I’ve been wanting to start this kind of segment for a while to kind of highlight other aspects of my life that aren’t related or centered around books. This is for me to talk about things like make up, photography, and any other tidbits as I like.
Month: December 2016
WWW Wednesday 12/28
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words. Simply answer the following questions:
What have you recently finished reading?
What are you currently reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
What have you recently finished reading?
The Lovers Dictionary
by David Levithan
I thought this book had a clever concept and a creative format, unfortunately I didn’t really get much out of the book. For me it wasn’t mind blowing, it wasn’t phenomenal
My True Love Gave to Me
edited by Stephanie Perkins
I ended up finishing this on Christmas Day and overall I thought it was cute and fluffy, reading a short story a day was a great way to read it I think.
Stroked
by Meghan Quinn
I decided to pick this up on a whim, I wanted something easy to read and New Adult romances are typically like that for me. Really enjoyed this gave about 4 out of 5 stars.
What are you currently reading?
Stroked Long
by Meghan Quinn
I plan on picking this up next, probably sometime today. I’m looking forward to Brodi’s story.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Stroked Hard
by Meghan Quinn
Oh my god, how great are these titles?! They seriously crack me up!
2016 Book Favorites
No one should be shocked by any of these, I have raved about all of them and each one of these books have stuck with me all throughout the year.
They are all new favorites and ones I would pick up and reread again and again.
Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
A Court of Mist and Fury
by Sarah J Maas
This Savage Song
by Victoria Schwab
Dreams of Gods and Monsters
by Laini Taylor
Red Rising
by Pierce Brown
The Wrath and The Dawn
by Renee Ahdieh
The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern
Crooked Kingdom
by Leigh Bardugo
The Song of Achilles
by Madeline Miller
Gemina
by Amie Kauffman and Jay Kristoff
The Star Touched Queen
by Roshani Chokshi
My 2016 Least Favorites
I decided to add these on just for that kind of contrast. I’m sorry if any of these are your favorites, they just didn’t do it for me.
Dreamology by Lucy Keating
This may not be a surprise because I wrote a very non gushing review for it, just to refresh, I didn’t like the characters, the story didn’t make sense in a lot of parts, and our characters priorities were way out of line.
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
I really struggled to get through this one, the plot was slow and really dragged on for a lot of it, and there was something about the writing style that I couldn’t get into. Really disappointing read of the year.
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
At the moment I really cant think of why I didn’t like this. Its just not coming to me right now, I remember not liking the character and thinking that the book was 200 pages too long.
This Girl by Colleen Hoover
Ah this one, the Slammed series by Colleen Hoover is my least favorite out of everything that shes written. I wasn’t a fan of Slammed and this was just Wills POV for everything that happened. It really didn’t shed any light on the story, brought nothing new to the series.
The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Oh the injustice of the ending for this trilogy!!!! Really disappointing ending to an amazing trilogy.
There’s my list of favorite and least favorite reads of 2016. I cant believe that the year is almost over.
What was your favorite read of 2016? Least favorite?
Let me know in the comments and don’t worry if one of your least favorites was one of my favorites. I’d be curious to know why 🙂
WWW Wednesday 12/21
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words. Simply answer the following questions:
What have you recently finished reading?
What are you currently reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
What have you recently finished reading?
Last week was a bit of a crazy week for me so I wasn’t able to read as much as I would have liked. I did manage to squeeze in a couple books in.
The Shameless Hour
by Sarina Bowen
This is book 4 in the Ivy Years series and might have been my least favorite of the series. I ended up giving it about 3 stars
The Fifteenth Minute
by Sarina Bowen
This is book 5 in the Ivy Years series and while it was good, it wasn’t a great series finale, if you get what I mean, overall I really enjoyed it but felt like events just fell together and everything worked out in the end. The ending felt rushed to me.
The Song Achilles
by Madaline Miller
I am so happy that I finally read this! I loved it so much, it just captured my heart right away and I have to gush about so look forward to a review coming soon.
What are you currently reading?
Uprooted
by Naomi Novik
I plan on starting this as soon as this is posted and I am really looking to it 🙂
My True Love Gave to Me
edited by Stephanie Perkins
Honestly I kind of forgot about this book. I’m halfway through and only have 5 stories left so I’ll be finishing right on Christmas Day. I like how that timing works out.
The Lovers Dictionary
by David Levithan
I picked this up because it’s super short and really really interesting. The story is told through a dictionary format which makes it a quick read. However, I am having a difficult time trying to focus on the story. I keep zoning out and having to go back and reread the page.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Does anyone feel the need or desire to read as much as they can before the years over? I don’t necessarily feel a “need” more of a desire to read as much as I can. Basically, these are the books that I want to get to asap so fingers crossed that I’m able to.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet
by Becky Chambers
Golden Son and Morning Star
by Pierce Brown
Crystal Storm
by Morgan Rhodes
Ice like Fire and Frost like Night
by Sarah Raasch
What are you reading this week? n
December 20: Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree
Good morning book nerds! Its time for another Top Ten Tuesday post and this weeks topic is Books I think Santa should leave under my tree 😉
All of these are books I would love to have but they aren’t books that I’m planning to buy anytime soon.
The Complete Wreck by Lemony Snicket
This is a series that I am DYING to reread 🙂 especially since the Netflix show is going to be airing in January. This is another series that I read as a child but I only remember reading up to book 6 or so before I burnt out on the series and never picked it up again.
Illustrated Game of Thrones
by George R.R. Martin
I feel so conflicted about this. On one hand I really want this but on the other I don’t know if I plan on rereading this anytime soon.
Puffin Bloom Alice in Wonderland
How many editions of Alice in Wonderland can I get away with having? I think I’m up to 3 different editions and I want to add this one to my collection.
Sea of Tranquility
by Katja Millay
I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book and I really want to check it out but I guess its just not high on my buying priorities.
Captive Prince
by C.S. Pacat
Another series that I’ve heard a lot about and really want to check it out soon.
On Writing
by Stephen King
I really want to check out the writing master’s memoir on writing. I feel like I could learn a lot about writing from reading this.
Illustrated Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Ever since finishing this for the first time a week ago its been all I can think about and why wouldn’t I want the illustrated edition of Pride and Prejudice?
The Little House Box Set
Yet another series that I read a lot as a child, again I never finished the series, I read Little House in Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie over and over but never really read past those two.
All The Ugly and Wonderful Things
by Bryn Greenwood
I know theres a lot of controversy going around about this book and I want to read it really badly but its just been so expensive 
Stormdancer
by Jay Kristoff
This sounds so good! I was sold as soon as I heard the words “Japanese steampunk”
How Star Wars Conquered the Universe
by Chris Taylor
I am a huge Star Wars fan and I am trying to talk my bf and mom into sitting down for a Star Wars marathon sometime soon. I also want to read more nonfiction in 2017 and I think this would be an excellent place to start 🙂
Blogmas #5: Does a book club about banned books appeal to you?
Lately, I’ve been kicking around this idea in my head about starting a book club about banned books.
I love Banned Books Week and I think it’s so important to read Banned or Challenged books. My only issue is that I feel like when Banned Books Week is over those books that are challenged aren’t highlighted anymore. They’re pushed back behind the curtain to wait a whole year before being spotlighted again. I want to keep the focus on banned books year long.
Goals this book club would have:
reading banned books (of course)
keeping the spotlight on challenged books
fighting censorship
exploring diverse reads
I love the real issues that banned books bring up such as racism, homosexuality, drug/alcohol use, sex, government criticism, and so many other issues that should be talked about and not tucked away or swept under a rug. I don’t think any of these reasons are good enough to ban a book.
p.s. why are we, as a society, so stingy about sex and profanity yet violence is tolerated over those. I will never understand.
I was inspired by Zoe at readbyzoe Jane Austen book club that she formed with the goal to read all of Jane Austen’s writings and Emma Watson’s feminist literature book club.
I honestly don’t know how I would form this book club, I don’t have a Booktube channel nor do I really plan on starting one anytime soon so I wouldn’t be able to do a live show. Goodreads is always an option or there’s Facebook. As you can tell, nothing is set in stone for this. This post is simply me tossing an idea out there. Nothing needs to be decided today like I said I’m just testing the waters.
Maybe someone wants to explore why banned books have perceived as “bad” or “evil” or whatever reasons are for challenging/banning books. I personally have never been told not to read something or had anyone try to censor what I’ve read so I don’t know most of the reasons why maybe a parent would try to keep their child from reading a book.
But maybe someone who reads this has had that happen to them and maybe they want to read it but are scared of the judgment or don’t know where to start, I would hope that this book club could help that person.
Book ideas
This is not a reading schedule, this is not concrete, these are simply ideas to give a feel of what could be expected during.
Brave New World
Fahrenheit 451
1984
Catch 22
The Color Purple
The Kite Runner
Beloved
The Handmaidens Tale
Slaughterhouse 5
To Kill a Mockingbird
Grapes of Wrath
Links:
5 Reasons to read Banned Books
10 Reasons for Banning Books, and 5 Much Better Reasons Not To
ALA Frequently Challenged Books
Let me know if a book club like this appeals to you and if it doesn’t let me know why.
Thanks for reading!
P.S. not banned books related but my giveaway for A Court of Mist and Fury is still open so go check it out and enter if you want!
WWW Wednesday 12/14
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words. Simply answer the following questions:
What have you recently finished reading?
What are you currently reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
What have you recently finished reading?
Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
I finished Pride and Prejudice finally! Despite how long it took me to read it (way longer than was necessary) I really really enjoyed it and I am firmly on the Austen fan train now. I don’t know what Austen book to read though ( I own Emma, Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey and I will be obtaining Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park on Thursday) which one do you think I should pick up next?
Let it Snow
by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
Overall I thought that this was cute, I liked how all the stories came together at the end but I was fully satisfied at the end of the book. I just wanted a little bit more closure.
The Understatement of the Year
by Sarina Bowen
So far this one has been my least favorite of the series, aside from Rikker I just didn’t like most of the characters involved. Don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed it, it’s just not my favorite so far.
What are you currently reading?
My True Love Gave to Me
edited by Stephanie Perkins
I’m reading a short story a night before I go to bed, I think I’ve read 4 out of the 12 so far and I’ve really enjoyed all that I’ve read so far. My only complaint was that I wish Jenny Han’s story had been longer. Her story was one of top 3 I was looking forward to the most and it was so short and I just want to know what happens next!
Tell Me Three Things
by Julie Buxbaum
I can’t seem to get into this story at all, I think maybe I’ll just read a little bit here and there, see how things go.
The Song of Achilles
by Madeline Miller
I really want to get to this book soon, I think I’m just going to go ahead and pick it up. Stop thinking and talking about it and just do it.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Uprooted
by Naomi Novik
I’ve been wanting to read this for so long and I’m finally in the mood to read some epic fantasy so I’m gonna give this one a shot.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet
by Becky Chambers
I saw that Victoria Schwab was tweeting about her love for this book and she compared it Firefly in book form and that moment I knew that I needed it and I needed to buy it. Now I need to read it!
The Thirteenth Tale
by Diane Setterfield
I had kind of forgotten that I owned this to be perfectly honest, and a while ago I tweeted that going to the grocery store reminds me why my life goal is to become a reclusive writer and since then that’s all I’ve been talking about: becoming a reclusive writer. This book has a reclusive writer character and that’s all I need to know to get me to want to read this.
What are you reading this week?
Have you read Tell Me Three Things? Should I stick with it?
December 13: Top Ten Books I’m Looking Forward To For The First Half Of 2017
December 13: Top Ten Books I’m Looking Forward To For The First Half Of 2017
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish
I feel so bad for my wallet in 2017. I think March is going to be a tough month for book shopping because so many good books are coming out in especially that month!
Windwitch
by Susan Dennard
release date: January 10th
Caraval
by Stephanie Garber
release date: January 31st
A Conjuring of Light
by V.E. Schwab
release date: February 21st
The Bone Witch
by Rin Chupeco
release date: March 7th
The Song Rising
by Samantha Shannon
release date: March 7th
Traitor to the Throne
by Alwyn Hamilton
release date: March 7th
Strange the Dreamer
by Laini Taylor
release date: March 28th
Crown of Wishes
by Roshani Chokshi
release date: March 28th
Always and Forever, Lara Jean
by Jenny Han
release date: April 4th
A Court of Wings and Ruin
by Sarah J Maas
release date: May 2nd
There are of course many many more that I am anticipating (By Your Side, The Hate U Give, Wires and Nerve, Flame in the Mist…)
That’s my anticipated list for 2017, what’s on yours?
Blogmas #4: A Court of Mist and Fury Giveaway!
Good Morning everyone!
I am really excited about this post today because I am finally doing a giveaway, I am giving away a hardback copy of A Court of Mist and Fury!
Unfortunately, this is a US based giveaway.
This giveaway will be open starting today, December 12, and will close Friday, December 16th at midnight (PST).
Rules for the giveaway:
1. Must be following the LittleBookCottage
2. Like this Post
3. Leave a comment telling me about your ideal perfect winter night; tell me about who you are spending the evening with (family? Friends? Significant Other?), where are you at (home? maybe childhood home? cabin in a snowy mountain?) and any other details that would make it your ideal night.
And that’s all you have to do to be officially entered.
Personally, mine would take place in a cabin in the mountains with a nice roaring fire in the fireplace. I’m curled up on a nice comfy couch with a mug of hot choco and a book, the bf curled up next to me. If I look outside I can see a small flurry of snowflakes gently falling from the sky.
Good Luck if you enter, I will be announcing the giveaway Saturday, December 17th, please spread the word around 🙂
Thank you and Happy Holiday
WWW Wednesday 12/7
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words. Simply answer the following questions:
What have you recently finished reading?
What are you currently reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
What have you recently finished reading?
I have read a lot this last week. Its been amazing and one of the best reading weeks I’ve had in a long time! I enjoyed Love and Gelato though it could have been better. First and Then was not my cup of tea, the pace was slow and it was about football which really didn’t appeal to me, plus they left too much stuff unanswered. I adored This Lullaby and it rekindled my desire to learn how to play guitar.
I started the Ivy Years by Sarina Bowen and I am in love with everything I have read so far. Sarina is quickly becoming a favorite author of him.
I just finished Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and it was great! I already want to reread it so I’m going to listen to the audiobook for it. Lin-Manuel is the narrator and I already listened to a portion of it at work when I couldn’t sneak away to read a few pages and from what I heard the audiobook is amazing.
Love and Gelato
First and Then
This Lullaby
The Year We Fell Down
The Year We Hid Away
Blonde Date
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
What are you currently reading?
As usual I am reading Pride and Prejudice, I took a break from it for a while because I wanted to focus on a couple other books but I started up the audiobook again and I’ve read about 3/4 of the book and I really want to finish it soon. I’m hoping that I can today.
Im also about to pick up 13 Reasons Why. I cant wait to get to this one.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Tell Me Three Things by Julie
Did I Mention I Love You
Did I Mention I Need You
The Little Book Cottage 