book tag – A Book & A Beer

Ringing in the… New Year?

Posted on January 21, 2019by J.W. Martin

So Meeghan (of Reads and Bakes fame) has resurrected a 2017 End of Year tag and repurposed it as a Start of 2019 tag. And then tagged me. It might be getting a little late in the month for a ‘New Year’ tag, but I wanted to squeeze it in!

Rules:

Link to the person who tagged you (Meeghan)
Link to the creator of the tag (Bookmark Chronicles)
Answer the questions below (check)
Tag friends (or not if you don’t feel like it)

Questions:

Best book and/or series read in 2018?

ONE book?! I’m going to pretend it said 3 (and even that was tough to narrow down!)

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

Bag of Bones by Stephen King

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton

Authors that you’ve recently found and would like to read more of in the new year?

Robert Jackson Bennett

Preston Norton

Celeste Ng

Joe Hill

Alexandra Christo

Jo Nesbo

Adam Silvera

Most anticipated book turned movie/tv show?

I only learned that there was going to be a Raven Boys show from Meeghan’s post, so now I’m really excited about that. Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens is up there, too. I actually haven’t read the book yet (though it’s on my 2019 TBR) but anything Neil Gaiman is right up my alley.

Name a character that you wouldn’t mind sharing a kiss with at midnight (if there is one)?

Princess Lira from To Kill a Kingdom. That might end up being my death, her being a siren and all, but what can you do?

What’s on you TBR for 2019?

So much. Some of the most recently added entries are:
All Systems Red, Hounded, and Scythe

How many books do you hope to read in 2019?

Last year I hit 65, so I set this year’s goal at 70.

Will you participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge or any others?

Kinda, sorta. Goodreads, for sure. And I’ll kind of be doing the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge again. I didn’t complete it last year, but I find it’s a great way to decide what books to read.

Any New Year’s Resolutions?

Ugh. I’m not great with resolutions. I began the new year trying to work out 5 days a week, which hasn’t been working out thus far. I’d also like to blog a little more consistently and get more creative writing done (at least 1 novel and a handful of short stories)

Fun fact about this post: I took a break in the middle of writing this post to play a round of HQ and was embarrassingly eliminated on the 4th question.

All Book Tag

The End of the Year Book Tag

Posted on December 20, 2018by J.W. Martin

I saw this one over on Once Upon a Spine. And while Kiersten didn’t tag me directly, she’s not the boss of me. I do what I want! (please don’t tell her I said that…)

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

Always. I guess the only one that I NEED to finish is The Ape That Understood the Universe. It publishes on the 30th, so I’m hoping to have it done and reviewed before then.

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

Nah. The seasons/time of year very rarely has any impact on what I read.

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

The Ape that Understood the Universe by Steve Stewart-Williams, Slayer by Kiersten White, and… I don’t know. Something with words and maybe a red cover. Or blue.

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year?

Nope. Seems very, very unlikely.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2019?

I guess… I don’t do too much in the way of planning, though I do have a buddy read for Armada all lined up for early January…

Fun fact about this post: It’s Sunday night as I write this, and this is 4th post I’ve written tonight. I feel so ahead of the game!

All Book Tag

Naughty or Nice Book Tag

Posted on December 13, 2018by J.W. Martin

Thanks to Shanah for tagging me on this one. Apparently I haven’t been feeling guilty enough about my reading habits lately. Never fear, the Bionic Book Worm is here!

RULES

Tag & link the person who tagged you
Tag and link me/this post (if you would be so kind, I love reading your answers!) – Jenn
Tick/cross off the ones you’ve done
Tag another 10 people!

1 – RECIEVED AN ARC AND NOT REVIEWED IT:

Only once. It was a prequel to a series, and claimed that it was perfect for both fans and new readers to the series. But I didn’t find that to be true at all. I felt like I was missing out on something the entire time and eventually gave up. I didn’t read enough to feel like I could review it.

2 – HAVE LESS THAN 60% FEEDBACK RATING ON NETGALLEY:

NOPE! I didn’t even know this rating existed until a few days ago. Luckily, I’m at 70% with the majority of outstanding books due out in 2019.

3 – RATED A BOOK ON GOODREADS AND PROMISED A FULL REVIEW WAS TO COME ON YOUR BLOG AND NEVER DID:

Ugh. Constantly. I really have to get a handle on this. Can’t imagine how many are out there.

4 – FOLDED DOWN THE PAGE OF A BOOK:

Nope. I almost always have a bookmark handy. If not, a piece of paper, a receipt, my son once used a kleenex (unused, I promise!)

5 – ACCIDENTALLY SPILLED ON A BOOK:

No. Some of my books have been spilled on, but I am not the spiller.

6 – DNF’D A BOOK THIS YEAR:

Yup. But just one. Same book from answer 1.

7 – BOUGHT A BOOK PURELY BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY WITH NO INTENTION OF READING IT:

Nah. I’ve bought books because of a great cover, but still intended to read it.

8 – READ WHILST YOU WERE MEANT TO BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE (LIKE HOMEWORK):

I’m only human!

9 – SKIM READ A BOOK:

Yeah. Sometimes it’s the only thing that saves a book from a DNF.

10 – COMPLETELY MISSED YOUR GOODREADS GOAL:

This is only my second year setting Goodreads goals, and I’ve hit my goal both times. Maybe I need to set a more aggressive one??

11 – BORROWED A BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY AND NOT RETURNED IT:

Not since I was a kid.

12 – BROKE A BOOK BUYING BAN:

Never been on one. I’m pretty responsible with that. I don’t buy too many books (as if there was such a thing) and I don’t pay outrageous prices for them.

13 – STARTED A REVIEW, LEFT IT FOR AGES, THEN FORGOT WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT:

HA! No. I may forget small details here and there, but no.

14 – WROTE IN A BOOK YOU WERE READING:

What am I? An animal?!

15 – FINISHED A BOOK AND NOT ADDED IT TO YOUR GOODREADS:

I don’t think so.

16 – BORROWED A BOOK AND NOT RETURNED IT TO A FRIEND:

I can’t remember the last time I borrowed a book. I do have some friends that borrow mine and tend not to return them. Just a little annoying.

17 – DODGED SOMEONE ASKING IF THEY CAN BORROW A BOOK:

Nope.

18 – BROKE THE SPINE OF SOMEONE ELSE’S BOOK:

Never broke a spine. Period.

19 – TOOK THE JACKET OFF A BOOK AND ENDED UP MAKING IT MORE DAMAGED:

Ugh. Yeah. I usually put them between to other books for “safe keeping” but somehow they end up underneath books with an odd fold or crease.. or several.

20 – SAT ON A BOOK ACCIDENTALLY:

I don’t think so… Who’s out there sitting on books?

FINAL SCORE – 6/20

Does that mean I’m 30% naughty? Such a prude.

Not tagging anyone since I’m pretty sure I’m the last blogger on the internet to do this tag. If by some chance you haven’t done it… TAG!

Fun fact about this post: IT’S ALMOST FRIDAY! YAAAAAAY!

All Book Tag

Good & Bad Reading Habits Tag

Posted on December 6, 2018by J.W. Martin

Okay. So this is actually two different tags, but don’t they just beg to be put together in one post? Especially since it was the always-entertaining Ally @ Ally Writes Things to tag me in BOTH the Bad and Good. Thanks, Ally!!

Some of these might end up being a little controversial, but what fun is the world without a little unpopular opinion every once in a while? Let’s do this!!

GOOD

Never hesitating to read when finding a few minutes during the day

Waiting for an appointment, long commute, lunch break. Doesn’t really matter if it’s 5 minutes or an hour. I always have at least two books on the go. One physical and one digital. That way I don’t even have to carry my physical book with me to make use of found time. I’m always preparing to whip it out and have a go! (I was talking about reading! What did you think I meant?!)

BAD

Reading When I Should Be Social

I often think I’m contributing to a world that doesn’t talk to each other anymore. Instead of having my nose in a book, maybe I should be giving a strange an awkward nod and saying something obvious about the weather. I don’t know. I don’t like small talk and it’s very unlikely to have a life-altering conversation with a total random.

GOOD

Making use of my local library’s services

Physical books I only borrow on occasion, but I use the digital resources my library offers on a daily basis. Overdrive and Hoopla are a great source for audiobooks, and you just can’t argue with that price!

BAD

Never Reading New Releases

Since the bargain section of bookstores don’t normally have new releases and I tend to go after the ‘available now’ titles from my library, I’m usually a few years behind with what I’m reading. I’m not what I’d call a trend-setter. People much better than me are diving into mountains of books and coming back to tell us all which are great and which aren’t.

GOOD

Buying books that are on sale

I’m not talking about the books that are 25% off, or even 40% (well… sometimes.) I love the browse the bargain section of bookstores. The place you can discover hidden gems for $5. And that’s usually the price of a hardcover! Not sure I’ve ever found an AMAZING book there, but I also don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed either.

BAD

Buying too many books because they were a good deal

The other place I love to buy books from is kindle. Especially when they’re on sale for a buck or two. And once in a while, a really interesting book is offered for FREE!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! The problem quickly becomes obvious when your digital library has about 100 titles that you haven’t read, and yet you’re still looking at what eBooks are on sale! eBooks Anonymous? Is that some kind of newsletter that will tell me about discount books?!

GOOD

Using a bookmark instead of dog-earing

Okay, okay. Dog earring a page isn’t that big of a deal. It’s not going to destroy a friendship or anything, but I’ve always got a bookmark handy. A while ago I printed a bunch of images off and cut them into strips. Cheap, plentiful, and a great variety.

BAD

Counting Pages

Is there anything that doesn’t do this? Sometimes you just have to know if you should keep turning pages or put your bookmark in mid-chapter. Not the best reason to push on and finish a chapter, but sometimes it just HAS TO BE DONE!

GOOD

Listening to suggestions of others for what to read

Easily one of the greatest things about being in the blogosphere is the sheer number of high-quality recommendations. It’s a community that takes all of the books in all of the world and distills them into a list of the absolute best books ever published!

BAD

Reading books based on Hype alone…

I’ve now read a fair number of books based on hype & recommendations alone, never once bothering to find out what the book was about. Seriously. I’ve read books without even glancing at the synopsis. So far, it hasn’t let me down, but how long can that last?

GOOD

Always remembering to add an interesting book to my TBR

If you hear about a book that sounds good, and you’re going to want to read it, don’t wait. Pull out your phone, write it on your hand, or have the cover tattooed on your bicep. Don’t assume you’re going to remember it, because there’s a good chance you won’t.

BAD

Adding Books to My TBR Knowing I’ll Never Read Them

Every book I add to my TBR sounds interesting. Otherwise, why add it. But there are times when I’m adding one that sounds “kind of” interesting, knowing that odds aren’t good I’ll ever get to a book that sounds “kind of” interesting.

BOTH

Reading ARCs when I really want to read something else

Sometimes there’s a book on my shelf that’s calling to be read. But often times (especially this past year) I chose to ignore the book I really wanted to read, and stay on top of my ARCs. That’s good, because I’m staying responsible and giving priority to the books I’ve been given in exchange for a review, and bad, because I’m not listening to that inner voice that gave me my passion for reading in the first place.

I tag: EVERYONE!!

Fun fact about this post: Before I wrote this post, I never considered any my reading habits to be good or bad. Just habits. Now I get to feel guilty about certain things. Thanks again, Ally!!

All Book Tag

The Fall Book Tag 2018

Posted on November 7, 2018by J.W. Martin

I did this tag last year, but the tag’s creator, Shanah the Bionic Book Worm, has brought it out of retirement for 2018. I was a fan of it last year, so I thought I’d do it again, but making sure to use different books than last time.

CRISP FALL AIR – A BOOK THAT FELT FRESH AND NEW:

Grim Lovelies

Finished this one pretty recently, but I was just blown away at how everything seemed familiar yet new and fresh at the same time.

HOWLING WINDS – AN ENDING THAT BLEW YOU AWAY:

The Final Empire (Mistborn, Book 1)

Again, maybe it’s because I literally just finished it and it’s still fresh in my mind, but it was awesome. And not awesome. But, still, awesome.

COMFY SWEATERS – A BOOK THAT GAVE YOU THE WARM AND FUZZIES:

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe

Probably because Neanderthal feels like a brother from another mother. When something good happens to him, it’s like something good happening to myself or someone in my family.

BRIGHT COLOURS – A COVER WITH RED, ORANGE, OR YELLOW:

The Fireman

LEAF FIGHT – A BOOK WITH NON STOP ACTION:

Gemina

Yes, I’m a little behind. No, I still haven’t read Obsidio, BUT I WILL! Promise.

PUMPKIN SPICE – YOUR MOST ANTICIPATED READ:

This was a tough one, so I picked two. That’s a lot better than picking 14 like I wanted to!

Fun fact about this post: I centered everything except this line, thus infuriating people with OCD everywhere.

All Book Tag

The Halloween Creatures Book Tag

Posted on October 31, 2018by J.W. Martin

The Evil forces that rule Halloween really wanted me to do this tag.

Sam @ Modern Witch’s Bookshelf tagged me, and I swear I was already planning on doing it! But the evil forces don’t put all their eggs in one basket. I was tagged again by The Orang-utan Librarian just to make sure I got the message. Thank you for the tags. OK, evil spirits, I’m all over it.

Rules
• Answer all prompts.
• Answer honestly.
• Tag 1-13 people.
• Link back to this post.
• Remember to credit the creator. (Anthony @ Keep Reading Forward)
• Have fun!

Witch: A magical character or book

I just finished Grim Lovelies, so it’s super fresh in my mind. With elements of Harry Potter and Cinderella (yet still standing completely on its own) this one was a magical adventure worth every minute.

Werewolf: The perfect book to read at night

Nevernight? I don’t know. I very rarely get time to read during the day, so every time I read, It’s at night.

Frankenstein: A book that truly shocked you

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson starts out making your mouth fall open and your eyes go wide. And that’s just in the PROLOGUE!!

The Devil: A dark or evil character

Dolores Umbridge is detestable is just about every way. One of the little talks between Harry and Voldemort should have been Voldey saying: “I know I want to take over the world and enslave pretty much everyone on the planet, but that Dolores is a bitch, isn’t she? Just not a nice person.” Seriously. Have you ever seen someone enjoy the suffering of other more than her?

Grim Reaper: A character that never should have died

NO SPOILERS, but I’ll say it happened in Morning Star by Pierce Brown. Those who have read it know who I’m talking about.

Zombie: A book that made you hungry for more

To Kill a Kingdom. As it stands, it’s a one-shot. In a world of trilogies, this amazing book comes along and says, “That’s all you get.” That’d be like going to a concert, and this incredible band hits the stage and belts out one of the best songs you’ve ever heard and then says, “That’s it for us. Good night!“

Gargoyle: A character that you would protect at all cost

Enzo from The Art of Racing in the Rain. What can I say? I love dogs. And they need saving more than most humans. There are so many dangers lurking. People, other dogs, cars, and chocolate.

Vampire: A book that sucked the life out of you

The Graveyard Book made me want to curl up in bed. It still kind of does.

Ghost: A book that still haunts you

Hex! The stuff the Black Rock Witch does is bad enough. But it’s the things that you realize about the people that really sticks with you.

Demon: A book that really scared you

The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer. There isn’t much that scares me, but this non-fiction told me of all kinds of things that actual people have done to actual people. Knowing the kinds of things that real humans are capable of is terrifying.

Skeleton: A character you have a bone to pick with

John/Number 4. STOP WHINING! Seriously, bro. I don’t even know what else to say. Just stop.

Mummy: A book you would preserve throughout time

Ready Player One. You knew I was going to put it in this list somewhere! Preserving RPO wouldn’t just be protecting one of my favourite stories ever, but also lots of pop culture from the decade of my birth. Seems worthwhile.

Creepy Doll: A cover too scary to look at

I was going to go with The Vivisector but I didn’t want people vomiting while reading my blog. So, as a close second, I’ll go with Despair. Creepy AF.

Seeing that Halloween is TODAY, I’m not going to tag anyone and me them feel like they have mere hours to pull a post together, even if it was a really fun one!

Fun fact about this post: Seriously. If you want to see a creepy, cringe-worthy cover: The Vivisector. It’s very disturbing.

All Book Tag

THREE-DAY LYRICAL CHALLENGE: DAY 1!

Posted on October 24, 2018by J.W. Martin

Well this is new! I don’t think I’ve been part of a tag like this before. But when Taylor of Nerd Narration tagged me (THANK YOU, TAYLOR!) I thought, yup, this makes sense to do a tag like this.

There are so many songs that I love because of the message. There might songs with a better bridge, or a catchier melody, but if I don’t believe in a song’s message, it won’t last with me.

So! How about this challenge:

HOW IT WORKS?

*THANK THE PERSON WHO NOMINATED YOU.*
*SHARE ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS/LYRICS (ONE AT A TIME) FOR THREE DAYS.
*NOMINATE THREE OTHER BLOGGERS EACH DAY.

I’m going to start of by ~~stealing~~ taking a page out of Taylor’s book, and picking a song from Hamilton the musical. If you haven’t heard this soundtrack, let me send a link to rock you’ve been living under. THIS WHOLE ALBUM IS AMAZING! And this from a guy who’s not usually a fan of musicals.

MY SHOT by the Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton

And I am not throwing away my shot
I am not throwing away my shot
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot

We’re gonna rise up! Time to take a shot!
Not throwing away my shot
We’re gonna rise up! Time to take a shot!
Not throwing away my shot

For any who’ve experienced the musical (or just know American History) Alexander Hamilton is talking about independence for America and him becoming a major player in achieving that. When I hear this song, though, I can’t help but think of my own goals. Mainly writing.

‘Throwing away my shot’ is sitting on the couch and playing video games or watching Netflix when I should be writing. Which I still do a little too often, but I’m working on it.

For this first day, I tag: Sam, Kiersten, and Shanah!

Fun fact about this post: Lin-Manuel Miranda, writer of Hamilton, also wrote the songs for Moana, which also get stuck in my head all the time. You’re welcome!

All Book Tag

The Cheesy Goodness Tag

Posted on September 19, 2018by J.W. Martin

Thanks to Ally @ Ally Writes Things for tagging me in this delicious, ooey gooey little number. She obviously knows a cheese-lover when she sees one.

The rules:

Tag the original creator: Fire and Rain Books
Ping back the person who tagged you (thank you!!)
Have fun!

CHEDDAR THE CLASSIC CHEESE: Pick your favourite classic novel

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, for the amazing ending it has.

The movie ending is hot garbage in comparison!

SWISS THE HOLE-Y CHEESE: Pick an emotional roller coaster

HEX! Inrigue, fear, rage, terror, melancholy, and more. This book will mess you up!

Can someone check the corners of the room? Maybe I’ll just sleep with the lights on.

BLUE CHEESE THE CONTROVERSIAL CHEESE: Name an unpopular opinion

Uh… I have no interest in reading Sarah J. Maas?

BRIE THE FAVOURITE CHEESE: Name an author you always want more from

How about 3? Rowling, King, and (so far) Pierce Brown

GOUDA THE DUTCH CHEESE: A book that makes you want to travel

*sigh* The Harry Potter series. Yes, I know I can’t actually go to Hogwarts, but still…

AMERICAN THE FAKE CHEESE: Your least favourite book

Corrupted Ambition. I don’t like to say flat out terrible things about books. I prefer to talk about the redeeming qualities, even if there aren’t many. But this book… just terrible.

COLBY JACK THE MIXED CHEESE: Pick your favourite ship

Maybe it’s just because of fresh the book is, but I gotta go with Lira and Elian (To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo).

MOZZARELLA CHEESE A SIMPLE CHEESE: An old favourite you’ll never stop loving

Ready Player One. Duh.

Did you think I wasn’t going to mention it?

PEPPERJACK THE SPICY CHEESE: A book you can’t judge by it’s cover

Wool. Not a great cover. I never would have picked it up if I hadn’t gotten the first ‘part’ of the story from somewhere.

MUENSTER CHEESE THE MONSTER CHEESE: A villain that should never have the chance of eating cheese again

I’m going to steal Ally’s answer on this one and go with Umbridge. At least Voldemort was cool in an evil way. She’s just the worst.

If you’re reading this right now, and you love cheese, consider yourself TAGGED!!

Fun fact about this post: I never thought I’d end up using a Taylor Swift GIF in my entire life…

All Awards

The Awesome Blogger Award

Posted on June 25, 2018by J.W. Martin

I was nominated by Sam @ Modern Witch’s Bookshelf. I’m not sure I qualify for the award, but I’m excited and grateful to get the nomination. Sam’s blog has been one of my favorites since she started. Many of our tastes seem to align and she’s really, really funny! So if you’re not already following her (let’s be honest, you probably are) get over there and hit follow!

Awesome Blogger Award Rules

Thank the person who nominated you.
Include the reason behind the award.
Include the banner in your post.
Tag it under #awesomebloggeraward in the Reader.
Answer the questions your nominator gave you.
Nominate at least 5 awesome bloggers and let your nominees know that they’ve been nominated.

Behind the Awesome Blogger Award

The award was created by Maggie at Dreaming of Guatemala who stated – “This is an award for the absolutely wonderful writers all across the blogging world. They have beautiful blogs, are kind and lovely, and always find a way to add happiness and laughter to the lives of their readers. That is what truly defines an awesome blogger.”

If you could choose any job to have in the world (fictional or real) what would it be and why?

Um… rich guy? Is that a job? Honestly, the job I want more than anything is to write full-time. It’s something I’ve wanted since I was a kid. Even if I was suddenly rich and didn’t need to work anymore, I’d still spend a lot of time writing. And I am working on it (in my ABUNDANCE of free time) and hopefully one day that’ll be my reality.

Who is your favorite booktuber/blogger?

All the people I nominated below, and the blogger who nominated me, the fantastic Samantha!

Why did you decide to start blogging?

Seemed like fun, and IT IS!

We all have literary passports, where is yours stamped the most?

I really do spread my reads out. At least I try to. The in the last few years, though, I’ve primarily traveled to the land of YA, by way of the thriving city of Sci-Fi. Lovely place. Delicious waffles.

I saw this on another person’s post and obviously had to include it in mine: What’s your Harry Potter name? Use this generator to find out! (FYI- mine is Susan Dippet)

Jugson McClaggen? Sounds pretty common to me. Half a step above John Smith.

What are some of your guilty pleasures? Whether they are book related or not.

Video games. Xbox or on my phone. I can play for hours, but then I feel guilty about how much time I just burned! Those could have been productive hours, dammit!

What is something that you love about your blog?

The visitors and the comments. The rest… needs work. It’s on my list of things to do!

What is something you admire about another blog, or want to try with yours?

Organization. Everyone else seems to have their menus and pages laid out in a much more sensical way. I need that.

What is your favorite post that I (Modern Witch’s Bookshelf) have made?

The First Impression Friday posts, of course! 😉

What is your favorite post that you have personally done?

My favorite post was actually a guest post that is posted on Shanah’s blog about what we, as readers, owe to the authors of the books we read: https://bionicbookwormblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/02/guest-post-what-do-we-owe-authors/

My Nominees/Favourite Blogs

Introverted Book Nerd

Kristin Kraves Books

Books, Bones & Buffy

Bookishly Rebecca

I know I tag a lot of you ALL THE TIME, so feel free to ignore. (even you, Nina!)

Fun fact about this post: Jugson McClaggen? Really??

Book Tag Misc

Mid-Year Freakout with a Twist!

Posted on June 20, 2018by J.W. Martin

Okay. Yes, it’s June. And yes, that came quickly enough for an, “oh dang.”

I was already putting a post together for this tag, in which I whined about no one tagging me, and then lo and behold, Ally @ Ally Writes Things tagged me. She must be some kind of mind reader. What am I thinking now, Ally?! WHAT AM I THINKING NOW!!

At the same time, Kiersten @ Once Upon A Spine put up a ‘Best Books of 2018 (so far)‘ post that I told her I was going to steal. Actually, I grabbed it and ran. She tried to stop me, but I started tossing Neil Gaiman books over my shoulder and she stopped running.

Kiersten’s post allowed for more than ONE favourite of the year so far. And I’ve had a pretty good year of reading and needed more than one spot.

BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ YET IN 2018 STOLEN POST FROM ONCE UPON A SPINE

Ruthless Magic
The Graveyard Book
The Raven Cycle
Gemina
Macbeth
Something Wicked This Way Comes
To Kill a Kingdom

BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2016

Gemina

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

On any given day, I’m really behind on my reading. So it’s hard to look forward when I’m still being crushed by a large pile of books. However, I’ll take an easy out on this one, and say Dark Age by Pierce Brown.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Dayfall

BIGGEST SURPRISE

To Kill a Kingdom

FAVOURITE NEW AUTHOR

Maggie Stiefvater. I know she’s not new, but remember the part about me being so far behind on everything? Yeah. But I devoured the whole Raven Cycle in the first half of this year.

NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Lira (To Kill a Kingdom)

NEWEST FAVOURITE CHARACTER

Ronan Lynch

BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

This isn’t one of those, “I’m a man and men don’t cry” answers. I just didn’t cry. Probably because I didn’t re-read The Art of Racing in the Rain again. The Graveyard Book came close. Felt devastated, but no tears.

BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Room

FAVOURITE BOOK TO FILM ADAPTATION

I’m only halfway through season one, and I haven’t read the book, but 13 Reasons Why has been EXCELLENT so far.

FAVOURITE POST YOU HAVE DONE THIS YEAR

First Impression Friday!!

MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR

Between print and digital ARCs, and books from my backlist, I’ve barely bought any books this year. Can you believe it? Willpower of steal! And cheapness of titanium!

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR

Are you kidding me? How much time do you have?