Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I love upcoming releases and looking ahead. It's like an obsession. I think I get more excited about newly announced books than any thing else. My goodreads page has a huge bord full of unreleased books as well as seperate boards organizing new releases by dates.

I've been on a fantasy book kick lately, which is why my books are mainly in that genre. If my mood shifts there could be a completely different list on any given day. For now though, here are some releses I can't wait for. All are being published between January and June!

              
  

In no particular order.
1. The Love that Split the World
2. Firstlife
3. The Great Hunt
4. Court of Mist and Fury
5. Wanderlost
6. The Marked Girl
7. A Study in Charlotte
8. Into the Dim
9. The Forbidden Wish
10. Passenger

Do you have any of the same books? What are you most looking forward to? I'd love to hear from you!

Oh and completely off topic. Did you guys see that Maas released a summary for the next Throne of Glass book?! I'm so excited!

What a load Santa brought!

Well, another Christmas has come and gone. My son has opened all his toys, played with them, and is quickly deciding he has nothing to do. Okay, maybe not. I went a bit crazy on presents this year for him. But, what can I say... he's at such a fun age to shop for. His 2nd birthday is in 2 days. I'm dreading it. I never gave him permission to grow up... In fact, I have grounded him multiple times for doing just that.

My parents are still in town. It's been crazy and exhausting. I haven't had a nice day at home to just relax since the middle of December. They are staying through my son's birthday, which is awesome! I hate living across the country from our entire family. Seriously, everyone we care about it on the East Coast. I miss them all, and I'm so jealous of their warm Christmas. It snowed here, and we were driving to the mountains. I have such bad anxiety as it is, but in the snow, I'm a complete mess. Luckily my son was napping in the car, because I used some poor choice words more than once on the drive. It was beautiful though, I cannot get over the view out here.

Anyways, on to books. I must have been VERY good this year. Santa brought me some great reads! Quite a few I've read before, but I asked my husband for hard copies. I typically read on my nook. It is easier with L running around all day. But, favorites I always, ALWAYS hard copies of. I usually try to get copies that are hard back too. Here is a picture of all of my Christmas goodies.

Please ignore the fact that I took pictures on my kitchen floor. It was the best solid color surface I could find.  Don't look too closely at it. It probably has apple juice spills and chocolate smudges everywhere. I got a fancy steam mop from my mom, but I haven't tried it out yet. I can't wait to though. And yes, that is BB-8 in the back. L is obsessed with him. He saw the little plushie at the Disney Store and HAD to have it... now it sits forgotten on the floor of my kitchen.

Anyways, Look at that loot!! I've read the entire Throne of Glass series, and Court of Thorns and Roses, but my husband got me hardbacks of them! I'm so so so so so so excited about them. Oh and Court of Thorns and Roses is SIGNED!!! It's got a big, beautiful signature inside. Maas was here in September, and I missed it. But, my husband was able to find one of the extra books that she signed! I'm so ridiculously excited. The rest of them I haven't read yet, so I can't wait to dive into them. I'm thinking first I might read Illuminae. I've heard amazing things about it. Or maybe I'll reread the Mara Dyer series and finally read the end(it's paperback because my other 2 are paperback and I'm weird and need uniformity). I'm not sure... I'm just enjoying having them to stare at right now.

So what books did Santa bring you for Christmas? Or, what bok do you think I should start with? 

I hope everyone else had just a wonderful a holiday as I did! I can't wait to blog more than I did this year in 2016!

Review: The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C. Cherry

The Air He Breathes 

Brittainy C. Cherry

Series: Elementals #1

Published September 25, 2015

Rating: ★★★

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)

I was warned about Tristan Cole.

“Stay away from him,” people said.
“He’s cruel.”
“He’s cold.”
“He’s damaged.”

It’s easy to judge a man because of his past. To look at Tristan and see a monster.

But I couldn’t do that. I had to accept the wreckage that lived inside of him because it also lived inside of me.

We were both empty.
We were both looking for something else. Something more.
We both wanted to put together the shattered pieces of our yesterdays.

Then perhaps we could finally remember how to breathe.

Links

Goodreads Amazon 

Cover Comments

I like that the cover model really does look like the main male character in the book. Honestly, it kind of makes me giggle because it is such a hipstery looking cover.

My Review:

The more I think about this book, the less I feel like I liked it. I had such high hopes too. After all, this book is really really highly rated on Goodreads. A lot of people were toting as their favorite this year, so I knew I was in for a good time. Right? Apparently not.

I think my problem with the story is that it all felt too rushed. I didn't feel a connection to the main couple, because it felt like everything happened in the matter of a few pages. I really wish is were a longer book and they could have developed their relationship a little bit slower. I guess I just didn't feel like their love was believable in the time I got to see them.

The story is heartbreaking. Especially the flashbacks. They had me in tears almost every time. Cherry wrote that initial pain after a loss so so so well. I had to give my son a really long and big hug after one particular scene. The pain was well written. I could feel the torture they felt coming off of the page to me. That is probably why I gave this book 3 stars instead of 2.

My absolute favorite part of the book was Emma. Oh my goodness, that little girl stole my heart. She was the most believable and lovable part about the book. I really loved reading about her interactions with Tristan. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I felt as if she helped heal his pain more than Elizabeth. I felt more of a connection between those two. But, all around Emma was just so sweet and adorable, and such a 5 year old! Of course, I'd be lying if I said I don't have a huge soft spot for kids in books.

Now, can I just say the ending was ridiculous. I really didn't feel the whole added twist was necessary to the story at all. It took a believable story and made the whole thing absurd in my head. I feel like Cherry just went a little bit too far with it.

Would I recommend it? It probably wouldn't be the first book out of mouth. However, others seem to be LOVING this book. Maybe the problem lies with me. I don't know, but if you like the heartbreaking romances, this will probably be a book you thoroughly enjoy. For me though, I'd give this book a solid 2.5 stars.