{Read-A-Thon} Cram-A-Thon 2018 Wrap Up

Hey, guys!

    This round of Cram-A-Thon was soooo ROUGH!!! I didn't really follow my TBR at all because I was just struggling to push through my reading slump. However, I did technically read four books. Granted, I did finish two books that I had already started, but I'm counting them! It took me a while to get through these books, so I'm pretty proud of my reading progress. Consider this a sneak peek into my June Reading Wrap Up! Here are the books that I finished and the challenges that they correspond with!

Challenge 1: 

A predicted 5-star book

I really wasn't sure what I would have rated these four books. I was hoping for higher ratings, but all four of these books ended up being 3 star-books for me. 

Challenge 2: 

A book that's out of your comfort zone

None of my four books were out of my comfort zone. I just read what I could because I was in such a terrible slump. 

If I were to stretch this challenge, I could maybe put The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue in here. I'm not a huge historical fiction fan, but I did really enjoy this. The only reason this book doesn't receive a 4-star rating is that I easily just put it down. It's been sitting on my currently reading pile for a couple months and I just didn't have any desire to finish it. 

Challenge 3: 

A book that has been on your TBR for a long time

None of these books have been on my TBR in a LOONG time, but I have been meaning to reread Red Queen to continue on with the series since Glass Sword came out in 2016.

Challenge 4: 

An LGBTQ+ Own Voices Book

That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston

I'm not sure if this is an own voices novel, but it had some great LGBTQA+ rep. I cannot attest to its authenticity, but there was some great diversity throughout this novel. Though this book had a wonderful alternate world, I really did not enjoy it as much as I would have hoped. The characters, relationships, and the pacing just weren't up to par. The world, the diversity, and the alternate history were fantastic though. I really enjoyed those bits. 

I will have a review up for this book soon!

☆☆☆ I gave this book 2.75 stars ☆☆☆ 

Challenge 5: 

Something that is not a standard novel

Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

KIND OF FAILED!

I'm not sure if this counts, but I did read 90% of Red Queen via audiobook. That is not my usual means of reading, so it's not standard for me. 

Goodreads thoughts: {click here}

2015 Review: {click here}

This time around I gave 

☆☆☆ Red Queen 3 stars ☆☆☆

Challenge 6: A book with your favorite color on the cover

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

This is actually the book of the month pick for the Liv the Book Club. I really expected to enjoy this book, but it really fell flat for me. I wasn't that big of a fan. I'll have a full review coming soon.

☆☆☆ I gave The Belles 3 stars ☆☆☆

Challenge 7: 

Read 7 books

FAILED

I read 4 books. Ha. 

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{LivTheBookClub} May 2018

Hey, guys!

If you follow me on Instagram, or any of my other social media, you'll know that the book club is BACK ON! Julia and I have decided to officially make the Liv the Book Club a summer book club. We have announced the summer reading picks for each month {here}. 

In May we are reading:

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang!!!

Goodreads synopsis:

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.

Page Count: 288

Release Date: February 13, 2018

Publisher: First Second

Goodreads Average Rating: 4.47 stars

Author Twitter: {@alooghobi}

Author Instagram: @wangstagram

Author Website: {click}

Book Club Goodreads Discussion: {click here}

Discussion Start Date: May 13-May 29

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~LivTheBookNerd~

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{LivTheBookClub #3} Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

Hey, guys!

     Once again, I'm late to announce that the book club is back! We're going to be having a summer book club and if we're able to, we'll maybe continue on in the fall. Everything is up in the air at this point, but who knows what will happen! October was a bit of a flop, but I think June will hopefully work out. We'll be mainly holding discussions and sprints on the Instagram and Goodreads page, but you will probably see updates on Twitter and Facebook as well. Keep an eye out on those platforms and give us a follow! 😁

     We will be reading one of my most anticipated 2017 releases, Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh. I'm so excited to start this book. It sounds really fantastic. The main three things that I know about this book are that: 

1) it takes place in feudal Japan

2) it's written by Renee Ahdieh, so the writing must be beautiful and wonderful

3) it has a really badass female main character

What else is there? I just needed this book in my life! 

I have some reviews for Renee Ahdieh's other books, so if you'd like to see my raving reviews for her debut novel and the sequel then follow the links below!

• The Wrath & the Dawn (#1): {click here}
• The Rose & the Dagger (#2): {click here}

Synopsis:

The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires. 

Goodreads Average Rating: 4.12 stars 

Page Count: 393 

Date Published: May 16, 2017

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Genres: Fantasy, Retelling, YA

The June BOTM Live Show's date is still undetermined, but we will announce the date as soon as we can on Twitter, Goodreads, and our personal twitters. 

Follow us on social media!

Book Club Links:

Goodreads: {click here}

Twitter: @livthebookclub

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Instagram: @juliatharp

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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Summer BookTube-A-Thon 2016 TBR

Hey, guys! 

It's that time again! Last year, I took part of the BookTube-A-Thon and I read 5 books during that week. This year I hope that I read at least 5 books. Lately, I've been in a slump (thanks a lot ACOMF!). So, I've picked a few short books that I've been meaning to read for a while. 

Like last year, there are 7 reading challenges:

1. Read a book with yellow on the cover
2. Read a book only after sunset.
3. Read a book you discovered through booktube.
4. Read a book by one of your favourite authors.
5. Read a book that is older than you.
6. Read and watch a book-to-movie adaptation
7. Read seven books.

Seven books is pretty ambitious for me, because I'm so busy during the week, but I plan non reading as much as I can, even if the books don't coinside with the challenges. So I guess here are those books:

• Challenge 1: Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer
• Challenge 2: Phage by Mark Tamplin (RE, Attack On Titan Volume 4 (not shown), or Never by Shay Lynam (Kindle ARC)
• Challenge 3: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• Challenge 4: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
• Challenge 5: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
• Challenge 6: The BFG by Roald Dahl

That's 8 books! Hopefully I get through most of these books. I've already started a couple of these books, but not far enough that it would be a big deal. Comment down below if you're participateing in the BookTube-A-Thon and the books that you're planning on reading.

Don't forget to check out the LivTheBookClub read-along too! We're reading Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo! Click {here} to join!

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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@LivTheBookNerd on Books

BookTube-A-Thon TBR

Hey guys!

       So the BookTube-A-Thon has started! It's time to tell you guys what I want to read to complete the challenges!

The Challenges:

1// Read a book with blue on the cover
2// Read a book by an author who shares the same first letter of your last name 
3// Read someone else's favourite book
4// Read the last book you acquired 
5// Finish a book without letting go of it
6// Read a book you really want to read
7// Read seven books

1. Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks [1]
2. The Distance Between by Kasie West [2]
3. Hearts Made Whole by Jody Hedlund
4. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
5. The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani [6]
6. Lord Of The Flies by William Golding 
7. The Little Princess by F..H. Burnett [3]
8. Out Of The Dark by Quinn Loftis [4]

Total pages: 2,851

I can't guarentee that I'm going to get through all of these because I have a busy week ahead. I'm going to try my hardest though!

Are you taking part in the BookTube-A-Thon? What are you going to read? Comment down below!

Enjoy guys!

Olivia
~livthebooknerd~