Top Ten Tuesday-- All Time Favorite Books from the Last Three Years

 Hosted by my other blog, The Broke and The Bookish

(In alphabetical order, because I couldn't possibly rank them)

Across a Star-Swept Sea   

   by Diana Peterfreund

After I Do

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Code Name Verity

   by Elizabeth Wein

Eyes Like Stars

by Lisa Mantchev

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

   by Rae Carson

On The Jellicoe Road

by Melina Marchetta

Maybe One Day

   by Melissa Kantor

The Demon King

by Cinda Williams Chima

Throne of Glass

   by Sarah J. Maas

Wanderlove

by Kristen Hubbard

What books are on your list?? Share in the comments below!

Top Ten Books I've Read This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at my other blog, The Broke and the Bookish.

This year I decided that I was going to be more stingy with my five star ratings. Which I have been, however, looking at my goodreads list you wouldn't believe that. I managed to stumble across several amazing books this year! 

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: I was hooked from the very beginning. It was just so odd, and I liked it! The characters are fantastic, funny, sarcastic, real. The friendships are heartwarming and the romantic tension is alluring. 

2. Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor: Picture this. Me, 3 am, sitting my bed, book in hand, tears streaming. Okay. Maybe DON'T picture that. Ha. But this book. This was one of those that doesn't connect with everyone. No book does. But this book slammed into me. It pulled me in, broke my heart and warmed it all at once. 

3. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas: Loved the first book. This one was just as wonderful, maybe even better? I CANNOT wait for the next book! 

4. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein: This was a tough read, but like the first book, the writing is wonderful. Letters on a page transformed into fully realized people. The harsh landscape of their world was detailed and gritty. Their friendships were beautifully, and painfully, real. I was invested in all of them. 

5. Cress by Marissa Meyer: Okay, I really liked Cinder and Scarlett. But Cinder? My absolute favorite out of the three. Cress is positively adorable. The other characters remain amazing, and I loved their interactions with each other. As each character is discovered and added to the group, the more I love the story. 

6. New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherfurd: Now, if you've read my blog or follow me on twitter, you know how much I love New York. I'm also a total history geek. I house-sat for a relative. What was I most excited about? They have the history channel. Anyway, this book tells the story of New York, from it's earliest days of Dutch settlers, all the way up to the events of 9/11. I grew to love the families I was introduced to. I learned SO MUCH from this about the history of the city. I was googling stuff every few pages. 

7. Across a Star Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund: I love the Scarlet Pimpernel, I love retellings. This book was fantastic! I love the characters she created, and the world that she built! It was real, colorful to the point it felt tangible. Such a fantastic read. 

8. Pivot Point by Kasie West: I was so intrigued by the premise, and drawn in by the writing style. I swear, Kasie West has been eavesdropping in on conversations between me and my friends, because so much of what they say and do, remind me of my own friends. 

9. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini: Again with the history geek part of me, I also love mythology. I loved those elements in the story, along with characters that were fun and interesting. 

10. Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg: Friendship portrayed in a realistic way is always so refreshing. I loved this characters, and I loved their interactions. It was a fun, cute read that left me smiling.

SO! What made your list? I'd love to hear what YOU loved. The best way to get recommendations! :)

Top Ten Books About Friendship

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at my other blog, The Broke and the Bookish.

1. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling:  Friendship+books= Harry Potter. It's as simple as that. It is the first book that comes to mind and it illustrates friendship perfectly. Your friends are your family, and I can't think of many other books that show that fact so clearly.

2. Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson: The main character, Vin, grew up knowing to never trust anyone. That lesson was pounded into her constantly by her brother, and she stuck to that rule. Until she met a group of unusual people. They teach her about friendship, the ups and downs and what it truly means to be a friend. 

3. Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg: Can a guy and a girl really be best friends? YES! This is a sadly neglected topic in so much of YA Fiction, or fiction at all. I've always had a blend of guys and girls as friends. This book shows both and is a refreshing change.

4. Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor: This book is beautiful. I was up way past any reasonable hour reading this. Zoe and Olivia have a friendship so similar to some of my own that I instantly connected with them. 

5. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: I know this book will be on many lists. The friendship between Maddie and Queenie is so wonderful! They maintain an incredible friendship through WWII, not exactly the easiest of times. 

6. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta: Narnie, Jude, Tate, Fitz and Webb? I feel a bit teary just typing their names. They aren't just friends, together they form a family. They all know the ugliest sides of each other, but they also see the beautiful parts too. Taylor and her friendships are much different, but also fantastic representations of friendship.

7. Young Wizard Series by Diane Duane: Friendships in EVERY form. You want a book that shows just how many different kinds of friendships you can have? This is it. Kit and Nita meet and become best friends. A boy and a girl. Best friends. I can't say much more without spoiling it for you, but on their journey's they meet incredible "people" (some are actually people, some are... not quite people) and form friendships with them. Every walk of life, it doesn't matter, friendships are formed.

8. Study Series by Maria V. Snyder: Yelena emerges from the lowest of places possible at the beginning of the story. By the end she has formed relationships that will last lifetimes. Ari and Janco are some of my favorite characters ever. After an initial rocky start, they decide they like Yelena and form a fantastic friendship. But that's not all, the series is peppered with unlikely but delightful friendships.

9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: Liesel forms an array of unlikely friendships, from Rudy to Max to.... well, if you haven't read it, I won't spoil some of the other friendships... To those who have read it, the woman with the books. ;) Liesel loses so much right at the beginning of the book, but gains so much. She even, unknowingly, forms a relationship with our... distinguished narrator.

10. The Help by Kathryn Stockett: Unusual friendships in very unusual times. There are many I could mention, but my personal favorite is the friendship that is formed between Minnie and Celia. 

What made your list? Comment below or leave a link!