Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2019

Good morning!! I hope you had a great weekend. It is already the second week of November, and I’m just posting my wrap-up for October, but I guess it’s better late than never!

October was a pretty good month, especially reading wise. I was lacking in the blogging department, but I managed to read a lot more, and I did write some posts, so I guess it was still somewhat a success.

Let’s take a deeper look!

Books:

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Covers are from Goodreads

Guys. I read THIRTEEN books. In ONE month. *goes off to squeal proudly and excitedly* I feel like I deserve a medal for this accomplishment. This was the first month that I had a TBR, and I’ve actually read most of the books on it, except for a few. I’m definitely going to have another TBR for November. I’m now only 6 books behind on my GR challenge, and I have 20 books to read to reach my goal of 100 by the end of December, so wish me luck guys!

The titles lead to my unofficial reviews on Goodreads (a few include a good deal of crying and excitement and there is also a rant…)

Books	Author	Rating	Book Type
Palace of Spies	Sarah Zettel	★★★☆☆	E-book
Dangerous Deceptions	Sarah Zettel	★★★☆☆	E-book
Three Days Missing	Kimberly Belle	★★★★☆	E-book
Girls Like Us	Gail Giles	★★★★★	E-book
The Victim of the System	Steve Hadden	★★☆☆☆	E-book (for review)
Before We Were Strangers	Brenda Novak	★★★☆☆	E-book
The Wrath and the Dawn	Renée Ahdieh	★★★★☆	E-book
The Rose and the Dagger	Renée Ahdieh	★★★★★	E-book
Escaping From Houdini	Kerri Maniscalco	1.5 stars	E-book
Throne of Glass	Sarah J. Maas	★★★☆☆	E-book
Vengeful	V. E. Schwab	★★★★★	Hardcover
The Lovely and the Lost	Jennifer Lynn Barnes	★★★☆☆	Hardcover
Assassin’s Masque	Sarah Zettel	★★★☆☆	Hardcover

I also wrote a few official reviews (linked below), but I’m still behind on so many.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee // Rating: ★★★★★ One sentence summary: An interesting historical fiction novel with amazing characters and diverse topics.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman // Rating: ★★★★★ One sentence summary: A heartbreaking, yet funny book with beautiful characters.

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim // Rating: ★★★★☆ One sentence summary: A great fantasy with awesome characters, and a few flaws.

The Victim of the System by Steve Hadden // Rating: ★★☆☆☆ One sentence summary: This was a meh thriller with disappointing characters, and some unbelievable twists.

Total Number of Books Read This Month: 13

Total reviews: 4

Tags:

I took part in Bookending Autumn 2019, and wrote three posts. Technically, I only did one tag, but who cares about technicalities?

Garden of Evil (Prompt by Jamsu @ Jamsu Dreams)

Study Group (Prompt by Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads)

Spicy Pumpkin Latte Book Tag (Prompt by Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads)

Let’s Talk Bookish:

October 4: Star Ratings – Are they fair or necessary?

October 11: Sexual Content in YA – Is there too much sexual content in YA books? (suggested by Ruqs @ Many Things Bookish)

October 18: What are some tropes/characters that you think are poorly or under represented in books?

October 25: Are TBR’s necessary to be considered a book blogger, or reader? (suggested by Heran @ Be Frisky)

Great Posts From Around the Blog-O-Sphere:

Caitlin discusses Why Reading Is So Unpopular and honestly, all her points are pretty accurate, but I still love reading anyways.

Christina is back and I’m so excited!! Check out her amazing review of The Toll!

Line wrote an amazing post about Underrepresented Tropes and Characters in Books.

Marie talks about what How to Make it as a Book Blogger.

Anything Else?

I hit 200 followers!! I’m planning on doing a Q&A soon, so if you’d like to ask me a question, head over here to ask! I also had over 1,000 views which is another accomplishment that I’m really proud of, especially since my posting was pretty irregular. So thank you guys so much for that!!

IRL, it’s so cold. Like really really ice-on-the-grass-and-roofs kind of cold. Which is something because this is Georgia that we are talking about. I’m semi-loving it, semi-hating it because now it’s not burning hot, but it’s also a little too cold for comfort.

Anyways, school is kind of stressful, but it’s not as bad as testing season, so I’m pretty happy about that. I’m feeling really good about the number of books that I read, and I really hope to do just as good this month, and also get back to properly blogging and maybe get rid of my backlogged reviews.

That’s A Wrap!

That’s it! In the end, I read 13 books, did 4 reviews, 3 “tags”, and 4 discussion posts. 5 of the 13 books were either 4 or 5 stars, which I’m pretty happy about, especially since most of the others were 3 stars, and only 2 of them were below that.

I met most of my goals for October, so hopefully for November, I’ll read at least 10 books, do 4 reviews, 3 or 4 tags, and 3 more discussions.

And that’s it for this wrap-up! How was October for you? Did you get as much reading as you wanted done? Have you read any of the books that I did? Did you take part in BE Autumn? Is it freezing where you are? What’s you #1 most anticipated release for this month? Let’s chat in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday #33

Hey friends! I hope you are having a fantastic day! It is time for my weekly reading update, WWW Wednesday. WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words.

The Three W’s are:

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

Let’s get started!

All covers are from Goodreads

What I Just Finished:

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I READ FIVE BOOKS!!!!! IN ONE WEEK!!! *runs off to squeal excitedly*

Palace of Spies and Dangerous Deceptions were good. It’s an easy spy mystery, and I liked the historical aspect. However, I didn’t really like Peggy, we barely know much about Matthew, and it felt rather meh. But it’s fun, fairly simple, and I still want to read the last book in the series.

Three Days Missing was very good, very suspenseful, and I was super nervous and couldn’t put the book down. I really could not. I finished it the same day I started because it was that addictive. Sadly, the moment the bad guy was introduced, I knew it right away and it turns out I was right.

I was given a copy of The Victim of the System by Reedsy for review, and it was good. I liked the plot, however, I didn’t really connect to the characters or to Ike. My review will be up on the 24th.

Girls Like Us is more like a novella, and I immensely enjoyed reading it. Quincy’s growth was amazing, and I loved Biddy. She was really sweet, and so generous and such a great friend. Honestly, I want to read more about them. The chapters were short, and I loved how it alternated between the two girls POVs. I really loved this one.

What I’m Currently Reading:

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I’m just about to start both of these, so hopefully I’ll like them!

What I Plan To Read Next:

Next up, I’m probably gonna read A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena.

That’s it for this Wednesday. What are you reading? Have you read any of the books above? What did you think? Let’s chat in the comments below! (Be sure to link to your WWW’s so that I can check them out!)

October 2019 TBR

Hola and welcome back!! Today I’m going to share with you my very first TBR post! Actually, to be honest, I think I did a TBR post back at the beginning of the year for a bunch of reading challenges that I was going to do. However, I have not kept track, nor followed through with those challenges, so I shall consider this, my first TBR post.

I am behind on my GoodReads reading challenge and I want to catch up. And so, to kind of push/motivate myself to read more, I’ve decided to try writing a TBR post.

Let’s get started!

*Girls Like Us by Gail Giles.

Synopsis: We understand stuff. We just learn it slow. And most of what we understand is that people what ain’t Speddies think we too stupid to get out our own way. And that makes me mad.

Quincy and Biddy are both graduates of their high school’s special ed program, but they couldn’t be more different: suspicious Quincy faces the world with her fists up, while gentle Biddy is frightened to step outside her front door. When they’re thrown together as roommates in their first “real world” apartment, it initially seems to be an uneasy fit. But as Biddy’s past resurfaces and Quincy faces a harrowing experience that no one should have to go through alone, the two of them realize that they might have more in common than they thought — and more important, that they might be able to help each other move forward.

Hard-hitting and compassionate, Girls Like Us is a story about growing up in a world that can be cruel, and finding the strength — and the support — to carry on.

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*Three Days Missing by Kimberly Belle.

Synopsis: It’s every parent’s worst nightmare: the call that comes in the middle of the night.

When Kat Jenkins awakens to the police on her doorstep, her greatest fear is realized. Her nine-year-old son, Ethan, is missing—vanished from the cabin where he’d been on an overnight field trip with his class. Shocked and distraught, Kat rushes to the campground where he was last seen. But she’s too late; the authorities have returned from their search empty-handed after losing Ethan’s trail in the mountain forest.

Another mother from the school, Stef Huntington, seems like she has it all: money, prominence in the community, a popular son and a loving husband. She hardly knows Kat, except for the vicious gossip that swirls around Kat’s traumatic past. But as the police investigation unfolds, Ethan’s disappearance will have earth-shattering consequences in Stef’s own life—and the paths of these two mothers are about to cross in ways no one could have anticipated.

Racing against the clock, their desperate search for answers begins—one where the greatest danger could lie behind the everyday smiles of those they trust the most.

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*Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel. (Read Oct 4th)

Synopsis: A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don’t.

Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she’s impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love…

History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.

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*Dangerous Deceptions by Sarah Zettel. (Read Oct 6th)

Synopsis: As a lady in waiting in King George’s London court, Peggy has survived a forced betrothal, royal scandals, and an attempt or two on her life. And now she has a new problem: her horrible fiancé has returned to claim her! To save her neck, or at least her hand in marriage, Peggy joins forces with her cousin Olivia and her sweetheart, Matthew. But if she doesn’t play her cards right, her career as courtier and spy might come to an end at the bottom of the river Thames . . . 

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*The Assassin’s Masque by Sarah Zettel.

Synopsis: Things are turning around for seventeen-year-old Peggy Fitzroy, a once-orphaned spy. Her father is back from the dead, and her unwanted engagement has been called off for good. But when a mysterious veiled woman shows up, Peggy uncovers a fresh slew of questions about her past, present, and future.
Now Peggy is back at the palace, unsure of the loyalties she thought she held. With the Jacobite uprising stalking ever closer to the throne, it’s imperative that Peggy discover who she can really trust. Can she save herself and the royal family, or is she doomed as a pawn in this most deadly game?

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*Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak.

Synopsis: Five-year-old Sloane McBride couldn’t sleep that night. Her parents were arguing again, their harsh words heating the cool autumn air. And then there was that other sound–the ominous thump before all went quiet.

In the morning, her mother was gone. The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn’t sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at eighteen, anxious to leave her small Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that the domineering father she grew up with wasn’t just difficult–he was deadly.

Now another traumatic loss forces Sloane to realize she owes it to her mother to find out the truth, even if it means returning to a small town full of secrets and lies, a jilted ex-boyfriend and a father and brother who’d rather see her silenced. But as Sloane starts digging into the past, the question isn’t whether she can uncover what really happened that night…it’s what will remain of her family if she does?

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*The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh.

One Life to One Dawn.

Synopsis: In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

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*The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Synopsis: It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still.

By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

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*A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena.

Synopsis: In this neighborhood, danger lies close to home. A domestic thriller packed full of secrets, and a twisty story that never stops—from the bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

He looks at her, concerned. “How do you feel?” She wants to say, Terrified. Instead, she says, with a faint smile, “Glad to be home.”

Karen and Tom Krupp are happy—they’ve got a lovely home in upstate New York, they’re practically newlyweds, and they have no kids to interrupt their comfortable life together. But one day, Tom returns home to find Karen has vanished—her car’s gone and it seems she left in a rush. She even left her purse—complete with phone and ID—behind.

There’s a knock on the door—the police are there to take Tom to the hospital where his wife has been admitted. She had a car accident, and lost control as she sped through the worst part of town.

The accident has left Karen with a concussion and a few scrapes. Still, she’s mostly okay—except that she can’t remember what she was doing or where she was when she crashed. The cops think her memory loss is highly convenient, and they suspect she was up to no good.

Karen returns home with Tom, determined to heal and move on with her life. Then she realizes something’s been moved. Something’s not quite right. Someone’s been in her house. And the police won’t stop asking questions.

Because in this house, everyone’s a stranger. Everyone has something they’d rather keep hidden. Something they might even kill to keep quiet.

I’ve already read two books, and I hope I manage to read some, or hopefully all, the rest of these! I might do a few buddy reads, but nothing is final yet, so I didn’t add those here.

What are you planning to read this October? Have you read any of these books? What’s your most anticipated read for the end of the year? Chat with me in the comments below!!

WWW Wednesday #32

Hola friends! I hope you are having a fantastic day! It is time for my weekly reading update, WWW Wednesday. WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words.

The Three W’s are:

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

Let’s get started!

All covers are from Goodreads

What I Just Finished:

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I loved Audrey Rose and her relationship with Thomas, how it wasn’t perfect, and how she suffered from PTSD after the events of book 1. At first it was tedious, but once the new mystery began, it was much easier to read. Also, I love Daci! She’s a female version of Thomas and just as awesome! My review will be up…sometime in the future lol

With the Fire on High was so heartwarming, and not only because of Emoni’s love for cooking, but also because of how responsible, and yet still breakable she is. She doesn’t become a super mom nor does she just abandon Babygirl. She’s determined to do what’s best for Babygirl (I will not call her Emma…) while still following her heart and doing what she loves most with the support of Buela and her friends. She’s not perfect, and I loved that. The family dynamics, the characters, even the way the novel was written was really beautiful. I really liked this, and I would definitely recommend it!

What I’m Currently Reading:

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I’m reading The Scarlet Letter for my American Literature class, and so far so good. I’ve read the first 4 chapters, and it’s interesting, so I want to know more.

I borrowed Palace of Spies because it’s a historical fiction novel, with spies, and I’ve been wanting to read something like that lately. I’m still at the beginning, and haven’t decided if I’m liking it or not, yet.

What I Plan To Read Next:

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Next up, I’m going to read Girls Like Us and Three Days Missing.

That’s it for this Wednesday. What are you reading? Have you read Girls Like Us? What did you think? Have you read The Scarlet Letter? Let’s chat in the comments below! (Be sure to link to your WWW’s so that I can check them out!)