Hello! And happy Friday! My most favorite day of the week 😉

This morning I was sort of tagged by my very sweet friend Lissa from @RabidReads do to something really fun! She decided that since it is July (how did that happen?), she wanted to look into her past reads of the year and share the books that she awarded a 5-star rating. I loved reading her post, and I think it’s such a great idea for a sort of tag/challenge! She asked a few other bloggers to do it as well, but I’ll just ask that anyone who wants to do this, do it! And connect it back to Lissa, because I bet she’d love seeing all of your posts.

I’ve read 33 books so far this year. Not a great amount, but not bad, considering I’m at University/college. I’ll be going off my Goodreads challenge list, starting with my most recent 5-star rating and moving back through the months into January.

First up is the last book I finished, Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter. 

I haven’t gotten around to posting a review for you guys yet, but I absolutely loved this book. I mentioned in my review for Alice in Zombieland that once I adjusted my expectations of this series, I liked it way more. And let me say, this book didn’t disappoint me at all. It was funny, action-packed, romantic, and a little creepy. Everything I was hoping for. I also read it in one day 😉  So there is that.

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

This books was pretty awesome. I read the first book in this duology, Anna Dressed in Blood, about 3 years ago. I loved that book then, because it was perfect parts action horror and humor. With a little romance thrown in for good measure. For some reason, I never got around to reading this sequel, and then I saw it available on bookoutlet.com. And of course, I couldn’t resist. This book was a little lighter on the horror but still super creepy, laugh-out-loud funny, and basically kick-ass. A really good edition to my shelf.

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. 

You might remember that I received this ARC in a giveaway contest from Miss Hoover herself. Since it hasn’t been released yet, I won’t say too much. I did post a review for this book awhile back, if you’re interested in that. But I will say I’m someone who usually struggles through contemporary reads, and this one I read in two sittings. It was awesome. But damn, have a tissue when you read it 😉

The Last Star by Rick Yancey 

I have a review posted for this book as well. It’s the final book in the 5th Wave trilogy, and one of my most anticipated of the year. It didn’t disappoint me, although it went in a direction I didn’t really expect. I think I liked it even more for that.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Another one of my most anticipated of the year. And holy crap, was it worth the wait. I seriously have not seen a negative review about this book. It took ACOTAR, which I thought was a fantastic book and standard setting, and made it seems tame. And just okay 😂 So, yeah. Read this one for reals. It still blows my mind when I think about it.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black 

I love Holly’s writing as it is. Her worlds are always hauntingly beautiful to me. And this book was no exception. I have a short review for it posted here somewhere. It was magical and otherworldly and took me on a dark and twisted journey. This isn’t the fairy tale from your bedtime stories.

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

This book is a collection of short stories from The Lunar Chronicles universe. Most of them are origin stories of some beloved characters, one is a sort of magical epilogue to Winter, the final book in the series, and one is a new tale about a new character. A few of these stories had not been previously published. While reading this book isn’t necessary to the original series, it certainly adds a lot to it, if your are in love with The Lunar Chronicles like I am. I’d recommend reading it for sure, if you want a little taste of that amazing world.

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Speaking of The Lunar Chronicles, I adored this final installment to the series. This book was so well written and so well paced, I couldn’t help but fall into it head first. The characters were all back and even more glorious,and I loved every point of view, every evil turn, every classic fairytale reference, and every happily ever after.

The Sound of Serendipity by Cynthia A. Rodriguez 

Another one that has a review! 😉 I Received an ARC of this book from the author, but I’m not saying I loved it just to please her. Although she is awesome. This is another contemporary read that caught my attention and didn’t let go. I loved the main characters, the romance aspect, and the overall girl-power vibe I got from it. But be warned, this book is more new adult and contains some graphic sexual scenes.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. 

Cassie is one of my auto-buy authors for sure. I adore every one of her books, and this one was no exception. I laughed, I cried, and cheered, and I boo’d. It was everything I wanted it to be. And that ending blew me away. Definitely her strongest series-starting novel so far. 💙💙

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

I read this book in one sitting. It was fantastic. The writing and world building sucked me in, and the deception and betrayal kept me hooked. I felt that this book was very original and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Romance, action, lies, and more.

The Ruby Red trilogy by Kersten Gier

I started off my year with these three books, and they definitely gave me something to love in the new year. This series is very original and fun. I loved the time travel aspect, solving the mysterys with the characters, and watching the main character grow into herself and become awesome. It had humor and intriguing. I definitely recommend all three books! I gave each one a 5 star rating.

And there you have it! I won’t tag anyone specifically, but please do this challenge if you wish to! It’s really fun. And thank you again Lissa, for thinking of me! 💙

Cheers! ☕️