Tag: youngadult

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Stay Home Reading Rush TBR + Tag

April 13, 2020April 13, 2020 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

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Children of Blood and Bone Has Too Much Hype?

March 27, 2020 mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Amazon.com: Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha ...

Before we get into today’s blog post, I wanted to announce that due to suddenly having more time in my day-to-day life, I will be posting on Mondays AND Fridays! I do not know how long this will last, but hopefully until the end of the summer. I am excited because I’ve planned content for the next month and all of posts are on topics that I am incredibly interested in and cannot wait to share!

Anyways, onto today’s post:

What inspired me to write this post is my experience reading Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, which I am reading for my children’s literature class. This book has a very unusual story which I will be diving into, along with my thoughts on the book and the hype it has received. I do want to say that this is not a review and it does not include spoilers. I just wanted to give an overview of my thoughts on the book without diving too deep into the story, but more of how the book community reacted to it.

You are probably asking yourself why I am only talking about Children of Blood and Bone now…and the reason is because I didn’t read about it until now and I have a lot of things to say…to say the least.

If you did not know, Children of Blood and Bone came out around this time two years ago, and even before its release, there was an immense amount of praise surrounding it. All of this hype even landed the author a three movie book deal and she has not even published three books in this series! One reason for this hype was the diversity of the book. This fantasy, young adult novel includes an all black cast as it is heavily influenced by West African mythology, which is something we (sadly) have not seen a lot of in the YA community. Especially, in the fantasy genre. I, myself, was incredibly excited for this book and the steps forward it was bringing YA stories.

This was all before it was released. Once it finally dropped into the world, the hype appeared to hold strong for most people as it was still talked about everywhere. For the months surrounding its publication, it was the young adult book I heard the most about. Tomi Adeyemi was interviewed on a lot of the podcasts that I subscribe to and her book was on every YouTube channel I watched. Yet, I still did not read it until two whole years later.

Now, I am over 400 pages into it with about 100 left to go. It has been interesting only reading this book now after already having having so many interactions with it. I was excited to finally sit down and explore this beloved story and I am surprised to say that I do not really understand the hype.

I am a huge fantasy reader, especially when it includes mythology and other cultures. As I have mentioned many times before, I am working on a story inspired by Aztec mythology so to say I was looking forward to diving into West African mythology is a bit of an understatement. Nonetheless, this book for whatever reason, is just not doing it for me. Well, actually, that is a lie. There are reasons and these are the three main ones:

The characters all feel surface level to me

I do not know if it is only me, but these characters do not bring anything different to the table. They have motivations, wants, and needs, but I just cannot empathize or even sympathize with any of them. There is not one that I like more than the other, I have an indifference to them all that has not shifted once since the beginning of the story.

2. The plot line is too familiar

I know Tomi Adeyemi has publicly said this book was influenced by Sabaa Tahir’s, An Ember in the Ashes (which I am a HUGE fan of), but I see too many elements of Ember in Children of Blood and Bone that it takes me out of the book. The other parts of the plot are also just too predictable. There has not been one plot point that I was not expecting and took me by surprise, instead, I anticipate the characters’ actions and the direction of the plot without even trying.

3. The romance

I won’t explicitly spoil anything…other than it is an enemy to lover’s romance. I do like the trope but only when it is done well. In this book, I feel like one moment the characters hate each other and then on the next page, they are suddenly in love.

I know you are probably wondering why I am discussing this book when I haven’t even finished it, and the reason is that I might not finish it. Yes, I am so close to the end, but whenever I pick it up I cannot help but think of all the other books I want to be reading. You get to a point in a story where it does not seem worth it to keep going and I am far past that point. The only reason I’ve kept going is because it was assigned for school.

If this book was not so hyped up, I might like it more than I do. The writing has the nostalgic early YA feeling that I like and while the plot is predictable, I can get through around 20 pages of it at a time. I think hyping books up in the rare way Children of Blood and Bone was can have a damaging effect on the book and story itself. I think this because I know I am not the only one who felt this way towards Children of Blood and Bone. My friend in the class I have to read it for read it faster than me and noted all of the same things I did when I finally got further into the book.

That is not saying it is a bad book! I think it is important to the YA community and I am still looking forward to the movies when they premiere. Will I continue on with the series though? Probably not.

However, if you have not read it, do not take my word for it! Give it a try because there are so many people who loved the book. I just wanted to share my thoughts and reflection on Children of Blood and Bone, and the hype that circulated it even before its release.

That is all for my post today 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 🙂

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March 2020 TBR

February 28, 2020February 28, 2020 mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Happy Friday!

Today, I thought it would be fun to share the books I plan on finishing and reading in the month of March. I cannot believe it is already March, which happens to be the last full month of classes for me. Things are already starting to pick up with school but I just know March will be absolute chaos. However, I still plan on reading a couple of books and I am very excited to dive into them!

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

See the source image

This is my current read and it is for my children’s lit class. I had low expectations going into it, but I am not disliking it like I expected to. It isn’t amazing, but it has been fun to read and immerse myself into a classic children’s novel which is something I haven’t done in a long time. Currently, I am just over 100 pages in this almost 500 paged novel, but I am hoping to get it finished by the end of next week. Fingers crossed!

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Finally, finally, finally, I have picked up this beloved book. It is for my children’s lit class as well, but I get so excited to sit down with this book every time that it does not feel like it is required reading for school. While it is not mind-blowing, the story is so fun and the writing is great. It has a very classic YA feel to it which I am really enjoying. It actually reminds me of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (which I want to re-read in the near future since we are finally getting a release date for the fourth and final book!) which makes sense since in a podcast I listened to, Adeyemi mentioned that Ember was a huge inspiration for her. I am also around 100 or so pages into this book and want to try and finish it sometime next week!

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

See the source image

This is another school read and while I read this book in the summertime, I remember next to nothing about this Victorian novella. I don’t have to read this until mid-March, but despite its short length, I know it will take me some time to get into it so I plan on jumping into it in the next week. Also, I want to read it ASAP because I have to choose if I want to write my term paper on it or A Christmas Carol. I was not a huge fan of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when I first read it, but maybe the second time around will be better?

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

Recently, I watched the movie version of this book with my boyfriend and with his coaxing, I have decided to pick up the book. This is very different from what I usually read as I don’t tend to pick up semi-biographical, political novels, but after enjoying the movie, I have high hopes for the book. It might take me a bit to get through it, but I am excited to see how much I will like following Hunter S. Thompson on his crazy, drug-infused adventures.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

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I swear I blinked and suddenly this book is less than a week from release…even though the date kept getting pushed back. I don’t even know too much about this book other than it follows Tessa and Will’s children. I am very much looking forward to immersing myself in this time period of Edwardian England and seeing the Infernal Devices trio: Tessa, Will, and Jem. This comes out on March 3rd and you bet I will be at the bookstore that day to buy it. It is a pretty big book (544 pages) though so even though I doubt I will finish it in March I will at least start it!

Those are the four books I plan on reading in the month of March and I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you plan to read this month because I would love to know.

Also, 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 🙂

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September 2, 2019September 1, 2019 mylifewithbooksblog2 Comments

College Reading Recommendations!

Happy Monday!

Tomorrow is my orientation day before I start my first year of university full swing, and because of that, I thought it would be ideal to share some of my favourite college-related books.

I think it is a lot of fun to read about people in college because it is such a messy stage of life. You are emerging into young adulthood and trying to juggle school, relationships, possibly a job, and then coping with the idea that “real life” is getting terrifyingly near.

Anyways, here are four recommendations for you to check out and I hope you enjoy!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I am getting the obvious one out of the way, but really, Fangirl is a great college read! It is fun, easy, and fast-paced – the perfect recipe for when you’re feeling stressed with life and school. Fangirl follows Cath who is starting her first year of college with her twin sister, Wren. While Wren wants to go out partying and diving into the social life of the college, Cath would rather retreat into her room with her Simon Snow fanfic. Eventually, her roommate, Raegan and her friend, Levi, befriend Cath and slowly, Cath steps further out of her comfort zone even while dealing with social anxiety. I think social anxiety is something a lot of people deal with, myself included, and it’s always nice to see that represented. Especially in a school setting.

American Panda by Gloria Chao

While I’ve never finished this book, it is another great college-related book. It follows a Taiwanese main character who not only has to juggle starting her first year of college but the constant approval of her parents regarding a major that she isn’t passionate about. I don’t know why I’ve never been able to finish this book, other than because I haven’t been in the mood for contemporaries lately, but I am determined to give it another chance in the near future. I’ve gotten pretty far into it, and it would be a shame not to figure out how it ends!

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

This book doesn’t technically have main characters in college, but they are at a college taking a summer program before starting their first year of college…so it counts. When Dimple Met Rishi follows the two POVs of Dimple and Rishi who are both participating in a summer program for aspiring web developers. At first, Dimple is surprised at her parents’ enthusiasm for attending this expensive program when they dream of her just finding the “Ideal Indian Husband”, but soon after arriving there, she discovers that them letting her go has everything to do with that dream she so desperately is trying to avoid.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

This is another book that doesn’t have college-aged characters, but it takes place at a unique type of boarding school called Ellingham Academy that accepts only the most gifted of students. Stevie is one of those students, accepted in for her passion for mysteries, specifically, the Ellingham mystery. However, when her passion for crime TV shows and books becomes a little too realistic, her skills that got her into Ellingham are truly put to the test. Honestly, I love this book. Stevie is a great main character and the plot keeps you at the edge of your seat for the entire book. I wasn’t expecting to adore this YA mystery so much, but I completely fell for it as many others have. Again, it is another fast-paced book that makes it the ideal book to slip in between homework sessions.

Those are my four back-to-school, college-related reading recommendations and I hope you found 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 🙂

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Books I Would NOT Like If I Read Them Now

August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Happy Thursday!

I cannot believe it is already August.

Today, I am going to be sharing some books that I absolutely LOVED the first time I read them when I was younger, but ones that I would definitely not enjoy as much if I was reading them for the first time today. It’s not that my reading tastes have changed, but I do have a little higher expectation for the writing of a novel as well as its structure. A lot of these books are the very early, if not the first, books of these authors which is why their quality isn’t the best…however, because I read them when I was younger and loved them then, I still love (most of) them today! I recognize their flaws but can’t help but hold a special place in my heart for them.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

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These were the books that got me into reading, or at least into young adult books, but I know for a fact that if I read them for the first time now, I would not be able to make it through them. Honestly, it is a little hard for me to get through them but that could be for one of two reasons. One, I’ve read them literally one billion times, or two, because they were really written for a twelve-year-old to read! Obviously, anyone of ANY age can enjoy them, but the writing and story are pretty juvenile at first and now, that is a little hard for me to get through. I do want to do a re-read soon though, because like I mentioned, these books got me into reading and they do have a really great story and a cast of characters. I can’t help but still love them!

Legend series by Marie Lu

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I liked these books when I read them around three years ago, but if I read them now…well, actually, I wouldn’t be caught reading them now because I am not a big fan of dystopian anymore at all! I think we can all agree that it is the one genre that has been rapidly dying as the years go on. However, the fourth book in this series has become a sudden thing and I will probably pick that up since I already read the first three. But, like the title of this blog post implies, I would not be picking these books up for the first time today.

Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi

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Again, I enjoyed these books when I read them, but I don’t think I will even do a re-read anytime soon. I have managed to keep up with all the new books released in this series, but I keep feeling more and more disconnected from the story and the characters. It’s most likely because like I mentioned, I am not a huge dystopian fan or it’s because I was fine with the books ending where they did…but yeah, would not pick these up for my own enjoyment nowadays.

Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout

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I was completely obsessed with how addictive this book and the second in the series was, but now looking back, I laugh because it’s true, I’ve always loved my trashy novels! To be fair, I probably would still enjoy my time reading this book, but if it were my first time, I would be nowhere near as obsessed with it as I once was. Surprisingly, I do have a little higher expectations when it comes to reading books now. However, it isn’t a bad book, it’s just a perfect example of YA in 2011.

Insurgent and Allegiant by Veronica Roth

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To be fair, I liked these books for about a year before I realized how terrible they were! I did not add Divergent because honestly, I think I would still like the first book to this day. I don’t know why, but I did really love it at the time and I think that might transfer to now. Anyways, the last two books, I think we can all agree, were kind of a mess! I mean, that ending! Nope. No way would I go near these two books today. I am honestly considering dropping my copies off at the Little Free Library by my house.

Those are some of the books I liked when I was younger that I would NOT like now if I read them for the first time. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed! Don’t 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: Again, But Better by Christine Riccio – Spoiler-Filled Book Review

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Matching Books to My Playlist

July 6, 2019June 18, 2022 mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Happy Saturday!

Today is the first day of my Saturday blog posts and I am very excited to begin it with a blog post filled with music and books.

My music taste mostly revolves around the classic rock from the 70s and 80s and of course, some pop bands like The Beatles. My favourite band in the ENTIRE world though is Queen. However, I only included two of their songs here because, for some of their songs, I had a hard time coming up with books that matched them.

Here are 10 songs from my playlist matched with 10 books.

“Summer Song” by Himesh Patel

& Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

This song is from the movie, Yesterday, which I saw and adored, so I had to include some of its soundtrack here. “Summer Song” reminds me of Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson because it is a summer-y contemporary book. Most importantly, though, I feel as if the entire book is summarized in the first verse of Summer Song:

Sun’s in the sky
And nothing can go wrong
Kiss winter goodbye
And sing this summer song

This first verse is basically what the main character’s best friend, Sloane, is saying to her in the letter she leaves behind after mysteriously disappearing. She encourages Emily to forget about her and live her life to achieve the best summer ever.

“Across the Universe” by The Beatles

& The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

The Light Between Worlds is a YA urban fantasy that is extraordinarily atmospherical and whimsical. The book is about two sisters struggling to settle back into their world after living in a magical forest for several years. However, one struggles more than the other. This plot pairs beautifully with Across the Universe by The Beatles.

Images of broken light

Which dance before me like a million eyes

They call me on and on across the universe

Thoughts meander like a

Restless wind inside a letter box

They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe

I feel that this is such an accurate description of how Evelyn feels throughout the story. She is living in the real world yet feels a call from her true home, which might as well be across the universe. Even when surrounded by loved ones, a piece of her is missing and is lost back in The Woodlands.

“My Fairy King” by Queen

& The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The dark and strange lyrics and tone of My Fairy King by Queen remind me of the story and atmosphere in The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. The Cruel Prince is about the dark side of faeries often not portrayed in literature, which is exhibited well in this song. Also, the beauty of the Fairyland is shown through Queen’s lyrics and relates to how I picture the world in The Cruel Prince.

They turn the milk into sour

Like the blue in the blood of my veins

(Why can’t you see it?)

Fire burnin’ in hell with the cry of screaming pain

(Son of heaven set me free and let me go)

Sea turns dry no salt from sand

Seasons fly no helping hand

Teeth don’t shine like pearls for poor men’s eyes

(No more)

These words just really remind me of how I think our main character, Jude, sometimes views the Fairy world. Even if she loves it and wishes to be a part of it, she knows that she must be terrified of all it can do.

“Chances by Five” for Fighting

& Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

In Everything, Everything, the main character Maddy has a disease where she is allergic to almost everything and, therefore, cannot leave the house. When a boy named Ollie comes along, she starts realizing she needs to take chances in her already chanced life to feel like she is truly living. Considering the name, I think this fits what our main character is going through in Everything, Everything.

Chances are we’ll find a new equation

Chances roll away from me

Chances are all they hope to be

These words reflect what I think Maddy felt before meeting Ollie and after. Chances are chances. It is our choice if we want to take them.

“I Want to Break Free” by Queen

& When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

In When Dimple Met Rishi, our main character, Dimple, has always struggled with her parents understanding her desire for education over finding a boyfriend/husband. Finally, she convinces her parents to let her attend a summer camp for aspiring web developers. However, she doesn’t realize it’s not because she wants to go because her parents plotting to set her up with the son of their friends. Because of this, I feel like I Want to Break Free is a fitting song.

I want to break free

I want to break free from your lies

You’re so self satisfied I don’t need you

I’ve got to break free

God knows, God knows I want to break free

This is basically what Dimple feels towards her parents. She is mad when she learns the truth and thinks that they aren’t listening to what she wants, but what they want.

“Kiss Me by Sixpence” None the Richer

& The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

It has been a while since I read this book. Still, I vividly remember the main character, Belly, in love with her older family friend, Conrad. “Kiss me” is what Belly constantly thinks when she thinks of him.

Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight

Lead me out on the moonlit floor

Lift your open hand

Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance

Silvermoon’s sparkling

So kiss me

Again, I would NOT be surprised if these lyrics were something Belly said in the book. Not at all.

“Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + The Machine

& The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I associated this song and this book because, in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie struggles to make friends as he starts his first year at high school. This is hard, but even before that, Charlie has had a difficult life. I feel like Dog Days Are Over perfectly symbolizes how he feels once he meets Sam, Patrick, and their friends and finally becomes a part of their group.

The dog days are over

The dog days are done

It’s simple, but once Charlie finds his group in school, he finally feels like he belongs. Indeed, his dog days ARE over.

“Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield

& To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Unwritten is the MOST 2000s song I have heard, but at the same time, I love it for that. It reminds me of To All the Boys because Lara Jean writes love letters to all the boys she has loved before and, for the most part, lives in a fantasy world regarding love and relationships.

Her life is definitely not unwritten, but eventually, she learns to live her life as more of a “go with the flow” and take more chances than she did at the beginning.

I am unwritten, can’t read my mind, I’m undefined

I’m just beginning, the pen’s in my hand, ending unplanned

These lyrics are a great reminder of how we should all live unwritten and unplanned lives. Well, okay, maybe plan a little bit because otherwise, you might be wandering around, but don’t pass up on opportunities just because they aren’t written into your 5-year life plan!

“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac

& Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

I am surprised it took me THIS long to include a Cassandra Clare book, but finally, we made it. I feel like all the characters get hit by a landslide, whether in their relationships or life. I feel like I get swept away by the rubble of my heart with every gut-wrenching plot point after heartbreaking plot point…

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?

Can the child within my heart rise above?

Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?

Can I handle the seasons of my life?

I hear a lot of Julian and Emma in these lyrics if you know what I mean…just because they are struggling with some things…I also think a common theme throughout this book is that many characters realize they aren’t children anymore and have to learn to understand everything they are feeling almost constantly.

“Let It Be” by The Beatles

& Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

I think many of us relate to Eliza Mirk as a quiet and introverted main character. I know I do. Not only is she a creative person, being the creator of the webcomic Monstrous Sea, but she also deals with anxiety, which I can definitely relate to. However, she lets her anxiety for most of the book get the best of her.

When people try to help her and tell her how her life isn’t that healthy, she says, “let it be.” It takes her a while to realize things need to change and that “letting it be” isn’t always the best answer.

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me

Shine on ’til tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

So many people in Eliza’s life try to help her and get her out of her chair, and I think these lyrics reflect her internal conflict.

Wow! That was a long one, but there it is, me matching books with my playlist…anyways, I hope you enjoyed it because I had so much fun creating this blog post!

Don’t forget to comment below on some of your favourite songs on your playlist, and also make sure you check out my last blog post, which will be linked below. Thanks for reading 🙂

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Favourite Books of 2019…So Far!

May 17, 2019May 17, 2019 mylifewithbooksblog3 Comments

I cannot believe that we are approaching the halfway point in the year already…2019 has gone by so fast, but already, I have read so many AMAZING books that I couldn’t wait another month to share with you all, so here I am.

Here are 4 of my favourite books of the year so far!

Reaper At the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

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While I read the first two books in this series right when they came out, it took me almost an entire year to finally pick up the third book and I do NOT know why! Earlier this year, I did a re-read of the first two books before jumping into the third and thank the gods I did, because I forgot how intense and fantastic these books are. The first book excited me, the second book broke me, and the third did a blend of both. The relationships between the characters in the book like Laia and Helene, Laia and Elias, etc, have become so incredibly developed and fleshed out that I have to remind myself they aren’t real. While I absolutely adore the world and plot, the relationships and characters are what have really improved throughout the series and are what make me so excited for the fourth book!

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

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I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but when I picked it up, it was exactly the book I was in search of which is why I believe I adored it so much. It was dark, twisted, and intriguing, and of course, fantasy. Because of all that, I could not put it down once I picked it up! The three sisters are so flawed and realistic, growing up in a twisted world that has so many layers we only begin to uncover in the first book; a world I only want to know more about. In the next day or two, I will be jumping into the third book, but so far this series is holding up!

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Sitting on my shelf and gathering dust for months (maybe even a year!), I decided to brush off The Cruel Prince after reading Three Dark Crowns because still, I craved fantasy. I was hesitant diving into this surprisingly thin, faerie fantasy novel, because of all the hype surrounding it. For a lot of people, the hype got to them and they didn’t enjoy The Cruel Prince. However, I devoured this book. There is also a lot of controversy about the love interest and his relationship with the main character, which I do understand. It was a little iffy and while that was a hesitation I had about the book, the world entrapped me and the story held my interest quite a bit.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

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Another book I had some hesitations about because of the hype, and also because it is a mystery. I wouldn’t say I dislike mystery, I just haven’t read too much of the genre, but I ended up absolutely falling in love with this book. It was so addicting, a literal definition of “reading a book like its candy”. I cherished every opportunity I got the chance to sit down and read a hundred or so pages of this because it only got better and better. The atmosphere of this book is so realistic and despite the murder aspect of it all, gives me the cozy, fall vibes because of the school setting. Right now, I am reading the second book and while it isn’t as mysterious as the first, I love being in this world with these characters.

Anyways, those are the 4 books I read this year so far, that are my favourites, but I am sure there are many more to come! Make sure you let me know in the comments below what some of your favourite books are at the moment, and also don’t forget to check out my last blog post linked down below! Thanks for reading 🙂

Last Blog Post: Avengers: Endgame Book Tag – Original

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Avengers: Endgame Book Tag – Original

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 mylifewithbooksblog1 Comment

Since I watched Endgame recently, I thought it would be fun to make a book tag related to it. I love doing book tags and making them, so why not? Anyways, I don’t have much more to say other than that, but I hope you enjoy! If you want to do this, then I tag you! Make sure you also tag me though in your post so I can see all of your answers 🙂

Soul Stone – Name a Character In a Book You Would Bring Back to Life…Or Kill (Warn of Spoilers!)

SPOILERS FOR THE DARK ARTIFICES TRILOGY BY CASSANDRA CLARE BELOW!!!

Okay, a character I would bring back to life with the Soul Stone would 100% be Livvy Blackthorn from The Dark Artifices trilogy by Cassandra Clare. I like Livvy as a character, but I would mostly bring her back because of how her death affects her entire family. It changes Julian for the worse, it drives Ty to make some really bad choices, and overall, it just destroys the entire Blackthorn family. And I hate seeing them so depressed so 100% I would bring her back. She also just did not deserve to die!! Why Cassandra Clare? Why?

Time Stone – Name Your Favourite Classic

Out of the classics I read, I think my favourite might be The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I have a feeling it won’t stay that forever, but I haven’t read many classics yet. Anyways, the reason I think this may be my favourite is because of how real it all felt. Every time I picked up this book to read it, I felt fully submerged with the characters and what they were facing. It led me to feel a LOT of things while reading it too.

Space Stone – Choose a Magical Object, Weapon, Etc You Would Want From a Book

This one is so easy. Obviously, I would want Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak! That has always been the magical object I have wanted because to be able to just put on a cloak and be invisible BUT warm at the same time is a dream come true. Also, I have always wanted to wear a cloak but apparently cloaks aren’t in fashion right now…but this way, I would be able to wear it but no one would give me weird eyes while I wander down the street!

Mind Stone – Choose a Character You Wish Was Explored More in a Book, Series, Etc

Okay, this character has a point of view we follow in The Dark Artifices trilogy but that is NOT enough. Cassandra Clare, I need a whole spinoff series about Mark Blackthorn. I don’t care if it is his journey in Faerieland or if it takes place after The Dark Artifices. I just want to see and learn more about Mark.

Reality Stone – Choose a Book Universe You Would Want to Live In

Usually, I would say Harry Potter or even the Shadow World, but after reading The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, I want to live in THAT Faerie world. While there is a lot of dark and cruel things about it, it is like living in a magical historical period of time and that is just really appealing to me.

Power Stone – Choose a Magical Ability You Would Grant Yourself

Apart from invisibility, I would definitely want the ability to read other people’s minds. However, only when I want to. If I had to listen to other people’s thoughts constantly, I would go insane, but if it was something I could control then YES. I am nosy and overthink what people are thinking about me, so this could only be good. Right?

That is all for my Avengers: Endgame book tag, and I hope you enjoyed! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post as well as my social media accounts which are linked down below. Thanks for reading 🙂

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