June Wrap-Up, Currently Reading, and Read-EH-Thon TBR
- Chynna Williams
- Jul 3, 2018
- 8 min read
June Wrap-Up and Read-Eh-Thon TBR Hello everybody and welcome to another edition of The CW Torch, and another Monthly Wrap-Up! Today, I will be talking about all the books I read in the month of June, as I completed a total of three books. I also began reading two books this month, which I will discuss later in this post! This month was kind of a let down in books, but I’m hoping I can make up for it in July, since I’ll be participating in two Read-A-Thon’s. A lot of you know that I don’t set monthly TBR’s, because I am definitely more of a mood reader. But, I will be participating in a ReadAThon, from July 1st-July 8th, called the Read-Eh-Thon, where I will be reading many books by Canadian authors! Which, I will also discuss in further detail, after my Wrap-Up. So, without further ado, let’s get into the Wrap-Up and TBR. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Dates Read: June 2nd-June 5th, 2018 Format: Paperback Final Rating: 3.75/5 Stars
Synopsis: Fahrenheit 451 is a classic Dystopian novel, set in the future, where books are outlawed and “firemen” burn any that are found. We follow our main character, Guy Montag, who is a firemen, who becomes disillusioned with the role of censoring works and destroying knowledge. Eventually, quitting his job and joining a resistance group, who memorize and share the world’s greatest literary and cultural works. Final Thoughts: Unfortunately, I wasn’t a big fan of the classic Fahrenheit 451, which is surprising since Dystopian novels are usually my favorites to read. I thought the concept was really interesting, of firemen burning outlawed books, when in present day firemen usually help save people and animals from fires. However, I didn’t connect with Bradbury’s writing, and thought the book was way more religious than I thought it was going to be. I also didn’t think there was enough world building, which could be due to the size of the book. But, I think in a Dystopian future, world building is absolutely necessary, in order to understand why books became outlawed and are now being burned, like they were in the past. Another aspect of the book, I really didn't care for, was our main character, Guy Montag. I thought he was extremely distant as a character, and I didn't care for how he thought of his wife Mildred, even if she was falling off the deep end. I couldn’t help myself from rolling my eyes, when he kept thinking of seventeen-year-old Clarisse. The only character who I really enjoyed was Captain Beatty, as I thought he was the most developed character out of all of them. In the end, I was just extremely disappointed with this classic tale, but I still thought it was very thought-provoking. Which is why I gave it a 3.75/5 stars, instead of giving it a flat 3. I still think about the themes it was trying to portray, but I just didn’t care for any of the characters, and thought it lacked in world-building. Renegades by Marissa Meyer Dates Read: June 6th-June 23rd, 2018 Format: Hardcover (Target Exclusive) Final Rating: 4/5 Stars
Synopsis: Secret identities. Extraordinary powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice. The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone… except the villains they once overthrew. Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a renegade boy who believes in justice — and Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both. Final Thoughts: At first, I was extremely intrigued by Renegades, since I love anything that has to do with Superheroes and Anti-Heroes. The prologue was really gripping, and I couldn't wait to get more into the story as well as Nova’s past. However, about half-way through, I was kind of falling out of the story, mainly because of the author’s writing style. I know Marissa Meyer is a much beloved author, in the Young Adult community, but I wasn’t that impressed with her writing. I thought it was typical YA writing, and nothing too special, as the story got really monotonous in tone. So, because of her writing, I didn’t love Renegades as much as I thought I was going to. However, I did fall in love with the characters, which was the main reason, as to why I ended up liking this book, more than I thought I was going to by the end of the novel. While I thought Nova was kind of a stereotypical character in YA Science-Fiction, I loved her backstory, and was really interested in her character-development. Especially, since she was working with the people, she saw as enemies. I loved seeing her relationship with Adrian grow and develop, even though she isn’t really supposed to fall for him. But, I loved Adrian as our main male character, because I thought he really helped Nova grow into a more interesting character. A part from the characters, I really loved seeing the development of the extraordinary abilities, and thought they were extremely unique. I just wished there was a bit more world-building, because I felt like we were missing some of that throughout the book. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially throughout the end of the novel. I thought it could’ve been way shorter, because I felt like not a whole lot was happening in the beginning/middle sections of the book. I wish we got more world-building, but I did end up loving the characters, when normally I don’t enjoy hate-to-love centered romances. So, while I thought the writing was kind of monotonous and typical YA, I still really enjoyed the book, and gave it a low 4-Star rating. Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo Dates Read: June 11th-June 27th, 2018 Format: Audible Final Rating: 4/5 Stars
Synopsis: Surrounded by enemies, the once great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feed on human flesh. Now it’s fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked at the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves her life—a power that could be the key to settling her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish kingdom is as it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power. Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha… and the secret of her heart. Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed the first book of this YA Fantasy series, written by Leigh Bardugo. I recently read the Six of Crows Duology, which is another series, set in the Grisha world, that I absolutely loved. So, I thought I would pick up the series written before the Six of Crows Duology, to get more of an introduction into this world. The world was honestly, what really intrigued me with this story, because it was so vast and dark. I was really interested in the Shadow Fold, and the power of the Darkling. I also thought the magic system was really unique and different, from anything I’ve ever read before, at least in the Young Adult Fantasy genre. I thought Alina was interesting as a character, but sometimes she was very annoying too. However, I really enjoyed when she was being trained by the Darkling, but I definitely did not like the romance that was brewing between them. I am really interested in finishing up this trilogy soon, to find out where this story is headed! Read-EH-Thon TBR:
Literally all I can think about during this Read-Eh-Thon is Robin Sparkles, one-hit-wonder, “Let’s Go to the Mall!”
1) Read a book with red on the cover: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Synopsis: Offred is a handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because woman are no longer to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred can remember the years before, where she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, and money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now. 2) Read a book written by a Canadian Female author: Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Synopsis: Everybody’s favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventure at Green Gables, a farm outside of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win with them and, consequently, the reader, over. 3) Read a book with “E & H” on the cover in the title: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 4) Read a book by an indigenous Canadian author: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Synopsis: In a future world ravaged by global warming, people have lost the ability to dream, and the dreamlessness has lead to widespread madness. The only people still able to dream are North America’s indigenous people, and it is their marrow that holds the cure for the rest of the world. But getting the marrow, and dreams, means death for the unwilling donors. Driven to flight, a fifteen-year-old and his companions struggle for survival, attempt to reunite with loved ones and take refuge from the “recruiters” who seek them out to bring them to the marrow-stealing “factories.” 5) Read a book set in a province that you’ve never been to: The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
Synopsis: This is a story of a young, unwed mother who is forcibly separated from her daughter at birth and the lengths to which they go to find each other. *For more information on The Home for Unwanted Girls, check out my Traveling Around the World in 8 Books, post, which I will have linked down below. Traveling the World in 8 Books
Related Links: Here are the Read-EH-Thon’s Host’s TBR and Announcement Videos, if you are interested in participating in this Read-EH-Thon, which will be running from July 1st-July 8th! Each host will also be hosting a giveaway for participants, some of which are world-wide, and some are only Canada based. So, I will link all of their videos down below, if you want to participate in those giveaways!
Yerabooknerdzoe:
BooksandLala:
Myreadingisodd:
Saidthestory:
Squibblesreads
Other Books I’m Currently Reading: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
*If you are interested in learning more about the synopsis of this book, then check my Books I Want to Read this Summer, post, which I will link down below. Books I Want to Read This Summer The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
Synopsis: The Best of Me is a heart-rending story of two small-town former high school sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks. Now middle-aged, they’ve taken wildly divergent paths, but neither has lived the life they imagined… and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever altered their world. When they are both called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter, they will be forced to confront the choices each other has made, and ask whether love can truly rewrite the past. Thank you all so much for reading my June Wrap-Up, while I may not have read a lot of books this month, I still managed to read a few good books. I’m hoping to read a lot more books in the month of July, since I’ll be participating in two Read-A-Thon’s! I hope you all had a good reading month as well, and have an even better, July reading month! I will be posting more frequently in the month of July, since I’ll be participating in the Summer Biannual Bibliothon Blog Challenges, like I did in the Winter! So, keep an eye out for those challenges, as well as my Summer Biannual Bibliothon TBR in the upcoming weeks! TTFN and Happy Reading! Chynna Williams @TheCWTorch Social Media Platforms: Twitter- @chynnaw16 Instagram- @Bigleaguephoto
Comentarios