FIVE BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ DURING THE HOLIDAY OR WINTER SEASON

FIVE BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ DURING THE HOLIDAY OR WINTER SEASON

The holiday season is the time where you spend time with your family and friends. But it’s also a 
time where you can snuggle up with a book by the fire and enjoy your own company.

Here are some great Christmas/holiday/winter themed books that will help fill your holiday season 
with delight and adventure.

The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan

Plot (from Goodreads): “Santa Claus is the King of Forever, Land of the Immortals. When one special boy writes to Santa asking what no other child has ever asked, a miracle occurs: Santa and Mrs. 
Claus are blessed with a daughter. But the birth of Holly Claus also brings about a terrible curse--from an evil soul named Herrikhan. Holly's heart is frozen, and the gates to Forever are locked, barring exit or entry. As she grows into a beautiful and selfless young woman, Holly longs to break the spell that holds her people hostage. With four faithful and magical animal friends, she escapes to the wondrous world of Victorian New York, where she will face countless dangers, adventures, and a miracle all her own.”

Every year before Christmas, children write to Santa to express what gifts they’d like to receive but 
they never ask what Santa wants. When one little boy asks Santa what he wants for Christmas, Mr. 
and Mrs. Claus receive a Christmas miracle. The Legend of Holly Claus is one of the most beautiful 
books about Christmas. Even though it reads more like a Middle Grade, it is still a delightful read for all ages filled with magic, emotion and the spirit of Christmas.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia 
Hand

Plot (from Goodreads): “On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways. She didn't. And then she died. Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past. Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable. But this year, everything is about to change. . . .

This was a retelling of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens but it was very lighthearted and fun compared to the original. Holly is a Scrooge as she doesn’t care about anyone but herself. One Christmas she is visited by the three Ghosts but Holly doesn’t heed their warnings and dies the next day. She becomes one of the Ghost’s after she dies and it is about her life as that Ghost. It is such a fun retelling for YA readers that captures some of the spirit of Christmas.

Winterspell by Claire Legrand

Plot (from Goodreads): “The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince…but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums. New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor’s ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother’s murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer. Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes. Her home is destroyed, her father abducted—by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they’re to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets—and a need she can’t define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won’t leave Cane unscathed—if she leaves at all. Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.”

Isn’t a dark retelling of the Nutcracker all you ever wanted for Christmas? Well, if it happened to be a wish of yours, I am here to grant that wish. Claire Legrand’s, Winterspell is a great rendition of the beloved Nutcracker story. Yes, it is a lot darker than the original and tackles many issues that are somewhat controversial but it ultimately delivers a Christmas story.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Plot (from Goodreads): “When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts, a wizarding school brimming with ghosts and enchantments, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers which could be valuable, dangerous - or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!”

Harry Potter is a cozy story that I happen to re-read every Christmastime. The whole atmosphere and setting give off a cozy feeling, especially in the first book. Plus, they are just fun to read over your break from school or work.

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Plot (from Goodreads): “They open a door and enter a world. NARNIA...the land beyond the wardrobe, the secret country known only to Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy...the place where the adventure begins. Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the professor's mysterious old house. At first, no one believes her when she tells of her adventures in the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund and then Peter and Susan discover the Magic and meet Aslan, the Great Lion, for themselves. In the blink of an eye, their lives are changed forever.”

Narnia is cursed by the White Queen with endless winter, which is exactly why this is a good book to read or re-read during the holiday or winter season. This book is more of a Middle Grade but I think it is a great read for all ages as it is captures the winter season and has tons of magic and adventure.

Wintersong by S. Jae Jones

Plot (from Goodreads): “Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell. All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns. But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts. Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

Wintersong is a bit of a darker winter book that captures the darker parts of the season. This story is basically a Hades/Persephone retelling as she exchanges her life in order to help her sister. It features goblins, music and a kingdom underground. Wintersong is perfectly named as it includes music that is sung in a cold, winter setting that fills you with longing. This is a book that you can’t neglect this winter season.

Have you read any of these books during the Winter or Holiday season? If not, comment on which one you want to read down below.

SEPTEMBER '17 WRAP-UP

So, it's the end of the month and that means another wrap-up!

Sorry that this is literally two months late, school has been taking up a lot of my free time.

Join my book club: here.

 Anyways...

Time to talk about the books I read this month.

PHYSICAL BOOKS

The first physical book I read was Reign of Serpents by Eleanor Herman. The third book in the Blood of Gods and Royals series, this book really met with my expectations. I was in for another thrilling ride with the characters I love like Heph, Kat and Alexander. I am really excited to see what's next for them. I rated this one 5 Crowns. 

The second physical book I read was Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau which was a YA Fantasy. I have seen this around a couple times and I always wanted to pick it up. It has many elements from other books such as Red Queen but this is still original. I rated it 4 Crowns. 

The third physical book I read was Royce Rolls which is a hilarious Contemporary about a family with a reality tv show. In a way, it was making fun of reality tv shows because of how hilarious and stupid they really are. This was funny and I really enjoyed it. I rated it 3 Crowns.

The fourth physical book I read was The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli. This was hilarious and such a cute YA contemporary. I had seen so many things about this one so when it came to the library, I decided to pick it up to read.  There was tons of diversity: she was an overweight MC, had two moms and her sister liked girls. I had such a fun time. I rated it 4 Crowns.

The sixth book I read was Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan. This was a Rapunzel retelling and after I bought it, I heard lots of controversial things about it but I decided to read it anyways cause I love fairytale retellings. This book was great and if you are on the fence about it, please give it a try. The MC is blind and she is such a badass character. I rated it 4 Crowns.

The seventh book I read was Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh. This was the sequel to Ivory and Bone which I read in July. I didn't really enjoy the first book all that much but this one was a lot better and was by Mya's point of view. I thought it was a lot more historically accurate and I rated it 4 Crowns.

The seventh physical book I read was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I read this book for school and I surprisingly enjoyed it. It had a lot of elements that I enjoyed and was kind of a Fantasy. I rated it 3.5 Crowns. 

The eighth physical book I read was Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali. The representation in this book was amazing and totally dismantled Muslim stereotypes. This is a very fun YA contemporary that deals with real world issues and shows people not to judge. I rated it 4 Crowns. 

The ninth physical book I read was The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie. I have heard so many good things about this one but I was a little iffy about it for some reason. This book is about pirates and sea monsters and it is so unique. Also, it has amazing representation. I rated it 5 Crowns.

The tenth physical book I read was Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray. This was a Science Fiction story that looks like your typical romantic sci-fi YA but it really wasn't. It has a super fast paced plot, interesting characters and tons of different settings. I rated it 5 Crowns and highly recommend that you try it out.

The eleventh physical book I read was The Leaving by Tara Altebrando. This is a thriller and yes, I read this one a little bit before October started but that's okay. This was very fast paced and creepy but unfortunately a little anti-climatic. But I did enjoy it because it kept me glued to it. I rated it 4 Crowns. 

The last book I read was When Dimple Met Rishi. I finally bought this book and I adored it. It was so cute and hilarious. Dimple is a new favorite of mine and Rishi is so cute and nerdy and ugh. I loved it a lot and rated it 5 Crowns.

AUDIOBOOKS READ

NONE

ARC'S READ

NONE

REVIEWS IN MARCH: 

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson: 5 Crown Rating

MUSIC MONDAY:

NONE

TOP TEN TUESDAY: 

NONE

TOP FIVE WEDNESDAY: 

NONE

WEEKLY WRAP-UP:

8/28 - 9/3

9/4 - 9/17

9/17 - 9/24

DISCUSSIONS/OTHER:

Summer Bookish Bingo Wrap-Up

August '17 Wrap-Up

FAVORITE COVER OF THE MONTH:

NEW FICTIONAL BAE'S: 

Andreus from Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau

Reid from The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Fowler from Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Abel from Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

NEW FAVORITE FEMALES:

Dimple from When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Kat from Reign of Serpents by Eleanor Herman

Carys from Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau

Luna from Reign of Shadows by Sophia Jordan

Molly from The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Cas from The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Swift from The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Noemi from Defy the Stars by Claudia Grey

NEW FAVORITE BOOK RELATIONSHIPS: 

Fowler and Luna from Reign of Shadows by Sophia Jordan

Dimple and Rishi from When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Heph and Kat from Reign of Serpents by Eleanor Herman

Molly and Reid from The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Cas and Swift from The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Abel and Noemi from Defy the Stars by Claudia Grey

TV SHOWS I WATCHED THIS MONTH:

 

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS MONTH:

WHAT BOOKS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

NEW BLOG FINDS

NONE

SONGS ON REPEAT

Believer - Imagine Dragons

Fetish - Selena Gomez

New Rules - Dua Lipa

Look what You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

Unholy - Hey Violet

Like Lovers Do - Hey Violet

Lie - Halsey

Julia Michaels Album

 BOOKS I WANT TO READ NEXT MONTH

  

The graphics at the top belong to me. The background pictures for them, however do not.

GET INTO THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT: 5 BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ DURING THE HALLOWEEN SEASON

FIVE BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ DURING THE HALLOWEEN SEASON

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because I love dressing up in costumes and getting tons of candy.

Thrillers and horror novels are something we generally reach for during the Fall and Halloween season. They are atmospheric and help us get into the mood.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Plot (from Goodreads): “Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life. Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.”

Victorian London? Murder? Jack the Ripper? Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco is a book to enjoy during the crisp Autumn months while you are sitting by the fire. The descriptions are horrifically graphic and the mystery so tangible which makes you feel as if you are right alongside Audrey as she attempts to figure out the ripper’s true identity. Kerri Maniscalco crafted her own story around the mystery of the monster who terrorized London, known as Jack the Ripper.

Lockwood & Co. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

Plot (from Goodreads): “When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in. For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions. Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.”

Though this series is geared more towards younger audiences as it is categorized as a Middle Grade, it can still be enjoyed by everyone (I for one am not in the younger audiences category). It is a perfect Halloween read for those looking for a creepy ghost story with elements of humor to lighten the mood.

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Plot (from Goodreads): “Shhhh! Don't spread the word! Three-day weekend. Party at White Rock House on Henry Island. You do not want to miss it. It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury. But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine. Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?”

Ten teenagers are invited to a lake house party where they are supposed to have the weekend of their lives but what they get instead is a storm cutting them off from the outside world and teens getting killed, one-by-one. Filled with suspense and intrigue, this book is a perfect read for the Halloween season.

A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachman

Plot (from Goodreads): “Seventeen-year-old Anouk has finally caught the break she’s been looking for—she's been selected out of hundreds of other candidates to fly to France and help with the excavation of a vast, underground palace buried a hundred feet below the suburbs of Paris. Built in the 1780's to hide an aristocratic family and a mad duke during the French Revolution, the palace has lain hidden and forgotten ever since. Anouk, along with several other gifted teenagers, will be the first to set foot in it in over two centuries.  Or so she thought. But nothing is as it seems, and the teens soon find themselves embroiled in a game far more sinister, and dangerous, than they could possibly have imagined. An evil spanning centuries is waiting for them in the depths.”

This is another thriller that left me breathless and desperately wanting more. Set in modern day, a group of teenagers are chosen to help with the excavation of an underground palace but the mission turns out to be a lot different than they thought. Twists and turns make up this creepy thriller that will leave you gasping for breath.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Plot (from Goodreads): “One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone's a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. Pay close attention and you might solve this. On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.  Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app. Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.”

A recent new release, One of Us is Lying is more of a mystery than a thriller but it still falls under that thriller genre. This is a book that is made for you to race through in order for you to figure out who the culprit is and why they did it. It will leave you wondering until the very end, “Who killed Simon?”

Which one of these have you read or want to read this Halloween season? Are there any other books that you think are perfect for this time of year?

Weekly Recap: 10/2 - 10/8

I have decided to start doing a weekly post called weekly recap where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

Not much has been happening the past week and I'm sorry that I have been absent on this blog. I am trying to work on pulling my grades up so until then I won't be on here much.

Now, let's get into recapping.

New Books

Purchased:

Library: 

Received for Review: 

In Case You Missed It

NONE

This Week I Read

  

This Week I Watched

Next Week I'm Reading

Upcoming Reviews

Upcoming Posts

Monday: NONE

Tuesday: NONE

Wednesday: NONE

Thursday: NONE

Friday: September Wrap-Up

Saturday: Legacy of Kings Review

Sunday: Weekly Recap

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