As we approach a new year, it gives us time to reflect on the year gone by. For me, 2018 was definitely hard. I've had worse years but in a different sense I guess. This year, was very challenging for uni - third year is done and dusted thank the lord, now only one more year to go and if it all goes well *crosses fingers* then I'll be an Accredited Practising Dietitian - well hopefully practising but we'll see - perhaps I'll do a bit of travelling.

But more importantly for this blog post, I like to reflect on the books I've read - in the shortest way possible.



1. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas
2. Reign the Earth - A.C. Gaughen
3. Goodbye, Perfect - Sara Barnard
4. The Upside of Unrequited - Becky Albertalli
5. The Vegetarian - Han Kang
6. Hero at the Fall - Alwyn Hamilton
7. Risk - Fleur Ferris
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky *re-read
9. Obsidio - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
10. Quidditch Through the Ages - J.K. Rowling
11. When Dimple Met Rishi - Sandhya Menon
12. Don't Call Me Kit Kat - K.J. Farnham
13. Red Rising - Pierce Brown
14. Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi *re-read
15. Unravel Me - Tahereh Mafi *re-read
16. Ignite Me - Tahereh Mafi *re-read
17. Restore Me - Tahereh Mafi
18. Black - Fleur Ferris
19. A Court of Frost and Starlight - Sarah J. Maas
20. Piecing Me Together - Renee Watson
21. Lifel1k3 - Jay Kristoff
22. Speechless - Hannah Harrington
23. It Ends With Us - Colleen Hoover
24. To All the Boys I've Loved Before - Jenny Han
25. P.S. I Still Love You - Jenny Han
26. Always and Forever, Lara Jean - Jenny Han
27. Scarlet - A.C. Gaughen
28. Salt to the Sea - Ruta Sepetys
29. A Thousand Perfect Notes - C.G Drews
30. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid
31. A Reaper at the Gates - Sabaa Tahir
32. The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris
33. Warcross - Marie Lu
34. The Cruel Prince - Holly Black
35. The Love That I Have - James Moloney
36. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
37. City of Ghosts - Victoria Schwab
38. Wildcard - Marie Lu
39. More Than a Number -  Tia Souders
40. Kingdom of Ash
41. Wreck - Fleur Ferris
42. Grace and Fury - Tracy Banghart
43. Out of the Easy - Ruta Sepetys
44. Uprooted - Naomi Novik
45. This Savage Song - V.E. Schwab
46.We See Everything - William Sutcliffe
47. Wonder Woman Warbringer - Leigh Bardugo
48. Hunted - Meagan Spooner
49. Death of the Family - Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
50. The Evolution of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin



50 books completed! 50 was actually my Goodreads goal so I got it bang on. I'm thinking 2019 will be less due to a busy year ahead.


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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:



Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @thenutritionedition
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Life of Erena or click here

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I had ups and downs when reading in 2018. I usually start off strong in the first couple of months of the year, this time however, I was incredibly busy with packing up my apartment to move houses and going overseas for four weeks - and I don't tend to do a lot of reading when I'm travelling.

I also wanted to include some honourable mentions that didn't make the top 10 but were still something I'd rave about - this isn't included in my video because I forgot haha. Also here is the video version if you'd like to hear me talk about it.


MY TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2018: (in no particular order except for the last one which is my FAVE of the year)

10. This Savage Song - V.E. Schwab
I love the concept of monsters - I feel like the idea was taken from previous supernatural creatures and developed into the author's own original idea and I loved it.

9. Hero at the Fall - Alwyn Hamilton
Full review here; a super exciting yet emotional end to a trilogy. I love the fantasy elements and glad there was more depth in this book, also the cover is to die for.

8. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas
Surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement gives it an edge that is relevant and diverse however, all the other aspects made for a perfectly executed story. Also, there are a few Harry Potter references.

7. Reign the Earth - A.C. Gaughen
Trigger warnings: domestic violence; full review here.
I love the fantasy elements in this story and how dark it got (though not for everyone). The main character is one to admire and I'm looking forward to the next book.

6. Restore Me - Tahereh Mafi
Warner, need I say more? Ok, I don't want to get carried away but the author wrote this book so amazingly - her writing developed so well since Ignite Me (IMO) and the world building and addition of new characters was amazing.

5. The Cruel Prince - Holly Black
This gave me mad ACOTAR vibes which I didn't always like however, this book was well written otherwise and the main character is a badass and I admire her.

4. Obsidio - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
I'm sad The Illuminae Files came to an end but oh how much I loved this book... The new characters, along with the rest of our faves made for a bittersweet ending whilst seeing what else the heck our favourite AI gets up to.

3. Salt to the Sea - Ruta Sepetys
A great introduction to historical fiction if you're looking for it. This is set in WW2 times with the POV from four very different characters. A very emotional read! Audiobook is narrated well.

2. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
Trigger warnings: PTSD, depression, anxiety, alcohol addiction
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect and as it turns out, I enjoyed it immensely. As the story went on I found I was truly empathetic with the MC and while it was an emotional ride, it made me feel very content by the end. Recommend the audiobook.

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book... I didn't know too much going into it but I it took over my thoughts for days - it was literally on my mind all the time so I definitely recommend setting aside some time to read uninterrupted to consume it whole. Written SO WELL, this book gave me everything I never knew I needed. Audiobook was amazing and recommend!


HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

The Lara Jean trilogy - Jenny Han; while I didn't love everything about this series, it surprised me so much that I had to include it here. The audiobooks are mega addictive!

The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris; a heart breaking true story that gave me knowledge and grief. If you're keen to read this story and you're very much into an author's writing and depth - don't expect too much. The author wrote this with respect to the person who's view it is from and you cannot blame one for not giving every single detail of their time in a concentration camp during WW2.

A Reaper at the Gates - Sabaa Tahir; after waiting what felt like a decade for this book (book three /4), I read this as slowly as one could. I think this is my favourite in the series so far even if it made me want to die on the inside and I got tears on the pages. The author's writing and original story is an absolute wonder. This would've definitely made it on the list if it was a 'Top 11'.

We See Everything - William Sutcliffe; a standalone dystopian novel that I didn't really expect much from - I also went into it not knowing too much which perhaps made it better. The two MC's never meet but their lives cross paths under unfortunate circumstances. Full review here.


THANKS FOR READING
And may your 2019 bring you great stories.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:



Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @thenutritionedition
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Life of Erena or click here

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!

Hello again!

Video version of this here.


I'm back again today with another bookish post (surprise, surprise). If you're interested in what I read in 2016, I have a post for that here, it's basically just a list of what I read and it doesn't go into detail - you'll need to check out my monthly wrap ups for that!

2016 was an incredible reading year. Being a lot more involved on the Bookstagram community means you hear about so many books you've never heard of and lots of interaction with other bookstagrammers who recommend you amazing books.

It was incredibly hard to narrow down my list to 10, even now as I write this I still haven't decided the last few. I feel as though I'm cheating the other books that also deserve a spot in there.
One thing I decided to was group series together as one. Meaning, if I read books from the same series and I really enjoyed all/most of them then I'm counting them as one. That's okay, right?

I tried ranking these and couldn't for the life of me actually do it. I will number them from 10 to 1 but don't take any notice of it until you get to the top three because those I was certain about!
I shall also tell you that not all of these books were released this year and I won't include any rereads in this list. Anyway, without further ado... Here is my Top 10 for 2016:


10. You - Caroline Kepnes
Sympathising with a sociopath isn't something you'd read everyday and was certainly a first for me. That is what makes this book so unique and I loved every bit of it. It was a thrilling read that keeps you on your toes and while this book isn't for some people, it is an incredible read and you should consider checking it out.

9. Angelfall Trilogy - Susan Ee
I started reading Angelfall because it was short and I wasn't sure what else to read at the time, all of a sudden I was finished and needed to read the next two books (lucky I already had them on my kindle!) In a post apocalyptic world filled with angels invading the Earth and taking it for their own, Penryn is a strong, badass female character whom I feel really makes this series great for me.

8. The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
The Darkling; need I say more? If you haven't read this series yet and are anything like me, you're gonna need all the books because once I finished Shadow and Bone (book one), I couldn't deal with life until I had the rest of the books. I am obsessed with this series! While I didn't like the way the book ended (personal preference), I loved our main character Alina and the Darkling is seriously my favourite villain of all time and I love him so deeply that I might explode. Okay, I'll stop there.

7. Empire of Storms - Sarah J Maas (and Queen of Shadows)
I read Heir of Fire (book three) earlier in the year and while I enjoyed it, it was Queen of Shadows and Empire of Storms that really blew me away. When I started reading these it was so damn hard to put down (especially when you read during uni time, oops). My love for Manon blossomed and to be honest, went a little bit crazy - she is one of my favourite female fictional characters.

6. Rebel of the Sands - Alwyn Hamilton
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book when I started reading it but I was instantly addicted. Another strong female character, Amani, knows what she wants and will do whatever it takes to get it. It has bouts of supernatural-ness in it which I freaking loved because, hello I am fantasy lover. I am currently reading Traitor to the Throne (book two) and can't wait to get more into the story.

5. A Thousand Pieces of You - Claudia Gray
A sci-fi novel you never knew you needed. I put this story off for a bit because it seemed kind of daunting but once I picked it up I was so immersed that it didn't take long to finish. I had no idea what to expect after a few chapters but it went in whatever was the right direction and didn't look back. I'm still yet to read books two and three (terrible, I know!)

4. Corruption - Jessica Shirvington
Book two in the Disruption duology was amazing. I really enjoyed the first book but this one was next level! Corruption is set in a dystopian world ruled with controlling and invasive technology. Our main character Maggie, is super badass and I really loved her character. It was a thrilling, fast paced novel that makes me love this author even more than I already do. Full review here.

3. A Torch Against the Night - Sabaa Tahir
Book two in the An Ember in the Ashes - which I also read this year and really loved, is my third favourite book of the year. Continuing on with Elias and Laia's story, it gets a little more crazy and much more interesting. The addition of Helene's chapters and the new character Avitas Harper was what made me love this book a whole bunch, along with the actual story of course. I am ready for book three!

2. Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo (and Six of Crows)
I started this duology this year with fairly high expectations and fell in love with all the characters and the story almost immediately. Crooked Kingdom was on a whole other level and there were so many unexpected events that me laugh and cry. The writing is so intricate yet easy to read and understand. I felt like I was actually there when I was reading it. Highly recommend!

And finally, drum roll please....

1. A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J Maas
This is without a doubt not only my favourite book of 2016 but also one of my all time favourites. I really enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses (book one) but holy heck was I not prepared for this story. When we met Rhysand in book one I was obsessed but little did I know... This book was perfect for me and afterwards put me in the biggest book hangover I've ever had (wait until book three eh!) I absolutely loved the inner circle and I can't wait to see more of them and basically everything else in A Court of Wings and Ruin.

And that's it! In my video version of this (link here), I also mentioned a couple of other books briefly because I couldn't bare to not include them somehow.

Let me know some of your faves in the comments below or DM me on Instagram (@erenareads) because I'd love to chat.

See you soon!
x


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads

Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!

You may or may not have noticed that I didn't post a wrap up for July. I did my video on my channel and just couldn't be bothered writing it out so I'm trying much better for this month.
That being said, if you'd rather watch my video for this month's wrap up & TBR click here! Or you can keep this as your written reference :)



Anywho... In the month of August I read four books - which I'm pretty happy with. I didn't read one of the books on my TBR but I'm definitely okay with that. I put said book down so I could try finish some other books I really wanted to finish. I also finished a book that I DNF (did not finish) years ago, so while I didn't really enjoy that story, I was happy that I completed it and can 'unhaul' it.

Ok... On to the books.

AUGUST WRAP UP

1. Harry Potter & The Cursed Child - John Tiffany & Jack Thorne
Ahhh... I'm one of those people who deep down inside get really excited about things I care about however, sometimes I rarely show it (I don't know ok?!) So the buildup to this release for me, was just waiting for it really. When I got the book and started reading is a different story; within the first one or two pages I had to take a short break to get all my feelings in place because I was so damn excited to be reading something new from the Harry Potter world. Now, you may have many people were disappointed by this story but I want you all to remember that this is a script that has been bound into a book so everyone else can enjoy it that don't get to watch the play. This has to be very different to a normal book ok? I have definitely rambled enough.... Alright, so this was a super quick and fun read and I enjoyed it thoroughly! A must for all HP fans
5/5

2. Switched - Amanda Hocking
So I started reading this YEARS ago and it was okay at first, I was determined to continue reading hoping I was nearing the really good part of the story and it just never came... I felt that the story was absolutely far too slow for a first book (this is a trilogy) and it wasn't interesting enough for me. It seemed a bit too childish or 'teenagery' for me and I just had no desire to continue reading this fantasy novel. I've heard the next two books are much better but that isn't enough improvement for me to read them. For whatever reason I felt really motivated to finish it in early August so I did that and now I don't have to worry about it ever again. If you've thought of reading this trilogy, I would recommend reading someone else's review for a better insight.
2/5

3. Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo
I read the Grisha Trilogy earlier this and LOVED it; Six of Crows partakes in the same world but is a different story (you don't need to read the Grisha Trilogy first if you don't want to!) This story focuses on the lowly lives of Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina and Matthius trying to break in to one of the most secure places in the world to rescue an important scientist. While there was much less 'Grisha-ness', I did not mind one bit. Six of Crows is so detailed and I fell in love with all the characters so quickly and while I was eager to know what was going to happen, I never wanted it to end! Lucky book two: Crooked Kingdoms is released later this month. This is a YA fantasy that is written with so much talent and care and you MUST read it!
5/5



4. The Crown's Game - Evelyn Skye
Oh my lord, this book... Another YA fantasy that isn't 'too much fantasy' - if that makes any sense. It's about two enchanters named Vika and Nikolai who must display their power in the Crown's Game in order for one of them to serve the tsar as Imperial Enchanter, the other must die. Sounds brutal, yes however, from beginning to end, I was constantly immersed in the story and I went through all the emotions in this book trying to figure everything out and I was unsure how it was going to end. I won't say anymore as to not give anything away but you can view my full spoiler free review here for more info.
5/5

 SEPTEMBER TBR

While I've got a couple of books I want to read, I'm not sure what else to put on my TBR, though this is a good thing - less pressure perhaps.

I'm currently reading Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas as I will aim to pick up Empire of Storms maybe next month.
I definitely want to purchase then read A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir as I need to be back in that world.
I'm also thinking of picking up The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson and either Disruption by Jessica Shirvington or Desolation by Derek Landy; WHO KNOWS?!

Anyways, that is it for now. I hope you enjoyed this post and make sure to check out my YouTube channel - link is below or search Erena Reads.

Goodbye for now!



WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads

Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!

"Vika Andreyev can summon the snow and turn ash into gold.
Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air.
They are enchanters - the only two in Russia - and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side. And so he initiates the Crown's Game, an ancient duel of magical skill. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar's most respected advisor. The defeated is sentenced to death.
Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter - even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?
For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown's Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with - beautiful, whip smart, imaginative - and he can't stop thinking about her.
And when Pasha, Nikolai's best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love... or be killed himself.
As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear... the Crown's Game is not one to lose."



Now I don't blame you if you didn't read all that, it's all bold and italic words that seem mushed together. So, here it is short and in my words:
The tsar needs an Imperial Enchanter to advise him on all the important stuff going on in the world however, there is two and the tsar needs the strongest one at full strength (think Harry Potter here: "Neither can live while the other survives" - technically that isn't true but it sounds good!) The Crown's Game is a duel of magic where each enchanter shows off their strength whilst possibly aiming to kill the other (the tsar can declare a winner at any time and automatically kill the other if they fail to do so to one another). And it goes on from there...

This book has multiple points of views but they seem to mesh together well; the only slightly negative thing in this entire book was that there was one chapter early on from the Grand Princess and this was her only chapter, which makes it hard to keep track of early on in the story - I would've left it in the tsar's hands. ANYWAY, I very much enjoy multiple POV's as the reader almost feels like a God - we get to know everything, sort of...

Evelyn Skye is a new author on the block and writes absolutely beautifully in this story. The story flows really nicely and draws you in and you'll want to take a day or two off of life because you ain't doing anything else but reading.

The first main character we meet is Vika, a very strong and powerful enchantress (I'm loving the word enchantress right now) who has been trained by her father to become the best she can so she can fulfil the duties of the Imperial Enchanter for Russia. We then meet Nikolai, who was orphaned at birth but was isolated by those he lived with because of the strange things he could do; until his slightly wretched mentor took him to her home to train him to also become the next Imperial Enchanter. He is trained in more of a mechanics sort of way - not visibly as strong as Vika but equally as powerful.


So the problem here, is that there can only be one Enchanter and they must duel against each other (the Crown's Game) to show off not only their power, but to potentially kill the other - because one MUST die. My problem? They are both incredible characters and I love them both.

We also meet Pasha, the tsarverich (crown prince) whom has been excited by Vika's secret magic and falls in love with her; he is also Nikolai's best friend, which could cause some problems.
Throughout the story, the relationship between Vika and Nikolai develops; are they really prepared to kill one another?

The author's writing is captivating and brilliant. She knows how to keep you reading and uses all the right words to get you right in the feels. You'll fall in love with the characters and this is a massive page turner - so get comfy!

Whilst this YA novel is fantasy, those who aren't always keen on the genre will definitely still enjoy this as it isn't too much. That being said, fantasy lovers (like me) will still very much enjoy this incredible story. Please, please, please make sure you read The Crown's Game - it is a must and I'm eagerly awaiting book two in 2017.

I gave this brilliant book 5/5


*This book was sent to me by Harper Collins YA in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads

Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!

Hello everyone,

It seems I haven't posted in a long while - forgive me. December is always a busy month, yet I have no excuses because I definitely had time.
In 2015, I am going to try my best to stop spending so much time on my phone aimlessly browsing because I'm bored - there is always something better to do.




In 2014, I read a total of 40 books. That's 10 down from last year, though I did have a busier year - moving out of home with Beau and starting a new job (which also means finally quitting my old one!!) I'm hoping that this year I am able to read a little more - I have an aim of 50! But I don't want to be thinking of that number too much. If I'm bored at home then yes, read. However, I don't want it stop me doing other things that are important to me.




Enough of that, here is my list.