My 2020 Must Read TBR List

I will totally admit that I make one of these lists every single year and then never actually end up reading the majority of the books on that list. However, this year I really plan to try and be the adult that I am and finally knock some of these titles off of my TBR. Some of these books have been sitting on my shelves gathering dust for years, while others are newer releases that I had been anxiously waiting for but still haven’t picked up yet. Why do I do this to myself you ask? I honestly have no idea. Maybe it’s just part of a being a bookworm… too many books, too little time.


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King of Fools (The Shadow Game, #2) by Amanda Foody

I read the first book in this series when it came out and really enjoyed it. I was super excited for this sequel… and then totally forgot about it when it was released. Does anyone else do this too or is it just me? We should start a club.

On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.

Thirsting for his freedom and the chance to build an empire, Levi enters an unlikely partnership with Vianca Augustine’s estranged son. Meanwhile, Enne remains trapped by the mafia donna’s binding oath, playing the roles of both darling lady and cunning street lord, unsure which side of herself reflects the truth.

As Enne and Levi walk a path of unimaginable wealth and opportunity, new relationships and deadly secrets could quickly lead them into ruin. And when unforeseen players enter the game, they must each make an impossible choice: To sacrifice everything they’ve earned in order to survive…

Or die as legends.

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Defy the Fates (Constellation, #3) by Claudia Gray

This series has been such a wild ride and I’ve loved every minute of it. I like to think that I’ve been putting off reading this finale because I’m just not ready for this story to end. Claudia Gray just gets me so well with her stories.

Hunted and desperate.

Abel only has one mission left that matters: save the life of Noemi Vidal. To do that, he not only has to escape the Genesis authorities, he also must face the one person in the galaxy who still has the means to destroy him. Burton Mansfield’s consciousness lives on, desperate for a home, and Abel’s own body is his last bargaining chip.

Alone in the universe.

Brought back from the brink of death, Noemi Vidal finds Abel has not only saved her life, but he’s made her into something else, something more. Not quite mech, yet not quite human any longer, Noemi must find her place in a universe where she is utterly unique, all while trying to create a world where anyone–even a mech–can be free.

The final battle between Earth and the colony planets is here, and there’s no lengths to which Earth won’t go to preserve its domination over all humanity. But together, the universe’s most advanced mech and its first human-mech hybrid might have the power to change the galaxy for good.

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We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix

I’ll admit that I got a signed ARC of this book at BookCon in 2018 and still haven’t read it. I’m not proud of that either. I still can’t believe I haven’t read this book either since it sounds like something that I’d really enjoy.

In the 1990s, heavy metal band Dürt Würk was poised for breakout success — but then lead singer Terry Hunt embarked on a solo career and rocketed to stardom as Koffin, leaving his fellow bandmates to rot in rural Pennsylvania.

Two decades later, former guitarist Kris Pulaski works as the night manager of a Best Western – she’s tired, broke, and unhappy. Everything changes when she discovers a shocking secret from her heavy metal past: Turns out that Terry’s meteoric rise to success may have come at the price of Kris’s very soul.

This revelation prompts Kris to hit the road, reunite with the rest of her bandmates, and confront the man who ruined her life. It’s a journey that will take her from the Pennsylvania rust belt to a Satanic rehab center and finally to a Las Vegas music festival that’s darker than any Mordor Tolkien could imagine. A furious power ballad about never giving up, even in the face of overwhelming odds, We Sold Our Souls is an epic journey into the heart of a conspiracy-crazed, paranoid country that seems to have lost its very soul…where only a girl with a guitar can save us all.

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The Philosopher’s Flight (The Philosophers Series, #1) by Tom Miller

I got this book from Book of the Month Club when it first came out and yet here it still is, unread and alone. I’m pretty sure this is a story that I’ll love too. There’s really no reason for me not having picked it up yet.

Eighteen-year-old Robert Weekes is a practitioner of empirical philosophy—an arcane, female-dominated branch of science used to summon the wind, shape clouds of smoke, heal the injured, and even fly. Though he dreams of fighting in the Great War as the first male in the elite US Sigilry Corps Rescue and Evacuation Service—a team of flying medics—Robert is resigned to mixing batches of philosophical chemicals and keeping the books for the family business in rural Montana, where his mother, a former soldier and vigilante, aids the locals.

When a deadly accident puts his philosophical abilities to the test, Robert rises to the occasion and wins a scholarship to study at Radcliffe College, an all-women’s school. At Radcliffe, Robert hones his skills and strives to win the respect of his classmates, a host of formidable, unruly women.

Robert falls hard for Danielle Hardin, a disillusioned young war hero turned political radical. However, Danielle’s activism and Robert’s recklessness attract the attention of the same fanatical anti-philosophical group that Robert’s mother fought years before. With their lives in mounting danger, Robert and Danielle band together with a team of unlikely heroes to fight for Robert’s place among the next generation of empirical philosophers—and for philosophy’s very survival against the men who would destroy it.

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Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

This is a beloved bestseller and I have yet to experience its beauty. But do not fear, I plan to finally pick up this beauty this year, especially since I want to read it before the adaptation is released.

Set in the days of civilization’s collapse, Station Eleven tells the story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time—from the actor’s early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theater troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains—this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor’s first wife, his oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet.

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Middlemarch by George Eliot

I finally started on this classic last summer and I haven’t picked it up since… FOR SHAME, LARKIN.

Taking place in the years leading up to the First Reform Bill of 1832, Middlemarch explores nearly every subject of concern to modern life: art, religion, science, politics, self, society, human relationships. Among her characters are some of the most remarkable portraits in English literature: Dorothea Brooke, the heroine, idealistic but naive; Rosamond Vincy, beautiful and egoistic: Edward Casaubon, the dry-as-dust scholar: Tertius Lydgate, the brilliant but morally-flawed physician: the passionate artist Will Ladislaw: and Fred Vincey and Mary Garth, childhood sweethearts whose charming courtship is one of the many humorous elements in the novel’s rich comic vein.

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Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #1) by Mary E. Pearson

As someone who became obsessed with The Remnant Chronicles, I cannot wait any longer to finally read this new story in the same world.

A formidable outlaw family that claims to be the first among nations.

A son destined to lead, thrust suddenly into power.

Three fierce young women of the Rahtan, the queen’s premier guard.

A legendary street thief leading a mission, determined to prove herself.

A dark secret that is a threat to the entire continent.

When outlaw leader meets reformed thief, a cat-and-mouse game of false moves ensues, bringing them intimately together in a battle that may cost them their lives―and their hearts.


Do you struggle to read all of the books on your shelves in a timely manner? Are you able to read your books when you say you will? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of it?

2019 End of Year Survey

2019 was a solid reading year for myself, if not as great as I was hoping it would be. However, I did get to read some amazing books and find new favorite authors so I can’t complain too much. I can’t wait to look back on everything that I’ve read over the past year!

If you wish to participate in the survey, please link back to the original creator – Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner.


2019 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 64
Number of Re-Reads: 2
Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy

Best in Book

Best Book You Read In 2019?

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Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

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Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?

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Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

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Best series you started in 2019? Best sequel of 2019? Best series finale of 2019?

Favorite new author you discovered in 2019?

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Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

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Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

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Book You Read In 2019 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

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Favorite cover of a book you read in 2019?

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Most memorable character of 2019?

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Jude is a total badass and no one can say otherwise.

Most beautifully written book read in 2019?

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Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2019?

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Book you can’t believe you waited until 2019 to finally read?

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Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2019?

“By you, I am forever undone.” – The Queen of Nothing

Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2019?

Book That Shocked You The Most

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OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

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Jude and Cardan… I think it’s pretty easy to see how I feel about this book.

Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

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Morrigan and Hawthorne crack me up with their friendship. She’s cynical and he is Mr. Get-Into-All-of-the-Trouble.

Favorite Book You Read in 2019 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

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Best Book You Read In 2019 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.

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Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2019?

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I will always go for the moody and brooding guys, especially ones with a bit of darkness in them like Nathaniel.

Best 2019 debut you read?

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Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

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Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

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Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2019?

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Hidden Gem Of The Year?

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Book That Crushed Your Soul?

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Most Unique Book You Read In 2019?

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Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

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Your Blogging/Bookish Life

New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2019?

I have done a terrible job keeping up with the bookish community this past year. Maybe that’s why I was affected by so many reading slumps – I wasn’t keeping myself hyped up.

Favorite post you wrote in 2019?

If You Liked That…Read This: Historical Fiction Edition

Favorite bookish related photo you took in 2019?

Ummm, I did not take one. Oops!

Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events,  etc.)?

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it to BookCon this past year but I was able to participate in the blog tour for Songs from the Deep!

Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2019?

Probably when I finally reach over 1000 followers on my blog. I don’t really promote it a whole lot so it’s been nice to see it grow so much this year.

Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

My reading life took a bit of a hit this year from going into so many random reading slumps, which has really affected my will to actually post regularly. It’s something I’m really hoping to not have an issue with this coming year.

Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

The 5 Most Disappointing Books of 2019

Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Top 5 Audiobook Recommendations

Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I don’t think I really have one this year.

Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Hahahahahaha… Nope, didn’t finish either of one. Epic 2019 fail.

Looking Ahead

One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2019 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2020?

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Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2020 (non-debut)?

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2020 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

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Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2020?

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One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2020?

Keep away from the dreaded reading slumps and try to consistently blog post.


How did you reading year go in 2019? What was a book that surprised you the most? Did you read a hidden gem of a novel? Did any books disappoint you? Please leave a link to your reading survey in the comments below!

Anticipated Releases Tag

I saw this really fun tag done by Lauren @ Fangirl Fury and just knew that I had to participate.. Because hey, who doesn’t love talking about new books?! Only a crazy person, that’s who. #GimmeAllDemBooks

Original tag created by Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx.


Most Anticipated Release(s) of the Year

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Supernova (Renegades, #3) by Marissa Meyer

I’ve been enjoying this series so much. I think Meyer has done a great job of showing how life is more shades of grey, rather than black and white. I appreciate that her writing has matured as well, compared to The Lunar Chronicles. I cannot wait to see what the end of Nova’s story will bring, especially after that shocking ending of the previous book. I NEED TO KNOW.

A Book You’re Not Anticipating

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Sea Witch Rising (Sea Witch, #2) by Sarah Henning

I never read the first book in this series and don’t plan to. Am I the only person who doesn’t really care about all of this villain origin stories trend going on? I kind of feel like I might be.

Most Underhyped Anticipated Release

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Suggested Reading by David Connis

I can never say no to a book about books and this one just sounds so amazing. I am a firm believer in no censorship when it comes to books, especially in high school. I can’t wait to see how Connis tackles this controversial topic!

A Book You’ve Been Waiting on Forever

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The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

Ever since finishing Salt to the Sea, I have been dying for another Sepetys novel. And I feel like it has been forever since this book was first announced and I cannot wait any longer for it. I love that Sepetys always chooses to cover historical events that aren’t usually covered in school or in novels.

A Book You’re Anticipating That’s Outside of Your Comfort Zone

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The Athena Protocol by Shamim Sarif

I’m typically not a big reader of thrillers, but something about the synopsis of this novel sounds too good to pass up. I expect a lot of nonstop action mixed with some twists and turns. Also, I’ve always had small desire to work in intelligence. Those guys are badass.

Your Top Three Can’t Wait Books of the Year

  • Five Dark Fates (Three Dark Crowns, #4) by Kendare Blake
  • The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising, #1) by Kiersten White
  • The Beautiful (The Beautiful, #1) by Renee Ahdieh

All three of these books have been on my radar ever since they were first announced, especially Five Dark Fates. This fall is definitely killing it in the new releases department.

Top Five Most Anticipated Backlist Books on Your TBR

  • The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
  • The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
  • When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry
  • Defy the Fates (Constellation, #3) by Claudia Gray
  • The Last Magician (The Last Magician, #1) by Lisa Maxwell

What are some of your most anticipated releases? Do you usually keep up to date with new releases? What are some backlisted books on your TBR for the rest of the year? Are you excited about any of the books on my list?

My Summer Must-Read TBR

I’m pretty sure that I do a post like this one at least once a year and NEVER stick to it. I know that the one I posted for this previous winter was just abysmal… But y’all, I’m gonna stick to it this time around! I have been doing really well so far in 2019 of sticking to books that I’ve posted on my TBRs. This summer TBR is going to be the time where I actually read all of the books on this list. It’s time I kick my own ass into gear and get it done. I have a good mix of backlisted books and newer releases planned and I’m really excited to get started. Fingers crossed, everyone!


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The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

I pre-ordered this gorgeous behemoth of a novel, and yet I still haven’t picked it up. However, I feel like this will be a really good book to pick up over the summer. I can see myself reading this one over a lazy weekend when it’s storming outside…

 

 

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The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

I always enjoy a good historical fiction story and this one sounds like a sweet read, perfect for the summer. I also plan to use it for one of my POPSUGAR reading prompts, so I’ve got a double reason for needing to pick it up this summer. I haven’t really heard much about this one which makes it even more exciting to pick up!

 

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Middlemarch by George Eliot

I already know that I’m finally going to read this book, as I have it up next on my TBR for May. This book has been sitting on my shelf for the last 4 years and I’ve let it get pushed aside in favor of less intimidating books. But no more! This classic is finally getting picked up… Bring. It. On.

 

 

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Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #1) by Mary E. Pearson

I absolutely loved the previous trilogy set in the same world and so as soon as this one was announced, I knew I had to read it. I’ve heard some good things about this book and so I’m ready to experience it for myself. I really hope the hype is real for this one!

 

 

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The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

Another classic that I plan to finally read this summer. Who doesn’t enjoy epic family stories complete with romance in a historical setting? Raise your hand if that speaks to you as much as it speaks to me! It really helps that everyone seems to love the miniseries based on this book, so I’m sure I’ll be watching that too at some point after I finish this. If you’ve read this one, please verify!

 

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Defy the Fates (Constellation, #3) by Claudia Gray

I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I’m quite ready for this series to end.. But I know that the queen of sci-fi will do this finale justice and I can’t wait to see what kind of epic stuff she has in store for us.

 

 

 

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Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

I absolutely adored her debut novel, An Enchantment of Ravens, so I have been anxiously awaiting her follow up novel. And it’s almost here! I don’t think I’ll be able to wait to pick this one up. It’ll arrive and immediately go into my grabby little hands!

 

 

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The Oracle Year by Charles Soule

I originally got this book from Book of the Month Club back when it first came out. I waited until after my dad read it first to get his opinion on it, as Soule was a comic book writer and I was unsure how he would translate to a full novel. However, dad enjoyed it and so now it’s time for me to give it a shot.

 

 

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Finale (Caraval, #3) by Stephanie Garber

Now y’all know that one of my more anticipated releases isn’t going to get pushed aside for anything! As is the case with Sorcery of Thorns, this final book in such an engrossing trilogy is going to be read as soon as it shows up on my doorstep!

 

 

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The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

My blogging bestie, Britt @ Geronimo Reads, as been raving about this book ever since she first read it. When I saw it on BookOutlet, I knew I had to get it and see what all the fuss is about for myself. I have high hopes for this one because I’ve been needing a creepy story in my life.

 

 


Are there any specific books that you plan to read over the summer? Have you read any of the books on my TBR? If so, what did you think of them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Books Featuring Strong Female Characters

I’m sure like most of you do, I always enjoy reading a story that features strong and independent female characters. I never fail to feel an intense connection with those types of characters, as I like to think of myself as a fairly strong female as well. Everyone needs to be able to find a sense of strength and inspiration from their books and I think there’s nothing better than getting that from a special character. Long after you may forget what the plot from that book was about, you’ll still be able to remember that character and what they mean to you.

And don’t worry boys, you’ll get your turn soon!


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Skyward (Skyward, #1) by Brandon Sanderson

Spensa is a total badass pilot. She never lets anything stop her from doing what she knows she was born to do. Also, her snarky comebacks never fail to make me laugh aloud.

Spensa’s world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what’s left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa’s dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with that of her father’s—a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa the daughter of a coward, her chances of attending Flight School slim to none.

No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.

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Golden Son (Red Rising, #2) by Pierce Brown

Victra is life and anyone who disagrees can fight me over it.

As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.

A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.

He must live for more.

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Sadie by Courtney Summers

Sadie is one of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever come across. She will do anything to avenge her sister’s death and I can totally respect that.

A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

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Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World, #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse

I want to be a monster hunter just like Maggie when I grow up. Can I say something like that even though I’m already 28? Eh, I don’t care. She’s fierce and I love it.

While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters.

Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last—and best—hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much larger and more terrifying than anything she could imagine.

Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel to the rez to unravel clues from ancient legends, trade favors with tricksters, and battle dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.

As Maggie discovers the truth behind the disappearances, she will have to confront her past—if she wants to survive.

Welcome to the Sixth World.

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The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1) by Holly Black

Jude is a human living amongst the Fair Folk and she’s able to play their games even better than they are. I only wish I could be as cunning as she is.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

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Defy the Stars (Constellation, #1) by Claudia Gray

Noemi Vidal is just so cool. She’s a fighter and isn’t afraid to break the rules in order to do the right thing.

he’s a soldier — Noemi Vidal is willing to risk anything to protect her planet, Genesis, including her own life. To their enemies on Earth, she’s a rebel.

He’s a machine — Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel’s advanced programming has begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator, and to be free. To the people of Genesis, he’s an abomination.

Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they’re not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they’re forced to question everything they’d been taught was true.

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Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer

Technically Nova is the bad guy, but she’s still so loyal to the only family that she has even if that puts her at odds with the rest of the world. I can admire her standing by them, while also standing up to them when she knows what they’re doing is wrong.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone… except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

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Honor Among Thieves (The Honors, #1) by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

I love how tough Zara is and how she’s willing to to do what’s right, even when putting her own life at risk. Also, I’m just really jealous she gets to fly a sentient ship.

Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead of moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight.

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Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1) by L.M. Montgomery

Anne is the real O.G. of inspirational females. No list would be worth even reading if she wasn’t on it.

As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to to the orphanage? Anne knows she’s not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she’ll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurting out the first thing that comes to her mind. Anne is not like anyone else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.

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The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling, #1) by Erika Johansen

Kelsea is ruthless when it comes to fighting for her crown and protecting her kingdom. She is so strong willed and independent when it comes the choices she makes.

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.


Who are some of your favorite female characters? Do you agree with my choices?

My Top Five Auto-Buy Authors

We all have our favorite authors. Those authors who it doesn’t really matter what they’re writing about because we’re going to buy it either way. Before today, I had never really sat down and thought about which authors I naturally gravitate towards. But I think it’s interesting to talk about the authors that we love and why we love their work, which is why I wanted to share a few of my favorites with y’all!


Samantha Shannon

I don’t what it is about Shannon’s writing, but she always has me hooked into the world and plot in the very first paragraph. Her world-building is just phenomenal and she creates characters that are so complex and aren’t necessarily always good or bad. I really appreciate authors who can create characters that feel very real to me, which usually means they are very flawed and aren’t necessarily always doing the right thing. And you best believe that I am anxiously awaiting for my preorder of The Priory of the Orange Tree to arrive next week!

Emily Henry

I will be the first to admit that I typically hate magical realism, like I will go out of my way to not read magical realism. But dammit, if Emily Henry doesn’t make me pick up her books every single time a new one comes out! I’m not sure why it is but her writing style of magical realism is so much more accessible than the others that I have read. I never feel confused as to what is happening plot-wise. Also, Henry’s stories will make you feel ALL the feels, especially A Million Junes. I’m actually really interested in her upcoming release When the Sky Fell on Splendor, as it’s science fiction instead of her usual magical realism and I am so here for it.

Claudia Gray

Gray is my go-to for some amazing science fiction with strong female characters. I also like how I’m never bored with her stories. They’re really fast-paced and very engaging. I also love her writes relationships, whether it’s romantic or strictly platonic. She’s also a hardcore Star Wars fan (like your’s truly!) and has written a few new canon novels which I highly recommend. I have a few of the most recent ones that I still need to get to…

Leila Meacham

I love a great sweeping historical fiction novel and Leila Meacham writes those to perfection. She has this ability to immediately draw you into her novel and transport you back in time. I also really appreciate a well-written romance, which features prominently in her stories. I had no idea that she had a new release coming out that is set during WWII, called Dragonfly. I am pre-ordering that one immediately!

Pierce Brown

I will never not stop recommending Brown’s books to every single person I know. His writing is so expansive with some AMAZING political intrigue and epic battles sprinkled throughout. He does write adult science fiction so the situations can be very grim and violent. But my gosh, does he pull you into the world while falling in love with such flawed and complex characters.


What are some of your favorite/auto-buy authors? What is it about their writing that makes you want to read everything they create? Have you read any of the authors on my list? If so, what did you think of them?

Valentine’s Day Reading Recommendations

It’s that time of the year when love is in the air (supposedly) and the greeting card companies, florists, and candy corporations are all excited about the money they’re making off of us. And if you were looking for some books to add to all of the love stuff floating around right now, I decided to help you out with some recommendations. Don’t worry, I’m gonna help you out with a bunch of different genres so you don’t have to worry about getting stuck with only contemporary (which we all know isn’t my favorite…). Enjoy!


Contemporary

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Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

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A Million Junes by Emily Henry

For as long as Jack “June” O’Donnell has been alive, her parents have had only one rule: stay away from the Angert family. But when June collides—quite literally—with Saul Angert, sparks fly, and everything June has known is thrown into chaos.

Who exactly is this gruff, sarcastic, but seemingly harmless boy who has returned to their hometown of Five Fingers, Michigan, after three mysterious years away? And why has June—an O’Donnell to her core—never questioned her late father’s deep hatred of the Angert family? After all, the O’Donnells and the Angerts may have mythic legacies, but for all the tall tales they weave, both founding families are tight-lipped about what caused the century-old rift between them.

As Saul and June’s connection grows deeper, they find that the magic, ghosts, and coywolves of Five Fingers seem to be conspiring to reveal the truth about the harrowing curse that has plagued their bloodlines for generations. Now June must question everything she knows about her family and the father she adored, and she must decide whether it’s finally time for her—and all the O’Donnells before her—to let go.

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Me Before You (Me Before You, #1) by Jojo Moyes

Louisa Clark is an ordinary young woman living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has never been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

A love story for this generation, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

Science Fiction

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Defy the Stars (Constellation, #1) by Claudia Gray

She’s a soldier – Noemi Vidal is willing to risk anything to protect her planet, Genesis, including her own life. To their enemies on Earth, she’s a rebel.

He’s a machine – Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel’s advanced programming has begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator, and to be free. To the people of Genesis, he’s an abomination.

Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they’re not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they’re forced to question everything they’d been taught was true.

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Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1) by Beth Revis

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone—one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship —tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

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Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer

A forbidden romance.

A deadly plague.

Earth’s fate hinges on one girl . . .

CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She’s reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen – and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth’s future.

This is not the fairytale you remember. But it’s one you won’t forget.

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Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

BRIEFING NOTE: Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Fantasy

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The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) by Samantha Shannon

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

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Caraval (Caraval, #1) by Stephanie Garber

Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

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Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1) by Morgan Rhodes

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed… and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It’s the eve of war…. Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword….

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The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, #1) by Mary E. Pearson

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

Historical Fiction

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These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon—like all the girls in her class—she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo secretly dreams of becoming a writer—a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.

Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.

The more Jo uncovers about her father’s death, the more her suspicions grow. There are too many secrets. And they all seem to be buried in plain sight. Then she meets Eddie—a young, brash, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper—and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. Only now it might be too late to stop.

The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and the truth is the dirtiest part of all.

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Stars Over Clear Lake by Loretta Ellsworth

For the first time in decades, Lorraine Kindred has returned to the ballroom where she was swept away by the big bands during the 1940s – and by a star-crossed romance. As she takes in the magnificent energy and brassy sounds of her youth, the past comes to life, along with the fateful decision all those years ago that forced her to choose between personal conviction and social expectations, between the two men who had captured her heart. It had been a time of great music and love, but also of war and sacrifice, and now, trying to make peace with her memories, Lorraine must find the courage to face buried secrets. In the process, she will rediscover herself, her passion, and her capacity for resilience.

Set during the 1940s and the present and inspired by a real-life ballroom, Stars Over Clear Lake is a moving story of forbidden love, lost love, everlasting love – and self love.

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The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen, #1) by Alison Goodman

London, April 1812.

On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

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Roses by Leila Meacham

Spanning the 20th century, the story of Roses takes place in a small East Texas town against the backdrop of the powerful timber and cotton industries, industries controlled by the scions of the town’s founding families. Cotton tycoon Mary Toliver and timber magnate Percy Warwick should have married but unwisely did not, and now must deal with the deceit, secrets, and tragedies of their choice and the loss of what might have been–not just for themselves but for their children, and children’s children. With expert, unabashed, big-canvas storytelling, Roses covers a hundred years, three generations of Texans and the explosive combination of passion for work and longing for love.


Do you like to books with romance around Valentine’s Day? Have you read any of the books on my list? What books would you recommend for Valentine’s Day?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My 2019 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge TBR

For the past couple of years I have participated in the annual POPSUGAR reading challenge… and with abysmal results. However, it’s a new year (unfortunately, same me) and I’m really going to try and actually complete it this year. It’s always a long shot for me as some of the prompts don’t really excite me for one reason or another (like I really don’t appreciate poetry.. oops?). But I’m going to do my best to finish this really intense reading challenge this year. It’s going to be a uphill battle, but I’m willing to make the trek! And for me, the best way to do so is to plan ahead with a TBR. I’ve actually come up with a couple of options for some of the prompts to help with my indecisive reading habits.

If you would like to learn more about this reading challenge, please visit the official Goodreads reading group. They have tons of participants and also discussions on books that would work for each prompt. It’s quite possibly the best group on Goodreads that I’ve ever come across. NO LIE.


A Book Becoming A Movie In 2019

A Book That Makes You Nostalgic

A Book Written By A Musician (Fiction Or Nonfiction)

A Book You Think Should Be Turned Into A Movie

A Book With At Least One Million Ratings On Goodreads

A Book With A Plant In The Title Or On The Cover

A Reread Of A Favorite Book

A Book About A Hobby

A Book You Meant To Read In 2018

A Book With “Pop”, “Sugar”, “Challenge” In The Title

A Book With An Item Of Clothing Or Accessory On The Cover

A Book Inspired By Myth/Legend/Folklore

A Book Published Posthumously

A Book You See Someone Reading On TV Or In A Movie

A Retelling Of A Classic

A Book With A Question In The Title

A Book Set On A College Or University Campus

A Book About Someone With A Superpower

A Book Told From Multiple POVs

A Book Set In Space

A Book By Two Female Authors

A Book With “Salty”, “Sweet”, “Bitter”, or “Spicy” In The Title

A Book Set In Scandinavia

A Book That Takes Place In A Single Day

A Debut Novel

A Book Featuring An Extinct Or Imaginary Creature

A Book Recommended By A Celebrity You Admire

A Book With “Love” In The Title

A Book Featuring An Amateur Detective

A Book About A Family

A Book Written By An Author From Asia, Africa, or South America

A Book With A Zodiac Sign or Astrology Term In The Title

A Book That Includes A Wedding

A Book By An Author Whose First And Last Names Start With The Same Letter

A Ghost Story

A Book With A Two Word Title

A Novel Based On A True Story

A Book Around A Puzzle Or Game

Your Favorite Prompt From A Past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


Are you participating in the POPSUGAR reading challenge this year? If so, have you figured out your TBR already? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think about them?

My Top 10 Reads of 2018

Here we are again, at yet another year’s ending. But I have to say that I actually had a pretty good year in 2018 and I’m feeling even better about 2019. With that being said, my reading was kind of all over the place and involved me taking a nosedive into a few long reading slumps a couple of times over the past few months. But luckily, I’m finishing the year strong and I still was able to read quite a few awesome books. And I’m sure you’re wondering what my favorite ones were, right? Well you’re in luck!


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The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1) by S.A. Chakraborty

Seriously, if I could sing my praises for this book from the top of every mountain on Earth, I would. It’s full of such a rich world and some amazing characters, that it’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. It has definitely worked its way into my all-time favorites list and I cannot for the sequel!

 

 

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Iron Gold (Red Rising, #4) by Pierce Brown

I hope no one here is surprised to see that I loved this book. It’s a continuation of one of my favorite series ever and just keeps getting better and better with each book. I love how Brown keeps giving me conflicting feelings on all of my favorite characters and the decisions they make.

 

 

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The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling, #1) by Erika Johansen

This entire trilogy completely stunned me. It was wonderfully written and I loved how it was such a feminist story. I loved it so much that I made my dad read it and he loved it too! Seriously, if you haven’t picked this one up before, you definitely should.

 

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Black Moon (Zodiac, #3) by Romina Russell

I really feel like this is a super underrated series. You never hear anyone talking about it but y’all, it is SO GOOD. The world-building is incredible and the plot has such an interesting storyline and mystery that it keeps you hooked from the very first page.

 

 

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Furyborn (The Emporium Trilogy, #1) by Claire Legrand

This book got a lot of mixed reviews when it first came out, but I LOVED it so much. I liked how it went back and forth between the two characters and you got to read both of their stories parallel to one another. I’m super excited for the next book to come out and see what happens next!

 

 

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A Reaper at the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes, #3) by Sabaa Tahir

Okay, seriously though… I don’t think I even need to explain how amazing this series is. And gosh, the story just gets more and more intense with each new release.

 

 

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Defy the Worlds (Constellation, #2) by Claudia Gray

I swear that Claudia Gray can do no wrong. She continues to just blow away the science fiction genre and produce perfection after perfection. This book was left me dyyyyying for the final to be released. These two characters are some of my favorites and I need for them to have a happy ending!

 

 

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Smoke and Iron (The Great Library, #4) by Rachel Caine

I am seriously obsessed with this series and this book in particular I found to be extremely intense. There were so many moving parts and I loved each of the character’s individual POV chapters.

 

 

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Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer

I wasn’t really expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. While I enjoyed Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series, I felt that it was a little on the immature side. However, I loved that she embraces the dark a little more in this book.

 

 

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Sadie by Courtney Summers

I listened to the audiobook of this haunting story and I cannot recommend it enough, as you really get to experience the whole podcast setting that way. This story definitely lives up to all of the hype that you’ve probably heard about it. Just pick this one up, you won’t regret it.

 

 


What are some of your favorite reads of 2018? Have you read of the ones on my list? If so, what did you think of them?

June Wrap-Up: Reviews, Reading Challenges, etc.

I had a decent reading month in June, but nothing amazing. Things have been really busy and stressful at work, which has affected my reading some. I catch myself coming home and just watching tv to relax more than I have in years. I’d like to thank Hulu and Netflix for taking over my life recently, especially Hulu. Hopefully I can get back into reading consistently soon.


Books Read

  • Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) by Amanda Foody – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Legendary (Caraval, #2) by Stephanie Garber – physical book, 5/5 stars, Book Review
  • Defy the Worlds (Constellation, #2) by Claudia Gray – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Scarlet (Scarlet, #1) by A.C. Guaghen – audiobook, 3/5 stars
  • Lady Thief (Scarlet, #2) by A.C. Gaughen – audiobook, 4/5 stars
  • The Diviners (The Diviners, #1) by Libba Bray – audiobook (reread), 5/5 stars
  • Ahsoka (A Star Wars Novel) by E.K. Johnston – physical book, 4/5 stars
  • A Reaper at the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes, #3) by Sabaa Tahir – physical book, 5/5 stars, Book Review

Total Books Read: 8

Overall in 2018: 43

Reading Challenge Updates

POPSUGAR

  • A book you own but haven’t read yet – Ahsoka

Goodreads Challenge

Total: 43/75

Previous Total: 35/75

Blog Posts

Book Reviews

WWW Wednesday

Discussions/Misc.


How did your reading month in June go? Were you able to read all of the books on your TBR? Did you read any new favorites? What book did you like the least? Did you do anything fun or interesting?