Top Ten Tuesday #5 | Books I Disliked but Am Really Glad I Read

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

May 15: Books I Disliked/Hated but Am Really Glad I Read

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This time I did a Top Six.
I chose to do YA books because they are the type I have read the most. And the ones I chose are the only ones I disliked to some extent.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

After Hours by Claire Kennedy

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The Good Sister by Jamie Kain

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

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180 Seconds by Jessica Park

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

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Can't Wait Wednesday #3 - Zen and Gone by Emily France

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Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I cant wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.
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Why I Can't Wait:
That gorgeous cover attracted me to the book at first but it was how interesting the synopsis sounded to me that made me want to read this book. It also feels like Instructions for the End of the World  by Jamie Kain

Zen and Gone by Emily France

Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Essence McKree feels older than any seventeen-year-old she knows. Ever since weed was legalized, Mom has been working in a pot shop, high more often than not. Lately it’s been up to Essa to care for her nine-year-old sister, Puck.

When Essa meets Oliver—a brainy indoor type, in town for the summer—she is cautious at first, distrustful of the tourist crowd and suspicious of Oliver’s mysterious past in Chicago. But Puck is charmed and pushes Essa toward him. Soon Essa finds herself showing Oliver the Boulder she has forgotten: the mountain parties, the long hikes…and at Oliver’s urging, the exploration of Buddhism at the local zendo.

When Oliver agrees to accompany Essa on a three-day survival game in the Rocky Mountains, she feels a lightness she hasn’t known in a long time. Then she discovers that Puck has stowed away and followed them into the wilderness. After spending a night stuck in a mountain storm, Essa wakes to find Puck missing. Now Essa must rely on her newfound spiritual strength if she is to save her sister’s life, and ultimately her own. 

Published by:  Soho Teen

The Release Date for the book is:
July 3rd 2018 

Pre-Order:

Barnes&Noble  |  Amazon US

Or pre-order it from Book Depository using my Affiliate link:
Book Depository

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Top Ten Tuesday #1 | Books I Loved but Will Never Re-Read

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Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Books I Loved but Will Never Re-Read (submitted by Brandyn @Goingforgoldilocks)

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I searched trough my goodreads read list to find ones that I loved but wouldn't re-read and found these books.

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

We Are Still Tornadoes by Michael Kun and Susan Mullen

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Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin
The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack

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American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The Prettiest One by James Hankins

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 Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist

This is My Brain on Boys by Sarah Strohmeyer

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The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre

The Steel Kiss by Jeffery Deaver

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Extra

The Body Reader by Anne Frasier

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April TBR | 2018

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April TBR

I'm 10 days late to post my to-be read list for the month of April, but I'm still going to do this.

For the month I want to read more books than I did last month. So more than 3 books. I think I could do that.

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These two books I have to read. One. Because I signed up to participate in the blog tour for Kissing Games. Plus, I really liked the first book in the series, How To Keep A Boy From Kissing You.

Two. I was going to do an assignment based of Hamlet. So I have an obligation to read that book.

      Kissing Games by Tara Eglington                Hamlet by William Shakespeare       

 

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The Museum of Heartbreak is one of the books I have been carrying with me in my backpack. Since its short I think I can finish it one go but haven't gotten a moment to do so. Hopefully I can start and finish it soon.

Love and Other Words is a book I won on a Goodreads giveaway. I was glad I got it because I've been seeing it everywhere on my Instagram feed. And they've been saying good things about it so I want to find out for myself if its any good.

The Museum of Heartbreak by Meg Leder       Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

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The Strangers on The Train sounded so good to me when I got it from Book Outlet months ago. But I still haven't even read a single page from it. Last year I read most of the Thriller / Mystery books I had on my tbr. Because of that I bought a few to keep reading in the genre. So far I've only read one. Killer Instinct.

The Scavengers is a middle grade book that I got just because it had a different sounding premise.

"When the world started to fall apart, the government gave everyone two choices: move into the Bubble Cities…or take their chances outside. Maggie's family chose to live in the world that was left behind. Deciding it's time to grow up and grow tough, Maggie rechristens herself "Ford Falcon"—a name inspired by the beat-up car she finds at a nearby junkyard."

That alone caught my attention. Now I just have to sit down and actually read it.

The Stranger on the Train by Abbie Taylor      The Scavengers by Michael Perry        

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Because Hardy Boys.

Hardy Boys #1 The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon

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Can't Wait Wednesday #2 - Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch

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Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 

I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I cant wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.
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Why I Can't Wait:
I loved reading Love & Gelato so its obvious that I want to read this book so much.

Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch

Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.

So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.

And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.

That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way.

Published by: Simon Pulse 

The Release Date for the book is:
May 8th 2018

Pre-Order:

Barnes&Noble  |  Amazon US

Or pre-order it from Book Depository using my Affiliate link:
Book Depository

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Can't Wait Wednesday #1 - What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings. 
I've decided to switch to this since Waiting On Wednesday has been over for a long time now. But its basically the same concept. Books that I cant wait to get my hands on or am really interested in that are to be released soon.
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Why I Can't Wait:
Because!!!!!!!

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store
for them?

Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.

Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.

But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?

What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?

What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?

But what if it is?

Published by: HarperTeen

The Release Date for the book is:
October 9th 2018

Pre-Order:

Barnes&Noble  |  Amazon US

Or pre-order it from Book Depository using my Affiliate link:
Book Depository

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American Gods by Neil Gaiman | Book Review #95

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Are there spoilers?

I don't really think so.
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This is one of the books I read after the passing of Hurricane Maria here in Puerto Rico. With no water, electricity or internet I took to reading my books.

I decided to not do this for the books I've read on 2018. But it has been 6 months since Hurricane Maria. And I'm happy to announce that now we have water, and electricity.  

Title - American Gods
By - Neil Gaiman 
Publication - March 28th 2017 by William Morrow Paperbacks
Copy -  Paperback, TV Tie-In, 541 pages

Genre - Contemporary, Fantasy

Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.

Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there...

This is the author's preferred text, never before published in the UK, and is about 12,000 words longer than the previous UK edition.

The Rating:

My Review:

I started reading on June 3, 2017 but I stopped reading it. Then started again on October 31, 2017 and finished this book on November 6, 2017.

Who is it by?
American Gods is by the author, Neil Gaiman.
I've not read anything by him before so I was doubting whether I would like his writing or not. But I was glad I got to read this book because even though it is amongst the longest books I've read I didn't completely hate everything that was going on.


What is it about?
This book follows the character Shadow who has been recently let out of jail after his wife Laura dies. And how with that he is forever changed. A strange man comes into his life, his wife may not e dead, and he discovers that his world is bigger than he thought. And a lot stranger.


Why did I read it?
I have two reasons why I started reading this book. First of all is the fact that I started watching the series when it came out. It was so cool, with a different than I'm used to, story-wise, and it was beautifully done. So you could say that I loved it and wanted to know more about these characters and this world. 
It also didn't hurt that I had just recently, to the show coming out, won a copy of the book via Goodreads giveaway. I was so happy that I got it but then so intimidated by it because the pages were so thin and it was over 500 words. Becoming one of my biggest books, page-wise.


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Did I like it?

It was a lot more than the show. So I don't know if I like it as much. I just know that I was never bored. And that I managed to read the entire thing so that must mean something. It was wordy and a lot to take in but I didn't hate it.
So now that month have passed since I read it I think I don't completely agree with my original star rating. And that I might be somewhere between 3 stars or 3 and a half stars. Because I didn't hate the ook but I also think the show is better. Don't get me wrong I like Neil Gaiman's writing and how creative this story is. Using real mythology and mixing it with his own way of telling the stories of these gods in modern-day America.
But if I take into account the show and how it brought to life the characters in a really awesome way. Then I don't like the book as much.
Does that make sense?

Get a copy at:
Barnes&Noble   |   Amazon

Or get it here using my affiliate link. Please:
Book Depository

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Monthly BookHaul | February 2018

February Book Haul 

So earlier in March I did a book haul video featuring all the books I got from my last purchase from Bookoutlet. One of the reasons I got so many books was because I needed to get classics for one of my classes. Which is a spanish literature class but I'm going to translate what I read myself. I took the books I got and showed them to the professor -she wasn't that impressed or even interested- and we ended up choosing Hamlet as the book I was going to read for this project we all have to do that counts for most of the grade. Which was amazing because Hamlet is short and most of the information I need is on the internet. So yay for me. 

😂😂😜

Anyways. Here is the video to that book haul. it's very short but still good. 

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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli | Book Review #94

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Are there spoilers?

I don't really think so.
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This is one of the books I read after the passing of Hurricane Maria here in Puerto Rico. With no water, electricity or internet I took to reading my books.

I decided to not do this for the books I've read on 2018. But it has been over 4 months since Hurricane Maria. And I'm happy to announce that now we have water, and electricity.  

Title - Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
By - Becky Albertalli
Publication - April 7, 2015 by Balzer + Bray

Copy -  Paperback, 300 pages

Genre - Young Adult, Cotemporary, Romance, LGBTQ

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

The Rating:

My Review:

I started this book on February and finished this book on March 3, 2018.

For me its much easier to divide reviews in parts. I don't know if it has anything to do with my English or that it just looks cleaner and aesthetically pleasing. Like the way I used to do it last year. But I stopped doing it that way to easily write a quick review and post it. So I'm going to go back to the 2017 version but much smaller. Using 4 questions.


Who is it by?
After reading this book I fell for Becky Albertalli's writing. I related with Simon so much. Like I understood what he was going trough and how much he liked Blue. I like her writing style so much she is amongst my top 5 favorite female YA writers.


What is it about?
This is the story of Simon and how he just wants to be himself. But it is difficult for him to do that because everyone else around him, his friends and family and everyone else, has an image of who he should be. Except its not true to him. He's gay and he feels alone. Then there's a boy named Blue who anonymously reveals himself, on the schools tumblr, as gay.


Why did I read it?
I read this book because I was hearing so much good stuff about the movie and I just couldn't resist convincing my mom to get me a copy of this book to read it and I was glad the convincing was fruitful since it usually isn't.


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Did I like it?

I loved it.
And I want to say more but I'm supposed to not be writing this and instead should be doing my home work so I have to go before my ride gets here to pick me up. So I cant really tell you just how much I love Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda.
PS. I loved it!!!

Get a copy at:
Barnes&Noble  | Amazon

Or get it here using my affiliate link. Please:
Book Depository

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Love Charms and Other Catastrophes by Kimberly Karalius | Book Review #92

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Love Charms and Other Catastrophes by Kimberly Karalius

Are there spoilers?

I don't really think so.
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This is one of the books I read after the passing of Hurricane Maria here in Puerto Rico. With no water, electricity or internet I took to reading my books.

I decided to not do this for the books I've read on 2018. But it has been 4 months since Hurricane Maria. And I'm happy to announce that now we have water, and electricity.  

 Title - Love Charms and Other Catastrophes
By - Kimberly Karalius
Publication - May 17th 2016 by Swoon Reads      
Copy -  Paperback, 360 pages

Genre - Young Adult, Cotemporary, Romance, Fantasy

Sometimes love comes gift-wrapped…literally.

Aspiring love-charm maker Hijiri Kitamura was excited to come back to Grimbaud for her sophomore year—until she learned about the upcoming charm-making competition. She, along with her friends and fellow rebels, had worked too hard to free the town from Zita’s tyrannical love fortunes to allow some other charm maker to move in and take over. The only solution is for Hijiri to win the contest herself.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done, especially when Love itself has decided to meddle in Hijiri’s life. Concerned that its favorite charm maker has given up on finding a love of her own, Love delivers a very special gift—the perfect boyfriend, specially crafted just for her. 

The Rating:

My Review:

I started and finished this book on September 24, 2018.

For me its much easier to divide reviews in parts. I don't know if it has anything to do with my English or that it just looks cleaner and aesthetically pleasing. Like the way I used to do it last year. But I stopped doing it that way to easily write a quick review and post it. So I'm going to go back to the 2017 version but much smaller. Using 4 questions.


Who is it by?
Love Charms and Other Catastrophes is by the author, Kimberly Karalius. Who wrote the first book in the series, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters. Which is the first book in the Grimbaud Series.
The way she writes the stories of these teenagers in the town where Love fuels the citizens and the way they live and feel is so simple and reads so smoothly. At least for me it did. I never felt that all the characters where all over the place. Mostly because I already knew the characters from the first book and felt they were fresh in my mind.


What is it about?
And in this book, it is told by Hijiri, who is a secondary character in the first book. A character that didn't make that much of an impact until the second half of the first book. But in this one she shined brightly. Having to get the boy, save the day and find out just who she is in her circle of friends.
Hijiri is a charm maker but she's shy about her gift. But she enters a charm making competition so that no other bad spirited person comes in and takes over the town of Grimbaud again. Like in the first book. And she also gets a gift from Love himself, a special made boyfriend she doesn't want but ends up not wanting to spend a day without him around. They fall for each other. And even though it was a weird relationship, it wasn't a quick romance. It was slow and real, despite the magical element.


Why did I read it?
I read this book because I had it on my shelves for a long time and also because I won it on aa Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Initially I let it sit on my shelves and "collect dust" because I didn't own or had read the first book. But then I did read the first. So I didn't have any more excuses for not reading Love Charms. So as Hurricane Maria passed by I took the time and read it in a day. No electricity or internet left me with so much time and reading was the logical thing to do with that much amount of time.


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Did I like it?

I liked it. I did.

I actually think I enjoyed the romance in this book just as much as I did with the romance in Love Fortunes. Both where perfect in their simplicity as YA romances. And the story of Hijiri in Grimbaud was great. The whole time I was rooting for her to do the right thing and be happy and not as stressed and nervous and shy. Because even though those traits made her awesome I wanted her to just let go, even for a little bit and she did just that.

Get a copy at:
Barnes&Noble  | Amazon

Or get it here using my affiliate link. Please:
Book Depository

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