Best I've Read In 2018 .... So Far.

As the midway point of the year is quickly approaching I figured it was time to check in with my year in reading up to this point. It's a great way to see how influential the first half of the way was to my overall reading and just a nice way to see how far I've come so far.

Sadly, I am way behind on my Goodreads reading challenge this year. I am 10 books behind schedule and I am not hopeful I'll catch up. I am going to give it my all but I am okay with possibly no making my goal this year.

I have noticed that my reading selection gets better every year and this year is no exception. I know what I like as a reader and have a better ability to pick out the books I am going to enjoy. It means my Goodreads ratings are trending really positive right now, but I am considering that a perk of the journey of discovering who I am as a reader. Does anyone else worry about being too positive sometimes, or are you just happy that you're picking books that you enjoy? Let me know.

I am reading a lot more romance than I tend to (at least for the first half the year). It's not surprising as there have been some great ones that have come out. I still think my reads lean heavily to young adult and I doubt that will ever really change.

As previously mentioned I haven't read as much as I typically have by this point in the year. This has made picking my ten favourite reads of the first half of 2018 harder in some ways and easier in others. I have less choices, but each choice feels more deliberate. Each exclusion hurts a little more than it has before.

With that said, here are my top ten of 2018 (so far) ....

*These are in no particular order* 

1 Side By Side by Jenni L Walsh

2 Royals by Rachel Hawkins

3 I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara

4 The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

5 Save The Date by Morgan Matson

6 Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

7 Legendary by Stephanie Garber

8 The Kiss Quotient by by Helen Hoang

9 Leah On The Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

10 You by Caroline Kepnes

Each book links to my review (except for The Kiss Quotient which I have not reviewed yet, but will be up next week).

What books would make your own best of lists at this point in the year? Let me know in the comments as I am always looking for new books to add to my to be read list. 

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews)

I have had some amazing books show up this week in my mailbox (and other goodies). First up are two books that I preordered and had arrived.

Save The Date by Morgan Matson (goodreads)

Legendary by Stephanie Garber (goodreads)

I have read both of these and they are both wonderful. Morgan's newest is perfect for the summer and beach reading. Stephanie's newest is magical and whimsical and such a great sequel. Be sure to look for both of my reviews that were posted on the blog.

Next up is something I was really excited to get. I had joined the My Favorite Murder fan cult and it comes with this awesome t-shirt and pin!

What bookish goodies made their way into your mailbox this week? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

Save The Date by Morgan Matson

Save The Date by Morgan Matson
Release Date - June 5, 2018
Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  432 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

There are a few things that will happen after finishing Save The Date. You'll immediately want to call your family, blast Make Me Lose Control by Eric Carmen, and eat some donuts. You'll also probably want to instantly start reading it again. This cute, wedding season read about a girl discovering that the saying about life being what happens when your busy making other plans is absolutely true.

Morgan Matson's novels always feel like a warm hug. They have a nostalgia factor built into them. They are synonyms with summer for me. This feels especially true in this novel. Anyone who has read and loved the For Better Or For Worse cartoon strip will see the inspiration for Grant Central Station (the comic that exists in this novel). It invokes a particular feeling, even if you're not familiar with the comic strip, that weaves itself into the other elements of the story. You connect with the characters because it is so easy to. The way the story unfolds through memories, comic strip sections, and input from those outside of the family all come together to create a real sense of not just the characters but of the tone of the story.

The family relationships, instead of the romance, are what will cause you to have a ton of feelings while reading this one. The romance typically shine brightly in Morgan's books, but it takes a backseat to the family dynamics for this one. The time frame doesn't lend itself to a properly fleshed out romance, and Charlie is dealing with so much family drama that it feels really natural to have it be only a minor subplot. The Grants are a family you will love, and probably wish to be part of, even if they don't always get along. I appreciated how developed all of the family members felt. They each had their own distinct personalities. There were relationships that existed between certain members that existed outside of the one that existed between the whole family.

There is romance within the story for those looking for it. The theme of this one would definitely be potential. There is a spark that could ignite into something more. There are plenty of great moments between her and the two potential boys who have caught her attention. For those needing those romance swoon I promise that you'll find them in here. Some of my favourites include the spontaneity of dancing in grocery story, and the dizzying feeling of a boy you like finally noticing you back. The romance is framed more in reference of Charlie, and I think that fits really well with the rest of the story.

A large part of the story revolves around Charlie wanting everything to be perfect for the wedding. It, of course, goes comically wrong at every opportunity. Her expectations are so high that there is no way that the reality could ever live up to it. Part of her story arc is learning that those moments you don't expect can be the ones that are most rewarding. They can be the ones that sear themselves into the fabric of who you are and be exactly what you needed. She also has to struggle with the reality that everything is not necessarily as she perceives it to be. She has to grow a lot as she discovers things about her family and reconcile the fact that she may have seen things how she thought they were instead of how they really are.

If you're a fan of Morgan's previous novels you'll delight in a few cameos that are within these pages. I was so charmed by one in particular. It is basically the example for why I love novels that are set within the same world like these are. These cameos also added to the nostalgia factor and immediately made it feel like something included for the fans. It's nice to check in on these characters we already love and just hammers home that family feeling.

Morgan Matson, once again, nails that summer book feeling with this feel good contemporary read. It is one I think people will want to read multiple times because of how connected they'll feel to the characters. I highly recommend saving a spot in your summer reading schedule for this one and it is the perfect accessory for the upcoming wedding season.

2018 Most Anticipated - A Few More

Today is the last book post for this event and I thought I would share three more books that I am excited about in a slightly different format. I am capping it at three simply because it could get out of control otherwise. There are some VERY exciting books coming out in 2018.

Royals by Rachel Hawkins (goodreads)

Meet Daisy Winters. She’s an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair; a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who’s nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond.

While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince’s roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown–and the intriguing Miles–might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.

Why I am so excited for this title:

This book was already on my radar before the whole "royal wedding' fever hit but now I am extra excited to read about an American girl marrying a Prince (and the younger sister along for the ride). It sounds adorable and like a fun summer read.

Release date: 

May 1, 2018

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera (goodreads)

What If It’s Us opens as Arthur and Ben meet at the post office as Ben is shipping his ex-boyfriend’s things back to him. They subsequently endure the frustration of knowing there was a missed connection, before the universe pushes them back together again in a series of failed “first” dates.

Why I am so excited for this title:

It's Beck and Adam! Enough said. I cannot wait to see how their writing styles compliment each other. The only question is whether this will be more Becky and provide us with a cute, uplifting ending or if it'll be more Adam and rip our hearts out instead.

Release date: 

Fall, 2018

Save This Date by Morgan Matson (goodreads)

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future. 

Why I am so excited for this title:

A new Morgan Matson book screams summer to me, so I am super excited to have a new one to read by the pool next summer. It also sounds adorable and I love the thought of Morgan writing a family dynamic book. Her friendships are amazing so I am expecting good things from her family connections.

Release date:

June 5, 2018

What books are you most excited for in 2018? Let me know in the comments. 

Check back tomorrow for a giveaway that will run through the holidays!

Waiting On Wednesday ... Save The Date

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is Save The Date by Morgan Matson

Here is the Goodreads synopsis 

Father of the Bride meets Sixteen Candles in the latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Matson.

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

Morgan Matson is a must read author for me. I always love her books and look forward to having one to read in the summer.

 

Save The Date has been called Sixteen Candles at a wedding and I am so here for this. The cover is adorable, the synopsis is amazing, and I am currently lamenting the fact that this book is so far away.

 

Join me in eagerly anticipating this June release, and we can distract ourselves by reading Morgan's other novels again while we wait.

 

Expected release date - June 5, 2018