Top Ten Tuesday

Rocks, Rock Bands, A Cappella and Tolstoy — Books I Enjoyed but Rarely Talk About {Top Ten Tuesday}

20200415 Books I Enjoyed But Rarely Talk About

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Hi everybody, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!

Today I give the spotlight to some books that I read and enjoyed, and yet never really seem to talk about. Which is a shame, because they are precious as well. So today, I present to you 12 books that, even though I don’t talk about them often, are pretty awesome and deserve some love too!

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston Going Off-Script by Jen Wilde Josh and Hazel's Guide To Not Dating by Christina Lauren

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston

10 Blind Dates is a YA Christmas romance about a girl whose boyfriend breaks up with her right before Christmas so her (huge and super fun) family decides to set her up on 10 blind dates until New Years to get her mind off of it. This was super fun, especially the big family and all their shenanigans. I highly enjoyed this fluffy book.

Going Off Script by Jen Wilde

This was a super fun LGBTQ contemporary about a girl interning as a script-writer for a tv-show, who fights against the straight-washing of a beloved new character.

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

Though Autoboyography still holds the spot of my number one Christina Lauren book, Josh and Hazel now take second place with their adorable friend-to-lovers romance. Hazel was such a refreshing and unique character and I loved her instantly. Josh was a sweetheart and together they were glorious.

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson Rock by Anyta Sunday I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

If the beautiful cover alone doesn’t convince you this is a magical book, then let me tell you that this standalone fantasy was an absolutely gorgeous and enchanting read. I loved the exquisite and unique worldbuilding, though I wanted just a bit more development in the romance department. Really liked it overall though!

Rock by Anyta Sunday

Rock is an m/m romance with an exquisitely done slow burn. The story is about Cooper and starts when he is twelve. When his parents divorce, he finds himself living one week with his mother and one week with his father…and his girlfriend and her son, Jace. Though Cooper and Jace get off to a rocky start (heh), they eventually become very close friends and even more. The story follows them throughout the years, from the time they are kids until they are in college. I’m a sucker for slow burn romances and I did thoroughly enjoy this one. There’s just one thing that irked me a bit, but I can’t say because of spoilers, that kept me from giving it a full five stars.

I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman

Though I mostly tend to rave about Radio Silence or Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, I should also give some more love to I Was Born For This! I adored this book about a fictional band and a fangirl. The fandom aspect was handled so well, the characters were THE BEST, the diversity was amazing and the focus on friendship owned my heart.

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee Want by Cindy Pon The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee

This book should be on everyone’s radar. Seriously. I ADORED it. It’s such a fun read in so many ways that I could keep raving about it forever. We have a hetero romantic asexual main character. I repeat, we have ace representation. Romantic ace rep. GREAT romantic ace rep. Did I mention the fabulous ace rep? But also great friendship and family dynamics, a lovely ‘behind-the-scenes’ look into the making of a Youtube web series and lots of Tolstoy references. I’m in love.

Want by Cindy Pon

Truthfully, sci-fi isn’t always my thing. But Want stole my heart right from the start. It’s got everything I love in a story, so what if it didn’t have my usual dragons or castles? It had a kick-ass heist story and amazing group dynamics! That’s like the fastest way to my heart. So the hype is real. This book is definitely one of my favorites of 2017 (and yet I am still to read the sequel *oops*)

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

The Forbidden Wish was a great YA fantasy standalone. It’s definitely a must-read for anyone who loves the story of Aladdin, a gorgeous middle Eastern setting, lush and vivid writing, powerful magic, swoony romance and a lovely dash of girl power.

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson how-to-repair-a-mechanical-heart-by-j-c-lillis

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate

OMG, this was just THE BEST! If you love adorable stories, important issues discussed while still being cute and fluffy, diversity, cross-dressing, music and amazing friend groups, this is the story for you!

I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

Overall, I just felt like this book was a piece of art itself. It’s a masterpiece: a story of family, tragedy, growing apart and coming together, love and loss, endings and new beginnings. And art. A whole lot of gorgeous, breath-taking, life-changing art.

How To Repair A Mechanical Heart by J.C. Lillis

How To Repair A Mechanical Heart was such a heart-warming and hilarious look into fandom life. It’s funny, it’s quirky, it’s unapologetically fangirly. It has so much heart. And it’s basically one big roadtrip. What’s not to love?

Tell Me:
Do you love any of these books?

Lindsey xoxo

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17 Comments

  1. I liked Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde so I really should give this one a shot. And I had Radio Silence on my list. 🙂

    I’ve liked several of Jessica Khoury’s books!

  2. I’m still hesitant on An Enchantment of Ravens but I did love Sorcery of Thorns so there is that. How to repair a mechanical heart sounds great!

  3. Totally agree about I’ll Give You the Sun– definitely a piece of art. I wish Jandy Nelson had something else out, so I could bask in her greatness again 🙂

    Also, Noteworthy sounds great!! I read one that author’s other books and wasn’t in love with it, but maybe that was just a fluke thing.

  4. I LOVED An Enchantment of Ravens! That book more or less secured that I was going to buy and devour anything Margaret Rogerson writes. Have you read Sorcery of Thorns by her yet? I loved it more than An Enchantment (which seems impossible, I know, but it is the TRUTH!) Magical and Dangerous Libraries, Demon Butlers and Magicians. I’m in love with it.

    I haven’t read any of the other books on this list (a crime) but you bet I’ve added them to my TBR now!

    Great list! Happy Reading!! <3

  5. I feel the same way about I’ll Give You the Sun!! I read it years ago but have such fond memories of reading it on a family road trip and I still think about it sometimes. Anyways, great list!

  6. I wasn’t a massive fan of An Enchantment of Ravens, but I’m glad you enjoyed it more than I did.

  7. I’ll Give You the Sun! Heart!

  8. Thanks for sharing this interesting list!
    The forbidden Wish is definitely one I’ll be adding to my wishlist! I got rid of my copy of an enchantment of ravens because I didn’t think I’d ever get around to read it, but now I’m bummed out that I gave it away haha. Josh + Hazel’s guide to not dating is on my wishlist. So curious about that one. Loved Christina Lauren’s books what I’ve read so far.

  9. Wow, Rock sounds good.

    My TTT.

  10. Great list! I need to read Tash Hearts Tolstoy, and I want to try Going Off Script too.

  11. I haven’t read any of these, but several of them are on my TBR list. I’ll get to them someday!

    Happy TTT!

    Susan
    http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

  12. So happy to see An Enchantment of Ravens on your post too!
    My TTT

  13. Josh & Hazel was so good. I really should talk about that one more, too.

  14. I loved Want – i can’t wait to read the sequel.

    Lauren @ Always Me

  15. 10 Blind Dates is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year – so cute.

    My TTT post! 

  16. I haven’t read Rock, but I do love Anyta Sunday in general. I also loved I’ll Give You the Sun. Josh and Hazel is on my list of things to read!

    -Lauren

  17. I’ve got the first two of these sitting on my shelves so I’m pleased to see you enjoyed them!

    I also really enjoyed Noteworthy when I read it

    Here’s my TTT!

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