Top Ten Characters Whose Job I Wish I Had

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl. I meant to write and post this yesterday, but my copy of Chain of Iron came and I've been reading it since. This topic is a bit of a hard one, since most of the books I read are fantasies that involve people stabbing things. As I am not a very effective stabber, let's see what else I can find!

1. Spy - Cammie from I'd Tell You I Love You, But then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

2. Governess - Alexandra from The Governess Game by Tessa Dare (or basically any historical romance novel)

3. Songwriter - Emme from Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

4. Soccer player - Peyton from Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

5. Writer - Charlotte from My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

6. Alien ambassador - Cara from Alienated by Melissa Landers

7. Magical baker - Emilia from Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

8. Scientist - Violet from The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan

9. Cosplayer (is that a job?) - Elle from Geekerella by Ashley Poston

10. Alchemist - Nedra from Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis

What characters have jobs you wish you had? Let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Book Titles That Would Make Good Song Names

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl.

1. That's Not What I Heard by Stephanie Kate Strohm

2. Only Ashes Remain by Rebecca Schaeffer

3. Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

4. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

5. Hourglass by Myra McEntire

6. Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

7. The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

8. A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena

9. Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis

10. A Kiss in the Dark by Gina Ciocca

Top Ten Books I'd Change the Title Of

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl. No idea what I'd change the titles to, but these just don't quite fit the stories. My general reasoning will be that the titles don't seem to capture the essence of the story or that it's too vague. Also, I made this list while looking at older books on Goodreads, so most of the titles will be older as well.

1. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

2. Frostbite by Richelle Mead

3. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

5. Fallen by Lauren Kate

6. The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

7. A Million Suns by Beth Revis

8. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

9. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

10. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Top Ten Cover Changes I Had FEELINGS About

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl. These are cover changes I both loved and hated, and I'll make a note with each one.

1. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - This series changed covers after the first book. While I like the feeling the new covers evoke, the character on the cover of book one looks more like the main character.

2. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers - This is an instance when both covers are good, but in different ways. I loved the original covers! I feel like they do a good job of saying 'assassin nuns'. But the new cover art is gorgeous!

3. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare - I definitely prefer the new covers for this series. The old ones weren't bad, but the were very 'big chest, chopped off head'. The new covers express more emotion and give a better hint at the story.

4. Royals/Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins - For this book, I definitely like the original cover/title better. The bright pink cover with sparkles and crown gets across the spunky vibe of the main character. That said, the cover/title change does work for book two.

5. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi - This cover change was without a doubt for the benefit. The original cover was more to the style of the time, but the new cover is SO MUCH prettier! I love the eyeballs, and I love how the eye style changes to reflect each book.

6. Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios - In this case I prefer the original covers. The new covers are nice, but the original was just so pretty.

7. Across the Universe by Beth Revis - This book actually went through three cover renditions. I like the original cover, with the two figures kissing in space. The second cover isn't horrible, but it's a little tacky. The third cover is cool stylistically, but on the boring side.

8. Poison Princess by Kresley Cole - The new and old covers each have their benefits and drawbacks. The original cover, which I lean towards, gives a good image of the characters, but does fall into the early 2010s 'couple on a cover' trope. The new cover has no character art, but it's very pretty and does a good job of representing the world.

9. Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia - For me, the original cover is much nicer than the paperback. The cover shares the slightly dark story that also has a good romance. The white background on the new cover just doesn't work for me, and it ends up looking a little tacky.

10. Graceling by Kristin Cashore - All in all, this cover design isn't too different. The main thing that changes is the background design. I think the knife works really well on both covers. I feel like the original cover gives it a bit of a historical vibe while the new cover lends itself more towards fantasy. To me, the change actually looks a bit similar to the Grave Mercy cover change. I like the new cover a bit more, only because the background is a bit nicer.

Top Ten (Oops) Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl.

1. Wilder Girls by Rory Power - July 9, 2019

2. The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson - July 9, 2019

3. The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen - July 30, 2019

4. Of Ice and Shadows by Audrey Coulthurst - August 13, 2019

5. These Divided Shores by Sara Raasch - August 27, 2019

6. All the Bad Apples by Moïra Fowley-Doyle - August 27, 2019

7. American Royals by Katharine McGee - September 3, 2019

8. Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan - September 10, 2019

9. His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler - September 10, 2019

10. The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring - September 24, 2019

11. Bid My Soul Farewell by Beth Revis - September 24, 2019

12. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo - October 1, 2019

13. Rebel by Marie Lu - October 1, 2019

14. Crier's War by Nina Varela - October 1, 2019

15. The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout - October 8, 2019

16. The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh - October 8, 2019

17. Tarnished Are the Stars by Rosiee Thor - October 15

18. The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco - October 15, 2019

19. Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater - November 5, 2019

20. The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White - November 5, 2019

21. Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh - November 12, 2019

22. Cold Falling White by G.S. Prendergast - November 19, 2019

23. The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black - November 19, 2019

This ended up being a *bit* more than ten. What books are you excited for in the second half of the year?

Top Ten Places I Want to Visit Mentioned in Books

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl. This is going to be locations from fantasy novels!

1. Ravka from Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

2. Wonderland from Splintered by A.G. Howard

3. High Court of Faerie from The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

4. Mynaria from Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

5. Kalyazi and Tranavia from Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

6. The Iron Court from The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

7. The Night Court from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

8. Grace Loray from These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch

9. Lunar Island from Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis

10. Astrea from Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

Top Ten Favorite Books With Under 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and The Artsy Reader Girl.

Since I'm going through my Goodreads list, this will be in order from least reviews to most (all under 2,000). Some might also be upcoming releases, and that's why they have under 2,000.

1. Once and Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy - 115 reviews

2. The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me by Olivia Hinebaugh - 178

3. Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins - 322

4. Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan - 525

5. Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes - 568

6. The Reckoning of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin - 641

7. Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast - 1,051

8. The Scandal of it All by Sophie Jordan (romance) - 1,085

9. Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis - 1,364

10. Ignited by Corrine Jackson - 1,398

11. All That Glows by Ryan Graudin - 1,745

Waiting on Wednesday (119)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm excited for Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis! This is her first fantasy novel, her previous being mostly science fiction. I really enjoyed her Across the Universe series, so I have no doubt I'll enjoy this as well! The premise looks extremely interesting, and could easily become a villain origin story if things don't go well. I'm always curious about books that deal with necromancy, so I hope it is done well. Lastly, the cover is gorgeous! The cover alone would get me to read this book!

Synopsis:

When seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy, she has only one goal in mind: learn the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island's wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn't quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen, who all look down on her.

All, except for Greggori "Grey" Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that's for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the North, and it's making its way toward the cities. With her family's life--and the lives of all of Lunar Island's citizens--on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague.

Grey and Nedra continue to grow closer, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy's most dangerous corners--and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness.

Release: September 25, 2018

Top Ten 2014 Releases I Meant to Read But Didn't

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

1. Lola and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: I started reading this, but the amount of stupid that was about to happen made me put it down.

2. Call Me Grim by Elizabeth Holloway: this looks really good!

3. Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White: I actually have this, and am excited to read it!

4. The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black: I also have this. It's also signed by Holly.

5. The Body Electric by Beth Revis: I even bought the exclusive edition of this, and Beth signed it twice.

6. Talon by Julie Kagawa: I love the author's other stuff, and just need to dive in to this one.

7. The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson: I also started this, but the short story style isn't my favorite

8. Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry: I've started this (and love it), but I don't like reading eBooks.

9. Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout: I want to read this, but just haven't bought it yet.

10. My True Love Gave to Me edited by Stephanie Perkins: again, don't like the short story style, but did start it.

What books from 2014 did you mean to read but didn't?

Series Sunday: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

I liked these books. I've read better, I've read much worse. Maybe sci-fi just isn't my style. When I say these books are sci-fi, they are REALLY sci-fi. There's genetic alteration, communication chips imbedded in the characters ears, clones, a few aliens, oh, and did I mention the gigantic spaceship? Everyone lives aboard the giant spaceship Godspeed. There are the folks that take care of the ship, and then the lesser known...others. People from earth-specifically with science, medical, or military expertise-were frozen in cryo chambers and left there to be woken up when they reach their destination, Centauri-Earth. The idea behind this story is amazing and is well told. It could have been a bit better paced, but I was satisfied in the end.

The story is duel-POV. One of the characters is Amy. She is from earth and her parents were going to be frozen, so she decided to go with them. It's addressed that, while frozen, Amy can still think and dream. That wasn't supposed to happen and she wonders about it in the first book. It isn't brought up again and the question of what happened was never really answered. Amy starts off as a scared teenager, but matures and grows courage as the series progresses. She feels fear for her parents and newfound friends. She also learns what it feels like to be a scapegoat, as many of the people on the ship dislike her, including it's leader. Amy meets the second main character, Elder, right after she wakes up. Elder is going to be the leader of Godspeed someday, AKA Eldest. I don't like his character as much as Amy's. Maybe it's because he has never seen earth, therefore is less relatable. Maybe it's the way he speaks, the members of Godspeed have added many new words to the english language. Or it could simply be him as a whole. He was raised very different than many are. For example, he has been taught that the three causes of discord are A) Lack of leadership, B) Differences, and C) Individual thought. Readers, of course, think this is totally bogus and, eventually, so does he. His character does develop though. He learns who, and what, he is willing to do anything for, even die. Amy is one of those people. It becomes obvious fairly quickly that they like each-other and their relationship is built and tested throughout the series. There are many other characters, but none of them really stand out in my mind. I don't really like them or they simply are not complex enough.

Let me say this, the last book in the series was a real doozie. The author warned that she liked to kill characters off and that many would be in book three, but whoa! There were characters dying left and right. I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure at least one person dies every chapter save the last three or so. The series wraps up better than I had hoped. While it's not a fairy tale ending, everyone more less gets something they want. It's a tad abrupt. There is enough of a wrap-up for it to be a conclusion, but another chapter or two would have been well-loved. Book two, A Million Suns, was by far my favorite book in the series. If you're a geek (like me!) and love things such as Star Wars and Star Trek, this is for you! Overall, I give it a four star rating.