Before I get in to what I read, I have a huge book-related THANK YOU to say to Alexandra, Olya, Stephanie, and Amber. My super sweet blogger pen pals friends sent baby & me some bookish goodies and they are TOO perfect not to share.

Everything is so ME (and, I hope, so HER)! I am so in love with all these items. Thank you, ladies ♥ I returned home from a business trip to this package and I think it’s made my entire week. You girls are so sweet and I’m so glad we’re friends!

I had another low number reading month. My brain and body are so damn tired in the summer (mostly from work) and this year is no different- possible a little more intense (mostly from growing a human). That said, I finished up 2 books (and they were both 4 stars so silver lining, I guess!).

Linking up with Steph & Jana for Show Us Your Books!

Columbine by Dave Cullen
★★★★/5; Nonfiction, True Crime
Never in my life would I have picked up this book on my own. Frankly, I avoid death and terror when it comes to entertainment- there’s enough in real life. But I don’t regret reading this book for a second. Cullen did his research and unturned every stone to expose the shooters & the kids, teachers, and parents affected & the law enforcement protocol that happened at Columbine before the shooting, during the attack, and years afterward. He also wasn’t too graphic, which I appreciated. Obviously this book can be triggering and he doesn’t shy away from the havoc inflicted by Harris and Klebold, but he does everything (as) tastefully (as possible when talking about children being killed).
Honestly, I  don’t remember Columbine. I have a vivid memory of 9/11 just two and half years later, though. I would’ve been 8 when Columbine happened and I’m guessing my parents worked hard to shield me from it. (My husband, who is older than me, said he remembers.) The only thing I do remember was the circulating question, “If someone put a gun to your head and asked if you believed in God, would you say yes?” Turns out, that story wasn’t entirely correct anyway.
Read it? Yes. It was a difficult read, but it shines a well-researched light on psychopaths and the building blocks of violent disaster.
*I read this for Influenced the Podcast’s book club

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
★★★★/5; Fantasy
I saw this rec on Alexandra’s blog and I am SO glad I did. I devoured this book. I’ve always loved fantasy but it’s been a while since I picked up a book from this genre. Harper, Rhen, and Grey were SO incredibly likable and relatable while still being flawed and complicated. The love story, the good vs evil story, and the pulling ones self up from failure story were all so well done and engaging. I hated the bad guys, loved the good guys, and laughed outloud at the snark. Two things bothered me, thus the four stars. First of all, it almost felt like there was a forced love triangle between three characters. I didn’t see that; I only saw a friendship between two of them. (Highlight that if you want to- not a true spoiler but kind of.) Secondly, the ending (epilogue) was odd. I know it’s a precursor for the next book in the series- which comes out in January, UGH-, but it felt just a little out of character.
Read it? If YA fantasy is your thing, YES.

I’m not doing great with Erin’s Challenge but that’s because I had a bunch of books to finish up before I would let myself begin…

| 5 points| Freebie: Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood
| 10 points | Starts with “F”: Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
| 10 points | With rain(s), thunder, lightning, or monsoon in the title: The Lightening Thiefby Rick Riordan
| 15 points | With a picture of a building: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
| 20 points | The author uses an initial in name: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
| 20 points | An article of clothing/accessory in the title: The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
| 25 points | A book set in India: The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
| 30 points | Has won/been shortlisted for the Booker Prize: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
| 30 points | About a human with superpowers/supernatural powers: Archenemies by Marissa Meyer
| 35 points | Has the same title as a book of a different genre: Soulless by Gail Carriger

I’m reading to launch into these now so we’ll see how many I can get through!

A few weeks ago members of my family that read my blog asked how I pronounce the title of this reoccurring series: “What I Red” or “What I Reed”? I have always said it in my head as “red” but now I’m curious. How do you interpret my title each month? Lol