October 2015 Wrap Up

Overall: This month was way busier than I expected. A lot of homework, stress, crying, life in general. I was only able to read five books this month. At least they were some good books.

1. Life and Death, Stephenie Meyer 4/5

Celebrate the tenth anniversary of Twilight! This special double-feature book includes the classic novel, Twilight, and a bold and surprising reimagining, Life and Death, by Stephenie Meyer.

There really wasn't a good description.

This book was awesome to read. Seeing it through different eyes was kind of refreshing. It also makes me kind of sad though because I know that Beau would not get half the crap that Bella does just because she’s the girl and the “damsel in distress”. You’re surrounded by vampires with powers and you’re just a normal human. What are you supposed to do? The ending of it was a little shocking but I didn’t really think that it would have the same ending

2. Never Broken, Jewel 4/5 

New York Times bestselling poet and multi-platinum singer-songwriter Jewel explores her unconventional upbringing and extraordinary life in an inspirational memoir that covers her childhood to fame, marriage, and motherhood.

Jewel is one of my all-time favorite singers. She is such a beautifully honest writer/singer. I remember reading the long biography that she had on her website a few years ago and after I finished it I knew that she should write a book about her own life. Reading about her hard childhood in Alaska and all of the trials she had to go through to get to wear she is makes me like her even more. You realize where her music comes from. She’s poetic and honest. She doesn’t hold back throughout the story which felt right because as the reader I didn’t really want her to sugar coat much. 

3. Bone and Shadow, Leigh Bardugo 3.5/5

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Before I get murdered because of the rating I didn’t actually hate this book. I’ve had the trilogy for about a year now and since Leigh published a new book set in this book’s universe it didn’t feel right to not read these books first. If this is your first introduction into the fantasy genre I don’t think that I would recommend it. This book was good, don’t get me wrong. It was just okay though. It was fast paced and interesting. The next book could be even better which is what I’m hoping for but I think that I waited too long to read the book and it became over hyped in my mind.

4. Ugly Love, Colleen Hoover 5/5 *Favorite*

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her. Never ask about the past. Don’t expect a future. They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

I expected to hate this book but so many people loved it and I decided to finally give it a try. 

I am so glad that I did.

Going into it I expected it to be Fifty Shades of Grey but Colleen Hoover writes and intricate, well developed novel about the wrong kind of ‘love.’ I enjoyed going on the journey with Tate as we both tried to figure out what the heck happened to Miles to make him the way that he was. Sometimes when a book goes back and forth from past to present it can make me feel kind confused but in this book it really benefited it. I just loved this book so much. I can’t talk about it because it’s better to go into this book knowing basically nothing.

5. Confess, Colleen Hoover 5/5 *Favorite*

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry. For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it. The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin

I loved this book. Loved it.

Colleen Hoover’s books just suck you in from the beginning. This book is so inspiring and beautiful. The fact that confessions were sent to Colleen and were real was amazing and the fact that people shared their deepest darkest secrets. Even if it was anonymously that takes guts and it enhanced the story. The fact that art work was included in the story was also a wonderful decision. It was way better than me imagining it. Again it adds depth and beauty to the story. I loved the characters, all of Colleen’s characters are people that I can imagine meeting or seeing somewhere because they’re normal everyday people with problems. Just like all of us. The relationship between Auburn and Owen was perfection. This was not insta-love and I was expecting that. Even though they both have feelings for each other they don’t immediately act on those feelings and wait. In books I feel like the characters meet and they just start making out in five seconds. You miss out on the little cute things about falling in love. Like holding someone’s hand, looking into each other’s eyes and the worry you have because you don’t if they’re feeling the same way? Colleen also tricks you. She distracts you from little aspects and then turns out that it’s really important to the story and you’re caught off guard. Then everything comes back together. The thought that goes into the plot and writing is phenomenal. 

About halfway through this book I called Leah in tears and I think Leah deserves some appreciation because she always listens to me rant and fangirl. Even if she does laugh.

DFTBA
-AB