Books I've Read This Month: December 2016

I have a slight obsession with books...Okay maybe more than that. Every month, I want to share with everyone the books that I have been enjoying. As my husband will tell you, I often go through stages of just wanting to read a certain genre. But this month, I decided to mix it up a little- I know how to party, right? In no particular order, these are the books that I read in December.

1. Night by Elie Wiesel

As many of you will probably know, Elie Wiesel was a Holocaust survivor who passed away this year. When I heard that he passed away, I realized that I had never read any of his books. The book itself is very short, but he manages to pack it full of details. After reading this book, I'm now wanting to look into his other works.

2. Reached by Ally Condie

This is the third installment of a series- the first two are called "Matched" and "Crossed". This series came up in my suggestions on Amazon and I figured, why not? The book is based in another universe where the people live in "The Society". The main character, Cassia, starts spending more time with a boy, Ky, who introduces her to a knew way of thinking. She starts to explore a group called "The Rising" who want to overthrow the Society. The last book is the longest of the three, but I didn't even notice while reading it because it was such a page turner.

3. When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron

I guess you would call this a self help book. It focuses on mindfulness for when things fall apart. Someone gave this to me because they thought it would help with my anxiety since anxiety kind of makes it hard for me to live in the present when I'm constantly anxious about what could happen. The book has some excellent stories of mindfulness and ways to achieve it yourself. Even if you don't have anxiety, I would recommend this book.

4. Girl Online: Going Solo by Zoe Sugg

This is the third installment of Youtuber Zoella's books. I was kind of late to the game in reading her books- I just started them back in August. The story continues with Penny deciding if she's ready for a new romance wondering where Noah (her previous love interest) has gone. I read this one in a day, so I think it's safe to say that I liked it.

5. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

I'm one of those people who always want to read the book before a movie comes out. After reading this book and seeing the previews for the movie, I don't even know if I want to see the movie anymore because it seems like they've changed a lot. It's about a young boy who is visited by a monster every night who tells him three stories. By the last story, the monster says that the boy needs to reveal his truth. I loved this book so much that I bought another copy for my sister for Hanukkah.

6. History of the World by Erik Sass and Steve Wiegand

This was written by the lovely people of mental floss. If you don't watch their videos, I would highly recommend them. The only downside to this book is that every time I look at it, I get the mental floss theme song stuck in my head. It goes through 60,000 years of human history and manages to make it interesting (gasp!). I actually like history though, so I'm a little bias.

7. Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Yes, another one that is now a movie. I haven't seen the movie so I can't compare it to the book. I don't think I need to go into too much detail about this one, but if you're into mystery/thriller novels, this is for you!

8. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling
When I saw this on Barnes & Noble's website, I knew I was going to be using my gift card for it. That's right, judge me. My husband said why buy the book when it's a movie. Because it's Harry Potter and I love books, that's why. Also, look how pretty the book cover is! I'm pretty sure most of you know this story line so I won't go on about it. And yes, I have seen the movie (saw it on my birthday). Anyone else in love with this new Harry Potter series?

9. The ABC's of LGBT+ by Ashley Mardell (now Ash Hardell)
Ash recently got married and changed her name (she changed her first name to Ash and combined her last name with her wife- adorable!). She's a YouTuber who talks about social issues- including those faced by the LGBT+. I love watching her videos and have heard nothing but good things about this book. And I can see why! Her wit shows and she has a unique way of explaining things. If you're curious about the LGBT+ community (even if you're in it), I would highly recommend this book. You could learn a thing or two! Ash also runs a series of videos where she talks about certain themes in her book if you'd like to watch them before purchasing. You can find her channel here.

10. Beyonders: Chasing the Prophecy by Brandon Mull
Another book that is the third installment of a series- maybe that's my theme this month? I originally bought this series for my husband as a birthday present and decided to read it myself. It's about a young boy named Jason who accidentally discovers another world called Lyrian. Lyrian is filled with new creatures and magic all around. The land is in danger as the evil emperor,  Maldor, is raging war across the land. Jason and his companions seek to destroy the emperor through a series of task. Would highly recommend to any fantasy lover!






So what books have you been enjoying? I'd love to hear some suggestions!