Tag Archives: the winner’s trilogy

Favorite Books of 2014

Favorite Books 1 Comment

I can’t believe another year has gone by! So much has happened this past year, and even with everything going on in my life I have managed to read 80 books this year! It is so hard to narrow them down to my favorites, but I did my best. Here are my favorite books from 2014:

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra ClareCity of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

This has to be one of my favorite series of all time. I loved the first three books and when I found out that Cassandra Clare had decided to write another three books I was so excited! This is the final book in The Mortal Instruments series and it was slightly daunting at a whopping 725 pages but the book is so good that you don’t even realize the length. I will miss this characters terribly but look forward to the spinoff series that Clare is writing!

 

Release date: May 27, 2014

 

 

 

 

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFeversMortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

Another series finale, Mortal Heart started off a bit slow but picked up in the middle and turned out to be a fantastic final book in the His Fair Assassin series. I loved reading about Annith, a character who has intrigued me since book one, and her story had even more twists and turns than the previous two. Review to come soon!

 

 

Release date: November 4, 2014

 

 

 

IMG_1847Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

This is another one of my absolute favorite series, and it seems like each book gets better and better. This is the third but not final book in the series, and will just leave you desperate for the next book to be released!

 

 

Release date: October 21, 2014

 

 

 

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. MaasHeir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

I will probably read anything that Sarah J. Maas writes because her writing is so phenomenal. This is the third book in this series and I am still just as interested if not more interested than I was after the first book. Each of these books is amazing and I am so glad I waited hours on line to get an ARC of this one at BEA.

 

 

Release date: September 2, 2014

 

 

 

The Jewel by Amy EwingThe Jewel by Amy Ewing

This book had amazing world building and an eerie plot about pregnancy and surrogacy. While the romance in the book was a bit of a flop, the book didn’t center around it but rather focused on the messed up world of the Jewel and it’s backstabbing royals. I’m anxious to read more about this world so I look forward to the next book.

 

 

Release date: September 2, 2014

 

 

 

The One by Kiera CassThe One by Kiera Cass

I loved the first two books in this trilogy and I couldn’t wait to see how it would end. I literally read this book in less than a day because I couldn’t wait to find out how everything would be wrapped up. I’m so excited that Cass decided to write another book, The Heir, due out next spring!

 

 

Release date: May 6, 2014

 

 

 

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. PearsonThe Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

What I really loved about this book was the narration–it is told from three separate points of view, with a slight twist near the end that totally got me. Great start to a new series!

 

 

Release date: July 8, 2014

 

 

 

The Winner's Curse by Marie RutkoskiThe Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Loved this book!! Beautiful world building and an incredible story. I couldn’t put this one down and after the ending I am anxiously awaiting the next book!

 

 

Release date: March 4, 2014

 

 

 

Cress by Marissa MeyerCress by Marissa Meyer

This is another series that gets better with each book. This book introduced Cress, whose story is a retelling of Rapunzel. I loved her story and how it intertwined with Cinder’s and Scarlet’s stories.

 

 

Release date: February 4, 2014

 

 

 

Ignite Me by Tahereh MafiIgnite Me by Tahereh Mafi

I just actually read this entire trilogy this year and I can’t believe I waited so long before reading it. Mafi’s writing is gorgeous, and this book was SO GOOD!! I love the main character and how she became so strong from the first book to the final book. This is a series I could read over and over again!

 

 

Release date: February 4, 2014

 

 

 

What were some of your favorite books from this year? Anything you missed that you wished you had read this year?

Happy New Year everyone!!

The TBR Tag

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TBR TagMy good friend Lisa over at Read.Breathe.Relax tagged me for the TBR tag post! It’s time to take a serious look at the dreaded To Be Read pile.

The TBR Tag originated over at Dana Square and A Perfection Called Books.

 

So let’s examine my TBR pile!

How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

I mainly use Goodreads. I have a wishlist over on Barnes & Noble but I rarely check it. Goodreads is great because I can tag different books under different categories and even put my TBR in reading list order. I also have two bookshelves in my house: one full of books already read and another full of books to be read! That makes it easier to just grab and go.

Is your TBR mostly print or ebooks?

Definitely ebooks. They’re just so much easier because I can have them all on one tablet so when making the choice between print or ebook I usually choose ebook.

How do you determine which book to read first?

I usually tell myself that I need to read the books that I already own before buying something new to read but that almost never happens. I’ll be on Goodreads and see that the sequel to something got released and then I’ll immediately download the ebook and read that instead of something I already own. Or I’ll request it at the library and then when it comes in I’ll end up reading that first because I have limited time to read it. I definitely pick what to read based on my mood also–sometimes I’ll be really sick of one genre and I’ll be craving a different genre. Lately I find myself reading a lot of contemporary but I’ve been craving a bit of sci fi.

A book that’s been on your TBR the longest?

Outlander by Diana GabaldonOutlander by Diana Gabaldon. My mom is a HUGE fan of this series and has been trying to get me into it for years. I added this to my TBR back on July 15, 2011. I haven’t read it yet because it’s not YA but now that the TV show is on (which is awesome by the way) I definitely will be bumping this up on my reading list.

 

 

 

 

A book you’ve recently added to your TBR list?

The Heir by Kiera Cass Preview

The Heir by Kiera Cass. Just added this morning! So excited that there will be another book in The Selection series!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A book on your TBR list strictly because of its beautiful cover?

Elusion by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam

Elusion by Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam. Such a pretty cover and the story sounds interesting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A book on your TBR that you never plan on reading?

The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienThe Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Sorry, but it was hard enough getting through The Lord of the Rings books. Everyone says The Hobbit isn’t as hard to get through, but after seeing the movie (which I almost fell asleep during) I’m gonna pass on this one.

 

 

 

 

 

An unpublished book on your TBR that you’re excited about?

The Winner's Crime by Marie RutkoskiThe Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski, sequel to The Winner’s Curse. The first book was excellent and ended on such a cliffhanger! It’s going to be hard to wait until March 2015 for this one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A book that everyone’s read but you?

Shadow and Bone by Leigh BardugoShadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. Everyone seems to love this one but for some reason I haven’t read it yet. Must read soon!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you?

The 5th Wave by Rick YanceyThe 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. It seems like everyone loves this one and I keep telling myself I’m going to read it next but then a sequel to something else comes out and this one gets pushed back again.

 

 

 

 

 

A book on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra ClareCity of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare. I had this pre-ordered forever and now it’s just sitting on my shelf. I’m dying to read it but it is HUGE!!! I know that it’ll take me awhile to read, especially now that the baby is here, so I’ve been avoiding it for awhile. However, I need to know how the series ends!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The number of books on your TBR shelf?

An overwhelming 518!! I need to get on that…

 

 

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Book Reviews 1 Comment

The Winner's Curse by Marie RutkoskiKestrel is the general’s daughter in an empire that is constantly seeking out new territories and enslaving those they conquer. As such, she can either join the military, or get married. However, neither option appeals to her. On instinct in the market one day, she bids on a defiant slave and ends up winning, bringing him home unexpectedly. What is even more unexpected is the way she begins to feel about this slave, Arin, who seems to have his own secrets.

This is one of my favorite books from this year so far! There are so many different elements to this story and the way the world is built in this book is phenomenal. Kestrel’s people took over the land that Arin’s people had long inhabited and turned his people into slaves. They actually took over their former homes and claimed them as their own. Since Arin’s people did not have a great military presence they were unable to fight back successfully, and those who were once nobles in their society were forced to become slaves just like the rest.

Kestrel seems to have much more of a moral compass than her father and the rest of the empire. She also is very strong, and not just because her father forced her to train with weapons since she was a child. Her intelligence and wit is what makes her strong, and she is able to out wit almost anyone, even when her life is at stake.

This story is told from both Arin and Kestrel’s perspective, and what this really serves to do is allow the reader to get a glimpse into the secrets Arin is keeping. Therefore, we learn what is really going on before Kestrel does, which makes the story even more interesting. This was definitely a smart narration choice because it kept me biting my nails wondering how Arin was going to reveal the truth to her. Arin himself is a very complex character–he is old enough to remember his previous life before slavery and he is educated enough that he can speak the language of Kestrel’s people, which gives him an advantage. Despite their obvious differences and conflicts, Arin and Kestrel begin to fall for each other, unfortunately at a very inconvenient time.

Overall, The Winner’s Curse was an exciting read that kept me on the edge of my seat. This was definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year so far, and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series!

The Winner’s Curse was released on March 4, 2014 and is the first book in The Winner’s Trilogy.