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Top Ten Authors On My Auto-Buy List
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that’s all about lists, and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Auto-Buy authors – those authors whose work you love so much you’d buy any of their books, just on name alone. When I read the topic I immediately thought of a handful of authors that I read no questions asked, and it’s a fun topic to consider.
These authors are Auto-Buy all the way for me:
1. Richelle Mead – Books: Vampire Academy, Bloodlines, and Georgina Kincaid series - I love them all. Can’t wait to spend a little time with my kindle and catch up on Gameboard of the Gods. I’ll happily read anything Mead decides to write- wonder if she’ll 
ever try out Contemporary! Love her characters, and all the angst, action, and romance.
2. Jennifer Echols – Books: My favorites are Such a Rush and Going Too Far, and this year looks to be huge for Echols. I preordered her first romantic comedy for adults Starcrossed, (See? Auto-buy) and it’s out today! Next is the New Adult Levitating Las Vegas, followed by the YA drama Dirty Little Secrets. And yes, I’ll read them all. She writes some of my favorite contemporary romances, with very unique settings.
3. Gayle Forman – Books: If I Stay, Where She Went, Just One Day – these are my kinds of books. If I Stay actually is one of the books that got my into YA in the first place and will always hold a special place in my heart. Just One Day is a gorgeous read, and the wait for Just One Year is a killer. I like that Forman touches on mature topics that appeal to a New Adult audience. I hope she always writes Contemporary YA/NA but would love to see her write an Adult novel as well.
4. Lauren Oliver – Books: Before I Fall, Delirium trilogy, Liesl & Po, The Spindlers. Oliver won me over with Before I Fall and Delirium & I love that she’s unafraid to try her hand at writing every category, such as Middle Grade, and she’s even 
writing her first Adult novel, Rooms, due out in 2014. Lauren Oliver as an auto-buy favorite is a no-brainer.
5. Colleen Hoover – Books: Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless. Last year at this time I’d never heard of this author, but now after reading these three books she’s on the auto-buy list for sure. One of my favorite New Adult authors I’ve read and I’m happy for all her success. Love the emotional connection I feel to her stories and characters. Looking forward to This Girl (Slammed in Will’s POV) in April, and Hopeless #2 (Holder’s POV) in July.
6. Jennifer L. Armentrout – Books: The Lux Series is one of my favorites, and I like that Armentrout also writes New Adult under J. Lynn, like the forthcoming Wait for You and Frigid. Paranormal is not my preferred genre but I will read her paranormal series for the characters, action, drama and romance, and eagerly await her new contemporary books.
7. David Levithan – Books: Every Day, The Lover’s Dictionary, and his co-written books Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, and Will Grayson. And there’s so many books I still need to check out from Levithan! I admire that he’s always trying something new; he writes strong gay characters, and his books have crossover appeal. Looking forward to this spring’s Invisibility (with Andrea Cremer) and this fall’s Two Boys Kissing.
8. John Green – Books: The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, the co-written Will Grayson, and the ones I still have yet to read. Watching the Vlogbrothers also got me interested in Green’s work. I have all of Green’s books to-date on my shelf and just wish he’d put out books a little more often. His writing is smart and I love that he doesn’t talk down to his 
readers. Can’t wait to hear about his next book!
9. Stephanie Perkins – Books: Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and this fall’s Isla and the Happily Ever After (finally!) I’ve only read her two published books so far, but can’t imagine not trying out anything she chooses to write. Her characters, swoon-filled romance, witty dialogue and city settings all appeal to me. And wasn’t there talk about Perkins writing a horror novel?
10. Auto-Buy Audiobook Narrator – Emma Galvin – About a third of my reading is done via audiobook, and I have some favorite narrators that I’ll follow to any genre. My favorite YA narrator no question is Emma Galvin, and I’ve followed her from YA to Romance, Mystery, and Middle Grade all on the strength of her narration. Some of my top picks are Divergent, Hold Still, and Probability of Miracles, and I’m eager to check out Winter’s Bone sometime soon. I couldn’t bring myself to pick up the Snooki book though, lol.
Those are my Auto-Buy picks, who are your Auto-Buy authors? Do we have any in common?
Just One Day by Gayle Forman Audiobook Review
Book: Just One Day by Gayle Forman, Penguin Audio, January 3, 2013
Audiobook Info: YA Contemporary, Own audiobook. Audio length: 10 hours 29 minutes, read by Kathleen McInerney. Also available in hardcover & ebook from Dutton Juvenile.
Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars
More Info: Audible | Goodreads | Amazon | Just One Day & Just One Year FB page
Gayle Forman’s latest book Just One Day explores how your life can change seemingly overnight. A story with mystery, adventure and romance, Just One Day follows Allyson as she gets lost and found again in Paris.
The story begins with Allyson’s trip to Europe one summer before college. She’s always been a girl who follows the rules and doesn’t veer from her chosen path. But in Europe she starts to get a little more adventurous, and her edgy new haircut allows her to try on a new persona.
Allyson meets Dutch actor Willem and makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to abandon her existing travel plans and go with him by train to spend the day in Paris. Willem doesn’t even know Allyson’s real name, and calls her Lulu for her Louise Brooks haircut. Willem is quite mysterious himself and Allyson is constantly second-guessing her decision to go off with him. When she wakes up the next morning to find Willem missing, it sets into motion a new path for Allyson.
Willem seemed like a shady character to me, but I could see how Allyson could be so charmed by him. The sights and sounds of Paris were the perfect romantic backdrop for their adventure, and Allyson enjoys feeling like the leading lady in the movie (or Shakespeare play) for the first time. Part of the appeal is that the reader doesn’t really know if they can trust Willem and it’s easy to get swept up in the romance and mystery of it all with Allyson.
Many of the themes found in Just One Day lend themselves well to the New Adult niche, especially with regards to finding yourself. Allyson is just starting college and living away from home for the first time. The aftershocks of her day in Paris with Willem impact her schoolwork and social life completely. Allyson also has to deal with a new relationship with her parents, especially her mother who is used to being in charge of her life. Even her friend alliances and school focus shifts. But can Allyson move forward with her life if she doesn’t resolve her past with Willem? Or is Willem not the point at all in Allyson’s self-development?
Just One Day has Forman’s trademark dramatic intensity but didn’t make me cry like If I Stay. The book is gorgeously written and made me feel all of Allyson’s changing moods. The nature of the book makes it a good fit to read in one day if you have the time, and especially because you’ll want to see it through to the end. But the weightiness of it all made me want to take little breaks to really digest the story.
I listened to the audiobook of Just One Day, read by Kathleen McInerney, a new-to-me narrator. McInerney got into the character well, and sounded like a young, naïve college student to me. She does get the opportunity to try a variety of accents and age ranges in her reading and makes the most of the audio format. McInerney does the heavy lifting with the pronunciations and foreign words to make things a little easier for the reader. The story does lend itself to audio, but overall I liked both the reading and listening experiences equally (I read the book first). Listening doesn’t make the torturous ending any easier though!
And about that ending, Just One Day is Allyson’s story, and in the sequel Just One Year we get to hear Willem’s side of things. If only Just One Year wasn’t nearly just one year away! (Fall 2013) If you enjoy Gayle Forman’s books, or reading about self-discovery or foreign travel, treat yourself to Just One Day.
I realized coincidentally that I’ve only spent just one day in Paris in my life, though it wasn’t nearly as eventful a day as Allyson’s. And I didn’t even get to try any of the delicious sounding macarons- speaking of which, keep some handy when you’re reading this book – you’ll be craving them.
And if you find book playlists fascinating like I do, check out the Spotify playlist Gayle Forman created for Just One Day!
Related articles
- Just One Day by Gayle Forman (thequietvoice18.wordpress.com)
- Review: Just One Day (Just One Day #1) – Gayle Forman (unconventionalbookviews.com)
- Book Rec: JUST ONE DAY (katyupperman.com)
- YA Wednesday: A Q&A with Gayle Forman (omnivoracious.com)
- Just One Day by Gayle Forman (caitieflum.wordpress.com)
Top Ten Most Anticipated 2013 Reads
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature from The Broke and the Bookish. This week we have the daunting task of counting down the most anticipated books of 2013. And I only cheated a little! (I am leaving off so many books and it kills me…)
1. Just One Day by Gayle Forman – Forman is one of my favorite contemporary authors and all the early reviews make this book sound incredible. 
2. Golden by Jessi Kirby – This one has romance and mystery, and I’m a fan of Kirby’s book In Honor and looking forward to reading more from her.
3. New Books by Jennifer Echols – Echols has 4 books due out in 2013 and you can bet I want to read them all. Here are a couple I’m particularly interested in: Star Crossed (Adult Romantic Comedy) and Dirty Little Secret (YA Romantic Drama)
4. This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith – This one sounds so sweet, and I hope it’s as good as The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.
5. Requiem by Lauren Oliver - I have a nervous excitement about this one, as with most series conclusions.
6. The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler – This does sound intriguing, and there are sisters, a forbidden crush, and motorcycles.
7. The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr – I loved How to Save a Life and the music theme of this book caught my attention.
8. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins – For the second year in a row I’m anticipating this one, and I’m sure it will be worth the wait.
9. Boundless by Cynthia Hand – What’s going to happen in the series conclusion?!
10. New books by Richelle Mead – First up is The Indigo Spell in Feb, then Gameboard of the Gods in June (Adult Paranormal), and then The Fiery Heart in the fall. Wow!
What are your 2013 must-reads?
Un-Break My Heart: Top Ten Heartbreaking Books
To commemorate Valentine’s Day, this week’s topic is Top Ten Books That Broke Your Heart A Little.
Listed in no particular order:
1. Delirium by Lauren Oliver – A Romeo & Juliet category romance that’s probably the first book I thought of for this week’s topic.
2. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma – The forbidden romance in this taboo relationship is heart wrenching.
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – An emotional and thoughtful read that brings on the tears.
4. Where She Went (and If I Stay) by Gayle Forman – The follow-up to If I Stay is somber and heartbreaking. Both books will make you cry.
5. We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han – The final book in the Summer trilogy. The series is defined by a love triangle of a girl torn between two brothers, and each book breaks your heart a little.
6. Mockingjay / The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins – Although I don’t think this series is defined by the love triangle, there are certainly heartbreaking moments in terms of romance and great loss.
7. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver – A series of life do-overs becomes more meaningful and heart breaking each time.
8. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa – Meghan and Ash’s epic romance is pushed to the limits in this nail biter.
9. Blood Promise / Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead – Hard to choose which of the books in the series is the most heartbreaking. Ms. Mead knows how to bring on the angst in this vampire series that’s a cut above the rest.
10. Hallowed by Cynthia Hand – Love triangles bring on the heartbreak, and this book is no exception. A melancholy, emotional read all around.
What books break your heart?
Top Ten Books I Had Strong Emotions About
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by the nice folks at The Broke and the Bookish featuring a new top ten list each week. Everyone can participate- head on over to their blog and sign up.
This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I Had Very Strong Emotions About. I noticed while making this list that I wish there were more books that made me laugh. It was much easier to come up with books that shocked me or made me cry.
In no particular order, these are some books I had strong emotions about:
1. If I Stay by Gayle Forman – This one was a real tearjerker for me. An emotional and touching read.
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins – Such a shocker ending. I had strong reactions to all 3 books in the trilogy actually, but I remember being surprised by Catching Fire especially and the game changing ending. That was a long agonizing wait for Mockingjay.
3. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma – A gripping, powerful and heart wrenching read. This one’s sure to turn up on the “books outside my comfort zone” list too.
4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver – The ending of this book emotionally wrecked me and felt like a kick to the gut. I’m dying to know what happens next in the sequel Pandemonium.
5. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness – So sad and beautiful. This is an excellent, original, and emotional book about the grieving process.
6. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott – Really horrifying and disturbing story about a child abduction. Still haunts me to this day.
7. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa – I was so sad with the emotionally charged ending, and couldn’t believe it was the series conclusion. I was very relieved the author decided to add The Iron Knight to the series.
8. Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park – This book is a breath of fresh air, so witty, sweet and satisfying. I loved that the book had an older protagonist and an original and surprising story.
9. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley – I read this recently and haven’t posted a review yet, but it made a big impact on me. This is a great contemporary story that’s touching, emotional and powerful.
10. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead – All of the Vampire Academy books have some surprises, but this one had one of the biggest gut-wrenching twist endings of the series.
What are some of the books you had strong emotions about?
Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Books I Enjoyed but Never Reviewed
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish featuring a new top ten list each week. Everyone can participate- head on over to their blog and sign up.
This week’s topic is Top 10 Books you loved but never reviewed, or that you read long before you began reviewing books. I try to review all the books I read, but sometimes don’t feel that my review can do a book justice or that I have anything to say that hasn’t already been said. When I have a strong emotional reaction to a book, both positive and negative, I have trouble getting my thoughts down.
The following list includes books that I’ve read and enjoyed over the last couple years and want to shine a spotlight on, even though I never reviewed them. In no particular order:
1. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins – I loved all three books and have both read and listened to them in audio format but for some reason never wrote a review for any of them. Though most everyone has read this series by now, I have to say it holds up well through re-reads. I always discover something new.
2. The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater – Shiver was one of my favorites and I’ve recommended it a ton, but never reviewed it. I liked Linger also, and haven’t even read Forever yet. Maybe I’ll review that one.
3. If I Stay by Gayle Forman – Another book I adored and in fact it’s one of my all time favorites. I did review the follow up Where She Went though. A great, emotional read.
4. The Study series by Maria V. Snyder – I was surprised to see I did not review these, because I reviewed her other Glass series. It’s a lovely fantasy series with wonderful characters.
5. Sea by Heidi R. Kling – A sweet and emotional contemporary and romantic read that deals with the aftermath of the tsunami in Indonesia. I liked the book but just had trouble getting the words down.
6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore – One of my favorite fantasy series books. I read this before I was writing reviews, but I wrote a review for the companion book Fire. Can’t wait to read Bitterblue next year.
7. The first 3 books in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare – I enjoyed all of these books and even wrote a review of book 4 City of Fallen Angels. I think because I started the series kind of late I felt that I did not have anything more to add to what had already been said.
8. The first 2 books in the Summer series trilogy by Jenny Han – I came into the series late and only reviewed the last book in the trilogy. All of the books are very enjoyable and above average contemporary romances. Definitely recommend for those that enjoy a good love triangle.
9. The first 2 books in the Dream Catcher series trilogy by Lisa McMann – One of the first paranormal series I read. The writing style is very distinctive with a gritty and unique voice.
10. All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab – I liked this book and thought it was well written and suspenseful. It’s a good YA murder mystery and I found it refreshingly different.
What books are on your list? Why do you decide not to review a book?
In My Mailbox (17) – week ending May 14
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and she was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. It is a way to feature the books you purchased, borrowed or received for review each week.
I have been in a bit of a reading slump this month so far. I found some book bargains on Amazon, and received some interesting review books. Hopefully one of these books will snap me out of my slump:
For Review:
Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss
Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz
Minding Ben by Victoria Brown
Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz
Bought:
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Bite Club by Rachel Caine
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Sisters in Sanity by Gayle Forman
What did you get in your mailbox this week? Happy reading!
