Captured by Erica Stevens

Captured by Erica Stevens

First in the Captive series

3.5 stars

Aria lives in a world where vampires rule. The humans are either low class workers who serve vampires, rebels living in the woods hoping to overthrow the reign of the vampires, or blood slaves. Blood slaves are rebels who are captured and sold to the highest bidder for consumption and torture. Aria has been captured and she knows that this will be the end of her life. Braith is the prince of the vampires and he saves Aria before she is given to a monster, but she knows that she has really been saved because the prince is known for being lethal. Vampire stories are not my favorite thing in the world anymore. I used to consume only vampire stories after discovering Twilight and before branching out into different genres. Something that does appeal to me now is slaves/ kidnapped dark romance stories. I love them because of the psychology behind it. Do these characters really love their captor or is it the famous Stockholm syndrome taking hold of their minds and they are trying to survive through psychological means? I think it’s so interesting. I’m usually drawn to darker stories that don’t have paranormal elements like Comfort Food and Nine Minutes and for the younger audience Stolen: A Letter to My Captor. I love dark contemporaries and those three novels have all earned five star ratings from me because they were so compelling. This novel is paranormal and that makes the whole Stockholm syndrome fly to the forest the Aria runs in. It can be there and it is prevalent, but this story isn’t meant to be psychological; it’s meant to be a dark vampire romance story that has a questionable love interest.


"She was most certainly more than an it, but not here, and not now."

I don’t feel guilty admitting to really like this book. I REALLY like this book, so much so that I’ve recommended it to numerous people in my daily life since finishing because it’s free and worth downloading. The writing in this obviously from an indie author. I personally don’t think that indie authors should be excluded from grammar mistakes (Commas are important, Mrs. Stevens! Learn how to use them and apply it!), but the writing flowed very well. It’s not the most wonderful writing in the world, but I was incredibly enamored with the story and couldn’t put it down. I wanted to keep reading and my nitpicky findings were quickly forgotten about because I needed to know how this book would end.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 3.5

The main female character is Aria. I really like Aria; she’s brave, but also realizes that she’s incredibly impulsive and it puts her in bad situations (like becoming a blood slave). Aria is illiterate and that's an incredibly interesting character trait that I enjoy seeing and it's probably the only fully fleshed out thing about Aria. She doesn’t have much character development beyond that. We are told things about her, but I don’t have a connection to Aria. She’s a character whose world I’m currently enjoying being a part of, but I have no deeper connection to her beyond that.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 3.5

The main male character is Braith. I don’t always particularly like Braith and his actions are very gray at best, but I can’t deny that I’m incredibly invested in his storyline with Aria. Like damn, I feel kind of like a fangirl about their relationship, but I don’t LOVE their relationship. Do I ship it? Of course, but I ship it because it’s the primary source of tension in this book. I don’t have a deep connection to Braith, but I do feel like I know him a little more than Aria. Maybe it’s because his secret actually shocked me and I wasn’t expecting him to be a blind vampire. I’m still trying to figure out how that works. Is it through him being blind before the turn or was he blinded so badly that his vampire healing powers couldn’t heal him? These are important questions.


Swoon Worthy Scale: 3.75

The Villain- I think I’m supposed to dislike everybody except Aria and Braith and that’s pretty much the case. This book isn’t meant to have a thought-provoking and intense villain; it’s meant to be devoted to the developing relationship of Aria and Braith and I’m sure the sequels will have more of a “villain” or group to take down.


Villain Scale: 2

Seriously, I didn’t like one single character outside of Aria and Braith. Maggie had potential, but she was just there and didn’t contribute anything. All the characters I’m supposed to like, I’ve begun to dislike since picking up the sequel and that’s pretty much skewed any previous notions of the characters in this book. One area that Stevens really lacks in is character development. It’s just not there. The characters just exist and move around to compliment the story. They are more like paper dolls than realistic heroines and heroes.


Character Scale: 3

Overall, this novel has a lot of flaws, but for being a free Kindle book this novel is superb. Seriously, freebies usually don’t hold up as well as Captured did and that’s why I think I enjoyed it so much. The thrill of finding a new freebie that was actually good (it’s been a long time since that’s happened) and the storyline had one of my immediate book pickups, so there were a lot of pluses for me personally. Do I recommend this? Sure! If you want a fun and free read that is just meant to be fun and nothing beyond that then I highly recommend picking this one up.


Plotastic Scale: 4.5

Cover Thoughts: The cover is cliché, but I kind of dig it. Maybe. It’s pretty meh.

Have you read any good Kindle freebies (or cheap ones)? Do you like to read books with dark and blurred content? Are you interested in this one? Let me know down below in the comments!

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

3.5 stars

“No one is a criminal.
No one is an addict.
No one is a failure.”

This story went it came out was marketed as the biggest twist in YA literature of 2014. I remember everyone was losing their shit over it. I was, too. I squealed my heart when I was approved on Netgalley to read this book. Me? A small blogger with not a very big fan base who never reviews the books she requests. Case in point I read We Were Liars from September 2014 to August 2015. That’s a long time to read a book (more on that soon). It’s also January 2017!!! I’m a horrible reviewer. I give really in depth reviews, but I hardly review books on time. That’s just the way I am. I can’t help it and I say I’m going to change it, but I read books so quickly and after giving myself so much time to process this novel, I can give a completely unbiased review. Are all book reviews bias if they are written right after being read? Mine are. They used to be heavily biased. They are not anymore. I know a lot of readers who read a book and love it so much, but days, weeks, or months later they look back and say, MEH, it wasn’t as good as I wrote. Not all books are like this; in fact, a lot of the books I give 5 stars to will always be 5 star books. I am glad I waited so long upon reading this book to write a review. I was thrown into the hype parade. Did I like We Were Liars? Sure. Did I think it was too predictable and contrived? YEP. Did I like the writing? Yes.


“Suffer. You could say it means endure, but that’s not exactly right.”

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t told you anything about what this book is about and I won’t. Not because I’m trying to preserve the illusion of this great mystery, but because I honestly think if you want to read this novel then you won’t want to read a review that goes into the plot. You’ll want the surprise like I did.


This book starts out in a very confusing fashion and then it slowly begins to show how unreliable the narrator and the flowery prose is. Seriously, the prose is so set on being mysterious and evasive that at times it makes no sense with the illusions, metaphors, and imagery thrown about for the sake of creating an unreliable character. I LOVE unreliable narrators; they are my bread and butter. Books with unreliable narrators are going to get brownie points. I like We Were Liars a lot more because of the unreliable narrator, but it’s one of the only BIG factors that favor this novel. The see-saw of badassery is collapsing on the negatives this novel has to offer.
The writing is beautiful and lyrical. Once you get past the flowery crap, it really shines through in certain scenes, but this isn’t the best writing I’ve read. Lockhart is a strong writer and that’s obvious from her prose construction. One of the strongest things about this novel is the incorporation of fairy tales that mirror King Lear. I hadn’t read King Lear until a year after reading We Were Liars and immediately after reading King Lear, I thought to myself, “We Were Liars has a lot of similar concepts and themes.” That’s because it’s a King Lear retelling. Bravo, Lockhart. It was executed brilliantly. I loved that portion of the novel the most. It was the best part to read and I think that everyone should read King Lear before this or after because you’ll have a deeper appreciation for We Were Liars.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 4.25

“Life feels beautiful that day.
The four of us Liars, we have always been.
We always will be.”

The main heroine, Cady, is a very unreliable narrator. It’s obvious from the very beginning of the story that she isn’t able to dissociate fictional metaphors that exaggerate events from real life events. She’s really interesting, but I didn’t particularly like her. I couldn’t form an attachment to her and I think that’s because she felt disconnected from the real world. It’s as if she’s floating on another planet away from reality and she’s looking down into reality. I really like that aspect, but it also makes it hard to connect and empathize with this heroine.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 3.25

“For a moment, the two of us were alone on the planet, with all the vastness of the sky and the future and the past spreading out around us.”

The relationship depicted in this novel is… ridiculous. Her love interest, Gat, is a complete douchecanoe. I have absolutely no clue why she is pawing after him. He doesn’t have any real interest in him and it seems like they are only having a relationship because it’s forbidden due to his foreign background and not being a real Sinclair. I just didn’t buy it. I wasn’t swooning. I was gagging.


Swoon Worthy Scale: 2

The Villain- Let’s talk about the twist. This book was so heavily endorsed as having a big shocker. PLEASE, I predicted the twist in the first ten chapters. I almost quit reading this book because it was boring, but I wanted and NEEDED to know the twist. It was the only reason I kept reading this book. The suspense was there, but it was written to be suspenseful. I was forcing myself to keep flipping pages only to feel uninspired and completely let down. How is a twist supposed to inspire me? For starters, twists make you think. They enhance your ability to analyze situations, characters, and it makes you appreciate a good twist. Gillian Flynn for instance, has the best freaking twists. Sharp Objects- I was disturbed and shocked. Dark Places- one of the best incorporations of information briefly touched upon to make the whole story come around full circle. Gone Girl- my favorite suspense novel of all time because of how unreliable the narrators are. These are great twists because they force you to look from different angles. (Can you tell I watch a lot of the Investigative Discovery Network and SVU?) Again, while the plot twist was predictable, Lockhart moved me to tears. It was beautifully done. Lockhart is a strong writer, but she is not a suspense writer and when you stop thinking about the twists and just about the story alone there is a lot to be gained from it.


Plot Twist Scale: 3

The Sinclairs are a very enigmatic family. I was easily drawn into their web of power. It’s an interesting power struggle between each generation for approval. I really enjoyed the relationship between the Liars. It was incredibly well written and definitely felt like a real familial dynamic.


Character Scale: 4

Should you read this novel? I say yes. I think there’s a lot to be gained from this novel. It has good themes and if you are interested in reading more unreliable narrators then I recommend this. If you are a fan of unreliable narrators, you may enjoy this novel. There were parts I really enjoyed and parts I really didn’t. I do recommend this novel for the way the ending was written. It was so beautiful. If you have read this story then click on the spoiler below, but if you haven’t then this quote may ruin things for you. I would normally leave a quote like this out of my review, but I absolutely adore the passage.

“The eldest boy was strong and fast, capable, and handsome. Though it’s true, he was exceptionally short.
The next boy was studious and open-hearted. Though, it’s true he was an outsider.
And the girl was witty, generous, and ethical. Though it’s true, she felt powerless.
The witch, she was none of these things, for her parents had angered the fairies. No gifts were ever bestowed upon her.”

Plotastic Scale: 4

Cover Thoughts: I don’t really like the cover. If this book wasn’t so hyped up I wouldn’t have picked it up based on the cover. It’s just not something I really care for.

Thank you, Netgalley and Delacorte Press, for allowing me to read this novel for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Have you read We Were Liars? Did you love it, hate it, or was it a meh read for you? Let me know down below in the comments! I'm really interested to see everyone's thoughts on this book!

Books I've Read in 2016 #3

 

Here's another video that I previously filmed that chronicles the books I've read in 2016. If you are interested in more of what I've read here are the previous videos/posts:

Books I've Read in 2016 #1

Great Tales of Horror by H.P. Lovecraft Part 1

Great Tales of Horror by H.P. Lovecraft Part 2

Books I've Read in 2016 #2

Books Mentioned in This Video:

 

Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood  ☆☆☆☆☆

1984 by George Orwell ☆☆☆☆☆

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood ☆☆☆☆☆

Beasts by Joyce Carol Oates ☆☆☆☆

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut ☆☆☆☆☆

These are the books that I read from March to April. I didn't read a whole lot, but what I did read all while up in my favorites list, except for one. Beasts wasn't a favorite, but I did enjoy it immensely and look forward to reading more by Joyce Carol Oates. I definitely recommend checking out all of these:

Happy Endings: Because it's a short story by Margaret Atwood. It's quick, easy to read, and probably will be one of the best things you've ever read. It's one of mine! You can find it online for free in PDF form. I definitely recommend checking it out! It's so worth it!

1984: This book is absolutely amazing. I love 1984 so much. I think about it all the time and try to talk about it with people as much as possible because it's a book that everyone should be aware of! 

The Handmaid's Tale: THIS BOOK! This book is so life changing. This book will help shape you as a feminist as well as a person. If you want to be a good person, read this book. 

Beasts: This book reminds me a really complex Law & Order: SVU episode with a lot of gray areas. I felt icky and uncomfortable after reading this, but also I was rooting for the heroine? Oates is a complex writer and her characters reflect her style. It's not for everyone, but if you love dark and psychologically driven books: pick this one up!

Slaughterhouse-Five: Satire at its finest. Vonnegut is the funniest writer I've ever encountered. I always laugh at what I read even though his subjects are so dark. This book is a war novel that focuses on PTSD in scifi twist. Don't let the sci-fi aspect throw you off though, this isn't a novel about aliens watching humans have sex in a zoo, although it kind of is and it kind of isn't. 

Please read all these books! They were all so amazing and I want everyone to experience how beautiful they are. 

Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts on them? If you haven't read any of them which one interests you the most? Did I convince you to pick one of these classics up? I hope so! Classics aren't scary if you don't look at them any differently from your average new release or YA book. Let me know down below in the comments!

The Continuation of the Great Book Cull

At the end of 2016, I embarked on a serious journey. A journey so frightening and perilous that some shirk away from the horror of what this mission entails... I have decided to cull my physical and ebooks. This is a continuation on this ongoing process.

Check out Part 1 of The Great Book Cull

The Books I Have No Interest In Anymore:
    
Insight by Jamie Magee WHY: I'm not interested in soul mates or book series that are way too long. I'll be taking this one off my Kindle. Plus the prologue is weird and I'm just not interested in the first chapter.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare WHY: When I read The Mortal Instruments it was originally a trilogy (I know surprising since Clare has been milking out Shadowhunter stories for decades) and I have had this book on my shelf for SEVEN years. I'm not going to read this book and I have no intention of reading. I was happy with where the trilogy left off and I'm going to keep that way. Sorry, Clare fans, I won't be missing out on anything. I do plan to read The Infernal Devices and hopefully, I enjoy it!

Significance by Shelly Crane WHY: This book has been on my Kindle for a very long time and I originally wanted to read it because it has "the couple" on the cover. You know, the Lux couple that is plastered on all the YA books. I was obsessed with Pepe Toth for a while (that's the guy lol) and I wanted to read everything with his face on it. But y'all this book is about soulmates and imprinting. I read reviews that said it's a "suffocating relationship" it also has no plot. I'm not interested. This one went off my Kindle without even me attempting to read the first chapter. 

Torment by Lauren Kate WHY:Because I like not having headaches. This has been on my shelf for seven years and I don't have any inclination to torture my brain cells. 

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick WHY: I brought this book places with me several times seven years ago with the intention of reading it, but synopsis totally turned me off. It sounded childish and full of drama with Marcie being thrown into the Patch and Nora dynamic and I was interested. I read reviews for this book and I was right nothing happened and it was all drama.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green WHY: I so desperately want to love John Green's books. The only book I've loved is TFiOS and I think it's because I read it at a time when I lost a loved one and it was a beautiful reading experience and it'll be one of my favorite novels in the contemporary genre. After the great success with TFiOS, I bought three more Green novels: Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and An Abundance of Katherines. Looking for Alaska was a decent novel. I didn't love it or hate it. It was middle of the road, straight down the lane into Mehville. Still I held out hope. I was excited for the prospect of a new Green film and I owned Paper Towns already. It was finally the time to dive in again. Sadly, I LOATHE Paper Towns. I can't stand the road trip, the humor, the characters, the manic pixie dream girl obsession, and there aren't any quotes that I genuinely LOVE like I did with the previous two Green novels. An Abundance of Katherines remains unread and will forever remain unread. I have a beautiful edition, but I'm not going to read this novel. After seeing and hearing how many people are disappointed by this novel, I don't think I'll be missing out.
Farewell, Green. I don't know if this is us breaking up, but it's definitely me calling an infinite hiatus. I'm sure you understand because as you said, "Some infinities are greater than others", and this hiatus may last my whole infinity. Or I may change my mind because I'm a sucker when it comes to books.

The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney WHY: I won a copy of this book and it was signed. It's sat on my shelf since it's release date way-back -when. Sadly the amount of negative reviews and the overall content of this novel has made me uninterested. I'll be giving this one away to someone who may enjoy it.

 Updraft by Fran Wilde WHY: To be honest, the cover is ugly as hell and it makes me not want to read it. The newer cover is beautiful, but I'm still not feeling it.

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink WHY: I read the first chapter when I first found a copy of this book and I was so excited to read it, but I found it easy to put it down and not carry on. I never found the motivation to pick it back up.

My Boyfriend Merlin by Priya Ardis WHY: When I first downloaded this I was intrigued, but the reviews and the concept just seem really silly to me now. Off the kindle it goes. 

Ethereal by Addison Moore WHY: I read 56 out of 278 pages (10%) and I'm not going to say that those pages weren't addictive. They were addictive because it was so outlandishly bad that I wanted to find out if it could get worst. It did. The writing is silly, over-dramatic, and randomly this girl hears peoples' thoughts and it's randomly thrown in randomly. We aren't given explanations to this special power and where it comes from. Once she meets these two uber hot brothers, she obsesses over one of them. Bye the end of page 55, our Casanova is has commanded her with his mind to kiss him and he almost commands her to have sex with him. EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE JUST MET AND HAVE HAD NO INTERACTIONS. I can't. I'm morbidly interested in continuing, but I won't because I have other books on my Kindle that are better.

 

I Tried and I Raged:
  
Seduce by Missy Johnson WHY:  I can't believe this exists. Actually, I can, because for some reason women love romance novels that feature a sexy rich man who has a hardened heart falling in love. FUCK THAT! It is not okay to degrade women to the extent that this "playboy" billionaire does. I have never raged so hard upon reading one chapter and flicking through the next three.

My problems:
This novel opens with my most hated trope. The "I-forgot-your-name-and-you're-mad-but-it's-okay-because-you-melt-under-my-touch trope". I get it, you sleep around and probably carry the clap.
"I'd made her feel like she as the only girl in the world for me, when really there were dozens just like her who were ready to jump in my bed."
I wish that this was another trope, but no. This is a real physical sentence from our "dashing" gentlemanly billionaire, Jack Falcon. It's okay that's he's an asshole with no decency towards females, because he loves his cat. Aw, how sweet! His kitty is the reason why he doesn't bring girls home.
Jack also assumes I want to get inside his head by addressing me with second person narrative. I like second person, but only if I'm gaining from it psychologically through storytelling. Not being force fed some narcissistic scene through the eyes of the world's largest dick as he goes around screwing, drinking, and bragging about how he helped raise the company of his father. WHO CARES? Not me. So, second person narrative is unnecessary.
"Dropping to your knees before you've even told me your name doesn't gain you my respect. All that does is make me want to treat you like the slut you obviously consider yourself to be."
What a wonderful, romantic lead? I wonder if he sends out thank you cards after his conquests. You know, it takes two to tango and I don't appreciate the female population being slut-shamed while you are deemed a god. I wouldn't touch you with a pole because you probably carry all the diseases available in Britain since you seem to have slept with every girl in the city.
He also degrades his secretaries after sleeping with them and them finally realizing they aren't going to be given the Fifty Shades of Grey lifestyle they file sexual harassment charges. I CAN'T.

GUESS WHAT? That all happens in the FIRST FIVE FUCKING PAGES. I'm getting rid of this garbage as soon as possible. 



Awakened by Brenda K. Davies WHY: 
 I read 43 out of 385 pages (11%).

This book is problematic. I thought this would be a Kindle freebie that I would finish, but the first three chapters made my head hurt from an array of different problems. I'll just list out some things that I highlighted from my notes and describe why I feel confident that this not novel is not for me (but you made love it, so don't let my opinions sway you!).

Problem #1:
"Not to mention there would be plenty of girls here tonight. Plenty of easy, drunken girls."

I get it, dude, you are a horny college male trying to live it up, but can you not think sleazy, degrading thoughts about women in your opening POV. I'm not rooting for you and I definitely don't think you are a gentleman upon reading this quote. Granted, he doesn't seem to be on the prowl to take advantage of these "easy, drunken girls", but I still don't like this douche.

Problem #2:
You know that really annoying popular trope where the main heroine is the most special snowflake in comparison to all the special snowflakes in paranormal literature. This is no different.
"I don't know; there's something about her, something that I can't put my finger on, or describe. Something different."
This is aforementioned douchebag's friend describing our heroine and why he hasn't attempted to have sex with her because she's different and gives a weird vibe.

I don't even care or feel the urge to know why she's so different because I just hate this trope so much.

Problem #3:
Special Snowflake Names. Some fantasy heroine's have weird names, but I believe that it adds elements to the world in showing the differentiating concepts of our world and another. Paranormal romance novels, whether they are YA or adult, usually either have a mundane human name or some over-the-top dictionary picked name. Another name can be added to the list of what-were-these-parents thinking? list is Serendipity. That's right, folks, our heroine is named Serendipity, but prefers to go by Sera. Sera not Sarah or Sara, but Sera. Please don't associate this absolutely ridiculous name with mine. The joke is made in a conversation when douchebag and Snowflake meet where the DB makes the comment of her name Sera being unusual and she has to prove to him how special she is by saying that's not my full name, here's my absolutely ridiculous name to prove how different I am from the rest of human society. I AM NOT LIKE OTHER FEMALES, but don't notice me because I'm not special.


Problem #4:
The basic concepts of grammar are thrown out the window. Here are some examples of why you should proofread before publishing, "To loud to talk" "You too Kathleen." I'm sure there are more, but these are so easy to fix and it's unacceptable that they weren't because as a writer you should know the difference between to and too as well as when it is necessary to use commas. Also, it's alright not all right! Seriously, it's not hard to distinguish the difference.

Problem #5:
The portrayal of jealous women is a problem. Our special snowflake has a bestie who is more outgoing and enjoys going to parties. She also has a friend who is the complete opposite and is portrayed as an ice queen. As the party progresses throughout the night, the ice queen friend does a complete 180 and decides to approach Snowflake as she's leaving with Douchebag,
"I've never known you to leave a party with someone, has Kathleen finally succeeded in making you a slut?"
I'm sorry, what?! This girl thinks it's okay to call her friend a slut because the guy she wanted to go home with preferred her friend. Not only that, but she goes to apologize and stupid drama ensues. I just don't get the point of having this "friend" be apart of the story if she's only there to be vilified and slut shame whoever she disagrees with. It does nothing for the story and I hate reading girl-on-girl hate that promotes slut shaming.

I'm parting ways with this novel. Hopefully someone else enjoys it a lot more than I did.


 
BONUS: Since posting my review of The Maze Runner by James Dashner, I have decided to part ways with my beautiful copy of Dylan O'Brien's face because the book is boring and taking up good shelf space.


Have you read any of these books? What did you think about them? Maybe I'll give them a shot again if you convince me it's worth it! What books on your shelf do you want to get rid of? Let me know down below in the comments!

Books I've Read in 2016 #2

 

Hi! I'm back at college so my uploading and posting reviews and videos may be sporadic, but I'm going to try to shoot for a video and a review each week. Hopefully I will be able to carry out this plan and keep this blog lively and full of content! 

This video follows books that I read in early 2016. This is the second part of my 2016 reading recap and if you are interested in what other books I've read in 2016 I have a part 1 as well as a two part video review of The Great Tales of Horror by H.P. Lovecraft. If you're interested, I'll link those three videos down below!

Books I've Read in 2016 #1

Great Tales of Horror by H.P. Lovecraft Part 1

Great Tales of Horror by H.P. Lovecraft Part 2

Books Mentioned in This Video:

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling and Illustrated by Jim Kay  ☆☆☆☆☆

 Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis ☆☆☆☆1/4 stars

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka ☆☆☆☆☆

 A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness Illustrated by Jim Kay ☆☆☆☆☆

A lot of great reads at from February to early March. I definitely recommend checking out all of these books! I recommend :

HP because it's beautiful all on its own, but the illustrations enhance the beauty in the world that JK has created. 

Mere Christianity because if you are a Christian or are interested in learning more about the basis of what Christians believe (I'm not saying that all Christians believe and live by everything in this novel, but it's an important foundation for Christians) and I recommend checking it out!

The Metamorphosis because it's super short and worth the read. I don't believe everyone will love it, but if you are interested in philosophy and topics that focus on working society, family dynamics, and weird fiction then I highly suggest checking this one out!

A Monster Calls because it's a harrowing story that deals with the grief and anger of dealing with a sick loved one and how it affects children, but also adults. 

Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts on them? If you haven't read any of them which one interests you the most? Let me know down below in the comments! 

Two New Reviews for Very Old Reads

I really want to catch up reviewing this year, so I've written two reviews for books that I read back in 2014. I'm hoping to be almost 50% caught up by the end of 2017 with reviewing.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

First book in the Maze Runner series

2 stars

Thomas wakes up and he doesn’t know what’s going on. He can’t remember anything at all- except his name. He meets a bunch of boys who can’t speak proper English and have come up with the most irritating slang vocabulary. “Nice to meet ya, shank.” Then a girl arrives and the weird thing is- Thomas can hear her. What the fuck is going on? Thomas is obsessed with becoming a Maze Runner and there is running in a maze. Stabby, stabby, stab, die, die, the end. There you go, that’s the whole plot of The Maze Runner. You can go ahead and skip this novel because it is one of those novels that is pretty much a waste of time to read. Apparently, the only reason I picked this book up (according to my notes from 2014) is because of the movie. I was in love with Dylan O’Brien for a long time (I still probably am, but I haven’t seen Teen Wolf in years) and I was all for going see his sexy face on the gigantic, big screen. He didn’t disappoint. In fact, The Maze Runner makes an excellent film, but a horrible book.

Since I have finished this novel, when people ask me what I think of The Maze Runner, my answer is always along the vain of, “It wasn’t all that great. It read like a screenplay and that’s probably why I enjoyed the movie.” Dashner’s writing style is incredibly detached and underdeveloped. It’s disconnected and I can’t tell you one thing that stuck out in this novel. The characters were flat, the landscape is forgettable, the relationships were boring, and the plot was slow paced and predictable.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 2

The main male character is Thomas. Thomas is a forgettable character. I read this book over 2 years ago, and none of his character traits stuck with me. He isn’t memorable and even during reading I couldn’t pinpoint one thing that made him a sympathetic hero. I didn’t care what happened to him or where the story went because I wasn’t invested.


Swoon Worthy Scale: 2

The main female character is Theresa. Literally the female equivalent of Thomas. Their names are similar, they share thoughts, they have similar features from what I remember, and she was just as forgettable. Mirror couple.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 2

The Villain- The only thing I care about in this whole novel is the character death. The only character worth liking was brutally murdered by our villains. Again, I can’t be bothered to care about these bad guys who are hell bent on saving humanity.


Villain Scale: 1

These boys should just stop talking because their dialogue made me internally cringe and scream. The only character I liked was killed.


Character Scale: 2

Is this a book you should read? Sure! You may really enjoy The Maze Runner. I think teenage boys will love the premise of this novel and it’ll be a hit for them. Girls will probably think this novel is cool and ship the romance even though they are the exact same characters with different genders. Me, I liked it enough to see the film. I enjoyed the film and recommend seeing that for sure. Overall, this book was a letdown and it’s not anything worth raving over because there is nothing to rave over. I will not be continuing with this series or the irrelevant prequel.


Plotastic Scale: 2

Cover Thoughts: I have the exclusive Barnes & Noble edition with Dylan O’Brien. It’s the only reason I haven’t given this book away yet.

 

  Scandal by Navessa Allen

4 stars

Katherine’s marriage is a lie. It’s one of convenience and not of love. She has a fire that burns to be explored and spending time with her husband, John, and his lover, Henry, have started to spurn her into flames. This story is definitely not the conventional historical romance. It features a ménage romance story in a very unconventional time to be frisky. This story is fun, enticing, and sweet. The writing kept me waiting anxiously for each chapter to be released so I could read more. It’s free on Wattpad and you’d be silly not to check this boundary pushing historical romance! I can’t recommend it enough.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 4

Katherine is a very likable heroine and she’s definitely not afraid to push boundaries. Screw society and embrace passion!


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 3.5

The main male characters are Henry and John. It’s an interesting love triangle because this relationship between these two men was already established. It’s fascinating to see the desire, acceptance, and love in between these three. Imagine if Twilight had been solved like this?


Swoon Worthy Scale: Henry- 4 John- 3.5

Character Scale: 4

I highly recommend checking this out because it’s a lot of fun. It’s a story that goes against the time and essence of my historical novels and breaks tropes while keeping the witty sweetness that most HRs have while being about ten times hotter.


Plotastic Scale: 4

Cover Thoughts: I adore this cover! It’s cute and not as cliché as some HRs.


Have you read any of these novels? What are your thoughts on them? Are you a fan of The Maze Runner? If so let me know! Thoughts on the movie? Let's discuss!:)

End of the Year Survey 2016

 

I'm a huge  fan of The Perpetual Page Turner's blog and every year she creates this amazing survey. I participated in it for the first time last year, so I'll link that very old post here as well. 

 

Number Of Books You Read: 85 (Definitely not my best reading year. On average I usually read a 100 books, but with starting college I find that the only stuff I want to read in fanfiction. I have started walking and reading to my classes and that has helped me finish two books in the semester, so hopefully I can continue doing that in the spring semester!)
Number of Re-Reads: 11 (I didn't even realize I reread so many books! I'm so happy that I did though because I enjoy rereading. I'm currently rereading Anne of Green Gables now and I hope to continue the trend!)
Genre You Read The Most From: Short Stories/ Essays, Classics, Fantasy

                     

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?

Overall Favorite:                        Favorite Classic:                  
 

I read so many amazing books, but I only wanted to highlight these two for this portion. Surprisingly, I have come to the conclusion that Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier is my FAVORITE BOOK OF 2016 because of how absolutely breathtaking, imaginative, and captivating this story is. If you haven't read it, go read it now! 1984 by George Orwell is my favorite classic, which is hard to decide because I read some amazing classics this year, but it's probably the one I talk about the most. I'm obsessed.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

  
                                                    
I read a lot of amazing books this year, but I also ran into some very unimpressive reads. My biggest letdown is In Search of Scandal by Suzanne Lord who has written my most hated historical romance novel EVER. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child or what I refer to as NOT A HARRY POTTER BOOK. I had high hopes for Tender Morsels. I listened to Margo Lanagan's The Brides of Rollrock Island and LOVED it. The beginning for Tender Morsels started out strong, but fell incredibly flat. God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian is my least favorite thing by Vonnegut. It's still funny, but in comparison to the other three amazing pieces of literature I read by him this year, this was lacking.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? 

Most Surprising Plot:         Most Surprising Find:       

   

Most Surprising Tragedy:      Most Surprising Author:    

      

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas has the most surprising plot and turn of events for me. I wasn't expecting this novel to go where it went or how it ended, but DAMN I NEED THE SEQUEL. My favorite hidden gem this year has been Nine Minutes by Beth Flynn. The cover is atrocious, but it follows a girl who is kidnapped by a biker gang and opens up with her kidnapper/lover's execution. IT IS SO GOOD and I found it for free on Amazon after seeing a review on Goodreads. I'm so happy I read it. The most tragic story I found this year beat out Shakespeare's King Lear. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann is one of the most depressing pieces of literature I've ever read. After finishing, I felt like there was absolutely no hope in the world and I had the worst pit in my stomach. My most surprising author find this year started with Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. This author blew me away with his satirical take on PTSD and war. I LOVED IT, so much that I went out and bought one of his books and then another and another. I would keep buying them, but they are pricey and I'm broke.
 

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

Everything I love I push on people. Have one conversation with and I will try to push a book on you. At New Year's I pushed, Slaughterhouse-Five, And Then There Were None, and my current Stephen King read all in one conversation.

 

 5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?

Best Series Started:             Best Graphic Novel Series Starter:
    

Best Sequel:                           Best Sequel that Isn't a Series Ender:

     

Bonus: Best Rereading Material For a Series:

  

My favorite series that I've started this year is Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. Amazing fantasy story and I have the sequel, so I'm excited to continue! My favorite graphic novel series that I've started is I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young. I was recommended this by Elena Reads Books on YouTube and it was so amazing! So gory and fun! The best sequel I read this year was A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas and considering it was one of the few sequels I actually picked up that speaks volumes because I'm a series abandon-er, but I LOVE this story so much and I will definitely continue to buy each book when it's released. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon isn't a series ender, but it's the last book that I've read in the Outlander series and I haven't picked up the fifth book yet because my year has been crazy, but I'm planning to immerse myself with my OTP again this year. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling and illustrated by Jim Kay is the best thing since the idea of HP enter J.K.'s head. This is so much fun to reread and it enhances the story. 

 

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

     

 I've found some AMAZING authors in 2016. My saga with Kurt Vonnegut totals up to four books read in one year, which is something I never do. Mother Night is my second favorite by him and proved to me that Vonnegut isn't a one hit wonder. George Orwell blew me away with his easy storytelling that left me feeling like I had read the guide to the government. I'm also currently reading Animal Farm and I'm still impressed by his amazing writing and horrific storytelling. Margaret Atwood blew me away with The Handmaid's Tale and her short story, "Happy Endings". I've written not one, but two essays since reading THT and it has been one of my most life changing novels. I have several of her books and short story collections and I can't wait to dive in. C.S. Lewis has proven to me that it is fun to read about religion and his writing is so beautiful. I took so much away from this novel and I hope to read more by him in 2017. I haven't read anything by Kiersten White, but And I Darken hit me like a wrecking ball. I was so surprised by how much I loved this novel and I can't wait to read more by her. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie made my psychological loving brain so HAPPY. This novel and that ending are so absolutely perfect and I've gone out and bought another one of her novels and can't wait to continue reading her works. Joyce Carol Oates was recommended to me by my English teacher in high school and Beasts fucked me up. It was so psychologically twisted that I went out and bought another one of her novels. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Jim Kay made me excited to read The Chaos Walking trilogy and made me fall even more in love with Jim Kay's illustrations. This story was so beautiful and it gave me a little bit of closure in dealing with a loved one's death.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

 

I'm not big on reading novels that are heavily drama focused, but Valley of the Dolls was surprisingly right up my alley because I love old Hollywood and it was fun to see the decline in women through fame and dolls (barbiturates- sleeping pills). Plus this is my mom's favorite novel and I didn't know if I would agree. I guess I'm actually into sleazy stories that read like a soap opera and show the worst in humanity. Too Late by Colleen Hoover is NA and I have a very rocky relationship with that genre. This novel was just so much fun to read on Wattpad during the semester because it wasn't really a novel about thinking and I loved the psychological torture in this novel. I also have a hit-miss love for Hoover because she uses sexual abuse as a plot device and while that is used in here it's important for the character development and understanding of the level of psychological abuse used to entrap the main character. I guess it is up my alley, but NA usually makes me cringey. 

 

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

 

Nine Minutes and And Then There Were None were bomb ass books filled with suspense. The Girl on the Train let me down, but it's a suspense novel so I definitely flew threw because I NEEDED to know what happened. Transcendence by Shay Savage was such an AMAZING book about a girl who is transported back in time and falls in love with a caveman. It was so beautiful and I was entranced by the story. I brought my Kindle to my high school, which is something I rarely do because I couldn't stop reading this amazing book.

 9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

 
 I reread The Great Gatsby again in 2016 and I want to keep rereading forever because this book is so amazing and every time I read it, I fall in love more. The Handmaid's Tale changed my life and I reread a little bit of it at the end of 2016 for a paper and I loved it even more because going back to the beginning really drives home the horrors of the Gilead. Slaughterhouse-Five is funny and I want to read funny books, so if I don't have a new Vonnegut on hand I will probably pick this one back up. 1984 is an eye-opening novel that explores the true definition of a government in power and I loved Orwell's presentation of this story. Mere Christianity was a novel I asked God to send me because I wanted to know more about Christianity and since reading I have been baptized in the Christian faith through an amazing program at my university. XA The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is one of those short stories that people drag through the mud, but I think it is absolutely brilliant. It's a great look into existentialism and being a clog in the machine. Once you have nothing to contribute, you are essentially deemed a cockroach. LOVE IT.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?

                                                   
The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo has my favorite cover of the year and it's too bad this isn't on a physical book because I want this on my shelves so badly. Mere Christianity is so stunning. It has french flaps, deckled edges, and the illustrations are beautiful. I love these editions of Lewis' work and only plan on purchasing these because I'm a snob and I want my books to match. The whole layout of the illustrated Sorcerer's Stone is amazing and this picture is so gorgeous! My edition of Daughter of the Forest is this beautiful light purple and I love it. The illustrations are simple and beautiful. And I Darken is fierce and beautiful, just how I like my covers. My edition of the Valley of the Dolls is the 50th anniversary edition and it has pink edges and pills everywhere. I love it. The Beauty Volume 1 has a haunting cover that I love. This story is about an STD that slowly kills you and I loved the concept.  (These are all in order of my love for their designs!)

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

 Drums of Autumn has memorable characters everywhere- Jamie, Claire, Brianna, Ian, Fergus are my absolute favorite. Feyre and Rhysand (ACoMaF) are killing it in character development. Sorcha, Red, and her six brothers (DotF) have left me with the deepest hole in my heart through all the sorrow, heartbreaking, and smiles. Kilgore Trout (Breakfast of Champions) is the funniest character ever created. He is essentially Kurt Vonnegut and his books are the funniest thing in the world. Lada (And I Darken) is a seriously scary heroine/villain and I'm not forgetting her anytime soon. Grizz (Nine Minutes) is one sexy ass man and yeah, he can be a little sadistic, but also I love him.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

   
Diana Gabaldon is an amazing writer. Her books are long, but I can fly through them. The world building is superb and the characters are so beautifully written. This is one of my favorite series and it continues to shine in my eyes. Juliet Marillier is a delight. She writes such vivid, breathtaking, and imaginative narratives that left me aching in mind, body, and soul. She is amazing. Margaret Atwood is a truly gifted writer. She is a writer that leaves you uncomfortable and all the while immersed in a beautiful string of words that leave you breathless. Angela Slatter is a new-to-me author and she writes short stories (which I've discovered this year I LOVE) and her short story collection has some of the most striking stories all because how strong the writing is. Margo Lanagan may have not won me over with Tender Morsels, but her writing in The Brides of Rollrock Island is a force to reckon with.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?

 
 The Handmaid's Tale is a book that left my soul heavy and it is a novel I constantly think about. 1984 is also a novel that I constantly think about and I enjoy discussing it with people. It's a novel that is still relevant today and will always be relevant. Mere Christianity deepened my love for God and myself. Slaughterhouse-Five made me really think about war and really see the horrors that the government likes to hide from us. Existentialism is a book I had to read for my philosophy class and it inspired me to minor in philosophy.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read? 

   
 

 I've had Daughter of the Forest on my TBR since 2012 and I've been searching for it silently in bookstores and I finally found it in my used bookstore and I was so happy to have gotten my hands on it! I've had The Handmaid's Tale on my TBR since 2014 when I became aware of classics. 1984 sat on my physical shelf in my bedroom for two years before I finally got around to picking it up. Transcendence was on my TBR before it was even released in 2014 and I have been coveting since, but it was a little pricey for an ebook. Eventually I scrounged up the money and bought. Naturally it was free by the time I finished the book. A Monster Calls has been on my shelf since 2013 after reading a review and buying a copy that didn't have illustrations. I finally bought one with illustrations on Amazon because I couldn't find any in my bookstores.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016? 

 

I annotate all my books, so I'm sure there are thousands, but I'll leave you all with this.

 "So it goes."-Kurt Vonnegut Slaughterhouse-Five 

 Bonus: I found my favorite quote I discovered this year and it's in Mere Christianity.

"Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing. There are many things below it, but there are also things above it. You cannot make it the basis of a whole life. It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling."

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?

 Shortest:                                                                     Longest:
 

 16 pages Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers    1070 pages Drums of Autumn by Diana
by Alyssa Wong                                                         Gabalon

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

 

I love Stephen King and this is the only thing I read from him in 2016 and it was a reread. Even though I had read Night Shift when I was 13 the stories still shocked me and left me feeling horrified and scared. All in good King fashion. 1984 because Room 101 doesn't mess around and that scene made me want to puke. Nine Minutes because these plot twists were killing my soul and even though I knew Grizz died because it's revealed on page one, I still wasn't okay with this shit. And Then There Were None because the killer is a genius of epic and horrifying proportions.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

 
Jamie and Claire Fraser have been my OTP in the fictional world. They are my favorite of all favorites in the book world. Sorcha and Red have become one of my top OTPs because OMG OMG OMG they are so fucking adorable and I just can't. Y'all I have to bite my tongue from last year. I loved Tamlin, but this year I did a complete 180 and wanted to hump Rhysand along with Feyre. I feel no shame. Beh and Ehd are just so damn amazing. They are a great couple because they have no way of communication through words and that is pretty damn astounding. Grizz and Kitty (I won't call her by her real name 'cause her real name is stupid). Okay, yes, it's Stockholm Syndrome, but the other option can kiss my ass because I HATE HIM. Grizz for life. 

I like to think I'm a mature adult, but one question shows I'm not.

Bonus: Fanfictin OTPS
   
Bethyl- My #1 OTP. When the prospect of Bethyl was first introduced on TWD, I was like NO, but then by the time the prison fell apart and I saw their interaction, there is no doubt in my mind that they are in love. Also I hate the writers of the TWD because they proved to me they can't actually carry out a story arc, but it's okay because I've been reading fanfic for three years and I will continue to read them forever. There is some amazing Bethyl fanfic out there. Go check it out!

Dramione- I have always thought they should've ended up together, but Rowling hates Slytherins (excluding Snape) to much to redeem them and I'm going to always ship them because I hate Ron Weasley. Does anyone have any good fic recommendations? It's hard to find good fanfic for this OTP because I'm picking about them.

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

   

The Night Court characters and Rhysand and eventually Feyre because YAS squad. Jamie, Claire, and Brianna. I thought it was so interesting to finally have Brianna and Jamie interacting. YAY! Sorcha and her six brothers because their love for one another was so beautiful and strong.  Winston and O'Brien...If you have read 1984, you are probably thinking why? Hear me out, I love their relationship because it shows how Big Brother makes you think you have comrades and then BAM! Psychological warfare. I'm trying not to spoil anything. The characters of Gatsby are all so intricately woven together and I love it. The Bear with Lyga and her daughters because while I didn't love this story; the bear scenes are what stole the show for me and I'm not gonna lie, I wish that there had been bear sex because it would've been much more interesting. Student is obsessed with teacher. Finally gets with teacher and his wife? Then all kind of really fucked up stuff happens and it's a great psychological story.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

 
I've mentioned the previous two multiple times, so I'll skip over explanations. Shakespeare is back at again with King Lear and I have to say that I really enjoy this play. I'm a sucker for tragedy. So, The Grownup isn't a novel, but it's Gillian Flynn and that's all I want and need. She needs to release something soon because I have nothing else to read by her.

21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

 
*=I approve
*Daughter of the Forest- Keertana's review
*Breakfast of Champions- My English teacher and my Western Civ teacher
*Nine Minutes- Shelby *trains flying monkeys*'s review
*Beasts- My English teacher
*The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway- My English teacher GO READ Hills Like White Elephants RIGHT NOW!
*And I Darken- Emily May's Review
*Valley of the Dolls- It's my mom's favorite book.
*A Monster Calls- Cait's review
*I Hate Fairyland- Elana Book Reviews (Tagged above in previous question)
The Girl on the Train- everyone and their mama
Out of all the recommendations I read from this year only one was a bust and I'd still recommend it if you want a quick, thrilling read with no substance.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?

 
Red= I love him so much and out of all the men I've fallen for this year, he was the sweetest.
Rhysand=Well, shit. I went from hating him to loving him completely.
Ehd= I love him even though he can't talk. He's so loving and protective.
Grizz= Probably not the best guy in the world, but I love huge guys on motorcycles. They are my weakness.
Hamish aka The Duke of Murder= He isn't Jamie Fraser, but that's why I like him. He has such great humor and he's so dashing.

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

The Smaller Evil was a brilliant surprise. I gave it 4.5 stars! Absolutely adored the psychology behind the novel.
The Trouble with Dukes was so much fun. I gave it 4.25 stars! It's a fun historical romance with a dashing Scottish hero.
A Feast of Sorrows is a great short story collection that revolves around fairy tales. I haven't reviewed this one yet.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

 
The Night Court was absolutely mystifying.
The forests that were described in Daughter of the Forests were so enchanting.
The Gilead is a place I don't want to visit.
Oceania is even worst than the Gilead and I definitely never want to enter Room 101 in the Ministry of Love.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

   

 
I don't like happy books, but these books definitely brought smiles to my face with the humor. I do love satire and black humor, so Vonnegut is right up my alley. Jamie and Claire give me warm fuzzies. Rhysand makes me laugh. I love HRs because they can make me laugh with their wit and humor.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?

 
I cry over everything though so don't take my word for it.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

 

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

   

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

   

 

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

   

The only one I'm going to explain is The Girl on the Train and that is because it made me rage at the reveal. I don't like the tactless presentation, story arc, cheap plot twist, and how dare this be compared to Gillian Flynn.

                

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?

I think I discovered Paper Fury in 2016. I love her snark and she's totally awesome!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?

 My A Court of Thorns and Roses review is one of my favorites. I didn't do much reviewing this year and I'm very sad about it.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

 I really enjoyed the discussion video I filmed focusing on dystopian literature and whether or not YA dystopian is an accurate portrayal of dystopian literature.

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

 I didn't participate in anything this year.:(

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?

I honestly don't know. This year was uneventful for me because of my transition from high school into working all summer and then college. I didn't do as much as I hoped. 

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

I don't review as much as I want to. I don't do all that I want to because I don't have the time or energy to do it and that makes me sad.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

 My review of a Tor Short called Red as Blood and White as Bone. It's an amazing short story and I recommend it! It got 40 views, which probably doesn't seem like a lot, but I've lost a lot of followers since changing my blog name so I don't have a lot of traffic on the  blog!

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

All of them? My YouTube videos are seem to be almost completely ignored and I wish more people commented on my reviews because I would love to start discussions. I don't comment enough on peoples' blogs though, so I totally understand why there aren't a whole lot of comments. Hopefully this year I can have more discussions!

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I have become more comfortable on BookTube, which is really awesome! I'm still obsessed with Goodreads so somethings never change. 

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I completed my Goodreads goal of reading 50 books and surpassed it by reading 85! I still haven't read Mistborn even though it's been my "top priority" for three years in a row. I did read five novels that have been on my TBR since I joined GR in 2011. Didn't even realize I completed that goal and totally forgot about it. Didn't finish 5 series AT ALL or read an Austen novel. Catch up on reviews? HAHAHA  I'm 131 review behind. 

            

 

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?

 Mistborn? The Gunslinger? Maybe an Austen? I don't know. I've decided not to set goals, just go with the flow of books.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?

 
I still haven't read Ahdieh's duology, but I'm really interested in this one! I mean it's a MULAN RETELLING! If you know me, you know I LOVED the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy and I'm so ready for a new Laini Taylor novel!

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

 

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?

 A Court of Wings and Ruin for sure. It's really my only priority reading that I know I want to get to in 2017.

I'm also anticipating this sequel!

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?

 Write reviews and keep writing reviews. That's the only thing I really want is to further grow in my writing abilities and expanding my reviews to be the best they can be.

6. A 2017 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

The only 2017 release I've read is A List of Cages and if you've seen my review then you know I didn't like it, but I also seem to be the black sheep in a mass of undying fans who love this Perks of Being a Wallflower ripoff.  

If you participated in the End of the Year Survey leave me a link of it down below! Did you love any of these books? Have I convinced you to read any? Let me know down below in the comments!