Top Ten Words That Make Me Pick Up A Book

1. Whimsy. I love anything quirky, unusual, lovely and magical.

"Am I whimsical yet?"

2. Road trip. The open road, the endless opportunities, the music, the company, the food... who doesn't love a road trip? Or reading about one, at least.

I wish I was road tripping right now.

3. Contemporary. Lately I have been a bit addicted to contemporary fiction. I think it's because of my extended paranormal hangover.

OK it's not a book but Skins is contemporary. And also giving me a lot of feels right now.

4. Fairy tale. I love fairy tales in any form - originals, retellings, Disney adaptations...

Oooh, shiny...

5. Australia. It's nice to read books set in my home territory.

'Strayla mate.

6. New York. One of the best cities in the world, it naturally makes an awesome setting.

In New Yoooooooooooork (sorry, had to).

7. Russia. I've studied Russian history since high school and the place fascinates me. I love to read anything set there, especially during the time periods I'm familiar with.

Sorry if this guy haunts your dreams tonight.

8. Summer. Summer goes hand in hand with romance. And holidays. And ice cream. And lens flare cover photos.

I'm a sucker for the sun.

9. Classic. Although I haven't read many lately, I love collecting the classics. Especially when they have gorgeous covers.

A gorgeous guy doesn't hurt either.

10. Movie adaptation. I love reading books before watching their movie adaptations, and it's often the movie coming out that gives me the kick up the butt to actually pick up the book.

BRB crying...

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books I Thought I'd Like More/Less

I'm ba-ack. After a pretty overwhelming week last week in which I didn't blog at all (terrible, I KNOW), I'm back with bells on. Or at least with a list. Of books I thought I'd like more...

1. Spoiled by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan. I was sooo excited when I heard the Fug girls were writing a YA novel. And I was sooo disappointed when I didn't enjoy it very much.

2. The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. After enjoying The Thief, the first in this series, I was super keen to read The Queen, having heard from a bazillion and one people that it was ah-mazing, and even better than the first. Unfortunately it frustrated the hell out of me.

3. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I love, love, loved the movie version of this growing up, and I also adore Burnett's The Secret Garden. But the little princess in question drove me nuts when I read the book.

4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. Lizzy Bennet fighting zombies?! I thought it couldn't get more awesome than that. But I was wrong. Because it wasn't awesome at all.

5. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. Anna and the French Kiss quickly became a favourite (see below) so I had extremely high expectations for Perkins' follow-up novel. They were not met.


And some I thought I'd like less...

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. The lame name and lame cover turned out to be hiding an awesome book.

2. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. Having never read Bray's work before, I didn't realise how amazing she is. I thought this would be a trashy read, and it was so much more.

3. If I Stay by Gayle Foreman. I avoided this book for a long time because it looked depressing and sappy. But although it was heartbreaking, I found it strangely uplifting and lovely.

4. The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan. I didn't think I enjoyed verse novels - until I read this one.

5. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. Not only is the cover really embarrassing, the plot didn't particularly interest me until I read some great reviews. So I gave it a chance and I was instantly hooked.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books I Want Santa To Bring Me

1. The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling. I feel like the only person in the world who hasn't read this book.

2. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Everyone I know adores this book, and every time I see a new, glowing review, I kick myself for not owning it.

3. Metamorphoses by Ovid. I love Greek mythology and I've been meaning to read the Metamorphoses for years, so I'd love to get it as a gift.

4. Saved by Cake by Marian Keyes. This not only looks like a totally adorable cookbook, it also sounds like an interesting and potentially moving read, focusing on how baking literally saved Marian's life as she recovered from depression.

5. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson. This twist on the Peter Pan tale sounds intriguing and has gotten amazing reviews from people I trust.

6. The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens. I loved The Emerald Atlas when I read it last year, and I've been looking forward to reading its sequel for awhile. I just need to get my hands on it!

7. Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart. I'm obsessed with Miranda's self-titled sitcom, and her book sounds just as hilarious and delightful.

8. On Writing by Stephen King. I'm hoping to focus more on my creative writing in the new year, and it seems like this book is a must-have for all aspiring authors!

9. The Illiad and The Odyssey by Homer. I specifically want the Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics edition of Homer's work, because it looks gorgeous. I'm obsessed with this collection.

10. The Original Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. This edition of Mary Shelley's classic includes two versions of the story: the original that Mary wrote, and the version we all know, which was heavily edited by her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley. I'd love to see the original and compare the two.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

What's on your wishlist?

Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2013

I'm not big on the book news; I tend to be pretty clueless about what's coming out and when, but there are some books I can't wait to get my hands on in 2013...

1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children 2 (currently untitled) by Ransom Riggs. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children almost became one of my favourite books... until it ended on a massive cliffhanger that drove me nuts. So needless to say I've been waiting for the sequel for awhile.

2. Just One Day by Gayle Forman. I looooved If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman, so I've been eagerly anticipating her next book.

3. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris. OK, I haven't been excited about the Sookie Stackhouse books for awhile. But I'm excited for this one because it will finally bring the series to an end, and answer the question once and for all - will Sookie end up with Eric? She better.

4. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins. I love, love, loved Anna and the French Kiss and really enjoyed Lola and the Boy Next Door, so I predict good things for the final book in Perkins' trilogy.

5. The Hybrid Chronicles 2 (currently untitled) by Kat Zhang. I really enjoyed Zhang's debut novel, What's Left of Me, when I read it recently, and I can't wait for the sequel.

6. The Boss by Abigail Barnette. Not content with pointing out how terrible 50 Shades of Grey is in her hilarious, brilliant recaps, Jennifer Armintrout (under the name Abigail Barnette) has decided to publish a feminist romance as the antithesis to the abusive dynamics found in the popular tome. Best of all? She's publishing it for free on her website, in serial form. It sounds awesome.

7. Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff. The plot sounds really intriguing - a young girl is haunted by her best friend, who pushes her to investigate her death and the other mysterious murders in their town. Plus the cover is super pretty, and I'm superficial like that.

8. Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak. The Book Thief is one of my favourite books, and this will be Zusak's follow up. It's been a long time coming, and I anticipate amazingness.

9. Prodigy by Marie Lu. The first book in this series, Legend, was pretty decent, and I've heard the sequel is even better.

10. When We Wake by Karen Healey. About a girl who gets cryogenically frozen and reanimated 100 years later, this is one dystopian/sci-fi that sounds unique and has a lot of potential.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books I'm Thankful For

1. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. For allowing me to inhabit a world full of quirky characters that felt so real and so dear, I was left wanting more after nearly 1000 pages.

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. For giving the world Mr Darcy and Lizzie Bennet, arguably the greatest hero and heroine of all time, forming the greatest love story of all time.

3. Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta. For being a good friend throughout my teenage years; for making me laugh and cry; and for making me feel like I wasn't alone, that what I was feeling was normal, and it was all going to be OK.

4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. For being so beautiful it moved me more than any other book ever has, and for teaching me that Death isn't such bad company - at least for a few hundred pages.

5. The Princess Bride by William Goldman. For bringing me joy every single time I read it.

6. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. For teaching me that being a freckled, kinda strange, imaginative and talkative red-head is awesome, no matter who calls you "Carrots" (especially if people call you "Carrots").

7. Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares. For snapping me out of my judgey, anti-YA ways.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling. For distracting me when I was stranded at Heathrow airport for two days with a chest infection and a broken rib and no idea when I'd be able to get home.

9. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. For putting me in the Christmas mood every year... and for The Muppet Christmas Carol.

10. Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright. For making me so mad I just had to express my anger - and so I started this blog.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Contemporary YA Authors

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a toughie for me because I'm not a big genre reader, but I have been gravitating towards contemporary YA a lot lately so I thought I'd list some of the awesome authors I've come across...

Sure, it may look completely random and irrelevant, but contemporary YA makes me happy and so does this gif. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

1. Stephanie Perkins. Anna and the French Kiss completely blew me away, and although I didn't enjoy Lola and the Boy Next Door quite as much, it was still great. I can't wait for Perkins' next novel, Isla and the Happily Ever After, to come out.

2. Melina Marchetta. One of my favourite authors of all time. I love the way Marchetta captures authentic emotions and experiences and creates such wonderful, well-rounded and realistic characters. All of her contemporary fiction is fantastic, but On the Jellicoe Road is probably my favourite.

3. Ann Brashares. I've mentioned before that it was The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series that introduced me to YA and made me rethink my previous (judgmental) stance on it. It was such a fun and touching read. I've been meaning to reread the series for awhile, especially with the last installment that's come out, but I've heard some spoilers so I'm kinda scared.

4. Gayle Forman. If I Stay is kinda supernatural, but its sequel, Where She Went is more contemporary. I adored both books and their characters, but I especially appreciated Adam's point of view in Where She Went.

5. Libba Bray. I have a ridiculous amount of love for Beauty Queens. I thought it was clever, hilarious and so much fun. I've wanted to read more of Bray's books every since I read it, but sadly for me I haven't gotten around to it yet.

6. Morgan Matson. I loved Amy and Roger's Epic Detour; the characters were likable and the story was so much fun, while still maintaining some serious aspects. It made me totally want to take a road trip around the US and eat lots of hamburgers. Second Chance Summer was also a great read, and utterly heartbreaking.

7. Simone Elkeles. I wasn't sure whether I should put Simone on the list given the recent hullabaloo around the way she responded to one of her reviews, but the truth is I absolutely loved her Perfect Chemistry series so she deserves a spot here. Sure, it's totally cheesy and predictable, but it's also completely addictive and fun.

8. Judy Blume. 'Nuff said.

OK, I'm out. Unfortunately I haven't read enough contemporary YA to have a complete top ten (though it's probably the genre I've read the most!). Because I'm kinda OCD and can't have an incomplete list, here are two contemporary YA authors I want to read.

1. John Green. I know. I haven't read any John Green. Yes, I'm hanging my head in shame.

2. Sarah Dessen. Now my whole body is hanging in shame.

Who are your favourite contemporary YA authors?

Top Ten Book Quotes

1. “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... I am haunted by humans.”- Death in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2. "What I'm feeling, I think, is joy. And it's been some time since I've felt that blinkered rush of happiness. This might be one of those rare events that lasts, one that'll be remembered and recalled as months and years wind and ravel. One of those sweet, significant moments that leaves a footprint in your mind. A photograph couldn't ever tell its story. It's like something you have to live to understand. One of those freak collisions of fizzing meteors and looming celestial bodies and floating debris and one single beautiful red ball that bursts into your life and through your body like an enormous firework. Where things shift into focus for a moment, and everything makes sense. And it becomes one of those things inside you, a pearl among sludge, one of those big exaggerated memories you can invoke at any moment to peel away a little layer of how you felt, like a lick of ice cream. The flavour of grace." - Charlie in Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

3. "If you stop to think about it, you’ll have to admit that all the stories in the world consist essentially of twenty-six letters. The letters are always the same, only the arrangement varies. From letters words are formed, from words sentences, from sentences chapters, and from chapters stories." - The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

4. “And this, really, is the story-within-the-story, because if you do not believe that hearts can bloom suddenly bigger, and that love can open like a flower out of even the hardest places, then I am afraid that for you the world will be long and brown and barren, and you will have trouble finding the light.
But if you do believe, then you already know all about magic.” - Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

5. “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born (as I have been informed and believe) on a Friday, at twelve o’clock at night. It was remarked that the clock began to strike, and I began to cry, simultaneously.” - David Copperfield in David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

6. “I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.” - Jacob in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

7. “I have for the first time found what I can truly love–I have found you. You are my sympathy–my better self–my good angel–I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you–and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.” Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

8.  “My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die.
I counted.
It happened on the Jellicoe Road. The prettiest road I’d ever seen, where trees made breezy canopies like a tunnel to Shangri-La. We were going to the ocean, hundreds of miles away, because I wanted to see the ocean and my father said that it was about time the four of us made that journey. I remember asking, 'What’s the difference between a trip and a journey?' and my father said, 'Narnie, my love, when we get there, you’ll understand,' and that was the last thing he ever said.” - Narnie in On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

9.   “The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone... she was no longer the careless color of sea foam, but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night.” - The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

10.  "You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. 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 Wentworth in Persuasion by Jane Austen

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten: Books You Shouldn't Forget About

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week, the topic is: Top Ten "Older" Books You Don't Want People To Forget About (you can define older however you wish. Basically just backlisted books you think are great. Basically the point is to share books that could be forgotten about in the midst of all the new releases).

This was a toughie, because I wasn't sure where to draw the line at "older". I decided to focus on the "forgetting" part, and came up with some books I think people have a tendency to overlook. So, in no particular order...

1. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Such a stunning book that not enough people read.

2. The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin. This series was such a major part of my childhood, but I fear it's kinda daggy now, which makes me sad. I know they tried to rejig and relaunch it a few years ago, but it didn't seem to really take off. BSC for life!

3. Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene. Like the BSC, I loved the Nancy Drew novels growing up, and I really hope people are reading them for generations to come. They're totally dated, of course, but that's part of their charm.

4. Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta. The Queen of YA has produced some amazing books in the past ten years, and she says herself Alibrandi is her "weakest" work - but even her weakest is absolutely brilliant. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for what was, for a long time, the only Marchetta available.

5. Evelina by Fanny Burney. OK, I'm going really old-school for this one - Evelina came out in the 1700s! The epistolary novel isn't perfect, but it's entertaining enough, and more importantly it paved the way for female novelists like Jane Austen and the Brontes.

6. Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell. I feel like Gaskell is overlooked too often in general, but North and South is undoubtedly the most popular of her novels, followed closely by Wives and Daughters. Mary Barton was her first novel, which she started writing to help move on from her grief over losing her son. It's tinged with darkness and sorrow, but is still a remarkable and lovely read.

7. The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy. This is another 'classic' author that I think gets overlooked quite frequently, but I adore The Forsyte Saga. Unlike many modern "sagas", this actually is one, spanning multiple generations in the Forsyte family and tracking the many dramas the clan attracts.

8. The Children of Men by P.D. James. Dystopia is (a little too) hot at the moment, but many of the new YA series being churned out just don't hold a candle to some of the older stuff - like The Children of Men, one of my favourite dystopias of all time. Chilling reading.

9. Checkers by John Marsden. This novella is probably one of Marsden's least-read works, but I still remember the first time I read it, when I was about 12. It shattered me.

10. The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time by Mark Haddon. I didn't know what to expect from this book about an autistic teenager when I read it for a book club a couple of years ago, but I was absolutely blown away. I recommend it to pretty much everyone.

Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List

I can't believe it's spring already! It's exciting - that feeling is in the air that things are improving (even if it's just the weather) - but at the same time it's terrifying. The year is going crazy-quick. It feels like I just wrote my winter TBR list. Embarrassingly, I didn't finish a single book on that list. I started one (The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Stockman) but I haven't finished it yet. So I could pretty much just repost the winter list - but, with my TBR pile numbering in the hundreds, I think I can manage a whole new list. This time, I'm going to try really hard to get through them all before summer. So, in no particular order, I want to read:


1. Speechless by Hannah Harrington. I've wanted to read Saving June for awhile, and Harrington's second novel has been getting lots of great reviews, so I'm very keen to read it soon.

2. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff. I feel like everyone I follow has read and loved this book. All the raving has moved it straight to the top of my TBR pile.

3. Night Beach by Kirsty Eager. I've been wanting to read a Kirsty Eager book for ages, because, well, they all sound good, plus she's Australian (local love!), and, of course, a lot of my Goodreads and blogging friends give her books great reviews. It just so happens I got my hands on Night Beach recently, so I'll be reading this one first.

4. Every Day by David Levithan. David Levithan is another author I've been meaning to read for awhile - I loved Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, which he wrote with Rachel Cohn, so it will be good to check out one of his solo works. This one has such an interesting concept - every day "A" wakes up in a different body, with a different life.

5. We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. A few people have recommended this book to me, and after recently watching the movie, I'm extra curious to read it.

6. Carrie by Stephen King. Seeing updates about the upcoming adaptation with Chloe Grace Moretz reminded me that I've been wanting to read Carrie for awhile.

7. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass. This book has received mixed reviews in my circle of friends, but I like the sound of the twist on the classic Cinderella tale - especially the kick-ass heroine.

8. Beautiful Music For Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills. I haven't come across a book with a trans* protagonist before so I'm super interested to check this out. It sounds great.

9. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde. My lovely mum bought me a Kindle last week, and I've been on a mad downloading bender ever since. There are so many awesome free ebooks available! This is one of them that I'm particularly excited to read.

10. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. I've been meaning to read this one ever since I saw the trailer for the movie last year. I still haven't gotten around to it - which means I haven't seen the movie yet, either (I wanted to read the book first). I want to do both soon!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

What's at the top of your spring (or autumn) TBR pile?

Top Ten Tuesday

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is "Top Ten Posts On Your Blog That Would Give The BEST Picture of YOU (as a reader and a person -- so pick the 10 best reviews/posts that you wish every potential reader of your blog would see!)". This is a really hard one! Oh, the pressure. But I'm going to try to find the top posts that really represent me as a person and a reader. Please note: if this picture isn't pretty then, um, please disregard. Now excuse me while I dig into my archives...

1. Review of Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright and David Leslie Johnson. This is my first ever post. I hated the book so much I finally got off my butt and created the blog I'd been thinking about for ages - just so I could get my rant on. I promise I'm not as feral as that suggests.

2. My five favourite books of all time. Obviously, this says a lot about me as a reader!

3. Bookish Buys. This is a regular feature on my blog, combining two of my favourite things - books and stationery (and other assorted merchandise). The post linked here is my first in the series.

4. My favourite mini-series adaptations. I'm obsessed with book adaptations and feature them pretty heavily on the blog, so this is a good indication of my interests. PS. My favourite movie adaptations are listed here.

5. Five series that defined my childhood. These are the books that shaped me as a reader (and probably as a person).

6. A tribute to Charles Dickens. He's my favourite author. 'Nuff said.

7. Book Vs Movie: The Neverending Story. Remember how I mentioned I'm obsessed with adaptations? I have a tendency to over-analyse them. This is just one example.

8. Review of On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. One of my favourite books from one of my favourite authors. This review is pretty much just me fangirling, but y'know, that's me.

9. A love story. I wrote this for my wedding in May. You could see it as either really sweet or totally vomitous.

10. Review of If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't) by Betty White. This is not so much a review as it is a recount of the time I waited in line for over two hours to spend approximately 20 seconds with one of my idols, Betty White. Fangirling ensued.

Top Ten: Books With Vivid Settings

1.The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. This one's a bit of a no brainer, right? Who DOESN'T want to go to Hogwarts? Post-Voldemort, natch. I want to drink Butterbeer with Hagrid and discuss hair potions with Hermione.

2. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Sigh. This book is so, so beautiful - and the setting is a big part of that. Just look at these opening lines: "The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone... she was no longer the careless color of sea foam, but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night.” Vivid, no?

3. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. From the Ivory Tower to the Desert of Colours, and the from the City of Old Emperors to the Waters of Life, Fantastica contains about a gazillion different settings for the price of one. The various lands are one of the highlights of the book.

4. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. Though I can't follow directions very well (second star to the right and straight on till morning!), I just have to open the pages of Peter Pan to visit the mysterious, dark and wonderful world of Neverland any time I want.

5. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Like The Neverending Story, and to a lesser extent Peter Pan, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is filled with many enchanting - and occasionally terrifying - lands. While everyone is familiar with the Yellow Brick Road and Emerald City, my favourite is the China Village.

6. The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Oh, how I'd love to visit Florin. Mainly to track down Westley and convince him that his True Love is really me, not that ninny Buttercup. I'd also eat peanuts with Fezzik and quote Inigo Montoya to himself.

7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The evocative descriptions of the magical black and white Night Circus was my favourite thing about this book. Can someone make it happen in real life, please? Only, minus the battle to the death and all that.

8. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. This is one vivid setting that I most definitely don't want to visit. The totalitarian world of Oceana is the stuff nightmares are made of. It's drab, grey, depressing and horrific.

9. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. The Republic of Gilead is another place I wouldn't want to visit in a hurry. The oppressive atmosphere is terrifyingly tangible through the the eyes of strong-minded Offred.

10. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. This is the only book on my list with a real world setting. But it's Paris. That's magic enough in itself. If I didn't already want to travel there, this book would definitely put it on my wish list. Somebody get me a croissant.

What are your fave book settings?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten: Books I Push

I'm a [book] pusher.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Hey, you there! Have you read this book? No? Go read it. Now. Seriously, it should be compulsory for everyone in the world to read this book. The language, characters, structure, plot... everything is just magnificent. I've literally pushed it into the hands of everyone I know.

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. This book took me by complete surprise and made me so incredibly happy, so I like to try and pass on that experience to as many people as possible. So far I've succeeded - everyone I know who has read it has loved it. Don't let the naff cover and title fool you!

3. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. I adore this hate-turned-love classic almost as much as Pride and Prejudice, and jump at the chance to tell fans of the latter who haven't read North and South to do just that. Oh, Mr Thornton...
 
4. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. Like Anna and the French Kiss, Beauty Queens took me by surprise. It's not just really funny, it's also incredibly clever and has some awesome kick-ass characters. Great for fans of satire.

5. Anything by Melina Marchetta. She's one of my favourite authors. Most Aussies who went to high school in the mid '90s and after would be familiar with Melina Marchetta from Looking for Alibrandi (it's not only iconic, it's required reading in a lot of English classes), but the rest of her books are just as awesome - if not more so. As I tell the world at every chance I get.

6. The Princess Bride by William Goldman. It's one of my all-time favourite books, and is the basis for my all-time favourite movie. It's a classic and has pretty much everything going for it. A must-read.

7. Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver. I only read this recently, but it's definitely one of my favourite books of the year. It's a simple, bittersweet exploration of grief, filled with elegant language, touching emotions and a great cast of characters. It's a magical book - and who doesn't need one of those in their lives from time to time?!

8. I Came to Say Goodbye by Caroline Overington. This book stayed with me for a long time after finishing it. In fact, I still find myself thinking about the main character, Med, from time to time. He is so realistic and heartbreaking - as are all the characters, really. A beautifully written Australian story.

9. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. I adored this book and if it wasn't for the cliffhanger at the end I would recommend it unreservedly. As it is, I think EVERYONE should read it - when the sequel comes out. Unless, unlike me, you're patient and don't mind cliffhangers - in which case, go ahead and read it now!
 
10. The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan. I didn't think I liked verse novels - until I read Sarah Crossan's The Weight of Water. It's so beautiful and powerful, and convinced me that verse novels can be brilliant. So I highly recommend it for anyone who is a bit iffy on the genre!


What books do you push on to others the most?


Image source

Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR List

Photo by Michelle Tribe

Since it's not exactly summer in the Southern Hemisphere, I had to amend this week's Top Ten Tuesday topic, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. But it's a timely topic anyway, as I just signed up for the Quarterly Reading Challenge with the YA Book Club on Goodreads (coz, y'know, I'm not doing enough challenges), which has put a few specific books at the top of my TBR pile. Before the end of August, I hope to read...

1. Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys. I've been wanting to read this for awhile, and as it satisfies the Cybil Awards and "war zone" criteria for the Quarterly Challenge, I figure now's a good time to finally get around to it!

2. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. This has rave reviews on Goodreads and I'm intrigued by the plot. I don't think I've ever read a dragon book before! Plus it comes out in July, so it meets the "new release" criteria for the Quarterly Challenge as well as helping me tick off a book for the YA Contemporary Challenge.

3. The Jellybean Crisis by Jolene Stockman. The title and cover are totally adorable and the plot sounds interesting. Plus Jolene herself is super lovely. It comes out at the beginning of August, so like Seraphina it fits in with the two challenges mentioned.

4. Touch by Jus Accardo. This one has been on my wishlist for awhile but I finally ordered it last week. Handily, it has a boy on the cover (unusual for YA), meeting another requirement for the Quarterly Challenge.

5. Saving June by Hannah Harrington. I haven't come across one single blogger who doesn't like this book. It's been in my TBR pile for aaaages so I want to get to it soon.

6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Another one everyone LOVES - I actually pre-orderd TFIOS, but have been too scared of the sad to read it yet. I think I just need to suck it up and dive in.

7. Flawless by Sara Shepard. Even though I hated Pretty Little Liars, I've been told the series gets better, so I want to give the sequel a go - and actually make progress in my own challenge.

8. Preloved by Shirley Marr. The cover is gorgeous, the concept is brilliant, and Shirley herself is awesomesauce. Plus, I have a cameo appearance! Can't wait to get stuck in to this one.

9. Cinnamon Rain by Emma Cameron. Ever since reading The Weight of Water, I've been meaning to get my hands on some more verse novels. This Aussie release seems like the perfect choice for my second foray into the genre. It also fits in with the Aussie Women Writers and Aussie Author Challenges.

10. Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst. Although I have major vampire fatigue, this one sounds like a unique take on the genre, and it's gotten great reviews from bloggers I trust. I've had it in my TBR pile for awhile so I want to knock it off.

What's at the top of your TBR list?

Top Ten Tuesday: Easy, Fun Beach Reads

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1. Bridget Jones's Diary be Helen Fielding. This is one of the few books that have ever made me literally Laugh. Out. Loud. It's light, fluffy, easy fun, with bonus Darcy. 

2. Anything by V.C. Andrews. It's the literary equivalent of a deep-fried Mars Bar: as junky as you can get but deliciously bad. 

3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. After going on a massive post-Twilight vampire book binge, I have well and truly overdosed on the genre and now avoid it more than Edward Cullen avoids sex sunlight. However, Vampire Academy remains one of my favourite YA series and one that I still recommend and occasionally reread. 

4. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. It's Toddler's and Tiaras meets Survivor with an extra helping of awesomeness. It's easy, entertaining and intellingent to boot. 

5. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. This Romeo and Juliet-esque tale (with a happier ending, natch) is completely cheesy but completely fun. 

6. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. This adorable summer road trip story is so perfect for the beach, I actually took along Matson's follow-up, Second Chance Summer in the hopes that it would be the same (the title also hinted to good beach reading. Alas, it wasn't exactly - but that's a story for another post). 

7. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. This book is one of my all-time favourites. The romance and humour make it perfect for warm days lazing about on the sand - with the downside that it will totally make you wish you were in Paris instead! 

8. Cargo by Jessica Au. While it's not as light as the others on this list, I had to include Cargo because it always makes me think of the ocean. And not just because of the cover - Au evokes life by the seaside so effectively, it's like you can almost smell and taste the ocean air while reading. Taking it to the beach would create the perfect real-life atmosphere. 

9. Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares. Four girls share magical pants to stay connected during a summer apart. This was my gateway book for YA as an adult, and I'll always have a soft spot for it. 

10. The Princess Bride by William Goldman. It's got everything: "Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles." Whether you're sick in bed or sunning yourself on the sand, Goldman's satiric fairy tale is perfect for any situation.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top 5 (+2): Reasons I Read

Following on from yesterday's post, I thought I'd take a cue from the awesome commenters (thanks if you've commented!) and focus on why stories are actually wonderful, and what reading in particular brings to my life.

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-It expands your horizons. Stories are one of the most effective ways to understand what other people's lives are like. Through reading (or watching) stories, I can envision what it's like to have lived in the American Jazz Age, or go on exchange to France, or be a middle-aged man just trying to do his best, or even what it takes to survive in a world that's fallen apart. This doesn't mean I'm dissatisfied with my own life, but that I'm interested in the world beyond me - which can only be a good thing. Stories help us to to empathise with and care about our fellow humans, making the world a better place. On a more personal level, stories help to shape my ideas of what I do and don't want in my own life. For example: I DO want to travel to Paris and I DON'T want to ever live in a world where the murder of children is a form of entertainment. I DO want to be someone who can save myself, and I DON'T way to be a totally selfish biatch. In this way, stories help you to figure out who you are, what you want and how you can go about getting it. They aren't a distraction from real life - they are about real life.

-It validates your experience. Stories do make you reflect upon your own life and your place in the world - but often, it's not about discovering what's missing or wrong with it, but about what's right. For instance, I read love stories not because my own love life is lacking, but because they are reminders of the importance and power of love, and often reaffirm what's wonderful about my own relationship. I read crime novels because, generally, the bad guys get caught and punished, which reinforces what I feel should happen (even if it doesn't always in real life). I read dystopian novels not because that's the way I want the world to be, but because they are horrific reminder of what humanity should avoid. I read fantasy not because I think the world should be full of unicorns and wizards (although that would be kinda awesome), but because it highlights the true magic in all of us - the power of imagination, of creativity, and of love. All stories, ultimately, are about human experience.

-It connects you with others. This is kinda the same as the point I've already made about how stories validate your experience - but it's also more than that. Because in reaffirming your feelings or beliefs, stories remind you that you're not alone. There are others out there who think or feel exactly as you do. When you can relate to a character, event or even a snatch of dialogue in a book, it's a remarkable revelation. It connects you not only to the fictional characters or universe, but to the very real author who created them. Your heart is touched by somebody you've never even met - somebody who may not even be alive anymore. What could be more magical than that?

-It gives you a way to connect with others. I know, I know, didn't I just cover that? But I wanted to create a separate point for the way stories help you form connections in the real world. Because if we didn't have stories to talk about, what the hell would we do? When you think about it, every conversation contains some kind of story. It's just the way we communicate. In terms of books, TV and movies, frankly, talking about them is often half the fun of consuming them in the first place. It's why we go to movies with the people we love, and watch TV with the Twitterverse. It's why we (or I, at least) blog about books. Because even when you disagree, discussing a particular story with someone can tell you so much about who they are. It helps you to know them, as well as yourself. Plus, there are few things more wonderful than coming across someone who has the same favourite book/TV show/movie as you and feeling a spark of recognition. It's how we find kindred spirits.

-It makes you think. Whether you're ploughing through a literary classic or indulging in the latest YA romance, reading requires brain power. You have to process the language, imagine the action and sometimes even think about the concepts presented to you. Like all the muscles in the body, the brain benefits from exercise - and reading does just that. The same doesn't apply to books and TV quite so much, but the right stories, of course, always give you something to think about.

-It helps you relax. When you're absorbing a story, whether it be via a big screen, small screen or book, chances are you'll be relaxed. Your body is still and your mind is focused. You're in a comfortable position and your breathing slows. Is it any wonder so many people seem to fall asleep within five pages of picking up a book? It's a nice way to unwind.

-It's fun. 'Nuff said.

Top Five: Underrated Classics

Everyone has heard of (and many have read) the likes of Dickens, Austen and the Brontes. But there are a lot more amazing classics out there that just don't get the same level of attention. So I've decided to give them a little more. Obviously, this list is limited to my personal reading experience, so if I've missed any (and I'm sure there are many), feel free to rant about it in the comments. 

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1. Anything by Elizabeth Gaskell
If Dickens and Austen’s books had a baby, this would be it. Meshing romance and strong female characters with social commentary and serious issues (even death!), Gaskell’s stories are often heart-wrenching, frequently hilarious and always awesome. Definitely worth a read – and a viewing, if you haven’t already seen the amazing BBC adaptations of North and South, Wives and Daughters and Cranford. 

2. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
OK, I know The Moonstone is his most beloved work, and here I am writing a list of underrated classics without having read that one. Awkward. But I HAVE read The Woman in White, so I’m going to rave about that instead. I originally picked it up after reading the blurb on the back about Dickens mentoring Collins – and I was completely blown away by the contents. It’s a beautifully constructed mystery that was hard to put down (not always the case with the classics!). 

3. Evelina by Frances Burney
Written and published at a time when it was unthinkable for a young woman to read much, let alone write, Burney’s epistolary novel is a charming, funny and touching account of life in 18^th century aristocracy. Evelina gets herself into so many awkward situations, she's easy to relate to - even 200+ years on! Plus, her love interest, Lord Orville, is totes book boyfriend material.
 
4. The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy
There's been a bunch of adaptations of The Forsyte Saga, so I'm always surprised at the number of people I speak to who haven't read it or even heard of it. Spanning three novels, and multiple decades and generations, Galsworthy's masterpiece both satirises and humanises the British middle-class with the money-obsessed, eccentric Forsytes. There are so many amazing characters to love - and love-to-hate.
 
5. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Thanks to the musical, everybody has heard of The Phantom of the Opera. Plenty have seen it. But not too many seem to have read it. Which is a shame, coz it's an awesome book! And way creepier and more heartbreaking than anything the musical has to offer (and I LOVE the musical).


Which classics do you think get neglected?

Top 5: Gateway Books (Plus Follow Friday)

This week for TGIF, Ginger asks "Gateway books: Which particular books opened you up to a new genre?" Here are my top five...

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. My gran gave me a copy of this book when I was little, because I was so obsessed with the musical Oliver! Obviously it went way over my head, but it was the first classic I remember attempting to read. Later, my grandad bought me a whole heap of abridged classics that gave me an even greater taste, and as I got older I returned to them and Oliver Twist and quickly fell in love. By the time I was 17, I was a fully-fledged classic lover, going on to study English Literature at uni.
 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I've read dystopian novels before - such as George Orwell's 1984, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and P. D. James' Children of Men - and while I did appreciate them, I still wasn't a massive fan of the genre as a whole. Which is why I was resistant to The Hunger Games for a very long time, until finally the hype became too much and I caved. Thank goodness I did, because I freaking loved the series - so much that I decided to give dystopian books more of a chance. 

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares. When I was at uni, I had a friend who was really into YA. Not gonna lie, I judged her on it. I thought she was too old to be reading silly teen trash, and saw it as, well, really dorky (clearly I was going through a pretentious stage or something). Then, for my birthday, she gave me Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, one of her favourites. I'd seen the movie and enjoyed it (for some reason, I didn't turn my nose up at trashy teen movies as much as books), so one summer day I decided to give the book a go. I LOVED it, and devoured the whole series within a week. Needless to say, it caused me to do a complete 180 in my views of YA , not to mention made me feel pretty damn guilty - and silly - for being so judgey.

Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding. This was the first adult chick lit I read, and what a book to start the genre with! It made me laugh out loud more than any other book I could remember reading, and it still makes me giggle every time I read it. It's such a fun read, and Bridget's inner monologue is so easy to identify with. The experience of reading BJD has made me pick up many a chick lit book, with mixed results.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Ah, Twilight. I have a feeling I'll see this on many lists in answer to this question. It seems that Twilight introduced a lot of people to a lot of things, whether it be reading in general or a particular genre. For me, it was the first paranormal romance I really read. I picked it up not long after I started working at Girlfriend, curious to see what was sending so many teen girls (and, for that matter, adult women) ker-razy. Like so many others, I got completely sucked in, and went on a binge of vampire/paranormal romances for the next few months. Too much of a good thing meant I went off the genre completely for a while after that, but now I like to mix the odd PNR with contemporary, literary and other types of fiction.

P.S. This weeks Follow Friday question from Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's View is: "We want to see what you look like! Take a pic with you and your current read! Too shy? Boo! Just post a fun pic you want to share." Because it's 11.15pm here and I'm not exactly ready for my close-up, here are some pics of me with my favourite author, Charles Dickens, instead. Or the closest I'll ever come to him, anyway.

At Madame Tussauds

At Dickens' house in London

Happy Friday everyone!

Top 5: Books I Feel I Should Read

Some books are so hyped-up, even if I have zero interest in the plot, I feel like I should give them a go to see what everyone else is on about. This sometimes works in my favour and the book lives up to the hype (as in the cases of Anna and The French Kiss, If I Stay and The Hunger Games), while other times I still don't get the fuss (like with City of Bones, The Secret History and The Da Vinci Code). Here are five books that are currently on my TBR list purely because of the hype...

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. I feel like everyone in the world has read this book except for me. Even my fiance, who isn't a big reader, has read this series. It's currently sitting on my bookshelf, demanding I read it before seeing the movie. I haven't picked it up yet because, well, it's so massive, and I've also heard it's hard to get into at first. I worry that I'll be too impatient to persist - though if my fiance, owner of the shortest attention span in the house, can do it, surely I can. I'll get there... eventually.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. OK, so this one isn't on my list just because of the hype. It's also on there because Perkins' first book, Anna and the French Kiss, was one of my favourite reads of the year (if not ever). So I have extremely high hopes of Lola. There's been a helluva lot of hype around it, but from what I hear, it lives up to it.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. This is another book sitting on my shelf because my fiance has read it and I'm avoiding it because of its size. Once again, if he, as someone who reads about four books a year, can get through it (and even enjoy it), then I feel like I should be able to. I just need to work up the courage/strength to pick up the brick.

Fallen by Lauren Kate. As I've mentioned before, from the small amount of experience I've had with them, I'm not a fan of angel books. But so many people seem to love this one I feel like I should give it a try. I've even got the whole series on my shelf, so there's no reason for me not to read it. Except that I'm not convinced I'll like it.

One Day by David Nicholls. I had three people in the space of one week tell me I MUST read this. So I ordered it, planning to read it before I watched the movie. Then a friend invited me to a preview screening of the flick at the last minute, and I didn't get a chance to read it first. And the movie depressed the hell out of me. Now I'm too scared to pick up the book. I still feel like I should. I will. One day (badum tish).

Do you buy into hype? What books have you read (or want to read) because of the hype?

TGIF: 5 Book Blogs That Make Me Smile

It's Friiiiiday!

Which means it's TGIF at GReads, time to recap the week and answer a question posed by Ginger. This week, she asks: "Book Blogs That Make You Smile: Pick 5 book blogs you visit often & think others should, too." Like most book bloggers, I spend a lot of time reading other book blogs and there are a lot that I really enjoy. But here are five of my faves:


1. ...In The Attic. Megan's recaps of the trashtasticness that is VC Andrews are completely hilarious. Right now she's making her way through the Landry series, one of my faves, and her commentary is spot on. It always makes me Laugh. Out. Loud.

2. The Unread Reader. Missie is one of the nicest bloggers I (virtually) know, she has a great sense of humour that shines through in her reviews and some brilliant features/memes, including (my favourite) My Book Boyfriend. Her blog is such a fun place to visit.

3. Holes In My Brain. Audrey has a really unique, quirky writing style that I love. Her posts never fail to make me smile and I especially appreciate the way she breaks her reviews down and ranks books on things like how they match up to her expectations and their level of put-down-ability. 

4. Abbey's Bookshelf. Abbey's interest in photography means her posts are always accompanied by beautiful photos, many of which are her own. Her blog is soooo pretty! 

5. Wear The Old Coat. Jo's reviews are incredibly funny, and the way she splits her thoughts into "initial thoughts", "high points", "low points" and so on makes them really easy to read, not to mention extremely entertaining. But one of my favourite things is the way she includes theme tunes for each of the books she reads.


This Week On Belle's Bookshelf
Review: Where Demons Fear To Tread by Stephanie Chong 
Mag Monday: Swooning over Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer
Pash, Pick or Pass: The Gatsby Edition
Review: Fear, edited by RL Stine
My Book Boyfriend: Alex Fuentes
Bookish Buys: Jewellery for book nerds

Top 5: Books I Want To See On The Big Screen (TGIF!)

This is my first time participating in TGIF, a recap/networking meme hosted by Ginger at GReads. I've seen it bouncing around the blogosphere and thought I'd finally join in this week - especially coz it's such a fun question. Ginger asks: Which books would you love to see made into a TV series or movie? As regular readers of my blog would know, I love me an adaptation, so I couldn't not participate with this question. Here is my top five books, in no particular order, that I want to see adapted for the big (or small) screen (because I love me a list, too):

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I'd love to see this as either a movie or a TV show. The sexual tension between Anna and St. Clair and the development of their relationship would make for a steamy and super-cute teen flick, but there's also some awesome secondary characters that could be fleshed out for an ensemble TV show. The location enough would be enough to make me swoon (though St. Clair ain't bad either).

2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. OK, so the vampire thing has kinda been sucked dry and I'm not gonna lie, I'm getting a bit over the trend myself. But that being said, the Vampire Academy series is a truly great set of teen books, with some awesome characters and plenty of action (of the violent and, er, less violent kind). There's a lot going on which I think would make it perfect for a TV drama series.

3. A Modern Comedy by John Galsworthy. This is the sequel to The Forsyte Saga, which has already been turned into an awesome mini-series in the not-too-distant past. I was so disappointed when they didn't continue the story - I'm still hoping they will one day!

4. Evelina by Frances Burney. This is another classic that I would love to see turned into a mini-series. Evelina's somewhat awkward entrance into society and her relationships with the rakish Sir Clement and the dashing Lord Orville, not to mention her crazy relatives, would make for fun viewing. Plus, it hasn't been done to death like, well, anything by Jane Austen (not that I'm complaining).

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This is one of those books that I'd be really, really excited and at the same time really, really terrified if they decided to make a movie based on it. It's such a wonderful book and I think it could make an amazing film - but only if it's done right. There's a lot of potential to screw it up and I love it so much that I couldn't bear to see it hurt by Hollywood. So, to sum up, I'd like to see this as a movie - but I also really don't want to.

This week on Belle's Bookshelf...
Mag Monday - Lily, Ita and Donald
Pash, Pick or Pass - The Mortal Instruments Edition
My Book Boyfriend - Lord Orville
Young Adult, The Movie
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare Book Review
Bookish Buys - Cute Bookends
Book/Movie Comparison - The Last Unicorn