Top 10 Tuesday – December 12th, 2017

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 your top ten favorite books of 2017. Though I’ve definitely been struggling quite a bit with many things (mainly health-wise) through the course of this year and I haven’t been posting as much as I would like to, I’m fairly pleased with how much I actually ended up reading (64 books, hopefully 70 or so by the end of the month!). I have also had the opportunity to meet and work with some absolutely amazing authors this year, which has been a complete joy!

I’ve had quite a wide range of ratings—however, there are a few books that really stood out and stuck with me. These books, as well as their authors, have certainly become new favorites of mine!

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

For the most part, this list is in no particular order. However, I have to admit that this was definitely my absolute favorite read of the entire year! I can’t believe it has taken me so long to get around to reading this book. Victoria Schwab is already one of my favorite authors, and after only one book of this series, I am already completely obsessed. It’s filled with amazingly vivid worlds, expertly portrayed characters, an incredibly interesting magic system, and such a fun and captivating storyline. I can’t wait to read the rest of these books!

Click here to check out my full review!

The Wingsnatchers by Sarah Jean Horwitz

Sarah Jean Horwitz definitely makes it onto my list of new favorite authors! This is Sarah’s debut novel—the first in a series—and it was one of the most lovely and enchanting books I’ve ever read. It had this wonderful nostalgic feel to it, as it reminded me of the types of stories I grew up reading. This is the story of a young boy and a one-winged fairy who team up to save the fae realm and the city of Skemantis from a mad scientist. Mixing together magic, mystery, and steampunk-type technology means that this books was meant for me! I would recommend this modern fairytale to readers of absolutely any age—there is so much enjoyment to be found in it!

Click here to check out my full review!

Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell

Courtney Peppernell is another new favorite author of mine, and someone who I was lucky enough to have the chance to work with a few months back! She is a beautiful writer and an equally beautiful person. I read both of her poetry collections (Pillow Thoughts and The Road Between) and absolutely adored them. Her work is stunning and her poetry touched me in so many ways—it brought me some light during a very dark time. She has such talent not only in writing, but in packing so much depth and meaning into her words. I’m just about to start one of her full novels and I am really looking forward to it!

Click here to check out my full review! Click here to read Courtney’s guest post!

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

The second I saw this novel for the first time, I purchased a copy immediately. This book was so beautifully written and crafted. I love anything that feels like a modern fairytale, and this definitely fits that category. It is an extremely unique take on fantasy and alternate worlds, dealing with how visitors to these worlds acclimate to reality once they return. It is a unique and haunting tale that I fell in love with right from the start.

Click here to check out my full review!

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

This is the sequel (or technically the prequel) to Every Heart a Doorway, and I loved this novel even more! It addresses the lives of two characters from the first novel and their experiences in the other world they ended up in. The world was so dark and intriguing, vividly created, and I was completely wrapped up in this story from start to finish. I also loved getting to know these characters a bit better, and learning about where they came from. Another incredible read!

Click here to check out my full review!

Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles by J.M. Sullivan

Retellings are some of my favorite types of novels to read, and Alice in Wonderland retellings have a particularly fond place in my heart. So of course, when I discovered this novel earlier in the year, I knew I had to give it a read. I was then presented with the opportunity to meet and work with the wonderful J.M. Sullivan, which made the whole experience even more amazing! I’ve loved getting to know her, and it was so interesting to learn about her writing process and the conception of this novel. Another new favorite book and new favorite author added to the list!

Click here to check out my full review! Click here to read J.M.’s guest post!

Paper Wishes by Spencer Hoshino

Paper Wishes is a novel that I am so incredibly glad I took a chance on! Those of you who have been around here for a while know that my reading tastes lean more toward sci-fi and fantasy rather than contemporary/contemporary romance. But when Spencer contacted me over the summer, she really hooked me, and I knew I had to check this story out—and I ended up loving it! It was such a fun, light, and enjoyable read, absolutely perfect for the summer. It is one of those novels that just fills you with so much positive energy and puts a smile on your face. That’s another incredibly talented writer added to my favorites list, as well as a wonderful new (Whovian) friend in my life!

Click here to check out my full review! Click here to read Spencer’s guest post!

Lost Boy by Christina Henry

I discovered Christina Henry’s novels through my wonderful friend Heather from The Sassy Book Geek, and I’ve been completely obsessed with her work ever since! As we already know, I’m a huge fan of retellings in general, but I particularly love dark retellings—and oh boy, are her novels dark. This one focuses on the story of Peter Pan, except from Captain Hook’s (Jamie’s) perspective, taking place much earlier than the tale we all know. I read this as a buddy read with Heather, and I would highly, highly recommend this one!

Full review to come! Click here to check out Heather’s review!

If I Run by Terri Blackstock

This was such an enjoyable, action-packed, and fast-paced read that was a perfect start to my reading year. I also read the second book in this trilogy as well and absolutely loved it. This novel follows an incredibly strong and intelligent young woman as she goes on the run from corrupt law enforcement agents, all while trying to prove her innocence in a crime she didn’t commit. It is such an easy story to get sucked into, and each chapter will leave you wanting more.

Click here to check out my full review!

Pretend We Are Lovely by Noley Reid

When I started out on this novel, I had absolutely no idea I would end up loving it as much as I did. This is one of those books that pulls you in quite slowly, but by the end, you find yourself heavily invested and interested in the lives of all the characters. It was also a story that grew on me the more I thought about it after I had finished. This is a beautiful and heartbreaking tale of a family of four’s mutual and individual journeys to find themselves, where they belong in the world, and how they fit together.

Click here to check out my full review!

What were some of the best books you read in 2017? Did you find any new favorite authors? Let me know in the comments!

Real Neat Blog Award

I was nominated by the lovely Kayla over at bookedsolid1989. Thank you so much for the nomination!

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The Rules:

-Thank and link the blogger who nominated you

-Answer the seven questions the nomination has provided

-Nominate 7 other bloggers

-Create 7 questions for your nominees

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Kayla’s Questions

1. What are you most excited about for the end of the year?

I am definitely most excited for the holidays; specifically, I am excited for the music! I’m a singer, and my absolute favorite time of the choral year is coming up. We do some of the best music and the most fun concerts at the holidays. Plus the season is just lovely and cheerful in general, and I’m particularly looking forward to that this year. I can’t wait to see friends and family, and (hopefully) have a good amount of time to relax as well.

2. What book or book series do you love and would recommend to others?

 

The book that I would recommend the most to others would be my absolute favorite book of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It is such a beautiful and important novel, and something that everyone should read at least once in their lifetime. A book series that I would recommend to others, aside from the obvious ones like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, would be The Chronicles of Narnia. Okay, so that might be a slightly obvious one too…but it’s one of my favorites! I can’t not mention it! 🙂

3. Who are a few of your favorite authors?

My all-time favorite authors are Arthur Conan Doyle, William Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, and Harper Lee. Some of my semi more recently discovered favorites are Gillian Flynn and Patrick Ness.

4. What is your favorite television series at this time?

I actually don’t watch all that many shows that are still on the air. However, my current favorite television series is definitely Doctor Who, though Sherlock is a very close second. I have been getting into Game of Thrones lately though, so that’s working its way up my favorites list too.

5. If you could spend one day with a fictional character, who would it be?

If I could spend a day with one fictional character, I would choose Sherlock Holmes. Not only is he one of my favorite literary characters, but I also think it would be absolutely amazing to have a chance to accompany him on a case for a day. I’d love to see his deductive skills in action first hand, and maybe even assist him in the investigation. However, I don’t think I could stand him for long periods of time; I’m not nearly as patient as Watson! So one day would be absolutely perfect. Another character I might like to spend the day with would be Mr. Tumnus.

6. Which cover of a book (whether you’ve read it or not) do you absolutely love?

     

Come on…there was no way I was going to be able to pick just one! 😀

7. Are you currently reading a book? If so, what is it and how are you feeling about it so far?

I am currently working on Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. I’m not overly far into it yet, but I am already really liking it; I’m very excited to continue on, and I should have a review up when I’m done!

I Nominate:

Michelle @ Book Adventures

Bree @ The Literary Hellion

Liam @ Liam’s Library

Ashleigh @ A Frolic Through Fiction

Poppy @ Poppy’s Best of Books

Cherry @ Read Forevermore

Bear @ Book Bear Blog

My Questions:

1. Who are a few of your favorite authors you discovered in 2015?

2. What is your favorite hobby outside of reading?

3. What are two places, one fictional and one real, that you would most like to travel to (or maybe live)?

4. What book or books do you think deserve more recognition?

5. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

6. What are your favorite songs/bands/artists to listen to?

7. What are some of your most anticipated book releases of 2016?

Top 10 Tuesday – November 3rd, 2015

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It’s time for the first Top 10 Tuesday list of November. 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 either the top ten debut authors who have you looking forward to their sophomore novel, or the top ten sophomore novels that you loved just as much if not more than the author’s debut. I have had to put my own little spin on this topic because I actually have not read many debut authors recently. I have a sizeable number of 2014 and 2015 debuts on my TBR, but I’ve only gotten to a few thus far. However, in the past year or so, I have also discovered a lot of new to me authors whose debuts are the only works I have read by them.

So for today’s list, I’m going to list the top seven authors who are either recent debut authors I’m anticipating the sophomore novel of, or authors with already published sophomore novels that I am dying to read. The final three will be authors I’ve read whose sophomore novels I think are as good or even better than their debuts.

Now that we are all sufficiently confused, let’s jump straight into these lists! 🙂

Authors Whose Sophomore Novels I’m Dying to Read

   

1. Amy Zhang – Falling into Place

Amy Zhang is a 2014 debut author. I read this novel at the end of last year and was extremely impressed by it. Not only was it a very well told and skillfully constructed story, but I was also stunned to find out that this was written by a teenager! Her next novel is coming out in March and I am very interested to read more of her work.

2. William Ritter – Jackaby

Jackaby is a 2014 debut novel and I read it back at the beginning of this year. It is one of my favorite novels I have read in 2015 so far, and I’ve been very much anticipating the sequel, Beastly Bones, which was just recently released. It is definitely going to be one of my next reads.

3. Shannon Lee Alexander – Love and Other Unknown Variables

This is a 2014 debut novel that I read late last year and completely fell in love with. It took me by surprise because it is not the type of novel that I would generally enjoy, or even think to give a try to be honest. But it was fantastic and I loved Shannon Lee Alexander’s writing and storytelling style. I’m not sure if there is a sophomore novel in the works, but I certainly hope there is.

4. Allie Brosh – Hyperbole and a Half

I read this last year and absolutely loved it; this is one of the funniest books I have ever read. There is supposedly a second novel coming out (Solutions and Other Problems), but the date keeps getting pushed back, so I’m not sure if or when it is coming. At least I still have her blog to tide me over!

  

5. Victoria Aveyard – Red Queen

I feel like I have been talking about Red Queen and Victoria Aveyard a lot lately; and I know that is strange because I was not all that thrilled with the novel. However, I am still eager to read more of Victoria Aveyard’s work, because I thought her writing style was excellent. I’m still trying to decide if I will be reading the next novel in the series, Glass Sword, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be giving it a try at some point.

6. Marissa Meyer – Cinder

Marissa Meyer is not a recent debut author; Cinder came out in 2012. However, I just discovered her last year, and began The Lunar Chronicles at the beginning of this year. So far, I have only read this first novel, but I adored it and I cannot wait to continue on with the rest of the books (something I will be doing quite soon!).

7. Marie Lu – Legend

Marie Lu is another author whose first book is not a recent release, but so far I have only read her debut novel, Legend, after discovering it last year. I was hooked immediately and I soon got a box set of the entire trilogy. I need to get to the next book as soon as possible; I am dying to see what happens in the final two novels!

Sophomore Novels That Are As Good Or Better Than Debuts

  

1. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

This entire series is (obviously) absolutely fantastic all the way through. The Chamber of Secrets just so happens to be not only one of my favorite books ever, but my favorite of the series; it definitely had to make this list!

2. Suzanne Collins – Catching Fire

This is by far my favorite dystopian trilogy that I have ever read, and I’ve always found it incredibly hard to pick which of the novels is my favorite. Catching Fire was incredible, and is at the very least just as good as The Hunger Games. However, this may potentially be my favorite of the series; it’s just so hard to choose!

3. Brian Selznick – Wonderstruck

This is Brian Selznick’s second full novel and it is equally as good as his first, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. In fact, all three of his novels are absolutely spectacular; each one is a beautiful work of art. He is a very talented writer and artist, and easily makes this list!

Let me know in the comments which debut authors you’ve been enjoying this year and which sophomore novels you are dying to get your hands on!

-Ariana

The Halloween Book Tag

Happy day before Halloween, everybody! Michelle over at Book Adventures just created The Halloween Book Tag and tagged me to do it. Thank you so much for the tag! If you haven’t seen Michelle’s blog yet, make sure to head on over and check it out!

Favorite scary must read for Halloween

The Shining by Stephen King – I have to agree with Michelle in her choice for this question and also say The Shining. It was also my top pick for my list of five Halloween must reads. This is one of the scariest books I have ever read, and I don’t scare easily. It is a horror classic by one of the masters of the genre, and a novel that everyone should give a try at least once in their lives, particularly if they are fans of Halloween.

Scariest book cover, like ever…

 

Shutter by Courtney Alameda – I’ve not actually read this book and I don’t know much about it, but this cover is freaky! It totally creeps me out every time I see it, but it’s also pretty awesome because I like creepy stories. I definitely think I will have to look into reading this novel; see if it’s as scary as the cover.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman – This novel I have actually read and I can say that it really is as creepy as its cover. Coraline is actually another novel I would say is one of my favorite scary must reads for Halloween. This is a weird and somewhat disturbing story, and it is absolutely fantastic!

If you could pick any author to go trick or treating with, who would you pick?

I would love to go trick or treating with both Ransom Riggs and Tahereh Mafi. They both individually seem as if they are very kind people and like they would be fun to hang out with; and together, they are absolutely hilarious. It would be the most entertaining evening ever!

If you could dress up as any bookish character for Halloween, who would you be?

If I could dress up as any book character, I would probably pick Sherlock Holmes, as he is one of my all time favorites. Who wouldn’t want to pretend to be the greatest detective ever? I know I’m not a guy, but that’s fine; I think I could pull it off! Hermione would be another choice, but I actually already have dressed up as her for Halloween once when I was younger.

If you could find anything, from any book, in your trick or treat stash, what would you hope to find?

I would love to find the invisibility cloak in my trick or treat stash. This was always one of my favorite magical items from the Harry Potter world and I wish I could have my own. It might be kind of fun to sneak around and go exploring while under it, or to use when I want privacy. I could just hide under there while I read or write; it would be awesome. And I would totally use it strictly for good, and not to mess with anyone and make them think they were being haunted…no, I’d never do that… 🙂

In what fictional world would you like to go trick or treating?

I think I would like to go trick or treating in Narnia. It seems like it would be a place that is full of sumptuous food and delicious treats, so you could probably collect a pretty amazing haul there. Plus I just really want to go to Narnia!

What book villain would you not like to meet alone in a dark alley on Halloween?

I feel like this might be an obvious choice for a lot of people, but I would have to say Voldemort. First of all, he is an extremely evil and powerful wizard and, as a muggle, I would have absolutely no way of defending myself against him if he attacked. Also, he’s just totally creepy-looking. The whole “no nose” thing has always completely freaked me out, and I would not like to see that up close. However, if you’d like to send me a slightly younger version, I wouldn’t mind that quite as much…a little bit of eye candy while I’m running for my life…

Would you rather dress up as a vampire, zombie, werewolf, or a shadowhunter?

I must admit, I’m not a huge fan of any of these creatures, and I know absolutely nothing about shadowhunters because I’ve never read the novels. Zombies are my favorite, but I don’t think I would like to dress up as one. If I were to pick one to dress up as, I would probably choose vampire. I feel like, costume-wise, this would be more my style, and I guess I do like the idea of the more classic vampire.

Pick a candy (just one) from Harry Potter that you would love to find in your stash?

If I had to pick, I would definitely choose chocolate frogs. To be honest, the idea of them is a little creepy, since they actually move. But I think, if you can get past that, that they would be delicious. I also absolutely love the cards that come with them; they are so awesome. Despite the fact that I always have found them a bit weird, they are one of my favorite candies from the series, so I’d love to find one in my stash. And because…chocolate…

What is your favorite Halloween candy?

I have somehow already managed to mention in a post that I have a major addiction to Kit-Kats! I love Kit-Kats. They are my ultimate Halloween (or any time of year really) weakness!

I Tag:

Jen @ J.N. Cahill

Zezee @ Zezee with Books

Ava @ Bookishnessandtea

Paige @ Page by Paige

Kayla @ Bookedsolid1989

Bookloversblog

Lucía @ Making Days Better

And anyone else who wants to do it! 🙂

Top 5 Wednesday – October 21st, 2015

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at Gingerreadslainey. 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 authors you discovered this year. This was surprisingly tricky for me to put together because I have discovered a lot of new authors that I would like to read novels by, but I’ve only begun on a small amount of them. However, I have found a few that I have really enjoyed, and I am looking forward to reading more of their work in the future.

5. Victoria Aveyard

This may be a strange choice given the fact that I was not actually a huge fan of her debut novel, Red Queen. I enjoy reading debut authors every year, and I primarily chose her novel due to all the hype surrounding it. And while the overall idea was a unique and intriguing one, I felt that the execution of the plot was rather weak and cliché. Despite all of this, I ended up absolutely loving her writing style, and this is why I would place her on this list. While I didn’t like the story itself, I thought she was a wonderfully descriptive writer, and I am very intrigued to read more of her work.

My full review: Red Queen

4. Noelle Stevenson

I first discovered Noelle Stevenson a few months ago through Booktube, and I am so glad that I did. She writes and illustrates her own graphic novels, which instantly intrigued me. Nimona was one of my most recent reads, and it was absolutely fantastic. The story was hilarious and heartwarming, and the characters were interesting and endearing. On top of that, I completely adored her art style; it was colorful and comical, and it perfectly fit the overall tone of the novel. The entire graphic novel was solidly constructed and made for an incredibly entertaining reading experience. I have become a major fan of her work and I am eager for more of it.

3. Benjamin Alire Saenz

Technically, Benjamin Alire Saenz is an author that I first discovered last year; however, I did not get a chance to read any of his work until a few months ago. I had been hearing people raving about his novel, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, so I had to pick it up and give it a try; and this was one of those books that completely lived up to the hype. Benjamin Alire Saenz created an inspiring and touching story with rich characters that are very easy to connect with and care about. On top of this, his writing is beautifully poetic. He definitely makes it onto my favorites list for the year.

2. Marissa Meyer

Marissa Meyer is another author that I first heard about last year. I began reading The Lunar Chronicles series earlier this year though, and I completely fell in love with it right from the start. She has a very captivating storytelling style that pulled me in and held me until the end. She also has a knack for creating unique and engaging characters, and bringing to life well-known tales in fresh ways. Overall, I truly enjoyed the world that she created and am looking forward to continuing on and seeing where the series heads. I’m also quite interested to read her future work outside of this series. Marissa Meyer easily makes this list.

1. Gillian Flynn

I believe that I have made it abundantly clear in recent posts just how much I adore Gillian Flynn’s writing. But I don’t think I will ever stop raving about her work! I’ve been hearing about her novels for a number of years now; however, I only just gave them a try a few months back. So far, I’ve only read Gone Girl, but I am planning on reading her other books as soon as possible. Gillian Flynn is a brilliant writer and a genius at constructing complex, twisted mysteries and characters. She has become one of my all-time favorite authors and is, by far, my favorite author I have discovered this year.

My full review: Gone Girl

Who are your favorite newly discovered authors? Do you have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana