📖Rest of Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi (excluding last book released)
📖Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
From book subscription boxes (TBR)
📖 Birthday by Meredith Russo
📖This time will be different by Misa Sugiura
Bought
📖The book of dust by Phillip Pullman
E-books (from kindle first reads)
📖False step by Victoria Helen Stone
Wrap-up
I don’t feel like I made good progress on my TBR this month, maybe because I barely read any physical books; they were mostly audio and e-books. But I do feel like a read good quality books, so maybe quality over quantity is a good thing. I definitely want to get to more of my real books in July. Especially Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. After having read Aurora Rising by them I’m really excited to read the Illuminae series.
I saw this tag on the For Book s’ Sake page and it looked like so much fun. So without anything further here are the questions and my answers.
E-book or physical Book?
Here is the thing, there’s nothing like holding a physical book in my hands, being able to turn the pages and seeing how far I’ve come, and the smell of a book is one of my favorite scents. BUT, I do have two kids under four and it’s much easier for me to read an e-book while I watch them than to read a real book.
Paperback or hardback?
This is a hard one. Paperbacks are so much easier for me to hold and carry around everywhere. Hardbacks are so pretty and look much better on my shelves. I always have to remove the dust cover so that I don’t damage it while I take it everywhere, and then when I’m done with the book I put the dust cover back on and put it on my shelf. If I really had to choose, I think I would choose paperbacks.
Mother’s Day bookhaul
Online or in-store book shopping?
Books are so much cheaper online, but there’s nothing like walking through a bookstore for me. It’s actually one of my favorite things to do in the world. This year for mother’s day that was actually my only wish, going to the bookstore. My husband was such a trooper, he handled the kids while I spent some uninterrupted time browsing for books. As you can see on this picture, I really spoiled myself.
Trilogies or series?
As long as the book is good, I don’t really care if it’s a trilogy or a series. As long as I like the author and the story still holds my interest I will read all the books they write, even if it’s an 18 book long one (Black Dagger Brotherhood anyone?).
Heroes or villains?
Heroes all the way. Give me heroes I can root for the whole time. Once I start liking the villains and wishing they would kill the hero already, that’s when I know I’m hating the book.
Hands down the Harry Potter series. I could read those books over and over. I’m in love with that whole world, and I always hope I can pass my love on to others. You can read all about how I grew up with this series here.
Recommend an underrated author?
Is Julie Kagawa considered underrated? I’m not sure, but her Immortal Rules series was one of the best I’ve read and I never see it talked about anywhere. You all already know I loved her Shadow of the Fox and Soul of the Sword books.
The last book you finished?
Call it What you Want by Brigid Kemmerer. It was a four star out of five for me, and you can read my review here.
Weirdest thing you’ve used as a bookmark?
*Cringes* …a banana? Okay, hear me out. I was really busy at work multi-tasking, I was reading and eating, and then I got a phone call…so what do I do? I stick my banana in my book to hold my page. Don’t judge me.
Used books: Yes or no?
I love all books, definitely yes. I like imagining where the book has been and how many people have read it. I don’t sniff them like I do new books, but still used books are great.
Top 3 favorite genres?
Fantasy, YA, and does New Adult count? I occasionally delve into Contemporary, but I really try to avoid it because it makes me cry.
Borrow or buy?
I try not to borrow books, when I do I warn the owners that it might not come back in the same condition. Like I said, I have two kids. I love buying books. My bank account not so much though.
Character or plot?
Plot. If the plot goes downhill, then it doesn’t matter how good your characters are. For example, I really loved the Divergent series, an I loved the characters, but once the plot started slipping I hated the whole thing. Also, I hate bad endings.
Long or short books?
Size doesn’t matter! Okay, but for real if you can tell me everything you need to tell me, if the characters are well developed, and so is the plot, then I don’t really care what the size of the book is.
Throne of Glass (#7)
Name the first three books you think of?
Throne of Glass
Lunar Chronicles
Shatter Me
Three of my favorites 🙂
Books that make you laugh or books that make you cry?
I hate crying, I love books that make me laugh. I’m currently listening to an audio of Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff, and I love the humor they use.
Picture taken by Me
Our world or fictional worlds?
Depends on the world. I would love to live in the Harry Potter world, but would not like to live in the post Apocalyptic Shatter Me world.
Audiobooks: Yes or no?
A month ago this would’ve been a no, but recently I have developed a liking for audio books. I only listen to them on my work commute, in the shower, and while I’m doing chores around the house. It has been a good way for me to stay productive. I always listen to a sample first before I get the book though, because if I don’t like the narrator’s voice then the whole thing is ruined.
Do you ever judge a book by its cover?
Too many times to count, although I have learned from my mistakes. I now read the reviews and usually a sample before I commit to buying a book now. I’m a sucker for pretty covers, and thanks to Bookstagram my TBR is full them.
Picture form Goodreads
Book to movie or book to TV adaptation?
It depends on the book? I recently was so disappointed by the Game of Thrones TV show 😦 But I did love most of the Harry Potter movies, they really made the whole world come alive with only a few minor flaws and omissions.
A movie or TV adaptation you preferred instead of the book?
None, I always like the book better.
Series or stand alone?
I like series. Stand alone books always leave me feeling empty and with no purpose after. At least with a series I can delay that feeling until the last book 🙂
There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.
Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.
That’s life…it doesn’t matter if you’re monster or human, living hurts.”
August
This was a very unique world in which music played a big part. Monsters called Sunai could steal a person’s soul by singing or playing music. Music was also used as an escape by both the main characters; though I found myself identifying more with August’s taste in classical music, rather than Kate’s loud rock music.
The characters were very well fleshed out. I thought Kate was a strong female character who was willing to do anything to seek her father’s approval. August was sweet and likeable, but also did not let Kate push him around. I also liked the fact that there was no “instalove” in this story, and that their relationship did not take over the whole plot.
The plot was very action packed from the beginning. The characters were plunged from one predicament to the other with barely any breathing room in between. The only reason I took one star was because the ending was too perfect for me, and there was very little explanation as to what happened. But you will just have to read for yourself.
Overall, I would recommend this book to all fans of YA/Fantasy, and to anyone interested in dystopian novels and how people react at the end of the world.
Lately, I’ve been adding every pretty cover I see on Bookstagram to my TBR, I really need to stop. Thank goodness for Mondays where I get to clean this mess up. I ordered my Goodreads TBR in reverse chronological order as usual, and this time I took a look at the first ten books and decided to keep or delete them.
Picture from Goodreads
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Senz
I don’t know why I love this cover so much. There’s something about the open field, and maybe the fact that I have a thing for beat up old trucks? This book has awesome reviews from everyone on my Goodreads, it’s actually a rare 4.35/ 5, and it has 188,441 ratings.
Keep
Picture from Goodreads
A Shifting of Stars by Kathy Kimbray
This one was a fairly recent release, it was published May 28, 2019. It has good reviews for now. It says it’s perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes, Red Queen, and Shadow and Bone. I loved An Ember in the Ashes, did not care for Red Queen, and Shadow and Bone is on my physical TBR, so I think this one is a keeper for now.
Keep 🙂
Picture from Goodreads
Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian
This seems a lot like Throne of Glass, and a lot of the reviews are saying the same thing. Girl loses kingdom, then wants to regain it with the help of a boy, and there’s of course a love triangle involved somewhere in there. Not interested. Pretty cover though. I must stop adding books for their covers! *smashes head against table*
Delete 😦
Picture from Goodreads
Air Awakens by Elise Kova
It definitely was not the cover that made me add this book to my TBR. I think it was a glowing review on Bookstagram, I’m not sure. Upon further investigation, it has mixed reviews on Goodreads, with some people calling it a bit cliché. I think maybe this is not for me.
Delete 😦
Picture from Goodreads
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
You had me at magical library. This looks like a very unique story. It has great reviews on Goodreads even though it’s a fairly new release. I just hope this is just not an overly hyped book.
Keep 🙂
Picture from Goodreads
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
This cover is amazing! The book has a few mixed reviews from Goodreads, but I think I will risk it and keep it.
Keep 🙂
Picture from Goodreads
The Diviners by Libba Bray
I thought this would be a good murder/mystery book when I first added it, sometimes I’m in the mood for those. But according to some of the reviews on Goodreads this seems to turn into something unexpected, and religion and spirituality end up playing a very big role. This is going to be no for me.
Delete 😦
Picture from Goodreads
Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly
I love fairy tale retellings, and this seems like a good twist on Snow White, where the Stepsister is the main character instead.
Keep 🙂
Picture from Goodreads
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
This isn’t the type of book I would normally read, but I feel like I need to branch out a bit. This is a historical fiction book, about a girl who gets put into a work camp along with her mother and brother in Russia. It has raving reviews on Goodreads. I will read it when I’m in one of those moods to have my heart ripped out of my chest by a book.
Keep 🙂
Picture from Goodreads
Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
I’ve never read a book by this author, and I know I said I need to branch out, but maybe not that OUT. From the reviews I’ve read, it seems like this is not a good first book to read by her.
Delete 😦
My Goodreads TBR list is now down to 49 books. I feel so light and happy 🙂
I skipped two of the quizzes, so I guess I broke rule number one. What can I say, I like to live life on the edge. But I had good reasons! The Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard I wasn’t a fan of so did not continue with the series after the first book. I also skipped The Raven Boys quiz because I recently read the first one and I didn’t want it to ruin the rest.
Isabelle is a badass and I love her, I also secretly wish I had her hair. I stopped reading The Dark Artifacts after book one, and I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion but I could not stand the whole forbidden love thing again, sorry. Therefore, I have no idea who Diana Wrayburn is.
I would love to have control of all elements like Dorian does, and I especially love ice, so I was very happy with this. I don’t know about Nesryn, she wasn’t one of my favorite characters, but thinking back her skill with a bow and arrow and her unflinching loyalty were admirable, so I’m happy with being her as well.
Elaine!! Really? Guess I’m nicer than I thought, I really thought I would be Nesta or something. Also, I wouldn’t want to be able to predict the future, and I definitely kill every plant I try to take care of…but okay.
UGH really?! She was so annoying in the books, and I only liked her in the movies because she’s played by Anna Kendrick and I really love her. So I guess I forgive this quiz website *rolls eyes*
Okay, this quiz thing is just going downhill now. I seriously think I got this because I’m short on money and when it asked what I want the most right now I put: Endless riches. I hate Locke, but I guess it is what it is.
I don’t know how I feel about this one. On the one hand Jacin was loyal, but sometimes to a fault. Also, he could be a sarcastic a-hole sometimes. I guess my opinion on this is, meh.
Conclusion:
There you have it. According to these quizzes I am loyal, independent, confident, sarcastic, responsible, creative, not a fighter, quiet, a natural charmer, curious, and “the embodiment of beauty and grace” to list a few 🙂
If you need a pick me up. I would definitely recommend taking these. Let me know how you did!
This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where you answer three questions: What are you reading now? What did you just read? What will you be reading next?
This past week I haven’t been very productive at all when it comes to reading. My birthday is coming up, and my husband surprised me with a Goldendoodle puppy ♥️ Puppies are a handful, it’s like having a third child 😅
I can’t believe I got an ARC of Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa (the sequel to Shadow of the Fox). I love these characters and I can’t wait to see how the story ends.
I’m also listening to This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab during my work commute. This is one of my first Schwab books and I’m loving it. I had started reading Vicious, also by her, but I had to stop so I could read the Soul of the Sword ARC before release day.
I recently read The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. It was a nice read. I gave it three stars. You can read my review here.
Picture taken by me
What I will read next:
I want to finish the Vicious e-book by V.E. Schwab, which I had found very interesting before I had to stop reading it. I also need to finish Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, which I had stopped reading as well.
There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
Neeve
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore. (Synopsis from Goodreads)
I thought Stiefvater’s writing was spectacular. The story was hypnotic and entertaining. I admit to laughing out loud many times throughout it. She makes great use of similes and metaphors without overdoing it. I really liked the different POV’s, even the ones from the bad guy’s perspective, it really brought the whole story together.
She wasn’t interested in telling other people’s futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.”
Blue
Blue was unique, from her name to her clothes to the way she decorated her room. I don’t blame her since she had a very strange upbringing, and grew up surrounded by fortune tellers. But this story was mainly about the boys. I really liked that they all had their own unique voices and distinct personalities. I still can’t decide which one was my favorite Aglionby boy, maybe Ronan, and I hope she wrote a book where we get to find out more about him. I still don’t know about Gansey, I can’t get past his obsession with this quest of his, and it seems like neither can he.
Gansey had once told Adam that he was afraid most people didn’t know how to handle Ronan. What he meant by this was that he was worried that one day someone would fall on Ronan and cut themselves”
adam
There was a great sense of adventure to this story, and the quests and discoveries were unique. I expected some of the twista, and there were some that caught me by surprise. Even though I understand this was part of a series, I still docked a few stars because I felt like the whole story was building up to something and then it fell flat at the end. Sometimes when authors do this, it makes me feel like they cut the story short just so they could write a second book, and it leaves me wanting.
When I was done with this book, I didn’t immediately feel like reading the next in the series. I did really like her writing style, and I am curious to learn more about all these characters, so I will definitely pick it up in the future. Hopefully, in the next book the ending is a bit better and I am left feeling more satisfied and less empty.
Have you guys read this? What did you think? Does the series get better plot-wise?
On Mondays I take the opportunity to clean up my TBR list. I ordered it in reverse chronological order from the date it was added. I looked at the oldest five books I’ve added on there and decided whether to keep them or delete them.
Picture from Goodreads
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
There are so many mixed reviews for this book. I feel like this is one of those you either love or you hate. I read a sample and decided I did not care for the writing style.
Delete 😦
Picture from Goodreads
Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1) by Jay Kristoff
I read a sample of this book and I loved it. The main character is so snarky, she reminds me of Caelena from Throne of Glass. I can’t wait to read it. It also sounds like a good audio book so I might listen to it instead.
Keep 🙂
Picture from Goodreads
Crown of Feathers by Nick Pau Preto
I think I’m just tired of sister feuds. I recently got fed up with One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake. I re-read the synopsis for this one and it no longer sounds appealing. I did not even feel like reading a sample.
Delete 😦
Picture from Goodreads
I love dystopian novels. There’s something about seeing how different people react at the end of the world as they know it. I almost got lost in that sample. This book seems to be part of a series, and many on Goodreads are calling it a hidden gem. I will give it a try.
Keep:)
Picture from Goodreads
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
This sure is a beautiful cover. It’s probably what made me add this book to my TBR in the first place. I might have grown a bit tired of Chinese mythology lately. But I’m sure I will be in the mood eventually.
Keep 🙂
Just like that I got rid of two out of five books on my TBR, and I feel so free. Do you guys ever re-assess your never ending TBR? Anything you would have kept or deleted from mine?
Recently I did some major TBR cleanup on my Goodreads where I made a Priority TBR list. On this list I have my “physical” TBR books, these are the hardbacks and paperbacks I actually own but have not read. I also have the e-books I own but have not read; which I usually only read from the library, but every once in a while there is a sale on Amazon from .99 cents to $1.99 that I will take advantage of. This is also where I put any ARCs that I need to review soon. Lastly, I also add what I’m currently reading on here.
This is my Priority TBR List as it stands right now:
Picture from Goodreads
Lifelike by Jay Kristoff
This is an e-book I bought on an Amazon sale for $1.99. I have yet to read any of Kristoff’s books, but I have heard wonderful things about them. I read the sample, and the relationship between the main character and her robot really hooked me, because it reminds me of Cinder and Iko from the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.
Picture from Goodreads
Vicious (Villains, #1) by V.E. Schwab
This is one of my current reads. I had never read a V.E. Schwab book, and it was recommended by one of her fans from bookstagram to read this one first. I am loving it for now. I love the characters, the story seems unique, and the writing style is amazing.
We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya, #1) by Hafsah Faizal
This one arrived inside my Owlcrate subscription box. This was the first box I subscribed to and I was really happy with the contents. I also received another copy inside my Shelflovecrate subscription box. I will be doing a subscription box comparison as soon as I get my last May box which seems to be running late. I hope this book lives up to the hype.
Picture taken by me
Romanov by Nadine Brandes
I always loved Anastasia, and this books I about her so I’m really looking forward to reading it. This is a special dark blue with gold accents copy that came inside my Owlcrate box.
Picture from Goodreads
This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)
This one is an audio book which recently became available to be checked out from the Library. Since I just got done with The Raven Boys audio, I decided to listen to this one. I always need an audio book to listen to during my work commute. For now, this sounds like a very unique world and I can’t wait to keep listening.
Picture taken by me
Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha, #1) by Tomi Adeyemi
This is a hardback I bought on Mother’s day and I have yet to get to it. I read the sample and reviews before buying it and they were all great. I can’t wait to see for myself.
Picture taken by me
Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
This will definitely be the next hardback I read. It looks like such a unique book. I have seen great reviews on this one, and I feel like I need to read it before someone spoils it by mistake, and definitely before I read any of their other books.
Picture taken by me
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
This is a paperback I bought on Mother’s day on my Barnes and Noble splurge. It has glowing reviews from all my like-minded reviewers on Goodreads and absolutely everyone has recommended it.
Picture taken by me
Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1) by Leigh Bardugo
I really would like to know where Bardugo gets her story ideas from. These worlds are so immersive and the characters so real. This is one of my current reads and I’m definitely loving it. The only problem is that it might derail me from my priority list because it’s a series and I’m sure I’m going to want to dive into the next one as soon as I’m done with this one.
Picture from Goodreads
To Best The Boys by Mary Weber
This is another hardback that I hope lives up to my expectations. I love stories in which girls disguise themselves as boys and still best them at everything. Reminds me of Mulan. The cover is also gorgeous.
I really hope this tactic will help me keep my TBR priorities straight. I’ve been trying my best to keep to it and not stray into other books, especially my physical TBR I really need to read those.
What do you do when it comes to your TBR? How do you decide what to read next?
This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where you answer three questions: What are you reading now? What did you just read? What will you be reading next?
My bookstagram
What I’m reading now
Lately, I’ve gotten in this habit of reading and listening to multiple books at a time. For now, it helps that they are all in different formats; I also read them in different places and times. Currently, I am reading the Shadow and Bone paperback by Leigh Bardugo, but I’ve only been reading it on my breaks at work. I’m listening to an audio book of The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiedvater, but only on my work commute and while doing shores around the house. Finally, I’m reading an e-book of Lifelike by Jay Kristoff on my down time at home while I watch the kids. Out of all these formats, real books are still my favorite.
I just read the hardback version of Daughter of the Pirate King by Levenseller, which was fun and entertaining but only a three star read for me. Also, I half read and half listened to One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake, the second book in the Three Dark Crowns series which was only a two star read for me. (read my mini reviews here).
I read the hardback version of A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, which will definitely make my top ten reads this year (review coming soon). I also listened the Sky in the Deep audio book by Adrienne Young. This book was an amazing read with great world building and character development. You can read my full review here.
Picture from Goodreads
What I plan to read next
I really don’t know. My physical TBR has so many good potential reads on there that I don’t know what to pick. In the end I think it will come down to Iluminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff or Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.
Dee’s Reading Tree 