March Books on my Shelf!

March Books on my Shelf!

Here is my March TBR! Yes, there are way too many books on this list but I have a break this month and will be trying to read around half of these books and I will feel accomplished.

My Challenge for this Month is: Read a contemporary novel.

For this challenge I am going to be reading A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

I NEVER read contemporary books as I feel like they are usually too overhyped and are overly cliche but I found this in the library and thought that I may like it. So we shall see.

A lot of the next books were in my TBR jar of books I want to read.

The first book I have is City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I have put off reading this book since April of last year but since the tv show is becoming a success I have decided that it is time for me to try this popular series. Who knows? Maybe I’ll love it.

The second book I have is Stars Above by Marissa Meyer. I borrowed this from a friend and I am almost finished with it. This book contains short stories about the characters from Marissa Meyer’s wonderful series The Lunar Chronicles. I love this book and short review will be coming soon.

The third book I have is Dangerous Deception by Sarah Zettel. I have had this book out for many many weeks and it is seriously time for me to start reading this book.  This is the second book in The Palace of Spies series and I read the first book a while back. This series is about a girl who is hired to impersonate a lady at court while she tries to find out what happened to the girl she’s impersonating.

The fourth book I have is The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. I am re-reading this series as it is one of my favorites of all time.

The fifth book I have is The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen. I’m a little intimidated by this book but it looks so interesting that I will get over that detail. All I really know about this book is that it is a fantasy and the girl in the book is a princess in hiding who needs to claim her throne.

The sixth book I have is Starling by Lesley Livingston. This book includes Greek Mythology and I seriously can’t resist a book that includes mythology.

The seventh book is The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa. This is the second book in The Iron Fey series and it is a must for me to read as I want to read the whole series. It is an amazing series and I highly recommend it.

Then I have some books I received from NetGalley:

Lions in the Garden by Chelsea Luna. This book is set in 1610 and is about a Lady who is suddenly caught up in the Protestant rebellion. A review is coming.

I also have A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund. This is basically about a female Robin Hood and I am down.

A Reaper of Stone by Mark Gelineau and Joe King. 

A Lady is dead. Her noble line ended. And the King’s Reaper has come to reclaim her land and her home. In the marches of Aedaron, only one thing is for certain. All keeps of the old world must fall. 

Elinor struggles to find her place in the new world. She once dreamed of great things. Of becoming a hero in the ways of the old world. But now she is a Reaper. And her duty is clear. Destroy the old. Herald the new.  

The last book I have from NetGalley is One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank. I am starting to read contemporary fiction again and this is one that really appealed to me. It is set to release on June 7, 2016!

I also have a couple of extra books which I will probably not get to but I added them anyways:

One: The Heir by Kiera Cass. This is the fourth book in The Selection series which is one of my favorite series. People haven’t really liked this book but one of my friends is reading it and does like it so I thought that if I have time, I shall read this one.

Two: Nexis by A.L. Davroe. I received this book from my sister at Christmas and I seriously need to pick it up. The main character is a naturally born person while most of the others are genetically-altered Aristocrats. She really wants to be like everyone else but then her father is killed. She escapes into Nexis; the virtual reality game her father invented. Ugh this book sounds so awesome and I need to get to it.

Three: The Rose Society by Marie Lu. This is the second book in her new series The Young Elites and I loved the first book so I should read the second book. This series features a girl who was a survivor of the blood fever which swept through the land nearly ten years ago. Many died but many children also received strange markings and some even had remarkable powers. The main character is more villain than hero and that’s what I really like about this book.

Four: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. This is a contemporary/romance YA book. This is about a girl who wrote to all the boys she’s ever liked/loved. Then one day she finds out all her secret letters have been mailed. People have said great things about this book so I am going to try it.

That is it for my March TBR!

February 2016 Wrap Up!

February Wrap-Up

Time for this  month’s wrap-up!!!

February wasn’t the best reading month but I am still proud of how many books I actually managed to read.

The first book I read was The Conjurer’s Riddle by Andrea Cremer. This is the second book in The Inventor’s Secret series. I really enjoyed this book as a sequel even though there wasn’t as much action and romance as I thought there would be. I also rated this 4.5 out of 5 Crowns.

The second book I read this month was Winter by Marissa Meyer. This is the last book in The Lunar Chronicles which is one of my favorite series of all time. I rated this 5 out of 5 Crowns.

The third book I read this month was Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza. This book was really good and I rated it 4 out of 5 Crowns.

The fourth book I read this month was The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson. I rated this 5 out of 5 Crowns. This is the second book in The Remnant Chronicles series and I might have even enjoyed it more than the first one. It had me in tears, laughing and almost ripping the book to shreds. My review will be linked at the bottom of this post.

The last book I read this month was The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this book and of course rated it 5 out of 5 Crowns.

I also have a couple books that I didn’t finish as I either didn’t have time or didn’t like it.

The first book I didn’t finish was The Death Cure by James Dashner. I didn’t finish this book because I can’t seem to bring myself too. I’ve been trying since October so one day I will just sit down and read it but probably not until Spring Break.

The second book I didn’t finish was Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis. This was because two days after I started it, there was a hold on it at the library and I had to return it. :(

The last book that I didn’t finish was Prophecy by Ellen Oh. This is because I thought it was up my ally but turns out it really wasn’t. I didn’t enjoy it so I returned it and didn’t finish it.

That’s all for the books I read in February. I will be seeing you soon for my March TBR and a book review of a book I just finished.

Reviews Mentioned:

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

Waiting on Wednesday: March 2, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that everyone’s excited about.

The people of Nelebek live in fear of persecution from the evil Morlet, who reigns with a dark and destructive magic. The kingdom’s only hope lies with the Order of the Krigers—twelve warriors with mysterious powers linked to magical weapons. 

For over a century, Morlet has been annihilating the Order, picking them off one by one. Eleven Krigers have been hunted down, tortured, and imprisoned in his dungeon. Now, only one remains.

Sixteen-year-old Kaia survives by keeping her head down and minding her own business. But when she finds herself in the middle of a public execution where the mysterious Morlet is in attendance, an odd compulsion she can’t resist comes over her. 

Kaia looks into Morlet’s eyes.

Soon, an ancient power awakens and Kaia can no more blend into the scenery. Will she heed the call of the Krigers or will Morlet’s dark magic destroy the last of the Order?

Rise by Jennifer Anne Davis releases on May 17, 2016 from Month9Books

This book sounds so interesting and there is magic and it's for fans of The Girl of Fire and Thorns and I'm excited!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Top 5 Wednesday: Biggest Book Hangovers

Biggest Book Hangovers

Top 5 Wednesday #T5W is a goodreads group that was created by Lainey @gingerreadslainey. This weeks topic is your biggest book hangovers. I don't really remember that many of these but I do have a few. 

5. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

After I finished this book for the first time, I was in awful denial. Like how could all of these horrible things have happened and why was I in tears. I had an awful time picking up another book but I did quicker than I thought as I couldn't stay away from books that long. 

4. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

That cliffhanger killed me and I didn't want to pick up another book until the next book was safely in my hands. 

3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I loved this book so much that I refused to read anything else until I had at least read the second book and that is basically what I did. 

2. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

For a couple of days I did not want to read anything else as this book had overwhelmed me in more ways than one. It was shocking, emotional and beautiful and I couldn't properly read another book for a little while.

1. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

This is such an obvious one as it is on almost everyone's list. This one gave me such a book hangover. I don't know how long it was until I properly read and enjoyed a book. I'm guessing it was around a month or so. 

That's all for today's Top 5! What are yours?

HITTING THE SHELVES March 1, 2016!

This is a post that features books that just hit shelves today! 

1. Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdy

Sonya was born with the rare gift to feel what those around her feel—both physically and emotionally—a gift she’s kept hidden from the empire for seventeen long years. After a reckless mistake wipes out all the other girls with similar abilities, Sonya is hauled off to the palace and forced to serve the emperor as his sovereign Auraseer.

Tasked with sensing the intentions of would-be assassins, Sonya is under constant pressure to protect the emperor. One mistake, one small failure, will cost her own life and the lives of the few people left in the world who still trust her.

But Sonya’s power is untamed and reckless, her feelings easily usurped, and she sometimes can’t decipher when other people’s impulses end and her own begin. In a palace full of warring emotions and looming darkness, Sonya fears that the biggest danger to the empire may be herself.

As she struggles to wrangle her abilities, Sonya seeks refuge in her tenuous alliances with the volatile Emperor Valko and his idealistic younger brother, Anton, the crown prince. But when threats of revolution pit the two brothers against each other, Sonya must choose which brother to trust—and which to betray.

2. Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor

When fragile, sixteen-year-old Hope Walton loses her mom to an earthquake overseas, her secluded world crumbles. Agreeing to spend the summer in Scotland, Hope discovers that her mother was more than a brilliant academic, but also a member of a secret society of time travelers. Trapped in the twelfth century in the age of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Hope has seventy-two hours to rescue her mother and get back to their own time. Along the way, her path collides with that of a mysterious boy who could be vital to her mission . . . or the key to Hope’s undoing.  

3. Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

Alien queen Kora has a problem as vast as the endless crimson deserts. She’s the first female ruler of her territory in generations, but her people are rioting and call for her violent younger twin brother to take the throne. Despite assassination attempts, a mounting uprising of nomadic human rebels, and pressure to find a mate to help her rule, she’s determined to protect her people from her brother’s would-be tyrannical rule.

Eros is a rebel soldier hated by aliens and human alike for being a half-blood. Yet that doesn’t stop him from defending his people, at least until Kora’s soldiers raze his camp and take him captive. He’s given an ultimatum: be an enslaved bodyguard to Kora, or be executed for his true identity—a secret kept even from him.

When Kora and Eros are framed for the attempted assassination of her betrothed, they flee. Their only chance of survival is to turn themselves in to the high court, where revealing Eros’s secret could mean a swift public execution. But when they uncover a violent plot to end the human insurgency, they must find a way to work together to prevent genocide.

4. A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund

In a reverse twist on the Robin Hood story, a young medieval maiden stands up for the rights of the mistreated, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. All the while, she fights against her cruel uncle who has taken over the land that is rightfully hers. Forced to live in the woods and hide with the poor people she's grown to love, she works to save and protect them, but she never anticipates falling in love with the wealthy knight who represents all she's come to despise.

5. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

The last thing sixteen-year-old Jamie Watson–writer and great-great-grandson of the John 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 enigmatic, fiercely independent great-great-granddaughter, who’s inherited not just his genius but also his vices, volatile temperament, and expertly hidden vulnerability. Charlotte has been the object of his fascination for as long as he can remember–but from the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else.

Then a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Holmes stories, and Jamie and Charlotte become the prime suspects. Convinced they’re being framed, they must race against the police to conduct their own investigation. As danger mounts, it becomes clear that nowhere is safe and the only people they can trust are each other.

6. Lions in the Garden by Chelsea Luna

Ludmila Novakova--Mila--has barely set foot outside Prague Castle in her seventeen years. But with the choice between braving the bandits and wolves of Bohemia's uneasy roads or being married off to a disgusting old baron, she's taken what she can carry and fled. 

Escape won't be easy. Even Mila has heard the rumors of a rebellion coming against the court. The peasants are hungry. The king hasn't been seen in months. Mila's father, the High Chancellor, is well known and well hated. 

But Mila can't sit behind a stone wall and let fear force her into a life of silk gowns and certain misery. Her mother's death has taught her that much. She has one ally: Marc, the son of the blacksmith. A commoner, a Protestant--and perhaps a traitor, too. But the farther she gets from the castle, the more lies she uncovers, unraveling everything she thought she knew. And the harder it is to tell friend from enemy--and wrong from right . . .

Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Read If You Are in the Mood for Getting Away!

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week it's Top Ten Books to Read If You Are In The Mood For [] and I have chosen 'Getting Away' and most of the books on this list are fantasy books I get totally lost in.

1. Stitching Snow 

by R.C. Lewis

This is one of my favorite books of all time. It is a fairytale retelling of Snow White in a Sci-Fi world. It is one of the books that makes you just forget about your real world problems and be immersed in the world of the book.

2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

By: J.K. Rowling

The wizarding world is the best world to get totally lost and immersed in and it's the perfect book to read over and over. 

3. Cinder

By: Marissa Meyer

This book is one of my favorite books of all time. You can be away from the real world for hours when you are reading this and it is a wonderful story. 

4. Splintered 

By: A.G. Howard

Splintered is a fairytale retelling of Alice in Wonderland. This book is creepy but it totally makes you forget everything but what is going on in this book. 

5. Red Queen

By: Victoria Aveyard

This book is a wonderful book that has you questioning everything that goes on. It has one of the biggest betrayals and immerses you completely. 

6. The Falconer

By: Elizabeth May

This is a book about evil fey and how she is a falconer (a huntress of the fey). She hunts the fey to get revenge for her mother's death. 

7. The Young Elites

By: Marie Lu

This book is a wonderful book with the main character more villain than hero. If you are in for a different type of read, pick up this book and get into the story.

8. The Remnant Chronicles: The Kiss of Deception/The Heart of Betrayal

By: Mary E. Pearson

This series is wonderful and I did not want to put them down so highly recommended. The third book comes out in August (I think!)

9. The Iron King 

By: Julie Kagawa

This is the first book in a series and I practically read half of it in less than an hour but it was a wonderful hour nonetheless as I was completely immersed in her story. 

10.  A Court of Thorns and Roses

By: Sarah J. Maas

This book is a Beauty and the Beast retelling that keeps you focused, gasping and laughing for the whole time you are reading it. Highly recommended! <3

That's it for today's blogpost which was more like a recommendation post.