Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry

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

Okay gorgeous people, get your box of tissues ready and lets see some of the books that have made me cry: 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - Boy, did this one made me cry!  It's still one of the best books I've ever read and the movie was not too bad either (see my review here). 

A Walk to Remember (and any other book) by Nicholas Sparks - This one was the first book by Sparks that I read and I remember crying so bad that I had to hide so my kids didn't get upset.  

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Another AMAZING read.  I was expecting it to be sad due to the subject matter, but I didn't expected to cry that much.  In fact, I read this book once I got home after surgery and I thought I was going to pop something open because I was crying so hard! (See my review here). Oh, and if you haven't seen the trailer for this movie, where've you been?

Stacking the Shelves #63

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.

I had an exhausting week, but I also managed to take Monday off and hubby and I went to the movies and we watched Thor, which was really good.  I also managed to get a few lovely new additions to my shelves. 

Purchased (or Free) for Kindle

One & Only by Viv Daniels - Viv Daniels is a pen name for the wonderful Diana Perfreund and I can't wait to read it.

Fire Country by David Estes - I can't remember who recommended this book, but thanks to whomever it was :)

The Iron King #0 by Julie Kagawa - The Iron Fey is one of my favorite series and I cannot wait to read this illustrated version. Go Ash!

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano - I didn't love DeStafano's Chemical Garden series, but the writing was actually one of the best things about it and I'm very curious about this one. 

While You're Away Part I: Our First Encounter by Jessa Holbrook - The amazing Rachel from Fiktshun speaks very highly about this series and I decided to give it a try.

Unbreathable by Hafsah Laziaf - Hafsah, from Icey Books and Icey Designs wrote her first book!  She's also an incredible designer (after all, she design my blog!)  

Purchased Books

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I just finished The Book Thief on audio book last night and cried so hard!  It is without a doubt one of the best books ever! I purchased a copy of the book because I intend to spread the word to all my friends.

Purchased for Audible

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke - There is something about this cover that I love. I hope it lives up to my expectations.

Won

The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins - I won this book from the fabulous Jen at Jenuine Cupcakes and I've heard wonderful things about it.

Have you read any of these?  Have you seen any good movies lately?  What's stacking your shelves this week?

Top Ten Best / Worst Series Endings

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

When I started gathering my answers I found out two things: First, that I'm hopelessly behind in a LOT of series (aka unfinished!), and second, that fortunately I have more 'Best' endings than 'Worst'

BEST

1. Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter series) - I don't have to explain, do I?

2.  Timeless by Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate) - This series is steampunk at its best.  I'm very happy with the ending, even if there is wide open for much more and I think I read somewhere that there will be a companion series soon. 

3.  Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi (Under the Never Sky series) - I just finished this one yesterday and this book is AMAZING!  If you haven't read this series, you really should. 

4.  The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson (Fire and Thorns series) - Another beloved series that ended recently.  I'm so happy for Hector and Elisa and their kingdom. An epic ending :)

5.  The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa (Iron Fey series) - A book from Ash's point of view, a quest, and Puck to boot. What else could you ask for?

6.  Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy series) - Dimitri, Rose... You get the idea, right?

7.  Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles (Leaving Paradise series) - This is a duet and it's so good!  I love this series, the ending was perfection!

Worst

8. Gone by Lisa McMann (Wake series) - I really enjoyed the series, up until this book actually.  Janie turned into an indecisive mess and the ending was so open that it drove me crazy.

9. Sever by Lauren DeStefano (The Chemical Garden series) - Honestly, this series redemption is DeStefano's writing.  The magic of Wither was gone in the second book and this one was a hot mess. And everything got fixed and honky dory in the last chapter :(

10. We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han (The Summer series) - What was that? Belly wanting to get married at 18?  Everyone falling in place for the weirdest wedding in history?  And then we get a sort of epilogue for an ending?  What happened in between?!

What is in your top ten this week? Have you read any of these? Do you agree or disagree with me?

Top Ten Best Sequels Ever

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

This list (as most Top Ten lists) can be huge, although I am hopelessly behind in so many series that's not even funny!  Well, here it goes:

1.  The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson - It is difficult to decide on just one book of this trilogy, but I'm going with it's conclusion.  Outstanding! 

2.  Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi - I'm about 60% done with this book (just reading it while I walk on the treadmill), but it's even better than Under the Never Sky and that's saying a lot!

3.  Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins - My goodness, this one was SO good!  I love Kai and Anna and the sequel was just plain hot awesomeness.

4.  Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - I liked this book better than Mockingjay, although I'm a big fan of the series, this book was my favorite.  Such an amazing way to continue the goodness of The Hunger Games. 

5.  Spark by Brigid Kemmerer - Really good sequel to Storm. The Merrick brothers *sigh* need I say more?

6.  The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa - I'm a big fan of the Iron Fey series and this one is my favorite book because it's from Ash's point of view. 

7.  Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling - Yes, I'm aware that this is more than one book, but honestly, I cannot choose just one.  

8.  The Liberator by Victoria Scott - This one did not suffer from the second book syndrome at all.  So, so good. How could it now if it's about Dante?

9.  Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas - It's incredible to believe, but this book might be even better than Throne of Glass.  So incredibly good!

10. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn - This is my favorite (book #3) of the series.  I just love Colin and Penelope :)

What's in your list of Top Ten best sequels?

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 Beginings / Endings in Books

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

This was a really hard one!  For once, I read a lot of books from the library thus, I don't have all the books I read; also, I listen to books in audio books which is a lot harder to remember!  Some classics and some not so much, this is what I came up with: 

Beginnings

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. “ Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. “ Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”  J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“The goat was in the tree again.” Rosemary Clement-Moore, Texas Gothic 

“On the sixth of April, in the year 1812 – precisely two days before her sixteenth birthday – Penelope Featherington fell in love.” Julia Quinn, Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Endings

"After all, tomorrow is another day." Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind

“The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years.  All was well.” J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever.” Stephenie Meyer, Breaking Dawn

“Then with a flick of its tail, it boinded into the undergrowth, a streak of gray furn in the sun, and the light swallowed it completely.” Julie Kagawa, The Iron Knight

“I take the plant out of its pot, shake the dirt off the roots, get a good grip, reach my arm back, take one deep breath before I pitch my arm forward, and let go.” Jandy Nelson, The Sky is Everywhere

What are your top ten book beginnings and/or endings?

Top Ten Books I Read When I Need Something Light & Fun

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

Well, to me this means books that I re-read, even though there are not necessarily "light and fun".  In fact, I don't think I read a lot of those.  I do tend to re-read my favorite parts of some books and I do the same with movies (I can't count how many times I've seen Pretty Women, Notting Hill, You Got Mail or The Proposal!)

1.  Breathe my Abbi Glines - The first book by Glines that I read and is still my favorite. 

2.  Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - One of the funniest books I've ever read!  Honestly, this one is a jewel.

3.  Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - I know, I know!  I don't think I can have a top 10 without including this series, but I really love it!  I re-read my favorite parts when I need an Ash fix :)

4.  Beastly by Alex Flinn - There is just something about fairy tales that calls to me and this Beauty and the Beast re-telling from the POV of the beast is one of my favorites. 

5.  New Moon by Stephenie Meyer - Although I'm a fan of the series, I re-read New Moon more often.  I just love the part when Bella and Edward re-unite...

6.  Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn - I'm a big fan of Quinn's writing and this one is my all-time favorite.  

7.  Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson - I read this book only late last year, but it has quickly become a favorite.  

8.  Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion by Jane Austen - My two favorites by Austen!  I can read these over and over (and watch the movies too!)

9.  Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey - I don't know what it is about Lucius that I love so!

10. Just Listen, Along for the Ride and The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen - I love Dessen's writing!  These are most definitely NOT light and fun, but they are amazing and I can't get enough of them. 

Hmm... I guess that's more than 10!  Oh, well, I tried.  What's in your Top Ten this week?