Top Ten Tuesday (19)

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books to Read This Spring, Or May and June Are On and Poppin’ and April’s No Slouch, Either

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish post a top ten list topic so that book lovers like you and me can pour over our shelves and make our own lists. You can check out all the other Top Ten Tuesday‘s on their site!

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I am PSYCHED about this Top Ten Tuesday, guys. PSYCHED!! I sat down to write it up and I just got so jazzed, I can’t even tell you. You know why? Because the books coming out this spring are BANANAS. First of all, there’s a TON of them, and as a result we have MAJOR cheating on this list (more than 10 books y’all), and also frustration that I couldn’t list EVERY AWESOME-SOUNDING BOOK coming out this spring. Second of all, the BUZZ for some of these books is off the charts! I think for me, and in general, a few of these books are some of the most anticipated books of the year. HOLLA!

Bitterblue (The Seven Kingdoms #3) by Kristin Cashore (May 1, 2012). Guys, do you realize how many books are coming out on May 1? Seriously–and this is just from my own TBR–I want to read 16 books with that release date. SIXTEEN!! From that crazy number, though, BITTERBLUE is number 1. In fact, I’m going to go ahead and say that BITTERBLUE is my number 1 book that I can’t wait to read this spring. BOOM. The anticipation! is MAJOR.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (May 15, 2012). I seriously can’t wait to get my hands on this book about two young British girls–one a pilot and one a spy–during World War II. While on a mission, their plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France, and one of them is captured. The story is told through her confession to the Gestapo. By all accounts of this book so far–already published in the UK–CODE NAME VERITY is knock-your-socks-off AMAZING. I WANTS IT NOW.

In Honor by Jessi Kirby (May 8, 2012). I’m a big, BIG fan of all of this war/military-related contemporary YA that’s coming out this year. It’s obviously great for drama and intensity, but it feels really genuine for the times we’re living in. I love that it applies without being one of those books that OD’s on pop culture references. IN HONOR is about a girl whose brother dies while serving overseas and she goes on a road trip with his old best friend because it was her bro’s last wish. Also, the best friend is based to some degree on Tim Riggins. Let me repeat myself: TIM RIGGINS. I’m in.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (May 8, 2012). I ADORED Morgan Matson’s debut, AMY AND ROGER’S EPIC DETOUR, so I’m chomping at the bit to read her sophomore effort about a family dealing with what sounds like illness who go back to their old summer vacation spot for some bonding time. Family issues and a little romancin’ ensue. Woot!

The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy #) by Jennifer A. Nielsen (April 1, 2012). I’m always game for some new fantasy, friends, and this one sounds like a really great one. I’m pretty sure it’s a middle grade (HOLLA!), and it’s about a lost prince and a secretive competition to find a boy to impersonate him in an effort to forestall civil war. Hearing good things about this one, too. Twisty fantasy? Why yes, don’t mind if I do.

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by R.L. LaFevers (April 1, 2012). So I’ve already read this one, but it was so SERIOUSLY amazing that I HAD to highlight it here so that you guys would hear about it. It’s honestly one of the best YA historical fiction books I’ve read maybe ever. It’s got political intrigue and this sisterhood of nun assassins in medieval France. It’s AWESOME. Also, THE COVER. #BAMF (Although, ALAS, I don’t recall any crossbows of unusual size in the book *sad face*.) 

Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross (April 10, 2012). One of my FAVORITE new TV shows right now is Once Upon a Time, and one of my favorite kind of books to read are fairy tale retellings. Not only does KILL ME SOFTLY remind me of OUAT, but it also incorporates fairy tale elements from a bunch of different stories: Snow White, Beast, and one version or another of Prince Charming. Seriously, this book has my name all over it. 

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller (June 19, 2012). I feel like I’ve been talking about SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL a lot lately! But whatever, it sounds FANTASTIC. It’s another one of the books out this year about young men who have served in the armed forces and their families and loved ones left at home. In this case, Travis is home from active duty in Afghanistan and he’s trying to deal with his memories and his PTSD while also hoping to settle back in at home. Also, there’s the old girl friend Harper. *makes kissyface noises*  CAN’T WAIT for this one.

While He Was Away by Karen Schrek (May 1, 2012). I initially didn’t realize that I’d included so many of these war-based stories on this list, but I can’t even take any of them off. They all absolutely pique my interest. This one is told from the point of view of a girlfriend whose boyfriend goes off to Iraq and the fear and worry and WAITING she lives with. I’m interested to see how the distance and, obviously, the WAR/FIGHTING/DEATH changes them, for better or worse. 

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo (June 5, 2012). EEEP!!! This book is getting SUCH huge buzz and I totally understand why. High fantasy, beasties who eat people, war, darkness, hidden powers, a character known as the DARKLING. I mean, honestly. I’m just going to go ahead and jump on this bandwagon right now. 

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (June 14, 2012). I’m always up for a solid contemporary, friends. In fact, I feel like I’ve been reading more of them than I usually manage to, and this makes me UNSPEAKABLY happy. MY LIFE NEXT DOOR is about a girl who envies the family next door and eventually gets all hot and bothered over one of the sons. Literally, the boy next door. SWOON.

This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers (June 19, 2012). So, I’ve made a pledge to read some more books in genres I usually avoid and don’t usually interest me. Number 1 with a bullet on this list is zombies. But I think Courtney Summers is as good a first zombie book author as you can get, and THIS IS NOT A TEST is shaping up to be intense, scary, and harrowing. But you guys? There’s blood spatter on the cover. I’m already terrified. 

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa (April 24, 2012). I feel like I took a BIG break from vampires, guys, but then two things happened: I read the Vampire Academy series and I heard that Julie Kagawa’s next series was going to be vampy. All of a sudden, vampires are making a comeback on my TBR, and I’m kind of glad. Ever since I read the Iron Fey series, I’ve been a fan of Julie Kagawa’s and I can’t wait to see how she does vampires. This one sounds like dystopian vampires, and that is EXCITING.