amarisafloria

STAY WITH ME BY AYOBAMI ADEBAYO // 5 stars
I finished this on the first of November, just in time for Joce's liveshow! What a heart-breaking (but also incredible) book. Stay With Me follows the life of a married Nigerian couple who are unable to bear children, and the story tackles the pressure of responsibility to family + the burden of infertility. I was so nervous to read this, as I never dip my toes in literary fiction, but this one exceeded all my expectations. The language was easy to understand + there was a really good balance between the character and plot development. Adebayo is such a powerful storyteller—I will definitely be picking up whatever she writes next!

BETTER THAN BEFORE BY GRETCHEN RUBIN // 4 stars
This was an interesting study on habits and how we can best tackle them depending on our tendencies. (These tendencies are broken down into four categories based on meeting and/or resisting our inner and outer expectations.) One thing to note should you choose to read Better than Before: this book is not a game plan. Rubin suggests different strategies to build good habits, mostly ones that work for her and her family/blog readers, but everyone is different. You know yourself, so you pick the strategies that work best for you!

SHUFFLE, REPEAT BY JEN KLEIN // 4.5 stars
I loved this one! I was looking for a cute contemporary to read, since Stay With Me was such a heavy read, and remembered Alexa talking about Shuffle, Repeat everywhere. I was initially hesitant to like this because June (the narrator) was a huge downer, but I loved seeing the differences between her and Oliver play out.

Happy December, friends! Here are my reading plans (heavy emphasis on plans) for this month! I have 2.5 weeks to get all my reading done before I leave for Japan + Hong Kong. Fingers crossed for 100% success, at least with these four books I've chosen to tackle this month 🤞


What Lies Between Us by Nayomi Munaweera
This is the December pick for Joce's book club! Like Stay With Me, I hadn't heard of What Lies Between Us before it was announced as a future read, so I'll just share an incomplete sentence from the synopsis that caught my attention: "... the confession of a woman, driven by the demons of her past to commit a single and possibly unforgivable crime."

Winterspell by Claire Legrand
I've been meaning to read Winterspell since 2014 when Rachel (from Paper Cuts) and I planned to do a buddy read, but it never happened 😅 There are mixed reviews from my friends on Goodreads, so I'm walking into this one with low expectations but high hopes! It seems to be a dark take on The Nutcracker.

Nutcracked by Susan Adrian
THIS COVER 😍 It already looks like the perfect read for this holiday season! Nutcracked follows a girl named Georgie who dances the part of Clara in The Nutcracker—but every time she dances with the Nutcracker doll, she enters a magical world. When this magic enters the real world, Georgie must save everyone in danger.

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
Let it Snow is another book I've been meaning to pick up for ages, four Decembers ago to be somewhat exact. I know I will fly through these three stories, so let's MAKE IT HAPPEN, SELF.



Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills // December 5th
Mills is an auto-read author for me (First & Then, Mills' debut novel, is one of my favorites!) but I didn't add this to my TBR because I have no idea when my library hold will be ready. I wouldn't be mad if this was my first read of 2018 though!

Three Sides of a Heart: Stories About Love Triangles edited by Natalie C. Parker // December 19th
I guess I really want my heart to break over and over again because why else would someone read a book about love triangles?

Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West // December 26th
I am reading all of West's books in publication order so I won't be getting to Love, Life, and the List for a while, but I've loved On the Fence and The Fill-In Boyfriend so far! West is really good at combining the right amount of conflict with fluff. I love fluff! As you can probably tell :)

Hi friends ♥️

I'm sharing these goals mostly for myself, but I want to put it somewhere public for accountability. I hope it encourages you to think about the things you hope to accomplish this November! This is a small list for two reasons: 1) I don't want to overwhelm myself with too much, and 2) I need to focus in on what's important.


FINALIZE THE WEDDING GUEST LIST + COLLECT ALL EMAIL ADDRESSES
We have a pretty good draft of who we'd like to attend and we know our maximum count (250 guests) but our list doesn't include our parents' guests yet — we're still trying to make room for them!

GIVE BRIDESMAIDS' "PROPOSAL" GIFTS
I know my girls will be excited to join me even if I just write them a card, but I want to do something extra for them. I've been going back and forth with a couple of ideas for a long time now, so I'm committing to get it done this month.

PLAN MONTHLY BUDGET
I've never had to do this because I'm generally okay at saving my money, but spending it wisely is entirely different. I'll have many payments to make in the upcoming year, with the wedding (and maybe a car!) so I want to tackle this before things get busy.

PREPARE GIFT IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS
I am probably the first to admit that I *always* buy gifts at the last minute. And I hate it! It's a habit I have to break if I want to love my friends well.


JOURNAL PRAYERS AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK
Prayer requires a still mind, and that is one of the most difficult things for me. I always want to be doing something. But sitting down and writing out my thoughts as a reminder has been incredibly helpful, and it is always a blessing to look back and see how God has answered each request/hope/cry.

STUDY SCRIPTURE BY STARTING ABIDE BY JEN WILKIN
Goals: Work through the homework and listen to the corresponding podcast!

READ SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BY DONALD S. WHITNEY
We only discuss one chapter each month in my community group, but I'd really love to finish the book in December. It should work out if I tackle one chapter each week!


PRACTICE GRATITUDE THROUGH CRAFTING
I won't be able to work on this every single day this month, but I'm going to try and spend at least 3-4 days each week putting my journal together. It's going to be a small challenge because I don't have easy access to print photos, so I'm digging through my old photos that didn't make it in my Project Life album.

I decided to forgo monthly wrap-ups to do quarterly recaps this year, and I'm still not sure what I prefer. I know I skipped Q2 back in June/July, so I'm basically talking about half a year's reading in this post! I guess that doesn't really help me decide what I like more, haha. What do you guys think? What would you rather read?



I finally have full reviews to share! Trying to get back into the swing of things 💪 I wrote one for Geekerella back in July, one for Genuine Fraud last month, and one for Invictus on Thursday. I also added some ratings and thoughts on Goodreads for three books (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Big Magic, and Frazzled) if you're interested!


#RockMyTBR challenge (15/61)
I'm actually surprised at how many TBR books I've read since the end of March! Especially since I've only read 27 books so far. I added 21 books to my TBR this year (I started off at 211) and now it's at 215! That means I only have an addition of FOUR, which I could totally zero out by the end of this year. Now I'm getting ahead of myself, haha. I probably should've taken the buying/receiving of books into account before being ambitious and telling you all I wanted to lower my TBR pile to 150 😅 I don't know if I want to make any changes to this goal, we'll see how this last quarter goes and I can make adjustments for 2018!

POPSUGAR reading challenge (13/52)

• A book that's published in 2017: Geekerella by Ashley Poston
• A book that's been mentioned in another book: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
• An audiobook: Big Magic: Creative Living Without Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
• A book with pictures: Frazzled by Booki Vivat
• A book about a difficult topic: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• A book with a subtitle: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to be Spirituality Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature by Peter Scazzero
• A book with an unreliable narrator: Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart
• A book that's been on your TBR for way too long: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
• A book set in two different time periods: Invictus by Ryan Graudin (this kinda works, right?!)
• A book by or about a person who has a disability: The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
• A book you bought on a trip: The Dinner by Herman Koch

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time traveler from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in ancient Rome, Far's very existence defies the laws of nature. All he's ever wanted was to explore history for himself, but after failing his entrance exam into the government program, Far will have to settle for a position on the black market captaining a time-traveling crew to steal valuables from the past.

During a routine heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl named Eliot who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Eliot has secrets—big ones—that will affect Far's life from beginning to end. Armed with the knowledge that history is not as steady as it seems, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to set things right before the clock runs out.

REASON FOR READING
Wolf by Wolf was one of my favorite reads of 2015. After being immersed in a world where Graudin so effortlessly combines history and sci-fi to create this atmospheric + incredibly unique story, I want more! (But let's not talk about the fact that I haven't read the sequel yet ... 🙈)

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT INVICTUS
I LOVE THAT INVICTUS IS A STAND-ALONE! So many adventure-packed stories are broken down into trilogies or full series, but you can read this one and be satisfied with the ending. No cliffhangers, no waiting for the sequel—the plot is complete in one book. With that said, I can still see a companion of some sorts happening ... and I wouldn't be mad/surprised if one was written, but it stands solid on its own.

WHAT A CAST OF CHARACTERS. Their distinct personalities made this reading experience so much fun! Farway's cousin, Imogen, was undoubtedly my favorite. Her quirkiness and bubbly outlook on all things made her the glue for this crew. I found she was a good balance for Farway, who is stubborn and a little prideful. In Invictus, you'll also meet Gram (incredibly shy and nerdy but so cute), Priya (cool girl vibes), and Eliot. They were such a flawed team, but I like that they worked together in an unconventional way.

SOME THINGS TO NOTE
The synopsis is a bit misleading. Which, after reading Invictus, makes sense. There are a lot of things that can't be said because it'd ruin the plot, so to give just a brief introduction for new readers is difficult. Like I mentioned earlier, Titanic was one of the words in the synopsis that caught my attention. And I thought we would spend more time with that, but it's actually not a big part of the story. But it IS important, so I get why it was included. Anyway, I say all that because there is more to Invictus than stealing valuables. It's a mind-warping chase through time and space to save the future's past.

VERDICT (TL;DR) + BREAKING IT DOWN
Another Graudin book worth reading, Invictus has it all: a thrilling story about space + time travel, a fun cast of characters, AND it's a standalone so no cliffhangers!

• Would I re-read this? // YES!!!
• Can I read this in one sitting? // I'm not able to with books over 300 pages, but I think it's possible. If you read an average of 60 pages per hour, you can finish this in 7.5 hours.
• Are there any diverse characters? // YES. Although diverse characters aren't spoilers by any means, I don't want to list them here because I was EXCITED every time we were introduced to one. SO LOOK FORWARD TO THESE GEMS 😄

October better be the month I get it together 😂

I have allowed WAY too many books to pollute my "currently reading" shelf on Goodreads!!! So many half-read, abandoned books ... sorry friends :(

This TBR is longer than normal because there are two read-a-thons I'll be participating in this month: #GetGraphic (graphic novels/comics), which starts on Friday, October 6th and ends on Sunday, October 8th; and Spookathon, which starts on Monday, October 16th and ends on Sunday, October 22nd.

Let's get reading!


My only goal next weekend is to finish all the trade paperbacks I own, which is THREE—Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson, Black Widow, Vol. 1: The Finely Woven Thread by Nathan Edmondson, and Batgirl, Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection by Gail Simone! Definitely do-able. I also have a bunch checked out from the library, so I will read like the wind. (Note: I will only be reading comics!)


The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern // 26%
Started this back in April, STILL READING IT. I've been putting it off because it's one of those books where you have to WANT to read it or else you won't like it. I'm ready to jump back in, and it's the perfect season.

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo // 3%
I am currently reading this for Abby (from Crime by the Book)’s book club in preparation for the movie coming out on Friday, October 20th! Her book club will be officially finishing this tomorrow, so I'm a little late for the discussion portion 😅



A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis // thriller + spooky setting
I put this on my TBR two Octobers ago with every intention of reading it but I ended up not doing so. Hopefully I can remedy that this year! I’ve heard a lot (from bloggers and reviewers) about Mindy McGinnis’ other books, but nothing about this one so I’m looking forward to reading this without any preconceptions.

Basic Witches by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman // spooky word in the title + orange on the cover
I don't think this is actually about witches, but "witches" is a spooky word so it counts in some way :p

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins // a book based on a childhood fear
This may be Perkins' first teen horror/slasher novel, but don't mistake her to be unknowledgeable in the genre. I've been following her on Twitter for a while now, and she's always talking about scary movies! Although I stay away from reading/watching ANYTHING scary, I will make an exception because I like Perkins' books.



Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo
Joce from Squibbles Reads invited me (!!!) to join her book club, Storytime with Squibbles, and this is her October pick! The synopsis of this one is incredibly intriguing: 1) a monogamous married couple is unable to get pregnant. 2) The wife is introduced to her husband's second wife. 3) She knows the only way she can save their marriage is to get pregnant, and she does, but at what cost? I'm excited (and also a little nervous!) to discuss this book with other readers (y'all know I have issues translating what's in my brain to actual sentences) but I want to try and be challenged in the way I think about the stories I'm reading. We'll be using the hashtag #StorytimeWSquibbles on Twitter, so join us!

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
I love comics, I love Wonder Woman, I love Leigh Bardugo. WHAT A COMBINATION.

The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You by Lily Anderson
I want to read this before her next book, Not Now, Not Ever, which Goodreads says is the sequel. It works out because I know I will crave something contemporary after finishing these heavy books.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
I AM SO BEHIND ON THIS SERIES! I brought this book with me to jury duty a couple of months ago and ended up not reading it—but it got destroyed because my water bottle decided to leak in my book bag 😔 Of all the books on this list, I probably won't get to this one this month but I want to at least finish the Shadow and Bone trilogy by the end of this year. (Siege and Storm is the sequel to Shadow and Bone, a story that follows a girl who finds out she can wield something powerful.)


I meant to only put four books on my TBR, but alas ... I am really reaching for the stars with this list. If I magically finish all 12 items, I will have three less books on my TBR than I started this year with! (Feel free to reference this goals post to use your math skills and figure out how many books I own but are still unread.) SLOWLY making a dent in my physical pile, haha ...

Top Ten Tuesdays is a feature created by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish. If you want to share your own lists in the future, the prompts can be found on their page! You can also find my previous lists by searching the label "top ten tuesday" 😊

I originally wanted this post to be a list of all the books I've read that feature Asian main characters, but I'm sad to say I haven't read many. There are plenty that include an Asian classmate or villain—but the story wasn't about them, and they were gone in a couple of pages. Here are four I've actually read and six I am committing to read one day.




Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom by Booki Vivat
Frazzled follows Abbie Wu, who is freaking out about starting middle school. It's such a fun read, especially with all the doodles. (This book reminds me a little of Amelia's Notebook by Marissa Moss!) When I was in elementary and middle school, cute illustrations in a book meant I automatically checked it out from the library. Yes, this is targeted to younger readers, but I really think everyone of any age will enjoy Frazzled.

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
A great read about a Chinese-American girl who knows she's treated differently because of her ethnicity and status, but doesn't let it affect who and where she wants to be. I especially loved the family elements (as it is a big part of Chinese culture) and the simplicity of it all despite the subject matter being heavy. I wrote a small review on Outrun the Moon last year, if you want to read more on my thoughts.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
I'm not 100% sure about the main character's background, but I do know that she is at least half-Asian. It's been quite some time since I've read Cinder, but I can tell you it is the beginning of a really fun series. As the title suggests, Meyer uses Cinderella elements to tell her story—but in this version, Cinder(ella) is part-cyborg!

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT A CAPPELLA—NEED I SAY MORE?! (If yes, here are some other things this book includes: accurate portrayal of Asian parents, a soundtrack, so many laughable moments, and a quirky + fun gang of friends.)


Other books that feature Asian main characters: Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali, Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz, Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee, A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo, Want by Cindy Pon, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee

Imogen is a runaway heiress, an orphan, a cook, and a cheat. Jule is a fighter, a social chameleon, and an athlete. An intense friendship. A disappearance. A murder, or maybe two. A bad romance, or maybe three. Blunt objects, disguises, blood, and chocolate. The American dream, superheroes, spies, and villains. A girl who refuses to give people what they want from her. A girl who refuses to be the person she once was.

REASON FOR READING
E. Lockhart is an author I've read from before I even started blogging. I'm fairly certain that one of her earlier novels released in 2006, Fly on the Wall, was one of the first YA novels I've ever read—before I even learned what YA is—but I can't remember a single thing about that book now.

I decided to pick up Genuine Fraud because I read We Were Liars back in 2014 and loved it. It got a lot of hype, and I remember it was either well-loved or really hated. I haven't come across anyone who has nothing to say about it.

WHAT GENUINE FRAUD IS ABOUT
In the same vein as We Were Liars, you want to go into Genuine Fraud with as little information and influence as possible. So I won't give any clues as to what this book is about, but I will tell you that it's a story told from present to past. The first couple of chapters may feel a little disorienting, just trying to figure out what's going on, but I think it's worth the wait.

GOOD STORY VS. GOOD WRITING?
Lockhart is an incredible writer—the way she structures her sentences, the way she tells her stories, the way her stories flow. She really knows how to capture readers and maintain the right amount of mystery. But I have to admit I didn't really like the story itself. Almost every character is unlikeable—which, normally, doesn't matter too much to me—but because their lives are driving the plot, I wasn't invested and I didn't really feel sympathy for their misfortunes 😔

Wanting to figure out the HOW and WHY is what kept me reading. I needed to find out how it all plays out! Lockhart is also very strategic in unraveling her stories slowly, at the perfect pace, leaving you with some sort of reaction after every chapter.

VERDICT (TL;DR) + BREAKING IT DOWN
Although I love the way Lockhart writes, I didn't like the actual story. Genuine Fraud was good, but it's no We Were Liars.

• Would I re-read this? // Unlikely, but I won't say no! I was reading other reviews and some theories got me thinkin' ... what did you guys think of the ending?
• Can I read this in one sitting? // Yes! And you should, if you can. It's a fairly fast-paced book, one you can definitely finish in a day.
• Are there any diverse characters? // I think just one. He is described as "Some white and some Asian heritage, Jule guessed." (221)
• Trigger warnings? // Suicide, some detailed violence.

You guys, this year has really been kicking my butt.

I am currently getting over a case of strep throat (no idea where I caught it from, but THANK GOD for antibiotics) and had just figured out why I was having abdominal pain. I think God has been trying to teach me what REST looks like. I am always go-go-go, so having a fever + chills + swollen lymph nodes + headaches + painful throat = SLOW DOWN AND STOP DOING TOO MUCH. And by "doing too much," I mean "doing all these extra things that don't matter."

So hi again. My name is Amaris and I am not a writer (which probably explains my absence(s) and a lot of other things) but I am typing these words here because I want to share my brain with you.



I finished the first season of Westworld ... WHAT A TWISTED ENDING. It took me a while to get through it, mainly because it's an incredibly slow and detailed show. It's very heavy on the world-building and set-up, but man when it all comes together = mind blown. I would recommend it for fans of Black Mirror and Ex Machina.

I'M GETTING MARRIED!!! I said yes in the middle of June and we signed the contract for our venue this past Friday so it's really happening! So far I'm not too overwhelmed, but I know I will be once we need to make decisions on the little details ... it's hard to say whether Pinterest is helpful or hurtful right now—there are too many options!

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes is the last book I finished. The plot is incredibly intriguing—Minnow Bly escapes from a cult, ends up in juvenile detention, and is suspected to know who killed her cult leader. Also, she had her hands cut off?! 😱 I have a really strange fascination with cults, and this book was a really easy and interesting read!

I'll be in Seattle this weekend! My fiancé, my parents, and I are going as a birthday hurrah for my fiancé. He's turning 25 on Monday! We are staying 15 minutes away from Pike Place Market, so send over any recommendations on things to do and see :)



Word-Filled Women's Ministry by Gloria Furman and Kathleen B. Nielson // I mentioned back in April that this is the book we're reading through at my church as part of the women's mentoring ministry. Even though it doesn't end until December, I want to finish this asap! Basically, I am reading two more books with the church groups I'm a part of (youth ministry and a community group) and I don't want to have too many things going on at once. Anyway, I only have three more chapters!

Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda // Why I left myself only 32 pages, I don't know! But it's been so much fun reading through this and listening to each track.

The Dinner by Herman Koch // I hate to say it, but this book has been so boring 🙊 I'm 63 pages in but I don't want to abandon it because Abby from Crime by the Book thinks it's better than Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I hope I can follow along with the audiobook.



Gabi from Let's Gab About Books shared her free bullet journal printables last month! She is one of the most creative people I've ever encountered, and I dig anything she photographs/makes.

Rachel from Hello, Chelly! has been in the ice cream game for a while now, and this round-up of the places she's tried recently makes me want to hunt down all the new shops in my city. This list is gonna be my go-to the next time I visit New York City!


I named this new series 'Coffee with "A"' because "A" is my response to baristas when they ask me what my name is! I never use "Amaris" because it's unlikely that someone will spell AND say "Amaris" correctly—"A" is much easier. I'm combining all these "update" posts under WEEK NOTES!

Get ready for your hearts to burst with joy—Geekerella is the perfect read if you are part of a fandom and know what it feels like to love something so much.

Geekerella is a modern retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale told from two points of view: Danielle "Elle" Wittimer, passionate fan of Starfield (a classic sci-fi/Star Trek-esque series); and Darien Freeman, the actor chosen to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the upcoming Starfield reboot. No one believes Darien is good enough to play this iconic role, including Elle. Things get interesting when they "cross paths," and the story plays out from there.

You know what's going to happen if you've seen or heard the story of Cinderella, but I don't think this makes it any less enjoyable. There were so many fun twists, like who the fairy godmother is, and the pumpkin being a food truck! Reading Geekerella reminded me so much of A Cinderella Story, which made me love it even more.

Having two different points of view gave this book a little something extra—I think that's what makes this retelling stand out. Aside from our Cinderella storyline, we get to follow Prince Charming too. The more we learn about why he chooses to do the things he does and what's going on in his head, the more I grew to love him.

Knowing that Darien and Elle have misconceptions of each other in real life made me want to root for them even more. I couldn't stop turning the pages because I wanted to see how they would end up meeting each other!

One of my favorite things about Geekerella was the friendship formed between Elle and Sage, her co-worker. I don't want to say too much about their scenes, but there is one that really captures what it feels like to introduce someone to something you really love. There's excitement, because you're hoping they will love it as much as you do; and then there's some fear, because what if they don't?

I think I enjoyed Geekerella so much because I GET IT. I love things with a passion. The main synopsis says this book is a "love letter to nerd culture," which I couldn't have said better. I am wishing so hard for Starfield to be a real life thing!

Out of the seven books I shared from last month's TBR, I read four: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Snotgirl, Vol. 1: Green Hair Don't Care by Bryan Lee O'Malley and Leslie Hung, Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Bryan K. Vaughan, and The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord! Yes, two of them were comic trade paperbacks ... but I would say it's a win since I normally throw my list out the window after reading one book!

This month is going to be insane, so I really should be choosing less books. Here are ten anyway, OH WELL ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I'm either out of town or at an all-day event for 15 out of 30 days in June ... if I survive, praise God for sustaining me cause I know it's definitely not of my own effort!!!

This summer is going to be filled with contemporary (as if my whole year isn't already, lol) and I'm planning to revisit some favorites!


Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson // I've heard this one is the majority favorite of out of all the Morgan Matson books! I'm tackling her books in publication order, and I've really enjoyed both Amy & Roger's Epic Detour and Second Chance Summer.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han // I picked up this book around seven years ago when I was in high school at BORDERS! It was one of the first YA books I've ever read, before I even knew what YA was. I didn't continue on in this trilogy, so I'm hoping to do that this summer.

That Summer by Sarah Dessen // I am so conflicted because I want to read Once and For All (it comes out on the sixth!) but I want to read Sarah Dessen's books in publication order first. What do you guys think? If I start with That Summer, I will not be reading Once and For All until next summer :p

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord // This would also be another re-read for me, so it doesn't actually count toward this challenge. But I didn't write a full review for it the first time around, so I'm hoping to do that this time! I'm also very curious to see if my feelings for this book has changed at all.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson // I was planning to start a new fantasy series this month, and Sierra (from @sierraiswriting on Twitter) just happened to mention that she was going to be reading this one for #oldiesYA! This works out really well for me because I own the trilogy so I am PREPARED. Although I really should be continuing on in the Grisha (now Shadow and Bone) trilogy ...


I will definitely be reading Alex, Approximately in June—I just picked up my hold from the library last week. Windfall was an unexpected addition (I want to read Jennifer E. Smith's books in publication order and I've only read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight) but I just thought of a post idea that I want to do! I'm still not sure if I want to save I Believe in a Thing Called Love and When Dimple Met Rishi for July when I have more time ... my library has an option to "freeze" a hold, which I haven't been utilizing since last month, but I like it a lot because sometimes I get click happy and reserve a ton of books that I don't want to read *at that moment*. And then there are other times when I remove a hold and put it back on my account the minute I want to read it but then there's a long wait ... and when it's finally my turn, I don't feel like reading it anymore. Please tell me I'm not the only one like this!!! I also added Wonder to this list because the movie is coming out and I STILL haven't read it :x

Top Ten Tuesdays is a feature created by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish. If you want to share your own lists in the future, the prompts can be found on their page! You can also find my previous lists by searching the label "top ten tuesday" :)

We're talking about ANTICIPATED RELEASES today, specifically titles coming out between July and December. I am looking forward to many many many books, but these are the ones I'll be reading as soon as they're published! The first five are must-reads because of their authors, and the last five are must-reads because of their stories.


Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart // September 5
We Were Liars, E. Lockhart's previous novel, was a hit or miss with a lot of people but I loved the style of writing. I'm especially excited for this one because it's YA psychological suspense! Sounds like we will have an unlikeable main character.

Invictus by Ryan Graudin // September 26
Ryan Graudin comes up with the most unique storylines — seeing her on my list shouldn't come as a surprise! Wolf by Wolf, the first in her duology, is one of my favorite books; I was completely sold after reading the synopsis. It's no different with Invictus ("... after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.") I love a good time-travel story!

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins // September 26
I love this cover, and I've loved everything Stephanie Perkins has written so far. Mystery/horror is not her usual genre, so I am very curious about this new approach.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer // November 7
Yes to books about people with super powers. Other than that, I have absolutely no idea what this book is about but I will 100% pick it up because it's written by Marissa Meyer. Thank you and good night.

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills // December 5
Another book I want to read only because of the author. Emma Mills is definitely an auto-read author for me — her debut novel, First & Then, is one of my favorites!



Lucky in Love by Kasie West // July 25
The synposis sounds very similar to Windfall ... it'll be interesting to read both. But I think the love interest is Vietnamese, and I'm all about books with Asian characters.

The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee // August 29
The first book, The Thousandth Floor, was so addicting to read through. If you like Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl, there's a high chance you'll enjoy this series too. It's perfect if you are having a book hangover!

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo // August 29
I am a little disappointed by the cover but that doesn't really matter because Leigh Bardugo is writing about WONDER WOMAN, whaaat?!

The Girl with the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke // September 1
Someone using dark magic to change history + time-travel = the perfect combination, so sign me up! Historical fiction is always a bit slow for me, but this sounds so good.

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust // September 5
Jodi Meadows, author of the Newsoul trilogy, said this debut novel is "everything a fairy tale should be." I AM HERE FOR THAT.

WOW THIS IS EMBARRASSINGLY LATE. Normally by this time, I would've deleted the post from my drafts folder. But I want to stay committed to tracking my goals, so here we are. Also ... all of this information is still kinda relevant, right? *tries to make us both look at the brighter side of things*



Cress by Marissa Meyer // This is the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series. Each book is about a different fairy tale character (we follow Rapunzel in this one) but it's ultimately intertwined with the big story started in the first book, Cinder. I started this one back in November 2016 and of course it took me forever to finish. It's a hefty book (550 pages!) but really fun to read. I do admit it was a little slow at times (especially when they were walking through the desert) but overall entertaining.

Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu // It's one of those hard-to-read contemporaries because the main character is a bit unlikeable. We follow a girl named Tabitha who is in love with a boy, but he has a girlfriend. She comes across this site called "Life by Committee," a chatroom of people talking about their secrets, and decides to share hers. Things get messy and Tabitha is tough to sympathize for, but it's a story that will challenge your way of thinking if you are interested.

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes // The Fixer is about a girl named Tess who finds out her sister is paid to cover up powerful people's problems. If you like Pretty Little Liars and the words "conspiracy" + "secrets" interest you, read this! (I will say, however, The Fixer is much more fulfilling, haha.) The pacing was perfect, with just enough revealed after each chapter to keep me turning the pages.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena // The Couple Next Door is about a couple who leaves their baby girl at home while they have dinner next door, and of course she gets kidnapped. This is another one that took me a long time to get through, it was a really slow read for me. The story wasn't bad though, I just wish it was more captivating.


I definitely failed to upkeep my goal of averaging one book a week, but I did a lot of traveling during February and March—more trips than I'm used to taking, so it was hard to make time for reading. I also started freelancing for Epic Reads (!!!) so that takes priority. I honestly don't mind at all, I love designing marketing graphics just as much as I love reading :)

#RockMyTBR challenge (3/61) // Cress, Life by Committee, and The Fixer are all books I own, and all three were purchased/received before 2017! My physical TBR has increased by six since I made the goal of reading 61 owned books, TIME TO GET READING!

POPSUGAR reading challenge (2/52) // I'm focused more on reading the books I own vs. tackling this list, it's just something extra to do. I want to see if I can fit the books I read with their categories! This quarter had two that fit: a book with a title that's a character's name (Cress) and a bestseller from 2016 (The Couple Next Door).

• Dear Evan Hansen (Original Broadway Cast Recording) // I HAVE NOT FELT THIS MANY FEELS FROM LISTENING TO A CAST RECORDING, EVER. I first heard of DEH in November because one of its producers followed me on Twitter. (He has since unfollowed, followed, and unfollowed me back. LOL. Get it together, my friend.) "Waving Through a Window" was the only song out at that time, and WOW that one speaks to me. Although my social anxiety is on a different level than Evan Hansen's, I know exactly what he feels when he sings the opening lines. I haven't watched the musical yet, but I already know it's an incredibly powerful story just by listening to the recording. "You Will Be Found" gives me the shivers, "Words Fail" breaks me, and "Only Us" makes my heart swell.
• ÷ (Ed Sheeran) // Another Ed Sheeran album, bless his giving soul. I've been listening to him for a long while now, and the guy doesn't disappoint. Even in concert he is perfection. I can't stop listening to "Galway Girl" and "What Do I Know?"
• Girl Meets World // I can't believe they cancelled this show ... apparently the ratings were declining so they dropped this one for Raven's Home, a That's So Raven spin-off. HOW DARE YOU, DISNEY CHANNEL. But to be honest, season three wasn't as good as the first two. I wanted more Auggie!!!

Here are the new releases for June!

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

• To order a book on Amazon, click on the cover (note: they're affiliate links!)
• To add a book to your Goodreads page and/or read the synopsis, click on the title link.
• All titles in italics are sequels.
• Most of the titles shared below are categorized under Young Adult, but there are a couple of crime fiction reads. This list isn't meant to be exclusive so if you know of any other titles, please let me know! I just don't know where to look for books outside the genre I read.
• If you would like to add your book(s) below or in any of my future "releases" posts, please email me at amarisreads@gmail.com or leave a comment.
• All research, images, dates, etc. are gathered via Amazon, Edelweiss, and Goodreads.

Top Ten Tuesdays is a feature created by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish. If you want to share your own lists in the future, the prompts can be found on their page! You can also find my previous lists by searching the label "top ten tuesday" :)

Today is all about covers, and I'll be sharing the books I chose to read based on 'em. Yup, I judge books by their cover ... but don't we all sometimes? Most of these are from EARLY in the days when I first started reading young adult again. I choose my books a lot differently now—I'd say 95% of why I choose to read something is due to its summary OR positive reviews from bloggers I trust. I know it's not realistic to read every single book that catches my eye!


The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry
Those galaxy colors and lettering have me doing the heart eyes! I didn't have any plans to read this one last year, but the cover sucked me in. Emily Henry writes so beautifully, and I totally get why people love THE LOVE THAT SPLIT THE WORLD. Magical realism is tough for me to enjoy though, so it didn't blow me away. But I think it's worth the read if you like the combination of that and contemporary romance.

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
I love the usage of twigs for the title. But I have mixed feelings for this story. I'm having a hard time coming up with why, maybe it's because I wanted more? It felt bland :/

The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry
I'm not drawn to covers like this anymore, and I can't recommend this one because I don't remember anything about it ... I think I'm still bitter over the fact that this book didn't take place during the summer, lol.

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
I *really* liked space/sky/sunset colors on my covers three years ago. So much that I would read a book fully knowing I didn't like something it was compared to. (AKA THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.) Coming-of-age stories just don't work for me *one-tear emoji*

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
LOVE THE COVER, LOVE THE BOOK EVEN MORE. My first Rainbow Rowell book (and favorite of hers so far!) Isn't it great when a book is just as good as the cover suggests?


Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Really fun for younger readers who want to get into YA! This is another one I'm not that into anymore, but I think it matches the story. It has an older feel and classic design.

Mind Games by Kiersten White
Y'all, I read this book (and 70% of this list) such a long time ago that I'm struggling to tell you how I felt about it. My memory is so bad ... but I know I liked it! *Reads review from three years ago* It was fast-paced, and I loved the characters. The way MIND GAMES was written is really unique—you're given different perspectives from different people on different days, so it's a little bit confusing in the beginning. But it becomes clearer the more you get into it, which made me want to keep reading!

A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas
I wish there was more that happened in A WICKED THING. Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty) wakes up from true love's kiss and ends up spending the majority of this book locked in her room. It probably picks up in book two, but I don't want to be disappointed ...

The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall
Now this is a story that was given the cover it deserves! I love the adventure that plays out in THE CONSPIRACY OF US, especially because our main character travels all around the world. I haven't seen a lot of bloggers talk about this one, so pick it up if you like The Da Vinci Code.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Here we go with the sky covers again, I am so predictable! But this is one I still really like. I love the contrast of her red hair against the blue background. THESE BROKEN STARS is the first in a three-book companion series, and I am definitely continuing on. Perfect for fans of The 100 and ILLUMINAE.

I don't normally schedule my reading, especially because I'm a mood reader, but I thought I'd share my plans for May in case you just so happen to be picking the same books :)



Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo // I've been really bad at continuing on with this series ... but it is time, especially because I need to read Six of Crows this year. As you may be able to tell, I am very particular about reading author's books in publication order.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins // This is another book I'm way overdue on. I added it to my fall reading list last year but didn't get to it because I didn't have a copy. No more excuses now, because I found one for $6 while I was in NYC two weeks ago. Now I can read and watch the movie!

The Dinner by Herman Koch // Another book-to-movie adaptation, and I didn't know it was releasing this month! I've heard it was a slow one, but Abby from Crime by the Book said it was better than Gone Girl. If that's true, I'm all for it.

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord // Words cannot express how much I would like this book to be in my hands right now. I will drop everything as soon as it arrives and read this, I don't care how many hours of sleep I lose!!!


Paper Girls, Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chang // I'm in the middle of the first volume right now, but I'm not sure how I feel about it yet! I will most likely give volume two a chance.

Snotgirl, Vol. 1: Green Hair Don't Care by Bryan Lee O'Malley and Leslie Hung // I really have no idea what this is about, but I looove the art and have had a good experience reading Seconds.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas // So much has been said about this one. I hope it challenges the way I think.

As long as I accomplish my goal of reading three books I've purchased, I won't feel guilty straying from this list. Some other books I'm thinking about reading: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, since the third book in this series is out tomorrow; and The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. The last time I read TTAF was probably in high school, and it's my favorite of all her books. Which of the Sarahs do I choose?! It could possibly be none too, haha.