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 Things That Will Make Me Pick Up a Book.  This was a pretty easy topic for me because I definitely have some “go-to” qualities that I always seem to gravitate towards when I’m looking for new books.  This of course is not an exhaustive list because let’s face it, as a book nerd, just about anything will at least make me pick up a book and give it a second look, lol.

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10 Things That Will Make Me Pick Up a Book

1.  Kick Ass Heroine

I’m all about girl power, so it’s pretty much a guarantee that I’ll be interested in a book if it features a pretty epic heroine.

2.  Location, Location, Location

If a book is set in a city I love or in some place I’ve always wanted to visit, it’s going to automatically pique my interest.

3.  WWII

I love pretty much all historical fiction, but the books that are almost always guaranteed

to grab my attention are those that are set during WWII.

4.  Dual Timeline

I’m such a sucker for a book that features a dual timeline.

5. Retellings

If it’s a retelling, it’s going on my TBR, especially if it’s a retelling of one of my favorites like Beauty and the Beast.

6.  A Focus on Family and Friendships

I’m all for a heartwarming read about the importance of family and/or friendship.

7. Time Travel

I don’t know what it is about time travel that appeals to me so much, but it’s guaranteed to make me pick up a book.

8.  Pretty Covers.

I know, I know, never judge a book by its cover right?  But sometimes I totally do and if a cover is pretty, I automatically want to know more about the book.

9.  Books or Book Lovers are featured

If your book features book or book lovers, it’s basically written for me so of course I’m going to pick it up. 🙂

10.  Relatable and Realistic Romance

If you want to entice me to pick up a book that features a romance, make it something relatable and realistic like a first love,

a second chance romance, or even something like enemies to lovers.

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What kinds of things are guaranteed to make you pick up a book?

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 Characters I’d Like To Switch Places With.  I tweaked this topic a little, mainly just because I couldn’t think of any characters I’d want to permanently switch places with.  I could think of plenty of characters I’d love to switch places with for a day though, just to walk in their shoes for a bit, so to speak. And as you can tell from my list, apparently I just really want to be a badass, even if it’s just for a day, haha!

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10 Fictional Characters I’d Like to Switch Places with for a Day

1. HERMIONE GRANGER from the Harry Potter series

Oh, to be as smart and quick witted as Hermione, even if it’s just for one day!

2. MINERVA MCGONAGALL, also from the Harry Potter series

There’s something about Professor McGonagal that just always makes me feel like it would be so cool to be her.

I think it’s that combination of being feared, revered, and yet still beloved by her students.

3. EMIKA CHEN from Warcross

I’d just love to be able to play in the Warcross Games. Plus, Emika’s hacking skills would be pretty great too.

4. ART3MIS from Ready Player One

Again, it’s a video game thing.  I’d just love to play in the Oasis for a day and be a total badass like Art3mis.

5. DIANA from Wonder Woman: Warbringer

I mean, seriously.  Who wouldn’t want to be a superhero for a day?

6. LILA BARD from the Shades of Magic trilogy

Pirate for a day?  Yes, please!

7. DAENERYS TARGARYEN from the A Song of Ice and Fire series

Again, just for a day and mainly because I want to fly on a dragon’s back and call myself the Mother of Dragons, lol.

8. NANCY DREW from the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories

This one is mainly for the nostalgia factor since she’s a childhood favorite.  And oh, to have her amazing detective skills.

9. ROBERT LANGDON from The Da Vinci Code

If I’m not being a badass for a day, I’m apparently drawn to characters who are intelligent and skilled at following clues

because I’d love to have Langdon’s ability to solve seemingly impossible puzzles, even just for a day.

10. JO MARCH from Little Women

Another childhood favorite, Jo is probably the only character I’d want to switch places with for more than a day,

simply because she becomes a writer, and oh what a dream come true that would be.

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What characters would you like to trade places with for a day?  Do we share any?

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 I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads.  I really like doing posts like this because there are so many great books out there that deserve more attention than what they’ve gotten so far.  I tried to narrow my focus this time around on books that were published at least a couple of months ago and still have less than 2,000 reviews on Goodreads.  I figure anything newer than that still has a pretty good shot of crossing that 2,000 review threshold soon and doesn’t necessarily need a nudge from me yet.  All of the books on my list were also either 4 or 5 star reads for me

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10 Fabulous Books That Deserve More Love

SUMMER BIRD BLUE by Akemi Dawn Bowman  (Publication Date:  September 11, 2018, 704 GR ratings)

LETTING GO OF GRAVITY by Meg Leder  (Publication Date:  July 17, 2018, 347 GR ratings)

THE SPY WITH THE RED BALLOON by Katherine Locke  (Publication Date:  October 2, 2018, 281 GR ratings)

SPEAK EASY, SPEAK LOVE by McKelle George  (Publication Date:  September 19, 2017, 775 GR ratings)

THE ACCIDENTAL BEAUTY QUEEN by Teri Wilson  (Publication Date:  December 4, 2018, 991 GR ratings)

DAUGHTERS OF THE STORM by Kim Wilkins  (Publication Date:  March 6, 2018, 998 GR ratings)

LITTLE BIG LOVE by Katy Regan  (Publication Date:  June 5, 2018, 1,091 GR ratings)

WE ARE STILL TORNADOES by Michael Kun & Susan Mullen  (Publication Date:  November 1, 2016, 1,139 GR ratings)

I STOP SOMEWHERE by T.E. Carter  (Publication Date:  February 27, 2018, 1,571 GR ratings)

THE BEAUTY THAT REMAINS by Ashley Woodfolk  (Publication Date:  March 6, 2018, 1,587 GR ratings)

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What are some of your favorite reads that deserve more love?  Have you read and enjoyed any of my picks?

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 The Ten Most Recent Additions to My To-Read List.  I keep saying that my goal is to read more of the books I already own, but it’s hard to stick to that when my fellow bloggers are always reviewing books that sound so good.  In looking at this list of ten newest additions to my TBR, about half of them were added specifically because of fabulous blog reviews I’ve recently read.  Really, it’s win-win though because the way I see it, as I continue to move through my backlist, it just means I’ll have plenty of quality reads still ahead of me. 🙂

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10 Most Recent Additions to My To-Read List

FINDING DOROTHY by Elizabeth Letts

DEAR MRS. BIRD by A.J. Pearce

QUEENIE by Candice Carty-Williams

STORM AND FURY by Jennifer L. Armentrout

THE THINGS WE CANNOT SAY by Kelly Rimmer

NO EXIT by Taylor Adams

POLARIS RISING by Jessie Mihalik

SHERWOOD by Meagan Spooner

ASHES IN THE SNOW by Ruta Sepetys

THE STARLESS SEA by Erin Morganstern

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What are some recent books you’ve added to your TBR? Do we share any?