Back in the Game with More Reading Challenges ☾

Hello everyone!
I know I've kind of abandoned this blog, but I'm back and starting it up once more, hoping to stick with it and update regularly.

I've been in a bit of a reading slump the past couple of months, and have just recently gotten out of that slump with some great books! It may be a little late in the year to start a reading challenge, but I'm going to count the books I've already completed toward this challenge, and hopefully this will keep me motivated to read more.

This is the POPSUGAR 2016 reading challenge! I attempted the 2015 version last year and unfortunately didn't complete it, but I'm much more determined this time around. I will be doubling up on some of the challenges, if a book happens to complete two or more. Here are the categories, and I will be crossing them off as I go:

• a book based on a fairy tale
• a National Book Award winner
• a YA bestseller
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• a book you haven't read since high school 
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• a book set in your home state (or country, given I live in Canada)
• a book translated to English
• a romance set in the future
• a book set in Europe
• a book that's under 150 pages
• Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling
• a New York Times bestseller
• a book that's becoming a movie this year
• a book recommended by someone you just met 
• a self-improvement book
• a book you can finish in a day 
• a book written by a celebrity 
• a political memoir 
• a book at least 100 years older than you
• a book that's more than 600 pages
• a book from Oprah's Book Club
• a science fiction novel 
• Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
• a book recommended by a family member
• a graphic novel 
• a book that is published in 2016
• The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
• a book with a protagonist who has your occupation
• a book that takes place during Summer
• a book and its prequel
• a murder mystery
• a book written by a comedian 
• a dystopian novel
• The 100 by Kass Morgan
• a book with a blue cover
• The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
• a book of poetry
• the first book you see in a bookstore
• a classic from the 20th century 
• a book from the library 
• an autobiography
• a book about a road trip
• a book about a culture you're unfamiliar with
• a satirical book
• a book that takes place on an island 
• a book that's guaranteed to bring you joy

Total Completed: 7/40

November Wrap-Up

I read a total of 6 novels and 1 short story during November!

1. The Cider House Rules by John Irving

My friend and I did a thing where we lent each other our favourite books, and this was one he gave me. He has incredible taste in books, let me tell you! This was so good! (A central theme in the novel is abortion though, so if you're not into reading about that, I wouldn't recommend it.)

Rating: ★★★★★

2. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

DON'T LET THE DUMB TITLE AND CHEESY COVER FOOL YOU. This is the second book in the companion series by Stephanie Perkins, the first one being Anna and the French Kiss. I read the first one forever ago and absolutely loved it, so I don't know why I picked this one up so late! I think I may have liked this one a little better than Anna, but they're both incredible. I seriously need to read the third one. 

Rating: ★★★★★

3. The Humans by Matt Haig

I did a full review on this book, so click here if you would like to know my thoughts!

Rating: ★★★★★

4. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

A short story I had to read for my lit class, and I really enjoyed it! Insightful, beautiful, and sends a good message about identity and what is worth holding on to. 

Rating: ★★★★

5. The Outsider by Albert Camus

Another book I had to read for class! I didn't really like any of the characters, but I did like the writing style. I have a thing for unreliable narrators, and Meursault was definitely one. I found it interesting, but at the same time it wasn't really my cup of tea. I might do a full review on this. (You might also know this book as The Stranger or L'Etranger. They're all the same thing.)

Rating: ★★★

5. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I'm planning on doing a series review on these books when I finish the third one, so I'm not going to say much! 

Rating: ★★★★★

6. The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Saw this one coming, didn't you? Again, I plan on doing a review as soon as I finish the third book!

Rating: ★★★★★

Welcome!

Hello, friends! Welcome to my blog!

My name is Whitney, and I'm creating this blog as a way of publishing my reviews and hopefully helping others when deciding what to read next. You'll mostly find book reviews and book related things here, with a dash of movies and TV shows if I watch something I feel like reviewing/talking about! You'll also probably find some posts discussing writing, and if I'm feeling courageous I might post some of my own.

I read a lot of YA, but also a lot of classics and literature. I love books written for children, adults, and everyone in between!

Some future reviews you can expect for me are:

• Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin | Series Review
• The Stranger by Albert Camus | Book Review
• Poetry Discussion
• What I Read in November/Plan to Read in December
• And many more!

I still haven't quite figured out what format I'm going to review in quite yet, so bear with me if I'm a little all over the place to start. 

Thanks for reading, stay tuned!