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 Top 10 lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Books I Recommend The Most

I know I say this a lot, but I really like this topic.  Picking 10 books to recommend can be a little tricky, but it’s also fun.  I mostly went with books that I talk about a lot, but I also wanted a few I think are great reads.

1. Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur.  This one is on my mind because I recently finished it but the relationship between Aubrey and her grandmother shows how special that relationship is.  
2. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.  I know this might be hard to believe, but I almost didn’t put Harry on this list.  I know it’s a book a lot of people have read already, but it’s also one of the very few books that can always make me feel better no matter what is going on.
3. The Wives Of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser.  While the Alison Weir biography of Henry’s wives is my favorite, the one by Antonia Fraser is the one I would recommend.  Fraser’s biography is the one that’s most neutral, and it’s the best overview of the three I’ve read.
4. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.  It’s funny and happy and sad and every single time I’ve read it, I cry harder than I did the first time.  It’s a must read, and a book I refuse to read in public because I don’t want people to think I’m weird when I start sobbing.
5. The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa.  I love the NeverNever and I especially love how fairies have evolved and changed.  If you’re looking for a faerie story full of adventure, this is the book for you!
6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  Part of me wants to listen to the audiobook, because this was a magical book that drew me in.  And it really warrants 2 reads, MINIMUM, because of how awesome it is.
7. Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan.  I knew I stumbled across something special when I stared at the book for a few seconds while wondering what the  hell happened…and immediately bought the sequel.  It’s unforgettable and months later, just thinking about this book brings tears to my eyes.
8. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson.  I cannot gush about this book enough.  It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and funny and real.  And I couldn’t help but love it.
9. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.  Because I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time I was listening to Beauty Queens.  It’s such a fun read!
10. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.  Because Evie is awesome and because this trilogy is so much fun to read!  There’s a lot of great one liners in Paranormalcy.

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 find all Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Books I Had To Buy…But Are Still Sitting On My Bookself Unread

Where do I even begin with this one?  So, I’m great at buying books, but I’m also horrible about actually READING them.  I knew I would have plenty of books to pick from, and narrowing it down to 10 was no easy task!  It wasn’t terribly difficult, but when you have the need to buy all the books…you end up with a list that could go on for a while!

1. The Scarlet Letter.  This one has been on my shelf for years.  For the life of me, I can’t remember when I got, but I’m pretty sure I’ve had it for at least 4-ish years.  I think I was on a classics kick at the time.  
2. Frankenstein.  So…my explanation for this one is pretty much the same as The Scarlet Letter.  Besides, I really do need to read more classics, so why not start with ones I already have on my shelf?
3. Most of the romance novels I have on my Nook.  I’m pretty sure I could a list based on romance novels alone.  I have them…why am I not reading the things I know will cause me to swoon?
4. The Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich.  I’ve had this one for a while, because I really want to read it.  It’s just…it’s so long!  One of these days I’ll just have to buckle down and start listening.
5. Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen Of France.  I remember getting this one because I wanted something history-ish that would also give me a break from Tudor England.  And it’s history, and I love history.
6. Before I Fall.  I was so intrigued by the summary and bought it.  Clearly, I haven’t read it, because it has now appeared on this list.  But it’s Lauren Oliver and I like Delirium and I want to read this one because I’m pretty sure I’ll like it.
7. The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight.  I really need to read this one, which is why I bought in the first place.
8. The Silmarillion.  I’m pretty sure I WON’T be reading this one, because I’ve tried a few times and just can’t finish it.  Apparently, I felt the need to give a try…and I’m being pretty liberal with my definition of unread, because I always get 20 pages in before giving up.  Given my inability to finish it, it’s probably best I donate it or something.
9. The Lying Game.  Because I liked the original 8 books of Pretty Little Liars (the ones that came after the 8th do not exist in my world) and because I want to give The Lying Game a try.
10. The Hallowed Ones.  It’s a post-apocalyptic novel set in Amish country.  Why have I not read this yet?

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 find all Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Books At The Top Of My Spring To-Read List

I’m excited about this one, because I have tons of books I want to read.  Here are the ones I want to read this spring.

1. Requiem by Lauren Oliver.  Because it’s Lauren Oliver and it’s the Delirium trilogy and I NEED to know what happens and how it all ends.  
2. Wither by Lauren DeStefano.  I am intrigued by a world where people only make it to 25 because of efforts to create the perfect race.
3. Soulless by Gail Carriger.  I have the audiobook, and I think I actually might listen to soon, because I have been on an audiobook kick lately.  I really need to read more steampunk.
4. Shadow And Bone by Leah Bardugo.  I want to know what everyone is talking about and one I just need to read.
5. Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols.  Because I’m in the mood for something contemporary.  And it’s set in an airport, which seems like a really cool setting.
6. This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers.  Because students stuck in a school while the end of the world is going on sounds totally cool.
7. Mind Games by Kiersten White.  Because it’s Kiersten White and I love her and I’ve been wanting to read it.
8. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi.  Why have I not read this yet?!?!?!?!?!
9. The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson.  I’ve been looking forward to this, and it came out recently and I was so intrigued with the Jack the Ripper copycat killer in the first one that this one is a priority.
10. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson.  Another one I’ve been wanting to read, so I just need to go for it.  I’ve heard really good things about it.

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 find all Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Series I’d Like To Start But Haven’t

This is the perfect topic for me, because there are so many series I NEED (and want) to read.  Actually, there are a lot of books I need to read, but that’s a topic for another day.  There are quite a series I know are popular, so I can’t wait to read them so I know what people are talking about!

1. Wither by Lauren DeStefano.  This one has been on my to-read list for well over a year, plus people seem to really like it, so I should pick it up.
2. Shadow And Bone by Leigh Bardugo.  Because everyone seems to love it and I want to know why they love it.
3. The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.  I have no clue why I have not picked this one up.  I feel like I’m missing out by having not read it.
4. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.  Another one people seem to really like, so it might be a good idea to read it…eventually.  Sooner would be good.  Like, really good.
5. Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi.  I really, really, really need to read this one so I know what people are talking about.  I even own it…so why is it sitting on my Nook unread?
6. Across The Universe by Beth Revis.  Yet another series everyone LOVES…so naturally, I want to read it so I know what people are talking about.
7. Jessica Darling by Megan McCafferty.  I know absolutely nothing about this series, but enough people love it that I’m curious as to why everyone loves it.
8. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.  I’ve had it for a while, and haven’t gotten around to it.  I really need to get better with not letting stuff just sit on my bookshelf for a while.
9. Daughter Of Smoke And Bone by Laini Taylor.  Why have I not read this?  I think I even checked out the audio book from the library and never listened to it or maybe I even listened to, like, 10 minutes before deciding I wasn’t in the mood for it…
10. Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock.  One, it’s been on my to-read list for over a year and two, I’m intrigued by werewolves…especially if there are no vampires in sight, which is what seems to be the case with this series.  Plus, based on summary alone, it would seem that this one would be the first werewolf-only book I could see myself finishing.

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

Top Ten Characters I’d Put On My Auto-Buy List

This is one I’ve been looking forward to.  Stopping at 10 was a little hard, but it was a lot of fun thinking about those authors that I love so much that I will buy anything they come out with…no matter what that book is.

1. Rachel Caine.  It’s been a while since I’ve talked about how much I love Rachel Caine.  But I do, and it does not matter what she writes, because I WILL BUY IT.  She has great characters that grow and change will still keeping them consistent.  
2. Alison Weir.  I love her.  I will buy anything- absolutely anything- she writes.  I love her to the point that she’s really the only person I’ve read as far as Tudor non-fiction goes, and I really enjoy her historical fiction because she sticks to history while creating this imaginative world.
3. Cynthia Hand.  Have I mentioned how much I loved her Unearthly trilogy?  Because I love it, and I will read anything she writes because of how much I loved it.
4. Marissa Meyer.  Because Cinder and Scarlet (even though I’m not done with Scarlet yet) are completely awesome.
5. Gayle Forman.  Um…because of If I Stay and Where She Went.  That is enough of an explanation, right?
6. John Green.  I’m not even going to explain this one.  If you really need/want to know why, go read The Fault In Our Stars of Looking For Alaska.
7. J.K.  Rowling.  Another one I’m not going to explain.  If you don’t get it, you are very strange…and there’s a chance I might not talk to you.  (Just kidding).  (I think).
8. Julie Kagawa.  The Iron Fey is one of my favorite series, and even though I liked The Immortal Rules and The Lost Rules, I don’t love them the way that I love The Iron Fey.  But I love Julie Kagawa enough that I will read anything she writes.  Because she is that amazing.
9. Libba Bray.  Beauty Queens was hysterical and I loved her Gemma Doyle series, and I will read anything she writes because I have enjoyed everything I’ve read by her.
10. Maria V. Snyder.  I have only read a couple books by her, but I NEED to read everything she’s written because I am impressed with the worlds that she creates.

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

Top 10 YA Paranormal Characters

This week we get to pick our favorite characters from the genre of our choosing!  If I had to pick a favorite genre in YA, I think it be paranormal.  It’s nothing against the other genres, because I like them too.  I just really love anything paranormal!

1. Zara from Need.  This is one of my favorite series, and I love how protective Zara is of her friends and family.  Plus, I love the randomness is each book- whether she’s putting together a pixie survival guide or reciting her fears when she’s freaked out…I just love her and her quirks.
2. Laurel from Wings.  Wings is another favorite series, and she’s another great character.  I love how plant-like she is, and how much she loves fruit!  Anyone who loves sunshine is awesome in my book.
3. Evie from Paranormalcy.  No list would be complete without Evie!  I know I’ve said this, like 50 million times already, but any character who kicks ass while wearing pink and sparkles is completely and totally awesome.
4. Meghan from The Iron Fey series.  Another favorite series, and Meghan’s a pretty cool character.  I love seeing how she goes from regular girl to ruler of the Iron Fey.
5. Cassiel from The Outcast Season.  One, she’s a former dijinn.  Two, she’s now in a human body.  And three, she’s such a cool character who’s still adjusting to life in a human body who’s trying to save not only humanity but the world.  And she’s pretty bad-ass.
6. Anna from Sweet Evil.  Anna’s an interesting character, and overall, I really liked her innocence and how good she was.  But I also like that there’s this dark side to her, which we don’t really see in Sweet Evil.  I’m curious about her dark side, which may (and probably will) come out at some point during this series.
7. Clara from Unearthly.  I love Clara, and after reading Boundless, I think I love her even more.  She’s a great character, and I loved seeing her figure out her purpose in life.
8. Myrnin from The Morganville Vampires.  I am a HUGE Rachel Caine fan, so it’s not surprising that two characters from two different series have ended up on my list (Cassiel is the other character).  He’s Myrnin- bizarre, funny and interesting.  I always look forward to seeing what he’s going to do next, because he has this mad scientist thing going on.  Add in the fact that he’s a vampire and several hundred years old, and you have this really unpredictable character!
9. Helen from Dreamless.  I’m never sure where mythology and fairy tale re-tellings fall, in terms of genre and whatnot but Dreamless is sort of paranormal-ish, so I’m so including Helen on this weeks list!  I’m not sure what it is about Helen, but I just really like her.
10. Kaylee from Soul Screamers.  I love that she’s a bean sidhe (better known as a banshee).  Seriously, it’s not something you see in a novel very often, and I love that she has to work with Nash.  Their abilities work so well together, but I really love how Kaylee wants to help people and do some good in the world.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the fabulous 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 find all Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top 10 Favorite Romances

This is the perfect list for this week because of Valentine’s Day.  And if there’s anything I love, it’s a good romance (especially a YA romance!), so I was really excited about this one!

1. Clara And Tucker from the Unearthly trilogy.  They’re on my mind because I recently finished Boundless, and I was so happy that they ended up together.  Because if there is a couple who deserves to have a happily ever after, it’s them!
2. Lend and Evie from the Paranormalcy trilogy.  Because they’re adorable together!  And Lend is such a good guy and absolutely perfect for Evie’s craziness.  They balance each other so well!
3. Meghan and Ash from The Iron Fey series.  Ash literally WENT TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH for Meghan.  And he earned his soul.  And gave up immortality.  All for Meghan!  Which is why they are one of my favorite couples EVER.
4. Anna and St. Clair from Anna And The French Kiss.  It’s Anna and St. Clair.  That is all the explanation that is needed.
5. Hazel and Augustus from The Fault In Our Stars.  While I was so sad (maybe even a little heart-broken) that Augustus died and they didn’t have a lot of time together, I am still glad they had the time they did.  Besides, they’re just two teens who are trying to have a normal life while
6. Samantha and Jase from My Life Next Door.  Because there’s just something about how they lived next door to each other for years and finally ended up together.  There’s just something about Samantha finally giving the family next door a chance…and Jase is such a great character that I can’t help but swoon over!
7. Tohru and Kyo from Fruits Basket.  Ignoring the fact that I really need to finish reading Fruits Basket, I like Tohru and Kyo together.  He’s off-the-wall- and has a tendency to over-react a lot of the time- but she’s good for him because she really cares for him no matter what.
8. Lennie and Joe from The Sky Is Everywhere.  Because Joe is, like, completely amazing and I want him to be real.  And seeing Lennie’s feelings about whether she wants to be with him…and him just randomly stopping by and how well he fit with her family…and just how well he and Lenny fit.
9. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice.  Um…it’s Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett.  Enough said!
10. Bella and Edward from Twilight.  This is the one that I’ve wanted to include but was also really hesitant to include.  They are one of my favorite couples and I LOVE them together, I really do.  Besides, Edward and Bella were one of the first couples that came to mind, so here they are!

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top 10 lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top 10 Tuesday’s here.

Top 10 Favorite Bookish Memories

This was such a fun list to work on, because I love to read, and I have some great memories of books and reading.  I can’t wait to make more bookish memories, but for now, here are my 10 favorite memories!

1. My memories of my grandpa taking me to the library when I was growing up.  I remember him reading all the time when I was little, and my love of reading comes from him.    
2. Reading Harry Potter for the first time.  This is easily one of my (many) favorite memories involving Harry Potter.  Reading the series is magical, but nothing replaces reading Sorcerer’s Stone for the very first time.  Reading hasn’t been the same since then.
3. Reading Jane Austen for the first time.  Her books are the first classics I picked up on my own, and I was surprised to find I actually liked them.  Even when I don’t like the very few classics I pick up, I’m definitely inspired to read them because of Jane Austen!
4. Okay…The Casual Vacancy!  One of the few books I’ve been excited about before it came out (since the end of HP…that I can actually remember).  Plus, it’s her first book post-HP, and I really liked it.  Check out my review here.
5. The Hunger Games.  I read my fair share of YA back in 2011, but The Hunger Games is one of the ones that really got me into YA.    And I remember reading them and NEEDING to read the next one right away.
6. Another Harry Potter bookish memory: getting Deathly Hallows at midnight and then stay up all night to read it!  I am so glad I got to go to a midnight release party, and even though I was exhausted at work the next day, it was totally worth it…even when I was trying to not spoil it for anyone!
7. Rediscovering the library.  There was this weird period in time where I wasn’t really buying books and I certainly wasn’t checking books out from the library.  But I started going to the library again a couple years ago, and I’m glad I’ve rediscovered the wonders of the library.  Even though I pretty much stick to the digital library and the Nook store these days, I am determined to check out more books from the library!  There’s something magical about wandering the aisles and randomly picking up books because of the title or the cover.
8. All the times I’ve curled up with a great book.  Sometimes, I just need to crawl into bed with some coffee or hot chocolate and some snacks and just read for hours.
9. The moment I realized I wanted to be a book blogger!  It took almost two years of book blogging to actually realize that was the direction I wanted to go in, at least where blogging goes.  Talking about the books I’m reading has been so much fun.  Also fun?  Reading other blogs and constantly finding new books to read!
10. The Darwin Elevator!  I’m super-excited and super-happy that my friend Jason’s book is coming out July 30.  Seriously, I AM JUST SO EXCITED!  Like, happy dance excited!

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 top 10 list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top 10 Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Most Frustrating Characters Ever

We’re back for another Top 10 Tuesday!  Okay, so this is a great topic, because there are some irritating characters (and some general character types) that annoy the hell out of me.  I could go on and on about frustrating characters…and had I not grouped certain characters together, this would be one long list.  I did try to keep the ranting to a minimum, which helped…I think.  Here are the 10 that are currently the most frustrating characters ever!

1. Sorcha from Daughter Of The Forest.  She was so frustrating!  Basically, at the beginning, she was pretty insistent on not getting married…only to fall in love and get married by the end of the book.  I’m just not a big fan of characters in historical fiction who are insistent on not getting married, because they want to be educated or do their own thing or whatever.  I’m generally forgiving of inaccuracies in fiction but this is the one thing that is frustrating.
2. Arya from A Game Of Thrones.  She’s frustrating because she’s the typical female character in fantasy who is more interested in learning how to fight than to do the typical needlework and such.  It’s weird, too, because I don’t mind Eowyn, from Lord Of The Rings.  I think it’s pretty much because she’s so in the background that I don’t really notice it.
3. Rose from Vampire Academy.  She was really unlikeable, and seemed more interested in parties and getting drunk than learning what was necessary to protect Lissa.
4. Jean from Jinx.  While it is nice to see a character who’s still fairly innocent, it did get annoying.  Sweet but super-insecure.  I like characters who are sweet, and I certainly don’t mind characters who have insecurities, but it was just a bit much with Jean.
5. Percy Jackson from Percy Jackson.  The most frustrating thing about Percy was the fact that 15-year-old Percy was far too similar to 11-year-old Percy.  Even taking into account the ADHD/being the son of Poseidon and guys maturing at a slower rate than girls…it’s still a little too weird.
6. Kendra and Seth from Fablehaven.  I honestly couldn’t pick, so I went with both of them.  Seth was a selfish brat, and Kendra was too much of a know-it-all.
7. Jude, Mia, and Lexi from Night Road.  Because their frustration is kind of interconnected.  Jude was irritating because she’s such a helicopter mom.  She’s one of the characters who acts all supportive and tries to be the cool mom by telling her kids they can call her if they get drunk at a party…only to get mad at them and ground them when they make said call.  Mia, because she’s all clingy- to the point that her twin can’t do what he wants JUST BECAUSE SHE CAN’T GO TO USC ALL BY HERSELF.  If I’m pointing out how clingy and dependent someone is, you know it has to be annoying and frustrating, because normally I’m all whatever about it.  And Lexi because she kept complaining about how Zach and Mia had chances and opportunities she didn’t.
8. Here’s a character type: the weapon-wielding, tough, super-independent bad-ass who seems to reject anything seen as feminine.  Just…no.  It really makes me want to bang my head against a wall.  I’m just going to leave it at that, because the last thing I need to do is go on some super-long rant about this.
9. Kendra from Whirl and Alex from Half-Blood.  I’m grouping these two characters together because they frustrate me for the same reason.  They are both too insistent on fighting the bad guy themselves, even when told not to, because it’s too dangerous and because they don’t have enough training to take on the bad guy.  There is a time and a place for going after the bad…and it’s not when you’ve been told not to.  And the lack of consequences for ignoring orders to not do anything makes it worse.  It seems to be sometimes paired with #8, which is partially the case with Kendra and Alex.
10. And we’re ending with Ginny, from 13 Little Blue Envelopes.  She’s frustrating because she seemed like she was going through the motions and was pretty disinterested in her trip.  You get to go on this crazy scavenger hunt through Europe and you don’t even bother to have fun with it?  It was frustrating to listen to.  Seriously, it was.