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Every year I make a resolution to read more and more books all the time. It all started when I first picked up that Mary-Kate and Ashley Passport to Paris mini-book that came with my MK Snowboarding barbie doll, I was honestly hooked. Funny (and cooler) thing was that when I finished the mini-book I just so happened to be in an airport. I guess my two passions collided in that one moment, it’s pretty wonderful if I must say so myself.
Unfortunately as I got older and life, friends, boys, parties, whatever got in the way, I stopped reading for the pleasure of reading and started to not even pick up books that I enjoyed reading. Granted when high school and college came along I had to read textbooks instead of novels. So truly I did not want to read those.
Since I haven’t opened up a textbook in years (that partially including my college years), I figured it was time to get my butt back into gear and start reading for fun again. For the fun of getting lost in a new world and falling in love with characters. And crying when one of them dies or gets heartbroken. I love how books can throw me into a new adventure whenever I pick one up.
When I decided to get back to the love of reading, I decided to start making it my yearly resolution to read books. Upping up the amount of books I read every year. This year I joined the Goodreads challenge of 40 books and now that it’s December, I’ve surpassed that and have read over 50 BOOKS! CRAZY, I know!
How could I have read over 50 books this past year, you may ask? Well when I found out that Amazon has this new program called Kindle Unlimited, I was hooked! I’ve always been the traditional girl to read physical books, but I figured I would try e-books and let me tell you it has changed my reading life forever! Today you can join Amazon Kindle Unlimited with a 30-Day Free Trial
When I bought the Kindle Paperwhite, I was absolutely hooked on e-books. The Kindle Paperwhite doesn’t strain my eyes as much as my phone screen so it’s perfect for the girl who usually loves reading actual books. And when Kindle Unlimited happened, I was all over it! E-books made it so much easier to read almost anywhere I go, not only with my tiny Kindle Paperwhite, but also with the Kindle App on my phone! I could literally bring almost any book with me anywhere I went with my phone or Kindle and read.
While I still enjoy and prefer reading a physical book, these e-books have been great to me because I can secretly read at work sometimes by hiding my phone to the side or I could start reading while doing the Stair master at the gym (that helps me push the time and pain away). Pretty much just almost anywhere I go without having to lug the bulkiness of a book. And on Most devices you can sign up to read eBooks using the FREE Kindle Reading App, click here today to get the free app! Plus having this app on my phone when I finish a series is so convenient and easy to buy the next book right off my phone or kindle without having to drive to a book store!
AND if you sign up with my link here today you can get a free 30 day trial and get access to so many different books on Kindle Unlimited! I currently found a book called The Gender Games, which is supposed to be a Hunger Games/Divergent style of book, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It was perfect that the book was on Kindle Unlimited because then I didn’t have to buy it outright just in case I didn’t like! (PS, i’m LOVING it)
And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for!
Here is my Reading Roundup 2017 Edition
(They will be categorized by genres!)
Fantasy/SCI-Fi Novels
The Testing Trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau
-Book 1 – The Testing – It was at first a bit hard to get into, but then I ended up eating right through that book. It’s Hunger Games meets Tris, so it is a dystopian type novel and I found it very interesting.
-Book 2 – Independent Study – This was good in that I read it in a day, but trying to remember it now, it seems very unmemorable to me, but still a good book nonetheless. One that I obviously enjoyed since I read it so quickly.
-Book 3 – Graduation Day – The series really ended with a bang. Without giving too much away, I enjoyed how it wrapped up.
Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi
Now this series stole my heart. The first book is called Shatter Me and at first I just was not into the book, it took me a little while to start and then keep reading it. But as I dove into the book more and more I just kept getting more and more engulfed in the characters and the plot. I read the novella Destroy Me and that book literally destroyed me and made me fall deeper into the character hole I was currently in.
By the time I got to the second book Unravel Me I was so hooked I couldn’t put it down. The next Novella Fracture Me was not as good as the first, but still worth the read. The third book is called Ignite Me and I’m 100% saying this has climbed its way to my top 5 of favorite series. And I was so happy to see that Tahereh Mafi is making 3 more books about these characters and I couldn’t be more freaking excited!!!! So best believe I’ve already pre-ordered Restore Me that comes out March 6 next year! Plus it’s supposed to be turned into a TV series, so I guess we will see how that goes.
Throne of Glass & Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Mass
I have heard so much about this series that I almost didn’t read it because of all the hype around it, but I am happy I went against my judgement and read it because I was not disappointed. The characters are so well developed and the world is so beautifully written I couldn’t put the book down. Since I’ve only read the first and second book of this series I’m super excited for what else the series has in store!
King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard
The first book Red Queen really hooked me in and then the second one Glass Sword left me like WTF! The third definitely didn’t disappoint and I was on the edge of my seat reading about our Red Queen in this book. Aveyard is coming out with the final book next year so I’m excited about War Storm set to come out May 15!
YA Romance Novels
To All the Boys I’ve loved Before Series by Jenny Han
These series were another series that jumped into my top 5. It’s a YA Romance novel and I just couldn’t help but fall in love with their love in this cute and cheesy novel. I literally read all three of the books in 2 days. The first book To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before just really hooked you with the plot and then the 2nd one P.S. I Still Love You made me fall in love with the characters even more than the first one. By the 3rd book Always and Forever, Lara Jean I was invested in these characters to the point of feeling sadness and happiness for them. I hear it’s going to become a major motion picture so I’m excited to see what they do with this series.
The Unexpected Everything & Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Another cute YA Romance novels that I loved. It was such a cute and quick summer read. It’s cheesy, predictable, but I couldn’t put it down. Matson did a good with the different characters in these novels and I enjoyed it very much.
Hundred Oaks Series by Miranda Kenneally
I am OBSESSED with her books! She currently has 8 books out in her series, but each one can be read as a stand alone novel. But what makes her books so special is when I read about past characters in her newer books, it’s like your favorite characters from early on make cameos and it really adds a lot to the books. I love most of her characters and her first two main characters in Catching Jordan are some of my favorite characters in an a YA book. 5/5 LWY Stars for sure.
It’s a little corny and usually predictable, but the characters in her books make up for it tenfold. I hope she keeps making more because I’m obsessed. These books can literally take me only a few hours to read because I love them so much. Also if you’re into sports, her books are wrapped around a particular sport for each novel, but even if you’re not a huge sports person she makes it so easy to follow and read that you’ll love it anyways.
Here’s the list of all 8 books in order if you want to read them in order, which I highly recommend because you will see some background characters from previous and just go bananas when you read about them (or maybe that was just me)
1 – Catching Jordan
2 – Stealing Parker
3 – Things I Can’t Forget
4 – Racing Savannah
5 – Breathe, Annie, Breathe
6 – Jesse’s Girl
7 – Defending Taylor
8 – Coming Up for Air
I’m hoping Kenneally is making more books about the Hundred Oaks town because I will continually read these until I’m 80 if I can. Also her first two books are on Amazon Kindle Unlimited, so sign up here now and you can read the first two books for FREE. So Join Amazon Kindle Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial today and you can read her first 2 books now!
What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
This books was definitely something else. It had twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and the characters she had were so complex. I enjoyed this very much and I think others would as well. I want to write more about it, but I know I will probably give away a lot so just read it.
Just Friends Series by Monica Murphy
Another YA romance novel (can you sense a theme in my books). Yes, these are the type of books that I enjoy reading because I love the idea of young love and this series has it. While the first book Just Friends was eh, I enjoyed the second More Than Friends and fell in love with the third book Forever. The main characters you will just fall in love with fast and just want their little young love to flourish! So while I would still read the first book, I would say it’s mostly just for a build up of the second and third book more than anything.
Autobiographies
You’re Never Weird on the Internet by Felicia Day
Day is a funny witted nerd lady. I loved her in Supernatural so when I saw her autobiography I had to read it and I loved it. She’s just as nerdy and funny in the book. Plus she makes gamer girls look cool (not that I’m much of a gamer girl, but I do love my Pokemon game!)
Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
Kendrick is an actress/comedian that I enjoy watching on the big screen. And her book is not a disappointment. Maybe I’m weird, but I love reading success stories of people who become these big actresses or actors. So it’s no surprise that I enjoyed reading her book and her advice to the little people.
A Work in Progress by Connor Franta
It’s no surprise that I enjoyed a YouTuber’s book like Franta. He is just as genuine in his book as he is on his YouTube videos, so I would check it out!
Self-help / Personal Development
You and I both know you’ve seen the book cover somewhere in a store with it’s bold cover title saying YOU are a BADASS. So I HAD to read it and I finally did. I actually enjoyed it and took a lot of information from it, mostly to keep working hard and stop being scared!
The Happiness Project – Gretchen Rubin
I try really hard to keep positive and live a happy life in all I do, but I also enjoyed reading Rubin’s book about living an even happier life than I already do and implement some of the tips she has in her book into my everyday life. So if you want to live a little bit of a happier life, I would recommend her book.
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World – William McRaven
I mostly read this book whenever I was on the stair master and gunning for 30 minutes of high intensity cardio and boy did reading this book help me push through it. I mean what better book to read than about someone giving you life lessons from his time as a Navy Seal! I pushed through those workouts very well let me tell you! P.S. I also make my bed every morning now too, it’s actually become a habit of mine!
Current Reads
Now my current reads/To Be Read books: (Yes my TBR Books are usually never-ending, but I’m only listing the ones I’m going to read next in line here (or might’ve already started and jumped around).
The Gender Games – Bella Forrest
How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life – Lilly Singh – Also if you like YouTube, check her out, she makes awesome content. And while you’re there, check out my channel!
Better than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin
Tell me Three Things – Julie Buxbaum
There you have it, my past book recommendations and my current reads for 2017 and the start of 2018! Comment below what you’re currently reading or what you suggest I should read next for 2018! Let me know if you enjoyed this and maybe I’ll start making it a monthly resolution reads because then I can be a little more in-depth with my reviews of the books I read!
Also I do have a Goodreads account! So if you want to be friends or just see my list of books I’ve read or want to read check me out! Let’s be friends and discuss books. Plus you can see my full list of all the books I read in 2017!
And don’t forget to sign up for your FREE 30 day trial of Kindle Unlimited. Start your reading adventures today! Maybe even read one of the above books today! Join Amazon Kindle Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial, click here today
XOXO
Don’t forget to Enjoy the Unfamiliar!
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