Top Ten Books I'd Love To See As Movies/TV Shows

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! As always, I am linking up over at The Broke and the Bookish, and this week I am talking about the top ten books I'd like to see as movies or television shows. Wow, I'm sorry I have been so MIA. With the school year wrapping up (5 days left!), things have been busy and hectic over here. I have every intention of getting back to my daily blogging next Tuesday once school is officially out for summer! For now, I thought that this TTT prompt would be a fun one to complete!

1. The Selection Series by Kiera Cass - I feel like this one would make a really fun television show. Sure, it's a lot like the Bachelor, but it's SO much better than that. I am only in the beginning of book two, but I love the characters, and I think that it would be fun to see them on the television screen.
2. My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga - I think that this would make a really great romantic drama movie for teens. I thought that the book was beautifully written, and while about a dark topic, it was not depressing. I think that they could do some wonderful things with it on the big screen.
3. Popular by Maya Van Wagenen - This would make for a really fun documentary style show/movie. If you have read the book, then you know it's a memoir about a girl who used this old how-to book in order to attempt to become popular. Seeing the steps fulfilled on the screen could prove to be pretty amusing!

4. The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau - This series would make a fantastic set of movies. It's another dystopian trilogy, and those have been doing pretty well in the box office, I would say. I enjoyed this far more than I enjoyed THG books, so I would love to see it turned into a movie.
5. SNOW LIKE ASHES by Sara Raasch - So far only the first book in this series has been released, and I already know that the whole series would make an incredible series of movies. This has been my favorite book so far this year, and I cannot wait for the next one. There is just the right amount of action and romance in this one to make it a perfect best selling film.
6. Some Boys by Parry Blount - I feel like this one could easily be made into one of those ABC Family television shows - you know the ones, like Pretty Little Liars and Bunheads. It's got a good plot and foundation, and they could certainly feed off the drama to make it into a full length show. 

7. Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell - This would definitely make for a very interesting movie, I think. It's not too often you have movies with teenage serial killers who take suggestions on who they should kill. I think it could be done well as long as cheesiness is avoided, no Lifetime movies!
8. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - I am sure that this one will probably show up on a lot of lists today, and for good reason. Would it not be incredible to see this world and the characters on the big screen? I think it would be completely amazing, and I do hope that it actually happens in the future.
9. The Screaming Divas by Suzanne Kamata - This one I COULD see becoming a good Lifetime movie, as it has all the necessary components (I do love me some Lifetime movies). It's a group of teenage girls, all dealing with different family/personal issues in life, coming together to form a band and deal with life. Screams Lifetime Original Movie, don't you think?

10. We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist - I don't think that a movie/show should be based on this book, but I do think that it could definitely spark an idea for a new reality show. Have people confront their exes about why they broke up, or didn't give them a chance to go out on a date. Could be super dramatic, right?

This Week's Releases: May 18 - 24

Welcome to This Week's Releases! The new weekly post on Beneath the Jacket Reviews that I will post every Sunday. I am going to discuss the releases of the week that I am super excited about, and why. Some weeks there may be a dozen books, sometimes there may be two or three, and sometimes there may be none at all. That's alright though, since it's just about books I am actually interested in!

May 18 - 24

Another week with a lot of YA books releasing! May seems to be a pretty big month for YA releases, and it does not seem like it is going to slow down anytime soon (I am perfectly okay with that, too!). Here are the books I'm looking forward to this week!

1. Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Series: N/A

Release Date: May 19, 2015

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Page Count: 448

Synopsis: Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.

 2. Hold Me Like a Breath by Tiffany Schmidt

Series: Once Upon a Crime Family #1

Release Date: May 19, 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Page Count: 400

Synopsis: Penelope Landlow has grown up with the knowledge that almost anything can be bought or sold—including body parts. She’s the daughter of one of the three crime families that control the black market for organ transplants.

Penelope’s surrounded by all the suffocating privilege and protection her family can provide, but they can't protect her from the autoimmune disorder that causes her to bruise so easily.

And in her family's line of work no one can be safe forever.

All Penelope has ever wanted is freedom and independence. But when she’s caught in the crossfire as rival families scramble for prominence, she learns that her wishes come with casualties, that betrayal hurts worse than bruises, that love is a risk worth taking . . . and maybe she’s not as fragile as everyone thinks.

 3. A Sense of the Infinite by Hilary T. Smith

Series: N/A

Release Date: May 19, 2015

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Page Count: 400

Synopsis: It's senior year of high school, and Annabeth is ready—ready for everything she and her best friend, Noe, have been planning and dreaming. But there are some things Annabeth isn't prepared for, like the constant presence of Noe's new boyfriend. Like how her relationship with her mom is wearing and fraying. And like the way the secret she's been keeping hidden deep inside her for years has started clawing at her insides, making it hard to eat or even breathe.

But most especially, she isn't prepared to lose Noe.

For years, Noe has anchored Annabeth and set their joint path. Now Noe is drifting in another direction, making new plans and dreams that don't involve Annabeth. Without Noe's constant companionship, Annabeth's world begins to crumble. But as a chain of events pulls Annabeth further and further away from Noe, she finds herself closer and closer to discovering who she's really meant to be—with her best friend or without.

Waiting on Wednesday: Made You Up

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I am looking forward to currently is Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Release Date: May 19, 2015

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Synopsis: Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up. 

Top Ten Authors I REALLY Want To Meet

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! As always, I am linking up over at The Broke and the Bookish, and this week I am talking about the top ten authors I REALLY want to meet. I checked one off my list last week (I will share more about it later this week!), so my top ten list has probably changed a little bit now. I feel like I have done something like this before, but I'm going to do it again anyway. In no particular order, here are the Top Ten Authors I REALLY Want to Meet.

 1. Liz Czukas

Books: Ask Again Later & Top Ten Clues You're Clueless

I read Top Ten Clues You're Clueless earlier this year, and I fell in love with Czukas writing style. The book was so fun and sweet, and I flew through it because I loved her writing. I definitely need to go back and read Ask Again Later as well. Based on the story, I think that it would be amazing to meet Liz Czukas.

2. E.V. Fairfall

Books: Transformed & Sleeping Tom

E.V. is not just a great author, I am blessed to say that she is also a friend. We have been talking back and forth via social media for quite some time now, and I even had the joy of being a beta reader on her latest book, Sleeping Tom. It would be so amazing to be able to meet her in person, and I do hope to in the future!

3. Heather Hildenbrand

Books: A Risk Worth Taking, Imitation, Deviation, & MANY others

I have read several of Heather's books now for blog tours and enjoyment, and there has not been a single one that I have not enjoyed. Her writing is fantastic and always so interesting and exciting to read. I am also in a Facebook group for her, and she seems like such an amazing person. It would be awesome to meet her.

4. Veronica Roth

Books: The Divergent Series

I am sure that Roth is probably going to show up on a lot of these lists, but I did have to add her. I think that she is an incredible writer, and I was quite pleased with the character arc and full circle she took her series and characters through. Along with that, she seems like such an awesome person from the interviews and videos I have seen her in. I bet she would be so fun to talk to!

5. John Green

Books: The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, Etc.

I am sure that John Green will be on a ton of lists today as well, but I just had to add him. Aside from the HP series, TFIOS is the only book that I have re-read at this point. Not just once either, but MANY times. His writing is so beautiful and thought-provoking, and from watching his YouTube videos I know it would be awesome to meet him.

6. Ruth Silver 

Books: Aberrant Series, Orenda, & More

Ruth Silver seems like such an awesome person. I have read a couple of her books, and even have them signed from her, which is always awesome! Her writing is fantastic, she has her own blog that I love to follow along, and she leaves comments on other blogs as well. Overall, she seems like an awesome person, so it would be great to meet her!

7. Sara Raasch

Books: Snow Like Ashes Series

I read SLA earlier this year, and it was AMAZING. One of the best books I have read so far this year. Then I contacted Sara via Twitter about doing an Author Spotlight on the blog, and she was amazing about all of it. She seems so easy to talk to, and her writing is absolutely beautiful. Obviously it would be amazing to meet her.

 8. Katherine Ewell

Books: Dear Killer

Dear Killer was my favorite book of 2014, I cannot get over how original the story was, and how beautiful the writing. It's also amazing that Katherine Ewell was eighteen when the book was published - incredible. I think it would be amazing to meet her, though I am sure I would feel so inadequate because she is younger than me and has an amazing book published!

9. Susan Dennard

Books: Something Strange and Deadly Series & Truthwitch 

I am going to be honest, I actually have not read any of Dennard's books YET. However, I do follow her newsletter, and I am constantly reading her writing advice on her blog as I continue doing my own novel writing. She gives such wonderful advice, and has a wonderful sense of humor in her advice, so I am sure it would be amazing to meet her.

10. J.K. Rowling

Books: Harry Potter Series & MUCH More

Of course, I could not do one of these lists without adding Rowling to the list. It would be so, SO amazing to be able to meet and talk to her in person. I am sure that tons of people feel the same way because she is so amazing. A girl can dream, right?

Which authors do you REALLY want to meet?

Stacking the Shelves [48]

I am joining in on Stacking The Shelves, a weekly meme hosted over at Tynga's Reviews. It is an easy way to share what books you picked up that week, and to see what other people have picked up to read themselves.

How to Participate?

• Create your own Stacking The Shelves post. You can use my official graphic or your own, but please link back to Tynga’s Reviews so more people can join the fun!
• You can set your post any way you want, simple book list, covers, pictures, vlog, sky is the limit!
• I am posting Stacking The Shelves on Saturdays, but feel free to post yours any day that fits you.
• Visit Tynga’s Reviews on Saturday and add your link so others can visit you! 
  

THIS WEEK:

Hey everyone! Wow, my blogging has definitely not been the best lately! I am sorry about that. I have still been in a fairly bad reading slump, and apparently that has flowed over into my blogging as well. Ugh! I am hoping that both things will pick up very soon, but I guess we will see! Anyway, I did pick up a few books over the last couple of weeks, so I thought I would go ahead and share those with you guys!

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

 All the Rage by Courtney Summers
The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

 Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

 The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

New Paperback Edition
Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

What books did you add to your shelves this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: Saint Anything

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I am looking forward to currently is Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Synopsis: Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

I freaking LOVE Sarah Dessen!! She is, by far, my favorite author. She is the only auto-buy author that I have so far, and I cannot wait to get ahold of this book! 

Top Ten Inspiring Quotes from Books

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! As always, I am linking up over at The Broke and the Bookish, and this week I am talking about my favorite inspirational quotes from books. I really love quotes, and I love finding ones that really speak to me as I'm reading a good book. Let's be honest, I could have a huge list of Harry Potter quotes and be done, but I don't want to do that! Instead, I'll stick to one HP quote and share some from other books I enjoyed as well. Here are ten quotes from books that really inspire me...

1. "We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving."

-J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2. "But I believe in true love, you know? I don't believe that everybody gets to keep their eyes or not get sick or whatever, but everybody should have true love, and it should last at least as long as your life does." 

-John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

3. "Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree." 

-Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

4. "In your entire life, you can probably count your true friends on one hand. Maybe even one finger. Those are the friends you need to cherish, and I wouldn't trade one of them for a hundred of the other kind. I'd rather be completely alone than with a bunch of people who aren't real. People who are just passing time."

-Sarah Ockler, Fixing Delilah

5. "Things don't always work out the way we hope. You just have to pick yourself up and find a new direction to go in." 

-Joelle Charbonneau, The Testing

6. "Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there." 

-Sarah Dessen, This Lullaby

7. "And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." 

-Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

8. "I will be stronger than my sadness."

-Jasmine Warga, My Heart and Other Black Holes

9. "Do not accept an evil you can change." 

-E. Lockhart, We Were Liars

10. "Someday we will be more than words in the dark." 

-Sara Raasch, Snow Like Ashes

Stacking the Shelves [46]

I am joining in on Stacking The Shelves, a weekly meme hosted over at Tynga's Reviews. It is an easy way to share what books you picked up that week, and to see what other people have picked up to read themselves.

How to Participate?

• Create your own Stacking The Shelves post. You can use my official graphic or your own, but please link back to Tynga’s Reviews so more people can join the fun!
• You can set your post any way you want, simple book list, covers, pictures, vlog, sky is the limit!
• I am posting Stacking The Shelves on Saturdays, but feel free to post yours any day that fits you.
• Visit Tynga’s Reviews on Saturday and add your link so others can visit you! 
  

THIS WEEK:

Another long week at work! The kids have gotten a bit crazy as its gotten closer towards the end of the year, so these last few weeks should be pretty interesting! We have the last of our standardized testing in about a week, which means this week is all about review (yay.). This week I picked up a box of books from another blogger who was trying to get rid of some of them for super cheap. I also picked up a couple for review.

Purchased:

White Space by Ilsa J. Bick

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

 Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Frozen by Erin Bowman

In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

 Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Pretty Sly by Elisa Ludwig

Monument 14: Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne

For Review:

Alice in Wonderland High by Rachel Shane

Merit Press

Sixteen-year-old Alice suppresses her need for rebellion after a petition to start a farmer’s market receives more snickers than signatures. That is until Whitney Lapin, a girl who speaks in cryptic riddles and spends her free time turning abandoned warehouses into beautiful gardens, leads her on a rabbit trail into the underground–aka secret society–of Wonderland High. Curiouser and curiouser.

Even though Whitney’s group of teenage environmental vigilantes operates on the wrong side of the law, Alice has never felt more free to be herself. Soon she stomps on her good girl image by completing a series of environmental pranks to impress them: flooding the school and disguising a pig as a baby in order to smuggle it out of a testing facility. But the group refuses to help with the farmer’s market or reveal their hidden agenda. She wants to trust them, and she especially wants to trust (or maybe kiss) Chester Katz, a boy with a killer smile, a penchant for disappearing, and a secret that will really turn Alice‘s world backwards. When one group member tries to frame Alice for all the pranks, she must figure out their secret before she ends up in front of a jury that’s screaming, “Off with her head!”

 

The Last Order by Angela M. Caldwell

From Author

Lana forms a secret order of women knights to fulfill her father’s final request: find the queen who was thought to be dead and return her to the throne.

Lana Crewe is a strong, fiercely driven seventeen year old living in a village ruled by fear. With their king and queen both dead, strife and division have taken hold. Ruthlessly attacked by an Order called Talons, Lana’s father is fatally stabbed. Before he dies, he imparts upon Lana a directive to save the statue of Saint Peter, and tells her that the queen yet lives. Now it is up to Lana to unravel the mystery of Saint Peter and bring an end to all of the war by finding the queen.

A medieval tale of hope and mystery, The Last Order takes upper teenage angst and spins it on its head. You’ll be gripping this book as hard as it will be gripping you.

Waiting on Wednesday: All the Rage

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I am looking forward to currently is All the Rage by Courtney Summers

All the Rage by Courtney Summers

Release Date: April 14th

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Synopsis: The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

 

What book are you anticipating?