My Current Book Wishlist - Titles I Really Need To Read

I spend a lot of time discussing the books that I have read on my blog, but rarely do I mention those that I haven’t yet read but want to. I’m constantly receiving recommendations for books and finding new authors whose novels I want to try, so my wishlist is rapidly growing and gaining new titles. Out of these, there are a few books that stand out to me, being those that I want to read the most or that are the most popular within the book blogging community. I thought I’d share these books with you, as they are all titles that I’d love to read and hopefully will be able to soon. I’ll also be providing you with a synopsis and brief explanation as to why I’d like to read that book for each one, so I hope that this post is both insightful and informative.

THRONE OF GLASS BY SARAH J MAAS

"After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. 

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined."

This book is extremely popular within the young adult genre, and I feel like everyone constantly talks about it, which explains why I'm eager to try it. It's a high fantasy novel, which I'm a huge fan of, but I've gathered from reviews that it's more challenging and advanced than typical young adult books, which is definitely a positive for me as I love challenging myself with reading. I've heard lots of great things about Sarah J Maas's writing and I believe that her novels are always well thought out, full of unexpected plot twists and developed characters. I'm definitely hoping to try this book in the future, and if I enjoy it I'll probably continue to read the rest of the series. She actually has another popular young adult book series, entitled A Court of Thorns and Roses, which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast that I'd also love to read.

THE GIVER BY LOIS LOWRY

"Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back."

This book was initially published in 1993, but has recently gained popularity and is now a highly acclaimed young adult science-fiction novel. This book definitely sounds unique and unlike what I normally read, but I'm also drawn in by it and think that it will be a book that I'll enjoy. Although the synopsis is quite vague, I can tell that this book will be quite complex and have an intricate yet perfectly planned plot. The Giver is the first book in a series of four, all of which I will get around to reading if I like the first book. Similar to the latter, I've heard a lot about this book and it has been described as an unforgettable read, so I'd really love to try it out.

LADY MIDNIGHT BY CASSANDRA CLARE

"Los Angeles. It’s been five years since the events of the Mortal Instruments when Nephilim stood poised on the brink of oblivion and Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs lost her parents. After the blood and violence she witnessed as a child, Emma has dedicated her life to discovering exactly what it was that killed her parents and getting her revenge. 

Raised in the Los Angeles Institute with the Blackthorn family, Emma is paired as a parabatai with her best friend, Julian Blackthorn. A series of murders in the city catch her attention — they seem to have the same characteristics as the deaths of her parents. Could the murderer be the same person? And her attention isn’t the only one caught: someone has been murdering Downworlders as well. The Fair Folk make a deal with the Institute: if the Blackthorns and Emma will investigate the killings, they’ll return Mark Blackthorn to his home. The catch: they have only two weeks to find the killers. Otherwise, it’s open war between faeries and Nephilim. 

The Shadowhunters of the Institute must race against time to catch the killers, even as they begin to suspect the involvement of those closest to them. At the same time, Emma is falling in love with the one person in the world she’s absolutely forbidden by Shadowhunter Law to love. Set against the glittering backdrop of present-day Los Angeles, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches from the warlock-run nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica."

This book, which will be the first in the Dark Artifices series, isn;t out yet, but I'm highly anticipating its release and I can't wait to be able to read it. I've completed the six books in the Mortal Instruments series and I'm partway through the Infernal Devices trilogy, all of which are by Cassandra. I've went as far as to say that these are some of my favourite books, so I'm almost certain that I'll like Lady Midnight. This book will take place in the same world as the other series', meaning there will be a return of shadowhunters and the other mythical creatures, but will instead be based around new characters. I absolutely love Cassandra's work and find it to be more challenging and meaningful than other young adult books, so they're definitely worth reading. I'm eagerly awaiting March 2016 when this book is released, and hopefully it will live up to my view of her other works.

THE DARKEST MINDS BY ALEXANDRA BRACKEN

"When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control. 

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living."

I am extremely eager to read this book, as iI've heard nothing but praise about it from bookworms and bloggers alike. It's a fantasy book that follows the journey of a girl called Ruby who realises that she has frightening, uncontrollable abilities. The government in this dystopian world are strongly against Ruby and the few people who share the same abilities as her, so she's constantly on the run and under threat of attack. It sounds like a really gripping fantasy novel that is well-developed, which explains why it is greatly popular amongst many people. However, there is no UK publisher attached to this book, meaning I, unfortunately, won't be able to try it.

I AM THE MESSENGER BY MARKUS ZUSAK

"Protect the diamonds. Survive the clubs. Dig deep through the spades. Feel the hearts.

Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.

That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?"

About a year and a half ago, my friend Anna bought me a copy of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and I absolutely fell in love with it. I rarely read historical fiction, but this book proved that the genre isn't as boring or dull as I expected and the style of writing made it very enjoyable to read. I Am The Messenger is one of Markus's lesser known books but is thought to be better; a hidden gem amongst his titles. Despite it being contemporary, which is a genre that I'm not particularly fond of, I have high hopes for this book as Markus is an excellent author and has the ability to truly captivate the reader with his intense and gripping words.

ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES BY JENNIFER NIVEN

"Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink."

I've been wanting to read this book for quite a while now, as it rapidly gained popularity and became a highly mentioned and praised young adult fiction book. I've been recommended this by quite a few people, and it's my friend Bethan's favourite book, so I know it's one that I have to give a go, since so many people have fallen in love with it. Although I don't know a huge deal about the plot, I have heard that it is quite emotional and definitely a more mature read, but I really think it will help me to grow as a reader and I'd love to try it in the future.

THE COPPER GAUNTLET BY CASSANDRA CLARE AND HOLLY BLACK

"Callum Hunt’s summer break isn’t like other kids’. His closest companion is a Chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. His father suspects him of being secretly evil. And, of course, most kids aren’t heading back to the magical world of the Magisterium in the fall. It’s not easy for Call... and it gets even harder after he checks out his basement and discovers that his dad might be trying to destroy both him and Havoc. Call escapes to the Magisterium -- but things only intensify there. The Alkahest -- a copper gauntlet capable of separating certain magicians from their magic -- has been stolen. And in their search to discover the culprit, Call and his friends Aaron and Tamara awaken the attention of some very dangerous foes -- and get closer to an even more dangerous truth."

I got a copy of The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black when it was first released, after meeting them at one of their signings. I fell in love with it and finished it in a short amount of time, but was disappointed as that meant I had to wait a whole year until the sequel, The Copper Gauntlet, was released. The time is finally here and the next book has been released, and I'm eager to get my hands on it. Although the writing style was quite different to Cassandra's usual works (I haven't read anything else by Holly so I don't have anything of hers to compare it to), there was a major plot twist towards the end of the novel that really left me on edge. I love the entire concept of the novel and it provided a new outlook on a previously tired and overdone topic. Hopefully, I'll be able to read the sequel soon, as I'm dying to find out what happens next.

RUBY RED BY KERSTIN GIER

"Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust."

I don't usually read books like this, but a number of people have said that it's perfect for lovers of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Since that is probably my all-time favourite book series, I knew that I'd have to try this novel. From the synopsis, I've gathered that this book features quite a few genres, such as fantasy, historical fiction and even contemporary aspects, which is an unlikely but interesting mix that I'm looking forward to reading about. Also, I don't read many books about time travel but this is definitely something that I want to change, as the premise sounds like an excellent idea and instantly enthralls me.