July Wrap-up

Monthly Wrap Up

I was on a huge adult kick near the end of the month. I read some really good books this month.

The Books I Wanted To Read

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell- Susanna Clarke
Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin
Wicked- Gregory McGuire
Every Living Thing- James Herriot
Tails of the Mouse- Graeme Scott
Small Town Sinners- Melissa C. Walker

The List

Books I own: 8

Borrowed from the Library: 8

E-Books: 4

Total: 16

The Sea of Tranquility- Katja Millay
Manicpixiedreamgirl- Tom Leveen
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell- Susanna Clarke
Siege and Storm- Leigh Bardugo
Every Living Thing- James Herriot
Ask the Passengers- A.S. King
Small Town Sinners- Melissa C. Walker
Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore- Robin Sloan
The Imposter Bride- Nancy Richler
Losing it- Cora Carmack
Silver Linings Playbook- Matthew Quick
Wild Awake- Hilary T. Smith

Fangirl- Rainbow Rowell

The Silver Star- Jeannette Walls
The Rosie Project- Graeme Simsion

Unwind- Neil Shusterman

What did you read this month?

Wild Awake- Hilary T. Smith

Title: Wild Awake
Author: Hilary T. Smith
Source: Borrowed from the library
Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5















Goodreads Summary: 

1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.

Things that actually happen:

1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*
*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.

Kiri's parents have left her alone while they go on a cruise, she is left with a list of rules to follow but when she receives a phone call from a complete stranger who says he has her sisters stuff who died five years ago she breaks all the rules and decides to find out what this stranger knows and what he has.

This book is not a coming of age falling in love story. This book is raw and looks at the world in a completely different way. Kiri is not this shy girl who puts herself down all the time and never makes her move on a guy she likes. She has the guts to go for what she wants and she finds herself falling in love with someone who is not Lukas.  Kiri is a talent and complex character and she sees the world differently and she surrounds herself with music. She is a talented musician who is trying to make her mark on the world while also trying to deal with her own problems and family secrets.

This book tackles a lot of taboo topics and gives me hope. The characters are not perfect, they make mistakes and keep secrets but they learn from them. I felt like every character had a point in the story and the plot was unique and wonderful while also sad and beautiful. I really enjoyed this book and I am a little at a loss to explain how good it is because the author has created such a beautiful story that the best thing I can say about it is to read it and allow yourself to become absorbed into it.

Stacking the Shelves (82)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

My Bookcloseout order came in and it was fabulous and cheap! I also got rid of another bag of books although you would never guess from my shelves. 


Bought New

Of Poseidon- Anna Banks

My Life Next Door- Huntley Fitzpatrick

Outpost- Ann Aguirre

Life is But A Dream- Brian James

What’s Left of Me- Kat Zhang

Unraveling- Elizabeth Norris

Sweet Evil- Wendy Higgins

Hemlock- Kathleen Peacock

Lovestruck Summer- Melissa Walker

Cloaked- Alex Flynn

A Kiss in Time- Alex Flynn
The Taker- Alma Katsu (Kindle)

Bought Used
 Miss Peregrine;s home for Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs
The Painted Girls- Cathy Marie Buchanan
Angela's Ashes- Frank McCourt
Safe Haven- Nicholas Sparks

Borrowed from the Library

Tarnish- Katherine Longshore
The Distance Between Us- Kasie West
The Last Letter From Your Lover- Jojo Moyes
Branded by the Pink Triangle- Ken Setterington
Doll Bones- Holly Black

Ask the Passengers- A.S. King

Title: Ask The Passangers
Author: A.S. King
Source: Bought new (Kindle)
Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5














Goodreads Summary:

Astrid Jones desperately wants to confide in someone, but her mother's pushiness and her father's lack of interest tell her they're the last people she can trust. Instead, Astrid spends hours lying on the backyard picnic table watching airplanes fly overhead. She doesn't know the passengers inside, but they're the only people who won't judge her when she asks them her most personal questions . . . like what it means that she's falling in love with a girl.


I still do not fully know how I feel about it to be honest. I liked the message the book was getting across but I found all the characters to be a little bland and there was a a ton of great ideas but there was a lot of loose ends.

Astrid the narrator for the majority of the novel, occasionally there is a few from the passengers who she sends her love it and we see how her sending her love as affected them. The part of the passengers feeling what she is sending to them or occasionally hearing her thoughts is never explained. I also found Justin to be one of the more interesting characters but he disappeared for a good chunk of the second half of the book. Astrid's family was very dysfunctional. Her mother seem to loath her father and she hardly leaves the house, her sister tries to please her mother even thought she disagrees with a lot of the things she does and her father just floats. He is involved with his children but he completely ignores his wife.  I found that Astrid\s friends were not always supportive of her either and they judged her for her confusion about her sexuality.

The plot had so many great side stories in it in regards to all of the characters in this novel but none of them were really explored or explained. The protagonist family moves from New York City to a small town because her mom wants to keep the house in the small town in the family but beyond that there is no real detail about what led them to decide to move, and why is Astrid's mom so frigid towards her and why does she never leave the house. How did Astrid\s parents end up where they did and where did Justin disappear to.  This book left me feeling a little lost and it felt incompletely.

This book was good, but I think that someone younger would have gotten more out of it than I did. I wanted more depth to the novel that it just could not provide to me but I am glad I read it. The story was engaging and I wanted to keep reading it, I needed to know where Astrid's story was going.

Book Tube Read A Thon wrap up

This is being hosted by Ariel Bissett and Padfoot and Prongs 07. This is the first BookTubeAThon and it is running from July 15th to July 21st.

The List

1) Every Living Thing- James Harriot (This has been on my shelf forever)
2) Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens (Audio book and a classic)
3) Mr. Penumbra's 24- hour bookstore- Robin Sloan
4) Shine- Jeri Smith-Ready (Finish a series)
5) Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin (Over 500 pages)

My Final update: I had so much participating. I failed to complete most of the challenges but I am ok with it. I read;

1) Every Living Thing- James Harriot
2) Mr. Penumbra'd 24-Hour Bookstore- Robin Sloan
3) Ask The Passengers- A.S. King
4) Small Town Sinners- Melissa C. Walker

I got a lot of reading done, I forced myself to make time to read everyday of the book tube a thon even if it was only a few chapters which helped me a lot to stay focused and get through by books. I also started another book at the end of book tube a thon which is The Impostor Bride by Nancy Richler.

If you participated how did you do?

Stacking the Shelves (81)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

I am doing a huge sweep of my bookshelves and trying to get rid of an entire bookshelf worth of books that I no longer have an interest in reading. I have 2/5 shelves completely empty and about half a third one so I am off to a good start. Since I am doing a clean sweep I only bought two Kindle books this week.

Bought New (Kindle)

Ask the Passengers- A.S. King
Touch of Frost- Jennifer Estep

Gifted/For Review

Unwind- Neal Shusterman 
Fangirl- Rainbow Rowell (My excitement level is through the roof over this book!!)

Borrowed from the Library

Losing it- Cora Carmack
The Silver Star- Jeannette Walls

Book Tube Read A Thon- days 4 and Day 5 Updates

This is being hosted by Ariel Bissett and Padfoot and Prongs 07. This is the first BookTubeAThon and it is running from July 15th to July 21st.

Day 4 Updates

The List

1) Every Living Thing- James Harriot (This has been on my shelf forever)
2) Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens (Audio book and a classic)
3) Mr. Penumbra's 24- hour bookstore- Robin Sloan
4) Shine- Jeri Smith-Ready (Finish a series)
5) Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin (Over 500 pages)

Results: I finished Ask the Passengers by A.S. King and it was super good! then since I was at work and did not think ahead of time to bring a book from my TBR I started another book on my kindle which was Small Town Sinners by Melissa C. Walker.

Day 5 Updates

The List

1) Every Living Thing- James Harriot (This has been on my shelf forever)
2) Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens (Audio book and a classic)
3) Mr. Penumbra's 24- hour bookstore- Robin Sloan (Started this )
4) Shine- Jeri Smith-Ready (Finish a series)
5) Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin (Over 500 pages)

Results: I finished Small Town Sinners by Melissa C. Walker then I moved onto a book which was actually on my read-a-thon TBR which I have been highly anticipating. 

Book Tube Read a Thon Day 3 Update

Day 3 Update

The List

1) Every Living Thing- James Harriot (This has been on my shelf forever)
2) Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens (Audio book and a classic)
3) Mr. Penumbra's 24- hour bookstore- Robin Sloan
4) Shine- Jeri Smith-Ready (Finish a series)
5) Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin (Over 500 pages)


Results: I finished Every Living Thing and then I started Ask the Passengers by A.S. King.  It's not on my list but I really want to read it so I did. I am hoping it will keep me out of my reading slump I feel myself slowly falling into.

Book Tube Read A Thon (TBR and day 1 and Day 2 Update)

This is being hosted by Ariel Bissett and Padfoot and Prongs 07. This is the first BookTubeAThon and it is running from July 15th to July 21st.


The challenges are;

1) Read 300 pages a day
2) Read a classic
3) Re-read a book
4) Read an audio book
5) Read a book that has been on your shelf forever
6) Read a book over 500 pages
7) Finish a series

I know I won't be able to read a whole lot due to work and having so much to do but I am going to attempt each challenge for fun!

1) Every Living Thing- James Harriot (This has been on my shelf forever)

2) Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens (Audio book and a classic)

3) Mr. Penumbra's 24- hour bookstore- Robin Sloan

4) Shine- Jeri Smith-Ready (Finish a series)

5) Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin (Over 500 pages)

Day 1 Update

The List

1) Every Living Thing- James Harriot (This has been on my shelf forever)
2) Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens (Audio book and a classic)
3) Mr. Penumbra's 24- hour bookstore
4) Shine- Jeri Smith-Ready (Finish a series)
5) Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin (Over 500 pages)


Results: I read 0 pages today like not a single one. I was super busy at work then I came home and decided to organize my book shelves so reading went out the window yesterday sadly but I am hoping I do better tomorrow.

Day 2 Update

The List

1) Every Living Thing- James Harriot (This has been on my shelf forever)
2) Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens (Audio book and a classic)
3) Mr. Penumbra's 24- hour bookstore
4) Shine- Jeri Smith-Ready (Finish a series)
5) Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin (Over 500 pages)


Results: I am going to try to get some reading done. I am off to a rough start but I am hoping to redeem my myself.

Stacking the Shelves (80)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

I was super restrained this week and only bought a few books on Kindle and I got some pretty awesome looking books from the library.

Bought New (Kindle)

Spoiled- Heather Cocks, Jessica Morgan ($1.99)
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake- Sarah MacLean ($2.25)
Waiter Rant- Steve Dublanica  ($2.25)


Gifted

The Outlander- Gil Adamson

The fiancee introduced me to HumbleBundle which normally is for video games but they do the occasional book bundle so he bought me my 1st bundle which included;

Boneshaker- Cherie Priest
Little Brother- Cory Doctorow
Spin- Robert Charles Wilson


Borrowed from the Library

Wild Awake- Hilary T. Smith
The Silver Linings Playbook- Matthew Quick
Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore- Robin Sloan

What did you get in your mailbox?

Once Upon a Read-aThon Wrap up

This readathon is being hosted by Angela and Loretta from Reading Angels, Lori at Pure Imagination and Candace at Candace's Book Blog.

I had a lot of fun during the read a ton! I finished two of the three books on my list and I started the third one today so technically not during the read a thon but I think it still counts in it's own way. I wish I had time to post this sooner but this week has been hectic. 

1) Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell- Susanna Clarke (I have about 200 pages left)
2) Siege and Storm- Leigh Bardugo 
3) Every Living Thing- James Herriot

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Jamie at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten Tuesday is top ten best/worst movie adaptations. I choose ten book to movie adaptations that I thought were really well done.

1) Watchmen- Allen Moore

2) The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins

3) Atonement- Ian McEwan

4) To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee

5) The Devil Wears Prada- Lauren Weisberger

6) The Harry Potter Series- J.K. Rowling

7) The Time Traveler Wife- Audrey Niffenegger

8) Water for Elephants- Sara Gruen

9) Black Beauty- Anna Sewell
10) Where The Heart Is- Billie Letts

Once Upon A Readathon

This readathon is being hosted by Angela and Loretta from Reading Angels, Lori at Pure Imagination and Candace at Candace's Book Blog.

I am going to be realistic and just put a few books down because I know I am not going to have a ton of time to read this week sadly.

1) Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell- Susanna Clarke (I have about 200 pages left)
2) Siege and Storm- Leigh Bardugo 
3) Every Living Thing- James Herriot

Stacking the Shelves (79)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

I broke my book buying ban as usual but I found awesome deals so I have no shame.

Bought New/Gifted
The Sea of Tranquility- Katja Millay
The Imposter Bride- Nancy Richler

Bought New (Kindle)
Cruisin'- Sarah Mlynowski (99 Cents)
A Little Bit Broken- Sarah Mlynowski (99 Cents)
A Nice Fling is Hard to Find- Sarah Mlynowski (99 Cents)
Know it All- Sarah Mlynowski (99 Cents)
The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls ($2.25)
Hopeless- Colleen Hoover (99 cents)
Pivot Point (Kasie West ($2.25)
Dare To You- Katie McGarry ($3.15)
Beastly- Alex Flynn ($2.25)

Borrowed From the Library
Siege and Storm- Leigh Bardugo
Manicpixiedreamgirl- Tom Leveen

SYNC Audio
Rotters- Daniel Kraus

Nothing More, Nothing Less- Ashley Dukart

Title: Nothing More, Nothing Less
Author: Ashley Dukart
Source: Sent by the author
Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5









Brandon is an addict that lives with his two brothers Ace and Cole. We learn that the protagonist blames himself for his mother's suicide. His addiction to drugs and alcohol put a strain on his relationships with his brothers and he turns to his best friend Brett often to hide from his home life. He starts to deal drugs to support his habit and his life spirals out of control.

This was Dukart's first novel and she choose to write about addiction. This book deals with a lot of issues including addiction and suicide. The author showed the reader how addiction and suicide do not only affect the person who is the addict but everyone else in there life. The suicide of Brandon's mother has caused a rift between himself and his brothers and has led to him becoming addicted to more and more dangerous drugs.

The characters in this book were a little wishy washy. Brandon was selfish, he dragged his brothers through everything. He did not grow as a character, he repeated the same mistakes over and over again. He looked like he wanted to change but he never did. There was no character growth with any of these characters which was disappointing. Cole was the passive brother who always tried to be gentle with Brandon while Ace took the more aggressive approach with Brandon but nothing helped. Brandon knows he is hurting people but he did not try to help himself.

The plot was refreshing. She dove right into the story and did not hold back. She showed the raw emotions of all the characters and did not sugar coat Brandon's life. This book showed what drug abuse can do to your life, how it affects everything and how easy it is to lose control and fall into the life of a drug dealer.

Overall I appreciated the subject matter but the characters, especially Brandon caused aversion. There was no character growth and the ending felt rushed. This book would be a great discussion book.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Jamie at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten Tuesday topic is the top ten most intimidating books.

1) Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin. 
The size of this book is intimidating

2) Dragonfly in Amber- Diana Gabaldon.
 I am afraid it won't live up my expectations, the first book left me begging for more Jamie.

3) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell- Susanna Clarke 
Another big book i am excited/nervous to read

4) The Last Song- Nicholas Spark
 Afraid it won't live up to the hype but it looks really good.

5) Fall of Giants- Ken Follett
Size and and anticipation. I consider Ken Follett to be one of my favorite authors and if I am afraid to be disappointed.

6) In The Shadow of Blackbirds- Cat Winters
The premise sounds super interesting but I am afraid I will be the odd one who does not love this book.

7) When You Were Here- Daisy Whitney

I loved The Mockingbirds so so much. I am afraid I will compare this book to The Mockingbirds.

8) The Demon King- Cinda Williams Chima

Scared of not loving this series.

9) Blood Red Road- Moira Young

Heard mixed things and I am afraid of not loving it after waiting to read it for so long.

10) Beautiful Creatures- Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Big + hype= scared to read but curious.

Two books I was afraid to read but broke down and read and absolutely loved were;

1) Shadow and Bone- Leigh Bardugo (THE DARKLING. READ THIS NOW)

2) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie. (This is a book everyone needs to read, it is a banned book and it made me almost cry. I was seriously tearing up at some parts. I have so much love for this book and I am so sad I waited until this year to read it.

July TBR

Monthly Wrap up

June was a absolutely terrible reading month so July is a catch up month. I have a lot of my June TBR that I did not get around to and so instead of letting those books hide in my shelf I am planning to read them this month.

The List

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell- Susanna Clarke
Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin
Wicked- Gregory McGuire
Every Living Thing- James Herriot
Tails of the Mouse- Graeme Scott
Small Town Sinners- Melissa C. Walker