January 2015 Recap: The One With Lots Of Books

31 January 2015

Well folks, January is over already. It worries me that the days are flying by so fast. Nevertheless, January is my least favourite month of the year, so I guess I can't complain too much. Of course, with the end of January comes the end of my first month back in the blogosphere. It was a pretty successful month, all in all. I wrote 19 posts (not including this one), added 17 books to my shelves, and managed to finish a grand total of 9 books - more than I've ever read in 30 days. I'm very proud.

My Thoughts On Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

29 January 2015

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This series is, by far, the best angel series I've ever read. From start to finish, I was hooked. I was completely invested in this story, and Becca Fitzpatrick's writing just got better and better. Not many authors can get away with changing their main character's species just for the last book, but Fitzpatrick nailed it. There was plenty of action, and a lot of time to adjust to this new side of Nora.

Ten Books To Read With A Book Club

27 January 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke & The Bookish in which we can showcase the top ten books we feel deserve the spotlight according to the topic of the week. This week's topic is books to read with a book club.

Now, I'm not actually part of a book club, online or otherwise, but these are the books I think would spark some interesting discussions. I love all of these books and have refrained from gushing about them to my non-reader friends, but so many of you guys will know my feels. They're all amazing.


Books with taboo issues always spark the most interesting discussions, and it doesn't get much more taboo than incest. There are going to be people out there who hate this novel, but if you love it, don't be scared to admit it. I adored this book and will definitely be reading it again. It's just such a powerful story.

Pretty much anything by John Green would be a good choice for a book club read and most of you will understand why. Green gets pretty deep and has no issue writing heartbreaking stories that will stay with you for years to come.

Stockholm Syndrome is a very scary reality, but this novel is one of the best I've ever read. It's strange to be in the head of someone who is falling in love with their captor, but this story is so powerful and so moving that you can't help but understand.

As far as issue books go, this one is probably my favourite of all time. This novel is told in dual perspectives... at the same time. The way Hannah's audiotapes are written is heartbreaking, and her battle with depression really spoke to me.

Cancer is always a difficult subject to read about, but Teodora Kostova nailed it. This is a new adult novel that I read a couple of years ago and I loved it. I laughed, I cried, and I wanted the world to read this novel. 


I'm kind of cheating here because I'm including the whole series. I think Harry Potter is a fantastic series to read with a book club, due simply to the fact that there will be people who have never actually read this novel. I, personally, grew up with it, so it surprises me when I come across a person my age who has never delved into this world. I just think that every single person in this world needs to read these books.

This is a book that has stuck with me since I first read it not long after it was released. Though it's quite predictable in places, the story itself is beautiful. You'll find yourself completely immersed in this novel, and believe me, the conclusion to this mystery is something you're going to want to talk about.

This novel features a heavily disguised abusive relationship that so many people don't pick up on. I'm almost positive that the author didn't mean for the world to see the relationship in this way, so it would be interesting to see how your book club portrays this novel.

Fairytale retellings are always a good one to discuss with people, especially if the fairytale in question is one of their favourites. This retelling of Cinderella is about as far from the original as it can get, so it's definitely a good pick.

Set in a society where love can be eradicated, this is an interesting series that will give you some crazy feels. I told so many people about these books after I read them, so I know that it would be a good book to read with other people.


My Thoughts On Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

26 January 2015

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Silence is a book that broke my heart, shattered my soul, and took me on an emotional rollercoaster that I'm not sure I'll ever recover from. After being kidnapped by her Nephilim father, Hank Millar, Nora wakes up alone in the cemetery with her memory of the last five months completely erased. She can't remember who kidnapped her, or why. She can't remember anything of fallen angels and Nephilim. She can't remember Patch. As she slowly rediscovers parts of her missing memory, she starts piecing together the truth: Hank kidnapped her to force Patch into gathering information on fallen angels. With the help of Patch and Scott, Nora tries desperately to come up with a plan that will take Hank down for good.

My Thoughts On Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

22 January 2015

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Hush, Hush - the first book in this series - was one of the best angel books I've ever read, and Crescendo was, without a doubt, just as good. With an interesting plot, wonderful new characters, and heartbreaking romance, it's clear that this series is just going to get better and better. Though Fitzpatrick doesn't have an overtly flamboyant style, the way she writes flows beautifully and easily, and I can guarantee you'll fly through this book without even thinking about it.

Ten Of My Favourite 2015 Book Covers

20 January 2015

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This week's topic is a freebie, so I chose my favourite 2015 book covers. Trawling through the 2015 YA Listopia categories on Goodreads, trying to find some new releases to add to my wishlist, I started noticing all of the beautiful covers. Even if books don't particularly appeal to me, I can always appreciate a good cover, so here are a few of my favourites.

My Thoughts On Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

19 January 2015

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I've read my fair share of angel books, but I have to say that Hush, Hush is the best by far. The combination of interesting characters, believable romance (as far as YA lit goes, at least), exciting plot, and a fast-paced writing style made this novel one of the best I've ever read. Becca Fitzpatrick is a great author with the ability to really pull you into her world. When I found out that this was her debut novel, I was... well, surprised would be an understatement. If her first book was this good, I can't wait to see the progress she makes as the series continues.

My Thoughts On The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

15 January 2015

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A solid four star series thus far, Julie Kagawa truly outdid herself when it came to The Iron Knight. I was completely enamoured with this novel from start to finish. Told entirely from Ash's point of view, The Iron Knight tells us the tale of his quest for a soul and your heart will break for him several times before you reach the end. Kagawa's writing fell a little flat in The Iron Queen due to the sheer amount of action contained within the pages, but I'm happy to report that she got her flair back in The Iron Knight. Though there was still plenty of action, Kagawa truly shone. If you haven't checked any of her books out yet, I highly recommend you hop on the bandwagon. She's definitely one of the best YA authors I've ever come across. 

Ten 2014 Releases I Have Yet To Read

13 January 2015

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This week's topic is 2014 releases we still haven't read. Towards the end of 2013, back when I was still reading and blogging regularly, I was already starting to feel the excitement building for those books that were being released the following year. I don't own many of them, but there are some that I got that I still haven't read. My bad!

My Thoughts On The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

12 January 2015

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What an epic finale The Iron Queen was. Though the story started off pretty slow with Meghan more interested in Paul, her human 'father', than anything else, it definitely picks up. After agreeing with Oberon and Mab that she must find the false king of the Iron fey herself, the book gets good. And I mean real good. As Meghan, Ash, and Puck venture through the Iron Realm in search of the False King, things become increasingly more dangerous. With plenty of action and more than enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat, the build up to the final battle is just as epic as the battle itself. As Meghan faces off against the False King, you finally realize the extent of her power, and exactly what she's willing to sacrifice. Despite Meghan's destiny being painfully predictable, I still got goosebumps as I read the very last page.

My Thoughts On The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

8 January 2015

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I love an author that can create extraordinarily vivid settings whilst not taking focus off the story at hand. Kagawa is fantastic at this, and not once did I feel overwhelmed by the descriptive style. Though the pacing did feel a little sluggish at times, The Iron Daughter never got boring. It's just so easy to get lost in this world.

Ten Of My Most Anticipated 2015 Debuts

6 January 2015

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This week's topic is most anticipated debut novels of 2015. Considering I only recently returned to the blogosphere, I've not been around the hype for 2015 releases, so this was a tough list for me to make. I finally came up with ten, however, and I can't wait to get my claws into each of them.

My Thoughts On The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

5 January 2015

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Faeries are strange creatures, and it takes someone with an incredible amount of imagination to write a book about them, and even more so to make that book almost realistic. The world that Julie Kagawa has created is mind-blowing. She seems to have left no stone unturned in her quest to create a world that readers can actually picture in their minds, and I applaud her for that. Too often, we find ourselves immersed in a story, only to be distracted by questions pertaining our temporary world, but Kagawa went above and beyond in The Iron King and created a novel with an amazing world and an interesting plot to boot.