Top Ten Tuesday #25 - Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

Places books have made me want to visit:

1. Oslo/ Norway
The Witches, by Roald Dahl was one of my favourite books to read growing up. I loved this strange country where witches lurked around every corner and the funny, fierce old woman who lived there. I have always wanted to visit it. Also, Northern Lights  was another favourite, and it made me want to go there to experience the Aurora Borealis, so I'm twice as hungry for it.

2. Rural France
Lansquenet Sous-Tannes. I'm not even sure if it's a real place, but it feels real to me. First mentioned in Chocolat by Joanne Harris, it then features throughout a few more of her books, including my favourite, Five Quarters of the Orange. Although I have been to France before, I want to have the incredible experience of eating in patisseries and chocolateries and meld it all with a market village life along the banks of a beautiful river with gypsies living along the banks and irritable old ladies settling in shops for a mug of chocolat chaud.

3. New Orleans
The Casquette Girls is something I read quite recently, and I really enjoyed it! I want to put a city to a name now and stroll around in the historic french quarter. I want to see voodoo shops and street celebrations and really take in the history and the eerieness of the place. Oh, and did I mention it's the setting for Disney's The Princess and the Frog?

4. Narnia
It's quite not as dangerous as the likes of Westeros and you don't get stuck there, unlike Neverland. No time passes when you're there, so you can go off an have an adventure, see some mermaids and a giant friendly lion and come back to your boring life again. Plus, there are so many magical entities that I would love to spend time with! Hell, once I wished I was a Dryad.

5. Madrid
It's not often I get funny notions of going to big cities, but Carlos Ruiz Zafon's novels truly take me to Madrid, and I would love to see it and experience life there. It sounds like a great holiday destination with a lot of history and it can get a bit creepy at times I am sure.

6. Ancient Europe, Greece and Rome
Any Ben Kane novel can take me to this point in time, as well as the excellent David Gemmel series, Troy. I'm not really one for danger, and this is rife with it, so perhaps I would lay low. I think it would be incredible to go back to this time and see how people did things then. I love the mythology of these times and I think we could learn a lot from the way these people lived.

7. Ingo
I wish I was away in Ingo... I really do. This beautiful but treacherous undersea world, thought up by Helen Dunmore,  is filled with merpeople, and I love the idea that you can become one, and that people are actually able to breathe underwater if Ingo wants you to.

8. The Bayou
Ok, this is not dissimilar to New Orleans, but instead of going to the city, I would want to see the Bayou in all its glory. This was inspired by Teardrop, which focuses much more on the power of water and the Bayou feels like an extension of this power, as it floats in the background only to become part of a main event later on.

9. Italy, Rome and Venice
This is derived from Dan Browns novels, Angels and Demons, and Inferno. I am pretty obsessed over history, and it really liked the way the mystery fits in with the actual stuff in real life. I have been to Rome and seen a few of the landmarks in the book. Let me say they are stunning and well worth going to see.

10. Neverwhere
Who wouldn't want to travel to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, an alternate version of our London, where nothing is as it seems and some things have been taken pretty literally. Black Friars really does have Black Friars in it while The Angel, Islington is an angel named Islington. I need to read this book again.

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #24 - Creepiest Books I've Read

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The graveyard scene scared the hell out of me!

2. The Prince of Mist
A scary YA with clown ghosts and misty seas, courtesy of Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

3. The Midnight Palace
This YA by Carlos Ruiz Zafon contains a very ominous railways station and a vengeful ghost.

4. Goosebumps (the werewolf skin one)
Both the TV series and the books scared me, but this was by far the scariest one.

5. Dracula
This classic is a great read, though not as scary as it would have been originally. I blame scary films.

6. Frankenstein
A good read, but it's the idea of creating a living thing and the madness that consumed Frankenstein that actually makes this book scary. not the monster himself. Well, apart from the fact that he is made up of multiple dead people and is quite murderous.

7. Unwind
Again, the worst part about this was the idea of being unwound. Staying alive while bit by bit, pieces of your body are taken away from you, just because your body parts are worth more than you are. Just because you're not allowed to go on living.

8. The Angel's Game
This one was horrible because you never really knew what was going on or who to trust. Not quite scary, but scary enough. It had a few mind games, and of course it's another Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

9. Sleep Pale Sister
This creepy victorian style ghost story is courtesy of Joanne Harris, as is the next story. This one was really interesting and I loved the way the story dropped into place quite nicely.

10. The Evil Seed
This one is quite a thrilling, and chilling, vampire story, and it was really engrossing. Joanne Harris really knows how to write.

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #20 - Authors I Own The Most Books By

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

This week is all about the authors I own the most books by.

1. Joanne Harris: 14
Well, she is my favourite author. Out of these I think Five Quarters of the Orange and Blackberry Wine are my favourites!

2. Carlos Ruiz Zafon:5
Again, a favourite of mine. I am currently in dire need of Marina, a recent YA novel he has brought out.

3. Ben Kane: 5
This guy writes some really good historical fiction based in ancient Rome and Italy. His Forgotten Legion Chronicles were great!

4. Helen Dunmore: 4
Just inching out over the next author because I have all the book in her Ingo series, which is about mermaids.. it's really cool.

5. Kiera Kass: 4
So I was hooked on The Selection series and also bought The Prince (a novella), but strangely not The Guard as I don't care much for Aspen.

6. Cecelia Ahern: 4
I seem to just accumulate these books. I like them, yes, but I can't say I'm a massive fan. They're just very nice to read.

7. Ben Aaronovitch: 3

This is all of the books I own in the Peter Grant series.. so far. I can't wait to get my hands on the next!

8. A.R. Kahler: 3
His Immortal Circus Series is awesome. Enough said I think.

9. Shay West: 3
I got so into Dangerous Reflections, I couldn't help but snap up the opportunity to read the next two in the series.

10. Lauren DeStefano: 2
POssibly the woman who brought me into the strange world of YA dystopian fiction, and yet I don't actually own her third Chemical Garden book. Why? I have no idea..

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #19 - Most Awesome Made-up Words

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

This week I'm giving my Top Ten Most Awesome Made-up Words.

1. Vermicious - Roald Dahl
From the legendary Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. Roald Dahl was a childhood hero for me, and he made up so many mad words and things. Wizzbanger, Snozzberry, Oompa Loompas, Scrumdiddlyumptious... the list goes on.

2. Muggle - J.K. Rowling
The most famous word of all J.K. Rowling's words, but lest we forget, we also had Squib, Horcrux, Animagus and so on. Rowling is extremely clever in the way that she invented words, using many languages to invent words for beings as well as spells. She even invented her own sport, so I give her full kudos for her creativity.

3. Puddleglum - C.S. Lewis
I know it's a name and I don't care. I love Puddleglum and I love The Silver Chair. It is my favourite Narnia Chronicle, possibly because of this mopey character.

4. Jabberwocky - Lewis Caroll
I know, another name! But let's not forget that he also made up chortle and a whole host of other words in Through The Looking Glass.

5. Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
Well, this guy is making a comeback at the moment, and his Hobbits with him with the last movie in The Hobbit franchise, The Battle of the Five Armies, coming out in a couple of months. It was only fair to give him his dues. It might also be interesting to note that he is credited with making up 'tween' as well.

6. Tracker-Jacker and Jabberjay - Suzanne Collins
Yes, it's The Hunger Games. This world is full of awesome ideas and these genetically modified creatures are honestly really cool, and it gives a whole other meaning to the word, Mutts.

7. Swagger - Shakespeare
This guy coined so many words and popular phrases that it would take me forever to tell them all to you. Instead, here's a link to a page where someone else has done all the work for me.

8. Boredom - Charles Dickens
I know, it's such a widely used word, yet initially this was indeed something never heard of before Dickens. Also credited with the first record of the word 'Flummox', which is an awesome word too.

9. Pandemonium - John Milton
From the epic poem, Paradise Lost, this word is derived from the name of the capital of Hell. Where it did literally mean 'all demons', the meaning is now closer to 'chaos'.

10. Heffalump - A.A.Milne
From Winnie the Pooh. Children's authors really seem to like mixing up lettering for animals and A.A. Milne is no exception. This is just a cute misunderstanding of the word 'elephant'.

Do you know any more awesome made-up words?

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #18 - Books I'm Not Sure I Want To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.


Books I'm Not Even Sure I Want To Read:

1. The Casual Vacancy - JK Rowling
The Harry Potter books were a huge part of my life for a long, long time. reading an adult book by the same author would be difficult, but something so grounded in reality and politics feels completely dull to me and I have no intention of going there. On the other hand, the Robert Galbraith books look like they might be worth a read.

2. Anything by Rainbow Rowell
I have heard a lot of good things about this author's books, but I really feel like I may not like what I read. The subject matter of some of them doesn't sound like my cup of tea. I have to say, the only one I am considering is Fangirl.

3. My Sisters Keeper - Jodi Picoult
If the film doesn't make me want to see it, the book isn't going to do anything for me. I honestly don't think I would like a thing about this book. It seems to be a book that people either love or hate, and I reckon I would probably be in the hate category on this.

4. Dorothy Must Die - Danielle Paige
Mixed reviews. Very mixed. Not the best background to the book either. Still, the premise is really interesting and I'm a sucker for retellings. Most of the reviews point out that we don't actually see Dorothy for ages though, so maybe I'll pass on this one.

5. Ten Tiny Breaths - K.A Tucker
So many people like it! What if I dont? It seems to be something rather gritty and rather real, and for me too much realism makes me stop reading. Sometimes I just want to get away from the world, not be sucked into the depths of someone else's misery, whose life may be two steps away from being mine.

6. We Were Liars - E. Lockhart
Jesus, this book is so over-hyped, I'm sick of looking at the ridiculously cryptic synopsis. Still, it was 99p on kindle and I bought it nonetheless. I am still umming and ahhing over reading it though. Let's see if it's as good as people say it is.

7. Requiem - Lauren Oliver
I read the first two books, Delirium and Pandemonium, ages ago and I heard the end is a bummer.

8. Snap with the last Divergent book, so I'm not entirely sure on reading that either.

9. Reached - Ally Condie
I read Matched and Crossed so long ago that I can hardly remember the plot, only that Crossed wasn't as good.

10. Lux Series - Jennifer L. Armentrout
I am getting tons of hype... too much hype, about this series. People seem to love it but I am almost sick of seeing the covers.

Do you agree? If you don't, let me know why you think I should read the book. I'd love to hear your opinion.

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #17 :Films I Never Knew Were Books (until after they came out)

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

Maybe I am clueless, maybe I was just too young to remember the book coming out and making a splash, or maybe too old? Some of  this I am ashamed of, some of this you might not even know.

1. I Am Legend - Richard Matheson
To be honest, I have seen this film once and I thought it was alright, but Will Smith has done better.
I Am Legend on IMDB

2. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
How could we not know about this one now? I was entirely clueless about the books when I watched  the first film though, and only read the series afterwards.
Twilight on IMDB

3. John Carter (A Princess of Mars - Edgar Rice Boroughs)

I happily watched the sci-fi adventure made by Disney impervious to the fact that it was thought-up by a writer years ago. It was only after an older fantasy fan said something that i looked up the books.
John Carter on IMDB

4. How To Train Your Dragon - Cressida Cowell
Yes, there are in fact 11 main books to this children's series. Now, I adore the film and I think it might be unfair on the book if I ever read them. I've heard that they are very much different.
How To Train Your Dragon on IMDB

5. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
Three years before this classic dinosaur movie was released, this book came out. I had no idea until recently.
Jurassic Park on IMDB

6. Shrek - William Steig
Another classic kids movie taken from a book. The movie is, again, very loosely based in the book, playing with the characters and the story. I think the same goes, I don't want to read the original for fear of hating it.
Shrek on IMDB

7. Slumdog Millionaire - Q&A - Vikas Swarup
There was a whole lot of hype for this film, but I never once saw anything about it being an adaptation until waaay after I saw the film.
Slimdog Millionaire on IMDB

8. Stardust - Neil Gaiman
I loved the film, and shortly afterwards I also fell in love with Neil Gaiman's writing style and his strange sense of creepy fantasy. Such a good writer, and such a good film, if it is rather different from the book, the fairytale elements are all still there.
Stardust on IMDB

9. The Shawshank Redemption (Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption) - Stephen King
I never knew this amazing film was really a book by this great writer until my boyfriend told me not that long ago. Shame on me.
The Shawshank Redemption on IMDB

10. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
I know. How could I? But I am afraid it is true, I honestly didn't know the movie (the one starring Martin Freeman) was actually a TV series remake, let alone an adaptation.
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy on IMDB

Bonus!
11. The Walking Dead - Robert Kirkman
This TV series actually started out life as a graphic novel. I'm not so sure I would want to read that...
The Walking Dead on IMDB

12. Disney.
They love their adaptations! 101 Dalmations, Bambi,  Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Peter Pan, Winnie-the-Pooh, Chronicles of Narnia, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Oliver Twist (Oliver and Company), Basil The Great Mouse Detective (Basil of Baker Street), Treasure Planet (Treasure Island), The Jungle Book. I could go on and on about all the adaptations Disney have made. For an extensive list, go here.

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #16 - Fairytale Retellings

1. Enchanted - Alethea Kontis
I can't profess to have read Hero or Dearest, the second and third books in this series, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they're on my wishlist. Enchanted successfully blends elements of several fairytales and even a couple of rhymes into a cohesive and... enchanting plot. This one is particularly centered around The Princess and the Frog, a story that doesn't get retold all that often. I can't wait to read more.

The Woodcutter Sisters Series on Goodreads

2. Mirror, Mirror - Gregory Maguire
The author who brought us Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West also does his share of classic fairytale retellings. This one is a strangely realistic version of Snow White, and it doesn't skimp on all the gory details, either.

Mirror, Mirror on Goodreads

3. The Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer
A complex futuristic retelling featuring all your favourite fairy-tales; Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White as you have never seen them before. This is a riveting series and such a good take on these classic stories.


The Lunar Chronicles on Goodreads

4. The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly
A young boy is thrust into a world where fairytales live, but not always happily ever after. This book is enthralling and very easy to get in to.

The Book of Lost Things on Goodreads

5. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister - Gregory Maguire
My personal favourite of Maguire's books, this takes a journey into seventeenth-century Holland and is told from the the step-sister's point of view. Iris is a wonderful character, and the way that Maguire paints the scene is magical. I also love the references to art in this book, however others don't get to grips with it the way I did, hence why this book is not higher up the top ten.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister on Goodreads

6. A Long, Long Sleep - Anna Sheehan
A Sci-fi version of Sleeping Beauty, perfect for those of us who like a bit of a mix-up in their genres. Honestly, this book is really enjoyable and check out the cover! Stunning.

A Long, Long Sleep on Goodreads

7. The Grimm Diaries Series - Cameron Jace
If you are up for reading this monster of a series, it features fairytales characters as you've never seen them before. It all starts off with a devastatingly beautiful monster; Snow White. If the main series isn't enough for you, and trust me, there will be more coming out soon, then try all 18 prequels.

The Grimm Diaries on Goodreads
The Grimm Diaries Prequels on Goodreads

8. Sweetly - Jackson Pearce
A deceptive version of Hansel and Gretel. I loved this retelling because it wasn't overly magical for the most part. It was grounded in reality and only got magical once you went behind the scenes. I really loved this retelling, and it is an unusual tale to take on.

Sweetly on Goodreads



9. Bitter Greens - Kate Forsyth
A story similar to the way the Gregory Maguire develops his. This is firmly grounded in reality and history including Charlotte Rose de la Force, a famous female writer with a lot of stories to her name... and not just ones she made up, either. This tale beautifully weaves magic (and not much of it) in with reality so you can't really tell who is embellishing and who is not. I love the nature of the story, the way something can change through the telling, and that is exactly what we have here. Someone may be described as a witch one day and the next day people are convinced they have cast spells on them.

Bitter Greens on Goodreads

10. Snow White and the Seven Samurai - Tom Holt
A couple of teens manage to hack into the evil queens magic mirror and inadvertently break the whole thing. Now all the fairytales are tipped on their heads: Snow White is running the show, the Big Bad Wolf is suddenly Prince Charming. The three little pigs pretty much steal the show in my opinion though.

Snow White and the Seven Samurai on Goodreads

Kyra and Stacey _xx

Top Ten Tuesday #15 - Book Titles that Remind Me of Songs

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

This one is really a bit of fun. It's just that recently I've been seeing so many books like this I thought it was high time to make a list:

1. Don't You Forget About Me - Kate Karyus Quinn
The title of this creepy novel about a town where teens go a bit mental every four years really reminds me of this classic:

2. I Want It That Way - Ann Aguirre

I go back to my 90s childhood with this title. A little bit of Backstreet Boys never hurt anyone

3. As Long As You Love Me - Ann Aguirre

Another Backstreet Boys song? I think I was obsessed, and I think Ann Aguirre is, too.

4. Take a Chance on Me - Jill Mansell

I love a bit of ABBA, it puts me in entirely the right mood, so I can't help but hum this tune whenever I see this book:

5. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

We all knew it was coming. You can't get away from Kate Bush's strange and surreal music, especially when it's all about a very famous classic book. Check out the dancing, please.

6. Our Kind of Love - Shane Morgan

Lady Antebellum suddenly scoots into my head when faced with this particular book title.

7. Maskerade - Terry Pratchett
I know that this book is meant to be a parody of The Phantom of the Opera, and therefore the only thing I ever think of when I see this title is this specific scene:

8. Let Me Love You - Megan Smith

A little bit of R and B courtesy of my teen years sidles in for this title with You Should Let Me Love You by Mario

9. Car Crash Hearts - Kelley York

This one may seem like a bit of a curve ball, but my music taste is really varied. In my later teen years I went into the whole modern rock thing and loved stuff like My Chemical Romance and Paramore. This one makes me break out into Thriller by Fall Out Boy.

10. The Devil You Know - Trish Doller
Thanks to my classic 90s upbringing, the only version of Better the Devil You Know that pops into my head is inevitably the Steps cover... then Kylie.

Which book titles have you bursting out into song?

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #14 - Characters I Don't Want to Trade With

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

Warning: Some Serious Spoilers Ahead

Top Ten Characters I Don't Want to Trade With:

1. Prince Maxon - The Selection
I'd be heir to the throne of a torn-up country, with women fighting over me and I'd be constantly scared for my life. To top it all off, I would have to choose a wife out of people who had won some kind of weird lottery to be my wife. Um, no thank you.

2. Frankenstein's Monster - Frankenstein
Being made out of several dead bodies doesn't really float my boat, being abandoned by my creator really doesn't either. I would be really lonely and really angry most of the time, and at all other times I would be chased across the world. It's not really a fantasy of mine.

3. Peeta Mellark - The Hunger Games
Being thrown into a 'game' where someone could kill you at any second is difficult enough. Being in love with a girl who is - please forgive me Katniss fans - a right cow is something else. But what eventually happens to Peeta is so hurtful and horrible, I really wouldn't want to be in his position.

4. Coraline - Coraline
Not only is her story creepy as hell, but her situation is awful. I used to get terrified if I couldn't find my parents, but Coraline somehow is able to stay calm enough to embark on a rescue attempt. I probably would have ended up with buttons for eyes, let's face it.

5. Anyone in the land of Westeros - A Game of Thrones
I was going to pick a particular character who has (so far) lived throughout the entire series, but that would ruin the surprise. Instead, I have picked all of them, because you never know if you are about to die cruelly, you never know who will betray you, who is playing you, who to trust and who not to. I'd rather have an easy life, thanks.

6. Frodo Baggins - The Lord of the Rings
Speaking of an easy life, this guy is looked down upon by almost everyone he meets. He is way too trusting to strange creatures and gets himself into a lot of trouble. He is weighed down by the burden of the one ring and he is occasionally taken over by it. After his ordeal he is never the same happy hobbit he once was. Ugh, sounds exhausting.

7. Voldemort - Harry Potter
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't much like having my soul split several times. I'm not one for murder either, or general evilness, nor do I have a strange fascination for school-boys or pieces of wood. Also, we all know what happens to him, and it's not pretty.

8. Liesel Memminger - The Book Thief
Too much pain, too much death, too much fear and too much destruction. The good parts of her life are wonderful, but the dark parts would probably crush someone like me. Liesel is strong where I could not be.

9. Rosie the Elephant - Water for Elephants
Rosie is misunderstood by many and treated cruelly for much of the story. She is injured several times when certain characters get angry, and is traded from place to place. Eventually she has her revenge, but really it is quite a sad conclusion for Rosie, who has to live the rest of her life with her past haunting her, probably making her scared of anyone but out two main characters.

10. Offred (A Handmaid) - The Handmaid's Tale
Possibly the worst situation I could imagine myself in. Forced to be the carrier for a child I don't want and cannot keep, forced to go to work in colonies if I am not up to the task. Intense fear, forbidden love, and no freedom whatsoever. It is so bleak, and I am glad I don't have to live that life.

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #13 - Issues With Book Borrowers

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

My sister borrowed a book the other day. Now, she knows what I like and don't like, but what I was worried about was that her boyfriend might not. I'm not saying he isn't a reader and doesn't understand; he does read, but he may not share my passion for beautiful-looking books. The book in question was Half Bad by Sally Green, and the cover is great. There is no way in hell I'd let anyone injure it. Anyway, despite me fretting he might sit on it or something, it came back to be unscathed. Some of my other books, however, have not been so lucky in the hand of other borrowers. So here's my Top Ten Issues with Book Borrowers:

1. Dog-Eared pages
So some people dog-ear their pages out of habit, I get it. It's easy and good for when you don't have a bookmark. However, it is my book, and I have a thing about keeping my books as pristine as possible, this includes creased up pages!

2. Creased spines
Maybe it's just me, but I absolutely can't stand leaving a book open upside-down to keep a page. Again, bookmarks people! I caught my mum doing this with one of my favourite authors and I nearly had a fit. That cover is now permanently creased and therefore ruined forever (OK, not quite ruined, it's still readable, but the pages might fall out at any time).

3. Their cat/ kid/ gross boyfriend gets their hands on it.
I may trust my friend with the book (having given them very strict guidelines) but what if someone else picks it up? What if their child picks it up with peanut butter all over their fingers, or their cat wants to use it as a litter tray, or their husband discards it flippantly into a corner and a page creases? It's not even worth thinking about.

4. Crumbs.
I don't like finding random things inside my books. This involves crumbs, blobs of ketchup, coffee stains and small insects.

5. They're too slow.
What if I miss the book and must read it again immediately. My patience is fairly good, but some people take a very long time to read a book.

6. They never give it back to me.
I only give books to people I can trust now (and pester). Not that I've ever had one stolen, I just didn't want to risk it. In fact, the only people I really give books to now are my family really, and they're stuck with me and my whiny ways.

7. They don't like it.
I worry too much, it's true. But sometimes if I've seriously loved the book and have been hounding someone to read it, I feel guilty if they then don't like it as much as I did. I feel bad whenever I tell someone a book is good and they read it only to disagree. It makes me worry about my capacity as a reviewer and a writer.

8. They let someone else read it while they're borrowing and don't ask me first.
They would probably never do this, but if my precious book is lost forever to me due to their trust, I would probably vow never to give them a book again.

9. They don't finish the book.
My worst nightmare. I tend to give people books that I have already read because I want to discuss them at great length afterwards. The only things is, if they never finish the book, A; they didn't like it and B; how can they talk about it if they don't know how it ends?!

No number 10 today, but to be honest, I feel like nine is more than enough worries about what other people may do to my precious books. I think I have a very serious problem.

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #12 - Top Ten Characters I'd Want In a Fix

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

Top Ten Characters I'd Want In a Fix

1. Puss in Boots
Perfect for when I am completely unable to make up a good lie or if I want to make my fortune. Plus, he's a cat, so it wouldn't look weird to have him around.

2. Fairy Godmother
Anything you need or want, the Fairy Godmother will make it happen. A great person to be acquainted with when I don't have anything to wear to a party, or a ride.

3. Aslan
Excellent for scaring people and rescuing me from pirates and angry magical creatures. Also, in Narnia he's God, so I'd know for sure I was going to heaven even if I did die in this fix.

4. Albus Dumbledore
A very powerful wizard, but also a very wise man. I'd want his advice on all sorts of things, and i would save me having to drive everywhere is he brings me along.

5. Gandalf
Because you can never have enough wizard about. Gandalf is pretty powerful too, and he's got a ton of elf and dwarf friends who will help me out if I need it.

6. Sherlock Holmes
What if I got framed for murder, or if I thought I was going mad and kept seeing huge dogs all over the place? What if the police couldn't get enough evidence? Then I would need a detective of Sherlock's calibre to help me out.

7. Miss Marple
Another detective, but this time in the guise of a little old lady who anyone would talk to. She would be perfect if I needed a private investigator.

8. Obi Wan Kenobi
For those times when someone just won't do what they're told, or if someone had a few nasty ideas about me.  Also good for lightsaber needs.

9. Artemis Fowl
An inventive, clever kid who secretly has a kind heart will serve very well if I ever need help with things I don't understand... mostly technology, I expect.

10. Jiminy Crickett
Sometimes in an emotional fix, all you need is a good conscience.

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #11 - Topics I Love Reading About

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

Topics I Love Reading About:

1. Time Travel
Time Travel has so much potential. You can add to events that have already happened or invent a futuristic world, you can change events and affect timelines, you can give accounts of prehistory and you can make it completely silly if you want to. Characters have so many fascinating moral questions to ask themselves when it comes to this topic, and there can be so many loyalties and ties. A huge topic that never gets old.

2. Hidden Worlds
There are so many books out there with hidden worlds in, and yes, mostly they're supernatural or paranormal in origin, and I love that. Neverwhere, The City's Son, Mortal Instruments, Rivers of London, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Ingo.. the list never ends. There are so many ideas and so much inspiration, I don't think I'll run out of reading for this topic, either.

3. Supernatural Powers
Throw me a book with someone who has weird powers, or with someone who discovers a paranormal creature and I will guzzle it down. Every Other Day, Runemarks, The Body Finder, Impostor, Some Quiet Place, Between the Lives; these are all examples of this idea being worked to very different effects. Some of these I haven't read yet. and I really can't wait!

4. A Spin on a Classic
Recently I've fallen out of love with Fairytale spins and now I want something a bit different; I want classic tale spins. I've seen a few about Peter Pan, such as Alias Hook and Tiger Lily, and a couple of Oliver Twist; Dodger, The Artful and Olivia Twisted being a couple of examples. Broom with a View caught me by surprise, being a witchy retelling of Room With a View. I can't wait to get started on Splintered by A.G Howard for her take on Alice in Wonderland. I wonder how many more takes on a classic I can find!

5. Strong Female Characters
Simply the idea of a kick-ass heroine is my cup of tea. Think Lyra from His Dark Materials, Celaena from Throne of Glass, Vin from the Mistborn series or Arya from Game of Thrones; these are the kind of girls I like to see.

6. Assassins and Murders
Speaking of Throne of Glass, and Game of Thrones, I love a bit of action and violence. I even like a bit of blood, as long as it doesn't make me gag while I'm reading it. I find it really easy to write as well, but enough of that. Assassins and Murder make for a really interesting book, full of important moral questions and difficult decisions for characters. It's tough for me not to like a book that runs deeper through the human nature. Another good series to read would be His Fair Assassin as well, that also has a bit of religion thrown in for good measure.

7. Steampunk
Every steampunk-style book I've read so far has been great! I love the Victorian era and the addition of creepy cogs and steam power. But I love it even more when someone takes the genre and twists it further to combine with another one. Take The Infernal Devices, for example. This is primarily a sort of supernatural style book, but add in a few creepy machines and a Victorian setting, and you get something quite different to Cassandra Clare's other series, The Mortal Instruments. Or The Silver Sickle, where the steampunk leanings really add something special to the sci-fi setting.

8. Dystopian Settings
I'm a sucker for dystopia. I love the classics like 1984 and Brave New World, but some of the YA dystopian fiction is pure genius. Among my favourites are The Hunger Games, The Selection, Maze Runner, Wither and The Handmaid's Tale. I find it so interesting that so many people have ideas about who the world could be. So many thought What If..? and came up with answers that many people couldn't dream of. I love the fact that the dystopian genre is a way of getting concerns out in the open. Take Breathe, for example, the question asked is: What if we got rid of all the trees? Lo and behold, the world left behind is imperfect and imbalanced, with a minuscule population forced to live in huge bubbles because without them they would die in the earth's atmosphere. It really makes you stop and think about the big issues.

9. Fantasy Creatures
So Vampires and Zombies are off the cards for now, but I'm not bored of witches yet, or trolls, or goblins, or banshees, or fairies (yet, my limit is coming up soon), or even ghosts. I'd just like to see something original and a bit strange, which is why I find The Soul Screamers series, the Trylle Series and  Stolen Songbird so intriguing. There's something great about the lesser known paranormal entities coming to the fore.

10. Fairytale Elements
I may have lied slightly about being sick of fairy tales. I am not completely, but now I find myself being pickier. I prefer having elements rather than a whole retelling, I prefer mixed genres like in The Lunar Chronicles, sometimes I like it to be firmly grounded in reality like Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and I prefer something stupendously unexpected happening.

Bonus!
11. Hyped to Must-Read Status
If a book has been hyped at me so much every single person seems to have read it but me, the chances are, I will give it a go out of pure curiosity. I love to try out new things, so even if it's not within my usual boundaries, I decide it might be worth the risk. Recommendations made to me nearly always get a chance. For example; I had no intention to read Anna and the French Kiss, but since a Goodreads friend recommended it to me, I've decided to give it a go.

Which kind of books do you love to read about?

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #9 - Bookish Turn-offs

Now, I'd really really like to point out that I hardly ever put a book down. Most of the time if I do, I will eventually pick it back up again when the mood takes me. So these aren't things that will incur a DNF penalty, these are just things that will make me lower a rating considerably.

1. Insta-love
In real life, no couple I've ever known has had insta-love and lasted. In fact, hardly anyone actually does get Insta-love. Love is the kind of thing that builds with time and understanding of each-other. Lust is the real name for this fake-love, and I don't buy into it, no matter how fantastical the story.

2. Love Triangles
Nothing makes me cringe more than a love triangle, and though I'll happily read a book with one in, inwardly I am screaming at the characters. Why the hell does he like her? Why doesn't she just do this? She doesn't deserve this ones love. These questions and feelings are constant in love triangle books for me, and I'd rather read the plot. The Hunger Games would have been better if there had never been a Gale. Yep, I did just say that. I'd just like to point out that sometimes love triangles are unavoidable for certain plots, even in dystopia etc. The Selection, for example, would be nothing without the twisty love triangles.. well, something-angles.

3. Revelations That Were Obvious Ten Pages Ago
When you totally figure out the plot, but your character just isn't keeping up. When your author has given you one too many clues. When you get bored waiting for you protagonist to catch on. when you're literally waiting for a twist to happen, because it quite clearly will. Sometimes I wonder to myself if I'm the only one, but it turns out that I'm really not.

4. Whiny Protagonists
This one explains its-self. Who really wants to read about someone who is perfectly well-off complaining about their lives, or boys, or something that most people just deal with. I want strong characters, pathetic beings looking for attention and sympathy.

5. Stupid Protagonists (unless it's done on purpose for effect)
Bella Swan. How long does it take to realise your best friend is a werewolf? Seriously? Point made.

6. Perfection, Personified
Otherwise known as Mary-Sue and Gary-Stu, the characters who are literally too good to be true. I can't stand it when a character isn't properly rounded. Every one of us has flaws and fears, but when a girl is beautiful, fearless and flawless, ugh, it makes me want to desecrate said book (and since I mentioned in last weeks post about my OCDness about not desecrating books, this is pretty dire).

7. Slow plots
Sometimes, quite rarely actually, I wonder how on earth some books get published. Certain books have plots so slow moving it's like you're actually reading it in slow motion. It takes you minutes to get through one page because your eyes are so numb with boredom that you can't keep them open.

8. Too Much Description, Not Enough Action
The Clan of the Cave Bear series has to be the best example I can give of this book sin. There are the most enormous passages of writing, pages of the stuff, entirely dedicated to what plants grew around the land as Ayla travels. First off, we get that she cares about plants and can identify them, but most people don't give a damn about that stuff. I found myself skipping those parts because A; I couldn't imagine it anyway and B; it was the most boring thing I'd ever read. We get that you've done your research, but please, I'd have rather you said that the landscape was dotted with shrubs and left it at that.

9. Too Many Points Of View
Now, I love Game of Thrones, but Christ all those points of view and characters get so confusing! You can never remember where you left a character, and now with the TV series out, I can never remember which parts I've read and which have been made up for the show.

10. Languid Starters and Rushed Endings
Some books literally take me until the middle to find my stride, simply because none of the main action has taken place yet. For example, in Bitter Greens, I expected the story of Rapunzel to be identified pretty much straight away, but it wasn't until I got over half-way that her story really began. Now, in a book where the whole blurb, the whole premise is meant to be a fairy-tale retelling, that's a pretty big sin. The same goes for the endings. I could be happily reading a book and then put it down to find that I'm nearly at the end and all of the good stuff hasn't happened yet. I can't abide sitting through an action-filled ending that's only two pages long. Trust me, it's happened.

Do you agree or disagree? Do you think there's anything that needs adding to the list?

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #8 - Bookish Pet Peeves

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

I've decided t opost this one early because I have an awesome reveal scheduled for tomorrow and I want it out for the whole day. I am excited.

I have a confession to make: I am completely in love with books and their covers. There is nothing better to me than opening up a fresh book and smelling the pages. But there's just one issue; I am very particular about my books. No, I don't have OCD (well, I don't think I have OCD), I just like my books to be kept pretty, and immaculate. Some of my pet peeves may well stem from these issues, so beware, things might get a bit mean!

1. When someone isn't reading anything
I love books, so I will often ask people what they're reading, and what stuns me into silence (or sometimes a blinding rage) is when someone isn't reading anything. What do they do with all the in-between parts of their lives if they aren't reading? But really it's the excuses that get me. No-one that I ever talk to should ever tell me they don't have enough time. Everyone has enough time to read.

2. When a page has been turned over
Book maltreatment is a very serious issue for me, right up there with the chicken and the egg (answer; it depends where you stand on Darwin's theory of evolution). It someone turns over the corner of a page (or, God forbid, half the page) it ruins the page and makes it much easier to rip, and less easy to flick through.

3. When someone leaves a book open upside down instead of using a bookmark
Spine creasing actually causes me physical pain. My mum once did this to one of my Joanne Harris books and she got a right telling off. Now the spine is permanently bent :(. This issue also coincides with when someone opens the book way too wide and the spine creases. Not only that, but the glue binding the book together can get unstuck and then pages start falling out all over the place.

4. When someone has written in a book - and it's not their name
One day I will start a group against the maltreatment of books, I swear. I understand if you're writing in it for educational purposes, and it will only ever be your book, but when someone writes petty comments or randomness on a books pages, it is infuriating. This also goes for scribbling or drawing in books, and this is why I can't abide school libraries.

5. When books are badly bound
Pages falling out after about the third or fourth read tend to mean your book is badly bound. I much prefer it when a book has been sewn up, or failing that, an ebook where no pages can fall out.

6. When a hardback doesn't have its dust-jacket
They aren't protected, and they look so boring! What's the point of going to all that trouble to design the cover if the dust-jacket is then thrown away (or lost, or ruined). None, none whatsoever.

7. When people leave their bookmark in a book they haven't finished
I know I do this with some of my books, where I know that sooner or later I will pick it up again when I'm in a better mood for it, but it ticks me off when a bookmark has been left in and it's been given to a charity shop or sold at a boot sale. As far as books go, once I bought it, it's mine, and I have no intention of letting the previous owner have it back. Therefore, I don't want to know where they stopped. What if I stop there too?

8. When books are damaged at the bookstore
What kind of demon-people vandalise books at the shop? Why don't they slot the books back in with care instead of shoving them so their covers are all bent? Why don't they pick it up carefully to look at the blurb? Books are treasures, and they are easily breakable, but please, try not to break them before you've bought them!

9. When reading is viewed as anti-social behaviour
I understand that when you're at a social gathering and someone pulls out a book, it is anti-social. This is true. If they wanted to read their book, they should have damn-well stayed at home. However, if a child does this when they're in the midst of a group of adults, I say fine. If a person pulls out a book on the bus, or the train, or the plane, then why the hell not? If I am already reading a book and someone I know comes on the bus, nine times out of ten, I won't even notice you've arrived. It's not personal, it's just that books are so absorbing.

10. When someone doesn't read the book because they didn't like the film
Or, even worse, when someone doesn't read the book because they really liked the film. Almost every adaptation I have seen has always been inequal to the book in some way. Sometiem they lack the emotion, sometimes they miss out vital plotlines, sometimes they mess up an integral part of the charm of the book, sometimes the actor gets it completely wrong, sometimes they just don't make exciting films. But no-one should ever judge a book by it's film/TV counterpart, because most of the time, it's way better.

Kyra_x

Top Ten Tuesday #7 - Childhood Favourites

1. Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
This has been a part of my life ever since I can remember, and it also was a great way to introduce kids to fantasy reading, which I obviously approve of.

2. The Witches - Roald Dahl
Anything by Roald Dahl was practically absorbed by me; I lived to read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or Georges Marvellous Medicine, or The Twits, but somehow The Witches always won hands down. I loved the idea that witches could be lurking anywhere, and that they could be outwitted by a grandmother and a little boy.

3. The Narnia Series - C.S. Lewis
I got this series as a present when I was young; a box-set with each book beautifully illustrated, and I read them all. But throughout I was always drawn to The Silver Chair, and I'm fairly peeved that there hasn't been any announcements for it to be made into a film. One day, someone will make every one of them into a good live action film, and on that day I will be very happy.

4. His Dark Material Series - Philip Pullman
Still one of my favourite triologies in the universe. It's fantasy, it's reality, it's sci-fi, and it's complicated, with hints of religion, life and death, love... everything I love. These books raised the bar for me in terms of reading, and I don't think I've ever looked back.

5. Dr Xargle - Jeanne Willis
I have very fond memories of flicking through a couple of these books with my sister and my mum, giggling away at their ridiculousness. Even now, I want to open it up and see what the aliens think about our planet.

6. Goosebumps (not to mention the TV show) - R.L Stine
We had a couple of these books, and they scared the hell out of me, but I read it anyway. What really got me was the TV show, which I watched religiously with my sister.

7. Famous Five - Enid Blyton
Honestly, I can remember reading these books and loving them, but for some reason now I can't remember them very well. I think this calls for a re-read at some stage.

8. The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle
This book is so classic. I remember reading it cover to cover, anticipating when it would turn into a beautiful butterfly. The book is still such a vivid memory.

9. Where's Wally? (That may be Where's Waldo for you) - Martin Handford
I never owned a Where's Wally book, but I always wanted one. Every time someone would get it out, or I would spot it at a friend's house, I would pretty much force them to do it with me. I think I still need a copy or two.

10. Elmer - David McKee
About a patchwork elephant who wants to fit in, but always sticks out thanks to his colourful exterior. It taught me that it's OK to be different, and I did love that elephant.

Top Ten Tuesday #6 - Awesome Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.

This Top Ten Tuesday is actually on a Monday, but don't worry, I haven't got mad quite yet; this is to make some room for tomorrow's post! Today I'm listing some of my favourite authors of all time - I hope you agree with me!

1. Joanne Harris
I've shown my love for this lady on many, many occasions, so it's only right that I put her right at the top of my post. Her writing is emotive, descriptive and her books are exquisite. Read one, read any one, and you will fall in love as well.

2. Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Every single book I read with this man's name on the front sends shivers up my spine. Some times in a good way, sometime in an 'I'm terrified' way (depending on which book I'm reading). His stories for children are equally as good as those for adults, and the adult ones are so deliciously complex, you are completely absorbed.

3. Ben Aaronovitch
If you haven't read the Peter Grant series yet, put it on the TBR pile, because you utterly need to. It's funny, serious, murderous and full of magic; exactly what you need in a good fantasy police drama. Rivers of London (that's Midnight Riot in some places), the first book, is creepy and cool in equal measure, and I love the way I can relate to these places, because once in a while I can say I've seen them.

4. Terry Pratchett
This man has the most vivid and eccentric imagination I have ever read. His books are witty and silly and engrossing, and the world he has given life to has even been adapted into TV Movies. If that's not a sign of good literature, I don't know what is.

5. Neil Gaiman
Stardust, Coraline, Neverwhere; this author's list of adapted works doesn't seem to end. His collaboration with Terry Pratchett (Good Omens) is absolutely brilliant and his other works are beautifully strange and wonderful. I love reading Neil Gaiman, because it doesn't matter which story you read, it always manages to pull you head-first into the world he has created. Oh, and he wrote a couple of purely awesome Doctor Who episodes.

6. Markus Zusak
I know I've only actually read one book by this man, but it is the best book I've ever read in my life. I love The Book Thief like I'd written it myself. It is a remarkable book, and therefore he is a remarkable author. I'm looking forward to reading more from him.

7. Brandon Sanderson
This guy has an incredible imagination. Have you read his Mistborn series? Trust me, they're so involved and so, so good! He was also chosen to ghost-write the end of the Wheel of Time series, so he's got to be good, right?

8. Philip Pullman
How could I leave this man out? His Dark Materials is a trilogy that I'll keep with me for the rest of my life. It was the first truly epic book series I ever read, that really verged on things I had never thought about before; other worlds, souls, death, trepanning (look it up, it's gross). Ok, Harry Potter did get epic, but I read this whole series before I read that whole series, and this somehow still holds the edge. Which brings me nicely on to...

9. J. K. Rowling
When you hear that name, a mention of Harry Potter soon follows. What a remarkable mind to go from a single vision of a wizard on a train to this all-encompassing battle between the natures of good and evil, personified in a young man and a dark lord. This series is my childhood, and I have spent most of my life absorbed in a Harry Potter bubble which burst not long ago, but it will never be forgotten.

10. George R.R. Martin
My new bubble arrived in the form of A Game of Thrones (well, and Doctor Who, but since were doing authors, I'll let that one slide). If there was anything to get anyone into fantasy, this series would be it. It is possible the most bloodthirsty set of books I've ever read, but still you read on, if only to find out who dies next. I'm halfway through this series, and it doesn't ever let up, no book is ever boring and no character is skippable. The TV show is immense, but to me the books will always be better. I guess I'm a traditionalist.

Are there any authors you would add to the list, any that you disagree with? Comment and let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday #2 - Fantasy Places I'd like to Experience

Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices

Top Ten Fantasy Places I'd like to Experience:

1. Gallifrey
Home planet of the Time Lords, and the most beautiful place in the galaxy, before it was destroyed in the Time War... or not. What good fan-girl wouldn't wan't to go there?

2. Asgard
Mythical land of Norse Gods, home of Thor, Loki and Odin. Looks like a big shining city sitting on top of clouds and has a really nice-looking rainbow bridge. I'd love to go there and hang with the Asgardians.

3. Camelot
The legendary castle of King Arthur has been depicted in so many films, books and TV series, but I want to see how it really would have been.

4. Inkworld
Cornelia Funke's imaginary book-world certainly grabs your attention. Whether you're having a meeting with Dustfinger or a confrontation with Basta, you'd never be short of amusement or danger, but it sure sounds beautiful.

5. Rivendell / Ellesmera / Greenwood (before it got Mirkwoodified)
Anywhere were the elves live sounds like a nice place to me, and whether they belong in the Inheritance cycle or The Lord of the Rings really doesn't make a huge difference. Bring on the beautiful woodland realms and the idyllic peace.

6. Westeros
This Game of Thrones land is rife with danger, but wouldn't you love to see it? The beauty of Highgarden, the desolate mountain of the Eyrie, the silent rock of Dragonstone and the splendour of King's Landing are something that every reader /watcher of this series would want to visit for themselves.

7. Oz
Nothing says holiday like the bright, happy fairyland of Oz, with its girl ruler and its cute little munchkins. Yes, there may be a few witches and trolls lurking about, but every now and again they are killed or thwarted, so they aren't too much of a bother. You can go off here and have adventures any time you like.

8. Wonderland
The fantastical world of Wonderland isn't one you'd want to stay in for too long or you may end up with a pretty bad headache, but wouldn't it be great to go wandering in and find yourself face to face with a frumious Bandersnatch, or a Cheshire Cat, or a Tea Party where it is everyone's unbirthday?

9. Narnia
But specifically, it has to be the Narnia in the time zone when the Pevensie children are the rulers, because that's when everyone is free and there are hardly any men to mess things up. Imagine walking down the beach with a faun and talking with a Mermaid or two on your way to Cair Paravel.. bliss.

10. Neverland
Never has a tiny island hosted so many types of person; a ticking Crocodile, a group of lost boys, some Pirates, some Mermaids, some Indians, and a load of random creatures or people that flit about in the woods. For a few days, it would be nice to stop time and just relax, and as long as you don't side with anyone, you could do just that.

11. Special Mention; Discworld
Terry Pratchett's incredible imagination knows no bounds, and niether does the Discworld, by the looks of it. Pratchett can't stop writing about it and choosing things to make a satire of, and we love him for it.