Top Ten Tuesday (11)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there will be a new topic and a new list to make. Be sure to stop by the host blog to see all of the other blogs participating!



This week's topic:
Top Ten Books I'd Recommend To Someone Who Doesn't Read X

Since this is a mostly-YA blog, my list is all about YA books.

*Disclaimer - I think Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Twilight should be on this list. I'm omitting them only because I think most people have read them whether they read YA or not.*

1. Nightshade Trilogy by Andrea Cremer - This is one of my favorite YA trilogies. The story is very inventive and the writing is excellent.

2. Firelight and Vanish by Sophie Jordan - Love these books! Plus they're about dragons.

3. Delirium by Lauren Oliver - A different kind of dystopian novel with beautiful writing.

4. The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare - I say this even though I haven't read all the books that are out. The world and characters are just so memorable.

5. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma - This book is amazing. Really, there aren't words.

6. Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic - This book really makes you think about life.

7. Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - These books are the perfect romantic comedies. I fell in love with the settings, the characters, and the love stories.

8. Blood Red Road by Moira Young - Written unlike any other book, the primitive language draws you in but the story keeps you turning pages.

9. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton - One of the best angel books I've read. I love the action, the folklore, and Will.

10. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - One of the most well-crafted mysteries I've read. This book was impossible to put down.



What made your Top Ten list? Please leave a comment or link to your blog!

Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

OBSIDIAN
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published By: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: Dec. 6, 2011
Series: Lux (#1)
Pages: 266
Genre: Science Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.



I think I am slowly learning my lesson about not procrastinating on sci-fi books. Obsidian may have aliens, but let me assure you, these aliens are nothing like the stereotypical little green men or ET. These aliens are...well...I think you should read and find out for yourself...but never has an alien been so attractive.

When Katy and her mother move from Florida to West Virginia, Katy is not expecting much more than a humdrum year until she can leave for college. Still mourning the loss of her father and living with her mostly-absent mother, Katy throws herself into her book blog and the fantasy world that books offer. And then she meets Daemon, her hot next-door neighbor. As it turns out, Daemon also has a sister (who is much friendlier), and Katy and Dee begin spending time together, which in turn brings Katy around Daemon. Katy has resigned herself to hating and being hated by Daemon until strange things start happening. It soon becomes clear that Daemon has powers...otherwordly powers. But after learning his secret, Katy is in more danger than ever. Katy is forced to rely on Daemon for protection, which might be every other girl in town's dream, but Daemon hates her...doesn't he?

Where to begin? Even though I had put off reading this book, I was completely sold by the time I'd finished the first chapter. Katy may be one of my favorite heroines that I've read in a while. First of all, I love that she's a book blogger. But beyond that, I loved her voice and her snark. Katy is not afraid to speak her mind and she's often highly entertaining while doing it. She is both brave and tough, whether she's standing up for herself or fighting for those she loves. Enter Daemon, the irresistibly hot but oh-so-infuriating alien neighbor. There were times when I loved the dialogue between these two, a few scenes that made me smile...and then there were the moments where their chemistry sizzles right off the page. Two other things I especially liked about this book: There was no insta-love, thank goodness, and Katy had other friends than just Daemon's sister. Even though I liked the alien lore and the excitement in the story, the characters really made the book.

I really did enjoy this book, but I know that I am one of the few people not giving it five stars. Although there were many things I loved - especially the beginning and the end - somewhere in the middle I became very frustrated with Daemon's constant hot and cold game with Katy as well as Ash's posturing. I feel like the book lost a bit of its momentum and that impacted my overall impression. However, that certainly won't stop me from reading more of Arementrout's books.

Inventive and fresh, Obsidian is a great book for fans of sci-fi or the paranormal. I will be looking forward to reading more from Jennifer L. Armentrout in the future, both Half Blood and future books in the Lux series!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books. Each week we will share the books we have just finished reading, are currently reading, and are planning to read.



Just Finished Reading:
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Fracture by Megan Miranda
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Currently Reading:
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Planning To Read:
Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows



What are you reading this week?

In My Mailbox (25)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that was started by Kristi at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. It features books or book-related things that have been bought, borrowed, won, or received in the mail. Be sure to check out The Story Siren for a list of all the other blogs participating!



Bought:

I may have had a bit too much fun with the Barnes and Noble 50% off coupon...this is my first batch of books from that!





A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Ingenue by Jillian Larkin
Beautiful Days by Anna Godberson
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick



Weekly Recap:

Audiobook Clip and Giveaway: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Review: Remembrance by Michelle Madow
Review: Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

Monday Reads
Teaser Tuesday: Fracture by Megan Miranda
Top Ten Tuesday
"Waiting on" Wednesday: Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser
Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday



What books did you get this week? Please leave a comment or link to your own IMM post!

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday (25)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books. In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read! So visit Crazy-for-Books to grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list there!

This week's question:

Coming soon!





Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read. Visit either of their blogs for complete rules of the following fun!

This week's question:

"Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012."

I'm sure this will come as a surprise, but I'll be honest - I listen to country music, and not necessarily current country music. So I don't have very many recommendations, but the few (non-country) artists that I can suggest are DHT, Anna Nalick, and Missy Higgins.



What are your answers? Please leave a comment or a link to your blog!

Review: Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

NEVER EIGHTEEN
By: Megan Bostic
Published By: HMH Children's Books
Release Date: Jan. 17, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 204
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary:
Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.



I knew this book would be moving and emotional just from the synopsis, and it certainly was. In Never Eighteen, Megan Bostic takes the reader on a physical and emotional journey right along with Austin, leaving us, like those he visited, changed at its conclusion.

Austin is sure that he won't live to see his eighteenth birthday because of the cancer. However, he also knows that many of the people around him have virtually stopped living even though they still have life. And so Austin decides that, before he dies, he wants to help others redirect their lives...he wants them to truly live even though he can't. Austin recruits Kaylee, his best friend, to be his chauffeur for the weekend, and they even visit a variety of people and even some places together. Somehow, during the course of the weekend, Austin's visits to say goodbye turn into so much more than that. It becomes a journey for everyone involved...and every journey begins with a single step...

Let me just say: Wow. For a book that is on the short side, Never Eighteen sure packs a LOT of emotion. With the exception of Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, I don't remember the last time my heart broke for so many characters in a single book. Every stop on Austin's journey yielded a new story for him or for his friend, stories that were by turns painful, touching, and beautiful. In addition to the depth of this book, I loved the way in which it was told. The writing was a unique blend of conversation, quasi-stream of consciousness, and narrative, and I truly felt everything that Austin did. Everything flowed well together, even the moments that were difficult or awkward. And yes, I will admit that I did have tears in my eyes at the end of this book...and I know that I wasn't the only one.

The only thing I did want from this book was more. I would love to know how Austin's visits affected everyone in the long run. Even without that, I've found myself thinking about this book long after it was over. Never Eighteen has a powerful message and one that I think readers of all ages can appreciate.

Never Eighteen is a compelling debut by Megan Bostic, one that is full of more poignant moments than many books I've read. I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!

Audiobook Clip and Giveaway: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

GLOW by Amy Kathleen Ryan

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside. (From Goodreads)

Glow was one of my top books for 2011 - it is captivating and the beginning of a series that is not to be missed. You can read my review here.



~AUDIO CLIP~
In addition to the usual format, Glow is also available as an audiobook! Even though I read the physical book I am sure the audiobook would be just as compelling, if not more so. But don't just take my word for it - judge for yourselves. Below is a clip from the audiobook:






~GIVEAWAY~
I am very excited to have one copy the AUDIOBOOK of GLOW to give away!

This contest is open to residents of the U.S. only. Must be 13 to enter. Please see my Contest Policy for more information.

This contest will close on Thursday, January 19 at 12:00 AM CST.

"Waiting on" Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.



This week's selection is:

PIECES OF US
By: Margie Gelbwasser
Published By: Flux
Release Date: March 8, 2012
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Two families. Four teens.
A summer full of secrets.

Every summer, hidden away in a lakeside community in upstate New York, four teens leave behind their old identities…and escape from their everyday lives.

Yet back in Philadelphia during the school year, Alex cannot suppress his anger at his father (who killed himself), his mother (whom he blames for it), and the girls who give it up too easily. His younger brother, Kyle, is angry too—at his abusive brother, and at their mother who doesn’t seem to care. Meanwhile, in suburban New Jersey, Katie plays the role of Miss Perfect while trying to forget the nightmare that changed her life. But Julie, her younger sister, sees Katie only as everything she’s not. And their mother will never let Julie forget it.

Up at the lake, they can be anything, anyone. Free. But then Katie’s secret gets out, forcing each of them to face reality—before it tears them to pieces.



Why it's wanted:
This sounds like a very intense but very good contemporary. I am very curious to see how everything unfolds for these characters.

Teaser Tuesday (25)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here is my teaser:



"I crumpled onto the floor and held my head in my hands, pressing my fingers into my temple. Something in there was wrong. Not a fluke or an anomaly and definitely not a miracle.

An abomination. And I had no one to talk to but Troy."


p. 157 (ARC) from FRACTURE by Megan Miranda

Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Top Ten Tuesday (10)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there will be a new topic and a new list to make. Be sure to stop by the host blog to see all of the other blogs participating!



This week's topic:
Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book

1. Charlotte Bronte - Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorite books and I wish Charlotte had written more.

2. Jane Austen - What can I say...I love Victorian romances.

3. Stephenie Meyer - Yes, I know. But I wish she would finish Midnight Sun.

4. Kathryn Stockett - I loved The Help and would love to see more from her.

5. Susan Kay - I absolutely love her retelling of Phantom of the Opera. I think any book from her would be fabulous.

6. J.K. Rowling - Need I say more?

And I'll add more as I think of them!



What made your Top Ten list? Please leave a comment or link to your blog!