Category: TBRs/Wrap-ups

My Biggest Wrap Up EVER! // June 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes23 Comments

On average, I’d say I read between 8-10 books. During quarantine, this has gone up quite a bit, and I’ve been able to read around 12 books per month. I don’t know what happened in June, but I read NINETEEN books (and had one DNF). That is more than I have ever read in a single month before.

I’m not going to go into too much detail about all of these, but here they are!

Currently Reading

  • Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles: Okay, as you all know, most of my wrap-up’s include the book I’m currently reading when I have plans to finish it before the month ends (I still have one day left to finish it, and I think I will!!). I will update you all on my rating after I read it, but I will also have a review up for it in August :)

5 Stars

  • Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody: I read the majority of this in May, so I don’t know if it reallyyyy counts, but I’m counting it anyway. This was really good for helping me with the structure of my novel, and I highly recommend it for all writers!!
  • Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson: Jacqueline Woodson is one of those authors you absolutely need to read. This was a short book, but it contained so much inside of it. We get to see the lives of different family members through short vignettes, and I really enjoyed it.
  • Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo: Elizabeth Acevedo is forever going to be a favorite author of mine, so there should be no surprise that I gave this one 5 stars!
  • Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane: I have been loving adult contemporary novels recently, and this one was no exception. If you like books that focus on families and characters (rather than plot), you will most likely enjoy this!
  • Beach Read by Emily Henry: I know that this has been getting a lot of hype (and some mixed reviews), but I personally loved it. I thought it was so fun and light-hearted. Plus, I could relate to the characters in terms of having an interest in writing!
  • Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo: I knew I would give this one five stars after really enjoying Six of Crows! I personally loved this one even more because I was much more familiar with the characters and the story.
  • All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson: I picked this one up on a whim after seeing so much hype for it. It was a beautiful memoir, and I can not wait to buy a copy for myself.
  • You Should See Me in A Crown by Leah Johnson: This is quite possibly one of my new favorite books of all time. It was such a great book, and I don’t even know how to describe it in words. Please check it out!
  • Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: I really adored this story. I love Celeste Ng and she is now a new favorite author of mine! I probably liked Little Fires Everywhere a little bit more, but both were equally incredible!
  • Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon: This book was SO MUCH FUN. I loved everything about it, and I will talk even more about it in a blog post next week, so stay tuned for that đź‘€

4 Stars

  • The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta: This was another very beautiful book. It is the story of a boy figuring out his identity and sexuality- I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it. The cover is also one of the most gorgeous ones I’ve seen.
  • Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi: This is a non-fiction book about the history of racism in America. There was so much that it taught me, which I never would have learned otherwise. It is such an important read, and I think everyone should pick up.
  • King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender: I don’t read a lot of middle grade, but whenever I do, it always blows me away by how good it is! This one was no exception. It explores grief, racism, and sexuality.
  • Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams: This was such an incredible read. It’s very different from other books I’ve read, in that the voice of the main character is so unique and fresh. She’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind, but she’s also self-destructive and hits some low points. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.

3 Stars

  • Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson: This was a solid story, but not my favorite of the three Jacqueline Woodson books I’ve read. It was a good read, and I enjoyed it!
  • Letters to the Lost by McKayla Debonis: McKayla is coming out with a new poetry collection, and you all need to read it! Her collections are always so personal and raw, but I love them all because of this! You can really relate to her words.

2 Stars

  • You Are Not Your Thoughts by Frances Trussell: This was a nonfiction guide to mindfulness and meditation, but it just felt way too basic for me. The first few pages were really good, but then the rest kept repeating itself and it felt more like the author was spouting cliche philosophy. I wanted more from it.
  • The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abi Waxman: I was SO excited about this book. It’s about a girl who works in a bookstore, loves to-do lists and routines, and loves to read. Hello- that’s basically me. Unfortunately, there were just too many flaws with the structure of this book. It’s pitched as a romance, but the romance was so cringeworthy- there was absolutely no chemistry between the characters. I would have preferred to learn more about the newly discovered family of Nina, but that fell short, too. Just not for me, unfortunately.

DNF

  • Cursed by Thomas Wheeler: I started the audiobook for this and I was so lost the entire time. I got up to 30%, but I honestly couldn’t get into it at all.

How was your reading in June? Did you read any new favorites? Let me know in the comments :)

June TBR 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes9 Comments

Hello everyone. I was not sure if I should continue to let this post go up today, as I had scheduled it over a week ago. However, I have not yet spoken up about the current events on this platform (though I am trying to be as vocal as possible on social media), and I think it is so so important to use my voice for good.

First, please do not be silent about the issues that the Black community is facing right now. Especially if you are white. Stand up for these injustices in any way you can. Please. Also, boost the voices of Black people right now. Do not speak over them. Share their stories. Let their voices be heard.

If you can, please donate. Any amount that you can spare will go a very long way.

If you can’t donate money at this time, sign petitions, share links on social media, attend protests. 

In addition, educate yourself. Educate your family. Do not stop at social media. Bring your activism to your life offline. Call out your friends, stand up to cops who are interrogating innocent Black people.

Here are some resources for you to utilize:

Master Twitter Thread of Petitions to Sign and Places to Donate

Ways You Can Help

More Ways You Can Help and Educate Yourself

Protestor Safety

///

This month, I am participating in the Olympic Games Read-a-thon as part of cabin 7- with my godly parent being Apollo! There are NINE challenges, but I am only going to pick 6 books for my TBR right now- the rest I am allowing myself to decide as I go!

Main Challenges

Listen to an audiobook: N/A

This one I am leaving open because I have tons of options for it, so I’ll just see what I’m in the mood for once I get to it!

Read a book you know will make you happy: Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

This book is described as a romantic comedy and if that’s not something that will make me happy, I don’t know what will! It follows two high school teens who are rivals but are forced to team up for a final senior game. Sounds like enemies to lovers if you ask me- and I am HERE for it! I received an ARC from the publisher a while back, and I am very excited to be reading it.

Predict a 5 star read: Everything I Never Told You by Celest Ng

This book was one of the books I included on my “5 Star Predictions” post, so it was only fitting that I include it here. Also, I just read Little Fires Everywhere last month (also by Celeste Ng), and now I am even more excited to read this one! I have really high expectations for it, so I’m hoping it does not let me down!

Read a book that starts with the letter ‘A’: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

This is an audiobook I am borrowing from my library via the Libby app! I will definitely be reading it this month since I have limited time to read it. I’ve heard really great things about it, and I am definitely looking forward to reading it!

Complete a prompt for Artemis (because they are twin gods!): N/A

For this one, I am also not choosing a book yet, but the prompt I am picking to honor Artemis is “read a book while the moon is up.”

Advanced Challenges

Read a book under 200 pages: You Are Not Your Thoughts by Frances Trussell

This is my e-book pick for the month from my TBR jar! It is only around 100 pages, which is great because that means I’ll be able to get through it quickly. It is a book about mindfullness, which is something I definitely am interested in reading about, as someone who practices meditation frequently.

Read an anticipated release: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

This is one of the releases of 2020 that I am SUPER excited about (except, of course, Midnight Sun). It came out last month, and I just got my copy in the mail a little over a week ago. I have been holding off on reading it so that I could include it here. Elizabeth Acevedo is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I am so happy to have another book by her in my hands.

Read the next book in a series: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

I am ECSTATIC about finally getting to read this book. I really enjoyed SoC, but I feel like I will love this one even more now that I know the characters better! I have the e-book on Libby as well, so I will most likely be getting to this one early in the month before I have to return it.

Read a book published within the last 5 years: N/A

This is another challenge that I have plenty of options for, so we will see where the month takes me! I have a few backlist ARCs I want to get to, so those are definitely an option. We’ll just have to wait and find out what I decide on!

let's chat

What’s on your TBR for June? Are any of these books on your TBR? Or have you read any of these yet? Let me know in the comments :)

Jessica

May 2020 Wrap-up

Published on by Jessica C Writes11 Comments

May is always one of my favorite months- it finally starts getting warm out, school is over, and I am usually most motivated to read this time of year!

I read so much more than I expected to this month, and I found some new favorite reads, too! I’m so excited to tell you about them :)

Before We Go Extinct

Currently Reading:

  • Before We Go Extinct by Karen Rivers: This is the last book that was on my May TBR, and I am about a quarter of the way through! It is a pretty short read, so I will definitely be able to finish it before the end of the month (plus, this post is going up with a few days to spare).

5 Stars:

  • Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng: This book was PHENOMENAL. I am definitely dipping more into adult books this year and each time they really surprise me in the best way possible! Also, the Hulu adaptation of this was just as beautiful and I definitely recommend it.
  • Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power: This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and Queen Rory did not disappoint! I will be sharing a full review soon, so be on the lookout for that!

4 Stars:

  • Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: Right after the Midnight Sun announcement was made, I decided I wanted to re-read the entire Twilight Saga because I haven’t done so since my first ever read when I was like 11 years old! This first book just brought back so many feels for me- it was so nostalgic and I enjoyed revisiting this story! These books are not perfect by any means (not even close), but it was nice to just read an old favorite!
  • Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer: Surprisingly, Breaking Dawn was one of my favorite books in the series this time around! I used to think Eclipse was my favorite, but during this re-read, I found Jacob to be even more annoying than I remembered (team Edward forever).

 

3 Stars:

  • New Moon by Stephenie Meyer: This book was alright, but nothing too special. Again, there was too much Jacob for my liking.
  • Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer: This is probably now my least favorite of the 4 books. Jacob was just so pushy and no one ever taught him consent. I’m definitely ready to read Midnight Sun now, though, and see inside Edward’s mind!
  • Ruthless by Carolyn Lee Adams: This was a horror/thriller novel that was on my TBR for a really long time. There were some parts of it that were interesting, but overall I did not love this story.
  • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins: I was not planning on reading this book this month, but I was able to get the audiobook, so I figured, why not? I enjoyed it. There were lots of interesting elements to it, especially in terms of the history of the hunger games and how it has evolved. However, I just didn’t care for the characters, and obviously I don’t like Snow, so having to read a whole book about him just wasn’t worth it in my opinion.

2 Stars:

  • Nutshell by Ian McEwan: In case you missed it, I shared a post where I predicted some 5-star reads, and this book was one of them. Unfortunately, I really did not enjoy it. I found it to be too slow-moving and it wasn’t capturing my attention. I’m disappointed because I know many people LOVE this author, so I may have to give him another chance one day!
  • Professed by Nicola Rendell: This was my e-book pick from my TBR jar for the month, and unfortunately it was just…not good. It is a romance that follows a professor/student relationship and it was just very cheesy, and there was no development between the characters!

truly madly deadly

1 Star:

  • Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne: Guys… I finally read my first one star book of the year. I am so sad because my reading year has been pretty good so far. I decided to finally read this one because it has been on my shelves for years. I bought it in like 2014, and I think I read like 1/2 of it before DNF’ing, but I couldn’t for the life of me remember anything about it or why I DNF’d, which is why I never got rid of it. This time around, I read the entire book, and it was just one big mess, if I’m being honest. I will definitely be unhauling this one- it’s about time!

let's chat

Please feel free to share your thoughts on any of these books if you’ve read them- whether your opinion was the same as mine or not!

I hope you all had a great reading month, too, and I’m looking forward to my June reads!

Jessica

May TBR 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes8 Comments

Happy May! I’m really excited for this month because I will have tons of time to work on my goals and hobbies now that school is over, and it will (hopefully) be warm outside soon, so I can spend time in the sun!

This month, I also decided that I wanted to read the shortest books on my TBR! For this, I chose 4 physical books and one e-book: all of them are under 300 pages. Plus, I added one more book to the list that I just knew I wanted to get to this month.

e-book:

professed

Professed by Nicola Rendell: So as some of you may know, I pick an e-book from my TBR jar every month, and this month I got super lucky because I happened to choose one that fit in so well with the rest of my theme because it is super short- it is only 252 pages! I have seen some pretty bad reviews of it, though, so I’m a little bit worried to read it.

 

physical:

Nutshell by Ian McEwan: (208 pages) This is a book I just got recently, and I talked about it in my 5-star predictions post. All I know is that this is a thriller that involves murder. I don’t want to know more going into it because I feel like that would be best for this one.

Ruthless by Carolyn Lee Adams: (248 pages) Clearly there is a big mystery/thriller theme happening in this TBR because this one is also a thriller. This is a YA novel, and YA thrillers are definitely hit or miss for me, but I do hope it is good!

Before We Go Extinct by Karen Rivers: (256 pages) I have absolutely no idea what this one is about but I bought it on BookOutlet one day to get my total to $35 for free shipping hahaha (that is something I no longer do- it is such a bad habit). Anyway, I like the cover, and maybe I’ll find a new favorite read.

Truly, Madly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne: (262 pages) This book is one of the oldest on my TBR- I bought it in middle school maybe ??? Which is way too long to have owned a book and not read it considering I’m a rising college junior. I remember I started it a couple of times but for some reason just never finished it. It wasn’t because I wasn’t enjoying it, but simply because other books were my priority. I am finally going to actually work my way through this one (and if I still can’t finish it, it’s getting unhauled).

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power: This is the extra book that is on my TBR this month because I have been dying to finally read this. I have nothing but high hopes for this one, and it is definitely going to get read early in the month!

let's chat

Have you read any of these books? Let me know what your thoughts of them were if you have, and tell me what are some books you want to read in May!

Jessica

April Wrap-Up 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes10 Comments

April flew by but simultaneously has felt like the LONGEST month ever. How is that even possible?

Anyway, I’m definitely happy to be leaving this month behind because I am now done with all of my schoolwork for the semester, and I can just focus on the summer.

I was able to read quite a bit over this past month, and I’m pretty proud of myself for it, actually! I picked up lots of books that have been on my TBR for far too long, and I read some that I just got recently as well. In total, I read 11 books. This is also the first month where I haven’t rated a book lower than 3.5 stars. Definitely a success!

5 stars

  • Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray: Look at me, actually trying to finish a series!! I loved this book so much, and it is probably my favorite so far!
  • Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray- I also finished the 3rd book in this series this month and loved it just as much. I only have one book left to go now, which I have on hold from my library.
  • Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: I finally read SoC this month! It was such a great experience and I love all of the characters so much. I’m excited to continue on with this soon.
  • The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin: I just finished this one last night and it was by far my favorite read of the month. It was just so beautiful, so well written, and left me thinking about the whole world.

Chasing Lucky Jenn Bennett

4.5 stars

  • Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett: Jenn Bennett did once again not disappoint with her newest novel. It comes out in November, but if you’re interested in hearing more, I wrote a whole review!

4 stars

  • The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: This is a super short horror story and I thought it was so spooky. It was well done, and it definitely left me with an eerie feeling.
  • Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen: This book was so cute. I enjoyed it a lot, but there were definitely some flaws that others may not enjoy. For me, it was just a fun, quick contemporary, and I had a good time reading it!
  • The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo: I read this as part of the Subtle Asian bookclub (as a first time member), and I’m so happy I did! I probably wouldn’t have read this for a few more months at the very least had it not been for this book club, but I really enjoyed the story!
  • Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton
  • The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett: I finally read the last Jenn Bennett contemporary that has been on my TBR for a few years now! It was so adorable, and I’m really glad that I finally got to it.

As You Wish

3.5 stars

  • As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti: This is a story about a town where everyone gets to make a wish on their 18th birthday and it comes true. It was really interesting to read the stories of the different wishes that people have made, but there were some parts that were really lacking for me. It was definitely enjoyable, but not quite an amazing read.

let's chat

Overall, this was probably one of my most successful reading months in terms of enjoyment. I am so pleased with all of the books I read, and I’m excited to see where next month leads me.

If you’ve read any of these, please tell me what your thoughts of them were- did you feel the same way as me or have a different opinion?

Jessica

April TBR 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes6 Comments

Welcome to my April TBR, or more accurately, me trying to figure out how many books I can read while on quarantine.

Picking a TBR at the beginning of every month has almost become like a sport to me now that I actually stick to the list. I love deciding which books I’m going to read each month because I feel like I’m in control, rather than my inconsistent moods.

This month, I’m going to be participating in the O.W.L.s Magical Read-a-thon! I participated last year, and figured that if I could do it while I was extremely busy at school, I could definitely do it again this year, now that I’m home!

This year, my chosen career is a wandmaker, which means I am required to read 5 books. My monthly TBRs recently have all been 5 books long, but because of the recent isolation we’re all in, I decided it was safe to add a couple more books to the list, so I have 8 for you guys this month!

I don’t know if I truly will read them all, but it doesn’t hurt to aim high!

Ancient Runes: Read a book w/ a heart on the cover or in the title

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett- This has been on my TBR for so long and Jenn Bennett is one of my favorite authors and I’m embarrassed that I haven’t read this yet. Moving on.

Arithmancy: Read something outside of your favorite genre

As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti- This is the e-book that I picked from my TBR jar this month. It’s supposedly fantasy/fabulism, which is definitely not my favorite genre. I’m excited to see how I end up feeling about this one!

Care of Magical Creatures: Read a book with a creature w/ a beak on the cover

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo- I have this one on audio, and it is another that I’m embarrassed I haven’t read yet! I am actually one of the few who didn’t hate Shadow and Bone, so I’m excited to read a book by Bardugo that is supposedly much better!

Charms: Read a book with a white cover

Picking Cotton by Jennifer Caninno and Ronald Cotton- This is sort of cheating because it’s more off-white/cream-colored, but I really want to get to this one this month, so I had to fit it in! It’s a non-fiction novel that I just recently purchased. I don’t read a lot of  non-fiction, but I want to start, so I can’t wait to read this!

Herbology: Read a book whose title starts with the letter “I”

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin- I have heard many mixed things about this one, but I personally feel like I’m going to love it- I may just be basing this off of the cover, but still.

Extras:

Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett- This book comes out in May and I was lucky enough to receive an ARC! I want to read it and review it before it comes out, hence why I am hoping to read it now!

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen- On Twitter, I asked if anyone would be interested in a virtual book club, and I created a small group with a few people. We decided to read this book this month, which I am so happy about! I have heard really great things about it, so I’m hoping to love it!

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo- This is the pick for Tiffany and Alexandra’s book club this month! I definitely want to read it and participate for the first time, especially because I’ve been wanting to read a Maurene Goo book for the longest time!!

let's chat

That’s it for all of the books I’m hoping to read this month!

If you’ve read any, let me know what your thoughts were. What book do you want to read in April?

Jessica

March Wrap Up 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes7 Comments

It’s been one strange month, to say the least- at the beginning of the month, I thought I wasn’t going to get any reading done at all, and suddenly I was sent home from university because of the coronavirus.

Now I have all the time in the world, and I’ve been able to do a decent amount of reading, compared to previous months. I am happy to say I read 11 books this month! Woohoo!

My reading was also all over the place this month. I had a few 5 stars, but I also had a 1 star read, which is pretty rare for me. It was just an interesting month overall.

Currently Reading:

Docile km szpara

  • Docile by K.M. Szpara: I’m hoping to finish this one by the end of the day so I can count it as read in March! I will definitely be able to do it, so I will update the post when I finish :)
    • UPDATE: I DID finish it!! I gave it 3 stars. It was hard to rate because of the subject matter, but I think this is a good rating.

 

5 Stars

  • My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan: Not what I expected, but it was really good!
  • The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson: I picked this up randomly because I saw it on Scribd and wanted to finish the series. It is now one of my favorite series of all time!
  • The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson

4 Stars

  • The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren: My first Christina Lauren book turned out to be a success. I wrote a review for it, too.
  • The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky by Mackenzi Lee
  • The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware: This was SO. GOOD. I really enjoyed it!
  • The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

3 Stars

  • And I Darken by Kiersten White: I have an ARC of the third book in this series, so I’m working my way towards it. It was alright, not a favorite of mine.
  • Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco: This book has a really complicated magic system that I did not fully understand for the majority of the book, and it took me a while to get into it. The ending was enjoyable, though!

hearts, strings, and other breakable things

1 Star

  • Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins: I honestly don’t have much to say about this one other than I really did not like it.

let's chat

Those are all of the books I read this month! If you’ve read any, please let me know what your thoughts on them were in the comments.

I’m looking forward to my next month of reading, which you’ll read about in my next post :)

Jessica

March TBR 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes8 Comments

March is going to be a long month. I can feel it. This semester hasn’t been too bad as of now, but it is finally starting to pick up now that I’m at that halfway mark. I have a lot of work piling up, so I’m definitely a little worried about getting my reading in.

But, I also have spring break this month, so I’ll be home for a week without any obligations! Hopefully, I’ll be able to get a lot of reading done then!

Wicked As You Wish rin chupeco

Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco

First up is Wicked As You Wish because I was actually a part of the “street team” that promoted this book! I was able to get an ARC because of this, and I am really looking forward to reading it.

I’ve seen many great reviews for this one, and even though I’m not a big fantasy reader, it caught my attention!

Docile km szpara

Docile by K.M. Szpara

Next up is another ARC that I am so happy to have received! This is a science fiction novel, which isn’t usually my thing, but this one sounds incredible. I have heard mixed reviews, though, which worries me a bit. I do want to get to it this month either way, as it comes out today actually!

hearts, strings, and other breakable things

Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins

This is my e-book pick from my TBR jar for the month of March! I love contemporaries, so I’m very happy I picked this one to read. It’s been on my Netgalley review list for a while now, so I am probably going to start off with this one so I can get it reviewed ASAP!

It’s about a girl’s last summer before going to college, which is one of my favorite times to read about! I feel like it’ll be a quick read.

the unhoneymooners

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

This month I am finally getting to The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren! This will be my first book from this author duo, and I am so excited! This one has received glowing reviews, and I really feel like I will enjoy it.

Also, please appreciate this cover: It is stunning!

My Oxford Year

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

Finally, I had to make sure I included an audiobook to listen to as well. I chose My Oxford Year because it is fairly short (the audiobook is only about 10 hours long), and I can listen to it while I’m at the gym!

I’ve started this one already, and I’m really enjoying it so far! Hopefully the book continues down this direction :)

let's chat

That is it for my March TBR! Sticking to a TBR has actually made my life a lot easier, so I’m excited to see if I will be 3/3 this month!

What are you hoping to read in March?

Jessica

February Wrap-Up 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes15 Comments

Another month, another wrap-up! This month I only read 5 books so far (with a hopeful 6th almost done). This wrap-up may not be as long as previous ones, but I am proud of myself for reading anything regardless. I’m also trying to focus less on quantity this year, and spend more time with each book and actually enjoy it.

Anyways, let’s look at what I read!

Current Read: The Diviners by Libba Bray

Okay, so I know I haven’t finished this book yet, but I’m 1/2 way through it and I still have until Saturday to finish it, so I think I’ll be able to finish it! Either way, I wanted to include it here anyway because the majority of it will be read this month!

As of now, I’m really enjoying this one, and I can see it becoming a favorite read for me for sure!

5 Stars

  • My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell- Beautiful read. It was heartbreaking but it touched on such a dark topic in a good way. I think it’s an important read for sure.
  • How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow- I wasn’t planning on reading this one this month but I needed an audiobook to listen to, and this one was incredible. Another one that is a bit on the darker side, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

3 Stars

  • Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham- Disappointing one for sure because I hyped it up so much in my head. I still really recommend Lauren Graham’s memoir though!
  • A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert- This book fell a little flat for me, which I was sad about because I loved two of her other novels so much. Unfortunately, the characters and their chemistry felt a little forced to me.

Beholding Bee

2 Stars

  • Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco- This one was on my TBR for so long so I’m happy to have finally checked it off. BUT, I definitely did not connect with the story or the writing style at all.

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That’s all for today’s post! I am happy to say I have successfully followed a TBR for two months now. Maybe I’ll be able to do this every month…

Jessica

February 2020 TBR

Published on by Jessica C Writes8 Comments

A new month means it’s time for a new TBR post! Last month was the first time I successfully created a TBR and fully stuck to it. I was always the type of person who claimed I was a mood reader (and I do still consider myself one). BUT, now I know that I can follow a TBR if I put my mind to it, too.

I’m hoping to be able to stick to my TBR once again, so here are the 5 books I hope to read!

Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco

As I’m sure you all know (because I talk about this way too often), I am trying to read as many of my backlist books as possible. Actually, I’m also taking part in the #Pondathon created by CW, and as part of Team Gen, our goal is to read backlist books! That is why almost all of these books are backlist- gotta get those points for my team!

This is a book I bought almost 4 years ago at this point. I’m ashamed that I have not yet read it, but hopefully, this will be the month!

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Oh, I am so excited about this one. I have a fear of big books, which is pretty much the only reason I’ve put this one off. But I just know that I will love it so much. The fourth book in this series came out TODAY, so it would be cool to be able to read this entire series this year. I’m not promising that it will happen, but it is definitely a possibility!

Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham

Lauren Graham is one of my favorite people on this planet. She’s so funny, down to earth, and a great writer. I’ve read her memoir as well as a speech she made for a high school graduation. Both were phenomenal.

I’m very interested to see how her nonfiction writing translates into a fiction novel.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

This book was originally supposed to come out in January by publication got pushed back to March. This is good for me because now I actually have time to read it before release. I have seen some early reviews about this one, and almost all were positive.

I have heard that this is a dark book, but that is a genre/category I do like to read. I have pretty high expectations for this one!

A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert

Each month I am also reading a book that I pick from my e-book TBR jar. This month’s pick is A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert! I have read one other Talia Hibbert book and it was really great! It should be a fairly quick read. Plus, it’ll be the perfect book to read in between classes.

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What do you think of the books on my TBR for this month? Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of them and what your thoughts were!

See you soon!

Jessica