January Monthly Wrap Up 2016

   January was a busy month for me, starting up at school again after break, exams, my first Be First Book Club, plus working on the side. Not to mention my Blogiverary! So like I said, it's been busy!

   After three exams, I was finally able to relax and read Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys for the McNally Robinson Be First Book Club.  I was super excited to be able to join and participate in the group with my sister, because quite often we don't have many book related events in my city, so when we do have something I get to geek out with all the other new people that I get to meet! If you'd like to learn more about my Be First Book Club experience then feel free to check out my post about it here.

   I got my first ever OwlCrate! After having heard about OwlCrate online, EVERYWHERE, my mom decided to get me the January box for Christmas. So it finally arrived and I was in AW! In the box was a Hermione Granger Pop Figure from Funko, Book Swag designed by Evie Seo, a white chocolate Patronus lip balm made specially by @geekfirelabs, Worlds of Ink and Shadows by Lena Coakley, a note from the author, and paper dolls specially made to go with the book! The box itself and everything inside of it was gorgeous! I can't wait to read the book!

   I also finally Skyped with my Gummy Bear Crew for the first time ever, and when I say that, I

mean all of us! (Well mostly, everyone. We were missing one important person!) We did a Secret Santa and we all finally opened our presents! It was a great time!

   And that sums up my month of January! Hopefully February won't be as busy, but knowing the past years that probably won't happen!

   Now for the bookish stats

Books Read:

Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto

Book Haul:

Catacomb by Madeleine Roux (Hardcover)
After the Woods by Kim Savage (ARC)
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (Hardcover)
The Siren by Kiera Cass (Hardcover)
Riders by Veronica Rossi (Riders)
Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith (ARC)
Cut Both Ways by Carries Mesrobian (Hardcover)
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent  (Signed paperback)
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon  (Hardcover)
Worlds of Ink and Shadows by Lena Coakley (Hardcover)

Book Reviewed:

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace
Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto

February Books I'm Excited For:

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer (2nd)
Assassins Heart by Sarah Ahiers (2nd)
Banished by Kimberely Griffths Little (2nd)
Starflight by Melissa Landers (2nd)
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordon (9th)
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine (16th)
The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig (16th)
Firstlife by Gena Showlater (23rd)
Titans by Victoria Scott (23rd)
The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury (23rd)

   That's it for this month! How was your month? Do anything special? Fun? I'd love to know!

Be First Book Club: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

   As most of you know, roughly a little bit less than a year ago I discovered McNally Robinson, a local independent bookstore in my city. With more or less discovering it, I also was introduced to it's Two Thumbs Up Program, a program where they give out ARCs to reviewers who in return give an honest opinion about the book for them to post on their site. So I've been doing that for a long time now, it's pretty much where I get all my fabulous ARCs. Anyways, I was really letting you guys know about this because in the end it the person in charge let me know about their Be First Book Club. Where once a month they hold a meeting for maybe 10 readers who, roughly a month before received an ARC to read for the club. Last Thursday my sister and I went to our first meeting! 

   For the month of January our book was Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, it was a contemporary historical fiction. It actually connected to her debut novel, Between Shades of Grey if any of you have read that one. It was a very informational and grim read.

   We went from discussing the seriousness of WW2 to the creepiness of one of the main characters. Overall it was a more serious discussion because of the topic.
   Being my first meeting, I was not expecting the turn out that we got but I was impressed with the passion that the readers had for the book. I hadn't been in a large group of bookish people in a while, so it was lovely to be able to experience that love for books again.

   Next month's ARC is Riders by Veronica Rossi, the meeting is going to be on the 18th of February.  So expect a post a little after that date! I just know these book clubs are going to be something to look forward to each month!

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Release Date: February 2nd, 2016

Publisher: Philomel Books

Series: N/A

Format: Hardcover, 400 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are  Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer toward safety.

   Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.

Check out Ohana Reads' Review of Salt to the Sea.

   Are you in any book clubs? What about book discussion groups? I'd love to hear about them if you are!

Book Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Release Date: February 2nd, 2016
Read: January 8th-19th, 2016
Publisher: Philomel Books
Series: N/A
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Source: McNally Robinson/ First Reads Book Club

Description from GoodReads:

   In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are  Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer toward safety.

   Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.

Review:

   Guilt is a hunter. Fate is a hunter. Shame is a hunter. Fear is a hunter. 
   Serious topics make for serious books, and that's exactly what Salt to the Sea was, a very dark and grim read. Knowing exactly what I was getting into before starting Salt to the Sea, I prepared my heart for dark waters.
   Salt to the Sea is told between four narratives, I instantly gained a favourite and a not so favourite within the first couple chapters. Each narrative came with a different story, and a different perspective on World War II, each character having to face one of the many different struggles that Hitler put them up against. From being Polish descent, to having a disability, with these different perspectives you were enlightened when it came to the truth of it all. Most of the time you only hear about the Jewish who were slaughtered in WWII, people often forget that many others were also put on Hitlers kill list. This book tells their story.
   I went into Salt to the Sea thinking that the novel was just another made up story to go with WW2, I was wrong. The ship was real, the statistics are real, thousands of people really died. Going with with what I said above, I had never heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff. You'd think that such a large number of people being killed during an attack would be taught in schools, but it isn't. I'm sad to say that I hadn't heard of the Wilhelm Gusloff until reading Salt to the Sea, but I'm glad to be aware of it now, to be aware of the losses. Even if our history is horrific, one should still honour the losses that our mistakes made.
   Salt to the Sea was a grim novel about harsh truths of WWII, leaving you tormented with the wrongs of our past. Ruta Sepetys' writing makes you relive the horror of it all.
   If after finishing this novel you feel like you still need more, check out Sepetys' other novels Between Shades of Grey and Out of Easy. Between Shades of Grey and Salt to the Sea are actually connected by a character and their family, so it'll be perfect cure for that bookish hangover.

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

"Sometimes, when I did a really good job of pretending, I even fooled myself"

"Survival had it's price: guilt."

"Just when you think this war has taken everything you loved, you meet someone and realize that somehow you still have more to give."

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, War, Adventure, Survival, WW2, War Stories