I used to participate in Top Ten Tuesday when I first started blogging and it was a wonderful way to meet fellow bloggers! I thought with coming back from a hiatus, and a bit of a lack of inspiration on my part, participating again would be a great idea. So, every Tuesday (if the topic interests me) I’ll be sharing a Top Ten Tuesday post. Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl! Make sure to check out her page explaining everything you need to know, including future topics.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is all about one-word titles. While brainstorming what to do with this one, (because frankly I did not know what direction to take this simple premise) I realized I could use it as an extension of my BLOGIVERSARY post from the other day. Which, yes, ICYMI, I hit EIGHT WHOLE YEARS blogging. Well, whole isn’t exactly the correct term because there have been many, many and some very looooonnnng breaks from blogging.
I digress. I thought it would be fun to look back at all the books I read in the last 8 years and find some 5-star one-word titles to share with you!
And don’t forget to enter my BLOGIVERSARY GIVEAWAY!
Disclaimer: Some of these I read so many years ago I don’t really remember the book that well. So, you know, take my very old 5-star rating with a grain of salt, just in case it’s actually not very good but early 20’s me thought they were all that and a bag of potato chips.
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CINDER
by MARISSA MEYER
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg.
She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
STARFLIGHT
by MELISSA LANDERS
Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.
When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe…
LEGEND
by MARIE LU
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
RISING
by JENNIFER WILSON
Worlds collide in debut author Jennifer Wilson’s graphic dystopian series where Divergent meets Mad Max.
Since witnessing her parents’ murders at the age of eleven, Phoenix’s only purpose in life has been to uphold her mother’s dying words – to be strong and survive. But surviving outside of The Walls – outside of The Sanctuary – is more like a drawn-out death sentence. A cruel and ruthless city, Tartarus is run by the Tribes whose motto is simple, “Join or die.”
CONTAGION
by ERIN BOWMAN
It got in us
After receiving an urgent SOS from a work detail on a distant planet, a skeleton crew is dispatched to perform a standard search-and-rescue mission.
Most are dead.
But when the crew arrives, they find an abandoned site, littered with rotten food, discarded weapons…and dead bodies.
Don’t set foot here again.
As they try to piece together who—or what—could have decimated an entire operation, they discover that some things are best left buried—and some monsters are only too ready to awaken.
GEEKERELLA
by ASHLEY POSTON
Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale.
Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.
Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.
VERITY
by COLLEEN HOOVER
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.
Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.
Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.
FANGIRL
by RAINBOW ROWELL
Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan…. But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words… and she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
CRANK
by ELLEN HOPKINS
In Crank, Ellen Hopkins chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the “monster,” the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or “crank.” Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne’er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: “there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree.” Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won’t, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank.
UNHOOKED
by LISA MAXWELL
For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home—all because her mother believes that monsters are hunting them. Now these delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. The only saving grace is her best friend, Olivia, who’s coming with them for the summer.
But when Gwen and Olivia are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and taken to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey, Gwen realizes her mom might have been sane all along.
The world Gwen finds herself in is called Neverland, yet it’s nothing like the stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through her fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the roguish young pirate who promises to keep her safe.
With time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But will she be able to save Neverland without losing herself?
Have you read any of these? Did you enjoy them?
Any you’re going to add to your TBR?
25 Comments
Verity has such a pretty cover.
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Cinder, and Verity were good. I liked Fangirl too. Happy reading, Molly 🌞☕📚💜
I really should read Geekerella one of these days.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Yes, its super cute!
I love Fangirl, Geekerella, and Cinder! Here is my post-https://paigesofnovels.com/2023/07/18/top-ten-tuesday-most-anticipated-releases-for-the-last-half-of-the-year/
Loved all three!
Verity is currently on my tbr! I tend to save all my Colleen Hoover novels for when I’m in a book funk. It tends to work each and every time.
I hope you have a great Tuesday!
hahah thats a great plan! I enjoyed Verity a lot!
I’m happy you enjoyed it! I’ll have to move it up a notch on my Colleen Hoover Reading List.
Verity was a very fun read! And I enjoyed Cinder – actually, the whole series is really good and still holds up for me, years later!
I loved Verity! I liked Hoover’s dive into thrillers.
Congratulations on 8 years of blogging! I loved Geekerella when I read it the first time, would be interesting to see if my original rating would be the same now!
Thank you! And yea, a lot of these are older reads. It’d be interesting to see if I still enjoy them haha
My daughter loved Cinder – she loved all The Lunar Chronicles. I have yet to read them. Unhooked is one I am looking forward to as well.
It’s a good one! I did DNF Cress, but I loved the first two lol
Nice list! I’ve read several of these, although it’s been a long time for all of them.
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Honestly, same. I read Cinder like 10 years ago lol
I’ve read two of these, Cinder and Unhooked and tbh I didn’t love either. Retellings can be very hit or miss for me! Happy blogaversary, 8 years is a big achievement 🙂
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/07/18/top-ten-tuesday-429/
Fair enough! Tbh, I read Cinder so long ago, idk how much I’d love it now. I reread Shadow and Bone recently (which I always said was a fave of mine) and I really didn’t like it lol
Yeah some books really don’t hold up years later!
Happy blogiversary! Wow, your list has so many favorites of mine too, I absolutely adored Cinder, Fangirl and Geekerella!
Thank you! And yay! I loved all of those!
Fantastic list! I loved loved loved Cinder and Fangirl, as well <3 <3
I spy several on your list that I used to have on my bookshelf and finally unhauled because I just wasn’t reading them! I know SO many loved Cinder and while I wanted to read it, eventually I just gave up that hope. 😉
That’s ok! Cinder and Scarlet were great, but Cress was a DNF so maybe you didn’t miss much lol