October Wrap Up

Hey guys!
So October wasn't the best reading month for me. It was a stressful month at work and at home. I was on the road to go see my boyfriend a lot so I listened to a lot of audiobooks.
So this month I read:

5/5

3.5/5

4.5/5

3/5

4/5

Book Review:The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

Title: The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo
Author: Amy Schumer
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir
Pages: 323
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "Hey, it's me, Amy."

"The Emmy Award- winning comedian, actress, writer, and star of Inside Amy Schumer and the acclaimed film Trainwreck has taken the entertainment world by storm with her winning blend of smart, satirical humor. Now, Amy Schumer has written a refreshingly candid uproariously funny collection of (extremely) personal and observational essay. 
In The Girl wit the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy mines her past for stories about her teenage years, her family, relationships, and sex, and shares the experiences that have shaped who she is- a woman with the courage to bare her soul and stand up for what she believes in, all while making us laugh.
Ranging from the raucous to the romantic, the heartfelt to the harrowing, this highly entertaining and universally appealing collection is the literary equivalent of a night out with your best friend- equivalent of a night out with your best friend- an unforgettable and fun adventure you wish could last forever. Whether she's experiencing lust at first sight while in the airport security line, sharing her own views on love and marriage, admitting to being an introvert, or discovering her boot camp instructor's secret bad habit, Amy Schumer proves to be a bighearted, brave, and thoughtful storyteller who will leave you nodding your head in recognition, laughing out loud, and sobbing uncontrollably- but only because it's over."

My Rating: 5/5

To start: Please note there will not be a spoiler for this book as it is nonfiction!

For those who don't know me personally, I'm a sucker for comedy. Not just comedy movies, but also specials. Really anything that can make me cackle, I'm in. I've watched a few of Amy's appearances and watched Trainwreck as soon as it came out. I really enjoyed both of this interactions mostly because of her crude and witty comedy style. I enjoyed cruder comedy growing up, but noticed that when women did it they caught a lot of flack. And while this can be said for Amy Schumer as well. I think that she's hysterical, talented and overall an amazing role model. This book really gave an insight to her life, her mistakes, her triumphs and her career. I thought that it showed a completely different side of her and the collection of shorter stories were easier to read and pieced together quite nicely. I would certainly read another book of hers and hope that she plans to write more in the future. Until then I will binge watch any comedy specials that will keep me giggling like the immature fool that I am. 

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: With Malice by Eileen Cook

Title: With Malice
Author: Eileen Cook
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller
Pages: 316
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "I'm not a morning person."

"It was the perfect trip... until it wasn't.
Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital bed, leg in a cast, stitches on her face and a big black canvas where the last six weeks should be. She discovers she was involved in a fatal car accident while on a school trip in Italy. A trip she doesn't even remember taking. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality car. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident... wasn't and accident.
As the accident makes national headlines, Jill finds herself the centre of a murder investigation. It doesn't help that the media is portraying her as a sociopath who killed her bubbly best friend, Simone, in a jealous rage. With the evidence mounting against her, there's only one thing Jill knows for sure: She would never hurt Simone. But what really happened? Questioning who she can trust and what she's capable of, Jill desperately tries to piece together the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life."

My Rating: 3.5/5

So this book was a relatively short book and had been compared to We Were Liars which I had read earlier this year. I thought that the book was going to be a short and easy book. I thought that this was going to be a quick read. I enjoyed many aspects of this book. The process of watching a young girl in a rehab centre, as well as lawyering up. I thought that that was something I hadn't read about before. I would say that this book is thrilling like We Were Liars and deals with thrilling topics, but I thought that it wasn't the best thriller I've ever read. The story was interesting to me, but I found that there were underlying topics that were not taken seriously enough. I also found many characters to be frustrating throughout. All in all, I would recommend this as a first thrilling type read for the first time.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: With Malice by Eileen Cook

As I mentioned before, I thought that this book would be quick and a fun thriller to read. Perfect for the season. And while I liked this book, it wasn't one that I loved by any stretch. I thought that this wasn't as thrilling as I hoped and while it did give me the "Who done it's" feeling. I didn't think that it was awe inspiring. I wasn't shocked but also wasn't impressed with the end. I thought that leaving a would-be thriller open ended was a poor choice. I don't want to think about what happened, I want you to tell me. Tell me who did it. I mean we get a just idea but screw that. I'm still a little ticked off. I also found that there were underlying themes that just didn't come to life as much as I thought they should.

Characters:
Jill:  I thought that Jill was a poor character to follow. She and Simone are unlikely friends, who have been friends for as long as anyone can remember. I thought that while Jill was privileged it showed that she could also have struggled. I also thought that some of her goals were a little crazy, but I guess when you have the opportunities to dream you do so. I also thought that at the end she became the Chilly Jilly we all feared.

Simone: It sounds like she was quite the piece of work. She might have wanted what others had, or had been jealous of what they had/have. Also, who kisses her boyfriend. I don't know what went on with them but I wonder if the end situation was plausible. 

Anna: I think that she was a good eye opener. Like hello, you have people to bail you out. We never see anyone visit Anna. Like what the heck?!? Come on Jill smarten up. I liked her talk with her, though. 

Jill's Mom: Impossibly nice.

Jill's Dad: It must be a lot of work to be such an arse. I guess it's good that he has money and wants to help his daughter. But was it for Jill or for others in his family.

Evan: What I imagine expensive lawyers to be like in real life....

Nicco: You're still my number 1 suspect sir. It was you. You're a dick and it was you... that is all.



Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "The truth- and how I chose to tell it- was now up to me."

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

October Book Haul

So once again, I was trying to save money, but alas Thrift Books and Book Outlet got the better of me. My god, I love cheap books!
So here is what I purchased this month:
  

  

  

  

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Title: Truthwitch
Author: Susan Dennard
Series/Standalone: The Witchlands (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 415
Publisher: Tor Teen
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "Everything had gone horribly wrong."

"In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble- as two desperate young women know all too well.
Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern the truth from lie. It's a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.
Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her- but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast to one of reckless adventure, where she is cool, wary balance to Safiya's hotheaded impulsiveness.
Safiya and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship's captain), and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes and mercenaries, alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the truth witch."

My Rating: 4.5/5

Hey guys!
It took me a long time to finish this book, so I'm terribly sorry, but it's here. Tada. And I loved this story. I haven't read a whole lot of fantasy books or at least not as high fantasy as this book. While it took me a little while to get into this story, the second half of this book flew by. I really enjoyed this story overall. This story had amazing characters, an incredible setting as well as awesome writing. I don't know if others feel this way, but the multiple points of view, were at first confusing, but then became the most beautiful thing. Thoughts? There will be more details in the review. I thought that this story also had a lot of character growth throughout.
I also really appreciated the magic in this book and how it was explained throughout. I can't wait to read Windwitch that comes out next year.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

So yes, a review of an actual physical book instead of an audio book. I know that's crazy and hasn't happened for a while. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed Truthwitch, I thought it was amazing. Did it take me a long time to get into this? Yes, it did. Did I then fall in love with everyone? Of course, because I never learn.
This story follows so many incredible characters. I thought that it really showed amazing growth in the characters. I also thought that the magic system was really interesting. The different magic within the different countries was incredible to learn about. I also thought that the different "kingdoms" really added to the story and the world. I was more invested in the story because of the war. and the struggles in the different areas of the continent. 
So let's get into my favorite part....
Characters:
Safi: So she's a little fiery, and I thought that this really added to the story. She didn't want to take sh*t from anyone and was pretty badass overall. I also thought that the female friendship in this book was incredibly powerful and I wouldn't change it for the world. They compliment each other perfectly. I did think that her witchery was interesting, though. The idea that if someone believed what they were saying she couldn't tell if it was true or false, it just really hit home for me. Are people really lying if what they're saying they believe to be true? Who knows. Also that small moment with Merik just left me wanting so much more.

Iseult: Another complete and total bad ass. Her sense of humour with her threadsister was amazing to read about. As well the way that her power was so much different than anyone else. It took me a while to realise what a Threadwitch would do, but as I figured it out I loved it. I sincerely enjoyed her point of view and am more and more curious about the Puppeteer. 

Merik: He's an amazing prince and doesn't allow people to walk on him. That being said, he is a true leader. He care for his homeland and his people more than his sister seems to and is willing to give up the only deal they have for his crew mates near the start of the book. I also thought that his feelings for Safi would grow more and more throughout the book and was slightly disappointed when the two parted so abruptly. There needs to be more of that ASAP!

Aeduan: I want to know more about his time as a monk and how his vows don't seem to hold him. I enjoyed seeing his point of view even if just to realise that he wasn't completely evil. Really he was an outcast for most of his life and had to rely on those who didn't fear him to take what he could. I also thought that his meetings with Iseult were interesting and it makes me wonder about other Voidwitches. Interested to see where this goes in the next book.

Kullen: My poor little heart is still torn over this. He was a great character and gave Merik so much more dimension. I hoped to see him married and everything, but you know it's fine. I'll just be over here bawling.

Leopold: How much does he know? Who is he really working for? And what is the final goal of it all? Is he in love with Safi? So many questions!

Evrane: I cried for her death twice, although she made it out. I think that she was a real prophet for Aeduan and more than just his mentor. A mother figure perhaps, that is if he ever had one. I do hope that we see more of her as well, although I'm not sure if we will as she returns to her place of worship.


Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "And in the future that awaited her in Marstok."

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spooky Reads for October

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson:
This is a story that completely blew my mind the first time I read it. This story follows a man in the hospital who meets someone from the psych ward and the "adventures" that ensue.
"The Gargoyle: the mesmerizing story of one man's descent into personal hell and his quest for salvation.

On a dark road in the middle of the night, a car plunges into a ravine. The driver survives the crash, but his injuries confine him to a hospital burn unit. There the mysterious Marianne Engel, a sculptress of grotesques, enters his life. She insists they were lovers in medieval Germany, when he was a mercenary and she was a scribe in the monastery of Engelthal. As she spins the story of their past lives together, the man's disbelief falters; soon, even the impossible can no longer be dismissed."


 Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick: 
Zombies and so much more, this story follows the apocalypse as it happens. 
"It could happen tomorrow . . .
 
An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.
Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. 

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.
 
Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling novel about a world that could be ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation. "





Before I Go To Sleep by S.J Watson:
An amazing thriller that chilled me to the bone while reading it. 
""As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I’m still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me. . . ."

Memories define us.

So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?

Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love—all forgotten overnight.

And the one person you trust may be telling you only half the story.

Welcome to Christine's life."


Flowers in The Attic by V.C Andrews
A classic that was tried and true in my books. It's a little crazy to think that I read these when I was 13. Hoping to reread them soon.
"Such wonderful children. Such a beautiful mother. Such a lovely house. Such endless terror!

It wasn't that she didn't love her children. She did. But there was a fortune at stake--a fortune that would assure their later happiness if she could keep the children a secret from her dying father.

So she and her mother hid her darlings away in an unused attic.

Just for a little while.

But the brutal days swelled into agonizing years. Now Cathy, Chris, and the twins wait in their cramped and helpless world, stirred by adult dreams, adult desires, served a meager sustenance by an angry, superstitious grandmother who knows that the Devil works in dark and devious ways. Sometimes he sends children to do his work--children who--one by one--must be destroyed....

'Way upstairs there are
four secrets hidden.
Blond, beautiful, innocent
struggling to stay alive...."

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart:
This is one of the most recent thrillers I loved. I thought that this book was perfect for YA readers and was filled with crazy twists and turns that I loved.
" A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
 
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. 

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE." -goodreads.com


This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel: This book is a retelling of the past of Frankenstein and a different form of childhood for the characters in that story.
"Victor and Konrad are the twin brothers Frankenstein and inseparable until Konrad falls gravely ill. In the forbidden Dark Library, Victor finds an ancient formula, and seeks an alchemist to recreate the Elixir of Life. With friends Elizabeth and Henry, he scales highest trees in the Strumwald, dives deepest lake caves, and each sacrifices a body part."  
-goodreads.com

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion:


This story wasn't only about zombies, it was filled with comedy. So if you are not a fan of being spooked out, this is a light-hearted read for the season.
"R is having a no-life crisis—he is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he is a little different from his fellow Dead. He may occasionally eat people, but he’d rather be riding abandoned airport escalators, listening to Sinatra in the cozy 747 he calls home, or collecting souvenirs from the ruins of civilization.

And then he meets a girl.

First as his captive, then his reluctant guest, Julie is a blast of living color in R’s gray landscape, and something inside him begins to bloom. He doesn't want to eat this girl—although she looks delicious—he wants to protect her. But their unlikely bond will cause ripples they can’t imagine, and their hopeless world won’t change without a fight. "

-goodreads.com

For anyone who's known me or has been around this blog for a while you might know that I am a huge chicken about things so I'm even surprised that I'm making a post like this for Halloween. That being said, I freaking love Halloween. I'm so excited for dressing up and while I understand people who read spooky things this month only but I love spooky and thrilling all year long.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Macker

Title: The Future of Us
Author: Jay Asher and Carolyn Macker
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction
Form Read: Audiobook
Publisher: Razorbill
Year Published: 2011

"It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbours their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long- at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family get a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.
By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right- and wrong- in the present."

My Rating: 3/5

This was another audiobook that I took out from my local library for my road trip to see my boyfriend. I found that it was easy to listen to this book on the commute to work and while I was at the gym. Yes, I'm trying to go to the gym, and with books, it's not so horrible. That being said I wasn't the hugest fan of this book.  I thought that while it held an interesting concept, I didn't find it to be as entertaining as I hoped. I thought that the characters were annoying at many points of the story and even whiny. I also found that they sounded more childish than I imagined. I also thought that this was a dorky contemporary book, it held many interesting thoughts such as how you're now can change the future.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

So as I will mention in the review, I got this book on loan through overdrive and my local library. I thought that this book was an interesting concept into looking in the future and how one small choice can ripple and completely change your future. That being said, I didn't enjoy the characters at all. I thought that they were completely immature, I know that they're like 16 and 17, but seriously they were annoying me. 
Overall this book was ok. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. It was a solid mah.

Characters:
Emma: I thought that she was a self-centered ass. I really didn't appreciate her character. She just didn't seem to care about those around her. She put herself first and did what she thought was best for her with no regard. The first time I was on her side, but I also thought that sometimes you gotta play it by ear.

Josh: I think that Josh had good intentions but the teenage boy stereotypes were too real. "I gotta like this girl cause she's so damn hot." Screw that. Don't write that. Be different. Be better. I did appreciate the fact that he wanted Emma to stop and think about what she was doing and who she could be hurting.

Kellan: But does she get pregnant, though?????

Tyson: Once again the stereotypes are too real. Chill, skater guy. #90s.

Cody: Saw this one coming from miles away. This character really reminded me of a lot of people I went to high school with.  I guess he was single in the future for a reason.

Sydney: Hot but not necessarily the one. I hope she got what she wanted out of life in the long run.


Thanks for reading,
Sidny

October TBR

Happy spooky October ladies and gents.
Here is a short list of what I plan to read this beautiful fall month.

So I'm currently reading Truthwitch by Susan Dennard


During the rest of this month I hope to read the following:

   

If I have a good reading month the next three books on my pile are:



Happy reading to you all,
Sidny

Book Review: Me and Earl and The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Title: Me and Earl and The Dying Girl
Author: Jesse Andrews
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Humor
Pages: 295
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Year Published:2012

"It is universally acknowledged truth that high school sucks. But on the first day of his senior year, Greg Gaines thinks he's figured it out. The answer to the basic existential question: How is it possible to exist in a place that sucks so bad? His strategy: remain at the periphery at all times. Keep an insanely low profile. Make mediocre film with the one person who is even sort of his friend, Earl.
This plan works for exactly eight hours. Then Greg's mom forces him to become friends with a girl who has cancer. This brings about the destruction of Greg's entire life.
Fiercely funny, honest and heart-breaking- this is an unforgettable novel from a bright talent, now also a film that critics are calling a touchstone for its generation and an instant classic."

My Rating: 4/5

Overall I really enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book. I listened to this while I drove on a road trip to go to visit my boyfriend. I thought that this book transformed into an audio book very well. The voice acting was amazing and made me laugh like a mad woman in my car. I thought that the characters really shone throughout the story. Greg is an amazing narrator and while getting readers invested into the story also makes us laugh in dramatic moments. I thought that all the characters brought something into the story. I hope to read more from this author in the future. The only reason the rating was docked was because of the ending and how abrupt the story seemed to end for me.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: Me and Earl and The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

So I "read" this book on my way to see my boyfriend. I say that with quotations because I actually listened to an audio book in the car. I found that the audio book for this story was fantastic and I really loved the different use of actors. I really enjoyed this story overall. I found that it was fun, humorous while remaining for the most part serious overall. The characters were unique and fun to read about, which kept me listening to this rather than tuning into the radio. 

Characters:
Greg: I found Greg a very interesting character's perspective to read from. I thought that he was a hilarious author and had an amusing point of view of his high school. I also thought that the idea of him being a film maker was an interesting point in this story. How he uses his creativity and how he reacts to those around him. He made me laugh in the car throughout my drive.

Rachel: Rachel was an interesting character who was able to handle how crazy Greg could be come. I teared up a little when she gave up fighting at the end, but it really made me think about life and death and how one choice can change everything.

Earl: Earl made me die laughing throughout the book and I pictured a young Kevin Hart to be honest. I thought that this story was great although the stereotypes with the character might be frustrating for some people. I thought that he was a bad ass overall.

Madison: I thought that she was a sweet girl but understood what Greg thought about her. How sometime popular people don't realize the trouble they are causing.


I didn't have memorable moments overall because I had an audiobook, I encourage you to read it on your own and look forward to knowing you're opinions down below.

Thanks for reading, 
Sidny

September Wrap Up

Over September I read 4 full length novels and 1 graphic novel. I found that I had a fairly good reading month although it did not start on a very positive note. So let's find out what I read this month:

3.5/5

5/5

5/5

4.5/5

3/5

Thanks for reading,
Sidny