April Wrap-Up | 2016

I read a pretty good amount of books this month! It didn't even come close to how many I read last month, and the enjoyment level for me unfortunately dropped slightly, but that's alright.

 

In the end, I read 7 books. Here are the titles, a short overview of my thoughts, a link to my longer Goodreads reviews, and a rating out of 5 stars for each!

 

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The Alchemyst by Michael Scott : A childhood favorite of mine that I was so happy to read again! I see this getting so many bad reviews, but I still really liked it. Yes, it does have its flaws, and I may be a bit biased due to the part it played in my growing up and my love for books, but I still love the world-building and the action-packed plot! Such a fun adventure.
3.5*'s / Goodreads Review

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman : This book follows a teenager who has a mental illness called Schizophrenia. I didn't know too much about this topic going into it, but as a teenager who has to deal with mental illness, I was really interested to read this book and really grateful that it exists. It was very eye-opening. But it just made me feel weird and uncomfortable when I read it, and I know that was partly the point, but I never really looked forward to reading it and it took me awhile to read despite the shortness. I still really appreciate it though. It's also becoming a movie!
3*'s / Goodreads Review

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson : After finishing one emotionally heavy book, I just head straight into another one because that's a good idea. Eep. This book wasn't quite as high on emotions as I was expecting it to be, especially since I have been through a similar situation to the protagonist. It still was very emotional though, and I liked the main character and the small town setting. The themes of family and friendship within this book were amazing as well!
4*'s / Goodreads Review

The Brothers K by David James Duncan : This was a family saga set in the 1960's to around the Vietnam War. I had to read this book for school, so I don't think it's much of a surprise that I found it quite tedious at points. The character development was so interesting and I definitely felt sorry for the characters. Sometimes I forgot they weren't real!
3*'s / Goodreads Review

Ingenue by Jillian Larkin : I loved the first book, so I was pretty excited to pick this one up. It's set in the 1920's (which is my FAVORITE time period. More YA needs to be set in the 1920's, please!) and has flapper girls and speakeasies and jazz music and drama and it's just so much fun. Is it the most well-written book ever? No. And I probably enjoyed this more than I logically should have. But I personally really liked it.
4*'s / Goodreads Review

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury : This is an Aladdin retelling following the point of view of the Jinni, who in this interpretation is a girl named Zahra. And oh gosh, I did adore this book. It was so fabulous, and Zahra was such a great main character. ALSO it had a band of lady assassins/protectors. The setting was super cool and the world-building done really well. I just loved it!
5*'s / Goodreads Review

The Magician by Michael Scott : The second book in "The Alchemyst" series. We get introduced to a new villain, whom I like much more than the other villain (s). He's just great. Also, I love how morally gray every single character is in this book (I don't even trust one of the main characters at this point). I can't wait to finish up my reread of this six-book series.
3.75*'s / Goodreads Review

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My favorite book this month was clearly the Forbidden Wish! Though I also had a lot of fun rereading The Alchemyst and The Magician. I would love to know your favorite book from April, if you had one.

Until next time, happy reading! 

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Closing Survey

About 5 hours after the Readathon ended, and here I am with my little wrap-up post as well as the closing survey!

Closing Survey

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
   Hours 20-23 just because I was trying so hard not to fall asleep (I ended up falling asleep).
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
   The Invention of Hugo Cabret is really fast because it's mostly pictures, so there's one that will help readers feel accomplished!
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
   I would really love it if cheerleading for blogs made a reappearance, but other than that, not really, I had a blast!
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
   As always, I love the hourly updates and mini-challenges, they always keep me very high energy and excited!
5. How many books did you read?
   1.5 Books
6. What were the names of the books you read?- The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury (340 pages)
   - The Magician by Michael Scott (first 200 pages)
    
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
   The Forbidden Wish was really great!
8. Which did you enjoy least?
   The Magician, but probably just because I read it so late at night (early in the morning).
9. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?You can bet I will! This was so fun as always, and I got way more reading done than I ordinarily would have on a Saturday. Thanks to the staff for all of the hard work that they put into making this such an AWESOME event!

Some final stats...
Total Pages Read: 540
Total Time Read: 7 hours, 33 minutes
Total Blog Posts: 9
Total Mini-Challenges Participated In: 2

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 23

I managed to power through another hour, but I think that that's a wrap for me today! I just can't keep my eyes open any longer. I'll be back in the morning with my wrap-up post and the final closing survey, though, so stay tuned!

Hour: A quarter past Hour 23
Currently Reading:

 

 

The Magician, by Michael Scott

Pages Read Since Last Update: 124
Total Pages Read: 540
Time Read Since Last Update: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Total Time Read: 7 hours, 33 minutes
Comments: This is a pretty good book so far, even if I've read only 200 pages. I'm kind of sad I wasn't able to make it to the finish line this year, but that's okay, I think I would've just fallen asleep anyway. I had a really fun time this Readathon, and I hope that if you participated, you did too! Lights out from me. See everyone in the morning.

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 21

We're in the final stretch now, with the finish line in sight! I haven't done as much reading as I would have liked today, but that's okay, because I really enjoyed myself!

Hour: A bit after Hour 21
Currently Reading:

 

 

The Magician, by Michael Scott

Pages Read Since Last Update: 130
Total Pages Read: 416
Time Read Since Last Update: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Total Time Read: 5 hours, 56 minutes
Comments: I finally finished my first book of the Readathon! Victory is mine! The Forbidden Wish was really good and one of the best retellings I've read - I just enjoyed it, greatly. I did a bit of cheerleading and folding of laundry before moving on to my next book, though. I chose The Magician because it was a childhood favorite, and one of the challenges for this Readathon, proposed by Reading Rainbow (I loved that show as a kid, speaking of childhood favorites) was to read a book that first got you into reading! I also completed the Hour 21 Mini-Challenge of describing my ideal reading spot.
I did another Reading Sprint, but my eyes were just constantly drooping, and I was on the verge of sleep. I might change up the scenery a bit, but if the sleepiness persists, I think I'll just give in and go to bed, no shame in that!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 18

So... I haven't read at all for the past three and a half hours. Oops? But now, I have another good 4-5 hours at least to finish my current read and hopefully start another one, which I'm looking forward to, whatever it is (haven't decided yet)!

I still haven't finished a book yet this Readathon, but I refuse to be deterred! I'm probably going to finish this later, or at least I hope I will, because I have less than 10 hours and I wanted to finish at least one book this Readathon.

Hour: Twenty minutes past Hour 18
Currently Reading:

 

The Forbidden Wish, by Jessica Khoury

Pages Read Since Last Update: 0
Total Pages Read: 286
Time Read Since Last Update: 0
Total Time Read: 4 hours, 13 minutes
Comments: Yeah, so instead of reading, I ate dinner of cheeseburgers and tater tots. Then I hung out with my friends, and we ended up having a short Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D marathon and eating brownies and ice cream - yum! I just got ready for bed though, refilled my water bottle, and I'm ready to finish up The Forbidden Wish, which I love so much, it might be on its way to being a five-star read for me! I just love everything about it and it's so suspenseful right now. Putting it down for that long was difficult, believe me.

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 14

I still haven't finished a book yet this Readathon, but I refuse to be deterred! I'm probably going to finish this later, or at least I hope I will, because I have less than 10 hours and I wanted to finish at least one book this Readathon.

Hour: Half past Hour 14.
Currently Reading:

 

The Forbidden Wish, by Jessica Khoury

Pages Read Since Last Update: 135
Total Pages Read: 286
Time Read Since Last Update: 1 hour, 57 minutes
Total Time Read: 4 hours, 13 minutes
Comments: I participated in my very first "Reading Sprint", managing to read 67 pages in an hour, which was fun. I went and read outside too, since it was rather cold but still nice and not raining. My garden smelled nice too, like flowers, so I just sat out there for the hour, reading very peacefully. This book is close to being done and everything is wrapping up nicely so far. I am really liking this story, more than I expected to, even!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Mid-Event Survey

Ah, so it's actually not Hour 12 anymore... but we are more than halfway through the Readathon, so applause for that! I haven't read quite as much as I would have liked, but that's okay, there's still plenty of time.

Mid Event Survey

1. What are you reading right now?
Still The Forbidden Wish, by Jessica Khoury. I promise it's good, just taking me a little while to get through it!

 2. How many books have you read so far?
A little more than half of a book.

 3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
Finishing my current read, and maybe starting A Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare.

 4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Yes, most of them were my own fault. Star Wars and dogs and food all distracted me, my bad.

 5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
I don't know if I've had many surprises, so far, but I'm excited for the remainder of the 24 hours. Hopefully I'll be able to read plenty more, and finish at least one book!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 11

Almost halfway now, how time flies! It feels like the Readathon shouldn't be rushing past this quickly, and it makes me sad that it only comes twice a year. But, here I am with my second update for today!

Hour: Half past Hour 11.
Currently Reading:

 

The Forbidden Wish, by Jessica Khoury

Pages Read Since Last Update: 46
Total Pages Read: 151
Time Read Since Last Update: 48 minutes
Total Time Read: 2 hours, 16 minutes
Comments: So, I took a break to eat nachos and watch Star Wars with my dad and two of my brothers, who are now out Frisbee-Golfing. My mom and other brother went iceskating, so finally I  have the house to myself! It seems so quiet now. I'm going to continue reading The Forbidden Wish, which continues to be really great. I'm glad I chose this one to read.

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Hour 7

So, we're a fairly good chunk of the way into the 24 Hour Readathon, and I've been enjoying myself so far. It's been an uneventful, relaxing day, and the book that I'm reading has been very engaging and a great read. I'm here now with my first update!

Hour: About 40 minutes past Hour 7.
Currently Reading:

 

The Forbidden Wish, by Jessica Khoury

Pages Read Since Last Update: 105
Total Pages Read: 105
Time Read Since Last Update: 1 hour, 28 minutes
Total Time Read: 1 hour, 28 minutes
Comments: This is such a great book and has some really nice quotes. One of my favorites is from Page 46: "Cruelty, I understand. But kindness frightens me, for my defenses are weak against it." I can't wait to read the rest of this book, I know I'll finish it today.
I've participated in one mini-challenge so far, which was fun! And my dad and two of my brothers just arrived home with some cranberries and honey comb for a spot of lunch, so I'm off to refuel! See you all in another couple of hours.

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: Opening Meme

I did Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon last April, and it was probably my best Readathon experience ever! I just had a blast having an excuse to read all day, and talking with others who were doing the same. So of course I had to do it again this year!

I'm starting out with the short introduction survey.


Opening Meme:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

The Pacific Northwest, USA. It's actually quite nice weather today (there's a shock) so I might be able to read outside some later.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

It's Hour 5 right now, so earlier this morning, I began The Forbidden Wish, by Jessica Khoury which is really good so far! I also want to pick up A Midsummer's Night Dream, by William Shakespeare later in honor of his 400th birthday today.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Hmm. I might have some trail mix later, or Nutella Toast when I need some motivation.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I am a high schooler currently learning two languages (Spanish and French). Also I have three brothers, two which are younger than me, and so my house is going to be very noisy today because they're all home right now.

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I really liked my experience last Readathon, so I don't think I'll try to do much differently today. I usually like low-key Readathons, so I'm not going to put any great pressure on myself to read a specific amount or anything!

If you're doing the Readathon, then good luck! And I'm going to be doing updates every few hours, to track my progress, so excited about that.

Until next time, happy reading!

Library Book Haul (4)

Hello, all! Today I bring to you a library book haul (the first one of springtime!). It is a small but mighty one, as all four books I checked out are ones that I am super excited to pick up and read! I have my trail mix, I have the sun shining in through my window, I'm ready for a little library haul!

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Ingenue (Flappers, #2) by Jillian Larkin: So, I read the first book, Vixen, last year and enjoyed it way more than a) I was expecting to and, b) I probably should have. Either way, it was so much fun and I just whipped through it without putting it down. I'm hoping this second book in the trilogy will be just as engaging! It's basically Gossip Girls set in the 1920s, with flapper girls, and speakeasies, and the struggles of being in an interracial relationship at that point in time, and I really like it.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys: This book went all around the book-ternet (book internet? Bookweb? Who knows.) a couple of months ago, and it was one that I really wanted to read because I've heard nothing but good things. And now, finally, I can! (Though I'm a little nervous, because what if I don't like it?) It's set during World War II, and has something to do with a maritime accident, and that's all I know. I kind of want to go in blind though.

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury: Two words: Aladdin Retelling. And, the genie is a girl named Zahra who I assume from the synopsis ends up falling in love with Aladdin? I've just never read a retelling of this before, and it was one of my favorite tales from the Arabian Nights, as well as one of my favorite Disney movies! This might be the one I'm most excited for at the moment, it just sounds right up my alley and the Average Rating of Goodreads is above 4 stars, so *crosses fingers hopefully*.

Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1)  by Susan Dennard: This one has been so hyped up since BEA last year, so I am glad I'll get a chance to read it! Again, it sounds so up my alley. YA HIGH FANTASY WITH FEMALE FRIENDSHIP. YES PLEASE. Oddly enough, ever since it was released, I've been seeing more and more 3-star reviews, but I'm hoping that I will be blown away and maybe even discover a new favorite series!

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Tell me if you have read any of these books, how you liked them! And which one I should get to first!

Until next time, happy reading!

HAMILTON BOOK TAG

 

Today I am here with a very exciting tag. The HAMILTON BOOK TAG. As you are probably not aware, I am completely and utterly obsessed with the soundtrack to the broadway musical Hamilton, along with approximately the entire internet. It is just so catchy and has such an interesting story. It follows America's youngest founding father, Alexander Hamilton, and his life. And I love it.

 

When I saw that Maureen of the Youtube channel MaureenKeavy had created this tag, I knew I had to fill this out, because how could I not?!

***

 

The Room Where It Happened - A Book World You Want to Live In.

 

For me, this is Middle-Earth, no questions asked. Specifically, the Shire. I am already practically a Hobbit anyway, but actually being one would be so amazing and it would make me so happy. I just love the Shire, ever since I was little I have wanted to live there!

 

 

The Schuyler Sisters - An Underrated Female Character.

 

This is barely even a question for me either. I have to go with Nasuada, from The Inheritance Cycle, by Christopher Paolini. She is a woman of color in a position of power, and she works hard for that power, and she is such a kind and fair ruler, but not afraid to completely go at it with someone if it keeps her people safe. I just love her so much and she isn't talked about nearly enough.

 





My Shot - A Protagonist That Goes After What They Want and Doesn't Let Anything Stop Them.

I basically have to choose the entirety of the Maze Runner cast (from that trilogy by James Dashner) for this. They go through so much, and could have stopped and given up whenever they wanted to, it's probably what I would have done, but no. They keep shoving on, and I really admire that about all of them!

Stay Alive - A Character You Wish Was Still Alive.

Spoilers for the entire Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, so skip to the next question if you don't want to know! But, I would save Finnick Odair if I could, because he had just achieved his happiness! He had married the love of his life, and he was going to have a son, and he finally had so much to live for, and it was taken away. It's just so tragic when things like that happen, and it made me so sad.

Burn - Most Tragic Ending to a Relationship

Let's just say I had a difficult time doing anything but whimpering from pain after the ending of City of Lost Souls, by Cassandra Clare. I literally whispered 'no, no, no' out loud to myself and had to close the book in order to gather myself up again before continuing on.

You'll Be Back - The Sassiest Villian.

This was a really hard one for me. But, I think I have to go with the Witch of the Waste from Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones! She was very sassy, and this is one of my favorite books just because of all the sass between the Witch, Howl, and Sophie combined.

The Reynolds Pamphlet - A Plot Twist You Didn't See Coming.

I know some people don't like knowing when a book has a plot twist, so you can just skip to the next one if you're one of those folks! But I have to give this one to the entire Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes. One of the twistiest series I've read, and I feel like the amount of times my jaw dropped/I took a sharp intake of air/I had to shut the book to compose myself is probably a world record. I love these books and they always manage to take me by surprise and go where I least expect them to!

Non-Stop - A Series You Marathonned.

Marathonning series is the only way to actually guarantee I'll finish them, is what I've found over the years. I've marathonned many a series, but one that I distinctly remember is the Tiger Saga by Colleen Houck? I read these during finals week, and while the first two I wasn't huge fan of, I did seriously enjoy the last two books and they completely distracted me from studying. Oops. (Also, this is one of my favorites if not my favorite song from the soundtrack, so good, ugh.)

Satisfied - Favorite Book with Multiple POV's.

Well. The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima, of course. It is a dual perspective high fantasy YA series with four books. And if you haven't read it, and you're into that sort of thing, you should read. It's my favorite YA series. This has been a PSA from your local bookworm.

Right Hand Man - Favorite Bookish Friendship.

This is a little extra question that Maureen included, and I just have to answer it because I love friendships in books! I have three that I especially love: Sam and Frodo from the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is the first. They are so loyal and dedicated to one another and so pure. I love them so much. Next, is Han and Dancer from the Seven Realms, because it's just so good, and again, they would follow one another to the ends of the Earth. The last one is actually a family bond, but the Penderwick Sisters from The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. They are so funny and different from one another, but love each other very, very much.

Say No To This - A Guilty Pleasure Read.

Another "bonus" question that I couldn't help but answer! For me, The Selection by Kiera Cass is a total guilty pleasure read. I loved it so much, because it was so fast, quite fluffy, and just pure entertainment.

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story - A Book Series That Will Be Remembered Throughout History.

Could this go to anything but Harry Potter? (The answer is no. No it couldn't.) Harry Potter changed the world, and I truly think that hundreds of years from now people will still be reading and loving these characters and this story as much as we do today.

***

 

This has been the Hamilton Book Tag from your local Hamilton-obsessed Bookworm! I absolutely had a blast doing these questions, and I'm so grateful to Maureen for making this tag a thing! If you love Hamilton and books, then I tag you to fill out this tag.

 

In the meantime, maybe answer one of the questions in the comments below? Or tell me your favorite Hamilton song? (Mine is either "Wait For It" or "Non-Stop". Also, possibly, "It's Quiet Uptown". So many good ones!)

 

Until next time, happy reading!

Friday Reads [#12] + April TBR

It's been months since I've done one of these sorts of posts - and Friday Reads used to be some of my favorites, just because of the casualness of the blog post. So, because I've still got an hour until Midnight, I decided to chat about some of the books I'm currently reading or will read soon.

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The Brothers K by David James Duncan; I'm reading this one for English class, and it is quite a long one as well! I'm about a hundred pages behind where I'm supposed to be, which is a problem, but I just find myself not wanting to pick it up. It's not bad, but it's also not engaging me at all.

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott; This is the book that I'm currently reading, and it's a re-read from when I was younger (about middle school or Elementary level) when I absolutely loved this series. I still am really liking it but I'm noticing slightly more problems in some things than I used to. A lot of them are just nitpicky and overall I know I will continue to really like this series. It's very unique and unlike anything else I've ever read.

If I manage to somehow catch up on The Brothers K, and finish up the Alchemyst (I'm almost done, I might even finish it tomorrow morning!)  then I will pick up...

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman; which deals with mental illness, specifically Schizophrenia. I haven't read many books about mental illness, but I want to since it's something I deal with in my everyday life. I've heard some mixed things about this book, but it's fairly short and I think it will deliver a powerful message. I hope I'll enjoy it!

The Magician by Michael Scott; The second book in the six-book Alchemyst series (which is actually entitled 'the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel' but that one is a mouthful, so I prefer the more succinct name). I can't remember much of what happens in each individual book, only the series as a whole, so whatever happens will probably still be a surprise.

And later this month, if I have the time, I want to read:

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson; I haven't ever read a Morgan Matson book, but this one has been on my list for a long time. It just seems so emotional and heartbreaking, but also relatable. This is also the 'Booksplosion' book of the month, which I enjoy joining into sometimes. I don't often read realistic fiction, but the change in weather has also changed my mood.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling; My library finally got this back in (I know, what kind of Harry Potter fan doesn't even own the series? I own the first and the fourth books, so I'm getting there!). This fifth book was one of my favorites, and so it deserves a re-read for sure. Maybe for Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon?

Beyond that, I don't have many books planned out to read! I just got back home from an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D marathon with my friend, so that may continue throughout this weekend. I don't really have anything else going on though, so it will hopefully be a relaxing weekend to catch up on some reading, and homework, as well as a bit of writing for Camp NaNoWriMo.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoys the introduction of Spring, if you're in the same hemisphere as I am! (Or enjoy Autumn, which is my favorite, if you happen to live on the other side of the world.)

March Wrap-Up | 2016

This month was actually a surprisingly really good reading month for me! I ended up reading:

• 2 Plays
• 2 Short Story Collections
• 1 Comic Book Trade
• 7 Novels

For a total of 12 things this month, and five of them within the first week of March! So I count that as an accomplishment. Here are some quick thoughts on each, with a link to my Goodreads reviews.

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Antigone by Sophocles: [3/5 Stars]
I read this play for class. It's an Ancient Greek play, written around 340 BC and I actually surprisingly enjoyed it! It took me until the end to actually appreciate it, just because the beginning was rather confusing to me personally, but the ending made me feel a lot of emotions.
Goodreads Review

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, #1) by James Dashner: [4/5 Stars]
This one was one I read a while back, and I decided to reread it. I ended up enjoying it more than the first time! Loved the humor and the action that this book provided. It had me absolutely on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it.
Goodreads Review

The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner, #2) by James Dashner [3.5/5 Stars]
This was another reread, and I didn't like it as much as the first book for some reason. There were just some choices that the characters made which annoyed me to no end, but I still admire their strength and determination. There were some pretty gruesome scenes in this book, which I could picture perfectly in my head, and I overall still enjoyed it greatly.
Goodreads Review

Othello by William Shakespeare: [4/5 Stars]
This was actually very close to being 4.5 or 5 stars, but I had trouble understanding the language and what was going on in the beginning, and it took me awhile to adjust. When I did I adored it, though! Another great tragedy that actually had things I wasn't expecting. My entire review on this is pretty much, "Dammit, Iago!"
Goodreads Review

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick: [4/5 Stars]
This was another one that I read while I was in Elementary school and decided to reread. For a 500+ page book, it was a pretty fast one, mostly due to the large, gorgeous illustrations by the author himself which I greatly admired! I read this one almost in one sitting, in less than 12 hours.
Goodreads Review

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater: [3/5 Stars]
I still have trouble rating this book! The thing is the characters are so great and real, but the plot is just... it doesn't move at all? However, Stiefvater's writing is downright lovely, and very moving. There were so many quotes I wanted to cut out and hang on my wall.
Goodreads Review

True Heroes edited by Jonathon Diaz: [4/5 Stars]
This was one of the short story collections I read. The premise of this collection was each author got to chat with a real kid with cancer, and then write a story about that child fulfilling their dream occupation of warrior princess, fireman, pirate, dragonslayer, Batman, and many other things. It was so adorable and made me feel so hopeful.
Goodreads Review

Twice Upon A Time (Half Upon A Time, #2) by James Riley: [3.5/5 Stars]
So, I didn't read the first book in this trilogy, otherwise I'm sure I would have rated it higher! It was a fun middle grade book that had to do with fairytales, and felt like a fairytale itself. The main three were so cute, I think I liked Philip the best. The only thing that confused me was the world-building, because I wasn't sure where they were. Oops. Again, probably could have been solved by reading the first book...
Goodreads Review

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson: [3.6/5 Stars]
If you didn't know already, Magnus Bane is one of my favorite characters ever. He's from the Shadowhunters Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, and these were some short stories about his adventures, which I checked out from the library. I liked most of them, except the first one, which I only rated 1.5 or 2 stars. Other than that it was really fun, and I have my mini-reviews on each of the 11 stories in my Goodreads Review


Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4) by Marissa Meyer: [5/5 Stars]
I'm so sad that this series is coming to an end! I loved this finale, even if it wasn't my favorite in the series (my favorite is still probably Scarlet). But this one just was so epic, what with so many characters and plots converging, and I love everyone, and it just made me so happy!
Goodreads Review

Giant Days, Vol. 1 by John Allison: [4/5 Stars]
This was a fun little comic book trade which I adored! The characters were so funny, I loved their friendship, and appreciated the examination of Feminism vs. Misandry, since I often think they are mistaken for one another. The art was also adorable. I want to read the next trade when it comes out (if it's not already).
Goodreads Review

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices, #1) by Cassandra Clare: [5/5 Stars]
I would give this 10 stars, if it were possible. THIS WAS MY FAVORITE BOOK OF THE MONTH AND PROBABLY THE YEAR. It is definitely Cassandra Clare's best series starter, and my Goodreads Review is actually the longest I've ever written, I went right up to the 20,000 character limit. My bad. (And I still had things to say). I actually bought this one for myself, which  I rarely do, and it was worth it. I spent an entire day just reading this, and in total it only took me three days to finish this 700 page book. I obviously loved it.
Goodreads Review

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What books did you read in March, and what was your favorite? Hopefully April will be as inspired and book-filled as March was for me!