Top Ten Tuesday (#127) (03/22/16) Ten Books I Really Love But Feel Like I Haven't Talked About Enough

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

Ten Books I Really Love But Feel Like I Haven't Talked About Enough

I'm pretty vocal about my love of certain books/authors, such as my love of Sarah Dessen and Jason Reynolds. I will also go on and on about my love of some of the best books I've read in any given year.  However, there are some books that I have featured on some lists, but I just don't end up on these lists over and over.  Here are some of those books:

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

I rate books as soon as I finish them. I always like to put down my first impression, before I let time or other outside influences affect how I feel about a book. I rarely go back and change my star rating on Goodreads.  The downside of that is that sometimes I over rate books and within a few months of reading a book that I've rated pretty high, I can't remember a darned thing about it.  Then there are those that I rate well and just stick with me where I can't get them out of my head and I probably should have rated them higher.  This was definitely one that should have been rated higher.  It was a story that hasn't left me since the moment I read it years ago.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

I know I've mentioned my love of E. Lockhart books in the past, but I've generally focused on the Ruby Oliver books. This one is pretty amazing though. I read it and never really mentioned it again, but I love it. 

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

This book is hardly going to win any awards, but it's so adorable, sweet, cute, and innocent that it's stuck with me for years.  This is not great literature by any means, but it's readable and it made me happy. 

 Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

I know I've mentioned my love for Jennifer Echols a lot, but I don't know if I've focused much on this book, which is one of my favorites by her. This is another book where I read it and just couldn't get it out of my mind, so I read it several more times.  I haven't read it in a while, but I still remember the story very well and it remains one of my favorites. 

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo

I know I've mentioned this book a few times, but it's not one I go on about very much.  It's also not very highly rated on Goodreads, which kind of makes me sad. I read it years ago, and it just kind of touched me. It will always remain on my list of books where I would love to peek in on the characters ten years later.
 

 Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

This is most likely the book I have talked about the most on this blog. Probably because it doesn't seem to get a lot of love or likes on Goodreads.  It actually has a pretty low rating which makes me sad. I'm thinking there was a lot of DNFs because the main character is pretty awful. It still remains one of my all time favorite books because of the really though provoking discussion on female sexuality.

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

Another book that I've mentioned a few times, but it's often hard to find lists where I can fit this book. I check ebooks out from the library a lot, and this book was one of the few that as soon as I finished reading it, I went out and bought it.  Something about this book worked for me, and it remained one of my favorites.

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

I used to mention this book more, but it's been a while.  I'll Give You the Sun gets much more love, and deservedly so, but this book is equally as beautiful and memorable.  I  read it years ago and the beauty in the writing and the story have stuck with me.

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

This is a relatively new book so I think that may be why I haven't included it on many lists or mentioned it much on this blog, but it easily made my Top 10 from last year list. As I mentioned in that post, there are so many books that get politics wrong, and this one just got it SO right. 

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

This book really just touched me. It was so well written and while it also made my Top 10 from last year, I don't know that I've mentioned it in any of my other posts.  If you like contemporary fiction, I highly recommend this book.

Top Ten Tuesday (#116) (12/15/15) Top Ten Best Books I Read In 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

Top Ten Best Books I Read In 2015

I have read a lot of books this year, but I haven't been reading as many YA books only about 50, so I feel like I don't have a lot to compare.  Despite that, I have read some pretty awesome books. With a few more weeks left, there may be one that I will read that will shake this list up, but as of this moment here are my 10.  These are IN ORDER.

The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it totally lived up to my expectations. I want the second book in my hands NOW. I really hope they have it at ALA midwinter, I may cry if they don't. I read this pretty early in the year and I didn't think anything would come close until...

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely

I have not been quiet about my love for Jason Reynolds, so I knew ahead of time that I would probably love this book. I wasn't prepared for how amazing it truly was.  I really went back and forth if this should be my number one, and it really could be.  Let's just consider Wrath as 1a and this as 1b.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This was just so beautifully written.  I was so mad at myself for not reading it last year that this was one of the first books that I picked up in 2015. It was amazing, haunting, and just so tragic.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Any long time reader would not be surprised to see Sarah Dessen's latest book on my list. I really enjoyed this book, as I have most of her other books.  They marketed it as so different from her other books, but in reality it was just as familiar and amazing as her other books.

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I can totally understand why this book won the Printz. There is no doubt it deserves it. It is beautiful. And odd. And twisty. And just about perfect.  I waited what felt like 1000 years for Jandy Nelson to write another book after the Sky is Everywhere and somehow I didn't get to it last year, but man was it amazing.

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

More times than not authors get the Washington tone wrong. This book got it very right.  I think the accuracy, the believably and the story itself just completely won me over.  I expected to like this book, I didn't expect to love it as much as I did.

The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds

One of my favorite authors writes two books in the same year, two of this books end up on my favorites list. Reynolds debut ended up as my favorite for last year, and while I didn't love this as much as his first effort, this book was still pretty darned awesome.  If you haven't read his books, I can't recommend them enough.

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

This book proved that Emery Lord is no one hit wonder. Her debut made my list last year, and now she's two for two.  She is a great contemporary author and I plan to read pretty much everything she writes from now on.

P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han

To All the Boys was supposed to be a stand alone.  I am so glad that Jenny Han changed her mind.  I loved reading more about Laura Jean and Peter. But it wasn't even the romance, it was just getting that peek into Laura Jeans world and all her oddness yet awesomeness.

Noggin by John Corey Whaley

It was so bizarre and yet really good.  I listened to the audio of this book, and I laughed out loud many times over.  Is it contemporary, sci-fi? Doesn't really matter, it was just worth reading. 

BONUS

Sweet Filthy Boy (Wild Seasons #1) by Christina Lauren

This was on my mid-year list, and I will repeat what I said then. I fricking adored this book. No it's not YA, at ALL. It's pretty darned X rated.  But I've read it about ten times so far. Every time I think about this book, I want to read it all over again. I enjoyed the other two books in the series as well, but they just don't come close to touching my love for this book. If I included it on the regular list, it would have come in at #7, but because I tried to keep the list YA, it becomes just a bonus.

Top Ten Tuesday (#110) (10/13/15) Top Ten Author Duos You'd LOVE To See Write A Book Together

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

Top Ten Author Duos You'd LOVE To See Write A Book Together

Wow this is actually kind of hard for me.  My first instinct is to pair like authors. But then I start think about how challenging it would be for two different authors to come together to create something awesome.  Sadly I stuck to the pretty obvious, and a lot of contemporary since that is my true love.  Here is my best attempt at this.

Sarah Dessen & Gayle Forman

Two of my favorite authors writing a book together would blow me away.  It would be beautifully written with a tragic, yet hopeful, story line.

Rachel Hawkins & Ally Carter

A collaboration between them would just result in an awesome lighthearted book that would just be adorable.  And funny.

Jandy Nelson & E. Lockhart

My brain can't even begin to process the awesomeness that would come out of a collaboration with these writers.  They both write contemporary books, but their style is so different, yet so awesome that anything they write together would be a masterpiece. 

Maggie Stiefvater & John Corey Whaley

This is another book that I can't really imagine. Whatever the story it would be twisty, deep, with a sophisticated humor.  It would be beautifully written and completely memorable.

Laurie Halse Anderson & John Green

Another contemporary duo that I would love to see collaborate.  The both take on some really serious topics.  I don't read middle grade books, but I think they could kill something that is MG.

Emery Lord &  Jennifer E. Smith

Another two contemporary authors that I absolutely love.  Their books are somewhat similar, so I don't know if there would be a distinct voice that would come out of a collaboration between them.

Libba Bray & Maureen Johnson

Another contemporary pairing that I would love to see.  Libba Bray's books are so funny but in a really smart way, and Maureen Johnson's books can really play to that.

Rainbow Rowell & Stephanie Perkins

I imagine a collaboration between them to result in an awesomely quirky contemporary romance with characters that you just don't want to leave behind.

Morgan Matson & Leila Sales

This is another duo that has a very similar writing style.  Matson's books tend to be pretty serious, and Sale's more recent books have been the same.  However, Sale's early works have a lighthearted tone that I think would really work in a collaboration.

Kimberly Derting & Richelle Mead

I had to toss in a non-contemporary collaboration that I think would result in a really crazy yet awesomely interesting book. I imagine there would be some kind of paranormal element that would make this really memorable.

Top Ten Tuesday (#104) (08/18/15) Top Ten Of Your Auto-buy Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

Top Ten Of Your Auto-buy Authors

Hi I'm Lisa and I'm a book buying addict.  Seriously, I have had to limit myself to only buying e-books because I can't fit any more books in my house.  I do have some favorite authors though, but while I wouldn't say their books are auto-buys, they are auto reads (always through legal channels, either purchased, reviewed (ARCS), or checked out from the library.)  DON'T download "free" books on the internet.  You are stealing if you do.  Ultimately, they all end up being bought though.  So here are my auto-read authors.

Ally Carter

I've read pretty much whatever she's written, and I will continue to do so.  Her books are just plain good fun.  I may end up eating my words with her new series, but I just love what she's done so far.  My favorites are her Heist Society books.

Maggie Stiefvater

I admit I am one book behind on the Raven Cycle books, but I plan to remedy that very soon. My favorites are her Wolves of Mercy Falls books.

Sarah Dessen

 This one goes without saying.  I have read everything she's written and will continue to do so. She is my favorite author right now and she has been for a while.  My favorite books of hers are The Truth About Forever and This Lullaby.

Richelle Mead

 I haven't read any of her adult books, and I am in no hurry to.  Her YA books, I consume them as soon as they come out.  My favorites are the Vampire Academy Series.

Rachel Hawkins

I've read all of her books too.  I just love them.  They are just really good fun, and if you are not following her on twitter, I highly recommend checking it out.  She's funny.  She has a middle grade book coming out soon that I'll probably skip, but anything YA I'll definitely read.  My favorite is her Hex Hall series.

 Jennifer Echols

There are a few of her past books I still need to read, but I read each of her new books when they come out, or sometimes I review them and get to read them early.  She is definitely one of my favorite authors.  My favorite books are Going too Far and Perfect Couple.

E. Lockhart

I think there is one book of hers that I haven't read yet, but I will get to it eventually.  She is an amazing writer, and each time I pick up one of her books I get surprised again by how awesome they are. I just can't pick a favorite of hers, I love them all.

Jandy Nelson

She's only written two books, and they were both amazing.  I feel like I waited forever for I'll Give You the Sun, but it was worth the wait.  I will read everything and anything she writes next.  Not going to pick a favorite of hers either.

Gayle Forman

I've read most of what she's written, everything but her first book.  I will continue to read everything she's written because I love all her books.  My favorite book of hers is If I Stay.  Loved it.

Jason Reynolds

He's only written two books too, but they were both awesome.  He has another book coming out at the end of September that I will grab as soon as I can.  He also is writing a middle grade that I don't know if I'll pick up, but I'm sure will be awesome.