Two awesome YA fantasy series you should read

Long time no see, eh? TBH, I haven’t really felt like reviewing anything I’ve read recently (though if you’re interested in the things I’ve been reading but not reviewing here, come find me on Goodreads). But I’m breaking my silence to talk about my two favorite YA fantasy series. I’ve been thinking about them a lot recently, partly because I’ve been getting a hankering to re-read them, and partly because I’ve been reading a new series and I can’t help thinking about how it stacks up to my favorites. So here we go:

The Lumatere Chronicles, by Melina Marchetta (1. Finnikin of the Rock, 2. Froi of the Exiles, 2.5 Ferragost, 3. Quintana of Charyn)

Oh, the characters in this series. I love them all so dang much. Marchetta knows how to make her characters seem real and how to get you to see their flaws but care about them anyway. For pete’s sake, she manages to take one of the least likable characters from the first book and make him into the hero of the second two. That’s some skill, right there. And it’s not just the main characters that pull you in. The secondary characters make you care about them just as much, especially in the second two books. Seriously, the relationship dynamics between various family and friends and lovers in those last two books are outstanding. Marchetta also does a fantastic job exploring the gray areas and difficult topics. Nothing is ever easy for her characters, but the strength they gain from their experiences makes you love them all the more.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, by Laini Taylor (1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone, 2. Days of Blood and Starlight, 3. Dreams of Gods and Monsters)

After finishing the first book in this series, I would never have guessed that these books would become some of my favorites. The first book, while it has its strong points, pales in comparison to the second two. It’s actually a bit hard for me to believe that the first book is even in the same series, because that book is all angels! monsters! insta-love! But the story and characters really come into their own in books 2 and 3. It was quite an amazing save, I thought. And this series is pretty epic in scope. I mean, we’re talking about things like the genocide of races and the destruction of worlds, and there are A LOT of plot lines to follow. But Laini Taylor always manages to stay in control of the story—admittedly, sometimes she only manages it by the skin of her teeth, but she always does somehow manage it. Like the Lumatere Chronicles, this series has fantastic characters that worm their way into your heart, but the thing that always stands out to me is the humor. Laini Taylor is just so skilled at working wit and humor into scenes that are otherwise pretty depressing.

Ak. These books. I can’t even. I just love them so much. If you haven’t read them yet, I obviously highly recommend them.

My Favorite Books of 2014

Here we go. My top 5 YAs and 5 non-YAs that I read in 2014 (not that they were necessarily published in 2014). They're in no particular order, aside from the fact that “I’ll Give You the Sun” was far and away my favorite book of the year.

YA
-I’ll Give You the Sun, by Jandy Nelson
-Days of Blood and Starlight, by Laini Taylor
-Dreams of Gods and Monsters, by Laini Taylor
-Of Beast and Beauty, by Stacey Jay
-Blue Lily, Lily Blue, by Maggie Stiefvater

Non-YA (aka mostly Romance...)
-The Countess Conspiracy, by Courtney Milan
-The Suffragette Scandal, by Courtney Milan
-No Good Duke Goes Unpunished, by Sarah MacLean
-A Rose in Winter, by Laura Florand
-Night Broken, by Patricia Briggs

Books that make me swoon

So ever since that Top 10 Tuesday a while ago about books that make you swoon, I’ve been thinking off and on about what I consider the swooniest books. To be honest, the amount of swoon in a book is usually directly proportional to how much I enjoy it, but sometimes a book just needs one scene (or even one line) of swoony perfection--not even necessarily between the main characters--to make me adore it. I’ve divided my lists into YA and non-YA, but really, some of the books could’ve gone in either category, and the books aren't listed in any particular order.

YA
-Quintana of Charyn, by Melina Marchetta. Because Lucian and Phaedra. Finally.
-Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta. Because not every first time is perfect.
-Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins. Because who knew the awkwardness of sharing a bed could be so romantic?
-The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater. Because Sean freakin’ Kendrick.
-Graffiti Moon, by Cath Crowley. Because she breaks his nose on their first date.
-A Countess Below Stairs, by Eva Ibbotson. Because Tom's proposal is so dang wonderful.
-The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley. Because sometimes I can’t get the image out of my head of Luthe listening to the ground as Aerin rides away.
-The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley. Because it isn’t very comfortable for two people to hug when both are wearing leather armor, but they do it anyway.
-The Sky is Everywhere, by Jandy Nelson. Because sometimes the dorkiest and sexiest moments of your life are the same moment.
-Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell. Because not only “Are you rooting for me?” but also because Simon and Baz.

Non-YA
-Mystic and Rider, by Sharon Shinn. Because she kisses him. Both times.
-The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley. Because the ending literally made me squeal.
-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Because they could’ve gone on longing for one another and pretending not to notice forever, but they don’t.
-The Chocolate Kiss, by Laura Florand. Because she can trust him with her.
-The Chocolate Touch, by Laura Florand. Because he wants to spend four years proving himself to her.
-Unlocked, by Courtney Milan. Because he doesn’t just say he’s changed, he proves it over and over.
-The Peach Keeper, by Sarah Addison Allen. Because Pax and Sebastian. Obviously.
-The Piper's Son, by Melina Marchetta. Because chapter 29.
-Spindle’s End, by Robin McKinley. Because Narl never used to whistle.
-Silent on the Moor, by Deanna Raybourn. Because Brisbane makes you work for that ending.

So what do you think? What about a book makes you swoon? Which books would be on your list?

It's not that I haven't been reading...

I was looking over my blog and I realized it's been two weeks since I've posted anything, and even longer since I've posted a review. Well. I *have* been reading. This is me after all. When am I ever not reading? I just haven't been reading any YA, which is what I usually review here. So here's the lowdown on what I've read so far this year:

-"Frost Burned" (Mercy Thompson #7), by Patricia Briggs
-"Hunting Ground" (Alpha and Omega #2), by Patricia Briggs
-"Fair Game" (Alpha and Omega #3), by Patricia Briggs
-"Wait for You," by J. Lynn
-"Harvard Hottie," by Annabella Costa

That's 3 urban fantasy, one New Adult, and one romance. The three Patricia Briggs books were great, though I prefer the Mercy Thompson series over Alpha and Omega. "Wait for You," I guess I could've reviewed here since it's New Adult, but I just didn't like it enough to bring myself to care about writing a review. It was schmaltzy when I wanted depth and the main character frustrated me, though I'll admit it was entertaining at times. "Harvard Hottie" was charming up until just about the end, when it took a turn I didn't like and it lost me after that.

So, yeah. Five books so far this year and none of them YA yet. But that will soon be remedied, as I just started "Across a Star-Swept Sea," which I'm really looking forward to. I'm just hoping I don't have to remember what happened in "For Darkness Shows the Stars" to get what's going on, because although I enjoyed FDStS, I read it way too long ago to remember what happens in it. Has anyone read it yet? What did you think?

Favorite Books of 2013

It’s that time of year again—when I try to decide which books I liked best this year. I’ve divided my list into YA and non-YA lists, and I didn’t make any distinction between books that came out this year and books that were published in previous years that I read this year. The lists aren’t really in any particular order, though I did try to put the books I loved the absolute most towards the top. So here we go:

Top 10 YAs of 2013
-Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell
-Dark Triumph, by Robin LaFevers
-Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater
-Tiger Lily, by Jodi Lynn Anderson
-Green Heart, by Alice Hoffman
-This Is Not a Test, by Courtney Summers
-Dairy Queen, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
-Sabriel, by Garth Nix
-The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, by Holly Black
-The Taming of Tights, by Louise Rennison

Top 5 Non-YAs of 2013
-The Chocolate Kiss, by Laura Florand
-The Chocolate Touch, by Laura Florand
-Unsticky, by Sarra Manning
-Mercy Thompson series, by Patricia Briggs
-Lord of Scoundrels, by Loretta Chase

What books were your favorites this year?

Where's the tissues? Six books that made me ugly cry

I'm not much of a crier. Funerals and when I'm super stressed are about it. But every once in a while a book or movie will have me tearing up, and even more rarely than that, sometimes a book will come along that has me practically sobbing. I got on this topic because a certain book's been on my mind lately: "A Swift Pure Cry," by Siobhan Dowd. I read it probably four years ago, and that book made me a hot mess from beginning to end. And lately I've been wanting to reread it, but I'm a bit nervous of the emotional commitment it demands. Anyway, thinking about that book had me thinking about what other books I loved that had me full-on crying, and these are the ones that first sprang to mind:

"A Swift Pure Cry," by Siobhan Dowd.
This book is the ultimate sobfest for me. Like, I don't think I've read any that compare in terms of prompting copious waterworks from me. Shell goes through some horrific things, made worse by the fact that she doesn't have anyone to rely on outside her younger siblings. But what puts this book over the top for me in terms of tears is how beautifully it's written. It's a double whammy to have such a heartbreaking story told so perfectly.

"My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece," by Annabel Pitcher. 
I managed to barely hold it together throughout the book and was feeling pretty proud of myself for doing so until I hit this one scene near the end involving the cat that just pushed me over the edge.

"Deerskin," by Robin McKinley.
I love this book so much, but I have to brace myself a little every time I read it. Because I know I'll not only cry during the devastating bits, but I'll also cry through every step of Lissar's slow and painful journey of healing.

"Between Shades of Gray," by Ruta Sepetys. 
Well, seeing as how this book's about a Soviet prison camp in the 1940s, I don't think I need to give much of an explanation about why this one had me sobbing.

"With This Ring," by Carla Kelly.
It's a romance novel, so there shouldn't be any tears, right? Wrong. When I first read this book, I was up past my bedtime in the room I shared with my little sisters, and I remember trying to sob as quietly as possible so I wouldn't wake them up. Happily, this book only had me crying in the beginning, and the rest of the book was the story of Lydia gaining the self-confidence her abusive family had never let her have. One of my favorite romance novels--juuust saying.

"Little Women," by Louisa May Alcott.
Anyone who's read this book can probably guess exactly where I fell apart. Hint: it involves Beth. But what made this book so memorable to me in terms of crying is that it's the first book I remember crying over. I think I was in 5th grade or so, and up until I read this book, I don't think I knew that the written word could make me cry.



So. What books make you cry? Do you have any that just get to you every single time?

Book Light Confessional: Favorite Couples

I meant to post this on Valentine’s Day yesterday, but, well, that obviously didn’t happen. But here we go anyway . . . a few of my most favorite literary couples. You know, those whose swoontastic romances make me ridiculously just a little giddy.

(In no particular order)

-Kate and Sean (The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater)

-Phaedra and Lucian (The Lumatere Chronicles, by Melina Marchetta)

-Paxton and Sebastian (The Peach Keeper, by Sarah Addison Allen)

-Juliet and Dawsey (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows)

-Jane and Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte)

-Annabel and Owen (Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen)

-Taylor and Jonah (Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta)

-Anna and St. Clair (Anna and the French Kiss)

-Erin and Luthe (The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley)

-Senneth and Tayse (Mystic and Rider, by Sharon Shinn)

-Rose and Dimitri (Vampire Academy series, by Richelle Mead)

Who are your favorite couples?

Books for 2013

With the end of the year coming up quick, I’ve been thinking a bit about which books I want to read most in 2013. I’ve divided my list into books that will be published in 2013 and books that are already out that I just haven’t gotten to yet. Here they are:

Most-Anticipated Books Released in 2013
-Falling for You, by Lisa Schroeder
-Dark Triumph, by Robin LaFevers
-Perfect Scoundrels, by Ally Carter
-Catherine, by April Linder
-The Sum of All Kisses, by Julia Quinn
-The Sea of Tranquility, by Katja Millay

Books I Want to Finally Get Around To
-The Golden Lily, by Richelle Mead
-Flame of Sevenwaters, by Juliet Marillier
-This Is Not a Test, by Courtney Summers
-Such a Rush, by Jennifer Echols
-The Evolution of Mara Dyer, by Michelle Hodkin
-Days of Blood and Starlight, Laini Taylor
-The Duchess War, by Courtney Milan
-The Flight of Gemma Hardy, by Margot Livesey
-Love and Other Perishable Items, by Laura Buzo
-My Life Next Door, by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Which books are you looking forward to in 2013?

My Favorite Christmas Books

You guys, my life has been busy, to say the least, this past little while, so I’ve had pretty much no time to read. Seriously. It’s taken me a week to get 20 pages into the book I’m reading now, which I’m slightly bitter about since I really want to read it.

So in the absence of any book reviews to share with you, I decided to post about my favorite Christmas books. It sounded easy when I thought of it, but then I realized I could only come up with three books about Christmas. Which can’t be right. Out of all the books I’ve read in my life, there are only three about Christmas that I like? No way. I think my memory is just really bad. But while I rack my brain for other holiday books, I’ll share with you the three that I do remember.

-The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman, by Louise Plummer. A quick, fluffy YA holiday romance about a girl whose older brother brings home a hottie of a friend for Christmas. Romantic ice skating and hot chocolate drinking ensue, as does an apology ice cave. (Read my review here)

-Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares, by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. Told from alternating viewpoints, a boy finds a notebook that sets him and a girl off on adventures across New York City at Christmas. This book involves bookstores and quotable quotes, so it’s hard to go wrong. (Read my review here)

-A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. A Christmas classic, obviously, about a man who gets the chance to change his life for the better. Heartwarming and surprisingly hilarious.

Come on, guys, help me out. What are some other Christmas/holiday/winter-themed books that you like?

My Favorite Books of 2012

'Tis the season when I start thinking back about the books that I fell in love with this year. Some years it’s hard for me to choose, but this year it was actually relatively easy. I didn’t distinguish between books I read in 2012 and books that were published in 2012—they’re all just lumped in there together. But anyway, drumroll please…

Favorite of the Year

-A Little Wanting Song, by Cath Crowley (2005)
-Graffiti Moon, by Cath Crowley (2010)

Favorite Contemporary
-Easy, by Tammara Webber (2012)
-The Day Before, by Lisa Schroeder (2011)

Favorite Fantasy
-Froi of the Exiles, by Melina Marchetta (2011)
-For Darkness Shows the Stars, by Diana Peterfreund (2012)

Favorite Historical
-A Company of Swans, by Eva Ibbotson (1985)
-Grave Mercy, by Robin LaFevers (2012)

Favorite Author I Discovered
-Eva Ibottson
-Courtney Milan

Favorite Start of a Series
-Raven Boys, by Maggie Stiefvater (2012)
-Cinder, by Melissa Meyer (2012)

Favorite End of a Series
-Quintana of Charyn, by Melina Marchetta  (2012)
-Black Heart, by Holly Black (2012)

Most-Unexpected Favorite
-Blood Red Road, by Moira Young (2011)
-Virtuosity, by Jessica Martinez (2011)

Funniest Favorite
-Withering Tights, by Louise Rennison (2011)

Favorite That Made Me Cry the Most

-My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, by Annabel Pitcher (2011)

Which books did you like most in 2012?

Books: The Thanksgiving Edition

I posted this last Thanksgiving, I know--but it still applies. I'll always be grateful for these books.

I'm thankful for books. Really. Seriously. Truly. Without books, I wouldn't be even remotely the same person. I wouldn't be me. I mean, the first thing out of my mouth when people ask me to tell something about myself is "I love to read." My love of books defines me--maybe a little too much at times, and other areas of my life have probably suffered because of it. But nevertheless, reading is an integral part of who I am, and I am infinitely grateful for the books I've read.

Thanksgiving has got me thinking about which books have influenced me the most--which books have really and truly shaped who I am. So here's the list, roughly in chronological order:

-“The Ordinary Princess,” by M.M. Kay: This was my first favorite book, and I read it until the cover fell off. Then I read it some more.

-“Talking to Dragons,” by Patricia C. Wrede: My older sister first read this to me, and then as I got older, I read the rest of the series myself. Although it’s neither the first nor the best of the series, “Talking to Dragons” won me over to the fantasy genre.

-“The Little House on the Prairie” series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder: My friend and I read these books at the same time in 5th grade. It was my first experience reading books and discussing them with someone else, and I haven’t been able to stop talking about books since.

-“Little Women,” by Louisa May Alcott: This book was my favorite book throughout middle and high school. It was the first “classic” I ever read, and it showed me that genre didn’t have to be scary and unapproachable. 

-“Beauty,” by Robin McKinley: My older sister gave me this book as a birthday present and launched me solidly into the world of Robin McKinley. I don’t think there’s any other author that speaks to me quite as well as McKinley.

-“The Princess Diaries,” by Meg Cabot: This is the book that started my love for YA fiction. Before, the only YA books I knew about where of the "Sweet Valley High" variety--not that I didn’t love those, but “The Princess Diaries” showed me there were books out there about teenagers I could relate to.

-“Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Bronte: “Jane Eyre” . . . how can I possibly explain my love for this book? Jane--reserved, practical, and plain, yet immovable in her desire to do what’s right--was one of the first characters I could both relate to and admire at the same time.

-“All the Pretty Horses,” by Cormac McCarthy: This book was my first introduction to unconventional writing styles. I barely remember the story line, but it taught me how to read books that step outside the box.

-“The Poisonwood Bible,” by Barbara Kingsolver: This one taught me that women can write as well as men do--and in this case, can do it better.

-“The Sun Also Rises,” by Ernest Hemingway: My first Hemingway. That’s all I need to say, really. The man practically ruined me for all other writing styles.

-“To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee: I didn’t read this book until college, but it immediately became one of my all-time favorites. The narrative voice is just so incredible, the story so wonderful, and the characters so lovable--who could ever forget the Finches? 

-“The Book of Bright Ideas,” by Sandra Kring: With a single sentence, this novel completely changed how I deal with people: “Don’t judge people for what they’re doing until you know why they’re doing it.”

What books are you thankful for?

Books: The Thanksgiving Edition

I'm thankful for books. Really. Seriously. Truly. Without books, I wouldn't be even remotely the same person. I wouldn't be me. I mean, the first thing out of my mouth when people ask me to tell something about myself is "I love to read." My love of books defines me--maybe a little too much at times, and other areas of my life have probably suffered because of it. But nevertheless, reading is an integral part of who I am, and I am infinitely grateful for the books I've read.

Thanksgiving has got me thinking about which books have influenced me the most--which books have really and truly shaped who I am. So here's the list, roughly in chronological order:

-“The Ordinary Princess,” by M.M. Kay: This was my first favorite book, and I read it until the cover fell off. Then I read it some more.

-“Talking to Dragons,” by Patricia C. Wrede: My older sister first read this to me, and then as I got older, I read the rest of the series myself. Although it’s neither the first nor the best of the series, “Talking to Dragons” was the first fantasy I read, and I’ve loved the genre ever since.

-“The Little House on the Prairie” series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder: My friend and I read these books at the same time in 5th grade. It was my first experience reading books and discussing them with someone else, and I haven’t been able to stop talking about books since.

-“Little Women,” by Louisa May Alcott: This book was my favorite book throughout middle and high school. It was the first “classic” I ever read, and it showed me that genre didn’t have to be scary and unapproachable.

-“Beauty,” by Robin McKinley: My older sister gave me this book as a birthday present and launched me solidly into the world of Robin McKinley. I don’t think there’s any other author that speaks to me quite as well as McKinley.

-“The Princess Diaries,” by Meg Cabot: This is the book that started my love for YA fiction. Before, the only YA books I knew about where of the "Sweet Valley High" variety--not that I didn’t love those, but “The Princess Diaries” showed me there were books out there about teenagers I could relate to.

-“Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Bronte: “Jane Eyre” . . . how can I possibly explain my love for this book? Jane--reserved, practical, and plain, yet immovable in her desire to do what’s right--was one of the first characters I could both relate to and admire at the same time.

-“All the Pretty Horses,” by Cormac McCarthy: This book was my first introduction to unconventional writing styles. I barely remember the storyline, but it taught me how to read books that step outside the box.

-“The Poisonwood Bible,” by Barbara Kingsolver: This one taught me that women can write as well as men do--and in this case, can do it better.

-“The Sun Also Rises,” by Ernest Hemingway: My first Hemingway. That’s all I need to say, really. The man practically ruined me for all other writing styles.

-“To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee: I didn’t read this book until college, but it immediately became one of my all-time favorites. The narrative voice is just so incredible, the story so wonderful, and the characters so lovable--who could ever forget the Finches?

-“The Book of Bright Ideas,” by Sandra Kring: With a single sentence, this novel completely changed how I deal with people: “Don’t judge people for what they’re doing until you know why they’re doing it.”

What books are you thankful for?

The deal breakers

After reading this post over at Forever Young Adult, I started thinking about what my deal breakers in YA fiction are. So here we go: the things that make me reject a book before I even finish reading the summary.

-terrible cover (I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but . . . I totally do. All the time.)
-vampires/werewolves/fallen angels/fairies (okay, there are some exceptions to this, but if it's of the Twilight-over-the-top-I'm-in-love-with-this-strange-creature-for-no-reason variety, it's 100 percent a no go for me)
-cliques (because I just don't like reading about mean girls)
-cancer/terminal illness patients (honestly, I just don't care . . . and I hate crying over books)
-ridiculously light/fluffy/whimsical plot (when there's nothing substantial to hold my attention, I start skimming/skipping after the first chapter)
-Christian/inspirational themes (because I believe in a separation between church and literature)
-a focus on plot rather character (news flash: I'm all about character development, folks)
-excessive teen drinking/drug use/partying (although, I guess technically, all teen drinking/drug use is excessive)
-sequels (I can't stand series. I just don't have that long of an attention span for characters and plot lines)

Maybe that's a lot of things, but since I still find plenty of YA fiction that meets my criteria, I don't feel bad at all.

And while I'm thinking about it, here are my deal makers--the books I automatically pick up:

-amazing cover (duh)
-death/suicide (morbid, but true)
-secrets (because they add tension and lies and conflict and fear and other things that equal character development)
-first person, present tense narrative voice (well, first person in general, but combine that with present tense, and I'm a goner)
-cute, un-shallow, non-creepy boys (double duh)
-book lovers (because I like reading about people like me)
-honest romance (none of this "I saw him and fell in love even though he's a jerk and there's absolutely no reason for me to like him" biz; gimme some conflict)

What are your deal breakers or deal makers?

My Literary BFFs

As a result of a combination of circumstances (which I won't bore you with), I started thinking who my literary BFFs are. You know, the characters I not only love to spend time reading about, but the ones I think I would be friends with if they for some bizarre reason turned out to be real. Here's my list, in no particular order:

-Elizabeth Bennet, from "Pride and Prejudice," by Jane Austin
-Jenny Greenley, from "Teen Idol," by Meg Cabot
-India Opal Buloni, from "Because of Winn-Dixie," by Kate DiCamillo
-Penelope Bridgerton, from "Romancing Mr. Bridgerton," by Julia Quinn
-Cimorene, from "Dealing with Dragons," by Patricia Wrede
-Sophie, from "Howl's Moving Castle," by Diana Wynn Jones
-Emily Benedict, from "The Girl Who Chased the Moon," by Sarah Addison Allen
-Evie, from "Paranormalcy," by Kiersten White
-Juliet Ashton, from "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
-Frankie Landau-Banks, from "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks," by E. Lockhart
-Kat, from "Heist Society," by Ally Carter

I could go on and on about why they're my literary BFFs, but I don't think I'm going to. You should read the books yourself and find out if these girls are your BFFs too. And then we can all be BFFs together.

So who are your literary BFFs?

(Did I use "BFF" enough times to make you gag? No? Lemme say it again: BFF.)

Four books I love

Sometimes I read books that I really like and I want to post about, but since they're books that deal with tough issues, I don't always feel like I can universally recommend them. So I thought that today I'd post about my favorites of these books, because I really do love them even though they require quite a bit out of you emotionally.

"Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

This book is about Melinda, who is raped at a party and calls the cops. However her friends don't know why she called the police, so they exclude her socially. Melinda withdraws into herself, and since she doesn't tell anyone about the rape, her family and those around her don't understand her behavior. But throughout the school year, she begins to come to terms with what happened.

One of the reasons I love this book is because the part where Melinda confronts the guy who attacked her is so well constructed. I don't want to ruin it for you, but it's such a powerful scene, and I really just wanted to stand up and cheer for Melinda when I read it.

"Story of a Girl" by Sara Zarr

When Deanna is 13, her father catches her having sex with her brother's 17-year-old friend Tommy. Her relationship with her dad is ruined, and the boy spreads the story around the school, so that by the time Deanna makes it to high school, she is known as a slut. The story takes place the summer after her sophomore year, when Deanna deals with her issues: her reputation, her dysfunctional family, meeting Tommy again, and falling for her best friend's boyfriend.

I love how Deanna comes into her own in this story, and how she takes control of her life.

"Such a Pretty Girl" by Laura Wiess

In this book, 15-year-old Meredith's father, who sexually abused her throughout her childhood, is released from prison early. Her mother refuses to acknowledge what happened in the past and provides no protection for Meredith, trying to push her into "being a family" again and leaving her alone with her father even though it's against the law. Meredith's father hasn't changed, and Meredith has to deal with his increasingly inappropriate behavior.

I love Meredith. She is so strong and so brave. She refuses to let her father's abuse cripple her or stop her from being in control of her life. She knows the odds are against her in terms of having a successful life, but she doesn't let that stop her. Plus, the ending of the book is so wonderful.

"This Gorgeous Game" by Donna Freitas

This book is about Olivia, who wins a writing contest, and as a prize gets personal tutoring from a famous author/priest. At first Olivia is flattered, but as the man's intentions get more and more intense, Olivia gets more and more scared. She doesn't tell anyone that the author is stalking her, because he hasn't done anything physically to her and everyone admires him, but Olivia eventually reaches her breaking point.

I love the author's writing style and Olivia's narrative voice. I really, really love it. I also love how her friends and family rally around her once they find out. It's so awesome to see that after feeling increasingly isolated, Olivia is surrounded by people who care about her.

Do you have any books that you love but feel like you can't necessarily recommend them to everyone?

Random good books

I've read some good books lately, but I haven't really felt like writing about them at length, so I thought I'd just list them here. That way if you were thinking, "Hey, I was debating reading that book," you can know that they officially have The Karen Stamp of Approval (and, yes, I did capitalize that like it's a real thing).

-"Wither," by Lauren DeStefano
-"The Truth about Forever," by Sarah Dessen
-"Sloppy Firsts," by Megan McCafferty
-"Bog Child," by Siobhan Dowd
-"Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes," by Chris Crutcher
-"Hold Still," by Nina LaCour

Christmas break: A summary in books

I went home for two weeks for Christmas, and although we had some fun adventures (e.g., the zoo, Bate's Nut Farm, a winter solstice party, the dentist, Lake Miramar, game nights, friends' houses, "Tangled," movie nights--and days--at home, Night in Bethlehem, Christmas, YSA New Year's dance, etc.), per usual, there was a lot of down time when I could read. So believe me, I did. Here's what I read over break (at least, the ones I remember):

-"Anna and the French Kiss," by Stephanie Perkins (A nearly perfect YA romance. Seriously though. Of course they end up together, but Perkins makes you work for it. This one will make you want to go to France. And meet a hot English guy.)

-"How to Hook a Hottie" and "Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress," by Tina Ferraro (Two quick-read YAs. Fluffy, but enjoyable.)

-"Before I Fall," by Lauren Oliver (You'll hate Samantha at the beginning, but by the end, you'll be cheering for her. Shock and horror, a book with actual character growth.)

-"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," by J.K. Rowling (A re-read. As a result of my sisters watching the HP movies, I realized I had zero recollection of how it all ended. So I read book 7 again and remembered how well done the series is.)

-"Fire" and "Water," by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson (I LOVE McKinley, but for some reason I hadn't read these short story collections by her and her husband. I definitely preferred the stories written by McKinley, and there were some that I loved so much I wished they were full-length books--"Water Horse" and "A Pool in the Desert" in "Water," and "Hellhound" and "First Flight" in "Fire.")

-"Seer of Sevenwaters," by Juliet Marillier (Book 5 in the Sevenwaters series and not as good as some of the others, but still enjoyable.)

-"The Lady Most Likely," Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway (Three short romance stories by three authors, tied together by a house party. The first story, by Julia Quinn, was my favorite.

-"Nothing Like You," by Lauren Strasnick (I'm still not sure whether or not I like that the ending was honest, but overall, a good read.)

-"What My Mother Doesn't Know," by Sonya Sones (This book is in verse, so it's a quick read, but it still manages to be an emotional love-life roller coaster.

Overall, a good break, eh?

Books: The Thanksgiving Edition

I'm thankful for books. Really. Seriously. Truly. Without books, I wouldn't be even remotely the same person. I wouldn't be me. I mean, the first thing out of my mouth when people ask me to tell something about myself is "I love to read." My love of books defines me--maybe a little too much at times, and other areas of my life have probably suffered because of it. But nevertheless, reading is an integral part of who I am, and I am infinitely grateful for the books I've read.

This post on Angieville got me thinking about which books have influenced me the most--which books have really and truly shaped who I am. The post got me thinking and thinking and thinking, and pretty soon I knew I was going to have to blog about it.

So here's the list, roughly in chronological order:

-“The Ordinary Princess,” by M.M. Kay: This was my first favorite book, and I read it until the cover fell off. Then I read it some more.

-“Talking to Dragons,” by Patricia C. Wrede: My older sister first read this to me, and then as I got older, I read the rest of the series myself. Although it’s neither the first nor the best of the series, “Talking to Dragons” was the first fantasy I read, and I’ve loved the genre ever since.

-“The Little House on the Prairie” series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder: My friend and I read these books at the same time in 5th grade. It was my first experience reading books and discussing them with someone else, and I haven’t been able to stop talking about books since.

-“Little Women,” by Louisa May Alcott: This book was my favorite book throughout middle and high school. It was the first “classic” I ever read, and it showed me that genre didn’t have to be scary and unapproachable.

-“Beauty,” by Robin McKinley: My older sister gave me this book as a birthday present and launched me solidly into the world of Robin McKinley. I don’t think there’s any other author that speaks to me quite as well as McKinley.

-“The Princess Diaries,” by Meg Cabot: This is the book that started my love for YA fiction. Before, the only YA books I knew about where of the "Sweet Valley High" variety--not that I didn’t love those, but “The Princess Diaries” showed me there were books out there about teenagers I could relate to.

-“Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Bronte: “Jane Eyre” . . . how can I possibly explain my love for this book? Jane--reserved, practical, and plain, yet immovable in her desire to do what’s right--was one of the first characters I could both relate to and admire at the same time.

-“All the Pretty Horses,” by Cormac McCarthy: This book was my first introduction to unconventional writing styles. I barely remember the storyline, but it taught me how to read books that step outside the box.

-“The Poisonwood Bible,” by Barbara Kingsolver: This one taught me that women can write as well as men do--and in this case, can do it better.

-“The Sun Also Rises,” by Ernest Hemingway: My first Hemingway. That’s all I need to say, really. The man practically ruined me for all other writing styles.

-“To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee: I didn’t read this book until college, but it immediately became one of my all-time favorites. The narrative voice is just so incredible, the story so wonderful, and the characters so lovable--who could ever forget the Finches?

-“The Book of Bright Ideas,” by Sandra Kring: With a single sentence, this novel completely changed how I deal with people: “Don’t judge people for what they’re doing until you know why they’re doing it.”

Books I've read lately

I've been having really good luck with books lately. Admittedly, I've been mainly reading young adult fantasy, which is my favorite genre, so maybe I'm a little biased. But anyway, since I'm always on the lookout for good books, I like to spread the love and let others know about the good books I've found. So here it goes:

1) "The Princess and the Bear" by Mette Ivie Harrison

I thought the whole premise of the book was interesting. A bear who used to be a king and a hound who was briefly a human (in another book, which I haven't read yet) are changed into humans in order to save the fate of magic. I thought it was interesting to see how the two characters interact with each other as animals and as humans. The only thing I wasn't sure I liked about the book was that the female character was so strong that she really made the guy look kinda pathetic in comparison. Don't get me wrong, I love strong female characters, and I don't think the author should have made her weaker, I just think the male character should've been her equal.

2) "The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney" by Suzanne Harper.

This book was light and fluffy--a really quick read that required no thought. I enjoyed it, though. It's about a girl who comes from a family of mediums, but despite having seen ghosts for years pretends that she can't. But then the ghost of the brother of a guy from school starts to haunt her, and she gets sucked into helping his family move on.

3) "The Minister's Daughter" by Julie Hearn.

This book was fascinating--seriously. It's hard to explain the plot, but it's basically about a healer girl who gets pulled into a drama involving the minister's daughters, who are supposedly being cursed by a witch. It takes place in 1600s England, during the time of witch hunts. I really liked how the author works fantasy into what's basically historical fiction. I also liked the writing style and the way that the author doesn't explicitly tell the reader why the girls are pretending to be cursed or why the father reacts the way he does--she lets the reader draw their own conclusions. The book really made me think about the social pressures and expectations of the time and what their effects were. I also loved that despite my fears to the contrary, the book actually has a happy ending.

Anyway, I definitely recommend all these books, and I'm excited to read more books by these authors.