Top Ten Most Unique Books I've Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme run by The Broke and the Bookish. This week the topic is the most unique books I've read. It can range from a unique MC, the way the book was written, to a very unique spin on a genre, and anything in between.

I'm not sure how accurately "unique" can be defined. Something that is one of a kind to me could be the norm for you, and vice versa! I guess it all depends on what we have read, and in what order. The best way I can approach this list is to choose the books that stand out to me for one reason or another.

(These aren’t in any particular order; I just numbered them for convenience.)

1. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

I hadn’t read a book involving a brother and sister falling in love before, and in honesty, I avoided the topic. I had these preconceived ideas of how I’d feel and react to it, so I thought, “No, not for me”. But I ended up giving it a chance. I never expected to be so invested in the story and the characters. I was hoping for a twist, anything at all, to make everything turn out certain way. It takes the prize for leaving me an emotional wreck!

2. Consequences by Aleatha Romig

Consequences sticks out in my mind for being one heck of a holy-mind-fuck book, and actually the entire series is the same.

3. Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Onyx is book three in the Lux series, and it sticks out in my mind for having the worst cliff-hanger ending I have ever read.

4. The Hunger Games by Susan Collins

Kids rounded up to kill each other, all to keep law and order in the districts. I certainly hadn’t read anything like it before, and definitely not in Young Adult!

5. Mockingjay by Susan Collins

So much happens in one book and it’s so bloody and violent for a YA. I know a lot of dystopians have come on the scene in the years since it was published and gone in a similar direction but the entire trilogy is still among my favourites.

6. Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

The mythology the author created with the Undead is amazing. Yes, I did have some issues with some things, but I’m including the unique half of the book in this list :)

7. Slammed by Colleen Hoover

I’d never really come across slam poetry before reading this book. Poetry in general has never been my thing. Yeah ok, my younger self has written journals full of the stuff, but it’s not good by any stretch of the imagination!

8. Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

I only finished Nevermore a couple of weeks ago, and I haven’t experienced such an oppressive atmosphere hanging over an entire 500+ page book before. Geez, I loved it!

9. Forever my Girl by Heidi McLaughlin

I’ve never had much luck with second chance love stories, but Forever My Girl just worked for me. It was great to see a strong heroine that put her family first, something that is quite often missing in New Adult.

10. Animorphs Series by K.A. Applegate (and ghostwriters)

I read this series way back when I was a kid when it was first released in the mid-90’s. The series revolves around an alien and five humans that gain the ability for absorb the DNA of any animal they touch, and they can then “morph” into that animal. They use their abilities to battle the Yeerks, an alien parasitic race, who are infesting humans. I have a little hunch that this series is where Stephanie Meyer got some of her inspiration for The Host…

Would I include all these books as the Most Unique books of all time? Probably not, but within the books I’ve read, these stand out the most. What books did you choose for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday? Leave your link, I’d love to have look!

Review: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Title: Nevermore
Author: Kelly Creagh
Series: Nevermore, #1
Format: Paperback, owned
My rating: 5++ / 5

Add to Goodreads

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

“Despite all the dark armor, the kohl liner, the black boots and chains, she saw him clearly now. She’d peered through the curtain of that cruel calmness, through the death stare and the vampire sentiments and angst and, behind it all, had found true beauty.”

I struggled to write this review. I don’t feel I can do it justice. I can’t come up with the words to describe just how amazing this book is. I loved it. I wanted to re-read it immediately after finishing, and that hasn’t happened to me in a long time. I talked myself out of it for now, but I don’t know how long I’ll last.

It starts off as your typical YA book: A girl and boy, who couldn’t be more opposite if they tried, unwillingly paired together on an English project. But it turns into so much more!

Brad, The Jealous, Obnoxious, Hot-Headed and Overprotective, is Isobel’s boyfriend. He doesn’t like that she is paired with Varen for the English project, and freaks out because Varen writes his phone number on Isobel’s wrist. He threatens to make Varen’s life miserable, and to avoid an argument, Isobel lies to Brad and her friends, saying that she isn’t going to do the project with Varen. When it gets out that she lied and actually met Varen in secret, her “crew” gives her the cold shoulder. As can only happen in High School, things go back to normal. Until they visit the ice-cream shop Varen works in after a football game. They trash the place, and this was the moment I actually began to like Isobel: she didn’t give in to peer pressure and go along with what her so called friends were doing, she tried to stop them, and stood up for Varen. Total likeability right there.

Yeah... A Goth working in an ice-cream shop. You read that right, I swear!

I frigging loved Creagh’s writing; so beautiful and lyrical. It manages to stay on the line of being descriptive without falling into over-descriptive. The story is told from Isobel’s perspective, in the third person. It worked. Usually I prefer a first person POV, but it really worked so well here. You can tell Creagh loves Poe, and has studied his life in extreme detail: his works blend in seamlessly, accenting and complimenting the story rather than distracting and dominating. It’s bloody brilliant! Also, it was so nice to see a potentially romantic relationship enhancing rather than becoming the story. Anything that happens actually means something.

Isobel is the focus, but the star of this book is Varen, without a shadow of a doubt. He is exactly like the kind of character I want to read about. He broke every YA mold I hate. He is unique, intelligent, complex, realistic, has an awesomely dry sense of humour and is completely loveable.

*Please excuse the obsessive fangirl moment* *Deep breaths*

I loved how believable both Isobel and Varen were. I don’t think I’ve ever liked a cheerleader character before. I just don’t get the cheerleader thing, sorry! So I was really surprised when I started liking Isobel. I really admired her for not crumbling under the peer pressure from her “crew” and standing up for Varen. I loved seeing it, and I wish it was included more in YA books.

The atmosphere Creagh created hooked me right from the beginning. You can sense a vibrant and sinister air hovering over the entire story. What I loved finding was the humour sprinkled here and there. It lightened the oppressiveness at just the right times.

“Isobel moved farther into the kitchen, not knowing whether to be relieved that her mother hadn't had an atomic meltdown, or mortified that she'd taken it upon herself to play head chef with the nearest thing Trenton High had to a Dark Lord.”

I suppose the ending could be classed as a cliff hanger, but I didn’t find it terribly bad. With the way the story was progressing, and the way Isobel reacts to reading “The Masque of the Red Death” early on in the book, I think the ending was as expected. I don’t think a neatly tied up resolution would have worked with the story.

I can't recommend Nevermore highly enough. This is the best I can do with summing up what I loved about the book, and I know it doesn't even come close to describing how I feel about it. I loved every page and can't wait until I read part two.

Stacking the Shelves, #2

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Books I Bought

I love finding book bargains. Unfortunately, I don’t have a money tree in my back garden, so I try to add a Kindle freebie into my reading schedule here and there – take the pressure off my wallet!

A few days ago when I was searching through Amazon, I was lucky enough to stumble across four books I liked the sound of – all freebies. (*whispers* I just hope they’re good…)

Covert by Natasha Preston

Come Away With Me by Kirsten Proby

A Beautiful Lie by Tara Sivec

Fashionably Dead by Robyn Peterman

I have read Seduction & Snacks by Tara Sivec, and I can honestly say, it has one of the funniest beginnings to a book I have ever read! The ending was a little... meh... but I liked it overall. Hopefully, this one will be just as good, or better. Let me know if you've read any of these, and what you thought of them.

What books did you add to your shelves this week?

Five Friday Favourites, #1

Five Friday Favourites is a weekly event hosted by Amanda over at Book Badger. Each week she chooses a subject and everyone is welcome to join in and answer the question. Check out this link for more information and the future subjects. This is my first time doing this meme and I love the topic: Five Favourite Books so far in 2014. I wanted to do a similar post, and this is the perfect time to take part!

I’ve had a mixed year, with a few favourites dotted among a lot of some not so good books. It hasn’t been too hard to select this list, but it adds up to six books rather than five, so I’m tagging one on as a bonus :-)

Five Favourite Books I’ve Read in 2014 (so far)

1. Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

What can I say about this book!? I loved every page. I’m currently in the middle of writing a review, and I’m failing miserably. I can’t do it justice. The atmosphere is so dark, haunting and just beautiful. The characters are relatable and seem so real… perfect!

2. Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

The conclusion of a trilogy is always a bitter sweet moment, especially when it’s one of your favourites. I loved every minute I spent reading each book, and I’m going to miss the characters terribly. So many series have disappointing finale books; it was such a relief that this one finished on the same awesomeness level as Under the Never Sky.

3. Ashes to Ashes by Karina Halle

Awesome characters, terrifying story, and a romantic Dex… how could this not make my favourites list?! I can't believe the series is almost over. You can sense the end is near, and that ending! What a cliff-hanger, but it'll be worth it. I hope...

4. The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan

This was my first book by Jenny Colgan and I loved it! She has successfully made me want to travel to Paris and haunt every chocolate shop I can find. And the chocolate recipes at the back of the book are fantastic too!

5. Amy and Rogers Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

This was such a sweet read, and exactly what I needed when I read it. I loved the scrap-book layout, even though it took a little while to get used to it.

Bonus: Fracture by C.J. Daugherty

I love this series, and I had to include it in the list ;) For a series I have no clue what is happening in, I'm completely hooked. I can't even pin it to a specific genre except Young Adult. And Sylvain or Carter... I can't choose!

What has been your favourite book so far this year?

Waiting on Wednesday: Love, In English by Karina Halle

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Love, In English by Karina Halle

Expected publication: April 22nd 2014

To a restless dreamer like Vera Miles, it sounded like the experience of a lifetime. Instead of spending her summer interning for her astronomy major, she would fly to Spain where she’d spend a few weeks teaching conversational English to businessmen and women, all while enjoying free room and board at an isolated resort. But while Vera expected to get a tan, meet new people and stuff herself with wine and paella, she never expected to fall in love.

Mateo Casalles is unlike anyone Vera has ever known, let alone anyone she’s usually attracted to. While Vera is a pierced and tatted free spirit with a love for music and freedom, Mateo is a successful businessman from Madrid, all sharp suits and cocky Latino charm. Yet, as the weeks go on, the two grow increasingly close and their relationship changes from purely platonic to something…more.

Something that makes Vera feel alive for the first time.

Something that can never, ever be

Or so she thinks.

-- As seen on Goodreads

I will read anything Karina Halle writes. She creates unique, flawed and realistic characters that are far from perfect. I find it so refreshing to get away from the usual supermodel type with a flawless body, perfect personality and completely fake-as-hell characters that crop up again and again. As always, I have extremely high expectations, but I haven't read a book written by Karina that I didn't like, so I know I'm in safe hands.

What books are you looking forward to reading over the next few months?

Top Ten "Gateway" Books/Authors In My Reading Journey

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme run by The Broke and the Bookish.This week we discuss books and authors that sparked our passion for reading, introduced us to new genres or even got us BACK into reading! I really enjoyed making this list, and remembering books that I’ve loved, and I really hope I get the chance to do a similar post in a year or two and see what genres, new books and authors I can add.

I went through a really bad reading slump that lasted years. Literally! When I was a kid, everything was so much simpler: I read The Baby-Sitters Club, Nancy Drew, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Animorphs, and anything else I could find in the library. Then, as we all do, I grew up.

Then along came Twilight and it hit me over the head with the paranormal. As a teen, I’d watched TV shows like Buffy, Angel and Charmed, and I’m not sure if many remember or know of a show called Most Haunted… but I loved it! I guess the appeal was always there, but it just took something to make me realise that I could love all things spooky in book form, as well as on screen. I haven’t looked back since!

My journey begins with a little book called Twilight.

1. The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer

Twilight unleashed my desire to read anything and everything involving vampires – and I mean everything! I read both:

2. Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris

- which I've completed.

3. The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R Ward

- which I don't think I'll continue.

These two series got me interested in Urban Fantasy, which got me hooked on my fourth choice:

4. The Cassandra Palmer Series by Karen Chance

I love ghost stories, and Cassie has her own resident spook, Billy Joe. That series introduced me to my fifth choice, Victoria Laurie, and she had two series:

5. Psychic Eye Mysteries by Victoria Laurie

5. Ghost Hunter Mysteries by Victoria Laurie

I kind of got a little burn out on all things paranormal about the time the New Adult genre kicked off, and I was looking for a change. That’s when I fell in love with:

6. Easy by Tammara Webber

After reading a bunch of contemporary I started missing paranormal books and I was beginning to get curious about Young Adult again. That's when I was introduced to Daemon Black...

7. The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I loved it! I began thinking, if I can love a series with aliens and a more Sci-Fi feel than other books I’ve read before… I should end up loving:

8. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Susan Collins

This series got me hooked on Dystopian books, but more specifically Young Adult, and I’m finding it hard to break away from them for too long! From here, I discovered both:

9. Penryn and the End of Days Series by Susan Ee

10. Under the Never Sky Trilogy by Veronica Rossi

I'm glad I was limited to ten choices, it forced me to be really specific with the books and authors I chose, and I tried to choose only my favourites from each reading "phase" I went through! What do you think of my list? Also, do you have any recommendations for similar books to any of these series/trilogies?