Monthly Wrap Up | February 2017

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Hello, guys and welcome to a Monthly Wrap Up post thing situation. So, February ended already and it's all super sad because the world was both dumpster fire and pretty awesome. Today, I'm going to talk about the books and stuff on the blog, but also a bit of my personal life because clearly y'all are super invested in me.*

*even if you're not pls bear with me


Books read

I managed to read the great total of 4 books this month, which is a victory in and on itself.

   

A Little Life: utterly destroyed me. Left me crying like a puddle in the floor. It was not pretty. Me, crying I mean because the book was super pretty. And sad. I don't know, I loved it and if you're looking for your soul's ultimate crushing you should def pick it up.

Done Dirt Cheap: Review can be found here. But if you can't be bothered, just know that it's  very #slaymequeens book.

The Museum of Heartbreak: Super easy read. Light and fun contemporary with deep bits here and there. Just an ode to dinosaurs tbh. Fun if you're looking for a nice and easy read.

North of Beutiful: Still as (if not more) as beautiful and inspiring as it was when I first read it back when I was a smol young thing of 13. I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I raged and I fell in love all over again. I will never be able to convey how much I freaking love this book.

On the blog

I wasn't very active this February. Sue me*. But what little I did post, is here.

Reviews:

Features & other shenanigans


*please don't. I'm a broke college student.


In the life

So, I have a life outside the Internet* and today I'm going to talk a bit about February. So, the major life changing thing is I got a job as a tutor, though I haven't started yet because well, that international student life is tough. But I'm super excited to start.

I also had exams and quizzes and homework. I've been learning about phonology and forgetting how to spell. #datlingusiticslife. So, school has been kind of challenging and I'm drowning in translations and corrections and all of those fun translator things.

In the personal realm, well, I'm still as single as ever, but I'm cool with it now. A friend is getting married in April and I feel like an impostor adult who has actual adult friends. Like why are my friends getting married already? Can you please stop, I haven't even had my first kiss yet** and yet I have friends that are getting married. Like what?

Also my keyboard keeps refusing to work properly and typing the letter a is proving super hard. Get your stuff, together dammit.

Oh, and I'm currently obsessed with Strong Woman Do Bong Soon and Shy Boss or Sensitive Boss or whatever. Why do k-dramas sometimes have like ten titles? Oh, and my obsession with 2 Days & 1 Night continues, but how can it not when it's so funny every single time? As for music, I'm currently jamming out to Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee*** and Sympathy by Jung Joon Young and Believer by Imagine Dragons.

*shocking, I know.
**I mean, a little consideration for those of us with no experience whatsoever would be nice.
***yes, this song is trash. I'm trash. It's just so nice for when you're showering or cooking or cleaning and need a bit of dancing. Stop judging me. I can feel you.

That's all on my end. How about your February?

Done Dirt Cheap by Sarah Nicole Lemon | ARC Review

Thursday, February 23, 2017
Title: Done Dirt Cheap
Author: Sarah Nicole Lemon
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication Date: March 7th, 2017
Source: NetGalley
Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Tourmaline Harris’s life hit pause at fifteen, when her mom went to prison because of Tourmaline’s unintentionally damning testimony. But at eighteen, her home life is stable, and she has a strong relationship with her father, the president of a local biker club known as the Wardens. Virginia Campbell’s life hit fast-forward at fifteen, when her mom “sold” her into the services of Hazard, a powerful attorney: a man for whom the law is merely a suggestion. When Hazard sets his sights on dismantling the Wardens, he sends in Virginia, who has every intention of selling out the club—and Tourmaline. But the two girls are stronger than the circumstances that brought them together, and their resilience defines the friendship at the heart of this powerful debut novel.

What I thought

 You all probably don't know this about me, but I have a soft spot for motorcycles. I don't know much about them, but I like them. So, when I saw two bad-ass girls on the cover with a motorcycle my interest was piqued. I signed up for some serious female friendship and boy, did I find it.

Now, this book is about a motorcycle club, but not really. It's about two girls who are entangled with a motorcycle club, both by birth and by design. Now, these are two young ladies in a world very much defined by the men in it. However, the two grow into queens by their own right and own everything and everyone. #slaymequeens

I found the start of the book a little dragging, but it picked up fast, which I was super happy about. Now, as for the story itself there were some aspects that seemed a little exaggerated (but hey this is fiction, I guess) and hard to believe, but these aspects didn't take away from my general enjoyment of the book.

The writing in this book was beautiful. There were some gorgeous passages about being a girl and fortitude and belonging and being lost. I genuinely wasn't expecting to run into these powerful and beautiful pieces of prose. I had after all, signed up for the motorcycles and the female friendship. Which I got plenty of, but the beautiful prose was a welcome surprise.

I want to talk about the romance, because I feel like some people would probably be a bit uncomfortable with one of the relationships. Namely, because Virginia is only 18 and the guy in question is 28. That's a ten year gap and while it might make some people uncomfortable, I found no issue with it. It seemed like a realistic, completely comprehensible thing to happen. Fact is, people can fall (and do) with people 10 years older than they are and I don't think there's anything controversial about that here. T and Cash are also super cute and I approve.

I really liked this book and I loved the relationship Virginia and Tourmaline formed. I loved the two of them and I enjoyed watching them grow into women by their own right.

Romances That Made Me Wish For One of My Own | Top Ten Tuesay

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

I know what you're thinking: Laura can you make up your mind and decide if you like stabbings or romance more? The answer to that is, why can't we have both? If you read my past Top Ten Tuesday you read all about how I wished some books had more head rolling an less romance. Well, today in honor of the chocolate holiday* we're going to talk all about my favorite bookish romances.

*what to you mean that is not what today is? 


1. Peter Kavinsky and Lara Jean

These two are so disgustingly cute I feel like vomiting or hurling myself on to oncoming traffic or grabbing the first stranger I see and kissing him. My head is a mess, okay? Not only is Peter a sweetheart to Lara's family but he has that trademark smile. I'm a sucker for trademark smiles. In return, Lara Jean bakes him cookies and CAN YOU SAY RELATIONSHIP GOALS?

# same

2. Rhys and Feyre

I'm trash. This is a known fact, but I'm not just any kind of trash. I'm Rhys trash and honestly how could you ever not? Dude's big on respect and he treats his lady as an equal* and he is over all super heart eyes emoji over Feyre. Which is to be honest what I crave. I just want to rule the world with someone, even us evil queens get lonely sometimes. Also that wingspan tho**.

*which you would expect would be the standard everywhere but hence, this is not the case and it's really getting super ridiculous
**

3. Fire and Brigan

The again a couple based on mutual respect and adoration. Also, they are married and happy into the future and as a Cancer that is pretty much all I ask of a relationship right there*. Also, I just love relationships when at first people didn't really like each other but grew to love and admire and respect each other. I feel like the underlying tension of not liking them at first remains and makes for great storytelling.

*we Cancers know no chill when it comes to love

4. Jacob Fremont and Terra Cooper

As a young girl of fourteen I thought that these two were the best couple ever. Again, they're based on mutual repsect and pushing themselves to be the very best version they can be. Along with teasing and exchanged secret smiles and a fervor that would make the sun jealous. There's also the matter of them knowing each other's dreams and all that good stuff. Like can I please have this?


5. Owen Armstrong and Annabel Greene

Again one of those relationships that were so slowburn I wanted to set myself on fire. I cannot express to you how much I've always (and always will) loved Annabel and Owen. They're supportive of each other and they're both flawed but embrace those flaws and love each other because of them. They're all about listening and they have a radio program and they're opposites but they work so perfectly. Also, I'm a sucker for anyone who even reminds me of Patrick Verona.

What do you mean this isn't actually Owen?

6. Lola and Cricket

I love Cricket Bell and he deserves the world. This cutie patootie is just so pure and innocent, but at the same time he can get it. I'm still recovering from that kiss. Like, damn boy. Also he's tol and Lola is smol and I appreciate those aesthetics to no end. So I want to get me one Mr. Cricket Bell.

7. Cress and Thorne

Have I mentioned how trash I am for a good smile? You know the kind, just a bit mischievous while at the same time kind of boyish but incredibly sexy? Well, that's Captain Thorne for you. He and Cress are so adorable and they both admire each other so much* and want to be a better person for the other person. It's like wow, can you please not do that in front of me? SO RUDE, GUYS! Us single folk are just trying to survive today without you rubbing your cute all over the place. Still, they're golden and so very #goals.

*woop there I go again with the admiration. I just want someone to admire me, okay

8. Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase

I don't have to speak about respect and admiration and occasionally calling the other person idiot, do I? Because I feel like that's all I've been doing this whole post. But, yes, the same applies to these two. Also, they're just too cute for words.

Actual footage of Percy Jackson when Annabeth tells him idiot (he's Bok Joo in this scenario)

9. Willem and Allyson

Willem and Allyson were together but for one night, but it was a magical night. I've always wanted to have something like that myself. Besides that, they just seemed to belong together and I was rooting for them so hard. The fact that they kept missing each other was so thrilling and sad, but I just wanted them to work out. You know that feeling when two people seem to belong together? They had it and now I want it.


10. Nikolai and Me

Before you get all high and mighty with me and say, "Laura, you aren't part of the Grisha trilogy and Nikolai is mine," I want you to stop and check yourself because Nikolai is clearly mine and we are, clearly, as fictional as the other couples. So, let me have this small thing, OKAY??  We would be perfect for each other. I mean, I'm crazy, but have my feet on the ground and I respond well to responsibility. He makes jokes and is just overall a great person. Together we could rule Ravka and have beautiful children. This is not up for discussion. End of story.

actual footage of our wedding

What are some of the fictional couples that make you want to set yourself on fire/scream into the void/squeal with joy/all of the above?




More Head Rolling and Less Kissing | Top Ten Tuesday

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

I'm a big fan of kissing*, but sometimes I wish books offered more head rolling and less gazing into each other's eyes/kissing passionately at the worst of times/declaring undying love a few pages after meeting a person**/all other romantic shenanigans. Sometimes a reader just wants to see the world burn. So, here are some books I think could do with way more head rolling and less kissing/romance.

*at least in theory, because I've never kissed anyone so I don't really know the particulars of dealing with another person's tongue 
**who am I kidding? I always want less inta-love

1. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Excuse me, kids, but the world needs saving. So instead of kissing and lamenting and plotting can you actually get on with the actual world saving and do with less drugged infused make out sessions? Okay, thanks.

2. And I Darken by Kiersten White

This book had enough head rolling to satisfy me and the Queen of Hearts. However, I wish there had been even more head rolling. I'm sure there's going to be more in the sequel (there better be), but this book lacked some in the middle part. There's nothing wrong with the romance but I wanted Lada fierce and unflinching. Also, there's something that does it for me when people promise to kill each other constantly. It's all about the tension.

3. The Rose and the Dagger by Rennee Ahdieh

This book could really do with way more head rolling, or just any sort of violent action. I was expecting it, craving it because clearly I'm an ancient Roman empress at heart. Instead there was a bunch of sighing and longing and some bits of magic here and there. It wasn't enough to satisfy my heart. 

4. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

I get the whole killing the one you truly loved after he got turned into an evil vampire while trying to protect you and your friends might be kind of hard, but still. I wish this book had less of that weird blood drinking thing it had going on and more kicking-ass or evil vampire head rollings around. I love Dimitri to pieces, don't get me wrong, but I kinda wish this book had been more action-heavy.

legit my thought process during this book

5. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Grey

I was expecting a super kick-ass book about time travel and science stuff and time effing travel! Instead I feel like I got a predictable romance novel in which the evil corporations and other interesting stuff got put on the back burner in favor of the romance. I wanted more of the evil complexities of time travel and people who wanted to monopolize it. Because that's the kind of stuff I dig. So, it would have been great if there could have been less Paul and more of the other things. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed.


What are some books you think could do with less romance and more stabbings/head rolling/all of that other good stuff?

Oh Book Outlet, Must You Drain My Wallet So | Book Haul (#4)

Thursday, February 2, 2017
It is no secret we bookworms have a hard time resisting a book sale. BookOutlet is basically a book sale and when a book sale has an additional sale the only thing any self-respecting bookworm will do is buy more books. So, I bought books.


1.Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
2.The Museum of Heartbreak by Meg Leder
3. Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Wench


4. The Translation of Love by Lyne Kutsukake
5. The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
6. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

What are some books you've gotten recently?