Tag: Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday – Hobbies Other Than Reading

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I have freedom to select today’s theme. It’s officially listed as a non-bookish freebie, so I’ve decided to talk about my hobbies, other than reading.

You’ll see some common themes in some of these, so I have grouped them together!

 

Crafts

Knitting

One of the things that will become very clear in this post, is that I enjoy crafting! One of my favourite hobbies, at least at the moment, is knitting.

In the last few years, I have re-taught myself the basics of knitting, and I’ve gone on to learn much more besides. Since then, I have made a number of scarves, several jumpers, a couple of cardigans, and even socks!

 

Cross-stitch

Another hobby that I have rekindled enjoyment of lately is cross-stitch. Along the same lines as knitting, it’s something I learned how to do when I was younger, but didn’t really pick it up again until the pandemic. I bought myself a fairly sizable Cross-stitch kit a couple of years ago, and have been working on it on-and-off ever since. Lately, I’ve been making a real push on progress with this particular kit. I’m nearly halfway through!

I have also bought myself the materials for a new project once this one is complete. That one is significantly larger. Maybe you’ll get to see it in five years time?!

 

Crochet

And this is a hobby I do a little less of at the moment. But, for the right pattern, I would definitely pick it up again. I like crochet as it’s less complicated than knitting. However, overall, I prefer the look of knitted garments. That’s why I made the switch to knitting over crochet a couple of years ago.

I have made some fun crochet projects though. As we were heading into the pandemic, I was already making my friends little one a baby blanket ready for her arrival. I have also made a teddy, little amigurumi figures and a jumper.

 

Gaming

Nintendo Switch

As well as being a crafter, I’m also a bit of a gamer. The latest game I’ve been playing on my Nintendo Switch is Stardew Valley.

I was a huge fan of another franchise called Harvest Moon years ago. I love the farming aesthetic and how this game goes along way to emulating the best parts of Harvest Moon, but also having a fresh take on it.

I also have a few other games now – Animal Crossing, Zelda, Minecraft and Mario Karts can all be picked up whenever I fancy!

 

PS4

I’m also partial to playing games on my PlayStation now and then. I tend to stick to one or two games at a time on my PlayStation.

The current game playing the most of is Horizon: Forbidden West. This is the sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn… a game I picked up for free during the pandemic and loved! I really like the vibe and setting of the game (prehistoric tribal setting but with hints of a prior era of advanced civilisation, technology and machines). It’s quite the combo, but it makes sense when you play the game and discover the storyline!

 

Oculus

The console I am currently playing the most, however, is my new oculus quest. I decided to treat myself to this fairly recently, so I only have a couple of games that I really play at the moment.

Those are Beat Saber and a table tennis game called Eleven VR.  I like that, I’m able to play a game, but also be active in doing it. It’s a completely different experience.

 

Other

Listening to Podcasts

Listening to podcasts is a fairly new hobby I have started doing regularly… and geerally whilst I’m doing any of the aforementioned crafts projects!

I really enjoy doing something physical with my hands, such as crafting, and listening to something at the same time. That could be music, a documentary, or podcasts! I find the combination works really well. I’ve also found some good and interesting podcasts of late that publish new episodes on a regular basis. I look forward to these episodes coming out every week and I feel like this is a hobby that’s going to stick around for awhile.

 

Puzzles

Now, and then, I will occasionally break out a puzzle book or two. I have quite varied taste on the kinds of puzzles I enjoy. Looking back, they stem from learning how to do each of these puzzles from my grandparents.

Gramps taught me how to complete Hanjie puzzles, the ones that form a picture out of a grid. Gran taught me how to complete Codebreakers. I am absolutely shocking at crosswords (in stark contrast to my mum who is brilliant at them). Instead, I am far better at identifying letter combinations and patterns. Codebreakers are therefore better suited to me.

Grandad taught me how to complete Sudoku puzzles. My sister is also quite keen on these! I enjoy the large Sudoku puzzles that combine five grids into one – but they aren’t half a challenge!

 

Watching YouTube

On a more relaxed note, I regularly watch YouTube videos whilst eating my tea. It’s the time of day where I want to watch something whilst I’m sat down briefly, but I don’t want to watch anything too long either.

I will watch absolutely anything from videos by booktubers (that’s anyone who talks about books on YouTube, to the uninitiated), to people playing games. I’m a particular fan of watching a number of prominent Minecraft players playing on multi-servers together. The antics they get up to are hilarious!

 

Plants

Last year, I decided to try and improve my black-fingeredness when it comes to plants. Don’t get me wrong, there have been a couple of casualties along the way. RIP to last year’s trailing Ivy plants.

However, for the most part, I’m starting to be responsible enough to not kill the plants I have in the house. I’ve even managed to take a couple of pups out of a succulent I was given as a housewarming gift, and they are now growing independently.

My most recent ‘plant project’ is propagating a snippet from a pothos plant my sister owns. Haven’t been sat on the kitchen windowsill for a couple of weeks, it finally looks like it might sprout some roots! All being well, I hope to propagate a few of these start a plants and combine them into a larger part to grow together. Time will tell if I succeed.

 

What are your hobbies? Are you looking to try anything new? Have any of the hobbies listed in today’s top 10 Tuesday post caught your eye?

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – 2023 Spring TBR

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Good evening and welcome to today’s Top Ten Tuesday post! In today’s post, I’m taking a look at a few books I’m hoping to read throughout spring. There is a diverse range of books on today’s list. The list is reflective of my aims to continue reading book series, as well as picking up more non-fiction.

Let’s take a look at the books on my Spring TBR!

 

Spring TBR

 

Starsight

I started the Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson last year, and I’m looking to continue with reading these books.

Scarily, Starsight is one of the smaller fiction books that make up this Spring TBR. Given that these books are written for a slightly younger audience than most of Sanderson’s others, the narrative isn’t intimidating. It’s really easy to read, and our angsty and headstrong protagonist keeps things moving along nicely.

I’m looking forward to seeing where the story takes us in the second instalment.

 

The Waste Lands

I couldn’t tell you when I last picked up a novel from this series. It has been sat on my shelf for some time, and it’s about time I got back to it. Aside from reading The Green Mile, The Dark Tower is what got me into Stephen King in the first place. As a predominant fantasy reader, this overlap into the genre I’m familiar with was the gateway into trying some of his other books.

I’ll have to refresh myself on the events of the first couple of books before I pick this one up. That being said, I don’t anticipate that it will be difficult to get into in the slightest.

 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I confess that I am a little bit intimidated by this read.

At just over 600 pages, this isn’t for the faint-hearted. I was inspired to add the book to my reading list after going to watch a local production last year. They did an excellent job of performing and I wanted to go back to the book that inspired it all.

It also feels apt to be picking up this book in spring, as the addition of the book I have is part of a spring collection.

I do have some small confidence in that I have picked up heftier classics like this one before. War and Peace – I’m looking at you.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is not my usual casual read. But, it’s one that I have been wanting to pick up for the last year or so. It’s finally time to bite the bullet.

 

A Clash of Kings

I have just started my re-read of A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. This is ahead of the upcoming release of the sixth book in the series, The Winds of Winter. Inevitably, in order to make my way through the series before the release of the next book, I’m going to have to schedule in some time for A Clash of Kings in my Spring TBR.

Much like most of the books in the series of, this is not a slim volume. However, this book series is one of my favourites of all time. Although they are chunky and dense, they are books I could go back to again and again with ease.

 

Children of Dune

I have enjoyed the first two books of the Dune series by Frank Herbert. As it is quite a lengthy series, this is one I want to keep momentum with whilst I’ve still got the events of the previous book fresh in my mind.

Whilst this series does ‘suffer’ from showing its age (in its attitudes towards society and certain individuals in that society), it is still perfectly reasonable to read. Children of Dune and the rest of the series are very much classic science-fiction. Yet at the same time, they also balance plenty of action and political intrigue to keep the readers interest.

 

Eagle of Mercia

A little later into spring, I am taking part in a blog tour for Eagle of Mercia – the fourth book in the series by the same name. I have had the pleasure of taking part in the blog tours for the three books prior to this one. It is only fitting that I also take part and review this next book in the series.

What I really like about these books is the unique perspective they have. The main character is a young man who does not relish his role as a warrior. If given the choice, he would much rather heal than harm. Through a lot of the narrative, we see these two sides warring within him, and the emphasis of Icel working towards the greater good at all times is a refreshing perspective from which to view a turbulent and warlike part of history.

 

Thanks for Sharing

In the not too distant future, I am also taking part in the blog tour for Thanks For Sharing by Eleanor Tucker.

The book caught my eye as it offers an extreme perspective on going out of your way to avoid consumerism. There is no way I would have the dedication to go down this route myself. However, I think there are insights that this book could offer in terms of areas in which I could spend less and borrow more.

If nothing else, it’s not the sort of thing you read every day. I’m interested to see how the author went down this route for a whole year!

 

Ship of Destiny

A little later this month, I am hoping to start The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb. This is the second book in The Liveship Trader trilogy, and the fifth book of the wider series. This wider series is 16 books long. Needless to say, this is another series I want to keep up momentum with. There are a lot of elements going on in these books, and like other epic fantasy I like to pick up, they are chunky!

I wouldn’t quite go so far as to say I am intimidated by these books, but they are not to be underestimated. They often take me longer than I expect to read… if only because I want to make sure I read them properly and take everything in!

 

Surrounded by Idiots

If I ever have to explain reading this book in public, I’m going to go in with the premise of the book before the title!

Until I read the book, I can’t say if the title is particularly appropriate to the subject matter. From an outside perspective, I’m not 100% sure it fits right now. I’m sure it will tie in somehow. But, I need to make sure I don’t upset people.

If you are unaware, the book has its foundations in psychology, and how different types of people can better communicate with each other. This is one of my non-fiction reads that I’ve been recommended a few times now. It’s about time I picked it up and continued with my goal of reading more.

 

Stolen Focus

The next non-fiction book on my Spring TBR is Stolen Focus by Johann Hari.

I added this book to my reading list just over a year ago, having heard about it on a podcast. If some of the facts that come out of this book are really true, then we have no hope!

I know for myself that some days I can be quite easily distracted. I’m interested to see if our modern lifestyle has had an impact on our focus, and if there are ways in which I can improve mine, I’m going to work on it!

 

Those are the books coming up on my Spring TBR.

Have you read any of the books on this list? Have any of them caught your attention? Let me know in the comments.

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite Heroines

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I feature my favourite heroines from fiction. The selection of books the characters come from are quite diverse. As always, there is a slight leaning towards fantasy as that’s what I read the most. However, that doesn’t make up the list in its entirety.

Having taken a look at the characters I have compiled for this list, they all have similar things in common. They are women who will stand up for themselves. They are women who stand in the face of adversity or strife and weather the storm. Other common traits are that they are smart and fiercely loyal to those they love, doing anything they can to protect them.

A quality that many of these characters embody is not allowing other people’s opinions to shape who they are. They do what they think is best, regardless of whether they do so in a way that society expects. They embrace who they are, and all their quirks, and do so with their head held high.

In my opinion, the list of these characters and the traits give really good insight into what I value in women, and also what I would like to embody myself. Naturally, I don’t want to become an assassin in order to protect my family. Understandably, aspects of personalities are exaggerated in the plot narratives of these books! But, these are the principles and standards I admire.

I could go on to add a brief description of each character below, but as I’ve said above, they are remarkably similar. For fear of repeating myself, I’ve decided to keep it to the explanation above as to why I like each of these characters, and just list them below.

So, here is the list of the characters and the books or series they come from!

 

Arya Stark & Brienne of Tarth – A Game of Thrones

 

Hermione Granger & Luna Lovegood – Harry Potter

 

Kettricken – The Farseer trilogy

 

Karou – Daughter of Smoke & Bone

 

Mia Corvere – The Nevernight Chronicles

Nevernight

 

Verity – Code Name Verity

 

Cilka – Cilka’s Journey

Offred – The Handmaid’s Tale

 

Those are my favourite heroines for today’s Top Ten Tuesday post. What do you admire in your bookish heroines? What personality traits do you root for?

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – New-To-Me Authors I Discovered in 2022

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I feature a diverse list of new-to-me authors I discovered in 2022! The list of names in this post really goes to show just how many new books and authors I tried throughout the year – I didn’t even have space to feature all the new names I read! These authors come from a broad array of genres; from fantasy (expected), to contemporary romance (not at all expected)!

 

Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb was by far the best author I discovered in 2022!

Her books have been recommended to me before, and I even made a cursory attempt at the first book in the series, Realm of the Elderlings before. But, somehow, I never got around to reading these in earnest. That is, until last year. I am enjoying these books so much that I can see myself making my way through the ret of the series over the next couple of years, maximum!

 

R.F. Kuang

In 2022, I picked up Babel and fell in love with the dark academia genre. Babel has a very loose tie to the fantasy genre, but that isn’t why I loved this book as much as I did.

Throughout this book, we get to conversationally explore some of the finer points of translation, which I found really quite interesting. Most importantly, though, I enjoyed how this book challenges, society, British history and culture in particular. Difficult topics, such as colonialism, classism, and racism are key points of the narrative. If they make you uncomfortable, it is because it is meant to. This book is quite academic in tone, but really point the finger at the less savoury aspects of the British in its history.

 

M.J. Porter

Over the course of 2022, I read three books by M.J. Porter. I read these as part of the blog tours organised for her Eagle of Mercia series. This series will appeal to you if you are fans of Bernard Cornwell and his Saxon series in particular. This is why I chose to pick up these books.

M.J. Porter became a repeat author to read because I loved reading from a familiar setting, but from a different perspective. In the series, we experience the English at war, from the perspective of a youth who initially detests fighting. Instead, he would rather heal. Over the course of the books he comes into the role he is expected to take up, but he does not relish it.

 

Pat Barker

I really enjoyed reading The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker in 2022. Having read another Greek mythology book not long before this one, (coincidentally featured below), I was really in the mood for it. I enjoyed the focus of women and their roles regardless of social status. It also paints a completely different light on war. Rather than glamorising it, it portrays the dirty business of it all.

 

Natalie Haynes

Pandora’s Jar is the book that reignited a love for Greek mythology.

Whilst only a short book, it does a great job of touching upon multiple stories throughout Greek mythology that focus on different women. Where The Silence of the Girls is more of a cohesive narrative, Pandora’s Jar is more of a non-fiction book in which we look at how the roles of women in Greek mythology evolve over time through numerous retellings.

 

R.R. Virdi

The First Binding made it to an honourable mention in my top reads of 2022 list. This book is the author’s debut novel, but I can assure you, it didn’t read like a debut at all. If you enjoy your big, chunky, in-depth, epic fantasy worlds, then this is a series you want to keep your eye on.

Fans of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss will find similarities in narrative style. I also really enjoyed the character development that takes place in this first book. Even though it is a chunky book, it still succeeds in merely scratching the surface to what I hope is going to be a long, in-depth series.

 

Richard Osman

Richard Osman’s cozy mystery series, the Thursday Murder Club, was recommended to me by my sister’s boyfriend. He loaned me the first couple of books to introduce me to his writing– I haven’t looked back!

These are a completely different tone to the other books of my 2022 reading list. I personally really got on with the lighter aspects of the narrative (interspersed with odd, deep and meaningful moments which I confess made my cry). The characters are hilarious. Some of the plot points are perhaps a little ridiculous, but they make for entertaining reads.

 

Frank Herbert

I read the first couple of books in the Dune series in 2022. Whilst I don’t love every aspect of these books (in particular, the blatant homophobia in book one), they are great science-fiction books.

I think it’s important to bear in mind that the attitude of these books will be slightly different because they were published a long time ago. Along the lines of a conversation had at work today, social attitudes have changed significantly since then. Books, and indeed, TV programmes (as was the feature of today’s conversation), cannot express the same attitudes they once did. For the most part, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. 

 

Janice Hallett

In 2022, I read my first ‘multimedia’ book. If you haven’t read anything before in which the story is not written in traditional prose, I would strongly recommend you give The Appeal a try!

The Appeal is told through a series of communications written between the main characters of the book. Predominantly email, but also messages, posters, stage, scripts etc all come together to tell a complex story. I personally enjoyed having to read between the lines and work out what was going on. The subtext is not explained to you, and as a reader, it really makes you think. I loved this book, and so I will definitely read more by Janice Hallett in future.

 

Lindsey Kelk

Perhaps the most surprising author on this list is Lindsey Kelk.

Lindsey Kelk is an author that my mum adores. I wouldn’t like to guess how many of her books she has read. After accidentally ordering two copies of one of her books, In Case You Missed It, she gifted the other to me to try. I read this at a time when I wanted to change of genre and pace. It really worked for me in a way that I wasn’t sure it would.

Contemporary romance isn’t typically a genre I actively reach for on a regular basis. However, on the occasions I have chosen to pick one up, I have enjoyed them. Based on my read of In Case You Missed It, I will definitely reach for another Lindsey Kelk book when I want something from this genre.

 

Those are my top 10 new-to-me authors I read in 2022!

Have you read any of the books listed, or other books from these authors? Who did you discover in 2022?

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’d Like (Need) to Finish!

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I am sharing my top ten book series that I would like to finish. Scratch that – I NEED to finish!

The theme of this post could also have been book series that I would like to start or continue with. Now, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit how many books series I have ongoing. The ones that I have selected for today’s post are just a small handful from a very big pot. They are, however, the ones I have made the most significant progress in, or ones that I am heavily invested in and therefore more likely to finish sooner rather than later. At least, theoretically… 

I didn’t want to share a post about books from a new series that I would like to start. It would only fuel my desire to start even more. I certainly don’t need any help in that department!

I’m hoping that this post will serve as a personal reminder of some of the series I have ongoing, and help me get around to finishing them. Some of the series featured today can’t physically be completed at the moment. I am fully up-to-date with some of them, and I’m awaiting further books to be published. However, for the most part, they are ready and waiting to go. The only thing stopping me is me!

So, without further ado, let’s dive into today’s list: –

 

Mistborn

 

The Mistborn series is split into several parts. I read the first trilogy as a teenager, but finally came back to reading the second trilogy last year. It was great to revisit the series and the magic system that I came to enjoy when I was younger. It was a gamble to see if I was going to enjoy the books set in a slightly more advanced time period, however, it really worked in my opinion.

The final book of this series has been awaiting publication for quite some time. However, that last book is due to be published in November. So, since I only have one book left, and the events of the second series are fresh in my mind, I would like to start this sooner rather than later!

 

The Dark Tower

 

I started The Dark Tower series at a time when I wanted to try Stephen King, but wasn’t feeling quite confident enough to read horror. They proved to be a good introduction. However, to date, I’ve only read the first two books of the series.

I actually own all of the series, and most of it is up on my bookshelf, waiting to be read. According to Goodreads it has been three years since I picked up The Drawing of the Three, the second book of the series. I didn’t think it was quite that long ago since I last picked it up. It proves the point that I need to pull my finger out and start reading these more seriously.

 

Discworld

Reading my way through the Discworld series is going to be a project. I have already made a good deal of progress though. The series has a total of 41 primary works, and to date, I have already read 18 of those.

What I really like about these books is that the wider universe is split down into smaller series. So long as these individual series are read in order, everything will make sense. I have taken the decision to read all of the books in order, but the beauty is, you don’t have to! You don’t even have to read the entire thing. I have some preferred mini-series over others, such as the witches and death series. Whilst I wouldn’t let that stop me reading all of them, anyone has the flexibility of choosing not to read all of them if you don’t want to.

The books in themselves are also reasonably short and very lighthearted. One of Terry Pratchett’s skills is addressing important or difficult topics in a satirical manner. It may take some time to get through the whole series, but it is one that I can chip away at and read quite easily.

 

A Game of Thrones

This is one of the series on my list in which I physically can’t progress at the moment. To date, I have read the entire published works of the A Song of Ice and Fire series twice. There are two books remaining in the series, and I can’t wait for them to come out so I can finally read them!

Whilst talking about this, I’d like to take the opportunity to call out people making angry noises about George R.R. Martin and the series because they’re having to wait for the sequel. Yes, it has been a long time since he published the last book, A Dance of Dragons. However, you’d also complain if he turned the last two books out quickly and didn’t put the full thought and planning into them that makes them as good as they are. If he rushed it, and you thought it was crap, you would also complain. The man can’t win!

They’re his books, and he’ll publish them when he’s happy with them. Don’t hate on him, and certainly don’t give up on the series because you’re impatient. That’s just cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

The Name of the Wind

The circumstances of The Name of the Wind are very much the same as George R.R. Martin and the A Song of Ice and Fire series. However, we are waiting on just one book to conclude this three-part series (The Slow Regard of Silent Things shown above is a companion novella to the main series, but it is one I have also read).

Again, we have been waiting for a while, and the author is getting a lot of hate for it. I reiterate my comments above. Patience is a virtue. 

 

Dune

Dune is a series I started at the beginning of this year. I was gifted the very first book of the series about five years ago, and it has taken me that long to start it.

To date, I have also read the second book of the series and own the third ready to pick up. It is an interesting series, and it is unique to my TBR in that it is probably the oldest in terms of publication date. I typically pick up more modern books, and in some ways, Dune shows its age in its portrayal of some of its characters. However, I can see it is a series of its time and I haven’t let that stopped me reading it.

There are a total of 8 books in this series, and I can’t wait to pick up the next one. And the next one… you get the drill. 

 

Rivers of London

It’s not very often I have an audiobook series that I’ve made decent progress on, but Rivers of London fits that bill.

I started this series back in 2020 and to date, I have listened to six of the nine primary works currently published. Of course, as with any popular series, there are novellas and side stories that I could delve into if I wanted. However, my priority is to work my way through the main series. I only have three books (as things stand currently), so I think it makes sense to try and get a shift on with these.

 

Saxon Stories

The Saxon Stories is a series by Bernard Cornwell with which I’ve made solid progress… but there’s more work to be done yet.

This is also a lengthy series, currently standing at 13 primary works (unlucky for some). I have read the first five books so far, and I think I’ve actually progressed with the storyline via the TV series beyond this point. That’s a rarity in itself, but I haven’t felt my enjoyment of the books wane or be affected as a result of watching it on TV first.

Having checked out when I read the last book, The Burning Land, I need to pick this series up again. It’s been two years since I made any progress on it. It is clearly a genre and setting I enjoy, because I have read books very recently set around the same period. Maybe I need to focus my efforts on continuing what I’ve already started…

But where’s the fun in that!

 

Skyward

Skyward is a series by Brandon Sanderson that I started just this year. It is the first young adult narrative of his that I have read, and I really enjoyed the first book of the series. The next book of the series is up on my bookshelf and begging to be read. I very nearly added it to my November TBR. Depending on how things go, and whether my mood changes, it may very well worm its way on. We’ll see.

 

Realm of the Elderlings

This last series is another I started this year. Do I sound like a stuck record yet? Maybe now you see my problem? I don’t regret starting this one, as much as I joke about my tendencies to over-commit. Robin Hobb is an author that a friend of mine has been recommending to me for a number of years, and now I see why. In just the latter half of this year, I have already read the first trilogy that makes up a wider 16-book series.

These books have been absolutely fantastic. I’m simultaneously looking forward to a change of setting in the next mini-series (the Live Ship Traders), but also to going back and re-visiting the same characters at a later date. Whereas I have allowed other series mentioned in this post to fall by the wayside, I don’t think that’s going to be the case with Realm of the Elderlings at all!

 

So, those are my top ten series that I really need to get on and finish, as well as airing some dirty laundry on my bad habits!

Have you started or finished any of these series? Are you like me in over-committing to too many series at once? As always, I’d like to have a chat in the comments or on social media.

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Reads to Pick Up This Halloween!

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Hello everybody, and welcome to my Top Ten Tuesday post, with recommendations for books to pick up this Halloween! If you’re not sure what you want to read this spooky season, I have ten recommendations for books that I have read and I think would make excellent reading. There is quite a variety of books in this selection, so there should be something here that meets your needs.

Where I have a live review of each book on my blog, I’ve provided a link to that if you want more information.

So, let’s jump into my recommendations!

 

The Stand

I’m starting off with some of Stephen King’s most iconic books. Aside from The Green Mile, The Stand was one of the first books I read of Stephen King’s. I actually listened to this epic on audiobook due to its size.

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of a premise that is a more extreme version of the pandemic we have just lived through, then maybe this one isn’t for you. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this post-apocalyptic narrative.

Full review here

 

IT

Another Stephen King novel I read and really enjoyed is IT. I read this one physically, and I have no doubt that I’ll be going back to my copy on my bookshelf at some point! I really enjoyed the dual-timeline narrative, and at just under 1400 pages, this is the longest book I have ever read. Despite that, I managed to read IT in a couple of weeks.

Full review here

 

Pet Sematary

If you want to try a Stephen King novel that won’t (quite) knock somebody out if you throw it at them, Pet Sematary is shorter than the previous books listed, yet is still brilliant.

I had no idea this book was going to end the way it did. However, it encapsulates the horror genre brilliantly.

Full review here

 

Imaginary Friend

Moving away from Stephen King, I have a number of books on this recommendation list from other authors.

I read Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chboksy in October 2019. This is also quite a sizable horror, but well worth the investment! Even though I read a good portion of this book on holiday, the narrative was chilling and unnerving enough to give all the autumnal, spooky vibes!

Full review here

 

The Dark Chorus

If you want to pick up a fairly short read this Halloween, then The Dark Chorus may just be the book for you. The narrative focuses on a young boy who can see lost souls. The narrative has a spiritual emphasis and involves this young boy committing terrible, ritualistic murders, towards his end goal.

It was a very creepy read, but one I rated very highly!

Full review here

 

Empire of the Vampire

If you like to read more towards the fantasy genre, Empire of the Vampire is a strong recommendation for you. I read this book by Jay Kristoff on holiday this year. As the name would suggest, this book is about vampires, but also about our main character, who is a vampire slayer.

Empire of the Vampire is a very Gothic style fantasy, with elements such as religion and the undead being at war with each other. I personally cannot wait to pick up the sequel to this book, whenever it is published. In the meantime, I can only recommend Empire of the Vampire to you!

 

The Chalk Man

Coming in at 280 pages, The Chalk Man is a very approachable reader for anybody. With a dual-timeline split between Eddie’s childhood, and his return to his hometown as an adult, a very dark story unfolds.

The benign language a group of friends used to communicate with each other leads to the discovery of a body, and nothing is ever the same again.

Full review here

 

The Taking of Annie Thorne

The Taking of Annie Thorne is another fairly short, but very sinister read. This was the second book. I read by CJ Tudor, and she is an author I will go back to for this kind of read in the future. It is brilliantly paced, the characters are engaging, and the storyline is something else.

This was a five-star read, and now I’m recommending it to you in the hopes that it will be for you too.

Full review here

 

Bell, Book and Candle (To Snare a Witch)

If you are a bit pressed for time this Halloween, maybe a series of short stories would be better suited to you?

I read these short stories back in October 2019 and they are a great way of delving into the dark and sinister without too much investment. They are also very easy to read, and you can read as many or a few of them as you like. The good thing about short stories is that they are very approachable!

Full review here

 

Mort

Lastly, if you’re not much into the Halloween genre and want to read something more satirical, I can recommend Mort by Terry Pratchett. It has a loose tie to the genre in that one of the main characters of this book is Death. In this first instalment of the Discworld series, Death decides to take an apprentice – Mort.

 

So, those are my Top Ten Tuesday recommendations for books to pick up this Halloween! Have you read any of the books listed today? Would you recommend any of them to others?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Books on My Autumn To-Read List!

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Hello everyone and welcome to today’s Top Ten Tuesday post. In today’s post, I’m going to be talking about ten books that I hope to fit onto my Autumn TBR. The official title for this week’s theme is your ‘Fall TBR’, but I’m a Brit, dammit!

I have been reading quite a lot of late, and I’m excited to continue with some books that make up a series, and pick up some new and more seasonal reads. Now the nights are starting to draw in, we are heading into my favourite time of year. I enjoy the dark nights; it justifies cozying up with a cuppa, a blanket, and favourite books. Let’s dive into today’s Top Ten Tuesday post and get into what I plan to pick up in the next few months!

 

Assassin’s Quest

I have been really enjoying Robin Hobb’s writing of late, and so I would love to pick up Assassin’s Quest in the not-too-distant future. This is the last book of the first trilogy that contributes to the wider Realm of the Elderlings series. Whilst events of the first two books are fresh in my mind, I would like to conclude this opening trilogy.

 

Malice

I recently featured Malice in another Top Ten Tuesday post – that one talking about some of the oldest books on my TBR. This one is the oldest book that I physically own, and I would like to finally get around to it. If I really enjoy it, then it is yet another fantasy series, and new author, that I can dive into.

I did start this particular book between six and seven years ago. However, I only got a handful of pages in and I can’t remember a single thing! It will be great to start this from scratch and see what this book is all about!

 

Blink of the Sun

Blink of the Sun is a fantasy book, of which I own a review copy. I signed up to review this book on BookSirens, and this review is due towards the end of October. The synopsis caught my eye, and as the genre (epic fantasy) is right up my street, I am hopeful that this will be a fun read, as well as a comfort read.

 

Babel

Along with Autumn, Babel gives me dark, moody vibes that I’m really looking forward to exploring. The tone is significantly different from the books I have listed so far in this post. However, Autumn is the best time to read this type of book. Having sampled a very small part of the book, I think Autumn will be the perfect time of year to read it.

The opening involves a child being discovered in a house riddled with plague. Whilst I don’t know the rest of the story, I have been assured that it gets darker from there.

 

A Thousand Ships

I am really into Greek Mythology at the moment. Earlier this year, I read Pandora’s Jar, also by Natalie Haynes. I really enjoyed that particular book, and so I wanted to read another of hers that features the Trojan War. There is another book on that topic that I read after reading Pandora’s Jar (Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker) and both of these books were a pleasure to read. I cannot wait to see how Natalie Haynes’ book on the same topic differs from Pat Barker’s.

 

Dear Child

Dear Child is also the kind of vibe that accompanies Autumn nicely. It is a psychological thriller that is based around a kidnapping and subsequent attempt to escape. Other than that, I have deliberately kept my knowledge of events in this book vague, so I can uncover the story as it develops.

I haven’t read anything like this lately, so not only am I looking forward to the dark vibe, but also for a change of reading scene.

 

Starsight

A couple of months ago I read Skyward, the first book in Brandon Sanderson‘s young adult series of the same name. I have been wanting to continue with these books, especially as I already own a copy of Starsight ready to pick up. Whilst the events of the first book of fresh in my mind, it will be the perfect opportunity to pick it up – I already physically own it. It’s also the only science-fiction book on this list. I am really enjoying the genre and even though it’s aimed at a slightly younger audience, this is a really enjoyable read.

 

The Wastelands

There has to be a Stephen King novel on every Autumn TBR, but the book I’m featuring is the third book in The Dark Tower series, The Wastelands. Whereas some of the books on this list have been added because I would like to continue with series that I have been working on of late, The Wastelands is the exception to that group. It has been some time since I last picked up a book from The Dark Tower series. With that in mind, I would like to get started with reading this again. I already own the entire series and it’s sat on my bookshelf begging to be picked up.

 

Queen of Our Times

In light of recent events, I have been inspired to read a book about Queen Elizabeth II, who is arguably one of the greatest and most influential British monarchs. Queen of Our Times is written by the official Royal biographer and it has fantastic feedback. It is also a fairly recently published book, and discusses her reign during the likes of the COVID-19 pandemic and also touches upon her Diamond Jubilee. I fully expect that more books will come out in the future that cover out the entirety of her brain, but I would like to pick up a book about her in the near future. This one looks perfect to me!

 

If We Were Villains

Along the same lines as Babel, dark academia as a genre is appealing to me and Autumn will be a perfect time to pick it up. If We Were Villains centres around a troupe of actors who specialise in Shakespeare. I have heard great things about this book and again, I already own a copy which is ready to read.

 

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Top Ten Tuesday post! What books are you picking up as part of your Autumn TBR? Do any of the books in today’s list appeal to you? As always, let’s have a chat in the comments!

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Quotes from A Game of Thrones

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Hello everyone and welcome to today’s Top Ten Tuesday freebie post! With complete discretion this week as to the subject matter, I’ve been looking at some of my highest ranking blog posts in order to decide what I think you would like to see.

Some of my most-viewed post types are about my favourite book quotes – those include my top five quotes from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series so far and my Quintessential Quotes post featuring quotes from Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archives. In addition, one of my top-viewed book reviews is A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.

With this as my inspiration, I’ve decided to combine the two together and share my top ten quotes from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, better known as A Game of Thrones! I previously shared a quintessential quotes post based on A Game of Thrones, over four years ago. However, in that post, I only share five of my favourite quotes. Since I have re-read the series, the quotes I chose to feature have both changed and expanded, although there are some quotes that remain firm favourites! 

I have broken the quotes down into which book they come from, so you can go and find them for yourself if you wish!

 

A Game of Thrones

 

“If you would take a man’s life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die.”

 

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.”

 

“My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”

 

“We all need to be mocked from time to time, Lord Mormont, lest we start to take ourselves too seriously.”

 

“When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.”

 

A Clash of Kings

 

“Power resides where men believe it resides. No more and no less.”

 

“The wide world is full of people wanting help, Jon. Would that some could find the courage to help themselves.

 

A Storm of Swords

 

“You are grown so very great now, yet the higher a man climbs the farther he has to fall.”

 

A Feast for Crows

 

“He understood the way that you could sometimes fall right into them, as if each page was a hole into another world.”

 

“I prefer my history dead. Dead history is writ in ink, the living sort in blood.”

 

I hope you have enjoyed today’s quick and easy Top Ten Tuesday post! It’s always exciting to feature one of my favourite books and series of all time!

Have you read A Game of Thrones or any other books/short stories by George R. R. Martin? Maybe you’ve watched the TV series? Let me know in the comments!

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Bookish Wishes!

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Top Ten Tuesday posts were created by The Broke and the Bookish and then hosting moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

When I saw this week’s Top Ten Tuesday theme, I knew I wanted to share my version of this post. It’s a fun way to tell you what I’m really excited to read next, and also to consolidate my thoughts on the books I actually want to spend money on and rather than those purchased in the spur of the moment. I’m also going to include the format in which I want to obtain a copy of the book.

That’s important to me. I don’t have the most space in the world (although I am endeavouring to fill as much of it with books as possible!) and so I try to purchase e-books or audiobooks where possible. I will only buy physical copies of books by authors I really, really love. For the most part. There are some whimsical purchases now and then. As and when I have a clear out, these would be removed if necessary.

As most of these books are very high on my reading list, most of them I will be looking to purchase in print. There may however be a few exceptions.

The original aim of this post is for the blogger like me to include a link to a Wish List so anybody can purchase a copy of these books for me. I’m not doing that. I don’t expect anybody to buy books I want to read, other than myself. If I receive copies as gifts from friends or family for an occasion, then that’s fair and I’m really grateful. I don’t expect anything though, so I’m not setting up this facility.

Anyway, enough waffle. The books on this list broadly fall into two main categories – sequels or books awaiting publication. There are just a few exceptions to this rule and I’ll talk about those later in the post.

 

Awaiting Publication

It’s not very often I find myself waiting on a new release that isn’t a sequel. By far, I read more books in a series than I do standalones. Some of these books have been on my list for sometime, but others are also fairly recent.

The Doors of Stone by Patrick Rothfuss is by far the oldest book awaiting publication on my TBR. I remember really enjoying The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’ Fear – the first two books in the series, as a teenager. I have also read The Slow Regard of Silent Things, but I didn’t enjoy this novella quite as much as I did the other books. We have been eagerly awaiting this third novel in the series for so long that I will have to go back to the beginning once we get a publication date so I’m back up to speed; I haven’t read these books in about 10 years. At one point I had physical copies of the series, but I don’t think I do anymore. So, I’ll probably buy a Kindle copy.

Another big one on my list is The Winds of Winter by George R. R. Martin. The good thing with this is that I am far more up to speed with the events of this series. I have read the books multiple times and watched the series as well. It will be interesting to see if the book surpasses my expectation based on the series! As I have the rest of the series in paperback (as well as Kindle and audio), I’ll definitely be looking to purchase The Winds of Winter in the same way.

The last book in the section is one that I’ve added to my TBR recently. I read Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff last month and it has been my best read of 2022 so far. The second book in the series is currently in the works and when I was doing some research, I couldn’t even find a title or cover for it yet. So, as a placeholder, I’m just going to have to call it Empire of the Vampire #2. This is certainly going to be a physical copy, and if I can, I’ll get a hardback so I’m consistent with my existing copy of Empire of the Vampire.

 

 

Sequels

Sequels by far make up of the majority of this list when you include the three books awaiting publication as well. However, the section is dedicated to sequels of books I’m reading that have been published and I am free to get whenever I’m ready.

Golden Son is the second book in the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown. As I enjoyed the sound of the first book, I decided to pick this up as something different. It is a dystopian science-fiction novel and it’s one that I enjoyed far more than I expected to. I purchased this original book on my Kindle and so I’ll be doing the same with Golden Son.

Firefight is also the second book of the series, but this one is Brandon Sanderson’s The Reckoners series. I’m really loving Brandon Sanderson‘s writing, but if I purchased every single book of his I enjoyed, I would have no room left in the house. Instead, I will probably cherry pick the best of the best once I read more of his work to own in physical copies. So, when I get my hands on Firefight, this will also be on my Kindle.

My second Brandon Sanderson book in the section is Cytonic. Contrary to what I’ve just said above, I already own copies of Skyward and Starsight in physical format. In fact, I am reading Skyward right now and I’m really enjoying the book. It’s different from his usual works as it is written for a younger YA audience. If I go onto enjoy this series as much as I think I will, then this is one of his I will be keeping. However, I’ll see how I go before I commit to purchasing the third book in paperback.

Lastly, I have some books from a reasonably new to me author on this list – Robin Hobb. I have just dived into Assassin’s Apprentice earlier this month, and I’ve already purchased physical copies of the rest of that trilogy ready to read. I fully expect to love these books!

What I also enjoy about the structure of her books is that there are multiple series within the same realm. I have just The Farseer trilogy for now, but there are plenty of other books to dive into later on – and that’s what I’m going to be doing.

I’m going to complete The Farseer trilogy first before I commit to buying any more books, but I fully expect that I’ll get the rest of the series in paperback too.

 

Other

I have a few anomalies on this list that do not fall into the above categories.

Technically, I already own a copy of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. However, I’ve already read this book twice and I know it’s one I would like to go back to time and again. I also have a copy of The Testaments in physical format, and so I would like to backfill and purchase a physical copy of The Handmaid’s Tale (in hardback if possible, to match).

I also have a book that is not directly a sequel, but is part of a series written by Elizabeth Wein. It’s not directly a sequel as it doesn’t follow on from the same characters; instead, it follows events and different characters throughout World War II. I read Code Name Verity on my Kindle (which is technically the third book of the ‘series’) and so I would like to get Rose Under Fire in the same way. Depending on how well I get on with his book, I might go back and read the first two books.

The last book on my list is the real anomaly because it is the start of a series as opposed to a sequel. I’ve read and enjoyed numerous books by one of the co-authors. Not only that, but the way in which the book is written makes me want a physical copy, as the story is told through compiled media. Much like The Appeal by Janice Hallet, Illuminae isn’t straight prose. There is a lot more to take in and it is far more of a visual experience. I’ve known I want a physical copy of this book (and probably the rest of the series if I enjoy it) since I added it to my TBR.

So, those are my top ten bookish wishes! I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s post and taking a look at which books I have my sights on.

Did any of the books in today’s post catch your eye? What are your bookish wishes? I’d love to know in the comments!

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Was SO EXCITED to Get, but Still Haven’t Read!

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Today’s Top Ten Tuesday post topic, Books I Was SO EXCITED to Get, but Still Haven’t Read, is going to be a fun one to participate in. It’s reminded me that I have a lot of great books that I really want to read, and some of them I’ve had for an embarrassingly long time!

I have been through my bookshelves and selected my top 10 books, I’ve also got a step further and done some research to find out roughly when I got them, so you have an idea of how long I have had them for. There’s even one book, the first book, that I couldn’t put a precise date on as to when I bought it. Whoops!

Enough of the preamble; shall we jump into the list so you can find out what some of the oldest books I’m excited to read are: –

 

Malice – <2016?

I cannot tell you when I bought Malice by John Gwynne.

The only way I have been able to roughly date this book is a memory of myself packing up this book when I left a job in February 2016. I was using a paperclip as a bookmark (although I’d only got through the first few pages in reality). The paper clip had left a slightly rusty mark on the page, so that tells you how long had even been there! I have absolutely no idea when I physically purchased this book, and that makes this the oldest book on my list.

I’ve heard great things about this series and John Gwynne, so maybe this post is telling me it’s time to pick this one up at last.

 

The Shining – 07/2017

Thankfully we jump ahead a little bit with this next book, although not by as much as I’d like! Now we are in the realms of a timeframe in which I had started my blog. This book is still nearly 5 years in my possession, however, and I still haven’t read it! I have come to love Stephen King even though horror isn’t a genre I would have picked up originally. I have given other books of his a go and I have come to love them.

I have no doubt that The Shining will be just good. I feel like this would be an excellent read to pick up in autumn or around Halloween, so maybe that’s what I’ll save this one for!

 

Th1rt3en – 10/2017

When I drafted this post I put together my list in what I thought was roughly date order, but I was surprised by this book. I was convinced I’d bought this a lot later, but obviously not!

Ironically, I think my mum is more likely to read this book before I do and it’s been on my radar a lot longer. Admittedly, I hadn’t realised that this was the fourth book of a series (but the stories don’t seem connected so could be read in any order) when I picked up my copy in Waterstones. That won’t stop me though, and if my mum gives the rest of the books a really good review when you can guarantee I will be picking these up as well!

 

Fools and Mortals – 05/2018

I’ve become a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom, aka the Saxon Stories series. Having started this one, I saw a copy of Fools and Mortals in Waterstones and decided to give it a go based on author alone.

Don’t get me wrong, I really love the sound of the synopsis, but it’s my love of Bernard Cornwell that drove me to pick this up and see what it was about in the first place! I’m still working my way through the Saxon Stories series now, but I should think that I will pick this up long before I finish that one.

 

Norse Mythology – 10/2018

I love the idea of reading a book about Norse mythology, and given that Neil Gaiman is a well-known writer in the fantasy genre, I was really excited to buy this book.

I’ll admit that now I am a little bit more sceptical. When I bought this book I had every confidence that I was going to enjoy Neil Gaiman‘s writing, however that hasn’t necessarily proven to be the case. I haven’t hated his books, don’t get me wrong. But the best read has been a three star rating from me. I finished American Gods but didn’t enjoy it and I couldn’t even finish Good Omens, his collaboration with one of my favourite authors, Terry Pratchett.

It’s not going to stop me from picking up Norse Mythology though, as I’m hoping the subject of the book will help spur my interest.

 

Skyward – 12/2019

I used Goodreads as a good indicator of when I had purchased copies of books and added them to my TBR for this post. However, I ended up resorting to my Sunday summary update posts to find out when I purchased Skyward, because I forgot to add this onto my TBR at the time.

It turns out I bought my copy of Skyward in December 2019. When you see that date you probably automatically assume that I got it for Christmas, however I purchased it a few days beforehand with a book voucher I had one for my competition at work. I joked in that post that it was a rare occasion, and I’m pretty sure I haven’t won anything like it since.

I can’t grumble though; last year we were all given vouchers as a thank you for our work rather than a competition. They are good eggs.

 

The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz – 01/2020

We are down to the last four books on this list and in terms of recency, we just about make it into the 20s.

I added this book to my TBR back in January 2020. I recalled that at the time I had read or listened to another Auschwitz themed book around the same time, and having looked back, I had finished listening to Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris. Whilst a morbid subject, I love books with this setting. Clearly I wanted to continue to pursue the genre further, and to date I still do!

In fact, I’ve gone onto purchase even more Auschwitz themed books in paperback since then. Strangely, this is almost a bit of a comfort read. But not really, you know what I mean!

 

Invisible Women – 03/2020

This next book on my list is a little bit different, however having read Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg recently, this is one that I’m going to make sure I end up reading this year.

Up until a couple of months ago I would not have described myself as a feminist. There are a lot of reasons why that is the case, mostly being the negative connotation that comes with the word. However, Lean In reminded me that just because people associate the word in the wrong way, that doesn’t mean that I am not a feminist. I do want equality, for women in the workplace and for men in their personal lives.

I really liked that Lean In covered both sides of the story, because men are just as pushed out of primary parental roles as women are in the workplace. It’ll be interesting to see if Invisible Women takes the same route, or if it really just focuses on women and the injustices we live day-to-day.

 

Nevernight – 02/2021

Nevernight

I really loved the Nevernight trilogy as audiobooks, and so after I finished listening to Darkdawn I decided to buy the whole trilogy to read in paperback. I must admit I thought I had bought them a little more recently than February last year, but that’s still not too long you have been sat on myself waiting to be picked up!

 

The Witches – Salem 1962, A History – 10/2021

This is the most recent book on this list. I only purchased my copy of this around about six months ago, and I’ll admit I purchased it on a whim. I happened to see it in the bookstore and I really think it’s an interesting topic.

For that reason, I will can’t wait to give this a read. However, with all the older books on my list yet to be picked up, this one might take a while to get to!

 

So, those are my top ten books I was so exited to get, but still haven’t read… yet! Have you read any of the books featured in today’s Top Ten Tuesday post? Have you now added any to your TBR? Let me know in the comments!

 

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