Reading Challenge

Since I have been in a reading slump for so long, I am looking for a cure. Reading is my passion and I really want to get back into it. I think What I am going to try is to read 7 books that I absolutely adored when I read them the first time! Let call it the throwback challenge 😂

I am going to try to update on here as I go along. I will be posting the 7 books that are on the list today.

Join if you want or just follow me on my journey to rediscover my passion!

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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Life Update!

I am so sorry that I have been absent for so long! About a year ago I started dating my boyfriend and got in a BIG reading slump. I blame my boyfriend for distracting me😜

Here is what has been going on in my life:

April 2019- I started dating my friend who I had known since October and had no clue he liked me😂

May 2019- I went on a cruise to Alaska with my best friend.

June 2019- I joined a co-ed softball team with my boyfriend! I mostly kept score because I SUCK at softball!

July 2019- I moved into a house with my boyfriend!

August 2019- Took my boyfriend to his first Major League Baseball game. This was a huge deal for him because he is obsessed with sports and baseball is his favorite!

September 2019- I took my boyfriend to the fair I have worked at every year since I was a kid.

October 2019- I quit my job and was unemployed for my first time since I started working, but I won a costume contest at our local bar as pennywise!

November 2019- I got a bartending job at a ski mountain. It is actually very hard to get a bartending position right away because there are only 4 and I was so amazed that I got it!

December 2019- First Christmas with my boyfriend and both our families was absolutely amazing!

January 2020- Spent the month working non stop, at one point I worked 14 day straight!

February 2020- First valentines day with a boyfriend ever! I just made him buy all my favorite candy and we had a steak dinner!

March 2020- This is when sh*t got crazy! I got laid off due to coronavirus. I got another job and after my first day idaho got shut down.

Ever since march I have been unemployed and at home. All I have been doing is play my switch, watching tv, and reading. I am going to try posting on here at least once a day!

 

What has everyone else been up to?

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

BookExpo and BookCon Haul

BookExpo and BookCon Haul

I am a bit late on the bandwagon, but I wanted to share some of the books that I got when I attended BookExpo and BookCon. I got to BookExpo and was absolutely overwhelmed with all of the books that were being given out. Though I am proud to say that I was able to obtain the top five books that I really wanted.

1. Wildcard by Marie Lu

This was one of my most anticipated reads for the year and I was dying to get my hands on it. On the first day I had seen a short line of people by penguin and asked what they were lined up for and was told it was for Wildcard! This amazed me because I had not seen anywhere that it was going to be dropped. So I hopped in the line, which we were told wasn’t a line because we weren’t supposed to line up until 15 minutes before, but I got it! Then I ended up getting a second copy because I also went to her signing. So, if you are wondering, I am giving away my second copy!

2. Wicked King by Holly Black

I read Cruel Prince back in March and absolutely fell in love with Holly Black. Her storytelling is amazing and I was hoping to get a copy of the second book in the series. There was a lot of speculation if it was actually going to be there or not because there was a saws drop, but no official galley drop had been announced. So, the group I was with and I decided to ask someone about it and he told us a password was dropping at 10 (I don’t think he was supposed to have told us). We waited around until 10 and the second it dropped we ran up and I got the second copy! I was so thrilled!

*** shoutout to Haley for staying with me at Wildcard and Wicked King!

3. What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

I would say that this was one of the most sought out books of this years BookExpo and BookCon. I had attempted to get it at the first drop and signing, but the lines were too long. Then on the last one I decided to swing by and the line wasn’t too long, so I got in. I get close to the front and there is only a very small stack left. I am so worried and then . . . I get the LAST copy! I was so happy I didn’t stand in a line for nothing!

4. Imprison the Sky by A.C. Gaughen

I read this book in March and loved the world that A.C. had created because it reminded me of my favorite childhood show, Avatar the Last Airbender! I was in line for the Wildcard signing when I was looking at instagram stories and noticed that she said you could go to the booth and request a copy, so I had someone hold my spot and I ran to get one. Then I was walking back and ran into A.C.! She is literally the sweetest author ever! I also ended up getting a second copy of this because I went to her signing because there was nothing else going on.

5. Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco

I made sure to get in line early for this one because I knew that I really wanted it. I have recently read the first two books and love Kerri’s storytelling! I was about the 20th person in line. I got to the front and she was really nice and it ended up that the first 100 people in line got a signed moonlight carnival ticket as well, which was awesome!

6. City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

7. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

8. Impostors by Scott Westerfeld

9. Check, Please: #HOCKEY by Ngozi Ukazu

10. 9 from the Nine Worlds by Rick Riordon

11. A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss

12. Return to the Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz

13. Furyborn by Claire Legrand 

14. When Elephants Fly by Nancy Fischer

15. The Darkdeep by Ally Condie & Brendan Reichs

16. The Iron Flower by Laurie Forest

17. A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Briggid Kemmerer

18. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon 

19. The Girl King by Mimi Yu

20. Black Wings Beating by Alex London

21. Seafire by Natalie Parker

22. Rule by Ellen Godlett

23. Sadie by Courtney Summer

24. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli 

25. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 

26. Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

27. Emipire of Sand by Tasha Suri

28. The Darkest Star by Jennifer L Armentrout 

29. Not So Normal Norbert by James Patterson

30. Odd & True by Cat Winters

31. Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig

32. Sea Witch Sarah Henning 

33. To be Honest by Maggie Martin

34. Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West

35. RoseBlood by A.G. Howard

I think that is everything I got! I had such an amazing first time at both conventions and hope to attend again in the future!

P.S. this list includes books I got when trading

 

You can see my original haul here: https://youtu.be/68lqA3I9erA

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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Alex, Approximately

Alex, Approximately

Author: Jenn Bennett

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult

Goodreads Summary:

The one guy Bailey Rydell can’t stand is actually the boy of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet.

Classic movie fan Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.

Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new archnemesis. But life is a whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever it is she’s starting to feel for Porter.

And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex…

Spoiler free Summary:

I recently read P.S. I Like You by Kasie West and really enjoyed it and wanted a read similar to it and found this book in the search. This is one of those super easy and fun reads that could help you get out of a reading slump if you want. I started and finished this book on my two flight today and really enjoyed it!

I really enjoy when authors can incorporate things such as texting and messaging so well into novels. One thing I hate is when it is hard to distinguish the difference between messages and real life and the author did an awesome job on letting you know. It really shows people where we have come over the years, being able to making friends over apps who share your hobbies, without ever knowing who they truly are.

I really liked the growth that the author showed in the characters from beginning to end. One thing that I didn’t like was that the author gave away the mystery by revealing who Alex would be in the book description. I mean I still guessed it in this book and P.S. I Like You, but I still enjoy to be questioning it until the very end. So, I would say that was the biggest downfall in the whole book. Otherwise it was such a fun read!

I would recommend this to anyone likes contemporary and romance!

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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So I Married a Sorcerer (Embraced #2) Spoiler Free Review

So I Married a Sorcerer (Embraced #2)

Author: Kerrelyn Sparks

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Goodreads Summary:

Growing up on the Isle of Moon, Brigitta knows nothing of her past, except that she is Embraced: born with powers that forced her into hiding. Everything changes when she learns she’s a princess, hidden away from her villainous half-brother who now rules the kingdom. But he knows about Brigitta, and he’ll do anything to get her back. Unless a certain roguish pirate has anything to say about it…

Rupert is both an infamous pirate and a sorcerer with the power to harness the wind. He’s been waiting nineteen years for revenge—and he needs Brigitta to get it. What begins as a kidnapping of the fiery beauty turns into a fierce attraction. But can he win the captive princess’s heart?

Spoiler free Summary:

I discovered my love for Kerrelyn Sparks in November and have blown through all of her books. This is the second book in the Embraced series. I put off reading this book for awhile because I knew once I finished it that I would have to wait until March for the next book to come out. I am always looking for romance paranormal books. This book is the perfect mixture of historical romance and paranormal romance.

The book started off with Brigitta, the main character, on her way to see her adopted sister, Luciana, who was going to give birth any day. While on the boat the navy, to a bordering country, shows up to take her. The nuns with her suddenly inform her that she is the missing princess to this country who is believed to be dead. Then the infamous pirate Rupert shows up and blows away the navy ships. Birgitta decides to sacrifice herself to save her sisters and willingly goes with the pirates. Birgitta knows there are secrets aboard this ship and is intent on uncovering them.

This story was very thrilling and different from the usual Kerrelyn Sparks books I am used to, it was very refreshing and exciting! I really enjoyed the creativeness and thrill that she put into the making of this book. There were definitely some plot twists that I did not see coming and I loved it! Once again her brilliant writing skills shine through in this book.

I would definitely suggest this to anyone looking for a new paranormal romance to read. I am excited to continue the series in March!

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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youtube video review of first book: https://youtu.be/zwvwf_Ame7Y

Midnight Magic

Midnight Magic

Author: Jo-Ann Carson

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Goodreads Summary:

Midnight Magic: A Ghost & Abby Mystery

Ghostly Charms, Magic Spells and Secrets.

As the janitor in a haunted house, single mom Abby Jenkins has many contacts with the living and the dead in the small Pacific Northwest town of Sunset Cove, which puts her in a perfect position to solve local mysteries. Or so she thinks. Hired to find diamonds hidden in a haunted manor she gets help from a Viking ghost with existential issues. Will she survive? This book contains bad-boy ghosts, mischievous magic, and a woman who knows what she wants in a Viking hayloft.

Spoiler free Summary:

I am always looking for new romance paranormal book. This being because this past year I really discovered my liking to them. I stumbled across Midnight Magic and thought the plot sounded like nothing I have ever read before in the past. This book was such an interesting take on the typical private investigator plot. It has a little bit of paranormal for everyones taste from sexy viking ghosts to blood sucking beings to witches.

The book started off with Abby, the main character, looking to start up her new private investigation service in the town of Sunset Cover. Her current job is being a janitor and is not enough to support her children, especially since her boyfriend is a viking ghost and cannot make any money. Then it switches to her boyfriend who is seeking out a way to become human once again so that he may be with Abby. Bring in a dark sorcerer and an investigation job to find secret jewels and you have the perfect concoction for a page turning paranormal book.

I really enjoyed the ideas and the concepts that the author put into the making of this book. I love when I can find a story that truly intrigues me and is out of the box thinking compared to other that you find in its genre. If an author tries to mimic others with a slight difference it really turns me off from wanting to read it.

I would definitely suggest this to anyone looking for a new paranormal read. I am sure I will end up read the next one in the future!

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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Batman Nightwalker

Batman Nightwalker 

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Goodreads Summary:

Before he was Batman, he was Bruce Wayne. A reckless boy willing to break the rules for a girl who may be his worst enemy.

The Nightwalkers are terrorizing Gotham City, and Bruce Wayne is next on their list.

One by one, the city’s elites are being executed as their mansions’ security systems turn against them, trapping them like prey. Meanwhile, Bruce is turning eighteen and about to inherit his family’s fortune, not to mention the keys to Wayne Enterprises and all the tech gadgetry his heart could ever desire. But after a run-in with the police, he’s forced to do community service at Arkham Asylum, the infamous prison that holds the city’s most brutal criminals.

Madeleine Wallace is a brilliant killer . . . and Bruce’s only hope.

In Arkham, Bruce meets Madeleine, a brilliant girl with ties to the Nightwalkers. What is she hiding? And why will she speak only to Bruce? Madeleine is the mystery Bruce must unravel. But is he getting her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees? Bruce will walk the dark line between trust and betrayal as the Nightwalkers circle closer.

 

Spoiler free Summary:

I read Wonder Woman back in September and was really excited that is was a whole succession of books by various YA authors. I decided to get the LitJoy crate batman box because it included a signed copy and some other goodies. I immediately packed the book to bring on my vacation to Mexico.

Just off the bat I was very intrigued with the book. The reason being that it started of with Bruce’s 18th birthday. When watching all of the batman movies they are always centered around once he is older and fully developed. So I like that Marie did not stick to the batman stereotypes.

Marie used the perfect combination of character that are always in the batman world and new ones to juice up the story. When I pick up a book I want it to be a story I have never read or seen before. On that aspect she completely amazed me. the character development helped make the story that much better. She also threw some curve balls into the story that I did not see coming, which I LOVE when authors can accomplish that.

I really enjoyed Marie Lu’s rendition on batman, it was definitely a new twist to a story that has been told over and over. You can really tell that she put a lot of thought into the making of this novel. I would suggest this book to any super hero junkie in look of their next fix.

**SPOILERS**

My only complaint with this book was the relationship between Bruce and Madeleine. I felt that Marie wanted some sort of love interest to be involved and decided to say they liked each other. I just feel that a guy and a girl can develop a friendship without it turning into a romance. I just seemed out of place. But that was the ONLY thing that I did not like!

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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Aaru

Aaru

Author: David Meredith

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Goodreads Summary:

“…Death and the stillness of death are the only things certain and common to all in this future…” 

-Friedrich Nietzsche 

Rose is dying. Her body is wasted and skeletal. She is too sick and weak to move. Every day is an agony and her only hope is that death will find her swiftly before the pain grows too great to bear. 

She is sixteen years old. 

Rose has made peace with her fate, but her younger sister, Koren, certainly has not. Though all hope appears lost Koren convinces Rose to make one final attempt at saving her life after a mysterious man in a white lab coat approaches their family about an unorthodox and experimental procedure. A copy of Rose’s radiant mind is uploaded to a massive super computer called Aaru – a virtual paradise where the great and the righteous might live forever in an arcadian world free from pain, illness, and death. Elysian Industries is set to begin offering the service to those who can afford it and hires Koren to be their spokes-model. 

Within a matter of weeks, the sisters’ faces are nationally ubiquitous, but they soon discover that neither celebrity nor immortality is as utopian as they think. Not everyone is pleased with the idea of life everlasting for sale. 

What unfolds is a whirlwind of controversy, sabotage, obsession, and danger. Rose and Koren must struggle to find meaning in their chaotic new lives and at the same time hold true to each other as Aaru challenges all they ever knew about life, love, and death and everything they thought they really believed. 

Spoiler free Summary:

Aaru is a story that intrigued me from the moment that I read the description, it is unlike any story that I have read in the past. In a way it reminds me of Ready Player One as it has a technological aspect to it.

Basically in this world that David has created is todays world times a million and Alexa is a program that you can interact with. Honestly it reminds me of that robot they made, I think her name is Sophia, you know the ones who said she wants to have a baby? Ya that one. Though obviously this is way more advanced than even that. The main girl isn’t happy because Rose, a 16 year old, is supposed to die. It is a bit crazy to think that it’s real, but not. It almost reminds me of the Matrix, where they are hooked up to a machine and put into this virtual reality. This book definitely makes you wonder if the world could ever truly come to something such as this.

Overall I would say it is a good read if you’re looking for something that is out of the box compared to most reoccurring plots out there. There is even a cliffhanger, which if you know me I have a love/hate relationship with those. I want to know, but love when an author can do that to me.I think that David really put a lot of thought into this book and it shows. I think this book has a little bit of everything for readers. There is sci-fi and fantasy mixed with many different things. I would definitely say to give this book a chance to people who love sci-fi and fantasy, especially if you like alternate realities that have to do with future technology.

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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Miles Morales Spider-Man

Miles Morales Spider-Man

Author:  Jason Reynolds

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Comic

Goodreads Summary:

“Everyone gets mad at hustlers, especially if you’re on the victim side of the hustle. And Miles knew hustling was in his veins.”

Miles Morales is just your average teenager. Dinner every Sunday with his parents, chilling out playing old-school video games with his best friend, Ganke, crushing on brainy, beautiful poet Alicia. He’s even got a scholarship spot at the prestigious Brooklyn Visions Academy. Oh yeah, and he’s Spider Man.

But lately, Miles’s spidey-sense has been on the fritz. When a misunderstanding leads to his suspension from school, Miles begins to question his abilities. After all, his dad and uncle were Brooklyn jack-boys with criminal records. Maybe kids like Miles aren’t meant to be superheroes. Maybe Miles should take his dad’s advice and focus on saving himself.

As Miles tries to get his school life back on track, he can’t shake the vivid nightmares that continue to haunt him. Nor can he avoid the relentless buzz of his spidey-sense every day in history class, amidst his teacher’s lectures on the historical “benefits” of slavery and the importance of the modern-day prison system. But after his scholarship is threatened, Miles uncovers a chilling plot, one that puts his friends, his neighborhood, and himself at risk.

It’s time for Miles to suit up.

Spoiler free Summary:

Recently when I was on amazon searching for some new books to order with my gift card I cam across something interesting. I knew about the DC series that are being written by YA authors. I never knew that there was also a Marvel series of books currently being written. I decided to order both Spider-Man and The Runaways. I was very excited to dive into Spider-Man because it has been one of my favorites since I was little. I was surprised that it was only 261 pages, but thought it must be 261 awesome pages.

The book started out with Miles saying that he was done being Spider-Man and that being from a bad neighborhood he couldn’t be a superhero. From there I thought it would be about him getting his groove back and becoming a bada**. Then it just seemed to keep going on and on about struggle after struggle. I kept waiting for the action and it never seemed to really come. I was looking more for a background about how he got to where he is and how he was going to persevere. The only action was for about 10 pages out of the whole book.

I mean if you are looking for a book more on Miles Morales’ personal life then this the book for you. Though if you are like me and wanted an action packed book then I would not suggest reading this, you are in for disappointment. I also thought that the plot was a little odd and seemed rushed to get some last minute action into the book. Though you may like it, it just wasn’t for me.

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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Starstruck

Author: Brenda Hiatt

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

 

Goodreads Summary:

Nerdy astronomy geek Marsha, M to her few friends, has never been anybody special. Orphaned as an infant and reluctantly raised by an overly-strict “aunt,” she’s not even sure who she is. M’s dream of someday escaping tiny Jewel, Indiana and making her mark in the world seems impossibly distant until hot new quarterback Rigel inexplicably befriends her. As Rigel turns his back on fawning cheerleaders to spend time with M, strange things start to happen: her acne clears up, her eyesight improves to the point she can ditch her thick glasses, and when they touch, sparks fly—literally! When M digs for a reason, she discovers deep secrets that will change her formerly humdrum life forever . . . and expose her to perils she never dreamed of. Yes, the middle of nowhere just got a lot more interesting!

Spoiler free Summary:

Like I always do about once a month I began browsing kindle for some free books. I always do this so that I have some books to read when I am in bed. I am going try to release a couple free ones every month that I have read.

Starstruck is unlike any book that I have ever read before and I loved it! It is so refreshing to come across a free book that I genuinely enjoy. Typically when I read the free books there are typically plot lines that repeat themselves, or the writing isn’t as edited as I like it to be.

The book started off with your average dorky girl who is the opposite of popular. Though there is a quirk with her, she has been known to fry the electronics near her. Then enter the new kid. He’s attractive, popular, and the new star quarterback. Of course she is instantly attracted to him and he seems to start taking an interest. She starts noticing some changes, such as no longer needing glasses and her acne disappearing. Then when they touch they both notice a electric spark. Then things start to get a little weird when they are together…

I really enjoyed that the author incorporated astronomy into the book, especially being someone who really enjoyed the subject in school. It is always very apparent if an author did the research or not when writing the book. If I notice that certain facts are missing, it really turns me off from reading the book.

I would definitely suggest this to anoyone looking for a free read. I am planning on getting the second one to read on my kindle!

From your local bibliophile, until next time!

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