Top Ten Tuesday (#108) (09/22/15) Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR

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

 

Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR

I love these lists. Recently I have been terrible about reading what I put on my list, however it always helps me focus on what I should be reading for the season.  As always this list is for books published during the fall equinox and the winter solstice.  September 23rd - December 22nd.  Here are my ten.

Romancing the Dark in the City of Light by Ann Jacobus

Expected publication: October 6th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin

I am a sucker for books set in Paris.  This one is getting pretty good reviews and it's apparently not you typical romance.  I have the ARC and I can't wait to read this.

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Feiwel and Friends 

I am curious to see who has read this series that DOESN'T have this book on top of their TBR pile.  I can't wait to see how this series turns out.  I am not always big on Science Fiction books, but I adore this series.

Trust Me, I'm Trouble (Trust Me #2) by Mary Elizabeth Summer

Expected publication: October 13th 2015 by Delacorte Press

I liked the first book in this series and I am curious to see how this book turns out.  I probably need to refresh my memory about what happened in the first book though.

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

Expected publication: December 22nd 2015 by Scholastic Press

This book makes the list only because it gets released on the very last day of fall, and they pushed the publication date up.  I had a few issues with the first book in the series, but I'm hoping I can really appreciate this book.

Soundless by Richelle Mead

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Razorbill

I was so sad to see that this book has gotten mixed reviews.  I can't wait to read something by Richelle Mead tthat doesn't deal with vampires.

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

 Expected publication: November 3rd 2015 by Feiwel & Friends

Along with Paris and NYC, I am sucker for books set in San Francisco. This one looks to be very compelling and it's gotten great reviews so far.  I have the ARC so I have a good chance of getting to this book.

First & Then by Emma Mills

Expected publication: October 13th 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

FNL is one of all time favorite TV shows, so to see this book described as a combination of Pride and Prejudice and FNL, I can't wait to read it.  I have the ARC for this book as well, so I should get to it soon.

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely

 Expected publication: September 29th 2015 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

I will pretty much read whatever Jason Reynolds writes, so this book is high on my list.  This is another book where they significantly pushed up the publication date, so there are no ARCs available.  The subject matter is so timely, and I can't wait to see the author's take on it.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Expected publication: October 6th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin 

I have a small confession, I liked Fan Girl, I didn't love it.  Even so I am very excited to give this book a chance.

A Mad Zombie Party (White Rabbit Chronicles #4) by Gena Showalter

Expected publication: September 29th 2015 by Harlequin Teen

I was presently surprised to see that Showalter was continuing this series.  I was actually really satisfied with how the last book ended to be a series finale.  Even so, I am eagerly anticipating this next book in the series.

Top Ten Tuesday (#105) (08/25/15) Top Ten Books That Would Be On My Syllabus If I Taught YA Dystopia 101

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

 

Top Ten Books That Would Be On My Syllabus If I Taught YA Dystopia 101

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Part Dystopian, a lot Sci-Fi, this series is just great.  Cinder remains my favorite of the series, but they are all wonderful and Meyer does a great job of world building.  It's just an interesting take about what would happen to a society that is facing a horrible disease and what would the leaders do to fix it.

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver

I loved the concept of this series, a society where the ability to love is surgically removed from the citizens is just a fascinating concept.  Unfortunately, I think this is the best book in the series, and it just goes downhill from the first.

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Another book that does a great job of world building.  It also kept me absolutely riveted and breathless.  It's easy to dismiss it as Hunger Games light, but I think it stands up really well on its own.  It would be interesting to see a comparison paper evaluating Divergent and the Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

One of the champions of dystopia.  It's probably the most well known and the gold standard.  All other dystopian YA can only wish to have the success as it has had.  I once read an interview with a publisher who said they wouldn't even buy dystopia because it just won't be able to compare to this series.  I think the entire series was expertly crafted and the story so unique to YA at the time it was published.

The Pledge (The Pledge #1) by Kimberly Derting

Here is the first of the books that has a society that has an instituted caste system.  It also has some very interesting paranormal elements.  I also kind of love that in this world Women hold the power.  It would be interesting to see a comparison of the caste systems between this series and the Selection series.

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

A very interesting take on a society that's ruled by the military.  The paranormal element takes most of the billing and not so much the dystopian society and how the citizens are dealing with the government.  Even so, it's a great dystopian book.

Wither (The Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano

I love the idea of this series.  Nobody lives past a certain age.  I must confess I haven't read the others in the series to see how it ends, but the first book is so strong and it builds such a fantastic world that it would be worth including.

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

A series I love to hate. I think the most fascinating aspect of this series is the caste system that's in place. The selection process while entertaining is actually less interesting and fascinating than the world that the characters live in.  The ramifications of going outside your cast was the best part of this series.

Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie

This series gets a lot of grief for being as slow as it is.  It's not a fast paced series by any stretch of the imagination.  I also was rooting for the other guy at the end.  However, why I would pick this book/series is the interesting take on how a society has so severely limited creation of art and beauty.  The public only has access to 100 books, songs, etc. This series probably has the most regulated population and it makes it fascinating.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth #1) by Carrie Ryan

I was actually surprised to see this as being dystopian, but by the definition of dystopia it totally fits.  The story is post zombie apocalypse why a small group of survivors that is lead by the church.  The entire village has to live by the rules that the church set up.  It's a fascinating take on how a group reverts back to the morals and rules of a society that in our current day society have been left in the long distant past. 

Top Ten Tuesday (#102) (08/04/15) Ten Fairytale Retellings I've Read

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

 

Top Ten Eight Retellings I've Read

I love a retelling, not just fairytales, I love a retelling of classic literature as well.  However for some strange reason I haven't read a lot of them.  I've read a lot that I didn't love, so I didn't want to include them on my list.  I also have about 50 waiting on my TBR pile, I just haven't gotten to them yet.  Even so, here are my favorites.

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

So far my favorite book of this year.  This is a fabulous retelling of A Thousand and One Nights.  There are definitely differences, but it was really well done.

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

I was very surprised at how much I adored this retelling of Pride & Prejudice. Enough that I pretty much own all of the authors other books.  It was just cute and well done.

Entwined by Heather Dixon

I really enjoyed this retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses.  It wasn't groundbreaking, but it was sweet and well done.

Nameless (Tales of Beauty & Madness #1) by Lili St. Crow

A very lose retelling of Snow White, but I found it to be very interesting and different. 

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

I adore this retelling of Cinderella and really all of the other books in this series, be it Little Red Riding Hood (Scarlett) or Rapunzel (Cress), I can't wait to read the final book in the series.

Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

A retelling of the Persephone myth, I really adored this series.  I just found the books very readable and memorable.  I was never a huge mythology fan, but then I didn't have books like this to read.

For Darkness Shows the Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars #1) by Diana Peterfreund

 Confession, I've never read Persuasion which is what this book is based on, so I can't really compare.  I just really enjoyed this story, and always loved the cover.

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle

Romeo and Juliette from a totally different perspective.  I enjoyed this book, and I thought it was a really interesting concept.

Top Ten Tuesday (#100) (07/21/15) Ten Books That Celebrate Diversity/Diverse Characters

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

 

Ten Books That Celebrate Diversity/Diverse Characters

When making this list, I realize I read a lot of the same type of book.  However, more often than not, when I branch off, I am rewarded.  Here are some of my favorite books that feature a main character or their love interest that are diverse in some way.  There are a ton of other books that have secondary characters that are a minority in some way, so I decided to just limit it to the main characters.  Here are my ten.

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

This book was so bizarre; but really well written.  It's so odd that it's hard to even focus on the fact that the main character is black.  But she is, even though I don't remember it being a huge focus on the book.

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Yes Cinder is an android, but I think she's also Asian.  I think only because they don't really go into what she looks like from what I remember.  The story takes place in New Beijing, so I'm pretty sure they are all Asian.  If nothing else, they are all Asian in my mind.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor comes from a very poor background, however it's Park's Korean mother who steals the show in this book. Park's ethnicity comes up quite a bit during the book, but I think it's really well done.

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

For some reason this is the only book that features a gay character that made my list, although there were others that could have easily been on it.  I just loved how this book was written, and the one of Noah's scene with Brian gave me the most happy chills.  I just adore this book.

Monster (Monster #1) by Walter Dean Myers

If found this book to be pretty amazing.  It was just such a different world than I have ever experienced, but it was enlightening.  I highly recommend this book.

Biggest Flirts (Superlatives #1) by Jennifer Echols

This series actually has several different races.  In this book the main female character is Hispanic.  One of my favorite things is that the Echols doesn't really make a big deal about it, it's just a fact about Tia much like so many others.  In the third book, the main female character is black, and it's brought up a little more, but once again, it's not a big deal.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) by Jenny Han

I love that Jenny Han wrote this series.  Laura Jean is such a fantastic character, and she seems like such a typical teenager.  I have loved reading about her Korean customs, and her and her sister's do to keep that part of who they are.

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

One of the few books I read with a Middle Eastern main character, and it is awesome.  I can't imagine this story being told any other way.

When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

I have never been shy about my love of Jason Reynolds books.  One of the things that I loved about this book is that the characters seem so real.  I can't wait to read his next book.

Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1) by Simone Elkeles

This is a perfect romance with characters that are not only from different socioeconomic backgrounds, but also from different races. I don't read enough books that have primary characters that are Hispanic.

Top Ten Tuesday (#94) (06/09/15) Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015

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

 

Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015

This is really interesting, I looked ahead pretty far to what I anticipated reading late last year, and I've stuck with it.  I also need to make sure I'm not going to repeat books that will be on next week's list. Here are my most anticipated/what I'm looking forward to for the rest of the year.

Romancing the Dark in the City of Light by Ann Jacobus

Expected publication: October 6th 2015 by Thomas Dunne Books

 This one is definitely one of my most anticipated, and if I unless I manage to get hold of an ARC, it will end up on my Fall TBR list.  I have a weakness for books set in Paris, and this one has me giddy with anticipation.

Daughters unto Devils by Amy Lukavics

Expected publication: September 29th 2015 by Harlequin Teen

This will be a super creepy book perfect for Halloween.  This was my WoW last week, and with good reason. Just read the description, and check out the cover, and there will be chills.

Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas

Expected publication: September 15th 2015 by HarperTeen 

I love a good retelling, and I am really looking forward to this one. I don't love the cover, but I do love the font and the title.  This looks great.

Lock & Mori (Lock & Mori #1) by Heather W. Petty

Expected publication: September 15th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

I love Sherlock, and retellings of Sherlock stories.  This looks like it will be a great twist.  I have the ARC, I just have to read it now.

The Fixer (The Fixer #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Expected publication: July 7th 2015 by Bloomsbury Children's

I love books set in DC, the only problem is that I live here, so any inconsistencies make me snicker and ultimately annoy me.  I really hope this one is done well.  I've been meaning to read a books by this author forever, and I really hope I get to this one.

Soundless by Richelle Mead

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Razorbill 

 Yes, a new Richelle Mead YA book that does not involve vampires.  I'm so excited.  I loved the VA and Bloodline series, but I can't wait to read what she has in store next.  Plus it's a retelling, which I love.

Trust Me, I'm Trouble (Trust Me #2) by Mary Elizabeth Summer

Expected publication: October 13th 2015 by Delacorte Press 

 I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I'm looking forward to this one.  I have to go back to refresh my memory on what happened in the first book, but this is definitely a sequel that I want to get my hands on. 

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Feiwel and Friends

It took me a while to read Cress, but then I gobbled up Fairest.  That means I am very much looking forward to reading the final book in the series.  This really has been a fantastic series, and I can't wait to see what Meyer comes up with next.

For the Record by Charlotte Huang

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

I love contemporaries, and I love books that deal with music and musicians.  I have high hopes that this book will be as good as it looks.

First & Then by Emma Mills

Expected publication: October 13th 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

This one had me eager to read it when it listed Friday Night Lights meets Pride and Prejudice.  FNL is one of my all time favorite TV shows, add in P&P elements, and I must read this.  My only hope is that they get the football part right.  I know a lot about that topic, and if it isn't realistic, I get really annoyed.