Monthly Wrap-Up: Just a Jazzy January

Welcome to my first monthly wrap-up! Why not start with these as the new year sweeps by? January had its ups and downs, but the majority of the books I read were quite enjoyable. I also started cross-posting some reviews from Goodreads because I actually like some of the ramblings I post on there (lol).

As I said on Twitter, school basically lit a fire up my butt and is roasting me alive. I’m not even kidding. Each week I’m inundated with tests, and I have major projects (called Internal Assessments) that call for my attention. In class we don’t really do much, but then we get to tests and it’s like a bomb has been dropped. Thus, my peers and I have been teaching ourselves haha. My days are basically filled with school, extracurriculars, and books/blogging.

• Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan – This was a dark, twisty retelling of Rapunzel. The romance was absolutely delightful, although I didn’t really learn much about the world.
  4 stars
• Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins – Featuring a time-traveling romance, this one brought upon a bunch of feels. It also has a mystery to be solved and a bittersweet ending.
  3 stars
• Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto – If you’re looking for a unique, western read, then definitely hit this one up. The western-magic fusion is just thrilling from beginning to end.
  4 stars
• The Rose Society by Marie Lu – A solid sequel for the Young Elites trilogy. Adelina is spiraling into the darkness and no one is there to stop her… or is there?
  4 stars
• The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry – Absolutely stunning debut that features a romance that spans time and space. Despite the beautiful writing, the ending left a bit to be desired.
  4 stars
• This Love by Nazarea Andrews – I was so pissed at this NA featuring not only a student/teacher relationship (I could work with that), but a love interest that was still married. The moment I read that, I was ready to get out ASAP.
  DNF
• Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire – This book was definitely a disaster, no doubt! The appalling writing and equally appalling romance makes me wonder why this is so popular.
  DNF
• Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover – One of the ugliest romances I’ve ever read. The review is filled with gifs of people making gagging faces, which was mine while reading this one.
  1 star
• The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson – If you haven’t picked up this trilogy, THEN THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU. Just kidding; I’d highly recommend you to check it out for your next fantasy read. I think it’s ruined all other fantasies for me.
  5 fantastic stars for all three books

I also reviewed these books on Happy Indulgence:

• Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell – This dark twist of Peter Pan features a total swoon-inducing pirate love interest, but a weak-willed main character. It’s Neverland like you’ve never seen before!
  4 stars
• Starflight by Melissa Landers – A SCIENCE FICTION READ THAT IS FANTASMIC. The characters were charming, the plot extremely exhilarating, and the setting just takes you outta this world.
  5 stars
• These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas – Historical fiction that features a supernatural twist! The subtle romance and mystery plot makes it a fun read set in 18th century England.
  4 stars

 

Swoon Thursday

• Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan – “He made me feel extraordinary and beautiful.”
• The Shadow Queen by CJ Redwine – “Heat that had nothing to do with his dragon’s fire filled him, pressing against his chest like he’d swallowed the sun, and he couldn’t breathe without taking in her scent.”

Fanart Friday

• You Light Up My World + Art Process – I loved Starflight so much I drew the main couple and explained how I usually do my arts.

Discussion

• Chatterbox: Staying True To Your Heart… And Your Ratings – In which I discuss the different factors that could change your ratings.
• Sugar Daddies: The Truth Behind Your Immortal Book Boyfriends – A rant about love interests that are either centuries years old or immortal… definitely a trope I’m not a fan of.

Blog Tours

• Passenger by Alexandra Bracken – I take you on an actual tour of the destinations of the book!

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That’s it for this month! You guys holding up okay so far in 2016? I’m so prepared for all the awesome books coming out in February!