A Month in Review: August 2017

Happy August everyone! So this month's wrap up is definitely going to be done rather quickly as I took this month off to get prepared for graduate school. I wanted to take the time to focus on learning how I was going to balance my schedule for the rest of the year. It's been an interesting time and I'm glad that I actually took the time to work towards creating a well planned stress free schedule. So, although I didn't read much I hope everyone still enjoys the wrap up! I can't promise that my reading will increase much more simply because of school, but I will definitely try to read more than what I did this month.





These were definitely my favorites for the month. Keep reading to see what else I read this month!


  • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks 
  • Paper Princess (Royals, #1)
  • New Romancer 
  • My Love Story! Vol. 2
  • Food Wars! Shokugeki No Soma Vol. 18 
  • Plum Fantastic
  • Komomo Confiserie Vol. 4
  • Komomo Confiserie Vol. 5
  • Gotham Academy: Second Semester Vol. 1: Welcome Back 

So this month was definitely better in terms of reading books from places other than the United States, but I think that's because I didn't read as many things. The types of books is pretty spread out with comics/manga being in the lead. I'm not surprised by this simply because I know that when my reading slows down I'm more inclined to pick up a comic book or a volume of manga. Overall, this was a good month in terms of ratings. I enjoyed most of the things that I read even if it wasn't a lot. There were two books that were rated two stars; nevertheless, everything else was either a 4 or 5 star rating. 

This month I read a total of 1,909 pages so far this month which ultimately brings me to a complete today of 30,490 pages for the year. It isn't as much as last month's but I'm at least happy that I got some reading accomplished. 

Here's what I posted on my blog this month: 

  • One of Us Is Lying (Video Review)
  • Friday #56, History Is All You Left Me 
  • Top 10 Tuesday: Top 10 Comics I've Read This Year (So Far)
  • Can't Wait Wednesday: Heart of Iron
  • BookishRealm Discussion: Blog Hiatus
  • Friday #56, Thirteen Reasons Why
  • Top 10 Tuesday: Hidden Gems I've Found in Comics/Manga 
  • Can't Wait Wednesday: Hurricane Girl 
Let me know how everything went for you guys this week! : ) 
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Can't Wait Wednesday #14, Hurricane Children by Kheryn Callendar


Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa over at WishfulEndings. She has taken on a similar meme to Jills Waiting on Wednesday over at Breaking the Spine. Since Jill hasn't posted in a while I'm going to join in on this meme. To participate all you have to do is spotlight upcoming publications you're eagerly anticipating. Keep reading to see what I have chosen for this week.


Expected Publication: March 27, 2018 

I can't remember how I found out about this book, but it has the most interesting premise and it also sounds like it will include some magical elements. I'm really looking forward to getting a copy of it and reading it when it releases. 


Prepare to be swept up by this exquisite novel that reminds us that grief and love can open the world in mystical ways.

Twelve-year-old Caroline is a Hurricane Child, born on Water Island during a storm. Coming into this world during a hurricane is unlucky, and Caroline has had her share of bad luck already. She's hated by everyone in her small school, she can see things that no one else can see, and -- worst of all -- her mother left home one day and never came back. With no friends and days filled with heartache, Caroline is determined to find her mother. When a new student, Kalinda, arrives, Caroline's luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, seems to see the things Caroline sees, too. Joined by their common gift, Kalinda agrees to help Caroline look for her mother, starting with a mysterious lady dressed in black. Soon, they discover the healing power of a close friendship between girls. Debut author Kheryn Callender presents a cadenced work of magical realism.
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Top 10 Tuesday: Hidden Gems In Comics/Manga

Hey guys! It's Tuesday so that means another Top 10 Tuesday hosted by the ladies over at the Broke and the Bookish. Today's topic is documenting hidden gems in a genre of our choice. Of course, I automatically went with comics and manga! So keep reading to find out which titles can be great additions to your TBR!



Birthright. I've only read the first volume of this one; however, it's a really good concept with a magical and medieval feel to it. I really appreciated the artwork and I look forward to see where the rest of the series is going to go. Faith. I originally bought the first issue of this and ended up never reading it and then I found out that my library had a copy of the first volume so I decided to check it out and I ended up loving the positive body image message. I think that the plot needs a little bit of work; however, the overall concept is really good. Goldie Vance. This comic definitely doesn't get the amount of attention it deserves. It has quite a few mysterious elements; however, what I loved most about it was the wide range of diverse characters.


Komomo Confiserie. I recently finished this entire manga series (it's only 5 volumes) and I must say it was definitely worth the journey of me getting to know the characters. It was cute, charming and full of interesting elements especially the character growth. If you want a quick romance based manga to get through I would definitely recommend this one. Monster. So this isn't actually a hidden gem because a lot of people seem to know about it, but I wanted to include it on this list because it turned out to be a hidden gem for me. I didn't really know too much about Monster before I went and checked it out from the library. It's AMAZING. I would definitely categorize it as a psychological thriller. I wouldn't recommend trying to figure out anything about it before reading. Go into it blind! Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur. I didn't really care or the first volume, but just know that the series gets really good by the second volume.


Morning Glories. All I can say about this one is that if you like boarding schools definitely go for this one! It's creepy and deals with some really weird adults, but it all takes in a boarding school. Oddly Normal. This is a great comic for kids and the family. It focuses on the story of a girl that is half witch and half human. She doesn't fit into either world which is an interesting concept. I really liked the artwork and I'm excited to pick up the next volume. Roller Girl. This was SC Book Award nominee that I picked up this year and I'm glad that I did. It's great for middle school kids as it chronicles the journey of a girl learning to find her self-confidence. The plot was great and so was the artwork.


Beauty. This comic book has the craziest concept I have ever encountered and for the fear of spoiling it for you I won't tell you what it is. Just pick it up and give it a try.

What genre did you choose and what would you classify as a hidden gem?
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Friday #56, #38 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The Friday #56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's VoiceJoin in every Friday and share an excerpt from a book you've been reading. Here are the rules:

  • Grab a book 
  • Turn to page 56 or 56% in your e-reader
  • Find any sentence (or a few, don't spoil it) 

**Be sure to post the links to your Friday #56 below!




Happy Reading!!! 


So this week I'm re-reading a book for grad school. If you guys didn't know, I'm currently enrolled in an online Masters of Library Information and Science program and my focus is in Youth Services. As a result, I'm required to take a couple of classes that focus on books for specific age groups. The class that I'm currently taking focuses in on young adult materials. We'll be required to read at least 20 young adult books this semester which is pretty cool. The first one that was chosen by our professor is 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. While I've already read this book, it's been a while since I've actually read it so it's great getting back into this world and understanding and reading it for the first time in several years. I know that I only gave the book 3 stars when I originally read it; however, this year I think things may actually change so I'll definitely be doing a new review. I'll keep you guys posted! : ) 

"When rumors of Hannah's unexplained absence began spreading through school, Mr. Porter asked our class why he kept hearing her name mentioned in the halls. He looked nervous. Almost sick. Like he knew the answer but wanted someone to convince him otherwise." 


You can’t stop the future.
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.


Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker–his classmate and crush–who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.
 
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Bookishrealm Discussion: Blog/Youtube Hiatus: I'm Back !



Okay so if you haven't noticed which I'm sure you have I've pretty much have been absent this whole month. Did I intentionally do this at first? NOPE! Haha. But after a while of not blogging and not posting YouTube videos my hiatus then become intentional. I've never been the type to take a break from my world of books like this; however, I've had a lot happen in the past few weeks (all good things) and I actually needed some time away to process and get my life more organized than it has been in a couple of months. So while I won't go into the specifics of why I took this break, I will discuss some of the benefits that come with taking a brief hiatus from working on a blog or Youtube channel. With that being said I would encourage anyone and everyone to take a break when it's needed. I know a lot of times we expect a lot of each other; however, we're all still human and sometimes we just need some time away.

Here are some benefits I gained from taking a break:

  • I was able to get my personal life in order. I'm a full time graduate student this semester and I needed time to adjust to doing that while working full time. 
  • Planning became my best friend. I know that every blogger had their own way of planning out what posts were going to occur for the week or even month in advance; however, I become even more organized than usual. I got a planner and notebook to pinpoint what needed to be completed for school, my personal life, and my blogging life every couple of days.
  • I caught up on TV shows/movies. This may not seem like a big deal; however, I hadn't been watching a lot of TV because I became too absorbed with reading, blogging, and making videos. Hey, everybody needs some sense of balance. 
  • Sleep. Yes, yes, yes! I actually got some rest and was able to relax.
  • Blogging/Video Future: With this time off I was also able to pinpoint what I wanted to do in terms of the future of this blog and the future of my YouTube channel and surprisingly I feel like I have some good things coming in the near future. 
So what I would like to know from you all is if you've ever had to take a break and if you had how long was your break? Did you see any benefits of taking a break? Let me know in the comments below. And I'm definitely happy to be back! : ) 
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Can't Wait Wednesday #13, Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston


Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa over at WishfulEndings. She has taken on a similar meme to Jills Waiting on Wednesday over at Breaking the Spine. Since Jill hasn't posted in a while I'm going to join in on this meme. To participate all you have to do is spotlight upcoming publications you're eagerly anticipating. Keep reading to see what I have chosen for this week.



Expected Publication: February 27, 2018 

I read Ashley's Geekerella this year and completely enjoyed it so when I head that she was coming out with a new book I really wanted to check it out. From my understanding it's a futuristic take on the tale of Anatasia which really intrigues me. I hope that I will enjoy it as much as Geekerella and I must say the cover is simply gorgeous. 



Seventeen-year-old Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature. Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android called D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family. But D09—one of the last remaining illegal Metals—has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him.

Ana’s desperate effort to save D09 leads her on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship that could offer all the answers. But at the last moment, a spoiled Ironblood boy beats Ana to her prize. He has his own reasons for taking the coordinates, and he doesn’t care what he’ll sacrifice to keep them.

When everything goes wrong, she and the Ironblood end up as fugitives on the run. Now their entire kingdom is after them—and the coordinates—and not everyone wants them captured alive.

What they find in a lost corner of the universe will change all their lives—and unearth dangerous secrets. But when a darkness from Ana’s past returns, she must face an impossible choice: does she protect a kingdom that wants her dead or save the Metal boy she loves?
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Top 10 Tuesday: Top Comics I've Read In 2017 (So Far)



Hey everybody! I know I haven't been present the past few days, but that's simply because of the fact that I've had a heck of a lot going on and unfortunately that led me to become not only stressed out, but extremely depressed. Hopefully, that will all change in the next couple of days! :) I know that Top 10 Tuesday won't officially be back until next week; however, I decided to do a topic of my own. I want to share the Top 10 comics I've read so far in 2017. Keep reading if you want to see my
choices.



Monstress Vol. 1: I picked this comic up on a whim and I must say that the artwork and the storyline were most fascinating and I'm glad I got the opportunity to read it. Giat Days: I've read the first 5 volumes of this amazing series and I must say I love it! It's the best comic book series that I've read in a while and it doesn't focus on action just character development which is great. Lady Killer: I didn't know anything about this comic until it was recommended to me by someone at my job. It's a mix of 1950s culture and various assassins. It's definitely one of the most interesting concepts I've seen so far this year.


I Hate Fairyland: This comic is the funniest comic I have ever read in my lifetime. It's crude and I absolutely love it. I thought that this series was aimed at children, but I quickly learned how incorrect that assessment was when I read the first page. This is probably my most recommended comic of the year. The Beauty: Like Lady Killer, I found this comic to be an interesting concept in which a STD changes people into beautiful/perfect human beings until they spontaneously combust. It's weird, but definitely worth a read. Girls: I was familiar with one of the Luna brothers through the time that I spent reading Alex + Ada so I instantly wanted to try this comic. I was in for a major surprise. The comic focuses on a group of alien women who multiple and lay eggs when they have sex with the men of the town. It's extremely weird, but for some odd reason I enjoyed it.

Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur Vol. 2: When I read the first volume of this series I simply thought that it was ok; however, by the time that I got to this volume I thought it was fantastic. It focuses on a main character of color and her ability to be a genius in pretty much anything and to transfer places with her pet dinosaur. Archie: I'd never read any Archie comics before the release of these new ones; however, it definitely has sparked my interest and now I'm reading as many Archie comics as possible! Bitch Planet: I don't have anything to say about this one. Just know that you definitely need to read it and as soon as possible.

Revival: At some points this comic can get kind of confusing; however, this one is definitely worth working through and should be read by fans of the Walking Dead
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Friday #56, #37 History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

The Friday #56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's VoiceJoin in every Friday and share an excerpt from a book you've been reading. Here are the rules:

  • Grab a book 
  • Turn to page 56 or 56% in your e-reader
  • Find any sentence (or a few, don't spoil it) 

**Be sure to post the links to your Friday #56 below!




Happy Reading!!! 



So this week I'm working on reading History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera. I absolutely love him as a person and as a writer so I have no idea why it's taken me so long to read this book. I know that I'm going to enjoy it and at the same time I'm sure it's going to break my heart. I love the dialogue so far and I'm also really enjoying the fact that it's written as if our main character is talking to his deceased boyfriend at all times. It's amazing! 

"I don't like where this is going. Someone's going to say something stupid, something unforgivable. I'm still anxious from the three questions Jackson asked that pretty much started this mess. I'm openly scratching my palms on the table, hoping Jackson will notice and cease fire."


When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.

To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.




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One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus (Video Review)




Publication: May 30th, 2017 
# of Pages: 370 
Source: Library 
Genre: Mystery/Contemporary 


One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.

Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.


Hey guys so I'm back with ANOTHER video review haha! I know I've been doing a lot of them, but I've been doing a lot of them in terms of my channel so I definitely think it's best to share them on here. Let me know what you think about it and if you enjoy this format. I really enjoyed One of Us Is Lying simply because it had a mysterious elements that I couldn't guess until the very end; nevertheless, there were some elements about the book that I didn't necessarily like.  If you're interested in hearing more check out my video down below: 




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