Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite Platonic Relationships

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018.

I really love this week’s topic about our favorite platonic relationships! This was a pretty easy one for me… so here we go!

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1) Tori & Charlie from Solitaire by Alice Oseman:

Tori is Charlie’s older sister and you can just tell how much they love and support each other. I also love their dynamic seen in the webcomic, Heartstopper!

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2) Will & Jem from The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare:

This was my first obvious choice. They are my favorite parabatai in the Shadowhunters universe and nobody can tell me otherwise!

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3) Kora & Nova from Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor:

These two sisters have a rather tragic story line and it will forever tug at my heartstrings.

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4) Rielle & Remy from Furyborn by Claire Legrand:

Remy is the cutest little bro and I adore how fiercely he loves Rielle. I will riot if anything ever happens to him.

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5) Cassidy & Jacob from City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab:

These two are my favorite ghost-hunting duo. And the fact that Jacob is Cassidy’s ghost BFF makes it 1000x’s better.

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6) Caledonia & her crew from Seafire by Natalie C. Parker:

This book has some of the best sisterhood I’ve ever read and the friendships have left such a lasting impression on me.

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7) Inej & Nina from Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo:

Another obvious choice, but really… these ladies are badass and I know they would die for each other.

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8) Rhy & Kell from Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab:

Rhy and Kell’s sibling relationship is one of my all time favorites. Rhy is Kell’s found family and it just warms my cold, dead heart how far Kell is willing to go to protect Rhy.

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9) Alex, Lula, & Rose from the Brooklyn Brujas series by Zoraida Córdova:

These magical sisters deserve all the hype. I love how these girls know everything about each other and would walk to the ends of the earth for one another.

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10) Mirabella, Arsinoe, & Katherine from Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake:

Ok, so I know these three sisters are technically supposed to hate each other and, ultimately, kill each other… but maybe that’s why I’m so damn invested in their stories!?

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That’s it for this week’s top ten! Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you are having a lovely week! ❤

xx,

Amy

The Thanksgiving Book Tag!

If you’re in the US, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I am so thankful for each and every one of you who has come along with me on this blogging/bookstagram journey since last year. I am so, so grateful to have found such a supportive community!

I thought it’d be fun to do a tag today! This tag was originally created by Erin and Becca and I found it at The Sassy Book Geek.

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1. Bread- What book is purely fluff, and has no real plot line?

Look, I love Rainbow Rowell’s writing. It’s very melodic and soothing to me. But Fangirl really has no actual plot at all. I mean, I’m fine with that, but it did get a little boring during certain parts.

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2. Turkey- What book made you want to fall asleep?

I wish I could un-read this book. I. Was. So. Bored.

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3. Gravy- What book makes the whole series worth reading?

I love love love this series. And the cliffhangers are going to make you want to pick up the next one right away.

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4. Stuffing- What book is stuffed full of action scenes?

This book is such a treat. Non-stop action and amazing friendships!

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5. Mashed Potatoes- What book looked good, and then wasn’t?

This was the biggest disappointment of the year for me. I am so sorry.

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6. Cranberries- What book has the sweetest romance?

I’m not even sorry this book is showing up on another one of my lists.

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7. Corn- What’s the corniest book you’ve ever read?

 I wouldn’t necessarily call this corny, but it kind of reads like a William/Kate fanfic, and I was so there for it.

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8. Green beans- What book is too long and needs to be shortened?

Guys, I’ve been reading this book for what feels like a month now. The first 20% really doesn’t need to exist.

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9. Pumpkin Pie- What book do you read to get out of a reading slump?

I love graphic novels to help boost me out of a slump. This precious gem needs more hype.

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10. Dog/Cat- What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food that you would steal from the table?

Stuffing! Pumpkin pie gets an honorable mention, though!

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I hope this was fun for you to read, and I’d love to see what your answers would be, so consider yourself tagged! 🙂

xx,

Amy

#FridayFrightAThon 2018: Come Join Us in October!

Hi, friends! I’m very excited to announce that me and a few of my favorite bookworms will be hosting a thriller read-along this October! Each Friday we will start a new book (dates listed in the image above). We would be honored if you joined us! To follow along use the hashtag #FridayFrightAThon on Instagram and Twitter. You are free to join any or all discussions! We can’t wait to start and have high hopes these books will be amazing.

#FridayFrightAThon will be co-hosted with these lovely ladies: Melanie @ Meltotheany, Jen @ Pinot and Pages, & Chelsea @ Chelsea Palmer. ❤

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara: October 5th, 2018

Okay, so we’re kicking off our read-along with a true crime thriller about the investigation of the Golden State Killer (also known as EAR/ONS: East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker.) This case has spanned decades and the killer was finally caught earlier this year through familial DNA. Sadly the author, Michelle McNamara, passed away two years ago before she got to see the killer brought to justice. I am high key excited for this book.

The reading breakdown for this book is:
October 5th: Pages 1 – 51
October 6th: Pages 52 – 107
October 7th: Pages 108 – 168
October 8th: Pages 169 – 234 (up to “Walnut Creek”)
October 9th: Pages 234 – 283
October 10th: Pages 284 – 328

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware: October 12th, 2018

I enjoyed In a Dark, Dark Wood and The Woman in Cabin 10 despite its polarizing reviews, but I have heard great things about this one. I think Ruth Ware is great at building these Agatha Christie-esque mysteries where there are a group of suspects trapped in one place and we have to figure out whodunnit. I actually have NO idea if this book will be set up that same way, but that’s how her previous books (that I’ve read) are structured. I have high hopes for this one!

The reading breakdown for this book is:
October 12th: Pages 1 – 60 (Chapter 9)
October 13th: Pages 61 – 124 (Chapter 16)
October 14th: Pages 125 – 185 (Chapter 23)
October 15th: Pages 186 – 248 (Chapter 34)
October 16th: Pages 249 – 304 (Chapter 43)
October 17th: Pages 305 – 368 (End!)

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio: October 19th, 2018

This book has such high ratings and the premise sounds the most intriguing to me: A man who was formerly part of a Shakespearean acting troupe is released from jail and bears his confession to a detective about the dark, twisted things that went on in the theater.

The reading breakdown for this book is:
October 19th: Act I (Pages 1 – 79)
October 20th: Act II (Pages 83 – 141)
October 21st: Act III, Scenes 1 – 8 (Pages 145 – 189)
October 22nd: Act III, Scenes 9 – 18 (Pages 190 – 244)
October 23rd: Act IV (Pages 247 – 296)
October 24th: Act V (Pages 299 – 354)

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager: October 26th, 2018

I legit don’t even know what this is about because I’ve been avoiding reading the synopsis! (I tend to do this with mysteries/thrillers) But I am probably one of the few people who liked Final Girls lmao. I mean, it wasn’t my favorite by any means, but I still enjoyed reading it. Again, I’ve heard polarizing things about this book, but I’m really excited to dive back into another Riley Sager book!

The reading breakdown for this book is:
October 26th: Pages 1 – 62 (Chapter 6)
October 27th: Pages 63 – 128 (Chapter 13)
October 28th: Pages 129 – 191 (Chapter 20)
October 29th: Pages 192 – 252 (Chapter 26)
October 30th: Pages 253 – 311 (Chapter 32)
October 31st: Pages 312 – 370 (Chapter 44)

Okay! That’s it! I really hope you’ll join our buddy readathon/readalong/whatever you want to call it! We have page breakdowns, but please DO NOT feel any pressure to stay on schedule! Please read at whatever pace you want. We want this to be super laid back and just have fun. And I’m going to be super careful about mentioning anything spoilery during the whole month! Hope to see you all in October ❤

xx,

Amy

Naughty or Nice Book Tag

Hi, friends! Michaela from Journey into Books tagged me to do the Naughty or Nice Book Tag, which looks like a lot of fun! Michaela is the sweetest human and it’s always a pleasure to read her blog posts! ❤

This tag was originally created by Jenniely!

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⇒RECEIVED AN ARC AND NOT REVIEWED IT:

I always review an ARC I specifically request. However there have been a few times where I’d DNF the ARC due to personal reasons. In those cases I’ll still submit feedback to the publisher but I won’t publish the review on my blog.

⇒HAVE LESS THAN 60% FEEDBACK RATING ON NETGALLEY:

I FINALLY passed the 80% mark. I’m not requesting any more titles (unless I absolutely cannot live without it) until I clear all my ARCs for 2018!

⇒RATED A BOOK ON GOODREADS AND PROMISED A FULL REVIEW WAS TO COME ON YOUR BLOG (AND NEVER DID):

I only started writing full-length reviews this year, and so far I’ve kept up with it.

⇒FOLDED DOWN THE PAGE OF A BOOK, AKA DOG EARED A PAGE:

I can’t bare the thought of dog earring a page, even though it’s really not that big of a deal.

⇒ACCIDENTALLY SPILLED ON A BOOK:

I don’t think so?

⇒DNF A BOOK THIS YEAR:

I’ve DNF’d one so far. It was The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Sadly I lost interest in it early on, but maybe I’ll pick it up again some day.

⇒BOUGHT A BOOK PURELY BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY WITH NO INTENTION OF READING IT:

I’ve definitely bought a book for its cover, but I always make sure it’s something I want to read!

⇒READ WHILST YOU WERE MEANT TO BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE:

All. The. Damn. Time.

⇒SKIM READ A BOOK:

I very rarely do this, and if I do, it’s because I’m really bored and just want it to be overwith!

⇒COMPLETELY MISSED YOUR GOODREADS GOAL:

I started setting Goodreads goals in 2014. I missed my 40 book goal in 2014 by reading 34 books. But ever since then I’ve reached my goals.

⇒BORROWED A BOOK AND NOT RETURNED IT:

I always return my library books. I get anxiety if I don’t.

⇒BROKE A BOOK BUYING BAN:

What’s a book buying ban?

⇒STARTED A REVIEW, LEFT IT FOR AGES, THEN FORGOT WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT:

Haha. I don’t leave reviews unfinished, but there are several times where a lot of time has passed before I start a review and my memory is fuzzy. Now I tab my pages and take notes to help me remember things.

⇒WROTE IN A BOOK YOU WERE READING:

I don’t mind highlighting and notating in my books, but it gets a bit inconvenient when I’m in bed LOL. So I prefer tabbing.

⇒FINISHED A BOOK AND NOT ADDED IT TO YOUR GOODREADS:

No, I like to keep track of all my reading! 🙂

And now I tag all of you! Also I’d love to follow you on Goodreads, so please follow me and I’ll follow back! ❤

xx,

Amy

 

 

 

Beauty and the Beast Book Tag

I saw this tag while browsing Bibi’s blog, and I couldn’t resist doing it. I love all things Disney, so this tag was meant for me. Please check out Bibi’s blog because she has amazing reviews and lots of other fun tags!

TALE AS OLD AS TIME: A POPULAR THEME, TROPE OR SETTING YOU WILL NEVER GET BORED OF READING.

Enemies-to-lovers forever and always! It doesn’t matter the genre; I could read this trope every day.

• The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
• To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo [Review]

BELLE: A BOOK YOU BOUGHT FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL COVER THAT’S JUST AS BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE TOO.

If you loved Strange the Dreamer then I truly believe you’ll love Muse of Nightmares when it comes out in October. The cover is just as gorgeous on the inside.

GASTON: A BOOK EVERYONE LOVES THAT YOU DON’T.

I had a really hard time following this book’s writing style so I didn’t love it. BUT I really ended up loving the sequel, One Dark Throne. I’m totally invested in the characters and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series!

LEFOU: A LOYAL SIDEKICK YOU CAN’T HELP BUT LOVE MORE THAN THEIR COUNTERPART

I am a HUGE Thomas Cresswell fan. Give me just a Thomas spin-off and I’ll be fine.

MRS. POTTS, CHIP, LUMIERE, AND COGSWORTH: A BOOK THAT HELPED YOU THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME OR TAUGHT YOU SOMETHING VALUABLE.

This book is pure joy and heartache. It got me out of a reading slump and I will forever recommend it to everyone.

SOMETHING THERE: A BOOK OR SERIES YOU WEREN’T INTO AT FIRST BUT PICKED UP TOWARDS THE END

Spellbook of the Lost and Found was a bit of a slow start for me, but I really ended up enjoying it!

BE OUR GUEST: A FICTIONAL CHARACTER YOU’D LOVE TO HAVE OVER FOR DINNER

I’ll host the entire cast of Six of Crows, please. (Art by Charlie Bowater)

I TAG:

Kayla

Lilly

Melanie

Jen

No pressure if you’re tagged! And feel free to jump in if you want to do this tag, too! ❤

 

xx,

Amy

Book Blogger Test Tag

THE RULES:
1) Thank the person who nominated you and add a link to their blog. (Thank you, Melanie!)
2) Answer the questions asked on this post — don’t stress it’s quick!
3) Nominate and notify some peeps. 5 preferred.

1) WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 BOOK PET PEEVES?

• When the publisher changes the book covers half way through a series (Honorable mention: Movie tie-in covers.)
• Unreliable narrators. I used to be okay with them, but now I can’t stand them.
• When the book is supposed to take place at a very specific location but the author doesn’t research it enough so the landmarks/location names are incorrect.

2) NAME A PERFECT READING SPOT.

I usually prefer reading in my bed! But this beach chair on my honeymoon in Bali is much preferred. ❤

3) GIVE 3 READING CONFESSIONS.

1. I love looking at physical books but I can fly through an ebook so much faster! So I really prefer to read on my Kindle!
2. I don’t really care if there are overused words, tropes, etc as long as the book is enjoyable (Ok, one exception goes to the overuse of “mate” in Sarah J. Maas’ books. Cringe.)
3. I always love the villain/bad boy in any book. Give me all the enemies-to-lovers romance, please.

4) WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED DURING A BOOK?

I don’t cry while reading! But I did get choked up during a scene in Little Beach Street Bakery over a puffin! LOL! (Don’t worry, the puffin is ok!)

 

5) NUMBER OF BOOKS ON YOUR BEDSIDE TABLE?

1. Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
2. Bad Man by Dathan Auerbach
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

6) FAVORITE READING SNACK?

Coffee, tea, hot cheetos!

7) WHAT ARE 3 BOOKS YOU’D RECOMMEND TO ANYONE?

1. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
2. My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows, Cynthia Hand
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

8) PROVIDE A PICTURE OF YOUR BOOKSHELF.

Soooo I have, like, eight bookcases. This is the only one that’s color-coordinated. And it’s a bit out of date. I did a huge unhaul recently and got new books, too!

9) HOW MUCH DO BOOKS MEAN TO YOU IN 3 WORDS?

I breathe books. (LOL how do you answer this!?)

I NOW TAG…

• Jen
• Kayla
• Charlotte
• Melissa
• Kaleena

 

Halloween in July Book Tag

 The original creator of this tag is @the.book.gypsy on Instagram. I found this tag on The Sassy Book Geek and it looked like so much fun! Please check out her blog! ❤

Fall is my favorite season and Halloween is my favorite holiday! I knew this tag was meant for me. Seriously, I am SO READY for pumpkins and scary-story time. Bring it on!

1) What book gave you the creeps?

It by Stephen King, Night of the Living Dummy by R.L. Stine (that cover, tho.)

2) What book gives you the best Halloween vibes?

Um just this cover alone screams Halloween.

3) What’s your favorite vampire book?

This is going to sound so lame but… the Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse) series by Charlaine Harris!

4) What book scared you so much you had to sleep with the light on?

I don’t scare easily to the point where I need the lights on, but Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake gave me some VERRRRY f*cked up dreams.

5) What’s your favorite book about witches/goblins/ghosts/demons?

The Diviners by Libba Bray (ghosts)

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw (witches/ghosts)

6) What book do you wish was scarier than it was?

Asylum by Madeleine Roux and Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

7) What’s your favorite book that takes place in October?

Okay, so I legit couldn’t think of a spooky book that takes place in October, so I went to my shelf and looked it up! Parts of Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco takes place in October!

Tagging:

Jen | Priscilla | Melanie | Lilly | Kaleena

Please feel free to jump in on this tag, too! I love seeing everyone’s spooky recommendations! ❤

xx,

Amy

The NetGalley Book Tag

★ RULES
¬ Link back to the tag’s creator: Kourtni at Kourtni Reads
¬ Thank and link back to the person who tagged you: Melanie @ Meltotheany
¬ Answer the questions the best you can. If you don’t use NetGalley, you can substitute other sites or places where you get books!
¬ Tag a few people to do this too!

★ AUTO-APPROVED: WHO’S ONE AUTHOR WHOSE BOOKS YOU AUTOMATICALLY WANT TO READ, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT?

I’m going to make a list because there are SO MANY: Leigh Bardugo, Laini Taylor, Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, Rainbow Rowell.

★ REQUEST: WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO REQUEST A BOOK ON NETGALLEY?

Usually if a friend recommends a book or if I see it mentioned a lot on bookstagram, I will try to request a copy. I also love YA fantasy, thrillers, and own voices books.

★ FEEDBACK RATIO: DO YOU REVIEW EVERY BOOK YOU READ? IF NOT, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT BOOKS TO REVIEW?

Well… I’m not too proud of my ratio but I’m working hard to get up to 80%! I do review every book I request from NetGalley (and Edelweiss!), as well as physical ARCs. There’s only been 1-2 cases where I had to DNF an ARC, in which case I will select the “I will not give feedback” option and submit a polite explanation for my reasoning. As for non-ARCs, I’ve been reviewing every book I’ve read since starting this blog. I might not review an older book/series, or if I do, I’ll review the entire series in one big mash-up review.

★ BADGES: IF YOU COULD CREATE ONE BADGE TO DISPLAY ON YOUR BLOG, WHAT WOULD IT BE FOR?

I’m still new to NetGalley so I’m not familiar with the badges that already exist, but if I had to choose one, I’d like a badge to show my most reviewed genre so publishers can see what genres I like to read the most.

★ WISH FOR IT: WHAT’S ONE BOOK THAT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY DYING TO READ?

I’ve been very blessed to have already received/read my most anticipated books (The Wicked King and Muse of Nightmares) but The Priory of the Orange Tree is a close contender! It’s so gorgeous.

★ 2018 NETGALLEY CHALLENGE: WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK THAT YOU RECEIVED AS AN ARC THAT YOU REVIEWED? IF YOU’VE NEVER RECEIVED AN ARC, WHAT’S THE LAST BOOK YOU REVIEWED?

Grace & Fury by Tracy Banghart is my most recently read/reviewed ARC (provided by Little, Brown.) Pictured above is the FairyLoot exclusive hardback edition.

★ I tag ★

Jen | Priscilla | Julia | Bibi | Flavia | Kayla | Wren

xx,

Amy

Mystery Blogger Award

Hi, friends! I want to say the biggest thank you to Julia @ Fable Hunter for nominating me for the Mystery Blogger Award! Julia’s blog is dedicated to all things bookish, so please check out her blog when you get a chance! ❤

This award was created by Okoto Enigma. The explanation included on her blog is:

The “Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.
– Okoto Enigma

RULES

1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
2. List the rules.
3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
9. Share a link to your best post(s)

 

The 3 Things About Myself:

1. Bunnies are my absolutely favorite animal.
2. I met my best friend in 4th grade when we both won a local art contest.
3. I’ve been to Medieval Times more than I can count (LMAO).

 

The 5 Questions from Julia for Me to Answer:

1. What are your hobbies? Aside from reading… I love going to Disney World and going to Thailand to visit my family. I also knit/crochet.

2. What is your biggest goal this year? I’ve been sick for a very long time so my goal is to get into a steady remission with the current treatment that I’m on.

3. Do you have any pet peeves? Haha, um, everything annoys me. LOL. Unnecessarily loud neighbors, people who chew with their mouth open, horrible drivers, pull tabs that break when you try to open a bag/package!

4. How would you describe yourself in 5 words (or less)? Organized, attentive, ambitious.

5. What was the weirdest/grossest thing you did as a child? Remember when McDonald’s used to give Happy Meals in those cool buckets? One time my bucket had the Hamburlgar on it. I was really afraid of him so I locked the bucket in our bathroom. The door locked from the inside. My parents were… not pleased… when they had to take the door knob apart. LOL.

My best post: My post about why I tab my books became one of my most popular posts!

 

My 5 Questions for YOU:

1. Where is your favorite place to visit?
2. Which book do you relate to the most?
3. What’s your favorite thing to blog about?
4. Do you prefer paperbacks, hardcovers, eBooks, or audio books? Why?
5. What’s a word or song lyric you misheard your entire life?

 

I Nominate:

Jen | Priscilla | Bibi | Flavia | Kayla

Wren | Tiffany | Lori | Lilly |Melanie

xx,

Amy

 

I Spy Book Challenge

I was tagged by my dear friend Melanie @ Meltotheany to do this fun tag, which was originally created by Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books!

How to do this tag: Find a book that contains (either on the cover or in the title) an example for each category. You must have a separate book for all 20, get as creative as you want and do it within five minutes!

1 . Food

2. Transportation

3. Weapon

4. Animal

5. Number

6. Something You Read

7. Body of Water

8. Product of Fire

9. Royalty

10. Architecture

11. Clothing Item

12. Family Member

13. Time of Day

14. Music

15. Paranormal Being

16. Occupation

17. Season

18. Color

19. Celestial Body

20. Something that Grows

I tag:

Jen | Priscilla | Julia | Bibi | Flavia | Kayla | Wren

This was such a fun tag! Thanks for tagging me, Melanie! I also tag anyone else who is interested! 🙂

xx,

Amy