August Wrap Up

Hey, guys!

      This month, I read 13 books! Woo! I read a butt-ton of books before school started, but once school started I only read 1 book. To be honest, my first week of school wasn't even a "first week" because my hometown was hit by 8 tornados on my second day...and then campus was closed for the rest of the week. So this week is my first actual week of school. I finished a book and a ton of homework during the 5 days that I wasn't at school, so that's cool too! You can check out my reading updates on Twitter or Goodreads if you chose, but here are the books that I read this month!

1. Awaken by Skye Malone+
• 3.75 stars
• Review going up: September 29
2. Harry Potter & the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, & Jack Thorn
• 5 stars ???
• Review going up: September 13
3. Never by Shay Lynam+
• 4 stars
• e-book
• Review going up: October 11
4. The Drowning of Arthur Braxton by Caroline Smailes
• 4 stars
• Review going up: September 22
5. Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell
• 5 stars
• Review going up: October 20
6. (DNF'd) The Tormented Witch by J.C. Beckham
• 1 star
• 81 pages read
• Review going up: September 20
7. Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur (not shown)
• 3 stars
• Review going up: October 18
8. {August BOTM} Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw
• 4.5 stars
• Review going up: September 8
9. (DNF'd) The Álfaerën Legacy by Marc Jacobs
• 1 star
• 45 pages read
• Review date TBD..might not even get a review...comment below if you'd like a review!
10. Recoil by Joanne Macgregor
• 4.5 stars
• e-book
• Review going up: September 6
11. After You by Jojo Moyes
• 4.75 stars
• Review date TBD
12. InSomnus by Molly Fennig
• 1.5 stars
• Review date TBD
13. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare 
• 5 stars
• Review date TBD

Currently Reading: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare 

• 100-ish pages in!

Total Pages Read: 3,730 (including the pages I've read in DNF'd books and my current read)

Favorite Book Read: Either The Cursed Child or City of Bones

Least Favorite Book Read: Well, I DNF'd 2 books this month, but I'm not going to include these books because I didn't completely "read" them. My least favorite book would have to be, unfortunately, InSomnus.

Genre Read The Most This Month: Contemporary/Realistic & Paranormal!

How many books did you read this month? Which was your favorite? I'd love to know!

I hope you all have a fantabulous September! Stay tuned for my September TBR on Saturday the 3rd & the LivTheBookClub BOTM announcement which will be announced on Friday the 2nd! But if you cannot wait, message me on Goodreads, join the group, and I'll send you the official announcement!!!

ALSO! The live show for the book club discussion for Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here will be live on Sunday, the 4th between 4 and 5 PM EST! Don't forget to tune in to discuss the book with us!

Click {here} to join!

You can also follow us on social media!

Instagram: @livthebookclub

Twitter: @livthebookclub

Facebook: {click here}

Happy reading!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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Broken Hearts, Fences, & Other Things To Mend by Katie Finn

Page Count: 342

Published on: February 14, 2014 & May 5, 2015

Published by: Square Fish

Genre(s): YA, Contemporary, Romance

Source: Paperback

Age Rating: PG-13

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @morgan_m

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Gemma had her summer all planned out, but it takes sharp turn when she gets dumped and finds herself back in the Hamptons after a five-year absence. Being there puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friend (that is, before Gemma ruined her life). But people don’t hold grudges forever. Do they? 

Gemma intends to make amends, but a small case of mistaken identity causes the people she knew years ago—including Hallie and her dreamy brother Josh—to believe she’s someone else. As though the summer wasn’t complicated enough already. 

Can Gemma keep up the charade? Or will she be found out by the very people she’s been hiding from?

~~~

Hey, guys!

      This book follows the very dedicated Gemma. Gemma's summer is turned upside down when she gets dumped by her long time boyfriend. Gemma is sent to the Hamptons with her father and ends up bumping into old friends. She ends up claiming to be someone she isn't and a bunch of drama occurs. 

      I found Gemma to be a really selfish and self-centered and overall annoying. She was always lying and although she tries to redeem herself, she keeps digging herself an even deeper hole. She had so many chances to redeem herself and to tell the truth, but she never took advantage of those moments! It was very aggravating...Even though I didn't like Gemma's behavior, I still really liked her as a character. 

      Hallie wasn't much better. I didn't trust her character and I didn't like her attitude throughout the book. Her brother, however, was a total sweetheart. I loved his character. He was such a sweet guy and I want a Josh. Gemma's best friend, Sophie wasn't the best character, but I thought she was really funny. I'm excited to read more about her in Revenge, Ice Cream, & Other Things Best Served Cold!

      I guessed part of the major plot twist early into the book, but there was another aspect to the climax that I definitely did not predict. When I finished the book, I had realized that Morgan/Katie had left little hints and scenes of foreshadowing to major plot points throughout the book. I thought it was really well written and I'm excited to read the second and third books. Although this wasn't the best book by Morgan Matson that I've read, it was definitely a fluffy contemporary that fans of Morgan Matson should read. 

Other Morgan Matson Reviews:

• Since You've Been Gone ~ 5 stars
• The Unexpected Everything ~ 5 stars

~~~

Don't forget to check out the LivTheBookClub read-along too! We're reading Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw! 

Click {here} to join!

You can also follow us on social media!

Instagram: @livthebookclub

Twitter: @livthebookclub

Facebook: {click here}

Live Show date TBD! Check Twitter for the official date!

Happy reading, everyone!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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The BFG by Roald Dahl

Page Count: 195

Published on: November 1, 1982

Published by: Puffin

Genre(s): Children's, Fiction, Classics, YA

Source: Paperback

Age Rating: PG

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @roald_dahl

My Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Captured by a giant! The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater, the Bonecruncher, or any of the other giants-rather than the BFG-she would have soon become breakfast. 
When Sophie hears that they are flush-bunking off in England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!

~~~

Hey, guys!

       I read this book for the BookTube-A-Thon and I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. This was a really cute & funny story, but it wasn't the best children's story I've ever read. The main character, Sophie was so innocent and adorable and it was really nice to read about a little girl who was as innocent as Sophie. I can see why children love Roald Dahl's work, but I do believe that it's not written for someone my age. I am very familiar with Dahl's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and Matilda, but I've never read the books! And to be honest, I'm not sure if I will. I've seen the movies so much that I may just pass. Comment down below if you think I should read them, though. 

      The hype around the movie for this book is unreal, and from what I got from the trailers, it looks like it could be really cute. So, I read the book. It didn't live up to the hype...at least for me. The hype led me to believe that his would be a phenomenal children's book and movie. And though this book was cute, it wasn't what it was hyped up to be. I know that I'm definitely going to watch the movie because it was a super cute book, but I think the movie would improve upon the story. I felt like the book was really rushed and it could have been executed better. The conflict was a minuscule part of the story and it was resolved too quickly and it was very anticlimactic. Overall, it was too easy and disappointing.

If you have a younger sibling, friend, or child that loves magical stories like this, then I highly recommend it!

Don't forget to check out the LivTheBookClub read-along too! We're reading Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw! 

Click {here} to join!

You can also follow us on social media!
Instagram: @livthebookclub
Twitter: @livthebookclub

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/livthebookclub

Live Show date TBD! Check Twitter for the official date!

Happy reading, everyone!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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[TAG] The Olympics Book Tag

Hey, guys!

      I was tagged by the lovely Carlisa to do this tag. I had no idea that this tag was even a thing, but when I looked through the questions I was really eager to do this tag. I'm not really following the results of the Olympics, but I really respect the athletes that have worked so hard to get to where they are now. Here is the Olympics Book Tag!

Opening Ceremonies

A book you loved from the first page:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

If you've followed my blog for long, then you'd know that I absolutely adore Fangirl. This is one of my all-time favorite books. I relate to this book so much and I love love love Rainbow Rowell's writing.

My Review: {click here}

Cycling

favorite road trip book:

Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer

I just recently read Rules of the Road in July and really loved it. It was one of those books that really surprised me. This is such a great book and I recommend it to any contemporary lover.

My Review: {click here}

Triathalon

a book with a good love triangle:

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Holy crap I love this series. Words cannot describe my love for these books...well I could attempt, but I guess you should just check out my reviews because I cannot even.

{click here} #1-3

{click here} #4

{click here} #5

{click here} novellas

Handball

a book you really didn't get:

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix

I read this book at the beginning of the year, and while it was pretty entertaining, I wasn't too impressed with the story. I'm not sure what genre it's supposed to be..I'm not sure what it is at all haha.

Beach Volleyball

a book set in the summer:

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

I read this quite a while ago, but this book is one of my all time favorites. I love Morgan Matson's writing and I can't wait read everything she releases.

My Review: {click here}

Fencing

a book with bloodshed & fighting:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I've been a fan of Suzanne Collins for the past 6 years and I can't not use The Hunger Games for this part of the tag. It's the perfect book for it!

My Review: {click here}

Gymnastics

a book with a lot of plot twists:

A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Oh my gosh, this is my favorite book that I've read this year! There were so many twists and turns and I never knew what would happen next. I love Sarah J. Maas's writing and I can't wait to read her Throne of Glass series.

Swimming

a book that made you sob:

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Do I have to explain? This book was heartbreaking...I can't wait to read After You which I got in the mail from Penguin in early August. I love Jojo Moyes's writing. 

My Review: {click here} 

Golf

a slow paced book:

The Kill Order by James Dashner

This book was so boring for me. I could barely get through it. I basically skimmed a good chunk of the book because I wasn't interested in the new characters. This was just really slow and I didn't like it at all.

My Review: {click here}

Trampoline

a childhood favorite

The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley

I adore this series. Michael Buckley is one of my favorite authors and I've loved everything that he's released. His book Undertow was just as fantastic. Michael Buckley has a talent for making up stories!

Undertow Review: {click here}

Equestrian

a book featuring animals:

East by Edith Pattou

This is my all time favorite retelling of East o' the Sun, West o' the Moon. I've reviewed many a retelling, but this is the best one I've ever read. I love this book and this story. I highly recommend this book.

Hurdles

a book you struggled to finish:

Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

I read this in the beginning of the year and really struggled with understanding the characters. It had been almost a year since I read Red Queen and I didn't remember much about the characters which screwed up my reading experience. I'm sure that when I reread Red Queen to read Glass Sword I will reread it to understand it fully. 

My Review: {click here}

Synchronized Swimming

a book with a great friendship

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

I just recently read this book for the Biannual Bibliothon and I absolutely loved it. Morgan Matson did not disappoint! I just loved the friendship group in this book. It was so realistic and sweet. I also really loved the relationship between the main character and her love interest. 

My Review: {click here}

I tag anyone who wants to do this! 

I officially tag:

Maddie & Bee from Heart Full of Books

Jessica & Stacy from Chapter Chicks

Chelsie of Bookish Dream!

Sophie from Seamless Reader

Kristina from Gone Pecan

Happy reading!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer

Page Count: 208
Published on: June 2, 2005

Published by: Speak

Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance, YA, Realistic Fiction
Source: Paperback

Age Rating: PG-13

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @joan_bauer

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Meet Jenna Boller, star employee at Gladstone Shoe Store in Chicago. Standing a gawky 5'11'' at 16 years old, Jenna is the kind of girl most likely to stand out in the crowdùfor all the wrong reasons. But that doesn't stop Madeline Gladstone, the president of Gladstone's Shoes 176 outlets in 37 states, from hiring Jenna to drive her cross country in a last ditch effort to stop Elden Gladstone from taking over his mother's company and turning a quality business into a shop-and-schlock empire. Now Jenna Boller shoe salesperson is about to become a shoe-store spy as she joins her crusty old employer for an eye-opening adventure that will teach them both the rules of the roadùand the rules of life. Joan Bauer lives in Darien, CT.

~~~

"My grandma always said that God made libraries so that people didn't have an excuse to be stupid."

~Jenna

Hey, guys!

      I read this book for the BookTube-A-Thon and I was really surprised when I actually enjoyed this book. This book was described as something that I wouldn't usually pick up for myself. Courtney actually gave me this book for Christmas and I've been saving it for when I was in a mood for a summer-y contemporary mood. 

     This book is about a young girl who views herself as the "ugly duckling" of her family. She's a very driven and hard working girl who sells shoes at the local Gladstone's Shoe store. She's passionate about her job and she loves being in the shoe-selling business. Jenna is recruited by the elderly founder of the company to drive her around the country to take her to her other stores, and eventually to the meeting where she is expecting to be forced to retire by her money-hungry son. 

     I adored the characters in this book. Jenna is such a sassy and strong character. I loved her dedication to helping Mrs. Gladstone and her constant drive to better herself. She's always trying to ensure that those around her aren't hurt. Her sister is kind of oblivious when it comes to how much Jenna protects her from, and when she discovers how much Jenna does for her, it was a really sweet homecoming for Jenna. 

     I also really loved Mrs. Gladstone. Mrs. G is such a badass lady, and though she is in her late 70's she's still so focused on ensuring that her company's values are unchanged and that money doesn't drive the decisions of the company. She is a tough-as-nails kind of gal, which I really loved. There are very few older women in young-adult literature, and in adult literature as well, that are represented in a positive light. This book dealt with ageism in a wonderful way. Older women are usually treated like nuisances or disregarded because of their age. This book took this problem head on with a strong and spunky lady who didn't take any crap from those who treated her unfairly.

      There are so many diverse and unique characters in this book that were laugh-out-loud hilarious. I loved seeing the people that Jenna encountered in her perspective. Her voice was so fresh and entertaining. She was so witty and when you added Mrs. Gladstone to the mix, it was literally laugh-out-loud funny.

      There was another aspect to this book that I really loved, and that was that there was barely any romance in it. There was one scene that could be considered romantic, but it was more about Jenna realizing herself.

      This is one of those books that represent women and represent us well. This book expressed that women could be in business and be good businesswomen at that. I loved that there wasn't any romantic sub-plot and that it had a wonderful cast of characters -- male and female.

I highly recommend this book. It was fantastic to read. Lovers of Morgan Matson, Jennifer Niven, Stephanie Perkins, or Rainbow Rowell; you will adore this book. 

• Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
• The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
• Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Lola & the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
• Isla & the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Don't forget to check out the LivTheBookClub read-along too! For the month of August, we're reading Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw! Click {here} to join!
You can also follow us on social media!
Instagram: @livthebookclub
Twitter: @livthebookclub

Live Show date TBD! Check Twitter for the official date!

Happy reading, everyone!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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[LivTheBookClub BOTM #1: Review] Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Page Count: 465 

Published on: September 29, 2015

Published by: Henry Holt & Company

Genre(s): YA, Fantasy, High Fantasy

Source: Hardback

Age Rating: PG-13

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @LBardugo

My Rating: 4.75 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first. 

~~~

Hey, guys!

      It's time to write out a full review for Six of Crows! It's been a couple weeks since the live show/book talk, and you may know about Julia & I's thoughts about the book, but for those who didn't get a chance to watch the live show or participate in the book club festivities, then here is the review for you!

      Six of Crows is a spinoff series that takes place after the Grisha trilogy that Bardugo finished in 2014. I really did like this book, but I had one problem, but it was more of a "me problem" than a book problem. Because I hadn't read the Grisha trilogy, I felt like I wasn't fully prepared for the Grisha world like I would have preferred. I was really confused for the next 80 to 90 pages, but once I got into it, I was totally loving the world. I can't wait to read the Grisha trilogy and be much more familiar with the world.

      The characters were really dynamic and each of them had a really interesting story and personality. Their backstories were so captivating and I didn't want to put it down once I got into it. My favorite part of the book was when they would have flashbacks that would explain their stories. They are such mysterious and interesting people, and I was desperate to learn more about them. 

      Some reviewers were expressing concerns about a certain characterbecause of how shadey he appeared, but once you get towards the end you get a bit of his story. I loved the way Leigh Bardugo wrote this character. So mysterious and so adorable. I can't wait to find out more about them.

      Leigh also does a fantastic job of creating unique names for not only her characters, but her cities, countries, etc. I love her writing and her style. The way she writes is so engaging and fast paced. I adored every minute of reading this book. I'm wondering why it took me so long to pick this back up in late-July. 

      There are so many potential-ship (relationships) when it comes to this book, but 3 of my particular favorites are:

Kaz x Inej

Matthais x Nina

Jesper x Wylan

Matthais x Nina are my personal favorite. I love their intertwining backstories, and I can't wait to see what happens next in Crooked Kingdom! I have so much that I want to discuss, but it's full of spoilers, so if you've read the book, then check out the book talk! It will be linked below! It's not the best book talk, but we're tweaking and perfecting our technique. We will get better as we keep doing more book talks, so bear with us!

BookTalk: {click here}!

Goodreads Discussions: {click here}!

~~~

I can't wait to see where this book goes. After doing the full spoiler bit from the liveshow, it's hard to go back to non-spoiler reviews. I hope this was a push to read this book! I highly recommend it!

Don't forget to check out the LivTheBookClub's next BOTM! We're reading Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw! 

Click {here} to join!

You can also follow us on social media!

Instagram: @livthebookclub

Twitter: @livthebookclub

Facebook: {click here}

Live Show date TBD! Check Twitter for the official date!

We hope you check it out!

Happy reading!

Olivia 
~LivTheBookNerd~

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