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 (#126) (03/15/16) Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR

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

 

Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR

When putting this list together, I realized that we never did a winter TBR which kind of makes me sad.  These are some of my favorite types of lists.  As always I am limiting this list to books that are published between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.  So those released between March 20th and June 19th.

Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

Expected publication: May 3rd 2016 by Disney-Hyperion

I love Hawaii. I had heard some great things and always thought it would be overrated, until I went. I've actually been there twice and each time was just awesome. Between the book taking place in Hawaii and the fact that it reminds me of one of my favorite books from long ago, I can't wait to read this book.

The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian

Expected publication: April 26th 2016 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

I've read pretty much everything Siobhan Vivian has written, so this book easily ends up on this list.  I love the description of this book, and it looks like it will be an awesome romance.

The Crown (The Selection #5) by Kiera Cass

Expected publication: May 3rd 2016 by HarperTeen  

Is this the last one? Please? I thought I was done with this series, but then another book came out, and then this one.  I have such a love hate relationship with this series that I just need it to be over. Even so, here it is on my spring TBR list.

The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court #1) by Richelle Mead

Expected publication: April 5th 2016 by Razorbill 

I didn't read her last YA book, but I kind I want to give this book a chance. It seems like it will be pretty outside my comfort zone, but it's Richelle Mead, so it makes this list of books I plan to read this spring.

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

Expected publication: May 10th 2016 by Dial Books  

I think John Corey Whaley is an amazing author, so I am expecting good things for this book. His books are often so funny and yet so touching, they make you have all the feels, and I hoping for the same from this story.

When We Collided by Emery Lord

Expected publication: April 5th 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

 Emery Lord is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She has been writing some tremendous contemporary romance. At this point, any book she writes is going to end up on my must read list.

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows

Expected publication: June 7th 2016 by HarperTeen

Confession, I'm not a big historical fiction fan, which is strange because I was a history major and I use to inhale historical romances. I still have a soft spot for Johanna Lindsey. That being said, this book is way out of my comfort zone, but I love these authors, so I am really looking forward to this book.

Lady Renegades (Rebel Belle #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Expected publication: April 5th 2016 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

I am eagerly awaiting the conclusion to this fun series.  Rachel Hawkins is one of my favorite authors, so I am trusting that she will wrap this series up right.

 The Inside of Out by Jenn Marie Thorne

 Expected publication: May 31st 2016 by Dial Books

Another book that looks to be a bit outside my comfort zone.  Jenn Marie Thorne published on of my favorite books from last year, and I can't wait to see if this book is just as good.

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Expected publication: May 3rd 2016 by Simon & Schuster

Whenever I get sad that Sarah Dessen only publishes a book every other year, I console myself that on those year Morgan Matson will have a book out to tide me over. She is a great contemporary writer, and I always look forward to what she puts out.

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.