Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own lists based on the topic of the week.  You can see all past top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Favorite Books I’ve Read Since I Started Blogging

I was so happy to see this topic!  I’ve read a lot of books in almost 2 years of blogging, and there are some that really stand out.  The ones that I work into any list I can…the ones I repeatedly recommend…the ones I can’t stop thinking about.  Anyway, here are my 10 favorite books since I’ve started blogging!

1. Hate List by Jennifer Brown.  I’ve read this book a couple times and I can’t help but cry for about 5 or 10 minutes after.  It’s just so emotional.  I don’t know why I’ve connected with it so much, but I have.
2. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson.  Another one that I’ve really connected with.  I just love Laurie Halse Anderson, period.  But this is one of my favorites by her.
3. Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan.  This book is haunting and I feel anxious every time I think about it.  Anxious, like oh my god, I can’t believe that happened to her kind of anxious.
4. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.  This is my favorite John Green book, and both times I’ve read it, I’ve cried.  Actually, I think I cried harder the second time.  But I just love it.
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  This is my favorite book (and series) I read last year.  It’s so good, and there are a lot of really interesting things to think about.
6. The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa.  This is one of those series I can’t stop talking about.  I just love the creativity and the details in this series.  And I’m super-excited about The Lost Prince, which is the spin-off to this series.  I’m hoping it lives up to the really high expectations The Iron Fey set.
7. Wings by Aprilynne Pike.  Another series I can’t stop talking about.  Like The Iron Fey, I just love the creativity in this series.  Fairies being really similar to plants is totally believable.
8. Need by Carrie Jones.  Yet another series on the list.  But this is one of my favorites.  You can’t go wrong with pixies…just like how you can’t go wrong with fairies.  It’s fun and I love the mythology in the series.
9. Paranormalcy by Kiersten.  Clearly, I am a fan of series, because they’ve taken over my list.  But the one thing that sticks out is how Evie is pretty kick-ass and STILL LOVES SHOPPING, PINK AND SPARKLES.  And she has a taser named Tasey.  That’s pretty rare, at least in the books I’ve read.  Plus, it’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
10. The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.  I love the Uglies, and it’s one of my favorite dystopic series.  Actually, I haven’t read a lot of dystopic novels, but this one stands out because I thought the idea of a pretty committee and how the society was structured according to looks was really interesting.

And here are some honorable mentions: The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, In Honor by Jessi Kirby and The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine.

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over the at The Broke And The Bookish.  Bloggers from all over share their own top 10 lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find the top 10 Tuesday schedule here.

Top 10 Romances That Would Work In Real Life 

Or, a few couples I actually thought about and a whole bunch I just want to be together, regardless of whether they’d work out in real life.  As I was thinking about this list, I realized I had an explanation for only a few of them, with a gut feeling for the rest of them.  That totally works, right?  Let’s just pretend it does.

1. Augustus and Hazel from The Fault In Our Stars.  I have no explanation for this one.  It’s really more of a feeling on this one.  Besides, they need to be happy.
2. Hermione and Ron, Harry Potter.  They fight a lot, and are two very different people, but I think they would make a lovely couple in the real world.  Seriously, it’s not the first time best friends or high school sweethearts have gotten married.
3. Harry and Ginny, Harry Potter.  See Ron and Hermione, above.  Minus the fighting, of course.  And a crush that’s only resolved by Ginny talking to and dating other guys.
4. Evie and Lend, Paranormalcy.  This one is just wishful thinking but I’d love for them to work out in real life.  They’re just so adorable together.
5. Evan and Emma, The Breathing Series.  I so want Emma to be happy, and while their relationship has a lot of issues (especially in the beginning), Evan has been there for Emma, and is such a good guy.  She deserves that.
6. Mia and Michael, The Princess Diaries.  I’ll admit that it’s been a long time since I’ve read The Princess Diaries…and that I can’t remember if I’ve read the entire series, or just the first few.  But I think they have a lot of potential to work out, because they’ve known each for, like, ever.  So Mia totally knows that he’s not with her just because she’s a princess.
7. London and Jamie, A Walk To Remember.  Another book I haven’t read in forever, but had she not died, they totally would have been married for years.
8. Tohru and Kyo, Fruits Basket.  This totally reminds me that I need to finish the rest of series…and that I know they get married.  I can’t explain why I think they would work.  I just know they would.  They’re adorable together.
9. Clara and Tucker, Unearthly.  I just love them together.  No explanation for this one either…they’d work out, I just know it.  That is all.
10. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, Pride And Prejudice.  You can’t go wrong with this couple.  Seriously, it’s Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett.  They would so work out in real life.  Especially because Jane Austen was very much inspired by real life.

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Brokish.  Every week people share their lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find past Top 10 Tuesday topics here.

Top 10 Characters I’d Like To Switch Places With For 24 Hours

There are so many characters I love and yet it was hard to think of 10 characters I’d want to switch places with.  It did get easier once I didn’t take it so seriously.  It is amazing how many characters who I wouldn’t want to switch places with…which is a really good idea for a future blog post.  So who would I want to switch places with?  Find out below!

1. Grimalkin from The Iron Fey.  I think it would be easier to assume that I’ll keep mentioning the Iron Fey a lot.  But I love how Grim explains everything with one simple explanation: “I am a cat.”  And I love how he randomly disappears and then randomly appears.
2. Hermione from Harry Potter.  In a lot of ways, I’m like Hermione.  And if I could be Hermione for a day, I’d love to wander around Hogwarts and see what sort of books wizards read.
3. Luna from Harry Potter.  I feel like I have some Luna-like qualities, but to be her would be completely amazing.  She’s just…her, and I’d love to see what a typical day for Luna is.
4. Mary Anne from The Baby-Sitters Club.  I’m going way back to my childhood with this one, but I loved the BSC when I was in elementary school and wished there were more kids in my neighborhood so I could start my own club.
5. Mary Boleyn from The Other Boleyn Girl (and various non-fiction books).  So, TOBG was my first introduction to Anne’s sister.  There were times I wouldn’t want to be her, of course, but considering she was really the only one in her family who ended up unscathed after Anne’s fall…can you imagine what that would have been like?  Still, I find her an interesting character (and real-life person, of course) and I’d like to see her life.
6. Jessica Wakefield from the Sweet Valley books.  Another childhood favorite of mine.  I decided to go with Jessica (instead of Elizabeth, who is my favorite from the 50 million SV books out there) because she usually got involved in some crazy adventure.
7. Any of the girls from Pretty Little Liars.  I did get tired of the series by the 10th one, but I’d still want to switch places with any of them for a day.  Mostly because I’d love to know what it’s like to be rich and get whatever I want but also because of all the shit they get away with.  It would be nice.
8. Scarlett from Suite Scarlett.  It would be cool to live in a hotel, and while it’s probably not that glamorous or cool, I’d like to think it is.
9. Cassia from Matched.  It would be nice to have a day where others made my own choices for me.  Seriously, just one day where I’m told what to read, eat and listen to.
10. Tally from The Uglies.  I’d love to switch places with her for a day.  I’m not sure why, but it seems like she’s having fun.  I do love that world so it would be cool to hang out there for a day.

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, people from all over post their own lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find past Top 10 Tuesday’s here.

Top 10 Most Vivid Worlds And Settings In Books

One thing I love about reading is the setting.  I love being transported to a completely different world that is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.  I want to immerse myself in a place that is real and full of interesting characters and places.

1. Hogwarts from Harry Potter.  Hogwarts is one of the first places that came to mind, because who wouldn’t want to go to Hogwarts?  I feel like I knew the castle so well, partly because of Harry’s wanderings and the Marauder’s map, but also because of the details.  The suits of armor, the ghosts, the talking portraits…what’s not to love?
2. The Seven Kingdoms from Graceling.  This is actually the first book I thought of when I saw the topic.  I just love the 7 Kingdoms and how different they are.  And I love that each book in the series focuses on a different kingdom, instead of the same one.  I think Monsea is the one that stands out, and I love the historical feel of the setting.
3. Avalon From Wings.  I know I’ve mentioned Wings several times reccently, but I can’t help but love Pike’s version of Avalon.  It’s a shame we didn’t see it very much in the series, but I still loved Avalon.  It felt pretty and full of life and energy.
4. The nevernever from The Iron Fey.  I promise, I’ll stop talking about the Iron Fey at some point.  But we spent so much time in the Iron Kingdom and in the Seelie and Unseelie Courts that I so want to go there.  I love how our memories and stories play a huge part in keeping the nevernever around.
5. Narnia.  When I was little, I hoped that my closet would lead to Narnia, or some other equally magical world.  I loved how getting to Narnia was so magical and so random.  You ended up there when you least expected it, and that is why it stands out.
6. Middle Earth from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.  Middle Earth is so vivid because of all the work Tolkien put into creating it.  With actual languages, different lands, and a super-detailed history of Middle Earth, it’s no wonder it feels real.
7. The Realms from the Gemma Doyle series.  This one is on my mind because I just finished Rebel Angels.  But I love that the Realms are more complex than I ever imagined.  It seems like a beautiful, carefree place, and yet there is a darkness there.
8. A Wrinkle Time series.  Honestly, it’s the house and the town that Meg lives in that is so memorable.  Her home is so warm and inviting, and I’d love to be friends with her just to be able to go to her house.
9. The Island Of The Blue Dolphins.  I felt like I knew every inch of this island, because we spent so much time following Karana’s life as the only person living there.  I’d love to know a place that well.
10. The Night Circus.  I wanted to go the circus after finishing The Night Circus.  And not just any circus, but one as magical as the one in the book.

That’s my list for this week!  What other settings/worlds stand out?

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted every week by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, people from all over post and share their own list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top 10 Tuesday topics here.

Top 10 Books For People Who Like The Iron Fey

This week, we’re recommending books based on a certain book.  I decided to go with The Iron Fey series, because it’s one of my favorite series.  I love the characters, the settings and the fairie mythology.  And who doesn’t want recommendations that are full of the paranormal, mythology and fairy tales?

1. Wings by Aprilynne Pike.  I love this series and different the fairies are.  I can totally see fairies as being similar to plants, and I love the hierarchy of fairies.
2. Need by Carrie Jones.  I love the pixies and her twist on mythology.  It’s also a lot funnier than I had ever expected.
3. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter.  I really liked this adaptation of the Persephone myth and how Carter incorporated Greek mythology.  It stands out, because I haven’t read anything else like it.
4. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.  The one thing that I love about this series is how funny it is.  I think that if you like the humor in The Iron Fey, then you’ll like the humor in Paranormalcy.  Plus, there are some really interesting relationships and alliances in both books that fans will appreciate.
5. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand.  Unearthly is on the list because I love how Hand created her own angel mythology that’s believable and and interesting.  The characters are all so interesting and different.
6. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier is an interesting re-telling of the 12 Dancing Princesses and The Frog Prince.  I love the combination of the two fairy tales and the setting is very detailed and memorable.
7. Graceling by Kristin Cashore.  I loved the settings in both Graceling and The Iron Fey.  And if you like Meghan, you’ll love Katsa.
8. Entwined by Heather Dixon.  I’ve gone back and forth on whether I wanted to recommend this book.  It is another 12 Dancing Princesses re-telling, but I decided to include it because I’m becoming a fan of fairy tale re-tellings.  And there is something magical about escaping into a different world to dance.
9. Tiger’s Curse.  I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of this book.  But I’m still recommending it because I loved the Indian mythology in it.  It’s definitely different, and the focus on Indian mythology is worth it!
10. Anew by Chelsea Fine.  A girl with a curse that kills her and then brings her back to life?  You can’t go wrong with an idea like that.  Plus, there’s a very interesting take on the Fountain of Youth, which I liked a lot.

Are there any other books that fans of the Iron Fey will like?

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by the lovely people over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, people from all over post their own top 10 lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find previous Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Books For People Who Like Laurie Halse Anderson

I love, love, love this topic!  In fact, it’s not only my favorite one that I’ve done, but it’s the one that’s been the easiest.  I love Laurie Halse Anderson, and I’ve been a fan of hers ever since I read Speak in high school.  I love how real her characters are, and how she writes about different issues in an honest, very real way.  Speak was really the book I had in mind for this post, so pretty much every book was chosen in relation to Speak.

1. Hate List by Jennifer Brown.  This is the first book I thought of, and it’s a book that I’m still thinking about months after reading it.  It’s an intense emotional book, but the characters were so real and I felt like I knew exactly what they were going through.
2. After by Amy Efaw.  I liked that Efaw wrote about teen pregnancy and the consequences of child abandoment.  The plot is why I’m recommending it to Laurie Halse Anderson fans- she doesn’t seem to be scared to write about things that teens might be going through.
3. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott.  I can’t get this book out of my mind. At all.  Again, it’s not something I would think of teens going through, but I’m sure it happens.  I felt like it was a pretty realistic portrayal, which is why I recommend it.
4. Don’t Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala.  I know this is a book Anderson fans will like, and it’s because of Joy.  She’s a great character, and her feelings of suffocation are something fans of Speak and Wintergirls will relate to.
5. Looking For Alaska by John Green.  This is the first of 2 John Green books on the list.  This one is recommendedto Anderson fans because Green writes great characters that are so easy to relate to.
6. Exposed by Kimberly Marcus.  This one made my list simply because it deals with rape in a different way than Speak.  You see that things are not always black-and-white, and fans of Speak will definitely like this book.
7. By The Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead by Julie Ann Peters.  This book makes the list because of what Melinda and Daelyn go through at school. It wasn’t easy at school for both girls, and I think that’s something that fans of Anderson will like about this book.
8. Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu.  So I’m not done with this book yet.  But based on what I’ve read so far, I think this is a book that would be a good read for Anderson fans.  It definitely makes the list because of how Omololu dealt with hoarding.  I really like Lucy, and how she’s hiding this terrible secret that could come out at any minute.  It definitely reminds me of Melinda and how she kept her rape a secret.
9. North Of Beautiful by Justina Chen Hedley.  Now that I think about it, there’s something about Terra and Melinda that remind me of me.  Plus, they’re both great characters.  I think people who can relate to Melinda will like and relate to Terra.
10. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.  The other John Green book to make this, this one is included because of the colorful, interesting characters, and the way he dealt with an issue like cancer without making it cliche.

That’s my list!  What other books will Laurie Halse Anderson fans enjoy?

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every Tuesday, people from all over share their lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find past Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Characters Who Remind Me Of Myself 

I struggled with this list a little.  I had no problem coming up with characters, but as to why I was reminded of myself…that was where I ran into some problems.  There were characters I connected with, and I was reminded of myself, but I couldn’t put it into words.

1. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter.  The love of reading and knowledge is something that I love about Hermione.  It’s something I see in myself, and I think it’s why I love her so much.  Plus, there’s the whole bushy hair thing.
2. Joy Delemere from Don’t Breathe A Word.  This one is still on my mind, since I finished it a few days ago.  There have been times when I felt like I was suffocating…I think it’s something a lot of people can relate to.
3. Honor from In Honor.  I’m not sure what it is about Honor that reminds me of me.  Maybe it’s the fact that she went on a roadtrip to fulfill her brother’s wish and go to the last Kyra Kelly concert.  I’d like to think that I would do something like that, but when it comes down to it, I know what it’s like to lose a close family member.
4. Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter.  I have a little bit of Luna Lovegood in me, but really, I just want to be more like her.  I can be random when I want to, but I’m not a Luna kind of random.
5. Evie from Paranormalcy.  This one isn’t terribly serious, but she’s on this list because she loves all things pink and sparkly.  Nothing better than things that are both pink and sparkly.
6. Terra Cooper from North Of Beautiful.  What I like about Terra was her desire to be anywhere but where she was.  I definitely know what that’s like, and I think that’s why she’s on this list.
7. Daelyn Rice from By The Time You Read This, I’ll Be Dead.  I saw a lot of myself in Daelyn.  I know how it feels to feel so depressed that you can’t see anyway out, and I could relate to Daelyn a lot.
8. Emily from The Pact.  I could relate to Emily in the same way I related to Daelyn.  Granted, I’ve never been in Emily’s situation, but I do know where she’s coming from and I could understand her thought process so well.
9. Lily Owens from The Secret Life Of Bees.  Lily is another character that reminded me of me, but not knowing what it is about her that drew me in.  I think it’s the fact that she found home in an unlikely place, which is something I seemed to latch onto when I first read it.
10. Zara from Need.  This one is pretty superficial.  But I’d like to think that reciting phobias and what they mean (or something equally as random) is something I would do.

Do these characters remind you of anyone you know?  What other characters do you see in yourself or someone you know?

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the wonderful people over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, people post their own Top 10 List based on the topic of the week.  You can find previous topics over at their website.

Today is a Top 10 Rewind, which means we get to do a previous Top 10 Tuesday of our own choosing.  There are so many good topics, which is why I decided to do TTT in the first place.

Top 10 Book Trends I Want To See More Or Less Of

I read a lot of YA, so that’s what the focus of my list is.  And it’s the only genre/category where I feel like I’m up-to-date on the trends.  Although I found I kept getting ideas for future novels when I was writing this post…

I’d like to see less:

1. Series.  Don’t get me wrong, I love series.  But every once in a while, it’s nice to know that when I finish a book, it really is over.
2. Historical fiction set in the 19th century.  This is not the only time period in the history of the world, so why do a lot of books seem to be set in this time period?  I can kind of get why it’s so popular, but more diversity would be nice.
3. Re-tellings of Greek/Roman mythology.  I feel like this is really popular, and while I like seeing the different re-tellings, Greek/Roman mythology is getting boring.  There are so many different mythologies out there, so why are people focusing on Greek and Roman mythology?
4. Less bandwagon stuff.  I hate how when one thing does really well, everyone else has to write about it too.  Like vampires after Twilight or dystopic novels after The Hunger Games.  I don’t mind fads, but if you’re going to jump on the bandwagon, at least be aware of the other novels out there so you don’t risk sounding like everyone else.

I’d like to see more:

1. Stand-alones.  Yes, this is the complete opposite of what I said in the previous list.  I feel a little overwhelmed by all the series out there, so I might have to read a few stand-alones so I can have a little break from series.
2. Historical fiction aimed at older teens.  I know it’s out there, but most of what I’ve read seems to be for younger teens.  It’s great, but I’m sure older teens want to read it too.  Actually, more historical fiction in general is a good idea, because it doesn’t seem too popular in YA.  It’s popular for both children and adults, so why does it disappear in YA?
3. More re-tellings.  Another opposite, but I really do like re-tellings.  The 12 Dancing Princesses seem to be popular, but with so many fairy tales and mythologies, there’s a lot of potential for re-tellings.
4. Diversity.  The characters that populate YA literature are not very diverse.  Seriously, we need more characters from all walks of life.  I love reading because I can be exposed to people who belong to a different religion or from a different country or a different upbringing or social class.  There are billions of people in the world, so maybe we can focus on some of the other people out there.

On The Fence:

1. Love triangles.  The few love triangles I’ve actually liked are the ones where I could see the protagonist with either guy and when I actually had no clue who she was going to end up with.  Most of them are boring and super predictable.  Plus, how can it be considered a love triangle when it’s obvious who the main character is going to end up with?  If they were less cliché, and actually had conflict involved, I’d like them more.
2. College Students: Why are there not more books with college students as the main character?  The Morganville Vampire series is the only one I can think of, and I’d definitely like to see more college students.  But at the same time, I have no clue if it appeals to teens, which is why I’m on the fence.

So, that’s my list for the week.  What books trends need to go, and which ones should stay?