Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Waiting On Wednesday (59): Steadfast by Claudia Gray

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, in which bloggers talk about the books they are most eager for!

Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: March 4th, 2014


Nadia, Mateo, and Verlaine have saved Captive's Sound from the dark Sorceress Elizabeth...or so they thought. Despite their best efforts, a crack opened and a new, greater evil seeped through. With Mateo as her Steadfast, Nadia's magic is magnified and she is more powerful than ever. But there is still so much she doesn't know about the craft, leaving her open and vulnerable to a darker magic...which has begun to call Nadia's name.

I've been a Claudia Gray fan for years and I couldn't wait to read Spellcaster when it came out early last year. And, it was even better than expected! Witches, and romance, and creepy spells, and awesome friends, it was all fantastic. I really want to see where this story goes and to dive back into this intriguing world. 

Steadfast is out in March! And if you're looking for a really great vampire read, check out her previous novels in the Evernight series!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday (2): Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry

Hey, all!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish in which bloggers post their "Top Ten" of whatever that week's theme is! This week's theme:

Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry

This week's topic is pretty much made for me. I get VERY emotional reading certain books (particularly contemporary) so I probably could have made this a top fifty list. I stuck to my most bawl-your-eyes-out-use-up-the-tissue-box books! Here they are!

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
- Picture this: me reading this book in the middle of the hallway at my university, weeping on the floor. Yeah, that happened. But, really, what other reaction could I have had to this beaut of a book?


Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
- I've read this book three times and bawled EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Richelle Mead, you are a cruel, cruel woman. (But in the bestest way)


Where She Went by Gayle Forman
- I was just having Adam and Mia feels ALL UP IN THIS BOOK. Gayle Forman is such a talented writer, and this sequel ruined me.
Note: Just One Day was also a life-ruiner of a book.


The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
- After I finished this book, I literally ended up sobbing on top of the book. Just sobbing. This was a book that really and truly rocked my world. One of those books that had me overwhelmed. It is one I'll read over and over again. And probably cry every time.


The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 
- "We are infinite." I don't need to say anything more.


Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers
- I talked about why this book affected me so much in November, but to reiterate: I've never in my life had a book hit me like that. I will never be able to praise Courtney Summers enough for her incredible books. And her ability to make me sob!
Note: Every single Courtney Summers book is a tear-jerker, and all should be read!


Paper Towns by John Green
- I always champion this as John Green's best novel and it really is to me. It challenged my assumptions, changed my view of the world, and reminded me of the beauty life has to offer. I laughed, I bawled my ever-loving eyes out, and it honest-to-goodness changed my life. I will forever be thankful to John Green for taking every mixed-up, lost feeling I had and telling me I was okay. 


Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
- This is another one of those books that shook my foundations. Melina Marchetta tends to do that to me. At one point in this book, I was laughing and sobbing all at the same time and I remember how amazing it felt. This book was simply stunning. More than I could have ever hoped for. And it's follow-up, The Piper's Son wrecked me once again.


The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
- I went into this book knowing three things. 1) It had someone named Hazel in it. 2) It had someone named Augustus in it. And 3) It was written by one of my all time favourite authors. I literally knew nothing else. I avoided any mention of the book like the plague because I wanted to have my own experience reading it. (This was back when it first came out (FUN FACT: I was in the 1% of pre-orders that didn't get a signed copy. I was eventually sent a book plate though!)) And it was beautiful. I've never cried so much in a book. I don't know if I ever will again.
Note: Looking for Alaska was caused me to cry some serious tears.
 

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
- In my humble opinion, Jellicoe Road is possibly one of the best books ever written. Period. It was everything I could ever want in a book (including this amazing person called Jonah Griggs). It's not just romantic, though. It's filled with friendship, and self-discovery, and heart-break, and loss, and so much love it makes your heart feel like it's going to burst. If you take one thing from this post, let it be this: read this book.

The books on this list will make you bawl your eyes out. But, you will love every second of it.

What are your top ten this week?

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)