May Wrap Up
So May is over and now we are onto the summer month of June! A lot has happened during this month for me personally and my blogging life! So let’s get to it!
Starting with my school achievements then moving onto books and the plans for next month!
18th May – Final day of IB exams. It was the last day of the brutal IB exams! It was an amazing feeling walking out of the exam hall never having to do another IB exam. (hopefully)
19th May – Prom. It is the last prom I will have and it was amazing! I had a lot of fun with some friends I’ve known for years. We all had fun dancing, singing and eating. We also had a very long after party but I only stayed for an hour or so because I wanted to go to sleep! ahaha!
21st May – Graduation. The 21st was an important day for me because it was my final day being a high school student. I have spent 13 years working really hard to get to where I am and now it’s starting to pay. I walked off that stage with my High School Certificate and I can now go to bigger and better places.
22nd May – Award Ceremony. My school holds an award ceremony every year and I’ve gotten an award every year, thus making this year my final year to receive an award. I got an award for English and I’m super proud of that.
Books I’ve bought this month.
Hard copy – Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard
E-copy (Kindle/iBooks) – Glass Sword – Victoria Aveyard – The Raven Boys – Maggie Stiefvater – The Dream Thieves – Maggie Stiefvater – Blue Lily, Lily Blue – Maggie Stiefvater – The Raven King – Maggie Stiefvater
Books I’ve read this month.
Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard (3/5 stars)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Science Fiction > Dystopia
Review: So let me get this straight, I did enjoy the book and the plot. I mean, I’ve read similar books because it sort of started out like the hunger games. I did enjoy the way Victoria Aveyard portrayed the story however my major concern was the main character. I didn’t like her. At all. She just got on my nerves way too much and Mare’s actions were selfish and they annoyed the heck out of me. At the start, I was okay with her because she was just protecting and looking out for her friend but then she just took it overboard halfway through the book. Throughout the book I found that she was a terrible person to be working with and she is ALWAYS second guessing herself, making her a terrible freedom fighter.
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Caraval – Stephanie Garber (4/5 stars)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Review: Honestly, I went into this book knowing nothing. All I knew was that people had some mixed feelings about it, while others enjoyed the characters and the story behind it.
So let me get this thing out in the open first, since it was the one thing I disliked the most. Scarlett wanting to get married and mentioning it ALL the time! I don’t hate her for it because I completely understand why she would want to grab the safety of marriage due to her father. On the other hand, I think it was just mentioned too much, that I stopped caring about it half way through.
Another thing that got on my nerves was the world building and character development. The world wasn’t really built upon. Well, I personally thought the development of Caraval was to a minimal and it should have been built upon more so I could feel like I was there. However, it still gave off a dark feeling/sensation that helped build the story.
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Fragmented Bliss – B.J Rosalind (4/5 stars)
Genre: Poetry
Review: This book was sent to me by the author, in exchange for an honest book review.
I’m going, to be honest with you guys, I haven’t read much poetry outside school, so this was a whole new experience for me. So, I wasn’t expecting to love it like I would love a novel, then “Fragmented Bliss” surprised me. Poetry is hard to look at and judge because it makes everyone feels different things and it can have many different feelings to many different people. However, the poems and prose in “Fragmented Bliss” made me feel a lot of feels! When reading the poems/prose there was a strong message being delivered through those beautiful lines. I started to connect to the speaker and understand some of the pain that was being conveyed. In order for me to enjoy a book, I need to be able to connect and understand and this was definitely there. Some of the poems connected to me on an emotional and personal level and it got me thinking.
Everything that was written in this book was strong and powerful. Benita writes really well and the words flow with each other, which makes the reading experience easier and more enjoyable. I had to read the prologue a few times because it was beautifully written! I managed to read the book in less than an hour, but it was powerful and thought provoking experience. Thank you, Benita, for sending me this beautiful and powerful book!
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Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
The Dream Thieves – Maggie Stiefvater (5/5) stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Blue Lily, Lily Blue – Maggie Stiefvater (5/5) stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
A review for the “The Raven Cycle” will be coming soon.
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Lady Midnight (TDA) – Cassandra Clare (re-read) (5/5 stars)
Genre: Romance, Angels, Vampires, Magic, Paranormal, Fantasy, Fiction.
Review: “When you love someone, they become a part of who you are. They’re in everything you do. They’re in the air you breathe and the water you drink and the blood in your veins. Their touch stays on your skin and their voice stays in your ears and their thoughts stay in your mind. You know their dreams because their nightmares pierce your heart and their good dreams are your dreams too. And you don’t think they’re perfect, but you know their flaws, the deep-down truth of them, and the shadows of all their secrets, and they don’t frighten you away; in fact, you love them more for it, because you don’t want perfect. You want them. You want—”
Let me start this book review by saying that.. the above quote is one of the best things I have ever heard… Honestly, it broke me because OH MY GOSH THE LOVE! THE STORY! THE CHARACTERS! and that is why I am giving this book 5/5 stars.
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Lord of Shadows (TDA) – Cassandra Clare (5/5 stars)
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Angels, Vampires, Magic, Paranormal, Fiction.
Review is coming soon after I do another re-read of the book!
What’s in store for next month?
More book reviews – Lord of Shadows, The Raven Cycle, Glass Sword and much more.
How to deal with IB and other study related posts.
Stationery reviews about pens, books and more.