Book Review: I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Title: I'll Meet You There Author: Heather Demetrios Published: February 3, 2015 by Henry Holt (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.  Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

I'm not a big contemporary fan. And I'm even less of a fan of romances. Despite seeing all the rave reviews about this book when it came out and people trying to sell it to me as one of their favorite contemporary reads I didn't have much interest. Bur I'm going the local FYA Book Club and this is their November read. So I picked it up and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. But I'll Meet You There is that rare contemporary romance that really impressed me.

Maybe that was because the characters were so relateable. As a small town girl who always wanted to get out into the wider world I can absolutely relate to Sky and her desire to leave Creek View behind. But I can also relate to her struggle with actually leaving. It's this really subtle conflict and inner turmoil that makes Sky so interesting and complex while making the book so engaging. And in general, Sky is just a really interesting and likeable character. She is the perfect balance of strength and vulnerability. She's independent without seeming fake, she's tough but sensitive, she's just so real. And Josh too was so complex and relateable. Throughout the book you get a few peaks into his head where you get to know him and his struggle better. He had his own demons to deal with and I felt just as invested in his happiness. There are also lots of interesting secondary characters including the MC's families, Skylar's friends, and Marge the owner of the motel who I really liked. The book was full of quirky and engaging characters that felt so realistic.

A lot of why I don't enjoy contemporary romances is because of well, the romance. I've mentioned before how I'm romancephobic, so it's hard to please me in the love department. But I did enjoy the relationship here. Maybe the romance worked because it was a rally great slowburn.  At the beginning of the book I could understand why the characters has a connection, they obviously liked each other and had a history of friendship. But that was all it was for me, and frankly them. But as the book developed the crush and romantic feelings grew so strong that it was almost painful. About halfway through the book I just wanted to smoosh their faces together. And that feeling went on honestly for most of the rest of the book. They were just so good together despite their vulnerabilities. Or maybe because of them. And what I liked about it was that it wasn't perfect. It was messy and they argued and they tried to get together and it didn't work. It again, just felt so true to life.

I also really liked the setting of this book. Creek View, California is definitely an interesting place. Heather does a great job of describing the town in a visually interesting way. In a way where it feels bleak but also charming. From the crappy motel that Sky works at, to the one restaurant in town, to the trailer park she lives in. It all jumps off the pages in a cinematic way. Sometimes stories about small town life can seem cliche but this never did. The town in general came alive. I'm not sure if it was the people or that you could feel the characters connection to it but it seemed like the kind of places you wanted to visit but would not want to stay too long. It felt like a really interesting place and like the perfect location to tell this kind of story.

There is just so much to like about this book. At it's heart it's a great character-driven story. I loved seeing both Skylar and Josh develop and grown throughout the book both together and separately. They both had great character development and it made the book so engaging. This book is more on the serious side of things but it still worked really well. One of my criticisms about contemporary YA is that it often seems to be sad for the sake of being sad. Or too serious and overly-dramatic. I like serious, I'm okay with sad, but I think you can write a sad and serious book without forcing the subject and that's what I'll Meet You There did. There are a lot of issues about family, life, society, war covered here and it never felt forced or overwhelming. It was sentimental and affecting but it wasn't all-consuming. I liked that.

I give I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios 9.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. I know by the fact that people freaked out on my via all forms of social media when I said I was reading this book that it is beloved. Now after reading it I can see why. It's an engrossing read with realistic and relateable characters. A must read whether you are a contemporary fan or not. If you are looking for a good book with great characters who are far from perfect pick this up.

Have you read I'll Meet You There? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Crossing Over: Science Fiction Survival Stories

It's time for this month's edition of Crossing Over. If you're not familiar with Crossing Over it's a feature where I recommend an adult book with crossover appeal based on a YA book that is similar. It's basically an if you liked, then try but for crossover books. I'm trying to make this a more regular thing where I pick the books based on that month's theme but I skipped last month because I used that theme in the previous month. Although it's only been about an extra two weeks since my last one so we'll go with it. So because this is Science Fiction month I decided to go with two books that are pretty hot right now but they are both fantastic!

Illunimae by Aime Kaufman and Jay Kristoff 
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

Illuminae is a book that will serious mess with your head and give you feels that you were not expecting. After an attack on a planet deep in the solar system, the survivors need to figure out a way to survive despite all kinds of crazy circumstances working against them. The main characters use their understanding of technology and military training to get them through things. There are laughs, there are tears, there is tons of action and by the end of the book you will be on the edge of your seat so terrified about how it will all end for the hero you have come to know and love. But the best part is that it's told in an interesting format with a lot of different perspectives really making for a complex and engaging story.

The Martian by Andy Weir
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

The Martian is a book that will give you feels that you were not expecting and have you so much more entertained than you thought a hard sci-fi novel would. After an accident on a planet deep in the solar system a man is left behind and needs to figure out a way to survive despite all kinds of crazy circumstances working against them. The main character uses his understanding of science and military training to get him through things. There are laughs, there are tears, there is tons of action and by the end of the book you will be on the edge of your seat so terrified about how it will all end for the hero you have come to know and love. But the best part is that it's told in an interesting format with a lot of different perspectives really making for a complex and engaging story.

These are both amazing examples of why I love Science Fiction and books about survival. There is a huge focus on science and technology but at the heart of the story it is really about the characters. And both of these books have highly intelligent and snarky, sarcastic characters. If you didn't know, those are the characters that I absolutely love. They are also books that just absolutely build to a conclusion that will have you so engrossed and attached that if you aren't worried or in tears, you must be an AI. They are without a doubt two of my top ten books of the year and must reads for anyone who likes Science Fiction.

Have you read Illuminae and/or The Martian? What did you think? What science fiction crossovers do you like? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins

Title: Until We Meet Again Author: Renee Collins Published: November 3, 2015 by Sourcebooks Fire (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: They exist in two different centuries, but their love defies time  Cassandra craves drama and adventure, so the last thing she wants is to spend her summer marooned with her mother and stepfather in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. But when a dreamy stranger shows up on their private beach claiming it's his own—and that the year is 1925—she is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making.  As she searches for answers in the present, Cassandra discovers a truth that puts their growing love—and Lawrence's life—into jeopardy. Desperate to save him, Cassandra must find a way to change history…or risk losing Lawrence forever.

*** I received and advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion ***

When I saw this book on Netgalley I was immediately attracted to it. It sounds like an interesting time travel story with a star-crossed romance and a complex plot. Totally up my alley. And while I did really enjoy it, some parts didn't totally work for me. Okay, so now that you have read the synopsis who wants to take bets as to which part of the book I enjoyed and which part of this book didn't quite work for me? By now this should come as no surprise to you.

One thing I did love about this book was the general plot development. I went into it expecting this to be a pretty typical time travel storyline but it had that and more. The time travel stuff was actually pretty interesting. I wasn't at all sure what was going on with that part of the story, and there was even a period where I thought maybe this wasn't time travel at all but when it really started diving into the aspects and the effects of time travel, that's where it hooked me. It had a real interesting feel to it that both felt traditional and creative. As someone who loves time travel stories I enjoyed all the nods to the tropes. I also really liked the 1920's subplot. I wouldn't really call it historical fiction but it did have some great elements of the period. But the thing that I liked most about it was that there was so much mystery with this plot point that kept me reading and had me curious and questioning. And while the reveals didn't come as much of a surprise it did keep me engaged and intrigued throughout most of the book.

However the pacing didn't quite work for me. I already mentioned that I wasn't at all sure what was happening with the time travel stuff in the beginning and I think that was part of what slowed the book down for me. I'm not sure if it was trying to build exposition or suspense but it didn't completely work And while most of the middle of the book had me really engaged in the action and mystery, it took it's time before it really got to that plot development. This is not a very long book but it took me longer to read than I expected because it took me awhile to get into it. I also felt like reaching the actual conclusion took a little too long as well. I actually found myself thinking "just get to the end already." But when it was all over I was actually wishing there was more. It was such an odd feeling because by that point in the story I was so invested in it, I wanted to see how it would end but I didn't actually want it to be over. And speaking of that ending, that was the moment I realized that I actually liked this book. It was such a perfect ending. Not at all what I expected and totally bittersweet but so perfect.

As far as the characters go, I am a bit on the fence when it comes to them. Many of them were interesting and engaging but some more than others. To be entirely honest, I found the characters in the 1920's to be much more engaging than the ones in the present. I really liked Lawrence, the male lead. I mean who doesn't love a charming poet from the 1920's. I also found Fay really complex and interesting. She is kind of his love interest before he meets the main character and I loved her development throughout the book. Plus Lawrence's family and friends were really interesting as well. Cassandra however didn't totally jump off the page for me. She felt a bit one-note to me. I liked her commitment to solving the mystery but I'm not sure I can point to any specific personality traits for her that I either liked or didn't like. She just felt a little basic. Which is really a shame because we have the same name and I always want to like characters named Cassandra.

And I'm not sure if it's the fact that I didn't love the female lead or because I am in general not a huge fan of romance, but here that subplot didn't totally work for me. It started as a bit of your typical insta-love romance so I didn't have an immediate connection to it (side note probably that was one of the reasons I didn't enjoy the beginning of the book). But as things went on it did grow into a more star-crossed thing that I liked. But as someone who is hard to please when it comes to romance I will say that it had it's moments and by the end it did actually kind of grow on me. And then again when I was finished reading I actually had to question whether or not I even shipped it. It saw such a perfect and sweet ending that I may actually have enjoyed the romance. Most of the book I was so unphased by the relationship, I mean at one point on Goodreads I complained about how I wanted less kissing, but by the end I had sort of changed my tune.

On the whole, Until We Meet Again was a good read with lots of good elements. Despite some things that didn't really work for me, in the end it was an interesting and engaging read that left me wanting more.

I give Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are looking for a good YA time travel romance ala The Time Traveler's Wife or Outlander then I would definitely recommend this book. Fans of romances will probably enjoy it more than if you are looking for something with a complex Science Fiction/Fantasy time travel thing but it does have a bit of both. It had a really interesting plot and despite not totally connecting with the characters or romance I enjoyed it.

Waiting on Wednesday: Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Revenge and the Wild Author: Michelle Modesto Published: February 2, 2016 by Balthazar + Bray (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler. Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways. But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now. This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto

Why I'm Waiting 

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! Did you read that synopsis? No seriously, did you? I mean I don't think that you could write a more perfect synopsis for me. Not only is this book another YA Western, which I have been loving lately, but it also has dark magic and it is set in a steampunk world. I have heart eyes just thinking about all of that. Plus can we talk about the fact that the main character is a kickass female out for revenge from the cannibals who ate her family. Cannibals!

Not only does this sound like it is going to have such a fascinating and unique world but it sounds like it is going to be pretty dark. It is without a doubt one of my most anticipated debuts because let's be honest, it's a total me book. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Have you read A Darker Shade of Magic? Are you waiting on Revenge and the Wild along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Top Ten Tuesday: Debut Authors Whose Next Books I'm Excited For

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I am actually killing it with debuts this year. I've read over 20 which is a huge improvement from last year where I read three debuts. The 2015 Debut Author Challenge has been a big help for that for sure. And so here is the list of debut authors where I need to read more of their books.

Because I Desperately Need The Sequel

1.) Becky Wallace
Book: The Storyspinner
I loved The Storyspinner so much. It is my second favorite debut of 2015 and without a doubt one of my favorite new fantasies of the year. I desperately need The Skylighter now.

2.) Renee Ahdieh
Book: The Wrath and the Dawn
I was surprised by how much I liked The Wrath and the Dawn. It was such a feminist book and Shazi is amazing. I can't wait for The Rose and the Dagger.

3.) Melinda Salisbury
Book: The Sin Eater's Daughter
Another great read that had a really fantastic new world. I'm excited to explore it more in The Sleeping Prince, a companion sequel which I think is really interesting

You Have A New Book Coming Which Sounds Amazing

4.) Sharon Biggs Waller
Book: A Mad, Wicked Folly
I read A Mad, Wicked Folly last year and it was one of my favorite debuts. It was such a great YA historical fiction. She's got a new book coming next year I can't wait to read

5.) Kim Liggett
Book: Blood & Salt
I think Kim has two books next year. I loved Blood & Salt so clearly I need it's sequel but her new book The Last Harvest also sounds brilliant.

6.) Stacey Lee
Book: Under A Painted Sky
This is the book that started my recent love of YA westerns. It was such a great diverse historical fiction novel and her next one sounds equally amazing.

Write Another Book ASAP Please!

7.) Becky Albertalli

Book: Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
This was my favorite debut of 2015. It is such a wonderful, hilarious, and important YA contemporary. I want Becky to write another book.

8.) Helene Wecker
Book: The Golem and the Jinni
I read this book this year but it was published in 2013 I think. But seriously, a brilliant debut historical fantasy. I want more from Helene.

9.) Andy Weir
Book: The Martian
Another book I read this year but it was published in 2014. I'm counting it however because it is a debut and it is brilliant.

10.) Mackenzie Lee
Book: This Monstrous Thing
I thought This Monstrous Thing was fantastic. It was such a unique retelling and I loved the historical aspects. I want more from Mackenzi for sure.

There you have it, the ten debut authors who I would like to read more books from. Some have new books coming which is very exciting and some I need to persuade to write more, perhaps. I have leftover Halloween candy. Perhaps they can be bribed. What authors made your list? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Title: Ice Like Fire Series: Snow LikeAshes #2 Author: Sara Raasch Published: October 13, 2015 by Balthazar + Bray (Harper Collins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.  Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?  Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?  As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

*** This is the second book in a series and there may be spoilers in this post. If you haven't read Snow Like Ashes then do that and come back. ***

Despite wanting to read it before the book was released, it took me nearly six months to get around to reading Snow Like Ashes. When I finally did read it, I found it a good YA fantasy and I was interested to see how the series would develop. So when I saw a great deal on a preorder of Ice Like Fire I snagged it. Ice Like Fire was a good sequel. It let us explore the world more, furter developed the characters, and had complex plot development.

For me, the best thing about the series is the world. What the author has created here is something so interesting and engaging. Each kingdom is so diverse with specific traits, ideals, and even climates. It reminds me so much of the societies in Avatar: The Last Airbender which I love but here it felt more like if Hogwarts houses were countries. In the first book we got to explore a few kingdoms and here we got to visit three more places in Primoria in addition to exploring Winter even more. Each kingdoms is more interesting than the one before. I really liked Yakim. It's the knowledge kingdom and has this steampunk-like technology. It's probably the kingdom I would want to live in. Although like all places, it has it's downfall. We also got to visit Ventralli and Summer which were both really interesting places and were both pretty cool too. What I liked most is that they were all so dubious.

The only problem with that is that exploring new kingdoms meant more exposition. And because there was more exposition and world-building it meant that it took longer to get to the real plot of the book. The beginning felt like it was just going to be one big travel monologue and you probably know I hate that (although I haven't whined about it much lately). There was a lot of political intrigue and big picture stuff along the way which was pretty cool but I felt like I was mostly playing a waiting game. Some things advanced quicker than I would have expected while others took longer. On the whole it is a pretty slow paced book. I think that to me was the biggest change here. The first book had nonstop action and this one was more slow and methodical. And while I appreciated the political intrigue and the fact that it all built to a thrilling conclusion I missed some of the action. It was a bit too much of a waiting game for me and when the action did finally kick in, it was over a little too quickly.

But this book did feel a little bit more character focused. A lot of the book was spent developing the three main characters we met in the first book, Meira, Mather, and Theron. Most of them, okay all three if I'm being entirely honest, are not coping well with the revelations in book one and they felt a little whiny at times. I can usually handle whiny characters but it did make me hold them at arms length and it was harder to connect this time around. However I am enjoying Meira's development. She's struggling with her new role and I enjoyed seeing her try and walk that line between Meira from book one and who everyone wants her to be now. She felt a little more well-rounded in this book. And there were also some great new characters including the royals. My personal favorite was probably Ceridwen from Sunmer. She's so sassy and really complex. Her and Meira get along really well and it is so nice to see Meira have a female friend. But Giselle from Yakim was pretty interesting and so was Raelyn and Jesse from Ventralli. Each of the new characters were so complex and interesting, and just like their kingdoms they were pretty dubious. There are definitely some interesting characters here in this series.

On the whole, Ice Like Fire was a good sequel that was on par with the first book in the series. I liked being able to explore the world more, see the big picture plot development, and meet some complex new characters with development from the characters from the previous series. I'm interested to see where how the series will end. There are some potential clues as to what might happen in the third book and I'm majorly intrigued.

I give Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch 8.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you liked the first book in this series then grab yourself a copy of this one and explore more of Primoria with Meira and the others. It's definitely shaping up to be an interesting YA fantasy, despite a few things I didn't love. If you like fantasy then you will probably enjoy this series as well. I'm guessing it will probably be a good series to marathon when the final book comes out next year.

Have you read Ice Like Fire? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

October Wrap Up and November TBR

Read in October: Fantasy

The fall of anticipated reads continues with some absolutely amazing books in October. This month was mostly about highly anticipated sequels. Some books I have been dying for came out this month. Plus let's be honest, my theme this month is my favorite genre so of course it was amazing. I had one 10 star review and a few that came damn close if I'm being honest. Seriously this month had some amazing reads.

I'm also still doing really well on my challenges. I am up to 111 books for the the year which is a substantially ahead of my goal of reading 120 books this year. I'm also way ahead of the goal for the Debut Author Challenge and have set my sights on reading 24 debuts. I only read one debuts this month but I am now up to 23 debuts for the year. ONE MORE TO GO! I'm also doing well on the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge having read two books for that challenge as well. I've reached my goal of reading 25 books and my new goal is to get my NG percentage to 80% which is very exciting so now I need to maintain that. And finally I once again dropped the ball on the TBR Pile Challenge. I am still at 17 and I need to read 4 more books to reach my goal but I have plans for November and December that will get me there.

The Books

1.) The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

2.) Nimona by Noelle Stevenson Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]

3.) A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston Rating: 7.5 out of 10 [My Review]

4.) Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson Rating: 10 out of 10 [My Review]

5.) City of Thirst by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]

6.) Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
 Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]

7.) Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]

8.) The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

9.) The Rose Society by Marie Lu Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]

10.) After Alice by Gregory Maguire Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My review]
11.) Ice Like Fire by Sarah Raasch Rating: [My Review to Come]

Rereads 
Finishing School Series by Gail Carriger

12.) Etiquette and Espionage - [Original Review]

13.) Curtsies and Conspiracies  - [Original Review]

14.) Waistcoats and Weaponry  - [Original Review]

Other Posts

Discussion: Why I Never Finish A Book Before Bed

Waiting on Wednesday: Calamity by Brandon Sanderson, Passenger by Alexandra Bracken, A Gathering of Shadows by Victoria Schwab

To Be Read in November: Science Fiction

My planned theme for November is Science Fiction. Mostly this is because the few new releases I have preordered and know I am reading are Sci-Fi reads and I have a few books in my TBR that would also fit that theme.

Lately my reading has been a little behind and I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. I don't have a lot of review books so I can sort of just relax and read whatever I want which will be a nice change. So because of this, I kind of want to play things by ear this month.

1.) Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins - Add to Goodreads
This is a time travel book, which I love and am excited about. but it also is a bit of historical fantasy which is one of my favorite subgenres. The few early reviews of this one look good and I have a review copy so I am excited to give it a try.

2.) Soundless by Richelle Mead - Add to Goodreads
I've seen some mixed reviews about this book but I got a copy at BEA and I'm excited to give it a try. I haven't read any Richelle Mead so I hope I like it. Her new series sounds amazing so I'm interested in checking her out.

3.) Manners and Mutiny by Gail Carriger - Add to Goodreads
This is the final book in the Finishing School series which I'm such a fan of. It's about teenage girls at a steampunk Victorian boarding school learning to be spies. It's amazing. I just did a reread of the series so check that out for more thoughts.

4.) The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay - Add to Goodreads
This is one of my review books for the month. It's one of those books for book loves that involves, you guessed it, the Bronte sisters. I have not read one of these books in awhile so I'm excited plus I love me some Emily Bronte.

5.) Winter by Marissa Meyer - Add to Goodreads
The final book in The Lunar Chronicles series. I am both nervous and excited to read it. I need to know what happens to these characters and in this world but I am so scared that they will not all get their happy endings.

6.) Red Rising by Pierce Brown - Add to Goodreads
My last round secret sister got me a copy of this book and I have been wanting to read it for awhile now. I've heard good things and it sounds interesting. So I figure I will start the series this month because it fits my theme.

7.) The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater - Add to Goodreads
I saw Maggie a few weeks ago and it made me realize that I definitely need to read more of her books. I know so many people who love this series and have said that it is a very fall read. I've had a copy of this one and so I'm finally reading it.

8.) I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios - Add to Goodreads
I am not a big fan of contemporary but I have heard good things about this one. Plus the two events I went to in October I met members of the FYA book club and I'm planning to join them this month and it's their pick for November.

So those are the only books that I have planned.  There are a few other new releases that fit the theme that I may pick up if I have time or I maybe marathon a series that has been on my list for awhile. I'm also thinking about doing a secret read because I know it's a really popular book. But we shall see, it may just be these eight books. Or I may DNF some or bump some to December. I have a few potential or backup books that I may end up reading as well.

Potential Reads

Golden Son by Pierce Brown - Add to Goodreads
This is the sequel to Red Rising so if I like it, I'm going to try and read this book as well. The final book in the series comes out in a few months so I may wait until then to finish the last two but if I can and want to I'll get a copy of this book as well

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - Add to Goodreads
I've had a copy of this book for ages. I know a lot of people really enjoyed it and it made a lot of best of lists for 2014. The author is coming to town in February so I want to try and read it before I get tickets.

Lock In by John Scalzi - Add to Goodreads
I got a copy of the audiobook for this book a while ago when Audible was having a sale. I heard that there are two different versions because the MC is supposed to be genre neutral. I'm kind of interested in listening to both versions.

Ten Thousand Skis Above You by Claudia Grey - Add to Goodreads
This is the sequel to A Thousand Pieces of You which I read last year and I really liked it. It fits this months theme so if I can get a copy then I may read it. Or I may wait until January because it fits that theme too.

Rereads:

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress

The Starbound Trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner - These Broken Stars, This Shattered World

So I wanted to reread The Lunar Chronicles last month but I didn't get the chance. With Winter coming out November 10th I need to make it happen. I need to be prepared. I also need to be prepared for Their Fractured Light coming out December 1st and reread These Broken Stars and This Shattered World. I have all the audiobooks on hold at the library so I can do it.

What are you reading in November? Are there any of the same books on your list? Have you read any of these? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!