What a month. I think I was so close to giving most of these books five stars. It has really been an exceptional month for me and I can’t quite believe it. It has also been one of my best reading months in terms of quantity as well as quality! I read 12 books, which is my joint highest month with January.
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Name: Ninth House (Alex Stern #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Uncorrected Proof
Source: Ellie @ Faerie on the Shelf
Rating: ★★★★★
GOODREADS | BUY
Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?
Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.
Okay, I know I’m just making excuses now but the end of June / start of July was horrendously busy. I had friends staying, then I got a new job (YAY!) and then I had my birthday weekend, which if you follow me on social media, you’ll know that I was all over the country celebrating! And that is why I haven’t posted my June wrap up until today.
On the plus side, I think I’ve kicked my reading slump in the arse and I got loads of books for my birthday so now if I just get some free time, ya girl is gonna read.
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WELCOME to Imi hit a book slump at the end of March and couldn’t catch up with herself. This is a love letter to my book slump and how much I hate her, BUT let’s also consider the positives here. I am still doing wrap ups. It’s the fifth month of the year and I am still here. While April was not good for reading, or blog posts, the fact still remains that I’m coming back and I am still determined to continue making this better. I also have 28975982759 blog post ideas, what I lack is the time to write them.
Shout out to Lauren / Siz/ Provider of Doggo Pics / Personal PA and Nag for forcing me reminding me to write this post. This one is for you.
So #ARCAugust is an annual challenge hosted by Read Sleep Repeat – I’m not necessarily participating in the official challenge, but feel free to go check it out on their blog and see what their plans are.
For me, I just want to read as many unreleased ARCs as I can that have been building up for me, so I’ve come up with my own personal goals for August.
Due to my distinct lack of ability to do wrap-ups regularly, I’ve decided this year that quarterly wrap-ups might be a little better for me. I can do four bulk posts to keep you all informed on how I’ve done. Plus, it means I’ll keep posting!
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2017 has been a year of big changes for me. I’d like to think I’ve done quite a lot; wrote a 10,000-word dissertation on Medea, graduated university with a 2:1, moved out of my childhood home and into a completely new city with my boyfriend, gained a job with a salary, started a blog, started writing my novel more regularly, read more books than last year. Personally, I think it’s been pretty successful!
But you’re not here to listen to me talk about my personal life, you want to know what I’ve read and what my top ten reads of the year were! Due to my being at uni, the first half of the year was quite slow and I read a lot of trashy romance ebooks when I’m busy so my year was taken up by a surprising amount of Bella Andre and other mind-numbing, escapist romance/paranormal. However, you can tell the moment uni work started letting up and I hit my stride around my summer holiday in Madiera!
Without further ado, here’s everything I read this year…
I have read 73 books this year, smashing my original goal of 60 and then my secondary goal of 70! Below are the ten books, in no particular order, which stand out to me from those 73 as my favorites.
Vicious by VE Schwab | A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas | A Conjuring of Light by VE Schwab | Invictus by Ryan Graudin | The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven | Our Dark Duet by VE Schwab | The Arsonist by Stephanie Oakes | Without Merit by Colleen Hoover | Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher | Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
And of these top ten, I have chosen a few special reads which I will talk to you about in a tiny bit more detail.
S P E C I A L M E N T I O N
I have to give Samantha Shannon’s The Song Rising a special mention when talking about my favourite books of the year. You may notice that it’s not in my top ten, simply because I actually read an ARC at the end of 2016 and did not have time for a reread this year after it’s release in March. However, I have to talk about how incredible the third installment of this beautiful septology is. If you haven’t read any of this series yet, please pick it up. It’s one of my all-time favourites and Paige Mahoney is glorious.
B E S T S E R I E S C O N C L U S I O N
Best series conclusion goes to both of Schwab’s conclusions because I cannot separate the two and pick one over the other. Victoria Schwab has an incredible gift and both of these series are flawless from start to finish. The final books do not disappoint.
B E S T F A N T A S Y
If you haven’t heard of this book this year, then I’d ask where the hell you’ve been. Strange the Dreamer is the first in Laini Taylor’s new series about gods and monsters and it has the most stunning and lyrical writing and world building. It had to be the best fantasy of the year.
B E S T S C I – F I
If you like time-travel, heists, and Ancient Rome, this book is 100% for you. A stand-alone set in both futuristic and Ancient Rome which is fun, exciting and unputdownable. The friendships are great and the action is perfect. Invictus definitely deserves best sci fi for me!
B E S T W R I T I N G
I’ve always been a fan of Colleen Hoover and I read a bit of Tarryn Fisher before this year, but as soon as I picked up Mud Vein there was no going back. This book ruined me and repaired me, it consumed my brain for days after I’d finished it. The words within were so beautiful and I know that they came straight from Fisher’s heart. If you haven’t read anything by her, pick this up right now.
B E S T 2 0 1 8 R E L E A S E
Hilarious, laugh out loud funny and yet about an incredibly important and serious topic. Laura Steven’s debut releases in March and I will advocate and shout about this book from the rooftops right up until it’s release. I’m even hosting a giveaway to win a pre-order right now on Instagram!
N U M B E R O N E R E A D O F T H E Y E A R
I didn’t actually realise this was my favourite read until I took all these photos and really thought about it. This book is powerful and yet I would say it’s probably more on the younger side of YA so it still has a lightness to it. There are lessons to be learned and adventures and every second of this book meant everything to me. Please pick it up.
Did you meet your reading goal for the year? What’s your 2018 goal? What was your favourite book of the year?
So the end of October got a little manic and then NaNo took over November so I never got around to doing my wrap up last month, so now you have a double bill! October was been a month of book slumps, fanfiction and starting work. I ended up in a weird vampire mood (maybe it was due to Halloween), but I actually read quite a few books in the end and even extended my goodreads goal to 75! Then, this month, NaNo meant that I didn’t read as much as I wanted at first but then when my writing brain started shutting down, I picked up reading again. I really wish I could balance it out better.
So here’s my October/November double bill wrap up…
O C T O B E R
Solis Invicti series by Josie Jaffrey ★★★★☆
A Bargain in Silver (Solis Invicti #1), The Price of Silver (Solis Invicti #2), Bound in Silver (Solis Invicti #3), The Silver Bullet (Solis Invicti #4)
KEYWORDS: Vampires, Zombies, End of the World, Roooooomance + Bonds + Love Triangles.
This series was the perfect thing to drag me out of my reading slump. The vampire premise was original and interesting, I enjoyed the character arcs and I shipped a couple like mad, and that’s a definite plus. I would thoroughly recommend this series to anyone who likes paranormal romance, vampires, and zombies.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead ★★★★★
Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4), Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5), Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6)
KEYWORDS: Vampires, Sassy/Badass Female Heroine, Romance.
After reading the Solis Invicti series, I was in a vampire mood so I finished off my Vampire Academy reread. I will always adore these books and this reread only reminded me of my love.
Without Merit by Colleen Hoover ★★★★★
KEYWORDS: Dysfunctional family, Mental health, Love at first sight.
Coleen Hoover’s 2017 release is a return to her YA roots, exploring the lives of one family – the Voss family both reminds you of your family and makes you glad that your family is nothing like them. I connected with Merit from the start and it’s a truly beautiful novel. Read it.
See my spoiler-free review here.
Bad Mommy by Tarryn Fisher ★★★★☆
KEYWORDS: Psychopath, Villainous Women, Motherhood.
Yet another look into Tarryn’s messed up mind and yet again, I loved it. Bad Mommy is a look into the mind of a stalker/psychopath, the mind of a sociopath and the mind of an author trapped in between the two of them. I loved the unreliable narrators and it was really intriguing. Everything Tarryn writes is fantastic.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
N O V E M B E R
Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare ★★★★★
KEYWORDS: Shadowhunters, Demons, Badass Females, Forbidden Love, Investigating.
Another fantastic book from the Shadowhunter universe. I loved the characters, the mystery and I should really read more urban fantasy because I do love it. Also, Emma Castairs is wonderful.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff ★★★★★
KEYWORDS: Outerspace apocalypse, Non-Prose.
My best friends have been pestering me to read this on and on and on for ages and I finally got around to it. I know now why they wanted me to read it! A fantastic story and an incredibly intriguing way to tell it. All through IMs and surveillance footage. It somehow makes it seem more real and I LOVED it.
Spoiler free review coming soon!
As you can see, November didn’t go quite as planned but hopefully December will be the month where I hit my goal and smash it out the park! Wish me luck!
What books have you read this month? What was your favourite? Let me know in the comments!
Genres: Paranormal, Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: Review Copy Paperback
Source: Josie JaffreyIf the price of safety is slavery, would you bargain your life?
A Bargain in Silver is book one of Josie Jaffrey’s Solis Invicti paranormal romance series, set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic London.
A deadly infection threatens to wipe out humanity. The only people who can stem its advance are the Silver, a vampiric race who offer a simple exchange: protection in return for blood and subservience. It’s not a deal that Emmy’s willing to make, but as her world burns around her she finds herself in the arms of the enemy and the line between oppressor and saviour begins to blur.
After an attack by the infected, Emmy is rescued by the handsome Drew who introduces her to the world of the Silver. Desperate to escape subjugation and confused by her attraction to him, she gathers what remains of her surrogate family and plans to make a break for freedom.
But despite her efforts to resist, she is drawn further into the intrigues of the mysterious Silver through the agency of their ruler, the Primus: Solomon. Emmy refuses to submit to the cold and detached Primus and an attempt on her life makes it clear that he is unable to protect her from the political machinations of his race.
As the connection between them deepens she must choose between her desire and her will to rebel, but can she trust his intentions when everyone is after her blood?
What are you reading right now? Are you enjoying it? Tell me in the comments!
September has been the month of moving house and finding a job. It’s been extremely manic trying to settle into a new area and a completely new part of the country but I’ve really enjoyed it. Admittedly I didn’t read as much as I wanted to this month and had a bit of a slump so ended up doing a bit of a reread. Hopefully, I’ll do a bit better next month.
Wonder Woman: Warbringer (DC Icons #1) by Leigh Bardugo ★★★★★
KEY WORDS: Greek Mythology, Superheroes, Adventure, Friendship, STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS.
This was 100% everything I could have possibly hoped for. Greek Mythology: check, Kickass Female Characters: check, intricate and interestingly described action-packed scenes: check, and so much more. I am now eagerly anticipating the rest of the DC Icons series.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Invictus by Ryan Graudin ★★★★☆
KEY WORDS: Time Travel, Futuristic AND Ancient Rome, SPACE HEISTS.
I mean, Space Heists. Need I say any more? This book was everything I wanted and didn’t know I needed. Set around a group of friends who travel through time and space and are drawn into saving the world by a mysterious girl who keeps showing up where they travel. Also, there’s an Imogen.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6) by Sarah J. Maas ★★★★★
KEY WORDS: Adventure, Healing, Magic, Monsters, Mature Content.
If you’re one of those people who didn’t think this instalment matters to the series as a whole, you could not be more wrong. I didn’t care about Chaol before reading this but Maas makes you care and the events that happen within these 700 pages will hold a great deal of importance in the final book.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead ★★★★★
KEY WORDS: Boarding School, Vampires, Sassy/Badass Female Heroine, Romance.
A faithful old series which I will always love. I was having a bit of a slump and decided a reread was in order. Rose Hathaway is an angel and I love reading about her so ploughing through this series was exactly what I needed before heading back to Ringer.
Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) by Richelle Mead ★★★★★
KEY WORDS: Boarding School, Vampires, Sassy/Badass Female Heroine, Romance.
A perfect sequel to the first. It comes with more adventure and drama than before if that were even possible. I fall in love with these characters more and more with every page and every reread (this is my third).
Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead ★★★★★
KEY WORDS: Boarding School, Vampires, Sassy/Badass Female Heroine, Romance, HEARTBREAK.
It’s funny when you reread something and know what’s going to happen. I saw all the hints throughout this book to how it will end and unlike the first time I read it, I saw them for what they were. I struggle to finish it when I know what’s going to happen because it hurts me so much how this one ends. I get angry and sad.
Books read: 6
Pages read: 2,590
Approximate words read: 647,500
Books bought: 13
ARCs/Review Copies recieved: 5
NEW
New authors read: 1 | New series started: 1 | Books Reread: 3
FORMATS
Hardbacks read: 1 | Paperbacks read: 4 | eBooks read: 1
TYPES
Standalones read: 1 | Books within series read: 5 | Anthologies read: 0
GENRES
New Adult: 0 | Young Adult: 6 | Middle Grade: 0
Fantasy: 2 | Sci-Fi: 1 | Paranormal: 3 | Thriller: 0 | Contemporary: 0
What books did you read in September? What was your favourite? Let me know in the comments!
Imi Reviews Books 