Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Couples/Ships

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is a Love Freebie so I chose to share my favourite literary couples. Most of my picks are couples but some aren’t canon (yet!). I detest Valentines Day and everything it stands for but I like talking about my favourite ships so here we are!

1. Braime – Brienne of Tarth & Jaime Lannister, A Song of Ice and Fire

These two are so in love, they just don’t know it yet. They start out hating each other, Jaime is Brienne’s prisoner but she has been tasked with taking him safely home. Unfortunately they encounter horrible people along the way, they go through hell together and at the end they have genuine respect for one another. In the fourth book of the series they are apart, but not a chapter of their’s goes by without them thinking of the other. Brienne almost lets herself be executed to save Jaime’s life, Jaime risks everything to protect Brienne and ends up having his right hand chopped off. It’s a classic enemies to friends to lovers relationship, we’re just missing the last part!

“I dreamed of you.” – Jaime on why he went back to save Brienne from Harrenhal.

“In this light she could almost be a beauty, in this light she could almost be a knight.” – Jaime’s thoughts about Brienne.

“She went to sleep dreaming of the fight they’d had, and of Ser Jaime fastening a rainbow cloak around her shoulders.” – Brienne dreaming whilst on her travels to find Sansa.

2. Claire and Jamie Fraser, Outlander

I could not be more in love with these two, they’re so adorable! Their love stretches across time, they meet when Claire is on her honeymoon in Scotland in the 1940s and comes across a magical portal which takes her back in time to 1743. Through the choas of the time they find each other. They love each other so much and I just want them to be happy together but everything keeps getting in the way.

“Does it ever stop? The wanting you? Even when I’ve just left ye. I want you so much my chest feels tight and my fingers ache with wanting to touch ye again.” – Jamie

“I will find you,’ he whispered in my ear. ‘I promise. If I must endure two hundred years of purgatory, two hundred years without you – then that is my punishment, which I have earned for my crimes. For I have lied, and killed, and stolen; betrayed and broken trust. But there is the one thing that shall lie in the balance. When I shall stand before God, I shall have one thing to say, to weigh against the rest.'” – Jamie

“To be with Jamie was bliss, adventure and absorbtion.” – Claire

3. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy, Pride and Prejudice

My favourite classics couple, I love angst and these two have it in bucket loads. They remind me of Brienne and Jaime in that they don’t realise for ages how much they care about the other person. They meet when Darcy is still arrogant and broody and Elizabeth puts him in his place. Darcy actually realises he was in the wrong and tries to change his behaviour for the better.

“You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.” – Mr Darcy

“They walked on, without knowing in what direction. There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said, for attention to any other objects.” – The moment after Elizabeth finally admits her feelings for Darcy.

4. Minuette Wyatt and Dominic Courtenay, The Boleyn Trilogy

The Boleyn King is the beginning of a series in which history is changed and Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII the son he wanted. Minuette and Dominic are childhood friends of Princess Elizabeth and Prince William. Their relationship is friendship for the most part until something sparks between them. Unfortunately the future king also has romantic feelings for Minuette and if they betray William and tell him of their feelings it could put their lives at risk. But through all the fear and stress of living in a Tudor court, their love sustains.

5. Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley, Harry Potter

I love these two because everyone doubts them and their love for each other but that’s because they’re incredibly shallow and projected that onto Fleur assuming she was too. Bill and Fleur met at Gringotts Bank where they both worked, Bill has always been a complete individual, and I think Fleur liked that about him. They got married while their world was on the brink of war and fought together to protect their families.

“You thought I would not weesh to marry him? Or per’aps, you ‘oped?’ said Fleur, her nostrils flaring. “What do I care how ‘e looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave!” – Fleur after Bill was injured by a Death Eater and Molly assumes she doesn’t want to be with Bill anymore.

“While her radiance usually dimmed everyone else by comparison, today it beautified everybody it fell upon. And once Fleur had reached him, Bill did not look as though he had ever met Fenrir Greyback.” – Bill and Fleur’s wedding

6. Katniss and Peeta, The Hunger Games

My babies! They break my heart! I started shipping them in Catching Fire, the trauma they went through connected them and they were able to comfort and support each other. When they are separated in the last book, it was horrible and Katniss managed to break through Peeta’s conditioning and connect with him again. Their book at the end of the series is one of my favourite things, together they write about their lost friends and tell the stories to their children.

“To this day, I can never shake the connection between this boy, Peeta Mellark, and the bread that gave me hope, and the dandelion that reminded me that I was not doomed.“ – Katniss

“Peeta and I grow back together. There are still moments when he clutches the back of a chair and hangs on until the flashbacks are over. I wake screaming from nightmares of mutts and lost children. But his arms are there to comfort me. And eventually his lips.”

7. Cersei Lannister and Rhaegar Targaryen, A Song of Ice and Fire

A slightly out-there ship as we never see them together in the series. It’s more a pre-asoiaf ship. When Cersei was a child Tywin tried to arrange a marriage for Cersei and Prince Rhaegar but Aerys deemed the match unacceptable. I think Rhaegar would have been a far better match for Cersei than Robert ever was, we know that he was kind, creative and melancholic. If it had come to war for the Targaryens against the North and Stormlands then with the help of the Lannisters they would have won. More than that I think Cersei would have been much happier and really that’s all I care about!

“However bright a torch might burn, it could never match the rising sun.“ – Kevan Lannister wondering what would have happened if Cersei had married Rhaegar.

“Had any man ever been so beautiful? He was more than a man, though. His blood was the blood of old Valyria, the blood of dragons and gods.” – Cersei remembering Rhaegar

8. Lucette Courtenay and Julian Le Clerc, The Virgin’s Daughter

Lucie is the daughter of Minuette and Dominic who I spoke about earlier. Her and her siblings have grown up close to court and Elizabeth’s daughter Annabel. Lucie wants to escape and is tasked with spying on a dangerous French Catholic movement. She stays with the Le Clerc’s who have ties to her parents and both the brothers are suspects. But Lucie doesn’t know that Julian is also working for the English. At first they don’t like each other, but as they start to work together they realise their attraction and affection for each other.

“I want to be undone by you. I want to be the one to come to pieces in your arms, to forget there is anything in this world but the two of us.”

9. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, Harry Potter

Possibly controversial but I thought these two would end up together. Ron and Hermione used to argue constantly but Harry and Hermione cared for each other and supported each other always. I have nothing against Ron, I just didn’t get it!

“Hermione turned around and beamed at Harry; her eyes too were full of tears.” – When Fleur and Bill are saying their vows Hermione turns to look at Harry.

“Hermione raised her wand, moved it in a circle through the air, and a wreath of Christmas roses blossomed before them. Harry caught it and laid it on his parent’s grave. He put his arm around Hermione’s shoulders, and she put hers around his waist, they turned in silence and walked away through the snow, past Dumbledore’s mother and sister, back toward the dark church and the out-of-sight kissing gate.” – Hermione knows what Harry is thinking before he even mentions flowers, this is one of the most emotional and beautiful scenes in the books.

10. Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth, Persuasion

Another classics couple with angst! At the beginning of the book Anne hear’s Frederick’s name for the first time in years. She rejected his proposal some time ago and has come to regret it, they meet again when Frederick rents her family home and the sparks are still there. Like I said earlier, I love angst and because Frederick is still upset there is a lot of it.

“I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago.” – Captain Frederick Wentworth

Top Ten Tuesday – Book characters I want to be best friends with

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is ten characters I’d want to be best friends with. I put a lot of thought into all of these, I’m quite a quiet person and don’t make friends very easily but I’ve always connected easier with characters, they’re never going to reject you and (hopefully) won’t let you down. Here are my would be besties:

1. Luna Lovegood

Luna is such a gem, she’s quirky, intelligent and lovely and she doesn’t care what anyone else thinks of her. The fact that she’s bullied at Hogwarts makes me so angry, I want to be her bestie because she’s a devoted friend but also to protect her from all the horrible people who can’t handle people being different. I wish I was more like Luna tbh, I’m getting to the not caring stage but it takes a while.

2. Brienne of Tarth

This woman is everything! Brienne is a fierce warrior with a heart of pure gold. Her innocence, vulnerability and fierce belief in the good in people are what drew me to her. Even though Brienne is perfectly capable of looking after herself, I’m a very protective person so my instinct as her best friend would be to destroy anyone who has ever bullied her (even you Jaime). She’s always been ridiculed and shunned for her height, her looks and her desire to be a knight. And I will fight them all!!!

3. Cersei Lannister

Definitely my problematic fave of this group. I adore this woman, I don’t care that she’s kind of a bitch, she’s had a really crappy time in her life. She had to be married to the repulsive Robert Baratheon for goodness sake, that’s enough to drive a saint to want to murder everyone. And actually I don’t think Cersei has murdered anyone so really she’s doing great. Again I want to protect her from the events in ASOIAF and all the people who treat her like crap and Cersei doesn’t seem to have any friends, maybe because of her spiky personality but I would be her best (and only) friend!

4. Eliza Makepeace

Eliza is another lonely soul, she lost her mother and brother when she was young and then had to move in with her unpleasant aunt and uncle. She did find a companion in her cousin though. Eliza loves to explore and tell stories. She writes a whole book of fairytales which she was able to get published. I would love to be her friend, she’s a caring and devoted friend herself, full of imagination and fun ideas. Her cousin betrays and rejects her, Eliza was a surrogate mother for her dearest friend and then she was shunned by the family as they feared she would grow too attached to the child, I would not stand for that!

5. Fred and George Weasley

These two are hilarious all the time! They would make great friends just for the entertainment factor. And they stand by their family and friends in important times, they defend what’s right but in their own funny way, like when they kept pranking Umbridge and then left school to set up their own joke shop. They then used the shop to help people during the Wizarding War by creating products to shield and protect their fellow witches and wizards. Also they’re treated as a disappointment by their mother (I’m not a Molly Weasley fan) and like Ron they have to live in the shadows of their older brothers’ success at school.

6. Eponine

This girl makes me want to cry! She has a tough life with her scheming criminal parents, living in poverty in the middle of Paris. But she’s a dreamer like me and I love that she takes up arms with the men when they rebel against the French aristocracy. She’s a very strong person and someone I definitely want on my side.

7. Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion is a bit of a mess, but who can blame him, he’s been sneered at and bullied all his life. Not just by outsiders but by most of his own family. Yet his sense of humour and wit never fail him. This man breaks my heart, I cry at most of his chapters but he still makes me laugh as well. I just want to hug him tight! It might be slightly awkward to be besties with both Cersei and Tyrion but I’ll take the risk!

8. Lyanna Stark

Lyanna doesn’t have a POV chapter in the ASOIAF books and by the time the books take place she has been dead for about fifteen years, so all that we know of her is from others. Lyanna was fierce, adventurous and fun. She was stubborn and like Brienne didn’t care about gender roles, she wanted to horse ride and fight like her brothers. But in the last months of her life she was left alone, pregnant and scared. She was only young and I just want to be there for her in that time and I’m no midwife but maybe if someone had helped her she might not have died! I’m not bitter about it at all…

9. The Famous Five

As a child I always wanted to be part of the Famous Five’s adventures, me and my sisters used to pretend to be them. They’re a great bunch, they solve mysteries and crimes, go exploring on their own and have a whole island to themselves in the summer holidays, who wouldn’t want to be friends with them?!

10. Winnie the Pooh

Okay so I was clutching at straws here slightly but I used to love Winnie the Pooh, he was my favourite, along with Eeyore. He’s so cuddly and cheerful and is a great friend to Christopher Robin.

There’s my list…who would be your fictional best friends?

Top Ten Tuesday – Auto-Buy Authors

I do have a collection of authors that I have to read everything they’ve ever written!

1. George R.R. Martin

This man though….he’s honestly a genius. I’ve read all of A Song of Ice and Fire and the first part of Fire and Blood which is about the Targaryen kings and queens. I’ve got Nightflyers waiting on my bookshelf which is a completely different genre from ASOIAF. It’s set in space in the future and I’m really looking forward to reading it.

2. Kate Morton

All of her books are stand alone but they all have a similar style. Set in different times but centred around the same place, usually an old house. The characters are so well written and I always form a strong connection to them. I love Kate’s descriptions of the houses and the different time periods feel real. I’m reading the Clockmaker’s Daughter at the moment which goes from 1862-2017 and lots in between but every time we switch there’s a different feel to the chapter, I don’t know how she does it. I’m always eagerly awaiting her next book!

3. Kate Atkinson

I first discovered Kate Atkinson when I read When Will There Be Good News? which is part of her Jackson Brodie series, he’s a private detective but the books aren’t so much focused on the crimes in them, more about the characters and how they’re affected. I read the rest of the series and when Life After Life came out I was bowled over with the incredible writing and depth of this book, it’s so beautiful and covers the theory of parallel worlds but not in a super sci-fi way. I recently read Transcription which was again historical fiction and I loved it.

4. Nicci French

Nicci French is actually a husband and wife duo! Their books are crime/psychological thrillers and some of them are super scary. I can’t stand scary films but these are different they’re full of suspense. The Frieda Klein series is really good, Frieda is a psychologist who consults with the police and seems to attract trouble. I’ve still got two books left to read from that series and then I’m going to tackle all the ones I haven’t yet read.

5. Laura Andersen

I’ve read her first trilogy The Boleyn Trilogy which is written as if Anne Boleyn had given birth to a son, she survived Henry and her son and daughter are heirs to England. It’s great historical fiction with a twist, the new characters who are friends of the Prince and Princess are Minuette and Dominic all four of them are true friends and have to try and navigate court life together. I’ve started the second trilogy which is set twenty years after the first, I can’t wait to read the rest. I really like Andersen’s style and choice of genre!

6. Lucinda Riley

I am loving her series of The Seven Sisters, every book tells the story of one of the D’Apliese sisters on the journey to discover where they were born. They also flashback to characters in history of each place, so far we’ve discovered Brazil and Norway! I really enjoy reading about the sister’s dynamics, I only have two sisters but they still reminded me of us a little bit! I’m really excited to read the rest of the series.

7. Ian McEwan

I read Atonement for the first time years ago and fell in love with it, since then I’ve read Sweet Tooth which is set in England during the Cold War, Solar and The Children Act. I love how all his novels are completely different, I’ve got all of his older ones on my TBR list and the newest one about robots!

8. Katherine Webb

Webb’s style is similar to Kate Morton, based in the past with ties to the present. The Legacy was the first book I read by Katherine Webb and I was completely hooked. Her others look just as intriguing, The Unseen is next on my list, it’s set in the early 1900s in a small village in England, when two strangers show up and change the town forever.

9. Stephen Fry

I’ve been reading Stephen’s books about Greek Mythology, the way he ties them all together is so clever. Mythos was great, I used to love learning about the many Greek Gods and Goddesses at school but I had forgotten how funny they were. I’ve started Heroes and there’s a third book still to come!

10. J K Rowling

Although we haven’t had anything from Rowling for a while and despite the epic disappointment the was Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (which wasn’t written by Rowling), I would probably still read anything she writes. After Harry Potter we had the Casual Vacancy about a small town, it’s residents and their complicated relationships and biases, I really enjoyed the book, I might re-read it soon.

So there they are, who are your must buy authors?

Top Ten Tuesday – Childhood Favourites

I’ve always loved reading so this was a very easy list for me to make! It made me feel really nostalgic.

1. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Of course this has to be at the top of my list. I loved the book as a child and I still love them just as much, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read them all and Hogwarts will always be there to welcome us home.

2. The Famous Five by Enid Blyton

Me and my sisters used to love these books! Our Mum used to read them so we have some of her old books and we managed to complete our collection with newer editions. I just loved reading about all their adventures and solving mysteries.

3. His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

I’ve just finished re-reading these books, they’re so good. I used to live the idea of having a part of your soul (your daemon) outside of your body as an animal as Lyra and everyone else in her world does. I’ve wanted to go and see the magical Northern Lights ever since I read the first book!

4. Dustbin Baby by Jacqueline Wilson

Jacqueline Wilson was my favourite author when I was younger, all her books are so well written, they’re all completely different and yet you connect with every leading character in them. Dustbin Baby was always one of my favourites, it’s quite sad really. April was left in a bin when she was only a few hours old. She’s been in and out of the foster system since and now in her teens she decides to try and find out who her mother was.

5. Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson

In 1910, Maia is sent to live with distant relatives on their rubber plantation along the Amazon River. The book is full of adventure and so vivid, I loved traveling to South America with Maia.

6. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

This series is so strange and bleak but I used to really enjoy when I was younger. I remember it took me a while to get used to Snicket’s writing style but once I did I was enthralled by the series and the Baudelaire’s sad stories.

7. The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett

This was the first Terry Pratchett book I read , my aunt lent it to me. I still sometimes think about the people that might live in my carpet when I hoover!

8. The Lottie Project by Jacqueline Wilson

This book like so many of my other favourites swaps between different times, Charlie has to do a history project for school, when she sees a picture of a Victorian girl who looks just like her she decides to write a diary of ‘Lottie’ a maid in the early 1900s.

9. Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

These books are so precious, Eeyore is just everything, I definitely relate to him nowadays! I can’t wait to read these stories to my future children.

10. The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkien

This starts as a fun adventure with the dwarves and Bilbo but gets more and more dangerous. I’ve read this book a few times, I find it way more enjoyable than the Lord of the Rings, no idea why.

What were some of your favourite books as a child?

Top Ten Tuesday – Summer TBR

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is the top books on my Summer TBR list. It’s the summer! Although it really doesn’t feel like it at the moment, the weather is rubbish!

1. Transcription by Kate Atkinson

I’m reading it at the moment and absolutely loving it! We follow Juliet’s story through WWII when she joins MI5 and then through the Cold War.

2. Guards! Guards! By Terry Pratchett

A dragon has taken over Ankh-Morpork, and is burning or eating everything in sight. The City Watch are in disarray and even the Wizards haven’t got a clue what to do. I’m really looking forward to this one, the City Watch are my favourites also dragons!

3. The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

Kate Morton’s books are always great summer reads. This book is set in the summer of 1862 in London, a group of artists spend the summer in a beautiful manor on the Thames. But by the end of their time there one woman has been shot dead and a family heirloom is missing. In the present day, a young archivist finds drawings of the manor with a photograph of a beautiful woman, will she be able to uncover the truth?

4. The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley

This is the third book in the series and I’m really looking forward to finding out more about Star and her roots. These books are so well written, they really take you on the sisters journeys with them.

5. The House At Riverton by Kate Morton

This will be a re-read and a wonderful pick for the summer. This is Kate Morton’s first book it’s set in the 1920s/30s and it’s been a while since I read it so I’ve forgotten what happ, it’ll be nice to fall back in love with the book.

6. Sunday Morning Coming Down by Nicci French

The seventh Frieda Klein novel this leads straight from the end of Saturday Requiem which ended dramatically with Frieda finding the dead body of a policeman under her floorboards. Frieda is sure her stalker Dean Reeve is behind it but he’s been (supposedly) dead for seven years.

7. Nightflyers by George R.R Martin

I saw this book in a shop a little while ago and I didn’t know George had written any space books, I’m so excited to read it.

8. The Virgin’s Spy by Laura Andersen

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and meeting some of the knew characters. The Tudors are so fascinating, Elizabeth I is on the throne and her daughter has finally been allowed to join the court in London.

9. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

Another re-read, I’ve started reading the Jackson Brodie series again and this is the second book. Jackson is a private investigator and former police officer. This time he’s in Edinburgh and witnesses a brutal attack on a man stuck in a traffic jam.

10. The Day of the Dead by Nicci French

I think this is the last Frieda Klein novel which makes me sad! I didn’t want to read the blurb because it might have spoilers from the seventh book! But I know however they decide to end it it’ll be a brilliant read.

So there are my Summer TBRs, I don’t think I’ll make it through all of them but we’ll see!

Top Ten Tuesday – Books Published in the Last Ten Years

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is books published in the last ten years, I’ve decided to do one book for every year so here they are:

2008: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

This is one of my favourite books ever so I’m glad it could make this list. It’s set in England and Australia from the early 20th century to the 1980s to 2000s. Cassandra’s grandmother Nell has recently passed away. Nell has left all of her property to Cassandra, including a cottage in rural England. Cassandra is confused, they live in Australia and as far as she knew Nell never had any interest in England or it’s countryside. She goes to investigate why her grandmother would have brought the rundown cottage. She follows in Nell’s footsteps. We also meet Eliza, a young poor child living in London with her brother, their parents are dead and they have to work all hours of the day to afford food and shelter.

2009: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Set in 1960s America, this book follows the stories of three black women and how they come together to fight the injustice they face everyday. As well as being moving and poignant, this book has a lot of humour in it. I really enjoyed reading it even though it made me incredibly angry to read about how black people were treated like they were nothing.

2010: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The last book in the Hunger Games trilogy. We follow Katniss and her friends as they discover the underground Distirct 13 and take on the Capital one last time. It’s a gripping and intense book. I was sobbing by the end (I’m not good at saying goodbye to characters!)

2011: A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin

This book! I read it in two parts as it was published like that in paperback here. The fifth novel in A Song of Ice and Fire and it has the most different point of view characters in it which is great. In the start we’re with Danerys and Tyrion on their seperate journeys in the South of the world and then we head North and join Jon and his brothers of the Night Watch. In the second half of the book we rejoin our other characters in King’s Landing and all over Westeros. As always it’s filled with twists and turns and genius storytelling.

2012: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Another Kate Morton book! During a summer party at her family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy her loving, nearly perfect mother. The book also flashes back through Dorothy’s story as we discover all the secrets she is holding.

2013: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

This book is so incredible it’s kind of my dream book, it’s set in the 1920’s-40’s and it all about the possibilities of life and the decisions we make affecting our lives. We follow the Todd family, specifically Ursuala through their lives. It’s another one of my all time favourites. We follow Ursula down different paths and some of the possible lives she could have led during WWII. I can’t tell you how much I love this book and how beautiful it is.

2014: The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

The One Plus One follows the story of Jess, her children Tanzie and Nicky and Ed, a stranger to them until they take a week long road trip to Scotland. Jess, Tanzie and Nicky are a lovely family but struggles with money and intimidating neighbors have taken their toll on them. Their journey is chaotic but brilliant. Ed only knows Jess because she cleans his holiday home which he had never used until that week. At first they barely speak but Jess’ endless optimism, positivity and her homemade sandwiches eventually breaks down Ed’s walls. Ed helps Nicky put down his bullies and grows to care for all of them. The characters are so well written, they’re likeable, real and so lovely you just want to protect them from all the rubbish thrown their way. The story flows so well, there wasn’t a moment when I was bored or distracted. A really lovely, heartwarming book. Not your usual romance story, it has much more depth than that which I really enjoyed.

2015: Children In Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This book is so good. Humanity are branching out into the stars, a project has identified different planets to terraform and make suitable for human life. But it’s also an evolutionary experiment, they send down insects and animals and some of our primate ancestors. But there are people back on Earth who believe this is wrong, we are meant to live and die on Earth. They sabotage one of the spaceships. The captain sends the monkeys off towards the planet along with the evolutionary accelerator. Then she is trapped in a tiny escape pod, orbiting her planet, transmitting a distress signal. 100 years later survivors of Earth find the planet and attempt to make it their home, but something has gone wrong. There are no monkeys here, instead the world is covered in webs.

2016: The Power by Naomi Alderman

This book is AMAZING! Teenage girls now have immense physical power – they can cause agonising pain and even death. And, with this small twist of nature, the world changes utterly. They have the power to channel electricity through their hands. When I first came across the book I was all: “Hell yeah women have the power, woop!” But half way through the book we see that it doesn’t matter who has the power male or female, all humans are capable of horrendous things and we will always use power to destroy one another. It’s written from the points of view of different women around the world and one man. It’s a work of genius, I absolutely loved it.

2017: The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz

I love the Millennium series, Lisbeth Salander is one of my favourite characters ever, she’s so complex and badass. This is the fifth book in the series and at the beginning we find Lisbeth in prison (only for a couple of months) but she’s using her time there to read up on a complicated maths problem. Until her old guardian Holger comes to see her and tells her about a visit he received from someone in Lisbeth’s past. Lisbeth and her sister Camilla were almost part of an experiment carried out on twins. Mikael and Lisbeth start looking into the experiment and uncovering the shady people behind it. Lisbeth is under threat, she’s on a high security ward which has been corrupted by an influential inmate. We also delve into the stories of a pair of identical twins whose lives were ruined by the scientists who ran the twins experiment. The book is gripping and mysterious as always with this series. The author constantly keeps us guessing. I still found myself thinking about the story and how it was going to pan out even when I wasn’t reading it. The story is all woven together so seamlessly, it’s fantastic writing.

2018: Fire and Blood by George R.R. Martin

This is part one of two about the history of the Targaryen dynasty in Westeros. Until recent events I’ve been fascinated by the Targaryens and I did really enjoy the book. It’s written like a history book (only more interesting), George R.R Martin is so clever. It starts with Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters Visenya and Rhaenys. These badass dragon riders turned the Seven Kindoms into one, they were fierce, clever and beautiful. I’m really jealous of their purple eyes! All the battles, betrayls, births and deaths are covered in this book. I really enjoyed it, especially the first half. I got quite upset when it came to the Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons, because so many of the dragons die, it breaks my heart.

What are some of your favourites from the past ten years?

Top Ten Tuesday – Page to Screen Freebie

I personally don’t mind watching films/tv shows before I read the books, although most of the time I do it by accident! Some of the books on my list were made into great films, others not so much.

1. The Hunger Games series

These are first because I think the films stayed really true to the books, Suzanne Collins worked with the directors and writers closely and it shows. Her vision for the book has transferred wonderfully to the screen. I saw the first film of the series before I read the books but after I found out it was a book, I got hold of it as soon as I could! Catching Fire is my favourite book and film of the series, it tranfers so well to the screen.

2. Atonement

I saw this film first as well and I fell in love with it. It’s a stunning film and when I read the book I could see why, the many descriptive passages were so detailed it really transports you to 1940s Britain and France. The endings are the main difference to the film/book, the same thing happens, we’re just told in very different ways. I think the film and book rank equally great.

3. Harry Potter

I read the Harry Potter books first long before I saw the films. The books are so important to me, I absolutely love them. The films are good, I really enjoy them, just not as much as the books, they’re quite a few differences, especially in the later films but it still works. Books definitely win here!

4. A Song of Ice and Fire vs Game of Thrones

Again I started watching the show before I knew about the books, but I caught up pretty quickly. ASOIAF is one of my favourite books series’ ever, George R.R. Martin is a genius! I have a love/hate relationship with GoT. The first two seasons are incredibly close to the books, however the show writers make gradual changes over the course of the show, season five was a complete let down, they diverted so much from some characters stories, I almost gave up. GoT also shows the writers’ true misogynistic natures by having more sexual violence against women in it than any of the ASOIAF books. They cut out some key characters later on and changed some great characters (the Sand Snakes) into vengeful two-dimensional versions. Visually of course GoT is stunning and the actors are incredible but it still looses out to ASOIAF because the writers suck!

5. The Chronicles Of Narnia

I really like the Narnia books, but I actually think I prefer the films! They’re so pretty and magical, I could watch them forever. They haven’t made the whole series into books though which is slightly disappointing, but all of the Pevensie’s adventures have been transferred onto screen.

6. Persuasion

I love this book and I love period dramas so the TV adaptation I watched is right up my street. Sometimes I struggle to follow classics when I read them, Persuasion wasn’t like that but I still really enjoyed seeing it brought to life by actors.

7. A Series of Unfortunate Events

I love these books, they’re so strange and quirky and clever, Lemony Snicket is brilliant! The series has been made into a film and a tv series. The film covered the first three books and just wasn’t good at all. It didn’t cature Snicket’s quirkiness, the whole film came off as odd and bleak. The tv series is much better, not as good as the books, but closer! There is a narrator in the show and the characters talk in the same way that Snicket wrote for them.

8. The Other Boleyn Girl

This book is so good! It’s set in Tudor times and it’s about Anne Boleyn and her sister Mary who had an affair with Henry VIII before Anne married him. The film is good, but some bits from the book are missing and I’m pretty sure there’s more violence in it than the books which is why it’s so far down on the list.

9. Before I Go To Sleep

This book is so gripping and scary. I could hardly put the book down when I read it and years later they made it into a film. Despite the brilliant cast it didn’t really have the same effect as the book, there was tension but it was more confusing. I had forgotten the ending as well so that wasn’t the reason I didn’t like it as much.

10. The Girl on the Train

Amazing book, so cleverly written, all the layers of deceit and drunken confusion from the main character Rachel. The film was ok but again I didn’t feel as much tension or urgency to find out what was going on. Most of the time it felt like we were just watching Rachel have a breakdown. I did remember the dramatic end to the story though for this one so that might be why I wasn’t as invested.

So basically books rule! They’re always going to be better, probably because there’s more detail and we can let our imaginations run wild!

Top Ten Tuesday – Inspirational Book Quotes

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is inspirational quotes. I love quotes, so this was a really fun topic for me.

“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.” – Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

“Life wasn’t about becoming, was it? It was about being.” – Ursula Todd, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

“Laughter is poison to fear.” – Catelyn Stark, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

“But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling

“Old stories are like old friends, you have to visit them from time to time.” – Old Nan, A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

“But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever.” – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

“A story was a form of telepathy. By means of inking symbols onto a page, she was able to send thoughts and feelings from her mind to her reader’s. It was a magical process, so commonplace that no one stopped to wonder at it.” – Briony Tallis, Atonement by Ian McEwan

“It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone by J K Rowling

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, the man who never reads lives only one.” – Jojen Reed, A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin

“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.” – Death, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

What are some of your favourite inspirational quotes?

Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite Albums

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is an audio freebie which I was very excited about! I decided to pick my top ten favourite albums and here they are:

1. Sam’s Town by The Killers (2006)

Tracks:

This is one of the first albums that I remember falling in love with, all the songs are brilliant and really spoke to me at the time and still do. The Killers will always be some of my favourites but this album especially so. My favourite tracks are This River Is Wild and When You Were Young.

2. If You Leave by Daughter (2013)

Tracks:

This band are everything, their songs are so beautiful and chilling. This is their debut album and it’s just so stunning. I could listen to them all day, forever! My favourite songs on the album are Smother, Youth and Lifeforms.

3. Atlas: Year One by Sleeping At Last (2014)

Tracks:

This album is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever listened to. It has a mixture of instrumental and lyrical songs and each one is perfection! They are calming and emotional, it takes us on a journey through space, across our oceans. Their music is just so wonderful. I use two of the the tracks as my alarms in the morning because they’re peaceful and won’t make me jump. It’s hard to pick favourites with so many songs but I think it would be South, Mercury, Pluto and West.

4. Ceremonials by Florence & the Machine (2011)

Tracks:

I love this album, it’s so dark and etheral. All of Florence & the Machine’s work is stunning but this album is my favourite. My best songs on it are Shake It Out, Never Let Me Go and Seven Devils.

5. 21 by Adele (2011)

Tracks:

Adele’s voice is so incredible, I love this album it makes me so emotional, but there are some really badass songs on it as well. Adele is so talented, it was hard to choose just one of her albums! My favourites on this one are Somone Like You and Turning Tables.

6. This Is Acting by Sia (2016)

Tracks:

This album is so powerful, Sia is amazing. It’s such an emotional and empowering album. It really means a lot to me this album. My favourite tracks are Bird Set Free, Alive and Space Between.

7. Badlands by Halsey (2015)

Tracks:

I bloody love Halsey, her music is so edgy and dark, especially this album. I was and still am obsessed with this album. The songs are so descriptive, I just love it. My favourites are Castle, Control, Gasoline and Haunting.

8. Eyes Open by Snow Patrol (2006)

Tracks:

I love this band and this album so much! My Mum loves Snow Patrol and used to listen to them a lot which is how I discovered them, me and my sisters used to sing their songs in the kitchen while we washed up after dinner. My favourite tracks are Chasing Cars, Set The Fire To The Third Bar and Headlights On Dark Roads.

9. The Lion’s Roar by First Aid Kit (2012)

Tracks:

This album is so beautiful. I love First Aid Kit’s folk style, their voices are so beautiful. This was the first album I found of theirs and I love every single song! My favourites though are Emmylou, The Lion’s Roar and In The Hearts Of Men.

10. Bad Blood by Bastille (2013)

Tracks:

This album is so epic, Bastille have such a great style. Obviously one of my favourites in Pompeii, I bloody love that song, also Daniel In The Den and Icarus!

I had so much fun making this post. What are some of your favourite albums?

Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic by thatartsyreadergirl is the top books on my Spring TBR list. A lot of these may have appeared on my Winter TBR post…I didn’t seem to get very far!

1. Shouldn’t You Be In School? by Lemony Snicket

It’s the third book in the All the Wrong Questions series, I haven’t read any Snicket’s books in ages so I can’t wait to get into this one. His style of writing is so unique!

2. The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley

This was definitely on my Winter list, I’m still really looking forward to reading it though, it’s only two books away!!

3. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

Although this is the second Discworld novel I haven’t read it yet! I’ve read lots of his book in a completely random order but I’m now tracking down the ones left.

4. Saturday Requium by Nicci French

I miss Frieda…this was also on my Winter list but I actually have the book now so we’re all set.

5. Why Is This Night Different From All Other Nights? by Lemony Snicket

The last in the series, I tried to not read the third and this one too close together because if I read too many books that are similar together, I tend to get bored.

6. Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

The seventh book in the Discworld series as with all of Pratchett’s books this looks funny, strange and wonderful.

7. Transcription by Kate Atkinson

I’m so excited for this book, I’ve been waiting for it to come out in paperback and it’s finally due out next month! It’s set in WWII and the Cold War, it follows a woman who joins MI5 and once peace is declared expects her job to be over but she’s very wrong. I don’t know a lot about the Cold War so this will be so interesting.

8. The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

Again I’ve been waiting for this to be published in paperback form and the time is almost here! I love all of Kate Morton’s books, she never disappoints.

9. The Virgin’s Spy by Laura Andersen

I really enjoyed the first book of this series and I’m eager to find out how all the characters are getting on.

10. The Shadow Sister by Lucinda Riley

If I make this far before the Summer I’ll be seriously impressed. The third book in the series, this one is set in England and follows Star on her journey of discovery.

What are you planning to read over the Spring?