April 2019 Wrap-Up

Hello everyone!

It's been quite a while since I've made a post for this blog. I've been busy getting ready to graduate so life has been a little hectic, but I'm hoping to be posting regularly again. With all that's been going on, I've still been able to read 5 books which isn't too bad. Sadly, I wasn't able to complete my O.W.L.'s which is really disappointing. There's always next year.

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review here.

Entwined by Heather Dixon

⭐⭐⭐

For Every One by Jason Reynolds

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

⭐⭐

Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

⭐⭐⭐⭐

What books did you read in April? Any new favorites?

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.

~Abby

Spring Book Recommendations

Hello everyone!

Spring is finally here, and what better way to celebrate than to share some books that are perfect for the spring time. In the spring, I like to read books that I can fly through and don't take too long to read since I'm on the go a lot. 

 

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.

~Abby

Review: Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie

Hello everyone!

I had the privilege of meeting Kathryn Purdie at Teen Author Boot Camp and knew I had to read her books as soon as possible. She's such an amazing person. Burning Glass is about a girl who is an empath. She can feel both emotions as well as physical pains. She is forced to become the Auraseer for the emperor and is caught between wanting to serve him but also work with the rebellion. It was oh so good! 

The characters were amazingly done. I didn't want to get too attached to anybody because I didn't know what secrets they were hiding. And the romance was so well done. I was fooled at the beginning of the book thinking she was falling for one brother when it actually ended up being the other brother all along which now makes perfect sense. They are such a perfect match for each other. 

What really intrigued me is how she can basically dig through someone's aura and detect what they are feeling. Her weakness though is that when surrounded by a large group of people, she can't discern whose aura is whose. I felt like I connected to her character so much. There was so much deceit and I couldn't put it down for hours on end.

I rated this book 4/5 stars. The only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is because some of the scenes got repetitive. Not to give away any spoilers, but when she visited the emperor I felt like she dealt with the same thing over and over with no resolution until the end. That was the most annoying part of the book, but other than that it was such a fun read. I highly suggest you check this book out. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!

Have you read Burning Glass? If so, what did you think of it?

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

~Abby

My Blog's Name in Books Tag

Hello everyone!

I saw this tag over at The Bibliophile Girl's blog and wanted to do it too. The rule is you can only do books that are on your TBR (physical or Goodreads) and you can't add books just to fit a letter.

ABBY'S

A - All the Light We Cannot See by Antony Doerr

B - The Bargaining by Carly Anne West

B - The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Y - You by Caroline Kepnes

S - Smoke and Summons by Charlie N. Holmberg

READING

R - The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

E - Eragon by Christopher Paolini

A - Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

D - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I - I Was Here by Gayle Forman

N - Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

G - The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

CORNER

C - Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

O - Once Upon Now by Various Authors

R - Reboot by Amy Tintera

N - Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks

E - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

R - Resistance by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Thanks for stopping by. Have a fantastic day.

~Abby

The Spring Cleaning Book Tag

Hello everyone!

I found this tag over at A Great Read's blog and decided it looked like fun.

The Struggle of Getting Started: A book/series that you have struggled to begin because of its size.

Compared to the other books in this series, War Storm is massive. I really want to read the finale because it's one of my favorite series, but its size has been keeping me away. I am determined to finish it this year though.

Cleaning Out the Closet: A book/series you *almost* want to unhaul.

Don't get me wrong, I still want to read this, but I haven't really heard anything about it since it first came out. The premise still interests me.

Opening the Windows and Letting Fresh Air In: A book that was refreshing.

This book makes you think just a little and it was a breath of fresh air after not being in the mood to read for a few weeks. The writing was also so unique and I loved it.

Washing Out Sheet Stains: A book you wish you could rewrite a certain scene in.

I won't reveal which scene so I don't give away spoilers, but it's towards the end of the book.

Throwing Out Unnecessary Nick-Nacks: A book in a series you didn't feel was necessary.

These books were so unnecessary, but I did enjoy them, just not as much as the original trilogy.

Polishing the Doorknobs: A book that had a clean finish.

This series was a roller-coaster, but I thought it ended quite nicely. It was a satisfying end to this series.

Reaching to Dust the Fan: A book that tried too hard to relay a certain message.

I'm sure pretty much everyone has heard of this book. I really liked it, even though most people didn't. But it did spend most of the book putting the blame on the thirteen people when Hannah was part of the reason as well.

The Tiring Yet Satisfying Finish of Spring Cleaning: A book series that was tiring yet satisfying to get through.

This trilogy was so worth the read. It took me a few weeks to get through, but I was so satisfied once finished. There's so much action and intrigue. 

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

~Abby

March 2019 Wrap-Up

Hello everyone!

This month has been insane in the fact that I've read so many books! A grand total of 11 books which is my highest monthly amount this year. Most of the books I read were either rated 4 or 5 stars, so I'd say this month was a really successful reading month.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry, and Tobias Iaconis

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review here.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett

⭐⭐⭐⭐

One Moment in Time by Lauren Barnholdt

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

⭐

Review here.

By Your Side by Kasie West

⭐⭐

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rook by Sharon Cameron
⭐⭐

What books did you read in March?

Thanks for stopping by. Have a nice day.

~Abby

Writing Advice I Received From Authors

Hello everyone!

This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to go to Teen Author Boot Camp. I got to meet so many amazing authors and I learned so much about how I can improve my writing. I thought I'd share some of the highlights with you all.

One of the major themes that was repeated from each class I went to was: Show, don't tell. When reading a book, you'd rather be shown what's going on rather than being told what is going on. It immerses the reader more into the story.

Ally Carter gave some great advice during her presentation:

• "A scene too boring to write is a scene too boring to read."
• Never compare your first draft to someone else's finished draft.
• Time is the best editor in the world.
• Find the writing process that works for you and your book.

Rosalyn Eves also taught a class about incorporating culture in your world:

• Don't introduce something until it's needed.
• You know everything about your world, the reader doesn't. Too much information at once can be overwhelming. "Less is more."
• If you want to incorporate a real culture that isn't yours you need to research it so you don't show disrespect towards it. The author recommended reading 100 books from that culture and then to ask yourself why your book should be a representation of that culture.

Kathryn Purdie taught a class about deep point of view:

• Imagine yourself as the character.
• Limit your marks of authorship. Things like "she thought" and "he saw" remind the reader that the author is behind the characters words and actions.
• Context clues the reader in on attitude, emotions, and actions. Trust the reader and your context.

Nicole Conway's class was about creating believable male characters:

• Don't let your story become an undressed mannequin meaning don't stick to one trope. You want to mix it up. Blending tropes is okay and makes your story even more unique and interesting.
• Avoid overthinking, especially if you are a female author writing in a male character's perspective. Men have a tendency to act before thinking and don't sit there thinking about their consequences. Keep their thoughts clear and straightforward.
• "Make dude writer friends to check your work."

Tiana Smith taught about putting a believable romance into your story:

• There's 4 elements you NEED to include: Conflict, Fulfill a Need, The "Spark", and The Physical Stuff.
• You need to build a wall as high as you can. If there was no conflict between the two love interests, what is the point of even reading the romance? Conflict makes things interesting.
• Explain emotions behind their actions.

J. Scott Savage taught about writing series:

• Create a series bible that is organized and can be expanded as needed.
• Your characters should always want something.
• What is the big reveal? What is the reveal for each book?

Michele Ashman's class was about incorporating the 5 senses into your writing:

• Sight: everything your character sees is what your reader sees
• Taste: what does it remind you of?
• Smell: evokes memories/emotions, most neglected in storytelling
• Sound: imagine the sounds as the soundtrack to your story
• Touch: adds extra dimension to the narrative
• Pay attention with your senses wherever you go so you can use those observations in your writing.

Brandon Mull concluded with some great advice:

• Create LIFE in your books/characters.
• Draw inspiration from your experiences.
• Be an honest observer.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors build their scenes, then practice.

Do any of you write books? If so, I'd love to hear about them.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.

~Abby

O.W.L.'s Magical Readathon TBR

Hello everyone!

Last year I participated in this readathon and wanted to do it again this year. Book Roast is the host, so you can find all the information on her channel.

This year, she has created a career sheet that explains what classes you need to take in order to receive that career. I've decided to take O.W.L.'s to become an astronomer. But I'm also going to read more books that fit other O.W.L.'s as well.

Astronomer:

Arithmancy (work written by more than one author) 

Astronomy ("star" in the title) 

History of Magic (published at least 10 years ago) 

Other Courses:

• Ancient Runes (retelling) - Phantom by Susan Kay (again)
• Care of Magical Creatures (land animal on the cover) - Esio Trot by Roald Dahl
• Charms (read an adult book) - The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
• Defense Against the Dark Arts (title that starts with "R") - Resistance by Jennifer A. Nielsen
• Divination (set in the future) - Shatter Me by Tehereh Mafi
• Herbology (plant on the cover) - The Cellar by Natasha Preston
• Muggle Studies (contemporary) - Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
• Potions (sequel) - Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas
• Transfiguration (red cover) - Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Now, obviously that's a lot of books. But the first three are the ones I for sure am going to make sure I read. The others are secondary and I won't be upset if I don't read any of them. 

Are you planning on participating in the O.W.L.'s?

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

~Abby

Best Retellings I've Read So Far

Hello everyone!

Retellings are one of my favorite plots to read about, so I thought I'd suggest a few today.

Roseblood by A.G. Howard

Roseblood is a Phantom of the Opera retelling, and in my opinion it was really well done. It added some really interesting twists to the original story which I really enjoyed. 

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

This trilogy is a Hades and Persephone retelling and was so well done. I loved how it incorporated all the Greek gods in this series and you got to see their personalities. I just really enjoyed this trilogy and if you enjoy Greek mythology, I think you'd enjoy this trilogy. The third book also made me cry so much.

Avalon High by Meg Cabot

Avalon High is a King Arthur retelling in modern day. The characters are high school students, but they have a connection to the original story. This retelling was such a fun one to read.

Austenland by Shannon Hale

As the title suggests, this novel revolves around Jane Austen's novels. It incorporates a lot of her plots, but more specifically Pride and Prejudice. It had so many funny scenes, and was overall a really enjoyable read. If you enjoy Jane Austen's novels, I suggest you check this book out.

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

The Princess Curse is a Twelve Dancing Princesses as well as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. The prince offers a reward to anyone who can reverse the curse on the princesses that causes them to dance each night. Everyone who has tried has fallen under a sleeping curse. Reveka rises to the occasion and it was such an amazing read. I highly suggest checking this one out.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

While this series may not be a conventional retelling, it pretty much is a retelling of The Bachelor. It has just as much drama and I love it. This series was so addicting.

I'm always on the lookout for a good retelling, so if you have any I'd love to hear what they are.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

~Abby

Review: A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Hello everyone!
I've heard many good things about A Study in Charlotte so I thought I'd give it a try. It's a Sherlock Holmes retelling which I thought would be really interesting. It follows Charlotte Holmes who is the descendant of the original Holmes, and James Watson who is the descendant of the original Watson. It is told in Watson's POV following the tradition of the original books, but I'll get more into that later. In this book they're trying to solve a murder of the school bully which they are being framed for. That all sounds interesting, but the execution was poorly done.

I don't even know where to start. There were just so many things in this book I disliked. I did really enjoy reading about Holmes deducting everything about a person. When she meets James, she basically tells him his whole life story without him telling her one thing which is insane to me! But that was really the only thing I liked in this book.

The chapters in this book were very long for the very little amount of action or events that occurred in each one. This book dragged sooooo much and didn't maintain my attention for very long. There was very little action throughout the whole book. Also, Watson seemed to be there more for convenience than anything. He didn't really add anything to the story (in my opinion) besides being the descendant of Watson. 

Also, Holmes was addicted to drugs and hosted poker games. She was only a teenager and these things are treated as if they're normal and okay which was not fine with me. I understand why she did it, but at the same time it made me more detached from the story. They just did things that no teenager would normally do. 

So, based on all that, I ended up giving this book 1 out of 5 stars. I see why some people would enjoy it, but I personally really disliked this book. I feel like if the author had taken a different approach to this concept I would've enjoyed it a lot more. There are like three other books in this series, but I don't plan on continuing at all after reading this first book.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.

~Abby