Top Ten Books That I Wish Were Taught In Schools

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1.  DREAMLAND by Sarah Dessen
2.  THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher
3.  CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein
4.  BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys
5.  BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver
6.  THE MOCKINGBIRDS by Daisy Whitney
7.  THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green
8.  HARRY POTTER by JK Rowling
9.  SPLIT by Swati Avasthi
10.  WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson

I was going to include a reason for each book, but it ended up sounding very fangirl-y, so I'll only say that all ten books are incredible and worth discussing in a classroom setting.

What are your top ten choices?

Review: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

Title: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
Author: John Green
Published: January 10th, 2012
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 368
POV: 1st person
Publisher: Dutton
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed (library); purchased collector's edition.
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind."

I didn't think I would enjoy THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. In my mind, the reviews were so positive that there was no way it could possibly live up to all of that praise. I mean, come on. It seemed as if the entire universe loved this book! I enjoyed one of Green's earlier novels a few years back, but I was not overly impressed by Green's writing style in that story. So forgive me, but I was skeptical and went into this story expecting to be underwhelmed by the characters and the plot. But, I quickly realized that THE FAULT IN OUR STARS lives up to (and deserves) the hype once I began reading. And, upon finishing the last page and the last lines, I promptly burst into tears, solidifying this book as one of my favorite novels¹. 

I'm amazed at how developed and realistic all of the characters were throughout the story. From Hazel, our straight-forward and slightly snarky narrator, to the exuberantly amusing Augustus Waters, all of the characters are developed with their own quirks and traits. While there are mentions of cancer and death, this is more of a story about two teens who fall into like (and eventually, love) with each other, and it's both utterly sweet and sad. Anyone who is putting off reading this book, for whatever reason you have, give it a chance. Buy it, borrow it, or read it while sitting on the floor of your local bookstore, but do not let this story pass you by without at least checking it out once. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and entirely deserving of every single glowing, positive review it receives, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is one exceptional story. 

Highlights: Hazel and Augustus are a couple of smart cookies who happen to have cancer, but they're also your typical teenagers. They make mistakes, they think they know everything, they obsess over awesome books, and they are utterly endearing. Green takes his time developing characters – for better or for worse – and I like how not everyone in this story has a perfect personality. An honest portrayal of family, friends,  and young love.  This story is excellent.

Lowlights: Not long enough? And the ending². *sighs* *hugs book*

1 I don't cry that often, so when a book makes me shed a tear (or multiple tears), I take notice. 
2 Thanks for completely BREAKING my heart and shattering my hopes, John Green. *grabs tissues*

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013

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After a lot thinking (and scrolling through my Goodreads account), these are the top ten books I've read so far in 2013 (not all were published in 2013, just FYI):

1.  SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo (my review)
2.  OUT OF THE EASY by Ruta Sepetys (my review)
3.  SCARLET by Marissa Meyer (my review)
4.  SHADES OF EARTH by Beth Revis
5.  A GAME OF THRONES George RR. Martin
6.  THE MOON AND MORE by Sarah Dessen
7.  THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green
8.  THE LUCKY ONE by Nicholas Sparks
9.  UNBREAK MY HEART by Melissa Walker
10.  EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton

I think SIEGE AND STORM, SCARLET, TFIOS, and OUT OF THE EASY are my favorites of 2013 - so far, anyway! ;)

What's in your top ten?

Top Ten Books I Thought I'd Like More / Less Than I Did

BOOKS I THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE MORE (BUT DIDN'T)

1.   THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J Maas: I'm a big fan of the novellas, but the novel let me down a bit. Perhaps I'll like it more when I reread it.

2.   REQUIEM by Lauren Oliver: A good story, but that ending killed it for me. Too little is answered, and I'm still angry at the lack of answers.

3.   BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray: I loved GOING BOVINE and really like the Gemma Doyle books, but this one was only okay for me. Such a shame.

4.   IMPOSSIBLE by Nancy Werlin: I don't think I'm a fan of this author's writing style, because a lot of other people loved this book, and I could barely stand to read the entire thing.

5.   THE BEGINNING OF AFTER by Jennifer Castle: I really thought I was going to love this book, but it ended up being sort of average.

BOOKS I THOUGHT I WOULDN'T LIKE (BUT DID)

6.   THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green: Why did I doubt you, John Green? Excellent voice, lovely writing, and a heartbreaking story. I feel like an idiot for thinking I wouldn't like it.

7.   STORM by Brigid Kemmerer: I normally don't expect much from a novel published by a small press, but this book was so much better than I expected. A few flaws, but such a fun read! Plus, it's filled with incredible characters, like the lovable Merrick boys :)

8.   BLOOD RED ROAD by Moira Young: The strange way that it is written almost made me give up, and I'm glad that I didn't. This book is filled with complex characters and exciting, action-packed moments.

9.   ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendare Blake: Ghosts, fun friends, gory scenes, and a great MC - why did I originally doubt I would like this book?

10.   WANDERLOVE by Kirsten Hubbard: I liked LIKE MANDARIN, but wasn't expecting this book to be anything special. It was. I adore this book, especially the artwork.

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Image from The Broke and The Bookish

The Queen's Library (27)

GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers (Purchased for Kindle)
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green (gifted)
THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater (gifted, my review)
NOTES FROM GHOST TOWN by Kate Ellison (ARC, accepted review pitch)

Thanks to Casey from Media Masters Publicity for the review book, my parents for the two hardcovers, and Racquel for convincing me to give GRAVE MERCY a chance!

What did you get this week? 

The feature is inspired by Pop Culture Junkie's This Week In Books, The Story Siren's In My Mailbox, and Mailbox Monday. The Queen's Library is a way for me to feature books that I add to my bookshelves and a place to post my weekly recommendations. This is not a new meme, but merely an adjusted feature that is better suited to my blog and needs.

In My Mailbox 22

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren.

Received:

Swag from Amy Brecount White

(so cute! signed bookmarks + buttons + postcards + tattoos)

Bookmarks from Lauren Oliver (They're so gorgeous too!)

Borrowed from Zoe:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

That's it! I had a blast at the Lauren Oliver signing on Wednesday night, and she signed my arc of Before I Fall, so expect a contest coming up sometime this week to win that + swag!

Lea