March Books

Do you ever have those months where you just seem to keep picking blah books to read? This month was one of those for me, I picked up a couple of books that just did not click. I think because of that I was a bit slow in reading this month and only completed 3. Although this meets my monthly goal I was hoping to get 4-5 books read this month.

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare

This book was so stressful and kept me on the edge of my seat! In a good way of course. Even though I have read this book before I still found myself extremely worried for characters in precarious situations. If you love fantasy and witty relationships I strongly suggest you pick up this series!

Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson

This was The Mary Sue Books and More Club pick of the month. This wasn't my vote for the month of March but I am determined to branch out of my normal reading habits by reading the books picked by this book club, even if I'm not overly excited for them.

This story was very interesting to start out with, much different from what I normally read. I was not expecting this to take a turn into fantasy part way through the story, but the development kept me interested for a while. However, that interest started to wane toward the end of the book. I found that the way conflicts were resolved was a little disjointed and worked out too conveniently for the characters. It also bothered me that the love story we were lead to believe was THE love story dissolved so quickly without much hurt feelings.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children #1) by Ransom Riggs

This book ended up being disappointing to me as well. I feel like this is similar to the Percy Jackson series in that it is a YA that doesn't translate well to adulthood reading. I was intrigued at first with the original concept, but quite frankly I was bored by the end. In fact I didn't even finish the last few chapters.


Did you read any disappointing books this month?
Don't forget to follow me on Goodreads to keep up with my ever growing to-read list!

Allons-y!

February Books

You guys, I have been on a reading kick this past month. I completed five books during February, two more than my monthly goal! I've picked up a few stories this month that I absolutely could not put down. Let's get into it, shall we?


Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1) by Laini Taylor

GUYS. I had NO idea what I was getting into with this book. The description on Goodreads was a bit vague, but the reviews were really high so I decided to try it out. I ended up downloading this ebook to read during my Honeymoon and I finished it book SO FAST. This story is firmly planted in the realm of fantasy, although it was quite different from the fantasy I usually read. I actually gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads, and that is a rare occurrence for my first time reading a book. I am so excited to continue this series and see where it leads.


City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare

Onwards with The Mortal Instruments! We finally get to see the central city of the Shadowhunters and along with it comes mystery, drama, and an intense battle. I really enjoyed how the story continued in this book and it kept me extremely intrigued throughout.


The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Another book that I downloaded for the Honeymoon and ended up giving 5 stars! I have been wanting to read this book for a while, even though historical fiction isn't usually my bread and butter. I LOVED this book! First of all it is narrated by Death. Count. Me. In. I'm really glad I read this as an ebook instead of an audiobook due to the writing style and some pictures that were included for reference. This story ripped my heart out by the end, however it was a sweet kind of pain. It didn't make me love the book any less and I really enjoyed how the author drew me in and connected me to all the characters.

I have not seen the movie based on this book, but I plan on watching it soon!

City of Fallen Angels ( The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

Unfortunately most book series have at least one book that is just a bit lacking in the story. For The Mortal Instruments the fourth book was that slump for me. This part of the story just seemed to drag on with frustrating emotions. IF CHARACTERS WOULD JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER EVERYTHING WOULD BE FINE! However, that would make the story a bit boring wouldn't it? Even though it was a struggle to get through this one I looked forward to reading the next book as I knew it got better (I have read book 1-5 previously).

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
This was....interesting. The premise for this book was extremely original I thought. Set in a normal Earth world, with just a twist of fantasy. I had high hopes for this book with it's seemingly original idea, but I ended up a bit disappointed. This story dragged on for days.....there was a lot of build up to an event that took up a very small portion of the book. Good story idea, bad execution in my opinion.

Do you have a Goodreads account? Let's be friends!

Allons-y!

January Books

Hello all! How is everyone doing with their 2015 reading goals?

This past month was a little lighter on reading due to wedding preparation and festivities, but now that the craziness is over let's get back to it!


City Of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

The second book in The Mortal Instruments was just as exciting as the first! I am really enjoying re-reading this series and am looking forward to the unread 6th and final book!

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Merissa Meyer

This past month I joined a book club on Goodreads that is run by some fabulous readers of The Mary Sue (If you haven't checked out this website yet, I highly recommend it!). The book club is appropriately named The Mary Sue Books and More Club and they select monthly books based on a poll of 10 member suggested books. Their very first book choice was Cinder and I ended up really liking it! It is very YA in the way the story develops, with obvious foreshadowing and comparison to classic fairy tales. Despite that (which many people did not enjoy about the book) I found it to be an interesting world and I have deciding to continue reading the series. Stay tuned for further reviews :).

Now that life has slowed down a tad I plan on having at least 3 books in my reviews each month. I also plan on reading more stand alone books that are not part of series. I tend to read a few books at once and it can be hard to keep track of the stories when all of them have a continuing series.

What are you reading this month?

Allons-y!

December Books

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Most people set new years resolution or goals around this time of year, so let's talk about my book goals/successes in 2014 and my new goals for 2015.

Back in August of 2014 I found myself in a huge reading rut. I wasn't interested in pursuing new books or reading much more than a chapter a day. To remedy this I decided to join Goodreads to start tracking the books I read and as a way to find new books. I have now used the website for 5 full months and I must say, I truly enjoy it! It's a great way to track all of the books I want to read, keep up with favorite authors as they publish new material, and set goals for how many books I want to read. Since I started tracking in August I challenged myself to read 25 books before the end of the year, equaling out to 5 books a month. I usually have at least 2 books that I am reading at a time, a physical book that I read at home and an audiobook that I listen to while I'm at work. I am happy to say that I successfully reached my goal of 25 books! However, some months were a bit lighter than 5 completed books. To clarify, I count a book as read in the month I complete it. For example, if the date I completed reading the book was in November I count it as a November book, even if I started in October.

To kick off 2015 I decided to set my reading goal as 36 total books for the year, or 3 books per month. Since this will be my first full year of keeping track I wanted to set a goal that was reachable in order to not discourage myself by falling short. I plan on increasing the number of books I read each year.
If you have any books suggestions on what I should read this year, comment below!


Now, onto the books I read in December!
With Chrismas festivities in December and upcoming wedding festivities in January (EEK!), this month was a bit light on reading.

Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

I have been looking forward to reading this book ever since the movie was announced! I don't usually read memoirs, but this ended up being an extremely enjoyable break from my typical genres. I loved how Cheryl's adventure was about someone who was completely inexperienced in the activity they wanted to do and didn't let that stop them. I haven't had a chance to see the movie yet, but I highly recommend this to anyone who feels a little lost in life (but don't we all).

City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare

This is the first book in The Mortal Instruments series and it was the first and only book to be adapted into a movie in 2013. I decided to re-read this series as the sixth, and final, book came out in May of 2014 and I have heard nothing but great things about it! This series is great for anyone who loves a little fantasy, action, and confusing romance. The rest of the series will be popping up in my posts over the next few months!

What are you reading this month? Comment below!

Have a wonderful January!
Allons-y!

November Books

Hello friends! Welcome to the second installment of my monthly book update! (You can find my first post here.) For those of you who don't know me, I am a big 'ol bookworm who can never get enough! Therefore, I decided to start keeping track of the books I read and share them with you guys!

Percy Jackson And The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Last month I started the Percy Jackson books and finished them up at the beginning of November. I must say, I was ready for this series to be over. Yes, I did enjoy them and found myself reading through them quickly, but I was just ready for the end. I think this is one of those Young Adult series that does not translate into adulthood reading as well as others. I didn't read these as a kid, so I didn't have any nostalgic ties to them and I was just a bit meh as I finished this last book. I would definitely  recommend these to anyone with kids, but maybe not so much for adults.

Arena by Karen Hancock

This is my all time favorite book!! I read it at least once a year. Arena is an allegorical fantasy book with a wonderful concept. I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially fantasy and sci fi lovers!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Another book that I read after seeing the movie *hangs head in shame*. I really love this movie and have been interested in reading the book for quite some time. This book is fantastic! The story is told through several different characters perspective and was really well done. I recommend the book AND movie, in that order.

The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

I was a bit hesitant to get back into Stephen King, I had read the first book in the Dark Tower series and was not impressed. However, I decided to give this one a chance and boy was it short! The book....not the chance. I actually really loved this story and would readily read it again. I actually have not seen the movie based on this book, Huzzah! I am so glad I read the book first, Stephen King writes absolutely enthralling stories. I finished this very quickly and found myself wanting more by the end of it. Read it, my friends!

My goal was to read 5 books this month and I ended up reading 4. I actually might drop my reading goal down to 3 books a month starting next year and work my way up after that. I think 5 books in one month is pretty easy when I'm not busy, but 3 is much more reasonable for a busy schedule.
Share what you are currently reading in the comments! I might end up adding it to my list. :)

Follow me on Goodreads to keep up with all my books! Allons-y!

October Books

Welcome to my monthly book review! This is the first installment of what will hopefully become a monthly post. Earlier this year I was severely lacking in my reading habits and I was in a book funk. I was not inspired to seek out new books and read the way I used to you. It was kind of a soul sucking experience. In order to rectify this funk I decided to join Goodreads to start tracking the books I have read and organize all the books I want to read. I am constantly coming across book recommendations, but I can never remember what they were when it comes time to pick out a new story and Goodreads helps me keep them all in one handy place. To keep myself firmly planted in the bookworm realm I have started a goal of reading 5 books a month, or 60 books a year. I plan on increasing that number every year and keeping you guys updated as I go!. Now, without further ado, my October books:

1984 by George Orwell

I'm not sure how, but I managed to miss out reading this book in high school and I have been increasingly interested in reading classic books lately. It took me a little while to get immersed in this book, but once I did I could not put it down. 1984 is definitely one of those books that makes you think and changes your perspective about the world. I am always on board with books that invoke thought so I gave this book a solid 4 stars on Goodreads.

Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I have yet to grow out of my love for YA novels, especially those in the fantasy and sci-fi genres. These books come highly reviewed from both Goodreads and my fiance so I decided to give them a try. This is also one of the few instances in which I have seen the movie adaptation before reading the book (spoiler alert: the book is better). It was not difficult to be drawn into the world laid out by Rick Riordan so I finished this book fairly quickly and didn't hesitate to start the second one.

Percy Jackson And The Sea Of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Oh man guys, the movie does not even compare to this book! There was much more action and character development in this book that provided a lot of much needed context to the story. I happily moved on to book 3 after this one.

Percy Jackson And The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

Yep, it's a Percy Jackson themed month. Future months will be much more diversified, I promise. This is the type of book series that just seems to keep getting better with each new book. I love it. Onwards.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Okay, time to switch things up. I continued with my classic book selections this month with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I picked up a well loved copy of this book at a library sale in a neighboring town a few months ago. We got an entire bag of books for just ten dollars!! It was amazing, but on to the book. I actually had a hard time getting into this book. The horror genre is not something I usually find myself reading and it took some getting used to. I think this is one of the books that would take a few readings to fully appreciate and love.

Percy Jackson And The Battle Of The Labyrinth

The action continues and intensifies! These books are very connected to each other and do not function as stand alone books that you can pick up at random. The story line gets more involved and intricate with each book revealing a little bit more. I can't wait to see the conclusion, but that will have to wait until my November review!


My goal was to read 5 books this month and I managed to read 6, so I'm pretty proud of myself.

Follow me on Goodreads to keep up with all my books! Do you have any book suggestions for my next review? Leave it in the comments!

The Culture We Create

I want to start talking about social issues with you guys. The past few months I have been drawn to blogs and stories about social movements and their effects on peoples way of thinking. I know that there are many different opinions on these topics and I want to be clear that I am only stating my own. Your own opinions on these topics are more than welcome and I would love to see them in the comments.

I believe that our society relies too much on excusing behaviors because that's just how it's always been. Saying something is 'girly' as a reason a boy can't play with it? Oh, that's just how it's always been. Men catcalling on the street? Boys will be boys. I am a strong supporter of living life intentionally. Don't let social norms dictate how you respond to a situation, stop and think before you respond.

Today let's focus on this article: http://rantsandrambles.com/2014/05/29/and-he-learned/

Once you have read the article please take a few moments to develop your own opinion and feelings about it before reading my own.

Ready? Okay.
This post is extremely powerful and I think it sheds light on something that not many people talk about. Yes, we talk about feminism and expecting men to know better. However, we expect this from them once they have become adults, instead of instilling respect and equality in them from the start. Don't get me wrong, I don't think being raised a certain way excuses behavior as an adult in any way. The conversation needs to have more than one focal point. Instead of only telling adult men that they need to respect women and treat them as equals, let's also encourage teaching the sons and other young men in their life how important it is. I have seen countless parents ask other adults to watch their language around their children, but how often do you see someone say the same about the treatment of women? Children have an amazing way of picking up on the tiniest moments that you don't think they're paying attention to. Micro aggresions towards women are everywhere on a daily basis. We all know that advertisements and movies are major culprits, but have you ever considered how daily conversation contributes? I never really payed attention to it. It is far easier to blame societal norms on the things we watch on TV or see in magazines, as they are tangible and readily available for evidence.

We are in the social media age, where every thought can be conveyed to countless people in seconds. I have found myself posting opinions and random things that pop into my head without even thinking of the backlash they could cause. This is not living life intentionally. This is living life selfishly.

I challenge you to consider how your words and actions shape the world around you. You may be saying 'I'm only one person, I can't change anything.', but think about the ripple effect you could have to those around you. We are raising the next generation and even if you are not a parent you can have a positive impact on the children you come into come in contact with or are listening in on your conversations. Teach the young boys of today that women deserve to be treated as equals. Teach the young girls that being equal does not mean belittling men. Teach with your actions and well as your words, live what you preach. Live life intentionally.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the article, sound off in the comments!
Allons-y!