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 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.

Top 5 Wednesday: Least Favourite Book in Your Favourite Series

  

This topic is brutal. You're asking me to pick my least favourite books from my most favourite series!? Why don't you just ask me to chop off my least favourite limb while you're at it? With heavy feelings of guilt and agony, I give you my least favourite books from my most favourite series (in no particular order):

5) The Treasure Keeper (Drakon #4) by Shana Abe

The first three books in this dragon shapshifter historical romance series are phenomenal, full of excitement, passion, and danger. I found The Treasure Keeper lacked something that the first books had. It doesn't help that the male protagonist spends about half the book as a ghost/spirit/incorporeal being. The plot is fairly intriguing but the romance part of the book feels underwhelming. 

4) Mockingjay(The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

I have a friend who likes the first two books in The Hunger Games trilogy but absolutely hates Mockingjay. While I don't hate it, I'll admit that it's not perfect and I like the first two books better. I thought some of the character deaths in this book were rushed and had almost no impact on me while I was reading it. 

3) Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead

While I enjoy the soapiness of the Vampire Academy series, I felt the third book in the series had some over-the-top ridiculous moments. And the anticipated love scene between Rose and Dimitri turned out to be a total snooze-fest. I kind of went off on a rant when I reviewed it. If you're curious, you can read it here.

2) Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

Okay, I feel super guilty about putting Scarlet on this list because The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favourite series of ALL TIME! Maybe it's because I'm not much of a Red Riding Hood fan. Or maybe it's just because I like the other books in the series just a tiny bit better. Don't get me wrong, I still love this book! It's just not my absolute favourite in the Lunar Chronicles.

1) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter #5) by J.K. Rowling

Okay, this one is painful. I am an avid Harry Potter fan. I love each and every book in the series. But if I had to choose my least favourite it would be Order of the Phoenix because it's just so damn depressing. It's really dark and gloomy and Harry is yelling at his friends, and Umbridge takes over Hogwarts, and then the ending... I think it's an important, pivotal book in the series but it can be tough to get through.

As always, Top 5 Wednesday is an original bookish meme created by Lainey of gingerreadslainey. The Top 5 Wednesday Goodreads Group can be found here. 

Top 5 Wednesday: Fictional Items I Want

 

This week's Top 5 Wednesday is all about the fictional items we would love to own. I anticipate seeing a lot of Harry Potter items on other people's lists and not just because I have two on mine. 

5) A Babel fish from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

After Arthur gets a Babel fish shoved into his ear, he's able to understand every language in the entire universe. My own personal Babel fish would certainly come in handy when traveling abroad. 

4) A Firebird from A Thousand Pieces of You 

A Firebird is a device that allows its wearer to jump to alternate dimensions. How cool would it be to travel to infinite alternative realities?

3) OASIS from Ready Player One

OASIS is an ultra-realistic virtual reality console. Not only does it allow the player to explore multiple worlds and go on quests, it also stores every book, movie, television show, and song ever made. Like the majority of the characters in the book, I'd probably spend the majority of my life in OASIS. (Which is probably not healthy.)

2) A Firebolt from the Harry Potter series

I almost decided to put the Invisibility Cloak on this list but then I thought about it some more and realized I would rather have the ability to fly than become invisible.

1) A wand from the Harry Potter series

What kid, after reading Harry Potter, did not wish for their own Ollivander wand? Hell, I'm an adult now and I still wish I had a magic wand - if nothing else I could use it to organize my bookshelf.

Top 5 Wednesday is an original bookish meme created by Lainey at gingerreadslainey.

You can find the Top 5 Wednesday Goodreads Group here.

Top 5 Wednesday: Books that Feature Time Travel

 

Some of my favorite books feature time travel. If used well, time travel is one of the most interesting plot devices. So, without further ado, here are my Top 5 Books that Feature Time Travel.

5) Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

 

I just read Slaughterhouse-Five for the first time last week and I'm so glad I read it in time for this topic because it blew me away! Billy Pilgrim is a POW in World War II but he keeps getting 'unstuck' in time and traveling to different points in his past and future. The 'how' of the time travel is never really explained but I don't think that's important to the story. Billy Pilgrim's travels through time are used to explore the very nature of what 'time' is and how humans misunderstand it. 

4) All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka

This was one of my favorite reads last year. A great action-packed sci-fi, this book is about a soldier, Keiji Kiriya, who is battling invading aliens but time keeps resetting itself so he keeps having to fight the same battle over and over again. It's basically like that movie Groundhog Day but with aliens. If you've seen the film version, I still recommend that you read the novel because the endings are completely different.

3) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Time travel is a tricky plot device to pull off but J.K. Rowling handles it well in the third installment in the Harry Potter series. On the surface, Hermione's Time Turner seems to be too convenient until you realize that the time travel is integral to the climax of the book. Time travel is seen more often in science fiction than fantasy but it works perfectly in this book. 

2) The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

The Shining Girls features a serial killer that travels through time and one of his surviving victims sets out to stop him. It is creepy, disturbing, and the time travel is handled perfectly. The ending is particularly masterful and gave me chills. I once pitched it to a friend as something Stephen King might write. And speaking of King...

1) 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Hands down, my favorite time travel novel ever, 11/22/63 is about a 21st century man who travels back in time to stop the Kennedy assassination. Truly epic in scope, this is one of King's masterpieces. If anyone can make time travel downright terrifying, it's the Master of Horror himself.

So you've heard my time travel recommendations, now I'd love to hear yours! If you've done a Top 5 Wednesday for this topic, either on a blog or on Youtube, please let me know! I'd love to see your Top 5 Books that Feature Time Travel! 

Top 5 Wednesday is an original book meme started by Lainey at gingerreadslainey/

The Top 5 Wednesday Goodreads Group can be found here.

Top 5 Wednesday: Biggest Badasses

 

5.) Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy

 

Rose Hathaway is the textbook definition of a badass -she's tough, rebellious, and she kicks some serious Strigoi ass. Buffy would be proud.

4.) Rita Vrataski from All You Need is Kill

AKA The Full Metal Bitch, Rita Vrataski is an incredibly skilled soldier fighting an alien invasion. Definitely one of my favorite female warriors, she was portrayed perfectly by Emily Blunt in the film adaptation, Edge of Tomorrow.

3.) Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games

Going from starving survivor to symbol of the rebellion, Katniss Everdeen has served as inspiration for millions of young women and proved that girls can be the heroes of their own stories.

(Image courtesy of Zombie-Sasquatch at DeviantArt.)

2.) Alana from Saga

Alana is a fierce soldier/space adventuress/mom who will do anything to protect her family. Not to mention, her hair is awesome. 

1.) Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series

Proving that brains triumph over brawn, Hermione saved her friend's lives countless times over the seven-book series using her intelligence, her logic, and her empathy. I will always be grateful to J.K. Rowling for providing such a well-rounded heroine for girls (and boys!) to look up to. 

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey over at gingerreadslainey. 

The Top 5 Wednesday Goodreads Group can be found here.