Desirae Clark's Blog, page 5

Books I Read in 2019 *live updates*

JANUARY



1. A JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR by Daniel Defoe



[image error]check the review here



2. WORDS IN DEEP BLUE by Cath Crowley



[image error]check the review here



3. A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT by Sarah J. Maas



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4. FLIGHT OR FRIGHT by Stephen King



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5. BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver



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6. THE DREADFUL TALE OF PROSPER REDDING by Alexandra Bracken



[image error]check the review here



7. THE ISLE OF THE LOST by Melissa de la Cruz



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8. INSTANT WICCA MAGICK by Sylvia Shorewood







9. THE DARK DESCENT OF ELIZABETH FRANKENSTEIN by Kiersten White



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10. HEXED by Michelle Krys



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11. LAST SACRIFICE by Richelle Mead



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12. THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman



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MARCH



13. TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han



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14. THE PRINCESS SAVES HERSELF IN THIS ONE by Amanda Lovelace



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15. UNFILTERED: NO SHAME, NO REGRETS, JUST ME by Lily Collins







16. THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER by C. S. Lewis







17. IT’S NOT SUMMER WITHOUT YOU by Jenny Han







18. THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson







19. CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan







20. P. S. I STILL LOVE YOU by Jenny Han

January Wrap-Up

It’s that time of the month again. The time of joy and pride or the time of embarrassment and despair. Luckily, the latter is definitely not currently the case with me.

I have managed to set a personal record for most books read in a month – 12!

I’m astonished that I managed to get so much work done and be so many steps closer to finishing my reading challenge (which is to read 45 books this year).

You can see which books I definitely must read this year in a post that I posted in December 2018 – which I regularly update. You can find it here.

So without further ado, let’s get started!

1.  A JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR BY DANIEL DEFOE [image error]

I have already written a review of this book which you can find it here.

Thoughts: I’d have to say that this book wasn’t my favorite out of the three I’ve read about the plague, but it wasn’t the worst either. I loved reading the facts and hearing the stories of people’s struggles but there was something lacking…

Rating: 3/5 stars

2. WORDS IN DEEP BLUE BY CATH CROWLEY [image error]

I also already reviewed this book on my blog which you can find here.

My thoughts: it was a really cute, easy book that made me slightly emotional at times. The male main character was a bit annoying at first but then I just realized that it’s one of his quirks and didn’t really mind it that much as the entire story had been way more interesting. I definitely recommend reading this book for yourself because it’s one of those reads that you remember how it made you feel and that makes it even more special.

Rating: 4/5 stars
(it deserves 5 stars but I have implemented a stricter rating system which is not the book’s fault)

3. A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT BY SARAH J. MAAS 

(A Court of Thorns and Roses, book #3.1)

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Thoughts: Since I haven’t posted a proper review – nor do I plan to – it might make this a longer review.

I have high expectations when it comes to Sarah J. Maas and her work. She is by far one of my favorite authors and I even got a tattoo of the Night Court symbol on my arm. So needless to say, I absolutely adored ACOTAR (more like ACOMAF) and expected a lot from A Court of Frost and Starlight as well. Simply because we have already established characters and I had been under the belief that Rhys and Feyre are going to take the backseat and let everybody else get some spotlight.

That wasn’t entirely the case and while I loved reading about Rhys (my baby) and Feyre, I had a feeling the story was lacking and that so much more could’ve been done if only the other characters had been more present. I want to read about Nesta, Elain, Cassian, Az, Mor, Lucien, Amren and everybody else.

I get that this is a novella – which, to me, is the same as a longer filler chapter. But that doesn’t excuse it for being so lacking. I had a feeling that it had only been written for the sake of sales and that the author’s heart wasn’t truly into it.

Most of the content was unnecessary and felt like fanfiction rather than a book.I loved the content, don’t get me wrong. The Winter Solstice celebrations warmed my heart. But it could have been better.

I have a feeling that most of the beginning tensions (that I expected would lead to a plot twist or at least something in this book) were only a bridge to the books that would follow in the future. I believe most of it was only to help us as readers understand what the situation was like after the war had passed. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see.

Rating: 3/5 stars

4. FLIGHT OR FRIGHT BY STEPHEN KING AND OTHERS [image error]

Thoughts: The concept was very interesting but I’m not a big fan of horror or short stories for that matter. I was hoping that this book would change my mind about it but I just found each story hard to get into and for some, I wanted to be longer. I know Flight or Fright could be enjoyable for the right reader. Unfortunately, that was not me.

The book is a collection of short stories by different authors regarding flying. They were supposed to be scary and could vary from anything supernatural to normal causes. I had expected quite a lot from it simply because it was edited by Stephen King (the king of spook). I was a bit disappointed.

Rating: 2/5 stars

5. BEFORE I FALL BY LAUREN OLIVER [image error]

Thoughts: I loved the movie but this book has to be by far my favorite book I’ve read in January. I adoooored this book. I can’t even tell you how good it was or how many things it made me feel. The way it had been written, the main character’s development, attention to detail – everything! I had been living for this book.

I’m not going to lie, it had been hard for me to start this book because I picked it up a couple of years ago and got distracted by other – fancier – books that had just come out at the time. I had always told myself that I’m going to return and finish it, but had always been putting it off. A big mistake.

I received some more motivation after watching the movie – a masterpiece in itself – and fell in love.

I 100% recommend this book to everyone. I don’t want to spoil anything and therefore will refrain from telling you what it’s about. Just read it.

Rating: 5/5 stars

6. THE DREADFUL TALE OF PROSPER REDDING BY ALEXANDRA BRACKEN [image error]I

I posted a review on my blog which you can read here.

Thoughts: This is my first book by Alexandra Bracken. Despite having had Passenger and The Darkest Minds on my bookshelf for years, this was somehow the first book I picked up.

And it was great. The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding reminds me of old fairytales that let your imagination run wild. This book is unlike anything I’ve read so far and it’s a good kind of different.

Rating: 4/5 stars (more like 4.5)

7. THE ISLE OF THE LOST BY MELISSA DE LA CRUZ

(Descendants, book #1)

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Thoughts: For those who don’t know, these books are companion novels to Disney movies called Descendants – or the movies are companions to the books. I honestly don’t know at this point but I know that they’re related.

It’s a good book but clearly intended for younger audience – which is something I kept in mind while reading so I didn’t let it sway my opinion. I mostly paid attention to how the book made me feel, how invested I was in the characters (without keeping in mind of the movies) and how all the plot twists and tensions resolved.

Needless to say, the book was lacking on all fronts. Even the movies had me more interested in the characters. The only good thing about this book was that I had listened to the audiobook version narrated by Sophia Carson – the actress who plays Evie, Evil Queen’s daughter.

The story had been boring and disappointing. The characters and their struggles seemed pointless and they didn’t appear to be as bad as they should have been – seeing as they grew up surrounded by evil all their lives, not to mention were motivated by their parents to do bad deeds.

I don’t know how to explain properly but this book was just… bad.

I loved the writing of the author and I think it had potential. But it wasn’t executed properly.

Will still read the next books to see whether or not it improves and because I’m curious.

Rating: 2/5 stars

8. INSTANT WICCA MAGICK: 17 POTENT SPELLS FOR LOVE, MONEY AND HEALING

Thoughts: It was a lovely, short introduction to Wicca and while it only scratched a millimeter of the surface, I quite enjoyed it.

Rating: 4/5 stars (debated rating it 3 stars but it made me feel something I couldn’t quite put a finger on and that’s why I decided against it)

9. THE DARK DESCENT OF ELIZABETH FRANKENSTEIN BY KIERSTEN WHITE [image error]

Thoughts: This book gives the reader exactly what it promises in the title – the dark descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, our main character.

While reading this book, I felt miserable dread running down the spine several times. It’s a dark and gloomy re-telling of Victor Frankenstein and his creation of the monster, but told through the eyes of Elizabeth, Victor’s loyal companion.

The gist is that Elizabeth’s first priority is to survive. She had always been expendable in the eyes of the people who took her in and saved her from poverty. These people were Victor’s parents. They took her in (but never officially adopted her) to be Victor’s friend. Because she hadn’t been officially adopted, they could always get rid of her which meant she had never truly been safe.

Seeing Victor as her salvation, she made herself inexpendable to him, often overlooking a lot of his creepy qualities and actions. Victor’s a downright psychopath and did many vile things even when they were children. Things that brought nightmares to Elizabeth. Things such as killing animals and hurting his sibling.

Elizabeth tries to hide from the terrible truth until her time comes and she realizes that sooner or later, she’ll have to face the boy who’s her salvation and downfall. The boy who insists that she doesn’t belong to anyone but him.

So without saying, this book sounds and is pretty interesting. Looking back at it, I think I would rate it higher than I did at the time. The story was quite good but I wish the beginning wasn’t so slow and that the rest of the book picked up a bit as well.

All in all, I do recommend you to read this book and see for yourself whether or not you like it.

Rating: 3/5 stars (more like 3.5 now that I think about it)

10. HEXED BY MICHELLE KRYS

(The Witch Hunter, book #1)

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Thoughts: This book is the queen/king of potential. So much potential, so many ways in which the story could go, so many plot twists that could be in this book. Instead, it is a pile of hot mess and annoying characters.

In author’s defense, this book had been published in 2014. Back then, cliches, cheerleaders, bad boys and all that had been wildly popular in YA. I would know, I wrote my very own books that had all that.

And the truth is, my 15-year-old self would have been living for it. Yet, the 20-year-old reader in me saw the flaws and was unable to fully focus on the story itself.

The main character was an annoying cheerleader who presumably had the 3rd highest GPA of her school (or was it class?). But honestly, she had been slow and quite stupid. Most of her whims were annoying and her story could have been a little longer.

There were scenes that held so much importance to the book – scenes that could have changed the character entirely and contributed to the development. Instead, they were cut short and easily forgotten.

I would back this up by writing proper examples but they’re quite important spoilers.

I won’t be reading the 2nd book because I don’t feel any attachment to the characters or the world and don’t really feel the need to see how things resolve.

But I would love to check out the author’s more recent work because I do feel like she’s good and very capable. It’s just that I’m a bit too old for this book and very aware of how things worked 5 years ago. Still, I believe you can grow as a writer and that’s why I’m not opposed to checking out more of her books.

Rating: 2/5 stars

11. LAST SACRIFICE BY RICHELLE MEAD

(Vampire Academy, book #6)

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Thoughts: Last Sacrifice was a charming and lovely end to a series. I adore Vampire Academy and this book wasn’t disappointing at all. Except for the fact that I felt there was something missing to the ending but then I quickly dismissed that because there’s still a spin-off I have to read.

So technically, the series isn’t over yet and there’s still time for unresolved things to resolve themselves. Meaning, I want Adrian to be happy. He’s my baby and I feel so overprotective when it comes to him.

The book did seem to drag on a bit in certain parts but only because I was so impatient and wanted to know how the situations would be resolved. I lived for the drama but while this book was enjoyable, it wasn’t my favorite in the series and didn’t seem as good as some of the other ones.

Yet I still loved the writing and the characters. Richelle Mead knows how to write a good story, I’ll tell you that.

On a different note, I do have a confession to make. I love Rose Hathaway – she is and always will be one of my favorite female characters.

The other ones are Alex (from the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout), Celaena (from Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas) and maybe even Tessa (from The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare).

Rose is so brilliant, funny, badass and strong. She makes the books what they are – her sass and wit is what makes the stories so read-worthy. I can’t even begin to explain just how much I love her.

All I have to say is: Great job, Richelle Mead. Great job!

Rating: 4/5 stars

12. THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE BY NEIL GAIMAN [image error]

Thoughts: It’s an interesting story. Somewhat different from what I’m used to and I can’t quite put my finger on it. I think this is the only book I can’t really write a review for which is so strange. But once you read it, I believe you’ll understand what I mean.

Rating: 3/5 stars

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And that concludes my January Wrap-Up. I’m so proud of myself for reading so many books this month and can only hope I’ll read more in February.

Thank you for reading!

Connect with me:

Instagram
Wattpad
Twitter
YouTube

Review: The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

Hello and welcome back.

I’m Arden Hall. A writer, blogger, bookstagrammer and all that jazz. This year, I’m working towards a goal of finishing 45 books. I’ve already read 6 so far and we’re only 14 days into 2019.

And because I’ve read so many but haven’t written anything on my blog since my last review of A Journal of the Plague Year, I figured I need to do another review.

This time, it’s The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken.

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First I need to say that this book is the very first work of Alexandra Bracken that I have read. Despite the fact that I’ve had The Darkest Minds and Passenger collect dust on my bookshelf for years, the story of Prosper Redding is one I’ve encountered by mere chance.

Without any more delay, let’s get into a spoiler-free review:

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Review:

The story starts with an introduction to the world of Prosperity Oceanus Redding, our main character. He makes it clear from the start that his family is definitely not ordinary – yet he is. He is below average and appears to be a nuisance to his grandmother and his family.

The beginning is slow and it took me a while to really get into it. I was not used to reading books from a male character’s point of view and sometimes struggled to understand the author’s storytelling when it came to setting the background and describing this strange world of theirs.

Yet apart from all that, once I got into the story itself and knew all the characters there were to know, I found the events and the author’s writing enjoyable and fairy-like.

The story itself is unlike anything I’ve read before. It involves fiends and magic, curses and demons – all the good shiz. I don’t want to spoil too much about it so all I’m going to say is that the main character finds out he’s possessed by a demon his family tried to get rid of long ago. His ancestor once made a deal with the demon (Alastor) to bring his family riches and luck in exchange for eternal servitude in the afterlife. But once Alastor came to claim what was his, the Redding family found a way to destroy him – but only temporarily.

I’ve enjoyed this book so much and can’t wait to see what happens next. Its abrupt ending made me wish the book was longer. I’ll surely read the next book as soon as it comes out – February 5th 2019.

Review: Words In Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Welcome back,

I’m Arden Hall and today, I’ll be reviewing Words In Deep Blue by Cath Crowley.

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I’ve read this book about a week ago and found it quite enjoyable. I should clarify, however, that I have developed a stricter rating system this year and would no longer be giving 5 stars to just any book. I’ll only be giving 5 stars to those who truly deserve it and are my favorite books ever. Which means that many of the books I’ve read in the past should get downgraded.

So with that being said, I think that Words In Deep Blue is one of those books which would earn a 5-star rating some time ago. The book in itself is great and nicely written. But at the same time, I felt like it lacked something and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Anyway, let’s get into the review.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review:

The book is mainly written in two different point of views – or at least these are the ones that I’m going to focus on anyway.

The story begins with Rachel Sweetie (our female main character) whose brother passed away almost a year prior to the start of the story. She returns back to the town where she had once lived, still grieving the loss of her brother but at the same time mourning her best friend (in a way). Let me explain. Before she left town and her family moved, she used to have a best friend named Henry (our male main character).

The two used to do everything together until one day, Henry met Amy and fell in love. But Rachel knew Amy wasn’t the right person for him. So, the day before she moved, she decided to write Henry a note in which she had told him she was in love with him and that she wanted him to find her after he had read it.

Then she waited. And waited. And waited.

And then decided she was done with him.

Three years later, she came back and met him again. And then their story really began.

After reading this book, you could say that my summary was failed because it didn’t actually tell you anything but the background story of the main characters. You’re right. But that’s because I want you to read the book yourselves. It’s a wonderful piece of art – even with all its flaws.

I find Henry dramatic and selfish. Really selfish. But there’s a beauty in his character that goes well with Rachel’s closed off personality.

The book dives into topics of friendship, love, relationships and grief. It’s beautifully written and wonderfully narrated (if you’re interested in the audiobook).

It’s easy to get into and I truly, sincerely recommend it.

Review: A Journal of the Plague Year

Hello and welcome back!

For those who don’t know me, my name is Arden Hall and I’m a bookstagrammer, Wattpad writer and almost a BookTuber (I deleted all my videos from years ago and have been planning my return for a while now).

In today’s post, I have prepared for you a review of my first finished read of 2019 – A Journal of the Plague by Daniel Defoe.

This is a full review, meaning that I’ll include spoilers (spoiler alert: it’s about the plague and people die). Don’t be alarmed, however. History is a pretty big spoiler in itself.

I’ll start by saying that I’ve listened to this book on Librivox, my favorite app for free audiobooks read by volunteers. It’s great if you want to listen to older books such as the classics or fairytales.

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Rating: 3/5



Background information:

The book was first published in 1722. It is believed that the author was too young to remember the plague as he was only five years old at the time of the Great Plague of London which struck during the years of 1665 and 1666 (the same year of the Great Fire of London). The book was published under the initials H. F. and it is assumed that it was based on the journals of Henry Foe, Daniel Defoe’s uncle.

Contents:

It should be said that each chapter is written around a certain topic. These topics range from the author’s own inner battle whether to desert his lodgings (something many people did) when the plague first announced its arrival to London and then moved onto the trade between countries during the times of these distempers.

Mostly the author talked about people’s experiences and dove into many of their stories from which he made certain points of his opinion clear. He often explained people’s reaction to the disease when it first made contact with the towns, the way many turned to or away from God, how the disease spread and people’s careless association with the infection. It was also talked of the disease’s terrible symptoms and how they were relieved, often unsuccessful. The towns disposed of the many bodies by burying them because it was believed that the fires only furthered the contagion. 

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Review: 

This is the third book I’ve read talking about the plague (first two being A Discourse On The Plague by Richard Mead and the other, my personal favorite, The Black Death: A History From Beginning to End by Henry Freeman) and I’ve enjoyed it.

It’s not my favorite one I’ve read, but it’s my second favorite out of the three. Mainly because the book isn’t just a researched work of historians but rather a storytelling of one man’s life during that horrible time.

I didn’t feel like its content was being stretched out or boring at all. Everything the owner of the journal has talked about usually concluded with a point or the reason why it was mentioned in the first place. I liked the details of the everyday life this book provided, the same with the numbers of the dead every month and which of those were of the plague.

It’s details such as those that made me want read the book in the first place because it was the true account of a person which lived in that frightful era.

But there’s also a reason why I rated it only 3 out of 5 stars. That is that some parts of the book failed to catch my interest and I happened to unintentionally zone out. The details of how London’s trade with the outside world came to a halt, the story of the travellers who have deserted their houses and failed to find a new place to reside or what some of the author’s neighbors have been doing was something that I could hardly get into.

I occasionally wanted to listen more about the author’s everyday life.

Read this book if:

You love history and are interested in reading about the plague.
If diseases interest you.
You want to read something out of your comfort zone.

[image error]Follow me on Instagram: @yabookprincess – posted on 03/01/2019



My next plans:

Book: A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
Audiobook: Words In Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Connect with me:

Wattpad: ardenhall
Instagram: yabookprincess
Twitter: yabookprincess
E-mail: theardenhall@gmail.com

BookTube Spotlight: Sasha Alsberg

Hey there, fellow bookish people.
I’ve realized that I should figure out a proper way to start my blog posts because this is just awkward.

Anyway, I posted a post recently called Back To Basics: BookTube Edition and I realized that just giving a shoutout to these BookTubers isn’t enough. I want to follow every BTB blog post with a Spotlight post, where I write a more in-depth article why a certain person influenced me the way they did and where I think they shine most.

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In this week’s (maybe I’ll do these weekly?) Spotlight, I’m going to talk about my favorite BookTuber. Yup, you guessed it from the title… it’s Sasha Alsberg.

Now, most people who are veterans on BookTube know who Sasha Alsberg is. Her success speaks for itself and is no small thing. She’s one of those really active people who makes you wonder “How the hell is she able to do this every single day?”

Keeping up an Instagram, YouTube channel and yet to be able to write a book while go to school and travel to events and conventions is honestly more work than most people realize.

While I can’t explain how she does any of it, I can most certainly dive into an introduction of her content.

Sasha has started her career on YouTube filming The Mortal Instruments-inspired videos where she was often compared to the actress Lily Collins. Using that, she created tutorials on how to look like Clary Fray from the movie City of Bones and slowly built herself a fandom and following.

She then proceeded to post Book Trailers, Movie Reviews until she moved on to more book-based videos, perfecting her craft and really making a name for herself.

I especially loved her bookshelf tours, tag videos and wrap-ups. Her book reviews were and still are always in-depth and well-explained. I love her passion whenever she talks about a book she likes and the way her eyes light up when she talks about her latest projects.

Her YouTube content has not only grown but you can see that she really works hard because the quality of everything she puts out (especially on her Instagram) is so on point that even Beyoncé is jealous.

One thing I should also note is that Sasha is a huge fan of Scotland, especially after watching and reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. She’s also the reason why I love Outlander and why I read Doon.

Her YouTube videos also took a turn after her newfound love and she began to spread her love for it as well as post more Scottish-inspired pictures and content. Check out her Scotland vlogs and you’ll see what I mean when I say that Sasha really loves Scotland. Who knows, maybe you’ll fall in love with it too. It is breath-taking, after all.

There’s honestly so much to discuss about Sasha Alsberg. From her tattoos, her writing and the time she was an extra in Divergent to her recent appearance on a red carpet, her novel called Zenith (which she co-wrote with Lindsay Cummings) and even her everyday life. Because I don’t really want to spoil anything for those who aren’t as familiar with Sasha as I am, I’ll try to limit my post to a few things that, to this day, still fascinate me.

Let’s move on to her Instagram.

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It’s no secret that she’s great at Instagramming and editing her videos. Even her friends and fellow BookTubers admitted that she’s a professional when they’ve tried to recreate some of her photos. You can watch the video here if you’re interested.

Her theme and overall profile is swoon-worthy as she takes us on the journey that is her life. I have to say that her live videos are always fun to watch and I’m always amazed at how humble, beautiful and kind she is. Such a wonderful human being.

Also, her style is freaking unbelievable. How can one person have such a great wardrobe?

She’s also an amazing artist – her paintings are incredible and she even sold bookmarks on Etsy some time ago.

I also cannot forget to mention Sasha’s two dogs, Fraser and Fiona. They’re such a huge part of her life and it’s clear that she loves them very much – she talks about them all the time and it’s absolutely endearing!

The last thing you need to know about her is that her book, Zenith is a New York Times #1 Best-Seller. She wrote it with another famous and successful author Lindsay Cummings and the book was an instant success with many people. Sasha’s also working on her other works such as Project Red (a book which she still doesn’t want to reveal the official title of). But hopefully, she’ll be just as successful – if not more!

There’s a lot of things to say about Sasha but I’ll leave the rest to you, my readers. I hope you enjoyed this BookTube Spotlight series I randomly decided to create. If you did, please give this post a like and follow my blog for more.

Also, comment down below and let me know what you want to see next.

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My name is Arden Hall and you can follow me on Wattpad, Instagram and YouTube (which I plan to start using more actively again in 2019).

Back To Basics: BookTube Edition

Hey there.

For those who have fallen out of touch or may be new to my blog, I’m Arden Hall and in this post, I’ll be going back to the very beginning on how I made books part of my everyday life.

I first found my passion for reading in 2012 with a book series everybody has heard of before – The Hunger Games. Ever since then, I’ve made a massive effort to connect with others by talking about books, finding new recommendations and so on. To do that, I’ve found my way to BookTube where I even started making videos for a short period of time about two years later.

I not only fell in love with BookTube but also found my place on Bookstagram and eventually made my own book blog. So the goal for today’s post is to talk about some BookTube personalities that made me feel excited about books and shaped my life as a reader.

So here’s a post celebrating the few people who contributed in some way or another to my reading.

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BOOKTUBE:

Before I start naming the actual BookTubers, I have a disclaimer. I watched a lot of people over the years and these 5 people are ones I follow on a daily basis whether that’s on Instagram, YouTube or other platforms. It’s not to say that I don’t follow others or don’t like others but these are my top 5.

With that being said, let’s get straight into it.

1. Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia)



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Sasha Alsberg first caught my attention back when The Mortal Instruments was gaining attention and she did a Clary Fray Messy Bun Tutorial in 2013. I’ve watched her YouTube channel grow since then and she’s probably one of the top BookTubers today. Not to mention, she puts a lot of effort into her Bookstagram as well. All in all, her content is fantastic.

2. Ben Alderson (previously known as Benjaminoftomes)



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What I love about Ben is that he’s such an active person on his social medias. You’re bound to get a reply 98% of the time – or at least that’s my experience. He’s always been lovely and his content varies from wrap-ups, recommendations to discussions. He’s one of the most underrated BookTubers out there – though he’s quite well-known, it’s most certainly less than he deserves. It should also be mentioned that he owns his very own publishing house.

3. Emma Giordano (emmmabooks)



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Emma is one of those people who does it all. She reads, discusses, hosts readathons, liveshows and is all in all very active on BookTube and other platforms. She’s very open (especially on Twitter) about mental illnesses and cultural issues that plague our society and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Her honesty and self-awareness is so refreshing that I can’t help but love. She also has a way with words and always explains her opinions really well. Her channel is a small corner of the world where I feel loved and accepted and I’ve got her to thank for that.

4. Momo Chavez (The Booktube Girl)



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Momo is one of those creative souls who’s great at everything. She’s an amazing singer, a beautiful poet and also a very entertaining BookTuber. The thing with her content is that she does her own thing as opposed to most other BookTubers. She also puts up travel vlogs, gives movie recommendations and so much more. Honestly, somebody give this book a medal because her channel has some quality content. I first found her on Instagram when she still had her TMI fan account (I’m not really sure what it was/is called) but from there on, she started posting videos and I’ve been subscribed pretty much since her first video ever.

5. Hailey LeBlanc (Hailey in Bookland)



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Hailey really produces some amazing content and her aesthetic bookshelves never fail to make me swoon. What I love about her is that she never comes out with anything that I don’t want to watch. Every single video on her channel is exactly what I’ve been craving for and it’s like she knows exactly what I want to see.

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LIVE UPDATES: Books I’m Reading In 2019

I’ve decided to make a list of all the books I’m going to read in 2019 and I’ll keep updating it with links to reviews and my ratings.

The books are in no particular order*

CONTINUE/FINISH THE SERIES:

*series I started and want to continue reading or finish*

A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT by Sarah J. Maas (BOOK #4)

[image error]Hope warms the coldest night.

Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve. 

Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated–scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.

THE IRON KNIGHT by Julie Kagawa (BOOK #4)

My name – my True Name – is Ashallayn’ darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase – a half human, half fey slip of a girl – smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end – a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

EMPIRE OF STORMS by Sarah J. Maas (BOOK #5)

After EOS, I hope to read Tower of Dawn and, of course, Kingdom of Ash*

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Timesbestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

MARK OF ATHENA by Rick Riordan (BOOK #3)

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare…

APOLLYON by Jennifer L. Armentrout (BOOK #4)

Fate isn’t something to mess with and now, neither is Alex. 

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back. 

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole an Apollyon can’t be killed theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries. 

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer or she might become the God Killer herself.

PRODIGY by Marie Lu (BOOK #2)

Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic’s most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots – a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins (BOOK #2)

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion… she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit – the more sparkly, more wild – the better. And life is pretty close to perfect for Lola, especially with her hot rocker boyfriend.

That is, until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket return to the neighbourhood and unearth a past of hurt that Lola thought was long buried. So when talented inventor Cricket steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally face up to a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. Could the boy from Lola’s past be the love of her future?

INVADED by Melissa Landers (BOOK #2)

The romantic sequel to Alienated takes long-distance relationships to a new level as Cara and Aelyx long for each other from opposite ends of the universe…until a threat to both their worlds reunites them. 

Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.

Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life.

The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return? 

PICTURE PERFECT by Holly Smale (BOOK #3)

“My name is Harriet Manners, and I’ll always be a geek.”

It’s the hilarious third book in the No.1 bestselling, award winning GEEK GIRL series!

Harriet Manners knows more facts than most. She knows that New York is the most populous city in the United States. She knows that its official motto is “Ever Upward”. She knows that 28% of Americans believe we never landed on the moon.

But she knows nothing about modelling in the Big Apple, and how her family will cope with life stateside. Or how to “become a brand”, as the models in New York put it. And, even more importantly, what to do when the big romantic gestures aren’t coming from your boyfriend…

THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER by C. S. Lewis (Book #3)

Lucy and Edmund, with their dreadful cousin Eustace, get magically pulled into a painting of a ship at sea. That ship is the Dawn Treader, and on board is Caspian, King of Narnia. He and his companions, including Reepicheep, the valiant warrior mouse, are searching for seven lost lords of Narnia, and their voyage will take them to the edge of the world. Their adventures include being captured by slave traders, a much-too-close encounter with a dragon, and visits to many enchanted islands, including the place where dreams come true.

WHERE SILENCE GATHERS by Kelsey Sutton (BOOK #2)

In this companion novel to the critically acclaimed Some Quiet Place, Alex must choose between Revenge and Forgiveness.

For as long as she can remember, Alexandra Tate has been able to see personified Emotions, and she’s found a best friend in Revenge. He’s her constant companion as she waits outside Nate Foster’s house, clutching a gun. Every night since Nate’s release from prison, Alex has tried to work up the courage to exact her own justice on him for the drunk driving accident that killed her family.

But there’s one problem: Forgiveness. When he appears, Alex is faced with a choice—moving on or getting even. It’s impossible to decide with Forgiveness whispering in one ear . . . and Revenge whispering in the other. 

CRIMSON BOUND by Rosamund Hodge (BOOK #2)

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.



RE-READ & FINISH:

*unfinished series I want to re-read and finish*

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi (I’ve read the books in the picture)

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I’m more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.



CONTINUE:

*books I started reading but put down for some reason or another*

ERAGON by Christopher Paolini (BOOK #1)

[image error]Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders?

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. . . .

THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner (BOOK #2)

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. 
 
Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch. 
 
There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.
 
The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them. 
 
Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off. 
 
There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

LAST SACRIFICE by Richelle Mead (BOOK #6)

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose – for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back…and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?

BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver

For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12—”Cupid Day”—should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night.

However, she still wakes up the next morning. In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined.

SWEET RECKONING by Wendy Higgins

It’s time. 

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

DESTINED FOR DOON by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon (BOOK #2)

Kenna Reid realizes she made a horrible mistake-choosing to follow her dreams of Broadway instead of staying in the enchanted land of Doon. Worse, she’s received proof she and Duncan are meant to be, along with torturous visions of the prince she left behind. So when Duncan shows up and informs Kenna that Doon needs her, she doesn’t need to think twice. But even if Kenna can save the enchanted kingdom, her happily ever after may still be in peril.



NEW SERIES:

*starting off something completely new*

TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

SLATED by Teri Terry

Kyla’s memory has been erased,
her personality wiped blank,
her memories lost for ever.

She’s been Slated.

The government claims she was a terrorist and that they are giving her a second chance – as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.
 
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
 
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
 
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
 
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

QUEEN OF THE TEARLING by Erika Johansen

An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.

Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom’s haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.

Long ago, Kelsea’s forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea’s nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen’s Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.

Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen’s vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen’s Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as “the Fetch.”

Kelsea’s quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea’s journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.

SISTER, SISTER by Sue Fortin

Alice: Beautiful, kind, manipulative, liar.

Clare: Intelligent, loyal, paranoid, jealous.

Clare thinks Alice is a manipulative liar who is trying to steal her life.

Alice thinks Clare is jealous of her long-lost return and place in their family.

One of them is telling the truth. The other is a maniac. Two sisters. One truth.

THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

THE KISS OF DECEPTION by Mary E. Pearson

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor’s secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can’t abide. Like having to marry someone she’s never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

AMY AND ROGER’S EPIC DETOUR by Morgan Matson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE by Morgan Matson

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um… 

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane’s list. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go skinny-dipping? Wait…what?

THE BLUE MOON NARTHEX by N. J. Donner

The balance of good and evil has been left in the hands of a thirteen year old…

Since the beginning of time, Karmanic matter worked silently and unassisted keeping good and evil in balance, until growing greed in the world meant Karma couldn’t keep up. As World War I rages, the secret Karmanic Sovereign Legion works behind the scenes to help Karma.

A suspicious train accident and an odd stone-shaped object that belonged to his father thrust Cole McCarthy and two schoolmates into the middle of this battle to keep dark forces in check. 

With only the powerful stone, a letter, and grandfatherly Norm to guide them, the trio must unravel clues and tap into unknown strengths to discover who Cole’s father really was and keep themselves and those they love safe.

THESE BROKEN STARS by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive – alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth. 

The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

HEXED by Michelle Krys

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

SNOW LIKE ASHES by Sara Raasch

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman

Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn’t thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she’d claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.

Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

FROSTFIRE by Amanda Hocking

Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes.

Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who’s determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royal family. She’s not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her boss Ridley Dresden.

But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin– a fallen hero she once loved – begins kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process?

RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart…

PASSENGER by Alexandra Bracken

Passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

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

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

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

WAKE by Amanda Hocking

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They’re the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone’s attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

THE YOUNG ELITES by Marie Lu

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. 

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. 

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.



BOOKS NOT ON MY 2019 TBR I’VE READ:

A JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR by Daniel Defoe

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Books I’m Reading In 2019

I’ve decided to make a list of all the books I’m going to read in 2019 and I’ll keep updating it with links to reviews and my ratings.

The books are in no particular order*

CONTINUE/FINISH THE SERIES:

*series I started and want to continue reading or finish*

A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT by Sarah J. Maas (BOOK #4)

[image error]Hope warms the coldest night.

Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve. 

Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated–scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.

THE IRON KNIGHT by Julie Kagawa (BOOK #4)

My name – my True Name – is Ashallayn’ darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase – a half human, half fey slip of a girl – smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end – a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

EMPIRE OF STORMS by Sarah J. Maas (BOOK #5)

After EOS, I hope to read Tower of Dawn and, of course, Kingdom of Ash*

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Timesbestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

MARK OF ATHENA by Rick Riordan (BOOK #3)

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare…

APOLLYON by Jennifer L. Armentrout (BOOK #4)

Fate isn’t something to mess with and now, neither is Alex. 

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back. 

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole an Apollyon can’t be killed theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries. 

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer or she might become the God Killer herself.

PRODIGY by Marie Lu (BOOK #2)

Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic’s most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots – a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins (BOOK #2)

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion… she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit – the more sparkly, more wild – the better. And life is pretty close to perfect for Lola, especially with her hot rocker boyfriend.

That is, until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket return to the neighbourhood and unearth a past of hurt that Lola thought was long buried. So when talented inventor Cricket steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally face up to a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. Could the boy from Lola’s past be the love of her future?

INVADED by Melissa Landers (BOOK #2)

The romantic sequel to Alienated takes long-distance relationships to a new level as Cara and Aelyx long for each other from opposite ends of the universe…until a threat to both their worlds reunites them. 

Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.

Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life.

The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return? 

PICTURE PERFECT by Holly Smale (BOOK #3)

“My name is Harriet Manners, and I’ll always be a geek.”

It’s the hilarious third book in the No.1 bestselling, award winning GEEK GIRL series!

Harriet Manners knows more facts than most. She knows that New York is the most populous city in the United States. She knows that its official motto is “Ever Upward”. She knows that 28% of Americans believe we never landed on the moon.

But she knows nothing about modelling in the Big Apple, and how her family will cope with life stateside. Or how to “become a brand”, as the models in New York put it. And, even more importantly, what to do when the big romantic gestures aren’t coming from your boyfriend…

THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER by C. S. Lewis (Book #3)

Lucy and Edmund, with their dreadful cousin Eustace, get magically pulled into a painting of a ship at sea. That ship is the Dawn Treader, and on board is Caspian, King of Narnia. He and his companions, including Reepicheep, the valiant warrior mouse, are searching for seven lost lords of Narnia, and their voyage will take them to the edge of the world. Their adventures include being captured by slave traders, a much-too-close encounter with a dragon, and visits to many enchanted islands, including the place where dreams come true.

WHERE SILENCE GATHERS by Kelsey Sutton (BOOK #2)

In this companion novel to the critically acclaimed Some Quiet Place, Alex must choose between Revenge and Forgiveness.

For as long as she can remember, Alexandra Tate has been able to see personified Emotions, and she’s found a best friend in Revenge. He’s her constant companion as she waits outside Nate Foster’s house, clutching a gun. Every night since Nate’s release from prison, Alex has tried to work up the courage to exact her own justice on him for the drunk driving accident that killed her family.

But there’s one problem: Forgiveness. When he appears, Alex is faced with a choice—moving on or getting even. It’s impossible to decide with Forgiveness whispering in one ear . . . and Revenge whispering in the other. 

CRIMSON BOUND by Rosamund Hodge (BOOK #2)

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.



RE-READ & FINISH:

*unfinished series I want to re-read and finish*

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi (I’ve read the books in the picture)

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I’m more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.



CONTINUE:

*books I started reading but put down for some reason or another*

ERAGON by Christopher Paolini (BOOK #1)

[image error]Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders?

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. . . .

THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner (BOOK #2)

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. 
 
Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch. 
 
There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.
 
The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them. 
 
Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off. 
 
There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

LAST SACRIFICE by Richelle Mead (BOOK #6)

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose – for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back…and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?

BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver

For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12—”Cupid Day”—should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night.

However, she still wakes up the next morning. In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined.

SWEET RECKONING by Wendy Higgins

It’s time. 

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

DESTINED FOR DOON by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon (BOOK #2)

Kenna Reid realizes she made a horrible mistake-choosing to follow her dreams of Broadway instead of staying in the enchanted land of Doon. Worse, she’s received proof she and Duncan are meant to be, along with torturous visions of the prince she left behind. So when Duncan shows up and informs Kenna that Doon needs her, she doesn’t need to think twice. But even if Kenna can save the enchanted kingdom, her happily ever after may still be in peril.



NEW SERIES:

*starting off something completely new*

TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

SLATED by Teri Terry

Kyla’s memory has been erased,
her personality wiped blank,
her memories lost for ever.

She’s been Slated.

The government claims she was a terrorist and that they are giving her a second chance – as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.
 
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
 
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
 
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
 
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

QUEEN OF THE TEARLING by Erika Johansen

An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.

Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom’s haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.

Long ago, Kelsea’s forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea’s nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen’s Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.

Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen’s vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen’s Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as “the Fetch.”

Kelsea’s quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea’s journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.

SISTER, SISTER by Sue Fortin

Alice: Beautiful, kind, manipulative, liar.

Clare: Intelligent, loyal, paranoid, jealous.

Clare thinks Alice is a manipulative liar who is trying to steal her life.

Alice thinks Clare is jealous of her long-lost return and place in their family.

One of them is telling the truth. The other is a maniac. Two sisters. One truth.

THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

THE KISS OF DECEPTION by Mary E. Pearson

A princess must find her place in a reborn world.

She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor’s secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can’t abide. Like having to marry someone she’s never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

AMY AND ROGER’S EPIC DETOUR by Morgan Matson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE by Morgan Matson

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um… 

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane’s list. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go skinny-dipping? Wait…what?

THE BLUE MOON NARTHEX by N. J. Donner

The balance of good and evil has been left in the hands of a thirteen year old…

Since the beginning of time, Karmanic matter worked silently and unassisted keeping good and evil in balance, until growing greed in the world meant Karma couldn’t keep up. As World War I rages, the secret Karmanic Sovereign Legion works behind the scenes to help Karma.

A suspicious train accident and an odd stone-shaped object that belonged to his father thrust Cole McCarthy and two schoolmates into the middle of this battle to keep dark forces in check. 

With only the powerful stone, a letter, and grandfatherly Norm to guide them, the trio must unravel clues and tap into unknown strengths to discover who Cole’s father really was and keep themselves and those they love safe.

THESE BROKEN STARS by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive – alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth. 

The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

HEXED by Michelle Krys

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

SNOW LIKE ASHES by Sara Raasch

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman

Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn’t thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she’d claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.

Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

FROSTFIRE by Amanda Hocking

Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes.

Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who’s determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royal family. She’s not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her boss Ridley Dresden.

But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin– a fallen hero she once loved – begins kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process?

RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart…

PASSENGER by Alexandra Bracken

Passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

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

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

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

WAKE by Amanda Hocking

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They’re the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone’s attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

THE YOUNG ELITES by Marie Lu

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. 

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. 

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.


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My 2019 Resolutions

Every year, I make a list of all the resolutions and things I want to achieve in the upcoming year and 2019 is no exception. I start by dividing my priorities in a few categories and end up adding a few things to them over the course of time. 

So let’s get started. 

Career:
-write more books on Wattpad
-have 20 blog posts
-write more book reviews
-be active on Bookstagram
-be active on Booktube
-finish editing Entangled
-finish editing MBGR
-finish writing LCN
-finish writing Project Halloween
-finish writing Project Neptune
-finish writing GOD
-reach 80K followers on Wattpad
-reach 3K followers on Bookstagram
-research business plans
-finish COD
-finish The Coven
-edit Spring Break

Travel:
-move to Ireland
-visit Scotland

Books:
-read 30 books (at least! Get back on that horse!)
-read 15 Wattpad books
-finish Shatter Me
-read Harry Potter
-finish HOO

Special:
-host giveaways
-Wattpad Block Party
-host a contest
-merch
-save 2K
-Wattcon
-School
-NaNoWriMo

Like I said, I’ll end up updating this post through the course of time and I’ll update whenever a goal is reached. Hope you stay with me