Weekly Wrap Up: March 15th - 22nd

Hello all! Sorry for the absence, but I recently had my March Break/Spring Break and this has been my first full week back at school. So much work to do and catch up on, but on the bright side; i'll be finished with the semester and home in four weeks! I haven't done much reading lately, but I have finished a book, and DNF'd another so let's discuss those!

READ

I finally got around to reading another Colleen Hoover book, and I picked Never, Never since it was short and on my kindle! I read this alongside my mom, and am glad I did because it was fun to discuss different things as they were happening with her. I adored this novel so much, and Colleen is now one of my favourite authors. The characters felt so real, and it was so well written that I hated having to put it down. I am guilty of reading parts during lulls in my psychology class. This book was so engrossing and that ending?! May 12th needs to be today so I can read the sequel! Five stars without a doubt, from both me and my mom. 

DNF'd

As of 10 minutes ago I decided to give up on a book I was sent for review. Me Being Me is Exactly as Insane as You Being You had such potential to be great, but just didn't measure up. It was written entirely in lists, and although it seems like a great twist, it was not executed well. Some of the pages/lists were so dragged out that you lost the point and had to go back to see what the list was even about. I wasn't feeling too much of a connection with the main character Darren, and felt like he handled some things very immaturely. Throughout the whole beginning of the novel he is talking about going to visit his brother the next day, and 170 pages into the book - he still wasn't with his brother. This book was way too long (over 600 pages) and I just couldn't push myself through it unfortunately. I recommend checking out the goodreads page and seeing if it is something you are interested in, as it is released this Tuesday!

CURRENTLY READING

I am currently 20% into These Broken Stars, and am really enjoying it so far. It is different than I expected, and I have no idea what is going to happen next in the story. This book has come highly recommended to me, so I have high expectations. So far so good! I hope to finish this within the week or during the weekend!

I also just decided to pick up Playlist for the Dead, because it is one that I have been wanting to read for a while, and am in the mood for a contemporary. I haven't heard a lot of reviews, or really anyone just talking about this book, but I have high hopes!

I will briefly mention that I am reading Spying Blind by Amy Zegart for one of my university classes. It is about the CIA, the FBI, and 9/11. Interesting so far, but I very dense (educational) read. 

BOUGHT

Nothing this week, and hopefully nothing for a few weeks! I am still focusing on shrinking my TBR!

Forbidden Book Review

Forbidden

Written by: Tabitha Suzuma
# of pages: 454

Average Rating: 4.07/5 stars
My Rating: 5/5 stars

Published on: June 28, 2011
Read in February 2015

Summary according to Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives--and the way they understand each other so completely--has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

My Thoughts

This was a novel that I had been anticipating reading for a long time, and it came very highly recommended to me. I did go into this novel with very high expectations, and luckily for me I was not disappointed! The plot was very heavy, but the writing style was so smooth and descriptive that I could not stop reading. This author used many similes in her writing, which helped get into the mood of the story. 

Please keep in mind that this is the first book regarding incest that I have rearm and it not a topic I have ever given much opinion to. I do not condone it, but from a psychological standpoint, it is something that can be blamed on the parents and/or upbringing of the kids. These two characters have a hard time relating to, and connecting with others but have found the perfect bond within each other. They have someone that knows exactly what they are going through, and are basically being parents together to their three younger siblings. 

"How can something so wrong feel so right?" I really appreciated that these characters understood the entirety of what they were doing. They weren't naive about it, they were scared. They knew it was wrong but it was overpowered by a feeling they couldn't control. It was very real. 

The song "What About Love" performed by Heart illustrates this novel so well. I would already cry listening to this song, but now I just bawl because I think of Maya and Lochan. The ending of this book was heartbreaking to read. I was completely engrossed from the last 75 pages and could not stop reading. Even after I had finished reading it, I could not stop thinking about it. 

Overall I really enjoyed this novel and although I got spoiled on the ending, that did not ruin my experience. I had just gotten so focused on what was currently happening, I wasn't even thinking about the end result. I recommend you pick up this novel if you enjoy real-life novels!

Weekly Wrap Up: February 15th - 22nd

Hello again! Sorry there was no post last week, but if you follow me on twitter (if not it's @kristinalenny), you would see that I did not buy anything or read anything. I was finally able to sit down and finish a book after a mid-term and I am currently reading another one! 

READ

Yes! I finally finished Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, which I started on the 6th! This was such an amazing read and I gave it five stars without a doubt. I have so much I can say about this that I will be posting a full review on Wednesday, but in a short sentence; this novel has made it onto my favourites list. The characters were so real, the plot was strong, and it was beautifully written. AND THAT ENDING. I was near tears and could not believe what was happening. 

CURRENTLY READING

So since Forbidden was such a heavy and emotional read, I really needed something light and fun to pick my mood back up. I had been so excited to read Grace's Guide by Grace Helbig, and so far I have not been disappointed and only about 70 pages in. She is so hilarious and so right about so many things - I really appreciated the section "25 ways to deal with anxiety" (or some title along those lines). I know this is going to be a novel I will enjoy and re-read many times in the future. If you like Grace, I totally recommend picking this book up. 

I also am getting into Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire and am very excited about it. I miss the characters and have been wanting to know what was going on with Travis for a while. I am hoping I enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed the first one!

BOUGHT

So I had been doing so well at not buying a book all week, but yesterday my roommate and I went to Costco and I just couldn't help myself. They had good books and at such good prices! I got I Was Here by Gayle Forman, and a beautiful edition of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 

GOALS

I have quite a bit of schoolwork to get done before I go home on Friday night, so I am only setting two easy goals for myself. The first one is to not buy a book all week which should be easy because I currently have so many that I am dying to read, that I can't think of any I want to buy. My second goal is to finish a book this week, which should be easy because I am flying through Grace's Guide.

I hope you guys have a great week and I will talk to you on Wednesday with my Forbidden review!

Weekly Wrap Up: February 2nd - 8th

Hey everyone! I am now back in my dorm room after a nice weekend away to Halifax, Nova Scotia. My roommate, myself, and another friend of ours drove the five hours up because that's where my roommate is from, and we had a great time! Although it does feel good to be back in Freddy, while I was away I managed to finish a book, and get on track with my goodreads goal!

READ

I only managed to finish one novel this week, and that was Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins. I gave this four out of five stars, and thought that it was a great ending to a great series. I was anticipating how it would end from the very first page, and I can't say that it was what I expected. Although I loved it, it did break my heart a little bit. I can't wait to get my hands on the spin-off series and to read more by this hilarious author. 

Just before writing this post, I finished a graphic novel that I started this morning while waiting to check out of the hotel. I purchased Amulet Volume 2: The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi this weekend, and had to pick it up right away. I enjoyed the first one (which I read in December), but I did enjoy this one just a little bit more. So much happened right away, and there was no lag from where the story left off. Plus the artwork is just AMAZING. Can't wait to continue on in this series and see what happens!






CURRENTLY READING



I decided to pick up Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma to read next, and although I haven't started yet I am looking forward to it. This is a book that although isn't something I would usually read, is a novel that comes highly recommended to me. 









BOUGHT

Uh oh. I did buy some books this week. In fact, I bought nine. I couldn't help it! My first trip to Chapters I decided to treat myself to a book because I have been at university for over a month and have not yet experienced an anxiety attack - which is a big accomplishment for me. Once I got into the bookstore I couldn't just decide on one, and decided I wanted a light romance to read on my flight home later on this month. In this single trip I purchased; Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff, The Edge of Never by J.A Redmerski, Thoughtless by S.C Stephens, Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker, and Burying Water by K.A Tucker. 

Then I went into the bookstore at a mall my friend and I found in Nova Scotia, and obviously once I picked up one I just couldn't stop. What better way to remember a trip than with some books? On this trip I got; Amulet Volume Two: The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi, All Fall Down by Ally Carter, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides, and All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. 

I am very excited for all of these books, so I have no regrets!

GOALS

With this upcoming week I do need to go back on my ban and not buy any books. My wallet can't handle it, and I am running out of room in my dorm. I would also like to keep up with staying on track for my goodreads challenge, but I have a very important psychology exam Friday morning, so most of my reading will only be getting done on the weekend. So we will just have to wait and see!

A couple more weeks and I will be home relaxing with my dog! Have a great night, and I will talk to you soon!

Weekly Wrap Up: January 26th - February 1st

Happy February! The month of love, and over here in Fredericton, the month of lots of snow. So up until 10 minutes ago I thought it was Saturday because I have been deathly sick these last few days. I couldn't even get out of bed on Friday. Lucky for me, I am still sick but have a ton of school work I need to get done. That being said I will be posting this semi-early compared to usual because I doubt I will be getting much reading accomplished today. 

READ

Believe it or not, I finished three books this week. I know! For my Goodreads challenge, I am not only one book behind schedule. I DNF'd one book as well so I will start with that one. 

Sadly, The Bling Ring was nothing like how I thought it would be which was very disappointing because I had been dying to read this book for a while. It was ridiculously boring, and focused on the author's experience when I thought it would be about the crime itself (which is what I was interested in). I only got out 25 pages in before I decided to quit and just watch the movie. I didn't care for the movie either as the acting was mediocre and the plot wasn't that interesting either. Spoiled rich kids is not my cup of tea. 





The first book that I read this week was The Gift of Acabar by Og Mandino which I finished Sunday night after posting my wrap up. I gave this book four stars out of five, and am glad it was given to me because I wouldn't have picked it up myself. It was a good story but not what I expected at all. I am not usually one for religious novels, but this one focused more on inspiration and I really enjoyed that. It was so sad but so well written. 

The second book that I finished was The Voice on the Radio by Caroline B. Cooney. This is the third book in the Janie Johnson series, and although I rated it three stars, it would be closer to two and a half. Although I enjoyed the story at the beginning, the plot has turned into a contemporary and not so much the mystery it started as. The author tried to throw in some twists, but it just wasn't working for me. I have the last two books at school with me, but I am not going to bother picking them up. Although they are quick reads, I don't see a reason for her to drag out the story anymore. 

The last book that I finished was my favourite for both this week and this month, and that is Burned by Ellen Hopkins. Like all of her books, this one was written in verse, but I read it on my iPad Kindle app and am very glad I did. This is a thick book but reading it electronically made it easier to read and helped it to go by much quicker. Obviously I gave this book five out of five stars, because it was simply amazing. I was always on the edge of my seat, but I never could have guessed the plot twists that occurred. Near the end I was even tearing up, and can't wait to read the sequel (which I also have on ebook). 



CURRENTLY READING

I am currently reading Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins which is the third and final book in the Hex Hall trilogy. As of right now I am only 20 pages in because I picked up Burned, but I do hope to get farther into it because It is really good so far. In a perfect world I would have it finished this week, but I am not going to hold my breath. I don't own the companion to this series, so I don't know what I will be picking up next. 







BOUGHT

Nothing! YAY! Reading five books in a month and only buying three must be a new record for me. 

GOALS

My goal for this week and for this month, is to not buy a book. I have plenty of books at school with me, and will be going home for Spring Break at the end of the month. I might buy a book to read on the plane, but we'll see! The weather here has been so rough anyway that it's not easy to get out to Chapters. I have quite a bit of work to do, and a big assignment due Friday so if I don't finish a book, it is no big deal. Two of my friends and I are also taking a road trip up to Halifax this weekend, so I know I won't be reading then. 

Have a good week, and I'll talk to you soon!

Weekly Wrap Up: January 19th - 25th

What a busy week it has been! I feel like I have fallen so behind in the booktube world, and that sucks because you guys are pretty much my life. On the other hand, school work just keeps adding up and my school's union is currently on strike alert. So, yeah. However, I did manage to finish a book! About time, I know I know, but on Friday after my exam I just sat down and finished the last 100+ pages!

READ

I finally finished Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins and I was not disappointed! I wish I had been able to finish it sooner, but once I got to those last 100 pages, I could not put it down. Thankfully I brought the third book, Spell Bound, to school with me and I hope to pick it up this week. This series just goes from having me laughing out loud to wanting to crawl into a corner. I have never been so torn in a love triangle. Four out of five stars to this one though, that ending had me on the edge of my seats and that ending - I can't even deal with it. I just need to know. 




CURRENTLY READING

Today I picked up The Gift of Acabar by by Og Mandino and have gotten about 34 pages into it, out of 114. I received this book for Christmas from a man who has amazing literary taste, and whose opinion I trust very much. So far? This book is sad. So very sad. I enjoy the writing and the background is interesting enough, I just can't wait to get to the part that makes this one of his (my friend's) favourite works. Hopefully I don't cry before we get to that point. 






BOUGHT

Nothing! This wasn't hard to accomplish because I paid off the rest of the money I owed to my university, and am now broke. 

GOALS

First, I would like to finish The Gift of Acabar by tomorrow. It's still early, but I have some studying to do and my roommate and I are currently on season 6 of Friends which is when everything starts to get good! So that will be the rest of my night. Second, I would like to start Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins and have it finished by the time I do my next weekly wrap-up. This is the third and final book in the trilogy, and like I mentioned, I just need to know what happens next. I also don't want to buy a book this week - which I can't afford to do anyway. And finally, I am currently three (yes 3) books behind on my Goodreads challenge, and I would like to get it up to two and keep it there for the week. 

No exams or assignments due for this week, but one due for next week so we'll see what happens! Have a good week and I'll see you soon!

Weekly Wrap Up: January 11th - 18th

I'm sorry this post is late but my University work just keeps adding up! I still haven't finished a book, but am slowing trudging along. I'm ready for March break. 

READ

Still nothing. 

CURRENTLY READING

I am still currently reading the same two books, the first being I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella. I am about 50% through but am not enjoying it as much as I had originally hoped I would. It might seem early in the year, but I am considering DNF'ing this and just moving on. 

Luckily, I am still really enjoying Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins and I am currently on page 207 out of 359. It isn't as engaging as the first one was, in my opinion, but I tend to have problems with the second book in trilogy's. I really want to just curl up in my bed and read the rest of it straight through, but I doubt my schedule will allow me to do that. 







BOUGHT

After going through the majority of January without buying a book - I caved. I bought four this week (Never, Never as an ebook) and I have no regrets as I am extremely excited for all of them. 





GOALS

So my main goal for this week is again, don't buy a book! I've been doing pretty good with it and I have a ton of books at school with me that I can read, so hopefully it won't be too hard. I also really want to finally finish Demonglass, and then start Reborn by Jennifer Rush since it is my most anticipated book of this year. I do have a psychology exam on Friday so we'll see how much free time I get. 

I hope you guys have a great week and I'll talk to you soon!