For this article, I wanted to make a top 10 of my readings because at the moment, I was able to read a lot of very interesting books and many of these new readings were put in my top 10. Since I had already done an article on my Top 5, I decided not to add these books to the article, even though they will always remain in my top 5 favorite books. Without further ado, here is the list:
1- Saga The book of Ivy by Amy Engel
Summary of the first volume:
It's been fifty years since a nuclear war decimated the world's population. A group of survivors of about ten thousand people has finally formed, and what remains of the United States of America has chosen a president. But of the two families that competed for power, mine lost. Today, the sons and daughters of the former adversaries are forced to marry each other in an annual ceremony that is supposed to keep the people together.
I am sixteen this year, and it is my turn.
My name is Ivy Westfall, and I have one mission in life: to kill the boy I am destined to marry, Bishop, the president's son. Ever since I was a little girl, I've been preparing for this moment. No matter my feelings, my desires, my doubts. The hopes of an entire community rest on me. The time of rebellion is coming...
Bishop must die. And I will be the one to kill him.
Born to betray and made to kill... Will she be up to the task? Part tortured love story, part psychological thriller, and part cruel dystopia, The Book of Ivy takes you on a breathless countdown from which you will not escape unscathed.
Review:
This saga is just incredible. We discover a whole new world where arranged marriages are the norm, the problems that this causes and those until the end of the books. The characters are so endearing especially Ivy and Bishop. Bishop is the character that gives all the charm to this saga. What is most interesting in this story is the tug of war that assails Ivy between her morals and her heart, between her biological family and a new family that she had never imagined before. It's a concept that I found very original and that makes the books so captivating.
In short, I devoured this saga and I do not regret it. I loved every page of these two books.
2- Confess by Colleen Hoover
Summary:
Auburn Reed has very specific plans for the future and will not let anyone get in her way! But when she walks through the door of an art gallery in Dallas for an interview that pushes her toward Owen Gentry. The enigmatic artist seems to have a lot to hide at all costs. In an attempt to uncover his innermost secrets, Auburn will let her guard down only to realize that she is risking much more than she thought.
To build themselves up, everyone will have to confess everything. But sometimes the truth is more painful than silence...
Review:
I was very touched by this story. Just like the characters of Owen and Auburn who are so deep and endearing. The story deals with all sorts of issues that are a bit taboo nowadays and I liked that aspect. But what I really liked was to build the story around confessions. It's very original, and it really brings a plus to the story and to the characters who reveal themselves little by little. And then, the writing is fluid, and makes the reading captivating. I've never read a story that mixes romance, art, and incredible and strong fights that the characters lead that bring us to tears or fill us with joy. This is such a book that resonated with me and I highly recommend it.
3- Lux Saga by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Summary of Volume 1:
When Katy moves to a godforsaken corner of West Virginia, she expects everything but to meet neighbors her own age.
Disappointingly, Daemon Black may be hot and have an adorable twin sister, but he's still insufferable and arrogant!
When Kat realizes that everyone seems to be running away from the Black family, she sees Daemon's cold smugness in a different light.
Will she still be able to avoid him when everything screams at her to get closer?
Review:
First of all, I want to tell you something about the author: Jennifer L Armentrout. She is an exceptional young woman who writes remarkable books that will take you through every possible and unimaginable emotion, making your reading experience smoother, easier, and most importantly, more addictive.
I love this series because the author sets up an amazing love story between Katy and Daemon that makes our body temperature rise. They are so adorable together and fun when they bicker that it almost becomes a game for them, a habit and we never get tired of it.
The action is well described, which makes it a smooth and easy read. We believe ourselves in the story, we feel close to the characters. Moreover, the main character Katy is a brave young girl with whom we identify well because she is someone who loves to read, she even keeps a blog where she writes reviews, and I find it very interesting to have someone so close to us. Finally, the secondary characters are just as interesting and let us know their character in the story which lightens the content of the book a bit. So I recommend you this saga because I think you will love it as I do.
And the ending, the last volume I should say, is just wonderful. It ends this incredible series in a totally epic way and there is so much suspense that I thought my heart would explode at the end.
4- Percy Jackson Saga (+ Heroes of Olympus & The Labors of Apollo) by Rick Riordan
Summary of the first volume:
Being a demigod can be deadly...
Attacked by his math teacher who is in fact a mythological monster, unjustly expelled from his college and pursued by a rabid minotaur, Percy Jackson finds himself accused of having stolen Zeus' lightning bolt!
To stay alive, clear his name and discover the identity of the god who fathered him, he will have to accomplish his quest at the cost of a thousand dangers.
Review:
I love this saga enormously, that I devoured the tomes so much I was immersed in the world of the Gods of Olympus, and that I like to reread it from time to time. And then the characters are extremely endearing. The bond between Percy and Annabeth, the uniqueness of Nico, Clarisse and Chris, Silena and Charles, the joke of Mr. D...
Percy's world is so endearing and addictive that you can't put the books down and just keep going, scrolling down the pages faster and faster. And then, the humor in these books is just wonderful (especially Leo's when you start the Heroes of Olympus saga). We see the characters grow little by little through the sagas, and then, I love Rick Riordan's style. He likes to take us through every kind of emotion imaginable that transports us into a story where monsters actually exist.
This series of books is incredibly captivating because it is filled with suspense and action and I have always loved this link between the modern world and that of mythology (whether Greek or Roman).
5- The gem trilogy by Kerstin Gier
Summary of the first volume:
Gwendolyn is a high school student like any other. Okay, she sees ghosts in the corridors of her high school, but first she sees only one, and then nobody is perfect. As for the rest, it's just ordinary life, with boring teachers, a demanding mother, and annoying brothers and sisters...
But when she suddenly finds herself projected into the beginning of the last century, Gwendolyn panics. It doesn't last very long, but still!
She who thought she was ordinary turns out to be marked with the seal of the time watchers. Those who travel through the ages to accomplish mysterious missions.
Something to get you out of your daily routine.....
Review:
This saga is a pure masterpiece. It reads quickly because the fluid writing transmits us emotions, actions and humours at the same time. We discover a universe of time travel where history and the past have an important place in the story. It is filled with an intrigue that never dries up and makes us live the story until the end, leaving us breathless as the emotions of the central character are strong and powerful.
The story begins when Gwendolyn, the main character, discovers that she carries a gene that allows her to travel in time. From that moment on, she discovers a whole new world. Forced to use a chronograph to control her uncontrollable jumps, she goes on missions for a certain count who has the gift of reading minds. With the help of her partner Gideon, who also carries the gene, they travel through time to accomplish their duty.
The relationship that develops between the two heroes shows us how ambiguous the story is, even for Gwendolyn who learns at the same time as we do what is going on in the plot. Nevertheless, she manages to find her bearings while unraveling the mystery surrounding the Count.
Gwendolyn is a young girl who is a bit clumsy but has an unusual personality and is very brave. She knows how to cope with situations that are beyond her control by remaining herself. However, she will be helped by her friends and family when she needs it.
The feelings she develops for Gideon will move the story forward, with a touch of romance, but also make the characters evolve, affecting her family as much as her peers and her best friend Leslie who supports her in this journey.
This saga is very original and highlights an unusual aspect of the story by focusing on the past and the emotions of the characters. A story that will change Gwendolyn's life as much as ours.
6- Saga The mortal Instruments (City of darkness) by Cassandra Clare
Summary of the first volume:
New York, nowadays. During a party, Clary, 15 years old, witnesses a murder. She is terrified when the victim's body mysteriously disappears before her eyes... She then discovers the existence of an invisible war between demonic forces and the secret society of Shadowhunters. The mysterious Jace is one of them. By his side, Clary will play a role in this adventure that she never imagined.
Review:
Plunging into the heart of the Dark World where all the legends are real, Clary's life will suddenly be turned upside down. Thanks to the Shadowhunters, she will discover that her past was a lie: she is a Shadowhunter with a unique and incredible gift. Unfortunately, a powerful enemy threatens this world and her friends: Valentin, her father.
This six-book saga offers us an array of actions and emotions that grow with each page, making us addicted to the story. Moreover, the characters are endearing and show us their humanity in this world where everything is darker. They manage to stand out by their unique characteristics: Jace is his sarcasm that relaxes the atmosphere; the indestructible bond that unites Clary and Simon, a bond so incredible that we can't get tired of them; Isabelle is her ardor that is both vengeful and sensual and that doesn't lack charm; and finally Alec is his sensitive side that only reveals itself on rare and beautiful occasions.
A saga that I highly recommend for those who love adventures and risks.
And if you didn't know, there is also the Shadowhunters series on Netflix!
7- Saga The Guardians of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Summary of Volume 1:
For years, Sophie has known that she is not like everyone else. She feels apart at school, where she doesn't have to listen to lectures to understand. The reason? She has a photographic memory... But that's not all: what she has never revealed to anyone is that she hears others think as if they were speaking aloud to her. With headphones on to keep the constant background noise from driving her crazy, she was walking with her class to the Natural History Museum one morning when a strange boy approached her. From that moment, the life she knew is over: she is not human and must abandon her entire existence to join another universe, which she left twelve years earlier. Waiting for her there are a host of new friends and enemies, and one haunting question: who is she? Why was she hidden in the human world? Why does she have only partial memories of her past? A first novel bathed in magic, whose fantasy and sense of suspense work wonders, and where Shannon Messenger's undeniable talent shines through. A name to remember!
Review:
This saga is breathtaking! The story is just exceptional and super well described and brought. As for the characters, I loved them. Sophie is a very brave girl for her age and mature. She faces so many pressures that I wonder how she keeps from suffocating. Thankfully she can count on the friends she makes throughout the books! I especially liked Keefe and his incredible sense of humor. Then I like Biana too. She grows up and becomes a true warrior through the books.
And of course, the charm of this series is that there are so many twists and turns and revelations that you can't put the book down and want to keep reading until the end.
In short, these are wonderful books not to be missed.
8 - Everless Saga by Sara Holland
Summary of the first volume:
Julie lives in misery with her father. In order to pay his debts, he goes to consult the time extractor. Because in the kingdom of Sempera, everything is paid in time. The time of life contained in the blood can be transformed into precious metal...
To prevent her father, already weakened, from condemning himself by bleeding again, Julie is hired as a servant at Everless, the residence of the Gerlings, the most powerful family in the kingdom. The wedding of Roan, the family's youngest son, to the queen's adopted daughter is to be celebrated. The latter is several hundred years old thanks to her wealth (the currency created from blood can also be consumed to extend life...)
But Julie has always been secretly in love with Roan. Because she lived in Everless as a child. But after a tragic accident, she and her father had to flee. And her father has always forbidden her to return to Everless...
Review:
This book is insane. I loved it from start to finish. The world of Everless is incredibly well imagined and detailed. And I loved the characters and the suspense that hangs over them. I especially liked the main character Julie, but also Liam who is a deeper character than one might imagine. And to see them grow through the volumes is just a pure joy.
The story around the Alchemist and the Envouteuse is a mystery that is only revealed at the last moment, a mystery that keeps us in suspense until the end and I just loved it. And I really enjoyed how the author changed the mood from one book to the next to show how the story was evolving. It's just so well done. And the ending is great. So go ahead and read these books if you haven't already.
9- The Maze Runner Saga (The Trial) by James Dashner
Summary of the first volume:
When Thomas regains consciousness, his memory is empty, only his name is familiar... He finds himself surrounded by teenagers in a strange place, in the shadow of impassable walls. Four gigantic doors, which close at night, open onto a labyrinth populated by steel monsters. Every night, the plan is modified.
Thomas understands that a terrible ordeal awaits them all. How to escape through the cursed labyrinth without risking his life? If only he could unearth the dark secrets buried deep in his memory...
Review:
How can I describe this wonderful saga to you? We follow the story through the eyes of Thomas, who discovers this world at the same time as us. A world where everything is turned upside down. We perceive all the emotions of Thomas as if they were ours. And I cherished this side. And although this is mostly a post-apocalyptic book, we can count on the characters to make the story more alive, with a touch of incredible humor. And you can't help but love Thomas, Newt and Minho (well, for my part anyway). And of course, the labyrinth is only the first trial and hides much more than we could imagine. And I will finish on this note, this saga is a bomb!
10- Saga Elements by Brittainy C. Cherry
Summary of the first volume:
Will they find their way back to life?
They are both in mourning, and will try to learn to live again. Together, they will be able to overcome the preconceived notions.
Tristan and Elizabeth are neighbors, they have nothing in common but their painful past.
She has chosen to go on living, if only for the sake of her little daughter Emma.
He has chosen to withdraw from the world.
But Elizabeth doesn't see it that way. She knows that they are both broken and that together they will be stronger to face their ghosts. But that doesn't take into account all the pitfalls that the inhabitants of their small town will put in their way.
Together, they will know how to overcome the preconceived ideas.vont endurer vont le fortifier.
Review:
This book is beautiful. It has captivated me from the first pages with its sentences full of meaning and that make us think about what surrounds us. Some of them are just sublime and reflect our state of mind, so much so that I questioned myself and sometimes questioned myself. Because this book brings us some distance with regard to ourselves, our thoughts and our identity. A step back sometimes necessary to understand who we are and what is important to us, and changes our view on the world. A story to make our heart capsize and to make us addicted to the point of never letting go of the book. A plot so beautiful that we are unable to put words to it to define it. So resplendent that it became my favorite.
As a reminder, my top 5 consists of (in order of preference):
1. Patience Game by Jennifer L. Armentrout
2. The Deal (Off Campus) by Elle Kennedy
3. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth
5. Avalon High by Meg Cabot
Here is the link to the article: https://ameliemarmo.wixsite.com/monsite/post/top-5-de-mes-livres-pr%C3%A9f%C3%A9r%C3%A9s
PS: for the pictures, as I was not at home, I took the pictures with the books I had with me and not the ones I quote in this article
Photo Credit: Amélie Marmonier
Comments