January 2018 Wrap-Up

I read some amazing books this month!! I wish I could of fit a few more books in, but one of the books I read too me way too long to read. I had two 5 star reads this month! WHAT, crazy!! I am going to say I think I already found one of my favorite books of 2018.

Monthly Stats

Books Read: 8

Pages Read: 2,960

8 Physical Books

6 Library Books

2 Owned Books

8 Female Authors

6 Young Adult

2 Middle Grade

5 Contemporary

2 Fantasy

1 Science Fiction

The Books

This Mortal Coil (This Mortal Coil #1) by Emily Suvada - Our main character Catarina is a program hacker. Her father and his assistant Dax are taken by a company called Cartaxus to help create a vaccine for a virus that is taking over. When you catch the virus you turn into kinda like a zombie and then after a while your whole body detonates. There are compounds provided by Cartaxus to keep you safe from the virus, but Catarina's dad never trusted Cartaxus and told Catarina to never go to one. After her father dies in a explosion, a Cartaxus solider, Cole finds Catarina. She must encrypt the code of the vaccine that her father created, so she can save humankind from the virus.

I had a few issues with this book, first of all the last third was soooo boring. It was a struggle to get through it!! Also the love triangle is quite strange, she was in love with Dax before he was taken by Cartaxus and then she started liking Cole. I think Cole and her had potential but then Dax randomly showed up again.......unnecessary! There were a couple plot twist towards the end, but honestly by the end I was over the book and wanted it to end. However, I did like the DNA and science aspect to this book, at times it did become a little dry.

This was my least favorite book of the month.

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow - Our main character Charlotte has had a hell of a life and she's only 17. She has lost her father, her mother, and her best friend. She became homeless, she lived in a sex house, her mother abused her, she stayed in a mental institution and they only thing she could turn to was self-harm. This book tells the story of her life after she gets out of the mental institution and learns to grow as an individual. She definitely has her bad days and she also has her good days.

I loved how you got to see how Charlotte grew as a person. I'm glad she could find friends that would help her along the way, sometimes not the best of friends to have, but none the less they helped her through the toughest and darkest period in her life. I felt like this book was really eye-opening about self-harm. I definitely recommend this book!

Furthermore (Furthermore #1) by Tahereh Mafi - This book definitely had Alice in Wonderland vibes. I thought the world was really unique and interesting. The main character Alice is very fascinating she is the only person in her village that is colorless, where as everything in her village is focused around color. Alice and Oliver go on an adventure to find her father. They must go into a different village completely different from hers. The adventure they go on is a really fun ride. Although at times, the world building was kind of confusing, because it felt like each chapter you were learning about a new rule or task.

I overall really liked this book other than the world building being a little confusing. I also feel like this book would be really confusing for a middle grade reader. But I did love how the book was so whimsical. I really liked the journey you go in this book and I think that is what makes it so enjoyable.

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater - This book is about a girl named Blue and she is from a long family line of psychics, but Blue does not have any powers unlike her family. She is told if she kisses her true love it will kill him. Blue joins her aunt in their annual visit to the ley line in Henrietta and for the first time ever, she sees and interacts with a spirit, but since she sees this spirit within a year the spirit will die. This person she sees is Gansey and he attends a prep school near her. Blue gets involved with the Raven Boys, which is Gansey, Adam, Noah and Ronan and helps them with finding the ley lines, which are invisible energy likes that connect spiritual places.

This book is very odd, but I really liked it at the same time. I really liked the mystery behind finding out about the ley lines. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to find out more about Blue and the Raven Boys. I recommend this books if you are into paranormal aspects and like a strange and adventurous ride.

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard - This book is centered between Caddy, Rosie and Suzanne and their friendship. Caddy and Rosie have been friends for years, but they go to different schools. At school Rosie befriends the new girl Suzanne and Caddy gets a bit jealous because Suzanne is always with Rosie. Suzanne has a few secrets of why she moved and why she lives with her aunt. Suzanne starts opening up to Caddy about her past and they become closer.

This book is about friendship and how important it is. I love the three different relationships between the girls. I love how Suzanne can confide into Caddy and talk about her past of abuse and her mental health. I recommend this book, if you are looking for a book about friendships.

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornoll - Our main character Norah has major panic attacks, has anxiety, has OCD, is a agoraphobic and also does self-harm. She only feels safe inside her house. A new boy, Luke moves in next door. Luke is always trying to talk to Norah and wants to hang out with her. Norah knows this is not going to turn out okay, since she can't leave her house. But, Luke understands all of Norah's mental illnesses and wants to be with her.

This is a story where Norah really grows and helps fight her inner demons, because she knows there is a great world out there besides what is in her house. I really like the relationship between her and Luke, he is very caring and understanding. I also love how Luke isn't there to "fix" her mental illnesses, but is there to be supportive and encouraging. I definitely recommend this book!

Wonder by R.J. Palacio - This book is about August or Auggie who has a facial deformity and he goes to middle school for the first time. Previously Auggie was homeschooled because he had multiple surgeries each year on his face. Even before he went to school, out in public people would stare and talk about him. So when he started 5th grade he was nervous and excited all at once. Auggie meets some great friends and he also has to deal with bullies and being an outsider at times. I feel like this book is very inspiring and a must read!

A List of Cages by Robin Roe - This book was an emotional roller coaster and extremely powerful. I loved Julian and Adam, Adam had a heart of gold for Julian and it was the sweetest thing in the world. Not only Adam but also his mom because she fostered Julian for a short period then he went to live with his disgusting bastard uncle. That man, what he did to Julian was terrible and disturbing and my heart melted every time. I am so glad Adam was there to befriend and help Julian in the most critical point in his life.

This book will definitely make you cry and you will love Julian and Adam unconditionally. I love the friendship and the meaning of family in this book. I can not recommend this book enough, please go read it!

This book was my favorite for the month!!