May Releases

Hello my wonderful people! How are you all today?

It’s finally here. May. The month of freedom (for me anyway). I know I didn’t post really at all in April, and part of that is because I literally had no time to. I spent most of April applying for jobs and putting together final papers, projects, portfolios . . . you get the idea. All of this in preparation for the terrifying thing known as my college graduation. Yep. Your local book nerd is graduating college this month. In about a week and a half, to be exact. So, last month I had an actual excuse for why there were no reviews or writing content. NO MORE THOUGH! I am about to be a real-life adult. I have to do real-life adult things. Like try to keep a regular posting schedule. Hopefully. I actually have a review about ready to post and another one that’ll be ready soon. Also, I swear I’ll get back to talking about writing soon. I have an entire post planned about my creative writing capstone experience. So, keep an eye out for those!

ANYWAY my monthly excuses over with, let’s get down to the fun part of this post. It’s time for . . .

MAY BOOK RELEASES!!

*pretend there’s a gif here because it won’t let me insert one for some reason*

ALL THE BOOKS THIS MONTH! This post is going to be full of excitement releases because I’m just so in love with so many of these releases. It’s going to be a super exciting time for me. My TBR is already ridiculously long so this month is going to not only break the bank but also add to the ever-growing list.

But enough of my rambling (though you’re probably used to it by now tbh) LET’S GET TO THE BOOKS!

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas It’s Feyre’s first Winter Solstice as a High Lady, and she’s got to navigate all of that comes with it. While rebuilding the Night Court after the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin, it’s nice to have a break, even when it comes with High Lady duties. But that break gets interrupted when she realizes some of her friends’ traumas aren’t as far gone as she once thought. And the scars they leave behind might affect more than just their circle. A YA Fantasy bridging the ACOTAR trilogy and the coming novels. Release Date: May 1st (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon A YA contemporary following Twinkle, an aspiring filmmaker who has the chance to showcase her work at the Summer Festival. The twist? She’s working with Sahil, aka her long-time crush Neil’s twin brother. While working with Sahil on their film, Twinkle begins to get messages from a mysterious “N” who she is sure is Neil. The problem is, working with Sahil has her questioning her feelings for him now as well. Twinkle doesn’t know what to do. This certainly isn’t the romance she planned out. But does that mean it’s not worth it? Release Date: May 22nd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Furyborn by Claire Legrand A YA fantasy following two girls a thousand years apart. When her best friend, the crown prince, is attacked by assassins, Rielle must reveal that she is one of the prophesied queens: one who will bring light to her kingdom and another who will bring destruction. She now must go through seven trials to prove she’s the Sun Queen. A thousand years later, Eliana has dismissed the story of Queen Rielle as a legend. She’s more concerned about her bounty-hunting duties. That is, until her mother goes missing. Now she must join a war a thousand years in the making in order to find her. Release Date: May 22nd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Royals by Rachel Hawkins Daisy Winters is pretty normal. She has a part-time job at a sort-of Wal-Mart, bright red hair that stands out in the Florida sunshine, and an older sister who’s kind of perfect. But when that sister gets engaged to the crown prince of Scotland, Daisy’s forced to learn all about what it means to be famous. Luckily, she has a great teacher to help her become a proper lady: Miles, the prince’s younger brother. Too bad scandal follows Miles like a puppy and becoming a lady is the last thing Daisy wants. YA contemporary. Release Date: May 1st (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Brightsiders by Jen Wilde After a major scandal lands rockstar drummer Emmy King on the front page of the tabloids, and her girlfriend in jail, it’s decided she needs to scale back on the drama a bit. Good thing she has a great support system in her bandmates–especially the gorgeous Alfie. Emmy knows that hooking up with Alfie is the last thing she needs right now, but they just can’t seem to stay away from one another. This could be another trending scandal waiting to happen. Or, it could be just the thing that lets her stand on her own. YA Contemporary. Release Date: May 22nd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson This YA fantasy(/mystery) follows Mila and her best friend Riley as they engage in one of the few activities available in the small town of Cross Creek: amateur witchcraft. But when Riley dies along with two students from Fairmont Academy under suspicious circumstances, Mila wants to get to the bottom of it. So, she brings the girls back to life to prove they were murdered. She has seven days to get them to point out the killer. The problem? They don’t remember anything, and they’ve all got their own agendas. Now Mila has to try and keep them in line while getting them to remember, before the killer can strike again. Release Date: May 8th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma Winnie knows that she’s going to fall in love before her 18th birthday. It was predicted for her, and her boyfriend Raj checks all the boxes. So when she comes home from film camp to find him cheating on her and he takes the coveted spot as chair of the student film festival, Winnie is not happy. Enter Dev. Dev shares her love of Bollywood films and makes her question if she should look past the life set out for her. But being with Dev might mean giving up the love her horoscope promised she was destined to have. Is it worth it? YA Contemporary. Release Date: May 15th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Ship It by Britta Lundin A whirlwind YA contemporary about fandom and love. Claire is a fanfic writer obsessed with the show Demon Heart. Forest is an actor on Demon Heart. When the two meet in a Comic Con panel, disaster ensues after Claire suggests that Forest’s character might be gay. He shuts that idea down way too fast, and when the Q&A goes viral, the Demon Heart producers are facing a PR nightmare. To solve it, they hire Claire to help for the rest of the publicity tour. What follows is a series of events that lead Forest to question what he knows about sexuality, a lot of fan clashes, and a budding romance between Claire and Tess, the cute fanartist she keeps seeing around. Release Date: May 1st (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Girl Made of Stars by Ashely Herring Blake When Mara’s best friend Hannah accuses her twin brother Owen of rape, all of their worlds turn upside down. Mara and Owen are as close as siblings can get, and she’s having a hard time believing this. But, at the same time, she knows Hannah wouldn’t lie about something this serious. Now Mara is caught between two people she loves, and forced to face her own past demons with her ex-boyfriend Charlie. Shaken to the core and struggling with this new knowledge, Mara, Hannah, and Charlie must figure out how to move on in this new world. YA contemporary. Release Date: May 15th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne Stella wants out. She’s sick of the spaceship she’s lived in her whole life, but with Earth encased in ice for the past two hundred years, there aren’t many other places to go. Then she gets offered a job as a governess on a private ship, the Rochester. There she meets Hugo, the moody captain of the ship. He’s known for being a reclusive drunk, but he’s nice to Stella. But the Rochester isn’t all that it seems. Stella is sure someone is plotting against Hugo, and if she can’t figure out who soon the entire fleet might be in danger. Release Date: May 1st (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green A YA fantasy following four teens as their fates collide. Princess Catherine of Brigant is preparing for her arranged marriage. March from Calidor seeks revenge against the prince who betrayed his country. Edyon in Piroria travels from town to town, stealing what he can. And in the northern territories Tash runs for her life from demon hunter Gravell. When war comes and magic rises, the four of them find themselves linked to save their world from destruction. Release Date: May 1st (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

 

It Ends With Her by Brianna Labuskes FBI Agent Clarke Sinclair has been tracking serial-killer Simon Cross for years. He always takes redheads. He always waits until she’s found the previous victim to snatch a new one. It’s frustrating, to say the least, but she knows the pattern. Until he breaks it. Now, a second girl has gone missing before she’s found the first. And worse? This one is blonde. The pattern is broken and Clarke doesn’t know how to find these women before it’s too late. One thing has become clear though: this new game Cross is playing? It ends with Clarke. Mystery/Thriller (please note this is not a YA. It is an adult mystery/thriller novel). Release Date: May 1st (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon

The Map of Salt and Stars by Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar Two girls, eight hundred years apart, both seeking understanding and meaning of home. In 2011, Nour lost her father to cancer. Her mother then moved their family back to Syria to be closer to their family. But when their house gets shelled and Nour almost dies, they have to make a choice: flee across several countries as refugees or stay in a potentially volatile and dangerous place. Meanwhile, eight hundred years before Rawiya sets off to find herself. Disguised as a boy named Rami and in the employ of cartographer al-Idrisi she travels across the Middle East and North Africa, exploring the world and discovering the meaning of home along the way. Historical Fiction. Release Date: May 1st (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro Moss’s father was killed six years ago by an Oakland police officer, and the media did nothing but attack him. Now a high school sophomore with frequent panic attacks, Moss and his friends are being treated more and more like criminals in their own school. When they decide to push back and do something about it, disaster strikes. This leaves Moss with a decision to make: give in to the fear and hatred or accept that maybe his anger was the gift he’s been looking for. YA contemporary. Release Date: May 22nd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson It’s weird enough when Claudia’s best friend Monday doesn’t show up for their first day of school. When she’s still not there by the time the second week rolls around, Claudia starts to dig for answers. But Monday’s mother is being strangely cryptic about her daughter’s disappearance, not giving her any answers. Her sister April is even less helpful. And the deeper Claudia digs, the more disturbing the clues are. No one can seem to remember the last time they saw Monday. It’s like she’s disappeared without a trace. Will Claudia be able to find out what happened? YA mystery/thriller. Release Date: May 22nd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Airports, Exes, and Other Things I’m Over by Shani Petroff Sari and Zev’s Florida vacation is ruined when when she finds him cheating on her. Now, all she wants to do is get back home to New York. Unfortunately for her there are major storms all over the Northeast. So her flight? Good and cancelled. Thankfully a hot NYU student is there to save the day. When he offers her a seat on a connecting fight through Boston, she jumps at the chance. But her mom is not keen on the idea of her travelling alone, so Zev has to take the flight, too. Trapped on a plane with a hot guy and the one who broke her heart. What could go wrong? YA contemporary romance. Release Date: May 15th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West A YA contemporary romance following Kate, who would really rather spend her summer chilling alone on the lake than talking to other people. So, when she’s convinced to join the school’s podcast by her best friend, it comes as a surprise to everyone that she’s chosen to be the host. Even more so when she proves to be good at it. And when an anonymous caller she’s pretty sure is her best friend’s crush Diego asks how to talk to a girl, she’s more than happy to play matchmaker. That is, until she starts getting feelings for Diego herself. Release Date: May 29th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Academy by Katie Sise Frankie is primed and ready to become the next greatest fashion editor. She’s already got the famous fashion blog, so that’s half the battle, right? All she needs to go is get into the famed American Fashion Academy. But when her schoolwork gets put on the back burner her parents decide it’s time for a new plan. Military school here she comes. Now she’s dealing with even harder classes, War Games she has no idea how to participate in, and people she has no idea how to relate to. Can fashion-lover Frankie survive in the elite–and terrifying–Academy? YA contemporary. Release Date: May 22nd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard BOOK FOUR IN THE RED QUEEN SERIES. In order to avoid potential spoilers for previous books I will not be putting a description here. HOWEVER I do recommend reading these books and War Storm is the conclusion to a fabulous series. Description found in Goodreads link. YA Fantasy. Release Date: May 15th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo Clara loves all thinks pranks and mischief. But when she takes a joke too far her dad thinks it’s time for her to get serious. How? She’s going to spend her summer working in his food KoBra alongside her annoying classmate Rose. But maybe it won’t be so bad. Rose is actually kind of cool, and the boy Hamlet who’s crushing on Clara is pretty cute. Maybe things won’t be so bad. But what if getting serious means leaving her former self behind? Release Date: May 8th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

TWENTY. BOOKS. Twenty books on this list. I know it’s a lot, but aren’t you so excited to see all these awesome books coming out this month? It’s gonna be such a good month for the TBR. Terrible for the bank account, but still.

I get that I don’t usually recommend anything but YA, but as you can see, there are some awesome adult novels coming out (or already out) this month as well. So definitely check those out if you’ve got a chance. Did I list any books you’re excited for? What about books I missed? Tell me all about the books you’re excited to read on Twitter or in the comments!

Alright, I’m out of here. I’ve finally got ten seconds to read and I have a stack of books that’s been piling up since January. Expect to hear me gush about them very soon.

Bye!!

Kailey

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April Releases

Hello world!

I hope everyone is enjoying their April so far. We had some snow, which wasn’t fun to drive in. Nor was it fun to walk on campus with snow blowing at you at 8:30 in the morning. But it was just as not-fun walking to class later in the day while I sweat from the sunshine, so, I mean . . .  shrug. That’s a really long way of saying I hate fickle weather. I hope the start of your April was better than that.

I know I’m massively late, later than usual even on this, but it’s time for Monthly Book Releases: April Edition.

You know how every month I say that it’s going to be a great book month? This month is no exception. However, this might be a particularly squeal-y month for me, since there are a couple of books I’ve been waiting MANY MONTHS for finally coming out this month. Hint: one of them comes from the same author who brought you this (in book form) –

I don’t think I ever gushed about my love for Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda, but I’m 99% sure I jumped up and down over here over The Upside of Unrequited (metaphorically)(okay literally)(I love Becky Albertalli y’all).

ANYWAY my little comments aside, there are (as usual) a bunch of awesome books coming out this month. Should we look at them? I think we should.

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody A YA Fantasy that follows Enne, a proper young lady who is trying to find her missing mother. Her only lead? A trail leading to New Reynes and the name Levi Glaisyer. But Levi isn’t a gentleman; he’s a conman. The pair must go on adventures throughout the city to find Enne’s mother and maybe even save one another. Release Date: April 10th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: AmazonB&N

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland Jane McKeene is in training to become an Attendant–one of the elite who are trained to protect the well-off in an America ravaged by walking dead. It’s one of the better opportunities for a black girl like her in Civil War-era US. But all Jane wants is to get back to her family in Kentucky. When families around Baltimore start disappearing, though, it’s up to her to find out what’s happening–and figure out how to fight an enemy that makes the undead the least of her problems. YA Fantasy. Release Date: April 3rd (Already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: AmazonB&N

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian Ten years after seeing her mother murdered and her kingdom taken over, mocked Ash Princess Theodosia is forced to kill off her last hope of escape. In return, she vows vengeance, pledging to seduce the Kaiser’s son. She doesn’t count on falling for the Prinz. And she really doesn’t count on the rebels who’ve had her back turning on her unless she hands over her heart’s sister, Cress. A YA Fantasy about finding out how far you’ll go to get back what yours–and how much of yourself you’re willing to lose in the process. Release Date: April 24th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli A YA Contemporary that follows Leah, a drummer and bisexual girl who knows what she’s doing behind a drum kit but ask her about the rest of her life and she has no idea. She hasn’t told anyone she’s bi other than her mom, despite that her best friend Simon Spier is openly gay. She’s just not sure what to do, and with graduation looming and her formerly tight-knit friend group growing farther and farther apart, she’s got to decide soon. Release Date: April 24th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young Eelyn is a warrior for the Aska clan, sworn enemy to the Riki. In this YA Fantasy she battles against those who would do her clan harm–until one day she sees her brother among those people. Her brother she thought died five years before. Now she must survive among the Riki while dealing with her brother’s betrayal. But when an enemy clan everyone thought to be a myth attacks, she must try and unite the peoples to fight side by side, or they’ll all be slaughtered. Release Date: April 24th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington A YA Contemporary following Virginia and Cam, two years post-breakup. The two haven’t seen each other since but now have to spend the summer on a tour bus while trying to promote Cam’s band. An entire summer on a reality-show battle of the bands tour . . . Vee and Cam can handle it, right? But with the cameras rolling 24/7 and Cam’s relentless pursuit of Vee’s forgiveness some secrets might get shared that were better left unsaid. Release Date: April 24th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig When Rufus’s ex-boyfriend Sebastian shows up out of nowhere wanting to talk, he thinks things can’t get much worse than that. But then his sister calls, begging for help. When he and Sebastian find her covered in blood and standing next to the body of her boyfriend, he knows he was wrong. She swears she didn’t do it but Rufus knows she’s hiding something. Now he and Sebastian have to work together for one night to prove his sister’s innocence or there could be dire consequences. YA Mystery/Thriller. Release Date: April 24th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert A year after a tragic accident shook up his life, Danny Cheng seems to have it all together. He’s ready to leave for art school but the idea of leaving his best friend Harry Wong behind is daunting. And when family secrets come to light and the world Danny thought he had starts to unravel around him, he starts questioning everything–including his best friend’s love for his girlfriend. With everything spinning out of control it’s time Danny faces up to the past to make sure he has a future. YA Contemporary. Release Date: April 10th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding Abby Ives just wants to focus on her plus-size fashion blog. She’s perfectly willing to be the sidekick in other peoples’ lives. Then she makes the mistake of falling for her co-worker, Jordi, and when her photography starts shifting the attention Abby’s way she doesn’t know if she likes the spotlight. To top it off, she’s somehow agreed to help the local lacrosse jock, Jax, eat his way across the LA burger scene. Will she be able to reconcile the person she wants to be with the one she’s becoming? YA Contemporary. Release Date: April 3rd (Already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Diminished by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson In a world where nearly everyone is born with a twin, to be born without makes you royalty. That’s where Bo Trousillion comes in. A singleborn he is destined to rule the empire, even if he doesn’t feel quite ready for it. While most are born with a twin, sometimes those twins die. That’s where Vi Abernathy is at. Her sister died in infancy, leaving Vi with a life she dreams to escape after her family disowns her. Two different people on very different paths in life–until their sixteenth birthdays approach, when fate reveals just how much of a twist it has in store for them. Release Date: April 10th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

I actually had more titles lined up to show you guys, but figured since I’m so late as it is I’ll get these to you now. If you have any suggested books or books you’ve read this month you don’t see on the list comment them below! And, as always, feel free to talk to me anytime here or on twitter.

Gotta go. Sorry again for the lateness.

Kailey

March Releases

Hey all!

I hope y’all enjoyed my Sightwitch review earlier this week (last week? I don’t know. Depends on when you consider the week to start). I also recently finished People Like Us by Dana Mele and will hopefully have that review for you soon. I will say I recommend both books!

Of course, the reason I’m writing this post is not to remind you that I post book reviews (but hey here and here are the reviews I posted before Sightwitch if you want to maybe check them out)(side note I will be posting more writing content soon I swear). The reason I’m writing this is because it is time for . . .

MARCH BOOK RELEASES!!

Was that showing proper excitement? That’s about right for how I feel. I know I’m four days late (and I suck) but this is a good book month. I’m so serious. There are some killer books coming out this month you guys. I am so excited to tell you all about them!! Starting now.

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough A YA Historical novel in verse inspired by the life and trials of famous painter Artemisia Gentileschi. Set in Rome in 1610, the young woman faces a choice after she is raped: she can keep quiet or speak up, consequences be damned. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Children of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi A YA Fantasy debut about Orïsha, a land formerly filled with magic, and Zélie, the girl who is going to bring it all back. She is determined to overthrow the monarchy that ordered magi like her mother murdered. But she only has one shot and doesn’t need growing feelings getting in the way of taking it. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles A YA Contemporary about Marvin, a young boy whose brother Tyler went to a party and then promptly went missing. A video later surfaces that shows Tyler was killed by a police officer after they’d raided the party he was at. Now Marvin needs to learn how to cope with this loss while watching his brother turn into a symbol. Release Date: March 20th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan When Leigh’s mother committed suicide, she’s absolutely certain that she turned into a bird. This YA Contemporary follows her on her journey to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents and find her mother, the bird. Along the way she must learn how to cope with her loss and forge new relationships. Release Date: March 20th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

the witch doesn’t burn in this one by Amanda Lovelace This book of poetry is the second in the “women are some kind of magic series”. Lovelace explores what it means to be a powerful woman and how they are often demonized, but not here. She creates empowering and vividly bold poems that her readers can relate to in countless ways. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Nothing Left to Burn by Heather Ezell A YA Contemporary spanning the course of an action-packed 24 hours. Sixteen-year-old Audrey is forced to evacuate her home after the wildfires sweeping through California get too close. While trying to come to terms with potentially losing her family home, she also has to deal with Brooks, the volunteer firefighter who may have a darker past than he initially let on. Release Date: March 13th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter A YA Contemporary about Maddie, daughter to a secret service agent and formerly the president’s son’s best friend. But after six years in the Alaskan wilderness, she’s not too concerned about him anymore. Until he shows up, and brings trouble right to her door. She wants to kill him, but when he gets kidnapped, it looks like she’ll have to save him first. Release Date: March 27th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk A YA Contemporary that follows Autumn, Shay, and Logan as they each watch their lives unexpectedly crumble around them. Music is just not enough anymore, until they can come back together as a band and see that sometimes when the smoke clears there is beauty left behind. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo A YA Fantasy about Lira, a deadly siren princess who collects the hearts of princes. When she’s forced to kill one of her own, though, her mother the Sea Queen forces her to live as a human. The only way to return to her home is to bring her mother the heart of Prince Elain by the winter solstice. But Prince Elain is determined to wipe out the sirens, and with Lira’s promised help he can. Too bad he doesn’t trust her. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon This YA Historical retelling of Oliver Twist follows Olivia Brownlow, formerly raised among London’s street gangs but now a high society debutante who can’t seem to forget her past–or the people still living like she did. Enter Jack MacCarron, the “nephew” of a high society woman who is helping her rob people blind. He can’t seem to figure out why Olivia looks so familiar, but he wants to. And he’s willing to go pretty far to find out. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Final Six by Alexandra Monir A YA Sci-Fi about Leo and Naomi, two very different people who were both chosen to attend International Space Training Camp after climate change has ravaged the earth. Leo wants is to help save humankind after he lost his family to the floods in Rome. Naomi wants to find out what the ISTC is hiding. They form a friendship, but among the 24 teens present, only six can make it to the end. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw Every summer, the ghosts of three murdered sisters rise up and claim the bodies of weak-hearted girls in order to drown local boys for revenge for their deaths. Penny Talbot knows this, and accepts it, until Bo Carter arrives. Now she’s got a choice to make–save herself, or save him. YA Fantasy. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo In this YA novel in verse, Xiomara Batista pours everything she has into her poetry. But she can never let anyone know. When she’s invited to perform at her school’s slam poetry club, she can’t think about anything else. And maybe this time she’s done keeping her thoughts to herself. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Midnights by Sara Nicole Smetana A YA Contemporary about Susannah, who just wants to follow in her rock star father’s footsteps. But when he dies unexpectedly, it destroys her. In the aftermath, her mother moves them to a new city, where she reinvents herself and leaves the past in the past. But her secrets might catch up with her, and she’s not the only one keeping them. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Time Bomb by Joelle Charbonneau This YA Contemporary features an eclectic cast of characters who are thrown together by extreme circumstances–namely a bomb. Now they’re trapped in a school together trying to find out who the bomber is, and looking at each other for answers. Release Date: March 13th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Honor Code by Kiersi Burkhart This YA Contemporary follows Sam as she excitedly navigates Edwards Academy–only to learn there’s more than a little hazing involved with being a new student. And when she’s paired with an older student and something happens, she’s forced to figure out if the future she’s always dreamed of is worth keeping her mouth shut and losing the justice she deserves. Release Date: March 1st (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

A Kiss in the Dark by Gina Ciocca When the lights go out at her high school’s football game, Macy finds herself on the receiving end of a kiss. When the lights come back on, though, the kisser is gone. Still, Macy thinks there’s something familiar about the kisser. Trying to figure out just who this guy is leads to the reopening of some old wounds. And all to find out that her mystery kisser might not be the same person she’s falling for in the light of day. YA Contemporary. Release Date: March 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner In this YA Contemporary Cameron just wants to perfect her costume portfolio and get into the CalTech costume department. Once her cosplay starts getting her attention, she’s forced to disguise herself as a boy to work in the local comic book shop. But it’s hard to keep up once she joins a D&D campaign, and it’s even harder when she starts to get feelings for one of the other players. Release Date: March 13th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Reflection: A Twisted Tale by Elizabeth Yim When Captain Shang is taken to the Underworld after being wounded in battle, Mulan travels down to find him. King Yama isn’t so quick to give him up, though. Now Mulan, disguised as Ping, must scour the Underworld in search of him. And when she finds him, she must decide if she should tell him the truth about her identity. If she finds him. A YA Fantasy retelling. Release Date: March 27th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

March 6th and March 20th are going to be busy days, just saying. Also, I did warn you guys that March was going to be a longer post. There are just a lot of good books coming out this month you guys. WARNING: A LOT OF THESE DEAL WITH SENSITIVE CONTENT AND I WOULD CHECK FOR TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING. I won’t be able to read any of them until later this week (thanks midterms) but if you read any of them comment your thoughts! Or come talk to me on twitter!

Alright, sadly I have to go. Studying waits for no one and my Greek midterm is not going to go well unless I actually, you know, look at the Greek. Bye!

Kailey

3/21/18 UPDATE: I have removed Miles Away From You from this list due to harmful content as explained in my review. My deepest and most sincere apologies for its placement here in the first place.

February Releases

HELLO THERE!

So I’ve already failed on getting two reviews posted per month. In January. Which ended last week. Cool. I would like to argue that school has kept me incredibly busy (because it has) and I didn’t have time to read, but excuses are excuses only in this case. I had some time (not much, but some) to read this past month. And I enjoyed all the reading I did. I managed to finish The Belles. IT WAS SO GOOD. No spoilers but it was so good y’all.

Even though I didn’t manage to meet my goal of posting two book reviews per month, I am trying to stick to my blogging schedule (I know, you’re probably like “she’s made a schedule? KAILEY?” Trust me, I’m as shocked as you are). In an attempt to try and be active here, I’m posting my monthly recommendations! You can probably guess what they consist of based on the books I’ve talked about in my past few posts, but I’m going to list them anyway. Here are the books I’m most looking forward to in this wonderful (and cold) month of February.

Sightwitch by Susan Dennard – A YA Fantasy prequel to the Witchlands series. When the other Sightwitches start going missing, Ryber heads into the mountain to investigate. While there she meets Kullen, a Nubrevnan who has no memory of how he got there. While trying to figure out what’s going on they might just form a friendship–or more. Release Date: February 13th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton – A YA Fantasy about Camellia, whose quest to become the favorite Belle leads to discovery about deep secrets in the world of Orleans and her own powers. In order to save the princess she must make a choice, and the results could change her world as she knows it forever. Release Date: February 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston – A YA Sci-Fi about Ana, a girl in search of a lost ship that could hold the answers to her problems. Too bad she’s beaten to the coordinates by an Ironblood boy. Now they’re both outlaws, being chased by the kingdom, and they might not make it out of this alive. Release Date: February 27th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

People Like Us by Dana Mele – A YA Mystery set in Bates Academy, where the truth is not always what happened. And this is more than real when bodies start turning up, and Kay gets caught up in cyber-scavenger hunt to find the killer. Release Date: February 27th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Blood of a Thousand Stars by Rhoda Belleza (sequel) – In this YA Sci-FI/Fantasy sequel Rhee needs to choose between making a deal with her enemy or losing her throne. Alyosha only wants to kill Nero–but will have to travel home to do it. Kara might have uncovered the secret to leaving her princess life behind forever. And Nero will stop at nothing to control the galaxy. Release Date: February 20th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena – A YA Contemporary about Zarin Wadia, aka the girl your parents warned you to stay away from. But when Zarin ends up dead with Porus Dumasia on the side of the highway, it becomes clear that there was far more to her than met the eye. Release Date: February 27th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N 

Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine – A YA Sci-Fi that follows Zara Cole as she’s recruited to the Honors. While working in this program to explore the outer reaches of the universe she finds out that the galaxies aren’t all the sparkle and starlight she thought it would be. Release Date: February 13th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

American Panda by Gloria Chao – A YA Contemporary about Mei, an MIT freshman whose life has been set out before her: become a doctor, get married, have kids. She’s ready to follow through, even though she has other plans. While reconnecting with her brother she starts to wonder if it might be better to follow her own path, consequences and all. Release Date: February 6th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare – In this YA Historical Fantasy scriptologists can bring fictional worlds to life. When Elsa’s mother, a celebrated scriptoloist, is abducted, she has to travel to 19th century Italy and team up with a team of genius kids to find her. It would be a great plan, if it weren’t for the assassin following her to their doorstep. Release Date: February 20th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

I put a sequel on this list, but I never recommend reading a sequel without reading the first book previously. I know sometimes it’s okay, but I wouldn’t do it, personally. So my recommendation is to read Empress of a Thousand Skies before Blood of a Thousand Stars.

I’m in the middle of Sightwitch right now, and already finished The Belles. Both books I would highly recommend. I’m very excited to see everyone’s reactions to these books. Sorry there’s not as many books this month as last month, but I did warn y’all that it would vary. If you have read/are reading any of these right now come talk to me about them!! I want to talk about books with you. Leave a comment or talk to me on Twitter.

Okay, I have to go read some classmates’ words and give comments on them for my capstone. I’m loving my capstone so much, even if it’s crazy nerve-wracking when I’m up for workshop. I’ve gotten a ton of awesome comments so it’s my turn to give them great feedback in return. And then do some reading. Yay!

Kailey

January Releases

Hello! I know, it’s been so long since you’ve last seen me. A whole day. You all missed me so much I’m sure.

Okay, now that we’ve gotten all my sarcasm out of the way (ha good joke Kailey) it’s time to talk about why we’re really here. It’s time for me to let you know about some January book releases!

(I finally figured out I can put gifs in these posts. Go me for taking so long to do it.)

I know, you’re probably thinking “Kailey, you’ve never done a post like this before. What is this?” Well, I’m glad you asked. In my Most Anticipated Books of 2018 post I mentioned something about monthly release posts. This is the first of that type. What I’ll be doing is early in the month (I’ll try my best to get it up on the 1st but no promises) I’ll post a list of books coming out that month that I have heard about/want to read/think sound interesting. It will obviously not be a complete list, because I’m bound to miss some books (that’s where y’all come in. Remember, my comment section is always open). But, I’ll try to give you guys a good selection of books coming out for the month. Some months the list might be longer than others (heads up, March might be a looooooooong list) but I’ll do my best to give you guys a few different titles at least to look at.

So, here’s the books I’ve chosen for January.

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed – A YA Contemporary about a young Indian-American girl named Maya, who tries to find her way and where she belongs after a tragedy turns her normally kind neighborhood into a place full of suspicion and hate. Release Date: January 16th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu – A YA Fantasy about a young Bruce Wayne targeted by murderous nightwalkers. While doing community service at Arkham Asylum he comes across Madeleine Wallace, who might his best bet at stopping them. Too bad he doesn’t know whose side she’s on. Release Date: January 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black – A YA Fantasy about a young girl, Jude, who was brought to the High Court of Faerie seven years ago. Now, she’s trying to find a place to fit in–against the desires of the youngest prince. Of course, none of that matters if the Courts of Faerie erupt in civil war like they’re threatening to. Release Date: January 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone by Rachel Lynn Solomon – A YA Contemporary about twins Adina and Tovah, who are struggling with their fractured relationship. A diagnosis of Huntington’s disease can bring them back together or widen the gap–but only one of them tested positive. Release Date: January 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert – A YA Fantasy with fairy tale-esque writing. After Alice’s grandma dies, she’s got to work with Ellery, a superfan of her grandmother’s cult classic novel in order to find her missing mother. Release Date: January 30th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann – A YA Contemporary about Alice, an asexual college student whose last relationship ended because her ex couldn’t separate love and sex. She’s done with relationships–until she realizes she has feelings for her co-worker Takumi. Release Date: January 23rd. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking – A YA Fantasy about Malin, a Valkyrie-in-training whose world is turned upside down when she finds out her mother let an immortal live who was destined for death. Release Date: January 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout – An anthology of short stories about first meetings between lovable characters by several popular YA authors, like Nicola Yoon, Emery Lord, and Dhonielle Clayton, among others. Release Date: January 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Beneath the Haunting Sea by Joanna Ruth Meyer – A YA Fantasy about a banished soon-to-be empress named Talia who works to unravel family secrets and long-forgotten history of the gods. All the while the sea is calling to her–and it’s getting harder not to answer. Release Date: January 9th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Reign the Earth by A.C. Gaughen – A YA Fantasy about Shalia, a girl in a political marriage to prevent an attack on her desert home from her magic-hating husband. The only problem? She’s one of the magic users he despises. Release Date: January 30th. About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp – A YA Mystery about Corey, whose best friend Kyra has died while she was away. Now that Corey has returned, her community is pushing her away and she’s determined to find out why. Release Date: January 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Busted by Gina Ciocca – A YA Contemporary Romance about a girl named Marissa, who became the queen of busting cheating boyfriends (accidentally). Now she’s been asked to spy on an ex-friend’s boyfriend. But the girl he’s falling for might just be Marissa. Release Date: January 2nd (already out!). About: Goodreads. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Whew. That’s a lot of books. I hope you find one or two on here that you’ll like at least. I wanted to give a lot of options for this first month. Twelve books–I’m not even sure if I could read twelve books in a month. If you can, that’s pretty awesome. I’m sort of jealous.

I have not read any of these books, but I thought the premises sounded interesting. If you have read/are reading any of these, let me know what you think! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment or talk to me on Twitter!

I’m trying to move this draft along so I’m off to go work on Project L. And then get some reading in tonight. I hope y’all are having a good start to the year!

Kailey

Most Anticipated Books of 2018

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a good (and safe) holiday. I stayed home on New Year’s and wrote a couple thousand words. The draft of Project L is coming along oh-so-slowly, but nicely. I’m proud of it (for a first draft anyway).

So, a new year means new books coming out. I’ve seen quite a few posts of peoples’ most anticipated books for this year. I loved sorting through and picking out my most anticipated for 2017, and I loved doing it again for y’all this year. Like last year, this is far from an “official” list. It’s just ten books I’m looking forward to a lot. I definitely think everyone else should read these books, too, but I can’t force you. I can (and will) try to convince you of the awesomeness of these novels, though. So, without further ado, (and in no particular order) here are my most anticipated releases of 2018:

1. The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton Okay y’all. I’m not sure if you’ve heard about this book or not, but you probably have. It’s topped quite a few lists like this one–and for good reason. This story has all of the elements I think make up a gorgeous YA novel: strong characters, detailed world-building, twisting plot-lines . . . I’m squealing in anticipation just thinking about it. I’m curious as to how a Belle’s ability to help people may extend beyond just making them beautiful, though I’m excited for that part of the story, as well. The dynamic between beauty and power sounds very real-world to me, so I am looking forward to seeing how that plays out throughout the story. l have been lucky enough to win an ARC of this, and I can’t wait to dive in. It’s the first of my TBR for 2018. Genre: YA Fantasy. Release Date: February 6th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

2. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland I’m not normally one for historical. If you’ve read my blog before, you know my preference for fantasy. But, that being said, a good historical is always one I will pick up. And this one looks like it’s going to be a very good historical. You’ve got a Civil War era setting, a kick-ass young black heroine, and zombies, among other things. But, come on, zombies. That alone is enough to make me interested right there. The rest is only pulling me further into my “can I read this yet?” mentality. Plus, that cover is one to fall in love with. This own voices YA is another one I’ve seen people talking about. It’ll be one you don’t want to miss. I’m already making room for it on my shelf. Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Horror. Release Date: April 3rd. Purchase: Amazon B&N

3. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi If that title isn’t enough to get you hooked, I don’t know what else I can do for you. Wait, I can tell you that this book is one I’m counting down the days until it’s released (it’s 64, in case you were wondering). I began hearing about this one around August, and it’s been on my list ever since. This lush fantasy world sounds absolutely magical and vivid. A main character I can’t wait to meet awaits. This little bit of description alone is enough to convince me this will be one of my favorites of the year. “They killed my mother. They took our magic. They tried to bury us. Now we rise.” Chills. I have chills. Is it March yet? Genre: YA Fantasy. Release Date: March 6th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

4. Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed Story time. Picture this: It’s Christmas morning, and my family and I are opening presents. I pick up a small box and tear off the Wonder Woman wrapping paper (listen to me: no one is too old for Wonder Woman wrapping paper, okay?). Inside the box is a folded piece of paper. Now picture me unfolding the paper and screaming. I have just opened a pre-order for this book. And yes, I really did scream when I opened it. Ask my mom if you don’t believe me. This own voices story promises to be real, heartbreaking, loving and taking the reader on a journey right alongside Maya, the main character. Add on top that it takes place in a Chicago suburb (aka my home) and I’ll probably read this one cover to cover. (Okay to be fair it’s probably not the same suburb i grew up in but still. Chicago. Gotta read a book set in my city) Genre: YA Contemporary. Release Date: January 16th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

5. Miles Away From You by A.B. Rutledge Okay. So. Here’s the deal with this one. Here’s why I’m looking forward to this one so much. First of all, it’s told in a series of messages to Miles’s comatose girlfriend, Vivian. Second, photography is a central element to the story. As someone who enjoys taking pictures, and has a best friend who might as well be a professional photographer, seeing this made my heart happy. Third, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna cry. Like, it’s pretty much guaranteed. Normally I wouldn’t be excited to cry at a book, but this isn’t a normal instance. Fourth, the setting is Iceland. I’ve never read a book set in Iceland. That’s going to be cool, seeing how the setting is a part of the story. It seems like there are going to be a lot of elements working together to make this novel come together in a cohesive way. This is another ARC I won, so I’ll be sure to let you all know how I’m feeling about this one soon. Genre: YA Contemporary. Release Date: March 20th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

6. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody Do y’all remember how I went a little nutso about Daughter of the Burning City last year? Guess what? Ace of Shades is by the same author!! And I’m just as excited for this one as I was for her debut! This is a completely separate world from Daughter, but just as interesting in my mind. You’ve got mafia-style casino families, a setting called the City of Sin (I mean really. How can you not love that?), and female lead who was raised to be a proper lady, thank you very much. Unfortunately for her (but fortunately for the reader) she’s forced to work with a male lead who would rather con her than help her. *claps hands together in absolute glee* Give me all the drama, and magic, pretty please? Genre: YA Fantasy. Release Date: April 10th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

7. Nothing Left To Burn by Heather Ezell I found this author back when I submitted to Pitch Wars in 2016. And I’ve been waiting for this book ever since. And now it’s finally the release year!! Yay! The tension in this book promises to be top notch. Taking place over the course of one day, the intensity of both the wildfires and the events of our main character’s life will keep me turning pages until I look up and realize it’s 3 a.m. and I’m supposed to get up in five hours but I’ve only got fifty more pages I’ll be fine right? (This will happen I’m predicting it now)(Page-turning intensity is going to be at the center of this novel I can feel it)(I’M REALLY EXCITED) Plus, there’s romance. With a volunteer firefighter. Like, just take my money already. Genre: YA Contemporary. Release Date: March 13th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

8. From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon You’ll notice a lot of the books on this list are quite . . . intense. There’s not a lot of lighter novels on here. Part of that is just what I’m drawn to. Part of that is because there are a ton of amazing intense novels coming out. BUT, there are also quite a few lighter novels coming out as well. And this is one of them. (Don’t mistake ‘light’ for ‘less’, though. Just because a novel doesn’t have revolutions or magic or murder doesn’t make it any less amazing than the novels that do. That’s a separate rant, though.) Told in letters to female filmmakers, this story about love and friendship looks to have a cast of characters I will wish were my best friends. Or that I’ll fall in love with. Or both. And I am a total sucker for girls going after what they want in life–so a filmmaker directing a movie for a festival? Yep. I’m there. Genre: YA Contemporary. Release Date: June 5th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

9. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli SO. In case y’all missed my fave books of 2017, I’ll remind you that The Upside of Unrequited was on that list. And maybe I should mention that I have a writing crush on Becky’s novels. Like, a hardcore writing crush. She has a gift for giving readers the stories we not only want, but the stories we need. And she does this without killing anyone (yet. She’s got a book with Adam Silvera coming out this year, too. So that whole “no one died” thing might change). Y’all know I love a good murder to activate my pain but she can bring the pain and the love. Happy endings are what I’ve seen so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s a happy story the whole way through. I relate strongly to her characters and their stories/what they go through. I have a very, very strong feeling I’m going to relate to Leah most of all. This is another one I’m going to cry over. I just know it. And I really cannot wait for it. Genre: YA Contemporary. Release Date: April 24th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

10. Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles I saw someone talking about this book on Twitter one day, looked it up, and the rest is history. Okay, there’s a little more to it than just that. A few months ago, I was scrolling through my Twitter feed when I saw someone mention this book in reference to Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give. So, I looked it up. I was blown away by THUG and figured any book that was being compared to that must be phenomenal. From what I’ve seen in reviews, discussions on social media, and my own gathering of knowledge, it will be phenomenal indeed. And I can’t look at that cover and not want to pick it up immediately. The heavy topic of the book promises to be intense, but it’s story that’s important to be told. It’s going to join the ranks of novels that break my heart this year, I’m sure of it. I have a strong feeling this is going to be one of my top reads of 2018. Genre: YA Contemporary. Release Date: March 20th. Purchase: Amazon B&N

Okay, so I guess my descriptions got a little long towards the end . . . I’d say I’m sorry, but lying is wrong. Also, apparently all my most anticipated books of the year are coming out within the first six months. Oops. Don’t worry, there are fantastic books coming out in the second half of the year, too. I’m positive of that. I’ll tell you all about them on the first of each month.

I’m somewhat surprised (and impressed) with myself that I’ve got more contemporaries on this list than fantasies. Look who is expanding what they read! Sort of. I mean, it’s a start, okay?

All of the release dates came from Goodreads, so they might not be exactly correct. I know there were a couple that conflicted with the date on Amazon. I don’t know which dates are correct, so if you plan to pre-order, I’d say just do it now to be safe. Like right now. Go buy the books. GO!

Again, I hope everyone had/is having a good holiday. This year has a lot of books coming out that I think will be fantastic. I’m looking forward to reading them all. Including ones I didn’t put on this list. Narrowing it down to ten was difficult and there are several I didn’t mention in this post that I’m looking forward to, as well. But don’t worry. I’ll tell you all about them in my Monthly Releases post. January’s is coming this week!

I’m going to go and finish working on a scene I left last night. It’s being stubborn. While I’m gone, why don’t you tell me what books you’re looking forward to in the comments or on Twitter? Let’s be book friends!

Kailey

Top 10 Books of 2017 (So Far)

Hello all!

Now that the year is winding down and NaNoWriMo is complete (for me at least), I thought I’d post an update to my reading life.

Update: it’s been pretty quiet. I didn’t get to read too much this year, but what I have read I’ve enjoyed for the most part. So for everyone who is looking for a good book since November is ending or something to grab during the holidays (books make great gifts y’all!) I thought I’d provide a few of my favorites for the year so far.

1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas If you haven’t read this book yet, do yourself a favor and go do it right this very second. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in my life. It cracked the top five, which is not actually easy to do. But there is a reason Angie Thomas is the Queen of YA. Do yourself a favor and read her book.

2. Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody Okay I dedicated multiple posts to my obsessive love of this book. If you didn’t expect to see it on this list you haven’t been paying attention very well.

3. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli This book has all the good things. I made me smile, laugh, and want to hug everyone SO MANY TIMES! I cannot express my love for this novel enough. If you loved Simon you’ll more than love Molly. (Which, if you didn’t love Simon, I’m not sure we can be friends)(Okay, we can be friends, but you have to re-read Simon VS and gush about it with me.)

4. Geekerella by Ashley Poston I actually didn’t really know about this book until recently. I’ve been hearing a lot about it lately, and saw it when I was shopping in B&N. I read the description and my inner fangirl went *squeeeeeeee* (no I really made that noise in the middle of Barnes & Noble). I didn’t buy it though until Thanksgiving night. I sat with my Kindle This was my surgery recovery read, and it did not disappoint. Cute and smart writing left me ready for more from these characters. No idea if there’s a sequel coming or not (the ending was wrapped up nicely) but I know I’ll be reaching for this one again in the future.

5. the princess saves herself in this one by Amanda Lovelace Something most people don’t realize about me is that, in addition to YA & NA, I also write poetry. This is . . . fairly recent. I started working in the world of poetry my sophomore year of college (I graduate in May) and I’ve had the same professor voluntarily ever since. She made me go from hating poetry (and talking very loudly about it) to loving it and writing it. I owe this find to one of my best friends. She’d been looking for this for a while and picked this book up in a Target in Columbus, Ohio (we are not from Columbus just so you know)(we’re not even from Ohio we just spend a lot of time there for some reason). She opened Princess to a random page and the poem printed there hit home. I did the same to the only other copy on the shelf and BOOM same thing happened to me. Naturally we both bought it.

6. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas I know there’s quite a bit out there about how the queer rep in SJM’s books is not the best. I agree. I love her books, and her writing, but this is something that needs to be addressed. However, aside from that point, I loved ACOWAR. I never really got around to posting a review for it, but I thought it was a great ending to the trilogy, and was more than happy to spend the extra time in the world SJM has created. If you haven’t read ACOTAR or ACOMAF yet, you need to read them first for sure. But if you have the time and you love a good YA fantasy, this is a great novel.

7. Windwitch by Susan Dennard WHO HERE REMEMBERS MY FANGIRLING OVER THIS BOOK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR? I think I scared away any readers after that. My opinions about this book are positive and happy even though there is so much angst (in the best way). It’s been a while since I’ve talked about it, but it’s one of my favorites of the year for sure. Would recommend 110%.

8. Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron Listen to me. LISTEN TO ME! This book. Is so good. Bisexual rep. Asexual rep. Intersex rep. Different settings. Vivid characters. Flowing plot lines. Familial ties. The importance of consent. A group of people who shouldn’t be able to survive in this harsh environment is going to do their damn best to do it. This book is one of the best I’ve read this year for sure. (Also the sequel comes out soon so if you’re looking for multiple holiday gifts here you go!)

9. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Okay it counts if you’re currently reading it right? I’m saying yes. I’m in the middle of it right now, and I wish I currently had more time to devour this book (*shakes fist at final papers* curse you!). So far though it’s fantastic. I’m hoping I’ll get to finish it by the end of the year and reiterate that, times a thousand.

10. One Blood Ruby by Melissa Marr Y’all know I have a problem when it comes to fantasy. I guess it’s not really a problem exactly, but more of an all-encompassing love. And I really have a thing for fae. This sequel hit all the marks with me. I adored the first novel, and pretty much the same can be said of the second. Great book, by a great author. If you’re looking for something good this coming holiday season, I would recommend some Melissa Marr.

Now, keep in mind these are my favorites of the books I read this year. I have so many books that have been sitting on my shelf all year, and that stack just keeps piling up. Some books that I bought this year that I did not get to get to, but have, heard are fabulous, and am mad at myself for not getting to them sooner are:

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

27 Hours by Tristina Wright

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan

There are probably so many more amazing books I’m missing. Please feel free to add your favorites of the year so far in the comments! It was not as heavy of a reading year as I had hoped, and a lot of these books are ones I intended to read right away, but just never got the chance to. This has been such a busy semester for me, and I wish I’d had more time to read, but sadly I did not. I’m aiming to remedy that after finals and over winter break.

I hope you like some (or all) of these titles! Again, feel free to comment some of your faves so far this year. I’d love to hear them.

Alright, I’m off for now. Sadly, not to read. Final papers & presentations abound in my apartment, and I must work on mine. Byeeeeeee!

Kailey

PS – the links I included are all to Amazon, but if see if your local indie bookstore has these books!