November Favourites

Monthly favourites is where I list the best music, books, and everything else that I have discovered by the end of the month. You now can link your own end of the month updates, lists and catch ups with the link feature at the end of this post to share them with myself and other Bookish blogs and readers.

Which ARC Should I Read Next?

I only joined the book blogging community 6 months ago, so the concept of ARCs is still fairly new to me. I signed up for NetGalley around August of this year, and since then I have reviewed four books for them (1, 2, 3, 4) with incredibly mixed ratings. From my experience I don't think I will be requesting ARCs frequently unless there is a book I desperately want to read, but I am still going to read the copies I have been provided. I've heard a lot about all four of these books but I don't know which to read first and I'm hoping for some suggestions.

Book Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Title: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Albertalli
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Trigger Warnings: -
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads | Book Depository

This is quite possibly the most uplifting book I've read this year. Everything I have read of late has had an element of darkness, and whilst not all of the books I have read have been outright sad, Simon vs. filled me with such heart-warming optimism. I'm not even a huge fan of contemporaries or romances as my experience of both genres has been largely negative, so I did not expect to fall in love with this book the way I did.

Top 10 Tuesday: Fictional Friendships I am Thankful for

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is fictional friendships I am thankful for.

Book Review: The Night Circus

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Series: No
Genre: Magic Realism
Trigger Warnings: -
Rating: 5 stars
Buy: Book Depository

The Circus is a source of mystery and intrigue for all who encounter it. It is different from the others for there are no clowns or bright colours and it is only open at night. No one knows when The Circus will next arrive or where it will go next, but every night there is like a dream.

Not only does The Circus provide unimaginable wonders filled with illusion and fantasy, it is also a front for a great competition. Two great magicians have chosen another two apprentices to complete their traditional challenge to test who is the better teacher. These young apprentices dance around each other carefully, unaware of each other yet connected by The Circus - maintaining the balance whilst also having the power to tear it apart.

How do I Choose what to Read?

Choosing what to read can be a difficult process. Personally I don't stumble upon this problem too much as my TBR list is sky high, but there comes a point when one has to acknowledge that reading every single book ever published is impossible. Here are some suggestions on how to choose:

Top 10 Tuesday: Favourite Quotes

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is my favourite quotes from books, with one at the end from a podcast:

How I Fixed the Story that was Stuck

Three years ago, I stumbled upon a story idea that clicked with me. This was the first idea that I'd ever thought could become something big, and with a whole ton of world building I had a thorough plan for a huge fantasy trilogy.

Trigger Warnings for Books

I decided to write this post after reading one on the same topic over on Cuddlebuggery.

With television shows and movies it is very easy for someone to look up if there is any upsetting content. Often this information comes in the form of a parent's guide to make sure their kids are watching appropriate things, but it's still a really useful resource for people with triggers and without. Unfortunately, the Internet provides no such resource for books.

Trigger warnings can help people make a decision weather or not to read a book, or even set it aside for when they are feeling more prepared, by making them aware of potentially distressing content. At the very least they are a form of emotional preparation.

For me, the mental health of others is prioritised over spoilers, and from now on I will mention any potential triggering content at the start of reviews to the best of my ability.

This is not about the censorship of literature. A warning is just that - a warning.

This Guardian article sums up this discussion pretty nicely. And, of course, if I forget to mention something significant at the start of a review that you have picked up on, I'd appreciate if you briefly mention it in the comments section of the review.

You are welcome to discuss in the comments below.

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Top 10 Tuesday: Book to Movie Adaptations (ones I need to watch, ones I will watch again, and ones that need to happen)

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is book to movie adaptations:

5 Books I'm Looking Forward to Reading this November

Here are some of the books on my shelf that I'm excited to be reading this November.

Cover Reveal: The Raven King

The cover for the final instalment of The Raven Cycle is finally here!

We still have to wait until April next year for the actual book, but in the mean time we can simply look at this cover. Isn't it marvellous?

Top 10 Tuesday: Debut Authors to Watch Out For

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is debut authors who's future books I am looking forward to:

Music Match Monday - The Hunger Games

I'm starting a new feature here on Astronomical Books and I'd love it if you'd participate.

Music Match Monday is a feature where on the first Monday of every month I match the lyrics of a song to a book and explain why they go together so perfectly. There are no set rules, just that you have fun and share your favourite matching music and books with others in whatever way you want.

You can link your own MMM posts on the linky feature at the bottom of each post to share with other participants. All I ask is that you credit Astronomical Books somewhere on your post so that others can trace the feature back here and take part in the fun.

Song: Part II by Paramore
Book: The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

This song is the second part of another Paramore song, Let the Flames Begin, which also works with this series. In Let the Flames Begin Katniss is the 'tiny spark' that ignites the start of a revolution. The song is symbolic of the initial rage against Snow and the Capitol, fighting no matter what the cost may be.

Part II is the aftermath. It is when lives have been lost and all seems hopeless. The pair of songs work with any book or series that involves some form of opposition against the norm, and The Hunger Games has a huge conflict that reflects this beautifully. All that needed to be done was to let the spark of hope 'catch fire'.

As it's the first MMM, you might not be able to participate, but if you want to in the future, please comment and tell me if you like the feature so I know if I should continue with it.

Want to take part in MMM? Add a link to your post below!

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