Top Ten Tuesday (5-14-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

1) Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington - a coming-of-age novel where a teenage girl must deal with the deployment of her father to Iraq. I tend to shy away from coming-of-age novels, but this one was fantasticly written.

2) Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah - this was such a well-written novel and it touches on a variety of tough subjects. The one that really hit home for me was the death of Tully's grandmother.

3) The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg - this novel touches on how personal choices not only affect us as individuals, but also those closest to us. Focusing on how Edie's obesity affects the whole family is a harrowing tale not only of personal choices, but the obesity epidemic here in America.

4) The Help by Kathryn Stockett - I loved this novel for so many reasons, but the chapters told from Aibileen's perspective are so moving. Definitely a fresh take on the civil rights movement.

5) Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi - her personal memoir detailing her struggle with anorexia and bulemia, de Rossi takes you inside her illness to see what it's like for someone struggling with these issues. This was a tough book to read, and while I'm glad that I did, it's something that really stuck with me.

6) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - a fantastic piece of literature that tackles prejudice and how it affects people. I could talk for hours on this book, but I'll leave it alone and just say that if you haven't read it, you must.

7) Night by Elie Wiesel - I read this book in high school and it has stuck with me since then (I read it over 10 years ago!) Wiesel recounts his experience in a Nazi concentration camp. While difficult to read, I think it's necessary for everyone to do so and gain some understanding of thise awful event.

8) The Pact by Jodi Picoult - dealing with teenage suicide (in a Romeo and Juliet way), Picoult details how the death can affect everyone differntly, from the boyfriend to the neighbors to the parents.

9) Faith by Jennifer Haigh - this novel tackles the tough subject of child molestation, using the Catholic church sex scandals that were occurring in the 2000s. This was a great study in how far people will go when they are pushed.

I can only think of nine, but I know that there are so many books that handle tough subjects. These are the ones that popped in my mind first. So, which books made your list? Let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday (5-7-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Books When You Need Something Light and Fun

1) The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella - this is one of the funniest books that I've ever read (well, listened to). I was laughing throughout the novel and it was the perfect light and airy book to listen to while driving in my car.

2) Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Phillips is a romance writer, but this is a great novel because it's so easy to pick up and put down, but just as easy to get lost in. Very light, fun, and perfect for summer!

3) Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling - a humorous memoir of Kaling's childhood and getting into show business. I was cracking up laughing during this one! Not too heavy, definitely worth the read!

4) Always Something There to Remind Me by Beth Harbison - I read this one after reading a rave review from another blogger, and I am so glad that I did! All about a woman contemplating her first love, and what woman hasn't been there?!?

5) Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris - I love Sedaris because his writing is so silly and irreverent that you can't help but be in a good mood when you read it! Also, how can you make a light and fun list without including him?!?

6) If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster - this was Lancaster's first foray into fiction and it was a hilarious gamble that paid off for her! I was laughing out loud at so many points during this book that I just had to read it in the privacy of my own home, when no one else was around (it's just weird if you keep on cracking up while reading).

7) The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger - this was a great novel, one that was pure chick lit, which makes it the perfect light and fun book to read! And who doesn't love reading about someone who is worse than their own boss? Makes you realize how easy you have it!

8) The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen - I don't know if I would classify this as fun, but this was a sweet, moving little story about a small town in the south. Nice and light, an easy read.

9) Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella - another Kinsella novel! She is the queen of light and fun and this was one of the best audiobooks that I've ever listened to! Seriously, if you are looking for something light and fun, then this is the perfect book for you!

I could only think of nine this week! So, what books made your top ten? Let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday (4-30-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Words/Topics That Instantly Make Me Pick Up a Book

1) World War II - I love novels set during this time period! If it has anything to do with WWII, you can bet that I will pick it up!

2) New York City - I love this town and how diverse it is. You never know what can happen here!

3) Shoes - I am obsessed with shoes! If the word shoes is in the title, then you can bet that I will read it!

4) Art - I don't know why I am pulled towards books dealing with art/the art world, but I am. I might pick the book up, but the odds that I will actually read it are small.

5) Weight - I am on a journey to living a healthier lifestyle, so reading books that deal with characters who are also facing similar issues really resonates with me.

6) Any form of technology - I love with authors embrace technology and make it a part of their books. I feel like it adds another dimension to the story when they use something like blogging or Twitter to enhance the story (and it also makes it more realistic).

7) Travel - I love traveling so if a book has anything to do with getting away from it all, then I need to read it!

8) Paris - I am obsessed with Paris! I have never been but if I see anything related to Paris on that cover, then I have to pick it up and read it!

9) London - I don't love London as much as a do Paris (at least in terms of book settings), but books set here are just something that I gravitate towards.

I could only think of nine things this week! It was hard to pinpoint what exactly draws me towards a book! So, what pulls you in? Let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday (4-23-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Books I Thought I'd Like Less Than I Did

1) The Art of Fielding - this one totally caught me off guard and I wasn't expecting it! I read it because I read so many rave reviews and figured I would give it a chance, totally not expecting it to blow me away like it did!

2) The Night Circus - I'm not a huge fan of the fantasy genre, but this book is a wonderful work of fiction. It's so realistic that it doesn't seem like a fantasy world at times, and it's so easy to get sucked into and forget what time it is.

3) Jane Eyre - I didn't think I would like this one as much because it was a darker novel, but I fell in love with Jane and she is now one of my favorite heroines!

4) Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Childs - I didn't think I would learn to love Julia Childs so much and what she did not only for women, but for food in America! She truly revolutionized how American cook and prepare food and this novel gave me a newfound apprciation for her.

5) More Than You Know - I picked this book up at the library, not quite sure what to expect, but the more I read of this book, the more I was blown away by Penny Vincenzi's gift as a writer to write about relationships and the bonds that people share.

6) A Good American - another book that I stumbled upon the library that knocked my socks off. A great piece of writing that chronicles one family's pursuit of the American dream.

7) The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost - I love a travelogue but this one resonated on a different level from others that I've read. If you are a woman in your 20s, then you need to read this book!

8) Twenties Girl - I thought this was going to be another piece of chick lit fluff, but it wasn't that at all! It was a great novel about a young woman, wanting to make her way into the world, but needing a little help to make it all happen. The fact that a romance doesn't factor into this story is even better!

9) Firefly Lane - another one that I thought was going to be an easy piece of fluff, this novel blew me away with it's relationships and the span of the novel. A great work that had me laughing and crying.

10) She's Come Undone - the depth with which Wally Lamb writes is phenomenal and blows me away everytime I read one of his books. This one was no different, but it was a departure from his other books that I've read, so it was a bit unexpected.

Don't you just love that feeling when you weren't expecting to love a book as much as you do? Let me know which books really blew you away, unexpectedly!

Top Ten Tuesday (4-16-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Books I Thought I'd Like MORE Than I Did

1) The New Yorkers - I love NYC and love books that are set here because there is so much that can happen. But this book was awful. I kept on listening because so many people on GoodReads raved about it, but it never got any better. I wish I had listened to my gut and stopped listening to it!

2) Shoe Addicts Anonymous - another book that I listened to. For this one, I had just finished another Beth Harbison audiobook and really liked it, so I decided to try another one of her books. This was one of the strangest books that I've ever read and it was so awkward (and not in a funny way!)

3) The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. - I read this after hearing so many bloggers write rave reviews of this book, but it just didn't click for me. I was really disappointed that I didn't like it more.

4) Summer Breeze - I feel like I should like Nancy Thayer's work, but I just don't like her writing. This was the second book of hers that I read and I was so upset with myself by the end of it because it was just like the first book, but the characters names had changed.

5) 150 Pounds - I thought that I would really like this novel because it focuses on two bloggers living very different lifestyles. But it was too preachy for me and it felt like Kate Rockland was trying to push a message home.

6) Midnight in Austenland - I love Jane Austen. I love England. So this should be something that I would love, right? Wrong! I didn't like it one bit!

7) The Lantern - with everyone comparing this book to Rebecca, I hurried to get myself a copy. But this novel is nowhere like Rebecca and I was left feeling bitter and disappointed that I read a book that wasn't at all what I would like.

8) In Her Shoes - I enjoy Jennifer Weiner's work and figured that I should try out some of her earlier books, but I was so disappointed with this one. I'm glad that I didn't read this book first because I might not have read any of her others books!

9) Joy for Beginners - the premise of this book is great but the writing and follow-through were awful. It was also very formulaic, and I always hate that in novels.

10) Big Stone Gap - I had read a few Adriana Trigiani novels so far and people raved about this one, her first book. So, I checked out the audiobook from the library but had a hard time connecting to it. 

I'm always disappointed when a book doesn't live up the expectations that I had for it. So, what topic did you rewind to this week? Let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday (4-9-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Favorite Books I Read Before I Was a Blogger

1) To Kill a Mockingbird - I actually did reread this one once I started blogging, but this is my favorite book ever, and I loved it way before I started blogging.

2) Harry Potter series - I've been reading this series for years now, and while I do tend to reread it every once in awhile, I haven't done so since I've started blogging.

3) Pride & Prejudice - I love Jane Austen and fell in love with this book while I was in high school.

4) An Irish Country Doctor series - I stumbled upon this book in Borders one day, purchased the first book, and became hooked. I still love it to this day.

5) Roots - I read this one summer during high school and fell in love with Kinte's story.

6) First Family - this is a work of nonfiction, chronicling the lives of John Adams and his wife, Abigail. It's based mostly on their letters, and it's amazing to see how they influenced one another and the formation of our country.

7) The Devil in the White City - this was my first foray into narrative nonfiction and I loved it! I have since reviewed quite a few narrative nonfiction books on my blog.

8) Tale of Two Cities - I read this back in high school for class and really enjoyed it. I have a copy that I keep on meaning to reread because I feel like I would have a new appreciation for it now that I am older, but it just keeps on waiting for me in my TBR pile.

9) Night - another book that I read during high school that I absolutely loved. It's a harrowing retelling of Elie Wiesel's time spent in a Nazi concentration camp.

10) Testimony - I read this during college, in one sitting. I was so absorbed in the story that I couldn't put it down, even to go and eat! 

There are so many books that it was hard to choose just ten! So, what books did you read before blogging that you loved? Let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday (4-2-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Characters I Would Crush On If I Were a Fictional Character

1) Ron Weasley (Harry Potter) - because I think he's adorably awkward and cute.

2) Edward Cullen (Twilight) - I really don't like this series, but I love Edward. I suspect it's because he's played by Robert Pattinson on the big screen, and he's just too freaking good-looking.

3) Mr. Darcy (Pride & Prejudice) - what girl hasn't crushed on Mr. Darcy?!?

4) Rochester (Jane Eyre) - who wouldn't love the brooding Rochester? Plus, he has an awesome house!

5) Ted Beaudine (Call Me Irresistible) - reading this novel, it's impossible not to fall in love with Ted. He's the perfect gentleman and he was just stood up on the alter, so he's pretty easy to love.

6) Roman Falconi (Very Valentine) - a good looking man who can make you a delicious, made from scratch, Italian meal? What's not to crush on here? Oh, he also lives in NYC, which is a big selling point for me.

7) Luke Brandon (Confessions of a Shopaholic) - Luke is the super successful business man who knows what he wants ... and he looks great in a suit. So, yeah, it's pretty hard not to crush on him.

Well, I could only think of seven for this week? So, who would you crush on? Let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday (3-26-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Books I Recommend the Most

 

1) Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand - I think this is one of the greatest stories ever told and it's nonfiction! It's so great that it's easy to get lost in and marvel at how amazing Louis is. I recommend this book to women, men, young, old, people who hate to read, people who don't like nonfiction ... it just breaks boundaries in terms of genres and it's something that I think anyone will enjoy.

 

2) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - another book that just defies genres and is easy for anyone to read and take something away from it. I also love talking to people about this book because everyone takes away something different from it.

 

3) The Help by Kathryn Stockett - so many people read this book because of the movie, but I still recommend it to people. It's a fascinating story and Stockett is able to convey a message without ever getting on a soapbox. A moving novel, that's for sure.

 

4) Bossypants by Tina Fey - I recommend this book to every woman that I know because Tina just gets women and what it takes to get through in this world. She doesn't preach, she doesn't make it sound like it's super easy or super hard, she just tells it like it is. And she's so down to earth that you feel as if you are best friends with her by the time you finish the book.

 

5) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - I just finished this one a few weeks ago (the review is scheduled to go up soon!) but I cannot stop talking about this book! It had me on the edge of my seat, trying to guess what was going to happen next. I was disturbed yet totally enthralled with the story. I've been recommending it to people who like grusome or scary things!

 

6) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - I absolutely loved this book, which is odd because I normally don't like fantasy, but I was so enraptured by this book that I read it very fast. If someone is looking for something out of their comfort zone, I recommend this one.

 

7) The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach - I consider this book a modern day classic because it has so many themes that it touches upon, making up this sweeping narrative. I often recommend this to people who don't like sports, because even though I don't like baseball, this novel gives you an appreciation of what it takes to be an athlete.

 

There are a lot of books that I tell people about, but these are the ones that I recommend the most. Which books do you recommend to people? Let me know!     

Top Ten Tuesday (3-19-13)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 

they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 

topic is:

Books I HAD to Buy ... And Are Still Sitting on my Shelf, Unread

 

1) The Weird Sisters - okay, I have been trying to get around to reading this book for a few years now, because I just had to buy it when it first came out. And every few months, I promise myself that I will read it, but I just forget about it. I feel so guilty for letting this one sit there!

 

2) A Fierce Radience - I found this one at a used book sale a few years ago and figured that I would dive right into it, since it's based during WWII, which is one of my favorite time periods. And I have yet to dive right into it.

 

3) Anna Karenina - I have wanted to read this book since I was in high school, but I read the first few pages and just give up. I have a feeling that this one might never be finished.

 

4) Great Expectations - now, I have read this book, but I was 13 at the time, and I think rereading it now would give me a newfound appreciation for the books. So I bought this nice copy of it, which is just chilling in my TBR pile, untouched.

 

5) Before Ever After - funny story about this one .... I just had to have this book, so I went ahead and bought it, putting it at the top of my TBR pile. Fast forward a few months, and I check this same book out from the library and devour it in less than two days. So I have this brand new, never opened copy just sitting there now. Grr.

 

6) Several Kristin Hannah books - I bought most of her work at a Borders closing sale, so I rationalized that because I love her work so much, it would be worth the price of buying so much because I would read them all so quickly. So far, I've only read one book out of the six or seven that I bought.

 

There are many more books just lounging in my TBR pile, waiting to be read, but these are the ones that I always jump to the front of my mind when I think about my huge stack of books. So, which books are just lounging on your shelf unread? Let me know!