Top Ten Books I Recommend Most

For Everyone:  The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. I would recommend for anybody and everybody. If you haven’t read this, you really should – it is such a fantastic series!

For a Quick, Witty Read: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. This book is such a cute, quick read that is so fun! This book is so full of adventure and creativity that it will keep you engrossed the whole way through. It is a short book that is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon reading.

For a Fireplace Read:  The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Yes spring has officially arrived, however if you live in Minnesota like me, that spring arrival is just a date on the calender – there is still lots of snow on the ground. This book is such beautifully written that I cannot stop thinking about it. I recommended this to my Mother in Law and she enjoyed it as well. It is a beautiful story based on a Russian fairy tale and is set in Alaska. It is perfect for a snowy, cold day sitting in front of the fireplace.

For a Summer Read:  Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. Summer is coming soon and what better than to already start thinking about what you can read on the beach? This is a perfect book to take with you for a day on the beach. The main character, Emma, is completely relate-able and will have you laughing out loud.  It is a light read that will leave you satisfyingly feeling good at the end.

For an Action-Packed Ride:  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. If you have read this book and the ones that follow you can attest that these books are full of edge-of-your-seat action. These books will get you thinking and keep you with you nose in the book until it’s over with. These books are perfect for you if you love the thrill of action sprinkled with some romance.

For an Adventure Read:  The Lightning Thief by Percy Jackson. I love Greek Mythology which is what really turned me to these books but I have to say that they are more than that. These books are full of intrigue and adventure that will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can to see what happens next. I would recommend these books to those that want an adventure that will take you away.

For Action and Romance: The rest of these books are all full of action and adventure.

 Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. Holy smokes is this series (The Infernal Devices) so amazing. These books are action-packed with romance sprouting up everywhere. This series will give you a love triangle that will have you genuinely torn. It will give you action to keep you reading well into the night. I cannot say enough about how good these books are.

 Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. This book is fantastic. This book is full of action and feeling that will have you thinking about it even after you finished it in one day. This book has some romance in it that makes it even better. I loved Mafi’s writing and felt that the story was told so beautifully through her fingertips.

 Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck. This book is full of adventure with a lovely romance thrown in. As I read this book, I had a movie playing through my head that never got boring. This book had me wishing I could jump into it and join in the adventure. May I also add that Ren is definitely swoon-worthy.

 Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. This book has a beautiful cover and an even better story in those pages. This book is the start of a ride full of action and romance. I devoured this book quickly and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second one. This book will please you if you enjoy paranormal romance. The author used to be a fellow Minnesotan which is a plus : )

What books do you guys recommend?

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, was so easy! Really the hardest part was narrowing the list to ten-ish. You know how I don’t like to be limited to ten.

1. The Gallagher Girls & Heist Society series by Ally Carter. Easily the most recommended books ever. Why? First of all, they are just so much fun. Awesome female characters, super-spy action, and just a hint of good clean romance (because the romance is not the point. Girls kicking butt and being awesome is the point). I have no problem handing these books to a fifth grader or a high school reader.

2. Gone series by Michael Grant. The opposite of the above. Gruesome, terrify, brilliant horror. This series is not for everyone, but I give it to anyone looking to be freaked out. The U.S. covers do not help this series at all, but it is a g0-to series for me.

3. The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan. I love this series. It’s another one that is great for both younger and older readers. Great characters and plenty of action. I like giving this one to reluctant readers because the first volume is pretty slim. Very clever. Get them hooked and then write bigger books!

4. Uglies and Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. I recommend both of these series all the time! I love that Uglies is a fast-paced and exciting read that lends itself to a lot of thoughtful discussion. The Leviathan trilogy is so unique and the awesome illustrations make it an easy sell.

5. The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey. So, you are finished with Twilight and need a vampire fix? Please do yourself a favor and read about the Drakes. This stuff is so much better than Bella and Edward!

6. Hourglass by Myra McEntire and Ruby Red by Kiersten Gier. I have been on a time travel kick for a while now, so these two series get recommended a lot!

7. Blood Red Road by Moira Young. It’s what you read after The Hunger Games!

8. White Cat by Holly Black. It saddens me that I have to sell this one. It seems to just sit on the shelf unless I put it in someone’s hand. It’s so gritty and awesome. It’s the mob on magic, with a great male POV. I push this one every chance I get.

9. Cinder by Marissa Meyer. This is a newer addition to my most recommended repertoire, and I LOVE it!

10. Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer. I cannot get enough of Jacky Faber and I really wish everyone would love her.

A few of my most recommended non-YA titles:

I could recommend books like it was my job. Oh, wait. It is my job! Lucky me. Well, part of it at least. One of the best parts, actually! But, that’s enough for one list.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

(I also resolve never to use the term “funk” in that context again. It should only apply to music. Specifically, BBC 6 Music’s amazing Sunday Funk & Soul Show. Don’t judge me.)

This week, the ladies at The Broke and The Bookish want to know the top ten books that we all recommend the most. I’m an unrepentant book pusher. That said, though, I’m also really reluctant to recommend books that mean a lot to me – there’s too much at stake. What if the person doesn’t like it? What if – even worse – they have no opinion on the recommendation whatsoever? How could I ever trust their taste again?! I don’t want to have to unfriend people over a book in real life, but I will.

Without further ado and in no particular order, here are 10 books that I’m likely to throw at you if you come within a ten-foot radius:

1. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
I make no bones about my love of this book. So far, I think the only person I’ve successfully pushed it on is my boyfriend, but he liked it! Read the whole thing in a day and a half. But I haven’t pitched it to a lot of other people. I’m not sure why…

2. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
I consider this to be primary source material for anyone interested at all in fantasy literature. Mention that you read fantasy and I’ll probably drop a DA reference into our next conversation.

3. A Song of Ice and Fire (series) by George R.R. Martin
So you’ve passed the Douglas Adams test – but can you handle the GRRM commitment? It’s like auditioning for a spouse – we have similar tastes, but are you in it for the long haul?

4. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
This is another good book to try out on people that you think might share your taste in books. If they can get past my terrible pitch (“It’s about a witch studying the history of science in Oxford! And a vampire who loves wine and yoga!”) and enjoy the book anyway, we might have something going on.

Update: I was just on Goodreads and was alerted to the fact that I endorsed this book to one of my friends thusly:

“There is a sexy wine connoisseur, Koren. Who loves yoga. And wears cashmere sweaters. IT’S EVERY ACADEMIC’S FANTASY.”

If that doesn’t sell it for you, I don’t know what will.

5. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
My favourite YA paranormal from 2012. I basically went through a phase where I REALLY NEEDED TO TALK TO SOMEONE about Unspoken. The internet is great and all, but it’s not quite the same as having a ranty text message exchange with a friend. Many  exclamation points are necessary. Basically, I recommend this one so that I can talk about it. But that’s the crux of all book pushing, right?

6. Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson
I have, quite possibly, never laughed so hard in my life as when I first read this. Well, that’s not true, because I’d been a longtime reader of Lawson’s blog, The Bloggess. Basically it was like reading her blog but on the subway, where cry-laughing is generally treated with suspicion. Here’s the kicker – I don’t even own it. I hijacked my mom’s copy and I refuse to return it on the principle that I bought it for her for Mother’s Day so that I could read it. I never qualified how many times. Muahaha.

7. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
I just want other people to be in as much pain as I was when I read TFOIS – AKA awake at 2am, quietly bawling into a pillow.

8. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Book Store by Robin Sloan
I’ve recommended Penumbra to a lot of my digital humanities/librarian/bookish/techish friends because it’s like a perfect storm of all those things. Interested in books? Check! Interested in Google? Check! Interested in cross-country adventures? Check! Interested in typography? Check! Interested in love stories? Check! I could go on.

9. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
My favourite book in a lot of genres – romance, paranormal, paranormal romance, historical romance, Highland romance… okay, so it’s basically a romance, but it’s a really really good one! The historicity is spot-on, the characters are great, plus JAMIE JAMIE JAMIE.

10. Whatever I Happen To Be Reading at the Time
Quite honestly, I tend to be the kind of person who’s favourite book is the one she’s reading. Julia Quinn, Richelle Mead, Karen Marie Moning – the works of all of these authors have been recently recommended just because they were fresh in my memory. If I liked it at all, I’ll push it. This probably means that I’m not the most discriminating resource for book recommendations… which kind of devalues this whole blog post. Hmm.

Any recommendations for me? Leave a note in the comments and include a link to your own TTT!

1. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide – I rave about this book to business majors, students in health sciences, professors, and anybody who lends me half an ear. I want everybody to read it. The ship has had a screening of the documentary of the same name. I did not watch it, and can’t say how it measures up. I like to think the book is always better.

2. PostSecret books edited by Frank Warren – I am always surprised how few people know about these books. Even bookshop clerks! At university, you cannot visit my room without being shown a PostSecret book. Also, my Broke and Bookish Secret Santa, at The Book Club Blog, sent me a PostSecret book! So awesome! Also, here’s a thought-provoking secret from this week’s PostSecrets.

3. The Karma Suture by Rosamund Kendal – I usually recommend this one as well as The Angina Monologues together, because some people prefer one plot synopsis over the other. I recommend this to medical students, premeds, anybody interested in health care or illness narratives, and when I have a good gut feeling about it. By the way, you should totally read it.

4. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend - for people who like different POVs. This recommendation usually goes to people with whom I have intriguing conversations.

5. A Dry White Season by A.P. Brink – when traveling, I find that people often have a very one-dimensional view of South Africa. I recommend this book to people so that they can understand the dynamics of Apartheid, such as the fact that Apartheid was not wholly supported by every white person in the country.

6. 28: Stories of AIDS in Africa – it’s the book that made me decide to study medicine, and I usually recommend it when I am asked about my choice. I’ve always had good feedback about this book.

7. The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters by Rose George – people laugh when I recommend this book, but it is amazing. I don’t think you can understand humanity before you understand waste and its disposal. Also, as much as this is a work of research and journalism, it is written with sensitivity, wit, and interesting anecdotes.

8. Shades by Marguerite Poland – another book to illuminate more of South African history. I suggest this to South African locals and foreigners alike. The history, and the analysis of the effects of displacement, makes this a worthy book.

9. Anything by Roald Dahl – because he remains one of my biggest literary heroes, and I am shocked when somebody hasn’t read him – I feel that they miss out! The book I recommend really depends on the person in question.

10. The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge – for a scientific text, I find myself recommending this a lot more than one would anticipate. It really is worth a read, whether you are scientifically inclined or simply interested in the workings of the brain.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic, hosted by the lovely folks over at “The Broke and the Bookish,” is an easy one for me. So without further ado . . .

Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most

1. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley – I loooove this book. It is one of my all time favorites and I always recommend it to anyone who asks, especially if they are fantasy lovers or fans of Arthurian legend.

2. Pawn of Prophesy by David Eddings – The first book in the Belgariad series will introduce you to the best fantasy story world building since J.R.R. Tolkien. And I mean that sincerely. Another must for fantasy fans.

3. Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan – The first book in the Shadow World series, these are vampires done right. No sparkles. With a dark and snarky sense of humor, these books make the idea of vampires living among us seem very plausible.

4. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro – I found this book while I was in college, and it has stayed with me ever since. A seemingly sweet story, with a slightly disturbing twist at the end, it’s an amazing book.

5. Paper Towns by John Green – This book pops up a lot on my Top Ten Tuesdays, but that’s just because it’s that good. I love this book so much.

6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling – The book that started one of the largest fandoms in history. Actually, I don’t recommend it as much as I’d like, because everyone I know has already read it!

7. Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye – Another first book in a series, this one aimed at slightly younger readers. These books are silly and whimsical and just plain fun.

8. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – Of course, with the movie coming out in August, this book will be getting a lot of well-deserved attention. The Mortal Instruments series is one of my favorites, with interesting characters, magic, adventure, romance. Everything you could want.

9. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin – I figured I ought to put this on the list, since I’ve been talking about it a lot lately. It’s a really good book and a good plan. My Friday posts really don’t do it justice.

10. Feed by Mira Grant – I’ve mentioned this book many times before as well. It’s been a long time since a book completely blew my mind, and this one certainly did that. Even if you aren’t into zombies (which I’m not, really), you will be drawn into this story.

So those are my ten. What are yours?

Top Ten Tuesdays is a meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  Every week she posts an idea for a “Top Ten” list relating to books, and encourages other book bloggers to respond.  If you want to know more about it or participate, click here.

Today’s Top Ten Five: Books I Recommend the Most

While I read a lot of books, I don’t really jump around and recommend them to others.  A lot leave my mind as soon as I’m done reading them so I don’t remember enough about them to feel like pestering others to read it, and for those I do love and remember I want to keep them all to myself.  You can’t read these books, they’re mine!

So, here are five books/series that I have recommended (and will continue to recommend) to others.

1.  This is All:  The Pillowbook of Cordelia Kenn by Aidan Chambers - This is the ONLY book I’ve ever recommended to a friend to read, and it was soon one of her favorites as well.  It is 816 pages, so definitely not a quick read, but I so believed in the story and was inspired by it.  I went through a moment of wanting to create my own pillowbook afterwards, but never did.
2.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – I remember crying while reading this and having to explain to my boyfriend EVERYTHING that happened in the book.  I think he was concerned that a book would make me cry, but I was quick to inform him that usually such books are my favorite because it’s amazing to me that words can have such power.  I highly recommend this to others, and when I see it on someone’s TBR pile I yell at them for it.
3.  Crank by Ellen Hopkin – This is the first book I read by Ellen Hopkins, and I’ve read ever book of hers after.  Her work is the closest thing I ever get to poetry, and I love how even though the story consists only of poems you are still provided with a full and complete story that is emotional and real.  Even though I’ve never done drugs a day in my life (or suffered from many of the others issues Ellen Hopkins writes about), I connect with the characters and believe in them.  I definitely recommend her books to others, starting with Crank.
4.  The Fault in our Stars by John Green – Another book that I encourage others to read when I see it on their TBR pile.  I love everything about this book, from the cover to the storyline to the one and only Gus.  Get in the mood to read this, it’ll be worth it!

5.  Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness – I absolutely love this series.  It made me cry, it made me think, it made me feel.  There was such a crazy concept behind the story, but I believed every bit of it.  I definitely recommend this to others.  I think this series is worth all the emotions it puts you through.

What books do you often find yourself to recommending to others?  What do you think of the ones I tend to recommend the most?

Ten is quite a lot, so I can’t promise I’ll make it that far every time – plus, there might be a lot of repetitions… Because when you like something, well, you like it a lot and for several reasons. But I thought I’d give it a try. Lists are what I normally do best after all.

A word of warning though – apart from the first one, I would say they are in no particular order.

1. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman ~ Because it is not a children’s book. Because it is. Because I read Paradise Lost and it helped me see this trilogy’s greatness. Because of Will. Because of the sheer ambition of its message. Because of Oxford. Because of the style. Because of Lyra, who is a determined, independent, modern, but also human heroine – and there are so few of these. And because no other book’s last pages were ever as physically painful and yet wonderful to read.

2. Anything Jane Austen ~ To boys who stay away because they think it’s all about girly sensitivity. And to girls who’ve only read Pride and Prejudice I suppose, because she’s about so much more than that.

3. The Bluest Eye, Toni Morisson ~ For its wonderful wonderful style. The story may be heartbreaking but it is indispensable reading. This is not a novel; this is poetry in book form.

4. The Help, Kathryn Stockett ~ I was swallowed by this book, to an extent I hadn’t imagined I would be. My review was only the first example of trying to convince the world they should read it. It is the one I read most recently on this list. Perhaps To Kill A Mockingbird should be there in its place.

5. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte ~ I will let Virginia Woolf praise this book because she can do it much better than me (more on that soon). Suffice it to say it is a true embodiment of the word Passion and for that alone it should be read. It is also the perfect symbiosis of nature and love – I couldn’t ask for more.

6. La Chamade, Françoise Sagan ~ Because French literature should be on here too – at least the books I love that have been translated, otherwise Marie-Aude Murail would probably be near the top of the list. Pretty much all of Sagan’s books are the same. Which is great when you loved the first one you read.

7. War Horse, Michael Morpurgo ~ I probably lent this book to every single one of my friends when I was in high school I loved it so much. That book was a great discovery.

8. The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Alexander McCall Smith ~ Light reading that is gripping, witty but also reflective and refreshingly different.

9. The Mysteries of Udolpho, Ann Radcliffe ~ Because gothic novels like this one should be read.

10. The Girl Who Played Go, Shan Sa ~ I recommended this book a lot after reading it a few years ago. If I’m truly honest, I can barely remember the story now. Interesting, isn’t it?

Since I predominantly read fantasy, unsurprisingly that’s what I tend to recommend. I’ve tried to include a few others as well though, since I don’t recommend fantasy to EVERYONE…..

Epic Fantasy
1. A Game of Thrones – If you can get into it, it’ll be worth it. This sat on my shelf barely touched until one day I just decided I’d keep going with it and hope it picked up…by the end of the day I was hooked!

2. Pawn of Prophecy – This and Dragons of Autumn Twilight (#4), are the books that got me into fantasy as a kid and they still make great re-reads.

3. Assassin’s Apprentice OR The Dragon Keeper – These are both great, so just pick whichever plot appeals to you most, as the series don’t link in enough to really matter which you read first.

4. Dragons of Autumn Twilight

YA
5. Delirium - This one has to go on the list, for me, because it’s just such an interesting premise!

6. Divergent

7. Poison Study – Maria V. Snyder is one of my favourite authors, particularly because of her characters. Poison Study is where it all starts, and it’s deinitely worth giving a go.

8. Always & Forever – Controversial opinion time: this is sort of what I expected from The Fault in Our stars. It’s heartbreakingly sad, beautifully written and has some great characters.

Historical Fiction
9. Wolf of the Plains – I’m not a big reader of historical fiction, and I knew nothing whatsoever about Genghis Khan when I picked this up. My dad kept raving about it, so I started it to shut him up, fully expecting it to be dry and boring. Turns out, it’s actually an excellent book, and I’ve been following the whole series since.

Paranormal
10. Bitten - A feisty journalist, who just so happens to be the only female werewolf, Elena is pretty much what makes this book for me. Elena is a kick-ass heroine, and her sarcasm, the dramatic plot, and Clay, make this a book I keep coming back to.

What’s on your list of most recommended? And does anyone else desperately want that cover of A Game of Thrones/Assassin’s Apprentice?!

Top Ten (hehe Thirteen) Books I Recommend the Most

There are SO many books that I would recommend, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend ALL of them to any person. It depends on what they like. So I decided this week that I would separate my top recommendations into their genres, starting from Fantasy to Paranormal to Contemporary, that way you can pick and choose out of the genres which ones interest you. However, there are a number of High Fantasy books I would recommend (not just The Demon King), but the one listed is my most highly recommended out of the bunch, and so forth.

1. The Demon King, by Cinda Williams Chima
I chose this as my favourite high fantasy because it contains elements that are in many YA genres: political intrigue, magical elements, romance, and action. It’s also one of my more recent favourites (plus there’s Han Allister . . . nuff said).

Other high fantasy recommends: Skin Hunger, Eragon, and The False Prince.

2. Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel
I haven’t read many steampunk books, and I didn’t even know this was steampunk when I read it years ago, but it’s awesome. It’s set in an alternative Victorian era where people travel in these huge blimp devices called air ships. I especially loved this book because while the main protagonist is a boy, the leading lady is extremely intelligent, tenacious, and doesn’t let a guy stand in her way. Half of the books is the guy trying to keep up with her.

Other steampunk recommends: A Conspiracy of Alchemists and Leviathan.

3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J. K. Rowling
I don’t care who you are, if you haven’t read this book, go home, pick it up, and read it right now. This series defines our age.

Other classic recommends: The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Outsiders

4. The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan
This is probably my favourite series. Ever. I actually like it better than Harry Potter (don’t hate me!). Percy Jackson is such a wise-ass, and Rick Riordan’s ability to weave in Ancient Greek mythological elements seamlessly into the story without making it seem totally strange and unnecessary is astounding.

Other mythological recommends: Let the Sky Fall, Goddess of Yesterday, and The Red Pyramid. 

5. White Cat, by Holly Black
This one is an interesting take on urban fantasy because it’s set in an alternate reality that still comes across as contemporary, but there are people that are recognized in society as Curse Workers. These workers have special abilities they control through their hands. Luck Workers can bring you good or bad luck, Physical Workers can cause you pain, and Emotional Workers can change your emotions at will (like making you love someone). However, everyone has to wear gloves so that people don’t get worked when they’re caught unawares. This is just the world-building; the story itself is even better!

Other urban fantasy recommends: Beautiful Creatures, Immortal Beloved, and A Great and Terrible Beauty (historical fantasy).

6. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, by Lish McBride
Supernatural, paranormal, whatever you wanna call it, this had a huge outbreak a few years ago (before the inevitable Hunger Games/dystopian outbreak). While I was getting sick of the the genre, I stumbled across this book, which was guy-centered instead of girly, and went a different angle from vampires and werewolves. This book is witty, hilarious, and creepy enough to be the perfect amount of awesome. It has everything from faeries to Big Foot.

Other supernatural recommends: The Summoning, Raven’s Gate, and The Diviners.

7. Cinder, by Marissa Meyer
Cinder crosses three genres: fairy-tale, fantasy (which is tied to the fairy tale aspect), and dystopian. Everyone is raving about her series, so if you haven’t read about Cyborg Cinderella, then you are not awesome enough, haha!

Other fairy-tale or dystopian recommends: Legend, Beastly, and The House of the Scorpion.

8. Peeps, by Scott Westerfeld
Normally this would be lumped in with supernatural, but Scott Westerfeld combines vampirism with science: there’s a biological rationale for why people are vampires, and it has to do with parasites that infect the hosts and causes them to hunger for certain . . . things. Definitely check this out if you’re looking for a fresh and unique take on an exhausted sub-genre.

Other vampire books: you probably know more that I do because I’m not a huge vampire fan.

9. Truesight, by David Stahler Jr.
I don’t read a ton of science fiction. I thought I did, but I don’t. However, if I did read a lot, this series would probably still be on the top. It reads kind of similar to The Giver in that the protagonist doesn’t realize the bad stuff that’s going on around him until it starts affecting him. These books are extremely underrated, and I highly recommend them. They’re not heavy sci-fi, they’re pretty light, and they’re easy reads. It’s not like Star Wars or Dune, so don’t freak out about them being like, way out there and really cray.

Other sci-fi recommends: Ender’s Game, I Am Number Four (go aliens!) and The Supernaturalist.

10. Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver
This is like contemporary + paranormal I guess, but it wasn’t focussed on the paranormal aspect. The main character dies, but is forced to live through the last day of her life seven times in order for her to learn from her mistakes and correct them. This book made me cry, and although the protagonist doesn’t start out likeable, it’s that exact feature that makes her character growth so amazing.

Other afterlife recommends: I actually don’t recall reading any more afterlife books, sorry!

11. Avalon High, by Meg Cabot
I don’t mean chick-lit in a bad way at all. Sometimes you just want to sit down with a highly entertaining read that is focussed on girl meets boy, girl likes boy, girl gets boy. It’s that simple, and it’s definitely not a bad thing at all to enjoy a simpler read.

Other chick-lit recommends: Anything by Meg Cabot, The Selection, and Just Listen. 

12. Chasing the Falconers, by Gordon Korman
This one’s the first in a MG series called On the Run by one of my favourite Canadian authors. I love reading action books. If there’s no romance, that’s fine with me! I honestly couldn’t care. I love these books because they’re really short, and I reread them on every long car ride. It’s about two middle grade students who’s parents have been framed for aiding and abetting terrorists, and they go on the run to clear their parents’ names while dodging federal agents and becoming well-known fugitives across the country.

Other action-adventure recommends: Alex Rider: Stormbreaker, Heist Society, and Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment.

13. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart
This is a great example of a contemporary feminist read, in that it proves the girl doesn’t really need the guy to be happy and successful! Other feminists reads I enjoy feature strong protagonists or heavy feminine themes that other girls can relate to.

Other feminist recommends: Speak, Thirteen Reasons Why, and Star Girl. 

Okay, so I think I’ve exhausted my recommendations list. I was going through my Goodreads books while writing this post, and there are so many other amazing books that I could have put on here, but these are definitely in my eyes the best of the best.

Top Ten Books I HAD to Buy…But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread

1.  Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I just haven’t gotten around to reading it yet, but I hope I will read it sooner than later!
2.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I’ve heard so many good things about this book and I was very excited to find it in my local used bookstore. I need to read this soon to see what all the hype is about.
3.  Splintered by A.G. Howard. This book definitely pulled me in because of it’s cover. However, I have also heard great things about this book. I am anxiously awaiting the moment when I pick this book up and read it.
4.   Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. I have been a James Bond fan for a majority of my life and just recently found out that they were based on books. After figuring that out I had to run out and by the first one immediately. I need to read this book so I can watch the movie again.
5.  Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. I heard about this book a long time ago and then I came across it in the store and had to buy it. I have been waiting for more books with characters that are my age (college age) and I’m so excited about this New Adult genre coming about. I can’t wait to start reading the books starting with this one!
6.  A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin. I bought this one when  I finished A Game of Thrones because I had to know what happened next! However, I’ve been a little intimidated by it’s length, so I haven’t read it yet, but I’m hoping to get to it this summer.
7.  Every Day by David Levithan. I have loved all the books I have read by David Levithan and when I read the book blurb with this new one I had to get it. I am very excited to have it and I cannot wait to read it!
8.  Crewel by Gennifer Albin. I heard about this book and it sounded so unique. I equally fell in love with the cover and therefore I had to go out and buy it. Unfortunately I just haven’t gotten around to reading it yet but I am really looking forward to reading this book!
9.  Rift by Andrea Cremer. I absolutely loved the Nightshade series and when I found out about this prequel series I had to get it. However I have been wanting to re-read the Nightshade series before I pick this one up. I might have to just pick it up and read it before then though.
10.  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I know, I know, I am completely ridiculous because I haven’t read this book yet. I had a stack of library books that I was reading through when I picked this book up (I bought it because I just HAD to have it). Then some library books I requested came in so I got another stack of library books to read. But once I am done reading the library books this will be one of the first books I pick up – SO excited to read this one!

Making this list has gotten me excited about these books again and given me motivation to just read them already! Well back to reading so I can get to these books… : )

I consider it an occupational hazard: the burning need to purchase books. The worst part about the need to buy all the books all the time is that you simply cannot read them all. And so they keep very good company on one of many bookshelves and book piles. It happens to the best of books. It can’t be helped. Here is a little peak at my stack of shame. Someday I will read them. I promise. I hope.

1. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. Why have I not read this?!?

2. Across the Universe by Beth Reevis. Now that the series is complete I should get on it.

3. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. I bought this one in the hopes of finally moving it from TBR to Read. I was not meant to read this book. I tried, but it was not for me. I still have a copy, but I officially removed it from my TBR list. I feel such immense relief about it.

4. Jessica Darling, books 1-4 by Megan McCafferty. I have read the first book! One down, three to go (well, technically four, but I don’t own the fifth book…yet).

5. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. This is kind of cheating, because I am listening to this book right now! How sad is it that I own a copy of the book and I chose to listen instead? Whatever. I don’t even care. I am glad I own the book. It’s wonderful and maybe I will read it one of these days. Or give it to a friend. Or not. Hmmph.

6. The Outcasts, The Brotherband Chronicles #1 by John Flanagan. I bought this at an author event ages ago. I am not allowed to read it yet. Not until I am done with The Ranger’s Apprentice. Soon. Very soon.

7. The Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne. Another author visit purchase. I have the whole series (to date). I will get to them eventually.

8. Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Oh my god. I am the worst! This is yet another author visit purchase. What is wrong with me?

9. The Little House on the Prairie box set. I don’t feel bad about this one. I must own these books. Always.

In a Top Ten Tuesday first, I am ending my list short. I know there are more books that would fit this list, but I am away from my incriminating shelves and drawing a blank on titles. I think this is enough. In fact, I am currently reading a book that has been languishing for years…Little Women!

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Almost all of these were at least bought on a cheap deal of some kind, so I feel less bad about having not read them yet.

1. The Maze Runner – I got the whole series in the Works for £5, but I’ve just never got around to it.

2. Conqueror – This, depressingly, is one I paid release price for. I loved the first four books but then this got put off due to work, and just never picked up later.

3. Code Name Verity – I found this for £1 in a charity shop, and after the rave reviews I couldn’t pass it up. It’s never left the shelf though.

4. The Painted Man- For £2.99 in waterstones it sounded worth a risk!

5. Haunted - Second-hand bookshop. Enough said! I love Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series so far, so this should really get bumped up the list
               

6. Daughter of Smoke and Bone – I bought this on Amazon on a 2 for £7 deal after seeing reviews for it everywhere. I’ve never got around to it though.

7. Frankenstein - I couldn’t pass up a classic for 99p!

8. The Summoning – Yet another second-hand bookshop buy. I might try reading this before Haunted, and see if it can’t start a Kelley Armstrong kick!

9.  Spirit Gate – I don’t honestly remember where I got this I bought it so long ago. I definitely think I bought it before starting uni…..three years ago.  It’s been on there so long, that at least twice my other half has picked it up in a book shop and I’ve had to admit that it’s in my room, but I haven’t read it.

10. Shadowmarch – This was another second-hand bookshop buy. I read and enjoyed the dragonbone chair, and thought this was worth a go. Unfortunately, I bought it not long before Christmas when I was on a frantic catching up with challenges phase, and just forgot about this.
               

So from this, we can probably learn I buy too many books. And yet I still think I might treat myself to one more after I hand in my dissertation tomorrow!

What’s on your list of owned but unread?!

Top Ten Tuesdays is a meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  Every week she posts an idea for a “Top Ten” list relating to books, and encourages other book bloggers to respond.  If you want to know more about it or participate, click here.

Today’s Top Ten: Books you HAD to buy, but still haven’t read.

Actually, I’m pretty good with this topic!  There are a lot of book I really, really, really want to buy.  But I haven’t given myself permission to buy them until I finish reading through the small pile of books I already own and have not yet read.  And what’s left of my pile are books that I didn’t really feel the overwhelmingly need to buy, but ones that I just decided to grab while at the bookstore because there’s no way I can ever leave without grabbing a handful.

So, instead of books I HAD to buy, here are books that I bought (but didn’t feel the overwhelmingly need to) that I still have to read.  Most of these will be repeats, if you’ve been on my blog recently and have seen my to-be-read lists.

(And can I just say I’m totally excited that these are ALL of them.  Once these books are done I’ll have nothing left that I own to read!  I see a book shopping trip in my new future…)

Random Books I Bought, but Haven’t Read

1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness – I’m a fan of the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness, so while I was in the UK visiting my boyfriend over Christmas and I saw this book, I decided I had to buy it.  It’s next up on my list to read after I finish The Casual Vacancy (halfway there).

2. Fallen by Lauren Kate – What can I say?  I’m a sucker for gothic covers.  Hesitant to read though because  it’s part of a series and I’m not sure if I’m in the mood for those anymore.  (Wow, just noticed that this entire list, except A Monster Calls and the books I own for class, are all part of series.  Bothersome.)

3. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick – I’m not sure how excited I am about it.  I like the whole idea of a fallen angel, but everyone says it’s just like Twilight and since I just finished reading that for my YA class I’m not in the mood.

4. The Maze Runner by James Dashner – I’m pretty sure I bought this because of The Hunger Games.  I’m still sort of intrigued by it because I do like mazes, so we’ll see how that goes.

5. White Cat by Holly Black – I bought this one right away because I’m a fan of Holly Black.  Of course, I wish I would’ve waited just so I could’ve bought it with the new cover so if I buy the rest I have a matching set.

6. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher – The cover was dark and the back made it sound like some kind of evil prison, so I’m assuming it has a lot of action.  After reading the summary on Goodreads, I’m a little less excited to read it just because it’s got romance in it.  Nothing wrong with that, just don’t want it to be the focal point of the story.

Whole Series I Ended up Buying, but Haven’t Read

7. The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater – Bought this entire series because rarely do I feel like I can stop with one once I start.  I just haven’t felt the desire to read it because I’m really not a fan of wolves (or vampires).  I’m hoping this will help give me some different views of werewolves though, since the only ones I have really read about are the ones in Twilight.

8. Dream Catcher series by Lisa McMann – I liked the idea of getting sucked into other people’s dreams.  I think it opens up a lot of possibilities, so I’m intrigued by where the story might go.  I’ll probably read this series sooner than later out of the list.

Adult Classics I Bought for Class This Semester, but Haven’t Read

9. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro- both of these books were purchased for my Literary Criticism class (sounds fun, right?).  I’ll read them because I have to (and write a six-page critique of one of them), but otherwise I probably would never have bought them.  I liked the first book we read for that class though, The Moonstone, so I’m optimistic about reading these books.

10. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

What about you?  Do you have only a small pile of books you own but haven’t read?  Or is yours much larger (as I think most are)?  Do you have a method to when you decide to add to your pile?  (I’m currently trying to be disciplined – no buying until the pile is gone!  Eek!)

]]> http://lifewithnoplot.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/top-ten-tuesday-procrastination-edition/ Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:28:44 +0000 Denise http://lifewithnoplot.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/top-ten-tuesday-procrastination-edition/

I don’t usually let books sit around in my house, but lately I have been slacking a bit. Actually, several of the books I listed last week on my Spring To-Be-Read list should be on this week’s list too, but I didn’t want to list them twice. So here are a few more that I really need to get around to reading.

Top Ten (or Four) Books that I HAD TO BUY . . . but are still sitting on my shelf unread.

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – I’ve talked about this one on my blog before and I really want to read it. I even asked for it for Christmas! I just never got around to actually picking it up and reading it.

2. Magician:Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist – Bought this at the used bookstore because it’s Raymond Feist. It’s a classic of the fantasy canon. Still haven’t read it, although the Tavern Book Club will be reading it soon, so eventually I will get around to it.

3. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman – Bought this at the same used bookstore, possibly the same trip, when I got Magician. Bought it because it’s Neil Gaiman and who doesn’t like Neil Gaiman? I’ve heard loads of good things about this book. Still haven’t read it.

4. Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey – This is the second book in Phedre’s Trilogy, which I bought shortly after finishing book one, and yet never got around to reading it. At this point, I will need to re-read Kushiel’s Dart before I can read this one, because I can’t remember much about it except that it was good.

I’ll get around to these, I promise! Are there any books you have lying around that you haven’t read yet?

Top Ten Books I HAD to buy . . . but are still sitting on my bookshelf unread.

This post is the story of my entire existence. I have so many books piled up from last year that I got from Chapters.Indigo and second-hand bookstores that are unread, forlorn, and gathering dust. Not because I don’t want to read them, but mostly a combination of not having the time, and there being so many other books on my shelf that I want to read first.

1. The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
I read the Darkest Powers series (loved it), and I’m under the impression that this is a loose continuation of it? I bought the book around a year ago, still haven’t gotten to it, but the third book in this trilogy is coming out, and apparently the characters from the previous trilogy are making an appearance, so I’m really excited to get started on it!

2. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
This was one of the first YA series I started, way back in grade six. I’ve had this book for almost a year and I haven’t even started it. I want to read them all from the beginning again, but it’s just a matter of making time for them. They take SO long to read!

3. A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix
I’ve read The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix and I loved it, so I figured I’d try out one of his YA books. Still haven’t gotten around to it. Yikes.

4. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Ermagerd I looove books with history in them, and puzzles, and these books are brimming with both! I got this at a Value Village (best thing since sliced bread), but I still haven’t read it.

5, 6, & 7. Lies, Plague, and Fear by Michael Grant
I’ve only read the first two books in this series because I’m a fool. These are the three most recent, and I’m waiting for Light, the final book, to come out so I can complete the collection…and actually read it? He he

8. BZRK by Michael Grant
So I thought I’d try something new by Michael Grant because I enjoyed the first two books in the Gone series, but it’s also been sitting on my bookshelf. Alone. Unloved. Poor guy.

9. The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan
I’m a HUGE fan of Rick Riordan, but the Kane Chronicles series fell short for me…probably because they had to live up to Percy Jackson & The Olympians, which is my favourite series of all time. So yeah, The Kane Chronicles are still awesome books (and the cover for this one is made out of really cool paper), but The Mark of Athena comes first. Then I’ll start this one!

10. The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore
My favourite alien series! I’m rereading this series as well. WAY too many books too read. This TTT has made me even more exhausted.

So these are the oldest books I’ve bought that I have with me at university. There are still others at home that are collecting dust, and newer ones that have been featured on my more recent TTTs, like Divergent, This Dark Endeavour, the Heist Society series, The Crimson Crown, Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, A Song of Ice and Fire, The City of Bones, and the Runaway King…I think that’s most of them. I’m going to try to NOT buy any more books until I’ve read about half of these? It will be a LOT easier once I get out of school and start a summer job. Then I’ll have afternoons to read and blog without having to worry about schoolwork.

Link up your TTTs in your comments so I can check out what books you’ve bought but still haven’t read.

- Janita

Masha’s Top Tuesday:
1. Cutting Board with Compartments.

2. Tasting Table is an informational website on the latest happenings in the restaurant world.
3. LIMP BIZKIT is playing at The Paramount in Huntington on April 30th!

4. Ideal Cheese Shop in Huntington Village – Amazingly stinky and delicious cheese selection. Perfect for ladies night! We got a cheese called Grayson which smelled like the goddamn devil, but tasted like brie butter. You should try it.
5. Goats screaming like humans. For obvious reasons.

Sarah’s Top Ten Tuesday:
1. Rasta yarn from Loop on Main.

2. Wedding Crashers Showcase in Brooklyn.

3. The chinese spot down my block makes unreal beef dumplings.

4. The song Turbulence by Steve Aoki and Laidback Luke.
5. $40 Beer dinner: 4 courses, 4 beers! The Good Life in Massapequa Park. They have a different brewery on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. This month was Long Ireland Brewery.
Check out Masha’s other blog, The Jew Chew, for her amazing revue of this month’s Beer Dinner!!

The New Reads

#1. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
Received for my birthday from my boyfriend’s parents, unfortunately right at the outset of my February Julia Quinn readathon. I’ve been putting it off in favour of fluff, and I need to stop. I spend so much time in my workday thinking and thinking and thinking; it’s easy to just want to turn my brain off when I get home. So I need to just dive into this soon. Which I will do. I promise.

#2. 1982 by Jian Ghomeshi
I got 1982 for Christmas from the lovely Savindi (aka Streetlight Reader) and I was absolutely pumped to read it… but I keep putting it off. I think I have this random desire to take it to Ward’s Island on a summer day to read against the backdrop of the Toronto skyline. Jian is such a Toronto icon that I feel like his book deserves to be read in one of Toronto’s best places.

#3. A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
As I mentioned last week, I’ve read nearly all of Julia Quinn’s novels – Bridgertons, Smith-Smythes, Lyndons, I know them all. And I really enjoyed reading them! But now I need something to replace them, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about Tessa Dare’s Spindle Cove series.

#4. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
I continue to wait for the Toronto Public Library to give me this book! I get ebooks because I’m lazy and refuse to go to my local branch, and I’m also really forgetful and bad at returning things. Ebooks really are the best of both worlds.

#5. Shuteye: Six Tales of Dreams and Dreamers by Sarah Becan
I bought Shuteye at The Beguiling, Toronto’s amazing comic book store, over a year ago. I don’t know why I haven’t read it. I feel like a terrible person. I’m sorry, Sarah Becan. I feel I’ve done you wrong.

The Rereads

#1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
One of my top ten favourite books, and definitely my favourite historical romance. My reread need is motivated by the fact that I’m going to Scotland in a mere 6 weeks, which is very exciting! I’m actually going for work, to present at a conference, but I’m taking a week of vacation as well. It will be a Great Scottish Adventure! Regardless of the Adventure, though, I read Outlander about once a year. It’s just so good. The TTT topic in a few weeks is book boyfriends (or girlfriends) and you should expect to see James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser very close to the top of the list. Maybe even AT the top of the list.

P.S. The key to loving Outlander is getting your best friend equally obsessed so that you can have very long, detailed conversations about who would play each character should the BBC ever dare to make a miniseries out of the book.

#2. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Also travel-motivated – my Great Scottish Adventure will be broken up by a quick trip to Oxford to see friends, and I can’t think of another book that captures the Oxford I have known like A Discovery of Witches. Plus, another book boyfriend! Matthew is a sexy oenophile who likes yoga and owns a historic mansion. I like two of those three things (hint: wine and historic homes). MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN.

#3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
It’s just been ages since I read this, and with the movie coming out soon I think it’s time to get reacquainted. Certainly no book boyfriends here, but Gatsby is one of my all-time favourite novels.

#4. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
Again, one of my favourite novels. Brideshead is also somewhat Oxfordian, and, for whatever reason, spring seems like a good time to read it. Maybe it’s all of my Catholic guilt resurfacing – “Read Brideshead! Remember the church!” – or maybe it’s just because I recently watched the very good adaptation starring Matthew Goode and Ben Whishaw (N.B. handsomeness alert).

#5. Scott Pilgrim (series) by Bryan Lee O’Malley
It may be a last-place addition, but it’s actually been a long time since I read the Scott Pilgrim series. The books are really fun, and short. I actually need to go re-purchase the first one, I gave it to a friend who was visiting when the movie came out. We saw it together and so it seemed fitting to send her back to France with a copy of the graphic novel. I don’t regret giving it away, of course – it just gives me another excuse to make a trip to The Beguiling!

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is all about Spring. And books, of course. I am sure most of you have overwhelmingly enormous TBR lists, so you understand how difficult it is to pick just ten(ish). I am hoping, with the help of a few readathons, to make a huge dent in my reading lists this spring. Here a few coming soon and already published books that I hope to enjoy while I watch my dog tear up all the muddy grass and new plants the flowers bloom.

Coming Soon:

1. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare 3/19/13
2. OCD, the Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn 3/21/13
3. Taken by Erin Bowman 4/16/13
4. The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy 4/30/13
5. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen 6/4/13

Already Out:

6. Mind Games by Kiersten White
7. The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
8. The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepard
9. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Non YA Books:

10+. The Dinner by Herman Koch, Pure by Julianna Baggott, and The Map of Time by Felix Palma.

I am looking forward to my spring reading! What is on your list?

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

I decided to jump in on the bandwagon and join The Broke and the Bookish‘s Top Ten Tuesday meme.  Each week she posts a topic for a list of Top Tens relating to books, and everyone gets to respond with their own list.  So let’s get started, shall we?

2013 Spring To-Be-Read List (books you’re meaning to read or new releases)

5 Books I Own and Need to Get Around to Reading

Wake by Lisa McMann – I own all three books in this series but haven’t gotten around  to opening the first one.  It was just one of those things that when I went to the bookstore and saw the next book in the series out I bought it because I had the first one so of course I’m going to read the other ones.  Now I just need to actually read them!

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher – I’ve had this book forever (I loved the cover) but haven’t gotten around to reading it.  I really would like to since it’s a dystopian novel, but I just keep getting sidetracked by other books.  (Bad Asti, bad!)

White Cat by Holly Black – I’m a fan of Holly Black’s work so when White Cat was released I bought it pretty much without a second thought.  Of course, I also really haven’t given it much of a second thought as it’s sat on my bookshelf for the last year.  I plan on getting around to this one though, and soon.  Of course, then I’d have to go out and buy the next book in the series, eek!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner – Have I ever mentioned I like dystopian novels?  Another one sitting on my bookshelf I need to read.  But also another one that will result in my needing to go to the store and buying the sequels.

Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling – This was pretty much an auto-buy.  I mean, I love Harry Potter and I know that this is supposed to be an adult  book and completely different, but I felt like I had to buy it just because I love Harry Potter.  Of course, after looking at the Goodreads reviews I’m wondering if that was such a good idea…

5 Books I Feel Like I Must Read ASAP

Divergent by Veronica Roth – This book is recommended to me everywhere I turn in the book world, but I still haven’t gotten my hands onto it.  I feel like it’s all finally starting to get to me because I want to know what all the hype is about.  Must.  Read.  Soon.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare – I am a fan of Cassandra Clare and have been trying to keep up-to-date on both her Mortal Instruments series and The Infernal Devices series.   This is the next release for The Infernal Devices series, scheduled for March 19th (exactly one week from today).  If you need something to hold you over until then, check out my previous post about how she involved fans in releasing the first chapter of the book for a link to read it yourself.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer – Who doesn’t like a twist on a classic fairy tale?  (That’s a rhetorical question, so no need to raise your hand and tell me you don’t.  Pesky wabbit.)  I’ve been seeing really positive reviews on this book and the next book of the series Scarlet, so really would love to get my hands on a copy.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – Another book that I’ve heard a lot about and want to get my hands onto.  And look at that cover!  Even if it wasn’t recommended by others I would probably pick it up and love it just for the beauty that is it’s cover.  I know, I know, calm down you obsessive book-cover-lover.

The Selection by Kiera Cass – Another cover I love.  (I can’t help it!)  I’m slightly put off by the synopsis (someone named American Singer?!  Really?!  And oh no, not another love triangle), but looking at the reviews it seems like one of those books you either love or hate and I’m really curious as to see which side I would fall on.  And again, that cover.

That’s my Top Ten List.  (And for being my first one, I must say I enjoyed coming up with it!)  Are there any books I listed that you think I should cross off my  list because they are just that horrible?  Or there any that I should definitely read first?