Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books That Have Stuck With Me

Top Ten Tuesday, as always, is hosted by Broke and Bookish.This week's topic is a freebie, so I chose the Top Ten Books That Have Stuck With Me. I think these sort of lists are fascinating, as they help you see not only what kind of books people like but what kind of books stick with people. Because it can be hard to explain why a books resonates with you, I'm just going to simply list them, and then we can talk about how great they are in the comments. Let's get started!

1.Paper Towns by John Green

2.Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison

3. The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald

4.The Little Prince by Antoine de Sainte-Exupery 

5. The Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth

6.The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
7.Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
8. The Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
9. The Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling
10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

What books have stuck with you after you read them? Leave them in the comments. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Photo from Goodreads

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: September 10, 2013, by St. Martin's Press

Plot Summary:
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 sister, 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 fan fiction, 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 fan fiction 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? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

My Thoughts:
I love this book. I really do.

Maybe it's because it took place at a time that would've been my freshman year, Maybe it's because it's about fangirl culture, something I definitely understand. Maybe it's because I just identify with the protagonist on so many levels.

I don't know what the magic combination is, but this book seems tailored to me.

This book basically follows Cath through the entirety of her freshman year and the ups and downs that go along with it. However, it is more a chronology of her real life versus her life in the fandom. In my mind, it does not really add up to what the blurp on the inside cover says. The book focuses more on her life than the Simon Snow fandom.

I think the main reason I loved this book because I just "get" Cath as a character because in many ways, I am Cath. A lot of the things she goes through regarding college are a lot of things I went through myself regarding college, like roommates and dinning halls. As for some of the more complex conflicts, I definitely understood the emotions behind it. I also really loved the complexity of Wren and their Dad.

Overall, I would recommend this book to people in college who will be able to reminisce about their freshman year.  People who are about to start college may also enjoy this. If you enjoy fandom and fan-created works, you will also love this.

August Favorites

So today is September 1st, which means all the witches and wizards are boarding the Hogwarts Express to go back to school. I, however, have been back at school for two weeks now and let me tell you, it's not all it's cracked up to be.

August has been an interesting month so far, what with Phi Sigma Pi National Convention  and starting back at work and school, and Kelly's 21st birthday. Here are some of my favorites from this month:

1. This shirt
I have been waiting for this shirt to get here since I ordered it in July and I finally got a chance to wear it yesterday and I am in love. (Ignore the fact I am taking a selfie in Target. Focus on the glory that is this shirt.)

2. My boat shoes
My boyfriend bought me a pair of boat shoes while he was in California and I have seriously been wearing them everywhere! They are so comfortable and I think I prefer wearing them over my regular ballet flats (which is saying a lot because I was a serious flats girl last year). They are also pictured.

3. Waiting for the Dawn- The Mowgli's
About halfway through this month, I decided to listen to more of The Mowgli's than just "San Francisco". Best decision ever. I have this album playing constantly on Spotify. (Link to playlist here!) Some of my favorite tracks are "The Great Divide" and "Time".

And that is all I can think of for favorites this month! Most of this month has consisted of work and school, as will September! And unfortunately, I didn't get much reading done at all this month! =[

Cheers!

June Favorites

Hey, everyone! I can't believe it's already the end of June (or Sunday for that matter!) This month just flew by! Here are some favorites from this month!

Not pictured: Perfect Scoundrels and Hex Hall 

Favorite Books
Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter (Review here)

Shades series by Maureen Johnson (Review of The Madness Underneath here)

Hex hall series by Rachel Hawkins (Review of Hex Hall up soon!)

Favorite Music
Kill your heroes- AWOLNATION

This song is my favorite of theirs that I've heard. I've become really fond of AWOLNATION recently.

Global concepts- Robert Delong

This song reminds me of my anthropology class I took over the summer. Plus, it's a really interesting song.

Cruise remix- Florida Georgia Line ft. Nelly

One of my friends declared this"The Song of Summer". And it's so ridiculous I can't help but agree.

"Cups (Pitch Perfect's "When I'm Gone") by Anna Kendrick

I've never seen the movie Pitch Perfect, but I really enjoy this song because it's just so catchy.

Events
Trip to St. Louis to spend time with friends.
Got back into reading at the end of the month.
Not a favorite, but survived my first inventory at work.
Got my apartment!

Things I'm looking forward to in July
Spending the fourth with Kelly and possibly his family
Leaving for Philadelphia at the end of the month with Jessica!

What are some of your favorites from this month? Let me know in the comments!