I am probably one of the worst people in the world for adding tonnes of new books to my to be read when I haven’t made a dent in the ones already there. I often spend way too long on Good Reads adding book after book and honestly someone needs to stop me. I legit have books on my to be read list that I added in 2014, how ridiculous is that?
Anyway here are some of the books that have been on my to be read the longest.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Yep I know I said this was on my May TBR but guess what happened, I didn’t read a single book on that list (what a surprise). However I have now finally finished all of my uni work so I actually have time to read and let’s be honest, it’s about time I got round to reading the Throne of Glass series.
I read the A Court of Thorns and Roses series a few years back and I absolutely loved them so I’m really hoping that Throne of Glass can withstand my expectations.
Good Reads synopsis: “After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her … but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead … quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.”
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
The cover of this book is what primarily drew me to buying this book, however, I have never gone any further than that. Everything, Everything has been sitting on my bookshelf for years now and I have never even thought of picking it up. I would mostly put this down to the fact that I do not read contemporary fiction very often as I will always be a fantasy girl at heart. However, I do think it is time for me to delve further into some different genres and give more contemporary books a chance.
Good Reads synopsis: “My disease is as rare as it is famous. It’s a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, but basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in fifteen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
But then one day, a moving truck arrives. New next door neighbors. I look out the window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black t-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. I want to learn everything about him, and I do. I learn that he is funny and fierce. I learn that his eyes are Atlantic Ocean-blue and that his vice is stealing silverware. I learn that when I talk to him, my whole world opens up, and I feel myself starting to change—starting to want things. To want out of my bubble. To want everything, everything the world has to offer.
Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.”
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
This is another book where the cover is what drew me into buying it. I kept seeing this book all over Instagram and was extremely curious about what the story would be about.
Now I did actually read the first few chapters of this a few months back, however, I was given a book review to do by my uni student magazine at very short notice and ending up having to read an entirely new book in just two days. I have not picked up the book again since as Chain of Gold came out around the time and let’s be honest, Cassandra Clare always comes first for me.
I am going to make it my mission to read Eliza and Her Monsters this month as I really enjoyed the few chapters that I had started and really liked the illustrated elements of the book.
Good Reads synopsis: “Her story is a phenomenon. Her life is a disaster.
In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try.
Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.
But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.”
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Red Queen is probably the book that has been on my to be read the longest. I have attempted to read it twice and have found that I could get into it. However, I am not a quitter and I refuse to give up.
Based on my own experience I am unsurprised at the number of mixed reviews I have seen for this entire series. It’s very much like marmite, you either love it or hate it.
Good Reads synopsis: “This is a world divided by blood – red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.”
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Shatter Me seems to be another series that has a lot of mixed reviews. It has been sat in my Good Reads ‘To Read’ shelf for years and I only just this year purchased the series, this being because I got the box set in a sale. Doesn’t sound too promising for me reading them, does it?
Good Reads synopsis: “I have a curse
I have a giftI am a monster
I’m more than humanMy touch is lethal
My touch is powerI am their weapon
I will fight back
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.”
Would not recommend Shatter Me, tbh. I’ve heard people say the series gets better, but the first book isn’t…good, in my opinion.
The Red Queen has been on my TBR forever now!
The Mystery Blogger award 🙂
https://ameliareads11.home.blog/2020/06/17/the-mystery-blogger-award/
As someone who is also not a quitter and (unfortunately) ended up reading the entire Red Queen series, let me just say you really won’t be missing much if you don’t read it.