January 2017 Monthly Wrap-Up: Posts, Discoveries, Challenge Updates, and more!

January 2017 Monthly Wrap-Up: Posts, Discoveries, Challenge Updates, and more!


Well the first month of 2017 has officially come to a wrap and so far it has been a pretty good month! I celebrated my blogs first month anniversary today! I've read some great reads, made progress towards some challenges, caught up on a couple shows, had some fav shows return, and getting more of a handle on this blogging thing aswell as being active on social media! It's been fun! Okay so this is my first monthly wrap up post and I am not exactly sure how I want to do this. It may change a bit over a few months as I get a groove on things and figure out how it works for me. Right now I am thinking I am just gonna share my recent changes or updates, posts this month, What I have read, Challenge updates, and some recent bookish news that made me happy!! So here we go!


Recent Changes/Updates:
  • Name Change. When first starting out just a bit over a month ago I went by Amanda Margaret Writes. It's just what I first came up with but it just didn't feel right and I didn't like using my name so I switched it to Hearts Reading. I like it much better.
  • New Feature. I started a new feature called Bookish Playlist. I really love making playlist to books on Spotify and I though hey why not share them on here! I only have one post so far but hopefully will share more very soon!

January's Posts:

My January 2017 Read's:
Click titles below to go to my reviews!


2017 Reading Challenge's Update's:


2017 Monthly Motif:
January 2017 Motif-Diversify your reading! Kick the reading year off right and shake things up. Read a book with a character (or written by an author) of a race, religion, or sexual orientation other than your own.




2017 Retellings:
I read 4 books towards this challenge this month. They were all apart of a series but represented a different fairytale each. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend! It is the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. The four fairytales represented are Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Repunzel, and Snow White.


2017 Beat the Backlist:
The four books I read for the fairytale retellings will also qualify for this challenge as they have been on my TBR for a long time. I have had a friend who had been begging me for months to check them out. I am so glad I finally did!




2017 Flights of Fantasy:
Again my 4 books also qualify for this challenge! These 4 books were the best choices this month! Helped me knock out some on every challenge and I enjoyed them immensely!


January 2017 Bookish News, Events, or Things I Geeked Out Over!!


  • A Series of Unfortunate Events tv series was released on Netflix!!! I have only had the time to catch 2 episodes so far, but I am immensely enjoying it! I watch it with my 7 and 5 year old who are also loving it. I loved these books so much as a kid. It's great to share the show now with my kids. Once we have watched the whole season I will be doing a review on here. Have you seen the show yet? What do you think?
  • Shadowhunters Season 2 premiered. I still of course think the books are way better but I can't lie. I am really getting into this show. I love Katherine as Clary, and Magnus and Alec are just beautiful! The changes don't bother me to much and I am really looking forward to seeing Sebastian come in and the direction they will take the show! Do you watch Shadowhunters on Freeform? What do you think?
  • The Lunar Chronicles coloring book came out!!! I was so happy about this. I had just very recently became addicted to this series so when I saw this it was a bust buy! I am almost done with my first coloring and I will share it! I also am thinking of doing a giveaway for this soon. I am thinking two copies, one on here and one on my twitter. I will have more details coming within the next week.
  • Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth came out. When I heard the Divergent Author was coming out with a new book I just knew I had to get my hands on it! Divergent will always be one of my favorite series and I can't wait to see what Veronica comes up with in her new book!
  • Wire and Nerve by Marissa Meyer came out. This actually was just released today on January 31st! I should have my copy in the mail soon. I am so excited to see Iko from the Lunar Chronicles again. I just adore this world and the characters!
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin the 3rd book in The Court of Thrones and Roses series by Sarah J Maas had it's cover reveal! Click here to see it. I am dying to get my hands on this book. ACOTAR is one of the most intriguing and beautiful paranormal romances ever. I can't get enough of it! I even got a quote from book 2 as a tattoo. I really like the cover of this one, it fits the others nice. I am glad they went with the color green too. It's beautiful.  What do you think

Amanda Margaret
Book Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Book Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cress ( The Lunar Chronicles #3)
Author:
Marissa Meyer
Publishing info: 
February  4th, 2014 by Feiwel and Friends
Genre's:
Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Retelling, Dystopian
My rating:
5/5
Add to Goodreads:
click here
Provided by:
Bought paperback copy from Barnes & Noble
Buy:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
Synopsis:
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.
 



“Maybe there isn’t such a thing as fate. Maybe it’s just the opportunities we’re given, and what we do with them. I’m beginning to think that maybe great, epic romances don’t just happen. We have to make them ourselves.”  

My Thought's

★★★★★


Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)Stars above! This series has really captivated me! Marissa Meyer is back again with yet another addictive read in The Lunar Chronicles Series, and it is just as adventurous, witty, and romancey! Cress, book 3 picks up after book 2 left off. The gang is gonna go rescue the girl in the satellite. Like with Cinder and Scarlet, our girl Cress will represent a Disney princess. This time it is Rapunzel. She has been locked away in a space satellite most of her life. Now Cinder, Thorne, Iko, Scarlet, and Wolf are going to rescue her as she can help with their plan to overthrow queen Levana. With these guys though things never seem to go exactly as planned and they soon find their group split up and things not looking good for their revolution.


I think one of my absolute favorite things about this series besides all the action, twists, and witty dialogue(specially THORNE!)  would be the romance and princess/prince retelling spin it has. With book one it was Cinder and Kia who I adored and represented Cinderella and Prince Charming, then in book 2 it was Scarlet and Wolf who represented Beauty and the Beast and whom quickly grew on me. In Cress, our princess is of course Cress and she represents Rapunzel and like the other gets her own love interest. Cress is paired with Thorne and at first I was honestly kind of bummed because I was secretly shipping him with Iko but after these two spend most of the book together I found I adored them almost as much as Cinder and Kia. Plus I can totally see it now after thinking of Tangled. Rapunzel's love interest was a thief ;) I am really rooting for these two by the end. Marissa Meyer has a way of writing couples you can't help but fall in love with!


The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer has been a really fun ride I don't ever want to end!!! I am so sad to know the next book will be the last! I know there's a novella book, Stars Above which I will read, but Winter is the last actually book in the series *sigh* I will be sad to see these amazing character's go. They have quickly become apart of me. If you haven't read The Lunar Chronicles yet then you really should! I highly recommend it! It's a epic mixture of scifi, dystopian, romance, and action! A total Star Wars/Terminator/Disney Princess badass story!

-Amanda Margaret

Top Ten Tuesday- Graphic Novels I Enjoy or Want to Read

Top Ten Tuesday- Graphic Novels I Enjoy or Want to Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week has a new prompt to base your top ten off of. You can find the prompts and more info here.



This week's Prompt:
Graphic Novels I Enjoy or Want to Read

This weeks Top Ten is a about graphic novels. It can be ones you enjoy, ones you want to read, etc. I have decided to do a mixture of both because I have actually only read a few. I have a lot on my TBR but I haven't gotten around to them. I usually only read graphic novels if I am reading my buffy comics. Hopefully I can broaden my graphic novel reading soon. I will do 4 Graphic Novels I have read and enjoyed and then the rest will be ones I want to read.

Have Read & Enjoyed:

Want to Read:
  1. Buffy Season 10 by Joss Whedon and Multiple artist


LET'S CHAT! Have you read any of these? What Graphic Novels do you recommend? Did you do a #TopTenTuesday? If so link up below!

-Amanda Margaret




It's Monday What Are You Reading? #2- 1/30/2017

It's Monday What Are You Reading? #2- 1/30/2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly bookish meme now hosted by Book Date, where you can share what you have been, are, and what you will be reading over the week. It's a great post to help keep your reading progress updated and visit and comment with other bookish peeps.


Happy Monday!!!!! I hope you have had a great reading week! Mine could have defiantly been better but I did finish a series and finally have started another book I started last week but honestly put on halt for the series I just finished. I also finally got a copy of Veronica Roth's Carve the Mark which I will be starting next!!! So that's awesome. Really what made it not so great was the fact it just seemed hard to find a time to read. I'm always with the kids or at work. Most of my reading is done on my breaks at work or in bed after the kids are out which lately has been me passing out with them. I'm just so tired a lot! Hopefully next week I catch a break!!!!


What I read last week?

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I finally finished at The Lunar Chronicles series with this one and I am going to miss these characters so much!! I absolutely adored this series! Cinder, Kai, Iko, Throne, Cress, Scarlet, Wolf, Winter, and Jacin were some of my favorite character's ever!


What I am reading now?

28374007The Fill-In Boyfriend
I started Three Dark Crowns awhile ago actually but I put it down for The Lunar Chronicles after getting deeply hooked. Now that I am finished with that one I have decided to pick this one back up. The plot is so intriguing so I keep reading but to be honest it's kind of slow and all the character's and p.o.v's is confusing at times. Hopefully it picks up and clears up soon. I have been reading a lot of darker or scfi type books lately which are my favorite of course but I wanted to kind of read something lite and romancey, like contemporary romance. SO I decided to read The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West when I am in the mood. I really loved her scifi romance Pivot Point and have heard great things about her other works. I am a bit in so far and it is so cute and enjoyable. Really what I was looking for.


Up Next

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I finally got me a copy of Veronica Roth's new book Carve The Mark. I am a HUGE fan of the Divergent Series and I was ecstatic to hear she was writing something new. I can't wait to dive into this one!!!!


So how does you reading shelfs look this week? Have you read anything above? Comment below and let's chat! If you have your own #IMWAYR post link me to it below!

Amanda Margaret

Stacking The Shelves #3- January 28th 2017

Stacking The Shelves #3- January 28th 2017

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly reading meme where you share all the new books you have either bought, borrowed, or received as gifts! This meme is hosted by Tynga Reviews, click here for more info!


What's new to the shelves this week!?

I am super excited to share this weeks haul! Not only did I finally get a book I have had preordered I also got some pretty cool fandom swag for some of my favorite series! On one last note aswell before I start sharing is I finally got my first every fancy camera and I am super excited! So I will be doing all my pictures for the blog from now on with it and so my pictures should be a lot more clear from now on! No more smartphone camera! Ok now onto the haul :)
Bought!

Physical Books:





Ebooks:





I have been waiting very impatiently for Carve The Mark to come out! Sadly I couldn't get it the minute it hit shelves but I finally ordered it last week and got it in the mail yesterday! As soon as I finish the book I am reading now I am gonna start that. While I was ordering Carve The Mark I decided to spoil myself to a few other books and grabbed; Frost Blood which sounds pretty good and that cover is stunning, Firstlife which is by Gena Showalter and I adored her White Rabbit Chronicles, and finally The Lunar Chronicles Coloring book and I just finished that series and fell head over heals in love with it! The candles featured in the pic are actually something I got over a week ago but forgot to include in last weeks posts but I love them so much so wanted to share! These three candles I got on Etsy from A Court of Candles and they are inspired by the series A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas which I am obsessed with! I even got my first tattoo recently and it was a quote from that series! Here's a pic if you want to see it. Okay back to my haul, finally but not leastly the ebooks! Besides spoling myself to a few physical books recently I decided to get some new books on my ereader which I have sadly neglected for a long time. I found all those on sale and I am super excited to check them all out! Specially Torn by Jennifer L Armentrout and the two contemporary romance's by Kasie West. I loved Wicked the first book in the series by Jennifer L Armentrout and pretty much anything by Jennifer! I just adore Kasie West's love stories to! The other two, The Gender Game and Burning Glass had really good sounding synopsis's and I couldn't pass them up on sale!

    Have you read any of these? If so what did you think?

    What new books have you bought, borrowed, or been gifted lately? Got any swag?

    Comment below! & If you have your own #StackingtheShelves post link it up below! HAPPY READINGS EVERYONE!!

    Amanda Margaret



    Feature & Follow #1: Meeting fellow Bloggers Blog Hop!

    Feature & Follow #1: Meeting fellow Bloggers Blog Hop!

    Feature & Follow is a weekly blog hop hosted by Prajunkee and Alison Can Read, to help promote author's and blogger's. There is a weekly prompt to follow each week and you can find more info out here.


    This Week's Prompt:
    What are some tips that help you with blogging?

    My blog is actually very new still so I have been searching a lot of tips and tricks online to help me out. One of my favorite tips I have found have actually been from Parajunkee, in her Ultimate Book Blogger Resource list, which can be found here.

    Way's to follow: I prefer through Bloglovin or GFC which can be found on the side bar or can aswell through Twitter which can be found above on social icons :)

    -Amanda Margaret
    Book Review: Scarlet by Mariss Meyer

    Book Review: Scarlet by Mariss Meyer

    Title: Scarlet ( The Lunar Chronicles #2)
    Author:
    Marissa Meyer
    Publishing info: 
    February  5th, 2013 by Feiwel and Friends
    Genre's:
    Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Retelling, Dystopian
    My rating:
    5/5
    Add to Goodreads:
    click here
    Provided by:
    Bought paperback copy from Barnes & Noble
    Buy:
    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
    Synopsis:
    Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

    Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.
     



    “I think I realized that I would rather die because I betrayed them, than live because I betrayed you.”  

    My Thought's

    ★★★★★


    Marissa Meyer's once again wows me with a classic fairytale inspired story that I simply just could not put down! Scarlet takes place in the same universe as book 1 of The Lunar Chronicle, Cinder, but it is almost in and of it's self it's own story. We are introduced to all new main character's, and Cinder is more of a background character. She is still very important to the story. All these character's are tied into the same destiny. I am loving all these character's and twists! I seriously have had a hard time putting these books down.

    Scarlet starts off right around the time Cinder leaves off, and like I mentioned we are introduced to an all new main character in a way. Her name is Scarlet, which is obviously where the title comes from. Cinder was inspired by the classic fairytale Cinderella, and Scarlet is inspired by classic fairytale Little Red Riding Hood.

    Scarlet's grandmother has gone missing and the only one willing to help her is a mysterious guy who goes by Wolf, and something about him just doesn't sit right with Scarlet. Meanwhile Cinder still plays apart in this story as she has now escaped from prison with the help of a new ally, Captain Thorne, btw he is AWESOMELY FUNNY! I adored Thorne beyond words. He was probably my favorite new character to be honest. We also still get glimpses of Prince Kai of the Eastern Commonwealth as well since he plays a big part in the conflict between earth and Lunar. Kai's, Scarlet's,  Wolf's, Cinder's, and Captain Thorne's stories will all tie together by the end. Marissa Meyer's really knows how to weave a story worth reading with unforgettable characters!

    Like in Cinder there is a bit of romance in this one too. I didn't enjoy it as much as Cinder and Kai, I totally ship them! But, it was still captivating and I can't wait to see the next ship Meyer's comes up with next! I hear each book will have it's own couple! For a shipper junkie like me that makes for great news!

    Marissa Meyer's classic fairytale inspired tales are ones that will have you hooked from page one, feverishly turning the pages for more! Highly recommend!

    -Amanda Margaret
    Top Ten Tuesday: Character's I will never forget!

    Top Ten Tuesday: Character's I will never forget!

    Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week has a new prompt to base your top ten off of. You can find the prompts and more info here.



    This week's Prompt:
    Character's I will never forget!

    This weeks Top Ten is a freebie. One of my favorite things about reading is the character's. I have found I quite like characters more than real people so I thought why not do character's for my freebie top ten this week! These ten characters are ones that are currently at the top of my mind when I think of the top favorite character's I will never forget. They are also in no special order. I have many more since I really love character's obviously, but these are the ten that came off the top of my mind.

    1. Rhysand from Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
    2. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter by JK Rowling
    3. Winter from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
    4. Cinder from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
    5. Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
    6. Thomas from The Maze Runner by James Dashner
    7. Newt from The Maze Runner by James Dashner
    8. Captain Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
    9. Roth from The Dark Elements Series by jennifer L Armentrout
    10. Jest from Heartless by Marissa Meyer


    LET'S CHAT! Any of these character's some of your favorites? Who are some of your favorite characters? Did you do a #TopTenTuesday? If so link up below!

    -Amanda Margaret



    It's Monday What Are You Reading? #1- 1/23/17

    It's Monday What Are You Reading? #1- 1/23/17

    It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly bookish meme now hosted by Book Date, where you can share what you have been, are, and what you will be reading over the week. It's a great post to help keep your reading progress updated and visit and comment with other bookish peeps.


    Hello fellow bookish peeps! I hope your week has been filled with some good reading. Mine defiently was! I actually forced myself to take it slower than I wanted so I only completed 1 book, because I am really hooked on this series right now and I really don't want it to end!

    Besides bookish things this week has been a busy one. I  kind of neglected my blog due to it. All my free time was spent reading and trying to catch up on one of the MANY tv shows I watch. I'm currently trying to catch up on Gotham and Timeless, both awesome stories! It has also been a very political week which I have blissfully  been ignoring. To much drama in the world lately and my anxiety just can't take it. Humans be crazy lately!

    Anyhows back to the meme now. Let's talk about all those reads of mine!


    What I read last week?

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    Like I said above I took it really slow this week because the book I was reading is the last book in a series before a novella wrapup and I am really not wanting the series to end! If you haven't read The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer I highly recommend! It's a fascinating scifi series inspired by many classic fairytales.


    What I am reading now?

    2568907428374007

    Stars Above is the novella that ties up The Lunar Chronicles. I am really gonna miss these character's when they are gone! I am also reading Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. This one I started a bit back but never really picked it back up. It's not that I didn't like it. I just started The Lunar Chronicles to and it seems those have over taken my life at the moment. Hopefully I will finally finish this one soon. It really has an interesting plot.


    Up Next

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    I am still indecisive about which one of these to start next. I will probably start them both and see which one pulls me the most. Both are part of series I have greatly enjoyed so both I am really looking forward to reading!


    So how does you reading shelfs look this week? Have you read anything above? Comment below and let's chat! If you have your own #IMWAYR post link me to it below!

    Amanda Margaret

    Stacking the Shelves #2- January 14th, 2017

    Stacking the Shelves #2- January 14th, 2017

    Stacking the Shelves is a weekly reading meme where you share all the new books you have either bought, borrowed, or received as gifts! This meme is hosted by Tynga Reviews, click here for more info!


    What's new to the shelves this week!?

    I actually haven't bought any new books this week sadly, and didn't have time to go to the Library :( So I only have two books to share this week and they are borrowed ones from a friend. They are the last two in a series, and I was actually gonna buy them but I have the first 3 in the series and paperback and the last two are only in hardback right now. I will buy them both once they are released in paperback. I don't know if I am alone on this but I can get a little ocd over my books in a series all having to be either paperback or hardback, not a mixture. That annoys me, haha. Anyway here they are!


    Borrowed from a friend!

    I am beyond excited for these books! I am actually starting Winter here when I go to bed. I just finished the third book in The Lunar Chronicles, Cress earlier. I am quite addicted to this series right now and it's awesome character's!

    Have you read any of these? If so what did you think?

    What new books have you bought, borrowed, or been gifted lately?

    Comment below! & If you have your own #StackingtheShelves post link it up below!

    Amanda Margaret


    Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

    Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

    Title: Cinder ( The Lunar Chronicles #1)
    Author:
    Marissa Meyer
    Publishing info: 
    January 3rd, 2012 by Feiwel and Friends
    Genre's:
    Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Retelling, Dystopian
    My rating:
    5/5
    Add to Goodreads:
    click here
    Provided by:
    Bought paperback copy from Barnes & Noble
    Buy:
    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
    Synopsis:
    Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

    Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.



    “Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.”  

    My Thought's

    ★★★★★


    The Lunar Chronicles series has been recommended to me for over a year now actually. I have even owned them for about 6 months now too I just never really got around to them. It wasn't until I read Marissa Meyer's Heartless and fell in love with her writing and characters, that I decided it was time to finally read The Lunar Chronicles. I am really glad I did. Now I just keep asking myself why I waited so long to be lost in this magnificent world of Cinderella meet Star Wars! Cinder actually reminded me of young Anakin, before he becomes a Jedi and slowly starts to change. Marissa Meyer's may have gotten her influence a bit from Cinderella and Star Wars but Cinder is it's own unique story that will quickly have you lost in it!

    The whole concept of Cinderella being a cyborg was really cool. As a scifi geek who has a inner Disney princess love, it really made me all giddy. Her version of Prince Charming aka Prince Kai was just dreamy too! My love for shipping really had me cheering for these to from the start. The romance wasn't over the top and in no way the focus either which is what I love the most about it. I like my romance to be more of a side action, but still defiantly a lot of chemistry and Cinder and Kai didn't lack that!

    Iko was probably my favorite character. What happens really breaks my heart. They way Humans always seem to think they are better than others really gets under my skin. We walk around like we are the kings of the world and all the while we destroy it. I would have totally been a cyborg supporter in this world! So many times when Cinder's stepmother was being cruel I just wanted to go inside this book and slap the shit out of her. Give her a real good talking to about compassion and true humanity. Cinder deserved so much better than what she got, specially when you find out who she is! I absolutely loved that twist!

    Marissa Meyer's stories are some adventures! She really knows how to take some of our favorite childhood fairytales and twist them into something spectacular for our olderselfs! I can not wait to continue on with The Lunar Chronicles. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves young adult scifi and retellings!





    Amanda Margaret

    Top Ten Tuesday: New Releases I meant to read but didn't get around to (but totally plan to!)

    Top Ten Tuesday: New Releases I meant to read but didn't get around to (but totally plan to!)

    Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week has a new prompt to base your top ten off of. You can find the prompts and more info here.



    This week's Prompt:
    New Releases I meant to read but didn't get around to (but totally plan to!)



    All these books I was really excited for. I don't really know why I haven't read them yet. It seems I read so much and look forward to so much a lot gets pushed back on my reading list. Hopefully I get to these soon!!! What 2016 releases did you intend to read but haven't made to them yet? Comment here or link up to your Tope Ten post!

    -Amanda Margaret


    Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

    Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

    Title: A Court of Mist and Fury ( A Court of Thorns and Roses #2)
    Author:
    Sarah J Maas
    Publishing info:
    May 3rd, 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
    Genre's:
    New Adult, Fantasy, Romance
    My rating:
    5/5
    Add to Goodreads:
    click here
    Provided by:
    Bought hardback copy from Barnes & Noble
    Buy:
    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
    Synopsis:
    Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

    Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

    With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.


    “The issue isn’t whether he loved you, it’s how much. Too much. Love can be a poison.”

    My Thought's

    ★★★★★


    Yea it's official I will buy any book with Sarah J Maas's name on it from now on! That women can create some epic characters and worlds! I absolutely loved A Court of Mist and Fury, and even more than the first, which is so rare! I can't wait to get my hands on book 3. By far one of my favorite series and top 5 books I read in 2016!

    Sarah J Maas's writing is profoundly beautiful. She has a way of just sweeping you into her world and character's from page one until the last page which usually leaves you desperately wanting more. I am really glad I pushed this book back on my read list. If I had read it when it came out, it would have been pure torture waiting a year for the next installment. As it is, waiting the 5 months till May is horrific.

    When we last left Feyre in book one, A Court of Thorns and Roses, she was madly in love with Tamlin and had just done an unthinkable act to save him and his people. Feyre will never be the same, nor will Tamlin. That unthinkable act under the mountain is about to drive a wedge between Feyre and Tamlin and pushes her right into the arms of High Lord of The Night Court, Rhysand. Believe it or not, but Tamlin's love for Feyre becomes toxic. Watching her die has broken something in him and the thought of her ever getting hurt again terrifies him so much he is willing to lock her up in the house, literally to keep her out of harms reach. His intentions may be honorable but he fails to see that keeping her sheltered is slowly killing her. Feyre deep at heart is a fighter, that's why she was able to do what she did under the mountain for those she loves. She can't just be sheltered as a damsel in distress. Rhysand sees that and so he rescues her from slowly dying and helps bring her back to life by showing her the badass she can be! I absolutely loved Rhys and Feyre's relationship in this book! In book one I really loved Tamlin and Feyre and didn't really want a love triangle but after this book I am totally ok with it and totally on board the Rhys and Feyre ship! I actually kind of liked the too much love can be a poison concept. It's one that isn't explored much in books but totally realistic.
    We also get to see a bunch of new character's in this book. Rhysands squad is what I call them: Morrigan, Cassian, Raziel, and Amren. They were awesome sauce!!! I enjoyed them immensely and can't wait to see them in book 3! I am really really hoping for a Cassian/Nesta(Feyre's sister) ship! I can totally see it!

    The one disappointment I had with this book was not enough Lucien. I really enjoyed his and Feyre's friendship and book one and I didn't see why he had to be so cold and distant in this book. After his events with Feyre's sister in this book though, which by the way totally took me by surprise, I am really hoping to see more of him in book 3.


    Have you read this one yet? What are your thoughts? If you haven't yet, or book one, A Court of Thorns and Roses then pick it up now! You won't regret it! I highly recommend to all fans of YA Fantasy with epic romance twists!





    Amanda Margaret
    Bookish Playlist: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series Unofficial Soundtrack

    Bookish Playlist: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series Unofficial Soundtrack

    Hello book peeps! So I have decided to do this fun feature here on my blog where I share unofficial soundtracks to books! Right now I will only be sharing playlists I have created but in the future if anyone ever wants to share one they have created I'd be willing to! You will also be able to find a compiled list of all my playlist post above in the navigation under feature, and then bookish playlist! Ok now onto my first playlist!

    I wanted to pick a book I have added more than just a few songs to for my first playlist. By the way I create my playlists with Spotify. Anyway for my first Unofficial Soundtrack I will be sharing my self created playlist for the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas. This playlist will have songs for both book 1 and 2. When book 3 comes out and I add more songs, or if I just add more songs over I time I will update this playlists and will update through twitter :). Well here we go, here is my Unofficial Soundtrack for A Court of Thorns and Roses Series:











    If you would like to know how a song inspired me to add it to this playlist feel free to comment! Or if you have any ideas of songs that should be on here! Let me know! I am always looking for new songs to add to my playlists!

    -Amanda Margaret

    Stacking the Shelves #1- January 7th, 2017

    Stacking the Shelves #1- January 7th, 2017

    Stacking the Shelves is a weekly reading meme where you share all the new books you have either bought, borrowed, or received as gifts! This meme is hosted by Tynga Reviews, click here for more info!


    What's new to the shelves this week!?

    So this is my first Stacking the Shelves post on here. I knew I wanted to do a weekly book haul type post and when I came across this it was the perfect fit :)
    With Christmas being recent I have a lot of new additions to my shelf! My husband knows just what to get me! A Barnes and Noble gift card so I can get all the books I've been dying for! He usually stays clear of buying me actual books since he doesn't know exactly what I have read yet, already own etc. I already have 300+ books. It is my dream one day to own my own library though! Ok enough chit chat here are my new lovely books I can't wait to escape into!


    Bought


    Borrowed




    Have you read any of these? If so what did you think?

    What new books have you bought, borrowed, or been gifted lately?

    Comment below! & If you have your own #StackingtheShelves post link it up below!


    Amanda Margaret

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