Top Ten Tuesday (58): Books I Read in 2012

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list will be posted by one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. Everyone is welcome to join, just make sure to link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so everyone can check out other blogger lists. Have fun!

Top Ten Books I Read in 2012

(Disclaimer: I'm only including books I reviewed in 2012 and in no particular order.)

1) Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr (Review) - This book only inspired me to check out more books by Melissa Marr.

2) The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Review) - I think Maggie has another winning series with The Raven Cycle.

3) The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (Review) - Such a wonderful surprise, I loved this book so much and reminded me of my love of fantasy books.

4) The List by Siobhan Vivian (Review) - Writing from eight different POVs, this was an impressive example of what high school can be like.

5) Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Review) - Science fiction in everyday life.  What's not to love?

6) Underworld by Meg Cabot (Review) - Happily, this book didn't have any "second book syndrome" for me, and I'm eager to read the conclusion next year!

7) Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey (Review) - Exciting and unique story that takes place in my hometown.

8) Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs (Review) - Hilarious and winning concept on Greek mythology with a great and fun implementation.

9) Anew by Chelsea Fine (Review) - How immortality can really be a curse and how far love will go to break that curse.
10) Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble (Review) - Russian folklore at its finest, this is one story that offers readers something outside of the box.

TGIF (28): Best I've Read So Far

TGIF is a weekly meme created and hosted by Ginger of GReads! that recaps the week's posts and has a different question each week.

Question: We're halfway through the year, which top 3 books are the best you've read so far this year?

My Answer: I haven't been reading as much as I'd like this year, but what I have read has been pretty amazing.  I've really enjoyed so many new books and will have many others to enjoy in the second half of the year.  My top three have to be:

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
I was really looking for a unique fantasy story, and this one delivered in big dividends.  It has adventure, romance, friendship, and a setting that is exotically beautiful as well as possibly deadly.  I can't wait to read the sequel, The Crown of Embers. 

The List by Siobhan Vivian 
There's always going to be great contemporary YA novels. This was a novel that delved into the minds of eight different girls, interweaving the various stories together by vital threads. It is simply haunting.

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Okay, I know this is my most recently read book, but it was incredible. There needs to be more YA science-fiction books... especially with alien guys like Daemon. 

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This week on Denim-Jacket Librarian Dishes:

Beaux Livres (9): Beautiful Libraries

Waiting On Wednesday: Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Reviews:

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

TGIF (26): Issue Books

TGIF is a weekly meme created and hosted by Ginger of GReads! that recaps the week's posts and has a different question each week.

Question: Which books have you found to be very rewarding when it comes to tackling tougher issues?

My Answer: I think the first book that comes to mind when talking about books taking on the tough issues will always be Dear Bully. Bullying is one issue that anyone can relate to even authors that readers adore. A more recent title I've read is The List by Siobhan Vivian, and while there is bullying to a degree, I think the larger issue has to do with what pressure society has placed on its youth, particularly girls. The List examines what it means to be beautiful and what it means to be ugly, both figuratively and literally, and it will definitely speak to teenage girls.

***

This week on Denim-Jacket Librarian Dishes:

Stacking the Shelves (4)

Beaux Livres (5)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Reviews:

The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen

Top Ten Tuesday (46): Books That You Think Deserve Their Own TV Show

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list will be posted by one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. Everyone is welcome to join, just make sure to link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so everyone can check out other blogger lists. Have fun!

Top Ten Books That You Think Deserve Their Own TV Show

(In no particular order)

1. Soulless by Gail Carriger
I can only judge by the manga since I haven't read the series yet, but a steampunk paranormal anime series would be most welcome on television.

2. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Supernatural dramedy, 'nuff said.

3. The List by Siobhan Vivian
One of my most-watched yet not well-known series was Popular, and I think The List as a television show could be the next generation.

4. Intertwined by Gena Showalter
With all that is going on in this series, I'm surprised it's not a television series already.

5. Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede
This was a hilarious quartet, and I think we need more comedic fantasy television series.

6. Shadow Falls Series by C.C. Hunter
So many great television series took place at camp, so why not Shadow Falls Camp, too?

7. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
While I haven't read this book yet (though I'm DYING to), I think we need more sci-fi television series, and I think Daimon would make a perfect addition to the hot alien list.

8. A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
I see this one as a cross between The Dresden Files, Supernatural. and Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.

9. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Time-traveling isn't just for doctors these days, and time-hopping sounds like a great means of travel.

I was only able to think of 9 this time, but I'm sure everyone has some great ideas for books that deserve their own television shows. ^_^

Top Ten Tuesday (45): Books You'd Like to See Made into a Movie

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list will be posted by one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. Everyone is welcome to join, just make sure to link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so everyone can check out other blogger lists. Have fun!

Top Ten Books You'd Like to See Made into a Movie

(In no particular order)

1. The List by Siobhan Vivian

This was such a great book, and I think it could definitely pull off the story on the silver screen. 

2. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Action, mystery, time-travel, and romance, what more do you need for a great movie?

3. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I would be so very curious to see how the capall uisce would be created for the film.

4. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

It would be so amazing to see the world of Ixia and Sitia brought to life, and to see Yelena, Valek, Ari, and Janco in film.

5. The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce

Not a single movie, but four movies that would need special attention to the detail Pierce used to create this amazingly epic story.

6. Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

1) There can never be too many werewolf movies and 2) This would hopefully be one of the most amazing werewolf movies.

7. Flawless by Lara Chapman

I know there's a different rendition of Cyrano in Roxanne, but it would be nice to see the feminized version. 

8. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Just for the setting alone would I want this book to be made into a movie.

9. The Talking Eggs by Robert San Souci

As one of my favorite children's books, this is one that would be a treat to see as a film.

10. Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

With all of the dramatic, action movies involving the Greek gods, it would be a nice change of pace to see a more light-hearted story instead.

Review: The List by Siobhan Vivian

Title:  The List
Author:  Siobhan Vivian
Pages:  332
Genre:  Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher:  Push
Obtained:  Purchased
Summary:  An intense look at the rules of high school attraction--and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year.  A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest.  Nobody knows who makes the list.  It almost doesn't matter.  The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly."  And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection between the two.

The Dish:  Siobhan Vivian has crafted a remarkable and haunting story that will stay with readers long after they've closed the book.  I know that's what happened to me after I finished it and woke up the next morning still thinking about it.  With Vivian's easily flowing prose, I was carried through The List and then left to ponder on all eight girls.

The characters are phenomenal as readers see them transition over the course of a single week starting with the Monday when the list is posted.  A week seems so short a time to explore an entire book, but Vivian makes use of these 6 days in exploring the lives of all eight girls on the list.  It's amazing at how much one label can change the way people think about a person and what that person thinks about themselves.  For some of the girls, the change is almost instantaneous while for others more gradual, but by the end of the book, each of them is not the same girl at the beginning whether better or worse.

What I really noticed was the behavior of the people surrounding the eight girls whether family, friends, or boyfriends and how that shifted as well.  Those closest to the girls suffered an impact as well, not always from knowing about the list but in seeing how the girls change.  I was moved by several side characters and their actions towards their friends on the list.  It was fascinating to learn how they viewed being on the list and how those views changed throughout the week.

The List is definitely a contemporary story to have in a collection, and I'm eager to see what new stories Siobhan Vivian will share with her readers.

In My Mailbox (30): TXLA 2012 Edition

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers post about the books they have received in the past week whether for review, purchased, or checked out from the library. ^_^

The annual Texas Library Association conference was this week, and it was my first time attending (even if it was just Wednesday).  The ARC haul... was intense and my shoulders are still feeling it, but it was so worth it especially since I was able to meet so many awesome Texas bloggers both local and out-of-town and phenomenal authors in-state and out-of-state! ^_^

YA Authors & Librarians Texas Tea:

Author round-up!  So many awesome YA authors in one place!

Here's some local lovelies, Mary Lindsey and Jessica Lee Anderson!

Mary's so sweet! I love being one of her book pimps!

Guess who was the first author at our table!!!  Maggie Stiefvater was talking about The Raven Boys, which all of our table was eager to hear more.

Maggie's also too cute!

Siobhan Vivian was next, and darn do I want to read her book, The List!

OMG, it's Neal Shusterman! Along with Unwholly, sequel to Unwind.

Here's another local lovely, Joy Preble, with Anastasia Forever.

Here's Jennifer A. Nielsen with her new novel, The False Prince. 

Houston bloggers (and writers) are such fun, so here's to Kate (from Ex Libris), Maria (from Cari's Book Blog), Kristin (from Kristin Creative), and Stephanie (from Stephanie, A History). I was also happy to meet the undeniably awesome Jen Bigheart from I Read Banned Books (next time I'll snag a picture of her). 

All righty on to the...

Joy! I've gotta talk about the books, silly!

From TXLA 2012:

Considering I only went on Wednesday, I think I made out quite nicely. 

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Underworld by Meg Cabot
Anastasia Forever by Joy Preble (signed!)
Sweet Shadows by Tera Lynn Childs (signed!)
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Velveteen by Daniel Marks

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

Dark Lord the Teenage Years by Jamie Thomson

Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy

The Pack: Dogs of the Drowned City by Dayna Lorentz

Invisible World by Suzanne Weyn

The Prince Who Fell from the Sky by John Claude Bemis

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

Skinny by Donna Cooner

Sleuth or Dare: Partners in Crime by Kim Harrington

The Templeton Twins Have an Idea by Ellis Weiner

Calli by Jessica Lee Anderson (signed!)

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland

Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

Violins of Autumn by Amy McAuley

Anything by Ordinary by Lara Avery

The Cup and the Crown by Diane Stanley

Legends of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

On a Dark Wing by Jordan Dane (signed, and thanks to Kristin!)

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins (personalized thanks to Karen!)

Spellwright by Blake Charlton (personalized!)

Whew! That's all for my mailbox this week. What did you get in your mailbox? ^_^

In My Mailbox (29) and Teen Book Con Haul

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers post about the books they have received in the past week whether for review, purchased, or checked out from the library. ^_^

Library Stash:

Dating the Undead by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

Gifts:

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons (signed!)
Article 5 Postcard
Grave Mercy ARC by R.L LaFevers
(All from Marla at Starting the Next Chapter, thanks hun!)

Bought:

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble
Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan
Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke

Teen Book Con:

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (signed!)
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (both mine and my beau's copies signed to both of us!)
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (signed!)
The List by Siobhan Vivian (signed!)
Anastasia Forever bookmark and postcard from Joy Preble
Chained bookmark and YA Class of 2012 bookmark from Lynne Kelly

Pretty nice mailbox, thank you to Teen Book Con, Marla, and my library! What did you get in your mailbox? ^_^