Mid-Year Check In!

Hello guys. It is that time of year. Time to check on my progress on my goals for 2016!

I am participating in a number of challenges this year as well as making some of my own so I am going to see how well I have been doing and then maybe make a goal for the rest of this year. 

GOODREADS CHALLENGE

For this year's Goodreads Challenge, I have pledged to read 60 books. 

I am doing super well with this challenge. I have read 51 Books and I am 20 Books Ahead of Schedule. I may even up this goal to 70 since I will probably read 60 books by September. 

RETELLING CHALLENGE

I have pledged to read 20 Books for this challenge. 

I am not doing so well with this challenge. I have only read eight books so far but I have a couple more retellings I wish to read. 

NEW RELEASE CHALLENGE

I have pledged to read 15 books for this challenge. 

I have already read 14 books for this challenge so I will probably beat this challenge. I love reading new releases so it isn't that hard. 

DYSTOPIAN CHALLENGE

I have planned to read 15 books for this challenge. 

I have only read nine so I am doing okay but I wish to read more so I need to step up my game. 

BOOKS I WANT TO READ IN 2016!

I have 15 Books on this list. 

I have read 6 of these so I need to step up my game. 

And that is it for this post! See you soon!

Top Five Wednesday | Books I Wish Had Sequels [July 13]

  TOP FIVE WEDNESDAY

TOP 5 WEDNESDAY IS A WEEKLY MEME HOSTED BY SAM. YOU BASICALLY GET A NEW TOPIC EVERY WEDNESDAY, AND YOU LIST YOUR TOP 5 BOOKS RELATED TO THAT TOPIC. HEAD OVER TO THE GOODREADS GROUP, AND ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST OF WEDNESDAY-ERS IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING!

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Today’s topic is “Books I Wish Had Sequels ” This was a fun topic for me to do because there are a lot of books/series enders that I want to continue. Unfortunately, I do not read that many stand-alones so that part was difficult but otherwise it was interesting and fun.

5. The Legend of Holly claus by brittney ryan

This is my only Middle Grade book on this list but I loved it so much and really feel like there should be a sequel. I want a lot more of Holly and the world that she lives in. I feel like if it continued, it could have a wonderful sequel that could possibly be leaning more into the YA genre.

 4. The fill-in boyfriend by Kasie West

This is not the type of book that I would expect to put on this list. It was a Contemporary book that was pretty short but I felt like there could be a sequel where the characters are in college. I also felt like I didn't get to experience the character's lives as much as I wished to. I wanted to know more about her friends and her family and I kind of wanted her to rekindle her friendship with her best friend. A sequel would be something that I'd really like. 

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3. rook by sharon cameron

I loved this book so much! It was a wonderful science fiction/historical fiction novel. I loved the characters and I know that it was wrapped up really well but I would love to get some more of the character's lives and the world that they live in.

2. A drop of Night by Stefan bachmann

  As you all know, Thrillers/Horrors are not my cup of tea but I had to read this book because it was compared with The Maze Runner. I ended up loving the book and wanting more. Yes, it was scary. And yes, I was frightened but I wouldn't mind it if there was a little more to satisfy my need. 

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1. stitching snow by r.c. lewis

This is one of my all time favorite fairytale retellings. It was set on another planet and had so much action and adventure that I couldn't put it down. I loved Essie and I loved Dane and I want more of them.

0. champion by marie lu

I was so unhappy with the ending of this book. This is the last book in the Legend Trilogy which is wildly popular. I really enjoyed it and was so mad at the ending. That's all I have to say. 

I hope you enjoyed this short little post and I'll see you all soon for another book review!

Weekly Update: 7/4 - 7/10

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.

I am officially in LA and with my grandparents so blogging is limited. I have not bought and books and am not really planning on it. I haven't done a lot of reading either but I plan on upping my game next week and getting a ton of books read.

I have been doing a lot of shopping and going out though. I will post a movie review and a book review next week. See you soon!

New Books

Purchased:

Library:

 

In Case You Missed It

Monday: Music Monday
Top Five Wednesday was: Fav Books Outside Your Comfort Zone
Thursday Book Review: Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey
Friday Movie Review: Jack the Giant Slayer
Friday Book Review: The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Choka

This Week I Read

  

Next Week I'm Reading

Upcoming Reviews

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Choka Review

This is a spoiler free review!

The Star-Touched Queen

Written by Roshani Chokshi

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Mythology/Retelling

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Pages: 342

Source: Library

Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

Summary:

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets—thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most…including herself.

Review:

I did not expect much from this book at all as I hadn’t really read that many reviews on this book or heard that much about it. But after I’ve read it and comprehended everything that’s happened, I realized that it was a lot better than I thought it would be. This was also a Hades and Persephone retelling and it was gorgeous and brilliantly executed.

COVER

The cover is gorgeous. I love how how the stars are at the bottom half and it is almost like she is coming up out of the stars. I also really like how she is holding a lantern and heading towards a palace. This is honestly one of my favorite covers of all time.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world building was done so brilliantly. The mythology within her world are so wonderfully described and we really get to know what the world looks like and is like. At first, the world building was a tad confusing but I quickly came to understand it.

"In all the tomes and folklore I had read from the archives, there was no limit to the worlds around us. Somewhere unseen were demonic realms filled with laughing asuras and blackened suns. There were austere kingdoms on the peaks of mountains where phoenixes serenaded the moon and the halls of the gods glinted with lightning. And there was our own, human world, mortal, with only the comfort of stories to keep away the chill of death."

Then there are the characters.

MAYA

Maya has a horiscope that predicts death. She suffered through loneliness because all the people she lived with believed she was going to bring about terrible things but she gains strength from her loneliness. Maya is open to what her heart really desires. She has such a big heart really and is such a strong character. And she did most of the saving. Not the other way around. She was cunning and witty and was able to pull apart deception that was set before her.

AMAR

Amar was really really sweet. You could really tell that he cared about Maya. He wasn't an assehole and wasn't sexist. He treated Maya like an equal and that is what made him truly beautiful. He shot up to one of my favorite male love interests pretty quickly. I was swooning half the book.

KAMALA

Kamala was hilarious. She was a demon horse who helped Maya and had such sass. She loved to eat people because she was a demon horse and she constantly jokes about it. I really enjoyed reading about her.

PLOT

The plot was really very amazing and quite unexpected. There were twists and turns at every page and you do not know what the villain is going to do next. Oh and the villain was so well done because you never know what she is going to do or what she is doing or why.

There, my queen,” he said. “A constellation to wear in your hair.”

“My star-touched queen,” he said softly, as if he was remembering something from long ago. “I would break the world to give you what you want.”

ROMANCE

Tons of people thought that this romance was insta-lovey but I don't think it is like that at all. Amar's eternal love for Maya was so beautiful and seemed so real that it was almost hard to believe that I was reading a book. They were definitely a match made in heaven or hell or wherever they happen to be. [That was literally the only confusing thing about it]

Oh and did I mention that this is a Hades and Persephone retelling that was so well done that it was almost better than the original.

WRITING

The writing was so beautiful and mesmerizing and it made the romance and everything in it so much more beautiful and real. The writing was also breathtaking. It was really magical. A true masterpiece.

Final Thoughts:

I highly enjoyed this book. If you like mythology or a good romance, I recommend this book. It exceeded my expectations and quickly became one of my favorite new releases.

Quotes from the Book:

“I know your soul. Everything else is just an ornament.” 

“I see only night and smoke, dreams and glass, embers and wings. And I would not have you any other way.”

“A memory is a fine legacy to leave behind.

“There is no romance in real grief. Only longing and fury.” 

“Trust is won in years. Not words.” 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns

Movie Review #3: Jack the Giant Slayer

Another movie review! Recently, I saw the movie Jack the Giant Slayer. It was a really good movie as I had hoped it would be. This is also mostly spoiler free.

Title: Jack the Giant Slayer
Director: Bryan Singer
Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 4 Crowns
Release Date: March 1, 2013

We all know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. But maybe we don't know the real story. This is the real story.

PLOT

The plot was done really well. It was unique and different to the normal Jack and the Beanstalk story. We got to know more about Jack and why he climbed the beanstalk. He climbed it to rescue the princess of course. Though the princess wasn't weak and helpless like you might think she'd be. She was very badass

ACTORS/CHARACTERS

Nicholas Hoult plays the hero of the movie, Jack. Jack is a poor farmer and lives with his uncle after his father dies. I really enjoyed seeing this different type of Jack. He is still quite an average person even though he happens to be a hero and saving the princess. 

Eleanor Tomlinson plays Princess Isabelle. I adored the princess. She was a strong-willed character who knew what she wanted and didn't want to be tied down. I have seen Eleanor Tomlinson in one other thing so far which was Poldark and I have to say, I adore her. 

Ewan McGregor was hilarious as Elmont. This was an entirely different role for him since the only other thing that I have seen him in happened to be Star Wars. He was a lot less series in this movie and funnier. 

FIGHTING

There was quite a bit of fighting as there is a fairytale/action type movie. I didn't mind the fighting too much though there was a lot of it. I feel like it made the movie more exciting. 

ROMANCE

There was a little bit of chemistry between Jack and Isabelle but not as much as I wanted. I feel like their romance was a bit rushed and could have been slowed down a little bit more. 

CONTENT FOR OLDER VIEWERS ONLY?

This movie is rated PG-13 for a reason. I feel like some of the fighting or "gorey" type seasons would not be for younger kids so watch out for that. But there isn't any profanity or nudity or things like that so in that respect, it is great for younger viewers.

I didn't enjoy it as much as I originally thought but Nicholas Hoult was attractive and a good actor and I adored Eleanor Tomlinson. 

Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey Review

This is a spoiler free review!

Love, Lies and Spies

Written by Cindy Anstey

Genre: Young Adult/Historical Fiction/Romance

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Release Date: April `9, 2016

Pages: 368

Source: Library

Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

Summary:

Juliana Telford is not your average nineteenth-century young lady. She’s much more interested in researching ladybugs than marriage, fashionable dresses, or dances. So when her father sends her to London for a season, she’s determined not to form any attachments. Instead, she plans to secretly publish their research.

Spencer Northam is not the average young gentleman of leisure he appears. He is actually a spy for the War Office, and is more focused on acing his first mission than meeting eligible ladies. Fortunately, Juliana feels the same, and they agree to pretend to fall for each other. Spencer can finally focus, until he is tasked with observing Juliana’s traveling companions . . . and Juliana herself

Review:

I have such a soft spot for Victorian/Nineteenth century England books. I adore the romance, the characters and the writing. This book has quickly become one of my favorite YA Historical Fiction books. It had so much potential and it lived up to it. I adored the book.

COVER

The cover is really nice. I really like the fact that it is in all black and white except for the words. I also like how there are lots of keys on the cover and I especially like the fact that there is a young woman chasing a carriage because frankly that resembles Juliana a ton.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world building is done fairly well. We get to view a lot of London and what it was like in the nineteenth century. We get to see what each gender's role was in that time and what each person was supposed to do. I found it really interesting and Victorian London is one of my favorite time periods for books.

Then there are the characters.

JULIANA

We first meet Juliana when she is hanging off a cliff. Juliana happens to be clumsy. She is always tripping over things or getting herself into quite the muddle. She is very independent even though some things [such as her falling off cliffs] seemed to show she wasn't. It is also clear from the beginning that she has no interest in entrapping any young man. Nor is she swooning over any man she happens to meet. She is such a Lizzie type character [Lizzie from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen] and I really enjoyed going on adventures with her.

SPENCER NORTHAM

Spencer is such a gentleman and a really unique character. I expected him to be compared with Mr. Darcy a bit but he really wasn't that type of person. Except he does do a little bit of brooding. But he wasn't mean to her or anything. Quite on the contrary, he was really polite and gentlemanly towards her. Spencer also showed a lot of compassion for the people he loved or cared about. He is also a very attractive and well-educated bachelor. To be honest, if I lived in that time period or in the book, I would totally go for him.

LORD BOBBINGTON

He is such a Mr. Bingley type character. He is best friend's with Spencer and their friendship is amazing. I really appreciate a good friendship and with some of the books that I have been reading lately, that is a given. He is hilarious and has his attentions on Lady Vivien when it is obvious that she doesn't like him.

CARRIE
She really cares about her best friend and cousin but sometimes she shows it in a bit of an awkward fashion. I really enjoyed seeing Carrie and she was a main character.

PLOT

The plot greatly resembles Jane Austen books except for the ending which was a bit more exciting. You can even pick out some of the characters and put them in place of your favorite Pride and Prejudice characters or stuff like that. The women are supposed to marry well and have their husbands provide for them but the main character doesn't want to marry. She prefers to be free and study her hobby which is bugs or insects. She's even writing a book with her father. I really like how the plot plays out. There isn't any love at first sight and the plot is hilarious and highly enjoyable.

ROMANCE

There is no love at first sight here which made me super happy. I was a little worried about a love triangle but that did not happen. Bobbington knows Spencer has his eye on Juliana and doesn't get in his way. The pair only have eyes for each other. Juliana is eighteen and Spencer is probably twenty-one or something around that. They act just like young lovers and are shy of their affections.

The ball scene was adorable and them dancing just made my day. There is one swoony scene that made my day and they are just so adorable and cute.

WRITING

The writing is perfect. It would fit in with the Jane Austen books or books from that time period perfectly. The way the characters speak or describe things is so eloquently put. The writing is wonderful and I adored it.

Final Thoughts:

If you like historical fiction novels then I highly recommend this one. It has the perfect dose of everything and it is highly enjoyable. Be ready to read on into the night and rate it as high as you can. I adored this book. This tagline is perfect: In this hilarious homage to Jane Austen, a lady with a penchant for trouble finds a handsome spy much more than merely tolerable.

Quotes from the Book:


“I shall be considered completely beyond the pale if I am dashed upon the rocks. Aunt will be so uncomfortable. Most inconsiderate of me.”

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Crowns

Top 5 Wednesday | Favorite Books Outside Your Comfort Zone

  TOP FIVE WEDNESDAY

TOP 5 WEDNESDAY IS A WEEKLY MEME HOSTED BY SAM. YOU BASICALLY GET A NEW TOPIC EVERY WEDNESDAY, AND YOU LIST YOUR TOP 5 BOOKS RELATED TO THAT TOPIC. HEAD OVER TO THE GOODREADS GROUP, AND ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST OF WEDNESDAY-ERS IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING!

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Today’s topic is “Favorite Books Outside Your Comfort Zone” This is such a hard topic for me to do because I don't read that many books outside my comfort zone or if I do, I usually DNF them. Well, here it goes.

5. Me before You

I adore this book. I do not pick up Adult books like ever but I am planning on reading more Adult books in the future. I also don't really read romance adult and while this wasn't all romance it was still there. I enjoyed this a ton and I did tear up cause this book makes you feel all the emotions so prepare yourself. 

 4. Open road summer 

This was really really good. I did not end up eating it Five stars but I still really enjoyed it. I have started reading contemporary but normally I shy away from them because I feel like they are kind of fake and too cutesy but this was a lot different. 

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3. Falling Kingdoms by morgan Rhodes 

I only picked up this book because it got good reviews. But it is compared with Game of Thrones and that is a show that is not up my ally. I wasn't really prepared for the amount of death that happened in this book but I still highly enjoyed it and is one of my favorites for this year. 

2. fallen By Lauren Kate

I adore fantasy but I don't reach for paranormal like ever but I picked up this book and I enjoyed it so so much which surprised me a lot. 

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1. Obsidian by jennifer l. armentrout

I love this book but it is another book I would never pick up on my own. I don't read paranormal ever and then I picked this up and enjoyed it so so so so so much.