Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. Each Tuesday is assigned a topic. This weeks topic is May Flowers. My list is a mix of books with flowers on the cover, books with flowers in the title, and books set in spring.
Title: New Moon
Author: Stephanie Meyer
Published: Septemer 6, 2006
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: Twilight
Synopsis:
I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that instant, I felt well. Whole. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off his skin. It was like there had never been any hole in my chest. I was perfect – not healed, but as if there had never been a wound in the first place.
I FELT LIKE I WAS TRAPPED IN ONE OF THOSE TERRIFYING NIGHTMARES, the one where you have to run, run till your lungs burst, but you can’t make your body move fast enough…. But this was no dream, and, unlike the nightmare, I wasn’t running for my life; I was racing to save something infinitely more precious. My own life meant little to me today.
FOR BELLA SWAN THERE IS ONE THING more important than life itself: Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is even more dangerous than Bella could ever have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of one evil vampire, but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realize their troubles may be just beginning….
LEGIONS OF READERS ENTRANCED BY THE New York Times bestseller Twilight are hungry for the continuing story of star-crossed lovers Bell and Edward. In New Moon, Stephanie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural spin. passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.
Twilight will always be my among my favourite YA book series, even if still to this day Vampires being sparkly makes no sense to me. The story itself is what is important. This series does get a lot of hate. I’ll never understand why. (Okay maybe I understand a little bit.) I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but then just move on and find something else. No need to rag on about something someone else enjoys right?
Title: The Secret Garden
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Published: August 1, 1911
Genre: Historical Fiction, Childrens
Synopsis:
When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle’s great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors.
The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary’s only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers a way in—and becomes determined to bring the garden back to life.
I will never stop recommending this book. It is among my favourite classic books. There are few things that contradict modern thinking so it’s important to keep that in mind, that thoughts expressed toward certain ethnic groups was common back then and it is a book of its time. The story it tells however is still worth reading and discovering. My first exposure to this story was the movie in the 90’s with Dame Maggie Smith playing one of the characters. I’ve probably read the book though 2 or 3 times now.
Title: Anne of Green Gables
Author: L. M. Montgomery
Published: January 1, 1908
Genre: Historical Fiction, YA
Synopsis:
As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to the orphanage? Anne knows she’s not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she’ll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurting out the first thing that comes to her mind. Anne is not like anyone else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.
Anne of Green Gables is set in Canada, the country I live in, one of the things I love about this book. It’s such a wonderful coming of age story and of learning to love yourself as you are. I highly recommend this book (and its sequels) if you haven’t read them.
Title: Howl’s Moving Castle
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Published: April 1, 1986
Series: Howl’s Moving Castle
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis:
“How about making a bargain with me?” said the demon. “I’ll break your spell if you agree to break this contract I’m under.”
In the land of Ingary, where seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, Sophie Hatter attracts the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help – the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.
But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls…
This is the second week in a row this one appears on a top ten list of mine. The other list is here if you want to take a look at it. This book has become an instant favourite. I was first introduced to this story, as I imagine many were, throught the Studio Ghibli animated film of the same name. I finally got around to reading not only this book, but the others in the series in 2022. It’s such a beautiful thought provoking fantasy romance story.
Title: White Oleander
Author: Janet Fitch
Published: July 1, 1999
Genre: Fiction, contemporary
Synopsis:
White Oleander is a painfully beautiful first novel about a young girl growing up the hard way. It is a powerful story of mothers and daughters, their ambiguous alliances, their selfish love and cruel behaviour, and the search for love and identity. Astrid has been raised by her mother, a beautiful, headstrong poet. Astrid forgives her everything as her world revolves around this beautiful creature until Ingrid murders a former lover and is imprisoned for life. Astrid’s fierce determination to survive and be loved makes her an unforgettable figure.
I first learned of this story from the movie that came out in 2002 when I was a teenager. I can’t remember if I read the book first and then the movie, or the other way around. What I do know is that both told a powerful story about a girl navigating life in foster home after foster home. The story does explore adult themes so I would only recommend this book for older teens and adults.
Title: Little Women
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Published: September 30, 1868
Genre: Historical Fiction, YA
Synopsis:
As a New England mother struggles to support her family in the wake of her husband’s service in the Civil War, her four daughters struggle, too – caught between childhood dreams and the realities of burgeoning adulthood. For Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March, raised in integrity and virtue, negotiating the right path in life means making choices that will either narrow or expand their destinies.
Based on the author’s life, Little Women transcends genre, gender, and class with its examination of personal quests, societal restrictions, family ties, and the end of innocence.
I read this book a few years ago and loved it. It was an interesting read, even more so learning it was based on the author’s life. It’s definitely one too add to your TBR for classics if you haven’t already read it.
Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published: May 5, 2015
Genre: Romantasy
Series: ACOTAR
Synopsis:
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.
As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.
This is included in this list as it refrences roses in the title, and is primarly set in the Spring Realm of the Faerie Kingdom. This book was my first exposure to both the Romantasy genre, and Sarah J. Maas. I have since read everything she’s published and i’m anxiously awaiting more news about the next two books in the series.
Title: To All the Boy’s I’ve Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Published: April 15, 2014
Genre: YA, Romance
Series: To All the Boy’s I’ve Loved Before
Synopsis:
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed.
But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh.
As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.
This was a such a cute and wholesome coming of age story. I read it back in 2020 when I had lots of free time. I’m pretty sure in one sitting or one and a half, and then having to wait for my holds from the library to come in for the next set in the series. It’s definitely worth reading.
Title: The Color Purple
Author: Alice Walker
Published: June 1, 1982
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis:
Life wasn’t easy for Celie. But she knew how to survive, needing little to get by.
Then her husband’s lover, a flamboyant blues singer, barreled into her world and gave Celie the courage to ask for more – to laugh, to play, and finally – to love.
So I haven’t read this one yet. It’s been on my TBR for many years. I’m hoping to get to it this year.
Title: Half-Blood
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: October 18, 2011
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Series: Covenant
Synopsis:
The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi—pure-bloods—have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals—well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.
Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:
Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.
Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem—staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
This one is an interesting one. I started this series throught the audiobooks. I think I got to the third one in the series. At some point I will get to the rest of the series. I had read other books by the author and saw this one was by her as well and had access to the first few through Audible+.
Thanks for reading!
What books would you have added to your list?
Which of these books have you read if any?
Are any of them being added to your TBR?
Leave a comment below and let me know!
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