What a great week for reading! Today I am linking up with Kimberly @TheCaffeinatedBookReviewer for another round of the Sunday Post! I skipped last week because I only had one new post and my reading was slow, but I am back and better than ever!

October definitely hits my top favorite months of the year list! I love everything about it from the constant smell of pumpkin candles to the crisp crunching of leaves under my boots. I always enjoy celebrating Halloween with my friends and family, but it is hard to find spooky books that aren't actually scary! While I know a lot of readers love to dive into horror during October, I am not one of them. However, I do like to celebrate by reading books featuring monsters, magic, and witches! Here are a few of my favorite books for getting into the Halloween spirit without scaring yourself silly.

Is it too late to do a September wrap up post? I don't think so! Last month was insanity with everything from Homecoming prep to extracurriculars. Sometimes it has been hard to find time to read, but I can always find a few spare minutes if I try! This month, I want to read a few Halloween(ish) YA books, so leave reccomendations in the comments. Enjoy my recap of September!

To celebrate Banned Book Week, I am going to share my top 5 favorite banned books with you all!  The books on this list were banned for a variety of reasons, but they all hold a place close to my heart.  Let me know in the comments what your favorite banned books are!

As usual, this Sunday I am linking up with Kimberly @TheCaffeinatedBookReviewer for The Sunday Post! I have had a crazy week and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Tuesday: My Favorite Book Covers
Thursday: Review - To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han
Saturday: Reading and Writing Stationary Essentials

To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han

This week has been insane! My schoolwork has amped up a lot, but I am having so much fun our school prepares for Homecoming. Last week, I got my learners permit, and today I went on my first drive!

I always love a good rewritten fairytale, so when I saw Hunted in my local library I could not pass it up! I am glad to saw the novel exceeded my expectations and left me wanting more.

Yeva lives a comfrontable life in the aristocratic part of town. However, her mind craves the freedom and openness of the forest. When he father loses his fortune, Yeva's family is forced to move to the old hunting cabin in the outskirts of town. At first, Yeva is pleased to return to the woods, but the forest takes its hold on her father, and he disappears into the wilderness seeking a supposed "beast".

Concerned, Yeva tracks her father through the thicket and uncovers a creature unlike any she had ever known. Torn between wolf and man, the Beast leads Yeva into a whole new world where music cuts the silence of the wood and childhood dreams become reality.

Hunted definitely ranks as one of my favorite books of 2017! The story was beautifully written, and I could not put it down.

• The setting is beautifully crafted and creatively executed. Hunted takes place in Medieval Russia in a small town surrounded by woods. While the town is not elaborately described, the forest creates a sense of mystery and isolation. Characters are surrounded by life, yet they finally feel free from the trap of their lives
• Every chapter begins with a beautiful quote from the Beast, so readers can experience his perspective alongside the story of Yeva.
• Meagan Spooney manages to utilize the key aspects of Beauty and the Beast while leaving some elements out. The elimination of singing household objects and joyful songs helps to create the dark and mysterious atmosphere which helps to drive the story. This said, the aforementioned characteristics are flawless in the Disney film! I just appreciated the fresh take on the classic Beauty and the Beast story.
• In Hunted, Yeva has sisters! And they aren't evil! Instead, they have supportive and loving relationships with Yeva. There is nothing like good sister love in a book!
• Yeva's character is fascinating! She is headstrong, confident, and compassionate. No matter how hard things get, she keeps a clear mind and focuses on her goals. She also provides a nice contrast against the other women of Medieval Russia. Despite societal standards, she takes pleasure in hunting and accepts herself for who she is.

Hunted by Meagan Spooner is the perfect choice for Beauty and the Beast enthusiasts as well as readers who are seeking a beautifully written and enticing story. I fell in love with Yeva and I closed the book wishing for more! Also, isn't the cover art gorgeous?

As you all have probably noticed, I use Weebly to manage my blog! I have noticed a large percentage of bloggers use Wordpress as their platform, and I have nothing against Wordpress. In fact, I think Wordpress is excellent for many people. However, Weebly is my choice for a few small (but important) reasons.

I definitely prefer Weebly as my blogging platform, but there are a few disadvantages when it comes to blogging.

• ​There is no recent posts widget.
  
• Users must subscribe to the blog via Bloglovin' or social media unless the site creator has a premium plan.​

Those are the pros and cons I have discovered about using Weebly as a blogging platform. I will update the post as I uncover more advantages and/or disadvantages of Weebly. Let me know in the comments what blogging platform you use and why!

Take a look at the book blogging community. Everyone and their mother seems to be on Goodreads. Readers are constantly adding to their TBR, clicking the satisfying "I've finished this book button", and discovering their next new read.

A few months ago, when I started Scripturient, I redownloades Goodreads and was greeted with a box to set my annual reading goal. At the time, I was ambitious, so I set my goal to 100 books. In the middle of July. As of right now, I have around 40 books completed, and who knows if I will hit my goal. This said, I have so much fun scrolling through the endless lists of book reccomendations and authors.

However, Goodreads has its drawbacks. A massive TBR becomes daunting as users are overwhelmed with over 100 books they must read. A ticking countdown to the end of the year creates a frenzy over hitting an annual reading goal. Competition arises as users strive to read the most books and write the best reviews.

But, is this what reading should be all about? Should we care how many books we read in a year, or should we take it all in stride? Do the benefits of Goodreads outweigh the cons? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Do you use Goodreads? How does it impact your reading?

Another week has passed, so the time has come to link up with Kimberly @TheCaffeinatedBookReviewer for The Sunday Post! This is one of my favorite weekly posts as I love sharing my latest reads with you all!

Discussion: How Does Goodreads Impact Reading Habits?
How to Balance Life with Blogging
Book Review (Book to be determined)

School is in full swing and I am definitely swamped with homework! Luckily, I still have time to stop by here! Halloween is coming soon, so I want to read something spooky. Let me know of any good Halloween related YA novels!

I had been wanting to read Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch for a long time, so I could not pass it up when I found it at my library. With all of the tragedy and fear in the news right now, I needed a pick me up, and this was the perfect choice. I fell in love with this book and will definitely try to read more of Welch's work!

After the tragic death of her mother, Lina is whisked away to a summer in Tuscany, Italy. However, she only makes the trip because it was her mother's dying wish for her to meet Howard, her father. Her life seems as if it is falling to pieces, and she struggles to find peace with her new life.
Everything changes when she is given her mother's journal. Suddenly, Lina discovers Italy through her mother's eyes and learns about the truth behind her parentage.
If Lina's life was not crazy enough, she meets Ren, a charming boy who shows her the magic of Italy. Together, they put the pieces together to uncover the story of Lina's mother.

This was a wonderful novel to kick off my September reading! I adored many aspects of this book including:

• ​The Setting: I have always wanted to go to Italy, so the setting swept me away. I loved to feel as if I was Lina walking the streets of Italy with a fantastic guy and a cone of gelato. The author also makes many references to the history and art of Italy which added a strong foundation to the already-whimsical setting.
  
• The Journal: The story was beautifully crafted as Lina's mother slowly revealed bits and pieces of her life through a journal. I enjoyed witnessing mother and daughter working together to uncover the entire truth. Even from the grave, Lina's mother remained a strong presence through her journal.
• The Characters: Jenna Evans Welch created an astounding cast of characters who I found likeable and relatable. Lina's grief is depicted excellently, and she has the right amount of spunk where she is able to find herself. Ren is incredibly sweet and supportive as he helps Lina to discover the truth about her family. Howard is endearing as a father and adds nice comic relief when things get intense. All of the characters blended well together and helped to formulate a beautiful story.

Love and Gelato is an amazing book and I reccomend it to anyone looking for fun, romantic read. It was a beautiful story and is a book I will not easily forget!

​Rating: 5/5