Book Haul & Updated TBR List!

Book haul time! I received some books for Christmas and I've gotten a few others after. I wanted to share the new ones and update my TBR list. My TBR has gotten wickedly out of control so I really need a full list anyway to keep up with all of the ones I really want to try and read by April! Here's my updated TBR list and I've marked the ones for my book haul as new. 

*Click on the title to view on Goodreads!!*

1. Apart in the Dark: Novellas - (New) Thank you to Gallery Books for this one! 

2. Beautiful Broken Girls

3. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

4. The Shadow of the Wind

5. The Guest Room

6. Inside the Victorian Home

7. The Crown's Fate

8. Knight's Cross

9. Strange the Dreamer

10. Throne of Fire

11. The Hammer of Thor

12. The Hanging Girl - (New)

13. Gwendy's Button Box - (New)

14. Stillhouse Lake - (New)

15. Brother - (New)

16. I'll Meet You There - (New)

17. The Female of the Species - (New)

18. Fireblood - (New)

19. The Hate U Give - (New)

20. The Dry - (New)

21. Strange Weather - (New)

22. The Chosen - (New)

23. In Her Skin - (New) Thank you to Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for this one!

I also recently recently received When We Collided, a new copy of Jane Eyre, and a new copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray. I'm hoping to re-read all of those and re-read The Bell Jar at some point this year, but they aren't on my immediate TBR.

 

I also got these babies when I traded in some books at Half Price books. I need to read all of them eventually as well. 

Well as you can see my TBR is already overwhelming and I'm pretty sure there is no way I'll get all of these read by April. I'm going to try though! 

What books are on your TBR? Is your TBR out of control like mine? 

If you've read any of these books, what did you think of them? 

#HelpMyTbrIsTryingToKillMe

2018 Beginning of the Year TBR!!

TBR Time!!

I'm terrible at sticking to my TBR lists, but regardless I have made one for the beginning of the year. Hopefully, I stick to it for once. That being said I did just order some more books on Amazon, so who knows what will happen. EEK. I need help obviously. :P

Here are the eight books (not in any particular order) that I PLAN to read immediately:

**Click on the pictures to view on Goodreads.**

1. The Dark Lake- I got this book in the one month of BOTM that I did and I really should read it already.

2. Hunting Prince Dracula- I'm currently reading this one and absolutely loving it so far!

3. The Bell Jar (Re-Read)- It's definitely time for me to read this book again. It's one of my favorites and it's been a while. Oh, and honestly I've only read it once. I'm way overdue for a re-read!

4. The Shadow of the Wind- I have heard nothing but good things about this one and it sounds right up my alley!

5. The Throne of Fire- My 10 year old son Jordan loves this series and he's been waiting somewhat patiently for me to get to this already so we can talk about it.

6. Knight's Cross- Well this is definitely not a typical read for me, but my boo thing really likes it. So I decided to add it to my TBR of course, you know broaden my horizons and all that.

7. Beautiful Broken Girls- This is the one that really makes me want to hang my head in shame. I pre-ordered it and I still have yet to read it. I don't ever pre-order books so if I do then I should probably read it immediately!

8. The Hammer of Thor- My other 10 year old son Justin has been waiting very IMPATIENTLY for me to get to this one so we can discuss it!

Have you read any of these books, if so what did you think of them?

Do you have a TBR list that you're going to try and stick to for the beginning of 2018? If so, what books are on it? 

Oh, and am I the only one that can't believe it's 2018 already? I'm not sad to see 2017 go, but whew it did go by fast!

The Picture of Dorian Gray By: Oscar Wilde Review (MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK)

This is not the first time that I have read The Picture of Dorian Gray. It's not even the second time I've read it. As many of you may know from following my blog The Picture of Dorian Gray is my all time favorite novel. Which oddly makes it the hardest to review. I've been trying to decide what to say about this one for a while now. Mostly this review is rambling and fangirling, but how do you review your favorite novel without giving away the best parts of it? Which is the WHOLE book. Plus I think I put too much pressure on myself for this review because I wanted it to really express my love of the book accurately. Not sure if I've succeeded, but here it is finally!

#ReviewingCanBeHard

First of all I just love that feeling when I pick up a favorite book and I can't wait to dive back into the familiar story that I already know is fantastic. This one is particularly special to me and I have this lovely leather bound edition (see picture above) that makes it even more enjoyable. Yeah, I'm a total booknerd and I'm not sorry.  Anyway I try to read this one once a year, but sadly I didn't have the chance last year. So I was really overdue for a re-read! 

#I'mABooknerdAndI'mNotSorry

I just had so much fun with my re-read of The Picture of Dorian Gray.  Oscar Wilde is a genius and there is so much to enjoy in this novel. There are so many parts that make you think, really THINK. Especially in regards to good, evil, morals, ID (Sigmund Freud ID), influence, and manipulation. I could dissect this book so much, but you just have to read the book and see for yourself what you think about it. Dorian is my favorite literary character and in my opinion the most fascinating. All three of the main characters Dorian, Lord Henry, and Basil are quite an interesting trio though. 

#OscarWildeIsMyHomeboy

Another thing I really love about the book is the QUOTES. We all know Oscar is the king of quotes and man there are so many good ones packed into this novel. One of my favorites: 

“Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty. There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.” 

― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

#QuotesMaster

Overall The Picture of Dorian Gray is a masterpiece meant to be devoured and then re-read many times. I get more from it each time I read it and I love that it makes you think. Also, this novel has one of my favorite book endings of all time. A little off topic, but have you ever played that game what five people dead or alive would you want to have dinner with? Oscar Wilde is my number one choice for sure! In case you're curious my others are Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, Sylvia Plath, and Sigmund Freud. That would be such an entertaining dinner party!! HA! What would your choices be?

#What5PeopleDeadOrAliveWouldYouWantToHaveDinnerWith

I recommend The Picture of Dorian Gray for everyone. Okay, not really. I know this isn't a book for everyone, but a definite must for gothic and victorian novel fans. I also recommend looking up facts about Oscar's life as well. It's fascinating and you can really see where this novel stemmed from. 

#GiveItAWhirl

*In the end I had so much fun writing this review. Even though it took a lot of time to organize my thoughts a bit. Sorry for the delay getting this review out!*

Top Ten Tuesday- Top Ten Books I Want To Re-Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature/meme hosted here at The Broke and the Bookish. The topic for this week is Top Ten Books I Really Love, But Feel Like I Haven't Talked About Enough.

Since I couldn't really think of any books for that topic (I talk about books I really love a lot haha), I decided to chose from the list of old topics. So I am doing Top Ten Books I Want To Re-Read.


1. The Picture of Dorian Gray By: Oscar Wilde

This is my all time favorite book and I like to re-read it once a year. I missed last year, so I really hope I get to read it this year!

2. The Bell Jar By: Sylvia Plath

The Bell Jar really made an impact on me when I first read it about a year and a half ago. I haven't had a chance to re-read it yet and I would really love to soon.

3. The Shining By: Stephen King

I haven't read The Shining in ages!! This one is way over due for a re-read.

4. The Troop By: Nick Cutter

Here is another one that I read not too terribly long ago, but I'm already ready to read it again.

5. 11/22/63 By: Stephen King

With the Hulu show that just came out with James Franco(which is AWESOME by the way) I have really been in the mood to read this one again.

6. House of Leaves By: Mark Z. Danielewski

House of Leaves is one of my all time favorite books and I've only read it once. I am so overdo for a re-read on this one.

7. Jane Eyre By: Charlotte Bronte

Here's another one of my all time favorite books that I've only read one time. I definitely want to read this one again and soon!!!!!

8. Battle Royale By: Koushun Takami

I feel like I just read Battle Royale not long ago, but it was actually 2011 when I read it. So I definitely need to read this one again.

9. The Dresden Files By: Jim Butcher

While waiting AGES (feels that way anyway) for Peace Talks I've decided that I would love to start this whole series over again. I don't know when I will have the time for that, but I sure would love to!

10. Charlotte's Web By: E.B. White

I loved this one as a kid and I bought it a little while back to read with my kids.  They don't seem as intersted in reading it anymore, but I want to re-read it on my own then.

Honorable Mention:

11. The Lord of the Rings By: J.R.R. Tolkien

I really want to re-read this epicness, but I think I need to get myself geared up for it first.

So that's my list of books that I would like to re-read again and I'm sure there are a lot more too. What books do you want to re-read? Do you think you will get to any of them this year?