Top Ten Underrated Contemporary Books (61)

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

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is "Top Ten Underrated Contemporary Books." Or, at least for me it is. The actual topic is "Top Ten Underrated Authors or Books in X Genre." I chose the easy way out on this one: Went through my bookshelves and picked up the books I don't see enough on the interwebs and loved a lot and also happen to all fit in the same genre.

So, if you haven't read a contemporary novel in this stack, you probably should, because I liked them a lot.

Top Ten Books I Loved Best So Far This Year (54)

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

Oh heyyyyy it's Top Ten Tuesday time! This week's topic is "Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year." (But obvs I retitled it because I'm sassy.) I have read an embarrassing 40 books so far this year (I moved slowly at the beginning of the year and I've slowed a bit recently) so I don't have that much to pick from. But I like to think I've been spending my time on books I really want to read instead of books I kinda sorta want to read. Because, y'know, I know what I like better now and have people telling me thoughts on books that I can apply to my life. (Friends of Goodreads, I love you.)

Anyway, I hope to read more - and faster - ASAP, but until then, here are the Ten (nay, eleven, since I included a sequel) Books I Loved Best So Far This Year.

PS: THANKS TO MY BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY, ALL KNOWING EPIC RECS PARTNER (LISA) FOR MAKING ME READ TWO OF THESE BOOKS.

Top Ten Books With Awesome Friendships in Them (53)

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

I love books with good friendships. I didn't always have the best time with friends when I was YA-aged, though. I think reading about them kind of makes up for it. Or gives me hope for the future. Or helps me reflect on my current friendships. I don't actually know. I just like friendship books (Although I also like when there's also a love-interest thing thrown in with all the friendship stuff. Delicious.)

PS: Please note - not all of the books featured below are book one in their respective series, but I decided to feature the book in the series that best shows the development of the friendship in question. So pay attention, okay?

Top Ten Books I Put Off Reading For Dumb Reasons (52)

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

So this week's Top Ten Tuesday post is TECHNICALLY "Top Ten Books I Almost Put Down But Didn't," but, honestly, the books I almost put down but don't usually don't fit on any Top Ten list. I mean, I don't dislike them or anything (mostly), but I don't have a Top Ten of them. I also generally suck at DNFing and don't really think about doing so while reading (unless I'm really, really miserable). So then I was going to do "Top Ten Books I Almost Didn't Pick Up." But then when I was putting together the list, I realized this post is actually titled "Top Ten Books I Put Off Reading for Dumb Reasons." Which is how we got here.

Epic Recs Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Feature created by Amber and Judith, Graphic created by Judith

So Lisa and I picked books for each other at the beginning of this month and, now, at the end of this month, we present you with our thoughts on the books we Epically Rec'd to each other. To check out Lisa's thoughts on my pick for her (Also Known As by Robin Benway), click HERE.

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Release Date: May 4th, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Page Count: 352
Source: Purchased
First Reaction: I've never wanted to go on a road trip and eat lots of burgers more in life.

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road - diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards - this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

Epic Recs: March

Feature created by Amber and Judith, Graphic created by Judith

So last month I made Lisa read WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman (CLICK HERE to read her review) and Lisa made me read INSIGNIA by S.J. Kincaid (CLICK HERE to read my review). As it happens, we're geniuses who share a book brain and know just what to recommend each other. Or, at least we've proven this with two months of excellent recommendations. Let's see if we can't keep this up for another month, hmmm?

Top Ten Books On My Fall 2013 TBR List (33)

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

Even though I RARELY stick to these Top Ten Tuesday TBRs, I still make them. And I generally add books I already have to them, not the awesome books that are about to come out. Those will pop up and make my reading schedule more and more difficult as the months get colder and colder. So here are Ten Books I already have and intend to fit into my busy fall TBR. Many of these may not get read, as happened with my summer TBR Top Ten Tuesday, but still. I took the books off the shelves and took pictures. I'm hoping for brownie points.

1. CURTSIES AND CONSPIRACIES by Gail Carriger

2. SIEGE & STORM by Leigh Bardugo

3. THE DARKEST MINDS by Alexandra Bracken

4. THE ART OF WISHING by Lindsay Ribar

5. THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS by Sarah Ockler 

6. FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK by Matthew Quick

7. AMY & ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR by Morgan Matson

8. SECOND CHANCE SUMMER by Morgan Matson

9. LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins

10. THE BOY ON THE WOODEN BOX by Leon Leyson

What's on your Fall TBR? A bunch of books you already have? Maybe some highly anticipated fall releases? Let me know what's on your radar in the comments below!

Stacking the Shelves (17)

"Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews

I made a video for all of you. For the first 6 or so minutes I talk about the books I recently bought. Then I take the rest of the time to talk about my next 5 reads and my current read. Because I like to pack it all in there. ENJOY.

BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO

Ruby Red by Kerstin Kier

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Eon by Alison Goodman

Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Dangerous Girl by Abigail Haas (AKA Abby McDonald)

Still Star-Crossed by Melinda Taub

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Laini Taylor

Slated by Teri Terry

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney

False Memory by Dan Krokos

False Sight by Dan Krokos (COMES OUT AUGUST 13TH)

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan (COMES OUT AUGUST 27TH)

AWESOME PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO

Jennifer from ARCycling & Novel Thoughts

Mitali

Rachel from Rachel Reads

Betty from Book Rock Betty

Alexa from Alexa Loves Books

WHAT ELSE HAPPENED THIS WEEK ON THE BLOG

I told you all why I had to DNF Ghost Time by Courtney Eldridge.

Then I told you ALL about how I CANNOT WAIT for Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney.

After that, I reviewed Also Known As by Robin Benway.

And finally, I confessed my weirdness, once again, by tell you all how much I love when I find other people's papers in the books that end up in my life.

So tell me about your week. Any good books? Write or read any good posts? Let me know about them in the comments below! 

Top Ten Beach Reads (26)

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

This week the logging world is all about the beach reads, which is perfect because summer's coming and it's time to get the stack of beach reads ready for... well... THE BEACH. I hope you already have plans to get out and see the stretch of sand nearest you. But of course, if you're landlocked, these reads are also pool/park/god I feel lazy and don't want to think too much reads. So pay attention and start compiling those stacks of summer books!

1. Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

A cute, short, vaguely angsty book you can DEFNITELY read in one afternoon on the beach. I really can't think of a single reason not to bring this one with you on an afternoon out. (My Review)

2. This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

So my logic here is that the beach is kind of what happy looks like in the summer and that's the title of this books so DING DING DING we havea winner! Not to mention this book takes place in the summer and highlights the importance of ice cream in the summer. (My Review)

3. Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Pretty cover plus romps to England plus cute boy plus silly OCD protagonist = beach giggles. (Even though England doesn't actually scream beach in any by shape or form.) But yeah, London weather or not, take this one with you to the beach, okay?

4. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

This book is wonderful. It is a delicious nerdy romp of amazingness that may or may not make you cry a little. But tears aside, this incredibly meaningful book has this aspect of levity that is so totally read-in-one-sitting-able that it might be JUST what your (my?) day out at the beach needs. 

5. Let it Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green and Lauren Myracle

I recognize that this book is actually a Christmas book with lots and lots of snow by it's a fun, adorable romp that might cool you down just a bit at the beach. Not to mention, you get 3 fantastic authors for the price of one (as well as 3 kisstastic couples for that same low price!).

HEY NOW SURPRISE CHANGE OF PACE! 

(Because when do I ever just write a list?)

So while writing this post, I spontaneously decided to make the last 5 books of this list the 5 books I've stacked up to be MY summer/beach reads this summer. Because, like, obviously you all wanna know what that looks like (it's fine, I'm only a little narcissistic). 

6. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Doctor Who references? Where? What? Can I haz it? Oh I WILL haz it. By the pool, because that's where I would take the Doctor (Just Kidding, I'd take the Doctor with me wherever, whenever - because we're meant to be together. Thanks to Shakira for embodying my relationship with 10).

7. All I Need by Susane Colasanti

All of Susane Colasanti's books are wonderful contemporary reads that make for excellent beach books. It's one in particularly is quite short - a book you could definitely finish in an afternoon while taking in some sun at the beach. Besides guys, have you seen this cover? The models are ON the beach! 

8. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Another cover where the model is on a beach. But that aside, have you EVER met a Sarah Dessen book that you couldn't bring to the beach with you? And this is NOT just because a lot of her books take place on the beach - I mean, she even made up her own beach town!

9. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

I honestly believe roadtrip books are amazing summer beach reads. Ad not just because books about roadtrips obviously must happen during the summer when involving teens if they want to be contemporary and realistic because: HI school. I mean, I guess a spring/winter break road trip could work, but summer's definitely the best. 

10. Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham 

Roadtrip, roadtrip, roadtrip!! And not only is this a roadtrip book (see my beach-reading excitement or roadtrip books in the entry above), its ALSO a concert/ex-friends getting back together book. These are all things I love. Especially things I love to read about over the course of beach day. 

11. Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Another shortie, this one about Nantucket, which is one of those places like Cape Cod and Marhta's Vineyard and the Hamptons that walks around oozing a beachbeachbeachbeach vibe. So, obviously, a book written in said location would be worthy of beach read status.

Yeah. That's 6, not 5, but I have to keep you guys guessing, right? (Also: I COULDN'T DECIDE WHICH BOOK TO CUT). Anyway, it's okay because I already have all 6 of these books and they really are all stacked and ready to go!

TELL ME: Which of these have you read? Which are in your stack to read at the beach this summer? In the event that all 11 of these books fit into NEITHER of the categories I just listed, you should probably consider FIXING THAT. Y'know. If you trust me and all that jazz. Oh, and be sure to leave me a comment below and let me know just how silly/absurd I'm being this week!