Weekly Wrap-Up: 11/28 – 12/4/16

Happy Sunday bookworms!

I hope to find everyone well this evening.  Did everyone have a good weekend?  It is getting to the point that my weekends are so hectic that I actually welcome the start of the week.  I never thought there would be a time in my life that I wouldn’t dread Monday’s arrival…

*Weekly Wrap-Up is a weekly post where I feature what posts were published on the blog for the past week, any bookish/blog happenings, noteworthy posts around the bookish blogosphere, what I recently finished reading, what I am currently reading, and what I will be reading next.

This week on the blog:

Monday 11/28

Book Review: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Tuesday 11/29

Kids’ Corner: Book Review of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis

Wednesday 11/30

November 2016 Wrap-Up + Book Haul

Thursday 12/1

December 2016 TBR

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Bookish/Blog happenings:

» After 9 months of blogging, I hit the 200 posts mark!  Technically I have no idea if this is above or below average, but these little notifications always make me happy so whatever.

» My giveaway of the signed copy of The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel concluded on 11/30 at 11:59 EST.  The winner was randomly selected through Rafflecopter. I am happy to announce that Naz @Read Diverse Books was the lucky winner!  If you don’t already, I highly recommend following his blog.  As his blog name suggests, Naz’s blog centers around diversity in literature and promoting the works of and about people of color and other marginalized voices.

Around the blogosphere:

» CW @Read, Think, Ponder shares some book recommendations that include positive female friendships → Book Recs: Fantastic Female Friendships

» Naz @Read Diverse Books shares some new releases by Native American authors to add to your TBR in honor of Native American Heritage Month → 2016 Book Releases by Native Americans To Read Before And After The Year Ends

» Kirsty @Kirsty and the Cat Read talks about how she wants to see more books that accurately portray anxiety → I Want to See More: Anxiety

 » Marie @Drizzle & Hurricane Books discusses originality among book bloggers → Being Original: A Must for Book Bloggers?

» Rachel @Life of a Female Bibliophile shares some Christmas ideas for the bookworm in your life → Top 10 Literary Christmas Gifts

» Aimal @bookshelves and paperbacks is hosting (along with others) a diversity readathon challenge called the #DiversityDecBingo → Diversity December Bingo

» CW @Read, Think, Ponder makes a promise to us as a diverse book blogger → My Promise as a Diverse Book Blogger

» Casey @adoptabookus talks about instalove, and why she loves it → Insta love and why I love it

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Recently finished reading:

*All titles link to Goodreads

» The Girls by Emma Cline

*3.5 Stars

Summary of feelings: I have very conflicted feelings about this one.  On one hand, I think Cline was on point with her depiction of cults and how people are drawn into them.  On the other hand, the ending felt a little flat.  There were also a few things that came about in the plot that didn’t end up going anywhere.  This could have been intentional to throw the reader off, but it didn’t sit right with me.

» The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

*3.5 Stars

Summary of feelings: This was a quick and fun little read.  I really enjoyed the storyline, which was a historical fiction with mystery elements.  I am not sure if you could consider this steam punk or not?  I guess I am not exactly clear on what classifies a book as steam punk, but this book includes lots of machinery.  After doing some research, I didn’t realize the print version of this book has gorgeous illustrations… I actually listened to this via audiobook, so I am wondering if I would have enjoyed this more had I read it in print form.  I must admit, I am now curious about it.

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Currently reading:

» Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

I am a little over 50% through this one and am really enjoying it.  I am enjoying it so much that if things keep going the way they are going, I’m positive this book will be one of my favorite reads of 2016.  Set in Jamaica, Here Comes the Sun is a story about a family a women desperate to change their fates.  It is a very interesting tale about how indigent locals live alongside Jamaica’s elite and the tourists that travel there.

» The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel

This is my book club’s selection for November/December.  It was chosen because it takes place in a small town called Oakwood (Ohio) which is where the majority of our members are from ((I live in a neighboring town, so I am still very familiar with the location)).  I have been putting off reading this one because murder mysteries are not really my thing.  Don’t get me wrong, it is pretty cool to see local landmarks, restaurants, stores, streets etc. mentioned in the book, but I’m not sure this one is going to be my particular cup of tea.  Thus far there are just too many far fetched occurrences, particularly in the police investigation.   One of the reasons WHY I don’t frequent the murder mystery genre is because they can be so unrealistic.   I am 50% through and at this point I am just going to try and enjoy it instead of analyze it.  I have never DNF’ed a book club book and I’m not about to start now.

» Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

I only just started this one today and am only 5% through, but I am already absorbed in it.

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On deck:

» And I Darken by Kiersten White

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How was your week?

What are you currently reading?

What will you read next?

Have a wonderful week, and happy reading