Top Ten Tuesday-ALL TIME FAVORITES 2012-2015 3/3/15

Before I get into this week’s Top Ten list, I want to share this blog post that was written by one of my favorite YA authors, A.S. King. Not only is she a brilliant writer, but based on articles like this, she is obviously an amazing human being. I urge any of you who work with or live with teenagers to take a moment and read what she has to say. This post came from hippodilly circus. Once you are finished, come on back for some TTT fun!

This week for Top Ten Tuesday The Broke and the Bookish are looking for our all-time favorites (from the past 3-5 years).

From 2012:

1. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride. Devilishly dark humor.

2. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. I just loved this sweet romance.

3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Totally obsessed with cyborg Cinder.

4. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt. There’s just something about Doug and the birds.

5. I am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak. This is one of the few books that I have read more than once. I think I have read it three times now. I adore it so much.

6. The Diviners by Libba Bray. This one was so creepy!

From 2013:

7. Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. This one is never on the shelf at the library because I keep making people read it.

8. Winger by Andrew Smith. I read this one in one sitting on my front porch.

From 2014:

9. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. I can’t believe it took me so long to pick this one up. I now own the series. I still need to read the last one.

10. Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. I tend to become a little obsessed when I find something I like. Current obsession is this series.

11. Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg. This is the type of romance books I like.

12. I’ll Give you the Sun by Jandy Nelson. ALL. MY. LOVE.

13. Out of the Easy by Ruta Septys. This is the kind of book that makes me read historical fiction.

If you are in my neighborhood, stop in the Teen Room and check out the Top Ten Tuesday display. I am trying something new! The display does not match this post exactly because so many of my all-time favorites are checked out, but you’ll find more amazing titles for you to try.

Happy Reading!

~Megan

Top Ten Tuesday-Best of 2014-12/16/14

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is the hardest list of the year! I have already made one favorites of 2014 list. This one will be strictly YA. I mean, why not?

1. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. This is hands down my absolute favorite book of 2014. I will definitely be reading this again.

2. Grave Mercy & Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers. I can’t believe it took me so long to get around to these. I just bought myself Mortal Hearts this weekend.

3. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor. I am still going through Karou and Akiva withdrawal. This was one of the most stunning and lyrical series I have ever read. I LOVED the audio.

4. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan. It was sad to say goodbye to my young demigod friends, but this was a satisfying ending and I look forward to new adventures with new heroes.

5. Cress by Marissa Meyer. I think that this series improves with each book. I am desperate for more.

6. Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg. This was such a sweet contemporary romance.

7. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2014. It is a wickedly delightful take on Oz.

8. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys. I am very selective about historical fiction. My rule is: Always select anything Ruta Sepetys writes!

9. All Fall Down by Ally Carter. I was so fortunate to get an advanced reader copy of this first book in her new series. Fans will not be disappointed!

10. Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. This new-to-me series has become a bit of an addiction. Interestingly enough, it coincides with my new-to-me obsession with Supernatural. Totally late to the party, but so happy I made it!

I am not finished reading these yet, but they definitely have earned an honorable mention:

Finally, I know I said this list was going to be all YA, but I would wholeheartedly recommend these two adult books to teen readers. I loved them both for very different reasons.

Happy Reading!

∼Megan

universe vres alex woods

vicious

Top Ten Tuesday-Top Ten Books of 2014…So Far! 6/10/14

As we approach the midpoint of 2014, The Broke and the Bookish are asking for a best of 2014…so far list. One things is clear to me: making an end of the year favorites list is going to be painful! After a little more than five months of reading I had to make two lists to accommodate all of my favorites. I made a best of YA and a best of Non-YA. It is obviously time for some cheating…

Favorite reads so far:

1. Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg. I loved this cute YA romance!

2. Shadow and Bone & Seige and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. I am late to the Grisha party, but I am so happy that I finally listened to this series. The final book comes out soon and I can’t wait to find out how it all ends.

3. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys. This author is officially on my automatically-read-whatever-they-put-their-name-on list.

4. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. Two questions. 1. Why did I wait so long to read this book? and 2. Why have I not read the second book yet? Seriously. Excellent stuff.

5. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. This book was so unlike all of her other books. So unexpected and awesome.

6. Cress by Marissa Meyer. Why do have to wait so long for more? Love, love, love.

7. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. This dark debut sucked me in, kept me guessing, and left me desperate for more.

8. Far From You by Tess Sharpe. This is another intense debut novel. A little mystery, a little heartbreak. Certainly a solid first novel.

9. Tease by Amanda Maciel. I just finished this debut novel and I am still trying to wrap my head around it. The content is so upsetting, but I think it is a powerful and important book. It is not often that we get the bully’s side of the story.

10. The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence. This is such a special book. It has all the feels.

I also LOVED these Non-YA books:

Happy Reading!

∼Megan

 

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg Review

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
February 25, 2014
Scholastic
Hardcover, 288 pgs.

What it’s about:

Everyone says guys and girls can’t just be friends, but Macallan and Levi are out to prove them wrong. Macallan was still reeling from tragedy and Levi was the new kid at school when they were thrust together as seventh graders. Their friendship was solidified upon discovering a common love of an obscure British TV show. Their bond was solid. And platonic. Until things changed. What follows is a series of missed connections and misunderstandings that could potentially ruin everything.

Why you might like it:

Are you looking for a contemporary novel that is sweet without being all fluff? Do you love witty banter and clever banter? Are you the underdog’s #1 fan? Do you enjoy alternating points of view? Then this one is for you! Levi and Macallan are both strong characters with unique voices. Their friendship is hilarious and powerful, but the problems they face and boy/girl besties are completely realistic. I also enjoyed the subtle treatment of issues such as grief and loss, family, loyalty, and developmental disabilities. The entire time I was reading this I couldn’t decide if I was rooting for them to remain just friends or if I wanted them to eventually become a couple! Want to know what they decide? Read the book! It’s a wonderful change of pace from all the swoony, bad boy love interest.

Want more like this?

You might also enjoy The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, The Future of Us by Jay Asher, and Heist Society by Ally Carter. You’ll probably also want to check out Elizabeth Eulberg’s other books. I have read and enjoyed The Lonely Hearts Club and The Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Mondays With Megan 1/27/14

Happy Monday! I took a long weekend and am back to work nice and refreshed and thank goodness, because there is a lot to be done! First and foremost, decorating the teen room for Valentine’s Day. Because, why not? And because my awesome coworker pointed me in the direction of these cute and nerdy library-themed candy heart decorations. I also need to spend some time mulling over this year’s ALA Youth Media Award Winners. And of course, I also need to get busy on my Monday Reading List!

 

 

Finished:

• Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando was quite fun. Through an exchange of emails, two young women assigned to be college roommates get to know each other. Full of the worry and excitement of leaving home for the first time, this was a charming story. This will inevitably be compared to Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, which is fair enough.
• Sabriel by Garth Nix was a little confusing and slow to start. Sabriel is the daughter of the Abhorsen, the powerful necromancer charged with keeping the dead where they belong. When he goes missing Sabriel must leave the comfort of her boarding school and venture into the Old Kingdom to find him. This is the first is a trilogy and I did not love it, but Nix is a compelling storyteller and I am confident things will pick up. I will certainly give Lirael a shot.
• The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer follows a group of people who meet at an art camp in 1974. The six teens forge a bond that lasts a lifetime. This one slowly drew me in and I ended up really liking it.
• Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg is due out in February, so I will have a review up later, but I will say it was wonderful! I loved the alternating POV and banter between Levi and Macallan.

Current Audio:

• I am so excited to have Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen in my car. Her books are so dreamy and magical.
• On Playaway I have The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. I am a little late to the party and romances seem to be the theme…just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Currently Reading:

 

• Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis has lots going for it-it’s a dystopian book, written by a fellow Ohioan and there is a blurb on the (totally awesome) front cover by Michael Grant. I just started and hopefully I can tear myself away from The West Wing long enough to get into my book.
• The House of Secrets by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini. This book is HUGE and the house is pretty creepy.
• Finally, I just downloaded an ARC of This One Summer, a new graphic novel by cousins Jillian and Mariko Tamaki.

On Deck:

  

Another blast of Arctic cold is heading my way. Maybe tomorrow will find me snuggled up with a book instead of at work?

Happy Reading!

˜Megan

Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg Review

Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg
Scholastic, Inc
March 1, 2013
272 pgs

Lexi is an average teenaged girl trapped in an endless Toddlers & Tiaras nightmare. She is the smart, responsible and sassy one while her much younger sister Mackenzie is the beauty queen. After years on the pageant scene Lexi is finally fed up with the whole thing. She is tired of being overlooked because she is not a fake beauty. She is tired of being average and ignored, both at school and by her mother who is obsessively focused on Mackenzie. Encouraged by her best friend Benny, she begins to transform her appearance. Stepping out of the shadows and into the limelight has some surprising consequences for this good girl with the great personality.

On the surface this is a smart, sassy story about the shallowness of the beauty pageants, high school, and being a part of the “in crowd.” This is a familiar formula in contemporary YA literature and is enough to make a great book. But this is so much more than a fluffy cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of beauty, judging people based on appearances, and the desire to fit in for all the wrong reasons. Don’t get me wrong, that is all in here, but buried beneath the lightness and clever humor is a profoundly moving story about a dysfunctional family. Lexi and her best friends Benny and Cam are vibrant, multidimensional characters. The relationships are complex, messy, and realistic. Ultimately, this was one fantastic read. With more substance than fluff, this book certainly has a great personality!

You may also enjoy the works of Maureen Johnson, Leila Sales, E. Lockhart and Sarah Dessen.

This book was provided by the publisher and Netgalley.com for review.

Happy Reading!

˜Megan