Weekly Wrap-Up + Mini Reviews #5

Today, we are wrapping up for 4/13-4/19. This past week was my best week so far. I managed to read 23 items, 9 novels, 4 books of poetry and 10 graphic novels ranging from 40-400 pages.

Date Read: 4/13

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I connect with a lot of Amanda Lovelace's poetry so very much. I am always suggesting her books to my friends. This first book is definitely my favorite of all her books. There are some stories in her other books that I definitely connect to but they don't hit me like these ones.

Date Read: 4/13

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This is the second book in the trilogy of poems and it just seems that as I go through the trilogy the ratings get lower and lower. This was a good book and as stated about I still connected with a good bit of the poems in this sequel but just not as many or as much as the first book.

Date Read: 4/14

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I am kicking myself. Okay, I am too fat to actually kick myself BUT if I could I definitely would be. I started reading Gretchen McNeil with #murdertrending and found out I completely love her writing but for some reason, it still took me like 3 years to pick up any of her other books. Now I have to go in search of the Lifetime movie version of this book. Wish me luck!

Date Read: 4/14

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I was BEYOND excited when I saw that volume 11 of Phoebe and her Unicorn has finally come out. I instantly checked this out from my library's app and read it in less than an hour. These might be aimed for a much lower age range than what I am but I adore them so very much.

Date Read: 4/14

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This is the last book in the trilogy and it is my least favorite. I loved some of the poems and definitely connected with them but the majority were kind of blah and I also disliked the added poems authored by other people. They just took me out of the zone of the book.

Date Read: 4/15

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I really enjoyed this little graphic novel. Some of the scenes were a bit confusing or just boring but most of the book was very interesting.

Date Read: 4/15

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review:
I completely adored this graphic novel. It is just so full of humor/dad type jokes. I kept annoying my husband saying omg read this scene or this scene. 

Date Read: 4/16

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This was my 4th reread of this book and it was still just as good! I love the audiobooks for this series.

Date Read: 4/16

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This was a reread for me. I enjoyed 90% of the poems and just slightly liked the other 10%. I highly suggest Amanda Lovelace if you are looking to start reading poetry.

Date Read: 4/16

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This was a cute book with some recipes and ways to self-care.

Date Read: 4/16

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

It was kind of hard to read this book considering I was going through some stuff when I picked it up but I really connected with the girl who got her heart broken.

Date Read: 4/16

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Ah, to think, this is where the series was supposed to end. I will always love the original trilogy best. <3warner p="">

Date Read: 4/16

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

Review: 

This was a reread and sadly, I'm lowering my rating to 3.5 stars. The Warner novella is honestly the only part that added anything new to the story. Adams part was almost an entire regurgitation of the end of Unravel Me/beginning of Ignite Me and didn't really add anything and then Juliette's Journal didn't add anything either considering we got to read most of that in Warner's novella.

Date Read: 4/17

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Last time I read these books this was as far as I got and I really forgot most of the stuff that happened in this book. I enjoyed the reread and this really made me love all my characters even more.

Date Read: 4/17

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

There was something in the back of my head the entire time I was reading this. How did the books turn into this? These were supposed to end at Ignite Me so where did the idea to flip everything even more upside down come from?! This is probably my least favorite of all the books, besides Unite Me. It took me a while to get into the 3 POV's but after I got used to it I really loved Kenji's perspective.

Date Read: 4/17

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

KENJI, KENJI, KENJI!!!

Date Read: 4/17

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Review: 

This was short and cute

Date Read: 4/17

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This one wasn't as short and it definitely had a more serious tone but it was still very good.

Date Read: 4/17

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I LOVED this book. I laughed so hard and I kept butting my husband saying OMG THIS IS ME!!

Date Read: 4/18

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I adored this ending. I still can't believe we went from Ignite Me to THIS. Also, umm WARNER! UGH. This entire series will always be a favorite.

Date Read: 4/18

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I say this and the comic below on Edelweiss so I decided to add a few shorter books to my goodreads goal. Shorter? Nope. I really enjoyed this book. I got to learn what Bog People/Bodies are and I always love when a book makes me research stuff.

Date Read: 4/18

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Oh man, this book was so painful and emotional to read. It is a bunch of different ways people die and pass on and what happens after death. The one about the deer BROKE ME. Very sad but so very good.

Date Read: 4/19

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Review: 

I read this last year but I saw that my library had the audiobook so I decided to reread it. I still loved the story but the audiobook definitely added a little more depth to the emotions of the characters. <3 cion="" p="">

Weekly Wrap-Up + Mini Reviews - #4

Today we are wrapping up for 4/6-4/12. This was another slow week for me but I still managed to read 4 books. I didn't watch any shows but I did watch Onward, 1917 and Ma.

Date Read: 4/6

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This book was the hardest book I have ever read. I read some pretty screwed up stuff since I love Horror but this book was a whole other level of effed up. I have read plenty of student/teacher relationship books before but this one was just VERY details and it showed a lot of angles that aren't usually portrayed in the books I have read.

Date Read: 4/7

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

Review: 

It took me entirely too long to read this book which was weird because it wasn't bad, I was actually really invested in the story and the main relationship. So I am not sure what made me keep putting the book down. Maybe it was the unfairness of Rufus's life that just kept hitting me pretty hard, either way I enjoyed the way the story progressed and I truly was no expecting the murderer to be who it was.

Date Read: 4/8

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Holy mother of hype, Batman! This book has been getting so much hype that I was actually afraid to read it. But... I could only hold myself back for so long and I finally caved. I adored the story and the two main characters. Love to hate relationships are always welcome and the relationship in this book was one of the best I have read. I am so sad it's a standalone!

Date Read: 4/10

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

As soon as I read the synopsis for this book I knew someone had tried to replicate the Gypsy/Dee Dee Blanchard case in book form. Only, the mother didn't die in the book. Oh no, her daughter made sure she suffered for what she did to her. The daughter made sure BOTH of her parents suffered. I really enjoyed the story and I give Rose Gold props for everything she managed to accomplish. She didn't care who she had to hurt, as long as she got her revenge on the people who hurt her.

Date Watched: 4/10
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: 

I knew this movie would hurt my heart but that is what happens when you watch anything that has to do with Disney. I loved the journey these two brothers had and the love and sacrifice that was made at the end just destroyed my soul. Very beautiful story!

Date Watched: 4/12

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

Review: 

So the rating for this movie isn't because of the content, it's more because I would prefer to see this as a tv show, like Band of Brothers. We spent over half the movie just following a soldier and there was hardly any other context and I just feel like this would be better suited for a tv show that portrays the lives of a different soldier in each episode.

Date Watched: 4/12

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I truly thought this movie was going to scarier. I mean it was a fairly good revenge plot but the action didn't happen until the last maybe twenty minutes of the movie. 

Review: Time Bomb by Joelle Charbonneau - 4.5 stars

Title: Time Bomb

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Mystery

Author: Joelle Charbonneau

Publisher: HMH

Publication: March 13th 2018

Cover Rating: 3/5

Reading Format: Provided eARC + Owned Hardback

Goodreads | Amazon

Time Bomb is the story about a school bombing told through six students' perspectives who are trapped together during and after the explosions. Through the eyes of the six teens, we get to see what exactly each of them was doing at school, as it was the day before school started for the year, and we learn some pretty heavy secrets, too.

Usually, when you get a book or story about a school tragedy it comes in the form of a mass shooting. This book was unique in the fact that not only was the school bombed but there technically wasn't supposed to be anyone in the school when the bombs went off. Those two factors alone would have made an interesting enough plot but this is a Young Adult book so BAM, whoops there were people in the school

The suspense of the story really had me hooked. I couldn't figure out who the bomber was but once it was revealed it was very obvious and I felt pretty stupid.  Each of the students had a vendetta of their own and there were really only three of them that I was truly suspecting to be the bomber but still finding out who it really was and their motive behind it was like DUH! How did I not see that?

In the end,   If you are looking for a book to read after One of Us is Lying or All Your Twisted Secrets then I highly suggest picking this book up.

Overall, I have the book 4/5 stars.

Weekly Wrap-Up + Mini Reviews - #3

Today we are wrapping up for 3/30-4/5. I took it a little slow this week since I have been reading 40 books a month all of 2020. I watched some Netflix and just relaxed. So I only managed to read 6 items, 2 being novels and 4 being graphic novels. I also watched 2 whole seasons of a show on Netflix called The Sinner. So I think from now on I am going to wrap up what I watched each week, as well.

Date Read: 3/31

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Oh man, this book was fantastic. I usually don't go for paranormal stuff in my mystery/thriller books but this one worked out very well. I really enjoyed the back and forth between the past and present, aunt and niece. It was amazing to see the paths both women traveled and how similar they were. I just wish we got to know what happened to the aunt in the end.

Date Read: 4/3

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

For some reason, it took me a lot longer than any of the other five volumes to read this one. Maybe I just didn't want the world to end but after finishing it it was still a five-star read. It was a lot less gory than I thought it would have been, though. 

Date Read: 4/3

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Didn't really like this short addition to the series. And I don't like the little skits they do that have nothing to do with the Locke & Key world.

Date Read: 4/3

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This was a very good addition to the series. I enjoyed meeting one of the past Locke families that lived in the house and how they used the keys.

Date Read: 4/3

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This was a very sad but good addition to the series. I love seeing how each family uses the keys to their advantage and we got the see two of the families in this one. 

Date Read: 4/4

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This was my 4th reread of this book and it is still a five-star read for me. I am progressing through the series again so I can read the last 2 books since I never read Defy Me last year.

Date watched: 3/31-4/2

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Netflix started me on Season 2 and I didn't notice until I was halfway through Episode 2. I kept asking myself, 'Where is Jessica Biel??. Yeah, oh well. I switched to season one and really enjoyed it. Every time I thought I figured something out... NOPE EFF YOU HAHAHAHA. I really love Detective Ambrose and how he fights for the truth instead of just accepting the easiest answer. This season was about a mother who was at the beach with her son and husband, enjoying herself, then she just snaps and repeatedly stabs someone sitting a few yards in front of her. 

Date Read: 3/30 & 4/3

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This season was a little bit more intense. It seems like the first and second season both have a religious undertone to the story. Julian is our main character and he is a murder suspect at thirteen years old. Detective Ambrose, once again, refuses to accept this story at face value. Julian is from a religious cult-like community called Mosswood and this story gets really deep and is VERY interwoven into the lives of the people in the town. Detective Ambrose isn't actually assigned this case, he is asked to come assist by the daughter of an old friend who happens to be on the case. I can't wait to watch Season 3, but I have a feel it won't live up to this season.

Weekly Wrap-Up + Mini Reviews - #2

Today we are wrapping up for 3/23-3/29. I managed to read 12 total items. Of the 12 items, 4 were full books and 8 were graphic novels.

Date Read: 3/23

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This was ADORABLE. I now have to go buy a physical copy. I keep telling my husband that these little comics are so us.

Date Read: 3/23

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I really enjoyed the meaning behind all of the little comics and I feel like parents should check this out. I didn't really like the art style and it made it a little hard to focus on the chat bubbles sometimes.

Date Read: 3/23

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Perfection. I laughed so hard at some of these. I have always loved crude humor so this was definitely a good choice for me.

Date Read: 3/23

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Oh no!

Date Read: 3/23

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I wanted to love this but some of the skits didn't really make sense to me or I just didn't find them funny.

Date Read: 3/23

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

Being able to enjoy and laugh at mental health issues portrayed by a pigeon was something I never thought would happen in my life. But, alas, it has happened. I can die happy.

Date Read: 3/23

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I really loved the author's webcomics so an entire book with his work just seemed like a dream. Such cute and funny skits and I enjoyed the entire book.

Date Read: 3/24

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Review: 

Holy crap. I received this book as an eARC back before it came out but sadly that was around the time when my depression took over and I could barely function. I am so sad that I couldn't read this book back when I got it because DAMN. This was such a ride. School shootings are what we usually hear about but a school bombing? Dang. I really loved how this book was so much more than just a school bombing. It showed the lives of 6 students who were in the school the day before school started and what they were doing there. It showed racism, mental health, sexuality and so much more. I am so happy I decided to reach into my Netgalley backlog, otherwise, I might never have picked this up.

Date Read: 3/24

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I have seen Adam's art all over Facebook but I never knew who was behind it until I saw this book pop up on my libraries app. I grabbed it, read it in like 10 minutes and loved it. I could connect to so many things that were portrayed in the book and I love the fact that things were brutally honest.

Date Read: 3/25

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I had to sit down after finishing this book and really ask myself, did I really enjoy the book or was it just okay and I want to give it 5 stars because it's Marie Lu? Sadly, I came to realize that I didn't really LOVE this story. It was really good, don't get me wrong, but I felt like it was boring. If I hadn't read this as an audiobook I have a feeling my rating would be lower. 

Date Read: 3/27

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

This book was exactly what I expected it to be. I am a little upset about the fact that its a book about teenagers yet it was sold as an adult book. There was a lot of information to take in as you read the book and I think, if I find the time, I will be rereading this because I KNOW I missed some stuff. The end of the book just had me sitting here like who? what? where? when? Are you there God? It's me, Jenn.

Date Read: 3/29

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: 

I knocked off an entire star because the beginning of the book was kind of dull and had me saying wtf to myself? But after some progression, the book wasn't boring anymore but it DID keep saying wtf until the very end, I think I might have said it a few times after finishing the book, as well. You know how people say, you think you know but you have no idea? Yeah, that should have been the real title of this book. 

Review: All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban - 4 stars

Title: All Your Twisted Secrets

Genre: Young Adult Mystery

Author: Diana Urban

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication: March 17th 2020

Cover Rating: 4/5

Reading Format: Provided ARC

Goodreads | Amazon

All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban is the story of six teens who were offered a wonderful scholarship that they are supposed to attend a dinner to accept but this dinner ends up becoming an escape room from hell scenario.

What could six seemingly random teenagers have in common besides being invited to a scholarship dinner? Well, for one, most of them are or have been friends. Two, a few of them had a hand in damaging some of the lives of the others. Three, they all have secrets that lead someone to lock them in a room with no choice but to murder one of them or they all die. What would you have to do to someone to make them angry enough to kill?

This story was very interesting. There were so many layers and histories that it was very fun having them unravel before you. The plot goes back and forth between past and present and it leads us up to the inevitable end where everyone's secrets are left out in the open but it turns out even the person who locked them in the room had it all wrong. Well, maybe not ALL wrong.

It was around the halfway point when I started to realize who the 'bad guy' was but the motive still wasn't entirely clear. By the end of the book, I still didn't fully put it all together and was very shocked by the conclusion. So many lives potentially ruined because of bullying and revenge and the worst part is... Bullying. Happens. Every. Day. 

In the end, this story was very suspenseful even though some of the secrets weren't all that big. But the plot ran a lot deeper than just some forced escape room shenanigans. I enjoyed all the layers to the story and I'm glad it wasn't just a face value plot. I am also glad the book managed to be like One of Us is Lying without being a replica.

Overall, I gave the book 4/5 stars.