Top Ten Things On Our Reading Wishlist

To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday or see the future topics, click here!

Today's topic: Top Ten Things On My Reading Wishlist (if you could make authors write about these things you would. Could be a specific type of character, an issue tackled, a time period, a certain plot, etc.)

Jamie Wants To See...

1. A YA Oregon Trail story. I mean, that's interesting as crap to me. I would accept historical BUT it would be also wickedly cool to have a paranormal/supernatural twist on it which explains why people were dying...aside from like dysentery. I would also take a YA Little House on the Prairie.

2. Books set on different planets. I want something that is SO unlike Earth -- totally different society/laws/ways of life.

3. More alternate history type novels: I would love to see important events in history and have one small thing change in how everything unfolded which then alters the course of history. It just would be so different to see how a world could be imagined if someone in history didn't get assassinated or DID or if the other side won the war and how life would be different, etc.

4. YA characters who are famous actresses or singers or models or something. I just have always been enamored by the lifestyle of the rich and famous and would love a novel that really gets into it.

Come check out 10 other picks on my blog!

Julia Wants To See

5. Historical Romances not set in England/during the regency: History is a rich place. There area TON of time periods that I wish to read romances in. I read one set in Tang dynasty China recently and want more like that. What about frontier America? Ancient Rome? URGH the possibilities are endless! Take my money!

Jen Wants To See

6. More books set during the 1920's: I've come across a handful but I feel like it's such a unique decade...I want to read more!

7.  More road trip books: I love living vicariously through the characters being able to take a journey with them.

Tahleen Wants To See

8. More books set in Hawaii: I know I am continually talking about this, but I'm always on the lookout for books set in Hawaii. If I could have more books that showcase that setting and culture, I would be very happy.

 Jana Wants To See

9. Books about bookish people. I want to read a YA book about a book blogger (like what if two book bloggers fell in love in the blogosphere?), or a librarian, or even if the people were just bookish and talked books and had clubs and went to author events. I think it would be fun.

Bridget Wants To See

10. More books from A. S. A. Harrison: I just read The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison, who sadly passed away a few months before it was published. This was her first and, unfortunately, last novel, and I wish the world hadn't lost this amazing author even before she could see the popularity of her first novel. I want more :(

What's on YOUR reading wishlist?

Broke and Bookish Book Haul for 1/5 - 1/18

Jamie's Haul 

Bought/Gifted:

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

I loved both Eleanor & Park and Fangirl so I knew I had to buy this one for myself! It's, unlike the other two, an adult fiction novel so I'm excited to see her write for that audience.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

I finally read my first Melina Marchetta novel (Jellicoe Road) and it SLAYED me so I knew I needed to read more of her and went with this one!

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

I just finally read Divergent at the beginning of the year and I already had Insurgent so I asked for Allegiant for Christmas knowing I was going to start the series in 2014!

 

For Review

The Museum of Intangible Things by Wendy Wunder
The author was kind enough to send this to me and it looks so excellent and plus that cover is pretty! Seems like there is a road trip element so you know I'm there! Thank you, Wendy!

The Last Forever by Deb Caletti
I've never read a Deb Caletti before but I hear she is a staple if you like contemporary YA.  This one looks to have romance and an MC dealing with the grief of losing her mother and I'm HOPING that the relationship with her dad is an important piece as well! Thank you Simon & Schuster!

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Morgan Matson is one of my all time favorite contemporary YA authors. I LOVED (like 5 stars) Amy & Roger's Epic Detour and Second Chance Summer so I've been DYING for this one since I heard about it. When she contacted me to send this to me I was ecstatic and even more moved by her note! Made my week! Put this one on your TBR and all other Morgan Matson if you like contemporary YA and haven't read her yet!!! Thank you, Morgan!
Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things To Mend by Katie Finn
Okay, so Katie Finn? She is totally Morgan Matson. I'm not entirely sure why she writes under a different name within the same genre except I know she published another series under Katie Finn. Don't care WHAT the name on the cover is...MORE MORGAN MATSON IS THE ONLY THING I CARE ABOUT! This one looks like a good beach read for sure! Thank you, Macmillan!

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
I got this as an ARC and I wasn't sure if I'd be into but the more I've heard about it the more I want to read it! Doesn't the cover look like a hair product advertisement? Have you read this...let me know how it was!! Thank you, Harper Teen!

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Beauty and the Beast retelling sort of? I honestly don't really know what this one is about! Tell me what this is about if you've read this! Thank you, Harper Teen!
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
I just got the first book so I'm excited to binge read these. The covers creep me OUT. Thank you, Quirk Books!

Daisy's Haul 

Bought:
-The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten: sooo I just noticed that this hasn't gotten all that great reviews, but a tale of revenge and a sisterhood of girls specialized in breaking hearts sounds like it could be fun!
-Defy by Sara B. Larson: and this one hasn't gotten great reviews either, BUT it's a YA fantasy about a girl dressing as a boy and that's something that I'll ALWAYS give a try!
-A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey: WITCHES!!! Please be awesome!

Egalleys for review:
-Such Sweet Sorrow by Jenny Trout: a retelling of Romeo and Juliet featuring Hamlet and all kinds of monsters?? YES PLEASE!
-Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep: the stakes keep getting higher in this series!
-The Poisoned Crown by Maurice Druon: I still need to start this series, but it sounds EPIC!
-The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz: I've never read a book by Melissa de la Cruz before, but this sounds like it could make my fantasy loving heart happy!
-Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel: OMG SO MUCH EXCITEMENT!! I mean, a Peter Pan retelling!! EEEE!!! I will be all over this book!
-The Body in the Woods by April Henry: a new YA mystery series! It sounds really exciting!
-My Last Kiss by Bethany Neal: I'm always drawn to those after-life stories and this sounds like a great one!
-The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu: this sound brutal and harsh and I've heard it's AMAZING.

Have you guys read any of these? Are any of these books you are looking forward to?

Our Broke & Bookish book haul is inspired by memes like IMM & Stacking the Shelves & Mailbox Monday. This is just our very simple way of doing it collaboratively so we can participate in all of them and not have to choose one.

Bookish Deals (29)

Hello! Happy Saturday, everyone! Welcome to today's biweekly edition of Bookish Deals where I (Julia) try to scour the Internet to find you guys an array of deals to fit in with any budget!

It's been a while! Let's get back to the goods, shall we?



Incarnate by Jodi Meadows - $1.99  
AZ | BN - (review)

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, one of those souls vanished, and no one knows why.

When Ana travels to the capital city of Heart, its citizens treat her as a nosoul, suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peal Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - $1.99  
AZ | BN

January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion - $1.99  
AZ | BN

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

Marley and Me by John Grogan - $1.99  
AZ | BN

John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.

Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever, a dog like no other. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, flung drool on guests, stole women's undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around, including couches and fine jewelry. Obedience school did no good—Marley was expelled. Neither did the tranquilizers the veterinarian prescribed for him with the admonishment, "Don't hesitate to use these."

And yet Marley's heart was pure. Just as he joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley shared the couple's joy at their first pregnancy, and their heartbreak over the miscarriage. He was there when babies finally arrived and when the screams of a seventeen-year-old stabbing victim pierced the night. Marley shut down a public beach and managed to land a role in a feature-length movie, always winning hearts as he made a mess of things. Through it all, he remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.

Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans.

Tahleen is excited for the Youth Media Awards!

So in the past couple of years, I have become more and more aware of the Youth Media Awards, more commonly known as the Newbery, Printz, and Caldecott awards. Mostly this is because of my career as a librarian, but it was always something I was at least vaguely aware of growing up. Now, as a member of the American Library Association, I'm even more excited than ever, especially since I have the opportunity to watch a live webinar of the announcements!

I know the big awards in entertainment tend to be for movies and television around this time of year, and it's all in the forefront of everyone's mind since the Golden Globes were last weekend and the Academy Award nominations were announced yesterday, but I don't watch as many movies as I read books. I love wondering whether or not I've read the winners, if any of the predictions were right, and reading about the ones I've NEVER heard of.

If you'll remember last year's awards, the Printz winner was the real dark horse of the year: In Darkness by Nick Lake (you can see my review on my personal blog, Tahleen's Mixed-Up Files, here). I had remembered seeing the cover in a review journal or something, but NO ONE had any idea it would have a chance at winning, except of course the committee.

Now that I have been in charge of ordering teen books for the collection at my library for a full year, I'm really looking forward to see if I managed to get all the winners! Last year I had to make an order right after the announcements because I think I only had one of the Printz honor books (whomp whomp). I'm hoping this year I'll be more successful. But even if I'm not, I can't wait to see what great literature I have yet to discover. I'm going to make it a goal to read as many of the winners and honor books that I can! I'll have to get started with the Morris Award shortlist, announced in December.

Are you excited about any literary award announcements?

Top Ten 2014 Debuts Daisy's Excited For

To learn more about Top Ten Tuesday or see the future topics, click here!

The (Hopefully) Witchy Goodness

Hexed by Michelle Krys: I SO want this book to be amazing and just be a great witchy book because it sounds like it could be!

Half Bad by Sally Green: MORE WITCHES! AND MALE WITCHES! Just be excited with me ok?

The Books That Will Tug At My Feelings Probably

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy: So, to be honest, I kinda tend to avoid books dealing with illness, but I am just SO intrigued by the concept of what happens when you burn all your bridges thinking you're going to die and then having to deal with the consequences because you're in fact getting better. It sounds harsh and real and just like something I can't wait to read!

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira: This sounds like it has the potential to be beautifully heartbreaking!

The Science Fiction Fix

Nil by Lynne Matson: I cannot imagine waking up on an island with no clothes with no idea why I'm there and having to figure out how to survive. It sounds all kind of exciting!

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings: a world filled with assassins! EEEE!

The Fifty-Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare by M.G. Buehrlen: TIME-TRAVEL! Do I really need to say more?

The Miscellaneous Category

Prophecy of Oz by Megan Shan: I WANT THIS BOOK SO BAD! The niece of Dorothy going to Oz? GIVE IT TO ME NOW!

My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten: This just sounds like an adorable read and I need those in my life.

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman: I usually avoid books dealing with WW II, but because this sounds so amazing, I will be making an exception, seeing Hitler through the eyes of someone close to him sounds both creepy and like something that I just can't resist reading!

So those are the 2014 debuts I'm most excited for! Are any of these on your list? Other I need to add to it? Let me know!

Paula Review Beyond The Wall

 Published 2012 by BenBella Books, Inc. 

How I got it: got an ARC copy of it from the publisher at BEA last year

My rating: 3.5 stars

Disclaimer: this might be a short review and have some typos- because I have a very intrusive/insistent creature (a 3 year old corgi/german shepard) sitting here next to me and licking my hands and keyboard and computer while I'm trying to type.

This is the first time I've ever felt the need to read a companion book to a series. No matter how head over heels I am with a series- I've never actively gone out to find essays that delve further into the legend and lore of the series. I am usually of the mind set that sometimes fans reach too far and read too into things that the author never intended. With that being said- I finished the latest A Song of Ice and Fire book at the beginning of the year and I was in such a state of "I NEED MORE" that I was excited to remember that I had picked this up at the BEA last year.

First off if you are going to read this book- make sure you have finished all 5 of the currently released books! It reveals pretty much everything that could be considered a spoiler in the series. I had considered reading it right when I got it last year- and I would have been really bummed because there are a lot of Book 5 details in it.

My thoughts: There were a mix of essays I liked (an essay about how magic plays its part in Westeros) and essays that either weren't things I'm interested in (such as an essay about collecting the series and how much certain editions of the book are worth). There were also essays I just did not find compelling or agree with at all (one argued that rape or fear of rape plays an essential part in forming the lives of women in westeros- which just raised my hackles in all the wrong ways).

A few of the essays helped me form my own thoughts about characters and events in the series. However, I do not think that all of the essays in it are created equal. If your library has it and you need a little Westeros in your life- I think that this is a good book to read while waiting for the next installment.

A Bundle Of Mini-Reviews From Jamie

I decided to do a round-up of mini reviews for some of my latest 4 & 5 star reads for your reading pleasure.

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
5 stars

Laurie Halse Anderson is one of the best hands down. In YA and just in general. The Impossible Knife of Memory is the story Hayley -- a girl who has grown up on the road with her veteran dad who drives a rig for work and as a way to never settle down to try to keep his demons at bay. When her dad randomly decides to settle down and makes Hayley go to a traditional high school, she is nervous about the prospect of going to high school but also nervous for her dad as his PTSD seems to get worse. This book was kind of heavy but honestly was balanced because Hayley is such a firecracker and a guy she meets in school, Finnegan, is the sweetest. Their banter is hilarious and it really lightens the story as her dad's PTSD gets really bad. This story has a lot of depth to it, the writing is perfection for me and I got a wee bit emotional.  (read my full review of The Impossible Knife of Memory)

Love & Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo
4 to 4.5 stars

I totally thought Love & Other Perishable Items was going to be a cutesy romance based on the cover but it totally wasn't and I actually REALLY enjoyed it. Add Laura Buzo to the list of Aussie authors I really love! This book was smart and so realistic and I loved it. 15 year old Amelia gets her first job at a supermarket and quickly falls in love with the 21 year old guy that trains her on the register. They become fast friends and can talk about anything and Amelia knows if he could just get over the 6 year age different they'd be perfect together. It's heartbreakingly honest as it explores relationships but it also is a great coming of age novel that definitely felt DIFFERENT than things I've read before. (Read my full review of Love & Other Perishable Items -- this book was also published as Good Oil in Australia)

Pivot Point by Kasie West
5 stars

I don't typically read a ton of paranormal but I LOVED this...probably because it felt mostly contemporary YA but I digress. Addie lives in The Compound which is a place where people with special skills (things like clairvoyance and mind erasing) live and it's a huge secret to the normal world. Addie's skill is that she can search two different paths when faced with a decision. So when her parents tell her they are getting a divorce and her dad is leaving The Compound she's forced to search the two lives she'd have if she stays or leave. Most of the book is alternating chapters of her playing out these two lives (something that only takes her a few minutes) and then she eventually snaps out of her Search to realize what she has to do as both situations are complicated and she knows she has to make the right situation. It got INTENSE and I just really couldn't put this one down. It ends perfectly enough to leave you satisfied but dying for book 2.  (Read my full review of Pivot Point by Kasie West)

Have you read any of these books? Tell me your thoughts!