January Wrap Up

January 31, 2016January 28, 20175 Comments

january-wrap-up-2016

The month of January was a pretty excellent reading month for me! Even though I had a bit of reading slump around halfway through the month, I was still able to complete 9 books with a total of 3,488 pages! As for my monthly TBR, I managed to read 5 out of the 7 books on the list. I’m extremely happy about this!

Books Read in January

I'll Meet You There

I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios – 4 stars

At first, I wasn’t sure what book to pick as my first read of the year. But as you can see, I went with I’ll Meet You There because it had to go back to the library soon and it also sounded interesting. Overall, I ended up really enjoying it! It’s definitely a great contemporary novel and I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (Falling Kingdoms #1) – 3.75 stars
Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes (Falling Kingdoms #2) – 4.25 stars

Ever since the fourth book in the Falling Kingdoms series was released in December, I’ve been wanting to read it. However, since it was several months since I had read the first three books, I realized I forgot a lot of what happened. To fix this problem, I decided to reread the first three books. I first started with books 1 and 2 (more on book 3 later). I enjoyed them both just as much as I did the first time around! Falling Kingdoms is definitely a good start to the series and Rebel Springs is even better! The series definitely gets better and better with each book.

The One Thing

The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis – 3.5 stars

I took a small break from reading the Falling Kingdoms series to read this book. It had been on my radar for a little bit, but I was waiting for it to come in at the library. It finally came in so I picked it up and dove right in! Overall, I liked the book but wasn’t totally in love with it. Some aspects were unrealistic and I couldn’t completely connect with the characters. I still enjoyed it and I would definitely consider reading more books by Marci Lyn Curtis in the future.

Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes (Falling Kingdoms #3) – 5 stars
Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes (Falling Kingdoms #4) – 5 stars

I continued on with my Falling Kingdoms marathon by rereading Gathering Darkness. This was my favorite book in the series when I first read books 1-3 and it was definitely as amazing as the first time around! Then, after I finished rereading the previous books, it was finally time to dive in to Frozen Tides. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait! So many crazy things happened and I just love the characters SO much! I’m not sure if I liked it as much as Gathering Darkness or more – the series is just so great that it’s hard to tell.

Obsidian

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout – 3 stars

After the awesomeness that was Frozen Tides, I ended up getting stuck in a reading slump. I tried to read a few books, but they just weren’t doing anything for me. One night before bed, I randomly picked up Obsidian and I ended up reading around 35 pages of it! I first read this book back in 2014 and I still feel like it’s a good start to a fun and entertaining series! It also helped me to get out of my reading slump, which was great!

The Impostor Queen

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine – 4.5 stars

This book was so good! It had fantastic characters (including an awesome bisexual main lead), a super interesting magic system, and an intriguing world. I’m very much looking forward to the sequel! For more of my thoughts on this book, click here for my review.

A Darker Shade final for Irene

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab – 4 stars

I finished up the month by finally reading A Darker Shade of Magic. It seems like this book has been on my TBR for so long! I’m happy to say that I ended up really enjoying it. The magic system was awesome and the plot was very interesting! The only thing is, while I enjoyed Kell and Lila, I didn’t feel completely connected with them. The book was very plot driven (which isn’t a bad thing) but I was hoping for a little more attention on the characters. Hopefully this issue is addressed in the sequel!

Reading Challenge Progress

This year I’m participating in 5 reading challenges! To track my progress, I have a page on my blog but I would also like to share my progress with you all. That being said, my monthly wrap ups will all include updates on my progress. For more information on the reading challenges mentioned below, click here.

1. Goodreads Reading Challenge

GR 2

My Goal: 80 books

Completed in January: 9 books

2. Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge

Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge

Goal of the Challenge: To read a book starting with each letter of the alphabet (“The” can be skipped; the first word after that will be counted)

Completed in January: 5 letters (A, F, G, I, O, and R)

3. Full House Reading Challenge

Full House Reading Challenge

Goal of the Challenge: To read a book for each of the prompts found here

Completed in January: 5 prompts

The Prompts Completed

Published in 2016 – The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine
Book from series you love – Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes
Debut novel – The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis
Author’s surname starts with same letter as yours – I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
First in a series – A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

4. I Love Libraries Reading Challenge

I Love Libraries2

My Goal: Read 36 books from the library

Completed in January: 3 books

5. Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge

Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge

My Goal: Read 40 fantasy books

Completed in January: 6 books

How was your month in terms of reading? Did you read all the books from your TBR that you wanted to? Let me know in the comments or link me to your wrap up post! I would love to see what you all read this month.

Book Traveling Thursdays #3

January 28, 2016February 23, 20172 Comments

book-traveling-thursdays

Book Traveling Thursdays is a weekly meme hosted by Cátia @ The Girl Who Read Too Much and Danielle @ Danielle’s Book Blog. Each week there is a different theme and you must pick a book that goes along with that theme. Once you have a book in mind, your post will be centered around the different covers of that particular book. Firstly, you should explain why you think the book you picked goes with the theme. Then you will show the original cover, the cover from your country, your favorite cover, and your least favorite cover. For more information, check out the Goodreads group.

This week’s theme is “Because some books stay with us forever!! Choose a book you want to re-read in 2016.” I had many books to choose from for this topic because I really enjoy rereading books! (This month I’ve already reread 4 books and last year I reread a total of 14!) The book I decided to go with is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. I loved this book when I first read it last year and I would love to reread it before the sequel comes out!

Original Cover / My Country’s Cover

An Ember in the Ashes

Favorite Covers

AEITA

My favorite of all of them is the original cover (on the left) but I also like the US paperback version that is coming out on February 9th (the cover in the middle), and what I believe is the UK edition (on the right).

Least Favorite Covers

AEITA2

Both of these covers are really bad! I don’t like them at all. The one on the left is the Romanian edition and the one on the right is the Bulgarian edition.

What book do you plan on rereading this year? Let me know below or link me to your Book Traveling Thursdays post for the week!

Review: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

January 27, 2016January 27, 20175 Comments

the-impostor-queen

The Impostor Queen

Series: The Impostor Queen #1

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publication Date: January 5, 2016

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 415

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

my-thoughts-2

I really enjoyed Elli as a main character. She was definitely a strong female heroine – however, not necessarily strong physically (which I definitely appreciated). What I loved most about her was her selflessness. Elli always put others first – whether it be the citizens of Kupari or the people she personally knows. Something I also admired about her was her determination. In the beginning, she was determined to be the best possible queen she could be in order to provide for her people. When she was unable to do that later on, she was still fighting to find her place in the world – she never wanted to be useless. I loved seeing these traits develop and grow throughout the novel and I’m really looking forward to seeing more of Elli in the next book! Also, I would like to note how glad I am that Elli isn’t “The Chosen One” since that trope is so overly used. AND I’m excited to see a bisexual main lead in a YA fantasy novel. I can’t say I’ve ever read a book in this genre where the MC is anything but straight.

As for the main male lead, Oskar, I really loved him as well. He had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders – like providing for his mother and little sister after the tragic death of his father. He also had some magic-related concerns of his own that were causing him physical harm. However, even though so many things have gone wrong for him, he still keeps going on with life. Oskar never complains about his situation – he just makes the best of it. I really admired this about him.

Also, I have to note how much I enjoyed Elli and Oskar’s relationship. It was definitely a slow burn kind of romance, so you don’t have to worry about any insta-love! They started off on the right foot: Oskar brought Elli to get some medical attention after she has experienced a series of painful hardships. Even though Oskar literally saved Elli’s life, he never expected anything in return. He was always kind and understanding, even when he had no knowledge of where Elli came from or what she was doing in the outlands. To wrap it up, Oskar and Elli are so great together and I really hope they make it as a couple to the end!

The magic system and the world were two of my other favorite things about this book. In the novel, there are wielders who can produce ice or fire magic, or sometimes both. If someone can wield magic, they are sent to the temple to be trained by the priests. The Valita is the queen who has the most powerful magic. She has a perfect balance of ice and fire magic. Since the magic the Valtia has lasts much longer than the body it is in, the magic goes to a new person once the former has died. This new person is called the Saadella: a currently non-magical girl with copper colored hair, ice-blue eyes, and a special mark somewhere on her body. Elli was given to the priests at age four since she had all the markings for a Saadella. She has lived at the temple for the majority of her life, knowing one day she will have the Valtia’s powerful magic within her. I really loved learning more about how magic worked in this world as the book went on.

The only complaint I have about this book (and the reason why this isn’t quite a 5 star book) is that it started off really slow for me. I was initially very intrigued by the prologue but then it didn’t seem like a lot was happening for awhile. I believe it took me around 150 or 200 pages before I was 100% hooked. I’m hoping for more action straight from the get-go in the next book.

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed the characters, magic system, and world in this novel. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a fantasy novel with fantastic characters and a unique way of dealing with magic.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Friday Finds #22

January 22, 2016February 7, 2018Leave a comment

Friday Finds

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm where you spotlight books that you’ve recently added to your To Be Read list. Shown below are all the books I’ve added to my TBR on Goodreads in the last few weeks!

FF1

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill (All Our Yesterdays #1)
The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Zero Day by Jan Gangsei

FF2

Front Lines by Michael Grant (Soldier Girl #1)
Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn (Forget Tomorrow #1)
The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters

Not pictured (no covers):

Untitled by Jodi Meadows (Fallen Isles Trilogy #1)
The Moth and the Flame by Renee Ahdieh (The Wrath and the Dawn #0.25)
The Crown and the Arrow by Renee Ahdieh (The Wrath and the Dawn #0.5)

Note: All book titles are linked to Goodreads

What books have you added to your TBR recently? Do we share any of the same books? Comment down below or link me to your Friday Finds post!

Top Ten Tuesday | 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn’t

January 12, 2016February 6, 20182 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish in which you give ten answers to the topic for the week. To find a list of upcoming topics, go here. This week’s topic is “Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn’t“. I haven’t done a TTT for awhile now so I’m very excited to get back into this meme! The following list is in no particular order.

1. The Trials by Stacey Kade

The Trials

I read the first two books in this trilogy in 2014 and I was so excited for the third book’s release last year. However, somewhere along the way, I lost interest in the series. I can’t really remember anything that happened in the first two books so if I want to read the third book, I’ll have to reread books 1 and 2. I haven’t completely written off the series but I’m not in any rush to finish it either!

2. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Wolf by Wolf

This one came out towards the end of the year so I’m not blaming myself that much that I didn’t get a chance to read it. The concept of the book intrigues me and I’ve heard such great things about it! I have it on my TBR for this month and I can’t wait to read it!

3. The Heir by Kiera Cass

The Heir

I really enjoyed the first three books in the Selection series when I read them in 2014 so I was super excited for this book. However, so much time had passed between when I read books 1-3 and when The Heir came out that I, again, lost interest. Plus, I’ve heard some negative things about this book. I’m still considering reading it, but I would have to reread the other books first.

4. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You

I read the first book in this duology in 2014 and I really enjoyed it! I was highly anticipating this book but at the time of its release, I didn’t have the money to purchase it. I was waiting for the book to come in at the library but it took months for it to finally arrive. By that point, I wasn’t as interested in reading it. I would still like to read it someday though!

5. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

The Sword of Summer

This is a book that has been on my shelves for a little while now, but I still haven’t gotten around to reading it yet! I was waiting until I finished the Kane Chronicles trilogy (also by Rick Riordan) before jumping into this one, but I ended up getting distracted by other books. I’m definitely planning on reading it sometime in 2016 though!

6. Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes

Frozen Tides

This book didn’t come out until December 15th and I didn’t actually purchase it until the last day of the year, so I’m not beating myself up too much about not reading it in 2015. I wanted to jump straight into it as soon as it came in the mail but instead, I decided to reread books 1-3 since I couldn’t remember everything that had happened in those books. Right now, I’m rereading Gathering Darkness (book #3) and then I can finally read Frozen Tides!!

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

A Darker Shade final for Irene

This book has been on my TBR for quite some time now and I can’t believe I haven’t read it yet! Last year, I read Vicious (by the same author) and I really enjoyed it. I really want to read another novel by Victoria! With the sequel to this book coming out soon, I need to get to it ASAP!

8. The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Crime

I read the first book in this series at the very beginning of last year and while I didn’t completely love it, I still enjoyed it. I definitely want to continue on with the series – especially since the third book is coming out in a couple months – but I would have to reread the first book first.

9. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Uprooted

This is a book that I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about. I will definitely be reading this book sometime in 2016! Pictured above is the UK cover which is super gorgeous. I think I may end up purchasing this edition!

10. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows

I’m probably the only person in the YA book community that hasn’t read this book yet. Well, I have a secret… I haven’t read Heir of Fire yet either. I wanted to continue with the series in 2015, but I was only able to reread Throne of Glass and read Crown of Midnight. This year, I plan on reading both Heir of Fire and Queen of Shadows so I can get caught up with the series!

What are some 2015 releases you wanted to read last year but didn’t get to? Let me know in the comments or link me to your Top Ten Tuesday post!

2016 Reading & Blogging Goals

January 10, 2016January 28, 20172 Comments

2016-reading-blogging-goals

Hey everyone! Today I’m here with a post that I’ve been wanting to make since the year started. At the beginning of each year, I don’t normally write down resolutions because most of the time, I don’t end up completing them. However, this year, I want to change that. Here are the goals I have for the year that are reading and blogging related!

Reading/Bookish Goals

1. Read at least 80 books

Last year, I had a goal of reading 100 books and I just barely completed it. During the last few months of the year, I was super busy with my first semester of college and unfortunately, reading wasn’t my highest priority. This year, I’m going to be in school for more months than last year so I’m trying to be more realistic by setting my goal for 80 books. It would be nice to read even more, but I’m not going to push myself!

2. Complete all the reading challenges I have signed up for

I’m participating in 5 reading challenges this year and I’m really excited for them all! That being said, I really hope to be able to complete all of them. Check out my post HERE to find out the challenges I’m participating in!

3. Only buy books I know I’m going to read immediately (or in the near future)

I have a habit of buying books that I want to eventually read, books that have been really hyped but I don’t know much about, or books that have gorgeous covers. This year I want to make a priority of only buying books that I know I want to read right away – or at least within the month. This will definitely help me to keep a handle on my wallet and my ever-growing TBR!

4. Keep utilizing my local library

The library is just so amazing. If I’m not sure if I’m going to like a book and I don’t want to spend my money on it, all I have to do is take a trip to the library. This year I’m definitely going to be visiting it as much as I did last year (if not more)!

5. Attend at least one book signing / author event

I went to my first book signing last year and had the pleasure of meeting Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff, and also Claire Legrand who was moderating the event. I had such a great time and I would love to go to at least one more this year! Hopefully I can find one that’s no too far away from where I live!

6. Read a book that’s longer than the longest book I’ve ever read

The longest book I’ve ever read in my life was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which was 870 pages. This year I hope to read a book that’s even longer than that! If you have any big book recommendations, please let me know!

Blogging Goals

1. Write more reviews

This is something I really, really want to work on. I read 100 books last year, but only wrote a handful of reviews. This year, I’m going to try to write at least double the amount of reviews I wrote last year. Hopefully I can complete this goal!

2. Interact with the book blogging community more

This is a huge one for me. I’ve been a part of the book blogging community for almost 10 months now but I haven’t really made any friends. I follow a lot of blogs and people on Twitter but because I’m so shy, I don’t really reach out to others. This year, however, I vow to make more of an effort to talk to other book bloggers whether it be on their blogs, Twitter, Goodreads, etc.

3. Take part in at least one blog tour / blogging event

I’ve never participated in a blog tour but they look like a great way of promoting new books and also a lot of fun! This year, I hope I’m able to join in on at least one blog tour or other blogging event.

4. Make more creative posts

This is another important goal for me. I feel like sometimes my posts are nothing unique – they don’t make my blog stand out from the hundreds of others out there. This year, I want to try and make posts that are more creative and not something that has been done before!

What are some of the book or blog related goals you have for the year? Let me know down in the comments.

Friday Finds #21

January 8, 2016February 7, 201810 Comments

Friday Finds

Friday Finds is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm where you spotlight books that you’ve recently added to your To Be Read list. Here are all the books I’ve added to my TBR on Goodreads recently!

FF1

Morrighan by Mary E. Pearson (The Remnant Chronicles #0.5)
First & Then by Emma Mills
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen #2)
Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen #0.1-0.2)

FF2

On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine (Ravenspire #1)
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

FF3

The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead (The Glittering Court #1)
Heir to the Sky by Amanda Sun
Something Real by Heather Demetrios
What You Left Behind by Jessica Verdi

Not pictured:

Bound by Blood and Sand by Becky Allen (Untitled Series #1)

What books have you added to your TBR recently? Do we share any of the same books? Comment down below or link me to your Friday Finds post!

Book Traveling Thursdays #2

January 7, 2016January 28, 20172 Comments

book-traveling-thursdays

This week’s theme is “Yesterday was Cuddle Up Day!! Choose a book that makes you feel warm and cozy.” My pick for this theme is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, but I could have went with any book in the series. This series is one that always makes me feel at home. I will never get tired of rereading those books for this reason alone!

Original Cover

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Original Cover)

This will probably be one of the few times that the original cover differs from my country’s cover. I live in the US so the majority of the books I read were first published in the US. I like this cover, but not as much as the newer ones that have been released!

My Country’s Cover

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Original Cover)

There have been more than one US covers but this is the original one and the one I grew up seeing. I definitely like this cover better than the original UK cover!

Favorite Covers

Untitled

These two are definitely my favorite of all the Harry Potter covers! The artwork for both is just so well done and I love both of the covers’ typography! I unfortunately don’t own these editions but I would absolutely love to! (The one on the left is the US Scholastic edition and the one on the right is the UK Bloomsbury edition.)

Least Favorite Cover

HP Italian

I… just have no words. What is this cover?!? Why is there a giant creature thing (I don’t know what to call it!) and why is Harry wearing a hat shaped like it?? This cover is just so weird and so ugly! Next time Italian publishing company, stick to the original cover.

What is one book that makes you feel warm and cozy? Let me know in the comments or link me to your Book Traveling Thursdays post!

Happy Book Birthday To… (#8)

January 5, 2016January 6, 2016Leave a comment

Happy Book Birthday To...

“Happy Book Birthday To…” is a feature I created in April 2015 to showcase books that have just been released. The purpose of the posts is to celebrate book releases and share my excitement for them. These posts won’t be made on a regular schedule (like once a week, once a month, etc). Instead, they will be made whenever a lot of books on my TBR are being released on one day and/or when a highly anticipated book from my TBR is released. To find the links to my previous Book Birthday posts, go here.

Truthwitch

Author: Susan Dennard

Series: The Witchlands #1

Publisher: Tor Teen

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 416

Synopsis: In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

The Impostor Queen

Author: Sarah Fine

Series: The Impostor Queen #1

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 336

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found. Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Passenger

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Series: Passenger #1

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Time Travel

Pages: 464

Synopsis: In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

This Is Where It Ends

Author: Marieke Nijkamp

Series: N/A

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 292

Synopsis: 10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama’s high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won’t open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Thicker Than Water

Author: Kelly Fiore

Series: N/A

Publisher: Harper Teen

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 320

Synopsis: Cecelia Price killed her brother. At least, that’s what the police and the district attorney are saying. And although Cecelia is now locked up and forced into treatment, she knows the real story is much more complicated.

Cyrus wasn’t always the drug-addled monster he’d become. He was a successful athlete, but when an injury forced him off the soccer field and onto pain medication, his life became a blur of anger, addiction, and violence. All CeCe could do was stand by and watch, until she realized one effective way to take away her brother’s drugs while earning the money she needed for college: selling the pills.

Soon, CeCe becomes part drug dealer, part honor student. But even when all she wants is to make things right, she learns that sometimes the best intentions lead to the worst possible outcome.

Thicker than Water is an unforgettable dark, harrowing look into the disturbing truth of drug addiction and the desperate love of a sister watching her brother deteriorate before her eyes.

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Are any of these books on your TBR? If yes, which one are you most excited about? Let me know in the comments!

2016 Reading Challenges

January 4, 2016January 28, 201712 Comments

2016-reading-challenges

I absolutely love reading challenges and after seeing so many fun ones going around, I knew I had to join in! This year, I’m planning on participating in 5 reading challenges. To discuss my progress throughout the year, I’ll be including updates in my month wrap ups for each challenge. If you’re looking for some fun 2016 reading challenges to participate in this year, keep on reading!

1. Goodreads Reading Challenge

Goodreads Reading Challenge

Every year Goodreads encourages everyone to set themselves a reading goal for the year. Last year, I set myself a goal of reading 100 books during the year and I completed it! This year, however, I only set it for 80 books. I know I’m going to be busy with school and I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself! As you can see, so far I’ve already finished 1 book towards my challenge. Yay!