January wrap up 2019 + February TBR & merch news

Hi there peeps today I’m going to show you what I read over the course of the past month. (Wow that was my BookTube intro)

First off I read 7 books this month which is a decent amount but my Goodreads challenge is set to 120 so I’m three books behind which is not a good start but at least I read 7 books out the 10 I was supposed to read this month.

The first book I read was

Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom by Sylvia Plath

Lips the colour of blood, the sun an unprecedented orange, train wheels that sound like ‘guilt, and guilt, and guilt’: these are just some of the things Mary Ventura begins to notice on her journey to the ninth kingdom.

‘But what is the ninth kingdom?’ she asks a kind-seeming lady in her carriage. ‘It is the kingdom of the frozen will,’ comes the reply. ‘There is no going back.’

I gave this 5/5 stars because this was just an amazing short story and I love it so much. I am definitely going to reread as soon as possible! I even got my dad to read it and he adored it so much. 

The second book I read was an e-arc on Netgalley

The Mermaid’s Voice Returns In This One by Amanda Lovelace which is the third and final instalment in the ‘Women are some kind of magic’ series and comes out in stores on the 5th of March.

The mermaid is known for her siren song, luring bedroom-eyed sailors to their demise. However, beneath these misguided myths are tales of escapism and healing, which Lovelace weaves throughout this empowering collection of poetry, taking you on a journey from the sea to the stars. They tried to silence her once and for all, but the mermaid’s voice returns in this one.

I gave this 4/5 stars since it was definitely better than her ‘To Make Monsters Out Of Girls’ which I disliked a great deal. I definitely liked some of the poems in this poetry book but I feel like her first work, ‘The Princess Saves Herself In This One’ is my favourite and her best work.

The third book I read was Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

WHEN SILENCE IS ALL THAT’S LEFT, CAN THE TRUTH FINALLY BE HEARD?

Nora Grey can’t remember the past five months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks – with no one knowing where she was or who she was with – she tried to get her life back on track. Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge mom’s creepy new boyfriend.

But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.

And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.

Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers…and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again.

I gave this 4/5 stars which is pretty high considering I didn’t really enjoy the first two books in the series. The idea behind this book in the series was a bit further from the angsty teenage girl meets brooding hot mystery guy and I liked that. However there were still certain parts that when reading them I felt like I’d prefer getting splinters under my nails. 

The fourth book I read is also a fourth and final book in a series which is called Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick. 

Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank’s absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels – destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

This was pure torture to read. The annoyance I felt throughout this entire book is a feeling I usually save for classes at my college. I actually got angry while reading this. This entire book started out with so much potential that just lead to nowhere and only the sweet moments between Patch and Nora saved it enough for me to give it two stars. This was just the perfect disappointing conclusion to a disappointing series. (I’m very salty about this okay.) 2/5 stars.

The fifth book I read was Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn 

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

I immensely enjoyed this book, this was a solid 4/5 stars and you can read my full review of this book, here.

The sixth book I read this month is A Curse So Dark And Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer which came out on the 29th of January, this year.

Fall in love, break the curse. 

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom. 

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

4/5 stars. This was a pretty good modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. You can find all of my thoughts on this book here. 

The seventh and final book I read this month was Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks For Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonny Sun.

Good morning. Do NOT get stuck in the comments section of life today. Make, do, create the things. Let others tussle it out. Vamos!

5/5 stars. This book was so incredibly cute and uplifting. These pep talks definitely cheered me up. Whenever I’m feeling blue I’ll read a couple of these and life is all right again. 

Currently reading: 

I started in The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien and I’m currently on the 134th page out of 368 pages.

I also started in Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams and Other Prose Writings by Sylvia Plath which is a bundle of her short stories. I love this book so much that I’m taking my sweet time with it as I don’t want it to end.

To read:

So in this upcoming month I want to read 13 books (because then I’ll have caught up with my reading challenge.) Some of them I don’t know yet but the ones I do really want to read are:

*V= read*

• Echo North by Joanne Ruth Meyer
• The Girl King by Mimi Yu
• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
• Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams and Other Prose Writings
• King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
• Escape From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
• Evermore by Sara Holland V
• Lord of the Rings (the entire work) by J. R. R. Tolkien
• The Young Elites by Marie Lu
• The Wicked King by Holly Black V

and some others. I’m not sure if I can read all of these but I hope I will. I suppose we’ll have to see at the end of the month.

I’m very excited to read the Lord of the Rings but I’m waiting on a bookmark I ordered especially for the books to arrive so I can use it while I read. I AM SO EXCITED. *SQUEALS*

Okay but look at how immensely cute and beautiful this bookmark is:

Ah I’m so excited, I could talk about this for hours, I’m not even kidding.

Also since I’m talking about merchandise now anyway, ReadandWonder released their final two court enamel pin designs, Spring & Autumn and I love them SO much. Oh my goodness they are so stunning! I only need those two and then my collection’s complete. I ordered the Day, Summer and Night court enamel pins in a seconds quality sale they had earlier this January.

 The autumn pin is so colourful and shiny and ugh I love it. So much.

 I thought their Dawn court inspired enamel pin was my favourite but the Spring court one definitely takes the cake, I mean look at the details on this stunning pin! I love it so much and I’m definitely saving up to buy these two beauties.

A friend and I also pre-ordered the February Wondermail: Sun & Shadows Grisha themed box that will be sent into the world at the end of this month.

 

That’s pretty much it, I think.

Thank you for reading folks!

X,

Fae