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. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

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 fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Top Ten Books That Have Been On My Shelf For The Longest But I've Never Read:

1. Anna and the French Kiss - I know, I know, I know. Please don't tar and feather me. It's just that I've seen so many epic reviews of this one that I'm terrified I'll be (quite literally) the only one that hates it.

2. Torment - I read Fallen, and it wasn't bad. It wasn't amazing, but it certainly wasn't bad. I just couldn't bring myself to pick up book two because I don't want to tarnish the little impression that book one left in my mind as it is.

3. Spirit Bound - I cannot bring myself to finish this series! I really can't! I'm pretty sure it will devastate me, and I'm not sure I can take it. I mean, I hate finishing series, and I actually happened to love this one despite my reservations.

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - It was a gift to me and, for some reason, it never really struck my fancy. I don't know what it is about it, but I'm just not sure it's for me.

5. Forgive My Fins - Again, I really don't know why I haven't read this one. I love the colours of the cover. I love the premise. Perhaps it's a lack of time to sit down and enjoy a book, or perhaps I'm just in a mermaid funk.

6. Evermore - I read some less-than-raving reviews of this one, and I couldn't bring myself to read it after that. There's something about preserving that ideal in your mind that you don't always want to ruin.

7. The Duff - It's the content, guys. I'm sorry. I read her other book, and it wasn't so bad, but there's something about the content that just screams the sort of contemporary fiction that I don't love to read. She's a great writer, but just not of my type of book.

8. The It Girl - For some reason that continues to defy all reason, I loved the Gossip Girl book series (HATE the show). That said, I read two pages of the Jenny spinoff and went no further. this one sits stagnant on my shelf.

9. Birthmarked - I remember buying this and being so excited to read it. Then, my review queue was flooded, and I've yet to have time to read it since. One of these days I'll dust it off and give it a go!

10. Scars - I love a dark read, especially when it's emotional and pulls at the heartstrings. There's something about the context of this one that I'm a bit leery of, despite the positive reviews. I think I just need to be in the right mindframe...and have some time.

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. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

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 fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Favorite Minor Characters ( you know... all those great supporting character or a VERY minor character that might have been only in there a page or two but had an effect on you):

1. Tiny from Will Grayson, Will Grayson - Talk about a physically big character with a small part but a huge impact! Tiny wasn't around too much, but he made the book that much better. I just loved him.

2. Tonks from Harry Potter - I don't know if she's as minor as some people think, but in a long series with a huge cast of characters, her face time was minimal. That said, she made a massive impact in the parts in which she participated.

3. Madge from The Hunger Games - Well, let's be honest...Katniss would never have had that Mockingjay pin if it weren't for her, and that pin became a symbol for the Districts. So, it's arguable that she made a far bigger impact that some of the more active characters.

4. Adnarel from Many Waters - Adnarel should have had much more face-time than he did. As one of the Seraphim, he was obviously good, but was far more lovable than the author gave him credit for. I love him...can he have a spin-off, please?

5. Jenna from Wither - She was the least featured of Linden's three brides, but she had the biggest heart, in my honest opinion. I wish Rhine could have been more like her because she made that book for me.

6. Mia from Vampire Academy - I hated her, then I liked her, then I learned to adore her character. She wasn't around too, too much, but when she was, she made a huge difference in every single scene. That's the definition of a great character for me.

7. Murdoch from The Rules of Survival - His name meant a lot to the main character of the book, Matt, but he wasn't actually around that much. Whenever he was brought up though, all I felt was hope for Matt and his sisters.

8. Basil from Redwall - His impact grows throughout the book, but he's fairly minor in a massive cast of characters. He is, however, incredible comic relief and incredible brave. Yes, I have a hare on my list.

9. Emily from Dark Song - She's behind the scenes for a lot of the story after the initial action, but she remains in the background as a constant for Ames, even when her life is falling apart. She broke the mold and made the story more powerful.

10. Jon from This World We Live In - I loved this series until this book, but Jon managed to redeem what was left of the book for me (a little bit) at least. When all the characters lost hope and became pathetic, Jon still held out hope, and that, in turn, gave me hope.

Title: Shadow Kiss
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: November 13, 2008
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 443
Source: Personal Copy

For Rose Hathaway, everything seems out of kilter. Ever since she made her first Strigoi kills, a dark shadow has been creeping over her. Looming in the background, too, is another realization: If she follows her forbidden love for guardian Dimitri Belikov, she might lose her best friend forever.

And these sleep-shaking worries couldn't have come at a worse time. The immortal unloving are prowling everywhere, famished for vengeance against her.

Rose is destined for greatness as Lissa's guardian, and as Lissa is the last of the Dragomir line, it's all the more important. Things are changing though. Rose is finding herself plagued by shadows of those who shouldn't be around anymore, and it's scaring her. To keep control, she begins to keep secrets from those who matter most to her, including Lissa and Dimitri, who might just be the only ones who can help her now. Can she realize that she needs them as much as they need her in time, or will it be too late? There are some things one can't come back from.

I feel this is an appropriate time for me to apologize to all Vampire Academy fans out there for the snide little remarks I made about the series because of the vampire plotline. Colour me nuts, but I'm officially obsessed, and I never in a gazillion-billion-trillian years thought I'd have to concede that. Shadow Kiss is book three in the six book series, and has effectively built the suspense to a fever pitch making it a serious page-turner. Alternating action, drama, suspense and terror on every page, Shadow Kiss is a true triumph for author, Richelle Mead.

I felt the series was a little shaky with book one, I'll admit. I understand why it was the way it was now though. Shadow Kiss doesn't need excessive backstory now because the prior books elaborated and detailed everything one needs to know, so we get dropped right into the action. Rose and Lissa, though close, still have separate lives and turmoil to deal with. For Rose, she's not only trying to come to terms with seeing things, but also trying to hide her love for Dimitri, and it gets harder all the time. I will admit, I found her a bit whiny because of this at times, but it kind of went hand-in-hand with her age. Honestly, Lissa annoyed me at times, too, because she had this total "holier-than-thou," everything is about me attitude. Dimitri, however exudes utter sexiness and power from every page, and let's just say there were several moments during Shadow Kiss that I'm pretty sure my heart fell right out of my body.

Despite aggravating immaturity at times, Shadow Kiss was a fantastic, riveting read that I couldn't put down. I definitely think it's the best of the series thus far. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy paranormal stories and those involving vampires.

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. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

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 fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Books I'm SO Happy Were Recommended to Me (all those books you probably wouldn't have picked up without a recommendation):

1. Raw Blue - I've never been a fan of contemporary fiction. I don't dance around the issue. So, when a book manages to set me off on a contemporary kick and compare my future reads to it, well, I'd say it's a winner.

2. Vampire Academy - I hate vampires. Truly. I've been told by a gazillion bloggers that I'm missing out though, so I decided to give it a go. I'm highly addicted now, and while I'm only on book five, I legit had to just drive out and buy it because I'm dying to know what happens next!

3. The Adoration of Jenna Fox - Something about the cover always turned me off, but so many good reviews and fabulous recommendations convinced me to give it a go. I'm SO glad I did.

4. The Hunger Games - I don't know why I waited to start the series. I think it was the hype, but I decided that maybe I should see what the hype was really about, and I died with glee. I read each book in less than 15 hours...straight. I'm a geek.

5. Pretty Little Liars - I hate the show, so giving the first book a try was a stretch for me. I was told it was entertaining though, so I decided to see for myself, and I was pleasantly surprised. It's not the best writing, but it's certainly entertaining!

6. The Lightning Thief - My good friend Amelia recommended this one to me, and I kept putting it off because it sounded so MG, which is kind of a hit or miss thing with me. Needless to say, it was a hit, ultimately, and I read the entire series in a matter of days. Love me some Percy Jackson.

7. Many Waters - I read this on a recommendation way before I started blogging because I desperately wanted to like Madeleine L'Engle but hated her other titles. A friend told me that the biblical context and love story might be my thing, and it was. I've read this book so many times that I've had to buy multiple covers because the cover keeps falling off.

8. Time Windows - This is one of the first books my grammar school english teacher recommended to me when she realized that I was reading a ton of books. It was above my reading level (technically), but I love it to this day.

9. Harry Potter - I'm obsessed, and I've made that common knowledge. That said, I didn't start book one until book two was already out because I actually made fun of my sister for reading the book. I thought it sounded stupid. She challenged me to try it, and I didn't want to back down, so I read it...BEST. DECISION. EVER.

10. The Art of Racing in the Rain - It's not the type of book I'd review on my blog, but this is one of those books that just stays with me all the time. It's beautiful and so so so sad.

Title: Frostbite
Author: Richelle Mead
Published: April 10, 2008
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 327
Source: Personal Copy

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks… This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…

In Vampire Academy, we met Rose and Lissa, best friends, but also something more. Rose is destined to be Lissa’s guardian, and the two share an unshakable bond, one that keeps them together at all times. But life isn’t all roses and peaches now. After a massive attack, the school is overrun by new guardians, throwing Rose’s distant mother into the mix, as well, and when the school is thrust into a mandatory “holiday” to protect the students in one place, things threaten to go from bad to worse. Rose is learning more about herself every day, and every revelation makes life a little bit scarier and a lot less safe.

Ok, remember how I told you I hate vampires? Well, I still do, so don’t get your hopes up (Ginger). That said, I was blown away by Frostbite. I liked Vampire Academy enough, don’t get me wrong. I think the world that Richelle Mead set up was fantastic, but I wouldn’t say it really blew me out of the water. Frostbite, however, was completely and utterly captivating. The world within the walls of the Vampire Academy grew exponentially, the boarding school was magically deceptive and the cast of characters grew in leaps and bounds, all of which heightened an already tumultuous and riveting plot.

There were so many highlights in Frostbite that I don’t think I could adequately pinpoint them all. That said, the character development of Rose was a huge strength. While I knew her background before, the introduction of her mother, as well as new secondary characters like Aiden heightened the tension and discovery of more of her background. Lissa, too, grew in my opinion and was less of a whiny little mope than before. Plus, there’s Dimitri…swoon. I swear that the Rose/Dimitri plotline is killing me, too, and every chapter just had me reading faster and faster to see where that would end up. Frankly, I can sum it up like this – Frostbite featured an amazing cast of characters, a fantastically developed plot and a speedy pace that kept me guessing throughout.

Frostbite was a fantastic sequel to Vampire Academy, and I’m officially hooked on the series (even though I swore I’d never be.) I give it a 5 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to all fans of the Vampire Academy series and YA fans, especially those who enjoy paranormal and paranormal romance stories.

St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school—it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's—the very place where they're most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.
Taken from GoodReads.

Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir have been on the run for two years when we first meet them in Vampire Academy. Rose is committed to keeping Lissa, a royal Moroi vampire princess, safe, and Lissa is determined to have Rose's back at all times. The girls, however, are brought back to St. Vladimir's Academy - the very place from which they escaped. Rose is keeping a deadly secret for Lissa, and the bond they share is in jeopardy every day - can they keep Lissa and Rose safe while within the walls of the vampire academy?

Yes, I took my sweet assed time getting to Vampire Academy because I loathe vampires. They glitter, and stalk, and whine, and meddle in that vampire series I'm sure some of you might have heard of...but a few of my really good bloggy friends convinced me to give this a go. I can honestly admit that I'm pleased I read Vampire Academy. It's a whirlwind of adventure that blends friendships, lore, and enemies into a tale that makes you want to know more. Richelle Mead has created a world of vampires that I can honestly admit - intrigues me.

Now, that's not to say that Vampire Academy didn't have a few hiccups for me. For one, had I not been forewarned, I would have been extremely confused by Lissa and Rose's relationship. For the first half, I was pretty sure they were a couple - not that there's anything wrong with that, but it kind of confused the other relationships in the story. I also think the book started off a bit slow. There was a lot of background in Vampire Academy, and it took a while for that to get out of the way and into the real action of the story. I will, however, note particular strengths in characterization and descriptiveness. The world within Vampire Academy is alive.

No, it's not the best book I've ever read, and I know I'm eating my words here, but I'm going to give Vampire Academy a 4 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to all fans of YA, paranormal romance, and vampire stories - even if you don't like vampires, this is an exciting adventure! I definitely need to know what happens next...mostly with Dimitri. And Rose.

In My Mailbox is an amazing weekly meme hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren that features the books we have received during the week. It's so much fun because we get to see what our fellow bloggers stumbled upon this week and add even more to our piles of books! Without further ado, this week I received the following books:

Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar - (For Review - Thank you, Prometheus Books) - Vampire predators run wild in this exciting steampunk adventure, the first in an alternate history trilogy that is already attracting attention. In 1870, monsters rise up and conquer the northern lands, As great cities are swallowed up by carnage and disease, landowners and other elite flee south to escape their blood-thirsty wrath. One hundred fifty years later, the great divide still exists; fangs on one side of the border, worried defenders on the other. This fragile equilibrium is threatened, then crumbles after a single young princess becomes almost hopelessly lost in the hostile territory.

Vampire Academy - (Bought) - St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school—it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's—the very place where they're most in danger. . . .

Virals - (Bought) - Megan’s twin sister Remy died in an accident nine years ago, and she’s been haunting her ever since. Knowing how crazy that sounds, Megan keeps this secret to herself and tries to lead a normal life. But when she takes a summer job at Land of Enchantment to keep an eye on her new boyfriend and his lovesick best friend, Samantha, she meets fellow employee Luke who can see Remy, too. Things get even twistier because Megan’s new friend Ari is sporting a massive crush on Luke, who seems to be developing a massive crush on Megan…making for a love triangle that’s positively possessed.

What did you get in your mailbox this week? Leave me a link, and I'll be sure to check it out!