April 2018 Wrap Up!

Hello everyone! This has been a slow reading month for me as I’m nearing my IB exams and the end of school. I only read 5 books this month, so I really need to pick it up to meet my Goodreads goal!

I actually watched quite a few movies this month, I’ll list them at the end of the wrap up!

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First up, I finally got around to reading, THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS by Marieke Nijkamp! I also read I HAVE THE RIGHT TO by Chessy Prout. 

 

I’ve been seeing THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS everywhere for a while now so I’m so glad to finally have read it especially since the topic of school shootings is very prevalent now.

Similarly with I HAVE THE RIGHT TO, the topic of sexual assault is a very current topic and it was inspiring to read about the bravery that Chessy Prout displayed throughout the aftermath of her sexual assault.

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I highly enjoyed ACE OF SHADES by Amanda Foody, as well as JEK/HYDE by Amy Ross and FATAL THRONE.

  

ACE OF SHADES was a delightful surprise for me this month and I absolutely loved reading it! I thought that JEK/HYDE was a tad predictable, even for someone like me who isn’t familiar with the original story. FATAL THRONE was interesting as I’m highly fascinated with everything involving King Henry VIII and his wives so this was a gem to read for me.

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Some movies I watched this month including re watches are:

-Mulan and Mulan II

-Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

-Lady Bird

-Suicide Squad

-Call Me By Your Name

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What books/movies have you read/watched this month?!

March 2018 Wrap Up!

Hello everyone! My wrap up is slightly earlier this month than I’ve been normally posting my wrap ups this year and that is because I’m going on vacation when I usually post my wrap ups!

Also in other news, I’ve finally committed to a college so I have a future! Wooh!

Now let’s get right into the wrap up! I read 8 books this month!

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First up I read: LOVE, LIFE AND THE LIST by Kasie West as well as THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

 

Kasie West is really churning those contemporaries out and unfortunately I find the quality lacking even though the quantity is there. While the book was cute it was also predictable and just a typical Kasie West book but names changed. I did still enjoy reading and gave it a 3 star rating.

THE FUTURE OF US had such an amazing concept which I’m not going to get too much into because of spoilers but it was so interesting. The characters themselves were stereotypical YA characters that had me rolling my eyes but I really liked it! 4 star rating.

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So far I have to say my favorite book of the year has to be STRANGE THE DREAMER by Laini Taylor. I also read DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone

 

Oh my god STRANGE THE DREAMER was amazing! It took me some time to get into the book but when I did I was sucked in and stayed up so late to finish the book. I cannot wait to read the second book! 5 star rating!

I also loved DEAR MARTIN but I wished it was longer! I read it in one sitting I think and I just wanted more! Also 5 stars!

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I read two anthologies that I reviewed for teen reads, A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS and THE RADICAL ELEMENT both edited by Jessica Spotswood

 

I think I liked the second installment, THE RADICAL ELEMENT a little more, probably because the first book focused on historical fiction and strong females and the historical aspects sometimes bored me. I really like both books, though anthologies kind of irk me because I hate starting books. It takes me a while to get past the first few chapters and enjoy myself, especially with fantasies and with these short stories every time I finally started to get into it, the story would end.

A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS gets a 3.5 star rating from me and THE RADICAL ELEMENT gets a 4 star rating!

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Finally I read a book for my English class: CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and also I read CALL ME BY YOUR NAME by Andre Aciman before I watched the movie

 

I really enjoy CHRONICLE it has to be one of my favorite books that I’ve read for school actually, I gave it 4 stars and I also really enjoyed CALL ME BY YOUR NAME and gave it 4 stars as well!

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I’m on spring break right now, and it’s scary to think that when I come back my exams are around the corner and then I’m basically done with high school!

How was your March? Link me up to your wrap ups!

February 2018 Wrap Up!

Hello! February was a rather short month but I’m glad to say I was able to read 8 books this month which is quite good as I’ve been very busy with school.

I am at 19/100 for my reading challenge for the year, so I’m on track and I am currently reading Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West which is quite entertaining so far.

Anyways, let’s get right into the wrap up!

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First up this month I read some YA fiction: Saving Hamlet by Molly Booth and the Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson

 

I discovered SAVING HAMLET through the Teenreads review list and added it to my TBR. It was a good book and I loved the plot, having read ‘Hamlet’ last year for my English class it was fun to actually understand the references to the book. I gave the book a 4 star rating on Goodreads.

THE VANISHING SEASON has been on my TBR for a while now and I’m so happy I finally read it! I also gave it a 4 star rating.

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I also read some YA fantasy books: Illusions of Fate as well as And I Darken, both by Kiersten White

 

These two books were my favorites of the month for sure! ILLUSIONS OF FATE is my favorite of 2018 so far I think! I gave it a 5 star rating because I was gushing all over the place with the plot and the characters as well as the romance. I haven’t read a book in a while with actual chemistry between the main characters and I relished in that.

AND I DARKEN was equally amazing however it was such a long book I thought that it dragged in some placed. I’m giving it a 4.5 star rating and I can’t wait to read more of Kiersten White’s books!

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The books I reviewed for teenreads.com this month were Votes for Women! and Eat Your Feelings

 

Both of my reviews for these books should be up on the teenreads.com site or going up soon. I enjoyed both books and gave them both a 3.5 star rating.

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Lastly I read a nonfiction book as well as an erotica, Because I was a Girl and Say My Name

 

I haven’t read a book like BECAUSE I WAS A GIRL ever and I found it to be such an empowering read. Some of the stories were more entertaining than others and I would give this book a 3.5 star rating.

I was in the mood for an erotica and so I picked up SAY MY NAME after DNF-ing another erotica book a few chapters in. I’ve read great things about this book from other Goodreads users but I really couldn’t get into it. Maybe because it’s a spinoff series? Anyway I would give this book a 2.5 star rating.

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Thanks so much for reading! Link me up with your February Wrap Ups and I’ll be sure to check them out!

January 2018 Wrap Up

Hello everyone, I’ve survived another month of school and am that much closer to graduation. Senioritis has arrived very swiftly and I find myself very unmotivated especially since I’ve gotten into college now.

However, my reading definitely has not suffered and I’m happy to say I’ve set my goal for my 2018 reading challenge of 100 books! I’ve also read 11 books this month despite midterms…maybe I was reading instead of studying? Probably.

Anyway, let’s get into the wrap up!

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First up I read some YA: Dividing Eden, Turtles All The Down, and Top Ten

  

I found the first half of DIVIDING EDEN very satisfying and I was so upset when the second half fell short of my expectations. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating because the first half was truly good!

TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN was a very real and raw book and usually John Green’s books are a hit or miss for me and with a 4.5 star rating for me I’m glad to say this one was a hit!

TOP TEN was interesting but also long and the story dragged on. While the dual perspective and top ten moments were an interesting way to structure the story at times it took away from the plot. I gave this book a 4 star rating on Goodreads.

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I also read Kiss me in New York, It’s Kind of a Funny story and Seven Ways We Lie

  

KISS ME IN NEW YORK was as very cliche and predictable and despite the cute plot and storyline, I did not feel emotionally connected to any of the characters. I gave this book a 3 star rating on goodreads but it’s really a 2.5 for me.

IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY was such a relevant book in terms of teen stress and standards for school and college. I gave it a 4 star rating on goodreads and also watched the movie which obviously could not compare to the book but was decent!

Similar to DIVIDING EDEN I thought that the first half of SEVEN WAYS WE LIE was slow but the second half really picked up. I gave it 4 stars!

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I read Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe, What a Goddess Wants, and The School for Good and Evil 

  

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND MISTLETOE was a beautiful disaster that I flew through and liked in terms of the cute hallmark factor. However, this was not a hallmark movie, it was a novel that I was expecting a lot more from, especially from author Melissa de la Cruz. From the cringe of the main character to how unlike Pride and Prejudice is in terms of romance and character development this book was a flop. Seriously, the personality of the characters was like that of a limp tissue. I gave it 2 stars on goodreads but it’s a 1.5 star rating from me.

WHAT A GODDESS WANTS was my erotica/romance for the month. I originally wanted a different book but live-brary/overdrive didn’t have so I settled for this one. I mean sure it was a fun read and the first quarter was promising but then it kind of fell apart for me, it was semi enjoyable though so I gave it 3 stars.

I’ve been meaning to read THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL for so long now ever since it was recommended to me by a mom at taekwondo several years ago and I’m so happy I finally got to it! It was a pretty big book and I’m quite proud that I read it, it is middle grade I’m pretty sure but it reads almost like a YA novel. I liked it and gave it a 4 star rating!

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My books for teenreads this month were Zenith and Busted, and I was so lucky to get the ARC of Zenith!

 

Ok let’s talk about ZENITH. I didn’t really include this in my ZENITH review on teenreads but this book is extremely controversial. There are so many one star ratings bashing this book and I don’t understand why. The bitterness and jealousy of the success of ZENITH really is astounding. Sure it had a lot of flaws but so do most books. Because Sasha is a booktuber obviously getting ZENITH published was easier for her but I don’t think her books deserves negative reviews for that. It should be judged on the content. You can definitely disagree with me on this but overall I’m satisfied with ZENITH and will be reading the next book. 4 star rating.

BUSTED was a strange one but also entertaining and I gave it 3 stars on goodreads but it’s more of a 3.5 for me.

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Thanks for reading! Link me up with your January Wrap Ups and be sure to tell me what you read in the comments!