Hello! This is my first (and last) Top Five Wednesday of this month, oops. I have definitely not posted enough this month at all.

If you would like to join the Top Five Wednesday’s group, you can find here them on goodreads here!

Today’s prompt is rainy day reads! I really didn’t know what to do with this prompt so I kinda just chose books with atmosphere.

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I didn’t even care about this book that much but it certainly has an atmosphere that I think would fit a rainy day perfectly!

2. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows Of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

This one also had a very strong atmosphere and very flowery writing that would be good to devour to the soundtrack of rain outside.

3. The Diviners by Libba Bray

Again, atmosphere!

4. The Language Of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

This one has some really atmospheric stories and Beautiful illustrations.

5. Secrets for the Mad by Dodie

This one’s a little different from the others as I didn’t choose it for atmosphere. It’s a non fiction, but it’s really pretty writing and just a really easy read to relax.

Thanks for reading! Let me know some of your favourite rainy day reads in the comments!

– Stephy

This was hard as if I think I’m going to hate a book I usually just don’t read it. But I managed to get five! It’s not as strong as hate/love for most of them though.

1. The Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

I only even read this trilogy because I wanted context for King of Scars – I wasn’t really interested in the plot and I heard so many people talking about how bad this series is, especially compared to Six of Crows. And yeah, Six of Crows shows definite improvements in Bardugo’s writing skills, the Shadow and Bone trilogy was still a fun read.

2. An absolutely remarkable thing by Hank Green

I’d seen so much about this but somehow didn’t really know about the sci fi element to the story? All I knew at first was that it was about a girl who got internet famous overnight and had to deal with all of that – and I just wasn’t interested. Then I found out more about the Carls, and picked it up reluctantly. It was actually really good!

3. Renegades by Marissa Meyer

I read Cinder a couple of years ago and found it extremely boring and just wasn’t a fan. So I avoided Renegades because I assumed that, if it’s by the same author, I probably won’t like it either. I also was not interested in the plot at all, as I don’t really care about superhero stuff. But I gave in and bought it, and actually really loved it! So, I’m thinking of giving Cinder and the Lunar Chronicles another try, as my tastes have probably changed.

4. Coraline and other stories by Neil Gaiman

I was a little bit worried about Coraline, as it is a children’s story, but my biggest problem was the short stories that came after. I’ve not had a good experience with short story compilations, I simply don’t care for them. But I loved most of these! They were just as weird and whimsical as the title story.

5. Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich

As a fan of the original musical, I was so worried that this would butcher the original, but I feel like it did okay. I’m not sure how well it would stand on its own though, I feel like you’d need prior knowledge of the musical to understand a lot of stuff that happens.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think about any of these!

– Stephy

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven’t been posting, VCE has been getting really busy. But I’m back with a tag! (That I wasn’t tagged in)

1. What was the last book you dnf’d?

The price guide to the occult – Leslye Walton

There’s nothing wrong with this one, I’m just very much a mood reader and wasn’t in the mood for it when I read it.

2. Last book you reread?

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

I recently read the Grishaverse trilogy for the first time, and then reread the Six of Crows duology in preparation for King of Scars!

3. Last book you bought?

I recently bought 4 books:

1. The language of thorns by Leigh Bardugo

2. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

3. Through the woods by Emily Carrol

4. The ocean at the end of the lane by Neil Gaiman

4. Last book you said you read but didn’t?

I’ve never really done this but – when I was younger I bonded with someone over our love of Harry Potter, – I omitted that I hadn’t yet read the books, only seen the movies. I read them soon after though, and have now read them multiple times.

5. Last book you wrote in the margins of

I have literally never done this lmao – nothing against people who do though.

6. Last book you got signed?

I’ve never gotten a book signed 😦

Actually, when I was in like grade three I got a signed book! – I’ve never read it and probably never will, I don’t even remember what it’s called.

7. Last book you lost?

I was rereading the first Harry Potter book and got bored and lost it – luckily I had multiple copies lmao

8. Last book you had to replace?

Basically the whole Percy Jackson series. I read the series years ago and loved it and I decided recently that I wanted to reread it – but could only find sea of monsters- So I bought a whole new set and was broke for a while h.

9. Last book you had an argument over?

I can’t really think of a book I’ve ever had an argument over.

10. Last book you couldn’t get a hold of

There was one book that I tried to get on every website under the sun and couldn’t find it – I think it was To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before – the movie had just come out and the books all sold out.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think and if you want to do this – I tag you!

– Stephy

Here are some books that I really want to read but keep putting off because I’m Scared.

1. S. by J J Abrams and Doug Dorst

This is really complex to explain… it’s kind of two stories in one. So this is basically a library book, that two people keep swapping between each other and adding notes. It includes actual physical things in it like there’s an actual napkin man it’s so cool.

I was so pumped when I bought this and I started reading it immediately but got in way over my head.

All the reviews are like “read the story first and then read the notes” and I was like nahh I can do Both!

I could not do both. And then school went back and I didn’t have time to read it and now I’m too scared to try.

2. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

So this one actually shouldn’t be that bad, but it’s Thick.

This story is told in dual perspective, and one of the perspectives is shown entirely in pictures. So, it really shouldn’t take that long to read, but it’s still, a brick. I don’t even know how I’m going to hold it while I read it.

3. Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

I actually started this one when I bought it, got about 50 pages in and realised I had no clue what was going on. I barely remember the first two books, which means I’ll have to reread them first, and this one is 1,000 pages on its own- exhausting. Also I didn’t really love the first two books the first time I read them, so I don’t look forward to rereading them again, they’re bricks too.

4. The Illuminae files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I have actually been wanting to read this for months, but every time I go to buy it I’m like- maybe next time. I feel like it’s a series you need to be fully immersed in and I just don’t have the time for that right now.

5. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

This is probably the most intimidating on this list, it’s over a thousand pages, and it’s a classic. I don’t even like classics yet, it took me like a week to get through the 200 pages of The Picture of Dorian Gray… why did I do this? Why did I buy this book? (Because I like the Great Comet Of 1812 that’s why – and it’s only part of the story why am I like this)

Thanks for reading!

Let me know if you’ve read any of these/what are your most intimidating books!

– Stephy

I’m really sick and out of it right now so sorry if this is really vague.

No top five Wednesday’s today, as I don’t read enough sci fi/Fantasy for the prompt. – So I’m posting my book Wishlist instead.

I want a lot of books, but here are 15 on my current Wishlist! They are in no particular order.

1. Wonderstruck by Brian Elznick

So I don’t know much about the plot of this one, but I know that it’s dual perspective – except that one of the perspectives is told only in pictures – which is so cool and I’d love to see how it would work!

2. The language of thorns by Leigh Bardugo

This is the only Grishaverse book that I don’t own so I have to get it soon. I love illustrations and I’m just pumped to get this.

It’s a collection of short stories set in the Grishaverse and it sounds so cool.

3. The ocean at the end of the lane by Neil Gaiman

Don’t know much about this one, but I know two things.

1. It’s by Neil Gaiman, an author I love

2. It’s supposed to be haunting/scary

So I’m sold.

4. Bear town by Fredrik Backman

(Trigger warning)

This one is about a girl who is raped by a popular boy from the hockey team, and how her town deals with it.

I’ve heard nothing but good things about it, and Fredrik Backman in general, so I definitely want to give it a go.

5. And every morning the way home gets longer and longer by Fredrik Backman

Also by Fredrik Backman, because I really want to start reading his books – this is a really short but impactful novella that deals with Alzheimer’s and I really want to read it!

6. The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

So I wasn’t interested in this one at first, but after hearing nothing but good things about it, I think I’ll give it a shot.

7. The Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

I keep going back and forth on this because I’m not a huge fan of high fantasy but people rave about these books so I feel like I have to give them a shot.

8. The Giver quartet

9. The Illuminae files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I have been wanting to read this series for ages but always put it off because it seems like such a big commitment but I really need to get to it.

10. A list of cages by Robin Roe

I have a terrible memory – I’ve forgotten what the premise of this book is. I remember that it sounded interesting and that I really wanted to read it so –

11. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

I’ve realised a lot of these are just books I’ve heard a lot of good things about – nothing wrong with that though. This is definitely one of those. I wasn’t interested originally but it’s so popular that I want to give it a try.

12. Through the woods by Emily Carrol

I’ve heard nothing about this but I came across it and it seems so cool – a compilation of 5 short stories to do with the woods – that are supposed to be really scary/haunting. Which I love.

13. House of leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

This is another one that seems like a huge commitment because of the unique formatting, so I don’t know when I’ll get to it, and I don’t know much about it, but I’ve heard good things.

14. Bird box by Josh Malerman

I watched the movie and wasn’t a fan but the premise is really cool so I want to give the book a try and see how it is.

15. An Unkindness Of Magicians by Kat Howard

I honestly don’t remember anything about this I just know the cover is really pretty and I want it.

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you’ve read any of these and what you thought! (But no spoilers please!)

– Stephy

February just finished so here’s a wrap up of all the books I read during that month! I’ve had a really busy month as I’ve just started year eleven but I managed to fit six books in!

1. Archenemies by Marissa Meyer

So I finished Renegades at the end of January and immediately had to get this one from the library. It’s surprising, because I read the first book in the Lunar chronicles a couple years ago and didn’t care for it, and I wasn’t really interested in Renegades in the first place, but I read it and loved it and Archenemies so much that I think I’ll give the Lunar Chronicles another chance.

I didn’t really care for a Nova and Adrian separately, but together, I loved their relationship.

2. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

I originally wasn’t interested in this one, but I picked it up and really liked it! That ending though… made me so mad.

3. The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

I wasn’t going read the this originally, but after reading six of crows, and finding out there was going to be a Netflix show combining the two, I decided I had to read it. It was actually a lot better than I expected and I don’t know why this series has such a bad name.

4. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

After reading the Grisha trilogy, I decided to reread the Six of Crows duology for all the context before finally reading King of Scars!

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you’ve read any of these and what you thought.

– Stephy

The Life in books tag!

I was (kinda) tagged by https://ezziesbookshelf.wordpress.com/ – thank you for the tag!

1. Find a book for each of your initials

S– Sadie by Courtney summers

M– More happy than not by Adam Silvera

C– Crooked kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

2. Count your age along your bookshelf – what book is it?

Gone girl by Gillian Flynn

3. A book set in your city/country

Look I went through goodreads’s list of best books set in Australia desperately trying to find one I’ve read. I gave up 300 books in, and decided to go with a book that I own, but haven’t read.

So: April fools day by Bryce Courtenay

4. A book that represents a destination you’d love to travel to

I’m that typical white girl that really wants to go to London so – The infernal devices series by Cassandra Clare

5. A book that’s your favourite colour

I don’t really have a favourite colour right now but I just read the Grisha trilogy and the covers are gorgeous

(These ones)

6. Which book do you have the fondest memories of?

This book called are you my mother? My mum used to read it to me so much when I was little that I memorised it so it was the first book I kind of ‘read’

7. Which book did you have the most difficultly reading?

The picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde – I’m sad because I was really excited for it but I actually ended up skipping paragraphs – which I’ve never done before – because it was so long-winded

8. Which book in your TBR pile will give you the biggest accomplishment when you finish it?

War and peace. Oh boy.

That’s it! Thanks for reading and I tag anyone who wants to do it!