Review: Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

Genre: Memoir
Publication: September 30, 2014 by Random House
Pages: 256 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary:
“If I can take what I’ve learned in this life and make one treacherous relationship or degrading job easier for you, perhaps even prevent you from becoming temporarily vegan, then every misstep of mine will have been worthwhile. This book contains stories about wonderful nights with terrible boys and terrible days with wonderful friends, about ambition and the two existential crises I had before the age of twenty. About fashion and its many discontents. About publicly sharing your body, having to prove yourself in a meeting full of fifty-year-old men, and the health fears (tinnitus, lamp dust, infertility) that keep me up at night. I’m already predicting my future shame at thinking I had anything to offer you with this book,  but also my future glory in having stopped you from trying an expensive juice cleanse or having the kind of sexual encounter where you keep your sneakers on. No, I am not a sexpert, a psychologist, or a registered dietician. I am not a married mother of three or the owner of a successful hosiery franchise. But I am a girl with a keen interest in self-actualization, sending hopeful dispatches from the front lines of that struggle.”

My Thoughts: 
I don't think I mesh very well with Lena. I like the idea of this book and I did laugh at some of the essays but it just couldn't relate to a lot of the stories that she told. I haven't see Girls of really anything else Lena has done but I have heard a lot of what she has to say about life (because she does seem to have lots to say).

I like how she can push the envelope and start a conversation but at the same time I think she takes it a little too far. I like her views on body image and sexuality. My favourite essays were the ones where she was losing her virginity and in college. These were the stories I can relate to most as an early 20-something in university. However, a lot of the other stories I just had no way to relate to them. I grew up very differently and I feel like she was trying really hard to make them funny.

I did appreciate this book and it made me think about some things. Even if I don't see the world exactly the same way as Lena, it's interesting to see someone else's thoughts. It's not perfect but it's not a bad read.

Review: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Genre: Contemporary/Paranormal
Publication: September 24th, 2014 by Simon Pulse
Pages: 599 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary:
Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings…


Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most.

My Thoughts
I have been putting this book off for awhile now and I am happy I finally got to it. I was pleasantly surprised by the stories in the book and I am glad to have read it. My favourite part of this book is Darcy's story. I loved getting to see the behind the scenes of publishing and the writing. It's not something I know a lot about, even though I read a lot, I have never tried to write ever in my life. I liked that this book gave me a different perspective on books and I really want to support my favourite authors more.

The biggest downside with this book for me was Lizzie's story. I am just not a huge fan of the paranormal genre so I struggled more with her sections. I did love seeing how Darcy's life effected the Lizzie's story but I wasn't particularly invested in her story. It wasn't bad by any means, just not my style. I also found that I got a little lost when I got back to Lizzie's story after one of Darcy's chapters.

All-in-all, I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting concept and I really had fun listening to it. I did listen to it on audiobook and there where 2 different narrators which made the experience even better. There was also an LGBT relationship, which was an awesome surprise and it made me happy. I do suggest you check out this book. It was perfect but it definitely was interesting.

Top 10 Tuesday: Favourite Movies of 2016

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

I love movies, and I watch a lot of them. I probably like movies just as much as books so I was super excited to get to share my favourite movies that were released in 2016. Obviously, I haven't seen every movie that was released this year and there is still another month and half left. Here are my favourite movies so far from 2016.

Arrival 

I just saw this one this weekend. I love a movie that really makes you think and this movie have me reeling for hours. I need to see it again!

Deadpool 

Who didn't see this movie? I loved seeing a fresh take on the superhero genre and I actually laughed so 2-thumbs up.

Zootopia 

If you say Disney, I am typically there. The characters were totally worth the watch, very good.

The Accountant

 Another recent watch. This was another interesting movie and I have been telling everyone about it ever since.

The Jungle Book 

When I was a baby I watched the original animated one very night so I had to see this when it came out. Lots of great memories attached and it was an amazing visual experience.

Star Trek Beyond 

These are just awesome movies and I am always excited to see a new one. 

Movies I'm Excited For In The Rest of 2016

Edge of Seventeen

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Manchester by the Sea

Lion

La La Land

Rouge One: A Star Wars Story

Let me know what you've seen this year and what movies you loved. 

Sunday Post #15: Home Stretch

Sunday Post is hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

I have had a good 2 weeks. I think I am going to REALLY try to do these biweekly because for me one week is too short but 2 might just be perfect. I am currently visiting my boyfriend who live in a different province than I do. It's been a nice break. But these next few weeks are going to be killer at school but it's the home stretch until Christmas Break!

September and October in Review

Review: The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson

Current Library Holds List

Top 10 Tuesday: Book I Recently Added to my TBR

Review: Wrecked by Maria Padian

Top 10 Tuesday: Favourite Movies from 2016

Review: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Discussion: In Defense of the 3 Star Review

Review: Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

   

I did really good these last 2 weeks. I am kind of cheating since I haven't finished Not That Kind of Girl but I only have like 30mins left on the audiobook and I will be finishing it today.

 

I have a long drive back from my boyfriends place, so I grabbed Escape on audio to listen to on the way.

Review: Wrecked by Maria Padian

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review. 

Genre: Contemporary
Publication: October, 4/2016 by Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 368 Pages
Format: eARC
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary
Everyone on campus has a different version of what happened that night.

Haley saw Jenny return from the party, shell-shocked.

Richard heard Jordan brag about the cute freshman he hooked up with.


When Jenny accuses Jordan of rape, Haley and Richard are pushed to opposite sides of the school’s investigation. Now conflicting versions of the story may make bringing the truth to light nearly impossible—especially when reputations, relationships, and whole futures are riding on the verdict.

My Thoughts
I feel I like I start a lot of reviews saying this, but I don't know where I stand with this book. It handles a very important topic, sexual assault. These are important stories to tell but this wasn't my favourite book. I found most of the characters were quite flat, and stereotypes of different types of university students. Especially, the character Carrie. She was offended by everything and was the activist trope to a T. Every scene she was in, she rubbed me the wrong way.

However, I felt the actual sexual assault was handled well. I found the proceedings to be the most interesting part of the story and trying to piece together what really happened to Jenny. I liked that you were shown small bits of the night in question between Haley and Richard's chapters. I did like that the story was told from Haley and Richard's POV's. It gave a different perspective to the whole situation. I felt like their reactions were both very realistic. Sometimes standing by your friends is exhausting and hard and to what extent can you trust your friends?

I think this covers really important topics and it's an interesting way to tell the story. However, it's not the most impactful story. It got a little lost in the romance and the problems of the other students. It's still a good novel addressing the problem of sexual assault and what is consent. It helps to spread awareness and adds to the conversation which is important.

Top 10 Tuesday: Books I Recently Added to my TBR

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

As readers we know that we have an endless TBR. There are too many books to read and not enough time. I feel like I am adding a new book to my TBR everyday. So here are the last 10 books that I recently added to my TBR.

Of Fire and Stars
Audrey Coulthurst

This book follows a Princess Mynaria who is betrothed to a Prince for another Kingdom to create an alliance. However, in this kingdom magic is forbidden and Mynaria has a growing talent for magic. On top of all that, she may be falling for the Prince's sister.

This book sounds amazing! I comes out later this month and I am very excited to check it out.

A Head Full of Ghosts
Paul Tremblay

Marjorie is a 14-year-old who starts to show the signs of schizophrenia and the doctors can't seem to control her illness. He family is unraveling and they ask a priest for help. Could she be possessed by a demon? Or is it really just a mental illness.

I love ghosts and demons. I think a thriller that's trying to figure out what's really wrong with this girl and the family as a whole could be awesome.

Sucktown, Alaska
Craig Dirkes 

Eddie needs an adventure, so he takes a job in Bethel, Alaska as a reporter. When he realizes it's not what he expected he can't seem to pack up and go. He's tied to the relationships he's made and doesn't have the money to leave. He might end up in trouble trying to get home.

I just got an ARC of this book and I am pretty excited to read it. It isn't released until May 2017 but it sounds awesome.

The Bone Witch
Rin Chupeco

Tea accidentally discovers she's a Bone Witch by resurrecting her brother from the dead. Her community fears and ostracizes her. She goes to a distant land to train to become an Asha which is a person who can use elemental magic. But there is a dark force coming and choices will have to be made.

I always get excited about a new fantasy and this one is definitely on my radar.

As I Descended 
Robin Talley

This is a retelling of McBeth, set in high school with a lesbian romance. It's also a gendered swapped, so our main character is a female. If you know the story of McBeth, you get an idea of what this book is about.

I have heard so many people talking about this one, and I am excited to check it out. I read McBeth in high school and enjoyed it so I am interested in this one.

Romeo and/or Juliet
Ryan North

This is a choose your adventure, Romeo and Juliet style. You can play as Romeo or Juliet (or both). There is apparently MANY different storylines, including taking over Verona with Robots or Juliet getting really buff.

As a kid I used to love choose your own adventures and as soon as I saw this one I needed to have it. I don't have it yet... BUT I WILL.

Misery
Stephen King

Novelist Paul Sheldon is involved in a car accident and his nurse Annie Wilkes is his biggest fan. But she's mad about his last book and holds him hostage until he writes the book that she wanted. And she has ways to get him to write.

I saw a few people talking about this book during Halloween and I got super excited to read it. I have enjoyed King in the past, so I really want to read this one.

Flame in the Mist
Renee Ahdieh

This book may be hard to explain in a quick blurb but it sounds very inspired by Mulan. It follows Mariko but because she is a female he future is out of her hands. She's being forced into a political marriage but on her way she gets attacked. She dresses as a boy to track down her attackers.

Just the idea of a girl dressing as a boy to get what she wants is one of my favourite tropes. I love Mulan and I can't wait to get a different story along that same vein.

What have you added to your TBR lately? Are any of these books on your TBR? 

Let me know.

Current Library Holds List

I love my library and it always feels like I have something on hold that I am waiting for. Since I am a student on a limited budget, the library has been my saving grace. The one I go to is especially beautiful and has an awesome collection. This will likely become a regular post on my blog, but here is what I have on hold currently. This includes both physical books from the shelves as well as the ebooks and audiobooks on overdrive.

Physical Books

   

   

Ghosts by Raina Telemeier - This one is still in processing but I am very excited to read it. It's a children's graphic novel about siblings, one of which has cystic fibroses, move to a new place that is suppose to have ghosts. 

Moon Girl and the Devil Dinosaur Vol 1: BFF - This graphic novel just seems perfectly up my alley. I typically get all the graphic novels I read from the library and I can't wait for this one to come in.

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee - I just recently put this one on hold. I have been looking for something different than what I normally read and I think this one will do the trick.

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake - I have been interested in this one since people started to get ARCs of it back at BEA. I am very excited to see what this fantasy has in store for me. I think it's also still in processing but it will be in my hands soon.

Overdrive

   

The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer - I am waiting for the audiobook of this one. I feel like audiobooks are the best way to experience memoirs or celebrity novels. This way be a long wait tough...

Gotham Academy Vol 2: Calamity - Why did my library buy this in ebook instead of physical? I have no idea but I am dying to read the second book in this comic book series. I am next in line and very excited.

Misery by Stephen King - I was watching The Goldbergs this week and they were talking about this book and I needed to read it after. I am a King fan, so I can't wait to read this.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan - How long have I been saying I was going to read this? I even had the audiobook out once and just didn't get to it. I am ready now and excited to continue this series. 

Do you use your library? What's on your holds right now?

Review: The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson

Genre: Fantasy
Publication: September. 2/2016 by Henry Holt and Co.
Series: The Remnant Chronicles #3
Pages: 679 Pages
Format: Library/ebook
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary:
Lia has survived Venda—but so has a great evil bent on the destruction of Morrighan. And only Lia can stop it.

With war on the horizon, Lia has no choice but to assume her role as First Daughter, as soldier—as leader. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself at cross-purposes with Rafe and suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down.


In this conclusion to the Remnant Chronicles trilogy, traitors must be rooted out, sacrifices must be made, and impossible odds must be overcome as the future of every kingdom hangs in the balance.

My Thoughts:
I finally finished this book AND I finished a series. Woohoo! The slump was real when I started reading this book but I persevered and finished it. This was an awesome ending to a solid series. It's hard to talk about the details because it is the last book in a series, however it wrapped everything up as needed.

The main reason I took this one down a star was because I felt like the middle was quite slow. The battle was only the last few chapters, and the rest of the book wasn't high action. Instead there was a lot of politics involved and planning. Which is interesting and important but I found it slowed down near the middle. But I absolutely loved how the story wrapped up and where all the characters ended up. I was hoping that Lia ended up where she did so I was super happy to see it.

In the end, this series was awesome. I found it got much better as it went along. For me, the second book was my favourite in the series which doesn't often happen. I just loved the setting in that one just a little bit more, plus the Komizar is an amazing villain (and still is in this book). I highly recommend this series to fantasy lovers, I am very happy to have read it.

September and October In Review

It's been a long time since I have sat down and written a blog post. I have had a tough semester, which has given me a very intense blogging and reading slump. It's definitely been a struggle but I feel like I want to read again. Woohoo! And maybe even blog. I have enjoyed what I read these last few months, so let's talk about it.

  

  

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab {5 out of 5 Stars}

Princess in Training by Meg Cabot {3 out of 5 Stars}

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski {3 out of 5 Stars}

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling {5 out of 5 Stars}

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling {5 out of 5 Stars}

The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson {4 out of 5 Stars}

Favourite of the Month: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (besides Harry Potter)

Least Favourite of the Month: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

General Thoughts: More than half of these I listened to on audiobook but that doesn't matter. I feel like I am getting in a YA Fantasy rut and I need to take a break from it for a bit. Too many in a row, just need to take a bit of a break. Besides that and the slump from school hell, all was well.