Top Ten Most Vivid Worlds/Settings In Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling – I feel like this goes without saying and I know I am not the only one who was genuinely sad when they didn’t receive their Hogwarts letter.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman – One of the things I loved most about Seraphina was the world building, both in Seraphina’s real life and the world within her mind.

The Child Thief by Brom – This is a horrific and fantastical rewrite of Peter Pan that showcases all of the beautiful elements of the traditional tale while twisting them into something completely different. The novel is also filled with original artwork by the author, Brom which really helps the reader imagine the world and characters within it.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor – I loved the duality between Karou’s present and her past life. The twists and turns in the plot are beautifully outlined and really draw the reader in.

The Wintercraft Series by Jenna Burtenshaw – The world in which Kate, Silas, and Edgar live is one of the most rich and imaginative I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

Amber House by Kelly Moore – I just finished this novel last night and the world building was one of my favorite aspects. The main character, Sarah, experiences echos within the amber house and she shifts between the present world and past memories. The world building AND character development in this story literally kept me up at night!

Storybound by Marissa Burt – I loved so many aspects of this story but it was the world which kept my attention. The idea of being “Written In” to a story really added to the fantastical elements of the entire plot.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – The circus venue in this story is what really made the story for me. I was drawn in immensely and found myself really “seeing” the different tents and magical elements brought forward by Celia and Marco.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs – This was another book that kept me awake at night because its setting was so intricate and creepy that I was imagining myself in the old abandoned house surrounded by cobwebs and mysteries.

Graveminder by Melissa Marr – I enjoyed the entire premise of this story but I LOVED the world “owned” by Mr. D. that Bekkah travels to. Melissa Marr was so intricately descriptive when building this part of the story that I find it constantly pops into my head at random moments.

Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier – Juliet Marillier has a knack for world building. I have a thing for intricate forests and “Other” worlds and this novel has both!

That’s it for me this week, what is on your Top Ten Tuesday?

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday ‘s topic is actually “top ten authors I’d like to see on a reality show and which reality show,” but I don’t really watch reality tv and therefore thought my list would be rather boring. So instead I decided to go with one of the topics already done over at The Broke and the Bookish and one that will hopefully light a fire under my bottom to go and read these books ASAP.

ANYTHING by Neil Gaiman – Give me some recommendations, people. I know his awesomeness exceeds many but I have yet to witness it first hand!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – I see this on so many lists every week and have yet to read it!

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll– Like some friends of mine, I have a problem reading books that I own. The bf actually bought me the annotated version for Christmas, I think he is trying to tell me something…

The Iliad by Homer – How this one has escaped me I’ll never know as I have written about the Odyssey more times than I can count.

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon – Every single person who knows that I love Juliet Marillier tells me I need to read these authors. My mother bought me the first book YEARS ago and I still have yet to pick it up.

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin – I am obsessed with the show and admittedly started book one and never finished. Not because it wasn’t awesome, because it was, but I had a hard time reading that one while reading others that needed to be reviewed and so forth. Summer break will be when I reinstate my love affair with Jon Snow.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides – People are always appalled that I haven’t read this one but honestly it doesn’t really appeal to me. Someone change my mind?!

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – Another book that those I trust tell me that I would absolutely adore!

Divergent by Veronica Roth – With all the hype this one is getting I can’t believe I was not one of those bloggers counting down to book two!

Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson – I am a little obsessed with Shakespeare so I can’t believe that I haven’t read this one yet!

What books are you surprised that you haven’t read yet?

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

This is obviously going to be a list of my favorite books because why wouldn’t I want to see them on the big screen? However, this list is tentatively put together as I don’t want any big names ruining one of my favorite books (I’m lookin’ at you, Beowulf!) I think if done properly these books would make fantastic movies that I would obsess over again and again.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – This story was so vibrant and sweet in so many ways, I really loved it. I hate to be one of “those” but I do think it would be enjoyable as a “Harry Potter for adults” story.

The Child Thief by Brom – An extremely dark retelling of Peter Pan, I LOVED it! They might have to scale some things down to make it not so scary and less of a horror story but I think it would be great!

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers – How could this one not be popular? It’s assassin nuns! I would be so wary to see this one because I really don’t want anything to ruin the images in my imagination but I would be curious to see the slow burn romance come to life!

Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia C. Wrede – My favorite fairy tale! I would be interested to see how this would look on the big screen especially with all of the fey elements.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostava – When I first read this book a few years ago there were rumors that film rights had been negotiated. Sadly, after some research I see that no one has gone forward with production. This book provided a new twist on the Dracula tale in a different way than the typical vampire novels or Dracula in Love and it made me remember all the reasons I loved Dracula growing up.

The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey – Ahh one of my favorites from my tender teen years, I can’t say why this book stuck with me so much after all these years but I love it. It’s a retelling of a popular fairy tale but it is also somewhat dark in a way and I think it would be very popular if done well.

Graveminder by Melissa Marr – I LOVED the world building in this one I think it could be really interesting to show the duality between the real world and the sort of “in between” that Bek travels to. 

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion – Cheating a bit at this one I know since it is already post production but I am so excited for it. I loved this book immensely more than I thought I would and was surprised to find myself having a crush on a zombie!

That’s it from me this week, what is on your Top Ten Tuesday?

The Night Circus

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts! 


Ack! This one was really exciting! Here we go..

Severus Snape (Harry Potter series) – I really don’t think I need to even explain this one, do I? From book one I loved how evil Snape was but I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to him than just a vengeful attitude toward Harry because of his hatred toward James. When he killed Dumbledore I think I had serious heart palpitations I was so confused “He’s REALLY evil??!! Really?!?!” Then the epic conclusion came and all the secrets were let out. “After all this time, Severus?” “Always.”

Hermione Granger (Harry Potter series) – Yes, I am allowed to have two favorite characters from one book on this list thankyouverymuch, just be happy it isn’t my top ten Harry Potter characters instead because it very well could be!! Bottom line: Hermione is kick ass. She is smart, brave and one of my favorite heroines of all time.

Anita Blake (Anita Blake series) – She’s a BAMF! She is an empowering woman in literature, sure sometimes she freaks out over “feelings” and “emotions” get in the way but usually she is hardcore and does what needs to be done. I envy her bravery and defiance and maybe her personal relationships a tiny bit as well.

Princess Cimorene (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles) – I have loved these books for as long as I can remember. Cimorene is a no-nonsense princess. She escapes her castle life because she hates being a princess and chooses to live with DRAGONS instead. How awesome is she? I love her so much I begged the bf to let me name one of our kittens after her. He put his foot down and we instead named them Cordelia and Celia, both literary, Shakespearean even (methinks the joke is on him!)

Rosie (Water for Elephants) – I loved this book and that darling elephant sure took the cake for my favorite character in the book. Her final act? Epic.

Miss Havisham (Great Expectations) – This character always intrigued me. Looking back I am somewhat annoyed and want to tell her to take a shower, get a healthcare plan and move on with her life but as a teen I always wanted more of her story. Plus I recently heard that Helena Bonham Carter is playing her in a new adaptation of the story. Perfectttt!

Clodagh (Heir to Sevenwaters) – I should probably be honest and say that though I chose Clodagh as my favorite Juliet Marillier character (because how can I not have her on a top ten list) it was hard to pick just one out of all the amazing female leads in these novels. They are strong and hardworking and I really loved every one.

Bigby Wolf (Fables) – He is so the male lead I always fall for in my novels. He is big and bad and totally in love with Snow White. How can I not love him?

Dracula (Dracula) – He is so sad! I am going to forget about the whole murderous part and just pretend that I could be his friend and wean him off human blood onto things like celery and maybe bugs or something less gross.

Seraphina Dombegh (Seraphina) – She is a new love of mine but I found her to be so intricately awesome that I couldn’t leave her off the list.

Top Ten Books That Were Totally Deceiving

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at

The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!Ack! I am a failure today and can only think of eight, I think this means I have been reading books that are too long! :]

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede – This series is one I still pick up when I want a quick read I know I love.

The Wonderful Wizard of Ozby L. Frank Baum – Any books from this series really, they are whimsical and fun so they make me happy.

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling – I can’t really choose a favorite though since this is strictly “to read in a day” I would have to go with one of the first 3 books because then the books get extremely long!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Though I honestly don’t know if I will ever read these again (I didn’t love them) they were still very entertaining and I breezed through all three.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman – What is better than The Princess Bride? Nothing! The film adaptation is also my “sick movie” that I watch whenver I am feeling down. It’s totes “wuv, twu wuv” forever.

Fables by Bill Willingham – Okay these are not books they are graphic novels and therefore I read through them in about 30 minutes but I still love them enough to know that I will want to finish them in one sitting.

Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris – Not prize winning writing but these are short and fun books that I breeze through and enjoy reading.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

This is more of a “books I lose sleep over/sneak read at work because I can’t put them down” list! The links will either take you to my review or to Goodreads. I read A LOT of books and there aren’t that many that really make me obsess and feel all kinds of emotions so off the top of my head, here is my list. Enjoy!

Grave Mercy by Robin Lafevers

Anything by Juliet Marillier

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (more specifically, the audio book read by Jim Dale)

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey

The Child Thief by Brom

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede

The Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton