I can't believe we're two months into 2016 already. I think I spet most of February wrapped up in Jennifer L. Armentrout books. Like, I couldn't stop reading them... so most of my books read this month were by her. I'm not pset though, I read a lot of books this month.. A lot more than I expected. I'm already halfway through with my Goodreads goal of 75 books this year. Pretty sure I'll have to up it since I'm on a roll so far this year. Here's a look at what I read in February

Books Read
    

The Rising by Kelley Armstrong (5/5 stars) // The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry (4/5 stars) // The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (3/5 stars) // Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (5/5 stars) // Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (5/5 stars)

    

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (4/5 stars) // Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars) // Pure by Jennifer L. Armentout (4/5 stars) // Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars) // Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars)

    

Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars) // Obsidian (REREAD) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars) // Onyx (REREAD) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars) // The Return by Jennifer L. Armentrout (3/5 stars) // Opal (REREAD) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars)

   

Origin (REREAD) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (5/5 stars) // Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (4/5 stars) // The Power by Jennifer L. Armentrout (3/5 stars) // Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes (5/5 stars)

Can you tell I went on a Jennifer L. Armenrout reading binge?! I don't even know why. I wanted something romantic for Valentine's Day and the next thing I knew, I'd read the entire Covenant series and reread the Lux series. I'm kind of sad that I'm not enjoyig her Titan series as much... I think I just don't like Josie... she's too insecure. It annoys me. So yeah, I read a lot... but only 14 of the books are new to me.

Favorite Read of February


I loved the 3rd book in the Covenant series so so so so so so much. I loved the whole series, but I think this one was my favorite. Alex and Aiden might be one of my favorite fictional couples now... I love them.

Least favorite Read in February


Don't get me wrong, I really liked this book. It was super cute. But, it was soo short. I read it in just a couple of hours and I felt like the author could have done so much more character building. It was just subpar for me. Her other books are a bit longer, so hopefully they'll be a bit better.

Actually, overall I had a great reading month. Nothing was rated beloe 3 stars and there were only a few 3 star books.

How was your month? Did you get a lot read? I've got a great rhythm going, but it won't stick. I'm sure I will fall into a reader's slump sooner or later.

Stacking the Shelves {7}

Link up at Tynga's Reviews

Bookoutlet got me last week with their president's day sale. I ended up ordering 10 books from them, as well as a few I picked up in other places for a good price. So, it's a pretty big haul this week, but I'm so excited about a lot of these.

Bookoutlet Haul

         

1-3. Anna and the French Kiss Series - Super excited to own hard copies of these books! I read the first one a long long time ago, but never got to the other ones. I did rate the first one highly though, so I'm definitely going to reread it when I read the rest.

4. The Storyspinner - I've seen a few people that really enjoyed this book recently, and it was less than $3 in hardback, so I picked it up. I'm going to read it soon before the sequel comes out next month.

5. Far Far Away - I don't know much about this one, but a few author's I love have mentioned loving this book... I had to check it out.

6. Steelheart - I've been wanting to read Brandon Sanderson for a LONG time. Now I finally own one of his books! 

7. Fangirl - I read this one a couple of years ago. I think I was still in college. I enjoyed it a lot more than Eleanor & Park. I decided to pick it up purely for sentimentality reasons... I might reread it before I read Carry On too.

8. Salt & Storm - So, this one is a cover buy. I'll probably read it eventually, but guys, I just love the cover... I know that isn't a reason to buy a book, but what can I say.. I'm weak when the bok is under $2

9-10. Lux Beginnings and Opposition - I lve love love this series, so I bought these 2 while they were on sale on bookoutlet... then I got lucky and got the 2nd book super cheap as well through Amazon. Woohoo!!

Other Book Purchases

   

1-2. Alienated Series - I loved the first book... it's light and funny and adorable. So, when I saw these on sale the other day at the store I picked them up. Now I can get caught up before the 3rd book comes out later this year.

3. The Forbidden Wish - This is one of my most anticipated reads this year. I was too excited for it, so I ended up preordering it. The cover is gorgeous you guys... like I love it... this is another one I'll be reading very soon.

4. Lux Consequences - Since I got the 1st and 3rd book during the Bookoutlet sale, I had to buy this one too. Luckily I found a like new copy on Amazon for like $2. I LOVE this series. I just finished rereading it since I got my beautiful hard copies. I just need to read the final book, probably next week. 

There is my pretty big haul this week. What can I say, I'm a glutton for books. Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

Waiting on Wednesday: Crooked Kingdom

Link up at Breaking the Spine

Crooked Kingdom

Leigh Bardugo

Series: Six of Crows (#2)

Publish Date: September 22, 2016

Add to Goodreads

Summary (Taken from Goodreads)

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

Why I'm Waiting

I've heard amazing things about this series and I love Bardugo's Grisha series. I'm trying to wait closer to the release date of this one to read the first one, but guys I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so excited. I saw the cover yesterday and about flipped out, which would have been bad at work. But, it is so pretty! Maybe I'll say screw it and read the first now... but I just know I'm not going to want to wait for this one and September is so far away...

Top Ten Tuesday: Books outside my comfort zone that I have enjoyed recently

Link up here

So, this is going to sound bad, but I don't go out of my comfort zone in books very often. I know what I like, and I like what I know. I can't keep up with my tbr as it is, so, even though I know there are 10 gazillion wonderful books out there that I've never looked at, I'm okay with sticking to my favorites. 

That being said, I didn't really discover a love for fantasy series until, well, last summer. Seriously guys. I was obsessed with contemporary and romance stories. Sometimes I'd delve into paranormal... but fantasy kind of intimidated me. So, this is basically going to be a bunch of fantasy novels, with a few others tossed in. I can't say they're no longer mhy normal genre... but this time last year I would have laughed if I'd been told a few of my favorite series were high fantasy.

         

1. The Husbands Secret by Liane Moriarty - This is the only book that is just basic literature. I read this because Moriarty was so highly recommended... and it was pretty good. I don't read a lot of Austrailian author's or general literature (chick lit?) drama? I don't know... but if there isn't a fantastic love story it's not my normal pick, so this was out of my normal.

2. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas - the one that set it off. This is how little I paid attention to fantasy... I'd never heard of this book until last June. I literally saw it on Goodreads and bought it on a whim knowing nothing about it. Now, this series is one of my absolute favorites... right next to Harry Potter.

3. The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley - This is by one of my favorite authors, but I'd put it for so long. The book is about a girl that is ripped into a fantasy world that is completely primitive... think Aladdin meets Ghengis Kahn. Yeah, I had no interest. But, I wanted to read the rest of the series so I picked this one up, and I ended up completely loving and adoring it.

4. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder - another fantasy series that I really enjoyed and didn't expect to. I had a challenge on Goodreads that led me to read this one, and, no surprise, I loved it.. I need to read the rest of the series but I want to buy them in hardcopy first.

5. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski - Like I said, fantasy wasn't my thing until recently and I've been eating it up the last year.

6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - I actually tried to read this one a couple years ago when it first released. It didn't happen. I think I got about 15 pages in and got bored... So glad I picked it back up because I love this whole series and want a Nikolai spinoff... Ms. Bardugo, if you read this, please make it happen.

7. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh - I just didn't think I'd like this... I did't think the Arab culture would keep my interest since I know so little about it. I was wrong though... this book had me by the heart. No doubt it will be one of my favorite reads of 2016.

8. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken - I'd heard of Bracken before, but I put off the Her Darkest Minds series because I don't typically read much dystopian. It got so repetitive after the Hunger Games fandom that I have been off of it for awhile... but I digress. I had heard wonderful things about Bracken, so I decided to try her new series even though I'm not usually a big historical fiction reader. I loved it. The time travel, the research, the everything was great in this book.

9. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - I picked this up because the documentation style peaked my interest. I'm not a sci-fi reader. It's a slow process to enter into it. Anyways, I loved this book.

10. Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout - If you have read back on my blog, you know I'm kind of a big Armentrout fan. Despite this... I had zero interest in this series. Like zip, zilch, none. It just wasn't for me... I was certain of it. But, then last week I was trying to read Glass Sword and decided I wanted something more romantic (since it was the day before Valentine's Day and all)... so I chose this one at random. Yeah, I was wrong about it not being my style. I think I love this series more than the Lux series. I devoured it.. like read all 5 books and 3 novellas in less than a week. Then, I started rereading the Lux series for no reason (I'll finish the 4th book today). So yeah, for the last 1.5 weeks I've been stuck in a Armentrout vortex. I tried to pick up a few other books, but I think I'm stuck reading her for a while thanks to this series... Now I can't wait for The Power which releases today! I've heard Alex and Aiden make an appareance and well, I love them! 

Okay, sorry for the fangirling on the last one, but guyssss I literally can't get off her books right now and I put this series off for years, what is wrong with me!?!?

Like I said, this was basically Alexis does fantasy. I tried to throw a few other books in there for you as well though. Have you read any of these books? I'd love to hear from you... maybe I'll pull my head out of Armentout's books this week long enough to respond... *shuffles feet guiltily for lack of commenting or posting the last week or so*

Top Ten Theme songs that remind me of books

Link up here

So, I love music. Almost as much as I love books. I' not going to lie though, books win. Anyways, every now and then I hear a song and just think how perfectly it goes with a book I've read. So, I thought I'd feature some of these songs and the books they remind me of today. I thought about linking you all to the actual song but I got lazy... so if you haven't heard the songs before I suggest looking them up. I don't typically listen to top hits or anything, but I do listen to, well, a bit of everything.  I'll add just a little sample of lyrics to each song.

1. Late Great Planet Earth by Plumb.
The Sky is falling
voices crying out in depseration
hear them calling
Everybody, save yourself.








2. Winter Song by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson.
This is my winter song to you
the storm is coming soon, 
it rolls in from the sea

My voice; a beacon in the night
My words will be your light
to carry you to me




3. Knights of Cydonia by Muse
Come ride with me
Through the veins of history
I'll show you a God who
Falls asleep on the job







4. Dancing by Elisa
Time is gonna take my mind
and carry it far away where I can fly
The depth of life will dim
my temptation to live for you...

So I put my arms around you, around you
And I know that I'll be leaving soon
My eyes are on you, they're on you
And you see that I can't stop shaking



5. All I Wanted by Paramore
Think of me when you're out
when you're out there
I'll beg you nice from my knees
And when the world treats you way too fairly
Well it's a shame I'm a dream

All I wanted was you
All I wanted was you



6. Fast as You Can by Fiona Apple
I let the beast in to soon, I don't know how to live
without my hand on his throat; I fight him always and still
Oh darling, it's so sweet, you think you know how crazy
How crazy I am







7. Black by Pearl Jam
Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay
were laid spread out before me as her body once did
all five horizons revolved around her soul at the earth to the sun
now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn

Ooh, and all I taught her was everything
Ooh, I know she gave me all that she wore

(This song is also The Darkling from the Grisha series to a tee)


8. Arms by Christina Perri
I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart
But you came around and you knocked off the ground from the start

You put your arms around me
and I believe that it's easier for you to let me go
you put your arms around me and I'm home





9. Slow Love Slow by Nightwish
Come and share this painting with me
Unveiling of me, the magician that never failed

A deep sigh coiled around my chest
Intoxicated by a major chord
I wonder
Do I love you of the thought of you




10. End of an Era by Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls
Don't you ever wonder what
will happens when it ends
how can we let go of the 
ones that we call friends
and I know, it's only a story, but
for so many it's more than that
It's a world all on it's own where we
want to put on the sorting hat.





Okay, I know that last one was created specifically for the Harry Potter series... but it so perfectly describes my feelings when the series came to an end. Super excited about the new script... but I want more more more!

So, what do you think? Do these songs match or am I crazy? That's what I love about music... it is completely open to interpretation. What songs remind you of a certain book?