “Short Stories” is taking a break this month. I never found the time in September, but I do have a small TBR of short stories I hope to read in October.

This month, I’m doing a reread of the first two books in the Small Spaces series by Katherine Arden. I love the books, and I wanted to refresh my memory before diving into Dark Waters, Small Spaces #3, which came out in August of this year. My reread starts on October 8th with a Friday 56 post for Small Spaces. Also in October, Adri and I are doing a mini Halloween themed art challenge. There are two parts, and they will be posted on the second and last Sunday of October respectively.

Quarterly Recap: July-September

It’s hard to believe it’s already October, but it’s already time for the next quarterly recap. Today, I’m going to go over the reviews and other posts that have appeared on the blog between July and September.

July Reviews

• Deal With the Devil by Kit Rocha
• Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis
• Haunted Heroine by Sarah Kuhn

August Reviews

• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• The Hidden Life of Ice by Marco Tedesco
• Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradly

September Reviews

• Silver In the Wood by Emily Tesh
• Fangs by Sarah Anderson
• Unbirthday by Liz Braswell
• Floriography by Jessica Roux 
• The Case Study of Vanitas Volume 4 by Jun Mochizuki

Other July Posts

• I Listened to Ungodly Hour by Chloe X Halle
• Favorite Recipe: Refried Beans
• Quarterly Recap: April-June
• Short Stories I Read in June

Other August Posts

• Acrylics
• Short Stories I Read In July
• Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For

Other September Posts

• I Listened to Jaguar by Victoria Monet
• I Listened to Cape God by Allie X and Where Does the Devil Hide by Zella Day
• Short Stories I read in August

2020 has been an unpredictable year, so I’m not making any concrete plans. I’m going to skip right to some of the posts that will appear on the blog this month. Starting on October tenth, I’m going to share some Halloween themed art from my sketchbook. I read the fifth volume of The Case Study of Vanitas in September, so there will be a review for that. I’m also reviewing The Sisters of Straygarden Place and The Eternal City later in this month. I also read an ARC of Tales From the Hinterland, and I really enjoyed it. The review for it will be posted closer to the release date, which isn’t until next year. However, if you enjoyed The Hazel Wood duology, then I recommend Tales From the Hinterland.   

Short Stories I Read in July

Today is the 29th of August, so it’s time for me to discuss the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read and listened to in July.

The Husker by Jessica P. Wick (Strange Horizons; Issue: 1 June 2020) 

The first short story I read in July was The Husker by Jessica P. Wick. It was very short, but it was still a great read. And I enjoyed it. The writing was straight to the point, and it was the kind of haunting story that read like it belonged as a story told over a campfire or as some local legend.

Once More Unto the Breach (But Don’t Worry, the Inflatable Swords are Latex-Free) by Tina Connolly (Uncanny Magazine; Issue Thirty Five, July 7, 2020)

By the title, I didn’t know what to expect from Once More Unto the Breach (But Don’t Worry, the Inflatable Swords are Latex-Free). I had some idea, but it wasn’t what I got. I’m happy about that too, because this was a fun read. The story was kind of dramatic and unpredictable—I mean it was set at a birthday party. There also happened to be monsters, inflatable swords, axes, and hammers. Overall, Connolly did an excellent job, and I’m looking forward to reading more work by this author.

The Parts That Make Us Monsters by Sheree Renee Thomas (Strange Horizons, Issue: Fund Drive 2020)

The Parts That Make Us Monsters was another story I read in July that was more on the short side. I had to think about what I read, and I also had to let the story digest before I could think of what I wanted to say about it. Some stories are just like that, and this was one of them. I enjoyed The Parts That Make us Monsters. It was written well, and it was a very immersive story. Parts of it could be vague, but the overall intent of the story was clear. I honestly enjoyed Thomas’s approach to the themes and characters.

From Around the Web…

• Print Run Podcast episode #133
• “We Are Each Other’s Harvest”: Akwaeke Emezi’s Pet (Alex Brown; Tor.com, July 7, 2020)
• Hands On (Caitlin Starling; Uncanny Magazine, Issue Thirty-Five, July 7, 2020)
• Francesca Momplaisir’s My Mother’s House Confronts Generation Trauma Head-On (Mary Retta; Tor.com, July 7, 2020)
• The Soul of a City: The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin (Tochi Onyebuchi; Tor.com, July, 7, 2020)
• Print Run Podcast Episode #134
• “Evil Earth”: Linguistic Worldbuilding in N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy (CD Covington; Tor.com, July 27, 2020)

Quarterly Recap: July-September

Well, it's time for another Quarterly Recap. The year is definitely flying by, and it feels like it hasn’t been that long since I last sat down to compile a list of links for a Quarterly Recap. However, October is here, and I finally have a legitimate excuse to rewatch all of my favorite Halloween themed movies. It's also been hot lately, and I have my fingers crossed that cooler weather is on the way.

July Reviews:

• n/a

August Reviews:

• It Devours! by Joseph Fink and Jeffery Cranor
• Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffery Cranor

September Reviews:

• Well Met by Jen DeLuca
• Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay
• The Unkindest Tide by Seanan McGuire

Other July Posts:

• Watercolor: Return of the Puffins
• Upcoming Music I'm Waiting For: Second Half of the Year
• Release Day Excerpt & Giveaway: Blastaway by Melissa Landers
• Quarterly Recap: April-June

Other August Posts:

• Let's Talk About Dark Crystal
• The Perks of Watching the Movie and Reading the Book

Other September Posts:

• Favorite Recipe: Waffle Cones/Bowls

Looking ahead, I have some Halloween themed art posts that’ll be up on the blog later in the month. I also have a post about Tove Lo’s new album, Sunshine Kitty. It’ll be on the blog this Friday. As far as books, I had a couple of reviews ready since August, which kept the blog active during September. So I had time to pick up a couple of spooky/horror novels in preparation for October—a book like Dead Voices by Katherine Arden (sequel to Small Spaces)  The review for it will be on the blog later in the month.

Quarterly Recap: July-September

It’s time for another Quarterly Recap. I’m going to skip a long intro and jump right into reviews for July, August, and September....

July Reviews:

• Flatland
• Art Deco 

August Reviews:

• Seafire
• Ready Player One (2018 Movie)
• Star-Touched Stories

September Reviews:

• The Lost Carousel of Provence
• Hitting the Books
• Farming and the Food Supply; Undercover Operations; & American Art Deco

Note: weekly meme labels (Music Monday & The Friday 56 + Book Beginnings) can be found on the Extras page.

Other July Posts:

• Sketchbook
• Watercolor Places #1
• Quarterly recap April-June
• I Made a Sketchbook
• Watercolor Places #2

Other August Posts:

• The Cookie Book Tag
• Watercolor Places #3

Other September Posts:

• Cover reveal & excerpt: Blastaway by Melissa Landers

I want to do more art/random type posts again. I kept up with them in July and August. However, for the past month, I’ve experienced some creative burnout and couldn’t figure out what I wanted to write or read for a few weeks—and the things I did create were ones I didn’t want to share on the blog. Luckily, October is one of my favorite months, and I have a couple of different posts planned. And if all goes well, they should appear sometime this month or in November.

Upcoming posts that are already scheduled....

On Friday, I’m going to post my thoughts about Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. Later, I have reviews for Mem by Bethany C. Morrow and The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory. I also have a spotlight post coming up that I’m excited to share.

Quarterly Recap: July-September

Hello, how have you been? Its finally fall, October is here, and today I'm going to be doing a quarterly recap. There have been some real highs and lows these past three months, but I'm going into October with a good dose of optimism (I'm finally over the reading slump I got stuck in during the middle of September, plus Halloween is coming)...

July Reviews:

• The Screaming Statue by Lauren Oliver & H.C. Chester
• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

August Reviews:

• The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana
• Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
• Power Ranger (2017)
• The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
• Dark Matter by Les Friction
• Women in Sports by Rachel Ignotofsky

September Review:

• Defy the Stars by Claudia Grey
• Canson Watercolor Paper

Other July Posts:

• Favorite Recipe: Baking Powder Pizza Crust
• Musing Monday: Favorite Podcasts
• Pardon the Construction
• Quarterly Recap (April-June)
• Weekend Tidbits #12: Art Haul

Other August Posts:

• The Time We Went to Coolirpa's 1 Million Subscriber Celebration
• Favorite Recipe: The Best Brownies

Other September Posts:

• Cover Reveal Blitz & Giveaway: Haven by Mary Lindsey 
• Favorite Recipe: Eggless Sugar Cookies

I'm looking forward to reading and accomplishing more during the rest of the year. That reading slump in September was just...ugh. However, while I wasn't reading, I had more time to work on some different posts for the blog, including a few more art supply reviews (one of them includes a fan art of Padme Amidala, which I'm super excited to talk about on the blog). I had a lot of fun writing about my paintings, and am planning to work on more art related things in the future.  

Also, it's freaking OCTOBER! Obviously, I’m looking forward to everything Halloween related including—but not limited to—movies, TV shows, and desserts/food/drinks.

Belated Quarterly Recap: July-October

Yikes...

To be honest, I completely forgot that I was supposed to do a quarterly recap at the beginning of October. It wasn't until the twenty sixth that I was looking through the September and early October stuff, only to discover that I never actually drafted this post. Whoops. And it was so late in the month, that I decided to lump October with July, September, and August. 

So, without further ado, I'm going to jump right in and start with reviews...

July Reviews:

• Wintersmith
• Love Charms and Other Catastrophes
• The Torn Wing
• Riverkeep

August Reviews:

• Thieving Weasels
• Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
• The Traitor in the Tunnel
• Mortal Gods

September Reviews:

• The Reader
• Visual reference Guide: Architecture
• Fangirl
• A Corner of White

October Reviews:

• The Witches
• Cloudwish
• Burning Emerald
• Grand Forks
• Hourglass

(Weekly meme labels can be found on the features page)

Other July Posts:

• Favorite Genre Characteristics Part 1
• Favorite Genre Characteristics Part 2
• Cover Reveal: Hear the Wolves by Victoria Scott
• Quarterly Recap April-June
• Happy Fourth of July

Other August Posts:

• How My Blogging Has Changed Since Way Back In 2013
• Hobbies are Subjective
• Netflix and Books Tag
• Favorite Fictional Friendships
• Pre-release Blitz: The Flame Never Dies
• Release Day Blitz: United by Melissa Landers
• EP Summer Carnival

Other September Posts:

• Seasonal Books
• Whats on My TBR+Obscure Books & Movies

Other October Posts:

• Weekend Tidbits #8 It's October
• Music Monday Halsey
• Music Monday Ryn Weaver & Tove Lo
• Music Monday Halloween Edition
• Where Do you Buy Books?
• Creatures of the Night Book Tag

It's been a busy couple of months that's only bound to get busier since the holiday season is underway. But, I've read a lot of good books across the past four months. Some were new and others were older releases that I've been meaning to get to. One thing I want to do is read more contemporary novels since I don't regularly read from that genre, and continue getting to more of the backlist books I want to read. 

Quarterly Recap: July-September

Welcome to the third Quarterly Recap in which I'm going to quickly go over what's happened on the blog over the past three months. As always, I'm going to jump right in and start with reviews...

July Reviews:

• Jupiter Ascending (2015)
• Oleah Chronicles: Truth
• Shiver
• A Swiftly Tilting Planet
• Doctor Who: The Drosten's Curse

August Reviews:

• The Darkest Minds
• Splintered

September Reviews:

• Scorched
• The Body in the Woods
• The Madman's Daughter
• Doctor Who: Royal Blood

I'm making some changes to this section of the post (cleaning it up a bit). I'm going to list other post that have appeared on the blog except for weekly meme's.

Other July Posts:

• Quarterly Recap April-June
• Nintendo Book Tag

Other August Posts:

• Sweet Madness Release Day Launch
• Weekend Tidbits #5

Other September Posts:

• Queen of Shadows Release Day Blitz
• Sweet Temptation Release Week Blitz
• The Pirate Code Release Week Blitz
• Walk on Earth a Stranger Release Day Blitz
• Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award (Take 2)
• Q&A with author Michelle Johnson
• Summer Lovin' Book Tag

It's been a long time coming but I finally went to my local library, and I look forward to going more often. Plus, I feel like I've started a lot of series and I really need to finish them. But yeah, that's about it for now. Anyway, happy reading!