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Binge-Worthy YA Series

Sep 5, 2020

Today I thought I would share some binge-worthy young adult series. I love binge reading. It’s one of my favourite things to do. And binge reading a series is so much fun.

These are the series that I think are binge-worthy. I think you can read one after each other and not get bored. That hit all the right places. I tried to include a range of genres but in YA I tend to binge read more paranormal/fantasy. Anyway, like always these are in order.

Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead: This is one fo the series that first comes to mind when I think binge reading. It has it’s highs and lows, it will break your heart. And you need to know what’s going to happen right away. There are so many cliff hangers in this series and waiting for them was hard – but now no one needs to. It has great romances, great friendships and just a really cool world.

The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare: I think this is the most binge-able from all her books. I mean I’ve done it with all of them. But this series, in particular, it’s just so easy to do. The world is easy to fall into, the characters are fantastic and the romance is pretty amazing. I love that this is 3 books and an easy binge read.

Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout: I think I’ve binge read this series twice already. It’s just a fun one to binge read. The Lux series is one of those that you just can’t stop reading. It’s not a paricalur fantastic series, but I love reading it. It’s an interesting world with creatures that we don’t see a lot of, especially in YA.

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig: I don’t talk about this duology enough, but it’s seriously so good. I love the cast of characters in this one. It’s full of banter and just some great times. But it’s also intense and entertaining.

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass: If you are looking for a series that you can just bang out then this is the one for you. It’s quick, easy, but also entertaining. It’s not for everyone but it’s a fun read.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: I just did a re-read of this series recently and I loved it as much the second time. I normally don’t read sci-fi, but this is the perfect amount that doesn’t leave me confused the whole time. I also love the mash-up of sci-fiction and fairytales.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi: This is another one that is short by sweet. It’s unique and different and I really enjoyed reading it. It’s a rich world that stands out from others and that is just fantastic to me.

Hundred Oaks by Miranda Kenneally: While this isn’t a series per se, it’s a collection of companions novels that have characters pop in and out. It’s fantastic and I love it. This one is great for the younger YA crowd, but anyone can pick it up.

Every Series by Ellie Marney: If you are looking for a series that is intense, has a great romance and is a thriller/mystery. Then this one is for you. It’s one of my favourite series of all time and I binge-read it forever.

And that is it for this post? What are some series that you love to binge read? Would you like to see more of these posts? Let’s Chat!

Taylor Swfit’s folklore Book Tag

Aug 13, 2020

Today I’m doing something very excited, I’m doing the new tag! Everyone should know by now that I love Taylor Swift, so when was tagged to do the Taylor Swift’s folklore Book Tag by Cielo @ Bellerose Reads. I jumped!

I am seriously loving the new album, it gives me all the feels and I’m so up for that. This album is raw and real and something that I have been waiting for her to write for a long time. I’m going to die when I see this one in concert. Anyway, let’s get into it.

Rules

Credit the creator of the tag, Cielo @ Bellerose Reads (Pingback to one of my posts so I can receive the notification)
Shout out the person who tagged you
List the rules of the tag in your post.
Tag at least 5 people to do the tag!

the 1 – A book you wanted to read but never did

“You know the greatest films of all time were never made”

This has to go to The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray. This has been on my tbr for some time, but I just can never seem to pick it up. I’ve tried to start it a few times, but have never been able to get into it. It is, however, part of my best friend picks up tbr. So hopefully I can get to it by the end of the year.

cardigan – A character that didn’t end up with their first love interest

“You drew stars around my scars / But now I’m bleeding”

Anyone from books that Sarah J Maas has written. You should all know by now that I’m not a massive fan of Sarah J Maas. And one of the reason is that I don’t like what she does with a previous love interest. I don’t mind that they don’t end up with someone other than the first people they fall for, but I hate what she does to them after.

the last great american dynasty – A book with an epic female protagonist

“There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen / She had a marvelous time ruining everything”

Ohh this one has to be Lada Dragwlya from The Conqueror’s Saga by Kiersten White. I seriously love Lada so much. She isn’t the most likeable, but she is brutal and strong and hell goes through so damn much. Some of the things that she has to go through, throughout the series are as brutal as she is. But she is also the female Vlad the Impaler – so she gets her revenge. Somewhat.

exile – A book about walking out of a toxic relationship

“You were my town, now I’m in exile, seeing you out / I think I’ve seen this film before”

This is one of the hardest topics for me to read about, but I also love seeing people have the strength to do it. It did take me a while to think of one, but The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. While I didn’t love the book. It does explore a very toxic relationship that the female protagonist has to explore throughout the book. You can check out my discussion with Ely about this one.

my tears ricochet – The fictional couple that made you suffer the most

“And if I’m on fire, you’ll be made of ashes, too”

Oh gosh, there are so many. But Ember and Josh from Full Measures and Hallowed Ground by Rebecca Yarros take the cry. I don’t think I’ve ever cried as much as I did in these books. In this whole series really. Ember and Josh both go through so much, not only a couple but in their own lives as well. And gosh does it turn.

mirrorball – A swoon-worthy, sweet couple

“You’ll find me on my tallest tiptoes / Spinning in my highest heels, love / Shinning just for you”

I love adorable and sweet couples. Seriously they are some of my favourites but for this, I have to pick Beatrix Hathaway and Captain Christopher Phelan from While these two have many ups and downs. They are adorable and I can’t deal with it. Seriously they just make me smile a whole lot.

seven – A book with fae characters

“Please picture me in the weeds / Before I learned civility”

One of my favourite things with fae characters is how different they can be. Fae’s can be questionable characters and when you have a whole book of them it just works. Hence why I loved The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black. So many questionable things happening throughout the novel but it just works for me.

august – A book you’ve read very fast

“August sipped away like a bottle of wine / ‘Cause you were never mine”

Dear Martin (Dear Martin #1) by Nic Stone is the book for this one. I finished it in a couple of hours. It’s short yes, but it’s also so powerful. Add to that, Justyce was such a fantastic protagonist. He felt real and honest and that made for such an incredible read.

this is me trying – A coming of age book

“Pouring out my heart to a stranger / But I didn’t pour the whiskey”

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo is one of the best coming of age novels. Everything felt right with this one. The passion and thought that went into every word, every poem was just perfect.

illicit affairs – A book with a forbidden love

“Tell your friends you’re out for a run / You’ll be flushed when you return”

I have no idea what book to pick for this one. But one of the best written forbidden romances has to be Emma and Julian from Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. Holy crap did their romance kill me. And hurt me. But it was also so damn beautiful.

invisible string – A book featuring a road trip

“Time, mystical time / Cutting me open, then healing me fine”

Thinking about an answer for this one took me a while and made me realise I don’t read many books with road trips. But Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry is the perfect one for this prompt. I think I might need to do a re-read of Katie McGarry soon cause I sure do miss her writing and these characters.

mad woman – Your favourite female villain

“And women like hunting witches too / Doing your dirtiest work for you”

It took me a while but I finally picked one for this and it’s Queen Levana from the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. She is twisted but also so interesting. The way that her mind works and the way that she can influence people. I hate her so much. But she also just adds so much to the notion of a female villain.

Epiphany – A book that made everything disappear while you were having a rough time

“Just one single glimpse of relief / To make some sense of what you’ve seen”

Hands down this one has to be The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. I can’t begin to tell you how happy this book made me feel. It’s about love, that isn’t just about blood family or falling in love. It’s about believing in yourself and those that do love you. This enchanting story is exceptional and breathtaking.

Betty – A book with a second-chance trope

“I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything / But I know I miss you”

Rookie Move (Brooklyn Bruisers #1) by Sarina Bowen has one of my favourite second chance romances. I love Georgia and Leo so much. And I adore that they get their second chance. They have both been through so much and they come together in this one.

Peace – A book with a passionate affair that wasn’t meant to be

“But the rain is always going to come if you’re standin’ with me”

I have no idea what book to pick for this one. I am a HEA kind of girl so I don’t read many books where the protagonist doesn’t get with the main love interest.

Hoax – The saddest book you remember reading

“You know I left a part of me back in New York / You know the hero died so what’s the movie for?

I read a lot of sad books. I honestly don’t know why but I love reading them. But one of the books that I cried the most in is The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros. I cried honestly so much in this one. It’s heartbreaking oh my gosh,

Woo, that is it! That was so much fun. I listen to folklore while doing this post and that made even better. I’m tagging anyone that wants to do this post. Let me know if you do it. Have you read any of these books? Do you agree with my choices? Let’s chat!

Book Recommendations For Younger Teens

Aug 10, 2020

Today I thought I would share books that I think are perfect for younger teens to read. Finding books for teens aged 13-15 is I think, one of the hardest age ranges to recommend books for. My little sister has inspired me to do this post. We were organising my books, and she said that I should do a post on books for teens her age, and I thought hey, that is a perfect post idea.

Whenever I get parents coming into work asking me for books for this age group, I’m always hesitant. Teens in this age group, range in what they know, understand and want to read. I was reading a lot of YA as soon as I hit high school. And at that age, I read some books that I probably shouldn’t have read, but at that point in time, I didn’t know about the bookish community. So when parents and even the teens themselves come into work looking for books, it’s always a hard choice.

There are a few things that I go through when trying to work out what to recommend these teens, especially those that don’t read. One of the first questions I always ask any of my customers is; What do they like to watch? Most people watch something that they like these days, even if it’s just youtube. But knowing what they like to watch is a great base to start on. Then I field through questions like, do you like fantasy, do you want something set in this time. Anything along those lines helps to give some great recommendations.

But still trying to find books that teens 13-15 might like, is hard. It’s that age range when some know more about things than others. And there aren’t many books for those in between. There are heaps of books in the middle-grade department, and then it jumps to 16+. And those ages in between somehow get missed, a lot.

So today I thought I would share books for those that are looking in that age range. Like always these are in no order.

Percy Jackson and anything else from Rick Riordan: There is no doubt that these books are on my list. I recommend Rick Riordan’s books to anyone and everything, but especially to younger teens. What I love most about these series is that they grow with the reader. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is a great start early, but as the series go on, the characters get older. It’s a great way for the reader to grow with the characters. Everything about these books is just fantastic, from characters to the plot and I can’t forget about the writing.

School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani: While I have just started this series, I have my little sister to vouch for the whole series. Like Riordan’s books, this is a great series for the reader to grow with the characters. It’s an exciting fantasy series that I’m already enjoying quite a bit. It’s got a lot of popular elements and characters that younger teens will know, but then Chainani puts his twist on them, and I love it.

Hundred Oaks Series by Miranda Kenneally: These are what I would call a ‘clean’ YA. I don’t particularly like using that word, but I don’t know how else to explain this. Some of the books do deal with older characters and situations. But overall these are pretty clean romances that I loved reading when I was younger. I would say this is more on the 15-year-old side, but I think it’s a great series for teens that love their romance.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: I think this is great for any age range. Again it’s one that I’m always recommending to customers at work and whenever anyone asks for something for their teens. The Hate U Give is a brilliant and powerful story. It’s heartbreaking, poignant and so so true. It’s a book that everyone should read, and understand. And while it does with some hard things, it isn’t something that teens aren’t customer to. They know these things and it’s a great way for them to understand even more.

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass: While this isn’t the most beautiful written series out there, it’s a perfect series for the younger teens. It’s a fun series that is different and just a pleasure to read. Especially those that are just starting to read YA. It one of those series where it borders genres and when teens don’t know what they want or know what they like it’s a great start.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley: I love this book so much and I wish that more people would pick it up. This is a poignant, beautiful story with fleshed-out characters, gorgeous writing and a concept that is for every book lover. This is a fantastic #LoveOzYA and I think it’s a great book for those teens that may be looking to cry a little.

The Protected by Claire Zorn: This is another book that will make you cry. But I think it’s a fantastic book that explores grief, bullying and mental illness. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking novel that tales a story of a girl who not only has to deal with her sister dying, but memory lost, her family breaking down and the torment of school.

Those are only some of the books that I think teens aged 13-15 might enjoy. There are so many more book and series that I could have included. If you would like to see another post like this, please do let me know. Have you read any of these books? Are you planning on reading them? What are some books that you recommend for younger teens? Let’s Chat!