Monday, December 31, 2018

Bookish Goals for 2019!


So, 2018 has come to a close and we're all preparing to start 2019. I have a few bookish and social media goals that I have set for the upcoming year. I think that they're all pretty doable but I'm also not going to stress myself out too much if I don't fulfill all of them. So, let's just dive into my goals for the year! 

1. Read 80 books

My first goal this year is to read a total of 80 books. This year I managed to read #, so I think that 80 is pretty solid. The reason I'm lowering it is because I will be entering a tougher semester of classes in the spring and I'll be hopefully studying abroad, and thus traveling a lot, in the fall. I'm hoping to read more than 80, but if I can read 80 with all that I'm planning on doing in 2019, I'll still be pretty happy with that outcome.

2. Buy less books

This is one that I wouldn't have expected to put if you'd asked me a year and a half ago. But the fact of the matter is my TBR is enormous. I've already unhauled over 70 books this and I'm still not even close to having more read books on my shelves than TBR ones. I'm still going to be buying books, but I'm setting myself a strict ban that if I want to buy a book, I have to have read two books from my TBR before I can do so. Also, no more late-night impulse buying or "treat yourself" moments without putting a lot more thought into a purchase. 

3. Finish at least 6 series

Since I finished seven series in 2018, I feel as if finishing six should be a piece of cake especially since I have so many series where I've read all but the last book. There's also quite a few anticipated releases I have for 2019 that are the final books in a series. There's just something so satisfying about finishing a series and finally knowing the complete story and resolution. 

4. Read through my TBR more

As I said above, my TBR is huge. It's overwhelming at times, but I'm going to try in 2019 to read through a good chunk of it. I think a big thing is making sure I don't fall into my regular summer reading slump like I've done the past three summers. If I can manage to not do that, I should be able to get through a huge chunk of my TBR during those few months. 

5. Post more on bookstagram

I post pretty regularly on bookstagram when I'm at home, but when I'm at college it can get a little weird. It's hard to post regularly when there's oftentimes not good lighting, when there's not a good backdrop and I don't have inspiration, and a whole plethora of other factors. I'm going to try to stock up on pictures before I leave at the end of winter break, though, so I'm hoping I can use those when I don't have inspiration at school. 

6. Hit 2,500 Instagram followers

Right now, I'm at a little under 1,500 followers. I think 2,500 is very doable but it won't be easy. The algorithm is terrible and I've been struggling the past few months to gain followers quickly. Obviously, I don't bookstagram for the followers but it's still nice to see results from all the hard work I've put into it. 

7. Hit 80,000 blog views

And, lastly, I want to hit 80,000 total blog views. Honestly, I think this is very doable if I continue at my typical number of views per month. But, as I said, I'll be going abroad in the fall hopefully so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to blog regularly. Still, I'm hoping that I'll be able to hit 80k by the end of 2019, if not more than that!



Well, those are my book-related goals for 2019. Obviously I have goals that are unrelated to books and social media, but I'm still trying to figure those out so I decided to leave them out. I hope all of you have an amazing 2019! Thanks for reading! For all of my other 2018 wrap-up posts, go here! 
xoxo
Lauren



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Sunday, December 30, 2018

Book Series I Finished in 2018!


Hey all! The year has come to a close and now I'm here to talk all about it! I ended up with a pretty good reading year, especially when it comes to these past few months. I read so many amazing books this year and I ended up finishing more series this year than in any previous year! In 2018, I managed to finish seven series, which is almost twice as many as I finished in 2017. I'm pretty proud of this accomplishment and hope to finish even more in 2019! But without further ado, here are the seven series I finished in 2018:

The first series I finished in 2018 was the Executive Toy series by Cleo Peitsche in January. This was also the only series I finished in the first half of the year. I had read the first three books at the very end of 2017 and ended up finishing the last three in the very beginning of 2018. It was a pretty fun series but I didn't love it too much. Mostly, it was a fast read and pretty short but I haven't had the urge to return to the series since finishing.

The next series I finished was The Illuminae Files trilogy by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff in July. I loved the first two books and it was almost a two year wait for me until I could read the final book since I had read an advanced copy of the second. I think the reason it took me months after the release date for me to read this one was because I wanted to reread the first two in preparation for this one. And it was such a fun reread! I love this trilogy so much and it's brought me both happiness and great pain. Overall, I thought Obsidio was a perfect end to the trilogy. Reviews: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3

The third series I finished in 2018 was The Oresteia trilogy by Aeschylus in October. The explanation behind this one is pretty simple: I had to read it for a class I was taking. I'll be honest and say I don't remember much of what happened and I don't really care to reread it anytime soon. 

The fourth series I finished in 2018 was the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas in October. If you've been around for a while, you know my love for this series. It's one of the series that got me back into reading years ago and I was eagerly anticipating this final release. I still can't quite believe that it's over but I absolutely loved the final book. Reviews: Book 0.5, Book 1, Book 3, Book 5, Book 6, Book 7

The fifth series I finished was the To All the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy by Jenny Han in November. This was an unexpected one for me, as at the beginning of the year I didn't even know anything about this trilogy. But when the movie trailer came out, I really wanted to watch it but I knew I wanted to read the book first. And then I finished the book...and needed to know what happened next. I absolutely loved reading this trilogy and I only wish I'd found it sooner. I love the characters so much and it was such a light, fun-hearted read that has found its way onto my favorites list. Reviews: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3

The sixth series I finished in 2018 was the Curse of the Gods series by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington in December. I started reading this series when it came out and fell in love immediately. I absolutely adored this series and, while it's sad to see it come to an end, it was such an amazing ride and I loved the final book! Reviews: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4, Book 4.5, Book 5

The seventh and final series I finished this year was the Dark Side series by Kristy Cunning in December. This series was a lot of fun to read and I definitely thought the final book was a great end to the series. Overall, I really enjoyed this series and will most likely revisit my favorite scenes but I don't think it was an amazing, out of this world story. 



Well, those were the seven series I finished reading in 2018! I'm hoping to finish even more series in the upcoming year and already have such a huge TBR. Wish me luck! Thanks for reading! For all my other 2018 wrap-up posts, go here! 
xoxo
Lauren



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Saturday, December 29, 2018

Let's Talk: "Truthwitch" by Susan Dennard

Title: Truthwitch 
Author: Susan Dennard
Series: Witchlands #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Length: 416 pages
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Date Started: December 24, 2018
Date Finished: December 26, 2018
Rating: 5 // 5 stars

AHHHHH.

Ok, now that that's out of the way, let me just start by saying that this book was amazing! I've had a copy of this book since it was released almost three years ago and I cannot believe that it took me this long to read it. I don't know what the final push was, but I'm kicking myself for not having read this sooner. Although, on the flip side, not reading it right away means that I now have three books and a novella to binge before I have to begin waiting for the next one.

Everything about this was amazing. I haven't had a reading experience like this in a while and it was so amazing to get sucked in completely, have my heart beating fast, and to just feel this book. Lately, I've been reading a lot of books I've liked or enjoyed, but only a few per month have I loved. This is one of the ones I loved. I loved it, plain and simple. I cannot wait to read the sequel and I'm not sure how long I can hold off on that one.

Let's chat about all the things that I loved:

Safi and Iseult! Oh my gosh. I loved them so much! I love a good friendship but in a lot of books I've read, the romance takes the forefront and friendships typically get underdeveloped and take the backburner. That's not the case in this one. There was very little romance and instead we have these Threadsisters not letting anything come between them and going above and beyond to find each other. They don't let anything come between them and are just so close that I love it.

The way the romance was done, which is a little misleading to say because there was very little, almost none. The romance present here is definitely the slow-burn, slow-moving type and I don't typically see that in books lately. I think that it is pacing just right and, since we have the amazing Safi/Iseult friendship, I don't feel the need to demand the romance move faster.

The characters. Stemming from the prior two points, I loved the characters. None of them were perfect but they try their best, don't let anyone take advantage of them, and apologize when they're wrong. You could see the different ways the characters grew throughout this novel and I cannot wait to see what awaits them in the sequel. Safi and Iseult are especially my favorites. They're confident, badass, and just amazing.

There's swearing and sex-positivity! We don't see these two things often in YA novels and it was so refreshing to read that. I just...thank god we're finally getting these two things!

The plot and pacing. I loved the way this story was laid out and how it moved. There was never a moment I was bored. From the very first page, this story took off and never stopped moving. I was sucked in and didn't want to put it down until I finished. The story itself was also amazing. I loved the plot and how different things wove together. I'm also so excited to see how some of these loose ends get handled in the next books.

The only thing I will say is that occasionally the world building was lacking. Overall, by the end of the book I had a pretty good sense of the world but in the beginning there were some things talked about but never explained, so I was left a tad confused at times. However, there weren't info dumps and I'm glad we weren't told everything right off the bat. Learning about the world as we go is very efficient and I enjoyed that, but I sometimes wish some of the different witch-types and other aspects of the world were explained more. The plot and characters more than made up for any loss there and I do absolutely love this rich, intricate new world I get to explore further.

All I'm going to say to wrap up this review is that I have definitely found a new favorite and I cannot wait to see where this story takes us. 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Friday, December 28, 2018

Everything You Need to Know About "The Gilded Wolves" by Roshani Chokshi


The Gilded Wolves is one of my most anticipated releases of 2019 and I can't believe it's almost upon us! I've heard nothing but amazing things from fellow bloggers who've had the chance to read this book early and it has only raised my excitement to an entire new level. Today, I thought I would share some amazing things about this upcoming book to hopefully get you as excited as I am!



About the Author

The Gilded Wolves is the first novel in a new series by New York Times Bestselling Author Roshani Chokshi. Previous published works by Roshani include Aru Shah and the End of Time, The Star Touched Queen, Crown of Wishes, Star Touched Stories, and an inclusion in the anthology A Thousand Endings and Beginnings. In addition to the upcoming The Gilded Wolves, Roshani is also working on the Aru Shah sequel, Aru Shah and the Song of Death.

From the author's website: "Her work has been nominated for the Locus and Nebula awards, and her books have appeared on Barnes and Nobles Best New Books of the Year and Buzzfeed Best Books of the Year lists. Chokshi lives in Georgia, but doesn’t have much of a Southern accent. Alas."




Synopsis

Set in a darkly glamorous world The Gilded Wolves is full of mystery, decadence and dangerous but thrilling adventure.

Paris, 1889: The world is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In this city, no one keeps tabs on secrets better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. But when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin will need help from a band of experts:

An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian who can’t yet go home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in all but blood, who might care too much.

Together, they’ll have to use their wits and knowledge to hunt the artifact through the dark and glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.

Release Date: January 15, 2019
Add it on Goodreads!



Preorder Campaign

The publisher is hosting a really cool preorder promotion right now. If you preorder the book and upload your receipt here, you can get a pack of five tarot-themed character cards! This offer is only open to United States and Canadian residents. Look at how gorgeous they are!




Character Reveals

There have been numerous character portraits revealed lately and I'm thrilled to share them all with you right now! Each of these beautiful character portraits were illustrated by Nicole Deal, who has done some amazing freelance illustrations. You can find her website here! But for right now, here are the characters (captions from Roshani's Twitter). 

Left: "Heeeeere's Enrique, my nerdy Spanish-Filipino historian whose decision making is v food-centric." 

Right: "Tristan is a gardener extraordinaire & also that little brother who says "LOOK WHAT I FOUND" and thrusts a bunch of writhing insects in your face while cooing at them. *shudders*. Gotta love the fuzzy tarantula, Goliath, just chilling by his feet."

Left: "Meet Hypnos, Patriarch of House Nyx. Not sure what to say about this ultraglam goof. I love him? But he's terrible? Don't let him near your boyfriend."

Right: "If you’re looking for a best friend obsessed with fire, numbers, fire, perfect circle sugar cookies, and more fire...you just might love Zofia."

Left: "You know that Mom Friend who feeds you all the time & remembers your birthday & probably loves you more than your own parents? Laila is THAT. But also really, really, ridiculously good looking. And with a dark secret...."

Right: "And laaaast....Nicholas Cage in National Treasure but make him sexy...the dude Lara Croft who could leave you on Read for 2 days & it’s fine...Séverin Montagnet-Alarie 😈"

All of these characters look so amazing and the illustrations are completely on point! I can't wait to look back on these when I'm reading! 



Purchase Links



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Top 5 Wednesday: Books I Didn't Get to In 2018



Hello all, here we are with another Top 5 Wednesday, and the last Top 5 Wednesday of the year! And what a year it has been. I've read so many amazing books and I can only hope 2019 is as good of a reading year. That being said, I have a pretty big TBR and there were a lot of books I wanted to read by the end of 2018 that I just didn't get to. So, here are the top 5 books I didn't get to in 2018 but want to read in 2019!



At number five, we have A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir. The only reason I didn't read this when it came out was because I need to reread the first two books because I've forgotten A LOT of what has happened. I want my mind to be fresh for the awesomeness that I know this book is going to be. So I have to reread the first two books which means dedicating a lot of time away from other books I want to read, hence why I haven't read it yet! 

At number four, we have The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. So many people have raved about how good this book is and I've been wanting to read it for over a year now. This was another one I had planned to read in these last few months of 2018 but just wasn't able to squeeze in. Never fear, though, for I have plans to read it this spring! 

For number three, I chose The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Like with Reaper, I wanted to reread the Lux series since this is a spinoff of that series and it's been a while since I read those books. I've reread the first three and have two to go, so for this one it really is I'm just not able to read it yet. I am planning on finishing my reread by the end of January or February, though, and then reading this one immediately after.

At number two, I went with Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco. I loved the first book in this series and I can't believe that I haven't yet read this sequel or the third book that came out this year. I started reading this back before it released but I was just starting my semester as a college freshman and put it down one day to study or something and never picked it back up even though I was enjoying the story. Still, I plan on rereading the first book and getting through this one and the third very soon!

And, lastly, at number one, we have Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. So many of my trusted bibliophile friends adore this book and it's been sitting on my shelves since its release. I cannot believe I haven't read it yet but I'm hoping to very, very soon! It's coming back with me to college and, since I'm being selective with what I bring back, I'm hoping that will help motivate me to finally make time for this book! 

So, there you have it, five books I'm dying to read in 2019 because I wasn't able to get to them this year. There are countless other books I want to read in the coming year but these are definitely pretty high on the list!



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Monday, December 24, 2018

'Tis the Season Book Tag

Hello all! It's almost Christmas! Today is Christmas Eve and that means tomorrow is the big day! I will say, I'm not as excited as I usually am but I am still very looking forward to tomorrow. I'll get to hang out with my niece, spend time with family, and eat a lot of cookies! What better way to Christmas-fy my blog than to do a Christmas-themed book tag? So here we are with the 'Tis the Season Book Tag. Let's just go ahead and jump in!



1. Do you have a favorite winter read?

I don't generally read a book every year on Christmas, but this year I am planning on rereading A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas on Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day. It was so cute and festive when I read it back in May and I just knew I had to reread it when it was finally the holiday season. 

2. Find a book with blue on the cover!

I'm going to go with Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. This cover is absolutely stunning and I've been wanting to read this book for the longest time. I'm hoping to get to it in the spring of 2019, maybe February or March? Plus, those sprayed edges! 

3. Find a book you’d use as the star on a Christmas tree!

I'm going to pick Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas for this one for two reasons. (1) Its cover is a bright yellow color and (2) it was my favorite book of the year and so it is the "star" of my favorites list. A bit cheesy, I know, but I don't know what other book I'd pick for this prompt.

4. Pick one fictional place that would be perfect for a winter vacation!

Velaris. Maybe it's because we have a holiday novella set there, but I can definitely see myself in all the festivities of Velaris and with the Night Court. It's kind of sad that we won't have a white Christmas here, but I can always escape into reading about Velaris. 

5. Pick one fictional character you’d take with you on your winter vacation!

There are so, so many I could choose for this one, but I think I'm going to go with Fenrys from the Throne of Glass series. As much as I love some other characters, Fenrys is single and doesn't have a close family and I feel as if the holidays may be lonely for him. Plus, if we're going to Velaris I'd love for Fenrys to meet Cassian. That would just be hilarious. 

6. Name one book on your wish list this year!

I have so many, but I asked for The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman. I actually already celebrated Christmas and received this one, which was super exciting. But if I had to chose a book that I haven't gotten yet, I'll go with Scythe by Neil Shusterman. I've heard so many people raving about this book and I've been interested in it for a while so it's be nice to get to read it soon. 

7. Favorite holiday drink, treat, & movie?

Holiday drink: Hands down, I adore hot chocolate as long as it has plenty of whipped cream.

Holiday treat: I love my mom's thumbprint cookies. They're my favorite type of cookies anytime of the year.

Holiday movie: There are so. many. good ones! I love the first two Home Alone movies and all three Santa Claus movies. Those are the ones I tend to gravitate towards first. But I also really enjoy the old Christmas classics. 

8. Who do you tag?

I tag anyone and everyone who wants to participate in this tag during this holiday season! 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Saturday, December 22, 2018

Unboxing: Fairyloot's "Dragons"

Hello everyone! When I saw this announcement from Fairyloot for a dragon-themed box I knew I had to have it! Also, with all the cool items they hinted at in this box, I was so excited when my subscription renewed and even more excited when I got the shipping notification. I ended up guessing the book beforehand and was spoiled on two other items. Then a publishing company that included one of the books posted a full unboxing on Instagram before I'd even received my box, so I was mostly spoiled. However, when I got the box I was still unawares at to everything in it, so there were still some surprised that I'm excited to show you all now! Additionally, there was a mixup with packing and I ended up not getting one of the items so that will be coming later in January, so I might update this post when I get that! But without further ado, here's the Fairyloot "Dragons" box!




So, the first item in this box was the spoiler card, obviously. It had this gorgeous artwork on it and it's honestly so beautiful. At the bottom of the box, we also got a bookmark with the same art and this month's Fairyscoop.

The next item I pulled out was this gorgeous glow-in-the-dark dragon necklace. It's so beautiful and I can't wait to test it out in the dark. My current WIP is about dragons, as well, and I'd love to wear this while I write it!

Then we got a pin banner. At first I was a bit confused as to what it was and then I figured it out. I'm not 100% if I'm going to use this for pins because I have a tin that I keep all my pins in and I know they won't all fit on the banner, but this is definitely an item I'd use before tea or whatnot.

I was really excited that they were including a dragon-themed reading journal this month. I am somewhat obsessed with planners and I can't wait to use this for my reading goals and whatnot. There's monthly overviews, places to list the books I read, weekly slots, and more! It's so beautiful and well made.

Then I pulled out the first two tarot-style cards in a continuing set inspired by A Court of Thorns and Roses, aka one of my favorite series. I was really excited when Fairyloot announced they were doing these and I can't wait to have a complete set, though I was thinking we'd get more than two in each box.

Then there was an advanced reader's copy of The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson. I'm super excited for this July 2019 release and I can't wait to dive into it sometime this spring. My friend and I were even gushing about it and wondering if this was going to be in the box.

There was this gorgeous Harry Potter themed booksleeve included as well. I love Fairyloot's booksleeves and they're the best quality sleeves in my entire collection. Plus, this design is absolutely stunning. I can't wait to use this one and add it to my collection.

Next was a double-sided art print. On one side we have art of Manon and Abraxos from Throne of Glass and on the other side we have Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. Both of these artworks are stunning and I can't wait wait to take pictures with them.

And, lastly, we have the book of the month: Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst. I actually guessed the book back when the theme was announced but I'm pretty excited to have this in my hands. I always have better luck with Fairyloot books than other subscription boxes so I'm excited to read this one! There was also an art print of one of the characters with an author letter on the opposite side.

As I stated above, there was a packing mishap that caused many subscribers to not receive one of the items: a set of bookmarks inspired by Game of Thrones. I haven't seen what they look like yet but I'm excited to get them when Fairyloot goes off holiday.



Well, there you have it, my unboxing for Fairyloot's December 2018 box! This was one of my favorite boxes they've ever done full of items that I'll actually use. I'm excited to see what January will bring (and to add more tarot cards to the collection!).



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Thursday, December 20, 2018

Let's Talk: "Forged Decisions" by Katherine McIntyre

Title: Forged Decisions 
Author: Katherine McIntyre
Series: "Tribal Spirits" #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Page Length: 187 pages
Publication Date: January 1, 2019
Date Started: December 16, 2018
Date Finished: December 18, 2018
Rating: 3.5 // 5 stars

*I was provided a free advanced copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own*

I liked this book quite a bit and thought it was a good installment in the series, but I would have to say book 1 is still my favorite. As much as I love Finn and Navi, Dax and Sierra are my main ship and I just can't cheat on them.

As I said, I thought this was a good installment in the series. I was glad that it picked right up with the issues that had been left at the end of book one. I was never confused, either, with the POV change since this is a companion sequel book. I think that the plot was pretty good and I enjoyed the case aspect of the book that Finn was helping Navi with.

Onto Finn and Navi, I think that they're awesome and suit each other really well. They both understand each other even without knowing everything about one another. I also found the smut scenes between them to be phenomenal.

There were two things that I found a little hard to deal with even though I enjoyed the story as a whole. I felt that the romance was a lot of them, specifically Navi, trying to push away or hide the feelings for the other and then bam they gave in and suddenly were inseparable and couldn't stop emoting. I feel that was a bit of a fast whiplash moment for me, even though I'm glad they did get together. The other thing was the ending felt a bit rushed to me. The whole book was leading up to this climactic moment, yet I felt like the actual resolution was a bit rushed and then the book was over. I wish we would have gotten just a bit more of the aftermath of the resolution and more of the characters between that big climax and the end of the book.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book and I'm interested in seeing where Katherine takes the story next, and who's POV the next book will be from. There were so many things I was curious about at the end of this book that I'm eagerly looking forward to finding out about in future installments.

A big thank you to Katherine for allowing me the chance to read another of her books. This is definitely a fun supernatural series and Katherine always hits the nail on the head when it comes to the romances in her books. Don't miss this book when it comes out!



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



Follow my bookstagram here. New giveaway will be posted soon!

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

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Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Most Anticipated Releases of 2019!

Today's Top 5 Wednesday prompt was Top 5 Most Anticipated Releases of 2019, but since I can't pick just five and I was planning on doing a longer post anyway, I decided to just go ahead and combine the two posts! I'm not just limiting this to books, but also including movies and TV shows that are coming out in 2019 that I'm super excited for! These lists are pretty long, so let's go ahead and jump straight in :)



I have fourteen books on this list and I'm so excited to talk about all of them. After the top one, they're not really in any order but I'm pretty excited for all of them. 

My top anticipated release of 2019 is Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas. This is her newest adult book that is kicking off a new series and I'm so excited! It's about supernatural and magical creatures mixed with amazing characters, war, and sexy men. 

Then I'm excited for The World of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, which is kind of an encyclopedia and compendium for my favorite series. We'll get to see what happens in the ten years after the end of Kingdom of Ash and I'm beyond excited! I just really want to see what has been going on with the characters that made it out of the final book. 

I'm particularly keen on Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout that's coming out next year. It's a continuation/sequel to The Dark Elements trilogy, which is one of my favorite storylines from Jennifer. It was also one of the first series I first read when I started getting back into reading and I'm soooo excited to see more of these characters!

Then two of my favorite co-authors are coming out with another book series with the first book releasing in March: Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff. I'm so excited to read this book and I can't wait to have it in my hands in just a few months. Their other series (Illuminae Files) is one of my favorite series and it just ended this past year, so I'm very excited for more from these authors. 

One of my favorite books of 2018 was Furyborn by Claire Legrand and I'm beyond excited for the sequel: Kingsbane. Just everything about the end of the first book and the characters makes me so excited to read Kingsbane! Hopefully I'll be able to survive the wait until May! 

Then I'm excited for The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman. I follow Christine on Twitter and all of her tweets about her writing experience and her book have gotten me so excited about its release! I cannot wait to read it (and hopefully love it). 

I'm also really looking forward to The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, which is her newest standalone fantasy about DRAGONS. I love dragons (my current WIP is about dragons) and I've heard nothing but amazing things about this book from people who have gotten early copies. 

Next, I'm pretty interested in Again, But Better by Christine Riccio. I've been following Christine on YouTube for so long and I credit her (among others) for getting me back into reading. Following her journey writing this book has been so fun and I'm beyond excited to read a book from her. 

The final book in the Caraval trilogy, Finale, is also coming in 2019. The ending of book 2 absolutely shook me and I'm so interested in seeing what happens next. Plus, the covers are absolutely gorgeous.

Another book I'm excited for is Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan. This is a spooky, fantastical book that I've heard nothing but amazing things about. I follow the author on Twitter and she's hilarious and I cannot wait to read her book. 

Then, I'm excited for The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi. I actually just got the email that I was accepted into the street team for this book so be sure to stay tuned for a lot more talk of this upcoming release! Anyway, I'm so excited for this book. It's set in Paris and has been likened to Six of Crows and I cannot wait! I wish I had it in my hands right now. 

One of my favorite books in 2018 was Seafire by Natalie C. Parker. It's an amazing pirate fantasy book and I read it so quickly and just fell in love with the story. I already cannot wait to reread it and to read the sequel next year! 

Another of my favorites of the year was Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young and she annoucned she was writing a companion novel set ten years after Sky and I'm so excited! I loved this book and binged it so quickly and I cannot wait to see more of these characters.

The last book I'm looking forward to might actually be more than one, but I'm excited for the next installments in the Veil Diaries series. The seventh book should be coming out soon and there may be an eighth also releasing in 2019. I still have to catch up on the series, though, but I'll hopefully be able to do that soon! 



I also am super excited for some TV and movie releases. I have five upcoming movies and two upcoming TV seasons that I'm excited for. Let's just go ahead and talk about them since I'm super excited about these!

The first movie I'm beyond excited about is Spiderman: Far From Home. The first Spiderman with Tom Holland is my favorite movie. It's full of action but also full of comedy and cuteness, something that the Avengers movies don't have as much of. Either way, I'm just so freaking excited for more of Tom Holland's Spiderman. 

The next movie I'm looking forward to it Avengers: Endgame. How can I not be excited (and a little scared) for this after the ending that was Avengers: Infinity War? I just need this movie, like, yesterday. I cannot wait to see this and hopefully see a happy ending!

I'm also excited to see the next Star Wars movie and see how this trilogy wraps up. Star Wars is a series that is pretty close to me and, while I haven't been able to say the newest ones compare to the old ones, I am invested in the story and super excited to see what happens next. 

At number four, I'm super excited that they're making Zombieland 2. The first is one of my favorite movies and I just find it hilarious, so I cannot wait to see what they do with the second movie. I just need this comedic action in my life!

Lastly, I'm excited for the third Kingsman movie. The first one was phenomenal, the second one was amazing, and I cannot wait to see where the characters go in the last one. I just need me some Eggsy in my life.
The first TV season I'm excited for is the sixth season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I love this show and binged it so fast last year and I was so devstated when it was cancelled. But then it was renewed by NBC and I cannot wait to be reunited with these characters and this story! Plus, the ending of season five just left me needing to know what happens next!

The second TV season I'm excited for is season 3 of Stranger Things. I watched this show with one of my friends the first time around and I'm super excited to see what will come next. I think that this show is definitely one I didn't see myself loving before I started watching it but now I'm hooked. 



So, those were my most anticipated releases of 2019. There are countless others I'm looking forward to but I figured I'd leave this post with my top most anticipated releases. Hopefully 2019 will be an amazing year and I can't wait to dive into it!



Thanks for reading! Check out all of my 2018 wrap-up posts here. 
xoxo
Lauren



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