[WRAP UP]JANUARY 2017 Book Wrap Up

WOW! It’s the end of January 2017. Time flew way too fast. Oh yes.. HELLO EVERYONE! LOL.. I’ve left my blog to dust. I know! I’m sorry for that. It wasn’t because I don’t want to write anymore. No! Indeed no! It’s because I got really really busy these past few months with my internship’s life. No excuse I know. But I realize too that it’s just can’t. I have so many things to do, especially after I managed to get a GYM membership (though yes, my endurance for exercising is still low until now). I still wanted to continue with my exercise. I’m not gonna promise you with a scheduled blog post, but I promise you to keep writing, even if no one are gonna read my thoughts or my blabber or just.. these things in my head. Hahaha!

So actually I’ve read 8 stories and 7 books. How? How you could read 8 stories but only 7 books? Well.. I read Peter and Wendy. But the thing is, I read the completed edition of Peter Pan which consist of “Peter and Wendy” and “Peter Pan in Kensington Garden”. I’ve read the “Peter and Wendy” but haven’t read the second novel yet. So now I’ll only write about “books” which means, I only managed 7 books, instead of 8 books.

Anyhow.. let’s just stop blabbering and start my January 2017’s wrap up right away!

1. The Raven King – Maggie Stiefvater

Read from 1st January, 2017 – 6th January, 2017

To start off the New Year I chose The Raven King from Maggie Stiefvater. This is the conclusion of The Raven Cycle Tetralogy by her and one of my favorite fantasy novel out there. I really loved all of them and literally right after I finished reading this book, I’ve missed all of the characters right away. I adore Adam in the first place, but now I loved him more than these 4 characters all together. I liked Blue, even though not loving her so much to beat Celaena Shardothien in my heart (fangirl alert). I really pleased with everything in the end. The ending seems logical enough for me too. So overall I gave this book a 5.0/5.0 stars very easily.

2. The Book of Lost Things – John Connolly (a re-read from about 10years ago)

Read from 9th January, 2017 – 13th January, 2017

Wait, you might asked me why I have the 3 days gap.. This was when I read Peter and Wendy. So basically I read Peter and Wendy from 7th until 8th January 2017 and then changed it into this book. I don’t exactly remember why, but I guess it was because I go on travel and didn’t want to bring this paperback edition only to wreck its cover. LOL.. My “The Book of Lost Things” was already being covered by a plastic wrap. So the cover won’t break if I brought it in my backpack.

Then… what were my thoughts about this book? My first impression was, WOW.. I FORGOT EVERYTHING.. Literally, everything. I probably never mention why I never “Re-read” a book? It’s because I almost could remember every book that I’ve read. But probably, my mind already delete my memories from 10 years ago. An easy 5.0/5.0 stars for John Connolly’s books. No need more comments on this book indeed :).

 

3. Stuart Little – E. B. White

Read from 13th January, 2017 – 13th January, 2017

I found this book while going to Singapore 2 weeks ago (I missed travelling so much). I literally pumped when I found it in the book store and to read this book since I’ve watched the movie and thought, aw.. I have to have this book. And the cover is so pretty (bookstagram alert). But then I found out to be so disappointed with this story. Like so much! I hated Snowball and hated the ending. I thought it would be a happily every after like in the movie. Apparently I was wrong. And regretting in buying this book. I would recommend to find the ebook instead or just borrow it from your local library before you decide to really buy it. This is a total waste for me. Giving it a 2.75/5.0 stars for its movie though.

 

4. A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens

Read from 13th January, 2017 – 16th January, 2017

I’m late for reading this in January rather than in December when my rooms was full of Christmas decoration. But better late than nothing huh? I have the Christmas Stories and planned to read them in Christmas but I found out to be lost interest in them  because I really wanted A Christmas Carol when I bought the Christmas Stories book from Wordsworth Classic. So when I found it in the bookstore while travelling, I realize I have to have it. And so I read it in January instead of in December. I’ll be re-reading it in this year’s December too.

I remember a movie by Barbie about this particular story. And when I read this book, I always remember the barbie instead of Mr. Scrooge. LOL.. But anyhow, this book is a lot more haunting and creepy than the barbie’s edition (obviously, LOL). I really did enjoy this book and acknowledge the reason behind this book’s hype. It really makes us realize the importance of Christmas, the real meaning of it. It wasn’t about Jesus’s birth. It’s about having a time with your family and friends even if it happens only once in a year. And the story about future’s spirit really hit me and made me thinking about my future as well. This book is a classic for a reason indeed. I’ll always give this book a 5.0/5.0 stars.

 

5. The Golden Compass – Philip Pullman (re-read from 10 years ago)

Read from 16th January, 2017 – 25th January, 2017

WHY THEY NEVER MADE THE SECOND BOOK A MOVIE! I remember loving this book so much. And one of my friend on instagram Isa (I put her blog, but I know her from Instagram and just recently found her blog) convinced me, well rather convinced me by her post on Instagram to read this book. She said good things about this book and so I thought, why not? Apparently she was right. I enjoyed this book so much I wanted a Daemon. LOL.. I really wanted to know how my daemon would look like. But the thing that bugs me is when you have a love interest with someone, your daemon would “cuddling”. I just bug me when the golden monkey was cuddling with the tiger (ugh). It’s weird. Hahaha.. But let us just put that aside and just enjoy the overall story. I understand that this book was controversial to begin with. This book has a lot of protests against the Catholic Church, based on the author’s own bad experience with the faith. As a Catholic, I read this book in an open minded way, which is enjoying the fun of it. I mean, can’t we just stop being serious and enjoy having a daemon? We need to chill, everyone. Not that I went against my own Church, but let’s us just enjoy the world, Mr. Philip has made. Gave this book a 5.0/5.0 stars.

 

6. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – C. S Lewis (re-read from about 10 years ago)

Read from 23th January, 2017 – 24th January, 2017

Okay, bad me.. I haven’t finished the Golden Compass yet but I read this book instead. Not that I dislike the Golden Compass. You know when you read a book and suddenly you remember you missed a one particular world? That was what happened. I read the Golden Compass and those long and missing feeling I have inside of me, creeps out and I have the sudden urge to read Narnia.

I always love Narnia. All of the morals, Christianity and the story itself always have a nice and special place in my heart. This is the first and probably the reason why I love to read. All of the things, the story, the world inside this book are so magical and fantastic. I can never forget how I wanted to go to Narnia, more than any other fantasy world out there. I always wanted to be one of those kids that can go to Narnia, I envied them. So much!

I read this book as a 16 years old back then, and I couldn’t mention how many morals here. Now that I’ve grown up, I just realize how much this book affects me in general. To help me with my reading habit, to make me more close to God and to make me realize that someday I’ll go to Narnia as well together with all of my family. Just remember to find the lamp.

 

7. The Magician’s Nephew – C.S Lewis (re-read from about 10 years ago)

Read from 25th January, 2017 – 28th January, 2017

I should have read this book first before The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I really wanted to re-read the Narnia in chronological order instead of publishing order. So apparently, I forgot everything in this book too! Hahahaha!

This is a story about how Narnia was born. I really think it’s a good prequel. It’s fun and easy to read. The one that bugs me is about the pond that connects every world. It was just vanished right after Narnia was born. I think it’s weird. I know I might not paying any attention to this particular matter while reading this book, but I’m pretty much sure that it was just PUFF! Gone.. But still a 5.0/5.0 stars for this book. Even though The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is still the best for now.

 

And by that conclude my January’s wrap up. I’m currently reading The Boy and His Horse by C.S Lewis (the 3rd chronological order from the Chronicles of Narnia). But I haven’t finished it yet. Not that I dislike this book. Not in any way I would look down a Narnia book. It’s just that with the Chinese New Year and some stuffs that were going on lately (I got a  job in past 2 days which is helping a senior with her work) and my exercises too. I really wanted to finish it today (2nd February, 2017) and start a beta reading really soon  (I got contacted by one of the author from Goodreads). I hope I can make it.

I’ll be posting my February’s 2017 TBR List pretty much soon. Because I’m in the middle of wanting to write something. Plus I’m thinking about writing a book. I have so many ideas in my head that need to be written down. I just hope I could make it happen really soon.

I’m pretty much proud of myself for reading 7 books this month. This is probably the highest amount of books that I’ve read in a month. I hope to read more in the future and re-read a lot of books too.

Those are all for today’s post. It’s pretty much a long post indeed. I hope you won’t get tired to read them.

And so.. goodbye for now. 🙂

Bye-bye…

 

-Wilma-