Top Ten Books for Reads Who Like YA With Minimal Angst

Hosted by my other blog, The Broke and the Bookish

Atlantia 
by Ally Condie

Crown Duel 

by Sherwood Smith

Homecoming 

by Cynthia Voigt

Mistborn 

by Brandon Sanderson

Poison Study

by Maria V. Snyder

Princess Academy 

by Shannon Hale

Sabriel

 by Garth Nix

So You Want to Be a Wizard

by Diane Duane

Stardust

by Neil Gaiman

Waterfall

by Lisa T. Bergren

Top Ten Things I Like/Dislike When it Comes to Romances in Books

Hosted by my other blog, The Broke and The Bookish

I'm such a sucker for a good romance. However it HAS to have the right ingredients, and not have too many of those tropes that annoy me. Here is my list of Dislikes and Likes!

 

Dislike

1- Instalove. I know this will be on a lot of lists, but seriously, can we just get rid of this? It's not even entertaining. He or she walks in the door and BAM. It's love. No. Let's find out who they are first. Maybe start with a name?

2- Physical Attraction Only. I get so tired of reading about how hot someone is. Yes, you are falling for them, but give me a break! It's not just about looks. To steal a favorite quote... (It's from a character describing her husband)

"You know when sometimes you meet someone so beautiful -- and then you actually talk to them and five minutes later they're dull as a brick; but then there's other people. And you meet them and you think, "No bad, they're okay." and when you get to know them... their face just, sort of, becomes them, like their personality's written all over it, and they just -- they turn into something so beautiful. He's the most beautiful man I've ever met."

THAT is what I'm looking for. Because honestly, that's one of the most romantic and heartwarming descriptions of love I've ever heard.

3- Too Stupid to Live Heroines. I want the two to be equal partners, not always having to save or cover for one or the other because their love interest isn't capable of taking care of themselves. I get that guys love to rescue a damsel in distress. Go for it. But if it's because she's just too dumb, maybe you should let natural selection do it's job.

4- ANGST! Angst/Lack of Communication. Oh how you wear me out and make me hate characters, angst. If you're worried all the time about what he/she thinks of you. Or question where you stand with them. Or have ANY issues that could be solved by maybe, I dunno, TALKING TO THEM? Do it. Communicate. It's only THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of a relationship. But go ahead. Loose sleep over a text message that didn't include a smiley. (“Oh no! Is he mad? Did I do something wrong?? Omigosh!)

5- Dominate/Stalking/Manipulative Relationships. There is NOTHING attractive about someone who follows you/watches you all the time. (My husband teases he watches me while I sleep. He doesn't, because he knows I'd strangle him in his sleep if he did that.) Also, what about personal space? And as for being manipulated in a relationship? Where is the romance in THAT?

Now for the stuff I love!

Likes

6-Friends Falling in Love. Growing up together and falling in love? Yes please! (Lola and the Boy Next Door, anyone?) I love that shared history, and how much it adds to the relationship. Especially when they've seen each other through the awkward years and remember the best moments, as well as the most embarrassing parts. It keeps them humble. :)

7- Playful Teasing/Banter. I love the back and forth teasing. I find it adorable. A couple that makes each other laugh is about 100 times more interesting to me than the ones who are always sickly sweet to each other. It's not all just roses and perfectly chosen words. It's laughter and teasing and inside jokes.

8- Slow Burn Romance. They dance around each other. They tease here and there. They start to notice little things. A fun laugh. Shared love of books/music/movies. They dance a bit more... Until I'm practically yelling at them to finally kiss, or at least hold hands! Anything! But it is oh so compelling to watch them slowly fall for each other. And the moment when they finally realize they're supposed to be together? Don't you dare interrupt me while I'm reading. ;)

9- Foreign Locations. A romance with a backdrop of a completely new place? YES! (I'm looking at you, Stephanie Perkins and Gayle Forman!) Not only is the atmostphere of the setting seductive as a reader, watching the two characters discover together the wonders of where they are, or one of them showing the other around and helping them to discover all the hidden delights, is so fun!

10- Beyond Boy Meets Girl. It's rare, especially since so much of what I read is YA, but I LOVE when we see the relationship continue beyond them meeting and falling in love. I want the ever after. What is their “after”? I was beyond delighted when I read something recently (not going to say what, because, spoilers sweetie) and we got to see the PROPOSAL. Not only did the characters meet, fall in love and overcome a lot together, but they LASTED. They made it. I know many think that the romance ends after “I do”. But it so doesn't. At least I certainly hope not, because that would make marriage rather boring.

So! What are some of your likes/dislikes? Share your list in the comments!

(I just noticed that the last time I posted was two days before I got engaged! It's been WAY too long since I've blogged!)



Summer Theatre Camp

So this year I'm am teaching a summer theatre camp for a nearby city. I am the teacher, the director, the temporary parent, the judge, the... well, you name it, it's my job.

It has been one heck of a roller coaster.

I LOVE theatre, any aspect of it is exciting to me. Acting, working tech, stage manager, directing. Or even just an audience member.

I also love teaching, and I've worked with elementary aged kids on multiple occasions. I really enjoy it, they're great to work with. I try very hard to be a nice teacher, I'm strict when I need to be, but I'd much rather get the kids to recognize mistakes in positive ways, I tease (very light teasing). I never call a student out in front of the other kids, the only time I have EVER been extremely stern is when two of them paired up and started mocking the other students. All I said was "Hey. None of that. We are here to have fun, and we WILL have fun. So stay focused and show me that awesome positive attitude I saw at auditions. And it WORKED! They were great after that.

Not everything is all bright and shiny however. My students are aged 6-12. I have a few that are already in that annoying, stereotypical teenage stage. Before we begin rehearsal every day we do warm ups. Warm ups are designed to get performers up on their feet, using their voices, get them moving, energize and focus them so they are ready for rehearsal. I've been doing warm ups like these for half my life.

Last week my most difficult student simply folded his arms and stood there, refusing to participate and, even worse, making fun of the other kids. My other problem child took a que from him and stopped. She raised her hand (no idea why, she just talked anyway) and said "Hey you (she was referring to me. Never mind calling me Kimberly, or Miss Kimberly as they have been instructed to do) what does this whole... thing have to do with like, the whole, like theatre thing?" In other words, she things I'm stupid and don't know anything. She was eager to call me out. (Most likely due to her mother, but that's a whole different story. Ugh!)

Now. You'll all be proud of me. I did NOT say what I wanted to say, which was "Listen. I have been doing theatre longer than you've been ALIVE. I also spent lots of money and time and got a DEGREE in theatre. So shut up and participate because I know what I'm doing."

Instead I managed something teacherly and explained the same thing I said above, preparing them for rehearsal.

It's not all bad though. Except for sassy students, parents who like sending angry emails, kids/parents skipping rehearsals, and lack of focus from the other kids, it's been great.

I cast a six year old girl in the lead role. SIX. She was far above the other students, she talented, focused and has an irresistibly bright personality. Her older brother also has a significant role.  Their mom has been awesome, she so so incredibly supportive of her kids and work with them constantly. The little girl in the lead has about 70% of her extensive lines memorized. There are several students who have maybe 8 lines that can read, have a script, but still haven't even attempted to memorize. My younger students are really the ones who impress me.

They are dedicated, kind to each other, respectful and sweet towards me, and a delight to work with. They are so creative! So much of how they say their lines, or react to each other, is stuff they come up with.

It warms my heart every time we sit down, and half of them race to get the spot next to me. Or they come over just talk to me. They don't have anything to really say, they just want to talk to me. Or they'll thank me at the end of rehearsal.


This is why I enjoy teaching so much.

A couple more weeks to go! I'll keep you all updated with the crazy stories. I'll probably do an entire post dedicated to "Things Overheard At Theatre Camp". Trust me, it's hilarious.

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! :)

Christmas Lights- Guest Post by Jen

Hello everyone! This is my absolute favorite time of year. What other time of year is so full of traditions? Old traditions that have been in your family for generations, new traditions you're trying out... As well as getting to do some of your favorite things that only happen once a year.

 

To help celebrate, I've asked a few of my favorite blogging friends to do guest posts over the next few days. Today is Jen! One of my fellow bloggers from The Broke and the Bookish . She wrote about something that is a favorite of mine as well... Enjoy!

                                                                                                                                                                        

Christmas lights. They make me happy. I love driving through neighborhoods and seeing the houses decorated with light displays. It's one of my favorite things to do this time of year. It's fun to see the different degrees of creativity and the amount of work people put into their Christmas light displays.

 

Some people go all out. Like all out. I'm talking about the ones who have a radio station you tune to that the lights are synced to. Those are always amazing and I wonder how long it takes the homeowners to string all the lights. These people usually even have lights on the yard and it seems every square inch of the house. There is a crazy light display near me and the homeowners serve hot chocolate and this year they are raising money to buy a local child a service dog. That is showing some definite Christmas spirit!

 

Then there are what I consider the "normal" light displays. Nothing outrageous but there's a good amount of lights. Then there are the "lazy" light decorators. The ones who run a string of lights around the doorway or put a couple netted lights in the bushes. They still have the holiday spirit but scaled down. If I ever own a house I will more than likely be a "lazy" light decorator. I'd rather see everyone else's Christmas lights.

 

In the town I grew up in there used to be a road where every single house would have crazy light displays (this was before you could include radio stations). The entire road would be lit up with colorful lights and it was so amazing. The unofficial name of the street was "Christmas Tree Lane". I have no idea what the real name was or even if all the houses still have a display of lights every year. I always loved going with my parents or grandparents when I was little. The houses always seemed magical.

 

                                             ~Jen

Driving around to see the Christmas lights this time of year is one of my favorite things too. The things people come up with! My favorite is going to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. The light display is always incredible! What about you??? Any favorite light displays near you? Please leave a comment and share!

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2013

 

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

Cristin Terrill (All Our Yesterdays) Anything time travel grabs my attention, and this was no exception. I love her concept of time travel and of time itself.

Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass) LOVE LOVE LOVE this series! Now that I actually have time to read I get to read the sequel! 

Rainbow Rowell (Fangirl) Instant love. I've read Fangirl and Elenore and Park, I plan on reading everything else she writes!

Robert Galbraith (The Cuckoo's Calling) Okay, I'm totally cheating with this one. We all know that "Robert Galbraith" is actually JK Rowling. HOWEVER, I did not know it was her when I purchased the book. (The book was fantastic. Watch the blog for a review!)

Lauren Graham (Someday, Someday, Maybe) Yes. THAT Lauren Graham. Our own Lorelai. And she can write! Really enjoyed this, especially all of the wonderful details about NYC!

George R. R. Martin (Song of Ice and Fire) I knew who he was, but I hadn't read his books until this year. I'm completely addicted, just ask Daisy. I also refer to him as Evil Santa. 

Leigh Bardugo  (Shadow and Bone) Picked up one of her books by accident and fell in love with her storytelling and world building. 

John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) Yes yes yes, I know. I'm late to the party on this one. I had no idea who he was. Someone was talking about how much they loved TFiOS so I gave it a try... I don't think I've ever loved a book more.

Ruby Preston (Staged) I was introduced to this book by her publisher when she offered me a copy of the book for review. I loved it. It's another theatre book, and it shows the other side of theatre. Producing!

A.G. Howard (Splintered) I am so excited for the sequel for this! And completely envious of those lucky people who got an ARC!

A little exciting bit of news... I GRADUATED ON FRIDAY!!!! Yep! It finally happened! To show my excitement I leave you with a dancing Time Lord.

A to Z Bookish Survey

I'm not dead, and neither is the blog! I know it probably looked that way... That's the problem when you are in your last semester of college, take 20 credit hours, stage manage a show, work almost full time, and have a boyfriend. Sadly, I let my poor blog be ignored. 

But I'm back! I have 26 days to graduation! And here is a nice fun post to jump start my blog again.

I stole this from Lori over at The Coffee Girl. Thanks!

 

Author you’ve read the most books from: Hmm… That is probably a tie between Mary Higgins Clark and J.K. Rowling. I’ve read all of the HP books, as well as the mystery novel she published under the name “Robert Gailbraith”.

Best Sequel Ever: “Where She Went” by Gayle Forman, hands down. I thought a sequel would be impossible. She proved me so wrong.

Currently Reading: I am reading “Twinmaker” by Sean Williams. I’m not very far into it, but it’s really intriguing so far!

Drink of Choice While Reading: A nice cold glass of milk. Yes, I realize that makes me weird. Most people over the age of 9 won’t drink it. I love it though.

E-reader or Physical Book? I have to say both. I read more often on my nook though, since I take it with me everywhere. However, I love the feel and smell of real books.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School: I have no idea. In high school I mostly just went out on dates with old friends, I didn’t really have any serious boyfriends until college… This question is so hard!

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance: On the Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta. It was given to me as a Secret Santa gift and they requested that even though it starts slow, that I just give it a chance because it was their favorite book. So I read it, and fell head over heels in love. I recommend it all the time. No, really, you should read it!

Hidden Gem Book:  The River of Time series. Hardly anyone I talk to has heard of it, I adore it though. (They know about after I finish talking to them about it though!)

Important Moment in your Reading Life:  I have a lot! My dad, who never enjoyed reading, used to read to me when I was little. I still remember sitting next to him on the couch while he read things like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or James and the Giant Peach. My first grade teacher really instilled a love of reading into all of her students, I barely remember exactly what it was that she did, all I remember is that when I think of learning to love reading, she’s the first person I think of. Thanks, Mrs. Baker!  Also, Harry Potter. I went from reading skinny, lame books to a whole level! Thick, interesting books. Fantasy! I read Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy while waiting for book 4, I was 10! Then I joined Goodreads my first year of college, met everyone in the College Students group and was introduced into so many incredible books!

Just Finished: The Cuckoo’s Calling by “Robert Gailbraith” (aka J.K. Rowling). I listened to the audiobook. It was SO good. After not particularly caring for The Casual Vacancy, reading something else by her and enjoying it was an absolute delight.

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read: Erotica. Just not what I look for in books. I like stuff with more story to go with them.

Longest Book You’ve Read: I’ve read the first three books in the Song of Ice and Fire series. I think #3 is the longest.

Major book hangover because of:  The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson. I had been waiting for what seemed like forever to read this, and it was everything I could have hoped for. It was so wonderful, I had MAJOR book hangover.

Number of Bookcases You Own: Two. Though really I should have three or four to contain all my books. All of my shelves are completely overflowing. I’m getting two more when I move into my apartment.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times: Harry Potter. It’s my “comfort read”. I go back to it time and time again.

Preferred Place To Read: My Grandpa’s old La-Z-Boy. It was my favorite when it was at his house, and when we moved it to my house I declared it mine. Now it’s my favorite spot. And my dogs’ favorite spot… I can’t sit down with a book without them joining me, not that I mind. Curled up in my chair, with a book and my dogs is the perfect way to relax.

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read: This is probably quoted on basically every blog out there, but I absolutely adore this quote from “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green. “Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”

 Reading Regret: Not reading some of the better children’s classics when I was younger. I TRIED to enjoy A Wrinkle in Time, I really tried! I thought I’d never be too old to enjoy children’s books. Turns out that isn’t entirely true. I couldn’t stand the book, and it makes me sad.

Series You Started And Need To Finish (all books are out in series): I honestly can’t think of a single series that is complete that I haven’t finished. Hmm…

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books: Harry Potter (All 7 count as 1!), Poison Study and Code Name Verity. (Ask me the same question tomorrow and you’ll probably get a different answer.

Unapologetic Fangirl For: Neil Gaiman!!! Love his books and everything he’s written for Doctor Who.

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others: Too many to choose from! I think probably the new Mistborn books.

Worst Bookish Habit: I buy more books than I could read in three lifetimes.

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book: Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder. AWESOME book!

Your latest book purchase: I bought Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. Can’t wait to read it!

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):  Allegiant by Veronica Roth. Oh, this book. I gave it five stars. It also kept me up much later than was smart. I already only average about 5 hours of sleep at night.

A bit of an update...

Okay, so I haven't been the best about keeping my blog very active. In my defense, my life is incredibly busy right now. Let me give you a bit of a rundown of what's been going on.

First. I am graduating in December. I am taking summer semester right now, at the end of August I will start my last semester ever of my undergrad. WOOHOO! I have 140 days until graduation. Yes, I am counting down. I have a countdown widget on my phone.


I am working (mostly) full time. When I say mostly it's because I'm one of those lucky government employees who are being furloughed. Happy happy joy joy...


I am also working as the Stage Manager for a musical. Anne of Green Gables! Which is great fun, really. I'm working with a couple of relatives (cousin for a director, another cousin as a light/stage designer). I also get to do things that one might not normally think of for a play. Such as learning about maypoles and teaching a bunch of kids how to use one. (It's going to be AMAZING).  It also means that I have rehearsal every day, so when someone asks me to go do something...






I also just got back from San Diego Comic Con. Which was amazing and completely exhausting. I mean, 130,000+ people? I camped out over night in order to get into one of the biggest panels in Hall H. My friend and I got in line at 10:30pm the night before, the panel started at 10am. The line was already a mile long! I'm pretty sure I had to turn in my sanity for that week. I spent most of my time there completely fangirling over practically everything. I walked into a panel only to see Steven Yeun (Glenn from The Walking Dead) Kit Harington (Jon Snow from Game of Thrones) and Matt Smith (11th Doctor from Doctor Who). I about died. Glenn, Jon Snow and The Doctor all sitting next to each other???! It's probably a good thing no one took video of me during Comic Con, it might have just been too embarrassing.

Oh, and for you Doctor Who fans out there... The preview they showed for the 50th anniversary special????

 

 

 

Basically, prepare to freak out. I barely remember half of what the diologue was because I was too busy screaming along with the entirety of Hall H.

 

Also, today is my birthday (yay!) so things are even more crazy. I mean, look at what I woke up to find in my car!

So those are some of the reasons I haven't been too active. Hopefully I'll do better!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Top Ten Tuesday- Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

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

Lisa T. Bergren- I’m not sure if I would have heard of her if a friend hadn’t recommended her book series, then later I saw someone mention it during a boutofbooks chat. After that I looked the River of Time series up… and fell in love with the story. 

Stephanie Fowers- I love talking about local authors. Stephanie’s books are light, and filled with humor. Her characters are so relatable that if I were to cast the actors in the play or movie version, I have a friend that would fit every role perfectly. 

Lindsey Leavitt- Okay, she’s fairly well known. But more people need to know about her. Her Princess for Hire series is an absolute delightful read.

Maria V. Snyder- How she isn’t more well-known is a mystery to me. Maria is the queen of strong, relatable heroines. Her Study series features a lead named Yelena, and is one of my absolute favorite heroines. Wonderful world building, fantastic characters (you’ll love Ari and Janco too!) and absorbing story telling.

R.L. LaFevers- I think by now a lot of the blogging community has heard about her and her fantastic books. However, if it weren’t for all the amazing bloggers out there I may not have found her books! 

S.J. Kincaid- Another author I know of because of blogging. I read Insignia last year and loved it. A YA novel with a male MC! 

Elizabeth Fama- I got to meet Elizabeth, be jealous. No seriously, you should be jealous because she’s awesome. When you think mermaids, you think red hair, dinglehoppers, heart of gold, couldn’t hurt a fly, etc, etc. Elizabeth takes that stereotype,  flips it upside down and makes it ever so much more interesting. Monstrous Beauty is a great read if you’re looking for something that’s a mix of romance, historical fiction, mystery, and fantasy. 

Chanda Hahn- I don’t even remember how I heard about her series, but it’s wonderful. I’m a sucker for a fairy tale retelling, and her books are fantastic! 

Jessica Day George- I discovered her by accident (another local author!) when I won the audio for her book, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. I think she might be more well known among MG readers, not many realize she writes YA as well.

So… I only made it to 8. Turns out a lot of my favorite authors are already well known. 

Who is on your list? What delightful authors have I yet to discover???