Merry Wanderer of the Night [Search results for top ten] 

Here is another post where I attempt to gather as much of the awesome Contemporary happenings into one place! As always, I know there are going to be things that I've missed, so if you've written anything about Contemporary YA at any point in November and you think I missed it, please let me know and I will add it to the post!

REVIEWS:

Candace @ Candace's Book Blog — Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen and Boyfriends with Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez

Audrey @ Holes in My Brain — Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

The Book Faerie — Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Young Readers — The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Ashley @ The Bookish Brunette — The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Giselle @ Xpresso Reads — June of Rock by Elisa Ludwig

Katie's Book Blog — Past Perfect by Lelia Sales

L.L. @ The Story Girl — Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Bonnie @ A Backwards Story — Rhymes with Cupid by Anna Humphrey and North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

Jen @ Almost Grown Up — Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Racquel @ The Book Barbies — Love Story by Jennifer Echols and Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Geianne @ We Fancy Books — Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn and Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Sarah @ The Hiding Spot — Saving June by Hannah Harrington,

Jenny @ The Mimosa Stimulant — Saving June by Hannah Harrington and Dancergirl by Carol Tanzman

Ginger @ Greads — Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Hannah @ Paperback Treasures — Lie by Caroline Bock

A Life Bound By Books — Every Me, Every You by David Levithan and Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

Amanda @ Born Bookish — Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Steph @ Steph: Short & Sweet — All That Matters by Youseph Tanha

Ali @ Ali's Bookshelf — Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

Somer @ A Bird's Eye Review — Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard and the Perfect Chemistry Series by Simone Elkeles

Kate @ Literary Explorations — Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler, Past Perfect by Lelia Sales Stolen by Lucy Christopher and Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Lindsi @ Books, Sweets, and Other Treats — Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Laura @ The Reading Nook — If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

Jess @ Jess Hearts Books — Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Ellie @ Curiosity Killed the Bookworm — Hidden by Miriam Halahmy

Jacinda @ The Reading Housewives — Friendship on Fire — Danielle Weiler (and a giveaway!) and I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler

Kalia @ Reading the Best of the Best — Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John, How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr, Love Story by Jennifer Echols, Secrets of My Hollywood Life (and it's sequel, On Location) by Jen Calonita

Evie @ Bookish — Playground by 50 Cent

Sarah @ Sarah's Books & Life — OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

A.J. @ Collections — The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour and Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Samual @ Books for All Seasons — The Education of Hailey Kendrick by Eileen Cook

The Book Muncher — Past Perfect by Lelia Sales, Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw, Brother/Sister by Sean Olin and Going Underground by Susan Vaught

Farah & Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf — Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter (book 4 in a series) and The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Emma @ Novel Minded — Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu, Every You, Every Me by David Levithan and If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

Cristina — The Princess of Story Land — How to Rock Braces and Glasses by Meg Haston

Liz @ Consumed by Books — Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Kelsey @ The Book Scout — Zitface by Emily Howse and Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Meredith and Erin @ Mint Tea and a Good Book — I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler and Paper Towns by John Green

Jen @ I Read Banned Books — Au Revoir Crazy European Chick by Joe Schrieber

Kristen @ Strawberry Splash Reviews — Brooklyn Burning by Steve Brezenoff

Nina @ We Adore Happy Endings — Bliss by Lauren Myracle and Reality Check by Jen Calonita

Annette @ Annette's Book Spot — Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

Dustin @ Dustin Disco — The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle and I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

AUTHORS:

Jacinda @ The Reading Housewives interviewed Danielle Weiler (with a giveaway!)

Katie @ Bookishly Yours interviewed Hannah Harrington (with a giveaway!)

Erika @ One a Day YA interviewed Miranda Kenneally

Jen @ I Read Banned Books interviewed Joe Schrieber

Alice @ Alice Marvels Interviewed Carol Tanzman

Hannah @ Paperback Treasure has a guest post from Hannah Harrington

Mary @ Anxirium has a guest post about swoon-worthy boys from Jillian Dodd

Ginger @ Greads! interviewed John Corey Whaley (with a giveaway!)

GIVEAWAYS:

Candace @ Candace's Book Blog is giving away a signed ARC of Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Lena @ Addicted to Novels is giving away two Romantic Contemps!

DISCUSSION:

Kristen @ Strawberry Splash Reviews talks YA Contemporary Books with Real Issues

Samual @ Books for all Seasons talks about Remembrances of Sisterhood in Contemp

Katelyn @ Katelyn's Book Blog Top 11 Swoon-worthy Boys

Jacinda @ The Reading Housewives Top 9 Swoon-worthy Boys

Mandie Baxter's Top Ten Swoon-worthy Boys

Kathy @ I Write, I Read, I Review Top Five Faves & Most Anticipated

Adam @ Roof Beam Reader Top Five Faves & Most Anticipated

Bonnie @ A Backwards Story Top Ten Anticipated Contemps

Ginger @ Greads! Top Ten Favorites

Kailia @ Reading the Best of the Best — What I Want To See More Of

Nikki @ Paper Dreams Top Ten Problem Novels

Kristen @ Strawberry Splash Reviews Top Ten Summer Contemporaries

Mary @ Anxirium Top Ten Cutest Couples

Ariel @ The Librarian's Bookshelf Top Ten Contemp I Need to Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a new meme at The Broke and Bookish. This week's top ten is top ten desert island picks, or what books would you take if you were stranded on a desert island.

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I've read this book three times and I could read again and again never getting sick of it. Definitely desert island worthy. (I'd actually bring the illustrated version with pictures by Dame Darcy)
2. The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. I love this and I think it'd be nice to have at least one graphic novel with my while I was stranded, in case I decided to start drawing in a cave or something.
3. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman. This collection isn't my favorite by Klosterman but it is hilarious and I know I'd be laughing out loud the whole time I was reading it, which I'd probably need if I was stranded. I mean, who else is going to make me laugh? Plus my copy is signed, so if I crazed Klosterman fan with a boat appeared I might be able to use it to barter.
4. The Next American Essay Ed. by John D'Agata. I've actually had to read several selections from this for two classes but there is so much to explore in it. It's a whopper of essays, some I love, some I hate, and all of them I'd like to get to know better.
5. Middlemarch by George Eliot. This novel is huge and I read it last fall for a class. I loved the book then, but since I was reading so many other things for school I don't think I really gave it the attention it deserved.
6. Notes From No Man's Land by Eula Biss. Favorite essay collection. Ever. Will read it until I die.
7. The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. I figure a lot of her poems are about being alone so maybe I'd find some solace in this book.
8. Moments of Being by Virginia Woolf. I have read a lot of Woolf but for me nothing is better than her autobiographical works.
9. Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby. I haven't actually read this but I'm a huge fan of Nick Hornby and his (returned!) column. He always delivers laughs and deep thinking so I'm sure I would enjoy this one.
10. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Okay, I really gave a lot of thought to this one, but it's so romantic and depressing I think I'd just have to take it with me. You know something to keep you one your toes on a desert island. Besides snakes and sharks and the like.

So what would you pick? Join in at The Broke and Bookish!

Top Ten Tuesday is one of my favorite memes/features. It's hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. I don't participate all that often, but sometimes the topic just speaks to me, and I just have to participate. Getting some attention on 10 of my favorite books that I don't think enough people read isn't something I can pass up.:)

So here are my Top Ten AWESOME books that I think more people need to know about:

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder — While I do prefer Lisa's The Day Before, it's been getting a lot of attention lately. Lisa is one of my very favorite verse writers. She's incredible, and I don't think enough people have read her.

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert — It's not often that a writer can make a solid & life long fan of me in just one book, but this book did that and more. It's such a strong and powerful book. The book itself is marvelous, but the addition of the individual character Ballads — absolutely stunning. (My review)

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick — I don't really know how many people are aware of this book, but I can tell you right now that it's not enough. This is one of the most phenomenally written books I've ever read. The relationship between the main character and his four year old brother just touched my heart. I love the strength of family here. I probably won't recommend this one to moms... Something about reading four year old with cancer is harder for moms with young kids (my sister avoids them like the plague) but for everyone else — This book is amazing.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta — Well, Melina Marchetta in general actually. Her better known book, Jellicoe Road is one of my favorite books of all time. And, given that it won a Printz award, I'm surprised it's not better known. But, given that Saving Francesca isn't as well know, it's my 'official' pick for Ms. Marchetta. But really, if I could get every person on the planet to read a Marchetta book, I'm pretty sure I could die happy. She's... She's... Well, words just can't describe her. I LOVE her books. So go read it. (Here is my review if you need more convincing.)

Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott — This could just as easily have been The Swan Kingdom (my review) , because both are legitimately amazing novels, but I think I like Daughter just a teensy bit more. But Zoe is another of those writers that I just gush over. And guess what, she's not contemporary! Gasp, I know! She writes fantasy! The Swan Kingdom is a fairy tale retelling, but Daughter is straight up fantasy, and boy does it rock my socks off! So, you should go read it!!

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson — Laurie is incredibly well known for her amazing novel, Speak and I feel that sometimes, her other books get lost in its wake. But if I'm being honest, I think that Twisted is even better than Speak. There is no argument on the importance of Speak and the fact that it's amazing, powerful and important. But Twisted is all of those things too, but somehow, just a little bit stronger. It is also one of the absolute best male pov characters I have ever read from a female author.

Wise Child by Monica Furlong — I don't know that I've ever talked to another person who has read this book (other than my sister, who I stole it from as a kid) but it's a great book. It's fantasy, but it's not heavy or intense like much fantasy tends to be. As I've mentioned before, I did not like fantasy when I was a kid and if I knew a book was fantasy, I usually wouldn't even start it. But I loved this book. I've read it numerous times and love it just as much every time.

The Novels of a Kingdom by Cynthia Voigt — Best known for her brilliant Tillerman Saga, Cynthia Voigt also wrote a series of novels set within the same kingdom, each about two generations apart. And again, I don't know very many people who have read them. But they are phenomenal! Strong characters, believable interactions and wonderful plot lines. There are 4 novels, Jackaroo, On Fortune's Wheel, The Wings of a Falcon and Elske. Each is its own story, but there are subtle traces that carry over from one to the next. I loved finding each of these connections and am definitely due for a reread of these four soon.

Tenderness by Robert Cormier — This is such a strange and interesting book that left me incredibly conflicted. The bad guy here is also the main character and he is very, very bad. He rapes and murders women and his manipulation of the system made my stomach turn. But somehow, I also liked him. It shocked me immensely, but I was left very conflicted by the end. (My review)

You Don't Know Me by David Klass — This is another book I haven't heard anything from anyone else about. I bought it on impulse at the library during my internship, because it looked barely used, I didn't have hardly any of my own books with me, and it was only like 50 cents. And it's probably one of the best impulse buys ever. It's a very well written book, one that definitely touched me and one that I want to read again soon. Give this one a chance. It is so worth it.

There you have it. My top ten, today at least. I thought about, and almost included an honorable mention list for the titles I couldn't include, but when that became longer than my actual list, I figured I had to stop.

Have you read any of my ten? Link me to yours so I can come check 'em out! I'm always looking for new hidden gems to read and love!

Shannon is another of my favorite blogging buddies. She blogs over at Books Devoured and her blog makes me happy. She has two kids and they contribute to the blog sometimes too! I love that she includes her kids! And she is also one of my very most favorite people to talk to!! She is just super awesome and amazing, and she doesn't judge Mean Ashley... :) She has put together an awesome top ten list for you today!

Top Ten Quotes:

This week topic was Top Ten Lists and I tried to think a little outside the box. Here are my top 10 favorite quotes from Contemporary Novels. Though the quotes I have chosen are from books that were not released this year, they are all ones that I have read for the first time this year. My top 3 all happen to be from Looking for Alaska by John Green!

10. “Moments, when lost, can't be found again. They're just gone.”
― Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty

9. “Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?”
― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

8. “Every story is part of a whole, entire life, you know? Happy and sad and tragic and whatever, but an entire life. And books let you know them.”
― Sarah Ockler, Twenty Boy Summer

7. “When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

6. “I mean, really. Who sends their kid to boarding school? It's so Hogwarts. Only mine doesn't have cute boy wizards or magic candy or flying lessons.”
― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

5. “You should never be surprised when someone treats you with respect, you should expect it.”
― Sarah Dessen, Keeping the Moon

4. “You have to know what you stand for, not just what you stand against.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

3. “I wanted to be one of those people who have streaks to maintain, who scorch the ground with their intensity. But for now, at least I knew such people, and they needed me, just like comets need tails.”
― John Green, Looking for Alaska

2. “Thomas Edison's last words were 'It's very beautiful over there'. I don't know where there is, but I believe it's somewhere, and I hope it's beautiful.”
― John Green, Looking for Alaska

1. “So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane.”
― John Green, Looking for Alaska

I love this post Shannon! I do wish that I paid more attention to specific quotes within books, but I totally agree that these are amazing quotes, definitely ones that I love as well!

in my blog for a full listing of tour details!! Today I have Matt Blackstone here, author of A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie to talk with us about his top choices for road trip songs! Keep an eye out for more awesome posts from Matt and the characters in the book (including a hilarious look at what Tweets between the two main characters would look like) and my review will also be posted soon. So now, Matt!!

Top Ten Road Trip Songs

#10. "Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty. Every time I hear that song, I think of Tom Cruise as Jerry Maguire, driving home after he thinks he's landed stud client, "Cush" (Jerry O'Connell), the soon-to-be top choice in the NFL. Cruise is cruising down the highway (sorry, couldn't resist), wind in his hair, all his troubles seemingly behind him as he belts out: And I'm Free... Free Fallin'...

Note: "Into the Great Wide Open" by Tom Petty could also serve as #10 on this list, because it's the same exact song.

#9. "It's the End of the World as We Know It" by R.E.M. The beauty of this song is that nobody knows any of the words—except the part where he slows down to say “Leonard Bernstein.” Actually, until I looked up the lyrics a few minutes ago, I thought he said, "Land, Earth, Bernstein," which makes absolutely no sense, but I sang it anyway, from the top of my lungs, to impress everyone with my lyrical skills. I now know that it backfired.

#8. “Wild World” by Cat Stevens. It was a better road trip song when I thought it was called "Wide World" (yes, I also just learned this), but it's still a hell of a song from a guy who went on one too many road trips.

#7. The Beatles. Any song by them. Enough said.

#6. “Regulate” by Warren G. and Nate Dogg. Nobody will confuse Nate Dogg with The Beatles, but thanks to the JCC camp bus, I know all the words:

It was a clear black night, a clear white moon
Warren G was on the streets, trying to consume
Some skirts for the eve, so I can get some funk
Just rollin' in my ride, chillin' all alone

Before you rush to judgment about its placement as #6, consider that it does have a driving component. He was rollin’ in his ride, chillin’ by himself. And then he “hooks a left on the 21 and Lewis”:

So I hooks a left on the 21 and Lewis
Some brothas shootin' dice so I said "Let's do this"
I jumped out the ride,
And said "What's up?"
Some brothas pulled some gats so I said "I'm stuck."

The best part-- — yup, I haven't even gotten to the best part yet of the song-- — is that Warren G. and Nate Dogg sound so different: Warren G. is a Snoop Dogg protégé (and cousin, I think), deep sounding and straight-talking, while Nate Dogg (I know it gets confusing with all the Doggs but follow me here) is high-pitched and melodic and smooth, so you can change voices and pitches along the way.

#5. “Freebird” by Lynyrd Synyrd

Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you'll never change.
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can't change.
Lord help me, I can't change.

Freedom and change. Yup, that bodes well for a road trip.

#4. "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. I know, I know, it's overplayed, but unlike many of the songs listed above, it has so many twists and turns, low notes, and screeches, and it takes up eight minutes of the trip.

#3. "Under the Sea" by Sebastian (from The Little Mermaid)
Laugh it up... but Da road trip is always greena... with Sebastian

#2. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynard. Even if you aren’t headed to Alabama, this one’s a classic.

#1: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. Thank you, Wayne’s World, by teaching me (and the other passengers) how to headbang to this song: Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, Galileo... I can’t think of any other song that makes you say, “Hey everybody, here it comes, get ready, get ready, okay... I see a little silhouette of a man... "

Side Note #1: "Road Trippin'" by Red Hot Chili Peppers really wants to be in the top ten list, but it tries too hard. Aside from the title, read these lyrics:

Road trippin' with my two favorite allies
Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies
It's time to leave this town
It's time to steal away
Let's go get lost
Anywhere in the U.S.A.

It’s a bit much. Then again, their name is Red Hot Chili Peppers. Chili Peppers would’ve sufficed, as would Hot Peppers, or just plain-old Peppers.

Side Note #2: Speaking of wordiness, look no further than Sean Combs/Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/Diddy/Diddy Dirty Money for the worst road trip song: “I’m Coming Home.” If you want so desperately to come home, the road trip was lame. Or it was a nightmare (see A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie)

LOVE THIS!! Oh goodness! I'm laughing so hard! I know quite a few of these songs already, but the ones I'm not familiar with are definitely ones I'll be looking up soon! Thanks so much for stopping by today Matt!

And remember readers, don't forget to check out the rest of the tour and check back for my review, to come soon!

This week at the Broke and Bookish we're talking about our top ten favorite book blogs. Since I was listed on their top ten I will definitely have to share the love! These are in no particular order.

1. The Broke and Bookish. I love the idea for this blog! It's great that they have multiple bloggers because each one has a different way of reviewing and reads different books. Lots of variety here!
2. Reading on a Rainy Day. Quite a few reviews of books dealing with India, which is different from other blogs out there. She really has eclectic taste and has reviewed some great books this year, including The Bell Jar which I love. I always come away with something I want to read.
3. 1330V. You can always count on this blog for really thoughtful posts about reading and great reviews on an assortment of books. Quite a few graphic novel reviews and lots of books I've never heard of before!
4. Sophisticated Dorkiness. A journalist and book lover blogs about mostly nonfiction. This is the only book review blog I can think of that focuses on nonfiction and that is part of the reason I love it. Since I found Sophisticated Dorkiness I have started to review more nonfiction myself because it's my favorite genre as well!
5. Sasha & the Silverfish. Sasha was one of the first blogs I read when I started blogging. Her posts are long but wonderful. It's like discussion in an English class, except you don't have to worry about getting a grade! Lots of great books here.
6. A Literary Odyssey. This blog attempts to read 250 classics and does multiple posts on quite a few of them. I like that about this blog because you get to hear so much more about her thoughts on a book than you would with just one post. With classics I think that works really well.
7. Drunk Literature. On a bit of a hiatus right now but still one of my favorite book blogs. Rebecca blogs about more than books, that includes art, music, and just what's she into at the moment. She has great taste!
8. A Guy's Moleskine Notebook. He reviews quite a few classics but also a lot of newer books so there is a lot of variety. The reviews are very thoughtful and specific, and he is great at starting discussions.
9. The Displaced English Major. Similarly to A Literary Odyssey this blog is trying to read a list of 100 books. I've been amazed at how patient she can be with books she doesn't really care for. She's read some fairly obscure titles so be sure to check out her thoughts!
10. Iris on Books. I didn't find Iris until this summer but it's quickly become one of my favorite book blogs. She reviews mostly literature and classics, but I really enjoy her posts about reading. She's funny too!

There are a lot more I'd like to list. Basically, check out any blog in my blogroll and know that I love what they do!

Today's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish is a freebie — Choose your own adventure style. I was trying to decide if I wanted to participate this week (2 in a row, what?!) but wasn't sure what to go with. And then it hit me — Top Ten Authors I will read everything they will ever publish, even if everything I read from this point on sucks. But then I thought, this is really a list of authors who should be glad I only think about becoming a stalker... Ahem. So, my list of authors who will never escape their Ashley readership:

1. Mary Higgins Clark — MHC gets the top spot on this list because jr. high Ashley was obsessed with the Queen of Suspense. Like, seriously, obsessed. My mom handed me Pretend You Don't See Her at age 11/12 to shut me up about not having anything to read & I was hooked. I read everything she had ever published. I now own almost all of her (suspense) books and I've read all but her 3 newest (I think). I haven't been as impressed with the more recent releases I have read, which is part of why I've been slow getting to these others, but I will read every suspense novel she releases. Childhood obsessions tend to be like that.

2. Melina Marchetta — Alright, come on. Are you really going to make me explain this one again? Like, seriously?! Not like I don't talk about her enough. Jellicoe Road blew my freaking mind. Seriously guys. And everything I've read by her since then just hits me in that absolutely perfect way. Sigh.

3. Lisa Schroeder — I've read 4 out of 5 of Lisa's published works and I have yet to be disappointed. As far as I am concerned, this woman can do no wrong. As far as verse novels go — Genius, thy name is Lisa.

4. Laurie Halse Anderson/ Gayle Forman — I know! Cheater face, right?! But I'm listing them together because I feel very similarly about them — the books I've read of theirs have been life-changing good. So good, I want to put copies of every book into every single person's hand & make them read it. But they do have books in their back list that are either genres or story lines I'm not at all interested in (travel-logish, something & save the animals... Umm... Sorry. But, I... no.) But I will absolutely read anything these two women right in Contemporary YA (and Historical Fiction for LHA) Both of these women truly understand what it means to write.

5. Marcus Zusak — The Book Thief is one of those books that hits you. Hard. I don't remember loving it as much as I'd expected to once I finished the book, but as time passes, I find myself loving it more and more. I was also amazed by I Am the Messenger and I can't wait to read more of his back list. LOVE.

6. Kirsten Hubbard — Her debut, Like Mandarin was one of the best books I've read in a long time. (Umm... Hooray for Contemp YA that isn't centered around a love story!!) It isn't as well known as it should be and I so wish more people would learn of this amazing book & love her. Her next book, Wanderlove releases in 2012, & seriously guys — I joined Netgalley to read this book, something I've been putting off since I very first started blogging. So... Ya.

7. Zoe Marriott — I've read her two US releases and have a UK edition of Shadows on the Moon just calling to me and man, is this woman amazing! I freaking love her writing. She is very deserving of her place on this list. She writes fairy tale retellings and fantasy, and something about her writing just speaks to me and demands to be loved. Also, she is the only author on this list who writes Fantasy w/ no Contemp at all. (says a lot there, don't ya think?)

8. Stephanie Kuehnert — I've only read Ballads of Suburbia, but that doesn't matter. I know it's only one book, but I will read anything this woman writes because this book hit me that hard. So, you know... You should probably go read it. I own I Wanna be Your Joey Ramone and every time I see it on my shelf, my fingers twitch a little, just dying to pick it up.

9. Sharon Creech — Another childhood favorite. Sharon Creech has quite a few books on my childhood favorites list, as well as several others that are also on my all-time favorites list. I just love her writing and her characters and her stories and... well, just everything. She has a few books that I didn't love quite as much, but overall, I genuinely love her.

10. Khaled Hossieni — This man's books hurt. But oh my goodness. It is so worth it. The experience of these books is something that I can't imagine missing. He is a powerful writer and while his books are adult and are books that I can't recommend to everyone (because they are intense and can be graphic, although never gratuitous) they are also amazing and phenomenal and insanely emotional. I will read anything he ever writes and be grateful that I can.

Honorable Mention — Ellen Hopkins — I love Ellen's writing. She is a phenomenal poet and her stories are so strong and so amazing. Even when I read them and feel like her agenda is oozing from the pages (something that is normally very off-putting to me) I still find myself so wrapped up in the story that I overlook it and love it anyway. The reason that she isn't on my list is because, while she should probably be grateful I'm not a stalker, I already know that I won't be reading everything she writes. I'm a little iffy on her adult book coming out, Triangles, but she has one book that I didn't like for various reasons and a companion novel will be released soon, that I won't be reading and I will avoid any future novels with those characters. So, she's very close.:) LOVE her.

There are so many authors who easily could have made this list. I'm sitting here thinking Oh Ya! Oh YA!! OH! YA!... And, things of that nature. And kinda wishing this had been more than 10 people long. Because there are so many authors whom I just adore! You have any authors you will read until the day you die and/or dream about stalking for their used coffee cups at night?

(Also, let it be known that I am very aware this is not my best written post ever. I repeat my self a lot and there are probably sentences that make very little sense. But, in my defense, I was exhausted as I wrote this, and come on — be serious... It's a post whose sole purpose is for me to ramble and gush and squee about my favorite authors. Umm, duh...)

I don't participate in the meme over at The Broke and the Bookish very often — it's pretty sporadic. But every so often, the topic is such that I must share. Today's topic is the Top Ten Books that Came Recommended. Basically, those books I never would have read without someone pushing it into my hands and demanding that I 'go'. To be honest, most of the books I read, especially before I started blogging, are books that I found for myself. But, there definitely are some books out there that I wouldn't have read without that extra little push. So — here they are.

1) Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta — Anyone who has followed me on Twitter for any length of time knows that I am almost obsessively in love with this book. It's one of those books that ruins you for anything else for a while, because nothing, and I mean nothing can match the brilliance that is this book. I read this book because it won the 2009 Printz Award. So, it's not really a recommendation, because it didn't come from a specific person, but I'm counting it, because I love it. With all my heart I love it, and I would never have known about it without that list.
(The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart gets an honorable mention for the exact same reason)

2) Pretend You Don't See Her by Mary Higgins Clark — I've talked about this one before, but my mom handed me this book when I was 11/12 because I wouldn't stop whining about needing something to read. I devoured it and went right back to my mom begging for more. I was in love with MHC for years. I've read all but her newest couple releases, and there is still something comforting about going back and reading those old favorites again.

3) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak — This is one that I probably would have picked up on my own without a recommendation, but it would have taken me a lot longer to learn about it, and to get it actually read. It was all over Goodreads for a long time, and it seemed like everyone I talked to on that site constantly raved about this book. I remember checking it out from the library at least three times, but never managing to get it read before it was came due again. I finally just sat down to read it, and it blew my mind away. I loved it. Thank you random Goodread friends.

4) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer — I don't care what all you haters say. In my experience, most of those who profess deep and undying hatred for this series were among the most ardent fans when it was 'cool' to like these books. This is not my normal read. When my friend recommended the book to me, I didn't even need to give her the 'look' before she was stumbling over her words, telling me why it wasn't as bad as it sounded. So, I read it. And I really enjoyed it. It's not some great piece of literary fiction. But it's never claimed to be. It's a teenage vampire love story for crying out loud! Read it to be entertained. Stephenie Meyer tells a great story, even if her characters would totally suck in real life. This is also the book that made me decide it was okay to give Paranormal fiction a chance. (still don't love it, but I enjoy it upon occasion)

5) The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley — This is another set I've mentioned before. I hated fantasy when I was younger. I thought I was 'above' the genre, and refused to read it. My friend in 8th grade bribed me to read these two books and I loved them. They changed the way I read.

6) Enchantment by Orson Scott Card — This is one of my older sister's very favorite books. (She actually talks about it in a guest post) It's a retelling of Sleeping Beauty set between ancient Ukranie/Russia and modern America. It's a powerful read and one that has become one of my favorite fairy tale retellings. It's amazing.

7) The Kite Runner- by Khaled Hosseini — This is another book that I saw mentioned on Goodreads all the time. Everyone who read it seemed moved by it, and I wanted to better understand what everyone was talking about. So I read it, and let me tell you — I didn't remember the last time that I had been so incredibly moved by a book. It broke my heart. And Hosseini's second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns just might be even better.

8) Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan — This is a series that was first recommended to my by my 15 year old brother. He loves this series, and has been trying to convince me to read it for a while now. Then, one of my groups on Goodreads read it as a group read, and I decided that I might as well read it. I wasn't expecting anything more than moderate enjoyment, but wow! I haven't been this caught up in a fantasy story like this in a long while. There were some inconsistencies and things in the story, but I was so caught up in the lives of these young characters that I didn't really care. It was such a fun read, and now I can't wait to continue the series!

9) The Book by M. Clifford — This is a by-choice self-published novel (as in, the author didn't seek and doesn't want an actual publishing contract) that I would never have heard of without Lori from The Next Best Book Blog. She reviewed this book, a dystopian novel about a society where the government has taken complete control of the written word by making printed books illegal (environmental hazard/damage) and put all literature into one e-reader, called 'The Book'. The main character accidentally learns that they are really censoring the books, removing 'undesireable' words, phrases, or pages **cough**newHuckFinntranslation**cough**. This is an especially scary dystopian novel, because it could really happen. I won a copy on Lori's blog and read straight through this one. It would have been a shame to have missed this.

10) A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb — This is a book that I didn't expect to like. I had heard a lot of people on Goodreads talk about it, and grabbed it from the library on a whim. (this is something I do regularly. I have over 300 books sitting in my bedroom right now that I could/should be reading, but I will go to the library fairly often and just walk up and down the aisles, grabbing books that look interesting. Some I read right away, some I never read at all...) Anyway... I grabbed a copy of this and brought it home, but didn't expect much. A few days later, I was getting ready for bed and needed to pick out my book for the next day. (I was living in Arlington, VA at the time, and worked in DC). I had an hour+ commute to and from work, and a book was a must. So, I grabbed a few library books from the piles in my room and decided that I would read the first few pages and take whatever book grabbed my attention. I started with this book and told myself I'd stop after 3 6 10 20 one more chapter just one more okay, one more maybe two more just one more just till this part is over. And then, suddenly, the book was done, it was way later than I should have been going to bed, and I still didn't have anything to read on my commute. This one was awesome!

So, there you have it. Those are my top ten books I'm so glad you forced me to read. What are yours?! I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment, so I can come check out your top lists and add some more books to my insanely large tbr pile!

I thought it would be fun to look at book covers. I'll give you several topic ideas--and you can choose which you'd like to do.

Compare/contrast international covers. Which do you like best?
Compare/contrast covers in a series. Does it drive you crazy when the cover concept changes over time as a series is published?
Compare/contrast cover changes between hardcover/paperback. Which do you like best?
Compile a top ten (or top five) list for the UGLIEST covers...
Compile a top ten (or top five) list for the PRETTIEST covers...
Compile a look alike post. Have you noticed a new or not-so-new trend? Like flowers on the cover?
Does one of your favorite books have an unfortunate cover? Write a post on why we should read it anyway! Or if you're feeling creative, 'create' a better cover for it!

You see that title right there? That is a brave thing to undertake, to break down into ten specific (but not too specific) categories the types of Contemporary YA currently available. And let me tell you, this is not easy. Seriously. First I struggled to come up with ten unique categories and then I struggled to limit myself to only ten. And I'll tell you right now, a lot of these categories within Contemporary overlap and touch each other and share. So I'm going with the category that most strongly describes the book, not necessarily the only one.

Also, I feel like I need to point out that I'm not really an expert on all things Contemporary, (although I like to seem like I am sometimes) so you might disagree with the categories I've created, and might disagree with some of the categories I've combined. But whatevs. This is me talking and this is what I think. Also- This is one time that I have not read each of the books listed. The ones I haven't read are one that I am dying to read and have (for the most part) also heard good things about. * marks those I have not yet read.
(Also, forgive the slightly wonky layout on this one... I wanted to have at least one picture for each category & it's messing w/ me layout a bit.)

1. Drugs/Pain (emotional or physical)
Crank/Glass/Fallout by Ellen Hopkins, Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert, Scars by Cheryl Rainfield, Willow by Julia Hoban, Break by Hannah Moskowitz

2. Abuse(non bfgf relationship)/'Hard Life' (general tough stuff)
Identical (sexual abuse and etc) and Tricks (teenage prostitution) by Ellen Hopkins, Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman (online predators), Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (rape), Stolen by Lucy Christopher (kidnapping), *What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen (abusive father), *Shine by Lauren Myracle (hate crime)

3. Death/Suicide
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, *Saving June by Hannah Harrington, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, If I Stay by Gayle Forman, My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Maston, Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers, Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

4. Romance/Relationships (both good and bad)
Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Perfect Chemistry series by Simone Elkeles, the books of Sarah Dessen, books by Jennifer Echols, Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan *Stay by Deb Caletti, Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn,

5. Funny
Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman, Girl v. Boy by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout, Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

6. Music/Arts
I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert, Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez, Audition by Stasia Kehoe, Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley, *Amplified by Tara Kelly, When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer, *Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer

7. Depression/Mental Illness
Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta, It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler, Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly, The Babysitter Murders by Janet Ruth Young, Rules by Cynthia Lord

8. Physical Illness/Disability/Body Image
Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John (also belongs in Music...) , Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt, Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going,

9. Parents/Family
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby, Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott, Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt, Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonneblick, *We the Animals by Justin Torres, Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens (this should really probably be in Romance, but her dad is so creeptastic, I had to include it here).

10. Life/Friendship/General Coming of Age (also includes too many categories to put in one place)
Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley, The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder, Past Perfect by Lelia Sales, Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

There are, of course, smaller categories that are worth mentioning, but a little too specific for this post. Things like Road Trip Novels, Mystery/Thriller (this one really should have been listed, but I only had ten spots), Novels in Verse or Novels that take Place in only One Day/Night etc. There are lots of places to take a list like this, but I tried to do the ten broadest categories I could think of.

I also left out a lot of examples for each topic area. Seriously. These were only the ones that immediately came to mind. I could have listed so many more!

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Recommendations for me to fill in the gaps in my own reading list? Any of my *not yet read books you think I need to push up my list?

This week at the Broke and Bookish the list is top ten books I can't believe I've never read. Up until last night The Catcher in the Rye would have made the top of my list, but I finished it last night! Finally I can stop pretending I've read that book!

1. 1984 by George Orwell. I've read tons of other dystopian novels but I just haven't read this one. Most people read it in high school but we had three choices and I chose a different book. Must read this within the next year.
2. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I just haven't given much thought to this book but I'd like to read it someday.
3. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I started this book and got about 100 pages in, and just stopped. It's not that I didn't enjoy it I just don't think it was the right time for me to read it.
4. Anything by Ian McEwan. I keep hearing his praises and haven't read anything by him. I guess I'm really missing out!
5. Anything by Charles Dickens. I've taken three Victorian Lit classes and still no Dickens! How am I supposed to get through one of those things without the support of a classroom?
6. Oranges by John McPhee. Basically I just need to read more John McPhee. Because he is amazing.
7. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. A die hard Jane Eyre fan like me?!? And this book is super short, must read it!
8. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. I've tried reading this book several times and just haven't been able to get into it yet. But I want to read it so badly!
9. IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas by Chuck Klosterman. I was amazingly excited when this book came out and I still haven't even bought it... four years later. And I love Chuck Klosterman. What kind of fan am I?
10. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins! Okay, so it didn't come out until today, but why am I blogging and not reading it right now?!?!

Today's guest post is with Barbara Quick, author of A Golden Web (read my review here) . Barbara is joining us today to share her:

Top Ten (Dead) Historical Figures You Would Like to Have Dinner With

1. Mozart
Dinner would be long and leisurely, with half a dozen of his best friends and a piano in the room. Mozart would be prevailed upon to improvise between courses.

2. Oscar Wilde
I picture this in a villa on the Amalfi coast, with a houseful of witty guests (to take the pressure off of me!)

3. Henry James
The Master and I would drink tea together beforehand in a beautiful English garden, speaking quietly about our favorite flowers.

4. Jane Austen
I would whisk Jane off to Paris for a picnic dinner—including the finest fois gras and a gorgeous Burgundy—on Midsummer’s Night by the banks of the Seine.

5. The young Joseph Haydn
The composer would be overjoyed with the feast I would order up for the two of us in 18th century Vienna’ s finest restaurant. I’ d make sure he was allowed to take a huge doggy-bag home with him, along with glad tidings from the future.

6. Antoine-Brillat de Savarin
I would eat and listen raptly during a meal that would, without doubt, last for several hours.

7. Thomas Jefferson
We would both be guests at a ball at the American Consulate in Paris. Dinner would be served at 11 pm.

8. Anna Maria dal Violin
I would bribe the Portinara and arrange for a gondola at sunset for Anna Maria and her closest friends. The King of Denmark and Norway would lend us his private chef for the evening. Vivaldi (after being paid a huge sum of money) would serenade us with his violin.

9. Catherine of Aragon
We would speak—very frankly, tete-à-tete—about men.

10. Queen Elizabeth I
The after-dinner entertainment would include the first act of a new play by William Shakespeare.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday at The Broke and Bookish is favorite book quotes. Luckily I have a lot of these! In no particular order:

1. "I had that terrible feeling you get when you realize that you're stuck with who you are, and there's nothing you can do about it. I mean, you can make characters up, like I did when I became like a Jane Austen-y person on New Year's Eve, and that gives you some time off. But it's impossible to keep it going for long." A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
2. "Sometimes, I look outside, and I think that a lot of other people have seen this snow before. Just like I think that a lot of other people have read those books before. And listened to those songs. I wonder how they feel tonight." The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
3. "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you." Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
4. "Sometimes I think that knowledge--when it's knowledge for knowledge's sake, anyway--is the worst of all. The least excusable certainly." Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
5. "It is simply wrong to love music halfway." Perfect From Now On by John Sellers (I love this book! I've never mentioned this on her before because I forgot but I really, really love this book!)
6. "And so now, having been born, I'm going to rewind the film, so that my pink blanket flies off, my crib scoots across the floor as my umbilical cord reattaches, and I cry out as I'm sucked back between my mother's legs. She gets really fat again. Then back some more as a spoon stops swinging and a thermometer goes back into its velvet case. Sputnik chases its rocket trail back to the launching pad and polio stalks the land. There's a quick shot of my father as a twenty-year-old clarinetist, playing an Artie Shaw number into the phone, and then he's in church, age eight, being scandalized by the price of candles; and next my grandfather is untaping his first U.S. dollar bill over a cash register in 1931. Then we're out of American completely; we're in the middle of the ocean, the sound track sounding funny in reverse. A steamship appears, and up on a deck a lifeboat is curiously rocking; but then the boat docks, stern first, and we're up on dry land again, where the film unspoolls, back at the beginning..." Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
7. "Youth and death shed a halo through which it is difficult to see a real face--a face one might see today in the street or here in my studio." Moments of Being by Virginia Woolf
8. "Everything she said was like a secret voice speaking straight out of my own bones." The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
9. "If I broke down here, what would that mean/ Was I not as strong as my father had been?/ But I think I can fight this all on my own/ With a handful of happiness that never was shown/" The Doctor's Waiting Room by Joshua Partington, Part of the anthology Revolution on Canvas
10. "Buy why think about that when all the golden land's ahead of you and all kinds of unforeseen events wait lurking to surprise you and make you glad you're alive to see?" On the Road by Jack Kerouac

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This week's Top Ten Tuesday at the Broke and Bookish is hilarious book titles. I searched for most of these on Amazon's Self Help section and Harlequin romance's website. They're in no particular order.

1. The Happiness Project: Or, Why I sepnt a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin This actually sounds like something I would try to pull off, which makes it more hilarious.
2. Accidentally the Sheik's Wife by Barbara McMahon I'm not really sure how you accidentally become anyone's wife, and I'm very curious as to why they chose a sheikh. Mixing things up a bit?
3. Cattle Rancher, Convenient Wife by Margaret Way Why anyone would want to read a romance about a convenient wife is beyond me.
4. Falling for Mr. Dark and Dangerous by Donna Alward I find this funny because in general most romance novels are about falling for someone dark and dangerous.
5. Memo: Marry Me? by Jennie Adams
6. Finn's Pregnant Bride and the Paternity Claim by Sharon Kendrick Sounds like a subtitle on a daytime TV show.
7. The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Laura Schlessinger You might think this is a romance novel, but it's actually a self-help book. Apparently there are a lot of starving dirty husbands out there.
8. Why Men Marry Bitches: A Woman's Guide to Winning Her Man's Heart by Sherry Argov Well, from the title I assume the answer is to act like a bitch. Hope that works out for you.
9. Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy If the key to stop procrastinating is eating frogs then I think I'll just keep procrastinating.
10. Will I Ever Be Good Enough?: Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers by Karyl McBride I don't know why exactly I find this funny other than I think every daughter feels this way about her mother sometimes.

I'm not trying to put down any of these self-help books, I'm sure they're all very helpful!

I love books with really strong female characters, so I'm excited that Top Ten Tuesday is all about that this week. Check out other answers at The Broke and Bookish.

1. Jane Eyre of Jane Eyre One of my favorite books of all time. Jane isn't particularly outstanding, but she does stick up for herself and does what she believes is right, so I must respect her for that.
2. Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games series Another girl who does what she thinks is right, even in the face of danger.
3. Diana of The Luxe Series This is another girl (am I seeing a pattern?) who isn't afraid to say what she thinks or live her life the way she pleases, even if it's unpopular.
4. Marian Halcombe of The Woman in White Oh Marian. She is ugly, but incredibly smart and you just have to love her. The best character in the whole book.
5. Bridget of Bridget Jones's Diary She is hilarious, honest, and messed up just like the rest of us. A girl to love.
6. Margaret of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret A young heroine, but like Bridget she is totally honest with what she thinks, even if its bizarre or rude.
7. Joan Didion of The Year of Magical Thinking This is a nonfiction book, but I think I love her character in the book for a lot of the same reasons as I love Bridget and Margaret, although she is less funny. She doesn't lie though, and it would be easy to lie in the situation she is in.
8. Hermoine Granger of The Harry Potter series Smart, outspoken, and not afraid to run with the boys. Gotta love Hermoine!
9. Edna Pontellier of The Awakening This is just a beautiful, sad book and I really admired her character when I first read it.
10. Scout of To Kill a Mockingbird Another young heroine but one of my favorites. Not afraid to ask questions or say things how they are.

So apparently I love women who aren't afraid to tell it like it is! Wonder what that says about me in real life?

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is favorite authors, much easier than last week's!

1. Charlotte Bronte
2. Jeffrey Eugenides
3. Eula Biss
4. Chuck Klosterman
5. Nick Hornby
6. Joan Didion
7. Virginia Woolf
8. J. K. Rowling
9. Bill Bryson
10. Anna Godbersen

Who are your favorites? Join in at The Broke and the Bookish!

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

This week's top ten list at The Broke and Bookish is favorite book characters. I think this is incredibly challenging to think about. It's easy to think of books I love but to remember specific characters is a little harder for me.

1. Mr. Slinger from Lily's Purple Plastic Purse. This is probably my favorite children's book and I just love Lily, the little mouse the book is about. Even though Lily is adorable and cute no one is better than her teacher Mr. Slinger. Mr. Slinger is kind of a hippie, he makes yummy cheesy snacks, and he loves to teach. When Lily has some problems in class Mr. Slinger tucks a note in her purse that says, "Today was hard. Tomorrow will be better" (I'm paraphrasing because my books are all packed right now). Every time I read that page I get a little choked up, at 20 it's still one of my favorite books to read on a bad day.
2. Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I really identified with Charlie when I read this book. He was a freshman in high school, kind of weird, loved to read, and was just trying to figure life out. I was a about a year younger than him when I read this book but I felt like I was having all the same experiences, which made the book extra special for me. Charlie was also so honest about his thoughts and since he was a "wallflower" he noticed really specific things about the world. When I finished this book I felt like I took a little bit of Charlie with me.
3. Hagrid from Harry Potter. I immediately took to Hagrid when I read Harry Potter. I loved how he was so big and frightening, but was such a nice guy. He's so idealistic and I'm always amazed by the things he does know and the the things he doesn't know. And Hagrid always had Harry, Ron, and Hermoine's best interests at heart.
4. Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. She is tough and super smart. When Scout stands up to the members of the Klu Klux Klan my heart swoons because she has no idea what she really did. And she loves her dad unconditionally and worries about him like a parent does about a child. Scout is a great role model for young girls.
5. Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre. These two go together for me, you can't have one without the other. I feel like they both change every time I read the book and their relationship becomes increasingly more complicated. From an initial viewing I love how simple their love appears and how sweet it is, but Mr. Rochester is abrasive and Jane is needy, which makes the relationship more difficult than I thought when I first read the book.
6. Marcus from About a Boy. I love Marcus! He is definitely one of my favorite book characters and movie characters. He is so young but has such a realistic view of the world, probably because he's mom is a little messed up. I feel for him because I was a little weirdo too, but I admire him because he works so hard to make his mom feel better even though he really has no control over her.
7. Katniss from The Hunger Games. Katniss is kind of like Scout for me. She is so tough and badass. She never complains about the horrible situation she is put in, she just goes with it and thinks about ways to make everything work for her and those she cares about.
8. Dumbledore from Harry Potter. When Dumbledore died I cried for hours. I wore a RIP Dumbledore bracelet for months. It was a horrible experience, but that just shows what a huge effect he had on me. I grieved over him like I would any person I know in real life.
9. Henry De Tamble for The Time Traveler's Wife. When I read The Time Traveler's Wife I was at a place in my life where I felt like nothing was in my control so I really identified with Henry. He works in a library, listens to punk rock, and wears sweaters, which makes him more like me. Similar to Katniss, Henry makes the situation work for him even though it's horrible and he loves Clare so much he does everything he can to protect her. I find him to be very admirable.
10. Diana from The Luxe Series. Oh, Diana. I just love her more as the series goes on. She is so unafraid of being outside of the norm, outside of society. She lives her life for herself and no one else. Sure, she's a bit annoying sometimes over her boy problems but I don't think she reacts any differently than I would. I just love her.

What are some of your favorite book characters?

I really do like The Broke and the Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday feature. I don't participate terribly often, but I am a devoted rereader and just couldn't pass this one up. I'm also terribly guilty of rereading just my favorite parts of books again, but this list is going to be specifically for those books that demand to be read as a whole unit. Hopefully, I'll be able to stop at ten... : P

#1- Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls: Normally, the order in these types of posts is more a matter of which order I thought of the books than an actual number one thing. But this book — DEFINITELY belongs on my number one spot. My teacher read this book to my class in 4th grade & I had to leave the class because my 'allergies' were acting up. I have read it (no lie) over 50 times since then and every time I read it, it's a new and wonderful experience. Oh ya. And, I sob every single time I read this book. When I was a kid — I legitimately thought that I was going to go to the Ozark Mountains and retrieve the ax and lantern that Billy left there. It was that real to me. (And honestly — a small part of me is still pretty sure that if I looked hard enough, I'd find it...)

#2 — Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta: If any of you are surprised to see this book on my list — I don't think we can be friends any more... No seriously. If you don't know how much I obsessively love this book, then I have failed you as a friend. It's one of the most complex, captivating and compelling books I've ever read. This is a book that slips inside your soul and makes your heart weep. I don't think it is possible for another book to surpass this one in my mind.

#3 — The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart: One of the smartest, wittiest books I've ever read. Seriously guys — I want to be Frankie, but I definitely get that I will never be that cool...

#4 — The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling: I'm pretty sure these books will be on a lot of lists. I've read the first books SO many times. I always read all the previously published books to prep for a new release, and sometimes, during the long waits between books, I'd read them all again anyway. But, I haven't read any of them since the release of the 7th and I've only read it once. No doubt there is much I missed in my desperate race to know how it all would end. These books were a huge part of growing up for me. I literally grew up with Harry (read the first book at 11, the last at 18) and it's a series I will love forever.

#5 — Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson: Everyone talks about Speak and while I absolutely and wholeheartedly love and recommend that one as well (and really need to reread it too) I feel that Twisted is often overlooked, and let me tell you — that's a shame. It's one of the most honest and authentic teenage boy POVs I've ever read, especially coming from a female author. I connected to Tyler, felt his pain and hurt right along with him. But when he starts to learn who he really is, and step up to it — Whoa man. Seriously — Love this one.

#6 — The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: I really enjoyed this book and there was so much to it that really struck me. The narration by Death is one of the most unique and heartrending I've ever come across. But I didn't connect to it quite the way I had expected (oddly enough, the part that I felt the most disconnected to was actually the theft of the books) but I want to revisit it, because there is so much to this story to love. Amazing book, and I'd love to go back to it, and see if it's even better on the reread.

#7 — Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl: I wasn't very interested in science fiction when I was younger, pretty well convinced that it was lame and boring and so not for me. Who needs aliens. Seriously. I read this book because it was on the Newbery Honor list and it totally changed my perspective on Science Fiction. I loved this book, connected with it, really felt it, and I so want to go back and read it again to try and recapture that.

#8 — The Novels of a Kingdom by Cynthia Voigt: These four books (Jackaroo, On Fortunes Wheel, The Wings of a Falcon & Elske) are each amazing on their own (and can be read as standalone) but reading them together, realizing the connections and living these stories is something that I miss. These are a strange genre to pin down too. I think of them as fantasy, but there is nothing magical about them. They feel magical and have a Feudal/Medieval setting. I don't know what else to call them, but I can't really get over how much I truly do love and miss these books! (Honorable mention — The Tillerman Saga. Changed my life, these books did. I LOVE them)

#9 — Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott: Dude. This book is awesome. It was the first time that I can remember reading a villain that truly confused me. Seriously awesome stuff. And, the action, the writing, the setting, the characters — all of it. LOVE! Zoe is pretty brave with a lot that she does in this novel, but it's truly a gripping, compelling and strong story. I loved it so much, that I totally talked to a stranger on a bus in Washington DC about this one. (A stranger who was knitting plastic grocery sacks, no less...) LOVE this book.

#10 — A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb: I don't read many ghost stories, and paranormal isn't really my favorite genre, but this is one that kept me up all night reading. I intended to read the first 1-3 pages of this and about three other books before bed, because I couldn't decide what to take to work with me, since I had a minimum of an hour commute, both ways. It was late & I needed to get my bag for tomorrow reading, so I read the first few pages, and then needed to finish the chapter, but then, just one more. Well, one more is okay. I might as well read to page 50. Oh, have to finish this chapter. One more and so on and so forth until I was finished. LOVE.

Note- This intentionally doesn't include any of the books I've read since I began blogging. There's just too many, so these are all books it's been close to 2 years (or longer) since I read. I'm serious when I say I'm a devoted rereader. It's been so long since I've really been able to just sit and reread like I really want to and I miss that. I think, that once I get through some of the books clamoring for immediate attention, I'm going to start rereading again and spend a lot more time with these books I just love and want to see again.:)

My boyfriend and I have this thing we do every week, we make lists and compare them. Top ten places we most want to live, top five jobs we most want to have, etc. Last week it was our top five favorite books from childhood. Since both of us read a lot more chapter books as children we decided that we would only talk about chapter books.

My List

1. Anne of Green Gables
2. The American Girls Series (especially Molly)
   
3. Little Women
4. Saddle Club Series
5. The Royal Diaries

I was totally obsessed with reading as a kid and I still am, and some things never change. After all, I'm still wearing converse and skirts.

Ah I feel like whenever I put this list in writing I want to go back and change something. So perhaps this isn't a perfected list of all-time favorite books but I will try my best.

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I just really love this book and every time I read it I find something new. The main reason I love Jane Eyre is that it's a book that grows with you. Every time I've read it's been a different experience, my focus changes and I read a different story.
2. On the Road by Jack Kerouc. This was my favorite book through most of high school. I have wanderlust and I was always attracted to Kerouac's free, uncaring attitude.
3. Notes From No Man's Land by Eula Biss. Okay, I'm really going to shut up about this book soon, but I just love these essays. It's a wonderful collection and I remember reading the essays in it multiple times and still not wanting to put the book down.
4. Middlemarch by George Eliot. I read this last year for class and one look at the size of it made me want to run away. It's actually a really engaging multiplot Victorian novel that made me experience an array of emotions.
5. Moments of Being by Virginia Woolf. Woolf's personal essays and stories. I think this was actually the first book I read for my Virginia Woolf class and I loved learning about this famous author in such a personal way.
6. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. I read a ton of Nick Hornby in high school but this book has always been the one that stood out to me. It chronicles a group of people who met on the top of a building, all intending to kill themselves. They decide to wait a year and then see if they still want to die.
7. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Every time I sit down with this graphic novel I want to read it from cover-to-cover. I love the simple images because they say so much about what the characters feel and it's amazing how many actions she can show in just a few panels.
8. Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman. Chuck Klosterman is another author I was really into in high school and I just recently got a newer book by him since I haven't been keeping up since I got out of high school. Not really sure why that was because Killing Yourself to Live is a fantastic book about rock stars and how they are more successful in death. He talks about a ton of music I hate in this book and I still loved it. So there you go.
9. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. This was a childhood favorite of mine. Anne was weird and kind of magical almost. Not that she had magical powers but she just had a special personality. This is one of the few books that has really stuck with me through my whole life. I need to reread it soon.
10. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I'll be honest, I still have 100 pages left in this book but I honestly think it is one of my favorite books of all-time. I would move it higher up on the list but I feel that would be unfair since I still haven't finished it. When I picked up Middlesex I thought it was going to be a bit of a chore, but I've been surprised by how excited I got with this book.

Honestly though, I don't think some of these books are my favorite books of all-time because I just haven't read ten books that made me go WOW! yet. There are a lot of books I love but when I think of favorite books of all-time I think of books that made a serious imprint on my life and that I really enjoyed. I think maybe I've read six books like that. Time will tell what my favorites really are. What are some of your favorites? You can join the conversation at The Broke and the Bookish!