Let's Talk Lit

About a year ago I started my 101 in 1001 Challenge. My goal was to read 101 books in 1,001 days. Not too steep of a goal, right? Well throw in 17 hours in class weekly, homework, working, and occasionally sleeping, and that goal became much more difficult than I thought it would be. I've read a good handful of the books on my list, but at this rate, it doesn't look like I'll be getting all 101 done in 1,001 days. That being said, I'm going to restructure my list from X number of books to read in Y days, and instead to X number of books to read.

The new page is titled Reading List. All of the books I'm interested in are listed in alphabetical order, not numbered like they used to be. Each book will be listed with a link to their Goodreads page and, as I finish it, their review. This list is a little better than the 101, because I'm not forced to fill it up with books just for the sake of the number, but also I'm not limited by the number either. Head over to the list here to see the changes!

In the mean time, I definitely own you guys an update on the books I've finished! You can check out all my reviews on my Goodreads page here!

I finished Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train a few months ago and let me tell you, I don't remember the last time I read a book this fast. At around 300 pages, the isn't particularly long nor short. Once you get about halfway through, the pages absolutely fly by! The story is told from the perspective of three different women whose lives just barely touch. Seeing the best and worst of human nature, everything begins with Rachel, the girl on the train. The book is an intense psychological thriller, that'll have you absolutely hooked until the very, very end.

The film for The Girl on the Train is slated to come out this October, and I cannot wait to see it in theaters! The cast looks amazing, especially Scott.

Both my reading of  E. Lockhart's We Were Liars as well as the review were a long time coming. If you were one of the people to attend BookCon 2014, you definitely saw the We Were Liars both. It was pretty intense, and left everyone hanging on the cliff, waiting for the book to come out. Everything comes from the perspective of Cadence. Through her, we follow the story of the summers of a distinguished family on a private island near Martha's Vineyard. I read this book on a recent flight to Chicago. I read about half of the book on the way there, and finished it 2/3 of the way back. The beginning is a little slow and confusing. There are a lot of characters and the map in the beginning of the book is much needed. Once you figure out who belongs to who and where, it's much smoother to read. Even though the beginning grinds a little bit, once the plot starts moving, it just doesn't stop.

The end of the book is stunningly written. All I can say for the end without giving it away is that you'll finish the book smiling.

Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See was another stunning piece of literature Absolutely worth the Pulitzer! The story follows two main characters, Marie-Laure and Werner, as they traverse their worlds during World War II. Their stories parallel through the book. Though it does take place during World War II, it's completely different than I expected it to be. It isn't a sad story. Yes, there are sad parts, but in the end it's a story of adventure. Doerr's writing will take you all over in your herat and mind. I was a little bit exhausted after I finished this book, but it wasn't exhaustion from a difficult read, it was exhilarating! I held my breath in suspense, I whispered the words in my mind when it was quiet, I felt like I was actually there, seeing and feeling the same things that Marie-Laure and Werner were seeing and feeling. Doerr's writing put me in the moment like very few novels had recently. It really reminded me of my true love for reading.




Those three are the big one's I've read lately. Check out my Goodreads page for a few more recent reads that I didn't have as much to say about this time around. Also check out My Reading List to see what's up next on my TBR list and what I'm currently reading. Don't forget to follow me on all of my social media links below, I always post what I'm reading and when I get a new book. Let me know your recommendations for books to try out too! I always love hearing what you all have to say too! I'm about to go crack open a new book, so until next time,

Writing to you from M, Personally


P.S. BookCon will be back in New York next year, and I'm already saving up for my tickets!