38 thoughts on “You Choose, I Read – Review of The Bear and the Nightingale”

    1. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
      That is THE SWEETEST THING anyone can say! Thank you Tiff! Your birthday is on my one year anniversary so I’ll have to do something special for you! Plus, it’s your BIRTHDAY! Definitely going to do something for my girl! 😘😘😘😘😘

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      1. It’s no problem it’s true!! Aww your so sweet you don’t have too I just thought it was funny and cute how close we’ve become and you started blogging on my birthday it’s like fate lol!! 😊😊😘😘

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      2. I’m just going to have to go to the U.K. Apparently Jodie really is planning on coming out here for the Con next year…it seems so far away but it’ll creep up on us again…have you ever thought about coming out to the US?

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    1. Thank you! That really means a lot to me.
      Honestly, Suzanne Young, author of The Program series, inspired me to know I can teach and write, since she’s also an English teacher. She and I have talked and it feels good to know that I can teach and write too, because becoming a writer has always been my secret dream. So I hope to do both, and by blogging I feel like I get to work those writing muscles! 😂
      You made me smile so much so thank you again!

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    1. Thank you. 😭
      It is an embarrassing part of my past and I don’t talk about it much but I have overcome it, and if I can, ANYONE can!
      But it means so much.
      It really does. Thank you. I’m so glad I have people like you who I can talk to and who listen. And I don’t have to feel embarrassed. 😘❤️😘❤️

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      1. I honestly feel you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I had a pretty horrible childhood as well. My parents didn’t do drugs, but they were both alcoholics. My father was my best friend despite this, but my mother was abusive even when she wasn’t drunk. I think most of my health problems I have are a result of my childhood trauma and stress. I have really bad migraines but in a perverse sort of way I think they stopped me from becoming an alcoholic. Just a beer or a wine cooler will trigger one. Anyway, what I really want to say is that you possessed the strength to not only turn your life around but go into teaching. And with teens who so many are especially vulnerable. I just think you’re amazing!😗💖

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    2. You have a similar situation and you’re right, the migraines prob did help to keep you away from alcohol. You’d think I would have steered clear after seeing the damage it was doing to my family, but of course I had to know what was so great about this substance that everyone was doing. I was a big book nerd before all of this: I didn’t have many friends but I did well in school and was on the right track. I think I’ve definitely learned a lot from it, but I do wish sometimes that I skipped it and got farther in my life than having it be paused for so long.
      Thank you. I think you’re pretty amazing too: as we are from families or addiction, it means we are very similar and if you ever want to talk, I’m here. It’s nice to know when someone went through something similar and also came out the other end! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. ☺️😚😘

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      1. I know exactly what you mean Stephanie. And I think there’s also a genetic component to addiction. I don’t know as much about my father’s family, but my mother’s family had a lot of alcoholics. Even though my health problems finally proved too much, I was a children’s librarian for 26 years, and it was the best job in the world for me as I was able to share my love of reading with kids and their families.

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    3. Oh, wow, that’s amazing! I had no idea!
      Yes, there’s defintely a genetic component and it’s strange – my father all throughout my childhood didn’t drink or gamble bc he knew he had tendency for addiction in his family…and then he went and used drugs. I know now that my mom was the influence, and it clears up a lot, but when I was a kid I had no idea why they were acting so strange. I tell ppl I’ll write a book bc I remember my mom thinking helicopters were following her and my father claiming my mom broke in and stole all my dolls when he had actually hidden them to make me hate her. It was a messy divorce. But I don’t want to write about it while they’re still alive: they have come a long way and I’m proud of them for it.
      I’m proud of you too, not following in the footsteps of past addiction. I really like that from this I have gotten to know you better. 😊

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    1. The Bear and the Nightingale? It’s amazing. True literature at its finest. Russian folklore mixed with fantasy elements and some historical fiction and it’s a winner. I have the next one and I CANNOT wait to read it. 😍

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    1. Thank you! That means so much to me! 😭
      It’s nice to be free of that lifestyle and I’m doing all the things I missed out on and I’m making up for lost time. I wish Blogging was around when I was younger and same with Twitter: I prob would never have gotten lonely enough to start doing bad things.
      But I’m making the most out of it now! And I want to help others that are going through similar things bc I know how it is. 😊

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    1. Wow! You’ve been blogging for awhile! I had no idea!!
      I hope you love it: it is such a great book and I got a copy of the first book at BookCon in paperback…and then I have the second I need to read ASAP.
      I can’t wait to celebrate your 4 1/2 year mark with you! 🙌🙌🙌

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  8. Wow! Excellent review! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on The Bear and the Nightingale. Same here, the novel has been on my TBR for the longest time but there always seems to be so many other cool new releases that catch my eye and, there we go again, The Bear and the Nightingale gets postponed.
    I’ve been trying to get back into YA lately and that includes all the fantasy, coming-of-age romance, and imaginative thinking that goes along with it.
    I’ve read so many exceptional reviews on the novel and its aspect you discuss on Russian Folklore is definitely enticing! 🙂
    I look forward to reading more posts fro you in the future!
    Happy Reading 🙂

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    1. Thank you! That comment made my day!
      I hope you get a chance to read it because there is a sequel coming called The Girl in the Tower: I cannot wait to read it!
      I look forward to getting to know you and your blog! 😊😘❤️

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