Tag: readathon

#StayHome Reading Rush Wrap Up

mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Happy Monday!

Yesterday was the last day of the #StayHome Reading Rush, so I thought it was fitting to share all I got read during the last four days. I also wanted to include a reading update with everything I plan on reading from now until the end of the month. So, onto the wrap up!

Spoiler alert, I did not win the readathon.

Last week, I posted my TBR for the readathon and it had three books on it: The Magician by Lisa Maxwell, An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, and The Selection by Kiera Cass.

The one book I did finish reading was The Last Magician and I loved it! It took me around 150 pages to really get into it, but once I did, I was deep in the world and in love with some of the characters. At several times, the story made me pause and step back from it with my jaw wide open. While the story caught me off guard with its twist and turns, the characters just stepped right off the page. They were flawed and interesting, and I couldn’t help but have a soft spot for Esta and Harte. Overall I gave this book a 4.5/5 stars and highly recommend it.

That was the only book I completed during the readathon. Things got busy with school because I had two final essays due Saturday afternoon and kind of left them until the last minute…so Friday and Saturday were not great reading days. Neither was Sunday, to be honest, but I blame that on work and the Netflix TV show, The Elite (which I’ve been LOVING by the way). I did make progress in the other two books on my TBR though. As of today, I am 270 pages into An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. This is another book that takes me a bit to get into, but once Laia goes to Blackcliff, I am sucked in for good. I am so happy I decided to start my re-read of this series now because it is just making me anticipate the fourth book even more.

As for The Selection, I only got 30 pages read during the readathon. I am not too sure if I am going to continue on with it this month or just re-read it some other time. The beginning is also slow, but I do not know if I am in the mood for this contemporary-dystopian type of novel. Right now, my heart is with fantasy. Whether that is urban/historical fantasy like The Last Magician or high fantasy like An Ember in the Ashes (I think it is qualified as high fantasy). All I want is far-off worlds and magic.

So, as of now, I will be continuing on with my re-read of An Ember in the Ashes before moving on to my final two books for the O.W.Ls readathon. I decided to change one of those books though. Instead of reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, I want to pick up Clockword Prince by Cassandra Clare. After reading Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, I have been dying to pick up the sequel, and it also fits with the prompt of reading a book with a shapeshifter because one of the characters is a Eidolon…but I won’t say which one because spoilers. However, I do still plan on reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, which I am very curious to see if I like or not.

That is all for my Reading Rush wrap up and mini reading update. I had a lot of fun participating in this surprise readathon, and cannot wait to continue on with the O.W.Ls readathon for the rest of April. Let me know if you participated in the #StayHome Reading Rush, and if you did, how your reading went because I would love to know.

Thanks for reading!

Last Blog Post: How I Edit My Stories

See the source image  Buy Me A Coffee

Image result for twitter

 

 

@zoermathers

 

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

Stay Home Reading Rush TBR + Tag

mylifewithbooksblog3 Comments

The Reading Rush's tweet - "Announcing the #stayhomereadingrush ...

Happy Monday!

The Reading Rush (a week long readathon that takes place every summer) is hosting a shorter, surprise readathon from April 16-19 and I cannot wait to participate. There are four reading challenges along with a fun tag that I am going to answer in this post as well as share what books I plan on reading. I am already participating in the O.W.Ls readathon, but I am sure I can double up on some challenges. If not, what are a few more books?

This readathon sounds really fun and a perfect way to pass the time. I can’t wait to participate so here are the books I plan on reading!

1. Read a Book with a House on the Cover

An Ember in the Ashes - Wikipedia

I had to stretch this prompt a little because I don’t seem to have any books with houses on the covers. So, I settled for a cover that had buildings on it. If they are the buildings I am thinking of, than people do live in them so I think that counts… Anyways, the book is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. Yes, I’ve read this book quite a few times, but I am just so excited for the fourth book, A Sky Beyond the Storm, to come out in December. That is pretty far away, but I just love these books and want to dive back into the story.

2. Read a Book in the Same Room the Whole Time

selection-cvr

While I’ve mostly been craving fantasy books, I feel like four fantasy novels in four days is a little unrealistic for me. I think now is a better time than ever to pick up a fun and lighthearted novel so why not give The Selection by Kiera Cass a re-read? I know I can read this book in like a day or two, and I think it will be a great mood booster. It will also be nice to use it as a break between all my fantasy reads.

3. Read a Book Set Somewhere You Wish You Could Go

The Last Magician (The Last Magician, #1) by Lisa Maxwell

Currently, I am reading The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell but it is not a small book and I feel like by Thursday, I will still be reading it so I am just going to tack it onto this TBR. This urban fantasy is set in New York City during past and present time. Honestly, I would want to visit New York City both in present time and in the early 1900s like the main character, Esta, does. It has been a dream since I was young to go there and hopefully one day soon I can.

4. Read a Book That Will Make You Smile

selection-cvr

I hate doubling up on challenges because I like to challenge myself to read as much as possible, however, I know it is unrealistic for me to be able to read four books in four days because of the ones I’ve chosen to read. I am going to also use The Selection by Kiera Cass for this reading challenge. I’ve read this many times and the cliche, often cringey plot never fails to make me smile. And grimace, but hey, I’ll take it.

 

#StayHomeReadingRush Tag

1. How is Your Reading Going while Staying Home?

So far, it has been going really good. Already this month, I have gotten through two, almost three, books which is usually what I get read in a whole month during the school year. It is nice spending anywhere from one to three hours reading inside and outside, and always making a decent chunk of progress in whatever I am reading. It is helpful having all these readathons too because they motivate me to read even more.

2. Where Have You Been Reading At Home?

I have had two main reading spots lately. The first one is my couch where I retreat to first thing in the morning when I wake up to read. The second one is on my deck because we have couches and other furniture set up out there. Also, the weather has been so nice lately it is hard not to want to spend time outside.

3. Best Book You’ve Read During Isolation?

Definitely Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare, which if you have read it, might come to no surprise. The characters and atmosphere are just so addicting that I was stuck reading it for hours and hours every day. It is no short book either, so it took me surprisingly little time to read it because I just flew through it. Which is common with me for Cassandra Clare books. Another favourite I have read so far is The Toll by Neal Shusterman because it was the conclusion to the Scythe series which I am a huge fan of. It was bittersweet but the story took me completely by surprise to say the least.

4. What’s Your Favourite Feel Good Book?

Honestly, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is my feel good book. I always have such a fun time reading it and it makes me so happy. Even though Cath can be annoying, she is a relatable main character for any reader and writer, and overall, the story is adorable.

5. Book You Wish You Could Buy or Borrow from the Library?

I want to buy A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir, the third book in the An Ember in the Ashes series because I only own the first two books. I want to complete my collection of her books but when I first read it, I borrowed it from the library to save money. Now, I want to own it!

6. Author You Want to Shout Out During This Time?

The host of this readathon, Ariel Bissett, shouted out A.S. King and I have to agree with that. I’ve only read one of her books, Dig, but she has such a captivating way of story telling that resulted in her book completely destroying and amazing me. I cannot wait to read more of her books and I cannot recommend her enough..

7. What is Your Reading Rush TBR?

I don’t need to answer this because I just did above, but if you are also participating, let me know what you are reading in the comments!

 

Those are all the books I plan on reading during the #StayHomeReadingRush readathon, and also my questions to the tag portion. I hope you enjoyed and don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts linked down below.

Thanks for reading!

Last Blog Post: COVID-19: 5 Ways to Support Books during a Crisis

See the source image  Buy Me A Coffee

Image result for twitter

 

 

@zoermathers

 

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

O.W.Ls 2020 Readathon TBR

mylifewithbooksblog5 Comments

Happy Friday!

I hope you are all doing well and are reading lots, writing lots, and relaxing…lots.

Like I mentioned in my Monday blog post, I am here to share the five books I plan on reading for the month long O.W.Ls Readathon. This readathon takes place throughout all of April and includes a series of prompts with challenges related to courses and careers in the Harry Potter universe. To find out more, check out Book Roast’s video on it right HERE.

The occupation I am “studying” for is a Ministry Worker because to achieve that, I have to read five books which I think is a suitable challenge. Anyways, here are the prompts and the books I am going to read!

1. Charms – Read a Book with a White Cover

Clockwork Angel - Wikipedia

I have one or two books with white covers and I did not want to read either of them, so I stretched this one a bit. For it, I will be re-reading Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare which has white lettering on the front cover. Ever since I read Chain of Gold, I have been in the mood for more Cassandra Clare books and the whole Shadowhunter world, but I do not want to dive into a re-read of Chain of Gold yet…so I decided to settle for Clockwork Angel which follows Will, Tessa, and Jem who are the parents to the main characters in Chain of Gold. I am looking forward to giving this a re-read because I cannot remember the last time I read it. When I first read this trilogy, I was not a huge fan, but I think my mind will change this time around.

2. Defense Against the Dark Arts – Read a Book that Takes Place at Sea

The Toll | Book by Neal Shusterman | Official Publisher Page ...

For this challenge, I am reading The Toll by Neal Shusterman. I did start this book before the readathon, but I was only 200 pages into it and it is a 625 page book so that’s basically a full book within itself. So far, I am loving it. It had a slow start, but I’ve realized that is a common trait in longer books. I have absolutely no idea where this story will go and I am pretty sure this is the last book too, so I am curious to see where Neal Shusterman will take it…I am also very scared. The trilogy takes place in a dystopian world where humans have conquered everything from disease to death, but to keep the population in check, there a people called scythes who “glean” people.

3. History of Magic – Read a Book with Witches and Wizards

The Last Magician (The Last Magician, #1) by Lisa Maxwell

So far, this TBR is full of big books which could be the downfall of me, but let’s keep stacking them on! When I heard this prompt, my mind immediately went to The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell. I picked up this book in December after hearing so many positive things about it but still have not gotten around to it. Now is the perfect time! As it says in the title, this book has magicians and magic in it so it works with the prompt. Other than that, I honestly have no idea what to expect regarding the plot, but I am excited.

4. Potions – Read a Book Under 150 Pages

The Picture of Dorian Gray | IDW Publishing

While I could not find a book on my shelf that was less than 150 pages, I decided to go for the next best thing. I have been meaning to read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, especially after reading Chain of Gold which has a character who idolizes Oscar Wilde. This book is not under 150 pages, but it is around 200 so close enough, right? My classic book collection keeps growing yet I have not been keeping up with it so my goal is to try to read one once a month, and this is me doing that!

5. Transfiguration – Read a Book with Shapeshifting

A Court of Thorns and Roses: Amazon.ca: Maas, Sarah J.: Books

This is another re-read, but like with Clockwork Angel, it has been years since I read this book. That book is A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas which includes Fae who can shapeshift and whatnot. The last time I read this book was in grade nine, maybe? Which was around four years ago so safe to say I do not remember much. Another reason I want to read it is so I can finally get to the second book, which I also own and do not want it to gather dust on my bookshelf any longer!

Those are my five books that are yes, bigger than I can probably manage, but that I am excited to try and read during April.

Let me know if you are also participating in the readathon and if you are not, then you should! It’s not too late. Anyways, do not forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are linked down below.

Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: My Classes Are Almost Over…Now What?

See the source image  Buy Me A Coffee

Image result for twitter

 

 

@zoermathers

 

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

My Classes Are Almost Over…Now What?

mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Happy Monday!

Today marks the first day of me posting twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) which you would know if you checked out my last blog post…which you definitely should right here!

Anyways, I wanted to do another update type blog post because like the world right now, my plans for the next month seem to change constantly. My online classes are coming to an end on Friday this week, which means most of my school projects will be over then too. However, I do have two more final essays that will be due later on in April. Other than, I will have a lot more time on my hands. I plan on filling it up, of course, and here is what I have on the agenda!

Camp NaNoWriMo

Remember when I said I was going to do a short story collection? Well, that still sounds fun but for all of March, I worked on my Aztec mythology story. I want to spend April turning it into a novel (it is a novella right now) because I am in the mindset to write for it, and also because when I wrote the first draft of the novella, I wrote 5,000 words over my goal of 17,000. I ended up cutting a lot (and still am), but there are so many more obstacles I can add to the story and overall, just more content that I think the story would benefit from. So yes, I am now attempting to have my manuscript reach at least 50,000 words. This means I will need to add around 33,000 more words to it. Being the overwriter I am, I do not think this will be a challenge.

Reading

I decided to participate in the O.W.LS month long, Harry Potter inpsired readathon that happens every year, organized and created by Book Roast on YouTube. I have never participated in this readathon before but I am so excited to give it a go because it looks like a lot of fun. It is a really complicated and complex readathon so I won’t try to explain it here, but you can go check out her YouTube channel where she gives an in-depth explanation on how it all works. If you have took part in it before and know what it all means, I am “studying” to be a ministry worker. I have to read 5 books during April which should not be too hard, but also not that easy. I will tell you all the books I plan on reading for the prompts this Friday!

School

This is something I’ve considered since the beginning of the school year, but I decided to take on online class this summer through my university. Since schools closed early due to COVID-19 and had to transfer online, my school has been adapting to this change for their summer courses as well. This means, I have a lot more options. Sadly, there are not many English courses offered this summer and the ones that are available do not interest me. However, I decided it might be the perfect time to take a language course through my school so as of now, I really want to take an intensive Spanish course. I chose against taking one during the fall and winter semesters because I knew I would not prioritize it and therefore, not get what I wanted out of it. Since it will be the only class I take this summer though, I will be able to give it the time and effort it needs. It is intensive which means it will take more hours and days than a “normal” course and is also only a month and a half long. I have to see if it works with my work schedule first, but if it does, that is my plan!

Anyways, that is a little update on what I plan on doing once my classes finish up this week. I hope you enjoyed and don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts linked down below!

Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: Children of Blood and Bone Has Too Much Hype?

See the source image  Buy Me A Coffee

Image result for twitter

 

 

@zoermathers

 

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

Readathon Reading Routine!

mylifewithbooksblog3 Comments

Happy Saturday!

In July, I participated in a total of two readathons and because of that, I developed a routine that led me to (almost) successfully attacking my TBR. We all know I didn’t read one book per day…but I did read around nine books in July so I call that a win.

Anyways, here is what my reading routine looks like during a readathon!

Starting Early ~ Reading in the Morning

One of the reason I got so much reading done was because I started early. Around 9am every day, I would head out onto my deck because in July, it had been super warm in the mornings. Out there, I would not only get a good tan, but also read for around an hour or more. Depending on the book, I would read 50-100 pages in that amount of time. Already, I started off strong and set myself up for a good day of reading!

Reading + Eating

Another time where I managed to squeeze a few pages in was while I ate. Mind you, I am AWFUL at reading and eating at the same time, but I still tried. It also helped that even after I finished eating, I would continue reading to at least finish the chapter I started or even an extra 20 pages.

Afternoon Breaks 

I am someone who cannot spend an entire day reading. My mind wanders too easily and I always have something I can be working on like my writing, my blog, etc, etc. So, because of that, I used my breaks from working to read. Anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour would be set aside to get a little more reading done. During a typical day, I would take anywhere from two to three breaks in the afternoon, so that is a decent amount of reading getting done!

I’M BORED – Reading Time

Without school or an actual job, I find myself muttering “I’m bored” a lot. Usually, this would result in me watching YouTube or just huffing about my boredom for a good 15-30 minutes. However, since it was a readathon, I was like “no, this is perfect reading time”. This should just be a tip for whenever, even if it isn’t a readathon because reading when you’re bored is more productive than moping about it or mindlessly scrolling through social media instead.

Funnily enough, I did not read at night really at all this past month. I used to be a huge “before bed” reader when I was younger but now I can barely keep my eyes open for longer than a page if I try to read at night. If I do read at night, it will be in the bath but even then, I struggle to stay awake. Because of that, most of my reading happened during the day and that was how I read during both the Biannual Bibliothon and the Reading Rush!

Anyways, that is all for my readathon reading routine and I hope you enjoyed! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are all linked down below or on the side bar. Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: Books I Would NOT Like If I Read Them Now

Image result for twitter

 

@zoermathers

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

Readathon Update!

mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

nmPw_h-u

Happy Thursday!

Today marks the fourth day of the Reading Rush, the second readathon I have participated in this July, and I thought it would be fun to give a little update!

Anyways, currently, I am on track with reading seven books in seven days which is shocking, to say the least. A few years ago, reading that many books in that little amount of time would have been easy even if I had a million other things going on. As I get older, reading for long stretches of time seems to get harder and I do NOT know why. Shouldn’t I be less fidgety and more willing to slump on my couch for like five hours?

Apparently not.

While I did not finish a full book on Monday because I thought it was a smart idea to try and read half of two books and then finish them both the next day (this did not happen!), I did catch up yesterday. I tried to read Blue Lily Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (which I successfully finished yesterday) and We Hunt the Flame by Hasaf Faizal (which I did not successfully finish yet) on Monday and Tuesday, but only finished the first because while We Hunt the Flame is good, it’s moving a little slow for me. I’m thinking of replacing it with Again, But Better by Christine Riccio because it JUST came in from the library for me and I really want to read it. Plus, it would be an easy replacement for We Hunt the Flame because it is also a debut book.

I do want to finish We Hunt the Flame because I enjoy the rich world and story, but I don’t think it is readathon material.

Yesterday, I finished reading Avatar the Last Airbender: The Promise: Part Two by Gene Luen Yang which I read for the challenge of “read a book in one place”. It took me literally 20 minutes to read and I had a fun time! Yesterday, I also started and finished reading Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Richard Stevenson which was a nice, short read at 68 pages. As you can see, I am only on track because I’ve been reading my short books HOWEVER, none of the books left are anywhere near that short. Well, maybe except for Again, But Better which I started last night and am 50(ish) pages into already. But that is it.

My plan for today is to finish Again, But Better which I have no doubt I will do and then get at LEAST halfway through The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee because that is a hefty one being over 500 pages.

After that, I will only have two books left: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater. Hopefully, I can finish these books in the next three days and I can win this readathon! However, I’ve been doing a lot of writing and other activities lately, so it will be slightly challenging but doable, I think?

If you’re participating in the readathon, let me know how it’s going!

Anyways, that is all for this reading update and I hope you enjoyed! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as all my social media accounts linked down below. Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: Reading Rush TBR

Image result for twitter

 

@zoermathers

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

Image result for tumblr logo

 

@zoematherswrites

Reading Rush TBR

mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Happy Monday and also, day one of the Reading Rush!

It’s been two days since the last readathon I participated in, but I am already SO ready for the Reading Rush! I’m looking forward to yet another whole week dedicated to reading as much as possible because like I’ve mentioned before, I am trying to read a lot before I head off into my first year of university.

WHAT IS THE READING RUSH?

The Reading Rush was formally known as the BookTubeAThon and takes place from July 22 @ 12am – July 28 @ 11:59pm. It is an entire week dedicated to reading as much as you can, and is filled with video, reading, and Instagram challenges!

Anyways, here is what I plan on reading for this Reading Rush!

Read a Book with Purple on the Cover

Blue Lily Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Image result for blue lily lily blue

This has a liiitle purple on the cover so it counts! I mostly just really wanted to find a way to incorporate the last two books in the Raven Cycle into my Reading Rush TBR because I am LOVING my re-read of these books. Blue Lily Lily Blue is the third book out of four and I haven’t read it for a while so I kind of forget what happens, making me even more eager to jump into this book.

Read a Book in the Same Place Every Time

Avatar the Last Airbender: The Promise: Part Two by Gene Luen Yang

Image result for avatar the last airbender the promise book two

For the Biannual Bibliothon, I picked up the first installment in this graphic novel series following the events of season three of the TV show, Avatar the Last Airbender. While it wasn’t EXACTLY what I expected, I did enjoy my time reading it and definitely need another short book for the readathon so this is perfect. Especially if I have to stay in the same place to read it, which I have decided will be outside on my deck.

Read a Book You Meant to Read Last Year

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

Image result for gentleman's guide to vice and virtue

Recognize this from my Biannual Bibliothon TBR? Well, you’re right because I never got around to it the first time! This is a book I’ve been thinking about for the past year or so because I have heard NON-STOP, great things about it. So, I decided this month it is definitely time to give it a read. It is a bit longer (over 500 pages!), but I am hoping that because it is apparently so good, I won’t want to stop reading it.

Read an Author’s First Book

We Hunt the Flame by Hasaf Faizal

Image result for we hunt the flame

I follow this author on Twitter and honestly, her book promotion REALLY worked on me. Not only is the cover for this book beautiful, but the premise is really intriguing and something I am currently in the mood for. It has to do with a female hunter disguising herself as a man and being badass which I am ALL here for. I cannot wait to see if this book is worth the hype but honestly, I am sure it is. Even if it is the author’s debut!

Read a Book Featuring a Non-Human Character

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Image result for the raven king

Okay so TECHNICALLY, Ronan is NOT completely human. He is a greywaren, a magician of sorts, which is NOT HUMAN. This counts because of all of that. This is the fourth and final book in the Raven Cycle which is sad, but I feel like during my first time reading this book, I didn’t really appreciate it for all it was. I sped through it and despite being in a readathon, I really don’t want to do that this time.

Pick a Book That Has More Than Five Words in the Title 

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Stevenson 

Image result for strange case of jekyll and hyde

Not only am I trying to read more classics making this book a great pick, but Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novella so it is SUPER short. I have an edition where most of the book is short stories and the actual story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is like, 70 pages. Hopefully, the story is interesting and I can fly through those 70 pages in an hour or so! I haven’t dived into the world of gothic literature really, so I am looking forward to exploring this area of literature.

Read and Watch a Book-to-Movie Adaptation 

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Image result for city of bones

At first, I was going to combine this challenge with the first and read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, but honestly, I am not really in the mood for a cozy, atmospheric story. SO, instead, I am going to read and watch City of Bones! It’s been a hot minute since I visited the world of the Mortal Instruments except for when I did my audiobook listen of (most) of the books a year or so ago. I am very excited though because I have such a special place in my heart for this book and even the movie!

 

That is all for my Reading Rush TBR and I hope you enjoyed! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are all linked down below. Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: The Final Biannual Bibliothon – How Did It Go?

Image result for twitter

 

@zoermathers

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

Image result for tumblr logo

 

@zoematherswrites

The Final Biannual Bibliothon – How Did It Go?

mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Happy Saturday!

Sorry for not posting on Thursday, but I just did not have the creativity or mindset to sit down and write a blog post that would be satisfactory for you all. Lately, my mind has been a cluttered mess of positivity and negativity, and I am only realizing just now that maybe I should try to work on fixing that.

Anyways, I DID want to make a post talking about how my Biannual Bibliothon went and what exactly I managed to read so I hope you enjoy!

TBR RECAP

  1. Read the Group Book – Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
    1. SUBSTITUTE – Free Choice – Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi
  2. Read a Host’s 5-star Read – Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
  3. Read a Book Based Off of the Cover – The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
  4. Read an Adult Genre Book – Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
  5. Free Choice – The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
  6. Read a Book From an Author You’ve Never Read From – The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman
  7. Read a Graphic Novel – Avatar the Last Airbender: The Promise: Part One by Gene Luen Yang
  8. Read a Book You Were Excited For but then Never Picked Up – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
  9. Read a Predicted 5-star Read – Vicious by V.E. Schwab

How Did I Do?

Despite the nine days I had to read nine books, I only FINISHED four which is definitely not bad, but I was really wanting to challenge myself for this final Biannual Bibliothon. However, as I mentioned, my head’s been a little full lately, and it’s been hard to focus on a book when there are so many other things occupying my mind.

The books I did read though, were ones I really enjoyed my time with.

Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi – 3.5/5 stars

Image result for defy me

I flew through this book mostly because this is the fifth book in the series so I already know the characters and the world. However, I kind of forgot about what happened in Restore Me, so it took a little bit for me to clue into what was going on, but once I did it was smooth sailing. It wasn’t AMAZING, but it does have me curious about what will happen next. 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater – 4.5/5 stars

Image result for the raven boys

As always, I love reading these books and being in this world. While they aren’t perfect, after giving this book a re-read, I definitely think The Raven Cycle is in my top 5 favourite series. Just everything from the characters to the world to the story is so rich and immersive that I can’t help but be sucked in. 

Avatar the Last Airbender: The Promise: Part One – 3/5 stars

Image result for avatar the last airbender the promise book one

First off, I was a little confused when I started reading this graphic novel because I thought it was the graphic novel interpretation of the TV series, but it is actually what takes place AFTER the events of the TV show. Not that I don’t want to know about that, but it just wasn’t exactly what I was expected. Also, Katara’s and Aang’s RELATIONSHIP in this was just…strange and forced in my opinion. It kept popping up everywhere and annoying me. I always thought I shipped them, but recently, I have been aboard the Katara x Zuko ship so…

Vicious by V.E. Schwab – 5/5 stars

Image result for vicious by ve schwab

This book was SO well done and amazing, that I could not help but it give it 5 stars. I guess TECHNICALLY, this could for the challenge of reading an adult genre book as well because this book was not YA, but I am only going to count this for the challenge I originally associated it with. I loved the grey characters and grey world and superhero/villain aspect of it all because it made for a very interesting story. Now, I cannot WAIT to pick up Vengeful next!

While I only FINISHED four books, I am halfway through two others on this list. They are Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, which I was listening to the audiobook version of for the readathon but lately, I have NOT been in the audiobook mood so I only got halfway through. I am going to try and finish this book because I really like the story, but I think I will pick up the physical copy and try to finish it that way. If I can’t, oh well.

The other book I am halfway through and 100% will finish before Monday (which is when the Reading Rush begins!) is The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. Currently, I am 250 pages in so either I will finish today or tomorrow. I am not going to try and fit in any other books though because I definitely want to relax before the next readathon and also get some writing done for Camp NaNoWriMo which I may or may not have been neglecting recently…

 

That is all I got done for the FINAL Biannual Bibliothon and I hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you participated and what exactly you got done because I would love to know. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts linked down below. Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: June + July Favourites

Image result for twitter

 

@zoermathers

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

Image result for tumblr logo

 

@zoematherswrites

Biannual Bibliothon TBR

mylifewithbooksblog4 Comments

Hellooo!

I am so excited to share this TBR with you all, because it is either my second or third year participating in the Biannual Bibliothon, but will also be the last one because this is the last EVER Biannual Bibliothon. One, that is very sad, but two, it only makes me more excited and motivated to get a lot of reading done during this readathon because I want to end it all with a bang. But first off, you might have a few questions…

What Is the Biannual Bibliothon?

The Biannual Bibliothon is a readathon that usually takes place in the winter and summer where you try to read a book a day for however long the readathon is. There are reading challenges, video challenges, and overall, it is just a really fun time! However, the hosts have decided to make this the final Biannual Bibliothon so if you want to participate, do it now!

When Is It?

It starts today! The final Biannual Bibliothon takes place from July 11 (12am) – July 19 (11:59pm).

What I’m Reading…

1. Read the Group Book 

Image result for defy me

The group book is Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, but I am not a sci-fi fan really at all, so I decided to treat this challenge as a “free choice” instead. I decided to read Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi instead, the fifth book in the Shatter Me series which I have yet to pick up. It’s been a hot minute since I read Restore Me and I also remember nothing, so I will definitely have to read a spoilery review before jumping into this dystopian, but nonetheless, I am curious to see how much I will like this book.

2. Read a Host’s 5 Star Read

Image result for the gentleman's guide to vice and virtue

My first pick for this was Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, but that was already taken out at the library, so I decided to pick up The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee. I have heard nothing but fantastic things about this book, so I am looking forward to diving in and seeing if it lives up to the hype for me. While I hear about this book non-stop, I have NO idea what it is about. I do know it has LGBT rep in it though which does have me even more excited because I feel like the books I’ve been reading lately have lacked that.

3. Read a Book Based Off the Cover

Image result for the raven boys

All of the sudden, I got a HUGE desire to re-read The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, so that is what I am going to try and accomplish during the two readathons I am doing this month. So yes, for this book, I am reading The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater because the cover is GORGEOUS and the story is as well. I always read these books during the summer and I am following that trend once again.

4. Read An Adult Genre

Image result for crazy rich asians book

A few days ago, I picked up Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan from the library and it just happens to be a perfect choice for this reading challenge. I loved the movie and I know I will adore the book because I’ve heard it is really fast-paced and fun, which is exactly the type of book you want for a readathon. However, it is pretty lengthy (either close to 500 pages or over) but I’m hoping I will fly through it.

5. Free Choice

Image result for the dream thieves

I am carrying through with my Raven Cycle re-read, so for my free choice, I will be reading The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. Just writing about this series is making me SO excited to re-read it, and I cannot wait for this readathon to start (as I am writing this, it is Wednesday, the day before) so I can see all the characters I love so much. There is also something so enthralling about the whimsical atmosphere of these books that pull me in and fully immerse me, which again, is essential for a readathon!

6. Read a Book From An Author You’ve Never Read From Before

Image result for the dark days club

This is a pretty unexpected choice for me because I have never really had plans to read this book, but for this challenge, I will be picking up The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman. While I’ve heard about this book and the Victorian London setting has definitely intrigued me, I’ve had no near-future plans to read this book. However, I’m reading it for the readathon and I am so excited! Once again, NO idea what this book is about other than it takes place in London and there is a club…called The Dark Days Club…and also that this book is pretty huge. It’s good enough for me though!

7. Read a Graphic Novel

Image result for avatar the last airbender the promise book one

My first idea of what to read for this challenge was Gate 7, a manga I’ve been trying to read for months now, but then of course, I decided to ditch that book and read Avatar the Last Airbender: The Promise: Book One instead. But, I cannot WAIT to read this because I am a massive fan of Avatar the Last Airbender and I just know reading this graphic novel will be the best of times. It will also make me want to watch the TV show which is NOT good because it is Camp NaNoWriMo on top of two readathons, but I’ll make it work, right?

8. Read a Book You Were Excited For But then Never Picked Up

Image result for the picture of dorian gray

When I first bought this book, I had every intention of reading it ASAP but for whatever reason, that never happened. That book is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. However, I am DETERMINED to actually read it this readathon because one, it is pretty short (under 300 pages) and two, I know it will be really good. Also, I am trying to read more classics!

9. Read a Predicted 5-Star Read

Image result for vicious by ve schwab

I am once again, trying to finally read a V.E. Schwab book but of course, it is NOT the one I own. Instead, I will be reading Vicious by V.E. Schwab which I’ve taken out from the library because I have heard amazing things about it so I have high hopes of it achieving that 5-star read! Also, I think I heard that it is getting a movie adaptation? Correct me if I am wrong. Hopefully, I will love it because I really want to start my V.E. Schwab reading journey on a good note.

—

Those are all of the books I plan on reading for the Biannual Bibliothon and I hope you enjoyed! I do have back-ups for every challenge just in case I’m not feeling a book or something, but hopefully, that doesn’t happen. I’m just super excited for 9 days of good books! Anyways, don’t forget to check out my last blog post and happy reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: What I’m Reading

Image result for twitter

 

@zoermathers

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

Image result for tumblr logo

 

@zoematherswrites

 

How to: Get Out of a Reading Slump 2.0

mylifewithbooksblog5 Comments

Happy Thursday!

There are a lot of readathons happening in July so I thought it would be a good idea to share my tips and tricks on how to successfully free yourself from a reading slump.

  1. Pick Up an Old Favourite – My go-to remedy for a reading slump is to pick up an old favourite of mine that yes, I’ve read about 100 times, but love even more every time. For me, this is any Cassandra Clare book, Eliza and Her Monsters or Fangirl. I can read these books countless times and by the time I flip to the last page, they always have me wanting to consume more books.
  2. Don’t Force Yourself to Read – A lot of the time we fall into a reading slump because we are forcing ourselves to read when we don’t want to, or when it is a story we don’t want to read. NEVER force yourself to read (unless it’s for school because then you should probably just try to do it) because that only leads to getting no reading done at all.
  3. Let Yourself Be a Mood Reader – While I make TBRs for most months, they are created from books I really feel like reading at that moment. Luckily for me, if I feel like reading a book at the beginning of the month, I usually still will by mid-month but of course, this is not always the case. So, if you are in a slump or are edging towards one, take a look at your shelf and choose what you feel like reading. Forget your current read and your TBR. Just pick a book you want and read it.
  4. Watch Reading Vlogs – Whether I need some motivation to read or write or be productive, I love turning to vlogs for this. The act of watching someone else do what I want and need to do just fuels me with this sudden motivation to tackle whatever it is. Sometimes I have to watch the entire vlog, and sometimes another (but don’t get sucked into the vicious cycle of only watching these vlogs…try to limit yourself to 3 videos). Other times, I only need to watch the first few minutes and then I am good to go. Here is one of my favourites!
  5. Take a Trip to the Library or Book Store – I go to the library a LOT because it is only a 5-minute walk from my house. Even if I don’t pick out a book, sometimes it is helpful to just be surrounded by books. About 90% of the time, this makes me desperately want to pick up a book and spend the day indoors, absorbed in a new (or old) story.

Those are my 5 tips on how to wriggle free of a reading slump and I hope they were helpful! This month, I am participating in 2 readathons and in the next few days, I will have my TBRs up for them. Also, I will now be posting on Saturdays as well so look out for those new blog posts! Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: Camp NaNoWriMo – Plans, Goals + More

Image result for twitter

 

@zoermathers

 

Image result for instagram  @zoeiswriting

Image result for tumblr logo

 

@zoematherswrites