Top Ten Tuesday – Personality Traits I Love to See in Book Characters

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Personality Traits I Love to See in Book Characters.  I struggled with this topic a bit, not because it’s a difficult one, but because it reminds me so much of one we did a couple of months ago about book characters we would like to be besties with.  I really had to put my thinking cap on to make sure this post didn’t just read as a carbon copy of that one since the traits I love to see in characters are, for the most part, the same traits I want to see in my besties.

 

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Personality Traits I Love to See in Book Characters

 

1. Tenacity – 

I always admire people who are determined and just never give up, no matter badly the odds may be stacked against them.  A character like this will always draw me into a book and have me cheering them on.  The protagonist, Tierney James, in Kim Liggett’s new novel, The Grace Year, is such a character. Her resourcefulness and her will to survive just impressed me so much.

 

 

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2. Independence – 

I love a character who can make it on their own.  They don’t need to rely on anyone else to carry them.  They take control of their own destiny and take responsibility for themselves in every way.  My favorite lone wolf, Arya Stark, from the A Song of Ice and Fire series immediately comes to mind.  I can’t think of many other characters who are more independent than she is.

 

 

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3.  Nurturing – 

As much as I adore those lone wolf characters who don’t need anyone else, I also have a soft spot for those characters who take it upon themselves to nurture those around them. Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series comes to mind.  I always adored how she treated Harry like he was one of her own sons, knitting him holiday sweaters and sending him care packages.  She’s one of those characters who just makes me smile every time she pops up in a scene.

 

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4. Intelligent – 

I hope this doesn’t make me sound snobbish, but I’m not a fan of dumb characters.  I prefer to read about characters who shows signs of intelligence, whether it’s book smarts or street smarts.  And not those who are completely arrogant about how smart they are, but just those who use their brains to problem solve and advance the storyline.  To borrow from Harry Potter again, Hermione Granger comes to mind.

 

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5. Sarcastic – 

I live for snark and sarcasm in my fictional characters.  The more capable they are of trading verbal barbs with a sparring partner, the more I love them.  Beatrice and Benedict from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing are aces in my book when it comes to sarcasm and witty banter.

 

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6. Selfless – 

I also have a major soft spot for characters who are willing to give of themselves and make sacrifices in order to give others a chance.  Cilksa, the protagonist from Cilka’s Journey, comes to mind here.  When she secures a somewhat cushy position at the hospital in the prison where she is serving time, she risks getting into serious trouble sneaking supplies and extra food back to her cell block mates to compensate for how little they’re given compared to her.

 

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7. Badass/Fierce – 

Oh yes, I do love a fierce badass of a character.  I think assassin Celaena Sardothien from the Throne of Glass series fits the bill pretty well on that one.

 

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8. Introverted/Socially Awkward – 

These characters are the ones who are nearest and dearest to my heart because they’re basically me, lol.  Charlotte Gorman, Harry Potter fan extraordinaire and the protagonist of The Accidental Beauty Queen, immediately comes to mind.  This character is so adorably awkward and I just loved everything about her.

 

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9. Sense of Humor – 

I love a character who can make me laugh.  Monty from The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue stands out in this respect. I always love how he manages to find something funny to say, no matter how serious of a situation he finds himself in.  He doesn’t look on the bright side; instead, he looks on the funny side.

 

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10. Loyal – 

I have a soft spot for those characters who remain loyal to those they care about.  I find characters like this just so honorable.  Brienne of Tarth from the A Song of Ice and Fire series is who I think of when I think of loyalty. She’s the ultimate oathkeeper.

 

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Question:  What are some of your favorite personality traits in book characters? Do we share any favorites?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – THE GLASS MAGICIAN by Caroline Stevermer

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer.  I’m not sure what it is specifically that drew me to this book, but I do love the New York Gilded Age setting and that there’s shapeshifting involved.  I also read this bit in another synopsis that really grabbed my attention:  “Bears and Bulls are not only real, but dominate humanity.” Say what now?

THE GLASS MAGICIAN

by Caroline Stevermer

Publication Date:  April 7, 2020

 

From Netgalley::

Reminiscent of The Golem and the Jinni, The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer is a magical and romantic tale set in New York’s Gilded Age.

New York 1905—The Vanderbilts. The Astors. The Morgans. They are the cream of society—and they own the nation on the cusp of a new century.

Thalia Cutler doesn’t have any of those family connections. What she does know is stage magic and she dazzles audiences with an act that takes your breath away.

That is, until one night when a trick goes horribly awry. In surviving she discovers that she can shapeshift, and has the potential to take her place among the rich and powerful.

But first, she’ll have to learn to control that power…before the real monsters descend to feast.

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – “Sum” of my Favorite Books with Numbers in their Titles

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Book Titles with Numbers In Them (You could really challenge yourself and do numbers 1-10 or just any numbers at all.  This was one of those topics that I thought would be easy-breezy but then of course when I sat down to write the post, I forgot every title of every book I’ve ever read.  (Why does that always happen?)  Anyway, I eventually started to remember a few and since they were all ten and under, I decided to go the “Count from 1 to 10” route.  I did cheat a bit though because even though I’m calling these favorites, there are a few I haven’t read yet. They’re by favorite authors though so close enough, lol.

 

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“Sum” of my Favorite Books with Numbers in their Titles

 

1. ONE PLUS ONE by Jojo Moyes

(Find out what it’s about…)

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2. TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET by Karen McManus

(Find out what it’s about…)

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3.  THREE DARK CROWNS by Kendare Blake

(Find out what it’s about…)

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4. FOUR TO SCORE by Janet Evanovich

(Find out what it’s about…)

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5. FIVE FEET APART by Rachel Lippincott

(Find out what it’s about…)

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6. SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

(Find out what it’s about…)

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7. THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

(Find out what it’s about…)

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8. THE 8TH CONFESSION by James Patterson

(Find out what it’s about…)

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9. NINE PERFECT STRANGERS by Liane Moriarty

(Find out what it’s about…)

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10. THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 by Ruth Ware

(Find out what it’s about…)

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Question:  Have you read any of these?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon.  I’ve really been in the mood for historical fiction lately and after enjoying Lawhon’s last novel, I Was Anastasia, I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with another story that is based on an actual person.  I hadn’t heard of Nancy Wake prior to reading this blurb, but she sounds like she must have been an incredible women.  I got inspired just reading about everything that she did during WWII.

 

Code Name Hélène

by Ariel Lawhon

Publication Date:  April 7, 2020

 

 

From Netgalley:

BASED ON THE THRILLING REAL-LIFE STORY OF SOCIALITE SPY NANCY WAKE, comes the newest feat of historical fiction from the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia, featuring the astonishing woman who killed a Nazi with her bare hands and went on to become one of the most decorated women in WWII.

Told in interweaving timelines organized around the four code names Nancy used during the war, Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding and moving story of enduring love, remarkable sacrifice and unfaltering resolve that chronicles the true exploits of a woman who deserves to be a household name.

It is 1936 and Nancy Wake is an intrepid Australian expat living in Paris who has bluffed her way into a reporting job for Hearst newspaper. She is fighting to cover the disturbing reports of violence coming out of Vienna and Berlin when she meets the wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca. No sooner does Henri sweep Nancy off her feet and convince her to become Mrs. Fiocca than the Germans invade France and she takes yet another name: a code name.

As LUCIENNE CARLIER she smuggles people and documents across borders under the guise of an oblivious mistress. Soon enough the Gestapo hears of a female operative with a remarkable ability to evade capture, and Nancy earns a new nickname: THE WHITE MOUSE. But this one carries with it a five million franc bounty on her head. Forced to escape France and leave Henri behind for the safety of both of them, Nancy enters training with the Special Operations Executives, who transform her into HÉLÈNE. Finally, with mission in hand, Nancy is airdropped back into France as the deadly MADAM ANDRÉE. She soon becomes one of the most powerful leaders in the French Resistance, known for her ferocious wit, her signature red lipstick, and her ability to summon weapons straight from the Allied Forces. But no one can protect Nancy if the enemy finds out these four women are one and the same, and the closer to liberation France gets, the more exposed she–and the people she loves–will become.

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’m Planning to Read this Fall

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books On My Fall 2019 TBR.  As you’ll be able to tell from my list, I’m planning to read a variety of ARCs and older books.  The older books I’m reading are a mix of authors I’ve been wanting to try as well as several that will also work for my retellings challenge.  Fingers crossed I can stick with this list, especially since it’s more than 10.

 

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Books I’m Planning to Read This Fall

 

1. SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF SIMPLE by Kristy Woodson Harvey

(Find out what it’s about…)

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2. THE BROMANCE BOOK CLUB by Lyssa Kay Adams

(Find out what it’s about…)

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3.  THE BODIES IN THE LIBRARY by Marty Wingate

(Find out what it’s about…)

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4. THE SHAPE OF NIGHT by Tess Gerritsen

(Find out what it’s about…)

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5. TWICE IN A BLUE MOON by Christina Lauren

(Find out what it’s about…)

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6. THE GRACE YEAR by Kim Liggett

(Find out what it’s about…)

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7. THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS by Lisa Jewell

(Find out what it’s about…)

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8. GODSGRAVE by Jay Kristoff

(Find out what it’s about…)

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9. DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING by Tricia Levenseller

(Find out what it’s about…)

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10. RED WINTER by Annette Marie

(Find out what it’s about…)

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11. FIRST & THEN by Emma Mills

(Find out what it’s about…)

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12. THE WRATH & THE DAWN by Renee Ahdieh

(Find out what it’s about…)

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13. CILKA’S JOURNEY by Heather Morris

(Find out what it’s about…)

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Question:  What books are you planning to read this fall?  Are any of my titles on your list?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US by Tricia Levenseller

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

 

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My selection for this week is THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US by Tricia Levenseller. I’m always up for a good fantasy that has an unexpected twist and I think one where the main character plans to woo the King so she can kill him and steal his kingdom fits the bill for me.  I’ve still not read my first Tricia Levenseller novel but I have three of them on my TBR because they all just sound so good.

 

THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US by Tricia Levenseller

Publication Date:  February 25, 2020

 

 

From Goodreads:

Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – Snacks for the Reader Who is Also Dieting

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is actually Favorite Things to Eat/Drink While Reading (submitted by Jana’s mom).  While I would normally love that topic because I definitely have plenty of favorite reading snacks, I had to tweak it for this week.  Why?  Because about three weeks ago, my doctor put me on a low-carb diet and I basically had to eliminate all of my favorite foods to snack on from my diet.  Since then, I’ve spent much of my time trying to find low-carb alternatives to the chips, cookies, and ice cream I would typically be indulging in while flipping the pages.  As you can tell, I’m not much for healthy snacking and I also have no interest in anything that involves prep time, so this has been a challenge.  Here’s what I’ve come up with so far. And by all means, if you are on a similar diet and have suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

 

10 Snacks for the Reader Who is Also on a Low Carb Diet

 

 

1. PEANUTS.  Peanut butter would normally be a go-to reading snack for me, but it has way too many carbs. I’ve switched to these individual packs of peanuts, which only have 8 grams.

 

 

2. CHEESE.  Cheese and crackers were another favorite reading snack of mine, so I just ditched the crackers and now snack on cheese only. I usually go for either string cheese or these little individually wrapped pieces of sharp white cheddar from Cabot.

 

 

3. YOGURT.  Yogurt can be challenging because so many of them have a lot of added sugar, but I like this one. It’s Dannon Light and Fit Original Greek and it comes in a lot of different flavors. It’s only 80 calories and has 12 grams of protein and only 8 grams of carbs.

 

 

 

4. HARD BOILED EGG.  Even though these obviously involve some prep time, I like that I can make several at once and then have a few days worth of snacks.  I just chop the egg up and sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper.

 

 

 

5. CARROTS.  I can’t eat many of these because they still have a fair amount of sugar in them, but I’ll buy the baby carrots since it’s easy to see the serving size to help me keep track of the carbs.  I like to dip the carrots in a light Italian dressing I found that has minimal carbs per serving.

 

 

 

6. KIND MINI BARS. I actually just found these at the grocery store over the weekend.  They’re very small, no more than a couple of bites worth, but they are delicious and a mini bar only has 8 grams of carbs.  I usually nibble on it a little at a time to make it last me a few chapters, lol. 

 

 

 

7. ATKINS CHOCOLATE CANDIES.  Peanut M&Ms are my all-time favorite reading snack but since I can’t have those anymore, I purchased some of these Atkins candies to see how they compare.  They’re clearly nowhere near as good as real M&Ms, but they will do the trick in a pinch.

 

 

 

8. ATKINS CHOCOLATE COVERED ALMONDS.  A Snickers candy bar was also a favorite of mine, so I picked up these dark chocolate covered nuts.  Like the Atkins candies above, these would do in a pinch if I really wanted something sweet to snack on.

 

 

                 

 

9. COFFEE WITH SUGAR FREE CREAMER.  I also have a couple of go to beverages when I’m reading and I’ve tweaked those so that I can still have them.  I swapped my usual coffee creamer for this sugar-free French Vanilla from Coffee Mate.  It has a lot less carbs and it tastes good so it’s a win.

 

 

 

10. HERBAL TEA.  My doctor told me that I shouldn’t eat anymore for at least 3 hours before I go to bed.  She recommended having a cup of herbal tea instead of a snack.  I’ve taken her advice on this one and bought this caffeine free mint tea that I really like.  I put a packet of stevia in it, which has 0 carbs, and it’s really nice.

 

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What are some of your favorite foods to snack on while you read?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – THE LIBRARY OF LOST THINGS by Laura Taylor Namey

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“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

 

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My selection for this week is THE LIBRARY OF LOST THINGS by Laura Taylor Namey. I’m always up for a book that features book lovers so this one really appeals to me.  It also sounds like it’s going to have a complex mother-daughter relationship as well as a lovely romance.

 

THE LIBRARY OF LOST THINGS by Laura Taylor Namey

Publication Date:  October 8, 2019

 

From Goodreads:

From the moment she first learned to read, literary genius Darcy Wells has spent most of her time living in the worlds of her books. There, she can avoid the crushing reality of her mother’s hoarding and pretend her life is simply ordinary. But when a new property manager becomes more active in the upkeep of their apartment complex, the only home Darcy has ever known outside of her books suddenly hangs in the balance.

While Darcy is struggling to survive beneath the weight of her mother’s compulsive shopping, Asher Fleet, a former teen pilot with an unexpectedly shattered future, walks into the bookstore where she worksand straight into her heart. For the first time in her life, Darcy can’t seem to find the right words. Fairy tales are one thing, but real love makes her want to hide inside her carefully constructed ink-and-paper bomb shelter.

Still, after spending her whole life keeping people out, something about Asher makes Darcy want to open up. But securing her own happily-ever-after will mean she’ll need to stop hiding and start living her own truth–even if it’s messy.

 

 

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on My TBR I’ve Been Avoiding

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books on My TBR I’ve Been Avoiding and Why. There are three main reasons why I’ll avoid a book that is on my TBR, even if I already own a copy:  1) I’m worried it won’t live up to the hype, 2) it’s a later book in a series that I really don’t want to end, or 3) It’s a book from an author that my luck has been hit or miss with.

Each of the books below fall into these categories, with most of them being books I worry won’t live up to the hype (King of Scars, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Aurora Rising to name a few, and also Nine Perfect Strangers, which doesn’t seem to be living up to the hype for anyone).  Finale and Escaping from Houdini are books from series that I just don’t want to end so in my mind, I’m prolonging the series by avoiding them, lol.  And finally, there are the disappointing experiences with authors that have me a little gunshy about reading more of their books (Seanan McGuire).

I’m sure I’ll eventually read most of these. I just have to work myself up to actually getting started.

10 Books on My TBR I’ve Been Avoiding

 

1. KING OF SCARS by Leigh Bardugo

 

2. A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY by Brigid Kemmerer

 

3. AURORA RISING by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

 

4. FINALE by Stephanie Garber

 

5. ESCAPING FROM HOUDINI by Kerri Maniscalco

 

6. CIRCE by Madeline Miller

 

7. NINE PERFECT STRANGERS by Liane Moriarty

 

8. A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT by Sarah J. Maas

 

9. FLAME IN THE MIST by Renée Ahdieh

 

10. EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire

 

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What are some books you have on your TBR but have been avoiding?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – ONE OF US IS NEXT by Karen McManus

/26 Comments/by

 

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in for over a year now, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

 

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My selection for this week is ONE OF US IS NEXT by Karen McManus. Okay, so am I the only one who had no idea there was going to be a sequel to One of Us is Lying?  I don’t know how I missed this news but I totally did.  I loved all of the twists and turns in the first book of the series, so I’m very excited to pick up this new book and see where McManus takes us next.

 

ONE OF US IS NEXT by Karen McManus

Publication Date:  January 7, 2020

 

From Goodreads:

Come on, Bayview, you know you’ve missed this.

A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one’s been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts.

Until now.

This time it’s not an app, though—it’s a game.

Truth or Dare.

Phoebe‘s the first target. If you choose not to play, it’s a truth. And hers is dark.

Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare.

But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it’s that they can’t count on the police for help. Or protection.

Simon’s gone, but someone’s determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there’s a whole new set of rules.

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂