Jun 9 2014

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Top Ten Books I’ve Read So Far In 2014

top ten tuesday

Yay – this week is one of my favorite topics. I love geeking out about books I’ve already read, and there’ve been some good ones this year! Around May 2013, I decided it was time to start focusing more on the books at the top of my reading list and less on the ones that felt like obligations. I’ve stuck to it, and because of that have had the best twelve months of reading since I was a kid – a state of being I’d like to continue through the foreseeable future. :-)

Top Ten Books I’ve Read So Far In 2014

: The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

: City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

: The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke

: Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

: Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey

: Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau

: The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

: Kushiel’s Scion by Jacqueline Carey

I had so many favorites that it was difficult picking out ten for this list… definitely a problem I want to have. Also, I don’t think it be fair to ask me to pick an absolute favorite – it would be impossible to choose! I love them all.

Here’s to another six months of superb reading!

What’s the best book you’ve read this year?

Jun 1 2014

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May 2014: Review Recap!

This was a fantastic month of reviews on The Obsessive Bookseller, as all of the books featured were rated three stars or higher. Having finally caught up with all of my “obligatory” reading (i.e. all of those digital ARCs I selfishly requested back in February), I finally am able to pick up the books that entice me the most… and there were some good ones:

Dragon’s Blood by Jane Yolen

The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead

City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

Dragon’s Blood by Jane Yolen – 4.5/5 stars

The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead – 5/5 stars!

City of Dragons by Robin Hobb – 5/5 stars!

The Selection Stories by Kiera Cass

The One by Kiera Cass

After the End by Amy Plum

The Selection Stories by Kiera Cass – 4/5 stars

The One by Kiera Cass – 3/5 stars

After the End by Amy Plum – 3.5/5 stars

And my favorite:

Not a drop to drink

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis – 4.5/5 stars

I have to say, The Immortal Crown almost got the number one spot, but McGinnis’ book was just too awesome to ignore (and that’s saying something, considering Mead is my favorite author)!

Waiting on Wednesday features:

: September 2, 2014

: September 9, 2014

: October 14, 2014

: November 25, 2014

: December 2, 2014

So many great titles coming out! I am most excited to read Snow Like Ashes – YA Fantasies are the best!

Top Ten Tuesday Features:

Top Ten Books I’m Reading Before the Vegas Valley Book Festival 2014!

Top Ten Books My Friends Recommended!

I missed two TTTs this month because I just wasn’t feeling the topic… And I loathe throwaway posts.

Escape Reality Book Club:

May’s Selection / June’s Selection

: The Selection by Kiera Cass

: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Not much happening, we are just reading a couple of my FAVORITE BOOKS EVER! Join the geek-out club here.

How was your month in reading? :-)

by Niki Hawkes

May 31 2014

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Stacking the Shelves – May 2014 Edition!

Stacking the shelves

Hosted by Tinga’s Reviews

May was a humble months of purchasing over here at The Obsesses Bookseller, though that wasn’t due to any concerted effort on my part, haha. You see, I did stick to my personal Read 4, Buy 1 challenge, but there is this footnote in the challenge contract which indicates that all book buying bans go out the window if I find any “killer deals.” Therefore, I ordered about 16 bargain hardcovers online and would be showcasing them… had they not gotten lost’s in delivery (just my luck). The company says they’ll replace them but, until then, this meager (although pretty) pile of acquisitions will have to do!

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Thank you @FierceReads for hosting the contest for ARCs of Hungry by Swain – I’m super jazzed to read this one!

All in all, it’s a pretty sharp collection of books – I have already read a couple of them and will be picking up The Burning Sky next.

That’s it for me this month! Did any of you bring home anything exciting? I’m dying to see some of the hauls from BEA…

by Niki Hawkes

May 26 2014

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Top Ten Books I’m Reading Before the Vegas Valley Book Festival 2014!

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week is a topics freebee week, so I’ve chosen to share some of the books I’m hoping to have read before the Vegas Valley Book Festival in October. I went last year and came home with over thirty signed books. It was awesome, but I feel like the experience could have been even better had I read most of the books before getting them signed – I’ve read a lot of them now and wish I could go back and geek about it with the authors and asked them questions. So this year, I’m hoping to make the most of this experience and am planning way ahead!

Top Ten Books I’m Reading Before the Vegas Valley Book Festival 2014!

: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

: Easy by Tammara Weber

: Forsaken by Jana Oliver

: Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

: The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

: Gilded by Christina Farley

: Reboot by Amy Tintera

: I’d Tell You I Love You… by Ally Carter

Pretty awesome lineup isn’t it? Most of these were on my TBR anyway, and I’ve heard fantastic things about some of them. There’s a partial list of authors attending on the VVBF website, and a few more in the About section of their Facebook page Things are subject to change, but hopefully the authors I’m most looking forward to will be there!

Which author would you be most excited to meet?

by Niki Hawkes

May 20 2014

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Top Ten Books My Friends Recommended!

top ten tuesday

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Today’s TTT was supposed to be Top Ten Books About Friendship and I have to admit I found the topic a bit… underwhelming. So instead I decided to showcase the absolute perfect recommendations my friends have given me over the years. A good friend knows exactly what kind of books you like to read, and mine haven’t let me down yet! Without further ado:

Top Ten Books My Friends Recommended!

: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

: The Name the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

: Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

: Homeland by R.A. Salvatore

: Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind

: The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

: The Fifth Wave by Ricky Yancey

: Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

Some of the books above are among my all-time favorites and I am totally grateful my friends knew my tastes in reading well enough to single them out for me. There’s a chance I may not have picked them up so quickly otherwise, or worse, I may not of discovered them all… that’s a horrifying thought.

Anyway, what great recommends have your friends given you?

by Niki Hawkes

May 4 2014

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April 2014: Review Recap!

This month I made a concerted effort to post more reviews. After all, it’s not as if I’m lacking in material to write about – I think at last counts I was almost 20 books behind in reviewing (ouch!). As a book blogger, that’s not a horrible problem to have, but I’m looking forward to the day when I’m only, say, five books behind. The trouble is that I have been on a huge YA kick and those books take practically no time at all to read. I think maybe as early as June I will be able to get back to reading robust fantasy novels again… In the meantime, here’s a look at what went down in April on The Obsessive Bookseller: