March Wrap Up (2022)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And this month I'm quite happy with my reading progress. I've been trying to make up for that disasterous January for some time now, and this month I caught up! (Though I now have no unread books which makes me feel a little bit like a fish out of water, but more are on their way.) 

Anyway, this month I read a total of 6 books and I'm happy to say, I very much enjoyed all of them. 

I hope you enjoy this. 

1. Girls of Paper and Fire (Girls of Paper and Fire #1), by Natasha Ngan 

2. Girls of Shadow and Storm (Girls of Paper and Fire #2), Natasha Ngan 

3. Girls of Fate and Fury (Girls of Paper and Fire #3), by Natasha Ngan 

It was so wonderful to be able to fully re-emerge myself back into this story and this world. When Girls of Paper and Fire was released, it was all anybody was talking about. The second and third books didn't get quite as much traffic, but in my opinion they were just as blood- pumping, action filled, and overall just as fantastic as book one was. 

After fleeing the castle, Wren and Lei face the challenge of recruiting the most followed clans in the hope to raise an army and overthrow the king. I often find that when there isn't a clear premise, like in the first book, then I can't get as invested. That was true for book 2 the first time I picked this up, but re-reading it this time around, I'm so glad I took the time to give this a re-read because I actually found that I enjoyed it more than the first time around. 

As for Girls of Fate and Fury, such a well done finale. My heart was in my mind throughout, I was very happy with how it wrapped up and although I'm sad that the series is now finished, I honestly don't believe there is anything that was left unexplained. Very solid series. 

4. The Good Thieves, by Katherine Rundell 

After the intense fantasy series I'd just finished, I was in the mood for something funny and light-hearted and that's exactly what I got with this. After finding out that her grandfather had been made homeless by a scumbag salesman, Vita sets out, with a pick-pocket and members of the circus, to steal back a priceless emereld necklace that will allow her grandfather to buy back his home. Such a simple premise but what struck most about this book is that it's such a realistic premise, like it could happen to my grandad, or someone else's auntie or uncle. But despite that, this book still manages to be fun, engaging and really very, sweet, because of the relationships between Vita, her mother and her grandfather. Another wonderful Katherine Rundell read. 

5. Paperweight, by Meg Haston 

This book has been on my "Want to read" shelf for just under four years and a couple of months ago I bit the bullet and purchased a copy. 

I knew this was going to be a hard book to read, given that it's from the POV of a girl that's just been admitted into an eating clinic, but I wasn't expecting to be wincing from the first chapter. It has these staccato jolts that you don't expect, that leave no grey areas to Stevie's pain. You know when you have like a sick relation, and they make a joke about their illness that isn't funny? That's kind of what it feels like with those staccato moments. It's a harsh, realistic book about a girl in an institution, and it doesn't shy away from the hard topics. 

There are several triggers like suicide, murder, relationship trauma, manipulation, not to mention eating disorders, so if those themes are triggers for you I would advice you not to read this, but I put this on my "Want to read" for a reason. And I for one, am relieved to have finally read this. (3.5 stars.)

6. Still Alice, by Lisa Genova 

Another book thats been on my "Want to Read" shelf for the end of time. Also purchased a couple of months ago, and to be honest, even though this was my last unread book that I owned, I wasn't sure I wanted to read it (especially after Paperweight). But I'm so glad I did, in the end. 

If you didn't know, Still Alice is about Alice, a professor at Harvard, who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Now, I feel like there's a spectrum of different emotions when reading a book, particularly sadness. I thought I was sad when I was reading Paperweright, and I was. But it was nothing compared to knowing that Alice was never going to get any better. That she was slowly, but surely going to decline until she didn't even know how to eat, or go to the toilet, or dress herself. 

This was heartbreaking- that was what I expected and that's exactly what I got. Solid four stars. 

Okay! So those are the books that I read this month! 

I hope you've had a wonderful reading month too and feel free to shout about what you've read in the comments! 

I hope you have a wonderful afternoon and I'll see you all soon for my April TBR (2022)! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

Anticipated Releases (April- June 2022)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with another post! This time, it's my anticipated releases post for the next few months! I always enjoy accumalating new lists, finding new books to add to my TBR. 

This month was no different! I might have slightly fewer books than normal but hopefully that means I can get to most of them! 

Without further ado, enjoy! 

April Releases

1. Sound Check, by Jennifer Fenn (1/4/22)

I don't know a whole lot about this book, but the main USP that this book had for me was that it's about a deaf boy that plays the drums through taking his shoes off, so he can feel the music through the soles of his feet. I genuinely don't think anyone has even heard about this because there isn't even a cover, nor a blurb on Goodreads. I really hope more people find out about this because it sounds like an absolutely incredible read. 

2. The No-Show, by Beth O' Leary (12/4/22)

At this point, I don't really need to read Beth O' Leary's premises to know that I'm going to like her books. 

So far as I know, this is basically the book version of The Other Woman (you know, the one with Camerian Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton) and honestly, as usual, I don't need to know more than that. I know that this will be funny, full of unexpected turns, with likeable characters and a lovable story. I'll likely get to this within the next couple of months, during the summer months, and I can't wait to have this in my hands. 

3. Until the End (Skulduggery Pleasant #15), by Derek Landy 

Until the End, such an approporiate title. I've stuck with this series for over a decade, until the end, which is this fiftienth book. As you can probably tell, I'm not ready for this novel, for this epic tale to end. I doubt I'll ever be ready (even if I decide to re-read the entire series beforehand, like I've been considering doing). 

The cover is gorgeous, it'll be full of unforgettable characters (and maybe some gruesome deaths-though I hope none of my favourites), and awesome kick-ass fight scenes. 

At this point I know I'm going to love it. And hate it at the same time. 

I'm not ready. 

May Releases

1. Book of Night, by Holly Black (3/5/22)

Holly Black was an author that was always on my radar but I was never interested enough to pick any of her books up. This seems totally unique and I'm genuinely intrigued as to what happens in this.

"In Charlie Hall's world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences- but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone's feelings- and memories- but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden- a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own. 

Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the end of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie's present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear- and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a case of doppelgangers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister- all desperate to control the magic of the shadows."

2. See You Yesterday, by Rachel Lynn Soloman (3/5/22)

After absolutely loving You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone, of course I was going to add this to my anticipated releases list. This seems like a short, entertaining read for the summer time and I'm looking forward to giving it a read. 

So in a summary, See You Yesterday follows Barrett Bloom, who has to re-live the worst day of her life (first day of college) in a Groundhog Day type time loop. The worst thing is, her arch-nemesis is also stuck in that time loop.

June Releases

1. Meet Me in Mumbai, by Sabina Khan (7/6/22) 

"A novel in two acts- told eighteen years apart- gives voice to both mother (Ayesha) and daughter (Mira) after an unplanned teen pregnancy led Ayesha to place Mira up for adoption." 

Even after just that opening statement, I'm already hooked. 

I'm always on the look out for books that contain themes, that I haven't read about before, and this one has a few: Adoption, being contacted from birth family after said adoption, indian culture. 

It doesn't matter that there's just one review on Goodreads about this book, it sounds amazing, and I genuinely can't wait to read this. 

2. The Gravity of Missing Things, by Marisa Urgo (7/6/22) 

"Flight 133 disappeared over the ocean. No wreckage. No distress signal. Just gone. 

Suddenly, everyone on the news and social media is talking about whether the pilot intentionally crashed it- everyone but me. Because I know her. The pilot was my mom, and there's no way she would hurt anyone. 

No one knows that before she left, she wrote me a note. Trust me, it said. 

Now it feels like someone split my world- and me- in two, and the only person who believes me in Landon. 

I want to trust him, to let him see who I really am, but I can't. I have my secrets, the same way Mom has

hers. All I know is falling for him will only make things more complicated. 

Just as I start to open up, the answer to what really happened to Flight 133 could rip my world apart all over again- for good this time."

There was no way I would be able to explain all of that so I figured the best thing to do was show the blurb to you. Somehow this premise hits differently than the rest of them, probably because it feels like something you would hear on the news, maybe not on a weekly basis, but something that I've heard about in the past? 

But I've yet to read a book about a flight disappearing over the ocean, and I'm anxious to pick it up! I really hope I enjoy this because it sounds so interesting! 

Okay! So those are my anticipated releases for April- June! I hope you enjoyed reading about them, and feel free to comment some of yours below! 

Right, that's all I have for you tonight, I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

March TBR (2022)

Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with my TBR, for... the third month! 

I hope you enjoy it. 

~March TBR (2022)~

1. Girls of Paper and Fire (Girls of Paper and Fire #1), by Natasha Nyan 

2. Girls of Storm and Shadow (Girls of Paper and Fire #2), by Natasha Nyan 

3. Girls of Fate and Fury (Girls of Paper and Fire #3), by Natasha Nyan 

Although it's only been a couple of years since I started this series, I boremember precious little of Girls of Paper and Fire and Girls of Storm and Shadow. Therefore, it made sense to re-read them again, in preparation of the final book. 

Besides, I'm sure I'll be more excited and invested in the story going into Girls of Fate and Fury after marathoning book 1 & 2. 

Gearing myself up for an explosive ending to the series. 

4. The Good Thieves, by Katherine Rundell 

I picked this up because it had been a while since I'd read a Katherine Rundell novel, and the cover drew me in. Katherine Rundell has been a good author to pick up when I'm in the mood for a fun middle-grade, and I'm hoping that this will be exactly that. 

The Good Thieves follows Vita who, alongside a pick-pocket and her new circus friends, creates a plan to take back her grandfather's estate from a powerful, real-estate tycoon. The plan is to break into the house, steal back what's rightfully her grandfather's, and expose the tycoon for the criminal he really is. But 1920s Manhattan is full of secrets. And it might take more than Vita's gang of misfit chums outsmart the city that never sleeps. 

This sounds like a book that never goes the way you might expect, and I am extremely excited to see what will go on in this fun- centred adventure. 

5. Lawless Spaces, by Corey Ann Haydu 

This was one of the books included in my anticipated releases post for January-March 2022 and it was the one that seemed most appealing this month. I'm not going to lie, it sounds like it's got a few serious themes within this book, so if you are considering picking this up, read the blurb and have a think about whether this book really is for you. 

"Mimi's relationship with her mother has always been difficult. But lately, her mother has been acting more withdrawn than usual, leaving Mimi to navigate the tricky world of turning sixteen alone. What she doesn’t expect is her mother’s advice to start journaling—just like all the woman in her family before her. It’s a tradition, she says. Expected.

But Mimi takes to poetry and with it, a way to write down the realities of growing into a woman, the pains of online bullying, and the new experiences of having a boyfriend. And all in the shadows of a sexual assault case that is everywhere on the news—a case that seems to specifically rattle her mother.

Trying to understand her place in the world, Mimi dives into the uncovered journals of her grandmother, great-grandmother, and beyond. She immerses herself in each of their lives, learns of their painful stories and their beautiful sprits. And as Mimi grows closer to each of these women, she starts to forge her own path. But it isn’t until her mother’s story comes to light that Mimi learns about the unyielding bonds of family and the relentless spirit of womanhood." 

This sounds like a very messy and emotional book, but also a very hopeful one. I can only remember one book that sparks anything similar to this, and since it's been donkey's years since I've read it, I think this is the time to read something new. Genuinely intrigued to see what I think of this. 

6. Paperweight, by Meg Haston 

This book has been on my "Want to read" shelf for three years now, and it's time I get to this. It follows Stevie who, having just arrived at a lockdown eating disorder clinic in Mexico, feels trapped. Her father has paid for 60 days of treatment, 60 days of being watched and challenged not to eat the foods she's suffered for so long to avoid. 

What nobody but Stevie knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay as long as she's meant to. Because it's only 27 days since the anniversary of her brother's death, a death she caused. But if Stevie gets her way, then after 27 days, she too will end her life.

From what I've heard of this, Paperweight is a devastating tear-jerker, much like You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone. Honestly, I'm really hoping it is like that book, because there's nothing I love more than these types of books. 

I've never heard anyone even mention this book on Booktube but I'm hoping this'll be kind of like a diamond in the rough. I hope I'm right. I guess I'll see. 

7. Still Alice, by Lisa Genova 

So, it looks like sensitive books with tough-to-stomach themes is what I'll be reading this month because there are a lot of them on this TBR! Honestly I have no idea why I've added so many of these kinds of books on this list for March, but I know I've heard fantastic things (for all but one- Paperweight is a gut instinct) for all of these books. 

Honestly, I didn't even need to read the blurb to know what this is about. I'd heard about what it was about when I heard about the film and even though I've never watched the film, or read this book yet, I know enough from what people have told me to be a bit nervous about tackling this book. Because I know it's on another level of emotionally messed up than anything else on this TBR can even hope to achieve. 

And if you have not even the slightest inkling about what the heck this book is about, I can tell you that it's about a fifty-year-old professor that's diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease. 

So yeah, this book is going to be devastating. 

I know I'm going to enjoy. And be devastated of course. 

Okay! Those are all the books that I'm hoping to read this month! 

As always, it's slightly ambitious, but I really hope I can get to all of them. 

As always, feel free to comment below what you plan to read this month, and we can chat about them. 

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon!

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

February Wrap Up (2022)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And it's the end of the month, which means another wrap up! 

I'm kind of wishing I didn't post my Books 1-10 of 2022 a couple of days ago because most of the books that are on this, was on that post as well. 

But not all of them will be, so there's that. 

I hope you enjoy my wrap up.  

I read a total of 6 books this month, and honestly, I'm very satisfied with that. Amongst those books, I also finished two series (one duology, one series that carried through into February). One thing I'm happy about is that I enjoyed every single book I picked up this month, which I can't usually say. I wish I could have caught up on my Goodreads reading challenge (I'm literally a couple of days away from being back on track). But no matter. I'll catch up in March. 

Here are the books I finished:

1. The Tyrant's Tomb (Trials of Apollo #4), by Rick Riordan 

2. The Tower of Nero (Trials of Apollo #5), by Rick Riordan 

The home stretch for the completion of the final Rick Riordan series- I could see the end in sight and I finally got there this month. The relief and the joy was instantaneous, I could not stop grinning. 

It's been wonderful to read not just this series, but every Rick Riordan series I've picked up over the past year. I'm glad I read them all... and I'm glad that I'm done now. 

3. You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone, by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Loved this. Absolutely loved this. Will definitely be on my Favourite List of 2022- possibly the best book of the year. I don't know. But what I do know is that this book was beautiful, powerful and heart-wrenching all at once. I won't tell you what this is about (because 1). it's on Goodreads, so you can see for yourself, 2. this is the kind of book you want to go into knowing as little as possible). But honestly guys, this will make you cry. Because it made me cry. And that never happens. 

4. What If It's Us (What If It's Us #1), by Becki Albertalli & Adam Silvera

5. Here's To Us (What If It's Us #2), by Becki Albertalli & Adam Silvera

A boy-boy romance with a backdrop of New York. How could I not read/ re-read in February? 

What If It's Us was on my favourites list for maybe 2020? And so, when the sequel comes out two years later, of course I'm going to re-read book 1, so I can bask in the romantic energy that is this duology. 

Solid ending to an already unforgettable duology, and although I could have in no way predicted how it was going to turn out, I'm so happy with how it all wrapped up. 

Arthur and Ben, you'll always be in my heart. (Pardon the Tarzan pun.) 

6. These Deadly Games, by Diana Urban 

This was a book I was racing to finish before the end of February and I am proud to say that I absolutely crushed it. These Deadly Games is about Crystal Donovan, a potential contestant in a money winning tournament on MortalDusk-an online videogame, receives a threatning message saying that her sister will die unless Crystal plays their games. She has 24 hours. 

From that point onwards you follow Crystal through twists and turns, watch her navigate through endless games, whilst constantly trying to figure out who the kidnapper is and how to save her sister. 

The ultimate question is: how far would you go to save the ones you love?

I read All Your Twisted Secrets just under two years ago, and I absolutely loved it. Read it in approximately two days, rated it 5 stars. 

I loved this as well. Maybe slightly less, since it was more likely a deadly creep than a jumpy-unexpected twist like Urban's first book, but I still enjoyed it immensely. 

Okay! Those are all the books that I read in Febraury! I'm not going to beat myself up, as I know that this is a shorter month than usual (though I doubt I'd have finished another book even if it was longer). But I hope you enjoyed my wrap up, as always feel free to comment what you read in February, and we can talk about it! 

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxx