December Wrap Up

December was a pretty good reading month, especially with audiobooks.  I completed the Popsugar reading challenge.  I always get a little slumpy as the end of the challenge approaches.  Last year I was reading a book I really didn't like and it took me forever to finish.  This year I was reading something I actually liked, but it still dragged on a bit because there was a bit of pressure to finish up.  I also have a few ARCs and reviews looming for January, so it starts to feel like work not fun.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• I'm so glad I finally read this.  I really enjoyed it and can't wait to see what happens in Crooked Kingdom.  There are so many twists and turns.  This finished up my challenge for a book with an animal in the title.  
• Vicious by V.E. Schwab
• I've been meaning to read this forever.  It started off slow for me for a couple of reasons.  It was one of my last reading prompts (anti-hero/villain) and I think I overhyped it so I had really high expectations.  Once I settled in I really began to enjoy it.  Looking forward to the next book.
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by by John Tiffany (Adaptation), Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling 
• This was my final challenge book (turned into a screenplay/play).  Since it is a play script I went with it.  I actually really enjoyed it.  Not much to say about Harry Potter, but I liked that this takes place later on, and is focused on his son.  We see Harry in a different light and as a parent with realistic parent struggles that have nothing to do with magic. As a mom I totally relate.

Audiobooks

• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison
• I really loved this.  I think I will finish the series in book format.  I feel like I kept missing things in audio, which is a problem I have with fantasy sometimes.  The narration was great, but I would have liked to go back a page and reread things I was confused about.  This is an awesome book and deserves all the hype it gets.  It is so unique and the author keeps things interesting.
• The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
• This completed challenge prompt book for a book involving a bookstore or a library.  It involves both.  My mom gave me her paperback a while back, but I opted for the audio.  This is a really cute book, but the main character, Nina I found to be infuriating at times.  She was a bit too clueless and weak for my taste.  I just wanted to shake her and yell at her for most of the book.  She eventually got it together, so it all kind of worked out.  
• Don't Put Me in Coach by Mark Titus
• As I anticipated this book was a challenge for me to complete.  The writing was actually pretty good, but the author's sense of humor just isn't to my taste.  I listened to about half of the audiobook then switched to the e-book to finish up which I found a little easier to handle.  It was fairly short.  I enjoyed hearing about the basketball, but the immaturity and vulgarity was a bit too much for my liking.  This did knock out a challenge prompt for me or else I would have DNFed based on my personal taste.
• Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness
• I really loved the Discovery of Witches Series, and when I heard there was a new book out I requested it from the library right away.  I really loved seeing Diana and Matthew and their children, as well as the rest of the family and get to know Marcus and Phoebe more.  This was kind of all over the place as it jumps timelines and switches character POVs.  There isn't really a plot, it is more character driven story telling.  I liked learning about the characters, but there wasn't really a plot to keep the story focused as with the original trilogy..
• The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
• This is a strange little story about a girl who finds out that she isn't who she thought she was.  The bad luck that has followed her and her mother around is actually part of a strange fairy tale world that she is connected to.  Its an OK read, not good not bad.  The fairy tales are pretty dark.  I expected to like it more than I did.
• Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
• I really loved this.  The audio is told in case files, but it is done with a full cast.  It is very well done.  This team of scientists and military/government personnel are tasked with unearthing and discovering the origins and functions of this artifact.  I really liked the premise of the story.  The book is fast paced, not terribly long.
• Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel
• I really love this series.  It is a lot of fun.  I love the full cast and the fast pace.  I was able to start this directly after Sleeping Giants.  I'm a sucker for aliens, robots, and science fiction.  I'm on the waiting list for the 3rd book and can't wait to finish the series.

December TBR

Most of these are for my reading challenge prompts, so I'll be reading those by the end of the year.  Most of these were on my TBR for November and I just didn't get to them.  I also have a couple of ARCs for books that come out in January, but I'm not sure if I'll get to them in December.  Most of these are fairly long, so we'll see how it goes.

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• Vicious by Victoria Schwab
• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by by John Tiffany (Adaptation), Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling 
• I'm reading this for a challenge for a book turned into a screenplay or play.  Perfect fit I think.
• White Stag by Kara Barberi
• This is the first book in a new YA Fantasy series.  This is supposed to be brutal, and have monsters.  Sounds like a fun read.
• Firestarter by Tara Sim
• This is is a January release and the 3rd book in the Timekeeper series.  I've really enjoyed the series and I'm looking forward to finding out how our Clock Spirit and Clock Mechanic fair in this installment.
• Freefall by Jessica Barry
• This is a mystery/thriller out in January.  There's a plane crash, and a mother/daughter that are separated and determined to find one another.

Audiobooks

• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison
• Everyone keeps talking about this series.  So I thought I'd give it a try.  It sounds like something I'd like.  I've already started this and while it started out slowly I'm really enjoying it.
• The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
• This is a challenge prompt book for a book involving a bookstore or a library.  It involves both.  I've started this one as well and its cute, though the main character is infuriating at times because she so ridiculously afraid of everything.
• A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
• This is a repeat from last month.  I own it so I'll get to it when there is a break in my library holds.
• Don't Put Me in Coach by Mark Titus
• This is a challenge book to for a book involving a sport.  I listened to the intro, and I can tell that this is going to be a difficult listen for me because the writer is a self titled clown.  He doesn't take anything seriously, so we'll see how it goes.  I want to give it a chance.

Top 5 Wednesday: Books You Want to Read Before 2019

Our Goodreads goals are quickly closing in. What are you prioritizing for the end of the year?

I'm mainly focusing on reading books for the remaining challenge prompts for my reading challenge for the rest of the year.  I have 8 prompts left as of the time I am writing this post, and books picked out for all of them.

• Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier - This is for a book involving time travel.  I've heard things about this series, some good some bad.  We'll see how it goes.  
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• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - This will cover a book with an animal in the title.  I've been wanting to read this for some time now and I've heard nothing but good things.
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• Vicious by V.E. Schwab - This is for the anti-hero prompt.  I know this involves some mad science and perhaps some mutants.  I like her writing and I can't wait to read this.
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• The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout - OK this isn't for a prompt, but I just got it from the library today so I'm going to read it ASAP.  I loved the Lux series and this follows one of the side characters from that world.  I can't wait to read it, so all other books will just have to wait until I'm done.
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• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by by John Tiffany (Adaptation), Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling - This is for the challenge prompt for a book that has been turned into a play.  I think it fits perfectly.
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November TBR

I have a couple of ARCs in progress that I need to finish up and review, but for the most part I'm free to read whatever I want for the rest of the year.  I'm hoping to finish up the remaining books on my reading challenge list.  I only have 10 books left, that's not too bad with 2 months left in the year. 

Books/Ebooks/ARCs

• Everless by Sara Holland
• This is the sequel to Evermore.  This series centers around a world where time is currency and time lives in your blood.  I really enjoyed the first book and I'm looking forward to finding out where the story goes.  This comes out in December but I'm trying to stay on top of my ARCs.
• Vicious by Victoria Schwab
• This book will fulfill my anti-hero prompt.  I've heard great things about this book, and the sequel just came out.  I recently picked this up on Kindle for 99 cents, so I'm excited to finally have time to read this.  I hear it is about mutants or monsters and two completing frenemies, maybe?  I like Scwab's writing and I'm looking forward to reading this.
• Cranberry Bluff by Deborah Garner
• I've had this on my Kindle for a while and I forget what it is about.  I think it is a contemporary.  I do remember it was free and came recommended.  It fits the prompt for a fruit or vegetable in the title so I'm going to give it a chance.  
• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• I've wanted to read this forever.  I've heard nothing but good things about her books and this duology.  I was holding out for the audio, but my library doesn't have it on Overdrive or Hoopla.  This will fulfill my challenge for an animal in the title.

Audiobooks

As usual I've got 7 books on hold at the library, and several more on my wishlist.  I do have 2 checked out currently that I'll definitely get to in November.  

• Must of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
• I've been anxiously awaiting this since reading Strange the Dreamer earlier this year and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
• A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
• I'm really enjoying this series.  This is the 4th book in the series.  It is full of political intrigue, deceit, humor, and war.  I'm interested to see where things go from where they left off in the 3rd book.
• A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
• I won this in a giveaway via Libro.fm, a new audiobook vendor site I recently found.  I'm really excited to get to this.  I love Mafi's writing style and I'm excited to read something a little different from her.