Friday, July 6, 2012

Friday Memes: TGIF (16) & Follow Friday (15)

So this is going up suuuuuper late, but I really wanted to answer the questions! Better late than never, right?

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at Greads!

Comfort Reads
Which books do you go to for comfort and familiarity? Is there a type of book you seek out when you're needing that extra bit of comfort in your life?

There are two types of books I will always seek out when I need comfort or various reassurances or simply need to begin reading a book and know it will be enjoyable: 1) Contemporary. It is the core of my reading life, and the genre in which I always find a home. and 2) Christmas/holiday novels. Such a warm and fuzzy time, and I love reading about snuggling by fires and bundling to go sledding. Plus, Christmas novels rarely have bad endings, so I know I'm guaranteed a happy, works-out-as-it-should ending.


Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen




Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
Any Debbie Macomber Christmas book. (Seriously. I check out literally every single one starting in September and read them every year. Love them.)
(if anyone knows any other YA Christmas/holiday books I should read, let me know!)

What are your comfort reads?
Leave me your link and I'll come check it out!
Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's View, meant to spotlight two blogs and allows bloggers to link up and meet other fabulous bookish friends and share the Following love!


And the question of the week is:
Jumping Genres: Ever pick up a book from a genre you usually don't like and LOVE it? Tell us about it and why you picked it up in the first place.

So truthfully, I pretty much have a grudge against all books that aren't contemporary. I never, ever want to go out of it - but I "force" myself because I know I'm missing out on great books. And while I've loved a lot outside this genre, I can't help but feel like I'm away from familiarity whenever I read other genres. There aren't any that I really don't like - I'm just partial to contemporary all the time.

That said! These are the ones that surprised me:


Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
I was still fairly new to the Dystopian world when I read this (I'd really only read THG and ATU) and wasn't sold on the genre yet. I picked it up at the insistence of other book bloggers and authors (namely, Jon) that said it was amazing. And it was! (Read my review here!)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Cyborg fairy tale? Not something I'd gravitate towards. It sounded strange...but oh my god it works. Does it ever work. I picked it up since it had been lumped in with those amazing Dystopian debuts at the beginning of the year. (Read my review here!)

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
Paranormal is the one genre that definitely rides the "I don't like this genre" line for me. I'm just not sold on it yet. The majority I've read don't do anything for me...EXCEPT The Mortal Instruments. I love love love this series (and The Infernal Devices).  And honestly, I don't remember why I picked it up! I started this way back before I was ever a book blogger, before I even knew book blogging existed, before I was reading mainly YA even! So I don't know what attracted me to it, or why I picked it up. But I'm very glad I did! 

Have you jumped genres?
Leave me your link and I'll hop by!
And of course I'd love to return a follow if you are kind enough to follow me :)

11 comments:

  1. Hopping through. I've always been curious about Macomber's Christmas books. Do they have a lot of sex in them? Or if they do, is it tasteful?
    My Hop

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    1. Thinking back on them, I don't think any have sex! There's romance, and a few have kissing, but I can't seem to recall any sex scenes! Perhaps one or two, but definitely nothing I take note of. If they are there, definitely handled tastefully. I hope you read them! Most are cheesy, and there are definitely ones I prefer over the others, but they're all so much Christmasy fun.

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  2. I really need to reread Let It Snow and Cinder is so fabulous. (I'm still jealous you got Scarlet. I'll get over it tomorrow.) :)

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    1. Let It Snow is by my bedside because I randomly pick it up and open to any page and read it throughout the year. It's just one of those books I can love at any moment of the day. And yes, Cinder is AMAZING. Dude, I'm jealous of myself for having Scarlet haha - it's still hard to believe! If you want to borrow it, I trust you to!

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  3. I'm glad that you love TMI - it's one of my favorite series!

    I'm a new follower, and here's my FF! :)

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    1. Mine too! I really do wonder why I started it, but I'm so glad. I haven't read CoLS yet, but hopefully soon.

      Thank you for stopping by and the follow!

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  4. Cinder is definitely on my get-to-list. Glad to see you liked it, because it's a little out of my comfort zone as well.

    New Follower

    Errant Author: Feature and Follow

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    1. It's a PHENOMENAL book, please let me know what you think when you read it! Cyborg Cinderella is a little weird, I know, but trust me it is fantastic.

      Thanks for stopping by and the follow!

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  5. Haven't had a chance to read the first two but I'm a big fan of the Mortal Instruments series.

    New follower!

    Happy Reading!
    Austine @ The Red Reader ==> Read my #FF

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    1. I hope you read Cinder and Under the Never Sky soon, both are fantastic! Love the Mortal Instruments, and I can't wait to read City of Lost Souls.

      Thanks for stopping by and following!

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  6. I haven't read anything by Debbie Macomber, but all your other Comfort Reads are on my TBR list! And I LOVED Cinder, but then again, I'm a big fan of Sci-Fi and Fairy Tale Retellings, so it was right up my alley. And I own Under the Never Sky and City of Bones but I haven't read either of those yet! One of these days I'll get to them. Great picks, Ashley!

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