My Top Five Summer Reads – 2011

Lately I’ve been asked for my newest “favorites” list or my recommended summer reading list, so here it is. I’m going to cheat a bit by stretching back to June, but here in Florida June is summer, so I think it counts. Out of 26 books that I’ve read and completed (since June), I have picked my top five. Maybe this list’ll help keep you entertained for what’s left of these hot summer days 😉

Plus, I can’t contain myself. I’m absurdly excited that I’ve found so many great reads in such a short amount of time. Stuff that actually made me react, and react intensely. In fact, looking at this list again, I’m already wishing I would’ve made it longer. Oh well, I’ll eventually make an overall “Best of the Year” list.

Here are a few signs that a book is rocking my world (and therefore, probably has me in a frenzy).

• dreaming about the book
• staying up all night to finish it (even on work nights)
• hiding to sob (cause I don’t want to explain that I’m crying over a fictional character)
• sending panic emails to my best book bud, cause of a surprise twist in a book
• thinking and talking about the book for days after it’s done.

If I have that profound of a reaction, than I have to share.

As I’ve said before, if I lived it, I loved it… and I’m certain you will too.

#5

Falling Star
I loved this one, ’cause the “normal” girl didn’t recognize the “rock star” that was wooing her. She was oblivious, and he was smitten. He could finally be himself, without fear that she was only interested in him for his fame. Except, at some point, he realized he had to tell her. Oh yeah. That part was so good. Fun, exciting, sweet read, with some angst. Just enough of the good stuff that I can still remember every moment of the book. I loved this one just for it’s fluffy sweetness, that still had me swooning. Sometimes, I need an easy going, and fun read that doesn’t try to “kill” me in the process. This was one of those. The perfect beach read.

My Book Review of Falling Star

#4

Flat-Out Love
No rock stars to be found in this one. Not even a bad boy. But it was SO good. For me, five star good. And having this book at #4 just feels wrong. This one feels like it should be my #1, but they can’t all be, and there are a few that are vying for that spot. I already have a sure winner for my #1, but there are two after this one that had me reacting just a bit more intensely.

This one however, was pure perfection in every way. Intelligent, witty, insightful writing, characters that I loved, a story that I became a part of, and a twist that had me gasping. This is a feel good story, all the way. An absolute MUST read.

My Book Review of Flat-Out Love

#3

How to Kill a Rock Star
This book also wants to be my #1, and leaving it at #3 feels wrong too. I have never had a reaction to a book, like I’ve had with this one. I read the premise: girl moves to NY and moves in as a temporary roomate with her brother’s “singer” (they’re in a band that is “almost there”). As expected, the singer has the typical rock star attitude that goes with it (but also an artsy introspective side that steals your heart). They warn her… (and I was SO excited that she wasn’t paying the warning any heed).

But this book is SO much more than “that”. The situations contained herein are deep (well, deep for “up and coming” misunderstood rock star angst), and thought provoking. So moving, and heartbreaking, that at one point, I was crying so hard, I had to get out of bed so as not to wake my husband. An AMAZING read. This is not the “typical” rock star romance book. There’s just so much more to it. How it is at my #3 level, I have no idea. I can only say it’s cause I just can’t let anyone beat the “hero” of my #2 book, except for the hero of my #1.

My Book Review of How to Kill a Rock Star

#2

Rock Me
Brian, I’m so sorry about this. Do you forgive me? In real life, you’d be my #1 for SURE. No doubt. You’re everything a “good” bad-boy should be. Compared to Travis, your thought process is stable and not scary, your love, while not easily given away is pure and patient, your tattoos and piercings are so *wow* and you’re also more age appropriate for my crush 😉 But, while I felt every moment of your love and angst, and everything you said and did also made me thing you were real, my #1 book made me crazier for longer than yours did.

Why do I like “over the top” book heroes over more stable heroes? I guess in my “book world” I like a side of erratic freak-outs, irrational thought processes and unrestrained emotion, with my crush. If I hadn’t “met Travis, you know where you’d be right now. Again, real life… you win.

My Book Review of Rock Me

#1

Beautiful Disaster
Travis, Travis, Travis. There hasn’t been a book since “Twilight” that had me obsessing like this. Oh I’ve found plenty of awesome books, that are forever burned in my brain, and I even have a hero that, I think will always be my favorite (even since reading you). BUT there are only two books that had me reading, absorbing, researching, anything and everything I could find to continue to feed my addiction.

And come to think of it, I haven’t even read Twilight twice.

I’ve only ever read two books twice, and only one, twice IN A ROW. Yours. Your every emotion had me wound up so tight, your arrogance, your tough guy stance, your jealous reactions, your cuddly ways… when you love, you love intensely, with abandon, without shame. Your intensity can almost be scary at times, but hey, it’s just a book. Fantasy, after all. Let’s relish the “crazy” with abandon. And I sure relished yours. Perfect in all your imperfections. For me, you are the true epitome of the perfect “bad boy”.

My Book Review of Beautiful Disaster

Check out my other “favorites” lists:

• What to Read After Beautiful Disaster
• What to Read After Fifty Shades
• My Top Thirteen Most Illicit Bad Boys
• My Best Books of 2011 List
• What to Read After Twilight
• My Top 10 Paranormal Series
• My Top 10 Vampire Series
• 8 Books That Made Me Cry…