December 2021 Reading Wrap-Up

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

November 2021 Reading Wrap-Up

The Dating Plan by Sara Desai
(Marriage Game, book 2)
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Nov 5 – 8
Read Count: 1
Favorite Thing: That one joke about the auntie’s cooking.
Least Favorite Thing: If I hear the word “prom” one more fucking time…

Look, I was ready to love this. I wanted to love this. But I could not…

My Posts About The Dating Plan


The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
(Ex Hex, book 1)
Rating: ☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Nov 8 – 9
Read Count: 1
Favorite Thing: The world was interesting I think?
Least Favorite Thing: The narrator ruined this book for me.

I couldn’t even tell you if I liked this book or not because the narrator’s voice caused me such physical discomfort I couldn’t even focus on the story…

My Posts About The Ex Hex


The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Rating:
★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Nov 9 – 11
Read Count: 6
Favorite Thing: The narrator’s voice.
Least Favorite Thing: A bitch be identifying with Nell too much…

I listened to this book to get the bad taste of The Ex Hex narrator out of my ears.

My Posts About The Haunting of Hill House


Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Rating: ★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Nov 11 – 12
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: WHY IS IT SO CUTE????
Least Favorite Thing: The lack of an oxford comma in the title.

I’ve been wanting to reread this for a while. I was intending to read it physically, but I saw the audiobook available with my library and I couldn’t resist. And then obviously I couldn’t put it down.

My Posts About Red, White & Royal Blue


My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows
(The Lady Janies, book 2)
Rating: ★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Nov 14 – 16
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: The whole teacup thing lol
Least Favorite Thing: Over too soon!

I’m about to cancel my subscription to Scribd, sadly, so I’m trying to get in all the audiobooks that I can. Plus I needed something funny because all three of the books I’m reading physically can get a bit heavy.

My Posts About My Plain Jane


Graceling by Kristin Cashore
(Graceling Realm, book 1)
Rating: ☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Nov 25 – 30
Read Count: 1
Favorite Thing: Seriously??
Least Favorite Thing: The fact that no one had ever heard of just like….plugging your ears with something.

Do people genuinely like this book? Like for realzies?

My Posts About Graceling

November 2019 Reading Wrap-Up

Untamed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
(House of Night, book 4)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  No, but I have been liveblogging the series!
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  October 28 – November 1
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Um. Um. Um. Um. I can’t think of anything. I guess I really liked that it ended.
Least Favorite Thing:  I’ve read stories by first graders with more substance than this entire book.

I swear each book in this series is worse than the last. They started off bad, but tolerable, and have devolved into straight up painful. How will I survive this liveblog?

My Posts About Untamed


Holes by Louis Sachar
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  November 2
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  All the pieces just came together so beautifully…
Least Favorite Thing:  X-Ray saying “right?” all the time lol

I reread this on a whim and was so relieved at how much I enjoyed it. I actually got a lot more out of it now than I did when I was just a dumb kid. Also can we talk about how well done the movie version was because I rewatched that after reading the book lol

My Posts About Holes


Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
(Stalking Jack the Ripper, book 1)
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  November 5 – 8
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  I liked the clues dropped and solving the mystery.
Least Favorite Thing:  Thomas was boring and annoying.

I have so many little notes and tabs to remove before I return this book to the library lol It wasn’t bad, but the writing was occasionally kind of sloppy. I probably won’t continue the series because I looked up the next books and Thomas is going to be a major character throughout and I just can’t stand to read him for even one more page.

My Posts About Stalking Jack the Ripper


Pride by Ibi Zoboi
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  November 9 – 16
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Reading a book that wasn’t just nothing but white people was such a fucking relief.
Least Favorite Thing:  I just didn’t connect to it very well unfortunately…

I think all that’s happened here is I’ve developed an urge to reread the actual Pride and Prejudice once again… I’ve even gotten my mom into reading P&P so it’s really the perfect time. OK I’VE DECIDED I’M GOING TO DO IT, BUT I’M GOING TO MAKE MYSELF WAIT UNTIL JANUARY AT LEAST.

My Posts About Pride


The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  November 23 – 24
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  “Whose hand was I holding?” Ooooh! Gives me chills every time!
Least Favorite Thing:  The professor’s wife saying “planchette”…

So I made this mistake of listening to this all alone in my room in the night in the dark when no one could hear me scream… (Just kidding my mom would have heard me scream.)

The narrator on this one was great. I loved his voice and I felt it really lent itself well to the story.

My Posts About The Haunting of Hill House


Cinder by Marissa Meyer
(The Lunar Chronicles, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  November 23 – 24
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Nothing really stood out to be honest…
Least Favorite Thing:  Poor Peony…

I didn’t enjoy the reader so much on this one, but it wasn’t like intolerable or anything. This is just one I enjoyed reading more than listening to.

I had forgotten just how raggedy she must have looked arriving at the ball!

My Posts About Cinder


Hunted by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
(House of Night, book 5)
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  No, but I have been liveblogging the series!
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  November 25 – 30
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Um…god….this is so hard to answer with these books because I don’t like anything about them… I guess I’m glad her grandma is alright because she’s the only character that doesn’t annoy me.
Least Favorite Thing:  Rapey McRaperson never gets his comeuppance, we are just supposed to accept him as a good guy again because Zoey has a crush.

Honestly this series just gets worse with each book. It took forever to get through this one because I kept literally dropping the book and groaning in pain and then having to rant to the nearest person about whatever stupid shit just happened.

My Posts About Hunted


In Progress

February 2019 Reading Wrap-Up

The Haunting by Shirley Jackson
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  January 29 – February 2; February 10 – 14
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  Entrancing prose.
Least Favorite Thing:  Why is everyone so bitchy to Eleanor?

I read this as part of a travelling book project with the Books & Tea discord server. Everyone trades books and annotates them. The annotating is why I read it twice. The first time through I didn’t make hardly any notes because I was just absorbed in reading, so I read through it a second time just to make my notes.

My Posts About The Haunting


Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
(Shatter Me, book 1)
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Audiobook
Reading Dates:  January 4 – February 13
Read Count:  3
Favorite Thing:  The little scratch-out sound effect when she writes something she doesn’t like. It was just a nice touch.
Least Favorite Thing:  The love-sick monologues.

I read this along with a different book club discord server. I had read the book twice before so when it came time for us all to read Shatter Me together I figured I’d give the audiobook a try instead. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as I did reading the physical copies, but it was still good.

My Posts About Shatter Me


In Progress