November is the first month in a while where I have managed to read a solid number of books. Ultimately, in the month of November I finished seven books, most of which were re-reads. However, due to the large amount of reading I did this month, I have a fighting chance at actually accomplishing my 2017 Reading Challenge of 43 books. Currently, I'm at 33 which means I'll have to devour ten books in the month of December. Which, given the amount of work I have in December is a little questionable, but I shall try nonetheless.
November Stats:
Pages read: 3,063
Books finished: 7
Average Star Rating: 3.15/5 Stars
Favorite book of the month: Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
November Stats:
Pages read: 3,063
Books finished: 7
Average Star Rating: 3.15/5 Stars
Favorite book of the month: Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
The first five books I read this month are all a part of the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Because I had read the first four books of the series years ago yet had never read the final book, I decided to just re-read the entire series so that I could finally read the fifth (and last) book of the series.
Star Rating: I rated each of the five books with 3/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: When I had originally read the first four books, I had given them a higher rating (some at four stars and some at five). However, after re-reading the books I realized that they possess a lot of cliches and several elements I did not enjoy too much. I found myself skipping through a lot of the lovey-dovey romantic scenes because they got so old and repetitive by the end of the series. And, reflecting back on the books I can't clearly remember how it ended, demonstrating that the books are more for spur-of-the-moment fun than for substance. However, I still enjoy the strength of the main character, Katy, and the high-action present throughout the series.
Who I would recommend to: Sci-fi lovers who are looking for a quick and easy series to read.
Star Rating: I rated each of the five books with 3/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: When I had originally read the first four books, I had given them a higher rating (some at four stars and some at five). However, after re-reading the books I realized that they possess a lot of cliches and several elements I did not enjoy too much. I found myself skipping through a lot of the lovey-dovey romantic scenes because they got so old and repetitive by the end of the series. And, reflecting back on the books I can't clearly remember how it ended, demonstrating that the books are more for spur-of-the-moment fun than for substance. However, I still enjoy the strength of the main character, Katy, and the high-action present throughout the series.
Who I would recommend to: Sci-fi lovers who are looking for a quick and easy series to read.
The next book I finished this month was November Nine by Colleen Hoover. When I decided that I just wanted a nice realistic-fiction romance novel to read, I almost immediately chose this book since it's been sitting on my shelves for a while and Colleen Hoover is pretty reliable.
Star Rating: 3/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: Although I was very captivated by the concept of this book, in which two people meet on one day a year every year for five years as they wait for the right time to fall in love, I have to say some elements disappointed me severely. I found myself slightly-disgusted in how the male protagonist, Ben, treated the female protagonist, Fallon, as he occasionally stated crude-remarks and seemingly pressured her to do things she clearly wasn't ready for. However, Colleen Hoover has released a statement clearing up some of the unsettling scenes, which slightly made up for it. Other than those elements, I found the book addicting and fast-paced. There were elements of mystery throughout the whole novel and numerous unexpected twists. In addition, the dynamic between Fallon and Ben was very captivating and their relationship development was extremely authentic.
Who I would recommend this to: Romance readers who are looking for something a little different.
Star Rating: 3/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: Although I was very captivated by the concept of this book, in which two people meet on one day a year every year for five years as they wait for the right time to fall in love, I have to say some elements disappointed me severely. I found myself slightly-disgusted in how the male protagonist, Ben, treated the female protagonist, Fallon, as he occasionally stated crude-remarks and seemingly pressured her to do things she clearly wasn't ready for. However, Colleen Hoover has released a statement clearing up some of the unsettling scenes, which slightly made up for it. Other than those elements, I found the book addicting and fast-paced. There were elements of mystery throughout the whole novel and numerous unexpected twists. In addition, the dynamic between Fallon and Ben was very captivating and their relationship development was extremely authentic.
Who I would recommend this to: Romance readers who are looking for something a little different.
The final book I completed this month was A Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh. The concept of this book instantly interested me and caused it to jump to the top of my TBR the moment I read the synopsis on Goodreads. The novel is described as a fantastical, fairy-tale like, re-telling of Mulan, based in ancient Japan. My supreme fascination by Japanese history and culture in combination with my love for anything related to Disney, this book sounded absolutely perfect for me and I could not wait to pick it up.
Star Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: I completely devoured this book, reading most of it in a single day. Not only did I find the main character, Mariko, highly intriguing but I found her inspirational and relatable as well. Throughout her whole life, Mariko has been deemed as "odd" due to her passion for knowledge and extreme curiosity, which weren't qualities that women typically made obvious. However, Mariko didn't shy away from her nature, but rather challenged people to accept it. Thus, Mariko, as a woman in a male-dominated era, stood up for herself and let her real character shine. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy Mariko's character, but the Japanese folklore elements sprinkled throughout the novel, and strong relationship development elevated the book to a higher level. In addition, the writing style which was somehow simple, intricate, and beautiful simultaneously kept me captivated and transported me throughout Mariko's journey. Although this book possessed numerous elements that I enjoyed immensely, I felt as if there was something missing in the novel. I can't think of what exactly it was missing, it just wasn't a meaningful enough book nor an all-consuming book that would have earned it five stars.
Who I would recommend this to: Readers who love fairy-tale retellings and Japanese folklore.
Star Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: I completely devoured this book, reading most of it in a single day. Not only did I find the main character, Mariko, highly intriguing but I found her inspirational and relatable as well. Throughout her whole life, Mariko has been deemed as "odd" due to her passion for knowledge and extreme curiosity, which weren't qualities that women typically made obvious. However, Mariko didn't shy away from her nature, but rather challenged people to accept it. Thus, Mariko, as a woman in a male-dominated era, stood up for herself and let her real character shine. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy Mariko's character, but the Japanese folklore elements sprinkled throughout the novel, and strong relationship development elevated the book to a higher level. In addition, the writing style which was somehow simple, intricate, and beautiful simultaneously kept me captivated and transported me throughout Mariko's journey. Although this book possessed numerous elements that I enjoyed immensely, I felt as if there was something missing in the novel. I can't think of what exactly it was missing, it just wasn't a meaningful enough book nor an all-consuming book that would have earned it five stars.
Who I would recommend this to: Readers who love fairy-tale retellings and Japanese folklore.