Tag: A.C. Gaughen

August/September Wrap-Up: Reviews, Reading Challenges, etc.

I’m ashamed to say that it’s been so long since I’ve actually finished a book. I started Tower of Dawn when I left on vacation at the start of September and still have not finished it. Though, I’m only about 50 pages away from the end so fingers crossed I can finish it tonight! But anywho…. it seems as though my little reading slump bled over into a blogging slump as well this past month. So I’d like to apologize for the lack of posts during September and I promise that things should get back to normal this month. And holy smoke y’all, it’s already October!!!! We are officially into my favorite season and that means Thanksgiving is basically next weekend and then Christmas in two weeks. (I mean, obviously not really but it sure feels that way!) I may or may not already be hyped for 25 Days of Christmas on “Freeform”. I could literally watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas 100 times in a row and never get bored. #NoShame

Books Read

  • Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms, #4) by Morgan Rhodes – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik – physical ARC, 3/5 stars
  • Brunette Ambition by Lea Michelle – physical book, 4/5 stars
  • Lion Heart (Scarlet, #3) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook, 2/5 stars
  • Smoke and Iron (The Great Library, #4) by Rachel Caine – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Sightwitch (The Witchlands, #0.5) by Susan Dennard – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch – physical book, 4/5 stars
  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah – audiobook, 3/5 stars
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1) by Sarah J. Maas – physical book, 4/5 stars

Total Books Read: 10

Overall in 2018: 56

Reading Challenge Updates

POPSUGAR

  • A book about a villain of antihero: Renegades
  • A book with alliteration in the title: Love & Luck

Goodreads Challenge

Total: 56/75

Previous Total: 46/75

Blog Posts

Book Reviews

WWW Wednesday

Discussions/Misc.

How did your reading go during August/September? Were you able to read all of the books on your TBR? Did you read any new favorites? What book did you like the least? Did you do anything fun or interesting? Did you fall into a reading slump like I did? What do you plan on reading in October?

First Impressions of Books That I Got Wrong

Let’s be honest – we all prejudge books before we ever read them. Whether we are judging them based on their covers (don’t lie, we know you do it…), the hype surrounding them, the author’s previous work, etc., we are constantly forming opinions as soon as we learn about a book. But hey, we’re all human and this is just normal behavior!

I will openly admit that I am AWFUL about judging books before I ever pick them up. I immediately rate a book, usually judging it by the synopsis or the surrounding hype. I’m not one to usually jump on the immediate bandwagons for most new releases, unless it’s for a series that I’m already invested in. Also, I’ve recently gotten really critical of synopses lately. I used to not be this way but I’ve noticed over the past year or so that if a book sounds a lot like something I’ve previously read, I pretty much just write it off as #notinterested. Unless it’s some sort of retelling, because I’m totally trash for those! And then there are the books that you think you will love and then they end up crashing all of your hopes against a rock. How rude!

However, I have to say that there have been a few books that bucked the trend for me and I wanted to highlight a few of those in this post. I mean, we’re all bound to get it wrong sometimes, right?!

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Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

I went into this book so excited because the synopsis sounded like such a whimsical middle grade novel full of adventure… But what I got was actually a really boring story with a lackluster ending.

 

 

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Furyborn (Empirium, #1) by Claire Legrand

I got an ARC of this book in a FairyLoot box last fall and just was not sold on that synopsis. Then when everyone started giving it mixed reviews, I was really put off. However, I finally picked it up around its release date and WOW!!! This book was just sooo good and now I’m desperately awaiting for the sequel!

 

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Scarlet (Scarlet, #1) by A.C. Gaughen

What I thought I was getting – a badass feminist version of Robin Hood, where the girl is the one taking care of business. What I actually got – the sappiest freaking love story I’ve ever read, that only got worse with each book.

 

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Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1) by Susan Dennard

When this book first came out, it was getting some very mixed reviews. The majority seemed to not really like it, saying that the world-building was confusing. So I ended up putting off reading it for over a year and I immediately regretted it. I loved this book so much!!!

 

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The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

This book seemed to be really groundbreaking for a lot of people. However, it just felt really jumbled to me. It was kind of all over the place and tried a little too hard to be edgy and different in regards to the writing style, which really detracted from the actual plot. I wasn’t the biggest fan.

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Zodiac (Zodiac, #1) by Romina Russell

So no one ever talks about this series, EVER. So I was first attracted to the cover and synopsis (yes, I like astrology for fun!), but figured it would be just mediocre at best. Y’all, I was totally wrong. The world-building, plot, and characters are totally complex. I can’t recommend it enough!

 

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Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress, #1) by Julie C. Dao

I love a good antihero story just as much as the next person, but that wasn’t what I got with this book. Xifeng has zero redeeming qualities and her reasoning for everything she does lacks any depth. I kept rooting for someone to just kill her.

 

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The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen, #1) by Alison Goodman

Another series that no one ever mentions and so even though I was intrigued by the synopsis, I put it off. But oh my gosh, this story is everything I want and more!!! Regency England, paranormal creatures, and a secret society… Perfection.

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The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy

I had seen so many people raving about this mysterious story… All I got was a total yawn fest. It was extremely slow and lacked any sort of conflict to grab my attention. My expectations were definitely shattered with this one.

 

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Heartless by Marissa Meyer

This book got a lot of hate when it was first released, which put me off from picking it up for a long time. However, when I finally read it, I loved it! It was definitely a unique twist on the origins of the Queen of Hearts. I won’t lie, my mouth was constantly watering from all of the yummy food descriptions too. Ha!

 

What are some books that ended up shattering your first impressions? Do you share the same opinion as me on any of the books on my list? Do you usually prejudge books before you read them based on covers, synopsis, or the opinions of others?

 

 

WWW Wednesday – August 22nd, 2018

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?

  • The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah – audiobook
  • Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen – audiobook
  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – physical book

I’m not even a fourth of the way through The Lost Vintage but I’m enjoying it so far. I’m definitely learning a lot about wine, which is kind of fun. I love that there is two different stories going on at once and I can’t wait to see how they intertwine. And y’all know that I’m such a sucker for a good historical fiction.

I’ve been listening to more of Orphan Monster Spy but it’s not doing much for me so far. It’s very slow and the writing style isn’t my favorite.

I’m not very far into Renegades yet so I don’t have much of an opinion at the moment. I have heard some great things about this book though and can’t wait to really get into it.

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Lion Heart (Scarlet, #3) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook
  • Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik – physical ARC

Well Lion Heart was a total disappointment. The overall plot faded to the background in favor of the most gushy and cheesy romance that I’ve read in the longest time. It was a terrible finale to the series and that ending was absolute garbage in that nothing happened. So if you’re looking for a good Robin Hood retelling, just keep moving on because you’re definitely not missing anything here.

Spinning Silver was an interesting story. I have come to terms that Novik’s writing is fairly slow but that doesn’t really bother me. However, I felt what really bogged this story down was all of the POVs. At one point there might have been almost 6 and it was just too excessive. Only 3 really added anything to the overall plot with the others were just filler and dragged the rest of the story down. So unfortunately for me, this book doesn’t measure up to her previous novel, Uprooted.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch – physical book
  • Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6) by Sarah J. Maas – physical book
  • A Gathering of Ravens by Scott Oden – physical book

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – August 15th, 2018

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?

  • Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen – audiobook
  • Lion Heart (Scarlet, #3) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook
  • Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik – physical ARC

I haven’t listened to either of my audiobooks this past week… Oops.

I’m enjoying Spinning Silver so far. It’s definitely an interesting take on the original tale and I like how Novik has remade it into her own. I’m not too far into the book right now and so it’ll be interesting to see where the story goes from here. So far there hasn’t been a sign of any romance, but I wouldn’t mind if some shows up further in the novel. I always like at least a little bit in the background. Guess I’m a romantic at heart..

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Sightwitch (The Witchlands, #0.5) by Susan Dennard
  • Smoke and Iron (The Great Library, #4) by Rachel Caine – REVIEW
  • Brunette Ambition by Lea Michele

I’m absolutely in love with The Great Library series, so I don’t think it’s any surprise that the latest book blew me away. It was fast paced from start to finish and you could really feel the intensity of the situation our characters were in. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book! I also loved how we got points of views from almost all of the main characters at one point or another. It really brought a new facet to this series. I highly recommend it!

Sightwitch is only my second novella, but OH. MY. GOSH. It was soooo good, y’all. I loved how engrossing the story was. It really brought me back into this world and made me realize how much I had missed it. I definitely see a reread of the previous two books in my near future before Bloodwitch comes out early next year.

While Brunette Ambition wasn’t the Glee behind-the-scenes book that I was hoping for, I still enjoyed it. Michele started from the beginning as she grew up on Broadway and all of the life lessons she learned there. I also loved that she included some of her favorite recipes and skincare regimen. While I was hoping for a more in-depth look into her time on Glee, I can’t say that I was disappointed by the direction she took. This book was released less than a year after Cory Monteith’s death, and I believed was actually delayed due to that tragedy. I think it was easier for her to focus on things other than what would bring up memories of him.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – physical book
  • Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6) by Sarah J. Maas – physical book
  • Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch – physical book

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – August 8th, 2018

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?

  • Lion Heart (Scarlet, #3) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook
  • Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen – audiobook
  • Smoke and Iron (The Great Library, #4) by Rachel Caine – physical book

Finally started back to listening to Lion Heart again today. I plan to finish this one up before the end of the day, but we’ll see.

I haven’t listened much to Orphan Monster Spy lately as I’ve been watching Glee while on the treadmill instead of listening to my audiobooks. I feel like I should be ashamed by this but I’m not. So there.

I’m less than 50 pages into Smoke and Iron but I can tell that I’m really going to enjoy this book. We are finally getting Khalila’s point of view and I’m so excited! I love how this series continues to expand and I feel like it’s very close to reach its climax. I cannot wait to see how this all ends!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms, #4) by Morgan Rhodes – physical book
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1) by Sarah J. Maas – physical book

Obviously I loved Frozen Tides, as this series just keeps getting better and better. The plot continues to get even more intricate and exciting.  Also, holy moly plot twist!!! That ending was insane and I loved it. I cannot wait to start the next book and find out what’s going to happen now.

I enjoyed A Court of Frost and Starlight. It was my first novella and I think it did a good job, as it less based around a plotline and focused more on bridging the original trilogy with the upcoming follow-up series. It was great to see where the characters are at now that the war is over and how they’re each coping with that. Also, Nesta is still a total bitch and I still completely love it. So happy that this next series will have her point of view!

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Sightwitch (The Witchlands, #0.5) by Susan Dennard – physical book
  • Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik – physical ARC
  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – physical book

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – August 1st, 2018

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?

  • Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen – audiobook
  • Lion Heart (Scarlet, #3) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook
  • Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms, #4) by Morgan Rhodes – physical book

If you’re wondering if I’ve listened any more to Lion Heart since last week, you’ll be disappointed because I definitely haven’t. I only have about two hours left on it and so I hope to finish it soon. I’m just tired of all mushy love crap, okay?!

I barely started on Orphan Monster Spy yesterday while I was at the gym, so I don’t have much of an opinion yet. The only thing I’ve noticed is the writing style and I can’t decide whether or not I like it. However, I’m still only on the first chapter and so there’s plenty of time for it to change.

I’m about 50 pages into Frozen Tides and of course I’m enjoying it so far. I had forgotten a bit about what happened in the previous book but it’s slowly coming back to me. I will say that Magnus is back to being a butthead and I ain’t happy about it.

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand – audiobook, 3/5 stars
  • Titans by Leila Meacham – physical book, 4/5 stars

Let me just say that I was disappointed by The Afterlife of Holly Chase. I found it to be fairly repetitive and the middle portion was extremely slow paced. There also wasn’t a whole lot of details on Operation Scrooge which is what I was most interested in. I did however enjoy the ending which bumped my overall rating up to 3 stars. I think this book could’ve used some more editing and maybe cut about 50 pages from it.

Titans was pretty good, though I definitely don’t think it measures up to Roses. I loved the characters and really enjoyed diving into the different families lives. However, I think Nathan was pushed to wayside as the book moved along and I really would’ve enjoyed getting to learn more about him.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – physical book
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1) by Sarah J. Maas – physical book
  • Sightwitch (The Witchlands, #0.5) by Susan Dennard – physical book

After tackling the behemoth that is Renegades, I figured it’s probably a good time to focus on some of my novellas. I’ve heard good things about all three books and so I can’t wait to dive into them.

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – July 25th, 2018

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?

  • Lion Heart (Scarlet, #3) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook
  • Titans by Leila Meacham – physical book
  • The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand – audiobook

I’ve finally passed the halfway mark on Titans and am still really enjoying this story. I didn’t have any time to really read this past weekend as I was attending two different concerts (Maren Morris/Niall Horan and Whitesnake/Foreigner). I do plan to finish this enormous book by this weekend though, as I will be doing nothing but relaxing by the pool and reading.

I haven’t listened to any of Lion Heart since starting on The Afterlife of Holly Chase. I am enjoying this story more now, but am still waiting for something big to happen. The plot has kind of hit a stagnant point for me. I’ve got my fingers crossed that Stephanie is actually dead too. That would be a great twist!

What did you recently finish reading?

Nada…. Sorry, y’all!

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2) by Libba Bray – physical book
  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – physical book
  • Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms, #4) by Morgan Rhodes – physical book

I’ve decided to pick up Frozen Tides next before diving into Renegades, as I need a little break from big books for a bit. Haha! I’m super excited to pick it up though because I’m in love with this series and the last book ended on such a big cliffhanger!

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – July 18th, 2018

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?

  • Lion Heart (Scarlet, #3) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook
  • Titans by Leila Meacham – physical book
  • The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand – audiobook

I haven’t listened to Lion Heart very much over the past week, as this last book has gone a bit overboard with the romance. It seems romance pushed plot to the wayside and now it’s kind of boring me. Get back to the political intrigue, dammit!

I finally got to really start on Titans and I’m really enjoying it so far. It’s taking a bit to truly get into the story, but for a book that’s over 600 pages long, that’s not too surprising. Also, I’m just enjoying getting to know the characters more before diving into the overall plot. Meacham writes such great historical fiction, that I feel like I’m actually in Dallas/Fort Worth in 1900. Loving it so far!

Because I was getting bored listening to Lion Heart, I decided to start on another audiobook that I had recently purchased. It’s taking a bit for me to get into The Afterlife of Holly Chase, but I think things are finally getting interesting. Holly is kind of a bitch, but I think that’s the whole point. I’m interested in seeing where this story goes.

What did you recently finish reading?

Nothing…. Shame, shame, shame.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2) by Libba Bray – physical book
  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – physical book

Nothing new here, as I plan to still read these two books next. It’s looking like July will be the month of big books for me, haha. No complaints here!

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

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

I had a decent reading month in June, but nothing amazing. Things have been really busy and stressful at work, which has affected my reading some. I catch myself coming home and just watching tv to relax more than I have in years. I’d like to thank Hulu and Netflix for taking over my life recently, especially Hulu. Hopefully I can get back into reading consistently soon.

Books Read

  • Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) by Amanda Foody – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Legendary (Caraval, #2) by Stephanie Garber – physical book, 5/5 stars, Book Review
  • Defy the Worlds (Constellation, #2) by Claudia Gray – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Scarlet (Scarlet, #1) by A.C. Guaghen – audiobook, 3/5 stars
  • Lady Thief (Scarlet, #2) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook, 4/5 stars
  • The Diviners (The Diviners, #1) by Libba Bray – audiobook (reread), 5/5 stars
  • Ahsoka (A Star Wars Novel) by E.K. Johnston – physical book, 4/5 stars
  • A Reaper at the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes, #3) by Sabaa Tahir – physical book, 5/5 stars, Book Review

Total Books Read: 8

Overall in 2018: 43

Reading Challenge Updates

POPSUGAR

  • A book you own but haven’t read yet – Ahsoka

Goodreads Challenge

Total: 43/75

Previous Total: 35/75

Blog Posts

Book Reviews

WWW Wednesday

Discussions/Misc.

How did your reading month in June go? Were you able to read all of the books on your TBR? Did you read any new favorites? What book did you like the least? Did you do anything fun or interesting?

WWW Wednesday – July 11th, 2018

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?

  • Lion Heart (Scarlett, #3) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook
  • Titans by Leila Meacham – physical book

I have done almost zero reading since my last WWW Wednesday. I was in a bit of a reading slump and mix that with being super busy, I haven’t really been able to pick up a book until last night. Which sucks because Tome Topple is almost over and I was so excited about doing it, too. Darn!

However, I am still enjoying Lion Heart and only have about 2 hours left to listen to. I also actually haven’t started Titans, as I just finished my previous book last night. I’m really excited to dive into it though. I have really enjoyed all of Meacham’s books, especially Roses. If you enjoy sweeping historical fiction, I highly recommend her novels!

What did you recently finish reading?

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  • Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World, #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse – physical book, 4/5 stars

I really enjoyed this post-apocalyptic urban fantasy that is centered around a Native American girl who hunts monsters on a reservation, after most of the world was flooded. Let’s just say that the main character is a total badass. Also, I’m so glad to finally have found a fantasy novel that centers around Native American culture and myths. MORE, PLEASE!

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2) by Libba Bray – physical book
  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – physical book

I know I won’t get to these before Tome Topple ends, but I still want to stick with my TBR. I think I’ll fly through these two books and I’m debating about doing a personal 24 hour readathon this weekend. Fingers crossed!

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!