Cozy Canadian Book Nook

The adventures and paper cuts of a cozy Canadian

[mhasliyra]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ioM3_Vl2xGMnDkCQ_skog

[mhasliyra]

Tidesong

No challenge today, just a gift from my lovely boyfriend <3

3 cuddly teddies out of 5

Sophie is a young witch who travels to the coast to attend a magical academy and live with her Cousin and Great Aunt. She struggles with her magic until she makes a mistake and ends up tied to a dragon from the sea, their magic is tied and he becomes unable to transform back into a dragon. Will they figure out how to get untangled?

This book is BEAUTIFUL. The artwork is breathtaking and many pieces in this book gave me major Studio Ghibli vibes. this is a great book for children with its bright colors, cute story, and many conflicts resolved in a forward way and deeply explained to the audience. It was a wonderful read and I just want to share this story with others.

[mhasliyra]

Both can be true

LGBTQ+ Bingo. Genderfluid MC

3.5 cuddly teddies out of 5.

Two kids bound together to save an old sick dog. One is a boy who struggles with showing his emotion and is told how to act and feel by his family and those around him, the other is a genderfluid teen coming to terms with their varying feelings day to day. 

This YA novel is so special, and it is an absolutely perfect read for kids in school to grow understanding of different life views. It explores a concept that kids may not be knowledgeable about and works through the feelings with the character. 

[mhasliyra]

The Thursday Murder Club

Challenge 24. Gifted book

3 Cuddly Teddies out of 5

Four elderly retirees who enjoy discussing old unsolved local mysteries suddenly find themselves in the middle of a murder case of a local contractor. More bodies fall and they search for answers with help from two local police officers.

This was a fun read gifted to me by my lovely coworker, Jaclyn. I don't usually pick up mystery novels but it was so much fun finding just a hint of a clue each couple chapters. The quirky characters and very pronounced guiding to who you THINK is the killer, only to be redirected at the end of each chapter, really kept my interest. In the end I was only half right about who the murderer was. :c Would definitely recommend this read.

[mhasliyra]

The eye of the world

Challenge 13. Two books by the same author Part 1. - Finished 01/28

3.5 / 5 cuddly canuck teddies

First of a series of “The wheel of time” and I have already bought the second to complete the challenge. Amazing fantasy book with a lord of the rings feel to it. Forbidden magic, three boys in danger of being corrupted by a dark lord, strong female magi, and so much thick and engrossing plot. I can only imagine how much better this story will get as it unfurls. It feels so filling and yet also as if the plot has just been started  and the basics told to us. I struggled to put this book down.

[mhasliyra]

Red white and royal Blue

Challenge 31. A book with your favorite colour on the cover. - Finished 01/01

3 / 5 cuddly canuck teddies

This was a fantastic read about the son of a fictional female US president and the real life prince of whales but set as a fictional character. It was odd at first but I soon got into the story of the two men who started as enemies until they are forced to pretend to be friends for the public eye. A romance blooms and it becomes difficult to hide from the strict royal family and the upcoming US presidential reelection. Funny, cute, and romantic. This also crosses of the enemies to lovers on my LGBTQ+ bingo card. :D

[mhasliyra]

Left Behind by Tim Lahaye

Challenge 29. A book with a moon or stars on the cover - Finished 01/04

0.5 / 5 cuddly canuck teddies

I really got into this book and was engulfed in this world where millions of people disappeared off the earth leaving only their clothes behind. Every child was gone, even babies still inside their mothers. The two protagonists had a good two way with one diving into a political side involving corruption and murder and the other diving into the religious aspect believing the rapture had come. This book had me gripped until half way through when the majority of the read became preaching. It seemed to take the mystery and possible sci fi explanation and became entirely about the Christian rapture. This may be a good book for some but it just didn’t peak my interest after this. Disappointed with the direction the book turned but that's simply my opinion.

[mhasliyra]

Reading Bingo

In addition to my reading challenge I will be doing reading bingo to expand my LGBTQ and genre reading. I can use books I've read through my challenge to score on my bingo sheets.

[mhasliyra]

Reading Challenge 2022

Last year I challenged myself to read books without looking at the description or hearing anything about the plot before diving in as a way to broaden my book range, but it failed and by the end of the year I fell into my usual genre or romances and ended the year with only 20 books read.

The error was that I didn't have a ton of money to spend on books so after a few months I had a hard time committing to buy a book I wasn't sure if I would like and found myself drifting towards familiar authors I knew would be a good read for me. So the year of 2022 I bring you my reading challenges!

1. Goodreads winner in 2021

2. Book becoming a movie in 2022

3. Speculative fiction

4. Book with a bird on the cover

5. Published in 2000

6. Book by a local author

7. 2021 best seller

8. Genre you don't usually read

9. Book with a Muslim protagonist

10. Recommended of Booktok

11. Pulitzer prize book

12. Author who shares your initials

13. Two books by the same author

14. Two books by the same author

15. Recommended at a bookstore

16. Spooky book

17. Book you own but haven't read

18. Nonfiction bestseller

19. A book based on real people 

20. A book with less than 2022 goodread rating

21. A character with superhuman abilities

22. A manga or comic book

23. Book you saw someone reading in public

24. A gifted book

25. A book under 250 pages

26. A book over 600 pages

27. From the villain's perspective

28. Book from an author from the same zodiac sign (Scorpio)

29. A book with moon or stars on the cover

30. A book with an insect on the cover

31. Has your favorite colour as the cover

32. A book on a sensitive subject

33. Random book on the great “To be read” list

34. Book by a person of colour author

35. Cover with every colour of the rainbow

36. Book beginning with the last letter of a previous read

HARD MODE

37. Book from the year you were born

38. A memoir

39. A banned book

40. Book with a difficult choice

41. Book originally in a foreign language

42. Book featuring a parallel reality

43. Book with a reflective image or mirror in the title

44. Protagonist who uses a mobility or other aid

45. Book featuring a man made disaster

46. Book with a misleading title