Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Words/Topics that Instantly Make Me Pick Up a Book

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Broke and Bookish.  Each week, a new list topic is posted, and book bloggers fill in their choices.  This week's topic is "Top Ten Words/Topics that Instantly Make Me Pick Up a Book."

My Top Ten:

1. Fairytales.  *squeal* I'm obsessed with fairytales, and there are no words to express the amount of love I have for fairytale retellings.

2. Mythology.  Be it Greek, Norse, or Celtic mythology, I'm a sucker for anything that even mentions mythology.  Definitely one of my favorite things to read about.

3. Time travel.  Thanks to my obsession with Doctor Who, I'm crazy about time travel.  We totally need more time travel YA books out there.

4. Alternate realities/parallel worlds.  I find alternate worlds (like in Kasie West's Pivot Point) to be completely fascinating.

5. Steampunk.  I'm crazy about all things steampunk.  It's so different from anything I've ever read.

6. Historical fantasy.  This is probably my all-time favorite sub-genre.  I love it when the story is set in historical times and has a dash of magic in it.

7. Adorkable.  This may sound strange, but whenever I hear the word "adorkable" in a book summary, I know I have to read it.  A great example is Leah Rae Miller's The Summer I Became a Nerd - so can't wait to read it!

8. Unreliable narrator.  I love psychological stories that have an unreliable narrator.  A couple that I loved are The Evolution of Mara Dyer and 17 & Gone.

9. Aliens.  I have an insane love for aliens, probably because of Jennifer L. Armentrout's fabulous Lux series.  I haven't read many other alien books that I've enjoyed, but I love the idea!

10. Snarky.  So I looove books that have snarky main characters.  Whenever I read a summary that says the story is full of snark, humor, sarcasm, etc., I KNOW I have to read it!

What's on your TTT?  Comment with a link to your blog!

~ The Bookworm

Book Review: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Goodreads summary:

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.

My review:

I adored Going Vintage!  It was a cute read, and I like that there's also some real depth and substance to the characters - it's not all light and fluffy.  This is definitely a great contemporary novel, and I found it refreshing to read such a fun story, especially since I'd been reading lots of paranormal novels recently.

Oh, the characters.  I loved Mallory, and what's great is that she really has lots of character growth in the story.  The "going vintage" part helps her learn more about herself and who she is.  And Oliver! *squeal* He was so sweet and funny, and I love how he "gets" Mallory and is there for her.  It was nice that their romance developed at a slower pace; it made it much more realistic.  I also enjoyed minor characters like Ginnie, Mallory's little sister.  The relationship between the two sisters is done so well.  And Mallory's grandmother and parents added to the story too.

I love books that make me laugh, and Going Vintage definitely did.  Mallory has a wry sense of humor, and some of the situations in this book are funny and had me cracking up.  Like I said above, the story also has substance to it, so it was a great blend of serious/funny.  Overall, Going Vintage is an adorable, heartfelt novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I'll have to check out more of this author's books!

My rating:  8 out of 10 (4 stars)

~ The Bookworm

ARC Review: Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

Goodreads summary:

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed.

The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

My review:

While I enjoyed the first book in this series, Black City, I still had some issues with it - specifically, the insta-love.  I still didn't care for the romance in Phoenix, but this sequel makes up for it with plenty of action, some amazing twists, and lots more world-building.

I'm impressed with the way Elizabeth Richards has written the villain, Purian Rose.  He's so twisted and will stop at nothing to get rid of Ash and Natalie.  He's a deliciously creepy villain.  And I love the way Richards holds nothing back - Natalie and Ash both suffer a lot in this sequel.  They lose people who are dear to them, and are betrayed by people they thought they could trust.

The plot is full of twists and turns.  I was excited to find that there's lots of action in Phoenix, probably even more so than in Black City.  Natalie and Ash spend lots of time fighting for their lives and on the run.  When there's not action, there's plenty of political intrigue.  I enjoyed this aspect of the story; it really added to the world-building.  There's also an excellent twist at the end that I didn't see coming at all.

What ruined the story for me was the romance.  It's not exactly a love triangle, per se...but there is another guy who complicates the relationship between Natalie and Ash.  I got frustrated with Natalie and Ash because they kept acting so jealous and immature.  If they're really as desperately in love with each other as they claim to be, why don't they actually be honest with each other?

But despite not liking the romance, I really did enjoy Phoenix.  It's a strong sequel plot-wise, and I think fans of the first book will love the tense action and surprising twists.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the story ends in the final book.

* Thanks to Steph at Cuddlebuggery for sending me her ARC!

My rating:  7 out of 10 (3.5 stars)

~ The Bookworm

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

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Broke and Bookish.  Each week, a new list topic is posted, and book bloggers fill in their choices.  This week's topic is "Top Ten Books I Thought I'd Like More/Less Than I Did."

Thought I'd Like More:

1. Glitch by Heather Anastasiu.  The idea for this one sounded awesome.  But I didn't like it one bit - the insta-love and unhealthy relationships ruined it for me.

2. Pulse by Patrick Carman.  This one was okay.  Creative idea for a dystopian, which had given me high hopes for it, but the unlikeable characters and a stalker-ish romance made me want to gag.

3. Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton.  Still enjoyed this, but I didn't think it was as good as the first book (Angelfire).  I was disappointed after liking the first one a lot; I thought the main character made some really stupid choices.

4. Black City by Elizabeth Richards.  After all the hype for this, I was ready to be blown away.  And it was a decent read, I just wasn't crazy about it.

5. Venom by Fiona Paul.  I really enjoyed Venom - but didn't quite love it.  Probably because I had enormous expectations for it, and it just wasn't everything I'd hoped for.

Thought I'd Like Less:

6. The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg.  After reading the summary and some reviews, I thought this would be a cute, light read.  What I didn't expect was to fall completely in love with it and have it end up being one of my top ten books of 2012.

7. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.  I love fantasy, but I wasn't prepared to love Shadow and Bone as much as I did.  It's everything a fantasy book should be.  Perfection.

8. Crewel by Gennifer Albin.  Talk about awesomeness.  Before I read this, everyone raved about how creative it was.  But after reading so many dystopians, I was like "Yeah, right, we'll see how creative this is." I so take that back.  Crewel is mindblowing-ly creative and unique.

9. Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson.  I'd read some so-so reviews, so I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not.  Thank goodness, I loved it.  The Norse mythology was epic and awesome, and the romance was just swoon-worthy.

10. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks.  I have trouble finding mermaid books I enjoy, so I'd simply been hoping for a fun summer read.  Of Poseidon was way more than that - it was laugh-out-loud hysterical, heartwarming, and adorable.  Loved it.

What books are on your TTT today?  Comment with a link to your TTT!

~ The Bookworm

ARC Review: The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

Goodreads summary:

In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has....

My review:

The Girl with the Iron Touch is a charming book that continues the story of Finley, Griffin, Sam, and Emily.  I loved it!  I've really enjoyed the mixture of steampunk and historical aspects in this series.  Kady Cross is so talented at creating imaginative stories with a great cast of characters.

I was so excited that this story focuses on Emily a lot.  She's been one of my favorite characters in this series - she's sweet and sassy at the same time, and I like how clever she is with machinery.  I loved her in this one; especially the way she's always caring and levelheaded.  And the romance between her and Sam is adorable!

Besides Emily, we also get lots of Finley and Griffin.  In this book, they finally start forming a stronger relationship and commit to each other.  It is so refreshing that their romance, which begins in the first book, takes a realistic amount of time to develop.  I did get a little annoyed at times with the slight hints of a love triangle between Finley, Griffin, and Jack, but thankfully it doesn't take up too much of the story.

The plot is exciting and held my interest.  I was fascinated by the steampunk/sci-fi elements of the story, it's just flat-out fun to read about.  The storyline does lag a bit in some parts, but other than that it's mostly a quick read.  I also like how the author handles all the different POVs; it never feels thrown together.  I like that all the different characters are easy to keep track of.

If you haven't started this series yet, I'd recommend it for fans of steampunk and/or historical fiction looking for a quick, fun read!  I've enjoyed reading about these characters and their exciting adventures.  Great series!

* I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  7 out of 10 (3.5 stars)

~ The Bookworm

In My Mailbox (17)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

- Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton
- Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
- Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley
- The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
- Unremembered by Jessica Brody

These are all library books - yay for my library getting lots of new releases!  I am SO excited about all of these.  I haven't started any yet, and I can't decide which ones to read first.  They all sound great!

What'd you get this week?  Leave a link to your IMM in the comments!

~ The Bookworm

Book Review: Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Goodreads summary:

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

My review:

I swear, somehow each book in this series keeps getting better than the last.  I can't believe the last book, Sentinel, comes out in December.  I'm going to go through major post-series depression when the Covenant series is over.

Basically...I love everything about this book.  And I mean everything.  It's perfect in every way: the mythology, the dialogue, the characters, the plot, the writing.  Jennifer L. Armentrout is a freakin' genius!  All of her books are so addicting, and Apollyon is no exception.

Oh, Alex.  You guys, I love this girl.  She's such a great heroine and I love how much character growth she has in the Covenant series, especially Apollyon.  Alex really starts trying to control her temper and make wiser choices, and man, I love her character.

Of course, then we have Aiden.  I don't think my heart can take it anymore - I love him more and more with each book!  In Apollyon, we learn more about him and realize just how complex and layered his character really is.  And through it all, he's always such a support to Alex.  Love him.

The plot is amazing!  I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and, even though I was sick at the time I was reading this, had a terrible headache, and really needed more sleep, I stayed up late to finish this.  It was SO worth it.  Oh, and the snappy dialogue had me laughing my head off the whole time.

What more can I say?  Jennifer L. Armentrout has done it again.  I'm beyond excited for Sentinel to come out!

My rating: 10 out of 10 (5 stars)

~ The Bookworm