My Kind of Romance

Okay, obligatory romance Valentine’s Day post time.

The thing is, I really like reading romance. The other thing is, it takes a lot to make me invested in a romance. I was thinking about why this was, and while there are many specific qualities I like in a romance, the one that encompasses all of them is that I need the characters to earn it. Like, I need them to go through some trials to develop and discover their feelings. No insta-love here.

So, to name a few books and series that have romances I’ve really enjoyed:

 

The Raven Cycle

I know I’ve raved about this series a million times, but truly, The Raven Cycle has the epitome of my kind of romance. Like, if one of the characters kisses her true love, he’ll die. What could get better than that? I believe Maggie Stiefvater said, “Nobody kisses anybody, which is weird because everybody loves everybody.” There’s lots of tension and pining and fighting each other and fighting together. This series seriously makes you earn the romance, and I LOVE it.

 

 

2017 Resolutions / December Reads

I didn’t read a lot of books this month, but I’m pretty okay with it. October and November were filled with some really great and heavy reads, and December was kind of like coming up for air. I spent a lot of time with friends and family for the holidays, engaged more in my own writing, and just rested a bit as the year winded down.

My top books of 2016!

I put the exclamation point in the title because these books make me EXCITED and HAPPY and SAD and ANGRY and THEY’RE JUST GREAT and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.

According to my Goodreads account, I read 71 books this year, and luckily they were a lot of very, very, very good books. Which was why when I decided to narrow it down to five, I got nervous. All the amazing books I read this year flashed before my eyes. I thought this was going to be an impossible task.

In the end it really didn’t take long to decide, and mostly I think it’s because I went with my gut. If I’d started thinking really deeply about all the books I read this year, I’d get impossibly lost. These were the ones that just…stuck the most, I suppose. Left the strongest afterglow. The ones that nestled the most deeply into my heart and my brain. They’re books that make me immediately react with the thought and feeling of, Yes, I had a fantastic time reading that. 

So, my top 5 books of 2016:

Book Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli / My rating: ★★★★★

One sentence summary: Simon Spier exchanges anonymous emails with another closeted gay boy in his high school, “Blue” – and risks both of their secrets when his email is seen by the wrong set of eyes.

The way I feel about him is like a heartbeat – soft and persistent, underlying everything. 

Mini Book Haul

I bought the three of these on a whim the other day because I just really really wanted them and I hadn’t bought any new books in like……2 whole weeks.

So why these?

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo: I’ve seen so much about Six of Crows lately and have been very intrigued, but because I am staunch about reading thing in order, it simply would have niggled at me  too much if I hadn’t started at the beginning. I know the Grisha Series isn’t necessary to read the Six of Crows series,  but it would have just bugged me not to start with it. I’m messy in all areas of life, but when it comes to stories, I’m anal about starting where it starts, ya know? But I am intrigued by this book and am excited to read it! I heard Six of Crows  is better, but that just gives me more to look forward to.