April 11, 2017

QUARTERLY WRAP-UP| Jan-Mar '17

I think, I did pretty okay. I kept to my TBR, relatively, but did hit some bumps along the way. Including falling behind on reviews and the reader's nightmare- a reading slump.

I ended up with a stack of books to read on screenwriting for an essay- only two of those did I actually finish. This quarter, I read a screenplay and three of the nine books off that long list compiled at the beginning of January.



Of course, these are just the physical books that I read this month. Listed below I've put the information about what month they were read in and the link to Goodreads, for those who want to read a synopsis and hit the "Want to Read" function.

January

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4)
J.K.Rowling
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I've spoken about this before in my TBR; I don't know why I started down this route to reading the Harry Potter books. It was midnight on New Years Day, it was like I was struck by an unyielding idea and I knew, I just HAD to read Goblet of Fire. Which then left me on the distracted and disastrous path of childhood fandoms and falling head over heels over Domhnall Gleeson, again. Honestly, my love is justified, just watch this-- Barber Shop
Find on Goodreads

Febraury


The Shadow of What Was Lost (The Licanius Trilogy #1)
James Islington

I 'Did Not Finish' this one. I have written a review and this will be going up in all good time. Because I didn't finish it doesn't mean I can't give a reasoning to why I decided to DNF. These are valid reason's even if you disagree. Tough.
Find on Goodreads

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1)
V.E.Schwab
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I told myself I would to it and I did it. And it was worth it. Lila Bard is probably one of my favourite female characters or at least up there in the top five. All these characters really. They were fantastic! As well as, an intriguing world... AND MAGIC!
Find on Goodreads

March

Pantomime (Micah Gray #1)
Laura Lam
⭐⭐⭐
I started reading this back in December and ended up putting it back down. Not because I wasn't enjoying it, rather I was battling that craving to pick up Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Overall I like the themes that Laura Lam explored in Pantomime.
Keeping this brief as I have a review coming up for most of the titles on this list. 

Freeks
Amanda Hocking
⭐⭐
This is what I would call "old" YA. Insta-romance, paranormal and no breath-taking writing. I enjoyed it for the most part.
What more can I say, eh?

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1)
Samantha Shannon
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A re-read. And what a re-read it was.
Addicting, fast-paced and more-ish, 
The intricacy of the plot I had forgotten, for the most part. It was fantastic to be back in Samantha Shannon's world again.

The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2)
Samantha Shannon
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐+
Everything I said above, in The Bone Season wrap-up, you could easily apply here.
I spoke to Samantha about this recently, I mentioned that this remained my favourite of the three, so far (I'm writing this post-April, where I've already sped through The Song Rising.) Her theory is that those who enjoyed book two will enjoy book four.
*braces self*
Find on Goodreads
I also had some required reading that I needed to do for a class I was taking on screenwriting. And a novella.

  • Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field
  • Film Genre for the Screenwriter by Jule Selbo
  • Ex_Machina: The Screenplay by Alex Garland
Also on e-book form, I read:

The Pale Dreamer (The Bone Season #0.5)
Samantha Shannon
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I think reading this before re-reading The Mime Order made the ending, even more, heart-wrenching, for both Paige and myself. Why Samantha? Why do you do this to me?

April 10, 2017

QUARTELY TBR| Apr-Jun '17

I've decided that Quarterly TBR I would make the list of shame. This list is the list of books that I made the vow to read during the last quarter of the year but never finish or haven't even started.

Books I've started:

  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix by J.K.Rowling
  • Stardust by Neil Gaiman [Audiobook read by Neil Gaiman]
  • Torchwood Tales by Various Authors [Audiobook read by Various Actors]

Books I didn't start:



From left to right:
  • The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon
  • Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
  • A Gathering of Shadows by V.E.Schwab
  • A Conjuring of Light by V.E.Schwab
  • Champion by Marie Lu
Don't worry, I still plan on reading these.

I would also like to say that this month I am meeting Laini Taylor while I visit family in London. I am so grateful that she has been able to set some time away and come and meet some of us lot.

There are quite a lot of books that are left over from my previous TBR, isn't there? However, that doesn't stop me from compiling a list of 9 other books that I wish to get to during April, and to the end of June.


April

  • The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
  • Nobody Told Me by Holly McNish
  • Red Sister by Mark Lawerence (UK Release: 6th April, 2017)

May

  • Sabriel by Garth Nix
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K.Rowling
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (UK Release: 2nd May, 2017)

June
  • Twelve Kings by Bradley Beaulieu
  • Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare (UK Release: 23rd May, 2017)
  • Gilded Cage by Vic James
And there we go- another to be read post that's completely questionable in its do-ability. Let's see.

Tell me, what are you planning to read over the coming weeks?