Tag: top books

Top Reads of December

  1. Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado
    I really enjoyed this book! It was an amazing horror read, with a hidden villain that was incredibly satisfying to take down. I loved reading about Raquel and her journey to save her mom and her crush’s cousin. But what seems like just myth and legend turns out to be very, very real. I really loved this book and the way that each character was fleshed out. It was an amazing read and I totally recommend it to you!
  2. Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
    This was such a mystical book in which magic thrives. I loved reading about Kel and Lin and the way that they choose who to trust and who to believe in and if they can believe in the deals of the Ragpicker King, the criminal leader of the city. I really enjoyed this book and the way that the plot and characters were written. It’s a great book!
  3. The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson
    This was the final book in the Truly Devious series and it was amazing to read! Stevie has solved the mystery. The one that no one has been able to solve or even come close to uncovering. However, this victory comes when a series of murders has been attacking her own present-day life. I really enjoyed the final book in this trilogy and the way that it ended. It was such a great read!
  4. The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma
    This book was perfectly mysterious and I really enjoyed it! We got the story from multiple perspectives- Elena, the crown princess, Leo, her father, Yassen, her guard, and many others. It was an amazing book and I loved getting to know all the characters. I really enjoyed this book!
  5. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
    This was such an amazing and fun book, filled with dragons and daring. I really enjoyed the premise and the book didn’t disappoint! Reading about Violet was incredible and I enjoyed her journey with her dragons, Adarna and Tairn, the whole time. This was a great book!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April and May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here
Top Books of September and October: click here
Top Books of November: click here

Top Books of November

  1. Truly, Devious by Maureen Johnson
    This was a great murder mystery told in 2 different time periods- one in the “present day” and one from when the murder happened. I really enjoyed the plot and the way that we got to see so much of Stevie’s real character. It was a super interesting story and I totally recommend this series to you!
  2. The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson
    This is the second book of the Truly, Devious trilogy and I enjoyed it just as much as the previous book. In this book, we can see how close Stevie is to her friends and the way that she struggles
  3. The Agathas by by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
    This was another great murder mystery! Iris and Alice never asked to be paired up, in fact the two are almost exactly opposite. But the disappearance of one of Alice’s ex-friends connects them both as they know they have to figure out who did it because the police certainly aren’t going to do anything. I really enjoyed the way that we not only got to learn about the mystery but also how
  4. Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
    I really loved this book! When Izzy contacted her dad, she wasn’t expecting to make contact with the crown prince of Japan. But when her home gets swarmed by paparazzi and bodyguards, she has to adapt to her new life in Japan. Izzy is such a sweet character and I loved seeing how she adapted to fit in a completely new world with new friends and threats. I really enjoyed this book!
  5. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
    This was such a magical book from the very beginning! Iris’ brother is on the war front and all that comforts her is writing letters to him. Letters that he’ll never get, that he’ll never read. But when someone writes her back, they open up their hearts to each other. I really enjoyed this book and the settings. I cant wait to read the next one!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April and May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here
Top Books of September and October: click here

Top Reads of September and October

Here are my favorite books for September and October!

  1. Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington
    This was an amazing book! I loved the way that Adina grew, as she chose to make her own destiny and rules instead of falling in line with tradition. I loved the whole story and the stereotypes that it turned on its head. It was an amazing book and I totally recommend it to you!
  2. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
    This is an amazing retelling of Medusa that looks at her story from different perspectives. We get comments not only from Medusa, but from crows, her decapitated head, Perseus’ mother, and so many more. It’s a great book and I enjoyed it a lot!
  3. Thin Air by Kellie M Parker
    This was a great murder mystery! Emily was just expecting to compete with 11 others for a prestigious scholarship. But when she boards the flight, things fly into action as someone is almost poisoned and mysterious envelopes with three very real secrets are placed in front of everyone. As more and more people start dying, it becomes a race to figure out who the murderer is. I really enjoyed this book!
  4. Medusa’s Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear
    I adored this book! It takes the tale of Medusa, one that’s been told many, many times, and reimagines it from the perspective of her two sisters- Stheno and Euryale, who remain virtually unheard of. It takes the story of the Gorgons from the very beginning- since they were born. We learn who they were as they grew up- what made them happy, how they each changed to fit their environment, and so on. I really enjoyed this book and totally recommend it to you!
  5. The Chalice of Gods by Rick Riordan
    This was a great book that continued on the Percy Jackson series! In it, we got the original trio- Percy, Annabeth, and Grover- going on another quest to retrieve the god Ganymede’s chalice so that he will write Percy a recommendation letter. It was a great, funny book and I enjoyed it a lot!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April and May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here

August Top Reads

Sorry that this is such a late top reads! Here are my favorite books I read in August.

  1. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
    Over the summer, I watched a lot of Studio Ghibli movies and decided to read the book that inspired one of the most famous ones. I really enjoyed the book and the vivid descriptions that went into make all the characters, especially Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer stand out. I enjoyed the book-to-movie adaptation, though I was surprised by how it was changed quite a bit. Either way, they were both amazing!
  2. Pandora’s Jar by Natalie Haynes
    This was an incredible book about the role of women in Greek myths! Throughout history, women have gotten overlooked and villainized, but in this book, their true stories come to light. We learn more about who they really were and how they’re been represented through history. We get to read about Pandora, Helen, Clytemnestra, Jocasta, The Amazons, and many more. I really enjoyed this book!
  3. Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid
    This was an incredibly touching book about a girl just trying to figure out how she fits in a world where romance surrounds her. Along with her mom’s own struggles, Lizzie has to learn who to trust and who listens to and supports the real her. I loved Lizzie’s journey throughout her life and the way that she meets so many people, some supportive, some not. It was a great read and I totally recommend it to you!
  4. Thirteens by Kate Alice Marshall
    I loved the idea of this book! Every 13 years, 3 kids, all born on Halloween, all marked with a mysterious birthmark in the shape of a key, are taken. Eleanor has just moved to Elden Eld and her life begins to get weirder immediately, starting with seeing demonic creatures that no one else can see except her two newest friends- the two other kids she’s taken with. I loved the puzzle-element of this story and the way it was told! It’s a great read.

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April and May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here

Top reads of July

Here are my top reads for July!

  1. The Sun and The Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro
    This was an incredible book! I’d always adored Nico and Will’s relationship in the Heroes of Olympus series, so I was really excited when I heard about this book. Nico and Will are adorable in this book and I really enjoyed the way the story progressed. I also liked the way Nico’s grief and trauma were addressed. This was a great book!
  2. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
    This was a great book! I haven’t read the Cruel Prince series yet, but, while being set in the same universe, this book was still understandable without prior knowledge. I loved the queer and the relationship between Hazel and Ben. I really enjoyed this book!
  3. Connect the Stars by David Teague and Marisa de los Santos
    I really enjoyed this book! Audrey can tell when anyone is lying and Aaron can remember everything he’s seen. Both of them don’t fit in at their schools, but when their parents send them to a wilderness camp, they find each other. The two also make friends with Kate and Louis and the group face the challenges together. I really enjoyed this book!
  4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
    This was a great book! I enjoyed the descriptions of the circus and the way we got many POVS showing us how different people experience it. The descriptions were detailed and I loved how it all tied in at the end. The characters were also intricate and I enjoyed getting to read about them. It was a great book!
  5. The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman
    This was an amazing reread! 4 siblings and none of them alike, yet they have to journey together to find the mythical Ivory Key. They each have different reasons for wanting it, but if they fail, they could all lose everything. I love the characters so much and the plot twists along the way. I really enjoyed this book!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April and May: click here
Top Books of June: click here

Top reads of June!

Here are my top books of June!

  1. The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
    This was such a perfect ending to a series I had enjoyed a lot! I’ve enjoyed this book series for a while and I have been so excited to read the last book! The Hawthorne Mansion is almost Avery’s, but she has one more year to get through. When a visitor turns up at the Mansion, Avery doesn’t know whether to trust them or not, but misplaced trust could hurt them all. This book was incredibly written, with an amazing plot filled with puzzles, riddles, and mysteries- just like the whole series. I totally recommend this series to you!
  2. The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea
    I loved this book so much. It’s a great re-read about different kids who deal with different thing in life. They have nothing in common until they are placed together in Mrs. Woods 6th grade class. Even then, at the beginning, they are reluctant to work with each other, but as the time for the statewide tests draw closer, they learn to trust each either and how to be a good team. This book is so emotionally touching and I loved all the ups and downs. The characters are also really great. I totally recommend this series to you!
  3. The Ivies by Alexa Donne
    This was an incredible murder mystery! Olivia is part of the Ivies, a group of high school students who would do anything to get into the Ivy League schools they want. But when one of the Ivies is murdered, Olivia starts to question her friendship and everything she knows. I really enjoyed this book and the way the characters were created! There was a lot of layers and I enjoyed reading through them all. This is a great book!

  4. Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
    I adored this book! It’s another re-read from an amazing author. Similarly to The Perfect Score, kids who normally despise each other are forced to be in their 6th grade class together. I loved exploring each of their unique personalities and characteristics! Soon, tragedy befalls the class and they each have to learn how to cope with their grief while still caring for everyone. This was an incredibly book and I totally recommend it to you!
  5. Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton
    This was an incredible book! Saoirse is used to telling lies to survive. It’s how she climbed to the top of training and gets offered a job to be a guard to the Prince. But being a siren is dangerous, especially when all the prince’s guards are on the hunt for a beautiful woman who just happens to be Saoirse in disguise. This was an amazing book and I totally enjoyed it!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April and May: click here

Top Books of April and May

Here are my top reads of April and May! April’s books are the first 2 and May’s are the last 3.

  1. The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
    This was a great book about one of the “heroes” from Greek mythology! Perseus is commonly known as the only hero with a happy ending, but this fails to consider the women in his life. I loved the way the story flowed and its plot! I also enjoyed how we got 3 POVs from the most important women in his life- Danaë, his mother, Medusa, the woman he killed, and Andromeda, his wife. It was such a great book and I really enjoyed it!
  2. The Cobra’s Song by Supriya Kelkar
    I loved this book! When Geetanjali gets stage fright for the first time in her life, she’s sure it’s over. She can’t stand up for her friends and now, she might be at risk of losing her best friend. Not only that, her usually kind and caring neighbor is now cold and distant-possible possessed by the snake gem. I really enjoyed the story and the way that the book’s characters were developed! I totally recommend it to you!
  3. Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White
    I really enjoyed this book! When Theo, Alexander, and Wil are suddenly told to go spend the summer with their mysterious Aunt Saffronia, they aren’t sure how to react, especially when their aunt decides to deposit them at the Fathoms of Fun waterpark, a waterpark that looks more like a nightmare zone. Then comes the problem of all the staff suddenly changing their personalities…This was such a great read and I totally recommend it to you! I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the series!
  4. Family of Liars by Emily Lockhart
    This was the prequel to We Were Liars! In this book, Caroline’s own story comes to life during the summer that the boys arrived. The island is their own safe haven and soon, the boys both help build that up and break that down. Carrie falls for Pfeff, though he doesn’t seem to reciprocate the same feelings. As Pfeff shows just how much he doesn’t care for Carrie, their relationship splinters, to the point where she hates him. I really enjoyed this book and the way it defines the book after it! I totally recommend it to you!
  5. The Ojja Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio
    This was a graphic novel about two misfits in a “perfect” town. They’re terrorized by a bully, but find solace in each other and their small projects. Until one of those projects accidentally awakens a demon who takes over their town and makes their bully the center of it all. Only the two and their friends are spared. But the ritual to recapture the demon is tricky and they have to learn that sometimes, violence isn’t always the answer!

My Top Books of Feb ’23

Here are my top books for this month!

  1. Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega
    Seven has been waiting her whole life to be sorted into coven and so when the sorting ceremony comes, she can’t wait. But when she doesn’t get sorted and becomes a Spare, she’s distraught. Along with her worst enemy and the new girl, Seven must battle the monster that’s been plaguing their town to stay alive. This is an amazing book and I totally recommend it to you!
  2. Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie
    This was such an amazing book! I really enjoyed getting to read all the different stories- some that were serious and some that were fun and light. All the stories had different plots, different characters, and overall, different fun experiences to dive into. This is a great book and I totally recommend it to you!
  3. Call Me Athena: Girl from Detroit by Colby Cedar Smith
    This was such an amazing book! We get to see 3 different perspectives, Mary’s and her parents’. I loved the style of writing and the way poetry was eloquently used to tell the story of a French-Greek girl struggling to fit in. The author also included many beautifully written lines that still stick with me. It’s an amazing book!
  4. Curses by Lish McBride
    When Merit refused to marry the suitor her mother picked for her, she was cursed and transformed into a beast. A few years later, her 18th birthday is coming up and if she doesn’t marry soon, she’ll be a beast forever. However, she’s found a band of criminals who promise to help her meet her match. I really enjoyed this book!

Top Books of January: click here

2022 Top Books

Here are my overall top books of 2022!

  1. If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch
    This was such a amazing book! Clark is stuck in a time loop. No matter what he tries to say or do will get him out of it and he is sure this is how life will be forever. Until he meets Beau. Beau walks into his calculus class one day and creates a ruckus, so Clark knows that he has to follow Beau. Beau introduces him to a life filled with love and joy and Clark realizes how much Beau means to him. But the next day, Beau is missing and Clark can’t find him anywhere.

    I really enjoyed this book because of how beautifully detailed the story was. It was an amazing ride and I loved the whole story from start to finish.
  2. Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole
    I really loved how powerful this book was. Alicia has gotten used to being bullied, being an outcast, her only friend being one she made in detention. But when she gets to meet with a mentor, she learned just how to channel that anger out and how to become the most powerful version of herself.

    I really enjoyed this book because of how the eloquent the writing style flowed. The poetry was beautiful and there were a lot of beautiful lines and quotes. The book also displayed sexual abuse very well.
  3. Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
    This was such an interesting book! Noah and Lewis used to be best friends. But when Lewis dies in a car accident, Noah is forced to survive alone. He decides to do his science project on Mothman to honor Lewis’ legacy, but when his teachers and his parents start to doubt him, he knows he needs real evidence. As he continues his search for the legendary creature, he learns how to make friends and move on while honoring Lewis.

    I really enjoyed this book and the portrayal or LGBT+ characters. The writing style, in letters and poetry, was incredible and I really liked the drawings. The story flowed incredibly well and I loved the quotes I got from it too.
  4. The Insiders by Mark Oshiro
    This was such an amazing book! Back home, Héctor being gay didn’t change anything. But now, when he gets bullied relentlessly, he needs a safe space…and finds it in the janitor’s closet that isn’t exactly what it seems. Soon he meets 2 other students who also don’t exactly fit in at their schools. The Room gives them a safe space, but they have to learn to face their problems on their own too.

    I really enjoyed this book and the way that Héctor and his friends are written. They are all incredibly lifelike and I loved the LGBT+ representation. The story was beautiful and can easily help people feel more welcome.
  5. Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
    When Hani comes out to her friends as bisexual after they try to set her up, they don’t believe her. When they confront her about it, she panics and claims she’s dating her friends’ enemy- Ishita Dey. Ishita agrees on pretend to date Hani on one condition- she helps Ishita win the election to be head girl. But as Hani and Ishu get closer, Hani’s friends get jealous, punishing her and pushing her out.

    I really enjoyed this book because of how realistic the two main characters were. The representation was also beautiful and I enjoyed the book a lot.
  6. Loveless by Alice Oseman
    This is such a great read. Georgia has never had a crush, only one that she’s forced onto herself. So when university starts, she is determined to date someone. But when no one, male or female, appeals to her, and she joins the LGBT+ soc in her school, she realizes that maybe she’s a little different. I really loved coming along on the journey of Georgia figuring out who she is, while navigating her friends and their own feelings.

    I really enjoyed this book because of how beautifully Georgia’s college life is portrayed, especially as she and her friends learn how they are. It’s such a nicely written book.

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here
Top Books of September: click here
Top Books of October: click here
Top Books of November: click here
Top Books of December: click here

Top Reads of December

Here are my top reads of December!

  1. Nothing More to Tell by Karen McManus
    This is such an amazing book! When Brynn moves back to her hometown, she’s sure nothing good can happen. That is until she gets a job at a murder investigation podcast by pitching the story of her dead teacher. I really loved this story and the way the plot unfolded. It was a great read!
  2. The Dead Queens Club by Hannah Capin
    This was such a great book! Annie, or Cleves, as she’s known, has been Henry’s best friend for a long time. She’s seen him go through a girlfriend, get angry at the slightest mention of her cheating then break up with her. But as her friends propose a theory that is certainly possible, she has to figure what is right or wrong. This is such a great book!
  3. All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue
    This was such a cool book! When Maeve’s temper gets her into detention, where she has to clean an old storage cupboard, she’s horrified. But when she finds a deck of tarot cards that call to her, she’s suddenly immersed in a world of magic and her life begins to change for the better. Until she accidentally makes someone disappear. I really enjoyed this book and I totally recommend it to you!
  4. If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch
    This was such a amazing book! Clark is stuck in a time loop. No matter what he tries to say or do will get him out of it and he is sure this is how life will be forever. Until he meets Beau. Beau walks into his calculus class one day and creates a ruckus, so Clark knows that he has to follow Beau. I loved this story and how it was written! I totally recommend it to you!

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here
Top Books of June: click here
Top Books of July: click here
Top Books of August: click here
Top Books of September: click here
Top Books of October: click here
Top Books of November: click here