Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR

My reading situation is a bit weird right now since I'm studying abroad and I didn't bring any books with me, so I'll be relying on the books on my kindle. I also don't plan to buy many books because I don't want to take them back to the US with me, even though there are so many releases I'm anticipating this year. So, here are the most interesting-looking titles on my Kindle (literally all of these are eARCs I haven't read yet. Whoops!).

1) Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate - I read Redgate's Noteworthy last year and I really loved it, so I've been meaning to get to this one for some time now!

2) Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer - This is the only physical book I brought to Europe with me, knowing I'd been approved for the sequel on Netgalley. I've been wanting to read this one since I first heard about it, so I can't wait to get to it!

3) Reign the Earth by A.C. Gaughen - I adored Gaughen's other novel Scarlet and I've been wanting to pick up something else by her for ages. This sounds like a really interesting fantasy and I hope like heck that it hooks me right on it.

4) Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova - This is yet another book I've been meaning to get to for quite some time. I've heard wonderful things about it, and it seems unlike any other book I've read.

5) The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton - I've heard sooo many good things about this book, and it sounds like a lot of fun.

6) The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell - Oh my gosh, I've been telling myself to read this one for SO LONG. It was one of my most anticipated releases of 2017 and I have no earthly idea why I haven't read it yet??? 

7) Deadly Sweet by Lola Dodge - Tbh, I just love the cover. I haven't heard much about this one, but it sounds fun!

8) The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert - I actually started this one some time ago and wasn't really hooked, but I am going to try again. I've seen a lot of hype about this book and I want to be in the know, ya know? 

9) More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer - This is the sequel to Letters to the Lost! I'm really counting on loving that one and then loving this one, too. 

10) Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett - This will probably be my next read. I really loved Bennett's previous novel Alex, Approximately, so I squealed a lil bit when I got approved for this one. I could always use a solid contemporary novel. 

Favorite New-To-Me Authors in 2017

Sometimes it is so nice to sink into a book by one of your favorite authors. To go into a book knowing it's going to be wonderful because it's written by someone you trust. On the other hand, though, there's something exhilarating about falling in love with a new author's words.

So.

Here are some authors I read for the first time in 2017, whose books I adored, and who I will definitely be on the look out for in the future.

1) RILEY REDGATE

What I read: Noteworthy 

My review

Other books by this author: Seven Ways We Lie

Coming June 12, 2018: Final Draft 

2) BONNIE PIPKIN

What I read: Aftercare Instructions

My review

3) STEPHANIE GARBER

What I read: Caraval

My review

Coming May 29, 2018: Legendary

4) JENN BENNETT

What I read: Alex, Approximately

Other books by this author: The Anatomical Shape of a Heart

The Arcadia Bell series

The Roaring Twenties series

Coming April 3, 2018: Starry Eyes

5) JULIE BUXBAUM

What I read: What to Say Next

My review

Other books by this author: The Opposite of Love

After You

Tell Me Three Things

Coming May 14, 2018: Picture a Blue Sky

No available cover

6) AMIE KAUFMAN AND JAY KRISTOFF

What I read: Illuminae and Gemina

Coming March 13. 2018: Obsidio

7) SANDHYA MENON

What I read: When Dimple Met Rishi

Coming June 5, 2018: From Twinkle, with Love

THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE NEW-TO-ME AUTHORS IN 2017! DID YOU READ ANYTHING FROM THESE AUTHORS? WHICH FANTASTIC AUTHORS DID YOU DISCOVER IN 2017?

My Favorite Books of 2017

I know, I know. We still have a couple days left of 2017 so I could potentially still discover a new favorite to add to the list, but I don't know how much reading I'm going to be doing, so I figured I'd take my chances. Here are my top ten favorite books of 2017 (in no particular order).

1) What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum | (MY REVIEW) - This books gave me so many emotions. It was sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time. This is a beautiful contemporary novel and features a character on the autism spectrum. ★★★★½

2) Caraval by Stephanie Garber | (MY REVIEW) - This was an absolute roller coaster of a read. It had my emotions ALL OVER THE PLACE. And it certainly kept me on my toes. It was a wild, all-consuming ride and I loved every single second of it. ★★★★★

3) Noteworthy by Riley Redgate | (MY REVIEW) - A SINGING BOOK!! And a good one at that. This novel was so fun and explorative, a novel that stands out among the trillions of YA contemporary books at our disposal. ★★★★¼

4) Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - Holy shit this book (and its predecessor) is such an exciting, crazy read. It starts out a little slow, a little confusing and then it picks up speed and flies. I could not turn the pages fast enough. The characters are great and it's told in such an interesting format and I cannot wait until book 3. ★★★★★

5) Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin | (MY REVIEW) - This one certainly took me by surprise! It's a bit gritty and complicated and left my feelings all sorts of confused. It alternates between standard formatting and play formatting, between past and present. It was a truly wonderful reading experience. ★★★★★

6) Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson - Morgan Matson is an expert at characterization. I fell in love with all the characters in this novel and cried so many tears. Everything she writes is beautiful and relatable and speaks to my heart. ★★★★

7) Heartless by Marissa Meyer | (MY REVIEW) - I fucking love this book and I will never stop loving this book. It was so fun and interesting and exciting until it broke my heart into five gazillion pieces. Freaking incredible. ★★★★★

8) Once and For All by Sarah Dessen | (MY REVIEW) - Sarah Dessen is the queen of all queens, okay. This book was both lovely and tragic. And very Sarah Dessen. Let's just leave it at that. ★★★★½

9) Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples - I read the first half of this graphic novels series last year, but I re-read it this year and continued on and it's SO GOOD. The art is incredible and the story is addicting and the characters are so bad ass. ★★★★★

10) Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett - This book is very much in the vain of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson, so of course I adored it. It's cute and emotional and so real. ★★★★

Those are my favorites of 2017. WHAT ARE YOURS? DO WE HAVE ANY  IN COMMON?

Jingle All the Way Book Tag (Year 2)

This is a Christmas book tag I created last year and so I figured I'd bring it on back for round two.

JINGLE BELLS

A fun, light-hearted book/series 

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Okay, so this novel isn't ENTIRELY sunshine and unicorns, but it's really heckin' fun and cute.

I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUSE

A book/series with a scandalous romance

The Saga series by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

This entire graphic novel series basically hinges on their scandalous relationship and their even more scandalous child! Now Everybody and their frickin chinchilla is hunting them down and all we can do is hope that their love (and their lives) can stand the trillion trials and tribulations they undergo. 

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

A book/series you are determined to re-read

Shatter Me series by Tahareh Mafi

I've been wanting to re-read this series for a while now, and with the new book (!!!!!!!!!!!!) coming out, I absolutely HAVE to re-read it. 

SANTA CLAUSE IS COMING TO TOWN 

Your most anticipated release of 2018

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This was incredibly difficult because there are so many books coming out in 2018 that I need in my life (more than usual, it seems--maybe because I've read more new releases this year so I gotta get the sequels in my hands stat), but I picked Obsidio mostly because I finished Gemina like a week ago and it was incredible. I need to know what happppppppens. 

SILENT NIGHT

A beautiful book/series that everyone knows

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

This book is obviously beautiful to look at, but the writing is beautiful and the characters are beautiful and I'm in love with this book. Feel free to check out my review from earlier this year!

WINTER WONDERLAND

A book/series with great worldbuilding

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

This is the first book I read in 2017 and it remains one of my absolute favorites (Take a gander at my lil review if you want to read all my nonsensical gushing). One of the reasons it was so utterly captivating and magical is because the world that Marissa Meyer gives us is quirky and, yeah, based on Lewis Carroll's world, but also completely her own. 

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN

An underhyped book/series that is so great you want to tell everyone about it

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

I wasn't really sure what I was getting into with this novel, but I fell in love with it. It's a romance but it's more than a romance. And it has autism rep. It broke my heart and sewed it back together. I cannot understand why more people aren't talking about this novel (but you can totally read my review if you wanna know more about it).

I SAW THREE SHIPS

Favorite trilogy

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

All right, well, fuck me because I have read very few trilogies in their entirety. This was tough because Delirium is one of my all-time favorite novels, but I'm not as fond as the rest of the books in the series. I mean, they're not horrible or anything, but they are by no means on the same level as the trilogy's first installment.

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER

A book/series with an underdog protagonist who rises up

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate

When I think about this trope, I don't usually think about contemporary novels, but in a way, most contemporary books fit this description. Noteworthy has excellent character development, and I really loved to see how Jordan, the protagonist, started from the bottom and rose to a whole new level of happiness and talent and awareness. (My review for anyone interested.)

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

A book/series that helped you get through troubling times

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Okay, this is the only answer I'm keeping the same as last year, because this will always be my answer to a question like this. I could write an entire post about this. In fact, I have! Check out the guest post I did over at Book Nerds Across America if you're curious how deeply significant this book is in my life.

And that's all for the Jingle All the Way book tag! I'm not going to tag specific people, but I encourage you to do this if you think it sounds fun!!! 

June Recap

I spent pretty much this entire month working and saving money, so I don't have a whole lot to report, tbh. I'm quite proud of myself for the money that I've been able to save up in just a month! But I have no idea if that money will still be in my possession by the end of summer. I have a lot that I want/need to pay for. Plus, I'm going on vacation for a few weeks, and who knows how much I'll end up spending in Florida. Plus...MY BEST FRIEND AND I GOT OUR OWN APARTMENT. We put down the deposit and I'm moving in at the beginning of August. We're gonna have to buy furniture and pay to get water and electric and all that jazz turned on. I feel like an adult. I'm gonna have REAL BILLS...but I'm not excited about that part.

I'm back, my dudes! It's taking me a little while to get back into the swing of blogging, but it feels good to be at it again. Now, ideas and plans for the blog are a-brewing, so you better be ready!

As far as reading goes, I think I had a pretty great month! I mean, it definitely could have been better, but I also work 40+ hours a week and I'm usually exhausted, so I think I done good.

(I promise in July I will review something that isn't contemporary)
TOP TEN TUESDAYS: Top Ten Contemporary Books I've Recently Added To My TBR Top Ten Books I've Read In 2017 So Far
FEATURES: YA Look Book #2: Once and for All by Sarah Dessen Just Write #3 New To My Wishlist #4
RANDOM POSTS: Spring Favorites Quiz: Which Sarah Dessen Book Do You Belong In? Life's A Beach Book Tag (Original) 8 Ways To Spread Positivity In The Book Community 2017 Reader Resolutions Updates Literature/Writing Classes I Wish I Could Take

FOLLOWERS:

Bloglovin - 93

GFC - 27 

Twitter - 450

Instagram - 83

YouTube - 86

Total pageviews - 21,163

BOOKS READ:

2 hardcovers | 1 paperback | 2 ebooks | 3 eARCs

Book with the most pages: Caraval by Stephanie Garber (407 pages)

Books with the least pages: Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin (265 pages)

Total Pages read: 2,861

Books reviewed: 6

1 star reviews: 0

2 star reviews: 0

3 star reviews: 1

3.5 star reviews: 1

3.75 star reviews: 1

4 star reviews: 0

4.25 star reviews: 1

4.5 star reviews: 1

5 star reviews: 1

Average rating: 4 stars

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A post shared by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jun 26, 2017 at 4:29pm PDT

A post shared by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jun 27, 2017 at 2:29pm PDT