Monthly Wrap-Ups

August 2018

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Ah, the end of another month of reading. I hope everyone had a good August!

Non-Reading Stuff

Had a bit of an odd month for my mental health with my meds being messed with, but it seems to have been sorted and I’m starting to do better again. And my therapy has been going well so that’s the main thing.

We also got the washer/dryer hooked up finally so I can do laundry without driving 40 minutes! Hurray!! I kind of love doing laundry, it’s so relaxing.

Reading Stuff

I finished 5 books in August!
Check out my list of books and my fave/least fave things about them.

There’s a part of me that feels I didn’t read as much as I’d like this month, but I’m ignoring that part because I’m still on track for my Goodreads goal and I did more than I expected to with the reaction to those meds being what it was.

Blogging Stuff

This is an area I’m not so pleased with. I post plenty of quotes, which are my favorite things to take from books, but I haven’t done much else and I’m not happy with that. At least I’ve been doing something with my Dedication Spotlight tag!

I’m thinking of starting a new sort of post. One thing I do when I read is write down any new, great words I find in the book. I collect them in notebooks with the definition and the sentence from the book where I found it for context. I’ve recently considered putting that on the blog too. After all, words are what make books so lovely, and who doesn’t love learning new ones.

Is there anything y’all would like to see more of on the blog? Let me know!

August 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  July 28 – August 14
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The cat, obviously.
Least Favorite Thing:  Those damn button eyes are so creepy…

This book managed to simultaneously creep me out more than I expected and less than I expected. Either way it was good and I recommend it.

My Posts About Coraline

Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
(Enchanted Forest Chronicles, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  August 1 – 17
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Cimorene does not have time for your nonsense.
Least Favorite Thing:  Telemain is actually pretty annoying?

Man this series is great! I already got book 3 from the library because I have to know what happens next. If you haven’t read these books yet, get on that ASAP!

My Posts About Searching for Dragons

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Ratings:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  August 20
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  I really like the cadence of their speech in this book.
Least Favorite Thing:  Nobody knocked T. Ray out… Disappointing.

I was worried I’d be disappointed in this book, but I really wasn’t. The writing style really suited me and the subject matter was a good combination of light and heavy.

My Posts About The Secret Life of Bees

The Safe Keeper’s Secret by Sharon Shinn
(Safe-Keepers, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  August 21 – 24
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The Truth-Teller
Least Favorite Thing:  The romance-ish thing…

I read this book because I had read the second book in the series a long time ago without realizing it was part of a series at all. I remember liking it so I figure it’s time to go through the series. Especially since these books are on my list of books I own, but never managed to read!

My Posts About The Safe-Keeper’s Secret

The Truth-Teller’s Tale by Sharon Shinn
(Safe-Keepers, book 2)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  August 25 – 31
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Roelynn, I think.
Least Favorite Thing:  All the damn secrets intentionally kept from the protag by people who said they cared for her and she’s just supposed to be fine with it…?

I remembered some of this, but not much, mostly I remembered thinking it was a cute story and it was. I preferred the first book though I think.

My Posts About The Truth-Teller’s Tale

In Progress

 

July 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  June 26 – July 1
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Halley being like “she has my eyes” to that completely unrelated-to-her baby. Perfect.
Least Favorite Thing:  Pushy boyfriend is pushy…

I’m actually starting to worry that I don’t like these books as much as I used to. Not that they aren’t the same quality, just that I think I’ve aged out of them.

My Posts About Someone Like You

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  July 2 – 3
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  Norman’s art cave.
Least Favorite Thing:  Mark, obviously.

Oh I’m so relieved that I still liked this book. After the first two of my Sarah Dessen reread that I didn’t like as much, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to enjoy any of them as much as I used to. I’d say I can see some differences by being older when I reread this one, but it was just as good as it used to be. Plus there was a whole nostalgia factor.

My Posts About Keeping the Moon

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  July 3 – 9
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  The fact that no one ever blames Caitlin or questions that she needs professional help after what happens to her.
Least Favorite Thing:  I mean, I should probably say Rogerson, but honestly it’s the mean girls on the cheerleading squad…

So far so good on the Dessen Reread front! I am relieved to find I still like this one as well. Once again I found myself seeing things from a different perspective now that I’m older and have more life experience.

My Posts About Dreamland

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  July 9 – July 14
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  Remy’s constant planning and sorting things out was somehow fun to experience.
Least Favorite Thing:  A weird amount of fat shaming in this book…

I think I like this one a little less than I used to. Not the story itself, that’s pretty much the same as I remember, but because of the constant fat shaming. The second anyone was the least bit bigger in this book there was some weird comment about it.

My Posts About This Lullaby

Locked in Time by Lois Duncan
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  July 23 – 28
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  There’s a little bit at the end that I like but it’s majorly spoilery…
Least Favorite Thing:  Oblivious Protagonist Syndrome

My problem with this book wasn’t so much that it was bad, just that it was a little boring to me. I think it’s just not my style. And as with all Duncan’s books it’s a little slow till three quarters through then it all wraps up quite quickly.

My Posts About Locked in Time

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
(Enchanted Forest Chronicles, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★★ – loved it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  July 28 – 31
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  HOW CAN I PICK JUST ONE, no I’m lying it’s the female friendships in this book.
Least Favorite Thing:  Um…. There is no least favorite thing. I loved this book.

Oh man guys I loved this book so much! Thank you, tumblr, for recommending this to me! I can’t wait to get the next book!

My Posts About Dealing with Dragons

In Progress

July 2018

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Non-Reading Stuff

Hahahahaha things have not even remotely settled down. I am the busiest bee. Which isn’t helped by the fact that I have low energy, but whatever. Other than being really busy and tired I think I’m doing quite well. The new place is wonderful and I’m doing better than I have in years.

Reading Stuff

I finished 6 books in July!
Check out my list of books and my fave/least fave things about them.

I feel like I didn’t do all that well this month, but I think it’s just because I’m reading so many books at one time and it makes me feel like I’m falling behind. And I think I’ll do better next month because I’ve been motivated to read recently.

Blogging Stuff

I’ve been working on blogging more, and specifically on remembering to do bookstagrams. I think I’m still getting the hang of it. I love my little daily quote posts though, they make me happy. SO that’s something.

Is there anything y’all would like to see more of on the blog? Let me know!

June 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 24 – June 14
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The descriptions of the set design. This book has made me look at movies and tv shows with a whole new eye, sometimes pausing to take it all in, because the character’s love just shines through in a contagious way.
Least Favorite Thing:  I mean… I kinda hate the cover art on this version…

Honestly, everyone should read a book by Nina LaCour, she’s really becoming a real favorite of mine.

My Posts About Everything Leads to You

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  June 14
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Biracial family in a picture book!
Least Favorite Thing:  No one has managed to bottle the smell of a picture book for me yet so I had to pause after every page to sniff the book.

I don’t know what inspired me to read a picture book, of all things, but I really enjoyed this cute little book. If you are looking for children’s books this would be a great one.

My Posts About The Hello, Goodbye Window

That Summer by Sarah Dessen
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  June 13 – 26
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  The descriptions of all the tall girls in the book.
Least Favorite Thing:  The use of the r-slur that one time.

I am working on a Sarah Dessen reread and I prefer to read them in published order, so obviously this one is first. I liked it a little less this time around, but I’m not sure if that’s due to my outgrowing the books or something else. I suppose I’ll figure it out soon enough.

My Posts About That Summer

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Rating:  ★★★★★ – loved it
Review:  Yes
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  May 16 – June 28
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  SO PUNNY
Least Favorite Thing:  The Humbug annoys me, but only vaguely.

I haven’t read this since I was a kid and I remembered loving it, so I read it again. And I loved it again! Honestly, I know I’ve said this over and over, but everyone should read this book.

My Posts About The Phantom Tollbooth

June 2018

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Non-Reading Stuff

Oh man there is so much going on right now! I got back into therapy so I’m working on that both with meds and talk therapy. It’s….hard, but it feels worth it. I Do Things sometimes now. There’s still a long way to go, but I’m actually feeling hopeful based on the things I’ve been able to do and the differences other people have even been seeing in me.

In addition to my recovery, we have been preparing to move house. My mom will be living with us in the new place so the logistics of combining households is added to the stress of moving, and moving to a new town for the first time in my life, in fact.

So things won’t really settle down until the middle of July…

Reading Stuff

I finished 4 books in June!
Check out the list of books and my fave/least fave things about them.

I didn’t do as well as I had hoped to do this month, but I did technically meet my goal. I was determined to be halfway through my 75 books by the time the year’s halfway point came around and I managed that, if only barely. So I’m forgiving myself for not reading so much as I would have liked.

Blogging Stuff

Aw sad low activity blog… I have some ideas to help me get back in the swing of things. I made a post about foregoing some of the weekly book memes I was doing in favor of trying to make more original content.

And of course I intend to keep making this new effort with my bookstagrams. I enjoyed doing it and once this move is done I’ll have way more options for where and how to take photos so it will only get easier.

I’ve also been thinking about adjusting the way I do reviews. I enjoy doing full reviews, but that isn’t something I can do for every book, so I thought I might come up with a faster format for books that I don’t have enough to say about for a proper write-up.

How did your June go? Is there something you’d like to see more of on the blog? Let me know 🙂

May 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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The Martian by Andy Weir
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 1 – 5
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Sarcastic!
Least Favorite Thing:  “The lunatics at NASA have me doing all kinds of rape to the MAV. . .” Rape? Really? Jackass.

Well the internet was right, the book was funny, I’m glad I read it. Aside from that one sentence, it was a really good book. I would have quoted it a lot more, but I’m fairly certain if you added up all the ‘Martian’ quotes on Goodreads you could reprint full half of this novel (at least).

My Posts About The Martian

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 11 – 13
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  I just can’t think of anything I liked enough to say was my favorite thing.
Least Favorite Thing:  So many…

I just… This wasn’t a bad book by any means. But I just expected to love it and I barely even liked it… I actually preferred the film, which is something I never say.

My Posts About Practical Magic

Undiscovered Gyrl by Allison Burnett
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 7 – 15
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  I literally didn’t like any part of it.
Least Favorite Thing:  Been a long time since I read a book with so many racist comments. I wasn’t missing it.

I read this because I had seen the movie version and found it tolerable enough that when I saw it was based on a book I decided to try the novel. This was a poor choice on my part.

My Posts About Undiscovered Gyrl

In Progress

April 2018

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Look at me actually getting the wrap-up posts out at the right time! I may be having a crappy-ish day, but at least my posts are punctual!

Non-Reading Stuff

The month started well. I wasn’t going out or anything, but I had the desire to sometimes. I was taking care of myself pretty well and since I’ve finally given in to my natural sleep cycle (7-9am through 3-5pm) and just gone full nocturnal, I’ve actually been doing pretty well at eating regularly, not sleeping all day, and even getting some things done around the house.

Of course the end of the month was less wonderful.

Let’s see… I spent a whole week completely outside of my home and spoke to strangers on a daily basis for that whole week. I’ve been making all kinds of phone calls, also to strangers. Scheduling and planning and care-taking. I’d say all things considered that’s pretty good. The reason was awful, a mom being in the hospital is always awful, but I was impressed by my ability to Do Things anyway.

And then post-hospital, the hubby and I have been doing a lot of extra stuff for my mom because she physically can’t right now. It’s all very stressful, but so far I’ve been managing to hold on to my little progress even if I’m not currently making any new progress.

Reading Stuff

I finished 9 books in April!
Check out the list of books and my fave/least fave things about them.

And most importantly, I managed to read all 3 of my April Challenge books from Book Club! Hurray! I just barely made it with Heartless, but whatever “barely made it” is still “made it” so there!

I got pretty distracted at the beginning of the month. I kept seeing things and reading them even though I was supposed to be reading other things, but no one ever accused me of having self-control before anyway.

Blogging Stuff

I didn’t manage to keep up with all my weekly book memes, but I did enough other blogging that I feel good about it this month. Even if half of my posts were painfully Twilight related…

Towards the end of the month I’ve been making a little more effort on my bookstagram posts. Instead of just randomly snapping a poorly lit picture of whatever I’m reading right there where I’m sitting, I’ve started trying for poorly lit photos with props and backdrops and things!

I haven’t been writing many full reviews, but I’ve done a couple minis so I’m satisfied there too.

Now if I can just keep this up for next month, I’ll be grand.

April 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
(Twilight Saga, book 3)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  No
Format:  E-book
Reading Dates:  April 1 – 2
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  It could have been longer, but it wasn’t and I’m grateful.
Least Favorite Thing:  Bella’s doormat impersonations…

Lordy this book was obnoxious. There were a lot of parts I hated, but all of them in some way tie-in to the whole “Bella as a doormat” crap so… Like seriously I kept wanting to climb into the novel and shake her like “just stick to your guns about literally anything, just stand up for yourself, just stop letting these idiots run right over all your boundaries!” and then scream for an hour.

My Posts About Eclipse

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
(Twilight Saga, book 4)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  No
Format:  E-book
Reading Dates:  April 2
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Bella is slightly more tolerable as a vampire.
Least Favorite Thing:  Nessie. Both the name and the concept.

I read all of the Twilight books and my head didn’t even explode it’s a miracle! Never again.

My Posts About Breaking Dawn

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
(Throne of Glass, book 5)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  March 8 – April 4
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Lorcan being like “I hate Elide, but if anyone ever even thought about hurting her, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.”
Least Favorite Thing:  Up until the very end of the novel, it was like “everything that can go wrong, will go wrong” and that made me tired.

My least favorite thing is actually why I rated this book only 3 stars. It was good, interesting, and there were a lot of parts I enjoyed, but it felt like for every good thing there were two bad things and it just starts to wear on me after a while and make me tired so it limits my enjoyment of the novel.

Also can I just say, why are they like “oh obviously someone has to die to forge the lock” when they have two heirs of Brannon? It takes all the power of one heir of Brannon to forge the lock, they have two heirs of Brannon. Halfsies, bro. Everybody lives.

My Posts About Empire of Storms

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
(Books of Bayern, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it *
Review:  Yes **
Format:  Full-Cast Audiobook
Reading Dates:  April 5 – 7
Read Count:  5-ish
Favorite Thing:  Vicious Attack Geese!
Least Favorite Thing:  Um literally all of Selia’s guard friends. Too skeevy, blech.

* Please note that this rating is for the novel as a whole, not the Full Cast Audio version.
** This review is for the Full Cast Audio version, not the novel as a whole.

My Posts About The Goose Girl

Life and Death by Stephenie Meyer
(Twilight Saga, book 1.75)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  Yes
Format:  E-book
Reading Dates:  April 10 – 13
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The alternate ending.
Least Favorite Thing:  So boring.

Please tell me she’s done beating the dead horse that is the Twilight Saga???

My Posts About Life and Death

White Oleander by Janet Fitch
Rating:  ★★★★★ – it was amazing
Review:  No
Format:  E-book
Reading Dates:  April 5 – 15
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The amazing prose.
Least Favorite Thing:  Literally every male past puberty that ever came in contact with Astrid….

This was recommended to me as part of the Buddy Reads activity in an online Book Club I am a part of. My “buddy” recommended this to me because I wanted to try more books outside of the YA genre this year. I am so incredibly glad I signed up for this activity because I got an excellent recommendation here. A recommendation which I happily pass along:  Read this book!

My Posts About White Oleander

Once and for All by Sarah Dessen
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it (real rating: 3.5)
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  April 15 -17
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Snarky wedding planner comments.
Least Favorite Thing:  Ambrose’s habit of writing everything off as being somebody else’s fault. Fucking obnoxious…

I read this book for my book club’s April Challenge (Read a book with a pastel cover.) and also because I’ve never yet met a Dessen novel I didn’t like. I wish I could give half-star ratings on Goodreads though.

My Posts About Once and for All

What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang
(Hybrid Chronicles, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  April 20 – 28
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Sisterly bond? Is that an accurate term for the bond between two souls sharing the same body?? Whatever. That’s what I’m calling it.
Least Favorite Thing:  Slow? Kind of slow… Not slow enough to DNF, but still slow.

April Challenge #2 complete with the finishing of this novel! Yay! (I don’t know how quickly I’ll move to the sequel though.)

My Posts About What’s Left of Me

Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  April 29 – 30
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  I took sick pleasure in angry, vengeful Cath.
Least Favorite Thing:  Peter Peter.  Actually that’s not even the thing I hated most, but the real thing is a big spoiler.

It took me a minute to get into it, but once I did I couldn’t put it down! And April Challenge #3 successful by the skin of my teeth!

My Posts About Heartless

In Progress

March 2018

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Shh, I’m not late posting this again. I definitely did not do that thing where despite something happening to draw attention to the fact that the months changed I still don’t register that a month has ended and a new one has started. This post is exactly on schedule.

Non-Reading Stuff

Um… Stuff definitely probably happened this month? I’ll be honest, I don’t think there’s much chance of me remembering any of it right now though, because I am super sleep deprived…

The only thing I can really think of is that we made steaks on the neighbors’ smoker and they were delicious. Oh! And I got to pet their dogs and hold their snakes.

Hey look at that I thought of some stuff after all. Cool.

Reading Stuff

I finished 8 books in March!
You can view the list of books and my fave/least fave things about them here.

I did better this month again! Hurray!! I mean admittedly I’ve been stuck in the middle of one book for the whole month… BUT OTHER THAN THAT I did pretty well. I’m almost 1/3rd of the way to my goal for the year!

Oh and I’ve started another classic, which I plan to read slowly alongside the other books I read. Not sure how that will go since I really enjoyed the first chapter, but I feel like I gain something by reading a classic a little slower than other novels.

Blogging Stuff

I didn’t really do better on my blogging this month like I said I would. It only picked up in the last week of the month, and the majority of that stuff I think was Twilight-related ranting. So… better than last month, but not good enough. I’ll keep working on that.