Top Ten Books That Give Me All The Romantic Feels

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

This week’s theme is All About Romance Tropes/Types, but when I started to make those lists, I realized that I haven’t read any one trope enough to make a good Top Ten list. In place of that, here are ten books whose romances made me laugh, cry, and smile.  

1. Fire by Kristin Cashore

This book is so much more than its romance, but damn, its romance breaks my heart every time. I have reread certain scenes over and over, just to suck all of the romantic feels into my soul.

2. The King of Attolia (Queen’s Thief #3) by Megan Whalen Turner

This series is not about romance. At all. But no relationship makes my heart feel as much as this book’s romance (and I’m being purposefully vague, by the way).

3. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

God, I love Puck and Sean together so much. This was one of the first slow burn romances I read, and it remains one of my favorites ever.

4. A Company of Swans by Eva Ibboston

All of Eva Ibboston’s books broke (and then healed) my heart, but A Company of Swans was by far my favorite. I haven’t read it in years, but its bittersweet romance has stuck with me.

5. Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander

This book made me sob. I don’t usually read “cancer books,” but the mathematical motifs in this book convinced me to give it a shot. And wow, it was worth it. I loved this book for its humor and for its heartbreak.

6. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

This is one of the only books that I have read that pulls off instalove. Khalid and Shazi’s relationship is inherently instalove, but it is also one of my favorite relationships ever.

7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Another book that is about so much more than romance, but is still painfully romantic. It has been way too long since I read this incredible novel, but even thinking about these star-crossed lovers makes my heart hurt.

8. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I was not prepared for the romance in this book. The first time I read it, it took over my life for forty-eight hours, I shipped the couple so hard. They definitely are not your average, or your perfect, couple, but I still love them to pieces.

9. Going Underground by Susan Vaught

This is one of those books that I can truthfully say changed the way I see the world. It tackles the issue of sexting and “Romeo and Juliet” laws with a stark honesty that ensured it will forever be a favorite. Yet it still has a subtle, gorgeous romance that compliments the societal commentary without overpowering it.

10. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

I gave this book to my friend to read, and about halfway through, she texted me, “So they really meant the unexpected EVERYTHING.” I don’t know a better way to sum up how surprising and refreshing this book was. On one hand, it is your basic YA contemporary romance, but it was a lot more than that for me.

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Have you read any of these books? Which books would you recommend for their heart-wrenching romances?

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Top Ten Books I Wanted More From

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

This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I Wish Had (More/Less) X In Them. I chose to just highlight a collection of books that I wanted more from. Some of them needed better characters, some needed better world building, others just fell flat.

1. Every Day by David Levithan

I loved the premise of this book, and for the most part, it was executed well. And yet, I just wasn’t swept off my feet by this book the way I feel like I could have been.

2. Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

This book was set up to be an all-time favorite. A girl that sees emotions as people? I wanted to love it—but it ended up lacking that special spark that would have made it memorable.

3. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

This book was a complete hype buy for me, and like many hype buys, it didn’t work out. It had a cool plot twist, but the story overall annoyed me, because it felt like the story existed for the plot twist only. (my review)

4. Angelfall by Susan Ee

Another hype buy that drew me in with rave reviews and an interesting premise, but I felt cheated. I was promised a captivating romance and a kick-ass protagonist, but I didn’t feel like I got either. I read the whole trilogy, but continued to feel like it wasn’t living up to its potential. (my review)

5. Indelible by Dawn Metcalf

To be honest, I don’t know why I keep coming back to this series. It should be cliche and forgettable, but somehow, it isn’t. It is the dictionary definition of a book that I constantly want more from, but I’ve stuck with the series so far, so I clearly believe it can (and will) improve. (my review)

6. The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

This was the first Kasie West book I read, and while it was adorable, it was mostly fluff. The Fill-In Boyfriend was a much more compelling (and cute) romance for me.

7. The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore

I liked this book, I really did. But when I finished it, I felt unsatisfied. The premise, the characters, and the world building were wonderful, but I wanted the story to develop more, I guess. I can’t wait to read her next book, though. (my review)

8. Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

This was supposed to be a really haunting fairy tale retelling. While I enjoyed the story, it wasn’t creepy at all, leaving me feeling cheated. (my review)

9. The Ghost Bride by Yangzee Choo

I just finished this book. I loved the way Choo wove the Malaya culture into the story, and the last half of the book captivated me. The first half of the book dragged on and on, however, keeping me from completely falling for the book.

10. Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

I read this book years ago, and I don’t remember much. I was sucked in by the premise and the characters, but the ending felt incomplete and sudden. But look at that cover!

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Honestly, I enjoyed parts of all of these books. They aren’t on this list because I hated them, they are just on this list because I wanted more from them.

Have you read any of these books? What books did you want more from?

Top Ten Book Covers I Would Wear If They Were Clothes

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

This week’s topic is “All about the visuals.” Since I don’t read graphic novels and just talking about my favorite book covers seemed boring, I decided to go with Top Ten Book Covers I Would Wear if They Were Clothes.

…And if I were more fashionable than I am.

1. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

I’ll start with an obvious one. I absolutely love how classy and sweet this cover (and this book) is. I feel like clothing designed off of it would have to be a sundress of some kind, or a really nice sweater and pants pairing.

2. More Than This by Patrick Ness

This cover would make an amazing graphic tee or a really interesting mini dress/t-shirt dress. Something casual and clean but with an edgy vibe, like this book itself. Bonus points if the garment communicates vague existentialism.

3. Across A Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

Definitely a ball gown of some kind, though not exactly the one shown on the cover. It would be whimsical and dramatic in equal measures, and it would look like it was part of the ocean.

4. The Wrath and the Dawn by Rene Ahdieh

How could I have a fashion-inspired blog post without mentioning TWATD? I love the colors of this cover and the gorgeous fashion described throughout the book, so I don’t know how any clothing piece inspired off of it could be anything but drop-dead incredible.

5. The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2) by Patrick Ness

Apparently my brain really wants to wear Ness’s covers as clothing? Regardless, any of the Chaos Walking trilogy’s covers would inspire incredible fashion (I’m thinking a dress of some kind), but I chose this one because I love the shade of blue.

6. The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore

Look at that minimalist cover! It would be an amazing graphic t-shirt, but I also think that you could design a really compelling avant-guarde gown off of it.

7. The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Look at the colors. Look at the cool smoke thing. Think of the possibilities. (As a side note, I absolutely loved this series and I need the next book to come out!)

8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

This is one of my all-time favorite books, with one of my all-time favorite covers. Anything inspired by the cover would be incredible, especially if it somehow combined the historical feeling of the book with the fantastical circus elements.

9. The Sweetheart by Angelina Mirabella

Okay, so I still have not read this book. But my sister loved it so much that she forced me to include it in this post. And look at that cover. It would inspire some adorably pink vintage-style clothing.

10. Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Putting aside the fact that Graceling is one of my favorite books ever, the colors on the cover are gorgeous. I want to see someone create an outfit that combines the gentle beauty of the colors with the, well, badass-ness of the dagger and the story itself.

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What do you think? Have you read any of these books? What are some of your favorite covers that you would wear as clothing?

Top Ten Diverse Books I’m Excited to Read in 2017

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

Reading more diversely is my main reading goal for 2017. There are books I own that I want to read, backlist books that I have been meaning to get to for ages, and upcoming releases that promise that the future of YA is a lot more diverse than its past. These are of course not the only diverse books I want to read this year, but a place to start at least.

Books I Own

1. When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

(Goodreads)

2. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

(Goodreads)

3. If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth

(Goodreads)

4. Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

(Goodreads)

Backlist Books I Want to Own

5. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

(Goodreads)

6. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

(Goodreads)

7. Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

(Goodreads)

Upcoming Releases

8. You’re Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner

(Goodreads)

9. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

(Goodreads)

10. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

(Goodreads)

11. Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee and K.E. Ormsbee

(Goodreads)

12. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

(Goodreads)

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Have you read any of these? What did you think? Which diverse books do you want to read this year?

Top Ten 2016 Releases I Will (Probably) Read in 2017

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

My first TTT of 2017 is a look back at 2016. A ton of incredible books came out that I 100% planned to read…and didn’t. Here are some that I still plan to read (hopefully).

1. Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

I was so drawn in by the concept of this book, but I was just…never in the mood to actually sit down and read it.

2. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

I have been meaning to read more by Schwab forever, and I honestly though 2016 would be my year. Hopefully it will be 2017. 🙂

3. Gemina (Illuminae #2) by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

I don’t blame myself for not having the emotional courage or energy to read this book. Besides, it has been getting mixed reviews, and I do not want to have my hopes dashed. Still, I have to know what happens next in this amazing series.

4. And I Darken by Kiersten White

I love the idea of this book, and rave reviews have given me hope that it lives up to its potential. I honestly have no excuse for not reading it besides that I never bought it for myself.

5. Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

This book has been on my radar forever. I keep coming back to it, though I have yet to buy or read it—something I want to fix.

6. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

My sister just read this book and LOVED IT. I feel ridiculous for not picking it up sooner, but I plan to ASAP.

7. The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

From everything I’ve heard, this book has incredibly gorgeous prose, which I need more of in my life.

8. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Kasie West always surprises me with how she is able to take a flippant premise and create an adorable, sweet, and thought-provoking story. I want to read more of her work, and the synopsis of this one is A+.

9. Blood for Blood (Wolf by Wolf #2) by Ryan Gruadin

Another sequel I held off from to save my emotions. When it came out, I was not ready to read it—but I cannot go an entire year without finishing this ridiculously powerful duology.

10. The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

This book (for me) came out of nowhere and took over the blogging world. I think it will ruin me emotionally, but sometimes that is worth it.

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What 2016 releases did I miss? I always want to increase my TBR, especially with books that might not be on my radar yet!

What books do you plan to read in 2017?

Top Ten Books to Give Friends to Turn Them Into Bookworms

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

This week’s theme is a Holiday Gift Guide freebie, so I’m talking about books to give people to turn them into bookworms. I think a lot of people want to be readers, and know what they’d want to read about, but do not know which books to read.

For the person who wants magic

1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

One of the first YA books I ever read, Graceling has stuck with me because of its unique world-building, fierce characters, and slow-burn romance.

2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Nothing says “magic” like The Night Circus. Told in an interesting voice, this book creates a vivid and wonderful magical world and throws the reader into the middle of a heartwrenching romance.

For the person who loves social change

3. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

I will shout about this book until the end of time. I thought it would be a frivilous, trope-filled story about beauty pagents, but it ended up being one of the most unabashedly feminist stories I’ve ever read.

4. Going Underground by Susan Vaught

This is another book that has profoundly shaped the way I see the world. With complex characters, a subtle romance, and a hilarious parrot, this book is perfect for anyone looking to see teenage relationships in a different way.

For the person who needs A Dramatic Story

5. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

This is the kind of book that grabs you on the first page and steadily breaks your heart for the next 300 pages. Perfect for anyone who needs to be 110% invested in a story to finish it.

6. Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Hilarious and terrifying in equal measure, Illuminae is another book that will force even the most half-hearted reader to devour the story.

For the person who wants fluffy feels

7. The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

This book is perfectly fluffy, with surprisingly emotional scenes and low-key Doctor Who references.

8. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Though this book is long for a contemporary romance, you will savor every single page. More than just a fluffy romance, The Unexpected Everything talks about friendship, self-discovery, the perils of dog walking, and writers block.

For the Person who just doesn’t have time

9. I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

This is the kind of book that you can read in one sitting. Light-hearted and slightly ridiculous, the first Gallagher Girls book is perfect for someone who wants to read, but does not have time to commit to a longer story.

10. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Short but profound, A Monster Calls is the kind of story that breaks and heals your heart simultaneously. For the full experience, read the illustrated version!

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What are your go-to books for gifts? Have you read any of these books?

Happy Tuesday!

Top Ten Characters I Would Name a Cat After

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

I LOVE this topic! I am a total cat person, and there are so many book characters that I would name a cat after.

As a personal side note, my cat is named Muzgle, which is partially a nod to “Muggle” from Harry Potter. You can see pictures of her begrudgingly posing with books on my bookstagram.

1. Katsa (from Graceling by Kristen Cashore)

I mean, c’mon. You just have to. She’s a badass warrior AND her name literally has “cat” in it.

2. Kendrick (from The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater)

I was going to say Puck or Sean, but then I thought of naming a cat “Kendrick” and I decided that I’m kind of in love with the idea.

3. Ink (from The Twixt series by Dawn Metcalf)

This is one of those series that is just weird enough that I like it. While it isn’t one of my all-time favorites, I love the world-building, and I would totally name my cat after the super-mysterious love interest.

4. Adina (from Beauty Queens by Libba Bray)

Adina is literally the queen of sarcasm. Since most cats basically have her personality, naming a cat after her would be both appropriate and catchy.

5. Lara Jean (from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han)

This would have to be a really classy, polite cat to live up to Lara Jean’s name. This cat would be the one that seems to always fall asleep in an Instagramable pose.

6. Sarene (from Elantris by Brandon Sanderson)

Sarene is brilliant, strategic, and a little bit ruthless. All characteristics of cats 😉

7. Vin (from Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson)

Vin is literally described as a mix between a noblewoman and a cat. She is one of my favorite main characters ever, and if you haven’t read Mistborn yet, go read it already so that you understand her awesomeness.

8. Steris (from The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson)

It’s possible that I have to admit that all of Brandon Sanderson’s female characters are part cat. I started out this Mistborn sequel series hating Steris’s guts, but she grew on me to the point that I would totally name a cat after her.

9. Gansey (from The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater)

How could I make this list without Gansey? This would totally be the cat that insists on lying in the middle of whatever book you’re reading or whatever homework you’re doing to “help.”

10. Shazi (from The Wrath and the Dawn by Rene Ahdieh)

I don’t know how I got to #10 on this list without remembering Shazi! This cat would have a really loud “meow” and would definitely be an outside cat.

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Well, I feel like a Crazy Cat Lady now.

What do you think of these names? Have you read any of these books?

Top Ten Books With Incredible Villains

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

 

I love the idea of starting October with a villain-themed topic. It sets the Halloween mood. I’m not listing the villain’s name, just the book they appear in, so as to avoid spoilers.

Pure Evil Villains

The character that is so sickening evil that you can taste how much you hate them

1. The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness

2. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

3. Bitterblue (and the rest of the series) by Kristen Cashore

Fascinating Villains

The villain you never saw coming

4. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

5. The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray

6. A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2) by Sarah J. Maas

7. Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead

8. Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Awesome Villainous Forces

The villainous presence that is more than a specific character

9. The Angel Fire trilogy by LA Weatherly

10. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Top Ten Songs I Listen To When Writing

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

This week’s TTT topic is an All About Audio freebie. Since I don’t listen to audio books or podcasts, I thought it would be cool to share with you guys some of the songs I listen to when writing.

I absolutely have to listen to music while writing, but it has to be songs I know really well, played really quietly. I listen to mostly quiet, melancholy music when writing, often just one song on repeat for hours. (Yeah, I’m not a lot of fun to be around when I’m writing.)

1. Here (2 a.m. version) by Alessia Cara

2. Battle Scars by Lupe Fiasco & Guy Sebastian

3. The Love Club by Lorde

4. This is What Makes Us Girls by Lana Del Rey

5. Crazy by Gnarls Barkley

6. Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine

7. Sad Beautiful Tragic by Taylor Swift

8. Send My Love by Adele

9. In the Night by The Weeknd

10. Beautiful Goodbye by Maroon 5

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What songs do you listen to when writing? Are these any of your favorites?

Top Ten All Time Favorite Fantasy Books

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

This week’s topic is Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Books Of X Genre, and I knew I had to choose fantasy. It is the genre I read the most often, and the genre that has most consistently blown me away.

1. All of the Mistborn novels by Brandon Sanderson

Do you love intricate world building, vibrant characters, and lots and lots of plot twists? Then you HAVE to read Mistborn!

2. Graceling and Fire by Kristen Cashore

These are some of the first YA fantasy books I ever read, and I have to thank them for making me fall in love with the genre. They have the perfect balance between creative fantasy elements, powerful female characters, and swoon-inducing romance.

3. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

This book is CREEPY AF. It blurs the line between fantasy and horror, fairy tale and nightmare, and does it all while creating one of my favorite heroines and love interests ever.

4. the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

If you haven’t heard of this series yet, you’ve probably been living under a rock. The series doesn’t hit its stride until the third book (in my opinion), but once it does, it becomes one of the most captivating YA fantasy stories out there.

5. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

I am in love with everything about this series: the characters, the world-building, the magic, and the writing style. I could read these books forever.

6. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson writes fantasy like no other. This is one of the most complex, moving fantasy stories ever—and it is a standalone.

7. Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did, but it’s relentless dedication calling out sexism and racism won me over. It’s characters break the expected mold and the world building is unique even if it is not extremely complex.

8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

This is one of my comfort books. The story is gorgeous, with perfectly flawed characters and a wonderful hate-to-love romance. This is a must read.

9. The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner

Though the fantasy elements in this series are subtle, I still love them. This is one of my favorite series ever, and the small bits of fantasy thrown in only make it better.

10. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

This book is MAGNIFICENT. Both the fantasy world Morgenstern creates and the way she writes about it are unique and unforgettable. If you haven’t read this book yet GO READ IT.

11. the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

Finally, how could this list be complete without my current obsession, the ACOTAR series? A Court of Mist and Fury DESTROYED me, earning the title of one of the most powerful stories I have ever read.

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Have you read these books? What are your favorite fantasy books?