Top Ten Tuesday | The Best Books I Read In 2021

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that highlights ten books that all relate to a certain topic and is  hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. 

This Weeks Topic Is...

The Best Books I Read In 2021!  Here we go, my favourite books that I read this year. Out of 78 books, I actually only gave out seven 5 stars and one of those was a re-read so it doesn't technically belong on this list.  So we have my six 5 stars plus a few 4 stars that were so close to being a five and were still incredible books. In no particular order...

 

Down The TBR Hole #66

 

Current TBR shelf: 3581

Last week's TBR shelf: 3583

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

WWW Wednesday | 22/12/2021

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking On a World of Words that highlights three questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you'll read next?

 

What did you recently finish reading?

 

The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner was a super quick fantasy/horror for middle grade readers that I whizzed through. It had such a readable quality with short, digestible chapters and a fun mystery to solve. Some aspects were solved too easily and the stakes didn't feel quite high enough at times but there was plenty to enjoy. 

 

What are you currently reading?

I'm a little ways in to The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson, the sequel to Truly Devious. I haven't really been picking it up over the last few days but I am off for the next week and a half so I'm hoping to get more reading done. I loved Truly Devious and although some people aren't keen on the rest of the series, I'm excited to see where the mystery goes.  

 

I'm also reading The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine as I was in the mood for another thriller but of course it's December so why not make it festive?! This one doesn't have the best reviews but I was intrigued by the whole 'twelve days, twelve murders' plot so hopefully it doesn't disappoint too much. 

What do you think you'll read next?

 

Continuing with my festive reads, I bought In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren a few months a go from a charity shop and have been saving it for the Christmas period. I'm very excited to start it and can't wait for some holiday romance with a groundhog day twist. 

 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.   

 

Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts? What are you currently reading and hoping to pick up next? Leave a comment or link your own WWW Wednesdays below for me to check out!

Top Ten Tuesday | Books I'll Be Buying With My Christmas Vouchers

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that highlights ten books that all relate to a certain topic and is  hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. 

This Weeks Topic Is...

 

Books I Hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes but I tend to get given vouchers/gift cards more then I do physical books as it just allows me to have more choice over what I get so instead here's a list of books that are high priority on my 'to buy' list. 

 

Down The TBR Hole #65

Current TBR shelf: 3583

Last week's TBR shelf: 3589

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Down The TBR Hole #64

 

 

Current TBR shelf: 3589

Last week's TBR shelf: 3602

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Down The TBR Hole #63

 

Current TBR shelf: 3602

Last week's TBR shelf: 3609

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Book Review (Blog Tour) | You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

Publication Date: 30th November 2021 by Penguin

Format: Netgalley ARC

Target Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Thriller, Mystery 

→ Author's Site

 

Goodreads • Amazon • Waterstones • Blackwells  • 

Synopsis

Ivy, Mateo, and Cal used to be close. Back in middle school they were best friends. So, when Cal pulls into campus late for class, and runs into Ivy and Mateo, it seems like the perfect opportunity to turn a bad day around. They'll ditch school and go into the city. Just the three of them, like old times. Why did they stop hanging out, anyway?

As soon as they pull out of the parking lot Cal knows why. Ivy's already freaking out about missing class, and heartthrob Mateo is asleep in the backseat, too cool to even pretend like he wants to be there. The truth is they have nothing in common anymore.

At least they don't until they run into the fourth student ditching school that day. Brian "Boney" Mahoney is supposed to be accepting his newly won office of class president. Which is why Ivy follows him into an empty building, only to walk into the middle of a murder scene. Cal, Ivy, and Mateo all know the person lying on the ground of that building, and now they need to come clean. They're all hiding something. And maybe their chance reconnection wasn't by chance after all.

Rating

My Thoughts

Down The TBR Hole #62

Current TBR shelf: 3609

Last week's TBR shelf: 3618

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Down The TBR Hole #61

Current TBR shelf: 3618

Last week's TBR shelf: 3633

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Down The TBR Hole #60

Current TBR shelf: 3633

Last week's TBR shelf: 3640

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Book Review + Favourite Quotes (Blog Tour) | The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath

Publication Date: 9th November 2021 by Soho Teen

Format: Netgalley ARC

Target Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Historical 

→ Author's Site

 

Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes and Noble • Book Depository  • 

Synopsis

It’s Norway 1904, and Asta Hedstrom doesn’t want to marry her odious betrothed, Nils—even though a domestic future is all her mother believes she’s suited for, on account of her single-sided deafness, unconventional appearance, and even stranger notions. Asta would rather spend her life performing in the village theater with her friends and fellow outcasts: her best friend Gunnar Fuglestad and his secret boyfriend, wealthy Erlend Fournier. But the situation takes a dire turn when Nils lashes out in jealousy—gravely injuring Gunnar. Shunning marriage for good, Asta moves with Gunnar and Erlend to their secluded cabin above town. With few ties left with their families, they have one shot at gaining enough kroner to secure their way of life: win the village’s annual horse race.

Rating

My Thoughts

Clear Your Shit Readathon v2.0 TBR

As my reading has been exponentially crap over the last few months (I read 4 books in October, 4! And it's my favourite month for reading!), I'm taking off a load of pressure from myself and taking it easy for the last two months of the year. I really liked the look of the Clear Your Shit Readathon last year, it looked fun and a good way to get to all the books that have been pushed to the back of your shelves. The narrator also sounds hilarious! So this is gonna be my focus for November and December, getting through a load of books that I've been meaning to before 2022. Here's a link to the twitter page and the website for all the information if you want to take part too.

Down The TBR Hole #59

Current TBR shelf: 3640

Last week's TBR shelf: 3647

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Top Ten Tuesday | Upcoming YA Releases Perfect For Halloween 2022

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that highlights ten books that all relate to a certain topic and is  hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. 

This Weeks Topic Is...

A Halloween Freebie so just like I did last year I decided to highlight ten upcoming releases that I think would be perfect to read next Halloween as I really enjoyed compiling that list and it put some good books onto my radar. 

Down The TBR Hole #58

Current TBR shelf: 3647

Last week's TBR shelf: 3659

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Down The TBR Hole #57

Current TBR shelf: 3659

Last week's TBR shelf: 3662

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

On My Radar | November 2021

I've seen these types of posts floating around where you highlight upcoming releases that have caught your interest and I thought it would be fun to do a monthly version. Although I have hundreds of books I still need to get to, this will help me keep track of new releases and the books I really want to get to in the (far distant) future 😂. Here's 8 books being released in November that I'm super excited for!

Our Violent Ends (These Violent Delights #2) by Chloe Gong     

Released → 16th November 2021

 

The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.

After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on the warpath. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.

Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.

Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.

 

I haven't even read the first book, These Violent Delights, yet but I'm already anticipating the sequel! A Romeo & Juliet fantasy retelling set in Shanghai sounds incredible, I just need the motivation to pick the first one up. 

 

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

Released → 2nd November 2021

 

Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller's daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue.

Or so everyone believes.

When one of Serilda's outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her… for a price. Love isn't meant to be part of the bargain.

Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.

 

I just can't resist fairytale retellings, they're like my kryptonite! Rumplestiltskin especially is a fairytale that I love but haven't read a retelling of yet so I'm interested to see what Marissa Meyer does with it. 

 

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske  

Released → 2nd November 2021

 

Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.

Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it—not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.

Robin’s predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they’ve been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles—and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.

 

Magicians. Secret societies. Historical. Enemies to Lovers. LGBTQ+. What's not to like here?? 

You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

Released → 2nd November 2021

Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.

Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.

And Sam picks up the phone.

In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.

 

That cover is gorgeous and although I've steered away from romantic contemporaries a little bit, I'm thinking one with some magical realism elements is more my thing. 

 

Swashbucklers by Dan Hanks

Released → 9th November 2021

When Cisco Collins returns to his home town thirty years after saving it from being swallowed by a hell mouth opened by an ancient pirate ghost, he realises that being a childhood hero isn't like it was in the movies.

Especially when nobody remembers the heroic bits - even the friends who once fought alongside him.

Struggling with single parenting and treated as bit of a joke, Cisco isn't really in the Christmas spirit like everyone else. A fact that's made worse by the tendrils of the pirate's powers creeping back into our world and people beginning to die in bizarre ways.

With the help of a talking fox, an enchanted forest, a long-lost friend haunting his dreams, and some 80s video game consoles turned into weapons, Cisco must now convince his friends to once again help him save the day. Yet they quickly discover that being a ghostbusting hero is so much easier when you don't have schools runs, parent evenings, and nativity plays to attend. And even in the middle of a supernatural battle, you always need to bring snacks and wipes...

 

I'm loving the sound of a returning hero that nobody remembers, pirate ghosts, SET AT CHRISTMAS and what looks like some great British humour. Very excited for this one!

 

All Of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman

Released → 9th November 2021

After the publication of a salacious tell-all book, the remote city of Ilvernath is thrust into worldwide spotlight. Tourists, protesters, and reporters flock to its spellshops and ruins to witness an ancient curse unfold: every generation, seven families name a champion among them to compete in a tournament to the death. The winner awards their family exclusive control over the city’s high magick supply, the most powerful resource in the world.

In the past, the villainous Lowes have won nearly every tournament, and their champion is prepared to continue his family’s reign. But this year, thanks to the influence of their newfound notoriety, each of the champions has a means to win. Or better yet--a chance to rewrite their story.

But this is a story that must be penned in blood.

 

This was on my most anticipated releases for 2021 list and I still cannot wait for it's release. Magical fantasy with a tournament to the death!? My kinda book. 

Tidesong by Wendy Xu 

Released → 16th November 2021

Sophie is a young witch whose mother and grandmother pressure her to attend the Royal Magic Academy--the best magic school in the realm--even though her magic is shaky at best. To train for her entrance exams, Sophie is sent to relatives she's never met.

Cousin Sage and Great-Aunt Lan seem more interested in giving Sophie chores than in teaching her magic. Frustrated, Sophie attempts magic on her own, but the spell goes wrong, and she accidentally entangles her magic with the magic of a young water dragon named Lir.

Lir is trapped on land and can't remember where he came from. Even so, he's everything Sophie isn't--beloved by Sophie's family and skilled at magic. With his help, Sophie might just ace her entrance exams, but that means standing in the way of Lir's attempts to regain his memories. Sophie knows what she's doing is wrong, but without Lir's help, can she prove herself?

 

I loved Mooncakes so when I saw that Wendy Xu has a new witchy graphic novel coming out I had to add it to my list. This is giving me Kiki's Delivery Service and Ponyo vibes, movies that I adore!

A Rush of Wings by Laura E. Weymouth   

Released → 2nd November 2021

Rowenna Winthrop has always known there’s magic within her. But though she hears voices on the wind and possesses unusual talents, her mother Mairead believes Rowenna lacks discipline, and refuses to teach her the craft that keeps their Scottish village safe. When Mairead dies a sinister death, it seems Rowenna’s one chance to grow into her power has passed. Then, on a fateful, storm-tossed night, Rowenna rescues a handsome stranger named Gawen from a shipwreck, and her mother miraculously returns from the dead. Or so it appears.

This resurrected Mairead is nothing like the old one: to hide her new and monstrous nature, she turns Rowenna’s brothers and Gawen into swans and robs Rowenna of her voice. Forced to flee, Rowenna travels to the city of Inverness to find a way to break the curse. But monsters take many forms, and in Inverness Rowenna is soon caught in a web of strangers who want to use her raw magic for their own gain. If she wishes to save herself and the people she loves most, Rowenna will have to take her fate into her own hands, and unlock the power that has evaded her for so long.

 

Another retelling, can you tell I'm obsessed?! This one is based on The Six Swans and set in Scotland (!!) plus it sounds magical and that cover is to die for!

Which books being released in November are you excited for? Let me know in the comments and Happy Reading!

Down The TBR Hole #56

Current TBR shelf: 3659

Last week's TBR shelf: 3662

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

September 2021 Reading Wrap Up

Ok, so the fixed TBR thing didn't work as I only read 6 books in September and none of them were physical books. Anyone else struggle with finding the time and motivation to pick up your current read, I just seem to gravitate towards other things at the minute. (But i'm still buying books 😬). I'm not even going to bother saying 'I hope next month is better cause we're a week in and I still haven't finished anything so let's just skip to the wrap up 😂.

Stats

Locke & Key by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez

This was an incredibly entertaining audiobook (although extremely long, it took me almost a month to finish it) that had me gripped. The voice cast is incredible and the amount of work that went into the production is so evident, this was such an immersive, high quality listening experience. I have watched the first season of the Netflix show which is how I know about this series but I will say that I agree with some reviewers who felt that this probably works better as a companion to the physical graphic novels as sometimes I did feel a little out of the loop. 

The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor   

This one was a random library borrow that caught my eye whilst browsing and I ended up enjoying it a fair bit. It follows a 17 year old girl in 60's Yorkshire and is essentially her coming of age story about figuring out her future and the people in her life. I liked the writing style, it was witty and it had a lot of heart. I did find it sometimes got a little melodramatic especially with the character of her dad's new fiancée which became tedious at times. It was fun though and I appreciated a YA novel with zero love interests in sight!

To Break a Covenant by Alison Ames   

I jumped at the chance to take part in the blog tour for this atmospheric, spooky YA novel about a small town haunted by a past mine accident and all the weird stuff that happens to anyone who ventures down there. Focusing on a group of teenage girls (loved the friendships in here!) and their experience with the strange phenomena, this was such a fun read that deserves so much more hype. I especially loved the interspersed transcripts of  dialogue of various ghost hunting shows that have visited the town in the past. It gave us a deeper insight into the community and the residents. You can read my full review (plus my inspired playlist) here.            

The Wolf's Curse by Jessica Vitalis

My second blog tour of the month was this fantasy middle grade about a 12 year old boy who is 'cursed' with the ability to see a wolf and cast out by his community as the wolf is seen as an omen of death. Accused of controlling the wolf and being behind the deaths in town, he goes on the run and must attempt to clear his name. This was a beautifully told story that handles death and grief incredibly well, it had me so emotional by the ending. The narrator took me a little while to get used to but it's such a clever choice by the author, the characters are precious and overall this is a story that will stick with me. You can read my full review here.  

Dust & Grim by Chuck Wendig  

My last blog tour of the month and another middle grade, this one's a horror/fantasy from bestselling author Chuck Wendig in his middle grade debut. Two rival siblings are thrown together when Molly comes looking for her inheritance and finds her brother running a monster mortuary on their family estate. In an attempt to get her money Molly unleashes a rogue creature into the cemetery and now the siblings must team up to prevent a disaster. Enjoyable and funny, it definitely had a lot going for it. I just wanted to learn more about the actual funeral business but the book seemed to steer away from that side of the plot. You can read my full review here.      

All Eyes on Us by Kit Frick

My last read of the month was a YA thriller, similar to Pretty Little Liars, that was available to read on Audible that I chose cause I'd been in a thriller mood. I've struggled with how to rate this, I keep going between a 2.5 and a 3 star rating as a lot of this book was fairly meh for me. I wasn't overly fussed about the characters or the plot really, the dual perspective is interesting but I just wasn't invested enough. The side plot of Rosalie hiding her sexuality due to her religion was possibly the most interesting part which shouldn't be the case in a thriller. Everything was just fine for me right down to the ending. I'd be up for giving Kit Frick's other books a shot though cause her writing style wasn't the problem. 

September was fine in terms of reading, I just hope this semi-slump doesn't continue for much longer! What did you read in September? Leave a comment below. Happy Reading!