Top Ten Tuesday - Books With My Favorite Color On the Cover

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010.  It has since moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Books With My Favorite Color On the Cover

My favorite color will always, without a doubt, no arguments about it, be blue.  All types of blue: sky blue, turquoise, navy, cobalt, periwinkle, etc.  I mean just look at these gorgeous blues (not an exhaustive list, there are a crap-ton of shades):

With my love of blue, it stands to reason I am attracted to book covers with these beautiful shades gracing the covers.  Below are my top 10 favorite blue book covers (in no particular order because I can't possibly pick one blue shade over another)!

    

    

    

    

    

Each of these covers utilizes the shade of blue in an interesting way, either as a shadow or highlight, a depiction of cold or isolation, of love or magic, a stark contrast or crowded blur.  But within each cover the blue helps tell the reader what this book may hold within its pages.  And that is what great cover design can do, whatever shade or picture it utilizes.

What is you favorite color and favorite matching book cover?  Let me know in the comments, so I can stare at all the pretty, pretty books!

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (Review)

Title: Throne of Glass
Author(s): Sarah J. Maas
Edition: Hardcover (original cover released)
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Source: Bought
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

The Summary

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

I was definitely late to the bandwagon with this one!  I had bought it when it first came out.  I met Sarah and had Throne of Glass, along with, the then newly released, Crown of Midnight signed.  Then I just popped them both on my shelf to be forgotten until...three years later (ohhh my bad).  But I couldn't ignore the siren call anymore, especially when ToG is blowing up my Twitter feed on the daily.  So I gingerly removed it from my shelf and fell head first into being complete ToG trash.

What is there not to love about this book?!  It has so much!  Great plot, great characters, great dialogue, great world building, it's all great!  The way this world comes together blows me away, and Maas just builds upon this fantastic foundation that culminates in such an engrossing story you hate for it to end (luckily it's a series)!

Celaena Sardothien is the badass girl of my dreams.  One of the best assassins in Adarlan, Celaena doesn't mind getting dirty when it's called for, murdering whoever the job determines.  But then she is also into fashion, clothes, books, sweets; she loves a good indulgence, which is a dichotomy I adore.  She kicks ass, kills men "stronger" than her, but still swoons over a good piece of chocolate.  This is the type of female protagonist I want to see more of; girls don't have to be all "I'm super serious and can't like frivolous things".  Uh, yes you can!  I hate when female leads are purposefully made more masculine just so they are believable as being tough.  Girls and women can be tough and still like to wear dresses.

Besides her obvious badassery, Celaena is a complex character.  There are multiple facets to her, and Maas does a masterful job of layering them, then peeling back a hint of the layers when the plot calls for it.  A great way she shows the reader the different sides to Celaena is by other characters' views of her.  Chaol and Dorian, the two main male protagonists, see Celaena two very different ways.  Through them you get to see different facets of her personality and realize there are deeper depths yet.  Also, one's the Crown Prince of Adarlan and the other is the Captain of the Royal Guard....so they're pretty hunky.  Hunky, but complex with a development shown throughout the story that mirrors Celaena's journey.  I can't pick which to love because I can see the best qualities in both of them.

The overall mythos of the book is super interesting too.  Just when you think you have something figured out, BAM Maas throws you a curve ball!  And none of these twists seem forced or unecessary; they all work together to enrich the story and make it way more engaging.  I feel a part of this world when I'm reading the book, and that's so important to a fantasy story.

This book, and this series (there are four more currently published with the fifth book coming out this year!!!!!!), is beyond epic.  It is funny, sexy, and intense; just the kind of fantasy I want to dig my teeth into.  Celaena is the female protagonist I've been looking for, and I love her with all her faults and merits.  If you have yet to pick this book up, THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?  Take it from someone who did wait, once you finish the first chapter you will be utterly in love, so go read Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas and be ToG trash with me!!!!

Extras

Book Trailer

Other Books in Series

Final Rating

Book Cover: 3/5 (for this cover; love the new one)
Book Title: 5/5
Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Endings: 9/10

Overall: 47/50: A

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Visual Inspiration - Slasher Girls & Monster Boys edited by April Genevieve Tucholke

Pictures/Art/Photographs all help me see the books I'm reading.  Often, while I'm online, I stumble upon images that remind me of the book.  These visuals add layers to the stories, and can be used to offer hints to the plot.  So I've decided to put out "Visual Inspirations" in order to spark readers' interests in those books that I love.  Please feel free to join in; hopefully you'll get some new books to read in the process!

If you're a horror nut, or just like to scare yourself, then this book is definitely for you! So without further ado, I give you inspiration this week from:

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys edited by April Genevieve Tucholke 

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Oh, what could all of this mean!?

Get your very own copy of the book, but beware of reading this at night; I guarantee nightmares will be prevalent!  Make sure to check out my review, posting later this week!

If you liked this, keep an eye out for more posts and check out my other Visual Inspirations!

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Visual Inspiration - Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Pictures/Art/Photographs all help me see the books I'm reading.  Often, while I'm online, I stumble upon images that remind me of the book.  These visuals add layers to the stories, and can be used to offer hints to the plot.  So I've decided to put out "Visual Inspirations" in order to spark readers' interests in those books that I love.  Please feel free to join in; hopefully you'll get some new books to read in the process!

This is one of my favorite books of 2015.  When I read it, I fell instantly in love.  So without further ado, I give you inspiration this week from:

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Oh, what could all of this mean!?

Check the book out at your local bookstore or local library.  You will fall in love with Willowdean, I guarantee!  If you want a chance to win your very own copy Dumplin', I am holding a giveaway which you can check out here!

If you liked this, keep an eye out for more posts and check out my other Visual Inspirations!

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Dumplin' by Julie Murphy (Review + Giveaway)

Title: Dumplin'
Author(s): Julie Murphy
Edition: Hardcover, 375 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Imprint of HarperCollins)
Publication Date: September 15, 2015
Source: Bought from Amazon
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

The Summary

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

Where was Dumplin' when I was in high school, both the book and the girl?  Julie Murphy pens an empowering story for every girl who has ever felt out of place within her own body, but is definitely a major empowerment for fat girls everywhere.

Willowdean (Wil to her friends) is fantastic.  She is the heart of the book.  Wil is tough, but loving, and her obsession with Dolly Parton is the best thing ever; Wil is definitely a Texan through and through.  She also makes mistakes, and owns up to them.  Her characterization shows all facets of what a girl her size feels and expresses, because let's be real, while this book can be relatable to all girls in one way or another, this books sings to the big girls out there.

Wil is comfortable with herself, but sometimes when faced with situations on which society has placed certain "standards of beauty", Wil faces doubt and a tiny bit of hate within herself.  This is so relatable for girls, especially in modern society.  How many beauty ads/weight loss ads/you're not good enough ads do teen girls get exposed to nowadays?  It can be a struggle to be comfortable within your own skin instead of all seeing the "flaws".  This was definitely something I struggled with, and still struggle with even though I'm 27!  I think the way that Murphy executed this within the book, not just from Wil's perspective, but showing little glimpses of other women/girls within the story dealing with issues that conflict or embrace society's expectations of beauty is skillful.

All the supporting characters were also full of personality.  Ellen, the best friend; Bo, the maybe-not-really-what's-going-on "boyfriend"; Millie/Amanda/Hannah, the trio of "misfits"; Mitch, the other maybe-not-really-what's-going-on "boyfriend" all of layers to them.  Some you get to see a little more than others, but I didn't think any of them were a cookie cutter character.  I really loved each one for different reasons, and felt like these were all people I could find in a small town in Texas.  Mille, Amanda, and Hannah were probably my second favorites out of all of the characters behind Wil.  The strength and conviction of character all three have, especially Millie, was so great.  True friends are hard to find, so when you find them, you really need to keep them.

Exploring loss, body confidence, and relationships, both familiar and romantic, Murphy is able to create a story that feels real, and is not about the "fat" girl sliming down to get the guy, which, let's be honest, a lot of YA books with a larger protagonist often do.  Wil faces new and sometimes uncomfortable situations, but she finds her way through on no one's terms but her own.  I loved this book so much, and I think it is one which every person needs on their shelf!  Remember, in the words of Dumplin' herself, if you got it, flaunt it!  Go pick up a copy of Dumplin' by Julie Murphy TODAY!!

(Psst there's a giveaway below!)

Extras

Final Rating

Book Cover: 5/5
Book Title: 5/5
Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 49/50: A+

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Uprooted by Naomi Novik (Review + Giveaway)

Title: Uprooted
Author(s): Naomi Novik
Edition: ARC, 438 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: May 19, 2015
Source: Goodreads First Reads
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

The Summary

“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

I LOVED THIS BOOK!  

I'm sorry I had to get that out of the way.  Uprooted is hands down one of the best books I've read in recent years.  It is all-encompassing; as I read I felt the world spring up around me, engulfing me in the magic of the prose.  At all times both familiar and foreign, Uprooted takes you deep into the heart of Agnieszka's journey to save herself, her friends, and her family from harm.

This is not like any other fantasy book I've read recently.  Naomi Novik does an an amazing job of mixing the elements of high fantasy with accessible prose, which, let's be honest, does not happen that often.  The world building delves the reader into that high fantasy epic, but it is the characters that keep us grounded in the familiar.  I think this makes Uprooted a book that people who don't typically like to read fantasy would enjoy.

Agnieszka starts off unsure and hesitant, but as she has to fight for the people she loves not only does her power grow, but her strength of character.  You think, at first, that she's going to be turned into that "perfect girl", the one who transforms from the frumpy tomboy to the sleek beauty.  But that is not who Agnieszka is, and while she isn't frumpy she definitely doesn't mind getting dirty and pays little mind to fancy trappings.  I found this really refreshing, because to be powerful she doesn't need to change who she is, and to be commanding she doesn't need to sacrifice her own principles.  In fact this is what makes her as strong as she is.  Her heart, in each decision Agnieszka makes, is always front and center.  This can cause problems, but it always guides her through the other side.

Another aspect of the characterization is the relationship between Agnieszka and her best friend Kasia.  As you read from the summary, Kasia was thought to be picked as the next servant to the Dragon, but that doesn't happen.  Typically in this situation the best friends become enemies over jealousy, but that doesn't happen between Agnieszka and Kasia, which was just so great.  It read very true and highlighted the bonds that friends who have lived in each other's pocket their whole lives really develop.  Without this relationship, the story would be lacking real feeling, for the love the girls share is tantamount to the journey they have to face.

The underlying mythology is based on a Polish folktale with Novik's own spin on it.  That's the atmosphere when you read the book, very eastern European, reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm fairytales.  The Wood, which is the evil entity in the book, has so much wrapped up in it, and there are so many different things you learn about it, that it's hard to always think of it as EVIL.  The Wood is used to show what hate and betrayal can do to a person's soul, and really brought a complicated layer to what could have been a straight forward "bad wood, must destroy" plot.

It's hard to really review this book properly because I just fell right into the story.  When I read a book like that, I can't always explain how it made me feel properly, or the aspects of the story that really resonated.  I just really encourage you all to give this one a try, even if you don't usually read fantasy.  Uprooted has moved me like no other book as in years, and it restarted my reading appetite when it was dormant for the last year.  If that doesn't sell you, I don't know what will.  

Uprooted by Naomi Novik is my absolute, hands-down, number 1 book for 2015 and you'll be missing out when all the cool kids read it if you don't run right now and snag a copy (enter below for a chance to win one of your very own)!!!

Extras

Naomi Novik's Other Books:
Temeraire Series

Final Rating

Book Cover: 4/5
Book Title: 5/5
Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall: 49/50: A+

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

     TERMS

• Giveaway runs from September 14 - September 21, 2015
• Open only to US residents  
• No INT entries
• Must be at least 13 years old to enter.  
• ONE winner will win a finished copy of Uprooted
• Winner will be contacted by email to inform them they won.
• Winner has 48 hours to respond with mailing address or a new winner will be chosen.  
• NO PO BOXES as prizes tend to be lost when sent there.
• I claim no responsibility for lost prizes.
• Once package arrives to recipient personal information (i.e. address) is deleted.

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Visual Inspiration - Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Pictures/Art/Photographs all help me see the books I'm reading.  Often, while I'm online, I stumble upon images that remind me of the book.  These visuals add layers to the stories, and can be used to offer hints to the plot.  So I've decided to put out "Visual Inspirations" in order to spark readers' interests in those books that I love.  Please feel free to join in; hopefully you'll get some new books to read in the process!

This is one of my favorite books of 2015.  To celebrate this I give you inspiration this week from:

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Oh I wonder what this could all mean?

Check the book out at your local bookstore or local library.  If you even like fantasy a tiny bit, you will fall in love with this book!  The mythos is so intricate and beautifully thought out that I feel like I'm walking along Agnieszka's side.

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Top Ten Tuesday (42)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because they are particularly fond of lists there at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love us to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of their bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on their post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share.  If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. 

The topic this week is:

Top Ten Of Your Auto-buy Authors

1. Cassandra Clare  2. Laurie Halse Anderson  3. Francesca Lia Block  4. John Green  5. Jonathan Maberry  6. David Levithan  7. Beth Revis  8. Leigh Bardugo  9. Tamora Pierce  10. Ellen Wittlinger 

Look at those amazing authors!  Each one of them, I don't care what the book is about, what genre it tackles, or how expensive it is, I am OWNING it!!  These aren't listed in any particular order; but some have been my tried and true loves long before others (I'm looking at you Ellen Wittlinger).   

Each author, whether it be their prose, their worlds, their characters, or their plots, has captured me in some way and worked their dark author magic, making the money disappear right from my bank account.  I'm going to list one book from each author that I suggest you pick up. 

1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

3. The Hanged Man by Francesca Lia Block

4. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

5. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

6. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

7. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

8. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

9. Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce

10. Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger

Each title links to the Goodreads page, so PLEASE go check them out!!  They are all marvelous, and some are lesser known titles that I think really deserve more attention! 

Who are you're Auto-buy Authors?  Leave a comment below, or do your own post and link me!!

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