June Wrap-Up

Books I Read This Month:

I did not read as many books as I thought I would this month, however I absolutely adored An Ember in the Ashes and A Court of Thorns and Roses!  I had time to read one book in May (Bloodlines), but otherwise I had absolutely no time to read these past few months, so it was amazing being able to read such splendid novels in June.  Both of these books are probably in my top 10 favorite books.  (You can see my review for An Ember in the Ashes here and my review for A Court of Thorns and Roses here.)

June Book Haul:

Purchased

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead is the sequel to Bloodlines, and considering how much I enjoyed Bloodlines last month, I just had to pick up a copy of the sequel.  I haven't had time to read this one yet, but I am hoping it will be just as enjoyable as the first book.  Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas was a book I stumbled upon while browsing my local Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago, and the plot sounded intriguing, so I thought I'd like to give it a try.

Borrowing

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes is a book I've been wanting to read since way before it was even released, yet I never got around to reading it.  I am so glad my friend is letting me borrow it.

Other Bookish Things:

• I cleared out and reorganized my bookshelves.  I had to reorganize my shelves twice in order to get them the way I wanted to, but it happened!  They used to be organized in the strangest way, but now I have them sorted by genre and I absolutely love it.  It's so much easier to find everything!
• I unhauled a total of 64 books within the past two months.  64 BOOKS!!  You can 50 of the books I unhauled here, and (if you were curious) the others are I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter (I absolutely loved the series, but I had an extra copy so I gave it to my friend who has never read them), Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, and all twelve books from the MG series, Avalon: Web of Magic.
• I decided to reread a book for the first time.  See my initial thoughts here, and stay tuned for my final thoughts on rereading books, which will hopefully be up soon (depending on how long it takes me to reread Throne of Glass).
• I started a book blog!  I know it's only been 20 days since I started this blog, but it already seems like such a long time ago.  I always wanted to start a blog, but I was always afraid to.  I am so glad I pushed away my fear (and ignored some of my friends' comments about not having what it takes to do it) and started one anyway.  It has been such a fun experience so far, but I also finally understand how much hard work must be put into it.

That's a wrap!

~Alexandra

IMPORTANT NOTICE: I will not have access to my blog (nor the internet) from July 8th until July 21st.  I have some blog posts scheduled, so the blog will not be dormant, however I will be unable to personally be active during those two weeks.  Thank you.

Love Triangles

I often find myself attracted to books that have love triangles.  It is not because there are love triangles in it that draws me in, but it just happens.  I am actually not a huge fan of them; I am not completely against love triangles, but for the most part I'm not exactly a fan of them either…

I know it can be a good way to add suspense, tension and conflict in books, however I just do not see how it is really logical.  Maybe I'm just cynical because I've never been in a relationship, but to be honest, I feel like it is atypical for two people to be fighting over the same person, not a typical thing.  And it is a very typical thing these days in young adult fiction, no matter what genre.  I mean, most of these love triangle things happen in trilogies, and I do not think that two people are going to wait three books-worth of time to let the girl (or guy) decide between them, no matter how much in love they are with the person.

I mean, it's kind of pathetic and sad to watch characters pine over characters that do not love them in return… Maybe it's not that simple but what about “If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were"?  Fine, I do admire the characters for trying to win their loves back, but I mean half the time its a worthless effort.  Okay, to be fair I know that the character often cares deeply or "loves both" of the love interests, but I still feel like said character always fancies one more than the other.  I know that love is a complicated thing, but the characters should not be getting themselves into situations where they are in love with two people… Once again probably not that simple, but love triangles are such cliches these days.

Why isn't it this simple?

Also, there is more to life than just love, no matter what the Beatles say (and by that, I am referring to their song "All You Need is Love").  I am far from saying that all characters stuck in love triangles are completely focused on their love lives (in fact, many have much bigger problems on their plates, like Katniss from The Hunger Games), but some are completely absorbed in their romances, and can often come across as mundane and self-absorbed because of it.

I will admit that I am probably more of a classical/scientific thinker than a romantic one, so I am taking a more "logical" or "scientific" view on a topic that is far from logical or scientific, but nonetheless, love triangles are strange phenomena that are too often found in the pages of books these days, and I felt the need to talk about it.  (The strangest thing is that I am a total sap when it comes to a good romance, yet I am extremely cynical at the same time.  Perhaps one day I'll understand…) Anyway, what are your thoughts?  Do you agree?  Disagree? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

~Alexandra

The Ultimate Book Tag

Although I was not specifically nominated, I'd like to thank Rachel @A Perfection Called Books for tagging anyone who wanted to do it, and I'd like to tag Tia @Read It Write Now.  Here goes:

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

*Dances around happily* Not one bit.  Although I can get distracted by the radio or people talking in the car, I have never been sick while reading in a moving vehicle.

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

Jennifer Niven, the author of All the Bright Places, because although I have cried when reading books before, she had me feeling so many different emotions that lasted a very long time after reading her book  Her book is the only one that has ever made me cry so much even after reading it and the only book that has ever given me a massive book hangover.  Jennifer Niven's exquisite writing made me connect with the characters in a way I never had before.

3. Harry Potter Series or the Twilight Saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer.

I haven't actually read the Twilight Saga, but I have read snippets of it, and based on my opinion of most vampire books, as well as my love for Harry Potter, I'll have to say with 99.99999999999% certainty Harry Potter.

1. Although the overarching conflict is the same throughout the books, there is always something new, unique and exciting about every Harry Potter book
2. The characters are all intricate and fun to read about, even if you hate them *cough* Bellatrix Lestrange *cough*, and they each have a unique personality, despite how many characters there are in the Wizarding World
3. I loved watching Harry and the gang grow up throughout all the books and seeing them develop as characters/wizards.

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

On a normal basis, I do not carry a book bag, but when I do I usually have a few pens and a notebook in case I want to write down my feelings about a book or need to take other miscellaneous notes.

5. Do you smell your books?

No… not usually.  I did one time when I accidentally spilled soda on my book, but otherwise I don't smell my books.

6. Books with or without little illustrations?

I am not against little illustrations, however I prefer books without them so I can visualize how the scene/story unfolds on my own.  Although I am sure authors have a certain way of visualizing their characters and storyline, I like having the freedom to analyze words without having pictures guiding me along or forcing me into seeing something in a single way.

7. What book did you love while reading but discovered later it wasn’t quality writing?

I was absolutely obsessed with the Warrior Cats series when I was in elementary school for whatever reason. After reading several of the spinoff series, however, and also growing older, I've realized that although they were entertaining at the time, they are not exactly the best books out there…

8. Do you have any stories involving books from your childhood? Please share!

None that I can remember…

9. What is the tiniest book on your shelf?

112 pages

10. What is the thickest book on your shelf?

Definitely one of my favorite Harry Potter books, but a whopping 759 pages

11. Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?

I definitely do not write as well as I read, but I love writing and wish I could be an author one day.  Right now, I cannot see myself being an actual published author, but I won't give up hope, and will push myself to become better.

12. When did you get into reading?

I've loved reading for as long as I can remember, especially elementary school.  I cannot recall a narrower time period, but even before that I loved listening to and reading stories.

13. What is your favorite classic book?

I don't read a ton of classics, but I truly enjoyed reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

14. In school what was your best subject?

Although I've always had a fondness for English, unfortunately my best subject was either one of the maths or sciences…

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

I would definitely be grateful to the person who gave it to me, but I would definitely donate it to my local library or give it away so that it does not sit on my shelf forlorn and unread.  Even if I don't like a book, there will surely be someone out there that does like it, and I would rather someone who loves it have it than me.

16. What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter or the Hunger Games?

The Testing reminds me of The Hunger Games quite a bit. A select few teenagers are chosen for this special program that sends them through a series of different types of tests and challenges in order to determine whether they are good enough to attend University and eventually help rule their dystopian society… The different tests they go through are not only academic, however, and could be fatal if they choose to trust the wrong people.

17. What is a bad habit you always do while blogging?

Since I am a new blogger, I often get distracted and easily forget to write posts (or in most cases, struggle to come up with something to blog about and just wait until a day where I do think of something or finish a book and can post a review).

18. What is your favorite word?

Plethora (and I'm not even sure why.)

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

I definitely would classify myself as a nerd, and I believe that I can occasionally be a bit of a dork, but I honestly hope I am not a dweeb… I don't think I'm a dweeb… *shrugs*

20. Vampires or Fairies? Why?

Hmmm… I guess at this point in my life, I would go with vampires.  I feel like fairies are either super sneaky and secretly evil, or way too happy and cheerful for their own good.  I just find them too annoying or too confusing to handle.

21. Shapeshifters or Angels? Why?

Shapeshifters because I feel like angels are so overhyped…

22. Spirits or Werewolves? Why?

Werewolves, I guess.  I don't really know because I don't usually deal with either of them, but I'll say werewolves for Remus Lupin (from Harry Potter).

23. Zombies or Vampires? Why?

Zombies because the whole storyline and all of the characters from the Something Strange and Deadly trilogy by Susan Dennard revolve around and rely on the existence of the undead, and that trilogy is one of my absolute favorites.

24. Love Triangle or Forbidden Love?

Forbidden love.  Most of the time, I root for the wrong team in love triangles and end up hating books because of it.  Forbidden love is more fun (as long as there aren't love triangles, of course).

25. Full on romance books or action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in?

This is definitely a hard question to answer, but I'd probably say action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in because although I do love romance, I enjoy a good read that incorporates all sorts of different things.


I had a lot of fun doing this tag, so even if I didn't specifically tag you (but you still want to do it) definitely give it a go! :)

~Alexandra

Why I Don't Reread + Thoughts of a First-Time Rereader

I have never willingly reread a book before.  I recently decided, however, that I would break that habit.  I started rereading Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas a few days ago.  I know that I enjoyed the book when I first read it, yet enjoyment of a book alone does not usually cause me to pick it up again.  The only reason why I am rereading it is because I want to read Crown of Midnight (book 2) and Heir of Fire (book 3) for the first time before the fourth book, Queen of Shadows, comes out this fall.  Normally, I would just not care and pick up Crown of Midnight, but it has been 3 YEARS since I last dove into Celaena's story, and from what I can recall, it is not the simplest of stories to understand.  Although my love for Dorian has stayed with me, as well as my general understanding of the plot, a lot of the important details have left me and I want to slowly ease myself back into the Throne of Glass world.

The Main Reasons I Don't Reread:

1) I already know what happens so it is not as exciting and interesting
2) I am worried that I will not feel the same way about the book the second/third/fourth/etc. time around
3) See #2 except applied to my feelings/opinions about the characters
4) I have an overwhelming TBR as it is and it is a "waste of time" (for lack of a better term) to read something I've already read when I can read something new
5) After reading it the first time, I may have discovered a book/books that I liked better (so when I reread it, I will not enjoy it as much as the first time around/it will pale in comparison to other reads)

My Thoughts So Far

I am about 20 pages into my Throne of Glass reread.  I remember it taking some time for me to get engrossed in the Throne of Glass world the first time, so I guess that hasn't changed.  One thing that I believe has changed, however, is listed above as fear #3.  Although I did read Throne of Glass a long time ago, I feel as if I would remember if I disliked the characters, and I do not recall such a thing (other than my dislike for Chaol).  I know I shouldn't judge so early, however I am finding myself disliking all three of the main characters, including Dorian.  I am not surprised that I still do not like Chaol, but so far at least he's been pretty quiet.  On the other hand, I am extremely surprised by how pompous and annoying Dorian is being.  I know he is a prince and all, but something about his attitude just gets on my nerves.  Something about him, Chaol, and Celaena's attitudes, actually.  Each of them seem so high and mighty right now, and I do not like it one bit.

It may not have been the best idea to reread Throne of Glass right after reading A Court of Thorns and Roses, the first book in Sarah J. Maas' new series, but alas I did just read Maas' new book, and it was absolutely exquisite.  Unfortunately, after reading A Court of Thorns and Roses, I feel like Throne of Glass truly pales in comparison, thus proving fear #5 is something I legitimately should be afraid of.  I am still willing to dive back into Throne of Glass and the rest of the books in the series, but I am truly worried that it will not live up to my standards and previous enjoyment (I think I rated it a 4, 4.5 or 5 stars the first time).

I'll definitely make sure to share my final thoughts as soon as I finish, and I'd love to hear your opinions on rereading as well!

~Alexandra

Oh and also, although I'd been wanting to write this post anyway, I recently saw an awesome post about rereading books over at Publishing Crawl, a blog run by a bunch of awesome authors and industry professionals.   (They had nothing to do with my opinions on rereading or this post in general, but I figured I'd mention it because I love their blog and it was relevant to the theme of my post.  If you're interested, check out Julie Eshbaugh's post about rereading here.)

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld
Genre: Young Adult/Dystopian/Urban Fantasy/Superheroes
Page Length: 560 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: September 23, 2015

Via Goodreads: Ethan, aka "Scam," has a way with words. When he opens his mouth, whatever he wants you to hear comes out. But Ethan isn't just a smooth talker. He has a unique ability to say things he doesn't consciously even know. Sometimes the voice helps, but sometimes it hurts - like now, when the voice has lied and has landed Ethan in a massive mess. So now Ethan needs help. And he needs to go to the last people who would ever want to help him - his former group of friends, the self-named "zeros" who also all possess similarly double-edged abilities, and who are all angry at Ethan for their own respective reasons. Brought back together by Scam's latest mischief, they find themselves entangled in an epic, whirlwind adventure packed with as much interpersonal drama as mind-bending action. 


~

I am super excited for this one, but the reason may be strange.  Although I would be interested in this book anyway because I love reading books about kids with superpowers, I was absolutely obsessed with this anime earlier in the year, and the premise for Zeroes sounds a teeny tiny bit like the anime.  Anyway, Zeroes sounds like a fun and exhilarating read and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Bookish Playlists - Paper Towns

Listening to music is a key element in my everyday life, and is sometimes influenced by what I read.  Although I am not one of those people who can listen to music while reading (because I get distracted really easily), I often find myself forming playlists when I hear a song or lyric that reminds me of book(s) I am currently reading or just finished.

Note: I do not own the rights to any of these songs, and these are strictly my own opinions on the books and music I mention.  The content of this post is solely for the purpose of entertainment and further enjoyment of mentioned book(s)/music.

A few months ago, I was traveling when reading Paper Towns by John Green, so I often alternated between reading and listening to music.  I just thought I'd share some of the songs on my Paper Towns playlist and explain why I chose them, and I may end up sharing more "bookish playlists" in the future.  I know that there is a new Paper Towns soundtrack coming out soon for the upcoming movie, however since the full soundtrack is not coming out until July 10 (and I already made this playlist a while ago), I figured I might as well share part of it.

About Paper Towns (via Goodreads): "Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew…"


WARNING: SPOILERS LIE AHEAD (READ AT YOUR OWN RISK).


1. Everything Has Changed (ft. Ed Sheeran) by Taylor Swift

This one is a pretty self-explanatory.  For one, if Paper Towns was its own solar system, Margo Roth Spiegelman would be the sun, and Q would be one of the closest orbiting planets.  Q is absolutely infatuated with the person/goddess that he believes Margo is, and Paper Towns revolves pretty much completely around Q's journey to discover Margo and who she really is.  Q has set this high standard for Margo and he realizes that he doesn't truly know Margo as well as he believes he does. 

2. Amsterdam by Imagine Dragons

3. Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down

I feel like Amsterdam represents Margo in many ways, and certain parts of Kryptonite as well.  Margo is an enigma that people believed they understood when they really didn't (and couldn't).  Margo was struggling to live up to everyone else's standards and felt as though the walls of her life were crumbling around her, and she just wanted to escape it all.

4. Daylight by Maroon 5

When Margo takes Q on an all-night whirlwind escapade, Q does not know that everything will be different the next day.  Although for this scene it is a platonic relationship for Margo and Q, I believe that Daylight ultimately captures the feelings between them nonetheless.  Q and Margo had an epic adventure that night, and neither seemed to want it to end.  That night they shared (as well as the day that followed), ultimately marked a turning point in their relationship and the immense changes to come.

5. Maps by Maroon 5

Can I just say that this is kind of like the epitome of this book?  I mean, maybe Q was not the greatest friend to Margo (considering the fact that he fell into the same category as everyone else when it came to expecting great things and expecting more out of Margo than she could handle), but I mean the whole plot of the book…


So there you have it--5 songs from my Paper Towns playlist!  I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed compiling it.  Do you ever create personal playlists for books, or am I the only one?

~Alexandra

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

Soundless by Richelle Mead
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Page Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: November 10, 2015

Via Goodreads: From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore. 

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever…

~

This book just sounds epic…  I've recently started reading some of Richelle Mead's other books (I'm currently reading The Golden Lily) and absolutely love her writing.  Also (like I've said a million times in a million different ways before), I am a huge fan of books based on different cultures, folklore and myths.  I think the premise of Soundless sounds intriguing, exciting, and just the book for me.  I can't wait to pick this one up!