Jordan Murray's Blog

Well, its been a while since I've posted... oops. With 2020 behind us, I think we're all hoping for a better year in 2021. For me, part of that is a better year for reading. In December 2020, I put together a list of my goals, and I've been adhering to them pretty well so far!

- Read 40 books in 2021
- Go on a book-buying-ban as long as possible
- Prioritize the books that have been sitting on my shelves for months/years

As of January 27th, 2021, I have read 5 books and bought ZERO. That's impressive for me, since I usually buy a ton after the holidays and into the New Year. We'll see how long I can keep it up, though.  Follow my journey on Instagram and Goodreads!

Verity by Colleen Hoover
Published: December 7th, 2018
314 Pages Struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh accepts what seems like an amazing job opportunity. Bestselling author Verity Crawford is now injured and is unable to complete her book series. As a result, her husband, Jeremy, has sought out Lowen to complete the series. Lowen travels to the Crawford home, where she will rummage through Verity's office to find her notes and outlines. But what Lowen doesn't expect is finding a secret manuscript documenting all the darkest secrets of Verity's life; a manuscript that would break her husband's heart if he ever found out.

I blew through this book in 3 days. Every time I read a portion, it became progressively harder to put the book down! This is Hoover's first time writing and publishing a thriller, and wow. She did a magnificent job executing this novel. She weaved in small details throughout the story that, in the end, turned out to be relevant in one of the biggest plot-twists in the book. Lowen, as a character, felt very realistic and was incredibly easy to empathize with. Of course, Jeremy follows suit with the classic Colleen Hoover leading male character.

A forewarning to mention is that this book is definitely not for a young audience; there are descriptive sexual scenes, as well as mentioning of death and other graphic events. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this novel very much.

I give such little detail on the plot, as well as my own opinions, because I honestly think that readers will get the best experience if they know little to nothing about the novel. I went into this book knowing pretty much nothing about the plot and I am so glad that I did.

“Some families are lucky enough to never experience a single tragedy. But then there are those families that seem to have tragedies waiting on the back burner. What can go wrong, goes wrong. And then gets worse.” - Verity by Colleen Hoover  #element-f330c590-8f06-4360-9d87-0a274cb3a23a .wgtc-widget-frame { width: 100%;}#element-f330c590-8f06-4360-9d87-0a274cb3a23a .wgtc-widget-frame iframe { width: 100%; height: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0 none;}

This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada to review. This in no way alters my thoughts on the novel. The following review is a truthful representation of my opinions.

The Agony of Bun O'Keefe by Heather Smith on September 5th, 2017
Pages: 216 
Publisher: Penguin Teen Canada Spoiler-Free Synopsis:

For all her life, 14 year old Bun has lived with her hoarder mother, learning about life through books and VHS tapes. When her mother tells her to "get out", Bun leaves home and travels to St. John's. Upon arriving, she asks a man if there are any shelters that she can stay in. From there, the man - Busker Boy, as she calls him - takes Bun under his wing, introducing her to all of the others in his life, like Big Eyes and Chef. 

To be honest, any words I write will not do this book justice. You have to read it to really get a feel for the plot and characters. 

My (Spoiler-Free) Opinions:

Wow. I honestly did not think that I would enjoy this book nearly as much as I would. This story made me laugh and made me close to being in tears. In a short and sweet novel, Smith writes a story that portrays issues such as depression and homophobia; and in my opinion, accurately portrays them. To avoid spoiling  some of the contents of the plot, that's all I will write on those topics. Read the book to find out more!

Bun is such a cute character, like a walking encyclopedia. The girl has more facts than a forest has trees! I saw a bit of myself in Bun, from when I was her age. She is kind of a socially challenged character, which is obviously a product of her upbringing with her mother. She sometimes struggles with basic do's and don'ts, of socializing, and doesn't really get sarcasm. I was also a bit of an awkward girl, but more importantly, I was a girl with a love for talking! Like Bun, I loved to chat and tell stories or random facts. I found Smith's characters easy to relate to, and for me, this was especially true for Bun. 

After finishing this book, I searched online for other's reviews, curious to see how others received it. A trend that I found is that some people thought that the relationship between Bun and Busker Boy was inappropriate. I have to admit, my initial thoughts were similar to the aforementioned. After reading past this section at the beginning, I fell in love with the sweet bond that they shared. I also wanted to note that the story is set in the 1980's, and in Newfoundland, Canada. The 1980's were a different time; and the East Coast is also a different sort of place. Being that my family is from Nova Scotia, I know first-hand how friendly and welcoming people are out East. Not to say that people aren't friendly anywhere else; I am just speaking to my own experiences. That being said, I rate this book 4.5/5 stars and I highly recommend. 
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Goodreads Review Link!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2820686414 ​

Today I was sent my first 2 books from a publisher, that publisher being Penguin Random House Canada! Earlier in the year, I requested two novels by author Heather Smith: Chicken Girl and The Agony of Bun O'Keefe. I was lucky enough to receive them both.

They are both going to be read for review and both will be posted on my blog in the coming weeks! I can't wait to read them and publish my thoughts.
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I purchased this book myself from Chapters/Indigo. The following review is a truthful and honest representation of my opinion. 

The Selection by Kiera Cass on April 14th, 2012
Pages: 328
Format: Hardcover/Paperback

In the world of 'The Selection', there is a caste system that operates from 1 to 8; 1 being the rich, 8 being the poor. America Singer (and yes that is her real name) is our main character and is a 5 in the caste system, making her relatively poor. She partakes in a secret relationship with Aspen, whom she is forbidden to be with because he is in a caste lower than hers. In this dystopian society, a 1 is royalty; and the current prince, Maxon, is now searching for a bride. As a result, the country participates in a mass search for eligible brides for him. Girls from all over signed up to be chosen to compete for Maxon's heart, however, America wants no part in it. It was her own boyfriend, Aspen, who convinced her to give it a shot. She did as he said, and it just so happened that she was selected to enter the competition. This was a very controversial thing because of how low her caste is. And so America was off to the palace, along with 34 other girls, to compete for a crown that she does not want. But how will she manage in a world so different from her own? And will she abandon her feelings for Aspen once meeting Maxon? 
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The first thing I will say about this book is that I did not enjoy the main character's name, it bugged me to be quite honest. America Singer; can we guess what her profession is? A singer, very clever. Other than this, nothing else about the book really sparked a negative opinion for me, and I actually enjoyed it a lot. It has been compared to "The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor, - the death". This is a pretty accurate statement! The competition was fierce and entertaining to read about, as were the contestants. The romance, however, consisted of a love triangle, which I find cliche in almost anywhere that I read about them in. However, in 'The Selection', it kind of just worked. Between Maxon and Aspen, you loved one and you hated the other, which is what a good love triangle is supposed to impose. Although I am not a fan of the cliche, it was executed well-enough that I did not mind it in the plot of the novel! 

The last thing that I will say is that if you are not a fan of typical teen romance/drama, you may not enjoy this book. The entirety of the plot surrounds itself with drama between the contestants, romance within the love triangle, and many more smaller plot points in the book. For this reason, many did not enjoy this book. I went into 'The Selection' with extremely low expectations, but came out enjoying it! So much, in fact, that I bought and read the remainder of the series. I feel like you really need to give this book a try, whether you think you will love it or hate it; because it may surprise you! Overall, I enjoyed it and rate it 4/5 stars.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1021085519 

This book was purchased for me as a gift. The following review is a truthful and honest representation of my opinion. 

Verity by Colleen Hoover on December 10th, 2018
Pages: 314
Format: Paperback

Synopsis:

Struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh accepts what seems like an amazing job opportunity. Bestselling author Verity Crawford is now injured and is unable to complete her book series. As a result, her husband, Jeremy, has sought out Lowen to complete the series. Lowen travels to the Crawford home, where she will rummage through Verity's office to find her notes and outlines. But what Lowen doesn't expect is finding a secret manuscript documenting all the darkest secrets of Verity's life; a manuscript that would break her husband's heart if he ever found out. 

Review:

I blew through this book in 3 days. Every time I read a portion, it became progressively harder to put the book down! This is Hoover's first time writing and publishing a thriller, and wow. She did a magnificent job executing this novel. She weaved in small details throughout the story that, in the end, turned out to be relevant to the one of the biggest plot-twists in the book.  Lowen, as a character, felt very realistic and was incredibly easy to empathize with. Of course, Jeremy follows suit with the classic Colleen Hoover leading male characters. 

A forewarning to mention is that this book is definitely not for a young audience; there are descriptive sexual scenes, as well as mentioning of death and other graphic events. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this novel very much. 

I give such little detail on the plot, as well as my own opinions, because I honestly think that readers will get the best experience if they know little to nothing about the novel. I went into this book knowing pretty much nothing about the plot and I am so glad that I did. 

“Some families are lucky enough to never experience a single tragedy. But then there are those families that seem to have tragedies waiting on the back burner. What can go wrong, goes wrong. And then gets worse.”  - Verity by Colleen Hoover

Goodreads review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/2723179799

I've decided that I'm going to post a little update every month about what I'm doing, reading, etc. This is primarily for me to document what I read and write over the months. So here is the first update!

February 21st, 2019

This month (so far) I've read 4 books! 2 of them were for school, and one of them was my own personal read. For my AP English class, I read 'A Prayer for Owen Meany' by John Irving, and 'The Awakening' by Kate Chopin. 

Another book that I've read in February is 'The Cruel Prince' by Holly Black! I have a mini-review up on this blog for it; I really enjoyed it! I also received an e-arc from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. It was 'Wicked Saints' by Emily A. Duncan. I devoured this book in just over a day. It was so exhilarating and fast-paced. I also did a review of this book. I was just approved to read Jennifer L. Armentrout's new book, 'Storm and Fury' on NetGalley. So I'll be reading & reviewing that after my current read!

Currently I am reading 'Verity' by Colleen Hoover, and all I have to say is wow. I'm just half-way through it but I am absolutely loving this novel. I've been annotating it so I can review it better! I'm thinking of making that review have spoilers because I just want to discuss EVERYTHING.

Finally, I have had my Instagram account for almost 3 weeks now. I'm really pleased with the progress the account has made. I have 322 followers as of February 21st, 2019. Hopefully I'll continue to grow at this quick rate. The picture included in this post is from my Instagram! Make sure to check it out.

That's all for now!

I received an electronic advanced reader's copy of this book for review (read through NetGalley). This is no way affects my opinion or attitudes towards the book. The following are my authentic and honest thoughts.
Thank-you to St. Martin's Press for this opportunity!

'Wicked Saints' by Emily A. Duncan on April 2nd, 2019
Pages: 400
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Spoiler-Free Synopsis

In this YA fantasy novel, the author tells the story of Nadya, who lives at a monastery. In this world, Gods exist and clerics usually only hear the voice of one God; thus, they are granted one specific power. However Nadya hears the voices of all the Gods and when she requests powers from them, she receives it. She is powerful and potentially dangerous. This has made her a target for the enemy prince of Tranavia, who is at war with Nadya's home of Kalyazin. In the very first pages of the book, the monastery is attacked by Tranavians and the High Prince, resulting in Nadya being forced to flee. She leaves behind her best friend and goes on the run. From there, she meets a group of rebels that wish to end the war. At this point in the novel, the plot really  takes off.

My Opinions:

My ability to read quickly combined with the fast pace of the novel resulted in me literally flying through it in just over a day. Speaking of pace, the best thing about this book was the pace in which the plot progressed! After just barely being introduced to our main character, events escalate dramatically. Events escalate throughout the entirety of the book, which I quite enjoyed. It had been a while since I had read something at such a quick pace; it was refreshing! I loved being on the edge of my seat while reading this book. However, I will advise a warning about 'Wicked Saints'; if you are at all triggered by gore and self-harm, then this book may not be the best choice for you. There is a fair amount of it in the contents of this book. For me, this did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. 

I feel that Duncan did a great job with her novel! This is especially true for the plot and the world-building. Can you believe this is her debut novel? I will definitely be purchasing a copy of this book when it releases on April 2nd, 2019. I look forward to the next book!

"Malachiasz was grinning now, sharp-toothed and dangerous. He lolled his head to one side, lazily closing his spell book. He took a bandage out of his pocket and slowly wrapped his hand. 'All right, you win. She'll be useful,' he said to Rashid." - Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2706649605
Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BtosTRInJWn/
NetGalley review: https://www.netgalley.com/book/147358/review/542512
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I literally finished this book an hour ago and I am still not over the conclusion of the novel!  There were three specific points in the novel where I seriously had to pause and process what I was reading. The author does an amazing job at writing these jaw dropping, plot changing scenes.

 For me, the world building was amazing. Throughout the novel, Holly Black adds details and extra information to help with the realism. This magical world did not feel as if it were the product of imagination; it felt plausible and real. As for the narrator, Jude, she is the opposite of me; impulsive, proud, and brave. She made decisions in the novel that I definitely did not agree with, and as a result, I did not feel overly attached to her. However, I still found myself to be invested in her character and was pretty mad when Taryn revealed who her suiter was. I really felt for Jude. Other characters that I particularly enjoyed were the Roach and Cardan (somehow, I grew to like him). The author portrayed certain characters in a way which truly made them detestable **Valerian**.

Overall, this is the first book in a while that I have enjoyed this thoroughly! I need the next book in this series, The Wicked King, ASAP. I highly recommend this book to any fans of fantasy and kick-ass heroines. I rate it 4.5/5 stars! 

 purchased this book myself from Chapters/Indigo. The following review is a truthful and honest representation of my opinion. 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart on May 13th, 2013
Pages: 227
Format: Hardcover/Paperback

My Review​
In 'We Were Liars', we are introduced to our narrator, Cadence Sinclair. She is the granddaughter of a very wealthy family; every year, Cadence and her family spend the summer on a private island. One summer, Cadence befriended two cousins, Mirren and Johnny, as well as an outsider named Gat. At the end of the summer, Cadence suffered a breakdown of sorts, but she cannot remember what exactly happened or why. To relieve the pain, she has been prescribed many drugs. Fast-forward 2 summers later, she is finally returning to the island. However the medication she takes clouds her thoughts and her memories.

I will only give that short synopsis of the book to avoid spoiling anything. This novel has such a shocking ending and to really experience it, you almost need to go into the novel knowing as little as possible. 

Lockhart's writing is superb and I enjoyed it greatly. In all honesty, I loved this book and have not one negative thing to say about it. From page 1, it had me hooked from the compelling and clever storytelling. The revelation at the climax of the novel is more shocking, tragic, and mind-blowing than I ever would have imagined. Cadence, as the main character, felt very real. I really felt like I was experiencing things through her eyes and mind, which made the climax that much more amazing. In only 227 pages, Lockhart manages to tell a beautiful story through such poignant writing. It is definitely one of my favourite books in the YA mystery/thriller genre.  

"Me, Johnny, Mirren and Gat. Gat, Mirren, Johnny, and me. The family calls us four the Liars, and probably we deserve it. We are all nearly the same age, and we all have birthdays in the fall. Most years on the island, we've been trouble."  - E. Lockhart

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1127983632 ​