Tag: young adult books

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’m Avoiding On My TBR and WHY

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This is such a fun week! I’m excited about this topic and dove right into my TBR to find some books.

I found a list of books that I’m definitely hiding from for a myriad of reasons. Check them out below!

Happy Top Ten Tuesday!

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

WHY – I have heard great things about this middle grade series, but it’s also a LONG series and LONG books. And I just haven’t hit the mood of wanting to read them yet. I can get them all digitally from my library though which is a huge plus.

Eidolon (Wraith Kings #2) by Grace Draven

WHY – I really loved the first book, Radiance, and thought I’d dive right into the next one but never got the chance. Now I’m afraid I’ve waited too long and won’t love it like I want to. So there it sits on my TBR.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

WHY – I have seen SO MANY CONFLICTING REVIEWS Y’ALL. Everything from 1 star I hated this, to 5 star this was amazing. Which is why I stare at it on my shelf and have yet to pick it up.

Princes at War by Deborah Cadbury

WHY – I am a mood reader. And I haven’t really been in the mood for a non-fiction. I picked this up for super cheap on Book Outlet and I really hope to get to this soon. It sounds interesting!

Hunting Prince Dracula & Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco

WHY – I’m including these together since they’re by the same author. I have wanted to continue this series and binge the last two before Capturing the Devil came out. My library hasn’t gotten EFH yet though. And I’ve requested a few times without getting anywhere. They have the first two so I thought they would be cool with getting the third? UGH.

The Fallen Kingdom (The Falconer #3) by Elizabeth May

WHY – I’m not loving this series as much as I’ve seen other people. And since I’ve been reading it through the library it’s turned into an out of sight, out of mind book. I might eventually get to it, we’ll see.

Vortex Visions (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles #1) by Elise Kova

WHY – Okay, it’s no secret around here. I LOVE THE AIR AWAKENS SERIES WITH MY WHOLE BOOKISH HEART. This is the next series and is a spin-off. Oh how I want to read it. Oh how I’m frightened to meet new characters and know I will compare it to Air Awakens.

The Devil’s Thief (The Last Magician #2) by Lisa Maxwell

WHY – After super enjoying The Last Magician, I was excited to get to The Devil’s Thief. Then I saw some reviews and people seem to hate the second book?! WHY. This makes me want to pick it up, and also hide from it.

Us Against You (Beartown #2) by Fredrik Backman

WHY – I LOVED BEARTOWN. And thought I would pick up book two immediately. I spoke to a Bookstagram friend about why she DNF this one. She mentioned that it was a bit repetitive if you read it right after Beartown (they go over everything that happens in book one). So for now I’m putting this away until I can’t remember Beartown quite enough to really love this one.

What books are you hiding from on your TBR? Are any of these on your list? Lets talk in the comments! Happy Top Ten Tuesday!

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Happy Publishing Day: The Girl the Sea Gave Back, The Lady Rogue AND Sword and Pen (It’s a great release day!)

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Post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation if you choose to purchase something.

WHOA. I like to make publishing day posts to help hype up books I have been fortunate to receive as ARCs (thank you to the publishers and Netgalley). I somehow ended up with three ARCs that all happen to come out, TODAY.

Get your TBR ready folks, here are some good reads for you.

The Girl the Sea Gave Back

Rating: 3 out of 3.

Find my review here!

The new gut-wrenching epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep.

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

Now, while I may not have given this a super high rating (three stars) that doesn’t mean you won’t love it. It has a lot of great qualities and seriously, this cover is BEAUTIFUL. It’s also an option for BOTM YA this month if you’re interested in purchasing it that way!

Book of the Month YA

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the eARC.

The Lady Rogue

Rating: 4 out of 4.

Find my review here!

Some legends never die…

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it. 

This one is filled with a second chance love, folklore about Vlad the Impaler (i.e. Dracula) and adventures over the Romania countryside. Jenn Bennett tries her hand at a more fantasy based book and it was good! Definitely enjoyable.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the eARC.

Sword and Pen (The Great Library #5)

Find my review here!

Rating: 4 out of 4.

With the future of the Great Library in doubt, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone must decide if it’s worth saving in this thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.

The corrupt leadership of the Great Library has fallen. But with the Archivist plotting his return to power, and the Library under siege from outside empires and kingdoms, its future is uncertain. Jess Brightwell and his friends must come together as never before, to forge a new future for the Great Library . . . or see everything it stood for crumble.

Oh this was a great finale to a wonderful series! A very quick read that gave me everything I needed to close this book with satisfaction. Now that the entire series is out, it’s definitely time to get this on your TBR. You can binge all of the books at once!

Thank you to Berkley Books and Netgalley for the eARC.

It’s a great day for releases! I hope you’ve had a chance to look these up. I would love to discuss more about them in the comments if you have questions or thoughts! Happy release day Tuesday!

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Book Review: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5) by Rick Riordan

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆  
Audience: Young adult fantasy + mythology
Length: 381 pages
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: May 5th, 2009
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. 

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

LOVED THIS.

This was a great ending to a wonderful series. I absolutely adored all of the mythology and friendships that played a major role in all of these books. I haven’t read many Greek mythology books and thought that this clearly had so much research done to bring these characters to life. I am now really interested in seeing what other books Riordan has.

I love Percy. He is a great MC. So full of heart, loyalty, and a desire to help those around him. I cheered for him throughout this entire series and laughed at the ridiculous (and often cute) situations he would get himself into. His ending for this series was not quite what I expected. Not a big deal, I liked the way this went better.

I think it’s crazy it took me so long to pick these up. It’s a fantastic series for all ages. I think it has many things that appeal to the masses. The focus on friendships, continual flow of action and moments that’ll stop your heart. It’s all there and quick to get through.

Percabeth is SUCH A CUTE SHIP. At times they annoyed me a touch because they were being a little naive. But, I realized they are 16. It’s okay to work through feelings and first love and all those moments that most of us remember going through too. I loved watching their relationship blossom over all of the books and it was a nice little touch to this one.

ACTION. The battle scenes took up chapters. It was crazy. I never felt like it was too much though. There were pauses and dreams throughout the battle that broke it up nicely and kept it from overpowering what was happening. I got the redemption I was hoping for and was pleased with how the everything else unfolded.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult fantasy + mythology
  • Language: none
  • Romance: a kiss
  • Violence: swords, death, battle scenes (never bloody/gory), loss of loved ones

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Top Ten Tuesday: Cover Redesigns I Loved (&A Few I’m Not So Sure About)

GoodeyReads12 Comments

This was so hard!? I also didn’t realize how many cover redesigns there have been. It’s practically every other book had a redesign at some point.
There are definitely more cover changes I loved so I included more of them, but at the bottom you’ll find a few that I’m not so sure about. I don’t hate them, they just wasn’t what I was hoping for.

Though, I will say I’m NOT counting any cover redesigns that involve movie changes. I HATE WHEN COVERS CHANGE TO LOOK LIKE THE MOVIE. I will wait forever to see one that I do like.

Happy Top Ten Tuesday!

Cover redesigns I loved:

An Ember in the Ashes Series by Sabaa Tahir

I love the addition of putting the characters on the cover! They deserve the spotlight and while I wish I could get all of the other covers (one day!) I love having the third (and fourth soon!) in this new design.

The Winner’s Curse Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski

I never quite got the first cover. It’s pretty, and I love the dress. Maybe a nod to her nobility, but the new covers actually show Kestrel for what she is. A strong minded warrior.

Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson

These first covers were all just…odd haha. Showing Vin in a better light and more realistic is so much better!

Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi

OH I’m ecstatic these changed before I even started reading them. That first cover is awful. Sorry not sorry. I love the eyes and think it’s really creative!

Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

We all know the new covers are AMAZING. I loved seeing every new design (especially the backs with those dresses!). I didn’t even realize this was a cover change when I started reading them.

Anna and the French Kiss Series by Stephanie Perkins

Ooomph. I love the bright, bold colors that these cover redesign went too. INFINITELY BETTER.

The Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

I WANT THE NEW COVERS SO BAD. THEY’RE SO PRETTY.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

I LOVE the new covers. They are more colorful and inviting. Makes me want to pick them up and read them.

Cover redesigns that I’m on the fence about:

But wouldn’t say hated, just not quite what I was already loving.

Shattered Realms Series by Cinda Williams Chima

I do love the new covers, but I really wanted them to all match the first series in this saga, Seven Realms. I’m on the fence about these. They aren’t bad, but I like fluidity in novels on my shelves when possible.

I don’t know. I like the addition of Amani on the cover, but the first cover WAS SO PRETTY. I have the book on the left and the other two books as the new covers.

Do you love or not like any of these covers? What’s a cover change you loved or hated? Lets talk in the comments!

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