Bookish Regrets of 2018

Bookish Regrets of 2018

2018 has come to an end, and as I look back and reflect on the year I have many regrets and things I wish I had done differently. This was not a good year for either my reading or my blog, as I let personal dilemmas get in the way of things I truly wanted to accomplish. 

I am determined to make 2019 better, but want to first address where I lacked and didn’t succeed last year. 

The biggest goal I had set for myself was the Goodreads Reading Challenge, where I attempted to read 100 books in 2018. This is something I have accomplished before, but after many reading slumps I only managed to read 66 books this year. 

My second goal for 2018 was to have less than 150 books unread books in my collection that I own. I managed to achieve that goal, as my current owned TBR is 114 books. I didn’t complete the 2018 PopSugar Challenge, or finish ten series (I actually only finished one), but I did fairly well on my Read or Unhaul challenge. At the beginning of the year I chose ten books that I would get rid of if I didn’t read them and although I didn’t read a single one on that list, I got rid of most of them easily. During the summer I decided to start living a minimalist lifestyle, and I lot of those books found their way into the donation pile since I forgot they were on this list. 

There are some books I really wish I had got around to reading this year; including Vicious by VE Schwab, What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. There were also a lot of ARCs that I received this year that I wish I had been able to read and review prior to their publication, but am determined to catch up on all of my outstanding reviews in the new year.

Overall I am disappointed in my reading and blogging this last year, and hope to make the next year much better. Even of the 66 books I read didn’t love all (or even most) of them, so I may have to be more selective of what I choose to read in 2019.

Here’s hoping next year sees no bookish regrets!

People Kill People | Book Review

People Kill People

Written by: Ellen Hopkins

Number of Pages: 431

Average Rating: 3.88 / 5 stars

My Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Published in September 2018

Read in December 2018

Summary According to Goodreads

Someone will shoot. And someone will die.

A gun is sold in the classifieds after killing a spouse, bought be a teenager for needed protection. But who was it? Each has the incentive to pick up a gun, to fire it. Was it Rand or Cami, married teenagers with a young son? Was it Silas or Ashlyn, members of a white supremacist youth organization? Daniel, who fears retaliation because of his race, who possessively clings to Grace, the love of his life? Or Noelle, who lost everything after a devastating accident, and has sunk quietly into depression?

One tense week brings all six people into close contact in a town wrought with political and personal tensions. Someone will fire. And someone will die. But who?

My Thoughts

I received an ARC of this novel while attending BEA this year, but that does not influence my opinion. 

As many of you already know, I am Canadian and so was likely not the target audience for this novel. Canada has fairly strict gun laws, and we are not openly armed as many states seem to be. There is much discussion and political uproar regarding gun safety, and I think this novel is an important contributor to the issue as it tries to show both sides of the argument, while still getting all the important statistics out. 

My biggest critique would have to be the lack of pacing. Considering this entire novel takes place within seven days, it felt much longer and dragged out at times. There were some moments I think could have been edited down, because near the end it started to all blend together and seem unnecessary. I would have preferred less detail in the middle of the novel, and instead had more in the end/epilogue where we see the characters in adulthood after the trauma. An incident such as the one these characters experience would have huge psychological effects, and I would have liked to see how it affected their personality. 

If I were to break down my rating for this novel I would say that the overall plot and execution were a 3, the characters were a 3, the ending was a 4, and the free verse narration between perspectives was a 5. There were some poems from this narrator that gave me chills, and it was so impactful for a story that had such a heavy plot line. It is never clear who the narration is, but I interpreted it as greed and chaos.

Overall, this wasn’t my favourite novel of hers, but it was still an engaging and powerful read - although it was a slower read than usual. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives, the connection between all of the characters, and the surprise ending. I would recommend this novel if you are a fan of contemporary novels that tackle real issues, enjoy Ellen Hopkins’ other works, or are looking to get into free verse novels. 

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale | Book Review

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale

Written by: Jane Yolen

Number of Pages: 320

Average Rating: 3.55 / 5

My Overall Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Summary According to Goodreads

Fantasy legend Jane Yolen presents a wide-ranging offering of fractured fairy tales. Yolen fractures the classics to reveal their crystalline secrets, holding them to the light and presenting them entirely transformed; where a spinner of straw into gold becomes a money-changer and the big bad wolf retires to a nursing home. 

Rediscover the tales you once knew, rewritten and refined for the world we now live in - or a much better version of it. 

“Then you have to figure out what kind of fracture you’re attempting. A small sprain or the calving of glaciers? Do you want to subvert the story’s paradigm entirely, or just make a joke?” - from the authors introduction

My Thoughts

I received an e-arc copy of this novel to review from NetGalley, but that does not influence my opinion.

I should start off by saying that I was very excited to get approved for this novel, as I am both a fan of Yolen, fairy tales, and anthologies. Some of these stories were very well done, while others did not seem to make any sense and went right over my head. It took me long over a month to get through this collection, and put me in a massive reading slump because I had no motivation to read anything. I was not captivated or blown away, and think future readers should read each story a while apart, otherwise they may blend together. 

Unfortunately this anthology was more of a collection of good ideas rather than good stories, and I was disappointed with it overall.

Rating of Each Story

Snow in Summer: 4 stars

     A Snow White retelling where she gets her own revenge and doesn’t need someone to save her? Yes please!

The Bridge’s Complaint: 2 stars

The Moon Ribbon: 3 stars

     I liked the idea of this story, but I think it was dragged out too long and the message become lost on me in the end.

Godmother Death: 5 stars

     I loved the tone and the atmosphere of this story, coupled with an interesting plot made it perfect.

Happy Dens: 4 stars

Granny Rumple: 2 stars

One Ox, Two Ox, Three Ox, and the Dragon King: 4 stars

Brother Hart: 5 stars

Sun / Flight: 2 stars

Slipping Sideways Through Eternity: 4 stars

     I really liked this story and the message, but would have liked to see it developed more. I’m not completely familiar with Judaism, but was taught enough to understand the lessons being learned. I just think this story would have been better if Rebecca had a stronger personality.

The Foxwife: 2 stars

The Faery Flag: 3 stars

One Old Man, with Seals: 4 stars

Sleeping Ugly: 1 star

     Thankfully this story was quite short because it was rather pointless.

The Undine: 2 stars

     I always appreciate a mermaid story, especially one reminiscent of The Little Mermaid, but this one wasn’t great.

Great-Grandfather’s Dragon Tale: 3 stars

Green Plague: 4 stars

The Unicorn and the Pool: 3 stars

     I sat with this story a while and reread it a few times, and although I really liked the fable I would have liked to see it be longer.

The Golden Balls: 3 stars

     This was an interesting take on a story I have heard before, and I appreciated the turn of victimizing the princess more than the frog was.

Sister Death: 5 stars

Sule Skerry: 2 stars

Once A Good Man: 5 stars

Allerleirauh: 4 stars

     I’ve heard this story before but this time around it seemed to have a much darker tone - more fitting for the plot.

The Gwynhfar: 2 stars

Cinder Elephant: 5 stars

     A funny Cinderella retelling where the chubby girl gets the cute prince!

Mama Gone: 4 stars

The Woman Who Loved a Bear: 3 stars

Wrestling With Angels: 5 stars

     I am so glad that so finished this collection with this story as I would have to say it was my favourite. 

Thousand Words | Book Review

Thousand Words

Written by: Jennifer Brown

Number of Pages: 274

Average Rating: 3.78 / 5 stars

My Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Published: May 21, 2013

Read in November 2018

Summary According to Goodreads

Ashleigh’s boyfriend, Kaleb, is about to leave for college, and Ashleigh is worried that he’ll forget about her while she’s away. So at a legendary end-of-summer pool party, Ashleigh’s friends suggest she text him a picture of herself - sans swimsuit - to take with him. Before she can talk herself out of it, Ashleigh strides off to the bathroom, snaps a photo in the full-length mirror, and hits “send”.

But when Kaleb and Ashleigh go through a bad breakup, Kaleb takes revenge by forwarding the text to his baseball team. Soon the photo has gone viral, attracting the attention of the school board, the local police, and the media. As her friends and family try to distance themselves from the scandal, Ashleigh feels completely alone - until she meets Mack while serving her court-ordered community service. Not only does Mack offer a fresh chance at friendship, but he’s the one person in town who received the text of Ashleigh’s photo - and didn’t look. 

My Thoughts

This novel opens on Ashleigh in community service, and we continue to delve right into the aftermath of her trauma. I was a little disappointed in the lack of resolution, as I don’t think Ashleigh completely understands her share in what happened. Although she was indeed a victim and was bullied harshly because of it, she was ignorant of how her decision affected so many other people around her - including her family. She refused to admit that she was as much to blame as Kaleb was, and the entire novel was filled with immaturity and lack of empathy. 

In a contemporary novel it is so important to have strong and independent characters, but I felt that they were not completely developed in this story. As I mentioned Ashleigh was very immature, but unfortunately she was not the only one amongst her crowd. It was almost painful to read the interactions between Ashleigh and her ex-boyfriend Kaleb as it was the cliché breakup experience we could all expect when one goes to college and the other stays behind. At the beginning of the novel Ashleigh started off with a big group of friends and although none specifically up and ditched her, she cut everyone off from her life and isolated herself in her misery.

Jennifer Brown has a very smooth writing style that makes this a very quick and engaging read, but was also aided by splitting the story into both past and present. I think this is a very important novel for young girls to read, especially those with the means to get themselves into this kind of trouble. When I was growing up there wasn’t a huge discussion about the dangers of sending these kinds of pictures, but it’s also not something I ever considered doing. Another aspect of this novel that is so underrated is that there is a female-male friendship that involves absolutely no romance. The only romance in this novel is the brief run of Ashleigh and Kaleb, but with Mack they are just supportive of one another through their community service. I think it is refreshing to read a story where friendship is a focus and to show that even in dark times there are some people that can look through the bad to see the good. 

Overall, I think that was worth the read as it covers an important issue, and teaches lessons such as friendship, family, and bullying. I think I would have enjoyed this more had I read it a few years ago, but I still recommend it to readers, but teen girls specifically.

The Wicked Deep | Book Review

The Wicked Deep

Written by: Shea Ernshaw

Number of Pages: 310

Average Rating: 3.83 / 5 stars

My Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Published: March 6, 2018

Read in November 2018

Summary According to Goodreads

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. 

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbour and pulling them under. 

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into. 

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swift to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters. 

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself. 

My Thoughts

I received an e-arc copy of this novel to review from NetGalley, but that does not influence my opinion. 

I am so frustrated that it took me almost a year to finally pick up my e-copy of this novel, and I have no excuse as to why I didn’t read it earlier. I think I thought that this was a story set around mermaids (which I don’t enjoy) and only felt compelled to read it to clear off my review shelf. It took me a while to get into the plot at first, as I found her writing style to be very over-descriptive but eventually was able to become hooked. I actually read the last 35% in one sitting overnight. Shea Ernshaw’s writing somehow because less overly-descriptive and more atmospheric and mysterious. I wish I was able to pinpoint at which point my perspective to her writing changed, but it was such an effortless transition that left me captivated in her storytelling. 

There were a few characters to keep track of in this novel as we get perspective from both past, with the sentencing of the sisters, and future, of the drownings they set upon the town each summer. I did not have a character that I loved more than any other, and found instead that they worked best as a group - with the exception of the insta-love I really could’ve done without that. 

A final comment that I would like to make is in regards to the plot twist(s). I have seen a lot of negative reviews towards this novel with the explanation that it is too predictable, but I didn’t see it as it’s biggest flaw. No it is not overly original, but I did think it was well written and spooky. Overall, I think this was a really solid read and I’m glad I finally got around to picking it up. Although it is set during the summer, I think it is best read during this gloomy fall weather as it brings you into the perfect atmosphere!

All Hallow’s Eve | Book Review

All Hallow’s Eve

Written by: Vivian Vande Velde

Number of Pages: 240

Average Rating: 3.64 / 5 stars

My Overall Rating: 3.7 / 5 stars

Published September 2006

Read in November 2018

Summary According to Goodreads

A boy is trapped in a possessed car that has stalled in the path of an oncoming train. A girl is dragged into a crypt during a field trip to an eighteenth-century cemetery. A group of friends meet their fate after an unsettling visit with a backwoods psychic. And that’s just the beginning.

Celebrated author Vivian Vande Velde is at her spine-tingling best in this collection of thirteen scary stories, all of which take place on Halloween night. With tales that range from the disturbing to the downright gruesome, this is one collection that teens will want to read with the lights on.. and the doors locked. 

My Thoughts

This is a fun and spooky collection of stories perfect for the Halloween season, so I’m glad I picked it up on Halloween. Although this is classified as a young adult read, I would say it sits low on the spectrum specifically closer to upper middle grade or early teens. The writing has a slight juvenile tone to it, and I didn’t think it took away from the story but instead made it a faster read. 

As with all collections, some stories were stronger than others, so I rated each story individually for those interested.

Come In and Rest a Spell: 4 stars

Marian: 5 stars

Morgan Roehmar’s Boys: 3.5 stars

Only On Hallow’s Eve: 4 stars

Cemetery Field Trip: 3 stars

Best Friends: 4.5 stars

Pretending: 2 stars

I Want to Thank You: 3 stars

When and How: 5 stars

When My Parents Come to Visit: 4 stars

Edward, Lost and Far From Home: 2 stars

My Real Mother: 4 stars

Holding On: 5 stars

Books I Want to Read in November

HAPPY NOVEMBER! 

Can you believe there are only two months left of 2018?! Unfortunately for me the year is ending fast, and I still have 41 books to read in order to reach my Goodreads goal. I recently got a puppy, and her training has put reading on the back burner, but she is getting better and hopefully I can get back into reading and finish the year strong. 

So today I am going to tell you about the 10 books I am hoping to read this month (excluding AYearAThon reads which I will talk about Sunday). Cross your fingers for me!

I am currently reading two books, the first being All Hallows' Eve by Vivian Vande Velde. This is a collection of 13 spooky stories, and I only picked it up yesterday and am nearly finished with it. It was a perfect read to pick up for Halloween, and of the seven stories I've already read, they average at a four star rating. 

I am also reading The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw, as I'd received an e-ARC of this prior to its release, but never got around to it. I am currently about 20% through, and am not sure how I feel about it. The troupe of the mysterious boy is overrated for my reading taste, but the idea of people being inhabited by ghost sisters every year to drown teenage boys intrigues me. Hopefully the suspense and thrill picks up in the story soon, because I'm sure at that point I won't be able to put it down!

When I was looking through my bookshelves deciding what I wanted to read this month, I realized that I have so many outstanding ARCs that I need to catch up on my reviews for. In November I am hoping to get through five (six including The Wicked Deep), and picked the ones that I think I'll enjoy the most, but also the ones I think I will read the fastest. 

One that I received from NetGalley is How to Fracture a Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen, one of my favourite authors due to her stories regarding WWII and the Holocaust. How to Fracture a Fairy Tale is a little different from what I'm used to reading from her, in that this is a collection of short stories retelling classic fairy tales in order to fit modern society. I can't wait to get into it!

The other four books that I want to read and review are ones that I picked up while at BEA this past May. I had such high intentions of having them all read and reviewed before they were released, but now that I've accepted it won't happen, I just want to get them done. 


Easy Prey by Catherine Lo is a young adult mystery following three students involved in the release of racy photos of one of their teachers. After the Fire by Will Hill is another dark YA with a contemporary base, as it follows a girls life after she is freed from a cult. Witchborn by Nicholas Bowling is the one I know the least about, but the one that is most out of my comfort zone. All that I know regarding this story is that it is historical fiction set in the 1500s, and has witches. The final review book that I want to read this month is the one that I am most anticipating: People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins. This novel is perfect for some major issues plaguing our society right now; gun violence and white supremacy. Six people are involved in this story and in the end one will die. I can't wait!


The last four books that I want to read this month are ones that I own and have been wanting to read since I picked them up but never did. I Stop Somewhere by TE Carter, a dark contemporary surrounding topics like rape culture; Ruby and Olivia by Rachel Hawkins, a middle grade story following two trouble-making girls in a haunted house; Lessons From a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles, another dark young-adult, this one following topics such as abuse and death; and finally, Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor, which sounds fun and mysterious, but also comes recommended to me so I'm interested to see what I think.

This may seem like an ambitious list, but I am determined not to fail my Goodreads challenge, and am hoping not to be too busy with work. 

Happy Reading!

Fresh Ink | Anthology / Book Review

Fresh Ink

Edited by: Lamar Giles
Number of Pages: 208

Average Rating: 3.92 / 5 stars
My Overall Rating: 3.6 / 5 stars

Published: August 2018
Read in October 2018


Summary According to Goodreads

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and colour outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink. 


My Thoughts

This anthology was on my most anticipated releases for the year, and I am happy to say that I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Some of these stories were inspiring and heartwarming, while others could have used more development to strengthen its plot. 

As with every anthology or story collection that I read, I rated each story individually below and included any thoughts (if I had any).


Eraser Tattoo by Jason Reynolds
4 stars

- Super cute love story about two teens dealing with the fact that one is moving away. I enjoyed reading as they reflected on their relationship and how they came to be.


Meet Cute by Malinda Lo
3 stars

- This wasn’t anything special, and a very similar plot to stories I’ve read before. I would have appreciated more base or background to the characters in order to connect with them.


Don’t Pass Me By by Eric Gansworth
4 stars


Be Cool For Once by Aminah Mae Safi
2 stars

- I really didn’t care for this story, in fact I found it kind of pointless. We spend the story listening to a girl describe a crush she has on a boy, but then continues to push him away when he pursues her. The characters were annoying, the plot was flat, and just not my taste overall.


Tags by Walter Dean Myers
5 stars

- This was amazing, I am only saddened by the fact it won’t be expanded due to the passing of Mr.Myers. There were some powering messages in this script regarding issues of racism and prejudice, and the dark consequences our skewed perspectives can have.


Why I Learned to Cook by Sara Farizan
4 stars

- I thought this story was really fun and really cute, and especially appreciated the way it focused on family and how our main character showed so much respect to her grandmother. 


A Stranger at the Bochinche by Daniel José Older
2 stars


A Boy’s Duty by Sharon G. Flake
3 stars


One Voice by Melissa de la Cruz
4 stars

- This story was good, but fell just shy of great. There was such a big lead up to our character speaking out and rising as an influence, but instead fell into the crowd. It was a strong message, but wasn’t as powerful as it could have been.


Paladin / Samurai by Gene Luen Yang
3 stars


Catch, Pull, Drive by Schuyler Bailar
5 stars

- ALL THE STARS


Super Human by Nicola Yoon
5 stars

- This is another short story that I would give more stars to if I could, and is the reason that I am now encouraging my mom to read the entire collection. This story is so important and so relevant to today's issues, that I would love to see it developed into a full-length novel.