Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish. 

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a great way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Things to Read When You Need Something Light & Fun

1. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday - Talk about a book not taking itself too seriously. This mystery was so engaging, entertaining and downright fun, that it pretty much knocked my socks off. Read it. Do it.

2. Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar - Let's be honest...the show was a heck of a lot more dramatic than the books ever were. I could read them in one sitting and, well, they're dang entertaining. So sue me.

3. The Princess Bride by William Goldman - Many of you have probably seen the movie...right? Well, imagine it in literary form. That's right. It's perfection, and trust me, it still has me in stitches to this day.

4. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - Despite the drama, action and the overwhelmingly paranormal storyline, you can't tell me this book isn't a fast-paced, fun and really entertaining adventure. It's hilarious, too!

5. Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway - This book is sheer genius. It's another one of those that I could easily read in one sitting, but it so fresh-faced and lighthearted that it's pure entertainment.

6. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot - I'll fight anyone who disagrees with me on this one. It promise you that it doesn't get more sweet, fun and simple than the plight of a teenage girl-turned-princess.

7. Angus, Thongs & Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison - This series is hilarious. Absolutely leave-me-in-stitches hilarious. Plus, the characters are so incredibly rich and personable, that you'll lose yourself in this book in no time.

8. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine - Despite the fact that Hollywood royally butchered the film (hey, I'm just being honest), this book remains an all-time favourite of mine. Ella is awesome.

9. Heist Society by Ally Carter - Okay, so there's a little bit of mystery (fine...a lot) in these books, but it's engaging, it's fast-paced and I'm never ever bored when I read them. 

10. Belles by Jen Calonita - You know what I love? Lighthearted romance. This one delivers. Don't be thrown by the premise or the promise of melodrama...it's got plenty of fun to go around, too!

Title: Belles
Author: Jen Calonita
Publisher: Poppy
Publish Date: April 10, 2012
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 356
Source: Publisher

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family.

Isabelle is taken away from everything she’s ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn’t go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn’t thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates’ Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls’ lives forever.

Izzie’s life has been far from easy. She’s had to care for her grandmother for a long time, and she bears a burden far greater than girls her age should carry. Nevertheless, life is a far cry from what she’s about to be plunged into. When a social worker sends her to live with a well-to-do distant relative, Lizzie’s world is turned upside down…in the best possible way. When Izzie’s world becomes one of wealth and prestige, a private school and a glamorous home life with a glitzy cousin, Mira though, it might be a bit too much for her. Can she hack it in this new world, or will her place remain in her roots?

In a world where a lot of YA novels take themselves far too seriously and dark/depressing is the new happy, Belles by Jen Calonita takes a new high ground. Funny and sweet, endearing and unapologetic, this drama and tension-filled story takes a simpler approach to the young adult world. It’s a rags-to-riches sort of tale that takes the immediate clichéd notions and spins them into something for more entertaining. Think – Cinderella meets She’s the Man. Peppered with seriousness but alive with lighthearted, feel-good humour and storytelling, Belles is a real treat.

Guys, there are so many things about Belles that I should have hated simply based on my preconceived notions, my qualms with melodrama and more. However, there was something about the story that was just so charming that I found myself completely engulfed in the story. Izzie was a delightful MC. She was honest and true, and I found that her character had a starkness about her that bolstered her internal strength. Mira was carefully crafted as her antithesis. She was very much a follower, and her personality was very weak. Having been raised in a wealthy household, Mira doesn’t truly think for herself, and I found her to be a bit off-putting, which was actually effective because it made me like Izzie even more. Told in alternating perspectives, Belles featured smooth, seamless transitions, though I’ll say I far preferred Izzie’s chapters to Mira’s. Best of all, however, was the fact that the novel was genuine and heartfelt. With just enough drama and touches of romance, Belles whetted my appetite for a sweet read that wasn’t too heavy and wasn’t too boring.

Overall, I was surprised that I really enjoyed Belles. Usually not my cup of tea, it definitely bested my misconceptions. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction with lighthearted romance.