Jackie's Top 10 of 2013

::Post by Jackie Lindert::

I read a lot of great books this year, especially YA. I also read a lot of books that were just so-so. Here is a list of my favorites! 

1. Just One Day by Gayle Forman

2. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

3. The Program by Suzanne Young

4. Arcadia Burns  by Kai Meyer

5. Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes

6. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

7.The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey  

8. Sever by Lauren DeStefano

These final two are NA, but I just had to include them in my favorites of 2013:

9. Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters

10. Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

If you haven't read them, you should! There was no competition; these were indisputably my top ten. I'd love to hear whether you agree/disagree or have recommendations for me! 

Happy New year, and happy reading!

Top Ten NA in 2013

This has been the year of NA and I freaking love it. I'm loving this blossoming field and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for it. There's a lot of NA out there to find - both self and traditionally published - and sometimes you have to wade through some bad stuff, but it's so worth it. Here are my top ten NA reads in 2013. I'd love to hear yours! I'm always looking for great recommendations! 

1. Sweet Thing by Renee Carlino

I'm so in love with this book. It's intense and beautiful. My review is here. Also, I've decided that Will is Jon Bellion. So listen, read, and enjoy the crazy happiness. 

2. A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

This book is bold and shocking in the best way possible. I love that it does something different in NA and just pulls off all kinds of things it shouldn't be able to. My review is here. 

3. Finding It by Cora Carmack

Cora has just been killing it with the Losing It series and this was a great addition. I love Kelsey, I love Jackson, and I adore the fact that everything goes down as they're spontaneously traipsing through Europe. My review is here. 

4. Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert

This book is bold and it doesn't shy away from some dark moments. But somehow those moments just serve to make the rest of the book hopeful, emotional and amazing. My thoughts are here. 

5. Perfect Regret by A. Meredith Walters

I'm obsessed with A. Meredith Walters. Her books just have intense passion and the right kind of drama. Perfect Regret is another great one from her that just stands out from other NA novels. My full review is here. 

6. Give Me Something by Elizabeth Lee

This book kept me on my toes and just kept surprising me. Plus, she just writes the best country boys, ever. People give awards for best written country boys, right? My review is here. 

7. Rule by Jay Crownover

I got all kinds of things I wasn't expecting when I read this book. It is complex and complicated, and the characters are wonderfully written that the story just breathes beyond the page. And I'm a sucker for friends falling in love. My review is here.

8. Foreplay by Sophie Jordan

There were moments that I actually forgot to breathe while I was reading this book. It's so well written and a little bit heart-stopping. 

9. Rush Me by Allison Parr

I went in thinking - guilty pleasure - with the whole bookish girl falling for an NFL player thing. But it wound up being a bit unforgettable. I love the personality and the energy that springs from these pages. 

10. One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker

I adore this book and Livie's story. There's just something endearing about her and I totally relate to her. For me this book is the epitome of great NA.  

Top Ten Tuesday: Going Places

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books Featuring Travel in Some Way

1. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
2. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
3. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
5. Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

6. Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt
7. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
8. In Honor by Jessi Kirby
9. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
10. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Covers

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is: Top Ten Favorite Covers of Books I've Read

1. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson - The colors and the movement and the font just capture the wildness, the freedom, the whimsy, and somehow just looking at it still breaks my heart. 

2. Hourglass by Myra McEntire - Don't know what it is about this cover, but I swear it actually beckons. I had no intentions of reading this book but it sat on my desk and stared at me until I read it. Now I still see it as a powerful cover. 

3. The Diviners by Libba Bray - I love what's going on in the background of this cover. So beautiful. There's nothing lit city lights. 

4. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma - SO beautiful. And so appropriate for the story it tells. 

5. Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian - I don't know what it is about this cover, but I just adore it. 

6. Dreamelss by Josephine Angelini - The colors are so gorgeous and the cover is so much better in real life. 

7. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley - It's just perfect. 

8. Clockwork Princess by Clockwork Princess - I love the Infernal Devices cover, but this one is just really fabulous. The silver and golds are just beautiful. And so shiny. 

9. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - I didn't read Cinder for a year because I hated the cover. Well, not hate...it just didn't seem like my thing. But I read it and it blew me away. And I was SO excited to go on to Scarlet, which is also incredible, and the cover is perfect. The lettering is awesome and I love the Little Red Riding Hood cape. 

10. Just One Day by Gayle Forman - I don't even know where to start with what I love about this cover. It evokes memories of my own time in Europe, it's exotic and familiar at the same time, the girl is  interesting, and I know this is weird - but I really want that watch. Also, it's such an amazing book that looking at that cover just brings back all the things I love about it. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Buzzwords

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is: Top Ten Words/Topics That Instantly Make Me Buy/Pick Up a Book

------Kingdom------
Usually I see kingdom and it means royalty, fantasy, and hopefully an awesome map.

------Travel------ 
Any book that takes me to another country, I'm so in. I'm thinking Anna and the French Kiss,
Wanderlove, and Just One Day. All are great favorites of mine.  

------Werewolves------ 
My paranormal weakness. I'm a wolf girl. All the way.

------Alternate Universe------
This is something I'm definitely digging lately.

------Troubled/Mysterious/Dark (Boy)------
Can't even help it. I love a good bad boy.

------Country/Small Town------
This is my favorite setting because it's where I grew up.

------Retelling------ 
I love to see stories I love told in new ways. Tiger Lily and For Darkness Shows the Stars are particularly amazing.

---------------------------------------

And three words that will keep me from picking up a book: 

------Addiction------ 
Not even going to lie, tough subjects aren't really my thing.

------Afterlife------ 
I have to hear a lot of awesome things about a book that takes place in the afterlife for me to pick it up.

------Mystery------ 
Ok, this one is a little broad, but I'm just not a fan of whodunnits.

Top Ten Tuesday: Series I Want to Start

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is: Top Ten Series I'd Like to Start but Haven't Yet


1. The Lux Series by Jennifer Armentrout
2. Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

3. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
4. Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

5. The Newsoul Series by Jodi Meadows
6. Pure by Julianna Baggott

7. Abandon Trilogy by Meg Cabot
8. Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

9. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
10. Darkness Rising by Kelley Armstrong

Top Ten Tuesday - Favorite Romances

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is: Top Ten Favorite Romances

1. Lola and Cricket

“I know you aren't perfect. But it's a person's imperfections that make them perfect for someone else.” 

2. Anna and Etienne

“I bought you love poetry! 'I love you as certain dark things are loved, secretly, between the shadow and the soul.'" I blink at him. "Neruda. I starred the passage. God," he moans. "Why didn't you open it?”

3. Megan and John After

“And the rest is happily ever After.” 

4. Clara and Tucker

“Hey, Carrots," he says.” 

5. Aria and Perry

“It didn't matter if Aria was hundreds of miles away, or whether she'd hurt him, or said goodbye, or anything else. Nothing would change the way he felt. The moment Aria had taken his hand on the roof at Marron's, she'd changed everything. No matter what happened, she'd always be the one.”

6. Samantha and Jase

"And the way he does look at me makes me feel absolutely beautiful.” 

7. Katsa and Po

“I know you don't want this, Katsa. But I can't help myself. The moment you came barreling into my life I was lost. I'm afraid to tell you what I wish for, for fear you'll... oh, 
I don't know, throw me into the fire."

8. Echo and Noah

“We’d read about sirens in English this fall; Greek mythology bullshit about women so beautiful, their voices so enchanting, that men did anything for them. Turned out that mythology crap was real because every time I saw her, I lost my mind.” 

9. Helen and Lucas

“Helen, beloved of the goddess of love, went downstairs to crawl into her empty bed as Lucas, the son of the sun, leaned back on his elbows and watched his father-god brighten the bare wooden planks of her widow's walk.”

10. Calla and Ren

“Tell me you’ll come back for the pack. For me.” His eyes were bright with tears. “I don’t 
want to lose you.”

Honorable Mentions (can't help myself, I love so many): 

Mara and Noah  

Ashton and Beau

Natalie and Ash 

Violet and Lincoln 

Will and Tessa