Top Ten Tuesday (31): Top Ten Books for YA and Contemporary Romance Newbies

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

I’m going to do a split version for this week and do a top five for YA books and another top five for Contemporary Romance books. So here we go…

Top Five Books for YA Newbies…

 

JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta. My general belief is that everybody should read this book at least once in his/her life. 🙂 It’s an amazingly woven, poignant, and powerful story. Here’s my attempt to REVIEW this.

 

FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell. If you need an initiation to the YA genre, you’ve got to try Rainbow Rowell’s YA books.

 

SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE by Morgan Matson. I love the plot and character development in this one. It was great being with Emily in her journey of discoveries.

 

THE WINNER’S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski. This is a historical fantasy variation of YA, whose story presents sides that you will have a hard time choosing over. Here’s my REVIEW.

 

THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA by Megan Whalen Turner. This is actually the 2nd book in The Queen’s Thief series and my favorite. But I would still recommend reading the series in order to get that full impact of MWT’s genius.

 

Top Ten Tuesday (30): Top Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here’s my… 

Top Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From…

These are all for physical copies so eBooks are excluded 🙂

 

16 MARY HIGGINS CLARK. She’s one of the authors I had first obsessed over so I pretty much have everything she’s ever written except for her latest releases these past few years.

 

14 SUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS. Yup, I have read every single book she’s ever written. I’m a self-confessed fangirl to the core.

 

9 JUDITH MCNAUGHT. She’s one of my first historical romance authors I’ve read so she will always have a special place on my bookshelves. I hope she gets back to writing soon.

 

7 NALINI SINGH. To say that I love Nalini Singh would be an understatement. I have a few paperbacks but mostly all eBooks but I plan on rectifying this one soon. I love the UK covers of her Psy-Changeling series so I’m going to be buying physical copies of these soon.

 

6 J.K. ROWLING. I’m missing one book because I remember borrowing it from a cousin to read. 🙂

 

Top Ten Tuesday (29): Top Ten Favorite Movies and TV shows

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here’s my… 

Top Ten Favorite Movies and TV shows…

a.k.a., the movies and TV shows I never get tired of watching again, and again, and again, and again…

My top five favorite movies…

   

PERSUASION (2007). This movie adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel stars Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones as Ms. Anne Elliott and Captain Frederick Wentworth. This is #1 on my go-to-list of movies to watch in whatever sort of mood I’m in. I love everything about this movie: from the screenplay, to the cast, to the movies, to cinematography! Movie perfection!

 

NORTH & SOUTH (2004). Technically this a four-part mini TV series adaptation of the Elizabeth Gaskell’s book from BBC. It stars Richard Armitage and Daniela Danby-Ashe. I love these two actors to bits. They have amazing chemistry and I love what they’ve brought to their respective characters. And that ending scene!!! You have to watch it if only for that awesome ending!

 

PENELOPE (2006). This is the story of Penelope, born in a very wealthy and affluent family, a family who also happens to be cursed so that the first born daughter will have the face of a pig, but who eventually fights to live a life on her own and of her choosing. I adore this movie! It has a whimsical feel to it but the story speaks of a very strong message about loving and accepting yourself no matter how you looked or how others think of you. I love vibrant colors that characterize everything in this movie, from the costume to the set. And I love Christina Ricci and James McAvoy, as well as the other supporting characters here. Peter Dinklage (of the Game of Thrones fame, among others) is in this film too.

 

Top Ten Tuesday (28): Top Ten Blogging Confessions

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here’s my… 

Top Ten Blogging Confessions…

 

I went through a blog-tour craze in the early months of my blog.

I wanted content, content, and more content for my blog so I signed up to all these book tour companies. I still have most of my days booked with blog tours but I am learning to temper this down. I wanted to add more discussion posts so I’m currently brainstorming on topics that I want to talk about on the blog.

 

NetGalley and Edelweiss approval/disapproval make or break me, for like 24 hours.

I get slightly depressed and sad whenever I don’t get approved for an eARC, especially the books that I’m dying to read now and won’t get published for another 2 to 3 months. The opposite can be said for whenever I get approved. Let’s just say I do a happy dance every time. But almost always in my head. 🙂

 

I feel bad (like I-betrayed-them bad) when I don’t get to reply to all the comments on my blog.

I read them all but if I’m really pressed for time, I’d rather go to their blogs to comment back instead of replying to their comments on mine.

 

I used to always write my post a day or two before my schedule.

Now, I am learning to write my posts in advance so I just have to click on that Publish button when it’s my schedule already. I’m still not sure how I can schedule my posts to go live on the right day and time.

 

I totally fan-girl and squeal (at least in my mind) whenever a favorite author of mine likes my review or post or just replies back to my tweets.

Or when they offer me eARCs of their soon-to-be-released and I’m like, yes, please, give them to me, thank you. The feeling is nothing short of awesome.

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday (27): Top Ten Book (Series) Cover Trends I Like

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here’s my… 

Top Ten Book (Series) Cover Trends I Like…

I haven’t really monitored cover trends so for this week, I chose to focus on the amazing series covers that I really like.

 

   

THE QUEEN’S THIEF Series by Megan Whalen Turner. Gosh, I adore these covers. I love how these covers reflect the essence of each book so perfectly.

 

            

THE PSY-CHANGELING Series by Nalini Singh. Too many swoon-worthy heroes! But keep them coming.

 

    

LONDON STEAMPUNK Series by Bec McMaster. The covers from this series just keep getting better and better with every new release.

 

  

THE INFERNAL DEVICES Series by Cassandra Clare. I love the blending of Victorian London era and steampunk/magical feel.

 

  

THE LUNAR CHRONICLES Series by Marissa Meyer. I love how these covers interpreted the fairy tale retellings.

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday (26): Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here’s my… 

Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List…

 

(Part 1: Books scheduled to be published this summer)

HEROES ARE MY WEAKNESS by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I love SEP. She’s one of my favorite authors of all time.

 

ONCE UPON A ROSE by Laura Florand. In just a year, she’s become one of my favorite authors. I just adore her quirky heroines and emotionally bruised heroes.

 

MIDNIGHT THIEF by Livia Blackburne. I really enjoyed Livia Blackburne’s writing in POISON DANCE so I can’t wait to read her first full-length novel set in the same world as her novella.

 

ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Stephanie Perkins. I’ve read the first few chapters off NetGalley and I just can’t wait to read the whole book. It’s going to be a fun read, I can already feel it.

 

LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell. The new Rainbow Rowell novel. I don’t think I can explain it better than that.

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday (25): Top Ten Books I’ve Read So Far This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here’s my… 

Top Ten Books I’ve Read So Far This Year…

 

ON THE JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marcella. I loved everything about this book: the unraveling characters, the unfolding mysteries, the history and the romance.

 

IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi. Do I need to explain myself with this choice? LOL 🙂 To say I love and adore this book would be the understatement of the year! Warner, you guys! Warner! Here’s MY REVIEW.

 

THE CHOCOLATE TEMPTATION by Laura Florand. Gosh, this book. I love the sexual tension that the author created for the two main characters. I also love how piece by piece and layer by layer, we get to discover who these characters really are.

 

SATISFACTION by Sarah Mayberry. I have yet to not love any of Sarah Mayberry’s works. This book was funny, sexy, and heartwarming all at the same time: the best combination of a great contemporary romance read. Here’s MY REVIEW.

 

THE CHOCOLATE ROSE by Laura Florand. I just adore this wonderful contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast. You can’t help but love these characters. Plus, Laura Florand writes some of the best heroes who are really in touch with their emotions and passions. Here’s MY REVIEW.

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday (24): Books that will be in my beach bag this summer

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here’s my… 

Top Ten Books that will be in my beach bag this summer…

 

SHIELD OF WINTER by Nalini Singh. Because I’ve been waiting for this for a year! And now it’s here, finally!

 

ONLY WITH YOU by Lauren Layne. Because I have to have more of her books and I’m excited that she has this one coming out soon.

 

LEGAL AFFAIRS: CONFESSIONS OF A LITIGATION GOD by Sawyer Bennett. Because I really have to read LEGAL AFFAIRS from Matt’s POV.

 

SWEET FILTHY BOY by Christina Lauren. Because I’ve been eyeing this for some time now and I’ve heard great things about it.

 

  

FRIENDS WITHOUT BENEFITS & LOVE HACKED by Penny Reid. Because I’ve put off reading these two for far too long. It’ll be great to dive into the series again.

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday (23): Book Covers I’d Frame as Pieces of Art

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here’s my… 

Top Ten Book Covers I’d Frame as Pieces of Art…

 

THE KING OF ATTOLIA by Megan Whalen Turner. This is book cover perfection for me. I just adore it from the bottom of my heart.

 

IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi. The memory of Warner that it evokes. ‘Nuff said. 🙂

 

WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE by Julie Anne Long. I love historical romances and this is just one of the most romantic book covers I’ve seen in the genre. I’d totally frame this one and I don’t care what everybody would say. LOL 🙂

 

CRUEL BEAUTY by Rosamund Hodge. I just really, really love this cover, with the rose intertwined with the winding stairs, the contrast of the colors black and red.

 

UNHINGED by A.G. Howard. Unhinged! I don’t know what else to say. 🙂

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday (22): Characters who should get their own story/book

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the gals at The Broke and the Bookish. For this week, here are my… 

Top Ten Characters Who Should Get Their Own Story/Book…

ABBY from CRASH INTO YOU by Katie McGarry. She is such an interesting character. SPOILER ALERT: It was revealed in the book that she’s peddling drugs but it looks like she doesn’t have a choice as a lot of people, least of all her family, are counting on her to make ends meet. But she’s sassy, brave, and loyal and I hope Katie McGarry writes her book soon.

 

 

ALEX and EMMA from the Stiletto Series by Lauren Layne. They are introduced later in the series but gosh, their back story, or at least what you can gleam about their back story from the few revelations that Lauren Layne gives to the readers, I can’t wait to find out what will happen with these two. SPOILER ALERT: They used to be engaged but now they’re not. They want to look like they’re indifferent to each other but us readers know it’s never just that way. 🙂

 

  

ILLIUM from The Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh. He’s described as a very beautiful, in a masculine way, Angel who blue-silver wings blinds (figuratively) people to anything else but him. SPOILER ALERT: He once fell in love with a human and revealed an ancient secret to her and he was punished for it. I love Illium. He’s friendly and you know he’s got a good heart but there’s an air of mystery to him that you can’t help but want to find out all his secrets and histories.

 

  

KENJI KISHIMOTO from The Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. Kenji was a much needed comic relief for this emotionally intense series. But I love that he can be serious and emotionally intense as well. I would love to know more about him, about his past and if he will ever fall in love.

 

  

LEO BARRONS from the London Steampunk Series by Bec McMaster. As the series progresses, Leo is the one character I am most excited to read about. The best part about him are his secrets because I think he has lots of them. He has to have because even though he’s one of the good guys, I think, he is still part of the Echelon and all that lethal quagmire that are its politics and environment.