Category: General Fiction

July Wrap-Up: Reviews, Reading Challenges, etc.

Another great reading month! Here’s hoping that that trend continues through for the rest of the year!

Books Read

  • Bone Gap by Laura Ruby – 2/5 stars, audiobook
  • A Million Junes by Emily Henry – 5/5 stars, REVIEW
  • The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead – 2/5 stars, audiobook
  • This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1) by Victoria Schwab – 5/5 stars, REVIEW
  • Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity, #2) by Victoria Schwab – 5/5 stars, REVIEW
  • Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – 3/5 stars
  • Leviathan (Leviathan, #1) by Scott Westerfeld – 4/5 stars, audiobook
  • The Wicked & The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act by Kieron Gillen – 4/5 stars, graphic novel
  • The Wicked & The Divine, Vol. 2: Fandemonium by Kieron Gillen – 4/5 stars, graphic novel
  • Starfall (Starflight, #2) by Melissa Landers – 4/5 stars, REVIEW
  • Kings Cage (Red Queen, #3) by Victoria Aveyard – 4/5 stars, REVIEW
  • The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) by Samantha Shannon – 5/5 stars
  • The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2) by Samantha Shannon – 5/5 stars
  • The Song Rising (The Bone Season, #3) by Samantha Shannon – 5/5 stars
  • The Winter Sea (Slains, #1) by Susanna Kearsley – 3/5 stars, audiobook

I cannot believe I was able to read/listen to this many books this month. It truly baffles my mind, haha! I’m also having a whole lot of trouble deciding on what else to say right now because I’m kind of starving and all I can think about is food. Y’all, I’M SO HUNGRY!

Total Books Read: 15

Overall in 2017: 52

Reading Challenge Updates

POPSUGAR

  • A Book That Takes Place Over a Character’s Life Span – The Underground Railroad
  • A Book Written by Someone You Admire – Norse Mythology
  • A Bestseller from 2016 – This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)
  • A Book with a Month or Day of the Week in the Title – A Million Junes
  • A Book with One of the Four Season in the Title – The Winter Sea (Slains, #1)

Beat the Backlist

  • This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)
  • Bone Gap
  • The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1)
  • The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2)

Goodreads Challenge

  • Total: 52/100
  • Previous Total: 36/100

Blog Posts

Teaser Tuesday

WWW Wednesday

Hype or Like Friday

Discussions/Misc.

How did your reading go during July? Did you get to all of the books that you wanted to? Did you participate in any of the reading challenges?

 

Hype or Like Friday – Small Town Living

This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The July BOTM is A Million Junes by Emily Henry.

RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Small Town Living… What books set in small towns do you recommend?

As someone who was born and raised in a small town, I always have a soft spot for books set in such a place. I smile at how everyone knows everyone and are into each other’s business. Such is the life of small town folks…

No matter if you’re from a small town and enjoy reading about similar places or are from a big city looking for a different way of life, the above books are good places to start!

Are you from a small town? Do you enjoy reading books set in small towns? Have you read any of the books that I recommended? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – May 17th, 2017

Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three W’s are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

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Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1) by Laini Taylor

Strange the Dreamer is the story of:

the aftermath of a war between gods and men
a mysterious city stripped of its name
a mythic hero with blood on his hands
a young librarian with a singular dream
a girl every bit as perilous as she is imperiled
alchemy and blood candy, nightmares and godspawn, moths and monsters, friendship and treachery, love and carnage.

Welcome to Weep.

I’m enjoying this book so far. It’s whimsical and mysterious with an interesting cast of characters. I’m really curious to see where this story leads and I hope that I enjoy it every step of the way!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Startup by Doree Shafrir – 4/5 stars, REVIEW
  • Armada by Ernest Cline – 3/5 stars, review will be posted Thursday

I really enjoyed both of these novels. I found Shafrir’s debut novel to be a fun and realistic social commentary on the tech scene. It had some funny moments and then a few moments that punched you in gut. I also enjoyed how sarcastic her viewpoint on millennials came out, so funny!

I was LOVING Armada, until it reached the ending. Something about the ending just really didn’t sit well with me. It seemed a bit rushed and wrapped up too perfectly, which is something that really annoys me in stories. However, I think this book is still a really fun read and fans of Ender’s Game will especially enjoy it. It definitely is chock full of sci-fi pop culture references, just like Ready Player One, but these references are much more universal and less obscure. I do believe that this novel has sold its movie rights, just like its predecessor, so be on the look out for that in the next few years!

What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m just going to get real with y’all – I shall be reading a buttload of Star Wars novels in the coming months, at least once a month. I’ve gotten really behind due to all of the new releases and so now I’m trying to play catch-up. If you’re not a Star Wars fan, you’ve been warned!

I will be reading Go Set a Watchman for book club. I’ll be honest and say that I’m reallyyyy not looking forward to reading this book. In fact, it gives me a headache just looking at the cover of it. I think I’ll just plan to read one or two chapters a night so I won’t put myself into a reading slump over it. I WILL NOT DO IT!

What are you currently reading? Have you finished any good books recently? Have you read any of the books on my list? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday in the comments below!

Book Review: Startup

As I’m sure y’all are aware of by now, I’m not the biggest contemporary reader. It just doesn’t entertain me enough or hold my attention anywhere near to that of fantasy and science fiction. However, when I saw Startup by Doree Shafrir was one of the picks for April BOTM, it immediately enticed me.

Mack McAllister has a $600 million dollar idea. His mindfulness app, TakeOff, is already the hottest thing in tech and he’s about to launch a new and improved version that promises to bring investors running and may turn his brainchild into a $1 billion dollar business–in startup parlance, an elusive unicorn.

Katya Pasternack is hungry for a scoop that will drive traffic. An ambitious young journalist at a gossipy tech blog, Katya knows that she needs more than another PR friendly puff piece to make her the go-to byline for industry news.

Sabrina Choe Blum just wants to stay afloat. The exhausted mother of two and failed creative writer is trying to escape from her credit card debt and an inattentive husband-who also happens to be Katya’s boss-as she rejoins a work force that has gotten younger, hipper, and much more computer literate since she’s been away.

Before the ink on Mack’s latest round of funding is dry, an errant text message hints that he may be working a bit too closely for comfort with a young social media manager in his office. When Mack’s bad behavior collides with Katya’s search for a salacious post, Sabrina gets caught in the middle as TakeOff goes viral for all the wrong reasons. As the fallout from Mack’s scandal engulfs the lower Manhattan office building where all three work, it’s up to Katya and Sabrina to write the story the men in their lives would prefer remain untold.

An assured, observant debut from the veteran online journalist Doree Shafrir, Startup is a sharp, hugely entertaining story of youth, ambition, love, money and technology’s inability to hack human nature.

Startup was a very quick read. Pacing-wise it was very much set to cruise control. As the story is more of a character study and social commentary, it lacks any action or excitement to move it along. However, I never found myself wishing to hurry up and get to the end, I was actually very invested in the overall story.

The characters are where this novel really shines. I found them all to be incredibly realistic and so unique from one another that I never had any trouble with the multiple POVs. Mack is so your typical late-twenties yuppie, who is only ever looking at for himself and pushing his company for enough for him to become a millionaire. I laughed so much at his personality because he reminds me so much of those young entrepreneurs that are all over social media, trying to expand their “personal brand”. I know y’all know exactly what I’m talking about! Sabrina was certainly the most endearing character, however, I didn’t connect with her as much. Luckily I know that it’s really because of a generational difference and nothing else. Her problems were certainly not any problems that I deal with but I still loved how real she seemed. Katya probably had the most interesting storyline. She’s portrayed as the alternative and sarcastic viewpoint to her generation, since she doesn’t particularly buy into the whole tech scene culture. Unfortunately, she made a few decisions that I felt went against her character and ultimately led me to questioning her overall.

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I loved that this book gives such an in-depth look into the New York tech scene. I always picture Silicon Valley when I think tech culture, so I really enjoyed how this story went against the popular notion and shows us a different side of it. I appreciated how Shafrir never sugarcoated it, but shows the ugly underbelly of the tech culture such as the long hours, overworked employees, and all of the companies that explode onto the scene only to crash and burn within a year. This isn’t really something you hear about very much, as the tech media only want to focus on the positives. I also thought it was very clever how Shafrir was able to use the tech culture to weave her narrative. All of the characters stories, decisions, etc. were all completely influenced by their position within the tech scene, especially in regards to their personalities.

If you’re looking for a quick read that realistically portrays a culture all millennials aspire to be a part of, then this book is the one you’re looking for. It’s filled with witty dialogue, real characters, and sarcastic social commentary that will have you giggling aloud. It also tackles an important contemporary issue that isn’t typically portrayed in novels.

Final Verdict: 4/5 Stars

Have you read Startup? What did you think of it? How did you feel about the different characters and the decisions they made?

February Wrap-Up: Reviews, Reading Challenges, etc.

Can I just say that for the shortest month of the year, I had a damn good reading month. Like I am starting 2017 on a roll, y’all!

Now watch me go into a huge reading slump because I just jinxed myself…Way to go, Larkin.

Books Read

  • Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto – 5/5 stars, REVIEW
  • Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – 3/5 stars, REVIEW
  • Caraval (Caraval, #1) by Stephanie Garber – 5/5 stars, REVIEW
  • Blood for Blood (Wolf By Wolf, #2) by Ryan Graudin – 4/5 stars
  • Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1) by Susan Dennard – 4/5 stars, REVIEW
  • Windwitch (The Witchlands, #2) by Susan Dennard – 3/5 stars
  • A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2) by Sabaa Tahir – 5/5 stars
  • We Are Still Tornadoes by Michael Kun & Susan Mullen – 4/5 stars
  • Love, Lies, and Spies by Cindy Anstey – 4/5 stars

I also read about 150 pages of RoseBlood by A.G. Howard, however I DNFed it because I was both extremely bored and confused. So I won’t be counting it towards my overall goal or total.

Total Books Read: 9

Overall in 2017: 16

Reading Challenge Updates

POPSUGAR

  • A Book of Letters – We Are Still Tornadoes
  • A Book by a Person of Color – A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2)
  • A Bestseller from a Genre You Don’t Normally Read – Big Little Lies
  • A Book Published in 2017 – Caraval (Caraval, #1)
  • The First Book in a Series You Haven’t Read Before – Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1)

Previous Month

  • A book by or about a person who has a disability – The Architect of Song
  • A book that’s been on your TBR list for way too long – Red Queen (Red Queen, #1)

Beat The Backlist

  • Revenge and the Wild
  • Blood for Blood (Wolf by Wolf, #2)
  • Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1)
  • A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)
  • We are Still Tornadoes

Goodreads Reading Challenge

  • Total: 16/100
  • Previous total: 7/100

Blog Posts

Teaser Tuesdays

WWW Wednesdays

Hype or Like Fridays

Reviews

Discussions/Misc.

All in all, I think February turned out to be a pretty darn good reading month. I’m really looking forward to March as well. I’ve got quite a good mix of reads for this upcoming month, so things should get pretty interesting! 🙂

How did your February go? Did you get a lot of reading done? Which book was your favorite read? What about your least favorite read?

Book Review: Big Little Lies

I’m not one for contemporary thrillers/chick lit, but I think y’all probably already realized that by now. With that being said, I doubt that I would’ve ever picked up this book if it wasn’t for it being the first book choice in a book club I joined with some fellow neighborhood ladies. However, I was much more engrossed in Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies than I thought I would be… Consider me shocked!

Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads:

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

The plot in this novel was very interesting and I really enjoyed the way it was set up. You start off immediately knowing that there was an accident but not what happened or to whom. I loveeee when stories do that (see The Secret History), as it really adds an extra air of mystery to the story. I mean, why and how does someone get murdered at an elementary school fundraiser in an affluent Sydney suburb? Well, that’s what this entire book going on to explain. There are also quite a few heavy themes dealt with in this book such as domestic violence, rape, and PTSD. Basically, this book ended up being much darker than what I was expecting for chick lit, even if it’s technically a thriller as well.

Oh, these characters… Honestly, they’re the reason why this book didn’t get higher ratings from me. I just didn’t connect with any of them. Maybe it’s because I’m not a 30 year old housewife and helicopter parent? Basically, these are just some seriously flawed characters and I never agreed with any of their choices. Madeline was the most interesting, as she actually had a fun personality and was full of sass. I enjoyed reading her POV the most, I think. She was a little vapid and overly obsessed with money but it worked for her character. Celeste just didn’t click with me at all. It took her an entire book to make one choice that I agreed with. She was too much of a pushover and continued to let everyone else tell her what to do. Basically the opposite of Madeline and myself, haha! Jane was interesting, as she was a nice contrast to the other characters due to her being a single mom in her mid-twenties. In the beginning she annoyed me more than any of the other characters because she just lacked any sort of personality. Luckily as the story progresses, we get to see more of her and actually watch her have some character growth, which was desperately needed.

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The pacing was fairly steady throughout the book. There were times when you’re basically just reading the most idiotic conversations or some mundane event that you think is just filler, but actually helps move the narrative along and comes back later. I never struggled to pick this book up and once I started reading, it was actually really difficult to put down. I was completely drawn in.

Overall, this book turned out to be something far more engrossing than what I first imagined it could be. I really enjoyed the overall plot of the story, even if the characters were less than appealing to me. I can definitely see why some people rave about this writer and her stories. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery or just enjoys chick lit in general. If you are hesitant about reading this book, the miniseries is also premiering on HBO this Sunday 2/19. I expect it to follow the plotline very closely and will be starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Adam Scott, and Alexander Skarsgaard. Even before I read this book, I had planned to watch the show just because of the cast. I am glad I gave this novel a shot though, and it will definitely make for an interesting discussion this weekend over brunch!

Final Verdict: 3/4 Stars

Have you read Little Big Lies? What did you think of it? Have you read any of Moriarty’s other novels?

WWW Wednesday – February 8th, 2017

Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three W’s are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

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Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber

As of this moment, I haven’t actually read one page from this book. I only put my bookmark in it last night before I went to bed, as I’d already stayed up too late finishing up Big Little Lies. But I can tell you that I’m so excited to pick this one up and that I hope it lives up to the hype! Fingers crossed, right?

Whatever you’ve heard about Caraval, it doesn’t compare to the reality. It’s more than just a game or a performance. It’s the closest you’ll ever find to magic in this world . . .

Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – 3 stars, If you’re looking for an engrossing murder mystery amongst some suburbanite mothers, then this might be for you. I will admit that I was hooked trying to figure out who was murdered and who did it, but I reallyyyyy hated all of the characters. They were just so awful!

Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads:

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

  • Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto – 5 stars, THIS BOOK WAS SOOOO GOOD! Easily my favorite book of the year so far. It’s got a kickass heroine, monsters, mayhem, and sass. What more could you want?! Everyone really needs to go read this 2016 debut!

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Blood for Blood (Wolf By Wolf, #2) by Ryan Graudin – I’m finally going to finish up this duology after really enjoying the first book, when I buddy read it with Britt @ Geronimo Reads back in November. I’ve heard great things about it but I also hear that I’m going to cry sooooo, yeah. Already got my tissues handy!
  • Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1) by Susan Dennard – This is the February BOTM for Hype or Like Friday, if you would like to join us! I’ve heard mixed things about this series so far but I’m interested in seeing how I feel about it.
  • A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2) by Sabaa Tahir – I liked An Ember in the Ashes but I wasn’t blown away by it like some people were. I thought it was decent but nothing amazing or unique. However, I am interested in seeing how this story develops and I hope it gets better.

What are you currently reading? Have you read any good books this week? Have you read any of the books on my list? What did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – February 1st, 2017

Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three W’s are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

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Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto

I will actually start this book during my lunch break today. I’m pretty excited about it because it’s a fantasy-steampunk Western. Like seriously, how cool does that sound? It’s also Modesto’s debut novel, so I’m interested in seeing how it turns out. I always love getting to read debuts because you never know when you’ll meet your new favorite author!

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

What did you recently finish reading?

I really enjoyed Black’s take on vampires. It was a fun and engrossing read that I didn’t want to put down! I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a different kind of vampire story (one that doesn’t include sparkles!). As for The Walls Around Us… just a major disappointment.

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? Which books have finished reading recently? What’s up next on your TBR? Have you read any of the books on my list? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday in the comments below!

Musing Mondays – December 12th, 2016 (A Very Large Book Haul)

Musing Mondays is a weekly theme, now being hosted by Ambrosia @ The Purple Booker, that asks you to answer one of the prompt questions and that week’s random question.

PROMPTS:

  • I’m currently reading…
  • Up next I think I’ll read…
  • I bought the following book(s) this past week…
  • I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I can’t wait to get a copy of…
  • I wish I could read ___, but…
  • I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: Does reading help you to release stress during stressful times? If it does do you have a favorite book that you return to for calm?

I bought the following book(s) this past week…

So I actually purchased these books from Book Outlet during their Black Friday Sale, but they finally arrived last week. Needless to say, I got way too many books. However, for only spending $60 on all hardbacks except for three, I think I got an insane bargain. I don’t even feel bad about it.

See, I told you that I bought a lot!

Does reading help you to release stress during stressful times? If it does do you have a favorite book that you return to for calm?

I would have to say that reading does help me relax when I’m feeling stressed. I think it’s because my mind becomes focused on what I’m reading, and not what is bothering me. However, I don’t have any particular book that I turn to. I’ll just pick up whatever book I’m in the middle of.

What books did you buy recently? Have you read any of the ones from my haul? Does reading help you release stress? Leave a link to your Musing Monday post in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – December 7th, 2016

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Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three W’s are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

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The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I’ll probably be able to finish up this book today (fingers crossed!), and so far it’s been very interesting. I like it so far, it’s fairly engrossing and fast paced. However, at this point I probably won’t be giving it the full 5 stars. Sometimes the prose comes across as trying too hard and pretentious, which is an instant way to annoy the heck out of me.

Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality their lives are changed profoundly and forever, and they discover how hard it can be to truly live and how easy it is to kill.

I’m also currently reading my blogging bestie, Jill @ Rant and Rave About Books, new NA Romance novel, Corrupt Me. It’s going to be released in January, so you should all be on the lookout! It’s also currently available on NetGalley if you are interested in receiving an ARC for review!

What did you recently finish reading?

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Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5) by Sarah J. Maas

I promise that I will catch up with my reviews over the next week. I’ve had a very interesting few days and so have just gotten pushed behind on my reviews. Sorry, y’all!

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? Have you read any of the books on my list? Are you joining us this month in reading A Thousand Pieces of You? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!