Monday, 31 December 2018

NOVEMBER + DECEMBER '18 WRAP-UP


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Also, it's time for a combined wrap-up of November and December which is also the last blogpost of the year.

December was insane with college finals and lots of homework. I had so much work that, that was all I did. Then, on my way back home for winter break, I spent about 11 hours in the airport cause my flight was cancelled and then I had to go get another flight and that one was so much later. Basically, I was at an airport from about 12:30 PM to 1:30 AM. My flight left at like 11:30 PM and I then got home at 2:30 AM.

I had a good Christmas and I may do a haul but I'll see how I feel later on. I'm planning some 2018 Wrap-Up posts which will be up in the coming week!

 Anyways...

Time to talk about the books I read this month.


PHYSICAL BOOKS


The first book I read was Survive the Night by Danielle Vega. This was a book that I originally planned to read in October but I didn't have time. It was a pretty good thriller but I didn't feel too attached to any of the characters and I disliked many of them which made the read less enjoyable. I did a mini review on this book and rated it 3 Crowns. 

The second book I read was Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber. This is the second book in the Lady Darby Mystery Series. I really like this Adult Mystery Series as it has a female front and center in a historical center. I rated it 4 Crowns. 

The third book I read was Shadowsong by S. Jae Jones. This is yet another sequel and in this case I liked the first book a lot better than the second. Shadowsong focused more on Liesl and the world above which I didn't like as much. I wanted to see more of the Goblin King who we didn't get to see very much. I rated it 4 Crowns. 


The fourth book I read was The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard. I love the TV show, Pretty Little Liars, but the books were not my cup of tea. This series by the same author, seems to be more up my ally. I really liked it and liked some of the girls in the book better. I rated it 3 Crowns. 

The fifth book I read was The Odyssey by Homer which was for one of my classes. This was my second time reading it and I did enjoy it though as always, the language is difficult. I rated it 4 Crowns. 

The sixth book I read was A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro. I have waited so long to read this book and I have no idea why. I enjoyed it a lot. This is a Sherlock modern day 'retelling' with two main characters, Charlotte Holmes (a descendant of Sherlock Holmes) and Jamie Watson (a descendant of Watson). I loved how Charlotte is similar to Sherlock and yet is her own person. I rated it 4 Crowns. 



The seventh book I read was Winterspell by Claire Legrand which was a reread for me. I love reading at least one winter/holiday themed book before Christmas every year and this year was no exception. I enjoyed this as much as the first time I read it and rated it 4 Crowns again. 

The eighth book I read was To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo. I bought this right after it came out and didn't ever get around to it. I ended up loving it. The banter between the two main characters was hilarious and I loved the slow enemies to lovers trope which is one of my favorite tropes. I also loved that it was about sirens and these were the kind of evil sirens that a lot of YA authors shy away from. I rated it 5 Crowns. 

The ninth book I read was The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro. I loved this second book of the Charlotte Holmes series though Charlotte bothered me a little bit more in this book especially in the way she kind of messed with Jamie a lot. I'm hoping a lot of it works out in the next book. I rated it 4 Crowns. 


AUDIOBOOKS READ


The first audiobook I listened to was The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh. This is the sequel to The Wrath and the Dawn which I loved to much. I never managed to get to the books in their physical form. I really enjoyed getting to continue the story of Shahrzad and Khalid and it was an amazingly beautiful story. I highly recommend the audiobook versions. I rated it 5 Crowns. 

The second audiobook I listened to was Legendary by Stephanie Garber which is the sequel to Caraval. The audiobook versions of these books are so easy to listen to and they completely immerse you in the story. I loved getting to read a story with Tella's perspective as she's almost the complete opposite of her sister who's point of view was focused on in Caraval. I also liked getting to know Dante and getting to see a new character, Jacks. I loved it a lot and rated it 5 Crowns. 

ARC'S READ

NONE

REVIEWS IN NOVEMBER + DECEMBER: 



WEEKLY WRAP-UP:





DISCUSSIONS/OTHER:




FAVORITE COVER OF THE MONTH:



NEW FICTIONAL BAE'S: 

Khalid from The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Jacks from Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Dante from Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Jamie Watson from A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Prince Elian from To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo


NEW FAVORITE FEMALES: 

Shahrzad from The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Donatella from Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Kiera Darby from Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber

Charlotte Holmes from A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Princess Lira from To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo


NEW FAVORITE BOOK RELATIONSHIPS: 

Thomas and Audrey Rose from Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Pity and Max from Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely

Khalid and Shahrzad from The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh 

Charlotte and Jamie from A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Lira and Elian from To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo


TV SHOWS I WATCHED THIS MONTH:





MOVIES I WATCHED THIS MONTH:



WHAT BOOKS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:





There's so many more but these are the main ones! 


NEW BLOG FINDS

NONE


SONGS ON REPEAT

Loyal to Me - Nina Nesbitt

You Were Right - Gabriela Geneva 

Natural - Imagine Dragons 

I Follow Rivers - Lykke Li

You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette

Just My Type - The Vamps

Mr. Brightside - The Killers

Queen Bee - Rochelle Diamante 

Human - Maggie Lindemann

Paris - Sabrina Carpenter

Diamonds are Forever - Sabrina Carpenter

A Little Wicked - Valerie Broussard 

Blood in the Cut - K. Flay

Killer Queen - 5SOS

Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson

Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson 

Toxic - 2WEI

Enough About Me - Forever In Your Mind

Roaring 20s - Panic! at the Disco 


 BOOKS I WANT TO READ NEXT MONTH



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

Sunday, 9 December 2018

Weekly Recap: 11/19 - 12/9

Weekly recap is where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

It has been so long since I have updated you or posted anything on my blog. I am nearing the end of my semester and there is a lot of work that takes up a lot of time. Also, finals are in a week and I'm stressed.

I haven't been reading too much or had too much time to write so we'll see how it goes.  I did however, get a couple audiobooks from the library which I put on when I'm doing things like cleaning or getting ready in the morning.  I also got back on NetGalley and got my feedback ratio to 80% which is what the recommended is! I also got approved for quite a few books so I am going to try and keep on top of that.

I saw Fantastic Beasts The Crimes of Grindelwald with my sister over Thanksgiving Break and it was so good! I may do a movie review of it as I want to do some more of those.

Now, let's get into recapping.


New Books

Purchased:



Library: 



Received for Review: 






In Case You Missed It

None This Week

This Week I Read



 



This Week I Watched




This Week I Listened To 

My Christmas Playlist
Sabrina Carpenter's New Album


Next Week I'm Reading




Upcoming Reviews



Upcoming Posts


Monday: TBD

Tuesday: TBD

Wednesday: TBD

Thursday: TBD

Friday: TBD

Saturday: TBD

Sunday: Weekly Recap




Around the Blog Community

Sunday, 18 November 2018

Weekly Recap: 11/12 - 11/18

Weekly recap is where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

Another week has gone by. Last week was a little bit more chill for me as I didn't have as much work to do but now I have a lot. I feel like the professors give you a couple of days break and then pile on all the homework at once.

 Thanksgiving is coming up this coming weekend so I'm going home and I'm super excited, though I have a lot to do before then.

Now, let's get into recapping.


New Books

Purchased:



Library: 



Received for Review: 



In Case You Missed It

None This Week

This Week I Read



 


This Week I Watched




This Week I Listened To 

Human by Maggie Lindemann
I Put a Spell On You by IZA
Diamonds are Forever by Sabrina Carpenter
Blood in the Cut by K. Flay
A Little Wicked by Valerie Broussard
Ghostbusters by Walk the Moon
The Nightmare Before Christmas Album
Blood // Water by Grandson
My Spooky Playlist on Spotify


Next Week I'm Reading




Upcoming Reviews



Upcoming Posts


Monday: TBD

Tuesday: TBD

Wednesday: TBD

Thursday: TBD

Friday: TBD

Saturday: TBD

Sunday: Weekly Recap




Around the Blog Community

Monday, 12 November 2018

Weekly Recap: 10/29 - 11/11

Weekly recap is where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

So much has happened since I last updated you guys. Halloween has passed and I dressed up as Toni Topaz from Riverdale, though I didn't really do anything special. I did watch a couple Halloween movies in October which was fun. And I watched some Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and the original Sabrina the Teenage Witch (which I'd never seen before and is the cutest and best show ever!)

I have also been doing a lot of work for college as the homework load is insane!  I haven't quite caught up on reading yet but I am getting there!

Now, let's get into recapping.


New Books

Purchased:



Library: 



Received for Review: 



In Case You Missed It
This Week I Read



This Week I Watched





This Week I Listened To 

Human by Maggie Lindemann
I Put a Spell On You by IZA
Diamonds are Forever by Sabrina Carpenter
Blood in the Cut by K. Flay
A Little Wicked by Valerie Broussard
Ghostbusters by Walk the Moon
The Nightmare Before Christmas Album
Blood // Water by Grandson
My Spooky Playlist on Spotify


Next Week I'm Reading




Upcoming Reviews



Upcoming Posts


Monday: TBD

Tuesday: TBD

Wednesday: TBD

Thursday: TBD

Friday: TBD

Saturday: TBD

Sunday: Weekly Recap




Around the Blog Community

Saturday, 10 November 2018

MINI REVIEWS: MYSTERY, THRILLER AND HORROR EDITION

Idea from here!

Mini reviews are going to work differently from my normal reviews. I follow a different format for my normal reviews which is a lot easier when I have a lot to say. Mini reviews are for books that I didn’t enjoy as much as I wanted to or I don’t have a ton of stuff to say. This way, it is a lot more pleasing for you all. I don’t have to rant about what an insufferable brat a character is or just write random stuff and you won’t actually read it because it is so boring.  This is going to be an ongoing thing on my blog.

This is the mystery and horror edition with a couple of books that I've read and don't really want to write full reviews of.

Let's dive in.


#1: Tangled Webs


Rating: 3 Crowns

Author: Lee Bross


Genre: Young Adult/Romance/Historical Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: June 23, 2015
Pages: 305
Edition/Source: Library

Summary:

London, 1725. Everybody has a secret. Lady A will keep yours—for a price. This sumptuous, scandalous YA novel is wickedly addictive.

Lady A is the most notorious blackmailer in the city. With just a mask and a gown to disguise her, she sweeps into lavish balls and exclusive events collecting the most valuable currency in 1725 London—secrets.

But leading a double life isn't easy. By day Lady A is just a sixteen-year-old girl named Arista who lives in fear of her abusive master, Bones, and passes herself off as a boy to move safely through the squalor of London's slums. When Bones attempts to dispose of his pawn forever, Arista is rescued by the last person she expects: Jonathan Wild, the infamous Thief Taker General who moves seamlessly between the city's criminal underworld and its most elite upper circles. Arista partners with Wild on her own terms in the hopes of saving enough money to buy passage out of London.

Everything changes when she meets Graeden Sinclair, the son of a wealthy merchant. Grae has traveled the world, has seen the exotic lands Arista has longed to escape to her whole life, and he loves Arista for who she is—not for what she can do for him. Being with Grae gives something Arista something precious that she swore off long ago: hope. He has promised to help Arista escape the life of crime that has claimed her since she was a child. But can you ever truly escape the past?

Tangled Webs was an interesting historical fiction, mystery novel. I was drawn to it by the cover and had seen it a lot. I ended up liking the main character but could have done without some of the other characters who weren't as well developed.


18th Century: I loved how this book was set in the 18th century which is something you hardly ever see with YA books. Plus, it's very early 18th century which is so exciting and I loved the historical fiction aspect. 
Lady A: I loved Arista's secret identity and how she wore a feathered mask who trades secrets and blackmails the rich. 
Arista: I loved Arista and how she showed so much growth throughout the novel and how she had so much strength despite things that she went through. She's very fierce but also kind-hearted. Arista was my favorite character in the book. 

The Romance: I did not enjoy the romance as it was very insta-lovey and I don't like that trope in YA books. It just seemed to happen too fast for my liking. 




#2: Survive the Night


Rating: 3 Crowns

Author: Danielle Vega


Genre: Young Adult/Thriller/Horror
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Pages: 263
Edition/Source: Library


Summary:

We're all gonna die down here. . . .
 
Julie lies dead and disemboweled in a dank, black subway tunnel, red-eyed rats nibbling at her fingers. Her friends think she’s just off with some guy—no one could hear her getting torn apart over the sound of pulsing music.
 
In a tunnel nearby, Casey regrets coming to Survive the Night, the all-night underground rave in the New York City subway. Her best friend Shana talked her into it, even though Casey just got out of rehab. Alone and lost in the dark, creepy tunnels, Casey doesn’t think Survive the Night could get any worse . . .
               
. . . until she comes across Julie’s body, and the party turns deadly.
 
Desperate for help, Casey and her friends find themselves running through the putrid subway system, searching for a way out. But every manhole is sealed shut, and every noise echoes eerily in the dark, reminding them they’re not alone.
 
They’re being hunted.
               
Trapped underground with someone—or something—out to get them, Casey can’t help but listen to her friend’s terrified refrain: “We’re all gonna die down here. . . .” in this bone-chilling sophmore novel by the acclaimed author of The Merciless.

Survive the Night is an interesting book. Yes, it is cheesy and the ending is a little bit predictable but it is still fun and good for a scare.

Casey: I really liked her even though she wasn't treated that well in the book. I still liked her bravery and independence.


Shana: Shana was so manipulative and pushed Casey to do things she didn't want to do. It bothered me so much throughout the whole book.





#3: The Lies They Tell


Rating: 3 Crowns

Author: Gillian French


Genre: Young Adult/Thriller
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Pages: 304
Edition/Source: Library

Summary:

Everyone in Tenney’s Harbor, Maine, knows about the Garrison tragedy. How an unexplained fire ravaged their house, killing four of the five family members. But what people don’t know is who did it. All fingers point at Pearl Haskins’s father, the town drunk, who was the caretaker of the property, but she just can’t believe it. Leave it to a town of rich people to blame “the help.”

With her disgraced father now trying to find work in between booze benders, Pearl’s future doesn’t hold much more than waiting tables at the local country club, where the wealthy come to flaunt their money and spread their gossip. This year, Tristan, the last surviving Garrison, and his group of affluent and arrogant friends have made a point of sitting in Pearl’s section. Though she’s repulsed by most of them, Tristan’s quiet sadness and somber demeanor have her rethinking her judgments. Befriending the boys could mean getting closer to the truth, clearing her father’s name, and giving Tristan the closure he seems to be searching for. But it could also trap Pearl in a sinister web of secrets, lies, and betrayals that, once untangled, will leave no life unchanged . . . if it doesn’t take hers first.
The Lies They Tell was an interesting mystery/thriller. I liked how it had a lot of character development for the main character which made it more enjoyable.


Writing: Her writing is so atmospheric and character driven, so much so that I almost felt like I was in the book. I really liked how immersive it was.
Pearl: I enjoyed Pearl's character and her family aspect with her father.
Reese: Reese is Pearl's best friend and I enjoyed his character even though he was completely oblivious.


The Story: I thought the story was a little too similar to other thrillers which I didn't like and thought it was really repetitive. 
Tristan: I did not like Tristan, and I don't think we were supposed to. Tristan was creepy and manipulative which was scary and I did not like.