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?

Cover Reveal: Submission Is Not Enough by Lexi Blake

 

We are so excited to bring you the cover for Submission Is Not Enough by Lexi Blake. The highly anticipated novel in the Masters & Mercenaries Series will release on October 25, 2016.

       

A fallen hero reborn 

Theo Taggart lost everything the night he died. His family, his beautiful Erin, and worst of all, he lost himself. A twisted doctor brought him back from the brink of death, but reprogrammed his identity to serve her will. Rescued by his brothers, he must fight to reclaim the man he was and the life, and love, that were stolen from him. 

A love worth fighting for 

Erin Argent thought she'd lost Theo forever. When he walked back into her life, it was nothing short of a miracle. Months of torture and conditioning at the hands of Dr. Hope McDonald have done damage to Theo that may never be mended. He has no memory of her or the life they shared. Breaking through to him, and helping him rediscover all he lost, will be the toughest mission she's ever faced. Luckily for Theo, Erin loves a good fight. 

Their reunion under siege 

Unfortunately, Hope is far from done with Theo Taggart. Obsessed with her prize experiment, she will do anything to get him back. If the only way to finally break him of his past life is to kill Erin and his son, then she's only too happy to oblige…

Now available for pre-order!

Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | Google Play

Kobo, All Romance eBooks, and Smashwords coming soon!

     

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Release Blitz: Three Little Words by Lauren Hawkeye

Lauren Hawkeye's THREE LITTLE WORDS: The Complete Series is available now for preorder! Grab it for just .99c at a special price, and get her Safe Haven boxset for free before August 7th! See more about the boxset below.

About THREE LITTLE WORDS: The Complete Series

“Hey girl, feel my sweater. Know what it’s made of? Boyfriend material." That’s right. My name is Dorian, and I’m in an Aussie band that’s kinda famous in America. That and a little know-how in between the sheets gets me all the sheilas I can handle… too bad I have my eye on one broken roller derby princess. And too bad she’s already hooked up with my roomie. -Dorian
 “There are plenty of fish in the sea. But this fish is my fish. Do not touch my fish."
The girl of my dreams is within reach again, and this time I’m determined to make her say yes—in her condo, at my apartment, in the middle of the law library during study hour (that last one was maybe not such a good idea). But Adele has changed in the years since we parted. I want her to be all mine… but the only way to make her whole again might be to… share?
-Malachi

“Skate fast. Hit hard. Get low."
That’s roller derby—and that’s easy. The rest of my life? Not so much. One life in pieces, one Aussie rocker, and one sexy ex. How do I know what to choose? And… do I really have to?”
-Adele

 The entire bestselling series now available in one complete set! 

 SPECIAL RELEASE DEAL! Send your receipt to ThreeLittleWordsSeries@gmail.com and receive a download code for the Safe Haven boxed set… that’s right! AUGUST 2- AUGUST 7 ONLY!

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes and Noble | iBooks

About Lauren Hawkeye

Lauren Hawkeye/ Lauren Jameson never imagined that she’d wind up telling stories for a living… though when she looks back, it’s easy to see that she’s the only one who is surprised. Always “the kid who read all the time”, Lauren made up stories about her favorite characters once she’d finished a book… and once spent an entire year narrating her own life internally. No, really. But where she was just plain odd before publication, now she can at least claim to have an artistic temperament.

Lauren lives in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada with her husband, toddler, pit bull and idiot cat, though they do not live in an igloo, nor do they drive a dogsled. In her nonexistent spare time Lauren can be found knitting (her husband claims that her snobby yarn collection is exorbitant), reading anything she can get her hands on, or sweating her way through spin class. She loves to hear from her readers!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Reader Group

ARC August: Sign up Post

ARC August starts today and let me tell you, I have waited for this for a long time. Now, I know what I said two years ago, about giving up ARCs and all of that, but I'm a book addict okay? And ARCs are my drug of choice. So, as you can probably tell, I have a lot of ARCs I need to go through, and what better way to do it, than in the company of so many great readers.

In case you're wondering, ARC August is an event hosted by the amazing, wonderful and awesome Octavia and Shelly from Read.Sleep.Repeat and if you want to participate, hurry up and sign up. (I admit that I signed up late, because like an idiot I forgot to make up the post. Like literally FORGOT to write it. Don't ask, working in a school kind of fried my brain).

Anyway, here are the books I hope to get to read this month (and there are a lot of books in this list, so have patience here):

Young Adult

• Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

• The Hawkweed Prophecy by Irena Brignull

• The Otherlife by Julia Gray

• Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven

• The Continent by Keira Drake

• Ink And Bone by Rachel Caine

• Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine

• Riverkeep by Martin Stewart

• How To Make Out by Brianna R. Shrum

• Extraordinary October by Diana Wagman

Adult

• Relentless Flame by Jillian David

• Flame Unleashed by Jillian David

• Flame's Dawn by Jillian David

• Wrong For Me by Jackie Ashenden

• The Illusionist's Apprentice by Kristy Cambron

• Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen

• Playing By Her Rules by Amy Andrews

• Bad Boys After Dark by Tina Moss, Ellis Leigh, Vivian Lane, Kallysten, Fionn Jameson, Shelley Munro, Nicola R. White, Bonnie Dee

• Son Of Thunder by Libby Bishop

• Lure Of Obsession by Lisa Kessler

• Mastering Darkness by Kate Wendley

• Abandoned Darkness by Kate Wendley

• Chaos Rises by Pippa DaCosta

Comic Books

• Monstress issues #3, #4, #5 & #6 by Marjorie Liu

In case you didn't count, that's 27 books. Actually more, since Bad Boys After Dark is actually a collection of 8 full-length books, so 34 books to read for ARC August. Good thing I'm on vacation, right?

Are you joining on the fun? What does your TBR for this challenge look like?

Book Review: #Static by Eric Laster

Author: Eric Laster
Series: N/A
Genre: YA, Mystery & Thrillers
Publisher: Automatic Publishing
Release Date: 19 Apr 2016
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

When Curtis Brooks starts receiving phone calls from his older brother Wilt, who’s been dead a week, he’s sure it’s to help him find evidence that will lead to a murderer’s arrest. But Wilt claims he wasn’t murdered; his calling, meant to help him adjust, is standard protocol for newly deceased at the Aftermart—a kind of inescapable, ever-expanding Walmart filled with discontinued products.

Wilt’s death ruled a homicide, Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer, which soon has him scheming against a billionaire and floundering toward love with his brother’s ex-girlfriend Suzy, all while struggling through high school and his single mom’s poor choices.

Why does Wilt help Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organizes a rebellion at the Aftermart? Who’d wanted him dead? Curtis risks his life to answer these questions, in the process forging a bond with his brother unlike any they’ve ever had.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Automatic Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book in any way.

As soon as I saw the description on Netgalley I was intrigued, because the theme of a dead person being able to call a loved one is one that I haven't read much about. I was also a bit confused by the genre, because surely a book that talks about receiving phone calls from the dead has a little bit of fantasy in it, right? Or horror, depends on how you look at it.

It was interesting to read an entire story from a boy's POV. I found it a bit strange at times, but I definitely found it an interesting and good change from what I normally read.

I thought Curtis was a fascinating character. He had moments when he frustrated me, but for the most part I rooted for him and hoped he'd succeed in what he was doing. The story reveals a lot of things about Curtis that made me question some of the things about the story. I feel like, in the end, he does the best he can with the cards he was dealt. His parents are far from perfect, his life in general sucks. The fact that his brother died is important, but I feel like the fact that he got these phone calls from Wilt helped him cope or at least ignore the fact that Wilt isn't physically there for him when he needs him the most.

Remember when I said that I was confused by the genre? Well, the story itself left me with a lot of doubts regarding these phone calls. I kept wondering, mostly because of some of the details that emerged about Curtis throughout the book, if those phone calls were real. Which in a way I thought was brilliant, because then, depending on what you want to believe, there's two ways in which you can see the book. Either Curtis was completely delusional, or he really was talking to his dead brother on the phone.

I felt like the pace was a little too slow for my taste, and the ending turned out to be completely not what I imagined. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I expected.

My only issue was with the parents in this book. I would've wanted at least one of the parents to be somewhat normal, or at least true, mature adults. Actually, now that I think about it, all of the adults in this book weren't exactly role models, or even adults per se.

Anyway, I thought the book was okay and if you're fans of YA mysteries, you should definitely check it out and let me know what you think.

Release Blitz: Touch Me #3 by Skye Malone

Title: Touch Me #3 by Skye Malone
Series: Touch Me
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Wildflower Isle
Publication Date: February 18, 2015
Cover Designer: Karri Klawiter

Monsters walk among us.

And now they have Ruby.

Best friend. Confidant. Ally when everything in my life felt like hell. There are very few people I trust.

And none of them come close to Ruby.

But now demons have her. House Volgert has taken her, demanding that I serve as their emissary to the equally dangerous and terrifying House Linden. But Linden is after me too.

I’m stuck between two titans of the demon world. I’m running out of options and I’m running out of time. But when I find out what demons do to the humans they capture, the nightmare gets even worse.

If I don’t find Ruby soon, it won’t matter if she escapes the Houses.

I’m still going to lose her forever.

**Touch Me 3 is the third installment of a New Adult paranormal romance serial filled with twists, turns, and dark surprises. This episode is 30,000 words (approximately 125 pages) long.**

**Due to strong language and some sexual situations in this and later installments of the series, it is appropriate for readers 18+.**

Purchase

Amazon | Kobo | iTunes

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The Touch Me Series

Currently FREE

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

***

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

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About the Author

Skye Malone is a fantasy and paranormal romance author, which means she spends most of her time not-quite-convinced that the magical things she imagines couldn’t actually exist.

A Midwestern girl who migrated to the Pacific Northwest, she hopes someday to travel the world — though in the meantime she’ll take any story that whisks her off to a place where the fantastic lives inside the everyday. She loves strong and passionate characters, complex villains, and satisfying endings that stay with you long after the book is closed. An inveterate writer, she can’t go a day without getting her hands on a keyboard, and can usually be found typing away while she listens to all the adventures unfolding in her head.

Skye also writes YA urban fantasy as Megan Joel Peterson and is the author of The Children and the Blood trilogy.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Tsu | Google+ | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook

About.Me | Goodreads

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Excerpt

          

          Amar is studying me. His hand moves, taking my own carefully like he’s afraid I’ll pull away. And I freeze. The look in his eyes… it’s like I’m all he sees. Me, now. Me, then, back in that restroom, alone in the moments before Ruby walked in. But there’s no pity in his gaze. Just something else, dark and deep.

          Safety.

          I can’t breathe. My thoughts are trying to catch up to my impressions, struggling to put words to a man so unfathomable it should be funny. I don’t know what he wants, though. To kiss me? To have sex? Somewhere inside, I’m still ready for that, but that part of me feels like it’s drowning in the nightmare of this evening, the exhaustion of all the hours since, and the rawness of what I’ve just said.

          He lifts his other hand, taking my cheek, and his thumb strays across my lips, parting them while his eyes track the motion. My heart slams into my ribs. Even the simple contact makes my insides start to burn. Maybe I’m drowning in all this madness.

          Maybe I just need something good to hang onto.

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Giveaway

• You could win a ’DEMONS: Not all of us are evil’ watch, water bottle, and signed bookmarks, plus a $25 Amazon gift card!
• A second prize winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card.
• Open Internationally
• Giveaway ends August 1st

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