Monster High [Book Review]

Stats:
#1 in Monster High series

Kindle Edition, 247 pages

Published September 1st 2010 by PoppyASIN: B003JTHXG8

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A Storm of Swords [Book Review]

Stats:
#3 in Song of Ice and Fire saga

Paperback, Trade paperback Reissue, 1177 pages

Published May 28th 2002 by Bantam Spectra
ISBN: 0553381709
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The Eleventh Plague [Book Review]

Stats:

Hardcover, 278 pages

Published September 1st 2011 by Scholastic Press ISBN: 0545290147
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Top Ten Best Sequels Ever

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth: Most of the time in trilogies, the second book sucks really hard, but Veronica Roth is a genius author goddess and Insurgent was even better than Divergent. I can't wait for Allegiant.
2. Dare You To by Katie McGarry: I'm not a huge fan of contemporary, but McGarry is making me eat my words! Pushing the Limits was amazing. I loved Echo and Noah, but when it came to Beth and Ryan...they just can't be beat. Although I have a feeling Isaiah's story will be my next favorite. Again with another author whose books get better and better.
3. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi: Despite Juliette's whininess throughout the book, Unravel Me is an amazing sequel because you get Kenji...a lot of Kenji. I also understood why everyone was so Team Warner - and yup...I'm Team Warner now too. Mafi made me cry towards the end of this book...my whole world was shattered.
4. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin: I'm only about a quarter of the way into Feast for Crows and obviously haven't read Dance with Dragons, however, #3 is probably always going to be my favorite book of the saga. It has just the right amount of characters, all the best stuff happens in this one. I'm so excited for Season 4 because shit is about to go DOWN!
5. Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout: Another really emotional sequel for me and I have Origin, I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I'm currently catching up on NetGalley books. What I really love about Opal is that there are like 3 big events instead of just one at the end of the book. You're like "WOAHHHHH...okay now stuff is going to wrap up...OH NO...okay that's the worst that can happen....*HEARTBREAK*"
6. Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan: Grover in a wedding dress. That's about all I need to say here. Okay maybe not. I loved the 3 sisters, I loved Tyson, I loved Grover in a wedding dress. Hermes is awesome. These characters are just the best and the story is hilarious and hard to put down.
7. Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu: I can't really do spoilers, but Override and Shutdown are both so incredibly action-packed. I did a lot of breath-holding while reading them. I think Anastasiu and the Glitch trilogy are forgotten and underhyped when they really should be up there with the other super powerhouse YA series that ARE hyped up right now.
8. Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward: Oh, Z. I've read all the books that have been published in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but Z remains my favorite brother and story out of all of them. Such a tortured soul. *sigh*
9. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins: I hated Mockingjay, so I like to go back in time to a killer book in the trilogy and pretend the trilogy ended differently. They had to go back. AHHHH! Never in a million years would I have thought that after reading the first. The stadium is crazy. Just insanity.
10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Although I've read all 7 books, POA remains my favorite. Each time I read it, I love it more. Sirius - all the FEELS. I love how Crookshanks takes a little more spotlight in this book. LUPIN!! HOGSMEADE!!! It's just the best.

Apple Turnover Murder [Book Review]

*3.5 stars*

Stats:
#13 in Hannah Swensen series

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Kensington Books

ASIN: B004J4WNMQ

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Obsidian [Book Review]

Stats:
#1 in Lux series

Kindle Edition, 287 pages

Published November 29th 2011 by Entangled Publishing (first published November 23rd 2011)

ASIN: B006G71ASC

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Top Ten Books On My Fall 2013 TBR List

I had participated in Top Ten Tuesday around ten times and then stopped participating because I had more stuff to blog about...I'm finding that I have less and less to blog about now.

This week's topic was Top Ten Books on my Fall 2013 TBR List.  Lately, I have requested a ton of books from NetGalley - and got approved for them, which is super exciting. Then when I went to make this post, I realized that I have a super bad habit of cover judging a book, reading the synopsis, adding it to my TBR if it sounds interesting, and then completely forgetting what it's even about. So even though I at one point read the synopsis, I basically go into most books blindly.

Obviously, I cannot tell you why I'm excited about these books if I have no clue what they are about...so I am rereading the synopses just for this post :)

1. Legend by Marie Lu: Legend was chosen for the series readalong for the Goodreads group I mod for. It's a dystopian that I have been told is incredible.
2. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: I enjoyed Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series and was excited to hear she had a new series coming out. I actually won a signed copy of it and it's still been sitting on my shelf just waiting to be read. I was approved for The Dream Thieves (the second) on NetGalley - and so I really need to get this one read asap.
3. Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: This is my random read for September and also was selected for the BOTM for the Goodreads group I mod for. I'm not a huge contemporary fan or chick-lit fan either. However, I've been told I'm missing out on a great book which is why I'm very excited to read this one.
4. Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick: This is probably the NetGalley book that I'm most excited about. I got the other two via NetGalley and Ashes was one of the first zombie books I had read. The zombies are incredibly creepy in this one. It's the perfect read for the Halloween season!
5. Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien: This one is my random read for October and I've heard nothing but good things about it. I don't think I would've added it to my list based on the synopsis, but I love dystopia and again, lots of good reviews!
6. Relativity by Cristin Bishara: I'm a big fan of wormholes and tv shows and movies with wormholes. I've not yet read many time travel or wormhole books, so I'm really excited about this book. It's another NetGalley book.
7. Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick: I'm hoping that I can brush up on the first three books without having to a reread. I have been meaning to read this since it was released a year ago.
8. Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger: It's like Avatar the Last Airbender meets The Wizard of Oz or something, I don't know, but it sounds so good. I love the cover (of course). This one is the September read for Book BFFs and I need to start it asap.
9. Parasite by Mira Grant: I cannot yet figure out if this is YA or adult. This one involves a genetically engineered tapeworm treatment that worked so well that most every human has one. Unfortunately, now the tapeworms are sick of being parasites and want a life of their own. This seems like such a unique idea and I can't wait to read it. I got it from NetGalley.
10. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman: This one I'm actually currently reading. It's one of my NetGalley books and obviously I found it because of its gorgeous cover. This book is about space travel - and after reading Across the Universe, I'm wanting to read as many space books as I can get my hands on.

Hard Eight & Visions of Sugar Plums [Double Book Review]

Stats:
#8 in Stephanie Plum series

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Published April 1st 2010 by Macmillian (first published January 1st 2002)

ASIN: B0017I1IZA Find on Goodreads

Plum Pudding Murder [Book Review]

Stats:
#12 in Hannah Swenson series

Paperback, 416 pages

Published October 1st 2010 by Kensington (first published October 1st 2009)

ISBN: 0758210256

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A Clash of Kings [Book Review]

Stats:
#2 in A Song of Ice and Fire saga

Paperback, Bantam Books Trade Paperback, 761 pages

Published May 28th 2002 by Bantam (first published November 1998)

ISBN: 0553381695

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Spartan Frost [Book Review]

Disclaimer: I received a e-copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions.

Stats:
#4.5 of Mythos Academy series

Kindle Edition, 46 pages

Published June 25th 2013 by Kensington Books

ASIN: B00BJPYGQE

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Seven Up [Book Review]

Stats:
#7 in Stephanie Plum series

Kindle Edition, 212 pages

Published (first published July 19th 2001)

ASIN: B0017POSDC

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September TBR List + Upcoming Releases

I read a few books less in August than July...this month is going to be a little insane for me, but not busy insane...a NEW insane. Both of the kiddos are going to be in school full-time and Nick is still deployed. I'm starting school too, but I think I'm going to be okay. I love school and I can't do homework all day long. So lots of time to read. I need to play catch up after not reading what was on my list really for last month.

Books Leftover:

• After the Snow by Crockett
• Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu - done 9/13
• Pharmacology by Christopher Herz
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep - done 9/7

Books for September:

• The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate
• Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
• Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich  - done 9/5
• The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey [We Heart YA - BOTM]
• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins [We Heart YA - BOTM]
• Legend by Marie Lu [We Heart YA - Series Read Along] 
• Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger [Book BFFs - BOTM]
• Winter Chill by Joanne Fluke [NetGalley] - done 9/11
• Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst [NetGalley] - done
• The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater - currently reading
• These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman [NetGalley]- done 9/19
• The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes [NetGalley] - done
• Parasite by Mira Grant [NetGalley] - done

My Reading Challenges from We Heart YA Books! group on Goodreads:
A-Z Title Challenge: 22/26 completed (ends 12/31) - updated 9/28
Series Challenge: 2/10 completed (ends 12/31)
About Me Challenge: spell out SAPPHIRE and EGYPT (ends 9/30) - 8/8 and 4/5 completed - updated 8/30 
Spell out "SEERS" (ends 9/30) - 2/5 completed - updated 9/7 
Read 5 book that takes place at school (ends 9/30) - 4/5 completed - updated 9/11

As always, I'm doing the Random Reads meme hosted by Sarah of I'm Loving Books.

My # was 1311 and my book Lola & the Boy Next Door. I haven't read the first, so my pick was Anna & the French Kiss. This also got chosen for the BOTM in a Goodreads group I mod for. I'm not sure what I'm going to do right now since I don't know how much I'll read in the next month.

I'm excited because I have Conjured, Relativity, Monsters, and Dead Girls Don't Lie from NetGalley.

Have you read any of these books?

What are you planning on reading this month?