Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'd Quickly Save If My House Was Going to Be Abducted by Aliens

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'd Quickly Save If My House Was Abducted by Aliens (or Blown Over by a Hurricane)

(In no particular order, though this is REALLY a hard choice)

I actually had to divide them into two sections because I have so many books that I haven't read. So I have my list of books I have read and want to save and my books I haven't read and want to save.  Don't worry, it still equals 10 books. ^_~

Books I Have Read

1. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I only have one copy of this one whereas my beau (who lives in another state) has a copy of Shiver. So in a way, I'm able to have both and read them, too.

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

This book has become a bit of a treasure to me after reading it last November. I can't bear to go without it and it's small for a hardcover!

3. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

As my first book ready by Maria, I cannot leave without this one, especially since it's autographed!

4. Wolfsbane and Mistletoe edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner

If I have to save only one of my werewolf books, I would rather it be an anthology so I can enjoy multiple authors' works.

5. The Last Unicorn (Graphic Novel) by Peter S. Beagle & Peter Gillis

Yes, I had to save one of my graphic novels, and this one is just too pretty not to save.

Books I Have Yet to Read

1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

With all that I've heard about this series, I'm not about to leave it behind before I get the chance to read it.

2. Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Since I've already read the first book, Raised by Wolves, I have to know what's going to happen next especially with the release of the third book, Taken by Storm, coming soon this year.

3. Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

It's Greek mythology, I must save at least ONE of those books! Especially sicne I haven't read it yet.

4. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

As the only book involving a librarian on my bookshelf, I have to save this massive one.


5. The Rose Chateau by Rebecca Monaco

I have to save this one because it's the first book my beau has bought for me. Sentimental value plus it is a take on Beauty and the Beast, my favorite fairytale.

Top Ten Tuesday (30): Top Ten Books I'm Excited to 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'm Excited to Read in 2012

(In no particular order)

1. Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
Dragons have been decidedly absent in YA literature (or at least in the books I've read), so I'm really looking forward to this great new release. 

2. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
This is sure to be an interesting take on the Underworld, so I'm excited about it's release this month (and even more excited about the book tour in February!)

3. Fated by Alyson Noel
This one sounds so fascinating and spooky. 

4. A Sliver of Shadow by Allison Pang

I was thrilled with Abby Sinclair's introduction in A Brush of Darkness, and I'm definitely looking forward to continuing her story in the second book.

5. Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier
Once again I'm subbing the Italian version that I find ever so lovely.  This one is coming out so late, but I'm still so thrilled about it's release!

6. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

I've heard such great things about this one, I just can't wait to read it.  And just look at the beautiful cover!

7. Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Although I haven't read Trial by Fire yet, I just know it's going to be a great read and therefore this one shall be great as well. 

8. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

The main character sounds like such a strong female lead, so it's any wonder I'm looking forward to this book's release.

9. Underworld by Meg Cabot
Abandon was a great introduction, and I'm sure there will be more answers to questions left unanswered at the end in the next title. 

10. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

It is the year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, so it won't surprise me if we see even more dragon-featured books.  This cover is just so mysterious and mystical, containing an awesome story.

Reflections and 2012 Reading Challenges

As we look forward to the new year, it's also a time to look back and reflect on the old year.  While my blog was originally created in October of 2010, I really didn't become active in the community until February of 2011.  One of my goals for this year was to put more effort into networking in the blogging community, and though I feel I have accomplished that, I know there is still much to still learn as a blogger from both veteran bloggers and novice bloggers.  I still consider myself a novice blogger, and there's nothing wrong with maintaining the mindset of a student.  Even the veterans I follow are most likely still learning, and that's part of what makes them great.

For the new year, I aim to comment more on my fellow bloggers' reviews and review on a more regular basis.  I was very happy with how much reviewing I did in November, and my stats definitely improved in the latter half of the year.  With the amount of books I've squirreled away (like the book squirrel I am), I have more than enough to keep me busy even with the amazing new titles being released in 2012.  Because of all the books I've acquired in the past year, I feel inspired to participate in the 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge.  Here's a picture of some of the titles I'd like to read for this challenge, and here's hoping I can do it in a year!

I'm also going to set myself a more realistic goal on Goodreads for 2012.  This year I felt pressured by wanting to read 75 books, and now that I'm down to the wire, I'm reading more graphic novels in order to attain that goal.  While they are books, I would like to have non-graphic novel titles for the majority (if not all) of my list.  So this year I plan to read 50 books that are not graphic novels for my Goodreads 2012 Challenge.  That's not to say I won't be reading any graphic novels, I just won't count them towards this particular challenge.

2012 promises to be a great year, and I'm looking forward to it as both a librarian and a blogger.  Here's to a new year for all of us, my fellow bloggers and my dear readers!

What reflections do you have for 2011 and what challenges for 2012? ^_^

Top Ten Tuesday (29): Top Ten Favorite Books I Read in 2011

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 our 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 Favorite Books I Read in 2011

(In no particular order)

1. Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

An exciting story featuring a strong, female lead and werewolves. (Review)

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

A perfect story to pair hot cocoa and holiday cookies with alongside a blanket. (Review)

3. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Just. Plain. Awesome. Story. That happens to involve Irish horses. (Review)

4. The Princess's Dragon by Susan Trombley

One amazing dragon story after having not read one in so very very long. (Review)

5. Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer

Learn the real story behind high school competitions (in choir). (Review)

6. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

A too funny, too thrilling story not to read and enjoy. (Review)

7. A Bride's Story Vol. 1 by Kaoru Mori

Family dynamics within a tribe after a rather unique arranged marriage. (Review)

8. Dear Bully edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carries Jones

Powerful stories from some amazing and strong people. (Review)

9. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Time travel + romance + ghosts = Phenomenal paranormal read! (Review)

10. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

A great cavalcade of characters gathered at a summer camp for paranormals. (Review)

Review: Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title:  Raised by Wolves
Author:  Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre:  Paranormal YA Literature
Pages:  418
Publisher:  Egmont USA
Summary:  At the age of four, Bryn watched a rogue werewolf brutally murder her parents. Alone in the world, she was rescued and taken in by the mysterious Callum, the alpha of his werewolf pack. Now fifteen, Bryn's been raised as a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule (mostly). Little fazes here. But the pack's been keeping a secret, and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's direct orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Terrifying memories of the attack on her mom and dad come flooding back. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, all allegiances to the pack no longer matter. It's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences.

The Dish:  First and foremost... how could I have taken so long to read this amazing book?  With Barnes' take on the werewolf pack mentality along with well-developed characters and a nail-biting plot, it's very easy to see why so many readers were as thrilled as I was with the first of the Raised by Wolves books.  Bryn is a human girl that was Marked, basically claimed, by Callum, the alpha of a werewolf pack, at age four after a devastating attack upon her family.  She has known no other life beyond the rules and ways of the pack even while attending a "normal" school.  All that she's known to be truth is changed after meeting Chase, the victim of a werewolf attack that resulted in his being Changed into one.

Right from the beginning, I knew I'd love Bryn as one of my favorite characters.  Her voice is so very honest and real, and you can definitely tell from the change in her narration tone just how much she herself changes over the course of the story.  She has been through many ordeals not only at the beginning of when her parents were taken from her but of also what she had to endure as one of the few humans part of a werewolf pack.  That's definitely not an easy feat considering what was expected of her.  Being made to believe a lie by one of the people she trusted most was another contributing factor in how Bryn was different from others.  To see how she grew and developed as a person having discovered this truth was a gradual process, making it a believable process.  It wasn't as if the change was overnight, and I give my compliments to Barnes in how she was able to make such transitions in Bryn.

What really made me impressed and happy with Raised by Wolves was all of the characters.  Callum was a leader doing what he thought was best for his pack and for Bryn, and I definitely liked him throughout the book.  Sometimes I found myself questioning his motives, but perhaps that was partially due to Bryn's thought process and how she had been deceived.  Devon was the support system that Bryn needed in a best friend as well as one of the more powerful werewolves of the pack.  To have such an ally within a pack that wasn't always favorable towards a human had to mean something to the others.  I really look forward to seeing him more.  Lake was the most rambunctious, "let's get 'er done" girl, and as one of few female werewolves, I can see the motivations in her behavior... and I loved her as much as Bryn and Devon.  I was a little sad she wasn't more present in the book, but here's hoping for the next book.  I enjoyed getting to know those who were introduced, and I definitely look forward to seeing more of their development in the coming books, Trial by Fire and Taken by Storm.

This is one of the best werewolf books I've read and also one of the most insightful of how this particular pack dynamic works.  If you enjoy a paranormal mystery and female-empowering stories, I highly recommend Raised by Wolves.  There is an inkling of romantic intentions, but I would definitely classify it more as Young Adult Paranormal.  It's a lengthy story, but definitely worth the read.

Teaser Tuesday: Raised by Wolves

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.  Anyone can play along!  Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR lists!

This week's teaser comes from Jennifer Lynn Barnes' Raised by Wolves, and I think it's a fitting book to read during the month of October.  Werewolves are definitely part of this season and Halloween is just around the corner.

"I recognized the madness, saw him losing control, bit by bit and piece by piece, and I remembered what I'd done to Devon when I'd lost myself to a similar directive.  When I'd been trapped with nowhere else to go."  
~ p. 176, Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where bloggers post about all the books they have received whether in the mail, if we purchased it, or checked out from our local library.  ^_^ 


Won from Donna at Book Lover's Hideaway for her Giveaway:

Without Mercy by Belinda Boring

Bought: 

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

The Eyes of a King by Catherine Banner
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon

From my Library:

Cloaked in Red by Vivian Vande Velde

What did you get in your mailbox this week? ^_^

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Books I Want to Read Before 2012

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, a state that you don't have to worry about being deprived of more books as long as you're near a library.  This week's Top Ten is:

Top Ten Books I Want to Read Before 2012

(In No Particular Order)

 

1. Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

(This one will definitely be coming up soon on the TBR shelf since a fellow blogger's been nudging me to read it. ^_^)

 

2. Supernaturally by Kiersten White

(This one is sure to be exciting and will hopefully lead to a smashing conclusion in Endlessly.)

 

 

3. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

(It's such a great book from what I've read in the way of reviews, but it's just so long!)

 

4. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

(Although I like the US cover, I'm absolutely in love with the UK cover.)

 

5. Fateful by Claudia Gray

(This one's coming out soon, and I'm so looking forward to werewolves on the Titanic!)

 

6. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

(More updated revamps of Greek mythology please!)

 

7. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

(I'm eager yet also a wee bit nervous since I've a feeling I'll be weepy while reading this one.)

 

8. Friendship Bread by Darien Gee

(This sounds like such a cute book, and I'm sure it'll put me in the mood to bake.)

 

9. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

(This one has me very curious about the fae, and we just got the trilogy at the library.) 

 

10. Chasing the Moon by A. Lee Martinez

(Because every booklist needs a little apocalypse threat humor.)