A to Z Bookish Survey

Weekend TBR [May 27-29]

Weeks after landing on Earth, the Hundred have managed to create a sense of order amidst their wild, chaotic surroundings. But their delicate balance comes crashing down with the arrival of new dropships from space.

These new arrivals are the lucky ones—back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone—but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS’s luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can’t stop thinking about her parents, who may still be alive. Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he’d left behind.

It’s time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they’ve found on Earth, or risk losing everything—and everyone—they love.

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It has only been a week since season three of The 100 ended, and already I find myself missing the characters and world! Though the books are definitely not as good as the TV show—and lack almost every single character I care about—I figured I could use my love for the show and the feelings I am experiencing post season finale to finally finish this trilogy. These books are very quick reads and I am hoping to get about halfway through before the weekend is over.

Also, why the hell is Finn on this cover? He isn't even in the books.

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Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

No, I did not manage to finish The Young Elites last weekend. In fact, I hardly picked the book up at all this week, so I shall put it on my weekend TBR once again and hope for the best.

Teaser Tuesday [May 24]

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jenn of Books and a Beat. All you have to do is grab your current read, open to a random page, and share two teaser sentences (that don't give too much away).



This week's teaser:



"Hey there," Glass said, feeling her fear and sorrow melt away for a moment. "It's okay. You're okay. We're here, Luke. We made it. Welcome to Earth."


— Homecoming by Kass Morgan

Weekend TBR [May 20-22]

This post is, essentially, my own take on the classic "Friday Reads." Instead of listing what I am planning on reading each Friday, however, I will just post a tentative list of what I am planning on reading over the course of the weekend.

» Weekend TBR «

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Though I have yet to read her Legend trilogy, Marie Lu has been on my radar for quite some time, and I figured I would go ahead and give this one a go. I am only about a hundred-something pages in so far, and I highly doubt I will finish this in time to pick up another book before the weekend is over, so finishing The Young Elites is definitely my main/only goal.




What are you guys currently reading?

Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Author: Tara St. Pierre

Series: N/A

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Release Date: May 31, 2015

Pages: 306

Format: Paperback

Average Rating: 4.02

My Rating: 3.5

All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller. To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine’s Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school’s star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.

Exercising and dieting don’t work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she’s just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be. Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems—problems that are growing more terrifying every day.

Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.

» Review «

This story had a ton of heart and is a great little contemporary tale about acceptance, growth, family and love. In the book, Carrie is distraught because she wants nothing more than to fit into the perfect dress for her school's Valentine's Day dance, which she is sure will impress her boyfriend and classmates. To do this, she enlists the help of some weight loss pills and things kind of spiral from there. In today's society, a story about body shaming and how we compare ourselves to others is extremely relevant, and I thought the author handled the topic very, very well, which I 100% appreciated. Nothing was really glossed over; instead, Carrie regularly comes back to her mistake as she continues to lose weight/height, and openly shares her thoughts, which I think will resonate with younger readers experiencing the same sort of pressures and/or feelings. As a woman in her late 20s, far from the worries that accompany high school and fitting in, I still found the message of this book empowering. Carrie was a great character; though she was a little too eager to please in the beginning, she quickly grew into a feisty young woman that could accept her body the way it was—even at just a few inches tall—and hoped other people could do the same. The familial aspect was great as well; I always enjoy seeing a supportive family come together in a time of crisis, and the Carrie/Amy parts were sweet as I, too, have a headstrong younger sister who was difficult to relate to growing up. The Sci Fi elements of the story were definitely my favorite!

I did find the story predictable and felt like everything was pretty much explained to the reader; there weren't very many surprises, and instead of being descriptive, Carrie usually just came right out and told us what people were thinking and/or feeling. Also, the romance in the second half of the book did move a little too fast for my liking. That being said, fast-moving relationships are a thing, especially in high school, and I am just someone who generally likes to take her time and doesn't understand the concept of feelings developing so quickly. So this may be a part of the plot that only someone like myself would have a problem with.

Spoiler-y Thoughts:

• Because there was such a big age different between myself and Carrie, I had a bit of trouble connecting to her. However, I did really enjoy the introduction of her blog—because HEYO, I have one too!—and how she used it to connect to others and get her story/information across. I would have loved to see this aspect introduced a little sooner because I feel like we didn't get enough time to appreciate it, but I thought it was a great addition.
• I really, really liked Evan.
• I also liked Janelle for some reason? She kind of embodied the classic high school "mean girl," and I was able to relate to her character because of it, since everyone generally experiences someone like that at one point in their lives.
• My favorite part of the entire book is probably when Carrie was "kidnapped" by one of her sister's friends. I felt like I was watching one of the Toy Story movies; particularly when the cat got involved.

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Overall, I thought it was a good book with a great message for young readers. Definitely worth a read!

Bout of Books: Day Seven!

Another Bout of Books has come to an end. :(

» Day Seven Recap: «

▫ What I read:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

▫ Thoughts on the book:

What is there to say, really, except I LOVED IT. I cannot believe I put off reading it for so long. Such an achingly beautiful, heart-wrenching, intense story.

▫ Challenges I participated in:

- NONE -

» Day Seven Stats: «

# of hours read: 1.5

# of pages read: 163

# of books completed: 1

# of challenges completed: 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 11

Pages: 741

Books Completed: 2

Challenges Completed: 4

» Wrap-up: «

▫ TBR:

✓ Read Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre

✓ Finish Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

x Finish A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

▫ Final Thoughts:

Overall, I think I did pretty well, considering I had been suffering through a months-long reading slump right before Bout of Books began. I managed to complete Illuminae—which I fell in love with—as well as Just a Few Inches, a book I received for review. It was a good reading week and I managed to complete 2/3 books on my initial TBR, so I would call it a success!

Bout of Books: Day Six!

» Day Six Recap: «

▫ What I read:

 

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

I AM IN LOVE. I was a little worried when I got a hundred pages or so in and couldn't really understand what was happening/where the story was going, but now that things are happening and everything has basically been explained, I am very much enjoying this book. It's so tense, action-y and amazing; basically, it's a great story of survival and love and I haven't wanted to put it down at all today. I only have 100-150 pages left to go, and it reads really fast, so I'm hoping to complete it before Bout of Books ends.

▫ Challenges I participated in:

Share Your Favorite Bout of Books Moment challenge:

» Day Six Stats: «

# of hours read: 2.5
# of pages read: 200
# of books completed: 0
# of challenges completed: 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 9.5

Pages: 578

Books Completed: 1

Challenges Completed: 4

Bout of Books: Day Five!

» Day Five Recap: «

▫ What I read:

Between work, hanging out with my best friend and catching up on homework, I did not get any reading done on day five of Bout of Books.

▫ Challenges I participated in:

Nor did I participate in any challenges. Hahaha, fail.

» Day Five Stats: «

# of hours read: 0
# of pages read: 0
# of books completed: 0
# of challenges completed: 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

▫ Total:

Hours: 6

Pages: 378

Books Completed: 1

Challenges Completed: 3

Bout of Books: Day Four!

» Day Four Recap: «

▫ What I read:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

Because this story is told through emails and case-files, I had a very difficult time understanding exactly what's been going on in the book before yesterday afternoon. However, I did finally managed to get a relatively good grasp on the plot, my interest has been renewed, and I am now flying through this baby at warp speed (ha). All I want to do is read it, which is a pretty great feeling (particularly after a reading slump). Not sure when I will be able to finish it yet, but I am hoping to at least get it done before Bout of Books ends.

▫ Challenges I participated in:

- NONE -

» Day Four Stats: «

# of hours read: 2
# of pages read: 153
# of books completed: 0
# of challenges completed: 0

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▫ Total:

Hours: 6

Pages: 378

Books Completed: 1

Challenges Completed: 3

Bout of Books: Day Three!

» Day Three Recap: «

▫ What I read:

Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

I finished Just a Few Inches on day three, and will have a review up very soon!

▫ Challenges I participated in:

1. Top Five challenge

» Day Three Stats: «

# of hours read: 2
# of pages read: 121
# of books completed: 1
# of challenges completed: 1

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▫ Total:

Hours: 4

Pages: 225

Books Completed: 1

Challenges Completed: 3

Bout of Books 16: Top Five

Today's challenge is to pick five of our favorite... something. And because it's a read-a-thon, that something has to be book related! Thought it's probably a tad boring, I have decided to list five of my all-time favorite books (which was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be).

5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein: I love the adventure in this book, and how an ordinary, boring man can stumble into greatness just by taking that first step out his front door. I found it to be a very inspiring read and I fully enjoyed the eclectic cast of characters and all of the trouble they got into throughout their journey. I pick this book up whenever I am sad or in a slump, and it never fails to make me happy.

4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan: Though I love the entire series, The Lightning Thief was where Percy's adventure began, and I enjoy going back to it again and again. I love how young, innocent and naive everyone is in this book, particularly in comparison to the later books/series, and I find something extremely relaxing about that. Also, the humor and wit is my favorite.

3. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: I have only ever read this once, but what an amazing book! I had never really taken an interest in historical fiction before, but reading The Book Thief has turned me on to an entire new genre. I love how heartbreaking and real it is because it made me connect to the characters in a really personal way.

2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: Full of magic, love and loss, The Night Circus reminds me a lot of Harry Potter; I become so immersed in the story that I often forget I am reading a book because everything seems so vivid and real. It is an amazing book. I love the characters, the story and the heart of it.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling: Obviously, I love each book in the series for a plethora of different reasons, but I feel like The Sorcerer's Stone is my favorite because it was the very first book and the one that started my love for Harry Potter, and I read it at least once a year, simply because I enjoy going back to Harry's first ever year at Hogwarts and experiencing the magic and wonder all over again. To me, this first book is like home; I feel safe and experience severe nostalgia whenever I pick it up.

BoB 16: Day Two!

Day two has come to an end! Unfortunately, I have not been reading as much as I would like to—school and work have kept me pretty busy so far this week—but I have enjoyed seeing everyone else's updates. I should have more time to read these next few days, so here's hoping I make some progress and manage to finish something soon!

» Day Two Recap: «

▫ What I read:

Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre

▫ Thoughts on the books so far:

Basically the same as yesterday. I'm still trucking through and am hoping to finish the book on day three! 

▫ Challenges I participated in:

1. Show off your shelves photo challenge.

» Day Two Stats: «

# of hours read: 1
# of pages read: 57
# of books completed: 0
# of challenges completed: 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 2

Pages: 104

Books Completed: 0

Challenges Completed: 2

Top Five Wednesday [May 11]

Bout of Books 16: #shelfie

Today's challenge is to post some photos showing off your bookshelves!

- Some manga and my Alice in Wonderland collection.

- Rick Riordan and Cassandra Clare shelves.


- Contemporary (and some adult stand-alones in the corner).

- Completed series.


- Completed series.


- Completed series, incomplete series, YA stand-alones.

- Classics and nonfiction.

- Sarah Shephard, Lemony Snicket and J.R.R. Tolkein novels, as well as some Middle grade books.

- My Harry Potter collection.

- TBR.

- TBR.

- TBR.

What's on your shelves?

BoB 16: Day One!

Bout of Books 16 has begun! I am so excited to be participating again.

» Day One Recap: «

▫ What I read:

Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

Though I am not usually a fan of contemporary, I am really digging the Sci Fi elements to this story!

▫ Challenges I participated in:

Describe Yourself in Six Words challenge:

» Day One Stats: «

# of hours read: 1
# of pages read: 47
# of books completed: 0
# of challenges completed: 1

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▫ Total: 

Hours: 1

Pages: 47

Books Completed: 0

Challenges Completed: 1

Bout of Books 16: TBR

Bout of Books 16 begins tomorrow! In anticipation of the read-a-thon, I figured I would go ahead and post my TBR, tentative as it is. I will be reading three books throughout the course of the week, each of which have already been started.

▫ Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre: I am only about 73 pages into this one so far, and it will probably be my priority this week, as I really need to get it read and reviewed.

▫ A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab: I started this book when it was released back in February, but my poorly timed reading slump has kept me from picking it back up. I am over halfway through, though, so I am hoping that reading a few pages throughout this next week will get me closer to finally finishing it. I am really enjoying what I have read so far, so I doubt I will take me much longer because I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS, EVERYONE HAS BEEN FREAKING OUT, OMG.

▫ Illuminae by Amy Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: Again, I picked this book up a few weeks ago, during my reading slump, and never finished it. I am almost a hundred pages in, though, and am really intrigued by the concept so far, so hopefully I can get a bit farther before the read-a-thon ends and form an actual, proper opinion.



What will you guys be reading?