Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set Outside the US

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to that book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten Books Set Outside the United States

After taking several months off, it’s so nice to do a Top Ten Tuesday post! Many of these have a fantasy element, but I only included those that are still modeled after our world.

From my TBR:

        

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter – Throughout time in Europe and the US (a little cheaty…)
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor – Nigeria
Every Breath by Ellie Marney – Australia
Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey – France
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows – Historical England

Some of My Favorites:

        

The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh – Historical Persia
Daugther of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor – Czech Republic
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins – France
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell – England
Die for Me by Amy Plum – France

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Which books made your list this week? I’d especially love to find more books set outside of the US AND Europe. Link your own Top Ten Tuesday in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Enjoyed That Weren’t My Typical Read

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to that book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten Books I Enjoyed That Weren’t My Typical Genre

This week’s theme was really hard for me, and if I weren’t already making an effort to read more broadly, this would be a serious kick in the pants for me! I had to cheat a lot with this list, and most of my “atypical” genres aren’t really all that atypical – most of them are just romance sub-genres I tend to avoid. That being said, most of the ways I want to expand my reading focus on exploring different cultures and perspectives rather than genres, and I’m okay with that, at least for now. So with that out of the way, here are my top ten!

Young Adult

      

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – Science Fiction is one genre that I feel like I should love, but I can rarely get into. I definitely did not have that problem with Illuminae. The fascinating format and action-packed plot kept me racing through the story and I finished it in a couple sittings!

Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron – I’ve reviewed both this book and it’s sequel, so you may have seen them on here before. It’s genre-nonconformity makes this series hard to describe to others, and I was initially hesitant to pick it up, but I’m so glad I did!

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – I can be a little wary of YA Contemporary, but more than that, I almost never read books from the perspective of one male main character. This is definitely something I’d like to change!

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh – I adored this book, and retellings/YA romance aren’t exactly a stretch for me. I’m including this one because it’s also a more diverse YA novel, taking place in historical Persia and having been written by a woman with a mixed-race heritage. We absolutely need more diverse perspectives!

Adult

        

Venetia by Georgette Heyer – I usually shy away from purely historical romances, despite being a lover of Jane Austen. This is largely because I often run into historically accurate context (like discrimination and xenophobia) that detract from my enjoyment of the romance. I didn’t encounter that in Venetia, though it does crop up occasionally in other Heyer novels.

Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach – Here’s another Sci Fi! Just like I mentioned with Illuminae, this one was seriously action-packed, and it sucked me into the story.

Hard To Be Good by Laura Kaye – This novella was my first M/M romance, and I loved it 🙂 I was already a big fan of Kaye’s work, so I was more than willing to step out of my box for this one. It’s a good thing, too, because I discovered a new sub-genre to enjoy!

A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn – Here’s another Historical Romance. This one did have a couple cringe-worthy historical scenarios, but the African setting was vibrant and engaging, and the story was fascinating.

Silver Lining by Maggie Osborne – I have to admit, I only picked this American western historical romance up because it was a book club pick. I won’t be reaching out for the genre again any time soon, but I can say that Silver Lining made me laugh, and I’m really glad I gave it a shot.

Top of my TBR

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor – For my tenth pick, I’m going with another diverse book that’s on the top of my TBR pile! This is a YA Fantasy taking place in Nigeria, and the blerb sounds fantastic 😀

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Which books shook things up for you? Link your own Top Ten Tuesday in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: A Valentine’s Day Rainbow

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to the book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten Books in a Valentine’s Day Rainbow

This week’s TTT is a Valentine’s Day freebie, so I decided to go with a color theme 🙂 As a result, this mini collection includes a pretty wide variety of romantic stories, including Adult and Young Adult, Contemporary and Fantasy, Series and Standalone. There’s even a novella thrown in.

        

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh – (YA, Retelling/Fantasy, Duology Book 1) – This is my favorite book of those I’ve read this year so far. The setting is absolutely stunning, and it’s perfect for being whisked away for a few hours.

Fated by Sarah Fine – (Adult, Mythology/Fantasy/Apocalyptic, Trilogy Book 3) – I love Sarah Fine’s work because it never fails to draw me into the story 100%. This is the third book in her adult series, and it definitely didn’t disappoint.

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones – (Adult, Paranormal/Chick Lit/Urban Fantasy, Series Book 1) – A fun, quick read that is full of snark, this is a prime example of a beach book.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – (YA, Contemporary, Standalone) – One of my favorite YA novels, Fangirl is an excellent valentine’s day read!

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – (YA, Retelling/Fantasy, Series Book 1) – This one is a loose Beauty and the Beast retelling with fae lore thrown in, and now is the perfect time to read it, since Book 2 is coming out in May.

        

Die for Me by Amy Plum – (YA, Paranormal/Fantasy, Trilogy Book 1) – This is a perfect choice for fans of romantic paranormal YA! To top it off, the series is set in Paris, the author’s home, and is full of romantic Parisian atmosphere.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins – (YA, Contemporary, Companion Trilogy Book 1) – Another YA set in Paris, this one is contemporary fiction and ALSO full of romantic Parisian atmosphere 😉

Wife by Wednesday by Catherine Bybee – (Adult, Contemporary, Series Book 1) – This is probably the most stereotypical romance novel on this list, but it is also a quick, fun read with a satisfying ending.

Entwined by Kristen Callihan – (Adult, Fantasy/Steampunk, Series Prequel Novella) – Despite being a companion novella to a larger series, this is a good representative of Callihan’s work, and the novella is perfectly enjoyable on its own. It is also one of my favorite novellas in general, and I think of the story as a loose retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – (YA, Contemporary/LGBT, Standalone) – This one was tied for my favorite 2015 read. I can’t recommend it enough 😀

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What books do you read around Valentine’s Day? Do you read romance or avoid the genre altogether? Link you own TTT in the comments so I can check out your freebie theme!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for Surviving Seattle Rain

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to that book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten Books for Surviving Seattle Rain

This week’s theme is a general freebie, so I decided to go with one that is meaningful to me. While the internet has been bombarding me with posts about the American East Coast’s epic blizzard, I’ve been getting drenched each time I set foot outside (dog walks and uncovered bus stops certainly don’t help). This is about the time of year when the constant wet really wears me down. Thank goodness for good books that help us survive the winter.

Without further ado, if you can’t beat it, join it!

Books to BEAT the rain:

No matter the genre, these books will take you to a place where winter rain isn’t even a blip on the radar.

        

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson – For fans of YA contemporary romance – This one features a sunny, pan-American road trip.

Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron – For fans of quirky urban fantasies- The Heartstrikers series will suck you in with its post-magical-invasion-Detroit setting and amazing cast of characters.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik – For fans of fantasy and/or fairy tales – A vivid fantasy featuring a seemingly unstoppable corrupted wood.

Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach – For fans of fast-paced science fiction – This is the start to a really approachable sci fi trilogy with a bit of fantasy on the side.

Venetia by Georgette Heyer – For fans of Regency romances – This one is set in a sunny countryside and is generally lighthearted and goofy.

Books to JOIN the rain:

If you just can’t seem to ignore the rain, these are great books for embracing the foul weather. You can read all about crazy antics in gloomy worlds from the comfort of your own chair, blanket, and hot beverage of your choice.

        

Sanctum by Sarah Fine – For fans of YA paranormal/fantasy – This fast-paced trilogy is set in a dark, vivid world – no rain, but LOTS of grey.

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn -For fans of Victorian mysteries with a side of romance – This is a fun, quirky murder mystery set in rainy Victorian London.

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan – For fans of historical sci fi/fantasy – As a fictional memoir by the world’s leading dragon naturalist, there are plenty of muddy, wet adventures to be had in this one.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor – For fans of YA paranormal/fantasy – The dark, mysterious setting of Prague is, hands down, my favorite part of this trilogy.

Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett – For fans of period romance – This is the first book in a paranormal series set in rainy-but-vibrant Roaring Twenties San Francisco.

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What books do you read when the weather gets you down? Link you own TTT in the comments so I can check out your freebie theme!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’ve Recently Added to My TBR

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to that book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten Books I’ve Recently Added to My TBR

I’ve been on a reading binge the last couple weeks (even more than usual), and my TBR has been growing as a result. Why is it that reading always goes hand in hand with finding more that you WANT to read?? Here are 10 of my most recent TBR additions in no particular order.

        

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – I’ve seen this on so many Booktube shelves lately, I had to grab a copy when the Kindle price dropped!

Ms. Marvel: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona – I just finished volume 1 (No Normal) and now I’m waiting on my library copy of volume 2 😀

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown – This book has been recommended by strangers, friends, and family members alike, so it’s made it’s way onto my entirely mostly fiction TBR.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas – Really, the whole Throne of Glass series is on my TBR, but I just finished Crown of Midnight, bumping this one up the list.

You Were Here by Cori McCarthy – This is a recently received ARC, and I’m really intrigued by the premise.

        

Served Hot by Annabeth Albert – This is my newest TBR addition. I read my first Annabeth Albert book today and LOVED it, so of course I had to add a bunch of her other books to my reading list! This is the first book in her Portland-based series.

Waking the Dragon by Juliette Cross – Another very new addition, I saw this one while browsing Amazon this morning (always dangerous), and was impressed by all of the great reviews on Goodreads.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen – I’ve had a copy of this one for a while but it’s been bumped back up the TBR list because of the impending movie adaptation release.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes – This is another series I’ve been hearing great things about lately.

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski – I’ve seen the third book in this trilogy on a few Most Anticipated 2016 Release lists, so I’m excited to check it out.

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Which books are new to your TBR? Link your own Top Ten Tuesday in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: 2015 Releases I Didn’t Get To

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to that book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten 2015 Releases I Meant to Get to But Didn’t

There were so many great releases last year, and while I did get to some, there are a ton that haven’t made it off my TBR pile yet. Here are the ten I’m most excited about getting to THIS year…

        

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Soundless by Richelle Mead
One Good Dragon Deserves Another by Rachel Aaron
Beastly Bones by William Ritter
These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

        

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

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Which books were you meaning to get to last year? Link your own Top Ten Tuesday in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: Resolutions for 2016

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in!

Today’s Theme: Ten Resolutions I have for 2016

I’ve already written a 2016 Goals & Challenges post, but here a few more bookish things to round out my Top Ten.

Challenges:

• Complete my Goodreads Challenge of 100 books.
• Work through the PopSugar reading challenge to see how many items I can check off (without beating myself up trying to finish it)!

Specific TBR goals:

• Catch up on the Throne of Glass series because it’s about time!
• Finish the Poison Study trilogy because Magic Study has been on my TBR for ages, and I know I’m going to love it.
• Finish the Parasol Protectorate series because I can’t let my frustrations with one character get in the way of my enjoyment of the rest.

Other bookish resolutions:

• Keep track of my re-reads – I’m meticulous about tracking new books on Goodreads, but I don’t have a good way to track my re-reads. I’d really like to do a better job of that this year, but I’m not sure of the best way to do it. I’d LOVE some suggestions!
• Turn boring chore time into relaxing book time through my library’s digital audio book collection – There are tons of books on my TBR list that I want to read despite the fact that they never make it to the top of the list. I think audio books are the perfect solution because they’re a great backdrop for cooking or folding laundry.
• Read some new male authors – The majority of authors I read are women, and I’d love to read more male authors to balance the scales a little bit. If you have some favorites to suggest, let me know in the comments!
• Don’t buy unread books if they are available through the library – Since I’m reading so much, I need to cut back on some costs. One good way is to refrain from buying anything unless I already know I’m going to get a ton of re-read value out of it.
• Don’t fret about reading slumps or needing to take a break from a book – I’m usually pretty good about this, and I’d like to keep it up this year, too. Reading slumps happen, and sometimes you just need to set a book down for a while. The last thing I want is for reading to become a burden!

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That’s pretty much it for my bookish resolutions this year. What are you resolving for the new year? Link your TTT in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases For The First Half of 2016

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to that book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten Most Anticipated Releases For The First Half of 2016

I still feel like I’m buried under a TBR pile of great books that everyone has read but me, so I haven’t looked too far ahead at new releases. There are some that I’m really looking forward to, though, and all of them are from favorite authors of mine. Here’s my Top Ten Seven Tuesday:

      

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (ACOTAR, Book 2) – (Expected Release: May 3rd) – I’m really looking forward to book two of this series because I want to dive back into the world of ACOTAR. I’m a little wary of love triangle potential, though…

In The Labyrinth of Drakes by Marie Brennan (Memoir by Lady Trent, Book 4) – (Expected Release: April 5th) – I love the covers of these book so much. I haven’t finished book two yet, but I can’t wait to get more of these on my shelves!

Forevermore by Kristen Callihan (Darkest London, Book 7) – (Expected Release: June 28th) – I’ve loved this whole series so far, and I can’t wait for the next installment. I need a little more steampunk romance in my life 😉

The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead – (Expected Release: April 5th) – I actually don’t know much about this one yet, but I really enjoy Mead’s writing style, and I’m excited about exploring a new series from her.

    

This is a big year for Laura Kaye releases, and I will eagerly read ALL of these as soon as they come out.

Love in the Light by Laura Kaye (Hearts in Darkness, Book 2) – (Expected Release: January 12th) – I was actually lucky enough to receive an ARC for this one, and I couldn’t be happier about it 😀 Love in the Light is the sequel to Hearts in Darkness, my favorite novella to date.

Ride Hard by Laura Kaye – (Expected Release: April 26th) – This one will kick off Kaye’s new series, a spin-off of the Hard Ink series about the Raven Riders MC. Since I loved Hard Ink so much, I’m eager to dive into this one, too.

Hard Ever After by Laura Kaye (Hard Ink, Book 4.6) – (Expected Release: February 2nd) – This is a novella/epilogue to the Hard Ink series featuring Nick and Becca’s wedding, and like the rest of the series, I must read it!

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Which books are you most looking forward to next year? Link your own TTT in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

Or, um, Wednesday, as the case may be…

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to that book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

This holiday season marks sort of an unofficial anniversary for me and the rediscovery of my passion for reading. It seems like I’ve wanted to read everything in sight (because you never know when a new favorite author will come along), and most of these books have passed through my Kindle courtesy of Amazon Daily Deals and the amazing Seattle library system. Given this, most of my wishlist consists of Hardcover editions of books I found this year and know I will read again and again. There are also a couple TBR books with beautiful covers that I’m dying to read!

        

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – So heartfelt and hilarious. I love this book. I want to put it on my shelf right next to Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan – I can’t get enough of the cover. My inner biologist wants to study every inch of the illustration.

After the End and Until the Beginning by Amy Plum – I’ve seen some mixed reviews of this duology, but I adored it. So far I have yet to read something from Amy Plum that I didn’t love.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor – I’ve only read the first book in the trilogy so far, but the setting alone is enough for me to want this one on my shelf.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins – I’d love to have the whole trilogy, but I’ll start with Anna. (Text cover only – I really hate the other one…)

        

The Kraken King by Meljean Brook – It makes me sad that this is only available in paperback. In my future library, full of wonderful books, this one will be featured front and center on my Steampunk shelf.

Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron – I’ve only read the first in series so far (there are only two out right now), but I loved it.

Still on the TBR list:

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard – I’ve heard so many great things about this one; I can’t wait to read it! Besides, the beautiful cover will still look great on the shelf no matter how good the story is 😉

Illusionarium by Heather Dixon – I read Dixon’s Enchanted and really enjoyed it. This one definitely intrigues me, and the interesting cover only adds to the appeal.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir – This is another that I’ve heard great things about. I think I’m going to be kicking off 2016 with an excellent TBR lineup.

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Which books are on your wish list this year? Link your TTT in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: This Year’s New-To-Me Favorite Authors

For those who don’t know, Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new theme and everyone is invited to join in! (Note: all book cover images in this post link to that book’s Goodreads page.)

Today’s Theme: Ten New-To-Me Favorite Authors I Read For The First Time In 2015

I read so many great books this year. Here are 10 of my favorite new-to-me authors:

Young Adult:

        

Becky Albertalli – Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda – After reading Simon, I am anxiously awaiting anything else Albertalli decides to publish.

Sarah J. Maas – Throne of Glass and ACOTAR – I’m still not caught up in the Throne of Glass series, but mostly because I want to savor it. I fell in love with Maas’ fantasy writing this year.

Stephanie Perkins – Anna and the French Kiss trilogy – Because Étienne in Paris, Cricket in San Francisco, and Josh in New York…

Rainbow Rowell – Fangirl and Carry On – I don’t think I will ever get over how much I loved Carry On. I’m sensing many more Rowell books in my future.

Rachel Aaron/Rachel Bach – Nice Dragons Finish Last and the Paradox trilogy (Adult) – So far I’ve loved both her adult and her young adult work. Here’s hoping for more impending releases!

Adult:

        

Laura Kaye – Hearts in Darkness and the Hard Ink series – I will forever be indebted to Romance Novels for the Beach for convincing me to try to Laura Kaye’s work.

Meljean Brook – Iron Seas series – Brook is my favorite Steampunk author, and I can’t wait for the Blacksmith’s story!

Georgette Heyer – Venetia and Faro’s Daughter – I was REALLY late to the Georgette Heyer party, but I’m really glad I found another author to fill my Jane Austen cravings.

Jeaniene Frost – The Night Huntress and Night Prince series’ – I read a whopping 14 books by Frost this year, and I can’t wait for The Sweetest Burn to come out next March.

Dianne Duvall – Immortal Guardians series – Duvall became one of my go to authors this year, especially when I’m in the mood for characters that are both kick ass and kind-hearted.

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Who are some of your own “new” favorites? Link your TTT in the comments!