The Romance Bookie

 Happy Holidays! Wow, it's been a long time! Way too long!   As always life has been all-time consuming.  I have been focusing on The Romance Bookie's Instagram page more, since that is where blogging has led, more so than written blogs now-a-days.  But honestly, I miss my platform here.  I highly doubt people are reading these anymore, but I thought it would be nice to give an update. Did I read in 2022? Yes. Yes, I did.  In fact, I surpassed my reading goals.  I went into 2022 hoping to read at least 50 books, then moved it up to 75 mid-year, and now I'm super close to hitting that 100 mark.  I've got a week left, and I'm hopeful I can do it.  I haven't read 100 books in a year in a long time.  Probably before I met my husband 😅.  Now, here I am almost ten years into my relationship, we have a two-year-old wild child, and I have read almost a 100 books.   2022 was a year of focusing on myself, for the first time in a long ti...

 I don't even know why I'm writing this post to be honest.  I think it is more to do with the fact that The Romance Bookie has been there for me, no matter what.  Which is weird, because it's a blog.  But it's my escape.  I don't do a lot of interacting anymore.  I've lost pretty much all of my contacts, which in one sense I am okay with, because when I slowed down The Romance Bookie, it had gotten to the point where it was almost a chore to keep it up.  I didn't want that anymore.   I started The Romance Bookie to have a place to talk about books.  No one in my life was interested in hearing me blab anymore about what I was reading that day, and I was feeling lonely, and found the perfect thing.   I've been having a bit of a hard time.  It's taking a toll on me.  Ever since I lost my dad, my life has been a bit darker.  A lot of joy was taken from my life when he passed away very unexpectedly.  One of those joys, was...

 Hey Everyone! So I have news!! The Romance Bookie is on Instagram! I'm still trying to figure out this new book world.  I'm so behind on so much, but I miss it so very much, and really need something to lift my spirits sometimes.  I'm hoping getting back into it, will help. You can find me under the handle @the_romance_bookie .  What does this mean for The Romance Bookie blog? Not all too much!  I still plan on writing reviews here when I read a book.   I'm actually hoping that having this new platform will get me motivated to read more again.  There are so many books I have missed over these last few years, and new ones coming out of course.   I'm in the process of sorting my books.  I have boxes and boxes of unread books that I've been collecting for so long.  My taste has changed a bit since I started The Romance Bookie over a decade ago, so I'm taking this time to kind of start over my to-be-read pile.  I'll be sorting out quit...

Hey Everyone! Another two months have passed since my last review :(, but I promise I have my review for Meg Cabot's latest novel  No Judgements  scheduled for September 20th! I have been pretty busy these last couple of months.  I got laid off a few months ago from my job, which was very difficult, not just financially but also emotionally, because I had been running that after school day care for three years, and knew most of the kids for years before that (because of my previous job at the same school).  I had grown attached, and it was very sad to leave my last day of work.   I miss them. Luckily, I live in a small town, so I do get to see some of them once in a while though. Anyway, I am currently working with my husband and his company; which has been an interesting experience.  I am definitely still learning the ropes, but I have been extremely lucky in that while we are super busy, I can have time off when I need it. So does that mean, I h...

Hey Everyone! Notice anything new?  After over eight years of the same design, The Romance Bookie has gotten a makeover! I figured it was time for a change. 2010 to Summer 2018 I started The Romance Bookie in December 2010, and she quickly became my baby.  I put A LOT of work into her. Over THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY REVIEWS have gone up on her!  380!!!  That numbers just seems so crazy to me!!! When I started The Romance Bookie I was a shy freshmen in community college who was really trying to find her way in the world.  I started her before I met my husband!  In June we will be celebrating six years together; which means that my "baby" was already over three years old when we met.  He is the majority of the reason why I started neglecting her a bit, because meeting the love of your life can do that for you :). We have been married now two and a half years, have an adorable twenty pound King Charles Spaniel mix we rescued the day before we...

Hey Everyone! I know it's already past mid-January (JEEZ, I have a feeling this year is going to fly just as fast as last year!), but it's time to announce my and Erin's 2016 Challenges, that we will be participating in this year! The Romance Bookie's 2016 Challenges: Goodreads Challenge: The Goodreads Challenge is to determine how many books you want to read total this year.  I have decided to REALLY low ball it this year, because my "low-ball" of 30 books last year, turned into me reading like 13...so yes I failed, but also keep in mind I am 24 years old, going to university level classes (full-load), and had two jobs.  Plus, honestly, my mind wasn't so much into reading last year.  So this year, and don't freak out please people...the goal, for NOW, is to read... 10 books. I know, I know, that's pathetic.  But if I read more, which I do hope I do, I will raise this goal.  But for now, 10 books feels right. POP SUGAR Reading Challe...

Hello Everyone, It really saddens me to do this, but I have made the extremely tough decision on putting The Romance Bookie on Hiatus for a bit. There is too much going on in my life, and I've putting this on hold for way too long at this point.  I have been very busy, and with school, work, and family I just can't handle everything anymore. Yesterday, my family was told some very sad news.  One of our German Shepherds, named BJ, died while he was getting surgery to remove tumors in his spleen.  It turned out the cancer was far more advanced than they had thought, and he passed away while they were operating.  I, along with my family, is absolutely devastated.  Our dogs (we have three German Shepherds) mean the world to us.  They are part of the family, and losing one is like losing a piece of ourselves. He was only eight years old, which even for a big dog like a German Shepherd is not old.  It is by no means, young, but also not old.  So...

Hey Everyone!!!! WOW, I honestly can't believe it has been another year!  The time sure is flying when you're having fun! While, this year has been extremely slow, it has still been an amazing year! FOUR YEARS GUYS!!! FOUR!! On this day in 2010, I was going through all the layout settings, and designing The Romance Bookie.  It looked so different back then, with a simple sea-foam green background, and the words "The Romance Bookie" written over the top in purple; it's definitely come a long way! I know this year has not been as huge of a year for The Romance Bookie as the previous three; however, none the less it's been a huge year for me!  I'm growing more and more as a person, learning more and more, and enjoying life more and more, mostly thanks to a very special someone in my life. I'm one semester away from transferring to University from City College, which after six years you may be saying "About time!".  Which is very true...

Hey Everyone! So I've been trying to find the time to write this post for a while now, but I've just been so extremely busy these past few months! Anyway, now it's time for me to explain! As some of you Romance Bookie readers may have noticed, I haven't been around as much as I used to be.  There are a few reasons for that, some a bit too personal for me to share here, and some just very basic explanations.  The most basic one I can honestly think of, that is 100% true is...I've been SOOOOOO BUSY!! My summer was incredible!  It was truly a very memorable one.  I did a lot.  Spent a lot of time with friends and people who are very special in my life.  I got my drivers license at the beginning of the summer, so was able to experience some great things, like driving!  And I worked! Now that summer is over, however, things don't look they will be changing anytime soon.  In fact, they look like they are only going to get crazier!  I sta...

There are thousands of talented writers out there, heck probably millions.  Not all of them choose to put there work out there, while others make their way into the publishing world. Some succeed, some don't. To get your book published, I have heard, is EXTREMELY hard work!  JK Rowling...who some of you may have heard of...she's only the author of one of the MOST FAMOUS CHILDREN'S SERIES of ALL TIME, if not THE MOST!! was rejected a DOZEN times before landing a publisher! And according to this article, the only reason why Bloomsbury accepted Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is because the CEO's "eight year old daughter" begged her dad to publish it! Judy Blume, who wrote MANY famous novels that millions of young girls grew up with, received nothing  but rejections for over two years! MEG CABOT, my hero! My absolute favorite author received over 17 REJECTIONS, before getting The Princess Diaries in print! The Twilight Saga by Stepheni...