SOPHIE LI

Hello everyone!

How was your October? Is it me or did October disappear in the blink of an eye? However, I am proud of what I accomplished:

1. Finished writing a novel that was ALMOST 150K (like, what!?) Thankfully, I was able to trim that down close to 100K :’) :’)
2. Beta-read for the first time ever! Drumbeat by A.M. Leibowitz was amazing!
3. Read 5 books!
4. Actually socialized, like, in real life, which is possible now that my book is done :’)
5. Did some crafting! I painted a sign and a pair of wine glasses:

I read 5 books this month, which is not a record for me by any means! However, I am satisfied because a) I also did some beta-reading (see above), and b) I am very happy with the books that I read.

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) (Audio) ★★★★/5

When Kady’s planet is invaded, she has to work together with her ex-boyfriend to save the world from a mind-bending infection, an evil mega-corporation, and an AI who has a mind of his own. This book had me on the edge of my seat from day one, and the audiobook version is amazing! Check out my review here.

Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) (Audio) ★★★/5

Hanna and Nick as they try to protect Jump Station Heimdall from the assault from the BeiTech corporation. Hanna, Nick and Ella are very cool characters, and there are some epic plot twists as to be expected from the first book. However, although I enjoyed Gemina, it did not sweep me off my feet like Illuminae. 

The Silver Lining Playbook (Print) ★★★/5

Pat returns home from the mental hospital, eager to reconnect with his estranged wife, Nikki. Everything changes when he begins to regain his memory about what happened, and as he meets the deeply odd Tiffany. There is also a LOT of talk about American football, which I did not care much for. On the other hand, I loved following Pat’s journey as he learns to let go of his past and comes to terms with his mental illness.

The Deal (Off Campus #1) (Audio) ★★★/5

Hannah is excellent at studying but she can barely get the guy of her dreams to notice her. Garrett needs to get good grades to continue playing hockey, but he is failing ethics. And so Hannah and Garrett strike a deal. Despite the occasional cheesiness, I loved watching Hannah and Garrett’s relationship unfold in this steamy novel. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Print) ★★★★★/5

Charlie would rather observe the people around him than participate. In a series of letters, Charlie shares his observations in his freshman year by writing a series of letters to an anonymous friend. I absolutely loved the writing style in this book, which reminded me of Catcher in the Rye. This novel made me laugh and cry, and it is one of my favourites this year.

Here are some blog posts that inspired me this month!

Beth @ Reading Every Night shares her reasons for reading. No matter what kind of reader you are and what genre of books you read, I am sure you will find something that speaks to you in this post.

Ever wanted to figure out how to make sure you get a double-seat on the bus all to yourself? Check out the long-awaited Bus Papers (part 2) by Darren @ The Artsy Plantsman! (Warning: This might make you laugh so hard that you will cry.)

Swetlana @ Caffeinated Bookworm discusses an interesting and important question: Why do all characters in YA have to be attractive? I, for one, am strongly against flawlessly beautiful characters- In my opinion, a character doesn’t have to be good-looking to have a story to tell.

Do we, as readers, owe anything to authors? Check out this guest post by JW Martin @ Storeys of Stories. You can also visit his blog here.

Chances are, you already know Milly Schmidt. She is a blogger (and a writer!) with an ability to make everything funny. Check out this post where she talks a bit about herself.

Do you bullet journal? These beautiful bullet journal pages by Kelly @ Kelly’s Rambles will amaze you.

How is your October? Do you celebrate Halloween? Do you do crafts or DIY? What are you proud of this month? What is your favourite book? Do you bullet journal?