Five Books I Meant To Read In 2017 But Didn't Get To

As many of you probably know, Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish will now be hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. As this is the last official TTT that they will be hosting, I definitely had to make sure to do this one. Although my TBR is stupidly long, there were a few books that I intended to focus my efforts on in 2017, but just didn't get around to. Some of them I am part way through, and some I didn't even touch. So, here we go:

sarahjmaas.com

Tower of Dawn - Sarah J. Maas

Now, do I actually want to read this? Originally when I heard about it I was hesitant to pick it up (especially because the character of Chaol did a complete 180 in Queen of Shadows, and I don't care one way or another about Nesryn). Then I decided I would give it a shot and took a copy out from the library. Now though? I just can't seem to get into it. 

librarika.com

Under The Greenwood Tree - Thomas Hardy

I love Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Far From the Madding Crowd, so I've wanted to explore more of Hardy's work. With this one being his shortest, and apparently "most cheerful," I thought it would be a good one...but I could barely get into it. I've tried reading it once and listening to it on audiobook. Although the audio format was better, I am not particularly motivated to continue it. Hopefully I can make myself get through it this year. 

I Want Candy

I found a fun little tag a while back on the blog Sorry, I'm Booked called The Candy Book Tag, and I thought it looked really fun. So, I'm going to give it a go because a) Candy, and b) Books. It really can't get much better than that, unless you include tea. And what a way to start the year off! Alright, first item on the list:

Apples – Ah. Healthy food. It is deep, meaningful, and probably won a lot of awards but, um, it really isn’t your thing.

Well, I'd have to say The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I think Plath has some great poetry, but this book really just didn't do it for me. I don't know if I read it at the wrong time in my life or what, but I barely got through it.

Milk Chocolate – This is a book you’d recommend to absolutely EVERYONE.

Everyone? That's a tough one for me. Working in a library I really get to see how everyone's tastes really differ. However, since I find this to be an absolutely impossible thing to answer, I'll just pick something that I think has a lot to offer for many different people, and that's Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontё. Gothic mystery, strong characters, romance, independence, and hardship - what's not to love?

Childhood's End (Arthur C. Clarke)

First of all, this post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. Ready? Here we go!

www.abebooks.com

What it's about:

One day, without warning, enormous ships appear in the sky containing a group of alien Overlords. Promising to bring the human race into an era of peace and prosperity, these Overlords do not take "no" for an answer. They refuse to speak to anyone except for Rikki Stormgren, and will not reveal neither themselves, nor their purpose for becoming caretakers of Earth. The story follows these Overlords, and the people closely associated with them, from the beginning, through the Golden Age of Earth's prosperity, and concluding when their work is complete.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Spoiler Free Review)

I normally decide against reviewing movies that I've watched in theatres, but this time I'm making an exception. The following review will be essentially spoiler free, however please be advised that small portions of the plot may be mentioned in order to explain a point. If you don't wish to know anything at all (even the tiniest bit) I would recommend returning after you've seen the movie. Otherwise, you should be good.

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What It's About:

The latest installment in the Star Wars franchise. This is Episode VIII. I recommend just watching all of the other ones if you don't know what the series is about by now.

Why You'll Love It:

Exciting News from Cassandra Clare

A few weeks ago Cassandra Clare announced that she would be writing a high fantasy book for adults! I'm very excited about this, and definitely intrigued to see what direction she goes in. I love her storylines, but occasionally I wish that the writing was a little more mature, so I am looking forward to seeing what she does with this series.

You can read her post about it here: Big News!

On a similar note, we have a bit more information regarding Clare's next Shadowhunter novels. The Queen of Air and Darkness now has cover art...and it's beautiful! I loved the cover for Lady Midnight, but I was a bit disappointed by Lord of Shadows. This one however, is a stunner. Is the suspense killing you? Well, here it is:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbvam-Sns23/

Period Dramas: Rules Don't Apply

Warren Beatty's first film in roughly 15 years, Rules Don't Apply stars Beatty himself alongside Lily Collins, Aldren Ehrenreich, and a star-studded supporting cast including Matthew Broderick, Annette Bening, Taissa Farmiga, and Alec Baldwin.

denofgeek.com

What It's About:

In 1958, Apple Blossom Queen and devout Baptist Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins) has been given the opportunity of a lifetime - to be a contract actress for Howard Hughes. Given her own house, driver, and a salary, it's everything a budding young actress could dream of. Yet, Marla doesn't get to meet the famous (infamous?) Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty) right away, and neither does her driver Frank (Alden Ehrenreich) - a Methodist, and someone whom Marla connects with almost instantly. So day after day, Marla and Frank wait for their opportunity to meet with the man who could make all of their dreams come true...all the while aware of Hughes' number one rule: drivers and actresses are forbidden from relationships. But what happens if they finally meet him? And what happens if they decide that these rules don't apply?

Ten Bookish Settings I'd Love to Visit

Thank you once again to The Broke and The Bookish for this Top Ten Tuesday post idea. You can view their original one here.

1. The Moors of Wuthering Heights
2. Avalon from Arthurian Legend
3. Wonka Factory from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory