Top Ten Tuesday: New to Me Authors of 2022

On January 24, 2023January 24, 2023 By Star's Books & TeaIn Top Ten TuesdaysLeave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

The rules are simple:

Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want.
Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to The Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post.
Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other blogger’s lists.
Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

This week’s topic is New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2022

Rebecca Barber- She has written a variety of books that I can see. I’ve read six of them. Two different series, but they take place in the same world. I really adored them!
Roux Cantrell- I’ve read a motorcycle series by her. It was amazing. I loved every single one of them and would read again.
Annee Jones- I’ve read quite a few books by her. They all have been centered around the holidays. They are also cute and short reads. She’s definitely now on my instabuy list. All her stories are just so heartfelt and inspiring!
AE Bennett- I discovered this author by a promotions company. I do blogs tours for them. I wasn’t sure how I felt about her, but I am glad I was introduced to her books.
Ceril N Domace- Like AE Bennett, I also discovered this author by doing a blog tour. Both books I read were so amazing and unique.
Debbie Baldwin- I also did a blog tour for this author. The blog tour was for the fourth book, but I wound up buying the first three and reading them all. I think I read them in less than a week if I remember right.
Vela Roth- I’ve read all but the last book in the series that’s currently released. The characters are so quirky. The books are THICK. I love it. I would love to see these books in audio one day!
Paulette Stout- This author is just absolutely amazing. I have only read one book by her. But it was just so amazing. Her writing style is GREAT! I also love how raw and open the book was.
Rosemary Willhide- I’m still reeling over the ending of the book. I also need to read the first two books in the series! I need more by this author!!!!
Ivelisse Houseman- I got Unseelie on Netgalley. I knew it would be a cute and quirky read. I read her author’s note at the beginning. I found out that she was autistic. One of the characters in the book is autistic as well. I really adored the book! I can’t wait to read it again and read the sequel!

Your turn!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Goals For 2023

On January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 By Star's Books & TeaIn Top Ten Tuesdays2 Comments

Topic: Bookish Goals for 2023

I posted a blog about this near the beginning of the year, but I’m willing to talk about it again. Having goals is important.

Increase my Netgalley completion rate. I am so embarrassed by how low my completion rate is. I picked up so many. I was so excited to read them. But I let time and other books get away from me. This year I plan on keeping up with the books as they are released and going back and reading my backlog. I want to increase my rate by at least 20% by the end of the year.
Read at least two hours a day. No matter what I’m doing each day, I want to at least put two hours towards reading.
Keep up with blog. I have fallen behind on posting quite frequently. My goal is to start scheduling the day before again to the best of my ability.
Keep up with reviews. Sometimes it’s easier to just put reviews off until later. Then they start stacking up and I get overwhelmed. My goal is to keep on top of them and get some older ones written as well.
Read one physical book a week. I would like to start reading the books I have accumulated from book boxes, gifts, and just buying. I think it would be best to aim to try for at least one a week.
Apple Books Streak. Last year, I discovered that I could download my Audible books to Apple Books. Apple Books has this goal you can set to whatever you wish to hit every day. It really encourages me to listen to some audio every day. I’m currently sitting at a 15 day streak. My record was 42 days.
Read 12 books of the following: LGBTQIA, Diverse, Nonfiction, Book of the Month (15 now because of challenge), and classics.
Try to gain more followers on social and my blog. I really don’t care if I get thousands of followers. It’s not about the numbers for me. I want to gain more interactive followers. Ones I can interact with. It’s nice to have people you can chat with about your interests.
Get back into readathons. Back in 2016, I discovered Dewey’s Readathon. It was a different experience. I fell in love with it. I’ve kind of flopped on readathons lately. I want to change that. I want to get back into the joy and love of it.
Make more reader friends. I’d love to have more friends in general, but especially ones that I can chat about books with. Maybe even create a book club! Who knows?

Some of these are more important than others. They aren’t listed in order. I’d love to see some of your goals.

Top Ten Tuesday: Comfort Reads

On May 31, 2022June 3, 2022 By Star's Books & TeaIn Top Ten TuesdaysLeave a comment

May 31: Comfort Reads (Share which books or kinds of books you turn to when you need to escape. You can either share specific titles if you love to re-read, or you could share qualities of books you look for in a comfort read.)

I’ve been pondering over this for a few days. I think I’m overthinking it, so I’m going to do this in “quick style” fashion.

House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. I absolutely loved this series and all the characters in it. I have reread it many times.
Sweet Valley High Series by Francine Pascal. I haven’t read this entire series, but I have read many multiple times. I’d love to own the entire series one day.
The Giver by Lois Lowry. I read this book for the first time in the fifth grade and make it a point to try to read it once a year. There’s just something about it.
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. I really feel like I connect very well with this series.
Paranormals of Avynwood series by Michelle Dare. There’s just something about reading about people who are so close and connected. They are also so loyal and would do anything for each other!
Anything narrated by Sarah Puckett. I found with this narrator that you can absolutely have a crush on somebody’s voice. Listening to books read by her is just so calming! I can’t explain it any better than that.
Vampire Academy/Bloodlines by Richelle mead. I haven’t read this book as many times as I have House of Night, but my affection is the same.
The Innkeeper Chronicles by Illana Andrews. I haven’t reread this book series. Yet. I definitely plan to. It’s just so good! It’s a feel good read.
Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evnovich. There’s just something about seeing Stephanie Plum stumble through life as a bounty hunter that’s just hilarious!!!! I can’t get enough. Especially the first few books.
Any Chris Crutcher book. The stories are a bit dark at times. They are still like a soothing balm to me. I need to get this collection again.

Please show me your Top Ten Tuesday in the comments! Either the link or your answers if you don’t actively participate!

Top Ten Tuesday: Valentine Freebie

On February 8, 2022February 8, 2022 By Star's Books & TeaIn Top Ten Tuesdays5 Comments

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday! Thanks Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl for creating this meme.
This Week’s Topic: Valentine’s Freebie

My choice: Books/Series I want to dive right into

The seventh book for this was just released today. I think I listened to the first five. I’ve always wanted to go back and actually read them. To the point where I’ve bought the entire series in ebook. It’s such a good series!

Spells Trouble: Sisters of Salem by [P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast]

I want to read this and the sequel!

Death's Intern (The Intern Diaries Book 1) by [D. C. Gomez]

I am also very eager to read this series! I started book one last year but wasn’t able to finish it. I plan to fix that this year!

1st to Die (Women's Murder Club) by [James Patterson]

This is a series I started years ago. I want to reread the ones I read and finish the ones I never got around to.

Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross Book 1) by [James Patterson]

Same thing as the women’s murder club.

Queen of Snow: A Snow Queen Retelling (Fairy Tales Reimagined Book 1) by [Laura Burton, Jessie Cal]

Been hearing about this on TikTok a lot! I really want to read them all! It was an impulse buy!

I also discovered this via TikTok, but I’m also a HUGE Buffy fan!!!!

Loved (The House of Night Other World Series Book 1) by [P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast]

I loved the House of Night series so much! I’ve been meaning to get around to reading these! I bought them all!

I’ve been wanting to read this since the show came out that had Zack from Saved by the Bell. I have the books, but I would LOVE the books with this cover!

10-

Hocus Pocus and The All-New Sequel by [A. W. Jantha, Matt Griffin]

I’ve been wanting to read this since I heard about it last year!!!!

Put your link in the comments so I can see your top ten picks!

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the First Half of 2022

On January 4, 2022January 3, 2022 By Star's Books & TeaIn Top Ten Tuesdays6 Comments

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday! Thanks Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl for creating this meme.
This Week’s Topic: Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the First Half of 2022

1. This Wicked Fate- June 21st
2. Queerly Beloved- May 3rd
3. The House Across the Lake- June 21st

4. House of Sky and Breath- February 15th
5. The Book of Cold Cases- March 15th
6. Bravely- May 3rd

7. Love & Other Disasters -January 18th
8. This Woven Kingdom- February 1st
9. This Paris Apartment- February 22nd

10. A Flicker in the Dark- January 11th

Put your link in the comments so I can see your top ten picks!

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books I Read In 2021

On December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 By Star's Books & TeaIn Top Ten Tuesdays1 Comment

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday! Thanks Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl for creating this meme.

This Week’s Topic: Best Books I Read In 2021

I thought this would be a lot harder than it was. I was convinced that I would pick way more than ten and then have to spend time narrowing it down. I didn’t have to. This was surprisingly very easy for me. That says a lot to me considering I read a lot of amazing reads this year. There were ones that just really stood out to me as I was going through the books though.

I almost didn’t count the giver considering that this wasn’t my first time reading it. For the Eyre Affair, I’m including the first three books in this because all three have been so wonderful. I can say the same for Heartstopper. In fact, I can’t wait for the fourth to be released!

The Lost Apothecary was such a beautiful read. I just can’t really do it justice. It wasn’t a shock to me when I found out it was a 2021 finalist really. The High Mountain Court was remarkable and I can’t wait to read other books by this author. The Cellar is another reread for me, but it hit me just as much as it did the first time I read it. I should also note that I actually listened to it this time around.

There was also another Paranormals of Avynwood book I read this year that I would consider a favorite read for the year. This is just one of my favorite series of all time. I absolutely love it. The My Life as an Album series will catch you in your feels. I haven’t read every book in the series yet, but I plan to. They are all so beautiful! I’ve read Into the Shadows and Out of the Shadows. I really do need to read the third book in the series. I think I’m wanting to actually read the first two so I can read the third. I had listened to the first two the first time around.

I won’t say that this book was my favorite book of the year. Honestly, I just can’t choose with that. However, this one did stand out the most to me. It really hit home for me in ways I can’t even explain. It was also very quippy and funny. That’s not to say it didn’t drag me through the feels at all. There’s a Youtuber who I watched that said it was a little too spicy. I disagree with that. There were parts that alluded to moments, but they weren’t graphic or explicit at all about the scenes.

I’d love to see yours! Please feel free to put your link in the comments!