So, apparently today is the first day of spring. Seeing as how it snowed all day yesterday, and has been all cold and wet outside today, I’m not buying it! That does not mean I’m not in the mood, though! I can’t wait for sunshine, warm weather, and flowers. It’s also during this part of the year that I start craving cute contemporary romances and books about people going on vacations to the beach or a cabin. Anywhere, really. So, here we have my top ten books for springtime! Some of them are new releases, and some are ones I’ve been trying to get to for quite a while.

The Fine Art of Truth of Dare by Melissa Jensen
Everyone I know has read this already! I’ve been dying for it since the day I found out it was being published eons ago. It sounds adorable, and just like the kind of book to brighten my wintery mood.

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs (and the sequel, Tempest Unleashed. I got both from Netgalley, so thanks!)
Hello, young adult mermaid romance novel! I am SO excited. Mermaids are my FAVORITE! And seriously, do mermaids not scream warm weather, white sand beaches, and undersea fun?

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Duh. I’ll just leave it at that. I loved Delirium so much. I actually read it while I was on a cruise, and the ending ripped me apart so much that I almost threw myself overboard. This has to be read really soon. REALLY soon.

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson
Yes, please! A girl on a Mediterranean cruise? The title sold me, and Maureen is one of my favorite authors! I have a wonderful feeling that this book is going to be amazing.

Austentatious by Alyssa Goodnight
This sounds like a fun little contemporary romance set in Austin, Texas with a Jane Austen spin! I love Jane Austen spin-offs, but me recent encounters with them have left me disappointed. I hope this one is amazing, and reminds me of why I love books like this so much.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
This title gets me every time! It’s so adorable and looooooong. And a romance in an airport? YES. (I know. How have I not read this already?) I am really excited for it!

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Again, duh. Seriously? I can’t believe this one is still unread. Insurgent is coming out really soon also, so I need to have this read before that one hits the shelves. I want to be cool and read book #2 when everyone else is reading it!

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
I have not read a book of hers yet, and this sounds like so much fun! Another plane romance. I hate planes, but love where they take you!

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Ok, another one I should have read months ago. I’ve heard amazing things about it, and it sounds so cute!

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? by Sloane Tanen
“High school junior Francesca Manning is an outsider, an aspiring writer and secret devourer of celebrity gossip mags. A fake essay to “Seventeen” wins her the celeb-schmoozing opportunity of a lifetime, but after the plane crashes, she’s stranded on a desert island with five of the most clueless, self-involved headcases to escape Hollywood.”

Haha! Sounds interesting, and fun!

So, there you have it! Have you read any of these and loved/hated them? What’s on your list?

 

Hey guys! I love traveling. LOVE it. And it’s during months like these that I get the travel bug. January is tough. It’s cold, we’ve got holiday hangovers, and the days are short and dark. It makes me want to go somewhere fun! So for this week’s freebie TTT, I’ve chosen to tell you about my favorite books set in places I’d love to escape to right now (or books with travelers I envy).

By Love or By Sea by Rachel Rager
This book takes place in a quaint little seaside town. It’s a very sweet, clean romance that I just loved. I want to visit this place.

Kiss and Tell by Suzanne Brockman
Here, we get to visit this adorable town in Florida called Sunrise Key. Picture flower boxes, white and blue-striped awnings, and picket fences. Everyone knows everyone. I want to find a bed and breakfast and live there for a little while!

Royal Target by Traci Hunter Ambramson
The heroine is a CIA agent, who goes to Venezuela on assignment and meets Prince Garrett. They hit it off, and her mission is terminated as she receives new orders to go to Meridia (a city on the coast of Italy) to pretend to be his fiancee as part of their security plan. Meridia sounds amazing, and Venezuela would be a wonderful place to visit as well!

My Heart Stood Still by Lynn Kurland 
Here, we get to go to an old castle in on the English moors. An American man falls in love with a Scottish woman from the past. It’s a gorgeous story, and the scenery sounds amazing.

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
The bulk of this takes place in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. PLEASE let me go! I love the Met, and I could definitely use a trip there right now.

Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter
The characters in this story go on the Jane Austen tour of England! I’d love to go on that trip.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
A “race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe”. I’ll take it!

Carrie Goes off the Map by Phillippa Ashley
The heroine goes on a road trip through the English countryside with a really sexy guy… I want to do that!

Caribbean Cruising by Rachel Hawthorne
Now, I didn’t like this book very much, but it takes place on cruise ships and there’s nothing I love more than reading on the sun-drenched deck of a ship floating around the Caribbean!

Sailing to Capri by Elizabeth Adler
This takes place on a yacht set for Capri, Italy! Can you tell I love water and Europe?

So! Which books have you read that involve traveling, or just awesome places? And be sure to link me to your Top Ten Tuesday posts! I want to see what you came up with. :) Thanks for stopping by!

 

So, I love this week’s theme over at the Broke and the Bookish, because we were instructed to recommend books to someone who does not read _________. Meaning, all the lists this week are going to be different and will cater to many different kinds of readers. It’s so exciting, and I know I will love hopping around to everyone’s blogs!

I used to be one of those people who did not like contemporary novels. I always figured that if I treated reading as an escape, why should I read books that keep me right in the here and now? I should read to travel to a different time, not to hang out here in the world I’m trying to get away from! I’ve change my mind, though, and now I love them! So, it’s kind of like I’m recommending books to my past self. If I’m leaving anything out, let me know! I’m still a new lover of contemporary, so I don’t know all the good stuff yet!

Adult Contemporary Fiction:

Austenland by Shannon Hale
This was the first book I ever read that was completely contemporary. There’s a little romance, and the characters hearken back to regency times… but the whole thing takes place right now. It was a good way to slowly ease into contemporary, because it combined inklings of a genre I’ve always loved: historical fiction/romance.
(Read my review of Austenland.)

Carrie Goes Off The Map by Phillipa Ashley
I LOVED this book. The heroine is strong and independent. She’s been hurt by her now ex-fiance, and wants an escape from her normal life. So she grabs a friend-of-a-friend that she barely knows, and they go on a road trip around England, exploring the scenery, meeting new people, and getting to know each other. It’s a contemporary romance that allowed me the escape I always crave in a book.
(Read my review of Carrie.)

The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks
Nicholas knows how to create such strong, beautiful romances that you forget you’re reading about people just like you. Romances that strong have GOT to be otherworldly, but this book takes place right here, right now. It’s also probably the only book by him that won’t have you crying a TON. I cried a little during this one, but not much. It’s also got some suspense thrown in, which is fabulous.

Nocturne by Syrie James
This book has a vampire element to it, but the rest of the story is so realistic and so “right now” that you’re convinced vampires exist! The scenery is awesome. I love tying a bit of paranormal stuff!
(Enter my giveaway of this book right here!)

Pretty much anything by Mary Higgins Clark
Mary Higgins Clark writes the best, most exciting mysteries ever. They are amazing! She’s an auto-buy for me. I don’t even have to read the summary. I think all of them are contemporary, and I love, love, love the ride she takes her readers on.

Young Adult Contemporary Fiction:

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
This book is totally Christmasy, but you can read it anytime during the year. It’s composed of three short stories that are all connected. It’s full of blizzards and romance, and it’s one of my favorites!
(Read my review of Let it Snow.)

Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Anna was my first YA contemporary, and I have been sold ever since. This is definitely the best book to start with if you’re interested in YA contemporary. I’ve been ripping bookstores apart ever since, hoping to find another novel like this one.

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
This book is very light and fun, with a unique storyline. It’s magical, which had me completely sold. Plus, it takes place in NYC, which is definitely the best place in the USA, in my opinion.
(Read my review of Dash and Lily.)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
I’m cheating here because I haven’t read this yet (but I have been anticipating this for months)! All my friends love it, though, so I know I will. And seriously, who wouldn’t want to fall in love in an airport??

My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite
This book is adorable, and all about this college freshman who is a romance novel junkie, and compares her own life to a novel. But then, when love comes her way she flips out and has no idea how to be anything less than awkward. I died of laughter so many times.

 

This is a tricky one, because so many authors I love have their next book in the works already! I had to work really hard to think of authors and their upcoming books. If any of you know something I don’t about my following 10 picks, let me know so I can be excited!! I love hearing good bookish news!

Stephenie Meyer
know… I know… but seriously! She said she wanted to turn The Host into a trilogy (even gave us the next two titles), but we’ve heard nothing of any plans in years! Just because she’s been moved to the big screen, it doesn’t give her a license to not finish the story!

Lisa Mangum
She wrote a trilogy called The Hourglass Door that I loved more than the Twilight Saga. I LOVED IT. Her writing is amazing, and her characters are so strong. I wish she’d start something else.

Syrie James
I have so many wishes when it comes to Syrie’s books! I loved Nocturne. I want a sequel. And I loved Dracula My Love… I want more diaries/memoirs from people! Like Christine from Phantom of the Opera… I think a memoir/diary from her would be amazing! And I loved Forbidden, but a follow-up/sequel has not been announced. I need more stories!

Sara J. Henry
I loved Learning to Swim! This book is amazing, and a sequel could totally happen. Or just a new storyline completely. Great author, lesser known.

Lee Carroll
This is a husband/wife (Carol Goodman) team, and they wrote Black Swan Rising and The Watchtower. AMAZING. Their combination of his poetry and her mystery-writing skills. Oh man.

Stephanie Perkins
Yes, Isla is coming. I know! But we don’t know what’s happening after that! Stephanie Perkins must write more! She’s not allowed to stop until one of us dies.

Maggie Stiefvater
So… her stand-alone The Scorpio Races is out. What next?? I need more of her writing. It’s lovely, and boy can she tell a story! I don’t care what she does, but it has to be something.

Suzanne Collins
Ok, please just do something! You can’t quit with The Hunger Games! Suzanne introduced me to dystopia, and I will always love hers the best.

Becca Wilhite
Her ability to make me laugh in My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions was so refreshing. That book is definitely one of my favorites. It’s such a cute YA contemporary, and I want another just like it.

Alex Flinn
It’s been a while, and I haven’t heard of any new novels! I love her fairytale retellings.

 

This was a majorly amazing year of reading for me! My goal may seem small to many of you, but I read more books this year than I have in years past (if you don’t count textbooks!). I read a lot of really great books this year, and picking 10 might be tricky for me! These are actually listed in the order I read them this year.

Nocturne, by Syrie James
LOVED this book. It’s all about a man and a woman who find themselves trapped in his remote home during a majorly huge snowstorm. He’s a vampire, and she’s freaking out. And then… the romance happens. Loved it, and Syrie’s writing is gorgeous.
Read my review and author interview here. (Over at The Broke and the Bookish)

Firelight, by Sophie Jordan
I really liked the new paranormal subject matter of this book: Dragons. A dragon falls in love with a dragon slayer, and all hell breaks loose. Now that Vanish, book #2, is out you don’t even have to fret about the cliffhanger at the end!
Read my review here. (Over at The Broke and the Bookish)

Delirium, by Lauren Oliver
Do I even need to explain myself here? Love is marked as a deadly disease, but who on Earth can avoid falling in love? Especially if you’re told not to… Pandemonium can’t come soon enough!

Illusions, by Aprilynne Pike
Oh, I do love fairies… This is book 3 of the 4-part series, but I actually loved it the most (so far)! It was magical, romantic, adventurous, and I got through it in 24 hours!That’s a sign of a good book for me. I never have enough time to read that much!
Read my review here. (Over at The Broke and the Bookish)

(Wow… I just realized I love books with one word in the title…)

The Forgotten Locket, by Lisa Mangum
This was the end of a trilogy that I pretty much love. It’s not very well known in the blogosphere, but I adore it. Basically, the Hourglass Door is a door that Da Vinci designed to travel through time. It can also take you to “the river” which is where you can actually see time and change it. Dante, the main guy… was Da Vinci’s apprentice, and came through the door 500 years later in the present day (as punishment for being framed as a traitor to his country, Italy) and falls in love. But the wrong people get a hold of this door, and come forward to cause major problems that Dante and his love interest, Abby, need to fix. All three books talk about this door, and their quest to save time before the world is destroyed. It’s very exciting. Lisa Mangum’s writing style is beautiful. I found myself re-reading passages because they were incredibly captivating. She described everything in such intricate detail and left me feeling like I was actually there.

Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins
Definitely my favorite read of the year, and one of my favorite books ever. This book got me hooked on contemporary romance, and now I just can’t get enough of it! Stephanie Perkins is my hero.

Learning to Swim, by Sara J. Henry
This book totally surprised me. I ended up really loving it. It was suspenseful, mysterious, exciting, and heartwarming. This woman is on a ferry headed home, when she sees a bundle thrown off the back of a passing ferry. For some reason, she is convinced the bundle is a child, and dives into the freezing water to save him. He’s only 6 years old, and he only speaks French. The story follows this woman as she takes the boy in, tries to find out who he is, grows really attached to him, and has some run-ins with the scary peeps who tried to kill him. It’s very exciting, and I could not put it down.
Read my review here. (At The Broke and the Bookish)

Lola and the Boy Next Door, by Stephanie Perkins
Again, Stephanie is my hero. Loved this book so much for the same reasons I loved Anna.

Carrie Goes Off The Map, by Philippa Ashley
This book was lovely for several uncommon reasons: 1. The characters are my age! I’m so used to reading about tweens, teenagers, and middle-aged adults. I rarely read about characters who are mid-to-late twenties. It was refreshing. 2. This is an amazing book to help you feel better after a nasty break-up. I wish I’d had this book a few years ago when I went through one of those. 3. Traveling!!!!! I love books where people travel, and what’s better than driving through England in a camper van named Dolly? Carrie’s road trip happens as a result of needing time to get over her cheating fiance. She brings along a guy she barely knows, but who also needs some time away. I’m sure you guessed that sparks fly!
Read my review here.

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances, by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
I love the three intertwined Christmas romances in this book. Maureen and John write amazingly perfect and hysterical stories. Lauren’s disappointed me, but not enough to make me love this book any less. It’s pure magic.
Read my review here.