Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!
So here is my definition of a beach read: mind candy. I don’t want anything in the way of emotional upheaval, and I just want to laugh a little. My brain doesn’t want to have to work hard to process anything. So here are my top ten beach reads, in no particular order.
The End of the Year Book Survey is hosted by The Perpetual Page Turner.
So, I found this survey on the blogosphere and thought, “You know, this would be awesome.” So I’m going to do it. Hopefully it’ll become an annual thing, and will help you guys find some new books to read. Oh, and cheating is going to be rampant.
1. Best Book You Read In 2012?
Cheating on the first question, ALRIGHT! Here’s my Top Ten Books I Read in 2012!
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Erm, there were a few of these. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins was one of them. The blogosphere blew up about it but I … wasn’t on board as much. Same with Defiance by CJ Redwine. I wanted so much more out of that one. More recently, Prophecy by Ellen Oh. I liked all these, I just expected more.
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2012?
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, most definetly. The way it’s written, I should hate it. But I LOVE IT.
4. Book you recommended to people most in 2012?
Depending on the person, it’s probably a tie between Code Name Verity and Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.
5. Best series you discovered in 2012?
Oof. That’s a hard one. What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang? Throne of Glass? Grave Mercy by R. L. LaFevers? The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa? I can’t pick one!
6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2012?
Nina Berry (Otherkin), Kat Zhang (What’s Left of Me), Jodi Meadows (Incarnate), Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass), Jay Kristoff (Stormdancer)– I should probably stop at some point.
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. I don’t particularly like contemporary YA and am very cynical about YA romance, but this one just turned me into a marshmellow.
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2012?
Insurgent by Veronica Roth. Ohmygod.
9. Book You Read In 2012 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year:
The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead. THE IDIGO SPELL IS COMING!
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2012?
Basically, my one goal here was to avoid a girl in a dress and that was REALLY HARD. This is Crewel by Gennifer Albin!
11. Most memorable character in 2012?
Eva and Addie from What’s Left of Me. These are two girls in one body. IT WAS FANTASTIC.
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2012?
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. Hands down.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2012?
Code Name Verity for sure. Also Pushing the Limits.
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2012 to finally read?
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Yeah, I know, it’s THAT BAD.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2012?
ARE YOU CRAZY THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE? Uh.
“And this, even more wonderful and mysterious, is also true: when I read it, when I read what Julie’s written, she is instantly alive again, whole and undamaged. With her words in my mind while I’m reading, she is as real as I am. Gloriously daft, drop-dead charming, full of bookish nonsense and foul language, brave and generous. She’s right here. Afraid and exhausted, alone, but fighting. Flying in silver moonlight in a plane that can’t be landed, stuck in the climb—alive, alive, ALIVE.”
– Code Name Verity
“Her shoulders never shook. No tears streamed down her face. The worst type of crying wasn’t the kind everyone could see–the wailing on street corners, the tearing at clothes. No, the worst kind happened when your soul wept and no matter what you did, there was no way to comfort it. A section withered and became a scar on the part of your soul that survived. For people like me and Echo, our souls contained more scar tissue than life.”
– Pushing the Limits
“The hand on my hair moved to my back, and I realized someone was singing softly. The voice was familiar, and something about it made my chest ache. Well, that was to be expected. Angels’ songs would be awfully poignant.
“‘I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, when I met you…'” the voice crooned.
I frowned. Was that really an appropriate song for the Heavenly Host to be–”
– Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins
(I think I’ll stop here…)
16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2012?
Longest: Literary Theory: Anthology = 1,314 pages
Shortest: Shadowed Ground by Vicki Keire = 120 pages
17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead. AGGHGHGHGH GUYS IT HAPPENED AND THEN AGHGHGHGH.
18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2012 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
Endlessly by Kiersten White, because EVIE AND LEND. But also Syndey and Adrian from The Golden Lily. But then there’s Noah and Echo in Pushing the Limits. And Sophie and Archer from Spell Bound. And Ellie and Will from Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton.
19. Favorite Book You Read in 2012 From An Author You Read Previously
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare or Wings of the Wicked or Spell Bound.
20. Best Book You Read That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, thanks to THE ENTIRE BLOGOSPHERE.
I’m going to hold this here because wow this is already long, but there are plenty of other questions about blogging and stuff on the whole thing, so check out The Perpetual Pageturner for more questions and blogs!
Endlessly (Paranormalcy #3) by Kiersten White
Evie’s paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.
The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie’s hands.
So much for normal.
4 stars
Disclaimer: If you haven’t read Paranormalcy or Supernaturally, mild spoilers WILL follow
Holy bleep. It’s over. It’s really bleeping over.
I need to go grab my pinkest, sparkliest shirt and cry.
But you know what?
This trilogy not only STAYED a trilogy (thank God), but it also ended just the way I wanted it to, in the way that I wanted it to.
Well, sort of.
Opening these pages was really hard to do. It’s the beginning of the end, you know? I really enjoyed the first two books of the series for what they were: fun, fluffy, sugar hyped rides that made me giggle while gripping the pages in a MUST KEEP READING frenzy. I expected everything and anything from Endlessly. In a way, I got both.
It was, as ever, a crazy, quirky ride. Evie remained the same crazy chick she always was, but in a way that also bothered me a little. I honestly can’t see too much difference between Evie at the start and Evie at the finish, and after all she’s gone through I expected at least a little bit of something more. Because of the way Evie is written, it’s often hard to find depth in her character. …of course, if you’re reading these books for depth, you’re kind of in the wrong place.
Lend didn’t take as much precedence in this book as I wanted him too, simply because he and Evie are so cute together. Of course, Evie was FREAKIN’ BUSY saving the world and everything, but Lend could have helped out a little more than he did. The one time he DID go with Evie, he spent most of his time naked and passed out and Evie didn’t even appreciate it. (No, it was totally PG. It’s a loooong story, folks.)
I was actually quite surprised to see as much of Jack and Reth as we did. After all, who would partner up with two people who tried to kill her and/or otherwise harm her? Oh, right, Evie. Despite her and Lend’s apparent lack of depth, a surprising amount of it was given to Jack and Reth, which I absolutely loved. We really got to know these characters and understand them, and they became so much more than just accomplices. Reth, especially. I didn’t even like him in the first couple of books, but after this one I just felt … all of the things for him.
You guys all know how I pick at logical consistencies. For Kiersten White, I’ll put a lid on it. Several key plot points and twists did not make sense and/or happened far too fast, but you know what? Again, if water tight plot is what you’re looking for, you’re in the wrong place.
I don’t want to talk too much about the plot, but let me just say this: did you want to know more about the faeries? You’ll get it. You’ll get A LOT of it. This one is very faerie-centric. You’ll even get to spend a LOT of time in the Faerie Realms. Did you want to see more supernatural creatures? You’ll get them. There’s even a dragon and a unicorn. Do you want to know the entire purpose behind creating the Empty Ones? You’ll get that. (Hint: It’s not what you think by a loooong shot.) Several characters make unexpected returns as well. And that’s all I’m saying. 😛
I enjoyed Paranormalcy as much as I did because it was quite possibly the quirkiest book I ever read. I laughed out loud out of pure, “Are you serious?” at times, just because of Evie’s personality. It was pure, undiluted mind candy. PINK, SPARKLY mind candy. And it was amazing. Supernaturally was more of the same, even if I felt it didn’t measure up to Paranormalcy. Endlessly at least matched Supernaturally. There were too few opportunities for me to laugh in this one–again, understandable because Evie is freaking out trying to save the world, but still. That said, I found Endlessly to be a fitting finale for the series. The entire series was tied neatly with a bow–a pink, sparkly one. Have fun with your normal life, Evie!
However unnormal it will be.
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!
It’s a TTT Rewind week! For this one, I’m fudging the criteria a little. I thought it was really cool to show what reviews are coming up on the blog when I did this on September 4, so I’m going to do it again! And tell me if you’d rather see it never ever again.
1. Katya’s World by Jonathan L. Howard
I actually haven’t read a dystopian in ever, so I’m really excited to take another dip back into it. This one just strikes me as different for some reason, and I hope it lives up to it’s expectations. Look for this one October 12th.
2. Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
I have had this since JUNE and it’s KILLING me that I haven’t read it yet. But the release date still isn’t til November, so here we are a crapton of months later. Luckly, this review is finally coming October 19th!
This one has a really long title for not such a big book. But anyways. I have a physical copy of this sucker and I’m so happy because there are some high flying names in this one! I can’t wait to share it with you, even if I have no idea how to review it. This review will appear in some fashion on October 22nd.
4. The Messenger by Pamela DuMond
This book has, for some reason, switched titles and covers since I signed up for the blog tour, but I digress. This is the stuff Goodreads is using now, so don’t shoot me if it’s wrong. But, anyways, this is a blog tour and there will be a review and all will be discovered on October 25th.
I consider myself to be lucky to have an ARC of this, considering I never realized the release date had been pushed back to November and it just happened to show up amid the chaos that is the new NetGalley. Look for a review October 29th – just in time for Halloween!
6. Endlessly by Kiersten White
This is the one and only book on this list that I have actually already read. Read a while ago, too. But I kept pushing it back for other scheduled blog tours and author interviews. I REFUSE to bump it ANOTHER month, so November 1st it is!
7. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
This is another one I keep pushing back, half because it was published ages ago and so I had to make room for newer releases and half because the reviews that came out all frightened me half to death. This should be interesting. Mark your calenders for November 2nd.
This is a new acquisition that I’m VERY excited about. It’s fantasy, but it’s also historical and I LOVE IT when those two things mix. Hopefully it’ll live up to my expectations. You’ll see November 5th!
9. Secrets by Tim Mettey
This one actually doesn’t have a cover or a Goodreads page yet, but I JUST got my ARC in the mail and that’s very exciting. This one is scheduled for November 12th.
Now I don’t actually have this one yet, but it does come out November 13th so Tor/Forge should be sending it to me some time before that. I have no idea when the review will go live, but it’s possible it’ll throw at least half these dates out of whack. 😛
I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.
YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST.
MY LIFE IS A NOTEBOOK HAS HIT 1,000 FOLLOWERS!
When I started this blog, I had HOPES that someday I’d hit this number, but when I started out the numbers went up REALLY slow. I started to stop letting that bother me and just work on writing and reading and having fun, because blogging is supposed to be about the numbers. But now that day has actually come. 1,000 followers. Wow.
I know there are a bunch of bigger blogs out there and that 1,000 isn’t as much of a milestone to some of you, but it really is to me so thank you guys SO MUCH for helping me reach this point.
I WOULDN’T BE HERE WITHOUT YOU.
On that note, I decided to put it up to a vote about which books you guys would win from my celebratory giveaway. The answer was, overwhelmingly:
THE PARANORMALCY SERIES BY KIERSTEN WHITE!
So here we go, guys! Click HERE to enter – just remember the giveaway is US only and ends September 30th at 11:59 PM. Sadly, I couldn’t open this up internationally because I’m now a broke college kid, but I have some international ones coming up, promise!
Hi guys! Here’s this week’s Stacking the Shelves, as hosted by Tynga’s Reviews!
Blog Tour:
Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy – Goodreads
For Review:
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire – Goodreads
The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges – Goodreads
Bought:
Captive Queen by Alison Weir – Goodreads
Figures in Silk by Vanora Bennett – Goodreads
Fudoki by Kij Johnson – Goodreads
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente – Goodreads
Discount Armaggedon by Seanan McGuire – Goodreads
The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross – Goodreads
Gilt by Katherine Longshore – Goodreads
Endlessly by Kiersten White – Goodreads
Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine
Title: Endlessly
Author: Kiersten White
Expected Publication: July 24, 2012
Blurb from Goodreads: Try as she might, Evie can’t seem to escape her not-so-normal past. And what was supposed to be a blissfully normal school break is ruined when a massive group of paranormals shows up at her house, claiming that Evie is the only one who can protect them from a mysterious, perilous fate.
The deadly war between the faerie courts looms ever closer. The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its future rests solely in Evie’s hands.
So much for normal.
With a perfect blend of humor and suspense, Endlessly is everything readers could dream of in a conclusion—and the unexpected twists will keep them guessing until the very last page.
Why I’m Waiting: GUYS. HAVE YOU NEVER READ THESE BOOKS? Without a doubt, these books are some of the quirkiest stuff I’ve ever read. It’s hysterical and adorable all at once. It’s just pure, ecstatic fun. Also, this is the final book in the trilogy, so 😥 but at the same time I WANT SO MUCH. July 24th can’t come fast enough!
Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
My TBR list is OUT OF CONTROL. Seriously. Trying to pick just 10 books is going to be super hard. However, I’ve tried to break this down so maybe it’ll make some sense. And keep me from going overboard. I’m going with 5 books I have but need to read, and then 5 books I want to get this summer!
Have but need to read:
Rapture by Lauren Kate ~ Insignia by SJ Kincaid ~ Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill ~ The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Cathrynne Valente ~ The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Books I can’t wait to get!
Endlessly by Kiersten White ~ Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff ~ Defiance by CJ Redwine ~ Starling by Lesley Livingston ~ Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
Yes, this countdown required not one but TWO postings. Why? Because there are so many amazing books out there! If you missed part 1, you can find it here. But enough babbling, let’s get to the BOOKS.
RAPTURE by Lauren Kate (Fallen #4)
Release date: June 12
Why: Because I enjoyed all three previous books for the most part, and I’ve seen this through so far I can’t help but see it through. If you’ve read my blog before you know I hate hate hate the instantly in love YA cliché, but Kate makes it work as much as it ever can. The last book, Passion, was a genuinely interesting trek through time that really departed from the first two, so I hope Rapture will be just as interesting!
THE GOLDEN LILY by Richelle Mead (Bloodlines #2)
Release date: June 19
Why: Because Mead’s Vampire Academy world is freaking amazing. I may never adore another set of her characters like I did Rose and Dmitri, but honestly the characters of Bloodlines are putting up a pretty goodfight–even though I hadn’t liked many of them when they showed up in the VA books. Then there is Adrian, whom I would read ANYTHING about. Plus, the end of Bloodlines? The VA character that showed up? I NEED TO READ THIS SO BADLY. It comes out the day after my birthday, so those future gift cards of mine have already been waaay committed.
ENDLESSLY by Kiersten White (Paranormalcy #3)
Release date: July 24
Why: Okay, I’m not going to lie: these books are quirky. They are way quirky. It takes a certain type of reader to be able to take the quirkiness that is Evie. But you know what? I love it. The books are easy reads that are cute and funny, and pretty exciting when you get into it. Also, interesting. The plot line is pretty original for a “let’s through every paranormal in the world into one book” scenario. I love me some evil faeries. Endlessly won’t be on my MUST HAVE NOW list the second it comes out, but it will most certainly be on my bookshelf pretty soon after.
COURTSHIP AND CURSES by Marissa Doyle
Release date: August 7
Why: Because I’m genuinely curious. I read Doyle’s Leland sisters duet and thoroughly enjoyed them, and this is clearly in the same vein. Goodreads billed this as the third book in that series, but the blurb makes no mention of them at all. Are they in it? Is this going to be a redux of that series with a new character with a much less flashy name? I suppose we’ll see August 7!
HIDDEN by PC and Kristin Cast (House of Night #10)
Release date: October 6
Why: Because I’m hoping it’s the last one, honestly. I’ve held on with this series this far because I didn’t think they could drag this out THIS LONG and because Stark is hot. That is baaaasically it. I haven’t even bought the last one yet (pictured here because I wanted a pretty picture)because I wouldn’t cry if I had to give up the series right there because HOW MUCH MORE? How much more stringing out can there BE? WHERE do they keep coming up with more? It is this twisted reasoning that allows this book on this list.
UNTITLED by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me #2)
Release date: November 2012
Why: No, this book doesn’t have a title or a cover yet, but it can’t help but be on my list. The first book (pictured here) made my book review turn into a rant of epic proportions and made me LOSE MY MIND. I can’t NOT read this book because Tahereh Mafi is writing it and I have this yearning faith that she’ll get her act together and write like the FANTASTIC writer she is just waiting to be.
UNTITLED by Ally Condie (Matched #3)
Release date: November 13
Why: Because I genuinely want to know how this ends. I’m still trying to get my hands on Crossed and my review of Matched wasn’t glowing, but…hey. This series is only three books and I’m interested. Why not? Pretty sure these books are worth it just for Ky, anyways. Maybe my views will change when I read the second book, but I’m staying open-minded. (The image here is only the teaser cover, not the actual one–in case you were wondering.)
CLOCKWORK PRINCESS by Cassandra Clare (Infernal Devices #3)
Release date: November
Why: Must we go over this again? IT’S CLARE. Yes, in case you were confused, this is a different series. Clare is currently going back and forth between them to keep them both moving along so nobody kills her. With the hangers she always ends the books at, it wouldn’t surprise me if someone threatened her with that. Especially, you know, Clockwork Prince. This book needs to come out SO MUCH FASTER. With the addition of the 3 “not planned” books to The Mortal Instruments, I must say that The Infernal Devices has become my favorite because it feels fresh and exciting, not like she’s forcing more plot out. I was really worried the books were going to turn out too parallel to each other but…nope! They are both equally amazing and equally different. GIVE ME MORE!
And that’s it for now! Until, you know, tomorrow when I’m browsing Goodreads and OHMYGOODNESS LOOK AT THAT BOOK THAT’S COMING OUT. Because it will happen. It always does. 😀
My Life is a Notebook 