TTT: I LOVED These Books (And You Should Too)

So, I've been gone from this for a while (both participating in Top Ten Tuesday from  The Broke and The Bookish and binge-reading fiction in general), but I thought, since I started back up with this blog a few days ago, this might be a good way to flex my fingers and write some more. Totally noncommittal style.

And probably to embarrass myself in the minimal amount of for-fun books I've been reading (seriously, I had to dig back to 2013 to fill out this list).

In any case, this week's topic seemed like an easy one to get back into the groove, Ten of My Most Recent 5-Star Reads. Which is likely to expand into my all time favorite books, with an emphasis early on in the list of recent books that I love. Who knows how this will go, so buckle your seatbelt, let's try this out.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I finished this book in a day. I cannot tell you how long it's been since I last did that, but this book was worth it. Cath is every one of us who has ever become a part of an online community - be it through a fandom or book blogging or any other means of connection. How many of us haven't felt awkward in social situations but then thought, man if only these people would meet me online. And there are Emergency Kanye Dance Parties, and a goofy boy named Levi, and a realization that you can be loved and liked for who you are, that you don't have to lose sight of you to expand and grow. I loved this book.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I knew I loved Leigh's writing when I fell for Nikolai in Shadow and Bone. I knew I loved who Leigh is as a human being when a series of fun & encouraging tweets were exchanged with her during my very!stressful! comprehensive exams were taking place. And I knew I would love Six of Crows when Leigh told me I would (when I went to Toronto to buy and have it signed by her just after completing my exams and she covered a page of the book with a huge CONGRATS!). Leigh hasn't let me down yet, and this book is such a fantastic and wonderful start to a series that I was already anticipating book #2 a few chapters into #1. What a cast. What a story. I think I love this series more than the Grisha Trilogy already - and that's saying something.

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

In true Courtney fashion, I put off reading the conclusion to the All Souls Trilogy for a year. A. Year. Because, despite wanting to know how Diana and Matthew's story would play out, I did not want to see it end. I was not (and am still not) ready to let go of these characters. I still think that In some not-so-far-off parallel universe I am Diana Bishop and that my current pursuit of a History PhD aligns quite nicely with her career. Someone just send the intelligent and dashing eons old Vampire my way, okay?

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Truth be told it took me a little to warm up to the 5-stars that I gave this book. Perhaps it was because I put off reading this one for a long time (are we sensing a pattern here?) because I knew it would be a while before the next book came out. It was also probably because this book has a whole lotta stuff going on in it and there were times when I had to stop and reassess what I knew and what I didn't yet know. Maybe I was reading it too fast, but dangit I wanted to know. In the end, after the book hangover haze cleared away I realized just how wonderfully this book came together. That despite feeling like I was sometimes stuck inside a tornado of words and stories, that all of the pieces fit together in this insane and beautiful installment of this series. That's a good book.

The Smart One  by Jennifer Close

I absolutely adored Girs in White Dresses. So when I saw that she had another book, I knew I had to have my hands on it and my brain immersed in it. It's one year in the life of a family. It's about expectations and what happens if and when you don't meet them. Or when someone you have expectations doesn't meet them. It's about accepting a person for who they are and allowing them to do and be what they need to do and be. It's about how we never really succeed at growing up (but get pretty good at faking it), coming home, and accepting that we're all a little flawed - and that's okay. 

Let's Pretend This Never Happened  by Jenny Lawson

This book gave me all the laughs. From taxidermied squirrels playing poker to colon cleanses gone wrong, this book is such a true and unashamed picture of what real life is, or what it could be. Lawson doesn't hold back any punches and she doesn't skirt around the harder issues that we so often try to sweep under the rug of our day-to-day lives. If you need a laugh, but you also want a book that raises - and discusses - a number of real-life problems, you need to pick up this book. 

 So, what about you guys? What books have you read recently that get all the stars? Which ones have really knocked your socks of that you just can't stop recommending? Have you read any of these? 

Let's talk! 

Check Me Out

Just popping in today to mention that this little blog of mine is being featured over at The Paper Sea for Nikki's Book Blogger Spotlight. 

If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you really ought to! She writes awesome reviews of a lot of YA novels and has some excellent (and thought provoking!) discussions every week. So, head on over there and say hello. Or, at least, read about what I have to say about this ol' blog of mine.

And for those of you who have made your way over here from over there? Hello! And welcome! Enjoy your stay and I hope to see more of you round these parts! 

2013 Reads: Forty-Nine {Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld}

This was my first foray into Steampunk as a literary genre. I think. It's totally a genre that should be right up my alley too.

Add in that this book takes place in a reimagined Austro-Hungarian Empire on the eve of World War I, and you have the recipe for a book that I should adore.

However, I think I liked the idea of this book perhaps a little more than the book itself. It wasn't bad, that's for sure. And I enjoyed it. But I think I just wanted so much more from it.

WHAT WAS WRITTEN

It is 1914 and the world is divided between the Clankers (Austro-HUngarian) and the Darwinists (British). The Darwinists have used genetics to evolve animals into being useful to humans for things like transportation and war. Genes are spliced together and giant hybrid animals are the norm. The Clankers lie on the complete opposite end of the spectrum - they have advanced machines and technology to help their society flourish.

In the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Archduke, Franz Ferdinand, has just been assasinated. His son, Prince Aleksandar, is now on the run from the assassins. As the would-be heir to the throne,  his title is now worthless and has instead become a death sentence as all of his people has turned on him. All he has is an old war machine and a few close, loyal men to help him survive.

Hundreds of miles away, Deryn Sharp is a commoner who has disguised herself as a boy in order to join the British Air Service. She is brilliant at anything that has to do with flight and the 'beasties' who take men into the air. However, she's constantly in fear that her secret will be discovered and she'll be grounded forever.

With World War I on the horizon, Deryn and Alecsandar's paths cross in the most unexpected way. And what follows is an adventure which will take them around the world and change their lives forever.

WHAT MY BRAIN HAS TO SAY ON THE MATTER

Like I said earlier there is so much about this book that set it up to be a book I would adore. But there were times where it, well, where it just fell a little flat for me.

The major problem for me was also something that I found fascinating. Westerfeld spends so much time explaining the alternate history, the machines, and the world around Daryn and Alec that I feel like the story got lost amid the details. Now, yes, the details were fascinating. But by the time I got finished with one of Deryn's descriptions of a beastie I had forgotten what was going on in her part of the story.

It just made the plot drag on for me and stagnate at points. Because, really? The plot (when it was moving forward) was really exciting. With Alec being chased across the Austro-Hungarian Empire and slowly learning about his family history. And then with Daryn's fortuitous rise to a worker on one of the airships she has dreamed of her whole life. This book is primed for an action-packed, fast-paced novel that I should run right through. But it didn't, and that disappointed me. I hate when I get bored while I'm reading.

Now, some of the things that I thought were great.

Let's start with the illustrations. Because? Those are all fantastic. Absolutely amazing. The details that were put into each and every image of that book were marvelous. I loved having them there to bring some of the more technical pieces of Westerfeld's world to life. I would stop and stare at some of the drawings (especially when the story was dragging) because of the exquisite detail. They made such a positive and important impact on the story.

I also really loved the re-imagined history that Westerfeld tells. For a few reasons. One, I am such a history geek. I think it's fascinating when an author can look at a set history in our past and say "well, what would have that been like if...?" and then tell a wonderful story with that as its base. Two, how many kids read this book and then started looking into WWI? I bet a good few. And any book that makes a kid excited about learning makes me insanely happy. So, thanks for that Westerfeld.

Now, while I wasn't completely thrilled by this book, I am definitely intrigued. I plan on reading the second book in this series - I really want to see where he's going with this world. Maybe since so much time was spent in this novel explaining all the little details of the Clankers and the Darwinists the next book will be more plot driven. Fingers crossed.

THE NITTY GRITTY

Title: Leviathan

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Genre: Young Adult, Steampunk, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Alternate History

Medium: Hardcover, 440 pages

Publisher: Simon Pulse (6 October 2009)

Date Read: 27 DEcember 2013

Source: Borrowed From The Library

Recommended For: Middle School +, Those Who Enjoy Alternate Histories, Steampunk Enthusiasts 

Challenges: Goodreads

First Line: The Austrian horses glinted in the moonlight, their riders standing tall in the saddle, swords raised. 

Favorite Line: Maybe this was how you stayed sane in wartime: a handful of noble deeds amid the chaos. 

Last Line: But the eggs just sat there, not answering at all. [whited out, for spoiler's sake]

2013 Reads: Forty-Seven {Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell}

I love when I go into a book knowing nothing about it before I turn the first page. Or, in this case, popped the first CD into my car.

The only thing I knew was that this was supposed to be a good book. And, it lived up to that recommendation.

WHAT WAS WRITTEN

This is the story of two star-crossed misfits who meet on a school bus in 1986. Their paths intertwine almost accidentally, but what becomes of them feels almost like fate. Though they ignore each other at first, these two awkward misfits form a lasting bond of friendship and then, eventually, love. Set over the course of one school year, Eleanor & Park will make you remember just how your young, first love felt and all the crazy things it made you do.

Eleanor and Park are wise enough to know that first love almost always ends, but they're brave enough to try and work it out. Heartbreaking at moments and yet incredibly uplifting in their care for each other, this book brings out the best - and worst - of high school love.

WHAT MY BRAIN HAS TO SAY ON THE MATTER

This book is so difficult to review because it is hard to wrap up why I loved it so much into a coherent stream of thoughts. It's a gritty and real look at life in high school that's wrapped up in the most unlikely, but beautiful love story.

I love both of the main characters. They're so real - awkward, imperfect, flawed, and genuine - and that's something I've really come to love in the books I read. It's so easy to write a perfect, flawless character. But people aren't perfect or flawless. And when an author is able to write a character who is a person? That's just amazing to me.

Eleanor is a chubby, vibrantly red-headed, high schooler with an awful home life. She's brought back to her family after a year being kicked out by her repulsive step-father and has to start over at a new school. She wears hand-me-downs that are too big for her and is bullied at school as well as at home. Park's home life is better than Eleanor's, but things are still challenging for him. He's half-Korean, the only non-white in his school, and a quiet kid who tries his best not to draw attention to himself. And the two of them grow so much over the course of the story. I was rooting for them every step of the way.

I loved that it was set with 1986 as a backdrop. A world full of mix-tapes and taking phone calls on your house phone. A world void of instant messaging and texting and Facebook. A world so close to our own, but still somehow so far away. It was a brilliant move on Rowell's part - to bring our not-so-distant past back to us. Because? Eleanor was bullied - much in the same way many kids are today. For her clothes, her weight, her looks, her everything. Maybe her tormentors didn't have Facebook to constantly harass her (which gave Eleanor a reprieve from her school issues when at home to deal with her home issues), but her life at school was still pretty grim. Maybe we're not so advanced as we like to picture ourselves to be?

It's a heavy novel. There were a few times I had to stop the audio book and listen to some music because I was so anxiously wrapped up in what was going on. I was convinced that something truly awful was going to happen a few times. I yelled at my radio a couple times too - warnings to certain characters. I just wanted to go in and fix everything for Eleanor and Park. I wanted things to be perfect for them in their imperfect world. And that? That is a mark of wonderful writing - that there were so many authentic feelings brought up.

And that ending? Oh. My. God. It was heartbreaking and brilliant and beautiful and perfect. It's a new beginning, even. And it just leaves you with so many questions and so, so, so much hope for their future(s). 

THE NITTY GRITTY

Title: Eleanor & Park

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction, Romance 

Medium: Audio Book, 7 CDs

Publisher: Listening Library (26 February 2013)

Date Read: 20 December 2013

Source: Borrowed From The Library

Recommended For: High School +, Fans of John Green, High School Romance Readers

Challenges: Goodreads, 

First Line: XTC was no good for drowning out the morons at the back of the bus.

Favorite Line: Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.

Last Line: Just three words long. [whited out, for spoiler's sake]

2013 Reads: Forty-Six {Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas}

I seriously loved everything about this book.

So much that I have been putting off reading the next book in the series because the third book isn't even close to being out yet. And so much that I don't wan't to rush through the series and have it be over.

I have loved plenty of characters in the past, but Celaena? She is fierce and so, so fantastic.

WHAT WAS WRITTEN

Celaena Sardothian is an 18 year old assassin; the best assassin Adarlan has ever seen. However, she was captured and has spent a year in the salt mines of Endovier doing hard, grueling work. Most don't survive a few months in Endovier, let alone a year. But Celaena is something different than they have ever seen.

However, things seem bleak for her until Dorian, the Crown Prince of Adarlan, drags Celaena out of the mines and gives her an offer: she can have her freedom if she agrees to compete for the position of the King's Assassin. If she wins she must serve a three year term as the right hand assassin for the king and then, after that, she has her freedom. Celaena agrees and returns to the palace with Dorian as well as Westfall, the captain of the guard.

Her opponents are thieves, assassins, and warriors - the biggest and the baddest that Adarlan has to offer. Over the course of the competition she enjoys her training sessions with Westfall, but is bored by court life. Until one of the assassins is found dead - and not during the course of the competition. Celaena needs to figure out who is responsible for the murders before she winds up dead herself. 

WHAT MY BRAIN HAS TO SAY ON THE MATTER

This book is so much more than that description is able to get across.

I knew nothing about this book going into it other than one of those little recommendation plates under the book at Barnes & Noble that said "read this one, you won't regret it." I came back to it time after time when I would wander around the store, would pick it up and put it back down. And then I finally picked it up at the library and read it in a few days. I could barely put it down.

Celaena is one of my favorite leading females that I've read in a long time. She's not not your cut-and-dry heroine. In fact, there are moments when you read this book that you're faced with the fact of why do I like this assassin so much? But that's part of it, I think. She's bad. But she's bad with a reason. A purpose. And she kicks some serious ass. And loves pretty dresses. An assassin that wants to get dressed up and go to the palace balls? Her journey through this story, from arrogant prisoner to someone learning to trust is brilliant. Though, I just wish we got to see more of her ass kicking.

I love the world that Maas has created in this novel. Her ability to weave together the images of the landscape and the castle has left me in love with a fictional world that we haven't explored much. Celaena has an eye of an assassin when it comes to her surroundings, but once she starts to feel at home in the castle? That's when the beauty of this world really comes to life. Celaena has missed the world outside of Endovier and her love of the outside world shines more and more as the story goes on.

And I think I even love the love triangle that's going on here. I'm not even sure that it's a love triangle, yet. Dorian is up front and straight forward with his feelings. Chaol keeps his to himself, to the point that he spends a bit of time denying them. However, I love both Chaol and Dorian equally. To the point that I can't even pick a side of who I'd want Celaena to end up with.

And then we have Nehemia, who might just be the coolest character in this book outside of Celaena. I want to talk to you so much about her character, but I don't want to give anything away about her. Just trust me on this, she's gonna surprise you in the end: she'll be the one character you can't stop thinking about.

There is so much more I want to write about this book, but I don't want to give any of it away. Read this one and then let's talk, okay?

THE NITTY GRITTY

Title: Throne of Glass

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, High Fantasy, Adventure

Medium: Paperback, 404pp

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children (7 May 2013)

Date Read: 19 December 2013

Source: Borrowed From The Library!

Recommended For: High School +, Fans of The Hunger Games, Those Who Love A Kick-Ass Heroine 

Challenges: Goodreads,

First Line: After a year of slavery in the Salt Mines of Endovier, Celaena Sardothien was accustomed to being escorted everywhere in shackles and at sword point. 

Favorite Line: "You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That's what scares you most."

Last Line: "Tell me tomorrow." [whited out, for spoiler's sake]