Top Books That Affect Me on a Personal Level

May 12th, 2016 Kimberly Guest Post 36 Comments

12th May

Today for the Caffeinated BEA Takeover we have Tonyalee from Lilybloombooks talking about “Top Books That Affect Me on a Personal Level”. Grab a beverage and see if any of these book have affected you. Tonyalee will be replying to your comments so be sure and share books that have personally affected you. Enjoy!

BEA TAKEOVER

 

Top Books That Affect Me on a Personal Level

We all have our own reasons for reading, whether it to be escape into a world of wizards and magic, to finding your next book boyfriend. For me, books have always been a part of my life and the best part is when you find a book that SPEAKS to you on a personal level. You see yourself in the main character or the situations the characters are a part of are similar to yours. Either way, it’s an amazing feeling. Below, I am sharing some of those books with you! (In no particular order)

Book 1

Life InterruptedLife Interrupted by Kristen Kehoe
Goodreads
Genre: Mature YA
Purchase: Amazon

Rachel Reynolds is the daughter of a scientist and a poet, so her beliefs on Creation and Karma and all those other mythical things are varied. But when one passionate night with Tripp, the boy she’s loved her entire, life leads to heartache and a poorly chosen moment with another boy, whom she barely knows let alone loves, which then leads to a baby, she’s pretty sure Karma or no, the universe is a real biatch.
Now, Rachel is getting ready to graduate from high school, and while balancing college applications, mommyhood, and the greater question of where this is all leading her in the future, Rachel also makes the discovery that she isn’t over her first love…and he isn’t over her. But the timing, oh the timing. As Rachel tries to navigate through the possibilities of a relationship with Tripp, a nightmare from two years ago reappears in her life and threatens the already shaky balance she’s worked long and hard for, causing Rachel to wonder if one night from her past will forever control her future.

Being a teen mom is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Not just then; now as well years later. In Life Interrupted, Kristen captured an unapologetic voice of a teen mom. It’s hard. We’re scared. We have so many fears and insecurities going through our heads.
Rachel, the main character, reminded me a lot of ME when I was 17 and trying to figure things out. She is no nonsense, spunky yet vulnerable. It was, and still is, one of my favorite books of all time.

Book 2

Hard to Hold on ToHard to Hold on To by Laura Kaye
Series: Hard Ink #2.5
Goodreads
Genre: Adult, Romance
Purchase: Amazon

Edward “Easy” Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being able to save those he loves–which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna’s the first person to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than a year ago.
Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can’t describe how he makes her feel–and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.
As the pair are thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.

Just thinking about this book brings tears to my eyes!
First, I love the Hard Ink series as a whole. It’s an amazing romantic suspense series and I highly recommend it. However, Hard to Hold on To is my favorite in the series for many reasons.
Laura had the proceeds of the first two weeks of sales go to a charity that helps veterans. I bought the book during this time, and actually found out about the charity just two days after we lost one of my husband’s friends to suicide.
Easy, the main character, is dealing with thoughts of suicide and yes, it was hard to read. But Laura did such an amazing job writing his character and expressing the real life pain these soldiers go through.

Book 3

I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
Goodreads
Genre: Mature YA
Purchase: Amazon

If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.
Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

Yep – another military book! I typically don’t read these, simply because being an Army wife, it’s not something that I can easily read and come out unscathed. However, I’ll Meet You There was one of the best!
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a Military book, but the one of the main characters was injured in Afghanistan and suffering from PTSD. His characterization was very authentic. I read some passages to my husband and he often got this far away, glazed look. Josh’s voice is just full of pain and it was accurately expressed.
But what really got me, was how the author got Skylar’s pain right, too. It’s hard being on the outside and watching the ones you love suffer from PTSD. You can’t “fix” them and I loved that she realized that, yet continued to strong, loyal and supportive.

Just, this book Book 4

The Queen of Bright and Shiny ThingsThe Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre
Goodreads
Genre: YA
Purchase: Amazon

Sage Czinski is trying really hard to be perfect. If she manages it, people won’t peer beyond the surface, or ask hard questions about her past. She’s learned to substitute causes for relationships, and it’s working just fine… until Shane Cavendish strolls into her math class. He’s a little antisocial, a lot beautiful, and everything she never knew she always wanted.
Shane Cavendish just wants to be left alone to play guitar and work on his music. He’s got heartbreak and loneliness in his rearview mirror, and this new school represents his last chance. He doesn’t expect to be happy; he only wants to graduate and move on. He never counted on a girl like Sage.
But love doesn’t mend all broken things, and sometimes life has to fall apart before it can be put back together again…

The story itself is not something familiar to me like the previous books I’ve mentioned, but Sage was like my twin. I understood her on SO many levels it was uncanny. It was like looking in a mirror. Anger, rage, fear. Along with all of her insecurities buried deep inside. She does so much to make others happy all the while, carrying these feels around with her. The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things isn’t as dark as I’m making it sound – promise!

Book 5

Waiting For Prince HarryWaiting For Prince Harry by Aven Ellis
Series: Dallas Demons #1
Goodreads
Genre: Romance, Adult
Purchase: Amazon

Twenty-four-year-old Kylie Reed has always been a rule follower. Organized and cautious to a fault, her dreams for life are often filed away for future use—when she has a house, when she meets her future husband, when she has been at her visual display job at a chic Dallas boutique longer…Kylie always has a reason for living her life in the future, not in the present, and not living her life to the fullest and reaching her dream of becoming a fashion designer.
The only exception to rules, of course, would be running away with Prince Harry—Kylie’s ideal man. A hot, fun ginger boy would be worth breaking all the rules for, of course. And Kylie is sure Harry just needs the right, centering woman to settle him down. But living in Dallas and not knowing Prince Harry make this a non-option.
Or does it?
Because when Kylie accidentally falls into the lap of a gorgeous ginger boy—yes, even more gorgeous than the real Prince Harry—all bets are off. Could this stranger be the one to show Kylie how to take a chance, to face her fears, and live in the present? And could this stranger be the Prince Harry she has been waiting for? Kylie’s life takes some unexpected twists and turns thanks to this chance encounter, and she knows her life will never be the same because of it..

Ah, this book is just a FEEL GOOD BOOK all around! Aven writes hilarious, witty and swoony characters. However, Kylie is my favorite.
I previously mentioned how I saw a bit of myself in other characters. This is different, Kylie WAS ME. It’s like Aven followed me around and scanned my brain (or stole my diary) and wrote me. It was a smack in the face too, because I came to realize a lot about myself while reading Waiting For Prince Harry. Thus, able to realize a lot of things I thought I had worked through, I actually hadn’t. So I will always love Aven for that!

 

Have you read any of these books mentioned? If so, what did you think?
What are some books that have affected YOU on a personal level?

tonyalee-300x150

coffeebeansrow2

LilybloombooksThank you Tonyalee!
Tonyalee owns the blog Lilybloombooks and features books from middle grade to adult. At Lilybloombooks you will find books in a  a wide range of genres from Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sci-fi/Fantasy and more. Her blogs features Random Rants and Rambling as well as Blogger to Blogger discussions. Tonyalee is an active part of the blogging community and finds her way around social media. She is an active participant in several memes including the Sunday Post, Monday Musts and Top Ten.

Be sure to stalk follow Lilybloolbooks on Bloglovin

Chat with Tonyalee: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Books That Affect Me on a Personal Level today's Caffeinated BEA Takeover topic w/Tonyalee Click To Tweet

Photo of kimbacaffeinate
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

36 Responses to “Top Books That Affect Me on a Personal Level”

  1. Lorna

    I just now bought Waiting for Prince Harry and I added The Queen of Bright and Shiny things to my Amazon wish list. Some of the others sound really good as well, but I left it with these two. Thank you for the recommendations. I enjoyed your mini reviews and the blurbs 🙂

    • Tonyalee

      Awesome, this makes me SO happy! I hope you love them!

    • Tonyalee

      Awesome, I hope you find one that you love, too! 🙂

  2. Lover Of Romance

    oh Laura Kaye is such a great author. Love this series so much, She writes fabulous characters you instantly fall in love with.

    • Tonyalee

      Yes I agree! It’s one of my all time favorite series 🙂

  3. Kenneth Leon Roberts

    Hard to Hold on To looks like the best book to read on the list. Dealing with people who have been in the military and who have seen combat is the hardest. You have to love them enough to understand them. I can not wait to check this out!

  4. Candace

    I’m so happy to see LIfe Interrupted on this list! I do think it has potential to impact a lot of people. Great list!

    • Tonyalee

      It does! I wish it had more buzz! Thanks for stopping by!

  5. Christy LoveOfBooks

    I’ll have to read Life Interrupted. I had my son at 17, so it sounds like something I could connect with too. The Time Traveler’s Wife is top of my list, and it’s my favorite book. It came out during a time when I really connected with it for … reasons. lol. It had a huge impact on me.

    • Tonyalee

      Yes, I bet it would!! I don’t often read books with young moms because I don’t feel authentic to me, but Life Interrupted did. It’s a beautiful book.

      I have not read The Time Traveler’s Wife! My niece loves it though and reads it all the time.

  6. Sophia Rose

    Tonyalee, nice to ‘meet’ you! I don’t know if you see it as such, but I thought it was brave that you put together this post that shared a lot of your personal life. Thanks, I enjoyed that.

    I have not actually read any of these, but three are on my wish list. So guess I we share some similar book tastes.

    Let’s see… I need to think about books to which I connect. They aren’t always five-star reads for me and generally make me uncomfortable b/c I do get them. Jessica Scott’s books do that to me as do Jeannie Moon’s. Flawed characters who go through bouts of weakness, mistakes, and learn. I just read Finding Fraser by KC Dyer and though, I don’t share a personality with the heroine, I did connect with her ‘finding herself’ story. There are probably more, but those are what came to mind first.

    • Tonyalee

      Nice to meet you, too! 🙂 I didn’t really think anything about it while writing it, but once I send it, I realized how personal it was. 🙂

      There are other books I can think of that touched me that weren’t 5 star reads, too. I will check out the books you mentioned! Thanks for sharing.

  7. kindlemom1

    Dang it, I’ve only read one of these, I so need to change that.. I love books that make me feel and leave me a different person after I have finished them.

    • Tonyalee

      Which one have you read!? And yes, finding those books that really, really touch us are amazing.

  8. Paij Slater

    Life Interupted was one of my favorites as well! I’m going to have to pick the other ones up!!!! Great post!!

    • Tonyalee

      YAY! I’m always excited to find someone that loves it, too! 🙂

      Thank you!!

  9. Kristen

    Girl, you are simply amazing. You keep Rachel’s voice going, every time. ❤️❤️❤️

  10. Deborah

    I haven’t heard of these but you’ve got me thinking about books which have really affected me. Wow…. then I start pondering why!

    • Tonyalee

      It’s always interesting to think back and think about why a certain story has affected us, ya know? What are some that have affected you!?

  11. ailyn

    I wonder if the real Prince Harry would find it as amusing to see his name on a cover…

  12. cindy

    I have not heard of any of these, I loved reading all of your reviews on them. Thanks for sharing these books:)

    • Tonyalee

      Oh, really!? I hope you find one that you think you’d enjoy! 🙂

  13. Bieke

    I’ve only read I’ll Meet You There and I loooved it. I can definitely see how it would affect you. 🙂

    • Tonyalee

      Right?! Such an emotional book!

      I hope you check out the others! 🙂

  14. Priscilla

    I’ve only heard of I’ll Meet You There 🙂 Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life affected me the most. It’s graphic, heartbreaking, and unforgettable.

    • Tonyalee

      Oh, that sounds like my kind of book! I am going to check that out! 🙂

    • Tonyalee

      Yes! So many different ones for a wide of reasons. I hope you get a chance to read them! 🙂