Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list topic is posted and book bloggers fill in their own choices. I'm a list girl (as in, I don't function without them), so I thought this would be a good choice for me!  This week is a rewind week, which means we can pick any past topic.  Since this is my favorite meme, and since I've missed many, many weeks, I am really happy to go back and choose one!  For my rewind, I chose...

Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most

Because of my extremely short attention span, my list of books that I recommend is in a constant state of flux.  Much of it depends on what I've read recently that has stayed with me, and who I am talking to, but there are definitely a few stand-outs that are always on it!

*In no particular order.*

1.  Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell~  This is my all-time favorite book, and my most highly recommended classic.  Of course, it's not a book that everyone is going to enjoy, but if I'm asked what my favorite book is, this is always my answer.

2.  Every Day by David Levithan~  This was my favorite book of 2012, and my second favorite book of all time.  It's a book that has stayed with me because it was just THAT beautiful.  When I'm asked what the one book I think EVERYONE should read is, this is it.  It's perfection.  Read my review HERE.

3.  Graceling by Kristin Cashore~  Whenever I come across a lover of High Fantasy, I gush about this book.  I can't say enough.  I liked Fire and Bitterblue too, but Graceling is still my favorite.  Some other, more recent HF novels I love and recommend are Shadow and Bone (read my review HERE) and its upcoming sequel, Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (read my review HERE), and Touch of Power (read my review HERE) and Scent of Magic (read my review HERE) by Maria V. Snyder.

4.  Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin~  Another all-time favorite.  This is what I hope the afterlife is like.  I love the world and the story, and it's a quick enough read that I feel comfortable suggesting it to even t most reluctant reader.

5.  Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews~  This is my favorite funny book to recommend.  I was so thrilled when it won the 2012 Cybil Award for Young-Adult Fiction!  It was well deserved!  Read my review HERE.

6.  Shine by Lauren Myracle~  This was my favorite book of 2011, and for very good reason. As far as books that deal with the tough stuff go, there is no shortage of great ones.  There are so many great authors who write about the issues facing today's teens; You have Ellen Hopkins, who in my opinion, is the reigning Queen of Issues Your Parents Don't Want To Acknowledge, John Green, Laurie Halse Anderson, Amy Reed, and Jennifer Brown, to name a few.  Shine stood out to me because Lauren Myracle is not an author who typically writes the heavy stuff.  She's usually witty and funny and light, so Shine took me by surprise, and really stayed with me like few other books have.  Read my review HERE.

7.  If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman~ I read each of these books in one sitting, and they both made me cry for different reasons.  These two books are my go-to books for girls who are looking for Contemporary Romance with an edge.  Read my review of Where She Went HERE.

8.  The Fault In Our Stars by John Green~ This is my most recommended tearjearker.  I, along with a few other people on our committee, fought to keep this on my daughter's middle school's 2013 summer reading list for rising 7th and 8th graders, because it belongs in the hands of kids that age.  It is such a beautifully written story, but at the same time full of humor that today's kids can relate to.  Another book I think everyone should read.  Read my review HERE.

9.  Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys~ I just finished this one the other day, but I've already been spreading the word.  I immediately handed it to my (almost) 12 year old daughter when I finished it, and then sent an email to her middle school media specialist to see if it was too late to get it put on the summer reading list.  The funny thing is, I had no intention of reading it because I generally dislike Historical Fiction, but my book club was reading it, so I reluctantly did too.  I. LOVED. IT.  It was fabulous.  If you haven't read it, do it now!

10.  The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare~ I just finished the final installment, Clockwork Princess, and the tears!  If someone wants to dig into a series, this is the one I'm going to suggest.  I've enjoyed The Mortal Instruments, so far, but The Infernal Devices is head and shoulders above it.  If you are a Paranormal fan, a Historical Fiction fan, a Steampunk Fan, or a fan of epic love stories, these books are must-reads!  Read my review of Clockwork Prince HERE, and look for my review of Clockwork Princess in the upcoming days.

So- there are my Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most.  It could change tomorrow (although based on what I'm reading right now, that is unlikely), but for now...  Do we share any recommendations?  Do you have anything to add? What topic did you rewind to?  Leave your link with your comment so I can check your Top Ten out!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors On My Auto-Buy List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list topic is posted and book bloggers fill in their own choices. I'm a list girl (as in, I don't function without them), so I thought this would be a good choice for me! This week's topic was a difficult one. On one hand, I have my authors who I would buy and read ANYTHING they've written. They have written enough books that I've loved, that I know this to be true. One the other hand, there are the authors who have only written one or two books, and I think they would be on this list, but I would need to read more to be sure. That said, I am going to cheat a little and have TWO lists...

YA Litwit's Top Ten Authors On My Auto-Buy List

1.  Neal Shusterman~  I am a total fangirl, and have read all of his books, and loved them all.  He is brilliant, and his books make you think, which I love.  If you haven't read his books yet, get on it!  (Read my review of Everfound HERE and my Banned Book Showcase featuring Unwind HERE.)  Favorite Book/Series:  The Skinjacker Trilogy

2.  Ellen Hopkins~  I love the way Ellen writes, and I don't just mean her style.  Yes, I love that she writes all of her books in verse, but I also love her n0-holds-barred attitude about subject matter.  Ellen puts the tough stuff out there, and doesn't apologize for the fact that she makes it so you can't ignore certain issues.  (Read my review of Perfect HERE and my Banned Author Showcase, featuring Ellen, HERE.)  Favorite Book/Series:  Impulse/Perfect 

3.  David Levithan~  I have SO much love for David Levithan and his books.  His wit and humor make it possible for him to write about relationships in a very real way, and his books just stand out because of it.   Favorite Book:  Every Day (Read my review HERE.)

4.  John Green~  This is the guy who made me see contemporary YA as something to love, instead of page after page of angst-ridden, whiny, teenagers.  He gets the minds of teens, and manages to show us that they are so much more complex than we realize.  (Read my reviews of Paper Towns HERE and The Fault In Our Stars HERE.)  Favorite Book:  Looking For Alaska

5.  Libba Bray~  Such a fantastic writer, and I don't say this lightly.  Libba has written several different genres now, and she has done them all exceptionally well.  She is imaginative, funny, and witty, and I would read anything by her.  Favorite Book:  (tie) The Diviners (read my review HERE) and Beauty Queens (Read my review HERE).

6.  Cassandra Clare~  I think I would read the phone book if she wrote it!  I have not been disappointed in anything she's written.  I know she has only written one world so far, but I just have a good feeling in my gut. (Read my reviews of City of Fallen Angels HERE, City of Lost Souls HERE, and Clockwork Prince HERE.)   Favorite Book/Series:  The Infernal Devices (but don't make me chose which book!)

7.  Holly Black~  Holly Black has an impressively warped imagination, and I LOVE it!  I love her KidLit and her YA.  She is just a dazzling talent in the sea of mediocrity that is publishing! (This, of course, could be said of ANY of the authors on this list. Duh.)  I have read The Spiderwick Chronicles with all three of my children, and am eagerly awaiting the day when I can appropriately introduce my 11 year old daughter to her YA.  Can't wait to read Doll Bones with the three of them!   (Read my reviews of White Cat HERE, Red Glove HERE, Black Heart HERE, and The Poison Eaters HERE.) Favorite Book/Series:  The Curse Workers trilogy

8.  Gabrielle Zevin~  I have been a tremendous fan of Gabrielle's since I read Elsewhere, one of my all-time favorite books.  I don't know why, but that book left an indelible impression on me.  I truly wish that Elsewhere is what our afterlife will be like, because the idea of it is perfection.  After reading that, I had to put my hands on her other books, and although they are all very different from Elsewhere, and one another, they are still awesome in their own rite.  (Read my review of All These Things I've Done HERE.)  Favorite Book:  Elsewhere

9.  Lauren Oliver~  Much like Gabrielle Zevin, Lauren can write any genre.  Her debut, Before I Fall, is more of a Contemporary read, while the Delirium trilogy is definitely a Dystopian.  The Spindlers and Liesl & Po, her two MG books, are very fantastical.  Lauren's intelligence and warm personality shine through in her writing, and make me want to devour everything she puts on a page.  She also happens to be my 8 year old son's  very close 2nd favorite, behind Roald Dahl (someone who I think is a HUGE honor to be put in the same class with).  Favorite Book:  The Spindlers (Read my review HERE.)

10.  Jackson Pearce~  I have all of Jackson's books proudly displayed on my shelf because I totally love her, but it's not just about the fabulous writing with Jackson; It's about the whole package.  She's an Atlantan, for starters.  Then there are her hilarious YouTube videos (check out her channel HERE) and tumblr posts (check out her page HERE), in which she talks about books and writing, but also about loads of other stuff.  She is the best.  Sure, the books are the number one reason she's on this list.  I love them.  But it's always awesome when there's more.  (Read my reviews of Sisters Red HERE, Sweetly HERE, Fathomless HERE, and Purity HERE.)  Favorite Book:  Purity

Runners Up

(in no particular order; click the title for me review)

~Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door)

~Scott Westerfeld (Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Peeps, Leviathan, Behemoth, etc.)

~Victoria Schwab (The Near Witch, The Archived)

~Claire LaZebnik (Epic Fail, The Trouble With Flirting)

~Maureen Johnson (The Name of the Star, The Madness Underneath, 13 Little Blue Envelopes, The Key to the Golden Firebird, etc.)

~Kendare Blake (Anna Dressed In Blood, Girl of Nightmares)

~Kody Keplinger (DUFF, Shut Out, A Midsummer's Nightmare)

~Terra Elan McVoy (Being Friends With Boys, After the Kiss, Pure, The Summer of Firsts and Lasts)

~Myra McEntire (Hourglass, Timepiece)

~Beth Revis (Across the Universe, A Million Suns, Shades of Earth)

~Maria V. Snyder (Poison Study, Touch of Power, Scent of Magic, Inside Out, etc.)

~Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall, Demonglass, Spell Bound)

~Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Days of Blood & Starlight, Blackbringer, etc.)

~Lauren Myracle (Shine, ttyl, ttfn, Bliss, Rhymes with Witches etc.)

Now, I know I have forgotten a BUNCH of authors I love, but I don't want this (already) fangirly post to go on forever and ever.  I love books, and that means I love authors...  I have WAY too many books that I haven't even read yet, which means I have a ridiculous Auto-Buy list already!  Who do you think I left out?  Do we share any?  Am I a total cheater by having such a long list of runners-up?  I ADORE comments, so let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Characters In the Fantasy Genre

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list topic is posted and book bloggers fill in their own choices. I'm a list girl (as in, I don't function without them), so I thought this would be a good choice for me!  This week's topic was "Top Ten Characters In X Genre".  I picked Fantasy for a couple of reasons.  First, I don't read a ton of fantasy, so it would easier to narrow my favorites down to ten, and second, some of the greatest characters ever imagined come from the genre.  So, here they are...

YA Litwit's Top Ten Favorite Fantasy Characters

1.  Harry Potter~ I adore the Harry Potter books, and I loved being along as Harry grew from this young boy, to the kick-ass man he became.  Harry Potter is not only my favorite Fantasy character, he is one of my all-time favorite characters of ANY genre.

2.  Sirius Black from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling~  I think Sirius is one sexy wizard!  I adored him as a character and role model for Harry.  I just wish his time with the series had been longer.  I missed Sirius in the final books.  :-(

3.  Katsa from Graceling by Kristin Cashore~  Katsa is my favorite kick-ass female character ever.  She is who I would aspire to be if I lived in a fantasy realm.  So powerful, but also principled, and super-smart.  She doesn't need anyone to protect her or take care of her, but she allows it because of love.

4.  The Darkling from Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo~ Wow!  I'm not sure I've ever been so hot for a fictional character, especially a villain, but that Darkling...  Oh wow!  I sincerely hope we see a lot more of him in future books.

5.  Hatter Madigan from The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor~  Another sexy fantasy guy.  I imagine that if a movie were to made of this series, that Jude Law would play Hatter, and let me tell you, I LOVE Jude Law.  Hatter Madigan isn't only sexy though, he is totally kick-ass too!

6.  Hermione Granger from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling~ So I really wanted to mention Hermione higher up, but I thought it was weird to make this list about my love for Harry Potter.  I love Hermione because she reminds me a bit of me as a girl.  I too was a kind of a know-it-all (because I did), and was awkward tuned pretty.  Hermione is so relatable.

7.  Celaena from Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas~  Talk about kick-ass!  This girl is the most notorious assassin in the world.  She's so notorious that people would never even suspect she's a girl.  I loved her, and can't wait for more!

8.  Karou from Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor~ Karou is one of those characters that it is impossible to find fault with.  She just manages to handle everything thrown at her with a sort of grace.  Now, I haven't read Days of Blood & Starlight yet, so I don't know if things stay that way, but from what I know of her, I love her!

9.  Avry from Touch of Power and Scent of Magic~ Another kick-ass girl who I think rules.  This girl puts her life on the line regularly to heal others.  She is such a noble person, but she also knows how to use her brain, and she knows how to fight if she needs to.

10.  Miri from Princess Academy and Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale~ I loved both of these books and Miri had everything to do with that.  She was smart, independent, and resourceful.  She knew she could have a life that any girl would dream about, but she chose instead to help those in her village, and surrounding areas have a better life.

So this is my list.  What genre did you choose?  If you chose Fantasy, did we share any?  Do you think I forgot anyone?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books I've Read Since I Started Blogging

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list topic is posted and book bloggers fill in their own choices. I'm a list girl (as in, I don't function without them), so I thought this would be a good choice for me!  I haven't been doing many memes lately, mostly because I lack the discipline to get them done by the right day, but I couldn't resist this one...

Top Ten Favorite Books/Series I've Read Since I Started Blogging
(in no particular order)

1.  The Forest of Hands and Teeth/The Dead-Tossed Waves/The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan~ I adore this series.  It's one of my all-time favorites!  I actually teared up a little when it ended.  Read my review of The Dark and Hollow Places HERE.

       

2.  Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor~ This book was a huge surprise for me, and I love it when that happens!  So beautifully written, and so unique.  I can't wait for Days of Blood & Starlight to come out!  Read my review of Daughter of Smoke & Bone HERE.

    

3.  The Fault In Our Stars by John Green~ There are only two authors who made this list for more than one book (that's not part of the same series), and John Green is one of them.  The Fault In Our Stars is just one of those books.  I've never heard a negative word about it.  It's an instant classic!  Read my review HERE.

4.  Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin~ This is one of my all-time favorite books.  Whenever I have to make a list of favorites, this one never fails to be there.  If you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and get on it.  In fact, I just decided that I will be exposing my book club to it when it is my turn to pick!

5.  Clockwork Angel/Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare~ I love Cassie's writing, and I think her style is so well suited for the Victorian era.  I have so much LOVE for these books, and I suspect it will be no different when I read Clockwork Princess.  Read my review of Clockwork Prince HERE.

       

6.  Unwind by Neal Shusterman~ Neal Shusterman is my favorite YA author (and he will be at the Decatur Book Festival in just 11 days!!), and the other author to make my list twice.  Unwind is a brilliant, thought-provoking novel that everyone should read.  Its sequel, Unwholly, releases next Tuesday, and is my most anticipated read of 2012.  Read my Banned Books Week Showcase on Unwind HERE.

    

7.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern~ One of the most beautifully written novels  I've ever read.  I found myself slow-reading this so that it would last longer, then going ahead and listening to the audio after reading it.  Erin Morgenstern is going to have a really hard time topping this work of art!  Read my review HERE.

8.  Looking For Alaska by John Green~ This book touched my heart. I'm not a crier, but this one had me sobbing.  John Green has such a gift.  

9.  Shine by Lauren Myracle~ This was may favorite book of 2011, and since I've been blogging for about two years, obviously it has made my list.  If you haven't read this, please, PLEASE go read it.  It touched my very soul.  Read my review HERE.

10.  Everlost/Everwild/Everfound by Neal Shusterman~ These three books make up Shusterman's Skinjacker trilogy, and they are PHENOMENAL.  Such originality and lots of kick-ass adventure and intrigue.  Read my review of the third book, Everfound, HERE.

          

So- there you have it!  I could have made a much longer list, but when I went back through Goodreads, these were the top ten that jumped out at me, above many others.  Looking forward to reading everyone else's lists!