Three Novels Beyond the Real

I was reading Shiver, when as I neared the end, two books came in for me at the library. Bloodfever and Glory In Death. In that order. I was so excited. Two sequels to two books that had me staying up past my bedtime reading. 

Shiver

Wow. I think I use that word too much, but that ending was a definite wow. After reading The Raven Cycle I knew I had to read more from Maggie Stiefvater. Shiver did not disappoint. I was a little hesitant to read a werewolf tale, but Stiefvater's take on werewolves is not one I've read before. It's tragic. Beyond the supernatural "issues", it was the characters that got me. The characters are rich and real. They are believable and relatable. Grace is a wonder. She is unique and deserves love. Sam is sad and warm and kind. I really enjoyed the alternating points of view, but Grace was the centre for me. I often enjoy that stylye and Stiefvater does it well. 

Bloodfever

I am loving the Fever series. Bloodfever is Karen Marie Moning's sequel to Darkfever. I think I enjoyed the second book more. I loved Mac more. I loved watching her grow and learn more about herself. I liked that she didn't just fall in with whoever was making her promises. She trusted herself more. I'm in this series until the end. I want to know who/what Barrons is. I want to know more about the sisterhood. I want to see Mac get her revenge.

Glory In Death

Lt. Eve Dallas is still amazing. Glory in Death is the sequel to JD Robb's Naked in Death, a novel about a hard-ass detective, set in a future New York City. Glory in Death makes me so happy. Eve is the same, but growing, as is Roarke. He surprises her and himself. She puts it all on the line for her cases and for people she cares about. Watching her relationships grow, not just with the man in her life, but with her best friend, and her new reporter friend. Eve Dallas has me hooked. I don't know if I'll ever get tired of reading about her - and there are a lot of books in this series.

Each of these novels have a lead character who is strong, yet vulnerable. They learn and want to know more. They are three completely different worlds that these characters live in, but they adapt and seek to understand. They are compelling, consuming reads and I can't wait to read more about each of them. 

The Scorpio Races

The Scorpio Races grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Maggie Steifvater created a story that was magical, but grounded. There was so much sadness, yet remarkable moments of joy. I wanted more. I want to know more about the Connellys. I want more of Holly. I want more of Thisby. The Scorpio Races has left me with one of the biggest book hangovers in a long time. I can't stop thinking about Puck and Sean.

Puck Connelly had me all the way through the story. Her story was compelling and uncompromising. She was brilliant and a force that swept its way through the island. I loved her determination. She was young, but also a woman. We watch her learn and grow and leave the girl she was behind. She was the heart of The Scorpio Races.

Sean Kendrick was its strength. He was “an old 19”. Sean had been through so much in his life. After so much time, he thought he had everything figured out. But nope. Even an old 19 doesn’t have everything figured out, because he is still only 19. Life may have had him grow up early, as with Puck, but it’s not done with either of them. Sean, with severe determination, perseveres against everything working against him.

The characters worked so well in this story. But the setting, the island, seemed to be a character too. Thisby had its own personality. It stormed as storms brewed among the residents. It welcomed them with calm mornings and gave them what they were asking for in the middle of the night. I would love to read more stories, not just of the characters I’ve already met, but ones that take place on the island. Maybe of when the Races first started, maybe of a race 20 years later. I’m interested in a race Benjamin Malvern was in. Maybe a race that Holly decides to enter. There are so many stories that can be told, not just of ones with Puck and Sean.

So, I’ve read Steifvater’s Raven Cycle and now, The Scorpio Races, I wonder what The Wolves of Mercy Falls will have in store for me.

The Raven King

For two days, The Raven King took over my life. I couldn't get any work done, sneaking away to read a page or two. I let the things I wanted to accomplish yesterday slide away. I just had to know what happened. Maggie Stiefvater created such a vivid world, full of characters I connected with. I had to know if Gansey would die, if they would find Glendower, if Blue's kiss could really kill, and what would happen between Adam and Ronan. More than any of the fantastical plots twists, the magic and the trees, it was the characters that had me wrapped up in their world. I loved Blue's mother, Maura, the Gray Man, Artemus, Calla, Declan, Neeve, Piper and the best addition to their world, Henry Cheng. Henry was amazing, curious, wondrous. I loved the way he connected. Because it all seams to be connected.

I also doesn't seem to be over exactly. (Minor Spoilers) With what Henry's mother says to the Gray Man during their encounter, that makes me feel like there is something that should be happening there, a journey. To me, it seems like those who are left in the end, split off onto (at least) three different paths. Another series perhaps? A book that focuses on each of their journeys? They're not done. These characters have other stories to tell.

I appreciated that the story didn't just focus on Gansey and Blue. I loved them, I loved their relationship, watching it develop and grow. However, I am glad we got to see a lot of Adam and Ronan, how they felt, how they were navigating the world and how that world could change.

I had been anticipating The Raven King ever since I finished Blue Lily, Lily Blue (in November 2014!), which I also adored. Now that it's over, lasting only two days, I don't know what to do (besides getting all those things I wanted done, finished). I don't know what to read next. I am toying with the idea of re-reading the whole series. After picking up The Raven Boys on a whim, I didn't anticipate that this would become one of my favourite series. The Raven King and The Raven Cycle was worth every heart-racing minute.

Top Ten Characters I'd Like To Check In With

I haven't done a Top Ten Tuesday in a really, really, long time. But I saw this week's topic and it really connected with me.  How many times have you read a book and imagined what life was like for the character after the story's end? I know I have. Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever find out.I certainly didn't know there would be a sequel (or two) to Oryx and Crake when I first read it. Margaret Atwood isn't known for writing trilogies, but I'm so glad she created MaddAddam. I didn't think there would be books after Wicked either (and I still have to read them). Sometimes that hope to know what happens to the lives of our favourite characters is fulfilled, but most of the time, nope, we don't get to know.

Here are my top ten characters I'd like to check in with - in no particular order:

1. Offred from The Handmaid's Tale - Never going to happen, because the ending is perfect, but I still wish I knew what happened to her.

2. Roland from The Dark Tower series - I will try not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the whole series, but I want to know if Roland breaks the cycle.

3. Harry Potter - Harry Potter!

4. Laila from A Thousand Splendid Suns - Did her life turn out okay?  It seemed like it would, but after such a difficult beginning, I'd like to make sure.

5. Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird - ... Oh wait....

6. Del from Lives of Girls and Women - I just want to know.

7. Lena from the Delirium series - That ending! Come on!

8. David & Tell Ullman from The Demonologist - That ending! Come on!

9. The Baudelaires from A Series of Unfortunate Events - Who do they become when they grow up?  (Do they grow up?)

10. The Time Traveler from The Time Machine - Where does he end up?

I refrained from including any series that I know has another book out or coming out that I haven't read yet.  As much as I wanted to include Blue Sargent (from The Raven Cycle) or Betsy Taylor (from Undead), I didn't, because there are books to read and maybe once I reach the conclusions of these series I won't be wondering (I know what happens to MaddAddam's Toby and Katniss from The Hunger Games). These are all characters that still capture my imagination. Who do you wonder about you close the book?

Breaks Between Books

How long are your breaks between books?  Mine used to be non-existent.  I frequently had the next book picked out before I finished the one I was reading.  It had nothing to do with the enjoyment of my current book. Even if I found the book all-consuming, crazy-amazing, I would still have something ready and waiting.  Not that I always read the book I thought I was going to read; I occasionally changed my mind, but there still be only a day between books.  With blogging, I like to get my thoughts down before I start something new. Often, I would throw down my points and then start the new book, cleaning the post up when I had more time.  What happened?

Lately, probably the last three or four months, it is sometimes days before I pick up my next book.  It's not that I feel like I'm in a slump, I've enjoyed the books I've read.  I loved, The Demonologist and The Flying Troutmans.  Blue Lily, Lily Blue and Specials had me riveted.  Why did it take me so long to pick each of those books? There were days between all of them.  I could have read another (short) book in the time it took me to pick something.  Is it because I have Emily Dickinson's collection on the go?  Usually, I only have one "currently reading" book at a time, but I started her poems months and am taking my time. The poetry is an ebook, so if I'm out, without space for my novel, I can take in a few poems.  I also find by spacing them out, I'm enjoying each poem more. (I'm taking lots of notes too.)  However, I don't think that's it.  I've been reading the poems for about eight months now and this change is newer than that. 

So, what is it?  Why am I now leaving so much space between books?  How long do you let go by before you pick up another book?

It's been two days since I finished my last book. 

Annual End of Year Book Survey – 2014

Happy New Year! (Almost.)  For the past few years I've been doing the End of the Year Book Survey from Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner.  I've always enjoyed the questions and felt that it is a real reflection on my reading for the past year.

This year, I'm going to try not to repeat myself too much.  So, no matter how much I loved The Raven Cycle and Alias Grace, I will try not to only answer the questions with those books. 

Here we go!

Number Of Books You Read: 53

Number of Re-Reads: 1 (I don't re-read a lot.)

Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy (of various forms)

 1. Best Book You Read In 2014?

Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

It's a tie between Binu and the Great Wall, by Su Tong and The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?

The Fall (The Strain #2), by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan - The ending was just.... whoa.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?

I  don't know if anyone actually read these books, but it's a toss-up between Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle books and Atwood's Alias Grace.

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?

a) Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld

b) Blue Lily, Lily Blue, by Maggie Stiefvater.

c) Champion, by Marie Lu

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

I couldn't pick just one! Scott Westerfeld, Lauren Oliver, Maggie Stiefvater

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

The Look of Love, by Bella Andre - A Romance novel.  I don't typically read romance novels, but this one was just so sweet and well written. I might read more by Andre in the future.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Lock In, by John Scalzi

9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I don't tend to re-read books I read just the year before, but if I were to pick one it would be, The Raven Cycle books.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

Hollow City, by Ransom Riggs

11. Most memorable character of 2014?

Del Jordan, Blue Sargent, Fred the Mermaid...

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

Friend of My Youth, by Alice Munro

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. I don't know if it changed my life, but it was definitely thought provoking.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?

It's a tie between Friend of My Youth, by Alice Munro and Animal Farm, by George Orwell

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

I don't typically record quotes/passages from books.  I get too lost in the story.  I did manage to write down the most famous quote from Animal Farm though:  "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others."

 

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Shortest: UR, by Stephen King (61pgs)

Longest: City of Heavenly Fire, by Cassandra Clare (725pgs)

17. Book That Shocked You The Most

Requiem, by Lauren Oliver - The ending was just.... Bam! Then it was over.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

I'm so old... I had to look this one up. - Can I use my answer to #19? In general, though, I'm pretty happy with the pairings the authors created in the books I read this year... Though a couple of them cheated, in my opinion, using death instead of having the main character make a choice.

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Adam and Ronan from The Raven Cycle.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Alias Grace (and Lock In.)

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

The Thousand Orcs, by R.A. Salvatore (My Hubby wants me to catch up to him with his favourite series.  I'm only about halfway there though.)

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

The Raven Boys, all of them.  They are so too young for me, but I just adore them.

23. Best 2014 debut you read?

I don't think I read any 2014 debuts.  They were either previously published authors or the book was published in 2013 and I just waited a long time before reading it.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Underwater Love (Fred the Mermaid 1-3), by MaryJanice Davidson

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

I don't know if any books actually crushed my soul, but Champion, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, and Requiem all came close.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?

A tie between Animal Farm, by George Orwell and Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

The Lone Drow, by R.A. Salvatore - Drizzt just refused to go the Mithral Hall. If he did that he would have saved himself a lot of brooding and heartache.

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?

Panels

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?

I don't know.... randomly: Fool, by Christopher Moore

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

I think... Why Have I Read Only One Book By So Many Authors?

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

The Classics Club

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?

Realizing the status of the diversity in my reading.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

The Last Policeman, by Ben H. Winters had by far the most views.

Animal Farm had the most comments.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

There are two: A Look At Diversity and An eBook Conundrum.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

Umm... that being unemployed means more reading time?

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I set a modest Goodreads goal this year, which I surpassed, by a lot.  See previous question for why

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?

The Diviners, by Libba Bray

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?

The Raven Cycle #4, by Maggie Stiefvater

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Umm.... none?

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?

The Raven Cycle #4, by Maggie Stiefvater

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?

Read more classics.

6. A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

None.  I wish I had something, but nope.

Thanks for stopping by my year in review!  It's been a great year in reading for me.  I can't wait to see what wonderful books 2015 brings!

- See more at:

http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2014/11/5th-annual-end-of-year-book-survey-2014-edition.html#sthash.Qfa2kXDY.dpufhttp://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2014/11/5th-annual-end-of-year-book-survey-2014-edition.html

Blue Lily, Lily Blue

I think I'm going to have to reread Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle.  I feel like I'm zipping through the books so fast that I'm consuming them, instead of really feeling everything. I just have to know what happens next.  I feel like I waited forever for Blue Lily, Lily Blue to come out.  I read it very quickly and now I'm going to spend however many months, until sometime next year when the final book comes out.  I'm hoping it's sooner rather than later.

I love Blue. I love the boys. I love the ladies at 300 Fox Way. I appreciate real life seeping into their quest. Even though they are searching for Glendower and Maura, they are also thinking about the end of high school, about going off to college, what they can and can not afford.  They are taking time to think about their futures beyond this quest.  At times it feels irrelevant, or at least not as important, but it is and they have to acknowledge that.

The end was a bit of a surprise and I thought it was great.  Everything thing about it, from Adam and Persephone's conversation at the store until the very last page, it was fantastic.  More than anything else in the novel, the end has me eager to read the final book in The Raven Cycle.  I am really enjoying Blue's relationship with The Gray Man and I'm wondering what is going to happen with him.  He seems the most unpredictable of all the characters.  It's not that I think he'll hurt the Boys or the Women, but he could do anything to pretty much anyone else.  Also, the more I read the series, the more I love Calla.  There is so much I am enjoying that I will definitely be reading more books by Stiefvater. 

The Dream Thieves

I couldn't resist Maggie Stiefvater's second book in The Raven Cycle. The Dream Thieves was captivating. It shifted focus of the story to Ronan, Gansey's oldest friend among the group. We continue to get chapters with Blue, Gansey, some much needed time with Adam, and, like The Raven Boys, the villain. The Dream Theives, however feels like Ronan's book. I wonder if the other books will shift focus again, which I would like.

Ronan is a wonderful character. He is unique and complex. He even has a twist at the end, just to make things even more complicated. Though we learn so much about Ronan and his family, the novel still leaves me wondering about Declan. There is something we don't know about him yet.

I like that Blue's family and the boys are growing closer. There seems to be a member of Blue's family with an affinity for each of the boys. Calla is for Ronan, Persephone for Adam. Orla is bit for all of them though.... Who gets Noah? It's an interesting contrast of the teenage boys and the adult women. I wonder how things will play out with Mr. Grey and Butternut...

There are a lot of questions still. I'm excited for The Raven Cycle to continue. The growth of the world, the changes in the characters, are intriguing. I'm itching to know what happens next. I'm also very interested in reading Steifvater's other books. I'll be on the lookout, though, for the release of the yet to be titled Raven Cycle #3. 

The Raven Boys

The first and last lines of Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys are amazing. "Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she'd been told that she would kill her true love." It's a great first line. It's not just saying that she will kill her true love, but she's been told and told so often that she's lost count. She's so frightened of this fact (because this is a fact to her) that she doesn't date and will not even kiss a boy, love, like or nothing. I won't include the last line. It gives away too much. I feel like it sums up the tone of the entire novel. 

I was riveted. I enjoyed the book from the beginning, but something happened about halfway though and I couldn't put it down. It think it's when Blue and the Boys' stories really merge. I had to know what happened next. Some of the situations seemed a little far-fetched, but I didn't care. I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and dived deeper into the story. 

I appreciated the inclusion of a real life, bad situation. It was woven in to the supernatural stories of Blue and the Boys, but it also stood out. It was real and the reactions of the characters I found appropriate to how I imagine teens would react. I hope that was vague enough. I don't want to give anything away, but I thought the reality put up against the quest was grounding. 

The characters are what made the story for me. The boys and the women in Blue's house were two very different groups, but how they felt about each other is similar. I liked their relationships. I think their friendships are natural and believeable. (Except for the surprise from one of the boys. I did not see that coming; I loved Noah.) I liked that a boy saw a girl and wanted to talk to her. I liked the stuff that happened right before they talked. It seemed like something that probably happens all the time. 

One thing I'm having a bit of a hard time with is that Blue has no girlfriends. Not one. It's not that she's a nerd or unpopular, she's just weird...  Stiefvater addresses it in the context of the story, but really? That's the reason? There's not one other weird person at her whole school? Not even just a study partner? I know she has her mother and the other women in the house and I know they're all psychic, but they're her mother's age... It's fine. A friend would just complicate the plot, I suppose. 

I'm excited to read the next book in The Raven Cycle. I think The Dream Thieves is going to be every bit as captivating as The Raven Boys. 

It's Gotten A Bit Chilly: Top Ten Books On My Fall Reading List

I'm really hoping (more than usual) to actually stick to My Top Ten list for Fall books.  Can I read these 10 books by December?

1. Allegiant - Veronica Roth

2. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

3. The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton

3. The Thousand Orcs - R.A. Salvatore

4. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

5. Champion - Marie Lu

6. Fool - Christopher Moore

7. The Last Policeman - Ben H. Winters

8. The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater

9. Horns - Joe Hill

10. Carrie - Stephen King

Can I get all ten of these books read in three months?  Probably not, I never do, but I'll try.  There are definitely a few that are more of a "priority" than others, series conclusions, must-read-before-seeing-movie, but I do want to read all of them.

Thanks to The Broke and The Bookish for hosting.

Did I Forget To Read You?

I put a similar list together for The Broke and The Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday a while ago.  So I'm going to only list books that weren't on my first list.  It sounds like it will be difficult, but it actually won't be.  In no particular order, the Top Ten books I HAD To Buy...But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread:

1. Brown Girl In The Ring, by Nalo Hopkinson - When I first saw this book, I knew I had to read it, but it sits untouched on my shelf.
2. The Wolves Of Mercy Falls, by Maggie Steifvater - I saw the box set at a discounted price and I'd heard such great things about the author and the series, but it's still sealed in shrink wrap.
3. Carrie, by Stephen King - I saw the new paperbacks looking pretty on display and there was Carrie.  I've read a fair amount of King's work, but not his first novel.  Why is it still waiting for me to read it?
3. His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman - I saw the paperback box set on sale (of course).  The price was right and I really want to read the books, but they just sit on my shelf.
4. Twenties Girl, by Sophie Kinsella - I love Kinsella's books, I've read a lot of them, so of course I picked this one up too... and then didn't read it.
5. The View From Castle Rock, by Alice Munro - I picked this up at a charity book sale after reading so many wonderful stories by Munro.
6. What the Dickens: The Story Of A Rogue Tooth Fairy, by Gregory Maguire - I enjoyed Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister and Wicked, I couldn't resist adding to my Maguire books when I saw this one on sale.
7.  The Gargoyle, by Andrew Davidson - I heard brilliant things about The Gargoyle.  Readers I respect immensely recommend this book, so I picked it up... and put it on the shelf.
8. Girl In Translation, by Jean Kwok - It sounded so much like I book I would enjoy.  I picked it up at the same charity book sale that I bought The View From Castle Rock.
9. Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger - The Time Traveler's Wife was great and I wanted to read Niffenegger's follow up and I still want to read it.
10. Girls of Riyadh, by Rajaa Alsanea - I just had to have it.  I wanted to read it so much.  I'm going to read it.  Soon (ish).  Bah!

Has anyone realized I'm a sucker for books with reduced prices?  I'm saving money by buying it, right?  Not really.

What books did you have to have and then didn't read?  Which one of these should I make a priority?

Flowers and Birds! (Top Ten Books for Spring 2013)

The sun is brighter, the days are warmer and growing long. Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming.  What are you reading?  This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic from The Broke and The Bookish is: what books are on your spring to-be-read list.  In no particular order:

1. The Wind Through The Keyhole, by Stephen King

2. A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness

3. The Deception of Livvy Higgs, by Deborah Morrissey

4. Prodigy, by Marie Lu

5. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells

6. Sever, by Lauren DeStefano

7. The Thousand Orcs, by R.A. Salvatore

8. Bodily Harm, by Margaret Atwood

9. The Raven Boys, by Maggie Steifvater

10. Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes.

This seems like a pretty good order in which to read these books this spring.  Though I might switch 1, 2, 3, and 4 depending on how I feel after my current read... Or maybe I'll read 6 next.  Who knows?!  If I buy another book (highly probable), it could change everything.

What are you going to be reading this spring?

Top Ten Series I'd Like To Start But Haven't Yet

When I read the topic from The Broke and The Bookish for this week's Top Ten Tuesday, I knew I'd have a few Series I'd Like To Start But Haven't Yet, but I really didn't think I'd actually make it to ten!  My first list went beyond ten.  I actually had to narrow it down.  The crazy part is that these are all books that are not only the beginning of a series, but I also own! For whatever reason haven't read them yet.  Here are my top ten in no particular order:

1. The Raven Cycle (Book 1: The Raven Boys), by Maggie Stiefvater
2. Falling Kingdoms (Book 1: Falling Kingdoms), by Morgan Rhodes
3. All The Wrong Questions (Book 1: Who Could It Be At This Hour), Lemony Snicket
4. His Dark Materials (Book 1: The Golden Compass), by Philip Pullman
5. Forever Girl (Book 1: The Forever Girl), by Rebecca Hamilton
6. The Strain Trilogy (Book 1: The Strain), by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
7. Cadence Jones (Book 1: Me, Myself & Why?), by MaryJanice Davidson
8. Legend (Book 1: Legend), by Marie Lu
9. Fallen (Book 1: Fallen), by Lauren Kate
10. The Wolves of Mercy Falls (Book 1: Shiver), by Maggie Stiefvater

What??? How did this happen?  I can't believe I own all these books, beginnings of series and I haven't read them.  This doesn't even count the series I want to start, but don't own yet.  I might have a problem...

What series would you like to start but haven't yet?

*Addition:  Top Ten Tuesday has been nominated for best meme.  Click here if you're interested in voting for The Broke and The Bookish (and check out the other nominees).