Wednesday, November 30, 2016

November 2016 Wrap Up


Hey, guys!

      Once again, it's been a pretty busy month, but I've gotten quite a lot done during my Thanksgiving break. I'm pretty proud of the amount  of reading that I've managed to do accomplish. I've read some pretty great books and I've been able to keep up with school with time to spare for extra stuff. 



  1. Little Nothing by Marissa Silver
  2. Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis
  3. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
  4. Life In Pieces by Chase Smith
  5. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
  6. The Hammer of Thor (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #2) by Rick Riordan
+162 of The Rose & the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Number of Pages Read: 1,584
Favorite Book Read: The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan
Least Favorite Book Read: Little Nothing by Marissa Silver
Most Common Genre Read: Fantasy

Reviews for the books I read this month will be going up really soon! I'm really behind, as finals are coming up and I'm basically running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I plan on writing up a butt-ton of reviews during my Christmas break`

Happy reading everyone! Comment down below your reading progress!

Olivia 
~LivTheBookNerd~
@LivTheBookNerd on AminoBooks


Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die #3) by Danielle Paige

18602406

Page Count: 270
Published on: March 15, 2016
Published by: Harper Teen
Genre(s): Fantasy, YA, Adventure, Fairy Tale Retelling, 
Source: Print: Hardback: Library
Age Rating: PG-15

Where To Find ItGoodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @daniellempaige

My Rating: 4 stars








Goodreads synopsis:

Once upon a time, there was a girl from Kansas named Dorothy.

You might know her as the Girl Who Rode the Cyclone. She ended up in Oz, where she became friends with the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion. But the temptation of magic was too much for her. She let it change her. Her friends became twisted versions of their former selves.

The magical land of Oz is now a dark and menacing place.

My name is Amy Gumm. Tornadoes must have a thing about girls from Kansas, because I got swept away on one too. I also landed in Oz, where Good is Wicked, Wicked is Good, and the Wicked Witches clued me in to my true calling:

Assassin.

The only way to stop Dorothy from destroying Oz—and Kansas—is to kill her. And I’m the only one who can do it.

But I failed. Others died for my mistakes. Because of me, the portal between the worlds has been opened and Kansas and Oz are both in danger. And if I don’t find a way to close it?

Dorothy will make sure I never get to go home again.
 


~~~

Hey, guys!

      I'm coming back at you with another fairy-tale retelling review. If you've been following me this year, you might have read my review for Dorothy Must Die and The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige. I absolutely fell in love with Paige's writing and I've been anticipating Yellow Brick War for months now. I went to the library and managed to check out YBW (even though I had plenty to read at home) and I don't regret it one bit. I mean why would I?

      Yellow Brick War is the third book in the Dorothy Must Die series and continues from where TWWR left off. The world of Oz is in chaos. Amy Gumm's life has changed completely and she has become an assassin in order to kill the evil and power-hungry Dorothy Gale. Killing Dorothy is the only way to save Oz and Kansas. 

      I really loved this addition to the series, but I really felt like TWWR and YBW could have been one book! The series is already being pushed out into a fourth book, and I honestly think it doesn't need it. The first book was absolutely fantastic and the book was alright, but the third book felt a bit drawn out. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but it could have been a much shorter series. The ending was kind of underwhelming, but the cliffhanger left me wanting much more.

      I really loved the characters in this series...they didn't disappoint. I can't wait to read the finale of the series. I can't wait to see how much more Amy Gumm develops. The cliffhanger literally killed me. Amy is such a spunky and badass character and it's amazing to see such an independent and real character in YA literature. I'm excited to see where Danielle Paige takes the plot of this novel. She's added new elements to it that I didn't see coming. I loved that Paige included details from the original books rather than just the bare bones that are commonly known from the movies. The original story is so wonderful, and everyone should read Baum's books.

My Reviews:
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum {click here}
Dorothy Must Die {click here)
The Wicked Will Rise {click here}

Other Retellings That You Would Love:
I hope you all enjoyed this review!
Happy reading!
Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~


Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Cake Book Tag



Hey, guys!

      I had been looking up cool and strange tags to post to this blog, so I found this one that revolves around cake. Who doesn't love cake? Anyway, you can do this tag if you want, and you can tag whoever you want. Just have fun!


Flour: A Book That Was Slow At The Beginning But Eventually Picked Up

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The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

I'd have to pick The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen. I read this at the beginning of the year, and I really loved it. I can't wait to read the other books in the series. The whole story is so wonderfully written out and the characters are so interesting. I just can't wait to read the next couple of books. 

My Review: {click here}







Butter: A Book With A Rich Plot

18798983


The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

I don't think I need to explain this one. This book is so freaking beautiful, and I recommend it to anyone. I can't wait to read The Rose & the Dagger. My favorite subgenre has to be fairytale retellings and when I read this last year, I fell in love. Renee Ahdieh's 2015 debut made it to my top 15 favorite books read in 2015 list and I can't wait to read the books that she releases in the future. 


My Review: {click here}



Eggs: A Book You Thought You Wouldn't Like, But Ended Up Loving



Rules fo the Road by Joan Bauer

I read this book a couple months ago on a whim. Courtney had given me this book for my birthday last year, and I finally got to reading it. I actually really loved this book. It's one of those rare contemporary novels that don't have romance and have amazing female characters. I highly recommend this book to those who want to read a road-trip book with great characters and a sassy older lady.


My Review: {click here}


Sweet: A Super Sweet Book

25486998

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

I literally finished this book this past weekend and I really really loved it. The whole story was so adorable and the characters made me laugh, cry, and rage. I love these cheesy and cliche romance books. I love reading them between genres to "cleanse the reading palate".  I can't wait to read more of Kasie West's work. I read The Distance Between Us during my first BookTube-A-Thon and I absolutely loved it. I don't know why I haven't read West's books before, but I'm so excited to read more of them. 

My Review: coming soon
The Distance Between Us: {click here}






Icing: A Book That Covers Everything You Love

18705209

Anything Rick Riordan!!!

I just love Rick Riordan's work. It's so fun to read and I'm never disappointed with any of his work. I'm currently reading a Riordan book, and I love it so much. I can't wait to read more of his books. He's a genius.


Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus #5): {click here}

The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1): {click here}

The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase & the Gods of Asgard #1): {click here}



Sprinkles: A Book That You Can Turn To Make You Feel Better

3

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Do I need to explain my love for Harry Potter? This is my all time favorite series and I can't wait to read the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. I actually read the little novella that J.K. wrote a few months ago and I loved it. It was so cute and I loved learning about the creatures of the Harry Potter world. When I saw the movie, it was like revisiting an old friend. If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend that you read this series. It's my number 1 series of my life....

Fantastic Beasts: {click here}
The Cursed Child: {click here}





Cherries On Top: Best Book You've Read This Year

17927395 

Holy crap I love this book. This series is going to become one of the series that I collect the different editions that are released. The characters are amazing, the story is so addicting, the romance is so beautiful, and I can't wait to read A Court of Wings and Ruin. When the title and mock cover was released, I literally fell out of bed I was so excited. I'm so glad that this series has been expanded to 6 books, a novella, and a coloring book. This is definitely going to be one of the series that I follow specifically throughout the years. Book 6 is supposed to come out in 2020!

ACOTR: {click here}
ACOMF: {click here}




I tag anyone that wants to do this tag! Have fun with it!

Happy reading, all!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~
@LivTheBookNerd on Books


Tuesday, November 22, 2016

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

1618
Page Count: 226
Published on: May 18, 2004
Published by: Vintage Contemporaries
Genre(s): YA, Fiction, Mental Health, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary
Source: Paperback -School Reading
Age Rating: PG
Where To Find ItGoodreads // Amazon
Twitter: @mark_haddon

My Rating: 4 stars














Goodreads synopsis:

Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.

Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor's dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is funny, poignant and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally.



~~~


Hey, guys!

      It's been a week since I've posted a review, but I've been so incredibly busy with school and work that I've only been able to read a few books these past couple months. One of them being The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for my Literature class. I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read more like it.

      The Curious Incident follows fifteen-year-old Christopher Boone, an autistic teen from England. Christopher is a very logical and serious young man who is very set in his ways. Christopher has some very particular quirks that come along with his type of autism. When his neighbor's dog is mysteriously murdered, Christopher decides to investigate the murder of who killed Wellington. As he is investigating, Christopher discovers new information that could change his life forever.

      I really loved Christopher's character. His story-telling style was very bizarre, but it was exactly how he processed information and I loved how realistic it was. I have family that has been diagnosed with a form of autism, so I personally have interacted and I understand how some children with autism think. Mark Haddon has definitely done his research regarding autism. It really warms my heart to read something that represents the autistic community so well. 

      I also really loved the realistic dynamic of family. I loved how Christopher's parents were portrayed and their reactions throughout the novel were really realistic. Their emotions were very raw and interesting to read about. 

      Overall, this book was an excellent read. I'm definitely going to read more books like this. So far, this is my favorite book that I've read for this literature class. We're about half-way through the third book, but I haven't decided which of them I like best yet. 

I hope I can get more reviews up soon, but I've only read a few books in the past month, so my posts won't be as regular as usual so I apologize in advance.

Happy reading, all!
Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~
@LivTheBookNerd on Books


Wednesday, November 16, 2016

October Book Haul



Hey, guys!

      I managed to acquire six books this month. I know! I'm so proud of myself! Compared to last month's 19 books. 



  1. The Hammer of Thor (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #2) by Rick Riordan
  2. Shadow of the Storm (Out of the Storm #2) by Connilyn Braxton
  3. House Rules by Jodi Picoult
  4. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas
  5. Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas
  6. A Court of Mist & Fury (A Court of Thorns & Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas (SIGNED!!!)
      I bought The Hammer of Thor, Throne of Glass, and A Court of Mist & Fury for myself. When I found the signed copy of ACOMF, I kind of freaked my friends out by sinking to the floor and clutching the book. It's definitely my favorite book that I read this year, and I can't wait to buy all of the editions of the book. 

  • I received Shadow of the Storm from Bethany House Publishing (Thanks!)
  • I received Crown of Midnight from my twin sister for my birthday
  • I received House Rules from my best friend Courtney. After I finished The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, I really wanted to read more books with autistic protagonists and characters who have autism. I really can't wait to read more books that deal with autism. It's really important to have representation in literature. I can't wait to read more books like this. 
Number Read: 2
Number Unread: 4

I will be reading these books as soon as I can, and reviews will be coming soon!

Happy reading!
Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~
@LivTheBookNerd on Books

Thursday, November 10, 2016

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare


1582996

Page Count: 453
Published on: March 25, 2008
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genre(s): YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Fiction
Source: Paperback
Age Rating: PG-13
Where To Find ItGoodreads // Amazon
Twitter: @cassieclare

My Rating: 4.75 stars









Goodreads synopsis:

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.


~~~

Hey, guys!

      About a week ago, I reviewed City of Bones the first book in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I really loved City of Bones, but City of Ashes definitely had the second book slump. It wasn't as good as book one, but it was still an excellent book. The Mortal Instruments is such a famous and popular series, but I'm reading it for the first time this year. 

      I really enjoyed the character development in this book. I learned so much about Clary, Jace, and the other amazing characters. I really enjoyed the plot progression too, the only problem I had was that it progressed really similarly to City of Bones. I really loved the awkward dynamic between Clary and Jace. After the confusing realization at the end of book one, it was so awkward and confusing but really hilarious to read about. 

      Overall, I really loved this book. I can't really reveal much because I don't want to reveal series spoilers, but I can't wait to read more of Cassandra Clare's books. Her writing is so addicting and I love her characters so much. 

      I can't wait to read City of Glass. I haven't had the time to binge read the series yet, but I plan on reading the rest of the series during my Christmas break in December. I bought books 3-5 on Amazon and a hardcover copy of book 6 at Goodwill. I can't wait to binge read the Shadowhunter world.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Perfected by Katie Jarvik Birch


18630496
Page Count: 304
Published on: July 1, 2014
Published by: Entangled Teen
Genre(s): YA, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Romance, Fantasy
Source: Paperback - Borrowed from Julia
Age Rating: PG-13
Where To Find ItGoodreads // Amazon
Twitter: @katejarvikbirch

My Rating: 2 stars











Goodreads synopsis:

Perfection comes at a price.

As soon as the government passed legislation allowing humans to be genetically engineered and sold as pets, the rich and powerful rushed to own beautiful girls like Ella. Trained from birth to be graceful, demure, and above all, perfect, these “family companions” enter their masters’ homes prepared to live a life of idle luxury.

Ella is happy with her new role as playmate for a congressman’s bubbly young daughter, but she doesn’t expect Penn, the congressman’s handsome and rebellious son. He’s the only person who sees beyond the perfect exterior to the girl within. Falling for him goes against every rule she knows… and the freedom she finds with him is intoxicating.

But when Ella is kidnapped and thrust into the dark underworld lurking beneath her pampered life, she’s faced with an unthinkable choice. Because the only thing more dangerous than staying with Penn’s family is leaving… and if she’s unsuccessful, she’ll face a fate far worse than death.

For fans of Kiera Cass’ Selection series and Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden series, Perfected is a chilling look at what it means to be human, and a stunning celebration of the power of love to set us free, wrapped in a glamorous—and dangerous—bow.



~~~

Hey, guys!

      I read this book a few weeks ago and I wasn't impressed. I actually started this book on the last day of my senior year. I was looking at the new books that my school library was about to put into the library collection and I picked this book up and started reading it for the last half hour of my school day. I got maybe 50 pages in and had to put it down because I was about to leave high school forever. I then picked it back up in September and finished it unsatisfied.

      Perfected is a strange mix of The Chemical Gardens trilogy by Lauren DeStephano, The Selection series by Kiera Cass, and the Matched trilogy mixed together. The concept of this novel was really intriguing, but the overall result was kind of a mess. It was way too simple and the characters were insanely unrealistic. The whole plot was definitely not extreme enough for the situation and I wasn't impressed at all. On top of that, so many important potential plot points were skipped or glossed over. It resulted in plot holes, but it was a really quick read. 

      Ella, the main character, was so dumb...Ella was treated like a dog the whole time, but I felt like it wasn't even an extreme situation so I wasn't angry about it. She had no idea that the situation that she was in was wrong, but after she was told by 2 or 3 people, she automatically started rebelling a little bit. She never thought for herself and all of her actions were all just stupid. 

     There were also quite a few characters that had the potential to be really awesome side characters. I felt like they had the potential to have awesome and more extensive roles in the story, but again. Details were glossed over and important bits were left out. 

      Let's talk about the "romance"! It was kind of a mess. It was very Stockholm Syndrome-esque and it just made me really angry. It was so insta-lovey and irrational. 

I've read so many dystopian novels and I know what good qualities are in the books that I loved. This was just a real let down for me, and I wish that I liked it more. Ella never wanted to be free. She just wanted to fulfill what was expected of her. She wasn't a badass, she was naive and annoying as heck.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

October Wrap Up



Hey, guys!

      It's been a really busy month, but I've managed to read 4 books this month. I actually didn't realize that it was the end of the month until I realized that Halloween was the end of the month....I know I'm that brain dead. Anyway one of the books that I read was for my literature class, so I guess it doesn't even count...Well, it does, but ugh. 



  1. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid ~ 3 stars
  2. Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi ~ 5 stars
  3. The Queen of Sheba by Jessica V. Barnett ~ 3 stars
  4. Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die #3) by Danielle Paige ~ 4 stars
+267 pages of Little Nothing by Marissa Silver
+85 pages of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (for class)

I've also read a butt-ton from my college textbooks and written over 100+ pages combined for notes for all of my classes. It's absolutely insane how much I do for my college classes, but so worth it...I suppose.

Reviews for the books without links will be going up soon!

Number of Pages Read: 1,411

Favorite Book Read: Yellow Brick War 
Least Favorite Book Read: The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Most Common Genre Read: Fantasy

Happy reading everyone! Comment down below your reading progress!

Olivia 
~LivTheBookNerd~
@LivTheBookNerd on AminoBooks

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

256683
Page Count: 485
Published on: March 27, 2007 
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genre(s): YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Fiction
Source: Paperback
Age Rating: PG-13
Where To Find ItGoodreads // Amazon
Twitter: @cassieclare

My Rating: stars










Goodreads synopsis:

      When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

      This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 

      Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.



~~~

Hey, guys!

      So, I'm finally going to binge read the Mortal Instruments series...I know! Finally! I've actually read City of Bones before, but I don't think I read it completely. I think I read a good chunk before I accidentally returned it to the library. I actually bought the first two books in paperback a while back and just never got to rereading City of Bones and reading City of Ashes at all. I'm so glad that I've read them now because...wow...I've been missing out on a great series and the fandom is so large and diverse. I can't wait to finish the series and to be able to join in the craziness. I don't want to be spoiled anymore on Tumblr guys! Anyway here are my main thoughts on the book. 

      City of Bones follows Clary Fray as she encounters strange people called Shadowhunters. People who hunt demons and protect humans from the evil things of the world. Clary's mother soon goes missing and Clary is pulled into the world of the Shadowhunters. This book was so addicting and I couldn't put it down. It was a great book to read during the first week of college. It's too bad that I don't have time to binge read anymore....

      I really loved the whole aspect of this book. The characters were so hilarious and the plot was really gripping and addicting. I really loved the chapters where Jace was narrating. I really enjoyed his character. He's such an ass, but he's endearing at the same time. He's one of the people that I feel like I would be really great friends with. 

      The supporting characters and minor characters were all really nicely written too. I really enjoyed the little bits with Alec, Isabelle, and Magnus. I see a really great ship when it comes to Magnus and Alec. I cannot wait for the rest of the series and The Bane Chronicles. I kinda ship Clary and Jace, but I'm kinda eh about it right now...I can't wait to get more of an explanation when it comes to books 3-6.

My review for City of Ashes will be coming really soon, so stay tuned!

Other Cassie Clare Books Reviewed:

Happy reading!
Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~
@LivTheBookNerd on Books