We got everything here from a diddle eyed Joe to a damned if I know..
6 September 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday, Top Ten TV series

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is :
a tv-themed topic – top 10 tv shows
I don’t tend to watch a lot of tv – not because I’m against it at all just simply things conspire against me and I’m also a bit unorganised so I’ll forget to watch the next in series. But, over the years I’ve watched a few excellent series – either through box sets or Netflix and some of my favourites are as follows:
- Stranger Things – I only just recently watched this but absolutely loved it – to find out why check this out. Supernatural, horror, sci fi 80s love fest!
- The Sopranos. We didn’t watch this series when it aired, I don’t know why, but then we decided to buy series 1 and give it a shot – all I can say is that we bought the whole set and watched all of it in less than 6 weeks – we were like maniacs and just kept staying up late to watch just one more!
- Band of Brothers – this is an absolutely awesome series that tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army – I confess straight up that I didn’t really fancy this but seriously, it’s so well produced and it’s swarming with actors that you’ll recognise. On top of that the actual story is completely compelling. I would watch this again no problem I enjoyed it so much.
- Big Bang Theory – I can’t help it, this one just makes me laugh. It’s a series that I can switch on at any point and just pick right up. A proper safety blanket, laugh out loud show.
- The Outlander – I have one more of these still left to watch – but I really enjoyed this and thought it was fairly good at sticking to the book (the ones I’ve watched so far anyway).
- The Vikings – do I even need to say why. Vikings. That is all. Plus.
- Breaking Bad – another series that we started watching and just became obsessed with – I don’t think we watched all of them but that just means we have something left to look forward to.
- Dexter – I loved this. When I first saw it advertised and realised that Dexter was a serial killer who worked for the police – I was seriously put off! I actually watched it by accident to be honest but then continued into about series 5 (or something – not sure how many this eventually went to).
- Blackadder – okay, I never got into the first series and I wasn’t particularly in love with the fourth either – but OMG, series 2 and 3 – where Blackadder plays a Lord in the Court of Elizabeth 1 and then The Prince Regent’s butler – so funny. Hysterical even!
- Hannibal – this is a series that I didn’t finish, which isn’t to say that I won’t go back to it – but I thought what I did watch was brilliant, creepy and scary!
‘The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.’
30 August 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Broke and the Bookish, To books with School settings, Top Ten Tuesday

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is :
A Back To School Freebie
For this week’s theme I’ve opted for books with a school or learning environment:
- The Harry Potter series by JKRowling. As it’s HP Month I couldn’t resist. Hogwarts!
- 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough – this is a story set in high school. When a young girl almost dies it becomes paramount that she finds out who her enemies are! This is such a good story.
- Nevernight by Jay Kristoff – a place of study for would-be assassins. A coveted number of places and a murderer amidst the students all lead to a fast paced and highly entertaining read.
- Black Heart by Holly Black – I really enjoyed this series about a family of curse workers. The majority of the story is set in a school environment.
- The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss – this is not a book with students as such but a very unusual female who lives in the tunnels beneath the university. A beautiful and quick read and a gorgeous little book.
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – I couldn’t resist – a good portion of Kvothe’s tale is set in the university that he so desperately longed to attend.
- Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead- in which vampires and their would be ‘body guards’ go to school together.
- The Secret History by Donna Tart – I loved this story – revolves around a student who desperately wants to belong to part of a school clic. Beautifully dark.
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – Two different settings here – when Jane is a student at Lowood Charity School and then later when she leaves to become governess at Thornfield Hall.
- Jane Steel by Lyndsay Faye – A story that has many similarities to Jane Eyre and in fact in which the protagonist’s life runs parallel to that of Jane Eyre for a portion of the story. This is a read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Patience is a virtue, so they tell me..
23 August 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is:
Ten Books That Have Been On Your Shelf (Or TBR) From Before You Started Blogging That You STILL Haven’t Read Yet!
What a sad topic! Makes me feel quite guilty looking at my shelves and digging these books out! I’m not sure if all of these are pre blog or not – I just know that the ones on this list have been waiting a while. In no particular order:
- Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
- Straight Razor Cure by Daniel Polansky
- Libriomancer by Jim Hines
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer
- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- If I Stay by Gayle Forman
- Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
- The Magician’s Guild by Trudi Canavan
- Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks
So, any suggestions which of these I should read first??
‘Go together like a horse and carriage..’
9 August 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Duos, Top Ten Tuesday

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is a rewind – I’m not sure that I took part on this one when it was originally scheduled so I’ve plumped for it now:
Top Ten Dynamic Duos
- Prince Jalan Kenneth and Snorri ver Snagason – what a great duo – The Red Queen’s War by Mark Lawrence is a fantastic reading experience – I really can’t do it enough justice or impress upon you how much you need to read it – although I will try. And Jalan and Snorri are undoubtedly one of the reasons why.
- Locke Lamotra and Jean Tannen – these two are definitely on my favourite list for duos – I absolutely adore the character Jean Tannen so this was a must. The Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch
- Hwa and Daniel Siofra from Madeline Ashby’s Company Town – this is a brilliant book which I absolutely loved and the friendship/relationship between Hwa and Daniel is just amazing.
- Hope and Red – I’ve only just read this book and posted my review but these two are great characters to read and really made this story for me.
- Paul Tsabo and Valentine from the ‘Mancer series by Ferrett Steinmetz. This is such an entertaining series that I love. Paul and Valentine are both ‘mancers and they make a great combination. I think Valentine has to be one of my all time favourite characters to be honest – I love the elements of fun that she brings to the story.
- Blackthorn and Grim from the Blackthorn and Grim series by Juliet Marillier – I’ve only read the first book in the series – Dreamer’s Pool – which was fantastic. These two characters are a great, prickly, double act.
- Dug and Lowa from Angus Watson’s Age of Iron – I loved this story and really need to catch up!
- Shara and Sigrud (who makes the most unlikely secretary ever. Shara is the brains and Sigrud the brawn and when they’re together they’re almost invincible. Robert Bennett’s City of Stairs
- Fort and Suzume from M L Brennan’s Generation V – A vampire and a Kitsune – what could possible go wrong!
- Merry and Pippin – I couldn’t help it, I just had to get Lord of the Rings on here and I prefer these two hobbits on balance to Sam and Frodo as they bring more fun to the story.
So, do you have a favourite duo?
Yes, Cinderella, you shall go to the bookstore..
2 August 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books you want to buy, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is:
Ten Books You’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed You A Fully Loaded Gift Card
Yeah – we’d all love that wouldn’t we. This is pretty easy for me – namely because I have about 70 books on my wishlist at the current time! Some of these books would be preorders some are already released. Let’s go:
- The Thorn of Emberlain by Scott Lynch (to be fair I do have this on pre-order and not long to wait now!) Jean Tannen get back in my life.
- The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan – I’ll probably buy this shortly but at the moment it’s on the wishlist (which is just as well because I’m a bit backed up with review books at the moment and trying to catch up).
- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden – I want this book so badly!! Check out this little teaser : ‘A magical debut novel for readers of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and Neil Gaiman’s myth-rich fantasies, The Bear and the Nightingale spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice.’ – and now you want it too no doubt!
- The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco -due out March 2017 – sounds very intriguing.
- The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
- Den of Wolves by Juliet Marilier – I have to catch up with my reading of No.2 yet but even so I still badly want this book – it’s absolutely gorgeous and it must go on my shelves!
- The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry – I loved All The Truth That’s in Me that I want more from this author and this sounds like something I will love : ‘Buried deep within the archives of a convent in medieval France is an untold story of love, loss, and wonder and the two girls at the heart of it all.’
- Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt picked this up from a recent blogger’s Top Ten Tuesday so seems like a good place to highlight it.
- The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman
- Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson.
Prepare yourself for some gorgeous covers:














