Kaniesha's Post: Half Year Mark!

As I sort of promised in my welcome back post, I really want to get the blog caught up with all the things I've read so far this year! (The images below are random selections).

Welcome back Kaniesha!

Hello everyone! As our very few followers may have noticed - the two of us (Heather and I) have been very inactive over a year now. We weren't too active before that so it's kind of disappointing that we disappeared entirely without a notice. We didn't actually fall off the planet though - we've been semi active on Twitter and our personal Goodreads accounts which you can find on the front of our blog.

Now when I say "Welcome back" ...I may not mean we're going to be returning to being complete/full book bloggers, whichever way you personally look at it. I'm hoping to make a return to in depth reviewing, but I've got two jobs right now and my Netgalley is SO clogged up with old books that I'm afraid to try again. ..but I will. I definitely will because my love for books has not diminished at all and YA is still amazing. I've read so many good books this year that I hope to be able to talk about some more. Heather and I have also been reading books together we're looking forward to reviewing together in the near future as well!

I hope that the community has been doing well since I've been away. I am entirely sure there are new blogs out there that I've got to discover, old blogs I've got to discover, new content, new books and I'm excited to try again. and I hope that everyone is doing well in their personal lives as well. I did mention that I've got two jobs - which is fantastic considering where I was two years ago, even if it's still not the best place I could be. I am making progress and I hope to make progress with Deux Lectrices with Heather too!

I've been rambling for a few paragraphs now - so I'll give my farewells! Thank you for reading, I hope (really, really do!) that you're as excited as I am. Please, please push/tweet me if you see the blog slowing down back into inactivity. I don't want to see it happen again (but being a full time blogger might NOT be for me. Maybe more small hiatuses..?). Thank you, thank you, thank you. Look forward to more posts :D

Kaniesha's July 2015 Roundup

Finished:

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour Rating: 4/5 stars

Started:

Lirael by Garth Nix

Still Reading:

The Infinite by Lori M. Lee

Dropped:

Fire & Chasm by Chelsea M. Campbell

Katya's World by Jonathon L. Howard

When My Heart Was Wicked by Tricia Sterling

 * Will probably pick up the latter two again. Fire & Chasm was just too terrible to continue.

Acquired:

The Eternal Ones

All You Desire

Born Wicked

Summer and Bird

Our posts from July:

Monthly Releases

Reading Challenge Update:

Flights of Fantasy: 15/25

Dive Into Diversity: 5/12

Debut Author Challenge: 6/10

Fairytale Challenge: 2/5

Summary:

Didn't get any reading done at all this month, much to the surprise of no one. I don't know what it is about summers but I just can't focus on anything. Might have to do with me gaining a love interest and being a bit preoccupied.... nevertheless, I just got back from a mini vacation last night that I really enjoyed. I needed the break from work and the sun on my skin! I'm basically golden now. I love it! Will hopefully get back to books soon, but I don't promise anything!

Kaniesha's June 2015 Roundup

Finished:

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey Rating: 3/5 stars

Uprooted by Naomi Novik Rating: 5/5 stars

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge Rating: 4/5 stars

Sabriel by Garth Nix Rating: 5/5 stars

The Girls at the Kingfisher Club Rating: 5/5 stars

Started:

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

Still Reading:

The Infinite by Lori M. Lee

Katya's World by Jonathon L. Howard

When My Heart Was Wicked by Tricia Sterling

Fire & Chasm by Chelsea M. Campbell

Dropped:

None

Acquired:

None

Our posts from June:

Monthly Releases: June 2015
Kaniesha's TTT: Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015
Read Play Blog: June 2015
Kaniesha's TTT: Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2015
 
Reading Challenge Update:

Flights of Fantasy: 15/25

Dive Into Diversity: 5/12

Debut Author Challenge: 6/10

Fairytale Challenge: 2/5

Summary:

June was kind of a slow month! I was going through some things mentally (another depression relapse, yay!), so I'm just kind of behind and dizzy. From the looks of it, I think I'm going to go ahead and guess that July is going to be a lot better. Fingers crossed! Also definitely check out The Girls of the Kingfisher Club if you like retellings! It's incredible. I need to get more serious about all the challenges I joined in January - I've only hit the half mark on a few even though I've read over 30 books! I can't wait until some more anticipated releases go out this year, ahhhh!!

Kaniesha's TTT: Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a book blog meme created and hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week we're choosing the top ten best books we've read so far this year!

1. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
2. Uprooted
3. The Winner's Curse
4. The Kiss of Deception
5. Everything Leads to You



6. Pantomime
7. Heir of Fire
8. The Sin Eater's Daughter
9. Snow Like Ashes
10. Sinner

A bunch of great books! 2015 has been a great reading year for me! Share any favorite reads?

Read Play Blog: June 2015

Read Play Blog is a meme about video games and books, posted every 16th of the month. Bloggers are encouraged to answer a discussion question, and recommend a video game that is similar to a book they liked. Hosted by Happy Indulgence & Read Me Away.

Which video game would you want to live in or be the main character of?

I'm going to take this as two different questions, or maybe just discuss the whole thing in general. First thing that comes to mind: Zelda. I love the Legend of Zelda, as you guys might guess by now. I wouldn't mind living in the world of Minecraft either, I mean, you craft tools using a box you can carry around. The world of Skyrim is super scary, but it'd be so cool to be the main character. I could be the Dragonborn. But if I had to narrow it down to just one, it'd be Skyrim.

1. I am the Dragonborn!

You're literally the most important person in all of Skyrim! You're the only person who can truly defeat the dragons. You take their souls!

2. If you know where to go, anything is possible!

The sheer amount of possibilities in Skyrim is phenomenal -- you can become a Thane, become a thief, become a professional thief, become a werewolf, go to a giant magic tree, fight dragons, learn magic and go to a magic college, fight giants, craft armor, weapons and jewelry, save people, make potions and poison.. *whispers* So many things to do!

3. Scenery

Skyrim is absolutely beautiful, and so is the sky.

4. Armor, Weapons, Jewelry

Whether we're talking vanilla or not (I mod, a lot..) the options for in-game customization is awesome.

5. Companions

You can ask people to follow you around and carry your stuff at any time :D

Currently playing & Recommendation: H1Z1

H1Z1 is yet another zombie crafting survival game that I've gotten addicted to. It's available on Steam, of course and is currently $9.99 for another 12 hours or so. Then it'll go back up to $20!

I didn't answer May's, but I just have a pretty basic ASUS laptop, the Logitech G602 mouse and the Turtle Beach Z11 gaming headset!

Kaniesha's April 2015 Roundup

Finished:

Bloodwitch by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes Rating: 4/5 stars

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski Rating: 5/5 stars

Fake ID by Lamar Giles Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Scarlett Undercover Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Shadow, Shadow by V.B. Marlowe Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour Rating: 5/5 stars

Everneath by Brodi Ashton Rating: 5/5 stars

Gates of Thread & Stone by Lori M. Lee Rating: 5/5 stars

Started:

Rush by Silver Eve

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Still Reading:

None!

Dropped:

Elfin by Quinn Loftis

One word: bleh

Acquired:

When My Heart Was Wicked by Tricia Sterling

Our posts from April:

Kaniesha's March 2015 Roundup (Posted late.. woops)

Read Play Blog: April 2015

Kaniesha's TTT: Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Authors

Kaniesha Reviews: Fake ID by Lamar Giles

Kaniesha Reviews: Shadow, Shadow by V.B. Marlowe

Reading Challenge Update:

Flights of Fantasy: 13/25

Dive Into Diversity: 4/12

Debut Author Challenge: 4/10

Fairytale Challenge: 1/5

Summary:

I have read a LOT of books this month! I mean, eight's not a lot to other people but it is SO many to me. Possibly too many but I am really on a roll! The month started off okay, went a bit downhill but then it got great again! Fake ID, Scarlett Undercover and Shadow, Shadow were some weird books to read but they were alright. Click my Fake ID review for more of my thoughts on that one. I still haven't made too much headway into the Fairytale challenge, and right now I'm realizing I might've guessed on the fantasy one. I thought I read a LOT more fantasy but I don't know what I actually consider fantasy. I mean does high fantasy count? Why does it count? I don't know. It's pretty vague to me, really. So I'm just up to 13 by my own definition. How was everyone else's April? :D

Kaniesha's TTT: Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a book blog meme created and hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week we're choosing the top ten authors we would classify as all time favorites!

1. Sarah J. Maas
Relatively new to the list, Sarah took two books and four novellas to become my most favorite author ever. I'm in love with her writing and her characters and her magic and Celaena..... I love Sarah so much that I've drafted making an entire blog post about her. I just don't know how to go about it.... heuh, she's so great!

2. Christopher Paolini
Paolini here was my favorite author up until Sarah did her thing. Eragon is my second favorite series (again, Sarah = Throne of Glass) and his books are what really got me back into reading in the first place. I was 13 when I read Eragon and I've been reading more or less since then.

3. Rick Riordan
The dude is magical. Demi-gods made my life so much better. I don't know what kind of person I'd be if I hadn't read his PJO and HOO books, honestly.

4. Kiersten White
I love Kiersten SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCHHHHHHHH. Every time I turn around people are giving her bad reviews and I'm just like What? Did we read the same thing? I don't understand how people hate her style. She keeps things (sort of) simple and swoony and that's perfect. Plus she's so versatile with genres and subjects. Kick-ass girls? Done. Cute boys? Done. Weird creepy myths? Done.

5. Cinda Williams Chima
Seven Realms series! One of the best series I've ever read. I've even started re-reading them this year. I've only re-read Sarah's and Christopher's books ever so this is very important.

6. D.J. MacHale
I really, really appreciate D.J. MacHale. His books are so different than books I usually read, he writes a really different perspective. His main characters are always boys and that's exactly what they feel like. I feel like I'm reading a story through a boy. It's pretty wonderful.

7. Rosamund Hodge
Now, I might be getting ahead of myself here, but I'm dedicated to this decision. Cruel Beauty put some sort of magic on my heart because I am still in love with it! Gorgeous!

8. Laini Taylor
Magic! Magicky magical magic!!!!! Laini writes so beautifully, I bet she could describe a wall and I'd love it.

9. Leigh Bardugo
Leigh isn't my favorite author in terms of characters but her world building, magic crafting, boldness?, fashion sense?... I don't know how to describe what it is that she does but it really inspires me to have my writing come to life. I feel like she's really good at what she does. I can see what she writes. Her visuals, her tumblr, her pinterest, everything she posts has this one related vision and it's fantastic and I really enjoy it. I can't wait to see if she does something different in the future!

10. Marie Lu
If you guys ever read my reviews, you'll know I wasn't a fan of the Young Elites. If you know me, then you'll know I am a HUGE fan of the Legend trilogy. Her brilliant use of characters, relationships, healthy separations, ACTION, cities...... Marie is truly a wonder.

Well, that wraps it up for top 10! Some more honorable mentions can be seen here. Share any ultimate faves with me? :D

Read Play Blog: April 2015

Read Play Blog is a meme about video games and books, posted every 16th of the month. Bloggers are encouraged to answer a discussion question, and recommend a video game that is similar to a book they liked. Hosted by Happy Indulgence & Read Me Away.

Do you own any gaming merchandise? Show them off, or tell us what merch you would most love to have!

I don't have anything too fancy, just a couple books, a couple posters and a couple plushes.

I love Endermen! Minecraft, Skyrim and LOZ. No surprise there. I bought a LOZ poster a couple weeks ago, it's just not up yet.

Currently Playing & Recommendation: Team Fortress 2

A beautiful free-to-play through Steam for PC players. I don't know about mac users. If you're not used to multiplayer, it's a hard game to get into. I originally started playing it almost exactly a year ago, and I hated it up until about last month. Now I've been more or less hooked. You just have to play the tutorials! Don't think you can't. Trust me, the people on this game will kick your ass if you go in thinking you can just figure it out.

*Sorry I skipped March, but my answer is basically along the lines if me not caring about whether or not a game is single player or multiplayer.

Kaniesha's March 2015 Roundup

Finished:

The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima Rating: 5/5 stars

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard Rating: 2/5 stars

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch Rating: 4/5 stars

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson Rating: 5/5 stars

Jackaby by William Ritter Rating: 5/5 stars

The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury Rating: 5/5 stars

Started:

I finished The Sin Eater's Daughter on the 31st so none!

Still Reading:

None!

Dropped:

None!

Our posts from March:

Kaniesha's TTT: Top Ten Books I Would Classify As All Time Favorite Books From The Past 3 Years

Reading Challenge Update:

(I really need to organize this so let's ignore this for March).

Summary:

Oh GOODNESS I'm posting this late! I've been so busy and I didn't think about this at all! So my birthday was March 27 as some of you might know from last year, and all I did was shop around the mall. I got some new things including a blue flower hairband from Charlotte Russe that is ADORABLE! I sadly have not bought any books but I do believe my friend Edward bought me one which I am looking forward to getting ~ ~ Besides that, March was a somewhat forgettable month, not that I mind.

It has been a slow month for Deux Lectrices but with my job I haven't felt like sitting down to write any book things nor do I have the time or energy! I have been reading more than normal though which is better than nothing! Hopefully that'll lead to more book concent in the future. We do however now have deuxlectrices.com which is awesome :D I think I might be moving us over to Wordpress in the near future as well, but we'll see!

How was everyone else's March?

Read Play Blog: February 2015

Read Play Blog is a meme about video games and books, posted every 16th of the month. Bloggers are encouraged to answer a discussion question, and recommend a video game that is similar to a book they liked. Hosted by Happy Indulgence & Read Me Away.

What video game character would you take on a Valentines date? Recommend the game with your favourite couple!

That's a really interesting question...... Link though, probably. Link is such a cutie, you know? I also like Lydia and Ulfric from Skyrim but I'm not entirely sure how Ulfric would act on a Valentine's date.. I just have to go with Link.

Honestly, I don't even think I have a recommendation for game with my favorite couple. All the games I play don't have couples. I don't think I.. wait!

Recommendation:
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Favorite couple:

Yeta & Yeto 

See you guys next month ;)

Kaniesha's January 2015 Roundup

Finished:

In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken Rating: 4/5 stars

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer Rating: 5/5 stars

Started:

Pantomime by Laura Lam

Still Reading:

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Amity by Micol Ostow

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

The Iron-Jawed Boy and the Siege of Sol by Nikolas Lee

Our posts from January:

Kaniesha Posts: Reading Challenges for 2015

Kaniesha's Yearly Roundup #2: 2014

Blogging Through Thursday (on a Friday~): January 08

Read Play Blog: January 2015

Reading Challenge Update:

Flights of Fantasy: 0/25

Dive Into Diversity: 0/12

Debut Author Challenge: 0/10

Fairytale Challenge: 1/5

Summary:

I've finally gotten a job! Which actually means a lot less time for reading :( I don't think I'll hit my goal for 50 books this year. I don't even think I'll get CLOSE. I'm really bad at time management, but hopefully by the end of February I'll get my life together. At least now I have money to buy books : ) How was everyone else's January? Any new good releases?

Read Play Blog: January 2015

Read Play Blog is a meme about video games and books, posted every 16th of the month. Bloggers are encouraged to answer a discussion question, and recommend a video game that is similar to a book they liked. Hosted by Happy Indulgence & Read Me Away.

What games are you looking forward to in 2015?

 I actually don't keep up with video game releases too much because I don't have consoles or a high-end PC but I'm really looking forward to eventually playing:

1. Evolve [site] [wiki]

Evolve is an upcoming asymmetrical, cooperative/competitive shooter video game, developed by Turtle Rock Studios and published by 2K Games

My favorite gaming Youtuber has uploaded a video of him playing the alpha and it looks really fun! (Only click if you're alright with a weird man probably using not-child-friendly language). Especially for a co-op.

2. Dying Light [site] [wiki]

Dying Light is an upcoming survival horror video game developed by Polish video game developer Techland and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

Survival and horror. That's all I need to know to know I want this game.

3. hellraid [site] [wiki]

Hellraid is a first-person hack’n’slash game, set in a dark fantasy universe based on medieval European folklore. Featuring three distinct game modes that can be played in both single player and 2-4 player co-op, Hellraid is a unique blend of dynamic FPP combat and hack’n’slash elements.

Hellraid honestly looks like a scarier, more medieval version of Skyrim and I am so here for it.

4. Eminence [site]

Win and collect new cards by taking your opponents in a high risk competitive PvP card game. Trade with friends or unlock exclusive cards from story based quests. Earn bragging rights as you climb the leaderboards to claim the top spot.

I've never been into card games but the art for this one is amazing! If you go on the site, there's a game demo and I love it! It's kind of addicting.

5. The Division [site] [wiki]

Tom Clancy's The Division is an upcoming open world third-person shooter role-playing video game with survival elements. The Division is inspired by Operation Dark Winter and Directive 51, real-world events which reveal how vulnerable the United States has become in the modern era as society has become more "fragile" and "complex". Throughout the game, the agents will find themselves caught in a worldwide conspiracy and will be forced to combat both the threats of the virus as well as those who unleashed it. When everything else collapses, the Division's mission begins...

My friend first linked me a trailer type of gameplay for this one and it looks SO GOOD. The people talking in the video are so professional and not at all like casual gamers but it's just.. it's so good. Cinematic trailer / Gameplay trailer (People playing it).

Currently playing & Recommendation: Minecraft
Surely you've all heard of Minecraft? I honestly hadn't known it was a thing until 2013, I think. But that was a major revelation year for me, I found out about a LOT of games and have been gaming a little bit obsessively since then. However, back to the point, I got a Minecraft account last month and have been in LOVE! I love Endermen, they're so cute, even when they're mad!

That's about it! Any of you guys gamers and looking forward to any game releases this year?

Kaniesha Posts: Reading Challenges for 2015

Hello everyone! Happy 2015! I hope you all had a great New Year's Eve :) So for 2015, I'm going to challenge myself more than ever and really work hard towards these goals.

Flights of Fantasy: 25 books

Hosted by Hello, Chelly and Alexa Loves Books

As a huge lover and avid reader of fantasy books, I saw TheNerdHerd's post on this challenge and just decided that I was going to participate! I usually read a lot of fantasy books, as it's my favorite genre already. Magic is my favorite thing! Plus there are a few subcategories like high fantasy and urban fantasy, I really just end up reading very many so participating in this challenge should be a breeze :) I might up my number by the end of the year if things go well. As for that, my goal for now is to read 25 and review 15.

Dive Into Diversity: 12 books

Hosted by Reading Wishes and Rather Be Reading

I'm a pretty diverse person myself, I'm mixed and pansexual, so reading diverse books should come naturally! However, I'm actually bad it and I tend to stick to the norm, with hyped up fantasies. I want to do better this year! I want to read 12 - one a month - and review at least 5 of them.

Debut Author Challenge: 10 books

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Reading debut author books is another of my favorite things, I read quite the handful last year and hope to continue that this year. Supporting debuts is awesome!

(Fairytale) Retelling: 5+ books

Hosted by The Daily Prophecy

I love retellings but I don't focus on them and I don't plan on focusing on them this year either, so reaching the Magic Mirror level is what I'd like to do for 2015 :)

So! 2015 will hopefully be a busy reading and book blogging year for me, though I still have no intention of being a super active poster. I don't want to stress myself out with books, I want to enjoy them! See you all at the end of each month to update with all my reading happenings!

Kaniesha Posts: 2014 ARC August

Surprisingly to me, I can actually participate in a book challenge without fear of being overwhelmed! I'm actually ridiculously behind in my ARC reading, but quite a handful of the ones I want to read aren't going to be published until the end of August and the middle of September. Therefore, August is the perfect time to get to them!

ARCS I'll more than likely be reading during this challenge:
Deliverance by C.J. Redwine (and the two previous books in the trilogy, as I haven't read the series yet)
The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas*
Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White*
Amity by Micol Ostow
Blackbird by Anna Carey
Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper*
Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld*
Taken by David Massey*
Evidence of Things Not Seen by Lindsey Lane

* priorities

Wish me luck!

ARC August is an arc challenge hosted by Octavia at Read. Sleep. Repeat. Click here to sign up!