2017 Reads

Hey guys! I thought I would make a complete list of the books I've read in 2017, with links to any reviews I've written. Just, you know, in case you were interested or whatever... You probably aren't, but let's be honest, this isn't about you. ;)

I believe I had originally set my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal this year to 30, because that's how many books I read last year. I quickly reached that goal, so I pushed it up to 52. I had reached that by the end of... October, I think? At that point I decided not to set a higher goal, but just see how many books I would end up reading by the end of the year. As things progressed I unofficially gave myself a goal of 75, and I have managed to achieve that!

Reading went really well for me this year! I didn't go through many reading slumps, and I consistently read a minimum of 4 novels per month, at my normal pace - no stressing or pushing to read faster. At the end, I'll admit I read a few shorter books in order to complete a couple challenges and reach my "unofficial goal," but they're still books, and I did read them! ;) There are probably a few areas of my life that I didn't pay as much attention to in order to read more (other hobbies, mostly), but aside from my penpals, I don't think my reading twice as much this year has had much affect on anybody else. I will admit that my penpals may have suffered a bit of neglect this year... :/

According to my Goodreads Year in Books, the most popular book I read was All the Light We Cannot See, and the longest book I read was Wildwood. As you can see from the list below, I was doing alright with reviewing for a while, but I quickly got sidetracked (by reading more books!). I think one of my goals for 2018 will be to set aside time every 3-4 weeks to review any books I've finished in that time period. Or to try to review as soon as I've finished (that would be ideal). Actually, ideally, I should take notes as I'm reading, but that would just require too much organization and commitment on my part! ;) 

1. Flawed by Cecelia Ahern (****) - review here
2. The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister (***) - review here
3. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake (****) - review here
4. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (*****) - review here
5. Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M. Elliott (**) - review here
6. The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky - audio (***)
7. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (*****) - review here
8. Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth (****) - review here
9. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (**) - review here
10. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (*****) - review here
11. P. S. I Like You by Kasie West (***) - review here
12. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - audio (***)
13. The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry (****) - review here
14. Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill (*****) - review here
15. Caraval by Stephanie Garber (*****) - review here
16. Seven Deadlies: A Cautionary Tale by Gigi Levangie (***) - review here
17. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (audio / reread) (*****)
18. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (*****)
19. Grounded by Kate Klise (****)
20. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (****) - review here
21. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (*****) - review here
22. Servants' Hall: A Real Life Upstairs, Downstairs Romance by Margaret Powell (***)
23. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (*****) - review here
24. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer - audio (*****)
25. Wildwood by Colin Meloy (*****) - review here
26. Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (***)
27. Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child (****)
28. The Girl With the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts (****)
29. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch (*****) - review here
30. Sweet Misfortune by Kevin Alan Milne (****)
31. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (****) - review here
32. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (*****)
33. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill (***)
34. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (*****) - review here
35. Wonder by R.J. Palacia (*****) - review here
36. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (*****)
37. The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands (*****)
38. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (****) - review here
39. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (*****) - review here
40. Future Perfect by Jen Larsen (****)
41. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (****)
42. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (*****)
43. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller (*****) - review here
44. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (***)
45. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (****)
46. All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps by Dave Isay (****)
47. New World: Rising by Jennifer Wilson (****)
48. Peter Pan by E.M. Barrie (****) - review here
49. Everland by Wendy Spinale (****)
50. Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (*****)
51. What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum (*****)
52. 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad (**)
53. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee (*****)
54. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - audio (**)
55. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (*****)
56. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst (***) - review here
57. One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake (*****)
58. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (*****)
59. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (****) - review here
60. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith - audio (*****)
61. A Good Day to Buy by Sherry Harris (****)
62. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith - audio (*****)
63. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (****)
64. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (****)- review here
65. Warcross by Marie Lu (****)
66. Glass Houses by Louise Penny (*****) - review here
67. Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan (***)
68. Dear Santa: Children's Christmas Letters and Wish Lists, 1870-1920 (*****)
69. Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore (***) - review here
70. Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows (****)
71. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (*****)
72. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (****)
73. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (****)
74. Matchless by Gregory Maguire (***)
75. For One More Day by Mitch Albom (****)

And that's it for 2017! I think this is the most books I have ever read in a year, and I'm pretty stoked about that. If it isn't, it certainly has been years since I've been able to achieve that.

So, I've just set my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal for 2018 to 80. Five more than 2017, which I think should be achievable. Providing that the new year goes as smoothly as this past year, with no real obstacles... We'll see! I will definitely try to continue reviewing the books I've read this year (or at least the ones I really liked), and will try to be more on top of the blogging/reviewing situation in 2018.

Happy New Year everyone, and happy reading!

Progress Report: October - November 2017

*Phew*

 

Let me tell you, I thought that the summer went fast, but the last two months were like a flash! Ok, so maybe October dragged a bit for me due to personal reasons, but November... Where did it go?!

 

Alright, so I just thought I should do another brief overview of my reading for tthe last two months. In October I read the following 5 books and 1 audiobook:

 

My fave October read

 

 

One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake *****

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater *****

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman ****

The Cuckoo's Calling (audio) by Robert Galbraith *****

A Good Day to Buy by Sherry Harris ****

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater ****

 

And in November I read the following 4 books and 1 audiobook:
 

Even though I rated a
couple others higher,
this was my fave
November read!

The Silkworm (audio) by Robert Galbraith *****

Stalking Jack the Ripper (ebook) by Kerri Maniscalco ****

Warcross by Marie Lu ****

Glass Houses by Louise Penny *****

Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan ***

 

I had reached my Goodreads goal of 52 in September, and decided not to increase it, just to see how many books I would read without feeling the pressure of a deadline. As of today, I have read 67 books in 2017! I was sort of unofficially aiming for 75, but that might be a bit of a stretch at this point. I'm not sure exactly how much reading time I'll be putting in between now and Christmas, what with work and Christmas parties, and gifts to finish crafting/buying... But we'll see! Maybe I will surprise myself! ;)

Just to finish the update, I am currently reading Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore. It is mystical and magical and intriguing, but I'm not feeling a real connection to the story or characters yet. I don't think I like the way it is written, but I'm going to stick it out and see if my opinion changes. Last week I picked up, but haven't dug too deep yet into, Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown. And last night (technically December 1st, but we are the first, so... I'll mention it...) I started Dear Santa: Children's Christmas Letters and Wish Lists, 1870-1920. It should be a very sweet Christmas-y read to kick off the season.

I'll be back at the end of the month for a complete 2017 Year in Review post!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Winter TBR

Hey guys! I'm hoping that by starting early I will actually get this Top Ten Tuesday posted on time, and not forget about it... This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is books that are on our winter TBR piles!

If you've visited my blog before when I've talked about TBR piles, you'll know that I don't really plan my reading. I mean, I'll pick out a bunch of books at the beginning of the month that I'd like to get to, but I most likely won't. I am very much a mood-reader, so when it comes around time to pick up the next book, that little pile for the month is often not very attractive anymore. So, all that to say that it is kind of difficult for me to do TBR posts like this, and actually read the books. But, if I were the type of person to plan my reading (and stick with it), these are the books I'd like to read this winter:

8. Winter by Marissa Meyer - I started reading this a few winters ago and simply could not get into it. It's been so long now since I've read the others that I'll probably have the same problem again, but I really would like to finally finish this series.

7. Heartless by Marissa Meyer - I am ashamed to admit that I still have not read many of the books that came in OwlCrate boxes in the past year, this being one of them. I love Alice in Wonderland, and I adored the box this book came in, so I'm really not sure why I've put this one off for so long...

6. Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore - Another OwlCrate book, this one was actually on my Goodreads TBR long before we got the box, so I am pretty excited about it!

5. The Last Star by Rick Yancey - Again, just really need to finish the series. It's been a while now since I read the others, but I feel like it will come back to me quickly enough.

4. Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman - I read A Man Called Over earlier this year and came across this other work of his at a used book sale, so I'm looking forward to seeing if all his books have the same feeling.

3. The Little Old Lady Strikes Again by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg - (alternate title, The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again) I enjoyed the first book, The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules, which was entertaining, so I'm looking forward to seeing what antics the League of Pensioners get into in this book.

2. The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson - Again, I read his other book, The 100-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, which was a bit different and darker than I was expecting, so I'm curious to see what this one will be like. Also, it has been sitting on my shelf for a very long time.

1. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly - I watched the movie when it came out in theatres and simply adored it, so I am very much looking forward to reading the book to find out how many liberties they took with it (aka, how much better the book is)!


Well... I could only come up with eight... I'm sorry! Haha, I left this on the weekend and didn't come back to it, and didn't feel like wracking my brains for more! :P

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want My Future Children to Read

Hello again! Imagine, two posts back-to-back, in the same week?! This is insanity! ;)

Well, I'm back again with another Top Ten Tuesday (a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish). This week's theme is Books I Want My Future Children to Read. Let's dive right in.

1. Canadian classic. Everyone should read this one!



2. Literally anything by Roald Dahl - love him! But Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a must! Also, James and the Giant Peach! :D

3. I was "not allowed" to read Harry Potter growing up, but I wasn't that interested anyway. Reading the books as an adult, I loved them. I've got my younger nephew reading them, and I certainly wouldn't force them on a child, but if my kids wanted to read them, I wouldn't discourage them!

4. The Little House series is another must, for sure!

5. Anything by Robert Munsch. In all honesty, Love You Forever is more for the moms, but it's a good one for the little kids, as well, I think! (P.S. Do not read the reviews on Goodreads, they will ruin it for you...)

6. I read Wonder this year, and I'm pretty sure this will be a forced read for my kids. This should be required reading in every middle school.

7. I loved Amelia Bedelia and her antics :)

8. My brother and I both enjoyed these as kids. For some reason, we were allowed to read these... I'm thinking my dad didn't  know what they were about... lol

9. Who doesn't love that silly little monkey?

10. Absolutely, definitely, without a doubt, the Magic School Bus series. If not the books, they will have to watch the shows, because these stories were entertaining, educational, and got our minds working and asking questions!

It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading? #6

Good evening Bookish Friends!

Welcome back for another It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading? post, as hosted by The Book Date! Here's what I was reading last week:

• the audiobook of The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
• the ebook of Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
• Glass Houses by Louise Penny

I started and finished the first two around the same time, so it took me approximately two weeks to read both of them. The audiobook would've taken that long anyway, because I only listen to them in the car to/from work, so a total of about an hour a day. Stalking Jack the Ripper I would have normally finished faster, but I was trying to read Glass Houses at the same time, which wasn't working very well, so it was a slow beginning for me. Also, I find that I am distracted much easier from ebooks than physical. With a physical book, once I crack it open and start reading, I am pretty well absorbed in it. With the ebook, especially on my phone, I find it so much easier to do anything else except open the book, plus I would be getting notifications and messenger messages, so just very distracting for me. But handier than carrying around a physical book.

I eventually set aside Glass Houses last week, because Stalking Jack the Ripper was for a book club discussion so I wanted to be sure I finished it and the other book club book, which is Warcross by Marie Lu. So, this week I am reading Warcross. I also started the eversion of Where'd You Go, Bernadette? last night, but I most likely won't get much more into that until I have finished both Warcross and Glass Houses. I don't even know why I started it? I guess I was just flipping through my tablet (which I haven't touched in months, and which has a bunch of books in a different program that I can't access from my phone), found it and thought, "Oh that looks good!" so I read a couple chapters. *shrug*

Everyone says Warcross is a really quick read, and the discussion for it is this Saturday, so I'm hoping I'll be able to finish it by then, and then I'd like to finish Glass Houses. After that, I don't really have much of a plan for November. I had added a couple Harlequin's to my month's TBR pile initially, just because they were at the top of a pile that keeps judging me staring at me, and I just want to say I've read them so I can pass them along or whatever. They were gifted to me by a friend, so I do want to actually read them before getting rid of them, if possible. However, if I don't read them by the end of January, I might just have to let them go. The book piles around here are out of hand, and the rest of my family is getting fed up with me.

Anyway! That's what's up this Monday!

It's Monday! What are YOU reading? #5

Good morning, Internet Land!

 

I felt like it was time for another Monday reading update post. I haven't been reviewing books, or being particularly faithful at blogging lately, so this is my (mediocre) attempt at keeping the blog alive for another week.

 

 

It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Date, and is meant to be a place and time to share what you've been reading, what you are currently reading, what you are planning on reading next... Just a good time to gather your wits and organize yourself for the week ahead!

So, this Monday, I am still reading the books I was reading last week, which I started two weeks ago. I didn't read at all over the weekend, which I am terribly ashamed of. I meant to read both Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, but darn it, YouTube sucked me in! Anyway...

 

 

The first book I started was an audiobook, which I borrowed from the library, that being The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith, which is book #2 of the Cormoran Strike series. If you were not aware, Robert Galbraith is a penname of our beloved J.K. Rowling. This is a contemporary murder mystery series following Private Detective Cormoran Strike. I also listened to the first book, The Cuckoo's Calling, and really enjoyed it! So far, I am loving the series. J.K. is a masterful writer. I wasn't too sure after reading The Casual Vacancy earlier this year - barf - if she was meant to write contemporary adult books, but I really do love this series so far. Funny side note, I picked up a paperback copy of this very book at a used book sale the same day that I borrowed the audiobook from the library. It just jumped out at me, and I thought, Why not? Because it's audio CD's, I really only listen to it in the car on my way to and from work, which means I am only listening for about an hour a day, so it is somewhat slow going. But it's a great way to make use of that otherwise "wasted" driving time!

 

Next, I started reading Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco. I had bought an eversion on sale a couple months back, because I had heard some pretty good reviews and the cover is gorgeous and had me lusting. :) But I tend to give a much higher priority to physical books over ebooks, so it kind of got pushed aside. But this month, it was the November book of the month pick for the Facebook "book club" group I'm in, Life and Lit (you should come join us!), so of course, I jumped on the opportunity to read it. It's very interesting, but I haven't made much progress over the last couple weeks. It's on my phone, and I thought that that would make it a lot easier to read at work, and it is, but... that's basically the only time I'm reading it, is 30 minutes at lunch... So I'm hoping to get a really significant amount read this week, just to sort of get caught up. The protagonist is Audrey Rose Wadsworth, a young woman who is "secretly" learning her uncle's trade of medical examiner, in Victorian England: a time when such acts are considered evil, and well-bred women are meant to attend dinner parties and discuss trivial things and find husbands, not touch dead bodies or skulk around the city after dark. It is obviously set during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders, and Audry Rose, her uncle, and a "damnably handsome" colleague work to solve the mystery of who is committing these savage murders. I particularly appreciate the inclusion of related photos and drawings from the time period.

Lastly, I started reading my physical copy of Glass Houses, Louise Penny's newest work. I received it at the end of August (when it was published) as a late birthday gift, and haven't taken the chance to read it yet, so it was just time. It has been so lovely to get reacquainted with these old friends from Three Pines, from whom I haven't heard for a year. But, again, it has been a slow process. I haven't made much progress with this one over the last two weeks, either. Because it is a hardcover, and I'm also reading an ebook that is on my phone which I can read anywhere, I decided I wouldn't take this one out with me. So that leaves evenings and weekends to read it, and I just haven't been doing much of that. I've been spending a lot of time on YouTube lately, mostly looking up DIY Christmas gift ideas, if I'm being completely honest. *shrug*

So, that is my current reading situation!

Top Ten Tuesday: Food

This week's theme for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is books that mention yummy foods, or that take place in restaurants/bakeries, and/or have something to do with food in general.... Basically it's all about food this week! And I thought I would be horrible at this because either the books I read don't really revolve around food, or because I just don't pay enough attention! But it wasn't too difficult once I got started! So, in no particular order:

1. Sweet Misfortune by Kevin Alan Milne - the main character owns a bakery (my dream) and makes these misfortune cookies after getting her heart broken. They are fortune cookies dipped in bitter chocolate, with "misfortunes" inside, and it's just so clever!

2. Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan - admittedly I have not read this series, but I have seen at least one of the movies, and so I know they mention Ambrosia, which sounds pretty trippy and awesome to me.

3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - there is SO MUCH delicious (and not-so-delicious) food mentioned in the Harry Potter books! I absolutely wish I could be there enjoying it with them, every time!

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - um, obviously, everything mentioned in this book is delicious food. I love chocolate, so I could definitely go for a Scrumdiddlyumptious Bar. And that experimental gum that tastes like a full course meal, that turned that girl into the blueberry? Well, aside from the blueberry part, there are days when I would love that, just to get a meal without having to stop whatever I'm doing to actually prepare or eat it. You know?

5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - poor Anne has some real mishaps with food in her early days. But one of the foods mentioned that always intrigues me (of course) is the raspberry cordial that Diana Barry gets drunk on (the greedy little glutton).

6. Chief Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny - because these books are set in my local region, they often mention Quebecois comfort foods that I have grown up loving such as Pea Soup, Baked Beans, Mechoui, and Sugar Pie. Mmm...

7. The Color of Tea by Hannah Tunnicliffe - another book about a lady who owns a café/bakery, this time abroad... Anyway, this one features French Macarons... Yummy....

8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - I can't think of any specifically magical foods, but there is always an air of magic to the typical circus foods mentioned, such as popcorn, cider, hot cocoa, and the chocolate mice.

9. The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman - oh man, I love cookies! Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year because of all the cookies! This book was fun because (if I remember correctly) every chapter begins with a cookie recipe... Also, I wish I had this many friends to have a book/Christmas cookie club with...

10. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch - so this is pretty obvious, because gelato! Yum! But there are some other pretty tasty Italian treats mentioned as well. Ugh, I so want to go to Italy!

There ya go! Now, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry! Thankfully it's almost lunch time... Until next time!

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall-ish Covers

Hey hey! I'm attempting another one of these things, we'll see if it gets posted today or not!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created/hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, and this week's theme is Fall/Autumn Covers/Themes! I love all seasons and am so thankful to live in a part of the world that has 4 beautifully distinct seasons. This, right now, is probably one of my favourite times of the year. The temperature is cooling down, but you can still go without a jacket, the leaves have changed colours... Of course the colours are a big part of fall in Canada: yellow, gold, orange, red, brown... So that's primarily what I used to pick books for this week, but some are for the themes/feelings they give as well.

Sorry, for the slideshow... I was having issues adding the photos individually, and I can't find a way to edit the animation to be a bit slower... *sigh* Technology.... Just in case you miss some:

• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• Allegiant by Veronica Roth
• Everland by Wendy Spinale
• Little Bee by Chris Cleave
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett
• Sweet Misfortune by Kevin Alan Milne
• I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
• The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
• The 100-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonassen

Fall TBR List

This was yesterday's Top Ten Tuesday theme, which I missed. Again. Every time I miss a theme that I wanted to participate in, I feel really annoyed with myself. Anyway...

 

I'm going to write the post anyway, because, there's really no reason not to! So, without further ado, I present to you my fall TBR list, which does not include books that I am currently reading, because it's not fall yet. So there. :P And I could only come up with 9 books anyway.

 

1. One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake - Got this one in the mail last week, and I'm super pumped to read it. The first book left us all in such a state, I'm really anxious to find out what happens to the sisters. Who will win the crown?
2. Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia - This was an OwlCrate book from a few months back. I've heard some really good things about it, so I'd like to give it a try.
3. The Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson - Another OwlCrate book. This one actually piqued my interest because it is dystopian, and sounded like something I might have bought had I known anything about it prior to its release (which I did not). So I think I'd like to try this one.
4. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco - I've finally got my hands on this one! I got the e-version on sale through Google Play for, I think, $1.99 USD. I was stoked. Definitely want to dive into this one.
5. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro - I bought this one while on vacation! I had been lusting over it for ages, and while on vacation my bestie and I went to the bookstore, and it was on sale, so you know I couldn't leave without it! :)
6. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - People were raving about this one a while ago, and I found it at a big second-hand book sale (almost year ago!). I believe it was on my TBR for June or July, but I never got around to it. So I would definitely like to try to get to it this fall.
7. The Last Star  by Rick Yancey - I just really need to finish this series...
8. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - Another one that I've heard lots of good things about, and I bought it a while back, and they're making it into a movie, so I need to get on to reading this and her other books!
9. Heartless by Marissa Meyer - This is another OwlCrate book. In all honesty, I should probably finish the Lunar Chronicles before reading this one, but maybe I don't care. We'll see... I just feel like I should finish up some more OwlCrate books.

So there you have it! We'll see how many of these I actually get through over the next couple of months. Reading is a very emotional thing for me, so it will totally depend on my mood, how tired I am, etc, which books I end up picking up. Hopefully at least a few of these, though!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That I Just Couldn't Care Enough About to Finish

Hello again! I'll be honest, I'm writing this a week before it's due, and I'm not sure that I will finish/post it on time...

This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is another freebie, about books we've had a hard time with (whether because it was a rough start, or because we couldn't get into at all, or whatever). I chose to go with books I simply could not care enough about to finish. Which is not to say that I won't go back to try to finish them again at a future date...

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That I Think Should Be Required Reading

Hi guys! It's been ages. I feel like I haven't hung out with you all for a while... Probably because I haven't! Hah!

So, anyway, in case you didn't know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is a Back-to-School freebie, so I chose Top Six Books I Think Should be Required Reading (I'm sorry, I could only come up with six!)...

1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio - a book about bullying, about accepting people who are different, about overcoming difficulties and fears... This should be required reading in every middle school!

2. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie - everyone should read classics, especially children's stories, at some point in their lives. You might think you know Peter Pan, but the many movie adaptations aren't exactly like the book!

3. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - This should just be required reading for all Canadians. Can anyone tell me why it isn't?? Not that it's an amazing book, but it's a good story about a little Canadian girl, written by a Canadian.

4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - just because. Because I think everyone should read it, so why not start with school children? :)

5. Anything written by Jules Verne - because classics! I'm sure some of his stories probably were required reading once upon a time, but they should still be!

6. The Giver by Lois Lowry - I know that I read this one in school, but I don't know if everyone does, and it should absolutely be required of everyone, in my opinion. It's an older book now, for dystopian, but still relevant, in my opinion. Definitely one of my favourite mandatory reads ever.

Progress Report - April 2017

You may remember that in February I posted a progress report (check it out here), in which I mentioned that I wanted to make a habit of posting similar posts every month. But with my vacation the end of March, March and April have kind of blurred together into one long month and things just got neglected.

Whoops.

Anywho!! So, in March I read five books, as well as an audio book. They were as follows:

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill - ***** A story about a girl trying to avenge her father's death, and decide whether the man she loves is a good guy or a bad guy. It's full of adventure and innocent romance, and I adored it.

Caraval  by Stephanie Garber - ***** This is a story about the love between sisters (Scarlett & Tella). It's a magical tale of an elaborate game set on a private island. It was dark and weird and had a twist or two, and I just loved it. It definitely lived up to all the hype and anticipation for me.

Seven Deadlies: A Cautionary Tale by Gigi Levangie - *** Kind of cute. This young girl is writing a series of letters to a college admissions officer, explaining the weird things she has encountered as a "babysitter" for her peers, etc. It's all fun and games until the last couple of letters which ruined everything for me.

A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley - ***** The third book in the Flavia de Luce series. This time Flavia gets involved with gypsies, and helps solves an attempted murder, as well as an old kidnapping/murder case.

Grounded by Katie Klise - **** This one was kinda weird. Similar to Flavia, Dolly is a 12 year old girl who likes a bit of a mystery. Through a kind of creepy and semi-dangerous series of events, she uncovers a cheating swindler in their midst.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (audio - technically a "re-read") - ***** One of my fave books of all time! If you haven't read it, you must. All I will say is it's magical and takes place in a circus.

In April I also read five books and an audio book. I feel like I probably could have read another, but the last one was really long! So, April's reads were:

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver - **** I wasn't sure how to feel about this one. The main character, Sam, dies and relives her last day about 10 times, changing things every time. She becomes a completely different person and ends up making very different choices, but in the end she still dies, and I couldn't quite figure out how I was supposed to feel about that.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater - ***** Full of weirdness, magic, psychics, ghosts, talking trees. This story follows Blue and her Raven boys (Gansey, Adam, Ronan & Noah) on their quest to find the resting place of Owen Glendower.

Servant's Hall by Margaret Powell - *** A first-hand account of life "below stairs" from a former kitchen servant. She tells the true story of how a servant girl from downstairs married the family's son from upstairs, which helped inspire Downton Abbey (new episode of Downton of Netflix were what inspired me to pick this one up!).

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon - ***** Crazy cute love story. I can't wait for the movie!

Wildwood by Colin Meloy - ***** An adventure-packed story, very reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter. Prue's baby brother is kidnapped by a murder of crows and taken into the Impassable Wilderness. Prue and her friend Curtis head into the forest to rescue him, and find all kinds of strange and wonderful creatures.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (audio) - ***** I love that this is written in the form of letters and telegrams, which was kind of fun with the audio version, because different actors read the different voices of the characters. I really enjoyed all the little war-time stories that are shared, and the romance we see develop.

Mid-April, seeing that I was already over two-thirds toward my goal of 35 books, I decided to increase my Goodreads goal to 45. So, to date, I have now read 25 out of 45 books and have completed 56% of my new goal. I will increase again in a few months, if I feel it is necessary. I'm really impressed with how much I've been reading this year. Part of me wishes I could read faster (so many books, so little time!), but as it is I'm reading too fast to keep up with writing reviews, so I guess I'll just stick with this pace.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Floral/Botanical Covers

Hey guys! I'm participating (on time??) in this week's Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. The theme this week is a cover theme freebie: anything to do with covers! I took a look through my Good Reads To-Read list and saw a bit of a trend... gorgeous botanical covers!

Of these books, I have only read Anne of Green Gables and The Secret Garden, but sadly not these beautiful versions. The rest of these books are all on my To-Read list, and primarily piqued my interest because of their beautiful dark floral/botanical covers! Yes, I judge books by their covers!

So, without further ado, here are some of my favourite covers:

1. Wild Beauty by Anna-Maria McLemore

2. Maud by Melanie J. Fishbane

3. And I Darken by Kiersten White

4. The Muse by Jessie Burton

5. Wicked Like A Wildfire by Lana Popovic

6. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

7. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

8. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

 

9. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

10. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen - this is not an official cover for purchase, this illustrator (Charlotte Day) just made her own beautiful covers for three of Jane Austen's books, and this one in particular fit well with my theme so I included it! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Liked More/Less Than I Thought I Would

Hey! It's been a while since I did a Top Ten Tuesday post (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish), so I'm happy to be doing one again!

 

 

This week's prompt is "Books I Loved Less/More Than I Thought I Would" or, alternately,  "Books I Liked Less/More Than Everyone Else." I'm going with a combination of books I liked more/less than I thought I would. I have probably mentioned most of these books at one point or another on the blog, whether in a Top Ten Tuesday post, or a book tag, or a review.... Sadly, the number of books I've read that I actually remember enough about to say anything about them is pretty limited... So I apologize for any repetitiveness!

***

Books I Liked More Than I Thought I Would

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect of this book. My best friend's mom highly recommended it, but my best friend herself said while she liked it, it wasn't a favourite. I had absolutely no preconceived notions about it beforehand, aside from these recommendations and the many, many people online who recommended it. I wanted to read it, but kind of wasn't sure if I'd like it because high school romances aren't really my thing anymore... but it turns out that I loved it! Current favourite love story, actually!

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

This one's a bit of a cheat. When I first heard about this book, I thought it sounded awesome and I was super excited! Plus Divergent is one of fave series, so I had some pretty high expectations. The doubts started when all those crazy bad reviews went shooting around the internet and I got kind of scared, because I had preordered the book. I don't typically buy new releases, and rarely pay full price for a book, so I was worried that in pre-ordering I would be paying more than the book was worth. I didn't read any of those reviews, but I had heard the gist of the supposed offenses, and tons of people saying they couldn't get past the first few pages, or swearing they would never read it, on principle... But I got my preorder, devoured it pretty quickly, and really enjoyed it! I only wished that it wasn't the first in a series because now I have to wait a super long time to know what happens!

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

I received this book in my OwlCrate box a few months ago, and just read it last month. It sounded interesting, but I wasn't actually that compelled to read it. I had heard lots of good reviews, but for whatever reason I wasn't that intrigued. However, once I read it, I loved it, and I can't wait for the sequel! Here was my review post.

 

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Going way back... I had to read this book in school. Generally speaking, the books we're forced to read in school aren't all that interesting, or maybe it's just because we're forced to read them that makes them less interesting. Anyway, I actually really loved this book. I don't typically re-read books, so the fact that I have re-read this one means it's pretty special, and I really liked the movie that came out a few years ago as well.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

This book... it was highly recommended to me by a family member, and while it did sound interesting, I wasn't expecting to be as impacted by it as I was. Not that I loved it, but it's one of those books that sticks with you, leaves an impression on you. And those books that leave an impression on us, make us feel something, are the ones we recommend the most to others, and recommend it I have done.

 

*BONUS*

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

This was another book I had to read in school, and much like Still Alice, it's not so much about a love of the story, as it is the impact it left on me that makes me say I liked it more than I thought I would. Part haunting, part intriguing, this was probably one of the best books I ever read, merely for the way it makes you think and the impression it leaves. I mean, what are the limits/capabilities of the human brain? What is the inner dialogue of a mentally disabled person actually like, vs what we think it must be like? I think I'm due to read it again, if I can get my hands on it... I have been hesitant to recommend it to others, but I do think it's a good book.

 

Books I Liked Less Than I Thought I Would

Worlds Of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

I got this book in one of my first OwlCrate boxes, and I was actually really disappointed in it. I thought it sounded great and I was excited to read a historical fiction about the Bronte siblings, but it just fell a bit short for me. Maybe it was the fantasy bit, I'm not sure, but it was just wasn't as good as I had anticipated. I reviewed it here in this post, along with another book.

 

Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M. Elliott

I didn't like the looks of this book when it came in my OwlCrate, and I waited nearly a year to read it. I didn't even want to then, but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt because OwlCrate generally makes good recommendations (with the exception of the one above...) But I really didn't enjoy it. It was kind of interesting, and I didn't hate it, but I was expecting to like it more simply because it was recommended by the OwlCrate crew. The theme here is historical fiction, maybe it's just not my genre... Here was my review post.

 

 

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

I'm pretty sure I read The Secret Life of Bees once upon a time, but I can't quite remember... In any case, I was expecting a really compelling story from this author, but it was not what I was hoping for, and I didn't enjoy it all that much. I wrote a review in this post, along with another book.

 

 

Paper Towns by John Green

I was expecting this story to be really interesting. And, to be honest, the adventure, the meat of the book was; it was the ending that fell short for me. It felt very anti-climatic. I was expecting/hoping for a much more interesting and exciting ending. So that kind of ruined the whole book for me, unfortunately. Here was my review post.

 

 

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

There was quite a bit of hype surrounding this book and lots of rave reviews, but it didn't have the same effect on me as it apparently had on others. It wasn't that impactful, I barely remember the story, and I only gave it a 2-star rating on Good Reads - and I'm a pretty easy grader, so I really wasn't that impressed by it.

TBR: Books I'm Hoping to Read/Finish in 2017

Hello dear readers. After reading a few posts and challenges floating around the blogosphere, I've decided to put in writing my own little To Be Read list of books I'd really like to read/finish in 2017, which should help to reduce my TBR pile *ahem* room a bit... So without further ado, and in no particular order, the books I would like to read in 2017 are as follows:

1. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - I'm planning to do a read-with-me challenge through a website I stumbled across, which will go through the whole series, plus a biography if L.M. Montgomery, and watch movies/TV shows, over the course of the year. I am a pretty big fan of the Anne of Green Gables miniseries (starring Megan Follows), but recently realized that I've never actually read the books (*shock and awe*), so it is beyond time that I did! And it just so happens that I found the box set at the thrift store this fall for a whopping $1!
2. Flawed by Cecelia Ahern - There are so many OwlCrate books which will appear on this list after this, but this one is a definite must (April 2016)! I've been wanting to read it for a couple months, but my bestie and I were hoping to read it together and compare notes, but we haven't been at a point yet where we could both read it at the same time. Hopefully early January...
3. Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M. Elliott - the second OwlCrate book I received (December 2015). I liked the other items in the box, but this book held absolutely no appeal to me. I'm still not that into it, but I'd like to try to read it before getting rid of it.
4. The Love That Split The World by Emily Henry - another OwlCrate book (February 2016). I've seen a few good reviews about this one, so I'm hoping it will be good.
5. Everland by Wendy Spinale - this is another OwlCrate book (May 2016) that I didn't have much interest in. It came in the Steampunk themed box, and I was kind of overall disappointed with the box's contents. The synopsis of the book is intriguing, I'm just a bit concerned that it will miss the mark.
6. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab - this one came in the July 2016 OwlCrate Good vs. Evil box. I've heard really good things about this book and Victoria Schwab in general, so I kind of have high expectations for this book...
7. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West - I'm such a terrible person, but I absolutely judge books by their covers, and this one did not appeal to me in the slightest. The title and cover make it seem like the epitome of teenage high school romance, which I am very much over. But I will do my best to get through it before getting rid of it.
8. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake - from the September 2016 OwlCrate box. It sounds like a good read, I just haven't got around to reading it yet, so hopefully next year!
9. Heartless by Marissa Meyer - from the November 2016 OwlCrate. I enjoyed the Lunar Chronicles, so I'm hoping this one lives up to Marissa's reputation. It's also a great synopsis, so... *fingers crossed*
10. Winter by Marissa Meyer - speaking of the Lunar Chronicles, I started reading this one in January 2016 and could not force myself through it. I'd like to give it another shot. Depending how I feel at the end of it will determine whether or not I will look for Fairest and Stars Above.
11. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George - I ordered this one through Indigo early in the summer because I'd seen it around a bit, the cover intrigued me, and let's be honest, the outline? A floating bookshop with a bookseller who "prescribes" books to his clients? Sounds perfect!! It is nothing as I imagined and I've been picking away at it for months. I'd like to finish it and be done with it. I could just DNF it (Did Not Finish) but my momma didn't raise no quitter! Unless I really can't force my way through it and just hate it, then I may give in and quit.
12. The Ingenious Edgar Jones by Elizabeth Garner - This is another book that I started early in the year but wasn't all that into so I never ended up finishing it. I'd like to finally get through and move on. :)
13. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - Yet another book which I started this past year but didn't make it through. I want to read it simply because it is by J.K. Rowling, but I didn't like the writing all that much. I'm willing to give it a second chance, though.
14. United As One by Pittacus Lore - I finally picked up this final book of the Lorien Legacies (thank you, Indigo's Boxing Week sale), so I'm hoping to get through it next year as well, and finally put the series to rest. I haven't read the numerous complementary Lost Files, and don't really have any desire to at this point.
  

So anyway, wish me luck! I am planning to set a Goodreads goal of 40. I've read 29 so far this year (still need to double-check that there aren't a couple more I forgot to add), hopefully I will finish my current read in the next couple days. So I think that 40 is a reasonable and achievable goal (especially because I have achieved 52 in previous years, so I know I can do it!). Hopefully I will get caught up with 2016's reviews, and continue to review the books I read in 2017.

Edit: I did finish my book and therefore had a total of 30 books read in 2016. In the end, I decided to set my Goodreads goal at 35 for 2017. I will still aim for 40, but this gives me more wiggle room for those weeks and months where I don't feel like (or have time for) reading.