Books I REALLY Want To Get Into This Year!

There were SO many books I did not pick up in 2016, TONS of great ones that most of you guys recommend me from time to time. And whilst I wasn't able to pick them up last year, it's going to change this year! Here are some of the books I'm excited to (finally) read this year!

[I N  N O  P A R T I C U L A R  O R D E R]

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Synopsis:

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their difference, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess.

But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

Thoughts:

I see this book floating around in Bookstagram and after reading the synopsis, I just knew I had to have the book in my hands! When it comes to books under the tag 'Mythology', Percy Jackson comes to mind, and while I'm not a fan of the PJO series, I'm REALLY excited to give this one a try!

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Synopsis:

Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.

In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration.That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo.

Thoughts:

I really want to try to get into magical realism as much as I can this year. I picked up this book on a whim because of its gorgeous cover and dreamy synopsis, but that was two years ago, and since then on, i've not picked it up. Shame, I know. But I want to read it this year! I just have to!

Six of Crows (Duology) by Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis (Six of Crows):

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revengeA sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wagerA runaway with a privileged pastA spy known as the WraithA Heartrender using her magic to survive the slumsA thief with a gift for unlikely escapesKaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Thoughts:

I'm not sure why I put these books off for so long. It's literally everywhere, and I've not heard a bad review anywhere. People have been raving about them ever since the first book came out. Why haven't I read it yet? Lord knows. I've not even read Leigh Bardugo's first series yet, but this duology sounds particularly interesting, so I might want to start on these first before going into her Grisha series.

Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

Thoughts:

I'm not quite sure if this is a retelling of some urban legend/myth about Jack the Ripper but it sounds amazing?! I'm a sucker for Historical fiction and I've not ever come across a Gothic/Horror YA clash before. Bottomline, I'm ecstatic to pick this up soon!

Okay so i'm in the middle of going through my 'to-read' books in Goodreads and I'm emotional over the fact that I pretty much want to read them all in physical copies but am unable to that sooo.. *weeps in a corner*

Anyways, back to the list :')

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Synopsis:

Andie had it all planned out. When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. Important internship? Check. Amazing friends? Check. Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that?

Thoughts:

Can we just take a moment and appreciate the cover? Ugh, it screams cutesy contemporary. Love it. The dogs and the ice cream truck go together so well. I actually have this book but I haven't had the time to read it yet sooo definitely going to bump this up on my TBR list!

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Synopsis:

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

Thoughts:

Again, I have this book sent to me by the publisher themselves and despite reading a few chapters of this book, I've not had the time (nor the motive) to pick it up :/ BUT I was talking to a friend the other day and she basically gushed over how amazing this book is, so I HAVE to finish it!

Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin

*SPOILERS FOR WOLF BY WOLF IN THE SYNOPSIS*

Synopsis:

There would be blood. Blood for blood. Blood to pay. An entire world of it.

For the resistance in the Third Reich, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun. Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly. Yael and her unlikely comrades dive into enemy territory to try to turn the tide against Hitler’s army, and there is no alternative but to see their mission through to the end, whatever the cost.But in the midst of the chaos, Yael’s past and future collide when she comes face to face with a ghost from her past, and a spark with a fellow rider begins to grow into something more. Dark secrets reveal dark truths and one question hangs over them all—how far can you go for the ones you love?

Thoughts:

I've read and LOVED Wolf by Wolf, but I'm just waiting to get my hands on the hardback of Blood for Blood XD I've been anticipating its release but I never got the chance to grab a copy for myself... yet. I'll be sure to nab it once its price go down.. hopefully :')

You by Caroline Kepnes

Synopsis:

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

Thoughts:

 I saw this book in Target, read the first chapter about a girl in a bookstore being stalked by a guy and knew instantly I had to get it. Don't know why it appealed to me so much, but I was so engrossed with the first chapter that my sister literally had to drag me out of the store. I need it.

The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon was one of my favorite reads of 2015, so when I heard that she had a new book coming out I knew I had to get it. And did I? Nope XD I will, though! I love that her books always include some kind of diversity concept, akes me appreciate the author and her books that much more <3

Have you guys read any of these books? Do let me know if you see any that you like, and tell me why you love it!

Cath xx