April Wrap-Up

  Hello everyone! It feels like it's been forever since I posted. April dragged by, especially for my last week of spring coursework. I'm officially done for two more weeks before I start my last summer course. That being said, I didn't get a lot of reading in last month; I only read three books... Now that I don't have classes, I should be able to read more in the next few weeks. The three books I read last month will be described in more detail below.

(goodreads.com)

  The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh: This book was required reading for my first book club meeting. I chose this particular book because it wasn't solely based in fantasy, but had some folktale elements to it as well, which I thought might go over well with my first batch of attendees. Most of my fellow readers liked the book, which made me more confident in my choice. The plot of this book centers around the Arabian fairy tale One Thousand and One Nights and follows our two main characters, Shaharzad and Khalid. Since claiming the throne, Khalid has taken a new bride every night, only to murder them the next morning. Shazi volunteers herself as tribute to the evil boy king Khalid in order to enact her revenge on him for killing her best friend. After her marriage, Shazi beings to weave a fantastic tale for her new husband every night in order to stall her execution. As Shazi and Khalid begin to get to know each other more than they had originally intended, truths come to light as a result of Shazi's snooping and Khalid's growing love for her.  This book was rife with magic and secrets on both sides. Shazi goes into her marriage, thinking herself an assassin, but slowly realizes there's more to the king than she thought. The twists Ahdieh took on the original tale were interesting and created more of a background for her characters in this world. I really enjoyed Shazi as a strong female lead in this story; she does not need a man to save her. I also really liked some of the side characters, like Despina and Jalal, who both brought the witty banter with them. I'm intrigued enough by the ending to read the next and final installment, when I have time. I gave this book 3.5/4 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

  A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi: Keeping with my apparent theme of Arabian fairy tales, this book is the second in Chokshi's Star Touched Queen world (it is not a series, but the second book set in the same world). I loved her previous book so much that I had to pick this one up.  Plus, can we please take a moment to WORSHIP THAT COVER ART THOUGH MY GOD. I really enjoyed following Maya's sister Gauri's perspective because they are two fundamentally different characters. Gauri has grown up into a warrior, vying for her evil brother's throne and willing to do whatever it takes to secure it. She fights for her people and they're freedom from her brother's tyranny. Unfortunately, she gets captured on the battlefield and taken to an enemy kingdom, where she meets Prince Vikram, heir to the throne. Where Gauri is serious and logical, Vikram is inquisitive and witty. Their banter back and forth throughout the entire book was my favorite part. Vikram gives Gauri the opportunity to join him on a quest, given to him by the Lord of Wealth in the realm of dreams. Each of them have their own reasons for desiring the ultimate prize of one wish, but will they survive to earn it? I loved the pace of this story; it was almost never boring. The romance was also a slow-burn, which I appreciate. Is it wrong to want one of those creatures who talk nonsense and sit by battle fields eating the remains of the dead? There were so many parts of this where I had no idea where the plot would turn and what the characters would do to improve their dismal situation. I enjoyed this ride and I was super bummed when it was finally over. I gave this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

  Shadowcaster by Cinda Williams Chima: This one was one of my most anticipated reads of this year, especially after what happened in the first book to this new series. Let me start off by saying that I HATE the new covers. There are two camps when it comes to Chima's new covers: love or hate. I think that the previous cover with the beautiful gems on would be so much better, but alas, I have no choice but to accept this one. Although Alyssa looks super bad ass here, I can't help but think this looks almost exactly like the Throne of Glass covers, so it's not even an original concept to me. I fell in love with Chima's Demon King series, and this one is its sequel series taking place a decade in the future. In the first book, Flamecaster, we followed Ash, the son of Han and Raisa, where he escaped his homeland to attend the wizard academy after his father's murder. This book follows Ash's younger sister, Alyssa (great name!) and heir to the Grey Wolf Throne. I'm not going to lie, Alyssa's story was not as exciting as Ash's was. I had high hopes because obviously her name is mine and I wanted to love her the most, but more than 3/4 of the book felt like there wasn't anything really going on. Alyssa spent a lot of time pining for her lost brother and trying to force her feelings down, which is obviously unhealthy. I really liked Hal in this book though, even is he has the worst luck ever. I didn't quite believe the attraction in this one, but I'm curious to see where the story goes from here. I think the third book might see family reuniting under one major cause to win this war. I'm also still confused and eager to learn more about a lot of things: the mage marks on the necks of two characters who still feel underdeveloped, a mysterious queen bent on capturing them both, DRAGONS, etc. The mainland war seems almost non-important now, but we'll see what happens. I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.

  So those are the books I read this month. The next book in my book club is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, so expect a review of that coming soon. What did you read last month? What are you planning to read this month? Are you a member of a book club? Let me know in the comments. Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

March Wrap-Up

    Hello everyone!  God I wish it would just STOP SNOWING.  Don't get me wrong, I'm really pumped to have a three day weekend, but I'm in Spring mode now so I'd appreciate it if the weather reflected my desires.  That and I've been itching to do some cleaning and honestly, I don't think anyone ever feels like cleaning during a nor'easter.  Anyway, I was only able to finish two books this month with all the school work I had to finish lately, but they were at least two of my most anticipated reads of the year.

(goodreads.com)

    A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab:  THIS BOOK.  I've been dreading the end of this series because I fell in love with it HARD when I started it a few years ago and I just don't want to let go of any of these glorious characters.  In this final installment of the Shades of Magic trilogy, we find Kell and Lila thrust into a battle to save Red London from the clutches of the evil Shadow King (tell me that premise doesn't sound like an epic fantasy adventure?)  We learn a lot more about the overarching conflict in this book and how it came to pass, based on mini inklings leaked from the first two books.  We also get to learn way more about Holland, which I LOVED.  He is such a conflicted character and I really liked the way Schwab took the time in her last book to really flesh him out so that readers can see him as more of a grey area character (no pun intended) than a common "bad guy."  This book also didn't have such a fast pace like the previous book, but I liked the change of scenery.  I appreciated the fact that it ended the way I would have wanted it to and the way I had subconsciously pictured it ending in my head.  My only qualm with this book is this: devoted readers of this series will know that Schwab has been hinting at and feeding us subtle information about the origins of poor Kell since the very first book and I was hoping that we might finally find out where he actually came from or who his true parents are.  We get SO CLOSE in this book to finding out the truth, but unfortunately never see the light.  I understand why Schwab did what she did for Kell's character development, but COME ON.  WE WERE SO CLOSE.  Oh well I guess...  I was so sad (in a good way) when I finished this, but I definitely think this is one of those series that I'll be re-reading again and again for the rest of my days.  A solid and well-deserved 5 out of 5 stars (despite my disappointment).

(goodreads.com)

    The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon:  Can we just take a minute to marvel at the glorious cover for the special edition that I specifically ordered?!  IT'S PURPLE AND ORANGE.  It's way better in person, but I can't believe people would prefer the newer cover design to the originals.  I just can't.  I literally just finished this one yesterday and HOLY CRAP things are getting real.  Now that it was announced that there would be seven books in this series, I feel like it's going to take forever for it to finish.  This book picks up directly following the events to the previous book; Paige has claimed the Under-throne, Jaxon Hall has disappeared, and Scion has plans to wage war on the Citadel and its Unnatural citizens.  A lot happens in this book, but it takes awhile to get there.  I'm not going to lie- the first half of this book dragged a lot.  I had almost no desire to continue, but my hope that it would pick up towards the middle kept me going and I wasn't disappointed.  We get to leave London in this book, which I found fascinating.  I had always been curious to see what it was like outside of London in the world where Scion has slowly been taking over.  There are a lot more mentions of the free world in this as well, so I hope we get to see more of that in future books.  The ship that is Paige and Warden took on a little water in this book.  I'm not as confident in their relationship now as I was before, but we'll see how it pans out.  They are in the middle of a war, so obviously tensions are high.  I'm curious about her tarot reading and how that prediction will play into later books.  I ended up giving this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

    I'm really pleased with the books I was able to get to last month and this month looks really good in terms of how many I'll be attempting to read and the genres I've chosen.  After the depressing subject matter in Shannon's book, I need a little more fantasy in my life.  Let me know if you've read either of these two books and what you thought or let me know what you plan to read this month in the comments.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

February Wrap-Up

    Hello!  I hope everyone is relishing the end of Winter as we move on into March.  Last month I definitely felt the pressure of necessary homework on my leisure reading, so I didn't get to everything I thought I would, but I still read three books, which is nothing to scoff at.  For the first time I can remember, I've found it hard to concentrate on my reading outside of schoolwork (which I've always had a hard time concentrating on, but I digress).  Sometimes I find it difficult to prioritize, even when I know it's the right thing to do.  Anyway, here's what I read last month.

(goodreads.com)

    My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand:  I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book, but I'm actually really glad that I picked it up.  A few of the BookTubers I follow have raved about how witty and fun this book is so I thought I deserved a little of that lightheartedness in my life.  It was definitely an interesting take on historical events...in a good way.  Lady Jane Grey is widely known as the "9 day Queen" because she ended up ruling England for only 9 days before being executed.  Fortunately, there are no beheadings in this book (that I can recall) and focuses mainly on a vile plot to overthrow the true King Edward (Jane's cousin), along with a lot of nobility that can shape-shift at will into animals.  It reminded me almost of a Patronus; but if the wizard turned into their Patronus form instead of projecting it.  Needless to say this book was really entertaining and I honestly laughed out loud in several places.  Very reminiscent of my Georgia Nicholson books, which I appreciated.  I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge: This book took me by surprise.  I had really enjoyed Hodge's other book Cruel Beauty and thought it would be along the same line, but I was wrong.  This book was way more action-packed than the first and followed a heroine that resembled one of Sarah J. Maas' female characters, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Rachelle acts as a sell-sword to the King after surviving a harrowing ordeal in the forest which resulted in her becoming bound to its will.  She is eventually tasked with guarding the prince, who has also been touched by the forest.  Legend tells of a sword that could destroy the forest for good and release the souls it's claimed, so Rachelle and the prince set out to find it.  This story propelled itself forward, relying heavily on the plot and the tension to save the kingdom.  I would say that I liked this a tad more than Cruel Beauty, so if I were to recommend reading them in any order, I'd start with this one.  I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Caraval by Stephanie Garber:  This was one of my most anticipated releases of this year and it did not disappoint (entirely).  I loved The Night Circus, so when I heard of this and that it was compared to it, I had to have it.  Where Night Circus revolved around two lovers over the course of decades, this story revolved around two sisters, Scarlett and Tella, who are sequestered on a remote and conquered island and abused by their father.  They have always dreamed of attending the invite-only Caraval, but have never been allowed to leave.  By chance, they are able to flee their island and get to the performance, just in time for one of the sisters to be kidnapped.  The rest of the story follows Scarlett as she tries to find her sister through the twists and turns of the game.  I loved that I couldn't guess where the plot was going to end up.  This is no ordinary game and the stakes are more real than they seem at first glance, so I loved the suspense aspect of the story.  I liked how mysterious all the characters were and how that played into the game and Scarlett's illusions.  The only thing I didn't like about this book was how Scarlett described her feelings as colors.  At first it seemed poetic, but by the end of the book I was cringing at the metaphors and symbolism because it just felt SO WRONG.  I thought it must be because her name is "Scarlett" and she must have always resorted to visualizing her feelings as colors, but it didn't end up mattering in the plot of the story so I thought it was kind of pointless.  Despite that setback, I ended up giving this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.  It seems like the author has another book coming after this one, so I'm curious to see where it'll go from here.

    Those are all the books I read last month.  Let me know in the comments if you've read any of these and what you thought if you did.  I'm about 75% through one of my other most anticipated releases of this year right now, so I'm excited to get that review up for next month.  What you you reading right now?  Let me know or follow me on Instagram to keep up with my reading lists!  You can also check out reviews I write for my library here under "Lax Literarian."  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

January Wrap-Up

    Hello everyone!  It's been awhile and I apologize, but with school back in session for the Spring semester, I haven't had much time to get to post.  I've also decided that, because I have rarely stuck to my TBR each month, I'm going to try not posting a TBR each month and just do a wrap up.  That way I don't have to read something I don't feel like reading and I can still write about the books I did manage to read each month.  I will occasionally do a "My Favorites" list each year at the end of the year, or a "Most Anticipated Releases" each month, but we'll see what my schedule allows.  That being said, I read a whopping 4 BOOKS last month guys!  I knew I would have a lot of time to read over the winter holiday and I'm proud of staying in time with my reading goals for the year.  Here are the books I ended up finishing last month.

(goodreads.com)

    Tales from Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare, etc.:  I have had my eye on this book for at least a year, but didn't have an e-reader to read the electronic copies, so I had to wait until the hardcover edition was released.  It was totally worth the wait!  Although there was no discernible plot and the story moved a bit slow at times for my taste, I really enjoyed getting to know this new version of Simon as he struggled through his training at the academy.  I really liked the side characters as well, especially my Scottish BFF George.  If you've been following me at all, you'll know I've been on somewhat of a Scottish kick since I finished Outlander.  The ending was a bit surprising because it was so abrupt.  I feel that because the book is supposed to be a bunch of short stories put together that the ending might have been different if this was a traditional book.  My favorites parts were towards the end as well as those that included the Herondale children.  I felt like they could have done a lot more with the characters with a few extra pages.  Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

   










    Passenger and Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken: These books were amazing!  Duologies are my new favorite thing; they are so concise with their story lines but they still pack a huge punch when it comes to plot.  In this short series, we follow Etta, who is a violin prodigy readying herself for her concert debut when she is unceremoniously shoved (literally) into the world of time traveling by a family who wants to use her to get a valuable object that her mother has hidden.  This story was a whirlwind full of traveling, history, adventure, romance and manipulation.  I honestly had no idea what was going to happen until the end and I really liked that I couldn't guess the chain of events.  Etta was a great protagonist and Nicholas is my precious cinnamon roll and they are straight up couple goals.  I loved that I started off not feeling too kindly towards certain characters, but ended up liking them in the end.  There was a lot of character development, especially with the female characters spread across the story.  I also really liked the ending Bracken gave her characters because it felt real and not rushed at all.  The whole second book moved a bit slower for me than the first, but I liked the result.  Full marks at 4.5 out of 5 stars!

(goodreads.com)

    The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi: This book wasn't even on my radar until I saw the cover of the second book by this author and saw that they were related.  Maya is our main character and she is cursed by the stars to have death follow her wherever she goes.  Although Maya favors reading over marriage and other female duties, her father makes a bargain with a neighboring kingdom for her hand.  Maya and her new husband Amar rule together over Akaran, an otherworldly realm where anything seems possible.  Maya soon realizes the fate of the world is in danger of plunging into eternal darkness and it will be up to her to save not only her kingdom, but also her husband from falling into the wrong hands.  This story reminded me so much of ACOMAF that I was instantly hooked by the synopsis.  I guess this book was based loosely on an Indian myth about the realm of death and a different take on the Persephone myth (obviously because it isn't Greek).  The imagery in this book was stunning, the way the author paints each scene as if you are looking out at crumbling ruins, lush forests, or an elaborately decorated castle.  I really liked the Night Bazaar and all the creatures that utilize that space.  I'm really excited that her next book is going to be released next month, so I can follow more of her characters.  I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

    There you have it!  I read a lot of great books last month.  This month is actually shaping up to be just as good.  With all these snow days we keep getting here in New England, I suppose I'll have many more opportunities to read in the coming weeks.  What are you reading this month?  What are some books you can't wait to get your hands on this year?  Let me know in the comments below.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

December Wrap Up and January TBR

    Hey everyone!  Welcome to 2017!  I thought it would never get here, but here we are.  I'm proud to say that I stuck to my reading goals for the last month of the year.  I'm trying to stay realistic when it comes to reading goals for the coming year and I think 40 books is a reasonable goal to set for myself.  I'm confident that I'll be able to stick to this while completing my Spring coursework.  That being said, here are the books I finished during the month of December.

(goodreads.com)

    Outlander was everything I hoped it would be!  I am also glad that I got the next three books in the series for Christmas so I can read the next few books at my leisure.  Jamie and Claire's story reads a lot like my favorite YA novels, so I enjoyed the pacing and the conflict.  The mixture of science fiction and historical content was absolutely entertaining.  I was pleasantly surprised by how well the TV series kept to the same story as the books.  I'm looking forward to starting again where I left off and watch the TV series simultaneously.

(goodreads.com)

    Crystal Storm is the fifth book in the Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes.  Honestly, I enjoyed the change of pace from the last novel.  There was a set agenda and plot line which all of the characters adhered to.  I really enjoyed Jonas's story line much better in this book than I had in all the others.  I also really liked all the side characters, especially the hired guns accompanying Jonas.  I wish their stories were more developed, but maybe we'll learn more about them in the last book.  Probably not, but I'm sure the last book in the series is going to be BANANAS.

(goodreads.com)

    A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray was a great read for the beginning of winter.  It was dark, paranormal and full of back-stabbing teenage girls which is always a show.  As anticipated, I did enjoy the beginning of this series more so than the Diviners series.  It gets a bit confusing at times with the flashbacks and dream sequences, but overall I followed along just fine.  I really liked the Secret Garden-esq beginning of the novel and the Indian setting, which I wish they spent more time on.  I'm curious to see how the second novel expands on the first.

    January is going to be a good reading month for me I think:

(goodreads.com)

    Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman: I have been waiting to read this for quite some time and I'm happy to say that I'm enjoying it so far!  It's been so nice to see not only Simon's journey to becoming a Shadowhunter but also the children of the 1900s, including James Herondale, Matthew Fairchild and the other offspring of the Infernal Devices.  It just gets me even more excited for The Last Hours series coming out next year!  I'm about half way through at this point and I can't wait to see what else is in store for Simon and all the new initiates.

(goodreads.com)

    Passenger by Alexandra Bracken: I believe I've had this series on my TBR before now, but never found time for it.  My interests have been restored as of late.  I really enjoyed Bracken's dystopian series The Darkest Minds, so I was very pleased to find that she had a time-traveling series as well.  This story follows a young violin prodigy named Etta (LOVE that name) as she ends up on a mysterious ship with the power to plow through time and space like water.  Nicholas is a crew member aboard this ship and it will be his help Etta needs to find the mysterious object coveted by the Ironwoods, the notorious family hunting for Etta and her lineage.  This synopsis hooked me from the start and with the sequel coming out weeks from now, I can't wait to start this series.

(goodreads.com)

    Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon: After finishing the first book in the Outlander series, I immediately wanted to pick up the second installment.  I'm going to be honest and admit that I don't think I'll finish the book this month, but I can at least put a substantial dent in it in the coming weeks.  This book takes place directly after the events of the first where we see Claire and Jamie make their way to France in order to sabotage the Jacobite rebellion and prevent the deaths of many Scots.  I will be watching the TV series at the same time to compare and contrast both versions.

    There are also two novels coming out in the month of January that I would like to get my hands on:

(goodreads.com)

    Caraval by Stephanie Garber:  This new release caught my eye because of its similarities to The Night Circus, which I loved.  This story follows two sisters, Scarlett and Tella, as they make plans to escape their cruel father and attend a once in a lifetime nightly circus.  When Tella is kidnapped for the show, Scarlett is forced to find her or risk losing her forever.  This story sounds both mysterious and magical, so I can't wait to see if it meets my expectations.

(goodreads.com)

    The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova:  This new release has a steam punk-fantasy vibe that I couldn't look away from.  In this story we follow Ari, a clockwork engineer who specializes in black market organs in a society ruled by the Dragon King.  Eventually Ari encounters Cvareh, who is looking to restore his family's honor in the underbelly of Loom.  Both of them will have to venture to see the Alchemists of Loom in order to grant their deepest desires of vengeance and justice.  This book has a heist vibe to it, so I'm curious to see how the author incorporates the black market/planetoids/ rich-man-poor-man thing into this plot line.  Plus, that cover is stunning!

    There you have it!  I'm hoping to get to either one of the last two books before the end of the month, but we'll see how it goes.  This list, as always is subject to change on a whim, but thus is the uncertainty of reading habits.  What are you guys planning on reading this month?  What were your favorite books of 2016?  Let me know in the comments below.  As always, I remain your faithful correspondent.

November Wrap Up and December TBR

    Hello everyone!  I know, it's basically the middle of the month at this point and I'm finally getting around to doing this, but I've been super busy with end-of-semester assignments (both my final projects were due a day apart last week).  Now that I finally have time to relax, I can tell you about all the books I didn't get to last month and the abysmal TBR list I have for this month.  I blame most of this on Outlander (which I'm STILL READING) and putting time and effort to one book I never finished.  More on that in a minute.

(goodreads.com)

    Obviously I was able to finish A Torch Against the Night, seeing as how I was almost done with it by the end of November anyway.  This was the second installment to Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series and it was very different in comparison to the first.  This book starts right where we left off in Ember, with Laia and Elias on the run from the Commandant and the Martial army.  This book has the fantastical element that I felt was lacking in the first book.  There is more elaboration on the Jin and their conflict with the humans as well as a look into a different realm of the world.  We also see Helene coping with the aftermath of Elias's choice and her ultimate goal of having to kill him eventually, per the Emperor's demand.  I thought the setting was a bit lacking in this book.  In the first book, the reader is given the set-up of the plot and the world building is intense so you can picture the empire in your mind.  This book is all about the journey through barren lands and flat terrain, so the only relief we really get in setting is toward the middle when they arrive somewhere new, but it doesn't last long.  There are other powers at work here in this book, so I'm curious to see if the issues resolve themselves or if we'll see an all-out war between the humans and the fantastical beings.  Overall I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang was not originally on my TBR for last month because it was something I read for a class, but it was surprisingly wonderful to read!  I'm very lucky in that my "required readings" are mostly items that I chose myself, so when I realized that I would have the opportunity to read this graphic novel that I've had my eyes on for years, I was excited to finally pick it up.  This award-winning graphic novel follows a young Chinese-American student whose family moves from the San Francisco area to (I believe) San Diego, where he's the only Asian-American in his school.  From there chaos ensues, with tie-ins to Chinese mythology and obnoxious Chinese stereotypes scattered throughout, this book is not only entertaining, but eye-opening.  The author really captures the feelings of a diverse people living in a white-washed society and how that effects someone's childhood.  I highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone interested in diverse literature or Asian-American themes.  I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.  I'm hoping to pick up Yang's other graphic novel series Boxers and Saints next year.

(goodreads.com)

    I also read a book of prose for one of my classes called Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse which followed a group of native Alaskans living on the Aleutian Islands during World War II.  During the course of the book, we follow the perspective of a young girl living with her family on the island as she and her people are displaced by American soldiers and forced to live elsewhere in deplorable conditions for many years.  I've been very intrigued by World War II literature that follows lesser-known stories about the struggles of different types of people effected by the war.  The format of this book was sometimes difficult to read, being prose, but the message was received loud and clear.  I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Now about the book I never finished...  I very rarely review books I DNF, but I felt compelled to talk about my troubles here.  I had anticipated that As Old As Time, a Twisted Tale by Liz Braswell, would be right up my alley as a Beauty and the Beast retelling.  I was very disappointed with the writing style and the blatant regurgitation of the original Disney version.  They even use the same dialogue and words from the film in the beginning.  I don't know if it was naivety on my part for not realizing that this is probably more of a middle grade book than a YA, or if Disney had this in mind when helping to publish this book.  I had heard mixed things about the other books in this Twisted Tales series, but I thought I could at least handle this one since I knew the story best.  I just couldn't get over how awfully written it was.  I couldn't even connect with Belle, who wasn't even really the main character in this story, but instead focused on her mother, the enchantress who supposedly cursed the beast in the first place.  I got about halfway through before I gave up.  I'm sad to say that this was a very disappointing "retelling" of this story and I was sad to give it up, but at least it has a stunning cover.

    Since we're almost halfway through December already, here are the books I plan to read this month:

(goodreads.com)

    Outlander by Diana Gabaldon:  I WILL FINISH THIS BOOK THIS WEEK.  I knew what I was doing when I decided to read this monster, but I never imagined that it would take me almost two months to finish!  I will definitely be more cautious with the next book in this series and make sure I have plenty of time to devote to such a behemoth.  As you should already know, I began watching the series a few months ago and really enjoyed it, so I decided to read the book as well.  At this point, I'm at the same part in both the series and the book, so it's cool to see how the show really portrays the book well and sticks to the main story line with little to no deviation.  I'm excited to start season two, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to read Dragonfly in Amber in January...  We'll see what happens.  For now, this is only a partial review.  A more in-depth one will follow soon!

(goodreads.com)

    Crystal Storm by Morgan Rhodes: The 5th book to the Falling Kingdoms series comes out TOMORROW and you bet your ass I'll be at the bookstore after work buying myself a copy.  I can't go into much detail about the plot at this point, especially if you haven't read any of the other books, but this is a continuation of the series after the events of the last book Frozen Tides.  Magnus, Cleo, Lucia, and Jonas have all separated, but will converge on Mytica in a magical battle that will test the strength of whoever wins the throne.  This series is great for fans of Game of Thrones and I, for one, can't wait to get my hands on it!

(goodreads.com)

    A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray:  I was really entertained by Bray's Diviners series, so I decided to read her other one, which I believe will be more to my liking.  Set in Victorian England among other places, this story follows Gemma, who has spent the majority of her life in India until her mother's death (this immediately sparked references to Secret Garden for me, which hooked me immediately).  Enrolled in a prep school for girls, Gemma weasels her way into the popular circles in an attempt to gather gossip and solve her mother's murder.  Gemma is soon introduced to the Order, a powerful organization of which her mother was a part.  The Order had knowledge of a other-worldly realm outside of reality to which Gemma can travel in her visions.  There seems to be a lot of mystery, intrigue and fantastical elements to this story and I'm interested in diving in.  Hopefully it'll be a quick read.

(goodreads.com)

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling AB:  Continuing on my quest to re-read the Harry Potter books, I'm hoping to finish Chamber of Secrets this month and perhaps start Prisoner of Azkaban by the time the month is ending, so we'll see how far I get.  It's been great re-reading them in this form and I'm really enjoying being able to remember certain things I've forgotten about the books in the last 15 years as well as making connections to the films.  It's the perfect thing for winter!

    So, that's all for today I'm afraid.  I didn't want to put too much on my reading plate this month because I'm not sure where I'll be with Outlander and other commitments by the end of the month.  I'm trying to keep it simple until I can get a good rhythm going again.  What are you all planning on reading during the holidays?  What's your favorite read for the winter season?  Let me know in the comments below.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

October Wrap-Up and November TBR

  Hey everyone!  It's been real October, but we're finally into the holiday season, which is easily my favorite time of year (as I'm sure most of you can agree).  I'm not really a Halloween person, so I basically just wait for it to pass until I'm free of it.  I'm really proud of myself for the amount of books I was able to finish this month.  I ended up reading 5 total, which is a huge surge in comparison to other months.  I ended up reading most of the books I wanted to, plus some I had to add for school.  I'm hoping to keep my reading game strong heading into November too.  As usual, I'll start with my October reviews and then move into my TBR for November.

(goodreads.com)

    The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski: This book was a fast read in comparison to the books I usually go for (400-500 pages).  This book pretty much met my expectations.  The world is interesting, but not that exciting.  It reminded me of ancient Rome or the Middle East at times with it's traditions and the war-torn setting.  The characters were standard; one main female character, her trusty side-kick friend and the lone mystery boy who grabs their attention.  There are other characters too, but they are less memorable.  The court scandal and backstabbing made this story interesting.  The ending of this first book in the series leaves plenty of room for an action-packed sequel in which Kestrel must keep up appearances to maintain her position.  I'm curious to see where the story goes from here, but not enough to jump into this world again so soon.  I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo:  This book was EVERYTHING that I wanted it to be.  Before I start with my review, can I just say that when I got my hands on this beautiful thing I was amazed.  The pages edged in red, along with the whole cover underneath the dust jacket, the black inside.  I was actually really upset with myself that I didn't just go out and buy this series, but I'm trying to save my money for Christmas shopping, so I'll be putting these books at the top of my list for my birthday.  Anyway, in Six of Crows, we left our gang of thieves reeling after a gut-wrenching betrayal and the kidnapping of one of their own.  It was so great to see these guys try to regroup after a devastating loss.  The characters and their motives are what propel this story, so it was interesting to see everyone change gears and adapt some different mentalities as the story progressed.  Jesper has a few breakthroughs in this book with a few different characters.  I loved the tension of this book as well, much stronger than the first book, especially from within the group itself.  The banter was also great and really lightened up the mood a bit, but not too much.  We stay in Ketterdam for most of this book, which was a nice contrast to the questing of the last book.  Seeing the crew work on their own turf obviously gave them an advantage.  The ending was so genuine and well thought out.  My only real critique with this book is that it should have ended a chapter early.  That's literally my only complaint with this book.  I thought the way Kaz and Inej dealt with their relationship was appropriate for them and their situations.  The whole book was heartbreaking and satisfying at the same time.  I obviously gave this book 5 out of 5 stars and I definitely plan on re-reading this again after I get my own copy.

(goodreads.com)

    Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman: This one I actually read for a class I'm taking.  I've always wanted to read this graphic novel, but never really felt that I had the right amount of time to devote to reading it.  It took me longer than I expected, but I flew through this.  This nonfiction graphic novel tells the true story of Vladek Spiegelman, retold by his son Art, in the manner of illustrations depicting mice as the Jews and cats as the Nazi Germans.  It's all in black and white, which adds to the morbidity and the seriousness of this book.  The fact that it's real is very humbling.  Art uses his father's own voice, a broken sort of English due to his father's status as an immigrant, which adds more to the story because you can hear him speak.  Art also depicts his own frustration with his father because of Vladek's old ways and customs he just can't let go of.  The book dragged at times, but overall the pacing was what it should be for this kind of in-depth retelling of history.  This book is definitely a must-read for fans of World War II literature.  I gave it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater: This is the second book in the Raven Cycle series, so I was worried that my memory of the first book that I read a year ago would be a little foggy.  I need not have worried because the book takes off right where we left off.  We learn more about Ronan's talent and about the way the mysterious forest of Cabeswater works.  We are also introduced to a new character, The Gray Man, who gives me the creeps, but is actually more than he seems.  Where the first book is definitely more on the paranormal side, this one adds more fantastical elements.  This book is also more exciting and has more action than the first book.  We learn a little more about each of our characters and it's nice to see the progression each character takes in their development.  I'm already planning on finishing this series sooner rather than later because I don't want to risk forgetting anything.  You really have to pay attention to this story because there are small hints and clues spread throughout.  The way Stiefvater writes is really enthralling and I appreciate her almost poetic version of narrating.  I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.  Only two more to go!

(goodreads.com)

    A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess:  This book caught my eye on someone else's TBR and it sounded interesting, so I decided to pick it up on a whim.  This was also not on my original TBR, so I'll summarize it briefly.  Henrietta Howel (cool name, right?) has the power to burst into flames.  In this alternate version of Victorian London, sorcerers and magicians are not revered, but hunted and killed for possessing magic.  After using her powers to protect her friend Rook from a creature called a Familiar, servants to greater beings known as the Ancients, Henrietta is found out and brought to London to train with other sorcerers.  She finds out that not only are sorcerers not murdered for their powers, but their trained specifically to protect London from the Ancients.  She also finds out that she's the first female sorcerer...or is she?  The premise immediately grabbed me, along with raves from some of my favorite authors.  The similarities to some of my favorite series, like The Infernal Devices and Harry Potter were obvious, and a little weird.  Wands are called "staves," an attack by an Ancient leaves you scarred, and the magic system was somewhat complicated.  Sorcerers and magicians are feuding factions of magic users.  Magicians apparently have the ability to manipulate space and time with their thoughts while sorcerers act as conduits for elemental magic.  It was interesting to see how both magicians and sorcerers use magic in different ways.  The setting was one I've seen and loved before, so that wasn't very difficult to picture.  The fact that Henrietta was the only female in this guild of sorcerers was also interesting.  I thought that, for all the male characters in the story, only two stood out to me.  The author used Magnus and Blackwood for the boys' names, which are obviously Shadowhunter related.  What irked me the most was that Henrietta named her stave "porridge."  I couldn't ever let that go.  The ending I think was the best part because it left room for more questions.  I ended up giving this book 3 out of 5 stars.

(barnesandnoble.com)

    *I also read an audio book this month, which is something I've never done before.  This was also for a class, so I chose a book I've read before and always wanted to re-read.  I've heard wonderful things about Jim Dale and his award-winning narration and I wasn't disappointed.  The story was brought to life in such a way that made me miss my childhood and wonder why it took me so long to re-read this series.  I was also pleased with the fact that the book and the movie are actually quite similar, more so than I had actually thought.  I loved listening to this on my way to work and this experience opened me up to reading more audio books.  How can you not give Harry Potter 5 stars?


Now on to the books I plan on reading during the month of November!

(goodreads.com)

    A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir is the second book in the An Ember in the Ashes series and follows Laia and Elias as they flee the Empire on a journey to free Laia's brother Darin.  This book was on my TBR last month, but I had to rearrange my reading list to make room for overdue library books, so I ended up finishing it this month instead.  You can check out my summary in my last blog post and my review of this book will be up soon!

(goodreads.com)

    Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is the first book in the Outlander series.  I've been watching the show and I'm intrigued by the premise and the setting so much that I decided it's time to read the book.  I've heard so many great things about Gabaldon's writing and this book seems perfect for November.  For those of you who aren't familiar with this series, it begins in 1945 at the end of World War II and follows a combat army nurse named Claire as she goes on a second honeymoon with her husband Frank in Scotland.  While out on a stroll through the countryside, Claire accidentally activates a portal through a standing stone circle to the year 1743 during the Jacobite rebellion.  Claire must use her knowledge of history to aid her in surviving in this time period so she can figure out a way to get back home to 1945.  She also meets the swoon-worthy Scotsman James Fraser, who helps her understand the unfamiliar Scottish court.  The series is great and the scenery is breathtaking, so I'm really excited to start reading the book!

(goodreads.com)

    Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater is the third book in the Raven Cycle series.  As I said before, I'll hopefully be able to finish this series by the end of the year and I don't want to forget anything from the first two books, so I'm reading this one straight away.  The synopsis doesn't leave much to be desired, but I'm assuming this book will take place directly after the events of the last book, where we left off on a cliffhanger.  The gang has trespassed over dangerous territory and now there be monsters, both human and inhuman.  The hunt for Glendower continues!

(goodreads.com)

    As Old As Time by Liz Braswell is another Beauty and the Beast retelling I've been eyeing lately.  This book is part of a series called "Twisted Tales" that tell fairy tales from alternative viewpoints.  This one in particular asks the question: What if Belle's mother cursed the beast?  The story seems to hold true to the original while sprinkling in elements of invention here and there to create a what-if scenario.  The fact that Disney is involved makes me feel hopeful.  This should be really interesting, if I can get to it before the end of the month.  Also, LOOK AT THAT COVER!

    And there you have it, my wrap-up for October and my TBR for November.  It should be a good month for reading and I have a few more books I may add that I'm reading for my classes, so stay tuned for the reviews to come!  What books do you associate with fall or November specifically.  I'm always in the mood for a dark, gritty romance or fantasy series this time of year.  Let me know what you're reading down below in the comments or if you've read any of the books I've listed above.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.