Last year I read a total of 174 books!  My goal was only 100, so I don’t feel like I’m rushing to complete my Goodreads challenge.  This month was a little slower going but still not bad (the audiobooks I listened to were really long…)

I received my OwlCrate edition of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue back in July 2017, and as much as I wanted to read it, I didn’t quite get around to it until this month.  I even brought this book to the Boston Teen Author Festival in October to get my copy signed.  And when I finally got around to reading it… I LOVED IT!  It was a funny book because Monty is such a flawed character, sort of spoiled and selfish and a hot mess, basically.  But he grows on you – or he grew on me, at least.  I also loved his sister Felicity and I’m happy to hear that she has her own book coming out next year!  Aside from being a rare LGBTQ historical romance, this was also a fun adventure.

Bonfire was one I’d been hearing about as a readalike to Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, and The Lying Game – all books that I enjoyed.  While I can’t say this one was super memorable, it was a good thriller and kept me guessing.

I have had a signed copy of Shadow and Bone in my possession for over two years, and it was one of those books/series that I kept hearing about and wanted to read, but never got around to reading.  I finally picked it up and MAN!  I was instantly hooked!

I picked up the second book from the library almost immediately after I finished the first – I mean, come on, Cruel Prince came in for me at the library and I HAD to read Cruel Prince first (it was amazing, BTW, more on that later…).  I’d been struggling through The House Next Door and listening to The Kiss of Deception, both of which were sort of dragging, so having two awesome books in a row (Shadow and Bone and The Cruel Prince) felt like a breath of fresh air.  I hurried through the end of House Next Door just so I could keep on reading the Grishaverse series!

As soon as I finished Siege and Storm, I checked out Ruin and Rising.  I have to say that I am now a huge fan of Leigh Bardugo, since I already picked up The Language of Thorns while in Vermont.  Hopefully I’ll be able to start reading it next month!

So, I read the library’s copy of The Cruel Prince shortly after it was released… but then I got my own copy to keep from OwlCrate!  It’s signed AND an exclusive cover.  I have to say, I love the original cover.  I absolutely LOVED this story.  I’ve slowly been becoming a bigger and bigger fan of Holly Black with each book she releases.  Given how much I loved this story, I’m sure it won’t be long before I go back and read the Tithe series.  This story had so much intrigue and adventure and I could never predict how the characters would act.  Also the romance didn’t overshadow the plot.

• Best Overall: The Cruel Prince
• Least Favorite: The House Next Door
• Best Romance: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
• Best Ending: The House Next Door
• Best Audiobook: Fallen
• Fastest Read: Erased v. 2 (1 day)
• Slowest Read: The Fourth Protector (7+ weeks)

The full list (links take you to my Goodreads reviews):

1. 1. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
   2. Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
   3. Fallen by Lauren Kate (audiobook)
   4. Shadow and Bone (Grishaverse #1) by Leigh Bardugo
   5. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
   6. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson (audiobook)
   7. The House Next Door by Ann Rivers Siddons
   8. Siege and Storm (Grishaverse #2) by Leigh Bardugo
   9. Erased Omnibus v. 2 by Kei Sanbe (graphic novel)
   10. The Fourth Protector by Bri Baker (Wattpad)
   11. Ruin and Rising (Grishaverse #3) by Leigh Bardugo