Top Ten Books That Surprised Me

(This meme is actually hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl now, but I am far too lazy to make a new graphic)

As devoted readers, I think that we tend to have a pretty good idea of which books we will enjoy and which books we won't, but occasionally a book comes along and surprises us--which can be a good thing or a bad thing. I present to you five books that I liked much more than I expected and 5 books I disliked more than I expected. 

1) Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman - Whenever there is a lot of hype surrounding a book, I try to brace myself for disappointment, but this novel exceeded my expectations. It is addicting and fun and I fell in love with the characters. 

2) Coming Up for Air by Miranda Kenneally - I'd read some of Kenneally's other books in this series, and while they were okay, they were nothing worth raving about (for me--other people adore them!). However, I really enjoyed this one! I thought it had depth and lots of kissing and really good messages. 

3) Caraval by Stephanie Garber - This is another book I was hesitant to read because of the hype but it completely stole my heart. It was an emotional roller coaster. The whole novel kept me engaged and eager to find out what happens next. 

4) Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin - I didn't know what to expect from this one, but it was gritty and interesting and had fascinating, unique formatting. 

5) And I Darken by Kiersten White - This one was completely unexpected. I'm not really one for historical fiction or dense YA novels, which this one definitely is, but I fell so in love with the characters and the story. I couldn't stop talking about it for months! 

1) Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - I can't even put my finger on what was disappointing about this. I ate it up in like one sitting, but, in retrospect, it just wasn't that riveting. 

2) The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder - I was expecting something beautiful and poignant with a premise that sounded interesting and magical. That's not what I got. The emotion in this book was unconvincing and the protagonist was infuriating. I was completely unsatisfied at the end of this novel. 

3) Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard - I thought the first book in the series was really interesting and I was invested in the characters, but this sequel was boring and painful to get through. The ending picked up a bit, but not enough. 

4) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - This book just reeks of creepiness and darkness and FUN, but it was really slow. And not really creepy. 

5) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - Maybe it's my fault for letting the hype get to me, but I was completely underwhelmed by this book. Again, the ending was pretty good, but it was such a struggle to get through like 2/3 of it. 

Sunday Post #29

• I hope everyone had a great memorial day! Luckily the restaurant I work at shut down so I had the day off to swim with my friend, watch some TV, and do a little bit of painting. I've been feeling crafty lately, so I've been painting canvases (even though I am not a good artist at all). 
• Aside from that, I've basically just spent my life working. I'm actually typing this up at work right now hah! So far, my money-saving endeavors are going well, but it has only been a couple weeks. Stay tuned to see if I actually manage to save anything this summer. 
• ALSO, I finally filmed a couple videos to get back into BookTube, which is super exciting! I haven't finished editing the first one yet, but I WILL. Hopefully by next week's Sunday Post I'll be able to start giving y'all updates on my booktube and bookstagram posts. 

Reviews: 
- Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Memes: 
- Top Ten Anticipated Reads In The Second Half Of 2017

Features/Misc: 
- Spring Favorites
- YA Look Book #2: Once and for All by Sarah Dessen

Reviews: 
- Geekerella by Ashley Poston
- Noteworthy by Riley Redgate

Memes: 
- Top Ten Contemporary Books I've Recently Added To My TBR
- Sunday Post #30

Features/Misc: 
- Just Write #3
- Sarah Dessen Feature

 - First and foremost, I have a twitter giveaway going on, so you should check it out! It's open internationally, as long as the book depository ships to you! You can enter to win one of the following books: 


- The YA Book Traveler shared some really incredible ideas for a book-themed wedding, and is giving us the opportunity to win Once and for All by Sarah Dessen! (US only)
- Pure Imagination is hosting a June Releases giveaway, where you can win any June release of your choice! Open internationally, as long as the book depository ships to you. 

Lefty's Lowdown: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
(Red Queen #2)
Published: February 9, 2016 by HarperTeen
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: 

If there’s one thing Mare Barrow knows, it’s that she’s different.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

 It took me way too long to read this novel. I really enjoyed Red Queen, its predecessor, but let this sit on my shelf for a long while. I'd heard it wasn't very good and that made me extremely nervous. I'll admit, this wasn't my favorite book to ever exist, but I am happy I read it, and it made me excited to continue the series!

So, this book starts out sloooooow. That's my main squabble with the novel. It started out with action, but for some reason it still just felt slow-paced. It was very description-heavy, but I feel like it was mostly just describing different buildings, and I literally zoned out every time we started getting heavy description. Personally, I like characterization, and we really didn't get much of that until the final 1/3 of the book. Maybe I'm wrong, but it just felt like the characters hardly had any meaningful interaction throughout most of the book. They'd discuss battle strategy, but they remained fairly static until closer to the end.

Needless to say, the final third of the book is what saved it for me. Once more started happening with the characters and the stakes began to feel crucial, I became completely absorbed in the novel! And by the end, I was ready as heck to keep reading.

Now let's talk about our protagonist. Mare Barrow. I tried so hard not to get frustrated with her as I was reading, but ALAS! Frustration occurred. I get that she was majorly betrayed in the first novel, so it makes sense that she starts questioning who she should trust. But like. I didn't enjoy the way she just iced over her heart. She didn't treat anyone with respect. And she was just so wobbly. She got onto her high freakin horse and barked orders at people and acted like she was the most important person to ever exist because she could make lightning, but then when people regarded her as a leader she'd say, "I'm not a leader. Woe is me! Anyone can betray anyone! I'm so powerful!" I lost a lot of respect for her character in this novel.

As for the other characters--we had a nice motley crew. I enjoyed meeting the newbloods and I loved seeing more of Kilorn and Shade and Farley. Tbh, I wish we got to see more Maven because, try as I might to hate him, he's probably my favorite character. It was a lot of fun to see all the twisted shit he does in this book and how deeply fucked his psyche is.

This book was just fairly lackluster for me. I feel like the series lost a lot of the intrigue that it had in the first book. I wasn't swept away by the politics or, for most of the novel, the character relationships. The plot was expected and repetitive. The romance was kind of bland. But that final third of the novel, man. It convinced me to keep reading. It convinced me to hang on to these characters and to care about them. I have hope for Mare's character arc and I have hope for MORE MAVEN.

My rating: 

3/5

Sunday Post #28

• I'm back in the blogging world!!!! School is over and I'm back to reading and blogging. Man, it feels good to be back. I just wanna read ALL THE THINGS right now. 
• Aside from bookish stuff, I've been lounging by the pool a lot and hanging out with my best friend. So far, my summer vacation has been an absolute delight. 
• I've also started waitressing again, though, which is not as much fun. But I'm trying to save money for studying abroad and then moving to New York heh heh no pressure.

Memes:
- Top Ten Books I Want To Read This Summer

Features/Misc:
- Here I Am Once Again
- The Eclectic Corner #6: Sun-Kissed List

Reviews: 
- Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Memes: 
- Top Ten Anticipated Releases For The Second Half Of 2017
- Sunday Post #29

Features/Misc:
- Spring Favorites
- YA Look Book #2

WHAT HAS YOUR WEEK IN BOOKS AND BLOGGING LOOKED LIKE?

Top Ten Books I Want To Read This Summer

I finished my junior year of college a couple weeks ago, and I cannot tell you how excited I am to relax and have some quality reading time. There are so many books I want to devour this delightful summer season, but here are a mere ten I definitely plan to get to!

The Magicians by Lev Grossman - I am OBSESSED with this TV show, so I have to be a true fan and read the source material. Also, one of my good friends wants me to read the books so we can talk about them, and I have to perform my friend duties, ya dig?

It by Stephen King - I never watched the original film, but the new one looks like it's going to be frickly frackin fantastic, so I gotta prepare!

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas - Yes, yes, yes. The book came out in paperback so I finally caved in and bought it.

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han - I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL LIL BABY IN MY POSSESSION

Once and for All by Sarah Dessen - ODOGONGVO[IDFGHO[IFJH IRUHNOFJAPOIS YOU BETER BELIEVE THE DAY THIS COMES OUT I WILL SHUT OUT THE WORLD BECAUSE I AM SO RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate - I have been very excited about this book since the second I heard about this and I cannot wait to settle into it.

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard - I don't know what is taking me so long to read this because I really enjoyed Red Queen. Now that King's Cage is out and I OWN IT, I should probably get caught up.

Geekerella by Ashley Poston - I loved what I read from Ashley Poston in the past, so I was already really siked for this book. But now I've heard so many wonderful things about it and it just sounds like a great summer read!

Emma by Jane Austen - I have this STUNNING Penguin Threads edition and I love Jane Austen and I need to read more classics on my own.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - Fun story: I am like 99.9% certain I bought this book in the past few months but I HAVE NO IDEA where it is. The day I find it I will be so excited because it's so pretty and also I have been DYING to read it.

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU WANT TO READ THIS SUMMER?

Top Ten 2016 Releases I Meant To Read

There were so many fabulous 2016 releases to read that I could barely keep up. Okay, I didn't keep up. There were so many I was highly anticipating and 100% planned to read, but then I never got around to it. BUT I WILL READ THEM, I WILL. I've listed 10, but trust me when I say there were a lot more.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare - I bought this, like, right when it was released and it still sits upon my shelf unread. To be fair, I think I'm going to wait until all the books are released before I read this and, in the mean time, re-read the Mortal Instruments series.

What Light by Jay Asher - This would have been the perfect read around Christmas time, but I think it's okay seeing as it's JUST NOW starting to feel like winter.

Replica by Lauren Oliver - Lauren Oliver is BAE af. I actually won this one in a giveaway, and it should be waiting for me at school when I get back. So hopefully I will be reading it SOON.

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard - I loved Red Queen, and I bought this one as soon as it was out, but I heard mixed reviews so then I was too afraid I wouldn't like it, so it is still very much unread.

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova - I got an eARC of this, but it was released right around the time I went back to school, so I never got around to it.

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken - I was SO PUMPED to have won this one in a giveaway, and then I didn't read it and now Wayfarer has been released and now I CAN READ BOTH OF THEM.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro - A GENDER-BENT SHERLOCKIAN STORY. I was highly anticipating this, but I didn't have the monies to buy it.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo - Even though I haven't read Six of Crows, this book makes the list, because I'm mad at myself for not having read Six of Crows yet.

Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate - I got an ARC of this and never got around to reading it but if I end up liking Redgate's Noteworthy as much as I expect to, I have a feeling I will be picking this one up shortly after.

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash - This one just sounds so nerdy and cute and I AM HERE FOR IT but apparently not enough because I still haven't read it.

Top Ten Books I Read In 2016

I'm pretty sure I read a lot more books this year than I did last year, and some of them were real winners! It was hard for me to decide on my ten favorites, but these really take the cake! Though, the year is not over yet, so hopefully I still have a few winners left to read. These are in no particular order.

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples - I read the first two volumes of this graphic novel series, and it is so interesting, and so fun!

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson - This was my first Matson book and she quickly became one of my favorite authors! The story was fun and the friendship aspect was incredible. Also, I related to the protagonist, like, A SHIT TON. My review.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - This book got me really interested in fantasy! I loved the premise and I found this book to be incredibly addicting! My review.

My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows - This is my most recent read, and it is utterly delightful!!!! Cute and magical and SO MUCH FUN.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - I read this in anticipation for the movie, and it was AMAZING. It was poignant and beautiful and memorable. I think everyone should read this! My review.

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson - This is another winner by Matson! Dogs and a hot writer boy and a nice lil father-daughter relationship. This is officially my second favorite Matson novel. My review.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - This is no doubt in my top three of the year. I loved the movie and I loved the book and I cried the ugliest cry anyone ever done did cry. This story and these characters hold a very special place in my heart. My review.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - This is the first audiobook I ever listened to, as I lounged by the pool in summer. So I was bound to love it no matter what. That notwithstanding, though, this book was absolutely lovely. I don't know that I've ever related more to a character than I related with Cath. Now where's my Levi????

Beyond the Red by Ava Jae - This book was such a pleasant surprise! I did not expect to love it as much as I did. It was action-packed and steamy and I NEED MORE PEOPLE TO READ THIS BOOK. My review.

And I Darken by Kiersten White - I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK omg omg omg omg omg omg!!!! My review

What are your favorite books of 2016?

BBCP: Bookish Yearbook

You've probably heard of/been shown extreme kindness by Nori, the infamous poodle from ReadWriteLove28. Wellll, she is hosting this marvelous event to inspire book bloggers to have fun, work together, and create an original feature.

In honor of the new school year fast approaching, my group decided to do a bookish yearbook, with superlatives and "yearbook quotes." I know some people in the group chose books from the previous academic year, but I just picked books I read within the last year or so.

Here's our schedule:
Monday, August 8th: Bonnie @ A Backwards Story
Tuesday, August 9th: Charleigh @ Charleigh's Book Nook
Wednesday, August 10th: Lefty @ The Left-Handed Book Lover
Thursday, August 11th: Cheyenne @ Once Upon a Time a Review
Friday, August 12th: Nori @ Read Write Love 28
Saturday, August 13th: Karla @ Reads and Thoughts

Follow along to see everyone's answers! 

I'm so proud of myself and my group for coming up with this feature. Collaborating with an eclectic group of people can be problematic and frustrating at times, but I'm extremely pleased with what we've produced! 

goodreads | my review

Although even in the beginning it was obvious Lena did not completely buy into her society's beliefs, she still wanted to. She was scared and she played by the rules, but as the book and the series progresses we get to see her blossom, embrace love and feelings and freedom. The Lena she is in the beginning of the novel is unrecognizable compared to the Lena she becomes. 

goodreads | my review

This was soooo tough, but I made sure to pick a book I've read recently without repeating myself. This book has such pretty colors and a pretty font and this cover is truly underrated. 

goodreads | my review

This book is the very definition of eclectic characters! There are kids who can levitate and be invisible and create fire. If that's not a motley crew, I don't know what is. 

website

Okay, so I took a long break from blogging and when I came back, all of a sudden there was this author named Victoria Aveyard EVERYWHERE. Everyone had read Red Queen and most people loved it. I felt so out of the loop and knew that I needed to get on top of this book PRONTO. 

goodreads | my review

Okay, to say this ending was unexpected would be a lie. I knew things weren't going to end well for our protagonists (it's written in history) but I still had my fingers crossed that it WOULDN'T end the way it did and of course I had my heart broken. 

goodreads

Lara Jean basically epitomizes "the girl next door." She is sweet and innocent. And she's the girl who has always been around but you never think much of but then you get to know her and she's just awesome! 

goodreads | my review

This book was definitely EVERYWHERE when it was released. Even people who don't usually read contemporary or people who had never read anything by Morgan Matson ended up picking this book up because buzz buzz buzzzzzz.

goodreads

I don't care what anyone says, Levi is my book boyfriend of the year so far. He's kind & friendly to everyone and a bit of a nerd and just mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

goodreads | my review

Will I ever stop raving about this book? NO BECAUSE IT'S FRICKLY FRACKLY INCREDIBLE. I'm pretty sure I mention it in at least one post a week and tweet about it EVERY DAY. There's stabbing & kissing & unconventional gender roles whoooooooooooooooooo! I cannot wait to see where this story goes next after dat ending. 

goodreads

This book isn't even out yet and everyone loves it. I have no doubt this book is going to be successful, especially given the love for Marissa Meyer's other series. 

goodreads | my review

I'm straight up obsessed with this book. This is my favorite book by Morgan Matson and one of my favorite books that I've read this year. 

goodreads | my review

Idk why there aren't more people talking about this book. It's fantastic. It's all dark and pirate-y. Who is the good guy, who is the bad guy? Who do you trust in this dark rendition of Neverland??? YOU HAVE TO READ TO FIND OUT.

website

My queen forever and always. Saint Anything, her newest release, was 100% A+ perfect. Like, every time she releases a new book I get nervous because I feel like there is no way she can top the beautiful work she has already done but then she goes and DOES IT. 

goodreads | my review

No explanation required. 

goodreads | my review

Don't get me wrong--I loved this book, but there are some events that transpire toward the end that made me wat to HURL THIS BOOK ACROSS THE ROOM. I was shocked and sad. But I can say no more because spoilers and all that. 

Which of these choices do you agree with/disagree with? What books/authors/characters would you have put in this bookish yearbook?

Sunday Post #15

• This week hasn't been my best blogging week, but it was pretty decent for reading. 
• I went swimming several times with my friends, and I am actually getting a slight tan, WHICH IS A FIRST FOR ME. 
• I went to the movies a couple times, too! I saw The Conjuring 2 and Now You See Me 2, which were both great movies. 
• And finally, I STARTED A BOOKTUBE CHANNEL. I'm so excited. So far, it has been a lot of fun. I will link it up down below! 

Reviews: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Misc: Unpopular Opinions Book Tag | MY FIRST BOOKTUBE VIDEO

That's it. That's all the blogging I did. AGH. 

Reviews: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Memes: Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite 2016 Releases
Sunday Post #16

Features: Just Write #3

Misc: What I've Learned From Bookstagram

 I don't think I'm going to be including my book haul on my Sunday Post posts anymore, because I'll be doing book haul videos on my youtube channel.

Brittany at The Book Addict's Guide touched on a subject that has been a bit sensitive in the book blogging sphere lately with her post about Kicking ARCs to the curb. This was 100% about her reading habits, though, and she made it clear she is not criticizing anyone else. Either way, this is a post I found interesting and relatable, and I'm sure others did as well. 

Carlisa at Confessions of Carlisa compiled a handy-dandy guide of bookish acronyms. This is good for people who are new in the book community, or for people who just have a hard time keeping up with all the random letters being thrown around. 

Here are some highlights from my instagram account this week. Give me a follow if you want to see everything I have posted/will post! 

Here are my green books, on a day in which I am green with envy of those who get to relax and read today while I work all day. What are y'all reading today?

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jun 12, 2016 at 8:45am PDT

I spent a couple hours by the pool reading this lovely. So far, I absolutely adore it. I watched the movie last week and have been making notes about some of the differences between the book and the movie, and I definitely plan to make a video talking about it. Both the movie and the book are emotional and engaging and I cannot sing praises for this work enough. Have you read this book or watched the movie? What do you think? Also, what are you reading today?

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) Jun 16, 2016 at 3:34pm PDT

As I mentioned earlier, I started a BookTube channel! I'll be (ideally) posting twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays. Make sure to subscribe to me if you want to stay updated on when and what I post! If you have a youtube channel, send me your link because I wanna see whatchya got! Here are my videos from this week!

What has your week in books and blogging looked like?