Top Ten Tuesday 02.26.19

hosted by That ArtsyA Reader Girl

February 26: Places Mentioned In Books That I’d Like to Visit
While I’ve read a lot of fantasy/sci-fi novels, I’m going to keep this within the realm of our universe and list only places I could actually visit.

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? 02.25.19

Hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” is a weekly event to share what we’ve read in the past week and what we hope to read, plus whatever else comes to mind.

Top Ten Tuesday 02.19.19

hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

February 19: Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings Reviews on Goodreads
I’m changing this one a little bit because I’m not a book elitist. A lot of the books I love are well love by others as well.

1. Normal People by Sally Rooney: This was my favorite read of January 2019. I’m sure it won’t stay under 2,000 reviews for long.
2. Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson: I read this one in college and it is a very unique type of book. It’s beautifully written, and challenges the ideas of gender and identity.
3. The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst: I’m really surprised that this one doesn’t have more reviews. It won the Man Booker Prize and was made into a miniseries. Maybe it’s because of the subject matter that it has so few reviews.
4. The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano: This is the first book in a series about food. It’s got light Christian undertones, a badass heroine, and a redemptive hero.
5. Falling Man by Don DeLillo: This book (along with the Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid) is one of the best representations of 9/11 in literature or film. It’s honest and raw an scary. I was a child when it happened, but this book really put me in the adult mindset.

   

   

   

   

   

   
   
6. Nick and June Were Here by Shalanda Stanley: This is cheating a little bit, because I had an ARC and it only came out last week. I can see this novel skyrocketing to John Green levels. It would also make a better movie than Paper Towns just saying.
7. Twenty-One by D. Victoria BonAnno: My cousin wrote and self-published this one last year. Not my normal genre, but I think she did a really great job.
8. The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers: Another one I read in school that was a little bit weird. It is a novella about the residents of a small town and explores the idea of the grotesque.
9. Roam by C.H. Armstrong: Roam is probably one of those quirky one off books. I don’t imagine it will become very popular, but I could not put it down.
10. The Red Market: On the Trail of the World’s Organ Brokers, Bone Thieves, Blood Farmers, and Child Traffickers by Scott Carney: I read this book while on a road trip through New England one summer. It’s dark and twisty and so fascinating. I’d love to re-read it.

What I’m Reading This Week

To be fully honest, I’ve been in a reading slump. At the end of last year, I was averaging 10 books per month. In January, I read 14. But, we’re more than halfway through February, and I’ve read 4. I’m not sure if it’s my selections or if I’m just too tired (I’ve woken up with a book on my face more than once this month). Either way, I’m committing to do better. Here are my goals for this week:

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon: I read When Dimple Met Rishi last week, and I really love Menon’s style. This seemed like an obvious next choice.

Born on the Fourth of July by Ron Kovic: I watched Bruce Springsteen on Broadway a few weeks ago and he mentioned this book. It’s a memoir about a Vietnam vet who returns home paralyzed from the chest down and how veterans were (and still are) mistreated and neglected. I started it last week, but it’s pretty intense so I’m reading it slowly.

If, Then by Kate Hope Day, In Another Life: A Novel by C. C. Hunter, The Dating Game by Kiley Roach and Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak: These four are ARCs I’m trying to finish before I pure my NetGalley account (more about that later).

Top 10 Tuesday 02.12.19

hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

February 12: Favorite Couples In Books

1. Avery & Cam from Wait for You by J. Lynn: This was the book that got me into NA, and this was the couple that literally destroyed me. She was so broken. He was so good. Yes yes YES!
2. Hermione and Ron from Harry Potter by JK Rowling: Anyone who says Hermione should have been with Harry is wrong. That’s just so, so wrong.
3. Lara Jean and Peter from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han: I feel like this is an obvious choice for me. I’m a sucker for first kisses (or first other things) being the love of your life. I’m sorry.
4. Reena and Sawyer from How To Love by Katie Cotugno: see above.
5. Jeyne and Theon from A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin: It’s been a few years since I read the books, and I could be misrembering, but I really liked how he treated her. Que “Better Man” by 5 Seconds of Summer.
6. Elio and Oliver from Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman: I much prefer the book to the movie, mainly because the relationship in the book is so much more than it is in the movie. Elio’s confusion and longing for Oliver is so much more. Oliver’s requiting is so much more. The ending is so much more.
7. Stella and Michael from The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang: This book was so cute and sometimes cringey, that I had to read it by myself for fear of my facial expressions. Stella being on the spectrum and Michael’s history were so intriguing. I just love how they both brought out the best in each other.
8. Connell and Marianne from Normal People by Sally Rooney: These two were so frustrating. They loved each other from the start, but just let everything else get in the way. What I really loved about them is how they could only be themselves around each other. Connell and his anxiety/depression, Marianne with her fears. They both saved each other too. Connell saved Marianne from her psychotic family. Marianne saved Connell from himself.
9. Rachel and Alex from The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano: He ruined her life, basically. And then they ruined mine. This book seriously. I love contemporary romance with a hint of Christian subtext. This one slayed that genre. Is that even a genre? Subgenre?
10. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: This isn’t just a “let’s throw a classic in there” moment. P&P is more than just a classic. It created the genre of romance. The formula of: meet, attraction, miscommunication, reveal, happy ending, started here. I’ll never not love this.

 

This one was pretty YA/NA heavy, which is fine. But please notice the distinct lack of any forced proximity bullshit novels. I hate that!

 

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers!

Top Ten Tuesday

hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

February 5: Upcoming Releases I’m On the Fence About (these are the books you need help deciding if they’re worth adding to your TBR or not.)

1. I Owe You One: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella: I actually have a digital ARC of this, but I don’t think I’m going to get to it before it expires. I like the premise of this (cute meet in a coffee shop sparks a series of favors for Fixie and Seb), but Kinsella’s last few novels have fallen short for me.
2. Say You’re Sorry by Karen Rose: I’ve been seeing this all over social media. To me, it seems like a “chosen one” kind of situation. Thrillers are hard, and I’m just not too into this one.
3. The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray: I’ve also been seeing this one all over social media. I think the cover is stunning, but the point of reference reviews give is An American Marriage, which I did not love.
4. Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young: So, I was a little offended by the blurb of this one. I’m a graphic designer, and I place a lot of value on art. The blurb (which may not be fully reflective of the novel) kind of plays down the importance of art and design in favor of STEM type subjects.
5. Call it What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer: I don’t think I’d be able to read this without thinking of Taylor Swift every time I looked at the cover.