Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Had Strong Emotions About

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Each Tuesday there is a different Top Ten topic to join in on, and you can see past and future topics on their features page. This week's topic is: Books I Had Strong Emotions About (good or bad). I've linked each book to its GoodReads page.

Top Ten Books I Had Strong Emotions About:

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Emotion: Anger -- So much build up and then... nothing.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Emotion: Sadness & Anger -- The poor tree just gives and gives to the neediest boy alive, but the boy never gives anything back!

Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern

Emotion: Disappointment -- One of the only books I put down and didn't finish.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Emotion: Anger -- Henry and Clare made me so angry... I don't usually hate characters, but I hate Henry.

Bleed by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Emotion: Confusion -- This book was all over the place with small chapters on different characters, but there was no ending to any of the stories, usually I am a big Stolarz fan!

Stitches by David Small

Emotion: Wonder -- This was one of the first graphic novels I read, and the images were so powerful, I was just in awe of this book.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Emotion: Lots of tears -- This book (and its sequel) made me cry so hard, and I hadn't expected it.

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Emotion: Wonder & Joy -- This book is just amazing, I am so excited for the sequel to come out (next week!).

A Time for Dancing by Davida Wills Hurwin

Emotion: Sadness & something I can't quite name -- The power of friendship in this novel just astounds me and fills me with all sorts of emotions.

Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon

Emotion: Creeped out -- This book freaked me out, I had chills at times.

Notes From The Blender - Cook & Halpin - 2011

Notes From The Blender by Trish Cook & Brendan Halpin

Published: 2011 - EgmontUSA

Age Group: YA

Date Read: October 17, 2011

3.5 out of 5 Stars: Enjoyed the story

Reason for Reading: I picked this book up a few months ago because a librarian I sometimes work with read it and thought it was a good, funny read.

On GoodReads: "Declan loves death metal--particularly from Finland. And video games--violent ones. And internet porn--any kind, really. He goes to school with Neilly Foster and spends most of his classroom time wondering what it might be like to know her, to talk to her, maybe even to graze against her sweater in the hallway. Neilly is an accomplished gymnast, naturally beautiful, and a constant presence at all the best parties (to which Declan is never invited). She's the queen of cool, the princess of poker face, and her rule is uncontested-- or it was until today, when she's dumped by her boyfriend, betrayed by her former BFF Lulu, and then informed she's getting a new brother--of the freaky fellow classmate variety. Declan's dad is marrying Neilly's mom. Soon. Which means they'll be moving in together."

My Thoughts: I really liked the idea of "the blender," the mix of families we sometimes end up with after divorces, remarries, deaths, etc. The two points of view, Declan and Neilly, were very distinct, and the two authors worked really well in this situation. It did take me a little while to warm up to Declan, since the sometimes vulgar and perverted teenage male mind is very foreign to me as a female. But about halfway through the book I found myself really rooting for him. It was really sweet to see how Declan and Neilly navigated their way around their new blended family, and by the end of the story Neilly's mother and Declan's father were my favorite characters in the whole story. I love YA books that include the parents and admit that yes, most teens do have some type of parent present, we don't need to come up with some device to play "hide the parents." Ultimately, I had trouble relating to both characters, though I thought they were well developed, but I think readers who have gone through similar family situations might find a stronger connection than I did and get a bit more out of the story.

Recommended To: Readers looking for some wit, a new family dynamic, and some great one liners.

Quote From The Book: "You are the coolest person I know, " Neilly said.

"You act like you don't know your own mom, " I said.

"Apparently, I don't!" Neilly said, laughing. "Knocked up, hanging out at tattoo parlors...Mom, do you want me to drop you guys off at the mall so you can hang out by the fountains and go shopping at Hot Topic?"

"Not tonight, sweetie. I have to watch your father marry a dude, remember?" (p. 217)

Books Read This Year: 84 of 100

Currently Reading: Hold Still by Nina LaCour