Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Books That Take Me Back to the Innocence of My Youth

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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 with Sensory Reading Memories (These are the books that are linked to very specific memories for you: where you were, what time of year it was, who you were with, what you were eating, what you were feeling, what you were seeing, etc. Ideas include books you read while on vacation, books that you read while you were eating, books you read at work/at a family or social event/on the train or plane, books you’ve buddy read with loved ones, books you read during an emotional time in your life, books you read by the fire, etc.)

I have to admit that I drew a blank for a long time while thinking about this topic, but then I landed on “books you read during an emotional time in your life” and I knew that was the angle I wanted to go with.  I’m sure there will be many more emotional moments, both good and bad, as I move through life, but as of right now, aside from the moment my son was born, the most emotional time of my life were the months leading up to my parents getting a divorce.  I was ten years old when they split up, so I was old enough to know things just weren’t working out and that moving out was the right thing to do, but that obviously didn’t make it any easier for me.  Sorry it’s kind of a downer, but my list this week focuses on some of the last books I remember reading while my parents were still together and we were all living in the house I grew up in.  Every time I see or even think about these books, they conjure up memories of me reading, either curled up on the bed in my very first bedroom or sitting by the big windows in our attic playroom.  They also take me back in time to those many evenings when I was a kid where my Dad and I would sit on the couch reading together.

It really is amazing when you think about how books can become so interconnected with defining moments of our lives.  Anyway, I couldn’t even decide what to call this since I didn’t really want to go with Books I Read Before My Parents Got Divorced, so instead I went the innocence route.

 

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10 Books That Take Me Back to the Innocence of My Youth

 

BAMBI by Felix Salten

THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis

THE BLACK STALLION by Walter Farley

SOCKS by Beverly Cleary

LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS by Laura Ingalls Wilder

BLACK BEAUTY by Anna Sewell

STUART LITTLE by E. B. White

ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS by Soctt O’Dell

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY by Roald Dahl

THE NANCY DREW SERIES by Carolyn Keene

 

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What are some books that take you back to your childhood?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – SADIE by Courtney Summers

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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 just be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is SADIE by Courtney Summers.  I saw this book featured on Netgalley recently and thought it sounded incredible.  Those who know my taste in books know that I love a book that features siblings anyway, but the idea of one sibling going on a mission of revenge to bring the other sibling’s killer to justice?  Wow!  It especially got to me when I saw that the main character Sadie had been practically raising her younger sister, Mattie.  You just know this is going to be an intense and heartwrenching read and I’m totally on board for it.

 

SADIE by Courtney Summers

Publication Date:  September 4, 2018

 

From Goodreads:

A gripping novel about the depth of a sister’s love; poised to be the next book you won’t be able to stop talking about.

A missing girl on a journey of revenge and a Serial-like podcast following the clues she’s left behind.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.

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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 – 10 Short Story Collections I’m Dying to Read (Even Though I Don’t Normally Enjoy Short Stories)

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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 Favorite Novellas/Short Stories. This was a tough topic for me since I don’t typically enjoy short stories or novellas and don’t think I could come up with ten I enjoyed if my life depended on it. I just find them so abrupt, just as I’m starting to connect with the characters and what’s happening, the story is over.  I tend to like more time with my characters.  That said, I decided to tweak the topic a bit.  I’m still sharing short stories, but instead of favorites, I’m sharing short story collections that I really want to read in spite of my aversion to short stories.

 

 

10 Short Story Collections I’m Dying to Read (Even Though I Don’t Normally Enjoy Short Stories)

 

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1.  THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS: MIDNIGHT TALES AND DANGEROUS MAGIC

Synopsis:  Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.

Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid’s voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy’s bidding but only for a terrible price.

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.

 

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2. TOIL & TROUBLE:  15 TALES OF WOMEN & WITCHCRAFT

Synopsis:  A young adult fiction anthology of 15 stories featuring contemporary, historical, and futuristic stories featuring witchy heroines who are diverse in race, class, sexuality, religion, geography, and era.

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

Glinda the Good Witch. Elphaba the Wicked Witch. Willow. Sabrina. Gemma Doyle. The Mayfair Witches. Ursula the Sea Witch. Morgan le Fey. The three weird sisters from Macbeth.

History tells us women accused of witchcraft were often outsiders: educated, independent, unmarried, unwilling to fall in line with traditional societal expectations.

Bold. Powerful. Rebellious.

A bruja’s traditional love spell has unexpected results. A witch’s healing hands begin to take life instead of giving it when she ignores her attraction to a fellow witch. In a terrifying future, women are captured by a cabal of men crying witchcraft and the one true witch among them must fight to free them all. In a desolate past, three orphaned sisters prophesize for a murderous king. Somewhere in the present, a teen girl just wants to kiss a boy without causing a hurricane.

From good witches to bad witches, to witches who are a bit of both, this is an anthology of diverse witchy tales from a collection of diverse, feminist authors. The collective strength of women working together—magically or mundanely–has long frightened society, to the point that women’s rights are challenged, legislated against, and denied all over the world. Toil & Trouble delves deep into the truly diverse mythology of witchcraft from many cultures and feminist points of view, to create modern and unique tales of witchery that have yet to be explored.

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3. A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS

Synopsis:  From an impressive sisterhood of YA writers comes an edge-of-your-seat anthology of historical fiction and fantasy featuring a diverse array of daring heroines.

Criss-cross America — on dogsleds and ships, stagecoaches and trains — from pirate ships off the coast of the Carolinas to the peace, love, and protests of 1960s Chicago. Join fifteen of today’s most talented writers of young adult literature on a thrill ride through history with American girls charting their own course. They are monsters and mediums, bodyguards and barkeeps, screenwriters and schoolteachers, heiresses and hobos. They’re making their own way in often-hostile lands, using every weapon in their arsenals, facing down murderers and marriage proposals. And they all have a story to tell.

With stories by:  J. Anderson Coats, Andrea Cremer, Y. S. Lee, Katherine Longshore, Marie Lu, Kekla Magoon, Marissa Meyer, Saundra Mitchell, Beth Revis, Caroline Tung Richmond, Lindsay Smith, Jessica Spotswood, Robin Talley, Leslye Walton, and Elizabeth Wein.

 

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4. THE RADICAL ELEMENT

Synopsis:  n an anthology of revolution and resistance, a sisterhood of YA writers shines a light on a century and a half of heroines on the margins and in the intersections.

To respect yourself, to love yourself—should not have to be a radical decision. And yet it remains as challenging for an American girl to make today as it was in 1927 on the steps of the Supreme Court. It’s a decision that must be faced whether you’re balancing on the tightrope of neurodivergence, finding your way as a second-generation immigrant, or facing down American racism even while loving America. And it’s the only decision when you’ve weighed society’s expectations and found them wanting. In The Radical Element, twelve of the most talented writers working in young adult literature today tell the stories of the girls of all colors and creeds standing up for themselves and their beliefs—whether that means secretly learning Hebrew in early Savannah, using the family magic to pass as white in 1920s Hollywood, or singing in a feminist punk band in 1980s Boston. And they’re asking you to join them.

 

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5. MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME:  TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES

Synopsis:  If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year’s there’s something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.

 

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6. HERE WE ARE:  FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD

Synopsis:  LET’S GET THE FEMINIST PARTY STARTED!

Have you ever wanted to be a superheroine? Join a fandom? Create the perfect empowering playlist? Understand exactly what it means to be a feminist in the twenty-first century? You’ve come to the right place.

Forty-four writers, dancers, actors, and artists contribute essays, lists, poems, comics, and illustrations about everything from body positivity to romance to gender identity to intersectionality to the greatest girl friendships in fiction. Together, they share diverse perspectives on and insights into what feminism means and what it looks like. Come on in, turn the pages, and be inspired to find your own path to feminism by the awesome individuals in Here We Are.

Welcome to one of the most life-changing parties around!

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7. SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS

Synopsis:  For fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Lois Duncan, and Daphne Du Maurier comes a powerhouse anthology featuring some of the best writers of YA thrillers and horror

A host of the smartest young adult authors come together in this collection of scary stories and psychological thrillers curated by Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’s April Genevieve Tucholke.

Each story draws from a classic tale or two—sometimes of the horror genre, sometimes not—to inspire something new and fresh and terrifying. There are no superficial scares here; these are stories that will make you think even as they keep you on the edge of your seat. From bloody horror to supernatural creatures to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, this collection has something for any reader looking for a thrill.

Fans of TV’s The Walking Dead, True Blood, and American Horror Story will tear through tales by these talented authors:  Stefan Bachmann, Leigh Bardugo, Kendare Blake, A. G. Howard, Jay Kristoff, Marie Lu, Jonathan Maberry, Danielle Paige, Carrie Ryan, Megan Shepherd, Nova Ren Suma, McCormick Templeman, April Genevieve Tucholke, and Cat Winters.

 

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8. MEET CUTE

Synopsis:  Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere. MEET CUTE is an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of “how they first met” from some of today’s most popular YA authors.

Readers will experience Nina LaCour’s beautifully written piece about two Bay Area girls meeting via a cranky customer service Tweet, Sara Shepard’s glossy tale about a magazine intern and a young rock star, Nicola Yoon’s imaginative take on break-ups and make-ups, Katie Cotugno’s story of two teens hiding out from the police at a house party, and Huntley Fitzpatrick’s charming love story that begins over iced teas at a diner. There’s futuristic flirting from Kass Morgan and Katharine McGee, a riveting transgender heroine from Meredith Russo, a subway missed connection moment from Jocelyn Davies, and a girl determined to get out of her small town from Ibi Zoboi. Jennifer Armentrout writes a sweet story about finding love from a missing library book, Emery Lord has a heartwarming and funny tale of two girls stuck in an airport, Dhonielle Clayton takes a thoughtful, speculate approach to pre-destined love, and Julie Murphy dreams up a fun twist on reality dating show contestants.

This incredibly talented group of authors brings us a collection of stories that are at turns romantic and witty, epic and everyday, heartbreaking and real.

 

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9. WONDER WOMEN:  25 INNOVATORS, INVENTORS, & TRAILBLAZERS WHO CHANGED AMERICA

 

Synopsis:  You may think you know women’s history pretty well, but have you ever heard of. . .

· Alice Ball, the chemist who developed an effective treatment for leprosy—only to have the credit taken by a man?

· Mary Sherman Morgan, the rocket scientist whose liquid fuel compounds blasted the first U.S. satellite into orbit?

· Huang Daopo, the inventor whose weaving technology revolutionized textile production in China—centuries before the cotton gin?

Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. In Wonder Women, author Sam Maggs tells the stories of the brilliant, brainy, and totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors. Also included are interviews with real-life women in STEM careers, an extensive bibliography, and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations—all to show the many ways the geeky girls of today can help build the future.

 

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10. (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY:  33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Synopsis:  Who’s Crazy?  What does it mean to be crazy? Is using the word crazy offensive? What happens when such a label gets attached to your everyday experiences?

In order to understand mental health, we need to talk openly about it. Because there’s no single definition of crazy, there’s no single experience that embodies it, and the word itself means different things—wild? extreme? disturbed? passionate?—to different people.

(Don’t) Call Me Crazy is a conversation starter and guide to better understanding how our mental health affects us every day. Thirty-three writers, athletes, and artists offer essays, lists, comics, and illustrations that explore their personal experiences with mental illness, how we do and do not talk about mental health, help for better understanding how every person’s brain is wired differently, and what, exactly, might make someone crazy.

If you’ve ever struggled with your mental health, or know someone who has, come on in, turn the pages, and let’s get talking.

 

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Question:  Have you read any of these short story collections?  Can you recommend any other collections?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – MIRAGE by Somaiya Daud

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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 just be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is Mirage by Somaiya Daud.  Mirage sounds like it’s equal parts sci-fi and fantasy and, since those are my two favorite genres, I’m super excited to read it.  I’m so intrigued by the idea of this princess who is so hated that she needs a body double to guard against assassination attempts.  I was recently approved for an ARC of Mirage and I can’t wait to read it!

 

MIRAGE by Somaiya Daud

Publication Date:  August 26, 2018

 

From Goodreads:

In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection…because one wrong move could lead to her death.

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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 – My Top 10 Favorite Reads of 2018 (So Far!)

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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 Best Books I’ve Read In 2018 (So Far).  The hardest part of this week’s topic was actually narrowing down to just ten great books I’ve read so far this year because I’ve had a pretty great reading year thus far.  Hopefully saying that won’t jinx me and throw me into an epic reading slump, haha!  Anyway, after much thought, I was able to choose ten favorites.  Most are 2018 releases, but a couple of them are 2017 releases that I read while tackling my backlist and fell in love with.

 

 

My Top 10 Favorite Reads of 2018 (So Far!)

 

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1.  TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo

 

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2. THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black

 

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3. THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah

 

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4. FAR FROM THE TREE by Robin Benway

 

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5. GIRL MADE OF STARS by Ashley Herring Blake

 

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6. THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware

 

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7. DARK MATTER by Blake Crouch

 

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8. THE LAST TIME I LIED by Riley Sager

 

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9. I HAVE LOST MY WAY by Gayle Forman

 

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10. MORE THAN WE CAN TELL by Brigid Kemmerer

 

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Question:  What are your favorite reads so far this year?

Can’t Wait Wednesday – SHADOW OF THE FOX by Julie Kagawa

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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 just be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa. I have actually never read one of Julie Kagawa’s books before, but I always hear such wonderful things about them.  When I saw that this one features shapeshifters, dragons, and Japanese folklore, it immediately became a most anticipated read for me. It sounds so exciting!

 

SHADOW OF THE FOX by Julie Kagawa

Publication Date:  October 2, 2018

 

From Goodreads:

Once Every Thousand Years…

Every millennium, one age ends and another age dawns…and whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers holds the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for any one wish. The time is near…and the missing pieces of the scroll will be sought throughout the land of Iwagoto. The holder of the first piece is a humble, unknown peasant girl with a dangerous secret.

Demons have burned the temple Yumeko was raised in to the ground, killing everyone within, including the master who trained her to both use and hide her kitsune shapeshifting powers. Yumeko escapes with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll. Fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan. Yumeko knows he seeks what she has…and is under orders to kill anything and anyone who stands between him and the scroll.

A wish will be granted and a new age will dawn.

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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 – July 4th Edition: Red, White, & Blue Book Covers

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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 with Red, White, & Blue Covers (In honor of the 4th of July in the USA. Choose covers with your own country’s colors if you prefer!)  I’m from the U.S. so I chose to stick with red, white, and blue covers.  I was impressed that I could actually think of ten covers that had all three colors in them.  Usually that’s one of those topics where I forget what color every book I’ve ever read is, lol.

Happy 4th of July to all who will be celebrating tomorrow!

 

 

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10 Books with Red, White, & Blue Covers

 

THE WOMEN IN THE WINDOW by A.J. Finn

RED SISTER by Mark Lawrence

ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard

THE GIRLS by Emma Cline

THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED by Becky Albertalli

DOROTHY MUST DIE by Danielle Page

WINTER by Marissa Meyer

CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller

SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli

WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER by Leigh Bardugo

 

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The Mid Year Freak Out Tag

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I was tagged by Laurie at Laurie’s Bookshelf to complete this tag and it sounded like fun so I decided to give it a try, especially since I’ve been thinking about my year in reading so far anyway now that we’ve hit that mid year mark.  I’m also terrible when it comes to tagging people so if this looks like fun and you haven’t done it yet, feel free to consider yourself tagged.  🙂

 

 

1.  BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ THIS YEAR?

 

It’s hard to choose a favorite just because I’ve had some great reads so far this year, but I’d have to say The Cruel Prince is probably my favorite since it’s the one where I’m most anxious to get my hands on the next book in the series after the way this book ended.

 

2.  BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ IN 2018?

 

I definitely have to go with Legendary here.  It far exceeded my expectations and has me impatiently waiting for the third book in the series.

 

3.  NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET BUT WANT TO?

 

I ran out and purchased a copy of this book as soon as it was available but haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. I’m determined to read it this summer.

 

4.  MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR?

 

I truly cannot wait to get a book that’s all about Felicity, especially since she was my favorite character in the first book.

 

5.  BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT?

 

I had high hopes for this book.  The first book had been an average read for me but ended with an exciting cliffhanger that made me want to continue to the second book.  Unfortunately, the second book was an equally average read that built up to yet another cliffhanger.  I just lost interest at that point and have decided to quit the series.

 

6.  BIGGEST SURPRISE?

 

I definitely have to go with Legendary here as well, especially considering I wasn’t the biggest fan of Caraval and had been really thinking about quitting the series altogether.  Legendary was everything I wanted Caraval to be and more, so now I’m all about continuing this series.

 

7.  FAVORITE NEW TO YOU OR DEBUT AUTHOR?

 

  

I’ve started to read more contemporary fiction in 2018 and so both of these authors were new to me this year.  I adored these two books and can wait

 

8.  NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH?

 

I still need to write a proper review for this book, but it’s another of my favorite reads for 2018, and Prince Elian, who is a Prince but who prefers the life of a pirate/sailor is definitely one of my biggest fictional crushes so far this year.  He’s brave, determined, and also super snarky at times, which I really loved. His banter was Lira was pretty much EVERYTHING for me in this book.

 

9.  NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER?

 

I’m also going to throw this one over to To Kill a Kingdom because as much as I adored Prince Elian, I also fell in love with Lira.  She’s the Princes’ Bane and a total badass, but she also has some of the messiest relationships ever, particularly with her horrible mother.  Lira is a very complicated character and I became more and more fascinated by her the more I got to know her.

 

10.  BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY?

 

This is one of the hardest books I’ve read so far this year.  It’s beautifully written the subject matter is just painful and brutal.  I cried a lot while reading it.

 

11.  BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY?

 

Starry Eyes wasn’t a laugh out loud funny book, but it was just one of those books that made me smile a lot while I was reading it.

 

12.  FAVORITE BOOK-TO-FILM ADAPTATION?

 

This probably isn’t a surprise to anyone, but I adored the film adaptation of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda.

 

13.  FAVORITE POST YOU HAVE DONE THIS YEAR?

 

I suck when it comes to having to say I like something that I wrote, so I’m just going to go with the post that seemed to get the most feedback from my fellow bloggers, which was the one where I pondered why there are so many “GIRLS” in mysteries and thrillers.  I was referring to the titles of course, but that post generated a lot of discussions so I was pretty happy with it.

 

14.  MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR?

 

15.  WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR?

 

    

Honestly, the list of books I need to read by the end of the year is truly endless, but here are three that are priority reads for me as of this moment.  I really want to read Vicious asap since V.E. Schwab will be releasing the second book in the series soon.  I’m anxious to read In a Dark,Dark Wood soon because I just read my first book from Ruth Ware and loved it.  This one has been sitting on my shelf for a year or so now, so it’s time to read more Ruth Ware.  And lastly, I’ve been seeing a lot of great reviews for The Mermaid.  I love mermaid stories anyway so of course I want to read one that’s getting high marks from so many of my trusted blogger friends.

Can’t Wait Wednesday – Sarah Henning’s SEA WITCH

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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 just be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is SEA WITCH by Sarah Henning.  I just recently read and loved To Kill a Kingdom, which is a Little Mermaid retelling, so when I saw that this book was also a Little Mermaid retelling but from the perspective of the villain, it immediately became a must-read for me.

 

SEA WITCH by Sarah Henning

Publication Date:  July 31, 2018

 

 

From Goodreads:

The fairy tale you thought you knew…

The story of the Sea Witch, the villainess from Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale The Little Mermaid, told from the viewpoint of the Sea Witch when she was a twelve-year-old girl…

Evie has been wracked with guilt ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned. So when a girl appears on shore with an uncanny resemblance to Anna, Evie befriends her in an effort to make amends. And as the two girls catch the eyes – and hearts – of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at happy ever after. But is Evie’s new friend really who she says she is? Or will Evie discover, too late, the truth of her bargain? A gripping story of friendship, betrayal and the power of hope…Because ‘though magic can shape life and death… love is the one thing it cannot control

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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 – The Snail’s Pace Edition: Top 10 Series You Probably Think I’ve Quit, But I Swear I Haven’t!

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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 Series I’ve Given Up On/Don’t Plan to Finish.  I’ve done a similar topic recently and don’t really have any new series that I’ve quit since then.  For that reason, I decided to tweak the topic a bit and instead share with you a list of series that it probably seems like I’ve quit because it’s taking me so long to actually get through them.  I’ve made no secret of the fact that I really struggle to keep up with series. I hate waiting for the next book in the series to come out, and if the series goes on for too many books, I tend to lose interest, etc.  In the case of the series below, however, I love what I’ve read so far and I’m determined to finish them, no matter how long it takes me.  Even if in some cases, I’m looking at you ‘A Song of Ice and Fire,’ I’ve been reading it since late 2012, lol.

 

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Top 10 Series You Probably Think I’ve Quit, But I Swear I Haven’t!

 

THE GRISHA TRILOGY by Leigh Bardugo

It took me forever to start the Grisha trilogy but I finally did manage to get through the first two books earlier this year.  I loved them both but then kind of stalled out on the series.  I’m determined to finish it this summer though.

 

RED RISING SAGA by Pierce Brown

I read the first book in this series back when I first started blogging, fell in love with it, and then promptly fell asleep when it came to continuing the series.  I have purchased the second book though so we’ll see if I get through that this year.

 

A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE by George R.R. Martin

I have been reading this series since late 2012 and although I seriously love it, the books are just so darn long!  I read one every year or so and that’s about all I can take.  I’m up to the fourth book now and I’m determined to finish the series no matter how long it takes.

 

THE FIFTH WAVE by Rick Yancey

I have no excuse on this one aside from I completely forgot about it until glancing at my bookshelf to put together this list and seeing the second book in the series still sitting there unread.

 

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS by Rick Riordan

I was reading this series with my son and we got through the first two books before he seemed to lose interest in it.  I, however, am still very much interested in continuing and will do so on my own if my son doesn’t wish to continue.

 

ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes

The first book just gutted me so thoroughly that I’ve been hesitant to continue.  I will though. I just have to work myself up to it.

 

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA by Lauren Weisberger

I loved the first book in this series back in 2010 and really enjoyed it, but then I went through a phase where I wanted to read absolutely nothing that was labeled as Chick Lit.  I feel that I’m starting to come out of that phase a bit so I definitely see myself continuing this series at some point.

 

KINGDOM ON FIRE by Jessica Cluess

This is another series I haven’t yet continued because I forgot about it.  (Did I mention I have a real problem when it comes to keeping up with series?)

 

CLASH OF KINGDOMS by Erin Summerill

Yet another series that I forgot about until I recently saw that the third book will be coming out soon.

 

DC ICONS by Various Authors

I’ll admit that my excitement for this series waned a bit after seeing a lot of mixed reviews for the Batman: Nightwalker book.  I did adore Wonder Woman: Warbringer though so I definitely plan to continue, if for no other reason, than I need to get to the Catwoman and Superman books.

 

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Question:  Are there any series that are taking you forever to get through, but you’re determined not to quit them?