Top Ten Popular Books that Lived Up to the Hype

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. More information here.

I'm always way late on hyped up books, but I feel like I'm finally reading some popular books in a timely manner! So here we go :)

My Most Anticipated Releases for August

 

AUGUST 1

A Killer's Mind

AUGUST 7

This Story is a Lie // #MURDERTRENDING // Heretics Anonymous

AUGUST 14

Mystery in the Mansion

AUGUST 21

The State of Grace // Brave Enough

AUGUST 28

City of Ghosts // Seafire // That's Not What Happened

What new releases are you looking forward to?

Magical Readathon: N.E.W.T.s 2018 [TBR]

I sat for my OWLs in the month of July in preparation for the NEWTs in the month of August. I am ready for more Magical Readathon fun (hosted by G of The Book Roast).

For those who aren't completely obsessed with Harry Potter, OWLs stands for Ordinary Wizarding Levels that are taken in the fifth year. You take these for each subject you study and wish to continue studying in school in preparation for NEWTs.

NEWTs stands for Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. You take the tests you need for the career you wish to have when school is done. For NEWTs, there are three grades you can earn: acceptable, exceeds expectation, or outstanding. Some wizarding jobs, you only need an A, others you need an E or O. Different jobs require different NEWTs to be taken.

I have chosen the job of banker at Gringotts (the wizard bank) because it is closest to the accounting degree I'm also starting in August. To get the job of Gringotts banker, you must earn an E in Arithmancy, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. Meaning I have to finish 8 books in August. The last few months I have been averaging 7 books each month, so I think I can do it!

I was able to complete Astronomy, D.A.D.A., and Muggle Studies so far in the month (still 2 more weeks to go). I am trying to Hermione it, but for the NEWTs, I'm only going for what I need to do to become a Gringotts banker. If by some miracle I finish the 8 books for my wizarding job, I will be attempting some NEWTs for the other OWLs I passed.

Enough talking and let's get into my books for the readathon:

1. Arithmancy
   
   • A: At least 300 pages: The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
   • E: Ends on an even #: My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen by David Clawson
2. Charms
   
   • A: Has magic in it: Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi
   • E: A cover that charmed you: The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol
3. D.A.D.A.
   
   • A: Last in a series: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead
   • E: Foiled book: Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell
4. Transfiguration
   
   • A: Grey cover: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead
   • E: New to you author: Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend // Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

Updated on 8/13: I didn't anticipate how quickly I would finish My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen, so I ended up finishing it before The Fiery Heart. But I am halfway through it and I will not be starting anymore E books at the same times as the A books so that doesn't happen again.
Updated on 8/15: Okay, I have officially passed Arithmancy with an E! I'm working on my A in Furthermore and Transfiguration now.
Updated on 8/19: Finished Silver Shadows today, so I now have my A in Transfiguration. 3 books down, 5 to go with 12 more days left in the month :S
Updated on 8/19: Just listened to Soul Surfer and I'm changing my Transfiguration "E" book to it. So now I also have an E in Transfiguration. I have 4 books to go.
Updated on 9/20: I ended up getting A's in Arithmancy, DADA, and Transfiguration. As well as E's in Arithmancy and Transfiguration. But I needed three more books to be able to pass my NEWTs, but college took over. :)

Total books finished: 5
 Total pages read: 1422 + 3 hr 52 min

If you are taking your NEWTs in August, what are you reading?

Summer Biannual Bibliothon [TBR]

It's that time once again! I have a game plan for the 2018 Summer Biannual Bibliothon (while I'm also attempting to do my OWLs in prep for NEWTs in August haha). It runs from July 14th to the 20th and the live show is on the 21st. Below are the reading challenges and my chosen books:

1. GROUP BOOK: The Wicked Deep by Shea Earnshaw
2. CHOOSE FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S TBR: History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera [from KarenKhronicles' TBR]
   
3. TRY A CHAPTER OF THREE, PICK ONE: Paper Princess by Erin Watts, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, and By Your Side by Kasie West
   
4. SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ON YOUR TBR FOR OVER 1 YEAR: Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
5. READ A PREDICTED 5 STAR READ: Doubled up with Magnus Chase.
   
6. OWN VOICES (DIFFERENT THAN YOU): Doubled up with History.
   
7. READ THE LAST BOOK YOU BOUGHT: Doubled up with Wicked.

I decided to not participate in the blog challenges this time around and as always, not doing video or insta challenges either. :)

Updated on 7/14: I went ahead and did #3 where I tried a chapter of three books. I think I'm going to read By Your Side...although literally all three were good so I'll have to read the other two ASAP. I'm hoping to pick up The Wicked Deep sometime today too :)
Updated on 7/16: I finished By Your Side. I'm working on my buddy read of Truthwitch a little and then I'm going to start The Wicked Deep.
Updated on 7/17: Feeling good - The Wicked Deep was okay but it is done. I think I'm going to start History next and then Magnus tomorrow and read both until Friday :)
Updated on 7/19: Third book in THREE DAYS. I am killing it. Finished History last night and now I'm starting Magnus today. I think I'll be able to finish it in two days for sure. I've completed 5 of the reading challenges. This is definitely going to be my most successful readathon in a long time!
Updated on 7/21: To prevent a slump, I took it easy on my last two days. I did start Magnus, but didn't get very far in. All-in-all really excited how this readathon turned out!

Total books finished: 3

Total pages read: 352 + 308 + 320 + 41 = 1021

Top Ten Sequels I'm Dying to Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. More information here.

I'm not great at reading sequels. I read first books in a series and love them and then the sequels come out and I don't get around to reading them. But I am bound and determined to read the following sequels as soon as possible. I own 4 of them, so there is no excuse there. Some of these are not released though, so I have a little bit of an excuse. But also don't pay any attention to my series page wherein I have like 30 series that are completed and I haven't finished them.

June Book Haul

Despite me saying I wanted to haul 10 books or less, I ended up going slightly over that number. However, to be fair...three didn't cost a thing and one was preordered, leaving my purchase number at 9, which is acceptable. I have read 3 of the books on this list too, which is great. That's going to be my new issue - read the books I have.

1. The Thinnest Air by Minka Kent - got for free on Kindle First from Amazon
2. It Looks Like This by Rafi Mittlefehldt - purchased Kindle edition for $1.99 on Amazon
3. I Am J by Cris Beam - purchased Kindle edition for $1.99 on Amazon
4. Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman - purchased Kindle edition for $2.99 on Amazon
5. The Other F-Word by Natasha Friend - purchased Kindle edition for $2.99 on Amazon
6. Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West - borrowed from the library
7. Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts - purchased Kindle edition for $0.99 on Amazon 
8. Miss Fix It by Emma Hart - purchased Kindle edition for $0.99 on Amazon
9. Nice Try, Jane Sinner by Lianne Oelke - purchased Kindle edition for $1.99 on Amazon
10. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff - borrowed from the library
11. Follow Me Back by AV Geiger - purchased Kindle edition for $0.00 on Amazon
12. My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows - preordered Hardcover for $14.39 on Amazon
13. Brightly Burning by Alexandra Donne - purchased Kindle edition for $1.99 on Amazon

What books did you pick up in June?

Have you read any of the books above?

Books I Read in June

In June, I finished 6 books and DNF'd 2 books.

• Buzz Books 2018: Young Adult Fall/Winter by Publishers Lunch (200 pages, 2018, Kindle, YA Compilation) - 4 stars | My Review 
• Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett (432 pages, 2018, Kindle, YA Contemporary) - 5 Stars | My Review 
• Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (176 pages, 2016, Kindle, YA Paranormal) - 3 stars | My Review
• Miss Fix-It by Emma Hart (243 pages, 2017, Kindle, Adult Contemporary) - 3.5 stars | My Review 
• Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West (389 pages, 2018, Kindle, YA Contemporary) - 4 stars | My Review  
• Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff (328 pages, 2018, Kindle, Adult Nonfiction) - 1 star | My DNF Review - DNF @ 106 pages 
• Saga, Vol 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (160 pages, 2012, Paperback, Adult Graphic Novel) - 5 stars | My Review
• Extinction of All Children by L.J. Epps (231 pages, 2016, Kindle, YA Dystopia) - 1 star | My DNF Review - DNF @ 43 pages 

Pages read: 1600

Pages DNF: 149
Average pages read per day: 58

Total pages: 1749

Book Review: The Delphi Effect by Rysa Walker

Publish Date: October 11, 2016
379 Pages [Kindle edition]
Published by Skyscape

Top Ten Red, White, and Blue Covers

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. More information here.

These are some of my favorite covers from five star reads over the years :)

#AYearAThon [July TBR]

Each first full week of the month, a #AYearAThon readathon is held and there are themes and challenges for each month. In the month of July, the theme is TBR CATCH-UP with the challenge of reading a trilogy. It runs from July 2 to 8.

I have an open-ended TBR where I would like to finish any of the following (trilogies are noted with an asterisk):

The Cruel Prince* // A Court of Thorns and Roses // Heart of Iron // Nevernight*

Unwind // Ace of Shades* // Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Updated on 7/5: I read a Netgalley book, The Delphi Effect, and also finished Unwind so far this week. I think I'm going to pick Heart of Iron up next...or Harry Potter and the Chamber of the Secrets.

Total books finished: 2

Total pages read: 379 + 335 = 741

July Monthly TBR & Challenge Updates

I started to get a little slumpy in June but I took it a little easy and picked up some easier reads and I think I'll be okay. I finished 6 books in June and DNF'd 1 but I will most likely pick it back up on audio later in the year to finish. In July, I want to read two of my upcoming Netgalley books and then I will be working on my OWLs in preparation for NEWTS in August. I am going to try and read from past TBRs and books that I have received in the later part of 2017 and in 2018.

My Tentative TBR for July:

• Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge by Lisa Jensen
• #MURDERTRENDING by Gretchen McNeil