30 Day Book Challenge

Hello Everyone!

So this might seem a little crazy, especially since I’ve only been posting once a week for the last couple of months, but while looking for a book tag themed around summer I came across this challenge in several places and I decided that it would be fun to do it.

Taken from: https://beckysblogs.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/the-30-day-book-challenge/

DAY 1. – A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just end already.
DAY 2. – Favorite side character.
DAY 3. – The longest book you’ve read.
DAY 4. – Book turned into a movie and completely desecrated.
DAY 5. –  Your “comfort” book.
DAY 6. – Book you’ve read the most number of times.
DAY 7. – A guilty pleasure book.
DAY 8. – Most underrated book.
DAY 9. – Most overrated book.
DAY 10. – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving.
DAY 11. – Favorite classic book.
DAY 12. – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t.
DAY 13. – A book that disappointed you.
DAY 14. –  Book that made you cry.
DAY 15. – A character who you can relate to the most.
DAY 16. – Most thought-provoking book.
DAY 17. – Author I wish people would read more.
DAY 18. – A book you wish you could live in.
DAY 19. – A favourite author.
DAY 20. – Favorite childhood book.
DAY 21. – Book you tell people you’ve read, but haven’t (or haven’t actually finished).
DAY 22. – Least favourite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise.
DAY 23. – Best book you’ve read in the last 12 months.
DAY 24. – Book you’re most embarrassed to say you like/liked.
DAY 25. – The most surprising plot twist or ending.
DAY 26. – Book that makes you laugh out loud.
DAY 27. – Book that has been on your “to read” list the longest.
DAY 28. – Favorite quote from a book.
DAY 29. – A book you hated.
DAY 30. – Book you couldn’t put down

June TBR

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to another installment of my monthly TBR. This month I decided to do something a little bit different in picking out the books I want to  by letting GoodReads pick my TBR. I got this idea from BookTuber Riley Marie who did this for her May TBR – click here to watch her video – I thought this was  a cool idea  and decided that I wanted to try it for my June TBR.  I chose the books for my TBR  by going to my “Want-to-read” shelf and changed the settings to random:

 

Once I did this I hit the refresh button after I saw the first item each time. And here is the list that I got:

Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson 

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller 

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard 

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Library Haul #14

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to another library haul. I went crazy this month (because I never ever do that *snort*) and got a lot of books. Most of them are middle-grade books because my main focus for May was to read more middle-grade novels so that I can have some more recommendations to give when a kid or parent asks me if there are any books I can recommend. Here are the books that I checked out this month:

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: 2 Fuzzy, 2 Furious by Shannon and Dean Hale 

The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black 

The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer

Catching a Storyfish by Janice N. Harrington 

Rapunzel and the Lost Lagoon by Leila Howland 

To Stay Alive by Skila Brown 

The Wizards of Once by Cassandra Cowell 

Junoina by Kevin Henkes 

The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket 

The End by Lemony Snicket 

Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull 

The Royal Rabbits of London by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore

Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu 

Story Thieves by James Riley 

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner 

The Wonderling by Mira Bartok 

Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar 

The Continent by Kiera Drake 

Wicked Lovely by Marissa Marr 

Forest World by Margarita Engle 

May B by Caroline Starr Rose

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien 

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Koning 

The Witches by Roald Dahl 

The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne

Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark by Ridley Pearson

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Mini-Reviews #1

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my first installment of mini-reviews. I decided to start this series because there are some books I have read that I have some thoughts on but not necessarily enough to write a full length review on them, so I decided why not write one paragraph for them and then each post in this series will contain at least five books with my brief thoughts on them. Without further ado, here are the first five mini-reviews.

1. The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennett by Bernie Su and Kate Rorick 

I liked this supplement to The Lizzie Bennett Diaries web series. But it was also pretty repetitive of the web series and didn’t really add anything that isn’t already mentioned in the series. The only “new” thing it added was how and why Lizzie started her vlogs. I gave it 3/5 Stars.

2. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

This was a quick read. I liked the interactive stuff like text messages and Tumblr posts that were included. However, it was just okay and I don’t get what all the hype is about in regards to this book. 3/5 Stars.

3. To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han 

It was a cute concept and it ended up being kind of different plot wise than what I had expected. It was kind of predictable and even though I think I know how the rest of the series will progress, I am still interested  in reading it. Also, a lot people have said that they’ve found Lara Jean to be kind of juvenile, but I disagree with them…I think she is a typical 16 year old. 3.5/5 Stars.

4. The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord 

It took me forever to get through The Names They Gave Us because I was in a major reading slump. It was also a hard book to read because I myself am a Pastor’s Kid and I am very close to my mom and I can’t imagine going through what Lucy goes through with her mom being re-diagnosed with cancer. I felt like a lot of Lucy’s reactions and struggles were pretty accurate, however there were some of the things that she seemed okay with that seemed unnatural because I know I personally would have been in more shock if I were to be confronted with certain issues. 3/5 Stars.

5. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

This was a very candid audio book to listen to. However there were a few things that I didn’t like that she did and she tended to be vulgar at times. But it was still an entertaining, and somewhat enlightening read. I liked how she didn’t shy away from what really happens behind the glitz of glamor of Hollywood, especially classic Hollywood. I also enjoyed listening to The Princess Diarist a few weeks after listening to Wishful Drinking. 3.75/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

 

April Wrap-Up

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my April Wrap-up! Here are all the books I managed to read last month:

1. Among the Janeites by Deborah Yaffe 

5/5 Stars.

2. The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse 

3.5/5 Stars.

3. The Ultimate Priority by John MacArthur 

4/5 Stars

4. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

3/5 Stars.

5. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

5/5 Stars.

6. A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle 

3/5 Stars.

7. The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan 

4/5 Stars.

8. Big, Mushy Lump by Sarah Anderson 

5/5 Stars.

9. Herding Cats by Sarah Anderson 

5/5 Stars.

10. If They Come For Us by Fatimah Asghar

3/5 Stars

11. Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Anderson

5/5 Stars.

12. Camp Austen by Ted Scheinman

4/5 Stars

13. Rene

gades by Marissa Meyer 

3.5/5 Stars

14. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas 

4/5 Stars.

15. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

3/5 Stars.

16. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

4/5 Stars.

17. The Field Guide by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

3/5 Stars

Did Not Finish:

A Swiftly, Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle 

I honestly thought I would love this book, but it was just too weird and it was hard to follow what was actually happening at times. There were certain elements of the stories that needed to be explained a bit more. I don’t know if I will finish any of the other books in the series, but I might pick up An Acceptable Time when I have had some time to forget about this book.

Who Killed Piet Barol? by Richard Mason

The only reason I didn’t finish it was that it was due back at the library and I had no renewals left. I might pick this book up again in the future, especially since it is set in early 1900’s South Africa.

I still can’t believe I managed to read 17 books in April because it was a busy month overall. I hope May will also be a good reading month as well.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.