Top 10 Tuesday: Favorite Recent Reads

Top 10 Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in 2010. It combines what I love most in this world into one—lists, books, and blogging. It couldn’t be any better suited for me! This week is all about those books I’ve read recently that I just absolutely loved. I try not to “5 star” anything, because I know I’ll 5 star everything, so here are just some of my favorite recent reads.

1. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
I read this book for my YA literature class, and it was such a surprising, amazing read. It’s set in Nazi-occupied France and takes a surprising twist at the end that leaves readers at their seats. It features a pair of girls who are best friends despite the trying times of war and what that friendship means to them despite time and distance.

2. Blankets by Craig Thompson
This is the first graphic novel I’ve ever read, and I fell in love. Thompson is an amazing artist and he brings is story to life with his imaginative illustrations and artfully crafted book. Definitely a book I recommend to people who love art and unearthing people’s stories.

3. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Graceling is an amazing tale with twists and turns at the end of every chapter. It is a fantastical story set in a land with seven kingdoms. Specific individuals are “graced” with a gift, whether it be sensing storms or being able to fight well. Some enjoy these graces while others are used by their kings for the king’s personal benefit. Graceling follows the brave Katsa on her journey to save herself as well as a young princess named Bitterblue. It captivated me from the moment I opened its covers.

4. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
I’ve been wanting to read We Were Liars for quite some time now, but Frankie got to me first, and I’m really quite pleased that she did. Lockhart catalogues a tale of a young girl trying to understand feminism in the men’s world she was raised in. She goes to a top-notch Prep school in the northeast where she learns about relationships, equality, power, and pranks. Truly a novel I think every would enjoy.

5. The Tales of 1,001 Nights
I NEVER thought I would enjoy these tales, but they captured my attention much more than I’d like to admit. It might be because of their relatable nature or the common theme of a clever girl or the interwoven-ness of each of the tales, but I devoured the ones that I’ve read so far. Perfect for a quick read before bed or a break between classes, I know these are tales I will keep on shelf for a lifetime.

6. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you’ll know I wasn’t the biggest fan of Fangirl, but I fell in love with Eleanor & Park. I definitely thought the ending to this story was much more satisfying (yet extremely sad), and I liked the topics it dealt with. Rowell embraces the challenge of incorporating the tough stuff into her stories, and she doesn’t try to sugarcoat it. That’s what makes her novels, especially this one, important ones for young adults to read.

I think having 10 favorite recent reads is a little excessive, so I’m keeping this list short. I’ve also only included books I’ve read in 2016! Of course I read others, and of course I liked them, but I truly wanted to share my favorites with you.

Let me know your favorite recent reads in the comments below!

Happy reading,
Kimberly