2018 Biannual Bibliothon Day 7: Write a Book Recommendation

It is the last day of the Biannual Bibliothon…can you believe it? I hope yours was as productive as mine, but I also hope that you had a blast reading, as well as following me along my own journey!

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The blogging challenge for day 7 is hosted by @Laura’s Literary Letters and is to write a book recommendation. I was very excited to tackle this challenge, however it was hard to choose which book to recommend…so many choices. Anyways, after a lot of careful decisions and comparisons, I came to conclusion to recommend the lovely book, Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier.

Ruby Red

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier is the first book in the Precious Stones trilogy, and is a book of time travel with a dash or two of romance. In Ruby Red, we follow our main character, Gwen, a sixteen year old girl whose family has a secret, they possess a time travelling gene. Gwen had always been accepted that her cousin Charlotte possessed the gene, happy to stay out of the spotlight and carry out a normal life, but when she travels back in time, frantic and confused, she realizes that it isn’t Charlotte who has the gene, but herself. Now Gwen’s life is flipped upside down and she is thrust into the spotlight, the burden of the being a time traveler suddenly dropped on her shoulders because time traveling doesn’t just mean going back in history, but is also means putting up with her new annoying, yet ridiculously handsome, time travelling partner, Gideon. We follow Gwen as she lives this new life of adventure, and learns to accept it and everything that comes along with it, including dark secrets that come into light throughout the book.

If you love a book with adventure and a relatable main character, you will love this book! It is a fun, easy read, and you will fly through it, desperate to move onto the next books, Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green. I also recommend this book because there is a movie! It may originally be in German, but on YouTube you can find the dubbed version and it is a very well adapted movie, one I highly recommend. So pick this book up from the library, or purchase a copy yourself because you won’t regret it!

Ruby Red Goodreads page here

That is all for my day 7 challenge, as well as the final challenge of the winter Biannual Bibliothon. I am already counting down the days till the summer Biannual Bibliothon, and also the BookTubeaThon! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: 2018 Biannual Bibliothon Day 6: Favourite/Most Memorable Book of 2017 + Day 6 Reading Update, also, stay tuned for my final reading update coming later! Thank you so much for putting up with these blog posts, and just being amazing. You guys mean so much to me and whenever you like a blog post or comment it puts a smile on my face!

Biannual Bibliothon Info:

Instagram: @BiannualBibliothon

YouTube: @BiannualBibliothon

Other Places You Can Find Me:

Twitter:@zoermathers

Pinterest: @zoermathers

 

September + October 2017 Wrap Up!

I have not been a vivacious reader lately, so since I have only read a few books in the last 2 months, I decided to combine the books I read in September and October into one big wrap up. Hopefully I will start picking up the pace soon, but with NaNoWriMo and school it will be challenging but I am determined to at least read 3 books in November! Anyways, here are the books I read in September and October:

Geekerella by Ashley Poston 

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This was the one book I read in September and it took me the entire month to read it despite being a short, fun contemporary. I did finish it though and overall really enjoyed it. Geekerella follows a girl named Elle who is obsessed with a sci-fi TV show her father used to love before he died, and when she sees a cosplay contest in celebration of the reboot of the TV series, she enters, the prize being a ticket to ExcelsiCon, she jumps at the chance to make her fangirl dreams true. This is such a fun and entertaining read that I read during a time where I was kind of in a reading slump. This book definitely brought me out of it and I was really glad I finally picked up this newer release! 4/5 stars

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier 

Ruby Red

Ruby Red is a book I rave about on my blog a lot, and as I have mentioned before, it is the perfect to read during the fall time. It takes place in London, has time travel and witty characters that you will love. Ruby Red follows Gwen, a sixteen year old girl born into a time travelling gene, however, her cousin Charlotte is the one believed to possess the gene. That is, until Gwen is taken back in time and her entire world is flipped upside down. This is the first book in the Ruby Red trilogy, and every single book in this trilogy is amazing so if you have NOT checked these books out please do! 4.5 stars

Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Abertalli

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I decided to pick this book up because the movie will be coming out in spring 2018, and it is also a book I have heard plenty of people rave about. Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda follows Simon, a gay teenager who is “blackmailed” into setting his friend up with this guy named Marty. The book is really light hearted though, and I absolutely flew through this book in a single day!

Those are the three books I read in the months of September and October and I hoped you enjoyed. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: NaNoWriMo Prep #5!

Reading/Writing Update!

So far I have completed the grand total of one book this month…and today is the last day of the month. However, I have been able to read 150 pages of Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier which is a lot for me lately. I did really want to finish this book before the end of September, but it just means I will be able to finish it early October and get on with my TBR. Since it is Saturday and I am somewhat caught up on sleep, my goal is to read at least 80 more pages of Ruby Red. It is dark and cold outside which is perfect reading weather, and I am feeling the excitement to read!

Writing wise, I haven’t done much new writing this week. I did sign up for a creative writing course which I am now enrolled in, and I did win a writing scholarship to a writing conference! I am really excited to have the opportunity to attend this conference and I know it will be a blast!

That is all for my short reading and writing update, and I hope you enjoyed. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: 25 Inspiring Writing Prompts!

Reading/Writing Update!

I have completed a book!!! After about an odd, irregular month of not really reading, and finishing NO books, I have finished a book. That book is Geekerella by Ashley Poston, a fun, geeky, and relatable contemporary following two different characters, Elle, a passionate fan of a sci-fi TV called Starfield, and Darien, a teenage actor who is casted as the main character in the new Starfield revamp. Overall I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was cute, fast paced and just what I needed to pull myself out of my reading slump. I do think I would have liked it more if I read it while I wasn’t in a reading slump, but I did enjoy it. To hear more of my thoughts on this book, stay tuned for my September 2017 Wrap Up which will hopefully consist of more than one book! Right now, I am about two chapters into my next read, which is Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier. I have read this book about 3 times already…but honestly I think it is the perfect fall read! Anyways, I hopefully will finish that in the next 7 or so days but I am looking forward to re-immersing myself in this world.

Writing time! So I submitted a short story to this writing conference, where the prize is a scholarship that pays for my ticket to go there. I am really hoping I win (obviously), and I will find out on September 30th so fingers crossed. Other than that, I really need to start on my other story for this other writing contest, which has a deadline of October 1st and a maximum word count of 17,000 words…so yeah I need to get started.

That is all for my reading/writing update and I hope you enjoyed. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: October TBR 2017!

October 2017 TBR!

September wasn’t the best reading month, but I plan on turning things around in the month of October. I tried to choose books that gave me a cozy or dark vibe, so here are the books I plan to read!

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

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The Dream Thieves is the second book in The Raven Cycle series, which is a dark, whimsical series that follows a unique cast of characters. In the first book, The Raven Boys, we follow Blue, a sixteen year old girl from a family of psychics who had never showed any signs of possessing the same gift. That is, until one night when the soon-to-be dead walk by, and she sees one named Gansey. Things get complicated though, when she meets the not-yet-dead version of Gansey in real life, and she struggles to figure out what how they are connected. There is also a bit of Welsh mythology in this series which I thought was really cool, and I overall really enjoyed the first book and hopefully I enjoy this one too!

Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

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This book has so much hype around it so I thought it was about time I pick it up. It is also going to become a movie that comes out sometime in 2018 and stars Nick Robinson as well as some other very popular actors. Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda, follows our main character named Simon, who is not-so-openly gay. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at the risk of being exposed unless he plays wingman for the class clown, Martin. I haven’t read a book like this, but since everyone who has read it loves it, I have no doubt I will too.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Grier

Ruby Red

Honestly, this is the perfect book to read during the fall time because it is dark and has magic. It is just a book that I can picture reading on a rainy day with a cup of earl grey tea…specifically earl grey tea. Ruby Red follows a girl named Gwen who comes from a family of time travelers, but it is her cousin Charlotte who is believed to possess the gene. But when Gwen finds herself transported back to the past, secrets slowly begin to unravel and the spotlight is shone on her as she is thrust into the world of time traveling, along with her annoyingly handsome counterpart, Gideon. I love, love, love this book and talking about it makes me want to not only re read it, but watch the movie as well!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan (Graphic Novel)

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I have been meaning to read this graphic novel since I bought it…but just haven’t. I am committed to read it once I finish Geekerella by Ashley Poston, and I am so excited to read a book I love in graphic novel format! This is the third book in the Percy Jackson series, which follows a boy named Percy Jackson who is brought to a special camp called Camp Half-Blood, which is for people like him, demigods. The books are filled with quests, adventure and action, along with awesome characters that you can’t help but love!

That is all for my October 2017 TBR, and I hope you enjoyed. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: October 2017 Talk!

March 2017 Wrap Up!

March was a good reading month which was great, because I plan on reading a lot of books this year. Anyways, here are the books I managed to read this month!

p-s-i-still-love-you-jenny-han-coverP.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han – Since the new and final book is coming out in May, I decided I should re read the first two books in preparation, but also because I just love this series. The first book, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, follows sixteen year old Lara Jean, who’s secret love letters have been sent out to all the boys she has loved before, and she finds herself digging a hole of lies to prevent her current crush from knowing the truth. This is a very quirky and relatable book that you can’t help but enjoy! 5/5 stars

Lola-and-the-Boy-Next-Door_PBLola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins – I had no real reason to re read this book other than the fact that I just wanted to. Lola and the Boy Next Door is about an expressive and unique girl named Lola who has a great life. She loves her parents, has a great best friend, a great boyfriend and is in her final year of high school, but when her first love who crushed her heart moves back next door, things get flipped upside down. This is such a feel-good book that leaves you all warm and fuzzy, and I definitely recommend it if you are in search for a good contemporary! 5/5 stars

before-i-fall1Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver – Since the movie came out this month, I thought it would be a good idea to go read the book before I watched the movie so I did and I really enjoyed it! Before I Fall is about a girl named Sam who has it all. She is popular, has a great group of friends named Lindsay, Elody and Ally, and is dating one of the most popular guys in school. But when her and her friends are driving back from a party one night, they get into and accident and Sam suddenly finds herself reliving that day over and over again. I thought this book really made you think about and cherish the life you have, and while it had a lot of darker and more serious elements, it was also filled with light and fluffy moments that I really appreciated. 3/5 stars

ruby-red-trilogy-by-kerstin-gierRuby Red, Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier – I always forget how much I really do love the Ruby Red trilogy until I read it, and I am so happy that I decided to pick it up again. Ruby Red follows a girl named Gwenyth who comes from a family of time travellers, but it is believed that the time travelling gene has skipped her, and instead possessed by her cousin, Charlotte. But when Gwen is thrust back in time, completely unprepared, she finds herself living the life her cousin was meant to but not necessarily the life she wanted to. I really recommend this if you want an easy, fun book with a great romance in it! 4.5/5 stars for all three

Those are all the books I managed to read in the month of March and I hope you enjoyed. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: Reading/Writing Update!

 

 

 

Underhyped YA Books!

There are a lot of amazing overhyped books, but there are also a lot of amazing underhyped books and here are a few that I have read, that I think everyone should read too.

Ruby RedRuby Red by Kerstin Gier – I have talked about this book quite a bit on my blog, but it is seriously underhyped. It is originally written in German, but is translated into Enlgish, and even has movies! Ruby Red is about a girl named Gwenyth who is born into a family of time travelers, but only her cousin, Charlotte, is believed to have the special gene. That is, until one day Gwen finds herself back in the past and completely unprepared. Now she is thrust into a new world of time traveling, and has an arrogant but handsome partner named Gideon. This is definitely one of my favourite trilogies and it deserves more recognition.

Kane ChroniclesThe Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan – Rick Riordan’s other series such as, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard and The Trials of Apollo, are his most popular and loved series. But, everyone forgets about his trilogy on Egyptian mythology called the Kane Chronicles! The first book, The Red Pyramid, follows two siblings, Carter and Sadie who’s father takes them to the British Museum one night, and ends up releasing the ancient god Set. The two kids run for their lives as their father is taken, and they set off to save him while unraveling the truth of their family and a world that was unknown to them. I really enjoy this series, and while I definitely wouldn’t say it is his best series, it is still worth the read!

thesummeriturnedprettyThe Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han – Her other contemporary trilogy, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, is very loved and I too, am a massive fan of it. But not too many people have read her other trilogy, The Summer I Turned Pretty. The Summer I Turned Pretty follows our main character, Belly, who returns with her mother and brother to a beach house that she has spent every summer at since she was young. There, she is reunited with the two children of her mom’s best friend, Conrad and Jeremiah, and has a summer filled with fun and romance. This trilogy is a very easy and entertaining read that I think everyone should read, especially if they are looking for a good summery read.

Legacy-of-Kings-Eleanor-HermanLegacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman – This book takes place in Ancient Greece and follows multiple POV’s such as Alexander who is Macedonia’s heir, Katerina who is determined to kill the Queen, Jacob who will go to any length to win over Katerina, Hephaestion who is a murderer sheltered by the prince, and Zofia a Persian princess whom Alexander is set to married. There are so many twists and turns in this novel, and I think a lot more people should give it a chance.

Lola-and-the-Boy-Next-Door_PBLola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins – I talk about this book way too much, but a lot of people prefer the first book, Anna and the French Kiss over this book, and forget about it! Lola and the Boy Next Door in my opinion, is just as good as Anna and the French Kiss and more people should give it a chance. Lola and the Boy Next Door follows Lola, a stylish and unique girl who has the perfect life. She has a great best friend, a great boyfriend, and is going to enter her winter formal in the most lavish dress. All of this is turned upside down though, when her first love and first heartbreak moves back next door and changes everything. This book is too cute and if you haven’t read it, read it!

Those are five underhyped books that you should read already if you haven’t, and I hope you enjoyed. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: March 2017 Haul!

Reading/Writing Update!

I have had a pretty good reading and writing week. I managed to complete both Ruby Red and Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier, and am on the third and final book, Emerald Green. This trilogy follows a girl named Gwenyth who is born into a family of time travelers, but her cousin Charlotte is the one they believe inherited the gene. When Gwen is suddenly thrust into the past, completely unprepared, her life is flipped upside down. Not only can she travel back in time, but now she also has an arrogant but handsome partner named Gideon. I love, love, love this trilogy and everyone should have the privilege of reading it! These books are also all movies, but since the books are originally in German, I watched the first movie dubbed. The movies for Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green are pretty much impossible to find if you live in North America, but I am just happy I was able to watch the first one because it was great!

I finally finished editing my short story for this local contest I wanted to enter, and have now submitted it! I haven’t had motivation to enter a writing contest for a while now, so it feels really good to be getting back to my normal writing self. I have a few other contests I plan to enter, plus I am going to be attempting Camp NaNoWriMo with my goal of 17000 words, so there will be lots more writing in the future!

That is all for my writing and reading update and I hope you enjoyed!

 

Reading/Writing Update!

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, school has been a lot lately but I am on spring break so expect the normal amount of posts again!

I haven’t done a tremendous amount of reading this week, but I did manage to pick up Ruby Red and now I am almost through that. Ruby Red is a book that involves time traveling, and follows a girl named Gwen who’s family believes her cousin, Charlotte possesses the time traveling gene her family has. But when Gwen is suddenly thrust back into the past, they realize they were wrong causing a lot of drama. Now Gwen is tossed into an unfamiliar world of time traveling along with her new counterpart, an annoying and arrogant boy named Gideon. I love this book, and it is so nice re reading it after all these months. I have just over a hundred pages left, so once I finish that I plan on reading Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen which is currently on my nightstand and waiting for me to dive in!

For writing, I have written anything new, but I have been working on this short story that I wrote last week. This short story is about 2000 words and is for this local writing competition that has a deadline coming up pretty soon…which means I have to finish editing and polishing it soon. It has been a while since I wrote, so it took a bit to get back into the routine but it feels SO good to be writing again!

That is all for my reading and writing update and I hope you enjoyed. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: Quick Writing Tips #4!

Spring Break 2017 TBR!

Spring break is coming up which means I have a week and a bit of freedom from studying and all things school related, meaning more time for reading! I have a few books I want to finish before school starts back up again, and hopefully, I can get them done.

lockandkeyLock and Key by Sarah Dessen – I have been slowly getting through this book while reading others so I am not too far in, but can easily finish this before the end of spring break. Lock and Key follows our main character Ruby, who after living for a few months on her own, is forced to move in with her older sister, Cora and her husband, Jamie. She is suddenly thrust into  world of expensive living, expensive clothing and expensive dining which also includes a mysterious boy next door named, Nate. I have heard mixed reviews on this book but I am still excited to read it!

Ruby RedRuby Red by Kerstin Gier – I absolutely love the Ruby Red trilogy and really want to slowly re read it over the few months. Ruby Red is about a girl named Gwen who is born into a family of time travellers, but her family believes the gene passed her and instead was given to her cousin, Charlotte. That is until Gwen travels back in time. This is a really fun and easy trilogy and I just cannot wait to get it back into my hands.

shiver1Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater – I recently purchased this entire trilogy and because of that, I am really hoping I enjoy it. From what I have gathered, Shiver follows a girl named Grace who has watched the wolves in the woods for years, and finds herself drawn one in particular yellow eyed one… I am honestly not really sure what else the book is about, but I that synopsis intrigues me so hopefully it is as good as I think.

Those are a few books I plan on reading during my spring break and I hope you enjoyed. Don’t forget to check out my last blog post: Camp NaNoWriMo Prep #2!