Down the Rabbit Hole

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.

Good morning everyone! It’s been hectic in my house still with the arrival of my new dog, but everyone’s doing well so far and most things have remained intact this last week. Thankfully today’s TTT is something easy to think about and always a pleasure to advertise some of my favourite books.

Do you typically read a certain genre in one sitting? Or the only criteria is that you’re really enjoying it? I’m such a mood reader that it’s all over the place for me, and not always predictable, but I find that these 10 books captured my heart along the way.

Let’s begin!

1. The Host by Stephenie Meyer (genre: science fiction)

This book is so long (probably the longest I’ve read in my life), but the characters just come to life, especially after the first 200 pages that I couldn’t help but race to the end to see what happens to everyone I care about.

2. The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell (genre: historical fantasy)

Magic, time travel, mystery and more! It was such a good combination of subterfuge and falling for the person you shouldn’t care for, and plenty of intrigue set in 1920s Manhattan that made it such a unique experience to keep reading.

3. The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman (genre: historical fantasy)

A darker fantasy for sure, but filled with stories about a kickass woman who fought demons disguised as men better than any man could, plus a HUGE side of romance I could cheer for was a recipe that wouldn’t let me go.

4. Love, Life and the List by Kasie West (genre: contemporary)

One of my favourite contemporaries with a trope I love and find super rare (best friends to lovers), this was the perfect amount of romantic tension and self-discovery that led me reading at all sorts of odd hours I should really not have been in order to see their story through. And it did NOT disappoint!

5. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (genre: historical mystery)

I love a good mystery, but one that is set in historical London featuring one of the most notorious serial killers just had my attention from page one. Fast-paced and filled with twists I did not foresee, this heroine I loved kept me entertained as the mystery came to its conclusive end.

6. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (genre: historical fantasy)

While any Shadowhunter book could have fit into this spot to be honest, I have a soft spot for the first historical prequel series although I absolutely hate love triangles. I still have such fond memories of actually reading this in one go because I loved the setting and the characters of the triangle so much (even through my intense dislike for the unnecessary love triangle itself).

7. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (genre: fantasy)

Unique and darkly enriched with an entertaining magical world within Yale’s campus, the strategic unfolding of the main story arc and central mystery kept me flipping faster and faster so I could understand what happened to our protagonist and how they were going to fix whatever magical killer had been unleashed among them.

8. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (genre: mystery)

I did, in fact, pull an all-nighter to finish reading this one because the mystery was great and I honestly could not predict who the killer was for the longest time. I loved the protagonist and her quest to clear someone’s name, at the expense of her own safety, and my heart was pounding with hers the whole way through!

9. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (genre: contemporary)

Featuring a couple I fell in love with from the start, I longed to see how they would/could make a relationship work between them amidst all the obstacles that seemed to be in their way. It’s a simple concept but executed in the best possible way that still leaves a good feeling in me after all this time.

10. If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (genre: contemporary)

A recent read for me (review coming soon!), I loved the concept of a mean girl trying to become better without changing herself into someone she’s genuinely not, and falling for the guy that doesn’t fit anywhere in her plans – especially when he thinks of her as his enemy!

And that’s a wrap! Are you all over the place with genre? Do you typically read shorter books in one sitting? Or does none of this matter as long as you fell in love with the story?

discussion

Let’s Talk Bookish – What are the Best Ways of Getting Over Reading Stumps?

July 16, 2021July 16, 2021 Fives @ Down The Rabbit Hole

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books & Dani @ Literary Lion, where they discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and spread the love by visiting each others’ posts.

JULY 16: WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO GET OVER READING SLUMPS? (RAFAELA @ THE PORTUGESE BIBLIOPHILE)

Prompts: Sometimes you just don’t want to read anymore, how do you get back into it? Do you give yourself a break? Watch booktube or read blogs? Read an old favourite book to reignite that spark? Do you just force yourself through it? Maybe you read a picture book or a graphic novel?

Welcome to the middle of July everyone! Today’s topic is a good one, one that I definitely struggle with sometimes for seemingly no reason. I always love readings books, and sometimes I just put down books and don’t pick them up. Other times I am reading and can never put it down. Let’s explore maybe why that is.

Sometimes you just don’t want to read anymore, how do you get back into it?

For me, I think sometimes all it takes is for someone else to be excited by a book. And once they talk about what they loved, or how much they liked reading a book (any book), it really ignites the passion in me again. Like yes, I also really love reading, why did I ever stop?! Although this may be a somewhat unreliable way of restarting a reading habit, I find that it isn’t hard to just casually talk to my bookish friends and ask for recommendations, or at least ask about what they’re reading. Most likely I’ll want to read again just by even talking about books again.

Do you give yourself a break? Watch booktube or read blogs? Read an old favourite book to reignite that spark?

For sure, sometimes a break is necessary. It’s not always the case where forward is the right answer. Sometimes it really is just a good time to sit and relax (without a book) if that is how you are so inclined. After all, books are meant to be enjoyed, not to be a chore (as much as it may feel like one sometimes with ever-looming deadlines). I don’t usually watch booktube, but I do occasionally read around blogs to look for inspiration or just to see what others are up to. Sometimes that will also trigger the urge to read again. I tend to shy away from reading old favourites over and over again. For me, something about the magic of how I remember a book being is better than reading it again to confirm it. Does anybody else understand this? Or am I just weird – let me know in the comments below.

Do you just force yourself through it? Maybe you read a picture book or a graphic novel?

Sometimes, I do just force myself. Is it bad? Maybe. But honestly, at other times if I just tip over the scales a tiny tiny bit, I already fall down the slippery slope of wanting to read for hours on end without any regard for the time. I do read webtoons daily on my phone, which is another type of reading consumption that I enjoy. These are very short little pieces that I can enjoy daily and easily on my phone before bed. I guess I do read every day, if I count the daily uploads.

How do you all get over those reading stumps? Or will you always read again after a break, so there’s no need to “get over it” per se? Please let me know below, I’d love to hear what it’s like for you all!

recommendations

If You Loved A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder…

July 15, 2021July 14, 2021 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Hello friends! It’s been a super crazy week for me. I had a fever over the weekend, the day after I adopted our new puppy, and it’s just been a very trying week of craziness that I am still learning to adjust to.

I have thought about starting a new segment on the blog for a while now, and thought this would be a fun way to highlight books I loved and new books/upcoming books that make for great recommendations.

I recently finished A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (review coming soon!). And in anticipation of the third book in the series, As Good as Dead, coming next month (omg I can’t wait!), I thought I would highlight similar books you will love if you enjoyed this book.

About the book

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

This is the story of an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you’ll never expect.

If you love old cases that were reopened by a high schooler…

…Then you will love To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough. With a similar premise where a high school girl explores a murder case that was left untouched for years, this act ultimately draws out the killer as she gets closer to the truth.

If you love intrigue and suspicion thrown on different people…

…Then you will like the plot pacing and twists found in Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus. Her mysteries similarly go through different suspects that could have committed the crime, but maybe it’s the one you didn’t imagine it would be.

If you love mysteries where the caught “killer” was just a patsy for the real culprit…

…Then you will find similar interest in They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman. In both stories, the case was thought to have been solved, normally thinking it’s the significant other who had committed such a crime of passion. But is it? Maybe somewhere out there the real killer is laughing at getting away so easily.

Let me know if you have read any of these, or would want to if you enjoyed A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. And let me know if you want to see more “If You Loved This” recs from me! I have other ideas I’d love to highlight for you all!