Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Could Read Forever

February 27: Books I Could

Re-read Forever

The Top Ten Tuesday feature can be found over at That Arsty Reader Girl

Ashley:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline- The girls can both atest to hearing bits

and pieces of the audiobook when we are together, I listened to it for the

first time in 2013 and have probably relistened or reread it at least a dozen times now.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmerman Bradley- This was a book I picked

up years ago and really enjoyed. Having Arthurian times retold from a female

perspective was such a new thing for me back then. I still occasionally pick up

my worn copy to read bits from.

Dash and Lily`s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan- This is one

I try and reread every year. 2017 was the first time since the book released in

2010 that I didn't get a reread in.

Michaela:

The Zodiac series by Romina Russell- a series all three of us read and gushed over :)

The Scorpio Races- Because of Sean Kendrick and as well as Fundamental

because his love for the water reminds me of my own gelding.

The Falling Kingdoms series- I ate up these books, the relationships, the

action, the characters all of it!

Mackenzie:

The Gold Seer Trilogy by Rae Carson, these books were set just about

in my backyard, and places that we mentioned I could picture because

I’ve physically been there.

Rebel of the Sands Series by Alwyn Hamilton- I first read Ashley’s ARC copy

of the first book, Rebel of the Sands, during a summer I read a lot. I really

enjoyed it and read book two, Traitor to the Throne late last year, and book

three just recently, in fact I could not wait to read Hero at the Fall so much

so that I pre-ordered a UK copy so that I could read it sooner, I finished it in

3 days, and now have the dreaded wait for book four.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stievfater also is one I could read again and again.
I loved the entire story, and was heartbroken to find out that The Scorpio Races is
it for the world of Puck Connolly, Sean Kendrick, the capaill uisce and the sweet
gooey-ness of November cakes.  

Audiobook Review Red Queen

Red Queen
Victoria Aveyard
383pgs
12hr 40min
2/10/15
Book One
3/5 Stars
Narrator- Amanda Dolan


I attempted to read this back in 2015 but I set it aside for other books.
I currently own the box set plus the novella. I got the audio cheap during an audible sale
so figured now would be a good time to pick up the series again.

If it wasn't for the narrator I truly think I would have DNF`d this series for good.
The "love square" between the main character and the three boys is a little much.
There is way more important things occurring then trying to keep track of who she is
into at that current moments.

I like the idea behind the red and silver bloods and that's why I continued listening.
The abilities that the royals have is interesting and I hope to see more explored in book two.
I will be continuing the series eventually. I don't think I will be buying the audio editions
for them since I already sunk money into the hardcovers though.


TTFN,
Ashley

Top Ten Tuesday: Love Freebie

February 13: Love Freebie (Romances, swoons, OTPs, kisses, sexy scenes, etc.)
op Ten Tuesday was originally hosted by The Broke and The bookish. However after eight years they are closing their doors (for now I truly hope) The feature will now be hosted over at That Arsty Reader Girl

This week the topic is:

Love Freebie

Ashley:

My Fictional Boyfriend will either be Logan from Summer I Became a Nerd

by Leah Rae Miller or Logan from The Defiance Trilogy by C.J.Redwine.

I`d also like to throw in Nikolai Lantsov from the Grisha Trilogy in there as well.

I feel like her might be on everyone's list though. (I apparently like the name Logan)

My OTP`s would have to be Alina and The Darkling from Shadow and Bone,

Inej and Kaz from Six of Crows, and Gretchen and Daniel from Prisoner of Night and Fog.

I don't have a Grisha Tattoo for nothing ;)

Michaela:

My fictional boyfriend would have to be Sean Kendrick without a doubt from

Maggie Stiefvater Scorpio Races.

Mackenzie:

If I had to pick a fictional book boyfriend, it would be Blackwood, the mysterious

Earl of Sorrow Fell from the Kingdom on Fire series by Jessica Cluess.

Also, favorite book couple would be Lee and Jefferson from The Gold Seer Trilogy by Rae Carson.

The Belles Review

Title: The Belles

Author: Dhonielle Clayton

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 448

Synopsis: (from GoodReads)

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans,

Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity

coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned,

and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be

made beautiful.But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle.

She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans

to live in the royal palace.

Rating:4/ 5stars

This was quite a different read for my but I did enjoy the story.

Camellia is a belle, belles control beauty in the world of Orleans.

When Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, she soon learns that

what she’s been taught isnt all its cracked up to be. First she is not chosen

to be the favorite, then she is chosen to be the favorite. Followed by

finding out some pretty dark things about the queens youngest daughter,

helping save the queens oldest daughter and then running for her life away

from Orleans with her sister Amber and her guard Remy.

~Michaela

The Hazel Wood Review

Title: The Hazel Wood

Author: Melissa Albert

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Pages: 368

Date(s) Read: 12/14- 12/23

Synopsis (from GoodReads):

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road,

always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels.

But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark

fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her

luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a

figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world w

here her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her

mother left behind:

"Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I really enjoyed this read! I was in kind of a reading slump

this past year,and I picked this up and could hardly put it down once I started.

It reminded me somewhat of Caraval by Stephanie Garber which I

read early last year, but was quite different as well. It was captivating, creepy,

and creative. Alice grew up moving from place to place whenever a

weird situation crept upon her mother Ella and herself. Bad luck her

mother called it. Then they receive a letter from her reclusive

grandmother’s estate, stating that she had died alone. Ella is relieved,

thinking the “bad luck” is over and they settle in New York. In New Y

ork, Ella marries a rich man and Alice attends a private school alongside

her step-sister. Alice makes a friend… well kind of. Ellery Finch, who in

turn ends up helping Alice in her search when her mother suddenly goes missing.

The two of them set out to find her and the people who took her, the Hinterland.

As well as to find the world her grandmother wrote about. Throughout all this,

Alice learns more about who she really is, and the life she thought was her own.

~Mackenzie

Reign the Earth: Review

Title: Reign the Earth

Author: A.C. Gaughen

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Pages: 448

We received an ARC of this book. In no way does it affect our opinion.

Synopsis: (from GoodReads)

Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the
adjoining kingdom,
her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of
her family,
Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands.

But she soon learns that her husband, Calix, is motivated only by his desire to exterminate
the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire.

Rating: 4 /5 stars

Shalia is newlywed in a completely new place, away from her home of the desert when she discovers she is one of the people her husband Caliz hates- the Elementae. Shalia holds her own and ends up befriending Calix’s brother, Galen (I’ll leave their story for the book to tell). Shalia makes changes to how her husband rules his people for the better, all while keeping her powers hidden. Waiting until it is necessary to  show that she is an elementae and with the help of Galen, a loyal guard Zeph, her 2 brothers Rian and Kairos, and her long time friend Kata, Shalia tries to stop Calix exterminating the elementae.

I’ve a tendency to lean towards books with strong female characters and almost always fall in love with the story and everything it contains. And this is one of those kind of books.

Audiobook Discussion

This last year I have been on a huge audiobook kick. I have found more and more time
that I can squeeze in some listening. It takes me 45 minutes to clean horse stalls
so I just turn my phone on and let it play. I get to work an hour before we start seeing
patients so I play my audio while setting up for the day. When the girls are helping
with chores they get to hear snippets of the book I`m currently listening to.
It's always fun catching them up on what they missed and then them asking if
they can listen when I'm finished.

Audiobooks aren't a new thing for me. When I was younger my parents listened to
the first Harry Potter book narrated by Jim Dale. Thats where my love of audio
truly started. From there my listening took a pause when Audios became so expensive.
I found audible and my interests grew.

To date some of my favorite audiobooks and Narrators are;

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Narrated by Wil Wheaton

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Narrated by Jim Dale

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Narrated by Fiona Hardingham

Wil Wheaton is one of those nerdy gamer guys I followed on youtube before I knew
he had narrated a book. Ernest Cline`s debut novel is one I was late to discover
but since finding it I have reread it or re-listened to it at least twice a year.
I am beyond excited to see the movie in March. Although I am not going in with any
high expectations just because the trailer already seems off.
The Night Circus is a book I picked up on a whim just based off of the narrator.
I am so glad I did and now I am eagerly awaiting to see what else Erin will write.
Jim Dale will always hold a special place in my heart for books. He was my
introduction to Harry Potter. The Scorpio Races was my introduction to Maggie`s novels.
Her style is amazing and since listening to this I have picked up her debut novel Shiver
to listen to at some point. This was also my introduction to the narrator as well.  
To be honest though anything by Fiona Hardingham seems to be an insta-like
book for me. She adds so much to the characters with her voice.

I am a tad picky when it comes to picking a book to listen to. I thought I would
only listen to books I had already read but that soon allowed my mind to wander
since I recalled what was going to happen. Like mentioned above though there
are some books I can reread again and again. Some requirements I look for when
picking out a book are;

1. I need an narrator that has a voice that I'm willing to listen to for 8+ hours.
2. The audio itself has to be at least 8 hours long. I just prefer unabridged version

because longer means more details.

I hope you enjoyed a look into my mind of audiobooks. What books do you enjoy
listening to instead of reading?
What stops you from listening if you haven`t tried it yet?

TTFN,

Ashley