3/30/2015

Let's Talk About || Authors I want to read

In recent weeks I've seen a lot of people talk about their favorite, and auto buy authors, and I was thinking of making a post about that as well. However, as I got thinking I realized that I don't really have more than maybe two auto buy authors, and that wouldn't make that much of a post. Therefore I thought about it, and came up with the idea of talking about those authors that I haven't read anything by yet, but really want to. I'm aware that other people have done this before, and I'm in no way claiming this as an original post idea.

Neil Gaiman
I have no idea why I haven't read anything by this man yet. When I was younger, one thing that was always on my wish list was The Graveyard Book, but somehow I never got it, and I never thought to purchase it myself. And while I still want to read The Graveyard book, these days it's American Gods that I'm absolutely dying to read. I'll hopefully end up reading both of them, and more, at some point in life.

Sarah J. Maas
People all over the internet has been raving about this woman's amazing writing, and I want to experience that. I have Throne of Glass on my Kobo, and I really just need to get on with it. Honestly, I don't think I've heard anything horrible about Sarah J Maas' books, so I can't wait to get to them.

Brandon Sanderson
Again, I have heard nothing but amazing things about this man's books. Mostly I hear people absolutely raving about the Mistborn series. However, the books I really want to read aren't those, but the Reckoners series. It sounds like something just up my alley, and I want to try and read at least the first book, sometime this year maybe.

V.E. Schwab
Reading a book by this author is way overdue. I've heard nothing but amazing things about her books, and I really want to try and read at least one of them. I don't own any of the books yet, but I'm sure I can get a hold of one some way. Actually A Darker Shade of Magic was one of my most anticipated books of 2015, so it would probably be a good idea to start there.

Holly Black
Something about this author's books have always looked intriguing to me, but I've never actually picked one up. It's probably because, for the most part, all I read are contemporary books, and Holly Black's books are on the more fantasy side, and that has never really been my kind of thing. But I am ready now, to jump in and discover her books.

Rachel Hawkins
I've been wanting to read something by Rachel Hawkins for forever, but like the with a lot of these other authors, I just haven't picked any of her books up. I did start Hex Hall once a long time ago, but I only read about 20 pages before I put it down. Not because they were bad 20 pages, but because I wasn't feeling it. However, I really want to try and pick one of her books up again. If not Hex Hall, then Rebel Belle.

Are there any authors you haven't read anything from, but are dying to? Anything by these authors you would recommend? 

3/18/2015

Review || Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

Title: Openly Straight
Author: Bill Konigsberg
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Published: May 28th 2013
Format: Hardback (borrowed from library)
Genre: YA, LGBTQ
Series:
Rating: ★★★★
Find on: Goodreads

Summary:
A funny, honest novel about being out, being proud . . . and being ready for something else.

Rafe is a normal teenager from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He's won skiing prizes. He likes to write. And, oh yeah, he's gay. He's been out since 8th grade, and he isn't teased, and he goes to other high schools and talks about tolerance and stuff. And while that's important, all Rafe really wants is to just be a regular guy. Not that GAY guy. To have it be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single time.

So when he transfers to an all-boys' boarding school in New England, he decides to keep his sexuality a secret -- not so much going back in the closet as starting over with a clean slate. But then he sees a classmate breaking down. He meets a teacher who challenges him to write his story. And most of all, he falls in love with Ben . . . who doesn't even know that love is possible.

This witty, smart, coming-out-again story will appeal to gay and straight kids alike as they watch Rafe navigate being different, fitting in, and what it means to be himself.


Thoughts:
I went into this book with certain expectations, but what I got was nothing like I thought it was going to be. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. What I got out of this book was so much more than I could have hoped for, and I'm so glad that I finally decided to read it. 

It was very well written, and I might have fallen in love, just a little bit, with Bill Konigsberg's writing. He managed to make the characters very believable, and he gave Rafe such a realistic voice. There was banter, and witty dialogue, but without it being too much, and it taking over.

The story is about Rafe finding himself and who he wants to be. He wants to shake the label he has as 'the gay-kid' - wants to show people that there's more to him than just that. It's an interesting take on everything, and this book comes up with some pretty interesting and important points to consider.
It’s hard to be different,” Scarborough said. “And perhaps the best answer is not to tolerate differences, not even to accept them. But to celebrate them. Maybe then those who are different would feel more loved, and less, well, tolerated. 
I really liked Rafe as a character. I thought he was so well developed, and such an interesting person, without being all that special. Mostly he is just an average Joe without any 'special' talents, and I really like that about him. To some extend I felt like I could into his head, and I understood why he wanted to shake the label. I mean, I think I've wanted to shake my own from time to time. I felt for Rafe and what he was going through. He was such a down to earth character, and I really liked that about him.

I absolutely loved the side characters, and I though they were such a great addition to the story. Rafe's roommate Albie was a strange but fun character to read about. I also really liked Toby, Albie's best friend, and would have loved to see more of him. Somehow he really made an impression on me, and snuck his way into my heart. My favorite parts of the story was definitely when we got to see Rafe, Toby, Albie, and Ben together. The things they got up to were hilarious, and I would have absolutely loved to see more of those four together. Their friendship was so new, but they quickly found their way together.

There was a great deal of humor in the story, and it made everything seem a little more light hearted. A lot of the humor came in from of Rafe's parents. They were so incredibly over the top, but somehow that still worked. The fact that they were so over the top just made them that much better. The humor and lighthearted-ness of the story also came from Albie and Toby
Straight people have it so much easier. They don’t understand. They can’t. There’s no such thing as openly straight. 
The romance. Oh the romance! It wasn't the main focus, but it still took up a great deal of the book. It was such a fragile kind of romance, and my heart ached for more of it. It was a realistic take on this type of romance, and I did have times where I wanted to yell at the characters to get their acts together. There were more than one romantic couple in the story, and that was something that I really enjoyed.

The ending felt realistic, but I would still have loved to see more. I want to know what happens to Rafe and all the others, but I guess I will just have to use my imagination for that. However, I did not see the ending coming at all. It was not what I imagined would happen, but I can see why it ended where it did, and I'm still very pleased with that.

I would honestly recommend this book to anyone. It deals with some pretty important topics that I think anyone can benefit from reading about. On top of that it's a nice story that will make you laugh and make you smile - at least once.

3/17/2015

Top Ten Tuesday || Books On My Spring TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme/feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week I'm talking about the books that I really want to read this spring. All but one of these books are some that I already own. The only one that I don't own, and that aren't out yet, is Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. However, its release date is next month, and I highly intent to get it.


This is a book that I’ve wanted to read for such a long time, and now that I finally have it in my possession, it’s been added to the top of my tbr. I think it’s going to be one of the next books I’m going to pick up.

Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour
Another book that I’ve wanted to read for a long time. It just seems like something that would be good to read in the spring. I might be wrong, but no matter what, I need to read this very soon.

The third book in the seasons series by Jay Bell. I’m kind of bummed I’m not father ahead in the series, and could say I would read Something Like Spring, because that would jusy have been perfect. Nevertheless, I can’t wait to see Jace’s point of view and hear his story. And who knows, I might finish this one quickly, and get right in to Something Like Spring.

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil
I haven’t heard too much about this book, but it sounds like something that’s just up my alley. Also, I’m so completely in love with the cover for this book.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
This is a book that I’ve tried to read before but had to put down. Not because it was a bad book, but because I just wasn’t in the mood for it at that point. I think I’m ready to pick this one back up, because I’ve heard some great things about it.

Adaption by Malinda Lo
I’ve wanted to read a Malinda Lo book for a very long time, and Adaption seemed like a brilliant place to start. I’ve heard some pretty great things about this book, and I need to start reading something more than just contemporary fiction.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
I have not read anything by David Levithan before other than Will Grayson, Will Grayson. And I didn’t like that one a whole lot. However, I have heard people raving about him and his writing, so I really want to see what it’s all about.

Kaleidoscope Hearts by Claire Contreras
I had to add some New Adult to this mix. This is a book that I don’t know that much about, and it’s been sitting on my kobo basically since it came out in January. It sounds interesting, and I’m sure it’s going to be something I’ll like.

Far From You by Tess Sharpe
Have I heard amazing things about this one? Why, yes I have, and from a lot of people. It sounds so interesting, and it doesn’t hurt that the cover is absolutely stunning.


This book is not released yet, but I needed to add it to this list. This is one of my most, if not the most, anticipated book of the year, and I am going to get it as soon as it’s out. I’m planning on reading it as soon as I get my hands on it, and that’s why it’s included in this list.

3/14/2015

|| Versatile Blogger Award

The Rules: 

1. Nominate 15 other bloggers relatively new to blogging.
See, this is the thing about tags/award things I'm really bad at. Tagging and nominating people. I never know who's done what, and for this, I have absolutely no idea who to nominate. 15, is a big number, and I have no clue where to even begin with that. I'm so sorry, I'm an asshole, I know! I almost didn't want to do this, because I feel like a complete ass, not having any idea of who to nominate. The people I can think of, I'm pretty sure I've already seen them doing this, so that kind of defeats the purpose of everything.

2. Let the bloggers know that you've nominated them. 
yeah..

3. Share 10 random facts about yourself
1. I am a huge Metallica fan, and so is the rest of my family.
2. At least half of my closet consists of menswear. I honestly think it's more comfortable than women's clothing.
3. Giraffes are my favorite animals.
4. I have a lion tattoo on my right forearm.


5. When I was younger I wanted to be either a secret agent, or an Italian mob boss. yeah...
6. I love Jameson whiskey.
7. I absolutely love coffee, but I probably only drink it once every third month.
8. I am absolutely terrified of going up, and down, ladders. 
9. Never in my life have I ever broken a bone.
10. My two favorite movies are Seven and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

4. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
A million thanks to the amazing Cecilie @ Little miss Cucie and her readings for nominating me for this. You guys should definitely go check out her blog, because it's pretty darn great!

5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award Picture to your post.



3/10/2015

Book Haul || A little bit of everything

So, this new year I've stopped doing monthly book hauls. Basically I didn't feel like showing all the books I got every month, and just made it a small little feature in my monthly wrap-up posts instead. However, in the last month or so, I've gotten some really interesting books, that I really want to share with you guys, and I thought they deserved their own post. Some books I've already talked about in monthly wrap-ups, but some are completely new on my shelf. This is excluding the library books I've gotten, because most are already back at the library.


First, I've gotten a lot of physical copies of books lately. I don't usually spend money on physical copies, simply because most times I just can't afford it, honestly I'd rather just read on my eReader. However, this last month or so I've had an urge to treat myself a little bit, and splurge out on a few books. All the books in the first picture have lgbtq+ characters in them. Also, they are just so damn pretty to look at, and they do wonders for my book shelf. Really, they make the shelf look so much prettier than it did before.

Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz
I've been waiting for this book to come out, and now that I have it, I can't wait to finally read it! It sounds like such an interesting book, plus it's got a bisexual main character, which just makes me even more excited. I've head amazing things about it, so I have high hopes.

Far From You by Tess Sharpe
Another book that I've been staring at for a long time. I've heard a few things about this, and all of them have been good. It sounds really interesting, and I'm very excited to see how I'm going to like it.

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley
This is yet another book I've been wanting to read ever since it came out. I've heard nothing but amazing things about the book, and I want to read it very soon.

Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour
This has been on my radar since it came out, but for some reason I have just never gotten around to actually getting a copy of it. However, now that I have one in my possession, it's just about finding this time to actually read it.

Playlist For the Dead by Michelle Falkoff
A 2015 release that I've heard mixed things about. I love books that have some kind of music element to it, which is a big part of why I picked this one up. And because I thought it sounded interesting, of course!

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
I've heard so many things about this book, and it was all over booktube and blog-land back in summer. I've heard some mixed things about this one, but I'm very curious about it anyway. So, we'll see when I'll get around to read it.

Dit Liv I Lister
I am so freaking excited for this thing. It's basically a book for you to write lists in. I love writing lists, and I've been looking at this one since it came out. However, I've always thought it was way too expensive, but it was finally on sale, so I got it 85% off.

Then I got a couple of eBooks. Two of those are reads that has been on my radar for a long time, and I finally decided that I needed them in my collection. I got them all pretty cheap, so I really can't complain about that.

My Heart & Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga
This is a February release, and one I've been looking forward to. It is definitely high on my to be read list, and I hope to get around to reading it very soon.

Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill
I have been looking at this one for some time, and I thought the concept of the book sounded interesting. I've seen Cynthia @ Afterwritten raving about it, and that's just made me want to read this book even more.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
It is about time I got this book, now I just need to read it. I think it is one of the books I've been recommended the most in the past years, so it's strange that I only just picked it up now. However, It's in my possession now, and I really just need to start reading it.

Those were the book that I wanted to share with you. Have you read any of these books, or are they on your to-buy list? Have you gotten any interesting books lately?


3/04/2015

Review || To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: April 15th 2014
Format: eBook
Genre: YA
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Rating: ★★
Find on: Goodreads

Summary:

Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.

They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.



Thoughts:
This is a book that I've wanted to read for such a long time. In fact, it was on my most anticipated books of 2014 list. Everyone has been raving about this, and I was so excited to finally read it. However, I must say that I ended up being disappointed with this book. It was not what I expected it would be at all. I might have hyped it up too much for myself, and that's why I was disappointed, but I'm not sure. I thought this was going to be one thing, but it ended up being something that I wasn’t prepared for, and something I didn’t really enjoy.

The premise was so promising, and I absolutely fell in love with the idea of this story. The thing is, I don't think it lived up to that promise. I was missing more of what the synopsis promised. It felt like there were way too many storylines fitted in to one book, and that made me question what the main story was actually supposed to be. I did really like Jenny Han's writing though, and I do want to try and read some of her other books, to see if they would be a better fit with me.
You'd rather make up a fantasy version of somebody in your head than be with a real person.
Our main character is Lara Jean, and I did not like her at all. She was incredibly immature, whiny (urgh, I hate that word), and oh so very annoying. There was so much unnecessary drama created by her, and it seemed like she couldn't see that she created it. It felt like nobody was ever good enough for her, and she didn't give people a fair chance. In addition to that, she was incredibly judgmental, which really pissed me off. When she had made a judgment of a person, there was almost no way for that person to escape that box they were put in. She had made up her mind, and that was that. Exclamation point.

Lara Jean acted way younger than she was supposed to be, while her younger sister Kitty, to me, acted much older than the nine years she was. There were times, where Lara Jean acted like the kids I teach in third grade. And one thing I just couldn't get behind was the fact that Lara Jean called her dad for daddy. I've always been taught that that's what you call your dad when you're a kid, and not when you're over 16. That might just be a personal thing for me, but it still annoyed me to no end.

There were two characters in the book that I actually liked. One of them is Kitty. She was such a fun character, and she had so much personality. She definitely grew on my throughout the book, and in the end, her appearances were some of the highlights. The other character I fell head over heels in love with was Peter. I honestly think that he was probably the character that went through most development, at least in his own way.

Peter was not special, and he was not perfect. He acted like your typical teenage boy would do, and I loved that about the character. Was he a jerk some of the times? of course he was, but honestly people are jerks sometime, and that's life. The thing was, I'm pretty sure he was aware of the fact that he wasn't the nicest at all times. He was a realistic character, and that was really refreshing.
Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared anymore.
A thing that I liked, was the relationship between the Song sisters (Margot, Lara Jean, and Kitty). I love books were there’s a great sibling relationship, and this story had it. At least to some extend. There were parts where I thought Lara Jean might be a little too dependent on her older sister, but it was something I could look away from. I don’t really have any thoughts on Margot. I don’t feel like she was a particularly prominent character, and I didn’t feel like we got to know her much, which might have been nice.

I loved that we got to see some of the family’s Korean heritage. There was a part in the story where their dad, who is American, had to make this Korean dish, and even though he completely butchered it, it was still a great moment to see. I would have loved to have even more of those kinds of scenes.

The romance in this book was not for me. It seemed shallow and more or less pointless. I didn’t feel the love there were supposed to be between some of the characters, and that really dragged the story down, especially since it’s made out to mainly be a story about love. I would have love to have gone deeper into those feelings

I wasn't invested in this story for most of it. It was only with the final chapters of the book, that I started caring about what would happen. However, I must say, that even though the majority of this book was not for me, I’m still going to read the sequel. The reason being that I didn’t think there was any kind of closure in this book what so ever, and I would like to see what is going to happen.