Tag: YA | Amy C. Shaw

The Top 10 Books Contemporary YA Books I Want to Read

February 3, 2015 • 28 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday topic is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s topic is Top Ten Books I Can’t Believe I Haven’t/Want To Read From X Genre. I don’t read a lot of Contemporary YA, but occasionally there’s one I hear about that I think I might enjoy… but it can take me a while to actually get around to them. Here’s 10 that I’m thinking I’ll check out one day, in no particular order…

1. Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter

I’ve been thinking of reading these for a while, but it’s always daunting to start series! But one day, I will, because they just sound fun!

2. Magnolia by Kristi Cook

Set in the South, Star Trek references, and the whole we-hate-each-other-oh-wait-never-mind trope? Yep, definitely interested.

3. Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

I feel like a broken record because I keep mentioning that Courtney is a local author who I have seen multiple times at local events and I feel I should read her book especially since blogger Kayla talks about the boy in the book being like a contemporary Peeta but I have to admit I am terrified of the whole rape topic but ONE DAY I WILL READ THIS.

4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Yes, I still haven’t read this. Stop giving me that look.

5. Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Hey contemporary lovers, be proud! I read and enjoyed The Naturals, so I would like to read its sequel!

6. The Law of Loving Others by Kate Axelrod

I will have to read more reviews on this before I know if I actually want to read it, but anything dealing with schizophrenia initially piques my interest. Ever since writing a paper on it my senior year of high school it has fascinated me.

7. Don’t Touch by Rachel M. Wilson

Summer raved about this one and mentioned there’s a nice guy (always a win for me), PLUS it focuses on OCD, which is actually featured in my WIP and I really need to read a little more about it.

8. If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

This one is highly regarded, plus it’s set in Tennessee.

9. Anything by Kasie West

The only Kasie West books I’ve read so far are Pivot Point and Split Second, which are contemporary with a paranormal/sci-fi sort of twist, and I think I need to read some of her straight-up contemporary I hear so much good about!

10. She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick

This one just sounds very intriguing!

Which of these contemporary books do you love or want to read?

Bookish Wedding Inspiration: Leviathan Trilogy

January 27, 2015 • 10 Comments

There are minor spoilers for the Leviathan trilogy below.

Once upon a time, I thought it might be fun to try creating themed wedding ideas based off of books, and how the main character’s wedding might look with our modern sensibilities, and thus, Bookish Wedding Inspiration was born! This time I wanted to create a wedding for Deryn and Alek. After TWO WHOLE BOOKS of Alek thinking Deryn is a boy named Dylan, in the third book he finally learns who she is, and finds himself falling for her the way she has already fallen for him. This series was my first (and only, so far) foray into alternate history/steampunk and it created a very interesting picture of a different WWI, and I would recommend it if that sounds the least bit interesting to you!

When researching possibilities for this post, I considered the time period, the alternate world/steampunk element, and of course the characters themselves. Hope you enjoy what I created!

Bridal Look

The Dress (Sort Of)

Source

Deryn’s not big on dresses, and while I considered some dress options, ultimately, I thought this was the most fitting: a white, military style coat that can also function as a dress, over riding pants. If you check out the source link, you’ll see just how many military-style, wedding-appropriate options there were from the 2006 fall Dolce and Gabanna line! I thought quite a few of the outfits could work for Deryn on her wedding day, but ultimately, I thought this was the best choice.

Bridal Accessories

Hairpiece/Steampunk necklace

This headpiece evokes the 1920s (I assume this is close to the time Deryn and Alek would marry) and simple elegance. It would also look great on the short hair that Deryn no doubt would be sporting. I love the idea of accessories that evoke the travels Deryn and Alek have embarked on together.

The Bouquet

Source for second bouquet

At first I wanted a simple bouquet, and was inspired by a picture of a wedding on Downton Abbey to go with a few calla lilies. But then I thought, in Deryn and Alek’s world they may have some exotic plant life that we don’t have, plus, it does seem like Deryn would want more personality in her bouquet, if she was even interested in a bouquet. So basically we have the classic choice that probably reflects Alek more than Deryn, and then the more exciting choice that reflects Deryn. Let me know which you prefer!

The Groom

Outfit/Compass cufflinks

Alek of course would need to be dressed in a nice, classic sort of style, and I also wanted it to be along the same vein of Deryn’s outfit. I guess I decided they’re getting married in the winter, since they both have coats! And while I suppose Alek wouldn’t need cufflinks if he was wearing a coat, I like these compass ones nonetheless.

The Location/The Portraits

So when I pictured the sort of place where Deryn and Alek might marry, I pictured a sort of city hall kind of place, a small wedding with just their close friends. I found some great pictures from a couple different weddings at the San Francisco City Hall (built in the 1920’s, I might add) and felt they perfectly fit the bill.

Source

The Sweets

Source

For some reason, this particularl tower of treats seemed like a fitting way to celebrate Alek and Deryn’s marriage!

What would you expect to see at Deryn and Alek’s wedding?

The Top 10 Secondary Characters Who Need Their Own Story

January 20, 2015 • 24 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday topic is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s topic is a freebie!

When this idea popped into my mind, I was worried I had already done a topic like this one once, but the closest I found was My Top 10 Most Memorable Secondary Characters, which I wrote in 2013 and was a list comprised primarily of secondary characters from The Hunger Games. Since then I have read a lot of great books with interesting characters and feel I could create a more varied list, PLUS, make the focus be about the story they could tell. This week’s list is in no particular order.

1. Carswell Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles

Source for Thorne art here

Marissa Meyer gifted us all with a short story about Thorne (that I still have not read!), but seriously, all Thorne fans know only a novel would suffice our desire for more Thorne.

2. Sturmhond from The Grisha Trilogy

Sturmhond is basically the same person as Thorne, and again, we all want more. I would love to know what happens to him after the Grisha trilogy, but I would also love to know more about his life before!

3. Kiggs from Seraphina

I love Kiggs, and I would like to know how he grew up and what made him the way he is.

4. Elend from Mistborn

OK, so I’ve only read book one, and I imagine there’s more of him in the next two books, but I would love to know the details of his royal upbringing, his antics growing up, and what got him started reading those forbidden books.

5. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley from The Harry Potter Series

Again, I haven’t finished all these books either, but I just love Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and I’d love to know their backstory. Did they meet and fall in love at Hogwarts? How did Mr. Weasley end up at the Ministry of Magic? Did they always want a large family?

6. Finnick from The Hunger Games Trilogy

Of course, this list would not be complete without someone from The Hunger Games, and like many fans, I’d love details on Finnick’s backstory!

7. Gemma from The Young Elites

Image on left found on Marie Lu’s The Young Elites Pinterest board

I find the whole thing about Gemma being from an aristocratic family and a malfetto, but not condemned like Enzo, really interesting within the world of The Young Elites, and I want more of her story!

8. Harriet from Emma

I know this ship has sailed, at least for Jane Austen’s perspective, but I would love to know more about Harriet’s life after she married Robert Martin. I was a little surprised when, while watching Emma Approved, I became way more excited about Emma and B-Mart hooking up at the end than Emma and Knightley! It was just really cute! (Those paper cranes!) But when I read Emma, I also found myself really endeared to Harriet there. More please!

9. Caleb from The Divergent Trilogy

I have some unanswered questions about Caleb, and I honestly found him so much more interesting and complex than Tris or Four. I need more!

10. Marguerite St. Just in The Scarlet Pimpernel

I know there are more of these books so there might be more about Marguerite, but I found her really interesting when I read The Scarlet Pimpernel, and my favorite chapter in the book is when she’s at home discovering who her husband actually is.

I was surprised to see this list was mostly guys! But I guess that’s because most of these books focus on a female character. In YA it’s a little more rare to get the guy’s POV, but sometimes I wish I could read their story too!

Which secondary characters would you like to see get their own story?

The Top 10 Books on My Winter TBR List

November 25, 2014 • 29 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s topic is Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR. I am a little less sure of what I plan to read this winter than I have been the past couple of seasons, but here are some I know I want to get to… in no particular order…

Catching Up

1. The Young Elites by Marie Lu

This is my next book club read and I’ve heard positive things, so I’m hoping to enjoy it!

2. In Between by Jenny B. Jones

I downloaded this YA Christian fiction title for either free or cheap a little while ago and would like to read it soon.

3. Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

A YA science fiction story I remembered Kelley mentioning, I got a deal for the Nook book on this one as well, but of course I found out five seconds later I could have borrowed the e-book from my library. Fail. But if I enjoy it, then I’ll borrow the sequels! I’m also much more likely to read it now that I own it.

4. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

I’m reading The Prisoner of Azkaban right now, so obviously I want to read the next installment pretty soon.

5. The Land Uncharted by Keely Brooke Keith

This is a “risky read” since none of my blogger friends have read it and I think it might be self-published, but it has positive reviews on Goodreads and it sounds SO ME that I had to download it on Nook when I saw it for a good price. Plus the author is local! I hope I end up enjoying it!

6. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

I put this on my Christmas list because, FINE, I GET IT, YOU PEOPLE LOVE IT.

7. Short Stories & Novellas, Possibly Including My True Love Gave to Me, Poison Dance, & This Night So Dark

I am terrible at getting around to reading short stories and novellas, despite my intentions, especially if they are online. But the last two have been on my Nook for a while (and I got them both for free!), and the former I put a hold on with my library. I haven’t read anything by ANY of the authors in My True Love Gave to Me (yes, despite the fact that so many of them are so well-known), so at first I wasn’t very interested, but then I thought, hey, they’re short stories! And if I don’t like how one’s starting, I’ll skip and go to the next one. It might be fun to read some cute, contemporary holiday stories this season.

New Releases Coming Before March 20 (AKA the start of spring)

(Let’s face it, I won’t read all these by then since I don’t get ARC’s, but still…)

8. Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Do I need to explain this? I think not.

9. Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Did you read Seraphina? If you did, you understand.

10. The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski

I really enjoyed the mind games in The Winner’s Curse, so I’m excited for more.

What’s on your winter TBR list?

Tag Archives: YA

The Top 10 Books Contemporary YA Books I Want to Read

Bookish Wedding Inspiration: Leviathan Trilogy

The Top 10 Secondary Characters Who Need Their Own Story

Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

The Top 10 Books on My Winter TBR List

Tag Archives: YA

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