Top Ten Tuesday #38: Favorite Contemporary Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week the girls at B&B think up a fun theme, and participating bloggers post their favorite 10 books in that category. This week's theme is

Top Books in the Contemporary Genre

Technically, today's theme is top books in X genre, but my X genre is contemporary, which has always been a favorite of mine.

Normally, I go through my TTT picks individually and describe what about each of them makes me love them, but today, I'm just going to say that I love all these books for so many very different reasons. Strong kickbutt spy girls and confused but adorable teen boys. Intense lusty romance and sweet, innocent first love; Good friends who become something more and strangers with an intense immediate attraction. Quirky humor and serious life stuff. Shallow beauty queens who become tough wilderness-surviving feminists and pageant-hating feminists who realize there's nothing wrong with loving some lip gloss and a cute pair of shoes. These books are wildly different and at times fantastic in scope, but they all capture parts of the reality of being a teen today, even if you're only a teen at heart.

Those are my contemporary picks for today. What would you put on your contemporary list? Or, what genre did you pick for today and what books were on it? Let me know in the comments & feel free to share your links!

Top Ten Tuesday #36: Swoony Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week the girls at B&B think up a fun theme, and participating bloggers post their favorite 10 books in that category. This week's theme is

Top Ten Books That Make Me Swoon

I have a feeling this week's topic is a make-up for last week's topic and ALL THE FEELS it brought up. Thanks a lot, Jamie. :P

 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Although this list isn't ranked, I did put this book first because its swoons are real swoons. I always say I want my book boyfriends to be real, but the cool thing is that Levi from Fangirl really could be real, and I want one of my own. Watching Levi and Cath's relationship go from virtual strangers to friends to more-than-friends-but-not-quite-boyfriend-and-girlfriend to more is just beautiful. Plus, every word out of Levi's mouth makes me want to snuggle with him. Review here.

Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young. This is another lovely example of a good guy who could be real. I love Chris and Caroline together. Their journey in this book is not perfect by far, but it's so lovely. Review here.

Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi. This entire series is swoontastic. I mean, there's a freaking shower scene in Shatter Me. Geez, Tahereh. Also, I may not be Team Warner (I'm not. I'm really, really not), but good heavens, Chapter 62...yeah, wow. Just...wow. An author who can actually make me dig the guy I'm not rooting for in a love scene is bloody brilliant. Haven't read Ignite Me yet, but I have no doubt Tahereh brings the swoons. PS if you spoil me, I will murder you.

Newsoul trilogy by Jodi Meadows. This entire trilogy was one epic romance. Jodi wrote a really lovely post for Pub(lishing) Crawl last year about kissing scenes and how they must have a purpose and not be ever present. She's an expert on this subject because the kissing and the maybe-more-than-kissing in this series is so well done. It's sometimes subtle, sometimes overt. Sometimes hesitant and shy, sometiems confident and powerful. Sometimes naughty, sometimes innocent. Always, always very classy and written for maximum swoonage. I picked Infinite as the representative because it contains some of my favorite romantical scenes in the series. THE HAND SCENE, GUYS. Oh, gosh, I couldn't even with that scene. And nothing remotely naughty even happens in that scene; it's just awesome! Reviews here, here, and here (I haven't written Infinite's review yet).

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner. Oooh, I love a good love-hate-turned-to-love kind of relationship. Lilac and Tarver give me ALL THE FEELS for so many reasons, but their romance is so explosive, even in just a short amount of time. It's amazing how close two people can become when in life-threatening circumstances. Review here.

 

Pushing the Limits series by Katie McGarry. This is another series that is full of swoonage. The boys are absurdly (like, really, it's ridiculous) sexy, and the relationships are realistic and squishy-feeling inducing. I picked Dare You To to represent 1. because it is, in my opinion, the swooniest of the 3 (and a half), and 2. this cover itself is full of swoon. I showed my sister the cover and the copy cover (the image printed directly on the book), and we spent a goodly amount of time drooling over Ryan's biceps. Because GUH. Crash Into You review here.

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols. I swoon over many of Jenn's books. It was a tough call between Going Too Far and Forget You, but Johnafter barely edges out Doug. I just love how broken Meg and John are and the way, with each other's help, they piece themselves back together. It's truly beautiful.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. Oooh, Leigh's boys always have me all hot and bothered. There's just so many of them! Sexy soldiers, sexy rock star pirates, sexy princes, and sexysexysexy bad guys. I honestly don't know who to swoon over so I swoon for them all. Shut up and take off your shirts, boys. Except you, Sturmhond. You can talk with your ridiculous swaggery words. I mean, really. I don't know how Alina can stand being around so many smexy men, but I don't envy her because their world is horrific. Oh, who am I kidding? I'd totally take the creepy nightmare monster thingies if it meant I got the guys. Review here.

Everneath trilogy by Brodi Ashton. Once again, I picked the book that made me swoon the most (and is my favorite of the three). Jack and Nikki's epic love is one of my favorite ships. I love Everbound in particular because it showcased the beginning of their relationship, before all the bad stuff, and that was adorable. That's not to say Everneath and Evertrue weren't also swoony. Jack ripping a safe out a wall made my knees week. Good times. Review here.

Cress by Marissa Meyer. I am shameless. I do love the entire series, and Scarlet & Wolf on the train in Scarlet is ohhhh so spectacular, but Cress makes this list for one reason: Captain. Carswell. Thorne. GUH. Be still my fangirly heart. Thorne steals the show, he really does. And while I'd love to say I love Cress and Thorne together (I actually really do), their chemistry is more cute than rip-their-clothes-off-hot. Thorne, though. Thorne is the kind of guy who, if he weren't fictional, would end up covered in women's undergarments on a regular basis. Some of them mine. #dontjudgeme

New Adult picks:

 

One & Only by Viv Daniels. This is an example of a new adult done right, and the reason is that Viv is actually Diana Peterfreund, who is super crazy talented. Although I don't want them to overrun the market, I do enjoy stories where the characters know each other, spend time apart, and then come back together. Tess and Dylan's romance is...troubled. Other than their insane chemistry, nothing comes easy for these two, and they make some pretty bad mistakes that normally would have me hating them. However, with these two, I knew it wasn't a mark of being bad people so I was rooting for them the whole time. Also, closet. Also, baklava. Also, countertop makeout. That is all. Review here.

Wait for You series by J. Lynn. I'm so glad I started reading JLA/J. Lynn novels. She has a way of getting under readers' skin. Her characters are all dynamic, and that makes for some truly incredible romance. Cam & Avery, Teresa & Jase... I love these stories. They're guilty pleasures without the guilt! Can't wait for her short set in this world coming out in 50 First Times and, of course, Stay With Me! Reviews here and here.

Adult picks:

 

Playing Dirty by Jennifer Echols. For years, I was all about Jenn's ya comedies and then dramas so it was really cool last year to see her break into the adult world. Star Crossed was good, but oh, Playing Dirty is soooooo very delicious and swoony and yes, a little dirty. In the best way, of course. Sarah and Quentin have ah-mazing chemistry, and it leads to some steamy scenes!

Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris. I know a lot of people prefer Seven Day Fiancé because Cane is a sexpot, but I actually prefer Jason and Colby in Taste the Heat. It's a more natural feeling relationship. There are so many warm fuzzies in addition to toe-curling sexy times. Plus, like One & Only, it features characters who are meeting again after a long time apart. I like watching the evolution of relationships, not just the instant attraction featured so heavily in fiction of any genre these days.

Let's be real. I could go on all day about swoony books and boys, but I suppose I'd better cap it there. What (or who) are your picks for today? Share those links!

Top Ten Tuesday #30: Best of 2013 part 2

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week the girls at B&B think up a fun theme, and participating bloggers post their favorite 10 books in that category. This week's theme is

Top Ten Books of 2013

Well, it would be way, way too hard to pick the top 10 overall in 2013 so instead, I'm just going to do a sequel post to the TTT I did earlier this year, which you can read here.

1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Let's just get this one out of the way now. I actually did write and read fanfic in college so I absolutely understand and relate to Cath.

2. United We Spy by Ally Carter. I thought this was a really fitting ending to the legacy of the Gallagher Girls, an ending this wonderful series deserved.

3. Scarlet & Cress by Marissa Meyer. I enjoyed Cinder, but adding the new characters and complicating the conflict really added depth to this wonderful series. Is it time for Winter yet?!

4. Shadow & Bone and Siege & Storm by Leigh Bardugo. This series is incredible. I mean the Grisha Trilogy is simply the textbook definition of epic fantasy. Great character development (including bad boys, good guys, roguish pirates, badA girls, AND delicious flirty princes), fast-paced action, swoony romance, unique mythology, and amazing writing.

5. Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young. Not only does this series have one of my favorite new romances, but it also introduced me to the intriguing concept of the sliding doors device, in which there are two alternate stories being told simultaneously.

6. Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano. This is one of those novels with a really cool retro-future, and it combines that feel with a murder mystery, set against a backdrop of the sky. There's so much going on in this novel, and somehow, Lauren keeps it all straight. Not only is the story interesting, but the characters are well-developed and relatable. I am already wishing for Burning Kingdoms!

7. Pawn by Aimée Carter. Such a cool novel filled with tons of intrigue. I'm very excited by this new series!

8. One & Only by Viv Daniels. This is a superbly written new adult romance. If all romances were written like this, the genre would not receive as much criticism as it does. Well done, Viv!

9. Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris. Super adorable and fun adult romance.

10. Playing Dirty by Jennifer Echols. Jenn is one of my top-five all-time favorite authors. Her 2013 ya Dirty Little Secret only misses this list because Playing Dirty is on here instead. This is an adult romance that is slightly steamier than Taste the Heat above, and it was just an absolute joy to read.

Bonus: top 2014 ARCs I've already read

I already mentioned Cress above, but I didn't want to leave out these other wonderful 2014 reads.

Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this way back in September. It's another hit for Jenn. Biggest Flirts is the perfect mix of fun shenanigans, top-notch chemistry between the main characters, and relatable life drama. I loved it!

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill. This is absolutely The Parent Trap mixed with every ice skating movie Disney and ABC Family has ever made, and I love it. It's cheesy and silly and fun and flirty. Loved it!

The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes. I love these ya novels full of hijinks and high school intrigue. It never turns out well for the characters (or at least as they intend their schemes to turn out), but it's SO entertaining to witness!

Infinite by Jodi Meadows. This is one of the most wonderful and complete series enders I've ever read. Full review coming soon, and I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. This is just a really emotional ride, and it's one that is not to be missed!

Top Ten Tuesday #29: Santa Wish List

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week the girls at B&B think up a fun theme, and participating bloggers post their favorite 10 books in that category. This week's theme is

Top Ten Books I Wish Santa Would Bring Me This Year

 Pretty self-explanatory theme, I think, although in my case, these books are really more pray-that-the-publisher-and-or-rafflecopter-take-pity-on-me or I'll-just-have-to-buy-these-myself because my family doesn't buy me books anymore unless I tell them what to get. I'm basically at the gift-card-only stage of life. Anyway, today, I split my group 5/5 into the ARCs that I need now or I'll die and the finished copies that I'm just really greedy for.

 ARCs:

1. Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott. I am so excited about this book. Tori is an awesome writer in addition to being an amazing person. And I am happy to announce that this wish came TRUE. My sister occasionally gets my mail, and sure enough, she brough my copy over on Sunday! Yay! Thank you, Scholastic!

2. Cress by Marissa Meyer. Yes, I've already read Cress, but it was so incredible, I wish I had my own copy! Regardless if I do manage to snag an ARC or not, this will be a to-buy book for me. It's JUST that good.

  

3. Evertrue by Brodi Ashton. I reallyreallyreallyreallyreally want one. I desperately need to know what's going on with Nikki and Jack! Crossing my fingers I can win a copy!

4. What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick. My Life Next Door was incredible. I just need more Huntley Fitzpatrick in my life.

5. Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg. I adore Elizabeth's writing. Her books are more must-buys for me. Every year, I eagerly anticipate my next EE fix.

Finished Copies:

  

6. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner. I have an ARC, which I will keep forever, but I think this will be a must-buy series. Tarver and Lilac...I ship them. And I want to hug that cover every night when I go to bed.

7. Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young. Lovely, lovely book. Chris is one of my new favorite book boyfriends. I love the sliding doors concept. After reading this, I'll definitely be picking up other books that use this device.

8. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I bought the ebook when it was on sale, but I think I'm going to have to splurge on a hardcover. This book is one of my favorites of 2013, and it has some interesting formatting that's just a little lost in the ebook. Nothing major, but it was just weird reading my Kindle copy after I've read a hardcover.

  

9. Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano. I had an ARC of this, but I gave it away. Not going to lie, I still wrestle with that decision because it was one of the first ARCs I'd ever been sent directly from the publisher (not won from a giveaway or picked up at a con). However, I'm glad I could spread the love to someone else. I bought an ebook when it was on sale, but this is another that I really want a physical copy.

10. Dare You To and Crash Into You by Katie McGarry. Yeah...I think this is a must-buy series. I have a paperback of Pushing the Limits because I met Katie, and I like to get at least one thing signed by an author. However, that was before I read the series so I didn't realize just how far in love I'd fall with this series. I have ebooks of all three, but again, this is a favorite enough that I would like the whole set. Also, I just really want the cover of Dare You To because DANG. Ryan's biceps. That is all.