Please sir, I want more..

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic is:
Standalone Books That Need a Sequel??
Maybe. I don’t know. I quite like standalone books tbh. In a world of trilogies the odd standalone is quite a refreshing break, but, here are nine books that I could definitely stand to read more from – the tenth is for your suggestions please?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – I’m sure that somewhere in the universe somebody will have written a second book in series – but, I mean I want to read what happened next in the wonderful words of Austen . Not gonna happen but it’s a nice dream.
The Martian by Andy Weir. This was so good – I’m not sure a follow up would work although I would definitely give it a try, the main protagonist is a smart and amusing guy.
The Princess Bride by Williams Goldman. Could a sequel work. I’m not sure, I love this story and it’s right up there on the pedestal. But, I would read more. I would.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield – I love this author and would probably read her shopping list – or some kind of follow up to the Thirteenth Tale.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Please, yes, I would read another book from Neverwhere and this is definitely a sequel that could work. Seriously. It would be great.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – yeah, it’s not going to happen but I would have loved more.
Sunshine by Robin McKinley – this is a book that I want more from – I think in a way it felt incomplete – well, okay, it wasn’t incomplete but I just want to know what happens next.
The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson. I loved this book. I loved this world. I just want more. Is it too much to ask?
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell – I’m sure there are books out there, written by others, that imagine possible futures. But, I so wish that MM had written a follow up.
Wish you were them?

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic is:
Characters I’d Like To Switch Places With
Bilbo – because I’m nosey and want to explore his hobbit hole and if I was Bilbo for the day I could go exploring. Not quite the adventure that Bilbo eventually ends up on – something nice and safe with lots of hunting through pantries and of course not forgetting second breakfast and elevenses and lunch and afternoon tea and dinner and supper! Ooh, I feel bloated just thinking about it.
Hermione – let me count the ways. She’s a witch, a remarkably talented witch at that, very well read – I mean, come on! She has some cracking good friends and to top it all off she goes to Hogwarts. Boom.
Eliza Bennett – she has a pretty easy life really. Waltzing about the countryside, without a care in the world, figuring out which frock goes with which bonnet, reading, chatting, dancing, flirting. And let’s not forget Darcy – who, owns Pemberley and Eliza will become the mistress of the place once they marry. Fine living and dining.com.
Lady Trent from A Natural History of Dragons. Because she’s a rebel in a conventional world, she stirs things up, refuses to fit into conventions that she has no say in the drawing up of and let’s not forget – DRAGONS!
Alix from Owl and the Japanese Circus (Adventures of Owl, #1) by Kristi Charish – she’s an ex archaeology student who was used as a scapegoat and turned instead to stealing artefacts – okay, that’s a bit naughty BUT – she travels all over the world to the most exotic and fascinating destinations looking for artefacts – a female Indiana Jones. Why not says I.
Toby Daye from Seanan Mcguire’s Toby Daye series. Okay, I’m not too enamoured by the whole thing of tasting blood – but – TYBALT. I will not elaborate further. That is all
I’m absolutely loving the Spellslinger series by Sebastien de Castell and part of that is because of one of the characters called Ferius Parfax. She’s such a cool character – I love her and I’m going to totally fangirl and say I’d swap places to be her in a New York minute – plus, I love this Argosi – walking the path way of life – it just sounds very chilled and kind of reminds me of Caine from the old Kung Fu series where he walks around from place to place generally helping people out. I can do that, I can walk on rice paper and be a grasshopper, not a problem.
Buffy – because Spike – I’m sensing a theme?
Fern – the young girl from Charlotte’s Web. She lives on a lovely farm that looks positively charming and she gets to keep a baby pig – what is not to love about that.
So, who would you change places with ??
Wish you were there?
26 February 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: That Artsy Reader Girl, Top 10 Locations from books, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic is:
Places Mentioned In Books That I’d Like to Visit
I’ve mainly plumped for places that are real – although I have mixed in a bit of fantasy too.
The Shire – it looks such a lovely place – to be honest I just want to go and explore Bilbo’s Hobbit hole because I’m nosey like that. I guess I could use this as a great excuse to visit New Zealand.
London – I have visited a number of times but unbelievably never visited Harry Potter world – so I think another visit is needed.
Scotland – I actually have a visit planned to Scotland and I can’t wait – I’m thinking Highlander, Outlander and the Rebel Angel series by Gillian Philip as inspiration – if any is needed.
Not really a place – although it does visit various places en-route – The Orient Express. I would love to take a trip on this famous train. I have Agatha Christie in mind as the inspiration of course although I’m not eager to have a murder on board – this one really is one of those pipe dreams – but that’s what dreams are for eh?
I would love to visit New York – I’m sure that there are many great books that use it as a setting but I loved The Immortals by Jordanna Max Brodsky and the way she wove some of the places into her story.
Barcelona – I loved Shadow of the Wind and this is a city that I’ve always wanted to see. One day – hopefully soon.
Transylvania – just because. I know you can figure this one out.
I wonder if I visit Kansas whether I’ll be able to catch a trip to OZ….. maybe something a little bit safer than a twister.
And finally, what are the odds of scouring the countryside in search of a certain house and a certain wardrobe??
The last spot is left open for your favourite location straight out of a book?
Hear ye, hear ye
19 February 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: That Artsy Reader Girl, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic is:
Books I LOVED with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads
So, I’ve gone for the most recent reads from my shelves and the books below are all 4.5 or 5 star reads (my reviews are all linked and GR ratings in brackets). I loved them all and I’m always happy to shout from the rooftops about books I loved. If you need some recommendations here they be. Let’s topple some TBRs:
The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky (247)

Creatures: The Legacy of Frankenstein by David Thomas Moore (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Emma Newman (Goodreads Author), Tade Thompson (Goodreads Author), Paul Meloy, Kaaron Warren (Goodreads Author), Rose Biggin – (35)

Paternus: Wrath of Gods (Paternus Trilogy #2) by Dyrk Ashton – (378)

You Die When You Die (West of West #1) – (430)

The Last Sun (The Tarot Sequence #1) by K.D. Edwards – (793)

Age of Assassins (The Wounded Kingdom #1) by R.J. Barker (1758)

A Time of Dread (Of Blood and Bone #1) by John Gwynne (1323)

The Nine (Thieves of Fate #1) by Tracy Townsend (227)

A Pocketful of Crows by Joanne M. Harris, (1182)

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors (The Risen Kingdoms #1) by Curtis Craddock (813)

“Love looks not with the eye, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”
12 February 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: That Artsy Reader Girl, the broke and bookish, Top ten couples, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic is:
Favorite Couples In Books
I don’t tend to read a lot of books with romance so I could have struggled with this week’s topic. As it is, I didn’t struggle at all and I’ve tried to come up with a mix of fairly well known couples and some new and lesser known ones. I’ve come up with nine couples so please tell me your favourites:
Phedre and Joscelin – Jacqueline Carey’s couple who meet up in Kushiel’s Dart. A list like this couldn’t possibly be complete without these two. They are fantastic to read about.
Claire and Jamie – Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series – I haven’t read all of these books but they were very enjoyable and this is a couple that make great reading. Again, I don’t think this list would be complete without them.
Alastair and Aliza from Elle Katharine White’s Heartstone series – this is a Pride and Prejudice inspired series that takes a classic and injects it with fantasy elements – in particular dragons. I love this couple and the recently released second book built really well on the strong foundations of the first. Alastair and Aliza are working on their relationship and finding their own boundaries. I couldn’t resist this series and it’s making great reading so far.
Cassandra and Wrexham. This is a couple from another regency/Austen style series that got off to a great start with Snowspelled and has grown even stronger in the latest in series, Thornbound. This really is a delightful series and I highly recommend it. Plus check out these gorgeous covers.
Dru and Greyson – a couple that get together in Laurence MacNaughton’s Dru Jasper series – this is an excellent and fun urban fantasy series with magic and muscle cars – there’s a great collection of characters and constant threats from demons and others and the series has a crazy and hectic feel as the above named and their crazy friends save the world yet again.
Toby and Tybalt – Seanan McGuire’s Toby Daye series – I love this series and Toby and Tybalt practically sizzle. I need to catch up – soon. If you’re not reading this – it’s an urban fantasy series with the fae and all their courtly machinations. It’s a fantastic series that I’m really enjoying and strongly recommend.
Princess Adele and Greyfriar. People – what can I tell you? Vampires! And steampunk. This is a dark urban fantasy and an alternate history where huge swathes of the world have been taken over by vampires. I loved this series and the relationship between Adele and Greyfriar.
Mercy and Adam. Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series is another urban fantasy that is packed with fantastic elements and adventure. Mercy and Adam share a sizzling chemistry and have a great relationship.
The Princess Bride – finally, true love! William Goldman’s fun fantasy romance. I love this book and in fact love the film too. Buttercup and Westley. Just read this book please.





