monthly tbr · readathon

Trope-ical Readathon TBR: March 2025


Hello, reader!

March is right around the corner and that means it’s time for another round of the Trope-ical Readathon! This is one of two readathons I participate in every year and, every year, I make a ridiculously ambitious TBR. Will I finish all the books I list here? Absolutely not. (Are you kidding, there are 16 total prompts and I read, like, six books in a good month…) Will I give it a good try? You bet!

Before I tell you what I’m planning on reading this round, why don’t I tell you more about the actual readathon. The Trope-ical Readathon is a month-long, team-based readathon created and run by Jenny @ JenJenReviews and their partner, @BookRob. It centers around reading books that feature specific โ€œtropesโ€. Think stuff like โ€œfound familyโ€ and the ever contested โ€œlove triangleโ€. There are thirteen general prompts geared towards thirteen different tropes, so thereโ€™s bound to be at least a couple you love! For all the info and to join a team, just check out the Trope-ical Readathon website.

All that said, let me share all the prompts and what I’m hoping to read for each one!


Team Fantasy Challenges


Team Book (Old)

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

I’ve owned this book for what feels like ages. I received it in an Illumicrate box and my copy is beautiful, but I’ve just never picked it up. Now seems the perfect time to fulfill a prompt and reduce my owned TBR. This romantasy is inspired by Persian mythology and sounds like it could be a fun ride. A long-lost heir, a crown prince, and a forbidden romance? Give it to me, please!


Team Challenge #1:
“There Be Dragons” Trope

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

This book has been on so many TBRs that it’s kind of embarrassing. Perhaps sticking on yet another one will get me to finally read it. It follows a scientist who studies, you guessed it, dragons! This is her backstory and it sounds like something that I will adore once I pick it up. Wish me luck, y’all, because the track record is not great, haha.


Team Challenge #2:
“The Woods” Trope

In the Woods by Tana French

My best friend suggested this thriller series to me ages ago, so I went out and bought the first book. Imagine how shocked she’ll be now when I finally read it, haha. This is the first novel in the Dublin Murder Squad, which does sound like something I would love. It follows a detective who survived a horrific experience in the woods and, years later, comes across a case that feels like a copycat. I think this is gonna pull me in!

Continue reading “Trope-ical Readathon TBR: March 2025”
monthly tbr · readathon

Trope-ical Readathon TBR: August 2024


Hello, reader!

It’s time for another round of the Trope-ical Readathon! I noticed that I never did a TBR on the blog for the last round, which was in March. That’s because the last round is what helped me dig myself out of a reading slump that I’m still kind of battling. My reading has ben sloooow this year, but readathons are always a great way to find my motivation. Hopefully, this go around will help me kick my slump all together!

Before I tell you what I’m planning on reading this round, why don’t I tell you more about the actual readathon. The Trope-ical Readathon is a month-long, team-based readathon created and run by Jenny @ JenJenReviews and her partner, @BookRob. It centers around reading books that feature specific โ€œtropesโ€. Think stuff like โ€œfound familyโ€ and the ever contested โ€œlove triangleโ€. There are thirteen general prompts geared towards thirteen different tropes, so thereโ€™s bound to be at least a couple you love! For all the info and to join a team, just check out the Trope-ical Readathon website.

All that said, let me share all the prompts and what I’m hoping to read for each one!


Team Fantasy Challenges


Team Book (New)

Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

This African loose retelling of the legend of Persephone sounds like something I would absolutely love! It promises high stakes, political intrigue, and a woman claiming her power. Also, I’m in awe of the cover. It’s absolutely stunning! This book is a recent release but I’ve already heard amazing things about it. I can’t wait to give it a read in August.


Team Challenge #1: “Talking Animal” Trope

Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend

I’ve been meaning to continue my read of the Nevermoor series and, yet, I still haven’t picked up the second book. It’s been lost of the shuffle of all the new books I buy or check out from the library, heh. But this challenge gives me the perfect excuse to get back into the series! I’m excited to go back to the Wonderous Society and see how our girl Morrigan is getting on.


Team Challenge #2: “Unlikely Allies” Trope

Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

I’ve wanted to read this book since I picked it up from Book of the Month Club. It features deadly people thrown together to complete a job who are, more than likely, ready to turn on each other in a heartbeat. If that’s not the definition of “unlikely allies”, I don’t know what is! I’m excited to see how they work together and what the end results will be. I’m guessing murder.

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readathon

Trope-ical Readathon TBR: August 2023


Hello, reader!

It’s time for another round of the Trope-ical Readathon! I have been in a very weird reading mood lately. Like a partial slump, I suppose? I’ve still been enjoying the books I’m reading except for a couple that are making me want to not read anything at all ๐Ÿ˜‚ I finished one of them, so my reading mood is improving, and I’m powering through the last one today. Hopefully that means I’ll go into August feeling ready to tackle this TBR!

Before I tell you what I’m planning on reading this round, why don’t I tell you more about the actual readathon. The Trope-ical Readathon is a month-long, team-based readathon created and run by Jenny @ JenJenReviews and her partner, @BookRob. It centers around reading books that feature specific โ€œtropesโ€. Think stuff like โ€œfound familyโ€ and the ever contested โ€œlove triangleโ€. There are thirteen general prompts geared towards thirteen different tropes, so thereโ€™s bound to be at least a couple you love! For all the info and to join a team, just check out the Trope-ical Readathon website.

All that said, let me share all the prompts and what I’m hoping to read for each one!


Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller Challenges


Team Book (Old)

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

I’ve wanted to read this book for so long, so it made choosing my team this round pretty easy. Not that you can’t read all of the team books, but I’m a slow reader, y’all. This book promises a creepy house, which is my favorite when it comes to horror stories. It also promises a bit of social commentary which is another thing that I love in a horror book. Add in that this cover is giving everything and I cannot wait to read it! Here’s hoping I love it as much as I think I will.


Team Challenge #1: “Isolated Setting” Trope

The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone

I’m also trying to catch up some Netgalley ARCs in August and this is one of the ones I’m most excited to read. I loved Mirrorland, another book by this author, so I was excited when I received the ARC for The Blackhouse. And then I just never picked it up, heh. I’m easily distracted, y’all. This is set on an isolated Scottish island and the title might suggest that I’m getting another creepy house in the mix. Here’s hoping!


Team Challenge #2: “Cult” Trope

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

This challenge was the hardest to pick a book to read! I, apparently, don’t have a lot of “cult” books on my TBR. Poking through Goodreads, I finally stumbled across this thriller. I’ve never read anything by Ashley Winstead, but I have heard good things. It focuses on a woman who is determined to destroy a powerful cult and I’m sure it’s going to be filled with tons of twists and turns. Not gonna lie, the cover kind of drew me in, as well.

Continue reading “Trope-ical Readathon TBR: August 2023”
monthly tbr · readathon

Trope-ical Readathon TBR: March 2023

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another round of the Trope-ical Readathon! I’ve been participating in this readathon for the last couple of years and it’s one of my favorites. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the only readathons I make a point to do every year! It’s a lot of fun and I always have my best reading months when I join in.

Before I tell you what I’m planning on reading this round, why don’t I tell you more about the actual readathon. The Trope-ical Readathon is a month-long, team-based readathon created and run byย Jenny @ JenJenReviewsย and her partner,ย @BookRob. It centers around reading books that feature specific โ€œtropesโ€. Think stuff like โ€œfound familyโ€ and the ever contested โ€œlove triangleโ€. There are thirteen general prompts geared towards thirteen different tropes, so thereโ€™s bound to be at least a couple you love!

There are also team-based challenges for each of the individual teams. You can click here to learn more about the teams and their challenges, but I’m going to focus on the team I picked for this round. I’m usually a Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller woman, but this March, I’ve decided to make a pivot. I’m joining up with Team Fantasy and it feels like coming home, haha.

All that said, let me share all the prompts and what I’m hoping to read for each one!


Team Fantasy Challenges


Team Book (New)

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

I’m not gonna lie. This book is what cinched my team choice this year. I’m not a fast reader, so I always try to pick the team with a team book I’m interested in. I know you can read any and all of the team books, but that’s never gonna happen with me when there are already so many other prompts! After reading (and loving!) The Gilded Wolves, I’ve been wanting to pick up something else from this author. I’m excited to give it a read!


Team Challenge #1: Gods/Mythology Trope

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

I was having a tough time coming up with a book for this prompt. Not that I don’t have a ton of books that would work for mythology (I have so many retellings, y’all), but none of them were piquing my interest. Then I remembered that I had recently received this book in an Illuimcrate box! It was kismet. I figured a book about a woman that kills gods for a living has to work, haha. Also it’s kind of gorgeous and I kind of can’t wait to read it.


Team Challenge #2: Gaslamp Fantasy

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

This was a tough prompt for which to find a book because I wasn’t 100% what counts as ‘gaslamp’. So I searched the genre on Goodreads and picked the first book I found listed that I owned ๐Ÿ˜‚ Well… not the first book. That was Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell and there was no way I was reading that chonky boi this month. Besides, I’ve been wanting to give this book a read for a long time. It sounds like it would be right up my alley!

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readathon

Trope-ical Readathon TBR: August 2022


Hello, reader!

It’s time for another round of one of my favorite readathons: the Trope-ical Readathon! This readathon is one of the only times I ever make a monthly TBR, haha. My mood-reader brain takes forever to try an build one that I a) won’t get bored with halfway through the month and b) is actually do-able. We’ll see next month whether or not I have achieved this goal.

What is theย Trope-ical Readathon, you ask? Well, itโ€™s a month-long, team-based readathon created and run byย Jenny @ JenJenReviewsย and her partner,ย @BookRob, that centers around reading books that feature specific โ€œtropesโ€. Think stuff like โ€œfound familyโ€ and the ever contested โ€œlove triangleโ€. There are thirteen general prompts geared towards thirteen different tropes, so thereโ€™s bound to be at least a couple you love!

As for my team this round, after turning traitor in the March round, I’ve decided to go back to my one, true team: Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller! As a fantasy lover, it never makes sense to me that I gravitate to this team, but here we are ๐Ÿ˜‚

Iโ€™m sure you might have more questions about this awesome readathon as Iโ€™m crap at explaining things, so if you want all the relevant information straight from the source, head over to the Trope-ical Readathon Information page.

For now, though, let me share with you what books Iโ€™ve picked to read this round!


Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller Challenges


Team Book (Old)

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

This is a book that has floated around my TBR for quite some time. A dark, mermaid tale? Sounds intriguing, but not entirely up my alley. When I saw it was the older team book for this round, though, I figured it was time to give it a go! I know I love Seanan McGuire’s (Mira Grant is a pseudonym) writing, so I’m hoping that I enjoy this one.


Team Challenge #1: Mysterious Invite

All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban

I couldn’t think of any books on my TBR that included this trope, so thank goodness for the recommendations page for the readathon! I recently finished a different thriller by this author and had a good time with it. The main character did kind of make me want to strangle her, but still a good read. Here’s hoping I like this one just as much or more!


Team Challenge #2: Undead

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

Once again, the recommendations page comes through! I don’t tend to read a lot of books featuring the undead. It’s not where I lean when it comes to horror. But I’ve been eager to read a book by Octavia E. Butler and this seems like the perfect time! I know next to nothing about this book, so fingers crossed that I have a good time with it. Then I’ll be even more hyped to read more from this author!

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readathon

Trope-ical Readathon TBR: March 2022

Hello, reader!

February is over and March has begun. We all know what that means, right? Of course we do! It’s time for another round of the Trope-ical Readathon! This super fun readathon happens once or twice in the year and is usually the only time I actually bother with a TBR, haha.

What is the Trope-ical Readathon, you ask? Well, it’s a month-long readathon created and run by Jenny @ JenJenReviews and her partner, @BookRob, that centers around reading books that feature specific “tropes”. Think stuff like “found family” and the ever contested “love triangle”. There are thirteen general prompts geared towards thirteen different tropes, so there’s bound to be at least a couple you love!

It’s also a team based challenge, so all the points you gain from reading during March go towards whatever team you choose. There are quite a few teams, so you are spoiled for choice! After many rounds on Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller, I have stabbed them in the back and abandoned them for my one true love… Team Fantasy! Each team also has two challenges and a choice to read an “old” or “new” team book.

I’m sure you might have more questions about this awesome readathon as I’m crap at explaining things, so if you want all the relevant information straight from the source, head over to the Trope-ical Readathon Information page.

For now, though, let me share with you what books I’ve picked to read this round!


Team Fantasy Challenges

Team Book (New)

The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman

I received this book in an OwlCrate box and have been wanting to pick it up ever since! First of all, the cover is stunning. Second of all, it sounds absolutely incredible. This book may have been the reason I switched sides, ngl. Of course, you can read any of the team books, but I’m a slow reader… I know I’m only gonna get to one and that had better be my team book.


Team Challenge #1: The Woods

The Shadows by Alex North

I had no idea what I was going to do for this challenge at first. I’m trying to stick with mostly books I own to help #BeatTheBacklog, but I couldn’t think of anything that heavily featured the woods or a forest! That’s where the handy Recommendations page helped out. This book was mentioned and it’s definitely on my owned TBR. Win-win!


Team Challenge #2: Quest

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

That’s right, y’all, I’m going to finally read The Fifth Season! I always try to focus on my team challenges during this readathon, so this book is definitely getting read. I’m so excited to finally be picking it! And it definitely involves a quest as our main character is in search of her kidnapped daughter. I might have to start with this one first!

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wrap up

August 2021 Wrap Up

Hello, reader!

Guess who just had her best reading month (both in quantity and quality) in August?? Yup! This girl! Not only did I read a whopping 16 books (!!), but I read not one, not two, but four 5 star reads! Let’s take a moment to appreciate this because it won’t be happening again ๐Ÿ˜‚ I have to give props to the Trope-ical Readathon and my competitive nature for bumping them numbers, lol. Though I didn’t finish all the books on my TBR, I read more prompts than I ever have before! After a kind of lackluster July, I’m happy that August really brought its A game. I read so many incredible books (and a couple of duds…) and found a couple of new favorites.

But enough chit-chat, let’s get to what I read in August!


Books Read


Click on the covers to be taken to the bookโ€™s Goodreads page

Book:ย The Furthest Stationย by Ben Aaronovitch

Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…

Thoughts: The Rivers of London readalong continues and, this time, I went with an audiobook! Which, I have to say, I really loved. The narrator was top-notch! This is a novella that I quite enjoyed, especially since we get to see a lot of Abigail. She’s quickly becoming one of my favorite characters in this series.


Book:ย The Princess Brideย by William Goldman

Rating:ย โ˜…โ˜…

Thoughts: This one hurt, I have to say. This was one of my favorite books when I was younger. The adventure! The love story! I remember falling for this book so hard. And then I re-read it with TWR book club and yiiiiikes. The fatphobia! The sexism! It was just… not it. Nostalgia is the main reason this got a two star instead of a one. I think I’ll just stick with the movie ๐Ÿ˜…


Book:ย The Empress of Salt and Fortuneย by Nghi Vo

Rating:ย โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…

Thoughts: And then came my first five star read of the month! My goodness, this book was incredible! This is the first book in the Singing Hills Cycle and it completely captured my imagination. Nghi Vo has beautiful writing that pulls you into the story in the best way. I loved the cleric and their talking bird and I loved hearing Rabbit’s story. This book made me want to read everything Nghi Vo ever writes!

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday #18

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?  If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but donโ€™t give anything else about the book away just yet โ€“ you need to hook the reader first
  • Finallyโ€ฆ reveal the book!

If youโ€™re using Twitter, donโ€™t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!


Hello, reader!

Welcome to another First Lines Friday post. Today, I’m featuring a book that has been on my TBR for quite some time. I’ve been promised a book that is feel-good and has a lot of heart and I’m eager to get to it! It also happens to be on my Trope-ical Readathon TBR because it features one of my favorite tropes.

But, before I completely give it away, let’s get to the first few lines and see if they will capture our imaginations.


The Line(s):

“Oh dear,” Linus Baker said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “This is most unusual.”
That was an understatement. He watched in rapt wonder as an eleven-year-old girl named Daisy levitated blocks of wood high above her head. The blocks spun in slow, concentric circles. Daisy frowned in concentration, the tip of her tongue stuck out between her teeth. It went on for a good minute before the blocks slowly lowered to the floor. Her level of control was astounding.


The Hints:

This is an adult fiction that is probably one of the most hyped books on my TBR.

It features the found family trope, which is one of my faves!

And I’ve been told there’s a M/M romance that will hit you right in the feels.


The Reveal:

Continue reading “First Lines Friday #18”
readathon

Trope-ical Readathon TBR: Round Five

Hello, reader!

As you’ve probably noticed, I’m not usually one to do a monthly TBR. One of the few exceptions to this rule is when I’m participating in a month-long readathon. And one of my favorite readathons happens to be having a round in August! That’s why today’s post is going to be all about my Trope-ical Readathon TBR!

So what is this readathon all about? As I’m sure you can probably guess from the name, it’s where you read books that feature certain tropes. Ya know, like “The Chosen One” or, one of my faves, “found family”. This is a competitive readathon, so the books you read count for a certain amount of points and there are different teams representing a variety of genres. I’m bad at describing the rules, so you can read all about them here!

I had a tough time choosing my team this round because I always tell myself I should rep my fave genre (Team Fantasy!), but I’ve been on the same team the last two times I participated in the Trope-ical Readathon (Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller!). I do love my fantasy, but, once again, I went with the spooky team, lol. Now, there are different challenges for each individual team as well as a group of general challenges for all to enjoy. As I’m not 100% sure I can get through over ten books in one month, I’ve chosen to focus on the team challenges and sprinkle in a couple of books for the general challenges. I have picked a book for each challenge, but we all know I’m not getting to all of them ๐Ÿ˜‚

Alright, now it’s time to show what I’m actually planning to read!


Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller Challenges

As I mentioned, I’m mainly focusing on the challenges for my team. Here are the three books I’ll be reading to accomplish them!

Team Book

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

I can’t express how much I’m excited to read this book! As soon as I saw it as one of the team book choices for Team M/H/T, I knew I was going to be participating this round, lol. I’ve heard nothing but great things about this book and I’ve been craving some more horror in my life. I’ve also not really delved into YA horror, so I’m eager to give this one a go!

“Is It Supernatural?”

Wicked Little Deeds by Kat Ellis

This challenge is focusing on the trope of the characters (and the readers) not knowing if whatever is causing spooky happenings is an actual supernatural baddie or just a Scooby Doo villain. I’m not 100% sure this book counts, but the synopsis does say that our main character starts to wonder if “the local legends are true”, so I think that counts! I’m reading this book for a The Write Reads blog tour and I can’t wait!

“Locked Room Mystery”

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

I’ve been wanting to read something by Lucy Foley for a long time, so I thought this was the perfect time! I suppose this is less of a “locked room” and more of a “stuck on island” mystery, but it counts. The premise makes me think of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, which is my favorite Christie, so I’m hoping to love it. And, if I do, I have a new mystery author to explore!

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readathon

Trope-ical Readathon 2021 TBR

Hello, reader!

If you’ve been around the blog for any amount of time, you know I’m not one for monthly TBRs. I’m a mood reader (when I haven’t overbooked myself on blog tours ๐Ÿ˜…) and rarely stick to a reading plan throughout the month. The exception to this rule is when I’m participating in a readathon, which is brings us to the reason for this post. Today, I’ll be sharing my TBR for the Trope-ical Readathon! I participated in this last year and had such a great time! This will be occurring throughout the month of March and I’m so excited to participate again ๐Ÿ’–

The Trope-ical Readathon was created by the awesome Jenny @ JenJenReviews and her partner, Rob. It’s focused around reading books that fit into certain bookish tropes. This is also a team-based challenge, where you chose a side and earn points to try and bring your team out on top! The five teams you can chose from are:

  • Team Romance
  • Team Science Fiction/Fantasy
  • Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller (the best team *coughcough*)
  • Team Contemporary/Literary/Historical Fiction
  • Team Non-Fiction/Poetry

Each team has a team book and team challenges and there are general challenges, as well. For all the relevant information, check out the Trope-ical Readathon info page!


The Challenges:

As mentioned above, there are five teams that you can chose to join when you register. I have stuck with my choice from last time and will be reading for Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller. The team books and challenges for the winning team *wink* are:

Note: All the challenge images were created by Jenny @ JenJenReviews.

Team Challenge 1: Read a book with the โ€œHaunted Houseโ€ trope
Team Challenge 2: Read a book with the โ€œWhodunitโ€ trope
New Team Book:ย The Obsessionย by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Old Team Book:ย Mongrelsย by Stephen Graham Jones

To add to the individual team challenges, there are also 13 general challenges that you can read for extra points. The common challenges are:

  • Absent/Dead Parent(s) Trope:ย Read a book where the MCโ€™s parents are either absent throughout the book or have passed away prior to the start of the book.ย Alternatively, read a book that has more than one โ€œparentโ€ (i.e. multiple authors).
  • War Setting Trope:ย Read a book centered around the theme of war. This works for real wars (like WWII) or for other types of wars (like ones you find in fantasy).ย Alternatively, read a book that you can use as a weapon. I.e. a book that is over 500 pages.
  • Small Town Trope:ย Read a book that takes place in a small town.ย Alternatively, read a book with a small (i.e. one-word) title.
  • Coming-of-Age Trope:ย Read a book where the protagonist goes through a process of self-discovery.ย Alternatively, (re)read a book that shaped who you are as a person/reader.
  • Dystopia Trope: Read a book that takes place in a dystopia.ย Alternatively, read a book that someone else has chosen for you.
  • Blast from the Past Trope:ย Read a book where the MC encounters someone from their past.ย Alternatively, read a book written before the year 2000.
  • Mixed Media Trope:ย Read a book that includes letters, texts, emails, etc.ย Alternatively, listen to an audiobook.
  • Artificial Intelligence Trope: Read a book that features an AI.ย Alternatively, read an ebook.
  • Boarding School Trope:ย Read a book that takes place in a boarding school.ย Alternatively, read a buddy-read with your friend(s).
  • Enemies to Lovers/Enemies to Friends Trope:ย Read a book that involves enemies learning to love/like each other. This includes hate-to-love/like as well.ย Alternatively, read a book that you previously DNFed.
  • Multiple POVs Trope:ย Read a book told through multiple points-of-view.ย Alternatively, read a book with multiple characters of color.
  • The New Kid in Town Trope:ย Read a book where the MC(s) have just moved to a new place.ย Alternatively, read a genre you donโ€™t usually read.
  • Retelling Trope:ย Read a book that is a retelling.ย Alternatively, read a book that has been adapted to a TV show and/or film.
Continue reading “Trope-ical Readathon 2021 TBR”