Top 10 Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s topic asks us to list our “Book Characters that I’d love to be besties with!”

Haha this was an interesting question! After all, not every character I would love to be friends with would be open to being friends with me too. I might get stabbed! (I do love stabby characters.) Instead, I tried to pick characters that might mesh well with my personality or vice versa, characters that I could “realistically” see getting along with. This was so much fun.

Harry Dresden

From Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, and my favorite series, it makes me happy to think that we actually have a lot in common. We’re both introverts who prefer paperbacks over parties, we both love our animals and treat them like members of the family, and we both value our friends above all else, loyal to a fault. I don’t know how much help I’d be with all of the crazy things he gets himself into, but I’d definitely be there to commiserate and buy him a beer at Mac’s.

Rhysand and The Inner Circle

From A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas, I loved the vibe of this misfit group of friends. I would love to be a part of it. The intense loyalty and love they have for each other, the diversity in backgrounds and experiences, the lack of judgement, the acceptance of all oddities, these are only some of the wonderful things I feel this friend group offers. They may all be misfits, they may all be a little bit broken, but- hey, so are we all, right? I feel like I would fit right in.

Hermione Granger

I feel like my girl Hermione is going to make a lot of lists this week! From Harry Potter by JK Rowling, I had to include her. We have too much in common. Love to read, love homework, compulsively takes too many classes, loves her friends fiercely- we’d have a lot to bond over. I feel like she could also use a few more gal pals to balance out the boys too.

Ginny Weasely

I almost included Ginny and Hermione on the same point, since they’re from the same book, but I didn’t. I would also love to be friends with Ginny, but I feel like we would have a very different relationship. Ginny is bolder, says what she wants and means, feels loudly and isn’t afraid to confront a problem. I feel like she could teach me a lot and challenge me in ways that friends are supposed to challenge each other. Plus, I could go watch all of her Quidditch games!

Ian & Jenny Fraser

Hahaha this one would be so interesting. From the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, Ian and Jenny have been book “friends” of mine for a long time and definitely made this list easy. Though I do have to say that I think it would be much easier to befriend Ian than Jenny, but hopefully if I start there he’ll put in a good word for me. I would love to visit Lallybroch and see their family and way of life, be taken care of in the firm, matter-of-fact way that Jenny does. Their relationship dynamic is somehow so soothing to me and I can imagine a lot of happy moments in their home as a friend.

Warren Smith & Kyle Brooks

From one of my favorite series of books, The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, Warren and Kyle are #relationshipgoals. They are one of my favorite couples to ship and I would love to go hang out with the two of them. Warren is warm and calming, while Kyle is provocative and sarcastic, and I love them both. Every time I read that scene in Blood Bound where they’re watching Queen of the Damned with Stefan and Mercy, I just want to hop into the scene and join them. Weekly movie nights at Warren and Kyle’s house!

Anna Cornick

Another character from Patricia Briggs, this time from the companion series to Mercy Thompson, the Alpha and Omega series. Anna is musical, creative, kind, introverted, and works hard to soothe, comfort, and support her friends. I think we have a lot in common and I would love to have a friend like her.

Leah Burke

From Leah On the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli, I feel like we would have a lot to talk about. She’s a grumpy, overweight, bisexual teen and my HS self would have had so much to talk about with Leah. AND she could bring her adorable girlfriend, Abby (who I totally ship), to hang out with us. We have a lot of common and a lot that is different but that might work in our favor. As a bonus, I feel like I could give Leah some social tips that might help her come off less…prickly. She gets so withdrawn and surly when she’s upset and I’ve been there, I feel like we could help each other and have a lot of fun along the way.

Stella Lane

From The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. Stella probably has better things to do than hang out with me, her fancy job, sexy boyfriend, and meticulous routine, but we also have so much in common. I would love to hang out with her late at night with a bottle of wine, talking about our struggles and victories with dating and relationships and sensory issues. I feel like she could also help me organize my closet. Where are you, Stella??

Theodora Sanderson/Crain

From The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, Theodora is a sarcastic, takes-no-shit, badass and I could definitely use a friend like her. She isn’t afraid of haunted houses or ghosts, she says what she means, and she enjoys an adventure. I think she would be a good influence on me haha. I will say, I love the book and the show, and either Theo would be a fantastic friend. In my mind they’ve just merged into one amazing multi-Theo.

This was a hard one!

Who are some characters you’d like to be friends with?? Any on the list here?

If you participated in TTT this week too, drop a link in the comments below!

Top 10 Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s topic asks us to list our “Auto-buy Authors.”

I chose way more than 10 at first! But managed, in the end, to narrow my list down to these 10 below. Honorable Mentions at the end, cause I had to mention them!!

Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher writes my favorite series, The Dresden Files. I struggled to put him on this list though because he also writes another series that I have not read. So is he really auto-buy? …Yes, I had to count him, because I pre-order his books as soon as that button becomes availble. I will read The Dresden Files until the series ends or until I die, whichever comes first haha. Writes Adult Fantasy, Urban Fantasy.

Diana Gabaldon

I’ve been buying and reading the Outlander series, and its companion series, since I was arguably too young to read it. I love this series, I love Gabaldon’s writing style and plot choices, and I love falling back into this world and letting it mesmerize me again and again. Can’t wait to read the next one in 2020! Writes Adult Historical Fantasy.

Jay Kristoff

I only started reading Jay Kristoff’s body of work this year and I can’t believe what I was missing out on! Anything that says it was written by Jay Kristoff now, or Jay Kristoff & Amie Kauffman for that matter, I know I want read. I read his Illuminae Files series last month and LOVED it so much, and am currently reading his Nevernight series also! WOW. Definitely a writer I love following. Writes YA & Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy.

Megan Whalen Turner

I questioned whether to put Turner on my list, not because I don’t auto-buy everything she writes, because I do, but because she only puts out a book every few years, all in the same series. So it’s more accurately a series that I auto-buy…but I don’t care, I’ll take any chance to brag about The Queen’s Thief series. The way she writes fantasy is original, psychological, and so clever. I loved the newest installment in this series and look forward to the next. Writes MG/YA Fantasy.

Angie Thomas

Thomas has only written two books but they have both been two of my favorites. THUG (The Hate You Give) and On the Come Up, which I reviewed in June, were both absolutely fantastic. They made me feel so many things and I loved and rooted for all of those characters. Thomas’ voice is so important in our current climate today and I for one will read anything she writes at all. Writes YA Contemporary.

Christina Lauren

I only jumped onto the wildly-popular Christina Lauren train this year, but I already love my seat! I’ve read four of their books now and I absolutely loved them all, even though they were all so different from each other. I love how they are able to build a love story into any situation, and I especially love the care and consideration they give to their characters’ thoughts and emotions before action. These books are great summer reads, and I would recommend them to anyone who needs a good one this summer! Check out The Unhoneymooners, which I reviewed this May! Writes Adult Contemporary/Romance.

B.A. Paris

I love these psychological thrillers! I don’t know if I’d nominate these books for an award, but I can say with confidence that every time I pick up a B.A. Paris novel I end up devouring it in as few sittings as my life will let me. I loved The Breakdown, I loved Behind Closed Doors (that ending, right??), and I just started reading Bring Me Back for a book exchange, I’m so excited!! B.A. Paris is always a guaranteed fun night of reading, and I will always appreciate that. Writes Adult Mystery/Thrillers.

Gillian Flynn

My other mystery auto-buy author. My favorite Gillian Flynn novel is Sharp Objects, I loved that book so much. It was dark, brutal, unapologetic, and ugly in all the right ways, which are the things I love about Flynn novels. Even her novellas get me where it hurts! The Grownup is one of my most reread novellas and I still can’t decide what I think really happened in that story. I love Flynn’s way of making the reader have to decide what is good or possible or survivable or what actually happened as a whole, and I love the dark corners that she explores in her writing. Writes Adult Mystery/Thrillers.

Jenny Lawson

I love Jenny Lawson! She might be my oldest auto-buy author, and she’s only written two books, each of them gems. I’ve been following Lawson since she was only a blogger and her blog is still one of my most entertaining, relatable reads every week. Her books are even better. Furiously Happy and Let’s Pretend This Never Happened are both hilarious adventures through stories of love, mental illness, giant metal chickens, and living life loudly when surrounded by obstacles. Wholeheartedly recommend. Writes Memoirs.

Brené Brown

These books are my jam. Any time I need help resetting my insecurities or guidance into a better headspace, Brown has my back. She has written so many books that have spoken to me: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next! If you’re not familiar with Brown, you can also catch her TED talk for a little piece of what to expect from her books. Writes Non-Fiction/Self-Help.

Honorable Mentions: So many more!!

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Robin Benway, Jay Kristoff & Amie Kauffman, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ruth Ware, Rupi Kaur, Patricia Briggs, Riley Sager.

Who are your auto-buy authors?? Tell me in the comments!

Top 10 Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s topic asks us to list our “Top 10 Unique Character Names.”

Well, I chose more than 10, cause I LOVE NAMES!! I usually have a list of names I love from media, but I had to write this list while I was out of town, so these are just off the top of my head! Haha and yes, there are fourteen of them. Some of these are old favorites and some are new discoveries, but I love finding new and unique names within literature. Hope you have as much fun reading as I did making this list!

Arya & Sansa

A Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin

Scout

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Hermione

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Mercy, Adam, & Bran

Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs

Niklas

Gemina, The Illuminae Files by Amie Kauffman and Jay Kristoff

Sekani

The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas

Kaz, Jesper, & Inej

Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo

Elias

An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir

Theo (Theodora)

The Haunting of Hill House (Book & TV Series) by Shirley Jackson

Jamie, Marsali, Phaedre & Jem

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

Rhysand (Rhys)

A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas

Briar

The Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce

What are some of your favorite literary names?? Tell me in the comments!

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

I am so excited to participate in Top 10 Tuesday for the first time! I love books and making lists, so this ought to be fun.

This week’s topic is “Top 10 Books From My Favorite Genre.”

I wanted to pick so many different genres that I love, but ultimately I chose Fantasy. I’ve been reading Fantasy since I was a kid and it’s probably what I listen to and seek out most consistently. There’s something about faraway worlds and astounding powers and magical adventures that has always called to me.

For starters, I could not choose favorite books within most of these series, so I just put the series on the list. Some of these are listed because I’ve read them recently and they were amazing and some are old childhood favorites, full of sentimental love. All of them have made me laugh, cry, and want to throw things. I’d recommend any single one of them.

So here are ten of my favorites, in no particular order:

Tell me your favorites! If you had to pick a genre, which would be your top choice?