March 19, 2013

Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy...But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread

toptentuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
Each week we are invited to post a list on a variety of book –related topics.
I haven’t participated in a while but this week’s topic spoke to me!

I am so guilty of rushing out to get a new release or a book I am dying to read only to have it sit on my shelf. I also pre-order my favourite authors so I have it as soon as it comes out and they sit on my shelf too. Here’s a list of the Top Ten books I couldn’t wait to get my hands on, but haven’t cracked open yet.

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  1. Shine by Lauren Myracle
  2. Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
  3. Bloodlines by Rachel Mead
  4. Matched/Crossed/Reached by Ally Condie
  5. Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
  6. Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
  7. Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
  8. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
  9. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
  10. The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Do we have any in common? Which one should I make a priority to read next?

March 6, 2013

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick

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Sorta Like A Rock Star by Matthew Quick
Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers May 2010
Source: Borrowed from the Library

Summary:
Amber Appleton lives in a bus. Ever since her mom's boyfriend kicked them out, Amber, her mom, and her totally loyal dog, Bobby Big Boy (aka Thrice B) have been camped out in the back of Hello Yellow (the school bus her mom drives). Still, Amber, the self-proclaimed princess of hope and girl of unyielding optimism, refuses to sweat the bad stuff. But when a fatal tragedy threatens Amber's optimism--and her way of life, can Amber continue to be the rock star of hope?

My Thoughts:

When someone in the book industry whose tastes and talents you admire tells you to read a book as its in their TOP TEN must reads of all time…you read it!! (Vikki) I'm so glad that I did. Aside from its multiple awards, this is one of those books that changes you. One that you think about long after finishing. One that is written for young adults, but resonates in the hearts of the adult reader as well. True? True.
I read and enjoyed Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook, but for me, this book is on a whole other level. Amber is a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. She sees the good in each moment and every opportunity, despite her circumstances. She is real. She is raw and true to herself about her life but chooses to believe that there is better in store for her and for everyone else. I loved the quirkiness of her character,  and the way she interacted with the world around her .  It took me a few pages to get used to her method of speaking, her slang and short forms but once I did the story flew by and so did the time as I finished it in a sitting only to go back and read it again. 
Tissue will be needed while reading but it’s worth it. This book is all sorts of incredible.



Everyone needs to own a copy so I’m giving a copy away.
Rules:
Must be 13+ to enter
Live in a place the Book Depository ships
Not have read Sort a Like a Rock Star before (honour system)
Leave me a comment sharing the title of a book that has moved you like this one moved me.
Giveaway closes March 13th. Winner will have 48hrs to reply.