October Currently Reading + #Spookathon TBR

Currently Reading is a monthly feature on my blog, where I catch you up on the books that I'm currently reading (or at least attempting to read). Usually this goes up on the second or third Friday of every month, but it's going up on a Saturday this month because I got swamped with school.

This month's currently reading is going to be a bit different because there are some upcoming readathons that I wanted to talk about since this week is actually my fall break so I'll have more than thirty minutes a day that I can read.

CURRENTLY READING + READBYZOEATHON TBR

• DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES: This is my current audiobook. I am about halfway through it since it's only around five hours long. This is the sequel to Every Heart a Doorway, which I read recently and liked but didn't love as much as everyone else because it was a book that circled around the idea of portal fantasy without any actual portal fantasy. This is everything that I wanted the previous book in this series to be. This is a portal fantasy (aka my favorite subgenre of anything ever) that tells the story of Jack and Jill, two twin sisters that we meet in the first book. It's creepy and atmospheric and an absolutely delightful look at gender roles.
• THE POWER: I mentioned this book in my last post, and I have now officially started it. I'm about 100 pages into this, and it's so intriguing. The basic premise of this that suddenly young girls start developing an electric-esk power that can inflict others with pain--even death--with a flick of their fingers. Suddenly, women have the power and men lose control. It's told from four perspectives of people around the world as this phenomenon grows. I'm really liking this one, and I want to finish it ASAP. 
• PELUDA: This is a poetry book that I got approved for on Netgalley. This is from a spoken-word poet that I absolutely love, Melissa Lozada-Olivia. It's funny and personal and self-deprecating. I'm going to try and finish this today. 
• MARCH, BOOK THREE: I keep telling myself that I'm going to read this, and I keep putting it off because I know that this last volume will have the heaviest material. If I don't at least start this during Zoe's 24-hr readathon, you all have permission to send me annoying gifs on Twitter.

SPOOKATHON TBR

(announcement video)

• FULL DARK, NO STARS: I picked this up for a few reasons. This fits with the challenges read a book with a spooky word in the title (dark) and read a book with orange on the cover. I also wanted to read this because one of the novellas in this collection, "1922", is being released or was just recently released on Netflix, and I really want to watch it because I refuse ro watch It until it releases on DVD so that I can watch it from the comfort of my own home.
• MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS: Another movie that's releasing soon, this doesn't really fit any of the challenges, but I want to read it. I've never read a Christie book before, and I want to read this before the movie releases in November.
• BIRD BOX: I recently read and loved Josh Malerman's A House at the Bottom of a Lake, which is a short but incredibly atmospheric and gripping story. The story was brilliant, so I want to read more of his books. This is the most popular one; I hear people rave about this constantly. I know almost nothing about it, but I think it takes place completely in the dark or the characters are blindfolded? Something like that. It sounds eerie and atmospheric, and I adore Malerman's writing. 
• HORRORSTOR: This is another book that I don't know much about. (It's the best wat to go into thriller/mystery books, okay?) This I think would qualify for the read a thriller challenge. I could probably also count this as read a book about a childhood fear because I was terrified of everything as a child. Among the countless fears was getting trapped in a store overnight, like getting left behind in a store and being locked up there for the night. I don't know, few of my fears made sense. But I believe this is following IKEA-type employees who volunteer for a graveyard shift at the store. Why? Because they're in a horror novel.

What are you guys reading this weekend? Are any of you planning on joining in on Spookathon? If you've read any of the books on my TBR, please tell me what you thought of them down in the comments!

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September 2017 | Currently Reading

Currently Reading is a monthly feature on my blog, where I catch you up on the books that I'm currently reading (or at least attempting to read).

• The Handmaid's Tale: I have been reading this book since March. I mean, I read almost the entirety of it in three or four days and then put it down until about a week ago because--let's be real--it was just hitting a little too close to home as a young woman living in the United States. But now, I only have about forty pages left in this book. I'm hoping to finish this today. *crosses fingers and locks self in room until book is finished*
• Wonder: This is such a cute and important middle grade novel about a boy with a facial deformity that goes to school for the first time. It's a little heavy-handed, but it's middle-grade so that's to be expected. (Also, I'm so excited for this movie. Daveed Diggs is in this movie and I'm so proud of him.)
• Lost Stars: Jesus Christ. I am such a nerd. Also, I stand by the fact that Star Wars has some of the best-produced audiobooks out there. There's music and character voices and multiple narrators. As far as the story, this is a YA dual perspective novel following a Rebel pilot and an Imperial officer. It feels a little Romeo and Juliet, which (in my opinion) isn't really an idea that works when one side is literally a space version of Nazis. I'm hoping it gets better, but if you're looking for a Star Wars book, I'd tell you to pick up Gray's Bloodline.
• Full Frontal Feminism: This is a book I'm reading for my Women and Gender Studies class this semester. It's a pretty interesting and informative read. It's talking about a lot of stuff and discussing a lot of history that I already know and am well acquainted with. Though, if you're thinking of picking this up, definitely grab the second edition; it's far better.

These are all the books I'm currently reading! If you've read any of these books, let me know your thoughts down in the comments, and tell me what books you're currently reading!

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What I'm Currently Reading (+ #TheReadingQuest Update) | August 2017

I used to do these posts all the time on my blog, and I'm one of those people that reads about five books at once. I'm going to try and do this monthly to show what I'm reading in what format and what I think of it so far! I'm thinking I'll post these on the second or third Friday of every month, but *shrug*

As for the Reading Quest, I haven't completed any of the challenges yet because I've been packing everything away for my move back to college and just haven't had the time. But I am reading four books that fit into three of the side-quests. (And I'm almost finished with my first book!)

• THE GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE: No one has shut up about this book even since before it released. This fits into the Time Warp challenge since it takes place in the 1700s. I am loving this book. I only have about 120 pages left, so *fingers crossed* hopefully I can finish it today. This book is hilarious and heartbreaking and has a bisexual main character. It's simultaneously a fun romp through Europe while also bringing up very hard and timely issues (e.g. racism, homosexuality, and female roles in the 1700s).
• WELCOME HOME: I actually started this before the challenge, and it doesn't really fit into any of the challenges. But this is an MG/YA anthology all about adoption that I've been reading a few stories out of each week. I'm really enjoying this, and I've been discovering so many new authors to read.  
• THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY: This is the nonfiction book that I'm currently reading. This takes place during the construction of the World's Fair in Chicago, all about the main architects and also the serial killer H.H. Holmes. This is my Respawn book, and I'm reading the physical copy this time and really enjoying it. (Can you say that about a book about a serial killer? Well, I am.)
• PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Look who is 20 years old and finally reading Jane Austen's most famous work. This is my Open World book. I'm less than 100 pages into this. So far my thoughts: Darcy's an ass and I low-key hate him & Elizabeth is a sassy little shit and I love her. I'm listening to this on audio, but I may have to switch over to a physical copy because I get so distracted while listening to it.

READING QUEST STATS

Character Class: Mage

Current Level: 1

Overall EXP: 10

Overall HP: 63

Total Pages Read: 534

Total Pages Remaining: 744

I could be doing better, but I'm not angry or upset with how I'm doing. My reading is definitely going to slow down since I start school next week, so my extreme catch-up during the summer is going to pay off. 

Are you participating in The Reading Quest? How are you doing so far? If not, what are you currently reading? Tell me down in comments!

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Currently Reading (and Listening)

I might be the actual last person to read anything by Cassandra Clare. I lost interest in ever reading her original series, but the Infernal Devices trilogy has always seemed very intriguing (meshing two of my favorite genres: historical fiction and urban fantasy. I am about 150 pages in and I just want to read it for forever. 

I can, however, not just read it until I finish it because I have to start The Circle by Dave Eggers today. I have it planned out to read approximately 70 pages per day for one week to have it finished before I move into my dorm (they told me I wouldn't have summer reading in college . . . liars). 

And in between writing up posts and reading and getting things together for college, I have been listening to the fifth Harry Potter book -can you believe there are no high quality pictures on google images of the original American cover?- for #BacktoHogwarts15 and because I've been wanting (and have been) rereading/listening to this series. 

What are you currently reading? Tell me down in the comments!

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