Reading Recommendations: A Challenge Update

Remember how just about two months ago I decided that I was going to read more books that people recommended to me, so I made up a challenge for myself? And then I talked about it once more and then…*crickets*? Well, the good news is that, even during my silence, I was reading the books in my initial pile of recs! YAY! I even managed to review a few. LOOK AT ME GO. But you know what the BEST part is? My friends know me well and didn’t steer me wrong, because I’ve loved all of the books that they’ve recommended to me. In fact, I loved them so much that I’m adding a few more! HUZZAH!

So, of the books in my original pile–UNDER THE NEVER SKY, THE SCORPIO RACES audiobook, something by Sarah Ockler, BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS, THE AVIARY, the FABLES graphic novels, and INCARNATE, I’ve read four of them, and reviewed three: UNDER THE NEVER SKY, THE SCORPIO RACES audiobook, and THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS by Sarah Ockler. The only one I read but haven’t reviewed yet is the first volume of the FABLES graphic novels by Bill Willingham, but let this be an indication to you all how much I loved it: before I’d even finished reading volume 1, I ordered volumes 1–3 online and now own them. SO GOOD.

This book is the best kind of recommendation for two reasons: One, I had not even heard of it until April from Good Books and Good Wine recommended it to me on Goodreads, so it was a completely new book to me. I instantly added it to my shelf and put it on my radar because HELLO, it sounds awesome. And two, not long after April told me about it, my darling friend Alyssa from Books Take You Places told me that I needed to read it as well. BOOM. DOUBLE REC. I requested it on NetGalley and have it on my kindle to read. Thanks, ladies. It sounds EXCELLENT. These two lovelies are behind my new love of Juliet Marillier, so I know they’re on the money.

I’ve known about this book for awhile–I think I read somewhere that Maggie Stiefvater loved it and because she’s AMAZE I put it on my radar–but shout out again to my girl Alyssa, who read a little ways back and basically told me to get off my duff and read it. YES, MA’AM. On my kindle.

I just realized that these three books were recommended to me by the same two ladies. Not intentional, mind you, just a coincidence! But just this weekend I saw that April read and LOVED this book, AND that she recommended it to me on Goodreads, where she assured me that it’s an Amy book. Seriously, her recs have never led me astray, so I’m glad that I waited on line for this one at BEA this year because I have a copy all ready to go. It really does look so amazing. The map in itself is STUNNING, friends.

So that’s where we stand right now: Four books read, three reviewed, three more added to the list. I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THEM ALL. What about you guys? Have any books that your friends have told you are right up your alley? Read them along with me! It’s THE BEST TIME.