August 2016 Wrap Up

Since I start University this month, I got as much read as I could in the month of August, since I know I won't be able to read as much as I used to.
This past month I read:

• ★★★★☆.5     The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2) by Brandon Sanderson
• ★★★★☆.5     Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers
• ★★★★☆.5     The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski
• ★★★★☆.5     Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers
• ★★★★☆        The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma
• ★★★★☆        The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski
• ★★★★☆.5     Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin #3) by Robin LaFevers
• ★★★★★        The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3) by Marie Rutkoski

The first book I read this month was The Well of Ascension. I really enjoyed this book, and I felt that there was great development between Vin and Elend, as well as a lot of development from other characters throughout the story. The only reason this book wasn't an automatic five star read for me was that I've found that ever since a certain someone died in the first book (avoiding names because of spoilers) the group dynamic between the characters has seemed a bit forced and very off. They don't seem to mesh together as a group as well as they once did, and they seem to be forcing themselves to work as they one were, where it had originally seemed so easy to them. Other than that though, I absolutely loved this book. The battle and fight scenes were amazing, and the ending to this book was extremely unexpected, but in a good way.

The next book I read was Grave Mercy. I've seemed to be in a massive fantasy kick this month, so I figured I would give it a go. And I absolutely LOVED IT. The characters were amazing, the storyline was brilliant, and every single aspect of the story was so well thought out, from the convent to the back stories of the characters to the relationship between every single character. I also really liked how the author didn't force any of the relationships between the characters, especially between Ismae and Duval. Their relationship, as well as those between almost every other character in this book, seemed to flourish on their own, with no force put on by the author to make it seem like they needed to be together. Lately, I've found that a lot of authors will make it extremely obvious from the very beginning of a book (or a series) who will end up together in the end, and they make their connection strong and their relationship perfect. Those always seem forced to me. In this book, however, it seemed like the actual characters made all of the decisions, and the author was there to just write it down.

I then read The Winner's Curse as I waited to buy the rest of the Grave Mercy trilogy. I really enjoyed this book too, and I found that it deserved all of the hype that is given to it. The characters were very well thought out, the relationships between them were very well created, and the story line between all of the characters, especially Kestrel and Arin, was written perfectly. I also really enjoyed how the actual novel was written; the words flowed and the story line ran beautifully. Every single thing about this book was absolutely gorgeous.

The next book I read this month was Dark Triumph, the second book after Grave Mercy. I found that this book had a very slow beginning, and as I started reading this book I had a small dislike of Sybella. As I read, however, she slowly started to grow on me, and I found I enjoyed reading about her more and more. This book is a lot shorter than Grave Mercy is, but I found that I enjoyed it more, as I understood the world and how the characters lived due to the first book. The story line was perfectly lined up with the first book, but it also showed a whole different side to the story you learn about and follow in the first book. I really enjoyed how quickly the pace sped up as you continue to read this book, as once you have quickly recovered the world and the people in the story, you begin to delve deeper and faster into the main story line. This one I enjoyed about as equally as I did Grave Mercy.


The next book I read was The Walls Around Us, which was very different from the other books I had been reading this month. I really enjoyed how suspenseful this book was, as well as how different the characters were from what I had been reading this month. The story line as well is so different from anything I have read, as it takes place in a detention center. I found that this book had a great ending, and I also feel like it was the perfect length, and written perfectly, for how the author had the story play out.

I then read The Winner's Crime. I was not as much of a fan of this book as I was the first one, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. I felt that this book was more of a filler book for the other two in this trilogy, and although I felt that because not many things happened action wise, a lot happened relationship wise. I have a lot of mixed emotions about this book, because although I feel like it was a filler book, I also feel like the trilogy couldn't have worked without it. This particular book had a lot of problems for me, as a lot of parts dragged badly for me, but I was still kept interested because of how much I am invested in the characters. I found that there were too many problems within the book, and many of them were so small and unimportant that they could have easily been left out with no problems continuing on the trilogy as it already was, but other parts of this book were so important that I feel like they defined Kestrel and Arin's relationship, as well as the relationship of the countries they were in.

I then read Mortal Heart, the final book in the Grave Mercy trilogy. This book was fantastic in every possible way. Through reading this trilogy, I have always been fascinated by Mortain, who he was as a God and as a father, and we got to see him in a way that we never have before. I absolutely love his relationship with the girls (and one particular girl) of the convent, and how beautifully it was written and described. I loved how every single girls' story throughout this entire trilogy were perfectly wrapped up, and how every single lose end and problem was accounted for. The amount of problems that happened in this trilogy makes it seem unbelievable that it could have ended so perfectly and beautifully, but I couldn't imagine it ending any other way.

The next book I read was The Winner's Kiss, the third and final book in The Winner's Kiss trilogy. This book was everything the second one wasn't; it was intense, fast-paced, and action-filled. This story was the perfect way of ending the trilogy, and the ending between Kestrel and Arin couldn't have been any better. This book concluded the series, as being the last book, and also as being a way of ending the trilogy better than how the first one started it. There was so much growth and development in these books, not only from the characters, but from the countries and the setting itself.

August 2016 Book Haul

I'm starting University this month (which I am SO excited for!) so I went massively overboard on book buying, since I won't really be able to buy many books other than textbooks for the next couple months.
In August I bought:

Young adult:

1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne
2. Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
3. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
4. Crater by Homer Hickam
5. Changeling by Philippa Gregory
6. The Walls Around Us
7. Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers
8. Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin #3) by Robin LaFevers
9. Angelfall by Susan Ee
10. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
11. The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand
12. The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski
13. The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3) by Marie Rutkoski

Adult:

1. The Iron King by Maurice Druon
2. Three Blind Mice & Other Stories by Agatha Christie
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
5. Night Film by Marisha Pessl
6. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
7. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

Classics:

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
3. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
4. To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway
5. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
6. The Lovecraft Compendium by H.P. Lovecraft

July 2016 Wrap Up

I managed to get quite a few books read this month!

I read:

• ★★★☆☆.5   More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
• ★★★★☆.5   The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
• ★★★★☆      Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
• ★★★★☆      This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
• ★★★★☆      Animal Farm by George Orwell
• ★★★★★      Cracked by K.M. Walton
• ★★★★★      Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• ★★★★☆.5   Mistborn (Mistborn #1) by Brandon Sanderson

The first book I read this month was More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera. I was really looking forward to it, as I had heard so many good things about it, and although I did really enjoy some parts of it, there were also some parts that I was not a massive fan of. I have a full review which you can find here if you would like to read more of my thoughts on it.

The next book I read was The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. I found the greatest little new and used book store while I was on vacation so I had to pick it up when I found it for a quarter of the new price. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I loved every aspect of it except for the sad ending. I found a few parts to drag a little, but other than that I really, really enjoyed this book and I'm very glad I was seeing this around UK BookTube and that I decided to pick it up. I have a full review that can be found here if you are interested in more of my thoughts.

I then read Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver, and I really enjoyed it! I thought that the characters were all wonderfully developed and I found the novel to be full of suspense, action, and a lot of mystery. I really enjoyed how everything came together throughout and at the end of the book, and I loved how well the author described the characters, plot, and setting. I have not read a book by Lauren Oliver that I have not enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to more from her!

I also read This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I have yet to read a book by Victoria Schwab that I haven't loved (or at least really liked) and although I had a few problems with the book as a whole, I really liked it and can't wait for the next one. I have a full review here if you want to read more of my likes and dislikes with this book.


For my classic for the month, I read Animal Farm by George Orwell. I needed a quick read that I knew I could handle in one sitting, and this book was perfect for this because it is barely 100 pages. I enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it. I liked how each of the animals had their own personality and how different their personalities were. I also liked how well the characters of the pigs developed throughout the book, and how it was a steady growth, not an abrupt one. I know this book is meant to be short, but my only real problem with it is that I felt it was too short. I feel like a few more pages would have helped the story in its entirety.

I then read Cracked, which had been sitting on my shelf forever, because one of my best friends recommended it to me. I couldn't believe how good it was. I read the entire book in one sitting, cover to cover. It was so good that as soon as I finished it I wanted to start reading it all over again. The characters, and the character development, is absolutely amazing in this book. The whole plot, all the way throughout the book, flows so perfectly and wonderfully that it makes me frustrated that I can't write that well! Not only were the characters, development, and the plot amazing, but the book was told in two perspectives, which I normally am not a large fan of, but this book really changed that for me. This book made me really love both of the characters whose perspectives I was reading from, and it helped to show how much they had in common, as well as how different they were. I honestly feel that this book wouldn't have been anywhere near as good as it is if it hadn't been told in both characters' perspectives. The only thing about this book is that it deals heavily with depression, abuse, and suicide, in which case if you cannot read much about those topics, I don't recommend this book for you.

The next book I read was Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I'd bought this book in the fall when it first came out, as soon as I had finished the Grisha trilogy, but I didn't read it right away because I really, really love Leigh Bardugo's writing and I didn't want to read it right away and then not have anything new of hers to read. I ended up picking it up this month because I know that the next book is supposed to come out this fall (and I REALLY hope that that doesn't change *fingers crossed*) and I figured now was the best time for me to really sit down and read it, and I was not disappointed one bit. The characters were a bit difficult to comprehend in the beginning just because I was mixing a few of them up, but very quickly you manage to figure out the quirks of each character and how they act, feel, and think. These characters are all absolutely amazing, and they all seem to be so realistic and relatable. As I was reading this book, I was able to connect with each and every single character in some way. This book also has an amazing plot, and all the twists and turns in this book were so surprising and keep you on your feet the whole time you read it. The book was written beautifully, as all of Leigh Bardugo's books are, and this book will forever be one of my all time favourites.

The final book I read this past month was Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. I've heard nothing but good things about anything written by Brandon Sanderson for awhile, from all of my favourite YouTubers. So, since I've had the book for about a year, I figured it was time to sit down and read it. It was absolutely amazing. I loved the characters, the plot, the setting, the storyline. I loved how well thought out the cities were, and how much every single character develops throughout the novel. The only reason that it wasn't a five star book for me was because something tragic happened to my favourite character...and that's all I can say about it! I really, really enjoyed this book, and I'm currently reading the second one of the trilogy, so you can tell how much I love the world!

July 2016 Book Haul

This past month hasn't been the best for me, but I still got a lot of books.

I got:

Young adult:

1. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (Hardcover)
2. Fire (Graceling Realm #2) by Kristin Cashore (Paperback)
3. Traveler (Seeker #2) by Arwen Elys Dayton (Hardcover)
4. Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas (Hardcover)
5. Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead (Paperback)
6. Sabriel by Garth Nix (Paperback)
7. Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley (Paperback)

Adult:

1. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton (Paperback)
2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Paperback)
3. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (Mass market paperback)
4. The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney (Paperback)
5. The Scottish Prisoner (Lord John Grey #3) by Diana Gabaldon (Hardcover)
6. Snow Wolf by Glen Meade (Paperback)
7. A Rose for the Crown by Anne Easter Smith (Paperback)
8. Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde (Paperback)
9. A Reunion of Ghosts by Judith Claire Mitchell (Paperback)
10. Terrier by Tamora Pierce (Paperback)
11. The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2) by Brandon Sanderson (Paperback)
12. The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) by Brandon Sanderson (Paperback)
13. The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2) by Samantha Shannon (Hardcover)
14. And the Dark Sacred Night by Julia Glass (Hardcover)

Middle grade:

1. The Golden Specific (The Mapmakers Trilogy #2) by S.E. Grove (Hardcover)
2. Fearless (Mirrorworld #2) by Cornelia Funke (Paperback)

Classics:

1. 1984 by George Orwell (Paperback)
2. Animal Farm by George Orwell (Paperback)
3. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Paperback)
4. The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare (Paperback)
5. Hamlet by William Shakespeare (Paperback)

Review: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

Title: This Savage Song

Series: Monsters of Verity #1

Author: Victoria Schwab

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Age group: Young adult

Pages: 464 (Hardcover)

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Publication date: July 5, 2016

Synopsis from This Savage Song's Goodreads page

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

THOUGHTS:

I've read one of Victoria Schwab's books before, that being Vicious, and it is one of my all time favourite books ever. So, when I found out that she was releasing a book this year (and that it was a young adult novel) I was ECSTATIC. I love her writing, and I bought this book as soon as I was able to, with staggering expectations.

Firstly, her characters are always amazing. They have such depth and such amazing pasts and lives. August and Kate were no exception. They both had horrors in their past but neither of them let them control them so that they couldn't find themselves. They also interacted in the perfect way as well. One of the appealing things about this book is that there is NO ROMANCE. That's basically unheard of now, not only in young adult but also in books in general. There is always some form of romance, and there is absolutely none in this novel. I feel like that helped the characters to connect in a way that couldn't have been even remotely touched (with a 10 foot pole) if there was any form of attraction or romance between them. It also helps the reader to see friendship without any hindrance.

The idea behind this novel was also absolutely amazing. I find that so many young adult books have monsters that are similar or that just aren't enough monster or are too much monster (if that makes any sense...) and that you can't see them as how the author intended for you to see them. Some monsters are so human that you feel too much pity for them, and others are so far from human that you feel no pity towards them. The monsters in this novel were just enough human at times and just far enough from human at other times that the reader felt pain and pity towards them, but also anger and disgust at other times. The story also has so many important details, like trust issues, influence from parents, lying and searching for the truth, and becoming friends with someone you could never even see as human before. I loved how well everything flowed together and how all the characters were developed and functioned with each other and by themselves.

With that said, I found that there was something missing for me. It wasn't that there was no romance, but that it was told in a different way from how I'm used to Victoria Schwab's writing. She usually has a very flowing, very soft, heavy way of writing, and I found this book to have more of a lighter tone in places that I felt should have been heavy. I also feel like the ending was a bit abrupt, and although I know that there is going to be a second book and that it was supposed to end on a cliff hanger, but I feel like this one was so much more sudden and unexpected. After I had finished the book I felt like there should have been a bit more to it, and bit more of a finalizing end.

Overall though, I loved this book and the characters, plot and the connections between the characters was amazing.

Overall - ★★★★☆



Review: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Title: The Miniaturist

Author: Jessie Burton

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age group: Adult

Pages: 416 (Paperback)

Publisher: Ecco

Publication date: June 2, 2016


Synopsis from The Miniaturist's Goodreads page


Set in seventeenth century Amsterdam—a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion—a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.


“There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . .”

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office—leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .

Johannes’ gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand—and fear—the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?

THOUGHTS:

I've seen this book all over European BookTube, and I've been meaning to pick it up and read it for awhile. While I was on vacation earlier this month, I was able to find it in a used bookstore (an amazing bookstore as well) and finally sit down and read it.

I absolutely love historical fictions books, especially ones that take place in this time period and especially ones that take place in Europe. This book was different though, as it takes place in Amsterdam, so I was extremely excited when I sat down to read it about what I would be able to learn about the city and how the people lived in this time period.

First off, I loved the setting of the novel. Amsterdam is one of the top places that I want to travel to one day and I just gathered up as much as I could about the city and about the houses and places in it. The description of the city was just beautiful, and I loved how the buildings and rooms were described throughout the entire novel. It just makes me want to travel there even more now!

I also loved the characters in the novel. I found some to be a little frustrating at times, but as the novel progressed you learn why they are the way they are. I also loved how each character was so different, and how they each had their own traits and how they all had flaws and vulnerabilities. The author did an amazing job with these characters, because by making them all have such visible (and hidden) flaws, they all seemed to become more real. They were easier to connect with, and to understand.
I also absolutely loved the plot of the novel. The storyline kept building and building throughout the entire novel, and I loved how the end of the book seemed to feel like the climax. So much of the story was spent just building up to the sudden ending, and although I usually like to have more happen after the climax and have things wind down a bit afterwards, I feel that this book could not have been better if that had happened. This story needed to have the sudden climax, the massive building until the very end, and everything that happened in the novel happened exactly where it should have.
The only problem I had with the novel was that some parts of it dragged a little bit more than it should have, but other than that there was nothing wrong with it. The characters were amazing, the plot was wonderful, and the storyline was absolutely perfect.
Overall - ★★★★☆.5 

Review: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

Title: More Happy Than Not

Author: Adam Silvera

Genre: Contemporary

Age group: Young Adult

Pages: 336 (Paperback)

Publisher: Soho Teen

Publication date: April 26, 2016


Synopsis from More Happy Than Not's Goodreads page


In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again—but he's still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron's crew notices, and they're not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

Why does happiness have to be so hard?

THOUGHTS:

The first book I read this summer was More Happy Than Not. I bought it last month because I had heard so many good things about it, and although I did really enjoy some parts of it, other parts I wasn't too fond of.
As a whole, I felt that the book had an amazing way of interpreting someone coming of age, figuring out who they were, and discovering their sexuality. I loved how the characters had so many conflicts, and how some lasted for a long time and others for mere pages, because that's exactly how life is. Some things last longer than others.
I also really enjoyed the character development in this novel, because I found that many of the characters really grew into who they were at the end of the novel and reached places that they weren't even close to seeing at the beginning and throughout the novel. They were all different and they all had flaws, some much larger than others. I loved how this book not only covered topics of sexuality and finding yourself, but how it also covered topics such as struggling for what you have, living in a single parent home, and harder topics such as suicide and depression. A few of the characters suffer greatly from depression and there is much talk of suicide throughout this book, which I feel is an important thing to talk about, especially within the young adult genre.
Something I wasn't a massive fan of was how the characters' sexuality was explored; I feel like the book could have had more of the characters figuring things out themselves instead of just jumping into so much action in places. That isn't to say that the actions of finding your sexuality shouldn't be covered, but for this book I just personally feel that there could have been a little more of the characters trying to figure things out, think through who they are and who they wanted to become before they jumped into their decisions.
I loved the idea of having memory wiping technology, and while reading this book it really makes the reader ponder if you have any memories that you want erased. Although the people in the book working for the memory wiping company are much pickier with who gets memories wiped and who does not, it makes you think about if you would want anything, or anyone, wiped from your mind, possibly forever. I thought the idea of it was absolutely brilliant.
I also loved the settings in this novel, and how drastic the settings differed from each other. They really affected the mood of the story as well as the characters and how they acted with and to each other. The difference between the Bronx homes and the memory wiping labs was so drastic, it really affected both the characters in the novel as well as me while I was reading. It creates a whole new atmosphere, and a whole new book almost.
The writing style in this book was very well done, and I really liked how this book talked about topics that you usually never hear about, especially in young adult fiction. The writing was wonderful, and I found so much of this book to be so different from other things I have read.
With that said, I am definitely looking forward to Adam Silvera's next novel, and I will hopefully be reading it as soon as it comes out. For his first novel, this book was good, and I look forward to more from him.

Overall - ★★★☆☆.5

June 2016 Book Haul

Although I barely read anything last month, I finished my exams and graduated high school so I figured I would reward myself with a few books.
I got:


Young adult:

1. Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall (Paperback)
2. Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between by Jennifer E. Smith (Paperback)
3. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson (Hardcover)
4. A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas (Hardcover)
5. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera (Paperback)
6. Talon by Julie Kagawa (Paperback)
7. Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver (Paperback)

Adult:

1. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh (Paperback)

Classics:

1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (My second copy - Paperback)
2. The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde (Paperback)
3. The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Paperback)
4. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (Paperback)
5. Heart of Darkness & Tales of Unrest by Joseph Conrad (Paperback)

June 2016 Wrap Up

This month was a sad reading month for me because of exams, so I'm really hoping to kick it up a notch for next month. I'm also leaving for vacation in a few hours so hopefully I'll be able to get a lot of reading done on the drive there.

This month I read:

• ★★★★☆      The Fray Theory #1: Resonance by Nelou Keramati
• ★★★★★      Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall

The first book I read this past month was Resonance by Nelou Keramati. The author contacted me last month asking me if I wanted to read and review her book in exchange for a free copy, so it was the first book I read this month. I really enjoyed it, and am looking forward to the next book(s) in the series. I have a full review here if you want to read more of my thoughts!

The next book I read was Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall, and I absolutely loved it. I read her first book, A Little Something Different, back in 2014, so when I saw this book on the shelf at the bookstore I was ecstatic! I picked it up and read it in one sitting, and I loved it. Her books are so cute and light, but they have the perfect amount of humour and the love stories are absolutely adorable. I was literally blushing from the cuteness and second hand embarrassment at points. I highly, highly recommend her books, and especially now because it's officially summer for me and they are such wonderful contemporaries.

Mid-Year Book Update

I saw this tag on https://btbpd.wordpress.com/category/booktube-tags/ so I figured I'd give it a go! They got the idea from https://nutfreenerd.com/2014/08/08/mid-year-book-freakout/

1.  What's the best book you've read so far in 2016?

          It was a reread, but my favourite book was definitely The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. I absolutely LOVE her books, and I have read The Raven Boys multiple times and love it more every time I read it. I have a full review of it here.

2.  The best sequel you've read so far in 2016?

          I have only read two sequels this year, and since one of them was in The Raven Cycle (and I've already gushed about it) I have to say it would be Prodigy by Marie Lu. I loved the entire trilogy, and I fell in love with the characters so much throughout the trilogy I was sad it was over so fast. I'm definitely going to be rereading this trilogy soon.

3.  What's a new release you haven't read yet but want to?

          Ruined by Amy Tintera. It just came out this past May, and I`m so excited to get my hands on it and read it. I love her Reboot duology, and I`ve been waiting for her to write another book ever since.

4.  What new release for the second half of the year are you most anticipating?

          Tales from The Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare. The physical copy is coming out in November, and I have been waiting for it for so long, and I'm forced to wait a bit longer. I'll be buying it as soon as it comes out and reading it the day I get my hands on it.

5.  Your biggest book disappointment so far?

          Nothing by Janne Teller. I was so excited to read it because I thought it was such a good idea, but I ultimately ended up not being a massive fan of it. I found some parts to be shocking and a bit disgusting as well. I have a full review of it here.

6.  Your biggest surprise?

          We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates. I had to read it for school in order to write a report on it, and I was amazed at how good it was. It's definitely a new favourite and I'm going to be rereading it and reading many other books by her as well. I have a full review of this book here.

7.  Favourite new author (debut or just new to you)?

          Marie Lu. I read her Legend trilogy earlier in the year, and I`m addicted to her writing now. I can't wait to read her Young Elites series!

8.  A book that made you cry this year?

          Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler. I found so many parts of it so insanely sad, but I also loved it so much. I think it would be a great book to read during a break up, to try and get through certain things.

9.  Favourite book-to-film adaptation you saw this year?

          I actually haven't seen any book-to-film adaptations yet this year. But I will be reading and then seeing Me Before You very soon, and I am very excited for it!

10. What book do you need to read by the end of the year?

          I NEED to read Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas by the end of this year. I`ve been putting it off for so long and all of my friends have been trying to force me to read it. Hopefully I`ll get to it by the end of the summer!

Review: ARC: Resonance by Nelou Keramati

Title: Resonance

Series: The Fray Theory #1

Author: Nelou Keramati

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

Age group: Young Adult

Pages: 332 (PDF)

Publisher: Finch Hill

Publication date: August 31st 2016

The author kindly provided me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.


Synopsis from Resonance's Goodreads page


Neve Knightly lives in an ordinary world. Where déjà vu is nothing more than a mind-trick. Where premonitions are dismissed as mere coincidence. Where no one thinks twice about the glitches in their reality.Neve Knightly is living a lie. But when her nightmare of a tragedy comes true the very next day, she can no longer seek solace in self-deception. The glossy enamel has been shattered, and she has caught a glimpse of what slithers just beneath the surface.
She now has the opportunity to decipher the enigma that’s been haunting her since childhood. But her quest soon becomes deeply entangled with the last two people she could have ever imagined: the love of her life, Dylan, who mysteriously vanished three years ago, and his estranged best friend, Romer, who seems to be guarding a secret of his own.
Romance, rancor, and redemption plummet as priorities, as their lives become riddled with peculiar happenings lying just outside the realm of science. And in search for salvation, they emerge at the brink of unveiling the best-kept secret in human history.

I want to start off by saying that the author, Nelou Keramati, so kindly reached out to me out of the blue and offered me an ARC PDF copy, which I was and still am so thankful for. I had never heard of this book until she reached out to me, and I am SO glad that she did.
The cover for this book as well, is just...it's just beautiful. And the author did the artwork herself!! (Can I be like half as talented as you? You're amazing and I love your work so insanely much!)
This novel stars off with one kick-ass main character, Neve. I loved her. I thought that she was just the right amount of intense, bad-ass, but also still very sweet and her humour? I loved it. She actually made me laugh out loud.
The two other main-type characters are Dylan and Romer, of whom I love both. (I'm not sure who I would pick though if I'm forced to). They both have strong back-stories that connect to each other as well as to Neve, and I thought that the connections were very strong and held a lot of power in the novel. Some novels make relationships between characters feel forced, but I didn't feel like this at all while reading this novel.
As well as a kick-ass, strong protagonist and two well developed (and very cute) possible love interests, the plot of this story was well developed. The writing was well done, and although it did feel like some parts dragged a little (it's the first in a paranormal series - it dragged a bit because of setting everything up, which is totally normal and it was well done in this case) I enjoyed this book, and I feel that the rest of the books in this series should be just as good if not even better!
(Please send me the next book?!)
Overall - ★★★★☆

My Summer 2016 TBR

Hello everyone! Since I have exams at the end of this month and I still have a lot of school work I need to do, I've decided that I'm not going to write a June TBR for this month. That way, I can focus more on studying and doing well on my final high school exams instead of worrying about keeping up with my reading for the month. So, with that in mind, here is my summer 2016 TBR, and the books I want/need to read this summer.

1. Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon
2. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
3. The Blood Red Road trilogy by Moira Young
4. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
5. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
6. A Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin
7. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A Corey

May 2016 Wrap Up

As I said in my book haul for this month, it was VERY hectic. The first weekend of the month I was touring my future university (I'm SO excited for this fall!) and I ended up badly spraining my ankle. I could barely read or post on my instagram or blog, so it was rough. Just as I got off of crutches, I had my graduation dinner/dance, and then that week I left for New York City for five days. I've caught up on all my school work, I'm prepared for the fall, and my school work is starting to wind down as exams are approaching. So I'm back!


This month I read:

• ★★★★☆      Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
• ★★★★☆.5   The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer
• ★★★★☆.5   The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
• ★★★★☆      The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• ★★★★★      The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Stiefvater

The first book I read this month was Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. I picked it up last month, and it really intrigued me, so I figured I would give it a go right away! I really enjoyed the story, although I found it to be very slow at times. The story line was very depressing, as it is about a woman who has been sentenced to death, but I also found it to be sweet and light-hearted at times. The novel was very well written, and the descriptions and the characters were wonderful to read about. I personally found the ending to be very abrupt as well, but I know that it was planned to be that way. I really enjoyed this novel, and I know that I'll be re-reading it eventually.

The second book I read was The Shock of the Fall. I have been wanting to read it for quite awhile, and I'm glad that I picked it up this month. This story was also very depressing at times, but I feel like this story could not have been written any other way. I loved how the main character described their life and how they wrote their story. The novel felt like it was being told by someone who was describing their life, not by an author who had created it from nothing. I really loved the writing style as well, and although it was sad and depressing, I feel like it teaches the reader a lot of valuable life lessons.

The next book I read was The Darkest Part of the Forest. I LOVED this book, but I don't feel as though it was worth a full 5 stars. There was a little something missing for me, which is why I gave it a solid 4.5. This book is amazing for so many reasons. The characters are perfectly written, the setting was wonderfully described so that it feels like you are right there, and it is not only a fantasy book, but it is a stand alone fantasy book, which never happens. I loved how the ending tied everything up just enough but also still leaves a lot of things to the imagination, and I love how everything in the story worked so well together. I have read two of Holly Black's books, and I have loved both of them to a very high level. I'm looking forward to reading more by her!

The classic I read this month was my next read, The Great Gatsby. I needed to read this for class, and I really enjoyed it! I loved how all the characters connected (even though some were in very bad ways) and how the ending was beautifully tragic. I loved reading this book, as the chapters were shorter so it was an easy, power-through read.


I can't really say much about my next read because it's the fourth and final book in the series, but I can say that it was AMAZING. The Raven King is probably one of my all time favourite books ever, and it made me feel all of the things. I have a full spoiler free review, with more of my (relatively) coherent thoughts which you can find here.

Review: The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Raven King

Series: The Raven Cycle #4

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Fantasy/Realistic Fiction/Paranormal

Age group: Young Adult

Pages: 438 (Hardcover)

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication date: April 26th, 2016

**The below synopsis may contain spoilers if you have not read The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves or Blue Lily, Lily Blue. My review beneath is spoiler free**

Synopsis from The Raven King's Goodreads page


Nothing living is safe. Nothing dead is to be trusted.


For years, Gansey has been on a quest to find a lost king. One by one, he’s drawn others into this quest: Ronan, who steals from dreams; Adam, whose life is no longer his own; Noah, whose life is no longer a lie; and Blue, who loves Gansey… and is certain she is destined to kill him.

Now the endgame has begun. Dreams and nightmares are converging. Love and loss are inseparable. And the quest refuses to be pinned to a path.


I was so scared going into this book from what we learn throughout this series. This book came out a month ago, and it took me an entire month to build up the mental state in order to sit down and actually read it.
Maggie Stiefvater is an author that I would literally read her grocery lists, she's that amazing. So even though I was so scared, I knew that I would absolutely love whatever would happen in this book.
I found this book to be nowhere near as dark as I was expecting, which I was very happy about. I personally am not a large fan of the final book in a series being extremely dark and depressing, so I was very content with how this book was written. It did have its dark parts and people, but overall the book was not what I would consider to be depressing.
I love the characters in this series so insanely much, and I just love them all so much more after reading this book. All of the characters in this book lined up perfectly with who they were and who they have been throughout this entire series, and they all grew into very different people in the end, but in a good way. (I'm so looking forward to re-reading this series and seeing how much of a baby everyone is in the beginning compared to the end).
The storyline in this book was very all over the place, but in a good way. The whole series has been leading up to one single realization and find, and I feel that they way it was written and the way it was portrayed could not have been any better.
A lot of this book I found was very repetitive, but I also feel that it was necessary in order for the series, and this book specifically, to go where it needed to go. Other than being repetitive, the writing style in this was flawless - as is per usual for Maggie Stiefvater. Her writing is so beautiful and it flows so well, and it is amazing to read. (Especially for an aspiring author like myself, reading her writing makes me passionate about words and characters even more than I already am).
I cannot emphasize enough how much I love this series, and how much I want everyone to read at leas the first book. These books are amazing and I can't believe this series is over. Four years of my life have been waiting for the final book, and I am so content with how this series ended. Although, there was a slight hint of another series at the end of this book...Hopefully we will get more about the raven boys and about Blue Sargent!
Overall - ★★★★★

May 2016 Book Haul

This month was pretty hectic for me. I really badly sprained my ankle the first weekend of May, I had my grad dinner/dance, and I travelled to New York City for five days, so I haven't been updating as much (sorry everyone!). I did get a few books this month though, and I'm very excited for all of them!


This month I got:


Young adult

1. The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Stiefvater
2. The Young World by Chris Weitz
3. Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman
4. Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan
5. The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
6. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A to Z Bookish Survey

This tag was created by Jamie from The Perpetual Page Turner. I've done a few tags now, and I'm really starting to love doing them! This one is called the A to Z Bookish Survey tag.

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Author you’ve read the most books from:

Cassandra Clare! I think I've read almost every single book she has published, multiple times. I'm a die hard Cassey Clare fan, and I always have been.

Best Sequel Ever:

I'm only going to count the sequels in a duology, because I have too many favourite sequels. Either Eona by Alison Goodman or The Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake, they were both absolutely amazing and I loved every second of both of them.

Currently Reading:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Drink of Choice While Reading:
Either water or  lemonade, or hot chocolate if I want something hot.

E-reader or Physical Book?
Physical book, always. I've never owned an e-reader or anything like that, I just love the feel of the pages in my hands too much.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

Gansey from The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. No doubt there at all.

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. It had been sitting on my shelf for the longest time, and the trilogy is my all time favourite trilogy ever. (Beside The Infernal Devices, of course).

Hidden Gem Book:

We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates. I had to read this last month for an essay for class, and it was an amazing book!

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

When I started by bookstagram and my book blog last year, they really changed who I was as a reader and who I was as a person. Making them made me even more enthusiastic about reading and writing, and they helped me to meet so many more people than I could have without them.

Just Finished:

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black (and I loved it!)

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:
Anything with a lot of romance or a very adulty-type romance. I like lighthearted, YA much better than steamy.

Longest Book You’ve Read:
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon, at 947 pages.

Major book hangover because of:
Looking for Alaska by John Green. It was such an amazing book the first time I read it, that all I wanted to do was re-read it.

Number of Bookcases You Own:
5, with boxes in my closet, as well as stacks everywhere throughout my room.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, it's a book that can always get me out of a bad slump.

Preferred Place To Read:

My bean bag chair, my dad's armchair, the couch, or my bed. Pretty much anywhere I can, but I prefer the comfiest places.

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:

"Live in the present, remember the past, and fear not the future, for it doesn't exist and never shall. There is only now." -Christopher Paolini, Eldest. This series was one of the series that really got me into reading and into writing, and it always helps me to try and believe in myself when I need to.

Reading Regret:
Not getting into more classics when I was younger. I've been collecting them for so long, and I've barely read any of them.

Series You Started And Need To Finish(all books are out in series):
I still need to read The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater to finish the series. Also, I just have to read the final book in the Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi.

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:
I'm keeping Harry Potter out of this, because obviously it's one of my all time favourite books, ever.

1. TID and TMI by Cassandra Clare (I just can't pick, I love them all too much!)

2. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

3. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

Cassandra Clare anything. Movies, books, fandom stuff. If Cassandra Clare writes 3000 books in the Shadowhunter world, I will read all of them. Multiple times.

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. Ever since I finished the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy I've needed MORE from her. I'll read anything she writes. I'll read her grocery lists.

Worst Bookish Habit:

Buying more and more and more and...more books before I have even put a dent in my TBR pile.

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

Just One Day by Gayle Forman.

Your latest book purchase:

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black and Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch.

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater. I read that book super late into the night, and I regret nothing.

May 2016 TBR

I was so insanely happy with the amount of books that I read last month, and I really want to keep the pace up this month and really start to cut down on my massive TBR pile. I also have insanely awful luck and sprained my ankle a few days ago, so I'll be lying down and hopefully reading a lot this month!

This month I plan on reading:

     1.   Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

I bought this book last month because I saw it on the list of books that were recommended for us to read for our essays for my English class. It kept calling me so I figured I would pick it up! I already read it, but I will discuss my thoughts on it in wrap up at the end of the month.

     2.   The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer


I also picked up this book last month, and I've been meaning to read it for awhile. It looked like a relatively fast read, so I thought I would give it a go this month and see how it is.


     3.   The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black


I've wanted to read this book for awhile, and I am really in the mood for a fantasy type book without the long series. This is a standalone fantasy book (which you NEVER see) so I'm definitely going to read this one this month!

     4.   The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Stiefvater

I never got to buy this book last month, and it is definitely happening this month. It's one of my most anticipated reads of 2016 so I need to get to a bookstore and read it ASAP!

     5.   The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

My book club was planning on reading this book last year for one of our reads, but we ended up not reading it and reading another book instead. I've been meaning to read it ever since, and since I saw it for super cheap last month I bought it, and I really want to get to it this month!

     6.   The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

One of my goals for this year was to read at least one classic a month in order to slowly cut down on my classic TBR pile, and since I need to read this one for English class this month, I figured I would count this one as my classic for the month!