Ode to Summer past…
15 June 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Summer Reads 2014, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
This week over at the Broke and Bookish the topic for Top Ten Tuesday is:
Top Ten Books For Summer 2015 2014
I’ve had a bit of a cheat with this one because I think most of the books on my Summer TBR will be duplicates of the books I’m looking forward to for the rest of 2015 – which was posted last week. So this week I’ve gone for the top 10 reads from last Summer:
- Blood Song by Anthony Ryan – this was such a good book. I’d put off reading it for a long while for some strange reason but I’m so happy that I’ve now picked it up.
- Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson – this was a readalong that I took part in last year which was awesome – I love this series.
- Icefall by Gillian Philip – this book was the last in series of the Rebel Angel books – this is such a good series – seriously I don’t think it gets as much recognition as it deserves. And in terms of being a Summer read – what can I say, Seth is very easy on the mind!
- Half a King by Joe Abercrombie – my first Abercrombie – really good and I’m looking forward to No.2.
- The Martian by Andy Weir – this book is just so good, with lots of amusement.
- Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer – scary – probably not your usual Summer read but very good nonetheless.
- The Thousand Names by Django Wexler – my first Flintlock Fantasy. Another that I have to get to the second book!
- Age of Iron by Angus Watson – I loved this – I’m such a broken record ‘I need to get to No.2)
- Red Rising by Pierce Brown – finally, I’ve already read No.2 and it was equally excellent.
- City of Stairs by R J Bennett – this book is so damned fine that I will simply beg you to read it if you haven’t already done so. I loved this.
Wow, I have to say – I read a lot of good books last Summer – hope this year is just as good and hope your reading is too.
We wants the precioussses
8 June 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: SFF, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Anticipated releases for 2015, Top Ten Tuesday
This week over at the Broke and Bookish the topic for Top Ten Tuesday is:
Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015
So, not in any particular order of release my choices are as follows:
- Armada by Ernest Cline
- The Dinosaur Lords by Victor Milan
- Twelve Kings in Sharakhai, The Song of Shattered Sands book one by Brad Beaulieu
- Queen of Fire by Anthony Ryan
- Time Salvager by Wesley Chu
- The Thorn of Emberlain by Scott Lynch
- Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier (Blackthorn and Grim No.2)
- Cold Iron by Stina Leicht
- The Hunter’s Kind by Rebecca Levene
- The Flux (Mancer) by Ferrett Steinmetz
To adapt or not to adapt!
2 June 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book/movie Adaptations, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
Today over at the Broke and Bookish the topic for Top Ten Tuesday is:
Top Ten Books I’d Love To See As Movies/Tv Shows
This is a tricky one because sometimes I feel really unhappy with adaptations, particularly when they don’t, for me, do the book justice. Yes, I know that movie/tv is a different medium however I don’t like massive liberties being taken with the overall story. My motto: if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. This makes me cautious about picking my favourite stories to be brought to the screen. I considered cheating here and picking 10 books already adapted that I enjoy, but then I decided to stay on track:
- All the Truth That’s in me by Julie Berry – a really good story that I didn’t know what to expect and thoroughly enjoyed.
- Beauty/Poison/Charm by Sarah Pinborough – mashed up and twisted retold fairy tales
- Life After Life by Kate Atkinson – would make a great movie with a strange Sliding Doors type feel – but one that continues throughout the life of the main character and ends up in all kinds of situations
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – I would love to see this adapted – it could be such a lovely and slightly creepy adaptation – perhaps Tim Burton could give it his special touch?
- The Gentlemen Bastards – I would love to see this series converted to film – but, by the same token I’m scared to see it adapted. Jean is one of my favourite characters and I’d hate it if somebody I didn’t like was chosen to play his role!
- Flex by Ferrett Steinmetz – this is an excellent book and could be a brilliant, exciting and totally over the top film almost in the style of comic book super hero.
- The Prince of Fools and The Liar’s Key by Mark Lawrence – so far, this would make an excellent series – or epic type films for that matter!
- Hexed by Michael Alan Nelson – this could be really creepy!
- Longbourn by Jo Baker – just to visit with the Bennet’s again, A bit of a period drama but from a different perspective.
- The Just City by Jo Walton – I would love to see this on the big screen.
‘Summer’s lease hath all too short a date…’
25 May 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Holiday reads, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
Today over at the Broke and Bookish the Top Ten Tuesday topic for discussion is:
‘Ten Books I Plan To Have In My Beach Bag This Summer or Ten Books I Think Make Great Beach Reads’
Well, I don’t really enjoy the beach – all that sand is just too inconvenient, but sitting on a nice balcony with a book, an umbrella and a long drink – that I can do. I must confess that I don’t tend to think of myself as a ‘seasonal’ reader although I suppose it’s nice to sit in a comfy chair on a dark night reading something scary and likewise my definition of a summer read would be something that works out as a little more fun or maybe with the odd bit of romance thrown in – providing it wasn’t all the story was about. And of course urban fantasy stories. In that case here goes:
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik – this seems to be receiving a lot of positive attention. Rooted in the world of fairy tales – so colour me happy.
- Written in Red by Anne Bishop – a series that I’ve been thinking of starting for a long while. Urban fantasy/paranormal.
- The Thorn of Dentonhill by Marshall Ryan Maresca – magical student who leads a double life. Sounds promising.
- Cold Iron by Stina Leicht – this book probably doesn’t fit the above description of fun/romance or urban fantasy – but, flintlock and with pirates. Oh yes, I’m reading this.
- The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine – ‘gorgeous and bewitching” (Scott Westerfeld) reimagining of the fairytale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses as flappers during the Roaring Twenties in Manhattan – everybody wants to read this one surely!
- Darkwalker by E L Tettensor – dark, Victorian(ish), paranormal mystery – perfect methinks!
- The Hobb’s Bargain by Patricia Briggs, paranormal romance with a Beauty and the Beast theme.
- Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier – not due out until November but I so want to read this book – I absolutely loved Dreamer’s Pool
- Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier – had this for a while now so will definitely be reading soon.
- White Hot by Ilona Andrews – again not due until October – but I wants it now! Burn for Me was the first in the series – all I can say is that I want No.2 sooner rather than later!
Oh no you didn’t…
Today over at the Broke and Bookish the topic for Top Ten Tuesday is ‘a freebie’. Now, surprisingly, I find this more difficult than if somebody just gave me a topic but I’m just going to ‘woman up’ and come up with 10 bookish ‘things that are annoying for me’:
- My kindle running out of battery – particularly when I’ve left the house already and forgot to take a back up book, or, even more annoying running out of charge during the last few chapters of a book. Can’t there be some magical, special battery reserve back up thingy for such emergencies? Come on people – make it happen.
- People talking to me when I’m trying to read on the way to work! Why? Especially, and very irritatingly – ‘Are you enjoying that book’?/’Is it a good book’? or my all time favourite ‘Do you like reading’?!! (‘No, this is my own personal form of torture, thanks for asking’)
- My library emailing to say the book I’ve been waiting for is ‘in’ – and it isn’t (a fact I only find out by making the journey and it not being on the shelf! Because, I didn’t have much to do today after all.)
- Changes in book cover styles part way through a series – yes, I am that ocd – If I’m collecting a series it better all have the same style.
- Not really book related – but, exclamation marks. I keep putting them everywhere and they’re getting on my nerves!! I’m getting on my own nerves!!!! Arrrrggghhh !!!!!!
- Hype. I don’t think I need to elaborate. Can’t live with it, etc, etc,.
- That thing where people sometimes treat you like an alien – because you like reading. Like you’re really weird or something.
- Missing deadlines – I hate missing deadlines. It’s my own fault if it happens – or it’s just life in general getting in the way – but I just don’t like it and it makes me grumpy.
- The constant obsessive need to have ALL the books. I actually think I’m getting a little bit better in this respect – but, it’s not easy! (and the exclamation marks are back just to prove it.)
- Simply not having enough hours in the day to complete everything and still do the one thing I really want to do – which is read.
That must be the must grumpy, curmudgeonly, sour-puss-faced piece yet. Apologies. Apparently not feeling well and being too busy to slow down a little doesn’t sit well with me. For the rest of the day I will practice smiling – except to the people in No.2.
Books and travelling with Lynn 