Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR!

I've recently discovered Top Ten Tuesday which is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish! I probably won't do Top Ten Tuesday every week, but I will definitely be posting more in the future! This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is Top Ten Books on my Fall TBR! Here's the 10 books I'm most looking forward to reading this fall, in no particular order;

1. The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson which is the sequel to The Kiss of Deception! This isn't  fall release, but I've been putting it off because I love reading fantasy novels in the colder months.

2. Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray, sequel to The Diviners! This also isn't a fall release, it was released last month in August but I haven't had time to get to it yet so Fall is when I'll be reading this beauty!

3. Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. I'll be reading this in the Fall in preparation for Ice Like Fire which is released this October!

4. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan. This is the final book to The Heroes of Olympus series that I still haven't read! I don't want to see Percy go! This book was also on my Summer TBR but I'm hoping with Rick's new series coming out this October it'll push me to finally finish this series up! Speaking of his new series...

5. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan! This one comes out in October and it's Rick's new Norse Mythology series about Annabeth's cousin, Magnus Chase! I'm super excited to read a new series by Rick.

6. Winter by Marissa Meyer. This is the last book in The Lunar Chronicles and one of my top 3 most anticipated releases of 2015! It's released in November, which I consider to be winter but is still technically Fall so it's on my Fall TBR!

7. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This book is on the BBC Top 100 Books to read which I'm using as a challenge to read more books I wouldn't usually go for and it seems like the perfect book for the colder weather!

8. You by Caroline Kepnes. This is on my Fall/October TBR to read since it's a thriller/mystery novel! I've heard a lot about it lately, I'm really looking forward to picking this up for Halloween!

9. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Another book on my October TBR I'm hoping to read for Halloween! Obviously Frankenstein is the perfect read for Halloween!

10. Walk on Earth A Stranger by Rae Carson. This one is actually released on the first day of Fall, today! I loved Rae Carson's The Girl of Fire & Thorns trilogy so I'm really excited for her new series! Especially because it's historical and I've been loving historical this past year!


Share with me some of your top TBR books for this Fall below! :)

Review; Wild by Alex Mallory

Synopsis; In this action-packed and timely "Tarzan for the digital age," Cade, a teen raised in the wilderness, is brought into modern civilization.

The forest is full of secrets, and no one understands that better than Cade. Foraging, hunting, surviving-that's all he knows. Alone for years, Cade believes he's the sole survivor. At least, until he catches a glimpse of a beautiful stranger...

Dara expected to find natural wonders when she set off for a spring break camping trip. Instead, she discovers a primitive boy-he's stealthy and handsome and he might be following her. Intrigued, Dara seeks him out and sets a catastrophe in motion.

Thrust into society, Cade struggles with the realization that the life he knew was a lie. But he's not the only one. Trying to explain life in a normal town leaves Dara questioning it.

As the media swarm and the police close in, Dara and Cade risk everything to get closer. But will the truth about Cade's past tear them apart? 

My Thoughts;  

Wild is a retelling of Tarzan which of course immediately intrigued me as soon as I heard about it! I absolutely adore retellings and since I've never read a Tarzan one, I knew I had to get my hands on this one. 

I really loved the focus on Cade's life and seeing his reaction to so many new things. I loved that it was realistic, that when he was being introduced to the world he thought it was scary and unknown, he didn't like it. It was very realistic that being introduced to something so new and so vastly different to everything he knows that he'd be scared of it, especially the way people treated him in this town and the media. I really felt for him! His story really tore at my heart. 

The pacing in this book is pretty slow, it's not super action packed but pretty character driven. I really loved learning about Cade's past and seeing Dara introduce him to civilization. The plot does have a little romance, but it's very much in the background! I loved that the romance didn't overpower the main plot and that the romance felt really natural, Cade and Dara had great chemistry! 

Overall, Wild was a great modern retelling of Tarzan! If you love retellings and a good contemporary, I'd recommend you give this a try! 

Review; Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Synopsis: What if you'd been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, who she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that's as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her archnemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger). But just when Alice's scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she's said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she caused irreparable damage to the people around her—and to the one person who matters most?

My Thoughts;  

First things first, I want to say that this book was very honest and real. It's very raw and very real, it doesn't gloss over anything or romanticize cancer or it's side effects. That being said, while I can appreciate that about the book, I did not like this book. 

My main problem with this book was the main character Alice. I did not like her at all. She's so mean, such a bully and so manipulative. She was just cold and heartless, not to mention so freakin' moody. With Harvey, she'd be clinging on to him one minute and then completely ignoring him and being a complete asshole to him the next.

Overall, this book had a lot of potential, it had a great plot but poor execution and I didn't like or connect with any of the characters, which made it very hard for me to enjoy the story. I would say if you're a fan of John Green or these kinds of stories, to still give it a shot! Hopefully you'll like it more than me! 

Rating; 2/5 stars.

Review; Miss Mayhem (Rebel Belle #2) by Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis; Life is almost back to normal for Harper Price. The Ephors have been silent after their deadly attack at Cotillion months ago, and her best friend, Bee, has returned after a mysterious disappearance. Now Harper can focus on the important things in life: school, canoodling with David (her nemesis-turned-ward-slash-boyfie), and even competing in the Miss Pine Grove pageant.

Unfortunately, supernatural chores are never done. The Ephors have decided they’d rather train David than kill him. The catch: Harper has to come along for the ride, but she can’t stay David’s Paladin unless she undergoes an ancient trial that will either kill her . . . or make her more powerful than ever. 

My Thoughts:

Miss Mayhem is the sequel to Rebel Belle and what I loved most about the first book was that it was fast paced and fun! I'm happy to say this one maintained that same fast pace and fun quality to it! 

Unfortunately that's about all I can say when I think of this book. It was fun and fast paced, but the world development isn't the greatest, neither is the character development. I was hoping in the second book I'd be able to connect more to Harper, the main character, but unfortunately I still don't connect with her. 

This sequel was kind of centred around just one thing, but I feel like it was so dragged out and so anticlimactic in the end, and it could have been made to be so much more action packed instead of the pointless drama that kept being thrown in throughout the book. 

Overall, this sequel was fast paced and fun just like the first, but it was way too short for anything really interesting or exciting to happen. It was just one of those disappointing second novels in a series, but I'm hoping in the third will make up for this one!

Rating: 3/5 Stars.

Review: The Cage by Megan Shepherd

Synopsis;  The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

My Thoughts;

I had really high hopes for this book since I loved The Madman's Daughter by Megan but unfortunately it was pretty disappointing for me. The premise sounded really promising but the execution and the characters I wasn't a huge fan of. 

This book could have been suspenseful and mysterious but instead it was kinda irritating and annoying. All the teenagers in this novel did was sit around doing basically nothing. The only character who didn't irritate me was Cora, I actually read her POV and kinda just skimmed everyone else's because I found the others to be very flat and boring. I also didn't mind Mali either, she was actually an interesting character but unfortunately she doesn't get many chapters. 

The Cage had so much potential-the world building wasn't so bad, a little confusing and a few things unanswered but I'm pretty sure this a series so that's not a huge issue but for me the characters in this just made it so boring for me. They were trapped in a cage on a planet that's not earth, and they didn't care? All they did was sit around, fighting and arguing with each other. 

The last 50 pages or so did capture my attention, I must admit. There was a plot twist I didn't really see coming and the book left off in a cliffhanger that does make me intrigued to read the sequel, just to see how it's resolved! 

Overall, this isn't a bad book. The series has promise and potential, and I'm intrigued to read the sequel just because of the way this one ended! 

Rating; 2.5/5 Stars

Review; Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Synopsis: Time is slipping away.... 

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

My Thoughts; 

I enjoyed this book a hell of a lot more than I thought I would! It definitely took me by surprise! I'm still not entirely sure what this book is classified as in genre... it's kind of sci-fi I would say. Regardless, it was fast-paced and had my attention hooked the entire the time!

Talla Holloway was an awesome main character. She was very headstrong and also witty and I loved the humour she and some of the other side characters added to the book! When she was given the opportunity to enter the Brimstone Bleed and possibly win a Cure of any illness for her sick brother, she immediately jumps at the chance to save him. I loved how even when Talla got to the Brimstone Bleed and realizes she has no idea what exactly she signed up for, she stills is determined to win the Cure for her brother. 

I don't want to say too much more about Fire & Flood because I feel like you shouldn't go into this knowing too much. You definitely want to be surprised at some of the things that happen and I don't want to give too much away!

Overall, I really really enjoyed this book, it took me completely by surprise! It was fast-paced, had my attention hooked the entire time, seriously I stayed up until 3am reading this and still woke up wanting to read more. I would definitely recommend to fans of The Hunger Games, but keep in mind while it's the same basic idea as THG, it is pretty different! It's got great characters, an intriguing plotline and tons of surprises with a hint of swoony romance! I loved!

Rating; 4.5/5

Review; Broken Skies by Theresa Kay

Summary; Thirty years ago, civilization collapsed. Few survived.
Ten years ago, the aliens arrived…and stayed.
One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.
Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do anything to get him back.

In seventeen-year-old Jax Mitchell's world, humans are nearly extinct and alien settlers have arrived.

Until recently, the E’rikon have remained segregated in their city and ignored the few humans who have tried to engage them… but now they have taken Jax’s brother. To rescue him, she forms an uneasy alliance with a teenage E’rikon left stranded in the woods. She agrees to guide him to the city if he sneaks her past the human-proof barrier. Too bad it’s not that simple.

Jax, who cannot stand to be touched, finds that she’s drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales on his back. And he’s equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn’t know the alien’s true motives and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.

With the aliens and the humans at odds, the connection forming between the two teens has consequences. What started off as a rescue mission sets a chain of events in motion which threatens not only the remaining humans and the growing alien society, but Earth itself.

My Thoughts; 

Broken Skies is about a girl named Jax, a fiery red-head who lives with her twin brother Jace at a camp after an event that killed 90% of the worlds population. Girls are shipped off to breeding camps since after this event it's been hard for women to conceive, and aliens have dropped down to visit. And try to take over the world. And also steal Jax's twin, Jace.  

Jax, our main character, I really enjoyed reading from her point of view. She was sarcastic, fiery but also vulnerable and caring. I loved the relationship she had with her twin, and I loved that Theresa would add in special moments of Jax and Jace, so even though Jace wasn't physically there, you still felt that connection to their relationship. Lir, the love interest and also alien who helps Jax get into his city where they're holding her twin, I also loved. I had my moments with him, where I thought he was being a total idiot, but overall I loved him and he was sometimes just so sweet. The relationship between Lir and Jax was so entertaining and fun, I really enjoyed it! 

The plot was very fast paced, which I enjoyed! The book in general was fast paced, and so entertaining I read it in no time! I just kept wanting to know more, read more about Lir and Jax! I love alien books and this one is no different!

I would recommend this to fans of Twilight and The Lux series! It was entertaining, funny, fast paced and had a great romance! I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, Fractured Suns!