Top 5 Books On My TBR the Longest

Hello all! We’re….7 weeks into lockdown? I think? Here in the UK. Nobody knows what day it is anymore, and I’m spending endless days looking at all of the unread books on my bookshelves. It’s reminding me how many have sat unread for years, and I thought I’d share some of the ones with you that have been there the longest!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
She’s wrong.

I bought this whole series so long ago in a charity shop, I don’t even remember where it came from!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic. For humans, it s an unforgiving place, especially if you re poor, orphaned, or female.
Amani Al Hiza is all three. She s a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she s destined to wind up wed or dead.Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she s spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she d gallop away on a mythical horse or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew. 

I’ve bought these books as they were released as I kept finding signed editions! I started reading the first book years ago but never finished it and have been meaning to pick it up ever since.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

When the lift cranks open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he’s not alone – an army of boys welcomes him to the Glade, an encampment at the centre of a terrible maze. The Gladers have no idea why they’re there, or what’s happened to the world outside. All they know is that every morning when the walls slide back, they will risk everything to find out.

This series is probably the one longest on my TBR, as we’ve had a set in my house for at least 5 years!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Beatrice Prior is on the brink of a decision that will change her life. In a society divided into factions all are forced to choose where they belong. And the choice Tris makes shocks everyone, including herself.
Once decisions are made, the new members are forced to undergo extreme initiation tests with devastating consequences. As their experience transforms them, Tris must determine who her friends are – and if the man who both threatens and protects her is really on her side.
Because Tris has a deadly secret. And as growing conflict threatens to unravel their seemingly perfect society, this secret might save those Tris loves… or it might destroy her.

I’ve also had a boxed set of Divergent for a few years now but haven’t picked it up yet. I must have a problem with picking up series!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

A boy drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments. He dies. Then he wakes, naked and bruised and thirsty, but alive. How can this be? And what is this strange deserted place?
As he struggles to understand what is happening, the boy dares to hope. Might this not be the end? Might there be more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife?

I’ve read most of Patrick Ness’ books, but not this one despite having it for ages.

Which books have been on your shelves for years?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Date Me, Byrson Keller by Kevin van Whye

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Everyone knows about the dare: Each week, Bryson Keller must date someone new–the first person to ask him out on Monday morning. Few think Bryson can do it. He may be the king of Fairvale Academy, but he’s never really dated before.
Until a boy asks him out, and everything changes.
Kai Sheridan didn’t expect Bryson to say yes. So when Bryson agrees to secretly go out with him, Kai is thrown for a loop. But as the days go by, he discovers there’s more to Bryson beneath the surface, and dating him begins to feel less like an act and more like the real thing. Kai knows how the story of a gay boy liking someone straight ends. With his heart on the line, he’s awkwardly trying to navigate senior year at school, at home, and in the closet, all while grappling with the fact that this “relationship” will last only five days. After all, Bryson Keller is popular, good-looking, and straight . . . right?

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was so happy to receive an ARC from this through work. It caught my attention from the cover and synopsis, to the little rainbow Penguin logo on the spine. And I wasn’t wrong – I loved it.

This book drew my attention from the start, and I really liked the concept of the dare and Kai as a character. Although I was a little confused about his actions at times, I did sympathise with him quite a lot, and I found reading about the racism and homophobia he faced so heartbreaking. His friends and family were all brilliant, I love a good YA book that includes close family.

Although I found it difficult to like Kai’s parents at times, I really liked reading about some moments with them and his sister, Yazz, was just brilliant in every way. Kai’s supportive friends were lovely side-characters and so was Byrson and his family, the main scene in Bryson’s house warmed my heart so much.

The plot was so compelling, especially after the first half or so, and I ended up reading almost half of the book in an hour or two. I really enjoyed the pace, short chapters and day-by-day sections, and it made me rush through it and just want to read a couple of extra tables.

Overall, this was a great LGBT contemporary with some lovely family scenes and tackling difficult topics. I loved it!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Top 5 Covers That Were Better Than the Books

Happy Wednesday everybody! It is Wednesday, right? Who even knows anymore? Either way, here I am with a new Top 5, a list of books that had super pretty covers but ended up being disappointing reads. This is definitely nothing to do with the fact my last read ended up being disappointing…

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Growing up in New York, brothers Emil and Brighton always idolized the Spell Walkers—a vigilante group sworn to rid the world of specters. While the Spell Walkers and other celestials are born with powers, specters take them, violently stealing the essence of endangered magical creatures.
Brighton wishes he had a power so he could join the fray. Emil just wants the fighting to stop. The cycle of violence has taken a toll, making it harder for anyone with a power to live peacefully and openly. In this climate of fear, a gang of specters has been growing bolder by the day.
Then, in a brawl after a protest, Emil manifests a power of his own—one that puts him right at the heart of the conflict and sets him up to be the heroic Spell Walker Brighton always wanted to be.

This book just made me so sad. Adam Silvera can be such an amazing writer and I’ve loved some of his books, but this one disappointed me so much!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Makani Young thought she’d left her dark past behind her in Hawaii, settling in with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska. She’s found new friends and has even started to fall for mysterious outsider Ollie Larsson. But her past isn’t far behind.
Then, one by one, the students of Osborne Hugh begin to die in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasingly grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and her feelings for Ollie intensify, Makani is forced to confront her own dark secrets.

When this book was released, I adored this cover. I couldn’t wait to have it on my shelf. And then it came out, and I read, and oh it was so disappointing.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Kady, Ezra, Hanna and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza–but who knows what they’ll find seven months after the invasion?
Meanwhile, Kady’s cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza’s ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys–an old flame from Asha’s past–reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken.

It would make me so happy to have the whole hardback set of these books and like them. I adore the hardbacks, and I do have the first one, but the second and third disappointed me so much I don’t even want to own them.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.
Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.
Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.
And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

There was a time when I adored this cover, and searched for it until I finally found it. But then I read it, and it was so disappointing I didn’t even want to keep it on my shelf.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Emma Lane’s forced to face her fears when her mother unceremoniously dumps her on the doorstep of Camp Mapplewood, abandoning her for the summer while she heads off on a cruise with her latest husband. It’s the last place Emma wants to be with scary creatures, creepy crawlies, and much that can go bump in the night. When Emma breaks into the tool shed on her first day there, the fall out from her escapades leads her right into the path of her counsellor, Vivian Black. . .

And of course I did have to include the last book I read on this list – Night Owls and Summer Skies. What a pretty cover this is, but unfortunately only got 2.5 stars from me!

Which books do you think have pretty covers but disappointed you?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Top 5 Standalones to Read in One Sitting

Hi all! Last time I did a Top 5 list, we had first gone into lockdown and I recommended some series to keep everybody occupied. Today, I’m going the other way, and I’m here to recommend some standalones to STORM through. I’ve been really enjoying having time to get through some contemporary books on my TBR, and found myself reading some of them almost in one go. So today I’m going to talk about those kinds of books you don’t want to put down!

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Goodreads

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

I adore Nina LaCour’s books, especially Everything Leads To You and this one. If you’re looking for a quick and heartfelt read full of emotion, this one is perfect.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Ellery’s never been to Echo Ridge, but she’s heard all about it. It’s where her aunt went missing at age sixteen, never to return. Where a Homecoming Queen’s murder five years ago made national news. And where Ellery now has to live with a grandmother she barely knows, after her failed-actress mother lands in rehab. No one knows what happened to either girl, and Ellery’s family is still haunted by their loss.
Malcolm grew up in the shadow of the Homecoming Queen’s death. His older brother was the prime suspect and left Echo Ridge in disgrace. His mother’s remarriage vaulted her and Malcolm into Echo Ridge’s upper crust, but their new status grows shaky when mysterious threats around town hint that a killer plans to strike again. No one has forgotten Malcolm’s brother-and nobody trusts him when he suddenly returns to town.
Ellery and Malcolm both know it’s hard to let go when you don’t have closure. Then another girl disappears, and Ellery and Malcolm were the last people to see her alive. As they race to unravel what happened, they realize every secret has layers in Echo Ridge. The truth might be closer to home than either of them want to believe.
And somebody would kill to keep it hidden. 

This is a completely different suggestion – great for anyone who wants a thriller that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens! It’s my favourite of all of her books.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Marin is a smart, driven, popular girl – she’s headed for Brown when she graduates and has a brilliant career as a journalist ahead of her. Especially in the eyes of English teacher Mr Beckett. He spends a lot of time around Marin, and she thinks it’s harmless . . . until he kisses her.
No one believes Marin when she tells them what happened, so she does the only thing she can: she writes an article called ‘Rules for Being a Girl’ for the school
paper to point out the misogyny and sexism that girls face every day. As things heat up at school and in her personal life, Marin must figure out how to take back the power and rewrite her own rules.

I recently read an ARC of this book and ended up adoring it so much more than I expected. I literally couldn’t put it down, and read it in around 24 hours.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state candidate – as long as he’s behind the scenes. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes…until he meets Maya.
Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is cancelled, her parents are separating and now her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing – with some awkward guy she hardly knows …
Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer – and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural crush of the century is another thing entirely.

This was such a great contemporary, and made me want to read everything by Aisha Saeed!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

My disease is as rare as it is famous. It’s a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, but basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in fifteen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
But then one day, a moving truck arrives. New next door neighbors. I look out the window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black t-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. I want to learn everything about him, and I do. I learn that he is funny and fierce. I learn that his eyes are Atlantic Ocean-blue and that his vice is stealing silverware. I learn that when I talk to him, my whole world opens up, and I feel myself starting to change—starting to want things. To want out of my bubble. To want everything, everything the world has to offer
.

This is one I haven’t read in a while, but both Nicola Yoon’s books are heartfelt and absolute page-turners! The movie adaptations are just lovely, too.

Which books are you loving in lockdown?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Let’s Discuss! Book and Outfits

Hi everybody! You may have seen the books as outfits trend going around on Twitter like I did, and eventually I just gave into the hype and got involved. So with a big photoshoot and a lot of help from my lovely boyfriend, here’s some of my favourite books as outfits!

To start with – pink covers and baby pink tops. I adore this colour and these two books!

I stole this shirt from Mark and it’s often a staple for me now. And he suggested it’d match Pumpkinheads!

I love this combination of black velvet and this beautiful special edition.

And continuing the Leigh Bardugo theme, I love how the blue matches my denim jacket on Ninth House! It’s one of the only books I matched that I haven’t read yet, but how could I resist with my nails painted blue too?

Traitor in the Throne is the other book on this list I haven’t read – but the maroon cover matched my jacket perfectly, so I knew I had to include it.

I absolutely adore my kimono, but I don’t often find a chance to wear it. I thought it matched the cover of Flame in the Mist really well though!

This was actually the first outfit-match I did, when I wore this floral combination the other day and it reminded me of This Time Will be Different!

And I’ll Give You the Sun is the second outfit-match I did, when I wore this top and just knew how well it would match the cover!

Continuing the yellow theme, Mark suggested I match my Hufflepuff jumper and Vans to my special edition book. As you can tell, I wasn’t sure how to show off my shoes 😉

Yet even more yellow, but how could I resist matching my cute Totoro patch to the book?

Here’s my last outfit/book cover match, I’ve wanted to try this one for so long and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out!

Thank you to all those who inspired me (shoutout to BooksNest for being one of them with her post!) to do this, and to Mark again for helping me out 🙂

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Stacking the Shelves #11

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!

Hi everybody! I hope you’re all having a lovely Easter weekend, even in the current situation. We’ve had such lovely weather here today, so I’ve been out in the garden catching up on some reading. I’ve also recently received some exciting bookmail, some of which I’ll tell you about now!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the worst thing she’d ever been through. That was before her planet was invaded. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating craft, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But the warship could be the least of their problems. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their biggest threat; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady plunges into a web of data hacking to get to the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: Ezra.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but unfortunately wasn’t a fan of the other two. I’ve also really loved the hardback for a long time, so I gave my paperback set to Courtney a while back and have finally picked up this, the hardback version!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Finnmark, Norway, 1617. Twenty-year-old Maren Magnusdatter stands on the craggy coast, watching the sea break into a sudden and reckless storm. Forty fishermen, including her brother and father, are drowned and left broken on the rocks below. With the menfolk wiped out, the women of the tiny Arctic town of Vardø must fend for themselves.
Three years later, a sinister figure arrives. Absalom Cornet comes from Scotland, where he burned witches in the northern isles. He brings with him his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, who is both heady with her husband’s authority and terrified by it. In Vardø, and in Maren, Ursa sees something she has never seen before: independent women. But Absalom sees only a place untouched by God, and flooded with a mighty evil.
As Maren and Ursa are drawn to one another in ways that surprise them both, the island begins to close in on them, with Absalom’s iron rule threatening Vardø’s very existence.

I had a voucher left over from uni for textbooks which I had managed to get secondhand instead, which meant I could use the voucher for books for me instead! I went a bit crazy, and picked up a signed special edition of this as it’s beautiful and I’ve been seeing it everywhere.

What did you buy this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Book Tag: Reading Habits

Hi readers! It feels like aaaages since I last did a bookish tag. Grey from Use Your Words recently tagged me in the Reading Habits tag and I’m really excited to do it. So here we go!

Do you have a certain place for reading at home?

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Definitely my bed! I’ll read anywhere, but I spend most of my time at home in or on my bed, so most of my reading gets done there too.

Bookmark or random piece of paper?

Always a bookmark. I have a Harry Potter magnetic bookmark that looks like the Magical Waterplants book from the movies! My boyfriend gave it to me for Christmas and it’s perfect because it never falls out from between the pages.

Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/certain amount of pages?

I usually wait until I’ve hit a new chapter, or at the very least a paragraph break.

Do you eat or drink while reading?

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I don’t really have ‘reading snacks’ as such, but I usually have a cup of tea!

Multitasking: music or TV while reading?

I usually prefer to read in complete silence, but I can sometimes read to video game or Studio Ghibli music! These rainy day Animal Crossing compilations are my go-to.

One book at a time or several at once?

25 Bookish Facts About Me – BOOKS, COFFEE, AND REPEAT

Usually one book at a time is the rule for me. But occasionally if I’m taking part in a buddy read where we only read a set amount of pages per day, I can read a book alongside if it’s a different genre.

Reading at home or everywhere?

Romania's Cluj-Napoca lets passengers ride the bus for free when ...

Everywhere and anywhere! When I’m not in lockdown, I tend to travel a lot and carry a book everywhere I go. I tend to read a lot on trains and in my breaks at work when I’m not at home.

Reading out loud or silently?

Silently! Unless I’m reading out a random passage to my boyfriend occasionally.

Do you read ahead or even skip pages?

Bloody Bookaholic: 10 Unequivocal Reasons to ALWAYS Carry a book ...

I can’t ever imagine skipping pages or to the end!

Breaking the spine or keeping it new?

I always try my hardest to keep my books nice and new whenever I can, unless it’s an impossibly large paperback which means I can’t always keep them pristine!

Do you write in your books?

No! I don’t mind if my textbooks for uni have writing in when I buy them cheaply second hand, but I don’t think I could bring myself to write in them myself.

I Tag:

Alex from Library of Books and Tea

Faye from A Daydreamers Thought

Anybody else who would like to join!

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Stacking the Shelves #10

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!

Hi all! Today’s post is a little delayed as I went to a bookshop before the UK lockdown and picked up some books. It might be a little late but here are the books I picked up.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But the ritual was more powerful than they could’ve imagined, reigniting the powers of not only the maji, but of nobles with magic ancestry, too.
Now, Zélie struggles to unite the maji in an Orïsha where the enemy is just as
powerful as they are. But when the monarchy and military unite to keep control of Orïsha, Zélie must fight to secure Amari’s right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy’s wrath.
With civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.

I actually had a copy of this sent to me a few weeks ago, but need to get hold of the first book before I read it!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed ‘America’s Fattest Teen’. But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to see who she really is. Since her mum’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for EVERY POSSIBILITY LIFE HAS TO OFFER. I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything. 
Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the art of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his own brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone. Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game which lands them in group counseling, Libby and Jack are both angry, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world – theirs and yours. 

I found an ARC edition of Holding Up the Universe which I couldn’t resist picking up – I love Jennifer Niven’s books so much!

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Goodreads

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.
That is, until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.
When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other—and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.

I also found a signed hardback edition of this book, which I swapped out for my paperback.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to my village, looking for a wife. When Lo-Melkhiin – a formidable king – arrives at her desert home, she knows that he will take her beautiful sister for a wife. Desperate to save her sister from certain death, she makes the ultimate sacrifice – leaving home and family behind to live with a fearful man. But it seems that a strange magic flows between her and Lo-Melkhiin, and night after night, she survives. Finding power in storytelling, the words she speaks are given strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. But she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king …if only she can stop her heart from falling for a monster.

I stumbled across an ARC of this one too, which has been on my TBR for soooo long! I’m so excited to read it.

What did you buy this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Viper (#1) by Bex Hogan

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Seventeen-year-old Marianne is fated to one day become the Viper, defender of the Twelve Isles.
But the reigning Viper stands in her way. Corrupt and merciless, he prowls the seas in his warship, killing with impunity, leaving only pain and suffering in his wake.
He’s the most dangerous man on the ocean . . . and he is Marianne’s father.
She was born to protect the islands. But can she fight for them if it means losing her family, her home, the boy she loves – and perhaps even her life?

I really wasn’t sure whether to pick up this book as I’m not usually a fan of maritime, but it has such a beautiful cover that I couldn’t resist when I ended up at a book signing for the author. And I’m happy to say I definitely don’t regret picking it up!

I found myself more sucked in by Viper than I had been expecting – it is fast paced and full of adventure, but has emotional undertones that made me love Marianne’s soft but strong character. She is a brilliant female protagonist and I admired her spirit so much.

The man by my side is my opposite and my reflection. The dark to my light. The light to my dark. And everything in between.

The big shock for me in this book was definitely the gore. It can be quite visceral in parts and isn’t one for the faint hearted! But it only added to the fight scenes for me, which were some of my favourite parts of the book. The scenes went by in the blink of an eye, kept me on my toes and had a great action about them.

The characters were really interesting and I connected to most of them on some level, especially Marianne and those closest to her. I can’t usually pinpoint a favourite part of a novel, but I really could with this one. I won’t talk about it in detail due to spoilers, but there was a lovely part of the book set on the Fourth Isle that I just adored.

But I’m not sure either of us could survive the heartbreak of being together yet being apart.
Love is not enough.

The romance was sweet but didn’t overwhelm the story, which I really liked. And the setting was beautiful and easy to picture – I loved the visuals of some of the islands and they were very encompassing. The politics were enjoyable and not too over-complicated, sometimes I find fantasy can be hard to follow but this one certainly wasn’t!

Overall, this was a captivating story and I enjoyed it a lot! I found it wrapped up quite well for me, so I probably won’t carry on with the series, but I’d definitely recommend it if you think it sounds like something you’ll enjoy!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Top 5 Series to Help You Escape

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since I did a top 5 list, but this one has been springing to mind over the past week or so.

To put it bluntly, the world sucks right now. Things are hard, and I’m sure a lot of us are using TV, films, games and books to escape from the madness. Here are 5 recommendations from me that I found completely absorbing and couldn’t put down!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by — and torn between — two best friends and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Cassandra Clare was the first author that came to mind with this post. It took me 3 months to read all of her books and I loved being absorbed in the world of Shadowhunters and I’m hoping to read Chain of Gold while we’re in isolation.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

In this richly developed fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards for an unknown fate still haunts her. Now, the guards are back and this time it’s Lei they’re after — the girl with the golden eyes whose rumored beauty has piqued the king’s interest.
Over weeks of training in the opulent but oppressive palace, Lei and eight other girls learns the skills and charm that befit a king’s consort. There, she does the unthinkable — she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world’s entire way of life. Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide how far she’s willing to go for justice and revenge. 

I read Girls of Paper and Fire last year and I loved it so much.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Even if Blue hadn’t been told her true love would die if she kissed him, she would stay away from boys. Especially the ones from the local private school. Known as Raven Boys, they only mean trouble.
But this is the year that everything will change for Blue.
This is the year that she will be drawn into the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys. And the year Blue will discover that magic does exist.
This is the year she will fall in love.

This 4 book series is so amazing and absorbing! There’s also a fifth book Call Down the Hawk which I’d love to get to soon.

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Feyre is a huntress.
She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price…
Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy’s kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden to escape. Her captor’s body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked – but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre’s feeling for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she’s been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows.
Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.

If you fancy a captivating fantasy, these books are amazing. I’m so tempted to start the Throne of Glass while we’re in isolation!

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Goodreads | Waterstones

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams – but he can’t pull it off alone.
A convict with a thirst for revenge. 
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past. 
A spy known as the Wraith. 

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. 
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist.
Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction – if they don’t kill each other first.

The Six of Crows series is one of my favourites, and Leigh Bardugo is such a talented writer. I might storm through the Grisha trilogy finally soon!

Which books do you want to read while we’re in isolation?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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