Kittens and Books: top ten tuesday

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Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten Hyped Books I've Never Read. I haven't done a Top Ten Tuesday post in FOREVER, so let's get into this one!

1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
This is a series I really should have gotten to by now, especially because I own the first book. (And maybe the third? I think?) I tried to read it once and couldn't get into it, although I did like it -- I was in a reading slump at the time, and just needed to read a few contemporaries to get out of it. And then, of course, I never picked this one up again! (I'm bad at doing that!)

2. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

I have absolutely no excuse for not reading this one. It's been on my TBR for years. I've heard countless people talk about how great it is. Yet, I have never picked it up. It's something I want to read, obviously, since I have never taken it off my TBR list. Maybe I'll get around to it soon?

3. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

The hype seemed to die down rather quickly after this one was released which, come to think of it, might not be a great sign! Still, I added this one to my list when everyone was talking about it, and I still do want to get around to it eventually. It's something that I think I would enjoy, as I usually like stories told in unusual ways. A love story told by people surrounding the protagonists just sounds like such a unique, fun twist!

4. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

I don't think there is a ton of hype surrounding this one, but I've heard about it enough to consider it a hyped book. This is yet another series that I meant to start ages ago, but never did. I'm pretty awful at starting series, really. It's just such a big commitment when there's more than one book!

5. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

These next few books are going to be similar in that I'm now into the book series that I've started, but never finished. I even reread City of Bones awhile back in preparation for finally reading this series, but it hasn't happened yet! I do have plans, though. I have to be in a certain mood to read these books, for some reason.

6. Spirit Bound by Rachelle Mead

How many times did I say I would finish this series? I don't even want to count! Anyway, it's super hyped. And I want to read Bloodlines. And I need to finish these last two books! (I might toss a bunch of series into my August TBR and see what happens. If I actually finish any of them!)

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

This is, by far, the most hyped book on my list. But look, I'm almost finished with the series! I've just had this last book waiting for me forever. It's just, spoilers. And deaths. I've been waiting until I'm ready for this one.

8. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I'm moving into books that aren't on my TBR anymore, now. This whole companion-novel-series was on my shelf for a very long time, but I could not get into Anna no matter how many times I tried! Finally, I found a copy of Lola and the Boy Next Door and tried reading that. But I didn't really like it, either. So I guess this is one time that the hype failed me. Which is disappointing, because I loved Stephanie Perkins' short story in My True Love Gave to Me. So I do like her writing style. I'll probably give these, or possibly any other books she publishes, another chance in the future!

9. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

This one is super hyped right now, with the sequel having just been released. However, I purchased it pretty recently and just couldn't get into it. The narrator seems pretty childish to me, which I have since seen quite a few people say in reviews. I'm likely to give this another chance sometime, as I did buy it (on sale, luckily), but it'll probably be quite some time. Maybe I'll wait until I'm looking for a book with a younger protagonist, and then I won't be so bothered.

That's all I have! I'm sure there are a ton more hyped books that I've never read, but these are the ones that I could think of. I've been pretty good recently at keeping my TBR pile small, and I've been trying not to give into the hype for every single book -- so that's why I couldn't quite meet the ten here!

Are there any of these that you guys haven't read, either? Any that you think I should read immediately? Let me know what you think!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten Books on my Spring TBR List. My Spring TBR is full of series!

1. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

2. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

These will be my next reads, most likely. I want to be caught up on the series so that I know what happens, and can read the last book right away when it's released!

3. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

4. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

I recently bought the entire Bloodlines series when the ebooks were on sale, so now I need to finish Vampire Academy in order to get to them! I've been meaning to finish this for awhile anyway (I wanted to be caught up when the last Bloodlines book came out, but that didn't happen), and I think I should be able to finish at least these two by the end of Spring.

5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

I'm not going to say I'll finish the series, since it has taken me forever to read this far, but I want to get at least this book in sometime during Spring. I really want to say I've read this series, but I also don't want it to end. I tend to do this with longer series, it seems, and I know who dies as well ... And I always put off books if I know someone will die in them.

6. Denton Little's Death Date by Lance Rubin

This was in my TBR for this month as well, but I'm not sure I will get to it in March. However, it is a review copy that comes out mid-April, so I will be getting to it before then!

7. Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Since I read The Vow, quite awhile ago now, I've wanted to read more by this author. I think I'm finally going to get around to that soon, and I'm pretty excited about it!

8. First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky

9. Second Chance by Katie Kacvinsky

10. Finally, Forever by Katie Kacvinsky

The Awaken trilogy is my favorite series, so I've been meaning to read these books for quite awhile. I think Spring is the perfect time to do it, especially since I now have all of the books!

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten Favorite Heroines From Books.

1. Bree from Loop

2-3. Emily and Sloane from Since You've Been Gone

4. Cath from Fangirl

5. Anne from Anne of Green Gables

6. Rose from Vampire Academy

7. Mia from The Princess Diaries

8. Maddie from Awaken

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten Things I Like/Dislike When It Comes To Romances In Books.

Things I Like

1. When the romance begins as friendship. I really enjoy friendships in books anyway. I also think that it allows the relationship to grow slowly - so it takes away some of the worry about insta-love.

2. The characters have lives outside of the relationship. I love seeing both characters have other interests, friends, family - something that sets them apart from the other person. Too often we see characters who are "the love interest" and not much else. I like characters that feel like real people!

3. The relationship isn't the only thing happening in the story. This goes along with the last point, but I think it's a little different. Sometimes, the characters have lives only until they meet one another, and sometimes they supposedly do other things, but readers never get to see them happen. I like when there are several things going on at once - because in real life, our lives don't just go on pause so we can complete our love story!

4. The characters aren't complete opposites. It's not that I don't like seeing completely different people fall in love - that's a trope I really enjoy in books. But I do wish there were more books about people who are similar to one another - not exactly alike, obviously, but with the same hobbies or major personality traits, etc.

5. Realistic relationships. I think this is what most of my first points are saying, anyway - I like relationships to be believable. I want to feel like I could meet both characters in real life, and they weren't just thrown into the story so the main character had someone to fall in love with.

6. The actual relationship is shown. This is another thing that I really want to see more of. Not characters getting together, not them fighting so that their relationship doesn't have to be shown for too long in the book - just the characters actually being together. I feel like there are very few books where couples don't either get together at the very end, or break up a time or two throughout the book. Aren't there other problems for them to overcome that don't involve fighting with one another? I would like to see that portrayed more often.

Things I Dislike

7. The characters fall in love too quickly. I'm actually pretty lenient when it comes to this. I enjoy light reads where the characters fall together quickly. I think, if that's what the book is meant to be, then it's perfectly okay. But some couples fall in love too quickly for even me to overlook.

8. One, or both, of the characters have awful lives that are "fixed" by the other person. This applies to home situations, mental illness, etc. It's okay to depend on other people, but when the love interest does everything and the main character isn't trying to help themselves, their problems shouldn't be solved. In real life, they wouldn't be.

9. The love interest is there for the sake of the main character. (Or, the side characters are there for the sake of the main couple.) I know I mentioned this above a couple of times, but it's something I really dislike. The characters should be their own people. The love interest should have a life, as should the best friends.

10. There is someone (usually a popular girl) trying to keep the characters apart. This comes in several forms. She likes the guy as well and feels he was "stolen" from her. She's an ex, but he's so great that she just can't get over him. She has absolutely no reason, but she does pointlessly hate the main character, so there's that. I don't mind this one if there's a reason, and if the character trying to keep them apart is developed some, but that's rare.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is ten young adult books I can't believe I haven't read. I chose young adult since, despite reading mostly YA books, there are some I have been waiting to read forever!

1. The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

I read the sample of this so long ago, but never actually bought the book! Every time I think I'm going to read it next, I end up finding something else instead.

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

This book has so much hype surrounding it - I just can't bring myself to pick it up yet. I swore I was going to months back, but didn't get around to it still. If I'm honest, I'm not super excited to read it anymore - maybe it's one I'll skip, despite the hype?

3. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

This is the only book by Morgan Matson that I haven't read, technically. (She also writes as Katie Finn, and I haven't read any of those books either.) I can't believe I haven't gotten around to it yet.

4. Ask The Passengers by A.S. King

I've wanted to read a book by A.S. King for awhile now, and this is the one I plan to start with - but honestly, I have no idea when I'll get around to it!

5. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

In my defense, I do plan to start this series soon.

6. What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

I LOVED My Life Next Door. I have no idea why I haven't read this book!

7. Ripple by Cidney Swanson

I bought the Kindle version of this series so long ago, but never got around to it! I'm guilty of this with a lot of books, because I just don't use the Kindle app that often.

8. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

I've been meaning to read this for approximately a million years.

9. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I didn't read this when it first came out because I thought it was part of a series. I just recently figured out it was a standalone, and I really can't wait to get around to it now.

10. Dare You To by Katie McGarry

I read and loved Pushing the Limits, but never continued with these books. It's always near the top of my reading list, though!

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Ten Books I'd Love to Read With My Book Club/If I Had A Book Club. My made-up book club reads adult fiction, since I really want to branch out of young adult this year!

1. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

3. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

4. Before I Go by Colleen Oakley

5. Books, Blogs, and Reality by Ryan Ringbloom

6. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

7. The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna van Praag

I actually don't have any more adult fiction on my TBR, so that's it for this week's list! Let me know if you've read any of these in the comments, or tell me what your dream book club would read! I would also love any recommendations you have for adult fiction or even non-fiction - I want to read more of both through 2015.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday

Here is the link to the Top Ten Tuesday information from The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is a freebie, so I decided to talk about the five classics I would like to read in 2015.

1. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I wanted to read this in December, but I did not get to it, and now I've jumped right into my January TBR. However, I do want to make time for this book very soon. I believe I've said this to myself for two years now, but this will be the year it actually happens!

2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

There are a couple of books (Belzhar and And Then Things Fall Apart) both mention and (I think) make references to this book, and I always prefer reading the original first. I actually want to dedicate a month to these three books sometime during the year - I think it would be great to read them one after another.

3. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I read this book in middle school, but I have been thinking about rereading it for quite some time. I think I will get more out of it now, especially as it won't be required reading! (I never was much to actually read required books.)

4. Emma by Jane Austen

I listened to an audiobook version of Pride and Prejudice in 2014, and I cannot say it was a favorite of mine. If I actually had to read it, I'm not sure I would have made it to the end. Regardless, I want to read more of Jane Austen's work, so I'm going to try and read Emma this year!

5. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I really want to read something by F. Scott Fitzgerald, so I think I might begin with this one. If not, I just want to read one book by him this year!