Birthday and Travel Book Haul

Posted in Miscellaneous by TheQuirkyBookNerd

As you can probably already tell simply by the fact that I’m making an entire post dedicated to a book haul, July has been quite the bookish month! First, I was traveling around Ireland through the end of June and the beginning of July.

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Then, my 22^nd birthday was on the 18^th, where I not only received some books as presents, but was also treated to an awesome bookstore trip on my actual birthday! On top of that, I have to admit to getting myself a few new Kindle books throughout the month. Because of all of this, I have amassed quite the haul of books.

On a side note, I’ve been toying with the idea of making a travel post about specifically about the Ireland trip, so that might be a thing at some point. 🙂

Now, let the haul begin!

1. Yeats Poetry Collection

My trip to Ireland was a choir tour, which means we did a lot of traveling within the country as well as a ton of walking. This sort of limited me when it came to the amount of books I could pick up while there, so I somehow managed to keep it to a very restrained two books. We spent one part of our trip in Sligo, the town of all things Yeats (who happens to be one of my favorite poets)! So of course, I had to pick up a little collection of his work while we were there.

2. Dubliners by James Joyce

This is the other book I picked up during my trip to Ireland, and I did in fact get this while I was in Dublin like I hoped I would be able to. We read two of the stories from this novel back in high school, but I’ve never actually gotten a chance to read the rest. I’ve heard and seen very mixed opinions of this classic, but I really enjoyed what I read a few years ago, so I’m eager to finish it off.

3. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

It’s Victoria Schwab, so obviously I had to pick this up as soon as it came out! This is actually (*cough* one of *cough*) my current read(s), but even though I’m loving it so far, I keep having to put it aside. I’ve been trying to catch up on reviews and life keeps getting in the way of books (*sigh*). But rest assured, this book will be finished and reviewed very soon!

4. Beowulf translated by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is another classic that we read an excerpt from in school but never actually read all the way through, and I really enjoyed the small portion that we studied. I have been looking for this particular translation of Beowulf ever since I heard about it a few months ago, and it took me forever to locate a copy. I finally found it on my birthday trip to the bookstore and I can’t wait to read it (I know, I’m a total classics nerd)!

5. Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien

I have not been able to find an actual, physical copy of this novel anywhere. This particular edition has even been impossible to find online. So I finally gave in and purchased the Kindle version for myself because I am dying to read this story. It sounds absolutely adorable, and I’m really interested in beginning to read some Tolkien, so this will probably end up being my first experience with his work.

6. And I Darken by Kiersten White

I was originally planning on getting this out of the library, but when I saw it at the bookstore, I decided to just go ahead and pick up a copy. This is one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so I’m eager to get to it. It seems like one of those books that I’m either going to really love or really hate, so I can’t wait to see where this falls for me. Plus, beautiful cover alert!

7. The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North

I just discovered this novel recently through Booktube, if I remember correctly, and the synopsis instantly intrigued me. I have another novel by Claire North, but I have not read it yet, so I don’t really know much of anything about her work. However, I’ve only ever heard fantastic things about her novels, all of which have extremely intriguing and unique-sounding plots. I’m not sure which of the two books I’ll start with, but I absolutely had to pick this one up.

8. Red Queen by Christina Henry

I had completely forgotten this had been released, so I got very excited when I saw it at the bookstore. Due to a recommendation from my book blogger friend Heather, I read the first novel in this series—Alice—earlier this year and absolutely loved it. This series is everything I love: a dark, twisted retelling with vividly portrayed, morally ambiguous characters. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing on to this sequel!

9. Doctor Who: Time Lord Fairy Tales by Justin Richards

I have wanted this book for ages, and somehow, I managed to keep passing it up at the bookstore, even as I stood there drooling over it. But I finally gave in and grabbed a copy. I couldn’t resist any longer—and so my quest to own everything Doctor Who related continues! Hopefully, it will be as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside. I can’t wait to check out these stories.

10. A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

This was one of the books my parents got me for my birthday. Who doesn’t love a good mystery novel once in a while? I haven’t picked one up in ages and this was recommended to me on Goodreads, so I figured I’d give it a go. It sounds like one of those “cozy mysteries”, so I’m looking forward to curling up with this one. I think I may save it for a fall or winter read.

11. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

I saw this movie years ago, but I’ve never actually checked out the book. On top of that, my best friend is a big fan of Chuck Palahniuk and has wanted me to check out his novels for the longest time. So, I found this while I was browsing at the bookstore and figured it was about time to pick it up and give it a read!

12. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

There’s really not much of a story behind this addition to my library. I have the first two parts, so I figured I would just go ahead and pick up the final installment when I saw it. Maybe I’ll marathon the three? We’ll have to see about that. But I definitely plan on at least beginning the series before the end of the year!

13. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

I keep going back and forth about whether I want to read this novel or not. I was really excited about it when it was first released because it sounded like the kind of story I would love. However, my biggest hesitation began when I started hearing talk of a love square (or maybe a shape with more sides?); that can honestly put me off a story completely in just seconds. But I found it on sale for Kindle so I figured, why not just give it a try—it’s gotten fantastic reviews for the most part. We’ll see how it goes.

14. Beckoning Light by Alyssa Rose Ivy

This final book is another Kindle book I treated myself too. I became intrigued by this story ages ago and I thought I already had a copy—but it turns out, I never got around to picking one up. So I finally did! I’ve found that a lot of books I was interested in a few years ago just don’t peak my interest anymore, but this one still does, so I figured that was a good sign.

That’s it for this haul (and probably for book hauls for a little while!). Let me know in the comments what books you guys have picked up recently. Do we have any in common? Are there any books from this list that you think I should move to the top of my reading list?

-Ariana

Top 5 Wednesday – July 20th, 2016

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at Gingerreadslainey and is now hosted by Sam from Thoughts on Tomes. 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 most recent additions to your reading wishlist. I’ve decided to tack on a little extra element and also list the top five recent additions to my physical TBR that I am most excited to read.

Top 5 Wishlist Additions

1. The Muse by Jesse Burton

From the internationally bestselling author of The Miniaturist comes a captivating and brilliantly realized story of two young women—a Caribbean immigrant in 1960s London, and a bohemian woman in 1930s Spain—and the powerful mystery that ties them together.

England, 1967. Odelle Bastien is a Caribbean émigré trying to make her way in London. When she starts working at the prestigious Skelton Art Gallery, she discovers a painting rumored to be the work of Isaac Robles, a young artist of immense talent and vision whose mysterious death has confounded the art world for decades. The excitement over the painting is matched by the intrigue around the conflicting stories of its discovery. Drawn into a complex web of secrets and deceptions, Odelle does not know what to believe or who she can trust, including her mesmerizing colleague, Marjorie Quick.

Spain, 1937. Olive Schloss, the daughter of a Viennese Jewish art dealer and English heiress, follows her parents to Arazuelo, a poor, restless village on the southern coast. She grows close to Teresa, a young housekeeper, and her half-brother Isaac Robles, an idealistic and ambitious painter newly returned from the Barcelona salons. A dilettante buoyed by the revolutionary fervor that will soon erupt into civil war, Isaac dreams of being a painter as famous as his countryman, Picasso.

Raised in poverty, these illegitimate children of the local landowner revel in exploiting this wealthy Anglo-Austrian family. Insinuating themselves into the Schloss’s lives, Teresa and Isaac help Olive conceal her artistic talents with devastating consequences that will echo into the decades to come.

Rendered in exquisite detail, The Muse is a passionate and enthralling tale of desire, ambition, and the ways in which the tides of history inevitably shape and define our lives.

2. The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

(I blame Heather for this one!)

She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world…

When Aladdin discovers Zahra’s jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn’t seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra’s very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.

3. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

‘She looked so like herself that I knew not how to bear it’

In this sensational, hard-hitting and passionate tale of marital cruelty, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall sees a mysterious tenant, Helen Graham, unmasked not as a ‘wicked woman’ as the local gossips would have it, but as the estranged wife of a brutal alcoholic bully, desperate to protect her son.

Using her own experiences with her brother Branwell to depict the cruelty and debauchery from which Helen flees, Anne Bronte wrote her masterpiece to reflect the fragile position of women in society and her belief in universal redemption, but scandalized readers of the time.

4. The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes

The most powerful man in the republic framed her, threw her in prison, and stole a priceless elven manuscript from her family.

With the help of a crack team that includes an illusionist, a unicorn, a death priestess, a talking warhammer, and a lad with a prophetic birthmark, Loch must find a way into the floating fortress of Heaven’s Spire–and get past the magic-hunting golems and infernal sorcerers standing between her and the vault that holds her family’s treasure.

It’d be tricky enough without the military coup and unfolding of an ancient evil prophecy–but now the determined and honourable Justicar Pyvic has been assigned to take her in.

But hey, every plan has a few hitches.

5. It’s All Fun and Games by Dave Barrett

When Allison’s best friend, TJ, convinces her to come along for an epic game of LARP (live-action role-playing), she reluctantly agrees despite her reservations about the geeky pastime. TJ’s weekends are filled with powerful wizardry, mystical creatures, and intense battles with his LARP group. Each adventure is full of surprises, but the goal is always the same: to defeat the monsters and find the treasure.

Not long after their quest begins, the friends discover that something has gone wrong. The fantasy world they’ve built has transformed, and the battle they’re in the midst of is no longer make-believe.

Now they must fight for survival against brigands, kobolds, and other deadly mythical creatures that come to life. Fortunately, the group’s once-fictional magical powers have also become real – including Allison’s newly acquired gifts as a healer. They’ll need everything in their arsenal if they hope to make it home alive.

Top 5 Physical TBR Additions

I’ve just gotten back from traveling and my birthday was on Monday, so let’s just say, there have been a few new additions to my book collection! I’ll be doing a full travel and birthday book haul post in a few days, but for now, here are some of the books that I have recently acquired that I am most looking forward to reading.

1. And I Darken by Kiersten White

Any novel with a strong, kickass-sounding female lead immediately catches my attention! This story sounds dark, intense, and action-packed, exactly the type of story I love. I’m really hoping I’ll be diving into a gripping and unique fantasy, something I’ve been very in the mood for lately. I’ve also heard some very good things about Kiersten White’s writing, so I’m excited to experience it for the first time.

2. Dubliners by James Joyce

I know a few people who really didn’t enjoy this novel and think I’m crazy for wanting to read it! But we read a few excerpts from it in school a while back, and I loved all of them. I’ve been wanting to read the rest for a long time, and this will also contribute to my mission to read more classics this year. The other exciting fact about my copy of this is that I picked it up while I was in Dublin earlier this month!

3. In Sunlight or In Shadow compiled by Lawrence Block

When I saw this on Netgalley, I completely freaked out! This is a collection of short stories written by a group of well-known authors where each story is inspired by a painting by Edward Hopper. Not only am I a massive fan of short story collections, Edward Hopper is one of my favorite painters of all time. For an art/writing assignment, I myself wrote a short story about his painting, Nighthawks. To top off my excitement about this book, I was approved for an ARC on Netgalley! I can’t wait to start this!

4. Beowulf translation by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is another novel that we read an excerpt from in school ages ago, but never actually read the full book. And again, I really enjoyed the part that we read, so I’ve been wanting to pick up a copy of it so I could finally finish it off. I recently heard about this edition that was translated by Tolkien, so I immediately knew this was the translation I needed to read! I’m so looking forward to it!

5. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

This is a novel I’ve been debating picking up for a while, so when I saw it on sale on Kindle, I decided, why not give it a try. I’ve heard tons of incredible things about this novel, however, reports of a potential love square sort of put me off for a bit. But it sounds like my type of story and I was excited about it when it was released last year, so I figured I should finally give it a go.

What are some books that you guys have recently added to your reading wishlist? Are there any new bookish purchases you’ve made lately that you are particularly excited about? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana

15Jun2016

June 2016 TBR

Posted in Wrap Ups And TBRs by TheQuirkyBookNerd

Happy June, everyone! (…two weeks late…) 🙂

This is going to be a bit of a shorter post than usual, since May ended up being a rather unproductive month for me and I’m trying to get back into the swing of things this month. We are also already halfway through June, so I’m obviously running a bit behind. Nevertheless, I still have a plan and I still wanted to update you on this plan! Also, I went to the bookstore recently and sort of did a thing…so…book haul time! 😀

June TBR

1. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

This is most likely going to be both a June and July TBR read. I will be traveling a lot toward the end of the month and I figured that this would be the perfect time to begin reading a giant book. And thus, A Game of Thrones finally finds itself on my TBR! I can’t wait to get started on the series!

2. Girl on a Wire by Gwenda Bond

I recently received an ARC of the companion novel to this book, so I figured, even though it’s not a direct sequel, I should give this a read before I move on to the second one. On top of that though, it also sounds like something I totally would have picked up anyway. It’s gotten some mixed reviews overall, but I’m hoping that I’ll end up enjoying it!

3. Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond

Well…I guess this one is already pretty self-explanatory! Gotta get those ARCs read! I’m also very excited to get to this; it sounds like it will be a pretty interesting story.

4. Beastly Bones by William Ritter

I loved Jackaby so much, frankly, it’s pretty crazy that I haven’t continued the series yet. I’m also extremely excited because I recently got an ARC of the next novel, Ghostly Echoes, so I definitely need to get going on this one! Since June is already half over and it’s shaping up to be a very busy second half, I’m not sure how much reading I’ll be able to get done. For that reason, this is going in the “in case I have extra time” category, and will be a July read if I can’t get to it.

April and May Book Haul

Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond (ARC)

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

The Reflections of Queen Snow White by David Meredith

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

What have you guys been reading this month? Anything you have really loved? What are your most anticipated releases of June? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

12Apr2016

April 2016 TBR

Posted in Wrap Ups And TBRs by TheQuirkyBookNerd

Happy April, everyone! I am quite late with my TBR and wrap-up this month—and it’s definitely going to be a bit of a shorter one than usual—but it’s finally here. If you read my update post last week, you’ll know that I had a bit of a difficult March. However, I am back and as quirky (and nerdy) as ever! Things are finally beginning to get back on track, and I am aiming to catch up on reading and blogging as much as possible in April. Thank you guys for all the love and support. Hopefully this month will be much better than the last! 🙂 ❤

April TBR

1. The Masterpiecers by Olivia Wildenstein

This is one of the books I have received for review, and it is what I am currently reading. I’m not too far into it yet, but at this point I’m enjoying it quite a bit. The writing style flows very well and the mystery in the premise has me very interested to see where the story goes. Dark, mysteries are a definite favorite of mine to read, so I’m hoping this plot will continue to remain strong.

2. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

This is one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I am beyond excited to read it. I’ve been hearing some mixed reviews, but that has not got me any less eager to dive into this novel!

3. The Reflections of Queen Snow White by David Meredith

This is another book that I was sent for review (thank you, David!). It is a retelling—or a continuation, rather—and a darker sounding one at that, which we all know is one of my favorite types of stories. I’m quite intrigued by the premise and I am really looking forward to seeing where he takes the idea. This should hopefully be my next read, in fact.

I will also be continuing to read The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror by Joyce Carol Oates and The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Read in March

Not surprisingly, this was a bit of a rough reading month, but I did manage to get a few books finished.

1. Every Exquisite Thing by Matthew Quick – This was my first experience with Matthew Quick’s work and I’ll say it was definitely a solid one. It was a pretty enjoyable read overall, and it’s got me looking forward to reading his other novels. Full review coming soon!

2. The Haters by Jesse Andrews – I’m running a bit behind on my review for this book because I’m still trying to get my thoughts about it in order. It’s one of those books where I’m still not entirely sure how I felt about it and I need to let my brain do a bit more processing. Full review coming soon!

Anticipated Releases of April

Don’t Tell, Don’t Tell, Don’t Tell by Liane Shaw (April 5^th, 2016)
Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey (April 19^th, 2016)

What books do you want to read in April? Are you looking forward to any new releases this month? Let me know in the comments! 😀

-Ariana

15Mar2016

Top 10 Tuesday – March 15th, 2016

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 spring TBR. As always, the gigantic general TBR that I have makes this a very easy list to come up with books for! I’ve been picking up a lot of new books lately, so this spring I’d really like to focus a bit more on some of the novels I’ve had sitting on my TBR for a while as well.

Let’s do this spring thing! 😀 (yes…I’m lame 😛 )

1. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab – I read my first V.E. Schwab novel—Vicious—at the end of last year, and since then, I have been dying to read more of her work. This trilogy is the most appealing to me right now as I’m really in the mood for some magic and parallel worlds. I absolutely can’t wait to dive into the story—and to get more awesome V.E. Schwab-ness in my life!

2. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn – My explanation for this choice can be summed up in two words—Gillian Flynn. The only reason I have been putting this one off is due to the fact that I want to make sure I’m reading it during a time where I can give it 110% of my attention. Now that I have emerged from my slumpishness at the beginning of the year, I’m ready to devour the crap out of this novel! Also, I’m fairly certain Gillian Flynn is my spirit animal. Just saying… 🙂

3. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness – I just wrote a review for A Monster Calls last week, and now I’ve got a massive urge to read more Patrick Ness. Back when I read A Monster Calls for the first time, I adored it so much that I immediately went out and bought almost every Patrick Ness novel in existence, which included the entire Chaos Walking trilogy. I’m hoping I can finish the entire thing before the end of the year, so it’s about time I get on it! On a side note, I also partially blame Heather from The Sassy Book Geek for reminding me the other day that I still need to read this trilogy! 😛

4. More Than This by Patrick Ness – Speaking of Patrick Ness… Look, sometimes you just need to go on a Patrick Ness binge, you know?

5. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo – I picked up a copy of this novel last year right when it came out (and when I saw those black pages, to be completely honest!). Since then, I have heard nothing but fantastic things about it, so I’m really looking forward to seeing what I think. I’ve also had Leigh Bardugo’s books on my radar for quite a while now, and this series definitely seems the most like my type of story. It sounds absolutely awesome!

6. Beastly Bones by William Ritter – I read and really loved Jackaby at the beginning of last year, so I’m excited to continue on with these books. This series is hilarious, creative, and honestly just plain fun—it should hopefully be a nice, chill read, which is something I’ve been really needing lately. On top of that, the next book in the series is coming out this summer, so I need to catch up ASAP!

7. Doctor Who: Borrowed Time by Naomi Alderman – A bit of a random choice, yes, but we all know about my love (*cough*obsession*cough*) of everything Doctor Who. There are a number of these novels on my TBR at the moment and I want to start making my way through them. They are nice for a entertaining, quick read each month, and this is the one I’m most in the mood to read next. Also…Doctor Who… ❤

8. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton – This is one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and is going to be one of the next books I read. Yes, I know I said at the beginning of this post that I’ve been getting too distracted by new releases lately, but I just can’t wait for this one! And…you know…one more can’t hurt, right? We’ll just keep this between us… 😛

9. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken – Another one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and a book I’ve had on my TBR since January. I’ve had to keep putting it off each month, so I’m determined to finally get to it soon. Last week’s Top 5 Wednesday topic also made me realize that, though I completely love stories about time travel, I’ve not actually read all that many. Clearly, this is something I need to fix, and what better way to get started?

10. Love, Lies, and Spies by Cindy Anstey – I just recently discovered this one and am definitely intrigued. It sounds like it might be a fun read, but I will say, I am slightly iffy about it because it sounds like it will be a little more focused on romance than my typical reads. I feel like this might be a novel that I’m either really going to love or just not be able to get into, but I’m interested to see what I think!

What are some of the books on your spring TBR? Do we have any in common? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

3Mar2016

March 2016 TBR

Posted in Wrap Ups And TBRs by TheQuirkyBookNerd

Happy March, everyone!

My second favorite season of the year is on its way, and I am really starting to look forward to the warmer weather! I’m still catching up on a few reads, so this month’s TBR is mainly going to consist of review copies that I need to work on. Also, I am hoping to begin getting reviews out a bit more frequently this month. I like writing a good variety of posts, and I feel like I want to be getting reviews out slightly more often than I have been. I tend to be too much of a perfectionist when it comes to my reviews (and I write way too much to begin with!), so that’s definitely been slowing me down quite a lot. My goal is to start trying to get out about two each week, so we’ll see how that ends up going! 🙂

March TBR

1. Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black

The synopsis for this novel has me extremely intrigued. It promises to have a mix of both fantasy and realism, which is a style that I always love. On top of that, there is going to be a musical element to it—that completely sells me on this! It seems like it will be an emotional read but an incredibly unique one, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what it’s all about.

2. Every Exquisite Thing by Matthew Quick

I am so incredibly excited about reading this novel! In fact, I’ve already started it because I just couldn’t wait any longer, so this should be my first completed read for the month. I’ve not actually read a novel by Matthew Quick yet, though I have had a few on my TBR for a long time now. I can’t wait to finally give his work a go!

3. These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

This is the one novel on this list that isn’t an ARC copy, but it is one of my most anticipated releases of the year. Since it isn’t a review copy, it’s not a top priority on my TBR, but I am still really hoping I’ll be able to get to it this month. I’m too excited to wait much longer!

4. The Haters by Jesse Andrews

As well as not having read any of Matthew Quick’s novels yet, I’ve also not yet read Jesse Andrew’s other novel—Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl—yet, though I have been meaning to for a while. I’ve heard a lot of mixed opinions about his work, specifically the humor that he uses in his stories, so I’m really interested to see where my opinion falls.

5. The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror by Joyce Carol Oates

This is one final ARC that I need to review soon. I don’t intend to read the entire book this month, but I would like to get started reading some of these stories over the course of the next few weeks. I prefer reading collections of short stories in small bursts anyway—I think it’s more fun to spread them out as you read other novels, rather than rush through them all in one go!

Read in February

I’m still in the process of dealing with these migraines I’ve been getting, so my reading and reviewing pace is not quite up to snuff just yet. I definitely hope to pick up my normal speed again soon, as I begin to feel better. However, while this was a rather slow reading month for me, it was overall enjoyable, so I’m feeling good about it!

1. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer – It’s taken me forever, but I’ve finally started to continue on with this series and it’s so nice to dive back into this world. Full review coming soon!

2. Camp Midnight by Steven T. Seagle and Jason Katzenstein – I was in the mood for a new graphic novel this month. This one was an ARC that had been on my reading list for a little while, so I decided to give it a go—and I absolutely loved it! This was a quick, fun, and satisfying read with some wonderful artwork to boot. Click here to read my full review.

3. The Singular and Extraordinary Tale of Mirror and Goliath by Ishbelle Bee – This was a novel that I had heard very little about, and picked up randomly a few months back. As I expected, it was an extremely unique, fantastical, and intriguing story. I will definitely be posting a more in depth review very soon! I’m looking forward to discussing this one.

4. Doctor Who: Deep Time by Trevor Baxendale – If you haven’t yet been able to tell, I love reading Doctor Who novels! This was another ARC that I had on my reading list for the month. There will be a full review of this coming very soon.

5. The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle – I (finally) began reading this at the end of the month, so it is technically rolling over onto my March TBR. As I said earlier, I like to take my time with short story collections, and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing with this one. But, whenever I do complete it, you can be certain that there will be a full (probably very fangirly) review! 😀

February Book Haul

Okay, so I may have gone mildly overboard with my book buying this month…But in my defense, I haven’t been buying all that many books lately. Also a few of these are ARCs as well…

Nope, still can’t justify this. I went overboard…but I’m a happy little book nerd. 😀 ❤

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

The Haters by Jesse Andrews (ARC)

Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black (ARC)

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

Soulless by Gail Carriger

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

Every Exquisite Thing by Matthew Quick (ARC)

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

Wolf By Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

All right, no more book buying for me for a little while… 😛

What books do you have on your TBR for March? Are you looking forward to any new releases this month? Do any of you guys need to join me in my book buying ban? Let me know in the comments! 😀

-Ariana

2Feb2016

February 2016 TBR

Posted in Wrap Ups And TBRs by TheQuirkyBookNerd

Happy February, everyone! First off, I want to apologize for my absence these last few weeks. This past month was a bit rough for me and, because of that, I did not post nearly as much on here as I usually do. I’ve been suffering from migraines for a while now, but the amount I have been getting has dramatically increased recently to the point where I’ve been having them every other day. This made it very hard to sit in front of a computer screen for any amount of time to write posts and reply to comments.

I’m so sorry I’ve been away as much as I have. I’ve missed posting frequently and I’ve missed talking to all of you every day on here and on your posts! Thank you all for being patient with me. I’m hoping to get them under control soon, and I definitely plan to be back blogging and chatting with you guys in full force this month! 😀 ❤

February TBR

I still have some books off last month’s TBR that I want to get to this month, but here are a few more that I am adding to the pile.

1. More Than This by Patrick Ness

It has been far too long since I have read a Patrick Ness book. I read A Monster Calls over a year ago and completely fell in love with his writing to the point where I went out and bought most of his other novels. However, I have not yet had a chance to read any of them yet. I plan to start the Chaos Walking trilogy later this year, so I figured I would tide myself over with this one. It has an incredibly mysterious and intriguing premise, and I’m not at all sure what to expect from this story. I can’t wait to dive in!

2. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Cycle is one of the series that I have been wanting to start for a while now, and with the final book coming out soon, I figured this would be a great time to begin. I have heard fantastic things about this series and it has been recommended to me quite a lot, so I’m really looking forward to checking it out.

3. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

I’ve gone a month without reading a V.E. Schwab novel and I am already dying to read another one. This has been at the top of my TBR for a while, so I’m hoping I can finally get to it this month. Plus, I have A Gathering of Shadows on pre-order and I’d like to finish this before that is released so I can continue on when it gets here (though I’m then going to have to deal with waiting for the final book!).

4. The Reluctant Sacrifice by Kerr-Ann Dempster

I’ve been making really good progress catching up on reviews and this is a review copy that I have had for a while, so I need to get to it soon. I’m really excited to check it out and see what I think of it. This will be one of my top priorities for the month, and most likely one of my first reads.

5. The Singular and Extraordinary Tale of Mirror and Goliath by Ishbelle Bee

I found out about this book through Booktube and was immediately intrigued by it. It is pitched as a dark, adult fairytale and seems like it will be an extremely unique story, similar in style and atmosphere to Neil Gaiman’s novels. I believe this is a duology, and I already have the sequel, The Contrary Tale of the Butterfly Girl, so I might continue right on to that when I’ve finished if I enjoy it.

6. Doctor Who: Deep Time by Trevor Baxendale

This is another review copy that I’ve received recently and need to get to, so it will be another priority for me this month. I’m always happy to read anything Doctor Who related, which I’m sure comes as no surprise to anyone!

Read in January

Despite my failure in the blogging department, this month was actually fairly productive reading-wise. I managed to read five books and get through a good chunk of a sixth one. I also ended up really enjoying all of these reads quite a lot; they were a great way to begin a new reading year. I’m already making good progress on the reading challenges I’ve given myself and finally catching up on some review copies I’ve needed to get to as well. After feeling a bit slumpy for the past few months, this was definitely a wonderful change, and hopefully it will stay this way.

1. Doctor Who: Death Riders by Justin Richards – As I’ve already said, I love to read anything to do with Doctor Who, and this novel was a really fun read. This was one of the review copies I recently received from Netgalley. Click here to read my review!

2. Doctor Who: System Wipe by Oli Smith – This was my least favorite read of the month, but it was still a quick and entertaining story. This was another Netgalley review copy that I received. Click here to read my review!

3. The Book Thief by Markus Zuszak – I finally did it you guys! After all these years, I finally read The Book Thief—and loved it, of course! Review to come soon.

4. Alice by Christina Henry – Again, I have to thank Heather for this fantastic recommendation. Review to come soon.

5. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn – I’ve been wanting to read more of Gillian Flynn’s work recently, and this was absolutely fantastic (as always!). It’s got me even more excited than I already was to continue on to her next full novel! Review to come soon.

6. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer – I’m not quite finished with this one yet, but I got through a little over half before the end of the month. This will be my first completed read of February, and there will be a review coming very soon after.

January Book Haul

Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Anticipated Releases of February

A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly (Release Date: February 2^nd, 2016)

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer (Release Date: February 2^nd, 2016)

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas (Release Date: February 9^th, 2016)

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (Release Date: February 23^rd, 2016)

What books do you guys have on your TBRs for February? Which new releases are you looking forward to this month? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

19Jan2016

Top 10 Tuesday – January 19th, 2016

Posted in Top 10 Tuesday by TheQuirkyBookNerd

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic is the top ten books you’ve recently added to your TBR. My pile of owned books is really starting to get quite insane, and my general Goodreads list of books I want to read is just outrageous. And yet, I keep adding new books to both! Since it’s the beginning of a new year, I have just recently added a bunch of books to my already way too large TBR, so this should be an easy topic. 🙂

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster

I have been a major Star Wars fan ever since I was a little kid, and yet somehow, I was completely unaware of the fact that there are novelizations of the films. My dad brought this to my attention the other day, so of course I had to pick one of them up. I figured I would go with The Force Awakens to start off since it’s the most recent film, but I definitely intend to read the others at some point as well!

2. Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

I discovered this one thanks to Heather over at The Sassy Book Geek. She wrote up a great “if you liked that, try this” post, and recommended this one to fans of the Percy Jackson novels (which I am!). It definitely sounds like my kind of story, plus Heather and I have a very similar taste in books, so I think this will end up being an enjoyable read. I’m hoping to get to this one very soon.

3. Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

This was a random one that I added recently. A few friends of mine have read and loved this novel, and I have also heard some fantastic reviews of it while watching Booktube. It sounded pretty intriguing, so I figured I’d give it a go at some point. I’ve been interested to dive further into sci-fi, and I think this will prove to be an interesting one.

4. Five-Seven-Five by C.E. Wilson

This novel was brought to my attention by Ashleigh over at A Frolic Through Fiction, who recently read and reviewed it. I had not heard of this one before, but her review really made me intrigued. Judging by the synopsis, it sounds like it is going to be a very unique story, and I’m extremely interested to give it a try and see what it’s all about.

5. The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

As I’ve mentioned, I am a big fan of the Percy Jackson books and Rick Riordan in general, so of course I had to add this to my TBR. I only just the other day discovered that this series was going to be a thing, and I am so excited for it! Along with this, I’ve also just added the other novels in the Magnus Chase series as well, but I figured I would just pick one of his books for this list.

6. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

This is one of the books that I purchased with a gift card from Christmas. I am planning on starting The Raven Cycle this year and I have been collecting the novels. I will probably marathon the series after the final book is released. I’ve also added the final two books in this series to my TBR, but again, I thought I would just keep it to one for the purpose of this list. I’ve always heard nothing but good things about these books, and I’m excited to see what the story is like!

7. Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

Even though I did not love Red Queen as much as I had hoped I would, I do intend to continue on with these novels for now. I only just recently discovered that there were novellas to go along with the trilogy, so I would like to give these a try. I’m hoping to get to these sometime before I read Glass Sword.

8. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Though I have owned all of the books in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy for a while now, I’ve not actually read a Laini Taylor novel yet. I do intend to fix that this year, and this new novel of hers is one that I would like to get to as well. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about her work and the synopsis of this novel really caught my attention; I can’t wait until this comes out!

9. Saga, Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

I’ve talked about my love of the Saga series before, so this should come as no surprise; it’s definitely a given! I absolutely can’t wait to see where this series goes next. This is one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it appears that it will be coming out right around my birthday, which is extra awesome!

10. Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter

This one is another given. I started reading the Jackaby series last year and have been completely adoring it so far, so of course I am planning to continue on with the novels. I’m eager to get my hands on this one and get back into this world again.

What are some books that you guys have added to your TBRs recently? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

13Jan2016

Top 5 Wednesday – January 13th, 2016

Posted in Top 5 Wednesday by TheQuirkyBookNerd

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 your top five favorite self-published books. Now, I’ve not actually read all that many self-published books over the years; my experience in that area is really lacking. I would like to start getting into the habit of reading more of these types of novels this year, and I already have a few picked out that I would like to read soon. So instead of making a list of my favorites, I’ve decided to make a list of the top five self-published books on my TBR that I am most looking forward to reading!

5. Angelfall by Susan Ee

It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco where she’ll risk everything to rescue her sister and he’ll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

4. Callum & Harper by Fisher Amelie

Life sucks for orphans Callum Tate and Harper Bailey.

Kicked out of their foster homes because they suffer the ‘eighteen disease’ with nothing but a hundred dollar check from the government and a pat on the back, they’re forced to rely on a system that failed them miserably.

So they sit. They sit inside Social Services, waiting for their social workers to call their names and offer them the miracle they know will never come but they sit anyway because they have nowhere else to go, no other options on their very literal and figurative empty plates.

But as they sit, they notice the other. Although captivated, they each come to the conclusion that life is complicated enough without throwing in a boiling tension that can’t ever be acted upon because they’re both too busy thinking about where their next meal will come from but when their names are called and both are placed on a year long waiting list for permanent housing, suddenly relying on each other seems like a very viable plan B.

And, oh, how lovely Plan B’s can be.

Well, except for the psycho from Harper’s past that haunts her and, oh, yeah, there’s the little issue that neither of them knows they’re in love with the other.

Needless to say, Callum & Harper’s life just got a bit more complicated.

3. The Reluctant Sacrifice by Kerr-Ann Dempster

Centuries ago, sibling rivalry tore Aramith apart. As punishment, the losers were stripped of their immortal birthright and banished to Earth. There, they wasted away from old age and diseases. However, there is hope…

If a Shaw child, born on the 12th day of the 12th month offers her soul in a public sacrifice, then the exiles will be forgiven and welcomed home to Aramith.

Aubrey Shaw is that child, but dying for the exiles is not on her to-do list. Using her gift as a Jumper, Aubrey leaps between bodies to escape relentless shape-shifting hunters. Only, shedding her skin is not enough. Not when Joshua, her best-friend-turned-hunter, is hell-bent on dragging her to the altar.

Will Aubrey’s love for Joshua change his mind?

Or, will she have to trust the scarred stranger who shows up out of the blue cloaked in lies and secrets? Doing so means giving up on Joshua. But betting on Joshua’s love could do more than break her heart.

It could kill her.

2. The Inn by Deirdre Swinden

The Inn had stood for more than 200 years. No one who knew any better would live within its walls. No one who had heard its sordid past would venture within a mile. But Innkeepers Paula and Martin Kent had found the aging red brick charming and the house itself an alluring investment. After all, what more could a bed and breakfast need for success than to be “haunted”? Its history spoke of deadly winters, lusty rovers and immortal lovers. It called to them as it had sung to others, and at a time when ghost hunters achieved success on reality television, the Kents had found a profitable attraction.

When Samantha Brogan arrives to meet her estranged husband Chris in an attempt to repair their crumbling marriage, she is instantly unsettled by an image her failing sight struggles to comprehend. Trapped by a severe snowstorm, guests and caretakers seek out the Inn’s other inhabitants through ghost hunts and chilling tales of the site’s unnaturally violent history. As the storm gains power, Sam’s visions grow darker and more disturbing. As an unseen enemy draws closer, the guests experience nightmare realities of their deepest fears. One by one they succumb to an inescapable fate until there is only one course left for the remaining occupants – attempt to communicate or die trying.

And death is waiting to take them all.

1. Dissonance by Mariella Hunt

Fifteen-year-old Allie Grant lives crippled by her illness. Though kept in isolation, she’s never alone: A spirit named Song lurks in the silence of her bedroom.

When Song reveals its dark nature on the night of her recital, the show ends in tragedy. Verging on death, Allie’s taken in by an uncle she’s never met.

Julian claims to be a Muse with power over music and answers that’ll heal her. The cure she needs is rare, requiring of him a difficult sacrifice. Allie soon suspects her uncle has a secret that’ll turn her world around.

But with days left to live, she might fade without learning the truth…like the finishing chord of a song.

What are some self-published novels that you have read and enjoyed? I’m always looking for some more recommendations, so definitely let me know in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana

12Jan2016

Top 10 Tuesday – January 12th, 2016

Posted in Top 10 Tuesday by TheQuirkyBookNerd

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic is the top ten 2015 releases you meant to get to but didn’t. This is a great topic for me because I have an embarrassingly long list of books to choose from! I ended up not reading nearly as much as I originally intended to in 2015. On top of that, the majority of the books that I did read were releases from recent years that I was trying to catch up on. To narrow my list down, I primarily chose books that I own and that I hope to get around to reading this year. 2016 is definitely going to end up being another catch up year!