Friday, May 3, 2019

April 2019 Wrap-Up!


I was hoping to read a lot of books this month but I did not think I'd end up reading this many, especially considering how busy April was for me in terms of school and social events. I ended up reading 21 books this month and I enjoyed most everything I read! I tweaked my TBR from the beginning of the month but I did end up reading all but one book on my updated TBR, which is a huge accomplishment because I've never done that before! Overall, I'm just really happy with what I read this month so let's go ahead and dive into talking about all the books!


BOOKS READ
1.
Title: Saga, Volume 7
Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Fiona Staples
Rating: 4.75 // 5 stars
Series Review
2.
Title: Loving My Pack 
Author: Lane Whitt
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
Review
3.
Title: Saga, Volume 8
Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Fiona Staples
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
Series Review
4.
Title: Paradise Lost
Author: John Milton
Rating: n/a rating--read for class
I was required to read this for a class and it was super boring. I'm not a religious person so I just didn't enjoy this fanfiction of the Bible. I'm currently writing a paper on it and I did have a big presentation on it as well, so I do understand the story a good deal but I don't really like it that much.

5.
Title: Saga, Volume 9
Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Fiona Staples
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
Series Review
UM WHAT. THAT ENDING. WHAT. I need the next one like yesterday! Why oh why did it have to go on hiatus? *insert sobbing here*

6.
Title: Paper Girls
Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrator: Cliff Chiang
Rating: 2 // 5 stars
Honestly I was expecting more from this. It was enjoyable but I was also a tad bored and super confused. Upon finishing it, I didn't have the urge to read the next one or have the general good feeling I get when I finish a book. Instead, it was more of a "oh it's finally over." After coming from Brian's other graphic novel series, Saga, I did have high hopes for this one. However, I was a little let down. I don't know if I'm going to continue with the others because the situation is kind of interesting but I also don't know if I want to subject myself to the possibility of being bored.

7.
Title: Invictus
Author: Ryan Graudin
Rating: 3.5 // 5 stars
Review
8.
Title: White Hot Kiss
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
Review (from 2015)
-reread-
My gosh this book was just as good as I remembered it being. I honestly forgot a lot of what happened and I sincerely have no idea what is going to go on in my reread of the next two books other than a few tiny plot details. Overall this book was just addicting and fun and an easy read. I love the characters and the plot. It was also so nostalgic reading this because I first read it three and a half years ago. Honestly I want to dive into the second book right now even though I'm trying to spread my reread out until the release of Storm and Fury.

9.
Title: Escaping From Houdini
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Rating: 4.5 // 5 stars
Review
10.
Title: Trying to Live With the Dead 
Author: B.L. Brunnemer
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
Review
-reread-
11.
Title: When the Dead Come A Knockin'
Author: B.L. Brunnemer
Rating: 5 // 5 stars
Review
-reread-
12.
Title: Strange the Dreamer
Author: Laini Taylor
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
Review
13.
Title: Amulet: The Stonekeeper
Author/Illustrator: Kazu Kibuishi
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
A super cute, quick read that has me intrigued to see what happens in the next one. 

14.
Title: Amulet: The Stonekeeper's Curse
Author/Illustrator: Kazu Kibuishi
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
15.
Title: House of Korba
Author: C.L. Stone
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
This reread was definitely enjoyable and I did like this installment more the second time around. However, compared to the pace and action of the previous books, I do still feel like this book didn't have much going on. I would have liked to have seen a lot more happen but, again, I did like it more than the first time I read it.

16.
Title: Touch of Mischief
Author: C.L. Stone
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
17.
Title: Amulet: The Cloudsearchers
Author: Kazu Kibuishi
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
These graphic novels are just so cute. I'm super interested in seeing what happens next with the characters and plot. The magic is super interesting and nothing like I've ever seen before. Super excited to read the next one. 

18.
Title: Embrace
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Rating: 3.5 // 5 stars
Review
19.
Title: The Power
Author: Naomi Alderman
Rating: n/a--read for school
This book was super thought provoking. It basically revolves around what would happen if women suddenly got a power of electricity that allows them to shock others and whatnot. I wouldn't say I necessarily liked this book, but it did get me thinking a lot and I was quite blown away just by the idea of the story. There were a lot of uncomfortable moments for me, though. Some moments I needed to set the book down because I was just so uncomfortable with what was happening in the story. I do think this was the book I enjoyed the most out of all the ones we read in class this semester. 

20.
Title: Every Heart a Doorway
Author: Seanan McGuire
Rating: 3 // 5 stars
So I enjoyed it. I didn't love it but I enjoyed it. I liked the mystery aspect and I like how quick I was able to read it. It was magical and mysterious and interesting. However, due to how short this book was, I didn't feel like I connected to most of the characters outside of the main character. I don't think I'm going to read the others because I prefer to read a continuation of this specific story and not prequel companions.

21.
Title: Again, But Better
Author: Christine Riccio
Rating: 4 // 5 stars
Review


BLOG POSTS



TV/MOVIES

I didn't watch that much this month but I did still watch some. Mostly TV shows. I think I rewatched a movie this month but I don't remember what it was. Anyway, here's the rest of what I watched in April.

I finished season 1 of Chuck. This was a show my dad used to watch sometimes when we would visit and I just had the urge to start watching it when I saw it on Prime Video. I watched all of season 1 and I'm currently a few episodes into the second season but I'm not sure if I'm going to continue soon or if it'll take a while.

I also finished rewatching the first season of Hart of Dixie. I started this show a couple years ago and I didn't finish it yet also had forgotten pretty much everything that I had seen. I decided to just rewatch the first episode and then that spiraled into the whole season. I'm not sure if I'll continue rewatching this summer or wait a little longer but I did enjoy the drama of this season.

I also finished season 3 of Psych. I randomly started watching an episode from that episode and ended up just continuing to watch it. I still watch an episode or more every day and I've been slowly making my way through other episodes.


EVENTS

I haven't done an events section on my wrap-ups in a long time but April was such a busy month for me and I did SO much! Here's just a (very) quick run down of everything that happened in April:
  • Watched an amazing drag show
  • Participated in a 12-hour Relay For Life event
  • Had not one, not two, but FIVE presentations
  • Wrote four papers
  • Finalized a bunch of study abroad stuff
  • Explored Chicago with my friend and went to an amazing restaurant
  • Had my last classes of the semester
  • Hit 2,000 followers on Instagram! 


Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren


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