Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT. This week is freebie week because they have been unable to refresh the list due to personal reasons (let’s be honest, a break after 6,5 years is deserved!). So, I thought I would go through the previous topics and chose top ten authors who deserve more recognition! There are so many amazing authors out there who I feel definitely need to be seen and heard more purely because their writing and their books are just AMAZING!! So, without further ado, and in no particular order:

10.  Katelyn Anderson – Kate is the author of the Tainted Souls trilogy which starts with Everlasting Flame! I absolutely love the first book in the series (she is currently wrapping up book 2!) and I definitely feel like this book needs more love! It is absolutely amazing and the MC is so sassy!

9.  Karen Tomlinson – Karen is the author of A Bond of Venom and Magic (which Debuted last year), which belongs to the Goddess and the Guardians series! Book 2 is currently in the works (but I have already Beta read and it was FANTABULOUS!!) and I think any fantasy lover really needs to be reading this book!

8.  Candy Atkins – Candy is the author of The Lost Knight series, which I fell in love with from the very first book! The first two books have been published and, lets just say, I read book 2 in one sitting it was THAT GOOD!!! Her work is definitely underrated and, can we just mention that the covers are so PRETTY!

7.  Kelly Charron – Kelly is the author of Pretty Wicked which takes a unique view of serial killings! I say unique because, instead of being written from the view of the victim, it is written from the view of the Killer!!! It was definitely interesting to see the psychology behind the killer…

6.  Luke Taylor – Luke is the author of quite a few different things, but I have personally only read Vault of Dreams which I adored! He has a very lyrical style of writing and I am so looking forward to some of the other works he is currently working on!

5.  Martina McAtee – Soooo, I literally only finished Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things on Sunday, but it was SOOOO GOOOOOD and I feel like everyone should be reading this book!

4.  Melissa A. Craven – The Emerge series (whilst still being released etc.) is one of my favourites out there! I absolutely loved the first two books and I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for book 3!

3.  Andrew Toy – I have only read These Great Affects but it was just such an emotional ride!!

2.  D. T. Dyllin – I read Somniare a while back and I still need to read the second book! However, it is a book set in a dreamworld state and it was so well executed and so unique!!

1.  Maria Padian – I read Wrecked quite a while back now which is about  college rape! It is so true to todays society and it definitely needs to be read by everyone!

That’s it! I love all of these authors and I definitely feel like their books need some more love going around!

The Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag

Hey guys! So, I was tagged by Beth @ Reading Every Night for this tag – so thanks for that! So, I guess without further ado, let’s start!

Best Book you’ve Read So Far in 2016:

 Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog

 A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Ok, I couldn’t pick one, so it’s a tie! I loved Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog (which is being released later this year), and ACOMAF… well, I don’t think there is any explanation necessary!

Best sequel you have read so far in 2016:

 ACOMAF

Yes, this book again! But it truly was beautiful!!

New release you haven’t read yet but want to:

 Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton.

Ok, so, technically this only came out today, but I still need this book in my life!

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:

 Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas.

I know, Maas again! But seriously, I love this series and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

Biggest Disappointment:

 Never Never: Part Three by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Ok, this series had an amazing strong start and I was loving everything about it! However, the ending and the explanation given were weak and it ruined everything for me!

Biggest Surprise:

 Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill

I was surprised at how things went down in this book! I was not expecting to feel the emotions I did and so strongly! I think everyone who has read this book will agree, there are literally no words to describe how you feel when reading this book and how you feel when you finish this book! I finished it and I was gob smacked it took me forever to actually write a review because I no idea how to formulate what I was feeling into words! It is that good! If you haven’t read this book… then why the heck not?!?

Favourite New Author (Debut or New to you):

 This is Betsy Schow! She was a new to me author when I read her book Spelled and I loved it! I was snorting and earning weird looks from my dad, but it was all so worth it! i look forward to more of her writing! She is currently writing the sequel (I Believe) to Spelled and I cannot wait!!

Newest Fictional Crush:

 Rhysand from ACOMAF.

Ummm… hello!! Rhys! Do I seriously need to explain this amazing specimen of a character???

Newest Favourite Character:

 Lada from And I Darken by Kierstin White

Well, she scares me and she is not a character that I would want to cross… but, she isn’t your everyday, wishy washy damsel in distress turned amazing hero. She was strong and stubborn and strong willed from the very beginning and I feel like she is a step above every other strong female character that I love because of this fact. She has never needed saving and I love the about her!

Book that made you cry:

 If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin.

Quite a few books have made me cry recently, but I think this book hit me the strongest! There you sit, watching these two characters fall in love and it is cutesy and feels full and bam! That ending… Box of tissues needed if you are going to brave this book! The worst thing is, you know from the very beginning what is going to happen, but that does not stop you hoping that it doesn’t!

Book that made you happy:

 Wrecked by Maria Padian

So, if you clicked the link, you’re probably thinking that I some kind of really weird psycho for thinking that this kind of book could ever make me happy… BUT… the outcome made me happy! I was rooting and I rooted right! Again, this book is being released later this year!

Favourite book to film adaptation:

Technically, tv show… but they are so epic!! I haven’t actually read all of the GoT books, but I am getting there! I love this show!

Favourite post you have done this year:

I don’t actually have a favourite post that I have done this year, but I did like sharing random facts about myself in TTT this week!

Most beautiful book you’ve bought this year:

 Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.

I bought a physical copy of this book not too long ago with this cover and it still makes me drool every time I clap eyes on it!

What book do you need to read by the end of the year:

 Winter by Marissa Meyer

There are so many books, but I would have to say the ultimate goal is this one! I have had it on my nightstand for ages now, but for some reason I keep procrastinating!

My tags:

Jamie @ Watch Game Read

Jesse @ Books at Dawn

Olivia @ Heir of Glitter

Kat @ Kat Impossible

Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books

and you! If you want to do this tag feel free! Link me up so that I can see your answers!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! Firstly, I just want to say happy blogoversary to the Broke and Bookish! 6 years is a long time! This weeks TTT is top ten favourite releases of 2016 so far. A couple of these books haven’t been released this year yet and some of the books were released last year because I haven’t read 10 books that have been released this year so far! I’m a rebel, what can I say? In no particular order:

10.  The Crown by Kiera Cass. Published May 3rd by HarperTeen. I loved the entirety of The Selection series! So, you can imagine my relief when my wait for this book was finally over!

9.  A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas Published May 3rd by Bloomsbury USA Children’s. This was the book of the year for me! I bought this book the day it came out on my kindle, I read it, and then went and bought a physical copy of the book – I am that much in love!

8.  Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard. Published February 9th by HarperTeen. Again, another book I bought myself a physical copy of for myself, because it is another series that I love! Plus, the title for the third book is being released tomorrow by Epic Reads – if anyone is interested!

7.  Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke. Published March 22nd by Dial Books. If your looking for a book that isn’t all that it seems that is full of a bunch of whacked out teenagers… then this book is perfect for you!

6.  This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp. Published January 5th by Sourcebooks Fire. I hyped this book up to myself long before its release date and it didn’t disappoint! i had been looking for a book that took place during the shooting for quite some time and this book delivered in every way!

5.  Wrecked by Maria Padian. Publish date October 4th 2016 by Algonquin Young Readers. ok, so technically, this book doesn’t belong on this list because it has yet to be released. However, I am a rebel. I read an ARC copy of this book and I loved it! Such a unique take on sexual assault!

4.  One Was Lost by Natalie D. Richards. Publish Date October 4th 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire. Another book that technically shouldn’t make this list. However, I read an ARC over the weekend and it was an amazing read!

3.  Endure by Sara B. Larson. Published December 29th 2015 by Scholastic Press. This was the third and final instalment in the Defy series and I was sorry to see it end!

2.  Spelled by Betsy Schow. Published June 2nd 2015 by Sourcebooks Fire. This book had me laughing out loud – in a pretty unladylike manner – and I had stitches in places I didn’t even know existed! Definitely worth the read!

1.  What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler. Published September 22nd 2015 by HarperTeen. This book was based on a true story (The Steubenville High School Rape Case) and I think it represented the controversy of the case well. It deals with some really tough issues and highlights important ones too!

That’s me! I loved all of these books! What books have been your favourites so far this year? Feel free to leave links and comments and I will check them all out!

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Hey guys!! It has been another week already, which I find pretty dang crazy!! I wasn’t actually planning to get any new books this week, because of my little spree last week. However, Netgalley is a bad addiction for me…

 Invisible-I-Am by Gregg Davis (and Harriet Showman) – I was drawn in by the premise, but the book was a major disappointment for me personally and I ended up DNFing it. This book was published last year, so it was a free ebook in return for an honest review. My Review. Amazon.

 Wrecked by Maria Padian – I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. I actually really enjoyed this book and would be happy to buy a physical copy when it comes out in October! My Review. Amazon.

 The Awakening (Emerge #1) – I am currently reading this book and it is pretty good so far 🙂 So, go netgalley!! Amazon.

 Camp Outlook by Brenda Baker – I actually quite enjoyed this book, with a few points that were’t so good. I think this book sent a pretty powerful message across… Again, this was a book given to me for review. My Review. Amazon.

 First Kiss by C. L. Stone – I am on the mailing list for all of C. L. Stone’s new books, so I was happy when this came into my inbox!! This comes out 25th April 🙂 Amazon.

So, that is it for me! I will try and stay away from Netgalley next week… I really need to get through the books I have! What have you guys added this week? Feel free to leave links and comments and I will check them all out!

Wrecked by Maria Padian

Expected publication: October 4th 2016

Everyone has heard a different version of what happened that night at MacCallum College. Haley was already in bed when her roommate, Jenny, arrived home shell-shocked from the wild Conundrum House party. Richard heard his housemate Jordan brag about the cute freshman he hooked up with. When Jenny formally accuses Jordan of rape, Haley and Richard find themselves pushed onto opposite sides of the school’s investigation. But conflicting interests fueling conflicting versions of the story may make bringing the truth to light nearly impossible–especially when reputations, relationships, and whole futures are riding on the verdict.

Maria Padian offers a kaleidoscopic view of a sexual assault on a college campus. Wrecked will leave readers thinking about how memory and identity, what’s at stake, and who sits in judgment shape what we all decide to believe about the truth. (Goodreads)

Note: I received an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I was worried, going into this book, that it would be too much like What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler. I shouldn’t have worried because this book is the complete opposite of that one! I really enjoyed this book and I found it to be a refreshing change from the books that we normally get about sexual assault.

This book isn’t from the perspective of the victim or the perpetrator – it from the aspects of the two friends. Haley, who is Jenny’s roommate and Richard, who is Jordan’s friend/housemate. I think reading the book from this perspective changed what would be the normal view of things because we are going into this from the eyes of two people who weren’t there that night. They have no idea what went down that night, but they were stuck on opposite sides of the fence.

I also think this book made a pretty powerful point with the whole gossip and social media aspect of it. I think it represents society today in way that nothing else does. It shows how callous and cruel people can be about women who accuse someone of rape. I obviously don’t want to say too much, but it was a pretty powerful message.

The only problem I really had with this book was that, at times, it was a bit of a slow read. I liked the events unfolding between the alternating perspectives because it was like a slow mystery unravelling itself before changing back to present day. At times, though, I felt almost bored. I felt like the story was going just a little bit too slow and I also question the college and whether the college would investigate themselves. I don’t know the system in America and whether the colleges actually do that, but it wasn’t something I could easily imagine.

All in all, I fairly enjoyed this book and I feel like it conveyed quite a few strong messages about rape culture and social media as well as gossip. I gave this book 4/5 stars.