Top Ten Tuesday (#108) (09/22/15) Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR

I love these lists. Recently I have been terrible about reading what I put on my list, however it always helps me focus on what I should be reading for the season.  As always this list is for books published during the fall equinox and the winter solstice.  September 23rd - December 22nd.  Here are my ten.

Romancing the Dark in the City of Light by Ann Jacobus

Expected publication: October 6th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin

I am a sucker for books set in Paris.  This one is getting pretty good reviews and it's apparently not you typical romance.  I have the ARC and I can't wait to read this.

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Feiwel and Friends 

I am curious to see who has read this series that DOESN'T have this book on top of their TBR pile.  I can't wait to see how this series turns out.  I am not always big on Science Fiction books, but I adore this series.

Trust Me, I'm Trouble (Trust Me #2) by Mary Elizabeth Summer

Expected publication: October 13th 2015 by Delacorte Press

I liked the first book in this series and I am curious to see how this book turns out.  I probably need to refresh my memory about what happened in the first book though.

See How They Run (Embassy Row #2) by Ally Carter

Expected publication: December 22nd 2015 by Scholastic Press

This book makes the list only because it gets released on the very last day of fall, and they pushed the publication date up.  I had a few issues with the first book in the series, but I'm hoping I can really appreciate this book.

Soundless by Richelle Mead

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Razorbill

I was so sad to see that this book has gotten mixed reviews.  I can't wait to read something by Richelle Mead tthat doesn't deal with vampires.

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

 Expected publication: November 3rd 2015 by Feiwel & Friends

Along with Paris and NYC, I am sucker for books set in San Francisco. This one looks to be very compelling and it's gotten great reviews so far.  I have the ARC so I have a good chance of getting to this book.

First & Then by Emma Mills

Expected publication: October 13th 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

FNL is one of all time favorite TV shows, so to see this book described as a combination of Pride and Prejudice and FNL, I can't wait to read it.  I have the ARC for this book as well, so I should get to it soon.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely

 Expected publication: September 29th 2015 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

I will pretty much read whatever Jason Reynolds writes, so this book is high on my list.  This is another book where they significantly pushed up the publication date, so there are no ARCs available.  The subject matter is so timely, and I can't wait to see the author's take on it.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Expected publication: October 6th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin 

I have a small confession, I liked Fan Girl, I didn't love it.  Even so I am very excited to give this book a chance.

A Mad Zombie Party (White Rabbit Chronicles #4) by Gena Showalter

Expected publication: September 29th 2015 by Harlequin Teen

I was presently surprised to see that Showalter was continuing this series.  I was actually really satisfied with how the last book ended to be a series finale.  Even so, I am eagerly anticipating this next book in the series.

"Waiting On" Wednesday (#107) Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm picking:

Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke
Expected publication: March 22nd 2016 by Dial Books

From Goodreads: 

The intrigue of The Virgin Suicides and the "supernatural or not" question of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer coalesce in this young adult mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems, no one is quite who you think, and everything can change on a dime.

Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.

What really happened?
Someone knows.
Someone is lying.

For fans of Holly Black, We Were Liars, and The Raven Boys, this mysterious tale full of intrigue, dread, beauty, and a whiff of something strange will leave you utterly entranced.

Why I'm Waiting:

Tucholke's previous duology was fascinatingly bizarre, and I imagine this book will be as well. I also love the cover on this book.

Top Ten Tuesday (#107) (09/08/15) Ten Finished Series I Have YET to Finish

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

Ten Finished Series I Have YET to Finish

Oh boy.  I am TERRIBLE about finishing series, although I've been trying to be much better with this. Here are my ten. Honestly, there could probably be 50 series that could be on this list, so I had to narrow this down further.  I am only including books where I have read more than one from the series and those where I actually do want to finish the series, I just haven't done it yet.  That means that series that I broke up with won't be on this list and books where I only read the first book and never read any others also don't make it.  Even with all those conditions, I STILL had to cut out over six series.  Here are my Ten.

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Probably the most popular series on this list.  I LOVED the first book.  I really enjoyed the second book.  I got half way through the final book and then stopped.  I have no idea why I haven't gotten back to it.  I really need to read it before the next movie comes out. It's probably the book that I am trying to get to most.  Hopefully this book never makes another list of books I haven't read.

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Sad fact is that I own every book in this series. However I've only actually read the first two. Darn those $2.99 sales. I liked the series, I just didn't love it.  I do plan on reading the rest of the books, I just don't know when.   

White Cat (Curse Workers #1) by Holly Black

I loved this series.  The first two books are fabulous. It's completely inexplicable why I haven't read the final book. I have it.  I've been meaning to read it forever, it's been on my priority reading list for the last three years running.  I just haven't gotten to it yet.

The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine #1) by Bree Despain

I read the first two books in this series as they came out.  I have yet to read the final one.  There is no excuse, I've had it sitting on my shelf for years now. It's a really good series, and I remember it well, i just never got around to reading the final book.

Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods #1) by Melissa de la Cruz

There are 7 books in this series not to mention all the novellas.  I've read all those novellas as well as six of the books.  The final book is staring me in the face on my book shelf.  Where it's lived for years.  I can't believe I got this invested in the series, but never started the final book.

Halo (Halo #1) by Alexandra Adornetto

Another series which I thought was good, but not fabulous.  I guess why reading that final book in the series hasn't been a priority, however I have it on my shelf so there is no good reason I don't grab it and get it out of the way.

My Love Lies Bleeding (Drake Chronicles #1) by Alyxandra Harvey

This book has six books and about 1.2 million short stories.  I never got around to reading most of the shorts, but I did manage to read the major books.  Well, all but the final one.  I have had it sitting on my kindle since it came out, and I have yet to get to it.  No excuse.

Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars #1) by Sara Shepard

I started reading long after it started, maybe 4 years after the first book was released.  So that may be why I never caught up.  I enjoyed the first three books that I did manage to read, and one day I may read the rest.  I just don't know when.

Private (Private #1) by Kate Brian

Another series I came to late, so I wasn't grabbing them as they came out.  Which may explain why I've read half of the 14 book series.  I really enjoy these books and I keep meaning to get back to them. 

Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand

This was a really popular series at the time, and I really enjoyed the first two books. Then I got the ARC of the final book, and just never made it a priority. I actually managed to avoid all spoilers, so I still don't know how it turns out.  I just never got around to the final book.

"Waiting On" Wednesday (#106) After the Woods by Kim Savage

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm picking:

After the Woods by Kim Savage
Expected publication: February 23rd 2016 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

From Goodreads: 

An emotionally-charged debut novel about the deadly lies hidden beneath a destructive friendship.
One year ago, two best friends, Liv and Julia, were attacked in the woods by a paroled predator. In an attempt to save Liv, Julia was left behind while Liv escaped. After spending three days in the woods trying to escape her abductor, Julia was rescued. She only remembers what happened in the woods in terrifying flashbacks. Now, on the eve of the anniversary of the attack, a body is found in the woods. This discovery rips open fresh wounds between the two girls as the truth about Liv's role in the kidnapping is revealed.

Why I'm Waiting:

Another debut author who's book I'm excited to read.  Before I moved into reading mostly YA, I was a big reader of mysteries.  I don't read enough YA mysteries, but this one looks really good. 

Top Ten Tuesday (#106) (09/01/15) Ten Characters You Just Didn't Click With

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

Ten Characters You Just Didn't Click With

It's sad when there are characters that you can't click with. When coming up with this list, I realized that there were books that I actually did manage to enjoy even though I didn't like the main character.  I was really surprised by that.  I was also able to see that there were books I didn't like but it had nothing to do with the main character, it was some other issue.  So here are the top books where I just really didn't like/didn't click with the main character.

Hanna  Järvinen

Bleeding Violet (Portero Universe) by Dia Reeves

Hanna Järvinen is legit crazy.  I know that term gets tossed around a lot and it doesn't mean the person is crazy, however, she is crazy.  The writing in this book is fabulous, and it's not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. It's actually quite good.  It's just beyond bizarre.  However, I never connected with Hanna because she's insane.  Mental institution for the rest of her life insane.  The reader never knows what's real because Hanna is an unreliable narrator, because she's crazy.

Kit Ward

Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell

I don't think Kit was supposed to be likable, however she goes beyond that.  I don't know if I disliked a main character more than her in any book ever.  There were a ton of things wrong with this book, but Kit was right at the top; I just don't have the space to go into how awful she is.  Horrible book, horrible character.

Bianca Olivier

Evernight (Evernight #1) by Claudia Gray

Oh  Bianca Olivier. I didn't much care for her in the first book, but she was pretty harmless. For each book in this series she gets progressively worse.  By the end I just couldn't stand her and I thought I was rid of her at one point, but no, she returns even more annoying than she was before.  I had to stop reading this series because she was so awful.

Zoey Redbird (and everyone else)

Marked (House of Night #1) by P.C. Cast

Oh Zoey Redbird.  I was actually on your side for the first book or two. After that, no way, no how. I had to stop reading the series because not only did Zoey become terrible, all her irritating friends were just as bad. I haven't read one of these books in a few years, and I can't think of a single character that I like at this point. 

Olive Bell

Our Song by Jordanna Fraiberg

I think Olive Bell, the main character, actually has some serious psychological problems and a major personality disorder.  She needs help.  Unfortunately that's not what this book is about. Instead it's about an old romance and a new one.  The positive is she meets her new romantic connection in therapy, just not the type of therapy she needs.

 America Singer

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

I've talked about this series quite a bit on this blog.  It's because I have a love/hate relationship with the entire series.  I love a lot of it, but the biggest thing I hate is America Singer, the main character. Not only did I not connect with her, I thought she was just awful. She is by far the worst thing about this series. I was actively rooting against her for much of the series because she's the worst. Despite her awfulness, I actually read the series because there is enough other things that redeem it.

Bella Swan

Twilight (Twilight #1) by Stephenie Meyer

 Oh Bella, Bella, Bella.  You annoyed me in the first book. Then it got progressively worse.  I can't think of much positive to say about Bella.  I didn't like her, didn't relate to her and found her beyond stupid.  I actually disliked her so much by the last book that it was almost a DNF.  I hated her and that last book so much that I still have yet to see either movie. 

Brooklyn Sparks

What the Spell? (Life's a Witch #1) by Brittany Geragotelis

Brooklyn is definitely one of my least favorite characters ever.  I couldn't even tell you how the rest of the book was because she was so unbelievably awful.  I am almost always willing to give the second book in a series a second chance, but not with this series.

Whisty Allgood (and everyone else)

Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard #1) by James Patterson

I don't know if I disliked this series just because of Whisty Allgood or if she was a contributing factor.  Actually all the characters in this series are just awful.  I think my issue with Whisty is she's just so full of herself. It becomes annoying.  Another series I abandoned because I didn't like any of the characters.

Sterling

Now and Forever by Susane Colasanti

Sterling is just beyond annoying.  I hated her "voice" during the narration.  It was a constant dialog about how awesome she is, and how awesome her boyfriend is, and how awesome her life was.  I think Colasanti wanted her to come off as an upbeat and happy person, however the result was a character I would never want to know let alone be friends with. I really dislike the book because I disliked Sterling so much.