POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2018

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2018 

After thinking about it, I really want to challenge myself to complete the Popsugar Reading Challenge for this year. This website has been coming out with these really cool reading challenges that force you to expand your reading to be more diverse since 2015, and I had sort of halfheartedly done them in previous years, but nothing this seriously.

There are so many interesting categories that even if I have nothing to read, I love this list because I can come here and find something completely new to stretch my readings into genres I don't know as well. To read about the challenge from the site itself, you can click this link. There is a really cool graphic that they have and a printable version as well, but it was so long that I just ended up typing out the challenges below so that this post wasn't just a giant graphic.

What I want to do: Personally, I hope to complete not just the forty challenges, but the extra ten challenges as well, which are listed under the Advanced portion of the sheet. To keep track of this, I have an excel sheet going where I'll be typing in book titles as I go and I will also be printing out their printable version of the challenge to physically check of the challenges as I go. I also just joined their Goodreads group page, which as so many cool discussions going on it that will hopefully keep me motivated throughout the entire year. I'm also going to make a label for my reviews so that I can keep them all notated on the blog, and I'll write on the bottom of the reviews from now on if they satisfy one of the categories.

Why I like the Popsugar Challenge: Overall, I think I like this particular reading challenge because it can be as difficult or as easy as you want it to be. While I want to finish every challenge, it is not necessary to do so if you don't want to. It's a very personal and individualized thing which I like. It also just has so many different and unique categories that I have not even heard of before. Like, "Nordic Noir" is a category this year and I don't even know what that means. But also underlying everything with this challenge is the element of fun. You compete with yourself because it's so personal, you can get the support from the reading community if you need it, and chances are, you are going to be reading books you have never heard of before or that you never thought you would ever even pick up. It's great. :)

Here's the list for this year:

Book made into a movie you’ve already seen

True crime

Next book in a series you started

Book involving a heist

Nordic noir

Novel based on a real person

Book set in a country that fascinates you

Book about a villain or antihero

Book about death or grief

Book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym

Book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist

Book that is also a stage play or musical

Book by an author of a different ethnicity than you

Book about feminism

Book about mental health

Book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift

Book by two authors

Book about or involving a sport

Book by a local author

Book with your favorite color in the title

Book with alliteration in the title

Book about time travel

Book with a weather element in the title

Book set at sea

Book with an animal in the title

Book set on a different planet

Book with song lyrics in the title

Book about or set on Halloween

Book with characters who are twins

Book mentioned in another book

Book from a celebrity book club

Childhood classic you’ve never read

Book that’s published in 2018

Past Goodreads Choice Award winner

Book set in the decade you were born

Book you meant to read in 2017 but didn’t get to

Book with an ugly cover

Book that involved a bookstore or library

Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 Popsugar Reading Challenges

ADVANCED:

Bestseller from the year you graduated high school

Cyberpunk book

Book that was being read by a stranger in a public place

Book tied to your ancestry

Book with a fruit or vegetable in the title

An allegory

Book by an author with the same first or last name as you

Microhistory

Book about a problem facing society today

Book recommended by someone else taking the Popsugar Reading Challenge

Now, I have already read 8 books this year, so I will be going back to see if they fulfill any of these categories for me. But I am really excited to see where this challenge guides my reading! If you are also participating in this challenge, I would love to chat with you; and if you're not I hope the list can at least give you an idea of books that you can branch out to!

Thanks for reading!

Review of Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings

Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings

3.75 out of 5 Stars

*Thank you to Harlequin Teen and Edelweiss + for providing a DRC for me to read!*

The first in what will hopefully be a very successful space series, Zenith, by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, has great promise and potential to it while the finer details and minutia to the story and writing are the only things that deter from this being a great novel.

Following the story of Androma Racella and her gang of fellow space pirates, Zenith is a space opera heist where the protagonist finds herself needing to complete a job to save a man from her past from a notorious prison. Helping her though are not just her fellow hand-picked shipmates, but Dex, an unwelcome fellow outlaw that she had worked with in her past. The plot keeps moving, the characters play off each other, and the world is a beautiful imagination drawn on page.

Spoilers Below

Plot:
The plot, while not being wholly original, was captivating and engaging for the reader. The drawback though was that it seemed to take too many pages for the events of the story to unfold. Part of this is due to having so many points of view, which in and of itself had a couple more drawbacks to it that will be addressed later. But because there were so many characters getting page time, the story dragged in a few areas, making the parts that were moving at a good pace seem almost like they were going to fast. The juxtaposition of these slow moments with the well paced ones was a bit jarring- the equivalent of a reader's whiplash.


That being said though, the arch of the story is captivating and thought out. It also seems like there were moments that are meant only to set up for the next book and/or the rest of the series. This, while doing it's job, did not necessarily fit in with the rest of the book. I'd be curious to know as to how that decision was made because these set-up details were brought to us in additional points of view and did not contribute to the rest of the story in this book. My question then is just why now in this book and not later in the next?

Characters:
This is the area where my biggest issues with the book lie, but that is also partially because I love reading for the characters. It just seemed like overall there was not a thorough enough development of any one character and that made some of the lines overly cliche and standoffish to read.

Androma: It is very clear from page one that Androma is not a character that will take crap from anyone or anything. As amazing as it is to see this- because these are my favorite types of characters- I don't know if it was executed as well as it could have been. There was a lot of just straight-up saying what the characters were like instead of showing these skills and attributes, which made it a bit less believable and even slightly annoying. A bit more showing instead of telling could do this character good I think.

Dex: Dex may be the most well developed character of the entire novel. He was one of the main perspectives that the reader gets while reading and, unlike the Baroness, his characterization is mostly done through his actions instead of a narrative description. Him as a person I don't know if I would particularly like him: there's enough there for me to distrust him, but there's also enough there for me to ship him with Andi..... he's a good character.... I like his character.

Nor: I'm assuming that Nor is going to be an important character for the rest of the series; but again, I feel like her characterization was not where it could have been so I am not sure. Based on the end of the novel with her role in the experimentation, she is the character for the readers to hate. There are some mixed signals though coming from what I believe to be her background story, but if that is the case, the connection is not super clear. It does complicate her character though which makes it harder to hate her.

The gang: Same issue as Androma: there was so much textual characterization of "we are badasses" and not as much showing to support this claim. I do like the consistency in their dynamic though and their loyalty to the ship and Andi. They're their own little family and it was really cool to see that.


Valen: Of all the characters in the book, he is by far the most intriguing to me. He is almost all action and dialogue based characterization, which was so lovely and made him so realistic. The killer though is that he wasn't there as much! Granted, I think that if he was in the narrative more often it would have not been nearly as good as it is now. But I am really looking forward to seeing him in the next book and finding out more about him as a person and what is wrong with him.

Writing/World:
The world that Lindsay and Sasha have created is extraordinary. There is a beautiful map to accompany the story and it shows just how much detail and effort went into the creation of this solar system and the world of the novel. The pieces all fit together really nicely as well. What I think was done the bets though was the history of the planets' interactions sprinkled throughout the story, explaining what needed to be explained, but without making it a history lesson.

The writing of the book itself is tricky. I know that the two of them switched back and forth while writing, and some author duos pull it off really well, but I could tell when the writer switched. With the way that this story is laid out, I do not think you were supposed to be able to tell that. I can only imagine how immensely difficult it is to synthetically have two people writing on the same story, but it did distract me at times. 

Zenith, while not being the most well constructed book of the year, definitely has it merits and I will continue to read it to find out what happens to the characters and larger plot of the book. The best thing about this book I think is that it has something for nearly every reader. Even those who do not normally find enjoyment in the "science fiction" genre or with "space" books will be able to find enjoyment in the story.


Thanks for reading!
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: Book by Two Authors

p.s. I was looking at the copy in a store the other day, and I'm not entirely sure I read this whole thing/ I had the whole thing in my DRC, so I will definitely be rereading this and comparing! :) When? TBD 

Spoiler Free Review of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

5 out of 5 Stars

 
SPOILER FREE REVIEW

This is one of the few books that are as truly phenomenal in every regard as they can be. Holly Black's The Cruel Prince is as addicting and powerfully beautiful as the faerie fruit that is in the book. The characters are authentic, the momentum of the story just right, the writing mythically enchanting, and the politics of courts wonderfully convoluted. This book is just what a book with fae should be: dark, intricate, and spell-binding.

Finishing this book was almost sad in a way because now I don't have the second book and I won't have the second book until some time in 2019 I believe. However, I looked on Goodreads and it says the next title is The Wicked King, which make me so excited I could scream... there's just so much to wait on! So many ways this could go! The characters and the world are hanging on the precipice of the unknown and I hate and love that feeling all at once. I absolutely cannot wait to see where this series goes. Highly recommended, this book is definitely an official favorite of mine and I really think it will explode across the community.

Thanks for reading!

Review of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

5 out of 5 Stars

This is one of the few books that are as truly phenomenal in every regard as they can be. Holly Black's The Cruel Prince is as addicting and powerfully beautiful as the faerie fruit that is in the book. The characters are authentic, the momentum of the story just right, the writing mythically enchanting, and the politics of courts wonderfully convoluted. This book is just what a book with fae should be: dark, intricate, and spell-binding.

SPOILERS BELOW

Plot:
One of the best things about this book I think is that there is not a romantic plot in it. There is romance to be sure, but the focus is primarily on Jude finding her place amongst the High Fae of Elfhame. This is partially due to Jude's character, which will come later, but as a whole, I think the plot could best be described as a beautiful tree. There's a main conflict that needs to be resolved (Jude finding her place) like the trunk of the tree, but then there are all these twining little plots and details like the branches that make the tree whole.

Of all the things that happen in the book, my favorite is how things are developed and revealed to the reader. Constantly, there are at least two or three things happening at once that are all significant in some form or another. The reader learns as Jude does though, which means that things are not clear right away necessarily. And then they all come together in the end of the book and, I kid you not, I couldn't put down the book at the end even if I wanted to.


Characters:
Jude: Jude may be one of my favorite literary characters ever. I love how she is so strong and we get to see her develop to conquer her fear- or at least function with it- of the fae around her. Her rashness was a bit startling at times, but I think it fits with her character. My only concern though is to see how "dark" she gets per say. I have a theory that Valerian's curse on her will either, a) turn her into a killing machine where she'll come to despise herself, or b) doesn't matter at all because he died before he said the third part. I'm interested to also see how her relationship with Cardan plays out. [I ship it, but with trepidation]

Taryn: She was the most infuriating character ever! Even more so than Valerian the psychopath. This may also be because I have a sister, and I absolutely cannot imagine my sister doing what Taryn did. But holy smokes, I felt betrayed when Taryn revealed she was dating Locke and knew Locke was teasing Jude. Sister just don't do that.

Cardan: I have very mixed feelings on Cardan. It seems like for every horrid thing he does, there's a good deed (or at least slightly above decent deed) to counteract it. However, now there's the huge concern over what will happen at the end of his and Jude's bargain, because we all know he's pissed as hell for being made King. What I hope happens, is that Jude will make him see reason, they'll fall for each other in their own volatile ways, and then at the end of the year Cardan makes Jude Queen. Wouldn't that be nice? Or at least the least bloody? Of course then when Oak comes back Cardan will rescind the crown and he and Jude will move away and live happily ever after. 

Valerian: He's a psychopath- that's all I think I need to say.

Locke: Locke is just slimy in my opinion. Yes, I hate him for how he played the twins and I think he's disgusting for doing it. But he's not evil like Valerian, so I can't hate him as much. Plus, it does seem like he'll take care of Taryn? Maybe? Or, he'll do something awful to her and Jude will kill him. I think that's an acceptable option as well. He'll definitely be in the story then.

Madoc: I don't have very many strong feelings on Madoc. My biggest thing with him is that I'm curious to see what happens when he wakes up and realizes everything that's happened. Will Cardan protect Jude from him? Will he even try to get revenge? Who knows.....

Writing:
First person present tense narration can be extremely difficult to pull off; but when it is done correctly, it is my absolute favorite to read. Holly Black not only pulls it off though, but she also does so in a way that is excellent for telling a story. It's strange because in this way, the book isn't just a narration of what Jude is going through, but it is the artistry of weaving a story in a way that is meant for enjoyment.

As for the world of the book, I was so happy to be back in this world. I loved The Darkest Part of the Forest, and it made me SO happy to see Severin and Ben (even though Ben wasn't named in the book). The world is just so thoughtfully illustrated and what's more is that the story was constantly in motion. Some parts were the fast pace that they needed, and others were a bit slower to explain things more thoroughly, but they always fit the tone and the moment they were telling.

Finishing this book was almost sad in a way because now I don't have the second book and I won't have the second book until some time in 2019 I believe. However, I looked on Goodreads and it says the next title is The Wicked King, which make me so excited I could scream... there's just so much to wait on! So many ways this could go! The characters and the world are hanging on the precipice of the unknown and I hate and love that feeling all at once. I absolutely cannot wait to see where this series goes. Highly recommended, this book is definitely an official favorite of mine and I really think it will explode across the community.

Thanks for reading!
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: Book You Borrowed

How to Read When...

Reading During the School Year

This past week I went back to school. I know that for many people, this is the time that they begin to slow down their reading or stop entirely. I've also seen this become more and more true the older I get and with the more advanced classes that I take. However, it never fails to astonish people when I tell them the number of books that I read per year (around 100). And while I genuinely love to read, it sometime isn't easy to be able to do so with homework, classes, work, etc., etc.

Here's what I suggest: 1) Set aside 30 minutes; and 2) Bring a book everywhere with you.

1) This goes for whatever it is that you love. If it something that brings you joy, you should give yourself the time to enjoy it. The world is not going to end if you relax for a brief moment of time. Set aside your phone, turn off the notifications, and (for those inclined to read) fall between the pages of a book you've been looking forward to.


2) You'd be surprised how much reading you can get done in the couple of minutes here and there throughout the day. Before class starts, waiting to meet a friend, on a bus... you can read in these places. So always have a book with you in some form, because it can be so easy to just pick it up where you left off and make progress in the story. If you don't want to carry around a physical book with you, I highly suggest e-books because you can download either the kindle app or use iBooks, both of which I like.

I hope if you are going back to school or are already back that this is helpful in some way! There is a very good chance that it is advice that you have seen before, but they're the bits that I have found helpful all the same. Good luck with your new year!


Thanks for reading!

Spoiler Free Review of Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings

Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings

3.75 out of 5 Stars

*Thank you to Harlequin Teen and Edelweiss + for providing a DRC for me to read!*

NO SPOILERS

The first in what will hopefully be a very successful space series, Zenith, by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, has great promise and potential to it while the finer details and minutia to the story and writing are the only things that deter from this being a great novel.

Following the story of Androma Racella and her gang of fellow space pirates, Zenith is a space opera heist where the protagonist finds herself needing to complete a job to save a man from her past from a notorious prison. Helping her though are not just her fellow hand-picked shipmates, but Dex, an unwelcome fellow outlaw that she had worked with in her past. The plot keeps moving, the characters play off each other, and the world is a beautiful imagination drawn on page.
 
The writing of the book itself is tricky. I know that the two of them switched back and forth while writing, and some author duos pull it off really well, but I could tell when the writer switched. With the way that this story is laid out, I do not think you were supposed to be able to tell that. I can only imagine how immensely difficult it is to synthetically have two people writing on the same story, but it did distract me at times. 

Zenith, while not being the most well constructed book of the year, definitely has it merits and I will continue to read it to find out what happens to the characters and larger plot of the book. The best thing about this book I think is that it has something for nearly every reader. Even those who do not normally find enjoyment in the "science fiction" genre or with "space" books will be able to find enjoyment in the story.

You can buy a copy of Zenith this Tuesday, January 16th!!! My full review will be published on Friday, January 19.

Thanks for reading!

Books of 2018

Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2018

Part 1: January-June

Looking through all of the books I am really excited for being released this upcoming year, I realized two things: one, there is a massive amount of them coming out this month; two, there are not many books listed for the second half of the year yet. So I'm only going to list books that are slotted through June, and then I will cover the second half at a later date when the publication dates are finalized.

January
Cruel Prince by Holly Black (January 2)
Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu (January 2)
Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout (January 2)
Zenith by Sasha Alsburg and Lindsay Cummings (January 16)
Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout (January 30)

February
Paris Adrift by E.J. Swift (February 6)
Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones (February 6)
The Dark Calling by Kresley Cole (February 13)
People Like Us by Dana Mele (February 27)

March
Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi (March 6)
The Prophecy by Jennifer L. Armentrout  (March 8)

May
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas (May 1)
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard (May 15)

June
Save the Date by Morgan Matson (June 5)
A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir (June 12)

Please note! There are so many great books coming out that I have not read their predecessors yet, hence they are not on this list. However, that is something that I hope to rectify. 2018 is just beginning and we are off on a good foot for books coming out!

Thanks for reading!