Tag Archives: literature

Top 5 Wednesday – December 23rd, 2015

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Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at Gingerreadslainey. Every week, book reviewers all over the world are given a bookish topic and respond with their top 5 books (or elements of books) that relate to that topic. Click here for the Goodreads group if you would like to learn more about Top 5 Wednesday and join in!

This week’s Top 5 Wednesday topic is the top five series you want to start next year. I have only recently realized just how massive my series/trilogies TBR is. I tend to read a lot of standalone novels, and I have not actually completed all that many series or trilogies in my lifetime so far. But this shall no longer be the case! I am hereby declaring 2016 the year of series reading!

Because my TBR is so long, I decided to do a bit of a twist on today’s topic. Since it was impossible to narrow things down enough, I essentially decided I should make two different top five lists: one of the top five series and one of the top five trilogies I want to read during the course of 2016!

Series

Most of these are series that I intended to read in 2015 and never got around to starting (yes, I did indeed fail quite epically!).

5. The Seven Realms Series by Cinda Williams Chima

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4. The Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

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3. The Raven Cycle Quartet by Maggie Stiefvater

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2. The Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson

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1. The A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin

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Trilogies

Again, many of these are trilogies I wanted to, and subsequently failed to get started on in 2015. I am determined to get going on, if not to finish, a good amount of these trilogies in the new year.

5. The Darkest Minds Trilogy by Alexandra Bracken

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4. The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor

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3. The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness

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2. The Shattered Sea Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

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1. The Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children Trilogy by Ransom Riggs

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Honorable Mention: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien

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This is an honorable mention because I am not sure that I will be able to make it to this trilogy before the end of the year. I do intend to read The Hobbit in 2016, and to at least finally begin watching the movies. I am hoping, though, that I will be able to make it through at least The Fellowship of the Ring!

What series are you guys planning to read in 2016? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

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Top 10 Tuesday – December 22nd, 2015

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Happy Tuesday, everyone! It’s time for another Top 10 Tuesday list. This is an original weekly blog meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, there is a new bookish topic for bloggers to create a list about. If you want to know more about Top 10 Tuesday, click here!

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic is the top ten books you wouldn’t mind Santa leaving under your tree this year. As I’m getting older, I’m finding it harder and harder to think up a general wish list for myself for gift giving occasions. There really aren’t many things that I want or feel that I need at the moment, and I much prefer giving gifts. However, like many other book lovers I’m sure, whenever anyone asks me what I want for Christmas, the only things I can think of are books. I can never have too many books (though my room begs to differ…)! In fact, what I would really like the most would be a tree that just grows all the books I want to read!

Since that is sadly not going to happen, here are ten of the books I would most like to see under the Christmas tree this year! 😀

  1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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  1. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin

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  1. Soulless by Gail Carriger

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  1. Alice by Christina Henry

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  1. The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

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  1. The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove

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  1. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

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  1. The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld

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  1. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

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  1. Wool by Hugh Howey

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Sorry for the short post today; it has been a bit of a difficult and emotional day. What books are currently on your wish list? Please let me know in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana

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The Childhood Book Tag

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I was tagged by The Orang-utan Librarian to do the Childhood Book Tag. Thank you so much for tagging me! The Orang-utan Librarian is an absolutely fantastic book blogger, so please make sure to stop by and check out this blog! 🙂

1. First book you remember reading on your own?

thehousekeepersdogI have a pretty terrible memory, so this is sort of a difficult question for me! I started reading on my own around the age of three or so, but that was quite a while back so I don’t remember a lot of the first books that I read. However, I do very clearly remember reading a book called The Housekeeper’s Dog when I was about four or five. I also remember being really proud that I could read this book, and not only reading it multiple times to my parents, but also calling up my grandma and reading it to her over the phone!

2. First book you remember having your parents read to you?

foxinsocksBooks have always played an extremely important role in our family/household, and ever since I was very young, my parents constantly encouraged me to read. I know that they read to me very often for years, back so far that I am unable to specifically remember a fair amount of those books. The first book I can distinctly recall them reading to me, however, was Fox in Socks.

3. Book you read because of your parents? Because of a friend?

thelionthewitchandthewardrobeFor this one, I’m going to have to go with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. My mom grew up reading The Chronicles of Narnia and it is one of her favorite series of all time. So of course, when I showed a love of reading, this was one of the first series of books that she got me to read. And I am so glad that I did, because I absolutely adore these novels!

4. Favorite book from school?

37449I don’t think it will shock anyone to hear me say that To Kill a Mockingbird is by far my favorite book from school. This novel is just the most brilliant and wonderful thing I have ever read in my life. And here I go again, keeping up my streak of working it into every single book tag post that I write… 😀

5. Favorite book in elementary school?

hp2chamberI had a lot of favorite books during elementary school because, not only was I in elementary school when the Harry Potter books started to come out, but it was also when I discovered The Chronicles of Narnia. Really any of the books from the latter or the first few Harry Potter books could work for this question. However, if I had to choose, I would probably have to go with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This is my favorite book of the series, and is also extremely special to me because it was the first one I was able to read completely on my own when it was originally published.

6. In middle school?

andthentherewerenone…Would you guys be mad at me if I said To Kill a Mockingbird again? 😀 Come on, I read it for the first time in seventh grade so of course it was my favorite of middle school! Just to change it up a bit though, I’ll throw another one of my favorite novels, And Then There Were None, in there.

7. In high school?

thehungergamesThis is an incredibly difficult one to choose because a sizable amount of my all-time favorite books are ones I read during high school. I think I will have to go with The Hunger Games for this question. This stands out to me because, not only do I completely adore this book, but it was also the novel that got me interested in dystopians. This is now not only a type of story I enjoy reading, but a type that I absolutely love to write as well.

8. Book you gave up on as a kid that you’d like to revisit?

I can’t actually think of anything that would fit this question. I find it nearly impossible to give up in the middle of books unless I have an extremely good reason to. And that reason is usually that I truly do not want to finish them. So nope, nothing that I want to revisit!

9. Book you checked out from the library the most as a kid?

thebadbeginningThis is another question that I can’t think of an answer for. I don’t really remember checking out any particular book multiple times. I tend to not do rereads very often, and all the ones I have done over the years were of books that I already owned. So for this question, I am going to say the A Series of Unfortunate Events novels, because I remember checking these out a lot!

10. Book you made all your friends read?

theadventuresofsherlockholmesUm…To Kill a Mockingb…Okay, you know what? For variety’s (and sanity’s) sake, we are just going to go with The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes for this one, even though that is a slightly more recent occurrence. I’ve totally been pushing this on everyone I know who hasn’t read it yet. And if you are reading this post and have not picked up one or both of these novels mentioned, hereby consider them being pushed on you as well! 😀

11. The book that made you love reading?

harrypotterandthesorcerersstoneAgain, this would be a toss up between Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I had been reading for a few years before I came to either of these, but they were the novels that truly kick started my passion for reading and love of the written word. If I had to choose one, I would probably go with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. This is a novel that I have a very distinct and very fond recollection of reading at bedtime each night with my parents right after it was first released, and by The Chamber of Secrets, I was reading them on my own (over and over again!).

12. Favorite middle grade read?

10694831A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I am fairly, though not entirely, sure that this is a middle grade novel. This is by far one of the most poignant and beautiful novels that I have ever read, and I completely adore it.

13. Favorite young adult read?

cinderI am revising this to “one of my favorites” because there is no way I am going to be able to choose just one ultimate favorite. I am also going to choose something that I have not yet mentioned in this tag, so I would say Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I love retellings, and this is definitely the most interesting and unique one that I have read so far.

14. First long series you read as a kid?

thechroniclesofnarniaThe first long series that I read in its entirety as a kid would be The Chronicles of Narnia. I finished this well before I completed series like Harry Potter and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Since all of the books in this series were obviously published well before I began reading them, I ended up binge reading every single one in the space of a couple of months.

15. How did you learn to read? How old were you?

Screen Shot 2015-12-21 at 3.16.10 AMI started to learn how to read when I was around one or two years old. I began by memorizing the text of stories from hearing my family read to me, and then I would flip through the books myself and go over the words. Eventually something must have clicked and I began really reading on my own around age three. And boy, did I read a lot!

16. How obsessed were you with the scholastic book fairs as a kid?

Completely obsessed! It was one of my favorite events of the school year; it was like Christmas! I spent far too much time wandering around the book fair and probably far too much money buying books…but it was the greatest! 😀

I Tag:

Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek

Kayla @ Bookedsolid1989

Anna @ My Bookish Dream

Yasmin and Paige @ The Wild Readers

Emily @ The Little Book Affair

Cleo @ Cuddlewithbooks

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Dashing Through the Snow Book Tag

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I was tagged to do the Dashing Through the Snow book tag by five wonderful book bloggers: Heather from The Sassy Book Geek, Loreva from La Book Dreamer, Ashleigh from A Frolic Through Fiction, Kayla from Bookedsolid1989, and Liam from Liam’s Library. Thank you all so much for the tag! Also, a big thank you to Astra from A Stranger’s Guide to Novels for creating this tag. Please make sure you stop by and check out all of these absolutely amazing book bloggers! 🙂

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The Rules:

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1. Name a book you would like to see under your Christmas tree.

This is (unsurprisingly!) an incredibly difficult question to pick just one for. Basically, my go to answer when anyone asks me what I want for Christmas or my birthday is BOOKS! …And Funko Pops…but mainly books! So here’s just a few books I wouldn’t mind finding under the tree this year.

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – I’ve been wanting to read this for so long now, but I’ve been holding out to get the hardcover edition because it is so beautiful!

Harry Potter Paperback Boxset – I only have a shared set with my family of the original editions of this series, so I’d absolutely love to have my own collection. And these covers…<3

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin – For any of you who have been following my posts lately, this will probably come as no surprise. I have become completely obsessed with Game of Thrones this year, so I must consume all related content immediately!

Soulless by Gail Carriger – This is another novel I’ve wanted to read for a while but haven’t gotten a chance to pick up a copy of yet. I definitely want to start this series in the new year.

2. A book you’ll be reading during the Christmas season.

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Vicious by V.E. Schwab is the book that I am currently making my way through in an impromptu buddy read with Heather from The Sassy Book Geek! Toward the end of the month, after all these years, I am finally going to read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. There will hopefully be a few other books sprinkled in there, but these two are definite. It’s going to be a wonderful season of reading!

3. Favourite Christmas movie.

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My absolute favorite Christmas movie of all time is It’s A Wonderful Life. This is a fairly untraditional type of story for this time of year, and it is an absolutely beautiful and truly unique film. It also stars one of my favorite actors ever, so it is just a bundle of awesome!

4. Do you like snow?

I definitely have very mixed feelings about snow. Pre-Christmas snow is almost always wonderful…post-Christmas snow, not so much. It is absolutely beautiful to watch coming down and to see covering everything, but I hate when I or any loved ones have to travel in it. And by February, I’m usually pretty tired of it.

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5. Name a character you would like to spend your Christmas day with.

This was a really difficult one to decide on because there are so many characters I think would be awesome to spend Christmas day with. However, I ended up choosing Mr. Tumnus. He is such a lovely character and one of my favorites from the series. Everything about Narnia feels so perfect for this time of year, and I think he would be fantastic to have Christmas dinner with!

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6. To give or to receive?

I much prefer giving gifts over receiving them. I absolutely love shopping for my friends and family, especially since many of them are book lovers like myself! My favorite thing in the world is surprising people with gifts. It’s the best feeling ever to bring joy to someone any time of year, but particularly during the holidays.

7. What fictional place would you like to spend Christmas at?

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I am going to have to agree with many other bloggers who have been doing holiday tags lately and go with Narnia. I just generally want to go to Narnia, but it would be especially wonderful to go there during the Christmas season. And this totally ties in with my answer to question five!

8. Fondest Christmas memory?

This is by far the most difficult question on here for me to answer because I have so many incredible Christmas memories. Spending time with my family at the holidays makes fond memories every single year. Also, as a singer, this is my favorite time of the choral year, with some of the most beautiful music and services. I love our Christmas Eves full of singing and the dinner in between services for the whole choir (my other family!).

If I had to pick one specific memory, it would probably be my first year singing the late service on Christmas Eve when I was seven years old. Back then, we started singing at 11pm, so by the time we finished, it was after midnight on Christmas Day. I got to ring in Christmas together with my family and a bunch of my friends, and it was an absolutely magical night!

9. Can you say Christmas tree then times FAST in a row (pronouncing it correctly!)?

I get tongue-tied so easily, but surprisingly enough, I can actually do this!

I Tag:

Emma @ The Terror of Knowing

Jen @ J.N. Cahill

Zezee @ Zezee with Books

Poppy @ Poppy’s Best of Books

Richard @ The Humpo Show

Daniela @ Daniela’s Bookshelf

Getting Through Anxiety

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Fall Time Cozy Time Book Tag

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I was tagged by Liam over at Liam’s Library and Marie over at Drizzle Hurricane Books to do the Fall Time Cozy Time Tag. Thank you both so much for tagging me! Make sure to stop by and check out both of these awesome book blogs! 😀

Also, I’m sorry for the lack of posts and slow comment replies over the last few days. I am sick again for the second time in a month and that’s caused me to run a bit behind in posting. 😦 Hopefully this will go away very soon and I can get things back to normal. Thanks for being patient! ❤

Crunching Leaves: The world is full of color. Choose a book that has reds, oranges, and yellows on the cover.

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Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

I have not yet read this book (I’m still mildly terrified to), but I love the beautiful color scheme of the cover. Definitely very warm and reminiscent of fall!

Cozy Sweater: It’s finally cold enough to don warm, cozy clothing. What book gives you the warm fuzzies.

thecompletesherlockholmesThe Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

I’m fairly sure that I use the Sherlock Holmes novels to answer far too many tag questions, but hey, they’re some of my favorites! These novels always give me the warm fuzzies no matter what time of year I read them, and for some reason, they always put me in mind of colder weather. They are the types of novels that make you want to curl up with a blanket and a warm cup of tea and read while it snows outside.

Fall Storm: The wind is howling and the rain is pounding. Choose your favorite book or genre that you like to read on a stormy day.

thechroniclesofnarniaOn a day like that, my favorite genre to read would definitely be fantasy; it’s the perfect sort of weather to sit inside and get lost in another world. In terms of specific books, I’d say any of the Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia books. Also, these are not fantasy books, but To Kill a Mockingbird and any of the Sherlock Holmes novels would be perfect as well. I’m sure I have shocked everyone by not being able to choose just one book! I’m usually so decisive… 😀

Cool Crisp Air: Who’s the coolest character you’d want to trade places with?

S04E10_-_Dany_(profile)This is tough to choose just one for; there are so many incredible characters out there! I think I would have to go with either Hermione Granger or Daenerys Targaryen. They are both awesome, strong, and completely badass female characters, and two of my all-time favorites. I also wouldn’t mind trading places with either Holmes or Watson; it would be awesome to work alongside the greatest detective ever, or get to be him!

Hot Apple Cider: What under hyped book do you want to see become the next biggest, hottest thing?

jackabyThis is another tough one for me because I’ve not read all that many under hyped books in recent years, or at least ones that I really enjoyed. If I had to pick one, I might say Jackaby by William Ritter. I read this book earlier this year and absolutely loved it. It’s such a fun, hilarious, and enjoyable read, filled with lovable characters and a world that I want everyone to discover. I’m not sure if this is under hyped, but I personally have not heard many people talking about it

Coats, Scarves, and Mittens: The weather has turned cold and it’s time to cover up. What’s the most embarrassing book cover you own that you like to keep hidden in public?

I honestly never really feel embarrassed over anything like books or movies or TV shows. I can’t think of any books that I’d feel the need to keep hidden; if I like it and want to read it, that’s all that matters. I’ll read what I want, gosh darn it! 🙂

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Pumpkin Spice: What’s your favorite fall time comfort food/foods?

I am going to be extremely cliché here and say basically anything pumpkin related. Seriously though, I love pumpkin; I definitely have a pumpkin addiction. Pumpkin spice lattes are my absolute favorite fall time comfort food (drink). I also love pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins…if it has the word pumpkin in it, I probably like it!

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I Tag:

Since I have been doing a lot of tags recently (and have many more coming!) and since fall is almost over, I’m not going to tag anyone specific. Instead, I tag everyone who wants to do it! If you do, make sure to link me to your post so I can check it out! 🙂

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The Disney Book Tag

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I was tagged by Trisha over at The Bookgasm. Thank you so much, Trisha, for the tag! She has an awesome book blog, so make sure to stop by and check it out! 😀

The Little Mermaid – A character who is out of their element, a “fish out of water.”

40-ariel-the-little-mermaid-giant-wall-decaltheoceanattheendofthelaneThe narrator of The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

There is definitely an abundance of characters that could fit this description, particularly in YA literature these days. There are plenty of characters in dystopian situations or in the position of “the chosen one”, but I thought I would go for something a little different. The nameless narrator of The Ocean at the End of the Lane is pulled into a world that he is not at all familiar with: a world of magic, of the unexplainable. He is completely out of his element at first, and in an extremely unique way, in my opinion.


Cinderella – A character who goes through a major transformation.

Cinderella_PhotothehungergamesKatniss from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This may be a bit of an obvious choice, but I had to choose her for this one. Katniss is one of my favorite literary characters, and is an amazing example of a strong female protagonist. Like many characters in trilogies and series, she changes a lot over the course of the novels. She is brave from the very start, but this truly becomes magnified as the stories progress, and she matures into a great leader.


Snow White – A book with an eclectic cast of characters.

Snow_white_disneycinderCinder by Marissa Meyer

This was a tough one to decide on because I have read so many books filled with eclectic characters; that is something I totally love! However, I think I have to choose Cinder for this one, though any novel from The Lunar Chronicles could work here. This novel had a great group of wonderfully developed characters, with very interesting and vivid personalities.

Check out my full review here.


Sleeping Beauty – A book that put you to sleep.

sleeping-beautyaddisonstoneThe Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

I read this book earlier this year and ended up being incredibly disappointed by it. It had a very interesting premise, but the story itself ended up being far different from what the synopsis led me to expect. To be honest, it felt sort of like reading a textbook or a transcript of an event (which may be a more appropriate comparison) than an actual novel. Overall, it just did not hold my attention.

Check out my full review here.


The Lion King – A character who had something traumatic happen to them in childhood.

Lion-king-simba10694831A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

I have to agree with Trisha on this one and go with Conor from A Monster Calls. This book fits this description perfectly, as the entire story is focused on Conor dealing with said traumatic event. This is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking novels I have ever read in my life, and is also one of my favorites of all time.


Beauty and The Beast – A beast of a book (a big book) that you were intimidated by, but found the story to be beautiful.

Belle2janeeyreJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

This novel is pretty large and was definitely on the intimidating side for me at first. However, I am so incredibly glad that I went ahead and read it because it turned out to be absolutely amazing! It is beautiful and romantic and one of my favorite stories ever. Plus Rochester is one of my favorite literary romantic interests (totally book boyfriend material!).


Aladdin – A character who gets their wish granted, for better or for worse.

Aladdin_PosethelionthewitchandthewardrobeEdmund from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

I had a bit of trouble thinking up a character for this one. I don’t know why, because I’m sure I’ve read plenty of novels with this plot element in them; but I am completely blanking at the moment! The only character I could come up with was Edmund from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He is expecting one thing, something positive, but ends up getting a bit more than he’s bargained for in his dealings with the White Witch.


Mulan – A character who pretends to be something or someone they are not.

mulan4redqueenMare from Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Mare fits this perfectly because that is essentially what she is doing throughout the entire novel. In Mare’s world, there are two types of people: super-powered people with silver blood (the upper class), and people with red blood and no superpowers (the lower class). Mare comes from the latter group, but after it is revealed publicly that she does in fact have powers, she is thrust into the world of the silvers, and forced to pretend to be one of them.


Toy Story – A book with characters you wish would come to life.

29887poster.jpgtkamTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird contains some of the most wonderful and iconic characters in literature. I would love almost any of these characters (the good guys, of course) to come to life, but I’d particularly love a real Atticus. Who wouldn’t want someone like that in their life? 🙂 *Side note: I have not yet read Go Set a Watchman, so I am referring to the true Atticus!


Disney Descendants – Your favorite villain or morally ambiguous character.

Descendants_(Original_TV_Movie_Soundtrack)LokiLaufeysonLoki from Marvel Comics

I’m sure this is probably not going to come as much of a surprise to regular readers of my blog! Though I have found a lot of top-notch villains in novels and comics, Loki will most likely always remain my favorite. He is my favorite type of villain: one that is complicated, well rounded, and is not just completely evil all the time. He is a trickster, and you never know what he will do next or what side he is on. His character has so much depth; he is definitely not a cookie-cutter villain!

I Tag:

Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek

Ashleigh @ A Frolic Through Fiction

Kayla @ bookedsolid1989

Anna @ My Bookish Dream

Michelle @ Book Adventures

Paige @ Page by Paige

Imogene @ Amidst the Pages

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The Infinity Dreams Award #2

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I was nominated for the Infinity Dreams Award by four wonderful bloggers! ❤ Because of this, I am going to split this award into two posts, with two of the sets of questions that those bloggers provided me in each post. This is the second part; to see the first part, click here!

I would like to thank Ashleigh from A Frolic Through Fiction and Nova from Confessions of a Literary Addict for nominating me! They are both fantastic book bloggers, so please take a minute to stop by their blogs and check them out! 🙂

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infinitydreamsawardThe Rules:

-Thank and follow the blog that nominated you.

-Tell us 11 facts about yourself.

-Answer the questions that were set for you to answer.

-Nominate 11 bloggers and set questions for them.

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Random Facts About Me:

1. I mentioned in the first part of this post that I am a (pretty bad) gamer, and that one of my favorite games is Skyrim. However, this week I started playing Fallout: New Vegas and that may now be tied for my favorite. I have basically become a complete Bethesda nerd! 🙂

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2. My favorite films to watch are action films. I also love watching Indie films and old noir films.

3. I am a major Hitchcock fan, and my favorite movie is Rear Window, though Rebecca is a very close second.

4. Puns tend to crack me up way more than they probably should. Take this one for example. I saw this online the other day and completely lost it:

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5. My top three favorite dog breeds are Huskies, Pitbulls, and Catahoula Leopard Dogs…and my dog happens to be a mix of all three! 🙂

6. On the topic of favorite animal breeds, I love Ragdoll cats.

7. I think llamas are awesome!

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8. I have a long-held dream of one day going to Comic-Con, either San Diego or New York…

9. …speaking of which, I don’t outwardly fangirl very often, but sometimes, something can really get me going and then…

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10. I would totally fangirl if I went to Comic-Con.

11. I once fell out a window into a bush because I leaned back thinking the window was closed.

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Ashleigh’s Questions:

1. What are your three favourite books?

This is an extremely difficult question! To make it a bit easier, I’m going to just choose standalone novels. To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely my favorite book of all time (though this should come as no surprise at this point!). For my other two favorites I’d have to choose The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle and And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.

2. (Since it’s nearing Christmas and I’m feeling festive) Do you have any sort of routine you carry out on Christmas Eve?

I sing in a choir, so on Christmas Eve, we have a night full of singing Christmas services. We start out with just my group at an early evening service, and then we all go have a Christmas Eve dinner together. After, we come back and join up with the younger groups and any choristers who have left but are back in town for the holidays and sing the major, late night service. By the time we are done, it’s usually Christmas morning. This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful night of the year!

3. What is your favourite Disney film?

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This is a difficult one since I absolutely love every one that I’ve seen! But I have to go with Cinderella. This was always a favorite of mine since I was a little kid, and then I got to act in a production of it, which gives it a very fond place in my heart. The non-Disney version of the story is also my favorite story to read retellings based off of. The Little Mermaid is another favorite of mine as well.

4. When was the last time you went to the cinema, and what did you watch?

It has been way too long since the last time I was there! I’m pretty sure the last movie I went out to see was Ant-Man (of course it would be a Marvel film!). Hopefully I can rectify this lack of movie watching soon because there are a bunch of new releases I want to go see!

5. What is your favourite food?

Pizza. I am completely addicted to pizza! It is the one food that I can eat over and over again and absolutely never get tired of.

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6. Which Hogwarts house are you in?

Ravenclaw! 😀

7. What month is your birthday in?

July!

8. What is your favourite genre of book?

My favorite genre to read, and to write for that matter, is fantasy. I also love thriller and science fiction novels as well, again, both for reading and writing.

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9. Describe yourself in one word.

Quirky 😀

10. How long have you been running your blog for?

I’ve been running it for a little over three months and have been loving every second of it! In that short time, I have met so many incredible people and have found tons of fellow book nerds to chat with. Creating a book blog is an idea that I’ve been toying with for a long time, and I am so happy that I finally went ahead and did it!

11. If you could play any instrument, which would it be?

I’ve played a number of instruments over the years, and I am definitely more of a fan of singing than anything. However, I really would like to go back to playing violin one day; specifically I would like to start playing electric violin!

Nova’s Questions:

1. What’s one TV show or movie adaptation you like more than the book?

It is definitely a very rare thing for me to like a TV or film adaptation more than a book. However, one film that I much preferred to the book was Prince Caspian. The Chronicles of Narnia is an overall fantastic series, but it is the weakest of the novels; however, the movie was absolutely fantastic.

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2. Favorite place to read?

Typically my favorite place to read is in my room, curled up in my bed that preferably has my dog on it 🙂

3. What is one book you will always recommend?

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (is anyone really surprised at this point?). If you haven’t read it, read it! If you have read it, read it again! If you don’t want to read it…

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Read it anyway! 🙂

4. How many books are currently on your TBR list/shelves?

Um…too many! *ahem*555 on Goodreads*ahem*

5. What’s one of your hobbies? (Besides reading, if that’s your main hobby)

At the moment, my main hobbies, aside from reading, would be writing and singing.

6. What’s your favorite flavor (of anything)?

Chocolate. Chocolate is amazing.

 

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7. Do you have an OTP? What book/show are they from?

I don’t really have a particular OTP from any books or shows. If I had to pick one, I might say Marko and Alana from Saga for book (graphic novel) OTP, or Niles and Daphne from Frasier for television show OTP.

 

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8. Do you have any phobias?

I am a definite germophobe. And I’m not sure I have a full-blown phobia of them, but I’m pretty freaked out by bugs!

9. What’s something you really want to accomplish?

One of the main things I really want to accomplish is the completion of one of my novels that I am working on to the point where I can begin to query it! Also, as an aspiring filmmaker as well, I would one day love to get the chance to see my work come to life 🙂

10. Movies or TV shows — which do you prefer watching?

This is a tricky one! It is sort of similar to how I feel about series versus standalone novels. I love the fact that TV shows give you a longer period of time to connect with characters and become involved in their lives. However, I also really love watching movies and seeing a complete story (or at least most of one if there are multiple installments) all in one go; that is sometimes more satisfying, at least upfront. If I had to choose, I might say I prefer movies slightly just because they are easier to get through when you have limited time.

11. Where have you always wanted to visit?

I have always wanted to travel to Iceland. It looks like an absolutely beautiful and interesting place, and I’d love to see the northern lights. I would also love to climb a volcano; that would be awesome!

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I Nominate:

Emma @ The Terror of Knowing

SSJTimeLord

Loreva @ La Book Dreamer

Fran @ Nightjar’s Jar of Books

Alicia @ The Cyborg Knight

Jessica @ The Awkward Book Blogger

Kimsiang @ The Spines Breaker

Victoria @ The Petite Book Blogger

Bree @ The Literary Hellion

Ana @ Ana Reyhs

Jasmin @ Book Corners

My Questions:

1. What are the top three best books you read in 2015?

2. Where is your favorite reading spot?

3. Do you have a favorite tradition with a family member/friend/significant other?

4. What fictional character would you most like to have as a best friend?

5. What are your favorite television series?

6. Do you like to play video games? If so, which one is your favorite?

7. Which Hogwarts house do you belong to?

8. What are your favorite book covers?

9. What films are you most looking forward to watching in 2016?

10. Who are your top three auto-buy authors?

11. Who is your favorite superhero and who is your favorite super villain?

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The Autumn Book Tag

Posted in Tags by

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Winter is coming (Sorry! Had to!) and my favorite season of the year is drawing to a close. So, to finish off the season, I thought it would be fun to reflect back on the best parts of autumn! I was tagged by Windie at Geek Apprentice to do The Autumn Book Tag. Thank you so much, Windie, for the tag! 🙂

What is your favorite thing about autumn?

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I love the weather being cool but not freezing, making it perfect for cozy sweaters and boots. And I love the changing leaves and beautiful colors. And pumpkins…I love pumpkins!

What book reminds you of your school days?

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Once again, I’m going to have to bring up my favorite novel because To Kill a Mockingbird is the novel that reminds me the most of my school days. It was a book that I, like many people, discovered through school and it is by far one of the best books I have ever read. After studying it for the first time in middle school, I ended up reading this book at least once a year every year following that.

What cover reminds you of autumn?

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Beastly Bones by William Ritter – I love the nice warm color scheme of this cover, and the contrast between it and the cooler color scheme of Jackaby. And let me just say (for the millionth time), this series’ covers are insanely beautiful!

What is your favorite horror or Halloween story?

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My all-time favorite horror story is The Shining by Stephen King. This is one of the most incredible and terrifying horror stories ever, and it was the only novel I have ever read that has come anywhere close to actually scaring me. I very highly recommend giving this a read if you have not!

What is your favorite horror or Halloween film?

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As always, I can’t choose just one! Related to the last answer, my favorite horror “film” is The Shining, but the miniseries version with Steven Weber, not the actual movie version. My favorite Halloween film, on the other hand, is Hocus Pocus!

What fall book release are you looking forward to?

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All of the fall book releases I have been looking forward to have already come out. However, I have not yet had a chance to read most of them, so the fall release that I am most looking forward to reading is Winter by Marissa Meyer. I feel like this is definitely many people’s most anticipated fall release, and I am so excited to read this and see how the series wraps up. A very close second would be Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo; it sounds fantastic!

What autumn movie release are you anticipating?

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I have been slacking off on my movie watching, so I have not yet had a chance to see any of my most anticipated autumn releases. However, the ones that I am most excited for (and hoping to see soon) are Spectre, Mockingjay, and The Peanuts Movie.

What are the three books you plan to read this autumn?

Since autumn is ending very soon, I figured I would list the three books that I am definitely planning to finish before the end of the year. Chances are I will finish some or all of these in autumn! 🙂

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

I Tag:

Everyone who is reading this and wants to do it! 🙂 If you do, please link me to your post so I can check it out!

-Ariana

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Top 5 Anticipated Releases of Winter 2015-2016

Posted in Miscellaneous by

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2015 is already winding down and the holidays are rapidly approaching. I feel like I say this a lot, but I absolutely cannot believe how fast this year has gone by! Though I’m sad to see the year go, I am incredibly excited for these next few weeks. This is my favorite time of year for so many reasons.

As a singer, this month is filled with rehearsals and concerts, and we get to do some of the best music of the choral season. I am eager to spend time with family, decorate the house, and bake as many cookies as physically possible! It is also a time for relaxing and, of course, tons of reading!

Winter is shaping up to be another exciting season of book releases as well, so here are my top five most anticipated releases of the next few months!

1. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken (January 5th, 2016)

 

passage, n.passenger

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.

2. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer (February 2nd, 2016)

 

The enchantment continues….starsabove

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

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The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.

Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….

The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.

Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.

The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.

After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.

The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess

The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.

Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century…

3. A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly (February 2nd, 2016)

 

acriminalmagicThe Night Circus meets Peaky Blinders in Lee Kelly’s new magical realism, crossover novel.

Magic is powerful, dangerous and addictive – and after passage of the 18th Amendment, it is finally illegal. 

It’s 1926 in Washington, DC, and while Anti-Sorcery activists have achieved the Prohibition of sorcery, the city’s magic underworld is booming. Sorcerers cast illusions to aid mobsters’ crime sprees. Smugglers funnel magic contraband in from overseas. Gangs have established secret performance venues where patrons can lose themselves in magic, and take a mind-bending, intoxicating elixir known as the sorcerer’s shine.

Joan Kendrick, a young sorcerer from Norfolk County, Virginia accepts an offer to work for DC’s most notorious crime syndicate, the Shaw Gang, when her family’s home is repossessed. Alex Danfrey, a first-year Federal Prohibition Unit trainee with a complicated past and talents of his own, becomes tapped to go undercover and infiltrate the Shaws.

Through different paths, Joan and Alex tread deep into the violent, dangerous world of criminal magic – and when their paths cross at the Shaws’ performance venue, despite their orders, and despite themselves, Joan and Alex become enchanted with one another. But when gang alliances begin to shift, the two sorcerers are forced to question their ultimate allegiances and motivations. And soon, Joan and Alex find themselves pitted against each other in a treacherous, heady game of cat-and-mouse.

A Criminal Magic casts a spell of magic, high stakes and intrigue against the backdrop of a very different Roaring Twenties.

4. These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas (February 9th, 2016)

 

theseviciousmasksJane Austen meets X-­Men in this gripping and adventure-­filled paranormal romance set in Victorian London.

England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

5. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (February 23rd, 2016)

 

*Contains Spoilers for A Darker Shade of Magic*

A Gathering of Shadows FinalFour months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.

In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

 But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

What new releases are you most looking forward to this season? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana

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December 2015 TBR

Posted in Wrap Ups And TBRs by

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Happy December, everyone! If you celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope you had a wonderful holiday, and if not, then a wonderful end of November. 🙂 I just finished up a lovely week spending time with my family (and baking tons of cookies!), and I’m ready to get back into the swing of things here on my blog.

December is shaping up to be the month of reading books I planned to read earlier this year but haven’t gotten around to yet. Many of these have already appeared on previous TBRs, so I think most won’t come as a surprise. The first four in particular are ones that I am absolutely determined to read before the year is out, and if I don’t, you all have permission to yell at me in the comments on my December wrap-up!

December TBR

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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The time is finally here! I will, without fail, be reading The Book Thief this month. I am a million years late with this, but I am so excited to finally have the chance to read it. I am ready for all the sadness and awesomeness that are bound to come out of this novel! I’ll probably be saving this until later in the month, but it is definitely my most anticipated read.

2. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

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This is another one I’ve had on my shelves (and my TBRs) for a long time now, and it’s about time I get to it! I have heard nothing but incredible things about this novel and it has been recommended to me countless times. This is totally my kind of story, so I’m incredibly eager to dive into it and see what all the hype is about!

3. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

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Okay, I have absolutely no excuse for this one. I have been meaning to read this all year, and yet here we are in December and it is still on my TBR. I will definitely finish this by the end of the month. I need to continue on and complete this series; I have to know what happens next!

4. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

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I am absolutely dying to read some more of Gillian Flynn’s work, and I just picked up a copy of this short story. Since December is pretty hectic, this is absolutely perfect to tide me over until I have a chance to read another one of her full novels. This story sounds absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to get started on it.

December is a fairly busy month for me, so I am trying to keep my TBR fairly small. However, these next two books are ones that I would like to get to if I have extra reading time this month. If I can’t, they will roll over to my January TBR!

5. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

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6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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Read in November

I have been in a bit of a reading slump for a few months now, but I am finally beginning to emerge from it! 🙂 Because of this, I plan on starting to do more thorough monthly wrap-ups in the new year. For now, here is a brief one for this past month!

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  1. The Map by William Ritter
  2. The Marvels by Brian Selznick (review)
  3. Saga: Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
  4. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (review coming soon)

November Book Haul

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  1. Binge by Tyler Oakley
  2. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
  3. The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror by Joyce Carol Oates (Review Copy)
  4. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn
  5. This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee
  6. To Kill a Mockingbird (Leather bound Edition) by Harper Lee
  7. Winter by Marissa Meyer

What are you guys planning on reading this month? What was your favorite book you read in November? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

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