TOP TEN TUESDAY: Where Are They Now?

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

This week's topic is: Top Ten Characters I’d Like to Check in on...

One of the reasons I love reading so much is the relationships I build with characters. That probably sounds lame, as it’s really difficult to have a relationship that only exists on the page, but, nonetheless, characters help shape my life. They teach me life lessons, help me develop compassion for others, and introduce me to worlds beyond my imagination. When I finish a book, there’s always a feeling of melancholy that creeps over me, because I know I’ll never see these characters again. Here’s a list of characters I’d like to check in on, a sort of “where are they now”:

 

1. Mara Dyer and Noah Shaw from The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer series: Are they happy? Are they alive? Is Noah still as irresistible as he was in the books?

2. August Pullman from Wonder: What a kid! I’d love to know how many more lives he’s touched since his story ended. I wonder how he liked middle school and high school. Is he still friends with Jack Will?

3. Hazel Grace Lancaster from The Fault in Our Stars: This is probably a cliche pick, but I want to know that Hazel’s okay (okay? okay). I hope she’s beaten her cancer, I hope she’s found love again (without forgetting Augustus, of course), and I hope she’s happy.

4. Day and June from the Legend series: Maybe I don’t want to check in with them; if they didn’t fall in love all over again I think I’d be heartbroken.

5. Aria and Perry from the Under the Never Sky series: Perhaps it’s because I just finished this series, but I really want to know how the Still Blue turned out. Did Aria and Perry get to spend their days laying in the loft looking at the clear, blue sky?

 

 

6. Eleanor and Park from, well, Eleanor & Park: I’m glad this wasn’t a series, but at the same time I wasn’t ready for their story to end. Even more than a year after finishing this book, Eleanor and Park still stick with me. Please, please, please tell me they are still together in some capacity (even if they aren’t in love, they need to be best friends or something).

7. Ryan Dean West from Winger: I just loved this character’s voice - his humor, particularly.

8. Celeana and Chaol from the Throne of Glass series: Again, another series I’m working on. This one probably shouldn’t count considering their story isn’t over yet (book four later this year), but I’m dying to know how they end up (please be happily ever after).

9. All of my Harry Potter friends: I know we see how they end up in the future, but I want the story of how they got there. Even though there were thousands and thousands of pages, seven books just isn’t enough for these characters.

10. The Lord of the Flies boys: A nod to my English teacher side - what happened to the boys when they returned to society? Did they suffer from post-traumatic stress? Did Jack get what he deserved? I’ve always wondered how their story really ends.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Recent Additions to My TBR List

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

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books Recently Added to My TBR List...

This is somewhat of a daunting topic for me, because my TBR list is ever growing, especially lately. I don’t read NEARLY as much as I used to, but I still come across books I want to read just as fast. I’ve definitely changed as a reader in this past year - if a book doesn’t grab my attention I abandon it (in the past I stuck it through until the end). It took me awhile to get used to that mindset, but now that I’m only reading books I REALLY like, I’ve finally become a reader again...woohoo! So, here are some of the books that recently caught my eye:

  

 

1. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira - I’ve had an ARC of this for awhile but never really paid attention to it. Recently, however, I’ve seen it on a few book lists, and I’ve become intrigued.

2. Butter by Erin Jade Lange - This is one of the 2016 Abe books, which is where I heard of it. It sounds twisted in that this is definitely something I can see our society coming to - social media...yikes!

3. The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi - This is going to be a hit or miss read for me. I’ve only heard great things about it, but I’ve never been extremely drawn to Middle Eastern settings.

4. How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon - A black teen shot and killed by a white man; a societal uproar occurs. Sound familiar? I’m intrigued to see the angle of this story. And, could it be any more relevant for America today?

5. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas - I NEED this book! This series drew me back into voracious reading...please give me more!

  

6. The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen - This is another book that’s been on my shelves for awhile. I used the first few pages in an activity a few weeks ago and became hooked. Too bad a student borrowed it before I could snatch it!

7. The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson - I know, I know. How is this just know making my TBR list? Honestly, I forgot about it. My aide just read it and told me I need to read it too. Plus, it’s an Abe book next year.

8. Threatened by Eliot Schrefer - This book sounds so different from everything out there. I’m either going to love it or abandon it (hopefully not), but I can see the topic drawing in a lot of my student readers.

9. Positive by Paige Rawl - Another Abe book (are you sensing a theme?). This one’s a memoir about a girl who was bullied. I remember the twitter campaign from a few months ago, but never really checked the book out until now.

10. Fat Boy vs The Cheerleaders by Geoff Herbach - This sounds quite entertaining and funny, something a lot of my boy readers are looking for. My reluctant boys definitely fall into my reading gap, so hopefully this one will help fill it.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Sequels I Can't Wait to Read

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

This week's topic is: Top Ten Sequels I Can’t Wait to Get my Hands On

I am a series lover. When you find characters you love, it’s so nice to continue their stories book after book, although sometimes those stories don’t continue quite the way I’d like them too. Honestly, I am a little overwhelmed by the amount of series I’m hooked on right now, but here are the ones I absolutely cannot wait to keep reading:

                                

1. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - Obsessed! That’s pretty much the word to describe how I feel about this series. Completely obsessed! June 10th is WAY too far away!

2. Champion by Marie Lu - I’m so excited for the end to this series, and yet, at the same time I don’t want it to end (see Allegiant). And, Marie Lu put out some teasers that won’t make readers happy. Am I prepared for an unhappy ending to June and Day’s story? I’m not so sure I’m prepared for this one yet.

3. Allegiant by Veronica Roth - I know, I know. This book released two weeks ago and I still haven’t read it. I’m just not emotionally ready for this. I don’t want this series to end. I need a weekend with absolutely nothing to do so I can devote the right amount of love, attention, and tears to the end of a beyond-fantastic series.

      

4. Split Second by Kasie West - Pivot Point so surprised me in a completely blew-me-away fashion. I went in looking for a fun, quick read, and instead, found a series I can’t wait to continue. Parallel worlds done right!

5. The One by Kiera Cass - This series completely took me by surprise and I can’t wait for May 6th….ahhh so far away! Please choose Maxon, please choose Maxon, please choose Maxon!

6. Born of Deception by Teri Brown- Loved Born of Illusion (cemented my guilty pleasure of magic in stories) and am intrigued to see where Anna’s story will lead her next. And, of course, more Cole can’t hurt either.

7. Unravel Me/Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi - I know I’m way behind in this series. I loved Shatter Me, but for some reason I haven’t continued on. Plus, I hear there’s Warner love in Unravel Me, and I just don’t know if I’m mentally ready for that yet.

   

8. Just One Year by Gayle Forman- After finishing Just One Day, I immediately placed Just One Year on hold. I need to hear Willem’s side of the story. Does he still love “Lulu”? Is this a happy-ever-after story? I’m okay if it isn’t, I just need to know.

9. Cress by Marissa Meyer - Love love love this series! I can’t wait to see how Meyer twists Rapunzel’s story. Plus, I need some more Wolf and Prince Kai.

10. Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau - I think i’m going to like this one even more than the first. I love “fight the power” stories for some reason.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Books for Halloween

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

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books to Read for Halloween

In all honesty, I usually avoid scary and creepy books. I scare myself often enough, I don’t need books to add to my paranoia. I am trying to branch out as a reader this year, though, so creepy books have, well, crept into my TBR pile. Below is a list of five books I highly recommend for Halloween season and five books I’m still working up the courage to read.

Also, here's a picture of my "Spooktacular Stories" bulletin board in my classroom, and yes, I am a fan of lame puns.

  

                           

1. In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters - love, love, love this debut novel! Creepy cover and creepy story. This should be on the top of your Halloween TBR list!

2. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - the creepy cover will suck you in and the story will keep a hold on you. Seriously, how do you walk away from this cover without giving the book a try?

3. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - mental institution creepy! I felt Mara’s fear right alongside her. Noises in the basement while reading this book? Yep, my knife-wielding husband had to go check them out.

4. I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga - Loved this book! It’s not creepy in a monster and ghost way, but it’s creepy in a murder way...even worse, in my opinion. Lots of lock checking after this one.

5. Born of Illusion by Teri Brown - I love a good 1920s fictional story, and this one features magic, which is quickly becoming a guilty reading pleasure of mine. Speaking to spirits definitely makes my creepy things list.

                               
                                                  

6. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black - I’ve heard this is a non-Twilight vampire book. Vampires have always intrigued me, but Twilight just didn’t do it. This might just be the book I’ve been waiting for.

7. The Diviners by Libba Bray - The 1920s? The occult? Supernatural powers? Yes! This might actually move up to the top of my TBR list.

8. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - I’ve yet to read a Patrick Ness book, but this might just be the book that does it. Plus, I’m intrigued by the creepy cover.

9. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake - I’ve heard nothing but great reviews of this book. And the summary...wow! Might be too bloody for me, but wow nonetheless.

10. This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers - apocalypse stories are quite popular right now, but for some reason this one sounds extra creepy. Count me in (but only when it’s light outside).