10 To Check Out: To Be Read

Hey guys! 10 To Check Out is here!

The topic this time is simple! Ten books that I want to read and that I think you'd probably add to your to read list as well!

Here goes! As per usual, each title links to the Goodreads page for the book. Deviating from course however, this time 10 To Check Out features all books from my to read piles instead of a mix of books read and not read. Perhaps, we can all discover them together. :)

 On Dublin Street Dreaming Awake Love You Hate You Miss You Fall for Anything The Otherworldlies


7 Clues to Winning You Every Day Dearly, Beloved Wanderlove The Raven Boys



1. On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

I KNOW it's not YA but come on, I so want to read this. Definitely for 17-18 and older.
Jocelyn Butler has been hiding from her past for years. But all her secrets are about to be laid bare…

Four years ago, Jocelyn left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Scotland, burying her grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without attachments. Her solitary life is working well—until she moves into a new apartment on Dublin Street where she meets a man who shakes her carefully guarded world to its core.

Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he’s determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. Knowing how skittish she is about entering a relationship, Braden proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.

But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, she realizes that Braden won’t be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her… down to the very soul.


2. Dreaming Awake (Falling Under #2) by Gwen Hayes
This is the second in the Fallen Under series. I haven't read the first yet either but I so want to read them both.

She fell for him in a nighttime world. But the time for dreaming is past—and the here-and-now can be just as fragile their love…

When Theia Alderson first encountered a mysterious, handsome boy in her dreams, she never imagined how finding Haden Black—and falling in love—could change her life. To save Haden, Theia sacrificed everything. And the dangerous bargain she made could have lasting repercussions.

Now Theia has returned to Serendipity Falls, and she finds herself struggling with the same deadly hungers that have tortured Haden. When students at their high school fall prey to a mysterious illness, Theia can’t help but wonder if Haden’s control is slipping—and how much longer she’ll have a grip on her own.

And still the nightmare realm of Under won’t let them go. Someone from Haden’s past is determined to destroy Theia from the inside out, starting with those closest to her, forcing Theia to choose between family and friends and a love that may have been doomed from the start…


3. Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott
It's an Elizabeth Scott book! How could this not make a list?!

Get this, I'm supposed to be starting a journal about "my journey." Please. I can see it now: "Dear Diary, As I'm set adrift on this crazy sea called "life"" . . . I don't think so.

It's been seventy-five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her.

And she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone now, and she doesn't want to talk about it. They wouldn't get it, anyway. They wouldn't understand what it feels like to have your best friend ripped away from you.

They wouldn't understand what it feels like to know it's your fault.

Amy's shrink thinks it would help to start a diary. Instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia.

But as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past wasn't as perfect as she thought it was--and the present deserves a chance too



4. Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

5. The Otherworldlies by Jennifer Anne Kolger

Fern communicates with her dog, blisters from just moments in the sun, and has correctly predicted the daily weather for more than two years. Even so, she's always seemed to be a normal twelve-year-old girl . . . until one day when Fern closes her eyes in class and opens them seconds later on a sandy beach miles away from school. When Fern disappears again, this time to a place far more dangerous, she begins to realize exactly "how" different she is.

With the help of her twin brother, Sam, Fern struggles to gain control of her supernatural powers. The arrival of a sinister vampire in town--who seems to have an alarming interest in Fern's powers--causes Fern to question her true identity. Who "is" she? More importantly, who can she count on? Soon Fern finds herself in the middle of a centuries-old battle--one that could destroy Fern and endanger everyone she loves


6. 7 Clues To Winning You by Kristin Walker

When a humiliating picture of Blythe goes viral, she's instantly the target of ridicule at her new school. To salvage her reputation, Blythe teams up with Luke to win the Senior Scramble scavenger hunt. But Luke is an unlikely ally and potentially can't be trusted.

Perhaps it's his Shakespearean witticisms that reel Blythe in despite her better judgment . . . or maybe she just craves the thrill of the game. But as the hunt progresses, their relationship heats up. Soon their madcap mischief spirals out of control. Blythe is faced with arrest and expulsion, among other catastrophes - until Luke shows her what the Scramble (and love) is really about


7. Every Day by David Levithan
I just love me a Levithan novel. Unforunately, I haven't picked up Every Day yet, which I believe is his latest.
Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

8. Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel
Dearly, Beloved, # 2 in Habel's series seems just as enticing as the first.

Can the living coexist with the living dead?

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.

As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the virus—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the apocalypse.

9. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

10. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!



Hey everyone! Welcome to Mera's YA Book List, or welcome back if you're a Lister!

Today, we are participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop, hosted by the awesomeness that is I Am A Reader, Not A Writer as well as the spectacular Diary of A Bookworm. This hop runs from October 24th to Halloween itself, and is filled with tons of treats! The Spooktacular Giveaway Hop is one of the biggests hops of the year, with over 500 blogs participating. That means there's an unimaginable amount of prizes being given away!

Here we are given away a ton a swag! Three of you lucky followers will be getting an awesome swag pack, full of bookmarks, pencils, some halloween-ish fun, and some assorted swaginess.

Revel in the corniness of my non-words, lol.

Besides that, two winners will get a few bookmarks as well!

Bookmarks for all packs include bookmarks for authors such as Lily Crussell, Meg Mims, Felicia Rogers, Samantha Combs, and tons more!

So that's 5 winners, all receiving 5 unique swag packs! Pretty good if I say so myself!

Unfortunately, for the bigger swag packs the prizes are for U.S. entries only!
The prizes for the last two winners however are international!

I'm not done yet though!

Two additional winners will receive electronic copies of my book, Dreams, Smiles, and Bloody Tears!

One additional winner will receive a list of free Kindle e-books personally compiled by me, based on their individual likes when it comes to books and genres, as well as the opportunity to receive e-book loans from me for all of November!

So, that equals 8, count it, 8 winners winning some awesome treats! I think that's pretty awesome for a book loving trick or treater!

So, now to the rules.

-As previously mentioned, prizes 1-3 are U.S. only.
-Prizes 4-8 are international. If you're US you can enter both.
-Allow up to 2 or so weeks for delivery (though it shouldn't take that long)
-You can enter for all of the prizes available to you, but no duplicate wins will occur.
- If prize isn't claimed in an appropriate time (usually 72 hours at the least), the prize will be given to an alternate winner or saved for the future.


Finally, please enter only the giveaways you are interested in, and excuse any thing I forget to add to the rules, if that occurs.

Enter the rafflecopters below for the chance to win!

Rafflecopter #1 (US & Canada  ONLY)



a Rafflecopter giveaway


 Rafflecopter #2 (INTERNATIONAL)


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks to all of you for checking out our page! Fun fact: Mera's YA Book List is #78 on the hop list!

Keep hopping! Click the links on the linky below to continue hopping or check I Am A Reader, Not A Writer using the aforementioned link !

Love you all, and hope you have an exciting Spooktacular Halloween!

~Mera


 

My Newest Books!

Hey Listers! I haven't done a My Newest Books post on the blog in a while, just the FB page, so here's the latest! This list will include my most recent books, including Kindle freebies and books I've bought :) Links lead to the Amazon page for each book! I'm not adding books for review because it'd take forever for you all (and me) to get through this list! You can check out those books on the Review List as they go up! :)

Books Bought

I got a bunch of books on sale from Amazon.com

These are:

Roses and Bones: Myths, Tales, and Secrets (Bind Up) Easy Instructions for a Broken Heart Saving Juliet iDrakula Boy Heaven Lipstick Apology

1. Roses and Bones: Myths, Tales, and Secrets (Bind Up)
by Francesca Lia Block

2. Easy
by Tammara Webber

3. Instructions for a Broken Heart
by Kim Culbertson
 
4.  Saving Juliet
by Suzanne Selfors

5. iDrakula
by Bekka Black

6. Boy Heaven
by Laura Kasischke
 
7.  Lipstick Apology
by Jennifer Jabaley

I bought three books from Ollie's:


 Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1)   The Catastrophic History of You and Me  Dream Factory

1. Vampire Academy





2. The Catastrophic History of You And Me


3. Dream Factory
by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler


 These were Kindle freebies I couldn't pass up:
1.
Just Like Heaven
By: Clarissa Carlyle


2.
Forever Mine (The Moreno Brothers)
By: Elizabeth Reyes

3. Lovesessed[Kindle Edition]
By: Pamela Diane King

4.  Hidden Gem #1[Kindle Edition]
By: India Lee

5.  Single-minded (Single Girls, book three)[Kindle Edition]
By: Veronica Blade

6.  The Princes of Tangleforest[Kindle Edition]
By: Dorlana Vann

7.  How Huge the Night[Kindle Edition]
By: Heather Munn, Lydia Munn

8.  Stained (YA Paranormal Romance) (Stained Series)[Kindle Edition]
By: Ella James

9.  Dirty Blood[Kindle Edition]
By: Heather Hildenbrand

10.  Gravity (Gravity Series #1) (The Gravity Series)[Kindle Edition]
By: Abigail Boyd

11.  Merminia[Kindle Edition]
By: Emm Cole

12.  Dearly Loved[Kindle Edition]
By: Bonnie Blythe

13.  Mandy Dru - The Clue in the Mini-Fridge (Mandy Dru Mysteries, #1)[Kindle Edition]
By: Jill Bonner

14.  Mandy Dru - The Zumba Mystery (Mandy Dru Mysteries, #2)[Kindle Edition]
By: Jill Bonner

15.  Mandy Dru - The Secret of the Mismarked Grave (Mandy Dru Mysteries, #3)[Kindle Edition]
By: Jill Bonner



Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio (NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012).

Ten-year-old August Pullman is nervous about starting fifth grade after being homeschooled all his life.  He knows he looks different from other kids, even frightening, because of congenital facial deformities, but deep down he feels like an ordinary kid, and he wants to be treated like one. He visits Beecher Prep before school starts and the middle school director, Mr. Tushman, has arranged for several students to show Auggie around and then help him over the first few days.  While the arranged friendships don't work out as planned, another student befriends him, and eventually a few more, until at last nearly everyone learns to see past the deformity and value Auggie for who he is--a super, nice, funny kid.

First off, hats off to Palacio for her incredible handling of such a sensitive topic. Most places wouldn't consider fifth grade middle school the way this book does, but it is the perfect grade for a book on this topic because kids are a lot more forgiving at ten than at thirteen, when being like everyone else and fitting in become much, much more crucial. Not that all of the characters are able to see past Auggie's appearance.  One boy in particular bullies Auggie and instigates some aggression. Auggie is a wonderful character, funny and heart breaking by turns, and I loved reading his perspective.  His sense of humor makes him engaging for readers and lends credibility to his developing friendships.  What made the book brilliant, though, is the varying perspectives of so many characters, some of whom seem peripheral, but whose viewpoints show how actions beget more actions.  This includes how Auggie's parents' actions have impacted their family life and how his older sister has adapted. Further, all the characters are brutally honest about their initial reactions to Auggie's appearance and then how their feelings change as they get to know him. None of the adults serve as narrators, so the novel is truly kidcentric, even as adults obviously guide some of the events.

This book is virtually guaranteed to win many awards and land on many best and recommended lists. It would make a great readaloud, especially at school where issues like bullying and judging people by their appearance could be usefully discussed.  Overall, it's a wonderful read for ages nine and up.