Follow me on BlogLovin!
Hello my lovely friends! The Month of June is officially over, and I am ready to attempt at my first Wrap-Up!
Let's see how this goes! ;)
~ Blogs that I visited frequently this month~
I subscribe through email when I can, but other times I have to follow on BlogLovin to catch the updates of some of my friends' blogs.
However, as I do bloghop from time to time- this will be a list of my favorite blogs to check almost daily.
Desara @ D. Books and Reviews
Elle @ Keep on Reading
paperbackprincess @ Paperback Princess
Trema @ A Novel Experience
Abby @ Abby's Reading Corner
Tessa @ Crazy for YA
A. J. @ Read All The Things!
Abigail @ What Makes A Good Book
Katie @ Exploration of Creation
Arvenig @ Arvenig.it
Amber @ Books of Amber
~ Weather + Books I got this month ~
I don't know what it was like for you guys this month, but I was either melting from heat or stuck in a rain storm that threatened to make the power go out.
Perfect for reading indoors!
At least for some of us, I actually spent the time going to thriftstores and my favorite book store to get books cheaper than at Barnes and Noble *scowls at cup of coffee*.
I know a lot of people love Barnes and Noble, but I am not one of them sadly to say. My favorite ''book store'' to get books from is Half Price Books. (Here's a link to their website.)
ANYWAYS.... before I make you hate me, I want to tell you what books I got this month!
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Attack on Titan Vol. 1 by Hajime Isayama
Ever After High: A Semi-Charming Kind of Life by Suzanne Selfors
Ever After High: Next Top Villain by Suzanne Selfors
Magic Kingdom For Sale by Terry Brooks
Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly
Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Jurassic Park by Micheal Crichton
Cold Magic by Kate Elliott
ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
The Princess Diaries Vol. 1 by Meg Cabot
The Curiosity Keeper by Sarah E. Ladd
Lockwood and Co. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
Wake by Amanda Hocking
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard
Whatever After: Dream On by Sarah Mlynowski
~ Books I was trying to buy (but sadly could not) ~
I went to my favorite book store (Half Price Books), but they sadly did not have the books I was looking for, and the ones they did were like book 3 or 4 that I didn't want (as I'd just started the series). Or certain ones that caught my eye I didn't have enough money for.
But not to worry, I was able to buy lots of books throughout the month. However the books below will be ones on my wishlist, I suppose.
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
Warcross by Marie Lu
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Please let me know if you come across any giveaways for the above!
~ Movies/ Shows I watched this month ~
Well, I rewatched Thor Ragnorak (again).
And I also rewatched multiple Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movies while eating ice cream. I discovered that I prefer Sleepless in Seatile to You've Got Mail. (Probably because of all the references to An Affair to Remember with Carry Grant.)
And lets not forget that Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir has (FINALLY) come out with season 2 on Netflix *falls out of chair while cheering*!
Though I mostly watched anime (not surprising).
I've been staying caught up with My Hero Academia, and I started and finished watching One Punch Man. Needless to say, I've fallen in love with yet another fictional character.
~ I was interviewed by an author for her blog ~
Rachel Pudsey, fantasy author of The Aronia Series, offered to interview me for her blog! (Still can't believe I was interviewed!)
You can find the link to it here.
I answered 8 questions, and had a lot of fun!
Check out her website here.
~ Books that I read this month ~
The one we've all been waiting for, what did I read this month?
Well, in June I read:
[ 3 stars] Review here
[ 2 stars]
Review here.
[ 3 Stars]
[4 stars Review here]
[4 stars]
[ 4 Stars] Review Here.
[ Did not finish, but I will return to another time]
[2.5 stars] Review here
~ I also decided to include my TBR for July! ~
So there will be more books I'll read in July, or there could be less. So I can't promise that I will completely stick to this list:
I'm going to try to finish The Young Elites by Marie Lu, I had to take a break from it because I really did not connect with any of it but I am already over half way through- so I can at least fnd out what happens
Then I offered to get a ARC copy of The Shadow Minds Journal by Kia Carrington-Russell in exchange for a honest review.
The Night Circus by Erin Morenstern, will be a Buddy Read with my friend Desara (her blog is linked above) on July 10th.
I will also be reading the Book of the Month for the Bookalicious Book Club, but I'm not quite sure what it will be yet.
And I will also be hosting another ReadAThon in the month of July, but more details will be posted soon. I'll say this though: Hufflepuff Pride!!
And that is my first ever monthly wrap-up, how did I do?
Would you like to see more of these Wrap-Ups at the end of every month? Please let me know!
How was your June? Was the weather nice? How much reading did you accomplish?
Thank you for reading!!
~Books with Noel
Follow me on BlogLovin
Okay, awhile back I was at the book store and I could only afford to bring one book home with me. I ended up bringing The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie home, and I left The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay behind at the bookstore.
But then I saw it at the library, and decided to try it!
Title: The Assassin Game
Author: Kirsty McKay
Published: 2015
Stand alone novel.
Thriller and Mystery/Suspense
Synopsis: Who will be left after lights out?
Tag, you’re it…
It’s 4:00 a.m. when they come for me. I am already awake, strung out on the fear that they will come, and the fear that they won’t. When I finally hear the click of the latch on the dormitory door, I have only a second to brace myself before—
At Cate's isolated boarding school, Killer is more than a game—it’s an elite secret society. Members must avoid being “Killed” during a series of thrilling pranks, and only the Game Master knows who the “Killer” is. When Cate’s finally invited to join the Assassins’ Guild, she know it’s her ticket to finally feeling like she belongs.
But when the game becomes all too real, the school threatens to shut it down. Cate will do anything to keep playing and save the Guild. But can she find the real assassin before she’s the next target?
I don't know about you guys, but my expectations for this book were more along the lines of ''Crap goes wrong, people start getting picked off one by one in the game.''
Let's start with this, the first half the book I'm wondering when these pranks are going to be done and we get to the terrorizing murders. At some point I actually gave up thinking it would get to that, maybe the synopsis was way off? The back of the book made it sound so much more...
We get to the 'accidents' and actual scary things start happening (I don't mean horror, I mean things that I waited the freaking whole book for). Suspenseful and worrying things start to occur for Cate.
We're constantly bouncing back and forth between who's the more messed up person in this whole game (and honestly, they seem to all be a little messed up).
And... What the actual crap was those last few chapters? Granted I did not even think of that person as being the attempted murderer, but their reasons? What?
And that's just the plot, I really didn't care for a single one of the characters.
I'm going for a 2.5 star rating for this one. I had expectations, it did not meet them- but the mystery and suspense were enough to keep me going.
And don't even get me started on the romance issues.
[MY RATING: 🌟🌟]
Have any of you read The Assassin Game? What did you think of it?
Thanks for reading!!
~Books with Noel
<3<3<3
Follow me on BlogLovin!
Who's ready for an ANIME Discussion?!?!?!
*Raises both hands and waves them wildly*
A couple weeks ago, someone (another anime lover) told me I couldn't sit through horror anime and he mentioned Another as the main one I wouldm't be able to watch.
Of course, I took this as a challenge.
Now let me explain why this person said that, I typically watch and read all different kinds of genres- but usually people think I just watch the fantasy and romantic genre in anime (which is far from the truth my friends).
So I sat down and watched Another.
This anime is horror- though I would say it's got more gore, violence, and a goose-bump feeling that doesn't go away (especially when you watch the opening).
Basically: A teenage boy moves to a new city, and attends the school his mother went to when she was in high school. Weird things begin to happen, and no one will tell him what's going on- until it's too late.
As students in his class become paranoid of who will die next, Koichi Sakakibara tries to find out how to stop the calamity.
It's one season, and holy macaroni- I can still remember certain parts. (Which is not particularily good.)
What's worse is I saw someone say this was a ''funny'' anime, you sir are an idiot.
There were humorous parts of course, but no way in the world would I classify this as funny.
Let me explain, the students don't just die by normal causes.
Oh no, they die so violently and gruesomely that I can't unsee it.
Let me assure you of this if you plan to watch Another:
You will develop a fear of the following,
- Umbrellas
- Speed boats
- Window sills
- School trips
- Your friends
- Anything sharp
- Elevators
I had heard all about this anime before I even watched it, so I knew what I was getting into. Yet, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I loved the suspense and the plot and I could not stop watching- I had to find out what happened!
I liked quite a few of the characters, and I sadly was the one to cry at the ending.
Here's my warning I'll give you if you still want to watch it: Once the deaths start, it doesn't stop.
[My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟]
Have you watched this anime? What did you think?
Thanks for reading!!
~Books with Noel
Follow me on BlogLovin!
Title: The Faelti
Author: Rachel Pudsey
Series: The Aronia Series
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Synopsis: Never wish upon a star
Sixteen-year-old Abigail Crumble's learning this the hard way. During a moment of weakness, Abigial wished on the stars only to discover she's cursed as a result. And she's been on a journey to rectify her mistake ever since. Trouble is, the quest to rid herself of the curse has proven to be much more arduous than have ever imagined. And far from over.
Seperated from her friends and believing them dead, trapped in the faelti camp and being held hostage by the evil Kai Sisu, Abigail is no closer to reaching Levana's Dwelling and breaking the curse than she was the day she left her hometown.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In this second installment, stakes are definitely raised.
As before, I loved the side characters- and this time we get some backstory that explains the mindset of some of them. I enjoyed it a lot!
We meet the villain, Kai Sisu, and saw some other side characters we didn't expect to see again.
This book picked up right where we left off in the first book (thank goodness), and we proceed from there.
Abigail is seperated from everyone for awhile, and we really get to understand the guys better without seeing them from just her pov.
We finally find out more about that pendant Abigail had when Mr. and Mrs. Crumble found her, we get to meet Levana, we find out about the curse, and we meet more dwarves!
I have also come to the conclusion that I want a minature horse that understands me, is super fast, and can get larger. Helvi for the win!
The three kingdoms are in need of help, war is brewing, the Faelti are ready to take everything, and Levana is almost useless.
Yeah, I'd say the stakes were raised in this book.
*Spoiler* Mr. Crumble also makes a reappearnce with Abigail's teacher, and boy do they have an interesting story to tell. *Spoiler over*
We learn along side Abigail who she really is, what happened to her, and how she plays into saving the kingdoms from war and anhilation.
I have to say that while I like all the suitors- except for Roan- my favorites are Clay, Eric,and Etva. I want Clay and Abigail to be together, too cute! <3
I almost want to say I liked this book better than the first, but I loved a lot of the scenes with the side characters in the first one more I think. Rather hard to pick a favorite though.
One of the things that I loved the most in the first book was the author's humor. So, was it the same or just as good?
Yes, yes it was! I did laugh more in the first book, but in this second one we are getting to learn more of what's at stake- we care more. But there were still parts that were absolutely hilarious!
Now, for the ending. How did it make me feel?
Well let's say (without going into to many details) my reaction went a ''little'' like this: *Screaming*
Was I disappointed? Heck no! I just didn't think it was going to end right there! The author is clearly mastering her skills of cliffhangers. I think I cried at one point when I realized that was where it was ending for now.
The good news though is that book 3 will probably take up right where The Faelti left off. (At least I hope so.)
[My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐]
Have any of you read it yet? What did you think?
Thanks for reading!!
~Books with Noel
I actually have two Hogwarts houses, strangely enough, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
Though I actually am more Hufflepuff than I am Ravenclaw, so this book tag will be for my fellow Puffs! But feel free to join in even if you're in a different house :)
While I love to read and in the past I was a Ravenclaw, my personality fits Hufflepuff (and when I took the test again this was the result as well).
(Also this is the first book tag that I've made.)
Valuing Hard Work: A book that you had to work to get through.
I would have to say Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones. I did not like the book, but when I think of a book that I had to literally push through, this book is what comes to mind for me.
Dedication: A book series that you were very dedicated to when it was coming out.
Ah, yes. So many series that fit this... actually only three. But I'd have to say the one I kept up with the most was the Divergent series by Veronica Roth.
I'd bought book 1 shortly after it came out, fell in love and waited for book 2. Then it was waiting for book 3.
Patience: A book that you were willing to wait however long it took to get.
Well I'm not very patient when it comes to books of all things, so....
But I would probably have to say Heartless by Marissa Meyer. Because I actually have been waiting forever to get my hands on it and I still haven't got it yet :(
Loyalty: A book or series that you will never not love.
Okay, The Sisters Grimm by Micheal Buckley.
GAH, SO GOOD!! <3
Favorite book with yellow on the cover:
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan!
Favorite book with a Black cover:
The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid (The UK cover is a black background instead of white)
What do you guys think?? Which Hogwarts house are you?
Thanks for reading!!
~Books with Noel
Follow me on Bloglovin!
Title: The Watcher of the Night Sky
Series: The Aronia Series
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Author: Rachel Pudsey
{Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Abigail Crumble was never much for talking about love and marriage and other such nonsense – no matter how often her boy obsessed best friend pestered her to do so. Or so she so adamantly proclaimed.
Yet on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Abigail makes the biggest, most contradictory mistake of her life. She wishes on the stars for love, or even the smallest amount of attention, without knowing the full impact of such a feat.
Abigail soon finds her simple life in chaos as princes, men and mysterious creatures come to her door, each adamantly in love with her and refusing to leave her side.
Mixing fantasy and romance, The Watcher of the Night Sky begins the tale of one girl’s quest to rid herself of a curse that was definitely far more than she wished for.}
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The first book in the Aronia series, which I will definitely be needing to buy a paperback version of.
The author's humor was so funny, I burst out laughing more than once! (I'd have to say the funniest scene was when all of Abigail's ''suitors'' show up.) The humor was the first thing that caught my attention, and from there everything else built.
I also liked all of the characters that we came across- whether they tried to kill the beloved protagonist or ended up doing something stupid or not- I liked them. Each character was different and funny. (Though Olivia annoyed me more than once.)
If you want a book where you love the side characters as much as the protagonist, this is definitely what you need to read.
Speaking of, as there were more than a few suitors for Abigail, who did you like the most? I really liked Clay from the beginning, though I had also liked Roan a bit- but then that switched to Etav.
Onto the world and plot, I loved the crazy adventures this rough group had- you have to give them prompts for even putting up with each other. And their luck absolutely sucks to top it off! But at least half of them got their looks, the others not so much...
The world was extremely creative and awesome to read about. Especially with Abigail and the others- they made it rather fun.
Dwarves, Fae, Faelti, and other creatures were interstingto discover in this book.
Then we have the cliffhanger ending, and let me tell you this year I have been reading a lot of cliffhanger endings in books.
And I have come to the conclusion that there are different kinds of cliffhangers.
We have the horrible ones that literally hurt, or the ones that you can just shrug off, or even the ones that make you fall out of a chair *cough* last book review *cough*.
The Watcher of the Night Sky's cliffhanger was none of those, it's was more along the lines of...''my jaw just dropped and I can't pick it back up.''
So what did I think of the romance? No instant love to hate, and well- I absolutely loved Abigail all the more. Especially since all the other girls were wanting to find husbands, etc.
I felt like Abigail was a lot like me, so all the more points for relatable characters!
[My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐]
Have any of you read this book yet? What did you think? If you haven't read it, does it sound interesting to you?
Thanks for reading!!
~Books with Noel
Follow me on BlogLovin!
Title: Guarded Heart
Series: Book 2 in Guarded Series
Author: Addison Carmichael
Published: June 1st, 2018
Synopsis:
It’s been a year since Andee Peter’s father unsuccessfully sent an assassin through the dimensional veil to hunt down and kill her on earth, and she’s been living incognito with her Guardian Prime boyfriend Mick Barron in Roundup, Montana ever since. Now her Iroment king father, Lydon tel-Mortem, kidnapped her foster sister with the threat to kill the little girl unless Andee crosses the divide and faces him on their home planet of Noma where his own power is strongest.
But in the process of sending her military guardian to rescue little Marie, Andee falls down the dimensional rabbit hole instead, landing in Noma—alone.
Not in the modern metropolis of Umbrey she aimed for either, but in the wilds of neutral territory.
There she’s captured by a band of rebels led by a young, attractive mountain man who’s determined to find out who this strange young woman really is. And Leotner c-Tallega doesn’t plan to release Andee until she divulges her true identity, tempting her in ways that makes her want to confess to all kinds of things she didn’t do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As this is book 2 in a series there will be spoilers for the 1st book.
And I actually had a lot of feels while reading Guarded Heart, so brace yourself for spoilers in this book review!
If you wish to skip the spoils, look for where it says ''Spoilers Begin'' and skip to where it says *Spoilers over'' and proceed reading.
If not, then by all means carry on! :D
We start where it has been a year for Mick and Sandy. They still live in a small town in Montana, though there has been a change in their relationship.
Also note that Sandy has gotten used to her real Nomian name, and is more comfortable being called Andee.
So first I'd like to say that I do actually like Sandy/Andee's character. She's funny, sarcatsic, and fierce while also caring. I love seeing her relationship with her friends, especially when she makes new ones.
Though she did annoy me at times, I have come to look foreward to when I care so much about a character that their every decision can either make me cry, laugh, or shout at them in my head.
Now where the first book left off, we see Mick and her get together. We are told a little bit about Nomia, Mickel's family, Andee's true family and home, and their powers of course.
In the sequel however, we get tons more information that was worth waiting for.
We discover Nomia- without Mick and through Andee's eyes and ears. And holy macoroni, I'm glad I can't talk to my food.
It was like I was on a rollercoaster, with twists and turns making have to know whether everything would end up okay or not.
*Begin spoilers*
Here's where it got crayzy though, we see that Andee and Mick are having some problems. And then we're pissed at Mick for what he tells Andee when they finally talk about it.
I was in a turmoil through the first half of the book because of that actually. We get Mick telling her that he lied about basically their whole relationship and that he doesn't actually love her! And I had loved their bond in the first book, so I was ready to reach through the book and murder him for making her cry- and even saying those things!
Then when Andee is in the amazing world the author created, we meet Leot.
And we like Leot.
And we hear some things about Mick that makes us want to strangle him yet again.
Flash foreward quite a bit, I really liked Leot and Andee. I was like, ''Okay Mick- you suck take Candor and go away. Leave Andee to be happy with her new man.''
They get married!
But not! Because we learn later that it was also a lie! He's already got a wife that's not Andee, and Andee and him didn't actually get married legally.
AND guess what else Andee was lied to about? Mick lied about lieing about loving her.
Make sense?
And now Andee is pregnant with her false husband's child!
*End spoilers*
I was surprised throughout this entire book, and it took me awhile to process it and get it into words for this review.
I know that if you read the spoilers it probably sounds crazy and so much drama. But it was fun to read, and I enjoyed it.
I had to know how it ended, and now I'm pleasantly waiting for book 3!
Things definitely changed in this second installment in the series, but it worked out for the better!
I really liked Guarded Wish, but Guarded Heart had so much more things to reveal that it might take place as my favorite of the two.
The epilogue scene legit made me fall out of my chair. I'm not gonna say what it is, but just know that it was totally unexpected!!
[My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐]
Has anyone read Guarded Heart? Or Guarded Wish yet? What did you think?
Would you want to live in a house made out of rubies if it was normal on your planet? If animals talked to you and could hold a conversation, would you still eat them?
Thanks for reading!!
~Books with Noel
