Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the Rest of 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, she posts an idea relating to books and encourages other book bloggers to respond with their own top ten lists.

This week’s topic is “top ten most anticipated releases for the rest of 2015.” This may end up being longer than 10, since my wishlist is ridiculously long, but here are some of the ones I desperately need:

Honorable mentions:

• How To Say I Love You Out Loud by Karole Cozzo
• Menagerie by Rachel Vincent
• The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick
• Dreamland by Robert L. Anderson
• A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

Which upcoming 2015 releases do you desperately want to read? Leave me a list or a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post in the comments below.

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Top Ten Books in My Beach Bag This Summer

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, she posts an idea relating to books and encourages other book bloggers to respond with their own top ten lists.

This week’s topic is “top ten books in my beach bag this summer.” Unfortunately, there isn’t a beach that’s too close to me (problems of attending university in a city, and not having a car), but if there was, I’d definitely bring all these along.

1. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen books are quintessential summer reads – the number of times I read Just Listen while attempting to tan in my backyard will attest to that. I’ve heard that Saint Anything is darker than her previous works, so I’m excited to see how that plays out.

2. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler
While I didn’t love Twenty Boy Summer, I can’t say no to a Little Mermaid retelling – it is my favourite Disney movie, after all. All of the early reviews I’ve seen have been overwhelmingly positive, so I’m really looking forward to giving this a read.

3. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
My local library has finally filled my request to order this beautiful book, so I fully intend to read it as soon as my hold comes in. After all, this has been on my to-read list for ages.

4. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
This has been recommended to me about a million times, and is always described as a summer read, so what better time to give it a read than when it’s finally sunny and warm outside? Of course, I’ve also heard that it will break my heart, so reading it on a beach surrounded by strangers may not be the best idea…

5. The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
Sweet, swoony romances are my go-to in the summer months, and Kasie West hasn’t disappointed so far on that front.

6. Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn
I’ll admit that I initially put this on my summer to-read list because I love the new cover designs – they just scream “summer fun” to me. I’ve heard mixed things about this one, but I’m always up for ridiculous and dramatic stories.

7. Love Fortunes and Other Disasters by Kimberly Karalius
This looks ridiculously charming. An adorable cover + magic + prophecies + hate to love romance? Yes please!

8. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
I thought To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before was rather cute, and all of my blogger friends who’ve read the sequel seem to have adored it. I love books that perfectly capture the feelings of first likes and love and crushes, so I will definitely need to give this a read.

9. 99 Days by Katie Cotugno
I’ve heard wonderful things about How To Love, but the fact that 99 Days seems to be so polarizing to readers appeals to me in a strange way. Here’s hoping I’m one of the ones that loves it!

10. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
This has been sitting on my nightstand, staring at me for a couple of weeks, as if to say “Erin, I know you went to the library the other day and took out a huge pile of books instead of reading the ones you just had to buy.” Suffice to say, it’s one of my priority reads for the summer.

Which books do you plan on reading this summer? Leave me a list or a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post in the comments below.

Be My (Fictional) Bad Boy

Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed something interesting about the way I tend to react to love triangles – or, more specifically, the “choices” involved in the love triangle. I’ve found that I gravitate towards the “bad boys” when presented with an option between them and the boy-next-door/childhood best friend archetype. If given the choice, I’d choose the Darkling over Mal, Morpheus over Jeb, and Warner over Adam every time. I wish I could say that this says a lot about my personality… but, in real life, I’m the exact opposite.

In fact, all of the guys I’ve dated have been close friends. No hate-to-love transformations here, even though I adore those types of relationships in books. Friends-first relationships have the security and stability that I crave, without needing any of the awkward first date questions. They’ve seen me at me best and worst, have listened to all of my random thoughts, and have seen my many, many obsessions. And, despite all that, they’re still there.

So, then, why don’t I like these relationships in the books that I read? It’s not a case of “saving” the “bad boys” through true love or any of that; it’s just that they’re more exciting. I view reading as a sort of escape, a way of living out many different lives and experiences without any of the real-world costs/potential dangers. As a result, I don’t want to read about people making the safe choices that I would make (unless it’s a contemporary romance, since Max in The Start of Me and You is 100% the type of guy I’d go for). With the “bad boys,” the stakes are higher; there’s a sense of danger, and you’re not sure if you should even trust this individual, and that’s what makes the story even more exciting.

More than that, though, they’re compelling. While the pure evil ones can be fun to read about for a little bit, complicated, morally ambiguous characters are much more interesting – especially when compared to the “good guy” who is inevitably going to be his foil. Maybe they’ve done some inexcusable things (looking at you, Darkling), but they’ve also shown potential for improvement, so it’s hard not to root for some kind of redemption. And, you know, the possibility of snarky banter is higher, and that’s one of my biggest weaknesses.

Although the “bad boy” is a trope, it’s one that I absolutely love. Fictional bad boys, you have my heart (real life ones, though, not so much).

Do you like bookish bad boys as much as I do? If so, who are some of your favourites?

This Month in Books: May 2015

I’m slightly scared for my poor bank account, since so many excellent looking books come out this month! Here’s hoping I have time to read them all…. As always, if you’re interested in one of the books, click on its cover image to be taken to its Goodreads page.

May 1

May 5

May 12

May 19

May 26

Which new releases are you most looking forward to reading this month?

Top Ten Bookish Problems

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, she posts an idea relating to books and encourages other book bloggers to respond with their own top ten lists.

This week’s topic is “top ten book-related problems that I have.” It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these, and this looks like such a fun topic!

1. Finding time to read. 
I’m currently taking 5 biology courses and their associated laboratory components, which means that I’m at school from 9:30-5:30 on weekdays. On top of that, I’m the Marketing & Communications Director for a student-run group on campus, I visit elementary school classrooms with Let’s Talk Science to run fun biology experiments, and I’m on the Lab and Design Team for the University of Waterloo’s iGEM team (which I am incredibly excited about!). All of this has left me with very little time to blog, let alone read – if I can sneak in a few chapters over breakfast, I consider it to be a good day.

2. Deciding what to read next
I probably spend more time staring at my bookshelves to pick out my next read than I spend actually reading…

3. Buying matching covers/editions
In a perfect world, all of my books would be of the same type and same edition. Unfortunately, I’m really impatient, and insist on pre-ordering everything, so my series are a mix of hardcovers and paperbacks.

4. Saying “no” to pretty-looking books – especially when I already own another edition
I recently tried convincing my mother that a good 21st birthday present would be the new Bloomsbury editions of Harry Potter, since I love their covers. She said no, since I already have a perfectly good, original hardcover set… so I’m just going to have to buy them myself. And the illustrated editions, once those come out.

5. Binge-reading a series, only to find out that the next book is released a lot later than I originally thought
Here’s looking at you, Winter.

6. When none of my friends understand why I’m crying over a fictional character
The worst was when I was reading Blue Lily, Lily Blue and had to show them the scene I was crying over. IT WAS REALLY SWEET, OKAY.

7. Getting a new book in a series, but forgetting what happened in the previous books
Thank goodness for The Recaptains, and Wikipedia. (I usually would do a reread, but if I tried that once Winds of Winter comes out, you guys would never hear from me again).

8. When I borrow an ebook from the library, and it expires before I have a chance to finish it
This always happens with new releases, since I have the hardest time reading multiple books at once… which means I have to go back on the incredibly long holds list.

9. Getting interrupted in the middle of a good scene
Especially if it’s to ask what I’m reading.

10. Deciding how to organize my bookshelf
Alphabetical? By colour? Do I give myself a favourites shelf? Such a hard decision! My bookshelf is the only part of my room that needs to look perfect. Now, if only it had infinite space…

What are your biggest book-related problems? Leave me a list or a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post in the comments below.

If You Like… CLASSICS

Welcome to my feature, If You Like…. INSERT THING HERE. In this feature, I’ll be sharing books related to various television shows, movies, other books…. anything and everything!

I’ve been reading a lot of classics lately, so I thought that this week I’d recommend some classics that I’ve recently enjoyed.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Although this novel is a lot different from what I expected it to be (I thought it would be a romantic love story- it’s not!) I still really enjoyed. It’s basically like reading a soap opera because it’s so dramatic and ridiculous. It’s really well written and you can’t help but love to hate the characters. It’s a pretty quick read as well, which is great if you’re in any sort of time crunch.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I’m in the middle of rereading this novel for the second time right now, and I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying it. Yes, Holden Caulfield can get a bit irritating at times (everything is just so PHONY to him) but I think that deep down we can all relate to him at least a little. It’s also really interesting to read it knowing how it ends because it definitely puts a different perspective on his entire situation. For anyone who has ever felt lonely, misunderstood, or just frustrated with the world, I think you’ll definitely find a connection with poor Holden!

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I haven’t actually finished reading this one entirely yet- I’m reading it with my AP English class right now and I’m currently about half way through it- but I am absolutely adoring it thus far so I thought I’d recommend it anyways. Pip is a spectacular narrator because he’s so easy to relate to. The characters in this novel seem to leap right off the page and Dickens’ writing is brilliantly witty. If the second half of the novel is as good as the first, this book is one fantastic read!

I hope you enjoy these recommendations! What classics would you recommend? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY (Nut Free Nerd)

P.S. Can you tell that I’m in love with the Penguin English Library collection? ❤

if you like… LONG BOOKS

Welcome to my feature, If You Like…. INSERT THING HERE. In this feature, I’ll be sharing books related to various television shows, movies, other books…. anything and everything!

Wow, it sure has been a while since I’ve posted here on The In-Between Place! As per usual, school, work, and life in general have consumed so much of my time, but now I’m back and ready to blog! Since I was gone for such a LONG time, I thought that this week I would recommend some LONGER books. (See what I did there? :))

I always feel like winter is the perfect time to curl up with a nice tome and spend a while reading. So in the event that you’re looking for a longer book to read this season (or any time of year, really) here are three books that have over 500 pages!

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

At 771 pages long, this colossal novel tells the story of Theo, a boy whose life is perhaps destined to be intertwined with the intriguing painting, “The Goldfinch”. You follow Theo from a young age in New York City all the way to his life as an adult caught up in a tangled mess of mistakes and desires. Haunting and utterly captivating, The Goldfinch will change the way you look at this simple yet meaningful painting- and maybe even art as a form of expression.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

With a total of 640 pages, this novel tells the story of Owen Meany, a boy who accidentally kills the mother of his best friend in a Little League baseball game. Their relationship is forever changed, even in ways that don’t come to light until it is too late. Set in small-town America in the 1950s and filled with questions of friendship, religion, politics, and life in general, A Prayer for Owen Meany is certain to make you think.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Ringing in at 544 pages, this novel tells the tragic and heart-wrenching story of two young people attempting to survive on opposite sides of World War II. Marie Laure, a blind French girl, faces the every day challenge of piecing the world together in her mind. Werner, a German orphan, struggles morally as he works for the Nazis on the radios that he has adored since he was a child. All the Light We Cannot See is sure to strike a chord in readers as these two beautifully written stories collide and intertwine.

I hope you enjoy these recommendations! What long books would you recommend? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY

Top Fifteen Books I Need To Read In 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, she posts an idea relating to books and encourages other book bloggers to respond with their own top ten lists.

This week’s topic is “top ten books you’re looking forward to in 2015.” There are way too many 2015 releases that I need to read, so here are 15 of the ones I’m impatiently waiting for.

Which 2015 titles are on your wishlist? Leave me a list or a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post in the comments below.

This Month In Books: December 2014

December is finally here! I’m so excited for the Christmas season, and many of the books listed here have found their way onto my wishlist this year. As always, if you’re interested in one of the books, click on its cover image to be taken to its Goodreads page.

December 1

December 2

December 8

December 9

December 15

December 18

December 22

December 23

December 30

December 31

Which new releases are you most looking forward to reading this month?

if you like… WHO-DONE-IT MYSTERIES

Welcome to my feature, If You Like…. INSERT THING HERE. In this feature, I’ll be sharing books related to various television shows, movies, other books…. anything and everything!

Some of the best mysteries are those where you just have to know WHO DONE IT? They’re great because often times you want to know who the culprit is so badly that you end up racing through the pages, reading more in a single sitting than you ever thought you could or would. I’ve experienced this quite a bit myself, especially late at night… when I’m supposed to be doing homework… or sleeping…

But I digress! The point is, who-done-it mysteries are perfect for when you want to just sit down and really get invested in a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat story. Here are some of my favorites!

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

I’ve talked about this book many times before on this blog, but I just can’t help myself! This is such a brilliant mystery, and I enjoy more and more each time I read it. A group of strangers trapped on an island with an unknown killer murdering them one by one? It’s the ultimate case of who-done-it!

The Woods by Harlan Coben

A serial killer at a summer camp decades ago? The long-lost body of the victim, never to be uncovered? This chilling novel will make you question every summer camp you’ve ever attended!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

This complex, multidimensional mystery will captivate and perplex even the cleverest of minds. With countless enigmatic characters, surprising layers, and astounding twists, it’s sure to deliver a bumpy ride!

I hope you enjoy these recommendations! What are your thoughts on these books? What who-done-it mysterious do you recommend? Let me know in the comments section below!

Yours,

HOLLY