Top Ten Tuesday-Best Books of 2015 (So Far!) 6/30/15

Why should December have all the fun with all the “Best of the Year” list? This week The Broke and the Bookish are talking about a mid-year Best of 2015 list! This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is all about our favorites so far. I did a quick review of my Goodreads lists and learned that I have read or listened to 120 books so far this year-34 YA, 27 Non-YA, 14 Nonfiction, and 45 Graphic Novels. I am surprised by all of this except the graphic novels number. I love them and I tend to gravitate towards them when I find myself in a reading slump. Also, I now order for two collections, teen and adult, so I am trying to familiarize myself more with the adult collection. The real shocker was how I struggled to come up with 10 favorite YA books of the year. What’s that all about? What am I not reading that is awesome? I’ll be spending the evening looking at everyone’s lists for ideas.

Teen

1. The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige. I really like this dark and gritty Oz reimagination.

2. The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This one comes out July 7 and it is awesome! I loved the political intrigue and it is incredibly timely considering how much the Supreme Court has been in the news lately.

3. All the Rage by Courtney Summers. This one is tough to read, but so captivating. I couldn’t put it down.

4. Mortal Heart by Robin Lafevers. The last book in His Fair Assassin trilogy does not disappoint! I wonder how long I will have to wait for another book from her?

5. The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson. I love the Shades of London series and book two ending with a shock. Book three took the story in a fascinating direction. I can’t wait to see how it all ends.

6. Firefight by Brandon Sanderson. I am obsessed. End of story.

7. Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee. I am a sucker for girls disguised as boys!

8. Wild Rover No More by L.A. Meyer. Such a bittersweet ending.

9. Last Stand of Dead Men by Derek Landy. Another series I am obsessed with. I have a true crisis now-I can’t get the last book from a library! I think I am going to have to throw down a bunch of cash and buy the entire series…

10. Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Another exciting trilogy ender.

Hmm. Maybe my slump is due to the fact that I am wrapping up a bunch of series and don’t know what to do with myself…

Non-YA

Happy Reading!

~Megan

Mondays with Megan-Summer Reading Week 4-6/29/15

Happy Monday! We are starting Week 4 of Summer Reading and this week’s basket might be my favorite. In addition to some awesome books and candy, this basket has all the fixings to make S’mores!! If this sounds like the basket for you be sure to enter early and enter often! Remember, this year you can submit entries online.

As for my own summer reading, I am still devouring audiobooks at a record pace and my reading funk seems to be over *fingers crossed it stays this way*

Finished:

• Shutter, vol. 1: Wanderlost by Joe Keatinge-♥♥♥. I am not entirely sure what this is all about. I do know it’s being compared to Saga and Fables, but I don’t think it is as good as those. It’s very weird and I am curious to see where the story goes. Maybe all will be clearer in subsequent volumes.
• The Vacationers by Emma Straub-♥♥♥. The Post family vacation is anything but relaxing! Everyone has a secret and the drama is high. This one was fine. For a better dysfunctional family drama try This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper.
• Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella-♥♥♥♥. Teenaged Audrey struggles with anxiety after suffering a trauma. With the help of her family, her therapist, and a new guy she makes great progress in her recovery.
• The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes-♥♥♥♥♥. Tess’s life is turned upside down when she is forced to leave her home in Montana to live with her sister in Washington DC. Her sister is entrenched in the dark and dangerous world of politics and Tess soon finds herself in the thick of things as well. This is an exciting and timely political thriller.
• Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave-♥♥♥♥. Set in the heart of California wine country, this is delightful family drama full of marriage dramas of all types-fear of losing a spouse, fear that one has chosen the wrong spouse, and fear that love is not enough of a reason to get married. This is a fun, quick, summer read.
• Rat Queens vol. 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N’rygoth by Kurtis J. Wiebe-♥♥♥♥♥. Oh man, the Rat Queens are back and as amazing as ever. My favorite part of this volume was getting major bits of backstories for the characters.

Current Audio:

Currently Reading:

On Deck:

I have a ton of digit ARCs that need some attention. It’s so hard to choose what will actually be next.

Happy Summer Reading!

~Megan

Top Ten Tuesday-Favorite Top Ten Tuesday Topics-6/23/15

To celebrate 5 years of Top Ten Tuesday, The Broke and the Bookish have asked us to look back over all the topics and find our favorites. It was really interesting seeing how my lists and tastes and blogging have evolved since my first TTT post!

1. My first TTT-Covers I Would Redesign! If I were to update that list, I would add these:

2. Books I Like More Than I Expected. To this list, I would add:

3. Authors I Would Like to Meet. This is a current list, no updating needed!

4. Favorite Covers. I am not sure I agree with myself anymore! I currently love these:

5. If You Like Gallagher Girls, Try These! This is one of my most visited posts. I need to add these:

6. Words/topics That Instantly Make Me Want to Read a Book. I would add superheroes, ghosts, the words strange or bizarre, and Oz.

7. Books I Would Recommend to Adults Wanting to Read YA.

8. Top Ten New-to-Me Authors. This list is always evolving!

9. Favorite Characters Who Are ________(I picked underdogs!) Here are some more:

10. 201x Debuts. I love finding a new to the world author (though it looks like I have neglected the 2015 newbies)!

Happy Summer Reading!

~Megan

Mondays with Megan-Summer Reading Week 2! 6/22/15

Happy Monday! Summer reading is in full swing and it’s so exciting. So far 146 teens have signed up (thank you, Chipotle!) and have read over 100 books. I have brought up another basket this morning and it’s a fun one. The credit for this one goes to one of my book club student. It’s a breakfast basket! If this one looks good to you all you have to do is read for a chance to win! Enter your books/magazines/graphic novels, etc. in the box at the AV Desk *or* online.

Basket #3

• Books!
  • The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork
  • Sure Sign of Crazy by Karen Harrington
• Candy!
  • Haribo Sour S’ghetti
  • Spree
  • Reese’s Pieces
  • Blow Pops
  • Jolly Ranchers
• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off DVD
• Pop Tarts
• Lucky Charms & Froot Loops
• Nesquick
• Mini football
• 1 Cleveland Gladiators Ticket
• Burt’s Bees lip balms
• $10 Starbucks gift card

My own summer reading is also in full swing. I have finally gotten my mojo back! I am still getting tons of listening done (my dog and I have been enjoying spending hours at the beach) but I have also devoured a couple of print books this week too.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Finished:

• Pirate Hunters by Robert Kurson-♥♥♥♥♥. From the author of Shadow Divers comes another deep-sea diving adventure. Two divers risk it all to find The Golden Fleece, the ship of the infamous pirate John Bannister. Another compelling read!
• The Last Stand of Dead Men by Derek Landy-♥♥♥♥♥. The penultimate book in the Skulduggery Pleasant series. Devastating betrayals, bloody battles, and quirky humor. Tension has built to a breaking point. I need the last book!
• My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh-♥♥♥. An unnamed narrator tells the story of his childhood in Baton Rouge, focusing on the summer the that object of his affection, Lindy Simpson, was raped. Beautifully written coming of age.
• The Devil You Know by Trish Doller-♥♥♥♥. Eighteen-year-old Arcadia is desperate for adventure and a spontaneous road trip with two gorgeous strangers seems like a good idea. When the trip takes a dangerous turn Cadie learns that one of the guys is not who he claims to be. Thrilling, sexy, and suspenseful. I read this in one sitting!
• Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling-♥♥♥♥♥. In 2008 J.K. Rowling gave the commencement speech at Harvard. This is that speech. According to Rowling, you don’t need magic to change the world. You only need imagination. Truly lovely and inspiring.

Current Audio:

Currently Reading:

This week’s Netflix binge:

This week’s podcasts:

Happy Summer Reading!

~Megan

Top Ten Tuesday-Summer 2015 TBR List 6/16/15

It’s summer reading time! I am so thankful that my days of assigned summer reading are long gone. As a librarian I am grateful for those summer assignments because it brings the teens in like crazy. This year has been particularly amazing! Yay summer reading. The Broke and the Bookish want to know what we are planning to read this summer.

1. Kissing in America by Margo Rabb. This is definitely a case of judging a book by its cover!

2. Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray. Finally! YAY!

3. Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella. Kinsella’s YA debut and a book about anxiety disorders? Yes!

4. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. This fantasy inspired by 1001 Nights is getting ALL the buzz.

5. The Devil You Know by Trish Doller. Terrifying road trip? Sign me up!

6. A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis. I have an ARC!

7. Ms. Marvel vol. 2 & 3 by G. Willow Wilson. I need to catch up!

8. Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between by Jennifer E. Smith. Another ARC.

9. Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld. I own this one. It’s high time I dusted it off and dove in!

10. The Dying of the Light by Derek Landy. The final Skulduggery Pleasant book. I don’t want it to end!

Bonus Non-YA

Happy Summer Reading!

~Megan

Mondays with Megan-Summer Reading Week 2! 6/15/15

Happy Summer Reading Week 2! We have picked our first prize winner and are ready to start collecting entries for the next gift basket. This week’s basket has one of my favorite creepy books, The Diviners by Libba Bray. You’ll want to read this one right away so you are ready for the sequel, The Lair of Dreams, when it comes out in August. You’ll also find tons of candy, portable speakers, water balloons, a $10 Mitchell’s gift card, and more! So get busy reading and don’t forget that you can enter your books online this year. I still have a handful of Chipotle cards left so if you haven’t signed up be sure to stop in or register online.

One more order of business. If you are having trouble finding copies of you required summer reading books be sure to check out our digital library collection. Just follow the link on the left hand side under Featured Collections. If you prefer a paper copy we can always do an Interlibrary Loan for you. It usually takes about a week to get a book sent here and requests can be made over the phone, in person or you can do it yourself from our catalog. Just look for the Search Ohio icon on the right side of the screen. Ok, summer reading plug over (for now).

Just a quick reminder that June is Audiobook month. Give your eyeballs a rest and let someone else do the reading for you. Check out a Book on CD, a Playaway, or download a book right to your phone or device! My favorites: The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor, the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer, and the Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld.

June is also LGBT Pride Month. I am so excited to see how well shopped my book display has been so far this month. I am also thrilled to see how many books I have available to keep replenishing it! My favorites: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz, I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, and Winger by Andrew Smith.

June is also apparently the month when I *finally* emerged from major reading slump. I did not actually finish reading anything this week, but I have certainly enjoyed really focusing on a book.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Finished:

• Animal Wise: The Thoughts and Emotions of Our Fellow Creatures by Virginia Morell-♥♥♥♥. I really do enjoy animal nonfiction books! Science writer Virginia Morell explores just some of the research into animal cognition and emotions. Utterly fascinating.
• Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins-♥♥♥♥. This sequel to Rebel Belle does not disappoint. More paladin, oracle, and mage excitement, plus plenty of Southern charm!

Current Audio:

I am almost done with The Whites and I don’t have another book on CD lined up! I also need to pick a new downloadable audiobook. Decisions, decisions.

Currently Reading:

Currently Neglecting:

On Deck:

I need to read a mystery for our genre discussion! Any suggestions for a great new mystery? YA or Adult, I’m not picky!

Happy Summer Reading!

~Megan

Top Ten Tueday-Most Anticipated Releases for the Remainder of 2015-6/9/15

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, gives some love to all the highly anticipated books set to be scheduled at the end of this year. Many of us have been waiting forever for some of the these books and now that their pub dates are closer they actually have covers. And exact release dates. Yay for new books!

1. Armada by Ernest Cline. July 14. A coming-of-age/alien invasion story from the author of Ready Player One? YES, PLEASE! Also, please have Wil Wheaton narrate the audio.

2. The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick. August 18. I loved Huntley Fitzpatrick’s debut, My Life Next Door, so I can’t wait to see what is in store for readers in this companion book.

3. Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray. August 25. This much anticipated sequel to The Diviners is finally going to be available! I am so excited. And scared.

4. The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. August 27. This sounds like another slightly surreal offering from the author of the Chaos Walking trilogy. I am confident it will be awesome.

5. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman. September 1. I am excited for another girl disguised as a boy Wild West adventure. I loved Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee and of course, Jackie Faber, is my favorite girl who hides as a boy, so this one sounds like it is right up my alley!

6. Stand-Off  by Andrew Smith. September 8. I read Winger in one sitting, and what a roller coaster sitting it was! I can’t wait for more Ryan Dean West.

7. Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales. September 15. I think Leila Sales is so underrated as a YA author. Her books are fun, relevant, and I think her voice gets stronger with each new book.

8. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. September 29. More from the Grisha-verse! YES!

9. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. October 6. Magnus Chase is Riordan’s newest hero and he is the son of a Norse god. Hooray for VIKING myths!  Woot!

10. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. October 6. I am still wrapping my head around this one. A new novel based on the fictional fan fiction in her previous book, which is totally Harry Potter fan fiction. I am excited for more Simon Snow and Baz.

11. Winter by Marissa Meyer. November 10. Fairest was fantastic, but I am really eager to continue with the main Lunar Chronicles storyline.

Now I am off to look at other lists to see what I have missed!

Happy Reading!

~Megan

Mondays with Megan-Summer Reading Starts Today! 6/8/15

It’s time the most wonderful time of the year…Summer Reading is finally here! Every week I will be giving away a basket full of goodies. To enter to win just fill out a slip for every book you read or listen to and drop it in the contest box at the AV Desk. Can’t make it in to the library? No problem! This year you can register and submit entries online! Everyone who signs up will receive a coupon for a FREE burrito from Chipotle, while supplies last! The first basket is a fun one. The lucky winner with take home:

• Books!
  • It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
  • Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry
• T-shirt!
  • “Sarcasm: Just One of My Many Talents”
• Candy!
  • Haribo Sour S’ghetti
  • Sweettarts
  • Butterfinger Bites
  • Jolly Rangers
  • Blow Pops
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower DVD
• Minecraft mini-figures
• A pencil case
• A journal & pen
• Oreo minis
• 2 Cleveland Gladiator Tickets
• $10 Mitchell’s gift card

I personally continue to struggle with my reading. Yard work seems to be monopolizing all my free time (thank goodness for audiobooks and podcasts) and I have found myself swept up in the NBA playoffs excitement as well. My new dream is to be done with all my backbreaking yard labor soon so that I can just lounge around on my patio and read! So, for now, I have very little reading to report.

Finished:

• Forever Odd by Dean Koontz-♥♥♥. This second volume in the Odd Thomas series features Odd following his sixth sense to locate a friend who has been kidnapped. This one was kind of strange, but the set up for the third book sounds promising so I will continue.
• Cyanide & Hapiness: Punching Zoo by Kris Wilson-♥♥♥. One of the most successful webcomics has compiled some of their best comics and added new material for this collection. I love the simple stick figure drawings and the completely irreverent humor. This one is not for everyone and certainly not for kids!
• Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan-♥♥♥. At fourteen Frances Mace sees her parents murdered, along with all the other passengers on the cruise ship they are aboard. Frances and her friend Libby manage to make it off the ship alive. Frances knows the truth about the events on the Persephone and she is hell-bent on seeking revenge on those involved. I loved Carrie Ryan’s Forest of Hands and Teeth series, so I was thrilled to finally get a new YA book from her! Readers must be willing to suspend their disbelief and tolerate an unlikeable main character. I was interested enough to find out what really happened, but I think this one was a little too long and repetitive. Decent suspense, not a lot of action.

Current Audio:

Currently Reading:

Recently Received ARCs:

I need to get busy!

Happy Reading!

~Megan

Mondays with Megan-I Might Be a Little Obsessed With Podcasts. 6/1/15

Happy Monday! I am beginning to wonder if I have a problem with my new phone. I’ve been bingeing on podcasts and digital ARCS and audiobooks. The books on my shelves and nightstand are gathering dust. I’ve been so busy around my house that I have been neglecting my coffee shop routine. I guess that’s the one of the nice things about books-they’ll still be there when you are ready to pick them up.

Finished:

 

• The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige-♥♥♥♥♥. The second installment of the Dorothy Must Die series delivers fast-paced action and plenty of answers. I love the twists and turns and can’t wait for more.
• The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender-♥♥♥♥. Restless spirits and a mysterious evil haunt the house that was once an insane asylum. This story takes an unusual spin on the traditional haunted house story. Told from the point of view of ghosts, this one is spooky!
• What Did You Eat Yesterday, vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga-♥♥♥. The day-to-day life of two middle-aged gay men is told around their dinner table. Simple and sweet and full of amazing food!
• Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll-♥♥♥♥. Ani Fanelli has spent years perfecting her outward persona in an attempt to escape a traumatic past. When her past resurfaces the pressure of maintaining her secret threatens everything she has built. Ani is not exactly likeable, but her story is definitely interesting!
• The Terrorist’s Son by Zak Ebrahim-♥♥♥♥. The son of El-Sayyid Nosair, the terrorist who killed the leader of the Jewish Defense Fund and plotted the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center from prison, writes about what it was like to grow up carrying the burden of his father’s actions. This is a short, but powerful story and another Alex Award winner is crossed of my list.
• Alex + Ada, vol. 2 by Sarah Vaughn-♥♥♥♥♥. No spoilers for volume one, but it’s safe to say that tensions rise between humans and robots. I love this new sci-fi series!

Current Audio:

• Forever Odd by Dean Koontz.

Currently Reading:

• I Crawl Through It by A.S. King-super weird!
• Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan
• Last Stand of Dead Men by Derek Landy-more Skulduggery Pleasant!

Current TV Binges:

Podcast Binges:

I am particularly in love with Mortified. This podcast features adults reading from their childhood journals in front of a live audience. It is truly hilarious. I am almost caught up with the Strangers archives. I love this one too. These stories are often so moving and inspiring.

A new serial story:

Last week also brought TWO new episodes in the story of Iris! If you are looking for a new reading adventure, I recommend checking out this story. You’ll find Iris at danamcswain.com.

That’s it for me. Happy Reading!

~Megan

Also, Iris!