Down the TBR Hole #4

Posted in Down the TBR Hole by TheQuirkyBookNerd

This was created by Lia from Lost in a Story. I’m going to attempt to do this post every week as the rules say, but since I have such a massive TBR, I’m going to be picking out 20 books instead of 10. So, let’s see how this goes!

The Rules:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.

Order on ascending date added.

Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books

Read the synopses of the books

Decide: keep it or should it go?

Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

Current “To Read” Shelf: 1434

____________________________________________________________

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I remember how insanely excited I was for this novel when it was first released, and yet, somehow it’s still on my TBR. Since then, I’ve heard a ton of mixed things about this series as a whole. However, I’m still interested in at least trying it out to see what I think.

Judgment: KEEP

Breathless by Jessica Warman

I found this at the library one summer and, while I didn’t check it out at the time, I added it to my Goodreads TBR. And though there are some interesting elements to it still, I’ve lost most of my enthusiasm to read it at this point.

Judgment: GO

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

This is a definite keeper. Any of Rick Riordan’s books that I haven’t read yet are automatic keepers!

Judgment: KEEP

Stay by Deb Caletti

Since we are still in the early stages of my TBR, and since I’ve been on Goodreads for quite a while, we’re going to be running into a lot of books I added so long ago that I’ve just lost interest. And this is one of them! I read a number of Deb Caletti’s novels when I was in my early teens and really enjoyed them—however, they don’t appeal to me now like they use to.

Judgment: GO

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

This is totally not my typical type of novel, but it honestly sounds really sweet and fun. I’ve always heard nothing but fantastic things about Morgan Matson’s books—this one in particular—and I figure I should give it a try. I’ve been trying to add some more lighthearted reads into my TBR to break things up a bit lately anyway.

Judgment: KEEP

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Yes, yes, yes! Definitely staying on the list. I am so eager to check out Ruta Sepetys work, particularly this novel. I know it’s going to destroy my heart, but I’m totally up for it!

Judgment: KEEP

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Keeping for sure! I’ve started this novel multiple times, but I always end up getting distracted by something else because adulting always seems to interfere with my reading schedule! So I am determined to get to this and the rest of the trilogy as soon as possible.

Judgment: KEEP

Doctor Who: The Clockwise Man by Justin Richards

I’m definitely keeping this for now. I’ve been having the most difficult time trying to find copies of many of the early novels in this series, so I have no idea when I’ll actually be able to get around to this. But I’m hoping I can find it one day!

Judgment: KEEP

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Here’s another book that I can’t believe I still haven’t gotten around to reading. This was originally recommended to me by my grandma, who absolutely loved it. We watched the movie together when it came out and I loved that, so I definitely want to read this sometime soon!

Judgment: KEEP

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Another definite keeper! I need to get started on this series, so I’m hoping I can read at least this first novel this year. I’m thinking this might be fun to read at the beach this summer.

Judgment: KEEP

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher

I got this novel so long ago, I actually thought that this would be another I had lost interest in. But honestly, I really don’t think I have. Plus, I’ve always heard nothing but good things about it. I’m pretty sure I still want to give this one a read.

Judgment: KEEP

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I think I’ve made this confession before but, I have never read a John Green novel, at least not all the way through. Years ago, I started one of his novels and just could not get into it. However, I do still want to give him a try and, in this case, I am willing to give into the hype to read this particular book. Not sure how I’ll feel about it (and I’ve already been spoiled on most of it), but we’ll see!

Judgment: KEEP

Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford

I have to be honest, I’m not entirely sure why I ever thought this would be my type of book…but yeah, it’s really not.

Judgment: GO

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Okay, so I’m a bit iffy on this one. I’ve wanted to read it for so long now, but I’ve recently been hesitant due to hearing a fair amount of negative feedback about the series as a whole. For now, though, I still have enough of an interest that I’m willing to give things a try and see how it goes.

Judgment: KEEP

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

I think I found this novel because a bunch of my friends were talking about it back when it came out. I’ve also always been a bit of a dystopian addict. However, I’m just not feeling it anymore with this book. I’ll keep it in mind, but for now, I’m removing it.

Judgment: GO

Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper

Yes, definitely keeping this one! It’s based off a true story, I believe, which means I am probably going to get majorly creeped out, but I’m intrigued!

Judgment: KEEP

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

I have become a bit less interested in this novel over the last few years, but reading some of my Goodreads friends reviews of it has actually piqued my interest again. I’m thinking I’ll probably give this one a go.

Judgment: KEEP

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

I had a really hard time making up my mind about this one. I have read a few of Neal Shusterman’s novels and I have more I want to pick up, so it seems a bit weird to take this one off. It still sounds like a good story, but I just don’t think it’s for me anymore.

Judgment: GO

Numbers by Rachel Ward

This is another one I am a bit conflicted over. I remember, years ago, hearing people talking about this novel all the time, so I figured I should check it out. Some aspects of the plot still sound interesting, but I don’t feel a huge amount of enthusiasm about picking this up. I’ll keep it on for now though.

Judgment: KEEP

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

And lastly, this one is a keeper as well. It’s an old discovery, but it still sounds equally as interesting as it did when I first found it.

Judgment: KEEP

Getting Rid Of: 5/20

TBR Total: 1429

8May2018

Down the TBR Hole #3

Posted in Down the TBR Hole by TheQuirkyBookNerd

The Rules:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.

Order on ascending date added.

Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books

Read the synopses of the books

Decide: keep it or should it go?

Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

Current “To Read” Shelf: 1416

____________________________________________________________

Eve by Anna Carey

This is another book I won through a writing contest years ago, however, I do still have an interest in it. I have a thing for stories with deadly viruses…is that weird? 😛

Judgment: KEEP

Room by Emma Donoghue

Oh yes, definitely keeping this on the list. I have been meaning to read this for so long now, and I really want to see the film as well. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to pick this up soon.

Judgment: KEEP

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

I’ve had this sitting on my Kindle for years and I’ve never gotten around to it. It still sounds incredibly mysterious and intriguing to me though, so I definitely want to keep this on my TBR. I really want to find out what it’s about!

Judgment: KEEP

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I am tentatively keeping this on my TBR for now. I’ve tried to start this novel twice and haven’t been able to get into it, and it also isn’t the typical type of book I like to read. However, I’ve heard so many good things about it—plus I need some more cheerful reads on my list—so I will probably try again some day.

Judgment: KEEP

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Another definite keeper for the TBR. I honestly can’t believe this is still sitting in my unread book pile! It’s one that I’m going to try to read this year if possible.

Judgment: KEEP

But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

It’s been hard to make a decision about this one because I have heard that it is a very good book. I will admit, this is one of those novels that did just generally appeal to me much more when I was in my teens. I still have a bit of interest in it and it is on a very important topic. But I’ve also been trying to be extra cautious about reading potentially triggering novels due to my personal state of mind currently. Therefore, I’m going to put this aside for now.

Judgment: GO

A Life Revealed by Suzi Katz

I’m not sure why I still have this one on my TBR. I remember the synopsis sounding pretty interesting (I like witness protection program-type mystery novels), but all the reviews I’ve ever read about it make it sound sort of confusing…and bad. Basically, I think there is clearly a reason I have put this off for so many years—and at the moment, I have no problem with continuing to put it off.

Judgment: GO

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Nah, this one’s just never going to happen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure this is a great novel—I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things about it. But contemporary romance is not my genre in the first place, and I wasn’t particularly certain I wanted to read it back when I added it years ago.

Judgment: GO

Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Okay, so this is one I am removing from my TBR but am going to keep in consideration. This story sounds absolutely adorable and like it would be very light and fun. But I haven’t gotten around to reading it for so many years, and it is another novel that feels a bit young for me, so I’m putting it aside for now.

Judgment: GO

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Once again, this sounded a lot more interesting to me back when I was in my teens. There are elements that seem intriguing and unique, but I think it is mostly going to be the typical type of storyline meant for a much younger audience.

Judgment: GO

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

I’m a little bit sad about this one and the fact that it just doesn’t catch my attention anymore. I have read a number of Gabrielle Zevin’s novels and absolutely loved all of them. However, it has been so long since I found this one that it is just another story that sounds a bit too young for me and my tastes now.

Judgment: GO

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

I was so excited about this when it was first released, and I couldn’t wait to pick it up…and then I never did. The whole idea for the plot is good, but between my lack of curiosity and the lukewarm reviews, I don’t think I’ll be reading this one.

Judgment: GO

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

I remember there was a ton of hype surrounding this series for a while, and a number of my friends had spoken about it. I was somewhat interested in it at the time, but it isn’t something that really appeals to me quite as much anymore. So, at least for now, I’m going to remove it.

Judgment: GO

Unlovable by Sherry Gammon

Hmm…this one. I’m not really sure what to say about this one. It’s a book that I have had on my Kindle for so long, and I remember picking it out, but I swear it sounded like a different story then than it does when I read the synopsis now. I’m not too sure about it at this point, so I’m removing it for now but keeping it in my mind given all the wonderful reviews.

Judgment: GO

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Picked up a copy of this one so long ago I can’t even remember when it was, but I am still just as interested in reading it as I was back then. This book—and series as a whole—sounds like a really fast-paced, fun mystery/paranormal story, and I think it will make for a nice light read. I’m actually hoping to pick this one up this year.

Judgment: KEEP

Clarity by Kim Harrington

I’m definitely getting a bit repetitive now, but this is another one that appealed to me more when I was younger. It actually sounds a lot like Deadly Cool, so I’m sort of disinterested in the plot for similar reasons. This is one that I will still keep in mind though.

Judgment: GO

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Of course, of course, of course! …OF COURSE! …Need I say more? 😀 Priority read for the year!

Judgment: KEEP

It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

Wait! Wait! Before you freak out at me about this decision, I have reasons, I promise! I am still incredibly interested in reading this novel. But, as I mentioned a bit earlier, I am trying to be more conscious of my personal mental health lately, which has not been in the best state. It has recently been making reading certain novels harder, particularly those featuring anything that relates too closely to what I’m going through, and this is one that just seems like it would be best to put aside for a little while.

Judgment: GO

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks

Any Oliver Sacks book on my TBR is a definite keeper! I’ve been meaning to read his work for so long now, and I’ve final picked up copies of a few of his novels recently. I’m eager to start reading them over the next few months!

Judgment: KEEP

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

This may be another sort of controversial choice, but I have a reason for this one as well! I am still very interested in this story, so this is most likely not a permanent removal. However, I have not read a single John Green or David Levithan novel, and I have decided to only keep the few individual works I am most interested in by them for now, and begin there to see if I like their work in the first place. If all goes well, this will return!

Judgment: GO

Getting Rid Of: 12/20

TBR Total: 1404

Well, this ended up being MUCH more productive than last time! I’m having so much fun doing these posts—I’m so glad I started them. And I hope you all have been enjoying them so far as well. Plenty more to come!

1May2018

Down the TBR Hole #2

Posted in Down the TBR Hole by TheQuirkyBookNerd

The Rules:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.

Order on ascending date added.

Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books

Read the synopses of the books

Decide: keep it or should it go?

Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

Current “To Read” Shelf: 1414

____________________________________________________________

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Yes, definitely still interested in reading this one—I love Tina Fey. Actually, I would really like to listen to this on audiobook since she narrates it!

Judgment: KEEP

All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz

As I mentioned in the last post, I used to write on a writing website run by HarperTeen called Inkpop, and this was one of the many books I won through writing contests. I was still in my teens when I got this, and honestly this does seem a bit young for me now, but it also sounds interesting enough that I’d be willing to give it a go.

Judgment: KEEP

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

I just read my first Sara Shepard novel a few weeks ago (The Elizas) and I really enjoyed it. I do want to read more of her work and this is the one that appeals to me the most.

Judgment: KEEP

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

One of the classics I want to read the most, so this must stay on my list! I read and loved Something Wicked This Way Comes back in high school and have been dying to read more Bradbury since then.

Judgment: KEEP

As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

I have loved all the books I’ve read by Elizabeth Scott, but I’ve been a bit wary about this one. It has a really interesting sounding plot and features an unreliable narrator, which I love. But I have also read a ton of poor reviews for it. I’ll hang onto it for now though and give it a try.

Judgment: KEEP

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

This was recommended to me years ago by both my grandma and my mom, who absolutely adored it. It still sounds like a wonderful novel, and I’ve been looking to start reading more historical fiction novels lately.

Judgment: KEEP

Here We Go Again: My Life in Television by Betty White

I’ve always absolutely adored Betty White! I read one of her autobiographies a few years back and loved it. She is a fantastic writer, absolutely hilarious, and she has had such an interesting life. I can’t wait to read more about her.

Judgment: KEEP

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

This was so popular among all my friends back in elementary/middle school, but for some reason I never got around to picking it up. It has always sounded like an absolutely adorable story, so I definitely still want to read it.

Judgment: KEEP

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Of course I want to keep this one! This is high priority on my classics reading list, and I just got a beautiful copy this past Christmas!

Judgment: KEEP

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Definitely not the type of book that I would ever go for, but Wendy was a fellow writer on Inkpop back in the day. I really want to read this and support her work, and I have heard a ton of really good things about this series as well, so I’m certainly still interested.

Judgment: KEEP

The End of Everything by Megan Abbott

I forget how I found this one, but I added it years ago. The reviews I’ve read of it have been very mixed, many of them leaning more toward the negative side. Still, I’ve been wanting to read more mystery/crime novels lately, so I’m willing to give this one a go.

Judgment: KEEP

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

This was a very topical book back when I added it to my list years ago and it is sadly even more topical now. I think this is going to be an extremely tough and emotional read, but I am still up for giving it a try.

Judgment: KEEP

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

I definitely want to read this book, and hopefully soon! I read The Book Thief last year and utterly adored it. I will read absolutely anything by Zusak!

Judgment: KEEP

The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama

I’ve had this on my TBR for quite a long time and, unfortunately, it doesn’t really pique my interest quite as much anymore. Maybe I’ll come back to it some day, but for now I’m going to take it off.

Judgment: GO

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

My mom recommended this to me ages ago, and since then, a number of my writing buddies have as well. I’ve been really wanting to read some more non-fiction books about the writing process as I work on my own projects. I think this will be an interesting read.

Judgment: KEEP

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

I purchased a copy of this before I figured out the best order for Cassandra Clare’s novels. Though it feels like a very daunting task, I am planning on trying to dive into the world of the Shadowhunters fairly soon, so this will stay until then.

Judgment: KEEP

The Clearing by Heather Davis

This sounds like an incredibly sweet and heartbreaking story, and I absolutely love novels about people from two different time periods connecting in some way. I added this a long time ago and it still sounds just as interesting as it did then!

Judgment: KEEP

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

A definite must-read for me! Aside from my rule that absolutely all things Stephen King will remain on this list, as an aspiring author, I think this will be a wonderful and incredibly insightful read. Thanks goes to my dad for recommending this to me!

Judgment: KEEP

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

This is a no-brainer: DEFINITELY keep! Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve absolutely adored the movie, and I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without reading the book! I’m hoping I’ll have a chance to read it this year.

Judgment: KEEP

Freakonomics by Stephen D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

This is not the typical novel that I would read, but it has actually always sounded really interesting. My art teacher recommended this to me back in school, and I’ve always heard a bunch of great things about it since, so I definitely want to read it.

Judgment: KEEP

Getting Rid Of: 1/20

TBR Total: 1413

Well, that was a bit of a fail! But like I said, I’ll be posting an extra one this week and hopefully that will be a bit more productive!

2Apr2018

Down the TBR Hole #1

Posted in Down the TBR Hole by TheQuirkyBookNerd

I’ve seen so many people doing these posts lately, in particular, my friend and fellow blogger Heather from The Sassy Book Geek (pssst…she’s an incredible blogger so you should check her out!). I’ve been absolutely loving her posts and just the general idea so I thought I’d try it out! This will probably be tough, but I definitely need to cut down on my Goodreads TBR—it’s getting a bit out of hand! This first post may not be very productive, but as we get further down the list, it should definitely pick up a bit.

The Rules:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.

Order on ascending date added.

Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books

Read the synopses of the books

Decide: keep it or should it go?

Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

Current “To Read” Shelf: 1368

____________________________________________________________

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I read Hosseini’s first novel, The Kite Runner, back in middle school (which is, frighteningly, over a decade ago!) and absolutely adored it. His writing and storytelling styles are beautiful, and I honestly can’t believe I haven’t read his other works yet!

Judgment: KEEP

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

I put this one on my TBR because a local theater was putting on a production of it. I’d also heard about it in school, though it was never on any of our reading lists. This may be a bit of a controversial decision—since I know this is well-loved—but I’m not really feeling this one anymore. I may come back to it one day, but I’m taking it off for now.

Judgment: GO

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

This is not really the type of story I would usually be drawn to, but I’ve had this recommended to me multiple times by my parents. It sounds like it could be a very beautiful and thought-provoking read, so I’m definitely interested.

Judgment: KEEP

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards

This one is a bit of a tough decision. I have had this book for so many years and never gotten around to it, and I definitely don’t feel quite as drawn to it anymore. However, I still think I have enough interest in it to keep it on for now.

Judgment: KEEP

It by Stephen King

Any Stephen King book is really a no-brainer for me: definitely staying on! I’ve actually just recently gotten a copy of It. I’m hoping to read it this year and then finally see the movie.

Judgment: KEEP

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I’ve heard so many amazing things about this novel, and I’ve been meaning to pick it up for ages. This should be a nice, quick read, so I’m pretty sure I’ll pick it up at some point.

Judgment: KEEP

The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie

I’ve really been wanting to read more Agatha Christie lately, and I had forgotten that I’ve owned this book for quite a while. If I have a chance, I’d actually love to pick this up sometime this year.

Judgment: KEEP

Misery by Stephen King

Misery is one of my favorite movies, but I’ve never actually gotten around to reading the novel. This is another one I’d love to pick up this year if possible, so it’s definitely staying. Also…Stephen King…

Judgment: KEEP

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

This is one of those classics that I feel like I should have read by this point in my life. I’m pretty interested in it too, so I’ll keep it on.

Judgment: KEEP

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Back when I was in middle school, I was completely obsessed with Ellen Hopkins’ books, and she was basically an auto buy author for a while. So now, I still own a few of her books that I never got around to. I’m not in a place right now where I feel comfortable reading about these topics, so for now, I’m taking it off.

Judgment: GO

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Again, another Hopkins book I bought back in my early teens that I never got around to. Though I love dark, gritty realistic fiction at times, just like the last book, I’m not sure when or if I will be in a place where I am up to reading this. So for now, I’m going to take it off.

Judgment: GO

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

I used to be a member of a writing website—created by HarperCollins—called Inkpop, and it was one of my favorite communities ever. Not only did I get to know Leigh on there, this was the first book that was ever taken from Inkpop and published. I, of course, got this in support of Leigh and the community as a whole, and though I have sort of grown out of this type of novel, I do still want to make an effort to read it.

Judgment: KEEP

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Speaking of Inkpop, I won a copy of this novel in one of their writing contests. And this appealed to me back then, but now…not so much. I think this may be one I have to drop.

Judgment: GO

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

This was another prize from winning an Inkpop writing contest. I’m a little iffy about it, but I think I might give it a try at some point.

Judgment: KEEP

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

The film adaptation of Rebecca is one of my all-time favorite movies, so this obviously is staying on my list!

Judgment: KEEP

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

I’m actually not entirely sure why I own this…but since Delirium is out, this has to be as well.

Judgment: GO

Entwined by Heather Dixon

This is just one of those books I added back in my teens and, unfortunately, I’m just not particularly interested in it anymore.

Judgment: GO

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Again, another prize from winning an Inkpop writing contest. This still sounds really interesting to me, and I’ve had a number of people recommend it as well. It is definitely one I’d like to give a read.

Judgment: KEEP

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Another book I picked up in my teens (definitely noticing a trend here…). I always love retellings of my favorite classics, but this just doesn’t sound like anything I want to read anymore.

Judgment: GO

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

And one more time… another prize from winning an Inkpop writing contest. 😛 But, this is one that I am still really interested in. I’ve been wanting to start reading Kiersten White’s books, so this is staying in my TBR pile.

Judgment: KEEP

Getting Rid Of: 7/20

TBR Total: 1361

Well, that was actually more productive (and longer) than I thought it would be! Should I continue to do 20 books going forward or should I cut it down a bit? Let me know in the comments! Also, make sure to let me know your thoughts on any of the books on this list! 😀

7Mar2018

March 2018 TBR

Posted in Wrap Ups And TBRs by TheQuirkyBookNerd

I’ve realized that I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading lately but I haven’t updated you guys with TBRs or wrap-ups in quite some time! For the first time in ages, I’ve actually been sticking pretty closely to the TBRs I set for myself. And though it’s a bit on the ambitious side, I’m feeling confident about completing most of this one as well. My Goodreads challenge goal for the year is 100 books, and I’m trying for at least ten each month to give myself a little extra wiggle room. So, without further ado, here is my insanely long TBR for the month! 🙂

The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary by NoNieqa Ramos

Macy’s school officially classifies her as “disturbed,” but Macy isn’t interested in how others define her. She’s got more pressing problems: her mom can’t move off the couch, her dad’s in prison, her brother’s been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn’t speaking to her. Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own terms—complete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that’s both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can’t tell her incarcerated father that her mom’s cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection . . . the kind of protection that involves Macy’s machete.

The Crooked Castle by Sarah Jean Horwitz

Shortly after saving the faeries of Skemantis, magician’s apprentice Felix Carmer III and his faerie companion, Grit, head out to see the world. They soon come across a mysteriously magical flying circus. As they get to know the outlandish world of Rinka Tinka’s Roving Wonder Show, it becomes clear there’s something not quite normal about this circus or its inventor—and that recent airship disasters plaguing nearby Driftside City may have a sinister explanation.

Fans of the Wildwood trilogy and Lockwood & Co. series will love the thrills and chills of The Crooked Castle as it takes readers up in the air with a flying circus, under the sea to the evil Unseelie kingdom, through a terrifying magical snowstorm, and on a chase with the menacing Wild Hunt.

If I Live by Terri Blackstock

Casey is hiding again—in Memphis this time—but it’s different now. She knows without a doubt that Dylan believes her and is doing all he can to help bring Brent’s killer to justice. He’s become an unexpected friend . . . and even, maybe, something more. Hope makes everything more bearable.

Casey makes a deal with the DA to turn over all the evidence she and Dylan have gathered against Keegan and Rollins—only to discover that the DA is in league with them too. After a desperate escape, who can they possibly turn to now?

Time is running out for Casey, but master suspense writer Terri Blackstock will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the last, utterly satisfying page.

The Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras

A Scottish medieval adventure about the youngest in a war-band who must free her family from a castle prison after knights attack her home.

One dark night, Drest’s sheltered life on a remote Scottish headland is shattered when invading knights capture her family, but leave Drest behind. Her father, the Mad Wolf of the North, and her beloved brothers are a fearsome war-band, but now Drest is the only one who can save them. So she starts off on a wild rescue attempt, taking a wounded invader along as a hostage.

Hunted by a bandit with a dark link to her family’s past, aided by a witch whom she rescues from the stake, Drest travels through unwelcoming villages, desolate forests, and haunted towns. Every time she faces a challenge, her five brothers speak to her in her mind about courage and her role in the war-band. But on her journey, Drest learns that the war-band is legendary for terrorizing the land. If she frees them, they’ll not hesitate to hurt the gentle knight who’s become her friend.

Drest thought that all she wanted was her family back; now she has to wonder what their freedom would really mean. Is she her father’s daughter or is it time to become her own legend?

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma.

Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals – the old art known as the Wit – gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.

So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift–back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as 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.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know…

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

When kingdom come, there will be one.

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.

The last queen standing gets the crown.

Megge of Bury Down by Rebecca Kightlinger

Murderer!

When six-year-old Megge first touches the ancient Book of Seasons, a mysterious voice accuses her of an ugly crime. Although the book is her legacy, she refuses to touch it again. If she does, she is certain she will be the death of those she loves.

But seven years later, events conspire to force her to once again to accept her responsibility. If she refuses to take up the task, who will ensure the Book’s ancient wisdom survives, safe from the hands of those who would use it for evil?

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

The Jubilee Problem by Charles Veley and Anna Elliot

The year is 1897. Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James, his lovely young American daughter, must finally unmask the traitor who has crossed swords with them in their three previous adventures. Their secret adversary is now masterminding a well-orchestrated conspiracy to destroy the most glamorous event of the Century: Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Celebration. Lucy’s growing relationship with Detective Constable Jack Kelly will be seriously tested as she and Jack work with Sherlock and Watson to defeat their murderous enemy. If they fail, the Queen and thousands of innocent people will die, and the British Empire will fall into chaos.

So, let’s see how I do! What are some books that you have on your March TBR? What books have you been reading lately? Let me know in the comments!

28Nov2017

Top 10 Tuesday – November 28th, 2017

Posted in Top 10 Tuesday by TheQuirkyBookNerd

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 on your winter TBR. Boy, was this a hard list to narrow down! I am feeling quite self-conscious about the size of my TBR pile! There are so many books on my list that I’m eager to read but I didn’t manage to get to this year, as well as plenty of 2018 ARCs to get started on. So here is a bit of my game plan for winter and the new year!

Keeping Long Island by Courtney Peppernell

Kayden is about to start her final year at college. And while she’s always been a good listener, she’s never been good at sharing. At the suggestion of her therapist, she finds a safe place for her secrets between the pages of a daily journal. Just when Kayden thinks things are finally back on track, her life takes an unexpected turn – a mysterious letter from someone named Alex.

Courtney Peppernell, the best-selling author of Pillow Thoughts, brings a world of intrigue, exploration, and the struggle for identity to life in Keeping Long Island. Kayden must make a choice – is she brave enough to share her secrets with Alex, or will the weight of her fears destroy everything she has been fighting for?

The Crooked Castle by Sarah Jean Horwitz

Shortly after saving the faeries of Skemantis, magician’s apprentice Felix Carmer III and his faerie companion, Grit, head out to see the world. They soon come across a mysteriously magical flying circus. As they get to know the outlandish world of Rinka Tinka’s Roving Wonder Show, it becomes clear there’s something not quite normal about this circus or its inventor—and that recent airship disasters plaguing nearby Driftside City may have a sinister explanation.

Fans of the Wildwood trilogy and Lockwood & Co. series will love the thrills and chills of The Crooked Castle as it takes readers up in the air with a flying circus, under the sea to the evil Unseelie kingdom, through a terrifying magical snowstorm, and on a chase with the menacing Wild Hunt.

The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary by NoNieqa Ramos

Macy’s school officially classifies her as “disturbed,” but Macy isn’t interested in how others define her. She’s got more pressing problems: her mom can’t move off the couch, her dad’s in prison, her brother’s been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn’t speaking to her. Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own terms—complete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that’s both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can’t tell her incarcerated father that her mom’s cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection . . . the kind of protection that involves Macy’s machete.

Elizabeth and Zenobia by Jessica Miller

Abandoned by her mother and neglected by her scientist father, timid Elizabeth Murmur has only her fearless friend, Zenobia, for company. And Zenobia’s company can be very trying! When Elizabeth’s father takes them to live in his family home, Witheringe House, Zenobia becomes obsessed with finding a ghost in the creepy old mansion and forces Elizabeth to hold séances and wander the rooms at night. With Zenobia’s constant pushing, Elizabeth investigates the history of the house and learns that it does hold a terrible secret: Her father’s younger sister disappeared from the grounds without a trace years ago.

Elizabeth and Zenobia is a wonderfully compelling middle-grade story about friendship, courage, and the power of the imagination.

The Merciless by Danielle Vega

Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned

Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .

In this chilling debut, Danielle Vega delivers blood-curdling suspense and terror on every page. By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us?

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned — from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren — an enigmatic artist and single mother — who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town–and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw

Meet Greta Helsing, fast-talking doctor to the undead. Keeping the supernatural community not-alive and well in London has been her family’s specialty for generations.

Greta Helsing inherited the family’s highly specialized, and highly peculiar, medical practice. In her consulting rooms, Dr. Helsing treats the undead for a host of ills – vocal strain in banshees, arthritis in barrow-wights, and entropy in mummies. Although barely making ends meet, this is just the quiet, supernatural-adjacent life Greta’s been groomed for since childhood.

Until a sect of murderous monks emerges, killing human and undead Londoners alike. As terror takes hold of the city, Greta must use her unusual skills to stop the cult if she hopes to save her practice, and her life.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother’s tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

The Elizas by Sara Shepard

When debut novelist Eliza Fontaine is found at the bottom of a hotel pool, her family at first assumes that it’s just another failed suicide attempt. But Eliza swears she was pushed, and her rescuer is the only witness.

Desperate to find out who attacked her, Eliza takes it upon herself to investigate. But as the publication date for her novel draws closer, Eliza finds more questions than answers. Like why are her editor, agent, and family mixing up events from her novel with events from her life? Her novel is completely fictional, isn’t it?

The deeper Eliza goes into her investigation while struggling with memory loss, the closer her life starts to resemble her novel until the line between reality and fiction starts to blur and she can no longer tell where her protagonist’s life ends and hers begins.

Blink by Sasha Dawn

When Chatham begins to understand more about a crime she witnessed a decade ago, she disappears . . . in a blink. Finding her means more than simply saving her. It could also be the key to the town’s longest unsolved mystery. Joshua’s in love with Chatham and he’s determined to find her and untangle the web of lies and mystery surrounding her. But who is Chatham really and what is her connection to the crime that was committed so long ago?

What books are on your winter TBR? What 2018 books are you most looking forward to picking up? Let me know in the comments!

14Oct2017

Currently Reading Tag

Posted in Tags by TheQuirkyBookNerd

Wow! It has been ages since I last did a book tag and I’ve been missing them so much! I love getting this more personal experience of chatting with all of you wonderful bookish people! 😀 ❤

I’ve been pushing out a lot of reviews lately, but I promise I’ll be mixing it up with these more casual, chatty posts from now on! And boy, do I have a lot of tags to catch up on! Like this one, which I found through the lovely Zezee from Zezee with Books! So let’s jump right in!

How many books do you usually read at once?

I used to be a stickler about not picking up another book until I was completely finished with the one I was currently reading, but that’s gone completely out the window at this point! Typically, I try not to read more than two or three books at once, but now that I’ve discovered the joy of audiobooks, that can sometimes raise the count to four or more! My younger self is cringing… 😛

If you’re reading more than one book at a time, how do you decide when to switch to reading the other book? (Do you read a certain amount of pages in each?)

Usually I either set a chapter goal for the day in each book or spend a day on one then the next day on another, etc. In some (thankfully) rare situations, if I’m struggling through a book that I’m not really liking, I’ll take breaks when I need to and pick up something else just so I don’t fall into a slump.

Do you ever switch bookmarks while you’re part way through a book?

No, I don’t think I’ve actually ever done that before. It’s possible that I have if I happened to lose the bookmark I was using, but I can’t remember it if I did! Though I do have the world’s worst memory (ahem…another reason I shouldn’t be reading more than one book at a time)!

Where do you keep the book you’re currently reading?

I keep it next to me on top of the stack of TBR books that are currently functioning as a nightstand…Yeah, I may or may not be having a little bit of a space problem…

What time of day do you spend the most time reading?

I primarily read in the afternoon or early evening depending on the day. Sometimes I’ll read in bed right before I go to sleep, but that tends to end up being a very unproductive reading session! 😛

How long do you typically read for in one go?

That’s a tough one to answer because it varies so much depending on the day, the book, my mood, etc. I’d say on average I try to read in at least two hour chunks, but back in my younger years, I have been known to go on for 8+ hours! I’d love to have that kind of laser focus now—would definitely help to cut down my massive TBR pile!

Do you read hard covers with the dust jacket on or off?

Definitely with the dust jacket off. First of all, it’s more comfortable to hold the book without it. And second, that dust jacket must not be ruined! It must stay safely out of harm’s way until that book is finished!

Which position do you mainly use to read?

I like to move around my position and, if possible, my location, if I’m spending a lot of time reading. My most typical positions would be sitting on my floor, in bed either leaning back or lying on my stomach, and—at times—lying strangely on my back…

Do you take the book you’re currently reading with you everywhere you go?

Absolutely! I never leave home without a book or my kindle. You never know when you’re going to get a chance to read!

How often do you update your progress in the book you’re currently reading on Goodreads?

I typically try to update it after every reading session. However, I can occasionally forget to do that for days.

I Tag:

Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek

Anna @ My Bookish Dream

The Orang-utan Librarian

Richard @ The Humpo Show

Emma @ The Terror of Knowing

lilkadykitty

And I’m going to tag a few of my most recent followers! Welcome to the blog, you guys, and thank you so much for following! ❤

Cassie @ Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile

Destiny @ Howling Libraries

Joie @ Rainy Days and Lattes

Marina @ A Makeshift Library

My Library and Other Mischief

7Oct2017

October 2017 TBR

Posted in Wrap Ups And TBRs by TheQuirkyBookNerd

Happy October, everyone!

Or maybe I should be calling this ARC-tober—I’ll be catching up on quite a few review books this month! I haven’t made a TBR for a few months, mainly because I’ve been so terrible at sticking to them recently. However, I really want to push myself to keep to this list as much as possible this month…so we’ll see how that goes! 😛

October TBR

The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre

I have three months to write the last book of my life. Three months to confess the details of that day, and how it changed everything for me.

My name is Helena Ross. I’ve written fifteen romance novels, ten of which have become international bestsellers. But this one isn’t a romance, no Happily Ever After in place. This novel holds only the truth, which I have run away from for four years. The truth, which I have hidden from the police, from my loved ones, from the world.

This final book?

It’s my confession.

Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Time flies when you’re plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far’s birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he’s ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.

But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far’s very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.

Artemis by Andy Weir

Jazz Bashara is a criminal.

Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you’re not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you’ve got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent.

Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down. But pulling off the impossible is just the start of her problems, as she learns that she’s stepped square into a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself—and that now, her only chance at survival lies in a gambit even riskier than the first.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Libby Day was just seven years old when her older brother massacred her family while she hid in a cupboard. Her evidence helped put him away. Ever since then she has been drifting, surviving for over 20 years on the proceeds of the ‘Libby Day fund’. But now the money is running out and Libby is desperate. When she is offered $500 to do a guest appearance, she feels she has to accept. But this is no ordinary gathering. The Kill Club is a group of true-crime obsessives who share information on notorious murders, and they think her brother Ben is innocent.

Ben was a social misfit, ground down by the small-town farming community in which he lived. But he did have a girlfriend – a brooding heavy metal fan called Diondra. Through her, Ben became involved with drugs and the dark arts. When the town suddenly turned against him, his thoughts turned black. But was he capable of murder? Libby must delve into her family’s past to uncover the truth – no matter how painful…

Chasing Eveline by Leslie Hauser

Sixteen-year-old Ivy Higgins is the only student at Carmel Heights High School who listens to cassettes. And her binder is the only one decorated with album artwork by 80s band Chasing Eveline. Despite being broken-up since 1989, this rock band out of Ireland means everything to Ivy. They’re a reminder of her mom, who abandoned Ivy and her dad two years ago. Now the music of her mom’s favorite band is the only connection she has left.

Even though Ivy wavers between anger and a yearning to reconnect, she’s one-hundred percent certain she’s not ready to lose her mom forever. But the only surefire way to locate her would be at a Chasing Eveline concert. So with help from her lone friend Matt—an equally abandoned soul and indie music enthusiast—Ivy hatches a plan to reunite the band.

The road to Ireland won’t be easy, though. And not just because there is no road. Along the way they’ll have to win over their Lady Gaga-loving peers, tangle with some frisky meerkats, and oh yeah, somehow find and persuade the four members to play a reunion gig. It’s a near-impossible task, but Ivy has to try. If she can’t let go of the past, she’ll never be able to find joy in the present.

The Splendid Baron Submarine by Eric Bower

Waldo “W.B.” Baron is back with another amazing adventure in another incredible invention! Pirate treasure? A clandestine meeting? A terribly rude monkey with personal boundary and hygiene issues? Two of those things sound like a dream come true to W.B, whose clever inventor parents are hired―by the Vice President!―to go on a super secret and intensely important treasure hunt to repay a national debt. If only it weren’t for that lousy, rude monkey, it would be the beginning of a perfect adventure. But at least it isn’t squirrels…

The treasure hunt gives the Baron family the opportunity to use their exceptional steam-powered submarine, freshly biggened and ready for adventure! But things are seldom straightforward for the eccentric Baron family, and this treasure hunt is no exception. W.B.’s trademark bad luck has him suffering monstrous marine misfortune and marauding monkey misery.

Can the Baron family embark on their newest adventure without the eggy and depressing Aunt Dorcas? Will the Barons find the treasure they seek? Will they save the country from financial ruin? Where does the monkey fit in, anyway? Do we like asking questions? Not really, but inside you’ll meet someone who likes asking questions and then answering them (despite his claims to the contrary, he really does like it).

Oh, did we mention the pirate’s curse?

Spin the Golden Light Bulb by Jackie Yeager

It’s the year 2071 and eleven year-old Kia Krumpet is determined to build her 67 inventions, but she won’t have the opportunity to unless she earns a spot at PIPS, the Piedmont Inventor’s Prep School. Kia, who has trouble making friends at school, has dreamed of winning the Piedmont Challenge and attending PIPS ever since she learned that her Grandma Kitty won the very first Piedmont Challenge. After she and four of her classmates are selected to compete for a spot at PIPS, they travel by aero-bus to Camp Piedmont to solve a task against forty-nine other state teams to earn their place at the best inventor’s school in the country.

In a world where every word and gesture is copyrighted, patented or trademarked, one girl elects to remain silent rather than pay to speak, and her defiant and unexpected silence threatens to unravel the very fabric of society.

Speth Jime is anxious to deliver her Last Day speech and celebrate her transition into adulthood. The moment she turns fifteen, Speth must pay for every word she speaks (“Sorry” is a flat ten dollars and a legal admission of guilt), for every nod ($0.99/sec), for every scream ($0.99/sec) and even every gesture of affection. She’s been raised to know the consequences of falling into debt, and can’t begin to imagine the pain of having her eyes shocked for speaking words that she’s unable to afford.

But when Speth’s friend Beecher commits suicide rather than work off his family’s crippling debt, she can’t express her shock and dismay without breaking her Last Day contract and sending her family into Collection. Backed into a corner, Speth finds a loophole: rather than read her speech – rather than say anything at all – she closes her mouth and vows never to speak again. Speth’s unexpected defiance of tradition sparks a media frenzy, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps, and threatens to destroy her, her family and the entire city around them.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my 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.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

The Case of the Green-Dressed Ghost by Lucy Banks

Kester Lanner didn’t know what to expect when he followed his mother s dying request to contact the mysterious Dr. Ribero, but he wasn’t expecting to find his long lost father. Nor was he expecting to join the family business: catching supernatural spirits.

Kester is intrigued despite his fear, and finds himself drawn into an ancient ghost story that will test the entire agency.He soon becomes enmeshed in a struggle with the spirit, who is so malevolent and haunting that his first real case might just be his last.

Recent Reads

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire – 5/5 stars (Full Review)

Everything Reminds You of Something Else by Elana Wolff – 2/5 stars (Full Review)

Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell – 5/5 stars (Full Review)

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur – 3/5 stars (Full Review)

The Chaos of Longing by K.Y. Robinson – 2.5/5 stars (Full Review)

The Timekeepers by Jenn Bregman – 1/5 stars (Full Review)

Remember, Remember by Anna Elliot – 3.5/5 stars (Full Review)

Dead Over Heels by Theresa Braun – 4.5/5 stars (Full Review)

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis – 5/5 stars

The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis – 5/5 stars

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan – 5/5 stars

What books are you guys planning to read this month? Let me know in the comments!

6Jun2017

Top Ten Tuesday – June 6th, 2017

Posted in Top 10 Tuesday by TheQuirkyBookNerd

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic is the top ten books from any particular genre that you’ve added to your TBR recently. For some reason, I’ve had this major urge to read some contemporary novels. It’s incredibly rare for me to feel this way, so it’s either due to summer coming up or potentially a sign of the coming apocalypse. Whatever the reason, I’ve added a bunch of contemporary novels to my TBR recently, so here are a few that I am most eager to get to. 🙂

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she’s beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

On the Fence by Kasie West

For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows—including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn’t know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she’s spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can’t solve Charlie’s biggest problem: she’s falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Lara Jean’s love life gets complicated in this New York Times bestselling “lovely, lighthearted romance” from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase’s family embraces Samantha – even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha’s world. She’s suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

Gold Rush by Jennifer Comeaux

Liza Petrov’s entire life has been about skating and winning her sport’s top prize – Olympic gold. She’s stayed sheltered inside her bubble, not daring to stray from her destined path.

Until she meets Braden Patrick.

He makes her heart flutter with possibility, and for the first time she gets a taste of a normal teenage life. She longs to have both the boy and the gold, but stepping outside her bubble comes with a price. As Liza begins to question both her future and her past, can she stay focused on the present and realize her ultimate dream?

The Butterfly Project by Emma Scott

At age fourteen, Zelda Rossi witnessed the unthinkable, and has spent the last ten years hardening her heart against the guilt and grief. She channels her pain into her art: a dystopian graphic novel where vigilantes travel back in time to stop heinous crimes—like child abduction—before they happen. Zelda pitches her graphic novel to several big-time comic book publishers in New York City, only to have her hopes crash and burn. Circumstances leave her stranded in an unfamiliar city, and in an embarrassing moment of weakness, she meets a guarded young man with a past he’d do anything to change…

Beckett Copeland spent two years in prison for armed robbery, and is now struggling to keep his head above water. A bike messenger by day, he speeds around New York City, riding fast and hard but going nowhere, his criminal record holding him back almost as much as the guilt of his crime.

Zelda and Beckett form a grudging alliance of survival, and in between their stubborn clash of wills, they slowly begin to provide each other with the warmth of forgiveness, healing, and maybe even love. But when Zelda and Beckett come face to face with their pasts, they must choose to hold on to the guilt and regret that bind them, or let go and open their hearts for a shot at happiness.

The Butterfly Project is a novel that reveals the power of forgiveness, and how even the smallest decisions of the heart can—like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings—create currents that strengthen into gale winds, altering the course of a life forever.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin

Dear Best Friend,

I can already tell that I will hate everyone but you.

Sincerely,

Ava Helmer

(that brunette who won’t leave you alone)

We’re still in the same room, you weirdo.

Stop crying.

G

So begins a series of texts and emails sent between two best friends, Ava and Gen, as they head off to their first semesters of college on opposite sides of the country. From first loves to weird roommates, heartbreak, self-discovery, coming out and mental health, the two best friends will document every moment to each other. But as each changes and grows into her new life, will their friendship be able to survive the distance?

Paintbrush by Hannah Bucchin

Mitchell Morrison and Josie Sedgwick have spent their whole lives at the Indian Paintbrush Community Village, a commune full of colorful characters tucked in the mountains of North Carolina, and they aren’t particularly close–at least, not anymore. Josie wishes she could spend all of her time at Paintbrush planting tomatoes, hiking the trails, or throwing giant communal birthday parties, while Mitchell can’t wait to escape the bizarre spiritual sharing and noisy community dinners. Luckily for both of them, high school graduation is just around the corner.

But when Mitchell’s mother makes a scandalous announcement that rocks the close-knit Paintbrush community, and Josie’s younger sister starts to make some dangerously bad decisions, the two find themselves leaning on each other for support–and looking at each other in a whole new light. Their childhood friendship blossoms in to something more as they deal with their insane families, but as graduation approaches, so does life in the real world, forcing Josie and Mitchell to figure out what, exactly, their relationship is–and if it can survive their very different plans for the future.

What genre have you been particularly interested in reading lately? What are some of the most recent additions to your TBR? Let me know in the comments!

2Jun2017

June 2017 TBR

Posted in Wrap Ups And TBRs by TheQuirkyBookNerd

Happy June, everyone!

I’m so excited because, once again, I had another amazing reading month! I managed to get through eleven books! As usual, I didn’t quite stick to my TBR entirely…but I tried! So this month, I am also going to create a rather ambitious TBR. I should have a lot of time to read this month and during my travels toward the end of the month, so I’m really hoping to get a lot of reading done. Here are some of the books I would really like to get to during the month of June! 🙂

June TBR

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you’ve got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

Paper Wishes by Spencer Hoshino

There is a belief that with each origami star folded, a falling star is saved. After folding 365 stars while mourning the loss of her mother, Vilvian makes a wish that will change her life forever.

Enter Nox Bright, the handsome and mysterious guy who has been haunting Vilvian’s dreams. She can barely believe it when he walks into her homeroom near the end of the school year. Has she gone crazy or is it possible that wishes really do come true?

The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber

Ever since the Delonese ice-planet arrived eleven years ago, Sofi’s dreams have been vivid. Alien. In a system where Earth’s corporations rule in place of governments and the humanoid race orbiting the moon are allies, her only constant has been her younger brother, Shilo. As an online gamer, Sofi battles behind the scenes of Earth’s Fantasy Fighting arena where Shilo is forced to compete in a mix of real and virtual blood sport. But when a bomb takes out a quarter of the arena, Sofi’s the only one who believes Shilo survived. She has dreams of him. And she’s convinced he’s been taken to the ice-planet.

Except no one but ambassadors are allowed there.

For Miguel, Earth’s charming young playboy, the games are of a different sort. As Ambassador to the Delonese, his career has been built on trading secrets and seduction. Until the Fantasy Fight’s bomb goes off. Now the tables have turned and he’s a target for blackmail. The game is simple: Help the blackmailers, or lose more than anyone can fathom, or Earth can afford.

The Windfall by Diksha Basu

A heartfelt comedy of manners, Diksha Basu’s debut novel unfolds the story of a family discovering what it means to “make it” in modern India.

For the past thirty years, Mr. and Mrs. Jha’s lives have been defined by cramped spaces, cut corners, gossipy neighbors, and the small dramas of stolen yoga pants and stale marriages. They thought they’d settled comfortably into their golden years, pleased with their son’s acceptance into an American business school. But then Mr. Jha comes into an enormous and unexpected sum of money, and moves his wife from their housing complex in East Delhi to the super-rich side of town, where he becomes eager to fit in as a man of status: skinny ties, hired guards, shoe-polishing machines, and all.

The move sets off a chain of events that rock their neighbors, their marriage, and their son, who is struggling to keep a lid on his romantic dilemmas and slipping grades, and brings unintended consequences, ultimately forcing the Jha family to reckon with what really matters. Hilarious and wise, The Windfall illuminates with warmth and charm the precariousness of social status, the fragility of pride, and, above all, the human drive to build and share a home. Even the rich, it turns out, need to belong somewhere.

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

**Minor spoilers for A Darker Shade of Magic**

It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift–back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as 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.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he’ll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:

Break into the notorious Ice Court

(a military stronghold that has never been breached)

Retrieve a hostage

(who could unleash magical havoc on the world)

Survive long enough to collect his reward

(and spend it)

Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done – and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable – if they don’t kill each other first.

The Guns Above by Robyn Bennis

The nation of Garnia has been at war for as long as Auxiliary Lieutenant Josette Dupre can remember – this time against neighboring Vinzhalia. Garnia’s Air Signal Corp stands out as the favored martial child of the King. But though it’s co-ed, women on-board are only allowed “auxiliary” crew positions and are banned from combat. In extenuating circumstances, Josette saves her airship in the heat of battle. She is rewarded with the Mistral, becoming Garnia’s first female captain.

She wants the job – just not the political flak attached. On top of patrolling the front lines, she must also contend with a crew who doubts her expertise, a new airship that is an untested deathtrap, and the foppish aristocrat Lord Bernat – a gambler and shameless flirt with the military know-how of a thimble. He’s also been assigned to her ship to catalog her every moment of weakness and indecision. When the Vins make an unprecedented military move that could turn the tide of the war, can Josette deal with Bernat, rally her crew, and survive long enough to prove herself to the top brass?

Birthrights by J. Kyle McNeal

To escape the burden of his family’s past, Whym accepts an apprenticeship with a master his parents fear and revile. He soon finds himself entangled in a web of treachery and on a perilous journey to locate a creature of myth and magic-a journey that will transform Whym and shape the future of the realm.

Meanwhile, Quint, the son of a powerful religious leader, abandons his faith to join the fight against a corrupt council. As the adviser to a remote tribe, he must find in himself the wisdom and fortitude to save the people from the invading army-and their own leaders.

Civil war looms, defeated foes plot revenge, and an ancient deity schemes to destroy them all. While navigating the shifting sands of truth, the two young men must distill what they believe, and decide on whose side they will stand in the coming conflict.

Hell and High Water by Tanya Landman

Mystery turns to mortal danger as one young man s quest to clear his father’s name ensnares him in a net of deceit, conspiracy, and intrigue in 1750s England.

Caleb has spent his life roaming southern England with his Pa, little to their names but his father s signet ring and a puppet theater for popular, raunchy Punch and Judy shows until the day Pa is convicted of a theft he didn’t commit and sentenced to transportation to the colonies in America. From prison, Caleb s father sends him to the coast to find an aunt Caleb never knew he had. His aunt welcomes him into her home, but her neighbors see only Caleb s dark skin. Still, Caleb slowly falls into a strange rhythm in his new life . . . until one morning he finds a body washed up on the shore. The face is unrecognizable after its time at sea, but the signet ring is unmistakable: it can only be Caleb s father. Mystery piles on mystery as both church and state deny what Caleb knows. From award-winning British author Tanya Landman comes a heart-stopping story of race, class, family, and corruption so deep it can kill.”

Marriage of a Thousand Lies by S.J. Sindu

Lucky and her husband, Krishna, are gay. They present an illusion of marital bliss to their conservative Sri Lankan–American families, while each dates on the side. It’s not ideal, but for Lucky, it seems to be working. She goes out dancing, she drinks a bit, she makes ends meet by doing digital art on commission. But when Lucky’s grandmother has a nasty fall, Lucky returns to her childhood home and unexpectedly reconnects with her former best friend and first lover, Nisha, who is preparing for her own arranged wedding with a man she’s never met.

As the connection between the two women is rekindled, Lucky tries to save Nisha from entering a marriage based on a lie. But does Nisha really want to be saved? And after a decade’s worth of lying, can Lucky break free of her own circumstances and build a new life? Is she willing to walk away from all that she values about her parents and community to live in a new truth? As Lucky—an outsider no matter what choices she makes—is pushed to the breaking point, Marriage of a Thousand Lies offers a vivid exploration of a life lived at a complex intersection of race, sexuality, and nationality. The result is a profoundly American debut novel shot through with humor and loss, a story of love, family, and the truths that define us all.