Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I've Recently Added to My TBR

This is the first Top Ten Tuesday (hosted at The Broke and the Bookish) I'm participating in this year: Top Ten  Eight Books I've Recently Added to My TBR. For this one, I went into my Goodreads to-read list and picked out the recent ones I was most interested in. My TBR is always growing; I always have a nice big list to choose from when wondering what I should read next. However, I don't get to most of them, and if I do it might take a few years... so I didn't bother trying to make this recent TBR list ten items long. Instead, I picked the ones I've added that I'm most likely to actually read someday.

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro

The Animal Gospels by Brian Barker

Memories by Lang Leav

 Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh

The Astrologer's Daughter by Rebecca Lim

As always, feel free to leave me the link to your Top Ten Tuesday and let me know what you think of my selections!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'm Not Sure I Want to Read

I know it's been a little dead around here lately (which is so sad because this year I've actually been able to post on a regular basis without awkward breaks until now), but alas, I've compiled a Top Ten Tuesday list for today! Top Ten Tuesday is a cool book-related meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. This week bloggers are talking about book uncertainties, and I'll bluntly admit that I have quite a few of them. In a world of so many books, it's easy to become indecisive. But these books have always been a subject of debate... In fact, most of these have been for a matter of years.

 

Top Ten Book I'm Not Sure I Want to Read

 

1

The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare

I have been trying to decide whether or not I should read this trilogy for a while. I haven't read the Mortal Instruments series (okay, okay, I read one chapter of City of Bones but stopped reading because I became preoccupied with other books), but I just think The Infernal Devices looks better. From what I've heard, it's possible for one to read this prequel trilogy without having read The Mortal Instruments, so really... Why not?

 

2

 Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

 Zombies are not my favorite subject. I don't watch The Walking Dead and haven't read any zombie books other than Carrie Ryan's wonderful Forest of Hands and Teeth series simply because I don't care much about zombies... But Warm Bodies has always sounded interesting to me. I've never really heard of a zombie love story before and I think this book could have some really cool themes incorporated.
 

3

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

 This book sounds really good. A girl writes letters to celebrities who have passed away
 as a way of helping her cope with her own life - that's deep. It reminds me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower in some ways. So what's the problem? What's making me unsure if I should prioritize this book highly? Well, it sounds like it's going to make me cry. And I don't want to cry. And I'm just afraid it won't live up to the hype.
 

4

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

 To be honest, I have absolutely no idea why I wanted to read this. None. I was just thinking one day that I think I'll skip this one but then I saw I marked it as "to-read" in my Goodreads. I think I read a really promising review of it at one point that convinced me to give it a shot, but I can't really remember why I was ever attracted to it despite hearing great things about it. Feel free to give me a run-down of why its good if you want.

 

5

Gravity by Melissa West

I think we all know what drew me to this one initially: The beautiful cover! But the sci-fi storyline is just as cool. I've just been trying to gauge how highly I should prioritize this one, or if it sounds unique enough to prioritize it at all. The descriptions I've read have been pretty vague. But on the plus side, the heroine sounds like she'll be strong and badass, so that in itself gives Gravity some brownie points.

 

6

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I love werewolves. Always have, always will, and even though I like vampires, I tend to prefer werewolf stories. However, that all depends on the depiction of the werewolves, the backstories, the general execution of werewolf lore. So one question separates me from this book: Is this one worth it?

 

7

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

 I read Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy a while back, and while I liked it, it just wasn't one of my favorites and didn't seem to strike me as much as it did with other readers. But The Raven Boys sounds like it could potentially be better than The Wolves of Mercy Falls, or about the same. I can't decide what I should do.
 

8

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

 I've wanted to read this ever since it came out. Texas Gothic just sounds like fun, but fun doesn't always equate to good. It's about witches and ghosts, so naturally, I'm attracted to that aspect. However, I'm weary of ghost stories and stories about mediums at times because a lot of stories like that tend to blend together and do a lot of the same things, and from what I've heard about the second book in this series, Spirit and Dust, the concentration of the medium/ghost aspects increases. Did you guys like this one? Does the storyline stand out?
 

9

Waiting to be Heard by Amanda Knox

 I really REALLY wanted to read this right when it came out... But then the Italian courts decided that they still think Amanda committed a crime and even though she hasn't gone back to Italy or anything, it feels like her story isn't over, and the subject just makes me angry since this ordeal is STILL GOING ON. I imagine I'll read it once this all finally comes to an absolute conclusion because then there won't be a current situation for me to be angry about.
 

10

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

 This book has always seemed really intriguing even aside from the gorgeous cover, but as I mentioned in another Top Ten Tuesday list, I've heard that there are a lot of Shakespeare references and that makes me somewhat weary because even though I've read some Shakespeare, I wouldn't call myself an expert. It sounds unique enough, but I've always been debating how to prioritize this book on my TBR and it somehow never ends up being highly prioritized. Do you guys recommend it?

 

Honestly, now that I've made this list, I think I've reminded myself of what drew me to a few of these books and I think I officially want to read some of them! If there are any books on this list you'd like to recommend or if there are any that you think I should skip, let me know. Put a link to your list in the comments and I'll come visit! Have a great day!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a fabulous meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Today, we're going to talk about our TBRs!

Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR List

1

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

 Yeah, I know I'm pretty slow at this whole 'let's finish the series' thing. I finally got around to getting a copy of the second book in Beth Revis' sci-fi trilogy, and I've honestly been putting off reading it because if it's anything like Across the Universe, I won't be able to put it down. That's awesome and everything, but the best time for me to read this is when I don't have so much stuff to do so I don't have to torture myself by reading parts and then having to stay away.

2

Villette by Charlotte Bronte

This was on last year's summer TBR, but unfortunately, I didn't get to it then, or in the fall, or in the winter, or in the spring... I guess I got distracted with other books. But as I've mentioned before, I've made it a goal to get around to reading everything by the Bronte sisters since I love Jane Eyre so very much. I hope Villette lives up to the hype!

3

Sailor Moon Short Stories 2 by Naoko Takeuchi

 I've been especially eager to read this book of short stories, because it includes the one in which Luna falls in love with a scientist. Ever since I was little I loved this story with all my heart, for it was the basis for the Hearts in Ice movie. Bring on the nostalgia!

4

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

I read this book ages ago and absolutely loved it. Even though I've always planned on rereading it at some point, it hasn't happened yet, which is so stupid because I first read it all the way back in 2009. I really hope I can get to it sometime soon; I just remember binge-reading it late at night until my eyes decided I needed to put it down and sleep.

5

 

Black Spring by Alison Croggon

Check out that creepy cover! I just kind of stumbled upon this book in the library one day and mentally added it to the TBR. It's a fantasy/paranormal tale and it's inspired by Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights... While I tend to stray from retellings, this one looks intriguing. It doesn't look like it's going to make some sort of mockery of the characters, and it just looks so dark, like Wuthering Heights. I think, I hope, it'll turn out to be pretty good.

6

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

A lot of people have read this book and gave it fabulous reviews, but nothing about it really drew my attention... UNTIL I SAW THE MOVIE TRAILER. Hot damn, that looks epic! And weird! (And Dylan O'Brien is awesome!) I'm definitely going to try and get a hold of this one before summer ends.

7

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Looking back on my initial expectations for this series, I'm extremely surprised that this is on my TBR. Fairytale retellings just never float my boat. In fact, retellings in general have never appealed to me, to be completely honest, and this is why I've never wanted to read the Lunar Chronicles series. But then I found out about two things: Firstly, that in the third book, Cress, Rapunzel is floating around in a satellite in space. (I LOVE SPACE.) Secondly, that here are Sailor Moon references in this book that no one ever really mentions. Now my curiosity is ridiculously high. I want to see how this story flows and connects with Sailor Moon!

8

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
I've been curious about this one for years. For pretty much my entire life, I have loved Edgar Allen Poe's work, and this series is heavily inspired by him. So naturally, I'm drawn to it. It appears to be a darker take on YA and paranormal romance, and I'm always up for that.

9

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

The premise of this story has always caught my attention; it focuses on an extreme scenario of a very real problem we face today. Technology is making us anti-social. (Maybe that's why I'm sitting here typing up a blog post.) What if we lived in a world with no real person-to-person communication? How would we function without the presence of others outside of the computer screen? Hopefully I can get around to this one soon.

10

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
I tend to devour series really slowly lately, and I'd rather not wait another year before finishing Beth Revis' sci-fi trilogy. Hopefully A Million Suns is fantastic like the first book was so I have less of a chance of getting distracted and not reading this one.


As usual, show me your list and let me know what you think of mine. Have a great day!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books at the Top of My Summer TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a lovely meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish, and this week our topic is:

Top Ten Thirteen Books at the Top of My Summer TBR List

1-4

Sailor Moon Volumes 6-9 by: Naoko Takeuchi

I've fallen quite behind while reading the ever-wonderful Sailor Moon manga, primarily because Sailor Moon 5 was a good place to stop and finding a good place to stop in this series is rare. (Cliff-hangers galore!) Volumes 6-8 are quite a priority for me to read since those are the books in which the Infinity story arc span, and as I mentioned in my Sailor Moon appreciation post, the Infinity arc is very special to me because I became a bit attached to Sailor Saturn's character in the anime. I can't wait to read these.


5-7

Sailor Moon Volumes 10-12 by: Naoko Takeuchi

These volumes of the Sailor Moon manga contain parts of the Dream story arc, which I know virtually nothing about, as well as the Stars story arc, which seems to be a fan favorite. I must admit, I'm not sure if I'll love any of the story arcs more than Infinity due to the impact it has had on me and the nostalgia it brings since I watched that portion of the anime the most, but from what I heard, Stars is absolutely spectacular, so I'm quite eager to get to it.


8

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by: Stephen Chbosky

 

I've had this book on my TBR ever since I saw the trailer for its film adaptation. Though I know that basically everyone praises it and I've even memorized some of its quotes despite never reading it, I fear it may be depressing, and that's part of the reason I've held off on it. However, I must get to it this summer so I can finally be subject to the greatness everyone promises.

 

 

9

Life of Pi by: Yann Martel

 

Life of Pi has been everywhere for the past year, but I first discovered it while overhearing a conversation about how mind-blowing this book is. I recognized their description as I saw TV spots for the film adaptation, and since then, I've felt a dire need to read this interesting-looking book. From what I've heard, it's a rather one-of-a-kind reading experience.

 

 

10

The Dark and Hollow Places by: Carrie Ryan

 

I loved Carrie Ryan's other two books that take place in the same dystopian world, The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead-Tossed Waves, and I'm sure I'll enjoy The Dark and Hollow Places just as much. Seriously, Carrie Ryan has done no wrong in these books, and I don't even like zombies very much. I can't wait to see how this continuation of The Dead-Tossed Waves plays out with Annah, who we've only heard of before, and how her story crosses paths with Catcher.

 

 

11

Marcelo in the Real World by: Francisco X. Stork

 

This looks like a lovely contemporary; the summary definitely sounds intriguing. I've never heard of Francisco X. Stork before seeing this book around in the local bookstore, and I'm curious to see what he'll have in store for readers pursuing Marcelo in the Real World.

 

 

12

Villette by: Charlotte Brontë

 

Since I love Jane Eyre so much, I'm embarking on a quest to read a ton of novels by the Brontë sisters. When I first began looking them up, Villette was the first one to catch my attention. Everywhere I look, people are saying that Villette is actually better than Jane Eyre, and while I'm not so sure that's possible, I'd say it's certainly safe to assume that Villette must be really good.

 

 

13

Angels and Demons by: Dan Brown

From what I've heard, Angels and Demons is a relatively awesome piece of work. Though I don't know that much about it, I can already tell it concerns topics I'm interested in but never read that much about. (Yes, I know that there are apparently flaws in Dan Brown's research; the entire Internet seems to unanimously agree on that.) Anyway, one of my best friends was talking to me about it some time ago, and she spoke highly of it. So, I'm finally going to try and get around to it this summer.


I'm so excited to finally get to all these books! Please let me know if you've read any of these as well as what's on your summer TBR! Happy reading!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Nonfiction Books on My TBR List

*By the way, I'm sorry about my review-slump. I hope to have some reviews up soon; I've just been kind of busy lately.

Top Ten Tuesday is a really awesome meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish! This week, bloggers were given a chance to choose their own topic, and I chose:

Top Ten Eight Nonfiction Books on My TBR List

1

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by: Susan Cain

I need to read this ASAP. As an introvert, I've often felt misunderstood and alone "in a world that can't stop talking," not to mention annoyed that some people seem to think that 'anti-social' is a synonym for 'introvert.' (It isn't. Just letting everyone know.) I hope that this book will be relatable for me and teach me a little more about the general concept.


2

Waiting to be Heard: A Memoir by: Amanda Knox

I kept up with Amanda Knox's case when she was on trial for murder, and the whole situation really dumbfounded me. I definitely want to read this book when it's released to learn more about what Knox had to go through before she was finally free to go home.


3

Last Words by: George Carlin

George Carlin is one of the most interesting people that ever lived. 'Nuff said.


4

On Writing by: Stephen King

I feel like this book is mentioned in every bookish corner of the internet. I've heard so many people say that all writers must read this, and I'm taking that recommendation. Surely Stephen King can offer some good advice.
 

 

5

Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of Cosmos by: Michio Kaku

I'm a nerd. I watch the Science Channel, and I see Michio Kaku talking in documentaries all the time. He explains things very well, and he's always talking about interesting concepts like dimensions and black holes. In this book, he talks about the M-theory, and I'm really excited to read about it!

 

 6

 Angela's Ashes by: Frank McCourt

I read an excerpt of this autobiography a little over a year ago, and it was quite sad, and people confirmed that the book in general was a bit bleak. (But, it's about poverty, what else could a reader expect, happiness?) Due to the more-than-likely depressing content, I've been holding off on reading it... I tend to get really emotional when it comes to sad autobiographies.
 

 

7

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by: Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox seems like such a nice person, spreading positivity in this book and also on nearby billboards. I'm sure Always Looking Up will be a very worthy read.
 

8

When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? by: George Carlin

The title explains my interest pretty well. Besides, George Carlin is a legend. (That's why he has two books on this list!)


I feel like I never read enough of nonfiction, and I always have this weird craving for it once a year. Is that normal? Anyway, if you have any nonfiction on your TBR, please tell me about them in the comments.