TTT: Get Your Tissues Ready

Okay ladies and gents, get your box of tissues ready. This week's topic from The Broke and The Bookish? The Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry. Oh wow, this is probably going to be a tear fest, prepare yourself. 

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Holy heck, this book killed me. It was so hauntingly beautiful that I couldn't help but tear up at the end. I also got in a bit of trouble for recommending this book to a friend without a warning about how depressing it was going to be. Whoops. 

2. The Time Travelers Wife  by Audrey Niffenegger - Oh man. The end of this story? With their child? And that absolute final scene? Wow. I cannot even imagine not tearing up at the end of this book 

3. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - This book really makes you think. And, while I have not gone through what Melinda went through, I cannot help but have my heart break for her. I can't say why, even with a spoiler alert attached, because you really need to read this book with clean, fresh eyes. 

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K.Rowling - *SPOILER ALERT* Of all the characters in this whole series she had to go off an kill Sirius. Seriously? I was dumbfounded. And I had to reread that scene a number of times in order to actually believe what I had read. This death still haunts me. 

5. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K.Rowling - *SPOILER ALERT* And then she had to go and kill off Dumbledore? Are you kidding me JKR? Dumbledore? Ugh, I know it had to happen. But it didn't make it any less sad. 

6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - This book was so incredibly powerful. Being told the story of why a girl committed suicide by the girl who committed suicide? Oh. My. God. 

7. The Giver by Lois Lowry - *SPOILER ALERT* The moment when Jonah gets his first real memory? When he starts feeling war and terror and pain? Those moments when he starts to realize what's going on in his community? And when he rescues the baby that his father is required to kill? This book got to me when I was in grade school and it still gets to me every time I reread it. 

8. Marley & Me by John Grogan - You go into this book knowing exactly how it is going to end. As the story of the life of a family's beloved (albeit a little dysfunctional) dog. And yet, I was sobbing on a plane headed back to home from school at the end. Anyone who has ever loved an animal will be brought to tears by this book. 

9. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - John Green is a master at giving you all sorts of feels. It's true. But then he had to go and write a brilliant love story about kids with cancer. And the feels became FEELS and there were so, so many of them to be felt. 

10. Kings of Colorado by Davie E. Hilton - The end of this book killed me. Well, actually, all of this book killed me. This is another one I don't want to talk too much about because I want everyone to read it. It's kinda one of those unsung books that deserve so much more praise. And a movie. And discussion. Just know this: I cried through a lot of this book because it was so darn powerful. 

So, fun and exciting topic this week, no? Yeah, I know. It brought back so many feelings from some of the most powerful and moving books I have ever read. What books would you guys add to this list? 

TTT: Books I Don't Want To Wait For

I don't know about you guys out there, but I cannot believe that it's already December and we're writing posts looking forward to 2014. Because, really? Where did 2013 go? Weren't we just writing our Yay! 2013 is going to be the best! posts and cracking open the books we were so excited about? 

Well, I guess 2013 is almost behind us and The Broke and The Bookish have us looking forward to the best of 2014.  

1. The Blood of Olympus (Heros of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan - finally! I cannot wait to get my hands on the last book in this series. If the last few books are any indication of how amazing this conclusion will be, I can't think of anything that might. 

2. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo - I haven't read #2 yet, but I just know I cannot wait for this one. 

3. City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare - I need to know what happens. #4 was awful. #5 was brilliant. Let's hope #6 is even better than the last. 

Okay, apparently I haven't been looking forward to too many books. I think it's really that I haven't realized how quickly 2013 was winding down and how close we are to the release of so many new books to love. These three are just books in three series that I am ready to know what the heck is going on in them! 

So, let's turn this over to all of you guys: What books should I be looking forward to? Please. Tell me. My to-read isn't long enough yet. 

TTT: So Thankful

This week the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish have asked us for the Top Ten Things We're Thankful For with Thanksgiving right around the corner. Seriously. Can you believe Thanksgiving is only two days away? Where has 2013 gone? 

I love taking a moment to sit back and reflect on the things in my life I'm thankful for. I wish I did it more often. I have a little list of 'gratitudes' in one of my journals, but I don't take it out too often and add to its pages. I wish I did. Maybe that will be a resolution for 2014? To sit down, slow down, and be grateful for all that is going on around me. It's so easy to get lost in the minutia of day-to-day living - especially the not-so-good-or-happy parts. Stopping to take stock of all that is good? That's something we all could probably use a little more of. 

So, here's my little list. May it jump-start a slowing down and appreciation of life. My own, at least. Maybe yours too?

1. My Parents - Two of my best friends and two of the best people I have ever known. I'd honestly be lost without them - their guidance, support, and love has made all the difference in my life. I'm who I am and where I'm at because of them. 

2. My Job - Sure it's not a forever job. It's not a career. But it's hard to find a job you love, working with people you love, and doing work that is good and meaningful. I'm blessed to have found this organization at this point in my life. Most days I'm positive it has given me more than I'll ever be able to give back. 

3. Good Friends - I hope I never take any of them for granted. 

4. My Reading History - I am thankful for this every time I pick up a book. Having a love for reading instilled in me at a young age has really shaped who I am and how I see the world. I'm pretty sure all the wonder I still find around me is due largely to my love for books. The idea that anything could be around the next corner has me wide-eyed and hopeful for the future. Kids need to read more. 

5. Authors Who Make Me Think (And Then Make Me Re-Think) - You all know what I mean about this one. The authors who challenge traditional conventions. The ones who push the envelopes. The ones who end a series in a way that you may not like but that makes sense for the story as a whole. The ones who can put into words exactly what you feel but could never properly articulate. The ones who make you feel all the feels to be felt. 

6. My Cat - Phoenix. What a brat. But I love her and cannot imagine my life without her little grey paws in it. 

7. Teachers Who Make A Difference - The ones I've had in my life that have given me strength and guidance. But also the ones that I work with on a weekly basis. The ones the kids I work with look up to and listen to. The ones who are invested and care about their kids' futures. The ones who make a difference to a kids life - and change it for the better. Kids need people to believe in them - people other than their parents. Mom & Dad are supposed to believe in you - but when someone outside the family believes in you? That's when you really start believing in you. 

8. My Health - I try not to take this for granted. So, thank you body for doing what you do so well. Let's keep on keeping helathy, okay?

9. The Travelbug - My life would truly be a different place if it weren't for my insatiable need to travel. Since I was little I've wanted to see the world. And so far I've had quite the opportunities to do so. I'm glad I was bit - it ties into my constant state of wonder with the world around me. I need to see everything there is to see. 

10. Soldiers - I'm going to be working with the Vietnam Veterans again this winter - something which was so moving and so powerful to me last year. And thinking of it makes me realize just how thankful I am for all the men and women who have, are, or will serve our country. We live in quite an amazing place and time. Are things perfect? No, certainly not. But they could be a heck of a lot worse. And it's the people who fight for us and defend us that have made all the difference in the world. Make sure you thank a soldier. Not just on a designated day, but everyday.

TTT: Halloween Love

This week for Top Ten Tuesday we've been asked to think about our Top Ten Reads For Halloween. Thanks The Broke and The Bookish - I LOVE Halloween. So, this is going to be a fun list to compile. Bring on the spooks and the things that go bump in the night.

1. Coraline by Neil Gaiman - Creepy, fantastical, and spooky. A perfect Halloween read.

2. The Works of Edgar Allen Poe - The master of creepiness himself. Poe never fails to deliver a spook and a shiver down your spine. Tell Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado will never cease to freak me out. 

3. The Green Mile by Stephen King - Second only to Poe, I'm pretty sure. Mr. King does not disappoint with this novel - heartbreaking and so, so creepy. 

4. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Such a Halloween classic.

5. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - I love everything about this book. And what else goes hand in hand with Halloween better than witches? 

6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - I want to wander around in the Night Circus on Halloween more than anything. Wouldn't it be the perfect setting for a Halloween festival? 

7. Dead Until Dark by Charleen Harris - Like many of the other books on this list, Vampires are so perfect for Halloween. And Sookie is just supernatural enough to make for a great Halloween read. 

What about you guys? What books are on your go-to list for Halloween? What ones have I missed on mine? 

TTT: Endings

Ending a series well can be a difficult tast. 

Really. 

There are a lot of people out there to please as an author - your fans, your editor, yourself. It's daunting, I'm sure. Who do you stay true to? Do you finish out the story the way you envisioned it happening all along? Or do you play it out the way you think your fans want it to end? 

Basically, it's an impossible task. And some authors manage to figure it out - and their series are finished off in a perfect, complete manner where everyone  most people are please. And some authors? Well, they fall a little short of that bar. 

And that's where we're at with this week's Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish: The Top Ten Best/Worst Endings To A Series. Which is going to be hard because: 

a) I have a HORRIBLE habit of not finishing series (I hate things being over, clearly)

b) I can't say an ending was worst

So, I'm probably not going to hit ten items this week. Sorry. I'm also going to do a Best and Eh section. Because, while I don't hate the endings to these particular series, I don't hate them. Except for one. One book will be filed under hate. Sorry to that author an book, but not really that sorry.

Let's do this!

Best

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Epilogue included, even though it is borderline to me disliking it. I can see why JKR put it there and I cannot blame her for doing so. Some questions needed to be answered for us. I couldn't imagine a better conclusion to a series I loved so much and grew up with. I really thank JKR for making my childhood (and young adulthood) a magical and exciting time. I love that I got to grow up with release parties and waiting to know what happened to Harry and his friends.

2. Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce - What a well pieced together book about a kick-ass heroine. I loved Alana and her story. And I really love how it all came together in the end. It was raw, real, and perfect. 

3. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare - The tears, oh my God the tears. I could not have expected a more perfect and suiting ending for this series. Seriously. The series was just okay for me until this book came around. I am in love with this book.

Eh

4. Maze Runner by James Dashner - I just wish there had been more explained about where they're headed. And more about WICKED and the people involved in that side of things. It was a fast paced and gripping series that I was on the edge of my seat for the whole time. But I was left feeling slightly underwhelmed and a little let down.

5. Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie - Similar to Maze Runner, I was left wanting a little more. It wasn't an awful ending, but I just felt like 'well? that's it?' when I turned the last page.

6. The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan - I wanted more from this book! True, I did love it (I believe my review said "I adored this book!" But that doesn't mean I couldn't look back and say I want more! 

Hate

7. Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer -  Breaking Dawn is the worst conclusion to an awful series. Seriously. I hate this book. I hate this ending. The series as a trilogy was okay. At best. I still cannot wrap my head around girls wanting to be Bella and have a creepy, stalker, border-line-emotionally-abusive Edward as a boyfriend. But the last series? It was just a gratuitous fantasy of Stephenie Meyer's - not to mention a chance for her to pass off her personal ideologies. I wish this book had never been written. 

TTT: I'd Watch That

This week we've been asked for the Top Ten Books That I Would Love To See As A Movie or TV Show. 

And? This week's topic is perfect. Really. Thanks The Broke and The Bookish because this is an idea that is always fresh in my mind. And, I really love that there's the caveat in this one about how these would be in a perfect world - where no one was allowed to butcher or cut out important & beloved parts of a book. Yes, that would mean a lot of 3+ hour movies. But for a much loved story? Who cares?  

I'm going to break it down, though. Because some would be better on the big screen and some would be better suited for a long-running TV program. And most of them Hollywood better not screw up...

[source]

Movie

1. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - Let's be real, every good YA book these days - particularly the dystopian or fantastical ones - is being made into a movie. It's only time until The Grisha series is added onto this list as well. I just really, really hope they do this movie justice. Particularly with casting. I have a very clear picture in my mind of what this cast looks like and the clothing they wear. 

2. Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close - This book would make the perfect chic lit movie. Better than Something Borrowed or the like. Seriously. We all know I cannot stop raving about this book. But it would be just as perfect as a movie - it's so well suited for that transition! 

3. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - This one is most important that they stay perfectly honest to the book. I will sit through a 6 hour movie in order for everything to be done right and done well. Please. Don't let them butcher this book. In all honesty, Hollywood, leave this book alone if you can't do it the justice it deserves. Okay? 

4. Peak by Roland Smith - This would be the most intense and interesting book turned movie. I'm still fascinated by anyone who even attempts Everest - and a movie about the youngest person to attempt the climb? 

5. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - This would be such a visually stunning movie. I'm absolutely sure of that. It's such a fantastic story that nestles itself into your heart and mind that I just want to have that visual to go along with having read the story. And to see the water horses on the big screen? It would just be perfect. 

6. Kings of Colorado by David E. Hilton - This would be a darker, more intense movie than most of the others I've listed. But I feel that with how moving this book was, a movie would be that much more powerful. It's no secret, I love this one. So, again, unless it's going to be done right I hope they leave it be. 

7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - I want this to happen so much. But only if it has the most immense budget to do it justice. The more I think about it though, I will be devastated no matter how perfectly they capture the book because I think so much about this book is created by and nestled into the reader. It's like we each have our own Night Circus in our minds. We all have our own Marco, our own twins, our own black & white maze of tents. So if/when it becomes real on the big screen, it will only be one person's iteration of the Night Circus. 

TV

8. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher - I think this book (and series, I assume, but I've only read the first book in it) would lend itself to a multi-episode show better than a one-time movie. There's a lot of room to play within it as well, which I think lends itself perfectly to TV. They can stay true to the story, but branch out in ways that have been left open to them. I'd watch this, probably religiously, for sure.

9. Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie - Again, I think this would be better served as a series than a one-and-done (or, three-and-done, since it is a trilogy) movie. Condie has created such a magnificent dystopian world and cast of characters  that I think a TV crew would have a fantastic time weaving stories together season after season.

10. Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien - I haven't finished this series either, but I think this book has opened up a lot of doors for a really dramatic and intriguing TV show. It was an engrossing story, but with a lot of room for interpretation and side stories to develop and completely fill out the world that has been created.


What about you? What books are you dying to see put onto a screen (either large or small)? What books do you hope they'll just leave alone? 

TTT: Well, That Makes Life Easier

This week The Broke and The Bookish bring us this topic for Top Ten Tuesday is: The Top Ten Things That Make Life As A (Book) Blogger Easier.

This may be the hardest week to get to 10 so far! But, I'm gonna try!

1. Goodreads - Seriously, Goodreads is both the devil and the best thing ever invented. I love being able to track the books I have read and want to read. I also love the scan feature on the iPhone app. But, that app and the site itself? I have over 400 books listed so far as "want to read" and that is crazy! However, I do love that I can see other peoples' honest reviews of books so that I can try to avoid books that I wouldn't like in the long run. I also really, really love the Goodreads Challenge - but I hate when it tells me I'm behind in my reading (like it is telling me now...). 

2. Coffee - Or tea, really. Because what's better than curling up with a good book and a cup of something delicious?

3. The Library - I need to use the library more. Because I really do spend way, way too much money on books. But, I do a great job using my library for audio books (those suckers are really expensive to purchase!).

4. Vacation - I get so much more reading done when I have no time constraints from work or decompressing from work. And there's not much better than a sunny day on the beach with your toes in the sand and a great book to get lost in (especially if you have that delicious cup of coffee at your side). 

5. Twitter - Okay, this doesn't make my life easier. But, seriously. Every time I get re-tweeted or replied to by an author I get so freaking giddy and excited. It totally makes my day. Every time. A happy blogger is a good blogger, right?

6. NetGalley - Another thing I need to use more! Who doesn't love free books? Because, my wallet? Loves free books. I just need to get on a better schedule of reading and reviewing and requesting these books. Because right now I'm a hot mess in the time/life management department. 

7. A Pen - We'll get to this a little more in a future In The Margins, but I love to mark up my books. I write in the margins, I underline quotes I love, and I've even started jotting in definitions of words I don't know (who's studying for the GRE? this girl). Maybe I never got over keeping notes in college texts, but I love flipping through older books and skimming lines I marked and notes I've left. Call it sacrileg, but I adore having a pen in my hand when I read.  

8. My Fellow Bloggers - This one is probably the most important. I have found out about so many great books because of you guys. And this community of readers who blog? Y'all are wonderful. 

Okay, so I got to eight. But, they're a pretty solid eight, right? How about you guys? What makes your life as a blogger (specifically, book blogging) easier? 

TTT: Somewhere Other Than Here

It was really hard to settle on a finite topic this week for me. The prompt was as such: Top Ten Books With X Setting. And you get to fill in the X. Oh, The Broke And The Bookish, always making me use my noggin on Tuesdays! 

I finally settled on Top Ten Books Set Somewhere Other Than Here. 

Meaning, books that are set in some world other than our own, "present day" world. I read a lot of books that take me out of where I am and transport me to somewhere unknown. There's something amazing and magical in itself to watch an author not only craft a story of their own, but to fully create the world in which the story takes place. I'm in awe of this, completely. 

So, that seemed like the best option for today's topic. So, here we are: 

   

   

1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss 

2. The Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare

3. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

4. Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind

5. Fire by Kristin Cashore

6. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

7. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

8. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

9. Divergent by Veronica Roth

10. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Honorable Mention: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - It really should be at the top of my list, because really? It's Harry Potter and JKR is the Queen of world-creation. But it kinda felt like cheating because it's a book set in a world that co-exists with our own world. Cheating? Maybe. But, in either case, it deserves to be set apart from the list because of its amazing and wonderful nature. 

TTT: I Just Wish There Was More!

This week's Top Ten on Tuesday hosted by The Broke and The Bookish is an incredibly exciting one for me. 

No. Really.

Why? Because I offered up the topic for today's list! Crazy, right? Or crazy that I'm excited about it? Who knows. But either way, I'm excited nonetheless. 

The topic? Top Ten Books I Wish Had A Sequel. 

Of course, I had to come up with an insanely hard topic. 

Why? First, I never realized just how many series I read. Seriously, they seem to dominate my reading list. Second, I have a feeling all of my reasoning is either going to be a) I just never wanted this book to end or b) I just have to know what happens to ___________. Third, how to pick only ten? But really, isn't that the problem every week? 

Oh well, let's get going with this list:

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - This book falls under the heading of I never wanted this book to end. I loved how the story ended, how the tale that Morgenstern wove together so beautifully played out, but I was so sad to turn the final page and have to leave her world forever. I'm not even sure where a sequel would take us, but I'm sure it would be as beautiful and haunting as this book.

2. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - I would love to see how Jacob's life plays out. I am so intrigued by him, the story of his life, and his battle between his younger self and the aged body he feels so trapped in at present. To see where he goes and how he gets there. I would also love to see a peak into the life of the young man whose world Jacob stumbled into and then how their two lives intertwined. 

3. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - I would love to see where Puck and Sean's lives go from the end of this novel. I'd love to see how the Scorpio Races played out in the future. And I would love to become more involved in Sean's interactions with his water horses. 

4. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katharine Howe - I just really feel like there are so many places this novel could go from its close. There are so many places to go with these characters and this place that it's literally seeping with brilliant story lines.

5. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - Just tell me anyone who doesn't want to see where these two peoples' lives go after the last page is turned.

6. Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close - I never wanted this story to end. Ever. It was like reading my life and the lives of my friends in a paperback. More, please!

7. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - I really, really want to know more about the life of their kid! Seriously. I would love to see a peak at Alba's life and her interactions with her father, mother, and the world.

8. Sunshine by Robin McKinley - Who wouldn't want more about these characters? About this world? I feel like I just got to know these characters and then the book was over. I would love to be more immersed within this world.

9. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer - I would love to see Oskar as an adult. I mean, really? Wouldn't we all?

10. I Am The Messanger by Markus Zusak - With how this book ended, I would love to see where the lives of these characters go. Zusak is one amazing story teller! 

TTT: Beginnings & Ends

There are a lot of reasons this week's Top Ten Thursday topic by The Broke and The Bookish is appropriate to my life these days, but we'll leave that out of this post. It's trivial, really. And, even more so, it has nothing to do with all the wonderful books I'm about to list. I want to let the books speak for themselves

This week's topic is The Top Ten Favorite Beginnings and/or Ends of Books. Isn't that quite the topic? Beginnings are what draw you into a story and ends are what leave you wanting more (or leave you with that delighted sigh of a book well written and loved). I'm gonna navigate this in a simple manner, my 5 favorite beginnings and my 5 favorite ends. Simple, right? Let's hope so!

Beginnings

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Thanks for this book, Jane. What a marvelous start to a fantastic book. 

2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - "In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since." I didn't read this book in High School. And in all honesty, if the beginning of this book hadn't been as good as it is? I probably would have never finished it - and that would have been a tragedy. I love this book, and I love the way it grabs you from word one. 

3. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - "'You've got to be kidding me,' the bouncer said, folding his arms across his massive chest. He stared down at the boy in the red zip-up jacked and shaved head. 'You can't bring that thing in here.'" I love the scene at the Pandimonium Club and I love that Clare wastes no time getting into her story. 

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth -  "There is one mirror in my house. It is behind a sliding panel in the hallway upstairs. Our faction allows me to stand in front of it on the second day of every third month, the day my mother cuts my hair." I knew I was in for it the second I read this passage. Despite all the 'you wont be able to put it down' comments I heard and read, it wasn't until these sentences that I knew just how true that advice would turn out to be. 

5. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - "It is the first day of November and so today someone will die." Talk about an opening line, right? Sheesh. There was no putting this down after that line. 

Ends

6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." What a perfect summary of a perfect novel. And the sentiment is one that echoes through our lives. 

7. The Green Mile by Stephen King - "We each owe a death - there are no exceptions. But, oh God, sometimes the Green Mile seems so long." I had almost forgotten about this line, but then it popped into my head with a reminded. I've not been a huge King fan, but this book was magnificent and has stuck with me always. 

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling - "The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All ways well." These two sentences summed up my childhood and put a nice, neat bow on top. Thank you JKR for everything you've done for our lives. 

9. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - "Don't ever tell anybody anything, If you do, you start missing everybody." Some of the truest words in literature, and ones that tend to haunt you for a while after you've read them.

10. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - "A LAST NOTE FROM YOUR NARRATOR. I am haunted by humans." There is nothing that I didn't like about this book. And that last bit? That haunts me with its perfection. 

What about you guys? Did I miss any? What do you think are the best beginnings and ends of your favorite novels? 

TTT: These Books Scare Me

This week's theme from The Broke and the Bookish is the Top Ten Most Intimidating Books. 

Woah. Talk about a frightening topic. I'm going to try to pull from my TBR list so that I can make a case for why I haven't read them yet. And maybe one or two that are not on the TBR list and then I can defend myself as to why they're not there. 

Sound good to you guys? Okay, good!

1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy - Have you seen the size of this book? It's massive! And I want to read it this year. I'm not sure that's a possible feat for me unless I'm also reading another book at the same time. 

2. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - I think I am still in the can't let go of Harry Potter stage. I'm sure this book is amazing because JKR is an amazing author. But, I want more Harry. 

3. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco - I'm worried I'm going to be an awful medieval historian and not enjoy this book. It's bad enough that I haven't read it yet, but then to not like it? 

4. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - Tough topic, long book, and Steinbeck? I'm so afraid of this book it's not even funny. And people love it! 

5. Atonement by Ian McEwan - Everyone loves Atonement. I am so worried I won't like it and I'll be the black sheep of the reading world. I don't know what else is holding me back, but that's a huge fear of mine with this one.

6. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy - It's War and Peace. Enough said.

7. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Another book everyone loves. And it really seems I should love this book too. But what if I don't? (That seems to be the constant refrain in this list, doesn't it?)

8. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand - Anyone who loves SciFi seems to have read this book and loved it. It's intimidating to me for that reason and that it's SO LONG and detailed. I'm just worried I'll read it and miss so much of what's going on.

9. The Once and Future King by T.H. White - Everyone loves King Arthur and this is the book where the modern story adaptation of the Arthur tale comes from. Will it live up to everything else I know about King Arthur and his pals? 

10. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore - I'm just not sure I'm ready to let go of this world yet. And when I finish this book, it's over. No more surprises, no more adventures. 

What about you? What books are so intimidating to you that you keep putting off reading them? Is it the length of the book or a fear of a series ending? What happens when you don't love a book everyone else loves?

TTT: This Year So Far

This week's topic from The Broke and The Bookish is the Top Ten Books You've Read in 2013 So Far.

Oh goodness, this is a tough one for two main reasons! A) I've loved so many of them and B) You're gonna know exactly which ones I've picked before you even scroll down through them. Because, really? I cannot shut up about some of these books! Oh well, here we go anyways!

1. Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2) by Deborah Harkness - My (potentially) favorite author a) writes the books I wish I had written, and b) studies & teaches at a university level exactly what I want to study & teach at a university level. That aside, though, this book and the series it's a part of is amazing. If haven't convinced you by now to read it, I'm not sure what more I can do.

2. Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close - This book, as I have said many times, is my life written down on paper and sold to the world. Close perfectly captures the life of a twenty-something. 

3. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - I have never had a book screw with my brain this much. I loved and hated all of the characters. I could not put it down even when I was severely pissed off at all the characters. I needed to know what was going to happen. And Flynn kept me guessing and jaw-dropping at every other page. Bravo.

4. Life of Pi by Yann Martel - Such a beautifully written book that can be understood on so many different levels. From a pure and exciting story to a deeply philosophical one - this book was just wonderful. A pleasure to read. 

5. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - I know, I know. I can't believe I just read this book for the first time this year. But I loved it and was so moved by the story. I think I got it and appreciated it more as an adult than I would have back in High School. It's a classic for a reason. 

6. Looking for Alaska by John Green - My first foray into the writings of John Green was not a disappointment. Green seems to have a knack for writing about people so well. All of the characters in this novel acted, sounded, and felt like they could just walk out of the book and into my life for real. That, in itself, is impressive.

7. Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth - I couldn't help but be swept away by this book. People told me that once you hit a certain spot you wouldn't be able to put it down - and they were totally right. I cannot wait to read more!

8. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - It takes a talented author to take a topic like teenage suicide and make it a) not clichéd b) moving without being corny and c) a good read. I cannot praise this book enough. 

9. Reached (Matched #3) by Ally Condie - After really, really not liking Crossed at all I was apprehensive about finishing this series. I was impressed by what Condie was able to do with this book, thankful for the multiple perspectives, and pleased with how it ended. 

10. The Mark of Athena (Heros of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan - I CANNOT WAIT FOR HOUSE OF HADES. Holy cliffhanger, Batman! 

What about you? What are the best books you've read so far this year? What books of yours should I add to my 2013 TBR?

TTT: Those Books I WILL Get To This Summer

Last week I shared with you my Top Ten Beach Reads. This week we're looking ahead towards the Top Ten Books at the Top of My Summer TBR. This is a much more daunting task than last week's. Thanks for that, The Broke and the Bookish. 

Let's be real here for a moment, okay? My TBR List is way, way, way too long these days. Seriously - check it out. And that's not even a complete list! That's a list of books I own that I have not read. And it's only a list compiled from the books I can actually get my hands on at the moment. I have a few a bunch way too many boxes in the basement filled with books from my move when I left NC to go to Budapest. I'm sure there are a ton in there that have yet to be read. Moving to a new place (eventually, hopefully) will be like Christmas when I realize all the "new" books I'll have to gush over. 

So, what I am offering you here are the top ten books I'd like to complete by the end of the summer. Which is cool, because last year at camp I read ten books, so this list is totally possible to complete! Woohoo!

1. The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings #1) by J.R.R. Tolkien - I just read The Hobbit for the first time last Christmas and loved the book. I know people say LotR is harder to get into and at places a little boring, but I'm excited to finally get my feet wet in the series. Also, this is one of my books towards the TBR Pile Challenge I'm participating in! 

2. The Pilliars of the Earth (The Pillars of the Earth #1) by Ken Follett - This book is also on the list of my TBR Pile Challenge. I honestly feel like a lousy Medieval Historian every time I realize I haven't read this book yet. It's totally going to be a daunting read, but I'm excited to get swept up in that world.

3. A Game of Thrones (Song of Fire and Ice #1) by George R. Martin - Another of my TBR Pile Challenge books. You see, I've said I will not watch Game of Thrones on TV till I've read this book. And everyone I know who has read it adored it. So, what the heck is keeping me from reading it? I have no real answer to that question. Suck it up, Courtney!

4. Blood of the Fold (Sword of Truth #3) by Terry Goodkind - Also on the TBR Pile Challenge list. I loved Wizard's First Rule and mostly enjoyed Stone of Tears. They get a bit wordy for me and I find that I love some characters more than others - or at least I love some character's adventures more than others. Some have also told me that the series starts going downhill after the second book, but many have also told me it only picks up steam. I do love Goodkind's writing, so I hope to have this one done soon!

5. Lord of the Flies by William Golding - The last one on this list that also goes for my TBR Pile Challenge. This book was bought because I am/was on a classics kick. You know, reading the books you feel like you should have had to read at some point in your life but never had to? That's how I feel about this one - why have I not read it yet? I ask myself that same question all the time. Time to read it!

6. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe - A good bit of adventure that also falls into my Back to the Classics challenge. What's summer without an adventure? I hope to get sucked easily into this one! 

7. Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth - A long time ago I commented on some of my book reading neuroses. One of them was that I have the hardest time reading a) the last book in a series and b) the last book published so far in a series. I just don't like the idea that a story/world/character is over for me. With Insurgent I've been putting off reading it because I just want the next book out and I don't want my ability to be immersed in that world over for now.  

8. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Everyone's favorite book these days. Gotta read it, don't know why I haven't yet. 

9. Bitterblue (Graceling Realm #3) by Kirstin Cashore - See Insurgent for the reason why I haven't read this final book in the Graceling Realm series. But I will do it this summer. I have to.

10. The Wiseman's Fear (Kingkiller Chronicle #2) by Patrick Rothfuss - Also, again, see my reasons for not having read Insurgent for the reason why I have been putting off this book for so long. Rothfuss is a brilliant man and an amazing story teller. He just makes you wait seven years for each book. 

What about you guys? What books are on your must read list this summer? Have they been on your TBR list for a long time? Or are they ones about to come out that you just cant wait to get your hands on?