April Reading Wrap-Up

Super belated (as usual) but here are the books I read in April. Some great ones in this bunch!

 

THE WINNER’S CRIME by Marie Rutkoski

A reread to prepare for book three. I enjoyed this even more the second time around. The first time I was itching for Kestrel and Arin to be on the page together, but this time I appreciated their individual journeys/dangers/strategies even more. Kestrel is one of my all-time favorite YA heroines, and this second book dives even deeper into her brilliant mind.

 

UP TO THIS POINTE by Jennifer Longo

Ballet + Antarctica = I am sold! This was a plot I’d never heard of before. When Harper’s life plan to become a professional ballerina goes down in flames, she finagles her way onto an Antarctic expedition. One of her ancestors was a South Pole explorer, so she figures, why not? Her panic and hopelessness about her lack of direction rings so true. The story is told in two timelines, jumping back and forth between Harper’s life in Antarctica and the year before as a ballerina. The ballet parts were my favorite—I’m really into ballet books lately! I recommend this one for sure, especially if you’re looking for an MC trying to rediscover herself.

 

THE WINNER’S KISS by Marie Rutkoski

One of my most anticipated books of the year, and I was SO pleased with it! No spoilers, but I was very happy with how things played out. There’s not a lot I can say without giving something away, but we finally saw Kestrel and Arin together in more than just a handful of scenes. Very satisfying!

 

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE by J.K. Rowling (audiobook)

Jim Dale’s narrations are my all-time audiobook favorites. I borrowed this one through the OverDrive app and listened to it night and day (practically). SO enjoyable!

 

THE WAY I USED TO BE by Amber Smith

THIS BOOK. Wow wow wow. The story follows Eden through all four years of high school after she is raped by her older brother’s best friend. It’s a completely character driven story, showing how the assault shapes Eden’s sense of self and decision-making. We see her cope, we see her spiral downward, we see her make and lose friends. Even when she’s not thinking about what happened to her, we can see how it has saturated her every action and decision. This quote sums up Eden’s journey well:

“And me, well, before it was like you had the girl and then you had the rumors about the girl, but now there’s only the girl, because the rumors aren’t just rumors anymore, they’re the reality—they are the girl.”

 

NO BAGGAGE: A MINIMALIST TALE OF LOVE AND WANDERING by Clara Bensen

I wanted a travel memoir, and this one caught my eye. Traveling with just the clothes on your back and money/passport/iPhone in your purse? And your companion is a guy you met on OKCupid a few weeks ago? Sounds like the opportunity for panic, hilarity, and some great lessons. But what I got from the book? Minimalist traveling is actually no big deal. Nothing went seriously wrong—Clara didn’t even seem to struggle—so it made for kind of a dull read. Also, the dialogue between Clara and her boyfriend/travel companion, Jeff, read as very philosophical/academic/pretentious. Her thoughts and narration sounded normal, but I wondered if they really only talked about super abstract concepts instead of more normal exchanges like: “Oh my god, these sandals are MURDERING my feet right now.”

 

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs

I put off reading this for YEARS because the pictures scared me. I thought the book was going to be a horror story, but I was so wrong. In case you haven’t read it I won’t spoil anything; it’s one of those (I think) where it’s best to go in blind and discover the story as you go. Basic plot: After a family tragedy, Jacob journeys to an island off the coast of Wales with his father and finds the remains of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Who were these children? Why did they live on this island? Jacob unravels the mystery, and discovers he might play a part in it.

 

IN THE AFTERLIGHT by Alexandra Bracken

Finishing The Darkest Minds series has been my goal for almost two years. Finally, FINALLY accomplished it in April. A solid finale—slower-paced, but once we hit the big takedown part, I was hooked. Also, I almost started crying when our gang was reunited with a character we haven’t seen for a while. And books DON’T make me cry unless they’re HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, so when I come close, it’s a big deal.

 

 

I read some solid books in April. My favorite is a tie between THE WAY I USED TO BE and THE WINNER’S KISS—though you can’t really compare the two, so I’m making it a tie! Favorite contemp, favorite fantasy.

Happy reading!

March Reading Wrap-Up

March was a great reading month for me, quality-wise. I read some of my favorite books of the year (so far, anyway)! I'd recommend every book on this list (NEVER FADE is a sequel, though, so if you're looking to start the series, read THE DARKEST MINDS first).

 

Here we go!

 

THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS by Anna-Marie McLemore

This story has been described as Romeo and Juliet meets THE NIGHT CIRCUS, which is spot-on. Lace comes from a family of mermaid exhibitionists (they wear tails and swim underwater) while Cluck’s family straps on wings and scale the tallest trees. The family rivalry runs deeper than performance competition, and with a touch of magical realism and romance, this story finds the perfect balance. So, so unique and beautiful.

 

NEVER FADE by Alexandra Bracken

Continuing my Darkest Minds series reread. I enjoyed this much more the second time around. Loved seeing Ruby’s character development!

 

KILL THE BOY BAND by Goldy Moldavsky

Four fangirls of boy band The Ruperts accidentally-kind-of-on-purpose kidnap a member of the band. Things escalate. It’s hilarious, slightly terrifying, and reminiscent of Libba Bray’s BEAUTY QUEENS. A great examination of celebrity/fan culture and validation of fangirls. I loved every second of this one!

 

THE WINNER’S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski

I reread this in preparation for THE WINNER’S KISS release. Five stars once again! The writing is flawlessly crafted: so much symbolism and sharp prose. Kestrel is becoming one of my all-time favorite female protagonists. I’m planning to do a full series review (non-spoiler) once I read the final book, so stay tuned!

 

LADY MIDNIGHT by Cassandra Clare

Book one in Cassandra Clare’s new Shadowhunters series, The Dark Artifices. Emma tries to solve a series of Los Angeles murders that connect to her parents’ own deaths. Meanwhile, she fights her growing feelings for Julian, her parabati, and questions the strict rules of the Clave, the Shadowhunter governing body. Well-developed characters and a rich new piece of the Shadowhunter world.  

 

THE READERS OF BROKEN WHEEL RECOMMEND by Katarina Bivald

Imagine Belle never met the Beast and instead opened a bookstore in the town where everyone thinks she’s strange. You’ve got this book. It’s charming and full of bookish references from Jane Austen to THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO to Harry Potter. If you love books, you’ll like this. (Fun fact: it's a translation! Originally published in Sweden.)

 

 

EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR by E.K. Johnston

After Hermione Winters is drugged and raped at cheerleading camp, she has to cope with her lack of memories surrounding the assault. Thankfully, she has a best friend to lean on. Such a powerful book. I really loved this one. Check out my full review here.

 

 

I loved all the books I read this month. They're all so different: satire, magical realism, urban fantasy, tough issue contemp... Not sure I can pick a favorite!

 

What's your favorite March read? Have you picked up any of these? Are they on your TBR?

 

 

 

January (and belated December) reading wrap-up!

Here's what my 2016 looks like so far, book-wise!

(December books are at the bottom)

 

 

VIOLENT ENDS by Shaun David Hutchinson

The wonderful KatyUpperman sent me this book, thanks to a contest she ran on her blog! And wow, what an intense read. It’s a collection of linked short stories (written by seventeen authors) about a school shooting. Each story is from a different POV (victims, friends/family of the shooter, even the gun is represented) and together they create a picture of the community and the shooter. A difficult read (I read the book in small sips, one or two stories at a time), but so powerful and timely—unfortunately, this is all-too common on the news lately.

Also, I’m all about the slowly growing number YA story anthologies these days. In addition to VIOLENT ENDS, I’ve read the holiday themed MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME edited by Stephanie Perkins (and she’s got SUMMER DAYS & SUMMER NIGHTS releasing this year). There’s also SLASHER GIRLS AND MONSTER BOYS (YA horror, edited by April Genevieve Tucholke, 2015) and A TYRRANY OF PETTICOATS (YA historical/fantasy, edited by Jessica Spotswood, 2016). I might do a separate post about this because it’s SO exciting!

 

BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert

This was my first Elizabeth Gilbert book, and it’s all about her theories of creativity and inspiration and process. I enjoy reading how different authors approach their creative process, and Liz Gilbert’s beliefs are really unique. Certain parts I didn’t buy into (like how she believes inspirations are their own entities floating around in the universe and you enter into an agreement with them when you sit down to create) but I found some little nuggets that rang true for me. Liz also explores the MFA argument (whether or not you need higher education to pursue creative endeavors), and she comes down staunchly on the “it’s nice for some people but you don’t need it” side. Which is true, but as someone who just spent two years and a lot of money in a writing MFA program (and learned a TON), that particular section was kind of disheartening. All in all, BIG MAGIC is one of those books you comb through to find those few lines you connect with, and you kind of forget the rest once you close the book. But THE COVER! So stunning!

 

BONE GAP by Laura Ruby

I really don’t know how to summarize this book. Fantasy, magical realism…some new combination of both? Once I quit trying to categorize it, I had so much fun reading! The story follows Finn, who is haunted by the disappearance of Roza, a mysterious young woman who’d been living with Finn and his older brother, Sean. Finn witnessed Roza’s abduction, but because he can’t describe the man who took her, no one in the town of Bone Gap believes him. This story is 100% unique, unlike anything I’ve read before. All the characters are multidimensional and strong in their own way. My favorite hands down is Petey, a beekeeper like her mother. I loved reading about her as a character, as well as her relationship with Finn. BONE GAP won the Printz Award (right after I finished reading it), and it’s so well-deserved. Beautifully written book. Keep a wide open mind, don’t try to label it, and give it a read!

 

A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by V.E. Schwab

This is a science fiction novel about parallel Londons and a Traveler named Kell who’s able to move between them. Different levels of magic exist in each of the Londons, and each city has a different leader—some more corrupt than others. Kell crosses paths (and is robbed by) a pickpocket named Lila and soon the two are caught up in smuggling and magic and all sorts of trouble. The concept is fantastic, but honestly, not a ton happens in this book. The first 130 pages or so are all setup, and the whole thing moved pretty slowly. Also, V.E. Schwab went a little crazy killing characters, which got annoying. I love the world concept, but I was disappointed with the execution of the book.     

 

THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH by Ali Benjamin

A finalist for the National Book Award, THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH follows Suzy, a seventh grader whose best friend drowned over the summer, and her quest to determine what actually happened. Franny was a good swimmer…she couldn’t have just drowned. An encounter with the jellyfish exhibit during a class trip to the aquarium convinces Suzy that Franny was stung by a rare jellyfish, and she uses the scientific method to prove her hypothesis. This is an amazing middle grade book that deals with grief—particularly the desire for concrete explanations. Suzy refuses to accept that “sometimes these things just happen.” Readers of all ages will enjoy this one--one of my new favorite MG books.  

 

PAGE BY PAIGE by Laura Lee Gulledge

I’m still new to graphic novels, but this is my favorite one so far. Paige is an artist who moves to New York with her parents and sets a goal to draw more. We follow her as she navigates a new school, makes friends, and deals with the fear of creative criticism. Gorgeous illustrations (my favorite style I’ve seen so far) and relatable to anyone who’s creative or has ever been the New Kid.

 

NEVER HAVE I EVER by Katie Heaney

One of my 2016 reading goals is to read more nonfiction/memoir. NEVER HAVE I EVER follows Katie’s romantic encounters (or lack thereof--she's been single her entire life) and it’s a ton of fun! It was a quick read, and her narrative voice is hilarious and casual, like you’re talking to a friend over coffee.

 

JUST ONE YEAR by Gayle Forman

I FINALLY read Willem’s story! This is the companion to JUST ONE DAY, but told from Willem’s POV. It takes place on the second half of the JUST ONE DAY timeline, over the year following Allyson and Willem’s day in Paris. I’ve been in a wanderlust-y mood, and this book was full of travel. I was concerned about not enjoying it as much because Allyson wasn’t in much of it, but I loved following Willem. Favorite character for sure is Kate, the young woman who runs a theatre troop in NYC. She’s the coolest! Now I need to read JUST ONE NIGHT, the novella.

 

DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS by Laini Taylor

Another FINALLY here. I finally finished the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. I think DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT was my favorite because I liked seeing Karou and Akiva’s separate storylines, and it was super dark and scary. DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS had slower pacing (it takes place over just a few days) and while I love the storyline and ideas, I didn’t flip pages as fast as in BLOOD AND STARLIGHT. My favorite aspect was the introduction of Eliza and her storyline. I also really came to like Liraz, which if you asked me in book one, I would’ve said that was impossible!

 

NIMONA by Noelle Stevenson

Favorite book of the year so far! This graphic novel started as a web comic, then after being turned into a book was a finalist for the National Book Award. It follows Nimona, a shapeshifter who becomes the sidekick to a supervillain, Lord Ballister Blackheart. They ban together to take down the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics—which isn’t full of heroes like the kingdom believes. But their plans become complicated when Nimona’s murky past comes to the surface. Hilarious and powerful, I read this in one sitting and loved every second.

 

So, I slacked last month and never posted a wrap up. December was my best reading month in a long time—some of the books I read that month were my favorites of the year. Real quick, here they are (favorites are in bold):

FIXING DELILAH by Sarah Ockler

THE START OF ME AND YOU by Emery Lord

SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

OPEN ROAD SUMMER by Emery Lord

ATTACHMENTS by Rainbow Rowell

BARBARA THE SLUT by Lauren Holmes

THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT by Jennifer E. Smith

MAGNUS CHASE AND THE GODS OF ASGARD: THE SWORD OF SUMMER by Rick Riordan

EMMY AND OLIVER by Robin Benway

BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver

I’LL MEET YOU THERE by Heather Demetrios

 

 

What was your favorite book this month?

November reading wrap-up

Bad news: I’ve slowed down a lot on this blog lately. Good news: the end of the year is nearing, which means I’m putting together my favorite types of posts—the “best of” lists. I’ve read a ton of great books this year, and I’m having fun picking my favorites.

 

In the meantime, here’s what I read in November. Like last month, most of these are rereads. I’ve just been in that kind of mood lately.

 

I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN by Jandy Nelson (reread) 

One of my favorite YA contemporaries of all time. Someday I’ll sit down and write a thoughtful review on it, but right now I still can’t imagine doing the story justice in a blog post. If you haven’t heard of this book, it won the Printz this past year and follows the life of twins whose relationship falls apart and slowly grows back together. Beautiful language, perfect pacing.

 

LIFE IN MOTION: AN UNLIKELY BALLERINA by Misty Copeland

I grabbed this from the library because a character in a story I was writing is a young ballet dancer. I knew nothing about ballet except that Misty has received tons of praise lately for becoming the first African American principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre. Even though I’m no ballet expert, I devoured her memoir. Fascinating and inspiring!

 

WINTER by Marissa Meyer

(No spoilers) This was my most anticipated book of the year, thanks to its release date being bumped back from February to November. But WINTER is finally here, and I loved every second. I have nothing but love for all these characters (except for Levana obviously, because ew) and I’m so sad their journey is almost over. I say almost because Marissa Meyer is releasing STARS ABOVE, a short story collection filled with Lunar Chronicles goodness. Including…a wedding? Not to mention, she’ll be in PA for one of her tour stops in February. Guess who’s going? This girl!

 

The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare

I spent hours on airplanes and waiting in airports during November because I visited a grad school friend in Texas. Usually I reread books when I travel because I can’t concentrate well enough to absorb a brand new story. So I brought CLOCKWORK ANGEL, the first book in Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices series. Then when I got back home, I marathoned the other two books, CLOCKWORK PRINCE and CLOCKWORK PRINCESS. And oh my, the book hangover was worse than the first time I read them! The love between the three main characters warms my heart; it's the only love triangle I will defend to those who haven't yet read it. I prefer this series over her Mortal Instruments series, so if you’re considering diving into the Shadowhunter world (or if CITY OF BONES didn’t wow you), consider this trilogy instead.

 

 

That was my November. I’ve almost completed my 90 book GoodReads challenge for the year!

What I Read in October

I’m a little behind the times with this blog. Reading slumps and tired eyes don’t make for a productive combination! I’ll try to catch up in the next couple weeks.

Here are the books I read in October:

 

THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir

This sci-fi novel follows Mark Watney, a NASA astronaut who is presumed dead after a sandstorm on Mars that forces the rest of his crew to abort their mission and leave. Watney actually survives and is stranded alone on Mars. He has to figure out how to contact NASA for help, since the next mission to Mars won’t occur for another four years. I really enjoyed both the book and movie. There’s a lot of science terms in it, but just as it started to get overwhelming, the POV would shift over to NASA or the rest of Watney’s crew—great pacing.  

 

THE DARKEST MINDS by Alexandra Bracken

Because I’m a slacker and still haven’t read IN THE AFTERLIGHT, I’m rereading the rest of the series before beginning the last book. Read my review here.

 

SOMEONE LIKE YOU by Sarah Dessen

This was the only Sarah Dessen book I hadn’t read. I think I subconsciously saved it for a time when I really needed to read it, and in October I was craving BFF books. Halley and Scarlett have a solid and wonderful friendship, and the story is balanced between them. The blurb made it sound like the plot revolves around Scarlett’s pregnancy after her boyfriend is killed, but Halley is just as much an active protagonist. She begins a relationship with the rebellious guy from school, and the bond she and her mother have shared starts to splinter. This is Sarah’s second novel, and while her more recent books dive deeper into the main plot points, SOMEONE LIKE YOU has just as many facets that work together. Loved it!    

 

HOW TO LOVE by Katie Cotugno

My WIP balances two timelines, and I wanted a refresher on how Katie handles her plotlines, so I reread HOW TO LOVE. I enjoyed it even more than the first time, if that’s possible. Read my review here.

 

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson

October was the month of rereads. I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN is one of my favorite books of all time, so I wanted to revisit Jandy’s debut. Lenny struggles to understand the complexities of grief after her older sister dies suddenly. She finds herself caught between Joe, the new guy in band who makes her forget her sadness, and Toby, her sister’s boyfriend who seems to be the only one who understands her grief. Lenny learns that before she died, her sister had been searching for the mother who abandoned them at their grandmother’s years before, and wonders if she should take up the quest herself. Gorgeous prose and a portrait of grief that you can physically feel in your chest.  

 

VERY GOOD LIVES by J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling’s Harvard commencement speech was turned into a 70 page book with illustrations, a one-sitting read that I really enjoyed. It is inspirational, and it revealed a few things about Rowling I didn’t previously know, like that she worked at Amnesty International’s headquarters in London and read testimony of torture victims and political prisoners. It gives a new light to some of the topics in Harry Potter, for sure.  

 

 

And that was my October! What were your favorite books from last month?

What I Read in September...

I try and review the books I read on this blog, but at the moment I'm a little burned out to do full reviews for every one. So I'm trying out a monthly wrap-up style post like a lot of other book bloggers. I do have reviews for some of these books, so I'll link them.

Here's what I read in September!

HEIR OF FIRE by Sarah J. Maas

I reread this in preparation for the QUEEN OF SHADOWS release, and I enjoyed it SO MUCH MORE than the first time. HEIR OF FIRE is the book that really widens the scope of the Throne of Glass series (we meet new characters, introduce new plotlines, see other countries) and I was very overwhelmed when I first read it. I read all the books quickly up to that point, so I didn’t have as solid a grasp on the world as I could have. This time, I understood it better and really loved HoF, even though my favorite characters don’t interact much in this installment.

 

QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas

OH. MY. QUEEN. So much goes down in this book! Without spoiling anything, let me just say: so many things I wanted to happen…they happened! Out of all the ToG books, I’d say this one has the best plotting and pacing, with constant action and stakes. I grew to love characters I didn’t used to care much about (especially Manon. First time I read HoF I was bored by her sections, but in QoS I looked forward to them). Everything that went on in this book made me a little less gloomy about a certain character whose story arc veered off on a completely different (and sort of disappointing) path, ship-wise. I posted a bit more of my thoughts in my QUEEN OF SHADOWS tour post (also non-spoilery). Favorite book of the month!

 

SCARLET by Marissa Meyer

This was a reread in preparation for WINTER in November. SCARLET was my least favorite of the Lunar Chronicles the first time I read it, and while I still like the other books better, I enjoyed Scarlet as a character much more this time. I reviewed the book the first time I read it, if you’re interested.

 

THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner

For those read-book-before-seeing-movie people (like me), let me save you the trouble: THE SCORCH TRIALS book is NOTHING like the movie. There is one plot twist from the book that the movie keeps (and that might spoil part of the book if you see the movie first) but it’s executed in a completely different way. I’m not torn up about the movie’s changes though, because I didn’t like the book much. I have trouble investing in the Maze Runner series because of how plot-driven it is. Crazy things just keep happening to the characters without much explanation, and as a reader, there’s no way to figure out the mysteries without being spoon-fed by the author. Even after I finished THE SCORCH TRIALS I was still a little confused. I own book three, THE DEATH CURE, and curiosity will probably drive me to read it at some point. The movie was fun, (gross at some parts, but fun) and staring at Dylan O’Brien’s face for two hours is anything but torture!

 

CRACKED UP TO BE by Courtney Summers

This was part of a Courtney Summers bind-up called WHAT GOES AROUND. Parker used to have it all together: popular girl with popular boyfriend, head cheerleader, great student. But suddenly she starts drinking and skipping classes. Her school counselor, parents, and the new guy in class try to figure out what’s wrong, but Parker won’t talk. Something bad has happened…and it might just be Parker’s fault. Courtney Summers writes AMAZING high school stories. Spot-on dialogue, a hint of mystery, and stark portrayals of real issues.  

 

SOME GIRLS ARE by Courtney Summers

This is the reason I bought the WHAT GOES AROUND bind-up. SOME GIRLS ARE was banned from a school reading list, so fans of the book donated hundreds of copies to local libraries. I wanted to see what the book was about, so I bought myself a copy. It’s an intense look at bullying and mean girls. Regina was a member of a Plastics-esque clique (like the Mean Girls, they coordinate their outfits and adhere to certain rules) until false rumors spread around school about her and Anna the clique leader’s boyfriend. Now she’s the victim of harsh bullying, and the only person who (sort of) gives her the time of day is the boy she bullied at the height of her mean girl status. Some of the bullying in this book is so cruel it made me gasp out loud. Such an important read.

 

BROWN GIRL DREAMING by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson tells the story of her childhood growing up African-American in the 1960s and 70s. The entire book is written in verse, and the poems give such a vivid picture of her childhood. She tells about living in the South vs. North, how her grandfather was more of a dad to her than her biological father, and how she fell in love with writing. Race is a factor of the book but not the focus—it’s about all aspects of Jacqueline’s childhood. Here’s my favorite poem from the book:

WHAT WE SAW by Aaron Hartzler

This book is based on the Steubenville rape case of 2012. A girl at Kate’s school accuses four varsity basketball players of rape, dividing the town as everyone makes up their own mind about the events that occurred at the party in question. Kate attended that party but left, drunk, before the alleged assault, and the knowledge of “That could have been me” drives her to find the truth. I did a full review of this book and think it’s such an important commentary on society’s victim blaming tendency. Full review here.

 

CRESS by Marissa Meyer

I continued my reread of The Lunar Chronicles with CRESS. My favorite book of the series so far, it was just as fun the second time. So many lines had me laughing out loud, namely: “We’re on a spaceship, Cinder! In space!” My full review is here.

 

Overall, I had a solid reading month. A lot of rereads in preparation for new books in some series, but I really enjoy finding new tidbits in books I've read before. Also a lot of heavy subject books with the Courtney Summers bind-up and WHAT WE SAW. I'm in a let's-be-conscious-of-how-society-views-women mood lately. 

What was your favorite book of September?