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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is:
Top Ten Things That Makes Life as Bloggers Easier/Better
1. Goodreads
Goodreads is what started my book blogging adventure. A friend of mine on a site called Vampirefreaks introduced me to GR, and honestly I don't remember how I functioned without it. In addition to the features, like shelves and book groups, their First Reads program definitely helps fill my shelves.
2. Netgalley
I've only recently discovered this little gem. Though I got a bit overwhelmed when I first got it (come on, didn't we all?), now I know how to request only what I really want to read. I love this site, and I'm happy to be involved with it. It's introduced me to some great books.
3. The Book Depository
Free shipping. Enough said.
4. Google Calender
I love this feature of Gmail. It helps keep me organized when it comes to posts and archive dates. It emails you the day before an event as a gentle prod to get stuff done.
5. Other book bloggers.
So many blogs helped to inspire my choice of starting up my own. To name a few: Jean BookNerd, Ensconced in YA, Aestas Book Blog, Winter Haven Books, and Books a la Mode.
6. Rafflecopter
To be honest, I rarely even bother with giveaways if they don't use Rafflecopter. For me it's the easiest, fastest raffle site. When I host my own first giveaway (soon), I know that's what I'll be using.
7. My Kindle
I got my Kindle as a Christmas gift from my girlfriend, Emily, this past year. It is no doubt the best gift that I have ever received. Don't get me wrong- I adore my physical books, and I prefer them. But I frequently travel from my home of Chicago to get to school six hours away, and to Emily's house, which is three hours from Chicago and 9 hours from my school. It's so much easier to have a collection of books in one little gadget than to try to pack books for a train ride that long.
8. Amazon
In addition to helping me get the Netgalley titles I receive, Amazon has great prices for both physical and Kindle books. Though lately, I haven't really wanted any of their deals of the day. But, sometimes there's some great freebies.
9. Twitter
Twitter makes communication SO much easier. Whether it's with a blogger, a reader, or an author, I've found that I get way more interaction on Twitter than any other social networking site. I was hesitant to get it at first, but now I even have two accounts: one for blogging and one for personal use.
10. Bigelow's Cinnamon Stick Tea
I drink it when I read because it relaxes me and helps me focus. Which helps me stick to my deadlines. Which helps make me a happy blogger, and I'm sure makes the publishers who send my titles happy too.
What about you?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is:
Top Ten Favorite Books With X Setting
What am I replacing the X with, you ask? Fantastical! I'm picking my top ten books set in fantasy worlds/settings. These books are in no particular order. Allons-y, shall we?
1. Eragon by Christopher Paolini (as well as the rest of the Inheritance Cycle). With the exception of Harry Potter, this is probably my favorite fantasy book. Set in the world of Alagaesia, the hero must encounter dragons, an evil ruler, magic, and so much more.
2. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. What can I say? This wizarding world is so finely detailed that it's easy to lose one's self completely in the setting alone. These books changed so many lives, and I am no exception.
3. The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. These classic works kind of speak for themselves, though I admit I have a newer appreciation for them since the blockbuster movie series came out. Elves, Hobbits, and evil jewelry? Count me in.
4. The Inkworld series by Cornelia Funke. This series plays on the idea that reading aloud can place people into a book, and bring things out of them as well. I always thought I'd love to live in a book, but when villains and the like come into play like in this series... Maybe not!
5. City of Masks by Mary Hoffman. Now, this is book one in a series, but I haven't read the others. But this book has a really cool twist on time travel/parallel worlds. Plus, the setting is in Venice, which is beautiful in and of itself.
6. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Again, part of a series that I haven't yet continued. That being said I loved this book. It's like Harry Potter and Star Wars had a love child. It's well worth the hype.
7. The Kingdom Series by Marie Hall. Now, this one is a leap from YA. It has adult content and themes, and I adore them. Marie Hall gives classic fairy tales an erotic twist, and I adore the ones I've read so far!
8. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll. I mean, who hasn't fantasized about going through the rabbit hole at one point or another? This is probably my first encounter with fantasy, and it'll always be a favorite of mine.
9. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. This can arguably be defined as science fiction as well, but I'm basing the label of fantasy off of the fact that it's a retelling. Great setting, a great new twist on a classic. I can't wait for Cress to come out!
10. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I know this makes me a cliche Lewis fan, but this particular book of the series is my favorite. I wish that I could find a whole new world in the back of my closet. Don't you?
What's your favorite setting?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is:
Top ten books I wish could have sequels.
For this top ten, I'm going to try and stick to stand alone books, instead of series that I wish had kept going. (The key word is try, let's see how that works out!):
The first one that comes to mind is Mosh Pit. This is a book I read in junior high and absolutely loved. It deals with LGBT issues, drugs, sex, and all kinds of fun stuff. The amount of drama in this book has the intensity of a soap opera, and I really wish I could have learned what happened to the characters after the pages ended.
Don't get me wrong. My regular readers know that Forbidden is one of my favorite books. The ending, no matter how tragic, is perfect, and I wouldn't change a thing. However, there is a void in my heart named Lochan, and I wish I could have had more time with him. Actually, there's another book that makes me feel the same.....
This is another book that I wouldn't really want to have a sequel, and of course I know that there can't be one, due to the plot of the story. But like Lochan, I just wish I had more time to fall in love with Augustus.
I apparently have an entire section of my heart blocked off for fictional characters. Though the novella, Uncharted, helped to quench my TJ and Anna thirst, I really wish there could have been another full book. I don't know how it would have worked, and it's for that reason that there probably isn't one.
This might be cheating, but I'm not counting Walking Disaster as a sequel, since it's the same story from another view. I want a new story of Travis and Abby, I miss them!
This might also be cheating, since there is technically a book three, Lush. But more specifically, I wish there was another story of this specific relationship, the three-way relationship of Juliet, Cal, and Gideon.
I'm not ready to leave Hogwarts yet and you can't make me.
Now, rumor has it that there might be another book. But until something is officially announced, I'm counting this as a stand alone. Christmas is coming, and I wish I had another book for the holidays!
Simply put, I want to see how Charlie progressed through life.
This wasn't one of my most loved reads, earning a three star review. But I'll be damned if I don't want to read more about what happens. I am not satisfied with this being the end of the road!!!
What about you?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is:
Top ten words/topics that make me not pick up a book
Keep in mind that I am open minded to 99% of books. There are few phrases that make me avoid a book altogether. These words or phrases on my list make me hesitant to read. Keep that in mind. So. Here we go:
1. Homophobic
On both a moral and a GLBT level, I will not read books that are anti-gay. Obviously, books on bullying and things like that don't count, but I'm not going to read a book full of why I'm going to hell.
2. Zombies
I've yet to read a zombie book that I really enjoyed. I sincerely hope that one day I will be able to take this off of my list.
3. Crime/Murder
I love the occasional crime thriller, but most of them, in my humble opinion, are easily guessed or totally confusing. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, for example, I loved.
4. Rock/Movie stars
This whole "falling in love with a rockstar" thing is becoming completely played out for me. I'm honestly just tired of reading them. I'm sure once the trend dies down, I'll find them enjoyable again.
5. Aliens
Same with zombies- I just haven't read any alien books that I enjoy. Someone recommend me a great one, and we'll see.
6. Babies
I'm not a mom. I don't want to be a mom. I respect those who are or want to be, but books centering around children and new moms and diapers and- no. Pass for me, please.
7.Insta-love
There are always exceptions, of course. But in my personal history of life, insta-love isn't accurate. Crushes, lust, attraction- sure. But this whole he is the only one that my soul will ever need type mentality is definitely a red flag for me.
8. Slut Shaming
There's nothing wrong with having sex, and who these characters have sex with is no one else's damn concern. And if it's nonfiction works doing it? Don't get me started.
9. Dukes/Duchesses/Lords/Royals
I like historical fiction/romance novels well enough, but these type of royal/upper class books tend to not tickle my fancy.
10. Excessive Violence
This isn't on here because of moral reasons. I'm not one of those "oh my gosh, no, violence is wrong!" people. I just find fight sequences often hard to follow, and they usually hinder my opinion of a book more than they help.
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is:
Top Ten Authors Who Deserve More Recognition
The following authors are in no particular order, but all deserve more props & recognition for their writing.
First up is Marie Hall. She does a great job of creating new worlds, characters with depth and personality, and adult scenes that come across as steamy and not smutty. Everyone should go read the first book in her Kingdom series, Her Mad Hatter, which at this time is free on Amazon here.
Next we have Andrea Lynn Colt, whose book Torched was a clean, young adult whodunnit that had me guessing right up until the very end. She created a nerdy, gorgeous book boyfriend of mine that more readers should get to experience.
Tabitha Suzuma is arguably best known for her novel Forbidden, due to the amount of taboo that circles the romantic couple about whom the story is about- a brother and sister. Her books are beautifully written and driven with passion and emotion. Though she is in fact a known author, I think she deserves to be a household name.
Helen Landalf's novel Flyaway is a haunting, gritty, emotional read that I definitely savored upon reading. Why this hasn't been read more often, I haven't a clue, but it's worth reading and is a book that will stick with you after its been finished.
Oh my gosh, Miss Candace Jane Kringle. This girl is hilarious. North Pole High is a funny and sweet holiday feel good read that is admittedly a bit silly, but helped to get me in the holiday mood. Featuring talking animals, mischievous elves, and Santa's little girl, this is a hilarious find. She's just as funny and sweet outside of the book- I love talking with her!
Carol Rifka Brunt is another author whose beautiful, emotional prose deserves more credit and recognition. Tell the Wolves I'm Home was my favorite 2012 read, and it had me emotionally invested in the story in just a few pages. This is another story that will stay with you long after you've read it. A book with LGBT themes, this is not to be missed.
Mingmei Yip is a Chinese author that I've only had the pleasure of reading once, but it was enough to make a lasting impression. She writes prose that is so beautiful that it could be poetry. She uses fine details that immerse the reader in the world that she sets the novel in, and she deserves more recognition for even just that skill.
Nora Olsen stands out to me because she took a very trendy book genre right now, dystopian, and added her own LGBT twist to it. In my opinion, there needs to be more books like this out there.
Emma Michaels has a great talent for writing, and it shows in her book Owlet. The whole book has a magical, dream-like tone to it, and that made this writing stand out to me.
And finally, I come to my final pick: Kimberly Krey. She not only creates unique story lines but characters that are likable and complex, and in the case of one Calvin Knight, ridiculously sexy and charming. Plus, Kimberly is a total sweetheart and I love when authors are friendly and approachable.
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is:
Top Ten Best/Worst Book to Movie Adaptations
As booklovers, I think a lot of our first instincts are to say "the book was better!" Usually, well, it's true! But there are some film versions that were pretty damn close..... And others that I would just like to forget about entirely. Let's start with the 5 best adaptations, shall we?
I'm a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, and I feel like the first film was nearly perfect. It gave such a wonderful, magical look into the wizarding world, and helped me to properly imagine the settings throughout the remaining books. The actors were all well cast, and sigh, I just loved this film- and book.
I was admittedly worried about this one. I mean, it's a book about children murdering other children. But I have to say, the violence was more implied than brutal, the acting was good, and it stayed relatively true to the book plot. I can't wait for Catching Fire.
And of course, there's the Lord of the Rings series. I think the scenery is beautiful, the actors are beautiful. I fell in love all over again with these books once I saw the movies!
I love Rooney Mara. That's pretty much my views on this in a nutshell. Granted, there were some changes. But I found both film adaptations to be better than I anticipated.
I wasn't a huge fan of The DaVinci Code, so I was hesitant to see Angels & Demons. I was impressed and enthralled, and must have reread the book at least three times after going to see it.
And then there's the not so good......
This was my favorite book in the series.... And my least favorite film. I was actually in tears when I left the theater. It was over acted and chopped to bits and almost made me give up on the franchise all together.
I really, really, really just don't understand the hype around this series. The movie somehow managed to be worse than the book, since it merged characters and changed personalities. I want to like this series, really I do.... I just can't.
I'm not afraid to say that I enjoyed the book, Twilight. But the movie? No. So much no. The acting is bad, the effects are bad. Taylor Lautner was my only saving grace throughout this first film.
This book scared me to no end while I was reading it. But the movie? Laughable. I am a complete weenie when it comes to horror movies, and this movie still bored me.
I don't want to talk about it.
Honorable mentions for book-to-films that I loved: Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Outsiders, Interview with the Vampire.
How about you?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is:
Top Ten Most Intimidating Books
Now, it takes a lot for me to be intimidated by a book...... But I find myself hesitating to read books when I know that either A) Everyone I know loved it or B) everyone I know hates it. It makes me hesitant to express my true opinion on a book, since people are so quick to defend their own views. That being said, most of the books on this list are that kind of intimidation. These are in no order....
Let's start with this. It seems everyone and their mother has read this, and either loved or loathed it. Personally, I stand in the middle. I hated Ana & loved Christian. Some writing was good, some was awkward. Honestly, I don't understand both the good and bad hype.
And then there's Twilight. My very persistent friend suggested that I not see the movie until I read them, since the movie was worse and its fans gave the book a bad rep. (Her words, not mine.) This is another series that people love and hate, but I'm neutral. Do I think it's the biggest waste of space ever like some people? Absolutely not. But it is it my all time favorite? Nah.
This is another book that I was hesitant to read because of movie hype. To be honest, I don't get it. I didn't enjoy this book, and I was right to delay reading it.
I was intimidated by this book's content. I love Rooney Mara as Lisbeth. And I loved both movies. But, I'm not a big fan of crime novels. I normally predict the end relatively easily, and have issues reading fight scenes. I'm happy to say that I loved this book, despite my reservations.
This is another book that made me pause. I know with the movie coming out that EVERYONE is gushing about it. I'm really happy that I gave it a shot though, because I love Jace this series.
This book's story intimidated and chilled me. I read it when I was relatively young, and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle such adult themes. It's wrong to say "I love this book", because love is not the right word, but I do believe that every one should read it.
Oh, the religious controversy around this one! Don't get me wrong- I'm not Christian. But I wondered with all the hearsay & rumors & conspiracies if I'd be able to take it seriously. The answer is yes, and I adore this series.
I love J.R.R. Tolkien. But I read this book in grade school, and the huge vocabulary and massive page length definitely intimidated me- to say the least!
Yet another book with movie hype that made me slow to jump on the bandwagon. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I jumped. But when everyone was talking about how violent or intense this was, I initially rolled my eyes. Now I completely understand!
I was intimidated by Forbidden because of its content. A love between brother and sister? Mighty taboo, even by today's standards. But the writing is beautiful and... Well you guys have heard me talk about this one enough!
How about you?
