TOP TEN TUESDAY: Book Covers I'd Frame As Art

Hi everyone!  This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic sounded like a lot of fun: Book Covers I'd Frame as Art.  I picked out some of my favorites that I'd definitely consider framing and hanging on my wall :-).

 

Hope you're having a great week!

Ninja Girl

FOLLOW FRIDAY

Hi everyone!  Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, two awesome ladies with crazy good blogs. Feature for this week is Tale of Two Doxies.

Q: If you could read a book for the "first time" again, which book would it be?  Why?

I wish I could read SO MANY books again for the first time.  But if I had to choose one, it would be:

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell.  I'd love to relive the roller coaster of emotions, meeting Eleanor for the first time, meeting Park. *sigh*  THIS book, this book is feeling.  It is emotion.  It's first love at its finest, and I'm so happy it exists :-D.

Hope you have a great weekend,

Ninja Girl

TOP TEN TUESDAY

This meme features weekly "Top Ten" lists and is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  I read 101 books this year.  That's a lot of books!!  So many wonderful reads, it was nearly impossible to narrow the list to 10--though I had no doubt what my number one would be :-).

1.  Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

 

 

Hands down my favorite read of the year, one of my top five books EVER!!  I fell in love with Eleanor; I fell in love with Park.  I fell in love with their story a million times over.

This book was everything.  Everything.

 

2.  Lover At Last by J. R. Ward

 

 

The Warden came through again with a vengance!  Also my longest read of the year, 696 pages of BDB goodness :-).  Qhuinn + Blay = <3

 

3.  The Brigerton Series by Julia Quinn

 

 

I loved this entire series (favorites were books 3, 4 and 7).

 

4.  Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

 

 

Another example of how A-Freaking-Mazing Rainbow is.  Loved Cath and Levi!!

 

5.  What I Did For A Duke by Julie Anne Long

 

 

Such an unexpectedly fantastic plot and characters.  And the romance!!  Loved it!

 

6.  Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs

 

 

Mercy Thompson, one of my favorite series by an author I can't get enough of.  Briggs always delivers :)

 

7.  The Jessica Darling Series (books 1 & 2)  by Megan McCafferty

 

 

Jessica Darling was unforgettable and absolutely hilarious in this YA contemporary.

 

8.  Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

 

 

The sequel to Throne of Glass, and again, Maas delivers in a huge way!

 

9.  Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

 

 

Two words: Finny Boone <3

 

10.  The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley

 

 

These books are part of the same series, so technically, I didn't cheat lol!  Ian Mackenzie was unlike any other character I've read.  He was so unique and appealing.  And then Cameron's book combined two of my favorite characters, and I loved the plot.  A really great series!

 

Have you read any of these?  If not, I'd totally recommend them ;).  I'm looking forward to seeing your favorites!

 

Ninja Girl



TOP TEN TUESDAY

This is my first Top Ten Tuesday post!  It's a great topic and not just because Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  I have so many reasons to be thankful :-).  In no particular order, here are the Top Ten Things I'm Most Thankful For:

1.  My loved ones -- This includes my amazing family, friends and everyone who makes my life better just by being in it.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

2.  My job(s) -- I'm so fortunate to be able to love what I do and to do what I love.  My jobs as a dance teacher and writer are absolutely the best professions in the world.  Wouldn't trade them for anything.

3.  Eleanor & Park -- The best book.  It changed my life, broke my heart, put it back together again, and made me feel so much.  I'm thankful for the depth of raw emotion and to Rainbow Rowell for having the lady balls to put it all down on paper.

4.  The Ideas -- I don't know where they come from, but whether it be new choreography or a new story, I am so, SO grateful.

5.  Music -- Makes life worth living.  I <3 great music.

6.  People who hold the door open for the person behind them -- Politeness...always appreciated.

7.  J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter -- Two of my most favorite people, one b/c she opened my eyes to the world of books, the other b/c he made that world such a fantastic place to be :).

8.  Catching Fire -- Book or movie form, I'm just glad it exists!

9.  Richard Armitage -- Again, dwarf or human doesn't matter.  Yes, just yes.

10.  Warm socks on a cold night.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Ninja Girl



YALLFEST!!

 

Hi everyone!  Ninja Aunt P and I had an adventure this weekend with loads of bookish fun!!  This is where we were :-)

YALLFest a.k.a. The Charleston Young Adult Book Festival a.k.a. The best place on Earth (sorry, Disney.  You've been replaced lol!)

Once we finally found our way through SC's crazy one-way streets, I loved every second of it.  I got to meet a couple of my favorite authors, sat in on a few interesting (and informative) talks, and even came away with some awesome swag!

YES, that's a real, live I <3 Eleanor & Park pin :).  Want a closer look?

Ninja Aunt P called dibs on the pin, but that's cool.  I still got Siege and Storm!   Meeting Rainbow Rowell and Stephanie Perkins and having my books signed was definitely the highlight of the trip for me.  They were both so amazing and gracious and hilarious.  When faced with all that awesome, my ninja skills went right out the window!  Not to mention I was a little tired after waiting in looooooooong, energy-sucking lines.  But it was totally worth it!  They were great sports even in the face of my fangirl awkwardness :).

I intend to do another post about YALLFest (maybe a couple of posts), so if you want more info, it's on the way.  But for now, I'll just say this: I got to meet the authors of Eleanor & Park and Anna and the French Kiss!!!  Mission complete, life goal accomplished.  At this point, I'm happy dancing in my sleep.

Hope everyone has a great Veterans Day!

Ninja Girl

ELEANOR AND PARK by Rainbow Rowell

This book wasn't what I expected.  Judging by the cover and the dialogue on Goodreads, I thought Eleanor and Park was going to be another sweet romantic comedy.  I know, I know.  Couldn't have been more off-base if I tried.  But that's what I thought going in.

 

Now, imagine my surprise, when I start reading only to find something completely different.

A story about two characters that transcend the fictional and actually come to life in these pages.  A dual POV where I get to know them both.  A love story about first love, true love, involving two high school kids who couldn't be more different--at first.

This book deftly mixes the bitter and the sweet to come up with something completely real and timeless.  I loved it <3 <3 <3

Eleanor was my girl from page 1.  I felt for her immediately, standing there on the bus all awkward in the wrong clothes, wrong hair, wrong everything.  I wanted to hurt anyone who hurt her (especially those jerks on the bus and her a-hole stepdad, Richie).  Later, we learn that: a) Her home life sucks.  b) She can't afford new clothes--among other things.  c) She is one tough cookie who's smart and vibrantly full of life despite everything trying to tear her down.  Oh, and I liked her b/c of her take on Romeo and Juliet.  It closely aligns with my own.

Park was imperfectly perfect.  *Sigh*  He's a rare breed in YA, a flawed hero (or at least a very human one) whose innate goodness and badassery shines through even before he kicks the crap out of one of his friends who's cruel to Eleanor--which he totally does in the book.  I cheered in my head.  I loved Park b/c: a) the comics, b) the mixed tapes, c) the batteries.  Oh my Lord, the batteries!!!  Made me weep like a baby.  It was seriously one of the sweetest moments I have ever read in a book J.

Rainbow Rowell is the best kind of storyteller.  Every misunderstanding between Park and Eleanor was so real.  She didn't just make them fight to create tension.  It happened b/c of their different views on life, which, of course, were formed by their wildly different family lives.  Even though it wrecked me--and it did--I appreciated the drama.  I was glad it was never drama just for drama's sake.

 

And the romance.  Heartbreaking, achingly sweet, funny.  I wanted Eleanor and Park to find their HEA.  I wanted them to find a way to stay together.  My goodness, I literally cried, when they finally held hands.  Think that's an exaggeration?

"If he were to look up at her now, he'd know exactly how stupid she was.  She could feel her face go soft and gummy.  If Park were to look up at her now, he'd know everything. 

He didn't look up.  He wound the scarf around his fingers until her hand was hanging in the space between them.

Then he slid the silk and his fingers into her open palm.

And Eleanor disintegrated."--page 71, Eleanor and Park

There's so much more, but I'm going to stop here.  As a YA writer, this is the kind of book you aspire to--and that makes you fear you may never get there.  Rowell's book was incredible, a rare and beautiful find.  I strongly recommend to anyone who loves romance, great characters, great writing, The Smiths, X-Men comics etc.  Perfect.  Simply perfect.

Happy reading everyone!!

Ninja Girl

(P.S. Have tissues ready)

STACKING THE SHELVES (11)

 

Hi everyone! Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  I went to the local Old Book Sale this weekend and found some wonderful books--also dropped by BAM and got some great new releases :-).

 

List of Books: All-American Girl by Meg Cabot
                        The Archived by Victoria Schwab
                        The Rules by Stacey Kade
                        Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
                        Reboot by Amy Tintera
                        For the Roses by Julie Garwood
                        Prince Charming by Julie Garwood
                        Hot Shot by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
                        Hell on Wheels by Julie Ann Walker
                        One Red Rose by Julie Garwood
                        The Secret by Julie Garwood
                        The Princess and the Barbarian by Betina Krahn
                        Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn
                        A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

Old book sales rock!!  Period.  Have a great week!

Ninja Girl

HOW DID I MISS THIS?

Hi all! Have you ever discovered a book that's been out for a while, and you're like, "Where did that come from?" This just happened to me!! Since it's already been released, I guess I can't do a WOW post, so...

 

"Bono met his wife in high school," Park says.
"So did Jerry Lee Lewis," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be," she says, "we’re sixteen."
"What about Romeo and Juliet?"
"Shallow, confused, then dead."
''I love you," Park says.
"Wherefore art thou," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be."

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under. (summary from Goodreads)

Seriously? How did I miss this one???  I'm all about quirky romance and characters who just in one short exchange have already captured my attention.  Well, I will definitely be adding it to my collection shortly ;-)

Hope everyone's having a great week!

 

Ninja Girl