Winter Break & Series I'm Currently Reading

 Winter Break & Series I'm Currently Reading

As usual, this blog and I will be having a break for winter. At the very end of the year I will be posting all my usual yearly wrap-ups and statistics, but after that I will be having my usual break and continuing after we are into 2022.

One of the goals I usually set for myself, is to not push off reading the last book in a series, since that is something I tend to do. To prolong the experience? To not have to close the last chapters of the last book? Honestly, who knows - I sure don't.

I feel like I've been doing a better job of this, but wanted to visualize all the series I'm currently in the middle of to really see how I'm doing. And to remind me of books I really should pick up I suppose. Without further ado, onto the list.

Series with books published that I haven't read:

- Heart of Iron

- An Ember in the Ashes

- Myyttihovi

- Inhertiance Games

Series I'm caught up with, but that aren't finished:

- Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor

- The Fray Theory

- Wayward Children

- Bladesmith

- Graceling Realm

- Darkness Between Us

- Mary

Read on lovelies,

S

Duologies I've Read

I've noticed somewhat of a pattern and well it turns out, I really like duologies!

You get more than just a story of one book (without being terrified of it being a loooong book),
you can binge it fast and you don't need to wait years and years to complete it!

So I have compiled all the duologies I've read, and what I rated them:


In the order I read them:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 4
Holes 4
Alice in Wonderland 4

Mind Games 3.5

If I Stay 4

Reboot 2
Imposter 4
Assassins Curse 5

The Book of Ivy 5 & 4.5

Anomaly 3.5 & 1

Wrath and the Dawn 4.5

Flame in the Mist 4.5 & 3.75
Spindle Fire 2.5 & 3.5
Daughter of the Pirate King 4.5

I'm surprised by how many I've read! There are definite top ones, and well not so great ones.

Read on lovelies,

S

Update: Did I Read Them?

I decided to do an update looking back at my old posts about books I hadn't read yet - and see if I have years later!
So without further ado, onto the list:

I'll cross over the ones I have read

Books I Haven't Read Yet (2014 link)

1. The Lord of the Rings
2. Narnia by C.S. Lewis
3. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
4. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
5. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
6. Legend by Marie Lu
7. Enclave by Ann Aguirre
8. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
9. Half Bad by Sally Green
10. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Series I Haven't Finished (2014 link)

Are out but I don’t have them:

1. Defiance

2. Fables, graphic novel (I'm at number 9)
3. Manners and Mutiny4. Sealed with a Lie

Are out and I have them, but I haven't read them...:

1. Days of Blood and Starlight
2. False Memory 2-3

3. Poison Study 2-3
4. Goose Girl 3-4
5. Heir of Fire

6. Oz 2-37. Miss Mayhem

1st ones I own but have yet to read...:
1. Uglies
2. Geek Girl
3. Ember in the Ashes
4. The Knife of Never Letting Go
5. Sisters Red
6. Snow Like Ashes7. A Court of Thorns and Roses
8. Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

With this latter list, the ones in red are the ones I want to get to. And from the last list of series I hadn't even started, I ended up reading all of the first ones, finishing only one series and waiting for the completion of one series.

Read on lovelies,

S

2018: Statistics and Achievements

Yearly Statistics & Achievements

2017 version: link
2016 version: link


First of all I almost finished the 2018 TBR challenge (link),
            > With 1 challenge left (someone else chose)
& I also finished my Anticipated reads of 2018 (link)
            > All 7 that are mentioned at the bottom and additional 2 from the list of last year (Lucky in Love and Renegades)
& my TBR (link) is down to 3 books.
            > But I did get it down to ~0 in October!
& when it comes to classics, well I didn't read too many
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Total books read: 42 (Compared to last years 34)

            10+7+1+2+2+12+0+2+0+0+2+4

Month read most: June: 12

     least: July, September & October: 0

Pages ~ 15 211 (Last year: 10542)
    Average length 362 pages (Last year: 310)

Format: ebook: ~6 (formally), audio: 13

Arc/sent: 13

Reviewed: 13

In Finnish: 2

Most popular (according to Goodreads): Jane Eyre

     Least popular Moran Cartoons

Length: longest  1 248 (Bible)
               shortest 106 (Elias)

Publication oldest: 1847 Jane Eyre
        books I read published this year: 20

Stars: in order of least: 1,5,2,4,3 ("1" means any rating starting with a 1. Meaning 1 and 1.5 are both included in "1")
       average being ~3.652 this year & over all in all the years ~3.225
       This year I gave 1 five-star &
                                 4 four-point-five-stars &
                                 0 one-stars

><><><

Series Finished:
Snow Like Ashes (3)
Spindle Fire (2)
Flame in the Mist (2)
Remnant Chronicles (3)

2018 goals, TBR etc. all coming in the next few weeks.

Read on lovelies,

S

Popular Book Series I Haven't Finished

I recently made a post about popular books I haven't read and mentioned that series that I've maybe read the first one or two, but haven't finished won't be on that list - but here they are as promised.
I have posts about series I have finished and ones I haven't (and probably won't).
So none of these are certain "never reads", but not many are high on my TBR.

Raven Cycle (read 3)
Cassandra Clare (I have read MI and ID, but haven't read DA)
Throne of Glass (read 3)
Court of Thorns and Roses (read 1)
Six of Crows (read 1)
Red Queen (read 2)
Three Dark Throwns (read 1)
The Maze Runner (read 1)
Miss Peregrine's (read 1)
Matched (read 2)
Eragon (read 1)
Howl's Moving Castle (read 1)
A Wrinke in Time (read 1)
Series of Unfortunate Events (read 1)
The Giver (read 1)

*For stars and more info check my Goodreads: link*

Read on lovelies,

S

Not Finishing Book Series

This post is going to be a bit of a ramble on why I don't finish book series, and maybe some hints for getting through them...

For updated lists of these check my Goodreads shelves: link
Or semi-updated blog posts: finished series  &  won't continue

> < > <

I talk about my dilemma of not finishing book series and have come to some conclusions:

a) I really like it and...
    i) don't want it to end - thus prolonging the reading of the last volume
    ii) reading the books as they are released and not remembering how the previous one went since it         has been a year again
    iii) love it so much I think to myself that there will be a "better time" to read it, when I'm craving          the world, but alas that never comes (mood reading can be a struggle)

b) I feel indifferent towards it and though I keep the series in my TBR I:
    i) forget about it read all the other books I want
    ii) *answer for a) ii applies*

c) I don't like it - won't finish it
    i) but "what if" so I might keep it in my TBR

> < > <

Answers to this problem could be:
>Waiting to read a series after all of it is published and then binge reading them all
>Rereading the previous books
>Using ReCaptains for a summary (definitely my go-to!)
>Having a goal each month/year for series to finish (you can check my yearly anticipated reads and etc. for mine)

Problems:
-mood reading
-too many books in one world
-too long of a time, not being able to read other books
-not loving them as much as I would've if I would've had some sort of anticipation

Read on lovelies,

S

The Harbinger : review

Nelou Keramati

*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review!*

This novella is the 1.1 of The Fray Theory series, the first book being Resonance (my review for that is here).

>Publication March 1st 2017

There won't be any spoilers for The Harbinger in this review!

Goodreads' link to the novella!
><><

Stars: ✦✦✦✦.5

Contrary to my usual, I started making updates on my Goodreads review for The Harbinger every 5-10 chapters. For all of those check my Goodreads review.
So here I gathered up my thoughts from those ^ goodreads notes.

So what did I think?

+1 | The idea and premise is clever and intriguing and definitely not your typical YA read

+1 | Entertainment value. It went by really quickly once you started

+1 | The writing was so intricate and lyrically beautiful

+1  | World and world building

+/-0.5 | The characters. I loved seeing how they've grown and their characteristics are starting to form up, but I think there is still some length to be gone until I can say I love them and understand their actions

Read on lovelies,

Sally

Updated lists

Recap

If you didn't read a post of mine from a while back stating that during february and march I will be posting biweekly, then you now know.

That is also true for today (a day without an actual post), so I made a list of lists I've previously made and now updated.

  Also my monthly wrap-ups for January-March will be in one post at the end of March, since I'm in the middle of finals now and therefore won't be writing or reading.

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SERIES I've finished: link

SERIES I'm in the middle of: link

SERIES I won't continue: link

My goodreads shelves explained: link

TBR: link

2017 TBR challenge: link

Read on lovelies,

Sally

Series I'm in the middle of

Currently

This won't be updated, last update: February 7th 2018

I've been trying to finish series, so here's a list that I'm currently reading (though most of these I am up-to-date with). And I didn't put the series that I don't plan on continuing! (I made one October 2016 though link, but for updated ones for both finished and the won't continue series go to my Goodreads shelves link)
Red marks that they're all out

   Kiss of Deception 2/3

The Raven Cycle 2/4

Pennyroyal Academy 2/3

An Ember in the Ashes 2/4?

The Fray Theory 1.5/?

My Lady Jane 1/3?
Renegades 1/2

    And I Darken 1/?

    Three Dark Crowns 1/?

    A Court of Thorns and Roses 1/?

    Throne of Glass 3/6

Will these continue?
Heist Society 3
Imposter 2

Graphic Novels
Fables 8/22
Batgirl 1
Bombshells 1
Ms Marvel 3

Books I want to get to

2016

Last year I had a goal to read every book that I have bought before the year 2015 and not read yet. And I kinda succeeded. In December I had a book slump and changed it so that I wouldn't need to read 5 of them.

So for this year I have that same thing:
read all the books I have not read but bought before the year 2016
            >meaning since I did this last year as well: all the books I bought in 2015 and haven't read yet (22 now in the beginning of the year)
+ the 5 books I didn't get to for last years goal.

But here are some that I would really love to get to:

10 SERIES I WANT TO FINISH:

>Goose Girl (2)

>Poison Study (2)
False Memory (2)
>A Mad Zombie Party (1)
>Lunar Chronicles (1)
-The Books of Ember (4)
>Manners and Mutiny (1)
>Oz (2)

Sisters Red (3)

<Knife of Never Letting Go (2)
<Dreams of Gods and Monsters (2)

(A book by: Austen
A Sherlock book)

I will also be continuing my "a classic a month" and a "TBR-jar pick every month".
And maybe I'll add "finish one series from this list every month"...

- - -
But the thing I will be doing differently this year: no pressure to get to all of these! I read for fun, and it should stay as that.
         This is also because this year I will start my finals for high school and I want to focus on those when the time comes.

Top 5 Wednesday

November 4th
Favorite Series Novellas

1. Assassin's Blade
2. Gallagher Girls
3. Four
4. Iron Legends
5. The Missing Golden Ticket and other Splendiferous Secrets

Series I Won't Continue

This is not updated anymore, last updated: July 9th 2019

For updated information check my Goodreads page: link

So this is a list of series I won't continue and how many books I have read from that series.

(Remember that I am in no way saying that these were bad books, some I have given very high ratings, but maybe I don't like the genre anymore or I though the first book worked perfectly as a standalone, and some I might come back to and continue, but at the moment I don't think that is likely.)

1	Sarah Plain and Tall	MacLachan	1
2	Keväällä isä sai siivet	Kontio	1
3	Clarice Bean	Child	2
4	Ruby Redfort	Child	1
5	Out of Sight, Out of Mind	Kaye	3
6	Arabels Raven	Aiken	1
7	Goddess Test	Carter	1
8	Summer of the Wolves	Kline	1
9	Pretty Little Liars	Shepard	4
10	Warriors	Hunter	1
11	Diary of a Wimpy Kid	Jeffrey	6
12	Dork Diaries	Russell	3
13	Boy nobody	Zadoff	2
14	Matched	Condie	2
15	A Wrinkle in Time	L'Engle	1
16	Kirottu Koodi	Remes	1
17	The Host	Meyer	1
18	All Our Yesterdays	Terrill	1
19	Oz	Baum	3
20	Strange Angels	Crow	1
21	Little Women	Alcott	1
22	The Maze Runner	Dashner	1
23	The Giver	Lowry	1
24	Alex Rider: graphic	Horowitz	4
25	Vampire Academy: Graphic Novel	Mead	1
26	Falconer	May	1
27	Red Pyramid	Riordan	1
28	Two Lies and a Spy	Carlton	1
29	Sherlock Holmes: grahpic	Doyle	3
30	Sherlock Holmes	Doyle	7
31	Miss Peregrines	Riggs	1
32	Tempest	Cross	1
33	Dash and Lily's Book of Dares	Cohn	1
34	Uninvited	Jordan	1
35	Forest of Hands and Teeth	Ryan	1
36	Defiance	Redwine	1
37	Saga	Vaughan	5
38	The Thief	Turner	1
39	Fallen	Kate	1
40	Veren Vimma	Lehtolainen	1
41	Alianated	Landers	2
42	Eragon	Paolini	1
43	Rat Queens	Wiebe	1
44	Lament	Stiefvater	1
45	False Memory	Krokos	1
46	Every Day	Levithan	1
47	Punainen kuin veri	Simukka	1
48	Delirium	Oliver	1
49	Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe	Saenz	1
50	The Colour of Magic	Pratchett	1
51	Secret Circle	Smith	1
52	The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making	Valente	1
53	Series of Unfortunate Events	Snicket	1
54	Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn	Twain	2
55	City of Ember	DuPrau	1
56	Isle of the Lost
57	Howl's Moving Castle	Jones	1
58	The Summer I Turned Pretty	Han	1
59	Geek Girl	Smale	1
60	Just Ella	Haddix	1
61	Alien Busters, part 1	Shaqsy	1
62	Also Known As	Benway	1

63. Rebel Belle            Hawkins     2

64. Illuminae               Kristoff       1

65. Red Queen            Aveyard       2

66. Six of Crowns       Bardugo      1
67. Rise of the Empress    Dao             1

68. A Study in Charlotte   Cavallaro   1
69. Raven Cycle          Stiefvater     3
70. And I Darken        White           1
71. Three Dark Crowns    Blake      1
72. Pennyroyal Academy Larson    2
73. Batgirl (2011)          Stewart     1
74. Ms. Marvel              Wilson      3
75. To All the Boys I've Loved Before  Han  1