January Recap

So one month in to 2017 and I hope everyone’s had an amazing January. I am already preparing for the rest of this year; I’ve booked my tickets for YALC 2017 – of course I went for the weekend ticket again – I’ve booked tickets to go to the Harry Potter Studio Tour again in February, and I’ve booked a holiday to Krakow in June. A lot going on this year , not a lot happening in January though.

January was a mixed bag for me; I did manage to get through a lot of the ARCs in my queue, which means my self-imposed NetGalley requesting ban is now over, but on the other hand I was put in spam jail by Askimet, I am out now but that’s never a fun experience. Still, hopefully February will be a better month.

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Books I Reviewed

The Half Bad Trilogy

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this trilogy, the blurb doesn’t reveal much, but I was completely blown away. This is now one of my favourite series, despite the last book ripping my heart to pieces.

Half Bad by Sally Green

Half Wild by Sally Green

Half Lost by Sally Green

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ARC Review: Gilded Cage by Vic James

It’s been a while since I’ve read a dystopian book, the genre was getting a little tired in my opinion. Luckily Gilded Cage was a fresh take on the genre that I loved from start to finish. Now I just need to get my hands on the second book.

I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan.

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ARC Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

As my most anticipated read for this year Caraval had a lot to live up to, and oh did it ever. There’s no way to properly describe how much I loved this book; Caraval was magic, wonder, romance and enchantment all wrapped up in one amazing story.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

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Magonia Series

The covers for this series are beyond gorgeous, unfortunately the books failed to live up to my expectations. The character development want great and the pacing got better with Aerie but the world building just fell flat.

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Aerie by Maria Dahvana Headley

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ARC Review: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

This was another book where my expectations weren’t met. Wintersong is a character focused story and I just didn’t connect with Liesl enough to fully enjoy reading her journey.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

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ARC Review: Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton

After Rebel of the Sands became a favourite read of mine last year Traitor to the Throne went to the top of my to-read list. While I noticed the slow pacing at the beginning of this book more than with the first one I still thought it was an amazing story.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

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ARC Review Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Being both a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland and Marissa Meyer Heartless was a book I couldn’t wait to get around to. Although it didn’t quite meet my expectations I still loved this book which added a new dimension to the terrifying Queen of Hearts from Lewis Carroll’s original tale.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

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A Million Worlds With You by Claudia Gray

The ending to Ten Thousand Skies Above You was a huge cliffhanger that left me desperate for the last book in the trilogy. A Million Worlds With You was a brilliant ending to this series, with a lot more at stake for all the characters we’ve met along the way.

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Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten 2017 Debuts I’m Excited For

Top Ten 2016 Releases I Meant to Read but Didn’t Get to (but Totally Plan to)

Top Ten Underrated Books I’ve Read or Added to my TBR List in the Past Year or So

Top Ten Bookish Blogging Goals for 2017

Top Ten Favourite YA Book Covers; UK Edition Vs. US Edition

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Standalone Sunday

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

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With my book buying ban now over, and the money I got from Christmas still in my purse, I went on a bit of a book buying spree this month still I didn’t actually overspent which is a huge achievement for me. I’m not going to keep a monthly budget this year, instead I’m just going to try and manage what I spend based on how much money I have each month after the essentials. Who knows if this will work better for me but here’s hoping.

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Waterstones

• RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
• Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
• Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier
• Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier
• Half Wild by Sally Green
  Check out my review here.
• Half Lost by Sally Green
  Check out my review here.
• The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
• The Sleeping Prince by Melinda Salisbury
• The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
• The Shadow Hour by Melissa Grey
• Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti
• Swarm by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti
• Ink by Alice Broadway
• Frostblood by Elly Blake
  Check out my review here.
• The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee
• Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
• The Case of Beasts: Explore the Film Wizardry of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Mark Salisbury

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Amazon

• The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
• Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
  Check out my review here.
• Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley
  Check out my review here.
• Aerie by Maria Dahvana Headley
  Check out my review here.

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Fairy Loot

• Caraval by Stephanie Garber
  Check out my review here.

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This month I did quite well on my to-read list, of the four books I featured I managed to get through three of them, so I’m picking five books for next month and I’m off to a great start because I’ve already finished one earlier today.

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Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favoured by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not—their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.

Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuvhe, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive—or to destroy one another.

Fans of Star Wars and Divergent will revel in internationally bestselling author Veronica Roth’s stunning new science-fiction fantasy series.

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RoseBlood by A.G. Howard

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumoured to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

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The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

New York City as you’ve never seen it before. A thousand-story tower stretching into the sky. A glittering vision of the future, where anything is possible—if you want it enough.

Welcome to Manhattan, 2118.

A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. But people never change: everyone here wants something…and everyone has something to lose.

Leda Cole’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

Eris Dodd-Radson’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

Rylin Myers’s job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world – and a romance – she never imagined…but will her new life cost Rylin her old one?

Watt Bakradi is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy by an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is Avery Fuller, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Debut author Katharine McGee has created a breathtakingly original series filled with high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, where the impossible feels just within reach. But in this world, the higher you go, the farther there is to fall…

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The Girl at Midnight Series by Melissa Grey

Echo is a pickpocket runaway adopted and raised in New York City by a race of creatures with feathers for hair and magic in their veins. The series follows Echo as she becomes involved in an ancient war and a centuries-old love, and discovers startling truths about the world she lives in.

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February is going to be an exciting month for me. Now I have my backlog of ARCs out the way I can focus on developing my blog a little more; I have a new feature that I am planning to introduce and I am hoping to have a Goodreads profile up and running soon as well. I am determined to keep to my goals for 2017 and February will be when I start crossing them off my list.