Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Just Had to Have But Still Haven't Read Yet

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish.  This feature was created because they're particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish (and who isn't?). They're all about creating new lists including a little bit of everything and I've been meaning to participate for so long but always seemed to get behind.  So here we are and hopefully you'll head over to their page and check out what everyone else put up for this week's Top Ten.

So we've all been there.  You countdown until a new release comes out and go straight to the bookstore the first chance you get.  Once you're inside is another story.  I almost never walk out of the store without at least two books in tow.  Now getting them all read quickly is a completely different ball game.

Had To Have Pick #1:  Stolen Nights (Vampire Queen, #2) by Rebecca Maizel

Lenah Beaudonte should be dead. But having sacrificed herself to save another, she finds herself awakening with strange powers that are neither vampire nor human—and a new enemy on her trail. In her vampire life, Lenah had thought that being human was all she ever wanted; but the human heart suffers pain, heartbreak and loss. 

With her new powers growing and the dark force of the Nex after her soul, Lenah faces a choice: between the mortal love of gorgeous Justin, whose passion fed her human soul, and taking a different path to become the mistress of her own destiny, wherever that may lead...

In fairness, I was over the moon when I received this ARC and couldn't wait to get started.  But I started it up and within the first chapter I realized it was going to make me sad.  At the time I was looking for a more upbeat read and had to put it down temporarily.  I'm not ready for it yet.

Had To Have Pick #2:  The Calling (Darkness Rising, #2) by Kelley Armstrong

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is -a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

In THE CALLING, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of THE GATHERING clamoring for more.

I think my problem here resulted in too much time passing in between the first series installment and this release.  If I had been able to pick this one up as soon as I finished the first it would have been different but by the time I got this one I knew I needed a refresher before diving in.

Had To Have Pick #3:  The Trust (Secret Society, #2) by Tom Dolby

Who can you trust when everything is secrets and lies?

It's a new semester at the Chadwick School, and even with the ankh tattoos that brand them, Phoebe, Nick, Lauren, and Patch are hoping for a fresh start. Each day, however, they are reminded of their membership as new Conscripts in the Society. The secret group that promised to help them achieve their every dream has instead turned their lives into a nightmare.

Exclusive membership lost its luster as the Society revealed its agenda to them and two of their classmates were found dead. Now they can't help but wonder: Who's next? While they search for the elusive truth about the Society, the Conscripts are forced to face their darkest fear--that they truly can't get out.

Will Nick and Phoebe's new relationship endure this strain? Can Patch and Nick's longtime friendship survive the truth that will come to light? The deceptions of the group's leaders, once trusted friends, and family will test these four as they fight to leave the Society behind.

The Trust, Tom Dolby's sequel to secret society, is an alluring glimpse behind the facade of a life of entitlement, where secrets aren't merely fun--they're deadly.

Same as #2...just a little too much time in between reads for me.

Had To Have Pick #4:  Heist Society (Heist Society, #1) by Ally Carter

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

Could not wait to get this one.  I bought this one along with a few others and started those first.  Never ended up coming back to it....at least not yet.

Had To Have Pick #5:  The Summer of Shambles (Ondine, #1) by Ebony McKenna

This is a brilliantly witty story with a furry tail ending. One girl. One boy. One spell to be broken. Ondine de Groot is a normal fifteen-year-old who lives with her family in the European country of Brugel. She has a pet ferret called Shambles. But Shambles is no ordinary ferret...He's Hamish McPhee, a boy cursed by a witch. A witch who happens to be related to Ondine. 

When Shambles turns back into Hamish temporarily, Ondine knows that she has to help him break the spell. He is the most gorgeous boy she has ever met and her one true love! He just can't remain a ferret forever. Can he?

No excuse.

Had To Have Pick #6:  Viola in the Spotlight (Viola, #2) by Adriana Trigiani

I am in the midst of a conundrum.

Viola is finally where she belongs--back home in Brooklyn, where there are no khakis or sherbet-colored sweaters and people actually think her yellow flats are cool. With two whole months of nothing to do but hang with her two best friends, Andrew and Caitlin, this is going to be the best break ever!

But her BFFAA, Andrew, has started acting weird around her, and a new boyfriend has her friend Caitlin ditching her every chance she gets. When Viola's roommates from Prefect Academy show up for a visit, she starts to wonder--is Brooklyn where she wants to stay? When a tragic event shakes everyone's world, Viola realizes it's not where she belongs that matters--it's who she's with that really counts.

In this heartwarming follow-up to bestselling author Adriana Trigiani's teen debut, Viola in Reel Life, Viola just may be ready to get out from behind her trusty video camera and take the starring role in her own life.

Didn't realize it was a sequel and didn't have the first installment under my belt.

Had To Have Pick #7:  Summer In Paris by Michele Ashman Bell

Kenzie Williams feels like she has it all; wealth, friends, popularity and talent. But when her father tells her that he has declared bankruptcy, her whole world in New York City turns upside down. Her parents' solution while they sort through their financial and marital problems is to send Kenzie to live with her relatives in Paris...Idaho!

Feeling like she's been sentenced to three months in Hickville Prison, Kenzie arrives in Idaho feeling like a square peg with name brand clothes, in a round, horribly podunk, hole. 

Leaving everything she loves behind, Kenzie is forced to get up at the crack of dawn, do chores, and hang out with her cousin's loser friends. She feels like she's about to die until she meets Adam White, the town outcast, who's been accused of killing his best friend and is being blamed for some trouble that's been happening around town.

Not only is Adam the best-looking guy she's ever seen, but he's also the most fascinating guy she's ever met and Kenzie is determined to get to know him and find out his secret. But, the longer she stays in Paris, the more she realizes, Adam isn't the only one keeping secrets.

It was a giveaway prize I won and somehow got shelved and forgotten about for a while.

Had To Have Pick #8:  Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

A teen’s world comes crashing down in this compulsively readable YA debut that’s as literary as it is commercial.Gabby Gardiner wakes up in a hospital bed looking like a cautionary ad for drunk driving—and without a single memory of the accident that landed her there. But what she can recall, in frank and sardonic detail, is the year leading up to the crash.

As Gabby describes her transformation from Invisible Girl to Trendy Girl Who Dates Billy Nash (aka Most Desirable Boy Ever), she is left wondering: Why is Billy suddenly distancing himself from her? What do her classmates know that Gabby does not? Who exactly was in the car that night? And why has Gabby been left to take the fall?

As she peels back the layers of her life, Gabby begins to realize that her climb up the status ladder has been as intoxicating as it has been morally complex...and that nothing about her life is what she has imagined it to be.

Had To have Pick #9:  Rivals (The Ivy, #3) by Lauren Kunze, Rina Onur

Decisions, decisions . . . You've survived your first semester and captured the interest of not one but two of the hottest guys on campus.

Now who are you going to choose?

Callie Andrews returns for her second semester at Harvard determined to do better than the previous fall, where those Bs on her report card seemed pretty good compared to the state of her extracurriculars (F, as in if at first you don't succeed, you should probably stop trying), friendships (C-minus, since she and former BFF Vanessa are still on thin ice), and love life (D, as in don't even go there). But various campus rivalries soon threaten to thwart Callie's resolve. Will Callie ever be a match for--

Grace Lee 
the take-no-prisoners managing editor

Alessandra
the gorgeous transfer student

Clint
the guy who might just be too perfect

and Gregory
the guy who may never be perfect enough.

Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side--and a suitor--has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well?

Right after I got this one I heard through the grapevine that it wouldn't end in a way I'd like and I haven't been able to bring myself to confirm that yet.

Had To Have Pick #10:  Auracle by Gina Rosati

16 year old Anna Rogan has a secret she's only shared with her best friend, Rei; she can astrally project out of her body, allowing her spirit to explore the world and the far reaches of the universe.

When there's a fatal accident and her classmate Taylor takes over Anna's body, what was an exhilarating distraction from her repressive home life threatens to become a permanent state. Faced with a future trapped in another dimension, Anna turns to Rei for help. Now the two of them must find a way to get Anna back into her body and stop Taylor from accusing an innocent friend of murder. Together Anna and Rei form a plan but it doesn't take into account the deeper feelings that are beginning to grow between them.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they're particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish (and who isn't?). They're all about creating new lists including a little bit of everything and I've been meaning to participate for so long but always seemed to get behind. So here we are and hopefully you'll head over to their page and check out what everyone else put up for this week's Top Ten.

So this week they decided to do something similar to my countdown posts and my new finds posts, so of course I couldn't resist participating in the meme. While these ten books are ones I plan to read, I've decided to take a closer look at my bookshelves and check out which ones I have up there that I've still yet to read. Shameful I know...having books up on a shelf that I haven't had the chance to read yet, but this list will hopefully (fingers crossed) help me take care of that problem. Here are ten books that I already own and am making sure that I read from cover to cover before the end of Spring.

To Be Read Spring Book #1: Inside Out (Insider, #1) by Maria V. Snyder

Keep Your Head Down. Don't Get Noticed. Or Else. I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own...until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to-girl to lead a revolution.

Snyder is one of my all time favorite authors, and there are no words to describe how much I truly enjoy her work. With that being said I'm ashamed to admit that I first purchased this book when it was first released and for some reason have yet to crack open it's pages. I think maybe at first it was because it seemed so different from her other books as far as the plot and idea behind it that I was afraid I'd find that despite her stellar writing that it just wasn't for me. I'm an idiot! I think I'm finally ready to take the chance on this one and I'll be crossing my fingers that while it might not turn out to be similar to her other series, that I'll end up loving it all the same. We shall see.

To Be Read Spring Book #2: The Iron Queen (Iron Fey, #3) by Julie Kagawa

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

I'm not sure why I didn't keep up with this series, but somehow I missed out on this one. I've got my copy which I think was purchased right at the release date sitting on my shelf at home, but yet I never opened it up. This list, while it's nice to get myself back into books that I've forgotten about or should have read long ago it nice, it's also depressing. I'm sad that I let these books fall to the wayside, especially since I know there's a very good chance that each of them will become a part of my list of favorites. So hopefully I'll be able to get through this one quickly so that I can be prepared to read the fourth book in the series shortly after.

To Be Read Spring Book #3: The Faerie Path (Faerie Path, #1) by Frewin Jones

Swept away into a court of magic and beauty, she discovers she is Tania, the lost princess of Faerie: the youngest daughter of Oberon and Titania. Since Tania's mysterious disappearance on the eve of her wedding five hundred years before, Faerie has been sunk in darkness and gloom. The courtly Lord Gabriel Drake, who Tania was once to marry, has found her and brought her back.

With Tania's return, Faerie comes alive again as a land of winged children, glittering balls, and fantastic delights. But Tania can't forget Anita's world, or the boy she loved there.

Torn between two loves and between two worlds, Tania slowly comes to discover why she disappeared so long ago. She possesses a singular magical ability and she must use it to stop a sinister plan that threatens the entire world of Faerie.

I feel like I'm getting excited all over again for this read. This book was given to me as a gift and unfortunately at the time (it was during the holidays) things got in the way and somehow this copy ended up on the shelf and was somewhat forgotten about in the midst of all that was going on around me. But I'm rectifying that mistake this Spring and I'm determined to see what the series is all about and if I'll be wanting to add the rest of the installments to my TBR list.

To Be Read Spring Book #4: White Cat (Curse Workers, #1) by Holly Black

The first in a trilogy, this gritty, fast-paced fantasy is rife with the unexpected. Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He doesn't fit in at home or at school, so he's used to feeling like an outsider. He's also used to feeling guilty - he killed his best friend, Lila, years ago.

But when Cassel begins to have strange dreams about a white cat, and people around him are losing their memories, he starts to wonder what really happened to Lila. In his search for answers, he discovers a wicked plot for power that seems certain to succeed. But Cassel has other ideas - and a plan to con the con men.

Holly Black is one of those authors that has a great reputation around readers and bloggers, or at least she does she the ones I've spoken with. I attempted to read a previous series of hers (The Modern Faerie Tale) and felt like it just wasn't my cup of tea. But it was more the storyline and not the writing, the writing I thought was smooth and paced out well. But after hearing such wonderful reviews for this series I decided to give Black's work another go, hoping that maybe this time, I could enjoy more than just her style of writing, but the characters and story as well.

To Be Read Spring Book #5: Rampant (Killer Unicorns, #1) by Diana Peterfreund

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns... Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years. Or not. Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend - thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom - Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries. However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to - perhaps most dangerously of all - her growing attraction to a handsome art student...an attraction that could jeopardize everything.

I got a gift card for my kindle last Christmas and was so excited to finally be able to buy some books that I wanted to beam to my kindle instead of having to carry around a book (this was when I was still a fairy new kindle user and the excitement was still very fresh) that I couldn't wait to order something. The problem I discovered is that I should only ever order one book at a time on my kindle because I get distracted very easily. I finished one of the three books I ordered and of course went in search of the next book I wanted to read and forgot that I still had two others waiting in my kindle library, just begging to be read. So thanks to this list I've given myself a reminder and will be getting right on that.

To Be Read Spring Book #6: Swoon At Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter

You'd think Polly Martin would have all the answers when it comes to love - after all, her grandmother is the famous syndicated advice columnist Miss Swoon. But after a junior year full of dating disasters, Polly has sworn off boys. This summer, she's going to focus on herself for once. So Polly is happy when she finds out Grandma is moving in - think of all the great advice she'll get. But Miss Swoon turns out to be a man-crazy sexagenarian! How can Polly stop herself from falling for Xander Cooper, the suddenly-hot skateboarder who keeps showing up while she's working at Wild Waves water park, when Grandma is picking up guys at the bookstore and flirting with the dishwasher repairman? No advice column can prepare Polly for what happens when she goes on a group camping trip with three too many ex-boyfriends and the tempting Xander. Polly is forced to face her feelings and figure out if she can be in love - and still be herself.

Another book that was gifted to me a while back that for some reason went on to my bookshelf instead of me cracking it open right away. So once again this sounds to me like a fun and great Summer read, don't you think? While I've never been camping myself it always sounded like a fun outing to try out. So Polly seems to be in for quite the adventure with her ex-boyfriends surrounding her while also crushing on the new guy and I for one think it sounds like a highly entertaining scenario.

To Be Read Spring Book #7: Shade (Shade, #1) by Jeri Smith Ready

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. "Almost."

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding - and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

When I went to the PAYA book festival last year I had the pleasure of meeting so many great authors. And like a kid in a candy store, when I walked in and saw all the books that were there for sale and all the authors that had written them available to talk to and autograph said books, I couldn't help myself. My wallet definitely suffered the consequences that day, and I don't think I was the only one. Ready was one of the authors that was there, and while I hadn't read her book before, I picked up a copy for myself and had her sign it before I left. Because of the large volume of books I picked up that day, unfortunately hers was put off to the side. Time to fix that, don't you think?

To Be Read Spring Book #8: Rage (Riders of the Apocalypse, #2) by Jackie Morse Kessler

Missy didn't mean to cut so deep. But after the part where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don't find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was...different. That's why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade - a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it's with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control. A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.

Yet again I've only got myself to blame for having left this title unread and sitting on my shelves. The problem is, after I read Kessler's series opener, Hunger I was shaken to say the least. It was much more graphic and emotionally draining than I had anticipated and really left me somewhat a mess. It was one of those books that while I'm sure I could have easily read it time wise, in one sitting, I had to take breaks and step away from the book because it was so tumultuous. I have a friend that has experienced issues like the kind dealt with in Hunger and it really hit close to home for me. Opened my eyes so to speak. While I've got no previous knowledge or experience with the subject matter dealt with in this second installment, I know now how easy it is to become invested in Kessler's writing and I was slightly hesitant to jump back in right away.

To Be Read Spring Book #9: Small Persons With Wings by Ellen Booraem

Ever since she was teased for believing in fairies, Mellie has adopted a strictly scientific and logical approach to life. But when her parents inherit her grandfather's inn, she learns that for generations, her family members have been fair guardians. The fairies exchanged some of their powers for this protection but now they want their magic back. And evil temptress in disguise wants the magic too, and before she knows it, Mellie is turned into a frog, her grandfather is discovered alive, and her parents are trapped in an evil spell that only lets them see the truth (which can be awfully brutal). Thank goodness for Timmo - the cute boy next door - and Durindana, a fairy outcast, who help Mellie save teh day and encourage her to loosen up her views on family, fairies, and friendship.

This is a hilarious, irreverent, and highly sarcastic take on fairies - who, by the way, just hate to be called fairies.

I just think this one sounds so ridiculous in nature that it must be a hoot to read, wouldn't you think? So while I have no excuse for having skipped over this one before now, I'm looking forward to crossing this one off my list now that Spring is here. I can't wait to see what these fairies are like that are so specific and hateful of their commonly used names. I guess I'll have to learn how to adapt to the proper nomanclature, small persons with wings, if I want to be politically correct while I'm reading Booraem's title.

To Be Read Spring Book #10: The Trust (Secret Society, #2) by Tom Dolby

Who can you trust when everything is secrets and lies?

It's a new semester at the Chadwick School, and even with the ankh tattoos that brand them, Phoebe, Nick, Lauren, and Patch are hoping for a fresh start. Each day, however, they are reminded of their membersheip as new Conscripts in the Society. The secret group that promised to help them achieve their every dream has instead turned their lives into a nightmare.

Exclusive membership lost its luster as the Society revealed its agenda to them and two of their classmates were found dead. Now they can't help but wonder: Who's next? While they serrch for the elusive truth about the Society, the Conscripts are forced to face their darkest fear - that they truly can't get out.

Will Nick and Phoebe's new relationship endure this strain? Can Patch and Nick's longtime friendship survive the truth that will come to light? The deceptions of the group's leaders, once trusted friends, and family will test these four as they fight to leave the Society behind.

The Trust, Tom Dolby's sequel to Secret Society, is an alluring glimpse behind the facade of a life of entitlement, where secrets aren't merely fun - they're deadly.

Life simply got in the way of this one. I'm glad that I've included this on my list of reads for the Spring and am anxious to see how these friends fare amongst all the lies, tension and scariness that comes along with their membership in the secret society. I can't imagine where Dolby will take his characters in this sequel but I can only guess that it won't be a smooth ride for anyone.

Review: Secret Society (Secret Society, #1) by Tom Dolby

Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone. . . .

An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.

They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything—even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.

Tom Dolby knows how to write for all audiences. Throughout the book readers get to hear from multiple points of view. Guys and girls and I've got to say, he pulled it all off. He talked about NYC nightlife, fashion and the boutiques to hit up that have the best vintage finds, politics, etc... It was a good mixture for all audiences. I enjoyed the descriptions and throughout the experience I felt as though I was taking a unique tour of NYC and all it has to offer from a local's perspective.

When combined with the mysterious society it was an exciting ride. The suspense and all out stress had me on the edge of my seat. I loved it all. Lauren, Patch, Nick, and Phoebe were a great mix of characters and I enjoyed getting to know each of them. All different but with a common thread...the Society. I went back and forth throughout it all, not sure what I would do in their positions. And honestly I still don't know what my decision would be. It's all so glamorous and irresistible one minute and so horrible and terrifying the next. It would be hard to turn away from but also readers will see, it turns out to be just as hard to find a way out.

So needless to say, by the end of this series opener, I couldn't wait to get started on book two, The Trust.

I gave Secret Society (Secret Society, #1) 3 shamrocks!!!

Clearing the Shelves (1)

So I was looking at my bookshelves last night and realized that I should be ashamed of myself. Without realizing it was happening, my shelves have become overrun with books I haven't gotten the chance to read yet. Like I said...shameful. I've been lucky enough to have been sent so many books in the past year to check out and review, but I never could seem to catch up. Now I'm determined to correct this situation. So here are just a few I'm thinking of starting with, but I need opinions help, advice, etc... Which do you think I should read first? Have you read any of these titles? Did you enjoy them?

Pick #1: Shine by Lauren Myracle

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

I've fallen into a bit of a rut as far as my reading selection in the past year goes. Sticking closely to fantasy and paranormal romances, I'm thinking it might be a good time to change things up and go with a different genre. Having never read any of Myracle's work before I went in search of reviews and critiques. Los Angeles Times said Shine was, "dramatic in both content and presentation." Can't argue with that right? Have you guys read this one? I do love a mystery, but will I need to be extra prepared for sad scenarios and serious issues?

Pick #2: A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle Trilogy, #1) by Libba Bray

It’s 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma’s reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she’s been followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence’s most powerful girls—and their foray into the spiritual world—lead to?

I picked this one up last year due to an author friend's recommendation. I figured that since I loved her work, I'd likely have a good time reading something she, herself enjoyed. The odds were in my favor at least. For one reason or another I was never quite in the mood for this one when I was ready for a new read. Has anyone read this trilogy? Likes or dislikes about it? Again I went in search of critiques and found that Booklist said, "...the mystical elements, along with a touch of forbidden romance, will draw a large, enthusiastic audience..." Are they right? You guys know I can't usually resist a good romance, not to mention if it also comes with a touch of a paranormal element or two. So do I have any thumbs up on giving this one a try? Knocking it off my shelf sooner rather than later?

Pick #3: Recovery Road by Blake Nelson

Madeline is sent away to Spring Meadows to help with a drinking and rage problem she has. It's a pretty intense place, but there is the weekly movie night in town--where Madeline meets Stewart, who's at another rehab place nearby. They fall for each other during a really crazy time in their lives. Madeline gets out and tries to get back on her feet, waiting for Stewart to join her. When he does, though, it's not the ideal recovery world Madeline dreamed of. Both of them still have serious problems. And Stewart's are only getting worse....

While this doesn't sound like your typical happy-go-lucky plot, there's something about it that draws me in. I know going into it that I'll have to make sure I don't expect the romance to play as the central issue, but I'm more curious about the character dynamics than anything else. Critics all over seem impressed with Nelson's writing. The New York Times said his book, Destroy All Cars was, "smart and entertaining." Have any of you read this one yet? Would you say the same applies to this book? I'm looking forward to checking it out.

Pick #4: Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

“I don’t want him to love me because of a potion,” she said.

Izzie loves Mark, and why shouldn’t she? As the captain of the basketball team, he is kind and loving and he’s everything she’s ever wanted in a boyfriend. Her BFF loves . . . somebody, but she won’t say who. So when a hot new guy, Tristan, shows up at school, who better for Izzie to fix up her friend with? And what better way to do it than with a love philtre?

But even the best of magic has a way of going awry—and Izzie finds she’s accidentally fallen in love with Tristan herself. And that’s a problem. First of all, there’s Mark. Second, Tristan comes with baggage—like the supernatural creatures that keep attacking whenever he’s with Izzie, and the fact that he comes from the place where Izzie’s father was killed, years ago, by an enormous, evil serpent that’s still around—and it knows Izzie is out there.

I think I'm ready for a new twist on this old tale. The movie version, left me (and I'm sure a lot of others) so sad that I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this one right away. On the other hand I'm a big advocate for retellings. So I'm thinking it's time to give this one a chance. The new spin sounds wildly unique and I'm always in the mood for a fun read. I checked out the official website, and the "Dear Izzie" section sold me. The potions she's got available lead me to believe fun is in no short supply in this retelling.

Pick #5: The Trust (Secret Society, #2) by Tom Dolby

Who can you trust when everything is secrets and lies?

It's a new semester at the Chadwick School, and even with the ankh tattoos that brand them, Phoebe, Nick, Lauren, and Patch are hoping for a fresh start. Each day, however, they are reminded of their membership as new Conscripts in the Society. The secret group that promised to help them achieve their every dream has instead turned their lives into a nightmare.

Exclusive membership lost its luster as the Society revealed its agenda to them and two of their classmates were found dead. Now they can't help but wonder: Who's next? While they search for the elusive truth about the Society, the Conscripts are forced to face their darkest fear—that they truly can't get out.

Will Nick and Phoebe's new relationship endure this strain? Can Patch and Nick's longtime friendship survive the truth that will come to light? The deceptions of the group's leaders, once trusted friends, and family will test these four as they fight to leave the Society behind.

This was a gift from a friend with good intentions but maybe a lack of information as well. I'm not sure my friend realized this was the second book in a series. I'd never heard of the series before receiving this installment as a gift but I'm thinking I should start with the opener first. Right? I checked out the description of the series opener, The Secret Society and admit to being intrigued. It seems to have gotten mixed reviews, but I'm still anxious to see for myself. So while I'd like to just dive right into this one, I'm going to hold off until I get the chance to read the opener and then go from there.