It is nearly the end of the year so before I jump into my December Recap I just want to say that I hope everyone had a good 2017, and that you all have an even better 2018 filled with incredible books.
Compared to my November my December was pretty uneventful, with the exception of Christmas that is. However I did finally manage to get through a series that has been high priority on my TBR list for ages now (reviews to come in January) and I have started re-planning and re-researching my WIP as well.
Books I Reviewed
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao
So many people were raving about this book, both in the run up to and after its release, and after reading it I can see why. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is an incredible debut, I have so many theories on where the series will go so I desperately need the second book now.
All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
There were a fair few mixed reviews for All the Crooked Saints so, thinking I’d be let down, I went into it with lowered expectations. However after a slow start, which I’ve come to expect from the magical realism genre, I fell in love with this book and the characters I was introduced to.
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
I’d had this book on my to-read list for ages before finally picking it up. I loved Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, and I really enjoyed this one as well. The Upside of Unrequited is so much more than a typical YA contemporary book, Molly and her family made the story so much more.
ARC Review: Everless by Sara Holland
For a debut from Sara Holland Everless was a really good story. There were plenty of twists which didn’t feel cliché the way they sometimes can in YA fantasy books but it was the world building, the history and myths of Sempera, that made Everless such a stand-out read for me.
I received a copy of this book from BKMRK.
ARC Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
If I were to choose one book I reviewed this month that stood out miles apart from the rest it would be this one. Holly Black is an incredible author, definitely the queen of faerie stories, and The Cruel Prince is an incredible start to her new series leaving me desperate for the next book.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
ARC Review: The Sacrifice Box by Martin Stewart
Even though I didn’t really have any expectations for The Sacrifice Box before reading it I was still a little disappointed. There was a lot of potential but Stewart tried to cram too many stories in one book and it made the character development weak in places.
I received a copy of this book from Penguin Platform.
Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Bookish Settings I’d Love to Visit
Top Ten Favourite Books of 2017
Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings
Top Ten Books I’m Looking Forward to in 2018
Again I didn’t buy too many books this month, in fact asides from my Fairy Loot Box I didn’t ‘buy’ any books. For Christmas my sister brought me some incredible books, one of which I have been dying to get my hands on since it was released, and next month I’ll be spending my Christmas money (on books of course) so my January haul will be a little bigger.
Christmas Presents
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
Check out my review here.
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
The Book of Dust Volume One: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
Fairy Loot
Everless by Sara Holland
Check out my review here.
There are so many incredible books coming out in January, so many in fact that my bank account will hate me by the time February rolls around. You’d think that would make it hard to choose just one for my Next Month’s TBR list, but when it comes to new releases there is one book more than any other I can’t wait for, one that I will be starting the very second I have it in my hands.
Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
They call him father, liberator, warlord, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls toward the pale blue planet, his armour red, his army vast, his heart heavy. It is the tenth year of war and the thirty-second of his life.
A decade ago, Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. But the Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk everything he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself?
And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever:
A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp and achieves for herself a new life she could never have imagined.
An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life.
And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.
Red Rising was the story of the end of one universe, and Iron Gold is the story of the creation of a new one. Witness the beginning of a stunning new saga of tragedy and triumph from masterly New York Times bestselling author Pierce Brown.
Next month I can’t say I have too many plans. I’m just going to be trying to get back on track after December where blogging fell in the wayside so I could make time for Christmas shopping, and Christmas parties, and Christmas day. Monday I will be posting my End of Year Recap, which will be looking a little further into the future as well as back at the past year.
Happy reading everyone.
Those are definitely wonderful gifts! Hope you get to enjoy them, Beth! December, while it doesn’t seem as crazy as some of your previous months, was still filled with some great books. Hope January will be a wonderful month filled with awesome stories for you to go through though. Keep it and take care, Beth!! 😉
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Thanks Lashaan, I hope so too but now I have The Book of Dust on my shelves in front of me it won’t be long before I pick it up. 🙂 Yeah December did seem to slow down a little but that’s kind of nice before the new year and yes plenty of awesome books too.
Thanks so much, I hope you have a brilliant January as well, I’m sure there are epic books you’ve got to get around to as well. 🙂 ❤
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Lovely haul! I still need to read Book of Dust and and Everless looks great! And I’m really looking forward to Iron Gold too. 🙂
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Thanks so much. 🙂 Oh I’ll be started The Book of Dust soon, I won’t be able to wait long now it’s physically on my shelves. I hope you enjoy Everless and yes Iron Gold is going to epic isn’t it? 😀
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You’re welcome 🙂 hehe fair enough!! Thank you! And yes!!
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December was such a BLUR! 😂😂😂 the holidays definitely throws everything off course & I’m also currently trying to get back on track. Is it silly that hubby & I are thinking of taking the day off from work to p/u Iron Gold and just read all day til it’s time to p/u the tiny humans? smh haha! tempted. Everless was a pleasant surprise & I have a copy of All the Crooked Saints I’d really like to get to soon, I’ve heard good things about the audiobook so I may read-along with the audiobook. EeeeK! this will be my first Fairyloot & I’m so excited! prepare to have me hitting you up to theorize over what books might be coming our way 😂😂😂 happy reading Beth 💜💜💜
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December feels like it both went really slowly but also sped past. I feel like the last month of the year is always that way though so I shouldn’t really be surprised. 🙂 That’s definitely not silly. Part of me wants to change the shipping address on my order of Iron Gold to my work address just so I can start it even sooner! It’s going to be epic and I want it in my hands like right this second! 😀
Ohh I hope you enjoy All the Crooked Saints Lilly, and I really really hope you enjoy your Fairy Loot box as well. I can’t wait for January’s box (then again I feel that way about pretty much every month’s box!) 🙂
Thanks Lilly, you too! 😀 ❤
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I have Iron Gold pre-ordered and nothing but slow mail service can stand between me and that book haha
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I have it pre-ordered as well. 🙂 It should be arriving the day it’s released and the second I have my hands on it I will be starting it! 😀
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I think it will probably take a week after release until I have it in hands, but that’s no news in my country haha
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Oh wow for a highly anticipated book that feels like too long, but I’m sure the wait will be worth it when you finally do have it! 😀
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I have no doubts whatsoever in Pierce’s writing abilities!
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Me neither! 😀
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Ah, I’m so glad you enjoyed Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, Beth! I just got that one in December so I’m excited to see what I think of it, especially with all the mixed reviews. (I have to say tho, that cover is hideous. 😆) And I also just got All the Crooked Saints from my library and I’m a bit scared to see what I think of it? But good to know you liked it as well!
And aahh, I’m so happy to know you liked Everless & The Cruel Prince!! Those are two of my most anticipated January releases (tho I probably won’t get to them until later haha), and I’m super excited to read them!
Hope you have a fabulous January in the new year! ❤
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It’s a great book May, and I’m sure you’ll love it as well (at the very least I hope you’ll love it more than you like the cover! :D) Ohh, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed you enjoy All the Crooked Saints then, I know there are mixed reviews out there for it but I thought it was good so fingers crossed right?
Everyone seems to be excited for The Cruel Prince, the hype is real I guess, and yeah there are so many releases I can’t wait for which I know I won’t get around to right away. Too many books to read too little time. 🙂
Thanks so much May, you too! 😀 ❤
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Why do you have two copies of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns? Or are my eyes playing a trick on me? 😛
I am so, so happy you got The Book of Dust and can’t wait for you to read it – hope you will love it, Beth! Sending you all the love and best wishes for 2018! xx
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Ha, I was waiting for someone to mention that actually. No your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, I just won one copy in a giveaway and got another in my Fairy Loot box, so I ended up with two. Luckily it’s an amazing book so I don’t even mind having two. 😀
Oh The Book of Dust is high on my to-read list that’s for sure, and thanks so much Marie, I hope you have an incredible 2018 too, filled with plenty of amazing books. 🙂 ❤
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Oh okay haha, that’s great! 😀
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December flew by, I barely remember a thing! Let’s have a wonderfully bookish 2018! Happy New Year!
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Ha, yeah I know that feeling, and I feel like the whole of 2018 will be the same. Thanks Meggy, I hope you have a brilliant and bookish new year as well! 😀 ❤
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My December was pretty uneventful too. Just a few rereads and Warcross. I got through some of my reviews though! And it looks like you read some really great books. YOu’ve made me even more excited to read A Cruel Prince and Forest of a Thousand Lanterns wasn’t really at the top of my list but I think that might have to change after reading your review for it! I hope you love Iron Gold next month!! Happy reading! 😀 ❤
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I feel like things start slowing down towards the end of the year, everyone winding down before January 1st right? 🙂 But it’s great you got through some reviews Azia and I can’t wait to hear what you think of The Cruel Prince and Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, they’re both great books so I’m sure you’ll love them. Thanks so much, and you too! 😀 ❤
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Yeah, I think that’s the case. I’m jumping back into my heavy reading habits this month so it’s kind of good that I didn’t over-do things in December 😀 And thanks, I’m sure I will too!
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I already feel like I’ve read more books in January than I did in December. I’m on a roll because I’ve got to start off my 2018 Reading Challenge as best I can! 😀
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Oh yay! That’s wonderful news! I haven’t read much just yet, but I know I’ll read so much more than I did in January. Glad you’re off to a fantastic start in 2018, Beth! ❤
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Well January is only the first month of the year, plenty of chance to catch up if we do fall behind still, but it’s great you’ve read more this January than last as well Azia! Thanks. 🙂 ❤️
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Hi Beth! ❤
Sounds like you've had an great reading month! That's awesome that you liked almost all of the books that you've read. It amazes me that you are able to write reviews for each of these books 🙂
I am SO glad that you enjoyed The Upside of Unrequited 🙂 🙂
Have a happy January ❤
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Hi Sophie. 🙂
Yeah I definitely think this was a good reading month overall, and a great way to end the year on a high as well. Ha, yeah if I ever get behind on my reviews I reckon it will be a disaster knowing how much I actually read, and oh The Upside of Unrequited was a great read. Then again with what everyone has been saying about it I feel like it would have been impossible to not love that one.
Thanks Sophie, I hope you have a great January too. 🙂 ❤
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Looks like you read some interesting books! Your fairyloot box was very cool too–the pop figurine is adorable!
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Thanks, yeah there were some great books I managed to get through this month. Oh Fairy Loot always do amazing boxes it seems, and the Pop Figure was what I was looking the most forwards to in the December box as well. 😀
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I have Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and All The Crooked Saints on my TBR shelf. Sounds like I should read them soon!
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I would highly recommend both. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is an incredible read, and so is All the Crooked Saints thought it took me a little while to get into the story. 🙂
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I hope to get to them soon! *she types as she glances at a big stack of books that is waiting patiently to be read* 😉
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Ha, I know that feeling. Trust me I have a similar stack of books waiting to be read! 😀
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Your edition of The Book of Dust is gorgeous!
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Thanks, it’s just the UK edition but it’s one of the most gorgeous books I own now. 🙂
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