Top Ten Tuesday: Books We Liked More Than Expected

1) Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare - Okay, I've loved the ID series since the first word but I never, and I mean never, expected to be flipped so up, down, diagonally by this book. 

2) Don't Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble - I feel like this book is on almost all of my TTT posts. I can't help it; it's amazeballs. I read it almost 2 years ago and I'm still gushing about it, so that must tell you something. You can read my (very old) review for elaboration on my love for it.

3) Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen - Going into this book (and even still) I wasn't very informed on the tale of Robin Hood, but boy did I fall in love. Once again, I read this over a year ago and I have not lost my love for it. My review (another old one).

4) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - I'd heard amazing things about this book, but I'd never experienced John Green before and all the hype made me want to dislike it. I could have never anticipated the profound love of this book I acquired. My review.

5) Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley - Oh my. I remember I was on a really bad reading drought. I just couldn't find anything I loved, but Cath Crowley did more than give me a book to love, she allowed me to fall in love with reading all over again. I didn't even like contemp novels at that time (funny, because I ADORE contemp now), but this book...The outpouring of my love.

6) Hushed by Kelley York - This is different than the typical YA book, that is for darn tootin'! My review.

7) The Bane by Keary Taylor - This one is actually a pretty recent read, as in I read it last week. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by a very interesting plot.

8) Zero by Tom Leveen - This book was so authentic. From awkward first-meetings to stupid mistakes and hulking insecurities. The review.

9) Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez - Tons of people said this book was AHMAZING but it didn't sound like...super fantabulosa. Well it was. It was emotional and had GREAT characters. In which I demand people read it.

10) The Truth About You and Me by Amanda Grace - This is another recent read, and therefore it is still an open wound. It sounded interesting enough, but I never ever expected to feel so connected to the characters and their story. ALL THE FEELZ are still with me even after about a week or two after reading it. 

1) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - The blurb does it no justice and I didn't think I'd enjoy it at all but so many people recommended it and now I'm OBSESSED!

2) Star-Crossed by Rachael Wing - It's in second person, short and sweet, sooooo good!

3) Blood Red Road by Moira Young - I was put off by how it was written at first and was worried I wouldn't enjoy it but I reeeeeeally did!

4) Forsaken by Jana Oliver - I dislike third person but adore this series!

5) Shadows by Paula Weston - It just didn't appeal to me but I can honestly say I enjoyed it.

6) Hollowland by Amanda Hocking - The blurb is LAME! It should NOT exist!!!!!!! The book (and sequel) is amazing!! A must read!

These are all I can think of for now...

Top Ten Tuesday: Fall TBR

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - I'm not a supermajor fan of the first book in the series, but I do want to see where the story goes and if it will get better.

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - I lovelovelovelove this series. Beautiful Chaos ended with such a bang...I've waited my entire life for this, I swear.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken - I adore Alexandra's first book, Brightly Woven and can't wait to see what brilliance Bracken brings with this completely different novel.

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick - Since Silence was so incredibly uneventful, I can only assume she included double the awesome in this final book.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes - The title, the cover, the smmary--all of it seems so epic!

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally - Catching Jordan was a great book, and I have confidence that her books are only going to get better.

The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook - I have made it a goal to read and own every YA book that Eileen Cook produces.

The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez - OMG DID YOU READ VIRTUOSITY? Because if you have then you understand my overwhelming excitement. IF NOT GO READ NOW OR I SHANK YOU.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone - I have such a cover connection with this book, every time I see it I am compelled to stalk the author, find out where she lives, and go steal the manuscript and read it nomnomnomnommmmmm!!!

Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler - Janet always ha incredible plots and I love her previous book, If I Tell.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books read during my blog life

a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

All titles link to the book's Goodreads profile. This was an extraordinarily difficult topic, so I narrowed my favorites down to books I read because of blogging, and even then it was nearly impossible to choose. Of course, this list is in no particular order.

1) If I Stay & Where She Went by Gayle Foreman - If I Stay review; Where She Went review

2) Delirium & Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver - Delirium review; Pandemonium review

3) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Review

4) Don't Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble - Review

5) My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick 

6) Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley - Review

7) Hushed by Kelley York - Review

8) Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez - Review

9) Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - Review

10) Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen - Review

Cover Gush!

Boy, do I have A LOT of covers to gush about today! : )So sit back and enjoy the pretty pictures.

A Midsummer's Nightmare
Kody Keplinger
Other works by this author: Shut Out, The Duff

I haven't read anything by Kody Keplinger, though I want to. This is my favorite cover of hers so far. I love the mysterious aspect it has and the angst radiating from that girls face. This book sounds and looks absolutely fantabulous and I cannot wait to read it!

Blind Spot

Laura Ellen

I'm pretty sure this is a debut novel. I don't know why I love this cover so much. The eye is really pretty and dark and the tagline is mysterious. It's got a gritty feel to it.

City of Lost Souls
The Mortal Instruments #5
Cassandra Clare
Other works by this author: The other Mortal Instruments books and The Infernal Devices books.

OMG OMG OMG OMG. Fabulous. I cannot wait. It looks romantic and epic and OMG.

Darkest Knight

Knight's Curse #2

Karen Duvall

Other works by this author: Knight's Curse

I read the first book in this series, and though I wasn't absolutely in love with it, I am still looking forward to this sequel. I love this cover so much, it is absolutely stunning. Chalice, the girl on the cover, looks much more like a girl on this ne, though she is still really tough. I can totally sense the chaos that is going to be in this book with the dark colors and eerie tree branch in the corner. This is the type of cover I expect to be about gargoyles -- and what do you know? IT IS!

Deadly Hemlock
Hemlock #1
Kathleen Peacock

This is the UK cover to Kathleen's debut novel. I think that she was truly blessed with two gorgeous covers. Though I like the US cover better, this is still top notch. I love the wolf face in the trees and how the title just seems to jump out at you. This cover is kind of spooky and totally wonderful, and I really hope that the content inside is as great.



The Space Between Us

Jessica Martinez

Other works by this author: Virtuosity

OMG OMG OMG I absolutely adored Virtuosity, and I am so excited to see that Jessica Martinex has another book coming out. Honestly, I would have adored this cover even if it was nothing but a plain black rectangle, but it's actually really gorgeous. I can feel the tension seeping from both of them, along with regret and uncertainty, and I know that I will feel all of the same things from the characters.

Yesterday

C.K. Kelly Martin

Other works by this author: My Teenage Beating Heart, The Lighter Side of Life and Death, One Lonely Degree, I Know It's Over

I haven't read anything by this author, and I had never even heard of this book, but when I saw the cover I knew it was a book I have to read! This cover is my favorite of all of the ones I posted today. It's got a dark, eerie feeling to it, and it is just so frickin epic. It's very rare that books with all of these different details and sci-fi aspects is photoshopped really well, but this is absolutely fantastic!

So what do you think of these covers? Which one is your favorite, and which covers make you want the book NOW!?

Book Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format: ebook
Pages: 294
Source: PulseIt website

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.
 
Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall.... (Goodreads.com)

Goodreads - Amazon - B&N - Indiebound - Book Depo

I'm sitting here trying to write this review, and all I can think to say is, "OMG THIS IS THE BEST EVER. READ IT NOW OR PREPARE TO FACE MY WRATH." But somehow I know that is not an acceptable review. So I'll do my best to put all of Virtuosity's awesomeness into words.

I'd been on a pretty bad reading streak, and Virtuosity was just what I needed to break through that. This book had its claws in me from the very beginning. The back and forth banter between Carmen and her best friend is comical and realistic and the whole first scene is just very funny and awkward. I LOVED IT! The writing is so friggin amazeballs, too. Carmen's voice comes through loud and clear and I was emotionally invested IMMEDIATELY. I didn't want to stop reading at all, which is rare when I am reading off of a computer screen.

I adored Carmen. She was a funny, sweet, and completely naive. All she ever really knew how to do was be the best at violin, and then here comes some guy from London who may possibly be better than her and ruin her career! Carmen began on a very, very short leash with her mother, and she had to learn to make it longer and become more independent. She had to learn that there was more to life than just violin and being the best. She has to learn to do what her conscience tells her, rather than what everyone else tells her, and she has to make some major sacrifices. She was so, so, so, so easy to relate to. Her competitive streak, her desire to be able to be who she wanted to be, her need to be loved, her struggle to do the right thing. She's human and flawed and so very real.

And then there's Jeremy. OMG JEREMYYYYY. This dude has problems to. He's not perfect. He;s obnoxious, super competitive, and his motives are questionable. But he's so wonderful. He makes a lot of mistakes. A LOT. Like begging Carmen for something he should never in a million years even think bout asking her. He really did surprise me. I figured he was going to be an arrogant asshole, but he had a side to him that I would have never guessed and I LOVED IT. Oh my gosh did I love it.

Carmen's mom was a bitch. END OF STORY.

This whole thing was just GAAAAHH MARVELOUS. One of those books, you know? I expected this to be a lot darker. I figured the drug addiction would be a prominent point in the plot, and that this would be about Carmen's downward spiral into all the negative aspects of performing. I'm so glad it wasn't. Instead, it was more about Carmen discovering who she is, learning how to be her own person, learning to grow up and make decisions, learning to love even when she shouldn't, learning that nobody and nothing is perfect, learning that her life needs to be revolved around more than one thing, and simply learning to be Carmen.