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2015 Goals: January Update

So far the 2015 Reading Challenge, I have completed the following:
1. a book with more than 500 pages - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
3. a book that became a movie - Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
11. a book with a one-word title - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
12. a book of short stories - Four: A Collection of Short Stories by Veronica Roth
36. a book set in high school - All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
40. a graphic novel - Amulet, volume 1 & A Study in Scarlet
49. a book you started but never finished - The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

Also, this month I have read 3 new-to-me authors: Jon Krakauer, Jennifer Niven, and Anthony Doerr. I have also read one book with 500 or more pages: All the Light We Cannot See.

I even completed my first month of the TBR Jar: a book you DNF'd.

I am super proud of all the reading I have done this month, and I hope (fingers crossed) that it continues to go this swimmingly for the rest of the year.

January 2015 Wrap-Up


I don't think I've ever read so many books in a month. This is madness.


Novels: 7
Graphic Novels: 2


The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan

I had so many feelings about this book. If you don't know, this is the last book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. This series follows, obviously, Percy Jackson and his half-blood friends. This is a middle grade series about Greek mythology. I thought that it was a wonderful, wonderful conclusion to the series. It makes you think about the ways of right and wrong and second chances. And (oh my goodness) LUKE . . . That's all I'm going to say.



Amulet, Vol. 1: The Stonekeeper - Kazu Kibuishi


I was disappointed with this. A lot of people really love this series, but I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it was because it was my first graphic novel. Maybe it was because it was middle grade. Maybe it was both. I may pick up the rest of the series, but it will be a while before I pick up the second.



A Study in Scarlet: A Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel - Ian Edginton


I have read the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original A Study in Scarlet, and I thought that this was very true to that story. This is not technically the first in the series, but I wanted to start with this one because it's the beginning of Sherlock Holmes's story. I loved the art style in this, and I will definitely be picking up the next one next month.



Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

I have a full review of this book (here), but overall this book was practically perfect. It's great. I want more. This book follows our main character Cath in her first year at college. Cath is a twin, but her twin wants to go her own way throughout college and make new friends. Cath is a major fangirl of Simon Snow (much like Harry Potter) and writes fanfiction. This story follows Cath through her first year at college with her roomate, Reagan, and Reagan's friend, Levi.



All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr

This is best book material. All of the wonderful things that you've heard about this book are true. This is an adult historical fiction novel set during World War II. It's in third person, but has alternating perspectives between a German youth, Werner, and a blind French girl, Marie-Laure. I gave this book four stars simply because of the fact that it took me so long to read. Despite giving it four stars, it was easily the best book I read this month.


Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer

This was a book I had to read for my senior English class. I think the main reason that I gave this book three stars was because of the way that my teacher taught it. The way he taught it, he took away so much of the mystery of the book and the way Krakauer writes this nonfiction book much like fiction. I also hate how this story isn't told in a linear fashion, and it makes the story very confusing. I think I will read another book of Krakauer's to give him another chance.


All the Bright Places - Jennifer Niven


Okay, I take back what I said about All the Light We Cannot See. This was definitely the best book I read this month. This a very heart-warming and heart-breaking story about two high schoolers who have seen each other around school, but they never really meet until they find each other on the edge of the school's bell tower. On the edge of the bell tower, they both save each other from killing themselves. I would recommend this to everyone, and I have a full review of this book (here) if you want to check it out.



Four : A Divergent Story Collection - Veronica Roth


I'm a sucker for prequels and origin stories, so this book made my fangirl heart sing. I love seeing Tobias's past and where he came from, and what made him do what he did. I liked seeing him before Tris, and I loved being able to see Four's fear landscape through his own eyes and then what a difference Tris made on his fear landscape. I loved seeing Four's friends and Four's enemies. There are really funny parts, and really serious parts that set up for Divergent really well. 

The Silver Linings Playbook - Matthew Quick


I was so disappointed in this book. I didn't like Matthew Quick's writing style, and I found the "plot" (if you can call it a plot) very predictable. Also, I hate football, and so much of this book is talking about football. This was my book for my TBR jar (read a book you DNF'd). I remember why I DNF'd it.