AZ Desert Bookworm
Welcome to my magical world of books! There is so much wonder and delight and freedom in the written word. I hope to utilize this site to bring light to all those wonders, bring attention to those amazing authors and literary scholars, aka people who love stories! I also hope to track my own progress as I try to complete my first official draft!
Native American Heritage Month
November is a busy month. We honor our military veterans who have served and those that continue to serve to protect our freedoms. It is also the month where we indulge in an abundance of turkey and pumpkin pie while giving our thanks for the blessings in our lives during the Thanksgiving holiday which also involves watching an excessive amount of football.
However, an equally important aspect of November is that it is Native American Heritage Month. You may not know, but this is one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States, with Cherokee being the largest in population with over 1.5 million people.
Check out these sites for more information: Native News Online and Native American Heritage Month. And if you are like me and always looking for more books to add to your TBR, check out these sites and authors!
Goodreads: Native American Books
Good Housekeeping: 25 Best Books by Native American Authors
Barnes and Noble: Native American Fiction
My Top Book Releases for November 28, 2023
Click on images to learn more!
Explanation of All My Top November 2023 Book Releases
Which books are you most looking forward to?
I'm excited to share my top ten list for November and the reasons why I think these belong on my, and your, TBR list!
Click image to read my picks!
Speaking LITerally Podcast News
ANNOUNCEMENT
We are so excited to share with everyone the line up for the first half of 2024. There are so many fun things planned to continue to enhance and grow our show. Don't worry, we'll always be a little bit of a hot mess. Our notorious tangents, technology issues and long winded, nonsensical explanations will continue!
However, we are excited to be rolling out a new logo in 2024, and we will be hosting some conversations at the Tucson Book Festival in March. Sadly, Liz will still be on the other side of the pond, but our book club buddy, Stephanie will be joining me for a weekend of fun, books and insanity.
Specific drop dates for our episodes are TBD, but you can follow us on Instagram: @speakingliterallypodcast for updates on what is happening and when episodes are dropping. We are still looking for 2 authors to fill interview slots in the second half of 2024. Interested? Send me a DM on Insta! Happy Reading! :)
Newest Reviews
Click For Review
Bookshelf Status: Middle Shelf
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Bookshelf Status: Middle Shelf
Click For Review
Bookshelf Status: TOP SHELF!!!!
Current Reads
Sky of Thorns by Fleur DeVillainy
Stormwaker by Kevin Cox
Winter Spirits by 12 different authors :)
Recently Finished: Reviews Coming Soon
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
The Grand Hotel by Scott Kenemore
Time for Once by Jes Smyth
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
The Troop by Nick Cutter
You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose
Hell Divers by Nicholas Sanbury Smith
Made of Stars by Jenna Voris
Book Tour!!
I'm so lucky to once again be part of several book tours. Being able to support authors in the release of their work is a true honor. I'm excited to spotlight Homecoming Chaos (A Model MD Novel) by DW Brooks. This is book 1 in a new series that blends multiple genres: Romantic suspense, contemporary fiction and African American. The book is now available on Kindle and in paperback. Thank you Bewitching Book Tours for allowing me to be part of the tour.
Book Description:
Jamison Jones Scott has been out of the country and out of contact with most of her family for four years. Distraught, she had left the states previously to join a physicians’ relief organization after canceling her wedding and turning down a cushy job offer.
Now Jamie is back. It’s a homecoming where she is unsure of her family’s reception—especially her mother’s—and she walks into a murder mystery at her family’s business and a big birthday soiree. While trying to navigate her return and learning more about this case, she runs into a tall, handsome detective who is working to solve the mystery and who finds her a sexy challenge even when she interferes.
Can Jamie survive the chaos and protect her family’s business, deal with her family, and handle the dance with the hot detective without managing to get herself killed?
About the Author:
The author lives in Texas with her husband and children. She enjoys trying to stay in shape, sporadically cooking, reading (still), writing, and working on her blog. She is eternally grateful to the woman who donated a kidney to her over 5 years ago and continues to advocate for organ donation as much as she can.
Follow Brooks:
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Find the Book:
Mesa Book Crawl 2023
Downtown Mesa, Arizona, played host to the Mesa Book Crawl in April. This was my first time hearing about the event, let alone attending, but my wonderful husband voluntarily tagged along with me for a fun afternoon of romping in and out of all sorts of cute shops, cafes and boutiques while talking to local authors from all genres all while collecting stamps in my "passport."
It was a great opportunity for all these local businesses to get additional foot traffic while allowing numerous indie authors to get their names out. I added so many books to my TBR list simply from going up to every table and saying, "tell me about your books." My favorite synopsis was for Sonder by Jes Pan. The author said it's about a girl who wants to be a serial killer but doesn't know how to start. She begins dating a woman who accidently killed someone in her past and got away with it. Naturally, Serial-killer-wanna-be feels she has found her teacher, even though the teachers doesn't like it.
I did control myself and walked away with three books (all the books in LL Standage's trilogy). We finished our outing at Haven Burgers, which was also amazing. It matched the beautiful 80 degree weather.
If you have these types of events where you live, I highly encourage you to go. I definitely have a plethora of new authors to reach out to to be future guests on our podcast!
Check This Out!!!
Unburnable Copy of The Handmaid's Tale Auctioned
Proceeds from the auctioned copy will be donated to PEN American which supports 'free expression."
The Youtube Video is a MUST Watch!!!!
About Me
I have always been a reader, but it was during the COVID pandemic and quarantine I took that passion to Social Media.
Through my platforms, I have met some amazing book lovers, started my own podcast with an amazing friend, and have really fell back in love with reading.
Who knew taking photos of books could be so much fun?? Enjoy some of my favorites things about the literary world on this site.
You can find more on Instagram at @azdesert_bookworm and on Goodreads!
Leave a Comment!
I'd love to connect with my fellow book lovers and the book community! Please feel free to leave me a comment about your writing journey, what you are reading and anything bookish!
Thanks for stopping by!!