Review: Love, Lucy by April Linder

Synopsis: In a modern take on E. M. Forster's A Room With a View, Love, Lucy follows Lucy Sommersworth's first year post-high school graduation.  The novel begins in Italy, where Lucy is wrapping up a summer trip to Europe. The trip is part of a deal made with her father: for an all expense-paid trip to Europe, Lucy will give up acting and singing to go to college and major in business. After a horrendous audition shakes Lucy's self-confidence, she takes the deal. Once in Italy, though, she meets Jesse, a street performer who won't let Lucy give up on the things she loves. Just as the two start into a relationship, Lucy must leave Europe and begin college. Back in America, without Jesse, she must decide who she truly is, who she truly loves, and what she's willing to give up to have her dreams come true.

       Review: I went into this book with mixed expectations. A Room With a View is one of my favorite novels, and so I was wary of Linder's attempt to modernize it. However, I have also read her novel Jane, which was a wonderful retelling of Jane Eyre, and so my hopes were high. This novel started off strong, and I loved what she was doing to adapt and modernize the original story into her own. The first chapter gave me a lot of hope for the rest of the book, and for the adaptation as a whole, because it started off perfectly. The room with a view was acquired, the characters and their relationships were all set up to entice readers, and Lucy was a character I liked.

       My high expectations quickly fell, though. Comparing it with Forster's novel, I would have to say that Linder did a poor job of retelling it. There were many things I would have liked to have seen adapted differently. There were also many things from the original that she left out or changed. For example, Lucy in the original story does not acknowledge her feelings for "Jesse" (George) until much later into the novel. In Linder's version, her feelings are acknowledged almost immediately. I also feel like Lucy as whole was a very different character in Linder's hands. She is much more emotional and definitely more positive about what she wants in life, versus Forster's Lucy, who, I feel, represses her hopes and desires for a majority of the novel. This may just be because Linder's novel is from Lucy's perspective, and so readers are more apt to seeing Lucy's emotions than they are in the more objective original.

       With that said, when not comparing this novel to A Room With a View, I really did enjoy it. Lucy was a character who I could root for. I wanted her to have her dreams and to get the guy and to see that she could do anything she set her mind to. I really enjoyed the relationship between Lucy and her parents, which was tense, but very realistic for many who pursue performing arts. The tone Linder creates is fun, but dramatic all at the same time. Dramatic in a good way, that is. I wasn't sure which way she was going to go with the plot at times, like whether Lucy would sign up for the play or not, whether she and Jesse would actually end up together, or whether Lucy and her father would end up reconciling by the end of the novel. The suspense was enough to keep me reading.

      There were a few things I didn't like, such as Lucy's suite-mates/friends. Some of them bothered me immensely. They were definitely secondary characters, but they weren't secondary characters I cared about at all. I also didn't care for the random conflict between Lucy and one of the other actresses. I thought this was a useless plot point that never really added anything to the story.

       So, though I didn't care for the novel as an adaptation and though there were some parts I could have done without, I really did enjoy reading it. It held its own, and I think Linder did a good job of using Forster's story as spring board for the story she ended up telling. The characters were great, the plot moved fairly quickly, and the romance was both realistic and moving.

       Also, cover shout out, because this cover makes me want to place it facing out on my bookshelf instead of sideways like all the rest of my books. It's just such an adorable cover!

       I would recommend this novel for anyone who loves A Room With a View, romance, or travel.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Cups of Tea

     


Your Pemberley Reader,
               Acacia

Top 10 Favorite Classics

Today, I thought I would take some time to tell you all about some of my favorite classics in a fun little count down. Drum roll, please...

10) 1984 by George Orwell
       I first read this in tenth grade. My mom recommended it to me when she found out I wouldn't be reading it at any point during high school. I picked it up a few weeks later and instantly loved it! I've been wanting to reread it as of late, as I'm five years older and think I would get a bit more out of it than I did the first time. To anyone who hasn't read this yet, you should definitely pick it up!
Quote: “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”

9)Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
       My high school class read this in our freshmen year. It's a very short novel, and, I believe, one of Wharton's lesser read novels. I remember this being one of the first books I read that left readers completely divided on how to feel. Many of class discussions were about interpretations and opinions on characters and the situation. It was also one of the first books I read that had an ending that wasn't happily ever after for all of the characters. I remember finishing this book and thinking about it for days, because the ending was just not what I had expected. To this day, it's one of my favorites.
Quote: “She had taken everything else from him, and now she meant to take the one thing that made up for it all.”

8)Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
       I read this book just last year, and it was my book by Anne. She may have been the last of the Bronte sisters I read, but I instantly fell in love with her writing. This story was so simple, but so complex all at once. While reading, I felt a very deep connection to Agnes. There were many moments when things she said or thought were almost exact echoes of my own thoughts over the last several years. I still haven't read anything else by Anne Bronte, but I'm looking forward to doing so at some point soon.
Quote: “What business had I to think of one that never thought of me?”

7) North and South  by Elizabeth Gaskell
       This book is amazing. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once. I know Wives and Daughters is the more popular novel of Gaskell's, but you guys should definitely read this. Plus, if you read it, you'll probably have a deeper desire to watch the BBC mini series. Which has Richard Armitage in it... Which is honestly just reason enough to watch this. Seriously, if you don't read this book, at least watch the mini-series.
Quote: “He knew how she would love. He had not loved her without gaining that instinctive knowledge of what capabilities were in her. Her soul would walk in glorious sunlight if any man was worthy, by his power of loving, to win back her love.”

6) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
       I read this in high school, and it changed my view on lot of things. Law, justice, race, stereotypes, growing up to find things are not how you once believed things to be. If you somehow managed not to read this in high school, you should definitely pick it up now. I know I'll be rereading it next month as Go Set a Watchman is coming out.
Quote: “Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)... There are just some kind of men who - who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.”

5) Persuasion by Jane Austen
       I read this the first time at the age of fourteen or fifteen, but I don't think I really had a real appreciation for it until I read it again my first year of college. I'm not sure exactly what caused such a change, whether it was more experience (however limited) with relationships or just maturity level, but I felt like I had such a deep connection to Anne and her situation the second time around. If you're a fan of Austen's other books, or have even yet to read Austen, I would highly suggest this novel. It's one of her shorter novels, and it 100% worth reading. You will not regret it!
Quote: “Let us never underestimate the power of a well-written letter.”

4) East of Eden by John Steinbeck
       This was the first Steinbeck book I ever read, and I loved it instantly. I think this book may have also been a recommendation from my mom. I read it once at 15, and then just a year reread it during 11th grade American Literature. The characters opened my eyes to how complex people and books can truly be. I fell in love with the intricacies of the character relationships and the inner-workings of their minds. It's a wonderful novel, and I would definitely recommend to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
Quote: “But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’— that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.'” 

3) A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

       I blame this book for my new found longing to visit Italy, specifically Florence. I used to be all about visiting London and Paris, but no more. Italy is calling my name, and it is all Forster's fault. I love the contrast he makes between the two societies, between rationalism and romanticism, between reason and passion. The characters are lovable. The chapter titles are comical. It is a very deep, but hilarious book. Several times during this I found myself laughing out loud because of a certain line or scene. Seriously, you guys, I can't stress it enough: read this book!
Quote: “Life is easy to chronicle, but bewildering to practice.”

2) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
       I first read this book at the age of 13. It was one of the first classics I read, one of the first pieces of Victorian literature I read, and one of the first novels I felt truly challenged by. I actually put it down for about six months because I couldn't get through the first three pages. Six months later, though, and I picked it up and flew through it. It holds a special place in my heart because of how much I love the story and the characters, but also because it opened up a whole new world for me. After this I went on to read Austen and Gaskell and more from all of the Bronte sisters. This book was the start of an obsession that has yet to die.
Quote: "I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you - especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land some broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly. As for you, - you'd forget me.”

1) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
       Honestly, no one who knows me will be surprised by this. This book changed my life. This book solidified the fact that I wanted to major in English when I was just 13. This book taught me what it was like to read a book and immediately want to reread it. This book has Elizabeth Bennet in it, a role model of mine since the moment I picked up the book. This book has Mr. Darcy, there for me when all real men simply just can't pull themselves together. This book has gone on to inspire a number of beautiful adaptions that I am addicted to watching over and over again, from the BBC mini-series to The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on youtube. This book is quite possibly the best thing I have ever read, and I urge everyone to read whenever I can. Seriously, all of my friends and family have been suggested this book too many times to count. I won't ever stop suggesting it though, nor will I ever stop rereading it.
Quote: “I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this list! Have you read any of these? Are there any favorites of yours that aren't on the list? Let me know in the comments!

See you all Monday with a classic-related book review!
        Your Pemberley Reader,
               Acacia

Time to Write

Hello all!

       It's been a slow reading week, and I'm a bit behind on my TBR for the month. My first week back from school has been busy with getting things together, unpacking, and making sure to spend time with family. During this next week I'm hoping to not only get a lot of read done, but to also get a lot of writing done.

       Today I'm going to talk about writing, because, well, I'm a writer. From about the age of ten I knew 1) that I would be an English major and 2) that I would write for the rest of my life, whether published or not. It's a passion of mine that I've had since that first short story I wrote in fourth grade. Since then I have seen the incredible things that words and stories can do in people's lives (including my own), and I want to be apart of that.

       I finished my first novel when I was thirteen, and though it's horrendous to read now, it is still one of my greatest accomplishments. I have since written four other novels that I love, but that need very heavy editing and that I don't know if I will ever attempt to get published. I wrote them during high school when I had a lot more time on my hands, but when I wasn't quite sure what I was doing.

       I didn't write much during my freshmen year of college. I did some editing on my high school books here and there, but I didn't really have any new ideas that I felt passionate enough about to take time away from studying. That is, until my last month of school when I got a new story idea that I just couldn't ignore.

       I finished a draft that summer with a lot of difficulty. I had to do a lot of research for it, and this was a first for me. I usually write fantasy or science fiction, but this novel is realistic fiction that deals with mental health and therapy. The research was intense and hard to get through. There were a lot of times while writing the first draft that I was uncertain about where the story was going. It took a lot out of me, both the task of trying to do justice for the story I wanted to tell, but also the content of the story. There are a lot of darker elements that I was just not used to working with. I was also going through a difficult few months after a shooting occurred at my college, and the feelings of the characters were sometimes things that I was feeling as well.

       A year later, I think I am finally ready to revise it. I want to have a finished draft by the time I go back to Seattle in the fall. This has been hard for me to start for multiple reasons. First, I have a lot of revising to do. Second, I'm a little afraid of how much it's going to take out of me. The first time around was so intense, and I know it's going to take the same amount of effort and emotion the second time. Third, I am horrible at sitting down and finding time to write.

       The first two of these are things that I just have to work through. The third, however, is something that I have to really work on. I know a lot of writers who say making a schedule and making sure that you're writing every day (not just when you feel like it) is so important to getting better at your craft. So, I'm going to make sure that I spend at least an hour a day editing my novel. I think I'm going to set aside thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes in the afternoon. I can go past this, but these two thirty minute periods must be spent writing. Once I sit down and start, I usually end up writing for long periods of time. So, though I'll have at least an hour set aside each day, I'll probably end up doing more than this.

       I hope this time schedule, which I will be starting today, will help me get through a second draft. I have a really good feeling about this novel, and for the first time ever I think I have an actual chance at one day getting this published. It needs a lot of work to get to that point, and I'm going to try as hard as I can to get it there.

       I hope one day I'll be able to share with you all what the story is about and hopefully the exciting news about perhaps getting it published. We'll see!

       I'll see you all Thursday. Thanks for reading!

        Your Pemberley Reader,
               Acacia

Author Spotlight: Marissa Meyer

       Well, it's officially summer, and that means two new posts a week! For today's post, I'll be doing another author spotlight. Let's get into it!

       One of my favorite authors for the past two years has been Marissa Meyer. She is the author of the YA series The Lunar Chronicles, which I discovered towards the end of my senior year of high school just after the second book had come out. I instantly fell in love with Cinder (Book #1) and immediately had to get Scarlet (Book #2). The series is a sci-fi retelling of classic fairytales. The first, Cinder, is a take on Cinderella, the second, Scarlet, is Little Red Riding Hood, the third, Cress, is Rapunzel, and the fourth, Winter (out later this year), will be Snow White. 

       Each title is a character's name, and the series is not simply different takes on each fairytale, but a blending of them all. With each book, the new character is introduced into the already amazing storyline, expanding the eclectic and wonderful group of characters into a team that will hopefully be able to take down the evil queen, Levana, in the final book. 

       From the very beginning Meyer has done a wonderful job of world-building. She sets up readers to not only understand the world she puts us in, but to want to learn as much as they can about it. She does a wonderful job creating captivating plots and an even better job with creating characters that are moving and wonderful to root for. 

       Every book, thus far in the series, has risen to the same amazing level that was set with Cinder. If you want a series that will not disappoint you in the sequel department, read this series. Each book builds onto the first with such skill and grace, that Meyer will soon be one of your favorite authors, too! 

         

       Not only has Meyer created a wonderful series with the three books out thus far, but she has also released multiple short stories having to do with the world. These include "Glitches," "The Queen's Army," and "Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky." These stories will be collected, along with others, into a bind-up called Stars Above, which will be released in early 2016. 

       Also an add on to this series, is the book which came out earlier this year: Fairest. This is the antagonist Queen Levana's story. It chronicles her rise to power from her teen years to her rule as queen. It is a wonderful addition to the series, as it gives explanations for why Levana is the way she is and for her motivations in the rest of the series. It will be interesting to see how Meyer uses the information provided to the reader in Fairest in the last book. I wonder whether we will be lead to feel sympathy for her at the end or if she will use it in some other unpredictable but still amazing way. 

       The last book, Winter, comes out later this year on November 10th. I'm very excited for it's release, but also very sad that the series will be coming to an end. Meyer has become one of my favorite authors, and I'm looking forward to see what comes next from her once this series is done. Whether it is more fairytale retellings or something entirely different, I'm sure it will be wonderful. 

       I hope you all enjoyed this author spotlight! I highly recommend Meyer's books if you haven't read them yet. They're beautiful novels that keep you on the edge of your seat, have a few twists and turns, and sometimes take place in space. What more can you ask for? 

       I'll see you all on Monday! 

        Your Pemberley Reader,

              Acacia

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

       Synopsis: Feyre lives in a world separated by a wall. Invisible and impossible to pass, it keeps the human and the Fae worlds divided. Or so Feyre thinks. When she kills a faery, disguised as a wolf, that has come over to the human world on a mission, she must pay for the death she has caused by traveling to the other side of the wall and living the remainder of her days there. As Feyre gets to know her captor, Tamlin, and the others faeries she now lives with, she starts to see that everything she has been told about the Faeries and their world is drastically different from the truth. Though some faeries, especially the mysterious "her" that everyone keeps mentioning, are evil, some of them are kind, protective, and loving. Losing her life in the human world, may actually be the start of a life full of love, truth, and adventure.

       Review: I actually didn't know that this was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast when I bought it. As soon as I realized, though, I was incredibly thrilled, because it's one of my favorite fairytales. Maas did a wonderful job of bringing a new twist to this classic story and of changing it just enough to make it an all new, unpredictable and exciting read.

       I loved the characters. There were dynamic and deep, each with moving relationships with others and understandable and realistic motivations. My favorite character had to be Feyre. She was so realistic to me. I felt like her feelings and thoughts were always the perfect mix of rational and passionate, and her fiery nature, competence, and countenance towards the end of the novel made me root for her even in the moments when hope was gone and she wanted to give up.

       The supporting characters were wonderful as well. From Tamlin, who I, like Feyre, grew to love, to her sister Nesta, who at first was annoying but who comes to surprise you. Rhysand was an interesting character, who I'm not quite sure what to make of. I feel like there was some tension towards the end of the book that could possibly make him a love interest later on down the road, but I feel like, for now, I'm still going to have to ship her with Tamlin. They're too cute together.

       Which brings me to another point that comes as a sort of warning for some readers. This book does have sex scenes in it. Usually I wouldn't warn against this, because this is pretty common in YA books, but I feel like some younger readers should maybe be wary of this one because it is more explicit than other YA books. Older readers may actually really appreciate that this was a little bit more explicit than most YA sex scenes, though. So, this is just a point that I wanted to bring up for those wanting to maybe read the book. You know what you're comfortable with and what you're not.

       Moving on, the plot was slow-going at first, but I think this worked well, because you really get to know the characters and the world. Once the plots begins to pick up, though, there is no going back. The story takes off and drags you along, making you flip through pages fast in order to find out what's going to happen. I read this the weekend before finals, and I had a hard time stopping to study. All I wanted to do was keep reading until I had nothing more left to read.

       Sarah J. Maas has provided yet another amazing fantasy world to love and to obsess over. I cannot wait for the next book and to find out more about these characters and where there lives are going to lead. I have no doubt that it will an exciting, emotional, and fun ride, just like the The Throne of Glass series.

       I would recommend this book to those who love fairytale remakes, passionate love stories, and great world-building. This is sure to be the start of a great new series, and I would highly recommend it along with anything else written by Maas.

Rating:
5 out of 5 Cups of Tea

     




Your Pemberley Reader,
    Acacia

Would You Like a Cup of Tea?

Hello!

We're going to do something different this week, because I have finals in a few days. Yes, finals. You heard that right. See, I'm on the quarter system, so while all of my friends on the semester system finished school nearly a month ago, I will not be finished until the end of this week.

Unfortunately, I don't have much time to write a review with all of my studying. Instead, I thought I would give you all a list of my top 5 favorite teas! I've been drinking a lot of tea this weekend while I study and while I take some breaks in between subjects to read for fun. Therefore, I figured this would be an appropriate alternative.

Drum roll, please.... 

5) Zhena's Gypsy Tea Italian Chamomile

What's in it?: chamomile blossoms, rose petals, hibiscus flowers, fennel, lemon myrtle, and orange peel

I was given some of this tea for Christmas from my best friend, Chloe. I was beginning to get sick of just regular peppermint tea at night, and this swooped into my life at the perfect time! I love the flavor, and it's really calming right before bed. I had never had chamomile before, and I think this was the perfect way to introduce myself to it. 

4) Twinings Earl Grey Tea

What's in it?: black tea and bergamot flavoring

I've only actually liked tea for about a year now. My roommate, Lanae, got me hooked to just plain black tea the winter of our freshmen year, and soon after I began to explore different tea flavors. Earl Grey quickly became a favorite, and I usually end up getting Twinnings even though there is this really great tea shop up the street that has a better kind. Alas, I don't think they sell large quantities of it, though, so Twinings will do.

(photo taken at Cederberg Tea House in Seattle)











3)Twinings Lady Grey Black Tea

What's in it?: black tea, bergamot, orange, and lemon

Oh my goodness. This tea is my life! This is my have once a day tea. This is my run out and immediately have to make a trip to the store for more tea. Earl Grey with ORANGE?! Yes, please! Seriously, get some of this. It's amazing.

2) Choice Organic Lemon Lavender Mint Tea

What's in it?: spearmint, lemongrass, peppermint, lemon peel, lemon oil, and lavender

You know what I said about wanting an exception to the peppermint tea every night? This wins. Oh my goodness this tea is amazing. I haven't had it in months and really need to order some. They used to sell it at the grocery store where we shop, but for some reason they stopped carrying it. I haven't been able to find it anywhere else since then. However, we live in the 21st century, with, you know, online shopping, so I'm going to order some of this now that I've found some online! I can't wait to get more!

1) Lavender Orange Grey Exotic Organic Fair Trade Black Tea Blend 

What's in it?: black tea, bergamot, orange peel, and lavender

See that fancy title? It deserves that fancy title. This tea tastes like heaven in your mouth. It also costs you an arm and a leg to buy. It is so worth it, though. I do not joke around when I say that this is my favorite thing to drink in the entire world. This is my favorite of all things. It is so delicious. As you can probably tell, I like Earl Grey, I like orange, and I like lavender, and this puts all of those things together! It is amazing!

Well, that's all for now! I hope you all have a wonderful week. I know mine will be stressful, but starting next week, I will be able to start posting twice a week and tell you all about my the awesome bookish things I plan on doing this summer!

Until next time,

      Your Pemberley Reader,

              Acacia

May Wrap-Up and June TBR

       Hello, all! Today I will be doing another monthly Wrap-Up and TBR list. The past month has flown by, and I read some really great books during it. Let's take a look:

May Wrap-Up

1) The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban

        I enjoyed this book, I did. It was moving and, at times, dark, but I felt like it was lacking in something. I didn't care for the ending, it was too Ethan Frome, which made the ending predictable to me. I also feel like there wasn't a proper wrap-up, like it was trying to end tragically, but didn't. The ending just fell flat for me. I would recommend reading it, though, because the rest of the book was good.

Rating:
3 out of 5 Cups of Tea
 
2) The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

       I loved this book! It was simple and magical and just plain fun. I can't believe it took me so long to read this! I so wish I would have read it when I was little, because I have a feeling I would have really loved it even more than I do now. Though, I liked it, it isn't my favorite children's classic that I've read, and so I'm not giving it a full five cups of tea.
Rating:
4 out of 5 Cups of Tea

3) Alice in the Country of Hearts, Vol. 1 by QuinRose and Soumei Hoshino

       I don't usually read mangas. I did for a month or so when I was twelve, but that was really the last time I have read one. I really just don't know much about them. With that in mind, I enjoyed this one, but I'm not sure I would still like it if I began to read more of them and found this one not as good. I thought it was an interesting take on Alice in Wonderland, and it had some silly/fun moments. It wasn't bad read.

Rating:
2.5 out of 5 Cups of Tea

4) All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

       I really enjoyed this book, and I would highly recommend it! You can check out the full review here.
Rating:
4 out of 5 Cups of Tea

5) A Discovery of Witches: A Novel (All Souls Trilogy) by Deborah Harkness

I had a hard time with this one at first. I wanted to like it, but there were certain scenes that I had a hard time with. The major relationship really bugged me at times, mostly because Matthew, the vampire love-interest, was very secretive, bossy and protective. I had a hard time routing for him and Diana at times. Towards the end, I felt more at ease with it, but I still have a lot of problems with their relationship. Other than this, I really did enjoy this book. There was a lot to the story, and I liked that there were so many different things going on. I think I'll get the second one at some point, probably not anytime soon, though.

Rating:
3.5 out of 5 Cups of Tea



June TBR

       My Goodreads challenge for the year is to read 80 books, and I am currently behind. I have therefore decided to kick my reading up a notch. I finish finals on June 11th, and will have the rest of the month to hopefully get back on track. I will be attempting to read ten books this month, and I'm excited about the one's I've picked.

1) The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

       This is going to be my classic for the month (One of them, anyways). I have had this book for a little while, and I've been wanting to read more from Fitzgerald. The only thing I've read by him is The Great Gatsby, which I enjoyed. I'll be taking a 20th Century American Lit class in the fall, so I'm hoping this will get me in the mood for it.

2) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

       I am a huge fan of Sarah J. Maas, and so I have been dying to get this book! Everyone has been saying such wonderful things about it, and it is taking all of my patience to wait to get this book. Alas, I have to stick to my "read two, buy one" rule, so I can't get it until after finishing The Beautiful and Damned. Definitely look forward to a review for this one!

3) The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart


       I got this book at some point last year, not knowing what it was about. I think I picked it up at Half Price Books, and it was cheap, and it looked interesting, so I bought it. (Did I mention I have a book-buying problem? Sigh.). I honestly randomly selected this one to read this month. Why not give it a shot? I must have bought it for a reason, right?

4) Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

       This is the second book in the Parasol Protectorate series. I read the first, Soulless, last year and loved it! I got the box set for Christmas, and so I will be reading the rest of this series in June.

5) Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

       Time to buy another book! I've heard much about this one, and I'm really excited to get it. Apparently it's a take on Beauty and the Beast, which is my favorite Disney movie. I'm excited to see what the author does with it. I'm hoping I like it as much as everyone else seems to.

6) The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

       Confession: I have never seen The Lord of the Rings movies. Please, don't judge me. I have always wanted to, but I have also always wanted to read the books first. So, I am finally going to read them! I read the Hobbit last year, and really liked it, so I'm going to keep on with the first in the trilogy!

7) Blameless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

       I will be continuing in the Parasol Protectorate series with this third book.

8) Love, Lucy by April Linder

       Time for a new book, again! And all I can say is: A modern take on A Room With a View?! Yes, please! I am so excited to read this book! One of my favorite books is A Room With a View, and so I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on this! I also have a lot of faith in April Linder, since I read her amazing modern take on Jane Eyre.

9) Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger


       Continuing on with the fourth book in Parasol Protectorate series.

10) Timeless (Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger


       I will finish up the month with the last book in the Parasol Protectorate series!

       Have you read any of these? Will I like them? Make sure to leave a comment and let me know if there are any you would like me to review! See you guys next week!

        Your Pemberley Reader,

              Acacia