Category: Fun Lists

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Books I’ve Recently Added to My TBR

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“There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart’s Desire.”

First line in Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Hi, guys. Today I thought would talk about some of the books I recently put on my TBR on Goodreads. I’ve seen Kristin from Kristin Kraves Books do this and felt inspired to do the same. You need to check out her blog if you haven’t already, of course.  

This is really just a way of getting to mention some books I might not be getting to for a while so here we go. 

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Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

Caroline Criado Perez

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Synopsis: Imagine a world where your phone is too big for your hand, where your doctor prescribes a drug that is wrong for your body, where in a car accident you are 47% more likely to be seriously injured, where every week the countless hours of work you do are not recognised or valued. If any of this sounds familiar, chances are that you’re a woman.

Invisible Women shows us how, in a world largely built for and by men, we are systematically ignoring half the population. It exposes the gender data gap – a gap in our knowledge that is at the root of perpetual, systemic discrimination against women, and that has created a pervasive but invisible bias with a profound effect on women’s lives.

Award-winning campaigner and writer Caroline Criado Perez brings together for the first time an impressive range of case studies, stories and new research from across the world that illustrate the hidden ways in which women are forgotten, and the impact this has on their health and well-being. From government policy and medical research, to technology, workplaces, urban planning and the media, Invisible Women reveals the biased data that excludes women. In making the case for change, this powerful and provocative book will make you see the world anew.

Goodreads

Why I Want to Read it: I need to be better at reading non-fiction and have learned that feminist non-fiction is the way to go. Emily from BookswithEmilyFox has praised this one very recently and it sounds so interesting.

 

Noughts and Crosses

Malorie Blackman

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Synopsis: Two young people are forced to make a stand in this thought-provoking look at racism and prejudice in an alternate society.

Sephy is a Cross — a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a Nought — a “colourless” member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood, but that’s as far as it can go. In their world, Noughts and Crosses simply don’t mix. Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum — a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger. Can they possibly find a way to be together?

Goodreads

Why I Want to Read it: …Not sure exactly. It’s an old book with a high rating on Goodreads (4.23) and it has won awards. And yeah, it sounded interesting enough.

Theft of Swords

Michael J. Sullivan

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Synopsis: THEY KILLED THE KING. THEY PINNED IT ON TWO MEN. THEY CHOSE POORLY.

There’s no ancient evil to defeat or orphan destined for greatness, just unlikely heroes and classic adventure. Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, are two enterprising rogues who end up running for their lives when they’re framed for the murder of the king. Trapped in a conspiracy that goes beyond the overthrow of a tiny kingdom, their only hope is unraveling an ancient mystery before it’s too late.

Goodreads

Why I Want to Read it: Bascially I heard that the friendship in this one is supposed to be similar to the one in Gentleman Bastard between Locke and Jean. I mean what more do you need to know? 

The Fascinators

Andrew Eliopulos

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Synopsis: A magic-infused YA novel about friendship, first love, and feeling out of place that will bewitch fans of Rainbow Rowell and Maggie Stiefvater.

Living in a small town where magic is frowned upon, Sam needs his friends James and Delia—and their time together in their school’s magic club—to see him through to graduation.

But as soon as senior year starts, little cracks in their group begin to show. Sam may or may not be in love with James. Delia is growing more frustrated with their amateur magic club. And James reveals that he got mixed up with some sketchy magickers over the summer, putting a target on all their backs.

With so many fault lines threatening to derail his hopes for the year, Sam is forced to face the fact that the very love of magic that brought his group together is now tearing them apart—and there are some problems that no amount of magic can fix.

Goodreads

Why I Want to Read it: The synopsis used the words “school’s magic club”. And also that it’s for fans of Rainbow Rowell and Maggie Stiefvater so I have no choice but to read it. 

Mark of the Thief

Jennifer A. nielsen

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Synopsis: When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods — magic some Romans would kill for.

Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic’s newfound powers for their own dark purposes.

In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire’s most powerful and savage leaders.

Goodreads

Why I Want to Read it: Jennifer A. Nielsen has written the only middle grade series I’ve liked as an adult (The Ascendance series) so I want to try one of her other series. 

The Bone Ships

r.j. barker

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Synopsis: A brilliantly imagined saga of honor, glory, and warfare, The Bone Ships is the epic launch of a new fantasy from David Gemmell Award-nominated RJ Barker.

Two nations at war. A prize beyond compare.

For generations, the Hundred Isles have built their ships from the bones of ancient dragons to fight an endless war.

The dragons disappeared, but the battles for supremacy persisted.

Now the first dragon in centuries has been spotted in far-off waters, and both sides see a chance to shift the balance of power in their favour. Because whoever catches it will win not only glory, but the war.

Goodreads

Why I Want to Read it: Honestly? A couple of months ago I read sooo many glowing reviews of this book that I felt like I had to add it to my TBR. Normally I’m not into dragons but maybe this is the exception. 

 

Neverwhere

Neil gaiman

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Synopsis: Under the streets of London there’s a place most people could never even dream of. A city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, knights in armour and pale girls in black velvet. This is the city of the people who have fallen between the cracks.

Richard Mayhew, a young businessman, is going to find out more than enough about this other London. A single act of kindness catapults him out of his workday existence and into a world that is at once eerily familiar and utterly bizarre. And a strange destiny awaits him down here, beneath his native city: Neverwhere.

Goodreads

Why I Want to Read it: I set a goal for myself at the beginning of the year to read at least 4 books by Neil Gaiman. I’ve read one so far and plan for Neverwhere to be the second. Fans of Gaiman seem to praise this one so I’m hoping to like it. 

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There you have the most recent books that’s gotten me excited. Let’s chat in the comments if you’ve read any of them or also plan to. 

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Posted in Fun Lists

Anticipated Releases: First Half of 2020

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“There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Strubb, and he almost deserved it.”

First line in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis

Hi, guy. In today’s post I want to share some of my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2020. There are probably more because great books are released all the time but these are the 7 I’m most excited about.

Title: Infinity Son

Author: Adam Silvera

Published: January 14th 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Series: Book 1 in Infinity Cycle

What made me excited: Adam Silvera, LGBTQ+ representation in fantasy

Synopsis:

Balancing epic and intensely personal stakes, bestselling author Adam Silvera’s Infinity Son is a gritty, fast-paced adventure about two brothers caught up in a magical war generations in the making.

Growing up in New York, brothers Emil and Brighton always idolized the Spell Walkers—a vigilante group sworn to rid the world of specters. While the Spell Walkers and other celestials are born with powers, specters take them, violently stealing the essence of endangered magical creatures.

Brighton wishes he had a power so he could join the fray. Emil just wants the fighting to stop. The cycle of violence has taken a toll, making it harder for anyone with a power to live peacefully and openly. In this climate of fear, a gang of specters has been growing bolder by the day.

Then, in a brawl after a protest, Emil manifests a power of his own—one that puts him right at the heart of the conflict and sets him up to be the heroic Spell Walker Brighton always wanted to be.

Brotherhood, love, and loyalty will be put to the test, and no one will escape the fight unscathed.

Goodreads

Title: The King of Crows

Author: Libba Bray

Published: February 4th 2020

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Series: Book 4 in The Diviners

What made me excited: it’s the last book!!

Synopsis for the first book, The Diviners:

Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.

Goodreads

Title: The Electric Heir

Author: Victoria Lee

Published: March 17th 2020

Genre: YA Science Fiction Fantasy

Series: Book 2 in Feverwake

What made me excited: sequel to The Fever King, I need it NOW

Synopsis for the first book, The Fever King:

In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia.

The son of undocumented immigrants, Noam has spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees fleeing magical outbreaks—refugees Carolinia routinely deports with vicious efficiency. Sensing a way to make change, Noam accepts the minister’s offer to teach him the science behind his magic, secretly planning to use it against the government. But then he meets the minister’s son—cruel, dangerous, and achingly beautiful—and the way forward becomes less clear.

Caught between his purpose and his heart, Noam must decide who he can trust and how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of the greater good.

Goodreads

Title: Chosen Ones

Author: Veronica Roth

Published: April 7th 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 in The Chosen Ones

What made me excited: chosen one trope with a twist, Roth’s first adult novel

Synopsis:

The first novel written for an adult audience by the mega-selling author of the Divergent franchise: five twenty-something heroes famous for saving the world when they were teenagers must face even greater demons—and reconsider what it means to be a hero . . . by destiny or by choice.

A decade ago near Chicago, five teenagers defeated the otherworldly enemy known as the Dark One, whose reign of terror brought widespread destruction and death. The seemingly un-extraordinary teens—Sloane, Matt, Ines, Albie, and Esther—had been brought together by a clandestine government agency because one of them was fated to be the “Chosen One,” prophesized to save the world. With the goal achieved, humankind celebrated the victors and began to mourn their lost loved ones.

Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.

Goodreads

Title: Burn

Author: Patrick Ness

Published: May 7th 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

What made me excited: Patrick Ness, Patrick Ness AND fantasy

Synopsis:

An all-consuming story of revenge, redemption and dragons from the twice Carnegie Medal-winner Patrick Ness.

In 1956 Sarah Dewhurst’s father shocks her by hiring a dragon to work the farm. The dragon is a smaller blue rather than the traditional larger reds, though even the reds are now scarce. When the blue dragon, Kazimir, unexpectedly saves Sarah and her friend Jason Inagawa from the attentions of the racist police deputy, Kelby, everything changes. Sarah is part of a prophecy and she must escape the clutches of Malcolm, an assassin from a Believer Cell, the dragon-worshiping cult. When Sarah, Malcolm and Kazimir eventually converge, they are thrown into another universe, where dragons seem never to have existed. Can they save this world and the one they left?

Goodreads

Title: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Author: Suzanne Collins

Published: May 19th 2020

Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia

Series: Prequel to The Hunger Games

What made me excited: It’s Hunger Games duh

Synopsis:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will revisit the world of Panem sixty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Tenth Hunger Games.

Goodreads

Title: The Court of Miracles

Author: Kester Grant

Published: June 2nd 2020

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Series: Book 1 in A Court of Miracles

What made me excited: French Revolution, criminal underworld, reimagining of Les Mis and The Jungle Book (I mean, what?)

Synopsis:

A diverse fantasy reimagining of Les Misérables and The Jungle Book.

In the dark days following a failed French Revolution, in the violent jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, young cat-burglar Eponine (Nina) Thenardier goes head to head with merciless royalty, and the lords of the city’s criminal underworld to save the life of her adopted sister Cosette (Ettie).

Her vow will take her from the city’s dark underbelly, through a dawning revolution, to the very heart of the glittering court of Louis XVII, where she must make an impossible choice between guild, blood, betrayal and war.

For fans of the gritty criminal underworlds of Six Of Crows, The Lies Of Locke Lamora, fierce alternate histories like The Gilded Wolves, And I Darken…and anyone who knows that Eponine deserved so much more.

Goodreads

There you have it. Are you also excited for some of these books? Let me know in the comments.

Posted in Fun Lists

Books I Want To Read In 2020

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“We moved into our flat in Littlemead, in the tiny Sussex town of Nutley, in the South of England, in 1987.

First line in Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Hi, guys. We’re very close to entering a new year and therefore I wanted to give you a list of 10 books (technically more than 10) that I want to read in 2020. This post also kind of functions as my reading goals because I have some authors and series I want to prioritize this year. I’ve excluded books that will be released in 2020 because I’ll make another post about those. Let’s get into it.

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

I actually planned to read this about 2 months ago. However, my library had some technical difficulties and decided to delete my reservation… thanks. I’ll just try again then.

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

This is the sort of book I just want to get out of the way. It’s book 2 in the Kingkiller Chronicle series, and I like the first one alright without completely loving it. Every review I find says the second book is worse and even more meandering than the first. I want to be ready for the eventuality that the third book is going to be published. I just have get through this one book. I can do that.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

This one is kind of a big priority for me. The whole series actually. It’s four books that I’ve been meaning to read for such a long time now. I’m a 100% certain that I’m at least going to start the series in 2020.

*Four Neil Gaiman Books*

I’ve decided to do a Neil Gaiman Project in 2020. What does that mean you might ask. It’s means that Gaiman is such a beloved author but I haven’t managed to get on the hype-train. That’s why I’ve decided that I really want to give him a chance this year by reading 4 of his books. Not completely decided which ones yet so feel free to help me choose if you love his books. I’ve already read Coraline, Stardust and The Graveyard Book. The only other book I know I want to read is Norse Mythology. People always seem to recommend The Ocean at the End of the Lane but I’m a little bit scared of magical realism to be honest. Otherwise, I’m very exicted about the project.

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

This isn’t the first time Autoboyography appears on a TBR from me. Now that it’s a yearly one, I simply must have time to read it.

Book 3, 4 and 5 in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

I want to make some progress in The Wheel of Time but I’m not kidding myself so I know that I’ll never be able to finish all of the books. That would mean 1 book per month and that wouldn’t work for me. I need breaks when reading series so my goal is just to read the next 3 in the series.

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Another series I would love to start and finish in 2020. Also, it’s one of the books that has been on my TBR the longest so logically it should be the first one I pick up in 2020. We all know there’s no logic involved here though.

The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Another case of “if I keep putting it on TBR’s, I’ll be forced to read it at some point”. This WILL be the last time this one features in my TBR lists.

The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

The fourth book is coming in November 2020 so it would just be awesome if I had caught up by that time. It’s just two more books with more than a 1,000 pages. Yeah, I’m scared.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

I need to know what the fuss is all about. From what I’ve heard of it, it’s not something I typically read. I’m basically just picking it up because of hype and because no one seems to be able to explain what it’s about. I’m going to figure it out for myself.

I can’t tell you how many times I wrote 2010 while writing this post. I’m clearly in denial. We can’t have reached 2020 already. But now you know a little bit about what I plan to read in the coming year. Then I can return to it next December and see how bad I failed.

Hope you all have a joyous New Year and that your 2020 will be filled with awesome books.

Posted in Fun Lists

My Top 10 Best Books of 2019

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“At the height of the long wet summer of the Seventy-seventh Year of Sendovani, the Thiefmaker of Camorr paid a sudden and unannounced visit to the Eyeless Priest at the Temple of Perelando, desperately hoping to sell him the Lamora boy.”

First line in The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

We’ve made it to the end of the year so of course I’m doing the traditional wrap up posts for the year. Today is the best one because I’m going to be talking about my absolute favorite books of the year.

I’m not going to include the 4 books I reread this year because that wouldn’t really be fair. Just letting you know that I reread:

  • Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
  • Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
  • Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
  • Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

For this list, I’ve decided to group series together even though I might not have given all books the same rating. Just to make it easier but that tecnically means that there are more than 10 books on this list (no, that’s not cheating – or maybe it is).

The list is ordered of course because I love lists. It was a lot more difficult to do this time than with my worst books of the year. However, my top 3 was completely set from the beginning. Enjoy!

10 – A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin

It has taken me almost 10 years to get caught up with The Song of Ice and Fire series but I finally did it this year. This fifth one is probably the one that differs most from the tv show so I was quite surprised by a lot of the things that happened. It was nice not knowing things so I was really able to appreciate the way Martin sets up the story and the development of the characters. Let’s see when we get to read the sixth book.

9 – Gentleman Bastard by Scott Lynch

I read all of the currently published books in the Gentleman Bastard series this year and would have continued if I could. These books have some of the best friendships I’ve ever read about. It especially shows men who’s not afraid to show affection for each other. I need to see more of that in adult fantasy. These books also have plots so intricate that I can’t help but be completely captivated by them. I need book 4 soon please.

8 – The Binding by Bridget Collins

This book did something to me and I’m not sure I’m over it. That middle part is pure magic. The writing is stunning and makes the book quite atmospheric which I always love. I really felt like I lost myself completely while reading it. The characters are also the kind I would die for so The Binding definitely belongs on this list.

7 – The Queen’s Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

I read books 2 to 5 this year and I loved how unique they felt. They feel heavily inspired by classic fantasy which I normally don’t like so The Queen’s Thief was a pleasant surprise. I think the reason why is the characters and their friendships because they are deep and affectionate. How can you not love that?

6 – The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

How could I make a top 10 for the year without a Sanderson book? Not possible, and even though this took me forever to read, I loved every minute of it. Sanderson’s attention to detail is extraordinary in this one. He has created a world where he has thought of. Absolutely. Everything. I haven’t loved his characters in his previous books but that has completely changed with The Way of Kings.

5 – Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

Wayward Son was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and basically, my only complaint was that it was too short. I can’t get enough of these characters. They are so heartwarming to read about, and I loved that this second book in the series took a little more serious turn. Apparently, I like getting my heart broken (more on that later).

4 – Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

A true case of “the hype is real”. This book was so fun and so sweet, and I think I especially loved it for being new adult. It really made me go on a hunt for more new adult books. I also really liked the alternate reality aspect of the story. I mean, wouldn’t we all much rather have that one compared to the one we actually have? It definitely was a fun reimagining.

3 – Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden

I read the entire trilogy in 2019, but it’s especially the last two books I want to applaud. The character development that happens across those two is phenomenal. Because of that, I can’t tell you about a female character I love more than our main character Vasya. We always talk about the importance of strong women in literature because of the feeling of empowerment it gives female readers. I’ve never actually felt that before I read about Vasya. It’s truly intoxicating.

2 – Arc of a Scythe by Neal Shusterman

I read some amazing series this year but none has made a greater impact on me than Arc of Scythe. The social commentary these books provide is so thought provoking and that alone is really enough for me to recommend them. On top of that, you have a unique take on an AI and a writing style that will draw you in and never let you go. Thunderhead is a clear favorite for me and that one was very close to being number 1 on this list. It’s definitely a series I’ll give a reread at some point.

1 – A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Yeah, I guess I’ve learned this year that I love the heartbreaking books. I don’t think any book will ever beat A Little Life on that front. My love for these characters is unreal. I don’t even love Harry Potter characters this much and that says a lot coming from me. On top of that, the writing is so good. Yanagihara is very good at making you feel all the feelings without being too descriptive. She just builds these characters from the bottom and forces you to care for them. For the rest of my life, I’ll be searching for books that will make me feel what A Little Life made me feel. Let’s be honest though, nothing will ever be like A Little Life.

Wow, that was hard to do. I read so many great books this year meaning I had waaay too many to choose from for this list. Here’s to hoping that 2020 will be just as amazing in terms of reading. Merry Christmas everyone!

Posted in Fun Lists

My Top 10 Worst Books of 2019

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“Once, there were four houses of France.”

First line in The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

Hi, guys and welcome to the first of my end-of-the-year posts. We’re starting with the worst books I read this year so we can get that out of the way. I didn’t hate very many books this year actually but I still wanted to do a top 10. That means that this list feature some 3 star books at the beginning. The proper ranting doesn’t start until you get a little further down the list. And yes, they are in order because I love lists. Number 1 is the worst book of the year. I’m also grouping series together even though I might not have given all the books the same rating. It’s just easier. Let’s get into it!

10 – The Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin

Firstly, I want to say that I don’t think this is a horrible trilogy. It’s won awards and everything so I clearly don’t know what I’m talking about when I’m putting it on this list. I gave all 3 books 3 stars so no strong emotions from me. I thought the premise and world was very interesting but I never connected to the characters or the writing.

9 – Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

A very recent read and not the last Leigh Bardugo book on this list unfortunately. I ended up giving this one 2.5 stars. I went into the book pretty blind because the fact that it was written by Bardugo was enough for me. I guess I learned my lesson. It was filled with so many tropes that I normally steer clear of. I especially hate murder mysteries with a passion so this was really not a good fit for me.

8 – The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Hey, it’s Leigh Bardugo again. I honestly forgot that I read to many of her books this year. I gave Shadow and Bone 3 stars and the other two 2 stars. I didn’t completely hate them but I think it’s a case of these books not ageing well, and I read them too late. A bland main character with no personality and an annoying and ever-present romance plot aren’t things that will make me love a book anymore.

7 – The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill

A book that is recommended as similar to The Night Circus… guys, they are completely different books! Yes, The Lonely Hearts Hotel also has a circus (but very late in the book) and a soulmates kind of romance (although not as beautiful or romantic as in The Night Circus). The writing was also trying very hard to be beautiful and it very quickly began to annoy me like hell.

6 – The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green

I had so high hopes for this one because I really liked this author’s previous series, Half Bad. We follow 5 different characters which was too many for this book to handle. I also only really liked one of them. Besides that I couldn’t recognize Green’s writing style from her other books. In this one there was too much telling and less showing. I wasn’t allowed to do any thinking of my own. So even though the world and magic were quite interesting, I didn’t save the book for me.

5 – The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

Just because we reached the halfway point on this list, doesn’t mean that The Nickel Boys is a bad book. I just didn’t connect to the story or the characters at all which meant I was quite bored all the way through. It still had some great insights into the Civil Rights Movement.

4 – Catching Stars by Cayla Keenan

I honestly remember very, very little about this book other than it was a struggle to get through. The book is less than 300 pages and it almost took me whole 2 months to read. That’s not a good sign.

3 – The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski

I read the first 3 books in the series this year in preparation for the tv show. That made me realize that I’m just going to watch the tv show from now on. That writing style is way too dry for me and I kind of hate every character because of that. The blatant sexism isn’t doing much for me either. I’m counting on the tv show to fix these things.

2 – The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

I SO wanted to like this book! It sounded so cool with the many parallels to Six of Crows but the execution of it was a mess. It left me utterly confused. It felt like the book was missing entire passages because the characters were moving around but I wasn’t told about it. Very weird to read. It’s also a book that feature a lot of cool inventions. They all just happened to be exactly what our group needed no matter how odd or unrealistic these inventions were. I needed it all to be a little bit more difficult.

1 – Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart

My first read of 2019 and it was a 1-star. I hated practically everything about it. The characters that were trying too hard to be “strong female characters” and therefore weren’t. The “plot twists” that I saw coming a mile away. The way this feminist book kept telling me it was a feminist book. Please stop. I won’t be picking up the sequel.

Well, there you have the books I didn’t like in 2019. I’d love to bond with you over a shared dislike for these book. Also if you loved them. Then tell me what I missed when reading them. I will have a post about my favorite books of 2019 up soon. That one is a lot harder to do but also more fun. Have a great day!

Posted in Fun Lists

Books On My TBR: 5-star Predictions

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“How did they find us so fast?”

First line in A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Hi, fellow readers. As you can probably tell from the title, this post is about the books on my TBR that I expect to rate 5 stars. It’s fairly popular in the bookish community and I always find those follow-up post very interesting. So, I figured I would do one myself.

I’ve picked out 5 books which I’m fairly confident will get a 5-star rating from me. I’ve excluded books that aren’t out yet because I want to be able to read these in the near future.

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

This is the only classic on this list of predictions. I loved the movie as a child, but I’m also prepared for the “Disney made everything nicer” thing that’s bound to occur. One of my favorite BookTubers, Merphy Napier, lists this as her favorite book. According to her, the book is a little sad which is just my thing.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

This is a bit of a chancy one. It’s still a series I don’t know very much about, but everyone who’ve read it seems to love it. I’ve read one of Chima’s books before, and I thought it was fine. It’s been a while, but I know that I didn’t hate her writing style or anything. The synopsis of this one seems interesting enough to give it a go.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

When people praise this book, they seem to praise Chambers writing style a lot, and writing style is just very important for me when rating a book. I’ve also heard that this is a good sci-fi book for people who don’t read sci-fi. The sci-fi elements apparently aren’t that prevalent or important to the story. I also love character-driven books so I have high hopes for this one.

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

The safest book on the list. It’s impossible for me to imagine that the second book in The Stormlight Archive isn’t going to be a 5-star book. It’s average rating on Goodreads is 4.76 based on 170,000 ratings. That’s insane! I loved the first book so much, and I can’t wait to continue the series.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

I have no reason for this other than everyone else seems to like it. I’ve only ever read one literary fiction book in my life, but that ended up being one of my favorite books of all time (A Little Life), so I’m tentatively trying again.

I can’t wait to read these! Hopefully, I can return to this in about six months to confirm that they were all great. Have to read any of these? Or are they also patiently waiting on your TBR? Let me know in the comments.

Posted in Fun Lists

Books I Want to Reread

Posted on by Line

“Out in the Waste stood a home, abandoned.”

First line in Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

Hi guys. Today I wanted to talk a bit about what we all wish we had more time for: rereading books. I used to do this a lot more when I was younger. I had 3 or 4 series I just went through over and over and over again. I remember my mom being very confused by this. She never rereads a book *gasp* and would ask me why I wanted to read Harry Potter for the 12th time when I know what happens. My answer: Because I know what happens. When you read a book for the first time, it’s very hard to pay attention to EVERYTHING. You won’t understand all the hints but it’s so rewarding to read it again and see all of those connections you missed the first time. I also find myself loving characters I might have been indifferent about the first time, because I now know their complete character arc and appreciate their development.

This post was actually inspired by my recent reread of Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. I’ll let you know more about my thoughts about the book in my October wrap up but for now I will reveal that my rating went from 3 to 5 stars. Therefore, this post is also a reminder to reread books you didn’t completely love the first time. With Carry On, I definitely read it at the wrong time in my life.

The unfortunate thing about rereads however is when you read your favorite book… and it’s not your favorite anymore. I recently experienced this when I reread The Maze Runner by James Dashner. That was not like I remembered it.

I have a lot of books I want to reread and now I’m going to tell you which ones. First, a couple of books I want to give a second chance.

Dust Lands by Moira Young

Books in series:

I actually own the first book and I think I only DNF’d Rebel Heart because the library wanted their book back. I just never got around to getting it again. I remember the writing being very difficult because the characters spoke with an accent. That meant I read it super slowly. I think that as an adult it might suit be better. Plus, my English has improved (hopefully). I remember that the story had so much potential and I actually want to know how it ends.

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Books in series:

To say that I’ve read these might be a stretch as I skimmed SO many of the descriptions. I did not like the series at all and thought it was oh so boring. I’m not completely convinced that I will feel any different today but I want to give them a second chance at some point. I WAS very young when I read them the first time and I’m assuming that I’ll understand more of the story now so we’ll see.

That’s all I’ll commit to at this point. Not every book deserves a second chance. Of course, I also want to reread some of my favorite books. Some of the ones I know I’ll still love or maybe love even more. I won’t give much of an explanation for these because ‘duh’.

Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

Books in series (all rated 5 stars):

I reread those every third year at Christmas. It’s the best tradition. Next time is in 2020.

Shades of Magic by V. E. Schwab

Books in series:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Books in series:

  • The Hunger Games – published 2008. Read in 2013. I rated it 5 stars
  • Catching Fire – published 2009. Read in 2013. I rated it 5 stars.
  • Mockingjay – published 2010. Read in 2013. I rated it 4 stars.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Books in series:

Monsters of Verity by Victoria Schwab

Books in series:

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

Yes, I just want to reread the second book in Arc of a Scythe because that was freaking amazing! Scythe wasn’t bad, but it was just nowhere near the level of Thunderhead.

I hope you enjoyed this and maybe feel inspired to pick up a book you’ve already read. Remember, the new releases will still be there when you’re done. What book do you want to reread? Have you ever changed your mind about a book for the better because of a reread? I feel like I most often experience it the other way around so I’d love to know if that’s just me.