Top 10 Of 2016 Day 1- Best Books I've Read in 2016!

Yay welcome to day 1 of our Top 10 of 2016 event! We're so happy that you all are participating with us! 2016 was an awesome year for me. I've read 125 books as of today and will most likely hit my goal of 130 by the 31^st! I love the GoodreadsReading Challenge I sign up every year and the people at Goodreads have a cool Your Year of Books when you sign up for the challenge. If you want to see all the books I read this year go HERE!

So today’s topic is Best Books I've Read in 2016 (Doesn't have to be released in 2016, just a book you've read in 2016). And I had a hell of a time narrowing it down to just 10 so there are a few honorable mentions added to this list. If you want to know anything about the books I chose just click on the title and it’ll take you to the Goodreads page!

And make sure to stop by my co-hosts sites Fiktshun, Tales of a Ravenous Reader, and Dark Faerie Tales for their lists! Oh and make sure to sign up with the linky to share your lists! 

1. The AIR AWAKENS Series by Elise Kova. This was hands down one of my favorites of the year! I binge read the whole series in 5 days and I read them in eBook format. Most of you know how much I dislike eBooks but I couldn't wait to get the physical copies of this amazing high fantasy series! If you want to give this series a read Elise has the digital boxed set (all 5 books) up for sale for only $9.99! And if you have Kindle Unlimited it's FREE!

2. A MILLION WORLDS WITH YOU by Claudia Gray. The perfect ending to one of my all time favorite series! I was sad to see it end.

3. UNKNOWN by Wendy Higgins. I was so happy to hear that Wendy was writing a New Adult sci-fi series and this didn't disappoint! I love all of Wendy's books but I think this may be my favorite of hers!

4. A PROMISE OF FIRE by Amanda Bouchet. I started reading more adult fantasy this year and this one is one of my favorites! It's a great high fantasy with swoony romance!

5. CRYSTAL STORM by Morgan Rhodes. Is anyone surprsied this made my list? I am obsessed with this series!

6. BLACKHEARTS by Nicole Castroman. I love a good pirate book and this is probably my all time favorite even if Blackbeard in this story isn't a pirate...yet

7. ARCANA RISING by Kresley Cole. This book might just be my favorite of the Arcana Chronicles series! Kresley may be self publishing the rest of the books since Simon & Schuster sucks and dropped the series but her writing is still amazing and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next in the series!

8. THE FORGETTING by Sharon Cameron. I love all of Sharon's books but I think this is by far my favorite of hers!

9. THE ARCHITECT OF SONG by A.G. Howard. This is A.G.'s first self published book in her Historical/Gothic New Adult series and I loved every page!

10. A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas. This series has become my new favorite of hers! I still love her Throne of Glass books but not as much as this. And Oh My Rhysand! 

Honorable Mentions

CLANLESS by Jennifer Jenkins.

SACRIFICE by Cindy Pon.

A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT by Sabaa Tahir.

THE CROWN'S GAME by Evelyn Skye.

NIGHT STUDY by Maria V. Snyder. 

BURNING GLASS by Kathryn Purdie.

LIKE A RIVER GLORIOUS by Rae Carson.

Did any of my favorites make your list? Fill out the linky and let me know! And remember to stop by my co-hosts blogs you'll find a giveaway on one of them!

Blog Tour- EVER THE HUNTED by Erin Summerill An Interview & Giveaway!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for EVER THE HUNTED by Erin Summerill! I absolutely loved this high fantasy book and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!! I have an interview with Erin to share with you today! And make sure to enter the awesome giveaway for a chance to win the book!!

Haven't heard of EVER THE HUNTED? Check it out!

Title: EVER THE HUNTED

Author: Erin Summerill

Pub. Date: December 27, 2016

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Pages: 400

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force. 

Now on to the interview!

Hi Erin! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books! EVER THE HUNTED was fantastic and I can’t wait for everyone to read it! And am so happy that you could stop by for a visit!

For the readers: can you tell us a little bit about EVER THE HUNTED and the characters?

Thank you for having me on your awesome blog! Ever The Hunted is about Britta, a girl who has recently lost her father and has been caught for poaching. To save her own life, she must hunt down her father’s killer. The problem is, the accused is the man she loves. To save both their lives, Britta must track down the real killer.

So is there a title for book 2 yet? And how many books will there be in the series?

Yes, there is a book 2! I’m almost done working on it. The second book concludes the series.

Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?

There is a woman named Enat in the book that is roughly based off my grandmother. She was tough and didn’t coddle anyone, but she loved fiercely.

Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

One of my favorite characters to discover and write was Leif. I love the friendship he forms with Britta in the book. My least favorite was also my second favorite character—Cohen. Sometimes I hated him and sometimes I loved him, which made writing some scenes a blast, and other scenes painful.

What is your favorite passage/scene in EVER THE HUNTED?

There is a scene where Britta and Cohen are sitting on a cliff look-out, and they’re discussing their training. When I wrote this scene, I didn’t have the title for Ever The Hunted figured out yet. But during the scene, Cohen says, “…if I were ever the hunted, you’d always find me.” And as soon as I finished typing the line, I knew I had my title. For that reason, it’s one of my favorites.

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

I spent quite a great deal of time researching medieval and pre-medieval government in Germany, England, Scotland, and Ireland. That gave me the foundation for the world set-up. Then the majority of my research was on hunting and weaponry.

Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?

Oh this is such a tough question! I read too many books and love too many characters. Right now, I love Rhysand from A Court of Mist and Fury.

What inspired you to write YA?

I taught high school English and read hundreds of young adult books during that time. It only felt natural to delve into young adult literature when I decided to spend more time working on writing.

Lightening Round Questions

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

I am reading The Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eaves. It’s fascinating and her writing is mesmerizing.

I’m dying to pick up The Hundredth Queen by Emily King as well as Poison’s Kiss by Breeana Shields.

What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?

Hufflepuff

Twitter or Facebook?

Twitter

Favorite Superhero?

The Flash

Favorite TV show?

Fresh off the Boat (It is so funny and reminds me of my family)

Sweet or Salty?

Sweet. Candy candy candy candy candy

Any Phobias?

Heights and goldfish.

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

I love “Walls” by Kings of Leon. It’s so good.

2017 Movie you’re most looking forward to?

Beauty and the Beast!!!! Right? I’m dying for this one.

Thanks so much Erin for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read EVER THE HUNTED!

About Erin:

Erin Summerill was born in England. After spending years bouncing between Air Force bases in Hawaii, England, and California, her family settled in Utah, where Erin graduated with a B.A. in English from Brigham Young University. She had aspirations to write the next great American novel, but writing proved tougher than she first thought. So she grabbed a Nikon and became a professional photographer while crafting manuscript after manuscript. The scenic detour of shooting weddings across the United States, as well as internationally, provided world-building inspiration. It gave her the vision to draft her debut YA fantasy, EVER THE HUNTED. Now when she isn’t writing, or shooting a wedding, she’s chasing her four kids, two dogs, one cat, and five chickens. This could be why she downs massive amounts of Coke Zero and Hot tamales.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a signed finished copy of EVER THE HUNTED, US Only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

12/19/2016- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Interview

12/20/2016- A Backwards Story- Review

12/21/2016- Dani Reviews Things- Guest Post

12/22/2016- Fiction Fare- Review

12/23/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

Week Two:

12/26/2016- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review

12/27/2016- Nerdophiles- Guest Post

12/28/2016- Take Me Away To A Great Read- Review

12/29/2016- The YA Book Traveler- Interview

12/30/2016- The Reading Nook Reviews- Review

Dying To Read (187)- THE CROWN'S FATE by Evelyn Skye

Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme! 

I love Evelyn and her first book so I can't wait to read this one!

Title: THE CROWN'S FATE

Author: Evelyn Skye

Release Date: May 16, 2017

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Pages: 400

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iBooks 

Perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and Red Queen, The Crown’s Fate is the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Crown’s Game, an atmospheric historical fantasy set in Imperial Russia.

Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.

Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.

For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.

With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

Top 10 of 2016 Reminder

Hey everyone! Just thought I'd post a reminder to everyone who's signed up that Top 10 of 2016 starts on Monday, December 26th!  Don't worry if you haven't signed up yet, you still have time. Keep reading for a link where you can sign up today.

Here's a reminder of the week's daily topics -

Monday, December 26th - Best Books I've Read in 2016 (Doesn't have to be released in 2016, just a book you've read in 2016)

Tuesday, December 27th - Best Book Covers of 2016 (MUST be a book released in 2016. Would be best if it's a book you've READ in 2016, but it's not required)

Wednesday, December 28th- Best ________ Of 2016 (Readers/Bloggers choice. Please fill in the blank with ONE or more of these topics - Villains, Contemporaries, Dual POV's, Novellas, Adult titles, New Adult titles, Love Triangles, Couples, Bad Boys or Debuts. REMEMBER - this list MUST be from books you've READ in 2016)

Thursday, December 29th - Best Book Boyfriends of 2016 (MUST be from a book released in 2015 and from a book you've READ in 2016)

Friday, December 30th - Top 10 Books I'm looking forward to in 2017. (This list should be comprised of books released ONLY in 2017)

The only rules to follow are posting the topics on the dates we've provided.

All the other rules, which are pretty easy to follow can be found by CLICKING HERE! 

So, if you haven't signed up yet please CLICK HERE and fill out the Linky. 

We hope everyone has a great time for this year’s Top 10 and we can't wait to see everyone's posts and lists for the week. 

Blog Tour- CRYSTAL STORM by Morgan Rhodes An Interview & Giveaway!

I am so excited to be hosting a spot on Morgan Rhodes' CRYSTAL STORM blog tour! I am freaking OBSESSED with this series, I mean seriously there are no words for how much I love it (and Magnus *swoons*). I have an interview with Morgan to share with you today!
Haven't heard of CRYSTAL STORM? Check it out!

Title: CRYSTAL STORM

Author: Morgan Rhodes

Release Date: December 13, 2016

Publisher: Razorbill

Formats:  Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes& Noble | iBooks

An epic clash between gods and mortals threatens to tear Mytica apart . . . and prove that not even the purest of love stands a chance against the strongest of magic.

MAGNUS and CLEO are forced to test the strength of their love when Gaius returns to Mytica claiming he's no longer the King of Blood but a changed man seeking redemption.

LUCIA, pregnant with the child of a Watcher, has escaped the clutches of the unhinged fire god. Her powers are dwindling as she goes forth to fulfill a prophecy that will keep her baby safe . . . but could mean her demise. 

JONAS treks back to Mytica with a plan to overtake Amara, but fate takes hold when he runs into the beautiful Princess Lucia and joins her on her perilous journey.

AMARA has taken the Mytican throne, but with no way to unleash the water magic trapped within her stolen crystal, she'll never be able to seize glory and get sweet revenge.

And what kind of darkness will descend--and who will be safe--after Prince Ashur reveals the dangerous price he paid to cheat death?

Now on to the interview!!

Morgan Rhodes Interview Two Chicks Interview 12/16/2016

Hi Morgan! First, I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books! Thanks for stopping by to answer my questions! I love The Falling Kingdoms Series and CRYSTAL STORM was freaking awesome!

Thank you so much! Glad to be here!!

So for can you give us a quick recap of what has happened in the series?

A lot has happened, so a quick recap would be nearly impossible, especially if we want to avoid spoilers. However, I can say that there has been a battle for control over a kingdom named Mytica, which contains a legendary quartet of crystal orbs filled with elemental magic; there have been shaky alliances made between mortal enemies, unexpected love found, and great losses, as my main four characters, consisting of royals and rebels—Magnus, Lucia, Cleo & Jonas—navigate this rocky and treacherous terrain.

Can you tell us a little bit of what we can expect in CRYSTAL STORM?

Things are coming to a climax in the second to last book of the series, that’s for sure! Readers can expect unexpected twists, big romance, big battles, more magic, unusual team-ups, and a killer cliffhanger.

What is your favorite passage/scene from CRYSTAL STORM?

Not to sound evil, but I did enjoy writing the last cliffhanger chapter. Sorry readers! ;)

Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

Magnus is my favorite and has been since book one since he’s just so much fun to write since, even though I do write from an outline, he always surprises me with what he says and how he looks at the world. I don’t have a least favorite, but I will say that Lucia has been a challenging character since she is a girl who is (slowly) finding her footing and figuring out who she is – and making tons of mistakes along the way. As we all do in our teen years!

Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend?

I’d have to say this is a tie between Adrian Ivashkov and (yes, I’ll admit it) Edward Cullen.

What inspired you to write YA?

I’ve always been drawn to the genre. When I was a teen, that was when I read the most voraciously—all sorts of genres. When I hit a reading slump as an adult, I found the YA genre and it reminded me of how much fun it is to read. This was when the YA section in bookstores consisted of about one shelf located at the far back of the store and most of the books were no more than 200 pages long. I wrote adult novels for a while under another name, but naturally gravitated back to YA and am loving it.

Lightening Round Questions

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

Right now I’m rereading all five Falling Kingdoms novels so I can finish writing book six. Sometimes I forget the little details, so I always skim through the previous books. Next up on my TBR, I’m dying to finally get a chance to read Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology.

What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?

The sorting hat at Pottermore.com was wise and placed me with my good friends at Slytherin. ;)

Twitter or Facebook?

Twitter

Favorite Superhero?

Wonder Woman

Favorite TV show?

Currently: The Walking Dead; of all time: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Sweet or Salty?

Sweet

Any Phobias?

Spiders

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

“Me Too” by Meghan Trainor

2017 Movie you’re most looking forward to?

Wonder Woman!

Thanks so much Morgan for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read CRYSTAL STORM!

photo credit Shanon Fujioka

About Morgan:

Morgan Rhodes is the New York Times bestselling author of the FALLING KINGDOMS series. As a child, she always wanted to be a princess—the kind that knows how to wield a sharp sword to help save both kingdoms and princes from fire-breathing dragons and dark wizards. Instead, she became a writer, which is just as good and much less dangerous. Along with writing, Morgan enjoys photography, travel, and reality TV, and is an extremely picky yet voracious reader of all kinds of books.

LEARN MORE

Follow Morgan Rhodes on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram

Find the Falling Kingdoms series on Facebook

Giveaway Details:

Enter for a chance to win a set of the Falling Kingdom books by Morgan Rhodes, which includes paperback editions of Falling Kingdoms, Rebel Spring, Gathering Darkness and Frozen Tides and a hardcover edition of Crystal Storm (Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $63.00). In addition, four (4) Runner-up Winners will each receive a paperback edition of Falling Kingdoms ($11.00 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:01 AM (EST) on December 5, 2016 and 11:59 PM (EST) on December 16, 2016.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about December 19, 2016. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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Check out the Tour Schedule!

WEEK ONE:

12/5: Steph in Wonderland (Book Look)

12/5: Young Adult Hollywood (Book Playlist)

12/6: Live to Read (Review)

12/6: Adventures of a Book Junkie (Reasons to Read Falling Kingdoms)

12/7: Take Me Away to a Great Read (Falling Kingdoms Mood Board)

12/7: Fiction Adventure (Character Fancast)

12/8: A Page with a View (Favorite Fictional Princes)

12/8: Star Crossed (Review)

12/9: Seeing Double in Neverland (Guest Post)

12/9: Bibliophile Gathering (The Series So Far)

WEEK TWO:

12/12: Once Upon a Twilight (Quotes + Review)

12/13: Dark Faerie Tales (Excerpt)

12/13: Mundie Moms (Review)

12/14: The Book Nut (Reasons to Read Falling Kingdoms)

12/15: Scifi Chick (Spotlight)

12/15: Tales of the Ravenous Reader (Guest Post)

12/16: Two Chicks on Books (Q&A)

It's not too late to start this amazing series! Grab all the books now!