Top Ten Tuesday #11

My goodness I haven't done a Top Ten Tuesday in like 7 months but I thought I had to do this one as I might not be able to get my 2014 End of Year Book Survey in since I'll be going away.

This week's: Top Ten Books I Read In 2014! And I'm doing this by all the books I read in 2014 regardless of release date. This doesn't include all my 5 star reads because while some books were 5* quality, they weren't... Favourites per se - they weren't books I'd re-read. These are the books I adored, would re-read, endings that made me happy, gave me lots of feels and had really shippable couples!

This was really hard to choose D: like 10 just overall best books I read this year? ARGH here goes...

1. Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas

You knew it. I knew it. The whole world knew it. HOF is my fav by a landslide. It is THE book of the year for me.

2. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi

CHAPTER 55. Sweet baby Jesus *fans self*

3. Just One Year (Just One Day #2) / Just One Night (Just One Day #2.5) by Gayle Forman

 

SO. MUCH. LOVE. FOR THIS SERIES. And JON was perfect. It's one of my favourite contemporaries ever. It's like... Melina Marchetta level favourite. That's right. You heard me.

4. The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

It's Melina Marchetta come on. Saving Francesca 5 years later omgomg. All the Melina Marchetta <3

5. Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

While I loved DoGaM too and that ending to the trilogy was fantastic, it was DoBaS that gave me so many bloody feels.

6. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Aaslkdjslfsdghslhfsdfs no words JUST READ THIS IT'S BEAUTIFUL. The writing is stunning!

7. Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers

Assassin nuns? CHYEAH! Also, swoony guy. High fantasy wins!

8. This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

*Sings*

I will go down with this ship

And I won't put my hands up and surrender

9. The Bitter Kingdom (The Girl of Fire and Thorns #3) by Rae Carson

I binge read this whole series and loved it but if I had to pick 1 book I loved out of the trilogy it'd be the last one. High fantasy always.

HECTORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

10. The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1) by Samantha Shannon

Absolutely blown away by the depth of the world building. It's a fantastic mix of so many genres and it just WORKS. Samantha Shannon is genius.

Top Ten Tuesday #10

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where, each week, a Top Ten list is posted based on a particular topic.

This week's: Top Ten Books I'd Give to Readers Who Have Never Read YA

I'm picking YA because every time I say I'm a lover of young-adult books, and a blogger/reviewer of this age group of books, I visibly see people blanch. I see the judgement in their eyes. There is this preconceived notion that YA = trashy characters, terrible writing and juvenile plots. Well here are 10 amazing YA books that don't fit the stereotype that media and society have placed on the age group. Let's start by being clear: young-adult essentially isn't a GENRE. It's an age group. There are all types of genres within YA, that are targeted to 13-19 year olds. But anybody can read YA.

We're gonna move along and skip over The Fault in Our Stars, The Hunger Games and Divergent. These are fantastic YA books, with deep themes that have broken society's views of YA already. They are famous enough that people who have never read YA, have at least heard of them. I'm also going to skip over Rainbow Rowell as I think she's already quite famous and her works are known. However, if you haven't read any of these, or haven't heard of them - I HIGHLY urge you to check them out.

I'm going to introduce you to some lesser known YA books outside of the blogging/bookish world. These aren't necessarily my top books of all time. They're books that I believe, cohesively, would appeal to a wider and more general audience than my favourite books ever (some of my favourites of all time ARE listed here though). I've added style which indicates what age-group I think the writing style is suitable for - including word choice, themes, underlying messages, depth of story and character's choices/actions.

Clicking on the book cover takes you to the Goodreads page

1. Just One Day (Just One Day #1) by Gayle Forman
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Contemporary
Style: older YA (16+) 



By the same author of If I Stay (the upcoming movie, if you haven't heard of this one, you should read it too). This is a contemporary about one girl's self-discovery, love and taking chances. Told over the space of one day and then one year, it's a moving story of choices and pushing one's boundaries. Bonus: set in Europe (mainly Paris)!

2. On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Contemporary
Style: older YA (16+ mainly because of drugs; but I read this when I was 14)



With the chilling opening line, "My father took one hundred and thirty two minutes to die. I counted." this contemporary Aussie YA is one of the greatest YA works I have ever read. A story to uncover a story, to reveal a past, and to grow and move on, On the Jellicoe Road is moving and emotional.

3. Angefall (Penryn & the End of Days #1) by Susan Ee
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Dystopian; Sci-fi
Style: average YA (14/15+ mainly because of detailed descriptions of mutilations)



What if angels weren't the good guys? What if they doomed mankind as we know it? A post-apocalyptic sci-fi about angels destroying humanity, Ee's writing hooks you in from the start and leaves you wanting more. If you're one for a touch of macabre and light horror, this one's for you.

4. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Fantasy
Style: average YA (14+)



How about a touch of fantasy? While many argue that the first book in this assassin series is weak, I personally loved it. And the following books in the series are AMAZING (which everybody else does agree on). The world-building, plot, characters and Maas' lush, eloquent and exquisite writing are woven together to make my favourite fantasy series ever.

5. The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: Paranormal
Style: average YA (14+)



Or maybe you prefer a glimpse into the supernatural. Ley lines, magic forests and long dead kings granting wishes. This is a fantastical paranormal with an extremely unique plot, topped with Stiefvater's poetic writing. Don't let the seemingly average rating deter you, this is seriously one you should check out.

Thoughts on the book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/993777492?book_show_action=false

6. Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Dystopian
Style: average YA (14+)



For lovers of Divergent and The Hunger Games (bookish peeps, I am so sorry I said that but you know why I did this for the non-YA readers), Legend is a thrilling Dystopian about a government's prodigy versus its most famous criminal. These two characters come crashing together in a heart-wrenching story that never stops giving. The trilogy's end I can say is the best epilogue I have read.

7. Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Contemporary
Style: older YA (17/18+ mainly because of notions of depression, sexual assault and suicide)



Student-teacher relationships are wrong. Aren't they? They belie the trust a student places in their teacher and produces a conflict of interest. But the protagonists' teacher is the only one who listens to her; with parents that neglect her and no friends, he is the only one that genuinely cares. There is no such thing as right or wrong in this book. One of the most thought provoking I've ever read.

8. Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Fantasy
Style: average YA (14+)



It's no secret that fantasy is my favourite genre and Bardugo's Ravka, based loosely on Russia, has one of the most intricately built worlds in fantasy. The characters are complex and seductive, hostile and not as they seem.

9. The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave #1) by Rick Yancey
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Dystopian
Style: average YA (14+)



Thought you knew alien invasions? Well you don't until you've read The 5th Wave. Humanity as we know it is doomed. A mind-blowing concept, you wouldn't believe how these aliens infiltrate mankind.

10. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (5/5)
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Contemporary
Style: average YA (14+)



Set in the summer of the late 80s, two distinctly different boys - Ari and Dante - meet and form a beautiful friendship. This coming of age story ponders ideas of loneliness, life, love and family in Saenz's lyrical style.

Thoughts on the book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/965384556?book_show_action=false

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Please do tell me if you decide to try any of these out (:

Top Ten Tuesday #9

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where, each week, a Top Ten list is posted based on a particular topic.

This week's: Top Ten Authors I Own the Most Books From

Unless otherwise stated I own physical copies - and this is just the main copy I read. For a lot of these (mainly JLA) I also own e-books of the physical copies too!

1. Jennifer L. Armentrout - 20

• Cursed
• Obsession (e-book)
• The Gamble Brothers: Tempting the Best Man (#1) (e-book)
• Frigid: Frigid (e-book)
• Wait For You: Wait For You; Be with Me (e-books)
• The Dark Elements: Bittersweet Love (#0.5); White Hot Kiss (#1) (e-books)
• Lux: Shadows (#0.5); Obsidian; Onyx; Opal; Origin
• Covenant: Daimon (#0.5); Half Blood; Pure; Deity; Elixir (#3.5); Apollyon; Sentinel

8 e-books; 12 physical copies

Read: all of these except for Be with Me which I'm about 10% through.

I think we can say hands down that JLA is my favourite author. Anytime a new book of hers comes out, I'm on it. I've already got Opposition pre-ordered, and I cannot wait for Stone Cold Touch. I'm deciding whether I want to continue the Gamble Brothers series and her other books she writes as J. Lynn though. I still need to get Don't Look Back I know!

2. Lemony Snicket - 13

• A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window; The Miserable Mill; The Austere Academy; The Ersatz Elevator; The Vile Village; The Hostile Hospital; The Carnivorous Carnival; The Slippery Slope; The Grim Grotto; The Penultimate Peril; The End

Read: all

I own all these but I can't say they're a particular favourite of mine.

3. Abbi Glines - 13

• The Vincent Boys: The Vincent Boys (e-book); The Vincent Brothers
• Sea Breeze: Breathe; Because of Low; While it Lasts; Just For Now; Misbehaving (#6)
• Too Far: Fallen Too Far; Never Too Far; Forever Too Far
• Chance: Take a Chance
• Perfection: Twisted Perfection; Simple Perfection

1 e-book; 12 physical copies

Read: only The Vincent Boys, Breathe, Because of Low, Just for Now and Fallen Too Far. 

I don't plan on reading much else by Abbi Glines - all physical copies were from the publisher, most were unsolicited. I'll probably finish off the Too Far series but that's it. I don't plan on reading anything else in the Sea Breeze series beyond what I've already read.

4. Richelle Mead - 12

• Vampire Academy: Vampire Academy; Frostbite; Shadow Kiss; Blood Promise; Spirit Bound; Last Sacrifice
• Bloodlines: Bloodlines; The Golden Lily; The Indigo Spell; The Fiery Heart
• Age of X: Gameboard of the Gods; The Immortal Crown

Read: everything except for Age of X series

I realised I actually have <100 pages left in The Fiery Heart (I don't like it) and I also have the ARC of Silver Shadows but I need to go out and buy the physical copy

5. J.K. Rowling - 10

• Harry Potter: Philosopher's Stone; Chamber of Secrets; Prisoner of Azkaban; Goblet of Fire; Order of the Phoenix; Half Blood Prince; Deathly Hallows
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard
• The Casual Vacancy
• The Cuckoo's Calling

Read: only Harry Potter and Tales of Beedle the Bard

I plan on buying Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I don't plan on reading The Casual Vacancy but I will read The Cuckoo's Calling one day.

6. Julie Kagawa - 10

• The Iron Fey: The Iron King; The Iron Daughter; The Iron Queen; The Iron Knight; The Iron Legends (Winter's Passage #1.5; Summer's Crossing #3.5; Iron's Prophecy #4.5)
• Call of the Forgotten: The Lost Prince; The Iron Traitor
• Blood of Eden: The Immortal Rules; The Eternity Cure; The Forever Son

Read: all except for Blood of Eden

LOVEEEEE Julie Kagawa. I will read anything by her. Cannot wait for Talon! I absolutely adore The Iron Fey and while I don't think Call of the Forgotten is as good, I love the cameos. I need to get around to Blood of Eden.

7. Cassandra Clare - 9

• The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; City of Ashes; City of Glass; City of Fallen Angels; City of Lost Souls; City of Heavenly Fire
• The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel; Clockwork Prince; Clockwork Princess

Read: all

Don't like TMI. Loved TID. And I'm stopping there. Do not plan on reading TDA or TLH or TBC.

8. L.J. Smith - 9

• The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening; The Struggle; The Fury; Dark Reunion; The Return: Nightfall
• The Secret Circle: The Initiation; The Captive; The Power
• Night World: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder; Dark Angel; The Chosen; Soul Mate; Huntress; Black Dawn; Witchlight
• The Forbidden Game: The Hunter; The Chase; The Kill

Total: 20 books collected into 9 bind-ups - The Awakening and The Struggle; The Fury and Dark Reunion; The Initiation and the Captive Part 1; The Captive Part 2 and the Power; Night World 1-3; Night World 4-6; Night World 7-9; The Forbidden Game

Read: all except for The Forbidden Game

My gosh I've read a LOT of LJ Smith's early stuff. I really loved her pre-2000s works especially TVD, TSS and Night World!

9. Jessica Shirvington - 7

• The Violet Eden Chapters: Embrace; Enticed; Emblaze; Endless; Empower
• Between the Lives
• Disruption: Disruption

Read: all

Jess is an auto-buy for me. All her books have gotten 5 stars from me except Disruption which got 4.5. Safe to say she's another fav author.

10. Maria V. Snyder - 7

• Healer: Touch of Power; Scent of Magic; Taste of Darkness
• Sea Glass: Storm Glass; Sea Glass; Spy Glass
• Insider: Inside Out

Read: none LOL

I'm not a huge fan of her work. I've read the Study series and I only enjoyed the first book in that series before it all went down hill.

Top Ten Tuesday #8

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where, each week, a Top Ten list is posted based on a particular topic.

This week's: Top Ten Favourite Movies or and TV Shows

I'm going to do a combination of my favourite movies AND TV shows because I'd love to share both with you (: Gonna cheat and do 10 movies and 10 TV shows :D

Top Ten Movies

1. Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城)  2004

This is my absolute favourite movie of all time and it's my most watched movie. Most people prefer Spirited Away (which I do love) but I'm a sucker for the romance in Howl's (plus, he's so swoony). It's such a great story and I love the slightly steampunk feel to the world. Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki can do no wrong. I still need to read the book though. If you do decide to watch this, DO NOT WATCH THE ENGLISH DUB. I don't care that Howl is voiced by Christian Bale, English dubs are horrible. Watch the original Japanese with English subs!

2. Pretty Woman 1990



Favourite rom-com of all time. Richard Gere back in the day mhmm. This is a rom-com I can always turn to when I need a pick me up. It's funny, so sweet and swoony. And all that awesome shopping omg!

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 2011



The best HP film. I actually watched this twice I think - midnight screening, 3D and then IMAX 3D. I loved all the HP films but I think they did this one the most perfectly. The Prince's Tale (my favourite chapter out of every single one of the books was done to the book) and The Battle of Hogwarts was epic! Honestly out of all the book to movie adaptions, Deathly Hallows was the only book that actually needed to be split into 2 films!

4. The Avengers 2012



My favourite superhero movie :D such a great cast that played their characters so well, awesome storyline and absolutely fantastic dialogue. What more can one ask for? Avengers 2 obviously. CAN'T WAIT.

5. Center Stage 2000



Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a sucker for dance movies. I've basically watched every dance movie out there (I think) and Center Stage (American spelling I know) still stands as my favourite. I re-watched this last week and ahhh the feels - Sascha Radetsky <3

6. Beauty and the Beast 1991



Tale as old as time, true as it can be, barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly...
I have so many Disney favourites but Beauty and the Beast probably is my number 1 because I can relate to Belle and her love of books. I also love the way it breaks stereotypes of not falling in love based on looks, but because of personality and what's inside a person. My dream is to have the Beast's library.

7. Tangled 2010



And at last I see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted. And at last I see the light, and it's like the sky is new...
My other Disney favourite. Growing up, Mandy Moore was one of my role models and I absolutely loved her voicing Rapunzel. I See the Light is probably one of my top 3 Disney songs. I love the humour interspersed with this - Pascal, Flynn/Eugene and Maximus <3

8. Sense and Sensibility 1995



One of the my favourite Austen novels and I thought this BBC adaption portrayed the book perfectly. That cast <3 Half of them appeared in HP (; Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet <3 Ugh Alan Rickman was so swoony in this.

9. Tomorrow Never Dies 1997



Not many people know this and are surprised when they find out but I am a massive 007 fan. My dad loved James Bond so I grew up watching the films - majority of which were Sean Connery and Roger Moore. But my all time favourite will always be Pierce Brosnan as 007 - he's so handsome and swoony and those sex eyes omg. I have so many 007 favourites but I think Tomorrow Never Dies tops the list because I loved Michelle Yeoh in this too.

10. Trainspotting 1996



Not for the faint-hearted this one is about drugs. So uh don't watch this if you're like... I don't know. But I loved this film. It was absolute mind fk and so very real and raw.

Honorary Mentions:
Frozen 2013, Mean Girls 2004, The Parent Trap 1998 and Hero 2002

Top Ten TV Shows (including dramas and anime)

1. Charmed 1998 - 2006

This TV show was my childhood. I watched the original run from the time I was 5 up until the series ended when I was like 14 and was really devo when they took it off prime time started showing it during the middle of the day. I have the DVDs and I think this was the best TV show ever made. Do not argue with me on this. Piper, Phoebe and Paige <3 (no to Prue sorry I've always hated her). Witches, romance, drama - can you see why I love reading YA?

2. Veronica Mars 2004 - 2007

LOGAN AND VERONICA <3 I also watched the original run of this back in the day - from the very first episode! So as a Marshmallow I was ecstatic when I heard about the movie as I was always expecting a season 4 after that season 3 end (the look that passed between LoVe!!!). There has never been a boring episode with VMars. This and Sherlock are the only 2 detective shows that have really wow'd me.

3. Hana Yori Dango (花より男子) TV series 2005 - 2008



The only drama I can re-watch every year, this Japanese drama of the manga is the best ever. The Korean version, Boys Over Flowers, was terrible in my opinion and let's not even mention Meteor Garden. The cast is perfect and the story is so bittersweet at times. Fun fact: 9 years later, apparently Mao Inoue (Tsukushi Makino) and Jun Matsumoto (Tsukasa Domyouji) who played the lead female and male, ARE APPARENTLY DATING. Best news I've heard.

4. X/1999 1996
Their destiny was foreordained



Based on the manga X by CLAMP this is about the end of days as the year 2000 approaches. My favourite anime EVER. Those who are newer to anime while complain about the old-style art of this but the story is beautiful and tragic - totally worth watching if you can still find it today (I've been trying to find it for ages to re-watch but I can't find it).

5. Sword Art Online 2012



My second favourite anime series, I only watched this earlier this year. I marathoned this because it was so fantastic. In the year 2022, MMORPGs let you put on a headgear and enter the game in this whole virtual world. In the game Aincrad, the GM has prevented anybody from logging out - anybody who tries to disconnect the headgear in the real world, will fry the player's brain. If you die in game, your brain dies. The only way to get out of the game is risk your life and win the game. I LOVE the premise of this because it questions how much we value our lives and its worth. Do you play it safe by doing nothing in game but stay in town - you won't die... but you'll be hooked to an IV for god knows how long as you hope someone in game wins. Or... do you risk your life and try to beat the game so you can get out? WATCH THIS!!!

6. Pride and Prejudice 1995



Austen's best novel <3 MR. DARCY! COLIN FIRTH AS MR. DARCY AHHHH *dies from swooning* The only adaption of Pride and Prejudice I will watch, I re-watch this a lot :D

7. Game of Thrones 2011 - 


I need to catch up on this but I started this from the beginning and was immediately hooked. From beheadings to sex scenes in a matter of seconds this goes from one extreme to another. Fantastic cast, heart butchering story yesss.

8. Sherlock 2010 - 


Benedict Cumberbatch is the perfect Sherlock Holmes. Such a good TV show I love the way Cumberbatch does the cold and detached Holmes so well. Buuuut Lara Pulver as Irene Adler just doesn't cut it. Rachel McAdams please <3

9. Gossip Girl 2007 - 2012


DON'T JUDGE ME. This will always be one of my favourite series. I loved the scandals, the fashion, AND THE ROMANCE <3 Chuck and Blair my ultimate OTP since season 1.

10. Return of the Condor Heroes (神雕侠侣) 2006



A Chinese wuxia series based on the best-selling book of the same name I really loved this drama. I never watched the 1983 version which my mum says was better, but this one had AMAZING scenery and cinematography. Like woah I've never seen such beautiful scenery - even Hero with its colours didn't compare to this. Also, Crystal Yifei is so pretty. 

Top Ten Tuesday #6

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where, each week, a Top Ten list is posted based on a particular topic.

This week's: Top Ten Books I Almost Put Down But Didn't

I am so glad I didn't put these down because many of these turned out to be some of my favourite books/series of all time.

Clicking the book cover will take you to the Goodreads page.

1. Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi (4/5)

The beginning of this was really slow, but I'm so glad I kept reading because it got a lot better and this has become one of my favourite series of all time.

2. The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa (5/5)

I didn't like Meghan in the beginning but Kagawa's world-building was so amazing I decided to keep going. Glad I did because AHHHH Ash <3 this is another of my all time favourite series

3. Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare (2.5/5)

I really didn't like this book because Tessa annoyed me. But I really like steampunk and JEM CARSTAIRS haha. Again, I'm really glad I kept going because I LOVED Clockwork Prince (Jemmmmm) and Clockwork Princess had me bawling.

4. The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1) by Samantha Shannon (4/5)

The size of this book and the writing style really intimidated me. I'd read about 20 pages last year but stopped. I decided to pick it up again this year and thank goodness because THE WORLD-BUILDING, THE PLOT, EVERYTHING WOAH. Samantha Shannon is a goddess!

5. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales (5/5)

The beginning of this was so depressing and bleak I nearly didn't want to continue because I was worried about what it would do to me. I ended up loving this and it was a very powerful book.

6. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover (5/5)

Again, another very bleak book. When I realised what was happening I actually had to put this down for a while but I found the nerve to pick it up again I managed to finish it - Colleen Hoover is a really fantastic writer and the way she deals with tough issues is stellar.

7. Every Breath (Every #1) by Ellie Marney (3/5)

Near the end, the plot turned out exactly as I had suspected. I thought it was the cliche type that all mysteries had and wasn't pleased. But Marney's writing is really good and her characters strong so I finished this anyway which I'm glad I did. I'm excited for her next book Every Word.

8. Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer (3/5)

I nearly DNF this at page 44 because Meyer killed the whole plot with 1 sentence. I decided to finish it just to see how it played out and because I wanted to read other books in the series.

9. Mercy (Mercy #1) by Rebecca Lim (3.5/5)

The different take on angels had me put this down before my friend persuaded me to finish it because she said it was good. I've ended up really enjoying the series.

10. The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass (1/5)

I hate this book. But I was going to read The One so I needed to know what happened. I have nothing good to say about this book. I was just hooked because I needed closure. I can't believe I wasted 2.5 years of my life on this series.