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:

Popular Books that Lived Up to the Hype

or, in my case:

Ten Highly anticipated books that lived up to my expectations

Okay, I’m not overly fond of the word ‘hype’ for me it seems to hold negative connotations so that’s why I’m thinking more along the lines of ‘highly anticipated’ books that I’m very happy to say more than lived up to my expectations:

1. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik – I was really looking forward to this one, fairytale retelling – Rumplestiltskin, plus I loved Uprooted – this didn’t disappoint.
2. Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough – you may have seen the #wtf that ending – highly effective I thought.  A twisty turny novel.  Ms Pinborough, you twist and turn like a twisty turny thing.
3. Red Sister by Mark Lawrence.  Having read Mr Lawrence’s other trilogies I think I can safely say this was one of my most anticipated reads of all time – it didn’t disappoint.  Kick ass, assassin nuns – who knew they’d be so damned good to read about?  Get thee to a nunnery indeed – is that what Shakespeare had in mind do you think?
4. The Girl in the Tower – by Katharine Arden.  I loved The Bear and the Nightingale – absolutely loved it – so this had some big boots to fill.  To be honest, I think this burst the boots open at the seams and the feet then went and grew an extra couple of sizes.  This was fantastic.  The whole book is fantastic for more reasons than I’m going to mention here but there’s one particular scene where my heart was in my mouth – I kid you not, I was reading with my eyes trying to squeeze shut at the same time.
5. Testament of Loki by Joanne Harris.  Joanne Harris has to be one of my favourite authors.  I just love her work so was really excited when Gospel of Loki was released – and what a treat that was. Testament of Loki, well, all I can say is, it was even better.  Don’t take my word for it though – go and pick up a copy.  I don’t want to give away spoilers here but Loki, and more to the point his host for the majority of this novel, are outstanding, fun, cheeky, creative.
6. The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman – another ‘must read’ author for me.  I love her work and the Rules of Magic is an absolutely outstanding, gut wrenching and emotionally beautiful read and a first class sequel to Practical Magic.
7. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black – it feels like a long time since I read Holly Black’s dark fae series, Tithe, Valiant, Ironside – I loved them, they were so different than anything I’d read before, I was simply in awe.  When I saw The Cruel Prince I knew I had to have it but, as you do when you’ve loved a particular series by an author, you always worry if this might be the one that doesn’t win you over.  No worries.  I’m sold.  Take my money.  The end goodbye.
8. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.  This was my first book by this author and you’re probably all crying out ‘for shame’ but sometimes you get behind with a series that really takes off and then it feels like such a challenge to catch up.  Ms Bardugo seems to have a very loyal fanbase following her Grisha books and so I was keen to give this a try – a new series but based in the same world.  I loved this book.  I do need to catch up with the next book but I do have a copy sat patiently waiting.  What the hell am I waiting for, really.
9. Hunger by Alma Katsu – this is the author of the Immortal Trilogy – same as No.7 – I loved that series and so, I worry (I don’t know why I worry – it’s an odd thing, imagine what the author must be going through at such a time if I’m so keyed up?)  Anyway, I loved this.  It’s very dark, menacing, a scary tale and lots of death.  And scary – did I mention scary already.
10. I’ve told you mine – now tell me yours…

Strangely, and quite by accident, I seem to have a list, almost, made up entirely of female authors – woohoo.

Now feast your eyes on my beauties: