Craft Corner #1: Fun With Journaling, 52 Lists Style

I’ve done a craft corner type post before, but since creativity (and journaling especially) is something I really want to focus on this year, I thought I’d share my experience with journaling so far.  I did my recap post using my Currently 2020 journal, but I wanted to talk about some of the other journals I’m using.

In my last Currently Obsessed With Post, I talked about how I wrote in journals a lot, and then just sort of stopped as I got older.  I’ve been keeping up with a few of the journals I have: the 52 Lists journals.  There are four of them total: the original 52 Lists journal, the Togetherness Journal, the Happiness Journal and the Calm Journal.

They’re actually really fun and I love writing a list every week.  I might not do Top Ten Tuesday anymore, but lists are fun, and these get me thinking!  I’ve skipped around a little bit, because sometimes the topic doesn’t work for me.  I’m a little worried that I’ll end up with lists I don’t want to do at the end of the year, but I’m thinking that it will work itself out.  I might not want to do some of them now, but I might want to later on.

Taking the time to actually think about things is nice.  It’s a way for me to slow down and reflect on things, and that’s something I really want to do this year.  It’s weird how I didn’t realize how much I was holding in until I wrote it down.  That’s my favorite thing about having a journal- it’s a great way to write down what I’m thinking, whatever form it might take

And while this isn’t necessarily related to the 52 journals, it is something I want to talk about.

This little blog has become my journal, in a way.  It was something that I was thinking about on my way to work recently (and I want to say it was while I was listening to Stay Sexy And Don’t Get Murdered).  I don’t talk about myself much anymore, though I felt like I did it way more in the early days of the blog.  And sharing my thoughts on what I’m reading is super-cool and really fun, and it’s a great way to look back on what I’ve read and what I thought about those books.  That’s definitely not going to change, but right now, I’m in a mood to talk about other stuff too!

There’s just something about physically making a list that’s really calming.  I’m not just typing furiously: I’m actually taking the time to put my list on paper.  It slows me down, and maybe that’s what I need right now.  Handwriting is actually fun for me, and I have just as much fun picking out a pen to use.  It’s hard because I have a pretty good pen collection.

I swear, every time I go to Michael’s now, I spend as much time looking at pens, markers and notebooks as I do yarn.  I have a rolling cart that has been assembled, and it’s been nice to have my pens, journals, notebooks and coloring books in one place instead of scattered around my apartment.  It’s a lot more organized, and it’s easier to get what I need.  Between that, and the tv tray I got a while ago, I finally have a small but portable work station!

I ended up getting another one for some of my yarn…sadly, I don’t have enough space to have enough carts for all of my yarn, but considering I wanted to just wanted to move one container of yarn to the cart, I’d say it did it’s purpose.

I was really nervous about the carts, though.  Assembly was required, and generally speaking, I don’t assemble things like carts.  But these were stupid easy to put together, and in a matter of minutes (literally) I had carts that I could organize to my hearts content.

So, my art cart is pictured below:

Initially, I wanted the lavender cart you’ll see in a little bit, but I could not find one for the life of me.  But this blue one was really pretty, so I went with this one instead.

The top tray is pens!  I admit to going overboard with pens, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can stay away from pens for a while.  The middle is coloring books, colored pencils, a hand lettering book and regular pencils.  And the bottom tray has a pencil case with a few extra pens, a ton of different size notebooks, and some washi tape.  The washi tape would be great in the scrapbooks I want to make.

I’m still convinced I’m going to scrapbook all of my photos.  I’ve been saying that for over a year now and I still haven’t done it.  There’s also the question of where I’d put the finished scrapbooks.  I have a place for the photo boxes, so that’s where they’ll be staying until I get everything else a little more organized.  Or until I decide to do it, whenever that may be.

And for fun, here’s some yarn!

It’s pretty appropriate that a few of my crocheted blankets are in the background.  I feel like this yarn is a lot easier to get to, which is always a plus, and I feel more motivated to use it now that I can actually see it!  My goal is to eventually use enough yarn to not need a cart, 3 different bags, a cloth storage bin, and like, 5 different bags.  I have to say that I’m actually doing pretty good with buying no or very little yarn.  It’s just a matter of actually using it.

That’s all for today, and I’ll leave you with a few things to answer, if you want to!

Does anyone else journal?  And if so, what journals does everyone use, whether it’s a blank journal, or something with prompts?  I’m also up for some pen/marker recommendations if you have any!

Book Review: Love, Life And The List by Kasie West and PS I Like You by Kasie West

Book: Love, Life And The List by Kasie West

Published December 2017 by HarperTeen|384 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

What do you do when you’ve fallen for your best friend? Funny and romantic, this effervescent story about family, friendship, and finding yourself is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han.

Seventeen-year-old Abby Turner’s summer isn’t going the way she’d planned. She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to show her paintings, Abby isn’t going to take any chances.

Which is where the list comes in.

Abby gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3) to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that if she can complete the list, she’ll become the kind of artist she’s always dreamed of being.

But as the deadline approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as straightforward as it seems… and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself. 

This book is really cute!  While I have yet to love a Kasie West book, I still enjoy her books.  They’re fun and cute and perfect if you want a quick, light read.

I liked seeing Abby challenge herself and try different things.  It’s a cool but also cliche story for an artist- the one who sets out on this journey to do these different things, just to make their art better.  She just wants to be able to show her paintings, and I get that.  It’s cool, and not at all surprising that she sees it as an opportunity to get into the art program of her dreams.  Who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that?

She has a lot to learn, and it seems like she has a lot of potential as an artist.  It sounds like she’s pretty good, and will continue to get better, which is what one always hopes for.  She gets in the art show (with an unexpected twist, which I have mixed feelings about), she learns a lot about herself, and she gets the guy.  All in all, it’s predictable but cute.

As for her mom, I’m glad Abby wasn’t taking on everything herself.  At least her grandpa was there, and he seems like a pretty cool grandpa.  I feel like we’d get along really well.  I did feel for Abby, because it meant her mom wasn’t there for certain things, but her mom is getting the help she needs, so that’s always good.  Hopefully, her mom was able to go to more of Abby’s things and worried less about her.

My Rating: 3 stars.  I liked it, but didn’t love it.  It’s cute, though.

Book: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Published July 2016 by Point|330 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

P.S. I Like You is another cute Kasie West book!  I figured I’d review two of the books I’ve read by her recently in one post, especially since I’ve read them so close together.

I’m actually a little surprised I didn’t get the two books confused considering I started this one right after I finished the other one.

I figured out pretty early on who the mystery man was.  I thought it was pretty obvious, so when it turned out to be true, I wasn’t all that surprised.  I did like seeing Lily’s reaction to who it was, and how much she was hoping it would be someone else.  Considering the history between Lily and her mysterious pen pal, I can’t say it was a big surprise.  I am surprised, however, that it didn’t cause more problems with her and her best friend, but her best friend does seem pretty cool.  She was pretty understanding and relaxed about it, all things considering.

They really did have a lot more in common than she thought, and who knew that some letters would really change things?  For him, as well as Lily.

And the story is predictable- I’ve read enough of her books that she does go for the quirky, charming but very adorable, cliche romance.  Maybe, if I hadn’t read so many other similar stories, I would have loved it, or even really liked it.  Don’t get me read, I did like P.S. I Like You.  It’s cute and light-hearted, and maybe I read it too close to Love, Life And The List to love it more.

I doubt it, but it was fun and cute to read.

My Rating: 3 stars.  The obvious love interest (and similarities to West’s other books) aside, it’s a cute romance.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Bookish Resolutions For The Year

Top Ten Tuesday is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.  Every Tuesday, bloggers share their own bookish top ten list based on the topic of the week.  Check out the upcoming Top Ten Tuesday topics here.

Top 5 Bookish Resolutions For The Year

It’s strange to think that TTT is no longer hosted the lovely bloggers over at The Broke And The Bookish, but I’m glad that one of their contributors is keeping the meme going!  I really love these lists, and it’s a lot of fun to be doing them again!  To be honest, I haven’t really thought about resolutions (bookish or otherwise), since I’ve had a lot going on for the last 2-3 months.  However, I do have a few bookish things I want to do this year!

1- Continue to read diversely! 

I still haven’t done bookish stats for last year, but I’m pretty sure that around half of the books I read last year fall into the diverse category.  I want to keep that going, and as long as I’m in the ballpark of 50%, I’ll be happy.

2- Purge my print books as much as I can. 

Sometime in the very near future, I will be moving…and while I would love to take all of my books with me, there is not going to be enough room for all of them.  I’ve gone through a few shelves, and dropped some off at the library, but I still have a lot more to go.  Including the stack of books sitting next to me as I write this.  That’s not counting the cookbooks and the crochet books, but I suppose I’ll get to those eventually.

3- Reading the print books I own.

This is going off of the my second goal, but there are some books I still swear I’m going to read.  Those are definitely going to the top of my TBR pile because the sooner I read them, the sooner I can decide if they’re worth keeping, or donating to the library.  (Who will hopefully enjoy and can use the donations I’m randomly dropping off).  This goes for audio books and e-books as well, but I’m much more focused on print.

4- Being more selective with the print books I buy.

There’s a definite theme emerging in the goals/resolutions I have for this year- to really limit the physical books I own, and this goes along with that.  While I haven’t moved yet, I am going to have to think carefully about what I buy- while I do audio books and e-books, I may turn to that more to save on space.  And of course, keep using the library, because those have to go eventually.

5- Take the time to read my library books sooner.

And also to not check out three more books when I have at least 5 sitting on my desk.  I renew and renew, and take way too long to read them.  I clearly need to get this under control.

Hopefully I’ll be able to stick with at least some of them, and that they’ll work out pretty well!

Top Ten Tuesday: My 10 Favorite New Authors I Read In 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers share their own bookish top ten lists based on the topic of the week.  You can check out Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Favorite Brand New-To-Me Authors

Even though I did a lot of re-reading last year, and read quite a few books by authors I’ve read before, I still managed to read quite a few books by authors I’ve never read before.  Here are my new favorite authors.

  1. S. Jae-Jones.  I feel like I’ve been talking about Wintersong a lot lately, but I really did enjoy it, and I can’t wait to see what else she writes.
  2. Megan Spooner.  Hunted was an unexpected surprise, but I really liked it, and now I want to read her other books.
  3. Mitali Perkins.  Why has it taken me so long to read at least one of her books?  I’m glad I did, though, because she is amazing!
  4. Margaret Atwood.  I read The Handmaid’s Tale for the first time last year, but now I’m scared to read her other books, because what if I don’t like them and they don’t live up to this one?  I’m also open to suggestions on which of her books I should read next.
  5. Benjamin Alire Saenz.  I’m terrified to read Aristotle and Dante Discover TOmarhe Universe for the same reason I’m terrified to read Margaret Atwood’s other books.  But I will read it eventually.  I hope.
  6. Angie Thomas.  I loved The Hate U Give, and I can’t wait to see what else Angie Thomas comes up with.
  7. Colson Whitehead.  I really liked The Underground Railroad, but I’m hesitant to give his other books a try because I couldn’t get into Zone One.  But at least I liked The Underground Railroad.
  8. Stephanie Garber.  I’m glad I read Caraval, and I liked enough to consider Garber one of my new favorite authors.
  9. Karumi Riazi.  I thought The Gauntlet was a great book, especially if you liked Jumanji.  I am curious to see what other cool books she writes.
  10. Omar El Akkad.  I didn’t love American War, but I did like it enough to read whatever else he writes.

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books I’m Really Looking Forward To Reading In 2018

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers share their own bookish top ten lists based on the topic of the week.  You can check out Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Ten Books I Really Want To Read In 2018

I am really excited about all of the books coming out next year.  2018 looks like it’s going to be a good year for books, and here are 10 of the books I really want to read.

  1. Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones.  I loved the first book, so I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel.  I hope it lives up to the really high expectations I have for it.
  2. Legendary by Stephanie Garber.  I really liked Caraval when I read it last year, and there are some things that I’m hoping are answered in this book.
  3. Smoke And Iron by Rachel Caine.  If there’s one series I need to keep reading, it’s this one.  This world scares me, and the Library Of Alexandria is absolutely terrifying, but that’s not going to stop me from reading this book when it comes out.
  4. Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner.  This book seems cool!  It’s about intercepting a message from an extinct group of aliens, and I’m very intrigued.
  5. Reign Of The Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh.  The cover is haunting, and it seems like a pretty cool book.  I mean, Necromancer’s are involved, and how can you not like that?
  6. American Panda by Gloria Chao.  This book seems cute, though the cover seems very inspired by When Dimple Met Rishi.  I think we have the new trend in YA covers.  Back to American Panda, though.  It seems right up my alley since it’s about a girl who connects with her brother and is also trying to live up to the expectations that her parents have set for her.
  7. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland.  I feel like I’ve been hearing a lot about this book, and it doesn’t even come out until next year!  Just reading the blurb, it seems like Pride And Prejudice And Zombies meets Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter meets YA.  It sounds really cool, though, and I can’t wait to read it!
  8. Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed.  I’m excited about this one as well, and I’m looking forward to this debut novel about a teen who has to deal with Islamaphobia.  I love Randa Abdel-Fattah, and this book seems like a great read-alike for fans of her books.
  9. Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi.  When I heard there was going to be another book in this series, I got so excited, because it means we get more of Juliette and what she’s been up to.  I can’t wait to read it!
  10. Bright We Burn by Kiersten White.  I’ve loved this series, and I need to know what’s going on with Lada.  Right now will be preferable, but I suppose I can wait if I absolutely have to.

And the honorable mentions, of course, because there are some books that came really close to making the list: the as-of-now untitled book in the His Fair Assassins series by Robin LaFevers (I’m super jazzed there’s going to be another book in this series), My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma (it seems like a cute romance that somehow incorporates Bollywood movies, and a good read-alike for I Believe In A Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo), From Twinkle, With Love by Sandya Menon (which seems to have a When Dimple Met Rishi-inspired cover, but also seems like another super-cute rom-com), and Dance Of Thieves by Mary E Pearson (because you can’t go wrong with a book set in the same universe as the Remnant Chronicles).

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Really Want To Find Under The Christmas Tree

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers share their own bookish top ten lists based on the topic of the week.  You can check out Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Books I Really Want To Find Under The Christmas Tree

This is going to be a good one!  I’m a book person, obviously, since I do have a book blog.  While it’s mostly books, I’ve included a few non-book but book-related things.  Because why not?

  1. Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones.  Even though I’ve already read this book, I still want a copy to have on my shelf.  That cover is absolutely beautiful.  And it is one of my favorite books from this year.
  2. The Court Of Fives series by Kate Elliott.  I’ve read this series, but sadly, I don’t own them.  So I’d love to see them under the Christmas tree this year.
  3. Pretty much any book about Tudor England.  I have quite a few, and there a lot more I actually want on my shelf, but I’m far too lazy to actually give some titles.
  4. So while this isn’t an actual book, it is book-related.  I have a few of the wax melts from this Etsy shop, and I’d love more!  Frostbeard has some amazing scents and who wouldn’t want to read a book while the scent of Christmas At The Burrow wafts by?
  5. How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.  The King Arthur Flour Cookbook is my go-to for baking, and while I have a ton of cookbooks, I’ve heard really good things about his books, and this one seems like a good one to add to my collection.
  6. These donut mugs are adorable, and they are the perfect vessel for some coffee or tea to have next to me when I am reading.
  7. Also, I’d love to feel like I’m in Kowalski’s Bakery when I’m reading.  It looks like bubbleandgeek has a lot of awesome bookish candles…so while Kowalski’s Bakery really speaks to me, I’d be good with any of the candles.
  8. Pretty much any book that’s about Norse mythology.  I’ve had this idea for a re-telling of Norse mythology meets Little Red Riding Hood for a while, but I know nothing about Norse mythology, so it’s been on hold for a while.  Hopefully, some books would help figure out what I should do with this idea.
  9. The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.  I’ve had my eye on this book for a while, because I’ve always wanted to try baking my own bread.  This book seems like it would be a good guide.
  10. Crochet Ever After: 18 Crochet Projects Inspired By Classic Fairy Tales.  I love to crochet, and since I’m a fan of fairy tale re-tellings, this is a good way to make some really cool fairy tale inspired items.

Top Ten Tuesday: My 10 Favorite Books From 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers share their own bookish top ten lists based on the topic of the week.  You can check out Top Ten Tuesdays here.

The 10 Best Books I Read This Year

I haven’t done a lot of reading this year, but I’ve done quite a bit of re-reading too.  It definitely feels like I don’t have any many books to choose from, but here are my favorite books I’ve read this year.

  1. The March Series by John Lewis.  These graphic novels are absolutely amazing, and if you haven’t read them, you really need to!  They show, so very well, what it was like to be part of the civil rights movements and how hard they worked to get equal rights.
  2. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.  I loved this book, and Starr is amazing.  The hype is absolutely worth it, and you won’t regret reading this book.
  3. Now I Rise by Kiersten White.  I’m a huge fan of hers, but Now I Rise is an amazing sequel.  This is a great take on Vlad the Impaler, and Lada is a really interesting character.  I’m pretty sure And I Darken made my Top 10 books of the year last year, but this series is definitely getting better.
  4. When We Collided by Emery Lord.  This book was absolutely beautiful, and all I could do when I finished it was sit and hug the book for a few minutes.  The way I felt about When We Collided…it’s been a long time since I’ve felt that way about a book, and it was good to know I could still feel that way about a book I read.
  5. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.  I really liked this graphic novel, because of how the three stories tied together.  It’s definitely worth checking out, and I can’t imagine this book being told in any other format.
  6. Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones.  I loved this re-telling and it’s so beautiful and dreamlike.  It really reminded me of The Night Circus, and it’s a must-read in my book.
  7. Tell Me Something True by Katherine Owen.  I have loved this entire series, but Tell Me Something True really adds to both Tally and Linc’s story.  Was I sobbing by the end?  Of course I was, but it was worth to see how their story ended.
  8. You Bring The Distant Near by Mitali Perkins.  I really liked seeing 3 generations of women adjust to living in America.  These women were connected by being family, and I liked seeing how much things had changed for them.
  9. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.  It took me forever to actually read this book, but I finally did it!  I liked it a lot more than I thought I would, but at the same time, the book scared me as well because I could picture everything a little too well.
  10. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.  If you haven’t read this book, you really need to!  It is a hard read, but while I was reading it, I felt like I was actually on the Underground Railroad with Cora.  You see how uncertain it is, how hard it is, and most certainly how dangerous it is.  I think it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a while.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Fictional Places I Want To Go To

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers share their own bookish top ten lists based on the topic of the week.  You can check out Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Fictional Places I Would Go To In A Heartbeat

One of my favorite things about reading is all of the traveling I get to do without actually having to go anywhere.  Some places, though, have really stuck with me, and I would give anything to go to the following places.

  1. Hogwarts/The Wizarding World.  This is my top choice, and I’m still convinced my Hogwarts letter got lost in the mail.  I’d love to go to Hogwarts and learn magic.
  2. Narnia.  When I was little, I always thought my closet would lead to Narnia, but sadly, it never did.  Maybe I need to check again…
  3. Middle Earth.  Weird stuff with Sauron aside, I’d definitely like to visit Middle Earth.
  4. Stars Hollow.  I know Gilmore Girls is a t.v. show, but it is still one of my favorite fictional places, and I always wished I lived in a world where Luke, Miss Patty and Kirk are real people.
  5. Night Vale.  Ever since I started listening to Welcome To Night Vale, I’ve fallen in love with that weird desert town.  There are Night Vale books as well, and it really makes me want to live there, even though I’d have to watch out for the Dog Park, the hooded figures, and Street Cleaning day.
  6. The Night Circus.  This book is magical, and I’d love to actually see the Night Circus.
  7. Morganville.  I know weird things always happen here, and there are vampires but still.  I always wanted to know what it was like to at least visit Morganville.  Then again, people always seem to end up staying…
  8. The Invisible Library.  This series is a cool one, but I like the idea of a library that takes you to all of these alternate worlds.
  9. The world of Wintersong.  This book is one of my favorites of the year, and I absolutely loved the world.  Parts of it are a little scary, sure, but overall, I love the world enough to want to go back to it.
  10. The world of Hunted by Megan Spooner.  I finished this book recently, and while this is a cold, dark world, there is still part of me that wants to live there.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Should Try To Read This Winter

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers share their own bookish top ten lists based on the topic of the week.  You can check out Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Books I Will Attempt To Read This Winter

It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve done a Top Ten Tuesday!  I really can’t remember the last time I’ve done one, and knowing me, it’s probably been months, since I haven’t really done a lot of blogging.  But I’m in a blogging mood, and I really do miss doing TTT, so here we go…books I do want to read this winter.

  1. Imprudence by Gail Carriger.  I’ve had this book for ages, but I still haven’t read.  I could use something fun right now, and her books definitely fit the bill.
  2. Dawn Study by Maria V Snyder.  Considering how much I’ve loved this series, I’m really surprised I haven’t listened to the final book in the series.  I’ll have to start listening to it soon.
  3. Bird Box by Josh Malerman.  Even though I’ve already read this book, I really want to listen to the audio book this winter to see how it compares to physically reading it.
  4. The Lumberjanes.  I’ve wanted to read it for a while, but I think I’m ready to actually pick it up and read it.
  5. Tower Of Dawn by Sarah J Maas.  Why haven’t I read it yet?  I really need to start reading it so I know what happens.
  6. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon.  I’ve wanted to listen to this book for a while, because it seems like a really cute book.  I need something light and cute, and this book would work.
  7. Empress Of A Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza.  I feel liked I’ve been talking about wanting to read this book for a while but, of course, I haven’t gotten around to it until now.  But soon, I hope.
  8. Juliet Takes A Breath by Gaby Rivera.  I really liked Gabi, A Girl In Pieces, so I think I’ll really like this one too.
  9. Sorcerer To The Crown by Zen Cho.  I did start this one, but a few pages in, I realized that I’d do better with the audio book.  Which I still haven’t listened to, otherwise it would not be on this list.
  10. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel.  I started this one ages ago, but like Sorcerer To The Crown, the print book was not working for me at all.  I do plan on listening to it, though, because I think I’ll actually finish it if I listen to it.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Releases Of 2017 (So Far)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers share their own bookish top ten lists based on the topic of the week.  You can check out Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Favorite Books Of 2017 (So Far)

This list turned out to be a lot easier than I thought it would be.  I’ve read a lot less this year than I have in previous years, and what I have read…I’ve been less than enthused.  These books are definitely the stand-outs, and I had no problem picking a list of 10 favorites!  All links go to Goodreads!

  1. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo.  I really liked If I Was Your Girl.  Amanda is an amazing character, and it was hard to stop reading it.
  2. Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  I’m not going to lie, part of why I read this book was because it was mentioned on the Gilmore Girls revival.  I really liked seeing the journey she took, and how much hiking changed her.
  3. The Underground Railroad by Coulson Whitehead.  Don’t let the Oprah sticker fool you, this book is really good!  You felt what it was like to be a runaway slave, and how terrifying the Underground Railroad really was.
  4. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.  This is easily my favorite book I’ve read all year.  I thought it was completely amazing, and if you pick up one book this year, this is one I’d recommend in a heartbeat.
  5. The March Series by John Lewis.  This is right up there with The Hate U Give- I’m having a hard time picking a favorite between the two.  This series is one of my favorites because John Lewis shows how hard he- and countless others- fought so that everyone could be equal.
  6. A Court Of Wings And Ruin by Sarah J. Maas.  I didn’t like this one the way I liked ACOTAR or ACOMAF, but it’s still one of my favorite books from this year because I liked seeing where things went.
  7. The Wrath And The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh.  I loved the audio, which I really recommend if you’re considering reading this book.  I felt very immersed i the world, and loved the take on 1001 nights.
  8. Legion by Julie Kagawa.  I was not expecting the book to start or end the way it did, and it’s my favorite book in this series so far.  Which is interesting/funny because I wasn’t a big fan of the series at first.
  9. Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova.  I thought Los Lagos was really vivid, and it had an Alice In Wonderland feel to it, which I really liked.  The magic and traditions really made the book come to life.
  10. City Of Saints And Thieves by Natalie Anderson.  One of my favorite things about this book is how detailed and well-researched it seemed.  The author worked with refugees, and that really came through.  I also liked the rules of being a thief that we saw scattered throughout the book.