Top Ten Tuesday (#117) (12/22/15) Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

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

 

Top Ten Nine Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

This is really hard because other than ARCs, I have tried to avoid bringing in more print books.  I just don't have enough shelves to hold all my books.  So this list is more along the lines of books I wouldn't mind Santa magically delivering to my Kindle. 

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I have the print ARC of this, but I don't have a finished copy. It was so beautiful that I want to revisit as often as I can, so I seeing this under my tree wouldn't be a bad thing.

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

My favorite book of this year, another book where I have a print ARC, but a finished copy would not be turned away.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely

My second favorite book of this year, I would love to get a copy of this.  I checked it out from the library, but I really would love to read it again.

See How They Run (Embassy Row #2) by Ally Carter

This comes out today, so Santa can just drop that copy off right about now.  I had some issues with the first book, but I'm hoping the second book will better.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

I don't own this in any form and I since I love Rainbow Rowell, I would love to have a copy of this book.

Soundless by Richelle Mead

No reason in particular, I just love Richelle Mead's books, and I don't own this in any way.  It would beat having to check it out from the library.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

This is the only Sarah Dessen book I don't own.  Therefore it needs a place on my shelf.  This is the only book I actually want the print copy more than the ebook.

Silent Alarm by Jennifer Banash

Another book I wanted to read this year that was never available as an ebook from the library.  I would love to get a copy from Santa.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

I can't believe I still haven't read this book, if I owned it maybe I would get around to reading it.

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 (#115) (12/08/15) Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read For The First Time In 2015

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

 

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read For The First Time In 2015

I always have a huge list of debut authors that I want to read and I never seem to read as many as I hoped.  This was a pretty good year for reading new authors for me.  Here are my favorites:

Renee Ahdieh

This book will be featured on many of my lists this year. The moment her debut was finished I wanted the second book in this series in my hands immediately.  One of my favorites, if not my favorite this year.

Jenn Marie Thorne

Another debut that I read. I adored this book, I read it at the perfect time, and it was exactly the type of book I wanted to read.

Christina Lauren

Full confession.  I have this book pictured, but in 2015, I read NINE of their books/novellas.  I read most of the Beautiful Bastard series and all the Wild Seasons books.  I know none of those are YA, and I know they write YA, but if I've read nine of their books and loved them, I couldn't not put them on this list.

Brendan Kiely
This was a co-write with one of my favorite authors, but I am going to count it anyway, because this book was amazing. I will definitely check out his other books.

John Corey Whaley

I finally read a Corey Whaley book! I am excited because I never got around to reading his debut, and I read this one a year after it came out. I actually listened to the audiobook, and it was pretty awesome. 

Ava Dellaira

This book ended up on my list of books I was sad I hadn't gotten a chance to read in 2014.  Well, I read it in 2015 and it was awesome. 

Daisy Whitney

She has written so many books and this one in particular has been sitting on my shelf for years (bought it when Borders was closing to give you and idea of how long).  I finally got around to reading a book by her and I really enjoyed it.  I look forward to reading many others by her.

Jennifer Niven

Another debut author, and another book I listened to as an audiobook. It was so sad, but so beautiful. I can totally understand why it won the Goodreads Award. It was well deserved. I am so looking forward to what she does next.

Katie Cotugno

I missed reading her debut, so I really wanted to check out her sophmore effort. I thought it was so well written and real. I need to make the time to go back and read her first book, and I look forward to what she does next.

David Arnold

Another debut author and another book where I listened to the audiobook and while I think it lost something in the translation into an audio, I still thought it was pretty awesome. I look forward to what he does next.

Top Ten Tuesday (#114) (12/01/15) Top Ten 2016 Debuts Novels We Are Looking Forward To

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

 

Top Ten 2016 Debuts Novels We Are Looking Forward To

I get so excited by debut authors. I don't read as many as I would like, because there are always so many great ones. After much deliberation, these are the debuts I am most looking forward to. In an effort to narrow down my huge list (about 30), I am limiting these to those books that have covers.  There are a few that look awesome that just don't have much description or don't have a cover yet. I put those in the honorable mention at the end.  Here are my ten.

After the Woods by Kim Savage

Expected publication: February 23rd 2016 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux 

Before I started reading YA to the extent I read it now, I was always up for a good mystery novel.  For some reason I don't read as many YA mysteries as I should, but this one looks pretty darned good.

Dreamology by Lucy Keating

Expected publication: April 12th 2016 by Harper Teen

I love this cover, and the description of the book is awesome. One of my favorite things about the White Rabbit Chronicles, is the connection the main characters have through visions. This one is through dreams, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Life Before by Michele Bacon

Expected publication: June 7th 2016 by Sky Pony Press 

I always enjoy a book that focuses on people on the run. I've read a few, but I look forward to this addition to the genre.  Added bonus, it's from a small publisher. 

The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry

Expected publication: January 26th 2016 by Razorbill

I don't read many books about time travel, but the few that I have read, I've generally liked.  This one grabbed me when they mentioned Friday Night Lights, one of my all time favorite TV shows.

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson

Expected publication: May 17th 2016 by St. Martin's Griffin

I am totally judging this book by it's cover, which is the first thing that I noticed, and I love it. Very Roy Lichtenstein. It also looks like it will be an adorable, sweet contemporary.

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei

Expected publication: January 12th 2016 by Disney Hyperion

I do love a book with political intrigue. There is a danger with this book. I live in the Washington D.C. area, and am very familiar with the workings of the government. I do hope this is done right.

The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

Expected publication: March 22nd 2016 by Margaret K. McElderry Books 

Speak is one of my all time favorite books, so this quickly got my attention. There have been many other YA books that deal with this same subject, however I am intrigued about following the main character for such a long period of time.

The Way to Game the Walk of Shame by Jenn P. Nguyen

Expected publication: June 7th 2016 by Macmillan/Swoon Reads

I am such a sucker for this kind of story. From the movie Can't Buy Me Love, to To All the Boys I've Loved Before. I do hope the beginning of the story was handled in the right way, but I have every confidence that I will adore this book.

Save Me, Kurt Cobain by Jenny Manzer

Expected publication: March 8th 2016 by Delacorte Press

The title and the cover of this book are awesome. I am also intrigued by the story. The idea of a dead celebrity that is really alive sounds very different and unique.

The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin

Expected publication: January 26th 2016 by Simon Pulse

I love this kind of story, best friends who may be something more that have something happening in the past.  I look forward to seeing how this book turns out.


Honorable Mention

These books either have brief descriptions that have me intrigued, or they don't have covers yet.

Unscripted Joss Byrd by Lygia Peñaflor
Flower by Shea Olsen & Elizabeth Craft
C.S. High by Sheryl Scarborough
Alterations by Stephanie Scott
Bombshell by Rowan Maness
Cherry by Lindsey Rosin
Never Ever by Sara Saedi
Doreen by Ilana Manaster