Top 5: Love Stories That Will Make You Swoon

It's time for a new segment on The Pemberley Reader! Top 5 is going to be a weekly post about my top 5 favorite anythings. Since Valentine's Day is coming up, this week will be all about love. So, without further ado, here are five love stories that will make you swoon:

5) Wilson and Jane (The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks) 

Not many know that there is a sequel to The Notebook. It follows Noah and Allie's daughter and son-in-law, Jane and Wilson. They're marriage is on shaky ground after their kids have all moved out and their relationship is boring and bland. Wilson seeks out Noah for help and embarks on the journey of winning back his wife. This is a surprising read that will warm your heart and possibly make you tear up. If you loved Noah and Allie's story, you will love this one as well as there are many references to their marriage. This is probably my favorite Nicholas Sparks book (and I've read my fair share), and I definitely recommend it to anyone out there wanting a fun, short read this weekend. 

4) Gemma and Kartik (Gemma Doyle Series by Libba Bray) 

This series is full of magic, ideal girl squads, and amazing writing. Libba Bray makes an amazing fantasy world inside of Victorian England, and there are romances throughout the books that would make any one squeal. However, the romance that matters most is that of the protagonist, Gemma, and Kartik. I can't say too much without giving the story away, but let me just say that it is a bumpy road up until the point that these two love birds get it together. Once they do, it is magical and lovely, though. Years after reading this series, I remember feeling just as in love with Kartik as Gemma was while reading these books. Then the ending of this series... Oh, man. Again, I won't ruin it, but just be ready for all the feels. 

3) Anna and Étienne (Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins) 

Sometimes, I want to go back in time and hit myself over the head. "Get a grip and get over yourself," I wish I could tell Past-Acaca. You see, the title of this book stopped me for the longest time from picking up this one up. I thought it was going to be cheesy and poorly written and all of these horrible misconceptions. After finally breaking down and reading though, this became one of my all-time favorite novels, ever. It is emotional, well-written, and extremely deep. It is one of the few books that has ever left me wanting to immediately reread it and forget that other books exist. This book is about home, friendship, and love. Anna and Étienne's love story is raw, beautiful, and captivating. Seriously, this book has 5 out of 5 cups of tea on my rating scale, and all of you should read it. 

2) Beth and Lincoln (Attachments by Rainbow Rowell)

So, stalking is not okay. I do not condone it. I do not stalk people. Stalking is creepy. Except for in this novel. In this novel, Beth and Lincoln mutually stalk each other in the cutest, most innocent ways, slowly falling in love with each other. This book is one of the funniest books I've ever read. Beth and Lincoln are so cute. Their friend groups, their lives, their work, all of it is hilarious and endearing. Rowell is so funny and so true to life. If you have never read one of her books, this is a great one to start with! 

1) Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen) 

Anyone who has been following this blog had to have known this was coming. I mean, what would a list of top love stories be without Elizabeth and Darcy? These two are by far my favorite couple. OTP, right here. Their love story is timeless. One of the most heart-warming and moving romances of all time. If you have some how managed to never read or watch their love story play out, please go buy this book or movie and enjoy. From the dynamic characters to the beautiful writing, this has got to be the best love story out there.

Hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day!
Until next time,
Your Pemberley Reader

Review: Jackaby by William Ritter

Synopsis: Abigail Rook is barely on American soil before she is whisked into a fantastical adventure with her new employer, Mr. R. F. Jackaby. Jackaby is a detective who can see what most others can not, including the magical and mystical. When a dead body is found and a nearby man hears screaming that no one else notices, the curious Miss Rook, the odd (and according to multiple sources, dangerous), Mr. Jackaby, and the handsome cop they meet on the case, all set out to find the metal-booted man who is on a killing spree across America.

Review: This has been described as Sherlock meets Doctor Who, but I think it is more accurate to say that it is just Sherlock with some magic mixed in. This made for a fun, but not very original read. The characters, besides Jackaby perhaps, were little more than one-dimensional. Abigail, a bookish girl wanting more adventure, was an obvious female Watson. She had her own occasional insights into the cases and was continuously baffled by her employer and his ways. Her sense of adventure was likable, and her outspokenness towards the end of the novel was refreshing. With all that said, though, she fell a bit flat for me. Perhaps in later books there will be more revealed to her character, but as of now, there was nothing overly impressive about her.

There is surprisingly also very little about the character this book is named for. Jackaby, though a fun magical Sherlock, is almost too mysterious. There is little to nothing about his past, and I would have enjoyed learning more about it. Though at first he also seemed one-dimensional, there seemed to be a few more layers just waiting to be excavated in the future.

One major complaint about this book was the "insta-love" that seemed to happen between Abigail and Charlie (the cop they work with on the case). Though nothing of great importance comes from it in the book, they both seem to be immediately smitten with each other, despite having almost no moments of real conversation. They find each other attractive is all it really seems. Abigail thinks and worries about him fairly often throughout the novel. I can manage my way through some insta-love stories every now and then, but this one seemed too forced.

The villain was also rather predictable. I won't give it away, but if you pay attention while reading, you'll pretty much have a suspicion from the start. Stick with the initial suspicion, and it will carry you right to the culprit. You'll just have to wait for the characters to catch on, of course.

Up until this point, it may sound like I wholly disliked this novel. To the contrary, I actually quite enjoyed it. Though simple, it was a fun read. It truly did read like an old Sherlock story, and I thought this was wonderful. The Sherlock tone and plot were captured perfectly. Overall, there was nothing that stuck out as horrible or boring. If you are looking for something deep and innovative, this probably isn't the novel for you. If you want a quick, fun mystery/adventure story with some lovable characters, then you should pick this one up.

I would suggest for anyone who likes classic Sherlock Holmes books and stories, for those who like books with magic, and for those who are looking for a nice short book to read by the fire on a rainy weekend.

Rating: 3 out of 5 Cups of Tea

January Wrap-up and February TBR

January Wrap-Up

1) Death Note by Tsugumi Osba


So, this wasn't on my TBR for the month, but it quickly jumped to the top of it. I randomly stumbled across it at Barnes and Noble one day, and having heard much about it, I decided to read a few pages. I got sucked in. I ended up receiving it as a gift a few days later (shoutout to Suzi and Rachel!) and read through the entire thing in about two days. It was so good. Seriously, if you're thinking about getting into manags, pick this one up! It has morally ambiguous characters, a notebook that brings death, and really cool creatures in it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea



2) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon


I really enjoyed this novel. It took me a while to read, seeing as how its 800-somethings pages, but it didn't feel like it dragged at all. You can see my full review here.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea



3) Nervous Conditions by Tsitisi Dangarembga


This also was not on my TBR. I read this for school, for my International Fiction class. For those of you who don't know, I took an African literature class last quarter, and so this felt like just continuing on with that. I loved this novel, and I really wish we would have read it last quarter. It focuses on a family that has varying degrees of education and wealth, and this variance creates extremely interesting tensions throughout the characters' lives. There is also a sequel to this novel, which I am very interested in reading at some point.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea



4) Yes Please by Amy Poehler

So, this wasn't on the TBR either, I know. I picked it up this month and immediately started reading it. I finished it about the same time that I finished watching the last season of Parks and Rec (which Netflix FINALLY added). It was such a fun read. There were important insights and funny anecdotes, all of which I loved.  I would defintiely recommend this to anyone who loves Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live, or Parks and Rec.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea



5) Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

This is the third and last book in Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Series, which if you haven't started, you should. It focuses on a group of children with weird abilities and their quest for safety. It is a fun adventure read and a cute romance as well. I highly recommend this series for fantasy and adventure lovers. This last book was a great end to the series, and though I'm sad it's over, I'm glad it ended well.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea




6) Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon

I wil forever be referring to this biography as my gateway drug into the non-fiction world. This biography on Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley was absolutely amazing! For anyone with any interest in either of these two women, philosophy, writing, or feminism, I highly recommend this. Seriously, even if none of that interests you, you should read this. These two women deserve the whole world to read about them.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Cups of Tea



7) An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro

This was also read for school. I was sort of indifferent towards this book until the end and when I received more context through research and class. Though my opinion of this book has changed, I don't know if I would read it again or recommend it. Not unless you know a lot about post-WWII Japan or are willingly to do a bit of extra history reading on the side while reading this.

Rating: 3 out of 5 Cups of Tea



8) The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

There was a bunch of hype surrounding this book when it came out, and so I was a little wary about getting into this one. It turned out to be utterly deserving of all the hype. If you want a new, engaging, mind-blowing fantasy read, pick this one up! Apparently this is the first of what is going to be a seven book series, and I am so excited to continue on with the next book!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Cups of Tea



February TBR

1) Austenland by Shannon Hale

This was on my TBR for last month, but I got a little side-tracked with some other books. So, I'm planning on picking this up next! They made a movie about it a few years ago. For anyone who doesn't know, it is about a woman who, when tired of her bland life, goes on vacation to Austenland, a role-playing type resort that offers you the chance to live life in a Jane Austen novel. It's supposed to be a romance, so I think she falls in love once there. Whatever happens, I think I'm going to like it. #austenfanaticforlifeyo

2) Jackaby by William Ritter

This has been described as "Doctor Who meets Sherlock." Sign me up! A girl arrives to a new town and begins work with a supernatural investigator. I am super excited for it! Espicially since I got the hardcover for just $7 last month. Plus, I love this cover. Even if I end up hating this book, I'm looking forward to having this one my bookshelf. Hopefully this is going to be a great read, though. Keep an eye out for a review!

3) Uprooted by Naomi Novik

 There is been a relatively good amount of hype surrounding this book, and so I was super excited when I found it at GoodWill for just $4 last month! Its a fantasy book about a girl who gets chosen by the ruler of her land to be taken away and live with him. No one is quite sure what happens to the girls who are taken, but the protagonist, Agnieszka, is about to find out. We'll see how this lives up to the hype.


4) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I love Adichie. Love, love, love her. Her short stories are some of my favorite, and her novels are supposed to be just as good. This one is about a young Nigerian couple who comes to America. The novel deals with race, love, and identity, according to back of the book. I'm really looking forward to finally getting to read this.


5) Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer

I haven't read too many of Georgette Heyer's book, but I have enjoyed all of the books I have read from her. She write historical fiction romances, and they are such fun to read. I'm excited for yet another fun romance from her! If you're interested in historical fiction romances or Austen-esque authors, I would check out some of her books.

6) I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai


I am so excited to read this. For those of you who don't know who this girl is, she is an active and outspoken voice for girls' education all over the world. A few years back she and her friends were stopped on a bus, and she was shot in the head for refusing to stop her schooling. She lived, and here, she tells her story and why she believes girls' education is so important for the world. I am so excited to read this and to finally learn more about this amazing girl!

Most Anticipated 2016 Book Releases

1) Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (February 9)


This is the sequel to Red Queen, which was a book I read last year. You can find my review for it here. The second book follows Mare Barrow as her adventure continues while on the run from the man who betrayed her and is now hunting for her. I'm excited for just as many twists and turns as the first!

2) The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig (February 16)

This novel has time travel, deals with grief, and apparently has beautifully crafter characters. To put it mildly, I can not wait for this. There are not enough time travel books, especially not time travel books in which characters can go whenever and wherever they want. I'm hoping that this will be a complex novel about what crazy things we will do for love. Also... that cover, you guys. That cover.

3) A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab (February 23)

This is the sequel to A Darker Shade of Magic, which was basically my favorite book I read last year. You can read a full review of that, here. If you love fantasy, magic, amazing characters, complex narratives, and beautiful writing, you will love this series and author. Please read the first, so that you can be just as excited for this next novel as I am!

4) The Forbidden Orchid by Sharron Biggs Waller (March 8)

Okay, so I really don't actually care what this one is about. (I did look it up, and it's about a girl who goes on an adventure with her father to find a rare orchid that could save their family from debt and prison.) Waller's A Mad, Wicked Folly was one of the best books I read in 2015. It was amazing. I actually think I want to reread it soon so I can do a proper review of it (Which is saying something, because I don't reread books very often.). The writing and the story were both beautiful, as were the characters, and I just can not wait for more from this author.

5) This Is Where the World Ends by Amy Zhang (March 22)

Let me tell you a few things about Amy Zhang: 1) her first novel, Falling into Place, is one of my favorite books ever, 2) her writing is beautiful, 3) her mastery over narrative and storytelling is breathtaking, and 4) her debut novel was first published when she was ... wait for it... only 18 years old. Seriously, she's one of my favorite authors, and I am so glad that there is more to come from her!

6) Love, Lies, and Spies by Cindy Anstey (April 19)

So, I just stumbled across this one a few days ago, and now I can't wait for it to come out. It follows a science-loving young girl in the 19th century who is sent to London for the season. She has no intention of find a husband though, but instead furthering the reach of her scientific research. Then she meets a man who is also too busy to be looking for a wife, and the two form a plan to court each other, you know, just to get everyone off their backs about falling in love. We all know where this is going to lead, right? Right. All boarding The Cuteness Express, please! I can't wait for this one!

7) The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh (May 3)

This is the sequel to Ahdieh's The Wrath and Dawn, which is a new take on A Thousand and One Nights. After the cliff-hanger ending of the last novel, I'm looking forward to see where all the characters are going to end up. Hopefully this one is just as intriguing and breathtaking as the first.

8) Futhermore by Tahereh Mafi (August 30)

Tahereh Mafi, author of the amazing Shatter Me series, is coming out with a new series. I repeat, TAHEREH MAFI IS COMING OUT WITH A NEW SERIES. I'm a bit excited.... Mafi's writing is beautiful and so poetic. I'm truly looking forward to what new things she does with this series, especially since its a middle grade novel. Hopefully its as fun, adventurous, and intense as the Shatter Me series.

9) Untitled by Sarah J. Maas (September 6)


I know what you're thinking, "Acacia, this is an untitled book with no cover. How can you be excited about this?" Yes, yes. I know. But SARAH J. MAAS! You know, author of MY FAVORITE SERIES EVER.... Okay, I promised I wouldn't do this again... Deep breath...  So, The Throne of Glass series is amazing and crazy intense and if you haven't picked it up yet, go NOW. NOW. GO READ IT AND THE NEXT THREE BOOKS AND THE PREQUEL AND LOVE EVERY WORD. Then come back here and you will understand why I love this series and these characters and this world so much. Okay? Okay.

10) Heartless by Marissa Meyer (November 8)


Oh yeah, and then there's this! You guys know Marissa Meyer, right? I went on and on about her last year and her amazing series The Lunar Chronicles, which is a sci-fi retelling of classic fairytales. Its amazing. Well, now she's doing it again with a new series focusing on the world of Alice in Wonderland, specifically the Queen of Hearts. Did you just squeal as loud as I did? No? You obviously need to go read her first books then. Do that, and then you'll understand.

Well, that's it for my top 10 most anticipated books of 2016. Are there any books you're looking forward to this year? Let me know in the comments!

Your Pemberley Reader,
Acacia

Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Synopsis: Claire Beauchamp Randall's life hasn't been easy. Her parents died when she was young, she got married months before World War II broke out, and then for the years to follow, she nursed British soldiers while her husband did work elsewhere for the war effort. Now, after the war has finally ended, her and her husband have reunited and are taking a belated honeymoon to the Scottish Highlands. Out exploring one day, however, Claire is ripped from her time in the 1940s to the early 1740s. Stuck in a country heading towards war where English soldiers seem to be sticking around just to throw people in jail and flog them, Claire has very few options for safety. She must find a way to protect herself while trying to find a way back home. Especially when the Scots she spends her days with think she's a spy, and the British she keeps running into think there's something too suspicious about an unmarried English woman living alone in the middle of the Highlands. The clearest, but by far not the simplest solution is to marry. Luckily, Jamie Fraser, for his own safety, is also in need of spouse. The two are married, and Claire, as she falls in love with her new husband, begins to wonder if trying to find a way back to her own time is really her top priority.

Review: This book was the perfect way to start the year. I started reading it during Christmas break, and finished just last week, which is actually fairly fast considering that this book is 850 pages. This brick of a book is full of romance, adventure, action, and time-travel, though, so it went by fast. The beginning was a little long, but once Claire was fixed in her new life, the plot picked up and seemed well-paced. The setting was extraordinary, of course. Anything entirely set in the Scottish Highlands is going to be amazing. Castles, towns, forests, hills... The setting couldn't have been better.

The characters were a fun mix of oddities, passions, and humor. There were some characters who I absolutely hated, others I was indifferent towards, and some I absolutely loved. I espicially loved Claire, who is a great protagonist. Placing a 20th century woman into the 18th century is sure to be humorous at times, especially when she screams "Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ" and everyone stares at her in confusion, but the best part was Claire's ability to adapt to her situation. There is no time spent "boo-hooing" over her situation. She seems to just carry on with life with only the occasional glimpse of remorse and sadness over not being with her husband in the 20th century. From her attitude, to her assessments of the situations she and Jamie find themselves in, I loved her character!

Jamie Fraser, the man Claire marries, is probably one of my favorite characters to exist ever. He's one of the characters that you imagine as part-puppy. You want to make sure he has all his basic needs, so that you can just sit and watch him be happy and adorable. His snark, his strength (of character, that is), his shyness, his love for Claire, all of it adds up to a character that I absolutely loved.

There were a few things I especially did not care for in this novel. For one, the writing was sometimes beautiful, but other times awkward and choppy. The reading experience was a little odd and inconsistent because of this. Secondly, there is a section of the book in which Claire puts some of the men she and Jamie are traveling with in danger and almost gets herself killed. In 1740s Scottish culture, a person, man or woman, is usually hit or whipped in some way or another if they put the rest of the party in danger. This results in a scene with Clair being hit by Jamie with the expectation from every other person in their party that it would happen. I felt like this scene was too forced and unnecessary. It was a) fairly abusive, b) oddly handled by Claire who after putting up an intense fight, thereafter comes to realize that the men were right and pretty much "gets over it" and c) felt out of character for both Claire and Jamie. Nothing like it happens again throughout the book, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.

The above may be seen as a trigger-warning for some, and so I should also disclose that other parts of the book may be hard for some readers. There were scenes and chapters where characters suffered intense physical and sometimes sexual abuse from British soldiers. So, just be aware of that if you're thinking about reading this book.

I think my favorite part of this novel was the build-up to Claire's decision to stay in the 1740s and stop pursuing a way home. The tension to get back is suddenly released and it is like Claire takes on this whole new self. She is suddenly so much happier and relieved and just throws herself into her new life. The shift in her and Jamie's relationship after this point is well-worth the wait, as everything sort of settles and the two seem to finally accept the home they have found in each other.

This novel was fun, romantic, and action-packed. The tensions worked well and were interesting, the plot moved fast, and the characters were fun to get to know. This book has been made into a television show, which is still airing. I have the first part of season 1 on DVD and am very excited to watch it! There are also about seven more books in this series, all of which are just as long, if not longer. Despite the scene I didn't like in the novel, I think I'll be continuing with the series, as I don't think it will be something that is repeated. If it is, I probably won't continue the series.

I would highly recommend for anyone wanting to read a traditional "romance" novel, but who wants more plot and action than some other romances offer. I would also recommend for those who are interested in the Highlands and the Scottish/English conflict, as there is quite a bit of history in these books.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Cups of Tea


Your Pemberley Reader,
Acacia

Adventure Time: Amazon Books

I've decided I need a new segment on The Pemberley Reader! This is going to be called Adventure Time, and it's going to be about different bookstores or fun, book-related places and events that I go and explore. Living in Seattle during the school year, I get plenty of opportunity to check out cool bookstores and events. I don't feel like I take full advantage of this, however. I think having this segment will help me want to do more and start writing about it. So, without further ado, here is my first Adventure Time:

Amazon Books

Address: 4601 26th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Amazon decided to open an actual, physical store, and it is amazing. The store is in UVillage, a cool outdoor shopping mall in Seattle. There is a free parking garage right across from the store, which is great for a poor college student wanting to spend all her money on books. I went with some of my roommates a few weeks ago and made sure to take a lot of pictures, because this is currently Amazon's only physical store.

The coolest thing about this store is that the prices are all the same as Amazon's online prices. Basically, you get the perks of buying books online (aka reduced prices), but also with the perks of going to an actual physical bookstore (aka physical books you can smell and touch). It's amazing. And you get to check the price by either using the Amazon app on your phone, or by scanning the item on the cool scanners located throughout the store.

They also had an area in the middle with all of their electronics that they sell. Most of it consists of the different kinds of kindles, the cases for them, etc. You can go up and play around with all the different kinds that they have though. It's sort of like going to the Apple store to play with iPads. There are pre-downloaded books and apps so that you can mess around with them. They had two big televisions that kids were sitting at the whole time playing games on. I think you can buy the remote and adaptor that was allowing the games on the television, but I'm not sure what they are.

Back to books, though. That's what truly matters.

The set up is pretty cool, with all of the books facing out towards the shopper instead of having their spines out. This made for a new shopping experience. This may be something other, perhaps small bookstores do, but I've never been to a store that's done this so I thought it was neat.

They had a fairly good selection for each section of the store. It definitely is a small store, so some sections were smaller than I would have preferred. The cool thing about the store, though, is that it reflects what's popular online. So they are selling their most popular newly released books mixed in with the most popular classics and older books. So right next to a copy of Pride and Prejudice is the newest New York Times Bestseller.

There are ups (The cool space and prices.) and down sides (They might not have the exact book you want.), but overall, this is definitely an awesome book experience, and I'll be going again soon. If you are ever in Seattle, I highly suggest going. Even if you end up not liking it, which I'm pretty sure you will, you can say that you've been to Amazon's first official store!

Hopefully this store sticks around for a while, and seeing how its Amazon, it seems likely! Thanks for joining me on this Adventure Time!

Your Pemberley Reader,
Acacia

New Year, New Posts, New Books!

Happy New Year!

I hope all of you had a wonderful month of holidays, celebration, and family time. I know I did. With the new year, I am excited to announce that I am only taking 15 credits at school and will be able to post regularly again! 18 credits and working is apparently just not conducive for blogging, let alone finding time to read. This next quarter should be better though!

As some of you may remember from my post Books That Terrify Me, I was having problems in 2015 with not reading certain books because of length or time restraints. I was always overly concerned about how reading a long book would affect my yearly reading goal. Well, not this year! I've decided that this year I will not be caught up in the need to speed read through books in order to stay on track. No, this year, I am going to take my time with my reading and not worry about how many books I read.

With that being said, my TBRs may be a bit different this year. They will consist of books I hope to get to over the month, but that I may not end up reading. There may be fewer books, as I'm hoping to read some longer books this year. There may even be some months that I decide not to have a TBR, but just let my wandering reading habits decide what to pick up next.

So, with that being said, here is what I hope to read in the month of January:

1) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon


I'm already about half way through this one, and am really enjoying it thus far. It's a super long romance novel that follows a woman who, while on her "second honeymoon" in the late 1940s England, gets transported back to 1740s Scotland. Because of unforeseen circumstances there, she marries a man who is to protect her. The transition to this new life is extremely interesting, while the transition to a new husband is romantic and very different from her life in the 1940s. I'm looking forward to finishing this novel and seeing what happens. It is fairly long, though, at 850 pages. So, this may take me a while. However, like I said, no goals means I can take as much time as I'd like.

2) Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon


This book is also pretty long at around 600 pages, but it is flying by! I got this book on Christmas and have been reading it while reading Outlander. It is a biography on the mother-daughter pair Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley, who if you don't know, I love with an insane passion. These two are amazing. I thought I knew a good bit about them, but after reading only 50 pages, I have learned so much more and am increasingly more impressed and in awe of these two women. I highly suggest this book, and I'm not even close to done with it yet. If you want to read about two women who beat the odds of their time in order to prove the greatness of women everywhere, read this book!

3) Austenland by Shannon Hale


I've been wanting to read this novel for a while. As many of you may know, I'm sort of an Austen addict, so this novel is right up my alley. It is about a woman who goes to a sort of Austen "camp" where women can act as if they are in an Austen novel. There, the woman falls in love with one of the men, and I'm guessing he also falls in love with her. I'm really looking forward to this read!

4) The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon


I know a lot of people on tumblr who have read and love this book, so when I saw it for $5 or so at Barnes and Noble a few months ago, I made sure to pick it up! I'm not entirely sure what its about, but I know its a fantasy novel, which is always right up my alley. I also know it's supposed to have amazing characters and really great writing. Definitely excited to read this one.

5) Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs


I am finally going to pick this up, and I can not wait! For those of you who don't know, this is the third and last novel in the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Series. This series combines old photographs, children with special abilities, time travel, and creepy monsters. In other words, it's amazing and you need to read it if you haven't. Anyways, this third installment has been one I've been looking forward to for a while, so I'm really excited to reading it. I highly suggest starting this series! The movie adaptation will be released later this year as well, so be a hipster and get in on it before it gets HUGE.

Well, that's it for this month's TBR. I'm looking forward to another great year of reading, blogging, and interacting with you all! I hope you all had a great New Year and are enjoying the many books you hopefully got over the holidays!

Your Pemberley Reader,
Acacia