Top Ten 2016 Debut Novels I'm Looking Forward To

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

To be honest, I'm not a big reader of debut works. There are so many books on my TBR that by the time I have made some progress in trimming down my list, the previously debut authors have already released their sophomore (or higher) works. But I'm excited to try out more authors and after visiting Goodreads, I was surprised to discover that there are a lot of debut works that I am really excited to get my hands on next year.

Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

The season has changed again! And with a new season comes a new TBR list too tackle over the next three months. Whilst everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is setting up their Fall TBR and getting ready to settle down on the couch with a good book and a hot drink, us book bloggers in the Southern Hemisphere are ready to come up with our Spring TBR.

First thing first though, a brief recap over how I did with my Winter TBR. In July, I actually got very serious with regards to my list and would always make sure I was reading a book from that TBR at all times. As a result, of the ten books on my Winter TBR, I read and completed 7, started on the 8th (and ended up putting that book on my on-hold shelf) so I only have 2 more books to read. This is perhaps my best result for a TTT seasonal TBR ever.

Let's hope I do even better on my Spring TBR!

Top Ten Books on My Winter TBR 2015

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

As temperature sets to single digits here in Australia, I can't help but feel a twinge of envy at the fact that my Northern Hemisphere buddies are all blogging about their summer TBRs. However, having said that, I'm pretty excited about tackling my winter TBR as there are several books on it that I've been meaning to read for ages. In fact, I deliberately chose the following 10 books as they have already been sitting on my TBR for quite awhile - some for perhaps too long.

February 2015 Wrap-Up

Is it just me or is 2015 going at a cracking pace? Before I know it, Easter eggs are on sale in the local supermarket and we're in March already. How crazy is that?

This year, I've set myself a goal of reading 150 books. At first, I didn't think too much of it since it'll only be 50 more books than the 100 book challenge I set myself last year. But then I did a calculation and realized I have a little under 2.5 days to read a book. So every month, I set myself a target of reading 13 books and in February, I'm pleased to say I've reached that goal. :)

Top Ten Books on my Summer TBR

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Thanks to me being in the Southern hemisphere, my seasons are the complete opposite. So instead of posting a Winter TBR like the majority of book bloggers out there (I know there's a few Southern hemisphere bloggers out there like me! :D), I'll be posting my Summer TBR instead.

Review of a Sneak Peek: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After (Sneak Peek) by Stephanie Perkins

Series: Anna and the French Kiss (Book #3)
Publisher: Dutton/Penguin Young Readers Group
Release Date: 14 August 2014
Tagged under: sneak peek, review copy, to be released, to be read,
Buy at: Amazon

Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.  

Featuring cameos from fan-favourites Anna, Etienne, Lola and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love - set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris and Barcelona - is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins' beloved series.

Top Ten Classics I Want to Read

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I'm not very good with classics I have to admit. The ones I have read, I have a deep respect for. But they are definitely not my bread-and-butter reads. I'm keen to get into more classics (and there are quite a few on my TBR list) so here are my top ten picks.

It's Monday! What are you reading? (#5)

It's Monday! is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey

June has started off fairly productive. Not only have I finished both of the books I listed in my previous It's Monday post, I've also started and finished Dual Image by Nora Roberts. So that's three books in one week, which is still fairly slow by my normal reading standards but given how crazy work has been, I really can't complain. 

The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers

Seventeen-year-old Jocelyn follows clues apparently from her dead twin, Jack, in and around Seale House, the terrifying foster home where they once lived. With help from childhood friend Noah she begins to uncover the truth about Jack's death and the company that employed him and Noah. 

Jocelyn's twin brother Jack was the only family she had growing up in a world of foster homes - and now he's dead, and she has nothing. Then she gets a cryptic letter from "Jason December" - the code name her brother used to use when they were children at Seale House, a terrifying foster home that they believed had dark powers. Only one other person knows about Jason December: Noah, Jocelyn's childhood crush and their only real friend among the troubled children at Seale House. 

But when Jocelyn returns to Seale House and the city where she last saw Noah, she gets more than she bargained for. Turns out the house's powers weren't just a figment of a childish imagination. And someone is following Jocelyn. Is Jack still alive? And if he is, what kind of trouble is he in? The answer is revealed in a shocking twist that turns this story on its head and will send readers straight back to page 1 to read the book in a whole new light.

The story summary and the cover just makes me think of Halloween and scary supernatural forces at play. I don't know what tempted me to pick this up but it sounds like an intriguing read. I think this will be one I'll be reading during daytime!

It's Monday! What are you reading? (#4)

It's Monday! is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey

If I considered April a bad month with six books, May was even worse (four). The end of the rural rotation really drained a lot of my energy and time as I had to pack for my journey back home. Today was the first day in my third rotation - stroke - and a 8AM to 4:30PM shift turned to a 7AM to 8:30PM job. But having finished Gameboard of the Gods and The Immortal Crown last week, I'm slightly optimistic about this month.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Despite the tumour-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

I have finally started this book! It's been sitting on my shelf for over a month now but I've finally picked it up and I'm so excited! I'm up to Chapter Six now and so far so good. 

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion... she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit - more sparkly, more fun, more wild - the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. 

When Cricket - a gifted inventor - steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

I have the paperback version of TFIOS, which I loath to lug around on my busy ward job, so I have to resort to ebooks whilst commuting to and from work. So I've decided to start Lola and the Boy Next Door on my iPad.

So what are you reading this week? :)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & #Ayearathon readathon!

Having only read 6 books last month, I figure I really need to pick up my speed. So in addition to doing this meme, hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey, I will be joining the week-long readathon hosted by #Ayearathon, the theme of which is catching up/finishing series. So for that theme, these are the books I'm planning on tackling this week (we'll see how I go). This also helps with my autumn TBR list so I'm tackling multiple birds with one stone! :)

Finish/Catch Up On A Series

Prodigy & Champion by Marie Lu

I read Legend, book one of the Legend series, ages ago. I loved it and was really keen on continuing on with the series but just never got around to it. So I figured this is the perfect time to finish this series.

Scarlet & Cress by Marissa Meyer

I read Cinder, loved it, but was always slightly disappointed that there was no concrete resolution at the end since this is book one of a series. I haven't yet read Scarlet or Cress so I'll be interested to see how this series unfolds. I'm not sure if, after Cress, I'll be able to wait a full year for Winter to come out though!

With a full time job, I think four books will be plenty to keep me busy this week. However, should circumstances change and I actually manage to get through these four books, I'll post a mid-week update and tell you guys some of the other books that I'll be reading. We'll see how I go. 

Wishing everyone good luck on reading this week! :)

Recent Book Purchases

As a follow-up to my post earlier regarding Dymock's 101 Best Books, I recently visited the bookstore and simply couldn't resist picking up a few books from the list. Dymocks had a 3 for the price of 2 deal going on, which meant I ended up walking out with 3 books (after having agonized for a good twenty minutes which 3) and they are as follow:

Firstly, I got a book that I've mentioned several times in the past and which I finally now have in my possession - The Fault in Our Stars. This was the first book I grabbed and I knew I had to get it. Yes, I haven't read TFIOS yet and I still haven't read any of John Green's books but it's now finally in my TBR and I will get to it for sure.

Having recently finished The Book Thief by Mark Zusak, as soon as I finish TFIOS, I will have read the top 5 books on the 101 Best Books list.

The next book I got was The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. To my eternal shame, despite The Lord of the Rings being my favourite novel of all time, I never got around to reading The Hobbit. I've ever read some volumes of The Simarillion for crying out loud! But yes, I am definitely looking forward to reading this book and then watching the movie adaptation. And yes, I haven't gotten around to that either. So much to read and watch in so little time!

The last book that I got was the omnibus edition of Haruki Murakami's 1Q84. To be honest, I'm not too familiar with the story premise but I have heard some great things about this book and I'm intrigued to find out what this book is all about.

Top Ten Books on My Autumn TBR list

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I know everyone in the northern hemisphere is doing their spring TBR list which sounds cooler, but here in Australia, we're heading into the cooler seasons so I had to adjust my title accordingly. Once again, I feel like this is going to be my shelf of shame as some of these books were also featured in a previous post - top ten popular authors I've never read. Anyhow, let's just get this list up and out.

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

Yes, I know, what is wrong with me? Why haven't I read this book yet?! I don't know the answer to that either. But I'm definitely aiming to get this read in Autumn.

2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

You don't need to say anything. I feel the shame already. I've made a start earlier this month and I will finish this, I promise.

3. A Game of Thrones series by G.R.R. Martin

I need more high fantasy saga in my life and everyone has been raving about this series. I know there's going to be a lot of deaths in this series but hopefully, I'll be prepared.

4. Pivot Point & Split Second by Kasie West

I have heard such good things about this series. The premise sounds really interesting, and the excerpts I've heard book bloggers and booktubers quote just makes me really excited. I can't wait to get started on these.

5. Prodigy and Champion by Marie Lu

I read Legend at the beginning of the year and I absolutely loved it. The only reason I didn't move immediately was because I wanted to give the dystopian genre a rest and chose to read The Silver Linings Playbook. I really want to get back to this world.

6. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

At the time of typing this post (which is a few days before Tuesday), I am in the middle of Anna and the French Kiss and so far, I'm really enjoying it. I think the people on the train all think I'm a bit crazy whenever I giggle or visibly cringe as I read on the commute to and from work.

7. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

I got this book awhile ago and I've been meaning to make a start on it. I just got distracted ... by other shining books. But I'll come back to this soon, I promise!

8. Delirium Series by Lauren Oliver

Another series I've heard amazing things about and that I want to get into. I think it's dystopian? But from the book summary, it seems some of fantasy as well. I guess I'll find out when I read the books!

9. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Another book I've heard a lot of good things about. I genuinely don't know much about this series but I want to give it a try.

10. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

I've ready to fill the Sarah Dessen hole in my reading experience. I heard this is one of her best works and comes highly recommended.

So that's my top ten books on my autumn TBR list. Clearly, I cheated as there's actually more than ten books mentioned on this list but I reckon those belonging to a series can be grouped under one. :P

What's on your spring/autumn TBR list? Leave a comment/link down below and I'll be sure to check it out!

Top Ten Popular Authors I've Never Read

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This is going to be a post that airs out my dirty laundries. As I stated before in my introduction post, I really haven't done much reading in the past six years so there are a lot of popular authors out there I haven't gotten to yet. Luckily, in the past two months, I have read Neil Gaiman, Stephen King and Rainbow Rowell so that's three authors that won't be making it onto this list today. Phew! I think I'm going to be humiliated enough as it is.

1. John Green

I know, I know! I really need to read The Fault in Our Stars soon. It's sitting in my eReader, just waiting to be read. But unfortunately, I've currently got a pile of library books that I need to get through before they expire. In addition, my work is taking up a lot of time, leaving very few hours left for reading.

2. Stephanie Perkins

I've been meaning to get to her for quite some time now. Pretty much every booktuber or book blogger I've come across have enjoyed her books. 

I own this movie tie-in edition
It has some illustrations in it

3. Markus Zusak

I have made a start on The Book Thief! But I haven't finished it yet so I don't think I can put Markus Zusak on my read shelf yet. Again, another book I'm getting to but because I own a copy, I've kind of pushed it behind my library books in terms of priority.

4. Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner. It's on my TBR. It's been on my TBR for a while now. I'm really sorry!

5. Stieg Larsson

I think I have The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as an audio book but again, time limits meant I haven't got around to this one either.

6. Sara Gruen

Water for Elephants. I think it is one of the first books I put on my Goodreads TBR list and it's still there...

7. The Bronte sisters

Is it sad that there are so many authors I haven't tried that I'm forced to group the Bronte sisters together? (Answer: Yes. Yes it is.)

8. F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. This Side of Paradise. Enough said.

9. Charles Dickens

As you guys know, classics is not really my strong point.

10. Sarah Dessen 

Apparently she's written a lot of contemporary romance novels. And I haven't read any of them. How did this happen?

I feel really apologetic over this list - and I'm sure there are plenty of other popular authors I haven't tried that my mind is temporarily blanking out on so I should probably apologize for not including them on the list either. I should really make an effort to try and tackle this list.

Anyway, that's my list. What are some authors you haven't read yet? Leave a comment or link below and I'll be sure to check yours out! :)