Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Books on My Fall 2013 TBR List

Guys. There is seriously SO MUCH good YA to be released this fall. That’s why I compiled this list of my top ten books to be read this fall out of ALL NEW RELEASES! Here they are, helpfully organized for you (and me) according to release date so that you can mark your calendars!

(As always, TTT is a weekly feature of The Broke and the Bookish)

1. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Release date: August 27, 2013

After loving Will Grayson, Will Grayson (a collaboration between Levithan and John Green) and Boy Meets Boy, I decided to try some of Levithan’s other stuff. I couldn’t quite push through Every Day, although I plan to pick it up again soon. Two Boys Kissing tells the story of two high school age boys who try to break a Guinness World Record by taking part in a 32 hour kissing marathon while trying to figure out how they feel about each other.

2. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Release date: September 3, 2013

This summer I also rediscovered the work of Holly Black (I was a big fan of The Spiderwick Chronicles a few years ago) in her Modern Faerie Tales. I stumbled upon this upcoming book by her on Amazon, and now I am SO excited for it. From Goodreads: “Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.”

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Release date: September 10, 2013

Another chance find, this time from my local library. This new book is from the author of YA hit Eleanor & Park and sounds similarly adorable! It follows sisters Cath and Wren, who are huuuge Simon Snow fangirls (HP, anyone?) but as they grow up, Wren tries to build a different life for herself, and Cath is left wondering if there’s life outside of the fandom. (Um, there’s not, in case you were wondering.)

4. The Dream Thieves (Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Release date: September 17, 2013

First I should probably finish The Raven Boys, in which my attention was really at the top of the novel, but flagged halfway through. I’ll definitely come back for more, though, as I’m dying to know what will become of firecracker heroine Blue and the Raven Boys themselves, Gansey, the leader, fierce and bitter Ronan, and sweet, bashful Adam.

5. Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce

Release date: September 24, 2013

It is a well-established fact on this blog that Sam and I will read any book Tamora Pierce publishes, forever (don't believe me? Here's an experiment: search "Tamora Pierce" to see how many times we talk about her. Or don't, cause maybe it's embarrassing). She is quite simply a goddess of girl-centric YA fantasy. I must admit, I’m a little behind on this Circle series business, since I’ve been involved in the Beka Cooper series for awhile now, but this September 24^th release date is the perfect opportunity to get caught up!

6. Atlantis Rising by T.A. Barron

Release date: September 26, 2013

I already expressed my love of T.A. Barron to the world a few months ago; I’ve been eagerly anticipating this Atlantis origin story (genius idea!) by the author of The Lost Years of Merlin series. If there’s anyone who knows how to build a magical world, it’s this guy.

7. Ghost Hold (The PSS Chronicles #2) by Ripley Patton
Release date: September 30, 2013

Coming out just in time for you to read it on a chilly fall night, at home, alone, and creep the heck out of yourself. I read the first book in this series, Ghost Hand, over the summer and was pretty darn impressed by up-and-coming YA author Ripley Patton’s darkly funny style. If you’re a fan of Holly Black, Cassie Clare, or Libba Bray, give this series a try (and read our upcoming long review, too!)

8. The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan

Release date: October 8, 2013

Another author I’m obsessed with (and have met in person!). I’ve been desperately waiting for this 4^th book in The Heroes of Olympus series since Riordan published The Mark of Athena last spring. You don’t have to have read the Percy Jackson series to jump right into this one, although it might help. If you love Greek or Roman mythology, this series has BOTH! As well as a seriously goofy sense of humor and a great cast of characters.

9. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Release date: October 22, 2013

I’ll come clean: I didn’t love Divergent as much as the rest of the world. In fact, in some ways I found it kind of silly. But I’ll still jump on the Veronica Roth bandwagon to see how the series ends… boy, do I read a lot of series.

10. The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3) by Michelle Hodkin
Release date: June 3, 2014

This one’s mostly on here because it was ORIGINALLY supposed to be released in November 2013, and then the publisher decided to torture us and make a wait an extra SIX MONTHS. I am so not okay with this and am protesting by including it on my fall 2013 TBR list, anyway. I don’t hear much talk about this series except among my dedicated group of fangirls (ahem, friends), but it is smart and spooky and surprising!

Now tell me, what books are YOU looking forward to reading this fall? Tell me all about them so I can steal them from you and add them to my Goodreads, mwahahaha…

-Meg

Snips & Specs & New Projects!

Well hello, ladies and gents! Let's crank up that rumor mill, 'cause we've got lots of speculatin' to do, plus we'd like to allude to some future features you are sure to enjoy! Here's a fast five for today's Friday Snip & Spec!

#1  I STACK MY AUSTENS LIKE BENJAMINS

It's still a concept image - the release is 4 years away!

For all of you Austen fans, this is pretty cool news! She'll be on the 10-pound note. Link in the title to the Jezebel article where we first saw the story, and check out the video from the Bank of England!

#2 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL .... IN SPACE!

THIS...almost

Okay, on a scale of 1 to Total Speculation, this is really out there, but if you are a huge Star Wars nerd and reader and YA fan, you might be curious if (1) They're really going to base the rumored sequel on Heir to the Empire and (2) OMG REALLY CAST RYAN GOSLING AND ZAC EFRON! Okay, okay, this rumor came from self-proclaimed gossip hound Perez Hilton, but ... we want to believe!

Hey girl.

....That's right.

***Update*** It looks like the Ryan Gosling thing really was a rumor...there's still hope for a Cosmic HSM, though! And may we make a replacement suggestion ....

You're welcome.

#3 HI LADIES....I'M HADES

Have you spotted the new EPIC cover to House of Hades yet, out October 2014? We're pretty pumped about it - thanks YA Book Crush for tuning us in to its release! - and it distracts us from what is sure to be another disappointing film adaptation.

LOOK HOW EPIC

#4 LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES! LET'S GO SEE THE STARS!

When you're a star rays of light shoot out of your chest!

Speaking of movies, we are very excited to announce a new REGULAR FEATURE where we review BOOKS & THEIR FILM ADAPTATIONS! This magical recurring journey of joy will commence with the premiere of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. We're planning to attend the film together and co-author our first TRIPLE REVIEW! Could this list item feature MORE CAPITALIZATION?

"If she does it again...I'll kill her."

#5 YOU'VE GOT TO ASK YOURSELF ONE QUESTION

"Do I feel ... like taking a monthly personality quiz based on my favorite YA books?!!?"

Well...DO YA!?!?

Clint Eastwood. Casual.

We've got plots and plans in the works for a quiz feature. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by, guys! We appreciate the views, the love, the comments, and your input!

-Sam

Top Ten Tuesday: Best & Worst Film Adaptations

In which Sam rants and raves about five of the worst and five of the best film adaptations of YA/NA novels, including (1) a quick synopsis, (2) whether the book is worth the read, and (3) whether the movie is worth the watch!

Without further ado, we here at Mad But Magic are very excited to share our Top Ten Tuesday list of Best & Worst Movie Adaptations – original feature, as always, courtesy of The Broke and Bookish :)

TOP 5 BEST MOVIE ADAPTATIONS

#5 S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders and the 1983 film adaptation, The Outsiders

Synopsis: Young men on the edge – of sanity, of society, of adulthood – stalk the night streets in leather jackets and linger on in your heart.

Is the book worth the read? YES! One hundred times, yes. The Outsiders was written by a woman who wandered the streets getting to know young men just like her protagonists – who, by the way, have some of the best names you’ll ever encounter in fiction – Ponyboy and Sodapop are my favorites. True to publishing industry fashion when it comes to female authors like J.K. Rowling, S.E. Hinton is really Susan Eloise Hinton – and she wrote the book while still in high school!

Is the movie worth the watch? Absolutely – it’s old but it’s fun, and it’s a bit of a tearjerker, too. Also, it’s a delight to look for today’s well-known stars in some early roles, like Diane Lane, Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Maccio, Rob Lowe, and Tom Cruise!

In sum: Do it forJohnny.