amoodyreader

[amoodyreader]

The Spring Girls - Anna Todd

I feel like Ms. Todd meant well but really missed the mark, here? Although the original book has a lot going on, it is, at its heart, a story about sisters. They had their spats and arguments but they banded together and made it work. There was so much fighting and arguing in here, Marmee included, that it just came across and hateful.

I hated Meg and the fact that the best way the author found to transfer her story from the original book to modern day was to make her boy hungry and to add so much sex to her story. Amy was an absolute spoiled pill and Beth was agoraphobic and basically planned to never leave the house until she graduated from college. Tack on that Jo has the most illogical red temper and it felt like this was written by someone who only had a vague idea of what the source material was.

(SPOILERS)

The ONLY thing I really liked was Jo and Laurie's chapters and all I can say is I'm very VERY glad she ended up with him this time (after having more sex christ relax Anna.).

Definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has read/watched the original material and loved what Louisa May Alcott wrote. Because you will be SEVERELY disappointed

[amoodyreader]

5 books that made an impact on me

1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton: Although Hinton has shown her arse on twitter recently, the first book I remember reading and making an impression on me, was The Outsiders. The group of characters Hinton had written made me love each and every one of them. And don't get me started on that ENDING, holy crap Hinton why do you hate me?

2. The Wanderer by Sharon Creech: My library had this book on tape (did I just date myself? Yeah, I'm gettin' old.) and I listened to it obsessively. On the top layer of the story it is about Sophie and her family taking a sailing trip to bond and go visit their dad/grandfather. If you look deeper, however, it is about Sophie learning the truth about her family and her past. It took me a while to really get it but I love the book even more now as an adult even though it is definitely an MG book.

3. American Gods by Neil Gaiman: I generally like all of Gaiman's books ( at least so far ) but American Gods is the book that really jump started it for me. It's a big book but Gaiman has a way of writing that makes me devour five hundred pages and be hungry for more. I also have the biggest crush on Shadow Moon and love mythology so this book was right up my alley. I'll also sadly admit that... it took Ricky Whittle and the Starz show to get me to read it. Better late than never though, yeah?

4. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion: While I love all his books in this series so far, Warm Bodies is my favorite. Marion manages to write prose in the most poetic way imaginable and I fell in love with his writing the moment I finally picked up the book and read it. ( Post-movie once again. I had no idea this was a book for the longest time, I'm sad to admit. Now I'm his biggest fan. Plus, I know we get wanting to be more than we are, sometimes.

5. The Percy Jackson Books by Rick Riordan: So, this whole series became my favorite and I devoured all five of them and wanted more. This series ties together so well and the last book was SO HEARTBREAKING. I think there's a lot about forgiveness and love that can be learned from this book, which I find important, but it certainly isn't the only thing that can be picked up from that.

I'm sure there are MANY more books that made an impression on me, but these were the first ones that came to mind. What are some books that made an impact on you? I'd love to hear from you so drop me a line!

[amoodyreader]

Shay’s Shorties

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and me A graphic memoir by Ellen Forney 4/5 stars

A raw, real look at one woman’s struggle and eventual acceptance of a scary diagnosis. Although I feel there were some aspects of it that were exaggerated for the sake of the story it was still hopeful and breathtaking in its honesty.

Recommended for those who like non fiction/graphic novels/looks into mental health 

[amoodyreader]

Shay’s Shorties

Hunting Prince Dracula by Keri Maniscalco 5/5 stars

Once again, there will be no review for the first book because I didn’t think I was going to love this series as much as i ended up loving it. However, this book certainly lived up to it’s predecessor. With a new setting, new cast of characters, and a new villain to hunt down, there are certainly many twists and turns that leave you on the edge of your seat/ Add a dash of romance and a hint of vampires and you have a perfect, well written, original story. 

I would suggest this book to those who like historically based books/vampires/romance

[amoodyreader]

Shay’s Shorties

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell 5/5 stas

This retelling of Aladdin tells the story of what it would have been like if Jafar had found the lamp before Aladdin had. Sometimes grim, this story offers more of a backstory not only to Aladdin but to Jasmine and the genie as well. It ends on a very hopeful note that left me smiling and  wanting more.

Would suggest this book for people that like darker retellings/happy endings/well rounded characters and plot

[amoodyreader]

Shay’s Shorties

Reflection by Elizabeth Lim 4/5 stars

A wonderful addition to the story of Mulan, reflection tells the story of what would happen if Shang had died and Mulan had fallen into the Underworld to rescue him. A very solid addition to the world of alternate fairy tales that remains true to the established characters while weaving a new story we haven’t heard before.

I think you’ll enjoy this book if you like fairy tale retelling/Disney/books with interesting twists

[amoodyreader]

Shay’s Shorties

Fierce Fairy Tales by Nikita Gill 5/5 stars

A wonderful book of prose AND poetry that retells your favorite fairy tales with a twist. Definitely worth the read if you like feminism mixed in with your literature.

I would recommend this book for those that like poetry/fairy tales/feminist literature

[amoodyreader]

Shay’s Shorties

The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom 5/5 stars

This book is and always will be gut wrenching to me. It’s a heartfelt, touching book about one man’s life and subsequent death and the lives of people he had been intertwined with whether he knew it or not.

I would give this book to someone who likes religion/short reads/FEELING THINGS

[amoodyreader]

Shay’s Shorties

Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincot 5/5 stars

As touching as TIFIOS was without the sad ending, this book is about two patients with cystic fibrosis and their subsequent choices about whether to forsake the rule of “six feet apart” and risk it all or to pretend they aren’t catching feelings for each other. This story definitely tugs at your heart strings and makes you believe in true love and the importance of second chances.

Suggested for those who like romance/contemporary/books that will get a movie

[amoodyreader]

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again book tag 1. When I Kissed the Teacher (A shocking plot twist!): The Burning World by Isaac Marion. This book was already good and atmospheric but then there were numerous crazy twists that blew my mind 2. Waterloo (a book you haven’t read but are positive you’ll love): Either Renegades by Marissa Meyer or The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. Two of my favorite authors. They’re bound to be amazing. 3. I Have A Dream (a character that inspires you): Jo March and Anne Shirley. Both girls are stubbornly wonderful and go through hard things. They don’t let that stop them though. They keep going and I admire them so much for that.

4. Why Did It Have to Be Me (a book you read to get you out of your book slump): Warm Bodies and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Warm Bodies is just so poetic even though its not written in verse and Guernsey is legitimately one of my all time favorite books.  5. Andante Andante (A book that was slow for you): The Raven Boys series. One day I will read them all, I swear, but so far I haven’t been able to do it. 6. Knowing Me, Knowing You (A book you broke up with and DNF’d): I don’t usually DNF books but The Last Star by Rick Yancy still sits half read on my shelf because I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AND IF I DON’T READ IT THE BAD THING CAN’T HAPPEN. I do plan to finish it. one day.... eventually. 7. Mamma Mia (A book you recently reread): Cress by Marissa Meyer. I started my TLC reread with my favorite book and am now reading Cinder.  8. Dancing Queen (A book that made you dance around the room): The Romance between Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell in Kerri Maniscalco’s series Stalking Jack the Ripper makes me GIDDY. They burn white hot without ever being vulgar and it’s been a love/hate relationship to straight up LOVE, and now courtship and it has been so amazing/fulfilling for me to read. I hope we get a wedding in the final book! 9. Super Trouper ( An unfinished series due to its intimidating size.): I haven’t started Wizard’s First Rule yet.... My friend Peter got me the first three but there are SO MANY MORE AND THEY ARE THICKER THAN MY THIGHS! ((I do plan to read at least one of the three he got me this year though. I read Gone with the Wind. I got this.)

[amoodyreader]

The Handmaid’s Tail - Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid’s Tale, a story told from the handmaid Offred’s point of view and memories, is a ‘what if’ story about what would happen if the world as we knew it changed and women no longer had their own autonomy and became things, only mattering if they were able to give birth and produce kids for the rich and powerful who could no longer do so.

I initially didn’t know what to think about this book. I bought it at Target after watching a few episodes of the tv show. The show unsettled me and so did the book. The events Offred describes in this alternate yet plausible future are awful. Women who are viewed as less than are used as breeders and if they can’t bear children after a certain amount of time, they are killed, turned into whores, or worse. They can’t read anymore, or dress how they like, no longer belong to themselves. What is even worse is that this didn’t happen all at once. I think that is, perhaps, what scared me the most. The ending, ambiguous to Offred’s end is equally as troublesome to me.  There is also an epilogue that I won’t speak of here, namely because it right pisses me off. I’ll just let you form your own opinions on it if you decide to read it. If you like books that show more than they tell then this book, Offred’s written memoir, isn’t the book for you. Normally, I like show vs tell but I somehow found this book interesting even though the content made my skin crawl. The way it was written made me feel everything Offred did; every ounce of her sadness, fear, and loathing.  It makes an already rough story that much more visceral. The mix of present times laced with flash backs leading up to present day roiled my stomach and made me resent everything that had happened to her and the people she met during the course of the book.  All and all, it is a very powerful story; very time appropriate.

The complains I had about this book were small. It’s written a bit stilted and, while I get that it was to show that Offred’s memories weren’t clear, it was still hard to follow at times. The ending also frustrated me to no end. All and all though, it was a solid, relevant, thought provoking read; even if it was hard to read at times. I would definitely read more of Atwood’s books if given the opportunity to do so.

4/5 stars

[amoodyreader]

Review: Heroine Worship – Sarah Kuhn

(Book 2 of the Heroine Complex series) Annnnd we’re back with the second installment of Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn. (I am a dope and didn’t do a review for the first book so here we are. So sorry folks, I’m a space cadet.) In this book we are reintroduced to all the characters from book one as well as some new additions to team Aveda Jupiter. This book is told from Aveda’s point of view and chronicles her sometimes vain attempts to become less of a diva and be a better friend than she has previously.

Initially, I was disappointed that this book wouldn’t be told from Evie’s point of view. I had grown to love her dearly over the course of the first book and, to be honest; I wasn’t the biggest fan of Aveda. However, once I delved into it, Aveda (aka Annie)’s voice really added to the continuing story AND even though it is very definitely Aveda’s story, it still had the characters we fell in love with from the first book and almost more shenanigans than one book could possibly hold.

I won’t lie though. For most of the book it was difficult for me to like Aveda. I suppose that it would be hard to change when you’ve more or less been your own here for so long, but even though she actively tries to change she doesn’t seem to get it. Taking control of someone else’s wedding, going against their wishes for said wedding, and being INCREDIBLY bossy, doesn’t make you a good friend. It just makes you spectacularly annoying even when you’re on the outside looking in and realize that the poor, dense little chicken nugget is doing her best. As the book goes on though you realize how hard she’s actually trying and find out the reasoning behind why this change is so hard for her and, ultimately, it really does make her a more sympathetic character. My only genuine complaint is that this didn’t happen sooner in the book!

As a whole, this book lives up to the hype left by its predecessor. It left me guessing right up until the very end as to who was committing these dastardly acts and had a twist that I never saw coming! There’s just the right amount of romance and action entwined with Aveda’s story and it left me excited to read the next and final book in the series which I plan to do sometime in the near(ish) future.

5/5 stars

[amoodyreader]

Top 5 Tuesdays

Top 5: Favorites I’d like to revisit 1. The Lunar Chronicles series - Marissa Meyer This is, hands down, my all time favorite series. Ever. I’ve been wanting to reread for a while now and get to know the characters and epic adventure that spans across all four books (two graphic novels and one short story) of the series. (Note: I started rereading them in January of 2019 and I still love them. So very much.)

2. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzi Lee This book.... was so funny and heartfelt while touching on serious matters such as health and trauma due to parental abuse. It was definitely one of my favorite reads that I discovered in 2017. I loved the characters who seemed well defined from page one and the adventures that began almost instantly because of one characters shenanigans. Definitely want to reread, especially since the companion novel has been released and I got my hands on it.

3.  Penelope - Marylin Kaye This book was inspired by the movie (I think?) and it touched me just as much as the movie does every time I watch it. It has a good moral, great characters, true love.... and is told as a modern day fairy tale. Although it is geared more towards middle grade readers, I honestly couldn’t ask for more in a book.

4. The 5th Wave series - Rick Yancy This one was... hesitantly put on this list, basically because I KNOW what happens in the third book and I am QUEEN OF DENIAL. (If you don’t read it, the bad thing can’t happen, right?) Still, I liked the first two books and the characters well enough that I would like to finish this story even if it hurts. That being said, it’s been so long since i read the books I’m gonna have to begin again to know what the heck’s going on in this final book. Typical me. 5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows I am gonna be honest here and say that I read this book twice in 2018. I loved that it was old in letters while still having the characters be as wonderful and fleshed out as if I’d read about them in a regularly written novel. I loved the setting and the imagery I got from listening to Juliet describe everything in letters to her friends and family. This is definitely one of the books I want to read again, and again, and again..... and again. I’ll probably read it at least once in 2019 and add more annotations to my copy. (Note: I am not sure if this will become an every day thing tbh BUT this is what I had in a notebook and wanted to get out there for everybody. Hope this sparked some suggestions for y’all!)

[amoodyreader]

“What are you so afraid of?” she challenged. “Don’t look at them, Matthias. Look at me.” He looked. It was a struggle not to look. He loved seeing her in Fjerdan clothes, the little woolly vest, the full sweep of her skirts. Her green eyes were bright, her cheeks pink, her lips slightly parted. It was too easy to imagine himself kneeling like a penitent before her, letting his hands slide up the white curves of her calves, pushing those skirts higher, past her knees to the warm skin of her thighs. And the worst part was that he knew how good she would feel.

[amoodyreader]

Nina and Matthias fan art will be the death of me. My babies 💔

[amoodyreader]

crooked kingdom + subtitles

“how many rules have you broken since you met me? how many laws? they won’t be the last. nothing about us will ever be proper,” she said. she tilted her face up to his. so close now it was as if they were already touching. “not the way we met. not the life we lead. and not the way we kiss.”

[amoodyreader]

“I am grateful you’re alive,” he said. I am grateful you’re beside me. I am grateful that you’re eating.“ She rested her head on his shoulder. “You’re better than waffles, Matthias Helvar.” A small smile curled the Fjerdan’s lips. “Let’s not say things we don’t mean, my love.”

Matthias and Nina in Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, chapter 23, page 327

So, I’ve posted mostly shipping stuff because that’s not quite so spoilery. But the actual plot - just delicious. These characters are so, so adorable <3 I love how Miss Bardugo gives them flaws and traumata that are very believable, let them grow out of them and let them be criminal badasses after all.

(via fiery-red-kryptonite)