I've set up a goal of 20 books to read in 2021. Last year, I wasn't able to read as much as I wanted, but I want to make it up for myself. Here are some of the books I cannot wait to get my hands on:
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller.
The Shadows Between Us is a book about Alessandra,
an 18 year old girl who decides to marry the dark king
and kill him, then take his throne as the queen of
six countries. Killing is nothing new to her, she killed
the first boy who broke her hearth, this made her not
believe in love. There is nothing different in this case
with the king, she has her plan straight and is ready
to give anything for the throne. But plans don't go the
way she wants, and a bigger problems comes to her,
such as falling in love for her victim?
This book was recommended to me by one of
my teachers, and I promise you, she made it sound
very interesting and explained it much better than me.
I really wanna read it because I love mystery, fantasy
and romance in one book. It also sounds interesting to
learn about the world Alessandra lives in and the big kingdom.
The Queen's Assassin by Melisa De La Cruz.
The Queen's Assassin is the first out of two books in The Queen's secret duology.
Now, I have a read a tiny bit of this book, it pretty much just appeared to me in a library, I read a chapter or two, and the thought "Huh, this is something......I WANT IT!". Now I have it and I am ready to enjoy it fully.
As far as I've read and understand, it is a book which talks about a girl, who decided to become strong by magic, saves a boy and starts her adventure to save her kingdom. That's it, that's all I know, and let me tell you, the first pages I've read really hooked me. Please, if you've read this book and I am completely wrong, I am sorry, no spoiler allowed though.
Either way, as I said, the book got me hooked (even thought the plot is very simple) and I loveeee the romance, already have a couple of ships here and there =)
Melissa De La Cruz is one of my favorite authors, she writes so beautifully and I can fell the emotions everyone in the book is feeling. I've read many of her books such as the trilogy of Alex and Eliza and Pride And Prejudice And Mistletoe, now I can't wait to read another piece of her work.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe is about the daughter of the sun god Helios and the ocean nymph Perse. She is beautiful in every single way, but does not have any sort of power, at first. She starts to become friends with the mortals who accept her for who she is and finally discovers that she has powers which is Witcraft.
Circe decides to use her powers to be with the mortals and help them, but of course, the rest of the gods were not happy, including Zeus, who felt threatened to the way she acted. She faces problems with her family and her people making her pick if she belongs with the gods or with the mortals.
Even thought these gods and creatures most likely do not exist, it shows us the way Greeks told their stories and tried to share morals. That's what I love about Greek mythology, it tries to explain the questions without answer and make people explode with creativity. Circe looks like one of those greats stories, and probably will bring the topic of independence from your family.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
The Secret History is a book about a group of wealthy, college students who study Greek mythology under their eccentric and weird professor. The group starts to make a cult with rituals influenced by Greek things they studied. They exclude themselves from the school and become obsessed with their believes. As the group turns worse and worse, they start to use drugs and in the process, kill someone. So then they kill a person from the group as a cover up, and keep doing their rituals to the gods. Eventually investigators start unraveling the student's past and what they are doing, their sick mentality and action.
To be honest, this is one of the books I am most exited about. It sounds so dark and scary and (most likely) not for someone who is 15, but I can't stop thinking about the things these kids can do and how far they go.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Song of Achilles is a book that takes place in ancient Greece, and focuses on a young, awkward, Prince Patroclus who is in the shadows of the king and the perfect Prince Achilles. Achilles and Patroclus are polar opposites and were never supposed to meet. But eventually, Achilles and Patroclus create a bonding like any other.
This book (just like Circe) is the type of books I am seriously obsessed with. I love that it focuses on friendship and how even thought the two characters are different, they can support one another without any jealousy (or at least I hope).
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo.
A girl named Galaxy (Alex) Stern was born in Los Angeles. She was in a world full of drugs, dead-end jobs, and much worse. At twenty, she was the survivor of an unsolved homicide, making her seem like her life is over. But, she gets a second chance, and internship to the world's elite school, but why her?
While searching for the answers, she is tasked with monitoring one of Yale's secret societies. A cult, with sinister activities than anything you could imagine.
I want to read this book because I am intrigued by the thought of a "secret society" in Yale University. Also, I really like the sinister and dark vibes (just like the ones from The Secret History)
The Goldfinch by Donna Tart
Another interesting story by Donna Tart, this time is about a boy named Theo Decker who survives an accident who tears his life apart. He finds himself alone, and it's taken in by a wealthy family of one of his friends. As he grows up, he draws himself into the criminal world. While all of this happens, he gets tormented by the logging for his mother becoming and obsession.
This is a thrilling suspense, with loss and obsession, which means, I LOVE IT. I've heard about this book in Instagram, it describes greed as one of the biggest themes of this book, which makes me more and more interested. Also I wonder how Theo will move on from his mother's death.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The four March sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are forced to act like domestic girls, and do a "woman's job". While all of this is happening, they must also survive the civil war in Massachusetts. The girls are not perfect, and try as hard as they can to help their family while their father is fighting in the war. The girls learn about social life, love, and how to become a woman in their own ways, while waiting for their father's return.
I want to read this book not only because it is such a heartwarming story with very interesting girls (all with different dreams) but also because it was based on Alcott's life. She supported herself and her sisters with sewing, doing laundry, and acting as a servant, but eventually she found out she was able to make money by writting her own stories. She was able (just like the girls in Little Woman) proof that as a woman, she could do much more than her chores at home, and that she was independent in her own way.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden is about Mary Lennox, an English girl who returns to England from India while suffering the intense trauma of losing both of her parents in an epidemic. Her parents were not that pleasant, they were selfish, neglecting and pleasure- seeking. She is taken care of by her Uncle (who she is scared of) who slowly controls her. When her uncle leaves the house, she travels around and finds a locked secret garden, one full of .....secrets..... AND a mystery of sobbing sounds from somewhere in the mansion. She tells the maids about what she hears and discovers, but they just don't answer at all, increasing Mary's curiosity.
This book sounds interesting to me because of the death of Mary's parents, and I really wonder if the death has to do with something from the garden, or if it would explain why her parents were so greedy.
The Iliad by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles
Another book taking place in ancient Greece! This time a poem which shows the war between gods and men, and destruction in the conclusion of the Trojan War.
That's all I pretty much know. I want to read this book because of my background information about the author. I learned about the poet Homer a long time ago, in my 4th grade class back in Colombia to be more exact. My teacher talked non stop about different Greek poets, and mentioned Homer as the man who set the ideas and values of ancient Greeks (or at least explained them). I remember her talking about the Iliad and the Odyssey (Poems made by Homer) and how she loved it so much, that's were my love for history and Greek mythology started. I never read nether of the poems because I was never able to get a copy, but now that I have the chance, I can finally read them myself! I want to start with the Iliad at least this year, and when I finish, I might get the Odyssey.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Taking place in the 18th century, Pride and Prejudice is a book about Elizabeth Bennet and her family. She (unlike the rest of her sisters) is an independent and less cordial girl who does not want to marry anyone. But her mother wants the daughters to get married before the father dies. This story is a mess of love and hate between the sisters and men who want Elizabeth hand in marriage.
What I am really liking about this story is the drama that this story will have, I like to read romance stories like this one once in a while and then scream at the book when things aren't going the way I want them to be. Also I really like the time setting because of the balls, puffy dresses, masquerades, carriages, and big castles. Oh I wish I was living in THAT time period!
Dead Poets Society by N. H. Kleinbaum
This book is about Todd Anderson and his friends, who get inspired by their English Professor, who challenged them to make their lives extraordinary. The boys find a secret club in their academy free from expectations and restrictions. Here, the boys learn the beauty of language, and the importance of making every moment count. They soon realize that their freedom has tragic consequences, making authorities pressure the end of this club, and break their dreams.
I really, REALLY want to read this book because it sounds so heartwarming and sweet, and with a nice theme. Unless, it becomes very dark like The Secret History...that would suck....
I wont be covering all of the books I want to read, but I will try to work on the ones I want to read the most! Also, I've never read any of these books, so I am sorry if the descriptions I made are wrong.
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