2016 Wrap-Up | January 2017 TBR

Merry (belated) Christmas to all of you who celebrate it, happy holidays to those of you who do not, and happy early New Years!

Yes, I know it has been five whole months since I last made a blog post. Yes, I know I've neglected my Youtube channel. Do I regret it?

Absolutely not.

This year has been so AMAZING for me in terms of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, such as:

• Visiting New York City in late May/early June
• Attending the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts in the discipline of vocal music during the entire month of June
• AND LET'S NOT FORGET GOING TO FREAKING HAWAI'I DURING THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 23-30 FOR A BAND TRIP AND GETTING TO PERFORM AT THE PEARL HARBOR MEMORIAL IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR

Anyway...

Since I have gotten to do so many things outside of the world of books, I did only read 28 books this year, but I beat my personal goal of 25 books, knowing full well that this year was going to be crazy. Speaking of those 28 books, let's get on to those, shall we?

THE 27 BOOKS I READ IN 2016:

• Between Faded Lines by Allison R. Naumann (review to come)
• Imprinted by Andrea Michelle
• All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
• A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
• The Crucible by Arthur Miller
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• How To Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• Sunrise by Mike Mullin
• The Crown by Kiera Cass
• Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
• A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
• AP World History Crash Course by Jay Harmon
• Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
• A Separate Peace by John Knowles
• Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard
• Hunted by Abi Ketner/Missy Kalicicki
• Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson
• Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• The Geneva Project: The Timekeeper's Daughter by Christina Benjamin
• Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
• Shiver, Linger, Forever, and Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
• Silas Marner by George Eliot
• The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

In January of 2017, there are not any sequels being released (or anything of the like), so I will not be re-reading any books this month for that purpose, but I know I will be reading an ARC of The Practice Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin (one of the sweetest and kindest authors I've ever met).

This book will be released on January 24th, and I'll be releasing more information (like the cover reveal) as well as a spoiler-free review that I will have posted before the release date so that you all can have an idea if you would like to read it (I'll also have the pre-order links posted, for your convenience).

I hope to have Between Faded Lines by Allison R. Naumann reviewed on here by the first week of January since I just recently finished it. On my To-Be-Reviewed list is Uncovering Officer Smith by Sheena Hutchinson and College Rules! by Sherrie Nist-Olejnik, PhD and Jodi Patrick Holschuh, PhD (sent to me by Blogging for Books), so those have top priority. I have four more books also on my review list, but all of them are a part of series that have releases in February, so I'm saving those so I can do a series binge (three of the books are within the same series, so it seems worth it to just do a huge bundled review)! xD Also, in 2015, I read I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan AND ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE! So of course, when I found out that there was a sequel, I bought it, but I have yet to read it, so I will be, hopefully, re-reading I'll Be There and its sequel, Just Call My Name.

That's all for now you guys! If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe by email or with your Google account, and make sure to follow me on my social media platforms. As always, if you have any comments or requests, feel free to post them on any of my social media platforms!

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So much love to all of you during this holiday season, and many thanks for all of your support!

💚💝 The Book Lioness 💝💚

May & June Wrap-Up/July TBR

I have missed you all so much! Please don't riot for the fact that I haven't posted since the beginning of May!  I have been CRAZY busy with a trip to New York City, Governor's School for the Arts, visiting family up in Michigan for the Fourth of July, getting everything ready for band camp (which starts tomorrow!!!!!!!), working full-time at a doctor's office, taking an online class for Personal Finance, and completing three summer packets to prepare me for my junior year of high school. Not to mention the fact that I just got a beautiful one year-old Siamese cat that I have named Belle (favorite Disney princess, for the win)! Anyway, this whole paragraph was meant to explain why my "Read" list is going to be so small. So, let's get this over with...

Books I Read

• "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen
• "Lady Midnight" by Cassandra Clare
• AP World History Crash Course
• "The Crown" by Kiera Cass
• "Sunrise" by Mike Mullin

July TBR

Before school starts back on August 5th, I have to read:

• "How To Read Literature Like A Professor" by Thomas C. Foster, and
• "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain

I'm also hoping to get to the review copy I received from Allison Naumann of her book "Between Faded Lines" (Living in the Shadows, Book 1) but I will have to see how crazy it is trying to finish all of my school work!

I hope all of you amazing, wonderful people are having a safe and blessed summer! If you have any requests for posts, feel free to email me anytime at thebooklionessblog@gmail.com!

Much love,

Catheryn

March and April Wrap-Up!

Books Read:

• The chapter of John in The Holy Bible
• Part 4 of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
• Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
• Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
• A Separate Peace by John Knowles
• The Timekeeper's Daughter by Christina Benjamin
• Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
• Silas Marner by George Eliot

Important Updates:

• On March 12th, I turned sixteen years old!!
• I am officially attending Governors School for the Arts for their choral program as a soprano!
• I attended the first annual SE-Ya Book Festival on March 11th with my school's book club (our librarians and club sponsors are the founders of SE-YA), and it was absolutely AMAZING! I'm attaching a ton of photos below :)

 I.W. Gregorio and me

 Julie Murphy and me

 Courtney C. Stevens and me

 Ruta Sepetys, David Arnold, ,and Adam Silvera

 Jasmine Warga and Courtney C. Stevens

 Jasmine Warga and me

 David Arnold and me

 Ruta Sepetys and me

 Katie L. McGarry and me

 Katie Cotugno and me

 Katie L. McGarry, an author that I can't remember the name of, Helene Dunbar, and Katie Cotugno

 Katie L. McGarry and the Unknown Author

 Katie L. McGarry and the Mysterious Author Lady

Helene Dunbar and Katie Cotugno

The "Shiver" Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater: Review

Hey guys! To clarify, I did not receive these books for free to review. I purchased all three books (plus I just purchased Sinner, a companion book to the series) and am merely posting about them on here to express my absolute LOVE for this series and this author. I actually read the first two books, Shiver and Linger, in sixth or seventh grade by borrowing them from my school's library, but by the time the third book, Forever, was finally able to be checked out, I had read so many other books since that I had forgotten the little details. So, a couple months ago I decided to re-read and finish out the series, and holy feels. I forgot how absolutely amazing and sweet and PERFECT Sam Roth and Grace Brisbane are together. Their relationship is one of trust, respect, and true love, and I think more relationships these days need to be like theirs (minus the sleeping in her room without her parents knowing; never do that, kids). This series is about werewolves in a completely un-cheesy way, giving the concept such a realistic standpoint to the mythical creatures that you almost begin to wonder if maybe they could be real. The characters are very real in their personalities, and they're all imperfect in their own ways, showing the true nature of humans so beautifully and carefully that it gives you an insight into some current problems many teenagers face. All in all, this series is definitely 5 out of 5 stars, and I recommend it to all ages and all genders (although parents or younger readers, be warned that there is some minimal language in there). There is something in there that will touch with you, and give you a new perspective on life. 

These precious beauties will soon be signed by Maggie, since she is visiting my school on March 10th, along with Tessa Gratton and Brenda Yovanoff. That's all for now my little book cubs. Keep reading!

Much Love,

The Book Lioness!

February 2016 Wrap-Up!

Hey guys! Spring is finally in the air, and daffodils are beginning to bloom. Soon cherry blossoms will be dotted on trees, pink and white as the moon. (A moment to acknowledge my beautiful poetry, haha!) I haven't really done much this month, besides testing and reading. I have been accepted into the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts for Choral Music, a summer program where I will live on the Middle Tennessee State University for a month while getting to grow in my musicianship alongside other musicians as dedicated as I am about the art we create. I also just took the ACT for my second time (the first time was my seventh grade year, in which I made a 27) and this time around I scored a 31! I am a tenth grader this year, so I have time to improve my score even more. But, now I am going to move onto the books I read this month!

February Read List:

—Cruel Crown (Steel Scars/Queen Song) by Victoria Aveyard

—Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

—Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

—Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

—Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

—Parts 2 and 3 of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

—All of Mark from The Holy Bible

—All of Luke from The Holy Bible

"Glass Sword" (Red Queen Series book #2)

This isn't really even a review, just more like a rant for me to vent all my emotions after finishing this book. 

If you've followed this blog for long enough, you'll know that I read Red Queen late last year-ish and absolutely fell in love with Victoria Aveyard's writing. Since then I've read the bond up of the two companion novellas she has written, Cruel Crown. After several long months of waiting, the sequel, Glass Sword, was FINALLY released on February 9th, and I received it on the 12th. I started it sometime last week and finished it today and I have been completely overwhelmed by the "feels". This book has lovingly caressed my soul, nurtured it, dropped it a couple times, followed shortly by some more coddling, before ripping it to shreds and lighting the pieces on fire like mere kindling, much like Cal would do. It kills me that I can't fully rant because, well, frankly it's rude to spoil people (haha I find it rude anyway, so it's not just a bashing comment), but to sum it up...

MARE BARROW IS A FIESTT LITTLE STUBBORN LIGHTNING GIRL WHOSE HEART OUTWEIGHS HER BRAIN AND I CANNOT FREAKING BELIEVE WHAT SHE DIS TO PROTECT CAL AND KILORN AT THE END OF THE BOOK IT JUST MAKES ME WANT TO CRY AND SOB MY BOOKISH TEARS. AND OMG ALL THE OTPS THAT HAVE SAILED IN THIS BOOK, PRAISE JESUS. BUT EVEN WORSE, WHEN ONE OF YOUR OTPS GETS RUTHLESSLY SEVERED IN HALF BY THE AUTHOR. 

I think that's all. If I have a re percussive attack over this book, I may end up posting again. Who knows, lol. But this book was amazing, the series is amazing, Victoria Aveyard is amazing, everything is just really amazing so if you haven't read Red Queen or Glass Sword or Cruel Crown yet, but all of them and binge read them. You definitely won't regret it!

Much love,

The Book Lioness!

(Rawr)

January 2016 Wrap Up!

I'm starting a monthly wrap up so you guys can see what non-review books I've been reading, and maybe a couple of my other favorites, like music, movies, food, etc. And maybe a little sneak at my photography skills outside of book pictures!

Here's what January looked like for me!

Books I Read:

—Hunted by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki

—Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson

—The Martian by Andy Weir

—Matthew 1-28 from The Holy Bible

—'A Feather From a Thousand Li Away' from The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (for my English course)

Photography:

Winter Storm Jonas in Tennessee

That's all I have for this wrap up. Hopefully I'll have some more interesting stuff for you guys next month once I get results back from my state's Governor's School program. Have a great February!!

With love,

The Book Lioness