September 2017 Wrap-Up

Hello hello hello all you fabulous people! Today I am bringing you my September Wrap Up! I'm doing things a little differently this time and also adding a section where I link all the posts I made during the month and also a section where I list a bunch of big things I did this month! I'm super excited to share with you all! 

~~~

Reading Wrap-Up

For the month of September, I read 4 books. I, unfortunately, didn't complete my TBR. School got way to busy for me to do that. However, I still read an ok number of books and I enjoyed all of them! You can find my book haul here! (link tk) Let's hop right in :)

1.
Title: The Thief
Author: Megan Whalen Turner
Rating: 4/5 stars

I very much enjoyed this book. I thought the writing style was exactly what I needed to help me get out of my reading slump and I thought the plot was simple yet surprising and full of political aspects. I loved Gen and one day hope to be as sassy as he is. The book was pretty good and I thought I had everything figured out but in the last seventy-five or so pages I was completely blown away. Plot twist after twist and things happened that I didn't see coming but were foreshadowed. I am excited to see how the rest of the series continues and how different political aspects are dealt with in the following books.

2.

Title: Moxie

Author: C.M. Stunich

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Wow. This book surprised me. It was even better than the first two and I'm actually sad that this trilogy is over (partly because I love the characters and smut and partly because I love the covers). There was a happy ending and things were concluded nicely, but I also don't want to let go of these characters. These books were quick reads with an obvious happy ending coming, but they weren't just smooth sailing. All the books, especially this one, dealt with some hard topics that I haven't seen much talk about. Each of the characters has to deal with something from their past or present, but one of the important things I saw was that the characters came together to address the problems and start to heal. That aspect alone made this book so much more than a quick romantic RH read. This book wasn't as smutty as the previous two because it dealt a lot more with hard topics, healing, and building better relationships. I think it was definitely my favorite out of all of them as did take those aspects farther than the other books. It also showed something which I think a lot of RH novels don't show: jealousy. Now obviously all the boys are okay with it, but there are a few rare moments of jealousy that are perfectly normal. I think that a lot of RH novels don't show that. It was subtle in this novel but it was there and realistic. I loved the writing and I loved this book. I can't wait to start her other RH series because I can't get enough of this author. 

3.

Title: Beautiful Survivors

Author: C.M. Stunich

Rating: 4/5 stars

I had just finished C.M. Stunich's other series (as you can see above) when I realized that I loved it so much and wanted more of this author's writing. So I decided to dive into this beauty and ended up finishing it within a couple of hours. I don't like it as much as the "Rock Hard Beautiful" trilogy, but that could change in upcoming installments. That being said, I still really enjoyed this book and I'm excited to see how everything turns out with these characters. I am excited to see them grow into this relationship that is starting to blossom and I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment.

4.

Title: Finding My Pack

Author: Lane Whitt
Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: http://laurensboookshelf.blogspot.com/2016/11/lets-talk-keeping-my-pack-finding-my.html

I audiobooked this for my reread and absolutely loved it. While I love this story already, hearing the boys and their different voices/accents as well as the emotions just really made me fall deeper in love. I can't wait to continue audiobooking this series so I can have more of these fantastic characters. 

~~~

BLOG POSTS

I actually ended up posting ? times this month! I'm pretty proud of myself as that's a step up from previous months. I want to start incorporating more fun things into this blog as well such as tags or other things. Anyway, here is everything I posted this month! It's a mixture of wrap-ups, hauls, book talks, and more! I'm obviously not including this post, as it'd be pointless to link this post in itself.  

August 2017 Book Haul

August 2017 Wrap-Up

Let's Talk: A Court of Wings and Ruin

What Teen Wolf Means To Me: A Letter to the Cast and Crew of MTV's Teen Wolf

~~~

Big Events

September was a busy month for me. Here's just a quick schedule of things that I did/happened this month that were important to me :)

September 2: Beach Party hosted by my school (the beach is less than a mile from my dorm room)

September 5: Tower of Dawn released!! Also came They Both Die at the End, Godsgrave, and If There's No Tomorrow. Girls Made of Snow and Glass also released but I've had an arc for a while so I didn't buy it on release date. 

September 9: First home football game of the year--we won!

September 12: Fireblood, Warcross, and Before She Ignites (the Owlcrate book this month)

September 13: My dad's birthday. Unfortunately I couldn't see him but I did talk to him for a bit.

September 16-17: My mom, sister, and step-dad came to visit me :) we went to dinner and grocery shopping for me, as well as watched few movies and caught up.

September 18-24: Alpha Phi Omega-Alpha Zeta Delta recruitment!

September 19: Hunting Prince Dracula released! Another book released that I already had an arc for was A Poison Dark and Drowning, and One Dark Throne also hit shelves on this day.

September 22: Choir retreat (It was a 3 hour retreat and I wasn't able to have dinner beforehand)

September 24: Teen Wolf series finale (sad/happy?) I did a full post about my feelings on TW that's linked above. I definitely cried a lot when the episode ended.

September 25: I received my bid for Alpha Phi Omega-Alpha Zeta Delta!! Officially a pledge!

September 26: Invictus was released! 

~~~

Well, there you have it. That was this past month for me! I hope you enjoyed!

xoxo

Lauren

~~~

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:

http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=laurensboookshelf

~~~

What Teen Wolf Means To Me...

Hey guys, I know I normally post about books, but today we're gonna change it up a bit, maybe reminisce a little. I'm gonna talk about Teen Wolf.

A Letter to the Cast and Crew of MTV's Teen Wolf...

When I first discovered Teen Wolf, it was during a particularly shitty part of my life (which it is hard to differentiate parts of my life as I'm only a freshman in college). My parents had just gone through a divorce and my sister and I had moved with my mom. I had friends I'd see and interact with at school, but I didn't have many super close friends, especially outside of school (except for one, which I'll get to), and I felt pretty alone.

Then I met Kenzie, who lived two houses up the street from me. One day, I went over to her house and she was watching this new show that I'd seen trailers for, but I'd never watched it. That show was Teen Wolf. She was watching one of the second or third episodes of the first season; I became interested and we started watching from the beginning. That's when I became obsessed.

From the finale of season one and into season two I was enthralled. I was able to start watching it live during the back half of Season 2 and onward (I've only missed two episodes live since then...one from when I was super sick and the other from when I was on vacation in France). I watched and I live tweeted and I didn't feel so alone. The community of Teen Wolf fans on Twitter and Instagram was amazing. I was able to connect with people who were experiencing the show in the same way as me. People who understood my love for this show. 

I've read dozens of fanfictions (even written a few, if I'm being completely honest). I've watched tons of fan-made trailers. I've rewatched and binged and picked apart every episode. I own merch and hoodies and the tv seasons. I've been wanting a TW-inspired tattoo for years and am finally going to be getting one in the next few months. I hate the fact I never got to go to Comic Con and see the cast, but I watched every panel on YouTube anyway. 

Teen Wolf was my lifeline. I wouldn't be the person I am today without this show, which may sound overdramatic or very much like a cliche teenager, but it's true. My best friend and I bonded over this show. And then when we drifted apart and made new best friends, I introduced my new friends to the show. Friends who thought I was just being over-obsessive about the show finally understood it and became fans themselves. Most of my best friends now watch the show almost (but not quite) as religiously as I do. We'd text each other throughout the episodes, usually in all caps and indecipherable sentences. The bonds I've formed with people over this show were not something I was expecting when I innocently sat down to watch this show, but I'm so grateful for them.

Teen Wolf helped me through a dark time. These characters really were a lifeline for me. They provided me companionship and comfort. This show provided an escape. I fell in love with these characters. I've laughed and sobbed over these characters. The stories kept me coming back every single week. The characters we've lost have left me in pieces for days afterward. The trials and tribulations wrenched at my heart. It was everything I loved and more. 

So, it is to you, the cast and crew of Teen Wolf, that I say thank you. I wouldn't be the person I am today without this show, and it was every single one of you's determination and hard work and love for the show that made it what it is. 

To the original cast of season one: I fell first in love with you all. When I think of Teen Wolf, yes I think of the newer seasons where so much has changed, but I first think of this season. The innocence of the characters, the humor, and even the original special effects that have improved so much over the years. While there are only two main characters from season one that are still main characters, I still think of TW with these characters first. 

To the Jeff Davis and the crews who worked every season: You helped create this show that means so much to me. This show means more to me than words can even describe (despite how hard I'm trying in this letter). You've spent hours working and I can't thank you enough for bringing this show to screens. 

To the cast (both past and present): you play these characters brilliantly. I've rewritten this portion over and over and I still can't seem to get it right. You've brought these characters to life in a way that I hadn't seen in other shows before. You add depth to the show and to your individual characters and put so much passion into the characters and their journeys. You've been excellent people off-screen and have such great interactions with fans. I still remember screaming in excitement when Melissa Ponzio responded to one of my tweets years ago. You're all brilliant and I can't thank you enough for all the hard work and soul that you've put into Teen Wolf.

To Tyler Posey and Dylan O'Brien: you've shown me what true friendship looks like, both on screen as Scott and Stiles and off screen as Tyler and Dylan. You gave me my two favorite TV characters and you brought humor and life to my favorite series. You helped show me what it means to be a good friend and a good person when I didn't have many role models, and that was instrumental in shaping who I am as a person today. I will never be able to say enough words on how much it means to me.

Teen Wolf has provided me with companionship when I didn't have many people there for me, a distraction from any hard times in life, humor and excitement when my life was perhaps a little bit boring, and role models that I'm still going to look up to as I continue on in life. This show has been a constant in my life for over six years when everything else was changing. It's been in my life longer than most of my current friends and even some of my closest family members. I went through half of middle school, all of high school, and now part of college with this show. I know I will always be able to rewatch the episodes, but it won't be the same. Yet, I know that Teen Wolf will always be one of the most important and influential parts of my life.

As I go into this series finale of Teen Wolf tonight, I am so incredibly sad to see this final season end, but I am indescribably grateful that I've had this show in my life.

From someone who has watched since day 1...thank you,
Lauren
.
.
.
P.S. I totally cried writing this...I always knew the show would have to end at some point, but now that it's here, I'm not ready for the end...I know for a fact that I will be bawling mess when the episode is over.
.
.
.
Here are some of the pictures and memes I found in my camera roll that are TW-related. They are with friends who I got to watch TW,  screencaps of my favorite moments, or just memes related to the show...

For perspective on this one, my friends and I would all wear our TW gear on days when there was a new episode. It was our ritual, and I just realized that tonight is the last night I get to do that...

.

.

.

Thank you for the last 6 years

<3

Let's Talk: A Court of Wings and Ruin

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Series: "A Court of Thorns and Roses" #3

Genre: New Adult Fantasy

Page Length: 699 pages

Publication Date: May 2, 2017
Date Started: May 2, 2017

Date Finished: May 6, 2017

Rating: INFINITY stars

It took me a while before I could even start to write this review, and even longer to write it. For those who want spoilery discussions, I suggest skipping the next few paragraphs until you see Spoilers in big letters. For those of you who don't want any spoilers, I would suggest only reading the first few paragraphs. And for those of you who want to read this entire thing, I suggest getting a bowl of popcorn or whatever snack you like and settling in for a long discussion because I certainly have many things to talk about.

I've broken this review down in three parts: Non-spoiler and semi-spoiler. Make sure to pay attention to those headings if you haven't read this book/series. I was going to add a complete spoiler discussion but it was getting unnecessarily long and I knew I needed to get this posted before Sarah releases her next book :)

~

NON-SPOILER SECTION: Does not spoil any of the series

First, I love this series to the moon and back. I don't think there will ever be a time that I won't love this series. When I first read ACOTAR, I liked it but then ACOMAF took this series to a whole new level. This latest book brought it even further. A Court of Wings and Ruin was everything I ever wanted in the conclusion to Feyre's narrative in this world.

I cried so hard that my sister heard me from three rooms away. I laughed so hard I gave myself coughing fits. I was worried so much of the time that my heart was beating so fast it probably wasn't healthy. To sum it up: this book was intense.

The side characters were perfection. I will always have Feyre and the one I ship her with as my favorite characters, but all the side characters really ramped it up in this installment. Everyone was amazing. The sass, the interactions, the family aspects. I loved it all.

So...to sum up this non-spoiler section: ACOWAR was perfect. If you haven't read this series, you NEED to. The characters Sarah J. Maas creates are one-of-a-kind and the plot she weaves will bring you to your metaphorical knees. This has definitely become my favorite book of all time and my favorite SJM book.

~

SEMI-SPOILER: May have spoilers for ACOTAR/ACOMAF but not this installment.

Let's just say that I fell even deeper in love with the Inner Circle in this book. The banter and the wit and the sass all combined with how deeply they all care for each other brought me to my metaphorical knees. I loved loved loved seeing more of them in this book.

Most of the new characters I absolutely adored. Some others had me wanting to bash their brains in, but a good number of the newer characters I loved. I already want to read more about them and I hope we get appearances from them in the upcoming books in this world.

The side characters were fucking amazing (and by side characters, I mean anybody who's not Rhys or Feyre). This comment combines my above-mentioned love for the Inner Circle and my adoration of most of the new characters. Everyone was just so good in this book. Their backstories, their thoughts and actions, everything. Each character was planned and thought out and it showed. These characters were so realistic for being magical immortal fae. I adored it.

Overall, I thought this book was the perfect installment to Rhys and Feyre's story. I obviously want to see more of them in the other books, but I thought that this book's ending was fantastic. Hopefully the new installments will feature Cassian, Nesta, Azriel, Lucien, Elain, and some other characters we meet in this novel. I would adore one all about Cassian, Azriel, and Rhys meeting each other for the first time and growing up.

~

Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren

~~~

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:

http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=laurensboookshelf

~~~