Book Review: The Channeler by Jenna Ryan

Goodreads Synopsis

“I was stuck. Stuck in an endless dream, watching a terrible future I was powerless to change.

Or was I? What if I could change the future? Could I ignore that kind of power?

And if I did–what would I become?”

Caleb Swift knows he’s a complicated guy. He sees the unseeable: winged beings that haunt both his dreams and his waking visions. He knows the unknowable: horrifying visions of countless unspeakable futures he feels powerless to prevent. And if that weren’t bad enough, these potent revelations might be driving him insane.

Who needs that kind of trouble?

Not Caleb. He’s doing his best to live a totally uncomplicated life, to ignore the visions of doom that hound him relentlessly. But no matter what he does, one particular vision still plagues him. The one with the girl. The girl who’s in mortal danger (or will be soon). The girl only he can save.

Now Caleb has a choice. To ignore his gift, to live the ordinary life he so desperately desires, even if it means letting her die…

Or to act. To interfere. To become extraordinary. And let one girl’s future turn his present completely upside-down.

Read what everyone’s saying about The Channeler:

“A captivating novel of courage and insight, The Channeler keeps the reader’s attention transfixed to the final page.” – The Midwest Book Review

Fans of Harry Potter by JK Rowling, The Hunger Games by ‎Suzanne Collins, Red Rising by Pierce Brown, Renegades by Marissa Meyer, The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker, Ghosts I Have Known by Nhys Glover, and Going Bovine by Libba Bray are sure to enjoy The Channeler.

You’ll love Jenna Ryan’s Continuum Series if you enjoy reading:

Fantasy
Science-Fiction
Adventure
Romance
New Adult Fiction/Adult Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
YA Fantasy


I received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

What first caught my eye about this book was the synopsis. It pulled me in immediately and I didn’t think twice about wanting to review it. Caleb Swift has been experiencing visions of the future his entire life, he sees things that others can’t so when new events come to light, changing his life as he knows it, he takes it all with stride. Not complaining or second guessing anything, mind you. Caleb is 21 but as I was reading it didn’t feel that way. This book read more like a teen fiction than a YA and I felt like a lot of the situations for almost ‘forced’ in a way. Every time I’d be reading forgetting that these are 21 year olds and then they’d mention something and it’d be weird because I’m like: ‘but they’re kids’.

The writing of this book was really good and at the end of the day that is what kept bringing me back. The plot wasn’t all that great and this entire book was a build up. Hardly anything happened in this book until literally the last chapter which I wish wasn’t the case as I was hoping for more action before this mild storm we encountered. I felt that a lot of things that happened in this book wasn’t necessary and was more a waste of time. This book started out with a bang, with excitement and a promise of a good time but instead I spent most of the read wondering where these promised bad guys were. We’re seeing everything through visions and it’s not happening in the real world. This book is the epitome of slow build not to mention the plot holes. Many things were rushed over as a means of a quick explanation and that was it.

This whole review sounded quite negative and I didn’t mean for that but opinions and feelings came out. I did like the characters in this book and I liked what they brought to the table. Angelic beings and people with powers is not a new thing but I still finished this book because I was curious and I like fantasy. There’s not much to say on character or plot development since we basically stayed in the same time frame for most of the story.

The author really knows how to keep you in front of the page and I appreciate that. I would like to see where she goes with the story because of where we left off. Hopefully it won’t come at us with such a rush.

Thanks for the opportunity granted. 
Read: 16 June 2019

Rating: 3 stars
Publication Date: 18 January 2019

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Link to Author’s Goodreads Page: Jenna Ryan

2019 Updates and Current Struggle(s)

Hey there guys, how ya been?

I know I’ve been gone for a long time – minus those recent uploads- and I’m trying to change that. As most of you know I started a new job last November and it’s really taught me what multitasking actually is.

So I don’t plan to make many changes on the blog but I have been missing my regular schedule. I don’t post as much as I did before because I’m not reading as much either. I hardly watch movies so I can’t even do my Book vs. Movie segment. Time is non-existent to me at this point. I wanted to be independent and have a job and this was the result…

the mindy project facepalm GIF by HULU

I registered for my 2nd year at college but I still haven’t heard anything in regards to confirmation but I’ve been told to go ahead with my practicals as normal as that is a crucial part and I can’t have unnecessary delays. I did pretty well last year (6 distinctions in total) but I hope to do better this year so I need to work extra hard in regards to that.

I don’t want to continue pushing my blog aside because I started it to find others like me and I have so I’m going to try to not make too many major sacrifices this year.

I’m already doing outlines for reviews so here’s to those being up soon.

I’m going to try harder guys. For myself as well because this blog has allowed me to express myself completely and I want to keep doing that.

Strongs,
-Caron xx

 

2018 Book Haul

So delayed but okay. I guess this is what having a job feels like… 🙈🙈

I’ve gotten my paws on 24 books this year and that includes one of my books from years ago that I thought was missing (I have since decided to unhaul that book).
Unfinished

Justice League: Gods & Monsters - Wonder Woman (2015) #1 Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #3) 36436076

Read

Give Me Five (The Princess Diaries, #5) Sixsational (The Princess Diaries, #6) 31194576 131121

Unread

Girl in Pieces The Bazaar of Bad Dreams Tales Of The Greek Heroes (Film Tie In) Forever Odd (Odd Thomas #2) Spirit Walker (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, #2) Carve the Mark (Carve the Mark, #1) 2888620 The Gift of the Deer The Walking Stick Stargazer 6150 32418 12125008Picture 1 of 4 Apetown 18273646 12300970 Time Machine & The War of the Worlds Complete & Unabridged Classic Library

Condensed Books:

First Train to Babylon

Out of Africa

Life Among the Savages

The Searchers

Current Tally: 366*

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*counting the four condensed books separately. Will consider getting the full book if I liked what I read.

A Sad and Heartbreaking Book UNhaul

A little while ago I was sad to be separated from all my books. There was almost an entire continent between us but we were once again reunited and a few months ago I had them all in my possession. At the time it was 378 books and all of them were accounted for. I had to pack them back up though because I didn’t have place to put them anywhere but I recently took them out of storage again but this time for another reason entirely. I decided to do away with a few of my books. Mind you, the idea was to get rid of 20 maybe 30 books but the final total off my list in the end is 97. Can you believe it, 97 out of my 383 books will be gone.

Before I go down a spiral filled with tears and anguish, let’s get this unhaul started.

  1. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
  2. Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
  3. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  4. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
  5. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
  6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
  7. Stolen by Lucy Christopher
  8. Heidi (adapted) by Lisa Church
  9. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
  10. The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer
  11. The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer
  12. The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer
  13. The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
  14. The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
  15. The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer
  16. The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer
  17. WARP: The Reluctant by Eoin Colfer
  18. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
  19. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
  20. The Death Cure by James Dashner
  21. The Kill Order by James Dashner
  22. Astonishing X-Men: Gifted by Peter David
  23. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
  24. Hinterkind Vol.1 by Ian Edginton
  25. Angelfall by Susan Ee
  26. World After by Susan Ee
  27. End of Days by Susan Ee
  28. Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
  29. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
  30. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green
  31. Paper Towns by John Green
  32. Looking for Alaska by John Green
  33. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
  34. The Enemy by Charlie Higson
  35. The Dead by Charlie Higson
  36. The Fear by Charlie Higson
  37. The Sacrifice by Charlie Higson
  38. The Fallen by Charlie Higson
  39. Torn by Amanda Hocking
  40. Zodiac Girls: Discount Diva by Cathy Hopkins
  41. Iron Man: Extremis by Marie Javins
  42. Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella
  43. New Avengers: Breakout by Alisa Kwitney
  44. W.I.T.C.H #1 by Elizabeth Lenhard
  45. W.I.T.C.H #2 by Elizabeth Lenhard
  46. W.I.T.C.H #3 by Elizabeth Lenhard
  47. W.I.T.C.H#4 by Elizabeth Lenhard
  48. W.I.T.C.H#5 by Elizabeth Lenhard
  49. Proxy by Alex London
  50. Guardian by Alex London
  51. Legend by Marie Lu
  52. Prodigy by Marie Lu
  53. The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas
  54. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
  55. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
  56. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
  57. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
  58. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
  59. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
  60. Unravel Me Tahereh Mafi
  61. Ignite Me Tahereh Mafi
  62. Destroy Me Tahereh Mafi
  63. Fracture Me Tahereh Mafi
  64. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
  65. Dead to You by Lisa McMann
  66. Wish You Were Here (And I Wasn’t) by Colin Mcnaughton
  67. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
  68. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
  69. Cress by Marissa Meyer
  70. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  71. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
  72. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
  73. One Day by David Nicholls
  74. The Perfect Man by Sheila O’Flanagan
  75. Bad Behaviour by Sheila O’Flanagan
  76. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
  77. Requiem by Lauren Oliver
  78. Secret Lives by Gabriella Poole
  79. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
  80. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
  81. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
  82. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
  83. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
  84. Daughters of Arabia by Jean Sasson
  85. Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
  86. The Awakening by L.J. Smith
  87. The Struggle by L.J. Smith
  88. The Fury by L.J. Smith
  89. The Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith
  90. The Return: Nightfall by L.J. Smith
  91. The Return: Shadow Souls by L.J. Smith
  92. The Return: Midnight by L.J. Smith
  93. He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccilo
  94. Pivot Point by Kasie West
  95. Split Second by Kasie West
  96. Love Lessons by Jacqueline Wilson
  97. The Optimist’s/Pessimist’s Handbook: A companion to hope and despair

The list was a lot longer than I intended for it to be but as I packed out my books I added more and more to the unhaul pile. I’ve read 98% of these books and the reason I’m not keeping them is because either I wasn’t a fan of them while I read it or I don’t plan to ever pick it up again. Some of these I do feel like I’d read again but the way my life is set up, I don’t have time to read books that I’ve already read.

My plan is to sell some of these books so I’ll be making an Instagram/Gumtree account or something for that but I also want to donate a few to the Cape Town Central Library. I’ve already asked them if they have space for books and they said I could bring it by any time so that would be happening towards the end of the year.

Doing this breaks my heart but at the same I feel that the books deserve to go to someone who will appreciate them for the precious gifts they are. I haven’t been reading much these days because of my schedule and that’s sad so it’s best to pass them over to someone else.

All I ask is that the books be treated with the greatest care because that’s how I’ve treated them from the moment they were in my possession.

Thank you for taking this long but sad journey with me.

Caron xx

Book Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the TrainGoodreads Synopsis

THE RUNAWAY SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLER AND THRILLER OF THE YEAR

‘Really great suspense novel. Kept me up most of the night. The alcoholic narrator is dead perfect’ STEPHEN KING

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.

Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.

Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train… 


This book was all the rage a few years ago and even more so when the movie came out in 2016. I didn’t immediately jump on the band wagon but since this review exists, jump I did.

The Girl on the Train focuses on Rachel Watson and the lives of the people she observes through the train window. It sounds creepy and stalker-y and believe me, it is all that and more. There is always a danger about books that become so popular, they toe the line with being overhyped. This is one of those books. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just it didn’t do anything for me.

I feel like Rachel as a character was all over the place. Some of the things she did barely made sense. She was in need of some help and I didn’t fault the other characters for pushing her aside time after time. There was a point in the book where I wanted the story to continue but from someone else’s POV because Rachel felt a bit like an unreliable narrator…except that she wasn’t. But we were at a constant battle of whether or not to believe if she was telling the truth.

The writing was excellent and I enjoyed it very much. It was what made me want to continue the book after all. Did I hate this book? No, of course not. The story? Nope, it was rather interesting actually but I was promised a psychological thriller and it’s my opinion that I did not receive what was promised. There was not a thrill in sight.

This was my first book by Paula Hawkins and while this wasn’t the greatest first read by an author, I am in no way turned off from her other works. Into the Water is still very high on my To Read list at the moment.

I’m willing to give Hawkins another chance but maybe look only at the plot and the wiring and not focus on the genre so much. I don’t regret this read and I do recommend it to those looking for something interesting to pass the time.

 

Read: 10 February 2018
Rating: ★★★

Publication Date: 3 May 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens Books
Link to Author’s Goodreads Page: Sarah J. Maas

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Movie/TV Show vs. Book (#44): Through the Looking Glass

The Book

83346

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871[1]) is a novel by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865). Set six months later than the earlier book, Alice again enters a fantastical world, this time by climbing through a mirror into the world that she can see beyond it.

Source: Wikipedia
Image Source: Goodreads

I decided to rad this book even though I wasn’t a fan of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Even though I’m that crazy about this book either, I must admit that I liked it a lot more. Alice was a bit older and I enjoyed the journey she went on quite a bit. I wouldn’t have read this book but because it’s part of a bind-up I felt that I needed to otherwise I was being unfair to my book collection (I’ve always been this strange, yes).

The Movie

Image result for through the looking glassAlice Through the Looking Glass is a 2016 American fantasy adventure film directed by James Bobin, written by Linda Woolverton and produced by Tim BurtonJoe RothSuzanne Todd, and Jennifer Todd. It is based on the characters created by Lewis Carroll and is the sequel to the 2010 film Alice in Wonderland. The film stars Johnny DeppAnne HathawayMia WasikowskaMatt LucasRhys IfansHelena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen and features the voices of Stephen FryMichael SheenTimothy Spall, and Alan Rickman.

Source: Wikipedia
Image Source: Google Images

I didn’t know what to expect from the movie but it was really the trailer that made me interested in it. Given that this was Alan Rickman’s last ‘movie’, I found it very difficult to actually sit down and watch it. Once I did though…I couldn’t stop watching! The CGI, the storyline, the acting…everything was amazing. I actually cried (because of the above mentioned) and had a moment of silence after the movie was over.

The Decision

I think it’s obvious what I’m going to choose. If it isn’t, it’s the movie. I feel like it was a lot more real than the book. I felt a lot more connected to the characters while actually seeing the story play out.

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Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)Goodreads

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.


I almost started this book over because I wasn’t feeling that initial excitement anymore but I decided to push on and push through. It has seriously taken me over a year to finish this book. I’ve been so ridiculously busy since I got back to SA that I decided to pick the book up again during exam time. Such a smart idea.

This book started off great. We picked up where we left off in ACOMAF and the excitement kept building. I was eager to see where the road was going to take us and how much more heartbreak I could take. SJM still remains a queen and I think I can forgive her for breaking my heart yet again because her comebacks are always so perfectly executed.

One thing I must say is that popular opinion got to me. I bought this book the day it was released and started it immediately. I should have waited because I was only a few pages in before I decided to ‘put it on hold’. There were moments here and there that I felt I could do with some more excitement (and this was during the battles- I admit a skim read some paragraphs) but everything else was perfection. There was slightly too much focus on Feyre and Rhysand’s relationship which I thought was a bit much. We covered that in ACOMAF so I wasn’t expecting much more of it. It was a big book though (699 pages is quite a good amount) so there was enough time to touch on the familial bonds that were made, the other High Lords as well as the battle we were all waiting for.

I was really impressed at all the character development that took place; some later than others but it happened nonetheless. I’m really liking Nesta though. I didn’t pay much attention to her before because my OTP was being awesome at everything, but she was so amazing. I love her lack of…emotion. The fact that her expression is stone cold most of the time and that she always acts as protector. She had the most development in my opinion. She’s possibly my favourite character in this series at this point. Please see my post about the characters I dislike the most here to get a feel of how I feel about Tamlin.

I had many ups and downs with reading this book. There was a it of a slump in the middle before leading to the build-up before the climax. This is the end of the trilogy for me as I do not see myself reading A Court of Frost of Starlight (I’m still considering it). The lower rating for this book is that while I liked this book, I did not love it and I felt that even giving it 3.5 instead of a solid 3 stars was being generous.

Reviews of other books in this trilogy:

 

Read: 16 October 2018
Rating: ★★★.5

Publication Date: 2 May 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens Books
Link to Author’s Goodreads Page: Sarah J. Maas

Movie/TV Show vs. Book (#43): Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

The Book

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #1)

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a dark fantasy debut novel by American author Ransom Riggs. It is a story of a boy who, following a horrific family tragedy, follows clues that take him to an abandoned children’s home on a Welsh island. The story is told through a combination of narrative and vernacular photographs from the personal archives of collectors listed by the author.

Source: Wikipedia
Image Source: Goodreads

I was extremely reluctant to read this book because I’d seen the pictures and I wasn’t having any of that. Because I can’t resist bargains, I found the hardcover for a pretty good price so I decided to take the risk and buy it. When I finally managed to pick up the book I ended up finishing it in less than a day and came out loving it! I have to be honest and admit that it was the trailer for the movie that convinced me to read the book. I found the idea of this book to be so amazing that I fell in love from the first page. I bought the second book as soon as I loved that one just as much, if not more.

The Movie

Image result for miss peregrine's home for peculiar children movie

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a 2016 American dark fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and written by Jane Goldman, based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Ransom Riggs. The film stars Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Chris O’Dowd, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, Ella Purnell with Judi Dench and Samuel L. Jackson.

Source: Wikipedia
Image Source: Google Images

Okay so let’s get this out of the way first, the movie was nothing like the book. There were so many changes that I wondered if it was even adapted from the book it claimed to be from. Nevertheless, I can’t deny that this movie was excellent. The visuals and those few changes did a lot of good and I was super freaked out while reading the book so I’m glad I had a few shocks here and there while watching the movie.

The Decision

I choose the book for this one. I finished it in a few short hours and I had to pause because reading something that’s intended to freak you out at 3am is not a good idea. I have absolutely nothing against the movie, it’s just that I liked the book more.

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Expected Releases for November 2018

Goodreads synopsis included.

6 November 

Archenemies (Renegades, #2)

Archenemies (Renegades, #2) by Marissa Meyer

The Renegades Trilogy continues, in this fiercely awaited second installment after the New York Times-bestselling Renegades by Marissa Meyer, author of the Lunar Chronicles.

Time is running out.
Together, they can save the world.
But they each other’s worst nightmare.

In Renegades, Nova and Adrian (aka Insomnia and Sketch) fought the battle of their lives against the Anarchist known as the Detonator. It was a short-lived victory.

The Anarchists still have a secret weapon, one that Nova believes will protect her. The Renegades also have a strategy for overpowering the Anarchists, but both Nova and Adrian understand that it could mean the end of Gatlon City – and the world – as they know it.

Goodreads|Amazon


When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of EgyptWhen Woman Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt by Kara Cooney

This riveting narrative explores the lives of six remarkable female pharaohs, from Hatshepsut to Cleopatra–women who ruled with real power–and shines a piercing light on our own perceptions of women in power today. 

Female rulers are a rare phenomenon–but thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt, women reigned supreme. Regularly, repeatedly, and with impunity, queens like Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, and Cleopatra controlled the totalitarian state as power-brokers and rulers. But throughout human history, women in positions of power were more often used as political pawns in a male-dominated society. What was so special about ancient Egypt that provided women this kind of access to the highest political office? What was it about these women that allowed them to transcend patriarchal obstacles? What did Egypt gain from its liberal reliance on female leadership, and could today’s world learn from its example?

Celebrated Egyptologist Kara Cooney delivers a fascinating tale of female power, exploring the reasons why it has seldom been allowed through the ages, and why we should care.

Goodreads|Amazon


40237741Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty 

Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty’s latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out…

Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.

Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer – or should she run while she still can?

It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.

Combining all of the hallmarks that have made her writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.

Goodreads|Amazon

***

13 November

Becoming

Becoming by Michelle Obama

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States.

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African-American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare. 

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. 

Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.

Goodreads|Amazon


36461446This Splintered Silence by Kayla Olson

Lindley Hamilton has been the leader of the space station Lusca since every first-generation crew member on board, including her mother, the commander, were killed by a deadly virus.

Lindley always assumed she’d captain the Lusca one day, but she never thought that day would come so soon. And she never thought it would be like this—struggling to survive every day, learning how to keep the Lusca running, figuring out how to communicate with Earth, making sure they don’t run out of food.

When a member of the surviving second generation dies from symptoms that look just like the deadly virus, though, Lindley feels her world shrinking even smaller. The disease was supposed to be over; the second generation was supposed to be immune. But as more people die, Lindley must face the terrifying reality that either the virus has mutated or something worse is happening: one of their own is a killer.

Goodreads|Amazon


39088552How She Died, How I lived by Mary Crockett

I was one of five. The five girls Kyle texted that day. The girls it could have been. Only Jamie–beautiful, saintly Jamie–was kind enough to respond. And it got her killed.

On the eve of Kyle’s sentencing a year after Jamie’s death, all the other “chosen ones” are coping in various ways. But our tenacious narrator is full of anger, stuck somewhere between the horrifying past and the unknown future as she tries to piece together why she gets to live, while Jamie is dead.

Now she finds herself drawn to Charlie, Jamie’s boyfriend–knowing all the while that their relationship will always be haunted by what-ifs and why-nots. Is hope possible in the face of such violence? Is forgiveness? How do you go on living when you know it could have been you instead?

Goodreads|Amazon

***

16 November

39330961

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling

At the end of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured in New York with the help of Newt Scamander. But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escapes custody and sets about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists Newt, his former Hogwarts student, who agrees to help once again, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

This second original screenplay from J.K. Rowling, illustrated with stunning line art from MinaLima, expands on earlier events that helped shaped the wizarding world, with some surprising nods to the Harry Potter stories that will delight fans of both the books and films.

Goodreads|Amazon

***

20 November

Fire & Blood

Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin

With all the fire and fury fans have come to expect from internationally bestselling author George R. R. Martin, this is the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens in Westeros.

Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen—the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria—took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.

What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why did it become so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What is the origin of Daenerys’s three dragon eggs? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed.

With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire and Blood is the ultimate game of thrones, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.

Goodreads|Amazon


38645136All the Lives We never Lived Anuradha Roy

From the Man Booker Prize-nominated author of Sleeping on Jupiter, The Folded Earth, and An Atlas of Impossible Longing, a poignant and sweeping novel set in India during World War II and the present-day about a son’s quest to uncover the truth about his mother. 

In my childhood, I was known as the boy whose mother had run off with an Englishman. The man was in fact German, but in small‑town India in those days, all white foreigners were largely thought of as British.

So begins the story of Myshkin and his mother, Gayatri, a rebellious, alluring artist who abandons parenthood and marriage to follow her primal desire for freedom.

Though freedom may be stirring in the air of India, across the world the Nazis have risen to power in Germany. At this point of crisis, a German artist from Gayatri’s past seeks her out. His arrival ignites passions she has long been forced to suppress.

What follows is her life as pieced together by her son, a journey that takes him through India and Dutch‑held Bali. Excavating the roots of the world in which he was abandoned, he comes to understand his long‑lost mother, and the connections between strife at home and a war‑torn universe overtaken by patriotism.

Anuradha Roy’s All the Lives We Never Lived is a spellbinding and emotionally powerful saga about family, identity, and love.

Goodreads|Amazon

***

27 November

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Let the Dead Keep Their Secrets (A Gilded Age Mystery, #3) by Rosemary Simpson

In Gilded Age New York, heiress Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter investigate crimes that take them from the slums of Five Points in lower Manhattan to the Fifth Avenue mansions of society’s elite. In the late nineteenth century, women are particularly vulnerable . . .
 
LET THE DEAD KEEP THEIR SECRETS
 
Childbirth can be dangerous even for the wealthy. So when opera singer Claire Buchanan shows Prudence and Geoffrey a postmortem cabinet photograph of her deceased twin sister and newborn niece, they express sadness but not surprise. The popular black-bordered portraits are the era’s way of coping with the devastating losses that plague every family. What makes this death different is that Claire is convinced Catherine and her child were murdered.
 
Prudence’s friend is haunted by a sense of her sister’s lingering presence, and by the conviction that her dead twin is demanding justice. Catherine’s widower, Aaron Sorensen, is a cold, controlling man who swiftly remarried. Now his second wife is already pregnant and may be in terrible danger. In order to discover the truth and find evidence of Sorensen’s guilt, Geoffrey will delve deep into his past while Prudence casts herself as his next victim—putting her own life at grave risk . . . 

Goodreads|Amazon

 

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Wrap-Up: February 2018 – October 2018 (and November TBR)

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February

The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

I did not enjoy this book. At all. The writing was awesome but the plot and the characters were ridiculous. The writing is the only reason I actually ended up finishing the book. I skim watched the movie as well for my Movie vs. Book segment. After finishing this book I immediately put it in the Unhaul pile. Review to come soon.

March

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Secret Wars 2099 #1 by Peter David

I like seeing different versions of secret wars and this futuristic one really caught my eye. For the life of me I can’t remember a thing so I’ll have to read through it again.

The Jetsons (2017-) #1 by Jimmy Palmiotti

I grew up knowing The Jetsons so when I saw this at the comic book store, I made sure I picked it up. This comic was interesting enough for me to want to continue the series because it ended with a bit of a cliff hanger.

Sixsational by Meg Cabot

I’m going to re-read this book because like a big dummy I didn’t make notes while reading this book (or did I?) so I can’t remember my feeling all too clearly. I know I liked it because I want the next book but a re-read is in order. Never a waste though because it’s The Princess Diaries.

Doctor Who: The Only Good Dalek by Justin Richards

I am familiar with Justin Richards’ work and I liked it but I haven’t read too many good Doctor Who comics so I was a bit skeptical going into this. I ended up liking the plot so it wasn’t a bad idea to pick it up. I don’t know if I’ll make it a habit to pick up comics from this fandom too often though.

Runaways: Pride & Joy by Brian K. Vaughan

I watched this before I started the series and thank goodness I did because I went in prepared and knowing who was who. Brian K. Vaughan never disappoints me and I’m actually interested in continuing this series.

Release by Patrick Ness

I can never turn down a Patrick Ness book and this one is even dearer to my heart because it was the first book my boyfriend bought for me. I loved everything about this book. It held that wonder of a Ness book and as you know, I tend not to read his synopsis because I believe his books are better when you know nothing.

September

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The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snickett

I’ve been hunting for this book everywhere…at a bargain price. I finally found it at one of the local bookstores for R20 and I’m hoping I get lucky and find the next one as well. I’m still so in love with this series. I feel like we’re nearing a breakthrough, guys.

October

23766634 Me Before You  (Me Before You, #1)

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

It took me more than a year to finish this book and I must say I still prefer ACOMAF overall. There were ups and downs throughout this book and by the end it was a ‘meh’ feeling for me. Review to come soon.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I really enjoyed this book, guys. It took me a bit of a while to finish it but I’m glad I made it to the end. I was starting to worry because I wasn’t crying as the other reviewers were but then…. I’m hoping to have the review up as soon as I can.

Total Read: 10 Books


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Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1) 6752378 Invader Zim Vol. 1 6150 29236380

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