Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday: Recent Additions To My TBR


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week’s topic is top ten books that I recently added to my TBR list. I haven’t bought any of these yet, so let me know if they’re worth reading.


Recent Additions



1. If You Find Me – Emily Murdoch


A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes, and boys. 
Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go . . . a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.



2. Love Letters to the Dead – Ava Dellaira



It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. 
Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to the dead—to people like Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, Amelia Earhart, and Amy Winehouse—though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating the choppy waters of new friendships, learning to live with her splintering family, falling in love for the first time, and, most important, trying to grieve for May. But how do you mourn for someone you haven't forgiven? 
It's not until Laurel has written the truth about what happened to herself that she can finally accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was—lovely and amazing and deeply flawed—can she truly start to discover her own path. 
In a voice that's as lyrical and as true as a favorite song, Ava Dellaira writes about one girl's journey through life's challenges with a haunting and often heartbreaking beauty.


3. The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern



The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night. 
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. 
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.



4. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender – Leslye Walton



Magical realism, lyrical prose, and the pain and passion of human love haunt this hypnotic generational saga. 
Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird. 
In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year-old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration. 
That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo. 
First-time author Leslye Walton has constructed a layered and unforgettable mythology of what it means to be born with hearts that are tragically, exquisitely human.



5. Blankets – Craig Thompson



Wrapped in the landscape of a blustery Wisconsin winter, Blankets explores the sibling rivalry of two brothers growing up in the isolated country, and the budding romance of two coming-of-age lovers. Blankets is a tale of security and discovery, of playfulness and tragedy, of a fall from grace and the origins of faith.



6. The Miniaturist – Jessie Burton



Set in seventeenth-century Amsterdam—a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion—a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.
"There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . ." 
On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office—leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin. 
But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . . 
Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand—and fear—the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?
Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.



7. My Heart and Other Black Holes – Jasmine Warga



Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness. 
There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution: a teen boy with the username FrozenRobot (aka Roman) who’s haunted by a family tragedy is looking for a partner.

Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other’s broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together. Except that Roman may not be so easy to convince.



8. Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard



The poverty-stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. 
To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. 
Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the center of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. 
But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?



9. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer – Michelle Hodkin



Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. 
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. 
There is. 
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. 
She's wrong.



10. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks – E. Lockhart



Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14: 
Debate Club. 
Her father’s “bunny rabbit.” 
A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15: 
A knockout figure.
A sharp tongue. 
A chip on her shoulder. 
And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Laundau-Banks. 
No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer. 
Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society. 
Not when her ex-boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places. 
Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them. 
When she knows Matthew’s lying to her. 
And when there are so many, many pranks to be done. 
 
Frankie Landau-Banks at age 16: 
Possibly a criminal mastermind.  
 
This is the story of how she got that way.




21 comments:

  1. Some good ones there. I definitely want to read Ava Lavender, I really enjoyed Red Queen, and the Night Circus is definitely worth the time. I'm in the minority about Mara Dyer -- not my thing. Hope you enjoy them all.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice picks! I loved THE NIGHT CIRCUS, but wasn't wild about FRANKIE LANDAU. IF YOU FIND ME sounds super intriguing. I'm definitely going to add that one to my TBR list.

    Happy TTT!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh my god I have so much to say about the books on here. Okay, okay brace yourself.

    First off I have had love letters to the dead for a very long time and keep forgetting that I actually own it, I hope that you enjoy it!

    I've heard SO MUCH about the night circus but am incredibly confused as to what the story is, like I know its a circus that comes out at night but its just like??

    I also own ava lavender but have yet to read it and I have to admit this was a cover buy, but it was in a book clearance store for £2.99 so thats not too bad right? Tell me it's okay xD

    I've also seen a lot around about the minaturist, not sure whether or not I want to pick it up, but I am enticed by the amazing pretty book that greets me whenever I walk into waterstones, the blue pages are just lovely!

    My heart and other black holes was on my most anticipated for this year and I am yet to own a copy, I have heard that if you read all the bright places that this doesn't seem as good in comparison because the concept is similar so i'm not sure whether to pick up one or both?

    I have read the unbecoming of mara dyer and really enjoyed it! I own the second book and have yet to read it but it's really mysterious and messes with your head a little bit.

    Finally, Frankie Landau, I actually started and put down this book, I just don't think it's my thing, its not keeping my attention enough, I don't know

    Great TTT!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love your TTT. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, is a book I'm very curious about. Sound so great and fun. Every time I heard the name of the author, I can't stop thinking about The Mortal Instruments lol.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I haven't heard of many of these but The Red Queen is on my TBR too! And the Mara Dyer series is outstanding!! Definitely get to that one ASAP!

    Here are my Top Ten!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love E.Lockhart. Frank Landau-Banks is a really memorable character. I hope you like her as much as I did! I also LOVED the first Mara Dyer book. So creepy and cool. I almost bought My Heart and Other Black Holes this past weekend, but didn't... but still want to read it soon!!! It sounds super emotional. Great List!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Night Circus is on my TTT too! I think Red Queen will be on the TBR soon, everyone has it on their TTTs.

    My TTT: http://myexpandingbookshelf.blogspot.com/2015/03/teaser-and-top-ten-tuesdays-31-march.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow If You Find Me seems like such an interesting read. Definitely love the cover you have on here. The one one good reads is not as gorgeous! Really great list!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I hope to read Red Queen, The Night Circus, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, and The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender! I hope you enjoy them! Old follower!

    Lizzie @ lizziethesarcasticblonde.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'll be adding If You Find Me :)

    And you should get to Mara Dyer soon, very good series :)

    My Top Ten

    brooke @ booklife4life

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nice TTT list. I've only heard of a couple but they all look like good reads. I've heard good things about Red Queen and My Heart and other Black Holes.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice TTT list. I've only heard of a couple but they all look like good reads. I've heard good things about Red Queen and My Heart and other Black Holes.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have The Night Circus on my TBR list. I heard great things about it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nice list! Ah, The Night Circus is a beautiful book. I hope you enjoy. :) The Red Queen has been on my TBR pile for quite awhile... I haven't read any of the others. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier! :D

    Jen @ EbonyInkReviews

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love the Night Circus and The Miniaturist! The Red Queen was fun while I was reading it but it seemed like every other YA book out there. Trope overload! I liked the first one, but didn't like the second. But I'm a black sheep on that one. Happy reading! And thanks for stopping by Rex Robot Reviews!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I need to read some of these books! Thanks for stopping by my blog! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. A list with some great books, AJ! I really really need to read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It has been part of my TBR-list for so long now, but I never actually manage to sit down with it. Thanks for stopping by my blog this week!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Love Letters to the Dead, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, and Red Queen are some really great books - I hope you love them once you read them! I still have to read My Heart and Other Black Holes and a couple of other books on this list, but they sure do sound exciting. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I just recently read The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender and it's AMAZING! Loved the book. I've never read anything like it, so to me it was really unique. Red Queen and The Night Circus are on my TBR as well—I hope to get to them soon!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I like your "best of" post! Great books in this list.

    Shannon @ The Tale Temptress

    ReplyDelete