My 2015 A-Z Challenge Wrap Up!

I started off this challenge with a list of books that fit each letter of the alphabet and that were on my TBR. As you probably know reading a certain book doesn't always fit your mood so I had to take a step away from the reading the books I specified and just read what I was in the mood for. So, I ended up meeting the challenge with a few more technicalities than I wanted but I completed it and I am so proud!

Here is my final list of books from A to Z:

A. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

B. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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

D: Dime by E. R. Frank

E: Everyday by David Levithan

F: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

G: Golden Son by Pierce Brown

H: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (re-read)

I: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

J.  Joyride by Anna Banks

K. Kagawa, Julie - Talon

L. The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg (re-read)

M. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

N. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

O. The Outsiders by SE Hinton

P. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (re-read)

Q. The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

R. Rogue by Julie Kagawa

S. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

T. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

U. Uglies: Cutters by Scott Westerfeld

V. Very Good Lives by J. K. Rowling

W. The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

X. AleXie, Sherman - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Y. Yoon, Nicola - Everything, Everything 

Z. Zevin, Gabrielle - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

In 2016 I plan on participating in this challenge as well as the Around the Year in 52 Books challenge! You can check out these challenges by going to the Young Adult Book Club group for the A-Z challenge and the Around the Year in 52 Books group both of which are on Goodreads! I am also participating with the A Very Shadowhunter Read Along group in their year long (re)read of all of the Shadowhunter novels.

Christmas Questions from Epic Reads

Margot at EpicReads posted a holiday tag on the EpicReads youtube and I thought I would answer the questions on here!

1. What is your favorite book to gift during the holidays?
I don't really have a singular book that I gift because I have friends with very different tastes in books. A lot of times I just get them a gift card so they can pick out their own books but if I were to pick one book that I would gift to literally anyone this year it would have to be I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson!

2. What is the best book you have ever received as a gift?
I've been buying my own books for a while now but the best book I remember receiving as a gift was my UK boxed set of the Signature Harry Potter hardcovers that I got for Christmas last year. I received all of the HP books as gifts as they came out and being they have affected my life so much they obviously had to get the mention.

3. What book do you hope to get this year?
I got a handful of signed books on Black Friday as a gift from my Aunt, but I obviously had to be there to pick them out so I have already received those. I hope that if anyone was to buy me a book that it would be a pre-order for Passenger by Alexandra Bracken or Front Lines by Michael Grant!

4. What is your favorite holiday movie?
ELF! All the way! I quote it so much and just adore it! Oh and the Polar Express! I can watch both of these on repeat for the whole month of December and not tire of them.

5. What holiday song is always on repeat?
I am actually not that into Christmas music (don't kill me) but if I were to play any song on repeat it would probably be Baby It's Cold Outside (Idina Menzel and Michael Buble version). I also love All I Want For Christmas! A not so Christmassy winter song would be Mittens by Carly Rae Jepsen. I think I just need to find the right albums and songs to get myself more into Christmas music, I guess that is my task for the coming year so I can be prepared for next Christmas season! Recommend awesome Christmas albums/songs and artists versions that you like below?!

6. What is your favorite holiday food to either make or eat?
COOKIES! I love making chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, the peanut butter ones with the hershey kiss in the center, basically all the cookies. I also really enjoy oreo truffles, 'poor man's' peanut butter candy, and fudge.

Merry Christmas everyone!
- Amanda

The Shadowhunter Academy Novellas by Cassandra Clare

The Shadowhunter Academy novellas follow Simon Lewis as he tries to regain his memories after the events of City of Heavenly Fire and attends Shadowhunter Academy in Idris to eventually Ascend as a Shadowhunter. While many of the novellas focus on Simon's trials at the academy, his newfound friendship with George Lovelace, and his struggles with Shadowhunter law a good few of them also focus on some other characters that have popped up throughout the Infernal Devices and the Mortal Instruments or will be in the upcoming Dark Artifices and Last Hours series.

Reading these have really made anxious for the Dark Artifices and have made me feel guilty for still not having read The Infernal Devices or The Bane Chronicles yet... /shame/

It wouldn't be a Cassandra Clare work if it wasn't an emotional roller coaster ride of feels induced hysteria. Here are some one sentence summaries that should help you get a small gist of what I was feeling after each book. No spoilers are intended.

Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy
One sentence summary: Reading this was like coming home after being gone for several months.

The Lost Herondale
One sentence summary: I am curious as to how the plot of this short may come into play in future Shadowhunter novels.

The Whitechapel Fiend
One sentence summary: Love hearing more of Tessa Gray's story!

Nothing But Shadows
One sentence summary: James Herondale and Matthew Fairchild, some interesting back story in this installment.

The Evil We Love
One sentence summary: The beginning of The Circle as told by Robert Lightwood.

Pale Kings and Princes
One sentence summary: Helen and Mark Blackthorn get some air time in Simon's studies.

Bitter of Tongue
One sentence summary: Simon had to get kidnapped at some point. 

The Fiery Trial
One sentence summary: Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn get a cameo and Simon trips on Lake Lyn water.

Born to Endless Night
One sentence summary: Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood have a fantastic character dynamic and I am so excited for their little plot twist!

Angels Twice Descending 
One sentence summary: I was so smiley and happy and then I was emotionally destroyed.