Top Ten Tuesday | Never Say Never Apart From When You Should

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Books I’ve Decided I’m No Longer Interested In Reading', and it was a difficult theme for me to make a list for at first because I'm one of those people who doesn't like to say 'never'. 

My tastes are always evolving and changing, so there are books I might not want to read now that I'll suddenly have a craving for in a year's time, so today I decided to go with a list mostly made up of books I've started reading before, given up on and am sure I won't go back to.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell: I remember this book being everywhere years ago and I was intrigued because Eleanor is overweight and it's so rare to see an overweight heroine in fiction - it's particularly rare to see an overweight heroine in fiction whose story isn't about losing weight in some way. I've since seen quite a few reviews from people of colour, however, who've said the way Rowell portrays Park made them uncomfortable which really put me off reading it and now it's been so long since it came out that I don't care. The only things of Rowell's I've read are Attachments and Midnights in My True Love Gave to Me and I didn't love either so I think she's just not for me.

Divergent by Veronica Roth: I tried reading this one years ago when YA dystopian fiction was all the rage and while I easily could have forced myself to finish it I didn't want to. I thought it was boring and the society as a whole didn't really make sense to me. The Hunger Games is creepy because it's easy to see how society might have got to that, but I couldn't understand in what world these factions were considered a good idea by any government. I don't think I'm missing out on anything and I know a lot of people who loved the trilogy hated the ending, so I'm going to keep my distance.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: Tried it and didn't like it and I was disappointed! I've heard so many good things about Stiefvater's writing and about this series in particular that I was hoping to enjoy it, but sadly her style isn't for me. Also, as someone who's lived in Wales and worked alongside people whose mother tongue is Welsh, I couldn't get past the butchering of 'Owen Glendower'. His name's Owain Glyndŵr.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: I wanted to try one of Han's novels after really enjoying her short story in My True Love Gave to Me, but, again, her work isn't for me. This is another one I easily could have finished if I'd forced myself to, I just didn't want to force myself to finish something when I could be reading something else.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman: I liked If I Stay a lot and I picked up a copy of Where She Went with the intention of reading it, but I never did and now I'm not that interested. I think If I Stay is fine on its own.

Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James: It's only in the past year or so I've started to get into Austen and I wanted to pick this one up so I could watch the BBC adaptation starring Anna Maxwell Martin, whom I adore. Unfortunately the book was another I couldn't get into and I ended up watching the adaptation only to be pretty underwhelmed by the story as a whole, so I have no interest in reading the book.

Rebel Heart and Raging Star by Moira Young: Blood Red Road is one of my favourite YA novels. I love the way its written and I love Saba and I love Jack and it pulled me out of a reading slump when I really needed to be pulled out of one. I had every intention of continuing with the trilogy but then I saw more and more reviews that the latter two books weren't as good and eventually I lost interest in it. Blood Red Road is enough for me - why does every YA novel have to have a sequel?

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab: Schwab is another one of those authors who I should love and just don't. A Darker Shade of Magic, in particular, should be right up my street considering it's historical fantasy but Schwab's writing style and I don't get along. Oh well!

The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber: I'm always fascinated by novels that combine science and science fiction with religion, so I thought this one would be right up my street. I started reading it, got about a third of the way through it, and still nothing had happened. My patience only goes so far so I put it aside and I have no real desire to try again.

Which books made your list this week?

Pokemon Go Book Tag

I have to be honest, I was always more of a Digimon girl than a Pokemon girl, but I was certainly in on the hype when Pokemon first became big in the UK. I think Pokemon Go's such a clever idea and, yes, I do have it on my phone, too - it's surprisingly fun!

This tag was created by Aentee @ Read at Midnight, and after seeing Deanna @ Deanna Writes do it I couldn't resist giving it a go myself.

That's such a hard question. I've always been surrounded by books; my parents read to me every night from a very young age, particularly my dad, so I don't think I could single out one book that made me love reading. Some of my earliest memories, however, are of having The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Rainbow Fish and Fantastic Mr. Fox read to me, so I suppose it'd be any one of those!

It has to be Harry Potter. I grew up as part of the Harry Potter Generation, and the series will forever be very dear to me.

Probably The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. I have a copy and I'd really like to read it at some point, but everyone loves this series so I'm both worried that I'll be the one person in the world who doesn't like it while also feeling like it can wait longer for my attention than other books on my shelves that aren't as well known.

Lauren Oliver's Delirium falls into the YA dystopian category, but it does it well. When The Hunger Games set dystopian fiction as the next trend in YA quite a lot of rubbish was published, but Delirium's great!

I've heard such good things about Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, but it's so huge it even has footnotes! It intimidates the hell out of me, but I'm determined to read it one day...

The last book I can remember sacrificing sleep for is Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I just had to know what happened.

Quite a few. Cinder and Kai from The Lunar Chronicles; Meche and Sebastian from Signal to Noise; Saba and Jack from Blood Red Road; Sue and Maud from Fingersmith; Sephy and Callum from Noughts & Crosses; Sabriel and Touchstone from The Old Kingdom; Maia and Csethiro from The Goblin Emperor... Like I said, quite a few.

I have to go with Moira Young's Blood Red Road, which was just so much fun to read. I started reading it one night a couple of years ago when I couldn't sleep, and ended up staying up until four in the morning. Oops.

I don't have an answer for this one because I think everything has to come to an end eventually. I know that's a really boring answer, but I'd much rather see something end brilliantly than drag on until it becomes crap.

I had to read Louis Sachar's Holes in school, and when we were first given it my thought was 'how is reading a book about a bunch of guys digging holes going to be interesting?' but Holes is so much more than that. By this point I'd say that Holes is pretty much a modern classic within children's fiction and I loved every second of reading it.

Probably Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, which I guess is a lot less hyped now. I've been meaning to read it for years and still haven't got to it, but I love Greece and Greek mythology and I'd like to at least read the first book and see if I'm interested in the rest of the series soon.

I love beautiful books, but I'm not usually one for collector's editions. That being said, I do think this exclusive edition of The BFG is beautiful.

I'm really looking forward to Audrey Coulthurt's debut, Of Fire and Stars, about a princess who's betrothed to another kingdom's prince and ends up falling in love with his sister.

I will buy pretty much anything that has Silvia Moreno-Garcia's name on it. I adored her debut, Signal to Noise, and loved her second novel Certain Dark Things. Whatever she brings out next, I'll be buying it.

I've been impatiently anticipating Becky Chambers' A Closed and Common Orbit for months and months. I loved The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet so much and I can't wait to get my hands on Chambers' second novel.

If you'd like to give this a try then consider yourself tagged!

16 Books I Want to Read in 2016

There are some books I'm always talking about wanting to read, and yet I never get to them. I don't know if it's because they fall to the wayside of newer releases or I'm hesitant to pick them up after waiting so long to read them in the first place, or perhaps a mix of the two, but in 2016 there are some books I'm determined to get to.

These are two classic feminist texts I'm ashamed to say I haven't read yet, and two books Mallory @ The Local Muse is always recommending to me. Now I'm taking part in The Women's Classic Literature Event I have even more reason to read them, and I want to get to them soon. I haven't read any Sylvia Plath yet, so The Bell Jar is a must, and so far the only Margaret Atwood book I've read is The Penelopiad; I'd really like to read Alias Grace, too, but I have to cross The Handmaid's Tale off my TBR!

I'm sure most of you know by now how much I love Sarah Waters, and now I only have two of her six published novels left to read - until she releases her next book! The Night Watch is told backwards, which should be interesting to read, and as The Paying Guests is a bit of a chunker I'm looking forward to diving into it.

Somehow I still haven't read The Raven Boys, and with the final book in this series, The Raven King, coming out in 2016, I think it's about time I got to it! I also still haven't got to Station Eleven despite buying it in January, and I really need to read it as it's one of my friend Elena's favourite books.

I've read sections of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and I've seen the BBC mini series of North and South, so I'm familiar with both stories, but I want to read them both. I'm a big fan of Anne Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell, so I can get to both of these in 2016 I'll be a happy bunny!

Among Others and The Shadow of the Wind are two of those books I'm always hearing fantastic things about, and yet despite owning both of them I still haven't read them. Both of them are books about books, so I'm very excited to cross them off my TBR!

I've heard a lot of great things about Americanah, and I'm eager to read some of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's fiction after I read We Should All Be Feminists earlier this year. I'm hoping to find a copy of Reading Lolita in Tehran under the Christmas tree, because it sounds fantastic.

The Crimson Petal and the White and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell are two beasts in the historical fiction world, and though they both intimidate me they're both books I want to read. I've heard nothing but good things about The Crimson Petal and the White, and I love my historical fiction with a dash of magic. Hopefully I can get to both of these!

Similarly, No Name and The Count of Monte Cristo are both GIANT classics. I've been telling myself I'm going to read The Count of Monte Cristo for far too long, I really need to cross it off my TBR, and I only discovered No Name this year but I love Wilkie Collins and I think it sounds brilliant. These classics both deal with revenge, and I love me a good revenge story every once in a while.

So those are some of the books I'd like to read in 2016. Are there any books you're determined to cross off your TBR next year?

Top Ten Tuesday | My Winter TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten 2016 Debuts Novels We Are Looking Forward To' but I'm very bad at keeping on top of new debuts before they've been published. I thought about searching for some debuts, but I didn't want to talk about books I'd only just discovered because the likelihood is I won't actually be that excited for all of them, and I'm sure that after looking at other people's lists I'll have plenty of 2016 debuts to add to my TBR. 

So instead of talking about 2016 debuts, today I'm going to share with you my Winter TBR!

Christmas at Lilac Cottage and Snowflakes on Silver Cove by Holly Martin: I received eARCs of both of these from NetGalley, and they sound adorable. Last year I read a bunch of Christmassy contemporaries in December and I really enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to doing the same this year. Plus these covers are lovely!

The Little Christmas Kitchen by Jenny Oliver: Again, I love my Christmassy contemporaries. I found a little copy of this for just £4, and it sounds very cute; I love stories about sisters and I love Greece, so I'm looking forward to this one!

The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson: This is another eARC from NetGalley, and one that sounds so much fun. I feel like this is the kind of book that could be a brilliant feel-good, Christmas movie, and I hope I enjoy it.

Christmas at the Vicarage by Rebecca Boxall: This is another eARC, and one that sounds a little more serious than the others. I have no idea if I'm going to enjoy this one or not, but every now and then I do enjoy a family story and for some reason I'm always interested in stories starring families who work in the church.

The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston: This was on my Winter TBR last year and I still haven't gotten to it. I don't know if I'll read it before the New Year, but I think it'd make a pretty good January or February read, too. Plus I think it has a gorgeous cover.

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney: Some more historical fiction, and another book I think will make a really good January read if I don't get to it before the New Year. I started this book ages ago and ended up having to put it down because I just wasn't feeling it, but it has a lot of great reviews on Goodreads so I'd like to give it another try.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater: I still haven't read any Maggie Stiefvater - I will read The Raven Boys one day, I will - and while I know The Wolves of Mercy Falls series doesn't have the best reviews I still want to check it out. I think it'll be a great read for this time of year!

Dracula by Bram Stoker: Considering I grew up near Whitby it's pretty shocking that I still haven't read this classic, even more so when you take into account that I studied it for my Victorian Gothic module at university. Whenever I've tried to read it I've ended up giving up, but I'm determined to cross this classic off my list even if I have to force my way through it, and for some reason I just think winter will be a really good time to read this.

The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan: I've heard some wonderful things about Kirsty Logan's writing, so I'd really like to cross her debut off my TBR this year if I can. This book has a stunning cover, too, so if you're deliberating between the hardback and the paperback, please treat yourself to the hardback.

Which books made your list this week?

The Book Bloggers and Books Tag!

I saw Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books do this tag, originally created by Kaitlin @ Reading is My Treasure, and I thought it looked like too much fun to pass up. The Book Bloggers and Books Tag basically involves talking about some of your bloggers and the books you think they're advocates for, or the books you most associate with them.

So I've selected a handful of my fellow bloggers, and I'm going to do just that!

Natalie @ A Sea Change

Natalie is a huge fantasy fan. She loves Terry Pratchett - she's recently been reviewing the Tiffany Aching books on her blog - and Uprooted is one of her favourite books of the year, in fact I ended up reading it myself because she loved it so much. Poor Natalie also has the misfortune of knowing me in real life, which means I'm constantly throwing books at her while screaming 'READ THIS AND THEN TALK TO ME ABOUT IT', which is basically what happened with The Lunar Chronicles. It's one of those series I've been pushing on all of my friends, and luckily for me Natalie will often seek out the books I recommend to her. What a good egg.

Mallory @ The Local Muse

Mallory's one of the few people I know who makes me want to give Austen a second chance. For some reason Emma is always the Austen I associate with Mallory, I think purely because I can vividly remember her very enthusiastic review of it. She's also a huge Cat Winters fan, she's really made me want to check out her work, and I've lost count of the amount of times she's told me I should read The Handmaid's Tale. I promise I'll get to it, Mallory! I really recommend checking out her blog, especially if you're a fan of classics.

Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight

Is this cheating? Nah. I love The Hunger Games, I think it's an excellent trilogy, but I've never met anyone who loves it as much as Shannon does. I love it when people talk about the books that mean the most to them, and it's very clear that this trilogy is very important to Shannon - she's the blogger I most associate with it. Even if she does like Peeta...

Check out Shannon's blog for even better gif usage!

Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows

A very blue-toned selection for Micheline! I really like how those three look together, actually. Like Natalie, Micheline's another blogger I associate with fantasy. She wrote a post all about how much she loves Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for Harry Potter Month, which she co-hosted with Faith @ GeekyZooGirl, and I know she's a big fan of Brandon Sanderson and Garth Nix, too.

Deanna @ Deanna Writes

If there's one thing I've learned about Deanna, it's that she loves Meg Cabot. Somehow she's one of those authors who managed to pass me by when I was younger, but Deanna loves her books so much I really want to check one out for myself. She recently wrote a post all about her love for Ready Player One for Sci-Fi Month, hosted by Rinn @ Rinn Reads, which is another book I need to get to. Basically Deanna's responsible for a lot of the books on my TBR...

Cait @ Paper Fury

There are three things I know for certain that Cait loves: Maggie Stiefvater, Derek Landy and dragons. Basically if Stiefvater and Landy teamed up to write a dragon book I think it'd make all of her dreams come true. The Raven Boys is yet another book I still need to get to, but I read Demon Road a few weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately I've never been able to get into A Song of Ice and Fire - I've tried reading it and I've tried listening to it - but the books have such a huge fanbase (including Cait!) so I'd like to give it another try in future.

I'm not going to tag anyone because I'm lazy, so if you want to do this tag then do it - I'd love to see which books you associate with other book bloggers!

Top Ten Tuesday | My (very over-ambitious) Halloween TBR!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is all about the books on our Autumn TBR. As I've said many times before I'm not a fan of TBRs - I often feel bogged down by them and I feel like I've 'failed' if I don't read the books on my TBR or if I read a book that isn't on my TBR at all - but I do like seasonal TBRs. I love these because I don't pressure myself to read all of these books, but I love the chance to talk about books that fit a certain theme.

In Autumn I like to try and read as many spooky books as I can during the build up to Halloween, so those are the ten fifteen books I've picked today!

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier: Is this book spooky? No idea, I haven't read it yet! But it does include a possible murder, and it's been likened to Rebecca, which is most definitely a psychologically spooky read. Plus I love Daphne du Maurier and I want to read more of her work.

Sugar Hall by Tiffany Murray: This book is published by the publishing house where I work, Seren! It's a ghost story set in the border between England and Wales during the '50s, so perfect for this time of year. One of my colleagues and I will be reading it throughout October - come and join us!

The Bird's Nest by Shirley Jackson: Shirley Jackson is my favourite horror writer. I love her. I now own all of her novels, and one of her short story collections, that have been published in the Penguin Modern Classics editions and I'm slowly working my way through them all. This one's next!

Carrie by Stephen King: I don't like Stephen King's books. There. I said it. There's just something about his writing style that means he and I don't get along, and it irritates me that his main characters are almost always writers. Seriously dude, write about someone else for a change. Having said that, I did enjoy Misery when I read it because there was nothing supernatural in it - as much as I love supernatural elements in the stories I read, I don't like them when King writes them - but I'd really like to give Carrie a try because I'm pretty sure it was the first novel of his that got published, and the concept does interest me. I've got it on my kindle, so we'll see what I think of it!

The Poor Clare by Elizabeth Gaskell: This little novella is the story of a family curse. I've read one of Gaskell's ghost stories before and enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to this one.

The Raven's Head by Karen Maitland: I think this is Karen Maitland's most recent novel, and I still haven't read anything of her's which, as a lover of historical fiction, is practically scandalous. She writes historical crime/mystery novels set in Medieval Europe, and this book sounds particularly spooky!

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix: This is a haunted house story, set in IKEA. IKEA! Okay, so it's not actually called IKEA in the book but we all know it's IKEA, right? Right. What I love most about this book, though, is that it's set out like a department store catalogue. It's the same size, shape and feel as a catalogue, and it even has an order form in the front. It's adorable! Even if I don't end up liking this book (it seems to have very varied feedback on Goodreads) I'm still glad to own it because I love it when publishers do something different like this.

How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back and White Trash Zombie Gone Wild by Diana Rowland: I love this series, and with the fifth book coming out next month I'm looking forward to getting all caught up with the series so far!

This Strange Way of Dying by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: As you know if you've been following my blog for a while, I adored Silvia Moreno-Garcia's debut novel, Signal to Noise, and now I'm really eager to check out some of her short stories. This collection sounds like the perfect collection to read as Halloween approaches!

Half Bad and Half Wild by Sally Green: I've been meaning to start this trilogy for the longest time (I meant to read Half Bad with Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight earlier this year and completely failed) and after I picked up a copy of Half Wild for just £1 at the weekend I figured I might as well give the series a try!

Demon Road by Derek Landy: I pre-ordered a signed, limited platinum edition of Derek Landy's latest book and I'm very excited to read it - I'm saving it for October!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: I'm pretty sure I put this book on my spring TBR, and I still haven't read it. I really want to, though! I did read the first chapter and I got distracted by something else, but considering it basically opens in a graveyard I think it's a pretty good read for this time of year.

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst: This is more fun than spooky, it sounds like a very entertaining reading experience and I'll turn to it when I'm in the mood for a giggle.

Which books made your list?

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag!

Okay, so it's past the mid-year point now, but I saw Cait @ Paper Fury do this tag and it looked like fun, so here goes!

Best Book You've Read So Far in 2015

I've read a lot of fantastic books this year, so this was difficult, but I decided to choose Signal to Noise for a few reasons. 1) It's genuinely not only one of the best books I've read this year, but one of the best books I've ever read. Period. 2) It's a 2015 debut novel, and yet I've barely seen anyone talking about it, which is just ridiculous. It's vital that you read this book. 3) I sometimes find it difficult to relate to teenagers in books, and it's not because I'm a super special snowflake or because they're unrealistic, it's just because, let's face it, a lot of YA is romance-centric and romance has never been a big part of my life. I didn't feel attracted to many people at all when I was at school; I never had a cute moment at a school dance or a kiss in the rain or anything, really. But this book reminded me so much of what it was like to be a teenager, it spoke to me even though I didn't grow up in the '80s and even though I didn't grow up in Mexico City. It takes a special book to bring out feelings like that.

There are, of course, a few very close runners up: The Goblin Emperor; To Kill a Mockingbird; Jane Eyre's Sisters: How Women Live and Write the Heroine's Story; How To Be a Heroine; Fingersmith; The Little Stranger.

Best Sequel You've Read So Far in 2015

So this is kind of cheating because I haven't actually finished Blackout yet, but it wasn't until I started thinking about this that I realised how few sequels I've read this year. I've been reading a lot of standalones - I love me a good standalone - and I have been reading a lot of graphic novels, but not a lot of non-graphic series at all. I'm fairly certain this is going to be my favourite sequel once I've finished it, though! I'm just savouring it because I don't know how much more heartbreak I can take with this series...

New Release You Haven't Read Yet But Want To

I own all six of these 2015 releases and I haven't read any of them yet, but I do really want to!

Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of the Year

I mean, duh. I'm desperate to get my hands on Winter even though I'm going to be very sad when this series ends.

Biggest Disappointment

This series has a lot of potential, but I just didn't like it at all. I love the game, The Wolf Among Us, but I'm just not keen on Bill Willingham's writing style.

Biggest Surprise

Oh my God this book. I was warned just how twisty and turny this book is before I started it, but I think I'm usually quite good at guessing what's coming. I wasn't prepared for this. This book left me gaping at three in the morning and desperate to talk to someone about it, while also wanting to shove the book at people so they could read it and we could both be shocked together. It's fantastic.

Favourite New Author

such a cutie patootie

After reading Signal to Noise I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye out for anything else Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes. I already have her short story collections, This Strange Way of Dying and Love & Other Poisons, and I'm planning on reading them soon!

Newest Fictional Ship

Like Cait, I'm much more of a shipper than a crusher. I love Violet and Orc Dave from Rat Queens, and also Meche and Sebastian from Signal to Noise.

Newest Favourite Character

This was a tough one because I've met so many wonderful characters already this year that I've loved, but there was one in particular who immediately popped into my head when I read this, and that was Maia. The Goblin Emperor is a fantastic, thoughtful book by a very skilled writer, but there's no way I would have loved it as much as I did if Maia hadn't been in it. He's precious and good, but he's never sickly sweet or unbelievable. I love him.

Honourable mentions go to: Meche (Signal to Noise), Angel (White Trash Zombie series), Violet (Rat Queens), Kamala (Ms. Marvel), The Stalk (Saga) and Caroline (The Little Stranger).

Book That Made You Cry

This book is so heartbreaking. Sadness weeps from the pages in waves, but it's so, so good. 

Book That Made You Happy

I opened this book and I didn't stop grinning from start to finish. This series is everything I have ever wanted in a fantasy series all rolled into one, and I can't wait for the next volume!

Favourite Book to Film Adaptation You Saw This Year

I have to agree with Cait and say If I Stay. I've watched it several times now and I'm still not bored of it.

Favourite Post You Have Done So Far This Year

I've done a few discussion posts that I'm quite proud of:

My Problem with Peeta

Should Our Books Have Trigger Warnings?

How Do You See Cinder?

Most Beautiful Book You Have Bought So Far This Year

That would have to be this stunning 150th anniversary edition of The Complete Alice: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. It's beautiful, and I bought it from a fantastic independent bookshop in Monmouth, Rossiter Books.

What Books Do You Need to Read by the End of the Year?

SO MANY. But especially these ones:

Mistress Firebrand by Donna Thorland: Donna Thorland was lovely enough to contact me and personally send me an ARC a couple of months before this novel was published - she even left me a little message on the cover of the ARC - and I still haven't read it because I'm a terrible human being. I really want to - it sounds amazing - but I'm only just getting back into historical fiction after many months of reading speculative fiction, and I think I'm a little intimidated by my complete lack of knowledge concerning American history. But no more excuses! I'm determined to read this soon, and leave the lovely Donna Thorland a review.

The Hourglass Factory by Lucy Ribchester: One of the 2015 debuts that I couldn't resist picking up. I don't think I've read any books about suffragettes - fiction or non-fiction - and that's something I need to change!

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: How haven't I read this yet? I've heard nothing but amazing things about this book, and my mum managed to find me a signed copy last Christmas, so it's about time I read it. I'm going to save it for the next time I'm in the mood for a cry.

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers: I got this for Christmas too, and I still haven't read it. Seriously, what's wrong with me? I really like this trilogy and I have a problem when it comes to finishing series - I never want them to end! It's about time I crossed this book off my TBR, though...

The Falconer by Elizabeth May: I've heard such mixed things about this book that I just want to see what it's like for myself. I'm hoping it's good, because I think it's a cool concept, and I love me some historical fiction with fantastical elements.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: Again, how have I not read this yet? I think this book makes me nervous because it's so popular, but I'd like to try and read it during the build up to Halloween!

The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan: Another debut novel that sounds right up my alley, and one that I've heard some amazing things about it. It also has a gorgeous cover, and it's even prettier under the dust jacket.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel: This book has been getting a lot of hype so usually I probably wouldn't go anywhere near it, but my friend Elena (who I went to Rome with!) absolutely loves this book, in fact I'm fairly certain it was her favourite book of 2014, so I thought I should give it a try!

Resistance is Futile by Jenny T. Colgan: I have a soft spot for Colgan's contemporary fiction - particularly her Rosie Hopkins books - but she's also a big sci-fi nut. This book has been described as Bridget Jones's Diary meets Independence Day, so I simply have to read it. Plus it's another 2015 release so I'd like to read it in 2015!

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton: Yet another book that's done well for itself, and one that several of my friends have said is amazing. I was lucky enough to find a hardback edition for only £5 just before Christmas, and I'd like to read it soon! I'm pretty sure it's set in the autumn, so I think September/October time will be the perfect time to cross it off my TBR.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab: Yet another 2015 release and yet another book that everyone has been talking about. I snapped up a copy of this when it was released in February and I still haven't read it because I suck.

The Dinosaur Lords by Victor Milán: YES DINOSAURS. This is also a 2015 release and the first book in a new trilogy, I believe. I'd like to read it this year so that, if I like it, I can snap up the second book when it comes out next year.

There's so much to read and so little time. Seriously, those of you who manage to read 200 books in a year, I salute you. I'm not going to tag anyone because I'm lazy, but if you want to do this tag then do it!