Despite being a huge lover of reading, there are quite a few popular YA books that I simply haven't had the chance to read yet. As someone who loves to find underrated authors and bring attention to unknown yet amazing books, I often don't get the chance to read the books that everyone else is going crazy for. With summer quickly approaching and thus an increased amount of time to read, I thought that I'd take the opportunity to read some incredibly popular books that I've been eagerly awaiting to get my hands on. To see what they are and find out my initial thoughts, you'll have to keep reading!
| Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare |
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but when it's as beautiful as this you can just tell that it'll be an outstanding book!
A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs one last item to complete his plan: Tessa Gray. Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Tessa is abducted, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever. As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realises that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?
It's no secret that I absolutely love Cassandra Clare's books, and with only one of her released shadowhunter books left for me to read I knew that I had to get around to it soon. I completed the previous books in the Infernal Devices series, Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince, earlier in the year and have been dying to finish the trilogy ever since. This series is filled with everything you could ever want: drama, romance, action, fantasy and so much more, meaning it can definitely be suited to anyone. There were some major cliffhangers and unresolved story arcs at the end of the previous book and I simply can't wait much longer to find out what happens, so I'll definitely be reading this book soon. Below is a sneak-peek at the first page, so why not have a read and see what you think?
| 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, assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats them in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted freedom. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who understands 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.
For me, you can always tell that a fantasy book will be detailed and enticing when the author has included a map. And hopefully, this is an indication of some thorough worldbuilding in the 'Throne of Glass universe'.
This book is probably one of the most popular YA books at the moment, with virtually everyone singing its praises. After hearing nothing but positive remarks and countless BookTubers leaving stellar reviews, I knew that I had to read this book, and as soon as possible! It's been a while since I've delved into a rich, high-fantasy novel and this one definitely sounds unique in its concept and storyline, so I'm eager to see how I find it. From what I initially perceive, this book is imaginative and creative in its devices, as well as being true to the fantasy genre, unlike a lot of popular dystopian fantasy hybrids that are popular now. Although I wouldn't usually pick up a book about assassins and warriors, there's definitely something about this one which makes it different and it really appeals to me. I'm incredibly excited to get started on this one, so I'll definitely make sure to keep you updated on how it goes. If you'd like to have a read of the first page then look no further than below.
| 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.
This is probably one of the lesser-known books on the list, being incredibly popular with the people who've read it yet a hidden gem for many others. As soon as I heard Regan from PeruseProject mention this book, I was sold and knew that I wanted to read it whenever possible. Although it took a while to track it down in my local library, I've finally found this book and I simply can't wait to read it. I realised not long ago that all of the books I read are fairly similar and I really wanted to try something different, and this book seemed like the perfect fit. It's been a long time since I've read any historical fiction, despite loving the genre as a whole, and I've actually never read anything about the 18th century, so I'm really eager to learn more about this era whilst enjoying the story. The science fiction and mystery elements of this book also really appealed to me, and it sounds like an all-round compelling read that is definitely like nothing else I've tried before.
| 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'm absolutely in love with the design and cover art for this book; it's definitely unique yet also hints at the solemn aspects of the novel.
The young adult book world has been non-stop talking about this novel, with everyone comparing Jennifer Niven to the newest John Green or Rainbow Rowell. With claims like that alone, I knew that I wanted to read this book and see if it lives up to the hype. One of the main themes in All The Bright Places is mental health and death seems like it will be a common occurrence, which may seem like a morbid choice for a summer read. However, I feel as though this book will be touching and definitely open my eyes to how many people may feel at some point in their lives. For a YA book, I'm surprised that such deep topics are being covered, opposed to others that shy away from anything along these lines, so I'm definitely interested to see how it is portrayed through literature. A preview of the first page is shown below, which I'd recommend reading if you're interested in this book.
I'll definitely be reading all of these books during the summer, as well as some others dotted here and there, so I'll make sure to start reviewing all of them for you with my final thoughts and questions. However, if you want to know my thoughts as I'm reading or even talk to me about them, make sure to check out my Twitter for any updates and book chats. Furthermore, I'd love to start using Goodreads to hold group discussions about books, so if you think that's a good idea and would like to be involved then let me know either in the comments or on social media, and I'll see what I can do! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you next Sunday as usual with my newest blog post.
Love from Daisy x
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