Reader Rayna

Month: April 2016

  • TBR Takedown 3.5 Wrap Up

    TBR Takedown 3.5 is over and I had a lot of fun during the weekend! I found that even though I didn’t have a lot of time on my hands, I did enjoy what I did read and I had fun doing it.

    TBR Takedown took place from April 8-10 and had four challenges:

    1. Standalone – a book that’s not part of a series
    2. Most recent haul – your most recent purchase from your most recent haul
    3. Catch up in a series – an opportunity to catch up on that series you’ve been putting off
    4. TBR shelf over a year (or the longest) – you know the ones

    Here are the results:

    Overall I’d say that’s an accomplishment considering I usually struggle to finish books during readathons.

    Here are some shortened thoughts on the books I read and the challenges I completed for this readathon:

    Standalone & Most Recent Haul

    I found that This is Where It Ends was a very fast-paced, intense read with four characters that each played a major part in the plot of the story. Though there were some problems within the book, I thought that the overall story was well done and that it did what it set out to do: create a heart pumping, fast paced narrative of school shootings in the U.S.

    Catch Up in a Series & Been On the Shelf 5ever

    Though I didn’t get too far into the book, I have enjoyed what I’ve read so far of Splintered. I’ve recently gotten into an Alice in Wonderland retelling kick, so this is feeding that need just right. I’m finding the main character is growing on me and I’m really interested to see how things unfold in the rest of the book. Plus, the font color throughout the whole book is purple! Extra points!

    So yeah! Even though I didn’t finish one book, I finished the other, and I’d say that this was a successful readathon.

    Did you participate in TBR Takedown 3.5? What books did you read and how many challenges did you complete? Let me know!

  • This Is Where It Ends Book Review

    thisiswhereitendsTitle: This Is Where It Ends
    Author: Marieke Nijkamp
    Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
    Publication Date: January 5, 2016
    Genre: Young Adult – Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary
    Pages: 282
    Format: Purchased Hardcover

    10:00 a.m.
    The principal of Opportunity, Alabama’s high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

    10:02 a.m.
    The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

    10:03
    The auditorium doors won’t open.

    10:05
    Someone starts shooting.

    Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

    This story is on a sensitive topic of school shootings, so please take that into consideration before reading it.

    I knew as soon as I picked this book up that it would be a controversial one. I knew that people were going to die in it. I knew I’d be sad. But wow, I didn’t expect to be blown away.

    The story follows four individuals who are all linked through one person in some way: Tomas, Sylv, Autumn, and Claire. Each chapter has each person’s point of view during that set time of what is taking place, so each section of story is happening at the same time as another within that time frame, which I thought was actually pretty cool.

    Normally I would talk about each character individually, but this book didn’t really allow for a lot of growth or anything like that in the characters because everything did happen within an hour’s time. But I will say that I believe each character learned something about themselves during that time and that, though terrible as their experience was, if we were to see them a length of time from now that they would have learned and grown from that tragedy.

    It was a fast paced story that took place over the course of 54 minutes, which is incredible to think about, because while the characters talked about what they were doing and how they wanted to get through it, there were also flashbacks that they would have as they remembered memories that were joyful to them, or sad, or significant. Many of these memories traced back to the shooter, but some of them were memories for the sake of remembering. I think that including these flashbacks was important because I’m sure that for many in life or death situations, these kinds of things are going to come up in your mind.

    I did have a few problems with the book, though, such as in some ways I’m not entirely sure the gravity of the situations was truly reached from certain characters’ perspectives, and that there were a few lines that I don’t think would actually have happened in real life that were in there, but then again, people react to situations differently, so maybe those lines are possible (like Tomas flirting with the cheerleader…sort of).

    I also felt that, at the end, I was sad for many reasons but one of them being what happened with the shooter. I just wish more had been explored into his own psychology and that maybe we could have gotten a perspective from him. I think that definitely would have made the story even more interesting and gripping than it already was.

    Other than that, I felt completely gripped by the story and couldn’t put it down; I needed to know what happened next. Each perspective lead to something hidden and meaningful and I felt so much sadness and shock over the situation that I was reading about. I know these things happen in real life, and I really wish they didn’t, and I was glad to read about a book that dealt with the issue.

    I gave this book 4/5 stars and recommend it.

  • Camp NaNoWriMo 2016 Week 1 Recap

    CNW_Participant

    This past week had a really great start and I was so excited to be able to say that my word count grew and grew quickly, but then I reached a lull toward the end of the first week and saw a little bit of a dip, but I wasn’t too far behind and was actually ahead of the goal for the day.

    Goal

    50,000 words total by the end of April 30th.

    That’s the equivalent to a 200-225 page book. So my average daily word count goal to reach my main goal is to write 1,667 words per day.

    Stats for Week 1

    Day 1: 2,683 words for a total of 2,683 words
    Day 2: 5,467 words for a total of 8,150 words
    Day 3: 2,449 words for a total of 10,599 words
    Day 4: 1,844 words for a total of 12,443 words
    Day 5: 1,110 words for a total of 13,553 words
    Day 6: 0 words for a total of 13,533 words
    Day 7: 0 words for a total of 13,533 words
    Day 8: 255 words for a total of 13,808 words

    *I’m not including today, April 9th, as the day is not over yet. Today’s word count will be in next week’s recap.

    This Week’s Advice: Stay Motivated

    Writing isn’t always an easy thing for everyone. For some people writing is the equivalent to what math is for others (like me): it’s something to dread, to turn away from, and to hate. But writing doesn’t have to be all of those things for many reasons, but I think one of the biggest reasons writing is a turn off for some people is because of a lack of motivation.

    When writing for a challenge like Camp NaNoWriMo, it can seem daunting to write 50,000 words unless you’re practiced in the art of it. It really is a lot of words, if you think about it. When typed out into Microsoft Word in 12 point font, Times New Roman, it can reach upwards to 100 pages of manuscript, which is nothing to shake a stick at! That’s a great beginning and it’s definitely a smaller novel in the making.

    But how do you get to that point? When will you be able to say, “I accomplished this because ___!”?

    Stay motivated. It is so, so easy to fall off of the wagon and to derail from what you had set your goal to, whether it be 10,000 words or 100,000. Life gets in the way, things come up, and sometimes you’re just plain tired – trust me, I understand. But there are some ways that can help you to stay motivated that will help you be able to reach your goal in the time that you want to reach it in, and to be able to say and feel that you’ve accomplished something.

    Here are some tips and tricks to stay motivated and to keep at it while writing:

    • Find prompts to churn some creativity. If you’re ever in a rut there are thousands of prompts online that you can find to jump start your creativity to make something awesome.
    • Reward yourself, even for small accomplishments. You want to be able to reward yourself with something each time you reach a milestone that you deem worthy of rewarding. For me, I’ll reward myself with something small every 10,000 words, such as a new book or something. You can deem whatever your prize is worth to the amount of words you’ve written, but giving yourself small rewards when you reach those little goals can really keep your motivation going. Reward yourself with something big when you’ve made it to the end and you’ll feel like you’ve truly accomplished something.
    • Take breaks. Yes, I’m telling you to watch Netflix (and chill if you want, I won’t judge), or read that book you’ve been dying to get to (which I’m doing in between writing), or go out to each with friends, or sleep. All of these things helps to bring you back to reality and away from your writing and it allows your brain to recycle through all of that stress that writing can bring on if you do it for too long. So try to breathe and relax every day, too (but not too much – you still want to reach your goal!).
    • Listen to music that can inspire the next scene you’re about to write. I often prefer complete silence when I’m writing because it allows me to think through everything I’m typing, but I think that listening to music can really help set the tone and mood for what you’re trying to achieve in the scene you’re writing. Need epic battle music? What about a movie score from The Lord of the Rings? Need something to lighten the mood? Find a tune that never fails to make you smile.
    • Don’t stress! I know that when people are stressed they tend to not want to do the thing they’re supposed to do, so the important thing to remember is to not stress out too much about not reaching your word count goal for the day. Real life is going to happen, jobs and kids and errands and responsibilities are going to get in the way, but don’t worry: you can always go back and write more the next day or over the weekend when you have free time.

    In all honesty, this is supposed to be a fun time of writing where you get to learn about your characters and your world, how they all work together, and also learn more about yourself in the process. The first week of Camp NaNoWriMo is a fruitful and powerful one, and I know from experience that it only gets tougher from here when you start to hit those writing slumps.

    Keep your head up, keep motivated, take plenty of breaks for water and food, and have fun!

    If you’re participating in Camp NaNo, how was your progress the first week? What’s your overall word goal? Have you found this week to be a good one or do you find yourself falling behind already? Want to share what your story’s about? Tell me!

  • Beautiful Covers: Red

    Hey peeps, welcome to another Beautiful Covers! I’m working my way through the rainbow, so check out the rest of the colors when they come out over the next several weeks!

    Today’s color is: red!

    Red is a color of passion, of power, and one that I love. I think that it’s a beautiful color on its own, so to have it on a cover just makes it that much more beautiful.

    1 . The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

    thewrathandthedawn

    I think that this cover stands out because it’s like it’s giving us a glimpse of what’s inside, that there’s a mystery behind what’s going on on the surface. I think that it’s definitely representative of the book itself, and the design is different and lovely among YA books.

    2. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

    queenofshadows

    I love this series and this cover because each cover shows some form of Aelin in it, whether it be with an outfit, her hair, the weapon she uses, etc. In this one it shows Aelin with shorter hair than previous books, and the specific sword that’s mentioned in the book. Plus that red background is just to die for!

    3. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

    ruinandrising

    Though I have yet to read this trilogy, I have always adored the covers for it. It’s beautiful, curving typography stands out against the bright background, and the structure and phoenix I’m sure indicated something significant in the book itself.

    4. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

    A Darker Shade final for Irene

    I’ve always loved this cover and I think that it deserves a spot because of the simplicity of the design, but how detailed it actually is. The artist paid attention to detail with roads and the two Londons, and then the typography compliments it. So lovely.

    5. Winter by Marissa Meyer

    winter

    Each of these covers is stunning, and Winter is no exception. I love how the covers always focus on one aspect of the main fairytale retelling of the story and that it always stands out as a red against the purple. I think that this one is definitely one of the prettiest because of the glow around the apple, of the little designs around it, of the hand, the typography. So much went into this simple but brilliant design.

    So there you have it for this week’s picks! I don’t know why, but I feel like I keep struggling to find books that I’ve read or will be reading that have beautiful covers lately. Hopefully that’ll change because there’s only several colors left!

    What are some of your favorite red covers? Do any of my choices stand out to you? Let me know!

     

  • Genrethon TBR

    Let’s just participate in all the readathons while you’re doing Camp NaNoWriMo, Rayna. Yes. Brilliant idea.

    So I heard about this other cool readathon that’s going on this month from April 10-17 called Genrethon that is hosted by four lovely people on Booktube:

    The rules are pretty simple:

    1. Read at least three books.
    2. Read at least three different genres.

    Pretty simple, right? I’m actually kind of excited for this one because I have several books on my shelf that I’ve been putting off because it’s not the typical genre that I read, so this is the perfect opportunity to jump on those!

    So here is my TBR for this week of madness:

    1 . Horror

    Asylum by Madeleine Roux

    asylum

    For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it’s a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

    As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it’s no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

    I try to stay away from horror in every way, shape, and form (unless it’s video games or I’m in a weird mood), so that’s why I’ve put this book off for well over a year and a half now. So I thought that this would be the perfect time to pick it up and see how I like it (and hopefully not be too freaked out by it).

    2. Memoir

    Binge by Tyler Oakley

    binge

    Pop culture phenomenon, social rights advocate, and the most prominent LGBTQ+ voice on YouTube, Tyler Oakley brings you his first collection of witty, personal, and hilarious essays written in the voice that’s earned him more than 10 million followers across social media.

    I’ve been following Tyler for several months now, and I got his book around the time it came out and started to read it, but I just never finished it. Hopefully I do finish it during this week!

    3. Magical Realism

    The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

    thenightcircus

    The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

    But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

    I feel like everyone and their mother has read this book because I constantly hear praise about it and so I’m going to read it for this readathon. I don’t know that I’ll get through the whole thing, but I’m going to do my best to read what I can! Plus it just sounds enchanting.

    I’m pretty excited to do this readathon because I’m hoping to knock a book off my shelf that’s been there for over a year; a book that I’ve wanted to read for several years; and a book that I started but haven’t finished. I know I most likely won’t finish them all to 100% by the end of the week, but I’m going to do my best to see how much I can get through.

    Are you participating in Genrethon? What books and genres do you plan on reading? Let me know!