Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite ACOTAR Moments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jana of That Artsy Reader Girl. This week is a freebie topic, and with the release of A Court of Frost and Starlight just TWO WEEKS away (ahhhh!), I wanted to reflect back on some of my favorite moments from the ACOTAR series so far. As you might know, I am a HUGE fan of these books, so it was REALLY hard to narrow my favorite moments down to only ten, but I did my best!

**SPOILER ALERT**

This list contains spoilers for all three ACOTAR books (as well as some minor spoilers for the Throne of Glass series), so tread with caution!

1. Starfall: A Court of Mist and Fury

If I had to pick my absolute favorite moment of the entire series, I'd have to go with the Starfall chapter. It's just such a beautiful moment between Feyre and Rhysand, where it's so obvious that they're no longer just partners in the impeding war against Hybern or even just friends but actually in love with each other. I read a post somewhere (and forgive me for forgetting who originally posted it; Tumblr, maybe?) where the poster was talking about how it would've been so easy for SJM to have had Feyre and Rhys confess their love for each other in that moment, but by not doing so, it actually makes their declarations later on all the more powerful. They still do so much growing in their relationship just between the Starfall chapter and the infamous Chapter 55.

Speaking of which ... 

2. Chapters 54 and 55, A Court of Mist and Fury

After Starfall, these are my two absolute favorite chapters of the series. In case you don't remember, these are the chapters in which Rhys tells Feyre about his past and how he came to realize the mating bond between them, and then Feyre accepts the bond. I know the mating bond trope in both ACOTAR and the Throne of Glass series is a point of contention for a lot of people, fans and nonfans alike, but honestly, it's one of my favorite tropes in romance novels. There's just something so romantic about the idea that there's one person out there who is meant for you in every way, so I'm a total sucker for anything that resembles a soulmate trope. Sorry not sorry! And the way Rhys totally bears his soul to Feyre in chapter 54 ... it's probably one of my favorite passages in any book ever. And yeah, I'll address the elephant in the room and admit that the steamy times in chapter 55 are nice too, LOL! But really, I just love these chapters because they're the culmination of the romance that's been building between Rhys and Feyre since the end of A Court of Thorns and Roses, and after all that angst, it's nice to have a brief respite of pure fluff before things get dark and serious again.

3. "There you are. I've been looking for you." A Court of Thorns and Roses

The moment that started it all (although yours truly was totally unaware of it at the time). Some caught on right away that from the moment he entered the story, Rhys would be the true love interest in Feyre's story, but on my first reading of ACOTAR, I was firmly in the "No, Feyre, step away from the sinister guy dressed all in black!" camp. Of course, we learn in ACOMAF that this isn't just a throwaway line Rhys says to get the other fae to back off, but he truly has been searching for Feyre for some time. Ugh, my heart! 

4. Feyre's meeting Rhys's inner circle, A Court of Mist and Fury

This is such a fun scene to read because it's the first time Feyre meets Rhys's inner circle, and we get so much backstory for these characters that are going to play vital roles in the rest of the series. One of my favorite parts is when Feyre calls Cassian "Lord Cassian," because she doesn't know any better, and he absolutely loses it and can't stop laughing about it. Normally I don't get very attached to side characters in books, but SJM is amazing at introducing characters you can't help but love and making them all vital to the story.

5. Feyre, Rhys, and Cassian training, A Court of Mist and Fury

This is such an important moment in Feyre and Rhys's relationship, as well as her friendship with Cassian. I love their banter and how he opens up the conversation for her to share her feelings about breaking things off with Tamlin but doesn't push her for details. And when she does break down, both Cassian and Rhys are there to support her. I just love how the inner circle is this tight-knit support system that readily welcomes Feyre into the fold.

6. Feyre realizing the Bone Carver is taking the form of her future son, A Court of Wings and Ruin

This was a total fangirl moment for me that I loved for the sheer fluff. Rhys's reaction to Feyre telling him that she'd seen their future son was so adorable.

7. The meeting with the High Lords, A Court of Wings and Ruin

SO. MUCH. DRAMA. And tension! It's the first time Tamlin and Feyre have seen each other since she killed Brannagh and Dagdan, smashed the hell out of Ianthe's hand, and fled the spring court. But it's also another moment where we see all members of the inner circle standing up for each other against the likes of Tamlin, Beron, and Eris (and I'm sorry, but I'm still not convinced that Eris of all people deserves a redemption arc).

8. Feyre fighting against the Attor during the attack on Velaris, A Court of Mist and Fury

I love this scene because it's when Feyre really claims Velaris as her city and its people as her people to fight for and protect. And it gives her the chance to fight against and defeat the Attor, who's one of her biggest enemies from Under the Mountain. 

9. Feyre and Rhys reunite, A Court of Wings and Ruin

This was the scene ACOTAR fans had all been waiting for since that tortuous cliffhanger at the end of ACOMAF, and it didn't disappoint. Plus, it was kind of hilarious reading about Lucien's reaction to seeing Feyre as High Lady and then having Rhys call him on it.

And finally ...

10. Feyre and the High Lords resurrecting Rhysand, A Court of Wings and Ruin

Whoooo boy. I was a MESS reading this scene (and I'm telling you, it was no coincidence that Rhys literally died on page 666, LOL). I love how this scene mirrored Feyre's own death and resurrection scene in A Court of Thorns and Roses, though my one pet peeve with it is Rhys's rather flippant comment as soon as he's brought back to life: "If we're all here, either things went very, very wrong or very right." Like ... ugh, I don't know. His poor mate just had her heart ripped out and was sobbing over his dead body (and I was sobbing over the damn book!); would it kill him to be a little vulnerable and not play the sarcastic High Lord for a minute? But aside from that, I really do love this scene!

Now I'm nervous because I'm sure I'll look back at this post later and think, Oh my god, HOW could I have forgotten about this other moment that I loved?! Oh well. Another time. So are there any other ACOTAR fans out there? Do we share any favorite moments? What are some of yours? What are some things you're looking forward to or hoping to see happen in A Court of Frost and Starlight? Come fangirl with me!

Top Ten Tuesday (on a Friday): Spring TBR

Well ... hi there. Long time no see! Clearly I've been falling on my New Year's resolution to keep up with blogging this year. Oops! BUT I wanted to come back to do this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic, Top Ten Books on My Spring 2018 TBR, because you guys. There are SO MANY amazing books coming out this spring! I had a hard time narrowing it down to just ten for this post, especially since I'm currently reading a slew of backlist books.

Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes

I've been buddy-reading this series with my former secret sister, Nicole, and it's been a fun experience. We read the first three books in just a few weeks, and I'm starting Frozen Tides tonight.

A Court of Wings and Ruin and A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

If you follow me on Twitter, you're probably well aware of my love for Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series. So it should come as no surprise that A Court of Frost and Starlight, the novella that bridges the gap between A Court of Wings and Ruin and the upcoming ACOTAR novels, is one of my most anticipated reads not just for spring but the entire year. I am SO ready for some more Feysand in my life! (And that cover, OMG!) I'm also going to be rereading ACOWAR in April in preparation for ACOFAS.

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

This new YA fantasy sounds right up my alley! I was lucky enough to get a copy via the #booksfortrade tag on Twitter, and I can't wait to start it!

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

Clearly there's a trend going on here, lol! Apparently this spring is all about YA fantasy for me. Furyborn has been one of my most anticipated books for months!

The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross

AHHH! Another Beauty and the Beast retelling! I don't think I'll ever get tired of these. Bring it on!

The Queen Underneath by Stacey Filak

This one sounds really unique and interesting, and WOW, gorgeous cover!

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

I recently checked this one out from the library, and it's up next on my to-read list after I finish the Falling Kingdoms series.

Are any of you planning on reading these this spring? What books are you looking forward to?

Until next time,

Countdown to Christmas: Six Days - Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

Christmas is my favorite time of year, so to get festive and celebrate the week leading up to it, I'm doing a Countdown to Christmas series all this week! Today's topic coincides with the topic for The Broke and the Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings.

I don't really ask for many books at Christmas time because I lack the self-control to keep myself from buying the ones I really, really want. So usually when I ask for books for Christmas, they're ones that I wouldn't normally buy for myself. 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban illustrated editions
In my noble quest to collect all the editions of Harry Potter, I definitely had to ask for the illustrated versions!

The Snow Queen and Other Winter Tales

I love Barnes and Noble's collectible edition books. They're so gorgeous! I absolutely love the cover on this one, and I mainly asked for it because I wanted to read E. T. A. Hoffmann's "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," which is the story the Nutcracker ballet is based on.

The Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland
I talked about Lynn Kurland a bit in my Christmas Songs Book Tag post. I started reading her historical romance series (de Piaget) earlier in the fall, and I've really enjoyed the ones I've read so far (each book can pretty much stand on its own, so I've been sticking to the strictly historical ones in the series; there are some volumes that involve time travel that I'm not so keen on). I'm really excited to start her fantasy series now.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber
I've been wanting to read Caraval for the longest time but have just never gotten around to it. I'm thinking it'll be a good magical fantasy to read while I've got some time off from work between Christmas and New Year's.

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill
Ever the Hunted is another fantasy I've been meaning to read for a while, and with the sequel just out, now seems like the perfect time to pick it up!

That's it! Like I said, I usually buy most of the books I really, really want myself, so my bookish wishlist was pretty small this year. Since I don't have ten books to list for TTT, I'll end this post with a little story about my favorite book I ever received for Christmas (though not from Santa).

When I was in the third grade, my teacher read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to our class, and it was pretty much the only thing I talked about for the next two months (this was right around the time that the books were becoming really popular in the US). So, on Christmas Eve that year, my mom let me open a present that had come in the mail from my aunt. Inside was a book, and that book was ... you guessed it, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It was my first ever copy of a Harry Potter book, and I was so excited!

Baby Alex, featuring HP and the Sorcerer's Stone and little sis

Well, that's all for today's Countdown to Christmas post! Be sure to come back tomorrow for day 3! In the meantime, tell me what books you're wishing for this year. Or, better yet, let me know what some of your favorites book were that you received as gifts (Christmas or otherwise). See you tomorrow!

Top Ten Tuesday: A Hogwarts Feast

Confession: some of the most memorable scenes from movies and cartoons I watched as a kid revolve around food. The flower petal tea cup Willy Wonka crunches on in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The plate piled high with food that Ichabod Crane eats while listening to Brom's ghost stories in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The cabinet full of cookies and candy in Kevin's suite at the Plaza Hotel in Home Alone 2 ... I'm pretty much obsessed with food, you guys. So while I was trying to come up with ideas for this week's topic, I tried to think of books that had the most memorable descriptions of food, the ones I read and afterward thought, oh my god, I'm SO hungry now! And honestly, what kids' books have better descriptions of food than the Harry Potter books? I mean, who wouldn't want to attend a Hogwarts welcome feast or take a trip to Honeydukes at least once?

So, I did some browsing through the books and made a list of some of the tastiest food descriptions in the HP series. Interesting tidbit: it gets a lot harder to find these sorts of passages the further along you get in the series. I guess it's cause the trio's got "more important" things to worry about, like Voldemort's return or Umbridge's takeover of Hogwarts or finding out where the seven Horcruxes are and other things that keep them from feasting on delicious food. Go figure.

(Okay, so I had to cheat a little with this gif since we don't actually see Florean Fortescue in the movies.)

Finally, shout-out to whoever the awesome person is who made this post over on the HP Lexicon that lists literally every single mention of food in all the books. It would've taken me forever to find some of these quotes otherwise!Now if you'll excuse, I'm off to raid the pantry.

Top Ten Tuesday: My Fall TBR

There are so many awesome books I'm looking forward to reading this fall! 

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson – Eeep, this book comes out one week from today, and I am so excited, you guys! I have been absolutely dying to read AEOR ever since first seeing the gorgeous cover art by Charlie Bowater (who has done some equally fabulous art for the ACOTAR series, in case you didn't know). The premise sounds so magical, and I am totally ready to be swept up into another faerie fantasy world!

Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker by Gregory Maguire – I've never read a Gregory Maguire book before, despite the popularity of Wicked, but I am really intrigued by Hiddensee, which promises to be an origin story of the toymaker Drosselmeier and the enchanted Nutcracker. I love The Nutcracker ballet––it's been one of my favorite Christmas traditions since I was a little girl––so I can't wait to read a new, perhaps more grown-up, version of that story.

Berserker by Emmy Laybourne – So many of the fall new releases this year have gorgeous covers, and Berserker is no exception. Even though this one sounds like it's a little outside my normally preferred genres (I'm not a huge fan of stories set in the Wild West), the mash-up of that world with Viking mythology certainly sounds original!

That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston – I absolutely loved BBC's Victoria miniseries that was on TV earlier this year, so this alternative history novel about a descendant of Queen Victoria sounds pretty cool!

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli – I just added this book to my TBR today; up until now I'd avoided it because honestly ... I just really, really hate the cover. And for better or for worse, I am definitely a person for whom the cover plays a major factor in determining whether or not I pick up the book to read the summary. I know, I know, it's bad! But I'm old and set in my ways, haha. I probably wouldn't have looked into this book at all if I hadn't seen a giveaway for the ARC by chance on Twitter (they totally should've gone with the ARC cover; so much prettier!). Anyway, seeing the ARC was what finally made me decide to read the summary, and oh my gosh, this sounds so good!

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden – I finally snagged a paperback copy of this while checking out Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh before the Tower of Dawn event a couple weeks ago. It's been on my TBR list for a while, and I'm excited to read it, especially since I've been on a fairy tale retelling kick lately.

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody – I got this book as part of the July Unicorn Crate, but of course I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. But maybe that's for the best, because a story about a dark traveling circus sounds like the perfect October read!

The Falconer by Elizabeth May – Yes, the majority of the books on this list are about faeries. Your point? :P

The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins – ... or they're fairy tale retellings. Oh well!

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell – Picked this up over the weekend when I went out to grab a copy of Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor. It was an impulse buy, because this book really hadn't been on my radar, but after reading the summary and finding out it was about time-traveling magicians, I decided to give it a try.

Top Ten Tuesday: 2016 Debuts to Look Forward To

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

This Week's Topic: 

2016 Debuts to Look Forward To

• The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry [January 26]
• Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black [May 17]
• The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig [February 16]
• Dreamology by Lucy Keating [April 12]
• Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor [March 1]

• The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude [May 3]
• The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian [April 26]
• The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith [March 22]
• The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos [January 26]
• How It Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes (Okay, so I goofed on this one. It's not technically a debut, but it is one I'm looking forward to!) [Pub Date TBA]

So what debuts are you looking forward to reading in the new year?

Top Ten Books I'd Love To See As Movies

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This Week's Topic: 

Books I'd Love to See As Movies

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor––A DoSaB movie is definitely at the top of my "things-I-want-to-exist" list. I love the world and the characters, and seeing them come to life in a movie would be so awesome. I'd love to see what the chimaera and angels really look like.
2. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas––Like DoSaB, Throne of Glass is another series with a kick-ass heroine I love and a fantasy world that would be awesome to see come to life.
3. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern––The Night Circus is a book that was made to be adapted to the screen. The imagery in it is so magical and gorgeous.
4. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart––If this were made into a movie, it would give me all the feels!
5. Looking for Alaska by John Green––Because every John Green book needs to be a movie.

6. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness––This series was so amazing, and I still can't believe how long it took me to get around to reading them. I could see this becoming just as big as The Hunger Games if it were made into a movie.
7. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire––I did not expect to love Beautiful Disaster as much as I did, and Abby and Travis are just one of my many OTPs I'd like to see on the big screen.
8. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge––Cruel Beauty was one of my favorite books of 2014 and one of my favorite fairy tale retellings in general. Can someone please cast Torrance Coombs as Ignifex?
9. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater––One of the things I loved about The Scorpio Races was how it had very cinematic imagery––I could see the settings and characters so clearly as I was reading. I think it would make for a great movie adaptation.


So what's on your book-to-movie wishlist? Do we share any of the same movies?

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 This Week's Topic:

Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

 Prague

{credit}

"There was a deceptive tangling of alleys that gave you, gargoyles tiptoeing away, stones like puzzle pieces rearranging themselves into new configurations while you weren’t looking. Prague entranced you, lured you in, like the mythic fey who trick travellers deep into forest until they’re lost beyond hope."

Forks, Washington/Hoh Rain Forest

"Everything was green: the trees, their trunks covered with moss, their branches hanging with a canopy of it, the ground covered with ferns. Even the air filtered down greenly through the leaves. It was too green--an alien planet."

 Amsterdam

{credit}

"It looked like an old painting, but real--everything achingly idyllic in the morning light--and I thought about how wonderfully strange it would be to live in a place where almost everything was built by the dead."

Morocco

{credit}

"It was monumental: an entire town, really--lanes and plazas, neighborhoods, a caravansary, granary, and palace--all of it echoing empty. Its creators had dreamed on a legendary scale, and to stand in its flagstone court, mud walls and peaked roofs jutting overhead, was to feel shrunk to the size of a songbird."

 Prince Edward Island

{credit}

"Below them was a pond, looking almost like a river so long and winding was it. A bridge spanned it midway and from there to its lower end, where an amber-hued belt of sand-hills shut it in from the dark blue gulf beyond, the water was a glory of many shifting hues--the most spiritual shadings of crocus and rose and ethereal green, with other elusive tintings for which no name has ever been found."

What are some places you've read about that you'd like to visit?