Top 10 Tuesday: Latest TBR Wants

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

When I say "latest TBR wants," I actually mean the "latest TBR wants that I listed on Goodreads." A few of these have been on my radar for a while, but I recently(ish) put it on my Goodreads' shelf. I need to do better in actively taking note of books I want to read on Goodreads instead of waiting later. So in no particular order:

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Just look at that cover. I had to TBR it right away.

Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas

A completely new retelling of Cinderella where the Fairy Godmother's happily ever after isn't the one the main character wants. This is what I want.

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

We have an Aladdin retelling. I repeat, we have an Aladdin retelling. 

The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen

Cuteness all around. 

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix

The cover looks like an adult book, but the synopsis is my favorite kind of YA. 

The Edge of Forever by Melissa E. Hurst

Parallel universes? Gimme, gimme. 

Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne

Just read that title and tell me you don't think it's going to be adorable. 

The Cost of All Things by Maggie Lehrman

A spell to erase your memory? Reminds me vaguely of The Program. 

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

A Rome-like world, fantasy setting, an orphan, and a soldier. Need I say more? 

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

Another book that sounds strangely like another one I read. Doesn't this remind anyone else of Belles by Jen Calonita?  

What books have you recently listed as TBR? 

Top 10 Wednesday: The 2015 spring TBR of my dreams

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Considering we are going into the last stretch of school, my reading is going to be even more limited. I'm planning on getting a local library card though since the YA section in my school library is just depressing. Technically, Google says that summer starts in late June, but I consider that to be already in the middle of summer. I constitute spring as March - May and all of these books have been released or will be released in this time frame. While I'm unsure of what I'll be able to read until May, I hope this gives all of you at least some suggestions.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (2/10)

Date: February 10

Two adjectives I most commonly hear associating with this book: addicting and surprising. Two of my favorite words! 

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Date: March 3

Again, I'm dying at the gorgeous cover. Whoever has been charge for this series is doing one heck of a job. But really, the first book was everything so I'm desperate to get more. 

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Date: March 10

Three words: spy, orphan, queen. THAT IS ALL. (There's also a really big cliffhanger, soooo)

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Date: March 10

I'm pretty sure the first book, Seraphina, was published in another lifetime because of how long we have had to wait for this sequel! A reread is definitely in order, and then I'll start this beautiful thing.

The Second Guard by J.D. Vaughn

Date: April 15

Just give me all the fantasy. All of it, don't stop.

Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Date: April 21

This one deals with a heart transplant and feels very similar to Return to Me, a Minnie Driver movie.

Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman

Date: April 21

Another sequel where I'll have to read the first one again because I feel like it's been forever. But hey, no complaints over the rereading here. 

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey

Date: April 28

The cover kind of hurts my eyes, but I don't think I've seen a negative review on this one. I know there must be one out there, but there's just a lot of squealing in my corner of the world. And it's fantasy. So I'm expecting great things.

Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger

Date: April 28

I'm expecting lots of laughter. I need this joy in my life.

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Date: May 19

And after I receive the joy, I'll go onto a more somber read. This deals with schizophrenia and I can't think of a better example for an original, diverse book.  

Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham

Date: May 19

POC alert! POC alert! I honestly didn't notice the girl until after I read the amazing synopsis. Bonus.

What do you want to read this spring?

Top 10 Wednesday: Books for people who want minorities

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If I had picked contemporary or fantasy or something more broad, this list would have been miles long. Instead, I picked minorities. Take notice that I did not say diversity. We do need more diverse books, but I personally feel that we have a lot, just not the kind people are demanding for. We have girl warriors, a futuristic world that focuses on a suicide epidemic, and stories that deal with different stories with different characters. If I had said "diverse" books, we would have been here forever as well. Instead, this is for all the minority lovers. Unfortunately, I haven't read nearly enough of them, so these are only the books I have read.

Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

Has: cerebral palsy 

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

Has: deaf protagonist

Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson

Has: mental illness

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Has: post-suicidal attempt

Note: I think this is different because unlike other books, it doesn't stop with the trauma. We see her recover, which is not like the other suicide-related books I listed here.

Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang

Has: depression

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Has: suicide

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Has: PTSD

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

Has: Hispanic protagonist

Hooked by Liz Fichera

Has: Native American protagonist

45 Pounds by K.A. Barson

Has: plus-size protagonist

What kind of minorities would you like reading about? 

Top 10 Wednesday: The Last 3 Years in a Nutshell

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Yes, it's another belated Top 10 Tuesday, making it Top 10 Wednesday.

Way to make me stare helplessly at my computer, The Broke and the Bookish. We have to list our favorite books that we read in the last three years (it could also be possibly interpreted as books that have been published in the last three years instead). This feat is no small thing considering that not only have I grown greatly as reader in the last three years, but I also became a blogger and discovered ARCs (and other wonderful things) during this time. Besides, so many great books.

Disclaimer: in no way will this be comprehensive.

The Life-Changers: 

The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce

Specifically, the series in audiobook format, narrated by Trini Alvarado (Little Women's Meg March). This was my saving grace during a particularly rough summer job. It was also when I finally read it after lots of urgings from fellow Pierce lovers.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Obviously. I cashed in my HP virgin card late last year. It was magical.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

This was the first book I read as an intent to blog about. It was also when I started to listen to my sister's book suggestions and read something totally out of my comfort zone. I ended up loving it and now I'm a fantasy nut.

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

My first ARC, which was beyond exciting. I have the lovely Bloomsbury to thank for that.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

My first (and only) NA, but more importantly, it made me feel things. I connect with characters, but this was a connection in a whole different way. Unexplainable, really.

The Plain Ole Goodies:

Parallel by Lauren Miller

It won many awards in my End of the Year Book Survey and rightly so. I kept thinking about it a long time afterwards.

Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen

The whole series deserves to be on this list (gender-bending fairytale retellings!), but this just stole my heart. Feelings galore. I also loved the author's note at the end and everything this book and series stands for. Again, thank you, Bloomsbury and Gaughen. Much love.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Another fantasy I need to reread. I just remember being completely hung up on this book during one of the busiest months of the year: December. 

United We Spy by Ally Carter

This could really double as a life-changer and a goodie considering that it's the last book in my beloved Gallagher Girl series. 

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I won't ever stop talking about this book. Excluding the sequel, I have never had a book surprise me so much. Nothing but win.

Which books stand out for you in the last three years? 

Top 10 Wednesday: Bookish Problems I Have

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This list of 10 bookish problems I have is probably not the top 10 and definitely isn't in any particular order. They were mostly ones I thought of first and listed. I also am doing Top 10 Tuesday on a Wednesday because school likes to disrupt my life things happen. 

Because they're all about books.

1. Chapter numbers. So here's the thing. Unless I'm in a pressing situation or know that I'll need to stop at a random time, I always stop on chapters that end with five or zero (5, 10, 15, etc.) The five multiples feel like "even" numbers to me even though I know in mathematics they aren't. It feels like a clean stopping place. Downside: when I say "I'll stop at chapter 15" and then don't realize I've gone to chapter 16...so I keep going.

2. "One more chapter..." Every bookish person has had this problem, guaranteed. You keep saying "one more chapter," and would you look at that, it's now 2am! Funny how that works. (This is also related to #1 for me.)

3. I can be picky. Everyone has their tastes and disliking a genre is not picky in my books. But I tend to snub on superficial reasons. I haven't had the best luck with main characters being male (excluding the dual POVs) or male authors writing about female characters. I read Harry Potter and loved it so I'm breaking out.

4. Bookish boyfriends won't be my boyfriends. Unfortunately, they will stay fictitious and I'll be in reality. Without them.

5. Money and time are plotting against me. Of course, this also includes school. As a college kid, I feel like I'm stretched thin with time and money when there are a lot of books I just have to read. It's every reader's problem.

6. I want to be part of that world (sometimes). Actually, this is more about the fact that I get so sucked into that book's world that I'm a tad disoriented when I have to go back into reality. And it's disappointing. It's all about the author's narrative. I'll appreciate from afar if it's a world like Panem though because there's no way I want to be a part of that (but even then, Collins does a great job in describing it).

7. Waiting forever. Series just bring torture in general. You usually have to wait at least a year for the next book and then you're left with impatience. It's just all the waiting. I can't wait.

8. Controlling myself when books turn into movies. I love it when books make that transition onto the screen. I do. But as a reader, there's also this conflict of being on edge in the theatre, wanting everything to be just. like. the book. It's hard. Even harder when you hear a ignorant fool person who obviously hasn't read the book either talk about how they're the most excited for the movie (great! You're excited! But you didn't read the book, so...no) or they make stupid comments throughout because they don't realize what comes next or what it all means.

9. Throwback Tuesday Wednesday to that list of romance pet peeves. Remember when I said the things I liked and disliked about romance in books? Well, those dislikes are some of my bookish problems.

10. Book hangovers and loss of words. I feel like these two go really hand-in-hand. Book hangovers are amazing, they really are. But then you try to get over the book afterwards and move on to another and it's hard. Then, even worse, you try to write a review and all you want to do is write flashing letters that say READ THIS, the end. Too many feelings.

What are problems you have?