Tag «top ten tuesdays»

Top Ten Tuesdays: Last 10 Books I DNF’d

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Top Ten Tuesdays: Is a weekly meme feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl where bloggers post their Top 10 List for an assigned topic! I will not be participating every week, but I will occasionally take a shot at it!

This Week’s Topic:

Top Ten Books I Just Couldn’t Finish

I’ve been really good in the last year or so about not DNFing books. I don’t think there is anything wrong with DNFing books. I mean, I even wrote a post about HOW I do it here and part of my yearly wrap-up for the blog includes a DNF December Blitz of all the books and/or series I’ve opted not to finish for one reason or another. I just mean, that in the last year or so I’ve been very fortunate to pick up books that I’ve been able to finish.

So far this year I’ve DNF’d 4 books. Last year, I didn’t DNF a book until June. But here are the last 10 I’ve had to put down and why:

In Order of Most Recent:

1	I was listening to the audio version and I just found it couldn’t hold my attention with all the jumping around from past to present. Plus it is SO LONG! DNF’d at 44%
2	I was really excited to read this diversely cast sequel but I failed to see the chemistry between these two at all. DNF’d at 30%
3	This book hits the ground running and I had immediately fell behind. I felt like the synopsis served as the exposition and that I should already know who these people were and their relationships. DNF’d at 21%
4	I really enjoyed the others in the series but this went from 0 to 100 in a second with no build up of chemistry or anything. Just didn’t work for me! DNF’d at 25% Read Series Review
5	Everything in this book seemed to move at a glacial pace. Whether it was the romance or the severe lack of drama, everything was taking its time to develop and I was bored. DNF’d at 41% Read My Review
6	After a promising first part, I was eager to see where this would go but it went nowhere anytime fast. DNF’d at 40% Read Series Review
7	I bought this before the whole Kindle Unlimited scam happened but this was so boring and bland. DNF’d at 23%
8	Too much angst from our female lead and the lack of the male POV had me feeling nothing from these two. DNF’d at 37% Read My Review
9	This started off promising for me but I disliked how judgy our lead was towards other women. And I felt zero chemistry between the leads. DNF’d at 22% Read My Review
10	This book just needed something to take it to the next level. I wanted complex politics and drama but everything felt mundane. DNF’d at 52% Read My Review

Do you tough it out or do you DNF?

Leave a Link to your TTT for me to visit in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesdays: Books I Read Because of Bloggers

This Week’s Topic:

Links to My Reviews:

The Diabolic — from Sarah @ Written Word Worlds
Blackhearts — from Ava @ Bookishness and Tea
Everything, Everything — from Becca @ Becca and Books
The Thousandth Floor — from Stephanie @ In Wonderland
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me — from Dani @ Dani Reviews
Tiny Pretty Things — from Cristina @ Girl in the Pages
Secret Heir — from Darque Dreamer Reads
Beauty of the Beast — from Raven @ Dream Addictions
No Pants Required — from Alicia @ Shooting Stars Mag
Stalking Jack the Ripper — from Stephanie @ In Wonderland

Do you keep track of where you find your books?

Leave a Link to your TTT for me to visit in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesdays: Standalones that Should Have Sequels

Top Ten Tuesdays: Is a weekly meme feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl where bloggers post their Top 10 List for an assigned topic! I will not be participating every week, but I will occasionally take a shot at it! You can always find these lists (past, present and original) on my Riffle Page!

This Week’s Topic:

Top Ten Standalones That Should Have Sequels

I could have sworn I had done this very topic for a TTT many moons ago but a quick search of my posts proved me wrong. The reason I could have sworn that I had done this before is that I keep a shelf on Goodreads dedicated to standalones that need sequels. Why? The main reason is so that I can keep an eye out for any possible sequels. I periodically go through all the titles on that shelf and double-check to see if any new works in that world have been released by the author. Goodreads isn’t always the best about keeping sequels under the same series bracket and some authors take years between books. And you know what? Sometimes my wish comes true and a sequel appears!

(In no particular order):

I’m going to be honest and admit that some of the specifics for why these titles need sequels is lost on me. It’s been years since I read them. But they all fall under the same general reasons for why I want a sequel. Usually, it’s all about the characters; either it’s a group I can’t get enough of or I see the potential for some spin-off stories with certain secondary characters. Other times, the plot seems to be on a roll (or end in too open of a way) and I just some stories I want to see them continued (and eventually resolved).

Fun Fact: When I was going through my Goodreads shelf to pick out titles, I discovered that quite a few of the ones I had sitting there did indeed get new sequels in last 2 years! EXCITING!

Links to My Reviews:

What Standalones do you wish had sequels? Have you ever had your wish granted by an author?

Leave a Link to your TTT for me to visit in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesdays: New to Me Authors in 2018

This Week’s Topic:

Top Ten New to Me Authors I Read in 2018

It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these but I couldn’t resist this topic when I read it! While I spent a good portion of last year attempting to finish series I had already started, I was able to find some new authors who rocked my literary world! Check them out!

(In no particular order):

Links to My Reviews:

Grad Night Series | On the Edge Series | Beauty of the Beast | When It’s Real

Who were your new to you authors of 2018?

Leave a Link to your TTT for me to visit in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesdays: Favourite Book Villains

This Week’s Topic:

Top Ten Villains from Books!

One of the best things about Halloween is that it gives us the chance to give a shout out to all the great villains out there. Sure, you hate them and all the evil they do but there is not denying the fact that a good villain makes for an even better book!

(In no particular order):

Links to My Reviews:

Who are your favourite villains?

Leave a Link to your TTT in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesdays: Books I Loved but Will Never Re-Read

This Week’s Topic:

Top Ten Books I Love but Will Never Re-Read

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a TTT post but I couldn’t resist when I saw this topic. It was definitely harder than I thought it would be to come up with 10 but once I started, I was able to round out my list.

The criteria is pretty simple. These books are books I enjoyed reading but can’t see myself reading again for a variety of reasons. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check them out (well, some of them at least).

(In no particular order):

Links to My Reviews:

What books do you love that will never grace your eyeballs again?

Leave a Link to your TTT in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesdays: Books I Want my Kids to Read

Top Ten Tuesdays: Is a weekly meme feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where bloggers post their Top 10 List for an assigned topic! I will not be participating every week, but I will occasionally take a shot at it! You can always find these lists (past, present and original) on my Riffle Page!

This Week’s Topic:

Top Ten Books I Want my Children to Read

This list is a weird mixture of books I read in my childhood and books I’ve bought with the intention of sharing with my (someday) kids. Since 2011, my book purchases have been mostly eBooks but if there is a book or series I particularly love, I make an effort to buy it for my personal collection. So all these books on the list below are books I own (the exception being the Legend Series but that’s next on my list to buy!) and am holding on to with the hopes of sharing and passing on one day.

Why did I pick these books?

Well the classics from my childhood are Franklin, Bernstein Bears and Arthur. I spent countless hours as a kids reading those books with my family over the years. Nancy Drew is the ultimate classic–most of the Nancy Drew novels I own are from my mother’s childhood collection so they share a special place in my heart. I also adore mystery (my whole family does) and that’s something I want to pass on.

The rest (Legend, Winner’s Curse, Vampire Academy, The Mortal Instruments, Hunger Games and The Infernal Devices) are some of my favourite YA series ever! They each feature strong characters, amazing worlds and brilliant plots. They helped shape my reading world and I want them to do the same for my kids one day.

Do we share any books? What’s your criteria for sharing books with your children?

Leave a Link to your TTT in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesdays: Series I Should Have Started by Now

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Top Ten Tuesdays: Is a weekly meme feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where bloggers post their Top 10 List for an assigned topic! I will not be participating every week, but I will occasionally take a shot at it! You can always find these lists (past, present and original) on my Riffle Page!

This Week’s Topic:

Top Ten Series I Should Have Started by Now

When your blog is focused on review book series, you amass quite the collection of series to read. I’ve made it a mission this year to reduce my TBR on Goodreads to 500 titles, but that’s a hard thing to do when there are so many great novels out there.

These novels are combination of titles everyone raves about and the ones I’ve been hotly anticipating to start. Though I did make a consious note not to add any of the series that I’ve put on my 5 Year 5 Book Challenge.

(In no particular order):

Do we share any series?

Leave a Link to your TTT in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesdays: Must Read Tropes in Books

This Week’s Topic:

Top Ten Things That Will Make Me Instantly Want To Read A Book

I always mention my must-read tropes when I write reviews on books with the theme but I’ve never complied a list in one place. So I was excited for the chance to list them all together!

(In no particular order):

Forbidden Love

I LOVE stories where two people who shouldn’t be together can’t help but fall in love. The sexual tension is always brimming to the surface and the “will-they-won’t-they” moments get me every time.

Favourite:

Check out some of my other favourite forbidden love reads!

Fake Relationships

I’m one of those romance readers who likes her relationships to be based on a strong emotional connection in addition to passion and I find I get that 95% of the time in fake relationship stories. I find these leads talk more often than their lust-driven counterparts and so the relationship is easily established and obvious to me. Plus, you get some great sexual tension along the way!

Favourite:

Check out some of my favourite fake/arranged relationships reads!

Enemies to Lovers

I suppose you could associate this trope with forbidden love but I like to think of this as a subdivision of that trope. Often these two can’t even fathom a relationship and then something happens to change their minds. Again, I feel like the emotional connections are stronger as these characters learn more about each other. Through this, they see how similar they are then different and what great partners they would be.

Favourite:

Check out some of my other favourite enemies to lover (1) and/or hate to love you (2) reads!

Unorthodox Relationships

I’m not talking about forbidden love like teacher-student relationships; I’m talking about romances between characters who aren’t often the leads in romances. Like porn stars or falling for your mom’s younger boyfriend. I like that fiction is an outlet to explore these situations we don’t encounter in real life (and hopefully generate a discussion on why society feels the way it does about the topic).

Favourites:

and

Check out some of my other favourite “taboo” reads!

In Love with Rockstars/Musicians

Musician bad boys are my kryptonite! Who doesn’t fantasize about your fave musician noticing you in the crowd and wanting to be yours forever? Swoon!

But another reason I love band-based stories is the fact that you follow a band! You follow a cast of characters as they pursue their dreams and fall in love. It’s so easy to get attached to the characters!

Favourite:

Check out some of my other favourite rocktar reads!

Love Games

I kept that heading a little broad because there are two love games I love: 1) trying to hurt the player and 2) trying to get someone else to notice you. Now both of these could be found in other tropes ( 1- players falling in love and 2- fake relationships) but I do think they are a separate category. Again, I enjoy the partnerships and unexpected connections these characters experience as they plot to achieve what they initial think is best for them.

Favourite:

Check out some of my other favourite love game reads!

Imperial Russia

This probably isn’t a trope, more of a setting, but it does have certain tropes associated with it like the supernatural elements and royalty. I adore the rich culture of Imperial Russia and I always enjoy the unique approaches author’s take when using this setting.

Favourite:

Check out some of my other favourite Imperial Russian reads!

Shakespeare

I’m a HUGE Shakespeare fan. (I’m one of those people who willingly took a Shakespeare elective in university). It’s a personal lifetime goal to try to read and see all of his plays before I die.

So naturally, I adore any retelling or story that alludes to his work. You can do so much with Shakespeare’s works and the interpretations of it and I love uncovering it.

Favourites:

Check out some of my other favourite Shakespeare reads!

Faeries

There are a few things I like about faeries. I like that they have the “honesty” policy and how you can never trust them. I like the magic of them and their world (and how it is so unique from story to story). They usually have a lot of action and often have political intrigue too. Throw in some forbidden love and centuries of unrest and you have everything a story needs to be entertaining!

Favourite:

Check out some of my other favourite faerie reads!

The Jackass Player Falls in Love

While I don’t enjoy like asshole dudes in real life, I have a huge soft spot for them in my romance reads. I think it’s their confidence that draws me in and seeing that confidence shatter when they meet the perfect girl that challenges them in a way they never expected. I just love seeing them put in their place!

Favourite:

What tropes have you coming back for more?

Leave a Link to your TTT in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesday: 2016 Releases I Failed to Get My Hands On

Top Ten 2016 Releases I Failed at Getting my Hands On

Last year, my focus was all about getting updating older reviews and reading those books that have been lingering on my Kobo for far too long. But while my attention was elsewhere, I completely ignored some 2016 titles I had ever intention of reading at the start of the year.

So, I’ve listed 5 brand new releases as well as 5 series sequels I had every intention of reading but never got a chance to.

(In no particular order):