October is nearly over (on a side note how are we now at November? Where has this year gone? Does anyone know?) and it may not seem like it given I took a mini hiatus but this was a pretty bust month for me. My days were filled with travel, work, reading and prep for NaNoWriMo.
Yes, once again I am taking part in NaNoWriMo (you can find my profile here in case you want to add me and share the stress of NaNo) and I’m keeping my fingers tightly crossed that this year I manage to read the 50K goal. I’m still not 100% sure how I’m going to manage both blogging and NaNo. It’s going to be a challenge to say the least and, this brings me onto my announcement, to help there are going to be some small changes on my blog.
I will still be posting but now I’m going to be posting to a schedule. I will publish posts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, as well as every other Friday. This does mean I will no longer be taking part in the Standalone Sunday or Waiting on Wednesday memes but I will be continuing with Top Ten Tuesday.
Books I Reviewed
Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
While I still really loved this book, and I’m definitely not comparing it to the film, I think there were a few things the film did better. Overall though Leigh Bardugo managed to write an amazing story with incredible characters.
Warcross by Marie Lu
Marie Lu is now one of my auto-add, auto-buy, auto-everything authors. Warcross was incredible, and while I saw one of the end twists coming the other completely shocked me and has left me desperate for the next book.
The Infernal Devices Trilogy
It took me a long time to get around to the trilogy, but it was definitely worth the wait though I am kicking myself for not picking it up sooner. Everyone has said how amazing the Infernal Devices are, and I 100% agree with them.
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore
This was one of my most anticipated releases of this year, and yes Wild Beauty more than lived up to my expectations. While my favourite of McLemore’s books is still When the Moon Was Ours, Wild Beauty was an incredible read.
Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Books that Make Me Want to Bake
Top Ten Books Where the Title IS the Cover
Top Ten Things Needed for a Perfect Halloween to Yourself
Waiting on Wednesday
Winterfolk by Janel Kolby
The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night by Jen Campbell
Standalone Sunday
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
Pretty decent month for book buying; most of these were pre-orders with one or two impulse purchases I just couldn’t resist. I ended up with a double copy of one book this month, but honestly it’s an incredible book and it won’t be the first I have more than one edition of. Just ask me how many copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone I own.
Waterstones
- All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
- A Shiver of Snow and Sky by Lisa Lueddecke
Amazon
- Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor
- Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore
Check out my review here. - Ringer by Lauren Oliver
Giveaway
- Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao
Fairy Loot
- Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao
- The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo
Check out my review here.
Honestly it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot being released in November, not much I’m really excited for at least. I guess towards the end of the year book publishing companies slow down until the new year. I know for sure there are plenty of incredible books coming out in January I am so excited for.
The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin
In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.
Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.
They’re wrong.
Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.
He shouldn’t.
And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.
They’re right.
November is going to be an exciting month for two reasons; the first of which is NaNoWriMo, and the second is that in just over two weeks it is my two-year blogiversary. It’s hard to believe at times I’ve been blogging for nearly two years, feels like longer and shorter than that at times. I will be doing a giveaway so stay tuned for that.
Good luck to anyone else taking part in NaNo, and I hope everyone has an incredible November.
Though you didn’t blog as often (I know the feeling) October looks like it was a fabulous month of reading, reviewing, and traveling for you! It seems you read some really great books. And I’m so happy that you enjoyed the Infernal Devices trilogy. It’s certainly one of my favorite YA series out there 😀 And I have yet to read Warcross but I’ve read a few pages and it looks like I’ll enjoy it quite a bit. It’s always nice to find another auto-buy author isn’t it? Marie Lu is a fantastic author. Wild Beauty seems like a wonderful read. Even though it wasn’t as amazing as When the Moon Was Ours for you, at least it was pretty amazing 🙂 Also, pretty nice book haul there! I’m excited to read a few of those, especially Night of Cake & Puppets. Mik and Zuzana are too cute to not get that book. And good luck with NanoWriMo! It’s sounds like so much work, but I’m sure you’ll manage it just fine 😀 ❤
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Thanks so much Azia, yeah looking back I think October was a successful month overall. Even if I didn’t do as much blogging as I normally do I did a lot more travelling than usual so that’s something! 🙂 Oh The Infernal Devices is amazing, I can see why everyone was saying that series is their favourite of Clare’s because it’s mine so far as well. You’ll have to let me know what you think of Warcross once you’ve finished it, it’s a brilliant book but then again I expected nothing else from Marie Lu. Wild Beauty is also amazing, it’s in a different way to When the Moon Was Ours but at this point I don’t think there will ever be a book that beats When the Moon Was Ours for me.
Thanks so much Azia. I really hope you love Night of Cake and Puppets, it’s a beautiful book and a beautiful story too.
Ha, so far NaNo has been a lot of work but it’s been so much fun as well. Now I’ve started I can’t remember why I ever stopped writing! 🙂 ❤️
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I’m so sorry I haven’t managed to keep up with your traveling posts 😦 Where have you gone recently!? I’ll be trying very hard to stay on top of my reviews, so if I finish Warcross by this weekend, then you’ll know what I think by next week! I’ve gotten a little further into it, but I’m LOVING it so far. It’ll be a positive review, no doubt about it. And one day I’ll finish When the Moon Was Ours!
Thanks! I hope I love Night of Cake and Puppets, too, although I’m pretty sure I will. It’s Laini Taylor AND Mik and Zuzana after all 😉
So glad you enjoy writing once again. Cheering you on from the sidelines! I’d be excited to read whatever you come up with 😀 ❤
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Ha, that’s all right. I know what it’s like to fall behind, sometimes life just gets in the way doesn’t it? Well most recently I was in Budapest and Vienna, so I’m now planning my holidays for next year. Do you have any upcoming travel plans?
I’ll really be looking forwards to your reviews for both of those books then, it’s great to hear you’re loving Warcross at the moment though. 🙂
Laini Taylor can do no wrong can she? And actually neither can any story with Mik and Zuzana in it. 😀
Thanks Azia. It hasn’t actually been as difficult, taking part in NaNo, as I’d thought it would be which is obviously a positive thing! 🙂 ❤️
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Oh Budapest and Vienna! How cool 😀 Two places I’d love to visit one day, as well. I don’t have any travel plans, but I hope to get to France and New York sometime next year to visit friends I met in Ireland!
And it’s good to hear NaNo isn’t as difficult as you expected! That certainly is a positive thing! Hope it’s still going very well for you! 😀 ❤
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Well in that case I hope you make it to both cities one day Azia. 😀 Oh New York is amazing, definitely somewhere I want to go back to one day. Ha, yeah I’ve been super prepared when it comes to NaNo and blogging so it hasn’t been as bad as I’d thought it would, and I know how to prepare for next year as well. 😀
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Thanks Beth! ❤ And that's great news! I hope NaNo goes even more smoothly for you next year 😀
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That’s all right. 🙂 ❤ Oh I've already started planning NaNo for next year, I'm already so excited for NaNo 2018! 😀
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Good luck with NaNoWriMo Beth!! ❤
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Thanks Anna! 🙂 ❤️
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Oh I’m so excited to read Wild Beauty!! I hadn’t really heard much about it but I got it in a book subscription box and people have been saying nice things!! I’m so glad you liked it!
I also got Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and I have heard such amazing things about it!
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It’s incredible Esther. I’d say it’s even better than I’d hoped and that the story is just as beautiful as the cover is! 🙂 Ohh, what subscription box was that then?
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is another amazing book, albeit in a different way to Wild Beauty. 😀 You’ll have to let me know what you think when you’ve read both! 🙂 ❤️
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I can’t wait to get to them!
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Best of luck for NaNo, Beth – I hope it goes well and that you’ll have tons of fun, also, I really hope you’ll share updates and your experience of it all, I’d be so curious to hear your thoughts on that, if you’re up for it, obviously 🙂
I hope you’ll have a great November and that your new blogging schedule will do some good, to you and to your writing. It’s always hard to juggle with everything, isn’t it? 🙂 But you can do this!! ❤ Also, yay for blogoversary in november! Mine's coming up at the end of the month as well 😀
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Thanks Marie. ❤️ I may be jinxing myself saying it this early but I think it’s already going OK, that could change but I’m thinking positively for the rest of the month. 😀 I’ll definitely be sharing updates, and my experiences as well because so far I’m having a lot of fun actually writing again. 🙂
It’s definitely hard to juggle everything, but so far the new schedule is making it easier for me to plan posts which is a huge benefit already! Thanks so so much Marie, I hope you have an incredible November as well. And oh happy upcoming blogiversary as well! 😀 ❤️
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I’m so glad to hear you’re having tons of fun so far. Can’t wait to read your posts about it all, then 🙂
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Omg you got The Language of Thorns AND Forest of a Thousand Lanterns from Fairy Loot?? FA;SLDJFA;LSJF that’s so awesome!! And omg I just checked out your NaNo profile (and added you as a buddy!) and your novel seems SO SO good! I can’t wait to hear more about it when you’re ready. ❤
Ooh, a new blogging schedule! Hopefully it'll be easier to manage blogging and writing this month when you're posting less ahaha. And omg yes your blogiversary!! It's an easy date to remember for me. 😉
Good luck with NaNo and I hope you have a great November! ❤
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Yeah it was an amazing box this month, one of the best it’s been in a while and that’s saying something because their boxes are always incredible. 🙂 Yep, thanks for the buddy add May, I’ve added you as one of mine too. And oh thanks so much, I will be posting about NaNo a little later this month, and I’ll be talking more about my WIP too. 🙂 ❤️
Yeah a blogging schedule is something I’ve been thinking about for a while, and it makes it easier to plan future posts so that’s one positive already. Oh that’s right, if I remember correctly it’s your birthday that day as well, right?
Thanks May, I’ll wish you luck for NaNo and I hope you have a great November as well. 🙂 ❤️
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Haha, I’ll have to think about subscribing to the box, then! And aghahgahgh I’M SO EXCITED FOR YOUR NANO POST THEN! I’m so proud of you. ❤
Yes, I find blogging schedules just SUPER helpful in planning ahead! And yup, that's my bday ahah!
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Subscription boxes can be a lot of money but in the case of Fairy Loot they’re so worth it as well. 🙂 Thanks so so much May! 😀 ❤
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Good luck! And the Fairyloot box was amazing!!!
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Thanks so much, and yeah I think this months was one of the best Fairy Loots to date! 😀
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Good luck with NaNoWriMo !!! ❤
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Thanks Meggy! 🙂 ❤️
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I just added you on NaNoWriMo! This is basically my first year doing it, so I’m nervous but excited. Also — I feel like there aren’t a lot of new releases I’m anticipating in November either, but I’m glad that it gives me more time to tackle my backlog TBR.
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Thanks Sarah, I saw that and now you’re one of my NaNo buddies too! 🙂 NaNo is a lot of fun, and I hope you’ll decide to take part again next year once this years’ is done.
Nah releases seem to slow down towards the end of the year, but you’re right and I really should use this as an excuse to get through my backlog TBR too. God knows it’s going to take me a while. 🙂
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I hope you do great with NaNo! I still need to get to warcross, but I’m a bit on the fence because I’ve not enjoyed her other books 100% so… maybe I’ll get to it soon. I also really need to read the last book in the Mara dyer trilogy, especially because Noah Shaw is coming out! It’s been ages since I read the first two as well, so I might need to do a little reminder of the first two books 😅 hope you have a great month!
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Thanks so much Lauren, I feel like I’m going to need all the luck I can get but it’s going well so far. 🙂 Well if you do decide to pick up Warcross (and I’d recommend it but I may be biased because I’ve loved her books to date) I hope you enjoy it, and oh in that case maybe a re-read would be a good idea. I finished the Mara Dyer trilogy earlier this year but I still feel like I need a recap for the last book. Thanks Lauren, I hope you have a good November as well! 😀 ❤️
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You read great books! I also read and loved Wild Beauty this month! I only have 100 pages left in Warcross and I am so curious about the twist! Ahhh
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Yep, I had a lot of brilliant, five-star reads this month which is always nice. 🙂
Wild Beauty is just amazing isn’t it? And oh I hope you love the rest of Warcross too, you’ll have to let me know what you thought of the twist and whether you saw it coming as well! 🙂
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Wish you good luck on that NaNoWriMo goal! Hope you have fun in the process. Do you plan on sharing bits of your project with us along the way? 😛 Definitely a great month again for you, Beth! Hope November turns out to be just as awesome. By the way, what do you personally do with your Fairy Loot boxes? Do you stack them up against a wall? (Wall of Lootz!) or recycle each of them and just keep one? 😀
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Thanks so much Lashaan. 🙂 Granted it’s only really been one day so far but I’m already having a lot of fun. I plan to talk a little about NaNo on my blog, maybe I’ll include some of my writing but I’m still a little undecided on that. Thanks, I hope you have a great month as well Lashaan.
Most of the Fairy Loot boxes I’ve recycled, but I’ve kept a couple (the purple anniversary one from March and one of the normal black ones). Not sure what else I’d do with more of them! 😀
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The Fairy Loot box always looks amazing.
I also want to pick Wild Beauty up sometime. And it has such a pretty cover!
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It really is, and I think this months was one of the best of the best. 🙂
It’s a gorgeous book as well. Hopefully you’ll love it as much as I did. 😀
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I really really want to pick up Wild Beauty! I am glad you liked it. I also felt the same way as you about Wonder Woman! I loved the movie but wasn’t the biggest fan of Leigh Bardugo’s take.
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I’d highly recommend it, it was one of my most anticipated releases of the year so as soon as I could I got my hands on a copy. 🙂 Yeah I still though Bardugo’s Wonder Woman was a good story, I just expected more after loving the film so much.
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