Adventures of Andrea

As someone who reads quite a bit, sometimes I run out of books that I actually want to read. Usually, I solve this by watching Booktuber videos or searching through Goodreads, but a few months ago, I got the idea to read my way through the NYT Bestsellers List...specifically the Young Adult Best Seller List, since my heart lies in YA Fiction.

I do sometimes peek at the regular ol' Fiction Best Seller List and if something catches my eye, I'll read that too. I don't discriminate with my books.

I wanted to write about this, because I think it's always good to broaden your horizons with reading, and pick up books that you otherwise might not read.

Of course, there are some books on the Bestsellers list that I would have already planned to read, but there are also sequels, new standalones, new series, and I've also read some just plain horrible books too.

It's just one way that I've tried to find more books that I like. I know some people have some complaints about the way the Bestsellers list works, so I don't just rely on it for my book recommendations, but it kind of kicks my butt into gear when I fall behind on my reading.

Most recently, I've picked up the beginnings of two series, which I had never heard of before seeing them on the list. Maybe I would have eventually come across them on Goodreads months later, but I like staying on top of what's trending in the book world. :)

I'm not sure how many books I've read doing this, but I would estimate about 30 to 40, since sometimes the list doesn't introduce new books, or they have books I've already read.

How do you look for book recommendations? I'm always so curious to find out what people are reading, so let me know!

You all probably know by now that I read a lot of books, mostly of the Young Adult variety. And beyond that, probably YA fantasy are my specific favorites. Now when most people think of Young Adult books, they probably think of John Green or Twilight or Harry Potter. But there's so much more out there (yes, even beyond Harry Potter). Fans who read a little more YA fantasy might know Sarah J. Maas or Marissa Meyer, but there's still even more beyond those writers!

So since I get asked a lot for recommendations, I'd figure I would give you some recommendations for what I know best: YA Fantasy! So here are the top five underrated YA Fantasy series, in no particular order.

1. Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes
I'm not a huge fan of this series, but I'll admit that it's pretty engrossing. The books take place in a land called Mytica. It has a Game of Thrones type feel, because there is so many characters and a lot of different kingdoms. There are a few main characters that all go on different journeys in different lands. A war breaks out in this world, and magic, murder and betrayals are all featured in this novel. Seriously, I wouldn't get attached to any of the characters, because they'll probably die.
This series would be good for fans of The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, it's got the same violence and also the romance is pretty similar for both series.
Titles in this series: Falling Kingdoms, Rebel Spring, Gathering Darkness, Frozen Tides, Crystal Storm, and Immortal Reign (coming out this year, I believe it's the last book).

2. The Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon
I remember picking up the first book a few years ago and being really amazed because the author is the same age as me. This series is supposed to have seven books, and only two have been released. This series takes place in a world where they are different types of clairvoyants, and the main character, Paige, is a Dreamwalker. There's also an otherworldly that controls some of the clairvoyants, and Paige gets captured by them. Clairvoyants are considered criminals by the majority of the rest of the population. One of the reasons I really liked this book is because of the world-building. I have some problems with the romance that takes place, but ultimately I really liked a lot of the secondary characters and would like to see which way this series goes. I would recommend this series to those who are fans of Marie Lu. The darkness in the worlds reminds me of Lu's Legend series.
Titles in this series (so far): The Bone Season, The Mime Order, and The Song Rising (releasing this year).

3. The Falconer series by Elizabeth May
First, let me share the love I have for this author. I follow her on Twitter and she is GOALS. I don't even remember how I first found her series, but I read it late last year, and enjoyed it. Her work definitely doesn't get enough credit, and it's better than a lot of the more 'popular' YA books out there.
These novels take place in Edinburgh in the 19th century. The main character Aileana is part of the aristocracy, but also hunts fae. Here is obviously where the fantasy part comes in; fae are a part of this world and Aileana just so happens to be part of a line of female warriors that train to kill fae. IT has lots of twists and turns, but I enjoyed the history that was shown. I'm pretty certain the author has a background in anthropology, so I felt that the history was pretty accurate.
I feel like those who enjoyed Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass series would like this because 1. Fae (even if they are a bit different between the two novels) and 2. A pretty take-charge female protagonist.
Titles in this series: The Falconer, The Vanishing Throne, and The Fallen Kingdom (The last book is coming out later this year!)

4. Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab 
This series and author are already pretty well-known, but her writing is so good, she should be even more popular! This series is trilogy and takes place in a world where there are alternate Londons: White London, Black London, Grey London and Red London. One of the main characters, Lila, is from Grey London, which is a lot like our world. And the other main character, Kell, is from Red London, where magic is a huge part of the society. Kell is one of two people who can travel between worlds, and so he serves as sort of ambassador for the royalty of Red London. Black London was destroyed most likely by some sort of magical catastrophe; and White London is where society revolves completely around magic, and who controls it. The story follows Lila and Kell, who eventually meet (no more spoilers than that!) and go on an adventure that shows them some mysteries of the worlds they live in. I won't say any more, but I really enjoyed the sequel and also continue to love V.E. Schwab's writing.
I would recommend this series for fans of Maureen Johnson's, The Name of the Star series (they do both take place in London, ha!). The series share a sense of mystery, magic and intrigue that readers will enjoy.
Titles in this series: A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, and A Conjuring of Light (coming out in just a few days!)

5. Snow Like Ashes series by Sara Raasch
This series is already fairly popular, but I am surprised that even more people don't read it. I really enjoyed the world in this book, as well as the main character, Meira. In this world, there are several kingdoms, four of which are based around the seasons. Meira is Winterian, but the Kingdom of Winter was destroyed by the Kingdom of Spring when she was a baby. Basically, all of the Winterians are slaves for Spring, except for a few who escaped and have been on the run. Meira travels with a group of people, one of which is the King of Winter, who was saved (like Meira) when he was a baby. I won't say any more than that, but the conflict begins when the Winterians set out to find a locket that can help the King of Winter restore magic to the Kingdom. Each seasonal kingdom has its own magic, and Winter's was destroyed when it was.
It's honestly just a really cool world, and I really liked hearing about the other seasonal kingdoms. The series is a trilogy, but all books are released, so you can finish the whole series now! I would definitely recommend this for fans of the Queen of the Tearling series by Erika Johansen.
Titles in this series: Snow Like Ashes, Ice Like Fire, and Frost Like Night.

I was in a bit of a reading slump in January. It's so cold and dreary out, I was playing more video games, and figuring out my work life. All that said, I did read 8 books this month!

The Fate of The Tearling by Erika Johansen
The first book of 2017, which I reviewed in this post, was The Fate of the Tearling. I won't say much more about it, because I talked it about in the post, but I rated the book 2 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, so I wasn't a huge fan.

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
This is the second book in a series, and I put it off for some reason, but I actually really enjoyed it. It takes place in a world with magic, and there are basically four Londons. Gray London, Red London, White London, and Black London. They are parallel worlds in a way, but magic plays a part. I won't tell you too much more, because that was enough to intrigue me to start the series. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads!

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
This is one of those books that everyone has been talking about for a while now. I don't know how I just got around to it this month, but I absolutely loved it. I think I read it in one or two sittings, it was that compelling. I really want to watch the movie now, too. This book is about a young woman who starts a job as the caregiver of a 30-something paraplegic man. Their stories intertwine and the way we learn about these characters and come to really love them is what made this book so worthwhile to me. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads! (I hardly ever give a book 5 stars.)

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han 
This was a cute pallet cleanser of a read, after the heavier topic in Me Before You. This is the second book in this series as well, and it's a read that is probably more geared toward early high schoolers. However, it's a super cute, quick book, and I liked it. In the first book of the series, the main character writes love letters to all of her past crushes, from middle school on. And then, all of these letters get sent out to her crushes, and she has no idea how. The series basically just deals with all that happens because of that. It's very high school, but like I said, it's a cute read.

Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken
Another sequel! I really loved this series though. It takes place in a world where time travel exists. There's a hierarchy of certain families who control people with this talent, and there is a bunch of lore and mythology that goes along with the world. I always love historical novels, even if they only show a slight bit of history, like this one. You get to read about all different times in the world, and I felt like the author did a pretty good job portraying everything realistically. I gave it four out of five stars on Goodreads.


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Illustrated Edition) by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay
I don't know how I haven't read any illustrated editions of the Harry Potter series yet, but my boyfriend got the first one for me for Christmas, and it was amazing. Obviously, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, so the writing had me all nostalgic. But the illustrations really brought the story to life, and it was interesting to see a different interpretation than the one I have in my head. Of course, I gave it five out of five stars on Goodreads.

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
This book was probably one of my least favorites this month. I really, really liked the world in the book, but I hate love triangles. And the one in this book just felt so unnecessary. I really liked the main character though, so I did give this book three out of five stars on Goodreads. This is a series, but if you like books with adventure and a little mystery, you'd probably enjoy this book.

Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda
I'm a big Hamilton fan, and just a fan of Lin-Manual Miranda in general. I can also finally say that I'm going to say Hamilton this year. So excited, even though it's still months away. But this book really showed all the thought and every detail that went into the production of Hamilton. There's definitely some things mentioned in the book that I'm going to have to watch out for when I see it on stage. It's definitely an interesting read for any Hamilton fan.

So that's it! I know eight books seems like a fair amount of reading, but I just feel like I didn't read that much this month! I don't know why! Hopefully next month I'll be able to read even more! What did you read this month?

The Fate of the Tearling came out a few months ago, and I was finally able to pick it up recently and finish the series! (It was actually my first finished book of 2017.)

The Fate of the Tearling is the third and last book in the The Queen of The Tearling series by Erika Johansen. The Queen of the Tearling and The Invasion of the Tearling are the other two books in the series.

Let me start by saying, overall, I really did like this series. The first book immediately had me hooked, and I remember quickly reading through the second. However...I was not a fan of the third book.

This is where the talk will include SPOILERS. If you have read the book, go on ahead. If you haven't and you don't want to be spoiled, don't keep reading! You've been warned. :)

Things I liked:

I have always been a fan of Kelsea. Since the beginning, she has been a strong, and most importantly, smart character. I'm not saying she never made bad decisions, because she did, but it was what was right for her at the time. I just really enjoyed having a realistic female protagonist, especially in a book that wasn't dominated by romance.

The world. One of the reasons why I picked this book up in the first place. The world of the Tearling is so cool. If you haven't read the books, and are reading my review for some reason, the world is a sort of dystopian. Basically, with a bit of magic, a group of people left 'our' world because it was really shitty, and started a new one. They wanted to set up a utopia, but obviously that didn't work out. I also really liked the flashbacks to the beginning of society through the various characters throughout the series. It gave you an insight to the past and you got emotionally connected to those characters too.


Things I did not like: 

I thought the reveal of who Kelsea's father was was kind of dumb. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded if it was just left open-ended. Giving us a random guard who never even knew that Kelsea was his kid kind of took the mystery and appeal out of it. I figured it wasn't Mace, but anyone else would have been a better choice.

The ending. I'm sorry, I'm sure there are people out there who loved it, but I just didn't at all. I felt like it took away from the whole series for me, and I'm still trying to separate out the things I loved about these books. I just felt like it wasn't a good ending for this world, or the characters. I'm all for resolution of conflict, but to make it so it didn't happen at all, it just seems dumb to me. That said, I still loved the series, but I'm going to have to pretend that ending didn't happen.

Also, if you are a fan of the series, there is a movie currently in pre-production with Emma Watson set to star. Pretty good news for all of us who liked the series!

Have you read The Queen of the Tearling series? What did you think of the ending?? Let me know!

This month's theme was 'Epic' and included items from Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia. While I love fantasy and fantasy series, this wasn't my favorite box. I don't like always getting small items that I can't do anything with. So that was a bit of a bummer...but here was everything in the box!

The first item, and one that will actually be useful to me, was Game of Thrones coasters. I have no coasters in my room, which usually means my books end up as holders for my drinks. (Oops!) So I was happy to get these. There's four of them, and they have the different Game of Thrones house sigils on them.

There was also a Harry Potter mini mystery funko pop! I love Harry Potter, and I'm never able to find the mini mystery ones anywhere, so I was glad to get this. I got Hagrid, which is perfect, because I also have a mini Fang. :)

Now onto the reason why this wasn't my favorite box. The other items were: the monthly Owlcrate pin (they create a little pin every month for subscribers to collect), another Lord of the Rings pin, a blank Chronicles of Narnia greeting card, and a sticker with a quote from A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. Now I like all of these series and books, but it's a lot of little things that I can't really do much with. I've got the growing pin collection thanks to Owlcrate, but I don't really wear pins.

I also don't know what to do with the blank card, especially because it will probably end up getting thrown out if I send it to someone. So with these thoughts in mind and the fact that next month's theme is "classic remix" (which doesn't appeal to me too much, I've read so many retellings lately), I've skipped my renewal for January's Owlcrate.

This doesn't mean I'm done with Owlcrate! I still think they're a great subscription box, but since I was a little disappointed this month and next month doesn't sound amazing to me, I'll probably just get my next box in February.

Did you get this month's Owlcrate? What did you think?

I know this is late, but the end of October was a hectic time, so I didn't have a lot of time to sit down and talk about each product in the Owlcrate box! Hopefully you don't mind that it's a little late. :)

So the theme for October's Owlcrate was Once Upon A Dream (November's theme is Wonderland...and I think I will like that box better than this month's).

The book for this month is called "Vassa in the Night" by Sarah Porter. It's a story based on Russian folklore, and is a story about Vassa and her magical wood doll, Erg. I have to admit, I haven't started it yet. I'm a little cautious, because I've seen a lot of reviews from people who didn't like it, but we will see!

My two favorite items from this box are probably the Peter Pan beanie. It's green and has a little red feather on it, like Peter Pan does. I don't usually wear beanies, but this one is so comfy, I could see myself wearing it on a lazy day.

My other favorite item was a beautiful bangle charm bracelet that is inspired by the tale of Sleeping Beauty. It has a little blue gem on it, a spinning wheel, and a charm that says Once Upon A Dream. Sometimes jewelry I receive from others really isn't my taste, but I can actually see myself wearing this.

The other items in the box included a passport notebook inspired by the Wizard of Oz, a fabric button bookmark and of course, some promo items based on the Vassa in the Night.

All in all, I think I liked last month's box better. I did like the beanie and the bracelet in this box, but I had never heard of the book and the rest of the things aren't really things I'll use. Don't worry, I still love Owlcrate! :)

Since I read so many books, it's sometimes easier to just combine most of them in one collective post. :D

Some are worth mentioning, some not, but here's a list of the sixteen books I read in October.

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
Mindwalker by A.J. Steiger
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes
The Devouring by Simon Holt
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty 
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron
The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Replica by Lauren Oliver 
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes

Now this was a month where I had a more than usual amount of free time due to job circumstances and such. I'm pretty impressed with myself, ha!

My favorite reads this month were probably Crooked Kingdom, Empire of Storms and The Husband's Secret. I really enjoy Liane Moriarty's writing and a mystery novel was perfect for the month of October.

A lot of these books were also relatively new releases including: Crooked Kingdom, Empire of Storms, Replica, The Thousandth Floor and The Forgetting. While Crooked Kingdom and Empire of Storms were continuations in two different series that I really like, I think Replica was probably the most interesting book I read.

Replica was about two girls; Gemma and Lyra, and each girl had their own part of the book. Lyra's part started at the back of the book, and Gemma started from the front. You would flip the book upside down to read Lyra and then flip it again to read Gemma. The concept of the book was all about clones or Replicas, as they prefer to be called. Lyra has only known life in an institution where other replicas are made and die. Gemma has a connection with this facility through her father's business and some family secrets. It was a really good read, and I recommend it!

Another large part of my reads this month were all based around a "spooky" theme. Something Strange and Deadly, A Monster Calls and The Devouring were all about monsters and creepy things. I have to say The Devouring probably creeped me out the most, which was interesting, because it was probably the closest to middle grade reading if anything. But the concept and the monster were pretty scary.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll hear me talk more about these books at some point, but that was a brief overview of my October books!

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake was the book sent out in the September Owlcrate box, and as soon as I read the description I was intrigued.

It's YA Fantasy, which is probably my favorite type of book to read, and the concept is this: There are triplet sisters, who each are equal heirs to the crown of this island that is full of different kinds of magic. One sister, Mirabella, is an elemental, and her powers range from controlling storms to summoning fire. Arsinoe is a naturalist, and they are known for being able to communicate with animals and grow flowers and plants. Katherine is a poisoner, known to withstand any poison without even a stomachache. When the sisters turn 16, one must claim the crown above the others by murdering her two other sisters.

The concept immediately gripped me, and I really enjoyed the flow of the story and the way we got to know the different characters and their worlds. One of my favorite things is that there seems to be a 'mainland' in the book that is pretty much exactly like our world and when the mainlanders interact with the magic of the island, it's funny to see the confusion.
I've seen some people say the beginning of the book was slow, and that was true, but I think it was necessary and I didn't hate it. Also, the twist at the end is what made a lot of people love this book. I'm usually pretty good at guessing twists and knowing what will happen, but I did not see this coming. It honestly changes your whole perspective, and that's all I'll say.

Another favorite part of this book for me was that while there was romance, it wasn't too overpowering. The focus of the book was on the sisters and how each of them had evolved and their ties to their powers and families.

I've been recommending this book non-stop to anyone who will listen, and the ending was what really made me decide how good this book was. So if you are hesitating to read it or if you are in the middle of the book and feeling like it's a little slow, just hang on, it will be worth it!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. 

Soooo if you're a fan of subscription boxes and also books, you've probably heard of Owlcrate by now.

Basically, it's a monthly subscription boxes that will deliver a new YA book and some bookish goodies to you every. single. month. Oh, and each month also has a theme, and this month's was 'darkness.'

First up, let's talk about this book. The last few months Owlcrate has been sending out signed bookplates for each book, which is absolutely amazing. You also get a letter from the author to make it extra personal. Now, I'm a huge fan of fantasy, and I've read lots of 'dark fantasy' which was this month's theme. So I'm hoping that I enjoy "Three Dark Crowns" by Kendare Blake.

What I've gotten from the summary is that the book is about three sisters who have some type of magical powers and are also cursed to fight each other for the crown. I really don't know much more than that, but that description was enough to entice me.


My next favorite goodie was the Fortune Telling Bomb, which you toss in the bath and the bath bomb will dissolve and show a yes or no answer inside. So basically, it's like a magic eight ball. I haven't tried this one yet, but I love baths and bath bombs, so I'm thinking I will like it.

My last favorite in this box was a candle! Now that it's fall and getting chillier, I love to have a candle lit in my room. The candle is called Celaena's Cake and is based off of the 'Throne of Glass' series. I love that series, and am constantly recommending it to people and I also love cake, so this was another perfect gift for me.

The box also had a bookmark and a canvas pouch with a quote from Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children on it. This box was definitely one of the better boxes from Owlcrate, which is saying something, because I've never had a box from them I didn't like.

Next month's theme is 'Once Upon A Dream' and I'm hoping I love it just as much as I love this box.

So I finally got a chance to check out Victoria Schwab's new book,  "This Savage Song." And it was so, so good. I'm really getting into Schwab's writing, and I need to check out her other series.

Quick explanation: 

So basically, the book is set in a sort of dystopia, where the violence of crimes has started to create actual monsters. In our real world, where we see constant acts of violence on the news everyday, this book strikes a certain chord. It definitely shows humanity in an unflattering light, but not an unrealistic one. While it's fantasy, it does make you think twice about the world we live in today and what it could become.

That's the basic gist of the novel. The two main characters are the daughter of a 'crime boss' who rules one side of the city and the other is one of the monsters created by the violence, but this monster is trying to be good.

What I loved: 

The fact that there isn't romance. Sure, there are hints of it, but really we see the two main characters develop a friendship rather than some insta-love, and it was refreshing to see.

The mystery. You don't know much about the backstories of the main characters or the world at first, and so it was really interesting to get to read all the twists and turns.


So even though this book is fantasy, I would recommend it to everyone just because of its realism. Also, this is the first book in a series...although I think there's just one more book???

Have any of you read this book...or Schwab's other series? Let me know!

The fourth book in Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle series came out last month. I had seen some buzz about the book, "The Raven King," on Twitter and Goodreads and decided to read the series. Lately, I've been reading series in one go, because if I read one and then go read a different book, I'm not as involved in the story and sometimes I even forget what happened.

So I picked up the first book, "The Raven Boys," with not a lot of expectations. I've read Stiefvater's books before and they weren't my favorite but everyone seemed to love these so I had to give them a try. And I was pleasantly surprised.

"Depending on where you began the story, it was about..."

The pros: 
-The characters. I cannot say enough about how awesome the characters were. It's so nice to read a book that doesn't focus on romance, but on friendship. The four friends, Ronan, Gansey, Blue and Adam; completed each other. The book actually made me laugh out loud because of their antics and jokes together.

-The humor. There are only a few books that make me laugh out loud. It was refreshing to see the characters in this book actually act and speak like teenagers. It was honest, and it was hilarious.

-The ending. I like when my books are wrapped up in neat little bows when they end, and this series definitely did that. There were a few...odd twists, but for the most part, I really did enjoy how the series finished.

The cons: 
-The world-building. I just wish there had been more explanation about the psychics in the book, and more about the ley lines and how they started. There were some details given, but not enough to really flesh out the world and understand the history.

-Some of the more random secondary characters. I like my secondary characters to be detailed and actually part of the story. I feel like a lot of characters were just thrown in to make the plot more realistic, especially in the fourth book. It just seemed like there were a lot of nameless characters floating around.

Favorite quotes:

“In that moment, Blue was a little in love with all of them.
Their magic. Their quest. Their awfulness and strangeness.
Her raven boys.”  --The Dream Thieves

“She wasn't interested in telling other people's futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.” --The Raven Boys

"But what she didn't realize about Blue and her boys was that they were all in love with one another. She was no less obsessed with them than they were with her, or one another, analyzing every conversation and gesture, drawing out every joke into a longer and longer running gag, spending each moment either with one another or thinking about when next they would be with one another. Blue was perfectly aware that it was possible to have a friendship that wasn't all-encompassing, that wasn't blinding, deafening, maddening, quickening. It was just that now that she'd had this kind, she didn't want the other.” --Blue Lily, Lily Blue



Despite some negatives, I would still absolutely recommend reading this series. One of the best I've read in the past few years.

Disclaimer: I am a huge fantasy nerd. It's always the genre of books that I want to recommend (probably comes from growing up on the Harry Potter series).


"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. "