Amazing Book Series I Need to Finish Reading Part 2

There are a lot of book series I need to finish reading! You guys really seemed to enjoy my last post about it so I decided to make a part two! (and a part three, four, and five) For those of you who have been asking for my TBR lists for each month, this kind of serves as my TBR list. I hate to be boxed in to a set of books that I have to read with a time limit because it starts to feel like homework. This is why I only take a small amount of books for review at a time otherwise I never get to read books I pick and my blog stops feeling fun and starts stressing me out. For those of you who don't know, this blog is a way for me to share my feelings on books. It is entirely for fun. I don't have adds because I am not trying to make money. This is why I am not obsessed with follower count or having a large reach because as long as at least one person is reading this blog, then I am successful. Receiving books for review is just an amazing added bonus to this fantastic hobby. So because this is a hobby the most amount of deadlines I am going to put on myself is getting up reviews for authors who sent me their books in a reasonable amount of time and posting twice a week. (or every other day in the summer) This is especially important now that school has started for me. I have only had three days of school and I already have lots of homework so my blog is a way to totally decompress and do something I love. It is a good thing too, because my friends were getting really sick of hearing my very confusing book reviews on books they haven't read at 7:00 AM before school!(Though I miss this and I won't have a chance to do it again now that I am taking a zero hour class that starts at 6:45 AM!) Getting back to the matter at hand, I make these lists of books I have not finished instead of making a TBR list and it creates a better outcome for myself. If you really need a TBR list from me then I am going to say all books that look interesting to me in the world! Now time for some spoiler free reviews!

1. Talk About a Kickass Pageant Girl!

I honestly have no idea why I haven't finished this series yet. I love Rachel Hawkins and I own the last book, but for some reason I can't bring myself to read it! I guess the only thing I can say is that you know this series is good because even though Rachel Hawkins is one of my favorite authors, (I freaking love Hex Hall) when I read this book and fell in love with it, I did not see that she was the author! So I don't just love this book because I will read anything the author writes, it is actually really really good! 

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will adore this entertaining mashup of ancient mythology and southern belles that is Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. Harper Price has never let anyone or anything get in her way on her path to success, especially not her enemy and school reporter David Stark. So on when some crazy weird events go down during homecoming leaving her without her crown and with insane new powers, Harper stops at nothing to figure out what is going on. But when her research leads her to being the protector of David Stark, she is ready to accept failure for the first time. As she and David start to spend more time together, Harper can't deny the growing feelings between them. There is just one problem, David might be doomed to destroy the whole world. There some things in this world that are just so satisfying to read and Rachel Hawkins writing is one of them. I love the idea of setting magical events in the south and this book fulfills everything I had hoped Beautiful Creatures would be! The adorable characters in this book remind me a lot of the non-daemon and nephilim characters in Sweet Evil. The plot line is pretty easy to follow, but definitely keeps you interested and the magic is honestly really cool. The best part is definitely the humor. Rachel Hawkins always manages to create humor in some of the most dramatic situations without poking fun at the drama. The characters have some pretty predictable character development, but they are so cute that it doesn't really take away from the story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loved Rachel Hawkin's Hex Hall series and fans of romance, fantasy, and humor!

2. The Best Chapter Titles Ever

This book is kind of a stretch on having not finished the series because I technically finished the Percy Jackson series, I just didn't finish the Hero's of Olympus series. I have like 20 pages left on the Lost Hero and I just couldn't finish it. It felt kind of off compared to the rest of Rick Riordan's writing. Or maybe I just don't like all my mythology being mixed. Who knows, but I really need to finish the series because I know I will love it. Also (Please don't kill me) The Kane Chronicles is way better than Percy Jackson and I really wish he would write more books for that series.  

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

If you haven't read Rick Riordan yet then you must be living under a rock, because The Lightning Thief is the perfect blend of Greek mythology and contemporary YA that makes for a fantastic book. Percy Jackson has always been different. He tries and tries to be a good kid, but bad things always seem to happen around him. Pair that with his failure in school due to his dyslexia and you get the makings of a troubled kid. When things go too far on a class field trip, Percy learns that there is a reason he never fit in. Percy is a demigod and the son of Poseidon, which means he gets to stay safe at the awesome camp Half Blood. Percy finally makes some friends and when trouble sets him on a wild adventure to stop all out war between the gods, he can count on them to risk their lives right along side him. I am a totally mythology nut, which is why I am basically in love with Rick Riordan. He combines extremely well done humor with mythology and for me it does not get better than that. While I really liked this book, it is definitely not the best book of the series. The writing gets way better as the series continues and the characters start to become more and more developed. The plot of these books is always full of surprises and is a total thrill ride. Of course my favorite thing is the humor and nothing can ever beat Rick Riordan's chapter titles. I would highly recommend this book for everyone because it appeals to all kinds of readers.

3. How do We Make a Horror Novel Creepier? Just Sprinkle in Some Incest!

I don't know how I survived reading this book. I really hate anything creepy or scary. But somehow I managed to read the first two books and the first like 50 pages of the third book, along with the two extra books that are about Christopher's diary. I couldn't finish the third book because it felt like things were about to delve into the super natural (I have no idea if they do) and I know that would freak me out too much. I do want to eventually finish the series, but I might have to wait until I am an adult to avoid terrible nightmares!

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will be sucked into this terrifying story that reaches creepy on every level in Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. Cathy's mamma said it was only temporary. Just until she can get their grandfather to put her back in the will, then they can go back to their perfect lives, then she and her three siblings can leave the attic. But it has been weeks since her Daddy died and they lost everything and her mamma keeps coming back less and less. Its just Cathy, her siblings, and their horrible grandmother, punishing them so they don't follow in the sin of their parents footsteps. So Cathy has to live in the forbidden. forbidden noises, forbidden actions, forbidden love. Her Mamma said it was only temporary, but it turns out that her Mamma has told her was a lie. I hate scary books. I don't like to be frightened, but oh my god I loved this book! It pulled me in and I could not put it down! The characters are horrible and extremely well done. The plot is full of twists and turns and the romance makes you love it even though you want to hate it! The writing is really dark, but still has that child like innocence that makes the whole thing so much creepier. This book is really mature and even though I read it when I was 12 I would recommend it for those who are a little bit older. This book is perfect for fans of horror and thrillers and dark romances.

4. How I Wish All My Romances Would Happen

Wouldn't life be so much easier if we all just wrote love notes and then had everyone we wrote too just tell us if they loved us? No just me? Okay. So I loved this book and the only reason I haven't 

finished the series is because I am not allowing myself to buy any more books until my birthday and my library doesn't have it yet. But I really really want to finish it! This series is so freaking adorable and perfect to lose yourself in if life gets boring or stressful!
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Jenny Han created one of the sweetest contemporary romance novels when she wrote the completely adorable To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Lara Jean Song has a tried and true way to get over a boy she loves. She writes them a love letter saying why they can not be together and stores them in her mother's old hat box. This way she never has to tell her sister's boyfriend that she is in love with him and she can live her life in peace. But when her letters are mistakenly mailed Lara Jean's life is turned upside down and suddenly all the boys she thought were out of her reach are starting to become possibilities. Jenny Han hit the ball out of the park with this one. While not only is the idea of love letters being mailed great in itself, she created completely three dimensional characters that are very relatable to the reader. The plot is also more than just a romance, which takes this book to a whole new level. Lara Jean might be one of my all time favorite characters because she is just so honest and very real. This book has humor, romance, friendship, and a loving family trying to be its best and in way reminds me of the Penderwick sisters. I love this book and all contemporary romance fanatics will love it too!

5. If My Boyfriend was that Hot I Wouldn't Want to Lose My Memories Of Him Either 

This book is the first YA book I read that I liked. I read this in like 5th grade and the only other YA book I had read was the Hunger Games, which I originally hated. This whole series so creative and amazing and I jsut found out there are six books (plus novellas) and there are two more that I haven't read. I own one of them so I just need to get off my butt and read it, but I can't stand for the series to end. Luckily my best friend Albany is going to kill me if I don't read it soon so I have plenty of motivation!
The Program by Suzanne Young
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will be blown away by this dark look on our future and what we will do in the name of preserving humanity that is The Program by Suzanne Young. Sloane can't afford to look sad. Every day of her life must look perfect and happy. If she doesn't pull it off and she shows weakness, she will loose the most important thing in her life, her memories. They say the program is doing good and it is the only known cure to the teen suicide epidemic that has swept the nation. Sloane doesn't care, she will not give up her life with her boyfriend James, the only person she can be real with. But they slipped up, they lost the fight and the depression has taken over. Now the program is going to take everything. I have never read any book like the Program before. This was the first YA book I ever read and enjoyed and it totally changed my life. The story is completely engrossing and the characters have amazing growth. it is insane how much is fit into a 400 page book and it is even crazier how believable the world is. Suzanne Young had me completely believing that our world could resort to stealing our memories to combat depression. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves science fiction as well as contemporaries and romance. This book is the epitome of a YA dystopian romance novel.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Make sure to comment your thoughts! (Good or bad I just love to get feedback!)

Books Everyone Else Likes, but Me

We all know how fun it is to rant about the books we don't like and it turns out it is equally as fun to write about them! Today I picked a bunch of books that are popular with everyone else, but definitely are not on my favorites list. I do have to explain that the main reason I don't like these books stems from the writing and not usually the plot. All of these books have really great ideas, but the way they were written does not work for me. Please do not start to hate me because I don't like your favorite book! I mean no offense to any of you! Books can be perfect for one person and terrible for another, so just because I did not like these books, it does not mean that you will hate them! I hope you enjoy!

1. What Happens When You Mix The Hunger Games, The Fifth Wave, and The Darkest Minds With Bland Writing 

I read this book after a bunch of my friends told me I would love it. It took me forever to read and I only finished it because I hoped the ending would be better. The characters were super extreme and the way they act is so not how fifteen year olds are. I love dystopian novels, but this just felt like overkill. The romance also felt super forced and this is coming from someone who loves romance in every single book. Marie Lu just does not work for me. If you want an alternative to this book, try The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. Both are fast paced dystopian novels with corrupt governments.     

Legend by Marie Lu
My rating: ❤❤

Leaving readers confused and underwhelmed, Legend by Marie Lu does not live up to the hype. June is from one of the wealthiest families in the Republic. She has been groomed since birth for the elite military that serves her ever at war country. Day, the Republic's most wanted criminal, hails from the slums. He just wants to fight for what he believes is good. When Day becomes the number one suspect in the murder of her brother, June sets out for revenge. As June starts to hunt Day, she sees that he may not be everything the government makes him out to be. As the secrets start to unravel, June and Day must work together to discover what is really going on in their country. I really did not enjoy this book. The characters were completely unrealistic and there was no way for me to relate to them. The story was interesting, but it was really confusing and hard to follow. The setting kind of felt like a bunch of different dystopian novels mixed together. This book did come out before a lot of the other dystopian novels, but by the time I read it, I was really sick of the same type of story. When I finally finished the book, I had no desire to continue with the series. Even though I kind of wanted to see how the story ended, the writing was so bland that it totally outweighed it. I would only recommend this book to people who have already read something by Marie Lu and loved it.

2. And You Thought We Were Liars Was Confusing 

I honestly hated this book. I read it my Freshman year of high school during a week of testing for the other grades. We had big blocks of time to do what we want, so of course I decided to read. I ended up finishing the book during my first period Spanish class (which was entirely full of Sophomores because, I am so cool and a year ahead, so everyone was still testing 😂.) I had nothing else to do so I reread the ending over and over, trying to make sense of it. In order to write a good book, the characters have to be realistic enough for the reader to relate. The characters in this book had no redeeming qualities or anything to make them believable. If you really want to attempt this book, try We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. The plot of this book has the same kind of feel and a lot of the same events seem to happen. If you get through We Were Liars and did not feel at all confused and you really loved it, then try this book.

Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten
My rating: ❤

Readers should be prepared for extreme confusion and outrageous characters in the unsuccessful thriller novel that is Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten. June and Delia were closer than best friends, until one fateful night broke their bonds. A year later Delia is gone leaving only a suicide note behind. in an attempt to help with her grief June starts to notice some cracks in the story of Delia's death. Soon June is investigating Delia's murder and it seems like everyone in her life is a suspect. As the truth starts to come out, June learns that Delia is not the person she thought she was and there is more to her death than June could ever imagine. This might be the most confusing book I have ever read. I have read and reread the ending and done research and I still do not understand the ending. The characters are insane and completely unrealistic. This book takes a lot of mature subjects and difficult situations and kind of glorifies them. Suicide is completely idolized and all of the characters are bordering on psychopaths. I really disliked this book as it was frustrating, improbable, and slightly horrifying. I would not recommend this book to anyone and to those who really want to try it, you should be issued a trigger warning.

3. If I Wanted to Hear Someone Complain I Would Just Go Find My Sister

The only reason I think this book got popular is that there is a lack of LGBT books, so even the ones that suck are promoted. There is a simple solution to this problem, just write more LGBT books! I just hate the fact that it has taken this long for us to finally have characters in books who struggle with real life issues such as coming out as gay and what we end up with is this. This comment also goes for Will Grayson, Will Grayson. (see below) There are so many better books than this where the main character is going through the same thing as Simon. Try I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson or Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe or The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli!!!!! You want something in the fantasy genre, try Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. (I have a full review of I'll Give You the Sun Here and for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Carry On I have spoiler free reviews on my spoiler free review page!) See, so many better options, including one by the same author. The two good things I have to say about this book are that it was better than Will Grayson, Will Grayson and the cover is awesome. 

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
My rating: ❤❤

Becky Albertalli disapoints readers with a whiny, slow book, that feels a little bit too much like Will Grayson, Will Grayson in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Simon is not ready to come out as gay, so when an email to his mysterious pen pal Blue falls into the hands of trouble maker Martin, Simon has no choice but to submit to his blackmail. Being Martin's wingman isn't easy and it seems like Simon's friends are growing away from him. Simon's junior year shouldn't be this difficult right? This book was boring. There isn't much going on and the problems feel really exaggerated. Simon's life feels like the movie GBF, but without all of the comedy, so its just melodramatic teenage angst. As you can see, there is so little happening in the book that I was barely able to write two sentences describing the plot. Speaking of the plot, it is super predictable. The second Simon mentions writing to a mysterious pen pal you know who it is and the rest of the story is just as easy to guess. The book is fine if you don't like action or real movement of plot. The funny thing is, Becky Albertalli is a really good writer. The Upside of Unrequited is fantastic and her writing style is completely different from Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. You can read this book if you think it sounds interesting, but if you did not like Will Grayson, Will Grayson then you will not like this book either.

4. Why John Green Why?

Okay warning I hate David Levithan. Everything I have read by him I really didn't like. His writing just doesn't work for me. I love John Green. I was so disappointed by this book. I was disappointed for basically the same reasons as Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Also Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda has a lot of the same plot as Will Grayson Will Grayson. Gay guy struggling to come out to his friends and familya and in an intense secret relationship with an mystery guy. I wish that only John Green has written this because then I think I would have liked it more. 

   

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green
My rating: ❤❤

John Green can only work so hard to cover the disappointing nature of David Levithan's writing in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Will Grayson could not be any more different from the other Will Grayson. One is in love with a girl and is friends with Tiny Cooper, creator of the autobiographical musical Tiny Dancer. The other is in love with a boy he met online and is about to learn that his best friend Maura might not be quite as nice as he thinks she is. Both will meet on one fateful night and their lives will be forever intertwined. John Green does not deserve to have a book rated as only two stars by me. So I am giving all parts written by David Levithan two stars and everything written by John Green three and a half stars. I really did not like where this book went. Will Grayson two (written by David Levithan) was horrible to read about. He was boring and his depression didn't feel real, it kind of felt like it was being made fun of. Will Grayson one was okay, but the real star of this book was Tiny Cooper. He was interesting and fun and totaly extreme. I loved Tiny, but he couldn't pull for everything else in this book that was not good. I know a lot of people love this book because it was the first LGBT books to get really big, but its fame doesn't make the book good. I'm not quite sure who I would recommend this book too as John Green fan don't always like David Levithan and David Levithan fans seem to rarely like John Green. So I would recommend this if you really love them both.

5. The Plot is Fantastic...If Only the Writing Was Good 

This book should have been good, but sadly it wasn't. It desperately needed better writing and some comedy to cut through all the drama. This book is something that I would actually recommend to others, but only if they want something really easy that has a lot of plot twists. If you love comedy, then do not read this book as you will probably hate it. Otherwise, if you can get past the writing, the story is really great.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
My rating: ❤❤

The Maze Runner by James Dashner shows just how much terrible writing can ruin a great plotline. When Thomas wakes up all he can remember is his name. He is welcomed into a community of all boys, all around his age, all who have had their memories wiped. They live surrounded by a maze full of terrible creatures. Thomas seems perfect for the job of the maze runner, a person who creates a map of the maze before the gates close. When a girl shows up and some how remembers Thomas, they realize that there might be more to their community than meets the eye. I wanted to like this book so badly. The plot was fantastic and the story was fascinating. The writing was awful and at such a low level of vocabulary that it just ruined the whole book. The characters were not that great either. Because they can't remember anything of their past it was kind of hard to get to know them or relate to them. I wish the writing was better because then I think I would have enjoyed it more, but I guess life isn't fair. I would recommend this to fantasy lovers and people who are looking for a really really easy read. I do have to warn you that while the writing is simple, the plot is confusing.

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust Full Review

Spoiler Free Review:

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust
My rating: ❤❤❤❤

Melissa Bashardoust hit the ball out the park with the fantastic, feminist fairy tale that is Girls Made of Snow and Glass. All Lynet has ever wanted is to be like her stepmother Mina, but she is constantly compared to the late mother she resembles so greatly. Mina just wants to love and be loved, but the unbeating, glass heart in her chest won't allow her to. Lynet has no desire to rule, so when her father takes away Mina's control of the Southern lands and gives them to her, she wants nothing more than to refuse. When a turn of events cause Mina to hate Lynet, she must go on her own journey to save the only mother she has ever known. This book was so adorable! I am always a fan of feminist fiction, especially when it's fairy tale related. The story felt like a mixture of frozen and Snow White, but still very original. I love how the story was from both Mina and Lynet's point of view, giving the reader different perspectives. Because it was a mixture of both of their stories the characters didn't feel extremely well developed until the very end, but I still felt connected to the them and able to relate to their feelings. The plot felt kind of slow at the beginning and then kind of rushed at the end, but the well done story totally made up for it. As a romance lover, I of course wish there was more of a love story, but it was really well done and a heavy influence of romance might have ruined the message. One thing I felt there was a lack of was comedy. There are very few places that made me laugh and I think it would have been improved if there was just a little more humor. Overall this book was really really good and I would highly recommend this to fantasy and feminist fiction lovers! Disclaimer: I was sent this book for review from the publisher, but it did not effect my review at all. My thoughts are my own and my reviews are always 100% honest.

Recommended Mindset For Reading 

This book is perfect for anyone looking for a fairy tale without all of the men doing the saving. It has very light romance so if you are not into the hot and heavy stuff (unlike me) then this book is perfect for you! I didn't binge this book. I ended up splitting up my reading into a couple of days because it just wasn't the kind of book where you have to read everything all at once. This book is perfect for the start of the school year because you can read a little bit in your free time and spread it out over a couple of weeks. If you are the kind of person who needs humor in everything you read then this is not the book for you as there is very little comedy. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a nice story that fits a more modern perspective with age old fairy tales!

Becca's Best Banana Bread!

Ever have an excess of bananas on the verge of going bad? I know we always seem to! Besides eating terrible, mushy bananas, you can make delicious banana bread! I love this stuff! It is super moist and yummy and just all around great! Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a midday snack. This makes about 2 loafs of bread.

And I Darken by Kiersten White Full Book Review

Spoiler Free Review:

And I Darken by Kiersten White
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

With fantastic characters, beautiful scenery, and an epic storyline, And I Darken by Kiersten White brings a whole new perspective to young adult historical fiction. There is nothing Lada Dragwlya loves more than her homeland of Wallachia. So when she and her brother Radu are ripped away from their father, the prince of Wallachia, in order to become prisoners of the Ottoman Courts, Lada makes a promise that she will one day return home. The one thing Lada hates more than the Ottoman Empire is being underestimated for being a girl. Lada knows she is stronger than all the men combined, so she sets herself to plotting her revenge. That is, until she meets Mehmed, the intriguing son of the Sultan. In Mehmed, Radu finally has a friend and Lada someone to give her heart too. Can Lada open up her love to more than Wallachia? I can not completely describe how amazing this book was. I picked it up because I am a terrible person who totally judges books by their covers. When I read the synopsis I expected something along the lines of My Lady Jane or The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, historical fiction with more contemporary characters. This book was so much more. I happen to love history and god do I wish a history text book was written like this! Of course a lot of the history in this book is from the author's mind, but the basis was so well researched and historically accurate. This book actually inspired me to do further research into the Ottoman Empire, which earlier in the year I had found totally boring. The three best things in the book are; the characters, the history, and the incorporation of Islam into the book. That of course can fit both into the characters and the history categories, but it was so fascinating that I think it needs it's own shout out. This is not a religious book, please don't stop reading this review because you think it is, it is a historical book. Islam was a major part of the Ottoman empire and the author handled it really well and completely enriched the story. The characters in this book are horrible and I love it! I can not say any more without spoiling the book, so go read it! This book is perfect for lovers of history and intense characters, though it is not for everyone. I would not recommend this book for people who want a basic storyline, a quick read, a comedy, or a basic romance novel, because this book is none of those things.

Recommended Mindset For Reading

And I Darken is not the kind of thing you can pick up, set down, and pick back up again a month later. The storyline is complex and detailed, requiring a lot of focus. This also isn't something that you can read all in one sitting. I would make sure you have a week where there is adequate time for reading each day. Not that you will have a hard time getting yourself to read, as this book is extremely engaging. While you do not have to love history to enjoy this book, you have to have some respect for it. The plot and the characters can not single-handedly hold up the book, the history is a big part, so if you hate it, this book is not for you. Also, if you want a cute romance novel, go pick up P.S. I Like You by Kaise West (I have a spoiler free review of this on my spoiler free review page!) and leave this book be. There is nothing cute about this book. So I hope I didn't scare you off because this novel is phenomenal!

Owning Multiple Versions of a Book

I was recently inspired to write about this, when I opened up my owl crate box to find, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, as the book of the month. As you may know, I posted a full review of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue a few days ago, so I obviously have already read it. I actually own the ebook version. I had to take a second to think to myself, how do I feel about owning multiple versions of books? I own all of the Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, in both ebook, and paperback versions. Back in November, I received Heartless by Marissa Meyer in my owl crate box, which I had already pre-ordered on my ereader. I have to say, I really like having multiple versions! With Heartless, and The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, I have owl crate exclusive covers, that are both beautiful (as you can see by the pictures below). With books, there is more than just reading them. Owning these books is kind of like having a collection, except the things you collect, have a really great use that never goes bad. Having multiple versions of an item is not at all uncommon in a collection, and having exclusive version of something makes it much more valuable (Not that I would ever sell my books!) Also, as a bookstagrammer, having multiple copies of a book makes it really easy to do giveaways. You still get to keep a book, but you also gain followers, and you know your book goes to a booklover, and will get good use! I think that many people would say owning multiple copies is a waste of money, but I think the pros out weigh the cons. That's all I have to say on the matter, what do you think? Comment your feelings on owning multiple versions of a book, and what books you own multiple copies of. Happy reading! -Becca  

Amazing Series I Need To Finish

Sometimes life gets busy and other books arrive so even though I have read the first or second book in a series I just never get around to finishing it. I really need to because so many of these books are really really good! So, here are some books that are fantastic and I need to get around to finishing their series. I hope you enjoy and actually finish all the books unlike me! Happy Reading! -Becca

1. Dark Retelling with Great Humor

Around a year and a half ago I listened to this book as an audiobook and just fell in love with it. The story really pulls you in and even though the book isn't ginormous, it kind of feels like the book goes on for a really long time and I love that! I can't remember if I finished the second book or not, I don't think I did, but I actually own all the books so I really need to finish them! I have a feeling my problem was that I tried to read the second one instead of listening to the audiobook, and I really loved the audiobook version and actually reading it wasn't as good for me. This book is definitely for a certain kind of person as I tried to get my sister to read it and she immediately disliked it, as did some of my other friends. Just make sure you realize that even though the book is called Dorthy Must Die, this is not an extremely violent book. I hate gore and I'm afraid of blood so don't worry about it being to gross or anything because it isn't. I would recommend listening to the audiobook version, but I have to say I love the cover so much that I wish I had it on my bookshelf so its up to you!

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

The Wizard of Oz is not what it seems in this twisted, fantastic, and darkly romantic retelling that is Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. Amy Gumm has no desire to save anyone, but when you get pulled into a tornado into the land of Oz, its kind of hard to say no. Oz is not what it seems as Glinda the Good Witch has to use an artificial smile, flying monkeys are being executed, the yellow brick road is practically gone, and Dorthy is drunk on her own power. Amy is recruited (Kind of against her will) to the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked where she is trained for a single purpose. Dorthy Must Die. I loved the dark humor of this book! Amy is such a great character and the minor characters have such well crafted personalities that really enrich her as a character even more. I think Dorthy might have been my favorite character because of her amazing transformation from the original book. I just love how horrible she is! The plot of this book is so jam packed with action even while being a pretty normal sized book. The best part is the characters as this twisted retelling is just so well done! There is a lot of sarcasm in this book and I think it worked really well to balance out the amount of action and character growth. I would recommend this book to lovers of retellings and sarcastic, slightly dark humor.
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The Gentleman's Guide To Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Full Book Review

Spoiler Free Review:

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers will be swept off their feet by this adventurous, historical, humorous romance that is The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. Henry Montague dreads nothing more than his impending duty as a British Lord. He is much more content to live out the 18th Century getting hammered and into trouble with his best friend Percy. He can barely contain his excitement to be leaving for his grand tour with Percy, imagining it to be lounging around, having fun, and hopefully discovering if his undying love for Percy is unrequited or not. When Henry's father ruins this by sending someone to watch over them, the trip looks like its going to be extremely boring, until Henry steals something he shouldn't have and sets himself, his sister, and Percy on the adventure of a lifetime. I adored this book! I love it when books are set in historical times, but the characters act more modern. In some ways this book reminds me of My Lady Jane which I also loved! The plot of this book was not at all what I was expecting. I thought this was going to be an LGBT romance novel set in historical times, not an adventure story with excellent character development. While the characters are definitely made a little more extreme to be entertaining, they are still very realistic and have interesting emotional development I would recommend this book for romance, adventure, and history lovers and people who love great plot, but don't want to read a whole series.
Want to read something similar to this book? Try My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. You can find my review on the spoiler free reviews page. Or pick up Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller.

Recommended Mindset for Reading    

This is a great book to binge read because it isn't super long and its a standalone novel. Its the kind of book you can get yourself out of a reading slump with because it wraps up pretty nicely so you won't be going crazy wondering what happened. This book is definitely for a certain kind of reader so if you just want an adventure story and don't like romance then this isn't the book for you because a lot of the plot is character development which is mainly based off romance. Also this book deals with LGBT themes so if that isn't your thing you may not like it, but for the rest of us its great because good LGBT romance novels are few and far between! Overall this is a great book for a lazy day when you want to be transported to a different time!

New Favorite App-WebToon

Look What Just Came In The Mail!

Okay so you know how on Instagram they have apps that will be advertised, like those hooked text chats that always freak me out because I'm scared of everything. Well, one day this app advertised this webcomic Assassin Roommate, and of course I'm intrigued. So I downloaded the app and I was hooked! Webcomics rock!!!!! Its like a book, but its also like a comic, and they update every week, so its suspenseful! Plus this app is really well put together and has a ton of really great comics all together organized really well! Now for my recommendations, first Siren's Lament by InstantMiso. This is basically the best thing ever (except for the title which sounds really cheesy, but I swear it isn't) The premise without giving anything away is a girl who is in love with a boy is kissed by a Siren, which is supposed to make her into a Siren, but plot twist it only half worked! The artwork is fantastic and the lines are not only laugh out loud funny, but also provoke real emotions! So if you are a fan of romance and comedy, check out Sirens Lament. Okay second place goes to Assassin Roommate by Monica Gallagher! And this isn't just because I love friends😜So Roommate Assassin is about a woman in her twenties who needs a new roommate and the guy who ends up moving in is very attractive, always shirtless, and definitely has a connection with her! There is just one issue, one of them is an assassin, can you guess who? While the artwork in this I don't like nearly as much as some of the other comics, the writing is really funny and cute and a great thing to just sit down and read! And finally, in third place there is Ecstasy Hearts by SilentMaru. This is only on this list due to the amazing artwork, by far the best on the app. The writing on the other hand is so confusing and not funny at all and also creepy at many points. But it also totally pulls you in and makes you want to read more. Added bonus I am learning a ton about tennis. Okay so I don't fully understand the plot and its impossible to simplify so I will give a broad topic overview. Romance, drug lords, family feud, crazy people, and a crap ton of tennis. So if you want to see some beautiful artwork and be confused out of your brain, check it out! Okay, that is all folks! Happy reading!-Becca
   

Shatter Me Series Will Be Continued!

****DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SHATTER ME SERIES BY TAHEREH MAFI****

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG THERE IS A NEW BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So for those of you who don't know, I love the Shatter Me series! I have read Ignite Me a total of 7 times and every time I get to the ending and while I am extremely happy, I have to go read a bunch of Fanfiction because I want more. Well I just found out that there is a new book! Restore Me will pick up where Ignite Me ended and give us that Juliette and Warner fix we are all craving! Also if you look on goodreads you can see that there are two other books set to be in the series after that! I know that isn't extremely reliable as on goodreads it also says that there will be two more books after The Host by Stephanie Meyer and that is never happening so...But anyways, I was actually screaming and jumping for joy when I heard there was going to be another book. I'm not quite sure why after three years of silence about the series and believing it was over, the series will now be continued, but I'm assuming it has to do with Tahereh Mafi and being able to get a book deal for the rest of the series. Or maybe she had writers block for the series and now has miraculously recovered. Whatever it is, I am so happy it happened, because it is basically the answer to my prayers! I mean seriously guys, first Marissa Landers finally gets a book deal for United and releases it, then I find out that there is a graphic novel continuation of the lunar chronicles, and last week I preordered the newest John Green book, and now this! I mean all that is left is for Stephanie Meyer to announce that she actually is going to write Midnight Sun and for the sequel to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe to finally be released and all of my dreams will have come true! Well I hope you are as excited as I am about this book release! As always Happy Reading!-Becca    

Audiobook Recommendations

I don't know about you, but I love audiobooks! Here is a list of not only great books to read, but also great books to listen to! Happy Reading and Listening!-Becca

1. Beautiful LGBT Coming of Age Story

The audiobook edition of this book read by Lin-Manuel Miranda is extremely well done. Whenever I listen to this book I always feel inspired to just sit and draw and be creative. I would recommend listening to this book when you are not doing anything strenuous. Just sit and enjoy, don't do any chores or anything. Also, if you can try and listen to this outside, especially if it is beautiful outside, trust me it will make everything even better.  

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Be prepared to feel every emotion on the spectrum, because Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sánez is the most beautiful coming of age novel I have ever read. Ari is miserable. Being a teenager is the worst and summer seems to go on forever, that is until he meets Dante at the pool and makes the friend of a lifetime. Join Ari and Dante as they grow up together and learn about life, friendship, love, and all the secrets in the universe. I can not pick a favorite thing about this book because every page is amazing! The emotional journey that Ari and Dante embark on in this book is fantastic. I find that in a lot of coming of age novels the plot will fall flat, but that is the opposite in this book. While there isn't much character development for minor characters, the character development of Ari and Dante is amazing. I also love how even though this takes place in the eighties, the characters are the real stars of the book, not the historical aspect. I would highly, highly recommend this book to everyone!
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Owlcrate Box

As I have now had Owlcrate Box for about a year, I think it is about time I shared my feelings about it with you all. It is fantastic!!!!!! I have loved every box so far and they only keep getting better! Let me state this I am not a rep for Owlcrate, I am doing this of my own free will because I love the box and I wanted to share that with you. (Though I am in no way opposed to becoming an owl crate rep) For those of you who do not know what Owlcrate is, it is a monthly young adult book subscription box that includes one newly released book (sometimes two!), a signed bookplate, a letter from the author, and a bunch of bookish goodies! The boxes are themed and include things from small businesses so it supports our amazing bookish artists! Basically this box is the bomb and if you are looking for a book subscription box, I would highly recommend it! My favorite book I have received from the box so far would have to be Heartless by Marissa Meyer, which is also my favorite box so far because of the awesome tea that was included. For those of you who don't know I love tea! So, check out Owlcrate Box! Comment if you like Owlcrate too! Click Here for the link to the website.  

August 2016 Box (My First Box!)

  

Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia Book Review

Spoiler Free Review: 

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Readers should expect a fresh perspective on life in the comical and heart wrenching wonder that is Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. Eliza Mirk is a nobody in person; no friends, weird, never talks. Eliza Mirk is a legend online, or at least her web comic, Monstrous Sea, written under the name LadyConstellation is. No one knows except online and Eliza likes it that way, that is until Wallace Warland transfers in to her school. Wallace Warland is Monstrous Sea's most popular fanfiction writer, and now the most important person in Eliza's life, just one problem, she has no intention of telling him who she is. This book took me completely by surprise. I was expecting a typical YA novel with a little romance thrown in to it. What I got was a beautiful story about excepting your identity and preparing for your future. Francesca Zappia created extremely interesting round characters that grow throughout the whole book. The emotions of these characters just blew me away and felt so real and at one point even made me cry. I would highly, highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially young adults as this book will really resonate with them.
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Recommended Mindset For Reading

 This book is something you need to read when you have a large chunk of time on your hands. You will not want to put it down so make sure you have enough time to do this. I actually read it in a four hour stretch where I just did not get up from the couch and sat back and read my book. This is not a light read, it is of medium length and there is a lot of feeling packed into it so prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster. If you like cool artwork this book is chockfull of it so if you are in an artsy kind of mood then pick up this book. Lastly, if you are an owlcrate subscriber like me and you got this book in your May 2017 box, how cool is the exclusive cover and artwork that was included! Now get off your beautiful buts and read this fantastic book!

Jace, the Perpetual Damsel in Distress

****Do Not Read If You Have Not Read All Of The Books In The Mortal Instruments Series By Cassandra Clare****

Has anyone else noticed how Jace always seems to be getting into one terrible position after another? While nothing seems to happen to him in City of Bones once we hit City of Ashes, boom Jace is stuck on a boat with Valentine, and imprisoned by the Inquisitor, and forced to live at Magnus's house (which honestly doesn't sound that bad!). In City of Glass, Jace actually dies, and then comes back to life! In City of Fallen Angles, Jace gets possessed, then gets all broody and lives with Simon, then almost dies in church full of dead babies. In City of Lost Souls, surprise, surprise, Jace gets possessed again, and is forced into living in some traveling apartment with Sebastian, as the anti-Jace. And once he is finally not possessed due to being stabbed with a heavenly sword, in City of Heavenly Fire, He is full of freaking HEAVENLY FIRE! I mean come on, poor Jace who is supposedly the best shadowhunter of all time, keeps having to get saved throughout the whole series! And yes, I know that Simon also has to be saved a bunch of times, but no one ever said Simon was good at being a mundane/vampire/shadowhunter. I don't know about you guys, but I just found the fact that Jace, the manly man, super strong shadowhunter, is constantly needing to be saved by his friends. Maybe its just a Herondale thing to want to sacrifice yourself for your friends and have it totaly backfire. Or maybe Cassandra Clare just had too much fun making Jace constantly possessed. However way you want to think about it, makes for an interesting and frankly extremely funny reread of the series. Happy Reading!-Becca
       

Fantastic Fantasy Novels

1. Traditional Fantasy in a New YA World

If you are like me, sometimes you really want to read a novel with the traditional mythology for fairies, and werewolves, and vampires, but with that great young adult feel to it. Luckily for us Cassandra Clare has mastered this with the Shadowhunter Chronicles. Lord of Shadows truly encompasses this feeling especially with fairies delving the reader into the politics of the Unseelie and Seelie courts. Added bonus for series lovers, the Shadowhunter chronicles has eleven books out so far not counting short story collections and the numerous other books still being written! So buckle up fantasy lovers and prepare for the most fantastical ride of your life!
Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
My rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Cassandra Clare has outdone herself yet again! Full of daemons, magic, fairies, shadowhunters, and of course romance, readers are sent on an emotional roller coaster by Clare's fantastic writing. Taking place directly after the events of Lady Midnight, Julian and Emma must face their future as life at the LA institute changes dramatically. With a new addition to the household, a new relationship, and a group of centurions inviting themselves over, the Blackthorn family has a lot to deal with, and will take readers on an adventure that will keep them guessing until the last page. Clare's ability to juggle so many characters while still giving them each their own emotional journeys makes this book and all her writing a must read. Lovers of Clare's other books will be pleased to see the appearances of beloved characters from her other novels and will be intrigued by how they play into the foreshadowing for this book and the rest of the series. Lord of Shadows is perfect for all YA fans especially fantasy and romance fanatics! I highly recommend this book and all other books in the Shadowhunter Chronicles.
(Haven't read the other books in this series yet? No problem! Just check out my spoiler free reviews tab to find my review of Lady Midnight)
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