I haven’t done a Top Ten Tuesday post in what feels like forever, so it was definitely time to get back to it again! TTT is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish, if you want to know more about it, you can just click on the name! And what better topic to come back to, than one where I can gush about all my recent favourite reads. Here’s the official theme for this week:
10 Of My Most Recent 5 Star Reads (Or Ten Of The Best Books I’ve Read Recently if you don’t 5 star stuff…or you could do 5 of my latest five star reads & five of my most disappointing or 1 star reads)
Just for your info, I am going to go on Goodreads and simply go with the last ten books that received 5 stars. Some of them may have gotten something between 4.5-4.9 though. I am not going to be that harsh about only picking true 5 star books!
1. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Right the first one is a book that actually got 4.5 stars from me, but that’s totally okay. Simon vs. was an amazing book and such a fun and fuzzy and warm read! NO REGRETS!
2. The entire Red Rising Trilogy
I don’t have to explain that, right? I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS SERIES! I am still not over half of what happened and reading the final book, it just gave me the worst book hangover ever BUT WHILE READING! I couldn’t bring myself to finish it. I didn’t want it to end and I cried and I was angry and just generally had ALL THE FEELS! Enough caps? I think I got my point across. Just read those books already!
3. Ten Thousand Skies Above You
Ten Thousand Skies Above You was definitely a book I loved reading, but looking back, I am not sure it really deserved those full 5 stars. I think I had to give them though, because I gave the first part in the Firebird series 4.5 stars and I definitely liked this one better. So, naturally, I had to give it more stars as well.
4. Lock & Mori
Having the whole Sherlock universe in a teenage version made me incredibly happy. They weren’t yet as refined and deductive as their grown-up counterparts, but this story was so much fun to read nonetheless! Mori is an amazing character and I loved seeing the beginning of her twisted nature. (rating: 4.5 stars)
5. Carry On
SIMON AND BAZ! Oh my heart, it is bound to burst! I just love all (well, most) of the characters in this book to bits! I adore them! Whenever I am singing a song now, I can’t help but wonder if it would work as a spell. (rating: 5 stars)
6. Did I Mention I Love You?
Okay, totally forgot that this book would be on the list! But yay! I liked it so much, probably because it mentioned like a gazillion places I have actually been to or love and that sort of always makes a book special. Don’t you agree? (rating: 4.5 stars)
7. A Court of Thorns and Roses
Fairy tale retellings are my jam! I am so happy this book didn’t have a massive cliffhanger like so many other series do now, but it still managed to make me yearn for the next book in the series. A Court of Mist and Fury can’t come fast enough! (rating: 4.5 stars)
8. The Martian
Remember how I couldn’t shut up about this book? Well, there is a reason! IT’S JUST THAT GOOD! I laughed and I was at the edge of my seat and I felt like I was reading something really smart and as if I were educating myself … you know, in case I ever got stranded on a planet where nothing grows. (rating: 5 stars)
9. City of Heavenly Fire
Too bad I read this after Clockwork Princess, because then it would have made it’s way onto this list, but what can you do? I love everything Cassandra Clare does and I am so happy she invented the Shadowhunter world. I am beyond giddy, if not a little scared as well, to read Lady Midnight soon. I haven’t read any reviews and I don’t want to know what’s going to happen, but I have a feeling that my heart is going to be broken. (rating: 5 stars)
10. My Heart and Other Black Holes
I remember the sadness and hope that was accompanied with this read. Somehow I have the feeling that My Heart and Other Black Holes doesn’t get nearly enough attention as it should. Either way, it was a great debut and I am expecting great things from Warga in the future! (rating: 5 stars)
In hindsight, I don’t think there were all that many true 5 star books in this list. Weird! Makes me wonder if my standards are too high … Which books are on your list? Don’t be shy and leave a link in the comments below!
well, i read 6 of the 10 books on your list… not bad :D. I’ll read The Martian and The Red Rising trilogy this year though 🙂
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Very good! I am happy you’ll read them 😀
And we have read a lot of the same books, but then you went and read like three times as many books as me and I couldn’t keep up anymore 😛 hahaha no, just kidding! But seriously, I still don’t know how you do it.
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lol, I told you! Since installing the kindle app on my phone, I read if I have a 2 minute waiting period… it’s weird and I’m starting to believe it’s an addiction :P. Also, NA books are generally such fast reads 🙂
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STILL! I CANNOT DO IT!
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LOL. but Kat… you have a life 😛 (that’s better!)
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I have work. That’s not the same hahaha however, I do try to actually get out of the house on my days off now.
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that’s good 🙂 !!!
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I’ve read two of the books on your list, Simon vs THSA and A Court of Thorns and Roses. Both I enjoyed but gave 3.5 stars I think. Oh well, glad you loved them. I really want to get to My Heart and Other Black Holes soon. It seems like an important read. And all this hype for Red Rising got me feeling left out! Your obsession for it is so good to read 🙂
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Hahaha sometimes I am scared of overhyping Red Rising for people and then I tell them that the start is a bit slow and that there is a real info-dump in the beginning and that it’s super complex in parts, just to lower their expectations. But I JUST LOVE THE BOOKS SO MUCH! No story has ever made me so angry. I swear, I was shaking sometimes.
And My Heart and Other Black Holes was just astonishing! I didn’t think a book about potential suicide could harbour so much hope!
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I absolutely love The Martian as well. I laughed so often while reading it! And Simon vs the Homo Sapiens is a great contemporary.
Great list!
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Thank you 🙂 The Martian will forever have a special place in my heart! And Simon vs. was just the cutest. It made me want to read more contemporaries again.
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I’m glad to know you loved A Thousand Skies Above You, I’ve been thinking of picking it up lately, I really like the first book!
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I did like it! Even more so than the first one, because it’s way more action packed!
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Oh now I want to read it even more! The somewhat lack of action was one of the things that I didn’t like too much about the first book so I’m glad to know that changes!
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YAY! I hope you’ll like it!
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The Martian wasn’t anything I expected ! I was VERY sceptical and I loved it so much, it was so funny and thrilling and just amazing ! It actually was the first book I reviewed on my blog 😀
City of Heavenly Fire was just WOW ! Loved loved loved it ! I don’t know what else to add haha.
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Right? I was really doubtful about the Martian at first as well, but then BAM totally fell in love with that book and Mark Watney. He’s one of my all time favourite literary characters now 🙂
Cassandra Clare can do no wrong either!
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He’s one of mine too, sooooo smart and hilarious !
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I read 5 of these books and I loved them too. Next is Ten Thousand Skies Above You. I’ll read it as soon as it gets on my hands. And I need to read Morning Star (and also Golden Son). I need to see all the amazingness on it
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yay! 5 is a good tally 😀
I’ll be there for you whenever you read the other books!
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You know I’ll need the support for Golden Son and Morning Star
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I have a feeling you might need it for TTSAY as well hahaha
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There goes my plan on reading it while I’m visiting my family. I’ll need good internet connection if I need support for that one too XD
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Hahaha you can still read it, but you might be a little furious by the end. I had Marie to freak out with, so I thought you might want that too.
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I think I’ll wait for good internet 😛
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I haven’t read any of the books on your list, not good. Will check them out though and add to my TBR.
Here is my TTT: https://dwgitau.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/top-ten-tuesdayten-of-the-best-books-ive-read-recently/
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Oh i watched The Martian though definitely not the same as reading the book
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The book was way funnier and better at explaining what’s going on, but the movie was good as well.
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You should! They are all great!
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I would’ve been very surprised if you didn’t include Red Rising in this list.
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Well, if I hadn’t read it so recently, it might not have made it hahaha
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Speaking of dystopian book series that revolve around teenagers trying to upend a terribly unfair society (LOL), I finally watched the movie version of The Scorch Trials. What did you think of that movie? I thought that it changed a lot and may have called some elements from the previous film into question because of the changes, but overall it was a fun sci-fi adventure film. Though the Cranks were basically discount zombies from The Last of US video game.
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LOL! I can’t even remember most of that movie. I just know that it has virtually nothing to do with the books anymore and that I found it only mildly entertaining but at least more than the books, which I didn’t like at all.
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I see. Oh, and speaking of Scorch Trials (I’m on all sorts of tangents today), did you ever watch the season finale of Teen Wolf?
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I did! I am no fan of that season as a whole to be honest and the little consolation of them getting all back together as a pack in the end wasn’t enough to make it good…
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I actually thought it was the best season yet, with great villains, an excellent mystery, and phenomenal writing and character development. I’m looking forward to season 6 later this year.
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I thought that the Beast was terrible and that it looked cheap. I also was of the opinion that it was one of the messiest and definitely not well-paced seasons as of yet. Sorry, but I definitely didn’t enjoy it. I actually stopped caring about what was going on and that’s bad …
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Yeah, I didn’t like the Beast either, but beyond that I found it a compelling season. Are you at least excited for Season 6?
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No hahaha that show has dropped down really far on my priority list. I will still watch it though.
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Good, because I would miss geeking out with you over this show. Especially since we won’t get any new Doctor Who till December, it seems.
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I thought there wouldn’t even be a Christmas special this year …
We could always find another show to talk about. Are you watching Once Upon a Time?
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Yes I am, and it’s gone in some interesting directions this season. What are your thoughts on Hades? I thought they’d go for something different with that character, but I like him as he is in the show.
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I got weirdly emotional ever since the show came back. Everything with Regina’s dad and Neal was great! And I loved Hercules. Also, I quite enjoy that they went full on Disney with Hades appearance. I just think it’s super weird that he had a romance with Zelena.
I just read the most interesting comment about the show the other day concerning the names. Cora means heart and she’s the queen of hearts, Zelena means green and well, you know, she’s green. And Regina means Queen and she’s the Evil Queen.
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Interesting. I wonder what other hidden meanings are in this show?
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Probably a lot that I have yet to find out about.
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I really need to finish City of Heavenly Fire soon! It’s just so thick 😦 Totally agree with you on Ten Thousand Skies Above You though, it was better than the first one. Can’t wait to read the last book… I mean FUTURISTIC SPACE WORLD??? i hope it happens XD
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I know, the books are getting longer and longer. Lady Midnight is massive!!
YES! The space world has my attention 100%!
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Ha ha, I’m just like you. I rarely give out actual 5-star ratings, but anything that I’d give at least a 4.5 gets rounded up to 5 on Goodreads. 😉 Here are my most recent ones:
– Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
– Walk On Earth A Stranger by Rae Carson
– The Martian by Andy Weir (woo hoo for shared picks!)
– Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor
– The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
– This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee
– The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
– The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
– Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
– The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
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Oh my, I haven’t even read anything other than The Martian. Although I do intend to get to Six of Crows at some point 🙂
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Hahaha I did the exact same as you with putting in the entire Red Rising trilogy into my TTT. But how can you not!
Simon vs has been on my TBR since it came out, so I don’t know why I haven’t bought it yet! I want to jump of the this-book-is-amazing bandwagon!
A recent five stars would have to be a manga I’ve read, Tokyo Ghoul.
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It is necessary to put all three books in there hahaha and I didn’t want to waste space on the list by putting them separately.
Simon vs. is just the cutest 🙂
Uh, mangas! Haven’t read any in a long time.
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I know right! And you need to make sure people understand that the WHOLE trilogy is amazing and not one book 🙂
I’m trying to read more graphic novels and mangas this year but it’s so hard because they are so expensive but so short!
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Absolutely! Pierce is just a genius!!
That’s a noble goal, but yep … those things are expensive. I want to read Nimona and Zodiac Starforce, but in comparison to longer books, they are just expensive.
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Hahaha ‘noble’ you know but I’m trying to get other people’s buy it for me and get some from the library.
I wish they did more sales and discounts with graphic novels and mangas as well! I know the price is like that because of the artwork but come on!
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Yes, I do understand that the artists need to make money with it, but as a poor bookworm and comic enthusiast – WHY?
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There must be an underground website were people are getting graphic novels for cheap. I don’t get how people can be making such big collections for new releases.
So as you said- WHY?
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I don’t understand it either. It’s the big mystery of the community!
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Definitely! That and how people can have rows upon rows of hardback books XD
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YES! ABSOLUTELY!
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I guess I need to read Red Rising then… Haha
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YOU DO! But go in it with low expectations. The start is kind of slow.
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That’s going to be hard with all these people praising it haha
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It is super slow in the beginning though and a real info dump. The world is so complex, you feel a little overwhelmed and can’t instantly connect with everyone. (See how I am trying to convince you it’s not as awesome as it truly is?)
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You’re trying really hard haha nice effort! I’ll let it breathe for a bit, let the hype die down and then I’ll read it haha
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That may be a good plan and then you can binge-read the books. You won’t want to stop after Golden Son either way.
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Yeah, that’s what I usually try to do with really popular series :), i’ll let you know when I read it either way haha
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Perfect!
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Simon and Ten Thousand Skies Above You (by the way, when are we buddy reading again? :D), loveed those as well! It’s funny, I have been asking myself whether I should add or not Did I Mention I Love You on my TBR, a lot of people are talking about that series, and I don’t know, maybe it’s the kind of book I would like? I hope so 😛
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Buddy reading – yes! I don’t think we have any books, like in physically owning them, to read them together right now, right? I have Splintered and I do intend to buy The Wrath and the Dawn together with The Rose and the Dagger as soon as it’s out. So that might be an option as well?
DIMILY is fun, but I don’t know if it’s for you hahaha the series can be really frustrating sometimes.
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Oh that would be great! I plan on buying Splintered soon, well, as long as I’m almost done with my physical TBR… trying to hold onto a budget is SO hard when there’s so many books I want. I’ll let you know when I get it, and we can read it together? And the Wrath and the Dawn, oh YES, I definitely want to read that one with you! 😀
Oh ahah, well you know me really well, so… maybe I’ll listen to you, ahah, or try and read an excerpt before I get it! 🙂
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Awesome, I have some books to keep me above the water for now. I can’t or at least shouldn’t buy anything right now either … but I’ll let you know what I order next so maybe we can find something that works.
An excerpt may be a good idea 😉
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Great then, ahah, nothing worse than having NO books left to read 😮 Yes, I’ll let you know, too! I’m reading way too fast lately, so I might place an order soon… 🙂
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Absolutely! That’s the worst feeling! 🙂 I already have the entire Splintered trilogy at home hahaha but also The Elfstones of Shannara, Lady Midnight and like 3 ebooks.
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Ohhh the entire trilogy? Wow, you’re planning on loving it already 😀
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I hate having to wait in case it has a cliffhanger or if I really like it, then I don’t want to have to wait a week or longer until it gets delivered. Also, I only paid 2 bucks for all three books because I had a voucher 😀
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OH yes, I get it, me too. I’m just scared, on the contrary, not to like it, and to have all the books already, haha. WOW. HOW are you always so lucky when it comes to books, ahah 😛
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I get that voucher every year from my bookstore, depending on how much money I spend. They were available really cheap and it just worked out great with the sum they granted me.
I am scared of not liking it too … I’ve bought boxes and then I didn’t enjoy it much. It happens and then I mad at myself for spending the money unnecessarily.
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Oh that’s so awesome! I don’t really have any great bookstore close to where I am now, and it makes me so sad 😦
Well, no matter what, if we buddy read it, we’ll MAKE it awesome anyway with our comments, ahah 😛
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We will! All our buddy reads are awesome by default 😉
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I haven’t read any of these, but there are some that have caught my eye before. I need to add them to my TBR.
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Yes, there are some really good ones among them! Which ones have caught your eye in particular?
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I’ve wanted to read Simon for a while now, but Did I Mention is the one that caught my eye here.
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Simon is adorable and the DIMILY series has become so popular. It’s definitely very entertaining.
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Oh my goodness, YAS, the Martian was so good and much funnier than I thought it was going to be! 5-stars forever ❤
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The Martian is just the best ❤
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Great list! I loved Simon vs. and A Court of Thorns and Roses.
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Glad to hear you liked them too!
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Still mentally preparing myself for Morning Star haha. I will get to it by the summer, I guarantee that. I’ve been torn about Carry On because that was actually my least favourite part of Fangirl but I’ve heard so many wonderful reviews about the book.
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I don’t think you can ever fully be prepared for Morning Star. I read the afterword by Pierce first to prepare though and it sort of made the first chapters more intense.
The fanfiction bits were my least favouite part of Fangirl as well, but it is completely different as the book. It’s great!
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I’m not sure I could actually find 10 books I have ever read that I gave five stars to,,,
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Hahaha I think if I had gone further back into the past, I am sure that I would. I used to throw around quite a couple of 5 stars before I started to seriously review books.
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[…] My Most Recent 5 Star Reads […]
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