Reread-a-thon

This read-a-thon starts @ midnight March 10 and ends @ 11:59 PM March 16. The start and stop times are in your specific time zone where ever you are in the world.

The name of the read-a-thon says it all! We will be rereading some of our books or giving some people second chances. Whether those second chances be people you have read a book by them before, liked/loved them and want to try others or you tried an author, wasn't fond of them and want to give them one more try (1st prompt)!

There are some prompts for this that I probably won't do. There's a couple that may fit a few prompts and that's great but I am choosing books that I have been wanting to reread for a while. I am not big on rereading books but when this read-a-thon came around last year, I took the opportunity to reread a book (even though I wanted to read more but I just wasn't in much of a reading mood last year when this came around).

Some of the books I have audio books for some where. A few, I don't. This TBR is tentative. I can switch at any moment if I feel like I am not in the mood for some books. I may start in the middle of a series or even read the last book in a series. I may even attempt to listen to books I no longer own but wanted to give another try. That is a big maybe though because for whatever reason, it's hard for me to listen to books that I don't physically own or have borrowed. We will see how that works out.

I have some books that I didn't pick up that would also fit some of these prompts but because it has been so recent since I have read them, I am not ready for the reread of those (i.e. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson would go well with "Recent Favorite").

Here are the prompts for the read-a-thon:
1. Give a book a 2nd chance
2. Recent Favorite
3. Old Favorite
4. Game Changer (book that changed what you read/genre changer)
5. Underrated/Unpopular book
6. Childhood Favorites
7. Popular book

Here is a video with the best description that I have found so far of this Reread-A-Thon:
(Of course, this is not me but one of the hosts of the read-a-thon this year)

My tentative TBR:

Twilight Saga could fit the "Game Changer" for me because that is when I started reading Young Adult (YA). 

And "Old Favorite" could be Malcolm X & Anna and The French Kiss. Twilight saga could fit here as well. 

Shadowlands is part of a Trilogy and I only picked on of the books out because this is a book I don't have an audiobook for. 

Timeless is a duology (along with one Novella). I only own the first book because it was my favorite of the two. I tried to buy the 2nd one some years ago but never did because it never fit into my budget. I haven't looked for it in at least a year or two. I remember a little about this book and remember loving it. I got this book because someone on my Goodreads list loved this book if I remember correctly. She and I don't read a lot of the same books when it comes to "fantasy" type books but this is one of two I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, the 2nd was a part of a series/trilogy as well that I never finished. Maybe I need to. 

Timeless and Kindred is some what underrated. 

Kindred has just 68,471 ratings while Timeless has 9,820 ratings on Goodreads. Which would fit Underrated/Unpopular (according to Goodreads).

So, I guess I have more to fit the prompts that I thought. 

I don't have audio books for Monster, Shadowlands and Timeless so I may only get to one of those. I hope that I can listen to at least one book before the week is out and maybe sit and read a short easy read. 

I will be going for books that will be easy to listen to and get through in a weeks time. But still have books like Monster & Malcolm X just in case I want something a bit heavier and can get through them within a few days while also reading/listening to easier books. 

No, I am not expecting to get through 7 books or even 4 books. This is just some books that I would like to attempt to reread one day. Especially seeing that I haven't read Malcolm X since after the movie came out in the 90's.

I'm done rambling. Hopefully those reading this, got this far and are participating! 

Are you participating? Let me know. 

Favorites Books of 2018

I forgot to add my Favorite Books of 2018 to my Year in Review 2018, so, I decided to do it in it's own post. I know, it's a tad bit late, but hey, it's getting done..Right?? 😊

This is in no particular order. 


                                                                Warbreaker Summary

 

                                                 
                                                                 Cane River Summary

                                                       H.P. & the Half Blood Prince Summary
                                      If you haven't read up to book 5, I wouldn't read this summary.

                                            

     Standing in the Rainbow Summary

  

                                       The Sisters' Guide to In-Depth Bible Study Summary

                                               The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy Summary

                                                                   What Happened

         
                                                Leaking Laffs Between Pampers and Depends Summary

Malcolm X: The Last Speeches

Welp, that's it. I didn't have many favorites in 2018. I had a decent reading year but most of the books I read were usually just OK to "pretty good".

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
✥Stand-Alone
✥Release Date: January 1, 1960 (approximate)
✥Format: Paperback
✥Setting: U.S.A.
✥Page Count: 200
✥Genre(s): Nonfiction, Autobiography/Memoir, Classics, Race Relations
✥Date(s) Read: 3/3/19-3/8/19
✥Rating:   Book:  5/5      Audio:  5/5 [length: 7 hrs 9 mins]   Narrator(s): Ray Childs
                  ✥2019 Favorite✥

My Thoughts:
I do own the physical and audio (from audible)

Audio:
He made it just that much easier to get through. I enjoyed listening to his voice. I could picture it actually being Mr. Griffin reading it himself (maybe that's because I have yet to hear his voice as of this post). Not sure if I would have finished the book without the audio book. Not because the book wasn't good but because I tend to find myself losing interest in books easier lately, especially nonfiction. 

Book:
(I began typing this out as I was still listening to the book)

The book was written in diary form of what he dealt with during the time he was being a black man. 

I saw a question on Goodreads about whether or not if him doing this would be offensive. 

My response was as I think it always has been for me personally: No! 

Why? 
Because I knew what I was going into when I chose to listen to this book. Also, it wasn't like he was being disrespectful by doing black face. He was wanting to see what it was to live as a black man during Jim Crow/Segregation. As I told the person who asked the question, I took more offense to the racists/bigots with the way they treated people and assumptions than I did Mr. Griffin (no offense taken on his end as I stated before). 

Further Thoughts:
So much of what was talked about in the book, still goes on today. Economically. Thoughts of how sexually active many are/are not. The things "they do" during sex. And things that I can't even remember at the time I am typing all of this. 

I am amazed at how Mr. Griffin responded to so many people based on prejudices, lies, assumptions & so on. 

It's amazing how quickly he learned the mannerisms to be taken by black people when dealing with whites and how his thoughts went towards them as well. How he began to truly understand why black people did certain things and thought the way they did. 

Him becoming a black man helped him to get their  true thoughts towards white men and women. How they wanted so much to be able to have better for themselves. The reactions to him when some realized what he had done wasn't surprising by any means. 

This book was well worth the read and I really am glad that I finally sat down and listened to it. I had put it off so many times because I wasn't sure I'd enjoy it or if I would take to it very well. I was wrong on both parts. It was good to read some things that I had some idea of the thoughts about black people but didn't realize how bold some folks were in asking questions based on assumptions & lies. 

I think I am becoming a bit more repetitive now. So, I'll hush. 
(BTW: Yes, I am a woman of color. As if it should matter for this post)


                                                                    (Cover I own)

Harry Potter & the Cursed Child (Pts 1 & 2) by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
✥Series: #8
✥Release Date: July 31, 2016
✥Format: Hardcover
✥Setting: England (?) & Hogwarts
✥Page Count: 309
✥Genre(s): YA, Fantasy, Fiction, Plays
✥Date(s) Read: 2/16-2/27/19
✥Rating:   Book: 2.5/5   Audio:  3.5/5        
   Narrator(s):Not Sure. If it was said, I missed it & I didn't want to search  it out. 


My Thoughts:

Audio:
I wasn't wild about him, but he made it easier to get through so that's why he got a 3.5/5 instead of a 3/5 or less.

Book:
It was nice to read, well, listen to this book. I started off trying to read it on my own but wasn't feeling it so I went searching online trying to find the audio & thankfully, I did. 

This wasn't a bad book, but not great to me either. It wasn't the fact that it was a play that was an issue, I've read a play before. I think it was the fact that in the beginning, I wasn't fond of a character or two. 

As it got closer to act 3, it started getting better. By the time it hit act 4, I was enjoying it quite a bit more. I'll be glad when I can find the 'play' some where. I haven't really followed it enough to know if they have or ever will put it on DVD. That is something I can look for eventually just to see what I can find. I am hoping to like it that much more but I think I should have seen if I could watch it first then read it. But I thought it would ruin it for me. Now, I think reading it first may have ruined it; but maybe not. Maybe, just maybe, once I am able to watch it, I will have "forgotten" much of it. 

I do believe I may watch Fantastic Beasts first before trying to go for the book After reading this one but I will also take this as it comes. If I find the book at a good price, I may get it and do my best to hold off reading it first.  😊

At the time I am typing this, I am still listening to the book. I've got about 30 or so pages left so I'm sure my final thoughts will come together about the book as a whole will come then but it may not change too much. At this point, I still have a pretty clear idea of my thoughts on the book, I will just need to figure out the rating. 

When I started this book, I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't expecting to 'see' some characters show up. Many characters  I was glad to 'see' again. Many of those I began to love by the end of the seventh book (throughout all of the books actually).

I don't go under 3 stars often but usually, if there are books that are going to get under 3 stars, nothing it does redeems itself. Rarely do I give 1 stars to books because if they're that bad, I've already DNF'd. Unfortunately, there have been times I've struggled through just because I wanted to know what happened. But, I've gotten off track. It was decent! 😊

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
✥Stand-Alone:
✥Release Date: April 4, 2017
✥Format: Hardcover
✥Setting: California
✥Page Count: 391
✥Genre(s): Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult
✥Date(s) Read: 2/16-2/23/19
✥Rating:   Book:  4/5     Audio:  4/5        Narrator(s): Amy Melissa Bentley 

My Thoughts:

Audio:
I liked her quite a bit. Her voice was easy to listen to in my opinion.

I think the only reason I gave it the rating I did because I listened to it online and it would "jump" (don't know how else to describe it) and sometimes I couldn't understand a word or two. I don't think it's the fault of the audio book..maybe just a 'glitch' when it was uploaded online. 


Book:
The book itself wasn't perfect by any means, but I gave it a solid, 3/5. I liked the characters. I especially liked Dad. It's a fun book to listen to. It had it's rough moments with the two main characters talked about some of the things they went through but the book wasn't completely engulfed in their "issues", it was about their relationship with each other, their friends and families. 

I love the fact that they talked about movies, some I have seen, many, I have not. It has me wanting to go through them and watch some of them when I am in the mood. This book is perfect timing because I said would spend this year getting back into movies. Watching ones I have missed in the last 18-20 years. Some classics. Some of my well loved movies from the past (from my childhood , teens & 20's) and within the last 20 or so years. So, again, Perfect Timing! You know what, for that matter, I will take it up to a 4 stars, just because of the timing & the ideas! So, I guess that's a 3/5 for the book itself & an extra star for the perfect timing!

I love Porter's & Bailey's relationship. It started off rough, but I just thought they were funny most of the time. They pushed each other to come out of their shells. Very much a coming of age story. Bailey's relationship with her father was a strong bond that I loved but even with her relationship with her mom, was semi-understandable but as a mom, I don't think I could do (or not do) some of the things she did (or didn't do). Porter's family bond I loved too. How protective of each other they are. You mess with one, you get them all! lol...

I'm going to hush now because I feel like I am already giving away too much of the story. 

This is not the best cover but I guess it could be worse. I've seen a few other covers for it online, to me, this one is the best though. I guess my feelings about it are mixed. I don't love it, but I definitely don't hate it either. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (H.P. #7)

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
✥Series:  #7
✥Release Date: July 27, 2007
✥Format: Hardcover
✥Setting: London, England; Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry
✥Page Count: 759
✥Genre(s): Fantasy, YA, Fiction
✥Date(s) Read: 1/23/19-2/15/19
✥Rating:   Book: 3/5       Audio:  5/5        Narrator(s):Jim Dale

My Thoughts:

Audio:

There isn't much I can say that I haven't already said beyond my liking Jim Dale and how much easier he made it to get through these lengthy books. I love his voices for the characters, even though sometimes, he made some sound whiny but no matter, I loved him. I listened to one with Stephen Fry (don't remember which one) and I can see why so many loved him too. If I could have gotten them all under Fry, I would have but again, Dale was amazing as well. 


Book:

Finally! Finished it! 

This was not one of my favorites. I found myself missing Hogwarts a lot. Wishing they were still at the school. 

Where I thought I had gotten spoilers, weren't spoilers. Although it's still frustrating that the person (a booktuber; I no longer remember who) I was watching would give potential ones. I do understand a lot of people have already read this series and seen the movies and many will speak of the books thinking that way. They also need to understand that there are generations after them and then folks like me who had never heard of the books until the movies came out and, well, like me, hadn't intended on reading them. I gave in, thankfully. 

But, I digress....

Why wasn't this my favorite? Well, beyond a few, many of my favorites didn't show up until later. I also think it's because I kept tuning out at some points. I had to replay quite a bit in the last couple of chapters, which got frustrating for me. I had to stop what I was doing to focus and/or pick up the book to reread certain parts I kept missing. So, one day, I will definitely will have to re-listen to these books again one day. I have the first 6 movies so I can watch those to jar my memory on stuff and maybe pick up stuff I may have missed (yes, I know, the movies leave out a lot). 

Digress again....rambles again...

It's kind of hard to talk about this book without giving those spoilers that I wouldn't want while still saying what I liked and didn't like. So, I can say that,well, I love how it ended. Ended in kind of a way that I figured because I have "The Cursed Child" book and scanned through it a little. So, that kind of helped me knowing the spoilers I thought were there, did or didn't happen. I am looking forward to making an attempt to read "The Cursed Child".

Some of my favorite characters from the previous books remained my favorites but with a new way of seeing them. And even one that I thought I'd never really like, I found myself liking by the end of it. Well, maybe even two. And those are the ones I can think of right now.

Well, I will hush now because I have become beyond repetitive. 

Thanks for reading this far. :o)

2018 Year in Review

Okay, I think I did everything right. I didn't do the best job of notes this past year. I got lazy. This should be everything though. If there is something that needs to be added, I will. This year will be relaxed. I haven't had the patience to read lately. We will see what happens by the end of the year. 

2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge: 

A book made into a movie you’ve already seen:  The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The next book in a series you started: Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (H.P. #5) by J.K. Rowling
A novel based on a real person: Cane River by Lalita Tademy
A book set in a country that fascinates you: Death of a Mad Hatter (Hat Shop Mystery #2) by Jenn McKinlay
A book with a time of day in the title: Lady Midnight (Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare
A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist: The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A book that is also a stage play or musical: The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A book about feminism: The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A book about mental health: By Your Side by Kasie West (Anxiety)
A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift:
A book by two authors: All Dressed in White (Under Suspicion #3) by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
A book about or involving a sport: Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) by Kasie West [Football]
A book by a local author: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (We both live in NC, just not in the same city)

A book with alliteration in the title: Tough Tug by Margaret Read MacDonald

A book with a weather element in the title: The Summer by Sarah Dessen
A book set on a different planet: A Wrinkle in Time (Time #1) by Madeleine L'Engle
A book with song lyrics in the titles: Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson (Song by: Kelly Clarkson)
A book with characters who are twins: A Wrinkle in Time (Time #1) by Madeleine L'Engle
A book from a celebrity book club: Cane River by Lalita Tademy 
A childhood classic you’ve never read: Road to Oz (Oz #5) by L. Frank Baum
 A book that’s published in 2018: Wedding Cake Crumble (Cupcake Bakery Mystery #10) by Jen McKinlay
A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner: Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen
A book set in the decade you were born: Welcome to the World Baby Girl by Fannie Flagg
A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn’t get to:  By Your Side by Kasie West
 A book that involves a bookstore or a library: By Your Side by Kasie West
Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, 2017 PopSugar Reading Challenges: 

  A Book from an author you love that you haven't read yet [2015]: Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1)             by Kasie West

Big Book Challenge:

Goal: 12

Completed:13

Page Count: 7,157

1. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (402 pages)

2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (870 pages)

3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (652 pages)

4. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson (449 pages) 

5. Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! by Fannie Flagg (496 pages) 
6. What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton (464 pages)

7. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1) by Joanne Fluke (431 pages)
8. Cane River by Lalita Tademy (543 pages)
9.  Lady Midnight (Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare (669 pages)
10. Standing in the Rainbow (Elmwood Springs #2) by Fannie Flagg (560 pages)
11. 1st To Die (Women's Murder Club #1) by James Patterson (462 pages)
12. Beastly (Kendra Chronicles #1) by Alex Flinn (483 pages)
13. Warbreaker (Warbreaker #1) by Brandon Sanderson (676 pages)

Personal Reading Challenge:

Goal: 12

Completed: 54

Throughout the year, I went up on the challenge (on Goodreads) but kept the original goal here so that I can see how I did and could do the comparison.

January :
1. Our Sunday Best by Lynn Johnston  4/5
2. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen 3/5
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling 3/5
4. Cloche and Dagger by Jenn McKinlay 3/5

February 

1. Tough Tug by Margaret Read MacDonald 5/5

2. By Your Side by Kasie West 4/5

3. The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum 5/5

4. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen 3/5

5. The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith 3/5

6. Malcolm X: The Last Speeches**   5/5

7. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han 3/5

March 

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling 4.5/5

2. The Color Purple by Alice Walker 4.5/5

April 

1. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson 4/5 

2. Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! by Fannie Flagg 4/5

3. Pivot Point by Kasie West 4.5/5

4. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis 5/5

5. Lucky in Love by Kasie West  3.75/5

May :

1. That Summer by Sarah Dessen 3/5

2. All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark  3.5/5

3. Last One Home by Debbie Macomber  4/5

4. Not A Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus by Kyle Idleman 3/5 

5. Wedding Cake Crumble (Cupcake Bakery Mystery #10) by Jenn McKinlay 5/5

June:

1. What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton 4.5/5

2. Death of a Mad Hatter by Jenn McKinlay 4.5/5

3. And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou 5/5

4. The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy by Jean Kennedy Smith 5/5

5. Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen 3/5

July:

1. Fat Dad, Fat Kid by Shay Butler & Gavin Butler 5/5

2. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1) by Joanne Fluke 3/5

3. Taming of the Star Runner by S.E. Hinton 2.75/5

4. The Emerald City of Oz (Oz #6) by L. Frank Baum 3.5/5

5. The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles #1) by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black 3/5

#7In7Readathon (7/23/18-7/29/18)

6. Cane River by Lalita Tademy (I started this book before the 7 in 7 & finished the last 100+ pages on day one)

7. The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles #2) by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black 5/5

8. Lucinda's Secret (The Spiderwick Chronicles #3) by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black 4.5/5

9. The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles #4) by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black 4/5

10. The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles #5) by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black 4.5/5

Booktubeathon 2018  (7/30-8/5/18)

11. A Wrinkle in Time (Time #1) by Madeleine L'engle 2.5/5

August:

1.  Son of the Dawn (Ghosts of the Shadow Market #1) by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Reese Brennan  3/5

2. Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare  3/5

September:

1. Standing in the Rainbow (Elmwood Springs #2) by Fannie Flagg**    5/5

2. 1st to Die (Women's Murder Club #1) by James Patterson 4.5/5

Contemporary-A-Thon (9/17-9/23/18)

3. Serafina's Promise by Ann E. Burg 4.75/5

4. Until Friday Night (The Field Party #1) by Abbi Glines 3.5/5

Fall Into Reading-A-Thon (9/22-9/28/18)

5. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith 4/5

October:
1.  Warbreaker (Warbreaker #1) by Brandon Sanderson 
2. Asking for Truffle (A Southern Chocolate Mystery #1) by Dorothy St. James
3. The Robot King by Brian Selznick
4. 50% Off Murder (Good Buy Girls Mystery #1) by Josie Belle/Jenny McKinlay
5. House by Frank E. Peretti and Ted Dekker
6. Leaking Laffs Between Pampers and Depends by Barbara Johnson

December:
The Sisters' Guide to In-Depth Bible Study by Victoria L. Johnson

Favorite (**)