Most Anticipated Books of 2016

  Happy New Year everyone!  I'm glad that 2015 is coming to a close; it was a very stressful year full of academic woes and health issues.  I know this sounds cliche, but it feels like I'm starting from scratch in 2016.  I should only have about a year of recovery left after this year, (which will probably be more like two, but I'm optimistic for once), I just started my ideal job at the library and I'll be starting my Library and Information Science degree at URI at the end of the month, officially beginning my career as a librarian.  I feel like I can finally relax now and get on with my life instead of waiting around for nothing.  I can finally move forward now that I know exactly what I want for myself.  That being said, I hope that whatever your goals for 2016 may be that you achieve them with gusto.  I have a bad habit of not following through, so I try not to make promises, even to myself.  My only resolution for next year is to stay alive, which I think I can manage.
    This year, as I discussed in my previous post, we had a lot of great books.  This coming year is no exception, which is why I wanted to highlight some of my most anticipated books of 2016.  This is a list solely based on what I am personally excited about, not necessarily a list of ALL the popular books coming out next year, (that would be a very long post and one I don't think many people would get through).  I'll mention each book in the order in which they will be released and then I will note my top three most anticipated books for next year.  I will also link each title to it's Goodreads page for those of you who want to read more about each book and check them out!

(goodreads.com)

    Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard:  Aveyard saw success last year with her best-selling book Red Queen, which is the first book in this series.  I read her first book and really enjoyed the story and the characters.  Mare Barrow has been revealed to the kingdom as a red-blooded normal girl with the silver ability to control lightning, which is considered an abomination.  After the kingdom suffers a blow and the new King Maven is appointed to the throne, he'll stop at nothing to get to Mare back.  Mare seeks to find more of her own kind in order to build an army to fight back against the vindictive new king.  This book sounds a lot more action-packed than the first, so I'm hoping that's true.  I'm also curious to see what the aftermath of the shocking twist of the end will look like.  Glass Sword comes out February 9th.

(goodreads.com)

    The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine:  This book intrigued me because it's a retelling of Snow White and sounds very similar to the Snow White story line from Once Upon a Time.  Our main character, Lorelai, is a princess who possesses magic, but has been banished from her kingdom of Ravenspire after the evil Queen took her throne and killed her father.  In a neighboring kingdom, Prince Kol is propositioned by the evil Queen of Ravenspire after a band of magical ogres kill his family and he is left unprotected.  She promises him magical assistance in exchange for his services in hunting down Lorelai and bringing back her heart.  This sounds incredibly juicy and the addition of magic to this story makes it even better.  I love the idea of a courageous and completely independent Snow White-like character, so I'm hoping Lorelai is the champion we deserve from this story.  The Shadow Queen debuts February 16th.

(goodreads.com)

    A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab:  I have been waiting for this book for a long time!  It feels like I read A Darker Shade of Magic ages ago, but it was only last January, almost a year ago.  LOOK AT THAT COVER THOUGH.  This is the second book in this adult fantasy series and follows Kell, the last of his kind of magicians who can travel between alternate universes.  It has been four months since the events at the end of the first book and all seems well.  Kell has given up smuggling between dimensions and is preparing for the Element Games, a pageant to keep pleasant ties between countries, including Red London, Kell's home.  But Black London is stirring after the unfortunate events from four months ago and Delilah is on her way back from her trials at sea at the least opportune moment.  I have very high expectations for this book, so I hope it lives up to them.  A Gathering of Shadows comes out February 23rd.

(goodreads.com)

    Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare:  Although I won't have to wait too long between books for this one, (seeing as I finished City of Heavenly Fire in November of this year), I am still planning on going to the closest book store and buying it immediately upon its release.  As you all know by now, I am OBSESSED with the Shadowhunters series and this is Clare's next installment.  This new series takes place at the Los Angeles institute five years after the events in City of Heavenly Fire.  Emma Carstairs has been determined to find out what happened to her murdered parents.  She lives at the institute with the Blackthorn family, including her parabatai and best friend Julian, who lost his father five years ago as well.  Mundanes and Downworlders are being murdered around Los Angeles and they look eerily familiar to Emma's parents' own murder.  In order to find out what's happening and determine the connection between the murders, the Shadowhunters and the Fair Folk will initiate an uneasy alliance in order to stop the bloodshed.  If all goes according to plan, The Fair Folk will release one of the Blackthorns they have held captive for the past five years.  The stakes are high, but will they succeed in time?  Forbidden love, a race against time and a Downworlder feud for the ages make this story sound irresistible.  With the TV show set to start in 12 days and this new book I CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE SHADOWHUNTERS!  Lady Midnight comes out March 8th.

(goodreads.com)

    A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas:  OH MY GOD THIS BOOK.  I've wanted this book since the minute I finished ACOTAR and the NEED IS STRONG.  As you know, ACOTAR was my favorite book of 2015, so I have just cause to want this book.  This will be the second book in this new trilogy, (?), by Maas, who has become one of my favorite authors.  Feyre is struggling with her guilt after the events that took place at the end of the first book.  She has paid a heavy price for her freedom and the freedom of the High Fae she now calls friends.  Feyre also has to hold up her end of her bargain with the High Fae of the Night Court, the powerful Rhysand.  Feyre will have a chance to use her powers for good and prevent a great evil from striking the Night Court.  I have heard that this book may include elements of the Persephone mythology, much like the first book was a nod to Beauty and the Beast.  I want there to be a love triangle SO BAD.  Does that make me a horrible person?  Personally, I'm all for Rhysand and whatever he wants to do, so bring it on!  I can't see how I could be disappointed in this book and it's still so far away!  A Court of Mist and Fury comes out May 3rd.

(goodreads.com)

   Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine:  I read the first book in The Great Library series, Ink and Bone, this past year and really enjoyed the alternative reality that would be our present if The Great Library of Alexandria still existed.  The Great Library controls the knowledge of the world and Jess Brightwell has gone from a child smuggler of rare books to a soldier in the Library's army.  All is not as it seems and Jess soon finds himself in trouble again, fleeing Alexandria, away from the girl he loves, home to London in order to escape the Library's automata.  He must use his quick thinking skills to survive and decide where his loyalties truly lie.  The first book was a bit slow paced, but I'm hoping this will have a lot more action in it.  Paper and Fire comes out July 5th.

(pinterest.com)

    Throne of Glass #5 (no title) by Sarah J. Maas:  Maas is so important to me that she made my list twice!  After reading Queen of Shadows in 2015 and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.  Aelin has succeeded in asserting herself on the throne in her own kingdom, but will she hold her people's adoration for long?  Magic and non-magic people are feuding and the remaining kingdoms of Erilea are beginning to shatter.  In order to save her world from looming dark forces, she must embark on a quest that may endanger those she holds dear.  There are going to be a total of six books in this series, so the synopsis definitely sounds like the beginning of the end for Aelin's adventures.  I'm praying for a happy ending for all of my precious cinnamon rolls, (talking about you Dorian!)  Although there's no title or picture for this book yet, I did find something pretty sweet while I was snooping for some inside info.  There has been talk of the Throne of Glass series being optioned as a TV series!  I'm praying that this becomes a reality, but only if it's similar to Game of Thrones.  There's an article that talks a little about this development from September with recommendations for casting.  Check it out in the link here!  Book five in the Throne of Glass series debuts September 6th.

(goodreads.com)

    The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon:  There's no picture for this book either, plus a really pathetic synopsis, but considering the release date I'm not surprised.  This will be the third, (and final?), installment to the Bone Season series.  This series follows Paige Mahoney as she discovers her incredible clairvoyant powers as well as an alien invasion, a crime lord murder and a secret government plot.  There's a lot going on in this series so it's difficult to summarize, but basically Paige has to save everyone and ignore her feelings.  There's a revolution starting in Scion London and Paige, as the new Mime Lord of her sector, she is in charge of protecting her new subjects.  Someone is out there to prevent Paige from succeeding, an enemy of her past.  Will she finally be strong enough to stop the onslaught of destruction?  This adult series has really surprised me and although it took me a long time to finish the first book, I really enjoyed it.  The story is original, complex and intriguing in the way both sci-fi and fantastical elements collide in a whirlwind of action.  I'm really excited to see where this ends.  The Song Rising comes out November 3rd.

    Overall, my top three books that I'm most anticipating for 2016 are A Court of Mist and Fury, Lady Midnight and the fifth Throne of Glass book, in that order.  Those are the series that I'm most obsessed with at the moment, so those are the books I'm going to focus most of my energy on in the coming year.  Luckily I won't have to wait too long for Lady Midnight!  What books are you eagerly anticipating in the new year?  Are you pumped about any on my list?  Let's discuss in the comments below or you can hit me up on any of my social media platforms.  I hope everybody has fun at the various New Year's celebrations tonight.  See you all in 2016!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Author Spotlight

    Hey everybody!  I had a really great idea to highlight a different author I love every so often, so I hope I can keep going throughout this blogging experience.  The idea came to me after finishing Queen of Shadows literally mere hours ago and I just can't wait to talk about how great this book is, so I'm highlighting Sarah J. Maas as my author this month.

(goodreads.com)

    It shouldn't come as much of a surprise to any of you, but I've grown to love Maas's writing over the last few months.  I started my love affair with her after reading the first book in her new series A Court of Thorns and Roses, (my review of that book should be in my Book Reviews section above).  I loved everything about that book, from the plot intermingling with the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale to the strong female lead character to the hot, steamy romance everywhere.  I didn't think I would be into all that stuff, but Maas proved me very wrong.  Although I started reading her books this July, I have almost caught up with everything she's written so far, save for The Assassin's Blade, (which I will desperately try to save for next month's TBR list, but I honestly don't know if I can stand it).  These books have made me love reading again in a way that I can only explain as being similar to my love for Harry Potter.  I was eager to get my hands on the next book in the series, painstakingly waiting each time they were released, read them in record time and craved more each time I finished one.  I was enthralled by the story line, the characters, the descriptions of the scenery, the world building around me, etc.  I didn't think I would ever feel this way about reading ever again, so these books mean a lot to me in that regard.

    Sarah J. Maas's characters are strong and complex, but still relatable.  At this point, after reading all of her books, her characters are also kind of predictable, but in a good way.  She enjoys the strong, independent female lead with a strong man on her arm or by her side to make the fighting easier.  Both female protagonists in the Throne of Glass and ACOTAR series are fighters, warriors in their own right as well as hunters, survivors.  They are also complex, with dark pasts that still haunt them, which is a conflict they must address in each of their stories.  I love how both protagonists have similar traits, but are still their own character.  I feel like Celaena/Aelin in the Throne of Glass series is a completely different person from Feyre in ACOTAR.  Maas usually has a lot of side characters to help or hinder her protagonists as well.  Although there are a lot of characters to watch out for, I've always felt that their side stories enhanced the experience of the main plot and contributed something to the story.  Everyone has a place and she knows exactly what to do with them.

    Maas's writing is terribly good.  I don't remember reading anything quite like it before.  She builds her worlds so thoroughly, you feel like you're actually there in the books, experiencing it first hand.  Again, something I remember from my days of reading Harry Potter.  Sometimes her writing can get a little over-dramatic, but the words she uses and the way she weaves them together 99% of the time have me screaming, "WHY CAN'T I WRITE LIKE THIS?!"  It's so fluid and natural for her, it's staggering how beautiful she paints a picture in your mind.  The descriptions within each book are incredible and well-thought out.  Character descriptions are solid and paint a decent picture of who you're looking at or talking to without giving everything away, so you can create a little bit of your own character too.  It's just stunning, how she writes and what she makes you feel while you're reading it.  I can't even...

(pulse2.com)

    I never thought I would be this into the fantasy genre either.  I knew that I liked things like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, but I spent a long time not reading, and when I did read, it would be contemporary or historical fiction.  I never thought that I would crave high fantasy literature like I once did.  Sometimes I wish I could take back the years I spent not reading for leisure and doing a disservice to myself in the process.  I held myself back from discovering books like these awhile ago, so I want to embrace anything and everything I can.  Sarah J. Maas has made it possible for me to crave reading again, to read day and night until I finish the damn book, so stay up until all hours of the night just to see what happens next.  It's a fantastic feeling, one that I missed, and one that Maas has given back to me in the best way.

    Have you read any of Sarah J. Maas's books?  What was a book you read growing up that made you love to read?  If you've read Queen of Shadows, or any of Maas's other books, let me know in the comments below so we can discuss.  Also, let me know who your favorite author is and maybe I'll give them a try.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Nerd Alert!

    Howdy y'all!  I apologize for being MIA last Thursday, but I honestly couldn't think of anything to write about and I didn't want to type out filler just because it was Thursday, so I spared you all that grief, (you're welcome).  It's hard to come up with content sometimes, so some days you just have to say "screw it" and wait until something comes to you, as all great writers have done.  Regardless of my brain fart last week, I'm coming to you this week with some great news!

    First of all, unrelated to the main point of this post, I have recently come into what normal people would call a "paycheck," so I used that to get me the newly released and gorgeous Queen of Shadows by the lovely and talented Sarah J. Maas.  I bought it yesterday while I was still in the middle of the third book, Heir of Fire, but I thought, "What the heck, why not?"  So here I am, already a quarter of the way through it because I JUST CANNOT STOP.  The fandom is real people.  So, as you might have already guessed, I'll be adding Queen of Shadows to my already impressive list of September books to wrap up in a few weeks.  I feel like I've read so much this month and it's only the fifteenth...  Keep that in mind, because I may very well add more to my TBR list if I keep this pace up.

    The main reason we're here today is for another installment of Nerd Alert, where I talk about something nerdy and relevant to not only my life, but hopefully yours as well.  Last week some information dropped out of Nintendo that had me literally crying with happiness and I've come to share that with you, (if you live under a rock and haven't heard or don't care, there's something wrong with you).  Pokemon Go is happening and all my elementary school dreams have come true.

(www.vg247.com)

    A little history for you regarding me and my love for Pokemon: it all started when I was eight years old and 1998 was a good time to be alive.  My younger sister and I started collecting and playing with the cards that were released in droves like a parasite, seeping into our daily lives and our friendships at school as well.  It was nothing like it is today, where kids will play dirty, steal cards from others and cheat until they get their way.  Parents, school officials and guidance counselors have gotten involved with some of the nasty things kids will do to protect their cards these days.  1998 was a simpler time, where kids enjoyed playing and battling with each other without the risk of espionage.  So after awhile, my sister and I also received our first taste of the Game Boy system, and what a world that was.  It was so new and exciting that I was consumed by it, playing any time I could, connecting with my friends at school, after school and at home through a link cable, (you know, when we didn't have wireless connectivity everywhere?)  I loved the Pokemon games more than the cards, and thus began my love affair with the pocket monsters.

(DSHikarudesign.blogspot.com)

    I still have my Pokemon Blue version for my Game Boy Pocket, which is green and only displays in black and grey, (NO color until I got my Game Boy Color, obviously).  I took a hiatus from playing because I was too cool for that in high school or something and re-introduced myself to Pokemon two years ago, when I bought myself a Nintendo 3DS with some of my Christmas money, (because I'm an adult), along with the new Pokemon X game.  I hadn't played since I got my Game Boy Advance years ago, so this 3DS was new to me.  Once I got used to it, I could really see the similarities to the older games.  Little did I know Pokemon would evolve again into something none of us could've fathomed at eight years old.

    I saw the trailer for Pokemon Go at work, actually, through a kind customer who had the decency to show me.  I was entranced, the nostalgia flowing freely through me, as I beheld the glorious footage.  I will link the video below so you can all watch and be amazed!

    Little is known about this system or how it will work.  I've read a lot about similar types of games or apps that failed because the desire or technology wasn't enough.  This time I think they will be able to grab people with the sheer magnitude of what this could become for gamers and/or Pokemon enthusiasts, both young and old.  The game seems to be based around GPS coordinates guiding people through their phones or a small watch-like Poke ball accessory towards various types of Pokemon in the real world.  If you've played Pokemon before, or even watched the show on TV or played the card game, you'll know how incredible this would be if it worked well.  The trailer also implies that you'll be able to trade and battle with friends and also battle wild Pokemon.  Although the game is being released sometime next year, there still isn't enough information out about this game.  We'll have to wait and see what Nintendo has in store for us, but regardless of how it works, I'm definitely on board with this.

(www.polygon.com)

    So what do you think?  Do you like Pokemon, or did you used to when you were little?  What is your favorite Pokemon?  Were you more of a card player or Game Boy addict?  Would you get this app for your phone when it comes out? (maybe I'll do a review of it!)  What would you like to know more about the Pokemon Go app?  Let's discuss in the comments below.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

(bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net)