Top 5 Most Anticipated Releases of Summer 2017

Hey Everyone!

I apologize for posting this list so late! I’ve been running pretty far behind on blogging this past month or so. I’ve spoken a bit before about some of my recent struggles with my mental health and, unfortunately, that is what has been getting to me lately. I’ll probably speak a little more in depth about things in some upcoming posts, but—in a nutshell—I’ve been in a bit of an everything slump. However, I am hoping to pull out of it a bit over the course of this month, so I will hopefully be getting out plenty of new posts for you guys! Thank you so much for all of your support and patience with me! 🙂 ❤

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (June 27^th, 2017)

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

The Color Project by Sierra Abrams (July 18^th, 2017)

 

Bernice Aurora Wescott has one thing she doesn’t want anyone to know: her name. That is, until Bee meets Levi, the local golden boy who runs a charity organization called The Color Project. 

Levi is not at all shy about attempting to guess Bee’s real name; his persistence is one of the many reasons why Bee falls for him. But while Levi is everything she never knew she needed, giving up her name would feel like a stamp on forever. And that terrifies her.

When unexpected news of an illness in the family drains Bee’s summer of everything bright, she is pushed to the breaking point. Losing herself in The Color Project—a world of weddings, funerals, cancer patients, and hopeful families that the charity funds—is no longer enough. Bee must hold up the weight of her family, but to do that, she needs Levi. She’ll have to give up her name and let him in completely or lose the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

For fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson, THE COLOR PROJECT is a story about the three great loves of life—family, friendship, and romance—and the bonds that withstand tragedy.

All Rights Reserved by Gregory Scott Katsoulis (August 29^th, 2017)

 

In a world where every word and gesture is copyrighted, patented or trademarked, one girl elects to remain silent rather than pay to speak, and her defiant and unexpected silence threatens to unravel the very fabric of society.

Speth Jime is anxious to deliver her Last Day speech and celebrate her transition into adulthood. The moment she turns fifteen, Speth must pay for every word she speaks (“Sorry” is a flat ten dollars and a legal admission of guilt), for every nod ($0.99/sec), for every scream ($0.99/sec) and even every gesture of affection. She’s been raised to know the consequences of falling into debt, and can’t begin to imagine the pain of having her eyes shocked for speaking words that she’s unable to afford.

 But when Speth’s friend Beecher commits suicide rather than work off his family’s crippling debt, she can’t express her shock and dismay without breaking her Last Day contract and sending her family into Collection. Backed into a corner, Speth finds a loophole: rather than read her speechrather than say anything at allshe closes her mouth and vows never to speak again. Speth’s unexpected defiance of tradition sparks a media frenzy, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps, and threatens to destroy her, her family and the entire city around them.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (September 5^th, 2017)

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure and to live a lifetime in a single day.

Warcross by Marie Lu (September 12^th, 2017)

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu—when a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths.

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

 In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

What books are you guys looking forward to reading this summer? What new releases have you already read? Let me know in the comments!

The Great British Bake Off Book Tag

I have wanted to do this tag for a while now, and since the newest season started this week, I figured this would be the perfect time to do it! I discovered The Great British Bake Off a couple of years ago and binged watched the first four seasons in about week! I do live in the US, so it can be hard to keep up with the show, but it is one of my favorites of all time and I’m so excited about this new season!

This tag was originally created by Jack from Reading With Jack, and I discovered it through Sam from Sam’s Nonsense.

CAKE: The cake has sunk in the middle. Pick a book that didn’t rise to your expectations.

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

This novel was pitched as being sort of like the “found footage” of literature (made clear from the start that it is fictional). On top of that, it was interspersed with artwork and photography, as the biography was about an artist. That sounded absolutely awesome, so naturally, I had very high hopes for it. Oh boy, what a letdown it was. The art aspect was fantastic, but the actual text of the novel was like reading transcripts of interviews rather than an actual biography. Very boring, very paperwork-esque, and so disappointing.

Click here to check out my full review!

BISCUITS: Once you’ve eaten one, you’re hungry for more and each time you eat another, they get more and more delicious. Pick a book series or trilogy that got progressively better.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Throughout my life so far, I’ve mostly read standalones, so this was sort of hard to come up with an answer for. I’m not actually finished with The Lunar Chronicles series yet, but it’s the only series I can think of to fit this question. I enjoyed Cinder, and Scarlet—which is the only other book I’ve read so far—was even better. Most people say this continues to be the case through the rest of the series, so I’m excited to continue!

BREAD: Kneading dough requires hard work and determination. Pick a book that you put off reading for ages and needed a lot of determination to pick up.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Even though I already knew I loved the television series, I put off picking up this novel for ages because of its (and all the other books in the series’) size. However, I finally got up the courage this summer and started it while I was traveling. I’ve been reading it in very short bursts lately because I have a lot of review copies to catch up on, but I (unsurprisingly) love it so far. I’m looking forward to getting through the rest of it and continuing on with the series when I can.

DESSERTS: Foreign deserts such as crème brûlée and Spanische Windtorte are on the menu. Pick a book set in a foreign country.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

I’ve read a lot of books set in foreign countries, but this novel is by far one of my favorites of all time. It is such an important and meaningful read with absolutely beautiful writing to boot. If you have not read this yet, I very highly recommend it.

ALTERNATIVE INGREDIENTS: Not usually used, but surprisingly good. Pick a book from a genre you wouldn’t normally read but ended up loving.

Wolf by Kelly Oliver

This is primarily a crime novel, so that’s not an unusual genre for me, but this also falls into the category of feminist literature, which is not something I would typically go for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m clearly a feminist, so I don’t avoid it due to disagreeing with the perspective—rather, I find that it can get a bit over-the-top sometimes. I prefer when a heroine is a bit subtler in their strength and it’s not all constantly in your face girl power (if that makes any sense). Show rather than tell! However, Kelly Oliver did a solid job with it in this novel. There were a few exaggerated moments, but nothing I couldn’t get past, and I ended up really enjoying the story. Review to come soon!

PASTRY: Shortcrust pastry can crumble easily. Pick a character who you initially liked, but as you read more and more, your relationship with them crumbled apart.

Mare Barrow from Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I’m not sure if this one technically counts because I didn’t really like Mare at any point in the novel—but this is the closest I could get. I definitely liked her more at the start of the novel than at the end. She very quickly got on my nerves—which is unfortunate seeing as she is the narrator—and things continued to go downhill for us…

Click here to check out my full review!

VICTORIAN/OLD-FASHIONED BAKES: Recipes from the past that still taste delicious today. Pick your favorite classic novel.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I was trying to think up an unpredictable answer for this one, but…here we are again. This really is my favorite classic, and it definitely “still tastes delicious” every time I devour it! 🙂

PATISSERIE: You’re eating a chocolate éclair but there’s barely any filling inside. Pick a book that lacked substance and fell flat.

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

I think most of you know by now that, though I am totally a hopeless romantic, romance is not my preferred genre to read. However, I have occasionally found some hidden gems. This was not one. It had an interesting and unique premise—boasting fourteen different viewpoints—but it ended up falling flat for me. This main selling point turned out to be the novel’s biggest weakness as it failed to allow the author to create any sort of depth in the characters or plot, instead causing a very disjointed feeling.

Click here to check out my full review!

CHOCOLATE: Chocolate is a comfort food for many people. Pick a book you could read again and again and still find comforting.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Obviously I have to choose my go-to cozy read! These mysteries never fail to give me the book nerd warm fuzzies. ❤

Click here to check out my full review!

THE GRAND FINAL: Everyone is out to impress with extravagant show-stoppers! Pick your favorite book of the year so far that really impressed you.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I’ve had incredibly good luck reading-wise so far, and have read a number of truly amazing books. But I don’t think anything quite tops The Book Thief for me yet. It took me years to get to, but I finally did and I’m so glad—it was everything I hoped it would be and so much more.

I Tag:

Everyone! I’m not sure who is a fan of this show, so I’m not going to tag anyone specific. But if you like GBBO (or this tag!), then consider yourself officially tagged! 😀

Top 5 Wednesday – August 24th, 2016

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at Gingerreadslainey and is now hosted by Sam from Thoughts on Tomes. Every week, book reviewers all over the world are given a bookish topic and respond with their top 5 books (or elements of books) that relate to that topic. Click here for the Goodreads group if you would like to learn more about Top 5 Wednesday and join in!

This week’s Top 5 Wednesday topic is the top five books you want to read before the end of the year. Welcome to yet another installment in the “Ari’s TBR Shame” series! Today, we’ll be doing a bit of New Year’s reading resolution shaming, as I believe that all of these books are off of my “16 in 2016” TBR from the beginning of the year. However, on the positive side of things, I have a fairly good feeling I’ll be able to finish all of these novels by the end of the year (she says with eternal optimism…). 🙂

5. The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

This one comes straight off my “been on my TBR for way too long” list from yesterday. Even though I’m sure I’ll love this one, I am so overloaded with books right now, I think I’ve been putting this series off mainly because of the length. I’ve been trying to put a bit more of a dent in my TBR before starting on this one, but I’m going to make sure it gets read before the year is out!

4. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Tying in with yesterday’s Top 10 Tuesday post, this is a book that I’ve had sitting on my TBR for a very long time—definitely since well before I started blogging. In fact, it was one of the first books I added to my Goodreads TBR. I’ve started working on this one already, so my finishing it before the end of the year is pretty certain.

3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

This is another one that’s a duplicate from yesterday’s list. I’ve owned a copy of this novel since it was first released and have been dying to read it for years—and yet, it’s still siting on my TBR. I started it at one point, got really busy with schoolwork, and unfortunately had to put it aside. But I already know I love the story—or at least what I’ve read—so this is a must read before the end of 2016!

2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

As I said before, this was on my list from the beginning of the year, and it’s been a goal of mine to read my first Tolkien novel in 2016. Thus, The Hobbit makes it onto this list. I figure this will be a good one to start off with, and then I can jump into LOTR later on.

1. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

And once again, another one rolling over from yesterday’s list! I’m really determined to get some of these ones that have been sitting on my TBR done soon. Though this has been on my list the least amount of time out of the five I’ve chosen, this is by far the craziest one. Victoria Schwab is one of my favorite authors and it is absolutely insane that I haven’t begun this series yet! This is a top priority!

What books are you guys hoping to eliminate from your TBR before the end of 2016? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

Top 10 Tuesday – August 23rd, 2016

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It’s time for another Top 10 Tuesday list. This is an original weekly blog meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, there is a new bookish topic for bloggers to create a list about. If you want to know more about Top 10 Tuesday, click here!

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic is the top ten books that have been on your shelf (or TBR) from before you started blogging that you STILL haven’t read yet. Well, this is quite an easy list for me to make. Or rather, a hard one because I have too many to decide between! 😛

Now, I’ve only been blogging for a year, but there are still some pretty embarrassing books sitting in my TBR pile. So I chose the ones that I am most mortified about still having not read—ones that I’ve been consistently saying for this past year of blogging that “I’m getting to them next” and then don’t. Most of the books that I picked out for this list have been in my pile for much longer than a year, and you may see some of these popping up in tomorrow’s Top 5 Wednesday post as well…

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

More Than This by Patrick Ness

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Soulless by Gail Carriger

What books have been on your TBR the longest? Which ones do you keep saying you’ll get to next, but then put off? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

The Reader Confession Tag

I was tagged to do the Reader Confession Tag by my two blogger besties—Heather from The Sassy Book Geek and Anna from My Bookish Dream! Anna and Heather are not only incredible book bloggers, but also two of the kindest people ever. I love these girls and their blogs so much and I know you guys will too! You should totally already be following them, but if you’re not, please make sure you stop by and check out both of their wonderful blogs!

1. Have you ever damaged a book?

I may have done when I was little, but to the best of my recollection (and by looking at the books I currently own), I haven’t damaged any of my books. I may be just a tad bit overprotective of my books, so they typically stay in very good condition. 😛

2. Have you ever damaged a borrowed book?

I can say with complete certainty that I’ve never ever damaged a borrowed book!

3. How long does it take you to read a book?

This depends on: a. the book, b. my schedule, c. my stress/fatigue/distraction level. Lately, I’ve been in a bit of a slump, so I’m not at all up to my usual amount of reading. However, if mostly all of these factors are in my favor, I can get through a normal 300-500 page book in two or three days, and on average I would say I read three to four books a week.

4. Books that you haven’t finished?

I barely ever stop in the middle of books even if I hate them, so my DNF list from over the years is pretty small:

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Dead Rules by Randy Russell

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

5. Hyped/Popular books you didn’t like?

I admit, I don’t really rush to read a lot of hyped/popular books (though I do sometimes)—I’m always pretty wary about hype. I am extremely picky about the hyped books I do pick up, so a lot of times, I end up really enjoying all the ones I read. However, I can think of a couple over the years that weren’t a big hit with me. The Twilight series for one was just never my cup of tea, and recently Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard sort of failed to meet my expectations for it.

6. Is there a book you wouldn’t tell anyone you were reading?

Nah, I don’t think so. I don’t really care what people think of what I’m reading—I’ll read whatever the heck I want, thank you very much!

7. How many books do you own?

I don’t have an exact number but I would say, between my physical library and my Kindle books, I have…brace yourselves…probably about 800 books, maybe a bit more.

8.Are you a fast reader or a slow reader?

I’m never sure what to say when asked this question. I tend to think of myself as a fairly slow reader because it feels that way to me when I’m reading. But then I end up get through books in a reasonably short amount of time, especially if I’m really enjoying them—and like I said earlier, I can many times read three to four books in a week. So I’m not really sure what I am because it fluctuates…I’m delightfully quirky! 😛

9. Do you like to buddy read?

I LOVE to buddy read! One of my favorite things in the world next to reading books is talking about them. I used to do it all the time with my friends when I was little and now I’ve been getting the chance to do buddy reads with my fellow book blogger friends. Reading is fun no matter what, but nothing compares to the experience of reading and discussing a book with someone else, whether you end up enjoying the book or not. It’s nice to have another person to compare thoughts with and to think about the story in ways you might not necessarily have considered on your own. Also, if you both really enjoy the book, it can be pretty fun to fangirl with someone else!

10. Do you read better in your head or out loud?

I read SO much better in my head! I’m absolutely terrible at reading out loud—I get all shy and awkward and tongue-tied. I used to hate to be told to read out loud in school. And in terms of actual reading comprehension, that’s basically nonexistent for me when I’m reading out loud! 😛

11. If you were only allowed to own one book, what would it be and why?

I would definitely choose The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Not only is it one of my favorite novels of all time, but also, since it’s a collection of short stories, it doesn’t feel quite as repetitive when you are rereading it over and over again. And honestly, this is just one of those “cozy reads” for me, so I love immersing myself in it! 🙂

I Tag:

Jessica @ The Awkward Book Blogger

Aubrey @ If Mermaids Wore Suspenders

Emily @ Rose Read

Fran @ Nightjar’s Jar of Books

SSJTimeLord

Zezee @ Zezee with Books

Michelle @ Book Adventures

Fatima @ NoteablePad

Cheyenne @ Cheyenne Raphael Writes

Top 5 Wednesday – August 17th, 2016

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at Gingerreadslainey and is now hosted by Sam from Thoughts on Tomes. Every week, book reviewers all over the world are given a bookish topic and respond with their top 5 books (or elements of books) that relate to that topic. Click here for the Goodreads group if you would like to learn more about Top 5 Wednesday and join in!

This week’s Top 5 Wednesday topic is your top five favorite first sentences of books. A first sentence is by far one of the most important aspects of any novel. It’s what draws the reader into the story by immediately making them want more. It creates a feeling of mystery and intrigue, causes a reader to question what might happen next or why the first sentence says what it does. Making a good first impression on a reader is key in any good book.

Here are five of my all-time favorite first sentences. Some are gripping and enticing, others just have that nostalgia factor for me. Either way, each of these opening lines holds a fond place in my heart.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

“I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.”

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

“The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do.”

Alice by Christina Henry

“If she moved her head all the way up against the wall and tilted it to the left she could just see the edge of the moon through the bars.”

 Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

 “When I think of my wife, I always think of her head.”

 Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

“First of all, it was October, a rare month for boys”

Nostalgia Bonus! 😀

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”

What are some of your favorite opening lines from novels? Let me know down in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana

Top 10 Tuesday – August 16th, 2016

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It’s time for another Top 10 Tuesday list. This is an original weekly blog meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, there is a new bookish topic for bloggers to create a list about. If you want to know more about Top 10 Tuesday, click here!

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic is the top ten books with X setting (ex. top ten books set near the beach, top ten book set in boarding school, top ten books set in England, etc). I’ve decided to do my own little twist on this topic by picking ten books that take place in or have a connection to my personal top ten travel destinations.

Iceland

Burial Rights by Hannah Kent

Prague

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Egypt

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Italy

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

Scotland

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

England

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

New England/Boston

Jackaby by William Ritter

Russia

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

Germany

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

France

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Super special fictional extra bonus place! 😛

Narnia

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

What are some of your top travel destinations? Are there any books that you’ve read or are interesting in reading that take place there? Have books ever inspired you to want to travel to a particular place? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

 

The Olympics Book Tag

I was tagged to do the Olympics Book Tag by the wonderful Richard from The Humpo Show. Richard is an absolutely fantastic blogger who writes a wide variety of very interesting posts about both books and films, so please make sure to stop over and check out his blog.

I have been enjoying watching the Olympics so much this year—in fact I am watching them while I’m writing this up—so this is definitely a very fitting tag to do right now! I did the seven from Richard’s tag and tacked on three other topics I found at the end.

100m | A book you have raced through.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Not only is this by far the most gorgeous novel I have ever read in my life, I also absolutely sped through it. It’s not a long book and, on top of that, it was so captivating there was no way I was going to put it down before I turned that final page. It only took me about an hour and a half at most to read this, which is pretty fast for a generally slow reader like myself!

Michael Phelps | The best book you’ve ever read.

 

It is incredibly difficult to think of just one book that is best out of the hundreds I’ve read throughout the years. It would probably be a three-way tie between A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. All three of these books are so unique compared to each other in all types of ways, and I love them all for different reasons—it would be impossible to say that one is better than the others.

Synchronized Diving | A perfect couple.

Percabeth

In trying to answer this, I realized just how few books I’ve read that actually involve romance and couples—to any extent, but at least between main characters. But I do have one particular favorite, and I am in complete agreement with Richard. Percabeth is the best!

Simone Biles | A short and sweet book.

The Little Android by Marissa Meyer

This is a novella that Meyer wrote in the same world as The Lunar Chronicles series. As the name suggests, it is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, and I found it to be such a quick and truly enjoyable read. In just a short time, she packs this story with a huge range of emotion, staying true to the original tale by Hans Christian Andersen while putting her own unique twist on it. Though it was a sad story, overall, it was an incredible short and sweet read.

Rugby 7s | A tough book you struggled to finish.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

In terms of the text and writing itself, this is not a difficult book to read. However, I just could not get into this novel—despite absolutely loving Divergent—and I ended up really not enjoying Insurgent much at all. Everything I loved about Divergent was missing from the sequel, and I somehow could not manage to connect with the characters in the same way. It took me almost a month of on and off reading to finally finish it, compared to the four days in a row it took with the first.

Golf | A new genre outside of your comfort zone.

Romance/Young Adult Romance

Though I am totally a hopeless romantic, for some reason, the romance genre is not a favorite of mine, and these two novels—The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and Love and Other Unknown Variables—were way out of my comfort zone. However, I found them both to contain a lot of serious subjects that were dealt with in an intelligent and mature way, and I ended up thoroughly enjoying both. While these books have a concentration on romance, there is also a good amount of attention given to different types of love, such as that of friendships and the relationships between family members. Neither novel falls victim to the clichés of many that have a focus on romance, particularly those that are young adult.

Heptathlon | The best series.

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

Like I’m sure many people would, I am going to agree with Richard on his choice once again and say Harry Potter is the absolute best series of all time. There is so much to adore about this novel—so much for people of any age to connect with. It’s hard not to enjoy immersing yourself in this magical world. For me, it was just such a huge part of my childhood and played an important role in the discovery of my passion for writing and storytelling. I know that there is no way that any series could top this one for me.

Gymnastics | A book with a lot of plot twists.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I think if you look up the meaning of “plot twist” you just get a picture of Gillian Flynn. She is the master of making complex and twisted plots, and Gone Girl is completely packed with examples of this. It’s a beautiful portrayal of Flynn’s skill as a writer and her ability to captivate and constantly shock her readers. Even though I had been spoiled on a bit of this novel before reading it, I was still in utter disbelief through most of the story.

Swimming | A book that made you sob.

Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander

I very rarely ever cry while reading books, watching movies, anything like that. A Monster Calls is probably the book that I cried over the most out of everything I’ve read, but since I’ve already used that twice, I figured I should choose a new book. Love and Other Unknown Variables was a novel that took me completely by surprise in terms of how much I ended up enjoying it, and it totally made me bawl my eyes out!

Trampoline | A childhood favorite.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Next to Harry Potter, the Narnia series pretty much defines my childhood as a book nerd. A favorite of my mom’s when she was a kid, she passed them down to me and I completely fell in love with these stories. I have many fond memories of reading these books over and over again, never getting tired of them. And of course, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is my favorite in the series!

I Tag:

Lashaan and Trang @ Bookidote

The Orang-utan Librarian

Ellie @ Ellie’s Bookshelf

…and anyone else who wants to do this, I tag you! 😀

A-Z Bookish Survey

I found this survey through my friend and fellow blogger, Jen over at J.N. Cahill, and she found this through Sarah Sunbeemz’s Booktube channel. Jen is an amazing writer, so please head on over and check out her blog. Also, make sure to go check out Sarah’s video as well! 🙂

On to the survey!

A — Author You’ve Read The Most Books From:

At the moment, that would be a tie between J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis. However, my copy of The Cursed Child just arrived, so I believe this will be changing in a few days!

B — Best Sequel Ever:

Catching Fire, hands down! And I’m even passing up using my favorite Harry Potter novel, Chamber of Secrets, because it’s just that amazing.

C — Currently Reading:

I’m in the middle of a couple of books right now, but my primary read is It’s All Fun and Games by Dave Barrett.

D — Drink of Choice While Reading:

Usually tea or water. Sometimes a fruit smoothie can be a nice drink while reading.

E — E-Reader or Physical Book?:

While I do love my Kindle and I’ve definitely gotten more into the habit of using it in the last year or so, I will always choose physical books over e-books. Nothing can compare to a physical edition.

F — Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Dated in High School:

Definitely Neville Longbottom. He will forever be my first and favorite book boyfriend!

G — Glad You Gave this Book a Chance:

The Giver by Lois Lowry. I first read it some time in middle school and absolutely hated it. Then, given how many of my friends enjoyed it when they read it in their late teens/early 20s, I decided to give it another go, and oh boy am I glad I did. It was fantastic!

H — Hidden Gem Book:

Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander. This was a book that was way out of my typical reading comfort zone, but I picked it up on a whim and ended up really enjoying it.

I — Important Moment in Your Reading Life:

This is going to be a very common answer, but I have to say discovering/starting the Harry Potter series for the first time. This is a series that has inspired me in countless ways, turning me into not only an avid reader, but a writer as well. I owe a lot to this series.

J — Just Finished:

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

K– Kinds of Books You Won’t Read?:

Erotica. I have nothing against the genre or anyone who likes to read it—it’s just not my thing.

L –Longest Book You’ve Read:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (according to my Goodreads shelf!).

M — Major Book Hangover:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I don’t get book hangovers frequently, but this gave me a huge one!

N — Number of Bookshelves You Own:

Zero…embarrassing for a book nerd, I know! I promise, I will fix that soon!

O — One Book You’ve Read Multiple Times:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

P — Preferred Place to Read:

I love to just curl up in my bed with a good book. Reading at the beach is pretty nice too, though… 🙂

Q — Quote that Inspires You and Gives You All the Feels:

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” – Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

R — Reading Regret:

The massive amount of book to movie adaptations that have been coming out lately have made me realize that there are a bunch of pretty well-known children’s books/series (ex. The BFG, Percy Jackson, etc…) that I regret not reading back when I was a kid. I have read or plan to read many now, but I wish that I could have had that experience of reading them through younger eyes.

S — Series You’ve Started and Need to Finish:

Way too many! I would say my top ones right now are The Lunar Chronicles, the Legend trilogy, and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

T — Three of Your All Time Favorite Books:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.

U –Unapologetic Fangirl/boy for:

Gillian Flynn. As I have said before, she is my spirit animal. 😛

V — Very Excited for this Release More than Anything:

Since The Cursed Child is already here, I’ll go with Heartless by Marissa Meyer.

W — Worst Bookish Habit

Like many other book nerds out there, one of my worst bookish habits is buying too many books before reading the ones already in my TBR pile! I do this far too often, and now my pile is a mountain!

X — X Marks the Spot–Start at the top of your shelf and pick the 27th book off it:

Since I don’t actually have physical shelves, I’m going to use my Goodreads shelf of owned books, set to alphabetical by author. So my 27^th book would be The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.

Y — Your Latest Book Purchase:

I just did a huge book haul post since I went on a bit of a shopping spree recently, but I guess my latest purchase would be Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel.

Z — The Zzzzzzzzzzzzz Snatcher Book (Book That Kept You From Sleeping):

When I was a kid, any of the Harry Potter or Narnia series. But the most recent novel that kept me up all night was The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.

Anyone count how many times I referenced Harry Potter, Narnia, or To Kill a Mockingbird? 😛

I’m not going to tag anyone specific to do this, but this survey was incredibly fun to fill out, so I highly recommend giving it a go. If you have done this survey or decide to do it, make sure you leave a link for me in the comments so I can come check out your post!

-Ariana

Top 5 Anticipated Releases of Summer 2016

Hey guys! 😀

I apologize for my long and sudden absence from posting this past month or so. It became obvious to me that I needed to put some things in my life on pause and take a short mental health break to focus on getting my stress levels a bit more under control. But I have missed blogging and chatting with all of you so much, and I’m very excited to get going again! I’ll be slowly easing myself back into posting (and hopefully into maintaining a slightly better schedule as well) over these next few weeks. And what better way to start that off than with my usual, seasonal anticipated releases post!

1. And I Darken by Kiersten White (June 28^th, 2016)

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

2. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (July 5^th, 2016)

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.

3. Red Queen by Christina Henry (July 12^th, 2016)

*Contains Spoilers for Book One: Alice*

The land outside of the Old City was supposed to be green, lush, hopeful. A place where Alice could finally rest, no longer the plaything of the Rabbit, the pawn of Cheshire, or the prey of the Jabberwocky. But the verdant fields are nothing but ash—and hope is nowhere to be found.

Still, Alice and Hatcher are on a mission to find his daughter, a quest they will not forsake even as it takes them deep into the clutches of the mad White Queen and her goblin or into the realm of the twisted and cruel Black King.

The pieces are set and the game has already begun. Each move brings Alice closer to her destiny. But, to win, she will need to harness her newfound abilities and ally herself with someone even more powerful—the mysterious and vengeful Red Queen…

4. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (July 31^st, 2016)

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a new play by Jack Thorne, is the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. It will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on 30th July 2016  

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children. 

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places.

5. Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter (August 23^rd, 2016)

Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the investigative services of her fellow residents to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, Detective R. F. Jackaby, dive into the cold case, starting with a search for Jenny’s fiancé, who went missing the night she died. But when a new, gruesome murder closely mirrors the events of ten years prior, Abigail and Jackaby realize that Jenny’s case isn’t so cold after all, and her killer may be far more dangerous than they suspected. 

Fantasy and folklore mix with mad science as Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her across the cold cobblestones of nineteenth-century New England, down to the mythical underworld, and deep into her colleagues’ grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced.

What new releases are you most looking forward to reading this summer? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana