Friday 29 April 2016

APRIL WRAP-UP!!

So, it's the end of the month and that means another wrap-up! I had many problems with reading this month partly because I had a lot of work/a school trip and because I was in a kind of reading slump which always sucks. Now, before I say too much, let's get on with this wrap-up!

NETGALLEY BOOKS



The only book I read that I got for review was Of Pens and Swords by Rena Rocford. This book was a Contemporary which I surprisingly enjoyed a lot. I rated it 4 out of 5 Crowns because it wasn't one of my favorites but still really impressed me. I laughed a lot and would have been in hysterics from the sad parts if I hadn't been on the school bus, surrounded by high schoolers. That would have been embarrassing. 

PHYSICAL BOOKS



The first physical book I read was Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield.  I read a lot of this in one sitting and it was a really good book. I rated this four out of five Crowns. I don't know if a review will be coming for this book considering I have so many others piling up to do. I definitely want to read the second book though.



The second book I read was Open Road Summer by Emery Lord. I went in with pretty low expectations but I was impressed. I really enjoyed her relationship with her best friend and then her relationship with Matt was beautiful. I feel like both Matt and her best friend really help her become a better person which made me incredibly happy. I rated this book 4.5 out of 5 Crowns. 



The third physical book I read was The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas. I read this for the Author-A-Thon book-a-thon. This is the second book in a trilogy and I loved it so much! I rated it 5 out of 5 Crowns. I highly recommend this series and I think you should give it a shot if you haven't. 



The fourth physical book I read was Between the Spark and the Burn by April Genevieve Tucholke. I also read this for the book-a-thon. I didn't expect to rate this over 3.5 Crowns because of how I rated the first book. And the plot twist in this book... This one still scared me a lot but I enjoyed it a little more and gave it 4 Crowns.



The fifth physical book I read was Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes. I really enjoyed this book. It is a high fantasy novel that is compared to Game of Thrones. There are four main characters who each play distinctive parts. It is very bloody, brutal and unpredictable. There were a couple of plot twists that shocked me. I still don't understand why people love Magnus so much. I'm more of a Jonas kind of gal. :) I rated this 5 out of 5 Crowns if it wasn't obvious already. 



The last book I read was The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. I rated this 5 out of 5 Crowns and this was a re-read. I love this series so much! And that is all I need to say until the review! :) 

And that is it for my wrap-up! I have come up with my TBR for May but that will go up later this weekend! And a book haul! :)




Tuesday 26 April 2016

Top Ten Tuesday || Bookworm Delights



Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that other bloggers are welcome to join in, to create Top Ten lists on varying topics. This week it's Top Ten Bookworm Delights

I love this topic because it gives me the chance to tell you guys about things that have to do with books but aren't books!




Book Themed Items

When I love a series, I want merchandise based on that series. Unfortunantly, I don't get much of that as I usually don't ask for it for Christmas because I'm too busy asking for actual books. But I still love book merchandise. 



Fancy Pages

You might not know what I mean by fancy pages but if you pick up a book and it has glossy pages or like old pages and then you like them cause they feel nice. For example; I love the pages of the book Winter by Marissa Meyer. 


Getting Free Books

This should be on everyone's list because who doesn't like getting free books? I love it when I find a book in a free bin at a library or getting a book for free just because you subscribed to something. It always gives me a happy feeling cause I love books and getting them free is a plus. 


 Finding a Pop Culture Reference in a Novel

I love finding refrences to TV shows I watch or other books in a series. For example, in the Percy Jackson series you can often find Pop Culture refrences which just make my day. 


A Matching Set

If you don't have any idea about what this means then I shall tell you. A matching set is when all the books in the same series are the same editions, covers and spins and they are all together on your shelf. I love this. Almost all my series are all different because I buy the first one from a sale and then the second one at Barnes and Noble or something and they are different sizes or one is hardback and one is paperback and I get so angry with myself. 



Re-Arranging my Bookshelves

I just had my mom clear off two cubes in a bookshelf so I could put a bunch of new books that I have gotten and I just love organizing my bookshelf. I did these by author and ugh they are so pretty.


Finding Out a Book is Signed

When you get a book used and you suddenly realize that it is indeed signed and you squeal from joy. That is me! 


Getting Acceptance Emails from NetGalley

When I look through my emails and see that I got an acceptance email to view a NetGalley book makes me so happy, especially since I don't receive ARCs in physical copy. 


Pop dolls

POP dolls are literally the cutest things. I have four. They don't necessarily represent book characters but they are so cute. I have Lady Sif from Thor, Rey from Star Wars, Sherlock from the TV show Sherlock and Killian Jones from the TV show Once Upon a Time. 


10 Finding Someone Who Loves the Same Book

When you are reading and someone starts talking to you based on what you are reading is so excited. I'm like finally, someone understands my latest obsession.



AUTHOR-A-THON WRAP-UP!

Hello all!

As I mentioned before, I participated in a Read-A-Thon that ran from April 18-April 24. I have been in a kind of reading slump this month so I thought this would help me get more reading done. I didn't get as many books done as I had hoped but I did read some. 

The challenges were: 


1- Read a book by one of your favorite authors
2- Read a new-to-you author
3- Give an author a second chance
4- Read a debut author (2015 or 2016)
5- Read a book written by more than one author
6- Read a book from an author who is from a different continent than you are

I completed the high-lighted challenges. I am pretty proud of myself for even getting three books done and two others started because I am usually struggling to find time to read. 



Read a new-to-you author: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes. 

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! It was amazing. I couldn't put it down. It had magic, and battles and so much good stuff. I will put a book review up soon so that will be coming soon!



Give an author a second chance: Between the Spark and the Burn by April Genevieve Tucholke. 

I liked this book a whole lot more than the first one but it still only rated four crowns because it still scared me a lot. 


Read a book from an author who is from a different continent than you are: The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

I really enjoyed this book. It was amazing! I love this series so much and you should all go check it out if you haven't already. 

I also started reading The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker. And yes, I am re-reading The Lightning Thief. I haven't gotten very far in either of these which is sad so I am going to be trying to finish them this week and if not, one will go on next month's TBR which I am already planning out. 

Questions: 

Total Pages Read: 1, 146
Total Books Read: 3
If this is done again, will you participate: Yes! This was a lot of fun and I am excited to do something like this in the future!


Monday 25 April 2016

Music Monday #13

I got this idea from the blog Trust in the Words. 





Until it Hurts by Fransisca Hall

I found this song from another crossover video and of course it hooked me and I had to find out what this song was. Ugh, I love it so much! <3

What's in your headphones?

Happy reading everybody! <3

Sunday 24 April 2016

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF SPRING 2016!

Hello all,

Today I am going to be sharing with you my most anticipated books of Spring 2016 which is from April-Early June! I decided to split my most anticipated into four parts because of how many books there are. Without further ado let’s get on with this blogpost!

[By the way these books will be separated into different sections]

SEQUELS



The first book that I am excited for is A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. This book is set to release on May 3, 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens. This is the sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses which is one of my favorite books EVER!

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court--but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms--and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future--and the future of a world cleaved in two.


The second book I am excited for is The Crown by Kiera Cass. This book is set to release on May 3, 2016 by HarperTeen. I didn't love The Heir but I still need to know what happens next so I can't wait for this book. 

Twenty years have passed since the events of The One, and America and Maxon’s daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own. Princess Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you... and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.


The third book I am excited for is The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan. This is set to release on May 3, 2016 from Disney-Hyperion. I know that this is part of its own series but it feels like this is part of the Percy Jackson series because he said the characters will be in it. I can not wait!

How do you punish an immortal?

By making him human.

After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disorientated, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus's favour.

But Apollo has many enemies - gods, monsters and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.



The fourth book I am excited for is The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May. This book is set to release on June 7, 2016 from Chronicle Books. I loved the first book and I do have it on my shelf so I can't wait for the next one. 

The second book in the Falconer trilogy is packed with surprises and suspense. 

Aileana Kameron, the Falconer, disappeared through the portal that she was trying to close forever. Now she wakes up in the fae world, trapped and tortured by the evil Lonnrach. With the help of an unexpected ally, Aileana re-enters the human world, only to find everything irrevocably changed. Edinburgh has been destroyed, and the few human survivors are living in an uneasy truce with the fae, while both worlds are in danger of disappearing altogether. Aileana holds the key to saving both worlds, but in order to do so she must awaken her latent Falconer powers. And the price of doing that might be her life. 



The fifth book I am excited for is Return to the Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz. This book is set to release on May 24, 2016 from Disney-Hyperion. I have not read the first book but I do own it so I am still excited. 

There’s no place like home. Especially if home is the infamous Isle of the Lost. Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay haven’t exactly turned their villainous noses up at the comforts of Auradon after spending their childhoods banished on the Isle. After all, meeting princes and starring on the Tourney team aren’t nearly as terrible as Mal and her friends once thought they would be.

But when they receive a mysterious invitation to return to the Isle, Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay can’t help feeling comfortable in their old hood—and their old ways. Not everything is how they left it, though, and when they discover a dark mystery at the Ise’s core, they’ll have to combine all of their talents in order to save the kingdom.



The sixth book that I am excited for is Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell. This book is set to release on April 5, 2016 by Disney Press. I also did not read the first book but they don't go together so it will be fine to read this. 

What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dream marks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways.

It should be simple--a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess's, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over.

With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up?

FANTASY



The first book in this section that I am excited for is Ruined by Amy Tintera. This is set to release on May 3, 2016 from HarperTeen. This book sounds so good and why are so many books coming out on the same day. I'm going to be binge-buying for sure. 

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.



The second book in this section is The Star Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi. This is set to release on April 26, 2016 from St. Martin's Griffin. This book contains fantasy elements and mythology so I can't wait. And I think it is similar to Hades and Persephone so I'm down. 

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.



The third book in this section is The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye. This is set to release on May 17, 2016 from Balzer + Bray. This book sounds so amazing and it is a series and I am so excited!

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love... or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear... the Crown’s Game is not one to lose. 



The fourth book in this section is Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh. This is set to release on June 7, 2016 from HarperTeen. I am so excited for this book. I love getting into new fantasy series though I have so many on my TBR list already. 

Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe—that’s the life seventeen-year-old Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to like and trust him, but any hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless—and nearly grave—mistake. However, there’s something more to Mya’s cool disdain…a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy from Mya’s past who Mya swears has ulterior motives.

As Kol gets to know Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate until violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he’s trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that Mya or Lo—Kol doesn’t know which—had been planning all along.
 

HISTORICAL FICTION



The first book in this section is Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman. This is set to release on May 3, 2016 from Balzer + Bray. I don't really know much about this book but people have seemed to put it on theirs and I feel like I should too. 

Six years have passed since England’s King Charles II returned from exile to reclaim the throne, ushering in a new era of stability for his subjects. 

Except for Elizabeth Milton. The daughter of notorious poet John Milton, Elizabeth has never known her place in this shifting world—except by her father’s side. By day she helps transcribe his latest masterpiece, the epic poem Paradise Lost, and by night she learns languages and sword fighting. Although she does not dare object, she suspects that he’s training her for a mission whose purpose she cannot fathom. 

Until one night the reason becomes clear: the king’s man arrive at her family’s country home to arrest her father. Determined to save him, Elizabeth follows his one cryptic clue and journeys to Oxford, accompanied by her father’s mysterious young houseguest, Antonio Vivani, a darkly handsome Italian scientist who surprises her at every turn. Funny, brilliant, and passionate, Antonio seems just as determined to protect her father as she is—but can she trust him with her heart? 

When the two discover that Milton has planted an explosive secret in the half-finished Paradise Lost—a secret the king and his aristocratic supporters are desperate to conceal—Elizabeth is faced with a devastating choice: cling to the shelter of her old life or risk cracking the code, unleashing a secret that could save her father…and tear apart the very fabric of society.



The second book in this section is Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey. This is set to release on April 19, 2016 from Swoon Reads. 

Juliana Telford is not your average nineteenth-century young lady. She’s much more interested in researching ladybugs than marriage, fashionable dresses, or dances. So when her father sends her to London for a season, she’s determined not to form any attachments. Instead, she plans to secretly publish their research.

Spencer Northam is not the average young gentleman of leisure he appears. He is actually a spy for the War Office, and is more focused on acing his first mission than meeting eligible ladies. Fortunately, Juliana feels the same, and they agree to pretend to fall for each other. Spencer can finally focus, until he is tasked with observing Juliana’s traveling companions . . . and Juliana herself.
 

SCIENCE FICTION



The first book in this section is Night Speed by Chris Howard. This is set to release on May 3, 2016 from Katherine Tegan Books. This reminds me of the TV show The Flash so I need to get my hands on this book. 

Only those young enough can survive the pulse-pounding rush of tetra, a dangerous and addictive new drug that fuels a nine-minute burst of superhuman strength and speed. Alana West has been trained to use the drug so she can pursue the young criminals who abuse its power—criminals like the breakneck who nearly killed her kid brother.

On tetra, Alana is unstoppable. The rush makes her an explosive blur as she surges through New York City, battling to bring down breaknecks before they leave more people dead or injured in their wake. But with the clock ticking down to her eighteenth birthday, Alana will soon be too old for the rush...when just one more dose will prove deadly.

Supported only by her strong and steady handler, Tucker, Alana goes undercover, infiltrating an elite gang of breaknecks to stop the supply of their drug. But when Alana gets trapped on the wrong side of the law, she learns the breaknecks are not quite what they seem—especially Ethan, the artistic boy whose bottomless brown eyes seem to see the truth inside her. With her own dependency on tetra increasing, Alana must decide where her loyalties lie before the rush ends. Forever.
 

CONTEMPORARY



The first book in this section is Wanderlost by Jen Malone. This is set to release on May 31, 2016 by HarperTeen. Who doesn't love a good Contemporary once in a while? I am down for this one. 

Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe.

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan begins unraveling, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.
 

Some honorable mentions: 

My Lady Jane by Cynthea Hand. Releases: June 7, 2016
Future Shock by Elizabeth Briggs. Releases: April 1, 2016
What Happens Now by Jennifer Castle. Releases: June 7, 2016
Even if the Sky Falls by Mia Garcia. Releases: May 10, 2016
How it Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes. Releases: June 14, 2016
Summer of Supernovas by Darcy Woods. Releases: May 10, 2016

MARCH'S CRAZY BOOK HAUL PART TWO!

A couple weeks ago I posted the first part of this haul and now I am finally going to complete the second part of this haul! And yes there are a lot of books, sorry about that.  Plus, I just went to a book sale so April's haul is going to be huge as well. 

Now, let's get on with this haul!

The first book I bought from Barnes and Noble. 


I bought The Prey by Tom Isabel from Barnes and Noble. My sister actually found it on the shelf and thought it sounded really interesting so naturally we had to buy it. Yes, I do have a problem sometimes.

A hot debut trilogy and a riveting story of survival, courage, and romance in a future where creating a master civilization is the only thing prized, no matter the method. After the Omega (the end of the end), 16 year old guys known as LTs discover their overseers are raising them not to be soldiers (lieutenants) as promised, but to be sold as bait because of their Less Than status and hunted for sport. They escape and join forces with a girls’ camp, the Sisters, who have been imprisoned and experimented on for the "good of the Republic," by a government eager to use twins in their dark research. In their plight for freedom, these heroes must find the best in themselves to fight against the worst in their enemies.


I bought A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro online. This was one of my most anticipated books so I needed to own it, not that I'm going to read it for awhile. 

The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.


All of the next books I got at my school's book sale. 



The first book I got was Spelled by Betsy Schow. I read this book back over the summer holidays and I loved it a lot but I never got around to buying it. When I saw it on the table, I knew I had to buy it because I will so read this again and get around to reviewing it. 

Fairy Tale Survival Rule #32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch, sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the day.

Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after. 

Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse...before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.




The second book I got was Dreamspinner by Lynn Kurland. I saw this book on the table and thought it looked really good. This is also the seventh book in a series which sucks but it looks like you don't need to read the first ones in order to read this one. It is an adult book so I have no idea when I will be getting around to reading it. 

Aisling of Bruadair has lived a provincial life, heedless of the evil creeping over her land. That ordinary existence changes forever, though, when she is sent to the opposite end of the world to find a master swordsman. If she fails, her life--and her country's safety--will be forfeit. She just never expected that swordsman to be a wounded elven prince masquerading as a simple soldier.

Powerless and scarred from a long-ago conflict, Rùnach of Ceangail has spent years in obscurity, ignoing battles he can no longer fight. And although he has been drawn back into the world, he fully intends to live an unremarkable life far away from events he knows he cannot change...

Until Rùnach meets Aisling and realizes that she is far more than what she seems, that their alliance has attracted unwelcome notice, and that some battles must be fought.
 



The third book I got was Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. This is supposedly a much better series than the Vampire Diaries book series and I am excited to read it. Unfortunately, they didn't have the nice new cover but it's alright. I can make do. 

Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies . . . 

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires - the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger . . . and the Strigoi are always close by.

Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever . . .



The fourth book I got was Uprooted by Naomi Novik. I have heard wonderful things about this book. I don't know much about it but I think it is sort of a fairytale retelling and I am always down for one of those. 

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.
 



The fifth book I got was Champion by Marie Lu which is the last book in The Legend Trilogy. I love this trilogy and I read it a couple years ago. I kind of don't remember a lot of what happened so since I have the whole series maybe I can marathon it someday. 

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position. 

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything. 




The sixth book I got was The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. This is an Alice in Wonderland retelling which I already know will be good. I've heard it is a much darker version of Alice in Wonderland and it looks like a good, quick read that I plan to try in one of the coming months. 

Alyss of Wonderland?
When Alyss Heart, newly orphaned heir to the Wonderland throne, flees through the Pool of Tears to escape her murderous Aunt Redd, she finds herself lost and alone in Victorian London. Befriended by an aspiring author named Lewis Carrol, Alyss tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Alyss trusts this author to tell the truth so that someone, somewhere will find her and bring her home. But he gets the story all wrong. He even spells her name incorrectly!

Fortunately, Royal Bodyguard Hatter Madigan knows all too well the awful truth of Alyss' story - and he's searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland, to battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.

The Looking Glass Wars unabashedly challenges our Wonderland assumptions of mad tea parties, grinning Cheshire cats, and a curious little blond girl to reveal an epic battle in the endless war for Imagination.
 




The seventh book I got was Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. This is the second book in the Throne of Glass series. I have not read the first book but I saw this one and had to get it. (It was cheap, okay?)

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.
 



The eighth book I got was Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. This is the third book in the Throne of Glass series. Again, I got it because it was cheap and I kind of want the whole series. 

She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth...a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever.

Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength to not only fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed.




The ninth book I got was The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas. This is a book full of novellas from the Throne of Glass series. 

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas - together in one edition for the first time - Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out.



The tenth book I got was The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. I have heard nothing but good things about this book and I bought it to see for myself. And the second book comes out this year so I should catch up. 

One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?



The eleventh book I got was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. This is another Adult book that has gotten good reviews but I have no idea when I will start it because of how many books I have on my overall TBR list. 

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices plastered on lampposts and billboards. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. 

Within these nocturnal black-and-white striped tents awaits an utterly unique, a feast for the senses, where one can get lost in a maze of clouds, meander through a lush garden made of ice, stare in wonderment as the tattooed contortionist folds herself into a small glass box, and become deliciously tipsy from the scents of caramel and cinnamon that waft through the air. 

Welcome to Le Cirque des Rêves. 

Beyond the smoke and mirrors, however, a fierce competition is under way--a contest between two young illusionists, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood to compete in a "game" to which they have been irrevocably bound by their mercurial masters. Unbeknownst to the players, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. 

As the circus travels around the world, the feats of magic gain fantastical new heights with every stop. The game is well under way and the lvies of all those involved--the eccentric circus owner, the elusive contortionist, the mystical fortune-teller, and a pair of red-headed twins born backstage among them--are swept up in a wake of spells and charms. 

But when Celia discovers that Marco is her adversary, they begin to think of the game not as a competition but as a wonderful collaboration. With no knowledge of how the game must end, they innocently tumble headfirst into love. A deep, passionate, and magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 

Their masters still pull the strings, however, and this unforeseen occurrence forces them to intervene with dangerous consequences, leaving the lives of everyone from the performers to the patrons hanging in the balance. 



The twelfth book I got was All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. This is yet another Adult book that I really don't know when I will get to. 

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.



The thirteenth book I got was Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. This is the first book in a trilogy and I have heard great things about it so I need to get started on it but I have no idea when that will be. 
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.


And that it is it for this crazy book haul! I literally had to clean off two shelves today cause I got like twenty five books in the month of April. I'm kind of scared I'm going to run out of room cause let's be real. I'm never going to stop buying books.