Best Book Boyfriends of 2013

Top 10 of 2013 is hosted by a group of fabulous bloggers and you can find more information here

Arianne’s List

There are so many things I could say about the beautiful boys on this list! But I think I may lose all coherency if I do, so I'll just let them speak for themselves using some of my favourite quotes from their books :)

1. Isaiah from Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

“I can’t give you the world, Rachel, but I’ll give you all I got.”

2. Hale from Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

“I'm too close.”

“You don't get it, do you? Being close is good. Caring is good. I love that you're emotional and passionate and can't turn these things off.”

“It makes me a bad thief.”

“It makes you a good person.”

3. Graham from This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

“He hadn't realized how much it could mean, having someone to talk to like that; he hadn't realized that it could be a kind of lifeline, and that without it, there would be nobody to save you if you started to drown.”

4. Warden from The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

“I do not know what I can do for this world, but I will not let any harm come to you.”

5. Emilio from The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

“Don't settle, okay? Not for anything. I mean it. You only get this one chance at life, far as I know. Take it. Even if its not with me.”

6. Day from Prodigy by Marie Lu

“You know, sometimes I wonder what things would be like if I just ... met you one day. Like normal people do. If I just walked by you on some street one sunny morning and thought you were cute, stopped, shook your hand, and said, "Hi, I'm Daniel.”

7. Ezra from The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

“She tasted like buried treasure and swing sets and coffee. She tasted the way fireworks felt, like something you could get close to but never really have just for yourself.”

8. Jesse from Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

“You like me, Josie Moraine. You just don't know it yet.”

9. Lucas from Goddess by Josephine Angelini

"I never expected you to think I was perfect. I know I'm not."

"You are to me."

"That's all I care about," Lucas said quietly. "Not-my-cousin Helen.”

10. Four from Allegiant by Veronica Roth

"I love you, too," he says. "I'll see you soon.”

Liza’s List

Arianne, I hope you don’t mind that I followed your lead and used quotes to let these awesome YA Book Boyfriends talk for themselves!

1.  Dante from The Collector / The Liberator by Victoria Scott

“I will protect this girls with everything I have, because if something happens to her, I will lose myself. I will cease to exist.

And I will take everyone with me.”

2. Hector from The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

“I love you, too," he whispers in my ear. "Wholly. Madly."

"Does that mean you'll marry me?"

"I suppose.”

3.  Isaiah from Crash into You by Katie McGarry

“I love you, Rachel. So this will work. No matter what or who stands in our way.”

4.  Josh from The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

“I don't know how to say it - after all this time, I'm not even sure that I can - but I have to break her last rule, because if she knows nothing else, I need her to know this one thing.

'I love you, Sunshine,' I tell her, before I lose my nerve. 'And I don't give a shit whether you want me to or not.”

5.  Willem from Just One Year by Gayle Forman

“By that point, it’ll have been more than year since I met Lulu. Any sane person would say it’s too late. It already felt too late that first day, when I woke up in the hospital.

But even so, I’ve kept looking.

I’m still looking.”

6.  Perry from Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

“It didn't matter if Aria was hundreds of miles away, or whether she'd hurt him, or said goodbye, or anything else. Nothing would change the way he felt. The moment Aria had taken his hand on the roof at Marron's, she'd changed everything. No matter what happened, she'd always be the one.”

7.  Kaidan from Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

“I was more myself with you during those three days than I’ve ever been with anyone in my life. It’d be easier if I could be fake with you, but you bring out everything in me, little Ann. All of it.”

8.  Cam from Wait for You by J. Lynn

“I want to be here with you, Avery. You don't have to worry about impressing me or wowing me. You've already done that.”

9.  Henry from The Goddess Inheritance by Aimée Carter

“I see the sunrise now," he said. "Because of you, the days have color. Eternity has meaning once more. You found every broken piece of me and put me back together, even though I hurt you too many times for me to deserve it. You are the glue that holds me together. If I lose you, it will be the end of me. The end of everything good in this world.”

10.  Vincent from If I Should Die by Amy Plum

“Whatever happens, remember that I will love you forever,” he says. “Even if my spirit is dispersed and my consciousness released to the universe... whatever is left of me will never stop loving you.”

What do you think about our choices?  Do you have some of the same book boy friends?  Be warned that we will fight for some of these!

Stacking the Shelves #65

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we feature all the book goodness that we received, borrowed or purchased during the previous week. All links are to Goodreads.

Hi gorgeous people!  I skipped last week's STS because I didn't get much.  This week I got an Amazon gift card and I enjoyed myself getting a few books.  This holiday season has been hectic and stressful so far!

Purchased for Kindle (with a gift card!)

Another Little Piece of My Heart by Tracey Martin - I love music related books and this one sound like heartbreaking and fun (weird combination, right?)

Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer Armentrout - By the one and only Jennifer Armentrout, need I say more?

The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo - I still have to read book two of the Grisha series, but these two novellas should be fun.

The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo - Ditto

Chasing the Star Garden by Melanie Kasak - What won me over was the cover, it's breathtaking.

Proxy: An Avalon Novella by Mindee Arnett - There's a lot of hype for Avalon and I want to see what it's all about. 

For Review

The Taking by Kimberly Derting - Even though I still have to finish The Body Finder's series, I love Ms. Derting's writing. I can't wait for this one.

After the End by Amy Plum - Amy Plum is another writer that I love, her Revenants series is SO good.  This promises to be an awesome read. 

Thanks to HarperTeen and Edelweiss!

What's stacking your shelves this week? 

Top Ten Memorable Secondary Characters

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

This list can be a mile long if I let it, so I'll do my best to curve my enthusiasm :) Here are some memorable secondary characters:

1. Phin from Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore - Phin reminds me of Dr. Brennan of the series Bones, she takes everything literally and likes to apply science to everything.  She is also loyal and good to the core (see my review here).

2.  Storm from the Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson - He is an enemy prince that swears fealty to Elisa and helps here a lot, he really grew on me by the end (see my review here).

3.  Too many to count (Lord Akeldman, Biffy, Ivy Hisselpenny, Professor Lyall, Floote, etc) from the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger - What an amazingly good series, I just adore these books and all the characters in it!

4.  Cecily from the Chemical Garden series by Lauren DeStefano - At the end I think I liked Cecily better than any other character in the series because she was not afraid to fight for what she wanted, play dirty and do what needed to be done (see my review here).

5.  Puck and Grimalkin from the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - Puck I hope that you find your happy ending someday!  You are so funny, loyal and such a good friend. Well, Grim is a cat... you get it right? (see my review here).

6.  Dr. Barlow from the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld -  I sure would like to work for Darwin's descendant, wouldn't you?  In a time were men are in control of everything, she's not afraid to fight for what she wants (see my review here).

7.  James from the Goddess Test series by Aimée Carter - I also wish you a happy ending James!  He is a god with a lot of confidence and his share of bad luck too, but at the end he proved to be a great friend to Kate and Harry (see my review here).

8.  Sam from the Deadly Cool series by Gemma Halliday - Sam is one of the greatest friends ever! She would do anything for Heartley, even if it means lying and bending the truth a little bit (see my review here). 

9.  Isaac from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Just because I cry everything that I see his eulogy for Gus *sniff* (see my review here)

10. Jules from the Revenants series by Amy Plum - Poor Jules had the misfortune to fall for his best friend's girl, how I wish for your happy ending too.  Jules is a true best friend, he is protective, sexy and funny(see my review here).

As I said, I can go on and on... So, what's in your Top Ten this week?

Top Ten Books I Wish Had Sequels

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

This one should be easy because this happens to me all the time!  What do I mean by this?  Well, I read a book and then keep wishing for more.  Even if the ending was entirely satisfying  it seems like I always want to know more. It's a curse I must bear!  

1.  The Distance Between Us by Kasie West - There were too many open questions at the end.  I want to know what happens with Caymen's grandparents and how she adjusts to her new life.

2.  Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - I want for Dash and Lily!

3.  The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen - This includes probably all her books anyway!  I always want to know more about the wonderful characters she creates.

Review: If I Should Die by Amy Plum (Revenants #3)

Title: If I Should Die by

Published: May 7^th, 2013 by Harper Teen

Source: ARC (thanks to the wonderful Hannah from The Irish Banana)

Format: Paperback

Group age: Young adult

Genre: Paranormal / Romance

Challenge(s): 2013 Finish the series

Grade rate: A

I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France’s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he’s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?

My Review

Oh. My. Gosh!  Yep, it’s that good.  The Revenants series is another one that I’m very sad to see come to an end. Before I forget, let me get this out of my chest: I knew it!!!  Well, now that that’s over, on with the review.

If I Should Die was so darn good that I stayed up until one in the morning to be able to finish it (a fact that I paid for dearly the next day!).  I couldn’t put it down, it was SO good, with more action that its predecessors.  The book starts right where Until I Die ended, which was a cruel cliffhanger.  I really don’t want to spoil the book for you, but let’s just say that my worst fears came to fruition. But to our heroine Kate this just poses a challenge, a question that needs an answer and she is more than willing to find it in order to be with Vincent again. 

Kate becomes even more amazing in this book, more mature, resourceful and more of a leader.  It’s a good think that she found the guérisseurs in the previous book because Bran has a bigger and more important role here.  Vincent is (eventually), the same as always and I adore his complete surrender and love for Kate; it’s the stuff of dreams *sigh* Theirs is one of the most heartfelt and real romances, I love them as a couple! 

Oh Jules, I feel for you and I wish things were different.  I missed you! We meet a few new characters in this book and get to visit with old ones as well.  I enjoyed reading about Charlotte, Ambrose, Arthur, and most of all Georgia, she is a riot!  As you can guess, Plum’s characterization is outstanding.

There is a ‘war’ in this book and as such there are losses for both, the good and the bad guys.  It seems like there is so much that we (the reader) don’t know about the Revenants and even things that they don’t know because they were lost over the centuries.

The plot is awesome!  It might be a little too convenient, but it works for me.  The writing is beautiful, flawless, and well-paced.  I’m a fan of Amy Plum for life; since I turned the first page of  Die for Me!

I am very happy with If I Should Die, BUT think there is a lot of room for more books or maybe a companion series from Vincent’s point of view, just so we know what happens next with the Paris Revenants and with Georgia.  A lot of questions were answered, however, a lot more were raised and it is the beginning of Kate’s new life, I wish to know MORE. 

Some quotes for you: (please note that these are from the ARC and might change)

“And who do you think you are? Wonder Woman?”

“I would say Kate’s more Catwoman,”  Georgia commented. Much cooler. Less derivative.” – Ambrose and Georgia

“You are my life, Kate. I have been fighting my destiny to be with you, and after all that struggle I find myself powerless…  Something inside me that had been still and silent since my first death all of a sudden sparked and began to live again… - Vincent

About the cover: These covers are all beautiful. I like the view of Kate on the bridge, looking at the water and we can see a shadow reflected on the wall (presumably Vincent).  I also like the colors and the swirls.

Stacking the Shelves #41

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we feature all the book goodness that we received, borrowed or purchased during the previous week. All links are to Goodreads.

Hello gorgeous people!! Again, two weeks have passed before I got to do another STS... I've been crazy busy at work and I leave on a business trip next week too.  Anyway, I'm trying to limit the books I'm getting since BEA is fast approaching.  I do have some books that I got at the Annapolis Book Fair last week (see all about that here).

Purchased (Physical Books)

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood - I always wanted to read this one and since Ms. Spotswood was at the aforementioned book festival I got it just in time.  

Misfit by Jon Skovron - Ditto (er, except that Mr. Skovron was there too :)

Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell - I've heard wonderful things about this author and I couldn't resist the price.

The Fulfillment by LaVyrle Spencer - I adore LaVyrle, her books are so beautiful.  I read this one years ago, but I didn't have my own copy.

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman -  I liked her Green Angel series and this cover is both creepy and beautiful; I couldn't help myself!

I got the last three books at the used book sale at the Annapolis Book Festival for $1 each!

Purchased (or Free) for Kindle 

All the Paths of Shadows by Frank Tuttle - I love steampunk and this one looks awesome!

Blameless by Gail Carriger - This is book #3 of the Parasol Proctectorate series and it's amazing!  

Heartless by Gail Carriger - Book #3 of the series. I already finished both :)

Kismetology by Jaimie Admans - This one is a freebie and it looks so sweet.

Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry - I loved Pushing the Limits and this is a short novella (#1.5).

One More Day by Aprilynne Pike - This is also a novella from Pike's Life After Theft series (I've yet to read it)

Audible

Timeless by Gail Carriger - I got book #5 in the series in audio book since I'll be traveling next week and I can listen on the plane. 

For Review

The first two books in the series are a gift from the wonderful Hannah from The Irish Banana.  Thanks my friend!

If I Should Die by Amy Plum - I cannot wait to read this one, it's definitely going with me on the trip!

Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting - I need to read book #3 before this one, but I can't wait to see what Violet's gotten herself into this time.

Ink by Amanda Sun - This cover is stunning! Thank you to Harlequin Teen.

The Legend of Blue Eyes by B. Kristin McMichael - The author contacted my to review this one. Not only does it sounds good, but this cover is to die for. Thanks!

What's stacking your shelves this week?  Have you read any of these?

Stacking the Shelves #40

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we feature all the book goodness that we received, borrowed or purchased during the previous week. All links are to Goodreads.

Hello gorgeous people! I haven't done a STS in a while because of the holidays and I had my mom, sister, and nice visiting from Puerto Rico for Spring Break.  We had a great time and now I back to reading and blogging again.  I am trying to control my book buying since I'm attending a few book festivals before BEA next month and need to save for those.  Without further ado, this is what I got in the last couple of weeks:

Purchased (Physical Books)

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - With this cute cover and a blurb from John Green, I'm destined to love this one!

Purchased (or Free) for Kindle

Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden - I already read this one and it was really good. Review to come soon :)

Die for Her by Amy Plum - I'm a big fan of the Revenats series, and this one is a short ebook (#2.5) before the conclusion to be published later this year.

Forever My Lady by Jeff Rivera - This one was free and it sounded interesting.

Library

Blameless by Gail Carriger  - The Parasol Protectorate is an amazing adult paranormal-steampunk series.  I got book #3 in audio book.

Unremembered by Jessica Brody - This one was my WOW a while ago and I can't wait to read it.

Mind Games by Kiersten White - I really like Ms. White's Paranolmancy series, I can't resist this beautiful cover.

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza - I've heard wonderful things about this book and the cover is to die for, right?

Sever by Lauren DeStefano - I'm not sure I like this crazy cover, but since I read the first two books, I want to finish the series.  Got this one in audio book as well. 

For Review

Wish by Beth Bracken and Kay Fraser - This book is illustrated with amazing pictures. Thank you to Capstone for the opportunity 

Dare You To by Katie McGarry - Pushing the Limits is one of the best books I read last year and this one should be equally awesome. Thank you Harlequin Teen.

The Rose Throne by Mette Ivie Harrison - I'm a sucker for pretty covers!  I read this one already and it was pretty good. Thanks to Egmont.

Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer - I adore the Elemental series!  This one is book 2.5 and it's about Nick (I love me some Merrick bothers!) Thanks Kessington.

Book Related (sort of...)

I found this cute stickies in Barnes & Noble. Aren't they adorable?

That's it for me!  What is stacking your shelves this week?

Top Ten Characters I Would Crush On If I Were Also a Fictional Characters

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

Like many of you I have many literary crushes, it will be hard to stick to ten this week!  Here are some of my  Top Ten character crushes:

1. Prince Ash from The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - It's no secret that I absolutely positively adore Ash.

2.  Harry Potter from the series by the same name by J.K. Rowling - These books are amazing (so are the movies!) and I can't help but love "the boy that lived".  He is so brave and loyal, and full of love.

3.  Edward Cullen from the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer - I'm a big Twilight fan and I can't help but love that kind of selfless love.

4.  Jay Heaton from the Body Finder Series by Kimberly Derting - Although I'm behind in the series (I read the first two books), I admire this best-friend-turned-boyfriend for the understanding and support he gives Violet.

Top Ten Books at the Top of My Spring TBR List

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

My list considers 'Spring' to be March, April and May.  Here it goes:

1.  Unremembered by Jessica Brody - I had this one as my WoW a while ago and for a good reason.  I've seen a few reviews and only good things, I can't wait to read it :)

2.  The Rising by Kelley Armstrong - Although I like the Darkest Powers series better, the final installment of the Darkest Rising series will have appearances by some of the characters from the previous one.  Also, there are still many unanswered questions.

3.  This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith - I really enjoyed Probability and this one looks and sounds amazing.