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.

Review: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: February 4th, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Page Count: 416 
Source: Purchased
First Reaction: Oh this ending. Oh. I love it so much.

One day I might break

One day I might break free

Nothing will ever be the same.

The fate of Omega Point is unknown. Everyone Juliette has ever cared about could be dead. The war could be over before it ever really began.

Juliette is the only one standing in The Reestablishment's way. She knows that if she's going to survive, The Reestablishment cannot.

But to take down The Reestablishment and the man who very nearly killed her, Juliette will need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together to bring down their enemy, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew—about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam—was wrong.

[Summary Source: Barnes & Noble]

Top Ten Books That Made Me Swoon (45)

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

I liked what I did last week with the covers that linked to Goodreads and no text. My reasons for why books made me swoon (like with the crying) are very personal and individual to me and and, well, trying to verbalize and share them will probably turn me into an incoherent mess and no one wants to see that. Also, I'd had to put any spoilers out there in the world, and crying and swoons are two categories where spoilers could accidentally fall out of my mouth and into the world and I do not want that. It is bad for blogging business. So here are ten books I absolutely loved that made me swoon. And I hope that you haven't read all of them so you can pick one of them up this Valentines Day, read it, swoon, and totally get where I'm coming from!

Top Ten "Shut Up and Give it to Me Now" Sequels (37)

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

Top Ten "Shut Up and Give it to Me Now" Sequels.

You like that, don't you? Well that's how I feel about each of these books. So why don't I shut up and tell you all about which books I want to get my sticky little hands on as soon as possible.

1. RUIN AND RISING by Leigh Bardugo (June 3rd, 2014)

I mean, have you read the first two books in this series? Have you? If so, you should understand why I want the world to shut up and give me the third book in the series already. 

2. IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi (February 4th, 2014)

Another third book in the series I'd like the world to shut up and give to me already, for the love of everything in the world that anyone cares about.

3. DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS by Laini Taylor (April 8th, 2014)

All right. I'm not gonna lie. I haven't read DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT yet, but DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE is so fantastic and amazing that, even though I've hear book 2 in the series is very different from book 1, I'm pretty sure I just need everyone to shut up and give me this book already.

4. ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Stephanie Perkins (May 13th 2014)

I also haven't read LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR yet. But still. Shut up and give me this book immediately. IMMEDIATELY.

5. STRANGE AND EVER AFTER by Susan Dennard (July 22nd, 2014)

Look, I could tell you why I want this book right this second, or you could shut up and give it to me. I think the latter option'll make everyone happier in the long run.

6. SHATTERED by Teri Terry (May 1st, 2014)

I loved the first two books in this series and absolutely loved them. What's really stressful is that Teri Terry's books are published in the UK and those on the other side of the pond will get this book much sooner than I will. So, maybe someone should shut up and give this book to me a little early, please?

7. INTO THE STILL BLUE by Veronica Rossi (January 28th, 2014)

Lots of series are ending soon, aren't they? Well, shut up and give me all of the series ender books now. (PLEASE AND THANK YOU.)

8. WINTER by Marissa Meyer (2015)

Okay. This is when I'm the worst. I've already read CRESS (YAY Advanced Reader Copies and Macmillan!) and I loved it so much that now I need everyone to shut up and give WINTER to me right now. (I'm not even going to be polite about it this time - that's how good this series is.)

9. TAKE ME ON by Katie McGarry (May 20th, 2014)

More of me being the worst. I've already read CRASH INTO ME and I love it very much. Katie McGarry's stories are so heartbreakingly swoony that I really just the world to shut up and give me and endless supply of them for me to read. 

10. SINNER by Maggie Stiefvater (July 1st, 2014)

Remember when Maggie Stiefvater up and told everyone that she's publishing a companion book to the SHIVER trilogy about Isabel and Cole? My excitement here knows no bounds, so please shut ME up by giving this one to me ASAP.

Do you guys like my picks? Maybe there are a couple I missed but you think I'd like. If there are, be sure to let me know about 'em in the comments below.

Top Ten Books I Was Forced to Read Due to FOMO (36)

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

FOMO = Fear Of Missing Out

I suffer from FOMO. A lot. I'll stay up super late, get up crazy early and go totally out of my way to not miss out on something I think is going to be awesome. Or, y'know, just to spend time with my friends and not miss out on any awesome private jokes to be. 

So, obviously, I also suffer from bookish FOMO. I don't want to miss out on the books everyone loves, so sometimes I'll drop everything and pick up whatever has people raving. Obviously this is similar to falling prey to hype, but I think I've gotten pretty good at separating FOMO from the general hype by now. At least when it comes to books. Because I really do skip the hype books that I honestly don't think are for me. So maybe my FOMO books are really just hype books meant for me? This is getting technical and confusing and I just want to blame my compulsion to read this books on FOMO, okay? 

So glad you all approve.

1. Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

I feel like this one doesn't need an explanation. (My Review)

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

More of the "no explanation needed" business. (My Review)

3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Not gonna lie, I picked up this series just after the first trailer for the movie came out. I like to read the books first and I'd heard from a lot of people I trust that the books were phenomenal. They were right. 

4. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Back when Unravel Me was coming out, everyone and their mom was freaking out on Twitter. The premise sounded interesting but I wasn't sure what had everyone raving. I was so afraid I was missing out on the greatest thing since sliced bread that I picked this one. I make good life choices. (My Review)

5. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

This one has similar reasoning to numbers 1 and 2 on this list. But also, I read it (and Where She Went) just as the buzz for Just One Day was going around. Everyone seemed to love this mysterious Gayle Forman woman and I wanted in. (And oh, how I am in now. So very in.) (My Review)

6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

All of the fantasy lovers/Tamora Pierce fangirls were all: READ THIS. READ THIS NOW. I was so sure I was missing out on the fantastical that I forced myself to read. I'm not totally sure why I dragged my heels on this one, but I'm glad I finally got my act together. (My Review)

7. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Another fantasy book I was hesitant to start. I don't know why. Ultimately I forced myself to read it because I was afraid I was missing out on something really phenomenal. I was, but I'm better now.

8. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

This one's similar to item 4 on this list. I still make good life choices. And not just because Under the Never Sky is great but because Through the Ever Night is even better. (My Review)

9. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I was like: "Cyborg? Cinderella? Neither are so much my favorite." But the raving was deafening so I picked it up. as with Under the Never Sky, Book 1 is great but the following books in the series (Scarlet and Cress - I haven't read Winter yet, obviously) are perfection. (My Review)

10. Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Everyone was talking about this "The Darkling" guy and, again, the plot didn't totally do it for me, but I just had to know. I had to know. So I went from ??? to !!! in one sitting. (My Review)

Now that you all know I'm crazy for sure, you should probably just leave some love in the comments below and back away slowly... ;)

Top Ten Best Sequels I've Read This Year (34)

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

I modified this week's Top Ten Tuesday because I absolutely CANNOT recall all of the awesome sequels I've read in my life. Also, that list would be insane. Instead I'm just going to list my Top Ten Sequels that I devoured this year. So sit back and enjoy the ride. 

1. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

I knew I was going to absolutely love this one before I even read it. I was so right it's insane. Ronan, Adam, Gansey, Noah and Blue do not disappoint. (My Review)

2. A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

I wasn't sure how I felt about this series before I started it. I love Steampunk but Paranormal is NOT my scene. But then I read it because I got a copy of the book at BEA and I love Susan Dennard forever and always. (My Review)

3. Fire by Kristin Cashore

Everyone always told me I should read the Graceling series. They were right. Because it's awesome. I haven't read Bitterblue yet, but for sure this is going to be one of my favorite series. (My Review)

4. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

I also got my hands on an early ARC of Cress. Both of these sequels are so unbelievably amazing. What's really crazy to me now, after I've read these three books, is how reluctant I was to read Cinder because of the whole cyborg angle. But I made the right decision. (My Review)

5. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

I don't care who you love - Adam, Warner, Kenji... this series is excellence and I cannot WAIT for the next e-novella and the last book. (No, but seriously, is it December yet?) (My Review)

6. Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

I liked Under the Never Sky A LOT. A LOT. But HOLY COW I loved THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT. I'm going to be really sad when this series is over, but I do know that I'm going to be talking about it for a very, very long time. (My Review)

7. Sever by Lauren DeStefano

This is a series that is over now. But I looooved it. Mostly because I love Lauren DeStefano's writing. Absolutely stunning. I'm so excited she has a new book coming out next week. I am all over that like you wouldn't believe. (My Review)

8. Where She Went by Gayle Forman

I know this is more a companion book than a sequel but if you've read it you'll understand why I had to include it. I mean, I even read this one at the very, very end of LAST year and I still have to include it because I love it so much. Adam and Mia forever, yo. (My Review)

9. The Realm of the Gods by Tamora Pierce

I re-read this book for PierceFest this year. It's the only re-read on this list. Because it's that freaking good. I mean, the steamiest kissing scene ever lives in this book and it's so delicious I can't even get into it right now without melting. (My Review)

10. Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

This is my first go at the Jessica Darling series and I loved the second book in this set so very much. I totally get the Marcus Flutie love now and it honestly makes me want to squirm around on my bed joyously all day. All. Day. (My Review)

Have you read these series? If not, I recommend GETTING ON THAT. If you need a push in the right direction, let me know in the comments below and I'll be sure to help you make the right decision.

Top Ten Books Hollywood Should Really Capitalize On (30)

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

I have a lot of feelings regarding film adaptations. There are a lot out there that I hate, a couple I like and a whole bunch I'm just kind WHATEVS about. So instead of trimming a list of hates or wracking my brain for a bunch of likes, I'm just going to make a list of books I wish they (AKA Hollywood) would turn into movies (or TV shows). Of course, it goes without saying that these adaptations would be flawless pieces of brilliance. So keep that in mind as you peruse my list.

PS: Sorry there are no graphics of any kind this week. My brain is just too tired.

1. ALL OF THE TAMORA PIERCE
Set in Tortall, of course. Gillian and I have discussed this and we've decided Tortall as a whole would make a fantastic set of mini-series/kickbutt TV series on the BBC. I mean, Merlin? Success. Robin Hood? Yeah, he got some limelight. WHY. NOT. TORTALL?

2. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
OKAY. I know they're doing this already, but I still want it and I want it to be GOOD. So it makes the list. (My Review)

3. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
What's that? Another kickbutt fantasy book I'd like to be seen made into a movie? WE ALL SAW LORD OF THE RINGS. WE KNOW YOU CAN HANDLE THE CHALLENGE, HOLLYWOOD. (My Review)

4. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Seriously. Dystopian superheroes. This has MOVIE written all over it. Someone get on that, please. (My Review)

5. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
TELL ME this wouldn't be amazing. I mean, sci-fi, which is amazing on the big screen, and then throw in some Jane Austen? I don't even want to talk to you right now if you don't want to see Kai and Elliot smolder on screen. (My Review)

6. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
My brain thinks this would make an EXCELLENT indie drama. There'll be hipster music and a pair of semi-famous actors. It'll be kind of like Remember Me - that movie with Rob Pattinson that made me cry like a small child. (My Review)

7. Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
If The Clique can be made into a movie, it's almost an INJUSTICE for Jessica Darling not to get some screen time - at least as a Carrie Diaries-esque show on the CW. (My Review)

8. The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot
SO MUCH CABOT HAS BEEN ADAPTED. WHY NOT JESSE THE HOT GHOST? Seriously. This would be an amazing TV show. I would watch it always.

9. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
I could draw the comparison to Game of Thrones or I could just say: THERE IS SO MUCH MATERIAL HERE. SO PERFECT FOR TV. TV, WHY ARE YOU PASSING UP THIS OPPORTUNITY? (My Review)

10. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
This would be another great indie film. I don't even have caps locks for how good this indie film would be. So can it please just be made already so I can watch it?

There are a ton of other books I'd LOVE to see in movie/TV form, but these are the ones I think would probably work if given a chance. But what do you think? Am I completely crazy? Would these all suck? Let me know in the comments below!

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013 (28)

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

This week's topic is Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013. I've read 46 books this year, according to Goodreads, and while there are A LOT of books (*cough* all 6 Tamora Pierce books I've re-read to mention a few *cough*), here are the 10 that I think you all should make sure you get to in a very timely fashion. And when I say 10, I mean 12, because I've put two second-book-in-trilogy books on this list and OBVIOUSLY you need to read the first one first. Obviously.

1. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina was my first book read in 2013 and it did NOT disappoint. I loved the dragons, the twists, I loved the writing... just about everything. I hadn’t read a dragon or high fantasy book in a very long time (mostly from fear that nothing would ever match up to Tamora Pierce - whom I love) and this book totally destroyed any and all fears I had about recent high fantasy publications ruining one of my favorite genres. And, just in case you’re having some trouble starting this one, skip the prologue and come back to it at the end. It’ll make more sense once you’re done. Oh, and be PATIENT. It’s worth it. (My Review)

2. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Even though I read this book when my windows were still frosted over this past winter, I could still feel the heat. The romance, the twists, the family relationships - even the cover is enough to make a person want to read this book. Seriously. Try to say no to that cover - especially now that we’ve made it to the summer months. I’d say it’s almost impossible to deny this potential beach read. And y’know, even if you curl up inside with the AC blasting while you make your way through this one, you’ll probably feel the summer humidity just like I did. And that’s not just the kisstastic relationship in the book doing the talking. (My Review)

3. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

I picked Unravel Me for this list instead of Shatter Me in hopes that my nomination of this book will lead you to go read Shatter Me first so you can read this one (if you haven’t already devoured this series). That way I secretly/sneakily put two books in one item on this list. Why? Because this is one of those series that really makes the dystopian genre and trilogies in general look good. Not to mention I love the strike-throughs. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I sometimes like knowing there’s something different out there for me to dig into. It’s oddly comforting - even this book is so very much NOT comforting in any way. Also? SUPERHEROES. (My Review)

4. Ferryman by Claire McFall

Is it possible for a book to not really have a genre? If it is, this book really don’t have one. I would say it’s supernatural, if I had to pick one - maybe paranormal? But not really. If anything, it’s a contemporary book put in a supernatural/paranormal/Greek Mythology context. And, whatever genre you’d place it in, it’s wonderful. Probably one of my most favorite reads AND reviews of the year. Claire McFall might be a small time Scottish writer, but I definitely hope she A) gets the recognition she deserves and B) keeps writing! (My Review)

5. The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

This book is just so different from your usual dystopian - probably because the book doesn’t dwell on the dystopian. Instead it fleshes out the dystopian just enough and then focuses on the danger, the philosophical issues and the relationships between the characters. But, for once, the philosophical part is my favorite (that’s NOT usually the case for me) because the book asks you to consider what it is to be human and that’s something we should all consider on occasion. (My Review)

6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

My favorite fantasy read of the year, Graceling is the book I should have read 5 years ago but didn’t. And with the number of times I picked it up, put it down and picked it up again? I’m honestly ashamed of past Gaby. This book is so fantastically fantastic. All of the everything is just so perfect and well paced. Seriously. If I could time travel, I would go back in disguise (y’know, as to not create a paradox or anything crazy like that - thanks for the time travel education, Doctor Who) and hand myself this book. Because 5-years-ago Gaby REALLY should have read this book. And so should all of you. (My Review)

7. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Everything in this book is absolutely made of awesome and I believe everyone should read it - intolerance for slow/confusing beginnings be damned. It’s just so beautifully layered and complicated that no one should miss it, no matter what the excuse. FURTHERMORE, Melina Marchetta is a GENIUS because EVERYTHING in this book is in it for a reason. There are no extra words or unnecessary plot devices. This author is NOT wasting your time, nor does she think you anything less than clever. (My Review)

8. Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Yet another series where I mention the second in order to coerce you to read the first. Through the Ever Night is just so touching, wonderful and heroic. I finish the book and I feel like all of the characters are real people I should be able to spend my days with. Even more so, the relationships between these oh-so-real characters are so sigh-worthy that I could read about them all day and be perfectly content. Oh. Also. The action, danger and dystopia-ness in this serious is pretty crazy and awesome too. (My Review)

9. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Sometimes I read retelling and my reaction is: “That was great. I could go for another.” But at the end of this book I couldn’t even think of what I would read next because my mind was still on this book. And it wasn’t that I wanted to have more time with these characters. I actually felt fairly completely at the end of it all. I just needed to take a deep breath and process the fact that I’d finished such a brilliant book. I just needed to savor the ending and not rush past it to the next book in my stack.

10. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Sometimes, when I get to the end of a book, I tear through the last however many pages. It’s like a freefall into an ending that you know isn’t going to give you exactly what you wanted - but what you needed instead. But instead of getting upset at the book for not give you what you wanted (as opposed to the all knowing “needed”), you just close the book and sigh. Because it was THAT GOOD.

*ADDENDUM BECAUSE I'M FOOLISH AND I FORGOT*

11. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer 

Another second-book-in-series I have to put up here. I liked Cinder and LOVED Scarlet. I think it's because there were more characters to work with - the shifting POV was done PERFECTLY - but for whatever reason this fairytale retelling was in no way obvious. And even if the storyline WAS obvious, I DID NOT want it to happen that way. So. Go pick up this series RIGHT NOW because it's totally a new favorite of mine. (My Review)

Have you read any of these? This year? Last year? Any year? If you have, did you love? If you haven't, DO YOU WANT TO? Talk to me in the comments below!

Top Ten Favorite Siblings (24)

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

I thought about this A LOT and realized there are tons of siblings in a lot of the books I read. Some are related to the protagonist, others are a pair/group of siblings in a story. Either way, these relationships play seriously awesome roles in my books so here's a list of my favorites.

1. Thom & Alanna of Trebond from Tamora Pierce's The Song of the Lioness Series

This entire series would not have taken place if not for Thom. Like, Alanna would have NEVER gone to the palace to become a knight if he hadn't agreed to swap places with her. So, thanks Thom, because without you I would have no lady knight role model.

2. The Weasley Brood from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter

Okay, we ALL know I have a lot of problems with the way this series ended, but I will say the bonds between this set of children is wonderful. Even when they fight they still love each other and I can't get enough of that. Obviously my favorite of the lot are Fred and George, so you can all understand why I'm crying right now.

3. The Garrett Kids from My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Even Sam know how great this family is. I love how they all take care of each other. It's just so sweet. I would definitely want to be apart of that myself.

4. Narnie and Webb from Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

We don't see a lot of these two together in the books but you could just TELL how much they loved each other from the way Narnie takes care of her brother's daughter. Not to mention Hannah totally makes it clear how much she loved her brother, so yeah. Definitely a pair of siblings worthy of this list.

5. Katniss and Prim from Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games Series

I feel the need to cry big time when I think of this sibling relationship. 

Katniss.

Me.

6. Mia and Teddy Hall from If I Stay/Where She Went by Gayle Forman

OKAY I KNOW we really don't see much of Teddy at all, but the way Mia reacts to what happens to him is so gut wrenching. She loved him SO MUCH and I just can't. 

7. Rhine and Rowan from Lauren DeStefano's The Chemical Garden Trilogy

One of the major plots for this series is Rhine's drive to get back to her brother, Rowan. She misses him so much she'd basically move heaven and earth to get back to him. And yo, their reunion (because, please, that was gonna happen) is amazingly emotional.

8. Adam and James from Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me Series

How much did you all freak out when you found out about James? I know I did. I love their brotherly bond. And I love James in general. Every time I talk about this series I tell everyone that if anything bad happens to James I will never forgive Tahereh Mafi. So. Y'know. What yo' self Tahereh Mafi.

9. Noah, Jacob and Tyler from Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

THE THINGS NOAH WILL DO FOR HIS BROTHERS. Ugh. That whole situation totally broke my heart. I love the three of those boys so much and I want ONLY GOOD THINGS for them. 

10. The McGowan Boys from Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

It appears as though I really like broods of boys (see: Weasley Boys at the top of this list). This book's an oldie that I enjoy re-reading whenever I need a bit of fun and these boys, despite all their absurdities and arguments, never fail to bring the fun. Oh, and they really care about each other, which is NICE.

**BONUS**

11. Perry and Talon from Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky Series

Okay, technically Talon is Perry's nephew but I'm sorry. They relationship is amazing - way better than Perry's relationship with his brother, Vale - and I couldn't help but throw it in here. 

Can you guys think of any other sibling relationships you adore? Let me know in the comments below!

Top Ten Book Boyfriends (17)

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

I've already done a discussion post on Book Boyfriends back just after Valentine's Day. But, y'know, I love my book boyfriends, so I'll give it another go with some help from my old list and Chris Evans.

Me too, attractive man who plays all the superheroes. Me too.

1. Remus Lupin from Harry Potter  by J.K. Rowling
Remus is actually my Book Husband, as previously mentioned. He's clever, loyal, composed AND mischievous - among other things. And he's all of the adorable. I just want to huggles him forever. Please excuse me while my brain makes that a reality. *sigh*

2. Mal from Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo
He's the wonderful best friend. Who doesn't want the wonderful best friend (who's actually good looking) to actually return his best friends feelings? I mean, there are so many YA books with that premise and it's not because it's a BAD premise (although it might not actually happen so much in real life).

3. Jesse from The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot
*swoons* Jesse. Oh Jesse. Sweep me off my feet as a ghost or a human, I don't even care. *swoons again* He's just so wonderful. And caring. And sweet. And idiotic the best of boyish ways.

4. Owen from Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
He's the strong stoic time I just want to curl up next to. And he's got some great tunes, which I like.

5. Peeta from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
GUYS. HE BAKES. I WANT A MAN WHO CAN BAKE. Please. And who loves me as much as Peeta loves Katniss. Sometimes I just want to punch that girl in the face for not understanding how awesome Peeta is until it's TOO LATE.

6. Duncan from Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell
*sigh* Duncan. I just want to scoop him up and snuggle him forever. He's just so sweet and who doesn't love a Mr. Fix-It (even if he is a little broken himself).

7. Graham Larkin from This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
HE HAS A PIG NAMED WILBUR. I don't understand why I would need any other reason to love him. I mean, he's also really thoughtful and  knows how to make a girl happy, but mostly it's the pig. Named WILBUR. Please. Let's all just re-read Charlotte's Web and call this adorable.

8. Kenji from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Adam, Warner - WHO CARES. I mean, no, I like them, but I would never date either of them. But I would snuggle up to Kenji. I would also be cool with just being friends. What's I'm SAYING is: I LOVE KENJI. I just want him in my life, y'know? I think I'd be a better person for t.

9. Jase from My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
DEAR GOD IS THAT BOY SOMETHING. Please I would like to have one of him for myself. He's just so sweet and caring and loving. And you can see that in the way he behaves with Samantha but also in the way he behaves with his family, which I REALLY LIKE.

10. Len from When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle
He's that kid who was always kind of strange and then grew up to be kind of strange and maybe a little bit mean but really there's a lot more there, y'know? You just have to get out of your head for three seconds and see it. Because it's there. And he is QUITE lovely.

I don't know if you guys can tell, but MOSTLY I'm into the slightly more quiet type who's just wonderful once you really get to know them. It's one of those yin-yang things. I'm loud and boisterous and excitable and I could use someone a little more level-headed to keep me from shenanigans. Not that I get myself into trouble, per-say, but, well, I can. Sometimes.

Oh. And before you go:

*Sigh* Channing. Some people think your face is weird. I do not.

ANYWAY. I love a good book boyfriend, so be sure to tell me who YOU'RE making googly eyes at this week. And if you like some of the same ones as me... well... tough luck they're MIIIIINE. At least in my head they are. So shhhh.

Top Ten Books I Recommend The MOST (16)

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

There are a lot of ways I can take this week's Top Ten list. Is it Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most to Readers? To Non-Readers? To Contemporary Lovers? To Fantasy Nerds? To Paranormal Junkies? I always find that when I recommend a book, I have to be careful who I'm recommending what to because it could be MY FAVORITE but my reading taste isn't everyone's reading taste. Which just means I ask a lot of annoying questions and think VERY CAREFULLY before recommending books.

But instead of inserting a qualifier, I'm just going to make this a Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most BECAUSE I LOVE THEM list. I'll be sure to note genre, because even though I know Tamora Pierce if the greatest ever and I'd probably push all of her books on you even if you don't love fantasy books, there should be some kind of level playing field, right?

So here they are. My Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most based solely on my book feels and nothing else.

1. Anything set in the Tortall Universe by Tamora Pierce
Genre: YA Fantasy
I could list each quartet and cheat a couple of times but instead I'll just cheat once and put a whole universe up here. I think there are 17 books set in Torall? I haven't read all of them - just the first 13 - but I don't even need to read the last ones to tell you they're probably genius. Tamora Pierce just knows what's up. Her books are just MAGICAL. And if that's not enough, they're set in medieval times with knights and kings and castles. And if THAT'S not enough, all of her books are pro-feminism in a not-in-your-face kind of way (aka the best way). There's just so much amazingness in her series and I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to read them.

2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Genre: YA Contemporary

I KNOW. I KNOW. Everyone else in the world ALSO has this book on their list but I can't help myself. This book was just SO FREAKING GOOD and I just want to stare at it slack-jawed all day. But I can't. Because I have things to do (stupid life). So instead I just go around trying to articulate the feels you WILL feel when you read this book. Inevitably I'll fail, show you a vlog brothers video instead, get you hooked on John Green as a human being and then guide you to his books (this is actually a thing I do. It works fairly often).

3. If I Stay + Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Genre: YA Contemporary

*More cheating lalala* but y'know what? You can't list one without the other. They are so very much a duology of feels and everyone should read these books. So good. So many feels. And honestly? Where She Went was so much better for me than If I Stay and you can't read the former without reading the latter first, so it's really, actually one book in my head. Does that make sense? No? Go read the books and get back to me, okay?

4. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Genre: YA Dystopian

I think this is my favorite dystopian out of the bunch. That's not to say I didn't love Divergent, Wither, Uglies and a whole bunch of other books full of awesome, but there's just something here I love so much. I would tell you what it is that makes me love this series so much, but it's really not just one thing. It's like everything. Together. Which I guess is the sign of a pretty decent series. ALSO, Unravel Me was possibly BETTER than Shatter Me, which doesn't happen often in second books of series. So yeah. Also. One thing I can tell you for real that made me love this book: SUPER. HEROS. *nerds out like whoa over this fact for the a millionth time*

5. All of the Sarah Dessen
Genre: YA Contemporary
The reason I say ALL is because I do obviously have my favorites, but I always recommend reading Dessen books in pub date order. This is because sometimes characters from earlier books will pop up in later books and it's just SO FUN when you can spot them. Seriously. But in general, I just love Sarah Dessen. Her books are so wonderful. And squee-worthy. I love a good squee, y'know?

6. Night by Elie Wiesel

Genre: Memoir

Elie Wiesel taught at my University until just recently. I was never able to take a class with him but he gives a series of lectures in the fall (seriously, if you're in Boston in November and he's still giving these talks, GO). He's such an adorable little old man (as pictured, because I couldn't help myself) who's been through SO MUCH. And he has this AMAZING voice and, well, yeah. I feel like so many people think The Diary of Anne Frank is the quintessential Holocaust book but then I read Night and, y'know, it's not a competition, but I think Night is the one I would push just a bit harder. It's also a bit easier to get through and it's about the actual camps. Which is terrifying, of course. AND it's the story of a teen told from the memory of an adult, so there's that element as well.

7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Genre: YA Historical Fiction (?)
Okay. This is another Holocaust book (Sorry guys, it's a combo of very much growing up with the topic because I'm Jewish and a bizarre fascination with the event), but this one takes a very different approach. This one's fiction from the perspective of Death. So it's kind of historical fiction but kind of not? I don't know. The writing is absolutely stunning either way. It took me a little bit to get into because of the different perspective, but it was totally worth it. But take this one slow. Don't get frustrated if you don't tear through it in a day. I know it took me a little while and that's okay. Because it's worth it.

8. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

As previously noted in this post, I'm Jewish. But if I'm being honest? I'm fairly religious. I went to a dual curriculum school nursery-12 and I guess I retained some stuff. This "stuff" includes the story of Dina. Or really, the lack of the story of Dina. So when I heard about this book I was like YEAH OKAY I WANT. I excepted it to be good, but I didn't expect to have my insides fall apart. It was brilliant because I wanted a fictional tale of Dina's life, but it was also brilliant because for a while I forgot that's why I picked up the book. As I tore through the pages I was like: THIS IS AMAZING on a secular level, not a religious one. Of course, whenever I paused for snackage or to explain to someone why I couldn't talk to them, my brain would catch up with me and I'd be like, okay, this story has religious significance, but really, it's for everyone, not just people who like bible stories.

9. His Dark Materials Series by Philip Pullman
Genre: YA Fantasy
I've already told you guys about that time I read these books in Middle School. Fantasy was my number one genre back then. It was pretty much all I read. So Pullman and Pierce were like my holy books. Fantasy worlds are so lush and complex and wonderful and when done RIGHT they're so amazing. They take you somewhere else. Pullman takes you somewhere else. He grabs you and drags you behind him and you don't WANT him to let you go because it's all so magical. Granted, I picked up this series because of my favorite English teacher of all time (it was required reading, but I read ahead and finished the whole series before the class finished the first), but really, it was just reaffirmation that reading was my THING.

10. Watchmen or V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

Genre: Graphic Novel

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" "Remember, remember the 5th of November the gunpowder treason and plot..." Yeah, that's right darlings, I read graphic novels (comics too!). Look, would I recommend this to first time comic readers? NO. PLEASE. NO. If you're not used to the format, it's tough and these are TOUGH novels to get through. However, I will say that these particular graphic novels are a bit more mainstream. You can find a lot of reviews and commentaries and MOVIES (shiny! - although, Watchmen was eh and the V for Vendetta movie kind of conveys a slightly different message than the graphic novels, but whatever). Alan Moore's a bit of a loon, so if you're interested in complex social commentaries, these novels are the bomb dot com. If you're looking for a superhero who saves the day, please turn your attention to Ultimate Spider-Man by Brian Michael Bendis (aka my favorite) or any superhero originally created by Stan Lee, the coolest man to ever walk the Earth.

**BONUS**

11. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Genre: YA Paranormal

OKAY GUYS DON'T HATE ME FOR SAYING THIS but I my number one pet peeve is people knocking something they haven't tried. Oh, you think this book/movie is garbage and you want to trash it? BE MY GUEST, just make sure to read/watch it first, otherwise you're just a jerk who parrots other people's opinions. If you want to get on the bandwagon, at least do some research first and have real opinions instead of being all: "It sounds stupid" or "Well, everyone else hates it." Even if the product you're bashing is so awful you only make it through the first 20 pages or watch the first 20 minutes, at least you've earned the right to complain. Don't borrow opinions. Form your own.

This list is full of cheating, but I still think you should read all of these books anyways. Based on my feels, not on your personal preferences, of course. But since I do care about your feels and all that, let me know whats on YOUR list in the comments below - and how you feel about mine!