TGIF at GReads! {5}: Best I've Read So Far

TGIF at GReads! is a weekly feature, created by GReads! to re-cap the week's posts and propose a question to followers.

The question for this week is:

Best I've Read So Far:

Which Top 3 books are the best you've read so far this year?

My number one is a complete no-brainer and was the book I thought of the second I saw today's topic.

1. Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Before I Wake is the sixth installment in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series and was by far my most anticipated book of this year and it did not disappoint one bit. It actually broke my heart so much, I still haven't been able to write my review for it - or pick up another book for that matter. It is so full of awesome, there are no words to ever do it justice. So, yes, this is definitely my favorite book of the year so far!

*****

2. Execution by Alexander Gordon Smith

Execution by Alexander Gordon Smith is the fifth and final book in his Escape from Furnace series. The US release is set for November, but since I couldn't wait that long, I read the UK version instead. This is another book I haven't been able to write my review for yet. I'm hoping to get it done sometime within the next two weeks though. This whole series was so intense, dark, disturbing, and just gut-wrenching at times, and this final book was no exception whatsoever.

*****

Now for my number three spot, I am torn between two books, but I am going to go with:

3. Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

I absolutely loved this book. It was so refreshingly different for me since I hadn't read anything about witches before. Braden is an incredible main character and slowly learning the truth about his past alongside him was an amazing experience. Of course, there is also Drew, who I just love, love, love. I actually just did my "Desperately Wanting Wednesday" post about its sequel Demon Eyes. October really can't get here fast enough.

*****

Since it can't hurt to add just one more book, I figured I might as well add a number four to my list.

4. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I was a little bit wary about picking this one up since it was about aliens and I was afraid it would be something really over the top weird. As soon as I started Shadows, however, I was hooked and I really could have picked both Shadows and Obsidian as my number four.

*****

What about you? What are some of the best books you have read so far this year? I would love to hear from you!

BIW Mini-Challenge: Participation Post

Today is finally the day Before I Wake releases. It is the sixth book in the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent and if you haven't already, you can get your copy at any of these places:

Amazon               Barnes & Noble               The Book Depository

Everybody who has been following my blog, knows how much I loved the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge, and how sad I was when it all ended. Well, Rachel from fiktshun, who hosted the SSRC, stayed true to her word and added an extra month for everybody to write a Before I Wake review or thoughts post.

Needless to say, I have to take to part in it. If you would like to join in as well, simply click on the beautiful button and it will take you to Rachel's post where you can find out everything you need to know.

Honestly, I could stare at this button all day long. Isn't it stunning? I think I'm in love...

I actually finished Before I Wake last night and there is no way I could write a review tonight. I am still trying piece my heart back together, but I am hoping to be able to get my thoughts in order by the end of the week or early next week.

*****

So, there you have it.

Come join the Before I Wake Mini-Reading Challenge!

I promise you will not regret it.

Stacking the Shelves {4} & My Reading Pile {8}

Before I get started on the awesome books I got this week, I want to take a moment to sincerely apologize to my followers.  Yesterday I realized with great shock and disbelief that I haven't posted in over a week and that is not OK. It has been a very strange week - I have been living a day behind (seriously, all day yesterday I thought it was Wednesday, and I spent today thinking it was only Thursday and didn't realize my mistake until the NHL Draft started on TSN) and if that wasn't enough to throw me off, it has also been an extremely hot week - and not the good kind of hot, if you know what I mean... Tonight's the first night the temperature is halfway decent.

In addition to all that, I was waiting on a book to get here and the longer the mail took, the more frustrated I got - I couldn't even pick up another book because my mind was fixated on this particular one. It finally arrived yesterday and I've been feeling like I've died and gone to heaven ever since I first touched it.

So, long story short, until yesterday I didn't feel like doing anything, I had lost "my spark" if you will, and let me tell you, that is no fun at all. I am going to try my very best and start posting more regularly again. Thank you so much for sticking by me! I appreciate it a whole lot!

*****

Enough with the rambling and on with the things you actually came here for.

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and as I am sharing what I received in the mail this week, I'm giving a big shout out to her.

First up is the book I had been waiting for all week:

A HUGE thank you to Rachel from fiktshun for hosting the incredible Soul Screamers Reading Challenge, and to Rachel Vincent for offering a signed, early copy of Before I Wake for a SSRC giveaway - which, as you might have guessed already, I was lucky enough to win. In all honesty, I still cannot believe I actually won it and that I am reading this precious book right now. I am only about halfway through, and it is so fantastic already! If only there were more hours in a day, so I could spend more time reading...

Another thank you to fiktshun for the amazing bookmarks of A Touch Mortal, A Touch Morbid, and Witch Eyes! They are all so pretty!

*****

Another book I got is a galley of Holding On To Zoe by George Ella Lyon which is set to be released on July 17th, 2012.

I failed miserably trying to remove the "Not Final Cover" sticker cleanly, but if you would like to see the finished cover, simply click on the book title above and it will take you to the Goodreads page. I received this book from MacMillan. They had mentioned this book on their twitter account (@MacKidsBooks) and I happened to tell them it sounded like a very interesting story (you all should definitely check it out). The next thing I know, they asked me for my address, so they could send me a copy. I was so perplexed - and still am, actually - but am really excited to find out the truth about Jules and her baby Zoe.

This week at the library

 

My local library was so awesome to me this week. A while ago, I had put in a "request to purchase" for Veronica Roth's Insurgent after Lisa - the lovely woman who does my little man's story time at the library - recommended I should do it. She has read Divergent too and really wants to know what's happening in the sequel as well. So, when I went to the library last weekend she came up to me all excited, saying that Insurgent was in the process of being put into the system, and since I was the one who put in the request, I would be the first to get it. When I went back to pick it up a few days later, Lisa was there again and she was all giddy and saying I should read it really, really fast because she was next in line for it. She is such a sweetheart and I love the fact I actually know a few of my librarians. Two of them have actually said that me and my little man are almost living at the library...ah, I wish... So, yes, another long story, but I am super thrilled to read Insurgent.

To my surprise, I also had Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers waiting for me. Last time I had checked online, it still said it was being acquired, but they seem to speed up the process when somebody puts the book on hold even before they actually have it - which is very useful to know, by the way. When I first saw that they were trying to get it, I immediately put my name down to have it, and no two weeks later...voila... I am so happy. Of course, it also means I will have to read these books super fast because I won't be able to keep them longer than three weeks since other people have put them on hold as well.

So, yes, this was an extremely happy and exciting book week for me!

My Reading Pile {8}

As I am sharing what I will be reading this week, I am giving credit to fiktshun who came up with this wonderful idea.

First up is of course Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent. I am hoping to finish it tomorrow or the day after and I can already feel that I will want to re-read it again right after, but I will try and force myself not to.

My second book for the week will be Insurgent by Veronica Roth. I already started it while I was waiting for Before I Wake to arrive, but I just couldn't concentrate on it. With my mind was set on Before I Wake, so I didn't want to continue with Insurgent because I was afraid my reading experience would get ruined. So, I am very ecstatic to get back to it sometime this week.

*****

Now you know what I got in the mail and what I will be reading this week. How about you? What goodies did you receive this week? Are there any particular books you would like to read this week? I would love to hear from you!

Have a wonderful reading week!!!

Waiting on Wednesday: Before I Wake

 "Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine where upcoming releases are spotlighted that we can't wait to get our hands on.


This is my first time participating and it was a real tossup between two books I'm dying to read. In the end, I decided in favor of "Before I Wake" by Rachel Vincent.

I have been wanting to read this ever since I finished "If I Die". Having to wait until June 26th is pure torture! The only thing making it easier is re-reading the books as part of the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge (SSRC) hosted by the lovely Rachel over at fiktshun. I'm falling in love with the characters and story all over again. I cannot say enough good things about this series. I just absolutely love it! Period.


What about you? Are you looking forward to reading this book? What other books are you excited about? Feel free to leave a comment and thanks for stopping by.