Confessions & Recommendations: Breaking the News of a Mini-Break

Well...this is awkward. I'm not quite sure how to go about writing this post. I bet you're all just skimming through this anyway, wondering why the title of this is so morbidly cryptic. It's amusing how worried readers get over the word "break", even when there's a "mini" in front of it. Quite thankfully, for you all at least, I am not an author. At least not yet. Which means that I am generally not in the habit of making people cry, scream, or fall into depths of depression because their hearts have been shattered repeatedly over the course of just a few hours. I know, authors are vicious people.

Onto the real purpose of this post, though. I am taking a mini-break. Not because my honeymoon with blogging has ended (believe me, it is still going very strong), not because I don't have dozens of reviews backlogged (I do!), and not because I'm fed up of reading (impossible!). Instead, I'm actually taking a mini-break against my wishes. I know, I'm being forced to leave you all bereft of my reviews. For one week. Yes, ONE WEEK. I told you this was a mini-break!

So why a week? Why this week? Well, the simple reason is because I won't be in town. I'm going to Washington D.C. for a week from school and I'm absolutely thrilled! For those of you who know me well, you'll know that I love nothing more in my books than a heavy dose of politics, so what better place to embrace politics than the capitol of America itself? I last visited D.C. when I was only three years old, so it's been nearly a decade and a half since then, hence the reason I desperately want to go. Not to mention, all my friends will be there too! ;)

Well, now that that's out of the way, I do have to confess to something. Namely that, off late, I kind of haven't been reading. You all must have been The Lost Conspiracy on my "Currently Reading" Shelf for the past week, but I'm only on page fifty. Why? Well, the thing is, sometimes, instead of reading new books, all I feel like doing is immersing myself in an old one. It isn't even strictly re-reading. Instead, I open the book to a random page, start reading, finish up the chapter and either flip back or forward to read some more again. I'm honestly not quite sure if other people do this and ever since I've started blogging, I try to limit myself. I could spend weeks just doing this with all the beloved books on my shelves, but off late, I haven't, simply because of the desire to keep on reading. I find the number of books I haven't read yet to be quite daunting.

Thus, I figured that since I've leaving and confessing, I might as well be recommending too, right? I've compiled a list of some of my favorite novels, the ones I repeatedly return to on my shelves when I just want some comfort reads or am in the mood for characters I already know and love.

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

I love this series. Love. It. It's definitely my favorite fantasy series out there, no matter what I may say about being a Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fanatic. Quite simply, this series is perfection, in the most complex of ways. KoA is the third in the series and by far my favorite, merely because of the transformation the main character, Gen, undergoes in the eyes of whom he's king. Whenever I pick it up for a re-read, though, I always find myself slipping into the well-worn and underlined passages of dialogue between Gen and Irene. I can never fully wrap my mind around their unique romance and although extremely subtle, it is probably one of the most swoon-worthy by far.

The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

I came across Cry of the Icemark half a decade ago, but I fell in love with it upon my first read. Even now, as a much older reader, I am unable to fall out of the magic within its pages to acknowledge the flaws it most certainly must have, like any book. For me, it remains a testament of fantasy in my childhood, of strong warrior queens and warlocks, of talking snow leopards and vampire treaties. Yet, most of all, it is a story of war and loss and hope and faith. It's a masterful work of magic and politics and every time I re-read it, I cannot help but get lost in the witty dialogue and honorable diplomacy within its pages. Just do yourself a favor and don't pick up the sequels: this first book, perfect as a stand-alone, remains the best.

Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard 

Confession: I like this more than Gayle Forman's Just One Day. For me, Kristen Hubbard managed to nail the perfect travel novel with Wanderlove, and especially with her artistic protagonist, Bria. Whenever I re-read this, I am caught up in the descriptions of South America all over again, not to mention the slow-budding romance between Bria and a hitch-hiker she meets, Rowan. Guys, Rowan literally quotes books. I kid you not. Granted, he's a bad-boy through-and-through, but a reformed one and I can't get enough of him or the unexpected depth he has as a romantic interest. Wanderlove just transports me to another place in a matter of phrases, a contemporary magic all of its own.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Out of all of Melina Marchetta's novels, this is probably the least favorite of many, along with Looking for Alibrandi. Naturally, since all my tendencies simply go against the norm, this is my most favorite of all of Marchetta's book. Sure, Jellicoe Road, The Piper's Son and The Lumatere Chronicles may be her best work, but that doesn't stop this from being my favorite. I love Francesca and a good tale of friendship between strong girls always makes my day. I also find that there is something so bittersweet, yet unbreakable, about the romance in this. Will and Frankie have a long-distance relationship, as we can see in The Piper's Son, but the strength of their bond always blows me away. I love going back and reading and re-reading their rocky start, one that led to a lifelong relationship of faith. Everything in this, from friendship to romance, and especially to family, makes my eyes tear up every time. I just love it.

Fire by Kristen Cashore

I feel like the world should be fed up of me talking about this book already. It should, but if it is, too bad. Until everyone on planet Earth reads this book, I will not tire of talking the cover off of it. Fire is very easily my favorite book, even though its cover is red and red is a color that looks worse on me than even yellow does. Quite honestly, though, I can't even explain why I love this book so much. I love every scene in it, every dialogue, every introspective word. It speaks to me. Fire isn't a kick-ass fighter like Katsa, the heroine of Graceling, the predecessor to this novel. Yet, she is just as strong because of her inner courage to keep moving on, even in the face of war, crime, and destruction. I am more than happy flipping this book open to any page when I pick it up, simply because Fire's interactions with each and every one of these characters is so important and complex. Everything, from war, politics, royalty, and romance is woven into this. Also, it is my favorite romance ever. I can never get enough of Brigan and Fire, their deep understanding for one another, their appreciation, their honest and equal relationship...everything about it is a model for life itself. If I'm feeling happy, elated, upset, or just down, I can count on Fire to cheer me up or brighten my mood, no matter what. I just hope everyone has a book like that in their lives.

Honorable Mentions

I've re-read all of these books at some point, but they aren't the ones I come to flip and re-flip the most. Not sure why, but it it a simple truth. 

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: I love Anna's narration and honestly, I can never get enough of St. Clair. Who can? Just simple scenes like these two sitting in a theater are sizzling with chemistry that I can't resist.
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken: I just adore the characters in this one, not to mention a good curse, politics, and flirting scenes that can make me smile, no matter how many times I re-read them.
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley: In all honesty, this book transports you into the streets of Australia, which is possibly why I hate opening to a random page in it since my brain insists I start at the beginning. I can't resist the poetry dispersed between the pages of this, though, or the dialogue. So beautiful.
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier: We all know this book is way too sad to re-read, but the beach scene and the ending pages are too perfectly serene for me not to return to, time and time again.
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson: I only recently read this - so recently that I haven't even posted my review for it! - but I loved it. It's filled with poignant phrases or poetry and the romance is so butterfly-inducing that it makes me swoon every time. It's the perfect blend of happiness and sadness, making for a perfect read, no matter what type of mood I'm in.

Well...that's all for this week, my lovely readers! I hope you all have a fantastic week ahead, read lots of amazing books, and post many wonderful reviews for me to read when I return! When I get back, you can anticipate another Just Another...Book Crush! post along with an ARC review or two! I'll miss you all, but hopefully I'll find time to get through a few novels with my Kindle! *fingers crossed* :)