Top Ten Most Anticipated Books of Early 2013

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

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books of Early 2013

Guys, all of the books on this list (besides the last one) come out in the first two months of next year. I can't even imagine how long this list would be if I put ALL the books I want to read in 2013 on it. Here they are in the order in which they'll be released. 

Just One Day by Gayle Forman (January 8, 2013) 

Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (January 8, 2013)

Boundless by Cynthia Hand (January 22, 2013)

The Archived by Victoria Schwab (January 22, 2013)

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (February 5, 2013)

Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter (February 5, 2013)

I've noticed a big connection between these two releases already and I haven't even read them yet! Do you see it too? Definitely more Six Degrees of Separation to come in 2013.

Pantomime by Laura Lam (February 5, 2013)

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead (February 12, 2013)

The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson (February 26, 2013)

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (March 19, 2013)

I was lucky to read Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi early, or else that would have definitely made this list as well!

What books are you most excited to read next year?

A TWOFER: The Thief and The Queen of Attolia

Both of these reviews are spoiler free so they are safe to read if you haven't yet started this series (but if that still makes you nervous, just read the first one). I wanted to put them together to show you with my words how my thoughts on these books changed as I read deeper into the series. I started off loving Eugenides but skeptical about some of the choices the author made in building her plot, but the more I read, the more I got her vision and story. And the more I loved it. I'm three books in now and completely hooked. 


The Thief
by Megan Whalen Turner

Read: November 30 - December 2, 2012 
Published: Originally October 31, 1996 by HarperCollins
Source: Kindle Purchase
Category: Fantasy 
Series: The Queen's Thief book 1

The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. 

What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses. (From Goodreads)



The set-up:
Gen "Eugenides" claims that he can steal anything. Unfortunately for him, he boasts about his abilities a little too loudly and lands himself in prison. Luckily he gains gains the attention of the wise man or magus to the king of Sounis, in whose prisons he is being held. The magus wants Gen to steal a treasure for him, and Gen agrees (he really doesn't have much of a choice.). That's how it all begins. 

My thoughts:
I adored Gen as soon as I met him. I love that he is clever and brave but also very flawed. He whines and complains, but is clearly intelligent and calculating about what he shares with the reader and the people he meets. Gen definitely earned his place on my list of favorite young male protagonists (Harry, Percy, Sage and Todd Hewitt are also on that list). Gen lives in a land that very much resembles Greece, both in the landscape and the way the society has been constructed. But this world is Megan Whalen Turner's unique creation. Along with Sounis, this region includes the countries of Eddis and Attolia. Gen and his companions journey through all three countries this book. 

Although I fell for Gen immediately, and was told by many fellow readers that this series is amazing, I must admit that I was a bit skeptical through most of The Thief. That is because it contains a tremendous amount of what could be called 'info dump.' It is cleverly disguised as lessons in history, agriculture, politics and mythology. But I kept wondering how important could all that information possibly be to this story?  

Despite my initial hesitation, I stuck with The Thief, and I am so thankful that I listened to the voices telling me to keep going. I think it's helpful to look at this book as the beginning of a tale. Every bit of information you learn in this story serves to enrich the society and world in which Eugenides lives. The further I've read into this series, the more I'm in awe of the care and attention that the author has put into building her world. Although every single piece of information doesn't come back around, much of it does, and the foundation for the rest of the series takes place in this book. And all the books are not released yet so you never know what you might need later. 

Not only do these lessons tell the reader about Eugenides' world, but they are also presented in a way that provides a glimpse of the characters in the book and the relationship between them. I felt like I got to know the individual players as I watched them interact with each other. I love books like this where you're not sure if  you should take what you see at face value or not. When you wonder if there's more going on than it appears. 

Since reading The Thief and plowing right through The Queen of Attolia, I've fallen in love with Megan Whalen Turner, Eugenides and the world in which he lives.

Cliffhanger Scale: Low
Love Triangle Factor: N/A

Rating: 4 stars


The Queen of Attolia
By Megan Whalen Turner

Read: December 3-4, 2o12
Published: October 1, 2001 by HarperCollins
Source: Library
Category: Fantasy 
Series: The Queen's Thief book 2

NOTE: Skip the book description next to the cover if you are new to this series.

Revenge
When Eugenides (yoo-JEN-ə-deez), the Thief of Eddis, stole Hamiathes's Gift, the Queen of Attolia lost more than a mythical relic. She lost face. Everyone knew that Eugenides had outwitted and escaped her. To restore her reputation and reassert her power, the Queen of Attolia will go to any length and accept any help that is offered...she will risk her country to execute the perfect revenge.

...but
Eugenides can steal anything. And he taunts the Queen of Attolia, moving through her strongholds seemingly at will. So Attolia waits, secure in the knowledge that the Thief will slip, that he will haunt her palace one too many times.

...at what price?
When Eugenides finds his small mountain country at war with Attolia, he must steal a man, he must steal a queen, he must steal peace. But his greatest triumph, and his greatest loss, comes in capturing something that the Queen of Attolia thought she had sacrificed long ago... (From Goodreads)


This is one of those series that keeps getting better and more complex as it goes along. I only appreciated the wealth of information that I received in The Thief once I read The Queen of Attolia. And I have a feeling that I will only fully appreciate book 2 after I've read the third in the series. (<<<< I can eagerly confirm that statement.)

Megan Whalen Turner is a brilliant strategist. The way that she developed the landscape, culture and mythology of these three nations and the characters in the first book, then built upon that information to encompass political intrigue between four different countries, was amazing. I can't even believe how complex the plot of The Queen of Attolia is, and how intricately and carefully the story all works together. 

Eugenides is a great hero. He is moody and FEELS so much in this story, and I felt right along with him. Parts of his journey were very emotional for me. But he also only lets us see what he wants us to see, and he surprised me at several points in this book. 

One thing I love about this series is that in each book the narrative perspective is different. The Thief was told to us by Eugenides in first person singular form, while The Queen of Attolia is in third person limited and shifts between several characters, including Eugenides. This allows for greater complexity in the plot, and also serves to give the reader a fresh perspective on the characters and their world. I love getting to know characters from both an internal and external view point, and I was thrilled to see Gen in a different way in this book. 

Although I wouldn't call this book a romance, there is a love story that comes to play in this story. It is unconventional and unlikely for many reasons. Though I understand its potential to be amazing and am hopeful about it, the relationship still felt very uncomfortable when I finished this book. BUT as I've said, the brilliance of Turner's writing is the fact that it can take time to see all of the elements of the plot - and the whys - come together. I am eager to see what happens in the next book. (I have since read book 3 and it's even BETTER than this one. I am not making this up.)

Cliffhanger Scale: Low
Love Triangle Factor: Mild

Rating: 4.5 stars

There Comes a Prophet Review + Giveaway

 There Comes a Prophet blog tour is hosted by CBB Book Promotions

See the full tour schedule HERE

There Comes A Prophet

by David Litwack

Read: December 16 - 18, 2012

Published: July 9, 2012 by Double Dragon Publishing

Source: Gift from author in exchange for an honest review

Category: Science Fiction, YA (also fine for MG)

Who among us will cast aside a comfortable existence and risk death to follow a dream?

A world kept peaceful for a thousand years by the magic of the ruling vicars. But a threat lurks from a violent past. Wizards from the darkness have hidden their sorcery in a place called the keep and left a trail of clues that have never been solved.

Nathaniel has grown up longing for more but unwilling to challenge the vicars. Until his friend Thomas is taken for a teaching, the mysterious coming-of-age ritual. Thomas returns but with his dreams ripped away. When Orah is taken next, Nathaniel tries to rescue her and ends up in the prisons of Temple City. There he meets the first keeper of the ancient clues. But when he seeks the keep, what he finds is not magic at all.

If he reveals the truth, the words of the book of light might come to pass:

“If there comes among you a prophet saying ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.”

NOTE: Before you read any further, please take a moment to erase the book cover above from your mind. It will give you the wrong impression about what this story is about, at least it did for me. Although I understand it conceptually - if I squint really hard - it is extremely misleading about the nature of this book. In other words, please don't give up on this review if the cover makes it 'look' like a story you'd never read. 

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There Comes A Prophet is an inspiring book about three young friends who set out to discover the truth about their world and end up changing it in the process. 

But what are we without dreams.

Nathaniel, Orah and Thomas are best friends who have grown up together. Nathaniel has always been a dreamer, creating elaborate fantasies featuring knights on horses; Orah is practical, cautious, and not a risk taker; Thomas is careless and fun. They love each other as close friends do, and beyond that, they are just normal kids on the verge of becoming adults. The three live in a small rural town called Little Pond that is ruled by the Temple. They work hard, but most forms of leisure activity, sweet foods, and musical instruments are banned by the Temple as part of 'the darkness.' 

'Beware the stray thought. Like water dripping on rock, it can erode the strongest mind and open a path for the darkness.'

Children in this world come of age at 17, and at that time one out of every three is taken by the Temple for a teaching to learn to fear the darkness. When one of the three friends returns from his teaching a frightened shell of his former self, a chain of events begins that will change their world forever. 

When I started reading There Comes A Prophet, I had no idea what kind of book it was going to be. At first it had a dystopian feel, and I kept thinking of Lois Lowry's The Giver. Not because the worlds are anything alike, but because both are societies that are tightly controlled, including any knowledge about history or the past. This story then morphs into a quest that eventually leads to a revolution. I also didn't know whether There Comes A Prophet would take a turn towards magic or science fiction, and I really enjoyed discovering the answer to this question along with the characters. I loved seeing the world through the eyes of these characters and experiencing their wonder as they got closer to the information they were seeking. 

Ideas combined with courage can change the world.

I also love that There Comes a Prophet is many layered. This book inspired me to think past my limits and realize that you don't have to be big and powerful to make a big and powerful change. But this book also raises some difficult questions. Every new advancement or discovery our world makes also means more ways for humans to hurt each other. Would it be better to limit that information to protect people from violence? What if you had to give up your freedom to gain peace and safety? And if you no longer had the freedom to discover, what would you be willing to sacrifice to get it back? These are some of the questions explored in this book, which I found to be very relevant to our lives today. 

There Comes a Prophet takes place over about a years time, but it is extremely broad in its scope, encompassing 4 distinct and important sections. The book chronicles the entire evolution of change brought on by Nathaniel, Thomas and Orah, and I loved being able to see it unfold. But it was still a lot of material to cover, and the book read slowly for me at times. Also, while I was inspired by the message of this book, and fell in love with the journey of discovery that led to revolution, the only character that I fell in love with was Nathaniel the dreamer.

There Comes a Prophet is a book that I enjoyed as an adult, but I know I would have loved it in late middle school and also high school. I can imagine my younger self being filled with wonder and inspiration right along with these characters, and I love that this book was able to affect me in the same way today. 

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone

Links:

Website/blog: www.davidlitwack.com

Facebook: David Litwack - Author

Twitter: @DavidLitwack

Watch the Book trailer

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Sony ebooks | Apple | Paperback

Goodreads

Author Bio:

The urge to write first struck when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.

Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned. There Comes aProphet is his first novel in this new stage of life.

David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.

GIVEAWAY

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Renegade

by J. A. Souders
Read: December 11 - 14, 2012
Published: November 13, 2012 by Tor Teen
Source: Library book
Category: Dystopian, Psychological Thriller, YA
Series: The Elysium Chronicles book 1

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. 

Her memories have been altered. 

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. 

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all. (From Goodreads)

___________________________________________________________________

My Life is just about perfect. 

Evelyn (or Evie) lives in an underwater city called Elysium. Located deep within the ocean, the community was created to escape the violence on the Surface. The leader of the people is Mother, and Evie is Daughter of the People, chosen because of her exceptional genes. The residents of Elysium are distrustful of the Surface above, and Mother is not happy when a Surface Dweller named Gavin finds his way into her city. Tasked with getting information out of him, Evie learns instead that everything she knows is a lie and that it is Mother whom she should have feared all along. 

The underwater setting of Elysium fascinated me. I've never read a book that takes place on the ocean floor but does not involve mermaids or submarines. I loved the uniqueness of the setting, as well as how well it was crafted. If not for Mother, I'd want to live there myself (or at least visit). I was not surprised that Gavin kept getting distracted by the wonder of his new surroundings. It is clear that the author also thought through practical problems of dwelling in the ocean, including how would you get a sustainable community to live on the ocean floor?  

I also loved the tone of Renegade. The beautiful, almost peaceful setting added to the creepiness of the story. The author also used repetition to demonstrate the ways that Evie's mind has been manipulated by Mother. Even the careful front that Mother portrays to the world, and the way the citizens refer to her as Mother creeped me out. I could physically feel the tension building as these characters fought to stay one step ahead of her. As the story builds, Evie's carefully constructed world unravels more and more until there was nothing left of her "just about perfect" life. 

A love story develops between Evie and Gavin, the "Surface Dweller" who finds his way into the community of Elysium. While I grew to really like Gavin, there was absolutely no buildup in his relationship with Evie, which left me feeling uneasy and scrambling to catch up to how they felt about each other. Evie trusted Gavin almost immediately, although there was really no reason that she should have. I wish there had been more tension between Evie and Gavin as they got to know each other. Instead this was a bad case of insta-love combined with insta-trust that did not work for me (I actually don't mind insta-love if it handled well). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get over my unease over their quickly developing relationship as fast as I would have liked and that really affected my reading of this book. 

That said, Gavin and Evie as a couple did grow on me. I ended up liking them together by the end of the book, and I'm looking forward to more of them in the future. Their relationship does become more complicated and thus more interesting about 65% of the way through this novel, and I really liked that development. At that point there is a big revelation, which surprisingly, did surprise me - although I should have seen it coming.  I became more interested in Evie at this point as well. 

Renegade takes place over a few days and the majority of the story is about Evie and Gavin trying to stay one step ahead of Mother and escape from her with their lives intact. Along the way they learn what is really going on in Elysium in more and more frightening detail. This book is essentially a psychological thriller set in a dystopian world. I really like the idea of this combination of genres, but the Escape Plot in this book made me feel restless at times. Evie and Gavin encounter constant set backs, and I became frustrated with the slow progress of their journey. I got tired of "we made it to this place, but now we have to backtrack in the complete opposite direction to do this important thing before we go any further." I don't think this would have been a problem for me if I had been more invested in their relationship. But I think my uneasy feelings about them together bled over into how I felt about the plot. 

Despite my issues with Renegade, I'm really glad that I read this book, and was happy with its resolution. The book also leaves the reader with a lot of questions, and I am looking forward to reading the next installment to find out their answers. We have a lot more to know about Evie and Gavin, and the world in which they live. 

A note on the cover:
I was not impressed with this cover when I first saw it. It seemed like the standard YA-girl-in-a-prom-dress cover had been taken to a new and cheesier level. I kept thinking Bachelorette rose ceremony (oh dear!). BUT I am excited to say that this is cover depicts this novel very well, from the background to the rose in the model's hands. It will all make sense when you read this book. 

Radom connections: 
While I read Renegade, I kept thinking that this author must have loved The Little Mermaid as much as I did as a child. Although this isn't a mermaid book, it takes place under the ocean and these characters - except for our main mermaid girl Ariel Evie - share a fear of all things surface related. I kept singing "Under The Sea" in my head as I read this book. 

Love Triangle Factor: NONE
Cliffhanger Scale: Mild

Rating: 3.5 stars

In My Mailbox (5) / Stacking the Shelves (2)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren
Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews

From the library:

Renegade by J. A. Souders - Look for my review this week.

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel - I enjoyed Dearly, Departed and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. 

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner  - The Queen's Thief book 4. I am going to treat myself to this book soon. I read the first 3 very quickly, but I want to savor this one as  it will be the last until book 5 is published in a few years. 

The Mark of Athena by Rick Roirdan - I love Percy Jackson. That is all. 

Recent book purchases:

I bought two books this week, after finding out that both authors will be coming to my city for the Dark Days tour. I read and loved both these stories, and I can't wait to meet the writers!

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand - This week I wrote about how much I love the Unearthly series. I bought copies for myself and 3 of my friends so they could read and discuss it with me. I'm getting excited for the conclusion of the series to release in January. 

Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - I cannot wait for Through the Ever Night. It  is one of my most anticipated reads of early 2013.

I also read two novellas:

Radiant by Cynthia Hand  and Roar and Liv by Veronica Rossi - Along with buying books by these authors, I purchased and read the novellas that accompany their book series. Both stories are short and not to be missed! 

Ebook purchases:

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I am eager to read book 3 in the Lux series, but I'm a bit nervous about the rumored cliffhanger, so may wait a bit to get into this one. 

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren - I have several friends who have raved about this series, and was excited to discover that the first book was free this week. YAY for free books! 

What books have you gotten this week? 

**Don't miss my giveaway of Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi**

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Cynthia Hand's Unearthly Series: Why I think you should read it.

A review that is really more of a selfish plea than a review. Also spoiler free. 

Unearthly
by Cynthia Hand
Read: August 2011
Published: January 4, 2011 by HarperTeen
Source: Library book (later purchase)
Category: YA Paranormal Romance, Angels
Series: BOOK 1

Hallowed

by Cynthia Hand 

Read: February 2012

Published: January 17, 2012 by HarperTeen

Source: Library book (future purchase)

Category: YA Paranormal Romance, Angels
Series: BOOK 2

Book Description for Unearthly
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart. (From Goodreads)

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I keep wanting to transfer my Goodreads reviews of Unearthly and its sequel Hallowed by Cynthia Hand to my blog. However, every time I go back to edit what I've written, I realize that what I really want to say about these books is a spoiler, and I'd rather discuss them than write individual reviews. In light of that, I'm going to try to tell you why I love these books so much - without giving anything away about them. Although I'm going to talk very generally about the series, I've included the book description from Unearthly above.  

Clara Gardner is part angel and every angel blood is born with a purpose on earth that they must fulfill. Although she's not told exactly what he purpose is, she gets glimpses of it from a reoccurring vision. What she sees leads her to move with her family, which consists of her mom and brother (also part angels), from California to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. But nothing is ever as easy - or clear - as it seems. As she works to discover her purpose, she also questions how much freedom she has to choose. Can she follow her purpose blindly? What if her heart takes her in another direction? 

These books are extremely discussable. They feature some large life themes, including a very interesting free will vs. destiny (predestination) debate that carries through the series. I actually found the way this question is approached in this series to be very relatable. Part of that is the two guys that enter Clara's life - the one from her visions and the other one who is not part of The Plan. Yes, this series contains a love triangle, but it is one that I actually like. 

There is no broody bad boy or insta-love in this series, and the love story develops slowly. While I read these books I kept wondering who is the better choice for Clara, not just who is the best guy. And I think in life, that is a very real question that we all ask ourselves about our relationships. This is also one of the few series where after two books, I'm not exactly sure what is going to happen with her love interests, although I do have hopes.

Despite the paranormal element and talk of purposes, the Unearthly series has a very contemporary feel to it. I connected to a lot of Clara's struggles and decisions in this story. She's trying to figure out what she's supposed to be doing with her life - and who she wants to be. Some of that has to do with the guys she meets. But some of that doesn't. These questions about identity also morph the series into having a New Adult vibe, especially in the second book as Clara nears the end of high school. Clara's family is also a big part of her journey through this series, and I love their relationships with each other. 

Cynthia Hand takes the standard paranormal romance themes - supernatural beings, love triangles, high school etc. - and creates something new and exciting out of them. Clara even comments directly on some of these often recycled themes. I also love that Clara already knows she's part angel when Unearthly begins, saving the reader chapters of waiting for her to figure it all out. The first book does start of a bit slowly, but I was completely hooked by the end, and I think that Hallowed was even better. I have really enjoyed watching Clara grow up throughout this series - it has been an emotional journey so far, and I cannot wait to see her shine in the final book Boundless. 

Please do yourself me a favor and read these books so that we can talk about them. 

Boundless, the conclusion to the series, comes out January 22, 2012, so it's the perfect time to start reading these books. A novella called Radiant that takes place between books two and three has also just been released. 

Top Ten Favorite New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2012

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

Top Ten Favorite New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2012

1) Megan Whalen Turner - Last week I devoured the first three books of The Queen's Thief series. I have since fallen in love with Eugenides and his entire world. THANK YOU Heidi and Keertana for pushing these books and discussing them with me!

2) Juliet Marillier -  Sevenwaters is not a place that I will soon forget. THANK YOU Heidi for sharing your love of this series with me. 

3)  Susan Ee -  Angelfall is a fantastic paranormal/dystopian with a truly kick butt heroine. I am getting excited for the second book to release in 2013.

4) Kirsten Hubbard - I love the travel themes in Wanderlove, they really spoke to a dormant part of my soul. This book both made me reminisce and want to plan my next trip. Also, a great story about a girl trying to figure out who she wants to be. THANK YOU Heather for recommending this story to me. 

5) Deborah Harkness - While I enjoyed A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night solidified my love for this author. I read both books this year and they have some of the most thoroughly researched history that I've read. Plus a hot vampire. You can't go wrong. Carrie, I had such a great time reading Shadow of Night with you this summer.

6) Colleen Hoover - I read a lot of contemporary fiction, but I'm often disappointed with the constantly recycled plot line. I love that the plot of Slammed developed differently. The characters also jumped off the page for me. I want to hear Will recite some slam poetry some day.

7) Gayle Forman - I read If I Stay and Where She Went this year and I will now read anything this author produces. I'm already gearing up to LOVE Just One Day. My friend Heather wrote an amazing review that has me salivating to get my hands on the book.

 8) Veronica Rossi -  I adored Under the Never Sky and preparing myself to love Through The Ever Night as well. 

9) Jandy Nelson - The Sky Is Everywhere is a beautifully written book with a powerful message. I can't wait to see what else Ms. Nelson writes. THANK YOU Heather for encouraging me to read this one. 

10) John Green - The Fault in Our Stars is the first book I've read by John Green. Obviously I need to add more to that list, but what a way to begin. If you haven't read this book yet, you should. And bring tissues. 

Don't miss my GIVEAWAY!

**Click HERE to enter to WIN an ARC of Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi**