Great Books Recommended to Me

Hello hello, it’s me, emerging from the wintery depths with another post! This time all about book recs.

Isn’t it just the best when a friend recommends you a novel? Especially when it’s a good novel. Some of the best books I’ve read have been recommendations so I thought I’d share a list of books I wouldn’t have read without my friends!

This is for Top Ten Tuesday, ( although it’s technically a seasonal freebie and it’s not too seasonal!) you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here. Let me know in the comments which books you’ve been recommended?

A Darker Shade of Magic

1. My long lasting love of VE Schwab was started when my friend, Jo, recommended me this novel! I’m currently reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, so it’s suffice to say I am still a fan!

The Raven Boys

2. Another recommendation from my friend Jo. I was really surprised at first because the back makes it seem this novel is all about romance which she normally doesn’t got for. It’s got lots more crazy magical dimensions than just romance though.

City of Bones

3. I got a recommendation to read this from a girl I went camping with at school called Leah. This was one of the few conversations I had with this girl and it was the best because those books were so funny. I was a big Clary and Jace fan at school.

Percy Jackson

4. My friend Chloe first recommended these to me when I was about ten and I was a tad skeptical at first. I was a big mythology fan (I knew most of the myths before hand, and knew pretty well everyone in Greek and Roman mythology will become a tree or a spider. I’d even tried reading the Roman myths in Latin.) and I thought it would be crazily inaccurate. Low and behold I was still a fan over a decade later.

Heartless

5. My friend Hannah (I know, I’m called Hannah too, try not to get confused) lent me a copy of this villain origin story and it’s so good! Probably the first villain origin story I actually liked. It also made me crazy hungry with all the baking.

Normal People

6. A friend from work, Eleanor, was bugging me for ages to read this and when I finally did (I’m sorry I’m a slow reader!) I had no regrets. It was amazing. Can all books be set at university please?

Rebel of the Sands

7. Another Jo recommendation. She picked up a copy of this at YALC one year and sent me a message a few days later saying it was excellent. We’ve seen Alwyn Hamilton every YALC since and I have a fully signed set of her novels!

Septimus Heap

8. Another recommendation from my friend Chloe! We were both massive fans of the books as kids, and spent many hours discussing how much we wanted Gemma’s chocolate charm and how unfair it was if you lived in Badlands but weren’t evil! (it was a tad of a silly book)

Skulduggery Pleasant

9. Another one from Jo! We chatted about these books A LOT at school, talking skeletons with magical powers and Bentleys are just the best.

Great Gatsby

X. My boyfriend lent me a copy of this when we first started going out and I fell in love! (with him, and the book). Sad and powerful and important prepare to see all that was wrong with the roaring 20s.

My Autumn TBR

Hello hello and welcome to this weeks Top Ten Tuesday, all about my autumnal tbr (or fall if you’re from wherever they call it fall). Also, aside, is fall because the leaves fall or because the rain falls? It’s autumn here because we like making up words for things that are totally unrelated to the actual thing.

Although I am making a list of tbr books I heavily caveat this with I am unlikely to read any of them. Or anything, for that matter. I’m currently working on my own book (yikes, yay, ah I’m mad) and I find reading other books while writing makes me feel rubbish. I just get in this spiral about how I wish I could write half that well and then give up writing because how can I be that perfect. So no more books for me. Ok maybe one or two. But not many.

Anyway, I would still love to hear your own fall/autumn/whatever you want to call it tbr. Are any of mine on it? If you’re writing a WIP say hi! I need the moral support haha. And if you’re just a reader then tell me if you’ve read any of these books. Basically I’d love to chat to you in the comments, whoever you are!

Seige and Storm

1. I’m currently (ish not really) reading this and would like to finish it within a few months time. I’m not a massive fan of the writing style. Also since I’m writing a first person pov in present tense I find first person povs in past tense grating. My head keeps trying to write them into present tense.

When the Crawdads Sing

2. I finally got to the front of the library line for the audiobook of this. Just as I decide I won’t be reading books for a while… Mmmh… great. So I guess I’ll just head to the back of the queue again and hope I get it in 2021…

Queenie

3. Another novel that I’m sitting in the library queue for and dangerously close to the front. Although with this one I’m less worried because I don’t think I’m due it until December and hopefully will be done with my first draft by then.

The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue

4. Can we have this now please? It’s released in October and I’m so excited. I need more VE Schwab in my life. This may be the only book that is the exception to the I’m not reading while writing rule because I can’t wait.

The Near Witch

5. Getting super hyped for V’s upcoming novel makes me think I really should have read her previous novels. I’ve read the Shades of Magic Series (loved it) and Vicious and Vengeful (my favourite ever series), but I haven’t read her other stuff!

City of Girls

6. This is my current audiobook and another one just sitting on the back burner. Again, I might not pick it up again for a while, but the library queue on it isn’t too long (only a month or so).

Priory of the Orange Tree

7. I kid you not reader I am fifty pages from the end. And haven’t read this in over month. I was making good headway but then my buddy reader pulled out and my interest just sort of flopped… But I will finish those 50 pages because I need to have read this massive book.

Poet X

8. I tired to read this because I thought it sounded really interesting but a novel written in poetry felt odd. I feel I need to give it a better go though. Try get used to the poetry…

Everything, Everything

9. After LOVING The Sun is Also a Star I am desperate to try another Nicola Yoon novel. Also I’ve heard great things about this book.

A Thousand Perfect Notes

X. I have been reading Paper Fury’s blog quite a bit lately for her authory tips and writing advice (which is super fun and very well written, also the advice helps a lot too). This has made me want to read her finished product even more!

Books I Wish I’d Read at a Different Time

Have you ever read a novel and jsut felt it wasn’t the right time? Maybe you’re going through a break up and try a romance, only to find you hate the protagonist and their perfect new boyfriend. Maybe you read a novel about a teen as an adult and find the protagonist ridiculously whiny and fickle. This has definitely happened to me. Here are the Books I Wish I’d Read at a Different Time.

This is for Top Ten Tuesday, you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here. Let me know in the comments which books you think you read at the wrong time.

Magnus Chase

1. When I was a kid we had Percy Jackson, which was great, but by the time the Magnus Chase I was a bit old. And yes, I am very gutted to have outgrown Rick Riordan. What kid doesn’t want to read bout Vikings? And also this series contained a much more diverse cast than the original Percy Jackson books.

The Exact Opposite of Okay

2. The point of this novel is to show the toxic behaviour of ‘nice guys’ towards woman. When I read this book I was like “Oh my gosh, I recognise the guy in this novel. I have been in this situation.” and felt a lot less alone. I just wish I’d read it before I met the ‘nice guy’ I met because I honestly didn’t realise this was a thing until it was spelled out to me.

Throne of Glass

3. If you’ve followed my blog for any amount of time you’ll know I really couldn’t get into the Throne of Glass novels. I was just a bit done with that classic YA world by the time I read them. But if I’d read them a little younger (I’m thinking when Clary and Katniss were my bookish favourites) I think I’d have felt very differently.

Fangirl

4. I love the Fangirl setting. I love university as a setting for novels (I really think it’s not used enough) but when I read Fangirl I struggled to connect with Cath. I found her whiny and a bit selfish. I wonder if I’d read it at a different point if I’d have come of feeling very different.

Caraval

5. I did enjoy Caraval but I did find it a bit childish. Just in the writing style and the way Tella or Scarlett occasionally acted. I wish I’d read it a bit younger because I think the magical world of Caraval would go from a four star read to a five star.

The Raven Boys

6. I just think I would have related more to the students in this novel had I been in school at the time myself rather than university. Although there’s only so much you can relate to when the characters are crazy rich or from a family that can see the future.

One of Us is Lying

7. Much like The Raven Boys I loved this novel (easily a 5 star, I read it within hours) but think the whole being on trial for murder in your last year at school is more enjoyable if you read it when you’re a student yourself.

Shadow and Bone

8. Much like Throne of Glass by the time I got round to reading Shadow and Bone I was sort of done with the typical YA world, the girl who isn’t like any others and the unappealing love triangles. I think if I’d read it a few years earlier it would have been my jam though.

The Sun is Also a Star

9. I really loved this novel. I can’t believe a novel set over just one day it hooked me so totally. But, again, I think it would have been more relatable if I’d read it when I was a bit younger and actually dependent on people in the way these teens are.

The Bone Season

X. Ok so possibly any book you read while doing your dissertation is going to be a bit of a lost cause but this one I really struggled with. It was a bit too slow and trying to be a bit too clever when I probably needed something light hearted and refreshing. Either way it was a DNF and a reading slump for me after reading this.

Bookish Foods I Crave

When reading a book we bookworms crave many things: the setting, the sense of adventure, the incredible friendships you make along the way. But don’t you, occasionally just crave the food? Here are the bookish foods I crave.

This is for Top Ten Tuesday, you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here. It’s a tad off topic because I think we were meant to be listing books not food but I got distracted by the food.

Let me know the bookish foods you want to tuck into! Have you wanted any of these? Have you tried making a bookish recipe? Let me know in the comments.

The Cider from The Night Circus

1. Didn’t this cider sound amazing?! Also, yes, I want to visit the mysterious magical circus and wear a silly scarf and see the amazing wonders and intricate clocks. But also, tasty cider!

Ambrosia from Percy Jackson

2. The food from Percy Jackson has magical healing powers that basically keeps everyone in these books alive and well enough to, you know, keep fighting. But ALSO as an added bonus (because obviously magical healing wasn’t enough for these people) it also tastes like your favourite meal. And it’s different for everyone. I just want to see what mine tastes like tbh.

Pumpkin Juice from Harry Potter

3. Does a pumpkin even have any juice? Is it magically squeezed or is there many a blender in Hogwarts? Is it nice like apple juice or nasty and weird like tomato juice? Is it thick like a smoothie? I just have so many questions.

Banquet Food from The Hunger Games

4. I remember very clearly Katniss being amazed by the food the capital has to offer. That she tried to sample everything at the ball and longed for such finery in the arena. Which in turn made me long for fine little bits of futuristic roman style food while curled up warm in my bed reading those books.

Sweet Bread from Shadow and Bone

5. Ok so Mal and Alina had been travelling hungry through the forest for days. And the bread was a happy childhood memory. So potentially it’s one of those things that sounds overrated but I’m hoping this was just the best bread in the world.

Lime Key Pie from Heartless

6. What even is a lime key? Is this a lime pie? It sounds so sour but it’s pie so it must be nice. And thus I would like a sample, please.

Milkshake from The Exact Opposite of Okay

7. This book made me so hungry. There was talk of diorites, nachos, milkshakes, burgers. Urg. It was like a junk food blog not a book. I had serious hunger pains by page 50.

The Feast from City of Brass

8. There’s a bit at the beginning of The City of Brass where Nahri falls asleep amongst mountains of food designed to embarrass her and all I could think was “Why can’t my enemies be so lovely as to try and bring me down with mountains of delicious food?”

An Orange from the Priory of the Orange Tree

9. There was some nice sounding food in that Priory place but who wouldn’t want a magical orange that gives one super powers?

Goulash from Poison from Daughter of Smoke and Bone

X. I love steaming hot bowls of Goulash at the best of times (I mean, who doesn’t?) but how good did this traditional Prague goulash sound?! Also I’m fairly sure these bowls of Goulash were massive and all food is just better in bigger quantities. Except vegetables.

Books I want to be Films

As a bookworm one of our favourite things is for a book to be made into a film. Getting excited over the cast details leaked, the extra fangirling the film presents and of course the judgy conversations afterwards as we complain about what they missed and how it’s not the book. Here are the Books I want to be Films.

 This is for Top Ten Tuesday, you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here. Tell me what books you’d like to see on the big screens and which book to screen adaptions you’ve enjoyed in the comments!

Vicious

1. I’d love to see any of VE Schwab’s stories hit the big screen, and as Vicious is my favourite that’s the one I’d most like to watch. Although I do worry that my favourite elements of VE Schwab’s novels don’t revolve around the visual: the writing style, character development and poignant backstories.

Cinder

2. From Cinder’s workshop market stall to Kai’s palace to the Lunar ships I think this book would adapt well. Also I if there’s anything I like more than reading ball scenes it’s watching them.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

3. Weren’t all the Hunger Games films done so well? Who wouldn’t want another one? I’m not enjoying this novel anywhere near as much as the original trilogy but I would still love to visit Panem on the big screen, one last time.

The Switch

4. This novel is so sweet. An elderly granny taking her big adventure to London and a young woman slowing down up in the Dales with village fetes and old people ferrying. It’s such a happy and tear jerking story, I think it would make a great feel good film.

One of Us is Lying

5. This novel has so many of our American high school stereotypes, surely it wouldn’t be difficult to pull an adaption off? Or, even better, a TV series where we get to properly live in the protagonists lives for that one semester where they’re suspected of murder. Maybe they could even change the ending…

The Raven Boys

6. How great would this be on film? I’d love to Gansey, Ronan, Adam and Blue brought to life behind the camera. And the wardrobe department could go wild with Blue’s outfits, maybe they could borrow a few of Lunar’s old effects from the Harry Potter Studio Tour?

Caraval

7. The magic of Caraval meets the magic of cinema would be excellent. And, again, the wardrobe department. The excellent princess like tiered dress that’s ever changing that Scarlet wears would be so fun to design. And redesign. I’m thinking Disney live action magic for this one.

The Night Circus

8. Much like Caraval, The Night Circus has the right level of magical realism and excellent costume opportunities that makes me want to see it on the big screen. Circuses magic need not be restricted to the written work.

Nocturna

9. I’d just love to see this world brought to life on camera. The dusty markets, busy streets and glamorous palace. Also the magic system being all to do with colours would come across so well on a film.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

X. This book was crying for an adaption the whole way through. Those vivid, visual descriptions, the moody tone and stories told through art are perfect for a movie or a TV series. And who doesn’t want to see that cathedral sunset scene.

The Million Posts I have in Drafts

So I am, in all honestly, a pretty terrible blogger. Sparse posting and a lack of enthusiasm for editing has left my WordPress drafts folder full of 89 posts (?!?). A significant number of those drafts are reviews when, at the beginning of the year, I told myself I would get better at reviewing books as I read them. Which I did but I never told myself I’d get better at publishing them. Oops. Anyway here is a list of the million posts I have in drafts. Well, actually, it’s only 10 of them.

 This is for Top Ten Tuesday, you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here. Let me know if you’ve ready any of these books in the comments section! Also if you’re a blogger do you also struggle to review? Do you review everything you read? Do you hoard drafts like I do or are your post straight out the door?

The Surface Breaks

1. Oh this novel was terrible. It is basically the original fairy tale (which, lets face it, isn’t that great) with some pointless stuff thrown in there. What was the point in Gaia’s bleeding feet? Was Oscar’s company falling apart and his lack of interest meant to go nowhere or was there a point to all that?

Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

2. I am still reading this in my defence but currently the half finished review consists of just the words ‘cringey dialogue’. Hopefully I can add some more words to that soon.

Slay

3. I loved this book but I still haven’t reviewed it. I am way worse at reviewing novels I actually enjoyed than typing up a quick rant review, does anyone else find that?

The Starless Sea

4. This review is pretty well done but I’m still 50 pages from finishing the novel and feel I should give it at least that to redeem itself. It’s just so slow. So little happens and what does happen takes about an age to occur. And also the characters are always super obnoxious.

The Foundling

5. Another very nearly finished review. So nearly finished I have scheduled the post for later this week so get hyped for my gushing over how much I loved this novel!

Fangirl

6. A nearly finished review. I didn’t like Cath very much at all in this book, she was very self centred but I loved reading a novel set at university. I really don’t think it’s a setting explored enough in YA given how life changing it is for many young people!

The Mercies

7. So I’ve read three of Karen Milwood Hargrave’s books and this is the only one I actually enjoyed. The first one was a little young, so fair enough, The Deathless Girls fell a bit flat for me but The Mercies was gripping. It’s based on a true and terrible story that I highly recommend to anyone.

Shadow and Bone

8. I’ve actually recently picked up sequel! Which I’m enjoying but not overly invested in? I’m not quite sure why but I don’t really care about the characters as much as I do with other reads, and I also found Shadow and Bone very same old same old fantasy YA.

I Know Why The Caged Birds Sings

9. This autobiography is shocking. It’s dark, powerful and well written and I highly recommend, but definitely not one for the YA readers reading this post.

The Testaments

X. And my tenth unpublished draft review is of The Testaments, sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. I listened to this on audiobook and it was good, a little less graphic and dark compared to the first one and sort of lacked any point but it was still interesting to see Aunt Lydia’s backstory.

Books with Colours in their Titles

Hello, hello and welcome back to another Top Ten Tuesday, this time on books with colours in their title! This is for Top Ten Tuesday, you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here.

Priory of the Orange Tree

1. The first books that popped into my head is this lovely orange book all about orange trees and the terrible dragon slayers that care for it and the vengeful dragon that hates those slayers.

Blue Lily Lily Blue

2. Blue is technically a name in this instance but is also definitely a colour. I heard that apparently this title is supposed to be a mirror or something but I can’t remember why that was relevant and this detail was definitely lost on me upon first reader.

Red Queen

3. I was really not a fan of this novel. The portrayal of women was terrible, they were all so catty and always fawning for the men’s attention. However, crucially it does have the word red in the title.

Scarlett

4. Sequel to Cinder, a retelling of Little Red Riding and on my tbr this title is definitely a colour. I just finished Cinder and it was amazing I’m so excited to read the rest of this series.

Red Rising

5. I see this book everywhere. From bookshops to libraries to books swaps to charity shops there’s always a crumpled paperback of this novel in the YA section. Although it has peaked my interest I’ve never actually read the thing.

Kingdom of Copper

6. I am pretty sure Copper is a colour. And a metal. I read City of Brass earlier this year and I thought it was good, a tad chunky and a bit complicated but still good. Hoping to get to the sequel at some point but we all know how great I am at reading sequels.

Red, White and Royal Blue

7. I’ve not read this one but I do know it has 3 colours in the title and is very popular. It’s been on my vague radar for a while and is somewhere on my tbr but having never seen a copy in the library and being a terrible at reading contemporary with any consistency I’m yet to read it.

Spinning Silver

8. Silver, like copper, is another colour and metal all in one. This is a novel by Naomi Novik who wrote Uprooted, a book I read last year with a gorgeous cover and an uncomfortable romance with a 100 year old man and 17 year old.

The Red Pyramid

9. As a kid I was a massive Percy Jackson fan and having loved Rick Riordan’s take on Greek and Norse myths I’m shocked that I never dipped into his take on Egyptian mythology. For some reason the books never grabbed my attention, although the word ‘red’ makes the first one perfect for my list here.

10 of my Favourite 2020 Reads

We’re a tad more than half way through 2020 so lets talk about our reading year. What have been your favourite reads of 2020? Here’s a list of 10 of my Favourite 2020 Reads.

This is for Top Ten Tuesday, you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here. This weeks topic is a freebie.

---

Cinder

1. Top of the list is Cinder. I read this book in a matter of days (impressive for lockdown me, trust me) and absolutely loved this sassy cyborg mechanic, not the least because she’s a snarky engineer and part robot. Isn’t that just the perfect YA for me?

The Foundling

2. I didn’t know what I expected from this book. It sounds a bit dull from the blurb tbh but the cover being all over Bookstagram encouraged me to give it a go and I have no regrets. It was amazing. I loved meeting Bess Bright and Alexandra, I loved the complex array of female characters and the portrayals of olden times London, bathed in the interesting and unusual history of the Foundling hospital.

Slay

3. So there’s a theme, many of my favourite books are about women in engineering (shocker I know). And this YA featured a female black programmer who invented a game that resulted in one player killing another, but in the real world. It’s serious, engaging and includes lots of reference to coding so I highly recommend.

The Seven and Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

4. This is another one I picked up because I’d sort of herd of it and was pleasantly surprised to find I loved it. I didn’t know what to expect but it wasn’t to be so captivated by all the personalities our sleuth takes on or to be rooting for a murderer to be set free from prison? Read the book, it slightly makes more sense.

The Switch

5. Beth O’Leary’s books are a new found love of mine. With the London setting and the characters all being my age they are so relatable. This one features two Eileen’s switching lives, one in their early 20s (?) and the other 80. It’s adorable to see how they fit so perfectly into each other’s lives and that finish where they relies they had to be someone else to heal was heart breaking.

The Sun is Also a Star

6. Going into this book I was skeptical. I don’t like instant romances so romance in a day sounded a bit far fetched, moreover I though a whole day dragging out for 200 odd pages was unlikely to capture my attention. But, lo and behold, I loved it. I loved Natasha, female future physicist with a love of asteroids yes please, (found Daniel a bit pushy at times tbh) and their one day romance encompassed everything so perfectly. Also the random asides and seeing snippets of other people’s lives added an extra layer of plot.

One of Us is Next

7. This is probably my least favourite of these books, but that’s not to say it’s bad. Just the other two are amazing. There wasn’t a police investigation in this and that kind of took some structure away from the book, but I loved seeing our notorious protagonists from One of Us is Lying and watching where they are now, while following three new equally engaging and lovable sixth formers.

The Mercies

8. I hadn’t actually heard of the Varda Witch Trials before picking up this book and seeing the scary history come to life was amazing. This novel is poignant, well written and my only problem with it is that it’s not that true to the history. It makes it a bit more happy, which is sad given how sad this book is.

Nocturna

9. The scruffy thief meets fancy royalty and shows them a different world is very overdone but I will fall for it every time. I loved the setting and meeting our two protagonists. I remember finding fault with the book at the time (I think it was a bit slow?) but I loved the unusual magic system.

Children of Virtue and Vengeance

X. Wow. What a sequel. I didn’t know which way to look it was all so well written. The characters were changing so much. I’ve heard lots of mixed reviews but I was a big fan.

Fictional Events I’d love to Attend

Have you ever read about a fictional party or event and just wanted to go. Wanted to try that inamagable food or see the pretty lights? Even the bit where the main character get’s a little makeover so they’re wearing the most esquite outfit of their life sounds amazing. Here’s a list of Fictional Events I’d Love to Attend.

This is for Top Ten Tuesday, you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here. This topic is slightly off topic because it was depressing to look at all the actual book events that have been cancelled this year. I’d much rather think about the ones I had no chance of attending in the first place.

Caraval

Caraval

1. Magical circus like arena where you can wonder the streets in those really pretty old fashioned dresses with all the bows and the ruffles meeting crazy and a tad dangerous circus performers while trying magical potions that may have side effects. Sounds great.

Feast Day in Grisha

Shadow and Bone

2. They had me at nobles arriving into town and giving out sweet bread. This big party sounds amazing and I’m definitely up for some thatched roofs, bandit ridden forests and happy villager feasts.

Dragon Choosing Ceremony

The Priory of the Orange Tree

3. In Seikki we see the bravest, strongest warriors fight it out to be the best and then a selected few get to become dragon riders. Obviously I would want to get a dragon but being the spineless coward I am I would settle for watching the dragons choose their riders.

Hogwarts House Cup Award

Harry Potter

4. It was a toss up between this and a Quiditch match but the House Cup presentation includes lots of food and floating candles. And you get to see lots of students care far too much about the colour of the banners on the wall. My school did not care at all about house points.

Capture The Flag at Camp Half Blood

Percy Jackson

5. Ok this one does sound a tad dangerous, so let’s hope I’ve got a competent team. But how fun does capture the flag sound with actual weapons, stalking in a forest, chasing properly trained warriors? Actually I may be putting myself off the idea.

The Night Market

A Darker Shade of Magic

6. This isn’t entirely one event, since it’s on every night (I think?) but I’m definitely keen to attend. Before it was ravaged by the scary black spooky air stuff this place sounded amazing. The crimson river lighting up the old fashioned stalls full of magical objects and amazing seamstresses? Yes please.

Cirque de Reve Opening Night

The Night Circus

7. The circus arrives without warning. And I’d definitely like to attend. Can I just try that cider. And see those performers. Urg it sounds amazing. And again, we’re talking before this places became a death trap.

Presentation of the Tributes Ball

The Hunger Games

8. Ok so yes, everything about the Hunger Games is pretty terrible, but given it’s all fictional anyway I was always curious about the ball. The wacky Capital costumes and Katniss roping Peeta in to help her try to eat all the little pieces of food made me super curious about what this party would be like.

Kai’s Ball

Cinder

9. How often have you been to a place where the royalty invite everyone to a big party in their house? Can you imagine if we all just got invited to Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle? Urg the dream. That and it’s a ya ball so of course I want to go.

The Masquerade Party

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

X. I can’t exactly remember what this was called but in Karou’s past life she attends a masquerade ball with her fellow goat people (I think? I can’t remember exactly but everyone was part human I think) where she finds an unexpected guest. Either, this ball sounded so magical, and I am bitterly disappointed with the number of masquerade ball opportunities there are in real life.

Upcoming Releases

So 2020 feels cancelled but at least we still have new books. Here are the Upcoming Releases for the remainder of 2020 I’m excited for.

This is for Top Ten Tuesday, you can find the other posts here and you can check out all my list posts here.

Cinderella is Dead

1. Coming in July I’m so excited for this retelling with the most gorgeous cover. It feels like a unique mix of dystopian and fantasy all in one staring a queer black woman with a kingdom to bring down. How amazing does that sound?!

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

2. 3 words: new VE Schwab. How amazing does this sound: a woman who is immortal but invisible and always forgotten?

The Notorious Virtues

3. After loving Rebel of the Sands I’m so hyped for The Notorious Virtues, Alwyn Hamiliton first novel since Hero at the Fall. We have rich, magic filled heiresses and I can already tell I will be getting dress envy.

A Deadly Education

4. I wasn’t a massive fan of Uprooted but am keen to see what else this author comes out with. She’s only really done standalones before so we have the intrigue of series.

Queen of Volts

5. Ok so I’ve somewhat lost track of this series. I enjoyed Ace of Shades but the books became really hard to get hold off and I still haven’t manager to find King of Fools. Also, I thought Queen of Volts had already been released so I’m clearly not keeping track.

The Dreamer Trilogy 2

6. I still haven’t read Call Down the Hawk and, having heard some mixed reviews, it somewhere near the bottom of the tbr now. However with lockdown the tbr is dwindling and I may actually finish it in time to read the next one!

The Cousins

7. I have LOVED all of Karen McManus’s books and devoured One of Us is Next earlier this year. I’m so excited for The Cousins. Another easy to read, quick to action and character driven teen mystery that absorb me completely in this fictional thing that many call the American High School.

Oculta

8. Having read Nocturna at the end of 2019 I’m excited to see what’s next for our mourning prince and snarky thief. I just need to know if they ever see each other again. That ending can’t be THE END for them?? Surely not.

Tower of Nero

9. Ok so I stopped reading these a while back because I found them a bit childish (fine, they are books for children, that makes sense, but I was still a tad guttered to have fallen out of their age range). But. I hear this book is full of Nico and Will who were one of my favourite couples in the original series and definitely weren’t given enough page time. So yes I may have one last trip down memory lane to catch up on my favourite pairing.

Midnight Sun

X. I don’t know if I’ll read this one but I am somewhat intrigued. I was never a big Twilight fan although I know for some it was a pivotal read of their teenagerhood. I have friends who got into reading because of those books and absolutely lived in that world so I am somewhat curious what it’s all about.