T5W: Books from Before You Joined

Top 5 Wednesday is a great Goodreads group with a new topic each week. Check out my original post for more information!

This weeks topic for Top 5 Wednesday is Books from Before you Joined________. These are some of your favorite books from before you joined the online book community, whether that be booktube, goodreads, blogs, bookstagram, twitter, tumblr, etc.

1. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling – This is a given. I have grown up with Harry Potter. The first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was published in 1997 when I was 9. I remember reading each book as they were published. I grew with the characters and have very fond memories reading them. Then, going to every movie with my dad when they came out in theaters. Even the last few when I was moved out of the house, we made it a date to go together.

2. 1984 by George Orwell – This was a required reading in high-school. I think I've re-read the book 3 or 4 times since then.

3. Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan – I loved Rick’s first books in the world with Camp Half-Blood. I didn’t join the book community until 2013 and not actively until the past year or so.

4. Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer – I have to say these books and the House of Night series got me back into reading after college destroyed my love for it.

5. Berenstain Bears by Stan and Jan Berenstain – Yes, these were my favorite children's books. I think we had them all! I loved reading these with my sister and brother. We used to play school and I read them as a teacher.

What is on your list? Comment below!

Review: The Sun is Also a Star

Hey everyone! It's been a hot minute since I last posted a book review. I have been in a killer reading slump. But, I think I am doing better. So, I have decided to revamp my reviews a bit and shorten them to more of a chatty review. Let me know what you think. 

Title: The Sun is Also a Star

Author: Nicola Yoon

Page Count: 348

Genre: YA Contemorary, Romance, Fiction

Controversial Topics: Inter-racial relationships, illegal immigration

Rating: 3/5 stars

"If people who were actually born here had to prove they were worthy enough to live in America, this would be a much less populated country"

Summary

Two young people with a busy day ahead of themselves find each other running into one another throughout the day. Is it coincidence or fate? Natasha, a complete science/facts person, is being deported within 12 hours and Daniel, the hopeless romantic/dreamer, has an interview to determine his entire future. How will the next 12 hours play out? 

First Thought

Well it wasn't Everything, Everything. 

I know I shouldn't automatically judge this book based on Nicola Yoon's other book, but I do. I was really hoping that the mixed reviews were wrong and I'd love this more than the other. I think the unlikeliness that two young people would have "insta-love" in 12 hours really threw me off. 

I did enjoy the POV's of others within Natasha and Daniel's lives. I think I was more attached to side characters though. I just wasn't fond of Natasha and her crusty attitude. Daniel, the hopeless romantic, was an easy to love character. I felt the character development had so many holes and really could have been amazing. I was also completely expecting the ending... can't say more about that.

"Maybe part of falling in love with someone else is also falling in love with yourself."

Now, don't get me wrong, it is a cute contemporary and I don't regret the read. It was light and I enjoyed it. I wouldn't purchase this book for my collection, but it's worth a rental at the library. 

Have you read The Sun is Also a Star? What were your thoughts on it? Post any reviews below, I'd love to check them out. 

Read-A-Thon ALERT (08/21/7 - 08/27/17)

Did you hear? There’s a read-a-thon happening this week on Goodreads! Lindsay is hosting the read-a-thon via a Goodreads group. Head on over and join in the fun. There aren’t any specific challenges or goals, but everyone is adding their own. I have been in such a reading slump I hope this helps me get out of it!

Here are my very light goals for the week (08/21/17-08/27/17):

1. Read at least 800 pages.
2. Read a book by a new to me author.
3. Read every day.

Do you have any reading goals, reading slump suggestions, or read-a-thon tips? Check out my tips posted during the Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon a while back. 

T5W: Character's Fitness Routines You Want

Top 5 Wednesday is a great Goodreads group with a new topic each week. Check out my original post for more information! 

This week's topic is Character's Fitness Routines You Want! Think super powers, adventures, and athleticism. Here are my top 5. 

1. Quidditch - Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: I would want to be a Seeker! Or any player of a Quidditch team to be honest. I mean who wouldn’t love flying around on a broom chasing a ball? Yes please!!

2. Camp and Battles - Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan: I’d love to workout at Camp Half Blood. Learning to battle, capture the flag, and all the other camp sports. How fun?!

3. Workout Sitting - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: Sit in a chair and workout in a video game. That would be the lazy way out, but I would enjoy it. P.S. Movie adaptation is coming out next year!

4. Hiking - Wild by Cheryl Strayed: It would be such an adventure to walk the Pacific Crest Trail. I’d make sure I had the right shoes though. (If you've read it you know what I mean)

5. Running - Maze Runner by James Dashner: The runners are amazing! They run through the maze all day long without tiring. Like seriously, I can’t even run a block. 

Do you have any other fitness routines that you would want to have? Post them below. Also, link up your post for T5W in the comments.

Been MIA

Hello fellow book peeps! I have been completely out of the book world for the past few months. I haven't been reading even. Terrible I know! I've been in a serious rut. I am hoping to jump back in head first the next few weeks. If you all have suggestions for getting out of a reading slump... please let me know!

T5W: Favorite Minor Characters

For this week's Top 5 Wednesday topic is Favorite Minor Characters. Minor characters are less than a sidekick or a side character (but not in our hearts!) Everyone will have a different definition of what makes a minor vs. a side character.


These are those characters that I wish had more part in their stories...

1. Rue - Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Rue was only in the series for the first book, but was one of my favorite characters. She was everyone's sister. I loved all that she stood for and the way her and Katniss developed their relationship.
2. Daito and Shoto - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: Brothers in the book, both Daito and Shoto assist in finding the keys to the Halliday's easter egg. I loved their quirkiness and involvement throughout the book. I am beyond excited for the movie that comes out on March 30, 2018.
3. Emmitt Cullen - Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer: Emmitt is such a great brother character. Always joking with everyone and being there for everyone really showed how much of a family man he was. He always watched out for everyone else and seemed to be a big teddy bear of sorts.
4. Luna Lovegood - Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: Luna is such a fun and goofy character. I loved her individuality throughout the book. Although we don't see her a lot through the series, I feel her role is pretty important to the overall story.
5. Julian Jacos - Red Queen Trilogy by Victoria Aveyard: Julian was a beloved father figure for Mare. I enjoyed his kindness and loving nature, even with his apparent hidden messages. I'd love to see more characters like him.

For more information on Top 5 Wednesday, please see my original post.


If you posted a T5W please share below. If you didn't, comment your favorite minor characters below.

T5W - Books as Event Themes

This week's #T5W topic is Books as Event Themes. It's party season, whether that is high school prom, weddings, or summer holiday events. What books would make a good party/event theme??

For more information on Top 5 Wednesdays, see my original post.

1. Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling : I think any party with a HP theme would be amazing. I plan to do this with a child I have, when I get to that point in my life haha.
2. Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak : Always a classic children's book. This would make a wonderful children's birthday party theme!
3. The Selection - Kiera Cass : Now this might sound strange, but when I read this series I thought of wedding gowns being worn all of the time. So more so just the idea of wedding gowns.
4. Inheart - Cornelia Funke : Of course the love of books makes me want to have a party about books! I love the idea of reading characters out of the book. I think a birthday party with all different characters and books everywhere would be splendid.
5. Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis : I love the world of Narnia! This would be so fun to host a party/gathering or a birthday party. I would really rather find Narnia myself sometime!  

Book Traveling Thursdays

I am going to attempt to post the Book Traveling Thursdays topics. These will be short and sweet posts. To see the original group check out Book Traveling Thursdays on goodreads.

 

Here’s how it works:

• Pick a book! At the beginning of every month a list of themes will be posted. All you have to do is choose a book that fits the theme.
• In your blog post, the first thing you will want to include is an explanation of why your chosen book fits the theme.
• Look at covers from multiple editions and multiple countries for the book you chose.
• Finally, include pictures of the original cover, the cover from your country (if their are multiple covers from your country include all of them!), your favorite cover, and your least favorite cover.
• Be sure to tag your posts with booktravelingthursdays so we can all see each others posts!

Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon

Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon is only a few days away! It begins on Saturday April 29 at 7 a.m. CT and runs through Sunday April 30 at 7 a.m. CT. I am undecided if I will be reading for the whole time, but it’s not about reading for 24 hours straight, it’s about spending some time reading on that day and interacting with others. Search the #deweys24hourreadathon on Instagram to talk with others. There are a few challenges going around as well. I am hoping to use my Instagram too @kanksbooklife. Add me if you haven’t yet!


I thought I’d provide some suggestions/tips to help you through the readathon.

1. Let others know you are doing it so they can either participate or leave you alone.
2. Make sure you have snacks, drinks, food to avoid being interrupted.
3. Don’t do too much. If you normally don’t read for hours at a time, then don’t start now.
4. Get up and move around to avoid aches and pains.
5. Don’t choose a 500 page book. You might get bored and put in a reading slump.

What books are you planning to read?

Review: Half Bad

The Details

Title: Half Bad

Author: Sally Green

Genre: YA Fantasy

Length: 394 pages

Release Date: March 4, 2014

Medium: Hardcover

Rating: 3.5/5

Pace: Medium

Stand-alone or Series: Book 1 of the Half Bad Trilogy

“I couldn’t ever touch anything as bad as you.”

The Goodreads Synopsis

Wanted by no one. Hunted by everyone.

Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive.

The Review

I found many controversial topics throughout this book. First, there is both black and white witches. The black witches are hunted and killed. Second, the slavery and abuse was evident throughout the entire story. Nathan is known as a half code, his father is the most wanted black witch in history and his mother is white. His struggle with knowing who he was and dealing with how bad he was seen was engaging and interesting. I was annoyed with the cage he lived in throughout the book and was so upset when he was bullied.

THIS BOOK IS NOT ABOUT MAGIC! I repeat, the book is not like Harry Potter or any other magical books you may have loved. There’s some reference to the witches different abilities, but nothing detailed. Maybe the rest of the trilogy covers this more?

The Characters

Nathan, the main character, was an alright character. He was the one everyone hated, the black sheep of the family. He did hold his own throughout the book.

Honestly, I don’t have a bunch of character names to list as they all blended together. I know there was the council that was against him and tried everything to get rid of him. Their kids were just as horrible. Then Nathan’s family, was also a bunch of jerks. Except his lone brother that tried to be there for him.

The Style

The style of the book was odd to me. At first, I thought I was reading it the way it was because the main character wasn’t educated. But some parts of the book are well written, while others are as if a second grader wrote it. I enjoyed the first chunk and the ending, but the middle was slow and lacked something, I am not sure what that something is, but it put me in a reading slump.

The Recommendation

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a different kind of witch tale. Be on the lookout for some triggers though: whites/blacks, slavery, bullying, and suicide.