Give Me These 2017 Books!

I'd be lying if I say that today's topic isn't my favorite! There are so many 2017 books I'm excited for that it took a long time to narrow it down to 10 (plus a couple honorary mention!). Anyway, here they are!

OTPs of the Year!

I originally want to choose villain for today's topic (because who doesn't love villains?), but realized that I didn't read that many fantasy with amazing villains. That's why I choose couples, which is also the easiest topic for me. Here they are :

Matthias/Nina and Kaz/Inej and Jesper/Wylan- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (sorry but i ship these three so hard so i can't choose)

Arin/Kestrel - The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

Frank/Emily - Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Best Covers of 2016

Today's theme is best book covers of 2016. Despite being a pretty bad year for most of us, many 2016 books has a gorgeous cover ❤ Here is some of my faves!

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Summer Days and Summer Nights by Stephanie Perkins

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Best Books of 2016

Can you believe that it's almost the end of 2016? It felt like just yesterday when I type the top ten of 2015! Anyway, if you guys haven't know, Top Ten of 2016 is a 5-days-event held by Jamie @ Two Chicks on Books, Rachel @ Fiktshun, Bridget @ Dark Faerie Tales, and Nancy & Christy @ Tales of A Ravenous Reader. Today's topic is best books I've read in 2016, so without further ado, here it is!

Review : The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin

Title : The Year We Fell Apart
Author : Emily Martin
Genre : YA contemporary
Release Date : January 26th, 2016
Publisher : Simon Pulse

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Few things come as naturally to Harper as epic mistakes. In the past year she was kicked off the swim team, earned a reputation as Carson High’s easiest hook-up, and officially became the black sheep of her family. But her worst mistake was destroying her relationship with her best friend, Declan.

Now, after two semesters of silence, Declan is home from boarding school for the summer. Everything about him is different—he’s taller, stronger…more handsome. Harper has changed, too, especially in the wake of her mom’s cancer diagnosis.

While Declan wants nothing to do with Harper, he’s still Declan, her Declan, and the only person she wants to talk to about what’s really going on. But he’s also the one person she’s lost the right to seek comfort from.

As their mutual friends and shared histories draw them together again, Harper and Declan must decide which parts of their past are still salvageable, and which parts they’ll have to let go of once and for all.

Read & Recs #1 : The Summer of Chasing Mermaids

Welcome to the very first Read & Recs post! If you missed my announcement for this feature, check this post. For this month, I'm featuring THE SUMMER OF CHASING MERMAIDS by Sarah Ockler. I read this book more than a year ago and it instantly became my faves. If you guys, somehow, never heard of this book, here's a bit information :

Review : All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Title : All the Bright Places
Author : Jennifer Niven
Genre : YA contemporary
Release Date : January 6th, 2015
Publisher : Knopf

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Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
 
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
 
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
 
This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

These Authors Are New to Me!

Top Ten Tuesday is created by the Broke and the Bookish

It's been a long time since I last doing a TTT post, so I'm pretty excited to be back! Today's theme is new to me author, and eventhough I only read, like less than 50 books this year, I've discovered a lot of new authors whose next books I can't wait to read. Here they are!

1. Leigh Bardugo

I discovered the awesomeness that is Six of Crows earlier this year, and Shadow and Bone is even my very first 2016 reads (eventhough I haven't pick up the sequel yet).

A Million Thank Yous!

You guys should've known by this point that the lovely Mishma @ Chasing Faerytales and Hazel @ Stay Bookish host a Thanksgiving event and you guys should join it! It's basically about saying thank you to everyone. When I first heard about this event, I immediately sign up even if it's final exam week for me (and I don't even know that Thanksgiving is now if there's no this event!). But I'd like to say thank you to everyone who stick with me in the past (almost) 2 years. So without further ado, here it is!

Introducing : Read and Recs

I'm really, really excited to finally reveal my new feature to you guys! It might not be a unique features (there's always some similar feature out there), but it's my very first feature so I'm still excited! Anyway, here's a brief introduction on Read and Recs, and what you guys can expect on my blog in the future.

Monthly Recap : October (+ Book Fair's hauls)

Guys, life was busy as heck this month! I barely have any time to sleep, let alone to read and blog. And just a heads up, I'll continue being busy at least until the end of November, when final examination finished.

Review : Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Title : Six of Crows
Author : Leigh Bardugo
Genre : YA fantasy
Release Date : Spetember 29th, 2015
Publisher : Henry Holt

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Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

What to Eat If You're in Bali

As you might know, at the beginning of June, I went to Bali with some of my friends and it was great. Since we're all a bunch of teenagers who's hungry all the time, we spend most of the time there to eat. I kid you not, we eat 3-4 times a day (don't forget that once we're in the hotel, we still ordered foods). Anyway, since we went to a lot of restaurants, though I'll recommend some of the foods we eat there. Here they are :

All Time Fantasy and Contemporary Faves

hosted by the Broke and the Bookish

If you've followed my blog for a while you'd know that I'm a huge fan of fantasy and contemporary genres. That's why, I decide to choose those 2 genres for today's TTT. Without further ado, here it is!

FANTASY

ARC Review : Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake

Title : Suffer Love
Author : Ashley Herring Blake
Genre : YA contemporary
Release Date : May 3rd, 2016
Publisher : HMH Books

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“Just let it go.”

That’s what everyone keeps telling Hadley St. Clair after she learns that her father cheated on her mother. But Hadley doesn’t want to let it go. She wants to be angry and she wants everyone in her life—her dad most of all—to leave her alone.

Sam Bennett and his family have had their share of drama too. Still reeling from a move to a new town and his parents’ recent divorce, Sam is hoping that he can coast through senior year and then move on to hassle-free, parent-free life in college. He isn’t looking for a relationship…that is, until he sees Hadley for the first time.

Hadley and Sam’s connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret that could ruin everything. Should he follow his heart or tell the truth? 

Review : Sword and Verse by Kathy Macmillan

Title : Sword and Verse
Author : Kathy MacMillan
Genre : YA fantasy
Release Date : January 19th, 2016
Publisher : HarperTeen

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Raisa was only a child when she was kidnapped and enslaved in Qilara. Forced to serve in the palace of the King, she’s endured hunger, abuse, and the harrowing fear of discovery. Everyone knows that Raisa is Arnath, but not that she is a Learned One, a part of an Arnath group educated in higher order symbols. In Qilara, this language is so fiercely protected that only the King, the Prince, and Tutors are allowed to know it. So when the current Tutor-in-training is executed for sharing the guarded language with slaves and Raisa is chosen to replace her, Raisa knows that, although she may have a privileged position among slaves, any slipup could mean death.

That would be challenging enough, but training alongside Prince Mati could be her real undoing. And when a romance blossoms between them, she’s suddenly filled with a dangerous hope for something she never before thought possible: more. Then she’s approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slaves—to help liberate the Arnath people. Joining the Resistance could mean freeing her people…but she’d also be aiding in the war against her beloved, an honorable man she knows wants to help the slaves.

Working against the one she loves—and a palace full of deadly political renegades—has some heady consequences. As Raisa struggles with what’s right, she unwittingly uncovers a secret that the Qilarites have long since buried…one that, unlocked, could bring the current world order to its knees.

And Raisa is the one holding the key.

Monthly Recap : July

I'm officially going back to my very busy life! I start school on the 18th, and I *sort of* hoping that the busy part start on August. Of course, who am I kidding--it's senior year! It's not senior year if it's not busy and chaotic. So yeah, that's why I can't blog and read as much as I want to.

On a happier note, I took a trip with my family to a nearby town and it's so beautiful there! There's a lot of green scenery and so different from what I used to see at my city. I actually took some pictures, but I'm too lazy to put it here xD

Also on a completely unrelated with my life, CURSED CHILD IS RELEASED! Believe it or not, I actually hesitate to pre-order it because I'm not a fan of script, but after seeing a lot of pictures in the #cursedchild on twitter (which I regret because those midnight release pic made me jealous), now I really want to buy it!

ARC Review : P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Title : P.S. I Like You
Author : Kasie West
Genre : YA contemporary
Release Date : July 26th, 2016
Publisher : Point

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What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart?

From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes.

Books All Around The World

created by the Broke and the Bookish

I really love this week's topic! Books set outside of US always get a bonus point for me, but surprisingly, I haven't read many books set outside of US. That's why, this list will consist both books I've read and I want to read. Here they are!

Books I've Read

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (England)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (France)

The Statistical of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (England)

Book Blogger Creativity Project : Meet Your Match

Welcome to my stop for Meet Your Match! Meet Your Match is basically a quiz where you find a book recs on the result. This is part of Book Blogger Creativity Project hosted by Nori @ ReadWriteLove28 and created by Team Violet. This is the second time I participated in BBCP and I'm so glad I did because it's really fun. Anyway, each blog has a different genre, and my genre is historical fiction.

Ten (Not So) Bookish Facts About Me

created by the Broke and the Bookish

Today's TTT topic is slightly different, and I've debated with myself several times if I should write today's TTT or not because I'm pretty sure there are not many bookish facts about me. That's why, I decide to mix it with other not-so-bookish-facts so I could make it to ten. Here they are!

1. Most people know me as a slow reader, but actually I could read really fast if I want to! There are some books that I read in less than a day. The problem is, most of the time I don't want to read fast. I love reading each quotes and each sentences, and everytime I feel like I missed something I often look back.

Review : Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Title : Since You've Been Gone
Author : Morgan Matson
Genre : YA contemporary
Release Date : May 6th, 2014
Publisher : Simon and Schuster

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It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um... 

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go skinny-dipping? Wait...what?

Monthly Recap : June

Finally, I could start this recap without saying 'I'm really busy this month'! My exams ended at the end of May, so I no longer have school until senior year start in July. My friends and I celebrated the end of school year by going to Bali, and it was really fun! I'm currently writing a recap of it and (hopefully) it'll be up on July. Aside from that, this month is basically full of reading/eating/sleeping/watching movies/blogging. I blog almost everyday (eventhough I didn't post everyday), and I'm pretty certain that June is my most productive month.

As for July, well, senior year start in 18 days, so I don't know whether I could be as productive as in June or not. I'm both excited and afraid for senior year, since I know I'll be super busy (especially in the second semester, I may have to take a hiatus from january - april next year) and I'll have to choose university and my major (which I'm still confused at). But I also know that senior year will have so much fun too, with prom and tours and all!

Add These 2017 Books to Your TBR!

hosted by the Broke and the Bookish

Quite recently, Epic Reads posted Winter 2017 Cover Reveal (that you guys should check out because so many awesome covers!), and so I got inspired to make a list of ten 2017 books I'm excited for (also I need excuse to share those beautiful covers). I know it's really early, but better early than late, right? Here you go!

Why I Never Pre-Order Books

I have come into a conclusion that I'm probably the only person in this community that's never ever pre-ordered a book. Why??, you might ask. How do you even resist those swags?, another ask. And so, that's why I decide to write a post about it.

Before starting it, let me tell you something : being an international blogger is hard, especially if your country is not an English-speaking one. I couldn't attend a book events or author signing because there's no such thing. I rarely get physical ARCs, and even sometimes got declined for eARCs because territorial things or something I don't understand. I couldn't enter many giveaways (especially the one hosted by publisher, which ironically the most awesome one). In here, we often have to wait for months (or years!) for new books to finally show up. And in here, the bookstore is so small, my house is even bigger than it.

Okay, I'm not here to rant about how being an international blogger sucks since it has some perks too, but it's part of the reasons. Anyway, here's why :

Recommending These 2016 Books to You!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by the Broke and the Bookish

Okay, I cheated a bit today. I haven't read that many 2016 release, so instead of 10, I only list 5 books I love that were released in 2016. Here they are :

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Love Pirates? Or love time-travel thingy? Well then this book is for you! I admit that I haven't read many time-travel books, but I think The Girl from Everywhere is one of the best.

(My Review)

Review : Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title : Shadow and Bone
Author : Leigh Bardugo
Genre : YA fantasy
Release Date : June 5th, 2012
Publisher : Henry Holt

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Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.

I'm Excited for These Books!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by the Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic is ten books in the second half of the year that I'm excited for. Naturally--being a reader that I am--of course I have more than 10 books that I'm excited for. But I'll stick to 10 books, otherwise this post won't be any different than my goodreads '2016-release' shelf. Here they are :

Review : The Rose Society by Marie Lu

Title : The Rose Society
Author : Marie Lu
Genre : YA fantasy
Release Date : October 13th, 2015
Publisher : G.P. Putnam's Sons

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Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she flees Kenettra with her sister to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good when her very existence depends on darkness?

Bestselling author Marie Lu delivers another heart-pounding adventure in this exhilarating sequel to The Young Elites.