So the beginning of this month was pretty rough reading wise because I had AP exams and school was ending. But as soon as school ended, boy I was on a roll. So onward to the wrap up!
Total Books Read: 16 (DNFed: 4)
Books for School: 1
Books for Review: 7
Books for Pleasure: 8
Books for School:
In the Penal Colony ★★★★
Books for Review:
Family Pets Volume 1 (DNFed)
Aftermath ★★
Modern Monsters ★★★1/4 |Review|
The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek ★★★1/2 |Review|
Those Girls (DNFed)
Naked ★★★★★ (Review to come closer to release date)
Everything, Everything ★★★★ (Review to come closer to release date)
Books for Pleasure:
Anna Dressed in Blood (DNFed)
Finding Mr. Brightside ★★★1/2 |Review|
Winter Town ★★★
Getting In (DNFed)
End of Days ★★★★1/2 |Review|
P.S. I Still Love You ★★★3/4 |Review|
A Court of Thorns and Roses ★★★★★ |Review|
Confess ★★★★3/4 (Review to come)
Overall I am very satisfied with my reading this month. I definitely knocked out a huge chunk of my TBR shelf. My favorite book this month was hands down "A Court of Thorns and Roses" though "Naked" is a close second. My least favorite was "Those Girls".
How did you guys do this month? What were your favorite and least favorite books?
Total Books Read: 16 (DNFed: 4)
Books for School: 1
Books for Review: 7
Books for Pleasure: 8
Books for School:
In the Penal Colony ★★★★
Books for Review:
Family Pets Volume 1 (DNFed)
Aftermath ★★
Modern Monsters ★★★1/4 |Review|
The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek ★★★1/2 |Review|
Those Girls (DNFed)
Naked ★★★★★ (Review to come closer to release date)
Everything, Everything ★★★★ (Review to come closer to release date)
Books for Pleasure:
Anna Dressed in Blood (DNFed)
Finding Mr. Brightside ★★★1/2 |Review|
Winter Town ★★★
Getting In (DNFed)
End of Days ★★★★1/2 |Review|
P.S. I Still Love You ★★★3/4 |Review|
A Court of Thorns and Roses ★★★★★ |Review|
Confess ★★★★3/4 (Review to come)
Overall I am very satisfied with my reading this month. I definitely knocked out a huge chunk of my TBR shelf. My favorite book this month was hands down "A Court of Thorns and Roses" though "Naked" is a close second. My least favorite was "Those Girls".
How did you guys do this month? What were your favorite and least favorite books?
On my Booktube channel I made a tag video and I decided to post it here. Enjoy! :)
Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J Maas
Format: Ebook
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children
My Rating: ★★★★★
Synopsis:When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!
I loved this book so much. So so much. This was my first Sarah J Maas book and I loved it! I thought the writing, world building, and character development were phenomenal. I went into the story with high expectations and those expectations were met.
I find it so amazing how great of a job she was able to do with the world building and character development. The world seemed so real and so much detail was put into this fantasy land. And the characters, good god the characters. I felt so attached to them. When Fayre was excited, I felt excited, when she was in pain, I was in pain.
And the romance. God I have never been so into shipping before. Fayre and Tamlin are a pretty amazing ship, though I will admit I felt like a lot of their romance was built up sexual tension and physical. However they did have that emotional connection too which made it all the better.
I have a confession to make which most people will probably object to: I liked Rhysand. know, I know I sound like a crazy person, but he reminded me of Damon from The Vampire Diaries, who I have a deep obsession with. Rhysand is a bad(ish) guy with good intentions. He wasn't that bad of a guy. And I know I will get stoned for this but to be honest if Fayre and Tamlin were to split, I would be 100% okay with Fayre getting with Rhysand.
My one little flaw in this book was that it was pretty predictable. I know that was to be expected since it was an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. It wasn't entirely predictable though, which was good. There were some things that blew my mind because I wasn't expecting them.
Also one little thing that pissed me off: how did Fayre not guess the answer of the riddle from the start? Seriously the easiest riddle I have ever encountered, especially with the theme of the entire situation she was in.
Quick observation: I felt like this could have been a stand alone. I mean, I am okay with it not being a stand alone, I am all for more of this world, but it had a stand alone feel to it if it were not for Rhysand acting all weird at the end. Anyway, I'm excited to read the next book and I need it now!
Book:Forget Tomorrow
Author: Pintip Dunn
Release Date: 11/03/15
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Summary from Goodreads:
Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided...by your future self.
It's Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she's eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they're meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.
Or in Callie's case, a criminal.
In her vision, she sees herself murdering her beloved -- and gifted -- younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested, treated viciously, and placed in Limbo―a prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes this hellish prison.
But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all—Callie, herself.
About the Author
When my first-grade teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I replied, “An author.” Although I have pursued other interests over the years, this dream has never wavered.
I graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. I received my J.D. at Yale Law School, where I was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. I published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,” and received the Barry S. Kaplan Prize for best paper in Law and Literature.
I am represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. I'm a 2012 Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. I'm a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.
I live with my husband and children in Maryland.
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Author: Pintip Dunn
Release Date: 11/03/15
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Summary from Goodreads:
Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided...by your future self.
It's Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she's eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they're meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.
Or in Callie's case, a criminal.
In her vision, she sees herself murdering her beloved -- and gifted -- younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested, treated viciously, and placed in Limbo―a prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes this hellish prison.
But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all—Callie, herself.
About the Author
When my first-grade teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I replied, “An author.” Although I have pursued other interests over the years, this dream has never wavered.
I graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. I received my J.D. at Yale Law School, where I was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. I published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,” and received the Barry S. Kaplan Prize for best paper in Law and Literature.
I am represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. I'm a 2012 Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. I'm a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.
I live with my husband and children in Maryland.
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Series: To All The Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Format: Ebook
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Simon and Schuster for Young Readers
My Rating: ★★★ 3/4
Synopsis: Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?
In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.
"To All The Boys I've Loved Before" was one of my favorite books of last year, so I had extremely high hopes. I will tell it to you straight, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the book, but I found myself annoyed more. Lara Jean seems so damn naive and immature for someone who is my age. Also the whole love triangle thing kind of messed with my emotions because I love Peter so much but I will be the first to admit he is a dick sometimes and John seems like a nice guy. When Lara Jean wasn't being a werido and was with Peter, I loved the romance they had. I also loved what she had with John. I think Jenny Han was trying to show the complexity that is love and that love is messy and will make people go crazy.
But for real though Lara Jean sounds like a 12 year old. Maybe I didn't feel annoyed towards her when I read the first book because I myself was a little lovesick, but now that I am moving on to college and I have matured past all of that, I can see that she has some growing up to.
Despite this all I still loved the writing. Jenny Han's writing just spoke to me in a way only these books could. They made my heart swell with love for the love going on and that's what I love to feel when I'm reading a contemporary.
Also Kitty is a evil little brat and I love/hate her for it.
*I know that doesn't seem like much of a review but I don't want to spoil anything this early on and I don't really know how to articulate my feelings towards this book.
So it has been quite a while since I have done a Top 5 Wednesday because of school and life, but now I finally have time to start doing this meme again. Yay!
Check out what other people have to say about Top 5 Wednesday.
Check out what other people have to say about Top 5 Wednesday.
Top 5 Books I Won't Read. Ever.
5. Four
I was not really a fan of the Divergent series. I thought "Divergent" was okay but the rest of the series, not really. I find no need to dive into that world again, especially after that shit ending.
4. Outlander Series
I own the first book and tried to read the first chapter but it seems so boring and honestly it is a huge series and that intimidates me. More than likely I will not read the book and will probably host a giveaway for it.
3. The Selection Series
The dresses on the covers make me want to vomit. Simple as that.
2. Any James Patterson Book
James Patterson as I have stated many times before is a shit writer. I used to like the "Maximum Ride" series but that went to shit. I tried to read other works from him but those were a no go for me too. I can't believe he even had the nerve to come out with another "Maximum Ride" book. That series is dead. Stop trying to bring it back to life. Also most of his stuff his cowritten which just makes him worse in my book.
1. Any John Green Book
Where to begin. Well I liked "The Fault in the Stars". That was the first book I read from him and I really enjoyed it. So I ventured to read his other books. Big mistake. I tackled "Looking for Alaska" and then "Paper Towns" and they were shit books. I couldn't even make it through "Paper Towns" without just skimming until the end. I think John Green is a good person, but as an author I don't like him. All of his books besides "The Fault in Our Stars" seem the same and they just piss me off a little bit.
So those were the Top 5 Books I will never read. What books do you plan on avoiding?
I have an announcement for you all. Drum roll please...
I AM DONE WITH HIGH SCHOOL!!!
I am so happy that I am done with it. Not only do I gain my sanity back for a little bit before I start college in the fall, but now I have more time to read!!!
Since I will have more time to read, expect more posts on this blog and booktube videos!
Book: The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek
Author: Seth Rudetsky
Format: ARC
Page Count: (Final Paperback) 288
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
My Rating: ★★★ 1/2
Synopsis: Broadway, New York. The shows, the neon lights . . . the cute chorus boys! It's where Justin has always wanted to be--and now, with a winter internship for a famous actor, he finally has his chance to shine. If only he could ditch his kind, virtuous, upright, and--dare he say it?—uptight boyfriend, Spencer. But once the internship begins, Justin has more to worry about than a cramped single-guy-in-the-city style. Instead of having his moment in the spotlight, he's a not-so-glorified errand boy. Plus, Spencer is hanging out with a celebra-hottie, Justin's best friend Becky isn't speaking to him, and his famous actor boss seems headed for flopdom. Justin's tap-dancing as fast as he can, but all his wit and sass might not be enough to switch his time in New York from nightmare-terrible to dream-come-true terrific.
Seth Rudetsky's second YA novel is endearingly human, laugh-out-loud funny, and for any kid who's ever aspired to Broadway but can only sneak in through the stage door.
This book jumped out at me because a) it's about New York City which is my endgoal, b) the main character is a theater geek, much like myself and, c) the main character is gay. I had high hopes because I felt like this book had the potential to be highly entertaining and I felt like the narration was really going to help push this book through.
Overall I really liked this story. Although it was pretty predictable and didn't really have any depth to it, it was very enjoyable and addicting. I read it in one sitting because I wanted to know what would happen. The first half had me cringing a lot though. I felt like Justin, the main character, instead of being a character that happens to be gay allowed being gay to determine who he is, which isn't a probably, but I felt like his character was just so... stereotypical. He also focused so much on the wrong things a lot and at times he was a pretty bad person. In the end he learned his lesson though.
The second half of the book was WAY better than the first. I think the second half really pulled everything together for me. Yeah like I said before it was predictable, but it was also so thrilling and fun. I don't know, I really liked it.
If you are looking for a fun, LGBT contemporary, I would recommend you give this book a chance.
Series: Penryn and the End of Days
Author: Susan Ee
Format: Ebook
Page Count: 344
Publisher: Skyfall
My Rating: ★★★★ 1/2
Synopsis: After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.
When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?
Guys... I can't believe this series is over. It can't be over. I feel like it is yesterday and that it just began. Because the book recently came out and I'm not sure I can coherently form thoughts this is going to be a brief and spoiler-free review.
Overall I really enjoyed it. I was glad to be back in the world Susan Ee created and to have Rafe and Penryn back together (*cough* OTP for life *cough* they are perfection*). The book was really fast paced and a lot happened. One thing I expressed in my "Angelfall" and "World of Day" reviews was I wanted to know more about the angels and how they came to be on Earth. Honestly, we learn some stuff, but not nearly as much as I was hoping. It was left really ambiguous which was pretty disappointing. The book also took a direction I did not foresee but I was still happy with it especially with all that sexual tension between Raffe and Penryn *high pitched giggle*.
FAVORITE QUOTE:
"Just because I don't have a problem on the outside visible for the world to see doesn't mean I'm not messed up on the inside."
"Power is best held by the ones who don't want it."
"Who knew?" he (Raffe) says. "I had no idea that someone could be such a thorn in your foot during a death march and still be irresistibly attractive in some magical, undeniable way."
My final thoughts are I am sad to see this series end because I thought it would be longer and I wanted so much more on Raffe and Penryn. I hope sometime Susan Ee will expand more on this more and possibly make some novels *nudge nudge*.
Holding Court
by K.C. Held
Release Date: March 2016
Entangled Teen
Summary from Goodreads:
When sixteen year-old Jules Verity, who suffers from what her best friend calls “Psychic Tourette’s Syndrome” (spontaneous outbursts of seemingly absurd prophecies that she can’t control) takes a job at a castle turned dinner theater known as Tudor Times, all she wants is the chance to make some money, wear a fancy gown, and ogle gorgeous-but-taken Grayson Chandler from afar. Instead she’s forced to wear the most mortifying costume ever, stumbles over a dead body that promptly disappears, and becomes a suspect in a jewel forgery scam.
Determined to prove she’s not a total freak who hallucinated a dead girl, Jules goes looking for answers in the secret passageways of Tudor Times. At first she’s thrilled when Grayson volunteers to help her on her quest to find a dead body, but his sudden interest in spending time with Jules becomes suspicious when she discovers his girlfriend may be guilty of a lot more than perfect hair and fabulous cleavage.
And if she can’t unveil the truth in time, wearing an embarrassing costume and her psychic outbursts will be the least of her problems.
K.C. HELD was born and raised in California with stopovers in Honduras, Mexico, and France. Married to her high school sweetheart, and mom to two wee bookworms, she holds an MFA in costume design and is an accomplished seamstress with a background in opera, theatre, film, and television. K.C. is represented by Kathleen Rushall at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Her debut young adult novel, HOLDING COURT, will be published by Entangled Teen in 2016.
Author Links:
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So yesterday despite everything going on with school was a really good reading day. I read 214 pages in "Winter Town", finishing it.
I honestly don't know what to rate it because I'm not sure what my thoughts are on the book. It was different and strange, for better or for worse is to be determined.
So with so many projects and school still going on, I don't have a ton of time to read. I've been trying my best to read as much as I can.
So I read 101 pages of Winter Town yesterday. My opinion so far... I don't know what to think about it. It seems really slow paced and I'm not sure exactly what the plot is. I get that Lucy is all goth and weird and Evan is describing his time interacting with the new her, but besides that I'm not seeing the direction this is supposed to be heading in.
Hey guys! So today is Day 2 of Bout of Books 13. I was all pumped and ready to do a bunch of reading because I have taken all of my AP exams. No such luck. All of my classes but one I have projects in... God I am so ready to graduate so I can read all of the time.
So my progress:
I read the graphic novel "Family Pets"...
I ended up DNFing in because it was so bad. There was no suspense and plot and the storyline seemed a little too juvenile and unrealistic. Like I realize it was partially fantasy, but come on that fantasy needs to seem legit.
I also read the short story "In the Penal Colony" by Franz Kafka. Okay that guy is so effed up in the brain, but I love. His writing is always kind of twisted and sick but through his writing he has some pretty on point social commentary.
So today I'm not sure how much reading I am going to get done because of all of these projects. I originally starting reading "Getting In" yesterday because it has been on my TBR, but I realize that it is bigger than I want to commit to right now. I think I will save it for the weekend. So I'm switching over gears and I'm going to read "Winter Town".
How did your reading go yesterday if you are participating? What are you reading today?
Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance
Release Date: 05/05/15
Entangled Teen
Summary from Goodreads:
Lola Carlyle is lonely, out of sorts, and in for a boring summer. So when her best friend, Sydney, calls to rave about her stay at a posh Malibu rehab and reveals that the love of Lola’s life, Wade Miller, is being admitted, she knows what she has to do. Never mind that her worst addiction is decaf cappuccino; Lola is going to rehab.
Lola arrives at Sunrise Rehab intent solely on finding Wade, saving him from himself, and—naturally—making him fall in love with her...only to discover she’s actually expected to be an addict. And get treatment. And talk about her issues with her parents, and with herself. Plus she has insane roommates, and an irritatingly attractive mentor, Adam, who’s determined to thwart her at every turn.
Oh, and Sydney? She’s gone.
Turns out, once her pride, her defenses, and her best friend are stripped away, Lola realizes she’s actually got a lot to overcome...if she can open her heart long enough to let it happen.
Turns out, once her pride, her defenses, and her best friend are stripped away, Lola realizes she’s actually got a lot to overcome...if she can open her heart long enough to let it happen.
About the Author
Danielle Younge-Ullman is a novelist, playwright and freelance writer. She studied English and Theater at McGill University, then returned to her hometown of Toronto to work as professional actor for ten years. Danielle’s short story, Reconciliation, was published in MODERN MORSELS—a McGraw-Hill Anthology for young adults—in 2012, her one-act play, 7 Acts of Intercourse, debuted at Toronto's SummerWorks Festival in 2005, and her adult novel, FALLING UNDER, was published by Penguin in 2008. Danielle lives in Toronto with her husband and two daughters.
Author Links:
Author Links:
Author Guest Post
Hello! I thought, for today’s post,
that we could play, Cast the Movie. Lola: Lola has strawberry blonde hair that’s at least long
enough to put in a ponytail, cat-like green eyes. But in this case, the acting
is more important than matching her physical description too perfectly. This
role has to be played with equal parts sass and vulnerability, and she has to
have good comic timing! My dream actress for this would be Anna
Kendrick—perfect range of talents. However, she’s not in her teens anymore.
Since Anna might not pan out, I’m going to go with Molly C. Quinn, from Castle.
She looks perfect for the role, plus she can do funny, which is an absolute
necessity.
Wade: (Lola’s old friend and love interest—a dazzlingly hot
and charming TV star) I have to admit, Ian Somerhalder was in my mind when I
wrote the part of Wade, although again, can he play a teenager? It’s him, or a
Hemsworth brother kind of guy, but I can’t figure out who the “real teen”
equivalent would be.
Adam: This is Lola’s mentor, who turns out to be both
infuriating and interesting. Lola describes him as looking like a Jonas
Brother, but a little rougher. So, are you kidding? Give me a Jonas Brother!
Nick can act, right?
Talia: One of Lola’s roommates—very sweet, quite weird, has
multiple addictions, a big personality, deep down very needy. (I can’t have
Anna Kendrick for this either, right?) Ellen Page! I think she would bring the
perfect combo of sweetness/neediness/crazy person to the character of
Talia.
Jade: Lola’s second roommate. This is a challenging part
because she doesn’t talk much but is a huge presence, so you need someone who
can act the crap out of a substantial, but non-speaking role. Actually Ellen
Page would be great for this too, but I was also thinking Zoe Kravitz.
Dr. Koch: The charming-but-shifty guy who runs Sunrise
Rehab. He doesn’t fit the physical description, but if I could I’d cast Charlie
Sheen.
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