Top Ten Tuesday: 2013's New-To-Me Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies over at

The Broke And The Bookish!

This Week's Topic:
Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2013

Writing this list and going through the books I've read this year, I realized I really didn't read that many new authors.  I read a lot from authors I already enjoyed.  Hellooooo goal for 2014.  I love finding those new authours.  Last year, Jennifer L. Armentrout was my favourite new-to-me author.  This year, I have to say it was Rae Carson.  Guys, the Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy did terrible things to my heart.  I just loved it.  I cannot wait to read more from Rae, as well as these 9 other awesome authors!

Links to my reviews (if available):

The Girl of Fire and Thorns | The Crown of Embers | The Bitter Kingdom

Anna and the French Kiss | Partials | Fragments

The 5th Wave | Pivot Point | The Distance Between Us

Fangirl | The Summer I Turned Pretty | Burn for Burn

Fire With Fire | Golden

Reviews coming for Ann Aguirre's Razorland Trilogy

Who was your favourite new-to-you authour this year?  Who do I need to check out?

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Published December 2nd, 2010
Speak
372 pages (Paperback)

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Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair.  Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all... including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? (From Goodreads)

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OH MY GOD WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG THIS IS PERFECT!!!

How do I even review this?

First off, this book is set at a boarding school in Paris!  Let's discuss that for a moment.  Paris itself is magical, and Stephanie Perkins' writing made me wish I was there so badly.  Add my random childhood desire to go to a boarding school, and we're golden!

The characters are dynamic and fantastic.  Each and every one has a little something that draws you in and makes you love them.  I think a lot of us would love to be in Anna's place too.  St. Clair is snarky and swoon-worthy!  Their romance is engaging and and draws you in.  I could not put this down!

This is such an easy read to.  It feels like you're just going along with Anna and living with her.  It never tries to get too heavy.  It's just an easy contemporary read that would be perfect for the beach or a lazy day in.  I think that this is one that I will be going back to in the future and rereading, possibly multiple times.

Anna and the French Kiss just has that magical quality about it that makes it an amazing read.  All the little pieces add up to an amazing story that I could not put down.  Now I'm forcing it upon everyone.  Go figure.

"Waiting On" Isla and the Happily Ever After

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating!

This week I am excited for...

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.
Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new. (From Goodreads)

Last week I decided to read Anna and the French Kiss (I finally get the Etienne hype).  Then I had to read Lola and the Boy Next Door.  Now I am impatient over this book!  I can't wait to learn more about Isla and Josh, and see how this story plays out on September 13th, 2013 (why so far away?!?).  I'm also in LOVE with this cover redesign, and plan on re-purchasing the first two with the new covers!  That's big, because I usually just settle for mismatching books...

Much love, Samantha