Top 10: Books on My Spring TBR List

Yes, yes, yes. I have yet again been slacking endlessly on my TTT. So this week I’m making a new goal to stay on top of it. Luckily the ladies at The Broke and The Bookish are ever so constantly on top of things and have a constant string of topics for us to discuss each week. So hop over to their blog to see a full list of everyone’s blogs participating and see what’s on everyone’s To-Be-Read lists!

I have set a goal that I am DETERMINED to accomplish this year. That is to finish all the series I have started over the last couple years that have been left in the dust. Not because they aren’t fabulous, but because other books in my reading queue have trumped them and I haven’t found my way back. Which let’s be honest, this is a huge list and each number most likely has 2-3 books attached to it. But for blogging purposes, I’ve narrowed it down to my Top Ten (and just the next book in the series that I’m on).

1. Unravel Me by: Tahereh Mafi I recently read Shatter Me in the Fall, so this series hasn’t been neglected too much. But I loved the first book too much for this one to be sitting on book shelf this long.

2. Fragments by: Dan Wells Fragments has a similar story to Unravel Me. I adored book 1, and for some reason my reading has taken me elsewhere. Can’t wait to read this!

3. Scarlet by: Marissa Meyer Please don’t all attack me at once. I really did like Cinder, I love fairy tale retellings, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about Marissa Meyer. So why is this still on my TBR Pile? You got me. I don’t know.

4. Beautiful Chaos by: Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia I love the covers, love the story, love the authors. But I haven’t gotten around to the last two books in this series. SOON.

5. Everbound by: Brodi Ashton I binge bought all three of these after meeting/hearing from Brodi at a bookish event, really liked the first book, and yet it’s been a (shameful) amount of time and I haven’t returned to these. So to the list it goes!

6. Toxic by: Sara Shepard This is a series of a whopping 16 that I wasn’t sure I was going to finish. Well here I am, having just finished book 14, I think I’m fully invested now. Toxic, here I come.

7. Hunted by: Missy Kalicicki & Abi Ketner I’ve read Branded multiple times and LOVED it. I was beyond excited for the release of Hunted, and still AM. So many books, so little time.

8. Graduation Day by: Joelle Charbonneau I don’t know what happened with this series. I think I had a hard time getting a hold of book 3, after quickly breezing through books 1 and 2. Well now I own it and I have no more excuses.

9. Size 12 and Ready To Rock by: Meg Cabot I go through Meg Cabot cycles where I binge read her when I’m needing something light and fun. As you may have noticed if you’ve looked at my read shelf lately…I’m back in my Meg Cabot stage. I just finished rereading The Mediator Series and I’ve revisited Heather Wells. Can’t wait to see how this series ends!

10. The Kill Order by: James Dashner Love, love, LOVE the Maze Runner series. But sometimes it takes me some time to go back and read prequels (same goes for Kiera Cass’s The Heir). But I fully intend in getting to this one in the near future!

Top 10: Books of 2015

Today, we are spotlighting our favorite books we’ve read throughout 2015. Courtesy of the gals at The Broke and The Bookish. I have read so many fabulous books this year, and now that I am officially graduated from College, there will be many more fabulous books to come!!  I wish I had been able to read more this year, how many books is it possible to cram in by the end of the year?! I may not have read the most books this year, but the ones I did read were pretty incredible. A lot of credit goes to my Adolescent Lit Professor. But these ten books I chose will live in my heart forever. They are really special, and if you haven’t already you need to pick one (or all) of them up. Enjoy!

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Top 10: Quotes I Loved From Books This Past Year

This year has been a great year for books for me. I have read some of my very favorites, that I’m sure I will reread in years to come. Today, the ladies at The Broke and The Bookish are spotlighting our favorite quotes from the books we’ve read this year. As you probably know, this is one of my favorite topics because I get to revisit some quotes that I’ve already posted, and other new ones that I have yet to share. I have read quite the emotional books and others that were hilarious, but overall great reads. Here’s a handful of my favorite quotes/moments so far this year:

 

“Sometimes,” Jem said, “our lives can change so fast that the change outpaces our minds and hearts. It’s those times, I think, when our lives have altered but we still long for the time before everything was altered–that is when we feel the greatest pain. I can tell you, though, from experience, you grow accustomed to it. You learn to live your new life, and you can’t imagine, or even really remember, how things were before.”

~Clockwork Angel by: Cassandra Clare 

 

In the silence between the words, I hear music.

~Silence by: Deborah Lytton

 

He kept pretending that they were on a real date, and then he’d remember that they were.

~Eleanor & Park by: Rainbow Rowell

 

This is where you can find your soul if you dare. Where you can touch that part of you that you’ve never dared look at before. Do not come here and ask me to show you how to draw a face. Ask me to help you find the wind.

~Speak by: Laurie Halse Anderson

 

The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.

~The Giver by: Lois Lowry

 

You saved my life, she tried to tell him. Not forever, not for good. Probably just temporarily. But you saved my life, and now I’m yours. The me that’s me right now is yours. Always.

~Eleanor & Park by: Rainbow Rowell

 

“Isn’t that the guy you asked me to throw soda on?” 

Colton’s head jerked up. He stared first at Reece, then at me. “You asked him to throw soda on me?”

“Of course not. The boy is delirious, That’s what happens to children when they’re malnourished. They start hallucinating.” I put my hand against Reese’s forehead as though checking for a temperature. “I’m afraid he has a serious case of it.”

Colton folded his arms and continued to glare at me. “No, Charlotte, you have a serious case of it, and I’m not talking about malnourishment.”

Reese stepped away from my temperature check and toward Colton. “She said you wouldn’t melt like the Wicked Witch of the West, but you might fizz a little.” Reese turned back to me. “He never did fizz.”

“I’m about to,” Colton said. “Just watch for a few more seconds.”

~It’s A Mall World After All by: Janette Rallison

 

In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn’t a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is.

~Unwind by: Neal Shusterman

 

Kinder than is necessary. Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.

~Wonder by: R.J. Palacio

 

When I think of you, and you are not there, I see you in my mind’s eye always with a book in your hand.

~Clockwork Prince by: Cassandra Clare

Top 10: Books Included If I Taught YA POETICS

I’m going to start off by saying, the last couple weeks we have been doing MAJOR home renos and thus last week I took a slight hiatus from TTT and BTT. But I should be back for good (hopefully–my last semester of college began yesterday so I’m praying life doesn’t get too intense).

In my hypothetical Top Ten World, I like to think I could teach a rocking poetry class. Now if we were being realistic…I’d have to go with something along the lines of EMOTIONAL YA or LOVE IN YA…because let’s be honest, I love a great love story. As long as we are being realistic–although I am an English Major, I have little to no interest in becoming any sort of teacher. But all that aside–I’m dreaming up a situation where I could teach poetry. So each of these titles are books I would include on my syllabus should I find myself teaching a course on poetry in YA. Either I find the writing somewhat poetic, or poetry is a major theme throughout the novel…they have found their way onto my list. Enjoy!

So much thanks to the ladies at The Broke and The Bookish for hosting us crazy bloggers each week!

1. And We Stay by: Jenny Hubbard I just finished this one for none other than my Adolescent Lit class, and I couldn’t not include it. It’s beautifully written and our main character, Emily, has an obsession/serious connection with Emily Dickenson and a wicked talent for writing poetry.

I am just a girl on Earth
Who writes her heart and brain.
The world makes me a Poet;
the world Gives me a name.

2. Matched Trilogy by: Ally Condie This world where paper isn’t even close to permanent, and words are whispers in the wind, it has so much poetic back stories and meaning implemented. Definite winner.

The Pilot. The Poet. The Physic.

They are in all of us. I believe this. That every person might have a way to fly, a line of poetry to put down for others to see, a hand to heal.

3. Elevated by: Elana Johnson One of the few books I’ve read that is written in verse (one of the first actually), and I fell in love with it in a matter of pages.

The lights disappear,
The elevator shudders,
Stalls,
Quits.
All in the same nanosecond.

All that exists is darkness so thick I can’t think,
And Travis so close I can’t breath.

4. Waiting by: Carol Lynch Williams London’s story was so jarring and traumatizing, and the style fit perfectly. It made the tale so gut wrenching.

An accident you’re in? It marks you on the outside, maybe. Scars your face or your skin-breaks bones,crushes skulls,leaves the body changed.

An accident witnessed? You’re different on the inside. Maybe there’s no cut someone else can see, but there’re always injuries on the inside.

Those take a long time to heal.

5. Delirium Series by: Lauren Oliver My last on the list is Lauren Oliver’s Delirium Trilogy. Lauren’s writing in itself is gorgeous and phenomenal. A few of her lines still bring me to tears. Sometimes you can have poetry in your words, and not be in verse.

He who jumps may fall, but he may also fly. Its time to jump.

Top 10: Most Read Authors

As my life is getting crazy hectic this week…my TTT is falling on a Wednesday! This week was a fun one because we get to highlight the author’s we’ve read the most books from. My list was definitely not a surprise, although I was sure Meg Cabot was still the queen at the top of my list–however, Sara Shepard has snuck up there. Each of these fine authors have fabulous books and deserve to be checked out. I’m a fan!!

As always, thank you to The Broke and The Bookish Ladies for hosting each and every week!!

1. Sara Shepard (12) I’ve been a huge fan of the Pretty Little Liars TV show (one of my many television obsessions), so this past year I picked up the books. They are fun quick reads and somehow have kept me coming back to read the next.
2. Meg Cabot (10) She is my leading lady, I haven’t read a book she’s written that I haven’t loved. Super witty and very laughable, the perfect pick me up! A Couple of my favorite series from her are the Heather Wells Mysteries and The Mediator Series.
3. J.K. Rowling (8) Does this lovely woman even need a comment? I have yet to pick up her mystery novels…but I’m thinking that will be soon!
4. Sarah Dessen (9) Whether it be serious or light-hearted Sarah can get me out of my reading slumps with her books.
5. Cassandra Clare (8) I did not think I could possibly fall in love with Cassie more after Mortal Instruments, but I could not be more wrong. I am flying through Infernal Devices and life is good…until I reach the end of Clockwork Princess. More please?!
6. Nicholas Sparks (6) It seems like I’ve read so many more of Sparks books? I guess I need to get on that! I’ve yet to find a book I truly disliked from him (The Notebook aside). I am currently reading The Longest Ride and it is great!
7. Stephenie Meyer (6) I am one of those people who will defend Twilight till the ends of the earth, it is by no means my favorite series–but you can’t deny it took the world by storm. That has to count for something! I also thoroughly enjoyed The Host, I’d say they are worth picking up.
8. Lauren Oliver (5) I got the chance to meet Lauren during the Pitch Dark Days Tour a few years ago, and now I love her even more than I already did. Her writing is BEAUTIFUL. I need Rooms ASAP.
9. Susane Colasanti (4) Much like Sarah Dessen, Susanne’s books are light-hearted easy reads that are perfect when I need something to make me feel good!
10. Elizabeth Chandler (4) I read Chandler’s Kissed By an Angel series and I LOVED the first few books, then I kinda got in a slump in the middle, but by the close of the series she had me sobbing. Well. Done.

Top 10: Fairy Tale Retellings

It is no secret I am a Disney Fanatic, fairy tales are my guilty pleasure, and I’m a sucker for anything related to The Little Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty. Surprisingly enough, I haven’t read too many fairy tale retellings (something I hope to rectify soon). I have read Cinder, which was fabulous, but I have yet to pick up the rest of the series. So I’ve compiled a list of my To-Read Retellings. PLEASE send recommendations my way, because I would love to pick up many more! (I am also just shy of 10 again this week…maybe next week!)

Thanks to the ladies at The Broke and The Bookish for the lovely topic!

1. Scarlet by: Marissa Meyer

2. Splintered by: A.G. Howard

3. Entwined by: Heather Dixon

4. Atlantia by: Ally Condie

5. Beastly by: Alex Flinn

6. Wicked by: Gregory Maguire

7. Dorothy Must Die by: Danielle Paige

8. Cruel Beauty by: Rosamund Hodge

9. Ella Enchanted by: Gail Carson Levine

Top 10: Fellow Book Loving Characters

While perusing the lovely posts accompanying this Top Ten Tuesday (courtesy of The Broke and The Bookish), I came across YA On My Mind‘s post. I have to say, I was inspired and I even snatched a couple of their answers. A couple of which I already picked for my list and others I had forgotten. Now you have to bear with me, as my list is a bit of a mess–much like my scattered brain lately. Which explains my lack of TTTs lately. So I couldn’t quite reach 10 and a couple are from the same book, but I had a great time coming up with these names. It’s always nice to read about characters who feel the same way as you do about reading.

Here are my fellow book lovers that I’ve discovered over the years:

1. Matilda Wormwood, “So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.

2. Hermione Granger, “The presence of hundreds of books had finally convinced Hermione that what they were doing was right.”

3. Elizabeth Bennett, “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”

4. Tessa Gray, “One must always be careful of books and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”

5. Will Herondale, “It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them.”

6. Ethan Wate, “I stared at the creased map on my wall, the thin green line connecting all the places I had read about. There they were, all the cities of my imaginary future, held together with tape and marker and pins.”

7. Hazel Grace, “Books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal.”

8. Colin Singleton, “Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.”

Top 10: Classics

I have been MIA for a couple of weeks, actually I have been in Florida adjusting to life. But as it is, I have had little time for posting and I’m sick right now, so hurray I’m doing a TTT to make me feel better. My classics list is indeed classic because this list has varied little over the years! So they probably seem familiar! But I’ve read many more classics due to my English classes for my major and the majority of my favorites have held strong. Particularly my LOVE for F. Scott Fitzgerald. He is indubitably my favorite by far. My goal is to read several others of his stories this year. Cross your fingers!!! His language is to die for. If I ever received a love letter from him I would have a literal heart attack, his writing is that incredible. ANYWAYS because it can be boring reading the same list over and over. I did my Top 5 Best and Worst. Hoping to add explanations later but as my schedule has been crazy, we shall see if that happens! So without further ado…my TTT:

BEST
1. The Great Gatsby by: F. Scott Fitzgerald

2. Of Mice and Men by: John Steinbeck

3. Pride and Prejudice by: Jane Austen

4. Catch 22 by: Joseph Heller

5. Romeo and Juliet by: William Shakespeare

WORST

1. Crime and Punishment by: Fyodor Dostoyevsky

2. The Chosen by: Chaim Potok

3. Red Badge of Courage by: Stephen Crane

4. Beowulf

5. Dracula by: Bram Stoker

Top 10: Books in My Beach Bag

I am currently preparing to move to Florida for a few months, so with plenty of sunshine available I will need a bag full of books. But as books are difficult to fly with, they will have to be eBooks. So I guess it is more of a virtual bag of books. Special thanks to The Broke and The Bookish for hosting TTT each and every week. My beach bag would include light reads that are easy and fun, or may just take place at a beach itself. Favorite books that I thoroughly enjoy.
I haven’t read a couple of these (cough cough, Paper Towns, Big Boned, & Killer) but I plan on reading each this Summer. (Hence carrying them in my imaginary beach bag). BUT all of the others I know for a fact are great reads! Check them out!!

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Top 10: Monumental Bookish Moments

Top Ten Tuesdays are hosted at The Broke and The Bookish, this week we have a freebie. Having the freedom to choose my own topic, I decided on Top Ten Monumental Bookish Moments. These are books that I have linked with a specific spot in my reading career. I have always love reading, but these ten moments really propelled my love of books. In no particular order:

1. Running Out Of Time by: Margaret Peterson Haddix This was the first official book that I remember ever rereading, excluding the Harry Potter Series. I love the story and the main character, Jessie. A creative take that I still look back on as incredible.

2. Mockingjay by: Suzanne Collins I will never forget the week this book came out. It was the end of August and my senior year was just starting up and it was one terrible week. I don’t remember exactly what had gone wrong, just that just about everything had. But I came home and my mom had written a note on top of Mockingjay saying, “Smile! Life is good.” I still have the note sitting on my desk.

3. The Phantom Tollbooth by: Norton Juster I read this in the 7th Grade and was completely captivated by the uniqueness of this book. I would read it under my desk during classes and my Science Teacher made me put it on her desk during her class. I then stared at it the rest of the time, trying to figure out what would happen next. :) Didn’t quite have the effect she was hoping for.

4. The Book Thief by: Markus Zusak My fabulous friend Lauren, who works with me at Barnes and Noble, discovered I had never read The Book Thief and then forced me to buy it. ;) Why I had not thought to buy it before hand, I do not know. But I’m sure glad it has a home on my bookshelf.

5. Flecks of Gold by: Alicia Buck Alicia Buck was the first author I ever met. She was signing Flecks of Gold at a random Barnes and Noble that I had never walked in before. I ended up walking out with a signed copy and a truly amazing book.

6. Eclipse by: Stephenie Meyer I took this book EVERYWHERE with me, including the beach of Bear Lake; which I’m almost positive the sand is still stuck between the pages. I also tried carrying it on a four-wheeler while traveling from our cabin down to the water. It fell off and the corner of the hardback is now broken. :)

7. Requiem by: Lauren Oliver I attended the Pitch Dark Days book tour featuring Requiem, the conclusion to the Delirium Trilogy. The tour also included fellow authors, Dan Wells (Partials Series), Brodi Ashton (Everneath Trilogy), and Debra Driza (Mila 2.0 Series). It was an AMAZING Panel. I went to see the incredible Lauren Oliver and was introduced to many more amazing writers.

8. Everlasting by: Elizabeth Chandler Everlasting was the first book I think I started and then stayed up til 4 a.m. just to finish. I could not quit until I finished the last page. Wow. I was exhausted the next day but had quite the book hangover.

9. Before I Fall by: Lauren Oliver This one had me in hysterics after I finished. I know I’ve posted about it before and I’m sure it will happen again. But I literally could not breathe, I was sobbing so hard. Before this book, I never realized how emotionally invested I get into my books.

10. The Last Song by: Nicholas Sparks I was blown away by Sparks’ ability to make his readers feel just about every emotion possible. The Last Song was the first of his books that I read, and I’m dreading the day I finish all of his books.