Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read List

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, and you can find more about this meme here. This week is the top ten books on my Spring TBR. I don't really know how much reading I'm going to get done this Spring as next month I have my final exams, but here's my list anyway!

1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
I'm pretty sure this was also on my Winter TBR...I just haven't gotten to it yet. It's reached that point where I really, really want to get this read just because I'm sick of constantly putting it on my TBR.

2. Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley
This is a really small one, so I reckon I could knock it off pretty quickly. Like Anna Karenina, it's also on my list of 14 books I wanted to read this year.

3. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
This is another one on that list. I read the first 300 pages or so earlier this year but I put it down for some reason. I'm going to try and get this done as soon as possible.

4. Amy and Matthew by Cammie McGovern
I bought this one at the Melbourne meet-up a few months back, and I've since heard that this is a little disappointing...I just want to get it read now.

5. The Enemy by Charlie Higson
I've been reading this one for MONTHS. I'm really enjoying the story, but I have to be in a certain mood to read it. Hopefully I can get it done this season.

6. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
I've been reading this for literally a year and a half. The thing is, when I'm actually actively reading it I'm really enjoying it and I'm getting through it quite quickly but then I put it down for something else...

7. Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
I've had this one out from my Uni library for months now. Considering the year is almost over, I should probably read it and return it!

8. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
OKAY, CALM DOWN! This is a re-read for me but I really, really need some Etienne St Clair in my life right now.

9. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
No, I haven't read this one yet. Yes, I know how good it is. I'll get it read as soon as I can!

10. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
Okay, so I don't actually expect to finish this one this Spring but I'd like to at least start it. If all goes to plan, I'd like to read the entire Lord of the Rings this summer.

So yep, that's it! I expect some of you to laugh at my ambitious goals...I know I am. Let me know which of these I should read first. Until next time...

REVIEW: Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

Title: Rebel Angels (Gemma Doyle #2)

Author: Libba Bray

Publication Date: June 26^th 2010

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Format: Paperback

Pages: 563

Rating: 5/5

Blurb: It's the end of the year, and Gemma's looking forward to living it up in London. Balls, fancy gowns and dancing with the handsome Simon Middleton beckon. Best of all, it's time away from Spence Academy - and from the Realms.

But the lure of the enchanted world is strong, and the magic flows freely. Gemma's visions intensify - visions of three girls, dressed in white, suffering horror and menace. Clearly all is not well in the Realms - or out of them.

Set against the rich backdrop of Victorian London, a place of shadows and light, in a time of strict morality and barely repressed sensuality, this compelling gothic sequel reveals that inside great beauty can lie a rebel angel...

 

Review: Six months or so after finishing the first book, A Great and Terrible Beauty, it was really nice to get back into the world of Gemma Doyle. I wasn’t really a massive fan of the first book, though I found myself instantly enjoying the second. I quickly came to the realisation that I really didn’t like any of Gemma’s friends- Felicity, Ann and Pippa all annoyed me at different times of the book, though I really enjoyed Gemma herself. The other characters were pretty likeable as well- Gemma’s family- her grandmother, father and her brother, Tom, were all interesting to read especially from the biased opinion of Gemma and then to hear what other characters in the novel said about them. I loved both Simon and Kartik and right now there is no possible way that I could ever choose between the two of them.

Despite being a love triangle, I felt that it was actually believable- she wasn’t going between the two of them trying to decide which she loved, she knew that Simon would give her status, power, money etc. but also that she could be happy with him, but she shared a connection with Kartik with their history and through India and whatnot despite their difference places in the hierarchy. For me, this was a definite benefit for the novel and made it much more enjoyable than having to read a teenage girl between two boys all of the time.

Of course, I loved the world both the dark and the classy Victorian London but also the beautiful and terrifying world of the Realms. One of my absolute favourite things about the novel was all the description of the creatures and elements of the Realms, which are present in the first novel though I really enjoyed what we got to see this time around.

Obviously, I enjoyed all of these elements though my favourite part of the novel was the mystery surrounding the identity of Circe. About halfway through I actually thought I’d outsmarted Gemma and had figured out who the real Circe was, though when it finally came down to it I realised how stupid I’d been to miss all the clues pointing at the person I’d completely dismissed.

If you love historical paranormal with a hint of romance, I’d definitely check out this book especially as I believe that it really does have some good messages hidden behind all the awesome paranormal aspects. 

* Fun fact about my copy of this book- the summary reads 'the handsome Dimon Middleton beckon', rather than Simon Middleton...Bit embarrassing there.

UPDATE: Ely - September 30th

Hello all,

I'd like to apologise for Chami and I's lack of posts lately, we are hoping to make up for them in October. Anyway, today I will be posting a little update for you guys and I should posting the 'New Series and Sequels of October 2012' post tomorrow followed by the 'Standalone Novels of October 2012' so look out for those.

Recently purchased books

• The Casual Vacancy by J.K Rowling
• Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
• Matched by Ally Condie
• The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
• The Time of my Life by Cecelia Ahern
• Poirot Three Pack including; The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and After the Funeral by Agatha Christie

Currently reading

• The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
• Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

  That's it for today's update, I will see you all soon!

x Ely