Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Thought About DNFing, But Didn't

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Hello my book loving friends! Today we're talking about Books I Thought About DNFing. I mentioned this several times in my long blogging years, but it doesn't take me long to DNF. Since today's topic is mostly geared towards the readers who DNFed too quickly, who might not do it often, I decided to put my own spin on it. So without further ado, here are

TOP TEN BOOKS I THOUGHT ABOUT DNFing BUT DIDN'T 

(and thank god for that!)

1. Brownie Fix by Ellen Cardona - my review here

When I read this book many, many years ago, I struggled with the subject. I was on a "happy books only for this gal" kick, and when I signed up for the blog tour I wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a story I will treasure forever, and I'll forever be happy and proud for going against my initial reaction of DNFing.

2. And I Darken by Kiersten White - my review here

As a Romanian born and raised person, I'm always, ALWAYS weary of people tackling Vlad the Impaler's story. Why? Because most people get it wrong, they make him be this mythical monster and forget about the military genius he was. And I don't mean they make him into a vampire. The guy was messed up if you are to believe some of the stories from that time, while we view him as a national hero. Does White's version of the story have mistakes? Yes. Is it a perfect rendition of Vlad's life? No. It's full or tiny errors, and they almost made me DNF the book. But the reason why I didn't and the reason why I ultimately gave it 5 cups/stars despite them, was that it made me curious. I never really felt the curiosity to go beyond what I knew of that era, but this book prompted me to do so, and I discovered some pretty curious, interesting things.

3. The Silver Swan by Elena Deblanco - my review here

This book was such a departure from what I normally read. I was tempted at one point to put it aside, not because it's not my normal genre, but because, as I said in my review, I was a little put off by all the flashbacks. I am very glad I pushed through and read it, because it was a truly great story. And, believe it or not, despite the rating, it's one of those books that have stuck in my memory.

4. The First Night by Marc Levy

It's no secret that I love Marc Levy's books. It's rare that I feel disconnected from his stories, but The First Night, the second book of a duology, was not an easy read for me. I don't know exactly why that is, but at one point I was kind of ready to put it down and never pick it up again. I'm glad I kept reading though, because towards the end of the book I got to understand what exactly was this duology all about.

5. Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy

Nights of Rain and Stars was, like The Silver Swan, something completely new to me. At the time I read it I was used to Anne Rice's horror stories, full of action, drama and sexual tones. So when I read Binchy's book, I was completely shocked by the slower pace, so much so that I wanted to give up reading it. However, there was something in Binchy's words that kept me reading, and it is, by far, one of my favorite books ever.

6. The Shakespeare Curse by Jennifer Lee Carrell

Shakespeare is another of my favorite subjects. Since it is one of the literary mysteries that probably will never be solved, a lot of authors have tried to figure out who was Shakespeare, if it was one person or a group of people. Jennifer Lee Carrell is one of these authors and her The Shakespeare Secret is one of my favorite novels ever. Unfortunately, The Shakespeare Curse suffers from the "second book syndrome" and doesn't quite reach its predecesor's brilliance for me, and I thought about DNFing it quite a few times. However Kate, the heroine, is awesome, and I enjoyed the chance to read more about her and to find out more about Shakespeare's plays.

7. The Hunchback by Paul Feval

One of my favorite books from my childhood, and yet it was in danger of me enver finishing it. As with Nights of Rain and Stars, there was something about this book that kept me reading, especially when I got to the part where Aurore tells her side of the story of how she grew up. Reading about her childhood is actually the hook that got me to finish the book and what, ultimately, made me love this book as much as I do.

 8. Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

The Black Dagger Brotherhood was one of my favorite paranormal series ever. I may not be currently reading it, but at the time I read it it was a great joy. I remember waiting impatiently for the newest book to come out, while rereading the previous ones. That would not have happened had I DNFed the second book in the series. I won’t lie, the first two books aren’t as great as I wanted, but the ending of book 2 is what really hooked me to the series. Even though I have parted ways with this series, I will forever be glad that I didn’t give in to the urge to DNF this book.

9. Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

Although not my favorite way to tell any Charlaine Harris story, the good thing that came out of me reading this comic book was that I remembered how much I really loved her storytelling. I want to read the books this comic book was based on, and I owe that to this rendition of the story.

10. Originally Human by Eileen Wilks

This was my first completed audiobook experience ever. I don’t have a great relationship with audiobooks, especially when there is just one narrator, mostly because the lack of different voice actors takes me out of the story faster than anything else. Add to that the fact that I am a pretty fast reader, and most audiobooks are not progressing as fast as I’d want, and it’s pretty easy to understand why I don’t really get along well with audiobooks. However... Originally Human is a fantastic audiobook. It’s almost like the old theater plays I used to listen to on vinyl growing up. I’m glad I gave it a chance, because it was an amazing experience. Keep in mind this is an adult story if you want to try it out.

Let’s discuss. What are some books that you almost DNFed but you are glad you didn’t?

Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Hello fellow book lovers! Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is about Books On My Spring TBR. I don't know when I'll start reading them, but I will read them before June gets here.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Book Quotes

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This might seem shallow of me, but it's rare that a single quote from a book sticks with me. I'm more of a "this book was so great, the entire story sticks with me" kind of reader. But there are a few passages from books that sometimes manage to stay with me for a very long time. Here are just a few of them:

Top Ten Books I Could Re-Read Forever

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

You guys know I love re-reading a lot. I will try really hard, REALLY really hard to limit myself at only ten books here. But it's so hard, y'all! I might cheat and include full series, but that's another story! So here are my Top Ten Books I Could Re-Read Forever.

Top Ten Books That Have Been On My TBR the Longest and I Still Haven’t Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I'm sure many people do this thing where they add books on their TBRs but either never pick up for whatever reason or they even kick them off completely. I know I'm very guilty of this practice myself. It's only natural, since apparently I have over 3000 books on my TBR shelf on Goodreads alone (let's ignore all the books that aren't on that list). Here are my Top Ten Books That Have Been On My TBR the Longest and I Still Haven’t Read

Top Ten Books I Really Liked but Can’t Remember Anything/Much About

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Hello my dear bookworms! How are you today? Today's Top Ten topic is about the books we've read, liked, but that we just cannot remember a whole lot of. And let me tell you, to me, it isn't something all that common, but it still happens sometimes. 

Top Ten Tuesday #17: Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to In 2018

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Happy Holidays my dear bookworms! The year may not be over just yet, but I've been getting excited about 2018 for months now. Why? Because it's a really good year for literature in my opinion. I am dying to get my hands on a ton of books and I'll try really really hard to stick to just ten of them. So without further ado, here's Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To In 2018:

1. Legendary by Stephanie Garber - After reading and loving Caraval I cannot wait for Legendary to be out.

2. Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian - The blurb reminds me a little of Ruined, which I loved. Plus, I love revenge stories :D

3. Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong - I decided 2018 will be the year I'll read series endings, and one of the series I need to finish is Armstrong's Women Of The Otherworld

4. Sea Witch by Sarah Henning - Ursula. Need I say more?

5. Dealing In Dreams by Lilliam Rivera - There's something about this book that calls to me. I can't exactly tell what, but I usually don't question this feeling, as it's helped me discover great books that I love. I cannot wait to see the cover.

6. Indiscretion by Hannah Fielding - I've had by eye on this book for a while now. I love the sensual feel of the story, and the cover art is fantastic.

7. The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwell - One of my other auto-read theme is Robin Hood. And this book is a retelling of Robin Hood's tale and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

8. The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green - Fantasy. I don't need a better reason than that.

9. Furyborn by Claire Legrand - I love books told from dual POVs, especially when they don't happen simultaneously, but a length of time separates the two main characters.

10. Between The Blade And The Heart by Amanda Hocking - I love the myth of Valkyries and I try to read as many books with them as I can.

My list is way, way longer than this to be very honest, but I decided to limit myself at just 10 books. What about you? What are ten books you cannot wait to read in 2018?

Top Ten Tuesday #16: Top Ten Favorite Books of 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Hello everyone! Here we are with another round of Top Ten Tuesday and we're discussing the Top Ten Favorite Books of 2017

Well. It's still early to decide, since I still have some books I need to finish. Also, compiling this list has made me realize I've read way more adult books this year than YA. Might go on and rectify that next year, just to keep a balance of things. Anyway, here's my favorite books I read in 2017 so far, in absolutely no particular order:

1. Blood Red Kiss by Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione & Gena Showalter - It's really no surprise I love this book, since it has stories from three of my favorite authors. Read my review here.
2. Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter - This is probably my bookish discovery of the year in the adult department. I absolutely adored this book and I really encourage you to read this book if you love the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale and you want a new, non-fantastical, non-magical, take on the fairy tale. You can also read my review here.
3. Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell - This was my first poetry book in way, way over a decade. It was recommended to me by Ray from The Royal Polar Bear Reads and I had a ton of fun reading it. You can read my review here.
4. Monstress Vol 2: The Blood by Marjorie M Liu - Are you surprised that this book is here? This was my favorite comic book EVER. I may still be a newbie in this genre, but I can safely say this book will probably be my favorite comic book for a very, very long time. Read my review here.
5. Caraval by Stephanie Garber - If there's one super popular YA book that I am thankful for giving in and reading it is this one. Caraval was fantastic and I am very excited for the next book to come out. Read my review here.
6. Originally Human by Eileen Wilks - This was my first audiobook ever, guys. And it was everything I hoped for. It's a GraphicAudio production, and at the time I listened to it it a freebie. It reminded me of the old theater plays I used to listen to on vinyl as a kid. 
7. The Becoming by Jeanne C Stein - This was a book I bought on impulse at a second hand store, and I am super happy I got it. It felt like one of the older urban fantasy books I used to read and I really enjoyed it.
8. Storm of Ecstasy by Setta Jay - Although I absolutely love the entire Guardians of the Realms series, this book showed a widening of the mythology and the entire world within that series, and it reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Stargate. 
9. Master Bits & Mercenary Bites - Girls Night by Lexi Blake & Suzanne M. Johnson - I couldn't not have a Lexi Blake book on this list. It's just not possible, guys. Okay, so the reason I loved this book is that it took two of my favorite things, mashed them up together perfectly and put them into a single book: food and romance. The recipes are fantastic, the snippets are awesome and I am keeping my fingers crossed for more of these books to come out in the future. Read my review here.
10. Razr by Larissa Ione - This story was not only fantastic, but I feel it kinda changed the world of the Demonica series a little bit. There were some things going on in this book that I wonder what kind of effects it will have on the world of my beloved demons and angels and horsemen and horsewoman. I am definitely hoping that this will be explored in the future. Read my review here.

This is it guys. The top ten books I've read so far in 2017. I'm not ready for the year to be over though.

What about you? Which books will end up on your Top Ten list for 2017?

Top Ten Tuesday #15: Top Ten Books I Want My Future Children to Read

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Oooh, this is a good topic, guys! There are a ton of books I'd like my kids to read. Because, and I think this is the dream of any bookworm, that their kids will love reading just as much as they do.

1. Harry Potter - This is an obvious one, really. I grew up with Harry Potter, with the anticipation of waiting for that next book and for that next adventure, and I'd love my kids to experience the wonder of Harry Potter
2. Invitation To Waltz - This is one of the most important books in my life as a reader, because not only was it a recommendation from my dad, but also because it was the first "modern" romance book I ever read. It's also a sad book, but kind of innocent at the same time. 
3. Mara - One of the few mandatory readings I finished and liked in school, this was a pretty awesome book, and a fast read.
4. The Hobbit - This is a book about breaking out of the life pattern imposed by society, and finding adventure and finding oneself in that adventure. When I look back at it, it feels like more than just a simple story about a guy trying to find a dragon, it feels like a journey of self-discovery, and for me that's what life is all about. You just have to have the guts to step out of your hobbit hole.
5. Chronicles Of Nick - This is a story, essentially, about not accepting the fact that there's a predetermined path you have to take and there's no way to fight it. It's about choices and how those choices influence the entire future of your life. There's a pretty awesome metaphor that Kenyon uses in her Dark Hunter series about a rock thrown into a lake and how after the rippling of the water stops, the water will still never be the same, because that rock never belonged at the bottom of the lake, which is one of the best metaphor about life in general that I've encountered, and I'd like my kids to fully grasp that. Also I'd start with CoN because it's more age-appropriate.
6. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Going in the same direction as the previous book, Albom's novel is basically about how your actions influence not just your life, but other people's as well, and that no matter how small or big, each of us has an impact on others. 
7. Girl Against The Universe - This is one of the books that accurately shows what a therapist does and doesn't, and it's also one of those books that deals with mental health without attaching the cure of it to finding one's "twue wuv", which is important to me.
8. Vampire Academy / Bloodlines - No matter the gender of these future kids of mine, I want them to read a book where girls and boys are both just as strong, just as capable of kicking ass, and that being feminine doesn't mean a woman can't be a warrior.
9. Pride And Prejudice - There's no way my kids can miss reading this book. This is the actual first romance book that I read, but it's a classical one, a more stylish romance. It's still an important book to read.
10. The Hunchback - This was my first book crush. It is a fantastic adventure book that I remember fondly of and it's a story of redemption in a way.

I would have loved to include more diverse books here, but to my shame I haven't read that many. Which I'm working on changing, because I do want my kids to be able to read them and learn from them.

What about you? Which books would you introduce your kids to?

Top Ten Tuesday #14: Ten book recommendations for Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Lovers

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Hey there! Happy Tuesday! For today's topic I'm going to share some of my favorite top ten book recommendations for paranormal/urban fantasy lovers. Immortals After Dark, Demonica, Dark Hunter, Alien Huntress, Southern Vampire Mysteries, and many, many others, I know you've heard of them. I've definitely enjoyed reading them. But this post is about those series and books that are either just starting out or that I haven't seen being talked about as much as it should. These are books and series that I discovered in the last two years that I feel need some love and appreciation, because they are awesome. So, here we go:

1. Dog Eat Dog World by Hailey Edwards - It's no secret that I adore all 4 connected series that make up the Dog Eat Dog mega-series. I love how they each reveal a little piece of the puzzle, and just when you think you've got it all figured out BAM! Another surprise comes along. I hope this series never ends. You can start reading this series with the Black Dog series.
2. The Becoming by Jeanne C. Stein - I wouldn't be me if I didn't include at least one vampire book in this list. This book reminded me of the older urban fantasy books I've read, back when the plot was much more connected to mysteries and crime, when it felt like a mystery novel with a supernatural twist. I liked that. I liked that a lot.
3. Guardians of the Realms by Setta Jay - This series, among others, reminds me why I love paranormal romance. If you haven't tried it, you must. There's no limit to the creatures you're going to read about, each with different strengths and weaknesses, and the sex is hott, with a double t because trust me, it is off the charts.
4. Hell To Pay by Jillian David - This series was one of those unexpected discoveries that I am so happy I got to read. I'm even more happy for the fact that there's a spin-off, one that gets my imagination running wild.
5. Bayou Heat by Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright - This series reminds me of my very first paranormal series, Lora Leigh's Breeds. And I love this series for it. While the tone, the stories, the plots, all are very different, the feel is the same, and I can't help falling more and more in love with this series with each book I read.
6. Legal Wolf's Mate by Eve Langlais - This was a fun story, one with werewolves and werecats and I was very happy to see it was part of a series. Will definitely check out the rest of the books
7. Reborn by Anna Durand - I'm obsessed with all things Ancient Egypt, so it's no wonder I like this story about soulmates, love that lasts forever, reincarnations and centuries old curses. 
8. Caress of Pleasure by Julie Kenner - Phoenixes. Do I need to say more? I don't think I've read a lot of stories about phoenixes as main characters, and this story, part of the 1001 Dark Nights series, was super fun. I am definitely going to read all the books.
9. Muse Chronicles by Lisa Kessler - Yet another fantastic series about ancient gods, more accurately the daughters of Zeus and their reincarnations. I love it, each book shows you another little piece of the puzzle. Definitely a must read.
10. Eternal Guardians by Elizabeth Naughton - Greek gods, myths, legends, ancient creatures, and, most importantly, Sirens. I need to go back to read this series from the beginning, but I'm hooked.

I feel that I should have nominated at least at least 5 or 100 other books and series in these genres, but I fear my post would never end. What is your list? What are 10 books you'd recommend to someone?

Top Ten Tuesday #13: Top Ten 2017 Debuts I'm Excited For

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Happy Tuesday and Happy New Year folks!

Today's topic is Top Ten 2017 Debuts I'm Excited For. As you probably can imagine, I'm super excited for a lot of debuts and a lot of 2017 book, because how could I not be excited for them??? I tried really hard to pick my top 10 out of that list (it was very difficult), but I made it. Here's my list:

1. Blood Rose Rebellion - Rosalyn Eves
2. Frostblood - Elly Blake

3. Poison's Kiss - Breeana Shields
4. Of Jenny And The Aliens - Ryan Gebhart
5. Shadow Run -  AdriAnne Strickland, Michael Miller

6. The Education Of Margot Sanchez - Lilliam Rivera
7. Girl Out Of Water - Laura Silverman

8. The Love Interest - Cale Dietrich
9. One Of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus
10. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas

What about you? Which 2017 debuts are you most excited about?

Top Ten Tuesday #12: Top Eleven Best Books Of 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Happy Tuesday folks! I hope you had a fantastic week, amazing holidays, full of cheer, presents, and happy moments with your loved ones.

Today's Top Ten Tuesday topics is all about the best books of 2016, and I'm here to tell you this is so friggin hard!! Making this list took for-freakin-EVER, because here's what my actual favorite books list looks like:

Especially considering I've got favorite YA, adult and comic books. So it's hard to choose. Fortunately, I managed to cut down the list to just eleven books. I just couldn't stop at ten, guys, it was too hard. Anyway, here's the books I loved most this year:

YA:

1. And I Darken by Kiersten White - I think I've said this to anybody who'll listen, but this is by far my favorite book of the year. If you want to know why, read my review here.
2. Ruined by Amy Tintera - It's not often that I read a story from the anti-hero's perspective, from what you can actually see as the villain. So it was a really good surprise to not only enjoy, but love Em's story. Now I'm very curious to see what happens next. Also, her sister is insane and I love it!
3. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo - I enjoyed the second book of the Grisha trilogy immensely. Granted, I have yet to read the last book, because I'm a chicken, but that's a different story. Besides Nikolai, I loved this book because it shows the corruption that power can cause, on even the best of the best people. I feel like Alina is slowly becoming a female version of the Darkling, only it's heartbreaking to watch because she knows it and she's fighting it with everything she's got. I hope she wins that battle.
4. Firstlife by Gena Showalter - Behind the big theme of life after death, there's a wealth of themes worth talking about in this book, but the biggest one is parent-child relationships, and it's one of the reasons why I loved this book so much. Read my review here.
5. Girl Against The Universe by Paula Stokes - This year was a big one for books that talked about mental health, and I couldn't be happier for that. GATU is a book that beautifully explores mental health, but also accurately describes the role of a psychologist, without making that figure look like a wizard with a magic wand, that makes all the problems go "poof". Read my review here.
6. Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven - Another book that explores mental health, this book was full of hope and I personally loved it. Read my review here.

 Adult:

1. Love And Let Die by Lexi Blake - A story of redemption, second chances, and forgiveness, this book has it all, plus some sexy times. If you're in love with Ian Taggart, like me, then you'll probably love this book.
2. The Bookshop On The Corner by Jenny Colgan - This book shows that if you have a dream, no matter how crazy it may seem, you can fulfill it. I loved this story so much, and I hope some of you will give it a try. Read my review here.
3. First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones - I finally read this book this year, and let me tell you, I'm mad at myself for waiting this long. I cannot wait to find some free time next year to binge read this entire series. It's funny, sexy, and it features a sassy Grim Reaper. 
4. Promise The Moon by Hailey Edwards - Probably not surprising that a Hailey Edwards book is in this list, but I have to tell you, this book was fantastic. I loved the fact that it showed a different take on werewolves, and I also loved the fact that it explored the aspect of the roles a werewolf has within the pack, and how that affects their behavior and that of their packmates, but also what happens when some of those roles are reversed. Read my review here.

Comic Books:

Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda - A really beautiful story about what fear of the unknown can do to people, as well as how war can corrupt and destroy. I am very impatient to read the next volume. Read my review of the first six issues here.

That's it *phew* There are a few books that I could mention in the "honorable mentions" section, like ACOTAR and The Raven Boys, but there are too many that would fit that description, so I won't. What about you? What are ten (or more) best books of this year?

Top Ten Tuesday #11: Books You Read Because of Recommendation

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

I'm very sure of the fact that about 75% of the books I've read so far, I've read because of recommendations from other people. So without further ado, here are 10 books I read because of recommendations.

1. The first one that comes to mind is Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. I remember I was in middle grade, and the first movie came out and everyone, I mean EVERYONE in my class went nuts. They saw the movie, and then Enya was their favorite artist and I got curious. About a year after that, one of the boys in my class convinced me to watch the movie and then to read the books, and that has been the best decision ever, because I just love Tolkien.

A photo posted by Ruby Jo (@rubys.books) on Aug 12, 2016 at 4:25am PDT

2. I read Castillos de cartón by Almudena Grandes because of a high school friend. I think the title translates into Cardboard Castles, but I'm not sure. I'm also not sure if there's an English translation of this book, but there should be, because this book is amazing. I still get teary eyed when I think of the ending of the book, with two of the characters getting in the car and trying to move on with their lives. It's one of those books that I've read once, but it's burned into my memory forever. I blame Emily, the girl who convinced me to read it, for my obsession with this book, and I'll never forget when and where we were when she first convinced me to read it. Seriously though, thank you, girl!

3. I've told this story a hundred million times, but I'll say it once again: I owe my love of urban fantasy/paranormal romance to a university colleague, who got me into reading Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris.

4. Can You Keep A Secret by Sophie Kinsella was a recommendation from Emily's classmate, Dia, and, like with Emily, I cherish that memory. Dia has been trying like hell to get me to read Game Of Thrones, so I'm thinking I'll probably soon just give up and read it. After all, this next book on the list (and subsequent auto-buy author) is due to her, as well.

5. Is there a bookish list of mine complete without Marc Levy? Spoiler alert: no, it isn't! My friend Dia convinced me to read If Only It Were True by Marc Levy around the time the movie, Just Like Heaven, with Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon, came out, and I've loved Levy's books ever since.

6. Harry Potter. I got to read this book because of a really good friend of mine, whom I've known since elementary school. He gave me the subway version of the elevator pitch, made me watch the movie, and convinced me to read and love the books.

A photo posted by Ruby Jo (@rubys.books) on Aug 12, 2016 at 11:17pm PDT

7. I read Women Of The Otherworld because of Carmel from Rabid Reads.
8. The Grisha trilogy was recommended to me by so many people, it's really difficult to pinpoint exactly who had the definitive role in convincing me to read it. I am convinced that Meredith from Pandora's Books had something to do with it.
9. I can't remember who convinced me to read ACOTAR, but thanks! I probably would have waited years before reading it, because apparently that's my style LOL
10. The most heartbreaking book I've ever read, Invitation to Waltz, was recommended to me by my dad. Now, over the years, he's recommended many books to me, with varying degrees of success, but this one is very special to me. Just think about it, my dad got me to read my first romance book. Sure, it doesn't have a happy ending, but it's still pretty special to me.

What are 10 books you read because they were recommended to you?

Top Ten Tuesday #10: Books On My Fall TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Fall is here, and I am going to be honest with you, I am confused. Should I be happy? Should I be sad? I'm happy because all of the bugs are slowly going away, but I'm sad because that means no more lazy days at the beach. Unless I want to become a human popsicle, and I am so not in the mood for that! I'm still recovering from my first cold of the season. Yep, I'm that pathetic, guys, that the first hint of colder weather did me in. *long sigh*

Anyway, this also means I get to be my old lazy self on weekends and surround myself with fluffy pillows, a cozy blanket, a hot cup of tea and read. And since I'm starting to get to the bottom of my ARC TBR (never thought I'd see the day, honestly), I've decided to start reading some of the books I have lying around on my shelves. Here are 10 books I can't wait to read this fall:

• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - The more people talk about this book and the TV show, the more excited I am to read it. Which is weird, considering I'm not a fan of time travel stories, but I am hoping this one is as good as people make it to be. Plus, the Romanian cover is super gorgeous:

I absolutely adore this cover of Outlander, the Romanian edition. And I recently saw the cover for the second book, and it is just as gorgeous. I just hope the publishing house keeps this theme for the rest of the series <3 #outlander #coverlove #covergasm #bookstagram #booknerd #bookworm

A photo posted by Ruby Jo (@rubys.books) on May 13, 2016 at 11:31am PDT

• Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella - I'm a huge fan of Kinsella's stand alone books, and I'm curious to see what funny adventures she's writing about in this book.
• Unfinished Tales by J.R.R. Tolkien - Every time there's a new book full of stories about Middle Earth, I get all giddy and excited. I'm super excited about reading this one.
• Legacy by Hannah Fielding - I just got this book in the mail and I'm so excited about it. Although it's the third book in the series, and I haven't yet read the previous two books, I will definitely be reading this one pretty soon.
• The Becoming by Jeanne C. Stein - A book about vampires, by an author I haven't heard of before. I'm in the mood for more vampires.
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• Unrivaled by Alyson Noel
• Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo - I want to know if any of my crazy theories that have Meredith (Pandora's Books) laughing like a loon are true of it they're complete nonsense.
• The Pelican Brief by John Grisham - One of my favorite movie thrillers ever is based on this book. And everyone seems to love his books, so I'm curious. I also borrowed The Firm and A Time To Kill from my grandmother, and I plan on reading them too, soon.

What about you guys? What are you planning on reading this fall?

Top Ten Tuesday #9: Favorite TV Shows Of All Times

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! Today's topic is all about the TV shows. And let me tell you guys, I am addicted to TV shows. If it weren't bad for health, I'd be a couch potato, binge watching TV shows ALL THE TIME! In honor of my love of TV shows, I've decided to share with you my Favorite TV Shows Of All Times.

1. Supernatural

Any TV show list is not complete without Supernatural in it. It just isn't. I'm slowly re-watching it from the beginning, and this brings back memories of watching the show for the first time almost 10 years ago, during university. My favorite moment was probably during a snowstorm about...8 years ago. I was supposed to study for exams, but instead I kept watching Supernatural (sorrynotsorry). I don't remember exactly which season that was, but the funniest thing ever was that it was a pretty scary episode. Right as the brothers were about to kill the beast, the lights go out in my neighborhood (because of course they do!). I don't think I've ever been so freaked out :))

2. Blindspot

I like not knowing what is going on, I like being surprised, and this show is giving me that. Also, Lady Sif, Major Scott and the teenage girl from What Women Want are in this, which I adore!!

3. Strike Back

Speaking of Major Scott. Strike Back is probably my favorite military TV show ever, and it will most likely stay that way. What I love about it is that unlike most shows that must have a happy ending, in this show the good guys can lose. They can be defeated, and they sometimes are defeated by the bad guys. It's grittier, darker, and it's what makes sense in my head.

4. NCIS

Another old favorite of mine. I am sad that Michael Weatherly left the show, but I'm also curious to know how they'll move forward.

5. Star Trek

One of the shows I watched as a kid, Star Trek will always hold a special place in my heart. I remember being in love with the show, and I'm planning on watching it again soon.

6. Quantum Leap

It was a ritual of Mom and I to sit in front of the TV each day and see who Scott Bakula would become in the new episode, who did the deed, why did history need changing, what could possibly happen in the future as a result of the changes he made. One of those childhood memories that I'll always cherish.

7. Xena, The Warrior Princess

Another TV show that just cannot miss from any of my TV show list. There's a lot of reasons why I love this show, and it would take me too long to talk about all of them. But, to this day, there's no other show that I love more. Except probably the next one on the list.

8. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Okay, so Hercules and Xena are both favorites of mine since early childhood. I grew up watching these shows religiously.

9. Lost Girl

Lost Girl ended last year, and that made me sad. I haven't watched the last two seasons, but I'm working my way to them. I'm actually re-watching the entire show. Bo was a fantastic character. The mythology of the show was fantastic, and I'm kind of sad it's over. Also, Kenzi was fantastic!

10. How To Get Away With Murder

This is a show that just plays with the viewer's head. Last season's finale did just that, because I did not expect that AT ALL! Viola Davis is the show. Sure, I love all other actors and actresses in it, but I started watching it because of her. She's fantastic. There's this scene in season 1 when she's in a courtroom and she's interrogating a senator. I got chills when I first saw that scene, because I immediately remembered Jack Nicholson's famous scene in A Few Good Men. She deserves all the awards she gets and a few others. The show might be crazy, it might even seem impossible that a bunch of people can get away with murder so easily (and not just a murder, but several), but I love it.

11. Buffy, The Vampire Slayer

This show gave me a crap-ton of good lessons growing up, just like Xena did. And just like with Xena, I could probably fill an entire post with the awesomeness of this show. *whispers* I was (and still am) Team Spike.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

I couldn't end this post without mentioning a few shows that didn't make the list, because while not my most favorite shows, they do entertain me, I do enjoy watching them, and , ultimately, I like them. A few of these shows are: Arrow, The Flash, Once Upon A Time, Castle, Grey's Anatomy, Bitten, Orphan Black, Roswell, Saved By The Bell, 90210 Beverly Hills (the original, guys, the original!), Hellcats, Agents Of SHIELD, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, The Twilight Zone, The X-Files... Trust me, I could be here all night talking about TV shows! Literally all night! I think it's safe to end this post here, otherwise you'll get bored of me.

What about you? What are your favorite TV Shows?

Top Ten Tuesday #8: Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! Today's topic of the Top Ten Tuesday is a little different. The challenge is called "Rewind", and you get to pick a topic to revisit, either one that you already did, or one that you missed out on. I decided to pick out an oldie, but very good theme:

Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time

1. Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling - It was kind of obvious that this would be here. I remember being in my last year of middle school. It was winter, and I remember reading The Goblet Of Fire under the blankets, with a flashlight (it sounds cool, but it isn't, because THAT'S HOW I RUINED MY EYES!). And I remember trying to be sneaky and not move or make a sound (the door to my room was actually made mostly of glass, so if anyone wanted to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, they'd know I was awake at a really late hour), and being so happy with being in the Wizarding World for a few hours at night. Full disclosure: my Mom did catch me eventually, because one night I fell asleep on my book, it was so late. Got in trouble for that, because "you're supposed to sleep more than a few hours, you're too young to stay up that late", which I agree with, but it was still fun. I want that feeling back, and so I'd love to read Harry Potter for the first time again.
2. And I Darken - Kiersten White - This is one book that scared me a little bit, to be honest. Reading a book about one of your country's national heroes is not an easy thing to do, mostly because you expect things to be... let's say seen from a different perspective than what your history books say about him/her. And when you're talking about the guy most people call Dracula and think he was a vampire, it makes the reading experience a hell of a lot more scary. Having read it now, I'd love to read it again for the first time, without having that fear, that somehow the book would show Vlad in a bad or wrong light. Sure, Vlad is a girl in this book, but it's still a great representation of the historical figure, even if with a few changes. The important thing here, I think, is that it can serve as a conversation starter, and it's one of the things I absolutely love about the book. And it also can spark a need for knowledge of World History, which is always great.
3. Vampire Academy- Richelle Mead - This is probably one of my Top 5 favorite series of all times, so of course I'd love to read it again for the first time. 
4. The Dead House - Dawn Kurtagich - One of the most mind-bending books I've ever read, I'd love to go back and read it again for the first time. 
5. The Hunchback - Paul Feval - One of the oldest books I've read, and also my very first book boyfriend. I've loved this book ever since I first read it, back in middle school, before Harry Potter came along. 
6. Chieftain - Arnette Lamb - Oh man, this is one of my favorite historical romances that I've ever read, and I've read a few. Not many, but enough to be confident to say this. There are four books in this series, if I'm not mistaken. I've only read the last two, and I loved them both. I hope they still sell the other two books in the series. But yes, I'd definitely love to read this book again for the first time.
7. Lord Of The Rings/Hobbit/Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien - Another favorite of mine. Back in the day, I read it in Romanian, which was good, but I'd love to erase that and read it all again in English. Chances are, even if I do read it now in English, it might seem like a different book, just because there are tons of stuff lost in translation, no matter how good that translation is.
8. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen - The first book I ever read in English. I think I was about 12. Would love to read it again for the first time.
9. Southern Vampires Mysteries - Charlaine Harris - My first Urban Fantasy/Paranormal book, I'd love to read it again for the first time.
10. Robin Hood - In case you don't know this, there are tons of books with and about the famous outlaw. I've read only two of them, one by Alexandre Dumas, and another book that I can't remember much about, not the title and definitely not the author. I do remember though that it wasn't so much about Robin Hood himself, but about one of the men that follow him. Not Little John though, although that would be awesome! Anyway, I'd love to read the original version of the story, without having all of the information from different books, movies and TV shows floating around in my head, to sort of influence the reading experience, if it makes sense.

That's it guys, ten books I'd wish I could read again for the first time. What about you? Are there any books you want to read again for the first time?

Top Ten Tuesday #7: Five Recent 5-Star Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Hey guys! This week we're talking about the books we most loved recently. I haven't had as much time to read as I'd like (thankfully a bigger vacation is coming up soon and I'll have time for binge-reading), so I'm only doing my Top 5 recent reads. You'll notice that three of them have something in common *coughs*

1. Stronger Than Fear - Marc Levy 

2. Dead In The Water - Hailey Edwards

3. Firstlife - Gena Showalter

4. Another Idea Of Happiness - Marc Levy

5. Replay - Marc Levy

Remember in February when I said that it was the month of binge-reading the books of one of my favorite authors? That was Marc Levy, if you didn't figure that out already. I can't wait to get my hands on his latest books. I still have three books of his to read (one that I DNFed the first time, one that I'm deathly scared of because of the subject and one that I just never got around to read). Anyway, long story short, these are the top 5 books that I read so far in 2016 that I absolutely loved. 

What about you? Which books did you read recently that you loved?

Top Ten Tuesday #6: Top 10 Books On My Spring TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Hey guys! It's been a while since I participated in Top Ten Tuesday. Today's topic is

Top 10 Books On My Spring TBR List

I love TBR lists, because they allow me to get a little bit organized. Not only that, but it also allows me to at least try to take some books off of my big TBR mountain. Here are the books I hope I get around to reading this spring (in no particular order):

1. The Children Of Hurin - J.R.R. Tolkien
2. Unfinished Tales - J.R.R. Tolkien
3. The Shadow Thief - Marc Levy
4. The Children Of Freedom - Marc Levy
5. Scarlet Feather - Maeve Binchy
6. The Wedding Girl - Madeleine Wickham
7. The Taxidermist's Daughter - Kate Musso
8. Matilda - Roald Dahl
9. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
10. Blood Price - Tanya Huff

What's your spring TBR? 

Top Ten Tuesday #5: Top eight authors I own the most books of

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Each week, they will post a new Top Ten list that one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join, just link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top eight authors I own the most books of

I'm not going to include digital copies here, or else I'd never finish counting. Only physical copies count on my list. 

               1. Marc Levy

He is one of my favorite authors of all time, actually. I own 13 of his books and I hope he'll keep on writing for a long time to come. He's one of the authors I rely on to make me laugh and cry and also teach me something with every book. He's also one of the few authors I don't get tired of rereading, even if I already know his books by heart.

               2. Sophie Kinsella

Another amazing author. I own 12 of her books and they actually have a special shelf that no other author's books is "allowed" to sit on. Yeah, it might seem strange, but the publisher I got them from made the smart choice to print all of her books with matching covers, so my OCD is tickled ten times more than it's used to :P 

               3. Charlaine Harris

For those who don't know she wrote the Southern Vampires Mysteries, the first big series I ever read and the one that introduced me to the magical world of urban fantasy. It was also the very first series I read in which many of my hopes came true when it came about vampires (if you're wondering, all of the vampires I've previously read about couldn't have sex. Poor guys, right?) I own the entire series (13 books). I don't see myself finishing it (because I heard how the series ended and honestly I've been rooting for that Viking vampire for so long, I can't bring myself to read anything else than a HEA for him), but this series will always hold a special place in my heart.

               4. J. R. R. Tolkien

I can't not mention another of my favorite authors. I own 7 of his books and I am anxiously waiting to get my hands on his other books. 

               5. Anne Rice

This is the author that started my love for vampires. I picked up one of her books out of curiosity and her vampires made me love them and fear them at the same time. It's also why I love these creatures so much. I own 7 of her books. Unfortunately I don't have her entire Vampire Chronicles series, but I hope one day I'll own the ones that I'm missing.

               6. J. K. Rowling

I think it's only natural Rowling is on this list. I own 8 of her books and I'm starting to warm up to the idea of getting the newer books as well. I hope I'll like them, I don't know yet. I'm also one of those people that still hope she'll one day return to Hogwarts :D

               7. William Shakespeare

These are actually my grandmother's books and they're actually older than me. I think they're older than my Mom, too. They're on a big shelf in my hallway and they're taking up an entire row. I have no idea how many books there are, really. But they're old and they smell like heaven to me :D

               8.  Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Ok, I think I flooded Twitter with my love for The Caster Chronicles series, but I do. I love it so much. I own the entire series and I'm now waiting for the nice people working at the post office to deliver me the Dangerous Creatures book.

What authors take up the most shelf space in your house?

Top Ten Tuesday #4: Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR List!

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Each week, they will post a new Top Ten list that one of the bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join, just link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Four Books On My Fall TBR List! 

This is a pretty hard post, because I'm battling bookhangover. As you know I loved Sherrilyn Kenyon's Styxx and right now, there aren't so many books that call to me. I'm pretty sure that once it passes, I'll be able to recognize the books I'm very anxious about, but so far, almost two weeks after I've read that book, I'm still not over it *blushes*

1. Reaver - Larissa Ione - It's Reaver. Seriously, I need to say more than that?
2. The Edge of Always - J.A. Redmerski - I loved The Edge Of Never and I am so looking forward to more Andrew and very good song suggestions :D But mostly Andrew
   
3. The Fiery Heart - Richelle Mead - Now, I know I didn't read The Indigo Spell, but there's a good reason for it: I know how hard it is to wait for the "next" book in this series, so I decided I'd better have two installments to read at once than just bite my nails in between the two. It's not a pretty sight!
4. Tandem - Anna Jarzab - When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of something like this happening, only the good parts in those other me versions would come into my life. Naturally, I have to read this book :D

What about you? What books are you impatiently waiting for this fall?