Top 10 Tuesday

Decided to hop on a new meme- Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish!

This Week's list is:  Top 10 Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag

What a perfect list to kick off summer!

Here are my 10 beach reads (in no particular order):

The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You, and We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

Seriously, if you only read this series this summer, you'll be able to say that you read three amazing books. Belly is comepletely loveable, and with We'll Always Have Summer being the last book, you won't have to wait three summers like I did to find out who she chooses!

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

What's summer without a road trip? Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is the perfect mix of self discovery and adventure!

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

Okay bookworms, watch out because this book comes weighing in at 400 pages. I'll warn you now that this book starts of a little slow, but isn't summer about taking it easy? A great book if you plan on lazing on the beach all day.

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Eulberg's debut novel is absolutely amazing. A fantastic book for you and your friends to read together! Summer book club, anyone?

The entire Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella

Honestly, Becky Bloomwood is hands down one of the funniest characters I've ever read. Pack all 6 Shopaholic books in your beach bag and you'll be laughing until sunset!

 

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

A fantastic book if you're looking for more of a fantasy read. Lena and Ethan are fantastic, and I'm warning you, you won't be able to put this one down.

 

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

A bit more of a deeper read, Ockler's Fixing Delilah is definitely one of self discovery. A great book all around, especially if you're gearing up for a fresh start in the fall.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This was my first Sarah Dessen, and I think it'll always have a place in my heart. Dessen's books are always kind of heavy in pages, so this one is perfect for a lazy summer day.

She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott

Besides the amazing cover, this book has a lot going for it. Betrayl, love, and social status, it's worth picking up. Plus, with the second book, He's So Not Worth It, coming out June 7th, you could have a new series on your hands for the summer.

The Market by J.M Steele

The storyline is fantastically original and the main character, Kate, is refreshingly realistic. Great read!

So if you're looking for a beach read, these books definitely have the CB stamp of approval.

There's only one problem- I've already read these books! What should I put in my beach bag bookworms??

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (11)

 What Are You Reading is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. All book links go to Goodreads :)

This Week's Reads:

I'm in the mix of quite a few books this week. They're all pretty different, so luckily I can keep them all straight :)

He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scot

Release: June 7th 2011

Unfortunately, it's a little bit harder to get into than it's predecessor, She's So Dead to Us. I've been reading this since last week...

Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell

Release: April 26th 2011

I really enjoyed The Carrie Diaries, and this one is off to a much quicker start. And, hello, the cover is GORGEOUS.

Matched by Ally Condie

Release: November 30th 2011

There was a lot of talk about this book, and with the sequel, Crossed coming out this fall, I decided to give it a try. Is it okay that I'm not in love yet?

Last Week's Reads:

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Release: May 10th 2011

I'm a huge Sarah Dessen fan, so I really enjoyed this one!

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

US release: June 28th 2011

Definitely not my typical read, but still really enjoyable!

Next Week's Reads:

Stay by Deb Caletti

Release: April 26th 2011

My first Deb Caletti book. I've heard good things about this.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Release: July 19th 2011

I'm excited for this one! I love when the setting is in college!

So those are my reads- past, present, and future.  So what about you? It's Monday, what are you reading?

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

Summary:

Belly has only ever been in love with two boys, both with the last name Fisher. And after being with Jeremiah for the last two years, she's almost positive he is her soul mate. Almost. Conrad has not gotten over the mistake he made when he let Belly go even as Jeremiah has always known that Belly is the girl for him. So when Belly and Jeremiah decide to make things forever, Conrad realizes that it's now or never--tell Belly he loves her, or lose her for good. 

Belly will have to confront her feelings for Jeremiah and Conrad and face a truth she has possibly always known: she will have to break one of their hearts.

Review:

Can I just tell you that I've had this book on my shelves for weeks? Yep, I pre-ordered it and had told myself it would be my reward after finals on May 3rd. Finals came and went and I still hadn't even cracked it open (which is one of my favorite things about reading a new hardback, by the way). Why? Because I knew once I started reading it, I wouldn't be able to stop, and once I finished... it would be the end. I can't tell you how much I loved this series and now that it's over... bittersweet.

It had been a while since I'd finished It's Not Summer Without You, but it was fairly easy to jump back into the storyline. Things have moved forward and Belly's now finishing her freshman year in college, an aspect I really appreciated since not too many young adult books have a college setting (which I personally find odd given how it's the perfect setting to put the parents out of the picture, something that occurs pretty frequently in YA. I digress, however. ) Things moved at a pretty quick pace- I think I learned more about Jeremiah's character in a few chapters than I had in an entire book. It was kind of enlightening, actually. It helped me (firmly) picked a side in the whole Conrad/Jeremiah battle. It also showed me a lot about who Belly was as well. In previous books, we were really only exposed to Belly's personality through her interactions with everyone at Cousins. Seeing her in college, as Isabel, was eye-opening.

I can't really go too far into this review without risking spoiling anything. I can, however, say that if you enjoyed the first two books, this one won't dissapoint. I literally did not put this book down. Jenny Han really pulled out all the stops, and I'm glad she did. I've honestly never felt closer to these characters, and having to say goodbye to them is kind of heartbreaking.

My Ratings:

Plot: A

I've enjoyed this series from the beginning, and this last book answered all the burning questions.

Characters: A

Fantastic. The characters have developed beautifully since The Summer I Turned Pretty. They're definitely not without their flaws, giving this wonderfully realistic quality.

Cover: A

True to the Summer series, it fits perfectly.

Length: A-

Honestly, the ending felt a little bit more rushed than I would have preferred, but other than that things moved at just the right pace.

A fun novel about an American girl in Paris (SATC, season 6, anyone??) I give Anna and the French Kiss:

Four Stars!

Anna and the French Kiss is available now:

Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Synopsis:

Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she’s less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all … including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.

Review:

I know this book has been out for a bit, but I’ll be honest. I really didn’t think it was going to be my cup of tea. Exactly why that was I can’t put my finger on. I know the cover seemed a bit cheesy to me at first, and not being able to see a bit more of the boy on the cover was a bit irksome to me. Regardless of whatever kept me away from this novel before, I’m glad I was able to overcome it and pick up this great read.

First off, I was pleasantly surprised at how developed the characters were- having such a unique setting in Paris could have given Perkins the write-off for having the characters be flat. However, Perkins went beyond static characters who were simply infatuated with Paris and being away from home- these characters had real backgrounds, real issues. I truly appreciated how Perkins took the time to give depth to even the smaller characters in the novel, such as Rashmi, who was suffering from being forgotten by her best friend, and having to deal with a rocky relationship.Perkins could have easily put Rashmi in the background, but her not doing so not only created a better novel, but also showed that Anna’s time in Paris was about more than a boy and the possibilities of falling in love. It made the book go beyond just being a romance.

Considering the main characters, I fell into a love/dislike (yes dislike, not hate) relationship with Anna. I loved how careful she was in developing her relationships, and how she had an independent streak, which was emphasized with her wanting to become a film critic. However there were times where she would be a little erratic in her attitudes about things- she would become a bit more emotional about things than I think she truly had warrant to. It also made her a bit childish at times, which contrasted with the sophisticated air that the book had.These things didn’t make me hate Anna’s character, but it did turn me off from her a bit.

Overall, however, this book was a great read. The storyline was progressive in a way that kept me interested and the characters felt fun and fresh without seeming over the top. 

My Ratings:

Plot: B+

Unique and fun, but not too complicated

Characters: A

Even the smaller characters were dynamic and interesting

Cover: B-

It’s just a bit too corny for me. The matching shirts, the Eiffel Tower in the background, are just too much. I would have loved to have had Anna and the boy holding hands while walking down the streets of Paris at night, or something along those lines.

Length: A

It moved a little quickly at times, but slowed down at all the right places.

A fun novel about an American girl in Paris (SATC, season 6, anyone??) I give Anna and the French Kiss:

Four Stars!

Anna and the French Kiss is available now: