Around The Year In 52 Books: Week 21

WEEK 21:

A BOOK THAT IS A CONTINUATION OF A BOOK YOU'VE ALREADY READ

(aka continuing on with a series)

PROGRESS POST

What are you reading this week?

Title: The Revolution Of Ivy (#2)

Author: Amy Engel

What is this book a continuation of? This is the sequel to The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel.

When did you read the previous book? I read The Book of Ivy back in December of 2015, so it has been a little while since the first one.

What are you most looking forward to in the continuation of the story? I'm excited for two things while reading this. First, I'm really intrigued to see what is going to happen with Ivy. The ending of the first book left her in a precarious position, so I want to know how she's going to save herself. The Second thing I'm excited for, is that by finishing this, I'm going to be finishing a series. It's only a duology, so once I finish The Revolution of Ivy, I can count it as a series finished in 2017. That will be an accomplishment.

So that's what I'm reading for this challenge! If you're not participating, you totally should. Check out the group and challenge here!

Review: The Uninvited by Cat Winters

Title: The Uninvited

Author: Cat Winters

Published by: William Morrow/HarperCollins

Released: 2015

Source: Library

Summary: 1918 is a year of death. WWI is raging, leaving widows and grieving parents behind. The flu epidemic is also going strong, taking more and more people away. Ivy Rowan wakes up from a harrowing illness to discover her world is forever changed. Her father and brother have killed a man, and Ivy realizes she can no longer stay in her home. 

In all her 25 years, she has never been free, but now she can be. Jazz beckons. A new love appears. Ivy has found purpose in a time where the world seems to be falling apart.

My Thoughts: Hmmmm... such a pickle I find myself in. I most definitely enjoyed this, but I did have some problems with it too.

I loved the historical setting vibe, how it was set in a time of such chaos. I also loved being enlightened on a piece of history that I wasn't aware of. Learning about the Anti-German movement that swept the country, and the hate experienced by German Immigrants was completely eye-opening. Maybe it hit me harder because I have a lot of German heritage. It's also a swept-under-the-rug part of history. We remember the hatred expressed towards Jews, Irish, Japanese, Native Americans, and African Americans, but forget the struggle of other people. For how welcoming America is with its melting pot status (but you have to come over the right way, but I'm not going to get into that political swampland), it can also be full of hate. I feel like we don't hear about the Anti-German movement in history because Germans are white, and the white man is always the last to get any kind of sympathy. They are constantly portrayed as the "privileged" villains, which I don't think is right.

I also really enjoyed the big twist of the story. As I got nearer to the reveal, I did begin to suspect some things. I'd read a short story by Cat Winters not too long before this, and that had the same kind of twist. But, the twist made you view everything that happened before through different eyes.

The things that threw me off were the frenzied pace of the story and Ivy. I had a lot of trouble wrapping my head around some of the things Ivy decided to do. As a woman of her time, some of them didn't make sense. I also felt like she had no real plan for what she was going to do next, and just jumped from one thing to another. She could also be a little too preachy for my liking.
All in all, I liked this. I really enjoyed the historical setting and learning something new. The twist was fun and shocking. I enjoyed the way Cat Winters can tell a story, and definitely will be checking out more by her.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Frenzied and Shocking

Reading Right Now! (100)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

Title: Labyrinth Lost

Author: Zoraida Cordova

I'm so close to being done with this that I can taste it! I've got less than 100 pages left, but it's been a slow going book for me. I'm just kind of meh about it.

This is about a bruja named Alex, who doesn't want her powers. She does a canto to give them back to whoever/whatever gave her the gift on her deathday, but it backfires. Alex's family suddenly disappears into the mysterious, magical world of Los Lagos. She enlists the help of a mysterious brujo named Nova, and together they journey to Los Lagos to rescue her family from an evil that wants to devour all.

This book works perfectly if you are participating in any sort of diverse reads challenges or readathons. It counts as an own voices book (I think) and it explores a different culture. So, if you read books just because they hit the diverse button, go ahead.

I'm just not really the biggest fan of this book as I'm reading it. It's not gripping me. None of the characters (with the exception of Nova, who I do like) are really that exciting for me. The main character, Alex, is someone I just have a hard time understanding. Most of the time, she's kind of blah. I also feel like everything is happening so fast, like too fast. Suddenly they are in Los Lagos, this weird world that just feels weird. I don't know. The cover is really cool looking, but the inside just hasn't impressed me yet.

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you Reading?

Around The Year in 52 Books: Week 4

WEEK 4

A TITLE THAT DOESN'T CONTAIN THE LETTER "E"

MY CHOICE

Title: Labyrinth Lost (#1)

Author: Zoraida Cordova

PROGRESS POST

What are you reading this week? I'm reading Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova.

Was it difficult for you to find a book without an "e" in the title? It was hard to find a book title without an "e" in it. I had found one book earlier that I could have used for this challenge, but then decided to use it for another week. It's amazing how many words contain an "e".

What do you think about choosing a book by it's title? Personally, I don't think that's a smart way for me to choose what to read. Titles of books don't hold as much appeal to me as the synopsis and the cover can. I mean, having a cool title is cool, but sometimes it gives virtually no clues about the book. Now there are some titles I really like, like I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells or Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke, those titles got me interested to read the books, but they were special cases.

So that's what I'm reading for this challenge. Are you participating? You totally should. It's fun. Check out the challenge here!

Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Favorite Underrated Books

I feel like I've talked about these books multiple times before, but I do feel that they are underrated and need more reads and love! So, here's my Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Favorite Underrated Books! I'm not going to put them in a 1-5 order, because they all hold a special place in my reading heart, they are all equally good. They are good, great even, and you must go read them all!

  

 

--The Hero's Guide To Saving Your Kingdom (whole series) by Christopher Healy and illustrations by Todd Harris-- Great!

--Altered (whole series) by Jennifer Rush-- Awesome!

--Illusive (whole series, but there's only two and I want more) by Emily Lloyd-Jones-- Needs so much more love.

--The Madman's Daughter (the whole series) by Megan Shepherd-- Love it so much!

--Shadowlands (whole series, there really should be more by the way) by Kate Brian-- Really fast-paced and fun!

So that's my Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Favorite Underrated Books. What are your favorite Underrated Books? Let me know in the comments below! If you want to join in on the Top 5 Wednesday fun, you totally should. Each Wednesday is a new, fun topic to contemplate and discuss. Check out all the other Top 5 Wednesday-ers Here!

Random Tuesday: The 100 Season 4 Is Almost Here!!

Random Post Tuesday, you're welcome. If you didn't know, The 100 is my favorite television show currently on air, and I've been waiting for it to come back since the Season 3 finale. 

It was such a hard wait. A long wait. The wait is now almost over!!! The 100 Season 4 is back on February 1st, 2017!! So that's February 1st, Wednesday, On the CW at 9 p.m. (eastern standard time).

They also released the poster for Season 4, and I don't know how to feel about it. Does it look pretty cool, yes! But I wish everyone was more recognizable. Maybe facing the camera with like the fire of destruction reflected in their eyes or something. I don't know. Maybe I'm sad because I can't figure out which one is Bellamy Blake, my favorite character.

Are you excited like I'm excited?!?! What do you think is going to happen in Season 4. I love talking about this show. 

Random Tuesday Post done!

All images found through google image search.

Review: The Girl in 6E (Deanna Madden #1) by A.R. Torre

Title: The Girl In 6E (Deanna Madden #1)

Author: A.R. Torre

Published by: Redhook Books

Released: 2014

Source: Library

Summary: Deanna Madden has gone to extremes to keep the world safe... from herself. She is plagued by dark thoughts, dark fantasies. She feels the urge to kill, any person she comes across is in danger.

To protect the public at large, she keeps herself locked in her apartment day and night. She hasn't been outside for three years. The way she survives is through the internet. All her living needs are ordered online and delivered to her door. She also makes her living online, working as one of the most popular cam girls.

All is going well, until she stumbles across a disturbing client, a client who has a fixation with someone named Annie. What if the only one who can save Annie is Deanna?

My Thoughts: Well, that was something. I'd heard about this on booktube and wanted to check it out for myself because of all the high praise it was receiving. I knew going into it that it was going to be adult, and it is very adult. **WARNING--MATURE CONTENT AHEAD! NOT A BOOK FOR THE YOUNGER AUDIENCE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.***

I can say that I mostly enjoyed it. It was a very quick read, very interesting and addicting. I was a little weirded out at it at times. All in all, I was intrigued. I was very weirded out at the cam girl lifestyle bits. All of the sexual fetishes were just weird to me. I don't travel to that dark, dark internet place, so it's something that I just found kind of shocking. I'm not putting those people down, or on a shame list or anything, but that stuff is just not for me. I also found this kind of embarrassing to read in public. If there was even a chance of anybody looking over my shoulder, the book would be shut tight.

I also found Deanna kind of strange. I didn't understand her. I didn't understand why her dark, murderous thoughts suddenly appeared. 

One thing that frustrated me, but at the same time I appreciated, was Deanna's overblown belief in her talents. It was frustrating, because I always want the main character to be kick-butt and be a bad-a$$ hero. I appreciated it because it was realistic. Deanna is a lady who spends all her time locked in her apartment. She doesn't have superhuman strength, she barely works out. Deanna was completely unrealistic in thinking she could take out all these people. Reality came and smacked her in the face a couple of times.

My one other issue was that I felt with all the build-up to Deanna going after this murderer, the actual confrontation felt very anti-climatic. It was over very quickly. The battle wasn't the epicness that I wanted. And the ending of the story just kind of petered out. I just felt like all this build-up with a subpar climax.

I did like how quick this was. It was very addictive to read and went by very fast. I also liked Jeremy.

This was fun to read. I definitely want to check out the other books in the series. It was also very strange.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Well, That Was Something.

Reading Right Now! (99)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

--Every Heart A Doorway (Wayward Children #1) by Seanan McGuire-- I picked this book up mainly out of curiosity and the hype. I'm only 20ish pages, so I don't know what to feel so far. I'm scared because of how short it is, I'm a fan of the chunkier book. But we'll see what I think of it.

This book is about kids who come back from fantastic experiences in other worlds, and don't know how to acclimate themselves back to normal life. An older lady, who had similar experiences as a child, opens her house and creates a kind of school for these children. That's really all I know.

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you reading? And if you've read this book, tell me what you thought of it.

Around The Year In 52 Books: Week 39

WEEK 39

AN EPISTOLARY FICTION

MY CHOICE

Title: Sleeping Giants

Author: Sylvain Neuvel

PROGRESS POST

What are you reading this week? I'm reading Sleeping Giants (Themis Files #1) by Sylvain Neuvel. It's a book I've been eyeing for a while and have heard a lot about.

What mediums made up the story (letters, journal entries, etc.)? This story is made up of mostly transcribed interviews with various people.

Do you like epistolary fiction? Sometimes. It can be a nice break for the regular novels, because it adds a different visual for the eye, but I don't think I would want to read it all the time, back to back. One of the cool things about epistolary fiction is that it's different and exciting. One of the cons is that it can get repetitive very quickly.

So that's what I'm reading for this week. What are you reading if you are taking part in the challenge. Check out the challenge here!

Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Favorite Polarizing Books

This week's Top 5 Wednesday is our Top 5 Favorite Polarizing Books. At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to do this week's post. I didn't think I would have the books to discuss for it. So, I ended up googling polarizing books and books people love/hate. I ended up coming across a GoodReads list called Worst Books Of All Time List and was kind of surprised by some of the books on there. I'm not really a filled-with-rage, I-want-to-throw-this-book-across-the-room reader. I mean, there are some books I really don't like, some books I rant about, but that's a pretty rare occurrence.
I ended up picking some books from that list that I felt were unfairly labeled as the worst, not all of them were my favorite books, but I liked them. They need defending from the haters!

 

5. It's a tie between The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket and Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead-- I don't really understand why these would be labeled as the worst books. They are both the beginnings to series, and I didn't think they were that bad. In fact, they were pretty enjoyable. I mean, Vampire Academy might win for having the worst cover, but the story inside wasn't that bad. I've read worse. And The Bad Beginning was super depressing, sure, but I thought it was a fun story that sets up for delightfully depressing series. I guess I don't understand the passion that goes into labeling these as the worst books.

4. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman-- Now I haven't read this book since middle school, but I remember really liking it when I read it. It had a lot of adventure in it and I just thought the daeman animal sidekicks were the coolest thing ever, I wanted one. It also had a bit of a dark feel to it that I liked. In my older years, knowing more about the author's feelings while writing the book, what he was trying to express, maybe that's not my favorite thing. Not that I've really researched it, I've just heard things, but I don't think I really agree with his opinions. But just basing it off the story I read and enjoyed, I'm not mad at it. This is why I like to know nothing about the author. I just want a good story.

3. The Host by Stephenie Meyer-- I kind of feel like this one might be unfairly hated on just because it is a Stephenie Meyer book. It's kind of a "popular" thing after the Twilight craze to hate on Stephenie Meyer. There's all this talk about how she's such a bad writer blah blah blah. How can she have made so much money producing such awful stories blah blah blah. Obviously, I pay these reviewers no mind, because they like to act so elite, and I'm better than you. If you're one of those people, sorry, but that's the feeling I get from some of them. Especially the ones that go hard core, criticizing her writing and then spouting how people should read classics and good literary fiction. I read this book, I liked this book, and I thought this book was good. Wanna fight about it?

2. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella-- Okay, I will fight about this one. I love this series. I think one of the hardest things to write is a good funny book. If a book can make me laugh with genuine amusement, it's a winner. The people that hate on this one must be serious and no fun, I don't think I want to hang out with them. So yes, I will proudly proclaim that I LOVE THIS SERIES!

1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer-- The hate this book gets probably irks me the most, just because of how people are so two-faced about it. When these books first came out, the general consensus was that people liked them. They were fun, they were addictive, and they really kickstarted the publishing of more young adult reads. I will admit that the movies were not that good, although they have their uber fans too.

What irks me about the hate this series gets is that it's from readers that loved it at first, and then throw it off a cliff as they get older. There is no shame in saying you liked this book at one time. I just feel like these "serious readers" try to distance themselves from books they feel will bring them shame if people found out they liked them. And I get tired of hearing people say how badly written these books were. If they're such literary critics, they should go write their own fabulously wonderful books.

I'm not ashamed to say I liked these books, I still like these books. I think, as a reader, you shouldn't have to be ashamed of what you read, shouldn't be ashamed of whether you like a book or hate it. I mean, their hatred isn't doing anything to Stephenie Meyer, she made some money from these books, and good for her. I want her to keep on writing books because I will keep on reading them.

Sorry for the rant, but this one was one of those that I have strong-ish feelings about. I really can't stand the stuck-up reader persona. Drives me bonkers. Read a story because it sounds interesting to you, not so you can brag about what a diverse or literary classic reader you are. I feel like that's doing it for the wrong reasons, kind of for the praises-of-men thing.

So that's my Top 5 Wenesday: Top 5 Favorite Polarizing Books. If I offended you, I'm not really all that sorry because I'm allowed my opinions, just like you are allowed yours. I'm not into this PC crap. If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen. If you want to join in on the Top 5 Wednesday fun, you totally should! Each Wednesday there is a new, fun topic to contemplate and consider. Check out all the other Top 5 Wednesday-ers Here!

Review: Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Title: Saga, Volume 4

Written by: Brain K. Vaughan

Art by: Fiona Staples

Published by: Image Comics, Inc.

Released: 2014

Source: Library

Summary: Checking back in with our little family, things aren't exactly peachy. They are hiding out on a planet, trying to give Hazel as normal a childhood as possible. Alana has a job in slightly shady entertainment, while Marko stays at home, taking care of Hazel. 

The family is struggling. And of course, they are not safe, people are still searching for them. The saga continues.

My Thoughts: I liked this Volume, but it wasn't my favorite out of the bunch. The majority of the comic, the family wasn't happy. Marko is seeking comfort in other "friends," and Alana is turning to something more dangerous. The danger does ratchet up as the Volume goes on. Things get interesting.

I will say, these Volumes can be so weird. Some of the illustrations can be so shocking. Most times, I feel as though it's done for shock value, and not necessarily important to the story plot. The illustrations are very pretty and colorful, but they can just be so weird!

This is a fun comic series that I do enjoy reading. Can't wait to see how things continue in Volume 5.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Troubles in Paradise

Cover Reveal: True North (True Born Trilogy #2) by L.E. Sterling

I've never done one of these before, so this is kind of exciting! I requested the first book from Netgalley for review (still haven't quite got around to reading it. I apologize. I'm a horrible person) Anyway, the publisher asked if I wanted to be a part of the cover reveal for the sequel, and I thought it would be fun. So first, I'll say a little bit about the first book

which was True Born  by L.E. Sterling. It's the first in a trilogy published by Entangled Teen, which is a publisher I very much enjoy. It's a post-apocalyptic story about a plague that decimates the world, and a girl who must rescue her twin sister with the help of a mysterious group. I love stories that feature post-apocalyptic worlds and just crazy stories of survival.

The sequel is set to come out on April 4, 2017

And I know you are excited to see the cover for the sequel! So wait for it.... wait for it....

BAM!

True North (True Born #2) by L.E. Sterling and doesn't it look pretty and scary at the same time?! I mean, skulls can be very intriguing.

About True North (True Born, #2):

Abandoned by her family in Plague-ridden Dominion City, eighteen-year-old Lucy Fox has no choice but to rely upon the kindness of the True Borns, a renegade group of genetically enhanced humans, to save her twin sister, Margot. But Nolan Storm, their mysterious leader, has his own agenda. When Storm backtracks on his promise to rescue Margot, Lucy takes her fate into her own hands and sets off for Russia with her True Born bodyguard and maybe-something-more, the lethal yet beautiful Jared Price. In Russia, there's been whispered rumors of Plague Cure.

While Lucy fights her magnetic attraction to Jared, anxious that his loyalty to Storm will hurt her chances of finding her sister, they quickly discover that not all is as it appears…

and discovering the secrets contained in the Fox sisters' blood before they wind up dead is just the beginning.??

As they say in Dominion, sometimes it’s not you…it’s your DNA.

Add To Your GoodReads Shelf!

MEET THE AUTHOR L.E. STERLING!

.

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate.

Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Pre-Order your copy today

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Reading Right Now! (98)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

 

-- Sleeping Giants (The Themis Files #1) by Sylvain Neuvel-- I've been interested in this book because of all the hype I've heard of it. It's written in interview/recorded style, which can be either a hit or a miss for me. I'm about 100 pages in, and so far, I'm interested. As for what it's about, I won't say much. Essentially it's about the events in the years after a girl falls into a hole and lands in a giant, mysterious, metal hand.

--Tales of the Peculiar (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #0.5) by Ransom Riggs-- I decided to read this at the same time too. I figure since it's short little stories, I should be able to switch back and forth between the two books. I'm liking this one so far. The stories are very strange, but I'm interested in seeing where they go and what's going to happen in them. The format of it reminds me a lot of The Tales of Beetle and the Bard from the Harry Potter series, in how it's fairy tales from that certain world and a former character is supposed to be the editor/author who put the little book together. I will say this book is sooo pretty. I love the cover and the illustrations inside. 

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you reading?

Around The Year In 52 Books: Week 45

Obviously I'm doing this out-of-order, but I think that's okay.

WEEK 45

A BOOK WITH A ONE-WORD TITLE

MY CHOICE:

Title: Bluescreen

 Author: Dan Wells

PROGRESS POST:

What made you choose this book?

I chose this book because I'm already a fan of Dan Wells and want to read more stuff by him. If you haven't read his I Am Not A Serial Killer series, you really should!

Could you guess what happens in the book from this one word?

I don't think I could just from the one word. Looking at the cover, I would guess something futuristic. The synopsis though explains what the title relates too.

So that's what I'm doing so far for the Around The Year in 52 Books Challenge. How are you doing?

Check out the group here!

Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 2017 Debuts I'm Excited For

Welcome to another Top 5 Wednesday! The most fun thing to do on a Wednesday. This week's topic is the Top 5 2017 Debuts I'm excited for. So I googled a list of 2017 Debuts, clicked on a Goodreads' link, and picked some good looking books out! Here are the books I'm excited for...

5. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller-- I love pirate stories, so that's the main reason this one peeks my interest. I did request it on Netgalley, and was given the disappointment of a denial, but if I see it at my library, I'll probably pick it up.

The denial on Netgalley probably would have hurt more if I was actually better with my Netgalley. My review ratio is nowhere close to 80%, and I'm pretty bad at reviewing stuff in a timely matter, so I'm not surprised I was denied, but it still made me a little sad.

Anyway PIRATES!

4. Frostblood by Elly Blake-- I've seen this one around on Goodreads, Instagram, and Blogs, and just thought it looks cool.

3. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden-- I actually have this one for review from Netgalley, but shamefully haven't read it yet, but it sounds really good. You can get this one now! It's out. I've heard this is Russian and magical, and maybe kind of reminiscent of Naomi Novik's book Uprooted. I can't wait to read this!

2. Poison's Kiss by Breeana Shields-- Look at that cover!!! It just screams READ ME. It's also about a teenage assassin who must kill the boy she loves. I'm in. It sounds good.

1. Caraval by Stephanie Garber-- The book I've heard about for months and months and months. I'm not even sure exactly what it's about, but I just know I want to read it.

So those are the Top 5 2017 Debuts I'm excited for. Which ones are you dying to read. If you want to investigate some 2017 YA debuts yourself, I'll leave the Goodreads list Here! 

If you want to join in on the Top 5 Wednesday fun, you totally should! Each Wednesday is a new, fun topic to contemplate and consider. Check out all the other Top 5 Wednesday-ers Here!

Favorite Books of 2016

I thought I'd take a look back at allll the books I read in 2016 and pick my favorites of the bunch. I don't feel like I LOVED a lot of books in 2016. I found the majority of them to be average. I don't know if that's because I'm too critical of books now, if I'm reluctant to give books a 5/5 now. I don't know. We'll see how 2017 goes for books.
I'm going to put my favorite books in the order that they were read, starting in January 2016. So here it goes...

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

And those were my Favorite Reads of 2016. Do we share any favorites? Let me know in the comments below!