November Wrap-Up & December TBR

I actually only read one book in November and that's deppressing. I've been so busy with school I've had no time for reading at all. I won't reach my Goodreads goal but oh well. 

1- Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (4/5)
I really wanna write a full review on this book but I know I probably won't have time 😢
I absolutely loved the characters. I really needed a supernatural book to read during Halloween, and although this wasn't a scary read, it was just what I wanted. I've been obsessed with werewolves for the past few years and the pack of wolves in this book is probably my favourite. I love how there are many different supernatural creatures (and some of them are quite unusual) and it was super interesting and entertaining to read about. I really recommend this book if it's the kind of read you're into. 

DECEMBER TBR

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

HP always feels like a Winter read. So I decided to reread the first one then keep going with the whole series. 



 When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers, which could be valuable, dangerous – or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

A Christmas Carol

I got a beautiful illustrated version and I can't wait to read it!



 A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. After their visits Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.








Well, hopefully I'll read another book before the year is over. But it's okay if not. It's not about how many I've read, but about how many I've loved. 

Merry Christmas everyone ❤️

September Wrap Up & October TBR

 

        I'm a little late, but to be honest, uni has been keeping me so busy I didn't even realize it was October and that I hadn't posted this yet until today. Unfortunately, I had to change my Reading Goal on Goodreads from 50 to 40 books. I'm upset but it is what it is. I literally have almost no free time anymore so I've been reading fewer books than usual.

1- As You Wish (3/5)
Check out my review of As You Wish by clicking here.

2- A Bollywood Affair (4/5)
I'm planning on writing a review for this one soon!


OCTOBER TBR

The Glass Castle
     Saw the movie recently and loved it. A family friend lent me the book and I'm already halfway through it. Might do a book + movie review once I'm done.

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. 

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home. 

What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms. 

The Death Cure
    The trailer came out and I've been putting off reading this book for far too long. Let's just say I got spoiled (if you've read the book, you know which spoiler I'm talking about) for something I really wish didn't happen. But oh well, here I go.

It’s the end of the line.

WICKED has taken everything from Thomas: his life, his memories, and now his only friends—the Gladers. But it’s finally over. The trials are complete, after one final test.

Will anyone survive?

What WICKED doesn’t know is that Thomas remembers far more than they think. And it’s enough to prove that he can’t believe a word of what they say.

The truth will be terrifying.

Thomas beat the Maze. He survived the Scorch. He’ll risk anything to save his friends. But the truth might be what ends it all.

The time for lies is over. 

Kinda wanted to read something Halloween like since it's almost upon us but I don't know what. If you have any recommendations, let me know in the comments below!
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Book Review: As You Wish

Title: As You Wish
Author: Chelsea Sedoti
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: January 1, 2018

Rating: ★★★

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.


     Hi everyone! I got another book that was sent to me by the publisher to review! The synopsis of this one really intrigued me. I had never read anything like it before. Plus, the cover is pretty!

     The story follows Eldon on the month of his 18th birthday. The chapters count the days down as it gets nearer to the day he will make his birthday wish. And in Madison, those wishes do come true. However, Eldon has no idea what he wants, and the book is about his journey to figure it out. 

     Aside from the synopsis and the cover, once I opened the book, the first sentence caught my attention immediately. It is short and simple, but it makes you wanna know more. The last sentence was great too! I really liked Chelsea Sedoti's writing style, it kept me interested throughout the book.

     The story was nice and the whole "wish" thing was a really cool concept. My favourite things were the little insert chapters that told people's wish stories. I really liked getting to know the reasons each made the choice they did. I also liked the characters, although Eldon could be really annoying and stupid at times. Merrill and Nori were cool. 

     Despite reading the whole book, I still don't understand why it was so hard for Eldon to choose something. And I personally don't agree with what his wish ended up being, and I didn't really like the ending. However, the book was entertaining and it was a cool "small town mystery" story. 

    So, I recommend this book if you're looking for a nice quick read, but nothing that you will get too invested on. The book comes out on January 1, 2018. Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for sending me this book to review. 

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
      

August Wrap-Up and September TBR

 

         As you all know, I read this wonderful series in August. I had one more book in my TBR and I ended up reading half of it, but I didn't have it finished by end of the month but hopefully you'll see it in the next post.

1- The Dream Thieves (4.5/5)

You can check out my review of the Raven Cycle series by clicking on this link.

2- Blue Lily, Lily Blue (4/5)

 You can check out my review of the Raven Cycle series by clicking on this link.

3- The Raven King (4/5)

You can check out my review of the Raven Cycle series by clicking on this link.

SEPTEMBER TBR

As You Wish

       Gonna try to finish As You Wish this month. University just started and I already have so much homework. I know I won't be able to read much this month.

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.

A Bollywood Affair

         Not sure if this is the one I'll be reading but I don't have any other book planned so I might as well read it.

Mili Rathod hasn’t seen her husband in twenty years—not since she was promised to him at the age of four. Yet marriage has allowed Mili a freedom rarely given to girls in her village. Her grandmother has even allowed her to leave India and study in America for eight months, all to make her the perfect modern wife. Which is exactly what Mili longs to be—if her husband would just come and claim her. 

Bollywood’s favorite director, Samir Rathod, has come to Michigan to secure a divorce for his older brother. Persuading a naïve village girl to sign the papers should be easy for someone with Samir’s tabloid-famous charm. But Mili is neither a fool nor a gold-digger. Open-hearted yet complex, she’s trying to reconcile her independence with cherished traditions. And before he can stop himself, Samir is immersed in Mili’s life—cooking her dal and rotis, escorting her to her roommate’s elaborate Indian wedding, and wondering where his loyalties and happiness lie.

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Book Review: The Raven Cycle

                  

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

        So I finally read The Raven Cycle series! I've been hearing good things about it for years, so it was about time for me to read The Raven Boys. This review won't contain any spoilers, so you don't have to worry if you haven't read it yet. But please do! I highly recommend it. 

        Now, I'm not saying that this is the best series I've ever read. There are quite a few flaws (that I'll address later in this review) but overall the books were really entertaining and definitely worth reading.

First of, these covers are so pretty! Even if I hadn’t heard anything about it, the covers would still have caught my attention and I would’ve probably read them eventually. My favourite cover is no doubt Blue Lily, Lily Blue.

I had no idea what The Raven Boys was about when I began to read it. It was not what I was expecting, but in a way, it kind of was. I actually recommend you to do the same thing I did. Go in without knowing anything. The characters were phenomenal. So intricate and unique; and although each had flaws (and you couldn’t help but be angry at them at times), each also had great qualities (and you just couldn’t help but love them). Some could argue that Blue Sargent is the main character, but they all have such a strong presence and they are all so important to the plot, so I have to say that Blue and the boys are all protagonists. 

The setting was so beautiful and so well written. Fox Way, Monmouth Manufacturing, the Barns, Cabeswater… (I do wish Aglionby Academy was a bit more present, since they are raven boys because they attend that school, but...). I could picture those places perfectly, and I loved everything about them. Maggie Stiefvater did such an amazing job at bringing them to life. 

Another thing that I really liked was the story itself. Not necessarily the plot, but more of what the book was about. It was so interesting the way how Maggie used mythology and psychics and the supernatural in a way I had never seen before. It felt magical and mysterious. This is the first book I’ve ever read by her, and I quite liked her writing. The way she used foreshadowing was really cool, and she does this repetition of lines that I absolutely love. 

However, the story was really confusing at times. And by the end of the series, a lot of things felt unresolved. Many of my questions were left unanswered. Since she created such an intricate and complicated story, I wish she had been more careful and clear with it. I personally did not like how things ended in the last book. She kept building up this whole thing throughout the series, then let me down with a disappointing ending. 

These things weren’t enough to make me dislike the series. The characters, setting, and the idea for the story redeemed the series for me. The first two books, The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves were the best ones. I really recommend for you to pick The Raven Cycle up! You won't want to put it down!

   

   

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July Wrap Up & August TBR

        Look who actually read all the books that were on her TBR for July!!! I had hoped to read a little bit more since it's summer, but I've been doing some other stuff so I didn't really have as much time as I thought I would. Anyways, here they are!

1- The Trials of Apollo - The Dark Prophecy (3.5/5)
          The second book in the Trials of Apollo series finally came out! Not gonna lie, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did the first one. The plot wasn't as intriguing, and it felt a little bit boring and monotonous at times. I still loved Rick's writing and the humour, but I was expecting a little bit more. I had hoped to see more old characters returning, there were some, but not enough to satisfy me. The ending though left me quite intrigued and I can't wait to read the next one. 

2- Autonomous (2.5/5)
      Check out my review of Autonomous by clicking here.

3- The Raven Boys (5/5)
         I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to do a review on the whole series once I'm done!

AUGUST TBR

The Dream Thieves
        Couldn't help myself and ended up buying the second and third book in the Raven Cycle series!



Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…



Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. 

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.

The Raven King

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.






As You Wish
       Another ARC that I was sent by a publisher. The story sounds really interesting and I can't wait to read it and review it for you guys!

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.

June Wrap Up & July TBR

                              

                                  
          Well, this is bad... Just a little bit. I have an excuse though! So much happened this last month: There were finals, I graduated high school, went on a trip with my best friends... I had other things to worry about, not that reading isn't important, but still. 

1- Dragonsong (4/5)
         I read this book for my book club and I really enjoyed it! I rarely read fantasy books like this, so I can't really compare to others... But this book was so easy to read and I quite liked the author's writing style. The story brings out that desire to see actual dragons and to own one. The main character was a likeable girl. I recommend it if your looking for a small fantasy book, particularly if you, like me, aren't very familiar with the genre.
        This book was on my June TBR so √

2- She Myself and I (4/5)
       You can check out my review of She Myself and I here.
       

JULY TBR

The Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy
         I actually started reading this last month, and got half way through it. So I'm gonna count it as a wrap up for this month. Anyways, super excited to dive back in this awesome world and see what awaits for Apollo this time.

Zeus has punished his son Apollo—god of the sun, music, archery, poetry, and more—by casting him down to earth in the form of a gawky, acne-covered sixteen-year-old mortal named Lester. The only way Apollo can reclaim his rightful place on Mount Olympus is by restoring several Oracles that have gone dark. What is affecting the Oracles, and how can Apollo do anything about them without his powers?

After experiencing a series of dangerous—and frankly, humiliating—trials at Camp Half-Blood, Apollo must now leave the relative safety of the demigod training ground and embark on a hair-raising journey across North America. Fortunately, what he lacks in godly graces he's gaining in new friendships—with heroes who will be very familiar to fans of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series. Come along for what promises to be a harrowing, hilarious, and haiku-filled ride. . . .

Autonomous 
      Yet another book I got from a publisher. This story sounds so freaking cool. I can't wait to read it.

William Mackler is about to go on the road trip of a lifetime. After winning a contest-and nearly dying in the process-he becomes the proud owner of Autonomous, a driverless car that knows where you want to go before you do. #Worthit! To sweeten the deal he gets to pick three friends to go with him on a cross-country trip. For William, a reckless adrenaline junkie, this is the perfect last hurrah before he and his friends go their separate ways after graduation. But Autonomous is more than just a car without a steering wheel. It's capable of downloading all of the passengers' digital history-from the good, to the bad, to the humiliating. The information is customized into an itinerary that will expose a few well-kept secrets, but it will also force William to face some inner demons of his own. Think you know Autonomous? The real question is, how much does Autonomous know about you?

The Raven Boys 
       Didn't get to read it last month even though it was on my TBR for June. Hopefully I'll get to it in July.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

May Wrap Up & June TBR

              

    Goodreads is saying that I'm two books behind schedule for my reading challenge but I've been reading a good amount of books so Goodreads can't you just be happy for me??

1- Everything, Everything (4.5/5)

         You can check out my review of Everything, Everything here. 

         This book was on my May TBR so √

2- Revealed (2/5)

        This was a reread. I love the House of Night series and the worldbuilding; however, the last few books were just dragging on the series and ended up not being good. (This is book number 11!) Zoey was incredibly annoying the whole time and I just wanted it to be over. 

3- Redeemed (3/5)

         Finally the end of the series. It was nice finally getting a closure, but it could definitely have been better. I just heard that there will be a new series, following months after the events of this last book. I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's nice getting to see the characters doing other things besides fighting Neferet but also I think 12 books and a bunch of companion novellas is enough.

4- The Warrior Heir (2/5)

         I remember when this came out and everyone on Booktube was talking about it. This was on my book club list and I suggested that we read it and now I kinda regret it. It was really boring, and pretty much nothing happened until the end. The characters were annoying and a lot of things were predictable. I heard that second book is way better so I might give it a shot one day...

JUNE TBR

Dragonsong

         My book club decided to read 2 books this month and this is one of them. I haven't read many books with dragons in it and I have a friend that absolutely adores dragons, so I should probably read more of them. They must be good since she loves them so! I just started it and I'm actually quite enjoying it. 

For centuries, the world of Pern has faced a destructive force known as Thread. But the number of magnificent dragons who have protected this world and the men and women who ride them are dwindling.

As fewer dragons ride the winds and destruction falls from the sky, Menolly has only one dream: to sing, play, and weave the music that comes to her so easily—she wishes to become a Harper. But despite her great talents, her father believes that a young girl is unworthy of such a respected position and forbids her to pursue her dreams. So Menolly runs away, taking shelter in a cave by the sea. Miraculously, she happens upon nine fire lizards that could possibly save her world...and change her life forever.

The Dark Prophecy

       I'm so excited to read this!! I really liked The Hidden Oracle and I can't wait to see what Apollo will confront next!

Zeus has punished his son Apollo—god of the sun, music, archery, poetry, and more—by casting him down to earth in the form of a gawky, acne-covered sixteen-year-old mortal named Lester. The only way Apollo can reclaim his rightful place on Mount Olympus is by restoring several Oracles that have gone dark. What is affecting the Oracles, and how can Apollo do anything about them without his powers?

After experiencing a series of dangerous—and frankly, humiliating—trials at Camp Half-Blood, Apollo must now leave the relative safety of the demigod training ground and embark on a hair-raising journey across North America. Fortunately, what he lacks in godly graces he's gaining in new friendships—with heroes who will be very familiar to fans of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series. Come along for what promises to be a harrowing, hilarious, and haiku-filled ride. . . .

The Raven Boys

       My friend gave me this book for my birthday, and I've been wanting to read it for a really long time so I'm finally going to!

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.SaveSaveSaveSave

April Wrap-Up & May TBR

 
  
                               


     GUYS IT'S ALREADY MAY WHAT THE HECK
     
1- Thirteen Reasons Why (4/5)
         I think I'll definitely do a review of book+show sometime soon. So keep an eye out for that!
         This was on my April TBR so √

2- Book of a Thousand Days (4.5/5)
       Very sweet book! I love Dashti (the protagonist) and how strong she is! This is more of a middle grade book but it's still worth reading if you're looking for a simple fairy-tale-retelling-feel book.
           This was on my April TBR so √

3- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (3/5)
     Kinda relatable in some aspects. Definitely was expecting more. The story was a bit boring but I guess it's more realistic than some. 

4- Carry On (5/5)
    I loved this book so much!!! I have to write a full review on this because I just have so much to say!

5- Near + Far (1.5/5)
    I read this book for my Creative Writing class book club and I honesly did not like it at all. This is a short stories book, and I'm not a big fan of books like these (probably because I've never read one where all/most of the stories were good). Some of the stories were okay but overall they were super confusing and had potential to be better, I actually started this in March but I read most of it last month so here it is. 

MAY TBR

Everything, Everything 
    
   Ended up reading this on the first two days of this month. A review will be coming out on Sunday!


My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Revealed 
     I'll be rereading this 11th book in The House of Night series so that I can refresh my mind as to what happened in the book so that I can read the final book.


Drastically altered after her fall at the end of Hidden, Neferet is now more dangerous than ever—and her quest for vengeance will wreak havoc on humans, as well as Zoey and her friends. Chaos is loosed in Tulsa and the House of Night is blamed. Can Zoey stop Neferet in time to keep her anger from escalating to full-on war? Or will someone else have to step in to take the fall?





Redeemed
    Finally, hopefully, definitely gonna finish this series this month!


In the final electrifying novel in the HoN series, Neferet has finally made herself known to mortals. A Dark Goddess is loose on Tulsa and the world. No single vampyre is strong enough to vanquish her - unless that creature has the power to summon the elements as well as the ability to wield Old Magick. Only Zoey Redbird is heir to such power…but because of the consequences of using Old Magick, she is unable to help. Find out who will win and who will lose in this epic battle of Light versus Darkness.