December Wrap Up [2016]

December 30, 2016May 28, 2022 ~ Ellyn ~ Leave a comment

December 2016 Wrap Up

Okay, it’s officially the end of 2016. Wow, this month was pretty intense, I really enjoyed my reading this month, I was constantly reading and it felt weird when I wasn’t reading. While I enjoyed my reading, I did not enjoy the books I read, if that makes sense. I read 12 books and 2 comics but if I’m honest the only books I really enjoyed and remember were books 5,6 and 7 in the Harry Potter series. They were rereads! Don’t get me wrong I love rereads but the fact that I read so many books and the fact that I didn’t enjoy all of the new ones I read has really opened my eyes to my reading life. Don’t get me wrong some of the books I read I was really anticipating but some of the others I new I wouldn’t like, but I read anyway. I’ll talk more about this in my 2017 reading goals but next year I think I would like to prioritise my reading more… no more reading books I don’t want to read.

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham
Finished December 01, 2016 | Pages: 224 | Rating: 3/5

I really loved this book, Lauren Graham just gives me good vibes. After finishing the revival episodes last week, hearing Lauren Graham talk about her experiences as Lorelai on the Gilmore Girls set. At some points throughout the novel, Graham talks about Edward Herrmann, the man who played her onscreen father. I won’t lie, when she started talking about him I did cry a little bit.

Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson #6) - Louise Rennison
Finished December 01, 2016 | Pages: 336 | Rating: 2/5

Meh. I am tired and crabby, Georgia Nicolson has made me go from a happy person to a mentally exhausted person in roughly 4 hours. Quite the accomplishment. This is meant to be a comedic novel, no? I laughed once.

Georgia is a horrible little snob and I am at a loss as to how she actually has any friends.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter #5) - J.K. Rowling
Finished December 07, 2016 | Pages: 800 | Rating: 5/5

I had forgotten how much I loved this book. Harry is soo angry and Umbridge is soo horrible. The characters all grow up so much and their development honestly moves me more the it should. Luna finally gets friends, Neville stands up for himself and Ginny totally steps up and kicks everyone’s asses.

The Princess Diarist - Carrie Fisher 
Finished December 07, 2016 | Pages: 240 | Rating: 3/5

I don’t really know how I feel book this book. I listened to this as an audiobook, which I think is definitely the way to go with any memoir.

I think, maybe I had hyped this novel up too much between the short 1-2 weeks of hearing about it and then picking it up. This novel is basically Fisher talking about the fist Star Wars movie (the prequels are not real, fight me) and Carrison.

You’ve got to give it to Fisher, she’s already written 2 other memoirs and somehow she still managed to write another 240 pages. For me, the main thing that saved this novel is Fisher’s wit and her diary entries. Her writing was amazing, and if acting had not worked out so well for her she definitely could have looked into songwriting.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6) - J.K. Rowling
Finished December 10, 2016 | Pages: 560 | Rating: 5/5

This is only the third time I’ve read this novel. The first time I read it, years ago when I was first reading the series I hated this novel and then avoided it every time I re-read the series afterwards. Finally, I read the novel again last year and found that I absolutely loved it!

Harry’s not as agro as he was in the previous novel and he’s really grown up over the holidays. This novel really stand out against the other as we learn more about our enemies and we are introduced to the horcruxes. This instalment is packed with romance drama, teenage angst and some pretty intense action scenes. Also, Ginny Weasley is an actual character, with feelings and spunk.

Startled by His Furry Shorts! (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, #7) - Louise Rennison
Finished December 10, 2016 | Pages: 271 | Rating: 1/5

Ugh. 7 down, 3 to go.

Luuurve Is a Many Trousered Thing (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson #8) - Louise Rennison
Finished December 11, 2016 | Pages: 252 | Rating: 1/5

I will finish this series out of pure spite.

Stop in the Name of Pants (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson #9) - Louise Rennison
Finished December 15, 2016 | Pages: 285 | Rating: 1/5

One more book to go… thank God.

Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson #9) - Louise Rennison
Finished December 16, 2016 | Pages: 314 | Rating: 1/5

Given my ratings for the rest of the books I should probably give the series an overall rating of 2 or even 3, at a push. However over the last month I have read the last few books in the overly long series, and have come to realise that this is not at all a good or decent book series. There are so many other things that younger readers could be reading, Georgia Nicholson is a horrible, rude, selfish, body shaming, cheating, homophobic and disgusting little girl.

The Deep: Here Be Dragons (The Deep Volume 1) - Tom Taylor
Finished December 19, 2016 | Pages: 88 | Rating: 4/5

I really enjoyed this comic, it’s about a family of aquanauts who explore the Ocean and are looking for Atlantis. I found this to be really fun and lighthearted so naturally I also had to pick up volume 2 immediately.

The Deep: The Vanishing Island (The Deep Volume 2) - Tom Taylor
Finished December 19, 2016 | Pages: 80 | Rating: 4/5

I read the first volume of the series and then immediately picked up this volume. The series is really enjoyable and I only wish there was another volume for me to read. I guess, I’ll just have to watch the shows now!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) - J.K. Rowling
Finished December 11, 2016 | Pages: 453 | Rating: 5/5

I love this book, I really do. For as long as I can remember I have been reading this series and I have loved it every step of the way. This year, reading the series was like coming home, a breath of fresh air. Even through the pain and the heartache in this book I was smiling (on the inside though, because obviously I still cried a lot – SO MUCH PAIN) because I love these books, and honestly, I always will.

Heartless - Marissa Meyer
Finished December 24, 2016 | Pages: 453 | Rating: 2.5/5

And, it’s over.
I have been anicipating this novel ever since I found out about it but unfortunately it was not everything the hype made it out to be.

My review for this book will be up soon

The Dying of the Light (Skulduggery Pleasant #9) - Derek Landy
Finished December 27, 2016 | Pages: 605 | Rating: 3.5/5

Derek Landy is a very clever man. This was a very smart finale, but it wasn’t really a true finale for me because I just found out recently that there’s going to be another book!

A Million Worlds with You (Firebird #3) - Claudia Gray
Finished December 28, 2016 | Pages: 432 | Rating: 1/5

1 star for the plot. I hate Marguerite and the romance is too much, the plot is the only decent thing about this trilogy.

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November Wrap Up [2016]

December 1, 2016May 28, 2022 ~ Ellyn ~ 1 Comment

November 2016 Wrap Up

This was a big month for series! I started series and I finished series. It’s a relief, at the end of the year to not only find new stories that I enjoy and will continue next year, but that I have also managed to finish a few different series throughout the year.

I didn’t read too many books this month but I did still read a substantial amount. The important thing is that I enjoyed what I read!

Death Bringer (Skulduggery Pleasant #6) - Derek Landy
Finished November 05, 2016 | Pages: 603 | Rating: 4/5

It always feels like a breath of fresh air when I read a new novel in this series.

Nova: The Human Rocket Vol. 1: Burn Out (Nova: The Human Rocket #1)
by Sean Ryan (Text), Cory Smith (Illustrations)
Finished November 09, 2016 | Pages: 136 | Rating: 4/5

I only just found out this comic existed and after reading and loving the Nova (Marvel Now) series earlier this year I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pick this up!

If you enjoyed the Nova series then you should definitely pick it up, Sam has definitely matured a bit but he still has his lovable and sarcastic personality.

Kingdom of the Wicked (Skulduggery Pleasant, #7) -  Derek Landy 
Finished November 12, 2016 | Pages: 607 | Rating: 4/5

I just feel the need to let you guys all know that I love this series and am ever thankful that I picked it up this year.

Like every other book in this series this was perfect in every way. The ending shot me in the heart and I swear, honest to god I was smiling the whole time.

The End of the World (Skulduggery Pleasant #6.5) - Derek Landy
Finished November 12, 2016 | Pages: 128 | Rating: 3/5

This was adorable. The End of the World is a sad short novella and I loved it. I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to read it but I’m glad I did.

The Maleficent Seven (Skulduggery Pleasant #7.5) - Derek Landy
Finished November 12, 2016 | Pages: 128 | Rating: 3/5

I’m not 100% sure how I feel about this, on one hand I love Tanith Low but on the other hand, this book kind of felt flat.

Last Stand of Dead Men (Skulduggery Pleasant, #8) - Derek Landy
Finished November 20, 2016 | Pages: 604 | Rating: 4/5

01 I am soo pissed off, too much happened too quickly. Everyone is at war and so many people died. Everything is horrible and I am not a happy chappie.

02 I honestly can’t deal with anything right now.

Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (Lumberjanes #1) - Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Brooke A. Allen (Illustrator)
Finished November 21, 2016 | Pages: 128 | Rating: 5/5

I loved the artwork and I loved the relationships, romantic or otherwise. This is a fun and original new comic series and I can’t way to continue on with it!

Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max (Lumberjanes (Collected Editions) #2) - Noelle Stevenson (Writer, Creator), Grace Ellis (Writer, Creator), Shannon Watters (Creator), Brooke Allen (Illustrator), Maarta Laiho (Colourist)
Finished November 22, 2016 | Pages: 112 | Rating: 4.5/5

Oh, look, I picked up volume 2!

This comic series is honestly so good! It’s light and fun, and has amazing artwork! Noelle Stevenson is a master with the pen!
The comics I usually read are usually pretty heavy, saving the world and everything is super serious, so this series is a nice fluffy break. The friendships and relationships in this series really make it special. Definitely recommend!

Lumberjanes Volume 3: A Terrible Plan (Lumberjanes (Collected Editions) #3) - Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Carolyn Nowak (Illustrator), Maarta Laiho (Colorist), Aubrey Aiese (Letterer), Brittney Williams (Illustrator), Aimee Fleck (Illustrator), Faith Erin Hicks (Goodreads Author) (Author/Illustrator) , Rebecca Tobin (Illustrator), Felicia Choo (Illustrator), T. Zysk (Illustrator) 
Finished November 24, 2016 | Pages: 112 | Rating: 4/5

I wasn’t a massive fan of the first issue, I didn’t like the artwork and didn’t think the stories were particularly scary. However, the rest of the volume was fantastic!

Lumberjanes, Vol. 4: Out of Time (Lumberjanes (Collected Editions) #4) - Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis (Co-Creator), Brooke Allen (Illustrator), Maarta Laiho (Colorist), Aubrey Aiese (Letterer)
Finished November 24, 2016 | Pages: 112 | Rating: 4/5

Still strange and quirky, although a plot is starting to form for the rest of the series. Can’t wait for volume 5!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay -  J.K. Rowling
Finished November 24, 2016 | Pages: 304 | Rating: 5/5

I saw this film on the weekend and fell in love with Newt Scamander instantly, I went from being incredibly sceptic about the series to having complete faith in Rowling. After reading this and seeing the film, I believe that J.K. knows what she’s doing and I can’t wait to see her latest project through.

The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) - Brandon Sanderson 
Finished November 30, 2016 | Pages: 724 | Rating: __/5

Now, that is how you end a trilogy!

October Wrap Up [2016]

November 1, 2016November 15, 2022 ~ Ellyn ~ Leave a comment

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) - Rick Riordan 
Finished October 02, 2016 | Pages: 375 | Rating: 5/5

My opinion on this book hasn’t changed since 6th grade. I still love it, and I will always love it.

Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
Finished October 03, 2016 | Pages: 286 | Rating: 3/5

As with every other Austen novel I did love this. However, I found myself struggling to believe the romance, I mean really? A smart, 26 year old man like Mr Tilney falls for an 18 year old girl with her head in the clouds?

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and The Olympians #2) - Rick Riordan
Finished October 08, 2016 | Pages: 265 | Rating: 5/5

I am so glad I decided to reread this. We meet so many of the characters in this book and you can really appreciate the Grover and Percy bromance more in this novel. I don’t think I ever realised in previous reads how much Kronos made happen and how he planned for the quests to happen in his favour so I’m definitely glad that I reread this.

Dark Days (Skulduggery Pleasant #4) - Derek Landy
Finished October 09, 2016 | Pages: 415 | Rating: 3.5/5

Not as good as the last 3 but I am definitely continuing the series. I love these books but they are certainly getting darker. This book wasn’t as funny as it’s predecessors and felt more like a filler. I listened to this on audio and missed a lot of the text because I found myself frequently spacing out, at one point I missed at least 10 minutes of the audio so I’m not sure if I had a problem with the actual audiobook or if I was just too tired to listen properly.

Seconds - Bryan Lee O'Malley & Nathan Fairbairn (Colorist)
Finished October 09, 2016 | Pages: 323 | Rating: 3.5/5

This book has been on my Goodreads tbr for literal years so I am proud to say I have finally read it. This gn gets pretty good reviews and it’s by a new favourite author of mine, so naturally I’ve been hyping it up FOR YEARS.

I had some problems with this and I’m not sure yet whether or not I’m going to write a review.
01 I do not like Max. At all.
02 I loved the artwork – it was soo weird to see it in colour after reading all the Scott Pilgrim gns.
03 The main character really got on my nerves sometimes and idk her actions just really pissed me off.

Not Another Happy Ending - David Solomons
Finished October 10, 2016 | Pages: 376 | Rating: 5/5

You wouldn’t know it by the amount of time it took me to get through this novel but I actually loved it. This was a refreshing change from what I usually read, and I’m so glad I randomly picked it up because Amy Pond and Fitz were on the cover.

The Rabbits by John Marsden & Shaun Tan 
Finished October 12, 2016 | Pages: 32 | Rating: 5/5

adfgdjh lsvh

Amazing X-Men, Vol. 2: World War Wendigo (Amazing X-Men #2)
- Christopher Yost, Craig Kyle, Kathryn Immonen, Carlo Barberi (Illustrator), 
Paco Medina (Illustrator)
Finished October 13, 2016 | Pages: 136 | Rating: 4/5

I seriously recommend this series. I loved this, can’t wait to read volume 3.

Mortal Coil (Skulduggery Pleasant, #5) - Derek Landy
Finished October 14, 2016 | Pages: 572 | Rating: 4.5/5

I am experiencing soo many emotions right now.

01 My bae is evil now and i am actually dead.
02 Everything is horrible bc the bae
03 Ghastly is sad and now I am sad
04 I will never be over this, Landy. Never
05 I think we have a love triangle in the works, I did not sign up for this
06 The books are definitley getting darker
07 I feel like Fletcher and Val are gonna break up in a book or two
08 Also, I’m still bitter abt points 1,2,3 & 4
09 Overall, I loved this novel, many people died and many people were possessed by evil remnants and i loved it. I cannot wait to read the next book because I am LIVING!

Guys, seriously, do yourself a favour. Read these books.

Amazing X-Men Vol. 3: Once and Future Juggernaut (Amazing X-Men (Amazing X-Men #3)
- James Tynion IV, Christopher Yost, Craig Kyle, Monty Nero, Jorge Jimenez 
(Illustrator), Carlo Barberi (Illustrator), Jorge Fornes (Illustrator), 
Salvador Larroca (Illustrator) , Nick Bradshaw (Illustrator)

Finished October 18, 2016 | Pages: 184 | Rating: 3/5

I loved the previous two comics in this series but the change in creators really took me for a turn. The art style really turned me off the comic and made me not want to pick it up because I wasn’t enjoying it. Overall, the first two are brilliant but this instalment was a waste of my time.

The Mystery Boxes (Explorer #1) - Kazu Kibuishi
Finished October 18, 2016 | Pages: 184 | Rating: 4/5

I loved this, very short short and enjoyable stories. The art is wonderful, if you enjoy the Amulet series you might enjoy this too!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4) - J.K. Rowling
Finished October 22, 2016 | Pages: 616 | Rating: 4.5/5

I am so happy I finally finished rereading this. I took a break for a few weeks (it felt longer) and was completely surprised by how much I missed Harry and the gang!

Replica - Lauren Oliver
Finished October 23, 2016 | Pages: 544 | Rating: 3/5

I started with Lyra’s pov and really enjoyed it but I really didn’t like Gemma’s. This book was really inventive and definitely an interesting premise. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get really into it once I got to Gemma’s pov.

Review

The Dispatcher - John Scalzi 
Finished October 23, 2016 | Audio | Rating: 4/5

This was one of the most unique and different things I’ve ever read. It’s currently free on Audible so I urge you guys to pick it up as it’s only a 2 hour audiobook (also Zachary Quinto narrates it).

Alice in Wonderland (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #1) - Lewis Carroll
Finished October 26, 2016 | Pages: 101 | Rating: 2/5

I don’t know. I love the animation so I sort of had that in my head but when I read this it was a shock to the system. While there were definitely similarities, I think I’ll just stick to the movie from now on.

The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1) - Patrick Rothfuss
Finished October 31, 2016 | Pages: 661 | Rating: 4.75/5

I started this in January and devoured half of it and now, 9 months later its is October and I finally picked it up again and finished it.

You may look at the amount of time it took me to finish this and expect that I didn’t like it. But, the truth is, I loved it. It had an amazing beginning and an awesome ending. I tired myself out too quickly and naturally, got stuck in the middle. Give me some credit, this book is nearly 700 pages long!

A unique, and mesmerising high fantasy novel. I really want to start the next one, but as i learned at the start of the year, it doesn’t do well to tire yourself out when reading a good book.

September Wrap Up [2016]

October 1, 2016May 28, 2022 ~ Ellyn ~ 1 Comment

(Sorry for the terrible lighting, there’s been some pretty depressing weather lately.)

I had a pretty good reading month and am pretty proud of my wrap up for September. My October TBR will be up soon!

The Last Council (Amulet #4) - Kazu Kibuishi
Finished September 01, 2016 | Pages: 282 | Rating: 4/5

This is a good addition to the series, as the novel moves along the plot really seems to pick up.

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2) - Brandon Sanderson
Finished September 01, 2016 | Pages: 763 | Rating: 4/5

Definitely not as good as the first book but a solid sequel. I will definitely continue the trilogy soon.

The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Finished September 03, 2016 | Pages: 109 | Rating: 4/5

A short and meaningful read. Definitely recommend.

First & Then - Emma Mills 
Finished September 04, 2016 | Pages: 267 | Rating: 4/5

!!!

Loved it.

This book was a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Naturally I absolutely loved this novel, it’s adorable and I definitely recommend.

Bridget Jones's Diary (Bridget Jones #1) - Helen Fielding
Finished September 05, 2016 | Pages: 271 | Rating: 3.5/5

I’m not entirely sure what I think about this one. In some moments I was laughing out loud because did she really just say that? but at other times I was dying of boredom. This is definitely one of those times where the movie is better then the book.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (Scott Pilgrim #2) - Bryan Lee O'Malley
Finished September 07, 2016 | Pages: 200 | Rating: 4/5

Really, really enjoying this series!

Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness (Scott Pilgrim #3) - Bryan Lee O'Malley
Finished September 09, 2016 | Pages: 192 | Rating: 4.5/5

Two things:
01 The Vegan Powers!!!
02 I’m getting a Ronan and Gansey vibe from Wallace and Scott’s friendship (and I am digging it!)

The Storybook Knight - Helen Docherty & Thomas Docherty
Finished September 09, 2016 | Pages: 32| Rating: 3/5

As a bit of a break I thought I might read a story book. I would have loved to be read this before bed when I was younger so I can only imagine that when it comes out kids will love to hear it!

Safe Haven - Nicholas Sparks
Finished September 09, 2016 | Pages: 365 | Rating: 3/5

Just my opinion, but I really think the movie was much better.

My Lady Jane - Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows
Finished September 11, 2016 | Pages: 491 | Rating: 5/5

!!!

I cannot praise this book enough! It had me laughing out loud constantly, a great cast of characters and a brilliant twist on history.

p.s. the audiobook is honestly one of the best I’ve ever listened to.

Review

Looking For Alibrandi - Melina Marchetta
Finished September 12, 2016 | Pages: 261 | Rating: 3/5

I read this book for class so as is aways the way I did not enjoy it. I found the main character to be too whiny and felt like the way some of the characters spoke was unrealistic. An overall miserable experience.

Welcome To Night Vale - Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor
Finished September 18, 2016 | Pages: 401 | Rating: 3/5

I really wanted to enjoy this because I have recently started the podcasts, which I love. I’m not sure why I didn’t love this as much I guess it was just kind of off. I found myself wanting to skip bits and ended up upping the speed of the audio so it would be over sooner. I will definitely continue to listen to the podcasts and pretty much just try to ignore the existence of this novel.

The Girl Who Drank The Moon - Kelly Barnhill
Finished September 20, 2016 | Pages: 368 | Rating: 3/5

Meh. This book felt too long and too wordy. Maybe it’ just me but I felt like the author was trying too hard to have ‘magical’ writing, the kind that Maggie Stiefvater has.

Review

The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia (Publication Order) #6) 
- C.S. Lewis
Finished September 21, 2016 | Pages: 221 | Rating: 2/5

Unfortunately I just didn’t enjoy this. I tried to read this a few years ago but put it down and then ended up giving my copy away. Everyone seems to love this series so even though I didn’t care for this one I will probably pick up the next ones over time.

Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1) - Seanan McGuire
Finished September 23, 2016 | Pages: 173 | Rating: 4.5/5

I loved this and cannot wait for the next book!! I seriously recommend this novel because two of the characters are part of the LGBTQ+ community and it’s just part of who they are and not used as a plot device.

Prince of the Elves (Amulet #5) - Kazu Kibuishi
Finished September 25, 2016 | Pages: 208 | Rating: 3/5

There’s some more of Cogsley and the other robots in this instalment so e got to see Cogsley and his beloved Wyvern. They are adorable!

Escape from Lucien (Amulet #6) - Kazu Kibuishi 
Finished September 26, 2016 | Pages: 224 | Rating: 4/5

Possibly one of my favourites so far. The plot is really kicking off now!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar 
Children #1) - Ransom Riggs
Finished September 27, 2016 | Pages: 382 | Rating: 2.5/5

And once again the hype gets to me. I really wanted to like this but unfortunately I just really didn’t.

a) The pictures seemed a bit unnecessary.
b) The romance really freaked me out.
c) I think the movie will be a lot better.

Firelight (Amulet #7) - Kazu Kibuishi
Finished September 27, 2016 | Pages: 199 | Rating: 5/5

Well… shit. I felt soo many things reading this that I’ve actually tired myself out. Can’t believe I have to wait ’til next year for book 8!

Scott Pilgrim Vs. the Universe (Scott Pilgrim #5) - Bryan Lee O'Malley
Finished September 30, 2016 | Pages: 178 | Rating: 4.5/5

1. Possibly one of my favourites of the series so far
2. Soo much happened
3. Leading up to a great ending – there are still soo may secrets
4. Ramona and Scott have finally acknowledged that they aren’t good people a lot of the time.

Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour (Scott Pilgrim #6) - Bryan Lee O'Malley
Finished September 30, 2016 | Pages: 245 | Rating:4.5/5

I really enjoyed this book, it was a solid finale. The characters really came into their own, which made it a more fulfilling and satisfying finale. Definitely recommend the series.

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August Wrap Up [2016]

September 1, 2016November 15, 2022 ~ Ellyn ~ Leave a comment

The Third Door - Emily Rodda
Finished August 01, 2016 | Pages: 359 | Rating: 5/5

There’s nothing like a good old mind fuck. But really guys, this book was an amazing finale. If you havent read this trilogy I urge you to pick it up!

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Finished August 03, 2016 | Pages: 315 | Rating: 4/5

I read this last year and loved this so when I found out that Zoe @ ReadbyZoe was starting a book club for Austen’s novels I had to join! It was a great feeling to be back in the drama of the Bennet’s lives and I can’t wait to re read it again in a year or two.

(Next month the book club is reading Persuasion but I read it in January so while I won’t be actually reading the novel I will still be participating in the discussions and will be watching the movie version (2007). My Goodreads | Austentatious Book Club)

Review

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim, #1) - Bryan Lee O'Malley
Finished August 05, 2016 | Pages: 168 | Rating: 4/5

This was amazing, how have I not heard of this series until now? (also Wallace is amazing)

Review

Finnikin of the Rock - Melina Marchetta
Finished August 08, 2016 | Pages: 512 | Rating: 2/5

If you want overbearing romance and little to no plot this is your book. I had high hopes for this book but I think I’m one of the few people who just didn’t care for it.

Amulet Book 3 - Kazu Kbuishi
Finished August 11, 2016 | Pages: 224 | Rating: 3/5

This volume was kind of meh. I still love the fox but the mum needs to leave.

September TBR will be up soon! Hopefully September will be a better reading month.

July Wrap Up [2016]

August 1, 2016November 15, 2022 ~ Ellyn ~ Leave a comment

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz 
Finished July 05, 2016 | Pages: 359 | Rating: 2.5/5

I read this book all in one sitting so that probably says something about how easy I found it to read. I didn’t enjoy the first 60ish% and probably would have DNFd it if I didn’t find it soo easy to read. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t live up to the hype for me.

Review

Peter Pan - J. M. Barrie
Finished July 06, 2016 | Pages: 206 | Rating: 2.5/5

I really enjoyed this, it’s definitely a different experience compared to the Disney film.

The Faceless Ones (Skulduggery Pleasant #3) - Derek Landy
Finished July 12, 2016 | Pages: 396 | Rating: 4.75/5

Everything is amazing while also being horrible at the same time.

Amazing X-Men, Vol. 1: The Quest for Nightcrawler (Amazing X-Men #1) - Jason Aaron
Finished July 15, 2016 | Pages: 136 | Rating: 5/5

I loved this – this volume was soo much fun, this was my first xmen comic so I’ve got off to a good start with this team!

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) - George R.R. Martin
Finished July 17, 2016 | Pages: 873 | Rating: 4/5

Well, after trying to read this last year and failing I’m proud to say that I’ve finally finished this book. It was a bit slower than the first book and not much really happened until we were roughly 80% of the way in but I can’t wait to start the next book soon.

Review

Silver Surfer, Vol. 3: Last Days (Silver Surfer Marvel Now! #3) - Dan Slott
Finished July 18, 2016 | Pages: 120 | Rating: 3/5

This was pretty meh compared to the first two volumes but I’m definitely still excited to read volume 4.

Everything Leads to You - Nina LaCour
Finished July 22, 2016 | Pages: 336 | Rating: 4/5

It’s like nothing happened in this novel but also everything happened. I doubt this will have a long lasting impact on me but I certainly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it!

The Silver Door (The Three Doors Trilogy #2) - Emily Rodda
Finished July 23, 2016 | Pages: 288 | Rating: 4/5

Not much happened in this novel but I loved it none the less. I won’t lie Sholto is definitely my favourite of the three brothers!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter #1) - J.K. Rowling
Finished July 24, 2016 | Pages: 352 | Rating: 4/5

I never realised, until now just how much I loved and appreciated Hagrid.

Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) - J.K. Rowling
Finished July 29, 2016 | Pages: 384 | Rating: 5/5

This has always been one of my least favourite books of the series but this time round I absolutely loved it!

Decelrate Blue - Adam Rapp
Finished July 30, 2016 | Pages: 208 | Rating: 4/5

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. If you’re a fan of The Giver or Fahrenheit 451 you should definitely check this out.

I’ll post a review closer to the release date.

BOOK HAUL: May – July

I don’t buy books very often but with the release of The Cursed Child I felt very in the mood and bought the last 2 books in the series the same day I bought The Curse Child (I managed to snag the last copy at my local K-Mart).

Back in May the Bookdepository had a massive sale and I managed to get HP & The Philosopher’s Stone the Illustrated Edition really cheaply and wil probably be picking it up later in the year – maybe for #HaryXmasToYou.

This month, along with buying The Cursed Child and the last two books I also bought The Bear, The Cursed Child and The Beast Within.

I’ve been meaning to pick up these books for a while so when I saw them all at a cheap book store I couldn’t pass up the opportunity!

June Wrap Up [2016]

June 30, 2016May 28, 2022 ~ Ellyn ~ Leave a comment

The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo, #1) – Rick Riordan

Finished June 06, 2016 | Pages: 376 | Rating: 5/5

Apollo is hilarious. Warning: If you haven’t read PJO or HOO then don’t read this. I never intended to actually read this but I got my hands on the audiobook and loved it from the first few pages.

I wrote a review if you want to check it out.

The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) – Maggie Stiefvater

Finished June 11, 2016 | Pages: 439 | Rating: 5/5

It’s over now. This was a great and heart wrenching conclusion to a wonderful series. I need to reread the series again soon.

I wrote a review if you want to check it out.

The Witch Must Burn (Dorothy Must Die 0.2) – Danielle Paige

Finished June 13, 2016 | Pages: 100 | Rating: 2/5

This was boring as bat shit; I really have nothing else to say about it.

The Sidekicks – Will Kostakis

Finished June 13, 2016 | Pages: 256 | Rating: 3/5

I have very mixed feelings about this book. I didn’t have really high hopes for this but I still thought it would be better than it was. Ugh, I really hate being disappointed by books.

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

Finished June 18, 2016 | Pages: 79 | Rating: 2.5/5

1/3 Wtf am I reading

2/3 I don’t know what I’m reading but I’m loving it

3/3 What a quick turnaround, I’m not loving it.

This was a rollercoaster. It was both good and bad. A total mind fuck. You should read it.

I wrote a review if you want to check it out.

The Unmoving Sky by K.L. Hallam

Finished June 18, 2016 | Pages: 97 | Rating: 2.75/5

Because this novella was soo short it’s like not much happened but soo much happened all at once. I would recommend this because it’s short, it’s not light but it’s good if you’ve got a readathon coming up and you want something short that will still have impact.

I wrote a review if you want to check it out.

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Finished June 19, 2016 | Pages: 599 | Rating: 3.7/5

I’m not sure how I feel, I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it as much as everyone else seems to have.

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Finished June 21, 2016 | Pages: 335 | Rating: 4/5

I am very happy I decided to reread this 🙂 This book is really cheesy, a good book to get you out of a reading slump.

The Golden Door (The Three Doors Trilogy #1) by Emily Rodda

Finished June 25, 2016 | Pages: 264 | Rating: 5/5

I loved this and I can’t recommend it enough.

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Finished June 25, 2016 | Pages: 366 | Rating: 4/5

I am having a lot of feelings. I’ll have to read the next book soon.

The Final Empire (Mistborn #1) by Brandon Sanderson

Finished June 29, 2016 | Pages: 647 | Rating: 5/5

Nobody speak to me, this was amazing!!

Limbo Volume 1 by Dan Watters

Finished June 30, 2016 | Pages: 160 | Rating: 1.5/5

This was pretty meh. I would definitely recommend not reading this digitally, it dampens the experience.

#TBRTakedown 4.0 Wrap Up

June 27, 2016May 28, 2022 ~ Ellyn ~ Leave a comment

Challenges:

01 TBR Over a Year

02 A Sequel

03 The First Book In a Series

04 A Book Out of My Comfort Zone

05 A Book From My Most Recent Book Haul

Goal:

My goal was to read Front Lines, Obsidian, Onyx and The Golden Door.

I first read Obsidian then The golden Door and then Onyx. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to read Front Lines but I intend to start it next month.

Obsidian & Onyx – Jennifer L. Armentrout

Obsidian Rating: 4/5

Onyx Rating: 4/5

I first read this and he second book last year and I plan on finishing the series this year so I thought I’d reread the first two books. I enjoyed these books, they’re VERY cheesy and almost like contemporary novels because of the extreme levels of cheese. Aliens and almost suffocatingly cheesy romance, two good reads for a readathon.

The Golden Door – Emily Rodda

Rating: 5/5

This was also a reread. I first read this in 2011 so I guess you could say it’s been a while. Honestly I loved this and I can’t recommend it enough. A quick, fun middle grade novel.