Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Bromances

This week’s Top 5 Wednesday (see their Good Reads group here) is: Favorite Bromances.  I think we have done this topic before in the distant past, but who doesn’t love a good bromance? Bromance = platonic relationship between two male characters.

1. Darrow and Sevro from the Red Rising trilogy. I love them both and they are always better together.

2. Garret, Logan, Dean, & Tucker from the Off-Campus series. I only read the first two books and then it got a little too far into erotica territory for me, but these boys cracked me up.

3. The Raven Boys: Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah. These characters are the reason these books are so popular.

4. Declan and Rev from Letters to the Lost. The romance in this book was ok, but the bromance in between these two is what made it for me.

 

5. JD and Turk from Scrubs. Yes, it’s not a book, but theirs is the ultimate bromance. I think the first time I ever heard the term was in connection with them.

What are your favorite fictional bromances?

Top 5 Wednesday: Most Misleading Synopses

This week’s Top 5 Wednesday is: Most Misleading Synopses. Ever read a synopsis and think it sounds dumb, but then you read the book years later and it’s actually amazing? Ever read a synopsis and think it sounds amazing, but it actually turns out to be nothing like the synopsis? Ever have a synopsis spoil something that happens 75% of the way into the book so you just spend most of your time waiting for that one element you already know? This is the topic for you.

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I thought this was a YA Paranormal Romance with action-packed magical dueling. Um, no. Not at all. It’s amazing, but the synopsis didn’t get me to read it, it was all the great reviews that did.

2. Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig. I expected a lot of mystery and suspense with the main character’s big secret to play a major factor in it. Instead his secret had nothing to do with the mystery and took up a lot of focus of the plot (but it was much more well done than the mystery side of the plot, so…).

3. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. It took about 200 pages to get to the part with Lila that’s mentioned in the synopsis.

4. The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister. Book comparisons will always disappoint me. This was compared to The Night Circus and is not at all accurate. Also, I thought it was going to be really surprising and shocking based on the synopsis, but I found it predictable and kind of dull.

5. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. The synopsis makes it sound like the romance in the book is way more prominent than it is. In reality it’s a much more interesting book than that.

What are some book synopses that you’ve found misleading?

Olympic Book Tag

I saw this tag over on Brandie is a Book Junkie and since I am a little obsessed with the Olympics, I knew I had to do it.

This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills. I read this book in one sitting.

My One and Only by Kristan Higgins.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid. There are not many books that can pull off a good love triangle, but this one definitely does.

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan. This is a re-telling and I think maybe I should’ve read the source material to really appreciate it.

Truly Madly Greekly by Mandy Baggot. I don’t actually remember if this takes place in the summer, but it’s definitely a beach read, so I’m counting it.

Golden Son by Pierce Brown. And I loved every second of it!

Red Rising by Pierce Brown.

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

The Perfect Neighbors by Sarah Pekkanen. Not a lot of plot, but loads of character development.

The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin. I read so, so many of these books as a kid.

White Cat by Holly Black. This isn’t necessarily about animals, but the white “cat” plays an important role.

The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter. While I liked many other books by this author, this one just drove me completely insane.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. I just loved the group of friends in this series.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. Ok, this one isn’t actually about the Olympics, but it does have a side character that’s an ice skater trying to get into the Olympics.

The Raven Cycle 1-3 Re-Read

     

It seems like we’ve been waiting for the last book of The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater for a very long time. In the mean time I’ve been singing the series’ praises and slightly forgetting all of the details of the story thus far. To gear up for the release of The Raven King on April 26th, I decided a series re-read was in order.

To see my original reviews, click on the links below:

The Raven Boys

Blue Lily, Lily Blue

(For some reason I never reviewed The Dream Thieves, but this link will take you to it’s Good Reads page.)

Some Thoughts from the Re-Read

*I originally rated the first two books as 3 stars and later decided I was probably too harsh with those ratings. However, after re-reading them I think I stand by my rating. While I could talk all day long about how much I love the characters, most of the actual plot is not really my cup of tea – and it’s a little confusing.

*Each book in the series is better than the one before. The characters become more developed, the stakes become higher.

*I completely forgot about how very much I ship Gansey and Blue! I’ve always loved them, of course, but I forgot about all the super cute moments they have throughout the series. I love that it’s such a slow burn romance and that it’s only a part of their relationship and not all encompassing.

*While I love the way Ronan and Adam’s friendship has developed, I’ve never really shipped them. Previously, I thought people shipping them were crazy because it seemed completely one-sided to me. While I still don’t ship them, I did notice a lot of moments between them that I see could give shippers hope than I did the first time around. And I apologize for the number of times I said “ship” in this paragraph.

*I thought that I would understand all the confusing parts of the story better the second time around, but I did not and it really annoyed me. While I still strongly maintain the characters make this series worth the read, I found how confusing it was to be a little intolerable at times. Am I the only one that doesn’t really understand Cabeswater and all the magic and Adam’s Cabeswater connection and most of what happened in the cave at the end of Blue Lily, Lily Blue?

*I LOVE THE CHARACTERS IN THIS SERIES. I adore them all just as much the second time around. I even enjoy some of the villains – Kavinsky and Colin in particular. I love the relationship between the core group – Gansey, Ronan, Adam, Noah, and Blue. When they are all together are definitely my favorite parts of the series. They are each so unique and well-developed and I wish I came up with them.

*While I didn’t completely enjoy the re-read as much as I thought I would, I still really do love and recommend this series. The characters are some of the best that I’ve ever read and Stiefvater is definitely a gifted writer. I’m really looking forward to see how it all turns out in The Raven King.

OTP Book Tag

I saw this over on Books for Thought  (go check her out!) and thought it looked fun. OTP, for those that don’t know = One True Pair.

1. An a unpopular OTP that you ship

Clary & Simon from The Mortal Instruments series. I felt bad for Simon that Clary led him on for so long. At the end of the day, though, I think Simon is too good for Clary, so I guess I don’t ship it all that much. But I couldn’t think of anything else.

2. An OTP that you didn’t ship but now you do

Warner and Juliette from the Shatter Me series. The first book was obviously Adam Forever, but book two totally changed that.

3. Your most hated OTP

Hayley and Bryce from Blackmail Boyfriend. Hayley is a complete psycho and needs therapy, not a boyfriend.

4. An OTP that took way too long to get together

Jennifer and Anthony from The Last Letter from your Lover. It took decades.

5. Your favourite non-canon OTP

  

Cricket and Anna from the Anna and the French Kiss series. Cricket is my favorite and he deserves much better than Lola. And while I do like Anna and St. Claire together (once he finally dumped his girlfriend), I always thought she and Cricket would work.

6. Your favourite BROTP

The Raven Boys, hands down.

7. An OTP you adored in the books but not as much in the movies or tv adaptation

Sookie and Eric from the Sookie Stackhouse Series/True Blood. They were a major thing for many of the books, but barely a thing in the show (though I never saw the last two or three seasons of the show).

8. A popular OTP that no matter how hard you tried you just can’t ship it

Cole and Ali from The White Rabbit Chronicles. I just can’t even. I’m on the third book right now and every part I read that’s about their relationship makes me want to throw my Nook. I don’t think I’m going to be able to finish this series (so if anyone wants to give me a spoiler on how it all ends, I’m all ears!)

9. Your favourite LGBT + OTP

Simon and Baz from Carry On.

10. Your all time favourite OTP

Kami and Jared from The Lynbun Legacy series

Cinder and Kai from The Lunar Chronicles

I tag anyone who would like to participate.

The Seasons of Book Blogging Tag

I have been an awful blogger lately! I haven’t been able to focus – I’m “currently reading” three different books – so not only have I not been posting, but I’ve been slacking on reading other’s posts. To help get me out of my rut I decided it was time for a tag and this one looked fun. I was tagged for The Seasons of Book Blogging Tag by A Novel Glimpse.

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Rules and Regulations:

• Thank the creator and the person who tagged you.
• Begin with the month in which you have been tagged and move forward from there!
• State the best gift you’ve ever been given after you answer the question for your birthday month.
• Tag whomever you’d like when you’re finished.. or else you’ll be “it” forever.
• Have fun, of course!

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November is the month when we’re reminded of how much we have to be thankful for. Choose one book you’re grateful for having read and give a shout-out to the person who recommended it!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern because it’s beautiful and is one of my favorite books. Thanks to all the bloggers who wrote amazing reviews on it – I wish I could remember the specific blogs that made me pick me it up.

My birthday is in November, so my favorite gift was…I think I’ll go with my birthday this year – I got a Keurig from my parents.

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December is a time when friends and families come together and celebrate. Name one book you would give as a gift.

I’ve been debating getting all my family members books for Christmas, but I’m not quite sure yet. I was thinking of getting Triptych (Will Trent #1) by Karin Slaughter for my brother because he’s a cop and I think he may like it.

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January begins a new year. Name a resolution you made this year and if you’ve kept it or not!

I did not keep ANY of my bookish resolutions I made for 2015. One big one was to read the Harry Potter series and I still haven’t started it (honestly…I probably never well).

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February is the month for relationships. Name your favorite book relationship: romantic, platonic, or familial, your choice!

This should come as no surprise to anyone – The Raven Boys and Blue! I’m obsessed with them and I’m SO SAD that there’s only book left, but I’m SO EXCITED to read it.

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March is the month for luck and new beginnings. Name a book or series that you would like to re-experience as if you’d never read it.

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I completely devoured these books within days and it remains one of my favorite series of all time.

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April is a spectacularly ordinary month. Name a book that was so over-hyped that it just could not live up to your expectations.

 

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway. It seemed everyone gave it 5 stars and I was really looking forward to it, but it was a complete let down for me.

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May is the month when the flowers start to bloom. Name a book that was a pleasant surprise to you.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Adhieh was a book I expected nothing from and I ended up loving it!

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June is the time to take a break. Name a book or genre that you like to read when you just need to check out.

 

Cutesy, YA Contemporary – like The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West.

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July is the time to celebrate your independence! Name a book that made you see fireworks. (Figuratively. Please don’t light books on fire.)

 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo completely lived up to the hype for me and I just LOVED it – especially Kaz Brekker, my great book love.

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August is the hottest month of the year. Pick an up-and-coming author that you think will be the next hottest thing.

 

I’m going to go with Renee Ahdieh. I don’t think The Wrath and the Dawn was her first book, but it was huge this year and I’ve seen it’s sequel on a lot of people’s most anticipated 2016 reads – including mine!

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September is time for students to go back to school! Pick a book you read for school that you actually enjoyed.

 

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.

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October is time to celebrate Halloween! Pick one character that you would love to dress up as for Halloween.

 

Effie Trinket ALL THE WAY!

Thanks again to Deanna for tagging me! I tag anyone who would like to participate!

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Wishes I’d Ask The Book Genie To Grant Me

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is: 10 Wishes I’d Ask The Book Genie To Grant Me (a new book from a certain author,  a reading superpower, a character to come to life, to meet a certain author etc. etc.).

1. That my book crush would be real, age appropriate, and amicably split from their significant other and interested in me.

I was going to have this basically be a wish for all my book crushes, but that could probably take the whole list. But think, Daemon Black from the Lux series, Levi from Fangirl, Gansey from The Raven Boys, Warner from the Shatter Me series, Cam from the Wait for You series, Ethan Mirabelli from The Next Best Thing, Seth from the Covenant/Titan series, Finn from Illusions of Fate. Any of them would do 🙂

2. *Spoiler from the Hunger Games trilogy* Suzanne Collins would re-write a few parts of Mockingjay and Finnick would never die.

3. That Rainbow Rowell would let me read all her books before she published them. And that we were best friends.

4. One more book to wrap up The Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer because Sacrifice was not a satisfactory end to that series!

5. That there would be no wait for ebooks at the library and ALL THE BOOKS EVER would be available.

6. That I would be granted every ARC I request.

7. That there were more books by Jane Austen.

8. A more explosive ending to Gone Girl.

9. That I could get all my work done and read at the same time so I could spend my 8+ hours at work every day actually doing something enjoyable.

10. A perfectly adapted movie version of The Night Circus.

What are your Book Wishes?

Bath and Body Works Tag

September is a crappy month for my blog. I’ve decided to just accept it. I actually have written two reviews, but they’re both for ARCs that can’t be posted yet. To keep the blog from being completely unpublished, I thought it was time for another tag. I saw this over on Inspired by the Page and thought it looked fun. Enjoy.

1. Pure Paradise: A book that was simply perfection.

If you’ve followed my blog at all you know that I’m generally a pretty harsh rater and I haven’t really found book perfection yet. The book that probably comes closest – and is probably the most often mentioned on lists like this – is Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. I gave it 5 stars before I started book blogging and it’s one of my favorites of all time.

2. Sweet Pea: A romance/contemporary novel that you really enjoyed.

If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins. This could be any Kristan Higgins book, honestly, but I’m going to go with her most recent.

3. Fresh Strawberries: A book you really enjoyed that came out this year.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. I didn’t expect much from this book, but I ended up really, really enjoying it. I definitely recommend it if you haven’t checked it out yet.

4. Warm Vanilla Sugar: A character and/or book that made you feel all warm and smiley.

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord. I was smiling the majority of the time as I read this.

5. Paris Amour: A couple you majorly ship together.

Juliette and Warner from the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. They’re perfect together.

6. Dancing Waters: A book that takes place on a beach/perfect beach read.

Truly, Madly, Greekly by Mandy Baggot. The beautiful setting in this book made me really, really want to go to Greece.

7. I ❤ Cake Books: Favorite book/character.

We should all know this answer by now, too: The Raven Boys and Blue. I love them so, so much.

8. Winter Candy Apple: A book set around Christmas or during winter.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell. Georgie decides to stay home and work as her family goes home to Omaha to see family for Christmas.

9. Beautiful Day: A book with an unusual/interesting/appealing setting.

Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin. It’s set in a castle.

10. Dazzling Diamonds: Gorgeous cover(s).

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray. Love the cover, not as impressed with the book.

Feel free to tag yourself if you’d like to participate!

Mean Girls Book Tag

I saw this over on Confessions of a Book Geek and loved it and knew I had to do it.

It’s Pronounced Like “Cady”.

Which fictional characters’ names did you get completely wrong?

I just finished A Court of Thorns and Roses and I had no idea how to pronounce Feyre until I found out there was a pronunciation key in the back of the book. *Note to authors – if you need a pronunciation key for your character names, you probably should just re-name your characters!*

She Doesn’t Even Go Here!

Pick a fictional character that you would like to place in another fictional character’s world.

I think I’ve said this before, but I would love to put Fia from the Mind Games series into the Shatter Me series. I would so love for her and Juliette to be best friends. I also think she would get along super well with Warner.

On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink.

Repetition, repetition. Which book gave you déja vu of another book while reading it?

Red Queen was pretty similar to a lot of other books.

You all have got to stop calling each other sluts and whores. It just makes it okay for guys to call you sluts and whores.

Which book gave you the complete opposite of girl power feels?

Sang from the Ghostbird series. She completely lets the boys control her every move and word and it’s uncomfortable.

You Go Glen Coco!

Name a character you felt like you wanted to cheer on whilst reading.

Katniss from the Hunger Games series, of course!

Get in Loser, We’re Going Shopping!

How long do you typically spend at a book shop?

I generally try to avoid stores as much as possible, so if I’m going into one it’s with a specific purpose and I’m in and out. I do spend a lot of time browsing the Barnes & Noble website for my Nook, though.

It’s Not My Fault You’re Like In Love With Me Or Something!

Which character would have to get out a restraining order on you, if they were real?

The Raven boys, Warner from Shatter Me, Daemon Black from Lux, Sean Kendrick from the Scorpio Races, Cricket Bell from Lola and the Boy Next Door…There would probably be more than restraining orders since these are all YA characters….

I Can’t Help It That I’m Popular.

Which over-hyped book were you cautious about reading?

Emmy & Oliver. I ended up giving it 3 stars, but I was super disappointed in it.

She’s A Life Ruiner. She Ruins Peoples’ Lives.

We all love Regina George. Name a villain you just love to hate.

Amy Dunne from Gone Girl and the Dane Twins from A Darker Shade of Magic

I’m Not Like A Regular Mom, I’m A Cool Mom.

Your favourite fictional parents.

Kami’s dad in The Lynburn Legacy series

That Is So Fetch!

Which book or series would you love to catch on?

I adore The Lynburn Legacy and wish it got more attention.

How Do I Even Begin To Explain Regina George?

Describe your ideal character to read about.

 The Raven Boys and Blue. Their friendship as a whole. Their individual personalities. I could honestly read about these characters forever – doing anything!

I Just Have A Lot Of Feelings.

A book that gave you a bad case of ‘the feels’?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes made me cry. Like a lot.

Nice Wig Janice, What’s It Made Of? – Your Mom’s Chest Hair!

Which character’s one liners would you love to claim for your own?

I was trying not to repeat books, but for the third time I need to reference The Lynburn Legacy and say Kami Glass. She is such a funny character and I love pretty much everything she says.

Boo, You Whore.

Name a time a characters decision has made you roll your eyes.

Becky Bloomwood from the Shopaholic series. That girl just never learns!!

Top Ten Tuesday: ALL TIME Favorite Authors

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is: Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Authors.

1. Rainbow Rowell. Her writing is beautiful, her characters are amazing. Everything she writes is pure magic.
Favorite book: Attachments

2. Linwood Barclay. My Go-To author for great mysteries.
Favorite book: No Time for Goodbye

3. Maggie Stiefvater. She writes some of the most amazing characters I’ve ever read.
Favorite book: The Raven Boys

4. Jojo Moyes. Another writer with beautiful writing and amazing characters.
Favorite book: One Plus One

5. Kasie West. She writes really adorable YA that’s always fun to read.
Favorite Book: On the Fence

6. Jennifer Armentrout. She writes characters with funny, snarky dialogue that I love. Plus, Daemon Black.
Favorite Book: Obsidian

7. Marissa Myer. Every book she writes just gets better!
Favorite Book: Cress

8. Gillian Flynn. She writes really compulsive reads with amazingly psychopathic characters. Now can she please write a new book!?
Favorite Book: Gone Girl

9. Erin Morgenstern. She wrote one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. Can she write a new book already, too?!
Favorite Book: The Night Circus

10. Kristan Higgins. My favorite of all romance writers. Her books are full of fun and family and love.
Favorite Book: The Best Man

What are some of your favorite authors? Have you read any of mine?