Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is...

My Favorite Books Released in 2018 (So Far)!

This is one of the WORST Questions you can ask a reader. It's so hard to pick a favorite, but after reading more than 200 books this year, I have found some really special ones.

A Taxonomy of Love 
Rachael Allen
Series: n/a
Publisher: Amulet Books

This book!!! I cried so many tears when I read this book - happy tears, sad tears, broken hearted tears, frustrated tears, but in the end, I cried tears of joy. This book had an intro letter from the editor, which called it a YA When Harry Met Sally, and I have to agree with her assessment. It was a tough 6 year journey with Hope and Spencer, but I am so happy I took it.

Flight Season
Marie Marquardt
Series: n/a
Publisher: Wednesday Books

Marquardt did it again! She made me feel all sorts of wonderful emotions and delivered a beautiful story. This was an utterly wonderful and captivating tale of friendship, love, loss, and healing that filled me with a a myriad of emotions, and left me lots of hope in my heart.

Where I Live
Brenda Rufener
Series: n/a
Publisher: HarperTeen

This book, this book, this book! Talk about a makes-me-happy read. This one gets all the stars, all the hearts, all the rainbows. I just loved it so much! ❤️
It was a wonderful story of one girl's struggle to survive, and her desire to find a place where she fit, which left me elated, hopeful, and full of joy.

How We Roll
Natasha Friend
Series: n/a
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Quinn was excited to get a fresh start, but while trying to become someone different, she built some great new friendships and found her way back to her self. I absolutely adored this sweet and touching story of family, friendship, being yourself, and being there for other people.

Love & Luck
Jenna Evans Welch
Series: Love & Gelato, #2
Publisher: Simon Pulse

I didn't think Welch would be able to delight me in quite the same way she did with Love & Gelato, but she did! This book took me on a fantastic trip through Ireland, that was filled with friends, family, and fun. Love & Luck was a beautiful story, which showcased the power of family and friends, and left me with a full and happy heart.

9 Days & 9 Nights
Katie Cotugno
Series: 99 Days, #2
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

As a 99 Days fan, I would like to thank Katie Cotugno for writing this book. This was the closure me, Molly, and Gabe needed. The book exceeded my expectations, and I loved being back in Molly's messy life. Things were sometimes awkward, unpleasant, and uncomfortable, but they were always real. If Cotugno has it in her, I would be up for another Molly book.

Love and Other Words
Christina Lauren
Series: n/a
Publisher: Gallery Books

I wasn't sure if Christina Lauren would be able to make me love them more than I did for all the wonderfulness that is Autoboyography, but they totally did with Love and Other Words. I am getting a little misty just thinking about how wonderful this story was! This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and it just filled my heart with so much joy. Nothing but love for this one.

In Search of Us
Ava Dellaria
Series: n/a
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux

I am not quite sure what I was expecting from this book, but it delivered a total feelsplosion and was so beautifully tragic. It was a an utterly exquisite experience for me. This book was fraught with emotion and meaning and so many wonderful characters to love. It tugged on my heartstrings, and made me weep, but it also made me smile.

My So-Called Bollywood Life
Aisha Sharma
Series: n/a
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

I can do nothing, but gush about this book! I loved the characters, adored that it took place in my neck of the woods, and contained one of the most adorable romances. It was a fantastic rom-com with a Bollywood touch, which didn't cease to delight me and left me floating on cloud of happiness.

Starry Eyes
Jenn Bennett
Series: n/a
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Saving the best for last! Alex, Approximately was one of my top reads of 2017, therefore, I was so beyond excited to read Bennet's new book. While I was reading Starry Eyes, I found myself feeling all those Alex-feels again. Although this was a totally different story, I found it had all the story elements, which endeared Alex to me, plus some new ones, belonging solely to this story. And once again, I give Bennett all the hearts and all the stars for another amazing story.


What are some of your new favorites from this year?
Let us know in the comments!

62 comments:

  1. Love and Luck I can't wait to read. Clearly I need to read faster! And Starry eyes is on my list...

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    1. Bennett is the best!!! You have to read something from her

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  2. Big yes to Love and Other Words and Starry Eyes. Those are two of my favorite authors right now. 9 Days and 9 Nights is one I need to get to soon.

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  3. Almost all of these are still on my TBR so I'm excited to see that they made your list of favorites. Starry Eyes almost made my list as well.

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    1. I wish Bennett could write faster, because I love her books

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  4. Ah, so much goodness I have yet to get to ;) You do have a nose fo the most emotional reads, Sam!

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    1. My favorites are the ones that leave me feeling happy.

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  5. I’m impressed that you’ve read so many 2018 books. I think I’ve read 2. I’m still trying to get through books from 3 years ago.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. Well, this is why I have so many unread older books

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  6. Oh, I loved Starry Eyes, too! Jenn Bennett is really rocking YA lately. Love her adult books, too! Great TTT, Sam! :)

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  7. Such cute, springy covers. No wonder you liked them so much!

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    1. The covers definitely made me check these books out

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  8. Okay, now I need to read A Taxonomy of Love! Your blurb up above sold me. Hahaha.

    This is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

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    1. I really loved it. Lots of painful moments, so much growth, and tons of smiles too

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  9. Congrats of reading 200+ books this year! Great list! :)

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  10. You’ve already read over 200 books this year?! You are a reading ninja!! :) I so agree with Love and Other Words. I just loved that one so, so much. Macy and Elliott really came alive for me and I hurt so much for both of them. I’m not a re-reader, but I can see myself rereading that one at some point.

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    1. My audiobook game is strong these days and I am keeping the 5 book a week pace. I cannot wait to start the new CL, though I am not sure it could be better than Love and Other Words

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  11. The only book I've read from your list is Starry Eyes! It was easily one of my favorite reads this year, and I love Jenn Bennett's other books! A few of these were already on my TBR, but I added all the ones that weren't!

    L @ Do You Dog-ear?

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    1. I hope you get to read a few of these, because I really loved them

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  12. What happened to our Reading Twins status? The only one of these I have read is Starry Eyes, which I also enjoyed....
    Jen Ryland Reviews

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    1. We have hardly read any of the same books this year. Crazy!

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  13. Nice picks! All totally new to me ones! Glad you've had a nice selection of books so far this year!

    Here's my Tuesday Post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  14. I added Flight Season to my TBR because of you. Can't wait to get to it. Great picks!

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    1. I love that author. Her previous book, The Radius of Us, was really wonderful as well. She always has diverse characters, and because of her work will immigrants from Central America, she includes characters especially from that area of the world.

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  15. I didn’t participate in Top 10 Tuesday today but I did have to pick my top favorite book from this year for the Dewy’s read-athon challenge on Instagram. It’s a hard one! I liked too many! Couldn’t narrow it down to just one.

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    1. Doing a top ten was hard. I couldn't imagine trying to pick just one.

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  16. I need to get to some of these books! I still need to try a Jenn Bennett book. I am going to work it in at some point though. Great list!

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    1. If I had to pick one author to scream about from this list, it would be Bennett. She writes the kind of books I love.

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  17. So many pretty covers! I haven't read any of these yet, but I will most likely read Starry Eyes this year!

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    1. You HAVE to read Jenn Bennett. Her books are all so incredible.

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  18. oh starry eyes was one of my favorite this year. loved that book. I need to read all her books now. great list.

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  19. I only read Starry Eyes so I do have to say it would make my top 10 list as well

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  20. Oh wow, that first one must've been good to make you that emotional! But it sounds like quite a few of these had some great emotion. I haven't read any of these,but I'm glad you loved them!

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    1. They all made me pretty emotional, but there's just something about books that take you through years of the characters' lives

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  21. Oh I am so curious about IN SEARCH OF US. I kind of hated LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD, but for some reason I still feel like I want to read more of this author?? I'm weird.

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    1. In Search of Us was lovely and wonderful and painful - I loved it.

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  22. Okay, what? You've read over 200 books this year so far? HOW??? lol I am curious about In Search of Us; I really liked Love Letters to the Dead. I also need to read Starry Eyes because everyone (and their mother) loves that one. :)

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I will admit, I was more invested in Marilyn's story I In Search of Us, but Angie's story was important too

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  23. BLAHHHH I'm not sure how I haven't read Taxonomy yet! I even OWN it lol smh I hope I will get to it soon. There's actually alot of them I hope to get to soon!

    Great list!

    Thanks for stopping by Take Me Away… earlier!

    -Nikki S.

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    1. I hope you get a chance to read, because it was a really lovely, sometimes painful, story.

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  24. I haven't actually read any of these! But Nisha Sharma's adult romance series was recently announced and it looks AWESOME, so I think I'm going to go back and try My So-Called Bollywood Life before reading that when it comes out.

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    1. I will definitely be checking that series out, because her YA book was so good

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  25. These are great choices! I LOVED 9 Days and Starry Eyes and In Search of Us- and since those are the only ones on your list that I have read in general... obviously I agree with your taste :D Some of the others are on my list so I will have to get to them ASAP of course! Glad you found so many books to love this year so far!

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    1. I have no words to describe how happy 9 Days made me. It's like Cotugno heard me begging for her to finish Gabe and Molly's story.

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  26. I haven't read ANY of these, and it puts me on the edge of a panic attack that there are SO many books I want to read!!!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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  27. I haven't read any of these, but Where I Live is on my radar now! Great list!

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    1. I really liked Rufener's approach to teen homelessness

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  28. So many of these are on my TBR. I'm happy to hear that you loved them!!!

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    1. I hope you get to a few of them, because I thought they were something special

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  29. Totally agreed about Starry Eyes! I can't wait to read Love & Luck, and I'm definitely going to have to check out more of these books! Wonderful picks, Sam! :)

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    1. My Jenn Benn love runs deep, and her next book cannot come fast enough. I really loved both of Welch's books. Very sweet and adorable with lots of feels. Exactly the perfect contemporaries for me.

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  30. I've just picked up a copy My So-Called Bollywood Life from the library - I have high hopes! :)

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  31. I haven't read any of these, but that makes sense as I am reading mostly backlist books this year and not new releases. The only one of these on my TBR for sure is Starry Eyes and I am happy it's on your list!

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    1. YES!!! Read Starry Eyes. I am grinning from ear to ear just thinking about it.

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