Title: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading
Pages: 262
Genres: Mystery, Adventure, YA, Middle Grade
Published by: Amazon Digital Services (Nov. 30, 2012)
Summary
Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.
After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty’s adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada’s Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska’s inside passage and Canada’s Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure – flying around the world!
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the author for sending me a copy!*
When I found out this book was described as a mix between Nancy Drew, Pippi Longstocking, and Amelia Earhart, I knew I had to read it! If you’ve been following my blog and social media for a while, you know Nancy Drew is one of my favorite fictional characters, and I’ve always loved Pippi Longstocking as well. Plus, I’m from Ohio, “the birthplace of aviation.” 😆 So really, this book seemed perfect for me.
I want to start by saying I loved Kitty Hawk! She was such a strong, brave, independent character. I loved her thirst for adventure, and the fact that she was able to fly a plane so well was really cool to me. She really did remind me of Nancy Drew, which is always a plus to me!
Something I really appreciated in this book were the maps that were included. Honestly, I don’t know much about Alaska, and especially where certain cities and locations are, and the little maps helped SO much. I was really able to see where Kitty Hawk was at and where she was going, and it gave me more of an idea on what it was like traveling to the different places.
Another thing I liked, and yet at the same time disliked a little, was all the information in this book. I learned so many interesting facts about Alaska and the Yukon Gold Rush, and I really appreciated the work and effort that the author must have went through to make sure things were accurate. That being said, I almost felt like there was a little too much information at times. There were chapters where I felt like I was almost being given information overload, or like I was reading a textbook.
I will say, though, I loved the plot. The mystery was fun and exciting, and very unpredictable. There were several plot twists that I did not see coming at all! Plus, the chapters in this book were very short, which is something I loved, because it gave me the excuse to read “just one more chapter” quite often! I will say, it’s described as a young adult book, but it really felt more like a middle grade book to me. I think I would have really loved this book at 13.
Overall, this was really a fun, adventurous read. Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold was very original, and I really appreciated that. Honestly, I could see the Kitty Hawk series as a TV show. It gave me 90’s – early 2000’s PBS Kids vibes. Remember shows like Wishbone and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? I could definitely see a show like that for Kitty Hawk! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for adventure and to learn something new, especially for those who love Alaska.
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
Is anybody else freaking out just a little bit that it’s already AUGUST?! Not only is summer flying by, but 2017 as a whole has been flying by faster than ever! July is usually my best reading month, so I’m disappointed to say I only read 4 books. However, 4 books isn’t terrible, by any means!
BOOKS READ
– Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Stage Fright by Carolyn Keene & Franklin W. Dixon \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
I absolutely loved Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson!!
BOOKS REVIEWED
The Photo Traveler by Arthur J. Gonzalez \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
BOOK HAUL
This month, I bought Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Illuminae at Books-A-Million. They were both bargain books and only $5-6 each, so I’m pretty pleased!
I also bought the absolutely gorgeous Puffin in Bloom box set! 😍 It was nearly 50% off on Amazon, and I’ve had my eye on these books for quite a while, so I could not refuse!
MISCELLANEOUS
I did the Mid-Year Book Freak Out book tag!
I also participated in the BookTube-A-Thon. Check out my TBR and Wrap-Up!
That wraps up July! I hope everyone enjoys the last few weeks of summer, and that everyone reaches their summer reading goals!!
Thanks for reading!
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
Title: That Summer by Sarah Dessen
Pages: 208
Genres: YA, Contemporary
Published by: Viking Books for Young Readers (Apr. 6, 2006)
Summary
For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She’s nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister—the always perfect Ashley—is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley’s reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.
What I Thought
Just a little fun fact, this was Sarah Dessen’s first novel. You can definitely tell that by reading it as well. Not that it’s not as well written, but it just doesn’t have that same Sarah Dessen feel. Sarah Dessen’s books usually give you that summer, beach life, feeling, and I just didn’t get that with That Summer. However, even though it didn’t give me that feeling, I still really enjoyed it.
Haven is coming to the point in her life where everything is changing; her dad is remarrying, her sister is getting married, her mom is becoming more independent, and even her best friend has suddenly become boy crazy and wild. Plus at 15, Haven is still a self-conscious teen. I really got how Haven was feeling. It felt like everything and everybody was changing, except her.
This was definitely one of those perfect end of summer books. The majority of the book takes place in August, and you can feel it. This book never has that “It’s summertime finally! Anything can happen! WooohooO!” feeling that so many summer themed books have. That Summer actually had more of a melancholy feel to it.
It was also extremely refreshing to have a book where the main character is a teenage girl that is NOT “in love” or obsessed with having a boyfriend. This book isn’t about Haven finding love or finally getting that first kiss or anything like that, and I loved that. Don’t get me wrong, those books are fun, but I don’t always feel like reading about teen love, and it’s good to show that not all 15 year olds are in a relationship or even wanting to be in one, and that’s a-okay.
Overall, while it’s not your typical Sarah Dessen, I enjoyed this book. Also, I don’t know why, but I cried at the ending, so if you’re feeling extra sensitive (like apparently I was at the time??), you may want a Kleenex or two.
Review originally written Sept. 2013.
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
Hey everyone! It’s a little late, but here is my wrap-up for this year’s Booktube-A-Thon. I didn’t get as many of the challenges done as I had hoped, and even the challenges that I did do, I didn’t finish all the books completely, but I still had a good time, and actually read quite a bit more than the previous weeks, so yay for that!
1. Read a book with a person on the cover.
2. Read a hyped book.
3. Finish a book in one day.
4. Read about a character that is very different from you.
5. Finish a book completely outdoors.
6. Read a book you bought because of the cover.
7. Read seven books.
Read a Book with a Person on the Cover.
I love, love, LOVED this book! A full review will be posted soon, but just know this book was so good! Morgan Matson always write such well-written, comfortable, summer-y books, and Second Chance Summer was no exception. This book had me smiling like a fool and, on the flip side, ugly crying.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read a Hyped Book.
I didn’t get to finish Hopeless during the readathon, but from what I’ve read, which is about half, I’m really enjoying more than the other Colleen Hoover book I read, Maybe Someday. This book is definitely a bit problematic, especially Holder’s actions very early in the book, but it’s fiction, and even though I, personally, don’t find Holder swoon worthy so far, this book is one you don’t want to put down!
My rating as of now:
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Finish a Book in One Day.
Stage Fright wasn’t my favorite Nancy Drew or Hardy Boy book, but I didn’t expect it to be either, lol. This book was a super quick read, and wasn’t too predictable. I had a lot of fun reading this one, and it was just the lighthearted, easy book I needed to read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finish a Book Completely Outdoors.
I didn’t complete Kitty Hawk completely during the readathon, but every time I read it, I read it outdoors. I got about halfway through this one, as well! So far, it’s been a lot of fun, very informative, and adventurous!
My rating as of now:
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Read a Book You Bought Because of the Cover.
Mobile Library is yet another book I started, but didn’t finish. I read the first chapter, and honestly, I didn’t love it. I may give it another go at a later time, but I just didn’t feel like pushing through this book during the readathon. This isn’t a spoiler, because it’s literally the first page, but the book starts with this grown woman kissing a 12 year old boy, and I was just like, “what the heck am I reading?!?” Now, maybe I read it wrong, because from the reviews on Goodreads nobody has talked about that or even mentioned anything of the sort, but I just didn’t feel like finding out during the readathon. If anyone has read this book, please tell me, is it really what it seems, and if it is, why in the world is everyone who reads this book okay with it, because that is hecka creepy?!
My rating as of now:
⭐️
Well, that wraps up the BookTube-A-Thon for me!
How did everyone else do? Let me know in the comments!
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
Hey everyone! So, this is really impromptu on my part, but I’ve decided to participate in the BookTube-A-Thon! I wasn’t going to, just for the fact that I didn’t really know when it was, and I’m not a booktuber, but after seeing so many other bloggers participating, and just the hype about it starting today in general, I decided “why not?!” I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump these past few weeks, and I thought a readathon might be just the thing I need.
Okay, so in case you’re unaware of the readathon (kind of like I was), the BookTube-A-Thon, hosted by Ariel Bissett, runs from July 24th – July 30th. The goal of the readathon is just to read as much as you possibly can within these seven days. There are also challenges that you can use to guide your TBR if you want to! The challenges are:
1. Read a book with a person on the cover.
2. Read a hyped book.
3. Finish a book in one day.
4. Read about a character that is very different from you.
5. Finish a book completely outdoors.
6. Read a book you bought because of the cover.
7. Read seven books.
To find out more about the BookTube-A-Thon, be sure to check out the official Youtube channel, Twitter, and website!
Okay, on to my TBR!
Read a Book With a Person on the Cover.
I’m currently reading Second Chance Summer, but I’m still going to count it for the readathon! I only have a little under 200 pages left, so I hope to finish this one up quickly.
Read a Hyped Book.
Everyone is obsessed with all of Colleen Hoover’s books. I read Maybe Someday by her last year, and I wasn’t super impressed, but I’ve decided to give her a second chance. Here’s hoping I enjoy Hopeless more!
Finish a Book in One Day.
I’m a big fan of any and all Nancy Drew books, and Stage Fright is one that I’ve had on my shelf, unread, for probably about 5 years now. It’s definitely time I read it, and it’s super short, so I should have no trouble finishing this one in a day.
Read About a Character that is Very Different from You.
Being that the Borrowers are only 2 inches tall, I think they definitely qualify as characters that are very different from me. While I’ve seen the movie a couple times, and was a fan of The Littles (a very Borrowers-esque story – except they have tails) when I was very young, I’ve never read The Borrowers!
Finish a Book Completely Outside.
I’m really excited about this challenge! I love reading outside as it is, and I think I’ve found the perfect book to go with it. In Kitty Hawk, it’s all about exploring and adventure, and I think a book like this is the perfect type of book to read outside. It’ll make it feel atmospheric!
Read a Book You Bought Because of the Cover.
Mobile Library was a complete cover buy for me. I saw it at the dollar store, and was just so intrigued. If you’ve ever read this book, let me know how it was, because I’ve never heard of it before!
Read Seven Books.
I’m going to be completely honest, I know I won’t be able to read seven complete books in one week. However, I’m going to try my best at getting through the books I mentioned, and maybe, just maybe, by some miracle I’ll fit in a 7th book. Also, I am still in the middle of Gone with the Wind, and while I won’t be finishing it this week, I still plan on continuing to read it alongside these books. So, maybe that one sort of counts as my 7th book?
Alrighty, there’s my BookTube-A-Thon 2017 TBR. Here’s hoping I get a lot of reading done this week! Good luck to everyone else participating as well. 🙂
Let me know if you’re participating, and even if you’re not, let me know what you’re currently reading!
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
Title: Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker
Pages: 224
Genres: YA, Historical, Romance, Christian
Published by: Zondervan (Dec. 26, 2012)
Summary
Scarlett Blaine’s life in 1960s Georgia isn’t always easy, especially given her parents’ financial struggles and the fights surrounding her sister Juli’s hippie lifestyle. Then there’s her brother, Cliff. While Scarlett loves him more than anything, there’s no denying his unique behavior leaves Cliff misunderstood and left out. So when he wishes for a rocket to Jupiter, Scarlett agrees to make it happen, no matter how crazy the idea might be. Raising the rocket money means baking pies, and the farmer’s son, Frank, agrees to provide the peaches if Scarlett will help him talk to Juli. The problem is, Scarlett really enjoys her time with Frank, and finds herself wondering if, someday, they could be more than friends. Just as she thinks everything might be going her way, Cliff suffers an accident that not only affects the rocket plans, but shakes Scarlett’s view of God. As the summer comes to an end, Scarlett must find a way to regain what she’s lost, but also fulfill a promise to launch her brother’s dream.
What I Thought
I recently discovered this book through a Booktube video, and thought it looked like the perfect summer read. After checking out all the rave reviews on Goodreads, I decided to check it out from the library, and see what I thought of Chasing Jupiter!
I really enjoyed this book. It’s set in the ’60’s, which is one of my favorite time periods, and actually, the setting is one of the things that initially drew to this book. The writing really made me feel like I was there. I could feel the hot, Georgia, summer sun on me, and the chill ’60’s vibe. Also, this book will make you so hungry for peach pie it’s not even funny.
The characters in this novel were so good! I absolutely loved Scarlett’s little brother, Cliff. He was such a fun, sassy little character. I loved his knock knock jokes! It’s pretty clear that he has autism, but being that this book takes place in the ’60’s everyone just thinks he’s “different.” I love how Scarlett loved him and treated him just the same as anyone else. She respected his space and sensory issues, and really allowed him to be himself. Scarlett, herself, was such a strong, likable, and relatable character. Then there’s Frank. He made such a good love interest, and I really just loved everything about him – especially his love for animals. I also absolutely loved the pastor’s wife, Dotty. She was such a fun and energetic character, and I loved seeing the friendship between her and Scarlett grow.
I really adored this book! It was short, sweet, and summer-y. Honestly, the only thing I wasn’t crazy about was the family dynamics between Scarlett and her parents. I feel like the author tried to portray Scarlett’s parents as average, just a bit stressed out, people. However they didn’t come across as that way to me. Scarlett is basically responsible for taking care of the entire family, and when something goes wrong and she talks about how “if only I had done this or that,” nobody even denies it. She cooks and cleans, she’s responsible for taking care of her little brother with autism, as well as her grandfather with dementia, and at times it feels like she’s responsible for her older sister as well. Like, that’s too much. It would be one thing if she had absentee parents, but she didn’t. It’s never depicted that what they’re doing is wrong. Yes, they were stressed out with work, but that’s not your 16-year-old’s fault. Yes, family should be there for each other, and kids need to help their parents out, but it felt like nobody was ever there for her. Scarlett had a bit of a Cinderella complex to me, and not once did her parents ever really acknowledge that.
Aside from that, I really enjoyed this book. It’s much more of a tearjerker than I expected, though! I had so many emotions while reading it. I laughed. I cried. I was angry. I was happy. It was quite the emotional roller coaster packed into those 224 pages. I cannot believe the author was only 16 when she wrote this book! I would definitely recommend Chasing Jupiter to anyone looking for a short and summer-y historical (contemporary-ish?), read.
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
Hey everyone! Today I’m going to be doing the Mid-Year Book “Freak Out” tag! I wasn’t tagged by anyone, but I’ve seen this tag floating around for the past few weeks, and I thought it seemed super fun. So, here we go!
1. Best Book You’ve Read In 2017, So Far?
I’ve read 23 books so far this year, and while that number may not be as large as I would like, I can honestly say I haven’t read a single book that I did not like! Because of that, there’s no way I could narrow this down to one book, so my top favorite 3 of this year are Holes by Louis Sachar, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, and Replica by Lauren Oliver.
2. Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far?
That would definitely have to be book 3 in the Angel Eyes trilogy, Dark Halo by Shannon Dittemore. It was the final book in the series, and while all the books in this series were incredible, the ending for this one was absolutely perfect!
3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?
I have two for this one! One new release that I already have that I want to read and haven’t yet is Once and For All by Sarah Dessen. I love all her books, so I know I’ll love this one soon, and hope to have it read sometime this summer!
This next new release is one I don’t have, but I still can’t wait to get it and read it, and that is When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon. I’ve been hearing so many good things about this book!
4. Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of 2017?
That would definitely have to be Ringer by Lauren Oliver! It’s the sequel to Replica, and I am so excited for this book to come out and see how this story ends!
5. Biggest Disappointment?
This is actually a really hard question for me, because like I said earlier, I have really enjoyed all the books I’ve read this year. I’d probably have to go with Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire, though. Don’t get me wrong, this was an enjoyable book, but I’ve heard so much hype surrounding how wonderful this book was, and it just didn’t live up to the hype for me. It was good but not great, and based on what so many other said about this book, I was expecting great.
6. Best Surprise?
For best surprise, I’m going to have to go with The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees. I honestly was not expecting much from this book, and it completely blew me away. It was so well written, and just all-around way better than I expected!
7. Favorite New Author?
My favorite new-to-me author would definitely be Shannon Dittemore. Her Angel Eyes trilogy was just so good, and I can’t wait for her to write more books, so I can read them!
8. Newest Fictional Crush
I’m beginning to feel like a broken record, because this is the third time I’ve mentioned her/her books in this post, but honestly, Jake from Angel Eyes is just so swoon-worthy, and this series was just so good! 😍
9. New Favorite Character?
There’s no way I could pick just one! I’ve loved so many book characters this year, I really don’t know if I could narrow it down. 😘
10. Books That Made You Cry?
Oh boy! A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker were both so, so good, and yet such tearjerkers!
11. Books That Made You Happy?
Holes by Louis Sachar was so good and brought back so many memories for me. This was the first time I had read the book, but I’ve seen the movie several times, and it was one of my favorites growing up. Plus, I was so happy I finally got around to reading Holes, and that it did not disappoint!
12. Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation?
😏 Based off my last response, I think it is exactly 0% surprising that my favorite book to movie adaptation is Holes. Y’all. The movie and the book are both amazing!
13. Favorite Review You’ve Written?
I really like this question! It made me look back at my old reviews, which is actually something I don’t do enough. Anyway, while I’m not sure if this one is necessarily my favorite review written in 2017, I really enjoyed writing my review for Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven. You can check it out here!
14. Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year?
This one is a no-brainer for me! While I didn’t buy it, my wonderful mom recently bought me the absolutely gorgeous Puffin in Bloom collection, and oh my goodness, these books are just so deliciously good looking! 😍
15. What Books Do You Need to Read by the End of the Year?
ALL OF THEM! Haha, but in all seriousness, there are so many books I want to read by the end of the year, I really don’t know which ones to list. So, I’ll just say I want to get to the books that I already own.
I hope you all enjoyed reading this, because I had a lot of fun writing it!
Also, I have a new goal of posting a tag like this once a week on the blog from now on. I’ve been tagged by so many lovely bloggers for so many different tags, and I’m absolutely horrible at getting to them (I have a tag I’ve been meaning to do for literally over a year). So, look forward to more posts like these from me!
Thanks so much for reading, and if you haven’t yet, I encourage you to do the Mid-Year Book “Freak Out” tag as well!
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
Title: The Photo Traveler by Arthur J. Gonzalez
Pages: 352
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Time Travel
Published by: Fahrenheit Publishing (Feb. 20, 2013)
Summary
Seventeen-year-old Gavin Hillstone is resigned to being miserable for the rest of his life. Left alone in the world after his parents died in a fire when he was four, he was placed in foster care, which for him meant ending up in an abusive home with an alcoholic adoptive father.
Gavin’s only escape is in taking and creating images. His camera is his refuge from the unending torture and isolation of daily life in his “family.”
Until he learns by accident that he isn’t alone in the world after all. His father’s parents are still alive and living in Washington DC.
When he takes the plunge and travels 3,000 miles to find his grandparents, he learns that they—and he—are part of something much bigger, and more dangerous, than he could ever have imagined. Something that has always put his family at risk and that will now threaten his own life, while forever changing it.
He learns that he is one of the last descendants of a small group of Photo Travelers—people who can travel through time and space through images. But his initial excitement turns to fear, when he soon discovers that he and his grandparents are being pursued by the fierce remnants of a radical European Photo Traveler cult, the Peace Hunters. What Gavin has, they want!
His adventure will take him to past eras, like The Great Depression and the Salem Witch Trials. Gavin will have to discover who he really is and must make choices that spell the difference between life and death for himself, for the relatives he now knows and loves, and for the girl he will come to love.
For Gavin Hillstone, life will never be the same.
What I Thought
I had never heard of The Photo Traveler, before I saw an advertisement for it on Epic Reads. Instantly, I was intrigued, which is something, because I usually don’t pay much attention to advertisements at the side of my screen. I saw it was only $0.99 at the Nook store, so I decided to go ahead and buy it.
I was hooked pretty quickly. I found the story really intriguing and I was drawn to the idea of time traveling through photos. I loved the plot! I also loved how Gavin talked and acted like a regular 17 year old. It made his character seem realistic. I also loved Gavin’s relationship with his grandparents.
I have to say the only thing I didn’t entirely care for about this book, was that some of the events and relationships happened very quickly. Without spoiling anything, I felt like certain moments were being built up to happen slowly, and over time, and then all of a sudden they were already happening.
Also, like most self-published books I’ve read, I caught a couple of typos, but for me at least, they didn’t distract from the story any way.
Also: CLIFFHANGER!!!
So, overall, I highly recommend this book! I think fans of time travel would really enjoy this book, but it’s not too complicated or confusing that I think even readers who don’t typically enjoy time travel novels would still enjoy this one.
*Review originally written July 2013*
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
It’s 11 days late, but here it is: my June wrap-up! Honestly, I’m a little disappointed in the amount of reading I actually got done. I finished three books in June, which is not terrible for me, but in the summer months I usually read more. So, I had hoped to just finish a few more books, but oh well! At least all the books I read were great ones!
BOOKS READ
– Dark Halo by Shannon Dittemore \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Holes by Louis Sachar \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
I really loved all the books I read this month, but I’m going to have to go with Holes. This book was so, so good. It’s one of those books I wish I had read it sooner!
BOOKS REVIEWED
Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Holes by Louis Sachar \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
BOOK HAUL
I only bought one book last month, but I know it’s going to be a good one! I bought Sarah Dessen’s new book, Once and for All. I love Sarah Dessen’s writing, so I’m super excited to read this book!
MISCELLANEOUS
That wraps up June! My goals for July include reading more and blogging more. I have so many reviews I need to write. Obviously, my blogging hasn’t been great for July yet, but hopefully the rest of the month will be better!
Thanks so much for reading!
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is:
Top Ten Books of 2017 (So far!)
In order of read date:
The You I’ve Never Known by Ellen Hopkins
This was the first book by Ellen Hopkins that I had ever read, and it was so good! It was so raw, emotional, and beautifully written. I loved the intertwining of verse and prose, which helped to perfectly tell this story.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
I admit, I was a little hesitant to read this book. The only other book I’ve read by Patrick Ness is The Rest of Us Just Live Here, and I ended up not loving it. So, I was afraid I might not love his writing style. Plus, A Monster Calls has received so much praise and hype, I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to it for me. That being said, this book was so gorgeous! I fell completely in love. This book broke my heart in the very best way possible, and I highly recommend it.
Replica by Lauren Oliver
This book was so good! I love Lauren Oliver’s writing, so I was excited to read Replica to begin with, but it ended up being even better than I expected! I loved how creative this book was, and the dual perspective was exactly what this novel needed. I cannot wait to read the sequel coming out this fall!
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
I had read a few of her short stories, but this was my first time reading one of Rainbow Rowell’s full novels, and I loved it! I think it’s safe to say that I am a Rainbow Rowell fan. I loved the writing, the story, the characters, everything. I’m so glad I finally read Eleanor & Park!
Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon
Everything Everything is another book that has been so hyped up, that I didn’t know if I would like it or not. Sometimes super hyped books end up disappointing me. I ended up loving this one, though! It was so well-paced, creative, and I just loved reading this book.
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees
I had only recently discovered this book, and I hadn’t heard a lot about it, so I really didn’t know if I was going to enjoy it or not. It sounded really intriguing though, and I’m so glad I gave it a chance. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott completely exceeded any expectations I may have had. It was just so lovely, and I loved everything about it. This book deserves to be more well known!
Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore
Honestly, this whole series is incredible. The Angel Eyes series is such an adventure from start to finish! It’s one of those books that has a little bit of everything: action, adventure, mystery, romance, angels & demons, ballet – it truly has it all!
Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is one of my absolute favorite series! So, obviously, Tales of the Peculiar, was on my TBR the second this book was announced. It’s a collection of peculiar fairy tales, and it’s such a fun read! The tales were so whimsical, and if you’re a Miss Peregrine fan, this book is a must-have!
I don’t have my review for this one posted yet, but check it out on Goodreads!
Holes by Louis Sachar
I loved this book! I’ve always been a fan of the movie, and so this book has been on my TBR for quite a while now. So I’m so glad I finally read this one. The story is just so well thought out and creative. I wish I had read this book when I was a kid, because younger me would have loved Holes so much. No matter the age, though, this book was really fantastic!
My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman
This book was so enjoyable! I’ve heard so many good things about not only this author, but this book specifically, so I was really looking forward to reading this one. I loved the writing style, and the characters were all so unique. I cannot wait to read more of Fredrik Backman’s books!
I don’t have my review for this one posted yet, but check it out on Goodreads!
So, those are 10 of the best books I’ve read, so far, for 2017! Let me know which books have been your favorite for this year. 🙂
Follow me on:
Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Litsy (@thecalicobooks)
Buy from:
the calico books 