Summer Biannual Bibliothon [Day 4]

Today's blogger challenge is hosted by Amy of Bursting with Books and we are talking about a book we've rated 3 stars or less.

The last book I finished that I rated 3 stars or less was Wedding Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke. I rated it at 2.5 stars.

This is the 19th book in the Hannah Swensen series. I have loved this mystery series for a really long time, but the last couple of books have definitely gotten really awful. The story has had a love triangle from like book 1. Suddenly a third guy comes waltzing in and he is a manipulative person. I don't know if it's meant to come off that way in the story or if it's something I'm side-eying, but I hope that the author is setting him up to be the manipulative jerk that eventually goes away. The plot seemed very forced and the recipes took over. In the first book, there were 7 recipes. This installment had 20.

For me, 3 stars is an okay rating. It's not bad and it's not good. It's meh. Once you go to 1 or 2 stars, it's different. 1 star is a book I didn't finish or one that was so awful that it caused me to be annoyed, irritated, or pissed off. 2 stars is a less than okay. It's not ridiculously awful, but it wasn't a meh read. I definitely didn't like the book.

READING UPDATE:
I'm determined to have a really good reading day for day 4. Day 3 wasn't the worst, but I could've done better. I kept getting distracted by the internet.

DAY 3 PROGRESS:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks [Kindle] - 59% (~96 pages read)
The Upside of Unrequited [Physical] - didn't read

TOTAL: 220 pages  

Summer Biannual Bibliothon [Day 3]

Day 3 Blogger Challenge is hosted by Dominique of Pirates N Pixie Dust. Today, we are challenged to take a book we love and imagine the story was told from the antagonist's perspective. Then we get to rewrite synopsis in the villain's POV.

I chose to do Lemony Snicket's The Bad Beginning, which has always been one of my favorite books {although I almost chose Matilda}. It's told as a letter to the reader from Lemony Snicket, so I'm going to stick with that format :)

Dear Reader,

I apologize to inform you that the book you are about to read is an awful and horrible story. It is the depressing story about a lonely man. Even though he is an esteemed actor and very handsome man, Count Olaf's life is terrible. Even from the beginning of this story, when he finds he is the custodial guardian of three orphans with a huge but untouchable fortune, reaching until the final page of the book, tragedy befalls him. One might say he can't catch a break.

Solely amongst the pages of this book, he endures a banker with whopping cough, a baby who bites, a know-it-all smart aleck, a girl who breaks everything to invent garbage, puttanesca for dinner, and an unreliable narrator.

It is my misfortune to have to tell his unfortunate story, but you do not have to read about these unpleasant events. In fact, you can read something much better and happier at any time.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

READING UPDATE:
Another poor day of reading...I didn't do any sprints. Mondays are always hard with grocery shopping and all that. Plus we had some friends come in from out of state and it was definitely more important to spend time with them. It honestly was a blast :)

DAY 2 PROGRESS:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks [Kindle] - 28% (~18 pages read today)
The Upside of Unrequited [Physical] - didn't read today

TOTAL: 124 pages 

Book Review: Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying by Amanda Hosch

Publish Date: August 1, 2017
272 pages [Hardcover edition]
Capstone Young Readers

Synopsis:  
A young spy gets entangled in an action-filled, whodunit mystery! When Mabel's parents leave town without warning, she isn't worried. They're spies, after all. But when her beloved Aunt Gertie is arrested for leading a smuggling ring, then her obnoxious Uncle Frank and Aunt Stella show up, demanding to be let into the family's private museum things begin to look fishy. Especially since Mabel hasn't heard from her parents in days. Tackling a mystery like this one is what she has been training for her whole, short life. Using her self-authored spy handbook, will Mabel be able to find her parents and unmask the real criminal before it's too late?

My Thoughts:
I was gifted this book via Netgalley.

The title, cover, and synopsis of this book drew me in immediately. A little ten year old named Mabel -- come on! How cute is that! I think my galley was missing a few pages in front and back, but I got most of the rest of the novel and ADORE it. I cannot wait for this to come out and for my 9 year old daughter and 10 year old son to be able to read it. I know they will both love it too. I think the inner child in all of us once wanted to be a spy and this book definitely brought me back to my childhood and how much I loved following clues and figuring out whodunit. Mabel is an absolutely strong character. She's brilliant and likeable. I would want to be friends with Mabel. I would want my kids to be friends with Mabel. I loved all the little spy nuances that her parents left behind to keep Mabel in the loop. The attention to detail that Hosch put into this book was just superb. The characters and plot were just so rich and strong. I cannot say enough good things about this book.

Find on Goodreads

Summer Biannual Bibliothon [Day 2]

Today's blogger challenge is hosted by Kassie of Miss Sassy Kassie. The challenge is to write a book review. I am pretty good about writing my reviews as soon as I finish a book, so here are three of my most recent reviews (linked to Goodreads)

Dreaming of Antigone by Robin Bridges // Synopsis: Every star has its own path…

“I can’t ever be the blazing star that Iris was. I’m still just a cold, dark satellite orbiting a star that went super nova.”

Andria’s twin sister, Iris, had adoring friends, a cool boyfriend, a wicked car, and a shelf full of soccer trophies. She had everything, in fact—including a drug problem. Six months after Iris’s death, Andria is trying to keep her grades, her friends, and her family from falling apart. But stargazing and books aren’t enough to ward off her guilt that she—the freak with the scary illness and all-black wardrobe—is still here when Iris isn’t. And then there’s Alex Hammond. The boy Andria blames for Iris’s death. The boy she’s unwittingly started swapping lines of poetry and secrets with, even as she tries to keep hating him.

Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin // Synopsis: “Troubled.” That’s seventeen-year-old Genesis according to her small New Jersey town. She finds refuge and stability in her relationship with her boyfriend, Peter—until he abandons her at a Planned Parenthood clinic during their appointment to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. The betrayal causes Gen to question everything.

As Gen pushes herself forward to find her new identity without Peter, she must also confront her most painful memories. Through the lens of an ongoing four act play within the novel, the fantasy of their undying love unravels line by line, scene by scene. Digging deeper into her past while exploring the underground theater world of New York City, she rediscovers a long-forgotten dream. But it’s when Gen lets go of her history, the one she thinks she knows, that she’s finally able to embrace the complicated, chaotic true story of her life, and take center stage.

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst // Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine—called Mare—the sister of her betrothed.

When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two become closer, Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. And soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.

But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.

READING UPDATE:
I planned on reading last night, but ran into a little bit of an issue. As Nick and I were finishing up our episode of Shameless and about to head to bed, the power went out with a nice loud pop. I think the wind gusting caused the transformer in front of our house to go out because down the road, the street lights were on. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was only on my phone...not my actual Kindle or the tablet. Since the power was out, Nick's alarm clock was out and his phone was at like 20% and mine was at 65%, so I didn't want to kill off my battery in the event that the power didn't come back on for him to have to leave for work. That meant no reading on my phone. So I ended up starting The Upside of Unrequited in physical format.

DAY 1 PROGRESS:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks [Kindle] - 22% (~68 pages)
The Upside of Unrequited [Physical] - 38 pages

TOTAL: 106 pages 

Summer Biannual Bibliothon [Day 1]

Day 1's blogger challenge is hosted by 4TeenLiars and is a series of questions to answer :) I'm going to try and update on my social media (goodreads, insta, and twitter - linked in my sidebar).

1. What are you planning to read for the Summer Biannual Bibliothon? The Flame in the Mist by Renee Adhieh, The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli, Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia, and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
2. What is your favorite genre to read in the summer? I don't have a preferred genre. I am a mood reader!
3. What is your favorite place to read in the summer? Inside in the A/C LOL
4. What is your favorite challenge done in the Summer Biannual Bibliothon? This is my first time participating :)
5. What fictional character would you hang out in the summer with, if you could? Hermione. I feel like she'd be a bookworm and I'd definitely get along with her.
6. What are your plans for summer? To survive it! We just finished school supply shopping because the kids are back in school in a few weeks.
7. Do you have a summer reading playlist. If not, what would be on it? Nope. I don't really have playlists for reading.
8. What is your favorite summer movie? Grease! Most of it is set in school, but it's still like that last part of school and summer is within grasp and then they have the big carnival at the end. It's just like that huge relief that summer is here.
9. What book do you read every summer? If not, what thing do you do every summer? I start rereading Harry Potter every summer. I most likely will start on the 31st of July once again :)
10. What other book tags are you planning to do this summer? I am really new to book tags, so if you want to direct me to your favorite, I am all ears!!