Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Releases of 2016 (So Far)

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Would you believe that Quest Reviews has never participated in a Top Ten Tuesday?! All I can say is, we've been living in the wack-ness, when we should have been living in the dope-ness. (That makes perfect sense, right?) This week's list is about Ellen's (Sierra has deferred this week, see note below) Favorite Releases of 2016 (So Far).

Ellen: Filling out this list has been difficult, because I'm behind on my Reading Challenge. Luckily, I have read more than ten books, even though it doesn't seem that way. However, I've been very critical this year, as usual. I'm a very picky reviewer. So, along with books that I loved, there are actually novels on this list that I just "liked okay." BUT IT'LL HAVE TO DO.

So without further yammering, Sierra and I present our first baby steps towards community participation!

Favorite Releases of 2016 (So Far)

1. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows

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I'm 90% done with My Lady Jane and it's looking at a 3.5 star rating.  It's a little silly, but wonderfully so.  The authors get major props for their unique concept of rewriting real historical events with fantasy elements added to it. Expect this review soon!

2. Burning Glass by Katheryn Purdie

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This fantasy debut had issues with love triangles and an indecisive heroine, but hell, I loved it anyway!

3. Summer Days and Summer Nights edited by Stephanie Perkins

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I've said it before and I'll say it again. Reading anthologies makes me think I'm smart.  Along with making me feel super intelligent, around four stories in this anthology made me happy in my bones.

4. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

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Maas is really hit-or-miss with me, but she knocked it out of the park with this sexy fantasy.  Read my discussion post HERE.

5. Undecided by Julianna Keyes

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Here we have an immensely readable New Adult read with a love story much less geometrical than the cover implies.

6. Summer Skin by Kirsty Eagar

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Kirsty Eagar impressed me to my core with this modern romance set in her home country of Australia.

7. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

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One moment in this book was everything.  [spoiler]The KISS. Not between Gansey and Blue either, but between Ronan and ADAM!!!!!!![/spoiler] Expect a discussion post soon where I gush endlessly.

8. Starflight by Melissa Landers

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Starflight is a satisfyingly lengthy teen space opera and a strong offering from Landers after her lukewarm Alienated series.

9. The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

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Sarah Fine continues to pop out good ones and doesn't disappoint with this fantasy about a girl whose Chosen One status is suddenly and horribly revoked.

10. Kill the Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky

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This smart, biting satire about the dangers of rabid fangirls had me laughing uproariously.  It's a must-read for anyone fascinated by the meteoric rise of boy bands on the backs (and heaving bosoms) of their female fans.

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Sierra: While I would have LOVED to chime in on today's post, I actually haven't read any 2016 releases this year! It's been a crazy year filled with innumerable book slumps. Hence I stuck with books that were tried and true, had wonderful reviews, and were staples in my favorite genres. So for all you folks out there (please tell me there are some... I BETTER NOT BE ALONE IN THIS GUYS), we still have 6 more months of 2016 to go! We got this :)

And thus concludes our first Top Ten Tuesday!

What about you, readers? What new releases have you excited? Do you have hope for the upcoming reading year?

Meet Quest Reviews' New Co-Blogger!

It's my absolute pleasure to announce that Quest Reviews has a new co-blogger, Sierra! *cue trumpets and streamers and angel choirs*

Sierra and I met on the internet a while back after the launch of the book-lovers' website, Leafmarks. We developed a quick rapport over our mutual love of reading and our startlingly similar tastes in books. Over the years, we've kept in light contact, and I always have such a great time talking books with her.

So, when I started to think about making Quest Reviews a joint operation, my first thought was, I'll ask Sierra if she's interested.  Thanks be, she was! *tosses confetti madly around*

Today, for her big debut, I'm going to ask Sierra a few burning questions.

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Hi, Sierra, and welcome to Quest Reviews. To start off, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Indeed I can! Excuse me, while I haul my cat off my keyboard... *tosses scowling cat off my computer*

Hello everyone! I'm so pleased that Ellen invited me to join her in this wonderful venture and kept the spot open while I took my time to actually find and read her message. You're the best, girl! Now onto me :).

I'm 25, slowly working towards my Accounting and Finance degree while helping out at my local Humane Society as well as their brand new cat cafe. I adore my job. I get to play with all sorts of animals (though I staunchly stay away from our occasional snake), assist in the clinic surgery room, and help our cats and dogs and puppies and kittens find their furr-ever homes. Honestly, it's a miracle that I don't come home with jacket pockets full of fluffy kittens. Maybe it's because I do get the occasional pat-down after my shift ;).

I do have two beautiful animal siblings of my own (as well as my two human ones). My previously mentioned computer-hogging cat is 4-yr old Rani (translation: Queen). I adopted her two months ago and I'm hopelessly in love. Karan (translation: Helper/Companion) is our 6-yr old German Shepherd that we've had since he was a little pup. He is loving, and kind, and always by your side. The two of them don't get along as of yet, but we are hoping that one day they will be able to tolerate each other's presence in the same room. It will be a true hallelujah moment.

The visual image of you getting patted down for kitten stowaways seriously made my day, Sierra. Next question: what has reading meant to you, in your life?

Now that I have exhausted you all with talk of my precious darlings, we can move on to the most important topic, READING!

Reading alleviated my loneliness. I was an only child for the first 12 years of my life and that led to quite a few lonely moments. As children, we are completely dependent upon the whims and actions of our parents. They are our whole world. Reading gave me some measure of control, in a way that I can't fully explain. I could see beyond my parents and my circumstances. It taught me true compassion and empathy. It opened up my universe.

I longed for adventures that went beyond my fanciful playground antics. I longed to know that children could DO things. Stories gave me hope for my future. A hope that still sustains me in the darkest of times.

I am eternally grateful to my mother for introducing me to this fantastical world, and my father for sending me books when I temporarily lived in a rural part of India where I had no access to English bookstores.

No access to a bookstore?! Why YES. It is indeed as horrible as it sounds. Also, no pizza for two years. The combination of the two was the epitome of true suffering for a 13-yr old.

Thanks for sharing so eloquently! Reading helped me in powerful ways as well, so I'm glad we have that in common. Next: who is on your list of favorite authors?

Oooh. SO MANY.

As a child, my favorites were J.K. Rowling (naturally!), Roald Dahl, Anthony Horowitz and Enid Blyton. As I have grown into the dreadfully mature 25-yr old crazy animal lady that I am, my favorites now include Jay Kristoff, Anne Bishop, Diana Wynne Jones, Neil Gaiman, Laini Taylor, Megan Whalen Turner, Patricia Wrede, Gail Carriger, Lindsay Buroker, Patricia Briggs (just to name a few).

As you can tell, my tastes tend to run towards YA Fantasy, though I have been enjoying my foray into Steampunk and Urban Fantasy.

Fantastic. I love that you shared some authors that I'm unfamiliar with. I'll have to look them up! But first: what is your favorite classic novel and why?

I must confess that I have not read many classics. I used to read them as a child, but I stopped once I realized how many fascinating fantasy books out there I could read instead. Whoops. That being said, I am determined to get into some this year! I've been wanting to read Frankenstein, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Dracula and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. We can blame Penny Dreadful for that. It's on Showtime, it's creepy yet fervent in its portrayal of Gothic characters. WATCH IT!

However, the two classic novels that I read over and over again as a child were Black Beauty by Anna Sewell and The Call of the Wild by Jack London. Clearly we can all see where my animal craze first began. I blame my family/the apartment building for not allowing me animals as I was growing up. I loved those books because it showed the resilience of Buck and Black Beauty, how they could survive and eventually thrive. It laid down the fundamentals and ignited my passion for working with homeless/abused animals.

Perfect! I love how pure childhood reading is. There's such an element of discovery to it. The classics I read as a child stay in my heart as well. Anyways, back to the task at hand! Do you have a reviewing style that you're drawn to?

Yours, Ellen! I am always so impressed at how thoughtful and yet critical your reviews are. You have a way with words that is nothing short of magical. I sure hope you end up writing a book of your own! If only so I can claw myself into your Acknowledgements page :P.

My review style is a bit of a hodge-podge mess. I do not have an English major background though I fancy myself a pretty decent writer. My reviews tend to be a little less critical and analytical than Ellen's or Emily May's reviews. I prefer to rely on my lifetime experience of being a reader and my intuition in terms of how I personally review a book. Hopefully mine and Ellen's styles will provide an interesting contrast for our readers.

You put a total smile on my face, and I love how you say that intuition guides your reviews. I really trust your opinion, so I'm very eager to work with you in a reviewing partnership! Next question: how do social media and the internet influence your reading life?

It's wonderful and yet a little stressful. I'm sure many of you can relate. It has definitely expanded my reading world and introduced me to my amazing book buddies. I'm never experiencing a lack of books to read or people to follow and watch on Goodreads and Booktube but sometimes it can be overwhelming. I love the community that has been formed online for our mutual passion for books but once in a while, I do enjoy an internet-free zone.

I have learned that I need to place appropriate boundaries in my life. So that means when I am in a reading slump, or realize that I am reading JUST to read and get up a post, I need to stop and take a step back. My main goal for my participation in the blog is to keep reading a pleasurable activity (instead of a job), and to enjoy the process and the many friends I hope to make along the way. And this is where co-blogging comes in! Hopefully Ellen and I will be able to juggle our respective lives and our reading lives while still maintaining a high quality of content on our blog. At least, we can dream so :).

And now it's time for me to beg for my Rani's forgiveness... *runs after Rani in dramatic Bollywood fashion*

I, as well, take a more... stretchy stance... towards blogging.  I post in rhythm with my reading too, and some months I read quite a bit. Other months, I break. So, together, I think we'll be able to keep this blog a wonderful hobby and be part of an amazing community! Thanks so much, Sierra! Let our partnership officially begin!

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2014 End of Year Book Survey

 

This 2014 End of Year Survey is hosted by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner.

 

Number Of Books You Read:

Roughly 70 (Embarrassingly low. In 2013 I read 192.)

Number of Re-Reads:

I didn't keep track, but I'd guess in the low 20's.

Genre You Read The Most From:

Young Adult

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?

What a terrible question to ask! I NEED to give more than one answer. I loved Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson.  Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen was good fun. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor was so well written. The Girl With All the Gifts was an amazing mixture of strong plot, strong characters, and strong theme.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Jackaby by William Ritter — I had really high expectations for this book, but wound up thinking it was just so-so.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014? 

All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry — SO unusual, dark, and compelling! Set in a Puritan-esque world, a young woman returns to her community years after her abduction with her tongue cut out. *shivers*

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?

The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker (READ IT! AND THEN READ ALL THE OTHERS!)

 5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen // Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor // Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies)

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I don't read too much Adult Fiction these days, so Dark Places by Gillian Flynn was a standout.

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

 9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, to get ready for The Winner's Crime

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

11. Most memorable character of 2014?

Sicarius, from Lindsay Buroker's Republic — he has to be read to be believed.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin — it has big points to make about the fluidity of gender.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn — it was published in 2012.

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

Seriously, anything from Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series.  Buroker utilizes one of my favorite methods of humor, and that's using words that are resonant of humor.  How can I explain this better... if you sound out the words in your head or read them aloud, the pacing and the sounds are just as funny as what the words mean. Does that make sense?  I die laughing when reading her books.

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

 Longest book was Lindsay Buroker's Republic, at 619 pages. The shortest was Drawn by Cecilia Gray, at 157 pages.

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

I figuratively fell over reading Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. While reading Gone Girl, I had everything figured out, but with Dark Places, I just did not see anything coming.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

 Amaranthe and Sicarius from Lindsay Burokers Emperor's Edge series. (Duh.)

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

I loved the relationship between Cath and her father, Arthur, in Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl. 

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

I know I sound like a broken record, but Lindsay Buroker's Republic

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor. SO glad I did.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

No Sean Kendricks or Will Trombals this year.  But I did love Sorin's character from Leah Cypess's Death Sworn

23. Best 2014 debut you read?

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner had a great setting — a war-torn swamp planet.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Republic by Lindsay Buroker

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?

Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson; the tragedy of the World Wars was overwhelming.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

 Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch (I didn't like it)

 

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014? 

 The Perpetual Page-Turner

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014? 

I liked writing my Life After Life review.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

Reading With An Attention Disorder

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

This Shattered World Blog Tour

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?

Getting a spot on the This Shattered World blog tour!

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

A tie! Between My Embarrassing Literary Blind Spots and Seven Deadly Reading Sins.  The review for Julie Kagawa's Talon also got a surprising amount of hits.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Every post with no comments!

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I'm going to say, starting the blog in the first place was the best discovery! Also, I found some great friends on Leafmarks.

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Well, I didn't make it to 100 books... *cries*

 

 

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?

Poisoned Apples: Poems For You, My Pretty by Christine Heppermann

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?

Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard // An Ember In the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?

Half Wild by Sally Green // Death Marked by Leah Cypess

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?

To make more friends in the blogging community!

6. A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

HAHAHA! I wish I had options for this! But, by default, This Shattered World, by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. (It's not a bad choice, anyway!)