2020 TBR

To keep myself organized I wrote out a list of the book I plan on reading in 2020, sorted by month.
I will update as the year passes by.

Setting Goals and Aiming to achieve them. Here we go...

January

• Twisted Tales #7: Conceal, Don't Feel by Jen Calonita
• Shannara Chronicles: The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

February

• Robison's Dream by Mark Lages
• Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

March

• The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks
• Maleficient: Mistress of Evil by Elizabeth Rudnick 

April

• Waterfire Saga 1: Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
• The Mind Thieves by Lori Brighton

June

• The Traitor Prince by C.J. Redwine

September

•  The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

October

• Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings
• Blood Bound 1: What Lies Inside by J. L. Myers

December

• The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig

Note to self: there are a lot more books I would like to read but if you aim small you will definitely succeed.

Hello 2020

So I have not been writing reviews as I planned when I started this blog. But it is a new year - hello 2020 - so we must begin again. In order to move forward, you must let go of the past. So below are the books I have read since my last post.

Books I read in 2018 & 2019:

• The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs -3stars
  So as a lot of people. I fell into the fade of Hamiton. As I was preparing myself to watch the show I read this book. I really enjoyed it even though it was a little slow at times. A book I would read again.
• Hamlet Park by Mark Lages - 4 stars
  Mark Lages is the author of a really funny book called My Remarkable Little Monkey. So I was excited to read Hamlet Park and I was not disappointed. The book has some humor but mainly makes you think about life and what the American Dream means to you. One of my favorite quotes in this book is "Are dreams only for the young? Is that why so many older people like to pretend they're young, so they can have dreams? Is a 62-year-old man who has a dream for his future just a fool? Is he a man to be laughed at or a man to be admired?"
  
  
• California Has Fallen #1 by Mark Lages and Tom Rossi - 4 stars
  I watch disaster movies all the time with my dad. We feel it's a good way of learning what to do if we were put in a similar situation. California Has Fallen #1 was really well written, pulling you in right from the start. The book takes you through many lives but not in any kind of confusing way. You clearly imagine the world that Mark and Tom create. Not knowing what will happen next and reading about to all the damaged lives that catastrophic earthquakes can cause makes this book so thrilling and would make a good beginning to a great action film one day. The book definitely leaves you wanting more. I can't wait for #2 so I can find out what happens to the characters.
• Monument 14, Sky on Fire and Savage Drift by Emmy Laybourne
  Monument 14  - 5 stars, Sky on Fire - 5 stars, Savage Drift - 4 stars
  Speaking about disasters. This trilogy was a quick read and well worth purchasing. After reading the first book with my stepdaughter who enjoyed it even though she is not a reader. I quickly had to get books 2 and 3 to find out what happens. Emmy does a great job describing the scenes that the children have to go through. As a kid being locked up in a supermarket can be a dream come true but with a twist that Emmy writes in she turned a dream into a nightmare. Although, it's a nightmare with a good ending. If a film studio has not picked up the rights to this book yet, they should. With the right director, this trilogy has the opportunity to be a big hit film. I would love to see it done by Gary Ross. Ok so as I finished writing that and realized it's been a time since I read the book,  I had to search to see if the rights were purchased.  And behold Strange Weather Films announced in 2016 that it will be directed by Sandy Widyanata. Please, Sandy, for all the fans of Monument 14 - don't screw this up.
  
• The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg - 5 stars
  Speaking about film to movies. I am super excited to see the adaption of The Paper Magician. Disney picked up the rights to this book which I learned right after finishing it. I loved this book. Easily my top favorite for 2019. I have not read the remaining in the series as I can only find them as e-books but they are on my TBR for 2020.  I love Disney movies but I'm a little concerned about what they will do with the film. I mean you have a magical world with a great opportunity for visual effects that Disney will dominate - like the flying papers as birds or the jumping paper frogs. However, you also have a love story between a more adult man and his student. Not something Disney will probably focus on but is kind of key to the book. We will see.
  
• The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack - 4 stars
  As a believer of Tarot Cards. I really enjoyed this book. But what made this book a good read is the writing. As Semele is reading the manuscript she gets swept into the story. You will find yourself get swept into the story as well and not want to put the book down. 
• Angels in the Dark by Lauren Kate - 5 stars
  I took my time reading these short stories. Because I love this series and I like revisiting the characters. This short book was no different.
  
  
• Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch by Serena Valentino - 3 stars
  These retelling of Disney stories have become my life. They have dominated my library and will continue to do so. This particular story is apart of the Villians series. It is not my favorite but overall was a good story. I will say that I did not read this book in order and may have to reread when I get the second book of the villans series the Beast Within. I do have #4, 5, and 6 on my TBR. I will probably only get to 2 of those books for 2020.
• A Twisted Tale series by Liz Braswell
  Moving on to more Disney books. I love the worlds Liz Braswell creates from The Nine Lives of Chloe King to the Twisted Tales series. Which you will be seeing more on. The first book I read is technically her third titled As Old As Time. I loved it. The second book is considered the first in the series A Whole New World - 4 stars.
  
  I love taking classic tales like Disney stories and switching them up. It makes you fall in love with the characters all over again. A Whole New World follows Aladin and if he never rubbed the genie's lamp. First, let me say Liz did a good job making the genie reflect Robin William's version and not Will Smiths. Second It made Jasmin a badass. Disney tried to make her appear stronger in the live movie but this book did it better. Thanks, Liz and I look forward to the remaining twisted tale series I have not read yet even if they are not written by thy.
  
  
•  Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel - 3 starsYes, I am the girl who watches Hocus Pocus like 3 or 4, ok 5 times in October. I love the movie it is one of my favorites to get me ready for Halloween. So I saved this book for the month of October. It was hard but worth it. Overall the sequel section was ok. It had adventure, cute love story, friendship new technology and brought back the main characters from the first film. I just didn't fall in love with it and I won't be mad if they didn't make it a movie. Sorry but nothing can beat the original leave it as a book.
• Ravenspire series by C.J. Redwine
  The Shadow Queen - 5 stars, The Wish Granter - 3 Stars
  Another twist on Disney stories. The Shadow Queen is a twist on Snow White. A great twist. Well written book with so so so much adventure. This should be a movie and then you read The Wish Granter which was just ok. Maybe it was the lack of dragons or the fact that I was not very thrilled about the dangerous creature Redwine snuck in for excitement but The Wish Granter could have been better. One positive is that you do not need to read The Shadow Queen to understand the Wish Granter as it is a different storyline within the same realm "Ravenspire". Lorelai (snow-white) is mentioned but not that important to the story of Teague (Rupplestilskin). That being said I do have books 3 and 4, Wish Granter The Traitor Prince and The Blood Spell, on my TBR.
  
  
• The Tangled Woods by Emily Raboteau - 2 stars
  I listened to this book through Amazon Prime Reading. In fact, I had Alexa read me this book and I have to say with the robotic Alexa voice it made this book creepier than it would have been in my own mind. That being said I wasn't a big fan of the book and will not be re-reading.
• Not Exactly a Love Story by Audrey Couloumbis - 3 stars
  It was a cute story. I liked how Audrey was able to capture the perspective of a young male.
• To All the Boys I loved Before by Jenny Han - 3 stars
  I enjoyed the book more than the Netflix movie which was a good movie. I did pick up the other two books after this and curious to see how the character develops. May have to reread or skim through this one though as I can't recall certain details from the book (not the movie) that I liked best.
• Christmas by Matt Haig
  A Boy Called Christmas - 4 Stars, The Girl who Saved Christmas - 4 Stars, Father Christmas and Me - 4 Stars
  Every year I try to read some kind of Christmas Story. I read the first two books in 2018 and in 2019 I only had time to read the third story. All three books are cute and such a joy to read during the holidays.
• The Twelve Days of Dash and Lilly by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan  4 stars
  A cute love story for the holidays. It reminded me of my first relationship or what I wish it could have been. 
• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - 2 star
  This is known as a classic novel. I picked it up after watching Love at the Christmas Table. In the 2012 Christmas tv movie, the main character Kat is handed the book by Elissa. Elissa describes the book as a love story. There are many versions of the film Great Expectations but I wanted to read the book first before watching them. After reading I did not find it to be a good love story at all. It's a one-way love story; that kind of suck. I mean who wants to be in love with someone who does not love you back. Maybe the way the christmas movie ended gave me the impression that the book will have a good ending but I was disappointed and I won't be reading this again.
  
• Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw - 3 stars
  I love mermaid stories. This one was ok. Not my favorite but not bad either.  It's was almost a year ago that I finished the book but at this moment it doesn't stand out to me compared to other Atlantis books I have read. I can't even remember the name of the main character and confidently say the storyline without mixing it up with another book.  It will be remaining in my library though to reread in the future.
• Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard - 3 stars
  The second book of Red Queen. I was excited to read this book but I did not like it as much as the first. I will continue the series because I am committed to the characters.
• Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
  Outlander - 5stars, Dragonfly in Amber - 4 stars, voyager - 4 stars
  I fell in love with the STARZ show and new I had to read the books. I read half of each book and listened to the other half. They are so far great books. A more detailed review is on my Goodreads. I'm just happy that the show corresponds with the books closely. 2020 will probably mark another two books of the series complete.
  
  
• The Young Messiah by Anne Rice - 3 stars
  I liked the movie but I enjoyed the book more because it doesn't put a face or focus on evil but what is happening. Anne Rice does an amazing job of transferring you to the Messiah's time. Visually seeing what it was like to live in that era in your mind. There are some parts that as someone from not the belief could have done without. I just kept thinking what is the point of Anne including this, why is it important and not finding an answer. 
• The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton  4 stars
  I really enjoyed this book and am currently in the middle of the second, The Mind Thieves. I currently have them only available as e-books so I hoping to finish it in 2020. I liked how the second pick off immediately after the first. I enjoyed the adventure that Cameron goes on with the ability to read minds and learning about her kind and her family.
  
  
  STILL CURRENTLY READINGSo these books have been on my TBR for a while and even though I have begun them I didn't quite finish the entire book. Although, I have not given up. They are good books that just require more of my attention to finish.
• Signs from God by Sharon Shabinaw
  When I started this book I read through most of it quickly. I was at a different point in my life and if I am honest with myself I would probably not pick this up to finish off the three stories I have left until I am at the right frame of mind. That is until I get over my personal life issues right now. So this will remain in my TBR and hopefully by the end of 2020, I will feel right about picking this up again.
• The Inner Circle - Culper Ring #1 by Brad Meltzer
  I am ashamed to say that I have not finished this book. I still read chapters here and there. I might have to pick this book up at the library in order to finish it this year. I will say that no matter how long it has been I pick up the story where I left off as if i read it yesterday - if that made any sense. It did to me.