t’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
Books on my Spring TBR
Oh boy! This week, it was so hard to narrow it down to just 10 books! My TBR is so full, and I just wish I could read all the books right now! So, here are 10 books that I really, really want to read this spring!
Illuminae
I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Illuminae, and now that Obsidio was just released, the hype train for this series is now level 10! I can’t wait to start this book, and hopefully fall in love with it as much as everybody else.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette
I’ve wanted to read this book for so long now! I recently found out that Where’d You Go, Bernaadette is going to be a movie later this year, and so now seems like the perfect time to read it.
The Night Circus
The Night Circus is a book that I’ve always wanted to read, but just never got around to it. Well, there was a copy of it at my library’s book sale last weekend for $0.75, so, of course, I bought! I’m so excited to hopefully read it soon, and see what I think of this gorgeous book.
One of Us is Lying
I think One of Us is Lying sounds like such an intriguing mystery/thriller book! I’ve heard really good things about it, too. I’m excited to start reading this book soon!
The Help
The Help is a book I keep putting on my TBR, and then never getting around to it. I really, really want to finally get to it! I watched the movie a few years ago, and really adored it, so I know I’ll love the book, too. I just need to read it!!
Heidi
A while back, I bought the Puffin in Bloom collection of books, and Heidi was one of the books that came with it. I’ve never read Heidi, but I’ve always wanted to. I think it will make a really fun and quick spring read!
The Treatment
As many of you probably know, because I’ve talked it about quite a bit, I was really blown away by The Program. It really took me by surprise how much I liked it, and so, of course, I had to buy its sequel, The Treatment. Well, I still haven’t read it, but I am going to now. Really!
My Sister’s Keeper
I really want to read My Sister’s Keeper. The problem is, I know I’m going to cry my eyes out, so I keep putting this book off until I feel like having a good cry. As weird as this sounds, I think I’m ready to have a good cry? lol So, I hope I can get to this book soon!
Anne of Ingleside
Anne of Ingelside is one of the Anne books that I still need to read. I really want to finish the rest of the series this year. So, I’m hoping to get to this one very soon!
Wayfarer
With Wayfarer, I’ve pretty much gotten to that point where this is going to be on every TBR list, until I actually read it. I loved Passenger, so I’m sure I’ll love Wayfarer, too. I just need to actually read it!!
That’s my Top Ten Tuesday! What are some books that are on your spring TBR? I’d love to know!
Thanks for reading!
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Hey everyone! The lovely Rimpy, from Rimpy Reads, is hosting another Wonder Week Readathon! Wonder Week is a bingo style readathon, and it starts today, March 18th and goes through March 25th. I’m so excited for this readathon, especially because I’m on spring break from university, so I’m expecting to get a lot of reading done! Today I’m going to be sharing with you all the books I hope to complete this week!
I’m going to attempt the bottom, horizontal line this time! So, it’s my goal to read a book that is a re-read, the main character is a female, a classic, a book with a movie adaptation, and a contemporary.
Re-Read
I’m hoping to get The Book Thief re-read. I’ve been meaning to re-read it for a couple years now, and I just keep putting it off to read something new. I really adore this book though, and I hope that I can get through it this week!
Main Character is a Female
I’m going to be participating in a blog tour for Beneath later this month, and so I thought it would be the perfect time to read this book!
Classic
I read The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde a few years ago, and I really adored it, and have been meaning to read more of Oscar Wilde ever since. I know The Picture of Dorian Gray is quite different than The Importance of Being Earnest, but I’m looking forward to reading it, and seeing how it is!
Book to Movie
Specifically, I’m going to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is a series that has been on my TBR for so many years now, and I’ve never read any of them. Here’s hoping this readathon can help me change that!
Contemporary
I got this book for Christmas, and I still haven’t read it yet…oops! I’m really looking forward to finally reading Just One Day, and if I have enough time, I’ll read Just One Year and Just One Night during the readathon, too!
Also! I’m going to be hosting a game on my blog, Thursday, March 22nd, for Wonder Week! It’s called Guess That Book: Emoji Edition! 📚😄 Basically, I’ll have groups of emojis, and each group will describe a different book, and you all have to guess which books I’m describing. I think it’ll be a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to sharing the game with you all, and having you all play along!
Let me know if you’re planning on participating in Wonder Week!
Thanks for reading!
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Title: The Choosing (Seer #1) by Rachelle Dekker
Pages: 464
Genres: YA, Dystopian, Christian
Published by: Tyndale House Publishers (May 19th, 2015)
Summary
“Not to be Chosen would yield a cruel fate of my own making.”
Like all citizens since the Ruining, Carrington Hale knows the importance of this day. But she never expected the moment she’d spent a lifetime preparing for—her Choosing ceremony—would end in disaster. Ripped from her family, she’ll spend her days serving as a Lint, the lowest level of society. She knows it’s her duty to follow the true way of the Authority.
But as Carrington begins this nightmare, rumors of rebellion rattle her beliefs. The whispers contradict everything she’s been told; yet they resonate deep within.
Then Carrington is offered an unprecedented chance at the life she’s always dreamed of, but she can’t shake the feeling that it may be an illusion. With a killer targeting Lints and corruption threatening the highest levels of the Authority, Carrington must uncover the truth before it destroys her.
What I Thought
This book had been on my TBR for such a long time now! Pretty much since it was released in 2015, I’ve been meaning to read The Choosing. I was just drawn to the plot, the gorgeous cover, and the fact that the author is the daughter to one of Christian fiction’s biggest thriller writers, Ted Dekker!
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!
This week’s pick is:
I Have Lost My Way
Releasing March 27th, 2018!
A powerful story of empathy and friendship from the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of If I Stay.
Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans to run away from everyone he has ever loved, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City with a backpack, a desperate plan, and nothing left to lose. When a fateful accident draws these three strangers together, their secrets start to unravel as they begin to understand that the way out of their own loss might just lie in helping the others out of theirs.
An emotionally cathartic story of losing love, finding love, and discovering the person you are meant to be, I Have Lost My Way is bestselling author Gayle Forman at her finest.
I love Gayle Forman’s writing! I absolutely adored If I Stay and Where She Went, and so I’m hoping I’ll enjoy this one just as much. This book looks like it’s going to be full of soul and emotion. I cannot wait to read I Have Lost My Way!
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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:
Books That Surprised Me
For this week, I’m going to feature 5 books that surprised me because I loved them, and 5 books that surprised because, well, I didn’t love them. I’m going to start off with the ones I didn’t love, because I want to end this on a positive note, lol.
Okay, let’s get started!
Books I’m Surprised I Didn’t Love
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
I was supposed to read this book for my high school’s book club, several years ago, but I could not get into it. Everyone else in book club loved it, but I ended up DNFing about halfway through, which really says something because I don’t do that often, especially back then! I am tempted to try re-reading this book again now that I’m older, and my reading tastes have expanded, but we’ll see…
The Kill Order
I know The Maze Runner series has mixed reviews, but I was someone who really enjoyed it. So, you’d think I’d like The Kill Order, right? Wrong! There was so much action in this book, yet I found myself bored! I didn’t care about the characters, and I didn’t care what happened. I only finished this one, because I was waiting to see how it connected to the rest of the series.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Unpopular Opinion Time: I read A Court of Thorns and Roses because the hype for this book is STRONG! Everyone I know who has read this book has absolutely loved it. It’s loosely based off Beauty and the Beast, and it sounded so intriguing. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t the one for me. I liked it, but I didn’t love it, and I don’t think I liked it enough to continue the series.
These Broken Stars
This is another unpopular opinion, but I didn’t love These Broken Stars either! I was for sure I was going to love this one, and I was so excited to read it. Unfortunately, something in this story was missing for me. I ended up not loving it nearly as much as I expected to, which was so disappointing!
The Accident Season
Okay, for this book, I did actually enjoy it. However the premise was so intriguing, I thought I was going to love it, and I didn’t. I was left feeling slightly confused and like something was missing, but I could never put my finger on what it was.
Books I’m Surprised I Did Love
The You I’ve Never Known
I’ve always been intimidated by Ellen Hopkins’ books because of how large they were and their subject matter. However, when I accidentally read The You I’ve Never Known, without realizing the author, I really fell in love with the story and her writing style. I did not expect to really enjoy this book, and I ended up loving it!
The Coronation
I expected to like The Coronation, but it really took me by surprise how much I enjoyed this novel! This book is 460 pages, and I read it in less than 2 days, which is unheard of for me! Once I started reading, I just got so invested in the story, and it truly exceeded all the expectations I had for it.
Beastly
Beastly is one of those books that I picked up expecting to like, but not really feeling anything towards, like a mediocre TV movie you enjoy but will never watch or think about again. However, that was so not the case! I absolutely adored this book. It’s another retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I actually read it not that long after A Court of Thorns and Roses, but, to my complete surprise, I ended up loving Beastly so much more. I admit, it was a little cliche, but it was such a nice read, it was refreshing!
Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie
Because of my love for all things Nancy Drew, I was really unsure of whether or not I would enjoy this edgy, noir, graphic novel. To my delight, though, I actually really enjoyed this one. The Big Lie is definitely different from any other Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book out there, and I was unsure at first, but it is really well done! I hope there will be more in the series!
The Afterlife of Holly Chase
Just like with Beastly, The Afterlife of Holly Chase is a book that I expected to enjoy well enough, but not think much about. It was Christmas themed, and so I thought it’d make a fun holiday read. I was really surprised with how much I ended up enjoying this one. It had so much heart and a great cast of characters!
Those are some of the books that surprised me! Tell me about some books (for better or worse) that surprised you!
Thanks for reading!
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Title: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (#1) by Jenny Han
Pages: 355
Genres: YA, Contemporary
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (April 15, 2014)
Summary
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?
Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
What I Thought
Going into this book, I was honestly a bit apprehensive. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is such a well-loved, hyped up book, that I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to the hype for me. I think that’s why it took me so long to read in the first place, because I loved the premise of this book, and I didn’t want to be disappointed. That being said, I’m so glad I finally read it, because it truly did live up to its hype!
Hello! Today, I’m going to be doing the Currently Reading Book Tag! It was started by Charly Reynhorse, and I know that I was tagged by someone, but unfortunately, where I write down the blog tags I’m tagged in/plan to do, I included the wrong link. So, if you are the one who tagged me to do this, thank you so much!!
Alright, let’s get started!
1. How many books do you usually read at once?
I usually read 1-2 books, but I there are times when I’ll read up to 3-4 books. Any more than that though, and I can’t handle it, and usually end up going into a reading slump because I have so many books I’m going back and forth between I feel like I’m not making adequate progress in any of them.
2. If you’re reading more than one book at a time, how do you decide when to switch to reading the other book (do you read a certain amount of pages in each?)
Honestly, I just usually go with what I feel like. A lot of times, when I read multiple books, I’m either reading on a different format (physical or ebook), or I’m reading books from very different genres (like a classic and a YA dystopian). So, I’ll usually just read whichever one I’m feeling at the moment, and switch when I feel like.
3. Do you ever switch bookmarks while you’re part way through a book?
The only time I would do this would be if I lost my current bookmark.
4. Where do you keep the book you’re currently reading?
Either on the end of my bookcase in my room, or if it fits, I have a small space on my bed where the mattress doesn’t meet the bed frame, and it usually fits my books perfectly.
5. What time of day do you spend the most time reading?
I get most of my reading done in the evening and at night before I go to bed. However, I really enjoy reading first thing in the morning when I wake up, too. But I also love my sleep, so I can only do that on days where I actually manage to wake up early.
6. How long do you typically read for in one go?
It really just depends! Sometimes I only feel like reading for 10 minutes, and other times I’ll read for 3 hours straight.
7. Do you read hard covers with the dust jacket on or off?
Of course, I read with them off! One, I like to take them off so they stay pretty and neat. Two, reading with a dust jacket on is just plain difficult because it constantly tries to slip off while I’m reading with it.
8. Which position do you mainly use to read?
I’m constantly readjusting, so I wouldn’t say I have one main position. Just, whatever’s comfortable at the time!
9. Do you take the book you’re currently reading with you everywhere you go?
Yes! You never know when you’ll be able to squeeze in a few minutes of reading time.
10. How often do you update your progress in the book you’re currently reading on Goodreads?
Whenever I think of it. I always add my book to Goodreads, and mark when I’ve read it. However, updating my progress in the middle of reading a book really just depends. Sometimes I never do, sometimes I do a whole bunch of times!
11. Who would you like to tag?
I’ve gained quite a few lovely new followers lately, so I’m going to tag some of my most recents!
And, of course, anyone else who wants to do this, I would love to see your answers!!
Thanks for reading!
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Hi everyone! Well, February has come and gone, and now we are a week into March. That means spring is on its way!! February was a pretty uneventful month for me, personally, but after the January I had, I really appreciated the peace. Also, on February 10th, it was my blog’s 2nd anniversary! Of course, I totally forgot, and so I didn’t do anything. I do just want to say though, thank you all so much to all of you who have followed, liked/commented on, and visited my blog. I really appreciate each and every one of you, and all your kind words and support for me these past two years has really meant a lot! I’m looking forward to seeing all the wonderful things that this next year of blogging brings. 🙂
I feel like I had a pretty great blogging and reading month! Altogether I read six books in the month of February.
BOOKS READ
– Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Safe House by Meg Cabot \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– The Coronation by Livy Jarmusch (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Breakfast at Tiffany’s: A Short Novel and Three Short Stories by Truman Capote \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
Safe House, which is book #3 in the 1-800-Where-R-U series, by Meg Cabot, really blew me away! It had that classic, Meg Cabot sass, with so much suspense, action, and mystery, and I completely devoured this book.
BOOKS REVIEWED
Dreaming with God by Sarah Beth Marr \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Safe House by Meg Cabot \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
BOOK HAUL
I picked up two books this month! First, I received an ARC of Where the Fire Falls by Karen Barnett from Blogging for Books! Then, I was at the Dollar Tree, and found If Only by Richard Paul Evans. I haven’t heard a lot about this book, but everything that I have heard has been good, and I’ve really enjoyed some of his other books, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy this one, too!
MISCELLANEOUS
This month, I participated in some Top Ten Tuesdays:
- Top Ten Books on my TBR I Still Haven’t Read
- Top Five Favorite Quotes About Love
- Top Ten Books I Could Reread Forever
I also shared some of my anticipated reads on Waiting on Wednesday:
In February, I also had the chance to participate in the super fun and love-filled InLoveAThon!
This month’s Movie Monday was A Walk to Remember.
Some other posts I wrote this month were:
The New Disney Princess Book Tag
That wraps up February. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store for March (hopefully warmer weather)!
Thanks so much 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 Book Quotes
I think it’s so fitting that this is this week’s topic, because just the other day, I was thinking about book quotes, and how there’s so many really amazing quotes out there. Also, instead of explaining why I like each of these quotes, I’ve decided to just let these quotes speak for themselves. And, on a side note, just know that I tried really hard not to just make all these quotes from L M Montgomery, because I could have. 😂 Alright, let’s get started!
1.
“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
– L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
2.
“We mustn’t let next week rob us of this week’s joy.”
– L. M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island
3.
“If we spend all of today thinking about tomorrow, today will be gone, and we will have missed it.”
– Robin Jones Gunn, 17 Wishes
4.
“Stories let us see and hear and feel what someone else does,” she explained. “They build bridges to the other islands. That’s why stories are so important. They create true empathy.”
– Cynthia Hand, The Afterlife of Holly Chase
5.
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book. And then there are books like An Imperial Affliction, which you can’t tell people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like betrayal”
– John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
6.
“The thing is that people only get hurt—really hurt—when they’re trying to play it safe. That’s when people get injured, when they pull back at the last second because they’re scared. They hurt themselves and other people.”
– Morgan Matson, Second Chance Summer
7.
“if you hate the one who hates, you could risk becoming like the one you hate.”
– Fredrik Backman, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry
8.
“We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal.”
– Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time
9.
“It’s the choosing that’s important, isn’t it?”
– Lois Lowry, The Giver
10.
“So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.”
– Roald Dahl, Matilda
I hope you enjoyed reading some of my favorite quotes. I’d love to read yours!
Thanks for reading!
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Title: The Coronation (Tales of Tarsurella#1) by Livy Jarmusch
Pages: 460
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Christian
Summary
Prince Addison is only several weeks away from inheriting the Kingdom of Tarsurella. The entire Palace is ablaze with excitement, as the Royal Family prepares for the event of a lifetime. Despite the exciting event which is near at hand, Addison and his younger siblings (all seven of them!) must carry on with their daily activities.
Addison’s sisters, Princesses Bridget, Chasity, and Hope, have their struggles with being iconic European starlets of a modern day monarchy. The teen heiresses grace magazine covers, smile for photoshoots, and gracefully glide through important interviews–until a certain American popstar arrives on the scene. Kennetic Energy, the wildly popular band from the United States, is chosen to play at Addison’s Coronation. David Carter, the band’s handsome lead singer, fumbles through awkward moments with Princess Hope–in front of the cameras. When an embarrassing rumor sparks that Princess Hope is dating the young fellow, she is determined to get the band fired from their Royal gig.
Meanwhile, Princess Chasity is dealing with her own fragile affairs of the heart. Her new security guard, Hanson Fletcher, is completely captivating, yet entirely frustrating. She attempts to keep the entrance of her heart firmly protected, while following the wisdom of Proverbs 4:23. But can she be successful in guarding her heart, from her security guard?
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A big thank you to the author!*
Going into this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew it was about a royal family from the fictional, European country, Tarsurella, and that it was faith-based, and that was it. So, as I started to read it, I was instantly intrigued with the plot, and I had no idea how intense this story was going to get!
One of my favorite things about this novel was the setting. It’s been so long since I’ve read a good royalty story, and The Coronation had all the best parts of one. I loved how it was set in modern day, yet Tarsurella itself was so enchanting and, at places, just like a good, old-fashioned fairytale.
Another thing I loved about The Coronation was the characters. The royal family is rather large, so I was worried I would have trouble keeping track of everyone, but once again, Livy Jarmusch has managed to create such unique characters, that I had no trouble keeping track of not only the entire royal family, but every other character as well. Everybody had their own unique personality and style, and I loved that! I also appreciated how firm in their faith some of the characters were. Several of the characters’ faith and hope in God was so inspiring and encouraging. This book definitely reminded me of a cleaner, yet more dramatic/action packed, Christian-based Princess Diaries, which made me so excited!
I’m also looking forward to seeing where the budding romances will lead as the series continues. There are so many cute moments between certain characters already. Despite how much I love all the potential relationships, I also loved the emphasis placed on the fact that you don’t need a boyfriend/girlfriend to complete you.
One thing I didn’t care for in this book, however, was the stereotypical portrayal of Muslims and Middle Easterners. It was disappointing and did not sit well with me that the only characters of that religion and ethnicity that were in this book were portrayed as villains and extremely evil.
Overall, though, I really did enjoy this book! The Coronation was such an adventure, and I can’t wait to read its sequel, The Rebellion! I would recommend this novel to anyone look for a fun and adventurous book. It’s also perfect for fans of Meg Cabot, who are looking for a cleaner, faith-filled alternative.
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the calico books 