TTT: Best Books of 2017 So Far

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly blog meme put on by The Broke and the Bookish

As my parents always say: Better late than never! A few days shy of Top Ten Tuesday, this was too fun of a list to miss out on. I didn't even realize how many great books I had read this year until I started sifting through my Goodreads! My goodness, how did I keep track of this treasure trove before Goodreads?

Nothing Left to Lose by Dan Wells
While this list is in no particular order, Nothing Left to Lose still comes out on top. The sixth and final (at least, so far) book in Wells' John Cleaver series, while not the best book in the series, still gets 5 stars from me and it wraps up the story in a fantastic and unexpected way. I love it.

Heartstone by Elle Katharine White
This was an unexpected read; I only found it while browsing Barnes & Noble with a friend a few months back. But White's vivid retelling of Pride & Prejudice as a fantasy novel deserves enough fanfare and praise to get its own display at aforementioned bookstore. Among other fantastic qualities, Darcy is a dragon rider. I repeat: DRAGON RIDER. White has recently been contracted to write two more books in the series, so there's plenty to look forward to.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
It took me years to get to this book, but I really loved it. Maas has created a cruel fantasy world with great characters and some interesting uses of magic. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
My review
This book is amazing. While it consists of actual letters between American Helene Hanff and the employees of the British bookstore she insists on doing business with, it reads very much like a love letter to books that any reader can appreciate. The dry humor and witty banter between the writers is an added bonus, and written from post-WWII 1940s to the 1960s, it offers an interesting frontline view to the period.

The Blacklist: The Gambler by Nicole Phillips
My review
As a Blacklist fangirl AND a fairly picky reader, this one tickled me pink. Between great stories and spot on characterizations of their on-screen personas, this tie-in graphic novel did everything right.

Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones
Yes, you may gasp in shock and dismay when you realize I had never read Howl's Moving Castle before. Heaven knows all my librarian friends did. And now that I've read it, I have to say they were in the right. This book is pretty spectacular. It's funny and clever and full of magic; it reminds me both of Lloyd Alexander's work and the delightful children's fantasies I loved growing up, like Half Magic by Edward Eager and Five Children and It by E. Nesbit.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
This is the second V.E. Schwab I've read and I've got to admit:
I'm kind of a fan. She has a way of working with magic that makes it interesting and a little on the dark side, but it's her characters that really take the cake.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
My review
A fantastic mesh of historical fiction, folk lore, and fantasy that brings old Russia to life. I love the clash here between the magic of the old country and the religion of the more 'modern' age, but you can read more about that in my review. Arden also has two more books in the works!

The W.H.O. Files: Potions in the Pizza by Mikey Brooks
My review
A fun and fantastic kids book with larger than life characters, delicious pizza, and witch hunters. What else does a book need?

Tricked by Jen Calonita
My review
While this series is for younger readers, I absolutely love it. It's a fun romp, with some really interesting tweaks to the lives of traditional fairy tale characters after their tales are done. I especially like that Calonita has pulled out a handful of the villains to create a reform school for misbehaving children.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars by various
I'm currently only halfway through this graphic novel series, and already it's a favorite. The prequel trilogy of Star Wars never dug into the specifics of the Clone Wars and more's the pity for it, because it really changes the way I view a lot of the characters and the events. It's also interesting to compare the differences between these graphic novels and the television show of the same name, because these do not tell the same stories at all.

And those are my best book of 2017 so far! What amazing titles have you read this year?

And how did you keep track of your books before Goodreads?

I remember using those handy reading logs during summer reading, but other than that, I really think I just relied on my memory. Oh to be young again...

TTT: Series I've Been Meaning To Start But Haven't

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly blog meme put on by The Broke and the Bookish

Yikes! This one was a lot harder than I'd thought it would be. Apparently I love to read the first book in a series and then stop. Sure, I tell myself I'll go back and read the rest -eventually- but so far I don't seem to have a very good track record. Now, if I were to do a list of Series You Want to Finish That You've Read the First Book Of, I' d probably win a gold medal there.

New Jedi Order by various authors
By far, the most important one on the list. I've been wanting to read this series forever and -barring natural and reading disasters- this is the year I'm going to start.

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters
Book 1 is on my Summer Reading List, if you're so inclined to check it out.

Castle Glower by Jessica Day George
I've loved every book of George's that I've read, but this series comes with the bonus of being recommended by my niece. Awwwww...

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Lotus War by Jay Kristoff

Once Upon a Time by various authors
Especially the ones by Cameron Dokey; I've got a friend who adores them.

Oracles of Fire by Bryan Davis
This is a branch off series of Dragons In Our Midst, which I loved as a teenager. I always meant to read through these, but still haven't gotten around to it. I wonder if I'd still enjoy them. I ought re-read the original series and see!

The Hollow Kingdom by Claire Dunkel
I have two friends who are as obsessed with this series as they are with Labyrinth and Jareth. Go figure. I started this once a while back and -to their utter horror and disbelief- didn't finish it. Then again, I never really did get into Labyrinth.

The Shoe Books by Noel Streatfield
You've Got Mail is one of my mom's favorite movies so it's not a real surprise that she went searching for these books after it first released. (Lucky for us, Skating Shoes is back in print!) She's is completely in love with them.  After trying and failing to get my sister and I to read them, she's been sending copies to grandkids, in they hope she can finally convert somebody to Shoe Book fans. A few years back, I found the movie of Ballet Shoes and gave it to her for her birthday and I totally loved it. I've been meaning to give the series another try ever since.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia

Anna by Kendare Blake

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
I finally read Throne of Glass this year and loved it. I want to read all of Maas' stuff, but a friend has ordered I not start ACOTAR until after I finish the Throne of Glass series.

King Raven by Stephen R. Lawhead
A retelling of Robin Hood steeped in Celtic mythology. I tried to read these back when I was a teenager, but I was far too impatient to read them. I recall this being a thick book, with lots of Briton history (back in the days of the Angels and Saxons) -a portion of history I'm currently very intrigued by.

HOLY NEVER ENDING TBR, BATMAN!!!

There are a LOT more of these than I realized and now I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I didn't even get half way through my to-read shelf on Goodreads! GAH!!!

There is a lot of reading in my future, that's all I've got to say.

Have you read any of these?

What are some series you've been meaning to read?

TTT: Books on My Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly blog meme put on by The Broke and the Bookish

Aside from the books on my Take Control of Your TBR Challenge, this is what I'm looking forward to reading!

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
I've wanted to read this for ages, but the page count has been putting me off. After rereading Airman for my book club last month, however, I'm not going to let it intimidate me!

Traitor to the Throne by Alywn Hamilton
SEQUEL!!!

Hearts and Other Body Parts by Ira Bloom
I won a Goodreads givaway for this and, instead of tossing it onto my bookshelf like all the other books I win and promise to someday read, and I'm going to start on it as soon as it arrives.

Heartstone by Elle Katherine White
This is described as a fantasy retelling of Pride & Prejdice.
With dragons.
Hello.

Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston
About 8 episodes from finishing Star Wars: Clone Wars, all I want to know is what happens to Ahsoka?! What's next for her? Where does she go from here? What happens when she finds out about Darth Vader?!?

Star Wars: Thrawn by Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn is my favorite writer of Star Wars fiction and I'm so excited that he's writing a new book! And a Thrawn book, no less!

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
ANOTHER SEQUEL!!!
(I'm trying to actually stay on top of the series I start. :P)

The Blacklist: The Dead Ring (No. 166) by Jon McGoran
I've got this one on pre-order (March 28th!!!). The first one was so good I can't wait to get my hands on this. I'm just hoping it loves up to expectations.

The Blacklist: The Arsonist by Nicole Dawn Phillips
I know. I know. Why haven't I read this yet if the first one was so amazing?
I'M PACING MYSELF. I'm so used to binge-watching The Blacklist on Netflix that I completely forgot they have midseason finales and now I'm going through withdrawals. Between rewatching season 3, The Dead Ring coming out next month, and this comic, hopefully I've got enough to tide me over until April 20.

Rebels by David Liss
This is basically THE SEQUEL OF ALL SEQUELS. I don't know how I missed its publication date, but this is the sequel to fantastic geek fest known as Randoms, and you can watch my geek fest review of it down below, which you totally should. It's one of the funnest ones I've ever done. XD

What's on your Spring TBR?

TTT: Hidden Gems/Underrated Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly blog meme put on by The Broke and the Bookish

Newly Discovered Hidden Gems

I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells
I'd never heard anything about this book before I stumbled on it at the library and it's been out for at least six years. This is a fantastic, if morbid, tale with fantastic first-person narration and top notch character development.
(I know, I know; I've been talking about this one a lot! Don't worry; it totally deserves the praise.)

Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Though I know this book has been talked a lot about on blogs and booktube (that's where I first heard of it), for a long time it was only available in hardcover at $30+ so I'm assuming it wasn't all that popular at the beginning. With the success of Schwab's more recent books, Vicious is more readily available so if you haven't read it, you'll want to check it out. (FYI, I'd rate this one R for swearing. The book was good enough I read in spite of this, but there's quite a lot of it.

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen
This book is huge in Utah, but I'm honestly not sure how popular this book is elsewhere. If it isn't, IT SHOULD BE. This is a fantastic proper romance (aka, clean; my favorite) that's also a steampunk that's also a retelling of Beauty and the Beast that's also inhabited by ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and who knows what else at this point! I really hope Allen makes this a series, I don't really care if it has sequels or companion novels, I just want more of this awesome world.
(Note: While this is written by an LDS author, it's not an LDS book.)

Underrated Favorites

Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer
I feel like a lot of Colfer's stand alone novels are underrated but my favorite among them by far is Half Moon. I've lost count of how many times I've read it and the audio version is great too.
This is funny mystery for middle graders, with a kid detective who thinks he's a hard-boiled private eye, which is absolutely hilarious in the first person narration.
Check out my review here!




Always Neverland by Zoe Barton

This is an after-Peter-Pan Peter Pan adventure. We know that Peter continued finding new mothers for the Lost Boys after Wendy went home and this is what happens when Peter decides to take Ashley to Neverland -but Ashley is more interested in adventures and fighting pirates than playing mother. I know this kind of story has been done a lot, but Always Neverland is the best I've read; Barton does a fantastic job of keeping Neverland and it's inhabitants true to the original while updating it for a modern audience at the same time.
Check out my review here!

The Ever Afters by Shelby Bach
Of course it's on this list! This series is phenomenal and it deserves the love of every school, librarian, and fairy-tale-loving child. No joke.
Check out my reviews for the whole series here!
I also hosted an awesome blog party when the final book came out.





What are some of your favorite underrated books? Newly discovered hidden gems? I'm all ears!

TTT: Halloween Freebie

Top Ten Tuesday is a blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

(This is technically next week's Top Ten Tuesday, but I had to choose my favorite between the two options for this post. This won out.)

I never really did Halloween growing up. For me, October was all about the annual Dark and Stormy Night murder mystery program my library would host. It included guest mystery authors and a mystery writing contest, so most of my suggestions are more 'creepy' than straight-up 'Halloween'.

Suggested Halloween Reads:

Dracula by Bram Stoker
I'm in the middle of this right now and it's way more than I expected. Granted, having never seen any of the movies or anything, I'm not really sure what I did expect. But this is more than a story of a guy who drinks blood and it's kind of freaking me out. I love it.

I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells
Dudes. Dudes. I recently read this book. I haven't posted my review yet, but it's coming and this. Is. Amazing. I'm not into really scary books or gore or slashers or anything and I LOVE THIS BOOK. (I've already finished the series to date, which kind of tells you how much I loved it.) I could not put this down. It's disturbing and amusing and even more disturbing because you're amused by it. It's also deep, with incredible character depth and development, and a fantastic plot for these great characters. This is probably my Most Blown Away Read of the year.

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
Yes, his name is really Odd. But it fits, because he can see ghosts. Odd Thomas does his best to help them move on to the afterlife, and a lot of times that means solving murders and possibly tangling with demonic forces. I love this series.

Desolate Angel by Chaz McGee
Okay, I'm only 40 pages into this book right now, but I love it. It's the first of the Dead Detective series about the ghost of a homicide detective who failed at everything in life and, in death, finds the chance to fix some of his mistakes and do some good.

Tales from the Haunted Mansion, vol 1: The Fearsome Foursome by Amicus Arcane
I haven't technically started this but it's got to be good, right? IT'S A HAUNTED MANSION BOOK.


Suggested Halloween Movies:


Charade
This is a murder mystery, not a Halloween film. Starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, it's a thriller with lots of laughs -Cary Grant is always good for a laugh- when Hepburn's character discovers her late husband was murdered for something that now belongs to her.

The Thin Man
Just a straight-up, good ol' fashioned murder mystery with lots of laughs and lots of gin. William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora; based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett. (The sequel, After the Thin Man, also stars Jimmy Stewart. Bonus!)

Arsenic and Old Lace
Number one. Numero uno. If you only watch one movie this month, make it this Cary Grant thriller/comedy about a newlywed who finds a body in the window seat. What makes it Halloween appropriate (other than Murder Most Foul)? It all happens on one day. October 31st.

Coraline
Nothing is as creepy as the Other Mother.

Heart and Souls
Halloween? Okay, maybe not. But there are ghosts! Four ghosts are linked to a baby born at the moment of their deaths. When that baby grows up to be a workaholic Robert Downey Jr., the ghosts discover they're meant to use him as a method for completing their unfinished business -whether he likes it or not!

My To-Watch List:
The Mummy, Nosferatu, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, & The Wolfman

What does your Halloween reading/watching forecast look like?

TTT: Books on My Fall TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Some (well, one) of these are new releases and some (er, most) are age-old TBRs from my shelf or Goodreads. All of them WILL BE READ this fall. (I know I've said that before, but this time I'm serious!)

Iron Man: The Gauntlet by Eoin Colfer
Yeah. No brainer. I haven't shut up about this book since it was announced and it releases on October 25th. LET THE COUNTDOWN COMMENCE! And I've already pre-ordered it. (You can too! We're talking a $9.65 hardcover pre-order from Barnes and Noble, people; don't think, just do it.)

The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey
I'd never heard of this, but I picked it up at a thrift store. It's a Beauty and the Beast retelling and I've got a list of those I want to read before March. (Gee, wonder why...)
Double bonus! I've been hearing recently about Lackey's Elemental Masters series, which sounds phenomenal. Turns out this is the beginning of that. Score.

Aftermath and Aftermath: Life Debt by Chuck Wendig
These are from my shelf and I'm rather ashamed I haven't gotten around to them yet. But seeing as the final book is due out in February, I ought to get them into my system. Also, I'm hoping it gives a good transition from Empire to First Order. *fingers crossed*

Vicious by V.E. Schwab
If you've lost count on how many times this has popped up on one of these season TBRs, you're not alone. I have too. But the next time this title pops up on my blog, it will be in sidebar 'What I'm Reading' section and then in a review because, come on, this is getting ridiculous.

Marvel's Original Sin and Civil War
Before Captain America: Civil War hit theaters, I planned to read the comic, but the comic was actually the last in a grand story arc so I had to read the rest of them. I got through the rest of them, but never actually made it to Civil War. Huzzah.
Original Sin made the list because I went to read the next issue of the Loki: Agent of Asgard and had no bloody clue what was going on.

Pwned by Shannen Crane Camp
Another title that's been on my TBR for a while, which turns a few cliches on their heads. Beautiful, popular, cheerleader co-captain Reagan West has a dark secret: she's a die-hard gamer, which is basically Loser Central.

Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
The sequel just hit the new book display at my library and it looks and sounds like a library lover's dream.

Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox, Desolate Angel by Chaz McGee and Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet
October is always 'murder mystery' month for me, born of the annual theme at the library where I grew up and the fact that my family didn't celebrate Halloween, so every year about this time I try to read some nice good murders and these three are already on the list. We'll see if I can make it through any of them. Murder mysteries are notoriously sticky for me to explore; I tend to like stuff a little grittier than cozies, but that usually means they're nowhere near clean, either.

Crap. I think I put too many books on the TBR again. :P

What are you reading this fall?
And are you any better at finishing TBR lists than I am?

TTT: Ten Books I Wish Were TV Shows

Top Ten Tuesday is a blog meme hosted by the ladies at The Broke and the Bookish

This week's TTT is TV themed in honor of the fall season start up (woohoo!). There were so many possible lists to choose from. So I wound up doing two. My second -Favorite Cancelled Shows- can be found here.

I knew I had to do a list of Books I Wish Were TV Shows but when I sat down to write it up, the weirdest thing happened. I drew a complete blank.

It was bad. And I knew I could write a really, really good list for it too. I'm almost as obsessive in my TV watching as with my reading. (Okay. YES. Occasionally more so. Occasionally.) I figured I just needed some brainstorming help, so I posed the question to my aunt and my sister to kick-start my brain. It totally worked, too.

Then I basically wound up with three lists, instead of one. Buckle up.

Amanda's Top Picks:

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

-Surprising no one, my top series of all time would make a fantastic television series. It's got it all: action, humor, magic, secret civilizations, and 12-year-old criminal masterminds.

The Ever Afters by Shelby Bach

-Again, surprising no one.

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

-Seriously, skip the movie talk and go straight to a TV series! Really, anything by Brandon Sanderson could be used.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

-Whether a reboot of the Harry Potter series as a TV show or a completely new story BASICALLY ANY TV SHOW THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE WIZARDING WORLD WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. But especially the Marauders. Right?

Vesper Holly Adventures by Lloyd Alexander

-One of my favorite series and it would work so well as a TV show

Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander

-Okay. So I still haven't read the entire series. But even I know this would be amazing.

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade

-I understand there's a film currently in the works, but a TV show would be equally fantastic. More opportunity for character development and more time to spend in the setting and universe.

Robot by Isaac Asimov

-Simple. Just carry on from the I, Robot movie, throw in more details true to this trilogy, and voila! I mean, you already have an audience set up in the fans of FOX's prematurely cancelled Almost Human starring Karl Urban and Michael Ealy (albeit that's a while back now).

Bonus points if Chi McBride is recast as the precinct's lieutenant. Because Chi McBride.

And Mr. McBride totally ties into my other TTT list for the day. Because you can only get so far Googling Chi McBride before the Pushing Daisies images taking over.

 Austenland by Shannon Hale

-I adore the book and the movie was great. But wouldn't it be hilarious to do a 'Fantasy Island' or 'Loveboat' type show based in Austenland, with new characters and stories every week from an ever-changing celebrity cast? Seriously, why isn't this a thing yet?

Pendragon by D.J. MacHale

-I didn't love the ending of this series (I've been wondering if I'd feel differently about it now), but I always remember thinking it would make an amazing TV show, with each book treated as a season.

The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn

-Nuff said.

William Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher

-Come on! It's like the perfect holiday special wrapped up with a bow!

The Aunt

Jo-D's Top Picks:

Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson)

Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Dragon Riders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 

-but a prequel dealing with the first rebellion, back when there were 13 districts, when Mag and Snow were children.

Little Women & Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum

The Sister

Stephanie's Top Picks:

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

-Fabulous idea!

Dead City by James Ponti

Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

-See what I mean? Literally any Brandon Sanderson series.

The Last Apprentice by Joseph DeLaney

-She can't even talk about the movie. It's too painful. She feels a TV series would give it the proper treatment it deserves.

Ella Enchanted/Princess series by Gail Carson Levine

Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede

-Could not agree with this more!

Lockwood & Company by Jonathan Stroud

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

-Don't let us down, Netflix!

Edge Chronicles by Chris Riddle and Paul Stewart

Nightmare Academy by Dean Lorey

The aunt and sister put together such good lists I might have to rope them into all my Top Ten Tuesday posts!

What are you dying to see on the small screen?

Ten Books That Have Been on My Shelf From Before I Started Blogging

Ten Books That Have Been on My Shelf From Before I Started Blogging That I Still Haven't Read Yet

Top Ten Tuesday is a blog meme hosted by the ladies at The Broke and the Bookish

Oi! Hello, you lot! I saw this topic for today last minute and couldn't resist because -sadly- I know it will be a really quick and easy one for me to write up. (ouch)

1-3. I, Robot; The Naked Sun; The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov
After seeing -and loving- the film I, Robot starring Will Smith, I found the title at my local used bookstore. This would have been, gosh, six or seven years ago? Yikes. Of course, once I got the book home I realized it wasn't the story of which the film is based -it's an anthology of short stories all based off Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics. With a little research, I did learn that Asimov wrote a series of sci-fi/mysteries, starring an old-school police detective, Elijah Baley, partnered up with a robot, R. Daneel Olivaw. Now, the first book of this series, The Caves of Steel, I DID READ AS SOON AS I BOUGHT IT. I even liked it, though it's still about as different from the I, Robot film as the anthology of the same name, just on the other end of the spectrum.
So why didn't I finish reading the series if I liked it?
Because I'm insane and have too many books, that's why.

4-10. The Young Unicorns; Troubling A Star; A House Like a Lotus; An Acceptable Time; The Arm of the Starfish; Dragons in the Waters; Meet the Austins by Madeline L'Engle
Right. So I discovered A Wrinkle in Time at an early age -arguably my first exposure to science fiction- and listened to that probably four or five times before I realized it was a quartet. I don't think I ever got around to finishing the quartet, specifically Many Waters until my late teens. Possibly early 20s. It's been awhile. (The change of main characters to Sandy and Dennis, the jumping back in the timeline, the different tone of the story -it all threw me off for awhile. But it's good!) Obviously, this didn't stop me from collecting as much of L'Engle's work as I could. I know these books are part of at least two different series; more accurately, following different genealogies. As I recall, these books all take place in the same 'universe'. Some are about the Murrys and Calvin and their successive generations and there's also a series about the Austins. Once upon a time, I could tell you the order, even if I hadn't read them.
It is far past that time.

11. Sahara by Clive Cussler
Again. Saw the movie. Loved the movie. I started reading this book -even got a decent chunk into it, I think. I don't remember why I stopped. Other books at the time with due dates, probably. I do that a lot. But I have read at least one other Cussler -Valhalla Rising- and I keep telling myself I'm going to start this series because I love so many things about it.
As a side note, Sahara and National Treasure make for a fantastic double feature!

12. Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reeves
It was cheap. I'd heard the name 'Neil Gaiman' a lot. It had a cool cover. Still haven't gotten farther than that.

I'm stopping here, but believe me when I say this barely makes a dent. And considering all the unread books I've bought since I started blogging?
This is why I'm finally -FINALLY- going to instigate a TBR A Month feature into my reading schedule to start cleaning those out. Though I'm probably going to get a cooler name for it. You know. Me and cool names. Suggestions are totally welcome, by the way. ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

What are some of your oldest unread books?

TTT: Books Outside the US

Top Ten Tuesday is a blog meme hosted by the ladies at The Broke and the Bookish

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is to pick books that take place outside the US because -especially for those of us who live there- most of the books we read take place inside it. So here's a list of some of my favorite non-US-based books. Of course, for me, most books I read that don't take place in the US, take place in the UK, so I'm afraid there's not a lot of variety here.

Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay
One of my favorite contemporaries, Saffy's Angel is about the Casson family who live in England, but also prominently features Venice, Italy, and a trip to Wales.

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy (My Review)
Featuring an undead skeleton sorcerer detective, this one takes place in Dublin, Ireland and its 'magical' underground.

Benny and Omar by Eoin Colfer (My Review)
I only recently read this YA Colfer novel and it was so much fun! An Irish family moves for a job transfer to, of all places, Tunisia.

Artemis Fowl & The Wish List by Eoin Colfer (My Review)
Both are fantasy and both predominantly feature Ireland, though the Artemis Fowl series moves around quite a lot.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
This is what I would call 'historical fantasy'. It takes place in Romania and, despite the presence of mythical creatures and the Otherworld, it is rife with Romanian culture and lore.

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
This book takes place among the magic and waterways of Venice, Italy.

Half Magic by Edward Eager
A delightful children's fantasy, Half Magic takes place in England.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (My Review)
A sweet love story and a WWII historical fiction, it takes place on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel.

Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead
I remember reading this a long, long time ago; it's a series I haven't finished yet, but really need to. It's a re-imagining of Robin Hood, set in Wales during the Norman invasion.

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (My Review)
Egypt! Egyptologists! Tombs! Mummies! Huzzah!

Dragonrider by Cornelia Funke
All over the place. Seriously. The Middle East. Europe. Tibet. The Himalayas.

What have you read that takes place outside the US?

June Wrap Up

It's been a busier month than usual here on To Read or Not to Read? but I hope you're having as much of a blast as I am! Miss some of the recent goings on? No worries!

It was awesome to share the newly revealed cover of a middle grade novel I've been dying to read:

• Upcoming Title | POTIONS IN THE PIZZA by Mikey Brooks

I also hosted a giveaway for Cheree Alsop's newly completed series GIRL FROM THE STARS SERIES. If you like tough heroines and space opera, check them out!

As you know, this was the Month of Memes! I had so much fun exploring corners of the book blogging world I've never seen before and I plan to keep on doing just that. I hope you'll stick around for more!

Top Ten Tuesdays is a meme I've been doing for awhile now and I really had fun with the two topics I participated in this month -especially the Favorite Heroines. I had no idea I had so many!

• Top Ten Tuesday | Ten (or Thirteen) Favorite Heroines
• Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Reads for the Second Half of 2016

Now for some of the new memes I played around with.

Teaser Tuesdays are fun because it helps me keep ya'll updated on what I'm reading -which I'll be the first to admit I have gotten pretty terrible at. Don't look at my Goodreads 'Currently Reading' shelf. Seriously. Don't. Do. It. (I'm begging you.)

• Teaser Tuesday #1 | Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Shelf Control is exactly the meme I've been looking for! I have so many unread owned books glaring at me whenever I bring something new home from the library, so featuring one of these TBR beauties reminds me how good they sound. Look! I'm already halfway through The 39 Steps!

• Shelf Control #1 | The 39 Steps by John Buchan
• Shelf Control #2 | Vicious by V.E. Schwab

#BookmarkMonday is a fabulous idea! Have I ever mentioned how much I love bookmarks? How much I obsess over bookmarks? That I have a drawer full of them? Here's my chance to show off my collection!

• #BookmarkMonday (1) | Laugh It Up, Fuzzball
• #BookmarkMonday (2) | 'Closing the Circle'

I looooove Exploring My Bookshelves! Just another collection I get to show off. ^_^ But seriously, some of these topics are a little mind-bending. You answer specific questions based on your personal book collection. So far, this Father's Day one was my favorite. I *achem* went a little overboard.

• Exploring My Bookshelves #1 | Favorite Bookish Fathers

*coughcoughachem*

Right. So. I'm a little into Harry Potter right now.

But just a little.

I swear.

Serendipitously, I came across an awesome weekly Harry Potter meme. So. Much. Fun. Unfortunately, since I haven't finished the series yet, I won't be able to participate every week, but I'll sure have fun with the ones I can!

• Harry Potter Moment of the Week #1 | Would You Have Wanted to Explore the Shrieking Shack?

And speaking of Harry Potter, July happens to be Harry Potter Month and participating blogs get to compete for points to win the House Cup.

I am so in.

Which means that all those Harry Potter book reviews I haven't gotten around to yet -any and all thoughts and predictions I've been taking notes on- are finally going to see the light of day on the blog this month.

Three cheers, anyone?

Thanks for visiting. Fly casual!
What was your favorite post from this month?

TTT: Ten (or Thirteen) Favorite Heroines

Top Ten Tuesday is a blog meme hosted by the ladies at The Broke and the Bookish

You might have guessed it, but now that I'm exploring all kinds of new memes here, that means there's one, big, inevitable coming: Top Ten Tuesdays will now be posted on Tuesdays!

Today is a freebie for so I decided to do one I missed in the past: Favorite Heroines. I'm fairly picky about my heroines. While I like a heroine who can handle a gun and hold her own as much as the next gal, I also like heroines to act like women. I also miss the heroines who were strong and capable even without taking up arms. There's a pretty healthy mix going on here and I couldn't even limit it to 10!

1. Vesper Holly

The Vesper Holly Adventures by Lloyd Alexander

Vesper Holly is essentially a teenage, red-haired, female Indian Jones, whose adventures tend to involve political intrigue, coups, or rebellions. Vesper is smart, capable, and confident. She's exactly the kind of heroine young girls should look up to and I was glad I found these books when I was young. Plus, it's written by the master, Lloyd Alexander.

2. Iku Kasahara 

Library Wars: Love and War by Kiiro Yumi

Iku Kasahara is the youngest -and only girl- in a family of brothers, so it's no wonder she grew up a tomboy who's more interested in being a soldier of the Library Defense Force than a simple librarian. She's tough, competitive, determined, and fiery -but she's reckless, too, and she has a hard time coping with all of her emotions. She flails, she bursts into tears all the time, and her reaction when someone asks her out on a date -! I adore Iku Kasahara but she's a strong female character in every sense of the word, but she is such a girl. ^_^

3. Holly Short 

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Holly Short, an elf and an officer of the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance (LEPrecom), is tough, headstrong, and a fantastic police officer. Her empathy and soft heart, alongside her grit and gumption, is what I truly love about Holly. She's in turn tough and gentle; just as likely to punch Artemis in the face as tackle him with a hug.

 
4. Vin
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Vin, at the beginning of the story, is a thief on the streets, eye always on the exit, relying on no one but herself, distrustful of all, and always waiting for the other shoe to drop. She sounds cold, but she's just the opposite. Sanderson gets us in Vin's head; we feel her longing to trust people, her desire to become friends with her new colleagues, but we see her fear, her scars, that keep her from opening herself up to them. Aside from being an amazing, beautifully constructed fantasy (twists! wordbulding! magic system! Brandon Sanderson!), Vin is fantastic character with an incredible character arc.

 
5. Charlotte
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

Torn between her and Jane in Austenland, Charlotte wins out because she was a woman whose life has been essentially shattered. Not only has her husband divorced her, but he did so in order to marry the mistress Charlotte was unaware of. Ouch. But she picks herself up! She tries her dog-gone hardest to put herself back together! She has my utmost respect for this. She doesn't spend the book wallowing in self-pity or shying away from any idea of love or kindness like a wounded animal. She faces it, she deals with it, she realizes she is worth more than her ex-husband obviously thought she was and she realizes she deserves better than him. Go, girl!


6. Princess Addie
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine 

If I were a book character, this is probably the closest to any heroine I would be in real life. Princess Addie, unlike her daring and adventurous sword-wielding sister Meryl, is meek, shy, skittish, perfectly happy to stay at home where it's safe, and afraid of everything from dragons to spiders. The only thing that gets her out of the castle, to risk the danger and terror of a life-threatening quest, is the hope to save her brave sister when she is struck with an incurable plague. The greatest heroes are not always the ones who easily brave the dangers, but the ones who must dig down deep to find the strength and bravery to endure.

7. Rory Landon
The Ever Afters by Shelby Bach

Of course Rory Landon is on this list! She wins both for her incredible courage and her intense loyalty to her friends. Even at a point in the series when she is led to believe her two best friends might not be as loyal to her, Rory doesn't let this affect her own loyalty to them and does whatever she can to protect and save them, even if they don't want to be her friends any more.



8. Jenica
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Jena has a head -and the heart- for her father's merchant business. Unfortunately, in 16th century Transylvania, there's not much opportunity for her to pursue this dream, especially after her father is taken ill and Jena and her sisters find themselves under the care of their very traditional minded cousin. Jena is not only burdened with the unwanted advances of her cousin, but also the sole care of her younger sisters when her older sister disappears into a lovesick stupor AND the responsibility of protecting the magical Other Kingdom that her village becomes increasingly intent on destroying.
She's got a lot on her plate and, while she she makes her share of mistakes, she has a lot of heart to support and protect so many.

9. Princess Cimorene
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede

Princess Cimorene is betrothed to a dim-witted prince and, since it doesn't look like being kidnapped by a dragon is an option, she runs away from the palace to find a dragon who'll hire her instead. She has a taste for magic, adventure, and sword-fighting and she doesn't have any qualms of putting a dragon in its place.
What more need I say?




10. Ella
The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Now, to my utter shame, I've still only read the first of these, but Christopher Healy's version of Cinderella is fantastic. Not only is she strong of character and personality, but she's thirsty for adventure after so much time locked away by her stepmother. She's a swashbuckling, villain-besting, intelligent heroine and yes I really, really need to finish this trilogy. It's actually the plan right here in the near future.


 
11. Miss Penelope Lumley
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Maryrose Wood

 young tutor governess, Miss Penelope Lumley is hired to take on the most peculiar position of training teaching three young children found roaming in the wilds who have heretofore apparently been raised by wolves. Penelope is delightful, gentle, optimistic, and always proper. While the rest of the house's staff cowers from the wolf-like creatures, Penelope only sees the children they are behind the howling and the biting.



12. Celia West
After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn

Celia West is the non-superpowered daughter of the two most beloved super heroes in the world. Their relationship is complicated. She tries to distance herself from them, but it's hard when every other wannabe villain kidnaps her as an attempt to lure out her parents. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoilers, but Celia had to endure a lot growing up in her parents' shadow and trying to separate herself from it. She's an emotionally vulnerable woman, plagued with self-doubt and self-loathing, but there's a strength in her too that one would only expect from the daughter of the strongest (and most stubborn) man in the world.


13. Meg Murry
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Meg Murry is a fantastic heroine, because she's very ordinary, dealing with ordinary school problems, while surrounded by an extraordinary family. Especially at this age, I think we all feel like the stupidest person in the room and it's nice to see a character dealing with the same struggles. But what I love most about Meg -what really makes my heart cheer- is that she doesn't save the day with brains or brawn, but with the deep, endless ocean of love she has for her little brother. That is a beautiful character.



Who are some of your favorite heroines?