Discuss my February Reads + Reading Journal Set Up! Fantasy Edition⚔️🌿

[@haliedarby]

The Winternight Trilogy were my first five star reads this year back in January 🩵 I was just so enchanted with Katherine Arden’s writing! I definitely picked up her new release right away and can’t wait to start it. 😊

[@anabruns]

Her writing is sooo good, enchanting is the perfect word!! I just learned about the premise of her new release and it’s sounds so intriguing so I’m adding it to my TBR as well!🥰

[@corylcreates]

Ahh, I've been so occupied the last few months, and now I get to sit down and catch up on your videos. 😊 My reading comes in waves too, both with how much I read and the preferred genre. I love fantasy!

[@anabruns]

Ooh yay!!! Hope you like the most recent vids☺️ yeah I’m honestly still riding the romantasy wave… I’ve binged Caraval, The Cruel Prince, and most recently ACOTAR this summer! Just now catching up all on these popular series that everyone talks about haha. But I’m about to start Mistborn which I’m beyond excited for! What fantasy books do you like to read?!

[@annettefertitta6868]

Beautiful spreads

[@anabruns]

Thank you! 🤗

[@EyeSeaStudio]

That gold gilded washi tape is d i v i n e ✨ i also love how you use a glass dip pen for writing. I should try that! Currently reading Divine Rivals. I find it alright 🙈 probably not gonna read the next book 🙈

[@anabruns]

Right?! I love that tape🌸✨yes I found divine rivals decidedly mediocre, I’m so relieved to find some other people with similar opinions haha. And yes omg I highly recommend skipping the second book, I wish I hadn’t read it!!

[@charlottemalone7375]

Echoing the sentiment that your channel is relaxing. Love your aesthetic and your creativity. So glad I found your channel. ❤

[@anabruns]

Thank you so much Charlotte!! glad you’re here☺️ I’ve been so happy to find others who enjoy a similar aesthetic to me. And honestly sharing my journals online has inspired a lot of new creativity as I put more intention on my set ups! (It can cause a bit more stress too but I’m working on that haha)

[@bujobyfilo]

As a christian, I love the winternight trilogy bc Vasya sees the folklore and respects religion, and her brother is a monk and respects folklore. They're family, they love and respect each other and like a family, one spiritual belief doesn't exclude or disdain the other. In the 2nd book they fight together for the same cause, for their people, and for the good. So I think it's compatible with any belief the reader might have, which is unique, as much as her beautiful writing! Your tbr is awesome, we definitely have a very similar taste! Dante's inferno is waiting on my shelves and War and peace was a soft dnf for me, I was expecting something more similar to Anna Karenina, but it's not, so I'll try again later. Enjoy your reading!

[@anabruns]

Yes I very much appreciated how Kathryn Arden wrote about multiple beliefs with much respect to all! Love hearing your thoughts on that! It does seem like we have a very similar reading taste☺️☺️ I haven’t read any of Tolstoy but in recent years I’ve really started to enjoy classics (much more than when I was reading them in school haha), so I have positive expectations for it and hopefully won’t be disappointed! What language/translation will you be reading Dante in? I didn’t realize before I went to buy a copy how many translations there were (just to English, Im sure there’s so many more to other languages) and what a big difference the translation makes!

[@bujobyfilo]

@@anabrunsI'll be reading Dante in spanish actually! but for now Dante's daunting 🤣

[@margaretwallach7200]

Love Cocos input ...my kitty always hangs out when I'm working on my journal. ..also your spreads are so lovely , thanx for sharing ❤👍📚

[@anabruns]

Aw thank you🥰 haha and I love that your cats are involved in your journaling as well!! Coco’s favorite trick is walking over and sitting on top of my journal right as I’m picking up my pen😂 but it’s just adorable so I can’t be upset!

[@margaretwallach7200]

Same exact thing happens here, and I don't have the heart to make her move so we just wait till the moment passes❤

[@MeowMyselfandI]

Absolutely beautiful spreads. Definitely adding Dance of Thieves to my TBR after hearing you talk about it, sounds like a really good read ☺

[@anabruns]

Ooh yay!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :) let know what you think when you do read it!

[@pageswithpostelwait9720]

So stunning! Lovely set ups!

[@anabruns]

Thank you so much!!💞

[@ashwinisuryawanshi5556]

Your videos are so relaxing and vibey And also your voice is so soothing ❤❤

[@anabruns]

Thank you so much!☺️

[@ink-stained_realms]

As I did a "reading journal setup" in my latest vlog, the YT algorhythm suggested this video to me and I'm so glad it did! 😍😍😍 Such lovely layout ideas for the book reviews! Thank you so much for sharing, new sub here!! 🧡

[@anabruns]

Ahhhh I love when the algorithm connects the right people!! As a fellow KZbinr I’m sure you can relate😅 so glad you enjoyed and happy to have you here🥰🥰

[@sarahlucas1999]

I really love your journal setups. Rebecca Ross also has another duology starting with A River Enchanted which I enjoyed a lot more than Divine Rivals. Its set in an ancient Scottish inspired fantasy world. I'll have to read the Dance of Thieves duology, I really enjoyed her other series. Happy reading for the rest of March 😊

[@anabruns]

Oooh an ancient Scottish inspired fantasy world is probably one of the few things you could have said to convince me to give Rebecca Ross a second try!! That premise sounds amazing. Yes definitely read dance of thieves and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!! So you’ve read more by that author? I might need to look into her other works then! Happy reading to you too🥰

[@sarahlucas1999]

@@anabruns Yes, her other series starts with The Kiss of Deception and is part of the same world that Dance of Thieves is set in 🙂

[@anabruns]

Oh my gosh ok adding that to my TBR right now!! I need more of that world haha thank you :)

[@ashwinisuryawanshi5556]

Love you Ana ❤❤

[@anabruns]

Aw you’re so sweet ily❤️❤️

[@carlyannesilva]

You’re not alone. I actually DNFed Divine Rivals half way through. Hated it. 😅

[@anabruns]

What a relief! I couldn’t understand how so many people loved it haha

[@maudeveraannepoupart6225]

Hi 😊 i can't find the floral vintage washi tape from amazon?

[@anabruns]

Omg thank you for saying this, I didn't realize I had the wrong link! I just updated the description and here's the link to that set: amzn.to/3Vocg0M. Thanks for pointing this out😊 Looks like they changed up the tapes in the set but the peony tape in still there! And I actually like the new tapes they traded in better! I might have to rebuy it myself to get those😅

[@maudeveraannepoupart6225]

@@anabruns haha TY😍

[@bekahheintz]

I loved Dance of Thieves and Vow of Thieves! They were such good books and they do not get enough hype. I've also read Divine Rivals (haven't gotten to Ruthless Vows yet) and it also fell super short for me. I felt like with a few tweaks, it would have been a great historical fiction romance set in WWI instead of a fantasy. The fantasy part was kind of unnecessary to me. I haven't read the Heather Morris book you DNF'd, but I have read the Tatooist of Auschwitz and Cilka's Journey and I loved them both. Very sobering stories, but also worth reading, in my opinion!

[@anabruns]

Yes!! So happy to find someone else that feels the same way on these duologies. Dance of Thieves needs more praise! I totally agree that Divine Rivals felt more like a WW1 historical fiction than fantasy, and even though I typically love WW stories that’s not what I’m looking for when I pick up a fantasy.. just a case of mismatched expectations. I actually got both Sisters Under the Rising Sun and Tatooist of Auschwitz for Christmas so I’m still going to try that one! I remember you recommended it to me and I’ve heard good things about it so maybe the Sisters book was just an odd case for the author🤷🏼‍♀️

[@bestdaysmagasine261]

How to resize the covers on Google docs please ? Thank you

[@anabruns]

Yeah you paste in your image and then select “image options” from the top bar. Select “resize” and you can type in the size you want! If you type in the height, google docs will automatically adjust the width to keep the same image proportion and vise versa. If you want to see a clip of me resizing book covers, I show it in my 2024 journal set up! Hope that helps :)

[@HecDan28]

Xoco sent me here

[@anabruns]

So glad! Hope you enjoyed the video :)

[@bujobyfilo]

Btw Katherine Arden just released The warm hands of ghosts, and it's set during WW1, so you might want to check it out!

[@anabruns]

This sounds right up my alley and in Kathryn Arden’s writing?!? Adding to my rolling TBR now!! That you for telling me :)

[@bujobyfilo]

@@anabrunsyou're welcome!! can't wait to see what you think about it. I want to read it too but my tbr is already too long haha

[@maartjedegroot9598]

I’m currently reading Homo Deus. It’s so interesting but I feel you when you say: As a Christian. With The winter witch it wasn’t that apparent for me, but in the book I’m reading now….

[@anabruns]

Oh interesting! But im glad you can relate to the sentiment :) I haven’t heard of Homo Deus, what’s that one about?

[@maartjedegroot9598]

@@anabrunsit’s non fiction. About how the human race wants to become God and how that effects all. He’s using history to explain our future and to make us rethink how we use our sources.

[@anabruns]

Oh that sounds very interesting... I could understand how a topic like that would garner a lot of different opinions and views. But the works that make us think more intentionally about our own values are often so enlightening even if we come away disagreeing with the author!

[@annettefertitta6868]

It’s because you read two books that blew you away before the others that’s happened to me before

[@anabruns]

Yes I definitely think dance of thieves colored my opinion of divine rivals especially since they were the exact same genre - I couldn’t help but compare!

[@ashwinisuryawanshi5556]

Love Coco so much 😘

[@anabruns]

Aw!! Yes she’s such a good journal buddy🥰