Hey everyone! Well, summer has officially come to a close, so I thought it was finally time to share with you all how my summer reading plans went. In the beginning of summer, I shared some of my reading goals. You can check out that post here.
Well, how did I do? Let’s find out:
1. READ AT LEAST 20 BOOKS | ✔
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day (which is what I count as my “summer reading”), I read exactly 20 books!
I actually really enjoyed reading them all, too. So, I’d say my summer reading was quite successful!
2. COMPLETE MY LIBRARY’S SUMMER READING PROGRAM | ✔
It’s no surprise to me that I finished my local library’s summer reading program. It’s something I do every year, and I always really enjoy. This year was no different!
3. READ A BIG CLASSIC | ✔
I still haven’t finished it yet, but I’ve started reading a “big classic,” and sometimes that’s the hardest part, in my opinion! After so many of you suggested it and told me how much you loved it, I decided to go with The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s definitely a big one though, so I’m really not surprised I haven’t finished yet, but I am really enjoying it!
4. PARTICIPATE IN A READATHON | ✔
I participated in the Cram-A-Thon for the first time this summer, and I actually did pretty great! I had so much fun, and ended up reading way more than I expected I would!
5. START A BOOKTUBE | ❌
I actually didn’t get around to starting a BookTube this summer. I attempted to a couple of times, but then something always came up, and I kept putting it off. I’d still love to make one someday, though!
6. READ MORE OF THE BOOKS I ALREADY OWN | ✔
This one’s kind of iffy, because about half of my summer reading was from books I already owned, and the other half were new releases or library books. That being said, I still feel like I picked up some books that had been on my TBR for quite a while now, and because of that, I’m saying I accomplished this goal!
7. POST CONSISTENTLY ON MY BLOG AND BOOKSTAGRAM THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SUMMER | ✔
I actually think I did pretty well with my blogging and Bookstagram this summer, especially compared to how I did last year. I stayed quite consistent and actually posted pretty regularly on both platforms the entire summer. So, way to go me! 👏🏼
And that wraps up how my bookish goals went for Summer 2018! Overall, I did pretty amazing! I’m so happy with how my summer went, and that I was able to reach nearly all my goals. I cannot believe summer has come to a close now, but I’m looking forward to all the wonder that fall brings. Also, for the first time, I’ll be participating in #blogtober, so you can look forward to that!
I’d love to hear how your summer reading went! Be sure to share with me at least one bookish or non-bookish thing you’re proud of from this summer.
Thanks for reading!
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Title: Sweet Dreams (The Illusion Trilogy #3) by Nadette Rae Rodgers
Pages: 316
Genres: YA, Fantasy/Supernatural
Published by: Self-published (Sept. 15, 2018)
Summary
For years, Addison Smith wondered why she had such bizarre and frightening dreams.
In Illusion, the line between reality and the dream world began to blur, and Addison couldn’t tell what was real and what was just an illusion. Her world was turned upside down when the guy of her dreams, Zach Walker, literally tripped into her life.
The story continued in Echo, when Addison discovered that her family and the small town she grew up in had more secrets than she ever imagined. After graduation, she left on a journey in search of answers and healing.
Now, five years later, all of Addison’s dreams are coming true.
But when word of the infamous group of dreamers resurfaces, They threaten to turn Addison and Zach’s lives into a living nightmare.
With Mitch DeMize assembling a Dream Team to combat Them, and Addison travelling the world to find the other dreamers out there, Zach is dealing with a nightmare of his own.
In this final installment of The Illusion Trilogy, new secrets are brought to light, history repeats itself yet again, and the dreams begin to come to true.
Will Addison fall into the darkness that has taken the minds of so many dreamers before her?
When the odds are against them, will Addison and Zach get their happily ever after?
Will they get their sweet dreams?
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the author for sending me a copy!*
Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin. I loved this book so much! I discovered The Illusion Trilogy from Instagram a while ago, and when I finally got around to reading books 1 and 2, they were so much better than I even expected. I could not wait to read book three, Sweet Dreams. And let me just say, this book did not disappoint!
It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN Books on My Fall TBR
Hello everyone! I apologize for being so quite on my blog this past week! September is always a busy month for me, and so my blogging and reading has slipped a bit these past few weeks. That being said, things are starting to be more manageable again, and my blogging should become more frequent again soon! 🎉
Alright, today I’m sharing with you ten of the books I hope to read this fall! My TBR is endless, so it was actually quite hard to narrow it down to ten, because I just want to read ALL the books.
So, without further ado, here’s my ten:
I’ve heard so many amazing things about The Miniaturist, and now with the new mini-series on PBS, I’m so excited to get to this book soon!
From what everyone tells me about this one, Greenwillow is such a delight to read! I checked this book out from the library a while back, and I’ve just kept renewing it. So, I really want to get to this one soon before I acquire a late fee! 🙈
Rebecca is another book I checked out from the library, so I really need to read this one ASAP! I’ve heard it’s such an incredible, gothic novel, and with it coming into fall, I think this one will make such a perfect read.
Okay, so if you celebrate Halloween, you know all about Hocus Pocus! It’s such a classic Halloween movie. So, when I found out about this book, I was super excited. This book is going to make such a great, Halloween read! 🎃
I keep meaning to read A Discovery of Witches, but then I always get distracted by other books and put it off. I’m really hoping to read it this fall, though. I think it’ll make another great, Halloween-y read. Plus, I saw the trailer for the TV show which really made me want to read this book even more!
Sunrise Cabin looks like such a fun and romantic story. Plus, it looks like it’s going to have a great, autumnal vibe, which is perfect for a fall TBR!
The Witch of Willow Hall sounds like such an intriguing and mysterious novel. I’m actually going to be participating in a blog tour for this book, later in October, so I am so pumped to read this one!
I love books about ballet, and Tiny Pretty Things has been on my TBR since it came out. So, when I found a copy at my library’s book sale for $0.25, I just had to get it! I’m so excited to read this book very soon!
I just have to laugh/cry to myself a little that The Sweet Far Thing is still on my TBR. It’s been on my TBR for SO long now, it’s almost embarrassing. Will I finally read it?!
I’ve been meaning to read One of Us is Lying since it was first released. I have a copy and everything, but for some reason, I just haven’t picked it up yet. So, I’m really hoping to actually get to this one soon!
That wraps up this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Here’s hoping I actually get to all of these books this fall. Knowing me, I won’t, but I’m going to try! 😆
What books are on your fall TBR?
Thanks for reading!
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It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN Hidden Gems
This week I’m sharing with you all some of my favorite, under-appreciated novels. Some of these include popular authors’ lesser known novels, self-published novels, and novels that I just think need a lot more love and attention!
So, without further ado, here’s ten of my favorite, hidden gem novels:
That wraps up this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! What are some of your favorite novels that you feel are under-appreciated?
Thanks for reading!
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Title: The Summer of Cotton Candy (Sweet Seasons #1) by Debbie Viguié
Pages: 219
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Christian
Published by: Zondervan (May 11th, 2008)
Summary
Most people think The Zone is an amusement park, but Candy Thompson knows it’s really a slave labor camp. What else would you call a summer job that requires a sixteen-year-old girl to set aside her whole social life for the privilege of standing out in the hot sun selling cotton candy? Still, there are perks—particularly the mysterious hunk in the Lone Ranger costume. Behind that mask are the most amazing eyes Candy has ever seen. Who is that masked man? But someone else is just as interested. And romantic competition isn’t the only problem. Besides being hard work, The Zone is eating up major time. How is Candy supposed to stay involved in church? Worse yet, will she lose her best friend, Tamara, who resents how Candy’s job limits their time together? This is NOT the summer Candy hoped for! But as she is about to discover, the summer of cotton candy will be the greatest summer of her life.
What I Thought
I originally read this book a couple years ago, back when it was the summer before my senior year in high school. I absolutely loved this book, and the entire series. I found myself relating SO much to Candance and where she was in her life. So, because I loved it so much, I thought I’d give it a reread, to see if I still loved it!
I feel like I say this every single month, but can you even believe it is now September?! This year is flying by SO fast!
Overall, August was a pretty great month for me. Altogether, I read six books.
BOOKS READ
– The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Tied to Deceit by Neena H. Brar (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Echo by Nadette Rae Rodgers \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls by Jessica Spotswood \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– The Summer of Cotton Candy by Debbie Vigue (reread) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
For this month’s choice, I have to go with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo! I honestly did not expect this book to live up to its hype, and yet, somehow it did.
BOOKS REVIEWED
Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tied to Deceit by Neena H. Brar \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls by Jessica Spotswood \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
BOOK HAUL
No new books for me in August!
MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s August’s TTT’s:
This month’s WoW:
Movie Monday also came back this month! I shared my thoughts on the new Masterpiece Theater mini-series of Little Women!
I also shared the books I hoped to read for the #ClassicsAThon…As you can tell from the lack of classics in this wrap-up, however, I didn’t exactly reach my goals…😂🤦🏼♀️
I was part of the Tied to Deceit blog tour, too!
I also got to help reveal the cover for Sweet Dreams, book three in the Illusions Trilogy, by Nadette Rae Rodgers, as well as interview the author!
And that wraps up my August! I hope you all had a really great month, and an even better September!
Thanks for reading!
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t’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
Top Ten Bingeworthy TV Shows and Movies
Today we’re taking a step away from books and talking about something we all know and love: books and movies! Now, I’ll be honest, I actually don’t watch a whole lot of television or movies. Despite that, I still have a couple favorites that I really love, and that’s what I’m going to share with you today!
Alright, let’s get started!
Favorite Movies
Bingeworthy TV Shows
And there you have it! If this week’s Top Ten Tuesday has taught me anything, it’s taught me that I need to watch a bit more movies and television, because this week was HARD! Also, the fact that all my favorite movies are book adaptations was a complete coincidence, lol.
Be sure to let me know about some of your favorite movies and television shows!
Thanks for reading!
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It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
Favorite Required Reading Books
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, was a freebie for anything back to school related. I’ve decided to share share my favorite books that I’ve been required to read for school, because even though there’s been quite a few books I didn’t love, over the years, I’ve also read quite a few books that I actually did end up loving! Also, because school actually started back up this week for me, I only had time for a top 5 today, because I’m still getting into the swing of things.
Alright, let’s get started:
Anne of Green Gables
Many of you probably know about my love for all things Anne of Green Gables, but you may not be aware that the first time I read this book, it was for school! I was in 5th grade, and I absolutely fell in love with this book! I related to Anne so much, and I just loved everything about it.
The Secret Garden
Fifth grade was a really great year for me when it came to required reading. The Secret Garden is another book I read that school year that I ended up loving, too. The first time I read it, I do remember struggling with it a little bit, but eventually I fell in love with this story, and it has been a favorite of mine ever since!
And Then There Were None
I took a mystery literature course in high school, and one of the books we had to read was And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. This book was so mysterious and compelling. I ended up absolutely loving it!
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Another mystery novel I read for school that I adored was The Hound of the Baskervilles. It was the first, and so far, only Sherlock Holmes novel that I’ve read, but I was so intrigued with this book from the beginning to the very end. I read this one in the 8th grade, so it’s been a while since I’ve read it. I’ve actually been wanting to reread it, so maybe I’ll do that soon! I’d love to see what I think of it now!
Island of the Blue Dolphins
I read Island of the Blue Dolphins way back in the 4th grade, so I’ll be honest, I don’t remember everything that happens in this book. That being said, I remember loving this story so much! It was one of those books that I was just completely captivated by. This is another one that I would like to eventually reread, because I remember loving it so much, and I’d like to see what I think of it now!
That wraps up this week’s TTT! Sorry this post was shorter, but life has been busy. Hopefully I’ll be back to posting full Top Ten Tuesday’s soon!
What are some of the books you read for school that you ended up loving more than you expected?
Thanks for reading!
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Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Pages: 388
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Historical, Romance
Published by: Atria Books (June 13th, 2017)
Summary
Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband, David, has left her, and her career has stagnated. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s Upper East Side apartment, Monique listens as Evelyn unfurls her story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the late 80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds through the decades—revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love—Monique begins to feel a very a real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
What I Thought
Honestly, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo wasn’t a book that I planned on reading. For the past year, I’ve seen mentions of it, but it just didn’t look that great in my opinion. It wasn’t until the last few months that I actually started to really pay attention to what people were saying. Everyone just seemed to love this book. So much so that, I couldn’t ignore the hype any longer. I just had to read it. Let me just say that, I am so glad I did!
It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
BOOKS THAT PULL YOU OUT OF A READING SLUMP
Ah, reading slumps…how we loathe them! Yet, despite that, we’ve all fallen into a slump or two that just does not want to leave us. This week is a busy week for me, so I’m only able to do a top five today, but I’m sharing five books that have helped me get out of reading slumps, and will, hopefully, pull you out of yours, too!
Everything, Everything
I think Everything Everything is such a great book to help you get out of a reading slump! The actual book is fairly short, there are also a lot illustrations and part in emails and texts, and this book is just so readable that once you start you won’t want to stop until it’s over!
The Princess Diaries
Honestly, anything by Meg Cabot could be on this week’s list. She is one of my favorite authors, and all of her books are just so well-written and readable. The Princess Diaries, in particular, is one of my favorites. Mia is such a sassy and memorable character! Plus, the entire book is written in journal entries, which always makes for a fun and quick read!
Twilight
Say what you will about Twilight, but there is a reason it was as popular as it was. This book encouraged so many people to be readers. Twilight is so fun and mysterious, and it is one book that will quickly grab your attention, which makes it perfect to help you out of a reading slump.
The Program
When I first read The Program, I actually remember that I was on the verge of a reading slump. I was in the middle of a readathon, and I wasn’t doing as well as I had hoped. I picked this book up only because it matched one of the challenges. I ended up devouring The Program! I read this book so quickly and did not ever want to put it down. It was so intriguing and kept me glued to the pages until the very last one.
The Hunger Games
Just like Twilight, there’s definitely a reason why this series was so popular! The Hunger Games is just written in a way that makes you never want to stop reading. It’s been years since I first read The Hunger Games, and yet, this series has still stuck with me. I really need to reread it soon!
That wraps up this week’s TTT! As you can probably tell, for me, YA contemporaries and dystopians are the books that help me escape those dreaded reading slumps. An old favorite always helps, too!
What are some books that help you get out of reading slumps?
Thanks for reading!
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the calico books 