Top Ten Books I Loved But Will (Probably) Never Re-Read

(This meme is actually hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl now, but I am far too lazy to make a new graphic)

I'm quite fond of re-reading, even if I don't do it as often as I'd like. But there are some books that, no matter how wonderful they were, I can't see myself picking up again. Never say never, though!! Who knows what mood will strike me in the future?

Tbh, this topic was really tough because I was going through my Goodreads and kept saying, "Okay, well I wouldn't mind reading that one again!!" with every single book. I had to get cutthroat and make some decisions.

BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT READ ANY OF THESE NOVELS FOR THE FIRST TIME YET, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!

1) Wither by Lauren DeStefano - This was a solid 4-star series for me. I binged it. I enjoyed it a lot. (Check out my review of Wither) I can't see myself re-reading it, though. It was an in-the-moment read for me. I don't find myself missing the characters or the world.

2) Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven - I rated this 4.5 stars. The romance was cute and geeky and there was a lot of body positivity represented in this novel. I just don't feel the urge to give it another go.

3) When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon - Another 4-star read for me. I really loved the characters and the story and I definitely recognize how important this novel is, in terms of diversity. However, I think that I, personally, got what I wanted out of it the first time around. I can't wait to read the companion novel, though!!

4) Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies by Laura Stampler - Once again, I gave this 4 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed traipsing through New York in this novel (unfortunately, not in real life) and the engaging writing. This was just a quick, light read, and I will remember it fondly, but I don't think I'll be revisiting it. (My review!)

5) Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - I will always regard this series as one of my all-time favorites. It's been years since I read it, and I really don't remember much that happens in it, but I was in looove with it as I was reading. There are 2 reasons I can't see myself re-reading it, though. Firstly, that's a commitment. This series has 4 books and they are all clunkers. Secondly, I'm very afraid I won't like it anymore and I refuse to let that happen.

6) Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver - Lauren Oliver is one of my ultimate favorite authors. Her prose is gorgeous, and this novel is no exception. It's absolutely beautiful and it made me SOB when I read it. But I'm afraid this is the kind of novel that loses its effect after the first read. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not going to take that chance. This is one of those novels that I'm not committed to NOT re-reading, though.

7) The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh - I don't know that I'd even describe this novel as good. I remember having a lot of issues/questions while I was reading, but I could. not. stop. It was such an addicting read and I ate up every second of it. But, again, I think I got what I wanted out of it the first time I read it. I have not read the second installment yet, but I want to. Even still, this novel does not have a particularly complex story, so I don't think I'd feel the need to re-read it once I get my hands on the sequel.

8) Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - Just talking about this series makes me cackle a little bit because this is another one of those series I was SUPER INTO when my reading habits were just beginning to form. I think I might hate it and cringe to death if I went back and re-read it, but I will always hold it in my heart. I do still own the entire series, though, so maybe one day I'll give it a go for nostalgia's sake.

9) An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson - This is one of my more recent reads and it was absolutely delectable. I couldn't tear myself away. I'm pretty sure I read it all in one sitting. But I just don't think it's the kind of book I'd want to re-read.

10) Just One Day by Gayle Forman - I remember really enjoying this one but also finding it a bit slow. I think Gayle Forman is a brilliant writer, and this is probably the book I'm most unsure of.

Would You Rather #3: Dark Edition

Hiya! Would You Rather is a pretty self-explanatory new feature here at The Left-Handed Book Lover, and I think it will be a lot of fun. Each WYR post will have a different theme.

This time I chose books with dark covers. I picked 20 dark-covered novels, paired them up at random, and then picked one. This was extremely difficult! I love most these books so much (there are a few I'm not so fond of), and there were some pairings where I spent way too long deliberating which one to choose.

ARE THERE ANY CHOICES YOU'D MAKE DIFFERENTLY? 

Top Ten Books That Need To Be Turned Into TV Shows Pronto

Listen, I love TV shows (pretty much as much as I love books), so I was pumped to see that this week's TTT topic was a TV-themed freebie! As great as movies are and all, I am always hoping for some more book-to-TV adaptations, so this week provided the perfect chance for me to talk about the books I want to see in my handy dandy picture box!

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - Okay, first of all, I don't get why this hasn't been adapted to anything yet??? It would be a fantastic TV show! The world could really lend itself to an episodic story, and there's so much you can do with it that it could go on for several seasons. I'm still holding out hope that ONE DAY this will see some sort of screen, be it big or small.

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman - This would be an interesting & emotional historical fiction TV show. Obviously writers would have to throw in a bit more plot/action than the book has, but the overall story would be so great to watch.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - I think it's harder to imagine contemporary fiction as a TV show, especially when it falls on the fluffier side of the spectrum, but I imagine this could have a sort of Carrie Diaries vibe. The characters and the setting would translate so well to TV.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano - The premise would make for great television!! The books aren't the most action-packed, so I feel the writers would have to add quite a bit, but the world/different settings/storylines could make a unique & addicting TV show.

The Program by Suzanne Young - I've only read the first book in this duology, but this world is dark and could be explored in so many ways!

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows - Again, I've only read the first book in this series, and I don't even remember much of what happens, but I think the premise and the magical world has so many possibilities for TV.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - I HAVE BEEN RALLYING FOR THIS TO BECOME A TV SHOW FOR YEARS. The world is intricate, the characters have depth, there's action, there's romance, there's so much plot to work with. And yet. All this amazing series has been given is a shitty movie.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver - I am still SO SALTY that this was supposed to be a TV show and then they were all like, "LOL NEVER MIND" so then it wasn't a TV show. Granted, I watched the pilot and I don't think that particular TV show would have done this series justice, but I still think this book deserves a chance to be a beautiful. heartbreaking television show.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - This is the first book in a companion series, and I think if you take all the books in the series and put them on the same timeline (as in, all the books taking place at the same time rather than each book taking place after the previous book in the series) it could make a really fantastic TV show. All the characters are complex and interesting and dealing with some really heavy shit.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - This is another series with so many complexities and intricacies that trying to fit it into a movie is going to turn out awful. But of course, they tried to turn it into a movie, and it was awful. Now imagine if it had been a TV show, and writers had sufficient time to explore the world and characters. It would be great. 

Sunday Post #24

• Well, I moved back to school and started my junior year of college, which is just so weird to think about. I'm not sure what to think of my classes so far, but I do have a YA fiction writing class I'm excited for! And I actually have friends in that class, which is the best part of all. 
• I've talked about it on twitter a bit and I mentioned it in a post, but I'll say it again--I'm wiped. I've been at school a week, and it's been busier than my entire summer. But it's good to be back and to have a life outside my couch again. 
• On Friday night, a few friends and I had a sleepover in which we built a fort at 3 a.m. and all slept on my floor. It was a lot of fun, but it's been hard for me to find alone time. 

Reviews: 
- Game On by Michelle Smith
- Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

Memes: 
- Top Ten Books On My TBR From Before I Started Blogging

Features/Misc.:
- Book Aesthetics #1: Summer Books
- My search for guest posters/reviewers & a co-blogger

Reviews: 
- The Reader by Traci Chee

Memes: 
- Top Ten Tuesday: Back to School Freebie
- Sunday Post #25

Features/misc.:
- August Recap
- Would You Rather: Dark Covers Edition 

 Thanks to school, I received so many books this week I had to split this haul up into three parts haha! Also, I don't feel like listing all the books, so I'm not going to.

Textbooks: 



Novels bought for school: 



Novels bought for funsies!!! 

Here are some highlights from my instagram account this week. Give me a follow if you want to see everything I have posted/will post!

I cannot believe I haven't read this book yet. I bought it right when it came out but it's so intimidating that I've put off reading it. I am bringing it to college with me, though, so hopefully I'll be reading it soon. ● ● ● What are some intimidating books on your tbr that you want to get around to reading?

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Aug 18, 2016 at 2:17pm PDT

This series will always be one of my favorites, and I'm really excited to read Dangerous Creatures which is the first book in a spin-off series about link and ridley. ● ● ● I move back to school tomorrow and I haven't even started packing yet so I pretty much have to spend all day packing. Packing is pretty much the bane of my existence though. But I am excited to head back to school and be reunited with my friends. ● ● ● Are you headed back to school soon? Are you excited or dreading it? I'm kinda a combination of the two.

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Aug 20, 2016 at 9:57am PDT

WHAT HAS YOUR WEEK IN BOOKS AND BLOGGING LOOKED LIKE??

Sunday Post #23

• This is the last week I'm posting my Sunday Post on not-Sunday, so yay! I just don't feel right posting this on Saturday XD 
• And as you might be able to tell, I GAVE MY BLOG A MAKEOVER. I'm so excited. I was nervous about changing things at first, but I absolutely love it! I think it looks much cleaner and better fits what I want for my blog now. I created the first design in November of 2013, so nearly three years ago. Since then, both my blog and myself have changed a lot, so this new design feels kind of like embracing all that change. I really hope you all like it as much as I do! 
• Anyway, this was my last week of summer vacation. I'll be moving back to school tomorrow and I'm excited and also not excited at the same time. This week I went with my dad to see my aunt who, despite us only living about 45 minutes away from each other, I haven't seen since Christmas-time. It was really nice to see her again before heading back to school! 
• Then, Thursday, my friend and I got mani-pedis in preparation for the new semester. Hooray pampering! I wanted to get my hair done too before going back to school, but that just didn't happen. *sighs dramatically*

Reviews: 
- The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder (⋆⋆⋆)
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (⋆⋆⋆⋆)

Memes: 
- Top Ten Books With Memorable Settings

Misc: 
- The Playlist Book Tag
- The Authors I Own The Most Books From
- Summer Blog Promo Tour Wrap Up

 Reviews:
- Game On by Michelle Smith
- Beyond the Red by Ava Jae

Memes:
- Top Ten Books On My TBR From Before Blogging
- Sunday Post #24

Misc.: 
- Book Aesthetics: Summer Books
- Discussion: My Favorite Part Of The Book Community

Sarah from The YA Book Traveler posted about self-doubt and why it's a good thing. I think every blogger could stand to hear what she says, since we probably all suffer from self-doubt in some form or another.

Rachel from Parajunkee provided a really handy book blogging post ideas list. Feeling a bit slumpy? Maybe this list can give you some ideas.

I didn't intend on getting any more books this month (aside from school books), but Hastings is going out of business, so of course I had to snag a few bargain books while I was in the area.

- Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
- The Rising by Kelley Armstrong
- The Treatment by Suzanne Young


And because I apparently don't already have enough e-galleys unread, I snagged this one from Netgalley:


- The Summer Before Forever by Melissa Chambers
Published: August 22, 21016 by Entangled TEEN

Here are some highlights from my instagram account this week. Give me a follow if you want to see everything I have posted/will post!

I have been utterly obsessed with this book since the second I finished it. I can't believe I haven't posted any pictures of this book yet! Between my twitter and my blog, I'm pretty much constantly talking about Kiersten White's latest madterpiece. What books are you constantly trying to get people to read?

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Aug 14, 2016 at 2:13pm PDT

One of my favorite things in the world is when I take the dust jacket off a book and find a lil treat. The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone has one of the best under-the-dust-jacket covers I've ever seen! What are some books you've seen that look fantastic naked? 😂

A photo posted by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Aug 15, 2016 at 11:33am PDT

WHAT HAS YOUR WEEK IN BOOKS AND BLOGGING LOOKED LIKE? 

The Authors I Own The Most Books From

(Coming up with a title for this post was hard. I feel like everything I tried sounds so awkward.)

Maybe I'm weird, but I always think it's so interesting to know which authors take up the most space on other people's shelves. And recently I realized, I don't really know which authors take up the most space on MY shelves. I mean, obviously I had an idea, but I thought I'd do a definitive count and share the results with you people! 

Coming in at seventh place (but really tied for sixth) with 5 books is...

As you can see above, I own all 4 books in the Caster Chronicles (co-written with Margaret Stohl), and then the first book in her own series, all of which I have read and enjoyed. I do plan to buy more books by her, like the sequel to Unbreakable, and The Lovely Reckless (her new contemporary book that has not been released yet). Also, I just realized that Dangerous Creatures is a full-length book with a sequel and everything. I thought it was just a novella or something. So obviously I need to buy that too. (The day after scheduling this post, I actually acquired a copy of Dangerous Creatures but I was too lazy to go back & revise). 

Then, in sixth place also with 5 books is...

I own most of Oliver's YA work, with the exception of Vanishing Girls and Replica (which hasn't been released yet). I need to ad those to my collection, and any other YA books that Lauren Oliver puts out. She has several MG & adult books, but I don't have any plans to read those in the foreseeable future. I've read all of these and enjoyed them, but Panic fell a bit flat. 

In fifth place with 6 books is...

I own most of Jenny Han's books, but I'm missing the first book in the Summer series and the third book in the Burn for Burn trilogy (co-written with Siobhan Vivian), both of which I've been trying to buy for a while but can;t find them in the format I want for cheap. I just learned that she also has a MG book that I swear no one talks about. When the newly-announced third book in her To All the Boys series comes out, I will be buying it ASAP. I've devoured all of these! 

In fourth place (but actually tied for third) with 7 books is...

I own most of the books set in the Nightshade world that have been published, except, ya know, Nightshade, which I will buy when I find it in the format I want. I just recently bought The Inventor's Secret, which is the first book in her steampunk series, so I'll probably end up buying the rest of the trilogy (even though the covers don't really match???). Out of all of these, I've only read Wolfsbane, Bloodrose, and Invisibility. I should probably get on that. 

In third place also with 7 books...

MY QUEEN. I am working on owning all her books. I'm still 5 away from a complete collection. Of course I've read every book she has put out. 

In second place with 9 books...

It's honestly impossible to keep up with all of Clare's books because she has like novella bind-ups and a codex and graphic novels and who knows what else. She also has a MG series. My main concern is getting a copy of City of Bones so I can re-read The Mortal Instruments series (as I haven't finished the last two books). I also haven't read Lady Midnight yet, but I will soon. 

AND COMING IN FIRST PLACE WITH 11 BOOKS...

Richelle Mead has written a lot of books for adults and young adults. While I do want to read/own them, I've heard they are not very good. I don't have the last two books in the Bloodlines series yet, but I will. The only book on this list I haven't read yet is The Fiery Heart, and I want to re-read the VA series and the beginning of the Bloodlines series before I do that. So it might be a while.

This post was a lot of fun! All of these authors are among my favorites, and I ended up doing quite a bit of research to figure out exactly what books I don't own and haven't read and which ones I want to, so it was really helpful. 

WHICH AUTHORS DO YOU OWN THE MOST BOOKS FROM? DO WE HAVE ANY AUTHORS IN COMMON?

Top Ten Books With A Memorable Setting

So I know that for today's topic I was supposed to pick a specific setting, but that was too difficult so I took a different route.

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider - This will forever be one of the coolest settings of all time--a half-hospital/half-boarding school for teens suffering from a new, incurable strain of tuberculosis.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - I love Gatlin, the southern Gothic town this series takes place in! I really enjoyed learning all the town intricacies and quirks. And, of course, the underground community of witches.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - Who can forget New Pretty Town, a place for all the new Pretties to go and party & live in mansions & drink champagne. They can essentially do whatever they want as long as they don't question the surgery to make them Pretty.

Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies by Laura Stampler - I know that New York City has been written about loads of times, but there was something about this book that really put me in New York and made me feel like I was there. MY REVIEW.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Not only does this take place in Wales, but it takes place in 1940s Wales with a house full of fantastical creatures. MY REVIEW.

Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell - If you want to travel to a dark Neverland that shifts and changes at random, this is the book for you. MY REVIEW.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Cuz Panem.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - I just adored reading about the Amsterdam adventures in this book! I'm fairly certain I've never read anything else that takes place in Amsterdam.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare - THE LONDON INSTITUTE <33333

And I Darken by Kiersten White - Somehow I always find a way to talk about this book. Because it's fantastic. And part of what makes it so spectacular is the setting. I mean, come on, THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE! MY REVIEW.

Top Ten Books That Have Inspired Me

The original prompt is "Top Ten Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do or Learn About After Reading Them" but that's kind of a mouthful, so I've changed it a bit to books that have inspired me, which is essentially the same thing. I love this topic because books help open our minds to SO MANY THINGS and it's nice to recognize the way books have changed us.

Note: I haven't actually done any of these things, but I still really want to.

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson - Out of all the things I could say about this book, you might be surprised to know the aspect that inspired me was the awesome scavenger hunt. When I was reading it, all I could think of was how fun it would be to have a big scavenger hunt with all my friends.

Paper Towns by John Green - This book made me want to cause minor trouble. I know that sounds stupid, but the adventure that Q and Margo go on in the beginning just made me want to throw all my caution away and do something stupid and adventurous (that doesn't hurt anyone else) like break into Sea World.

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson - I absolutely adore the list of out-of-character tasks that Emily sets out to complete. It made me think about how incredible and exhilarating it would be to make a list with my best friend of silly tasks, go to the nearest bus stop, pick a random destination, and work to complete those tasks together. Tell me you don't want to try something like that.

Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies - Get an internship in New York City. Okay, so this book didn't make me want to do that because that has been my dream for years, but it definitely reinforced the desire. All the NYC adventures just made my heart hurt because I wish I was the one having those adventures.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson - What can I say? Matson writes some really great summer adventures. Unsurprisingly, this book definitely made me crave a cross-country road trip.

And I Darken by Kiersten White - This is a reimagining of Vlad the Impaler, so the entire time I was reading I was thinking about how I need to go study up on good ol' Vlad because I actually know very little about him.

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman - This is a fictional imagining of what Blackbeard's youth was like and how he became the notorious swashbuckler. I'll be honest, before cracking this baby open, I didn't even realize Blackbeard was a real person. The minute I finished, I was eager to learn more about him because THAT ENDING.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - I just adore writing about small towns, and I'm pretty sure this series is the main reason why. The southern gothic small town that these ladies have created is incredibly intricate and detailed and just extremely fascinating.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver - Lauren Oliver is #writinggoals! All her writing has influenced my own style tremendously, but I'd say the captivating lyrical prose of Delirium has been my #1 inspiration. I re-read it recently and that re-read was tremendously helpful. I was having a lot of trouble capturing my own voice in my writing, and after reading this, I found it again.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - Mead's characterization and worldbuilding are phenomenal in this series, and the protagonist Rose Hathaway is my all-time favorite heroine of all time, and while I never try to duplicate her in my own writing, I often keep her sassiness, boldness, and badassness in mind when writing my own characters.

What books have inspired you?