Books Via Ashley

Well, this was basically one of the hardest lists I've ever compiled. I read a plethora of good books this year. There were so many that were amazing, that I really enjoyed, and that I would highly recommend, but for this list, they had to have really made an impact (basically gotten a 5 and 4.5 star rating). It was extremely difficult for me to narrow them down to the Top 10, so I'm doing a Top 16 because it's 2016 and I'm just really awful at forcing myself to cut out books. And while I could just cut the list after #10, I loved numbers 11-16 just as much and didn't feel like it would accurately reflect my year without them. I didn't count any books that I'd read before and then reread this year. Also, while these are all books that I've read this year, though they weren't necessarily published in 2016 (though many were). My Top 16 Books of 2016 (in order): 1) The Female of the Species - Mindy McGinnis A gripping contemporary YA ...

I had to read 11 books this month, and I beat it by one! There were some new favorites this month, and I also finally started the Throne of Glass series, which I loved (currently reading #4 with #5 on hold at the library). 1) Elantris - Brandon Sanderson (4.5 stars) 2) The Forbidden Wish - Jessica Khoury (4.5 stars) 3) The Girl From Everywhere - Heidi Heilig (3.5 stars) 4) The Sun is Also a Star - Nicola Yoon (3 stars) 5) Half the World - Joe Abercrombie (4 stars) 6) Lady Cop Makes Trouble - Amy Stewart (3 stars) 7) Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas (4 stars) 8) Crown of Midnight - Sarah J. Maas (4 stars) 9) Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas (4 stars) 10) The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - Becky Chambers (4.5 stars) 11) Truthwitch - Susan Dennard (4.5 stars) 12) This Is Where It Ends  - Marieke Nijkamp (2 stars) What did you read this month?

Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo *** This is the sequel to SIX OF CROWS, so SPOILERS ahead!*** Synopsis After risking everything at the Ice Court, the gang finds themselves double-crossed out of the money they were promised and Inej held hostage. Now back on the streets of Ketterdam, they find themselves up against impossible odds... But when you can't beat the odds, you change the game. Review Six of Crows was an amazing book: an Ocean's Eleven  type heist set in a rich fantasy world with a gang of six memorable and witty characters. Like, guys, I really liked Six of Crows. And rereading it this year made me like it even more. That's why I can't emphasize enough how much Crooked Kingdom blew my mind . In Crooked Kingdom, everything I loved about Six of Crows is taken and expounded upon and blown beyond my expectations. The plot is  tense . They come up with these insane plans, things go horribly wrong, and you're wondering, "How the hell...

If you look on the right side of the page, under the Blog Archive, you'll see a list from Goodreads of the books I've recently finished. I'm excited about this because now you'll be able to keep up on what I'm reading, even if I haven't gotten the reviews out as fast as I'd like. Speaking of which, this month has been a doozy! In addition to Christmas preparations, I was sick for about two weeks, and thanks to some antibiotics I'm finally feeling better. The upside was I was able to read a bit more, but the downside was I was actually mostly sleeping and had no energy for anything. But I'm feeling better now and I've got LOTS of stuff lined up for the end of the year, and looking forward into 2017. I'm also proud to say that I just finished Book #99, and am now on Book #100 for 2016!!! It's so satisfying to reach that goal I set for myself. Keep on reading!

The Forbidden Wish - Jessica Khoury Synopsis Zahra is a powerful jinni, hidden away in a lost city for five hundred years, until one day she's found by a thief named Aladdin. Promised freedom by the jinni king if she completes a special task, Zahra finds herself falling in love with Aladdin. But love between humans and jinni is forbidden, with terrible consequences. Will she chose love or freedom? Review This is a wonderful retelling of Aladdin . Jessica Zhoury's vibrant writing drew me in, creating a lush, magical world populated with interesting characters and complicated history. The story is written as if Zahra is talking to her long-dead friend Roshana, who was once a powerful queen, and it works. Zahra is a beautiful character: fully sympathetic, strong and powerful, but with insecurities and regrets. She has lived a long time, seen kingdoms rise and fall, and struggles to redeem a love she once betrayed. Overall, Zahra fights to protects those she loves. Be...

To me, November is always synonymous with 'gratitude', due to Thanksgiving and the approaching Christmas/holiday season. This month, I reflected on how thankful I am to be able to read. It blesses and enhances my life in an immeasurable way. It allows me to travel to distant lands, see inside someone else's mind, and have adventures, all while curled up on my couch. It inspires me to take action and to be a better person. My goal this year is to read 100 books. If I take a step back, how amazing is it that I can make--and most likely achieve--that goal? Reading and books are such an amazing blessing, and I'm grateful to have that in my life. I read 7 books this month, putting my total at 89. 1) Labirynth Lost - Zoraida Córdova (3.5 stars) 2) The Forgetting - Sharon Cameron (4.5 stars) 3) Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo (4.5 stars) ( Reread ) 4) Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo (5 stars) 5) And I Darken - Kiersten White (2 stars) 6) Heartless - Marissa Meyer ...

Heartless - Marissa Meyer Synopsis Long before she became the terror of Wonderland, Catherine just wanted to follow her heart's desire--to open the best bakery in the Kingdom of Hearts. But the King is set on asking for her hand in marriage. Then she meets Jest, the King's new jester, and they are drawn together in a intense and secret relationship. Catherine is determined to set her own destiny and defy her parents, the king, and the people of the kingdom. But fate has other things in store. Review Catherine is a very relatable character: She wants to follow what makes her happy, even though it's a different plan than the one that her parents are pushing her to do. And then she falls in love for the first time with someone who makes her feel alive and adventurous... And someone she can never be with. We cheer for her as she fights to find her own way, even though we know that happiness is doomed. And Jest, oh Jest. The mysterious and handsome boy that Catheri...

Arcanum Unbounded - Brandon Sanderson Synopsis A collection of Sanderson's "short" stories and novellas set in his Cosmere universe. Review It's no secret that Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite authors. His writing is stupendous, his stories are incredible and his plot twists are mind-blowing. Rarely can I figure out exactly where the story is headed, but I am always exceptionally pleased when I get there! Sanderson isn't as known for his "short" stories. Probably because they aren't short. Two of them in this collection clock in around 40k words, which is approaching the line between a novella and a novel. A few of the stories ( The Emperor's Soul, Sixth of the Dusk, Shadows for Silence ) can be read with no knowledge of his other books, and would perhaps be a good introduction to his writing. Those ones you can get individually or are published in other anthologies. I myself had already read a few of the stories, but withi...

And I Darken - Kiersten White Synopsis Lada, daughter to Vlad Dracul, Prince of Wallachia, is abandoned by her father in the Ottoman court to be held as ransom, along with her younger brother, Radu. Lada hates the Ottomans and patiently plots her vengeance. Radu, however, just wants a place to feel safe and call home. They become friends with the future Sultan, Mehmed. Together they form a strange triangle of friendship and love where their loyalty to their nation, and each other, is tested. Review I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. I've read and liked another one of Kiersten White's books and had high hopes for this one. The premise that the publisher gives is so interesting: Vlad the Impaler, but a girl, and her descent into being a ruthless, cruel killer. But the book never got there. I felt like the entire book was just build up to the second book. I feel like everything that did happen in the book could have easily been condensed into a third ...

The Woman in Cabin 10  - Ruth Ware Synopsis Lo Blackwood, a travel journalist, has the assignment of her career: one of ten slots on the maiden voyage of the luxury passenger ship, the Aurora .  From the moment she steps on board, Lo is swept up in the plush interior and free-flowing alcohol, hob-nobbing with rich and important people. The night after departure, Lo is awoken by scream and a loud splash. She is sure she witnessed someone being thrown overboard, complete with blood smeared on the deck. And yet, when security comes, the blood is gone, and all passengers are accounted for. Lo is sure of what she saw, but as she begins to investigate, things begin to spiral out of control. Review This book is like a Hitchcock thriller, or Agatha Christie. There's a girl who disappears but no one else has seen her and no one is missing. Who was she and where could she have gone? Who is hiding something? The main character doesn't quite trust her own mind and has an...

The Forgetting  - Sharon Cameron Synposis The city of Canaan is a peaceful place, but every twelve years, it delves into chaos during the Forgetting, where everyone forgets everything: who they are, who everyone else is, what they've done. The only way to remember is to write everything down in their Books. Except Nadia remembers. As the next Forgetting nears, can she solve the secrets of the Forgetting, and protect the ones she loves? Review Cameron creates a very interesting and believable world with such a fascinating question: What if society restarted every twelve years? People don't know anything besides what is written in their books. It doesn't delve too deep into a discussion, but definitely promoted thoughts for me about why we do things the way we do in society. In Canaan, because it's the way things are they assume it's the way it's always been, since no one can remember otherwise. But do we see the same patterns in society today? What wou...

There are some great books coming out this month! I realize I mostly read SF/F and YA, but I think both of those genres have such talent and scope. What books are you look forward to this month? Let me know in the comments! 1) Blood for Blood - Ryan Graudin Release date: 1 November Sequel to Wolf by Wolf , this book picks up right where the first left off. Set in an alternate history where Germany and Japan won WWII, Yael is a shapeshifter who entered a cross-continental race with the objective to kill Hitler. Since failing at that, she's on the run, but she's learned that there are others out there like her. 2) The Sun is Also a Star - Nicola Yoon Release date: 1 November Natasha is cynic and Daniel is a romantic; they meet one fateful day on the streets of New York City. Is it love at first sight? This one has gotten a LOT of hype, so I'm interested to see if it lives up to that. 3) Timekeeper - Tara Sim Release date: 8 November Set in an alt...

Anyone who knows me knows that I love cats. Growing up, we always had a cat or three around the house. They were mostly free-range cats, living outside and roaming around with no collars, only coming by for food and ear scratches. But when I was in 7th grade, we acquired a cat that we named Tabitha (she was a tabby cat; super creative, I know). She was my best pal for years. When she died three years ago, I was beyond devastated. And now, this past Saturday, my husband and I got a new little kitten named Jinx. He's all black with yellow eyes and is spunky, playful, adventurous, and loves to cuddle in my lap. I love him so much already! In honor of kitties, here are five books that have fun feline characters: 1) The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents - Terry Pratchett Set in Pratchett's famous Discworld , Maurice the cat and his rats are self-aware and can talk (they ate wizard rubbish), and they have the perfect scheme to get rich. The rats "infest...

Another month come and gone! I finished a total of eight books this month, bringing my total this year up to 80. I have two months to read 20 more books in order to reach my goal of 100 books this year! I think 10 a month is totally plausible ;) 1) Reawakened - Colleen Houck (3.5 stars) 2) Defy - Sara B. Larson (3 stars) 3) The Thousandth Floor - Katharine McGee (3 stars) 4) Like a River Glorious - Rae Carson (4 stars) 5) Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell (5 stars) 6) A Shadow Bright and Burning - Jessica Cluess (5 stars) 7) Replica - Lauren Oliver (3 stars) 8) The Female of the Species - Mindy McGinnis (5 stars) Save Save

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Holly Black Synopsis Tana wakes up in the morning after a wild high school party, and goes downstairs to find she’s the only one who has survived a vicious vampire attack. As she escapes, she also helps her ex-boyfriend, who has been bitten, and a young mysterious vampire. Together they drive to a Coldtown: a place where vampires and those who are bitten are quarantined in an effort to keep the epidemic contained. Non-infected people can also enter, but once you go in, it’s almost impossible to get out. Tana is determined to get out, even if that means taking on the biggest, baddest, and most powerful vampire in Coldtown. Review Vampires aren’t really my thing, but Holly Black just made it WORK in this story and reminded me how seductive, intriguing, and terrifying they can be. In this story, vampires have become an epidemic. Once bitten by a vampire, a person goes “Cold", and if they drink human blood within that time, then they die a...

We took a trip to the States at the end of September through the beginning of October to visit my friends and family and to have a US reception for our wedding. It was a wonderful trip with lots of good food and good fun (and probably too much cake... but is that even really possible??). And I actually bought some books. Like, hard copies of books. Man oh man have I missed those. The smell of paper and ink! Intoxicating!  Pioneer Book in Provo is one of the best used bookstores I've been to and it took some serious willpower not to buy more than two books! (My main limit was weight in our suitcases back) Anyway, that combined with coming home to newly remodeled ceilings (they look amazing) and having to clean up the dust and unpack (again) everything from where we had stored it in the bathroom means this post is a bit late in coming. But better late than never! Let's just say I definitely made up for August with how many books I read in September!!! A Court of ...

Ink and Bone - Rachel Caine Book 1 of the Great Library series Synopsis What if the Great Library of Alexandria had never been destroyed? In Jess Brightwell's world, it hasn't. Independent and above any nationality or people, the Library is present in every city around the world and rules all knowledge that's given to the people. Through Alchemy, information can be shared, but private ownership of books is forbidden. Jess comes from a family that runs a thriving black market book business. He is sent by his family to train to be in the library's service, but soon finds his loyalties tested, and comes to find that the Library has secrets of its own. Review I really enjoyed this book. I love books and libraries and alternate histories, and this has all three. In any good alternate history, the world-building has to be fantastic, and in this case it really was. It was interesting to see how the library's dominance and technology had changed the cours...

A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas Warning: This is Book #2 in the series, so there are some *spoilers*.  Title is abbreviated as "ACOMAF" Synopsis Picking up where A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) left off, Feyre has survived the ordeal Under The Mountain, defeating the dark High Fae Amarantha, and has returned to the Spring Court. But she can't forget the horrible things she had to do to save her love, Tamlin, and all of the Fae. She also has a bargain with Rhysand, the High Lord of the Night Court, that she can't break. As she's walking down the aisle for her wedding to Tamlin, Rhy calls in their deal, and Feyre is forced to navigate dangerous politics, her burgeoning magic, and an even greater threat than the one she already faced. Review First off, WOW. I read the first book, ACOTAR, earlier this year, and I really enjoyed it. It started off as a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and then took a very different and much darker tu...

September is looking like THE month for book publications! Here are 5 books that I'm looking forward to: 1) The Reader - Traci Chee Release date: 13 September I've heard a lot of hype about this book and the premise sounds interesting. A world where reading is illegal. After Sefia's father is murdered, she finds the only thing that holds the answers is a strange, rectangular object he left behind--a book. 2) A Shadow Bright and Burning - Jessica Cluess Release date: 20 September Again, a book that has received a lot of attention. Henrietta Howel is the first female sorcerer in a hundred years and has been heralded as the Chosen One. Except she isn't. But she can't let them know. 3) Three Dark Crowns - Kendare Blake Release date: 20 September I love Kendare Blake and everything she's ever written, so when I heard about this new series I was beyond excited. Besides that, the story sounds very intriguing. And, knowing Blake, it will b...

This Savage Song - Victoria Schwab Review: The newest book by one of my favorite authors, V.E. Schwab (She goes by "Victoria" for her YA novels). I love the premise for the book: violent acts create actual monsters. The two main characters are a human girl named Kate who desperately wants to be a (figurative) monster: a big, bad crime boss like her father, who runs one half of V-City. The other is August, who is a literal monster, a Malchai, one that drains the souls of his victims through his music, who desperately seeks his own personal humanity. I loved them both, and their personalities and characters and drives are so multi-faceted and real. They interact with other characters in believable and different ways. The juxtaposition of these two characters in and of itself is one of the driving things behind this story, and one of the things that makes it so compelling. Even though marketed as a YA, it really delves into the deep questions: What makes us human? W...

In honor of just having been recently married last Friday (!!! :D), here are five books that have to do with love and marriage: 1) Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen I mean, you all had to know this would be on here. This book is ALL about marriage! I love Pride & Prejudice because it's about flawed people (both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth) who realize their mistakes and work to become better people for each other and slowly build up their love and trust. Plus Mrs. Bennett's (and everyone's, really) obsession with marrying off all her daughters is fun and ridiculous to behold. 2) Les Miserables - Victor Hugo This book has a ton of things going on in it, from the heavy themes of justice and mercy, to the plight of the lower classes, but mixed in among everything is a very sweet love story. The musical makes the love between Cosette and Marius seem very fast, but if you read the book, it happens over the course of a few months, and after all the craziness...

In total, I finished four books in August, which I think is pretty good considering I was stressed out planning all the final details for my wedding and had tons of family in town! I'm looking forward to reading more in September and catching up on my goal to read 100 books by the end of the year. List of the books: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Holly Black (4 stars) The Jewel - Amy Ewing (3.5 stars) Attachments - Rainbow Rowell (4 stars) The Rosie Effect - Graeme Simsion (4 stars) Currently reading: A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas (LOVING it so far!)

The Glittering Court - Richelle Mead Review: This book was engaging and well-written, but the story was… unexpected? When you read “Glittering Court” and look at that cover and hear that it’s fantasy, you expect, well, something fantastic. Like Magic. The book gives off the idea or expectation of some magical glittering Fae court, but it is nothing like that. And after reading reviews of the book on Goodreads and Amazon, and I am definitely not the only one who felt misled. The book is set in a different world (hence why it can be called “fantasy”), but really it’s just our world with different names. While the world is vast and Mead does a good job of describing the towns and cities and cultures, I dislike it when authors take already existing cultures in our world and just rename them in theirs. It had me wondering if it was just an alternate history of our world? For instance, the Sirminicans were obviously Spanish/Italian, but with a terrible civil war that is just like S...

The Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer Time for Series Saturday ! This is one of the new features I'm going to start including on my blog, where I review a series as a whole, rather than just the individual books within it. The Lunar Chronicles is a series that I’ve been hearing about for years . I knew it was a retelling of various fairytales and for some reason, it just really didn’t catch my interest. However, the first book, " Cinder ", was on sale one day for Kindle and I bought it on the fly. It then sat in my "To Read" folder for over a year and a half. One day, I was in a book funk where none of the current books I had out from the library were really satisying the mood and feel I was angling for (I think avid book readers know what I’m talking about). As I scrolled through my "To Read" folder, I saw "Cinder" and thought, "Well, might as well see how this is." Instantly hooked. Set in a somewhat distant future...