Title: Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon
Pages: 310
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Published by: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (Sept. 1, 2015)
Summary
My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.
Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.
What I Thought
Everything Everything is one of those books that has been on my TBR for years, that I just never got around to reading. Well, with the movie coming out (I think it’s already out now?!), and me getting it as a gift from my grandma for my birthday, I knew it was finally time to read it. I’m so glad I did, too!
It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is:
Summer Reads Freebie
For this week, I’m going to share (in no particular order) ten of my favorite summer-y reads!
10. Since You’ve Been Gone
Since You’ve Been Gone is the epitome of a summer read. Ice cream, adventure, boys, and best friends. Honestly, this book is so much fun and everything about it just screams summer to me!
9. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids
This book was so good. It was so creative, swoony, and I loved the diversity! Honestly, this book felt magical even though it’s 100% a contemporary novel. Also, I love the cover!
8. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Series
I know I said Since You’ve Been Gone was the epitome of a summer book – and it is – but The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series is definitely the epitome of summer books. If you haven’t read this series at least once during the summer, I don’t know what you’re doing with your life. Read it!
7. The Summer I Turned Pretty Series
The Summer I Turned Pretty series gives you all those beach-y feels. I admit, this series is a little angsty at times, and I guarantee that you’ll want to yell at Belly at least once, but it’s so perfect to read poolside. It’s quick, swoony (like all the best summer books are), and just really quite enjoyable! #TeamJeremiah
6. Where I Belong
Where I Belong is such a perfect summer read because it is filled with all the classic troupes and cliches. Honestly, I mean that in the best way possible. This book was so enjoyable, because it was predictable. Essentially, it’s the classic snobby rich girl turned poor girl, and it’s just such a fun read!
5. Along for the Ride
Did you guys really think I wouldn’t include a Sarah Dessen novel on here? Honestly, so many of her books could work for this week, but I decided to go with one of my personal favorites, Along for the Ride. It’s such a fun, sweet, and romantic summer read. Sarah Dessen does such a great job writing that summer atmosphere!
4. The Christy Miller Series
The Christy Miller series is one of my absolute favorites! This series is just so addictive! The first book in the series is especially summer-y, and takes place in California. I highly recommend these books.
3. The Summer of Cotton Candy
The Summer of Cotton Candy is another fun, fluffy, summer read. I absolutely loved this book, and the whole series. Each book in the series takes place during a different season. Book 1, The Summer of Cotton Candy, takes place in, obviously, the summer, and follows the life of incoming high school senior, Candace.
2. The Truth about Forever
I told myself I was only going to include one Sarah Dessen book on the list, but then I remembered The Truth about Forever. I love this book. I love the characters, the catering jobs, everything. Honestly, I just love all of Sarah Dessen’s books! They’re all so summer-y and wonderful…read them all!
1. This Is What Happy Looks Like
This book was such a fun, light-hearted book to read. I loved the emails between Graham and Ellie. I love how this book made the unrealistic possible. I still need to read the the novella sequel, and I actually plan to read that this summer!
That’s it for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Let me know about yours in the comments. 🙂
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Hi everyone! Today I’m teaming up with Writerly Yours again for another fun, blog tour. This time, I’m sharing my review for the short story, I Still Remember by the founder of Writerly Yours herself, Priya Prithviraj!
Title: I Still Remember by Priya Prithviraj
Pages: 29
Genres: YA/NA, Contemporary, Coming-of-Age, Romance
Published by: Self-published (May 14, 2017)
Summary
Ji-woo dreams of becoming a writer and is back in college giving it a second shot. But then Weon-gyu, her first love, comes back into her new life. Will she give up on her dreams or will she write them a happy ending?
What I Thought
I really enjoyed this book! For it being only about 5,000 words, I admit, I was a bit unsure if this story would be able to be fully developed. That being said, it was for me.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Ji-woo felt very relatable to me. I found her struggles and triumphs to be very similar to the kind of things I, along with I’m sure many other college-aged folks, go through. Even though this book is short, I found myself becoming completely invested in the characters. I was very curious to see how things would go.
Another thing I really enjoyed were the flashbacks that are in this story. Flashbacks in books are iffy things for me. Either I really enjoy them, or they end up just making things confusing. For this time, however, I really enjoyed them! They helped add backstory and gave the characters and their journey much more depth.
Honestly, the only thing I didn’t love about this story was that it was over so quickly! I would have loved to keep reading more and find out what happened next.
Overall, this was a very nice, quick, enjoyable read. I would recommend this book to contemporary fans!
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the author!!*
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Title: The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees
Pages: 376
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance
Published by: Berkley (May 3rd, 2011)
Summary
A richly imagined, remarkably written story of the woman who created Little Women– and how love changed her in ways she never expected.
Deftly mixing fact and fiction, Kelly O’Connor McNees returns to the summer of 1855, when vivacious Louisa May Alcott is twenty-two and bursting to free herself from family and societal constraints and do what she loves most. Stuck in small-town New Hampshire, she meets Joseph Singer, and as she opens her heart, Louisa finds herself torn between a love that takes her by surprise and her dream of independence as a writer in Boston. The choice she must make comes with a steep price that she will pay for the rest of her life.
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I huge thanks to Sullivan Entertainment!*
As someone who grew up in a family with three other sisters, and all four of us are quite close, Little Women has always been very relatable to me. So, when I got the chance to read about the author of such a relatable book, I was quite intrigued. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott is fiction, but the family dynamics is all based on the life of the real Louisa May Alcott. Just like Jo, Louisa May Alcott was the second sister of four and aspired to be a writer. This book features a 22 year old Louisa who is filled with big dreams and just waiting for her chance.
I absolutely loved all of the characters! Honestly, these characters were so relatable, and probably my favorite part of this novel. I’m 23, and from the relationship Louisa shares with her sisters and parents to relationship with her friends and hopes for the future, I found myself relating so much to the situations that Louisa and her sisters and friends were going through. I completely fell in love with Joseph and Louisa’s story, as well. Joseph is probably one of my favorite love interests of this year, so far!
The writing in this novel was also so beautiful. It was written in such a way that reminded me of some of my favorite classics, like Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. I just loved it!
I never wanted to stop reading this book. It was one of those books that were just so comfortably paced. The story line was superb. I also loved reading the parallels between the Alcott sisters and the March sisters.
Overall, I ended up loving this book way more than I expected. It was an absolutely lovely read. While it was a bit heartbreaking, it also left me feeling inspired. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Little Women, as well as anyone else who loves books with those classic heroines who have hope and believe.
Today, I also wanted to share with you all another Louisa May Alcott-inspired item. Sullivan Entertainment was kind enough to include this beautiful necklace, featuring this quote by Louisa May Alcott, along with The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott.
I am completely in love with it! Not only is this quote perfect for my life, but the necklace is so nicely made. The chain and pendant are very sturdy and strong as well. I would highly recommend it!
To find this and other wonderful products be sure to check out Shop at Sullivan!
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Today is Top Ten Tuesday – A weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish! This week’s topic is:
Ten Bookish Things on my Wishlist
I admit, I tweaked this week’s prompt just a bit. It was originally my reading wishlist, but I have so many books I’d love to get, and honestly, my TBR is so large, I really shouldn’t be buying anymore books right now, so I decided to mix it up and share some book related items on my wishlist instead!
1. Anne of Green Gables Squad Tee
*Available at Bookshelf Tees*
I absolutely love Anne of Green Gables, and so this shirt would just be perfect for me. They truly are ~squad goals!~ 😉
2. The Library Tote
*Also avaliable at Bookshelf Tees*
You guys! I absolutely love Arthur. Seriously, I’m 23 years old, and I admit I still watch it sometimes. 😂 So, needless to say, this tote was made for me! Not only that, but the library really is my fave.
Also, just in case you’ve somehow missed the awesomeness of Arthur (or if you just want a throwback), here you go:
3. Library Stamp Sweatshirt/Tee
*Available at Out of Print Clothing*
Honestly, I’d be happy with either this sweatshirt, or the tee of this shirt. I just really love the library stamps! Although, OOP has really soft sweatshirts, which is why I picked the sweatshirt. 😉
4. Nancy Drew Litograph Tee
Litographs is one of the coolest bookish merch stores I’ve found! They actually print most, if not all of the text, of the novel onto various products. If you know me, you know I love Nancy Drew, and so I just love this shirt. I love how it’s got the classic Nancy silhouette, and then, having the actual text on the tee, is just so cool!
5. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Scarf
*Also available at Litographs*
Another bookish love of mine is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. So, this scarf just seems like the logical choise!
6. Floating Bookshelves
I love these floating bookshelves! I’ve seen several people on Instagram with these, and they just look so magical, and like the books really are floating!
7. I’d Rather Be Reading Mug
*Available at Society6, by Bookwormboutique*
This mug is way too relatable! Honestly, I just need it. 💁
8. Folded Between the Pages of Books Pillow
*Available at Society6, by Evie Seo*
I’ve been a bookworm my entire life, and not only is this design so gorgeous, but it is so true to my life.
9. Read More Books Pillow
*Available at Society6, by Evie Seo*
I love to read, but I still need to read more! Plus, this pillow matches the other one. These two pillows would look really great together.
10. Too Fond of Books Mug
*Available at Society6, by Paperfury*
I love this quote by Louisa May Alcott, and this design is so gorgeous! What better way to let everyone know my passion for books?!
That’s it for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Let me know about yours in the comments!
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Title: The Auctor Trilogy by T. R. Wolf
Pages: 486
Genres: YA, Fantasy
Published by: CreateSpace (Nov. 28, 2016)
Summary
When seventeen-year-old Addie Auctor’s mother is murdered by her father, she must confront many secrets that her family has hidden from her. The worst of these secrets is that Addie’s father, Donovan Hawthorne, is still hunting Addie because of an ancient blood feud between her mother’s family, the Auctors, and her father’s family, the House of Hawthorne. In order to be protected from the House of Hawthorne, Addie and her brother, Augustus, are sent to Initiation at an exclusive University, the Wicked Cabal.
Initiation is nothing like Addie expects. She is immediately separated from Augustus and thrown in with four complete strangers – Fallon, Maddox, Liam, and Tempe. Addie must try to forge friendships with her fellow Initiates while they solve clues, battle mystical creatures, and explore increasingly dangerous places.
Readers of all ages will love this adventure filled with suspense, treachery, and romance.
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the author!*
Honestly, I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book. After reading the synopsis – and seeing that beautiful cover – I was definitely intrigued. However, I admit, I was a bit hesitant to read it. This is a self-published book, and while there are many amazing self-published novels out there (some of my favorites are actually self-pubbed), there are also some that still need more work, and sometimes it’s hard to tell which is which. All that being said, I loved this book!
Today is Top Ten Tuesday – A weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish! This week’s topic is:
Cover Theme Freebie
Everyone knows the old saying, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” However, we all know that’s not always the case…sometimes we do! Here are 10 books I read based off their covers (that I ended up loving)!
I just really love this cover! It’s so simplistic, yet I feel like it perfectly represents this book.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know about my love for ballet. So, when I discovered this book and saw this gorgeous cover, I knew it had to be mine!
Along for the Ride was the very first Sarah Dessen book I ever read. I had been wanting to read one of her books for a while, but I didn’t know which one to pick. I ended up going with this one because of the cover! I think it is so cute, and I love the 1950’s vibe it kind of gives.
Just look at this cover! It is so unique! So many books look like other books, and I love that The Books of Marvella series is so uniquely its own. I don’t know of any other books that even look similar to this series!
A book about books? Sign me up! I love how mysterious this cover looks, like those books the woman on the cover is holding, are full of secrets.
I discovered this book at the Nook store a few years ago. I was instantly drawn to this book by its unique cover! I love how it sort of looks like an eye.
Let’s just take a moment to appreciate this gorgeous, aesthetically pleasing cover! I absolutely adore this cover. It is so detailed, a little mysterious, and overall, a really great book cover. We need books that look like this!
I first discovered the lovely Morgan Matson thanks to this book. When I saw this cover, I knew it was going to be the perfect summer read, and it was! I love how summer-y this book looks and makes me feel!
I love how minimalist this cover this! It’s simple, but still fun. It also gives me a summer-y vibe, which I love when it comes to books like this!
Oh look! Another ballet-related book I decided to read just because of the cover. Seriously though, this cover is gorgeous! How could you turn it down?
That’s it for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Let me know about your TTT in the comments! 🙂
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Welcome back! First of all, can we just agree that April was like, 2 days?! The beginning of April was a little slow for me reading and blogging-wise, but things really started to pick up for me the second half of the month.
BOOKS READ
– Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– The Auctor Trilogy by T. R. Wolf \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Heart of Danger (Nancy Drew Files #11) by Carolyn Keene \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
– I Still Remember (Short Story) by Priya Prithviraj \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
It’s a tie between Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon and The Auctor Trilogy by T. R. Wolf.
BOOKS REVIEWED
Black by Ted Dekker \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ready or Not by Meg Cabot \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
BOOK HAUL
I bought and received several new books in April!
First of all, a big thank you to the publisher and author for sending me a copy of Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading!
I also won a copy of The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson from a contest hosted by Penguin Teen!
Then, I picked up three more books from the Dollar Tree! I found Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan, Summer State of Mind by Jen Calonita, and Mobile Library by David Whitehouse.
I also received Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon from my grandma, and Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo from my mom at my family birthday party!
MISCELLANEOUS
This past Saturday, I participated in Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-A-Thon! I had a really great time, and ended up really reading a lot! I’m really glad I decided to participate this time around, and plan on participating in the next one (which is Oct. 21, just FYI!).
To see all my posts about this readathon, click here!
That wraps up April! It was still a slow reading and blogging month, but it’s starting to pick up the pace (especially compared to February’s wrap up 🙈).
Thanks for reading!
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Well everyone, we did it! How did you all do? Yesterday was chilly and rainy, and so it was perfect readathon weather. While I didn’t read the entire time, I read so much yesterday! I did have to stop reading to go to bed last night, because I had church in the morning and didn’t want to fall asleep then (lol), so I went to bed around midnight. I had hoped to get up early and read a bit before the Readathon ended, but I was too tired and decided to sleep instead. 🤷🏼♀️😴 I am actually really pleased with how much I ended up reading though, and I’m so glad I decided to participate!
Reading Update
BOOKS COMPLETED
I Still Remember by Priya Prithviraj // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heart of Danger by Carolyn Keene // ⭐️⭐️⭐️
BOOKS PARTIALLY COMPLETED
I read the last 100 pages of Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon. // ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read the first 35 pages of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor Mcnees.
Let me know how all of you did for Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon! Are there any other readathons that are coming up that you’re excited for? 📚
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How’s everyone doing on the Readathon at this point? It’s 11 PM where I’m at, and being that I have church in the morning, I’m planning on going to bed soon. That being said, I’m really pleased with the progress I’ve made for this readathon! I’ll have a full wrap up post after the readathon is completely done, but I just have to say, for me, I read so much today. I admit, I took a break this evening for a few hours, but I’m just so proud of how well I actually did today! ☺️🙌🏼
Reading Update
Since my last update, I have completely finished Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon!
Also, I just finished Heart of Danger by Carolyn Keene. 👍🏼
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the calico books 