My Top 10 Most Anticipated Debuts of 2019

The best part about entering a brand new year is all the debut novels that are coming out! Throughout the year there are a number of authors who are releasing their first novels and I am so excited to read them because they all sound amazing. Of course, there are so many to choose from but these are the 10 that have made me the most excited.

I follow every single one of these authors on Twitter, so I have seen them posting a lot about their characters and the story, which just makes me wish I could read them now (and some of them I can read now). There is a lot of hype for some of these books, which can sometimes be a bad thing, but from what I’ve read and seen I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy them all.

1. Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

I was lucky enough to be asked to take part in the Blog Tour for Wicked Saints, so I already have this book on my Kindle ready to read. I have seen so many amazing things said about this book online, especially on Twitter (along with some incredible fan art). I love that this book has been inspired by Russia and Poland, which is something I have been enjoying in other books I have read recently. If you aren’t aware of what this book is about, it follows three main characters. A girl has the ability to speak to the Gods, a prince has been put in danger and a boy carries a monstrous secret, and together they have to stop a war by assassinating the king. It sounds amazing.

A lot of people have been saying that if you love the Grishaverse, you should enjoy this, which is the best comparison because I love Leigh Bardugo’s books. I also have to mention how amazing that cover looks as well, which is kind of tempting me to buy it as well if I end up loving the ARC.

2. The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman

Another author who I have been following on Twitter and another book with a lot of hype surrounding it. Already there are some amazing reviews out there in the world, which makes me even more excited to finally read this. The story follows Violet, who has moved to a town her family helped found and ends up meeting Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, who are all children of founder families. The townspeople treat her with fear and Violet realises the other children have otherworldly abilities, abilities they’ll have to use to figure out why bodies are showing up in the woods.

It was marketed as ‘Stranger Things meets The Raven Cycle’, so if you are a fan of those two things you might enjoy this book. Everything about this debut seems to have all the things I love in a good story and I cannot wait to read it.

3. The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson

I’m going to start by saying this is one of the best covers I have seen in a debut for this year. Everything about it is perfect and so mysterious. This book is about magical elemental crows that used to be in the Kingdom of Rhodaire, until the Illucian empire invaded them. Anthia is a fallen princess who has been depressed since that night, but she is spurred into action when she is forced to marry the Illucian prince. She ends up finding a secret Crow egg and devises a plan to hatch it in secret.

This was basically described as being ‘Eragon meets And I Darken’, with the crows supposedly being similar to dragons, so as soon as I heard that I was hooked. This book isn’t out until halfway through the year, but I have a feeling it’ll be worth the wait.

4. Wilder Girls by Rory Power

When the Tox hit, Raxter School for girls was put under quarantine and Hetty’s life changed. It’s been eighteen months since it happened and there is still no cure. The woods outside the school are dangerous thanks to the Tox and so they must stay within the confines of the school, but when Hetty’s friend goes missing she decides she will do anything to find them. It is then that she discovers more about the school and what is happening. Wilder Girls sounds dark and creepy, but it also reminded me of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, which is a book I read years ago.

There are a lot of five-star reviews already for this book, which describes it as a feminist horror and is something I didn’t realise I needed in my life until now. I cannot wait to read this when it is released in July.

5. Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

I’m lucky enough to have a copy of this Chinese-inspired tale already sitting on my Kindle, just waiting for me to dive in. Princess Hesina of Yan is thrust into power after her father dies and is determined to find out who responsible for his death. To do this she enlists the help of a soothsayer, but she risks her own life doing so as magic is outlawed in Yan. It isn’t enough and she turns to Akira, an investigator who has his own criminal secrets, but will the cost to find her father’s killer be too much? Honestly, everything about this book sounds incredible.

There are a lot more own-voices books going out into the world and it’s so exciting to read these books inspired by their heritage. The author has said it is like a Chinese drama with complex relationships, betrayal and sprawling families, which are all the things I love in a book.

6. Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

This standalone novel has the following description ‘A divided nation. Four Queens. A ruthless pickpocket. A noble messenger. And the murders that unite them.’ This was enough to grab my attention straight away, as well as that gorgeous cover! Quadara is divided into four sections, with each part of the nation specialising in something, such as Toria being the intellectual quarter and Eonia the futuristic quarter. Everything about this story sounds so unique and interesting, and I cannot wait to find out more when it is released at the end of next month.

It’s got some great reviews online and following the author on social media means I am always seeing little bits of information that make me more excited for its release.

7. Enchantee by Gita Trelease

Paris is one of my all-time favourite cities, a place I have visited on multiple occasions, so of course, I would want to read a book set there! It is based at the time of the French Revolution in 1789, where Camille must rely on petty magic to make a living since her parents passed away. She turns metal into coins, but when it doesn’t work she must go to the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette by transforming herself using dark magic. Everything about this debut sounds so magical and intriguing, especially with Camille going to the palace and gambling with cards for money.

I already have a copy of this on my Kindle to read before it is released at the beginning of February. Here’s hoping I love it as much as I adore the cover and description.

8. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

A cover hasn’t been released yet, but this is an aesthetic that Shelby created and posted on Twitter. This French-inspired book about witches instantly caught my attention and has me extremely excited for its release date at the beginning of September. The story is a dual perspective that follows two characters, Lou and Reid. Lou was supposed to be sacrificed on her 16th birthday, but instead, she forsakes her coven and escapes to Cesarine. There, she must hide her magic as Huntsmen roam the city, burning witches without a trial. Reid is one of these Huntsmen, who has devoted his life to eradicating the occult. Their paths cross when Lou stops him from capturing a witch and ensnares him in a public scandal that forces them to marry. For Lou, it means protection against the witches that are trying to kill her, but she has to convince Reid that she isn’t a witch herself.

Every single one of my mutuals on Twitter who has read this book absolutely loves it and I have a feeling I will too. I’ve been following Shelby for a while now and every time she posts a snippet or aesthetic, I get that much more excited for its release.

9. We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

This debut fantasy novel is inspired by ancient Arabia, where Zafira is a hunter. She has disguised herself as a man to help feed her people by going into the cursed forest of the Arz. Then there is Nasir, known as the Prince of Death, who assassinates the people who threaten his father, the king. Neither of them wants to be the legends they have become, but with war brewing Zafira must find an artefact and restore magic. But, at the same time, Nasir is sent to retrieve the artefact and kill the Hunter. This story is all about ‘discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands,’

I don’t think I’ve read a book before inspired by Arabia and it makes me so excited to read this one as the description sounds amazing. As with all the books on this list, there are already some incredible reviews out there in the world, so keep an eye out for when this book is released in May.

10. Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao

From what I’ve heard, this book is inspired by the story of Anastasia and Russia, which are two things that are very intriguing to me. Anastacya believes she is a monster, having been born with an affinity for blood, but when an accident happens that kills her father, the Emperor of Cyrilia, she is sentenced for his death. However, she knows who killed him and decides to make a bargain with an underground crime lord, Ramson Quicktongue, while on the run. In return for his help to clear her name, she will offer him an alliance, and so they set out on a dangerous journey to discover the truth.

This book seems to have everything I love, as well as a gorgeous cover! This fantasy world sounds extremely unique with ‘frozen tundras and ancient, snow-capped forests, where ice spirits roam.’ Who wouldn’t want to read this?

I could have added even more books to this list, but these are my most anticipated ones. If you haven’t heard of any on this list, make sure to head over to Goodreads to check out the full synopsis. I can guarantee you will want to add them to your TBR and pre-order them.

What debut novel are you looking forward to the most?

The Best Books I Read in 2018

How are there only 2 full days left of the year? It always blows my mind when we reach the end of another year and I think about how quickly the days are passing now that I’m getting older.

At the beginning of the year, I set myself a goal to read 50 books, but unfortunately, I have only read 43 (although I hope to make it 44 by the time Monday comes to an end). I hate that I went through a reading slump for three months because if I hadn’t, I would have been able to smash that goal. However, the 43 (44) books I have read this year were mostly amazing and it was so hard to choose my top 10.

Originally I had wanted to put them in order, but it was too difficult. I put my top 5 in the right spots, and the remaining 5 have no order to them because I couldn’t decide. So, here are my favourite reads for 2018!

1. Scythe by Neal Shusterman

If there is one book that I have talked about the most on my blog and my Twitter page, it is Scythe. I cannot even begin to describe my love for this book and the world that Shusterman created. From the very beginning, I was sucked in and I had to keep knowing more. The concept of there being no disease or wars and that people can only die if gleaned by a scythe was so interesting to me and made me wonder if the world would really be a better place.

There are quite a few plot twists that I didn’t expect and when I reached the end, I knew I had to buy the sequel. This was the easiest 5 stars I have ever given a book and it is one that I will surely read again in the future. You can check out my full review here.

2. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

I thought it couldn’t get much better than Scythe and I was wrong. Thunderhead took the story to new levels that I didn’t think was even possible. I was on the edge of my seat wanting to turn the pages to find out what would happen. The plot twists were amazing and the character development was incredible.

What I loved the most was finding out more about the Thunderhead and the introduction of new characters who slowly became more important throughout. Even now, thinking about that ending gives me so many mixed emotions; shock, anger, sadness, but most of all excitement. I cannot wait to see how Shusterman will finish off the trilogy. You can check out my review here and if you haven’t read this series, what are you waiting for?

3. The Grisha Verse Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

I was trying to figure out which of these books I enjoyed the most to add to this list and I thought, why not just add all of them? I feel like I was very late to read these books but I am so glad that I did because they are amazing. The world building is some of the best I have ever read. Everything was crystal clear in my mind, with a Russian influence that is clear but not overbearing and the characters were all so interesting.

Alina is one of my favourite main characters and her growth throughout the trilogy was amazing to watch with her growing into her powers. There’s a debate on whether people prefer the Darkling or Mal, but I love them both for different reasons and the ending of this series is one of my favourites! You can see the reviews for Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising by clicking on the links. This is definitely a series I will read again in the future.

4. Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this to read and I can’t tell you how much I love this debut novel. I have never read a book so quickly. Once I started, I was hooked with the story of family, loyalty and love. It is about overcoming prejudice and the character development was written beautifully. There is so much emotion in this book and I felt everything that the characters went through, which was a lot.

Some of my favourite parts were the action scenes and that is because they were written so well that I forgot about everything else around me. Sky in the Deep is one of those books you could read multiple times and never get bored, so if you have yet to pick it up, head to your nearest bookstore and give it a read. If you need a little more convincing, you can read my full review here.

5. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Unfortunately, I don’t have a review written for this book as it is when I didn’t have a lot of time to blog, but this book was amazing. I had been hearing so many great things about this series, so when the Kindle version went on sale, I had to have it and I devoured it. What I loved was how seamless the dual perspectives were. With some books, it can be jarring to keep switching between voices, but this was written so well. Elias and Laia have such distinct voices and I loved the paths that they took in this first book in the series.

I’ve always been a sucker for books inspired by the Romans, so I knew I was going to like this before I started it. Given that a lot of fantasies are written in the third person, it was really refreshing to read a story told in the first person. I just finished the second book, A Torch Against the Night, which I loved just as much. I advise you to give this series a go if you love action-packed scenes, romance and danger.

6. Vicious by V. E. Schwab

Vicious is the second book I have read by V. E. Schwab and I am so glad that I bought it because it quickly became one of my favourites. Once again, I was in a reading slump and was struggling to find something to capture my attention until this book came along. It only took me a few days to read and I think that is because the pacing of the book is so quick, especially with the timeline jumping, which is something I wasn’t sure of in the beginning but quickly loved.

There is a sense of urgency when you read it and you just want to get to the end to find out what will happen to Victor and Eli. Their rivalry is one of my favourites, where I could see both sides and why they felt the way they did. They are dark, funny and totally badass, which is one of the reasons why I love this book so much. I already have the sequel, Vengeful, on my shelves to read in 2019. I don’t read many adult books, but this has definitely gotten me into the genre, which is more Sci-Fi than Fantasy in my opinion.

7. Circe by Madeline Miller

It may seem a little odd to put a book on this list that I haven’t finished yet, but I’m going to do it because I already love it so much. I absolutely adore Greek mythology and devoured so many YA and Adult books based on it when I was younger. It had been years since I came across one until I saw that Circe was on offer for an incredible £0.99 and I remembered how many people had been praising it on Twitter.

Well, I’m already a third of the way through and I only started it yesterday. I am hooked. Everything about this story is so captivating, but the voice is what’s drawn me in. The story-telling is amazing and the story of Circe is so heart-breaking that I feel everything with her. As someone who has at one time or another been an outsider, I can relate to her so much. Circe is actually a goddess that I haven’t heard much about before, which I think is one of the reasons I love it so much. Of course, we see the other famous Gods and Goddesses, but I love learning about the ones I didn’t know of before. I can’t wait to read this book and finish her story.

8. A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas

2018 was the year I finally read A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, and A Court of Wings and Ruin, so it only makes sense that I add them all on here because I loved them. I read all three in the months that I took a hiatus from blogging while I dealt with being made redundant at my job. I absolutely flew through the first book and loved the parallels between Beauty and the Beast. Like most people probably did, I fell in love with Tamlin and swooned at how he cared for Feyre, so you can imagine my surprise at the events that took place in the two sequels. My emotions were all over the place with this series and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The characters were so intriguing and the growth that most of them went through hooked me, especially Feyre. From the beginning to the events of the third book, I watched her grow into this amazing woman who could do anything. I also realised why people like Rhys as a character, although I still held onto the Tamlin from the first book. I won’t lie, it took me a while to get through the second and third book as I was in the middle of a slump, but I enjoyed them. I definitely feel like this is a series I will have to re-read in the future to get all the details.

9. The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

If you want to know how much I loved this book, I read it all within a day. I sat down in the morning and I didn’t move anywhere until the late afternoon when I finally shut the book. This collection of stories and fairy tales from the Grisha Verse was the first thing I read from Leigh Bardguo before diving in the Grisha Trilogy that I mentioned above. The writing in it was the most beautiful I had ever read. Everything about it took my breath away and it was one of those books where I held it to my chest when I finished, feeling so grateful I got to read those words.

It’s hard to choose a favourite story when there are six to choose from, each one dark and twisted, but filled with emotion. One of my favourite parts of this book was the illustrations. At the beginning of each story they would start in the corner and as the pages were turned they would keep growing until you reached the full-page image at the end. As an artist, I could appreciate the detail and beauty of each one and how they brought the story to life. If you haven’t read this book yet, you need to, because it is amazing. You can see my full review here.

10. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

There was a lot of hype surrounding this debut novel, which always makes me nervous because sometimes it doesn’t live up to it. However, I didn’t have that problem with Children of Blood and Bone because it was an incredible story and debut novel. I had never read a story based on West African mythology before and I was hooked from the beginning. There is so much detail and action on the pages that I wanted to soak in, but the information never felt like it was overwhelming me, which can sometimes happen with books.

One of the parts I loved the most was the magic system and how intricate it was, as well as being so unique. The adventure that Zelie and the other characters go on is so thrilling, showing how they are growing along the way and discovering new things about themselves. I love this story so much that when a chance came up to meet Tomi Adeyemi, I took it and it was amazing to hear how she came up with the story, as well as her process for writing it. The talk inspired me so much to keep going with my own writing and I will always be thankful for that. If you’d like to see my full review, you can read it here.

There were so many books that I enjoyed in 2018 that I wish could have been on the list, but I didn’t want it to go on forever. Did you manage to read any of these this year?

Let me know your all-time favourite book for 2018 in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Meant To Read In 2017 But Didn’t Get To

Top Ten Tuesday was originally hosted over at The Broke and The Bookish and is now over at Jana’s blog, That Artsy Reader Girl.

I’ve just realised that this is my first top ten Tuesday of 2018 and I’m glad that I’m getting back to a routine with my blog. The Top Ten Tuesdays are here to stay! This weeks topic is all about the books we wish we had gotten around to reading in 2017. For this topic I am purely sticking to books that were published last year.

1. Carve The Mark by Veronica Roth

When I heard about this book, I thought it sounded interesting and as I loved Divergent, I figured I’d give this a try. There seems to be some mixed reviews, but I still want to check it out.

2. Caraval by Stephanie Garber

This book has seemed to divide a lot of people and those are the ones I want to read this most. It definitely gives me Night Circus vibes (a book that also divided opinions) so fingers crossed I can read it before the sequel comes out this year.

3. Warcross by Marie Lu

I’ve seen this book being talked about everywhere (literally everywhere). It sounds amazing and something that I wouldn’t normally read. This year I am trying to venture out of my comfort zone and I can’t wait to check out this one.

4. Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Once again, another book I have seen everyone reviewing and honestly, I felt like I was missing out. Even though I haven’t even seen the Wonder Woman movie yet (I’m terrible, I know) I love superheroes so I’m bound to love this.

5. The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

Even though I didn’t get around to reading this book last year, I finally have it! I can’t wait to get stuck in and see what people have been loving about it.

6. The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano

I read DeStefano’s The Chemical Garden series a while back and enjoyed them, so when I heard about The Glass Spare I was excited to check it out. Unfortunately, there are only so many books a girl can buy.

7. Renegades by Marissa Meyer

To me, this sounds like sci-fi and dystopian, which are genres that I want to get back into reading and I have to say, this book sounds great! Hopefully I can find the time to read it this year.

8. The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

There have been tonnes of amazing reviews for this book and I’ve been wanting to get my hands on it since I first read the synopsis. It sounds exactly like the type of book that I enjoy.

So it seems I was only able to come up with eight books I missed out on reading (at least, the ones I really wanted to read). What books would have made your top ten?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’m Looking Forward To In 2018

I can’t believe that it is the last Top Ten of 2017, where did the time go?! If you aren’t already aware, from the beginning of January, Top Ten Tuesdays will no longer be hosted by the The Broke and The Bookish. They have decided they will be closing their doors for now and the weekly feature will move across to Jana’s blog, That Artsy Reader Girl.

With the year coming to an end, it is time to look forward to 2018 and list the books that we are most excited for. I feel like all the books on my list are being released within the first quarter of the year so I will have to apologise to my bank account.

Without further ado, here are my choices (not in date order):

1. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

I love fairy tales, especially the dark ones, and from the moment I read the blurb of this book, I knew I would love it. There have been some reviews floating around and they seem to be really positive. Luckily for me, I don’t have to wait too long as it is being released on January 30th.

2. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

I follow Amanda Foody on twitter and there have been so many people reviewing this book and saying incredible things. Ace of Shades sounds intriguing and dark, with a great blurb that draws you in. If you haven’t checked this out then you definitely should, we just have to wait until April 10th to read it.

3. Furyborn by Claire Legrand

Fantasy is my favourite genre at the moment and when I heard about Furyborn, I knew it was one I’d have to read. Based around myths and legends, this book seems very unique and the reviews so far have been glowing. I only have to wait until May 22nd to read this (cries internally).

4. Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings

There has been so much hype around this book and although the reviews are mixed, I still want to check it out (I am also a fan of both authors so that plays a part). I don’t read many sci-fi novels, but I am looking forward to trying out more of those in 2018.

5. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

There are so many people raving about this book being incredible! It’s been a while since I read a book about faeries and I have to say I am so excited for this one. The Cruel Prince seems to have everything I love; political drama, romance and danger. And the plus side is, there isn’t long to wait until the release date.

6. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

I’ve only recently found out about this book, which is to do with magic being forbidden and two girls wanting to bring it back. With a rating of 4.56 on Goodreads, you can be guaranteed this book will be amazing. The release date is March 6th.

7. These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch

Why do I have to wait so long for this book to come out? August 7th seems so far away! Books that centre on political drama definitely seem to be my thing at the moment, throw in some pirates and magic, and you just know this book will be amazing.

8. Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh

This sounds like to a unique novel and it comes out in January as well, perfect! If you love books about death and necromancy, this one is for you. It seems delightfully dark and full of mystery. I, for one, cannot wait to get my hands on this book.

9. Ink, Iron and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare

Books that are different always seem to stand out to me and Ink, Iron and Glass is no different. If you’re a fan of A Darker Shade of Magic you’ll probably like the idea of this book, with multiple worlds being created by people called Scriptologists. With a release date of February 10th, there isn’t long to wait at all.

10. The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton

Once again, another Fantasy novel has made the list and The Queens of Innis Lear definitely gives me Three Dark Crowns vibes. Seeming darker and bloodier, this is a book about prophecy and magic. You only have to wait until March 27th to pick this up and you can guaranteed that I will be pre-ordering this one.

So, there are my picks! I have to say this though, all the covers of these books are gorgeous (my favourite being Furyborn and Zenith). What books are you looking forward to in 2018?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Hope Santa Brings

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This weeks topic is all do with Christmas and the books that we hope Santa brings us.

I still can’t believe that Christmas is less than a week away. It came around so quickly and I’m looking forward to finishing work and spending time with my family. As the topic is about books, I’m going to be mentioning the ones that I either want to buy myself with money from my family or guessing which ones my dad has bought me (he got them shipped over to me).

1. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

This book was one that I put on the list to my dad (as well as the second) and I am crossing my fingers that he chose them to give to me. I was tempted to buy this myself a couple of weeks ago when it was on offer, but then I remembered I put it on my list and I didn’t want to risk having two of the same.

2. The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

Again, another book that was on the list I gave to my dad (he always makes me put down around 6, so I never know what I’m getting). I’ve heard so many great things about this book and as I am loving the fantasy genre at the moment, it would be perfect to read. I know that I would end up buying it myself if I didn’t.

3. The remaining books in the Throne of Glass series

At this moment in time I have the first (you can find my review here), the second and the third and fourth will be delivered to me hopefully tomorrow (as an early gift to myself). So that leaves me needing Empire of Storms and The Assassin’s Blade to complete the main series, as well as Tower Of Dawn. I cannot wait to dive into this series again and I know that if I have them all, I’ll just read them one after the other (and neglect the others on my shelf).

4. Carve The Mark by Veronica Roth

This book has been on my to-buy list for too long and I think it is about time that I get around to buying it. I’ve heard a lot about this book and I’m intrigued, even with the mixed reviews.

5. Caraval by Stephenie Garber

It seems that with this book, you either love it or you hate it. But for me, that was the same with The Night Circus and I ended up loving that book. I want to give this a try because it sounds really interesting, so I’m going to go into it with an open mind if I get it.

6. The Language Of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

I can’t even describe how badly I want this book. If I get money from my family it will be one of the first I’ll buy. There have been so many amazing reviews floating around on the web and it is definitely my kind of book. If it has beautiful artwork, I’ll take it!

7. This Savage Song by V. E. Schwab

If I’m being honest with myself, I just want all of her books. Each one sounds amazing and incredible! I just had A Gathering Of Shadows get delivered to me so I can carry on that series, but I love her writing so much I just know the others will be incredible, too.

8. Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Once again, another book I have been seeing just about everywhere and there has been nothing but praise. I love a good Wonderland tale and a re-telling of the characters is right up my alley. If Santa could bring me this one then I would be very grateful (or I might just ask my boyfriend).

9. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman

Recently, this book has been popping up everywhere and when I read up on it I realised it was one that I could love. I love when a book is written differently and offers a new perspective for story telling. While Santa may not necessarily bring me this one, I know I will end up buying it soon.

10. Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

There seems to be a few Leigh Bardugo books on here, but they are all ones I want to get my hands on. I love superheros and books so putting them together is perfect. There has been a lot of reviews floating around and I swear every single one of them says it’s incredible. If only Santa could bring me this, too.

I hope you enjoyed reading about all the books I want Santa to bring me (or for me to buy myself). What are you hoping to receive this Christmas?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Winter TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This weeks topic is asking us to decide which books we want to read the most this winter. I class December through to the end of February as winter, so a couple of the books I am going to feature haven’t come out just yet.

With only 2 days left until the beginning of December, I am definitely starting to feel festive. I’ve got my fairy lights up around my room, my cute little tree on my dressing table and tinsel dotted around. It’s getting cosy in here for sure!

Time to show you my top Ten!

1. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

I just ordered this book the other day so it shouldn’t be long before it is in my hands. I love all of Cassandra Clare’s books and I can’t wait to read the beginning of this series and I’m sure it will lead me to buying the second one at Christmas.

2. Crown Of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

In my most recent book order I also bought the second instalment in the Throne Of Glass series and this is one I cannot wait to read. I absolutely loved the first (you can check out my review here) and I just know I will be buying the rest very soon!

3. Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings

This book is being released at the beginning of January and as I follow both of the authors on social media, I keep hearing more about this book and I am so excited to check it out. I don’t read many books that feature sci-fi elements so it will be great to give this a go.

4. Keeper by Kim Chance

Keeper doesn’t come out until the end of January, but I received a copy of it to read from Netgalley. I am looking forward to checking out this book as it seemed great from the synopsis and I will be reviewing it for the beginning of January.

5. A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Mass

Like her other series, I have heard great things about this one and will be getting stuck into it so I can then go out and buy the rest (there are a lot of series I need to buy). Plus, I love books centred around faeries so I know I am going to love this!

6. King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard

While I am still making my way through Glass Sword, I will be getting around to reading the third instalment before the final one is released next year. A lot of people say that this book is one of the best in the series so I am definitely excited to get to it.

7. The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

While I haven’t bought this book yet, it is one that I know I will be buying soon because it sounds amazing. I’ve seen a lot of people loving this book and I am all about the magic! Plus, just look at how amazing that cover is, I love it.

8. Talon by Julie Kagawa

This book has been sat on my shelf for too long (so long in fact that there are now 4 books in the series with the fifth coming out next year) and I can’t wait to read it. I love a good book that features dragons (my favourite mythical creatures to read about) so I know this will be my cup of tea.

9. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Another book that comes out in the beginning of January, and one that I first saw on Netgalley, and again it is another book about faeries. It’s been a while since I read books on this topic and Holly Black’s take on them has interested me. You can be sure that I will be buying it once it is out.

10. Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I can’t tell you how many times I have seen this book being praised by bloggers and I am itching to get my hands on it. I have passed it on to my dad in a list to get me for Christmas so I have a little while to wait, but I am sure it will be worth it.

So there you have it, my top ten books that I want to read during the cold months (any excuse to stay inside). What books are you wanting to read?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’m Thankful For

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This weeks topic is all do with the American holiday, Thanksgiving. While I don’t personally celebrate it as I live in the UK, I hope all my American followers will have a great day when it comes around. There is always something to be thankful for in life and I have a lot at the moment.

When it comes to choosing the books I am thankful for I had to think long and hard about it. I had to ask myself why am I thankful for them? Once I asked myself that question it became relatively easy to rattle them off. So here we go…

1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I have chosen this as my first book because without them I never would have gotten into reading YA. They were so new and different to anything I had read before and it was a turning point for me, especially when it came to growing up. You can read more about it in my blog post The Book That Made Me A Reader.

2. The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

This series of books is by far my favourite and I am so thankful that I read them. They are all incredible in their own way and the characters are so easy to fall in love with. I am actually planning on re-reading this series in 2018 at some point because it has been a while, but I will never forget the way they made me feel (I even cried at some points).

3. The Magicians’ Guild by Trudi Canavan

I am thankful for this series in particular as it was the first that I read which was purely fantasy. While it is definitely not the best fantasy book I have read, it was the one that opened my eyes to a genre that has become my favourite. I may revisit these in the future and see it with some new perspective.

4. The House Of Night Series by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast

There seems to be a lot of vampire books on this list, but I am thankful for these in particular as they introduced me to other P. C. Cast books. The Goddess Summoning series were some of the first Adult novels that I read and I remember loving them, especially because they were based on Mythology.

5. Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Speaking of mythology, I am thankful to this series because it made me fall more in love with Greek mythology and books to do with them. They were so different when they came out and that was what I loved about them. Although, I never did finish off the series so a re-read may be in order so I can buy the rest.

6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Ever since I picked this book up, it has been one of my favourites and I am so thankful for that because it made me aspire to be that amazing at writing. It was magical, with the most breathtaking descriptions and I just know I will be reading it again now I am older. It seems to be the perfect book to read around Christmas time.

7. The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

This book deserves a place on my list because it introduced me to thrillers. I had never thought much of them before reading The Girl On The Train, but it hooked me from the beginning and didn’t let me go. Hawkins is an incredible writer and knows how to keep you guessing, definitely worth reading!

8. Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

I chose this book due to the fact that it showed me you can have a male POV and it can work, really well might I add. It was the first book I read where there wasn’t a female protagonist POV and it was a horror too, something I don’t normally read (but I do love horror movies). As well as this, it also made me love Kendare Blake’s writing and her latest series, Three Dark Crowns.

9. The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith

I read this series after I started Twilight (I was into vampires at the time, but, having been published in 1991 it was around long before Twilight) and it was way before it was turned into the TV show that everyone loves. My reason for being thankful for this is that it led me to watching the show (even though there are so many differences between the two) and it is easily my all-time favourite show. Reading these books were an introduction, although I only read this series in full and the first in the Return series (There are 5 different series in total).

10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I, like everyone else, loved this series when it came out and couldn’t get enough! My reason for being thankful is that it introduced me to the dystopian genre, something that had an influence over one of the novels I wrote when I was younger. It was so different and unique, as well as daring and original. While I may not have agreed with who they chose to play the characters in the movies (they weren’t like the ones in my head) I will always love these books.

I really hope you enjoyed reading my top 10 this Tuesday and if you have your own then leave a link below, I would love to check them out!

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters Who Would Make Badass Leaders

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This weeks topic is in honour of election day in the USA, so it’s time to feature characters that would make great leaders!

This one really got me thinking and I decided to choose the top 10 that I think, due to their badass natures, would make great leaders. These are people that I would willingly follow into anything! A burning building, an epic battle or even into IKEA to go furniture shopping. They are all characters who are tough, strong, witty and don’t let anything faze them.

1. Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass

I couldn’t not have her in my top 10 after recently reading Throne of Glass. Who wouldn’t want an assassin to be on their side? Not only is she skilled in weapons, but she is incredibly witty and you just know you would have a great time with her causing chaos.

2. Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy

One of my favourite characters from one of my favourite series, Rose is a must when it comes to badass leaders. She is a kickass Dhampir who doesn’t put up with those who don’t respect her and she is fierce when it comes to protecting those she loves.

3. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games

This girl needs no introduction at all. Strong, independent and willing to do whatever it takes to win, Katniss would make the perfect leader. Not only is she skilled with weapons, but she is constantly thinking outside of the box, so even if you got stuck in a situation, she would be there to make sure you got out alright.

4. Chaol Westfall from Throne of Glass

I couldn’t not have Chaol on this list. As Captain of the Royal Guard he is a perfect leader, trained in battle and ready to kill when necessary. He is level headed and respected by his peers. If I were to head into battle, this is the man that I would want as a leader. (Also this is exactly how I pictured him to look, great artwork).

5. Farley from Red Queen

Already the leader of the Scarlet Guard, she has the knowledge to lead others and shows no fear when it comes to facing her opponents. She will do whatever it takes to bring down those that oppose her and is one of the toughest around.

6. Natalia Arron from Three Dark Crowns

Leader of the Arron household, the poisoners, she is ruthless and cut-throat. After running the household for many years she is no stranger to taking charge and making things happen. While people may not always agree with her methods, she is able to get what she wants, something that would make her a strong leader.

7. Kell from A Darker Shade Of Magic

While I am still making my way through the first book, it is already clear that Kell would make a great leader. Who wouldn’t want something who can us blood magic to be on their side? It would come in handy in tricky situations! While he likes to bend the rules, it would make for many great adventures.

8. Linh Cinder from The Lunar Chronicles

While she may not be a trained assassin or natural born leader, Cinder has a good heart and is strong-willed, two characteristics that a leader should have. Let’s not forget the fact that she is part cyborg, how cool and badass is that?!

9. Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries

How could I not include the most brooding and twisted vampire from my favourite book-to-TV series? Damon has a dark side that allows him to do whatever he wants, without feeling the guilt. This could come in handy as a leader, especially if there are things to do that those of faint-heart wouldn’t. While he can be reckless at times and likes to take risks, he cares deeply for those he loves.

10. Saba from Blood Red Road

Saba is fierce and doesn’t stand for any nonsense, making her perfect to be a badass leader. She is a warrior and never strays from the task at hand, much more mature than she should be at her age. And when you’ve got the nickname “The Angel of Death” you just know she is a leader that should be feared.

So these are my picks! Who would you choose as your most badass leader?

Top Ten Tuesday | Things To Do On Halloween

This is my first time participating in Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly event hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This weeks topic is Halloween Freebie – Happy Halloween! It allows us to be creative with the topic and I decided to choose the top 10 things to do on Halloween!

I am a huge fan of Halloween! While it isn’t really celebrated over here in the UK, it is in Ireland and when I was younger I would always go out trick or treating with my family when I visited.

Without further ado, here are my top 8 things to do on Halloween (I couldn’t think of any more that I would personally do!)

1. Watch my favourite Halloween movies that I loved as a kid

For me, personally, Halloween isn’t complete without watching these films in particular. I’m talking about the one and only (until they do the remake) Hocus Pocus! This is without a doubt my favourite and one that I watch every single year without fail. This year I managed to watch Casper, a film I hadn’t seen in god knows how long! Also, a film that combines my love for Halloween and Christmas, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Always perfect and starts getting me in the mood for more festivities.

3. Light a couple of candles

I have about three candles dotted around my room and I love the atmosphere it creates. Plus, if you can brave a scary movie, it makes it seem more tense watching it in the dark.

3. Get some treats in to snack on

It seems that all the sweets are on offer at this time of year, giving you the perfect excuse to buy a couple and eat throughout the day. I prefer ones that have a mixture in so there is a lot to choose from. Plus, it makes me feel like a kid again because at 21 it is unacceptable to go trick or treating.

4. Buy a pumpkin to put on display

Whether you want to carve a creepy face into one or just place a couple on display throughout the house, a pumpkin is a Halloween staple.

5. Watch a horror…if you dare

Horror is one of my favourite genres to watch and over the years I have become immune to being scared. The only movies that have recently made me feel terrified of walking past my stairs at night is the Conjuring franchise, including the Annabelle Films. These films will be making you wonder if ghosts and demons really do exist on Halloween.

6. Get a bottle of red in

Not only does red wine look like blood, Casillero del Diablo literally means Cellar of the Devil, making it perfect to drink on Halloween.

7. Don’t like wine? Try making some spooky Cocktails

If you prefer to make something a little tastier and a lot more fun then check out some of the many cocktail recipes online. Perfect for if you’re hosting a party as well! I love the recipes that can be found on Delish.

8. Read a scary book

Is there a better time of year to read a Stephen King novel? Pick up one of his many books, cover yourself with a blanket and settle in for the night and pray that you will be able to sleep later on.

I hope you enjoyed reading my top 10! How will you be spending Halloween this year?