Hey everyone! It’s time again for another monthly wrap-up! April just flew by for me, and I have a feeling that May will, too! I’ve only got about two weeks left in the semester, and then I’ll be on summer break and I am SO looking forward to it. This semester of college has been a killer for me, especially in the past month or so. Because of that, I didn’t get to read or blog quite as much as I would have liked in April. I’ve got high hopes for May, though, so we’ll see how it goes.
Altogether, I finished 2 books last month.
BOOKS READ
– The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Way You Make Me Feel really exceeded all of my expectations. This book was so sweet, summery, and heartwarming. I absolutely loved it!
BOOKS REVIEWED
Breakfast at Tiffany’s: A Short Novel and Three Stories by Truman Capote \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2
Just One Day by Gayle Forman \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
BOOK HAUL
I only bought one book in April, and that was The One Memory of Flora Banks. It was a signed copy, and on sale at Target; I just couldn’t resist!
MISCELLANIOUS
This month was a little quieter than March, despite that though, I still managed quite a few posts.
Here’s all the TTT’s I participated in April:
- Top Five Characters I Liked in Books I Didn’t Like
- Top Ten Favorite Christian Fiction + The Rebellion Cover Reveal
I also participated in a couple of Waiting on Wednesday’s:
I also participated in The Way You Make Me Feel blog tour! I shared my review, some of my favorite quotes, and a giveaway (which is still open until tomorrow, I believe!)
Lastly, I participated in Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-a-thon!
That wraps up my April! Hopefully I’ll get a bit more reading done in May, but overall, I still had a pretty good April, just a busy one.
Let me know how your April went!
Thanks for reading!
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Hey everyone! Today it’s my stop for The Rebellion Blog Tour! The Rebellion is book #2 in the Tales of Tarsurella series by Livy Jarmusch. In honor of it’s release next Tuesday, I’m sharing my spoiler-free review of the book! Also, just in case you’re curious, you can check out my review for book #1, The Coronation, by clicking here.
Title: The Rebellion (Tales of Tarsurella #2) by Livy Jarmusch
Pages: 345
Genres: YA, Christian, Contemporary
Published by: Self-published (May 8th, 2018)
Summary
Something is brewing. Like the far off rumble of a train in the distance, a rebellion is stirring. A cry for change arises in the midst of a traditional monarchy, where King Addison has inherited the throne. Who are the underground troublemakers? What is stirring their defiant banner and demand for change? Find out in The Rebellion! (The Tales of Tarsurella #2)
Vanessa Bennett lands her dream job working at the Palace in Tarsurella. She struggles to balance everything on her plate: life in a new country, stressful deadlines, crabby co-workers, college classes at the local University, and blossoming feelings of romantic adoration toward her boss–King Addison. Keeping up with her To-Do list, while trying to earn respect in Addison’s male-dominated administration, presents its challenges. Nevertheless, she can’t help but fight a reoccurring thought and the excitement rising with it: is Addison interested in her?
Addison is adjusting to his new role as King. Rumors of a rebellious uprising among the youth in Tarsurella intensifies, as acts of violence and protest break out across the city. Addison is determined to uncover the hidden instigator who fearlessly blogs democracy-driven ideals with a secretive pen name. Will Addison discover and expose the fiery rebellion leader? Or will his efforts fail to stop the rebellious thoughts spreading like wildfire, causing a heartbreaking rift in his divided nation?
What I Thought
*I received eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the author!*
After reading The Coronation earlier this year, I was so excited to read the sequel and not only that, but be a part of the launch team. If you read my review for The Coronation, you’ll know I loved it, and I’m so happy to say that The Rebellion did not disappoint, either!
Hey everyone! Well, Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon is now over, so it’s time I share with you all how it went.
After my last update, I read about 10 more pages of Illuminae, and then I fell asleep. Then, I woke up about 20 minutes before the readathon ended, and read until it was over. So, I was able to get to page 118 of Illuminae plus the 20 pages of The Ugly Teapot. Altogether I read 109 pages for the readathon!
Like I said in my other updates, I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to read during this readathon. Despite that, I’m still really content with how much I read. I’m looking forward to the next one, on Oct. 20th! 🎉
Did you participate in Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon? If so, let me know how you did!
Thanks for reading!
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Hello! I thought I’d check in and share with you all how I’ve been doing today. I haven’t had a whole lot of time to read, but I already knew I wouldn’t. However, I have read a little bit, and given the circumstances of today, I’m not too disappointed with how much I’ve read at this point.
So far, I’ve read 20 pages of The Ugly Teapot. I am enjoying this one, although I must say, it’s a little all over the place for me. I’m still super intrigued though, and am very curious to see how this one will end.
Also, I’m now on page 91 of Illuminae, so I’ve read 62 pages so far. At first I was a little confused with this book, but now I’m really loving it! It’s one that I just don’t want to stop reading.
It’s currently almost 11:00 PM where I live, so I’ll probably be going to bed in the next hour or so. So we’ll see how many more pages I read tonight. The readathon ends at 7:55 AM in my time zone, so depending when I wake up tomorrow, I may be able to squeeze in a little more reading.
Unfortunately, I’ve been so bad at updating my social media of my reading progress this time around, but I will definitely have a final update and wrap-up post up here on the blog, sometime tomorrow!
Thanks so much for reading!
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Hey everyone! Today is Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon! Just in case you don’t know, the goal of the readathon is to read as much as you can in 24 hours. To get all the details, check it out here!
I’ve actually got a pretty busy day planned, so unfortunately, I know I’m not going to be able to read as much as I would like. That being said, I’m going to try my best to read as much as I can.
I’m in the middle of two books that I started before the readathon The Ugly Teapot by Fred Holmes and Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. I’m on page 81 of The Ugly Teapot and my goal is to get this book finished today. For Illuminae, I’m on page 29, and that’s a pretty big book, so I know, chances are, I won’t be able to finish it, but I’m hoping to get a good chunk read.
I’ll check in later to share with you all how I’m doing. I’ll also be sharing my progress on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram stories, so if you’re interested in how I’m doing, be sure to check out the links below! 👇🏼
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Hey everyone! I’m so excited today is my stop on the blog tour for The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo, hosted by Tin from The Book Maiden! I’m going to be sharing my thoughts about the book and some of my favorite quotes. Also, be sure to check out the end of this post, because there’s also a giveaway for a hardcover copy of the book! 🎉
Alright, let’s get started!
Title: The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo
Pages: 288
Genres: YA, Contemporary
Published by: Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc. (May 8th, 2018)
Summary
Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn’t so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind?
With Maurene Goo’s signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look.
What I Thought
*I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the publishers!
Going into this book, I really didn’t know what to expect. The synopsis sounded interesting, though, so I decided to give The Way You Make Me Feel a chance. I’m so glad I did!
Title: Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Pages: 369
Genres: YA, Romance, Contemporary
Published by: Random House (Jan. 10, 2013)
Summary
When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left.
Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.
What I Thought
I read the If I Stay duology a couple years ago, and absolutely fell in love with Gayle Forman’s writing. Just One Day has been on my TBR ever since. For Christmas, I received the Just One bind-up, and was so excited to finally have the chance to read it and it did not disappoint!
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!
This week’s book is:
Stay Sweet
RELEASING APRIL 24TH, 2018!
A summer read about first love, feminism, and ice cream.
Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…
I haven’t read any of Siobhan Vivian’s other books yet, but I cannot wait to read this one! From the cover to the synopsis, everything about Stay Sweet sounds like such a fun, summer-y contemporary read. I can already see me reading this book outside in the sunshine with something sweet (preferably an ice cream, of course)!
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Hey everyone! It’s Top Ten Tuesday again, a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! Not only that, but last night the cover art went live for The Rebellion by Livy Jarmusch, and as a member of the launch team, I thought it looked so amazing, I wanted to share it with you! This week’s TTT topic was a freebie, meaning we could go with anything we wanted. So, in keeping with The Rebellion, I’ve decided to go with:
Favorite Christian Fiction Books
I’m going to start with TTT, and then at the end of this post, I’ll share the cover! Alright, let’s get started:
House of Dark Shadows
House of Dark Shadows is Book 1 in the Dreamhouse Kings series. This series is one of my favorites! It’s so unique, action-packed, and just one of those books you cannot put down. I think I rated all six books 5 Stars; it’s that good!
The Christy Miller series
If you know anything about Christian fiction, you know I just had to include this one on my list. The Christy Miller series is a Christian YA classic. It is a series filled with great characters, great writing, and it’s just one that’s not easily forgotten!
Black
The first in a 4 book series, Black is such a gripping read! This series alternates between two different realities, and it is just so well-done.
Angel Eyes
I read this series last year, and y’all, I just loved it so much!! It’s got mystery, angels, ballet, and romance, and the entire series was just so good! In my opinion, it’s so underrated, and so you can bet I’ll talk about these books any chance I get.
Winnie the Horse Gentler series
This middle grade series is another of my favorites. Winnie and her friends are such relatable characters. Even though I haven’t read these books in years, I honestly, still think about them and the characters so much.
Motorcycles, Sushi, & One Strange Book
This was such a fun book, even though it dealt with some pretty heavy and realistic issues. It’s been a couple years since I read it, but it’s one that, I think, will really encourage people to keep on hoping.
Hangman’s Curse
I love Hangman’s Curse! This book is quite scary and intense at times, but it is oh so good! There’s also a movie for it, starring a teenage Leighton Meester, that, unlike a lot of Christian movies, is actually really good and not cheesy!
Bad Connection
Melody Carlson has written so many Christian books, but this book of hers has been my favorite, by far! It includes some pretty intense topics, but it has a really great mystery, and I am looking forward to continuing this series!
Marvelous
This is probably one of the most underrated book series that I have read. I still need to read the last two books, but the first two were phenomenal. I read Marvelous so quickly, and I’m so excited to finish this series. It is another great mystery with great characters!
Also, can we just appreciate how gorgeous and unique the covers for this series are?!
The Coronation
Last but not least, I had to include The Coronation by Livy Jarmusch! This book is so much fun, and so much more than you think. There are so many incredible, memorable characters, and The Coronation is filled with so much wit and charm.
Now, speaking of The Coronation, it’s time to share the cover for book 2 in the series, The Rebellion!
3…
2…
1…
TADA!
Isn’t it so gorgeous!? I feel like it compliments The Coronation so well, too. The Rebellion comes out May 8th, and you guys are NOT going to want to miss it. I’ll share my review with you all closer to the release date, but let me just say, this book was so good!!
Buy The Coronation
That’s it for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! I’d love to read yours, so be sure to include yours in the comments! 🙂
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!
This week’s book is:
Come from Away
Releasing April 24th, 2018!
From the bestselling author of Tides of Honour and Promises to Keep comes a poignant novel about a young couple caught on opposite sides of the Second World War.
In the fall of 1939, Grace Baker’s three brothers, sharp and proud in their uniforms, board Canadian ships headed for a faraway war. Grace stays behind, tending to the homefront and the general store that helps keep her small Nova Scotian community running. The war, everyone says, will be over before it starts. But three years later, the fighting rages on and rumours swirl about “wolf packs” of German U-Boats lurking in the deep waters along the shores of East Jeddore, a stone’s throw from Grace’s window. As the harsh realities of war come closer to home, Grace buries herself in her work at the store.
Then, one day, a handsome stranger ventures into the store. He claims to be a trapper come from away, and as Grace gets to know him, she becomes enamoured by his gentle smile and thoughtful ways. But after a several weeks, she discovers that Rudi, her mysterious visitor, is not the lonely outsider he appears to be, but someone else entirely—someone not to be trusted. When a shocking truth about her family forces Grace to question everything she has so strongly believed, she realizes that she and Rudi have more in common than she had thought. And if Grace is to have a chance at love, she must not only choose a side, but take a stand.
Come from Away is a mesmerizing story of love, shifting allegiances, and second chances, set against the tumultuous years of the Second World War.
Come from Away sounds like it’s going to be such a good book! I’ve seen a few people mention this one on Instagram, and it’s been nothing but good things. This book sounds like it’s going to be such a good love story, and I’m really looking forward to reading this one!
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the calico books 