Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!
Today’s pick is:
Tess of the Road
RELEASING FEBRUARY 27TH, 2018!
In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can’t make a scene at your sister’s wedding and break a relative’s nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.
Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it’s a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl–a subspecies of dragon–who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she’s tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.
Tess of the Road just sounds like such a fun, and adventurous book! Plus, I love how sassy Tess appears to be. I haven’t heard a whole lot about this book yet, but the author’s other book, Seraphina, is well-loved by so many (and one that is actually still on my TBR), so I’m sure Tess of the Road will be just as good!
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It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
Valentine’s Day Freebie
Because it’s so close to Valentine’s Day, this week’s topic was anything Valentine’s Day/love related. I really loved Jana’s take with this week, and so I decided to follow her lead, and share with you all some of my favorite, romantic quotes from some of my favorite books and characters. Also, I’ve decided to stick with just a top 5 today, because I want the quotes I choose to be from books I really adore, with quotes that actually mean something to me!
A Walk to Remember
“I held her close to me with my eyes closed, wondering if anything in my life had ever been this perfect and knowing at the same time that it hadn’t. I was in love, and the feeling was even more wonderful than I ever imagined it could be.”
I just finished A Walk to Remember yesterday, and so I’m still a puddle of emotions and reeling from this book. It was so good!!
Anne of the Island
“I don’t want sunbursts and marble halls. I just want YOU. You see I’m quite as shameless as Phil about it. Sunbursts and marble halls may be all very well, but there is more ‘scope for imagination’ without them. And as for the waiting, that doesn’t matter. We’ll just be happy, waiting and working for each other — and dreaming. Oh, dreams will be very sweet now.”
I’m pretty sure you all knew this quote was going to be on here! Anne and Gilbert are my faves forever! *happy sigh*
If I Stay
“Love, it never dies. It never goes away, it never fades, so long as you hang on to it. Love can make you immortal”
If I Stay is one of my favorite books, and there’s so many beautiful, quotable things in it! This book made me cry my eyes out, and I loved it, and this quote.
A Time to Cherish
“And so are you, Kilikina.” Todd stopped in the sand and wrapped his arms around her. “You are the one I cherish.”
Christy and Todd were the ultimate relationship goals to teenage me. I love how you get to watch their relationship grow throughout the entire series, and I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for these books!
Nancy’s Mysterious Letter
“If you want me to dress in feathers and war paint and play the Scotch bagpipes up and down the Main Street, I’ll do it without asking why.”
I’ve always loved this quote from Nancy’s boyfriend, Ned, because it shows how much he really loves her. Ned knows she’s a bit eccentric, and that she’ll cancel their date to solve a mystery, and yet, he doesn’t try to change her to become the “ideal girlfriend” – this is especially notable because of the time this book was written – he just loves and accepts her the way she is.
That’s my Top Ten Tuesday, well, Top Five Tuesday! Thanks so much for reading!
What are some of your favorite, romantic book quotes?
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From the author of the unforgettable New York Times bestseller We Were Liars comes a masterful new psychological suspense novel–the story of a young woman whose diabolical smarts are her ticket into a charmed life. But how many times can someone reinvent themselves? You be the judge.
Imogen is a runaway heiress, an orphan, a cook, and a cheat.
Jule is a fighter, a social chameleon, and an athlete.
An intense friendship. A disappearance. A murder, or maybe two.
A bad romance, or maybe three.
Blunt objects, disguises, blood, and chocolate. The American dream, superheroes, spies, and villains.
A girl who refuses to give people what they want from her.
A girl who refuses to be the person she once was.
What I Thought
When I first heard about Genuine Fraud, I was instantly intrigued. I had read We Were Liars, so I already knew how great E. Lockhart’s writing was and that she was a risk taker. So, when I received Genuine Fraud for Christmas, I was super excited to read it. I’m happy to say it did not disappoint, either!
Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share with you all my TBR for the #InLoveAThon, hosted by Cristina from christinasjourney, and a bunch of other lovely BookTubers as well! I was so happy to hear about this readathon, because I had just been thinking about how I wished there was a Valentine’s Day themed readathon, and sure enough, I found this wonderful one! The #InLoveAThon runs from tomorrow, February 9th – February 15th. The goal is to read a book corresponding to at least seven of the ten different challenges listed. There’s also going to be Twitter Sprints available and a group watch-a-long.
Here’s a complete list of the challenges:
1. Read a book from your favorite romance author. It can be contemporary or historical.
2. Read a book that has your favorite romantic trope.
3. Read a book with a prince/princess
4. Read an original fairytale and watch the Disney movie or a film adaptation.
5. Read a book while eating some Valentine treats. It could be chocolate, ice cream, or you can change it to having drinks like wine. It’s up to you!
6. Read a book that takes place in a location where you would love to spend Valentine’s Day.
7. Read a book with pink or red in the cover.
8. Read a LGBTQ+ love story.
9. Read a classic love story. (E.g. Romeo&Juliet)
10. Read one of the hosts favorite Contemporary/Historical Romance books.
Cristina’s Journey // Losing It → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Pd…
The Bookish Babbler // Song of Achilles → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIEB…
Paper Faerie // Pride and Prejudice → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDUG…
Tiny Book Dragon // Fill in Boyfriend → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUyH…
jordyn, discombobulated // Hunted → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZo1…
HardbackHoarder // To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or The Hating Game → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpjGKbwm-ZXBedvkOI1uAjA
Because I’m delusional and unrealistic, I’ve decided to attempt 8 of the challenges:
▸ Read a book from your favorite romance author.
This book is more paranormal than contemporary, and I admit, romance is not necessarily the focal point of this series, but I really love Meg Cabot! She’s one of my favorite authors, writes the best relationships for her characters, and this book has been on my TBR for forever, so I’m going with it. I’d really love to get both books in this bind-up read, but I definitely want to at least read Safe House.
▸ Read a book that has your favorite romantic trope.
Nicholas Sparks books always have such classic romantic tropes! I chose A Walk to Remember, because I love the movie and I’ve been meaning to read this book for literally years, and I love that whole unexpected romance/opposites attract trope.
▸ Read a book with a prince/princess.
I’ve been meaning to read The Coronation for a few months now, and with its sequel, The Rebellion, coming soon, I really need to get to this one. It sounds like such a fun read, I’ve been wanting to read a royalty story lately, and I think this one will be the perfect fit!
▸ Read an original fairytale and watch the Disney movie or a film adaptation.
I’m still going back and forth for this one! I’m definitely going to read either Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, though. I found this really lovely copy (for FREE) from Project Gutenberg, that has all three of those stories, so I’ll see what I feel like when I decide to do this challenge!
▸ Read a book while eating some Valentine treats.
I got the Just One bind-up for Christmas, and I think it’ll make a really great Valentine’s Day read. I don’t know what I’ll be eating yet, though!
▸ Read a book with pink or red in the cover.
I just recently got The Choosing, and it’s one that I’ve been wanting to read for a while now! The book may only be half red, but I think that’s close enough, so I’m counting it!
▸ Read a classic love story.
For this challenge, I didn’t want to read anything too large, because classics take me longer to read than other books, and this readathon is only a week long. So, I decided to go with Breakfast at Tiffany’s! This novel is quite short, and I’ve actually never seen the movie, so maybe I’ll check out the movie after reading the book!
▸ Read one of the hosts favorite Contemporary/Historical Romance books.
For the challenge of reading one of the hosts’ favorites, I went with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before! This is, yet another, book that has been on my TBR for way too long, and I’m excited to read this book and get in on the hype for it!
Alright! There’s my TBR! Realistically, I’ll be lucky if I can even get more than 3 of those books read, but I’m just going to have fun and try my best!
Let me know if you’re participating in the #InLoveAThon! Also, tell me your Valentine’s Day plans!!
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It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN BOOKS ON MY TBR I STILL HAVEN’T READ
The Sweet Far Thing
Are any of you even the tiniest bit surprised that this book is on here?! No? I thought so! If you’ve been following for any amount of time, you know pretty much every TBR post I make, I include The Sweet Far Thing, and yet, I still haven’t read it…
The Help
I loved the movie, and I’ve heard so many good things about this book! I keep meaning to read it, and I just never get around to it, and that needs to change!
The Outsiders
Everybody always tells me to read The Outsiders! It’s one of my sister’s favorite books, so naturally, she tells me to read it every chance she gets. Yet, here I am, still not reading it. Will I ever find out who this Pony Boy is that everyone speaks of?!
A Walk to Remember
I really adore the movie for A Walk to Remember (even though I cry every single time), and I’ve heard the book is quite different. So I’m really curious to see how the two compare. I hope to be getting to this book very soon, because actually it’s on my TBR for the #InLoveAThon, which I’ll be sharing my full TBR for later this week!
Trouble is a Friend of Mine
I’ve wanted to read this book for a while now, because a lot of people compare it to having Nancy Drew vibes, which, y’all know I absolutely adore! Trouble is a Friend of Mine sounds so fun and mysterious, and like the perfect mystery read. So…why I haven’t I read it yet?!
Reached
I have no excuse for why I haven’t read Reached yet. I loved the first two, I own this one, I actually do want to read it. I really have no idea why I just haven’t picked this one up yet!
Jane Eyre
I’ve heard really good things about this classic novel, and I keep saying I’m going to read it, and yet, I still haven’t. Maybe this year will be the year I finally read Jane Eyre?! lol that rhymed.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
Where’d You Go, Bernadette, is yet another book I really want to read but never pick up! Why am I like this?!
Sinner
I admit, I was a bit hesitant about this book when I first heard of Sinner’s release, so I think maybe that’s why I didn’t read it right away. That being said, I finally decided I did want to read this one a long time ago, and yet I still haven’t. So, what’s my excuse now?
Fangirl
Fangirl is a book that has been on my TBR for several years, but I never got around to it because I didn’t own a copy. Well, my #TBTBSanta gifted it to me this past Christmas, so now I have no excuse! I’m really excited to finally own a copy, and I’m really planning on reading this one soon…Finally!!
That’s this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Share with me some of the books that have been on your TBR the longest!
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Title: Dreaming with God: A Bold Call to Step Out and Follow God’s Lead by Sarah Beth Marr
Pages: 203
Genres: Christian, Non-Fiction, Motivational
Published by: Baker Books (Feb. 6, 2018)
Summary
The world tells us that the way to make all our dreams come true is to set our own course and strive every day. But when it’s all on us, we end up feeling exhausted, frustrated, and, disappointed when things don’t turn out as we’d hoped. Have you ever wondered if there was a better way?
There is. God knows the desires of our hearts–he put them there. And he calls us to trust, to lean on him, and sometimes . . . to wait. Weaving together her unique perspective as a professional ballerina with profound truths drawn from Scripture and the life of faith, Sarah Beth Marr reminds us that we are not dreaming alone. If God has given us a dream, we can be sure that he will come alongside us as we work toward realizing it. Using her own story as a catalyst, Marr encourages women to surrender their plans to God, to stay in tempo with his Spirit, and to step into a deeper relationship with Christ. When they do, she says, they will be able to move confidently into the future, knowing that their dreams and God’s desires are aligned in perfect harmony.
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to Baker Books and Sarah Beth Marr!*
I’ve followed Sarah Beth Marr on Instagram for years now. From her beautiful dancing, to her meaningful devotionals on her blog, I’ve really adored her, and have loved watching her grow through her writing journey. When she first announced that she was releasing a book, I just knew I had to read it!
Hi everyone! I was tagged way back in September, by the lovely Marta from The Book Mermaid, to do The New Disney Princess Book Tag! This tag is super cute, and looks like so much fun. So, let’s get started!
The Rules
- Mention where you saw the tag/thank whoever tagged you because that’s always good fun
- Tag Book Princess Reviews and Zuky with our posts so we can check out the wonderful Princess fun throughout the blog world (Book Princess Reviews | Book Bum)
- Play a game of tag at the end!
SNOW WHITE
THIS BOOK (LIKE THE MOVIE) STARTED IT ALL
Favorite Debut Book From an Author
I was really blown away by The Program! It was so much better than I expected it to be, and Suzanne Young’s debut novel was a definite winner for me!
CINDERELLA
A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
AURORA
SLEEPING BEAUTY
ARIEL
UNDER THE SEA
BELLE
BEAUTY AND THE BOOKS
JASMINE
THE THIEF AND THE PRINCESS
POCAHONTAS
THE REAL LIFE PRINCESS
MULAN
THE PRINCESS THAT SAVED HER COUNTRY
I feel like going with The Hunger Games is such a cliche answer, but I’m doing it anyway. Katniss really is such a fierce heroine and selfless character, and right now, I really can’t think of anyone braver!
TIANA
THE PRINCESS WITH THE COOLEST AND MOST DIVERSE CREW
RAPUNZEL
LET YOUR LONGGGGGG HAIR DOWN
MERIDA
I DETERMINE MY OWN FATE
ANNA/ELSA
FROZEN HEARTS
MOANA
HOW FAR I’LL GO
I tag anyone who wants to do this! This was such a fun tag to do, and I really enjoyed picking my answers for this one. Thanks again for tagging me, Marta!
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It’s finally February!! I don’t know about you, but January felt about three months long. Last month was also a very emotionally draining and a rather stress-filled month for me for a good chunk of it, too. So, I’m really glad it’s behind us, and I’m looking forward to happier days in February!
Despite all that, I think I still had a pretty good blogging month, and I also managed to read three books. Although, I’m really surprised that 2 out of those 3 were nonfiction, because that’s a genre I really don’t read a whole lot!
BOOKS READ
– The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (ebook) \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
– Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2
– Dreaming with God by Sarah Beth Marr \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
I have to go with The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up for my Standout Book of the Month. This book was one that’s really not typical of something that I would pick up, and yet, I really enjoyed it!
BOOKS REVIEWED
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell \\ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine \\ ⭐️⭐️1/2
BOOK HAUL
I received two books in January!
First, I went to Target right after New Year’s, and that’s a dangerous time to go, because pretty much the entire store is on sale. I picked up Turtles All the Way Down for only $11!
Then, I received The Choosing, for FREE, through the My Reader Rewards Club from Tyndale House and NavPress! It’s a rewards program where you can answer surveys, watch videos, and other short and easy activities, and you can earn points for prizes. If you’re interested in signing up, you can click here (if you use my link, you’ll get a bonus 25 points, and I’ll get 10)!
MISCELLANEOUS
This month, I participated in some really fun Top Ten Tuesdays!
- Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2017
- Top Ten Books I Meant to Read in 2017 but Didn’t Get To
- Top Five Bookish Resolutions/Goals for 2018
- Top Ten Books I Really Liked But Can’t Remember
- Top Five Books I Can’t Believe I Read
I also shared some of the books that I’m anticipating for Waiting on Wednesday.
Some of the other posts I wrote this month were:
Also, I’m hosting the 2018 Classics Challenge! One of my reading goals for 2018 is to read more classic novels, and so I decided to create some prompts to challenge myself and others!
That wraps up January 2018! I’m looking forward to February, and all the lovely things in store.
Thanks so much for reading!
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!
Today’s pick is:
The Belles (The Belles #1)
Releasing February 6th, 2018!
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.
But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.
With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.
I’ve been seeing so many people talking about The Belles on Twitter lately! This book sounds so intriguing, and it’s giving me Uglies vibes, which, you may or may not know, is one of my favorite series. So that’s a definite plus for me. I’m so excited for the release of this book and to see how it is. Also, look at that gorgeous cover!
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It’s Top Ten Tuesday again! It’s a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish, but is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!
This week I actually had a little trouble coming up with books that fit the topic, so I’m only doing a top 5, today. The topic is:
TOP FIVE BOOKS I CAN’T BELIEVE I READ
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I can’t believe I actually read Gone with the Wind, because of its size! This book is over 1,000 pages, and aside from the Bible, it is the biggest book I’ve ever read. I ended up really loving it, too!
The You I’ve Never Known by Ellen Hopkins
Ellen Hopkins’ books have always intimidated me. From the fact that they’re written in verse, to their heavy subject matters, I’ve always been hesitant of her work. When I got the chance to review The You I’ve Never Known, however, I discovered how great of a writer she truly is! This book really took me by surprise, and I can’t believe I finally got brave enough to try one of her novels.
Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie by Anthony Del Col
As many of you know, I’m a big Nancy Drew fan. So, when I discovered this new, noir-style comic series, I had to try it out! I can’t believe I read something so different from the regular Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, and not only that, but I can’t believe that I actually loved it!
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
It’s not that I can’t believe that I read this book, but it’s that I can’t believe what I read in this book. It’s been almost five years, and I’m still not over it. Yet, I kind of want to reread the entire Divergent series soon…
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
A non-fiction book about cleaning just isn’t the typical type of books I read. So, I’m honestly surprised that I picked this one up. That being said, I’m glad I did, because I really enjoyed it, and actually learned quite a bit from this book!
That’s this week’s list! What are some books you can’t believe that you’ve read?
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the calico books 