Am I getting too old for YA?

Is there even such a thing?

Hi,

In the past two years, I found myself being drawn into adult titles more and more. That, of course doesn't mean that I don't read YA titles anymore. I still do. And in fact, I've read more YA so far this year which I see is a good sign.

But if I'm still reading a good amount of YA, what's the drama, right?

Right?

[REVIEW] A Pack of Blood and Lies

title: A Pack of Blood and Lies (The Boulder Wolves #1)
author: Olivia Wildenstein
genre: young adult, supernatural
published: April 18, 2019 by Twilight Press
format: ebook, 350 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 3 / 5 stars
goodreads

The primal rule of winning: don’t fall in love with the contender.  

Three months shy of her eighteenth birthday, Ness is forced to return to Colorado. Even though it’s been six years, and the wolves of her all-male pack don’t recognize her, she recognizes them. People who shun others because of their gender are hard to forget. 

Especially Liam Kolane—son of Heath, the crudest and cruelest Alpha to have ruled the Boulder Pack. Liam is as handsome as he is infuriating, as kind as he is punishing, and he makes Ness’s traitorous heart race, which isn’t good. After all, he’s a Kolane. Like father like son, right? 

When Heath dies, Liam vies to become the new Alpha and no one dares challenge him. 

Except Ness. 

Thus begins a treacherous game. 

The rules: winner takes all…including loser’s life. 

Fans of Kresley Cole and Cassandra Clare will devour A PACK OF BLOOD AND LIES.

Your usual supernatural romance.

I don't read much YA books these days. Heck, I don't even read a lot of supernatural/paranormal romance books. I picked this up generally because of the author whose writing I can devour in just a few days. Olivia Wildenstein's writing is always a quick read but this one just felt 'eh' for me.

MARCH WRAPUP (aka the month of Harry Potter #4)

Hi,

March was a busy month for me.

The first week, I went hiking with my sister and her co-workers which is a first for me. The second week, we went on a staycation out of town for my parent's 30th anniversary. The third week, we stayed at home and I finally finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (OMG!). Also, my sister and I finally finished watching You on Netflix and I have mixed feelings about it (I'll try to have my thoughts up at some point). The fourth week, we went to a book sale which was a real bargain (4 books for less than$15!) and my youngest sister finally graduated senior high school!

Anyway, I called this the month of HP#4 because I read this huge brick for 2-3 weeks, I think? 700+ is too much for me but I never really forced myself into it. I was really loving it and if it wasn't for work and life, in general, I probably go through it in a week. Can't take a photo of it right now because my cousin borrowed it :)

books read

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Gregory Norminton (translator) | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4) by J.K. Rowling

Spring 2019 TBR

Hi,

This year, I started making seasonal TBRs instead of a monthly one. And somehow I think it went okay?

I chose books based on the challenges I have for the next three months. I set 15 books for January - March and I got through 4 of them 😅 Not a very good count at this point but in my defense, I dropped out of the Winter Bookish Bingo because I wasn't feeling it and I picked up different books for the Pop Sugar Reading Challenge.

I'm still a mood reader so when I don't really feel like reading a particular book. I don't. I learned that it only pushes me away from reading books I really like to read. As always, read what you want to read. Don't let some reading challenge or other's preferences push you away from reading those books 😊

As my goal this year is to get through books I purchased years and years ago, I'm adding books I hauled and set as monthly to-be-read in the past years in the same months. Kind of like a look back and at the same time cleaning up. Here's my TBR for the next three months: April, May, and June.

FEBRUARY WRAPUP (aka the month of quick reads)

all the books read

Hi,

February was a busy month for me. I've been unusually busy at work which is a good thing (?). But also sad because I get lesser and lesser time writing blog posts and blog hopping.

In February I participated in #catreadathon which really pushed me to read 4 books in 2 weeks! Really surprising pace for me right here. And because of this, I got a 2 books ahead on my goodreads reading challenge! Yay! I'm doing my best to keep that lead up 😊

Also, late February, I started watching You on Netflix which I have mixed feelings about. I'll probably write some of my thoughts on a #weekendreads post when I finish it. It's good if I look at it as a series itself. But I've read the book. Soooo. Yeah.

books read

Dry by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman | You (You #1) by Caroline Kepnes | Tesla's Attic (the Accelerati Trilogy #1) by Neal Shusterman & Eric Elfman | Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan | Wonder by R.J. Palacio | Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

[REVIEW] Bad Girls with Perfect Faces

title: Bad Girls with Perfect Faces
author: Lynn Weingarten
genre: young adult, thriller
published: October 31, 2017 by Simon Pulse
format: Hardcover, 320 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 4 / 5 stars
goodreads

When I looked up, his smile was wide and real. “Ready?” he said. 

I faked a smile back. I had gotten so good at faking things. 

I thought: You brought this on yourself, Sasha. You will have to pretend forever now.
He squeezed my hand again. He couldn’t begin to imagine what this actually was. He had no idea what I’d done. What any of us had.  

When Sasha’s best friend Xavier gets back together with his cheating ex, Ivy, Sasha knows she needs to protect him. So she poses as a guy online to lure Ivy away. 

But Sasha’s plan goes sickeningly wrong. And she soon learns to be careful of who you pretend to be because you might be surprised by who you become…

the question is 'how far?'

I've been hoping to read this since it first came out. The cover easily caught my attention but I wasn't so hyped for this because I wasn't reading my YA lately. But this bored me found out that it was a free read at Riveted Lit. So I grabbed the chance.

[WEEKEND READS] where I prepare for 2019 #catreadathon

you guys have been seeing too much of my shelf clutter lately. lol.

Hi,

I've been busy with work lately. which is a good thing and is something I like if you've read my 3 Things from 2018 post 😉 This is also the reason why I haven't been bloghopping much because I usually do that during my free times at work 😅

I haven't read much though which is something I'm hoping to change this coming week since I'm joining Olivia @ Olivia's Catastrophe's read-a-thon, Catastrophe Read-A-Thon, which is a two-week long read-a-thon. Yes for 2 weeks! hahaha.

recent reads

Dry | Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman
This was a really good read although it still can't top Unwind which is still my fave Neal Shusterman novel (and also my fave book of all time). It does incorporate the usual Neal Shusterman characters, well-written plot, and engaging survival adventure. It's a recommended read especially if you haven't read any of his novels :)