July Wrap Up + August TBR | 2017

Hiya everyone! Today's post will be listing all the books I read in July (sadly still coping with an extreme case of Reading Slump™, I only read four books 😢), and the books that I'm planning on reading in August. But anyway, let's get into the post!

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THE JULY WRAP UP

1. CINDER BY MARISSA MEYER

[goodreads]

RATING: 2.75/5 stars

Well, I finally read it, y'all.

It was a pretty good retelling, but overall I was pretty disappointed, as it has so much hype.

Goodreads "review" (IM TRYING TO WRITE ACTUAL REVIEWS SOMETIME EVENTUALLY I SWEAR) here.

2. PAINTBRUSH BY HANNAH BUCCHIN

[goodreads]

RATING: 4/5 stars

[eARC from Netgalley]

Gorgeous writing (and cover DAMN), amazing characters, and super happy and light-hearted.

Interview with author here!

Goodreads "review" (I know, I know, shame) here.

3. I HATE EVERYONE BUT YOU BY GABY DUNN AND ALLISON RASKIN

[goodreads]

RATING: 4.5/5 stars

Funny, diverse (sexuality and mental health), and beautiful friendship.

Goodreads review here.

4. ONE OF US IS LYING BY KAREN M. McMANUS

[goodreads]

RATING: 3-ish/5 stars

Started out thrilling and suspenseful but went downhill, though I do really like the characters a lot.

Full Goodreads review, where I go much more in depth, to come.

THE AUGUST TBR

August is a very busy month for me, so I'm going to be putting very few books on my TBR that seem to be quick, easy reads.

1. LITTLE & LION BY BRANDY COLBERT

[goodreads]

I already talk about this book in my Anticipated Releases of August and September post, so I won't be going into the synopsis of Little & Lion, but I am super excited to start it.

2. 10 THINGS I CAN SEE FROM HERE BY CARRIE MAC

[goodreads]

This book was released in February and I've had it since then, eagerly awaiting to pick it up. But for some weird reason, I haven't. What the hell is wrong with me? I mean, it's about a queer girl with anxiety, what more could I need in a book?

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And that's all for now! If you've read any of these books feel free to let me know what you thought of them in the comments below, or if Little & Lion or 10 Things I Can See from Here are on your TBR for August as well. I hope you enjoyed this post, and if so make sure to hit that follow button! Bye!!

August / September 2017 Releases | MOST ANTICIPATED

Hello everyone! Today's post will be all about my most anticipated releases of August and September. I would do separate posts for August and September, but in both months there are only so many books that I'm excited for, so I decided to combine them into one list.

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THE AUGUST RELEASES

1. LITTLE & LION BY BRANDY COLBERT

[goodreads]

I hardly know ANYTHING about this book, but what I do know about it I LOVE. I'll do my best to tell you guys a synopsis. So there's this brother and sister who are super close, and then the brother is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Then, the brother and sister fall in love with the same girl, which just makes the brother's bipolar disorder kind of go crazy. Again, not very good but you can always click the Goodreads link. Though that short synopsis SCREAMS diversity.

2. WONDER WOMAN WARBRINGER BY LEIGH BARDUGO

[goodreads]

Okay, so I'll admit...I literally do not know a thing about the plot. But you know what I do know?! THAT IT'S ABOUT WONDER WOMAN AND WONDER WOMAN'S THE BEST. AND IT'S WRITTEN BY LEIGH BARDUGO AND LEIGH BARDUGO'S THE BEST. SO GIVE THIS TO ME NOW.

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THE SEPTEMBER RELEASES

1. THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END BY ADAM SILVERA

[goodreads]

All right I kinda feel like I don't have to do any explaining for this. Not only have I talked about it more than enough on my blog, just about the entire book blogger and BookTuber community has talked about it. Plus it's by Adam Silvera, one of the best people on the planet. So if you still don't know what this book is about, you can always click the Goodreads link as well. Wow. I'm starting to realize how extremely bad these "synopses" I'm giving you are.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2. INVICTUS BY RYAN GRAUDIN

 [goodreads]

This is about time traveling thieves and has been described as Doctor Who and Guardians of the Galaxy combined. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is about time traveling thieves and has been described as Doctor Who and Guardians of the Galaxy combined. Anyway, more specifically, Invictus follows a boy named Far, who is the son of time traveling person and a gladiator from Rome 95 AD. Therefore, he was born outside of time and has no birthday. Then, Far opens a black market full of items from different time periods, and I believe the main plot of this book is his heist on the Titanic.

3. MOXIE BY JENNIFER MATTHIU

[goodreads]

Basically, Moxie follows a girl named Vivian who creates a feminist zine that is distributed anonymously to her fellow classmates, as there is plenty of sexism in her school. And eventually, it creates an entire revolution. So...YES PLEASE. GIVE THIS TO ME, UM............NOW? 

4. GIRLS MADE OF SNOW AND GLASS BY MELISSA BASHARDOUST

[goodreads]

Okay, I'm honestly starting to feel pretty ashamed here. I'M SORRY I JUST PREFER TO GO INTO BOOKS BLINDLY! Thank goodness I put the Goodreads link because if not this post would literally be 100% pointless. BUT I DO KNOW TWO THINGS ABOUT IT. It's about royalty, and it's gay. AND IF THAT ALONE ISN'T ENOUGH TO CONVINCE YOU TO WANT TO READ IT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL.

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And that's it for now! Sorry for all the crappy synopses, lol. 
There are quite a few more books coming out in both months, so you can click here for more August releases and here for more September ones. 
Let me know some of your most anticipated books of August and September that I missed in the comments. I hope you enjoyed this post, and if so make sure to hit that follow button! Bye guys!

Interview with Hannah Bucchin, Author of Paintbrush!

Hey guys!! This post will be my first author interview on my blog, and I am happy to kick it off with Hannah Bucchin, the author of Paintbrush, which was released on July eleventh.

Also, there was one question that ended up having spoilers in the answer, so I'm not including it in the post. But, if you've read the book (which you TOTALLY SHOULD DO if you haven't) leave a comment saying that you'd like to see the question & answer and I'll reply to your comment with it.

Before I get into the interview, I'd like to thank Netgalley for allowing this to happen.

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Syd: When did you realize that you wanted to be an author/what made you want to be an author?

HB: I've loved writing since the first grade, and I've been writing ever since! I think the biggest influence on my love of writing has been my love of reading. I've been an avid reader since elementary school, and at some point my love of reading amazing stories translated into a dream to write amazing stories.

Syd: What inspired you to write Paintbrush?

HB: Paintbrush is a story inspired by place and setting - specifically, the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where I now live. The first few times I visited the area, I was struck by the unique culture of this place: hippie and country all rolled into one. The setting of Paintbrush was imagined during one of my visits, and the characters and story all took shape from there.

Syd: How long did it take to write Paintbrush?

HB: It took me five months to finish the first draft from start to finish, and then the publishing, rewriting, and editing process took roughly another year to complete.

Syd: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

HB: Start writing now! If there's an idea you've been tossing around or a story you just can't get out of your head, don't wait - sit down every day and start writing, even if it's only for ten minutes a day. If you wait until you have more time, or your schedule is less busy, or inspiration strikes, you might be waiting forever.

Syd: What's your writing process like?

HB: I try to write a rough outline with a distinct beginning scene, middle scene, and ending scene. I usually sketch out further details as well, but those always end up changing. Then, I start! For me, so much of the story comes to me while I'm writing. The best thing for me to do is sit down and write.

Syd: What's the first book that made you cry?

HB: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. (You know what I'm talking about.)

Syd: What's your writing Kryptonite?

HB: THE INTERNET. I'm sure every writer can relate. Or anyone who has ever tried to accomplish anything ever. I turn off my wifi when I write - otherwise I'll get sucked into looking at my sister's friend's cousin's wedding pictures on Instagram, or reading Blake Lively's entire wikipedia page, or watching videos of pugs trying to swim, or any number of other totally useless things.

Syd: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

HB: Just keep going! There are so many projects I've started and then stopped halfway through because I decided it wasn't good enough. I'd tell my younger writing self that rewriting and editing are always options - but you can't rewrite and edit something unless you finish your first draft. (This is actually good advice for my present-day writing self as well.)

Syd: What is your favorite under-appreciated book?

HB: When people talk about Sarah Dessen, they most often talk about The Truth About Forever, Just Listen, Along for the Ride, etc. And those books are all amazing. But I don't hear people often talk about Keeping the Moon, which is one of my favorites. So much of that book is about confidence and learning to see yourself in a positive light. I first read it in high school when I really needed to hear those messages so it's always resonated strongly with me. And it definitely doesn't get enough love!

Syd: How do you think of names for your characters?

HB: Usually, when I'm imagining a character, a name will just come to me and stick. It's not that I pick my favorite names or name my characters after real-life people or anything - it's more that once I imagine a name for a certain character, it's practically impossible to imagine them as anything else.

Syd: Do you read reviews for your own books? If so, how do you deal with bad or good ones?

HB: I read all the reviews! I like to know if people connected to the story. Even the bad ones can be helpful (usually). And I try not to let bad reviews get me down - like every book, Paintbrush is not for everyone!

Syd: Do you ever Google yourself?

HB: Occasionally! However, the results are not usually very exciting. But maybe that's a good thing.

Syd: What is your favorite childhood novel?

HB: Too many to choose! Harry Potter series, Ella Enchanted, the Alice books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Matilda by Roald Dahl, and Because of Winn-Dixie were some of my very favorites.

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And that's all for now! Again, I'd like to thank Netgalley and Hannah for giving me the opportunity to do this. Like I said earlier, if you've read the book leave a comment saying you'd like to see the question & answer, and I'll reply to your comment with it. Make sure you get yourself a copy of and read Paintbrush!! Bye guys!

A Slightly Late Midyear Book Freakout Tag | 2017

Hey everyone! Tons of people have been doing this tag because, ya know, it's called the midyear book freakout tag and it's the middle of the year. I should've done this a couple weeks ago, but whatever. Anyways, let's get onto the tag!

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1. BEST BOOK YOU'VE READ SO FAR THIS YEAR

[goodreads]

[goodreads]

Now, yes. I know this is cheating, but I JUST COULDN'T CHOOSE ALL RIGHT? These two books are just utterly fantastic. They've also been extremely popular this year, especially The Hate U Give. I just... I CAN'T. THEY'RE SO DANG GOOD AND I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF WHEN I TALK ABOUT THEM SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION BEFORE I GO TOO CRAZY. *hyperventilates, trying to calm down*

2. BEST SEQUEL YOU'VE READ SO FAR THIS YEAR

Well, uh. I actually haven't read any sequels this year. Recently I've started liking standalones a heck of a lot more. (Which is kind of hypocritical considering my previous post lol)

3. NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN'T READ YET, BUT WANT TO

[goodreads]

Honestly, the list for this could go on and on, but I'm pretty sure that Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy is the highest up on my TBR out of all the new releases that I want to read. I've heard nothing but great things about this book and just Julie Murphy's works in general. Also, there's plenty of diversity in here too! The main character alone struggles with body image and is also bisexual (bonus points: #ownvoices!!)

4. MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

[goodreads]


This was a pretty hard decision considering all the other books coming out later this year, but I finally decided on They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera, releasing September fifth. Not only are Adam and his books amazing, this has such an interesting plot as well! It's set in a place almost the same as ours, except that the day before you die you get a phone call telling you that you're going to die the next day. There's also an app that lets people find others who are also expecting their death day so that they can meet and hang out. This follows two boys who find each other on the app, and obviously from Adam's two other books and the title, it's going to be really, really sad.

5. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

[goodreads]

This question was for sure the easiest one to answer. Way back in January I finally started Throne of Glass, and it was one of the sh*ttiest things I'd ever read. And it still lives up to that name. I absolutely despise Throne of Glass, and I have no shame.

6. BIGGEST SURPRISE

I know I mentioned this already in the first question, but this is the book that fit for the biggest surprise. I went into it not thinking I was going to like it, and obviously as you can tell by my first answer IT WAS ANYTHING BUT.

7. NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR

Again, this was a pretty difficult decision. But I finally decided on Becky Albertalli! I originally read her first book, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, last year, but this year I reread it plus read her second novel, The Upside of Unrequited, and fell in love with both. I was already in love with Simon, but the love got even bigger when I reread it. I didn't Upside quite as much as Simon, but it was still REALLY good.

8. NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Once again, I don't have an answer. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

9. NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Jeez, these questions are all so difficult to answer! I went for Molly Peskin-Suso from The Upside of Unrequited because I JUST ADORE HER AND HER FAMILY AND HER FRIENDS AND AAH.

10. A BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

[goodreads]

Literally the easiest question I've ever had to answer in my entire life. Without a doubt. This is for SURE the saddest book I've ever read (second being Deathly Hallows... but let's not get into that *sobs*). But at the same time one of the best books I've ever read. I know a lot of people don't like sad books but I actually admire it when an author can make someone cry just from writing.

11. A BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

[goodreads]

Though in the beginning there is a little bit of transphobia, after that it gets so much happier and cuter and I LOVED this book. This is one of the very few queer middle grades out there and THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE! And we also just need more work from Alex Gino. Just from their one book I'm obsessed with them.

12. FAVORITE BOOK-TO-MOVIE ADAPTATION THIS YEAR

Out of the very little adaptations I've seen this year, I... haven't liked any of them. :/

13. YOUR FAVORITE REVIEW YOU'VE WRITTEN SO FAR THIS YEAR

Sorry for once again not having an answer, but I very rarely write reviews (though, I've been trying to fix that lately). And when I do write them they usually come out pretty sh*tty. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

14. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU'VE BOUGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR

[goodreads]

I was just walking about Barnes & Noble the other day and then THIS beauty of a book (well, technically graphic novel) caught my eye. I had never heard of Rickety Stitch before, but it sounded hilarious and I really like the art style as well! (Well duh it's the answer for "most beautiful book" of course I'm gonna like the art style lol)

15. WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

AAH! There are so many! I'll give you a list of five:

1. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson [goodreads]

2. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys [goodreads]

3. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab [goodreads]

4. Because You Love to Hate Me by a f*ck ton of authors and BookTubers [goodreads]

5. Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee [goodreads]

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And that's it for now! I hope you enjoyed this tag. Because just about everyone has done it already I won't tag any specific people but if you're reading this and you want to do this tag then I TAG YOU! If you enjoyed this post, then make sure to hit that follow button! Bye guys!!

Series That I've Been Wanting to Start (cue the shame)

Hey guys! I got this idea when I saw Solomon (The Bookish King)'s post on it, which is, obviously, as you can tell by the title, listing some series that I've been meaning to start. Whether they've been out for several years or they're new releases, let's get into the list!

1. THE GRISHA TRILOGY BY LEIGH BARDUGO [goodreads]

I'm guessing most of you are aware that I am downright obsessed with the Six of Crows duology, which is also by Leigh Bardugo. AND I STILL HAVEN'T READ HER OTHER SERIES. I am feeling overwhelmed with shame already and this is only the first on the list.

2. THE LUNAR CHRONICLES BY MARISSA MEYER [goodreads]

I know. I know. This series ended almost two years ago (if you don't include the companion novellas) and the hype surrounding it is undying. Luckily for me, though, the first book Cinder was chosen for the July book-of-the-month for an online book club I'm a part of, Forgotten YA Gems.

3. VENGEANCE ROAD BY ERIN BOWMAN [goodreads]

This is a YA western. I repeat. THIS. IS. A. YA. WESTERN. Okay, that may be literally all I know about the plot... but still. Also, the cover is the beautiful-est thing I have ever seen in my life. And hype. Oh, the hype. I'm going to try to read this book before the sequel, Retribution Rails, comes out later this year.

4. THE MONSTERS OF VERITY BY VICTORIA SCHWAB [goodreads]

When this came out slightly over a year ago, I said to myself, "Well that's something I'll be reading immediately." And look at me now. It still hasn't been read. And the second and final book has been released. What is life I swear I'll read it ok???

5. THE ARCHIVED BY VICTORIA SCHWAB [goodreads]

This. Series. Has. Been. Out. For. So. Long. Not only is the hype around this book/series practically infinite, it's also by Victoria/V.E. Schwab, who is one of my favorite authors. Also, later this year there was supposed to be a third book coming out, The Returned, but it turns out it'll only be released if enough people read this series. So that gives me yet another to finally pick this series up.

6. THE REMNANT CHRONICLES BY MARY E. PEARSON [goodreads]

This series has been out for three years and I've had the intention of reading it for three years. *curls up in a smol ball of shame* I need to just pick this up already. THERE ARE NO MORE EXCUSES. If I don't read at least the first book by the end of the year, I'm giving all of you the right to shame me all you want.

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And that's all for now! I imagined there being way more on this list than there ended up being. Tell me your thoughts on these books in the comments if you've read them, or any series that have been on your TBR for the longest time now. If you enjoyed this post make sure to hit that follow button! Bye guys!

Children's Books | T5W

Hey guys! In this post, I'll be doing another Top Five Wednesday. Today's topic is, obviously, children's books, so let's get right into it!
Saving Lucas Biggs; El Deafo; Wonder; Home of the Brave

5. OUT OF MY MIND BY SHARON M. DRAPER [goodreads]

This book follows a girl named Melody who is mute and cannot walk, but she has a very good photographic memory. She's also extremely smart - smarter than the adults who try to diagnose her, and smarter than her classmates - those same classmates that just dismiss her as mentally challenged because she can't do anything to stop it. But Melody will not be defined by cerebral palsy, and she's going to let everyone know... somehow.

4. HOME OF THE BRAVE BY KATHERINE APPLEGATE [goodreads]

This book is told in verse and told in the point of view of a refugee from Sudan named Kek, and basically just all the things that happen in Minnesota. One part that I really liked about this book is it has a very good balance between being funny and being serious. I highly recommend!

3. EL DEAFO BY CECE BELL [goodreads]

This is a graphic memoir about a girl who's d/Deaf and gets a giant hearing aid that she has to wear. I expected it to be a lot more serious, but it ended up being really light-hearted and fun!

2. SAVING LUCAS BIGGS BY MARISA DE LOS SANTOS AND DAVID TEAGUE [goodreads]

This novel follows a girl named Margaret whose father is unfairly sentenced to death by the awful Judge Biggs, making Margaret determined to save him. Even though she'll have to use her family's forbidden, secret power: time travel. With the help of her friend Charlie and his grandpa, Margaret goes back to the time when Judge Briggs was a young boy, trying to stop the things that changed him into a horrible, corrupt man. I read this quite a few years ago and I've said a couple times that I need to reread this, but I remember very much enjoying it!

1. WONDER BY R.J. PALACIO [goodreads]

Now, this is a fairly popular book, but I absolutely. Freaking. ADORE this book. I love it so so so much. To put it simply (as, like I said, popular book) it's about Auggie Pullman who was born with a facial deformity, and for all his life he had been home schooled, but now he's going to fifth grade at a "mainstream" school. And it's basically just all the things that happen to him while there. Also, in case you didn't know, they're actually making a movie for Wonder, coming out later this year! So in case you haven't gotten around to this one yet, make sure you do, not only because it's incredible but also for the movie!

And that's all for now! Let me know down below if you've read any of these books before and your thoughts on them. If you liked this post then don't forget to hit that follow button! Bye guys!