May Wrap-Up + June TBR

Everything I read in May and all the books I plan to read in June!

Happy Wednesday!

I cannot believe it is already that time of the month; the time where I share everything I managed to read (which…was not a lot this time around) and want to read in the next month.

I read only ONE book in May and have been halfway through another for at least three weeks now. I got so caught up with hustling and if you saw the writing update that I posted last Friday (click HERE to read it), you will know I had a very productive May project-wise. Just not reading-wise, which happens! April was such an amazing reading month that a slump was kind of expected. My goal for June is to get back into reading because whenever I don’t read every day, I always feel off and not going to lie, a little guilty!

Anyways, let’s get onto what I read this month and what I want to read in June!

May Wrap-Up

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

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This is the one and the only book I finished during May and it wasn’t the best read, but it was a fast one. I have a whole non-spoiler review on it which you can read if you click HERE, so I won’t say too much about it. However, I will say that I was very excited to read it but it didn’t really meet my expectations. 3.5/5 stars

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess: Clare, Cassandra: 9781481456036: Books - Amazon.ca

I haven’t finished this book, but I decided to include it because I am 330 pages in but for whatever reason, even though I was liking it, I just stopped putting in the time to sit down with it. I tried to pick it up multiple times, but I just have not been in the reading mood! There will be no DNFing though because I know that if I don’t finish it, I will feel guilty because it is the last book in the Infernal Devices trilogy.

June TBR

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess: Clare, Cassandra: 9781481456036: Books - Amazon.ca

Hopefully, I will finish the last 200 pages or so of this book!

A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden

A Touch of Death (The Outlands Pentalogy #1) by Rebecca Crunden

This is a book I received for review purposes, but I am very excited to dive into it because I need some fresh, new reads to propel me back into reading. This is the first book in a dystopian series that takes place a thousand years in the future where humanity lives behind the walls of a totalitarian Kingdom. Stay tuned for my synopsis and review that will come later this month!

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger by Stephen King

The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger eBook: King, Stephen: Amazon.ca ...

Lately, I am in the mood to read the books I have never picked up on my shelf, and this is one of those books! I have never read a Stephen King book STILL, except for his book on writing, and I want to finally pick one up. I watched the movie years ago and liked it, so fingers crossed that I enjoy the book too. I know Stephen King has an amazing writing style and I am curious to see if I like it or not.

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman

Legacy of Kings (Blood of Gods and Royals, #1) by Eleanor Herman

I read this book years ago and remember nothing except that it takes place in Greece and follows multiple POVs, including a young Alexander the Great. I do remember one important plot point, but other than that, my memory of this story is very faint. I own the sequel and have never picked it up so that is the prime motivator for me to re-read Legacy and continue on with the series. I am not sure if there is a third book, but hopefully, if there is, I like the first two enough to continue on!


Those are all the books I read in May and want to read in June, and I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know how productive May was for you and what your upcoming reading plans are because I’d 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 🙂

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April Wrap-Up + May TBR

Check out my April reading wrap-up and May TBR!

Happy Friday and May 1st!

I hope you all had an excellent reading month, because I know I did. April was the OWLs Readathon, as well as the #StayHome Reading Rush, so there was lots of motivation to read all the books.

Today, I will be sharing all seven books I read during April as well as my May TBR because I plan and hope that May will also be a productive month.

The question is, did I complete all the reading challenges for the OWLs Readathon?

Yes! Now, let’s see what I read to do so.

April Wrap-Up:

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone - Wikipedia

I finished reading this on April 1st, after spending all of March trudging through it. I have voiced my opinions on this story before, and how I personally believe this book is very overhyped… This was not for any readathon, but for my children’s literature class and while I am glad I finally read it, I do not plan on continuing on with this series.

The Toll by Neal Shusterman

The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3) by Neal Shusterman

This was a book I started at the end of March but since I still had over 400 pages left to read in April, I decided to use it for the OWLs’ “Defence Against the Dark Arts” challenge, which was to read a book that takes place at sea. A majority of this book is spent sailing the ocean and we are even introduced to a captain and their crew, who becomes an important character to the story. This is the third and final book in the Arc of a Scythe trilogy which overall, I really enjoyed! It was a satisfying conclusion and I flew through it despite its size.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel (Volume 1): Amazon.ca: Clare, Cassandra: Books

I swapped this book in place of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas because after reading Chain of Gold, I needed to re-visit the London Institute and Shadowhunter universe. I read this book for the “Transfiguration” challenge, which was to read a book with a shapeshifter. One of the main characters is a shapeshifter so I was very happy I had an excuse to re-read this book. I think the last time I read it was 2016, so I had definitely forgotten a lot that happens in it. My first time reading it, I was not a huge fan but I knew re-visiting it would make me love it…and I did!

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of ...

Since I had 100 pages of this book left to read going into April, I decided a few days ago that I am going to use it for the “Potions” challenge to read a book under 150 pages. This was a nice change from my usual YA fantasy reads because I had never read anything like this book before. I watched the movie first too which really did help me grasp the unusual storyline and characters. While it follows a gonzo journalist, it inspired me to work on my own writing and creative process. Shoutout to my boyfriend who lent me this book!

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

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

While this book took a bit to get into, once I was in, I was in. I read this book for the “History of Magic” challenge, which was to read a book with witch and wizards and while in The Last Magician, they are not exactly called that, they have magical powers so it counts! I loved the atmosphere of this book, which came from the 1920s New York setting and the flawed and morally gray characters. I am super excited to dive into the next book sometime soon, The Devil’s Thief, and continue on with the story. Especially after that ending!

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes - Wikipedia

I will not bore you all with more of my drooling over this book and series because we all know I love it! This was not read for the OWLS readathon, but the #StayHome Reading Rush. I believe the challenge was to read a book with a house on the cover, and this cover has Blackcliff Academy where the students live and sleep so that is basically a house. Right?

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince, Book by Cassandra Clare (Paperback) | www ...

The seventh and final book I read this month was the sequel to Clockwork Angel, and once again, I enjoyed it much more than the second time around. I forgot how close two certain characters get and even though I know what happens in the end, it is still killing me! I am guessing that since the last challenge for the OWLS readathon was “Charms”: to read a book with a white cover. I am using this book for it. Clockwork Prince has white lettering on the cover so that counts! I also just really wanted to read it so…

May TBR:

  • House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
  • Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
  • A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Those are all the books I read in April and plan to read in May. I hope you enjoyed! Don’t forget to let me know what you read and plan on reading, because I’d love to know.

Make sure you check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are linked down below. I have been posting a lot and will be giving more hints as to what my secret project is on them, as well when I can release more info on it. I know I mentioned in one of my previous blog posts that I could announce what it is on May 18th, but that has been pushed back to early or mid-June now. Hopefully, I won’t have to push it back even more!

Anyways, thanks for reading 🙂

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September 2019 Wrap Up

Hello!

That’s right, I am not dead. Well, literally I am not, but for emotionally and physically, I am. School has been a wild ride and I am only rearing in on week three which is crazy. To be honest, it isn’t my degree that’s been kicking my butt but just trying to manage my time between being social, school, working, and saving some time for myself has. It is not easy and I knew it wasn’t going to be, but it has been a lot harder of a ride than I thought.

Anyways, this is my attempt at immersing myself back into my hobbies because there has been no blogging, no reading for fun, and no writing for fun since I started school. Now that October is here though, I feel like it is a good time to try and start up my passions. However, today, I will be discussing everything I read this September which wasn’t a whole lot compared to what I used to read, but it sure felt like it.

I hope you enjoy!

The Tempest by Shakespeare

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This was the first assigned reading for one of my English classes, and I was really excited when I saw I would have to read this particular play by Shakespeare because I read it back in grade 10. In my head, I was like “oh this will be sooo easy. I’ve already read this!”. Boy, was I wrong. I remember nothing regarding this play except the character names. Literally nothing. Re-reading it has felt more like I am reading it the first time and I definitely did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Since I am an English major in an English class, I am expected to pick apart every single line in this play to find a deeper meaning. This is a fun task, but only if you’re reading stuff you enjoy. 3/5 stars

Araby by James Joyce

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I know this is a short story, but I’ve been analyzing it in class for an entire two and a half weeks, so I think it deserves a spot on this reading list. At first, this story was really boring to me and made absolutely no sense but as I read it a second, then a third, then a fourth, and THEN A FIFTH, I began to really admire Joyce’s writing style and the story overall. This was my first intro into Joyce, and I really enjoyed it so hopefully, I will have to read some more of his stories and eventually novels. 4/5 stars

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

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Even though I only just began reading this, I thought I would include since technically, I am supposed to have it finished for the end of this week. I was thinking of picking this classic up over the summer since I knew it would be on my reading list, but I decided to just chill out and wait to read it when it was assigned. I am very glad I did this because when I read these books, all my thoughts and ideas about it have to be fresh in my mind otherwise it is a lot harder for me to immerse myself in the story. So far, I am enjoying this book and the atmosphere since it has been grey and rainy lately. Not finished

The Valley by Joan MacLeod

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This is another play that regards mental illness. It includes a small cast of characters, two who are clearly suffering from variations of mental illness and two who believe they understand, but do not. I think this play did a good and realistic representation of what mental illness is like, however, when I read a story, I expect some form of closure and that is what this play completely lacked. At least, in my opinion. It was a quick and easy read though that did not make me want to claw my eyes out though, which is always a plus in my books. 2.5/5 stars

Those are all the books I read this past month and it is nothing compared to what I used to read, but each one requires me to actually stop and notice things about them I wouldn’t have noticed if I just read them all for pleasure. It is tiring, but overall, I am really enjoying my degree and so far, regret nothing.

Anyways, don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts and Buy Me a Coffee which is all linked down below. Thanks for reading 🙂

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August Wrap Up!

Happy Thursday!

It is yet to be the end of August, but already I am throwing my hands in defeat to August because this was not a great reading month. It’s okay though because no matter what, I have to read around four books per month for the next four months so reading will DEFINITELY get done.

Also, it’s okay to take a break sometimes (which is something I too, need to keep reminding myself).

While I didn’t get too much reading done, I still managed to devour one book so I thought I would at least share that and also the fun reads I plan on reading during September if I can make time to get to them…

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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I first read this around three years ago, but skimmed so fast through it I literally remembered nothing about it as I flipped over that final page. To be fair, even this time it didn’t really make an impact on me. I enjoyed the story, the world, and the characters, but I think this is one of those books that is SO hyped up by everyone around me that I expected a lot from it. I expected so much that it just didn’t meet all my expectations. I did like it though, and I plan on continuing on to the second and final book (even though I heard it isn’t as good as the first), but it wasn’t revolutionary or mind-blowing like it is for most people. 4/5 stars

It did take me the entire month of August to read, so maybe that is why, but whatever the reason, it just didn’t become a favourite book for me like it becomes for everyone else. But that’s okay! I hear that the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo is becoming a Netflix TV show and that those books take place in the same world as Six of Crows, so I am looking forward to seeing it all become real…well, on my computer screen!

The Fun Books I Want to Read In September…

 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

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I am DETERMINED to read this book during the first week or two of my university experience because it too, takes place during Cath’s first year of college. Yes, I’ve read this book approximately 100,000 times, but I love the story and it holds such a special place in my heart! Cath and her twin sister, Wren are starting their first year at college together, yet apart. While they’ve spent all their lives right beside each other, Wren wants to be adventurous while Cath wants to retreat into her dorm room and write fanfiction. When her moody roommate, Raegan introduces Cath to her best friend, Levi, Cath starts to slowly break out of her shell and experience a world other than the one she created on her computer screen.

I love this book because I too am shy (but nowhere near as much as Cath, and I also crave the company of people…but still!). I also love this book because it shows how hard it can be to make new friends sometimes and fit into a completely new surrounding.

Ruby Red by Kirsten Gier

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If you’ve been following my blog for a while by now, you would now that despite the mixed reviews, this is one of my FAVOURITE books ever. I honestly can’t explain it. I just adore the atmosphere, the story, and the characters. It isn’t complex or life-changing, but it’s cozy, fun, and adventurous. The fall time is my favourite time to read this book, so I plan on jumping into this right after Fangirl, but right before the weight of my degree falls on my shoulder.

Ruby Red follows Gwen, a 16-year-old girl who is part of a time-travelling family but while the gene is believed to be in her snobby cousin, Charlotte, Gwen is astounded when she finds herself transported back in time. From then on, the world she knows is ripped out from beneath her feet and her days begin to consist of school, time travelling training, and putting up with her arrogant time-travelling partner, Gideon.

The Wicked King by Holly Black

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A few months ago, I flew through the first book, The Cruel Prince and now I am ready to devour the second book. I am hoping to also fly through this book because of the little time I will have to actually read, but I have also heard great things about this sequel so I have high hopes.

The Wicked King is the sequel to The Cruel Prince which takes place in the world of Faerie, following our main character, Jude who is human. When she was young, she was snatched by her half-sister’s real father and taken to the faerie world with her and her twin sister. Treated like the outcast she is, Jude wants nothing more than to fit in among the faeries but doesn’t consider if she can even trust the people she so desperately wants to be.

 

That is the one, single book I read during August and the books I am hoping to get to during September. I will, however, be coming out with my actual September TBR featuring the school books I am assigned to read, so stay tuned for that! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post, as well as my social media accounts linked down below. Thanks for reading 🙂

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Best Books of 2018

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2018 was a good reading year quantity wise. However, as I am writing this, I don’t know if I’ve hit my Goodreads goal of 75 books but I am really, really close and still have time (I’ve read 70 so far). While I read lots of books, a lot of them were re-reads or just books that were pretty good but not AMAZING. So, when it came to compiling a list of my favourites, I realized this was going to be short and sweet. That’s okay though because I did re-read a lot of my most favourite books (I’m not counting those in this post though) and there were a few new reads that I did really enjoy. Anyways, here are my favourite books of 2018.

Stephen King: On Writing by Stephen King

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This is a non-fiction book on Stephen King’s writing journey and life. I read this in January and absolutely loved it. It was stuffed to the seams with wisdom and advice that I seethed over, and it all helped to improve me as a writer. I definitely plan on re-reading it in the new year, but this was definitely a favourite out of the whole year for me. It was also definitely my most favourite writing book…probably that I’ve ever read! 5/5 stars

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

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I know, I know. I’ve raved about this book more than a few times, but for good reason because it made it onto my favourites list! This is a contemporary-fantasy, as I like to genereize it, that follows the POV of two sisters, Evelyn, and Philippa who along with their brother, Jamie, have just returned from a fantasy land called the Woodlands where they lived for several years in an attempt to flee from the devastation of World War II. Now they are back to reality, all struggling to find their place in it, but some are struggling more than others. When Evelyn goes missing, Philippa must find her sister and along the way, discover the pain of assimilating into the ordinary she felt. I read this book in the summertime and fell in love with its rainy, English atmosphere and raw characters. I actually have an in-depth review if you want to read it right here, but it was just amazing. 5/5 stars

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

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This was another book I discovered in the summertime during the BookTubeAThon and oh my- it was amazing. Neal Shusterman creates such a realistic world with characters I can actually imagine meeting and speaking with, bringing the story to life that much more. Scythe takes place in a futuristic world where humans have conquered everything from ageing, disease to death. However, to keep the population from exploding, there are scythes who glean people at random to do so. Our two main characters are Rowan and Citra, both who are chosen to be the apprentices to the same scythe but this is something neither of them thought they wanted. I love this story and these characters, and just talking about it makes me want to re-read it…which I may do. 5/5 stars

Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

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While I had my issues with this book (which will be discussed in my upcoming review), I did absolutely adore this book. I had been anticipating it for so long, and I also know it was supposed to be very open-ended because it is setting us up for the Wicked Powers, another series in the Shadow World. But anyways, this was the third and final installment in my favourite trilogy, The Dark Artifices, following my most favourite characters in my most favourite world. Was it everything I hoped for? Honestly, not really haha, but then again, it kept me interesting, surprised me, and ultimately, I loved it so yes, one of the best books of 2018 hands down. 5/5 stars

There you have it! I only have 4 books on this list because the other books were either re-reads or only 4-star-reads. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like them, they just weren’t the best books of 2018 for me. Anyways, 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!

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November Reading Wrap Up!

Looking back at my Goodreads page, I realized I read a lot more than I thought…but I was still hoping to have read a few more books than I did. However, I did read 4 books this month and one of them was pretty long (like 700 pages), so I’m not complaining. It does mean I’m going to have to read 12 books in December though…but I can do it, right? Anyways, here are the books I read in November!

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

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I was in need of a fun contemporary and while it took me a while to really enjoy myself, by the time I hit halfway I loved the characters and story. Some parts were painfully relatable, and while I didn’t love it, I did like it! Emergency Contact follows two perspectives, Penny who is a freshman writing major, and Sam who is an aspiring filmmaker and works at coffee-shop. Their paths cross when Sam goes to the hospital after Penny witnesses him faint, and suddenly, they become each other’s emergency contact but their relationship develops to something more over time. Again, I did really like this book and it was the fun contemporary I needed! 3.5/5 stars

Bent Box by Lee Maracle 

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This is a poetry collection that I picked up for one of my writing class assignments where we had to pick a living, Canadian poet, read their work and then write a really short summary and response to it. Lee Maracle is an Aboriginal writer, so many of her poems spoke of her struggles of the past. It was a really emotional and powerful collection of poetry and while I am not a HUGE poetry fan, I did enjoy this book and there were quite a few poems that I actually adored. If you like poetry, I definitely recommend giving it a read! 3/5 stars

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

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Surprise, surprise, I LOVED Lady Midnight! I think I’ve read this book three or four times now, and each time my love for it grows dramatically. This world…the characters…the story…ugh, just everything is so amazing and wonderful and I wish I could meet these characters and live in this world. Lady Midnight is the first book in the Dark Artifices trilogy and a continuation of her massive Shadowhunter world. It follows a large cast of characters, but specifically, Emma Carstairs who after her parents were murdered and their bodies washed up on shore, she has been hunting for the justice of their deaths. The last book in this trilogy has come out by the time you are reading this, and I already know it will ruin me like all the other books have so that will be fun. 5/5 stars, obviously!

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

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Usually, I fly through these audiobooks but after watching Bohemian Rhapsody, my already crazy obsession with Queen grew and suddenly all I wanted to do was just listen to their music. I forgot all about audiobooks and listened to music every time I had to walk or take the bus…so, yeah, it took me a while to get through Emerald Green, but I did! Emerald Green is the third and final book in the Ruby Red/Precious Stones trilogy, that follows Gwen, a girl from a family of time travellers. Her cousin, Charlotte, is the one believed to have the gene but when Gwen suddenly travels back in time, she becomes a part of a world she thought she had escaped. I love this series. It has its many, many flaws, and to be honest, the ending is NOT as satisfying as I hoped…but it is one of those fun and warm-hearted books you can’t help but like. 4.5/5 stars

I was so, so close to finishing Lord of Shadows in time for the end of November but it is 699 pages! It’s so, so long but honestly, I wouldn’t want anything less. I did finish it today though so I am already one book down in December…only 11 more to go, ha ha ha. Anyways, that is all for my November 2018 Reading Wrap Up, 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 🙂

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October Reading Wrap Up

I didn’t expect October to be as great of a reading month as it turned out to be, and I am definitely not complaining. October was…stressful, to say the least, but because of how stressful and busy it was, seeing that I still came out of the month with 7 books read feels really good and also gives me hope for November! Anyways, onto what books I read this month!

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

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I’m really glad I squeezed in reading this book when I did because now all my reading slots are booked up with The Dark Artifices trilogy (not complaining, I CANNOT wait for Queen of Air and Darkness), and also whatever else I am reading for classes. Eliza and Her Monsters is a YA contemporary following a girl who is the anonymous creator of a popular webcomic series called Monstrous Sea, and her struggles and relationships and anxieties during her final year of school. I really love this book because I relate to Eliza a lot, but I also don’t at the same time if that makes sense. I like to think I’m more extroverted and willing to put myself out there than she is, but still, in the ways that count, I see a lot of myself in Eliza. The story is also great and the romance between Eliza and Wallace is ugh, everything. 4.5/5 stars

Ruby Red and Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

This was another spur of the moment decision except instead of sitting down and reading these books, I listened to the audiobooks. I have read the Ruby Red trilogy a million and one times, and I have even listened to the audiobooks in full one or two times. The audiobooks are really well done and the narrator captures Gwen amazingly, bringing her to life. This is a time-traveling book following our main character, Gwen who lives in a family with a time-traveling gene, however her cousin, Charlotte is the one everyone believes has it. That is until Gwen travels back in time. This trilogy is so much fun and while a lot of people dislike it because it is too predictable or “not original” enough, it is one that I can come back to again and again! Ruby Red: 4.5/5 Sapphire Blue: 4.5/5

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

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Audiobooks are key during busy months, especially when you are behind on your reading goal AND if you spend a lot of time commuting. Ha, both of those apply to me! This was another audiobook listen for me because ever since August, I have been listening to the audiobooks for The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare because while I’ve also read these book a million, maybe even a billion and one times, I have yet to listen to their audiobooks which so far, are really well done and I am enjoying! This is the fourth book in a series that follows characters who live in a world of angels and demons and after our main character, Clary’s mother is kidnapped, she sets out to find her, discovering that she has more of a place in this strange, crazy world than she thought. 4/5 stars

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

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I was reading this book again because it finally released to the world on October 23rd, and because of that, I really, really wanted to put up a non-spoiler review for it. Luckily, I love this book and it is the perfect gloomy, fall read so I picked it up for the second time this year and gave it a quick(ish) re-read. This is YA fantasy-historical-contemporary sort of book that follows three siblings after coming back from a fantasy world called The Woodlands, who are trying to adjust back into the real world. It is such a fast read and it’s a good one too, so I recommend picking it up! 4.5/5 stars

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

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This was a book I had to read for English class and while it was hard for me to get through the first half, I didn’t mind it afterwards. This book is on a really, really important topic to Canadians though, and it was nice to see a World War I story through a fresh pair of eyes, a pair that didn’t usually get to tell the story. Three Day Road follows Xavier, a young Cree man from Moose Factory, who goes to fight in the war, and also his aunt Niska who raised him. We get to hear both of their stories and what happened in their early lives leading up to the present. It was definitely raw and hard to read at times, but it was a reality for the Indigenous people of Canada. However, I had heard that while Joseph Boyden claims to be from Metis roots, he is not actually…I couldn’t really get that out of my head while reading it because after everything he wrote in his books, lying about his background completely counteracts it! 3/5

Traplines by Eden Robinson

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I also had to read this for a class, but I was able to choose the book as long as it was a short story collection by a living Canada author. So I chose this. I have heard a lot about Eden Robinson and was really excited to finally pick up something of hers! Traplines contains four short stories; Traplines, Dogs in Winter, Contact Sports and Queen of the North. All of these stories connect in the way that they take place in Northern Canada and follow characters with not the smoothest family trees. I read Traplines, the single short story, last year for class and really enjoyed that, Dogs in Winters was alright, Contact Sports was a rollercoaster ride, and Queen of the North…well I wanted more. In a good way! I really recommend picking this short story collection up because you should help support Canadian authors! Traplines: 3.5/5 Dogs in Winter: 3/5 Contact Sports: 4/5 Queen of the North: 4.5/5

So, those were all the books I read this month and I hope you enjoyed! I am very excited about next week’s and the rest of November’s blog posts because they are ideas that really excite me and I hope you all are looking forward to them too! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post, as well as my social media accounts which are all linked down below. Thanks 🙂

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September 2018 Wrap Up

I knew I read a few books this month, but I am honestly surprised with how many I actually did manage to read. September…was a busy month. Lots of stress and things to do, but I still managed to squeeze in reading time and I am very proud of what I read! I read 5 whole books this month which is a lot for a school month, especially the first school month of the year. Anyways, enough ramble so here are the 5 books I read in September!

City of Ashes and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

I listened to the second and third book in The Mortal Instruments series via audiobook, and had so much fun revisiting one of my favourite series by listening to them while commuting to school! This series follows a girl named Clary who after her mother disappears, is suddenly thrust into a world of angels and demons and discovers that she has more of a place in this crazy world than she thought. There is adventure, action, and heaps and heaps of romance so what’s not to love? CoA – 4/5 stars, CoG – 4.5/5 stars

Oedipus the King by Sophocles

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I think its obvious that I had to read this for school since it is not normally what I read, but I am actually surprised at how much I enjoyed this Greek tragedy. While the story is…strange, it is entertaining and really powerful. It has actually made me want to pick up more Greek tragedies and give them a try, so who knows, maybe we will be seeing some more plays in my monthly wrap-ups. Anyways, this follows our main character, Oedipus who is the king of Thebes and he discovers that his life is not exactly what it seems…lots of drama and irony but a very good book to dissect in English class! 3.5/5 stars

Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese

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Another book I had to read for English class, but another one that I really enjoyed. This story was so impactful and important, and there were several times while reading it where I had to put it down to take a break. Indian Horse follows our main character, Saul, who is retelling the story of his life while in a rehab centre when he is around thirty years old. We watch him get taken away from his family and taken to a residential school, and how he survived that and the following years to come. This is a book I think everyone needs to read and I definitely plan on reading it again in the future because it was that good! 4/5 stars

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

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This was a book I was super excited to read ever since I read the synopsis a few months back, and I was so happy to find the time to sit down and just read it this month. I have an entire spoilery review on this book so if you are interested in that definitely check it out here, but basically, it is a gory re-telling of “The Little Mermaid”. We follow two main characters, Lira, a siren who has the heart’s of seventeen princes, and Elian, the heir of a kingdom and killer of sirens. Their paths cross when Lira kills one of her own and as punishment, is made human with the task to take Elian’s heart and bring it back to her mother. Obviously, though, things do not go as planned. I had a lot of fun with this book and while it did have its problems, it was still an enjoyable read overall! 3.75/5 stars

So, those are the 5 books I read in the month of September and I am pretty proud of reading them all. Let me know what books you read this past month because I would love to know, or if you got too busy and didn’t have a chance to read anything at all! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post, as well as my social media accounts which are linked down below for more bookish and writing related content. Thanks 🙂

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My Favourite Books of 2018…So Far

I know that it is like 3 months past the halfway point of 2018, but I still wanted to make this post just to reflect on some of my favourite books I’ve read since the beginning of 2018. Some are new releases and some aren’t, but what these 5 books do have in common is that I really enjoyed all them!

On Writing by Stephen King

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On Writing was a fantastic book about the journey and process of writing and really opened my eyes to the world of writing even more. Not only was it insightful and motivating, but it was overall just an enjoyable read. Sometimes with craft books, they are helpful and full of great tidbits of information but are kind of a bore to read. That was not the case with this one and because of that, I would definitely be willing to give this book a re-read in the future! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves to write and wants to hear the story of one of the greatest writers ever. It is also beneficial and inspiring to see that like all of us aspiring authors, Stephen King struggled too and that is something really important for all writers to realize.

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

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One thing I loved about this book was that it was a contemporary-fantasy book and that is a genre I have been loving recently. While it had an interesting and beautiful storyline, the characters really pulled it off the pages with how realistic and flawed they were. This book really gives off mystical Narnia vibes that bring you back to when you were a child and really believed in a world of magic. In this book, we follow two sisters; Philippa and Evelyn who during a World War II bombing, somehow end up in a magical kingdom called The Woodlands. Years in this world pass and finally they are returned to their world as if no time has passed by at all. While Philippa and her brother are anxious to return to the pattern of their old lives, Evelyn dreams of returning to the magical kingdom and struggles to find herself back in the real world. One day, Ev disappears and Philippa is forced to look into the truth of her younger sister’s despair in order to understand why and how Evelyn disappeared. This book is beautiful, mystical and lyrical and hits shelves in late October so make sure you check it out when it comes out!

The Dream Thieves and Blue Lily Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

These are the second and third books in The Raven Cycle, another beautiful and mystical book series that I have really enjoyed reading over the past few months. They follow a group of friends whose paths all lead to finding a supposedly lost Welsh king from ancient times.  I love darker fantasy-contemporary books just like The Light Between Worlds, and The Raven Cycle is exactly like that. I have one more book left in the series and am extremely curious and excited to see what happens!

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

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While I went into this book with high expectations because of all the amazing hype it has received, and Scythe completely exceeded them all. Neal Shusterman somehow created such a vivid and three-dimensional world that really popped off the page and built itself up in my mind. The characters were people I could truly imagine meeting in real life; flawed and unique, and they interacted with the storyline perfectly. The story takes place in a world where humans have conquered basically everything from disease to death but to keep the population in check there are scythes who choose people to glean in order to do just that. Our two main characters Citra and Rowan are chosen to be apprentices to a well-known scythe and then eventually become scythes themselves, however, that is something neither of them really want. Such an amazing read that takes the genre of dystopian to a whole new level.

Those are 5 of my favourite books of the year…so far, and I hope you enjoyed! Let me know some of your favourite books of the year so far and what ones you think I would like because the year’s not over yet! Also, don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are all linked below. Thanks 🙂

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August 2018 Wrap Up

August was an…okay reading month. Nothing compared to July but that is how it goes, some months are better than others and that is okay. However, I did get 3 books read this month and here they are:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

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Reading this book brought back all the feels and nostalgia from when I was younger and reading this book for the first time which was already about four years ago. Wow, it doesn’t seem like that long but it has been four years already! Anyways, it isn’t like I haven’t re-read City of Bones since, I have numerous times, but this time really reminded me how much I adore this story and its characters. City of Bones follows 15 year-old Clary Fray and one day, her mother disappears and Clary is left without answers. That is, until a mysterious boy from the Pandemonium club tugs her into his world of demons and angels, helping her realize that she has a part in this world she was unaware of her entire life. 4.5/5 stars

Fullemetal Alchemist Volume 1 by Hiromu Arakawa

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I was watching the anime of this manga series on Netflix and decided to try the manga out even though I had never been a manga or graphic novel person. However, I did end up really enjoying Fullmetal Alchemist! I love the story and what I experienced while watching the anime, and after reading the manga I realized how well the show stuck to the amazing story Hiromu Arakawa illustrated. Fullmetal Alchemist follows two brothers, Edward and Al who are alchemists searching for the philosopher’s stone. I am sure everyone who enjoys anime and manga has heard and read/watched Fullmetal Alchemist already, but if you haven’t, then please do! 4/5 stars

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

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This book took me a very long time to get through but overall, I did really, really enjoy it. It is a big book, about 500 pages, but I was also doing lots of traveling (and yes, procrastinating) which is why it took me like oh, three and a half weeks to read. Thunderhead is the second book in the Arc of a Scythe series/trilogy by Neal Shusterman, taking place in a world where humans have conquered everything from disease to poverty to even death. However, to keep the population in check there a scythes who choose people and glean (kill) them whenever they want. Our two main characters, Citra and Rowan are chosen to be apprentices to a scythe but this is something neither of them really wants. These books are amazing and will keep you on your toes! 4.5/5 stars

Those are all the books I read in the month of August so fingers crossed September is also a decent reading month! I hope you also had a good reading month and don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as all my social media accounts all linked below. Thanks 🙂

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