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Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Amazing Book Bloggers That Should Be on Your Radar

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Favorite Book Blogs/Bookish Websites.  This is such a hard topic for me, mainly because there are WAY more than ten book blogs that I love visiting.  I could probably easily make this Top 50 Tuesday, haha!

I’m going to keep this short and sweet, mainly because my desktop computer died last night and while it’s being (hopefully) repaired, I’m trying to type this post on a laptop.  I don’t know if it’s my old eyes or my clumsy fingers, but it is taking me forever. The way I’m typing you would think this was my first time ever using a computer before, haha!

Anyway, back on topic…what the bloggers on my list all have in common is that they not only consistently put out great content, but they’re also just lovely people.  I enjoy chatting with all of them about our love of books, other interests we happen to share, and just about life in general sometimes.  Some I’ve known since I first started blogging, while others are new friends that I’m really enjoying getting to know better.  Have I mentioned lately how wonderful the book blogging community is?

 

 

10 Amazing Book Bloggers That Should Be on Your Radar

 

  • Du Livre.  I love visiting Amber’s blog because her reviews are always so honest and thoughtful.  I also love her First Thoughts features where she shares her first impressions of whatever book she’s currently reading.  Those posts are always fun to read.

 

  • Aimee, Always.  Aimee’s blog is beautifully designed, and I just love how her personality shines through on every post, especially those enthusiastic book reviews.

 

  • POP.EDIT.LIT. I love reading Verushka’s posts because although she reads a pretty wide variety of books, she has a special interest in thrillers so this is where I go when I’m on the hunt for exciting new thrillers to add to my TBR.  I also love that she reviews a lot of books from Australian authors, many of whom I hadn’t heard of before reading about them on POP.EDIT.LIT.

 

  • Musings of a Literary Wanderer.  Angela and I started blogging around the same time so we were newbies together 🙂  I really enjoy visiting her blog for many reasons, with one of them being that she and I both love books that feature dual time lines. I can always count on her for great dual time line recs.  In addition to her well written and thoughtful reviews, another highlight of Angela’s blog is that she is an avid hiker and she often shares photos from her adventures.  I love that variety in her content.

 

  • Greg’s Book Haven.  There’s so much to love about Greg’s blog that I hardly know where to begin.  Greg and I share a love of Star Wars and George R.R. Martin books so when I a need a Star Wars or Game of Thrones fix, his blog is my first stop.  Greg also has the most entertaining new feature called Movies That Suck where he reviews absolutely horrible movies so that you don’t have to spend your time watching them.  It reminds me of Mystery Science Theater 3000, which I’ve always loved, so this feature is a real treat for me each week.  Greg, of course, posts excellent book reviews on a wide variety of books, and he also posts tons of fabulous cult covers and artwork.  And if you’re lucky, sometimes he’ll even share some of his own fiction writing projects.

 

  • We Live and Breathe Books.  Sam’s blog is my go-to when I want to get new YA contemporary recommendations.  If Sam reads it and loves it, it’s almost a guarantee that I’m going to love it as well.  I’ve lost track of how many new favorite authors I’ve discovered while visiting this blog.  In addition to the reviews on the site, I’m also a big fan of the discussion posts, which are always so thought provoking.  Oh and if all of that isn’t enough, the absolutely fabulous sloth blog design is a must-see. It makes me smile every time I visit. 🙂

 

  • Read All The Things.  Aj’s blog has become a favorite of mine because she reads and reviews a wide variety of books, basically anything from new releases all the way back to Newbery classics from my childhood.  I also love visiting because she has such a fun sense of humor.  I’m always entertained when I read Aj’s words, especially when she’s giving little anecdotes from her life.

 

  • Metaphors and Moonlight.  If you’re into great fantasy, science fiction, and supernatural creatures galore, Kristen’s blog is one that should definitely be on your radar.  She has introduced me to many wonderful books and series that I probably would never have known about if I hadn’t read her reviews and recommendations.

 

  • Rebel Mommy Book Blog.  If you’re into contemporary authors like Colleen Hoover, Morgan Matson, Kasie West, and Harlan Coben, you should definitely make Grace’s blog a regular stop during your internet travels.  You’re sure to pick up some great recs every time you visit.

 

  • Book Reviews By Di.  Di is one of my go-to blogs for YA fantasy reads.  I love the vibrant design of her blog and her reviews are always so well written.  If you’re into bookstagram, you should also check out her feed there.  I’m just discovering bookstagram, but she’s already one of my favorites there as well.

 

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Who are some of your favorite book bloggers?  

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Book Mash-Ups That I’d Love to See

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books You’d Mash Together (pick two books you think would make an epic story if combined).  As per usual, as soon as I started thinking about this topic, I promptly forgot everything about every book I’ve ever read and just sat there drawing a blank.  After a while though, I came up with a few mashups that I thought would make for entertaining reads.

 

 

10 Book Mash-Ups That I’d Love to See

 

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1.  A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by V.E. Schwab   +   TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo

 

                        

 

Lila Bard and Princess Lira in the same book, with a little Kell and Elian thrown into the mix.  Enough said!

 

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2. SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli   +   FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

 

                     

 

I think my favorite fanboy and my favorite fangirl would end up being great friends if they were to ever meet.

 

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3.  SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo   +   CRESS/THE LUNAR CHRONICLES by Marissa Meyer

 

                     

 

Mainly just because I want to watch Carswell Thorne drive Kaz and her team up the wall, haha!

 

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4.  STALKING JACK THE RIPPER by Kerris Maniscalco   +   THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES by Arthur Conan Doyle

 

                     

 

I’d love to see Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell try to match wits with Sherlock and Watson.

 

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5.  WARCROSS by Marie Lu   +   READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline

 

                     

 

Virtual reality to the extreme!

 

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6. THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE by Mackenzi Lee   +   HUNTING PRINCE DRACULA by Kerri Maniscalco

 

                     

 

Mainly because I think it would be great fun to watch Audrey Rose and Felicity work together.

 

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7.  SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo   +   ARTEMIS by Andy Weir

 

                     

 

The ultimate heist story!

 

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8.  A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas   +   SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo

 

                     

 

I think it would be epic to see Rhys and his team join in the battle to take down The Darkling!

 

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9.  LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT by Becky Albertalli   +   NOT THE GIRLS YOU’RE LOOKING FOR by Aminah Mae Safi

 

                     

 

Mainly just because I think Leah would really shake things up with Lulu’s circle of friends if she was in the mix.

 

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10.  NEVERNIGHT by Jay Kristoff   +   THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black

 

                     

 

I personally think that Mia and Jude would make a pretty killer team, literally!

 

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Question:  What are some book mash-ups that you would love to see?

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Popular Books That Lived Up to the Hype

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Popular Books That Lived Up to the Hype.  Hyped books are always tricky.  All of that hype is so exciting and has readers just dying to get their hands on a copy of what sounds like a sure fire fabulous read.  But sometimes all of that excitement builds up to unrealistically high expectations and we end up feeling underwhelmed by that super-hyped book.  Sometimes it actually leads me to put off reading a book because I’m just so uncertain about whether or not my expectations have become way too high for me to actually enjoy the read.  If I’m feeling that way, I usually back off and wait for the hype to die down a bit before I give it a go.  That said, however, there are still plenty of hyped books that not only met my expectations, but actually far exceeded them.  Below are ten books that really lived up to the hype for me…

 

 

10 Popular Books That Lived Up to the Hype

 

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1.  TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo

 

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2. THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black

 

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3. SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

 

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4. A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by V.E. Schwab  (the entire series honestly – loved it!)

 

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5. NEVERNIGHT by Jay Kristoff

 

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6. THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE by Mackenzi Lee

 

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7. THE HARRY POTTER SERIES by J.K. Rowling

 

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8. STRANGE THE DREAMER by Laini Taylor

 

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9. THE LUNAR CHRONICLES by Marissa Meyer

 

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10. SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli

 

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Question:  What are some books that lived up to the hype for you?

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Books That Take Me Back to the Innocence of My Youth

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books with Sensory Reading Memories (These are the books that are linked to very specific memories for you: where you were, what time of year it was, who you were with, what you were eating, what you were feeling, what you were seeing, etc. Ideas include books you read while on vacation, books that you read while you were eating, books you read at work/at a family or social event/on the train or plane, books you’ve buddy read with loved ones, books you read during an emotional time in your life, books you read by the fire, etc.)

I have to admit that I drew a blank for a long time while thinking about this topic, but then I landed on “books you read during an emotional time in your life” and I knew that was the angle I wanted to go with.  I’m sure there will be many more emotional moments, both good and bad, as I move through life, but as of right now, aside from the moment my son was born, the most emotional time of my life were the months leading up to my parents getting a divorce.  I was ten years old when they split up, so I was old enough to know things just weren’t working out and that moving out was the right thing to do, but that obviously didn’t make it any easier for me.  Sorry it’s kind of a downer, but my list this week focuses on some of the last books I remember reading while my parents were still together and we were all living in the house I grew up in.  Every time I see or even think about these books, they conjure up memories of me reading, either curled up on the bed in my very first bedroom or sitting by the big windows in our attic playroom.  They also take me back in time to those many evenings when I was a kid where my Dad and I would sit on the couch reading together.

It really is amazing when you think about how books can become so interconnected with defining moments of our lives.  Anyway, I couldn’t even decide what to call this since I didn’t really want to go with Books I Read Before My Parents Got Divorced, so instead I went the innocence route.

 

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10 Books That Take Me Back to the Innocence of My Youth

 

BAMBI by Felix Salten

THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE by C.S. Lewis

THE BLACK STALLION by Walter Farley

SOCKS by Beverly Cleary

LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS by Laura Ingalls Wilder

BLACK BEAUTY by Anna Sewell

STUART LITTLE by E. B. White

ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS by Soctt O’Dell

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY by Roald Dahl

THE NANCY DREW SERIES by Carolyn Keene

 

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What are some books that take you back to your childhood?

Top Ten Tuesday – 10 Short Story Collections I’m Dying to Read (Even Though I Don’t Normally Enjoy Short Stories)

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Favorite Novellas/Short Stories. This was a tough topic for me since I don’t typically enjoy short stories or novellas and don’t think I could come up with ten I enjoyed if my life depended on it. I just find them so abrupt, just as I’m starting to connect with the characters and what’s happening, the story is over.  I tend to like more time with my characters.  That said, I decided to tweak the topic a bit.  I’m still sharing short stories, but instead of favorites, I’m sharing short story collections that I really want to read in spite of my aversion to short stories.

 

 

10 Short Story Collections I’m Dying to Read (Even Though I Don’t Normally Enjoy Short Stories)

 

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1.  THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS: MIDNIGHT TALES AND DANGEROUS MAGIC

Synopsis:  Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.

Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid’s voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy’s bidding but only for a terrible price.

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.

 

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2. TOIL & TROUBLE:  15 TALES OF WOMEN & WITCHCRAFT

Synopsis:  A young adult fiction anthology of 15 stories featuring contemporary, historical, and futuristic stories featuring witchy heroines who are diverse in race, class, sexuality, religion, geography, and era.

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

Glinda the Good Witch. Elphaba the Wicked Witch. Willow. Sabrina. Gemma Doyle. The Mayfair Witches. Ursula the Sea Witch. Morgan le Fey. The three weird sisters from Macbeth.

History tells us women accused of witchcraft were often outsiders: educated, independent, unmarried, unwilling to fall in line with traditional societal expectations.

Bold. Powerful. Rebellious.

A bruja’s traditional love spell has unexpected results. A witch’s healing hands begin to take life instead of giving it when she ignores her attraction to a fellow witch. In a terrifying future, women are captured by a cabal of men crying witchcraft and the one true witch among them must fight to free them all. In a desolate past, three orphaned sisters prophesize for a murderous king. Somewhere in the present, a teen girl just wants to kiss a boy without causing a hurricane.

From good witches to bad witches, to witches who are a bit of both, this is an anthology of diverse witchy tales from a collection of diverse, feminist authors. The collective strength of women working together—magically or mundanely–has long frightened society, to the point that women’s rights are challenged, legislated against, and denied all over the world. Toil & Trouble delves deep into the truly diverse mythology of witchcraft from many cultures and feminist points of view, to create modern and unique tales of witchery that have yet to be explored.

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3. A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS

Synopsis:  From an impressive sisterhood of YA writers comes an edge-of-your-seat anthology of historical fiction and fantasy featuring a diverse array of daring heroines.

Criss-cross America — on dogsleds and ships, stagecoaches and trains — from pirate ships off the coast of the Carolinas to the peace, love, and protests of 1960s Chicago. Join fifteen of today’s most talented writers of young adult literature on a thrill ride through history with American girls charting their own course. They are monsters and mediums, bodyguards and barkeeps, screenwriters and schoolteachers, heiresses and hobos. They’re making their own way in often-hostile lands, using every weapon in their arsenals, facing down murderers and marriage proposals. And they all have a story to tell.

With stories by:  J. Anderson Coats, Andrea Cremer, Y. S. Lee, Katherine Longshore, Marie Lu, Kekla Magoon, Marissa Meyer, Saundra Mitchell, Beth Revis, Caroline Tung Richmond, Lindsay Smith, Jessica Spotswood, Robin Talley, Leslye Walton, and Elizabeth Wein.

 

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4. THE RADICAL ELEMENT

Synopsis:  n an anthology of revolution and resistance, a sisterhood of YA writers shines a light on a century and a half of heroines on the margins and in the intersections.

To respect yourself, to love yourself—should not have to be a radical decision. And yet it remains as challenging for an American girl to make today as it was in 1927 on the steps of the Supreme Court. It’s a decision that must be faced whether you’re balancing on the tightrope of neurodivergence, finding your way as a second-generation immigrant, or facing down American racism even while loving America. And it’s the only decision when you’ve weighed society’s expectations and found them wanting. In The Radical Element, twelve of the most talented writers working in young adult literature today tell the stories of the girls of all colors and creeds standing up for themselves and their beliefs—whether that means secretly learning Hebrew in early Savannah, using the family magic to pass as white in 1920s Hollywood, or singing in a feminist punk band in 1980s Boston. And they’re asking you to join them.

 

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5. MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME:  TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES

Synopsis:  If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year’s there’s something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.

 

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6. HERE WE ARE:  FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD

Synopsis:  LET’S GET THE FEMINIST PARTY STARTED!

Have you ever wanted to be a superheroine? Join a fandom? Create the perfect empowering playlist? Understand exactly what it means to be a feminist in the twenty-first century? You’ve come to the right place.

Forty-four writers, dancers, actors, and artists contribute essays, lists, poems, comics, and illustrations about everything from body positivity to romance to gender identity to intersectionality to the greatest girl friendships in fiction. Together, they share diverse perspectives on and insights into what feminism means and what it looks like. Come on in, turn the pages, and be inspired to find your own path to feminism by the awesome individuals in Here We Are.

Welcome to one of the most life-changing parties around!

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7. SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS

Synopsis:  For fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Lois Duncan, and Daphne Du Maurier comes a powerhouse anthology featuring some of the best writers of YA thrillers and horror

A host of the smartest young adult authors come together in this collection of scary stories and psychological thrillers curated by Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’s April Genevieve Tucholke.

Each story draws from a classic tale or two—sometimes of the horror genre, sometimes not—to inspire something new and fresh and terrifying. There are no superficial scares here; these are stories that will make you think even as they keep you on the edge of your seat. From bloody horror to supernatural creatures to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, this collection has something for any reader looking for a thrill.

Fans of TV’s The Walking Dead, True Blood, and American Horror Story will tear through tales by these talented authors:  Stefan Bachmann, Leigh Bardugo, Kendare Blake, A. G. Howard, Jay Kristoff, Marie Lu, Jonathan Maberry, Danielle Paige, Carrie Ryan, Megan Shepherd, Nova Ren Suma, McCormick Templeman, April Genevieve Tucholke, and Cat Winters.

 

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8. MEET CUTE

Synopsis:  Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere. MEET CUTE is an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of “how they first met” from some of today’s most popular YA authors.

Readers will experience Nina LaCour’s beautifully written piece about two Bay Area girls meeting via a cranky customer service Tweet, Sara Shepard’s glossy tale about a magazine intern and a young rock star, Nicola Yoon’s imaginative take on break-ups and make-ups, Katie Cotugno’s story of two teens hiding out from the police at a house party, and Huntley Fitzpatrick’s charming love story that begins over iced teas at a diner. There’s futuristic flirting from Kass Morgan and Katharine McGee, a riveting transgender heroine from Meredith Russo, a subway missed connection moment from Jocelyn Davies, and a girl determined to get out of her small town from Ibi Zoboi. Jennifer Armentrout writes a sweet story about finding love from a missing library book, Emery Lord has a heartwarming and funny tale of two girls stuck in an airport, Dhonielle Clayton takes a thoughtful, speculate approach to pre-destined love, and Julie Murphy dreams up a fun twist on reality dating show contestants.

This incredibly talented group of authors brings us a collection of stories that are at turns romantic and witty, epic and everyday, heartbreaking and real.

 

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9. WONDER WOMEN:  25 INNOVATORS, INVENTORS, & TRAILBLAZERS WHO CHANGED AMERICA

 

Synopsis:  You may think you know women’s history pretty well, but have you ever heard of. . .

· Alice Ball, the chemist who developed an effective treatment for leprosy—only to have the credit taken by a man?

· Mary Sherman Morgan, the rocket scientist whose liquid fuel compounds blasted the first U.S. satellite into orbit?

· Huang Daopo, the inventor whose weaving technology revolutionized textile production in China—centuries before the cotton gin?

Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. In Wonder Women, author Sam Maggs tells the stories of the brilliant, brainy, and totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors. Also included are interviews with real-life women in STEM careers, an extensive bibliography, and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations—all to show the many ways the geeky girls of today can help build the future.

 

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10. (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY:  33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Synopsis:  Who’s Crazy?  What does it mean to be crazy? Is using the word crazy offensive? What happens when such a label gets attached to your everyday experiences?

In order to understand mental health, we need to talk openly about it. Because there’s no single definition of crazy, there’s no single experience that embodies it, and the word itself means different things—wild? extreme? disturbed? passionate?—to different people.

(Don’t) Call Me Crazy is a conversation starter and guide to better understanding how our mental health affects us every day. Thirty-three writers, athletes, and artists offer essays, lists, comics, and illustrations that explore their personal experiences with mental illness, how we do and do not talk about mental health, help for better understanding how every person’s brain is wired differently, and what, exactly, might make someone crazy.

If you’ve ever struggled with your mental health, or know someone who has, come on in, turn the pages, and let’s get talking.

 

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Question:  Have you read any of these short story collections?  Can you recommend any other collections?

Top Ten Tuesday – My Top 10 Favorite Reads of 2018 (So Far!)

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Best Books I’ve Read In 2018 (So Far).  The hardest part of this week’s topic was actually narrowing down to just ten great books I’ve read so far this year because I’ve had a pretty great reading year thus far.  Hopefully saying that won’t jinx me and throw me into an epic reading slump, haha!  Anyway, after much thought, I was able to choose ten favorites.  Most are 2018 releases, but a couple of them are 2017 releases that I read while tackling my backlist and fell in love with.

 

 

My Top 10 Favorite Reads of 2018 (So Far!)

 

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1.  TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo

 

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2. THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black

 

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3. THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah

 

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4. FAR FROM THE TREE by Robin Benway

 

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5. GIRL MADE OF STARS by Ashley Herring Blake

 

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6. THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware

 

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7. DARK MATTER by Blake Crouch

 

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8. THE LAST TIME I LIED by Riley Sager

 

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9. I HAVE LOST MY WAY by Gayle Forman

 

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10. MORE THAN WE CAN TELL by Brigid Kemmerer

 

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Question:  What are your favorite reads so far this year?

Top Ten Tuesday – July 4th Edition: Red, White, & Blue Book Covers

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books with Red, White, & Blue Covers (In honor of the 4th of July in the USA. Choose covers with your own country’s colors if you prefer!)  I’m from the U.S. so I chose to stick with red, white, and blue covers.  I was impressed that I could actually think of ten covers that had all three colors in them.  Usually that’s one of those topics where I forget what color every book I’ve ever read is, lol.

Happy 4th of July to all who will be celebrating tomorrow!

 

 

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10 Books with Red, White, & Blue Covers

 

THE WOMEN IN THE WINDOW by A.J. Finn

RED SISTER by Mark Lawrence

ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard

THE GIRLS by Emma Cline

THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED by Becky Albertalli

DOROTHY MUST DIE by Danielle Page

WINTER by Marissa Meyer

CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller

SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA by Becky Albertalli

WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER by Leigh Bardugo

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – The Snail’s Pace Edition: Top 10 Series You Probably Think I’ve Quit, But I Swear I Haven’t!

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Series I’ve Given Up On/Don’t Plan to Finish.  I’ve done a similar topic recently and don’t really have any new series that I’ve quit since then.  For that reason, I decided to tweak the topic a bit and instead share with you a list of series that it probably seems like I’ve quit because it’s taking me so long to actually get through them.  I’ve made no secret of the fact that I really struggle to keep up with series. I hate waiting for the next book in the series to come out, and if the series goes on for too many books, I tend to lose interest, etc.  In the case of the series below, however, I love what I’ve read so far and I’m determined to finish them, no matter how long it takes me.  Even if in some cases, I’m looking at you ‘A Song of Ice and Fire,’ I’ve been reading it since late 2012, lol.

 

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Top 10 Series You Probably Think I’ve Quit, But I Swear I Haven’t!

 

THE GRISHA TRILOGY by Leigh Bardugo

It took me forever to start the Grisha trilogy but I finally did manage to get through the first two books earlier this year.  I loved them both but then kind of stalled out on the series.  I’m determined to finish it this summer though.

 

RED RISING SAGA by Pierce Brown

I read the first book in this series back when I first started blogging, fell in love with it, and then promptly fell asleep when it came to continuing the series.  I have purchased the second book though so we’ll see if I get through that this year.

 

A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE by George R.R. Martin

I have been reading this series since late 2012 and although I seriously love it, the books are just so darn long!  I read one every year or so and that’s about all I can take.  I’m up to the fourth book now and I’m determined to finish the series no matter how long it takes.

 

THE FIFTH WAVE by Rick Yancey

I have no excuse on this one aside from I completely forgot about it until glancing at my bookshelf to put together this list and seeing the second book in the series still sitting there unread.

 

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS by Rick Riordan

I was reading this series with my son and we got through the first two books before he seemed to lose interest in it.  I, however, am still very much interested in continuing and will do so on my own if my son doesn’t wish to continue.

 

ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes

The first book just gutted me so thoroughly that I’ve been hesitant to continue.  I will though. I just have to work myself up to it.

 

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA by Lauren Weisberger

I loved the first book in this series back in 2010 and really enjoyed it, but then I went through a phase where I wanted to read absolutely nothing that was labeled as Chick Lit.  I feel that I’m starting to come out of that phase a bit so I definitely see myself continuing this series at some point.

 

KINGDOM ON FIRE by Jessica Cluess

This is another series I haven’t yet continued because I forgot about it.  (Did I mention I have a real problem when it comes to keeping up with series?)

 

CLASH OF KINGDOMS by Erin Summerill

Yet another series that I forgot about until I recently saw that the third book will be coming out soon.

 

DC ICONS by Various Authors

I’ll admit that my excitement for this series waned a bit after seeing a lot of mixed reviews for the Batman: Nightwalker book.  I did adore Wonder Woman: Warbringer though so I definitely plan to continue, if for no other reason, than I need to get to the Catwoman and Superman books.

 

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Question:  Are there any series that are taking you forever to get through, but you’re determined not to quit them?

Top Ten Tuesday – Top 10 Books I Plan to Read This Summer

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Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Books to Read By the Pool/At the Beach (This can also serve as your summer TBR).  My plans for summer reading are a combination of cleaning out the old and getting a jump on the new.  I have several ARCs that I would like to get to this summer, but I also have several older releases that I’ve been wanting to read for months and in some cases, even a year or more.  (I think one or two of these books were probably on last year’s summer TBR too, but shhhhhh.)  I’m sure I’ll read more than these 10, but as of this moment (subject to change based on my mood), these are my ten priority reads for this summer.

 

Top 10 Books I Plan to Read This Summer

 

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1. RUIN AND RISING by Leigh Bardugo

(I flew through the first two books in the Grishaverse trilogy but then got distracted by others books.  I need to get moving again and wrap up this fabulous series.)

 

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2. VICIOUS by V.E. Schwab

(The second book in this series comes out soon, so I really need to get this one read before then. I’ve adored every book of Schwab’s that I’ve read so I don’t even know what I’m waiting for.)

 

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3. IN A DARK, DARK WOOD by Ruth Ware

(This book has been sitting on my shelf for a couple of years now. I read and loved my first Ruth Ware book last month, so this is now a priority.)

 

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4. LETTING GO OF GRAVITY by Meg Leder

(A summer 2018 release that I’m looking forward to starting soon.)

 

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5. THE MERMAID by Christina Henry

(Another Summer 2018 release that I was just approved for and can’t wait to start.)

 

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6. CHARLOTTE WALSH LIKES TO WIN by Jo Piazza

(And one more Summer 2018 release that I can’t wait to get to.)

 

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7. DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING by Tricia Levenseller

(This has been on my TBR for well over a year now and I just keep putting it off.  I’m determined to get it off my backlist this summer.)

 

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8. TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo

(One of my most anticipated releases of 2018 and yet somehow I still haven’t read it 3 months after it was published.  Time to do something about that.)

 

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9. CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi

(Another of my most anticipated 2018 reads that has been sitting on my shelf for 3 months now.)

 

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10. LETTERS TO THE LOST by Brigid Kemmerer

(After falling in love with More Than We Can Tell, I really want to backtrack and read Letters to the Lost, which has been on my TBR for over a year now.)

 

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Question:  What are your priority reads for this summer?

Top Ten Tuesday, the Wanderlust edition: Top 10 Books That Make Me Want to Pack a Bag & Grab My Passport

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Created at canva.com

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!

This week’s TTT topic is Top 10 Books that Give Me Wanderlust.  Books always make me want to travel so this was a pretty easy topic for me.  To make this week’s list a little different from travel lists I’ve done in the past, I’ve selected the books that have specifically added new destinations to my Travel Bucket List.  In a couple of cases, I wasn’t even necessarily the biggest fan of the book itself, other than the fact that it inspires me to travel, lol  I’ve visited a couple of these places already but would go back in a heartbeat and most of them I’m still dying to visit for the first time.   

 

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Top 10 Books That Make Me Want to Pack a Bag & Grab My Passport

 

SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares

(GREECE)

 

THE JOY LUCK CLUB by Amy Tan

(CHINA & also SAN FRANCISCO)

 

HEIDI by Johanna Spyri

(SWITZERLAND)

 

HUNTING PRINCE DRACULA by Kerri Maniscalco

(ROMANIA)

 

84, CHARING CROSS ROAD by Helene Hanff

(LONDON, ENGLAND)

 

THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho

(SPAIN & also EGYPT)

 

WARCROSS by Marie Lu

(JAPAN, especially TOKYO)

 

TENDER IS THE NIGHT by F. Scott Fitzgerald

(FRANCE & the FRENCH RIVIERA)

 

BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty

(AUSTRALIA)

 

ORIGIN by Dan Brown

(BARCELONA, SPAIN)

 

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Question:  What books have you read that contributed to your travel bucket list?