
Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share with you all my TBR for the #InLoveAThon, hosted by Cristina from christinasjourney, and a bunch of other lovely BookTubers as well! I was so happy to hear about this readathon, because I had just been thinking about how I wished there was a Valentine’s Day themed readathon, and sure enough, I found this wonderful one! The #InLoveAThon runs from tomorrow, February 9th – February 15th. The goal is to read a book corresponding to at least seven of the ten different challenges listed. There’s also going to be Twitter Sprints available and a group watch-a-long.
Here’s a complete list of the challenges:
1. Read a book from your favorite romance author. It can be contemporary or historical.
2. Read a book that has your favorite romantic trope.
3. Read a book with a prince/princess
4. Read an original fairytale and watch the Disney movie or a film adaptation.
5. Read a book while eating some Valentine treats. It could be chocolate, ice cream, or you can change it to having drinks like wine. It’s up to you!
6. Read a book that takes place in a location where you would love to spend Valentine’s Day.
7. Read a book with pink or red in the cover.
8. Read a LGBTQ+ love story.
9. Read a classic love story. (E.g. Romeo&Juliet)
10. Read one of the hosts favorite Contemporary/Historical Romance books.
Cristina’s Journey // Losing It → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Pd…
The Bookish Babbler // Song of Achilles → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIEB…
Paper Faerie // Pride and Prejudice → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDUG…
Tiny Book Dragon // Fill in Boyfriend → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUyH…
jordyn, discombobulated // Hunted → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZo1…
HardbackHoarder // To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or The Hating Game → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpjGKbwm-ZXBedvkOI1uAjA
Because I’m delusional and unrealistic, I’ve decided to attempt 8 of the challenges:
▸ Read a book from your favorite romance author.

This book is more paranormal than contemporary, and I admit, romance is not necessarily the focal point of this series, but I really love Meg Cabot! She’s one of my favorite authors, writes the best relationships for her characters, and this book has been on my TBR for forever, so I’m going with it. I’d really love to get both books in this bind-up read, but I definitely want to at least read Safe House.
▸ Read a book that has your favorite romantic trope.

Nicholas Sparks books always have such classic romantic tropes! I chose A Walk to Remember, because I love the movie and I’ve been meaning to read this book for literally years, and I love that whole unexpected romance/opposites attract trope.
▸ Read a book with a prince/princess.

I’ve been meaning to read The Coronation for a few months now, and with its sequel, The Rebellion, coming soon, I really need to get to this one. It sounds like such a fun read, I’ve been wanting to read a royalty story lately, and I think this one will be the perfect fit!
▸ Read an original fairytale and watch the Disney movie or a film adaptation.

I’m still going back and forth for this one! I’m definitely going to read either Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, though. I found this really lovely copy (for FREE) from Project Gutenberg, that has all three of those stories, so I’ll see what I feel like when I decide to do this challenge!
▸ Read a book while eating some Valentine treats.

I got the Just One bind-up for Christmas, and I think it’ll make a really great Valentine’s Day read. I don’t know what I’ll be eating yet, though!
▸ Read a book with pink or red in the cover.

I just recently got The Choosing, and it’s one that I’ve been wanting to read for a while now! The book may only be half red, but I think that’s close enough, so I’m counting it!
▸ Read a classic love story.

For this challenge, I didn’t want to read anything too large, because classics take me longer to read than other books, and this readathon is only a week long. So, I decided to go with Breakfast at Tiffany’s! This novel is quite short, and I’ve actually never seen the movie, so maybe I’ll check out the movie after reading the book!
▸ Read one of the hosts favorite Contemporary/Historical Romance books.

For the challenge of reading one of the hosts’ favorites, I went with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before! This is, yet another, book that has been on my TBR for way too long, and I’m excited to read this book and get in on the hype for it!
Alright! There’s my TBR! Realistically, I’ll be lucky if I can even get more than 3 of those books read, but I’m just going to have fun and try my best!
Let me know if you’re participating in the #InLoveAThon! Also, tell me your Valentine’s Day plans!!
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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 BOOKS ON MY TBR I STILL HAVEN’T READ
The Sweet Far Thing

Are any of you even the tiniest bit surprised that this book is on here?! No? I thought so! If you’ve been following for any amount of time, you know pretty much every TBR post I make, I include The Sweet Far Thing, and yet, I still haven’t read it…
The Help

I loved the movie, and I’ve heard so many good things about this book! I keep meaning to read it, and I just never get around to it, and that needs to change!
The Outsiders

Everybody always tells me to read The Outsiders! It’s one of my sister’s favorite books, so naturally, she tells me to read it every chance she gets. Yet, here I am, still not reading it. Will I ever find out who this Pony Boy is that everyone speaks of?!
A Walk to Remember

I really adore the movie for A Walk to Remember (even though I cry every single time), and I’ve heard the book is quite different. So I’m really curious to see how the two compare. I hope to be getting to this book very soon, because actually it’s on my TBR for the #InLoveAThon, which I’ll be sharing my full TBR for later this week!
Trouble is a Friend of Mine
I’ve wanted to read this book for a while now, because a lot of people compare it to having Nancy Drew vibes, which, y’all know I absolutely adore! Trouble is a Friend of Mine sounds so fun and mysterious, and like the perfect mystery read. So…why I haven’t I read it yet?!
Reached

I have no excuse for why I haven’t read Reached yet. I loved the first two, I own this one, I actually do want to read it. I really have no idea why I just haven’t picked this one up yet!
Jane Eyre

I’ve heard really good things about this classic novel, and I keep saying I’m going to read it, and yet, I still haven’t. Maybe this year will be the year I finally read Jane Eyre?! lol that rhymed.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette?

Where’d You Go, Bernadette, is yet another book I really want to read but never pick up! Why am I like this?!
Sinner

I admit, I was a bit hesitant about this book when I first heard of Sinner’s release, so I think maybe that’s why I didn’t read it right away. That being said, I finally decided I did want to read this one a long time ago, and yet I still haven’t. So, what’s my excuse now?
Fangirl

Fangirl is a book that has been on my TBR for several years, but I never got around to it because I didn’t own a copy. Well, my #TBTBSanta gifted it to me this past Christmas, so now I have no excuse! I’m really excited to finally own a copy, and I’m really planning on reading this one soon…Finally!!
That’s this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Share with me some of the books that have been on your TBR the longest!
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Title: Dreaming with God: A Bold Call to Step Out and Follow God’s Lead by Sarah Beth Marr
Pages: 203
Genres: Christian, Non-Fiction, Motivational
Published by: Baker Books (Feb. 6, 2018)
Summary
The world tells us that the way to make all our dreams come true is to set our own course and strive every day. But when it’s all on us, we end up feeling exhausted, frustrated, and, disappointed when things don’t turn out as we’d hoped. Have you ever wondered if there was a better way?
There is. God knows the desires of our hearts–he put them there. And he calls us to trust, to lean on him, and sometimes . . . to wait. Weaving together her unique perspective as a professional ballerina with profound truths drawn from Scripture and the life of faith, Sarah Beth Marr reminds us that we are not dreaming alone. If God has given us a dream, we can be sure that he will come alongside us as we work toward realizing it. Using her own story as a catalyst, Marr encourages women to surrender their plans to God, to stay in tempo with his Spirit, and to step into a deeper relationship with Christ. When they do, she says, they will be able to move confidently into the future, knowing that their dreams and God’s desires are aligned in perfect harmony.
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to Baker Books and Sarah Beth Marr!*
I’ve followed Sarah Beth Marr on Instagram for years now. From her beautiful dancing, to her meaningful devotionals on her blog, I’ve really adored her, and have loved watching her grow through her writing journey. When she first announced that she was releasing a book, I just knew I had to read it!

It’s finally February!! I don’t know about you, but January felt about three months long. Last month was also a very emotionally draining and a rather stress-filled month for me for a good chunk of it, too. So, I’m really glad it’s behind us, and I’m looking forward to happier days in February!
Despite all that, I think I still had a pretty good blogging month, and I also managed to read three books. Although, I’m really surprised that 2 out of those 3 were nonfiction, because that’s a genre I really don’t read a whole lot!

BOOKS READ
– The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2
– Dreaming with God by Sarah Beth Marr \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
I have to go with The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up for my Standout Book of the Month. This book was one that’s really not typical of something that I would pick up, and yet, I really enjoyed it!
BOOKS REVIEWED
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2
BOOK HAUL
I received two books in January!
First, I went to Target right after New Year’s, and that’s a dangerous time to go, because pretty much the entire store is on sale. I picked up Turtles All the Way Down for only $11!

Then, I received The Choosing, for FREE, through the My Reader Rewards Club from Tyndale House and NavPress! It’s a rewards program where you can answer surveys, watch videos, and other short and easy activities, and you can earn points for prizes. If you’re interested in signing up, you can click here (if you use my link, you’ll get a bonus 25 points, and I’ll get 10)!
MISCELLANEOUS
This month, I participated in some really fun Top Ten Tuesdays!

- Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2017
- Top Ten Books I Meant to Read in 2017 but Didn’t Get To
- Top Five Bookish Resolutions/Goals for 2018
- Top Ten Books I Really Liked But Can’t Remember
- Top Five Books I Can’t Believe I Read
I also shared some of the books that I’m anticipating for Waiting on Wednesday.

Some of the other posts I wrote this month were:



Also, I’m hosting the 2018 Classics Challenge! One of my reading goals for 2018 is to read more classic novels, and so I decided to create some prompts to challenge myself and others!
That wraps up January 2018! I’m looking forward to February, and all the lovely things in store.
Thanks so much for reading!
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!
Today’s pick is:
The Belles (The Belles #1)
Releasing February 6th, 2018!
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.
But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.
With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.
I’ve been seeing so many people talking about The Belles on Twitter lately! This book sounds so intriguing, and it’s giving me Uglies vibes, which, you may or may not know, is one of my favorite series. So that’s a definite plus for me. I’m so excited for the release of this book and to see how it is. Also, look at that gorgeous cover!
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Title: Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine
Pages: 374
Genres: Fantasy, Dystopian, YA, Alternate History
Published by: New American Library (July 7, 2015)
Summary
In an exhilarating new series, “New York Times” bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.
Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.
When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe knowledge is more valuable than any human life and soon both heretics and books will burn.
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the publisher and Blogging for Books!*
When I read the premise for this book, I thought I was going to love it! Ink and Bone is all about books and the love of books and reading. Plus, it has a dystopian, sort of alternate universe setting, which sounded so cool! Unfortunately, this book just missed the mark for me.

It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish, but is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN BOOKS I REALLY LIKED BUT CAN’T REMEMBER
Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

I read this book several years ago, and while I remember the main premise, I really don’t remember much of the characters or the actual plot. I really love Meg Cabot’s writing style though, so hopefully I can reread this book soon, and continue the series, because I think I would still really enjoy it!
Death by Bikini (Death by Mysteries #1) by Linda Gerber
This is another book that I read some time ago. I thought it was a really intriguing mystery, but I just never picked up the rest of the books in the series. I may reread this book and the rest of the series this summer!
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Basically I think this whole list is going to be books that are first in a series that I never got around to finishing! The Body Finder is yet another book that I read, really enjoyed, never finished the series, and now I can’t remember anything that happened.
Heist Society by Ally Carter

I read this book back when I was a freshman or sophomore in high school. I don’t think I even realized it was going to be a series at the time. I remember absolutely loving it, being so excited when I found out about the sequel, and then never reading it. Why am I like this?!
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

I am so sad to say that, aside from the fact that it is a Peter Pan retelling, I really remember nothing from this book except that it was so wonderful! I even think it may have been one of my favorite books the year I read it, but now I can’t remember anything about it.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
I read this book for school in, I think, the 5th grade. I remember thinking it was a great book, but the only part I remember is when they were eating some type of word soup that made them hungrier the more they ate it?!
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sydney

I absolutely adored this book when I read it so many years ago! I discovered my mom’s copy when I was 10 or 11, and I just remember loving this story so much! Unfortunately, that’s about all I remember.
Extras (Uglies #4) by Scott Westerfeld
The Uglies series was one of my favorites in high school (I seriously need to reread them)! Extras was an additional book that focused on different characters than the original series. I remember really enjoying it, maybe not quite as much as the original three, but thinking it was a great addition to the series. For some reason, I can’t remember anything about this book. Like, at all! I think someone was a reporter or something? Maybe?
Dream Factory by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler

I don’t remember anything that happens in this book! Like, at all. I know that it is about some teens who work at Disney World, and that it’s super cute and I loved it when I read it. That’s it.
Unraveled (the Amanda Project #4) by Amanda Valentino & Cathleen Davitt Bell
Let me just start by saying that The Amanda Project is probably the most underrated YA series I’ve ever read. I loved these books in high school. They were from Harper Teen, but for some reason, had very little publicity?! Now, for some reason, I just cannot remember how everything wraps up! I do remember liking this last book in the series, but I just don’t know what happened!
Wow! My reread TBR pile has now grown! As if I don’t already have enough books to read, I now want to reread all of these and see what I think about them today. 😁
Thank you for reading! Be sure to share with me your favorite books that you can’t remember anything about!
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Hi everyone! Today, I’ve got a super exciting post to share with you all. For 2018, two of my blogging and reading goals were 1) read more classics, and 2) host my own event/reading challenge. Well, I decided to combine the two, and came up with a 2018 Classics Challenge! The goal for this challenge is to simply read more classic literature based off the prompts below. There are eleven prompts, so that’s about 1 classic book a month.
I’m mostly a mood reader, so I’m not going to create a specific TBR. Today, though, I’m going to explain the prompts a bit more, and give some suggestions for each category!
Please know, though, that I haven’t read all the examples I’m sharing with you all. For the most part, I’m simply going off of recommendations from people I know and Google.

A Classic for your Country
For this prompt, I want you to read a book that is considered a classic for the country where you live, or where you are originally from. For example, I’m from the US, so I would read a book that is considered an American classic such as…
- The Great Gatsby
- Little Women
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Uncle Tom’s Cabin
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
A Classic for a Country not your Own
For this challenge, read a book that’s considered a classic for a country not your own. Some examples of this would be:
- Anne of Green Gables is a Canadian classic
- Great Expectations is a British classic
- Picnic at Hanging Rock is an Australian classic
- Things Fall Apart is an African classic
- Journey to the West is a Chinese classic
A Classic Written by an Author Whose Name Starts with the Same Letter as Your Name
It can be either your first or last name or the author’s first or last name, but for this challenge, read a book by an author whose name starts with the same letter as your name, or even better, if you can, share the same name as you!
So, for example, my name is Theresa, so I could read a book by T. S. Elliot, Thomas Hardy, or even JRR Tolkien or Leo Tolstoy. I could also use my last name, which starts with an M. So I could read a book by Margaret Mitchell, A. A. Milne, or Mark Twain.
18th Century Classic
These next few prompts are pretty self-explanatory. For this one, read a book from the 18th century.
Some examples:
- Gulliver’s Travels
- Robinson Crusoe
- Clarissa
- The Vicar of Wakefield
19th Century Classic
Read a book from the 19th century, such as:
- Jane Eyre
- Pride and Prejudice
- Tess of the d’Urbervilles
- Frankenstein
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
20th Century Classic
Read a book from the 20th century:
- 1984
- The Catcher in the Rye
- Fahrenheit 451
- The Bell Jar
- The Hobbit
- A Farewell to Arms
Modern Day Classic
For this challenge, you have a little more freedom deciding which book you would consider a modern day classic. To more clearly separate a 20th century classic with a modern day classic, I’ve decided anything from about 1980 and beyond is a modern day classic. You could even include a book that you think will be a classic in the future! Some examples:
- ͏Li͏f͏e of Pi
- The Handmaid’s Tale
- The Color Purple
- Harry Potter
- A Monster Calls
A Classic Under 200 Pages
Read a classic book that’s 200 pages or less.
Some examples are:
- The Outsiders
- Animal Farm
- The Old Man and the Sea
- Mrs. Dalloway
- Northanger Abbey
- The Metamorphosis
A Classic Over 500 Pages
Read a classic book that’s 500 pages or more (I would recommend starting this particular challenge more than a week before the year ends. 😉).
Some examples would be:
- Gone with the Wind
- Les Misérables
- East of Eden
- Moby Dick
- Great Expectations
A Children’s Classic
Read a book that is considered a children’s classic, such as:
- Peter Pan
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Winnie the Pooh
- The Wind in the Willows
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Classic Freebie
For this last prompt, read any classic book you want. The choice is totally up to you and what you feel like reading!
I’d really love it if you all participated with me for this reading challenge! If you do decide to participate, let me know, and I’ll include a link to your blog in this post. For each classic I read, I’ll write a post and share which one I chose, and my thoughts about it. Also, I’ll be using the hashtag #2018ClassicsChallenge. So, be sure to follow along and use the hashtag as well! 🎉
Thanks so much for reading! I’m looking forward to reading more classics, and I hope you are, too!
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