Top Ten Books wished for this Christmas

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

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me

1. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan:
My library finally got this one in, and I can see why everyone was flipping out over it! It definitely became one of my favourites of the year, and is the latest addition to my Christmas wish list.

2. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood:
I really enjoyed this book, so I'd love a copy of my own to re-read before book 2 comes out in June.

3. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler:
I just recently reviewed this one despite reading it back in January. It's such a perfect winter read, and I'm a big fan of Sarah's.

4. Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian:
This was such a fun read! I love both these authors, and their collaboration was fantastic.

5. Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong:
Well, almost all of them. I own 4 already, but I've been reading them from the library, and would love to collect the rest to get signed the next time I see Kelley (she's a local author, so I've been to a couple of her signings, and would gladly go again -- it's always a fun time!).

6. Unsaid Things: Our Story by McFly:
And now for something totally different... hey, it's non-fiction! I'm a big fan of the UK group McFly, so I actually really want to read this one. I'm sure it's crazy and ridiculous, but should be fun(ny).

7. The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke:
This book surprised me with how awesome it was, so I'd love a finished copy of my own.

8. Enthralled anthology edited by Kelley Armstrong & Melissa Marr:
There are a few stories in here I REALLY enjoy, and I didn't get a chance to read the whole thing when I checked it out from the library.

9. Storm & Spark by Brigid Kemmerer:
I actually own these in ebook form, but I want hard copies for ultimate re-reading and loaning out to friends potential. So good!!

10. Endlessly by Kiersten White:
Already read this one from the library, but I must own it to finish off the trilogy.

You can probably tell a lot about my reading habits from this post. I don't tend to buy books (or even add them to my wishlist) unless I've already read and enjoyed them, whether it be through review copies or the public library. That's probably a good thing, because my bookshelves are out of control as it is!

I'm excited to see which books have caught your eye this holiday season. Leave your links and I will gladly comment back.

Top Ten Favorite Kick-Ass Heroines

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

Top Ten Favorite Kick-Ass Heroines

In no particular order...

1. Aura from Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready:
Aura is smart, funny, brave, and just an all around great person.

2. Elisa from The Girl of Fire & Thorns series by Rae Carson:
Elisa is just so BRAVE and STRONG. She has been through so much, but she will do anything to protect her country and those she loves.

3. Anna from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins:
Anna is kind of an "every girl", but I love how she grows throughout the book. She has a vision for her future, and she learns to embrace her new situation.

4. Frankie Landau-Banks from The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart:
There are very few characters that I adore as much as Frankie. I love her girl power and how completely brilliant she is, and I also appreciate how E. Lockhart has made her down to earth in so many ways (e.g. wanting her BF to like her, but to like her as a respected individual as well).

5. Raisa from The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima:
Raisa is so kick butt. She'll run away from a forced marriage, learn how to fight, and will protect her country with everything she's got.

6. Saba from Dustlands series (Blood Red Road) by Moira Young:
I absolutely love Saba. She's so prickly and unlikable to start with, but I love how as the book goes on she grows to care about others besides Lugh. She's so fierce, but she's kind of a marshmallow inside (though she'd probably kill you if you pointed that out).

7. Rose from Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead:
Rose is a kick-ass heroine who is physically strong, but is also funny, loyal, and smart. I feel like she defies a lot of the stereotypes that surround strong female characters.

8. Katsa from Graceling by Kristin Cashore:
Man, Katsa is so fierce. She's been through so much in her life, yet she is still an inherently good person. She fights to protect those who have been wronged, and uses her grace to do so. I love how Katsa always remains true to herself.

9. Gabi from The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren:
Gabi is intelligent and brave, and she faces her fears in order to save her sister and protect those she cares about. Gabi really tries to deal with the situation she's put in, while also making the most of it.

10. Ember from Article 5 series by Kristen Simmons:
Ember is a bit naive in the first book, but by the 2nd she's definitely come into her own. I love how strong Ember remains, and how she's willing to fight for the right thing, even after she's been through so much.

Top Ten Book Romances

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

Top Ten Book Romances That You Think Would Make It In The Real World (outside the book)
1. Zachary/Aura from Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready:
These two were the first couple I thought of. EPIC SWOON. They were a slow burn, and they worked hard to be together, and they absolutely translate to the real world.

2. Anne/Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery:
I mean, OBVIOUSLY. These two have clearly been meant to be since the chalkboard incident.

3. Anna/Etienne from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins:
They are each others homes. They protect each other, and they are best friends. It doesn't get more real than that.

4. Violet/Jay from The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting:
They would definitely make it long term in the real world because they understood and loved each other as friends before becoming something more.

5. Wes/Macy from The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen:
I could see a lot of Dessen couples working, but especially these two. They've already been through tough situations and they know how to communicate and to appreciate and hold on to the good in their lives.

6. Adam/Mia from If I Stay/Where She Went by Gayle Forman:
Talk about going through a lot. These two made their way back to each other, and their passion and shared history would keep them going.

7. Jordan/Sam Henry from Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally:
I'm clearly a sucker for BFF love, because I see Jordan and Henry lasting outside the book. They know and understand one another, and they just fit.

8. Taylor/Jonah Griggs from Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta:
SO MUCH. Close to the end of the book Hannah asks why they have to be so intense/serious about each other, and it's like they just have to be. Taylor and Jonah are already bound together by more than their feelings... it's their experiences, and the deep emotion that comes with them.

9. Amy/Roger from Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson:
I absolutely see a HEA for these two. They became friends and bonded so deeply, and I see both of them working together to make it happen. They know what crappy relationships are like, and they also know how special their connection is.

10. Amy/Jamie from Secret Society Girl series by Diana Peterfreund:
I don't want to say too much because it would really spoil the series, but let's just say that their relationship was a major work in progress, and where it ended up was perfect. This definitely feels real, and I adored them together.

I had so much fun picking these book couples that I could see making it in real life. I love that this week's topic was in honour of Jamie's wedding -- congrats Jamie!

Can't wait to see everyone else's lists so I can swoon some more! ;)

Top Ten Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me

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

Top Ten Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me
1. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick: I actually won a copy of this at one point, but I ended up giving it away. From what I've heard of Patch the book doesn't appeal to me at all. Still, I feel like practically every YA blogger has read it.

2. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen: I'm terrible, I know! I've watched so many different adaptations of this, and even read some P&P inspired books, but I haven't read the original. There's no excuse because I have the book on my Kobo.

3. Looking For Alaska by John Green: The only John Green I've read is 'Paper Towns', which I adored, so I'm not sure why I haven't read this one.

4. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl: Well, this is a partial truth. I started reading it and I got about 1/4 of the way but I was SO FREAKING BORED. A very unpopular opinion, I know.

5. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: I've had this one on my TBR list for so, so long, but I just haven't picked it up for some reason.

6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher: This one has been around almost every blog, and I had it on my radar for a long time before the resurgence earlier this year, but I just haven't read it yet.

7. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner: I have no excuse for this one because I bought a copy of the book either earlier this year or late last year. I've heard so many good things about the series!

8. Forever by Judy Blume: I grew up in a semi-conservative Christian household, so even though I basically always chose my own books, I don't think I really ever had the opportunity to be exposed to Judy Blume's works.

9. Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce: I never really read much fantasy up until a couple of years ago, but I've heard SUCH good things about Alanna that I will definitely have to read this series at some point.

10. Crank by Ellen Hopkins: I'm just... not really interested, which I know sounds bad. I've heard how powerful these books are, but I just don't like books about drugs and I'm not a big fan of novels in verse either.

I have to say this list was hard for me, because apparently I have very commercial tastes. There are probably some glaring omissions, but these are the ones I could think of, and even then I had to consult some lists.

So, which books haven't you read which you feel everyone else has? I look forward to checking out everyone's lists!

Top Ten on my TBR List for Fall 2011

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

Top Ten Books That Are On The Top Of My TBR List For Fall
(Books releasing between September - December 2011)
1. If I Die by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers #5): So I've heard there's a lot of awesome Tod in this one. That makes me happy, because Nash was a total idiot in the last book. (September 20)

2. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins: As if this isn't on everyone under the sun's TBR list. I just know that even people who haven't heard of these books are secretly wishing they could read more Stephanie Perkins. (September 29)

3. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson: Boarding school in London. Jack the Ripper. Secret ghost police. Oh and it's Maureen Johnson. Yes please! (September 29)

4. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (Heroes of Olympus #2): I lovedddd 'The Lost Hero', so I'm excited to see how this one will play out. Plus: Percy freaking Jackson!

5. The Death Cure by James Dashner (The Maze Runner #3): I freaking ADORE this trilogy, it's so insane and topsy-turvy. I cannot wait to read this conclusion!! (October 11)

6. Last Breath by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires #11): Oh yes. Hopefully Shane won't be a complete tool in this one. (November 1)

7. Liar's Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Thief Errant #2): I read 'StarCrossed' for Alyssa's Best Overlooked Book Battle and I really loved it. I don't think a lot of people have heard of these books, but the first one is awesome. Hence, I can't wait for this one, which I believe includes a romance. (November 1)

8. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi: I've heard soooo many good things!! (November 15)

9. Legend by Marie Lu: This looks epic. I love the cover so much! (November 29)

10. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare: More Jem, please. (December 6)

Can't wait to see which books are on everyone's TBR piles!

Top Ten Books I Haven't Reviewed

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

Top Ten Books You Loved But Never Wrote A Review For
(either books you loved and couldn't bring yourself to write a review for or books that you read long before blogging...time to give them a shoutout!)
1. Divergent by Veronica Roth: My Goodreads still says "Full review to come." I loved it so much and it totally lived up to the hype, but there were so many reviews coming out at the same time that I didn't really think I could say anything unique. I'll have to re-read it and write a review then.

2. Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell: I read this one long before I started my blog and even before I was doing reviews on Goodreads. This book is absolutely hilarious! A great travel book.

3. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley: This is one of my favourite books, yet I don't have a review for it. I've book talked it and recommended it zillions of times, but no review! Must change that ASAP.

4. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart: Frankie is one of my favourite characters ever. This is another one of my favourites.

5. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen: I adore Sarah Dessen. She is one of my favourites, and I've adored her books since high school, but pretty much all of them were read pre-reviewing days. I went with this one because it's quite possibly my favourite Dessen, though that's sort of like picking a favourite child (not that I have experience in this) or a favourite flavour of ice cream, or other equally impossible choices.

6. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan: I was pretty emotionally wrecked by this book so I wasn't really sure what to write as my reaction to it.

7. Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John: Not sure why I never reviewed this one. I really loved the characters in it.

8. Warped by Maurissa Guibord: This 2011 debut was really enchanting, and I haven't seen it around the blogs a lot, which makes me want to review it, because it definitely deserves more exposure.

9. The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart: The Ruby books are absolutely genius, but, again, I read most of them pre-reviewing. It would be fun to re-read these and do a whole series spotlight on them, because more people should be exposed to their awesome-ness.

10. Bras & Broomsticks by Sarah Mlynowski: I remember the 'Magic in Manhattan' books being so, so fun, but since I read them 2 or 3 years ago and don't have reviews for them I don't remember the specifics very well. I own them all, so I should definitely do a re-read spotlight for these ones as well.

So there you have it: some of my favourite books that I never reviewed. I'm curious to check out every else's lists this week!

Top Ten Underrated Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
Top Ten Underrated Books(books you can't believe aren't more popular)
1. Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell -- This book made me literally laugh out loud numerous times. I gave it to my Mom when I was done reading it, and then to my best friend after that. If you like travel stories and humour mixed with a very heartwarming family story and a cute little romance, then what are you waiting for??

2. Fat Cat by Robin Brande -- Amazing characters, interesting plotline. A very unique self-transformation story. I LOVED this book, and I’m always so surprised not more people are talking about it.

3. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow -- This book is pretty well-known, but among most typical YA book bloggers? I don’t think it is. Now, this book blew my mind. This book is rare for me in that I didn’t like it because of the characters. It’s not even the plot necessarily. It’s the subject matter. It’s important, relevant, truthful, etc. Just absolutely intriguing, and I think everyone should read it.

4. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley -- I’ve seen this book on a lot of awards lists, but I’m always surprised by the amount of people who say “Oh yah, I’ve been meaning to read that.” Well, you should read it! It’s so beautifully written, has amazing characters… will make me laugh, cry, want to scream. I love all the motifs in it, as well.

5. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson -- This book made me sob my eyes out the first time I read it, yet I’ve re-read a couple times since then. I don’t know what it is about it. I think it’s just the heartwrenching honesty, the innocent and truthful love story… and the issue of race relations. I just can’t believe people hold so much hate in their hearts.

6. Stork by Wendy Delsol -- I admit I’m a bit late to the bandwagon for this one. I just recently read ‘Stork’ before reading its sequel ‘Frost’ (out this fall from Candlewick). I’m so shocked more people haven’t reviewed it! What an interesting and unique take on the typical mythology/paranormal book. You definitely want to be reading this one. The main character is pretty kick butt and her love interest? Ooer. Hot nice guy alert!

7. Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly -- Beautiful and emotionally honest is how I described this book when I finished reading it. I just found the writing to be lovely, and the characters were great. Drea’s voice just totally spoke to me. Who hasn’t questioned certain social norms before? I haven’t read too many books with characters who have Aspberger’s, so I found this one really interesting.

8. The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb & Darcy Vance -- Super fun and cute contemp with a great romance. They take on some typical tropes of the high school novel, turning them on their heads a bit. It’s just a smart and funny read, and I’m surprised more people haven’t read it!

9. Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian -- A book about searching for your true self. A very realistic look at being caught between two worlds. Really lovely writing style.

10. Amazing Grace by Megan Shull -- This book is just so cute! A really sweet romance. Grace is a really famous tennis star, but she decides she’s had it with all the press and the lifestyle. She assumes a different identity in Alaska where she meets a very cute boy.

I chose to list some books that are perhaps more "unknown" than "underrated", and I can't wait to see what everyone else has chosen to list in these categories. Hopefully I'll find some great new books for my TBR pile!

 

Top Ten Authors I Would DIE to meet

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

Top Ten Authors I Would DIE to meet
1. J.K. Rowling: Um, yah, it’s J.K. Rowling. Who wouldn’t want to pick her mind? She’s clearly a genius.

2. Justina Chen Headley: ‘North of Beautiful’ is one of my favourite books ever, so I’d love to chat about the themes in that book. Maybe we could go geocaching!

3. Meg Cabot: Meg is one of only a few authors who I read in high school that I still read now. According to Goodreads I’ve read 44 of her books, and I own basically all of those. Meg is still the Queen of YA and she seems like such a fun, cool person.

4. Melina Marchetta: ‘Jellicoe Road’ = one of favourite books of all-time. Every book I’ve read by her is just inspiring, amazing, beyond description. So with that in mind? You gotta think an awesome conversation could arise.

5. Melissa Walker: Melissa seems ultra cool. She’s all fashion-y and smart and she writes some pretty incredible books. I would definitely want her to be my tour guide around Brooklyn.

6. Richelle Mead: Richelle is a new favourite author of mine. I was totally behind the times on the VA books (don’t judge books by their covers, everyone… although I still totally do), but they’re definitely one of my favourite series now.

7. Robin Jones Gunn: RJG is a Christian author and when I was growing up, her Christy Miller series was one of my favourites. I still re-read her tween series, and I loved how she brought the characters into college as well. Robin just seems like such a lovely woman.

8. Sarah Dessen: Sarah Dessen is one of my favourite authors ever. Contemporary YA is what I’ve been a fan of the longest, and when I discovered her books I was in awe. Her books are stunning… they’re so simple and fun, but they have that absolute depth to them as well. Plus Sarah as a person? We could totally talk ‘Friday Night Lights’ and ‘Gilmore Girls’ and all kinds of other awesome TV.

9. Stephanie Perkins: Stephanie was a librarian. She has ultra cool hair. She nerds out over stuff. She created Anna freaking Oliphant and Etienne St. Clair, YA crush extraordinaire. Can we be friends now please?

10. Suzanne Collins: So, she wrote that little book called 'The Hunger Games'. You probably haven’t heard of it. ;) Suzanne is all brilliant, making social commentary cool for teens (and people of all ages!) to read about. I would love to talk about all the political issues that make up the trilogy, as well as dish on what she’s working on next.

So, which authors are you dying to meet? Let me know in the comments, or link to your post and I'll come check it out.

Top Ten Bookish Websites

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

Top Ten Bookish Websites


1. Better World Books: I haven’t actually used this site, but the idea behind it? Amazing. They sell new and used books to raise money for literacy initiatives around the world (libraries, not-for-profits, etc).

2. Book Blogs Ning: I’m new to this site, but it seems like a pretty great resource. You can connect with other bloggers who review the same genre, or maybe those who live in the same area. It’s a social network specifically for book bloggers, which makes it pretty cool.

3. Book Depository: I’m pretty positive most people know about Book Depository’s awesomeness, but how can I not mention it? Such great prices, no tax, and free shipping around the world? Just... wow.

4. Edelweiss: I haven’t used this one a lot, but it’s so perfect for searching different publisher’s catalogues in one spot. You could spend hours looking through all the awesomeness!

5. Fiction_L: This is a really good readers advisory source if you’re looking for a book with a particular setting or on a particular topic. Check out their assembled lists, but also search the archive. Can also be helpful if you’re looking for a particular book.

6. Free Book Friday: This site is exactly what it sounds like. Every Friday (if you're in the US or Canada) you can sign up for the chance to win free books! The site was founded by author Jessica Brody.

7. Goodreads: My love of Goodreads precedes book blogging, but now that I'm reading more than ever and finding out about even more awesome books it's such a perfect tool to keep track of my TBR list. Plus I love seeing my friends' reviews and keeping track of what I've read as well.

8. Netgalley: Kind of a ‘duh’, but how awesome is Netgalley? It allows us non-US bloggers and bloggers with a bit lesser following to get early access to some amazing books.

9. WorldCat: WorldCat is a global library catalogue. What that means is that you can search the catalogue for a particular book, author, subject... whatever, and WorldCat will tell you which libraries closest to you hold a particular item.

10. Young Adult Book Blog Search Engine: Looking for reviews on a specific book? You’ll find them here! Better yet, add your own blog to the search engine so people can find your reviews easily.


I hope I've been able to introduce you to a few new websites, and I'm excited to see which ones other people have listed!

Top Ten Book Settings

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

Top Ten Settings in Books
All those real or imagined locations/worlds you loved reading about.

1. Hogwarts (Harry Potter, obviously) -- I bet this will be on most people's lists, because if you've read about Hogwarts (and Hogsmeade, and Diagon Alley, etc.) how could you not love it?

2. Cousins Beach (Jenny Han's Summer Trilogy) -- Cousins Beach, especially the beach house, just seems like this idyllic childhood place. I wish I had a cottage to go to every summer like the Conklins and the Fishers.

3. Pembrook Park (Austenland by Shannon Hale) -- This place just sticks out to me as a really fun and unique book setting. How insane would it be to go to this place that relives the setting of your favourite book(s)?

4. Gallagher Academy (Gallagher Girls books) -- It's a boarding school for spies in training. Need I say more? I will, though, because this place is amazingly cool. Secret levels depending on your clearance, all kinds of secret passageways... it reminds me of the X-Mansion.

5. Paris in Anna and the French Kiss -- I've always been more of a London girl than a Paris fan, but the way Stephanie Perkins wrote about the city made me fall in love with it.

6. Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson series) -- I'm not a half-blood (that I know of), but this place seems awesome. I love how each of the gods/goddesses gets their own house, and how the building represents their characteristics.

7. New York City in The Mortal Instruments books -- I love the idea of there being a "secret" side to our normal cities, and these books are a great example of that. Faeries living under Central Park, vampires holing up in abandoned buildings, and all these places that look entirely different to mortals? Very cool.

8. Colby in Sarah Dessen's books (Keeping the Moon, Along for the Ride) -- Colby, to me, represents the perfect beach town. I could just imagine spending a whole summer there, visiting the Last Chance Cafe and hanging out at the beach.

9. Carmel, California (Mediator series) -- Carmel just seems like a beautiful place with all the massive old houses and the historic buildings like the Mission.

10. Victorian London (The Agency books) -- Y.S. Lee knows her stuff, so it's no wonder that the London she writes about comes to life so vividly in her books. As mentioned above, I love London itself, but imagining  it in the past just gives me the shivers (I was a history major, okay? give me a break ;)).

Which book settings are your favourites? I can't wait to read all about them.

Top Ten Beach Books

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

Top Ten Books That Should Be In A Beach Bag

Your perfect beach reads!

My list is a combination of books that have beach settings and simply books that are perfect to read while relaxing on the beach.

1. Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park -- Though this takes place during the academic year it is a perfect book to dive into during the summer. This is a book that has a bit of everything, but I dare you not to fall in love with the romance.

2. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson -- This book epitomizes summer as it takes you along on a road trip across the United States. Some tough issues are addressed, but I absolutely love the slowly developing romance between Amy and Roger.

3. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler -- Amazing beach setting in a brilliant debut novel. It's absolutely gut wrenching at times, but then also funny and sweet. I really adore this one and it's definitely on my summer 'to re-read' list.

4. Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell -- An absolutely hilarious novel that chronicles the travels of Vassar Spore through Southeast Asia. Let's just say that an uptight germaphobe overachiever does not mix well with world travel. Despite all the insanely funny antics this is also a story with an incredible amount of heart.

5. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen -- This is one of my favourite Dessen books, and I loved revisiting the beach town of Colby. The connection between Eli and Auden is amazing.

6. Death by Bikini by Linda Gerber -- The first in the 'Death By' trilogy, this volume features a remote tropical island, a very cute boy, and - oh yes - a murder to solve. A very fun read with a mystery that is intriguing and thrilling.

7. Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker -- This book? Don't judge it by its cover. While the book is a perfectly fun and awesome summer read, it's actually centred around the music scene in Austin.

8. Getting Lost With Boys by Hailey Abbott -- Another road trip novel! This was always my favourite of Hailey's 'Boy' books. Light and fluffy and perfect for summer.

9. Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton -- A summer beach setting and a perfectly sweet, but realistic, story about first love.

10. Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel -- Colby starts off as a bit of a brat, but as she spends her summer in Greece she begins to accept herself and the things that have happened in her life. There's a cute romance, and I really enjoyed the setting.


Which books are you taking in your beach bag this summer? I can't wait to check them out.

Top Ten Book Boyfriends + Swag Giveaway

Top Ten Book Boyfriends

This post was inspired by a Top Ten Tuesday post where the topic was "Fictional Crushes". I didn't have a post ready for then, so I thought I would attempt one now. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone (I hope they'll forgive me! ;)), but here they are. Ten of my top picks to be my book boyfriend:

***

1. Adam Wilde from If I Stay / Where She Went -- Oh Adam. Tortured emo rock musicians aren't usually my type, but Adam is just so gorgeous... and I don't just mean his looks. Is it weird that his deep and true love for Mia is what made me fall for him?

2. Roger Sullivan from Amy & Roger's Epic Detour -- Roger will always tell you the truth, he'll give you his sunglasses when you've been crying, and he'll never tell you goodbye. All this while also making awesome playlists? Please sign me up for a road trip with him ASAP!

3. Jacob from North of Beautiful -- He is a little bit damaged himself, but he makes up for it in positivity. He is so, so lovely: kind, quirky, and funny.

4. Adrian Ivashkov from the Vampire Academy series -- Somehow I fell in love with Adrian despite his propensity for smoking and drinking (both of which I hate). How is this possible? Richelle Mead's genius, I suppose. I was always a Rose/Dimitri shipper, but I just adore Adrian. He's charmingly cocky and he has an ability to always tell you how he feels.

5. Wes Baker from The Truth About Forever -- Wes is the originator of the SA-WOON, so what more can you say? Well, he is artistic, intelligent, and kind. Plus if you're into the bad boy thing, he was in reform school.

6. Jonah Griggs from Jellicoe Road -- Jonah Griggs is just ah-mazing. He's a tough army cadet who cares insanely about Taylor, but he won't take any crap from her either. He has that slightly damaged quality to him, but he's so incredibly caring and protective.

7. Etienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss -- One of the best things about St. Clair is that he's charmingly flawed. He's pretty short, which is a bummer, and he has this massive fear of heights. Oh, and sometimes he makes really stupid decisions based on fear. But wait! He's also confident, smart (history geek alert!), and funny, and he can be a really great friend.

8. Zachary Moore from Shade / Shift -- Hot Scottish accent alert!! For real, Zachary is smoking. But he's also incredibly patient, caring, and protective (not in a possessive way, either). Zach is just... well, you'll have to experience him for yourself to understand his true magic.

9. Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games trilogy -- Yup, I'm totally Team Peeta. Peeta is loyal, patient, giving, and brave, PLUS as a bonus he can also bake incredibly pretty and delicious things. What's not to like?

10. Jesse de Silva from the Mediator series -- On the downside, Jesse is a ghost, so that's a big problem unless you're a Mediator like Suze. However, how can you not fall for Jesse? He's all hot and Spanish, plus he's from the past, meaning he has very good manners (it's important, ladies!). Of course he's also a borderline bossypants, but it's in a hot, protective way, so you can forgive him.

Swag Giveaway

To celebrate the awesomeness of Zachary I'm going to give away two pairs of Shade/Shift bookmarks:

To enter just...

FILL OUT THIS FORM

- Two winners (1 pair each, first winner gets the signed pair)

- Entries accepted until May 16 at 9 am EST

- Open internationally

So what about you? Who are your top book boyfriends?