Category: TBRs/Wrap-ups

Fall TBR 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes16 Comments

Hello everyone! Today’s TBR post is a little different from the rest of the one’s I’ve done this year. I am making a TBR for the entire Autumnal season rather than a monthly post! Mostly, this is because I am going back to school in a week, and I don’t know how often I’ll be coming home and changing my books. This way, I can read whatever ones I have on hand without stressing out about my TBR. Plus, I’m going to be doing less reading while taking classes, so it just makes more sense to do this sort of post.

First, as you may know, each month I read a book picked from my e-book TBR jar, so I decided to pick three books now rather than one!

September’s pick: The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene

First up we have this mystery/thriller that sounds super interesting to me. It’s told from alternating points of view, and it’s all about a family keeping secrets. I don’t want to say or know too much because for this genre I feel like that’s the best way to go into it. But, I am excited to read this!

October’s pick: Instructions for a Funeral by David Means

This book is actually a short story collection, so hopefully it’ll be a faster read for me! This one has some good ratings on Goodreads, so I am hoping to enjoy at least half of the stories in this. Again, I don’t know too much about this one, but I received it from Netgalley a while ago, so I would like to finally check it off my list!

November’s pick: The Museum of Us by Tara Wilson Redd

Finally, this book is a YA contemporary that deals with mental health. The synopsis is very short, so I don’t know too much about it. However, from the first few reviews, it looks like it is a really beautifully written story, and I am looking forward to reading it.

General Fall TBR:

As far as the rest of my TBR, here is a list of the books I want to read. There are 12 of them, so approximately 4 per month, plus my three e-books, making it 5 books per month total!

I’m not going to go into detail for these, as there are a lot, so you’ll have to come back for my wrap-ups to see how I feel about them!

Adult / New Adult

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Writers and Lovers by Lily King

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

Young Adult

Something like Gravity by Amber Smith

A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti

Broken Things by Lauren Oliver

The House by Christina Lauren

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

August TBR 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes24 Comments

Welcome to another TBR post! This month, just like last month, my TBR is going to be quite short. That is for a couple of reasons. First, I plan on reading some of my longer books this month, which means that I won’t be able to read as many books. Second, I want to slow down my reading a bit to focus on some other things, especially since I’m going back to school in a month. I’ve already read around 80 books this year, which is really great, but there’s no need for me to read so fast, so I want to take it slow for now!

Anyway, let’s just get into the books!

Just Friends by Dyan Sheldon

This is my e-book pick from my TBR jar for the month! I honestly don’t know what to expect from it, and I have no idea what it’s about, but it’s been on my TBR for a long time now. I’m looking forward to finally knocking it off of my list.

If I’m being real truthful, though, I don’t really have too much interest in reading this one, and I have a feeling I won’t like it. I want to at least give it a try, though.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

I got this book on libby finally- which means I absolutely must read it this month! It’ll probably be one of the first books I read, actually. I’m really excited about it, and I’ve heard some great things.

I’ve really missed reading about Nikolai, even though I didn’t really love him as much as everyone else seems to. Maybe this book will make me care for him a bit more?? I don’t know, we’ll see!

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Yes, I’ve decided to make this month the one that I conquer this book. I realized that I’m going back to school in September, and I don’t want to read this book there, surrounded by my housemates, because they’ll then witness me sobbing for hours straight (which I’m expecting to do from this book). So, to avoid that, I figured I should probably get to it now!

That way, I can cry from the comfort of my own home. I am worried about this book because of it’s size, too. It’s so long and intimidating, but apparently I’m forcing myself to get over that fear this month.

A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

Everyone has been yelling at me to read this book and finish the trilogy! I hear ya, and I’m going to do just that!! I was able to get the audiobook of this one, which means it should hopefully be a decently fast read. I honestly can’t remember how the last book ended, so I’m going to have to read an online recap before then, but I really have loved the first two books. Maybe this one will be my favorite!

What books are on your TBR for the month? Have you read any of the ones I’m planning to? Tell me all of your thoughts in the comments, I want to know!

A Surprisingly Good Reading Month? // July Wrap-Up 2020

Published on by Jessica C Writes24 Comments

Hello everyone! If you recall my July TBR, I created a super short list of books for myself to read because I didn’t think I was going to get a lot of reading done this month. Somehow, I ended up reading 10 books, though!

5 stars

  • The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison: This was my first read of the month, and I definitely started off on a good note! Toni Morrison just has such an incredible writing style. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before, and I definitely want to read more of her work.
  • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid: I picked this up because I was seeing it all over bookstagram, and when I read the synopsis, it seemed so intriguing. The synopsis just doesn’t fully cover what this book is about. I was not prepared for the rollercoaster that it was, and it blew my expectations out of the water. It was such a great read. Also, I know there were some issues with the Reading Rush and them dismissing this book (which was their book club pick), so I want to really stress how great this book is, and please, pick it up if you haven’t already!
  • Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: I finally read this book! I also watched the movie this month, and let me tell you- both were so incredible. I understand all of the hype for the movie now, and I think I might watch it again soon!

4 stars

  • The King of Crows by Libba Bray: I’ve talked about the Diviners series quite a lot recently, as I finally read it this year. I’m so sad that I’m done with the whole series now. This final book was not my favorite of the four, but I think it was a good ending to this world. If you haven’t yet read The Diviners, and it’s been on your TBR as long as it had been on mine, I definitely say you should pick it up ASAP. It was such a magical and fun story, and I didn’t want it to end.

3 stars

  • The Great Gatsby Graphic Novel Adaptation illustrated by K. Woodman-Maynard: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, so thank you! Unfortunately, I was expecting a little more from it, though. It’s hard for me to judge it because I don’t have a huge knowledge of graphic novels, but I think if you hadn’t ever read The Great Gatsby novel, this version of the story would be very confusing. It was just missing some plot points in between to make the story flow better. I did love the illustrations, though!
  • Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: I’ve talked about this book and my feelings a lot already, so all I’ll say is this did not live up to the hype for me. I was expecting to be blown away…and I just wasn’t. It wasn’t a bad book, but it just wasn’t really for me.
  • 1984 by George Orwell: I finally read this classic that has been on my TBR for AGES!! It was a good read. I definitely think it covers so many important topics, and it left me thinking about the current state of the world. It was good, just not a new favorite!
  • Normal People by Sally Rooney: This book has been talked about a LOT all over booktube, Instagram, and Twitter, especially with the show coming out. I have to say, I didn’t think it was that incredible. But, I’m watching the show right now, and I think I actually like it more than the book (which is hard to believe, ahahaha).

2 stars

  • The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman: This book has really high ratings on Goodreads, and I was really excited to pick this up. Unfortunately, I just had a lot of issues with the way it was handled. Overall, the racism was just never really resolved, and the main character was very selfish in terms of how things played out. I just didn’t feel great about it. But I really liked the love interest and wanted to hear more from his perspective, which I think would have improved this story for me.

1 star

Tell me about your reading month! How many books did you read? Did you find any favorites? I’d love to know!

And let me know if you’ve read any of the ones I did, and what your thoughts were on them!

July TBR 2020 + Camp NaNo Plans

Published on by Jessica C Writes20 Comments

Hello everyone! If you missed my last post, I talked about how June was my best reading month ever in terms of quantity. I read 19 whole books!! So, for July, I decided to slow things down and take my time with reading!

I’m participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this month, and I really want to focus my time on writing. So, that means I will most likely be doing much less reading. But I’m okay with that! I also want to allow room for picking up whatever I want, instead of limiting myself to the TBR I pick. Also, I am planning on participating in The Reading Rush, though I’m going to make my TBR up as I go, so no official one this year!

So, I have chosen three books (though I’ll probably read more), which makes this probably my shortest TBR ever on this blog. One is a TBR jar pick, one is a libby loan, and the last one is an ARC.

So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

The Great Gatsby Graphic Novel illustrated by K. Woodman-Maynard

I got approved for this ARC very recently and I requested it on a whim- I have been wanting to dive into the world of graphic novels, but I didn’t know where to start. I figured going with a book that I already love would help ease me into them.

I definitely want to pick up more, though (Heartstopper is on my list for sure), so please recommend me some of your favorites- contemporary preferred.

Sociable by Rebecca Harrington

This was my TBR jar pick for the month, and in all honesty, I have no clue what it’s about. I’m assuming it’s about social media in some way, but aside from that, I do not know too much. I did take a quick glance at the reviews for this one, and they weren’t too great, so I am worried about reading it. Hopefully it will be something I at least somewhat enjoy, though!

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Finally, we have a book that I am BEYOND EXCITED to read! I have the audiobook on Libby, and I have been waiting for July to start so I could read it! I read and loved Beloved by Toni Morrison last year, and it completely blew me away. I have heard even more amazing things about this one, so my expectations are very high. I love Morrison’s writing, so I am sure I will love it!

Camp NaNo Plans

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I am participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this month! Last month, I hosted a writing challenge where I set a goal to write for one hour every single day. I got to about the 50% mark of my novel, which is so incredible to me!! This is probably the most I’ve ever written for any novel I started.

For July’s camp, my goal is only set to 15k words, mainly because I know that I won’t write every single day the way I did in June. But, my more ‘lowkey goal’ is to finish the first draft of the book. That would be an amazing achievement on my part, though I do not know if I will be able to do it!

Anyway, if you want to add me on the NaNo website, my username is @jessicacwrites :)

My novel is a YA contemporary about an overachieving girl who wants to go to Columbia University. When she gets differed, she has to find a way to make her application stand out more- so she joins the track and field team!

That is a very basic summary, but it also involves some (mild) hate to love, a ballerina best friend, and MI representation!

Here’s an aesthetic board I created:

If you want to see more updates from me about it, I will be posting on Instagram and Twitter, so be sure to follow me there, too!

What are your plans for July? Are you going to do a lot of reading? Or maybe you’re participating in Camp NaNo, too? Let me know in the comments :)

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 👀

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.

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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!!

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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