Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Recommend the Most

Top Ten Tuesday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They love making lists (and I love making lists!) so each week they post a new topic for all of us to make lists about! Isn’t that so super fun?! This week’s theme is…

Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most

Hahaha, I laugh because I know that anyone who knows me could probably guess what the first book on this list will be. I actually don’t think I recommend books all that often, so putting together a list of ten was kind of difficult. Here’s what I’ve got, though.

1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Somehow Cinder has become my number one YA favorite. I think it’s because the world is so vibrant, the characters are so alive, and the story is so damn charming. I can’t get enough! Have you read Cinder? If you haven’t, please read it! (Side note: I think I would die happy if this book series got turned into an anime series.)

2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
The first YA book I absolutely fell in love with. I mean, have you READ this woman’s WRITING? So descriptive, so lyrical. She builds and describes worlds that you can just sink into and want to LIVE in.

3. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
This book is so different and so masterfully written that I fell in love by the time I was done reading the prologue.  It is so well-built, so beautifully written, and so carefully told. Probably my favorite dragon book ever.

4. Grendel by John Gardner
This is one of the few books I have read more than once, and read aloud to my husband. Experiencing the story of Beowulf, but from the perspective of the “monster” was fascinating, and Gardner weaves each word so beautifully into the next that it makes me want to cry.

5. The Child Thief by Brom
I’ve never been very interested in the Peter Pan fairy tale, but Brom’s version is a masterpiece. Dark, scary, and unforgiving. I devoured this book and when it was finished I only want more and more. Definitely worth a read if you’re looking for a different, scarier take on Peter Pan. OH, and it has some freaking AWESOME illustrations, done by Brom himself.

6. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
This book (and series) offered me so many things I wasn’t finding in other YA books. A protagonist I could relate to (she has body image and eating issues), cultures NOT based on white people, and a very unique take on religion and magic. If you’re looking for an engrossing fantasy novel whose protagonist goes through true, believable, thorough changes – look no further.

7. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but this series’ premise drew me in like a fish on a line. The idea is just *so* different from anything else out there! I loved that so much focus was on Lia and her goals, which clashed with her sister’s. The whole series had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. And beautifully, carefully written.

8. Insignia by S. J. Kincaid
Talk about the most fun I’ve had while reading a sci-fi novel, probably ever. Kincaid created an intriguing world with COOL THINGS that I wanted to be REAL, and people who were entertaining (if sometimes immature), but also felt REAL. Such an entertaining book.

9. Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson
This one was a book club reading assignment, but it’s turned into one of my favorite books. Stories about people with amnesia are always fascinating to me, and this one takes the whole, giant cake! There are some very elegant passages in this one as well.

10. Wide Awake and Dreaming by Julie Flygare
A memoir about narcolepsy, because I have narcolepsy, and want other people to understand what it’s like. This is the BEST narcolepsy book I’ve found (and trust me, I’ve searched). If you’re not convinced, read my review!