January 2016 | TBR

Following my new 2016 reading goals, this TBR will be broken up into several sections. As always, these books aren't set in stone; if I'm not feeling a particular book, I won't pick it up - simple as that. I did start this month's list a little bit early (I just couldn't wait!); I picked up The Girl of Fire and Thorns on December 30th and I am roughly 150 pages in.

My January TBR consists of 8 books:



New Releases

1. The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine (release date: January 5)  I love fantasy (I am comfortable saying that it is my favorite genre now) and I am always excited to dig into a new world. This one stood out to me because the main character, Elli, is kind of the anti-Chosen One - and she doesn't care. I have also heard that it consists of some LGBT themes, which I am always a sucker for.
2. This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp (release date: January 5) I am kind of nervous for this one. I get really anxious when it comes to school shootings or mass shootings in general, so I'm not sure how I will respond to this book. It might be one of those where I can only read a little bit at a time. Nevertheless, I have heard nothing but great things about it and am ready to give it a try.

2016 Popsugar Challenge
Several other books on my TBR will count towards this challenge; however, these are the two that I picked randomly this month.

1. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (for the Library Book prompt - easy as pie) This series might be kind of old news but, as I didn't start really digging into fantasy until this last year, I am behind on a lot of the old books. The first book in a series of companion novels, Grave Mercy deals with an assassin trained at a convent in the 1400s.
2. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert (for the Island Setting prompt) This book popped up in a couple of Booktube videos I watched throughout last year and I thought that it was a newer release when, in fact, it was published in the early 2000s! A historical fiction story, this book deals with a young girl who is diagnosed with leprosy and sent to an isolation island in Hawaii. As I understand it, it follows her growing up in this camp and deals with things such as friendship, love, and family.

On My Shelf

1. The Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy by Rae Carson I have wanted to read this series for a very long time. I finally purchased some used copies a few months ago but, still, they sat on my shelf neglected. I read Carson's newest release Walk on Earth a Stranger in 2015 and absolutely adored it. While thinking of things that I wanted to read for January, this series immediately popped into my head. I have heard a lot of good things about this series, along with a few things that are on the negative side, so I am really looking forward to diving in and figuring things out on my own. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I did start the first book a few days early, but, really, where's the harm in that? I am enjoying it well enough; however, I am finding that there is still a slight disconnect between all of the different elements for me - the Godstone and Elisa's lack of knowledge regarding it is over here, the hidden marriage to the King is over there, and everything else is up in the air.
1. The Girl of Fire and Thorns (in progress)
2. The Crown of Embers
3. The Bitter Kingdom

Other

1. Asking for It by Louise O'Neill I have wanted to read a Louise O'Neill book for a while. I saw that this one had generally better reviews than the other, Only Ever Yours, and I ultimately decided to read Asking for It based on its subject matter and my interest in it. This book deals with consent and rape culture and all of the additional things that come along with those issues. I also like that it is set in Ireland. In 2015, one of the best books I read also dealt with similar issues (All the Rage by Courtney Summers) and it is set in the United States. I wonder how differently the change in location and culture will come into play with this story.

• I will be counting this book for the Book with a Blue Cover prompt on the Popsugar challenge.