2016 Reading Challenge Update: April Part 2

Posted on by areadingwriter

“All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

I have read seven books last April and the first four are posted here. As promised, here are the three more good reads I had last month!

25th –A book at least 100 Years Older Than You  – The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Little Prince

Rating: 💖 💖 💖 💖 💖 (GREAT READ!)

What is it about: With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behaviour through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures.

What I Love: It is simple, succinct yet it can impact your views in life. Now I know why it’s one of the best classics.

What I Don’t Love Much: Nothing!

Wise Words: 

“You see, one loves the sunset when one is so sad.”

“What makes the desert beautiful,’ said the little prince, ‘is that somewhere it hides a well…”

–

26th – A romance set in the future – Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Every Last Word

Rating: 💖 💖 💖 💖 💖 (GREAT READ!)

What is it about: Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can’t turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn’t help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she’d be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam’s weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet’s Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more “normal” than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

What I Love: I am glad I picked this in a whim because I have no idea of the Poet’s Corner. I love how the suspense builds and how the story cascades. I love the poetries included and the diversity of poets this book have showed.

Finally, the twist gave me goosies!

What I Don’t Love Much: Nothing!

Wise Words: 

“Everyone’s got something. Some people are just better actors than others.”

“Mistakes. Trial and error. Same thing. Mistakes are how we learned to walk and run and that hot things burn when you touch them. You’ve made mistakes all your life and you’re going to keep making them.”

–

27 – A book recommended by a family member – You Can You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner by Joel Osteen

You Can You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner

Rating: 💖 💖 💖 💖 💖 (GREAT READ!)

What is it about: In 8 UNDENIABLE QUALITIES OF A WINNER, Joel Osteen focuses on the irrefutable traits and attributes of highly successful people. These personal qualities are tested through the ages and all types of circumstances. These practical principles guide the lives of champions.

What I Love: The wise words that touched my soul.

What I Don’t Love Much: Nothing!

Wise Words: 

“You don’t need their approval when you have God’s approval.”

“You need to be around people who know more than you and have more talent than you. Don’t be intimidated by them; be inspired.”

“You weren’t created to simply exist, to endure, or to go through the motions; you were created to be really alive.”

—

©2016 Rosemawrites@A Reading Writer. All Rights Reserved.

Photo Credit: Manrepeller, Shamilar, Goodreads

Story Summary: Goodreads

What are you favorite reads this month?

Have you read any of this?

Do you agree with me?

:)

Let’s talk!

Published by areadingwriter

I read because I write. | I write because I read.

27 thoughts on “2016 Reading Challenge Update: April Part 2”

  3. The Little Prince is really a great and moving book! I’ve always been hesitant with reading Every Last Word but I’ve seen so many good reviews of it so I’ll probably consider reading that in the future. Great post btw!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. As long as they come highly recommended from you, I will put these on my list. YAY! Hmm… my reading break will surely take a little longer. 😀

    Thanks for sharing them, dearieee! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Awww. Thank you, dearest Maria! 😀 ❤
      Having a reading break is a great idea. Your creative juices will flow faster with that! 😀
      Thank you, dearie!! ❤ ❤ ❤

      P.S. I will miss your stories and poems! ❤

      Like

  5. In a college literature class, I briefly studied “The Little Prince”–I still have some of the quotations copied on cards (so I’ll have to find and post them!). Glad you featured Joel Osteen–I’ve really gotten to like his sermon/messages!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. My reply for your lovely comment was not posted. 😦 nonetheless, know that i am grateful for your reading this post and I would love to have such cards, too! 😀 Osteen is an inspiration for me. 😀

      Like

      1. When you have some free time–I know you don’t have much–you can start collecting quotes: just buy an inexpensive recipe file/card box, and a package of file cards. Then, as you hear or read quotes you like, copy them onto the cards and file them in the box–easy peasy!! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. oooh! that awesome! I have a collection of quotes in my notepad (in my phone), and someday I plan to print them and make some artsy cards. Though Art is really not for me! 😀

        Like

  6. I’ve seen The Little Prince on sale and wondered about the book. Now that it has your seal of approval, I will pick it up next time the audio book is on sale. Every Last Word just showed up as a recommendation on Amazon for me based on my recent book purchases. I saw it was a YA book and had given it a pass because I am so done with that genre, (Hunger Games and Insurgent, the sequel to Divergent, killed that genre for me.) I think I am too jaded for YA with one exception, I loved Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series. That YA series was full of damned good writing and characters.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Geez. The Little Prince is a great classic. I am not fond of classics because they usually bore me, BUT not this one. 🙂
      And… I believe the YA you mentioned are mostly dystopia YA. I am tired of them already actually. I read a lot of YA dystopia series including those you mentioned and it’s always like this: great first book, mediocre second book, and disappointing last book. So I am done with it. 😀
      BUT, there are YAs that are not dystopia. I don’t know what to call them but they are YA romance, maybe? 😀 I have no hopes with Every Last Word, I just picked it in a whim and I am kind of surprised with it. (Caution: Maybe I am a bit biased because this book has some great/dark poetries. 😀

      Like

  7. If you liked The Little Prince, see if you will like: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, a 2006 novel by Kate DiCamillo. A darling one 🙂
    ❤ ❤

    Liked by 1 person

  8. “Of course I’ll hurt you. Of course you’ll hurt me. Of course we will hurt each other. But this is the very condition of existence. To become spring, means accepting the risk of winter. To become presence, means accepting the risk of absence.” — The Little Prince
    One of my favorite qoutes 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  9. I didn’t realize L’Petit Prince was a hundred years old. I have a French edition that I enjoy (because the French is pretty basic). I know a number of friends who enjoy Joel Osteen’s messages. i saw him in an interview recently with Morgan Freeman (who narrated a TV series about God). Joel O’s words about God were clearly and positively given. Well, what else would we expect? Except that I think this means he is truly inspired and overjoyed with his faith. Rosema, great choices in reading!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. I’ve only read The Little Prince from this set of yours and I LOVE IT 🙂 I’ve been on a re-reading spree this year and this one is on my list. It’s such a wonderful book.

    Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment