Top Ten All Time Favorite Books in the Contemporary Genre!

As you all know, I'm a huge huge huge fan of contemporary! It's probably one of my all time favorite genres, which is why I picked it for this list. I'm also a huge fan of mythology right now, but let's face it... there just aren't enough books in that genre! Anyway, let's get started with this TTT!


1. The Duff by Kody Keplinger - I love this book because of Bianca. She's just so cynical, and her relationship with Wesley is so fantastic and I just want that. Them together is just... magic.

2. Crash Into You by Katy McGarry - Katie writes the most brilliant and beautiful romances. Everything by her is so intense and wonderful. I love all of these characters.

3. Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles - I read every book in Simone's Perfect Chemistry trilogy, but this one is definitely my favorite. Carlos and Kiara just make a great couple.

4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Adorable does not even begin to describe this book. I have no words for my love.

5. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson - LOVE. Just, you know, love. I just recently got my own copy of this book, and I can't wait to dive back in! I loved the way that that this book was written, with postcards and everything.

6. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - There will never be a time when this book doesn't make me happy. There's just something about it that makes it more than any kind of wonderful.


7. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - I'm just so in love with Cath and Levi. I want more of them, I really do!

8. The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram - This is one of my lesser known picks, but it's worthy of this list, believe me. I don't think there's a single book that has made me happier than this one ever. Definitely worth a read!

9. Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott - Such a fun read! I love the slow developing romance, and just everything about it is adorable!

10. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen - I'm so cheating by including this one, because I'm pretty sure it's considered an adult book... but it's one of my all time favorites, and I couldn't let it just not be on here! If you haven't read this book, I'd really recommend it.

What do you think of my picks? Are a few of your favorites on my list?

Top Ten Popular Authors I've Never Read

Easy, peasy. I mean, I can probably think of fifteen off of the top of my head! Possibly... maybe?! Keep in mind that every author I put on this list I do want to read - I just don't have time!!

1. Richelle Mead, author of the Bloodlines series.
2. J.K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter.
3. James Dashner, Maze Runner series.
4. Lauren Kate, author of Fallen.
5. Marie Lu, author of Legend.
6. Sarah J. Maas, author of Throne of Glass.
7. Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl.
8. Julie Kagawa, author of the Blood of Eden series.
9. Pittacus Lore, author of I am Number Four.
10. Patrick Ness, author of The Knife of Never Letting Go.

Look at all these authors! Jeez, I feel so lame now. So lame that I used lame in a sentence.

Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm Excited For

This week's topic is a fun one - the top ten 2014 debuts that I'm dying to read! I guess you're getting an inside look at my wishlist now! ;)

1. Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray - Oh, really. You can't even be surprised. I loved the first book in this series, The Diviners. I've been waiting for this book... just... forever!

2. The Fourth Wish by Lindsay Ribar - Another book that just wowed me with the first book in the series! I can't wait to see what happens to them. :D

3. Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally - Her name is enough. Every book that I've read by her I've enjoyed - and this one sounds particularly great!

4. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG? Seriously, they keep pushing this book back... and I've been waiting for it for YEARS.

5. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - LOVE LOVE LOVE all of her work, and this book just sounds especially amazing! I can't wait to see how it does with that premise! :D

6. What I Thought was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick - I just... it looks so good! You know how much I love romance, and Huntley... so it seems like a good idea to read this one!



7. Dissonance by Erica O'Rourke - I'm shallow! It looks so so pretty, and I just can't dismiss the fact that the cover is amazing!

8. Take Me On by Katie McGarry - You know I love her. The romances that she creates are all fabulous and swoony and I love every one! Hopefully she wows us with this one.

9. Cress by Marissa Meyer - I actually have this one, but it is a 2014 debut that I'm looking forward to... so... it definitely makes it on the list! :D

10. Blue Notes by Carrie Lofty - This just looks like a really good read - I love the cover, and the premise sounds good. :)

Are you looking forward to any of these? :D

Top Ten Resolutions for 2014

This week's topic is kind of... I don't know. I'm not exactly sure what resolutions I'd like to have, so this is gonna be a strange one.

1. Get fit. This is one of the biggest ones that I want to work on this year - I work out, and it's been doing me some good. But I'd also like to start eating healthy and such - we'll see if that works out. Weight is not an issue - health is.

2. Read all of my review books. I have several review books that have been gathering dust, and I'd really like to get them all caught up. Makes me feel bad that I haven't reviewed them yet.

3. Keep up with my blog. I have a hard time keeping up with my blogging lately - it's just pretty stressful. I've got a job, and I work several days a week. I just don't really have a lot of time no more.

4. Work hard. I mean, this isn't truly a resolution - I work hard already. But I'd like to save all that I earn to buy a building. I'd really like to own a bookstore. It'll happen, don't y'all worry.

5. Buy less books. Honestly, I rarely go a whole month without getting a new book, but most of the time it's quite a bit more than one book. This last month, I got upwards of thirty books. It needs to stop.

6. Quit drinking Dr. Pepper. It's bad for me. There's something like 22 packs of sugar - per 20 oz. So I'd like to switch to water; and I've already started slowly doing it.

7. Have more blog giveaways. I'm hoping to do more of this just because it's a nice thing to do. Everyone loves a chance at reading new books, right?

Unfortunately, I just can't think of any more! O.o

Top Ten Books I Read in 2013

This week's topic is a super fun one - "Top Ten Books I Read in 2013"! Kind of like a highlight reel! :)



1. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - Love love loved this one! It's one of the only five star reads that I've had in a while, and it was fricking fantastic. I CANNOT begin to describe how much I loved this one! And I'm really in love with Perry!


2. My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi - I have never read a book that dealt so honestly with sexually transmitted diseases. One of the most honest debuts I've read in a long time - and I haven't read another one like it yet.

3. Crash Into You by Katie McGarry - I'm pretty much in love with all of Katie McGarry's work. It's true, and I waited for this one for a while. I read an EARC, but I just had to buy my own copy. It's amazing.

4. The Vanishing by Wendy Webb - SCARY. Like, seriously. I definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a good read that's every bit twists and turns. I never knew who to trust or what to think, which is a good thing in this case.

5. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater - I almost didn't read this one, who knows why. But I'm really glad that I did, because I loved it. Maggie's writing is so ridiculously gorgeous that it kills me.

6. The Vincent Brothers by Abbi Glines - I read this one over and over. I really thought that I would dislike Sawyer's story, because of how he acted in the first book. But turns out that he's my favorite brother.


7. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy - FUN. This book is just super fun, and the illustrations are freaking awesome! Christopher Healy is really hilarious, and anyone who thinks this book is "just for kids" is wrong.

8. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson - This book was super enchanting. I loved the writing, and the world of Neverland was so twisting and cruel.

9. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - I didn't think that I would love this one, but I did. The ending just kills me, though! I really wanted to get my HEA. :/

10. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - I'm pretty positive that Scarlet was one of the best books that I read all year. It was definitely better than Cinder, and I have super high hopes for Cress!

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me

I'm just going to come right out and say that all I want for Christmas IS books. So I guess I'll give you guys a list of the books I want the absolute most - I'm kind of in love with this topic! I feel like I can only write books that have already been released, though. Santa isn't a miracle worker! *wink, wink*

1. ALL of Maggie Stiefvater's books! I'd love to experience every one of them - so far the Raven Boys series is completely winning me over! (and YES, I counted this as one book... because I could. LOL.)

2. Shug by Jenny Han - I love almost everything that Jenny writes; her Summer series is delicious, and her Burn for Burn series is so revengey... I just want to read everything of hers!

3. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo - Everyone raves about this book, and I have the movie (which I haven't watched yet). I'd just really like to see what this is all about, you know?

4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - I see quotes from this book everywhere, and Sarah from Book-A-Holic says that it's one of her favorite books! That's definitely enough for me to go lusting after it!

5. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman - I love Neil Gaiman! He wrote one of my all time favorite books, Stardust, so naturally I want to read his newest release! And look at that cover... it's so pretty.

6. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare - I have the rest of this series, and I'm re-reading them... but I don't have this one yet!

7. The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy - I love this series. It's the best MG that I've ever read, so I really want to continue! I love the illustrations and all the jokes. It's just adorable!

I literally can't think of anything else right off, so I think this is where this one should end! Are you wanting any of these books? Do they look good? :)

Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2013

1. A.G. Howard, author of Splintered
2. Moira Young, author of Blood Red Road
3. Christopher Healey, author of The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
4. Rainbow Rowell, author of Fangirl and Eleanor and Park
5. Ruta Sepetys, author of Out of the Easy
6. Lindsay Ribar, author of The Art of Wishing
7. Maggie Stiefvater, author of The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves (I think I cheated a little on this one.)
8. Jessica Verdi, author of My Life After Now
9. Lindsey Leavitt, author of Sean Griswold's Head
10. Sarah Strohmeyer, author of Smart Girls Get What They Want

This week's post is kind of sparse, guys. I guess I just don't really branch out from the authors that I know. :P

Top Ten 2014 Releases I'm Dying to Read

This week's topic is "top ten 2014 releases I'm dying to read". I'm really excited for this one, y'all!

1. Cress by Marissa Meyer - Oh, come on. You knew that this was going to be my top choice! It's so beautiful and wonderful AND it's by Marissa Meyer... how could I not jump on it the second it comes out?

2. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - I love Anna, I really do. But I've always wanted to read Isla's story! Here's to hoping it's Josh, and that it's as romantic as Anna! *raises glass*

3. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han -  I love Jenny Han, I really do. She writes the cutest romance stories ever, and this just looks adorable. I love the cover!

4. Unhinged by A.G. Howard - The sequel to Splintered. How could I resist the chance to spend more time in the twisted world of Alyssa in Wonderland? *not gonna say off with her head, not gonna say it* *but I thought it*

5. Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray - Another sequel! I can't wait to jump back into the world of Evie and Naughty Jack! It's time for the 1920's and speakeasies, methinks. I really don't care for this cover, though. It doesn't have the same beauty as the first.

6. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira - I don't have any experience with this author, but this sounds amazing. I can't wait to get my hands on it - also, I'm a fan of Kurt Cobain as well!

7. What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick - I see the cover and I immediately think "yay a contemporary!" so I'm hoping for some really good romance with this one. I enjoyed Huntley's previous book, so the odds are definitely in my favor!

8. Uninvited by Sophie Jordan - I have no experience with this author either, but the cover and the premise of this book are amazing! I can't wait to see whether or not Sophie can pull it off.

9. The Falconer by Elizabeth May - I can't help it! I'm a fool for a pretty cover every time, and this cover just takes the cake. This girl looks like a badass, and I can't help but want to read her story. It looks SO great!

10. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - Beauty and the Beast retelling. 'Nuff said. Or maybe not - I love the idea that "Beauty" has known that she was going to marry "Beast" since she was a child and was trained to kill him...AWESOME.

These didn't make it into the official list, but they sound amazing too! The covers are linked up to Goodreads, if you want to add them to your to-read list. :)

Top Ten Things I'm Thankful for

This weeks topic should be kind of interesting. I'm going to include a blend of bookish/not-so-bookish things. :) The topic for this week is "top ten things I'm thankful for".

1. My family. I love them all, and they're so supportive of me. I didn't originally tell them about the blog, but they found out... and they were proud. I love them so so much, and I can't imagine life without my family!

2. You guys. You support me every day on this blog - you read my reviews, enter the admittedly sparse giveaways that I host, and you're all so special. I treasure each and every comment and tweet that you send - you don't know this, but you make my life something wonderful.

3. Authors. You write. That makes you awesome in my book - you provide wonderful books for me to read, and to get lost in for a while. Each and every one of you deserves a huge hug for putting yourself out there for all of us readers.

4. Contemporary novels. Romance novels. Dystopian, Paranormal and Mythology books. Just books in general. I'm thankful for all of them, good and bad.

5. My blog. Without this blog, I would be the same person. It's given me an outlet to express my love of books, and to learn how to review. It's given me tons of fun people, and I'm sure that I'll love it forever. It changed me.

6. My pets. I have one dog, two cats, a few rabbits and a horse. I've always got an animal around.

7. Nitzan Schwarz of Drugs Called Books, Stephanie Verhaegen of Bookfever, Sophia of Loving Lit, Sarah of Book-A-Holic and Inky of Book Haven Extraordinaire for always being around and sharing such insightful and fun conversation. Without a doubt, these girls are my favorite bloggers and some of my best blogging buddies. I hope that they feel the same way!

8. My home. I've got a roof over my head and a floor under my feet for as long as I need it. That's something to be thankful for!

9. Standalone novels. This may sound like a dumb thing to be thankful for, but I'm thankful for standalone books. I can put less effort into them - if I want a quick read, I'll always go for a standalone. They don't require years of my life.

10. Thanksgiving! What other day of the year can you eat until you're simply stuffed and not feel guilty?

Top Ten Books I Would Recommend to My Sister

This week's topic is one that I really like, because I'm always trying to get my sister to read, and there are a lot of books that I would recommend to her!
1. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healey - I recently read this one and really loved it, so of course I want her to read it! I really think that she would enjoy the illustrations and the great humor.

2. Starcrossed series by Josephine Angelini - I've always thought that she would like this series, because it has similar characteristics to The Tiger Saga, which is the only set of books that I've ever succeeded in getting her to read. (Side note: I love mythology!)

3. Splintered by A.G. Howard - I want her to read this one because she so enjoys the new Alice in Wonderland movie, which I think shares a lot with this book and she guessed that it was about Alice in Wonderland based on the cover. ;)

4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - I know that this really wouldn't be her thing (at first) but I think that she would end up enjoying it.

5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis - I didn't really love this one or anything, but I feel like she would really like it. I'm not just saying that. ;)

6. The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar - I tried to push this one on her when it first came out, and needless to say it didn't work. But maybe someday she'll read it!

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth - I have tried to explain to her how awesome it is that a guy gets stabbed in the eye with a butter knife, but she still does not appear to be interested in this one! Maybe I'll get her to read it after the movie. (That's how she ended up reading The Hunger Games!)

8. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Nick. Zombies. Awesome-ness all around. I've kind of given up hoping that she'll read this one, but maybe.

9. The Diviners by Libba Bray - In my opinion, this is the best creepy read ever, and I want her to read it to experience the chills and beauty of this book!

10. Cinder by Marissa Meyer - I really think that she'd like this. A dystopian/sci-fi with a touch of fairytales? I hope that someday she gives it a chance.

Top Ten Covers I Wish I Could Redesign

This week's topic is "top ten book covers I wish I could redesign". This isn't a very easy post for me to do, but I'll try my best! (Being on this list doesn't necessarily mean that I won't read the book...)

1. Altered by Jennifer Rush - Does anyone else think that this is just a hideous cover? How does putting a shirtless guy on a cover make it good? Ergh and that font! And the color? Ick. Also, I don't really understand the trees...

2. Control by Lydia Kang - Eww the test tubes! I really don't like them... and when I see the "There are no accidents" tagline, I immediately think of the glowy test tube stuff as sperm. Which is totally gross, I know... but for some reason... first thing that comes to mind.

3. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau - I don't know, this cover just really doesn't make sense to me. A really basic font, with a weird maze going on in the background and what's with the shield?

4. After Eden by Helen Douglas - Floating faces and birds. Do I really need to say more? I think that the font is terrible... and the blue tint only makes the floating faces worse.

5. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire - No. Just no-- why would I want to look at lips with a gross font and a tongue with some kind of nude painting on it? I wouldn't. That's the thing.

6. Ashen Winter by Mike Mullen - I don't know what it is about this cover... maybe it's how uncomfortably positioned the reaching hands are? Or maybe the colorful cloth background... why is there a cloth background? I just don't understand the appeal.

7. Magestirium by Jeff Hirsch - The floating person in black is my first turn-off for this cover, but it sure doesn't stop there. What's with the birds from under it's feet and the random green? Admit it, this cover is hideous!

8. Quarantine: The Loners by Lex Thomas - You can't tell me that this cover doesn't nearly give you hives! The destroyed classroom looks way too "edited" and the title... ew. I really don't like that font.

9. Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings - I think that my problem with this cover is that her hair is floating out and her arms are raised, like it's supposed to be obvious that she has telekinesis. That and the sickly shade of green. I don't like that either.

10. Blackwood by Gwenda Bond - THE SNAKE. I just can't handle the snake on her face... and again with the sickly green background! I also wish that the fonts were more readable.

So, all in all, I think that most of my cover "redesign" candidates are green. Go figure! Are any of these ones you would redesign? Sound off!