April Wrap-Up... AKA I Read a Shit Ton of Books This Month!

Hello all!

I hope you had an awesome April! It seems like it lasted so long, but it's over so soon too! I have read a whole bunch of books this month. Honestly, I thought I read some of them last month, but my GoodReads page says otherwise. I guess I'll stick to what that says!

Anyway, I read a total of 11 books and an essay this month. So, let's get on to the Wrap-Up.

The first book I read this month, or rather finished, was Wicked by Gregory Maguire. This book honestly did not live up to my expectations. It is a very seldom instance when I enjoy an adaption over the book. This is one of those instances. I prefer the Broadway adaption rather than the book. I think this may be because of the explicitness of the book, but I'm not sure. I have the second book, but I think I'll hold off on reading it for a little while. I gave it three stars.

The second book I read was Cinderella's Dress by Shonna Slayton. This was one of my favorite books that I read this month. I honestly thought it was going to be a fairytale retelling of Cinderella. But it wasn't. Basically, it was about this family who is the protectors of the three Cinderella Dresses (the ACTUAL dresses). It takes place during WWII and the main character's great aunt and uncle comes to the states from Poland with these dresses and are handing them down to the next generation. It was a really enjoyable book. I gave it four stars.

Next, I read The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. I also watched the movie and did a joint-review of the two which you can find under the tags Silver Linings Playbook and Matthew Quick for easy access to them. See that to learn my thoughts on the book! I gave it a four star rating.

After that, I read, or rather finished, Macbeth by William Shakespeare. I had to read this one for school. It was honestly one of the better Shakespeare plays that I read in my school career. Either that, or I've just grown to like Shakespeare more as I've gotten older. I gave Macbeth a three star rating.

Next, I picked up the Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick. This consists of Hush Hush, Crescendo, Silence, and Finale. Honestly, I don't think the titles go with the story at all. It's basically a twilight-esque love story between a fallen angel and a mortal. Don't get me wrong, Hush Hush was one of the best books I've read so far this year. But the rest of the series (and especially the last book) got too much like Twilight for my taste. Twilight is an okay book, but the similarities were there.... to the point where the main love interest has lots of money, several expensive cars, overly eloquent houses, and takes it upon himself to see that the main protagonist is safe. During the last book, I rolled my eyes several times. I gave Hush Hush a five star rating, but Crescendo and Silence got four, and Finale got three.

This was the time that I was admitted into the hospital to have my appendix out. That was an experience in itself, let me tell you. But in the three days I was in the hospital, I read two full books. They were just simple ones with easy to follow story lines, but they kept me occupied whilst there. I read Wicked Little Secrets and Deadly Little Sins by Kara Taylor. These are the last two books in the Prep-School Confidential books and they are actually pretty good. If you like the Gallaghar Girls Series by Aly Carter, I think you would enjoy these as well. I'm not going to go into the books, since they are at the end of a series, but I gave them four and three stars, respectively.

It was then that I was forced to pick up A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift. This is the man that wrote Gulliver's Travels, so I thought this piece of satire would be an okay read. No, it was not. He is writing that to control the population problem in Ireland, that people EAT BABIES. What has the school system come to? I gave this one star.

Lastly, I read Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. I thought this book was very insightful. I, as someone who has never encountered the Prison or Legal System, thought that we are shown how women can come together as a family and become protectors of secrets and each other. Now, the book is slightly different than the Netflix Original Series. They use different names and there is A LOT less sexual content. Aside from using the F-Bomb a gazillion times, the most sexually explicit scene was when she explains how these two inmates were bringing in contraband, which turned out to be a box full of Dilldos. *shrugs* It wasn't bad. I gave it four stars.

As for Dewey's Read-A-Thon, I'm marking it as a fail. When I was awake that day, I ate and took medicine, and then went back to bed. Oh well. I'll try again in October. :)

And my appendix? I'm recovering quite well. I'm still a slow mover and can't bend over yet. But I'm mobile and am walking around much easier. I get my staples out next Thursday.

And one last thing.......... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEST FRIEND BROOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday Reads, Dewey's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon & Appendicitis!

Hello all! Tomorrow is the Dewey's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon and I will be participating in as much of it as I can! I'm not going to even attempt to read for the complete 24 hours, however. Why, you may ask? Yesterday, I had the pleasure of having my appendix out! Now, recovery may be the perfect time to get some reading done, and believe me, I have (I've finished two books in the past few days!). However, when it's time for my pain medicine, I zonk out for a few hours and can't concentrate on a book. I might invest in an audio book for this RAT, but I'm not sure yet.

Anyway, what am I planning on reading this weekend? I think I've decided on two books. I've already started Deadly Little Sins by Kara Taylor. It's the third in a trilogy (I think, but don't quote me on that.) called Prep School Confidential. The trilogy is pretty good. :)

The second book I'm planning on reading is Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. I'm obsessed with the Netflix series, so to prepare for the new season coming out, I though I would read the book! I'll let you know what I think of it!

Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. I'm not going to have a end of the week/beginning of the week update up again. I'm just going to take some time for some good ole fashioned R&R. I'll have an update up for you soon however!

Type at you later!

Shea

P.S. You can find all of the Dewey's RAT info here!

Book Problems TAG

Hello all! I'm bored, so I thought I would do another tag. :) Oh, the joys of being sick!

Anyway, today I am going to do the Book Problems Tag! (Originally created by About to Read on YouTube and I was not tagged. I thought this would just be fun to do as it is raining and I am sick. Lovely!)

Anyway, ON TO THE QUESTIONS!

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR pile. How on Earth do you decide what to read next?

I think if I were ever faced with this problem, I would have to result in using my TBR jar. I am usually a mood reader, but I think this case would be perfect for the use of a TBR jar. But, writing/typing out all of those book titles to put into the jar would be a pain in the butt, don't you think?

2. You're halfway through a book and you're not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

Hmmm.... Usually, I would DNF a book like that. Unless it's a book that I've been invested in and want to know how it ends. At a time like this, I would put the book aside and pick it up down the road  again.

3. It's the end of the year, and you're so close, yet so far from your GoodReads Reading Challenge. Do you try to catch up now?

This question makes me laugh because this very situation happened to me last year. In December, I was about eleven books away from my reading goal. I managed to finish it by plowing through a bunch of really awesome books! :D So, I guess the answer to this question would be that I would try to catch up.

4. The covers of a series you love do not match. How do you cope?

*Siiiiiiiigh* I am currently dealing with this situation right now with my Vampire Academy books. Most of my books are the ones with a person on the cover. But, I didn't have the complete series and when I went to my local Books-A-Million, they had the other covers. I don't really mind because they all have the same story in them, but I would like uniformity on my shelves. So, eventually I will pick up the other covers off of the Book Depository website or something like that. But for right now, I'm okay with it.

5. Everyone and their mother loves a book that you hate. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

In this case, I suppose I would find someone on GoodReads that has reviewed/rated the book same as I had and I would talk with them about it. And then try to avoid videos/blog posts mentioning the book at all costs! ;P

6. You're reading in public and you're about to start crying. How do you deal?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Public! You're so funny.

7. A sequel to a book you love is coming out, but you've forgotten the plot of the previous book. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on GoodReads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?!

This one's easy. I would re-read the previous book. If it's a book I love, why would I have a problem with re-reading it?

8. You do not want anyone, ANYONE, borrowing your books. How do you tell them no?

This is a hard one because I haven't had someone ask me to borrow my books (unless you count my mother, who lives in the same house as I do and I can keep an eye on my book.) I guess I would just ask them to be extra careful with them and if they ruin it, would they please replace it?

9. Reading ADD. You've picked up and put down five different books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

Either read a book I know I love or watch tons of different reviews to find a new book that I know I'll love.

10. There are so many good books coming out that you want to read. How many do you actually buy?

I usually wait until they come onto BookOutlet or someone is selling one on Amazon or half.com at a really good price.

11. After you've bought the new books you can't wait to read, how long do they sit on your shelf before you actually read them?

Now, that depends on how many books I've actually bought. If I've only bought one or two books, I'll pick them up pretty much right away. If I've hauled a giant pile of books, they could sit on my shelves for weeks and months.

Well, I hope you liked this tag. I may or may not have another post up tomorrow. Sorry I didn't have a Beginning of the Week or End of the Week Update up this week. I wound up in the hospital with an infection, so I've been recovering. Nothing too serious. I'm fine and have been reading a lot. :)

I guess that's everything for now. I'm going to dive into Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick because I've got about 50 pages left and really want to finish it tonight!

Type at you later!

Shea

The Royal Court Tag

Hi guys! Today, I'm going to be doing the Royal Court Tag (Originally by Janna Marie on YouTube). There are ten questions total that pertain to book characters and I thought I would share my thoughts with you!

And now, presenting.....

THE ROYAL COURT!

1. The King (Who is your favorite Male lead character?)

Hmmm... I have a lot of favorite Male characters. But, if I had to pick my favorite LEAD character, I would pick Harry from Harry Potter. I don't mean to be biased, because Harry Potter is my favorite series, and I'll try to keep as many of those characters off of this list, but Harry is legitimately one of my favorite characters in a book. He's so sassy and funny in the books and so, he is my King.

2. The Queen (Who is your favorite Female lead character?)

Again, hard to choose. I think I would have to choose Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. Rose is just such a kick-ass girl and the way that she is protective of Lissa is just such a great thing. I kind of look up to her as a sort of a role model.

3. The First Prince (Who do you think is the most loyal Male character?)

My opinion on the most loyal male character is Peta from the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Peta is loyal to Katniss even though he is embarrassed by her. Peta keeps up a good front and protects Katniss in the Games and even after them. He even keeps a good watch out for Haymitch and his drinking.

4. The Second Prince (Who do you think is the most laid-back male character?).

For this one, I would have to go with Agustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars. I mean think about it, this guy is eighteen years old and he has terminal cancer. He's not going completely out of control. He has mentally prepared himself and I think that makes him just perfect.

5. The Headstrong Princess (Who do you think is a headstrong female character?)

For this, I would have to pick Karou from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone quartet by Lani Taylor. Karou is very headstrong. All she wants to do is be an artist and hang out with her best friend, Zuzanna, but Brimstone has her running all over the world collecting teeth and then she has to help settle this war between races. Headstrong? I think yes.

6. The King's Advisor (Who do you think is the most trustworthy male character?)

I think this would have to be Wolf from the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Now, I haven't read the entire series yet, but in Scarlet he is really trustworthy and helpful to Scarlet.

7. The Duke and Duchess (Who is your OTP?)

Okay, here's another Harry Potter one. But Ginny/Harry will always be my OTP. <3

8. Lady/Gentleman in Waiting of the Bedchamber (Who do you think is the best supporting character?)

I'm going with Tiny from Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Leviathan. He's just so amazing and comfortable with himself. His character really helps both Will Graysons and just makes me smile over all.

9. The Secret Traitor (Who do you think is the most untrustworthy character?)

Just gonna say it... President Snow from the Hunger Games. 'Nuff said.

10. Court Wizard (Who is your favorite character with magical abilities?)

Juliette from the Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi. Again, I haven't finished the entire trilogy, but I love her powers. She is just such a good person with her powers (in the first book) and just wants to learn how to control them.

11. The Royal Fool (Who do you think is the funniest character?)

I'm going to go with Pumpkin from the May Bird trilogy. This is one of my favorite trilogies from growing up. Pumpkin is just so awkward and he adds comedy to this story. I really enjoy him as a character.

12. The Gossiping Lady's Maid (What character is most likely to spread rumors?)

I'm going with another blast from my past. I'm going to pick Massie Block from the Clique Series by Lisi Harrison. She is really a bitch and spreads rumors anyway, so I thought she would be the perfect pick for this one!

13. The Handsome Servant (What male character is most likely to seduce a female character?)

Okay, this is kind of backwards because I'm actually going with someone royal. Prince Maxon from The Selection series. He really does seduce several female characters so I thought he'd be perfect for this one!

Well, this was The Royal Court Tag. I hope you guys enjoyed it and I'll check back in soon!

Type at you later!

Shea    

The Silver Linings Playbook Book/Movie Adaptation Review

Hello guys! I know this was supposed to go up on Sunday, but I've been having trouble with my Mac and this is the first time I was able to get to a different computer to type this up! Anyway, today I am bringing you my Silver Linings Playbook Book/Movie Adaptation Dual-Review.

So, let's talk about the book first. It was really good. It was the first book that I read that had anything to do with Adult Mental Illness. And, speaking from personal experience, I know how mental illness is perceived. I thought the way it was handled in this book was done really well.

We meet our main character, Pat, the day his mother checks him out of a Mental Institution. He has the idea in his head that he must get back into shape and look good so that his wife will get back together with him. All we know at the beginning of the book is that they are having "apart-time".

Pat begins to see a therapist as one of the conditions on him being released from the "bad place" as he calls it. Pat and his therapist really bond and they become close friends. Especially over their favorite football team, the Eagles. Turns out, Pat's brother has season tickets to the home games and so does the therapist. They aren't therapist and patient when they are talking about football, they are friends. That was something I really enjoyed.

But then, Pat meets Tiffany. Tiffany is Pat's best friend's wife's sister. They are trying to set Pat up on a date with Tiffany because Tiffany's husband was killed and Pat's wife has divorced him, though Pat doesn't know. (I don't know if you would count that as a spoiler or not... It's hinted at right in the beginning of the book...). The two have a special kind of friendship. They bond over the fact that they are both seeing a therapist. Tiffany says she can get a letter to Pat's wife for him and he takes her up on this offer. But, she has an ultimatum for him. Pat must help Tiffany in a dance competition.

Pat agrees to this and then he begins writing the letters to his wife. Tiffany reads them to her over the phone and then writes her replies to Pat and then delivers them to Pat. The only problem is that it doesn't go so well in the end.

At the end of the story, things aren't all hunky-dory for Pat, but they're all right. It's not a happy ending per-say, but it's satisfying. I gave the story a four out of five stars.

Now, the movie on the other hand, really bothered me. It was practically nothing like the book. It had the same basic story line, and same characters. But things were in a mixed up order. And they didn't spend as much time obsessed with football (which I liked because I'm not a football person). I think I would give the movie a three maybe three and a half star out of five. It really wasn't one of the best.

But, I think that's all for now.

I'll type at you later!

Shea

Extended Easter Haul!

Hello everybody! I hope this post finds you well! I have another book haul for you today! :)

I received some money for Easter and instead of spending it on candy, which I would just eat and then be sad when it was gone, I got my fanny on BookOutlet and purchased some books. I'm quite happy with them. 

I got a total of three books for around $15 (which is why BookOutlet ROCKS!).

I FINALLY got the rest of the LUX series by Jennifer L. Armentrout and I can't wait to have a bit of a marathon read of the whole series. I got the new bind-up edition of the third and fourth to match my copy of the first and second and of course I got the new copy of the fifth book, Opposition. So if you think about it, I really got four books!! :D

The next book I got was the third book in the Prep School Confidential Series by Kara Taylor. I'm kind of obsessed with this series and haven't seen it going around very much. But I hope that will change. Anyway, the book is called Deadly Little Sins.

So, that's it. I have a fun post planned for later on this week, but I will have my joint-review of the Silver Linings Playbook (Book/Movie versions) up sometime tomorrow!

I hope you are having a good weekend! 

Type at you later!

Shea

End of the Week Update

Hello all! I hope you had a great week! I had a great week as far as reading goes. I managed to finish two books, Cinderella's Dress by Shonna Slayton. It was pretty good. I think I gave it a four out of five star rating on GoodReads. I was expecting it to be more of a retelling of Cinderella, but it wasn't. But I'll get more into that in my wrap-up at the end of the month. :)

The second book I finished was The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. I was really impressed with the book, but not so much the movie. The stories just didn't match up like I was expecting. But Jennifer Lawrence was awesome! :)

I also was able to start Dead Girl's Detective Agency by Suzy Cox. I only got about 25 pages into it before I feel asleep last night, but I'm going to pick that up when I'm done writing this.

What have you read this week? Anything good?

I'm hoping to have a joint review of The Silver Linings Playbook book and movie up sometime tomorrow or Sunday. Keep checking back!

Type at you later!

Shea

T5W: Books You Wanted to Start Yesterday

Hello everybody!

Here is my first post for Top 5 Wednesdays!!!! The theme this week is "Books You Wanted to Start Yesterday". Basically any books you wanted to pick up by now!

For me, they are

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

2. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

3. Paper Towns by John Green

4. The Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare

5. The Lord of the Rings Series by J.R.R. Tolkien

Now here's a question, Would you like me to elaborate on my choices or leave them just as they are in a list format? Please let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,

Type at you later!

Shea

Beginning of the Week Update!

Hello all! I hope you've had a great weekend! My school has the day off today, so I decided I would work on a couple of posts for you guys!! Here is my Beginning of the week Update!

So, this weekend, I was able to finish Wicked by Gregory Macguire. It was not at all what I expected it to be. I will have a full discussion up on it either later today or tomorrow.

But, that's all I read. I had about 100 pages left. But, I am one step closer to finishing my goal of reading 10 adult books this year! Woo hoo!!!

I'm going to dive into Cinderella's Dress by Shonna Slayton next, because I already started it. It's actually pretty good, but I'm only about 50 pages in. I'll keep you updated!

Type at you later!

Shea

Easter Haul!

Hello everybody and Happy Easter to all who celebrate it!

I was lucky enough to receive a few books for Easter from the Easter Bunny and my Aunt. I thought I would share the ones I got with you.

First off, from my Aunt I received two John Green books. I got Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns.

 Then, from the Easter Bunny, I was lucky enough to get four books and a few makeup items. 

The first book I got was the Maze Runner by James Dashner. I've heard mixed things about this, but I'm still excited to read it and to find out what the story is all about. 

The next book that I got was Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. I'm so excited to read this. I love the Netflix series and I can't wait for the show to come back on. I think I'm going to pick this up next, but I'm not sure. 

The last book I got, I'm so super duper excited for. I got City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. And this means, I'VE FINALLY FINISHED THE SHADOW HUNTER CHRONICLES SERIES!!!!! I'm so excited. I want to marathon the entire series eventually, but I'm just excited I've gotten this book! 

I got one more bookish item. I got a bookmark from Books A Million that says, "Let Go and Let God". This is one of my favorite quotes. I'm going to try to find a picture somewhere. But if I can't, I'll post a picture from my phone. 

The last thing I got for Easter was some makeup from E.L.F. cosmetics. I got one of their new smudge pots in Ain't That Sweet, a lipstick in Flirty and Fabulous, and a new liquid eyeliner in Jet Black

. I love the E.L.F. cosmetics liquid eyeliner and I've had mine for quite a while and I needed a new one. So, I was excited to find one in my easter basket.  
                             

I hope you all had a great Easter if you celebrate and I'll have a beginning of the week update up tomorrow. 

Type at you later!

Shea

End of the Week Update

Hello all!

This week, I didn't read as much as I was hoping to. I had so much to do between school and appointments. It was just a really long week for me. But, I was able to read some more of Wicked! I'm up to page 300 or so and the story is still really good. I'm hoping to be able to see the play on Broadway soon *crosses fingers*.

I also started Cinderella's Dress. I'm only about 20 pages in. But I'll keep you updated there as well!

How about you? What has your reading week been like?

Type at you later!

Shea

My Reading Style AKA ULTIMATE BOOK TAG!

Hello all! I thought it would be fun for me to tell you guys a little bit more about my reading style. To fit this, I found the ULTIMATE BOOK TAG! (I found it on wattpad from the user DarkChickie). I hope you enjoy!

And now, onto the questions!!!!! :D

1. Do you get sick while reading in the car?

I don't really know. I did as a kid and haven't tried it in a while. But with that being said, I don't travel very far very often. The furthest I travel is about an hour, and that's really early in the morning and I sleep on the way there.

2. Which author's writing style is unique to you?

I really like the writing style of Ellen Hopkins. If you don't know, she writes all of her books in verse. I've read only one other book written in verse (I don't remember the name of it... Sorry). But there is a lot of tough stuff in her books. So, I would watch some reviews if you could be triggered by suicide and mental illness. (Note: I've only read Rumble by her, but own three more of her books and they are on my TBR to read soon!)

3. Harry Potter or Twilight? Give three reasons why.

Harry Potter, le duh! And my reasons are in the words of Mr. Stephen King...

"Harry Potter is about confronting fears, finding inner strength, and doing what is right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend."

4. Do you carry a book bag? If so, what (besides books) do you keep in it?

I currently don't carry a book bag as of right now. But when I attended traditional school, I carried a Jansport that was purple with polka dots on it. Inside I didn't really keep anything besides school books and pencils and paper.... I'm kinda boring.

5. Do you smell your books?

Okay, if this was any other community this would be a weird question. But I know that most of us out there in the reading community smell our new books. C'mon, don't lie. You know you love the smell of a new book! :D

6. Books with or without illustrations?

I guess not. I haven't gotten onto the graphic novel band wagon and the other books with pictures that I like are like photographs. Not illustrations.

7. What book did you love whilst reading it, but later discovered the writing wasn't all that good?

This question made me laugh out loud. When I was in middle school, I LOVED The Clique Series by Lisi Harrison. Now looking back, I don't know why I liked it. It was really crap writing and had no real plot line. Oh well, it's in the past now.

8. Do you have any funny stories about books from your childhood? Please share?

I asked this directly to my mother. She said she has no idea and to ask my aunt instead. Thanks, mom.

9.  What is the thinnest book on your shelf?

No Jumping on the Bed by Tedd Arnold. And the best part? It's signed!

10. What is the thickest book on your shelf?

Hmmm...... The Host by Stephanie Meyer, I believe.

11. Do you write as well as read?

I used to. I kind of fell out of practice I guess. That, or I have a giant writer's block!

12. When did you get into reading?

I started reading when I was about 5. But I didn't really start reading proactively until about fourth grade.

13. What is your favorite classic novel?

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!!!

14. In school, was your best subject English?

Of course!

15. If you were given a book as a present that you had already read and hated, what would you do?

Hmmm.... I don't know. Most of the books that I receive as presents, I picked out myself. So I've never had that kind of situation presented to me. I guess I would smile and say thank you. ;)

16. What is your favorite lesser known series?

The fairytale retellings by Alex Flinn. I don't know if that's considered a series or a set of companion novels, but they're awesome!

17. What is a bad habit (besides rambling) that you do while filming?

Filming? What is filming?

18. What is your favorite word?

I had to ask my mom for this one. And so she suggested to use a therapy technique. Oh mother...... :)

19. Are you a nerd, dork, or dweeb? Or all of the above?

ALL OF THE ABOVE!!!!!

20. Vampires or Faires?

Hmmm... I haven't read many books about fae, so I don't think I'll be able to answer this one truthfully. At least, not yet. :)

21. Shapeshifters or Angels?

Same as the last question. Haven't read many books on either subject. So, I don't really know.

22. Spirits or Wearwolves?

Spirits.

23. Zombies or Vampires?

Vampires!

24. Love Triangle or Forbidden Love?

Forbidden love! I love to find out how the lovers make their love work and how they stay together!

And FINALLY,

25. Romance or Action with romance sprinkled in?

I'm not a big Romance Girl, so Action! :)

I hope you guys enjoyed this! I'll have another post up soon!

Type at you later!

Shea