December Wrap Up

Hey guys! December was an interesting month of reading because I felt like I kept weaving in out and out of a slump, which resulted the month beginning in fun and dark fantasy and ending in YA contemporary romance. But overall, it was a rather fantastic month of reading, so I’m happy.

 

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden ★★★★★ – favorite of the month!
This book was one of my favorites I read this year. It was warm and cozy and frigidly cold, and I loved the balance of history and magic and how they worked together in the plot. But most of all, I loved the main character, Vasya. I very much look forward to picking up the second book in this series soon! Full review. 

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones ★★★★★ 
This book was a fun, charming, and whimsical ride. I loved the crazy plot, the obnoxiously lovable characters, and the sweetness and the humor of this book. Full review.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey ★★★★★
This book was horrifying and I LOVED IT. If you’re into very real, terrifying human-eating monsters, you’ll like this, and if you’re not, you might just like it anyway, because I did. Most of all, though, I loved the characters. This book was fascinating. Full review. 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gale Honeyman ★★★★☆
Eleanor was one of the most memorable characters I read this year, and this book was one of the funniest. It also touches upon darkness, friendship, and kindness, and it was a wonderful read that made me laugh out loud. Full review.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley ★★★ 1/2
This book was a sweet friends-to-lovers romance that touches deeply on the topic of grief. It was a quick, gripping read that I finished in a day, its only downfall being that I felt the ending was a bit rushed and glazed over some details I’d have liked it to resolve more deeply. Full review

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills ★★★★☆ 
This book was a such a surprising, delightful read with very sweet romances and friendships, and I loved how the plot touched upon fandom. I hadn’t expected to enjoy this book so much, and it’s definitely a cute YA contemporary I’d recommend. Full review.

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Other Posts

New to Me Authors in 2017
Least Favorite Books of 2017
Surprise Reads of 2017: books that defied my low expectations
Favorite Books of 2017

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January!

YOU GUYS we are over a week into January and I have yet to read a single book D:

I blame my friend who, for the last few weeks, has kept saying to me, “Steph, I need to come over and have a Music Day with you.” My friend is a big music guy, and the two of us have ‘Music Days’ which consists of him introducing to me to a particular band he thinks I’ll like, giving me a basic rundown of the members and their history, and then we spend hours watching music videos on YouTube. He knows I am a pop music/boyband junkie, and he finally got me into something I’d always had a feeling was inevitable: k-pop.

In particular, the Korean pop band BTS, who are currently taking over the world, but more alarmingly they are taking over ME. I really wish I was able to enjoy things in moderation, but I’ve spent about 2093820 hours listening to their music and watching YouTube videos and basically scouring the internet about them this week. Here is me thanking my friend for dragging me into the black hole with him:

So please forgive me if I don’t end up posting as many book reviews as usual this week. However, I have tentatively started Pachinko by Min Jin Lee because…..Korea.

BUT I am participating in a buddy read of the Lymond Chronicles with Chelsea, Rachel, and Hadeer this month, and am looking forward to getting into that!

So 2018 has gotten off on an interesting start for me. How has your first week of 2018 been so far? What are you reading? Do you like BTS and if so PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT THEM.