Happy New Year’s Eve bookworms! Cheers to a festive and happy new year! I am so ready for 2019~
Inspired by a recent video that I watched on the channel, Hailey in Bookland ((click on the channel name to view her January TBR)), I have decided I am going to institute a monthly TBR challenge.
Basically, this involves 5 challenges I need to complete every month. This will be in addition to any ARCs I will be reading for a particular month. The 5 challenges are as follows:
- Read a book that was released in 2018
- Read a new release from the current month
- Read a new release from the next month (I can use any ARC for this)
- Read a sequel to a series you have started but haven’t finished
- TBR Jar picks
*A note on the TBR Jar picks: Today I created my first ever TBR jar. I wrote down on scrapes of paper pretty much all the books that I own on my ‘unread’ shelf ((over 250)) and put them into a decorative box. Every month I will be pulling 3 random slips from the box and trying to read two out of the three. I just selected my three books to choose from in January and they are as follows:
- An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson- YA Fantasy released in September 2017.
- A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston- YA Fantasy Retelling released in October 2015.
- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin- YA Paranormal Romance/Horror released in September 2011.
I haven’t quite decided yet which 2 of the 3 selected I am going to read yet but I am leaning towards, An Enchantment of Ravens and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. I will certainly keep you posted on that. Every month I am going to try to complete all of the challenges listed above and I am hoping this will help me keep focused, as well as helping to clean up my backlist a little bit.
Thank you so much for sticking with me over the course of 2018! I completed 139-books this year and am absolutely blown away by that number. Looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish in 2019. Best wishes to you all and happy reading~
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend – This is the 2nd book in the Nevermoor series, a middle grade series reminiscent of Harry Potter. I have the 1st book in the series and although I haven’t read it yet, I just know I am going to absolutely love it when I do and will want the second one to read right away. All talk I have heard of this series is absolutely glowing and I can’t wait to start it. Anything involving kids, a magic competition, a magic school, I will buy, I will read and I will tell you what I think about it! Yes, please, I want this book!
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James – This YA Scifi Thriller follows Romy Silvers, who finds herself alone on the spaceship, Infinity, after her parents’ tragic deaths. She tries to make the best of her horrible situation and wait out her rescue by a nearby ship, Eternity. She even starts exchanging messages with that ship’s Captain, the mysterious J. As the Eternity gets closer however, Romy thinks something may be amiss. This sounds soooooo good. I love me some ‘lost in space’ adventures and this one has a really compelling synopsis. From what I have heard it is pretty stellar scifi and I def want to check it out for myself.
Kill Creek by Scott Thomas – This book has been cluttering up my Instagram feed since last Halloween and it is high time I find out what all the fuss is about. A haunted house tale that follows a horror author who gets invited to spend Halloween night at said house. Three other authors join him on that fated night and what starts out as a fun adventure soon turns into a fight for survival. Yep, that definitely sounds like something I would enjoy. Plus the cover is bloody fantastic. I need this beauty on my shelves!
The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston – This YA Mystery book is set to release next Tuesday, November 13th. I was provided an early galley copy from Disney-Hyperion. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Some of you may recognize Elston’s name from her 2016 release, This is Our Story (spoiler alert: which I am also currently reading). The Lying Woods follows teenage protagonist, Owen Foster, in the aftermath of his Father being exposed as a white-collar criminal. Mr. Foster steals millions of dollars from his company, the employees, shareholders, etc., and leaves Owen and his mother behind to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. People in the town are furious, they believe Owen’s Mom knew what he was doing and they begin threatening her and Owen. Forced to leave his posh private school when they can no longer afford the tuition, Owen returns to his hometown public school and is humiliated daily by other students whose parents were victims of Mr. Foster’s theft. Owen vows to learn more about his Dad and hopes to find at least a portion of the money to return it to those it was stolen from. I am currently 68% through with this book and am absolutely loving it. Elston’s writing is smooth and organic. The way this is formatted, portions from Owen’s perspective and portions from the perspective of his father as a teenager, is unique and I am enjoying the insights into his father’s life. I am planning to finish this one in the next couple of days and would highly recommend this to fans of YA Mystery and/or YA Contemporary.
2. My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite – This very short Adult Thriller novel is part slasher book, part satire. Set in Nigeria, this story follows Korede, a nurse, who is bitter about always being the one who has to pick up after her little ((and beautiful)) sister, Ayoola, who is, you guessed it, a serial killer! When we first meet Korede she is helping Ayoola with her latest ‘mess’. Later she marvels at how her perfectly cute sister seems to feel no remorse after what she does. I actually just started this today, so am not too far in, so far I am liking Korede’s voice and I am excited to see where exactly this is going to go. Published by Doubleday Books, this is set to release on November 20, 2018.
3. Abandoned (Max Revere #5) by Allison Brennan – Investigative reporter, Max Revere, sets out to solve a cold case very near and dear to her heart, the disappearance of her mother, Martha Revere. Abandoned by her Mom around the age of 9 or 10, Max was left in the care of her very wealthy grandparents. Now aged 32 and a successful television personality and author who investigates cold cases, Max is finally ready to uncover the truth. There is so much going on in this book: family drama, small town secrets, art theft and forgery, con-men and women – it is so good! Lately I have been dedicating a lot of time to this and am about 75% of the way through. This is actually the first book I have read in the Max Revere series and I don’t think that has diminished my enjoyment for this book at all. You could definitely pick this up as a stand-alone novel if you wanted. I can say after reading this much, I am interested in reading the other books in the series. I actually received this as an ARC from the publisher, Minotaur Books, but ran out of time to read it before its August 14, 2018 release date. I am really glad I kept it on my TBR list though and picked it up now. I usually do enjoy thrillers where the protagonist is a journalist but this one is especially well done in my opinion.
4. Winterhouse by Ben Guterson – Orphan Elizabeth Somers is being raised by her absolutely dreadful Aunt & Uncle in London. Seriously, these people could give the Dursleys a run for their money. One winter break, they inform Elizabeth that she is going to stay at the Winterhouse Hotel without them. This seems very mysterious as Elizabeth knows there is no way they can afford to send her to the lavish Winterhouse. Without much choice however, she heads off and gets herself checked in for a two-week holiday. The people at the hotel were definitely expecting her and strange things start happening pretty much right away. This Middle Grade novel is absolutely enchanting and delightful. There is so much mystery surrounding Elizabeth’s stay and the Winterhouse hotel itself. There are riddles and mysteries aplenty. I am really enjoying this one and am sad I put it off this long! I received this as an ARC from Henry Holt & Co., but as sometimes happens, I didn’t get around to it prior to its January 2, 2018 release date and then just kept putting it off. ((I am getting better at this, I promise!)) This book gives me total Matilda meets the Series of Unfortunate Events vibes and I would definitely recommend it for all Middle Grade readers over the holiday season! BONUS: There are super cute and creative illustrations throughout!
5. Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton – This YA Fantasy is horrific and beautiful at the same time. The writing in this has such a deep magical quality that I feel like I am reading an old school fairytale. Set in the town of Three Graces, that once made a pact with the devil, young men must sacrifice themselves anytime the Slaughter Moon rises by ‘running’ into the Devil’s Woods. The sacrifice of the best young man among them guarantees the safety and prosperity of the entire town. No one gets sick, crops are healthy and full, animals stay plump and provide a rich bounty, and so on and so on, until one day, the Slaughter Moon rises early. Rhun Sayer has always been assumed to be the next one among them to run into the Woods but his two closest friends, Mairwen and Arthur have other plans in mind. This book has some deep levels of exploration into different types of relationships and gender identity that are unique and so far ((I am 45% through)) very well done. This is a ‘cool’ book, to put it mildly, and I am really glad I picked it up in the Fall, as the Autumnal vibes are on point!
6. This is Our Story by Ashley Elston – Another YA Mystery penned by Ashley Elston, this follows our protagonist, Kate Marino, a senior in high school and an intern with her local DAs office. The current case is that of four wealthy young men, dubbed The River Point Boys, who went on a hunting trip…well, actually, five boys went on the hunting trip but only four came back. They’re the talk of the town and the biggest case to hit the DAs desk probably ever. Kate becomes immersed in the investigation , she knew one of the boys and desperately wants to find out what happened and why. But the boys, and their wealthy parents, are covering for one another and won’t go down without a fight. When a secret is revealed, what Kate thought she knew is turned on its head and she is left reeling. With well formed characters and taut prose, Elston is proving why she is one of my latest ‘autobuy’ authors. If you love YA & Mysteries, do yourself a favor and pick up one of the books written about here…or both!
7. Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia – This is one of the oldest books on this list, published in 2014, that I have actually owned for about three years and randomly decided to pick up. I bought it originally because it follows an oddball cast of characters at a Statewide Music event set in a large old hotel reminiscent of The Overlook Hotel from The Shining. The best kids in the state in orchestra, band and chorus, come together for a weekend long cram session of rehearsals and performances to prove who is the best of the best. This is an odd fact about me but I love stories that involve classical music in anyway. Strange I know. Blame it on my years playing violin and piano. I have been really pleasantly surprised by this book. There is a lot of mystery and thrillery vibes to this and it reads just like a Wes Anderson film. The ‘voice’ of the book is smart, unique and definitely keeps me turning the pages. I am glad that I finally decided to give this one a go!
8. Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower #5) by Stephen King – My journey to the Tower continue with this, the 5th installment, in King’s epic fantasy The Dark Tower series. Roland and his ka-tet are still following the path of the beam and piecing together pieces of the puzzle of how best to protect the rose and the tower from the forces of evil. Spanning different times, worlds, cultures, lifestyles, storylines from other King’s work, this series is vast enough to literally boggle the mind. How the heck did he come up with ALL OF THIS whilst also writing so many other damn novels? It’s bloody brilliant and I’m obsessed with it all. I have 80 pages left in the 960 page tome and cannot wait to immediately pick up Book #6, Song of Susannah! There is not too much I can say about this book that anyone who hasn’t read the first four books in the series would understand, so just know this, reading this series has been such an enjoyable journey for me and I cannot wait to wrap it up and then read it all again someday!
So, these are the three November ARCs that I need to read this month. Some other books that I have on my radar that may get picked up this month, in no particular order, are: Renegades by Marissa Meyer, Senile Squad by Chris Legrow, Song of Susannah, Book VI of The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King, Elevation by Stephen King, Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward and Furyborn by Claire Legrand.
I chose, The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware, to complete the ‘read a thriller’ challenge. If you read my earlier ‘Spookathon TBR’ post, you may remember that initially I had wanted to read Baby Teeth by Zoji Stage. However, that is NOT happening. I just won’t have the time. Now, I did read another Ruth Ware book a few weeks ago, The Woman in Cabin 10 which I rated 3.5-stars. While there were moments I did really like, there were also a lot that were mediocre at best for me. The Death of Mrs. Westaway is her latest book having released in May of this year and I have heard a lot of good things about it.
I am also currently reading, Stalking Jack the Ripper, by Kerri Maniscalco. This I had on my original tbr to meet the challenge, ‘read a book not set in our time period’. As this book takes place in Victorian London during the time of the infamous Jack the Ripper killings (1888), it perfectly meets that prompt. As luck would have it, and unbeknownst to me prior to opening the book, this also completes the ‘read a book with pictures in it’ challenge, as it has creepy old photos of London, crime scenes, medical abnormalities, etc. I am always a fan of killing two birds with one stone so I was very pleased to make this discovery. I started Stalking Jack the Ripper on Monday and have just over 50-pages left so may actually be finishing it tonight!
This morning I reached the 50% mark on my reading of The Passage by Justin Cronin. I am reading this book along with my book buds, The Floatin’ Troopers group, from Bookstagram (the bookish subculture within Instagram). This is a long novel which had been recommended to me by a number of different book people whose opinions I respect. The paperback copy I am reading is 784 pages of fairly small font; quite an undertaking. We slated this book as our May/June read as we figured it would probably take a while for everyone to get through.
The Shining by Stephen King – This was my second time reading this psychological horror classic. The first time I read it, I was in high school and not going to lie, it scared the shit out of me. The slow burn narrative style and descriptions of the happenings at The Overlook Hotel, leave you with a feeling of dread and suspense throughout the book. Certain aspects sent chills right down my spine! Without giving too much away, I will just say elevators, topiary gardens and playgrounds are spooky to me now. As an adult, I think I have an even greater appreciation for this book in regards to the more ‘adult’ themes of addiction, family life and career struggles and aspirations. I certainly picked up more details my second time through as well and I know I will end up reading this fabulous book again in the future. The Shining is hands down one of my favorite books of all time!
The Troop by Nick Cutter – I finished this book back on March 18th and still haven’t written a review. The reason for this is mostly I am nervous about being able to adequately express how much I enjoyed it. This is a horror novel that follows a group of boys who are taken by their Scoutmaster to a island off the coast of Eastern Canada for a weekend camping trip. When a very ill stranger stumbles into their cabin a horror is unleashed that is beyond all expectation. The characters were so well drawn and their relationships and inner thoughts and desires so well expressed that in spite of being a horror novel, this can be appreciated as a true character piece. In a way, it reminded me a lot of the Lord of the Flies – with this, I am thinking of how each character is sort of placed into a stereotypical societal role and then we see how those roles play off one another. Among the group of boys we have the tough guy, alpha male; the nerdy, know-it-all, mother of the group; the golden boy who excels at sports and gets along with everyone; a wiry, cagey little guy with the absent father and bad temper; and finally the sociopath who’s inner thoughts are a horror story unto themselves! I was so impressed with the quality of Cutter’s writing and have already purchased another book of his, The Deep, which I plan to read in May.
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman – This is a prequel to Hoffman’s novel, Practical Magic, which was made into a very successful movie starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. In this book we get to follow the early life of the Practical Magic Aunts, Jet & Franny (along with their brother Vincent, who I personally, didn’t even know existed – sorry Vincent!). At its core, this book is a beautiful coming-of-age tale/family drama sprinkled with magic. Hoffman’s writing style is so lyrical and flows in such a way, that as a reader, you can completely immerse yourself in the story, forgetting the world around you. In my opinion, no one does magical realism better. It can be a truly beautiful experience. I cried, I laughed out loud and as I closed that final page my soul wept with the fact that it was over. Yep, I loved this book.
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas – This books sticks in my mind mostly due to its originality and boldness. The story is present day and follows the lives of four women as they experience different ‘women’s issues’ from their perspectives of age, familial status and place in society. The content was topical and didn’t shy away from very difficult topics related to sex, women’s health and motherhood. The writing style was riveting and kept me engaged from the very beginning until the final chapter. This is definitely a story that will make you think and as a woman, I felt that there were aspects to each character’s arc that I could relate too. I felt the author showed real courage in writing this book and appreciate her quality of work (this was her first published novel, y’all!). I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!
A List of Cages by Robin Roe – This YA Contemporary novel is honestly one of the most moving stories I have ever read in my life. Because of this, I think it would definitely take a spot in my favorite books of all time list. This one took me completely off guard. I had heard it mentioned over and over again on booktube and finally picked up a paperback copy for myself on the cheap from Amazon. I annotated it as I was reading and there are literally tabs galore on that baby! The story follows the perspective of two male high school students who have had completely different life experiences but come together in this most charming way. 
As you may know, if you follow my posts at all, one of my new faves just had its official release day yesterday – so Happy Book Birthday to