Unfinished Series: A Reading Challenge

I’m normally very good with keeping up with series. But when I slipped into my huge reading slum, it got too hard to keep up with new releases. More than that, not long ago, I placed a book buying due to the insane amount of books I had which weren’t read. Now I have a new rule: I read an ebook and if I love it, that’s when I buy a physical copy. Exception: it’s an author I trust or a sequel to a book I loved.

Those factors combined, I’m left with too many unfinished series. So I’ve made a list of books that I want to read. I’ll probably have to re read their prequels first.

There’s no deadline for this challenge, but hopefully within the next two months. I’ll be posting a review of the challenge!

Fair warning: this is going to be a long one.

Jennifer L. Armentrout is hands down, my favourite author. As soon as From Ash and Blood came out, I devoured it. Not long after, book tok discovered it and everyone wouldn’t stop fawning over it (rightfully so). So, the first book one my list is the sequel, A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire.

We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faisal is the sequel of one of my favourite reads last year. I ate up the angsty, slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. Hence, I’ve been eager to get my hands onto this.

Rebel of the Sands was such a fun read. I remember so many scenes from this book so vividly, even though it was like two years ago. Because of that I had to add Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton.

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir is the third book in the Ember of the Ashes series. I have loved the first two books so much. There are so many questions I need answers to.

Windwitch by Susan Dennard is the second book in the Witchlands series. I really enjoyed the first book. Everything from the world building to the characters.

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas is a novella that follows the third book in the series. It’s supposed to be the bridge between the first half of the series and the second half that follows other characters in the world. I love this series and even though I’ve heard mixed things about the rest of the series and this novella, I’m still excited.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor follows Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I haven’t read the first book in a long time so I’m hesitant about picking this up. I didn’t love the first book and I don’t know if I can go through that again. There are chimera and angels and Laini Taylor’s beautiful writing (hence why I’m still hooked on this series.

Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner is the third book in the Starbound trilogy. I have loved the first two books soooo much. The science fiction series takes us

I honestly don’t remember much about Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin. All I remember is that I fell in love with it.

I remember reading Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller and being like “why aren’t more people talking about this?”

The first time I started The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, I didn’t get far into it. The second time I picked it up, I fell in love. The story stayed with me for a long time.

I really liked The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. It was so good and I didn’t want to read the sequel until I had it physically in my hands. By the time I had it in my hands, I’d forgotten what I’d read about.

I loved The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken and I loved Passenger just as much.

The Forever Song

Have you read any of these? What’s an unfinished series you want to get to?

Anticipated Releases for the Rest of 2021

We had the years biggest publication days this week and it got me really excited for some upcoming books.

The first book on my list is Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson. This comes out in October and I’m so lucky to have an arc for this. I’ll be picking it up in a few days and I’m so excited to share my thoughts.

I read A Sorcery of Thorns last month and completely fell in love with it so I have some really high expectations for this one.

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber sounds magical. There are dangerous bargains, legends and the lengths people will go to for a happy ever after.

The blurb for All These Bodies by Kendare Blake has hooked me in.

Summer 1958—a string of murders plagues the Midwest. The victims are found in their cars and in their homes—even in their beds—their bodies drained, but with no blood anywhere.

September 19- the Carlson family is slaughtered in their Minnesota farmhouse, and the case gets its first lead: 15-year-old Marie Catherine Hale is found at the scene. She is covered in blood from head to toe, and at first she’s mistaken for a survivor. But not a drop of the blood is hers.

Michael Jensen, son of the local sheriff, yearns to become a journalist and escape his small-town. He never imagined that the biggest story in the country would fall into his lap, or that he would be pulled into the investigation, when Marie decides that he is the only one she will confess to.

As Marie recounts her version of the story, it falls to Michael to find the truth: What really happened the night that the Carlsons were killed? And how did one girl wind up in the middle of all these bodies?

I’ve read The Lunar Chronicles and Renegades series by Marissa Meyer so naturally I’m excited for her upcoming release, Gilded. I don’t believe that Marissa Meyer is capable of writing anything that I won’t fall in love with. Especially, if the cover is this stunning.

I loved A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown, so I’m counting down for the sequel, A Psalm of Storms and Silence. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

I don’t find myself reaching for sad books often, but there’s something about this one that intrigues me. I’m ready to get my heart broken. From what I remember, Julie’s boyfriend, Sam dies. As she misses him, she dials his phone, hoping to listen to his voicemail to hear his voice one more time. But Sam picks up, and suddenly Julie has another chance at goodbye.

The cover is so beautiful too. I’m so scared but excited for this.

I’ve read three books by Karen M. McManus and enjoyed all three so You’ll Be the Death of Me is another highly anticipated read. I love the title too. I don’t even know what this is about, but I’ll be pre-ordering it soon and that’s all that matters.

What are some books you’re excited for?

September: A TBR List

August was a really successful reading month for me, so I’ve got a fairly ambitious tbr for this month.

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee has witches and a boarding school – which is all I need to know. The book just came out last month but so far all I’ve heard are positive things.

After the Ink Dries by Cassie Gustafson is a contemporary drama released in July this year. The graphic novel follows Erica and Thomas as Erica wakes up half naked with names written in sharpie on her body. Without risking further humiliation, Erica tries to figure out what happened that night. From the summary alone, my heart aches.

I don’t read many graphic novels anymore. But I’m really excited for this one.

What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell is a Rapunzel retelling releasing in September. I love Rapunzel’s story so I’m going into this without knowing much. And this has to be the read this month that I’m excited for the most!

If you know me, you know I love my Sci-Fi. From Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman to Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Which is why, I’m super excited to dive into Across the Universe by Beth Revis. The thing that’s held me back all these years is the cover changes across the series.

Aside from cover changes, the book has a murder mystery and romance all in a space ship. So, I figured, why not give it a go?

My book club, Read Between the Times has chosen Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard for the month of September.

The YA Fantasy is set in a world divided by red and silver; commoners and the elite. When Mare Barrow, a red, discovers her powers (something exclusive to the silvers), she’s paraded around as a lost Silver Princess. Under this facade, Mare plans with a militant resistant group, fighting to bring down the silver regime.

I’ve avoided this book for so long, and I don’t have a single good reason why. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, the synopsis sounds great. I’m glad this is the book club’s pick, and even gladder that I have the push to pick this up.

Through Netgalley, I’ve received some advanced reader copies for upcoming books. My goal is to read some and put up reviews for their release dates. Here are some releasing in the month of September!

Before We Were Blue by E. J. Schwartz releases on September 14th! So, I’ll be diving into this just as September starts so I can have the review up before the release date. In this young adult-contemporary, we tackle eating disorders and the struggle of recovery.

Slanted and Disenchanted by Lisa Czarina Michaud is a coming-of-age story about Carla and Pete, who start a band together. This releases on September 21 2021, so keep your eyes peeled!

Text Publishing presents Social Queue by Kay Kerr, a young adult romance releasing on the 28th September of 2021.

The book has been pitched as a ‘heart-warming autistic story about deciphering the confusing signals of attraction and navigating a path to love.’

With insightful illustrations, Own Your Period by Chella Quint is a guide to period positivity. I’m all for destigmatising menstruation so I was quick to grab this.

House of Glass Hearts by Leila Siddiqui follows a Pakistani-American teen’s quest to find her missing sibling. This young adult fiction has been shelved as a historical fiction, magical realism and fantasy.

The book releases on September 30th 2021, so if this interests you, grab yourself a copy when it comes out.

What are your planning on reading in September? Have you read any of these?

August 2021: My ‘To Be Read’ List

I confess: I haven’t been reading much for someone who claims to be an avid reader. So in my mission to make time for reading, I’ve compiled a TBR list to share with you all.

Confessions About Colton by Olivia Harvard is a young adult mystery novel that follows Elliot, who’s best friend Colton, was brutally murdered. After Elliot gets a note from someone claiming to be Colton’s killer, Elliot has to follow the clues to find out the truth behind Colton’s death.

Confessions About Colton is one the books published by Wattpad and its high time I read more from my fellow Wattpad writers. I’m so excited to get into this one. I’m working on ‘Where the Light Ends’ and it has me in a really mysterious reading mood.

You Have A Match by Emma Lord is a young adult contemporary that’s slipped into my TBR. With my contemporaries, I prefer to go into it without knowing too much and I’m doing the same with this one. What I can share is that it’s more family focused than most young adult books we see.

How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao has been pitched as dark academia but think Asian American. And the pitch has me hooked, line, sinker.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is one of the most hyped books that book tube has made me buy. As soon as the book came out, I had my hands on it. And since then, it has sat on my bookshelf, untouched. I even made my sister read it. I can’t share anything about the book with you, because I don’t know. But this time, I’m determined to tick it off my list.

Now that you know what’s on my TBR, what’s on yours? Have you read any of these, what were your thoughts?