The List of Twelve

Hello Friends,

 I have mentioned in the past, I don't do well with strict TBR lists. I am to much of a mood reader for that. I like reading what I want when I want. So being constricted to a set of books per month kind of sucked for. This would often result in me reading less. However, I REALLY love lists- more, I love completing a task and and crossing that task off. There is nothing more satisfying.

Moving on- as many of you know first hand- there are so many books and so little time. I could fill pages and pages in a notebook with all of the books that I would like/need to read. Whenever I am with friends who read (or worse fellow bloggers), I find myself often saying "Oh, I haven't read that" or "I have been meaning to read that" or "Not yet, but it's on my TBR," So many times, it's embarrassing.

SO- The List of Twelve- which I mentioned briefly in my 2016 Bookish Resolutions-  twelve books I want to read in 2016. This is a random selection of novels, some I have been saying to myself I have to read, some are classics that I ashamed to say I haven't read, others are books I am just curious about and want to experience. It's an odd assortment. And I am very excited to tackle it.

1) Pride and Prejudice
(January)

Jane Austen 

2) Jane Eyre 

Charlotte Bronte

3) The Little Prince
(February)

Antoine de Saint-Exupery 

4) The BFG 

Roald Dahl 

5) Ready Player One
(January)

Ernest Cline

6) An Abundance of Katherines 

John Green

7) The Shadow of the Wind 

Carlos Ruiz Zafon

8)The Five People You Meet in Heaven 

Mitch Alboom

9) The Archived 

Victoria Schwab 

10) Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe 

Benjamin Alire Sanez 

11) To Kill a Mockingbird 

Harper Lee

12) Dracula 

Bram Stoker

Note- I am starting the year with Pride and Prejudice, but I am not reading these books in this particular order, I am going to read them when I feel like it- the goal is just to read at least one per month. I love the diversity of this list and I am excited about it. I can't wait to look back on it next January and see if I completed this mini challenge for myself. I'll be referring back to this post throughout the year to help me stay on track and to scratch off the books I have completed. 

~Happy Reading Everyone
 

Best Read of 2015

Again, I know I am a little behind on this- but better late then never. I thought about not posting it, but I felt like I needed to round out 2015 and share with you my favourite five reads of the year. Yes, there are only five.

A few months ago I shared a similar list- my favourites so far- and reviewing it, there is some overlap (2 books), but I read some really fantastic books in the last quarter of the year.

So here they are:

5) Vicious by VE Schwab

I was actually very surprised with how much I enjoyed this one. I really loved the concept of what makes a super hero and what makes a villain (I have a thing for super heroes). This book just did it for me.

4) Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

It's maybe a little cliche to have this one as a favourite- but this book made me think about life and what living really means. It stuck with me. If you haven't read this, you really need to.

3) Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

As I mentioned in my review of Attachments, I felt like it could have been talking about MY life. It was freaky. But the way Rowell told the story was so beautiful and honest. I really appreciated that. Being a grown up is hard, but you gotta  do it, and you gotta move with the shakes.

2) Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

This one kind of snuck up on me. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. For me it was very reminiscent of Huntley Fitzpatrick's The Boy Next Door. I really liked Sydney and how her character developed. I also appreciate the role of the parents in the majority of Dessen's novels (I've only read 3). I find in a lot of YA, the parents are very absent (sometimes for no reason).  However, in this book the parents were very present and played a significant part.

1) I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Despite how I felt when I initially read this book (my thoughts), I absolutely adored it. Going through all the novels I read in 2015, this book stuck with me. I really feel like I want to reread this book and experience it all over again. It truly is a beautiful story- and the way Nelson tells it... breathtaking.

So, there you have it. My top five of 2015. I hope you enjoyed. I am really looking forward to reading even more amazing novels in 2016. I feel fired up to read. 

Happy Reading Everyone! 

2016 -Bookish- Resolutions

Hello Lovelies,

Well, I know I am a little behind when it comes to sharing my 2016 goals- this is mostly because I have been thinking and pondering about them and wanting to make sure that I am setting realistic goals/resolutions. So I have been thinking and planning (my new favourite thing).

I don't have a lot of crazy bookish resolutions. They are simple, but at the same time, I think they will also challenge me. So, here goes.


2016 Reading Challenge

This year I have been a little ambitious with my reading goal- I have aimed high and set a goal of 90 books for 2016. 2015 I only read 72 books (and let's be honest, a good chunk of those books were audiobooks). Really, I got a little lazy in 2015--more, I was focused on other things and reading was put on the back burner. Which is totally okay, but I certainly felt like something was missing and I wasn't as relaxed. So, 90 books this year.




Finish at Least ONE (1) Book a Week

I actually mean read read. Audiobooks were my thing in 2015 and I am sure they will continue to be my thing in 2016, but I find sitting down and reading a physical book extremely comforting and truly relaxing. So that is my plan- one book a week. Ideally I would finish one book Monday-Friday and another on the weekend, but come on, I also am hoping to maintain what little of social life I have.

Read One Book a Month From my List of Twelve (12)

In the past, I have tried to do monthly TBRs- Those didn't really work out for me. I am a mood reader and can't be contained to a specific set of books each month. However, there are a number of books I have said I wanted/needed to read. I would like to tackle this list. While I don't have the list completed yet, here is a sample:

Pride and Prejudice (Can you believe I haven't read this book yet? terrible).
Jane Eyre
The Little Prince
An Abundance of Katherines (This is the only John Green novel I haven't read).
Room 
Ready Player One
The Shadow of the Wind
 

The idea behind this is to broaden my horizons. I tend to read a lot of contemporary/romance-y type novels. Which I am totally okay with. However, in the last few years I have tried to move away from my usual and try fantasy a bit and discovered some really amazing novels and authors. Again, I am wanting to stray from my comfort zone a bit. One book at a time.

Read One YA Debut Author a Month

I am not officially participating in the 2016 YA Debut Author challenge (I have in the past and it was a really wonderful experience for me) and I really love the concept of it. There are so many new authors releasing their books this year and I want to read them. I have explored the list on Goodreads a bit and was excited with what I saw. If you have any recommendations on what I should read- let me know.


Tidy up my Goodreads bookshelves. 

They are a mess and I need to clean house.

My Thoughts: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you ..."

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say . . . ?

This book. This book, was special. I could probably end my thoughts on that right there. But really- I read this book exactly when I needed to read this book, and it will probably stay with me forever. It is not lost on me that I am here talking about a vintage (Attachments was released way back in 2011-before the Eleanor and Park phenomena) Rainbow Rowell, when all anyone is talking about is the greatness that is Carry On- which is vastly different from Attachments, but I digress.

Attachments, at it's core, is a fairly simple story. It's about a boy (Lincoln) who is hired by a newspaper to monitor the staff's internet use. He stumbles upon Beth and Jennifer's interactions when their emails to one another are flagged. But instead of sending the duo a warning, Lincoln is drawn to the two (Beth specifically) and continues to read their emails and starts to connect with them in a way he wasn't expecting. It's creepy and weird and Lincoln is very aware of this. But still, he can't really stop. The rest of the novel is spent reading Jennifer and Beth's emails to one another and living life with Lincoln.

I was really able to relate to Beth and Jennifer and their worries. There were a number of themes and ideas in Attachments that completely resonated with me. I'm the same age as both women, I work in an office setting and I am also trying to make sense of this adult living thing (#adulting). So, in that sense, this was THE book for me. And Rowell does it so perfectly. She captures the real life struggles of twenty somethings everywhere. Relationships, jobs, families, babies, and the pressure to have all these things. There were some times where I felt like this novel was talking about my life: it was frightening. Rowell doesn't address these things in a negative way- it's very matter of fact. Shit happens, and you have to deal with it. There is good and there is bad.

My favourite thing about Attachments was how the characters grew into themselves and their situations for themselves. There was no conforming or changing for the sake of someone else. I loved that message Rowell was able to share. Life is crazy and things change and everyone is going to experience and react to that change in their own way, and that is okay. I loved that.

Jennifer and Beth's emails are hilarious. There were so many times I would start giggling at what they were talking about and how they would talk about it. Their friendship was wonderful and they were so supportive of one another (even when they disagreed). Lincoln was a gem. He was the most confused of characters. He wasn't sure where he was heading. He made it in the end and he figured himself out.

Overall, I loved this book, and I was sad when it ended. While this story may be boring to some- you are all crazy. No, not true. However, Attachments was an honest representation of what it's like to grow up and all of a sudden discover that you are an adult.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

My Thoughts: The Bourbon Kings by JR Ward

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive.

Knowing me is to know that I am a bit obsessed with JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I have been reading those books for years. While her writing isn't perfect and her characters are sometimes a little over dramatic, I love it all. So it was safe to say that I was pretty excited to hear she was coming out with a novel that involved a wealthy southern family- The Bourbon Kings. With this new novel I was expecting deceit, secrets and betrayal. With all of that, I was also expecting a good story, and unfortunately- I didn't really get that- ugh, it completely pains me to say that!!!

The synopsis of the story suggests that The Bourbon Kings is Lane and Lizzie's story about finding their way back to one another after years apart- due largely to misunderstandings and a meddling family. However, there is SO MUCH MORE going on in this story, and Lane and Lizzie's story is kind of just thrown in willy nilly. It felt very rushed. This part of the story was SO dry it was awful! There was just to much going on in this book. So many characters with their own little dramas. So many secrets and lies (I don't mind secrets and lies, but there were to many to keep track of in this book). I had the hardest time keeping track of who was who, and who did what to whom. It was to much. Honestly, I think this would make a pretty interesting TV show- but it would need to be done right- otherwise it would just get cancelled- like after the first episode.

Overall, The Bourbon Kings is one big ole' soap-opera. So dramatic and over the top. I just couldn't like it- and I tried. In saying that, I will probably give the second book of this series a try and see if she flushes stuff out a bit more. Perhaps there was just a lot to introduce in this first novel and the second will be a bit more rounded- what can I say, I love the WARDen and I refuse to lose hope.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

My Thoughts: The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny.

First, let me say- the end of this book. Whaaaaaat?!?! If you know me, or have been following this blog for a bit, than you know I am not one to read fantasy novels. My tastes run more contemporary. That doesn't mean I don't stray every now and again. Like last year for instance- I moved away from my contemporary bubble and picked up The Kiss of Deception. the first novel in Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles. And I was blown away. I loved that book. The story grabbed hold and took off with me trailing behind- you can read all about what I thought here. I loved the characters, I loved the writing and I loved the overall plot. It was a really great read for me, and I was super excited about what was to come.

The Heart of Betrayal's release date came and went without me really knowing that it was coming. I have been in a non-bookish bubble for sometime, and I am just now breaking free. So, while I was eagerly awaiting this release, I have only just finished it (two months after it hit the shelves).

Initially I was worried that The Heart of Betrayal was going to be a victim of the second book syndrome. You know that one- where the second book in a trilogy really feels like a filler novel, it doesn't really move the story along. This is NOT the case with The Heart of Betrayal. Pearson really kept the story kept moving with this one, and she introduced new elements and idea that really added to the overall story. There is a more political aspect to this novel- as Lia and Rafe now find themselves prisoners of Venda and their feared ruler the Komizar (who is a real bastard if I can say so myself). Venda is an interesting place, it's an isolated kingdom with little to offer. The Komizar is a fierce leader who has these big ambitions- I am trying really hard not to spoil anything here, so I am being very vague- and he's not letting anyone or anything get in the way of those ambitions.

The characters also grew and matured in The Heart of Betrayal. I continue to be a big fan of Lia. She's a bit more vulnerable in this second installment, but she's also grown a ton. She's experienced a lot of terrible things- again being vague- she's also been able to experience a culture that is new to her. She's formed a bond with some of the Vendan children- something she wasn't expecting, and she's able to see the people as more than uncivilized barbarians.

Let me briefly mention- there is no love triangle in this novel- none. The Kiss of Deception alludes to one briefly, but not really. So if you are staying away from there books for that reason- I say don't worry about it, it's non existent.

Overall, I loved this book, I thought it was a brilliant addition to this trilogy. There was so much happening and I found that I couldn't read fast enough. I cannot wait for The Beauty of Darkness- which is out next year- this hurts my heart.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

My Thoughts: Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

From the author of This Song Will Save Your Life comes a funny and relatable book about the hazards of falling for a person you haven't met yet.

Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. Taking care of her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But she's tired of being loyal to people who don't appreciate her—including her needy best friend and her absent mom.

Arden finds comfort in a blog she stumbles upon called "Tonight the Streets Are Ours," the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter. When Peter is dumped by the girlfriend he blogs about, Arden decides to take a road trip to see him.

During one crazy night out in NYC filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was, either

**Review copy received from publisher

Tonight the Streets Are Ours, is a book I have been anticipating for some time now. Leila Sales blew my mind with This Song Will Save Your Life, that I gifted the novel six different times, to six very different people, all of whom loved it. It was THAT good! That story resonated with me in such a special way and I was very eager to see what Sales was going to bring to the table with her newest tale.

Tonight the Streets Are Ours is about a girl- Arden- trying to figure herself out, and she's not really sure how to do that. Arden, once described as recklessly loyal, doesn't know that the means for her anymore, and she's trying to work that out. Arden loves deeply and is fiercely protective, and this has defined her for most of her life. However, she's now wondering if that's enough for her. Her ever present mother has taken off for the big city, her workaholic dad has done little to pick up the slack, she is finding it hard to connect with her best friend and she's wondering if her boyfriend is really what she needs. With all these on her mind, Arden stumbles across Peter's blog and instantly she is drawn to him and the content she finds on his blog.

As I mentioned, I adored This Song Will Save Your Life, and I wanted more of that. I wanted to experience the same wonder and awe. I didn't get that that with Tonight the Streets Are Ours. That's not saying it wasn't a good story, it was.  I just didn't connect with it as much as it's predecessor. It was still a powerful story, with with important and valuable things said. I appreciated how Arden was able to find her niche in the end.

One thing that sort of irked me though, was how long it look Arden and Peter to actually meet. The synopsis suggests that this is a large part of the story. It's not. It's more than half way through the novel before Arden and Peter actually speak to one another face to face. This was a bit disappointing. There was a lot of buildup to this meeting and than- nothing really (I am trying to avoid spoilers here). Another thing that I wasn't super convinced with the Arden's relationship with her best friend Lindsay. I didn't understand why they were friends. They didn't seem to have a thing in common. I wasn't sure they even really liked each other. In the beginning, I felt like Lindsay was using Arden, and didn't really value their friendship. This does seem to mimic how Arden's feeling throughout the novel. She's feeling really unappreciated.

For me, one of the best parts of the novel was Peter. Peter is completely not what he seems, and I loved that. I really don't want to spoil anything here, so I am not going to say much, other than, Peter is far from perfect and has a very narrow view of his surroundings. I enjoyed this part of the book.

Overall, I went into Tonight the Streets Are Ours, with very high expectations. I was looking for a similar reading experience to the one that I had with This Song Will Save Your Life, which I think does this novel a huge disservice. I was in a different place a year and a half ago. I really did enjoy Tonight the Streets Are Ours, I loved the characters and how imperfect they were (this seems to be a theme for me). Sales has a made a fan of me and I am looking forward to more from her.

~Happy Reading Everyone!