yikes

I am absolutely terrible at keeping up with this blog. This shouldn’t surprise me because when I was growing up I’d start and stop journals — diaries — like nobody’s business, so. I’m still the same.

Before I get to this review, which isn’t really a review but an overview of the books I’ve read this year thus far, how about a quick lil’ rundown of my life since you last heard from me? (March 30th. I KNOW, I’m terrible, it’s fine.)

I applied for a post-grad program and actually got in, so that’s cool. Yay me. Some of you may know that I was struggling pretty hard with anxiety so it’s a wonder that I was actually able to apply and interview for this incredible program, and receive an offer of administration. And not back out at the last minute. Anyway, so I’m in school now — it’s reading week currently, thank god (edit: NO IT’S NOT IT’S LIKE TWO WEEKS LATER BECAUSE I EVEN PROCRASTINATE FUN THINGS!!!!!!)— and I’m enjoying it so far. Obviously there are some classes that aren’t as enjoyable as others (Friday 11:30-2:00, I’m looking at you), but for the most part it’s great. The commuting is… the worst, because Durham Regional Transit doesn’t know how to be on time, like, ever, but if that’s all I’ve got to complain about then I guess that’s good, right? Also I made some pretty cool friends, which is, again, good. Hi y’all, if you’re reading. Shout out to the group chat because to be honest I would die without it.

MY NEPHEW TURNED ONE IN JULY AND I CRIED. He’s my favourite human. In September my family was meeting up at a restaurant for my dad’s birthday and my nephew saw me from like 10 feet away and his face literally lit up and he pointed at me and wanted me to hold him. I’m in love. He’s really into touching fingers (like E.T.) and reading, and clapping whenever someone says “Blue Jays”. It’s awesome. He’s awesome.

Besides being in school and being lowkey (highkey?) obsessed with my nephew, there’s nothing new to report. Except –

It’s October 24th (edit: nope, November 7th) and I’ve read 45 (edit: nope, 48) books this year. For someone who read one book between April 2014 and January 2016, that’s pretty impressive. Here’s a quick review of all the books. I might get bored by the end, but we’ll see. If you want a more in-depth review or recommendation of any of these books, just let me know! I’d love to get this blog actually up and running (again? Was it ever really running?).

Books I’ve already reviewed are linked to said review, and at the end of the list is the link to my Goodreads account if you want to see my ratings on an individual book!

1. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
2. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
3-4. Inkspell and Inkworld by Cornelia Funke. These two books were the sequels of one of my favourite books of all time, Inkheart. I absolutely loved them both and I think that the final book in the trilogy was a perfect end to the series.
5-7. The Magicians Series by Lev Grossman
8. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith. This wasn’t the best book I read this year, but it was enjoyable enough. A lot of the text was taken straight from Austen’s novel, which is one of my faves ever.
9. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
10. I Wrote This For You by Iain S. Thomas
11-14. Shades of London Series by Maureen Johnson. This series was super interesting and I flew through the books in like three days or something ridiculous like that. The plotline is that the main character can see ghosts, and the books follow her in her quest to find out more about her new abilities. I’m impatiently waiting for the fourth book.
15. All Other Nights by Dara Horn. I did not like this book. It was extremely wordy without anything of note really happening, the main character was the Worst, and by the last page I wish I erase all memory of it from my mind. Boring, dull, annoying.
16-18. Cormoran Strike Series 1-3 by Robert Galbraith. I LOVED THESE!! All three of them but especially the third one. Part of it is written from the point of view of the killer, which is simultaneously terrifying and super interesting.
19. Gemini by Carol Cassella. This book was… alright. I was enjoying it up until about three quarters in when the author apparently lost her spark. The book became very dull very quickly.
20. Songs of my Selfie by Constance Renfrow. This book was a compilation of short stories by people who are considered a “millennial”. The stories themselves were alright — definitely not the best I’ve ever read, but enjoyable enough. I just think that Renfrow could have collected much better stories that are out there.
21. The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillian. Set in Toronto in 1910, two roommates decide to put their sleuthing skills to great use and help catch a murderer. I believe this is book one of two currently, so I might pick that up… Fun story, quick read, could’ve been a lot better though.
22. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I liked Dark Places a lot more than Sharp Objects, but still not as much as Gone Girl.
23. Girl in the Woods by Aspen Matis. I wanted to like this book more than I did. The concept was intriguing (girl hikes the Pacific Crest Trail — like in the book Wild that was made into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon). It was good, but repetitive in a bad way.
24. Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova. If you want to read a book about family that will make you cry, pick this one. I enjoyed it, but wasn’t happy with the ending.
25. The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth. I really enjoyed this book. It made me cry, laugh, and feel super connected to the main character with the way Danforth wrote her. There are some tough themes in this book (death of parents, conversion therapy/camp for LGBTQ youth), so #warning if you decide to pick it up.
26. Moon and More by Sarah Dessen. Leave me alone. Y’all know Sarah Dessen is the OG of YA drama and romance.
27. The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells. Pass on this one. Boring right up until you meet a new character and then boom — that character dies and the book ends.
28. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. Another great Dessen book. Thanks, girl.
29. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Illustrated Version by JK Rowling. You know my feelings on Harry Potter. They haven’t changed. love u always
30. Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date by Katie Heaney. It was alright. That’s all I’ve got.
31. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. OOOOOKAY!!!!!! So good. I enjoyed this… so much. I remember having to take a day or two off from reading in the summer because I couldn’t let go of these characters or the story itself.
32. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. Nah. This book gave me anxiety. All it made me do is hate myself for how “messy” my room is (I have, like, my pjs on the ground. That’s it. Calm down, Marie.) and write down an inventory of my clothes so when I go shopping I don’t buy duplicates by accident.
33. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray. I enjoyed this!! It’s a pretty neat story idea, so if you’re interested in good YA fantasy with a great main character, pick this series up! I’m planning on asking for book two and three for Christmas. Hi, parents.
34-36. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. Guys, don’t hate me, but this series was really good. Like WAY better than The Mortal Instruments. The characters were actually fleshed out and grew over the three books, the plot was really good, and it was set in Victorian London. Like, hello? Super fun. (Also, as a sidenote, the show Shadowhunters — which is based off of The Mortal Instruments — is very good. Much better than the books. So, if you read the books and are annoyed at how not great they were, watch that series!!)
37. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards. This was okay. The plot was good, but I felt like the dad didn’t answer for his actions as much as I wanted him to, and I didn’t love the ending.
38. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. AHHHH!!!!! I LOVED this book. It was incredible. Please read it.
39. A Poet of the Invisible World by Michael Golding. I enjoyed this… until the ending.
40. The Last Romanov by Dora Levy Mossanen. So disappointing. How could Mossanen promise me a book of scandal and heartbreak re: the Romanov’s and then hand me this? Figuratively. I’ve never met the woman. I’m sure she’s nice. But don’t read this.
41. A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout. This book was heartbreaking and beautiful and scary. I loved it.
42. Beautiful You by Chuck Palahniuk. HARD PASS. Sometimes Palahniuk writes really intricate and intriguing, yet weird, plot lines, and sometimes he writes for shock value. This is the latter. It’s not even good shock value.
43. Everyday by David Levithan. I wanted to like this, but I just… didn’t.
44. Mrs. Hemingway by Naomi Wood. I didn’t love this. It was alright, but kind of stuffy and overall boring. There’s not really a plot — the book is set into four parts, one for each of Hemingway’s wives, and they just talk about their time with him.
45. You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson. AHHHHH SO GOOD. This book really helped me in finally realizing once and for all that it’s OKAY for me to be annoyed and to express my annoyance when my friends make racial slurs and jokes. Yes, you are being racist sometimes. No, it’s not funny. Listen to me when I tell you this, because you are white and thus do not understand the itchy, uncomfortable, chest-constricting feeling one gets when being faced with their friends being blatantly racist — on purpose. It makes me feel unsafe and unloved by people who are supposed to care about me. I don’t care if this is #dramatic. Stop making jokes about my skin colour. Also, read this book while you’re at it. Robinson is really funny and cool.
46-48. All Souls Trilogy by Debroah Harkness. YES. Witches and vampires and daemons, oh my! THIS is what I wanted out of Twilight. If you read it, give the first book a chance. It starts a bit slow and there’s the whole romance thing with a vampire BUT! But. It is incredible. The series was so, so enjoyable. And it’s been hard for me to move on from them. I actually haven’t read anything since (I’m trying to power through a book currently) because I am so in love with these characters and the world. The main character is a historian of alchemy (and a witch) and the other main character is a scientist (and a vampire). So incredibly good.

Aaaaand that’s all, folks! I think it’s safe to say that I will reach my goal of reading 50 books this year, so, again, yay me. Here is my Goodreads account where you can follow my progress and scour through my books if you want. If we’re not already friends, add me!

I think I’m going to start writing reviews again, so if you want to see a full review of any of the books ^above^ then just let me know in the comments here or on Facebook.

Love you, byeeeEEEEE.