My Top 10 Anticipated Fall 2019 Releases

August 30, 2019August 23, 2019 fangirlfury8 Comments

The fall is typically the best season of the year for new books. In the YA and NA worlds, I’ve found that this season has gotten better and better every year.

Last year, I did a mega-release roundup for the fall, but since there are THAT many books coming out, I’ve decided to just share my top ten new releases. At the time of this post, I have not received these titles for review. Since I was very fortunate enough to attend Book Expo 2019 and have been sent other Fall 2019 releases for review, I’ve recently shared my favorite fall releases that I read for review. I still have a decent amount of Fall 2019 titles to go, which I will still be diving into at school this fall. Without further ado, let’s get into ALL the new books I can’t wait to get my hands on!

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

Release Date: August 27

Pumpkinheads has been featured in so many of my blog posts in 2019, but I really cannot wait to dive into this graphic novel from one of my all-time favorite authors. I’m debating if I’m going to read this one in one sitting like I normally do with graphic novels or try to savor it as much as I can the first read around.

She’s the Worst by Lauren Spieller

Release Date: September 3

Not only do I love books that capture my attention for their gorgeous cover, but I especially love books with gorgeous covers that have a synopsis that makes me double-click on the ‘Want-to-Read’ button on Goodreads. I really hope She’s the Worst delivers for me, as I am so looking forward to this book about two sisters who haven’t been too close spend a day together trying to figure out each other and their family’s secrets.

Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Release Date: September 3

Jen DeLuca’s Well Met– a hate-to-love story taking place at a Ren Fair- has been receiving so much love and attention from early reviewers that I just had to add it to my TBR. I’ve been reaching more and more for the hate-to-love trope this year and I’m so ready for Jen DeLuca’s take.

Best Fall 2019 Books I Read for Review

August 28, 2019August 23, 2019 fangirlfury1 Comment

Like always, the fall promises so many of the best books of the year. While I am anticipating so many books this fall, I have also had the opportunity to review many titles as well. Although I have reviews coming for all of the books below and more, today I’ll be sharing the best Fall 2019 releases I’ve read this summer and why they are all absolutely must-reads.

The Other’s Gold by Elizabeth Ames

Release Date: August 27

The Other’s Gold has the perfect cross-appeal for YA and adult or literary fictions fans. Told in Elizabeth Ames’ beautiful and descriptive writing style, the book follows four best friends through their college years and early adulthood.

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American Royals by Katharine McGee

Release Date: September 3

Two out of my top books of the year have something to do with royals, which of course includes Katherine McGee’s American Royals. This book gave me so many The Princess Diaries feels and I’m already screaming for the sequel.

The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett

Release Date: September 3

Jenn Bennett not only blessed us with one amazing YA contemporary this year (Serious Moonlight), but she’s also giving us her first YA historical fantasy, The Lady Rogue. I’m usually not the biggest fan of adventure books, but The Lady Rogue was just so much fun and I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two main protagonists, Theo and Huck.

Unpregnant by Jenni Hendricks and Ted Caplan

Release Date: September 10

Never have I ever thought that I would say that I’ve found the perfect funny YA book about an abortion road trip, but Unpregnant was just that good! Unpregnant is so much more than an abortion story, exploring friendship, self-growth, and the frustrating things women must go through for the rights to their body and choices.

SWOON-WORTHY ADVENTURE: The Lady Rogue Review

August 26, 2019August 23, 2019 fangirlfury2 Comments

Summary (from the publisher):
Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul. the-lady-rogue-9781534431997_lg

Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

Everyone knows how much I love Jenn Bennett’s YA contemporaries. Her first 2019 release, Serious Moonlight, is very much a contender for my favorite book of the year. Jenn Bennett has once again swept me away with her second book of 2019, The Lady Rogue. With The Lady Rogue, Jenn Bennett has transitioned from YA contemporary to YA historical fantasy. Set in late 1930s Romania, the book follows Theodora and her ex-best friend Huck as they set off to find Theodora’s missing in action and explorer of a father while also searching for a magical ring rumored to have been owned by Vlad the Impaler-otherwise known as Dracula.

No matter the genre, I once again fell into Jenn Bennett’s writing from the get-go. I’ve been reading a lot of contemporary this summer with some fantasy and historical fiction in between, but The Lady Rogue made me crave more books within these two genres! As a young woman in the 1930s, Theo’s father does often not let her accompany him as his expeditions. Theo is sick of being stuck in hotel rooms and being basically babysat by her tutors, especially while Huck gets to join her father. Despite being often restricted from explorations, I loved Theo’s sense of adventure and this book was really about her getting to have her own time in the spotlight. From crossword puzzles to cryptic messages, Theo loves solving mysteries, and she definitely leads the two in finding answers about her father and the ring.

FALL 2019 MUST READ: The Other’s Gold Review

August 23, 2019August 16, 2019 fangirlfury2 Comments

Summary (from the publisher):
Assigned to the same suite during their freshman year at Quincy-Hawthorne College, Lainey, Ji Sun, Alice, and Margaret quickly become inseparable. The leafy 81hntMAQq6L green campus they move through together, the idyllic window seat they share in their suite, and the passion and ferocity that school and independence awakens in them ignites an all-encompassing love with one another. But they soon find their bonds–forged in joy, and fused by fear–must weather threats that originate from beyond the dark forests of their childhoods, and come at them from institutions, from one another, and ultimately, from within themselves.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

While I continue to mostly read YA, I’m always on the lookout for a great adult novel. I’ve found that within the adult genre, I’m most interested in contemporary that explores friendship or family dynamics with the right amount of lyrical prose. Enter Elizabeth Ames’ The Other’s Gold. This debut novel follows best friends Lainey, Ji Sun, Margaret and Alice. The four are assigned to the same suite during their freshmen year at Quincy-Hawthorne College and their friendship carries them through college and into adulthood.

The Other’s Gold is officially one of my favorite books of the year! I freaking loved this book so much for Elizabeth Ames’ beautiful and captivating writing style and story. Her writing and the way she explores all four characters totally captured my attention and made me not want to part from this book for too long. But at the same time, I found myself wanting this book to never end and kept trying not to read too much at a time!! Which rarely happens to me (although I did end up reading the last 150 or pages straight through for about two hours).

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As some of you might know based on my love for college YA novels, there’s something about a college storyline that always gets me. The four main characters meet as roommates during their freshmen year of college and turn into fast friends. Their tight-knit friendship from the get-go of the book really worked, especially since all of the girls continue to reveal secrets about themselves. There’s no doubt that the four girls’ relationships are complicated, especially with the addition of each of the girls’ ‘mistake.’ The Other’s Gold is split into four sections based on each girl’s secret. I feel like Elizabeth Ames could have easily dedicated one character to each section, but I love how we constantly get all of their third person perspectives throughout the book. I’m so glad that she went with this choice.

Top Five Wednesday: Books I’m Intimidated By

August 21, 2019August 16, 2019 fangirlfury6 Comments

While Top Five Wednesday is on hiatus for the summer, I’ve been revisiting some older topics. Today’s throwback topic is from April 2016, in which I’ll be discussing books I’m intimidated by. From page length to hype, there are books I’m definitely nervous about picking up, but I mostly see myself picking up no matter my reading fears.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon- The Priory of the Orange Tree definitely falls under the intimidation category because of its 827 page length. I also haven’t read a book by Samantha Shannon, who is much loved by a lot of readers for The Bone Season. This book actually isn’t on my TBR, but more or less on TBR radar (books that I may possibly pick up). I could see myself reading it if I’m particularly in the mood for high fantasy or a fantasy standalone.

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan- With the upcoming sequel Girls of Storm and Shadow coming this fall, Girls of Paper and Fire has been receiving extra hype on book Twitter lately. I’m also always a tiny bit intimidated by fantasy series because I struggle keeping up with multiple unfinished series.

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills- Another case where I am more intimidated by the hype more than the book itself. I’ve enjoyed Emma Mills’ other three books (This Adventures Ends is currently my favorite), but I know so many readers who consider Foolish Hearts to be their favorite Emma Mills’ book. This isn’t a case where the hype is preventing me from putting it off, but I really hope it lives up to my expectations.

GHOST STORIES & BAKING: Dead Voices Review & Inspired Recipe

August 20, 2019April 20, 2020 fangirlfury1 Comment

Summary (from the publisher):
Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.

Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie’s watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.

With Mr. Voland’s help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help–or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted.

Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story.

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My Rating: 3/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces captured my middle grade heart in 2019. This spooky and scary middle grade series will be composed of four books, each following friends Ollie, Coco and Brian during each season in spooky Vermont. The latest installment, Dead Voices, follows the three friends over their winter break at a ski resort. However, their vacation is filled with strange happenings, including the arrival of a ghost hunter, and the particularly bad snowstorm isn’t helping.

Like Small Spaces, Katherine Arden provides such a vividly wintery and spooky atmosphere in Dead Voices. I honestly just could have read a story about Ollie, Coco and Brian hanging out at the Egg or at the ski resort playing chess and eating Ollie’s dad’s treats! Although this story definitely screams winter, I will say that I think I preferred the spooky Halloween-like atmosphere in Small Spaces more. While Small Spaces‘ plot does deal with ghosts, Dead Voices definitely screams ghost story more. Blame it on my own personal reading taste perhaps, but I really wasn’t too invested in the main storyline.

What really captured my attention in Dead Voices was Ollie and Coco’s relationships with their parents. I broke out my reading tabs to mark such beautiful and heart-breaking dialogue between Ollie and her father about ghosts and the memories of loved ones, especially considering Ollie’s mother. I found Coco and her mother’s relationship to be really charming. And speaking of charming, Coco, Ollie and Brian’s friendship was just so heartfelt. I’m interested in seeing how their dynamic may shift or develop, in light of Dead Voices‘ ending. While Dead Voices stands out for its spookiness, it’s emphasis on friendship and loss are standouts themselves in the middle grade genre.

Book Blogging Firsts Tag

August 19, 2019August 16, 2019 fangirlfury3 Comments

I probably enjoy talking about blogging as much as I love talking about books! At the time of writing this post, I’ve been running Fangirl Fury for two and half years. Considering how happy I am and proud of far my little corner of the bookternet has come over this time, I decided to look back at some of my firsts through the Book Blogging Firsts Tag. I recently saw this tag done by Kristin of Kristin Kraves Books.

First Blog Name and Design?

Fangirl Fury has always been my blog name. It definitely wasn’t the first name that I came up with when coming one with my name. I always tell people who are thinking of creating a blog of any kind that coming up with the name is the hardest part!

My featured design hasn’t changed too much since my blog first began, other than changing the look and color of the fires in my logo.

First blog post?

What I Read in February 2017. This was before I started doing monthly wrap-ups. Like a few of my early posts, there are no pictures included, but I’m not sure why I just didn’t include the book covers.

First book review?

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour. Like my first ever post, there are no pictures included. I guess it’s not that surprising because it was my first review, but this is one of my shortest reviews. There’s been a lot of discussion lately in the book blogging community about book reviews (including length and popularity among other things) and I’ve been trying not to overextend my reviews lately if I don’t have anything to add.

First meme?

I did book tags before then, but my first meme was Top Five Wednesday (which I still participate in) in May 2017. The topic was Favorite Minor Characters.

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First discussion post?

My first discussion post was about star ratings in July 2019. While my writing style has changed a bit, I still have many of the same feelings about star ratings now as I did then.

First book blog I followed?

According to WordPress, the first book blog I followed was Jenaca of Jenacide by Bibliophile.

First book I read because of other bloggers?

I definitely read certain books thanks to bloggers’ recommendations before I became a blogger. A book I picked up because of others early in my blogging days was Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli.

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What were some of your book blogging firsts? Share in the comments!

LIVE LOVE FRIENDS: I’ll Be There for You Review & Favorite Friends Episodes

August 16, 2019August 21, 2019 fangirlfury8 Comments

Like so many people, Friends is a constant in my life. The 90s’ and early 2000s’ sitcom is my sister’s all-time favorite TV show and is always on repeat at least once a day in our house. With the show leaving Netflix next year, I’ve been going back and rewatching with my sisters this summer. Between my Friends’ mood and always trying to get to books on my TBR, it was time to pick up Kelsey Miller’s I’ll Be There for You: The One About Friends.

Review

Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Thoughts:

I’ll Be There for You provides a ton of background and behind the scenes information about Friends. Kelsey Miller welcomes readers into the book by sharing her own experience with Friends and then dives into everything Friends related. There was a nice blend of information on the show creators, the cast and how the show was perceived at the time—and how it’s more popular than ever thanks to Netflix and cable reruns. I really liked how she integrated interviews with cast members alongside her own interviews with people involved in the show and the TV industry. I loved getting some ‘inside’ information from the cast and crew—for example, Matt LeBlanc really didn’t want Joey to come off as a player and there’s one storyline in the latter seasons the cast really wish didn’t happen. One element I really didn’t pick up as a fan evaluating each season was that the latter seasons are really transition from stories about being in your twenties to true adulthood and growing up (which silly storylines of course still involved).

Top Five Wednesday: My Favorite Blog Posts

August 14, 2019August 16, 2019 fangirlfury1 Comment

As Top Five Wednesday continues it summer hiatus, I am revisiting some old topics from before I joined the group. This week, I’ll be jumping back to June 2016, in which us Top Five Wednesday-ers get to talk about our favorite blog posts. While talking about books and all the fangirl things is my favorite blogging topic, I also enjoy reflecting on blogging in general. Today I’ll be discussing my favorite blog posts that I’ve written.

“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Inspired Baking”

My To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before inspired baking post is the most viewed post on Fangirl Fury. When I originally wrote this post, I think I was going to write a TATBILB viewing party prep list, but I connected with my inner Lara Jean and focused on three recipes inspired from the book. The chocolate chip cookie bar and Snickerdoodles recipes are my own, while I used the white chocolate cranberry cookie recipe from the paperback edition of TATBILB. My biggest regret when it comes to this post is not making everyone hungry by including photos of the cookies. I am for sure doing another baking post for the Netflix adaptation of P.S. I Still Love You.

“Book Con Survival Guide for the Best Weekend”

Any of my Book Con and Book Expo posts and recaps are always among my favorites to write and reread because I just hold so much love for the week/weekend. I’ve received so much positive feedback from so many people about this post based on my 2015 and 2017 Book Con experiences. I took some notes after Book Expo 2019 this year and I plan on writing a Book Expo survival guide for next April or May.

FOODIE NEW ADULT READS: Hudson Valley Series Review

August 12, 2019August 9, 2019 fangirlfury1 Comment

Everyone knows that I especially crave contemporaries in the summer, let alone summer contemporaries! This year, I have been reading more new adult books than I ever have before. I really like new adult for having mature characters, who are often in college or in that stage between college and ‘real’ adulthood. Enter Alice Clayton’s Hudson Valley series, a new adult romance series set in the Hudson Valley area of New York. I found this series through Kristin of SuperSpaceChick. This series has the perfect blend of summer setting, romance, family, and so much crave-worthy food. Does calling myself a summer-romance-foodie count as a fangirl classification?

Nuts (Book #1)

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

After a dairy disaster that leaves her nearly client-less, LA private chef Roxie’s return to the Hudson Valley to help run her family’s diner for the summer. Roxie is reluctant to return home to her hippie mother and small town life, until she meets local farmer Leo. While much of the focus is on Roxie and Leo’s relationship development, Alice Clayton delves into family dynamics and personal growth—not to mention all of the delicious sounding cake. I really enjoyed the romance and relationship dynamics, but my favorite part was hands-down the food!

Roxie is just so passionate about cooking and I feel like I learned so much from her! Catch me trying out caramel cake, strawberry pie, and grilled cheese with apples inside while also learning how to pickle and make jam. Not to mention that this book also has inspired me to go to a farmers’ market for the fruit, NOT for finding a cute farmer like Leo of course. Anyways….

As stated, Nuts revolves around Roxie adjusting back to small town life and navigating her relationship with Leo and her family. There’s just so much development on her end that I found myself constantly rooting for her. When it came to the romance, there’s definitely some steam- and some food-inspired nicknames- with just the right amount of details and pace. I honestly love details when it comes to contemporaries, and Alice Clayton delves into Roxie’s past and present. The setting was so descriptive and for once, made me crave some upstate farm life. For those looking for summer contemporaries and romance set outside the beach, this one is for you.

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