October Wrap Up

I didn't realize just how difficult it would be juggling University, working, and having a blog. Let's just say I have not been handling it well. If you are still reading this, thank you so much for sticking with me, through the not posting. I really appreciate it and I'm really hoping to improve on my part. 

1. A Simple Favor

I gave this movie 4.25 stars. This movie surprised me. Going into it I had no idea what it was about and I think it was best that way, so if you yourself plan on watching it, I would suggest not looking at too many things online about it. I really enjoyed about 5/6ths of the movie, the last sixth was a bit meh, but the rest I really enjoyed.

2. The Beast

I gave this book 5 stars. I'm slowly making my way through the rest of this series because I'm scared of not having any more of them to read. Another 5 star read.

3. The Three Theban Plays: Oedipus the King

I gave this play 3 stars. This was extremely disturbing. I already knew that going into it, but that doesn't change the fact that I still find it pretty disturbing. Although I do enjoy irony.

4. Brooklyn 99 Seasons 1/2/3/4/5

I gave this show 5 stars. If you haven't watched Brooklyn 99 yet I would highly encourage to do so. I slept on this for five seasons and I'm honestly so mad at myself. This show just encompasses my humor and it's my new favorite show.

5. The Chase

I gave this book 5 stars. I won a signed copy of this and it was very exciting. I absolutely loved the book and if you haven't read the Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy yet, I would highly recommend reading that series before this one as it will make a lot more sense.

6. Halloween

I gave this movie 4 stars. I went to see this movie opening night, it was very exciting. It was a pretty good movie, however, I wasn't scared. I don't know if it was that the movie wasn't scary or I'm just not scared of slashers anymore, but my friend was very scared. If you liked the original Halloween movie or just like slashers in general, I would suggest going to see this one.

7. Harshville

I gave this book 4 stars. I liked this a lot considering it was a book about country music. Love the authors work, if you're looking for a YA romance, here you go.

8. The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides

I gave this book 3 stars. This entire thing annoys the hell out of me. What kind of logic is "oh she isn't his mother because women are just empty vessels for men to plant their 'seeds'?" I just don't get it.

9. Trusted Bond

I gave this book 4.25 stars. I put off reading this for too long. Honestly, it was better that I put it off because I doubt I would have enjoyed it as much as I did if I had forced myself to read it right away. A very good sequel. 

10. Girls Trip

I gave this movie 4 stars. This truly was a trip. I honestly don't even know what to say. I most likely won't watch it again, but it was still a wonderful movie about friendships. 

11. The Prisoner of Zenda

I gave this book 2 stars. I really don't have much to say about this one. It's a book that I'm never going to think about again after this semester.

12. Look Back in Anger

I gave this play 1 star. I hate Jimmy Porter. He is officially on my most hated characters list. He treats everyone around him like shit, especially his wife. I won't get into further detail than that because spoilers, but honestly, I just might make a post dedicated to all the reasons I hate him and all the reasons I think this play was a piece of shit.

13. Lovesong

I gave this story 5 stars. I just found out there was a little short about Elizabeth and I got so excited. I read it and cried. This should pacify me until the next book in the series comes out.

14. What If It's Us

I gave this 4 stars. I have a review coming eventually. I'll leave it at that.

15. Kim

I gave this book 1 star. I'm honestly so tired of reading all these stories from old white guys. I honestly feel like every book I've been reading in University has been written by an old white guy. I'm ready for a change.

16. The Birthday Party

I gave this play 3 stars. This was weird. This was a really weird play. Also, I really enjoyed the authors use of "succulent old washbag". I want that on my grave.

17. Happy Death Day

I gave this movie 4.5 stars. I did not want to watch this to be completely honest, but my two friends overruled me on it. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I mean it's definitely not flawless and it isn't the greatest movie to ever come out, but I had a fun time watching it.

18. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

I gave this show 3.5 stars. Sabrina did such dumb shit. I never watched the original tv series, but I feel like Sabrina wasn't as fucking stupid in that one as she is in this one. I mean I'm still going to keep watching the show cause I'm kinda invested, but I'm not going to enjoy it.

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Book Tag: Fifty Questions Book Tag

I hit a bit of a wall when trying to figure out where this tag came from because some people never learned how to link back to creators. However, it was somewhere it Tumblr. That's all I know.

1. What was the last book you read?

Considering I read multiple books at once I'm going to consider this to be the books I put down the last. That would have to be Hideaway by Penelope Douglas.

2. Was it a good one?

Considering I reread it for the ten billionth time I would have to say it is good.

3. What made it good?

It's a dark edgy romance. I really love those.

4. Would you recommend it to other people?

Yes

5. How often do you read?

Constantly.

6. Do you like to read?

Nooooooooo. I run a book blog because they wouldn't let me run a food blog.

7. What was the last bad book you read?

Othello

8. What made you dislike it?

Racism. Sexism. The works.

9. Do you wish to be a writer?

Sometimes.

10. Has any book every influenced you greatly?

Harry Potter. Didn't really like reading before it.

11. Do you read fanfiction?

Not often if at all.

12. Do you write fanfiction?

Never.

13. What’s your favorite book?

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

14. What’s your least favorite book?

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

15. Do you prefer physical books or ready on a device (like a kindle)?

Both have their pros. 

16. When did you learn to read?

Late. Didn't really get good at it till first grade. 

17. What is your favorite book you had to read in school?

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

18. What is your favorite book series?

Harry Potter

19. Who is your favorite author?

Stephen King

20. What is your favorite genre?

Fantasy

21. Who is your favorite character in a book series?

Ronan Lynch, my platonic soul mate.

22. Has a book ever transported you somewhere else?

Many times.

23. Which book do you wish had a sequel?

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay. I really wanna know what happens next. 

24. Which book do you wish didn't have a sequel?

Pygmalion. What a dumb sequel.

25. How long does it take you to read a book?

Depends on how into it I am.

26. Do you like when books become movies?

Depends if the adaptation is any good.

27. Which book was ruined by its movie adaptation?

I don't think movie adaptations have the sort of power to ruin a book. It's just a bad movie.

28. Which movie has done a book justice?

Catching Fire was probably the best book to movie adaptation I've ever seen. There were so many lines that were spoken verbatim. 

29. Do you read newspapers?

No.

30. Do you read magazines?

Sometimes.

31. Do you prefer newspapers or magazines?

Magazines.

32. Do you read while in bed?

Of course.

33. Do you read while on the toilet?

No, that's weird to me.

34. Do you read while in the car?

Only on long road trips.

35. Do you read while in the bath?

Yes.

36. Are you a fast reader?

Usually.

37. Are you a slow reader?

When I need to pay close attention to detail.

38. Where is your favorite place to read?

My bed. Sometimes my couch.

39. Is it hard for you to concentrate while you read?

Really depends on the day and if there is anything distracting nearby.

40. Do you need a room to be silent while you read?

Ha! No.

41. Who gave you your love for reading?

Some tried, no one succeeded. It was all me, baby.

42. What book is next on your list to read?

I stopped deciding that because I'm a mood reader. I can't force it.

43. When did you start to read chapter books?

Second or third grade. Really don't remember.

44. Who is your favorite children’s book author?

J. K. Rowling.

45. Which author would you most want to interview?

Stephen King

46. Which author do you think you’d be friends with?

It's hard to say since they would have to actually want to be friends with me, but I'd want to be friends with Jennifer L. Armentrout. 

47. What book have you reread the most?

This is a hard one because there are a lot of books that I've lost count of how many times I've read. 

48. Which books do you consider “classics”?

A lot? What kind of question is this?

49. Which books do you think should be taught in every school?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It has a really interesting perspective on mental illness and could, along the way help some kids going through some things maybe realize what they are going through is something they aren't alone in. I know it's already taught in some schools, but I think it needs to be more widespread.

50. Which books should be banned from all schools?

My first thought was Mein Kampf. And while I believe it most definitely shouldn't be taught in high school, I do think there is a place for it in higher education as it is a piece of history.

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Top 5 Favorite Monsters

I'm a bit of a paranormal junkie. While there are so many cool, unique monsters out there I really am a lover of the originals.

1. Witches

I feel like it's probably common knowledge by now that I really like witches. This has been sort of a lifelong fixation starting in childhood when I watched movies I probably shouldn't have at the time. Witches just have so much potential and they're cool as hell.

2. Vampires

I still haven't gotten over the 2013 vampire obsession. I mean, I never liked Twilight, but all the other vampire books really got me. While the grip has loosened a bit, I'm still caught in the snare.

3. Mermaids

There just aren't a lot of mermaid novels out there. I just need something with mermaid main characters that are just hardcore mythical creatures. I know the fourth Pirates of a Caribbean film was crap but I liked it because of how they portrayed mermaids! I just need a book like that and I will be happy, please and thank you. Just enough with mermaids being pleasant and having nice civilizations. This is not the Little Mermaid.

4. Faries

Those tricksy bastards really get you. While I do like Sarah J. Maas' version of fairies, I do really prefer the Holly Black type of fairies. The ones that will trick you out of your pocket change and have you in their eternal debt. They're real flip-floppy, they could be either good or bad, the true chaotic neutral.

5. Werewolves

I can't explain my love of werewolves, I've tried to figure out over many many many years but its just something I've never been able to rationalize to myself in a way that doesn't make me a furry. This has caused quite the identity crisis as I am not a furry.

What are some of your favorite monsters?

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The Darkest Star Spoiler Free Review

The Darkest Star
by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: October 30th, 2018

Synopsis:

When seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher is caught up in a raid at a notorious club known as one of the few places where humans and the surviving Luxen can mingle freely, she meets Luc, an unnaturally beautiful guy she initially assumes is a Luxen...but he is, in fact, something much more powerful. Her growing attraction for Luc will lead her deeper and deeper into a world she'd only heard about, a world where everything she thought she knew will be turned on its head...

#1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout returns to the universe of the Lux in this brand new series, featuring beloved characters both new and old.

My Thoughts:

I received an ARC through Netgalley for an honest review

I gave this book 5 stars. It deserved all the stars. Which I think is fitting because they’re aliens.

This book starts about 4 years after where Opposition ends off. Luc is all grown up now, he’s still doing illegal shit and being a little shit, but we love him. From what we knew of Luc he was a bit of a brat who liked getting his way and this book really expanded on his character and we saw into why he may have done a lot of what he did. 

The story starts off by introducing us to a character named Evie. Evie is completely normal, her father died in the fight against the alien invasion, or so she thinks. One night at a nightclub upends everything. 

Luc and Evie meet in a bundle of confusion that makes no sense until you get to the second half of the book, or earlier if you’re really good at guessing. 

The Darkest Star was so much more than I expected it to be. Obsidian was the first book I ever reviewed (don’t bother trying to find the review, it’s private until I get around to editing it) which goes to show how much I loved it. It was the first book on my mind when I decided I wanted to review books and to say it was my favorite book by Jennifer L. Armentrout would have been accurate. However, after having read The Darkest Star I have to say I think TDS has stolen the crown. 

I’ll always love me some Daemon, but Luc has found a new place in my heart. I have a strong feeling he’s gonna be at the top of my Top 10 Book Boyfriends of 2018 list later this year. 

Speaking of Daemon, I wish there had been a bit more of the original crew in this one. We got a few hilarious Daemon cameos, and we did see Archer once, but other than that we didn’t see much of anyone else. Kat and Dee were mentioned, but that’s it. I need more! Also, I really feel like I need to reread the Lux series and then read The Darkest Star again so everything is cohesive and fresh in my mind. I would highly suggest rereading the Lux books if you have time to because there is some stuff that is mentioned that you might not remember as well.

Also, side note, Opposition came out four years ago. FOUR! Do you feel old yet because I do. 

September Wrap Up

I had a lot of books to read for my classes and that's probably the only reason that I actually read as much as I did. Five of the books that I read this month were in fact for my classes because University classes move really fast. 

1. Sadie

I gave this book 5 stars. Holy shit it was a wild ride. I'm not gonna give away much because I do think this is one of those books that is better if you just read it not really knowing much. It gets into great detail and really paints a picture of what is happening in your mind. Highly recommend.

2. The Outsiders

I gave this movie 4.5 stars. I loved it. I rewatched the movie for the first time in a long time because I saw that it was on tv and I fell in love all over again.

3. Bound to You

I gave this book 3 stars. I felt like it was missing a lot of plot. Considering it was a werewolf novel I was expecting it to be more plot driven than character driven, but then again it was a Wattpad story before it was properly published. I was still disappointed in the lack of action.

4. Rise of the Guardians

I gave this movie 4 stars. I finally watched this movie and I really enjoyed it. I hope they make another one because I love light-hearted children's movies a lot.

5. John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid

I gave this 5 stars. I don't usually watch comedy specials, I think the only other comedy specials I've ever seen are the Kevin Hart ones, so it was pretty momentous when I actually watched this one. It was so funny, I was sitting in my room just dying of laughter, my dad actually came into my room to see what was happening.

6. John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City

I gave this 5 stars. I just really love John Mulaney's sense of humor, I really want another comedy special from him. I know he just did one last year, but I'm dying here without new material.

7. John Mulaney: New in Town

I gave this one 4.5 stars. It was still good, but not quite as good as the first two. Maybe because those ones are newer and maybe he's gotten funnier, I don't know. Also, all three of these comedy specials are on Netflix if you guys wanna check them out. 

8. My Commander

I gave this book 4 stars. This book was hilarious. Merin is hilarious. I binged a lot of these books and Merin was always the funniest part of them.

9. City of Ghosts

I gave this book 4.5 stars. I previously called this book a cross between Casper the Friendly Ghost and Tim Burton films and I stand by that assessment. If that sounds interesting to you guys, pick it up!

10. My Protector

I gave this book 4 stars. I really liked Elizabeth. She was grace and poise and yet always found herself tripped over thin air. Relatable.

11. Beowulf

I gave this book 4 stars. It was an epic in the truest sense of the word. Also, don't watch the movie. I started watching the movie and it's creepy as hell. I'm gonna have to finish the movie, but I really don't want to. The animation is "lifelike". I legit didn't realize it was animation at first and I was so confused because the people didn't look quite real. Anyway, an awesome story you should definitely give it a read.

12. My Healer

I gave this book 4 stars. Penny is such an adorable little girl and I pray for the day when she gets her own book.

13. The Importance of Being Earnest

I gave this book 3.5 stars. I probably won't reread this, but it was fun to read the first time. 

14. My Saviour

I gave this book 4.5 stars. I think this one has been my favorite in the series so far. I don't know what it is about Faries and Witches that really do it for me. 

15. The Nun

I gave this movie 2.5 stars. It relied heavily on jump scares and we barely actually see the nun. Just overall not my favorite horror film.

16. Crazy Rich Asians

I gave this movie 5 stars. My friend and I did a double feature of the Nun and this, we decided to watch this after in case the Nun really freaked us out so we would have something happier to calm us down. It was really good. I feel like I've seen too many of my mother's Chinese movies and soaps because this didn't feel as overwhelmingly Asain as those. However, it was still really good at bringing Asain culture to the forefront. Excited for the sequel.

17. A Pack of Blood and Lies

I gave this book 4 stars. I haven't finished writing my review yet, but it's coming. Eventually. You guys probably know by now that I really enjoy Olivia Wildenstein's writing and was really excited to get to read an ARC of this. I don't think the cover has been released yet, so I don't know if the cover I've seen is the final one or not so I'm just not going to add a photo for this one. 

18. My Brothers Keeper

I gave this book 4 stars. I liked this more than I thought I would. When I first read the synopsis I was a bit unnerved because a girl being caught between two brothers is my least favorite trope. it stresses me out. It really wasn't that bad though, I've gotta say. 

19. The Iliad

I gave this book 3.75 stars. The only character I actually genuinely liked was Patroclus. Most of the men in this poem acted like fricken children that had their toys taken away.

20. My Guardian

I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed it but I've kinda already forgotten most of what happened. I think I liked the first five books in the series just a tad more. Still, a 4 star read though.

21. My Champion

I gave this book 3 stars. I found the protagonist of this story so much more annoying than all the previous books. I know that a lot of people didn't really like this novel as much as the previous ones and I didn't expect to actually see a decline, but I found that I did. Hopefully, the next book will be better.

22. The Golden Tower

I gave this book 4 stars. I felt like there was a decline in the past two books of the Magisterium series and I feel like there was definitely an improvement in this finale. I found Call and Tamara's relationship a little awkward in the fourth book but now it actually feels smooth and they actually have more chemistry. Huge improvement. 

23. Othello

I gave this book 1.5 stars. My views of Shakespeare are pretty polarizing. I loved Hamlet because it was so dramatic and I thought it was funny, but pretty much every other play by Shakespeare has pissed me off in some way. This play is so xenophobic, the one POC character Shakespeare ever writes ends up being a wife-killer. The only saving grace is that I actually liked two of the characters. Emilia and Desdemona. Everyone else was just horrible.

24. Pygmalion

I gave this book 3 stars. I overall enjoyed the play. I absolutely loved Eliza. I hated Higgins. It absolutely blows my mind that people actually wanted the two to end up together considering Higgins treats her like absolute shit. She's pretty much just an object to him which is incredibly sad. The girl is mad witty.

What books and movies did you guys enjoy this month?

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