TTT: Top 10 Books I Wish Would Be Made into TV Shows

In celebration of all the new fall shows about to debut, this week's TTT is all about TV. I don't really watch a lot of TV..or at least, I try not to. I am guilty of binge-watching the occasional show on Netflix. (Did you guys see Stranger Things? It's incredible!) So my list is all about the books I want to see on the small screen. In no particular order (except for #1 because it is my actual #1 pick): 

10) Fables comic book series

This amazing comic book series is about fairy-tale characters living in exile in modern-day New York City and trying to get back to their homeland. I think it was greenlit at one point to be made into a TV series but it never got off the ground. 

9) Saga comic book series

Another amazing comic book series, Saga is an epic space opera that also incorporates elements of fantasy. Two people on opposing sides of an intergalactic war fall in love, have a child together, and go on the run. If ever adapted for television, I feel it would be right at home on the Syfy channel.

8) The Drakon series by Shana Abe

An historical fantasy romance series about a race of shape-shifting dragon people called the Drakon. While Shana Abe did a brilliant job with the books, I feel like a television series could really expand the world and give it a kind of Game of Thrones feel to it - while still focusing on the romantic aspect. 

7) The 5th Wave series by Rick Yancey

Yes, it was already adapted to the big screen and, while it wasn't a bad film, I feel The 5th Wave might gain a bigger audience with a TV series. 

6) Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Salem's Lot has actually been adapted a couple of different times into miniseries and made-for-TV movies - but none of them have gotten this terrifying vampire novel quite right. Now, in this golden age of television, I feel like it could be perfected. 

5) The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

The Shining Girls is about a serial killer who can travel through time and one of his would-be victims who seeks revenge. It is one of my favorite books of all time and I think it would make an incredible mini-series. Netflix would probably do it justice.(It looks like it's being adapted for film, but I think it would work better as a TV series.) 

4) Vampire Academy/Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead

The Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series would make for incredibly fun, soapy, dramatic television. It's too bad the film bombed because it's unlikely they'll try to adapt it again on the small screen. Then again, it worked for The Mortal Instruments...

3) Beauty and the Beast 

Okay, this one is going to take a bit of explaining: A few years ago, around the time when The CW was set to release their Beauty and the Beast show, another network announced plans for a different Beauty and the Beast show, one that would have more of an 'epic fantasy' feel to it. I was SO STOKED for this show...but it never saw the light of day and I have no idea what happened to it. I can't even remember what network it was supposed to be on. A Beauty and the Beast show with an epic fantasy flair? I would watch  the shit out of that! Sadly it wasn't to be and I have to content myself with the upcoming release of the live-action Disney remake coming out next year. (Which I am so excited for!!) Who knows? Maybe the movie will spark an appetite for Beauty and the Beast stories and someone will develop a new show...

2) A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

Well, speaking of epic fantasy with a Beauty and the Beast feel to it...I definitely want to see an adaptation of ACOTAR at some point but I'm torn. I don't know if it would make a better movie or TV series. Can I have both? 

1) Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Is anyone surprised that this is my #1 pick? The Harry Potter series needs to be adapted for television, like, yesterday. Of course, no adaptation will ever live up to the original book series and the movies will always have a special place in my heart, but the HP books would be perfect as a television series. And it wouldn't have to end with adapting the seven books - they could have spin-offs about the Marauders and the four Hogwarts founders, and Dumbledore's early years...there's just so much potential!

What books do you want to see adapted to the small screen?

Top Ten Tuesday is an original bookish meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

T5W: Authors I Am Waiting On Another Book From

 

We all know the agony of waiting for the next book in one of our favorite series or the new release of our favorite author. What's even more frustrating is when you're waiting on the mere announcement by your favorite author of just when they will decide to hurry up and RELEASE A NEW GODDAMNED BOOK ALREADY! 

*takes deep breath* *thinks happy thoughts*

Here are the authors that I wish would announce a new book...sometime in the near future...if it's not too much trouble...pretty please?

5) Shana Abe

Shana Abe is kind of under-the-radar, despite being a New York Times Bestselling Author. I have read every single one of her books and am blown away by her lyrical writing style. It's been two years since she's released a new novel and I am constantly checking her official Facebook page for updates. What's worse is that the last book she released was the second novel in a planned trilogy and I need to know how the series ends! A few months ago she said she was working on book 3 but we haven't seen any updates since.

4) Kristin Cashore

Kristin Cashore is the author of the highly-acclaimed Graceling series. The last book in the series, Bitterblue, was released back in 2012 and I am just dying for her to release a new book because she's a BRILLIANT AUTHOR! According to her blog, she is writing a new novel and is currently in the revision stage but so far, we have no title, no cover art, and no release date. 

3) Marie Rutkoski

Marie Rutkoski is the author of one of my new favorite series, The Winners Trilogy. The third and final book, The Winner's Kiss, was just released a few months ago but I am already craving my next hit from this author. (Is it weird to talk about books as if they're drugs? I don't have a problem, I can quit anytime I want!) She does have previously published books that will tide me over until she releases something else but I just want her to ANNOUNCE SOMETHING ALREADY!

2) Stephen King

It's a bit odd that we don't have any news about upcoming releases from The King. Okay, never mind, I just checked his Goodreads page and it looks like he'll be releasing a collection of essays in October. But I'm not going to count that one because I desperately want a new novel from him, or a collection of short stories. Hell, I'll take just one short story, even a paragraph...JUST GIVE ME SOMETHING, ANYTHING!

1) J.K. Rowling

Although us Potterheads did technically get a new Harry Potter story just last week, I'm not going to count that one. (I will not go on a rant about Cursed Child, I will not go on a rant about Cursed Child.) While I will love Harry Potter until the day I die and will consume anything that is even remotely connected to the Wizarding World, I would love to see J.K. Rowling do something different. A new children's book, an adult fantasy series, a fairy tale retelling, hell something that has nothing to do with The Boy Who Lived. I believe J.K. Rowling is a gifted storyteller and I think she could continue to write amazing stories for the rest of her life...if only the world would let her.

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey of gingerreadslainey and is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes.

Top 5 Wednesday Goodreads Group.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Picked Up on a Whim

I am typically very meticulous about the books I buy. No book makes it onto my wishlist without being thoroughly researched on Goodreads. However, I've been known to make exceptions. Below are ten books that I picked up on a whim.

1) Queen of Dragons (Drakon #3) by Shana Abe


I saw Queen of Dragons in a used bookstore and with a title like that, I just had to buy it. It wasn't until later I found out that it was part of a series so I hunted down those books as well. I am so fortunate to have stumbled across this book because Shana Abe is now one of my all-time favorite authors!

2) Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo


I had kind of heard of Shadow and Bone before I saw it at a Chapters. After seeing that beautiful cover in person and reading the book's description, I just knew I had to take it home.

3) A Natural History of Dragons (Memoir by Lady Trent #1) by Marie Brennan


I saw this book's cover on a book blog and ordered it about five minutes later. Although it still remains unread on my shelf, I've gone on to collect the other books in the series as they've come out.

4) The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon


Again, this was a cover buy. But I have read it and was absolutely blown away by the writing.

5) Introverts in Love: The Quiet Way to Happily Ever After by Sophia Dembling

I saw this on Book Outlet and decided to pick it up because I consider myself an introvert - and the cover is super adorable.

6) Bestial by Ray Garton


The cover and title of this book initially grabbed me and then I discovered it was about werewolves. So naturally, I took it home to live with me.

7) Chasing the Dragon by Nicholas Kaufmann


Do you notice a trend here? Any book with 'dragon' in the title and I will usually buy it, no questions asked.

8) Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1) by Jay Kristoff


This is another book where I kind of knew about it but I mostly picked it up because of the gorgeous cover. (But I've heard it's a really good series!)

9) Monster, 1959 by David Maine


I think the cover and the title pretty much explain why I bought this book.

10) Wolf Bride (Lust in the Tudor Court #1) by Elizabeth Moss


Okay, okay don't judge me - I saw this at Chapters and noticed the 'Fifty Shades of Tudor Sex' blurb almost immediately. I flipped through it, scanning for the naughty bits and after reading a couple of sex scenes, I took it straight up to the counter. AND I AM NOT ASHAMED!

Tell me what books you've picked up on a whim in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original bookish meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. 

Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Mothers/Maternal Figures in Books

 

Mother's Day is just around the corner so for this week's Top 5 Wednesday we celebrate the mothers/maternal figures we love in literature. Forgive me for getting sentimental here, but as much as I love the fictional mothers listed below, none of them will ever compare to my real-life mom. She's definitely my favorite mother of all time. (Hi mom!) 

5) Mrs. Lancaster from The Fault in Our Stars

I don't think the first name of Hazel's mother is ever revealed in TFIOS but she is definitely one of my favorite fictional mothers of all time because her relationship with Hazel reminds me so much of the one I have with my mom. John Green did an excellent job of portraying the unique and special bond that mothers and daughters have.

4) The Vagrant from The Vagrant

The Vagrant is one of my favorite male characters in epic fantasy because, while he displays the traditional machismo of male heroes, he is also incredibly nurturing of the infant girl he cares for. Seeing a bad-ass male character with a soft side is encouraging, showing people that men don't have to choose between being masculine and being maternal. I would really love to see more male heroes like the Vagrant. 

3) Alana from the Saga 

Alana is kind of the flip side of the Vagrant - a gentle, nurturing mother one minute, a badass space rebel the next. Motherhood has never looked so cool. 

2) Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series

Molly Weasley is the ultimate matriarch - she's tough on her kids when she needs to be but always makes sure they're taken care of. She even becomes a maternal figure to our orphaned hero, Harry. And who can forget how badass she was in book 7? (NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!) 

1) Rubeus Hagrid from the Harry Potter series

Hagrid didn't have any children of his own but he was always a wonderful maternal figure to Harry and his friends. Not only did he nurture the Golden Trio, but he also was a gentle caretaker to so many different beasts that other people would have run far away from. To me, this makes Hagrid the ultimate maternal figure - recognizing that every living creature just wants to be loved and care for. 

Tell me some of your favorite mothers/maternal figures in the comments below!

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at gingerreadslainey. The Top 5 Wednesday Goodreads group can be found here. 

Top 5 Wednesday: Books I'm Intimidated By

 

As a lifelong reader, I love to read books that challenge me in different ways. Whether it's reading a 10-part book series or decoding a Shakespeare play, I'll gladly tackle any literary challenge that's thrown at me. However. There are some books that I have yet to read, not because I don't want to, but because they make me a wee bit apprehensive - usually due to their sheer size  (and tiny, tiny font.) Here are the Top 5 books that intimidate me the most.

5) The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu


The Tale of Genji is widely considered to be the first novel ever produced which is why I'm so curious to read it. But it's been sitting on my bookshelf, unread, for the past few years because it is 1,200 pages long and weighs a ton. And did I mention the font is minuscule?

4) The Arabian Nights by Anonymous


The Arabian Nights is usually collected in a single volume of selected stories. But being the overachieving reader that I am, of course I had to get the complete Arabian Nights set, consisting of three volumes. And each volume is nearly 1,000 pages long. Someday, I tell myself. Someday. (Maybe sooner than I thought. It's currently in my TBR pile!)

3) The Rise and the Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer


When I saw this book on Bookoutlet.ca, I knew I had to get it. It was a great price and I do love me some World War II history. Little did I know that the book is a whopping 1,600 PAGES! Who knew there was so much to cover about Nazi Germany!

2) Ulysses by James Joyce


To be honest, I'm not even sure what Ulysses is about. All I know is that it takes place in Ireland and is said to be one of the most difficult books to get through.

1) War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy


I'm willing to bet that this book shows up on a lot of Top 5 Wednesday lists this week. This book hits the intimidating trifecta - it's over 1,000 pages, it was published over 150 years ago, and it's written by a Russian author. (I find Russian literature intimidating, for some reason.) One day, I'll sit down and power through it - but for now, it's just collecting dust on my shelf.


BONUS ROUND!

3 Books I WAS Intimidated By (Until I Read Them)

3) American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis



Before I read American Psycho, I had heard some...things. But how bad could it really be, I thought to myself. So, so, bad. This book is grotesque, nausea-inducing, insanity. Some of the descriptions actually made me gag. I can't say I enjoyed this book but I can say now that I've read it. I survived.

2) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky


Remember what I was saying before about Russian authors? Well, Dostoyevsky is really the first Russian author I've ever read and it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Admittedly, Crime and Punishment is supposed to be his most accessible novel and this particular translation is incredibly easy to read. The hardest thing was figuring out how to pronounce the Russian names.

1) Les Miserables by Victor Hugo



Time to put on my bragging pants - I read Les Miserables in high school. Not for a class, but on my own. For fun. (I was a bit like Hermione.) It's definitely the longest book I've ever read, and probably the most difficult. (So much French!) But I found it fascinating and once I was finished, I was so proud of myself. It took me about three weeks, in case you're wondering.

Have you read any of the books on this list? What books are you intimidated by? Let me know in the comments below!

Top 5 Wednesday is an original bookish meme created by Lainey at gingerreadslainey. The Top 5 Wednesday Goodreads group can be found here.

New Releases: April 2016

 April 5

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction

Forest of Ruin (Age of Legends #3) by Kelley Armstrong

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court #1) by Richelle Mead

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

When We Collided by Emery Lord

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Every Heart a Doorway (Every Heart a Doorway #1) by Seanan McGuire

Genre: Fantasy

In the Labyrinth of Drakes (Memoir by Lady Trent #4) by Marie Brennan

Genre: Fantasy

The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer by Skip Hollandsworth

Genre: True Crime

Fellside by M.R. Carey


Genre: Horror

April 12

A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry

Pretty Jane and the Viper of Kidbrooke Lane: A True Story of Victorian Law and Disorder by Paul Thomas Murphy

Genre: True Crime

The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman

Genre: Non Fiction

Dreamology by Lucy Keating


Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

April 19

Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Curtis Sittenfeld

Genre: Literary Fiction - Retelling

The Everything Box by Richard Kadrey

Genre: Fantasy

Maestra by L.S. Hilton

Genre: Thriller

April 26

The Raven King (The Raven Cycle #4) by Maggie Steifvater

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Sleeping Giants (Themis Files #1) by Sylvain Neuvel

Genre: Science Fiction

Heir to the Sky by Amanda Sun

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain


Genre: Mystery

Sex with Shakespeare: Here's Much to Do with Pain, but More with Love by Jillian Keenan


Genre: Memoir

The Rose & the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn #2) by Renee Ahdieh


Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Solider (Talon #3) by Julie Kagawa


Genre: Young Adult Fantasy