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Ten Books That Surprised Me

Mar 13, 2018

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 of 2018. Each week they post a new Top Ten list that members at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone join as you please. This week’s topic is Ten Books That Surprised Me.

Surprised in a good way

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black: I loved this book. So much. I’m not a massive fan of fae and haven’t had many good experiences in the past but, I adored The Cruel Prince. It’s addicting, dark and messes with your emotions. It’s a world of court intrigue and the conflict between fae and humans. It explores the notion of being human and the emotions that come with it. It’s fast-paced with many twists and turns that throw you off | Full Review.

Sleeping Giants (Themis Files #1) by Sylvain Neuvel: I wasn’t expecting to like this book at all. Sci-fi isn’t really my thing and I have had a lot of hits and misses. But all I heard about Sleeping Giants were great things. So I picked it up via audiobook and loved it! It’s one that I always recommend now at work to those looking for new science fiction.

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab: Again this is another one that everyone seems to really enjoy and I really don’t have a reason why I hadn’t picked it up. But after I did I just loved it. I love the world, the characters, the relationships. Everything just fit together so nicely.

Letters to the Lost (Letters to the Lost #1) by Brigid Kemmerer: This sounded like my type of read when I heard about it, but I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. It’s a story about grief and dealing with those who you have lost. It’s about understanding that sometimes isn’t what you think they are. It explores the notion of family, friendship and finding yourself. It’s heartfelt, heartbreaking, but also uplifting. It’s one of the tissues | Full Review.

Frostblood (Frostblood Saga #1) by Elly Blake: Again like Letters to the Lost, I knew I was going to like this, but what surprised me was that I ended up loving it. With a mix of everything I love. Frostblood explores the notion of family, finding out who you are, where you belong and to fight for what you believe. I loved the romance and the world | Full Review.

Surprised in a bad way

Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Erin Watt: I don’t really know how to feel about this. I love Elle Kennedy’s books and I have a big handful of them. So it really surprised me when I really disliked Paper Princess. I didn’t like the characters, the plot, most of the book truly. I did continue the series and enjoy it a little more, but it’s not my favourite out there.

The Pearl Thief (Code Name Verity 0.5) by Elizabeth Wein: I had heard so many amazing things about Elizabeth Wein. The Pearl Thief had the ingredients for things that I love. But it was such a letdown. It explores the notion of a girl in her time and where she stands. It explores family and friendship and standing up for what you believe in. I hope that I will be able to read more of Wein’s books soon and hope that the hype stands true | Full Review.

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares: This is another author that I heard great things about the author, and the premise of the book really drew me in. So I was surprised when I didn’t really like it. The Whole Things Together is a poignant novel that just didn’t hit the right spots for me. With far too many characters and storylines to keep track off. I was confused most of the time. It explores the notions of romance, family and finding yourself |Full Review.

The Impossible Story of Olive in Love by Tonya Alexandra: I really didn’t like this book. I nearly hated it. Like a lot of these books, it had all the right ingredients. But gosh there were so many things wrong. Olive as a protagonist didn’t sit well with me, as well as the romance. The plot was intriguing and I kept reading for that alone. I was hoping that there would be some resolution, but I was left disappointed.

Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber: When I finished this book, I liked it more than I do now. After I’ve had time to think about it, things weren’t just adding up for me. The world was interesting and so were the most of the characters. But together it just didn’t fit for me.

And that it for this post! What are some of the books that have surprised you? Was it in a good way or a bad? Let’s Chat!

Best Series Endings | Discussions

Mar 5, 2018

I am a massive series reader. It’s all I really read when I started YA. I love falling into a world and staying there for a really long time. One of my favourite things about series is the slow worldbuilding. I love that we find out more things as the books go, we are building layers upon layers and it’s just great. So today I thought I would share some of my favourite series endings.

I’ll try not and spoil the endings per say, but I will talk about them in satisfaction sense. I tried to mix this list up and add some newer series too. Like always these series are in no real order.

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare: This ending was wow. City of Heavenly Fire was an intense book. I cried, laughed and everything in between. It is one of those series, that even though the ending is heartbreaking, it has done well. While the book is on the long side, it’s still a really satisfying ending to one of my favourite series.

The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare: I am sorry for putting two of Cassie’s series on here, but the ending of this series – everything works out! The ending on Clockwork Princess is heartbreaking in so many different ways and if you have read it, you will know why. But this series has one of my favourite endings of all time.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan: I love that when this series ends, it doesn’t really. I hope that makes sense. But we get a nice ending with The Last Olympian, things are tied up nicely. This series as a whole has been built up to this final battle. And it’s intense, but also so good. Plus it’s not really the end.

The Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski: This series is my heart and joy. I still recommend it to both people at work and other readers. The Winner’s Kiss was a near perfect ending to a brilliant series that blew my expectations. It deals with many things from politics, religion, war, and love. It takes you’re a journey that you near want to stop.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: Another series that I fell in love with from the start and it just got more and more addicting as the series went on. Winter was an amazing way to finish off the series. it was full of adventure, heartbreaking moments, beautiful moments that had me grinning ear to ear.

And that is it! What are some of your favourite endings? Do we have any of the same? What are some series that you recommend? Let’s Chat!

Books I Could Re-Read Forever | Discussion

Mar 1, 2018

I was supposed to write this post the other day, but my health just wasn’t on my side. So today I thought I would share some of the books that I could forever re-read.

I love re-reading, it’s one of my favourite things to do. I love reading a book again and finding out different things, finding out more. It’s a whole new experience. I re-read many books over and over again. Sometimes I re-read a book I haven’t read in years – sometimes I love the book even more. Sometimes I hate it. But it’s always a fun experience.

Sometimes when I re-read I only pick certain scenes in the book. They just really grasped me and I just have that feeling to pick it up. Sometimes it’s an emotional scene and it’s really captured me. But most of the time it’s that scene between characters that change everything.

Nevertheless, here we go. Like always, these aren’t in any real order.

Harry Potter by J.K Rowling: I seriously cannot tell you how many times I have re-read this series. I have lost count. Even though I’ve read it countless times, I still found out more and more about it when I pick it up again. At the moment I am re-reading it through audiobook and loving it! It’s like I am reading it for the first time again.

Every Series by Ellie Marney: This has to be one of my favourite Australian series of all time. I love it and recommend it to everyone that’s looking for #LoveOzYA or Crime. It’s got a great mix of crime, romance and coming of age. If you haven’t picked this up – please do.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan: I read this series many years ago now and I still love it to this day. I love that the world keeps on expanding, we are meeting new people, new worlds. And I just fall in love with each one. It’s one of the top books I recommend at work and don’t hesitate about it.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: One of my favourite books of all time, when I read it last year I fell in love. And if you haven’t read it, I really think that you should. It’s heartbreaking, poignant and so so true. It’s a book that everyone should read, and understand. I think that everytime that I would re-read it, I would learn something new.

Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy: I love reading Him for the emotional impact. The relationship between the two protagonists is very intense and while they are both trying to figure their feelings out it hard for them. When I do re-read this, I normally skim read the sexy bits and really focus on their emotional relationship. The same goes for the second book Us. That book really tests both characters and it’s emotional as heck.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare: Since this has come out, I’ve said it’s my favourite CC books and nothing has changed. This book is everything and to me has little faults. While I struggle to re-read Lord of Shadows simply because that book killed me. I love re-reading Lady Midnight.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick: It’s one of the first contemporary YA and I love it. It’s heartbreaking, fun and just makes me feel warm. It’s one of those books that break your break and holds it together at the same. I’ve already re-read it a couple times, before and I would do it again and again.

That is it! Do you re-read? What are some of your favourite re-reads? Let’s Chat!