Twilight

December 2021 Reading Wrap-Up

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World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Rating: ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 1
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: I was going to lie, but seriously it was Alan Alda’s part.
Least Favorite Thing: The movie lol

Been a minute since I read this last, but definitely still enjoyed it.

My Posts About World War Z

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Rating: ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 8
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: It’s so bizarre-o.
Least Favorite Thing: Literally nothing.

I basically read this one a second time to see if the audiobook was as unsettling as reading it physically. It was.

My Posts About We Have Always Lived in the Castle

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Rating: ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 10 – 13
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: Weird.
Least Favorite Thing: Weird.

A friend at work read this recently and I realized while talking to her about it that I still wasn’t sure what this book was about. Now having read it a second time, I can definitively say… I still do not know what this book was about.

My Posts About American Gods

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 1)
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 14 – 16
Read Count: 4
Favorite Thing: At least it wasn’t The Host?
Least Favorite Thing: It was Twilight.

Ok do not judge me for rereading a book I hate. I wanted to experience the audiobook version because I’ve always read it physically before. News Flash! It was equally terrible having someone read it to me!

My Posts About Twilight

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
(Strange the Dreamer, book 1)
Rating: ★★★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 21 – 22
Read Count: 3
Favorite Thing: Wait do I find Lazlo attractive?
Least Favorite Thing: Gimme a second, I’ll think of something…

I have wanted to listen to this one for a while because I just knew it would be excellent, and my library happened to have it available for me so I listened to it while I worked and it was so calming (the narrator’s voice) and beautiful (the prose).

My Posts About Strange the Dreamer

White Oleander by Janet Fitch
Rating: ★★★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Print
Reading Dates: Oct 23 – Dec 22
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: So beautifully written it makes me want to cry.
Least Favorite Thing: Actually makes me cry because so much bad stuff happens.

This was my car book. That is, this is the book I left in my car to read on lunch breaks and when I have to wait for something. As you can imagine, it was a bit heavy for a car book lol

My Posts About White Oleander

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour
Rating: ★★★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Print
Reading Dates: Nov 6 – Dec 28
Read Count: 1
Favorite Thing: The writing was so beautiful!
Least Favorite Thing: Literally nothing. Maybe I’ll pick something next time I read it.

Nina LaCour is officially on my favorite author list now. I will read a book, regardless of the premise, if Nina LaCour writes it.

My Posts About Watch Over Me

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 2)
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 27 – 28
Read Count: 4
Favorite Thing: [cricket sounds]
Least Favorite Thing: I actually hate the audiobook narrator…

Edward wasn’t even in this book and yet I had to hear about him every 10 seconds. Blech.

My Posts About New Moon

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 3)
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 28 – 29
Read Count: 4
Favorite Thing: It was over quickly.
Least Favorite Thing: It was still torture.

Seriously, these characters are so much more insufferable when you have to hear them out loud! Like they were annoying people before, but then hearing their words aloud? Oh my gawd, I wanted to slap people who don’t even exist.

My Posts About Eclipse

In Progress

January 2020 Reading Wrap-Up

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
(Harry Potter, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  December 29 – January 1
Read Count:  2-ish*
Favorite Thing:  Realizing things I had never realized on previous reads
Least Favorite Thing:  How Harry and Ron treat Hermione in the beginning

Okay, I just want to address my three star rating. I know it’s lower than I rated these books in the past, but the fact is that when I first read these I hadn’t read anything so intricate or well-written and now I have read things that are more-so. So I still think Harry Potter is good and I still enjoyed the story, but for a lot of reasons I’m just not the die-hard fan I used to be. Don’t come at me, okay, I’m just getting old.

*I have read the whole series multiple times, but since I can’t remember how many times or when I did these read-throughs I have decided not to try and count them.

My Posts About Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
(Harry Potter, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 1
Read Count:  2-ish*
Favorite Thing:  Funnier than I remembered
Least Favorite Thing:  They did Hagrid so dirty

For an explanation of my lowered rating, see the above entry for Sorcerer’s Stone.

I can’t believe they would suspect Hagrid on the word of someone they didn’t even know when Hagrid is hands-down the nicest, most trustworthy person in this entire series! If some random stranger was like “btw the first ever person to treat you with any kind of decency is a bad guy” I would be like “fuck off, I don’t know you”! Get it together Harry!

*I have read the whole series multiple times, but since I can’t remember how many times or when I did these read-throughs I have decided not to try and count them.

My Posts About Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

No, We Can’t Be Friends by Sophie Ranald
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Ebook
Reading Dates:  December 29 – January 2
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  That one coffee shop scene lol
Least Favorite Thing:  A couple things hit a little too close to home.

I received a free ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I got this one from Net Galley because it said it was for “anyone with a waste-of-space ex” and that fit me perfectly. I have to admit it was spot on and well written, even if I felt like the part before they split up took up too much of the book.

My Posts About No, We Can’t Be Friends

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
(Edelstein Trilogie, book 1)
Rating:  N/A
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  December 30 – January 3
Read Count:  N/A
Favorite Thing:  Vaguely interesting time travel…
Least Favorite Thing:  Lack of communication as a plot device…

I tried to finish this, but I only got about halfway through before I couldn’t force myself any longer. I just found it boring. None of the characters were interesting enough to root for and no one would just freaking talk to each other about anything so the only thing keeping the plot advancing is that the main character didn’t know what was going on and would blunder into the next plot element. I had high hopes for this one, but it just didn’t meet them.

I chose not to rate this book because I did not finish it. However, I did get over halfway so I will be counting this towards my goal of 75 books for the year.

My Posts About Ruby Red

The Host by Stephenie Meyer
(The Host, book 1)
Rating:  N/A
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  December 4 – Jan 3
Read Count:  N/A
Favorite Thing:  Literally nothing
Least Favorite Thing:  Boooooorrrrrrred!

Well I mentioned in my January TBR that if this didn’t get interesting soon I would give up… Turns out I gave up before that video even published lol

I just kept waiting for something interesting to happen and it just kept not happening. I know the story from the movie (as much as one can know a book from it’s movie), but in it’s written form it was just a slog to try and get through.

Because I only managed about 150 pages, I did not feel I should count this one towards my goal of 75 books for the year.

My Posts About The Host

How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason
(Thorne Chronicles, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 3 – 4
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Funny
Least Favorite Thing:  Nothing really…

I grabbed this just because it happened to be new and available on my library’s overdrive and I needed something to listen to in the shower. It was an excellent choice. This book cracked me up!

My Posts About How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
(Harry Potter, book 3)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 4 – 5
Read Count:  2-ish*
Favorite Thing:  Harry & Ron can be so thick sometimes lol
Least Favorite Thing:  They keep doing Hermione dirty just because she doesn’t want anything to go dangerously wrong.

I had forgotten how gross Pettigrew would be, wow. Everything about him is just skeevy and blech…

*I have read the whole series multiple times, but since I can’t remember how many times or when I did these read-throughs I have decided not to try and count them.

Amor and Psycho: Stories by Carolyn Cooke
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  Sort of?
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  January 6
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Literally those two fucking sentences
Least Favorite Thing:  The entire rest of the book

This book is illegal under the Geneva Convention because it is cruel and unusual punishment. I hate myself for wasting 50 whole cents on this book.

My Posts About Amor and Psycho

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
(Harry Potter, book 4)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 5 – 7
Read Count:  2-ish*
Favorite Thing:  Harry really just thinks everything just works out for him like that lol
Least Favorite Thing:  No one just fucking….tells Snape not to abuse children???

Harry is so oblivious. I love that he just thinks things should work out, it doesn’t even occur to him that someone could be pulling strings and that’s why everything just falls into place for him by coincidence. Silly boy lol

*I have read the whole series multiple times, but since I can’t remember how many times or when I did these read-throughs I have decided not to try and count them.

My Posts About Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Look Both Ways by Alison Cherry
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  January 7 – 8
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Russell was so sweet
Least Favorite Thing:  Boring

I was disappointed in this one. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be. I think YA Contemporary Romance just isn’t my genre. Like I could recognize the good parts of this story, but it just did not resonate with me in any way at all.

My Posts About Look Both Ways

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
(Harry Potter, book 5)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 7 – 11
Read Count:  2-ish*
Favorite Thing:  Voldy being like “oh shit it’s DUMBLEDORE” lol
Least Favorite Thing:  Obviously Umbridge, she’s terrible

I had forgotten how creative Dumbledore’s magic is compared to everyone else’s. Like the Ministry scene really demonstrates this. Everyone, even the Death Eaters are basically using the same spells and mostly verbalizing their spells and then Dumbledore shows up and he’s just waving his wand around making statues protect people and cocooning Voldy in water and it’s just so unique.

*I have read the whole series multiple times, but since I can’t remember how many times or when I did these read-throughs I have decided not to try and count them.

My Posts About Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The Changeling by Victor Lavalle
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 8 – 13
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  So beautifully written
Least Favorite Thing:  Sometimes hard to read

Oh man! I borrowed this book from the library and I was like 15% into it and immediately had to turn around and buy it. It’s not often a book grabs my attention so quickly and so thoroughly. Honestly it was so great.

Content Warning:  Child Death (message me for more details)

My Posts About The Changeling

On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  January 9 – 14
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The clues, the clues, the clues!!!!
Least Favorite Thing:  Why couldn’t anyone just TELL each other things????????

I’m so mad at myself for waiting so long to read this book! It was so gooooooood! I used an entire pack’s worth of green tabs marking clues and parallels to solve the mystery lol I’m so grateful that I was given this book!

My Posts About On the Jellicoe Road

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 14 – 15
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The topic
Least Favorite Thing:  The writing

I was really disappointed by this book. The topic was practically made for me. I love history, I love women(s history), I love space, I love learning about lesser known history. And yet… I was just bored. It’s something to do with the writing style. It felt like the author zigzagged through the timeline a lot and would barely touch on each event and subject before rushing on to the next thing so you never really got to know any of the women. Honestly just watch the movie…

My Posts About Hidden Figures

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  December 29 – January 16
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  So funny!
Least Favorite:  John Thorpe is a bastard.

I decided to reread this book real quick because I realized I couldn’t quite remember it from way back in 9th grade when I first read it. Well obviously I didn’t read it all that quickly, but I did enjoy it way more than the first time around. The narration is so snarky and hilarious!

My Posts About Northanger Abbey

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 15 – 16
Read Count:  4
Favorite Thing:  I love the magic system
Least Favorite Thing:  I can’t think of a single thing not to like. This book is lovely.

Man I love this story. It’s a sweet fairy tale with a lovely form of magic. I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes fairy tale retellings, YA fantasy, and the like.

This time I decided to try the audiobook, which turned out to be a full-cast audiobook. I was not disappointed in the least. The main voice actress who played Dashti, Chelsea Mixon, was really good and I’m glad I tried this version.

My Posts About Book of a Thousand Days

Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 17 – 18
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Alison’s humor
Least Favorite Thing:  There isn’t one

I had read this before, but didn’t remember it well and I saw it was available on Overdrive, so I grabbed it. I had definitely forgotten how funny Alison is when she’s telling her stories.

Content Warning:  Child Sex Abuse

My Posts About Confessions of a Prairie Bitch

Loving Day by Mat Johnson
Rating:  N/A
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  N/A
Read Count:  N/A
Favorite Thing:  “I am going to burn my fucking house down.”
Least Favorite Thing:  I just couldn’t enjoy it.

None of the characters in this book were likable. I just…. It got to where I dreaded reading it because the main character was so negative all the time. I just couldn’t enjoy my reading so I gave up.

I only got about 40% in so I’m not counting this one towards my goal of 75 books.

My Posts About Loving Day

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 1)
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  January 14 – 21
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  The beginning was entertaining
Least Favorite Thing:  The second half of the book was boring

I decided to reread Twilight because my mom bought all the books for me (I dont’ know why) and this time I annotated it. The first half of the book took like an entire package of sticky tabs, but the second half took like 10… Blah.

I did decide to increase my rating from 1 star to 2 stars because it wasn’t as terrible as I expected it to be.

My Posts About Twilight

American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 21
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The narration was excellent!
Least Favorite Thing:  Too short!

I sped through this book! I couldn’t believe how fast it ended, I wanted to spend so much more time seeing things through Fabiola’s eyes.

My Posts About American Street

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
(The Forest of Hands and Teeth, book 1)
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 21 – 23
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Interesting take on zombies
Least Favorite Thing:  I couldn’t like any of the characters really…

So despite this being an interesting take on the typical zombie story, I felt like the only likable character was the dog? And that just doesn’t make for a good book does it? I did find her obsession with the ocean super relatable though.

Anyway I only reread this book because I still haven’t managed to finish the series and I am determined to do that this year.

My Posts About The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Shockaholic by Carrie Fisher
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 24
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Carrie’s wry humor
Least Favorite Thing:  Why was it so short??

If you are planning to read a Carrie Fisher autobiography I definitely recommend the audiobooks because Carrie reads them and it really adds something to the experience.

Overall this was a great way to spend a morning, but I couldn’t believe it when the book ended because I felt like I had just started it!

My Posts About Shockaholic

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 2)
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  January 22 – 24
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  Team Jacob tbh
Least Favorite Thing:  Edward came back… *sigh*

Man this book was not nearly as funny as the first one, but at least we had the cinnamon roll that is Jacob Black to distract us from the total downer that is Bella Swan.

My Posts About New Moon

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
(Harry Potter, book 6)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 27 – 28
Read Count:  4-ish*
Favorite Thing:  The vindication!
Least Favorite Thing:  Why do Harry’s friends not give him the benefit of the doubt by now when he suspects something bad is going on?

Harry has spent 6 books being like “Snape and Malfoy are Bad™ and everyone else has spent 6 books being like “they aren’t that bad, don’t be so dramatic” and NOW THEY ALL MUST ADMIT THAT HE WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG FINALLY. VALIDATED!

*I have read the whole series multiple times, but since I can’t remember how many times or when I did these read-throughs I have decided not to try and count them.

My Posts About Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 3)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  January 24 – 30
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  I literally can’t think of anything, this was the worst book of the lot.
Least Favorite Thing:  Jacob was a little shit in this book and Eddie-boy is boring and Bella lost all her personality…

Fuck Team Jacob, I’m Team Bella Leaves Them Both. Honestly, I wish this book had been left out of the series.

My Posts About Eclipse

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
(Princess Academy, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 30 – 31
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Quarry-speaking
Least Favorite Thing:  Miri had to live like 14 years thinking her father found her weak and useless all because he’s too ~masculine~ to talk about feelings??

My Posts About Princess Academy

End of the Year Book Tag!

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Alright so Emily @ Embuhleeliest literally said: “If you’d like to do this tag, consider yourself tagged!” So this is me considering myself tagged! Let’s just jump right in.

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

I had originally planned to finish the Sookie Stackhouse books by the end of the year as well, but I probably won’t because I’ve got so many other books I need to and I keep finding more. Also I’ve been reading Outlander for freaking months and I cannot finish it and I have no idea why!

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

I mean…I don’t really read books seasonally? I always think it would be cool to do that, but I can’t just set aside other books in order to pick up seasonally appropriate books, that would be too much like self-control.

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

No not really. Or more accurately, there probably are, but I’m just not aware of when they drop. I’m so bad at keeping up with release dates… I’m always shocked when people are like “look my pre-order came!” and then I have to rush to block all the spoilers.

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

The aim is to get in one more dose of House of Night torture with Hunted, complete my Stephenie Meyer experiment with The Host, and hopefully I’ll get one more book to read this year through my discord groups Travelling Book Project.

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year?

I was going to say something sarcastic about a House of Night book becoming a favorite, but honestly just no, with what I’ve been looking at I don’t think my next favorite book is coming up this year.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2020?

 

I’m planning to finish the Sookie books (if I don’t break down and do it in December), obviously I’m going to reread my favorite series The Tales of the Kingdom by Cynthia Voigt (lol you thought I’d get through a whole post without mentioning them?)… Oh and I’m actually considering rereading Twilight on the premise that we’ve all been reading it wrongly (i.e. that it’s not really a grand romance, but an epic comedy).

I was going to tag a few specific people, but actually I’d rather leave this for everyone to do. So if you read this you’ve just been tagged; and let me know if you do it so I can read yours. 😊

And one other thing!

LeeLeave a comment

Am I the only one who thinks that Edward/Edythe deciding that they shouldn’t kill/eat rapists and serial killers anymore is worse than the actual killing part?
Like…some people should die, y’all. That’s just how it is. And if you know that someone is a rapist/murderer and you just let them go about their business, you’re shit.

Somebody going through my town and getting rid of all the bad people doesn’t sound like a monster to me. Sounds like a fucking hero. Vigilante Vampires! We could even still use the fucking bat signal.

Help me Sparkle Man, a pedophile moved to my town! Oh, you already ate him on the way here? Cool cool thanks, you rock Sparkle Man.

Just sayin’.

WWW Wednesday: April 4, 2018

LeeLeave a comment

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at Should be Reading and revived on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three W’s!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:  Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, book 5) by Sarah J. Maas

So I’ve been working on this book for like 3 weeks now, which is frustrating since it’s the first one of the series that I haven’t read before, but I feel like I’m finally getting back to making some progress on it.

I’m about a quarter of the way through, and my main thought right now is “oh no, Manon!” so we’ll see where that goes. I’m pretty worried right now.

I’m hoping to finish this within a week so I can move on to the next one.

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

I’ve only barely started this one, but I’m aiming to take it a chapter or two at a time so I’m doing pretty well.

I learned when I read Persuasion last year that I pay a lot better attention to the minutia of a classic text when I read it really slow. Not to mention, a lot of them have a very dense feeling to them because of how people spoke and wrote at the time, and reading them slow helps to not get sick of that.

So far I’m really liking it, even though nothing much has happened yet. Mostly just a girl met some ladies. But I’ve seen a screen adaptation of this so I know when things will start happening and I’m not discouraged in the least.

Recently Finished:  The Twilight Saga // Stephenie Meyer

I hate myself for rereading these, but they served their purpose.

I explained the purpose in this post, but basically I wanted to punish myself for being stuck on Empire of Storms for weeks.

Of course I also had an ulterior motive. That is, I am a lot more likely to make a post complaining about something I hate than I am to make a post about something I like. Because the things I like I’m engrossed in, and the things I hate I want to procrastinate on! So I hoped that reading a book I knew I’d want to complain about would make me blog more.

Oh look, it totally did! Success!

Reading Next:  Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, book 6) by Sarah J. Maas

To be honest, I’m not sure what to expect here so there’s not much to say. I’ve heard both good and bad things, but I’m hopeful.

If anyone has read this and has an opinion I’d love to hear it.

March 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
(Throne of Glass, book 4)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  March 3 – 7
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  GHOST LEOPARD!!!!
Least Favorite Thing:  Chaol’s shit-ass attitude for the first 2/3rds of the book drove me crazy. I mean I think it’s good writing for a character to have flaws and not always be likable, but his change in attitude just seemed so damn sudden and jarring…

This was the last one that was a reread, the rest of the books will be entirely new to me!

My Posts About Queen of Shadows

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
(The Darkest Minds, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  March 20 – 21
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  IT’S OBVIOUSLY ZU. ANYONE WHO CLAIMS OTHERWISE IS A BIG FAT LIAR!
Least Favorite Thing:  You-Know-Who with his creepy mind twisty creeps!

I randomly decided to reread this after seeing something about the film version coming out this August and being unable to get the story out of my head. I’m glad I did, I actually enjoyed it more this time around and raised my rating from 3 to 4 stars.

My Posts About The Darkest Minds

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken
(The Darkest Minds, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  March 21 – 23
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Rrrredssss! (I’m a fan of anything that just sets shit on fire lol)
Least Favorite Thing:  I CAN’T SAY IT BECAUSE IT’S A BIG SPOILER, BUT I’M STILL TEARY-EYED ABOUT IT!!!

I’m so happy because I didn’t really get Second Book Syndrome from this one like I did the first time I read the series.

My Posts About Never Fade

In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken
(The Darkest Minds, book 3)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  March 24
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  SU-ZU-MEEEEEEEE
Least Favorite Thing:  The fact that no one just put Clancy out of everyone’s misery…

Oh wow! So I just looked back at my old rating of this book and it was apparently 2 stars??? What??? This series is clearly one that improved with time. I’m really glad I reread it. Hope the films do them justice!

My Posts About In the Afterlight

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  March 28
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  She is so funny and surprisingly verbose. (I’d never seen her in anything where she was being herself and not acting, so I had no idea her vocabulary was so enjoyably vast. I even learned a new word or two.)
Least Favorite Thing:  Um, it ended too soon.

I actually listened to the audiobook version of this book (though I had the physical copy with me to mark quotes and cool words). I am not usually a fan of audiobooks just because they don’t hold my attention all that well, but Anna reading her book was very engaging and I never once lost my concentration even though I was doing other things the whole time. I definitely recommend everyone try the audiobook whether or not they intend to read the physical copy. This is officially one of my top 3 favorite autobiographies so far.

My Posts About Scrappy Little Nobody

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
(Twilight Saga, book 1)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  March 30 – 31
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  It ended.
Least Favorite Thing:  Gosh it’s so hard to pick just one… Possibly that fact that she’s like “I should be freaked out that he literally stalks me and breaks into my home on the reg, but I think it’s adoooorable”?

Well considering I set out to reread this specifically as a way of torturing myself into wanting to read better books again… It was exactly as painful as expected and pretty damn effective.

My Posts About Twilight

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
(Twilight Saga, book 1.5)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  Yes
Reading Dates:  March 31
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Emmett overacting when he and Edward scheme to get Ben and Angela together. I swear I thought I was reading fanfiction for a minute there, but it was hilarious.
Least Favorite Thing:  Eddie-boy is a self-obsessed, uppity lil bitch. Every thought he has is like “oh this human did a thing, but not as well as I do it” and “oh that human had a feeling, but of course it is nowhere as strong as MY emotions”

Welp… What can I say… I kept having to stop and scream into a pillow or rant at my husband so that probably tells you what you need to know right?

My Posts About Midnight Sun

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
(Twilight Saga, book 2)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  No
Reading Dates:  March 31 – April 1 (Putting it here, because it was barely after midnight on April 1 that I finished.)
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Edward wasn’t in a good chunk of it. That was nice.
Least Favorite Thing:  She still monologued about him the whole time. That was less nice.

I spent a solid 30 minutes just trying to figure out what she could have said to a therapist that would have allowed her to talk openly about the vampire crap without an involuntary psych hold…

My Posts About New Moon

In Progress

So here’s what I’ve figured out about Twilight so far…

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Reading the Twilight Saga is the same as when you’re looking at an intersection and you realize two cars are about to collide. Your brain is screaming at you to look away! But your eyes are like, “I’M STILL LOOKING HELP!!!!”

I don’t remember much from reading these back when they first came out. It was a favor for a friend who loved them and, despite quickly realizing I didn’t like them, when we discussed the series I tried to say diplomatic things, like:

  • “Well it’s certainly a unique piece of writing.”
  • “Sometimes it got rather cheesy, but I suppose that could happen in any romance novel.”
  • “Oh, was I supposed to pick a team? Um…”
  • “Yeah, I get what you’re saying, he loves her too much to ~damn her~ to immortality. But if he really loves her so much, why doesn’t he value her feelings on the matter or her right to choose what happens to her own life? My mom says if a man doesn’t respect your wishes then he doesn’t really love you.”

But my only lasting thoughts on the matter were:

  • Edward is too controlling.
  • It seems highly improbable, even factoring in novelty value, that every boy Bella meets would suddenly want to date her.
  • All of these characters are annoying and/or boring…
  • Sparkly vampires are fucking stupid.

Now reading them again as an adult I have come to several more conclusions, first among them:  I DON’T KNOW WHY I’M STILL READING THESE BOOKS PLEASE HELP ME!  And then following, in no particular order:

  • It is literally impossible to trip that many times in a row with nothing in your path, and I should know because I am the definition of clumsy. (Watch me break a bowl by accidentally slamming it into another bowl in the cabinet, it is tragic.)
  • She swoons a lot? Does she have blood pressure problems?
  • Edward is a douche.
  • Jacob is sweet, but dillusional.
  • Bella is incredibly annoying. (But still not as annoying as if the books had been written from Edward’s POV as I have recently been horrified to learn.)
  • If I’m ever trying to fly under the radar, I definitely will not move to a town so small that everyone literally knows everyone else. That would never work.
  • The expression “making a mountain out of a molehill” was probably invented specifically to describe every so-called problem these characters will ever face.

And now I guess I’ll go continue with my torture and read Eclipse…

I’d love to know your thoughts on the Twilight Saga too!