tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55983143424978628522024-03-13T17:46:06.030-07:00Just Another Story~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.comBlogger547125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-47127281585446470272018-05-20T12:40:00.000-07:002018-05-20T12:40:15.583-07:00Stefanie's Thoughts: Ready Player One<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uePETuilbEfEu2vOKvrbDjiBJ4lFJCBzWKIgspNeMpO-ujg335p7WPHlrzwxkzjoV8A0Rya_C44uK2Snm5qW6ixBlIkneCBLkKs7Rqsy_MThN-grbVhBgCYnvqn6av4hWuDzn1EQEpQ/s1600/9969571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uePETuilbEfEu2vOKvrbDjiBJ4lFJCBzWKIgspNeMpO-ujg335p7WPHlrzwxkzjoV8A0Rya_C44uK2Snm5qW6ixBlIkneCBLkKs7Rqsy_MThN-grbVhBgCYnvqn6av4hWuDzn1EQEpQ/s320/9969571.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
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<i>In the year 2045, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage
Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual
utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the
puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are
based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past
and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.
When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by
players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and
if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real
world he's always been so desperate to escape.</i></div>
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Hey everyone,</div>
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So I did something I normally don't: I watched the movie version before I read the book. This is a very rare occurrence for me (I even have a bag from Chapters that says the book was better..). But seeing the movie just worked out better for this one: plus my hold for the book at the library wasn't ready for pickup yet. </div>
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This book took for me 18 days to read, which also never happens. With everything going on in my life right now, reading took a back seat (but I did end up reading the last section in a day so there's that at least) but that pesky reminder from the library about needing to return this in three days really got me to speed read the last portion of it.</div>
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I really enjoyed Ready Player One from the start. I found the prologue a bit wordy, but chapter one got the adventure going. I loved the crazy and random 80s pop culture references, personally, my two favorite references were the ones that referred to Quidditch and the other about Ewoks. A side note: I'm obsessed with Ewoks, even have one from Disneyland that I made sure I bought when I last went to Disneyland. The 80s music references were also great and honestly had me singing those songs in my head after they were mentioned. I've read some reviews that say they hated all the constant references and found it took away from the story, but I found them to be rather pleasant!<br />
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After around the search for the second clue is where my interest faded. I found the chapters to go from amazing and holding my attention, to me skipping through them hoping it would get better. I don't know why this sudden change happened; it almost felt like two different authors wrote this book from this point. The writing was inflated and this was when the constant references felt they brought the story down and slowed the pace.<br />
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I found our main character Wade grew super annoying as the book went on. he at first seemed like the guy next door you can side with and want to be friends with; he then slowly turned into this, I don't even know how to describe it, almost like that guy at school you want to avoid at all costs because he's some massive annoying jerk.<br />
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Artemis was my favorite character, both in the movie and book. She had this whole level I could relate to going for her. Being the only female character in a male driven story has that going for her. She wasn't some weak character, but was kick ass at everything.<br />
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What I did discover was the massive differences between the movie and the book. I actually had to check with my sister at times if what had happened in the book was portrayed in the movie (most times being nope. My sister has only seen the movie, keep in mind). I eventually got to the point of telling her all of the differences between the two, just to show her how different they are.<br />
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I felt that the movie was better; unpopular opinion I'm sure, but don't hate.The movie's first scene was epic in 3D and the plot had me completely engrossed, especially for a 2 hour and 20 minute movie. Even my sister liked it and she hates long movies (with the exception of Harry Potter).<br />
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So if I had to choose between the book or movie, this is the rare time the book wasn't better. A couple of the people I've spoken to since finishing both are pretty shocked at by opinion, but hey, can't impress everyone.<br />
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I'll find myself probably re-watching the movie and I was curious about reading Cline's second book, also sci-fi, but I'm not sure. I don't want it to start off so amazingly to end with disappointment.<br />
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I'll be off trying to figure out book to read next. I still can't believe that this took me so long to get through...<br />
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Until my next review,<br />
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Stefanie<br />
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Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-61599799363470948032018-05-17T19:26:00.002-07:002018-05-17T19:26:22.117-07:00Sara's Recent Reads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHe8qGhPAcoKot3pfVM7BgwJ4JKvCuUcC5qNwKXKcMou8QVDWRJETgK8VwuCVtVzeaa-tn-pPMU20yYKRkbsjRSgox7YrV8XOVrLZmPwt-7zK_1IM414Ud5qKQI_k3hJ4YyRtL8lX8QDJ/s1600/Recent+Reads.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHe8qGhPAcoKot3pfVM7BgwJ4JKvCuUcC5qNwKXKcMou8QVDWRJETgK8VwuCVtVzeaa-tn-pPMU20yYKRkbsjRSgox7YrV8XOVrLZmPwt-7zK_1IM414Ud5qKQI_k3hJ4YyRtL8lX8QDJ/s320/Recent+Reads.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hello Friends,<br />
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<b>A Mini Update</b>: It has been another hot minute since I posted anything. I think the last time you've seen anything from me was back in March for my February/March wrap up. To be honest, I just didn't feel like blogging. I didn't want to sit down and write a review - no one seems to read them anyways, and I didn't have any other clever content ideas. I just didn't have anything, which was really discouraging. So, I took a break. Which was good. I kind of removed myself from all things bookish and blogging and just read! I haven't even been tracking my "stats" in my bookish bullet journal. I just read what I wanted, when I wanted. I didn't focus on my lists or goals or any of that stuff. It was glorifying and freeing. This made me SO excited to read, and boy did I: I read/listened to 25 books in the last six weeks. For me, that's a lot of books.<br />
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So here I am, all fired up again, and ready to slowly start blogging again. I wasn't sure what I would come back with, so I thought that instead of doing my monthly recap, I would just share what I have been reading, and what's stood out to me. This is a start. I still have thoughts about blogging, and how much I have to give, but I am not gone yet.<br />
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<i>Then She was Gone</i> by Lisa Jewell<br />
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This one I have 4.5 stars on Goodreads. I had read Jewell's previous book some time last year and really enjoyed it. I had heard really good things about this one from a friend who read it in the UK. She adored it. I was pretty eager to get my hands on this newest thriller. So, I was pretty stoked to have won this one from Goodreads. I read it pretty quickly after receiving it, and boy did it live up to the hype. It's not a complicated story, and in all honesty, it's pretty predictable. But somehow, Jewell sucks you in and keeps you there. She writes characters that you care about it.<br />
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<i>Young Jane Young</i> by Gabrielle Zevin<br />
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Last year, Zevin's book, <i>The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry</i> was one my top five books of the year. It absolutely blew me away. I was pretty excited to get my little hands on this. While I enjoyed it. I was kind of surprised with how little actually happens in this story. Don't let that keep you from checking this one out though. The characters are delightful and the writing is sweet and easy to read. I flew through this, and was completely charmed by it. I gave it four stars.<br />
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<i>The Alchemist</i> by Paulo Coelho<br />
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This was our most recent book club read. It was a random choice for us, I absolutely loved it. This book says so much, and I really appreciated it. It sort of reminded me of <i>The Little Prince</i>- it gave me the same feels. I am sure a good number of you have already read this book, and are very familiar with it, so I don't need to go on and on about it. But I would recommend this to every one- particularly those who are in the process of making any kind of decision. It really puts things into perspective.<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1517328945l/31076583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1517328945l/31076583.jpg" width="131" /></a><i> A Court of Frost and Starlight</i> by Sarah J. Maas<br />
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This- I had been waiting for this. And I have to say, I was royally disappointed. I know this wasn't supposed to be an epic tale. I knew it was supposed to be a fun story that kind of filled space. What I did expect though, was a story. And that didn't really exist. <i>ACOFAS</i> was just kind of boring. However, I did enjoy spending time with characters I loved, and experiencing the light banter. But that was about it. To be honest, this certainly felt a little like a cash grab. But I am trash for this series and I'll probably read it forever.<br />
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<i>The Astonishing Color of After</i> by Emily X.R. Pan<br />
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This is my most recent read. and another one I rated highly: 4.5 Stars. The writing in this one was beautiful. The story itself was heavy and heart breaking. Leigh's mother has taken her life, and she now finds herself revisiting her mother's life. This story addresses grief, and it's painful and it was an incredible novel. <br />
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I wasn't expecting to list five books, but it just happened that way. But those are the five books that have stuck out to me in the last number of weeks. I have some pretty exciting (to me) reading plans. But, I am not putting any pressure on myself. I don't want reading to feel like a chore (otherwise I won't do it).<br />
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I hope you enjoyed, share with me what you've been reading and enjoying. I would love to know.<br />
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~Happy Reading Everyone <br />
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~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-89993003882605159842018-04-04T12:21:00.000-07:002018-04-04T12:21:50.487-07:00Stefanie's March Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZJ78LdtSMIG_OOq0kv0NLmFzXHcUFw1UPKsSwN0JTYVqLHzbYBSsaL_91soDUWhzanLvyzO7R11PUCzNbfDfEXXRqdAQlZPRD4Zhng1fQYc7MCmO5kTHpkmfc_WOYgbYnEXsbQL3g9M/s1600/77356-Goodbye-March.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZJ78LdtSMIG_OOq0kv0NLmFzXHcUFw1UPKsSwN0JTYVqLHzbYBSsaL_91soDUWhzanLvyzO7R11PUCzNbfDfEXXRqdAQlZPRD4Zhng1fQYc7MCmO5kTHpkmfc_WOYgbYnEXsbQL3g9M/s320/77356-Goodbye-March.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's April! Annie's got me good with April Fools, sending out an email about them changing their mascot and making it more Millennial friendly, choosing a llama as their new mascot. I almost flipped out, until they emailed the next day saying it was April Fool's...shows you how I haven't been paying attention to the months or days so far. </div>
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March was a slower month for reading, even with Spring Break. I hit another reading slump and nothing I started was working out for me (this even happened with movies and a couple TV shows I tried to watch), but the one thing I did end up reading was <i>Annihilation</i>. After watching the movie I thought maybe reading the book would make me less confused about the universe. I think after reading the book I'm even more confused. I thought about trying to read book 2, but I've accepted defeat. Science and me really were never friends. </div>
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<b>What I Read in March:</b></div>
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<i>Reaper </i>by Kyra Leigh</div>
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<i>Adultolescence </i>by Gabbi Hanna</div>
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<i>Love, Life and the List </i>by Kasie West</div>
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<i>Swearing Is Good For You </i>by Emma Bryne</div>
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<i>Unearthed </i>by Amie Kaufman and Meghan Spooner</div>
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<i>Staying Stylish </i>by Candace Cameron Bure</div>
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<i>Milk and Homey </i>by Ravi Kaur</div>
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<i>Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World </i>by Rachel Ignotofsky</div>
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<i>New York </i>by Megan Hess</div>
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<i>Nothing But the Truth </i>by Vicky Pattison</div>
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<i>Simple Tips to Live Beautifully </i>by Pippa O'Connor</div>
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<i>Annihilation </i>by Jeff VanderMeer</div>
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<b>Total: 12</b></div>
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<b>Books of the Month:</b></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvuOsTNNarU9b44aJS5r4QIp_t_9gkzTp2y1qongAltwpCFcM_i9uCc9FCtoQc-h4OYceJfpsdv_LykBrjULzLR78nPsi8iwOFb9ybhJDvl5rG9eHviPNYhjmQ_Bou2UGXaPDf-ZDJgA/s1600/27405561.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvuOsTNNarU9b44aJS5r4QIp_t_9gkzTp2y1qongAltwpCFcM_i9uCc9FCtoQc-h4OYceJfpsdv_LykBrjULzLR78nPsi8iwOFb9ybhJDvl5rG9eHviPNYhjmQ_Bou2UGXaPDf-ZDJgA/s200/27405561.jpg" width="167" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCa-9y8iqhBcd1ki_ZoZJTSCc7LS3SKF9-3zk077vop6Aq8OvEftzILMCZTmkkQX1fyHVNmdyjeGArBdyMnExhlFl5BvREKPbbTMBbRecSBf0HA4bvvlJV9wAXBTz3ofabVlx1wuEL3Ws/s1600/35520012.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCa-9y8iqhBcd1ki_ZoZJTSCc7LS3SKF9-3zk077vop6Aq8OvEftzILMCZTmkkQX1fyHVNmdyjeGArBdyMnExhlFl5BvREKPbbTMBbRecSBf0HA4bvvlJV9wAXBTz3ofabVlx1wuEL3Ws/s200/35520012.jpg" width="131" /></a></b></div>
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<b>Favorite Movies of March:</b></div>
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without meaning to, these all seem to have pink covers. I watched one, <i>The Loved Ones</i>, that I think might have been the most bizarre movie I have ever seen...if you are a horror fan I would recommend you check it out. I saw Sherlock Gnomes in theatre, which was interesting to say the least. </div>
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According to my day planner I seemed to have done a lot. We had Spring Spirit Week the week before Spring Break. My personal favorite day is Throwback Day, where I went all out glitter and side ponytail, with a pineapple t-shirt dress. </div>
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I went to an Escape Room with a group of friends and we were able to make it out with just a minute to spare (talk about it being like a movie, leaving it to the last minute..!). It was super fun and it ended with birthday cupcakes. </div>
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Then Spring Break ended and it was back to work I went. I hope everyone had a great March. I know for me April will be filled with <i>Peter Pan </i>rehearsals and then we go to performance in May. </div>
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Until my next review, </div>
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Stefanie</div>
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<br />Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-32078781600096237182018-03-31T19:29:00.001-07:002018-03-31T19:29:18.389-07:00Sara's February/March 2018 Wrap Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Friends,<br />
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I will probably say this every month, but I am amazed at how quickly the months are flying by! Before we know it, summer will be here. We've been hit with a wicked cold snap here in the Peg, and I am SO over it. I hate the cold. I am ready to stop wearing my winter coat and a scarf, I am ready for short pants and my Birks. Oh well, maybe in another month, I will sitting here telling you how amazing the weather has been (fingers crossed).<br />
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I missed February's wrap up as things got away from me at the end of the month. My sister had a beautiful baby girl named Milah on the 20th of February, and I am OBSESSED with her. She's a lovely little thing. Around the same time I was having a few minor health concerns (nothing crazy and I am fine), so a wrap up kind wasn't a huge priority. <br />
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SO, what happened in February/March: <br />
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Oh, well, for Lent (Which went from Feb 14-Mar 31), I gave up watching TV. I did this last year for Lent, however I allowed myself to watch TV on the weekends, which didn't exactly give me the discipline I was looking for. This year, I could watch it socially- as in if I was invited by someone to watch. This meant, I didn't watch a huge amount of TV during the week (well any really). It was kind of fun, however, really difficult at times (particularly after a hard day at work). Lent is now over, and I would like to continue restricting my TV watching, I maybe keeping it only to weekends. We'll see.<br />
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However, even with all that extra time, I still don't feel like I got a lot of reading done these last two months. But let's get to it.<br />
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The Books:<br />
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Total Books<br />
<b>15 </b><br />
8/Feb & 7/Mar<br />
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Physical</div>
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<b>8</b></div>
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4/Feb & 4/Mar</div>
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Audio</div>
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<b>7</b></div>
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4/Feb & 3/Mar</div>
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Feb:</div>
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<i>Here We Are Now</i> by Jasmine Warga (3 1/2 Stars)</div>
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<i>The Cruel Prince</i> by Holly Black (4 Stars) </div>
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<i>The Hate U Give</i> by Angie Thomas (5 Stars)</div>
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<i>Finding Winnie</i> by Lindsay Mattick Illustrated by Sophie Blackall (5 Stars) </div>
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Mar:</div>
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<i>The Roanoke Girls</i> by Amy Engel (1 1/2 Stars)</div>
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<i>Milk and Honey</i> by Rupi Kaur (1 Star)</div>
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<i>The Queen of Attolia</i> by Megan Whalen Turner (4 Stars)</div>
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<i>Dearest Ivie</i> by JR Ward (4 Stars) </div>
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Favourite</div>
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How did I not read this book before now? Completely worth the hype- 100% worth the hype. </div>
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Feb: </div>
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<i>Falling into Bed with a Duk</i>e by Lorraine Heath (3 1/2 Stars)</div>
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<i>Brain on Fire</i> by Susannah Cahalan (4 Stars)</div>
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<i>Modern Romance</i> by Aziz Ansari (4 1/2 Stars)</div>
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The Lucky Ones by Tiffany Reisz</div>
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Mar: </div>
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<i>Death and the Girl Next Door</i> by Darynda Jones (4 Stars)</div>
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<i>Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet</i> (Reread)</div>
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<i>I've Got This Round</i> by Mamrie Hart (4 Stars)</div>
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**So my audio book count for this month is a lie- I really should add on four more books. I listen to books 4-8 of the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones (one of which I counted above). This was completely by accident. I wanted to listen to <i>Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet</i> because it's my favourite in the series and I wanted to relive it, and I kind of fell down a hole after that.**</div>
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Favourite </div>
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This one is SUPER surprising! A friend and I went down to Fargo (the second closest American city, about four hours away), specifically to listen to this book. And we did it. This books is hilarious! And so insightful. I loved that it was narrated by Ansari himself. </div>
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2018 Goal check in: To see a full list of my 2018 goals, go <a href="http://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2018/01/2017-recap-2018-bookish-resolutions.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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Both February and March were great. I was successful with all of them. I read two 2018 releases each month (barely), I've read at least one adult novel per month, as for non-fiction, I am at 3 for the year (I made up for January's miss by consuming two in February). I have also knocked off TWO books from my list of seven: <i>The Hate U Give</i> and <i>The Queen of Attolia</i>. I think sometime in April I'll do a quarterly check in or something, and share my thoughts on some of the books. I am still failing on my audio book/physical book goal. Audio books are still a thing for me. My goals is to work on that for April. </div>
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Anywho, that was a long winded wrap up. If you're still here- Thank you! </div>
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Until next time, </div>
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~Happy Reading Everyone. </div>
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~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-17391676887564255662018-03-22T20:15:00.002-07:002018-03-22T20:15:11.070-07:00Stefanie's Thoughts: Love, Life and the List by Kasie West<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZAKgBoxN4pQX95nCuVgaBayQHGLTmrlIO_f-veSKRmVv-4jlTOHcvhDxz46ccogMewObnkyQ7C2cSeaIeX1D3AnkgmMWsZlQ4Vq5S4ESJ8OlFfV10uVbOxyw5lAQGKc0iIT_btCHYFg/s1600/35520012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZAKgBoxN4pQX95nCuVgaBayQHGLTmrlIO_f-veSKRmVv-4jlTOHcvhDxz46ccogMewObnkyQ7C2cSeaIeX1D3AnkgmMWsZlQ4Vq5S4ESJ8OlFfV10uVbOxyw5lAQGKc0iIT_btCHYFg/s320/35520012.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
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<i>Seventeen-year-old Abby Turner’s summer isn’t going the way she’d
planned. She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her
best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing
issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show
because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to
show her paintings, Abby isn’t going to take any chances.</i><br />
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<i>Which is where the list comes in.</i><br />
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<i>Abby
gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3)
to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that
if she can complete the list, she’ll become the kind of artist she’s
always dreamed of being.</i><br />
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<i>But as the deadline
approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as
straightforward as it seems... and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t
change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself.</i></div>
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Hey everyone,</div>
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Today I'm reviewing one of my favorite author's new book, <i>Love, Life and the List </i>by Kasie West. She has become an auto-buy author, and to me, she can honestly write nothing I don't like. If you are ever just looking for a fun, light-hearted book with substance then you pick up one of West's books. </div>
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First, can we take a moment to admire that cover??</div>
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The story: this one hit right at home, because back in my teenage years (soo long ago ha) I had numerous unrequited crushes on friends (I mean, than again who didn't really during those awkward teenage years!) and it was tough. I mean I survived and all, but seriously, when are crushes ever easy...guess that's why they are called crushes.<br />
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Abby was a main character that I could totally relate too. She was full on sarcastic and I loved it; she felt so real and fleshed out. Her problems weren't just fluffy ones created to have drama in a plot, but actual issues I could see happening in real life. I think that's one of West's strengths; she always creates fleshed out, really vivid characters with actual problems you feel for, plus it's not even just the main character that is but all of them! (As I typed that, I'm not sure if I should have ended that with an exclamation point..)<br />
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I could also relate to Abby's mom with the anxiety piece. I don't have it as bad as her mom does, but I could totally see where at times her mom was coming from. I liked the inclusion of Abby's grandfather as a main character; typically I find when a grandparent is present they are either only there as a filler character, but Abby's grandfather was full of heart.<br />
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<i>Love, Life and the List</i> is filled with West's signature ability to write stories that end with a smile on your face, yet are filled with serious issues. Abby's father is away most of the time (I read somewhere that he was deployed, I must have missed that because I didn't pick up on that..) and they email as much as they can, but his absence is effecting (affecting, I seriously never know the answer to this...and I'm an ENGLISH MAJOR...after researching it, I'm pretty sure it's effect) Abby's home life.<br />
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Friendships are a big thing in West's books as well; Abby has her core group of Cooper, Justin and Rachel. Rachel and Justin go away for the summer and that's where the real fun with Abby and Cooper start, as the two are left alone with each other. Cooper becomes a major part of Abby's list and the two's friendship evolves, with a new friendship, and new relationships to come into play.<br />
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The concept of the list was my favorite part: I myself have a 30 to do before 30 list, which I'm going to basically fail at as I only have (shockingly) two years left to get it done. I have accomplished some of it, but Abby's list was perfect to push her out of her comfort zone and have an epic summer vacation. I think reading this when it was still snowy here made me enjoy the summer atmosphere much more.<br />
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Overall I just loved this book. I started off reading it a bit slower than I normally do, but by page 50 I was completely addicted and devoured it within a couple days. It didn't even feel like a 300+ page book to me either, and I loved that.<br />
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Solid 5 out of 5 stars!!<br />
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I can't wait for her next book, which I think comes out next month..or May, but soon!!<br />
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Until my next review,<br />
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Stefanie<br />
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Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-63020007100390413092018-03-19T18:56:00.000-07:002018-03-19T18:56:28.862-07:00Top Ten Tuesday: Sara's Spring TBR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Friends,<br />
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I like to go in and out with my Top Ten Tuesday Participation, and it's been a good while since I've sat down to create this list, but I have been missing it. I am also a sucker for creating TBR lists, which is what's happening for this weeks prompt.<br />
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TTT is hosted by Jana over at <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/" target="_blank">That Artsy Reader Girl</a> <br />
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Books On My Spring TBR</div>
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This is especially great, because I love SPRING. I love READING in spring and I feel like I just have so many reading plans. SO, let's do this.</div>
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1) <i>The Thief </i> by JR Ward - This is book Sixteen of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and I am complete trash for it. It releases April 10th, and I buy it on release day, and I read it that first week. The series isn't as good, but I'm invested. </div>
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2) <i>The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up</i> by Marie Kondi - It's spring, and it's time to start getting rid of the junk- and I have a lot. I got this book a couple years ago for my birthday, but I haven't read it yet. I would like to and see if it prompts me to let go of some stuff. </div>
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3) <i>The Kind of Attolia</i> by Megan Whalen Turner - This is the third installment in The Queen's Thief series, which I am hoping to finish this year. </div>
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4) <i>A Court of Frost and Starlight</i> by Sarah J. Maas - Are you surprised? I am pretty stoked for this one. It's gonna happen. May 1st, can't wait. </div>
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5) <i>Twelve Steps to Normal</i> by Farrah Penn- I am SO excited for this lady. Farrah is an old school blogger (she was like an original I feel). I am so excited for her book and I can't wait to get my hands on it. </div>
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6) <i>Then She Was Gone</i> by Lisa Jewell - I have heard many great things about it. I really enjoyed the <span id="goog_285250261"></span>one other book by her that I read last year (<i>I Found You</i>), so should be good. </div>
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7) <i>The Trials of Morrigan Crow</i> by Jessica Townsend - You may or may not know this, but I work part time at Chapters (the bookstore), and at around Christmas time, everyone was reading Morrigan Crow and raving about it. I want it in my life. </div>
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8) <i>Station Eleven</i> by Emily St. John Mandel - This is the ONLY book on this list that I am not sure I will get to. Emily is a Canadian author, and I know of one Can-Lit read-at-thon taking place in July, that I was thinking of saving this for, but I don't know that I will. We'll see. </div>
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9) <i>Unearthed</i> by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner - I have this book. I am committed to reading it ASAP. </div>
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10) <i>Wire and Nerve</i> <i>Vol. 1</i> by Marissa Meyer - I flipped through this book at work a couple weeks ago and I actually really want it, and I want to read about Iko's adventures. So it's gonna happen. </div>
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That's my SPRING TBR for you, I hope you enjoy. Have you read any of the books on my list? Anything I absolutely need to read? which one should I start with first? </div>
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~Happy Reading Everyone</div>
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~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-45268943977749133342018-03-08T19:06:00.001-08:002018-03-08T19:06:54.779-08:00Stefanie's Thoughts: Reaper by Kyra Leigh<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Rm5b7J3ySpRHZv0svt4AdkzrBaginaZO4rRh5Qm0OrXHE4CUgHroAf5nQlHb9kcqIiU8ImkbyznrZqEtfTjaOCl3AZ9CNYMNUU3ZFHjlRem2onuTWncxOXrzK-th8uVQloOr_dUDnsc/s1600/29752064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Rm5b7J3ySpRHZv0svt4AdkzrBaginaZO4rRh5Qm0OrXHE4CUgHroAf5nQlHb9kcqIiU8ImkbyznrZqEtfTjaOCl3AZ9CNYMNUU3ZFHjlRem2onuTWncxOXrzK-th8uVQloOr_dUDnsc/s320/29752064.jpg" width="211" /></a><i> </i><br />
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<i>Sixteen-year-old Rosie Wolf is sure when you die, you go straight
to Paradise, until she wakes to discover she has died in an accident and
that Paradise isn’t what she thought it would be.<br /><br />Rosie Wolf was
sure that when her dad died, he went to Paradise. After all, isn’t that
where everyone went? But when Rosie wakes up in a strange hospital bed
and finds out that she’s died in an accident, she learns things aren’t
always what you think they will be.</i><br />
<i><br />Now her father
feels further away than ever, and Rosie is left to deal with the Grim
Reaper, who isn’t a man in a black cloak, but a beautiful woman with a
bad attitude. The Grim Reaper tells Rosie that before she can move on to
Paradise, she has to go back down to Earth and collect three souls. But
Rosie quickly realizes it’s not so simple.<br /><br />To complicate
matters, Rosie meets Kyle, a boy who is different than anyone she’s ever
known. He’s cute, smart, and funny. Rosie’s been warned to stay away
from the living, but she doesn’t want to. What will happen if she
doesn’t?</i></div>
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Hi everyone, </div>
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Today I'm going to be reviewing a book I discovered while browsing the shelves at my local library: <i>Reaper </i>by Kyra Leigh. I love everything about the Grim Reaper mythology, and this book will add to the non-overly saturated market. I think there has been only one other Reaper themed YA book I've read, which was years ago. </div>
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The concept reminded me a bit of the TV show <i>Dead Like Me</i>, but a toned down version. If you haven't watched it, please do! I highly recommend it and I love it! It's very dry, dark humor. Going into <i>Reaper</i>, I wasn't sure I would be able to connect with the main character because she's only sixteen, but I was able to. I'm finding that as I get older certain young adult books just annoy me as I just find the MC complains too much or the pages are filled with teen angst, which to be honest, I thought this book would have. But, it didn't. </div>
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The first couple chapters introducing the After Life were my favorite part. Meeting the Grim Reaper, herself (yes, she's a woman!) was excellent. She's portrayed as pretty much a bad-ass and I loved that. Her fellow staff were fun to read about as well, Brandy was my favorite of them. </div>
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This is where Rosie is told she'll have to collect three souls to move on, or be stuck in the After World forever. Rosie chooses to reap the three souls and hopefully move on. Each newly deceased gets a personal makeover to change their appearance, I really enjoyed this part of the world, as I saw it as completely starting fresh. </div>
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The chapters altered between present time and then flashbacks into Rosie's past. I generally don't like this and find it confusing to follow, but I found this added a layer into Rosie's characterization. Reading about her friendship with her friend Carrie added depth to Rosie. One thing I noticed was Rosie tended to drink a lot of apple cider or had that made for her and I enjoyed knowing those little details about her past. </div>
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I loved the ending. I actually starting tearing up when I reached the final page. I'm also finding I'm getting emotional faster than I used to in regards to fictional characters. </div>
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My only negatives are that I felt this didn't add anything new to the Reaper mythology. This is a not- regularly used trope in young adult and I was really excited to be entering into a world that made me see it differently. A couple questions were left unanswered as well, and that never sits well with me.</div>
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Overall this is a quick paced, short novel I read in two evenings. I'll keep an eye out for any future novels by this author. I think I enjoyed this one more too because I have been reading a ton of chick-lit back to back and picking up something paranormal was a good switch. I'll probably go back to a chick-lit, as I went on a huge library spree and checked out fifteen books at once. </div>
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I'm giving this a 3.5 stars out of 5.</div>
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Until my next review,</div>
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Stefanie</div>
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Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-11144091351495561302018-03-05T20:32:00.000-08:002018-03-05T20:32:09.724-08:00My Thoughts: The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="freeText550536828902981130"><b><span id="freeText550536828902981130"><i>Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…</i></span></b> </span><br />
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<i><span id="freeText550536828902981130">Where, two centuries ago,
three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to
their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the
town.<br /><br />Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return,
stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek
their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.<br /><br />Like
many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of
the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named
Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.<br /><br />Mistrust
and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The
townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of
hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the
call of the sisters.<br /><br />But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.</span></i><br />
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<i><span id="freeText550536828902981130">***Review Copy received from Simon and Schuster Canada for my honest review*** </span></i></div>
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Hey Friends,<br />
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I was pretty excited to read Shea Ernshaw's debut, <i>The Wicked Deep,</i> because my buddy,
Stephanie (<a href="http://ohanareads.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Ohana Reads</a>) raved about his book. Like her obsession with
this book is unreal, and I trust her taste, so I leapt at the chance to
read it. I kind of went into the reading of this book blind, and to be honest, I was really expecting what I got from the story. I initially thought it was going to be a more historical
fantasy novel, but it wasn't at all. It was more urban fantasy, and I really liked that. It's been a year and a day since I have read anything urban fantasy that I actually forgot what it was all about- anywho, that is neither here nor there.<br />
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<i>The Wicked Deep</i> starts off with the three Swan sisters and their death. It's pretty intense, these young women being killed. Pretty wicked. Jump ahead 200+ years and we get the legend/myth/truth, that the girls return every year to the town of Sparrow and possess three unassuming young women, and spend the next while exacting their revenge on the town. Heh. Within the modern day town of Sparrow, we have Penny. Penny has lived in Sparrow her whole life and is very aware of what the summer brings, she's kind of just accepted it, until Bo enters, and of course that changes everything.<br />
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I would have LOVED this book ten years ago. Like completely obsessed. Let me explain.<br />
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There is something about Ernshaw's way of story telling that is completely engrossing I am not a fast reader, I am actually quite a slow reader. However, I read this book in two sittings (which is pretty extraordinary for me). This book made me feel completely nostalgic for the YA of my youth - to me, it was very reminiscent of <i>The Stranger</i> by Caroline B. Cooney (whoa, am I ever aging myself), which came out in the early nineties. <i>The Stranger</i> was this dark gothic story, that had an edge of romance, but was completely surrounded by mystery and a "what the heck is going on." That is exactly what <i>The Wicked Deep</i> is. I really appreciated that. A lot.<br />
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The characters are pretty interesting, Penny was kind of hard for me to like, I found her to be a bit rigid and stand-offish, I think this was probably because she was fairly practical, and she carried a lot of responsibility. Her mum was around but not present, and her father disappeared some years before. I liked Bo, he was an interesting addition to the story. I enjoyed his influence on Penny. Their relationship was fun to see blossom. <i>The Wicked Deep</i> isn't a complicated story (this is not a bad thing). There were a few "plot twists," and
"Whaaaaa?!?" moments, but, for the most part, I saw them coming. Which is why I probably didn't love this book as much as others. For me, it was a bit predictable. In
saying that, I don't think everyone will feel this way, and I know a few people who will love this, and I am excited for them to
read this. <br />
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Overall, I enjoyed this, and appreciated how it felt like old school YA. I feel like I will be recommending this to a lot of the youth who come into the bookstore looking for something fun to read. I actually can't wait for that. <br />
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~Happy Reading Everyone<br />
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<br />~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-5762914368729233122018-03-01T07:58:00.000-08:002018-03-01T07:58:08.190-08:00Stefanie's January/ February Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello everyone, </div>
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Now that the Olympics are over I feel like I can come out of my sports obsession and back into the real world. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Olympics and watching all the different snowboarding events was my favorite thing! Go Canada and their 29 medals. Tessa and Scott's gold medal was the best thing I have seen in a long time!</div>
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I feel like these two months have gone by with a blur; I always feel a little off when February ends with the month being so short. I also feel like I didn't read that much these past two months, and when I did get into a book it consumed me, but at times I was without a book and didn't read for a week. I'm not sure if that's due to the terrible weather giving me a terrible mood or what it was. </div>
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Here's what I read in January:</div>
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<i>The Regulars </i>by Georgina Clark</div>
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<i>50 Ways to Yay </i>by Alexi Panos</div>
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<i>Read Bottom Up </i>by Neel Shah</div>
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<i>We Could Be Beautiful </i>by Swan Huntley</div>
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<i>Judgement Detox </i>by Gabby Bernstein</div>
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<i>Abby in Wonderland</i> by Sarah Mlywoski</div>
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<i>Flower Moon</i> by Gina Linko</div>
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<i>Single State of Mind</i> by Andi Dorfman</div>
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<i>Nightmare Escape </i>by Greg Grunberg</div>
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<i>Chilling Adventures of Sabrina </i>by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa</div>
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Total: 10</div>
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January's Books of the Month:</div>
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February's Reads:</div>
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<i> Always a Bridesmaid For Hire</i> by Jen Glantz<br />
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<i>Not Now, Not Ever </i>by Lily Anderson</div>
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<i>Wanderful </i>by Andrea Lester Eaton</div>
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<i>My Friend Fear </i>by Meera Lee Patel</div>
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<i>The Self Love Experiment </i>by Shannon Kaiser</div>
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<i>Love the One You're With </i>by Emily Giffin</div>
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<i>You Are a Badass </i>by Jen Sincero</div>
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<i>Losing It </i>by Emma Rathbone</div>
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<i>Single Girl Problems </i>by Andrea Bain</div>
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<i>Power of Attention </i>by Sarah McLean</div>
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Total: 10</div>
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February's Book of the Month: </div>
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I've gotten back into endlessly binge watching every movie that comes up on Movie Central and then a couple co-workers and I swapped movie recommendations with them and got a couple solid ones.</div>
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I can't wait to see <i>Peter Rabbit </i>and <i>Game Night</i> in theaters, hopefully I'll get around to seeing both. I feel like I haven't seen a movie in theaters for a while, but then a I remembered I saw <i>Paddington 2</i> a couple weeks ago.</div>
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The only other thing that happened to me was that I got my Mental Health First Aid certificate. I was able to attend the program through work, and I'm so happy I took that course. I learned so much through it and it's something that I've been interested in for a while. Also it helps when your vice principal tells you what a great course it is and that you should do it. </div>
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And that's it. Hope everyone else had a great couple months!</div>
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Until my next review,</div>
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Stefanie</div>
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<br />Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-72851563353049091922018-02-15T15:15:00.001-08:002018-02-15T15:15:46.709-08:00Stefanie's Thoughts: Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aO5K2eyZZGSNwsZR6aX1p6v-CUFZA6s5SlDVWVQl5fkO5pHJIlMl9ssdAICfdU6vUn2I7fymiVhN1t7Y8Ejk32uYGs2RJVJvRGaVsSjB3c4TqyDocrQQKTQ1qV_Mt3M-TEKlBKXXaow/s1600/33602144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aO5K2eyZZGSNwsZR6aX1p6v-CUFZA6s5SlDVWVQl5fkO5pHJIlMl9ssdAICfdU6vUn2I7fymiVhN1t7Y8Ejk32uYGs2RJVJvRGaVsSjB3c4TqyDocrQQKTQ1qV_Mt3M-TEKlBKXXaow/s320/33602144.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
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<i>Elliot Gabaroche is very clear on what she isn't going to do this summer. </i><br />
<i>1.
She isn't going to stay home in Sacramento, where she'd have to sit
through her stepmother's sixth community theater production of The
Importance of Being Earnest.</i><br />
<i>2. She isn't going to mock trial camp at UCLA.</i><br />
<i>3.
And she certainly isn't going to the Air Force summer program on her
mother's base in Colorado Springs. As cool as it would be to
live-action-role-play Ender's Game, Ellie's seen three generations of
her family go through USAF boot camp up close, and she knows that it's
much less Luke/Yoda/"feel the force," and much more one hundred push-ups
on three days of no sleep. And that just isn't appealing, no matter how
many Xenomorphs from Alien she'd be able to defeat afterwards.</i><br />
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<i>What
she is going to do is pack up her attitude, her favorite Octavia Butler
novels, and her Jordans, and go to summer camp. Specifically, a
cutthroat academic-decathlon-like competition for a full scholarship to
Rayevich College, the only college with a Science Fiction Literature
program. And she's going to start over as Ever Lawrence, on her own
terms, without the shadow of all her family’s expectations. Because why
do what’s expected of you when you can fight other genius nerds to the
death for a shot at the dream you’re sure your family will consider a
complete waste of time?</i><br />
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<i><b>ARC provided by Raincoast Books for an honest review </b></i></div>
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Hi everyone,</div>
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Today I'll be reviewing <i>Not Now, Not Ever</i> by Lily Anderson. </div>
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Let me start off by saying I LOVED THIS BOOK! It reminded me a lot of <i>Geek Girl, </i>a series I adored! I feel like if you have a nerdy side and LOVE pop culture, than this book is for you. I love all things nerdy, so I knew this would be a great read. </div>
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I will say I didn't read Anderson's first book, but I do own it; I didn't realize that this was a sequel, I thought it was just her second stand-alone novel. I wasn't confused by not having read the first one and could easily follow along with the story and characters. </div>
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I loved Ever, what Elliot calls herself when she re-invents herself. I loved the idea of re-inventing herself, because who hasn't wanted a fresh start and to be someone else? I know I have and while I haven't had the opportunity to re-invent myself, I still wish I could have when I as younger and away from my family and friends. </div>
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Ever finds herself involved in some funny blackmail schemes involving family, and I loved this. It felt like something I would have found myself involved in. Plus Ever has the most sarcastic nature ever (see what I did there?) and I loved her for that. </div>
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Oscar Wilde's book <i>Picture of Dorian Gray</i> is one of my favourite books of all time, so I loved the addition of quotes from <i>Importance of Being Ernest</i>; it also added an additional geeky factor to it!</div>
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I know I will be going and reading the first book of this series ASAP! I can't wait to read what else Anderson throws our way, her next book is already on my tbr list! </div>
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Make sure you read this books guys, it's awesome! </div>
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4.5 stars!!</div>
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Until my next review,</div>
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Stefanie</div>
Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-87209948856952303082018-02-11T10:52:00.002-08:002018-02-11T10:52:13.443-08:00Sara's January Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Friends! Happy February!<br />
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It's my first monthly recap of the year. I really love reading monthly recaps, I really enjoy keeping track of what I've been reading and how well I am doing compared to my reading goals. I enjoy reading others monthly recaps, and being mind blown by the amount that some people are able to read (how does one read 20 books in one month, I'd like to know).<br />
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So I know this is late- so we're just gonna jump into the bookish recap- because I don't remember what happened in January, life wise, at all. Sorry.<br />
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The Books:<br />
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Total Books:<br />
<b>10</b><br />
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Physical Books</div>
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<b>5</b></div>
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Audiobooks</div>
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<b>5</b></div>
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Physical Books</div>
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1) <i>Emmy and Oliver</i> by Robin Benway (4 Stars)</div>
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2) <i>A Different Pond</i> by Bao Phi and Thi Bui (4 Stars)</div>
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3) <i>Keep Her Safe</i> by KA Tucker (3 Stars)</div>
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4) <i>The Wicked Deep</i> Shea Ernshaw (3 Stars) </div>
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5) <i>Fly Away</i> by Andrew McCarthy (4 Stars) </div>
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Favourite Read</div>
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This book is different than the books I generally tend to read. This is kind of a graphic novel/story book/social commentary. It's a lovely story and SO special. I read it one evening while working at the bookstore. If you every have a moment to check this one out, do it. </div>
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Audiobooks </div>
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<i>The Bear and the Nightingale</i> by Katherine Arden (4 Stars)</div>
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<i>The British Knigh</i>t by Louise Bay (3 Stars)</div>
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<i>Wicked Choice</i> by Sawyer Bennett (2 Stars)</div>
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<i>Clockwork Angel </i>by Cassandra Clare (3 1/2 Stars)</div>
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<i>Dirty</i> by Kylie Scott (3 Stars) </div>
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Favourite Read </div>
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This was an odd little book. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. It's a retelling of a Russian fairy tale (I think), and I kind of loved it. The narrator was brilliant which really added to the whole experience. It was a very pleasant read. </div>
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2018 Goals Check In: Check out my 2018 goals <a href="http://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2018/01/2017-recap-2018-bookish-resolutions.html" target="_blank">here</a> - </div>
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So it looks like audiobooks are still consuming my life. Oh well, I'll try and work on that. I am pleased that I got 10 books in last month. My goal for February is to physically read six books (although I'm not sure that will happen). I was fairly successful with my goals for the year, although I did not get in a non-fiction read. I did try, but non-fiction is something I struggle with. I'm pretty certain I'll do fine this coming month though. I read two 2018 releases: <i>Keep Her Safe</i> and <i>The Wicked Deep, </i>I also got an adult novel read with <i>The Bear and the Nightingale</i>. So overall, pretty good. </div>
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That's it for my very late January recap, but I hope you enjoy anyways. </div>
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~Happy Reading Everyone! </div>
~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-84218580997481281212018-01-25T10:23:00.000-08:002018-01-25T20:23:53.379-08:00Stefanie's Thoughts: Flower Moon by Gina Linko<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CZyFPnktoHAlOBW6mGWtJZ4R3dnAcz9udhXE621HAGEbLusvVYBq_xK1KpnrR8q6yOMwQVC7l5yPeugtAANxV8gurfRLCdv2QbXANc3T6kYpDH1Er59AtyR7G05iObvhkTcTG7wucqc/s1600/32050239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CZyFPnktoHAlOBW6mGWtJZ4R3dnAcz9udhXE621HAGEbLusvVYBq_xK1KpnrR8q6yOMwQVC7l5yPeugtAANxV8gurfRLCdv2QbXANc3T6kYpDH1Er59AtyR7G05iObvhkTcTG7wucqc/s320/32050239.jpg" width="228" /></a><i> </i><br />
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<i>Tempest and Tally Jo Trimble are mirror twins—so alike they were
almost born the same person—and they've been inseparable since birth.
But it's the summer they turn thirteen, and it seems like everyone can
tell something is changing between them. <br />Pa Charlie, whose traveling
carnival is the best part of every summer, is watching them closer than
ever. Digger, who sneaks poor kids onto the carnival rides for free and
smiles faster than anyone, seems to be fixing for a fight. Even Mama is
acting different, refusing to travel with the carnival this year even
though her own twin, who she hasn't seen since childhood, will be there.<br /><br />And
Tally and Tempest are the most different of all. There's a strangeness
between them, a thickness to the air, an unseen push and pull, and it's
getting stronger. It starts as a feeling, but soon it's sputtering and
sparking, hurling them backwards, threatening to explode.<br /><br />When
Tally learns that she and Tempest may not be the first twins in their
family to be separated by whatever this force is, she realizes she'll
have to find a way to stop it—or she might lose not only her sister, but
everyone she loves.</i><br />
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<i><b>**ARC provided by Thomas Allen & Son for my honest review** </b></i><br />
<i></i></div>
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Hi everyone,</div>
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Today I'll be reviewing <i>Flower Moon; </i>this book was one of a kind and was a style of book I haven't read in a long time. </div>
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Magical realism is a genre I personally love to watch movies and TV wise, and while I tend to read very little of the genre, I'm wondering if that's in part to the genre not really being that popular with authors and what they chose to write. </div>
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<i>Flower Moon</i> introduces us to Tally and Tempest, two sisters - twins, who are inseparable. I will say right off from the first page, I LOVED how close the sisters were. I'm practically the same with my own sister and it's always nice reading a story that involves close sibling bonds (I feel like a lot of sibling relationships in YA/ middle grade tend to involve sibling rivalry, so it was a nice change), that show siblings in a positive light. Tally is the protector of the two, making sure Tempest is taken care of, as she is the more shy out of the two (which is basically my sister and I, with the exception that I was the more shy out of us two).<br />
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The story is told from Tally's perspective and I think this brought an interesting spin on the story: as Tally is the more adventurous one out of the sisters, we see the world through her eyes. I think if the story had been from Tempest's perspective things would have been <i>much</i> different. Tally was abrasive, more in-your-face, and I think the plot reflected that. It's almost as if it mirrored growing up. The story would have been more calm and passive from Tempest's point of view.<br />
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It was nice to see the two sisters work together when they begin to discover the mystery behind themselves and their connection (even if I found Tally a bit over the top at times). The writing was so fluid and the dialogue between the sisters was wonderful.<br />
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Who doesn't love a carnival?! This was basically the best setting of a book, at a magical carnival, full of fun and never-ending possibilities. This also sets up the perfect setting for a coming-of-age book; as growing up really is a never-ending adventure. I really had a full carnival playing in my head as I read this and the descriptions of the carnival were so well written I was definitely transported there.<br />
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One downside to the book is to me I felt the setting took place in the past; the dialogue and setting felt more like from the 1940s, however, there were times when it all felt like present day and it wouldn't match up for me, so it became a bit confusing. Maybe it's because I'm imagining all the traditional carnivals from say <i>The Notebook</i>, and I could imagine all the characters dressed in clothing from that period. Pa Charlie's name had me feeling a bit of a <i>Little House on the Prairie</i> vibe.<br />
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My other downside was the first half of the book felt a bit slow. I understand the idea behind mirror twins was being set up and we were introduced to this non-traditional magical world, but at times I felt as if I could skip whole chapters and not have missed any of the plot. I hate when promising books have what I call "filler" chapters.<br />
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I haven't read a book by Gina Linko before, but I'll be giving her future books a look.<i> Flower Moon</i> was so different from what I've normally read that that on it's own gives it a solid 3.5 stars. I recommend this one to anyone looking for a book out of their comfort zone; I can guarantee you haven't read something like this before!<br />
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Until my next review,<br />
<br />
Stefanie<br />
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Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-27713378659513140912018-01-23T18:26:00.001-08:002018-01-23T18:26:22.191-08:00My Thoughts: Keep Her Safe by KA Tucker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503341710l/30753733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503341710l/30753733.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<i><span id="freeText6315928045036590742">Noah Marshall has known a
privileged and comfortable life thanks to his mother, the highly
decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes
the night she reveals a skeleton that's been rattling in her closet for
years, and succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family's
life. Reeling with grief, Noah is forced to carry the burden of this
shocking secret.<br /><br />Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park,
but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's
all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a
corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and
her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man
who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.<br /><br />Despite
their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same
questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the
Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that
emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than
they ever imagined.</span></i><br />
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<i><span id="freeText6315928045036590742"><b>**Review copy received from Simon and Schuster Canada for my honest opinion** </b></span></i></div>
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Happy Book Birthday to KA Tucker and <i>Keep Her Safe</i>. <br />
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I have read quite a number of KA Tucker novels through the years- more than I thought actually. She was one of the first "New Adult" authors I really got into. What really drew me to her was the fact that she was Canadian. I don't often read many Canadian authors (none that I really liked) so I was excited to explore Tucker's work and to discover that for the most part, I enjoyed it. <br />
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In saying all of that, <i>Keep Her Safe</i> is the first of Tucker's adult novels that I have read, all the rest have been New Adult. I know she has a more dark thriller-ish one out -<i>He Will Be My Ruin</i>- but I have yet to read that one. But I will, I want to. Either way, I was excited to dive into this story. <br />
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<i>Keep Her Safe</i> tell the story of Noah and Gracie, as they try and discover a the truth of what happened fourteen years ago, which severely changed their lives. What really happened to Gracie's father? How was Noah's mother involved? Is the police department actually hiding something? Alternating in past and present narrative <i>Keep Her Safe</i> really digs into the consequences of keeping secrets and what happens when the truth starts seeping out. <br />
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This review is going to be a little hard for me to get into. I enjoyed this book, but at the same time I didn't find it the most thrilling book ever. The first bit of the book took me ages to read. I would say the first chunk of this story is just setting the stage. It's giving you context- which is so very necessary. But I wonder if there was a different way to do this. I think as Tucker continues to write in this genre, she'll hone her skill and get better. She's really a fabulous writer, but the introduction part of the overall story took a bit too long, and it takes forever for Gracie and Noah to finally come together. But once they do....<br />
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The second bit of the story is much better, I flew through that. I was completely engaged and I wanted to know what the heck was going on. As I was reading I tried to figure things out and I couldn't (not everything at least), this isn't the kind of book where you figure everything out in the very beginning, not at all. Aside from the long winded beginning, the pacing was good, I didn't really feel like things lagged, however there were a few situations that maybe I thought didn't really add to the story as a whole. But they were teeny tiny. I enjoyed the characters, Gracie was feisty cautious at the beginning, Noah was lovely, kind of too perfect, but meh. Together they made a pretty great duo. <br />
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Overall, <i>Keep Her Safe</i> is a solid 3-3.5 star read for me. I would recommend it to anyone new to thrillers and mystery novels and wanting to dip their toes in. It's a quick read that doesn't involve a lot of brain power. The writing is great, this is something I never question with KA Tucker, her writing is spot on. So if you are a looking for a mystery that isn't too intense but still mysterious I would suggest you give this one a try. <br />
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~Happy Reading Everyone <br />
<br />~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-80632852178856901812018-01-19T18:51:00.001-08:002018-01-19T18:51:48.037-08:00Stefanie's 2018 Reading Goals<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_BV1AgHm0N_5FX8iEWA0Y16iiJ36StAhnEGIPbFDugq_KjbkTwatZZDXGvZblfd7oC2-PfrumVHE75atTvkikOxqEv7NzxI5-0BEk8HMI6sjzHoD9vYAU5hhZkBH2z6V2Lr_BpNHT4w/s1600/941e6a987bab6cf2b716ba71b398dbcb--hello-pictures-hello-january.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_BV1AgHm0N_5FX8iEWA0Y16iiJ36StAhnEGIPbFDugq_KjbkTwatZZDXGvZblfd7oC2-PfrumVHE75atTvkikOxqEv7NzxI5-0BEk8HMI6sjzHoD9vYAU5hhZkBH2z6V2Lr_BpNHT4w/s320/941e6a987bab6cf2b716ba71b398dbcb--hello-pictures-hello-january.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hi everyone,<br />
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Now that it's occurred to me we're in the second week of January I feel like I'm finally back into the swing of things, at work, for reading and generally in life. I've starting watching <i>Sex and the City</i>, became obsessed with two new shows: <i>Married at First Site (</i>which my sister jokes that I should be on), and <i>Undercover High</i>.<br />
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Now that I have my TV straight I figured it was now time for my reading challenge update, and other reading goals I have this year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBlhm2Re4m5MRyf0SHqiERen5T7h_YjY_STJxSvC7Yf407d1TPFp2fWm-9rbcQBQ7apjxG9Nmsksx2ApVCJbTW490XK4Z-g-pwGJyIsbY4gDIWjb7k4pqHez6gNxSwCIYHKf0nQ0K10s/s1600/reading_challenge_badge-0f31716ab90add103cd6c783646c601c.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBlhm2Re4m5MRyf0SHqiERen5T7h_YjY_STJxSvC7Yf407d1TPFp2fWm-9rbcQBQ7apjxG9Nmsksx2ApVCJbTW490XK4Z-g-pwGJyIsbY4gDIWjb7k4pqHez6gNxSwCIYHKf0nQ0K10s/s400/reading_challenge_badge-0f31716ab90add103cd6c783646c601c.png" /></a><br />
For the 2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge I have challenged myself to 300 books. According to their tracking system I'm already two books behind, but I laughed at that because just wait for the summer when all I do is read.<br />
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I'm focusing right now on adult fiction and non-fiction (I can't wait to read Andi Dorfman's <i>Single State of Mind</i> and Jen Glatz's <i>Bridesmaid For Hire</i>), but I will get back into young adult. I find that I go through genre blitzing (I'm just going to call it that), where all I want to read is one specific genre for a couple weeks, then grow tired if it and switch it up.<br />
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A couple of my new favorite authors have books coming out this year, ranging from Georgia Clark's new book <i>The Bucket List</i>, to the second book in Crystal Cestari's series, to Meg Cabot never disappointing in the <i>Princess Diaries </i>spin-off series.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN7haXk_6Bdsv12aKE6H0DRkwC_VteMHmWSrFJKQ9opnn0Wyh5DqDSoYx6qdnRihLtX8v9nxfTLgdpzn7k_hll_j-Pet6RAy7AfNomLydSW-LSjdcRaw1uI5RhaikEvQS2KAYgS2qYj4/s1600/51AOAc1NfsL._SX324_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN7haXk_6Bdsv12aKE6H0DRkwC_VteMHmWSrFJKQ9opnn0Wyh5DqDSoYx6qdnRihLtX8v9nxfTLgdpzn7k_hll_j-Pet6RAy7AfNomLydSW-LSjdcRaw1uI5RhaikEvQS2KAYgS2qYj4/s200/51AOAc1NfsL._SX324_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsdAYHc8M83L3UmEMORokD90AtmLIq8vbyFdkT6-NEiahdV4TGw3q1Ve4pv57lp2a8HuCQY2wovh2MzpsDAMvKirkPQZlayf61T4TU-McQMeF0mWszG4cxUKbW7JVBk3dmxrR1VmEJuc/s1600/single-state-of-mind-9781501174223_hr.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsdAYHc8M83L3UmEMORokD90AtmLIq8vbyFdkT6-NEiahdV4TGw3q1Ve4pv57lp2a8HuCQY2wovh2MzpsDAMvKirkPQZlayf61T4TU-McQMeF0mWszG4cxUKbW7JVBk3dmxrR1VmEJuc/s200/single-state-of-mind-9781501174223_hr.jpg" width="130" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ckG1wqtrENF327GQcZHFuZ67Y3AftU-Y6TEiwEn4jSU_R547AYv-Eh9vWtGRn8Tp2aJkvs5cRjhM3alFknhyphenhyphenXbwCRWpJrh6wm2_EWXJMWvn17bB03Y78k1k77V5ry82e-Ge-iGkMy0E/s1600/the-bucket-list-9781501173028.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ckG1wqtrENF327GQcZHFuZ67Y3AftU-Y6TEiwEn4jSU_R547AYv-Eh9vWtGRn8Tp2aJkvs5cRjhM3alFknhyphenhyphenXbwCRWpJrh6wm2_EWXJMWvn17bB03Y78k1k77V5ry82e-Ge-iGkMy0E/s200/the-bucket-list-9781501173028.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfjgTlO4G-m3Iz90mj-6QjZsmGQeQeockV1UrJit0pfGJWC1iOv9uL3O3Bn9bt_-CzrmzOXvvKG5Qb6C3xpYjWTaDWBK_FZModx21x5oDENhXTJTDV8JF5KJU-Orp7wx9JiX5wma2hF8/s1600/34321938.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfjgTlO4G-m3Iz90mj-6QjZsmGQeQeockV1UrJit0pfGJWC1iOv9uL3O3Bn9bt_-CzrmzOXvvKG5Qb6C3xpYjWTaDWBK_FZModx21x5oDENhXTJTDV8JF5KJU-Orp7wx9JiX5wma2hF8/s200/34321938.jpg" width="133" /></a><br />
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For me the best part is going and finding the 2018 Goodreads list for new YA of the year, going through all nine pages or however long it is and adding all these new books to my tbr list (which was at 390 and is now at 430 or so). Even when I think I can tackle it, it always goes up. I read one reviewer that said there's no way she'd be able to ever tackle her tbr shelf, and I'm honestly with her. If only good books would stop being published, but I mean there's no way that would EVER happen!<br />
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I attempted last year to start listening to audio books and read books on my Kindle, but I just can't get past how much I love reading an actual physical book. I will rely on the library for all the audio books I use, especially when it comes to the library getting only the audio (and if it's not one I'm a hundred percent sure I'd read again).<br />
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I don't know if I can list anymore books I want to read this year, because every time I list these, I typically never actually read them or enjoy them. I think I almost curse it. The ones I have listed above, I either already have from the library in my possession or I know they won't disappoint (because Meg Cabot has only ever failed me once with her book <i>Insatiable </i>and I own all her books), but I guess every now and then the authors you love can let you down.<br />
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I hope 2018 will be a good year for reading and books and I hope you all have a great year as well.<br />
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See you next week for my first review of the year.<br />
<br />
Stefanie </div>
Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-33184202782427793982018-01-07T19:25:00.001-08:002018-01-07T19:25:52.224-08:002017 Recap & 2018 Bookish Resolutions <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1080058722.rsc.cdn77.org/uploads/monthly_2017_12/new_year_2018_color.jpg.ab5bcc5bb421ffd7d02eedb3512aaf4c.jpg.pagespeed.ce.LuvHtbPGmC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://1080058722.rsc.cdn77.org/uploads/monthly_2017_12/new_year_2018_color.jpg.ab5bcc5bb421ffd7d02eedb3512aaf4c.jpg.pagespeed.ce.LuvHtbPGmC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Happy New Year!!<br />
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I can hardly believe it's 2018. I know I say that every years, but goodness, time is going by SO quickly! I had a pretty good 2017 - reading wise - and I am excited to see what 2018 has for me.<br />
Today I bring you my 2018 Bookish Goals. However, first, I would like to do a quick over view of my 2017 goals and how I did. If you want the full scope of my 2017 goals, check them out <a href="http://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2017/01/2017-bookish-resolutions.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2017 at a glance</b></span><br />
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First off, <span style="font-size: large;"><b>I wanted to read 100 books</b></span>, which I accomplished, I believe I read a grand total of 102 books in 2017. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>I wanted to read more physical books</b></span>, in 2016 I was SUPER dependent on audio books and I got super lazy with actual reading. I did a bit better in 2017, however of the 102 books I read, I listened to 55 audio books and I physically read 48. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>I also wanted to listen to more of the audio books I had back stocked in my audible library</b></span> - my goal was to get my back stock down to five - that did not happen. In actuality, I ended up obtaining more and more audio books, right now I have ten that I have yet to listen to, and a couple that I probably won't. I am not going to beat myself up about it this year.<span style="font-size: large;"><b> I wanted to read one 2017 new release per month</b></span>, this is where things get a little tricky, I am not sure I listened to a new release a month exactly, but the total 2017 releases I read in 2017 was 41. Which is pretty solid. And finally, <span style="font-size: large;"><b>I wanted to read seven particular books that had been sitting on my shelf for some time</b></span>, those books where, <i>Jane Eyre</i>, <i>The Thief</i>, <i>Percy Jackson</i> books 3-5, <i>Lolita</i> and <i>A Wrinkle in Time</i>. I am happy to tell you I accomplished this goal and read all seven of these books in 2017. I am pretty pumped about this actually.<br />
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So, 2017 was pretty good, there are still some things I need to work on, but we'll get there.<br />
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2018<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2018 Reading Challenge</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/challenges/2018/reading_challenge_badge-0f31716ab90add103cd6c783646c601c.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="129" src="https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/challenges/2018/reading_challenge_badge-0f31716ab90add103cd6c783646c601c.png" /></a></div>
Last year I completed 102 books. This is a good amount. I am completely happy with it. However, for 2018 I am aiming for 110. I felt like I had a a lot of dead time in 2017 where I wasn't reading, I would like to change that, and I think upping my goal will help. If I don't make that goal, I am fine with that. But I would like to try.<br />
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**Within this goal, I would like for 60 of those books to have been physical books.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Read One Non-Fiction a Month </b></span><br />
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I don't usually read non fiction. I don't tend to like it, however, there are a number of books out there that I would like to give a go. Trevor Noah's memoir, maybe a self-help book (a la Brene Brown). I feel like one a month is completely doable.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Read One Adult Novel a Month</b></span></div>
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As many of you know, I read a ton of young adult, and I always will. However, this year, I would like expand my horizons and read more adult fiction, specifically adult literary fiction. I believe I am probably missing out on some really great reads. I need to push out of my comfort zone a little.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Read Two 2018 Releases a Month </b></span><br />
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I would like to have a better hand on what's new this year and I would like to be able to talk about what's new. This is the goal I am going to be paying the MOST attention to I think. Make sure I am reading at least TWO 2018 releases.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Read the Following Books </b></span></div>
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I really like lists (can you tell), and I really like scratching things off my list (is there anything more satisfying). SO I have another list of seven books I would like to get read this year.<br />
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<i>The Shadow of the Wind</i> by Carlos Ruiz Zafon<br />
<i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> by Harper Lee<br />
<i>The Queen's Thief</i> Series Books 2-5 by Megan Whalen Turner <br />
<i>The Hate U Give</i> By Angie Thomas<br />
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I am confident I can get these books done within the next twelve months. <br />
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Anywho, those are my goals for 2018. Keep a look out for my monthly wrap ups for updates, also I am using my bullet journal to help me keep everything organized, I may do a post on how that's working within the next few months. Do any of you have any goals you are working on this coming year? I'd like to hear about them.<br />
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Happy New Year, Friends and good luck this year. <br />
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~Happy Reading<br />
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~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-28486606320942776462018-01-01T19:06:00.001-08:002018-01-01T19:10:18.110-08:00Sara's Top Five Best/Most Surprising Reads of 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5AZos_-a7c-7HnYksyZDB6slF_D5AM3ucmagLHY1H-UtT8yDLSPBDA-DWzP0bLQfWc7f4e3lyk29snTxGhRw8R9w2_xXf8-s_RftkDz0odFkY8W5vYV42vzDQvOqUnyr15AN0vdrANxzn/s1600/Best_.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5AZos_-a7c-7HnYksyZDB6slF_D5AM3ucmagLHY1H-UtT8yDLSPBDA-DWzP0bLQfWc7f4e3lyk29snTxGhRw8R9w2_xXf8-s_RftkDz0odFkY8W5vYV42vzDQvOqUnyr15AN0vdrANxzn/s320/Best_.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hi Friends,<br />
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Welcome back!! A few days ago I posted my <a href="https://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2017/12/saras-top-five-worstmost-disappointing.html" target="_blank">Worst/Most Disappointing Reads of 2017</a>. I had kind of a good time coming up with that list and sharing it with you all. But I had even more fun looking over and all the books I read this year and trying to come up with my favourites. Much like that last lists, I have five books that took me by surprise, and five books that I loved to share with you.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Most Surprising</b></span><br />
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When I say most surprising, I mean books that I wasn't expecting to like AS much as I did. The majority of these are four or five star reads for me and I was not anticipating that. So I was very pleasantly surprised.<br />
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1) <i>More Happy Than Not</i> by Adam Silvera - I was not expecting to like this book. I honestly thought it wasn't for me. There was even a second when I thought the story was going a particular way that really bugged me, but I was wrong. By the end I loved this book, it really gave me something to think about and I thought it was SO interesting, and the end ruined me. I adored our main character, Aaron. I loved his voice and I really appreciated his story.<br />
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2) <i>The Unseen World</i> by Liz Moore - This book blew me away. I decided to read it on a whim and within the first 30 pages I was bawling and there were so many times I just wanted to curl up and bawl. I was completely invested in the story and the characters.<br />
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3)<i> Lolita</i> by Vladimir Nabokov - Well, this one. This book has been sitting on my shelf for maybe seven years. I am pretty sure I got it before I started blogging- or maybe a little after. It's kind of a messed up story and I feel a little dirty when admitting that I kind of loved it. It's a Russian classic about a middle aged man and his love for a twelve year old girl. It's gross, but the writing in incredible. The way the story is told is amazing. I sound odd, but if you've read this book, I would love to talk to you about it.<br />
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4) <i>One Plus One </i>by Jojo Moyes - This is only the second book by Moyes that I have read. The First one being, <i>Me Before You</i>. I kind of expected another really sad, break your heart story. But that's not at all what I got. I got a feel good, fun family story, with a bit of romance thrown it. I absolutely loved it.<br />
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5) <i>Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda </i>by Becky Albertalli - This was another one that snuck up on me. I didn't think I was going to be as charmed by this story as I was. I adored Simon and I loved his family. Initially, I thought this book was going to be SO hokey- but I gave it a solid try, and it was well worth it.<br />
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The Best<br />
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1) <i>Anne of Green Gables</i> by L.M. Montgomery - Yes, I read this Canadian Classic for the very first time in 2017. I fell in love the moment I first met Anne Shirley- she was the sweetest little thing. I listen to this one on audio and Rachel McAdams did the narration and she did such an amazing job at it.<br />
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2) <i>A List of Cages</i> by Robin Roe - I have made it no secret that this book blew me away. It was one of the first books I read in 2017 and I still think of it this year. I talked about it a whole lot in my Chapters interview- I am pretty sure my adoration of this book got me my job. It's a book about kindness and friendship and loyalty. It's such an incredible book, please read it. Read more of <a href="http://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2017/01/my-thoughts-list-of-cages-by-robin-roe.html" target="_blank">my thoughts here</a>. <br />
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3) <i>The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry</i> - Oh man, this book. I loved this book (obviously). I loved the family dynamics. It's not an overly complicated story, but if you are a lover of books this is a must read.<br />
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4) <i>Turtles All the Way Down</i> by John Green - I had absolutely no intention of reading this book. I wasn't sure I was going to like it- John Green's writing and his books are hit and miss with me. This was a huge hit. I even <a href="http://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2017/11/my-thoughts-turtles-all-way-down-by.html" target="_blank">reviewed it</a>, I had to, I needed to share my thoughts. I very much appreciated what was said regarding mental illness, specifically OCD and how disruptive it can be for one's life. It was just good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWvYzaS_1x-JC-JSjqfZCZkfeSGsbykpsetbFlBKhUhkq-WY22ijIqYPZgcemzxa1FZq4Js34XuPjKLUi1YatAXVlMFQ0SJK30ucMCiCDIyRzIl2NQiwf9ljAKThrGCzeYIYqiDfs7-4w/s1600/Best+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="625" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWvYzaS_1x-JC-JSjqfZCZkfeSGsbykpsetbFlBKhUhkq-WY22ijIqYPZgcemzxa1FZq4Js34XuPjKLUi1YatAXVlMFQ0SJK30ucMCiCDIyRzIl2NQiwf9ljAKThrGCzeYIYqiDfs7-4w/s320/Best+%25282%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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5) <i>Far From the Tree</i> by Robin Benway - I finished this book on Christmas Eve, and it ended up being the last things I read. This book is SO worth all the hype it's been getting. It discusses things like what makes a family, it also talks about friendship and fear and love. It's SO good. Beautifully written. This one will stay with me for a long time.<br />
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So, there you have it. My most surprising/best reads of 2017. I read a lot of great books last year and I am very much looking forward to 2018 and seeing what it's going to bring me. I'll have a recap of my 2017 year and my 2018 goals for you in a few days.<br />
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~Happy Reading Everyone<br />
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<br />~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-41236627574458158152017-12-30T12:50:00.000-08:002018-01-01T19:11:05.794-08:00Stefanie's 2017 End of the Year Survey<div style="text-align: center;">
Hey everyone,</div>
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It's 2018 and you know what that means; time for me to participate in one of my favourite blog posts of all time: the Year End Survey, which is hosted by <a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2017/12/8th-annual-end-of-year-survey-2017-edition.html">Jamie at Perpetual Page Turner</a>. I did this last year and it took me four hours to pick which book(s) I wanted to feature in each category. I've already challenged myself to not take that long again. </div>
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So here we go! </div>
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Number of Books Read: <b>248</b></div>
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Number of Re-Reads: <b>27</b></div>
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Genre You Read the Most From: <b>Contemporary </b></div>
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Best Book you Read in 2017 (well I always cheat here and pick one book from the major genres I read...because I can't pick just one!)</div>
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<b>Best Young Adult: The Best Kind of Magic by Crystal Cestari</b></div>
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<b>Best Adult: Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave</b></div>
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<b>Best Children's: Royal Crush by Meg Cabot</b></div>
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<b>Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love but Didn't: </b></div>
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<i>There's Someone Inside Your House</i> by Stephanie Perkins</div>
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I loved her first couple books, wasn't that much of a fan of Isla's tale, but I was so pumped for this one. It fell flat and I was actually severely disappointed. </div>
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<b>Most Surprising (in a good or bad way) Book You Read: </b></div>
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<i>Eight Hundred Grapes </i>by Laura Dave</div>
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For some reason I had this one originally shelved as DNF, but went back to it when I saw it at my library: and finished it within the day. I am officially in love with Laura Dave's writing and can't wait for her next book. </div>
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<b>Book You Pushed People To Read: </b></div>
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I can't pick just one, because outside of blogging I work in a junior high library, so on a daily basis I'm getting students to read books outside their comfort zone and pushing books on them..ok well not pushing, but nicely suggesting them to try certain books. I did convince one of my friends to start reading the <i>Harry Potter</i> series, when she really wasn't that fond of reading. </div>
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<b>Best Series You Started? Best Sequel of 2017? Best Series Ender of 2017:</b></div>
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Best Series I Started: Bad Housekeeping by Maia Chance</div>
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Best Sequel: Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Jenn McKinlay</div>
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Best Series Ender: Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2WQEgdvJom-pukGbqdCkCi6zi2TKBKxu3_m1eaCP4eI3NFrqFY36jiIbqZlqaCHcvQ-3hysHNdjAOzwjrVmVMQ0SHQk3hLZIPxTeQrvYRcCIBO6sY6O32b0od2YedGcBHREb2TxY-_s/s1600/32073180.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2WQEgdvJom-pukGbqdCkCi6zi2TKBKxu3_m1eaCP4eI3NFrqFY36jiIbqZlqaCHcvQ-3hysHNdjAOzwjrVmVMQ0SHQk3hLZIPxTeQrvYRcCIBO6sY6O32b0od2YedGcBHREb2TxY-_s/s200/32073180.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWv7_A0LBuFspZyNagpc8a3sNBtsfUNAtnC4RW2gHfc8zoS2jGNtamAlV0PQN-6u-BrVmZ90H5m-BSLH3WmXH87WqHWBtav-qA-IPVBdNl3IMDmo3Al8H3IT-tmJwTBRcb8riyugRIYKY/s1600/33800939.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWv7_A0LBuFspZyNagpc8a3sNBtsfUNAtnC4RW2gHfc8zoS2jGNtamAlV0PQN-6u-BrVmZ90H5m-BSLH3WmXH87WqHWBtav-qA-IPVBdNl3IMDmo3Al8H3IT-tmJwTBRcb8riyugRIYKY/s200/33800939.jpg" width="123" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HnUdMK4Z6r5G3buvgin9setJvfpKu2KK_sMP6bo8E0gckVkP7azX00MSF0CXEmLApxkWXCTRFAWMwLuL0_aHt0M_GZm9e40UQj1dpQ7n8LQlrkAEsk4QRG_JYHebxgUqwZYbUvyWir8/s1600/35247769.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HnUdMK4Z6r5G3buvgin9setJvfpKu2KK_sMP6bo8E0gckVkP7azX00MSF0CXEmLApxkWXCTRFAWMwLuL0_aHt0M_GZm9e40UQj1dpQ7n8LQlrkAEsk4QRG_JYHebxgUqwZYbUvyWir8/s200/35247769.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<b>Favourite Author You Discovered in 2017:</b></div>
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Laura Dave</div>
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<b>Best Book from a Genre You Don't Typically Read: </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQRtOPvLmFZHm8jCzMqmnrYXzS6wcaaEjgyfi4IXet2DS7A0asu9S7BhJ5swMWnGPaUod0FXc5X4MUH9E98wihvQLtNCdiKbyeLsLLAmtZY1nPqZ0LMyAeBOuQxzwXFINK5fDhXbOOpA/s1600/18052985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQRtOPvLmFZHm8jCzMqmnrYXzS6wcaaEjgyfi4IXet2DS7A0asu9S7BhJ5swMWnGPaUod0FXc5X4MUH9E98wihvQLtNCdiKbyeLsLLAmtZY1nPqZ0LMyAeBOuQxzwXFINK5fDhXbOOpA/s200/18052985.jpg" width="123" /></a> </div>
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<i>Romancing the Duke </i>by Tessa Dare</div>
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I normally don't read romances, but this one was hilarious! I'm tempted to continue with the rest of the series</div>
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<b>Most Action Packed/ Thrilling/ Unputdownable Book: </b></div>
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My entire re-read of the <i>Harry Potter </i>series, which I think I did in two and a half weeks (I really had no life that entire time)</div>
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<b>Book you Read in 2017 That You Are Most Likely to Re-ReadNext Year: </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStTcqBMrO3h0-VV5-reyCQRAeisPe7Q0-DojEhred5-TYeJZvkIX0Qqg2wtZwuJbO8CGJ11GpHu3gbgQijGOlRjFMEHPu2ZHYTZPWwA1L_6VEDmq_L2o4BKmzFnEWxeuSn26afDQSyRE/s1600/31932167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStTcqBMrO3h0-VV5-reyCQRAeisPe7Q0-DojEhred5-TYeJZvkIX0Qqg2wtZwuJbO8CGJ11GpHu3gbgQijGOlRjFMEHPu2ZHYTZPWwA1L_6VEDmq_L2o4BKmzFnEWxeuSn26afDQSyRE/s200/31932167.jpg" width="132" /></a><i></i><br />
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A New Model </i>by Ashley Graham and Rebecca Paley </div>
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It's already in my shopping cart to purchase</div>
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<b>Favourite Cover of a Book You Read: </b></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthBK38hXt3lUzJ7YuLtBOmM3Ul7loS-PyTn_eFhn1pOrIL9D_ea5g8r0fOqny5tHokuW_Tmgb9k-FyFxMqu8w4iByg54JIf3B_7E5OB0FGwZHRGfwNLCtb8wLHkwcvXRItIkEOhTDNWg/s1600/20694428.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthBK38hXt3lUzJ7YuLtBOmM3Ul7loS-PyTn_eFhn1pOrIL9D_ea5g8r0fOqny5tHokuW_Tmgb9k-FyFxMqu8w4iByg54JIf3B_7E5OB0FGwZHRGfwNLCtb8wLHkwcvXRItIkEOhTDNWg/s200/20694428.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div>
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<b>Most Memorable Character of 2017:</b></div>
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Can't really say I have one: I read a ton but one really doesn't stand out.</div>
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<b>Most Beautifully Written Book: </b></div>
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This I can't really answer, I don't know if one book I read would be considered the most beautifully written. </div>
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<b>Most Thought Provoking/ Life Changing Book:</b></div>
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Can't pick one again; I read a lot of books that really spoke to me when I read them and when I really needed them (after the pitfalls of online dating, ghosting, self confidence, all that drama), but to say they were beautifully written might be a stretch for most people, but for me these were what I needed! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51OJ7XDmjeEHRBthFW_gYQ_812WRJrVyGFThbsTafPUTCRcPFq6PNE6-V5avounUoQPEHIQmhm5Y1tCY_0Vq5et9F43tvfMlB2H_au4tA6WUXDvJ8peUiiwRKIKwytG57j5DkKV1Ihis/s1600/32508498.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51OJ7XDmjeEHRBthFW_gYQ_812WRJrVyGFThbsTafPUTCRcPFq6PNE6-V5avounUoQPEHIQmhm5Y1tCY_0Vq5et9F43tvfMlB2H_au4tA6WUXDvJ8peUiiwRKIKwytG57j5DkKV1Ihis/s200/32508498.jpg" width="129" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCpBwN6JO1o75qGjS_O9HIP_sz_bSl0HvryMhbXdQIfzJ37yYYENQL7TxQFBvinbDrMI1BjOnfRPMs6TdjHZ0C86xkVjhC4GIlG7rgycbFQuBT5Cl8bT30cJ4epor1XXmuFVWcKZzg3I/s1600/30315897.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCpBwN6JO1o75qGjS_O9HIP_sz_bSl0HvryMhbXdQIfzJ37yYYENQL7TxQFBvinbDrMI1BjOnfRPMs6TdjHZ0C86xkVjhC4GIlG7rgycbFQuBT5Cl8bT30cJ4epor1XXmuFVWcKZzg3I/s200/30315897.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglwgntBCHxjLj0l8pdu9HlzF8WNBou2IXh2_OYEyGfw1ov6D3L_0ST46GmL9lo0nYRcJlg-PP2sgg0oLFpkhsjUKztsZRugfhul8vLTqT-8ML37ma3-Dh-XUwGzhchhGaz1z4dmPMXr0/s1600/25559480.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglwgntBCHxjLj0l8pdu9HlzF8WNBou2IXh2_OYEyGfw1ov6D3L_0ST46GmL9lo0nYRcJlg-PP2sgg0oLFpkhsjUKztsZRugfhul8vLTqT-8ML37ma3-Dh-XUwGzhchhGaz1z4dmPMXr0/s200/25559480.jpg" width="130" /></a> </div>
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<b>Book You Can't Believe You Waited Until 2017 to Read: </b></div>
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<i>The Fill-In Boyfriend </i>by Kasie West</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBWPGUSbEjSyIoyEGuyOSXVVyryXkFnqqfwDq22orjIGLczaKZZI8RmAK1CD6JJcY3KcUYJID9-uLkzJssVvKCWsIY7suiFBEduAulnO50zV9qRTCCpNz2vUn05mTH2xxjeRk2sB20b0/s1600/18660447.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBWPGUSbEjSyIoyEGuyOSXVVyryXkFnqqfwDq22orjIGLczaKZZI8RmAK1CD6JJcY3KcUYJID9-uLkzJssVvKCWsIY7suiFBEduAulnO50zV9qRTCCpNz2vUn05mTH2xxjeRk2sB20b0/s200/18660447.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
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<b>Favourite Passage/ Quote from a Book You Read: </b></div>
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<b>"</b><i>You don't need anyone's permission or acceptance to go out there and do you. All you have to do is begin. The most beautiful thing in the world is someone living to their fullest potential." </i></div>
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from <i>Radical Self-Love </i>by Gala Darling</div>
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<b>Shortest and Longest Book You Read: </b></div>
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Shortest: <i>Quidditch Through the Ages </i>by J.K. Rowling (64 pages)</div>
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Longest: <i>Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix </i>by J.K. Rowling (800 pages)</div>
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<b>Book That Shocked You the Most: </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispKcTzePFXt16iACEUcHp08215UoDKxat4gShQJyFApz5jHfhvWLyWUHy8DsN-qUS2QPpoTPENYPvcuVpZS2znx__giWTe4VCWZnUuqaonWD7imlPeI4lW6g2UL4wJ8cEzJA96yGRc6I/s1600/25814203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispKcTzePFXt16iACEUcHp08215UoDKxat4gShQJyFApz5jHfhvWLyWUHy8DsN-qUS2QPpoTPENYPvcuVpZS2znx__giWTe4VCWZnUuqaonWD7imlPeI4lW6g2UL4wJ8cEzJA96yGRc6I/s200/25814203.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<i>I Had a Nice Time and Other Lies</i> by The Betches</div>
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This surprised me by being so honest, raw and downright funny, because every word in this book was right in your face brutally real. It made me laugh throughout as well, because it really was an eye-opener at times.</div>
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<b>OTP Of the Year:</b></div>
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I really don't ship anyone, call me old, but I just don't get attached to characters like I used to.</div>
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<b>Favourite Non-Romantic Relationship: </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_67oOwb1RdPuMZasxNRPYobq9V_-0JyUZ6E9QPGbdatkPpl9VFelsirWYnoiC_KK0ybJCcU7SGHRrGheHoI1ojYuuysTHvJ1XjLmVvOAWxgKpXvazJ2R-u9MzEUHxhopvtYfi7L9_dEI/s1600/22667806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_67oOwb1RdPuMZasxNRPYobq9V_-0JyUZ6E9QPGbdatkPpl9VFelsirWYnoiC_KK0ybJCcU7SGHRrGheHoI1ojYuuysTHvJ1XjLmVvOAWxgKpXvazJ2R-u9MzEUHxhopvtYfi7L9_dEI/s200/22667806.jpg" width="131" /></a><i></i><br />
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<i>
</i>from<i> Hello, Sunshine </i>by Leila Howland </div>
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Becca and Marisol's friendship; it was adorable! </div>
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<b>Favourite Book You've Read from an Author You've Read Previously: </b></div>
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<i>In This Moment </i>by Karma Brown</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKegGyNbcwI0Re4D02enM0YmPSCswdv0ks0dyAZjkvoQSsut36Mue-o8IPCFJ9CvMFKbcqLPgaf4w4ygqYHh_s_i59MUJPWs2tqUOuk5n8EJceoTaZR726us5KqXU9x2d9W7u7j6zxSak/s1600/32931294.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKegGyNbcwI0Re4D02enM0YmPSCswdv0ks0dyAZjkvoQSsut36Mue-o8IPCFJ9CvMFKbcqLPgaf4w4ygqYHh_s_i59MUJPWs2tqUOuk5n8EJceoTaZR726us5KqXU9x2d9W7u7j6zxSak/s200/32931294.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
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<b>Best Book You Read Based Solely on a Recommendation: </b></div>
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<i>Since You've Been Gone </i>by Morgan Matson</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRc4s_MLCi81sCEUxAv7ttMwBmeBwEKuZFprnFd8sdqqowm9SVXvT5HQcsBWy3Ie20uO916GCfposM1nVoOM_3-ErlUK20xzLPVD43pPWP0z6cOWiL_5hBFTyYY8PSlqDzvQuJmJ22Ac/s1600/18189606.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRc4s_MLCi81sCEUxAv7ttMwBmeBwEKuZFprnFd8sdqqowm9SVXvT5HQcsBWy3Ie20uO916GCfposM1nVoOM_3-ErlUK20xzLPVD43pPWP0z6cOWiL_5hBFTyYY8PSlqDzvQuJmJ22Ac/s200/18189606.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<b>Newest Fictional Crush from a book you Read in 2017: </b></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
from <i>Wesley James Ruined My Life </i>by Jennifer Honeybourne</div>
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Believe it or not I can answer this one! I actually fell for Wesley; his actions were just the best throughout the book and it was one of those moments that I was like <i>why can't this be me.</i></div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgK-snlWerAjdYkm83ysh2TwSPGSoj5VOfWYYB1JGb45laLf0BaJ9y7UD0al4_nSiy1fXv9_J20L_sM_nAh_846cwmbQu5e6NjclInyWd0NdIDJ5tCY12qB7KJQX4Tw9s085MRRAC_ew/s1600/31145064.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgK-snlWerAjdYkm83ysh2TwSPGSoj5VOfWYYB1JGb45laLf0BaJ9y7UD0al4_nSiy1fXv9_J20L_sM_nAh_846cwmbQu5e6NjclInyWd0NdIDJ5tCY12qB7KJQX4Tw9s085MRRAC_ew/s200/31145064.jpg" width="133" /></a></i></div>
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<b>Best 2017 Debut You Read:</b></div>
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<i>Caraval </i>by Stephanie Garber</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhcRgt23co4vSMsNMcD9zWUdsTVXOzRjCgFRmWPAKQpYpknVhcUfJDTw6gjo2iW6B_U2kofUG7SqTmDyBoJQLFY0_QcgqKDd2i6-OGFkIurJ7ckoh15xVsKW7QfA6JXX_x1OHtP7awW8/s1600/27883214.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhcRgt23co4vSMsNMcD9zWUdsTVXOzRjCgFRmWPAKQpYpknVhcUfJDTw6gjo2iW6B_U2kofUG7SqTmDyBoJQLFY0_QcgqKDd2i6-OGFkIurJ7ckoh15xVsKW7QfA6JXX_x1OHtP7awW8/s200/27883214.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Best Worldbuilding/ Most Vivid Setting: </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Original Screenplay </i>by J.K. Rowling</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTPF39aLdVyHbuxIFE4TjuUk7KQk11gjlnjeKXy93fFtGTYK55Z41xoLOYszt3mYKkjIV_xf_d4sbt57ih6fSBC02RRedmTd8AayKLnRlolc-XV3zeHXhe9TAld4KV3eo_pdUgvE6bGI/s1600/29363501.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTPF39aLdVyHbuxIFE4TjuUk7KQk11gjlnjeKXy93fFtGTYK55Z41xoLOYszt3mYKkjIV_xf_d4sbt57ih6fSBC02RRedmTd8AayKLnRlolc-XV3zeHXhe9TAld4KV3eo_pdUgvE6bGI/s200/29363501.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Book that Put a Smile on Your Face/ Most Fun to Read: </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay </i>by Kelly Harms</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_6AHVNa9zl761yc7wngzP0kIgQi1h8elgqQTrZTsVnxDzH7bdO0y2S2VE789pHo7tErq0g1M74JazN50L6U_GqAmea8dO1gtTZxSGyEyBl7j4jb_VLvwqcEost29HAvrrJndSULtFDk/s1600/28595866.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_6AHVNa9zl761yc7wngzP0kIgQi1h8elgqQTrZTsVnxDzH7bdO0y2S2VE789pHo7tErq0g1M74JazN50L6U_GqAmea8dO1gtTZxSGyEyBl7j4jb_VLvwqcEost29HAvrrJndSULtFDk/s200/28595866.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The short review I wrote on this on Goodreads even reads: Ended this book by having a smile on my face, that's how good it was. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Book That Made You Cry: </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<i>The Choices We Make </i>by Karma Brown </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNWiZHeEwi-d7wnRMlcRCVU3MtBjjL2eznXs9dYL7qnEhoTB8b79rZDYlb7nXllVTJiuuK-L1HtweEthTKQgWbBXlQxpCLpml9RZ53GABkiVBfOrD7J2QFHoIz2qJjQ1mu1K3-hHt9D8/s1600/27277172.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNWiZHeEwi-d7wnRMlcRCVU3MtBjjL2eznXs9dYL7qnEhoTB8b79rZDYlb7nXllVTJiuuK-L1HtweEthTKQgWbBXlQxpCLpml9RZ53GABkiVBfOrD7J2QFHoIz2qJjQ1mu1K3-hHt9D8/s200/27277172.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I BAWLED reading this. It was so emotional that I honestly couldn't keep it together, but I loved every page. It was a wonderful trip through my emotions. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Hidden Gem of the Year:</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<i>Myths and Mistletoe </i>by Tera Lynn Childs</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JvgA3wD0Azing9TLvqPBCXU1KGHTqmmKZJxo8TGuIdrmHC_ED8LOYPPCakz2I0tDxiGQsMIW-440WP2k480vLfOdcK3qItYXRUNJly8QD2s5Fb-C52eVV9OgZ7XzupJWfM789iWAUD4/s1600/36642123.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JvgA3wD0Azing9TLvqPBCXU1KGHTqmmKZJxo8TGuIdrmHC_ED8LOYPPCakz2I0tDxiGQsMIW-440WP2k480vLfOdcK3qItYXRUNJly8QD2s5Fb-C52eVV9OgZ7XzupJWfM789iWAUD4/s200/36642123.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Book That Crushed Your Soul:</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Same as Book that Made me Cry</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Most Unique Book You Read in 2017: </b></div>
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<i>Doing It </i>by Hannah Witton </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qoWwDsQ2-VRRPhmXslVJeAVN0608HutFyZMWak0Tk7R8G-QD6dZwM_FJZzruOKIJPvoUDZlAZTx6QUTsIsM_4NbgmA6T3eilzdyHPKt5fyBlq_B334vIH_3iM5B0DclhhhINahQygMU/s1600/32181998.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qoWwDsQ2-VRRPhmXslVJeAVN0608HutFyZMWak0Tk7R8G-QD6dZwM_FJZzruOKIJPvoUDZlAZTx6QUTsIsM_4NbgmA6T3eilzdyHPKt5fyBlq_B334vIH_3iM5B0DclhhhINahQygMU/s200/32181998.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<b>Book That Made You the Most Mad: </b></div>
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<i>Mistress of All Evil </i>by Serena Valentino </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgOPrS81EzEorjzfcz7lQ41ib6316_PIzT2vmQYjtBc9y7MPeL9gYFVqO300Ha6kB6tuhd8C61RGoyzRLE5NlV4tGNLN6FPooiW8vRJEQzg3brOZgN1s5uKOjTujD2i0pF6NxIYf2HTY/s1600/34220302.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgOPrS81EzEorjzfcz7lQ41ib6316_PIzT2vmQYjtBc9y7MPeL9gYFVqO300Ha6kB6tuhd8C61RGoyzRLE5NlV4tGNLN6FPooiW8vRJEQzg3brOZgN1s5uKOjTujD2i0pF6NxIYf2HTY/s200/34220302.jpg" width="154" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-A0cXZOhe41no13Slxcu9UBDL_sXTVY0zt6YoXP3A1SPW3dnaqQJdbZamWHvxU0ZlciqjaPmZyKj6R5yuPqJEqbMH-m79HGvOMF-UbsqVNYHg0JyYSTleKEGg34x7W8R-iVezB4XcRoo/s1600/book-blogging-900x244.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-A0cXZOhe41no13Slxcu9UBDL_sXTVY0zt6YoXP3A1SPW3dnaqQJdbZamWHvxU0ZlciqjaPmZyKj6R5yuPqJEqbMH-m79HGvOMF-UbsqVNYHg0JyYSTleKEGg34x7W8R-iVezB4XcRoo/s320/book-blogging-900x244.jpg" width="320" /></a></h2>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>New Favourite Book Blog You Discovered:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Broke and the Bookish for Top Ten Tuesday</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Favourite Review You Wrote in 2017:</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The <i>Myths and Mistletoe </i>one, since Tera Lynn Childs is one of my all-time favourite authors</div>
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<b>Best Discussion/ non-review post you had?</b></div>
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Probably the one where I talked about how much I loved Oliver Wood....</div>
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<b>Best Event You Participated In: </b></div>
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The campaign to review Maggie Hall's third book, and after reviewing it you got a signed bookplate (which happily sits in my copy of <i>Ends of the World) </i>and bookmark. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Best Moment of Blogging:</b></div>
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Unofficially celebrating my first year of blogging on here!</div>
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<b>Most Challenging Thing About Blogging:</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Attempting to learn HTML coding and stuff like that. Turns out: I suck at it, as I expected; good thing I never went into computer science. Then again I could use it. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Most Popular Post This Year: </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My review of <i>Girl Online. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2017/01/girl-online-review.html">http://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2017/01/girl-online-review.html</a></div>
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<b>Post You Wish Got a Little More Love: </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I don't have one; honestly I'm happy if only one person were to look up one of of posts!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Best Bookish Discovery:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Finding out I had enough Harry Potter books and collectibles to have a fully dedicated Harry Potter bookshelf in my apartment. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Did You Complete Your Reading Challenges/ Goals you Set for Yourself:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Yes to the reading challenge. My goal to re-read one book a week full short, by about half but I at least got to push myself to re-read more and realize that I really do need to pick up the slack when it comes to re-reads. </div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82dVdvyiroa9a7ASe8KuHPISI1DpEz_enI1yAoELVwr2XyVGaKAuWXrSFqEENIzv2ALpBCOir_LkY3lVtBQyjHx6WR0g6Vwp00Cw5Xx6wNjyowHfOraP3VR-thzaWwTMRaXRH8GqjGTw/s1600/looking-ahead-books-2015-900x244.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82dVdvyiroa9a7ASe8KuHPISI1DpEz_enI1yAoELVwr2XyVGaKAuWXrSFqEENIzv2ALpBCOir_LkY3lVtBQyjHx6WR0g6Vwp00Cw5Xx6wNjyowHfOraP3VR-thzaWwTMRaXRH8GqjGTw/s320/looking-ahead-books-2015-900x244.jpg" width="320" /></a></h2>
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<b>One Book You Didn't Get To in 2017, but will be a Priority in 2018: </b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Regulars </i>by Georgia Clarke</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJjfx6ovMqGIPzyPnUcFSIs6YpsdAc4elEhxTTbm3nn4k9al3ducf-i0VEhmCFLU1ExtU6SxCLlf1FplvHguLOyp42aKITq8EQ8wqm8hS5DgdvhCxMmTt3iTyksJM0nDwLD57O47BfBo/s1600/27276283.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJjfx6ovMqGIPzyPnUcFSIs6YpsdAc4elEhxTTbm3nn4k9al3ducf-i0VEhmCFLU1ExtU6SxCLlf1FplvHguLOyp42aKITq8EQ8wqm8hS5DgdvhCxMmTt3iTyksJM0nDwLD57O47BfBo/s320/27276283.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Book You Are Most Anticipating for 2018 (Non Debut): </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Sweetest Kind of Fate </i>by Crystal Cestari</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLem03MEgC8v3vPjEhgGUV3lGsXJBXl8LDuH2TAupoJ5K_yBm1GXm-MJG3PXP8r3Y8z_CFuvFeToW8_nZfxXbmOFuaSW43Aqg6c0Y5v8I6CS8hGvTIvZGTOKHjJZSSeALHmvz4R9AI2U/s1600/34321938.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLem03MEgC8v3vPjEhgGUV3lGsXJBXl8LDuH2TAupoJ5K_yBm1GXm-MJG3PXP8r3Y8z_CFuvFeToW8_nZfxXbmOFuaSW43Aqg6c0Y5v8I6CS8hGvTIvZGTOKHjJZSSeALHmvz4R9AI2U/s320/34321938.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>2018 Debut You Are Most Anticipating </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>American Panda </i>by Gloria Chao</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5zuZzkkExLB8SBkxQgtL640d-m-ttwnf-o9zc78s1Bz16d3pTmZNpI7M0ZChc01utxRQ7fhMh1F3dmqUz2zuv27cLLt_P-1la2AjA6lg_j8hud6zWeA5QF-6qvHpD7G1yfrvSHhdU5M/s1600/35297380.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5zuZzkkExLB8SBkxQgtL640d-m-ttwnf-o9zc78s1Bz16d3pTmZNpI7M0ZChc01utxRQ7fhMh1F3dmqUz2zuv27cLLt_P-1la2AjA6lg_j8hud6zWeA5QF-6qvHpD7G1yfrvSHhdU5M/s320/35297380.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Series Ending/ Sequel You Are Most Anticipating</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Royal Crown </i>by Meg Cabot</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>One Thing You Hope to Accomplish Or Do in Your Reading/ Blogging Life</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Knock off more from my TBR list, instead of what I usually do and add way too many instead of getting that backlist tackled. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
AND THAT'S IT</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Honestly it always feels good to do these! Gets me excited about the New Year and all the time for books I have. I hope everyone had a great New Years and I hope you all have a great 2018!! </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Stefanie</div>
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Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-3320860578378084032017-12-27T14:50:00.001-08:002017-12-27T14:50:31.252-08:00Sara's Top Five Worst/Most Disappointing Reads of 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9m2DHzTlPHfrMQ_UB9bbcggetajXOWyMzjTGHnPK2gbvjEG9UlYjGorcBx-pFLnASMXbWMT3dIuid7ChzGHQ-1iZkGNIkZ0hDkbTvv_xBe9I6KG9Ff0bl09K5Sy5K148EPgYKFj1Eub3/s1600/syd_nyc.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9m2DHzTlPHfrMQ_UB9bbcggetajXOWyMzjTGHnPK2gbvjEG9UlYjGorcBx-pFLnASMXbWMT3dIuid7ChzGHQ-1iZkGNIkZ0hDkbTvv_xBe9I6KG9Ff0bl09K5Sy5K148EPgYKFj1Eub3/s320/syd_nyc.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hi Friends, it's been a minute since I've had time to sit down and blog. As you may know from my October wrap up- I got a second job with Chapters for the Christmas season and I have been working non-stop, sometimes only getting an evening or two off a week. I am exhausted, but completely love it. I love working at a bookstore and Chapters was such a fun space to be in during the holiday season.<br />
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Anyways, I am coming at you today with a short list of my worst and most disappointing reads of 2017. I have five books of each category to share with you today. So I hope you enjoy.<br />
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A small disclaimer- These are books that I just did not connect with. There were things in them that I did not enjoy. If you enjoyed them- that's great. Please do not think I am personally attacking you, I am not. I just get a bit nit picky at times. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Most Disappointing</b></span><br />
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The next five books are not books I necessarily disliked, but I was just expecting to or thought I would love. Some of the novels listed are ones I still rated 4+ stars.<br />
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1) <i>The Thief</i> by Megan Whalen Turner - I enjoyed this book. But I didn't LOVE it. A very good friend of mine loves it, and gifted the first four books to me for my birthday. I enjoyed the story and I really liked Gen, but it was a bit slow and took me longer than I expected to finish. However, I fully plan on continuing with the series. I am curious about why so many people are loving it.<br />
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2) <i>We Are Okay</i> by Nina LaCour- Based on the synopsis given to use, I fully expected this one to be a five start read for me, but no. I thought the whole thing was a bit slow, and uneventful. There were things I enjoyed but they weren't really flushed out, and I think that's largely due to the length of the story- it's short book at 256 pages.<br />
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3) <i>Crooked Kingdom</i> by Leigh Bardugo- I read both <i>Six of Crows</i> and <i>Crooked Kingdom</i> this past year. I really enjoyed <i>Six of Crows</i> and was super eager to get to <i>Crooked Kingdom</i>, I was expecting big things- but, it all fell a bit short. The end was a bit dull, and the overall story was so unmemorable. I was hugely disappointed. I think I still rated it 4 stars, but I couldn't tell you what actually happened in this story, other than, the ending was weak. <br />
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4) <i>Dating You, Hating You</i> by Christina Lauran - This one is SO sad for me. I generally love all things Christina Lauren, however this one was SO boring, and kind of ridiculous. The characters were flat and uninteresting and the conflict was kind of stupid. This actually might be my biggest disappointment of the year.<br />
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5) <i>A Darker Shade of Magic</i> by VE Schwab - This book/series is SUPER hyped, and I was sure I was going to love it. But again, it was a bit slow in the beginning, it took me a few tries to finally get into it. I am not sure if Schwab is for me, I seem to regularly struggle with her stuff- but I keep trying.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Worst </b></span><br />
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Again, just because I didn't like these books doesn't meant you were wrong to, or that I was wrong not to. There was just something that I didn't click with.<br />
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1) <i>The Kind Worth Killing</i> by Peter Swanson - I could have really liked this one. But, one of the characters does something which kind of bugged me and kind of ruined the whole story. I was super irritated after that. I can't say much more beyond that, as this is a pretty twisted read and I don't want to spoil it for you. I am pretty sure I pushed this one of two or three of my co-workers who enjoyed it, and didn't have the same hangups as I did. <br />
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2) <i>A Study in Charlotte</i> by Brittany Cavallaro - This was just not for me. I hated Charlotte, I just could not handle her. I thought her drug use was ridiculous and just stupid. I found the mystery incredibly immature. I hated this, I am surprised I even got through it. <br />
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3) <i>An Enchantment of Ravens</i> by Margaret Rogerson - Blah, this book was terrible. There was not plot, there was insta-love that didn't make sense. One minute he hated her and then the next he was risking his life and his legacy for her. Give me a break. This book had such potential- the premise was great, and there were a couple of fun quirky bits. But, oh well- this was just not good for me.<br />
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4) <i>Confess</i> by Colleen Hoover - So, I waffle with all of CoHo's books. Some I really enjoy and others I can't stand. This was a can't stand. I didn't like the insta-love or how easily things wrapped in the end. According to what I wrote on Goodreads upon my completion of this book, I found it boring and angsty.<br />
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5) <i>All the Ugly and Wonderful Things</i> by Bryn Greenwood- This book. The overall rating of this book on Goodreads is 4.1 stars. How? Why? I get controversial topics. I even enjoy reading them, but they have to have a point. I felt like this book had no point- it was edgy and odd, but had no point to make. I have a pretty lengthy<a href="http://jstanotherstory.blogspot.ca/2017/02/my-thoughts-all-ugly-and-wonderful.html" target="_blank"> review</a> here on the blog for you- if you're interested.<br />
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Well, there you have it. My not so great reads of the year. Do you agree or disagree with my choices, tell me about it. <br />
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Stay tuned, because up next will be my best and most surprising reads of the year. <br />
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~Happy Reading Everyone<br />
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~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-50953934423583222022017-12-18T14:00:00.000-08:002017-12-18T14:04:12.925-08:00Stefanie's Thoughts: Myths and Mistletoe by Tera Lynn Childs <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDHskfiAvGI_5vig5TRuSt2r8-92mxe4Cj29qWKYvc9U2h9Sbk0Bu4YnQcq8-b-iKqFLw2K-52CiO-HLu0RWlEURRu8BQw5csYsZxNkKQJJMw0erzD1D9WGz3Ua15iAXlLEinzKElLDw/s1600/Holiday-2017-Cover-373x550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDHskfiAvGI_5vig5TRuSt2r8-92mxe4Cj29qWKYvc9U2h9Sbk0Bu4YnQcq8-b-iKqFLw2K-52CiO-HLu0RWlEURRu8BQw5csYsZxNkKQJJMw0erzD1D9WGz3Ua15iAXlLEinzKElLDw/s320/Holiday-2017-Cover-373x550.jpg" width="216" /></a>The Best Things Come in Fours<br />
Four holidays to celebrate the season. Four worlds to explore. Four lives about to change. Four stories that prove magic is real.<br />
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Of Solstice Dreaming<br />
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A Mythmas Carol<br />
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Snow Falling on Serfopoula<br />
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New Year, New Mermaid<br />
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Slip into a world of myths, mermaids, and magic for a collection of holiday stories sure to warm the coldest heart!<br />
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<i>A copy was provided by the author for an honest review</i></div>
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Hi everyone,</div>
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I can't believe it's almost December; as I type this I can happily say I've bought all my Christmas presents (except one) and am getting ready to shop for my Secret Santa at work; the best part is shopping for my Secret Santa is like shopping for myself so that'll be a lot of fun. </div>
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I'm fully in gear reading my favorite holiday/ winter themed reads and I even found a couple new ones I hadn't heard of, plus a couple of the cozy mysteries I read have holiday ones, excited to dive in! My favorite of all though was when I heard one of my all-time favorite authors Tera Lynn Childs announced a new short story collection, all featuring holiday stories!! <i>Forgive My Fins </i>is in my top ten favorite books of all time and having the chance to go back into the world was the best part! </div>
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The best part was this collection had each story in chronological order, starting from Christmas Eve to ending off the fourth story on New Years. This collection also had the main characters in these stories be the supporting characters from their main series which they are from (if that makes any sense). It was nice to see their worlds from their perspectives, when you normally saw them from another's first person perspective. </div>
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The collection starts off with <i>Of Solstice Dreaming:</i></div>
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<i>Winnie Price has spent years dreaming of the magical Winter Solstice celebration in the fae realm. This is the year she will finally get to attend. But when things don’t go according to plan, will her dream still come true?</i></div>
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This was probably my least favorite of them, as the Darkly Fae series wasn't my favorite TLC series, but it still felt great in this collection. Winnie was a fun character and while her story might not have been my favorite, I enjoyed being back in the world. </div>
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Next we get <i>A Mythmas Carol: </i></div>
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<i>Christmas has never brought anything but trouble for Gretchen Sharpe. She’d rather spend the holidays hunting down mythological monsters than fighting over mashed potatoes. Can three sentimental hunts change her mind?</i></div>
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This was my third favorite of the four; I loved Gretchen in this one. She still had the kick butt attitude and softness for monsters she had in the <i>Medusa Girls </i>series. Her interaction with Sillus melted my little Grinch heart; there was something between the two of them that was so cute and heartwarming I loved it. This one also had <i>A Christmas Carol </i>feel to it and the ending was so cute. </div>
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This was followed up with <i>Snow Falling on Serfopoula: </i></div>
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<i>The Haloa festival is supposed to be a time of hope, but Adara Spencer hasn’t been feeling particularly hopeful. Until a surprise island snowfall brings three surprise visitors to her door with a surprise invitation.</i></div>
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How long has it been since I've been to The Academy in the Greece islands since <i>Goddess Boot Camp </i>got released; this was the first TLC series I read and the one that made me fall in love with her writing. I still remember being on holiday and going into a Barnes and Noble in San Diego and randomly seeing the cover and thinking this was going to be a great book, boy was I ever correct! </div>
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This story is from Adara's perspective and I can't say I really liked her in the series, in this book I really felt for her; her mother is gone and spending the holidays without her has been tough. I liked how the special surprise made her realize just how lucky she is to be who she is and connect with the people in her life. I also got the feels reading this one and I can't complain, the snow part got to me too living in a Winter Wonderland six months of the year. </div>
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We end the collection with <i>New Year, New Mermaid</i></div>
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<i>Marina Borealis knows having a crush on your best friend is the worst. Especially when he doesn’t feel the same way. Especially on New Year’s Eve. Will she spend another year unrequited, or will everything change before the shell drops?</i></div>
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I wish I could be a mermaid! I loved this one and this was my favorite of the collection. While I miss Lily and Quince, this one was fun having Marina as our main character. I felt so much for Marina and having an unrequited crush (those are the worst!), while I haven't had a crush on a friend, there's nothing to make you feel really single as seeing all those happy couples on New Years Eve (am I right!?). </div>
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If anything I almost wish this one was longer! I would have been perfectly alright with this one being a full length novel! More romance, more underwater adventure! </div>
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I can see myself reading this collection yearly and it'll have a nice place with my other yearly reads for the holidays! I'm actually hoping it gets published in paperback/ hardcover, so I can add it to my other TLC books. This has just reestablished TLC as an auto-buy author for me and I can't wait to see what she releases next!! </div>
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5 out of 5 stars! </div>
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Until my next review,</div>
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Stefanie</div>
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Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-53272137188618962442017-11-18T19:54:00.003-08:002017-11-18T19:54:50.853-08:00Stefanie's Thoughts: My New Crush Gave to Me by Shani Petroff<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInevO2yIDcgZb3-IruoHzah-qeUFyizkLC-e5jMfBTb9vhDAY5y8tfSq085_vf9ibasimiFyJK8luBEZgs4jOB50qYBUujD0hcK_89Cube41UxTeio-LOwnZCVpNIRtgon7olupYLDck/s1600/33158563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInevO2yIDcgZb3-IruoHzah-qeUFyizkLC-e5jMfBTb9vhDAY5y8tfSq085_vf9ibasimiFyJK8luBEZgs4jOB50qYBUujD0hcK_89Cube41UxTeio-LOwnZCVpNIRtgon7olupYLDck/s320/33158563.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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<i>Charlotte Charlie Donovan knows exactly what she wants
for Christmas: Teo Ortiz. He s the school s star athlete, in the
National Honor Society, invited to every party, contributes to the
school paper (where Charlie is co-editor), and is about to be featured
as One to Watch in a teen magazine basically, he's exactly the type of
guy Charlie s meant to be with. The only problem he barely knows she
exists.</i><br />
<i><br />But Charlie is determined to be Teo's date to
the Christmas ball. And she has a plan: To rig the paper s Secret Santa
so that she can win his heart with five perfect gifts. But to do that
she needs help. Enter J.D. Ortiz Teo s cousin, and possibly the most
annoying person on the planet. He s easy going, laid back, unorganized,
spontaneous, and makes a joke out of everything the exact opposite of
Charlie (and Teo). But he's willing to provide insight into what Teo
wants, so she's stuck with him.<br /><br />Yet, the more time Charlie spends
with J.D., the more she starts to wonder: does she really know what, or
rather who, she wants for Christmas?</i><br />
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<i>Review copy provided by Swoon Reads (all thoughts are my own)</i></div>
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Hello everyone, </div>
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Today I'm reviewing what might be one of my favorite holiday themed reads ever: <i>My New Crush Gave to Me</i>. I'm such a fan of cute, fluffy stories where you know it'll end happily and you just can't help but gush over the characters; plus it's holiday themed, so bigger bonus.</div>
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Not only have I been full out watching Christmas movies, I love reading holiday themed books as well; I just find it's harder to find holiday reads than movies, so naturally when this popped up in my mailbox I was ecstatic. I'm not sure about you but it seems like holiday YA books are a rare treat; I've read a bunch of holiday mysteries but it seems like not as common in YA.<br />
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I hadn't read any other books by this author before, but based on the cover I knew I'd enjoy this one; her other book <i>Romeo and What's Her Name</i> is currently on my to-be-read list and I can't wait to dive into it.<br />
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Charlie was such a fun main character; she had the greatest lines and I enjoyed her panicking over everything, because that's what I do! She loves lists, so do I! She plans everything. so do I! It was like this book was almost written for me (I mean, I know it wasn't but it would be pretty cool to think about). I, unlike Charlie, tend to be late or on time for things and Charlie loves being early for everything.<br />
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Charlie has the greatest best friend in Morgan. I loved how Morgan was totally in Charlie's corner when it came to the shenanigans of Secret Santa. I imagined their friendship like something my best friend and I would have gotten into in high school. Morgan was also at times the voice of reason and noticed things before Charlie did, such as Charlie probably spending her time thinking about the wrong guy. Morgan herself is in a relationship, but isn't boy crazy, which was a good opposite to Charlie.<br />
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Best bonus: no love-triangle! I liked how Charlie spent all her time thinking about Teo and being with JD on her quest to get the perfect presents for Teo. I will admit, I was a tad hesitant because I was worried about a love triangle, but nope not here.<br />
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If I found one negative it would be that I guess I'm tired that in almost every YA it seems to be the main girl always crushes over the most popular boy in school; I know this goes back forever because this is the same plot of every 80s/90s teen movie, but I mean what's wrong with falling for the normal guy (and yes I do know that a bunch of the plots also deal with girl falling for boy next door, say <i>Drive me Crazy). </i>I guess though, if they wouldn't fall for the popular boy then they;d never crush on the normal guy. </div>
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The whole setting and feel of this book made me crave Christmas; we actually just picked our Secret Santa's at work and I can't wait to start shopping for mine (it'll basically be like shopping for myself!). The atmosphere brought me back to high school and to that magical joy of Christmas and falling for your first crush.<br />
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4.5 happy fluffy snowflakes for this one.<br />
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Until my next review,<br />
<br />
Stefanie</div>
Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-12970261976745738932017-11-16T20:34:00.000-08:002017-11-16T20:34:01.502-08:00My Thoughts: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span id="freeText6148595270375507015">Sixteen-year-old Aza
never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell
Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her
Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So
together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that
separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.<br /><br />Aza is trying.
She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and
maybe even a good detective, while also living within the
ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.</span></i></div>
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So, John Green wrote another book.<br />
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I didn't think I was going to read <i>Turtles All the Way Down</i> (never mind review it) as quickly as I did. I mean as of writing this review, this book has been on the shelves for five weeks, and I don't generally read new releases so soon after release date (Aaaaaaaand I got it from the library), so I am kind of impressed with myself. <br />
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<i>Turtles All the Way Down</i> was HUGELY anticipated and the hype surrounding it's release was off the charts. I get it, John Green is a big seller, <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> was something else, and that was five years ago. That right there, five years since readers have had anything new from their beloved author. There was much excitement surrounding this book. As of right now, this book has over 30,000 ratings on Goodreads with an average rating of 4.23 stars. That's huge!<br />
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So, I read <i>Turtles All the Way Down</i>. Is it worth the hype? Is it worth all the five star ratings and all the love it's been getting? I will tell you all, <i>Turtles All the Way Down</i> is the best book I have read by John Green, and I have read all of them with the exception of <i>An Abundance of Katherines</i> and the Christmas anthology. <br />
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What did I love about this book- <br />
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First off, I want to talk about Aza- our protagonist. I adored her. I was completely charmed by her, and my heart broke for her and her struggle. Aza is fighting a war that is OCD. Not just OCD, but OCD of intrusive thoughts, and they often completely consume her and can be incredibly disruptive to her life. This is something Green himself is also battling and you can really tell that Aza is written from a place of knowing. This aspect of the novel was just breath taking. As a person who does not have OCD, I can't even imagine having to navigate life with this constant form of anxiety.<br />
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<i>Turtles All the Way Down</i>, was just incredible (in case you didn't get that already), I am still thinking about this book and I can't wait to reread it. I feel like when Green takes his time and writes about something important to him (this is me making assumptions about his previous works and what they meant- I just am familiar with the reasons he wrote TFiOS and Turtles and feel like this was very present in the final product of both books), the outcome is something magical, and inspiring. I am not sure how to explain it, but I feel like I was experiencing a dramatic realization- that doesn't make sense, I just feel like I got the point, like REALLY got the point - whatever it was. <br />
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This story certainly had the typical Green elements. It features intelligent (maybe above average intelligent) teenagers, who use big words and speak in philosophical metaphors that I, as a 30 year old woman, wouldn't even think to use. But I give Green kudos for this. Teens aren't stupid, they aren't unintelligent and I think a lot of YA novels don't give them enough credit. I find this "mature" language used by Green's characters very refreshing. And I think for any teen reading this, it's good to see that language can be expanded, even when you're young. In the same vein, there has been some criticism regarding the end of <i>Turtles</i> and how it's gets pretty lofty in it's philosophical jargon, I didn't notice it, but maybe that's cause I didn't get it. Who knows? <br />
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Overall, <i>Turtles All the Way Down</i> was amazing. I should really stop underestimating John Green and what he brings to the table. This novel blew me away and I can't stop talking about it. If you want an own voices account of OCD and how disruptive it is, read this book.<br />
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~Happy Reading Everyone~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-35732314111285705952017-11-09T11:30:00.003-08:002017-11-09T11:30:41.395-08:00Stefanie's October Wrap Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello everyone,</div>
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I'm always bittersweet when October ends; not only is it my favorite month, but sadly we typically get snow, cold weather and all those pretty autumn colors and leaves disappear. </div>
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I had my birthday, attended my work's Halloween activity night (basically a dance, but with more stations), had another epic work costume; this year it was <i>Wizard of Oz. </i>I got to be Dorothy and watching the students faces when they'd spot another character in a different classroom (it was like a huge. The best was having the students guess the day before what the costume was going to be. A couple suggestions from the clues I gave them (it's a big group, something you will know, it's a movie or TV show) were <i>Loud House, Addams Family, Beauty and the Beast </i>and something I had never heard of. </div>
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October was another great month for reading; I got most of the books on my fall TBR list actually read! </div>
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<b>Books I read: </b></div>
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<i>Hello, Sunshine </i>by Leila Howland</div>
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<i>Pressed to Death</i> by Kirsten Weiss</div>
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<i>Midnight at Madame Leota's</i> by Amicus Arcane</div>
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<i>One Hundred Candles</i> by Mara Purnhagen</div>
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<i>Wild Beauty</i> by Anna-Marie McLemore</div>
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<i>Bean Stalker</i> by Kirsten White</div>
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<i>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated edition </i>by J.K. Rowling</div>
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<i>Bad Housekeeping</i> by Maia Chance</div>
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<i>Royal Crush</i> by Meg Cabot</div>
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<i>Wesley James Ruined My Life</i> by Jennifer Honeybourn</div>
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<i>Stirring the Plot </i>by Daryl Wood Gerber</div>
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<b>Total: 11</b></div>
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<b>Books of the Month:</b></div>
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I watched a whole bunch of Halloween movies from <i>Halloweentown, Casper, Hocus Pocus </i>to my attempt at watching horror movies. I'm not a fan of horror, but something about October just asks for horor movies. The ones I watched were mostly from the 30s and 40s on TCM, but I did try to watch a few modern ones, like <i>The Grudge, When a Stranger Calls </i>and <i>The Skeleton Key. </i>After this I can say horror really isn't my thing, unless its from the 30s-60s when horror was more about the movie atmosphere than gore and jump scares. </div>
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That was basically my month; filed with movies and books, just the way I like it. I've now gone full-out Christmas movie crazy. I just love those cheesy Hallmark made-for-TV movies. I can't commit to Christmas music until after Remembrance Day, but I've already started Christmas present shopping!</div>
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Hope everyone had a great October!</div>
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Until my next review,</div>
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Stefanie </div>
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<br />Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-51960454701933880282017-11-04T10:17:00.000-07:002017-11-04T10:17:03.437-07:00Sara's October Wrap Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Friends,<br />
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Happy second last month of the year. I literally cannot believe it is November, that we have someone whipped through 10 months of the year in a blink of an eye. October was whirlwind of a month, I have much to share with you, and I hope you stick with me.<br />
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So, On October 3rd, myself and a group of my greatest friends got up at 4:45am packed ourselves into a 15 passenger van and began what would be a 20+ hour journey to Detroit, Michigan (with a quick 14 hour pit stop in Chicago, Illinois). We went to a conference in Detroit on community development. It was an incredible trip- driving with my friends was fantastic and fun, the conference was challenging and inspiring. I really love learning about community development and seeing that other people are also choosing to live in community. It was an incredible experience. Like always, I immediately got sick when I got home, but it was worth it.<br />
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Shortly after I got home, I applied for a seasonal position at Chapters/Indigo. I have ALWAYS wanted to work for Indigo and I was SUPER excited when I got the interview and was offered the position- I am now a Customer Service Representative- I am SO excited about this, and while I haven't actually worked the floor yet (just orientation and training), I am keeping my fingers crossed that this position will extend past the holiday season. And yes, I continue to maintain my full time employment. I just thought working two jobs would be a good idea. <br />
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In all of that, I have also somehow managed to complete the whole first season of This Is Us which appeared on Netflix this past month. I have a few thoughts on this show. I, at no point, felt the need to binge the show- I mean it took me all month to watch the 18 episodes. It's really a show about nothing, but it's SO good at the same time. I quite enjoyed it.<br />
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The Books<br />
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So because October was a bit life busy. I did not read very much. I am actually kind of embarrassed with the amount I actually read. I had a fair number of audiobooks, but actually read- pitiful.<br />
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<b>Total Books </b><br />
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<b>Physical Books</b></div>
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<b>2</b></div>
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<b>Audiobooks</b></div>
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1) <i>Hers to Take</i> by Talia Ellison (1 Star)</div>
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2) <i>Rebel of the Sands</i> by Alwyn Hamilton (4.5 Stars) </div>
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Favourite Read</div>
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This book was SO fun. I really really enjoyed it. I plowed through the first half while on my drive home, but as soon as I got home, I put it down and didn't read another work for a week and half. When I finally picked it up again, I finished it almost immediately. It was well written and a really fun story. I was very impressed. </div>
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Audiobooks </div>
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1) <i>The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue</i> by McKenzi Lee (4 1/2 Stars)</div>
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2) <i>Wicked Wish </i>by Sawyer Bennett (3 1/2 Stars)</div>
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3) <i>Duke of Manhattan</i> by Louise Bay (3 1/2 Stars)</div>
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4) <i>A Study in Charlotte</i> by Brittany Cavallaro (1 1/2 Stars)</div>
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5) <i>Burn for You</i> by J.T. Geissinger (4 Stars)</div>
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6) <i>Eleventh Grave in Moonlight</i> by Darynda Jones (4 1/2 Stars) -- Reread</div>
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Favourite Listen </div>
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Are you surprised? This books has been getting a lot of hype, and rightfully so. This little book was so great. I found myself laughing often, Monty was completely selfish and endearing. He had absolutely no clue. If you have no read this book, I would suggest you do so immediately. </div>
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So I physically read TWO books last month, which is abysmal. I plan on changing that in the next couple months. I took a count to see how many physical books I've read versus how many audiobooks I've listened to, and the numbers aren't to far apart.To date I have read 40 physical books and listened to 43 books. My hope it to get to 55 physical books, this may seem a bit ambitious, but I am hopeful (I would like to get to 52 at least). </div>
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That's it for me and the month of October. What were your favourite reads of the month? Was there a particular book you hated? I would love to hear all about them. </div>
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~Happy Reading Everyone. </div>
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~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-82857816117893915082017-11-01T19:14:00.003-07:002017-11-01T19:14:31.678-07:00Stefanie's Thoughts: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Edition <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfevNl8aEqhnz3FUK9vbyIZSHpaTamxZANbAEukOBNoUf9etOIh1i7r13AOxvs6gLhPyt-LNr54Ds6vrE_dtYv0KReIUiGl2RoGLjV0GMoOmACdYDNM5UEhdfhVtXAU_TFiBvQ_B3e76A/s1600/34381546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfevNl8aEqhnz3FUK9vbyIZSHpaTamxZANbAEukOBNoUf9etOIh1i7r13AOxvs6gLhPyt-LNr54Ds6vrE_dtYv0KReIUiGl2RoGLjV0GMoOmACdYDNM5UEhdfhVtXAU_TFiBvQ_B3e76A/s320/34381546.jpg" width="270" /></a><i><br /></i><br />
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<i>For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous
prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a
single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord,
Voldemort.<br />Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he
might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's
downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his
sleep, "He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts."<br /><br />Harry Potter isn't
safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by
his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in
their midst.</i></div>
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Hi everyone,<br />
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We all know that I'm obsessed with <i>Harry Potter</i> and when my sister got the latest illustrated edition for me for my birthday I couldn't have been more happy (I mean I specifically asked for it, but still!). I immediately dove into it and read it slower than I expected, but I think that's because I did just read the series, therefore I was able to spend more time looking at the illustrations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjIjDqMFov4fWNUa89cBpQl8Yl7t5dDceZ_1aMsSdmzw52THRvH6nP_EZk3YwRiMuSmS-jMrFvyoZEmOAKVfAPRFHasgdNcSAR_LMzTvrv3bJj_YPJXp1hbA4rdFmUhnlfv7ydnj4aIM/s1600/a24ed7cf-092d-4f57-a8f8-99aa169c8088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjIjDqMFov4fWNUa89cBpQl8Yl7t5dDceZ_1aMsSdmzw52THRvH6nP_EZk3YwRiMuSmS-jMrFvyoZEmOAKVfAPRFHasgdNcSAR_LMzTvrv3bJj_YPJXp1hbA4rdFmUhnlfv7ydnj4aIM/s320/a24ed7cf-092d-4f57-a8f8-99aa169c8088.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Jim Kay does another wonderful job with this one and the illustrations really do give the story a whole new layer. The illustrations really went well with the overall tone and feel of the third adventure; darker, but still has the innocence of our characters.<br />
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My one negative would be that the entire Quidditch final wasn't illustrated! Come on; it's like the best part of the entire book (well in my opinion) and it's nothing. Kay has the pages illustrated with background patters, but that's it. I saw on Pottermore there was an image of Harry holding the Quidditch cup, and I thought maybe something like that would make the book.<br />
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What's different in this edition than the previous two would be less full page illustrations and more background patterns on the pages. I wonder if this is because of the length of the text and the hope of not having this book be five-hundred pages. I think I kind of missed the overall amount of illustrations, but was still fully in love with the book, because really how many series get an illustrated line!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzp8NSPOFwmsoFJpCfdPWErsdzOn8ieEJFUNMx7Gam5nhakfPEWlcx-8SnUUg6vnF-4Oi_e7NG4TwRNMASZYbzyIJeiRdGCEqFden6DTmnlvBMUpVGTbFce4K7PRoZEeiACNPbxHi3cs/s1600/normal_azkaban-preview-page-005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzp8NSPOFwmsoFJpCfdPWErsdzOn8ieEJFUNMx7Gam5nhakfPEWlcx-8SnUUg6vnF-4Oi_e7NG4TwRNMASZYbzyIJeiRdGCEqFden6DTmnlvBMUpVGTbFce4K7PRoZEeiACNPbxHi3cs/s320/normal_azkaban-preview-page-005.jpg" width="272" /></a>The sample images that were posted online do a really good job at showcasing the different tones this book takes; the colors go from vibrant reds to the moody/ sullen grey sketches, which really does a perfect job of illustrating growing up.<br />
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My favorite illustration was the full page one when Harry, Ron and Hermoine go into the Magical Menagerie and Hermoine buys Crookshanks. I think I liked it the best because it was a full page one and really captured the magic of Diagon Alley and the whole Wizarding world. The lion in The Firebolt chapter was my second one, because I can't help but love Luna and I think it's because I feel we all have a little bit on Luna is us; curious about the world and always learning and growing.<br />
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I'm not anxiously waiting for the <i>Goblet of Fire</i> Illustrated edition, but wonder how long the book will be, since <i>Azkaban </i>was a lot longer than I had expected. I read online that it's in the works and if we're going to be treated yearly like we have been the past three years 2018 can't come soon enough!<br />
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Until my next review,<br />
<br />
Stefanie<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUAdSpiOKNJBIi6psBAGb8NU_0Ifef2l_K3BELmYUKZDYlN645pedPQgMZEnZR7aIWYzfwJgjOzxFpbnKeXBRLR8k3OzvNLAOUT8CwMgiItembxr_EG6P34BFlTdvxh9fy8SJrSWwad0/s1600/normal_azkaban-preview-page-002.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUAdSpiOKNJBIi6psBAGb8NU_0Ifef2l_K3BELmYUKZDYlN645pedPQgMZEnZR7aIWYzfwJgjOzxFpbnKeXBRLR8k3OzvNLAOUT8CwMgiItembxr_EG6P34BFlTdvxh9fy8SJrSWwad0/s320/normal_azkaban-preview-page-002.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
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<br />Stefanie L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07012595826470447054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5598314342497862852.post-92182611032098163642017-10-24T16:02:00.003-07:002017-10-24T16:02:28.823-07:00My Thoughts: A Million Junes by Emily Henry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span id="freeText14469614097273065738">For as long as Jack
“June” O’Donnell has been alive, her parents have had only one rule:
stay away from the Angert family. But when June collides—quite
literally—with Saul Angert, sparks fly, and everything June has known is
thrown into chaos.<br /><br />Who exactly is this gruff, sarcastic, but
seemingly harmless boy who has returned to their hometown of Five
Fingers, Michigan, after three mysterious years away? And why has
June—an O’Donnell to her core—never questioned her late father’s deep
hatred of the Angert family? After all, the O’Donnells and the Angerts
may have mythic legacies, but for all the tall tales they weave, both
founding families are tight-lipped about what caused the century-old
rift between them.<br /><br />As Saul and June’s connection grows deeper,
they find that the magic, ghosts, and coywolves of Five Fingers seem to
be conspiring to reveal the truth about the harrowing curse that has
plagued their bloodlines for generations. Now June must question
everything she knows about her family and the father she adored, and she
must decide whether it’s finally time for her—and all the O’Donnells
before her—to let go.</span></i></div>
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As some of you may or may not remember. I loved Emily Henry's debut novel <em>The Love That Split the World</em> which I read last year. I enjoyed that book so much that when I heard she was writer <em>A Million Junes</em> and it would out this year, I knew I needed to read it as soon as I could. It was one of my most anticipated reads of 2017. It took me a couple months to finally get to it, but once I did, I fell in love and have determined that Henry is absolutely one of my auto-buy authors.<br />
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I should preface the remainder of this review with a bit of a disclaimer- <em>A Million Junes</em> is not going to be for everyone. This story contains a large amount of magical realism and requires a reader to really suspend belief. Not everyone can do this, but if you can, you're really in for a treat. Henry has this amazing way of writing a beautifully whimsical tale that readers can just sink into and enjoy.<br />
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Ugh- her writing. I don't know what to say- it's beautiful. I got so much joy from reading this book. The writing flows so beautifully, and it's almost lyrical, poetic even. This kind of writing is needed in this story. Particularly since the blend between magic and real life were seamless and just incredible. In the same vein, <em>A Million Junes</em> is very much a story about loss and grief, and what that looks like for our protagonist, June.<br />
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June is a stunningly complicated character. She is grieving the death of her father. Although it has been a number of years, his absence came at a very pivotal moment in her young life. She misses their special relationship and with the reappearance of family nemesis Saul Angert, shes struggling with this sense of loyalty. Her father's one rule was to stay away from all things Angert. No matter how drawn she is to all things Angert. <br />
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I could go on and on about <em>A Million Junes</em> and how enamoured I was with this story. The writing is beautiful the characters are amazing, I haven't even mentioned Saul, which is a crime, really. He was incredible, I loved him and June together, it really was like they couldn't help their relationship. I loved June's mother and step father, I appreciated their presence in the story. It was so good guys. <br />
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Overall, <em>A Million Junes</em> was such a joyful experience for me. I loved every minute of my reading experience. If you are a fan of magical realism and you enjoy poetic writing I think you will love this book. Emily Henry is for sure on my auto-buy list. Easily one of my favourite reads this year. <br />
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~Happy Reading Everyone.~Sara @ Just Another Storyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07870692977272702662noreply@blogger.com6