Top Ten Sequels-sort of…

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Posted on September 24, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke & the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely ladies over there give us book bloggers wonderful and fun topics to create our lists! Check out what others have posted by going over there! http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com

This week’s topic is-

Top Ten Sequels

Ok- I have to admit to a bit of a struggle- I came up with series-not exactly sequels. While I enjoyed the book, I didn’t think The Chambers of Secrets was the best sequel in the series. Anyway-here is my list-

1. The Harry Potter Series

My favs after the first are probably the third, sixth and seventh.

2. The Chronicles of Narnia

This is an amazing series. I read them in the order in which they were written-it was awesome!

3. The Hunger Games Trilogy

I think Catching Fire might be in my top three of amazing sequels.

4. The Girl Who Played with Fire

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was great- 2nd and 3rd almost seemed like one long book. Lisbeth Sanders is one of my favorite characters in modern literature.

5. The Vampire Lestat

Totally giving away how OLD I am , but I loved this series of books, along with Rice’s Mayfair Witches series.

6. The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series

When I first read The Shadow of the Wind, I was in love with that book. The sequel- The Angel’s Game really confused me, but then the third came out-The Prisoner of Heaven-and tied it all together. I really want to go back and read them all together!

7. The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The Fellowship of the Rings is wonderful, The Two Towers- a bit slow for me-especially the parts with Frodo and Sam off on their own. But then you get to the third- The Return of The King-and WOW!!!!

Top Ten Books for the Fall

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Posted on September 17, 2013

This week’s topic is-

Top Ten Books on My Fall TBR List

Seeing as the weather here is 100% autumnal, this is a perfect topic-going down to 38 degrees tonight-brrrr……

1. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

It is one of those novels I have always wanted to read, but never have. I am determined to do it!

2. The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

Love this author, even though he usually makes me sad 😦

3. Seduction-A Novel of Suspense

I love suspense!

4. Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

This book sounds great- disturbing, but great.

5. Touchstone by Laurie R King

I read Bones of Paris, never realizing it was a sequel-so now I want to read the first!

6. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

I had’t heard of this until the movie came out not too long ago.

7. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Again, one of the books that has been on my TBR list for way too long- going to tackle it this fall.

8. Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

The other books are pretty serious, so I want a little comic relief!

9. The Secret History by Donna Tart

I have been hearing that this is a book I MUST read, so I am going for it!

10. The Stand by Stephen King

Ashamed to say, this will be my first Stephen King- very excited!!

That’s what I am looking forward to reading in the coming months-what about you?

Please leave a comment-I love hearing from you!!!

Please make this book into a movie! Really?

21 Comments

Posted on September 10, 2013

This week’s topic is-

Top Ten Books I Would Like to See Made Into a Movie or TV Show

Hmmm, a strange topic for me, since I usually cringe a little no matter how well the adaptation was.

(yes, even the Harry Potter series-they definitely left stuff out!)

Anyway, in a perfect world, where I had all the power, these are the books I wish would be made into a movie (that haven’t been already)

1. The Shadow of the Wind – I would love to see a really great trilogy here-I can already see the Cemetery of Forgotten Books in my mind!

2. The Paris Wife– Paris in the 1920’s, a young, handsome Hemingway, jazz-oh, yeah.

3. The Supremes at Earl’s All You Can Eat (TV Show)-Please make this a TV show- I never watch TV anymore.

4. The Sandcastle Girls-with someone really hot to play Armen-I see Javier Bardem?

5. The Silmarillion (TV Show)- anyone who has read this knows how epic and sweeping it is-each chapter could be a whole season.

6. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (TV Show)-I loved these characters so much-maybe HBO could do it justice?

7. Bel Canto– I know the real gem here was the lyrical prose, but I think it is also a bit of a love story at heart, and who doesn’t love a love story that ends tragically?

8. The Last Letter From your Lover-again-forbidden love, amnesia, plus I would love to see the Jennifer’s life of privilege- I think this has been optioned to be made into a film!

9. The Bones of Paris– murder, mystery, Paris in the 1920’s again

10. The Double Bind- one of the best endings ever!

(seems like I have a thing for the Roaring 20’s-no?)

What books would you like to see made into a movie or TV show?

Top Ten Books That Should Be Taught in Schools

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Posted on September 3, 2013

This week’s topic is-

Top Ten Books We Thinks Should Be Taught in Schools

I made a list to range from middle school through high school.

1. The Hunger Games

2. Pride & Prejudice

3. Tuesdays With Morrie

4. The Lord of the Rings

5. The Book Thief

6. Little Women

7. The Help

8. Brave New World

9. To Kill a Mockingbird

10. Harry Potter 1-7

What do you think should be taught in school?

Second Fiddle? I think not!!! Top Ten Tuesday!

12 Comments

Posted on August 27, 2013

This week’s topic is-

Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters

(this is obviously going to be a bit Potter heavy- sorry)

1. The Weasly Family from the Harry Potter Series

I want to hang with this family SO bad-ok maybe not Percy, but a big yes to each and every one of them!!

2. Haymitch AND Cinna from The Hunger Games series

I LOVE Cinna-the only person in the entire capital that is real.

And Haymitch- oooh, the suffering of watching all those kids die for over 20 years.

3. Neville Longbottom from the Harry Potter series

When he gets the winning points for the House Cup because he stood up to his friends, I knew he was going to be a great guy!

4. Ceila Foote from The Help

Actually liked her depiction in the movie even more than I liked her character in the book- best part? When she writes the check out to Hilly Two Slice.

5. Rudy Steiner from The Book Thief

He was awesome- that’s all.

6. Mr. Bennet from Pride & Prejudice

Patience of a saint to deal with that wife! Would love to lock myself in a beautiful library also.

7. Melanie Wilkes from Gone With The Wind

I love how Scarlet is just dying to truly hate this woman, but she just can’t- and Melanie can not for the life of her think anything bad about Scarlet.

8. Helen Burns from Jane Eyre

This poor girl- stick up for yourself, dammit!!!

(never knew Elizabeth Taylor played her)

9. Professor Snape from the Harry Potter series

The character I loved to hate the MOST- up until the very end of book 7, that is. What an amazing love he had!

10. Death from The Book Thief

One of my favorite quotes from this book can explain why I loved this character (also a little sad to realize through the trailers that he is NOT in the movie- hmph!)

I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race–that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.

All I was able to do was turn to Liesel Meminger and tell her the only truth I truly know. I said it to the book thief and I say it now to you.

* * * A LAST NOTE FROM YOUR NARRATOR * * *
I am haunted by humans.

What other secondary character do you love?

Top Ten Books I Wish Had Sequels!

11 Comments

Posted on August 6, 2013

This week’s topic is

Top Ten Books I Wish Had Sequels

Surprisingly, I had a hard time coming up with many for this list.

1. Pride & Prejudice

I know there are many out there that try, but almost every single one I have reads has failed miserably! I wish Miss Austen had given us a little glimpse into the married life of Lizzy and Darcy.

2. The Book Thief

I know this might seem like an odd choice, but I thought that books was so mesmerizing I wish I could keep reading-I might have to do a reread now!

3. To Kill A Mockingbird

How did Scout grow up? And Jem? Did Atticus ever remarry? Sigh….

4. Gone With the Wind

There was an attempt, but it fell quite short of the beauty of Margaret Mitchell’s masterpiece.

5. The Help

I want to hear more from Milly and Abilene. And how Skeeter made out in NYC!

and finally-

6. Harry Potter

I have a feeling this will be on lots of lists today. I know there were 7 books, but I still want to know how each year in Harry’s life is going!

I think a fun list would be books that were made into sequels that never should have been written!

Top Ten Favorite Beginnings and Endings

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Posted on July 30, 2013

This week’s topic is

Top Ten Favorite Beginnings and Endings

1. Pride & Prejudice (beginning)

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

2. The Great Gatsby (ending)

And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

3. Rebecca (beginning)

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again . . . I came upon it suddenly; the approach masked by the unnatural growth of a vast shrub that spread in all directions . . . There was Manderley, our Manderley, secretive and silent as it had always been, the gray stone shining in the moonlight of my dream, the mullioned windows reflecting the green lawns and terrace. Time could not wreck the perfect symmetry of those walls, nor the site itself, a jewel in the hollow of a hand.

4. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone (beginning)

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you’d expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn’t hold with such nonsense.

5. Anna Karenina (beginning)

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

6. Gone with the Wind (ending)

I’ll think of it all tomorrow at Tara. I can stand it then. Tomorrow, I’ll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day.

7. Frankenstein (ending)

He was soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance.

8. The Book Thief (beginning)

First the colours, Then the humans, Thats how I usually see things, Or at least, how I try. Here is a small fact, You are going to die.

9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (ending)

The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well.

and finally….

10. The Book Thief (ending)

All I was able to do was turn to Liesel Meminger and tell her the only truth I truly know. I said it to the book thief and I say it now to you.

* * * A LAST NOTE FROM YOUR NARRATOR * * *
I am haunted by humans.

Top Ten Turn Offs

28 Comments

Posted on July 23, 2013

This week’s topic is

Top Ten Words/Topics the will make you NOT pick up a book

There isn’t a lot that will turn me off from a book in an instant, but here are a few-

1. Royalty

I don’t mean the awesome news going on right now, I mean the trend of books all about “those” royals. I did enjoy The Other Boleyn Girl, but enough already!

2. Vampires

Enough said about that.

3. Romance

My mom still loves Danielle Steel, but I can’t read these types of books. I think Steele is actually the best of the bunch-no Harlequin Romances for me. The heaving bosoms and flowing hair is a turn off – which leads me to the next-

4. Pecks & Abs

I love me some eye candy as much as the next girl, but come on! What is with the rash of covers out there with all these totally ripped guys??? Unless it is a picture book, you are NOT getting my attention!

5. Young Love

I am not a grouchy old lady, and I think falling in love is great and all, but I also remember how painful it was to be a teenager, never mind a teen in love.

6. Space

No interest whatsoever, period.

7. Zombies

My 15 year old son went to see World War Z. He loved it. I am not a 15 year old boy.

8. Dystopian

Calm down! I loved The Hunger Games trilogy, and I know there are some really great Dystopian books out there, but it almost seems like every other book is this genre.

9. Time Travel

Too confusing sometimes!

10. New Adult

What is this? I get the Young Adult-what the hell is New Adult???

I know many of you out there disagree- these are just the things that will make me NOT grab a book-

some examples

Some books actually scare me a little- Top Ten Tuesday!!

12 Comments

Posted on July 16, 2013

Now this week’s topic is supposed to be Top Ten Authors Who Deserve More Recognition, but when I sat down this morning-total brain freeze!! So, I went back two weeks and am doing the topic I missed while I was on vacation, so the topic is-

Top Ten Most Intimidating Books

Now, some of these books are scary due to their size, others, due to the seriousness of the topic, and others-seem impossible to read (Joyce).

1. Crime and Punishment

I have a hard time remembering the proper pronunciation for the author.

2. Wuthering Heights

Tried reading it 3 times already- no luck so far.

3. Great Expectations

The name says it all-actually this is only 1 of Dicken’s works that intimidate me- he has many more!

4. Dante’s Inferno

I have it. I opened it. I put it down.

5. Les Miserables

I saw this on broadway 20 years ago-does that count?