Okay people, I have to ask this question. Do you know how to pick locks or do you know someone who actually knows how to pick locks? I swear there's always some random character in every book I read who knows how and I've never met someone who can do it. It's kinda bothering me so please share your personal knowledge of lock picking pleaaase

I am a fan of how Bennett gives little bits and pieces of Ana and Din’s past and then ties in those tidbits with the history of the world at large. Each of these books has been a self contained entity. A beginning, a middle, and end. A traditional format for most books but especially for mystery series and yet I would be hard pressed to reccomend to anyone reading these books out of order. You would miss the blooming of the flower which is Bennett’s world building.

So, I was late for an appointment yesterday because I was taking a shower and then my brain started thinking about the book I was reading. Then I started thinking about books like the book I was reading. Daydreaming in the shower ensued and I lost track of time.

I was only a few minutes late but it cracked me up a little that I was late because of a book. I would love to hear your stories of a time a book caused you to rearrange your day or just be late to where you were trying to go.

I've been revisiting some of my old DNFs to see if I do better with them this time around, and it got me thinking. I've heard a lot of discussion about beloved books that are disappointing when you reread them - but I don't remember ever talking about when the opposite happens!

Do you ever give your DNFs another try? (FOMO has definitely made me attempt some books far more times than I should've.) Or was there a book you disliked when you read it for school, but really enjoyed when you read it for yourself later?

Or even just, books you enjoyed, and enjoyed MORE on a reread, when you were more aware of what the author was doing and could appreciate it more?

I had such intense whiplash with Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans - it was a bit of a slog, a three-star read for me the first time around. But the second time I read it I ADORED it, and I still have no idea what was wrong with me for that first read! (Anyone else out there pining for book three?)

Or College of Magics by Caroline Stevermer - that was one I DNFed, a few times actually! And then someone talking about it made me pick it up again earlier this year, and I INHALED it!

Which has me wondering if I should make it a rule to revisit my DNFs regularly, just in case something's shifted and a book I couldn't stand before has become a potential new fave. It's happened a few times now!