Saturday, December 2, 2017

November 2017 Book Haul!

Hello wonderful people of the internet! Welcome back to my blog, it's been a hot second. This month I picked up 8 new books, 3 of them being physical editions and 5 of them being ebooks. I also got some pretty awesome nerdy merchandise that I'm excited to share with you. So, without further ado, here's my November book haul!

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The first book I picked up this month was City of Bones: The 10th Anniversary Edition by Cassandra Clare.
When I found out that they were coming out with an anniversary edition, I was intrigued. And then when I read the list of everything exclusive to it, I knew I had to get a copy. There's multiple full-color, full-page illustrations of the characters; full-color art on the endpages; at least 20 pages of bonus content; a new foreward from Cassie; and gold foiled edges. It's really a masterpiece and I'm so glad to have added it to my collection.

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The next book I bought, I left it at home so I won't be able to take a super nice picture of it, but it was Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling with Olivia Lomenech Gilol. 
This book is so absolutely stunning. The illustrations are so good and I love being able to visualize the beasts now when I couldn't before. This was definitely a A+ performance and I'm so excited to have it in my HP/Fantastic Beasts collection! 

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I also left this book at home, but it is Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. 
I've heard nothing but great things about this poetry collection, so I'm excited to read it. I finally caved in and bought it this month when I was buying gifts for other people and decided to reward myself with this one. 

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I also picked up 5 ebooks this month, most of them being new releases. There was one that was on sale that I got simply because I've been wanting to read it for a while. Let's hop to it!

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The first ebook I picked up this month is Escape the Sea by G. Bailey. 
I'm not entirely sure what this is about, since I had it preordered and it's been a while since I read the synopsis. However, I know that it's an RH novel and there's been a lot of positive reviews, so I'm excited. Plus, look at that cover...it's gorgeous!

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The second ebook I picked up was Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.
This book showed up in my daily BookBub email as being on sale for only $0.99 and I knew that I had to get it. I've heard nothing but amazing things and I know that I'll want to read it while curled up in bed drinking hot cocoa and listening to Christmas music. 

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The third book I got was Four Psychos by Kristy Cunning.
I originally downloaded the sample of this book and then just ended up buying the rest when my sample ran out and I was hooked. I loved this book so much and I'm so happy that I have been able to add it to my RH collection. I can't wait to see how the rest of the series progresses because this book was awesome. 

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The fourth book I picked up was Academy of Assassins by Stacey Brutger. 
This is another RH book that has a lot of promise. It's the first in a new series and I am hooked after reading this one. I can't wait for the next one to come out because this one was interesting and fun and full of action and bad-ass characters. 

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The final book I picked up this month was Seduction by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington. 
I don't even think words can express how excited I am to finally have this book. While I admit that we've gotten the first three in this series all within 2017, the wait is so long between books! This series is addictive and amazing and combines everything I love. I'm currently reading this book and I'm in love! 

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I also picked up some merch and other goodies this month that I'm excited about. I have four/five items to talk to you about, so let's hop right in!

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The first items I got was this cute set of Harry Potter buttons. 
I joined Alpha Phi Omega this semester and this was part of the gift that my big got me for big/little reveal. I absolutely love them and am so glad to have added these to my collection!

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Next I picked up this Cursing Unicorns coloring book. 
It is absolutely hilarious and I'm so glad that I have it. It's the perfect form of stress-relief to sit back and color some unicorns saying some not-so-nice things!

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Next I traded someone for this Expecto Patronum beanie that came in this month's Owlcrate.
It's warm and cozy and oh-so cute. It's super thick and all-around just a great quality. It's very Christmas-looking as well. I love it.

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Lastly, I picked up two sets of bookmarks from HappyHelloCo on Etsy.

They're the Rowan/Aelin and Feysand Christmas themed bookmarks and I'm in love! They're so cute. Plus, Rowan Whitethorn really is a gift to the world.

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Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more awesome posts!
xoxo
Lauren

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Let's Talk: "Seduction" Book Review

Title: Seduction
Authors: Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington
Series: "Curse of the Gods" #3
Genre: Adult Paranormal RH Romance
Page Length: 267 pages
Publication Date: November 30, 2017
Date Started: December 1, 2017
Date Finished: December 1, 2017
Rating: 5/5 stars
Book 1 Review
Book 2 Review

*Non-Spoiler Review Section*

Let me just start out by saying that I loved this book. I feel like I start a lot of reviews that way, but it's true. I genuinely loved this book. When I opened the book, I felt a sense of familiarity and comfort at being back with all these characters and this plot. My love for this book is a combination of that sense of familiarity at returning to this world as well as loving the way the plot went in this installment and the characters' wit and actions.

Willa is still my spirit animal. She's one of those characters who you can't help but enjoy her presence. Her inner monologues and clumsiness give me life. I haven't met another character that I've identified so much with. She's all around just a stellar gal.

Don't even get me started on how much my love for the Abcurses has grown (more on that in the spoiler section). Watching their character arcs has been so fun for me, and I can't wait to see how they each progress in the upcoming books. They're all just so perfect, and I can't have them :(

To wrap this non-spoiler section up, I'm just going to say that I loved it and ask when book 4 is coming out? I need it, like, yesterday. 

*Spoiler Review Section*

Willa being Chaos might just be my favorite thing ever. From the moment that they started talking about a Chaos beta in the first book, I knew it was going to be her. Everything around her is chaos, and I love it. Plus, she was murdered (I'm super annoyed), so now she's immortal along with the boys and they can live happily ever after (which I refuse to accept anything less when this series ends). Except that then there was something about her not being an actual Chaos beta but something else? I'm planning a reread ASAP because I was too excited about this book to read the details fully half the time. 

Can I just say that Staviti is a real dickwad? Or shweed as Willa would say? He took Willa's mother and turned her into a Jeffrey, or rather, a Donald. How dare he? I'd like to accidentally punch him in the face. While it was nice to see the boys all surrounding Willa and comforting her, I still want Staviti to die. 

I have mixed feelings about Cyrus, or Neutral. He does dick things, like murder Willa, but then he also helps them out at different points in the story? I have no clue what to feel about him, but I could maybe see a Emmy/Cyrus relationship if he ever learns how to not be a dick...

And finally, the things that made me the most excited in this book: THEY SAID THEY LOVE EACH OTHER!!! Willa blurted out that she loved them and they said it back...sweet jesus holy mother in heaven hold me. My feels can't handle this. I knew that they probably loved each other but to have it finally confirmed is awesome and I'm floating on a cloud of bliss right now. I slept great last night when I read that.

Also, we got smut! I'm doing a little dance right now as I write this because I'm so excited that we finally got smut with the Abcurses (because, let's be real, what happened in book 2 when they got her to reveal her Chaos was not true smut). I was not expecting it to be Rome and Yael first, but I enjoyed it so much. I can't wait for a Coen/Aros joint smut scene because, holy hell, that's going to be damn amazing.

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Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more awesome content!
xoxo
Lauren

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Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

Follow my Instagram here. Giveaway at 1k followers!

Get 10% off of HD Movie Codes (sponsored by Movies Anywhere) when you use "INFLUENCER" at checkout!

Get 10% off your first order on A Court of Candles when you use this link.

Subscribe to Owlcrate using this link and use the code AVIREADs for a discount off your first box!

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link:

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Friday, December 1, 2017

November 2017 Wrap-Up!

Welcome to another monthly wrap-up everyone! Looking back, November was a pretty long month but it felt like it flew by. Can you believe it's already December?! Get ready for a jam-packed month of 2017 wrap-up posts, more book reviews, and hopefully a Christmas giveaway?

Anyway, this month I read 5 books, none of which were on my monthly TBR. I'm a little annoyed at myself that I wasn't able to read more, but I also was super busy with school and social life, plus Netflix was calling my name. However, I'm in a really big 'I want to read everything right now!' mood, so hopefully December will be better. Especially since my last class is on the 6th and I only have two finals before a month-long winter break. 

On top of reading 5 books, I bought 8 books and some amazing nerdy merch (check out my haul here). I also was able to put out 8 blog posts, which I expect to pass, if not double, in December. I watched some new shows and movies that I'll also be talking about below. And then I'll be finishing off with some of my favorites for the month of November. 

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BOOKS READ

1.
Title: The Princess Saves Herself in This One
Author: Amanda Lovelace
Rating: 5/5 stars
I found so much of myself reflected in these pages. I have no words to say other than it was inspirational and heart-wrenching and one of the first steps towards my own self-healing.

2. 
Title: Four Psychos
Author: Kristy Cunning
Rating: 5/5 stars
I loved this book. I can't wait until the next one comes out. I thought that this book was so different and unique. I felt like it was a mixture between the book, Trickery, and the TV show, Being Human. The plot was interesting and the characters were hilarious. I can't wait for the second book to be released. 

3. 
Title: Academy of Assassins
Author: Stacey Brutger
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. I don't want to spoil anything about the ending, so I'm not going to go much into the little details that I loved. Just know that I adored this book. The concept was so cool and the characters gave me life. I am appreciative of the realistic, slow-burn romances and relationships. I'm also pretty proud of this book for surprising me and successfully pulling off plot twists, as I usually can see them coming from a mile away. This book was longer than some other RH books that I've read and it was so good because of that. I can't wait for the next one--I know it will be just as good and, hopefully, just as long. 

4. 
Title: Trickery
Author: Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington
Rating: 5/5 stars
-Reread-

5.
Title: Persuasion
Authors: Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington
Rating: 5/5 stars
-Reread-

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BLOG POSTS

October 2017 Wrap-Up
Never Have I Ever: Book Edition
October 2017 Book Haul
Let's Talk: "Whispers From the Dead" Book Review
Reverse Harem Guide Pt 2: RH Book Recommendations!
An Eloquent Soliloquy by Rhi
Thanksgiving Book Tag!
Bookish Holiday Gift-Giving Guide!

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MOVIES/TV SHOWS WATCHED

1. American Horror Story: Murder House (Season 1 of AHS)
I have no clue why I haven't watched American Horror Story before this month. I think I just expected it to be a lot scarier than it actually was. I binge-watched it and really enjoyed it. I can't wait to watch the next season (I'm currently two or three episodes in and enjoying it...I've only heard amazing things about this season). Plus, I'm definitely now a huge Evan Peters fan, not gonna lie. 

2. Seasons 1 and 2 of Stranger Things
I can't believe it took me this long to watch Stranger Things. However, I'm so glad that when I finished the first season, I could just jump straight into the second. I watched the entire thing with a friend and we both adored it. I can't wait for more, especially of Mama Steve. I have some fan theories about what season 3 will consist of but I'm going to keep them to myself for now until I develop them a little more. 

3. Suicide Squad
I finally watched this after so many people telling me that it wasn't as good as they expected, and I was pleasantly surprised. There were some things that could have been done better, but overall it was a great movie that I really enjoyed and will be rewatching again. 


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FAVORITES

Candy: Definitely Reese's. Always a classic. I also discovered Junior Mints for the first time and I think they'll be a new favorite soon. 

Food: 

Music: I've been listening to Hozier quite a bit, but I'm also going back to an old obsession and made a new Backstreet Boys playlist that I've been listening to quite a bit. I also am quite partial to party jams on Saturday nights. 

Chill-Activity: Netflix and Naps. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp also released on iOS this month and I've been playing that shit non-stop. 

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Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more :)
xoxo
Lauren

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Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

Follow my Instagram here. Giveaway at 1k followers!

Get 10% off of HD Movie Codes (sponsored by Movies Anywhere) when you use "INFLUENCER" at checkout!

Get 10% off your first order on A Court of Candles when you use this link.

Subscribe to Owlcrate using this link and get 15% off your first box using "BOOKING15" or "BKWORM15"

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link:

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