Month: December 2022

Reading Wrap-Up

Strap in, lovelies, I’m recapping my year of reading! Total Books Book Stats Author Stats Ratings Readathons Conquered in 2022 Magical Readathon: Orilium Academy Gear up mini-readathon (prep for Spring Equinox) Spring Equinox (including bonus House book) Autumnal Equinox Lightfall at Old Favour Pass Buzzword Reading Challenge ClearUrSht Mini-readathon (2.5 BINGO) 3.0 (November & December) Marvelathon Chopped Readathon July October Pirateathon Huntathon S(h)elf Care BINGO (and watched Muppet Christmas Carol) (and put my laundry away) (and wrote positive affirmations) (went for a walk) (and did a 20-min meditation nightly for most of December) (and did […]

Posted December 31, 2022 by bethwyrm in Book Challenge / 0 Comments

Appletini by Diamine

The above photo was taken in direct sunlight. Ink is swatched on Clairefontaine 90gsm paper, using a glass dip pen. Specs Name: Appletini Maker: Diamine Color Family: Green Properties: Shading Purchased at: Atlas Stationers (came in the 2022 Diamine InkVent) What’s in a name? This seems pretty straightforward, as literal colors go. Fun fact: Appletinis were my bar/club drink of choice during my 20s, because I enjoyed when my alcohol tasted like a Jolly Rancher. I’m pretty sure the sugar content alone would kill me, these days. Swatches A large swatch of ink showcases the darkest this ink gets, as well […]

Posted December 31, 2022 by bethwyrm in Fountain Pens / 0 Comments

The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine

Characters: 10, I cared about almost every named character in this novel (which is amazing, given there were nearly 20). Most of them were fleshed-out and developed with their own personality and preferences, reactions to stress and hope- though of course that perspective was mostly (but not fully) filtered through the perception of the MC. The few that didn’t feel as well established were still three dimensional, just not quite as fleshed out (which made sense, given they were the youngest of 12 sisters and far removed from the MC, the eldest, who also by the end realized she didn’t […]

Posted December 30, 2022 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

The Quarter Storm by Veronica G. Henry

Characters: 6, I could describe the MC, Mambo Reina Dumond, but the secondary characters were more or less plot devices. Perhaps with the exception of Tyka (but that may just be because she had clear vulnerability). This is a plot-driven novel more than a character-driven one, so that didn’t feel like it subtracted from the story at all. Still, Reina is complex enough that some of her decisions I understood and some baffled me (mainly her having anything to do with her jackass cop ex-boyfriend). Atmosphere: 7, the sultry environment of New Orleans, the danger in both human and mystical […]

Posted December 30, 2022 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

The Seat Filler by Sariah Wilson

Characters: 7, it’s a contemporary romance so I didn’t expect realistic characters. Still, Juliet’s relatable in her anxieties and ambitions. Noah is, of course, unrealistically perfect in every way, but it was nifty to get a glimpse at Hollywood glamour and handlers and challenges through his character. Atmosphere: 8, it’s contemporary but a lot of it involves award ceremonies and upscale LA locales, which the author seems to have done her research on. It was less immersive than it would’ve been were I not reading it to pass the time during travel. But nevertheless, easy to envision. Writing: 8, the […]

Posted December 29, 2022 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

Upon a Star by Diamine

The above photo was taken in direct sunlight. Ink is swatched on Clairefontaine 90gsm paper, using a glass dip pen. Specs Name: Upon a Star Maker: Diamine Color Family: Blue Properties: Shimmering, Sheening Purchased at: Atlas Stationers (came in the 2022 Diamine InkVent) What’s in a name? This InkVent has had several blue inks with a red sheen and a shimmer, but this one is at least named something akin to imagining the night sky. Swatches A large swatch of ink showcases the darkest this ink gets, as well as the maximum properties it has (when held at the right angle […]

Posted December 28, 2022 by bethwyrm in Fountain Pens / 0 Comments

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

Characters: 9, though she’s prickly and good at avoidance, it was hard not to sympathize with Asha. Though Torwin was bordering on impossibly heroic, and Jarek and Dax felt underdeveloped, Asha felt realistic enough to carry the plot- from her blindsides and prejudice to her frustration and self-serving machinations. Atmosphere: 9, there were a couple of scenes I had difficulty picturing, but the overall setting and culture in which the story takes place were highly engaging and nicely interwoven with the plot. Set in North Africa-ish, with a contested religion and revisionist history being used to justify atrocities, I was […]

Posted December 27, 2022 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

Cardinal by Diamine

The above photo was taken in direct sunlight. Ink is swatched on Clairefontaine 90gsm paper, using a glass dip pen. Specs Name: Cardinal Maker: Diamine Color Family: Red Properties: Shading Purchased at: Atlas Stationers (came in the 2022 Diamine InkVent) What’s in a name? This red ink is named for the wintertime red bird: Swatches A large swatch of ink showcases the darkest this ink gets, as well as the maximum properties it has (when held at the right angle to show any shimmer or sheen). But what about when you’re writing a letter or notes with it? The above was written […]

Posted December 26, 2022 by bethwyrm in Fountain Pens / 0 Comments

Dusted Truffle by Diamine

The above photo was taken in direct sunlight. Ink is swatched on Clairefontaine 90gsm paper, using a glass dip pen. Specs Name: Dusted Truffle Maker: Diamine Color Family: Brown Properties: Shimmering Purchased at: Atlas Stationers (came in the 2022 Diamine InkVent) What’s in a name? Is this referring to a dessert chocolate truffle dusted in cocoa powder or sugar or something? Or a rich mushroom truffle dusted in flour or spices? Either way, I’m on board. Swatches A large swatch of ink showcases the darkest this ink gets, as well as the maximum properties it has (when held at the right […]

Posted December 24, 2022 by bethwyrm in Fountain Pens / 0 Comments

52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody

Characters: 6, Lexi and her father are more developed as characters than Luke and just about everyone else in the story. But I wouldn’t call them complex, realistic, or really well-developed. The secondary characters range from Plot Device to One Trait Personality. Of course, this is a contemporary, fluffy YA novel so I didn’t really expect them to be. Atmosphere: 7, maybe it’s because I actually lived in LA for a time, but I had no problem picturing everything from the mansions with a gated entrance and manicured grounds to the cracked-window graffitied Inglewood apartment to the Filiberto’s-esque fast food […]

Posted December 23, 2022 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments