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 Bring Back Memories
This week’s topic was so unique and intriguing! The books for this week are ones with very specific memories attached to reading them. Some of these memories are meaningful, while others are completely random, yet, I still have strong memories attached.
Junie B. Jones Has A Peep in her Pocket
I received Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket for my 6th birthday. It was the first chapter book I ever remember getting, and I was SO excited. I have a super distinct memory of unwrapping this gift and then, later that day, reading the first chapter of it in my sister’s room.
The Clue in the Old Album
The Clue in the Old Album was the first Nancy Drew book I ever read. I have a super specific memory of reading this book while driving to a Christmas tree festival we go to every year. At the part of the book I was at, Nancy was at a formal concert, and then, when we walked into the Christmas tree festival, there was also a little concert going on. This memory doesn’t seem very significant, but for some reason, to this day, I still always think about that scene in The Clue in the Old Album every year I go to the Christmas tree festival.
The Diviners
Okay, so I read The Diviners a couple years back when I was looking for a spooky, October read. Well, this one definitely delivered. So, one night, I was reading this book, while the rest of the house was asleep (bad move, Theresa, bad move…), and I got to a really creepy part of the book, in which the bad guy was whistling. Well, I had my window open a crack and what do I hear?! Someone walking down the street, whistling!! 😭😭😭 It was probably almost midnight! Why was some random person walking down my street whistling?! After that, I was traumatized and never read this book at night again.
Twilight
My grandparents bought me Twilight in the summer of 2008, just because they were at the bookstore and knew how much I loved to read. One of the employees there recommended Twilight to them as a book I might like. At the time, I was a lot less aware of which books were popular, and I had never heard of it before, but I was so excited and intrigued! My sister was also really obsessed with I Will Possess Your Heart by Death Cab for Cutie at the time. So, I have really vivid memories of sitting on my back porch and reading huge chunks of this book in one sitting, because I just couldn’t get enough, while that song was playing in the other room. 😂 It still reminds me of Twilight to this day!
Since You’ve Been Gone
Since You’ve Been Gone brings back such fun and summer-y memories for me. It was the first Morgan Matson book I ever read, and I remember checking it out from the library just in time for summer vacation. I finished reading it while waiting for a parade to start, and I just remember feeling so in the prime of summer while reading this book.
That wraps up this week’s Top Ten Tuesday. It was only a Top Five this week, but that’s because I wanted to stick with books that featured memories that really meant something to me.
What are some books that you’ve read that bring back strong memories?
Thanks for reading!
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Title: Goldie Vance Vol. 1 by Hope Larson
Pages: 112
Genres: Graphic Novel, Mystery, YA
Published by: BOOM! Box (Oct. 11th, 2016)
Summary
GOLDIE VANCE IS ON THE CASE
Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance has an insatiable curiosity. She lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place, and it’s her dream to one day be the hotel’s in-house detective. When Walter, the current detective, encounters a case he can’t crack, together they utilize her smarts, skills, and connections to solve the mystery…even if it means getting into a drag race, solving puzzles, or chasing a helicopter to do it!
What I Thought
I discovered this book on Hoopla Digital, and after looking it up on Goodreads and seeing all the praise it received, I had to check it out. I’m so glad I did, too, because this book is adorable and really is just as good as everyone promised!
Waiting on Wednesday/Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature, started by Breaking the Spine and continued by Wishful Endings, that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!
This week’s pick is:
Imposters
RELEASING SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2018
Set in the Uglies future, a decade after Tally’s revolution has changed everything. As she once said, “Freedom has a way of destroying things.” Impostors is about dealing with the consequences of ending the Pretty Regime. The story starts in a city where things did not work out well. Bad people are in charge. But we also will travel to other cities where things aren’t all bad. This new series is about all the expressions of human nature that popped up after more than ten years of social upheaval.
Tally is a character in the world. But she’s not a point-of-view character (in the first book, anyway). She’s more like a famous person in the background.
The new installment follows a girl named Frey, who’s been raised from birth to pretend to be someone else. She’s a body double. A bodyguard. An impostor! It’s about the roles that our parents and society force upon us, and how we fight to create our own identities, to invent selves that really belongs to us.
Y’all I am SO excited for this book! I love the Uglies series so much. It was one of the first dystopians I ever read, I and just absolutely fell in love with the world and its characters in this series. I’m so excited to meet Frey, and see what has been going on in this world since we last saw Tally!
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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 NOVELLAS/SHORT STORIES
This was a bit of a tough topic this week. I don’t typically read a whole lot of novellas or short stories, so I really had to think for this TTT, and I didn’t come up with a whole ten. That being said, I’ve come up with some good stories that I’ve really loved!
Kindred Spirits
Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell was such a fun and sweet read! Even though this book is all about a girl who is a Star Wars super fan, and I’ve never even seen Star Wars, I still loved it. It was the first thing I ever read by Rainbow Rowell, and it really hooked me on her writing style!
The Lonely Hearts Club #1.1, #1.2, & #1.3
These holiday shorts that bridge the gap between The Lonely Hearts Club and We Can Work It Out are so much fun! They’re cute and festive, and if you enjoy this series, these short stories really compliment it well!
Check them out on Goodreads!
A Hard Day’s Night | Two of Us | From Me to You
Never Never
I still need to read part 2 and 3 in this novella series, but part 1 of Never Never was so good! Full of mystery and intrigue, I have no idea how this series is going to end!
Check out my review for it here!
Regal Hearts
This book is a bind-up of 10 short, episodic stories, that make one full story. I think the idea behind this series is so unique, and the story itself is so compelling! I can’t wait to start reading season 2!
The Lottery
I can’t say whether I loved or hated this short story, but I will say it has surely stuck with me, which is why it made this week’s list. I first read it back in high school, and it’s one I’ll still think about. It’s so crazy and so thought-provoking. I remember being so shocked the first time I read this!
A Christmas Carol
This book is exactly as it seems on all the adaptations, and I loved it. I’m honestly, so obsessed with Christmas, it’s no surprise that I adored this book. I really think everybody that loves Christmas should read A Christmas Carol at least once.
That’s it for this week! Let me know about some of your favorite short stories and novellas!
Thanks for reading!
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Title: The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Pages: 180
Genres: Children’s, Fantasy
Published by: Harcourt Brace & World (Oct. 8th, 1953)
Summary
Beneath the kitchen floor is the world of the Borrowers — Pod and Homily Clock and their daughter, Arrietty. In their tiny home, matchboxes double as roomy dressers and postage stamps hang on the walls like paintings. Whatever the Clocks need they simply “borrow” from the “human beans” who live above them. It’s a comfortable life, but boring if you’re a kid. Only Pod is allowed to venture into the house above, because the danger of being seen by a human is too great. Borrowers who are seen by humans are never seen again. Yet Arrietty won’t listen. There is a human boy up there, and Arrietty is desperate for a friend.
What I Thought
The Borrowers is another one of those books that I wanted to read as a kid, but never actually got around to reading when I was in the target audience, and so I just sort of forgot about it for a while. So, when I discovered a copy at my library’s book sale, I was so excited, and just knew I had to get it. I’m so glad that I finally got the chance to read it!
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 I’ve Read in 2018 (So Far)!
Okay, so it’s not actually Tuesday anymore, but I’ve been busy the past couple of days and haven’t had time to blog. Despite that, I still really wanted to do this week’s topic. So, even though it’s Wednesday, we’re going to pretend it’s still Tuesday. 😉
Alrighty, according to reading date, here are ten of the best books that I’ve read so far in 2018:
Genuine Fraud
Genuine Fraud was one of the first books I read in 2018, and it was such a unique read! It’s a thriller, but the story is told in reverse. It was a really interesting book, filled with so many twists and turns, and I could not put it down!
Check out my review for it here!
A Walk to Remember
This book was so sweet and emotional. I’ve been a fan of the movie for so long, but I had never read the book. I’m so glad I finally decided to read A Walk to Remember! It’s quite different from the movie, but I love it just as much. This book is so lovely and wholesome, and even though it made me cry, it’s one that I already cannot wait to reread again.
Check out my book review here!
The Coronation
The Coronation really exceeded my expectations! This book is full of so much action, adventure, and romance. I really fell in love with Tarsurella and the royal family. It’s sequel, The Rebellion, was SO good I could could have included it on this list, too, but since it was part of the same series, I decided to open up a slot for another book.
Check out my review for The Coronation and The Rebellion!
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
I loved this book so much! Lara Jean was such a well-written and relatable character. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is filled with so many cute, funny, embarrassing, and heartwarming moments. I’m really looking forward to the movie coming to Netflix soon!
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
This was my first time stepping into the bookish world of Narnia, and I absolutely fell in love! After reading this book, I can see why The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is so well-loved. It truly lived up to all my expectations and more. I’m excited to continue this series!
Safe House
Many of you know I love Meg Cabot, and the 1-800-Where-R-You series is one of my favorites! This whole series is filled with great humor and intriguing mysteries. I particularly found Safe House‘s mystery especially intense and intriguing!
Check out my review for it here!
The Way You Make Me Feel
The Way You Make Me Feel is another book that really exceeded my expectations. I just really loved everything about this book. It’s filled such memorable, diverse characters, cute romances, and great family dynamics. It’s such a perfect summer read!
Sad Perfect
Sad Perfect was such an honest and emotional read. I became Pea while reading this book, and her story has stayed with me long after I’ve finished this book. It tackles heavy topics of eating disorders, self harm, and suicide. It’ll break your heart and leave you filled with hope.
Check out my book review here!
The Borrowers
Y’all this book was so cute!! I really adored The Borrowers. It’s a million times better than the movie from the ’90s. The characters are so unique and memorable, and I would really love to read the next book in the series soon!
I haven’t posted my review for this one yet, so check it out on Goodreads, instead!
Save the Date
I loved Save the Date so much!! This book lived up to all my expectations, and let me tell you, they were pretty high to begin with. I love Morgan Matson’s books, and this one was no different. It was so fun, filled with romance, great characters, and a cute dog…What more could you want?!
Those are my favorite books I’ve read in 2018, at this point! What are some of the best books you’ve read so far this year?
Thanks for reading!
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Title: Save the Date by Morgan Matson
Pages: 432
Genres: YA, Contemporary
Published by: Simon & Schuster (June 5th, 2018)
Summary
Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.
The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.
There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.
There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.
Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.
Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.
What I Thought
I really love Morgan Matson’s books. I’ve read all of them so far, except Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour, and I’ve loved them all. So, when I first heard about the release of Save the Date, I was so excited! I’m so happy to say that it did not disappoint!
Hey everyone! It’s July now, and summer is in full swing! It’s been super hot lately, which I’ve been loving. I’ve also had quite a bit of reading time, which has been SO appreciated!
Altogether, I read eight books in June, which is quite good for me! My arm had quite the work out holding all the books up for the picture, lol!
BOOKS READ
– Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliot \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Sanctuary by Meg Cabot \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One by Amanda Lovelace (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Goldie Vance Vol. 1 by Hope Larson (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Fire and Ice by Erin Hunter \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– The Borrowers by Mary Norton \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Save the Date by Morgan Matson \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
I have to go with Save the Date by Morgan Matson. I really loved this book! It was so sweet and funny, and was just such an overall great book.
BOOKS REVIEWED
Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliot \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One by Amanda Lovelace \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2
Book Haul
I bought one book in June, and that was Save the Date by Morgan Matson! Also, I highly recommend getting the Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition. It was filled with such great extras! I especially loved the prequel story that showed Linnie and Rodney’s engagement!
MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s the TTT’s I participated in during the month of June:
- Top Eight Books I DNF’d Too Quickly
- Books That Awaken the Travel Bug in Me
- Books I’m Bringing to the Pool/My Summer TBR
- Book Series I’m Not Giving Up On
Here are the anticipated releases I was looking forward to last month:
I also participated in the Cram-A-Thon!
Then, I shared my progress with the #2018ClassicsChallenge!
I also found out how well Goodreads knows my reading tastes.
And, last but not least, I did the Mid-Year Book Freak Out tag!
That wraps up June! Here’s hoping July will be just as great, or even better!
Thanks for reading!
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Title: The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One (Women are Some Kind of Magic #2) by Amanda Lovelace
Pages: 208
Genres: Poetry
Published by: Andrews McMeel Publishing (Mar. 6th, 2018)
Summary
2016 Goodreads Choice Award-winning poet Amanda Lovelace returns in the witch doesn’t burn in this one — the bold second book in her “women are some kind of magic” series.
The witch: supernaturally powerful, inscrutably independent, and now—indestructible. These moving, relatable poems encourage resilience and embolden women to take control of their own stories. Enemies try to judge, oppress, and marginalize her, but the witch doesn’t burn in this one.
What I Thought
*I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!*
I’ve been following Amanda Lovelace, aka ladybookmad, for several years, even way back during her Tumblr days. She’s so kind, honest, and empowering, and I was SO excited for, and ended up really enjoying The Princess Saves Herself in This One. So, when I found out about book #2, I really wanted to read it. Even though I don’t read poetry very often, I’m still happy I was able to read this book!
Hello! Today I’m going to be doing the Mid-Year Book Freak Out tag! I’ve been seeing this tag floating around the past few weeks again, and since we are just about exactly halfway through the year, I figured it would be the perfect time to do it. So let’s get started!
1. Best Book You’ve Read In 2018, So Far?
I’ve read 28 books so far this year and, for the most part, I’ve really enjoyed all of them. My top three would probably have to be Safe House by Meg Cabot, The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo, and Save the Date by Morgan Matson.
2. Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far?
The Rebellion by Livy Jarmusch was such a great follow-up to The Coronation! It’s filled with mystery, romance, faith, and family. I’m really looking forward to book 3!
3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?
There’s actually so many new releases that I haven’t read yet! I’m going to go with The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton, though. I’ve heard really good things about it, the cover is gorgeous, and people have compared it to Uglies, which is one of my favorites! So, hopefully I’ll be able to get to this one soon.
4. Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of 2018?
I have SO many books I can’t wait to read that are coming out in the second half of 2018. That being said, I have to go with A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs! The Miss Peregrine series is one of my absolute favorites, so, obviously, I am super hyped for this book!
5. Biggest Disappointment?
It’s too bad, but I didn’t even have to think about which book to use for this. I have to go with Breakfast at Tiffany’s: A Short Novel and Three Stories by Truman Capote. I didn’t care for the writing style, and I had trouble connecting with any of the characters. This just wasn’t the book for me.
6. Best Surprise?
The Coronation by Livy Jarmusch really surprised me with how much I loved this book! Going into this book, I thought I knew what it would be like, but it had so much more depth and action than I anticipated.
7. Favorite New Author?
I think I’m going to go with Jodi Picoult as my favorite new-to-me author. My Sister’s Keeper was the first book I ever read by her, and her writing was really incredible. I want to read more of her books now!
8. Newest Fictional Crush
I have to go with Bill from Save the Date by Morgan Matson. He was so sweet and just the perfect amount of awkward. I really loved his character!
9. New Favorite Character?
While there are so many characters that are my new favorite, I’m going to go with Lara Jean Song from To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. She was such a great character, and her and her family were so relatable!
10. Books That Made You Cry?
My Sister’s Keeper is the obvious choice for this one, but I also found parts of Save the Date to be super touching, and made me a little emotional, too!
11. Books That Made You Happy?
The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo was one of those books that just makes you so happy! It was sweet and summer-y, and I really adored this one.
12. Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation?
The new Little Women mini series from Masterpiece Theater was so good! The acting was phenomenal and the atmosphere was perfect. I really enjoyed it!
13. Favorite Review You’ve Written?
I love this question, because it’s not something I think about often. I love reviewing books, but I honestly don’t know if I’m ever any good at it. So, a question like this really makes me think and appreciate what I’m doing on this blog.
I’ve decided to go with my review of Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. It was one of the largest books I’ve ever read, and even though it’s a very controversial book, I really enjoyed reading, and I especially enjoyed reviewing it. You can check it out here!
14. Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year?
I’ve bought and received a lot of beautiful books this year. One of my favorites would have to be Where the Fire Falls by Karen Barnett. I haven’t read this book yet, but I really adore the cover! I think it’s so gorgeous and vintage looking, and I really love it.
15. What Books Do You Need to Read by the End of the Year?
Honestly, I have so many books I want to get to this year, I really do not think I can narrow it down. I just want to read all the books, always!!
And that wraps up the Mid-Year Book Freak Out tag! I loved writing this one, and looking back at all the books I’ve read in 2018, so far. I’d love to hear your answers, so if you’ve done this, please share your tags in the comment, and if you want to do this, I tag you!
Thanks so much for reading!
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