Top Ten Series I want to Read but Haven't Started Yet.

I'm going to snag the topic that Jamie did, since I have a series addiction. As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish".

Top Ten Series I want to Read but Haven't Started Yet.

1. The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett - I loved Pillars of the Earth. LOVED. As in blew through it within two weeks kind of love. So I started buying these when they came out. Just haven't started it yet.

2. Matteo Alacran by Nancy Farmer - Saw the second book in the book store and immediately thought OMG THIS SOUNDS AWESOME! And the kid working in the store who has read it insists that it is.

3. Gemma Doyle by Libba Bray - I've had the first book for a while, historical fiction and a gorgeous cover.

4. The Empress of Rome by Kate Quinn - I love the history of Ancient Rome, so when I heard about this and the good reviews by historical fiction readers, I needed to try this.

5. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - When I saw reviews, it sounded brilliant, so I got it. And there it has sat...

6. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper - When the movie came out, it intrigued me.

7. Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan - Nothing like a huge epic fantasy series to draw my attention.

8. Lindsay Chamberlain Mystery by Beverly Connor - Series where the lead character is an archaeologist? Sold.

9. Necromancer by Lish McBride - Can't resist the title and I like dead things.

10. The Cousins' War by Philippa Gregory - Philippa Gregory is pretty hot and cold in my book, but when you can get them under $5, typically will give it a try. Because every so often, you want a fluffy, bodice rippery historical fiction.

Top Ten Tuesday::Fall TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Broke and the Bookish. This week's subject are books on our Fall 2013 TBR list.

In no particular order,

1. Antigoddess by Kendare Blake :: I loved Anna Dressed in Blood. Antigoddess is a twist on Greek Mythology, and I'm a sucker for mythology retellings.

2. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey :: Our next book for the YA book club, and I'm looking forward for it.

3. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein :: Code Name Verity was fantastic, and I've been hearing this is just as fantastic.

4. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas :: Loved Throne of Glass, so I ran to the launch party for this the day I got back from vacation. Unfortunately I haven't been able to read it yet.

5. Deception by C.J. Redwine :: Loved Defiance, so I can't wait to get into this as well.

6. Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs :: I'm a sucker for the Temperance Brennan series, so I usually try to read them soon after release.

7. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory :: I am in mood for fluffy historical fiction that might play a bit fast and loose with history. Do not judge me.

8. The Bat by Jo Nesbo :: I really enjoyed The Devil's Star when we read it for book club. This is the first book in the series.

9. The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England by Dan Jones :: Between the discovery of Richard III's grave, and the White Queen, seems like a good time to brush up on the history of the period.

10. A Feast for Crows by G.R.R. Martin :: I've been spreading these out because of reasons.

Top Ten Tuesday: Under the Tree

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic: Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me.

1. Frozen Heat by Richard Castle - I love the tv series, and the books are just as fun as the show. I showed great restraint in only getting the Season 4 dvds this fall.
2. Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta - I loved Finnikin of the Rock when I listened to it this year. And since for some bloody reason the audiobook has not made it across the Pacific, I need this in print.
3. Reporting the Revolutionary War: Before it was History, It Was News by Todd Andrlik - I always loved the book of NY Times front pages we had as a kid, stealing dad's magnifying glass and reading as much of the articles as I could. This shouldn't be a surprise to my family.
4. The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer - I feel deficient for not having read either of these yet.
5. Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran - I've loved Ancient Egypt since the fifth grade. I made elaborate tomb with a mummified Barbie for a school project. And I loved Moran's novels that I've read so far. I'd like Cleopatra's Daughter also, but I've read that and not these two, so they are more of a priority.
6. Firefly: A Celebration by Joss Whedon - Oh how I loved Firefly. I called home when in grad school to get my parents to record an episode (they were in a different time zone), because I missed it where I was (the horror!).
7. The Chronicles of Downton Abbey: A New Era - Love the series, and The World of Downton Abbey is just gorgeous.
8. The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer - Loved the medieval one, but for some reason this has not been published this side of the pond D=
9. Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I by Tracy Borman - this sound fascinating when discussed in the BBC History magazine some months ago.
10. Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman - I loved how she wrote Richard in her Henry II/Eleanor of Aquitaine series. I think I've had a long enough break from the bad experience with Devil's Brood to pick up another of her books.

Top Ten Tuesday: Kick Ass Heroines

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is Top Ten Kick Ass Heroines.

Ginny Weasley Hermione may be book smart and skilled in charms, but Ginny could easily take any of her brothers with the intensity of her defensive spells.



Rachel Adams - Instead of encouraging his daughter to take interest in skills of running a home, Jared Adams taught Rachel self-defense and how to fend for herself.



Cara - Mord Sith, an elite warrior, skilled in torture. You do not want to be on her bad side.



Temperance Brennan - A smart, passionate forensic anthropologist. Sometimes she gets impatient, or ticks off the wrong person. But she can take care of herself.



Katsa - She is a skilled fighter and skilled in survival, she has served as the king's enforcer for years.



Arya - Spunky younger daughter of House Stark. Would rather do battle training with her brothers than act like a lady.



Eowyn - Fiesty daughter of Rohan who runs off and joins the army. Quite a feminist character for the time.



Holly Short - First female captain in LEPrecon history. Can be a loose canon, but definitely a match for Artemis Fowl.



The Sisters Bennett - Take the Bennett sisters, add katanas. Stir. The five sisters turn fiesty in the war against the zombies.



Annabeth Chase - Her mother is Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare, so she has a natural talent for battle.

Top Ten Tuesday Rewind: TBR for Winter

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week it is a free choice from any of the past topics. I have chosen the Winter TBR. I plan on tackling a bunch of my books which are related to myths and legends next year, so these ten will be the likely start.

1. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini -- I've had it since it came out, just haven't gotten the time yet.

2. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan -- Another I've had since its release, but I've not had a chance to get to.

3. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan -- Yup, bought this one too. But I will get to it quicker than I've gotten to the rest in this series.

4. The End of Sparta by Victor Davis Hanson -- Got this from the LibraryThing giveaways, but I've not gotten to read it yet. But I will.

5. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller -- I got so impatient waiting for one of my libraries to get this, so I bought it. And so it sits...

6. Hood by Stephen Lawhead -- I have a deep love of the Robin Hood legend. I will try every show, movie or book, no matter what the little voices in my head think about it.

7. The Odyssey and the Iliad by Homer -- I never had to read these for class, and have always thought about reading them. Then reading Starcrossed, It just sorted needled me that I still needed to read them.

8. The Once and Future King by T.H. White -- A classic in Arthurian legends. I read parts in high school but not the whole thing. I got the audio waiting for it, but need a good bit of time for it.

9. The Goddess Hunt, Goddess Interrupted and The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter -- I enjoyed The Goddess Test, although not to the same extent as Starcrossed, so I haven't rushed it. Also the library has not gotten Goddess Interrupted yet.

10. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien -- Another one that has been sitting on my shelf for a while, but with my reread of Hobbit right now, I think I'm going to move it up my list.

So, have any myth or legend related reads you want to share? And it doesn't have to be Greek and Roman; Ancient Egypt is a favorite, but others are welcome. But I have read nearly all of Rick Riordan's YA books.

Top Ten Tuesday - Series

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the BookishThis week's topic is which series you've started, and for whatever reason haven't finished. For me, in most cases, it is just a matter of planning.

1. The Hornblower Saga by C.S. Forester - I discovered the miniseries that BBC did based on the series while I was in grad school, and that lead me to the book series. There are 11 books in the series, and I got about halfway through the series when I got distracted from the series. I really enjoyed them, and they had a good pace for me. These are an early historical fiction series as well, the first one was published in 1938. I will need to binge and complete getting my set before they stop publishing them in that look.

2. Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian - I found this series from its movie as well. It is a huge series, 21 books. Its been a while since I started it, that I can't remember which of the series I've read (I've read at least 2, but have 4). This one didn't have as quick of pace as the Hornblower for me, but its very good as well.

3. Sharpe Series by Bernard Cornwell - Yup, another series I found from the movies. Very fast paced, and well researched. I've really enjoyed the ones that I've read of these. But, again, its another huge series (21 books). There may still be more in the future.

By now, you may have noticed my obsession with Regency- Napoleonic Wars era military stories.

4. Wilderness series by Sara Donati - I *loved* Into the Wilderness when I read it, and started collecting the rest of the series. I just haven't gotten time to read any more. I hope to tackle another this year.

5. Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon - I loved Outlander, and have enjoyed the first five that I've read. I have the last two, but just haven't gotten to them yet.

6. A Song of Ice and Fire by G. R. R. Martin - I only heard about this series after the HBO series came into production. Loved the first two books, and am just aiming to keep ahead of the tv series.

7. Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan - Yes, shame. I got through the entire Percy Jackson series in one week, and loved the Kane Chronicles. I got The Lost Hero when it came out, and only just read it this summer. Still working on this.

8. Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr - I got Wicked Lovely when it was a featured book for the Nook. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. So for now, when I want a change of pace, I check out one of the series from the library.

9. The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black - I got on a dark look at Fae after Wicked Lovely, and the series The Lost Girl hitting the States. While it had a similar sort of Fae hierarchy to Wicked Lovely, it lacked a little something for me. I've got the next in my library wish list, but haven't had a desire yet to get on the hold list for it.

10. The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater - People raved about this series, so I borrowed Shiver from the library on audio. I hated the narrators, and the story was teenage chick lit (which is my absolute least favorite genre). I won't be going back to series.

Top Ten Tuesday- Top Ten Blogs/Sites That Aren't About Books

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here will answer. Everyone is welcome to join! All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

This list can also be titled "Top Ten Reasons Sarah hasn't posted a review in a while". So in no particular order...

1. Facebook - I am an app junky. At times my really video games get sidelined because I get sucked into apps. But I am slowly weeding them down. Baby steps.
2. DeviantArt - A lot of the pixel artists who used to have sites, have reverted to DA for posting their work, so I go there to keep tabs.
3. Limelight Cafe - Once upon a time there was an art forum I went to called Fractured Fairytales. It was awesome, but after being open several years, and once membership dwindled, it closed. Limelight Cafe is a new forum, by old FF members, in the same flavor.
4. Ancestry.com - I started doing genealogy round about my senior year of high school. Now, ever so often (usually when they do their New Years sales), I get a subscription to Ancestry to see if can find anything new.
5. Family Search - Family Search is the greatest free genealogy site out there (Ancestry gobbled up a lot of the other ones). If you didn't know, The Latter Day Saints run free genealogy centers which are connected with some of their churches (check your phone book). My dad and I started going to the local center when we started, but it was hard since everything was on microfilm or microfiche, or you can request them from Salt Lake City. Now with the site, you can see the majority of their records.
6. GetGlue - I check in to a lot of things (but its linked to my primary twitter @sawcatsims). And sometimes if I'm bored, I go rating things.
7. Relentlessy Cheerful - The tumblr account of James Chance. He's an artist who does fandom mashup artwork - Star Wars characters as Winnie the Pooh characters, Muppets as Doctor Who characters....I found it when someone on either facebook or twitter linked to his series of Muppets as the characters in Firefly/Serenity.
8. The Bitten Word - A Foodie blog. The guys who run it feature recipes from the cooking magazines they subscribe to, and talk about the making of it, and what they liked and didn't like about them. Everything looks so good, even if I wouldn't normally eat it. Strange thing I like, because I don't like to cook.
9. Tudor History - When I first got hooked on podcasts, I stumbled onto Lara's Tudor History podcast, where she'd talk about news related to the Tudors, and historical happenings. She runs this site, which is a great resource if you need some quick information.
10. Masterpiece on PBS - I love the Masterpiece series. I repeatedly go to the site to check what's coming up, who the cast is, or look for announcments of the new shows for the next section.

Top Ten Quotes from Books

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly event hosted at The Broke and Bookish.
This week’s topic: Top Ten Quotes From Books

I hadn't intended on doing this, but seeing the posts come up, I just had to. Many moons ago, my dad gave me a journal. I don't know why, because I'd never kept a journal or diary, and I wasn't a writer. So I started collecting quotes and lyrics that I liked in it. So here is a selection.


1. "...and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." Tyrion tapped the leather cover of the book. "That's why I read so much, Jon Snow." ~A Game of Thrones George R.R. Martin

2. Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strenghtens. ~The Shadow of the Wind Carlos Ruiz Zafon

3. To love oneself is the beginning of a life long romance. ~An Ideal Husband Oscar Wilde

4. For it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once well done is done forever. ~Resistance to Civil Government Henry David Thoreau

5. They afterwards took me to a dancing saloon where I saw the only rational method of art criticism I have ever come across. Over the piano was printed a notice: 'Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best.' ~Impressions of America Oscar Wilde

6. My idea is that if we girls have any influence we should use it for the good of these boys, and not pamper them up, making slaves of ourselves and tyrants of them. Let them prove what they can do and be before they ask anything of us, and give us a chance to do the same. Then we know where we are, and shall not make mistakes to mourn over all our lives. ~Jo's Boys Louisa May Alcott

7. Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road there to and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning. ~Works and Days Hesiod

8. Oh well... I'd just been thinking, if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet. ~Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J. K. Rowling

9. Courage is found in unlikely places. ~Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien

10. Ideas are not mirrors, they are weapons; their function is to prepare us to meet events, as future experience may unroll them. ~The Genteel Tradtion in American Philosophy George Santayana

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish. This week's theme is...

Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book:

1. J. K. Rowling - I hope she is working on the Scottish Book, or some more of the text books, or even something entirely unrelated to Harry Potter.

2. Ariana Franklin - I really enjoyed the Mistress of the Art of Death series, but Diana Norman, who wrote under the pen name Ariana Franklin, died nearly a year ago. I still hope that maybe her family finds a nearly finished manuscript in her papers.

3. Michael Crichton - I really enjoyed his brand of science fiction, and his work on ER. It saddened me when he died a few years back. Though more would be great, they are still unfinished, and you can tell when those don't have the author's final polish on them.

4. Helen Fielding - I didn't care for either of her Bridget Jones books- those were too down the chick lit path and I'm not into that in books. But I really enjoyed her other two novels, Cause Celeb and Olivia Joules and The Overactive Imagination

5. Jonathan Stroud - I love that snarky djinn Bartemaeus and the quasi historical settings. I'd love more in this series, or others that carry the same sort of humor.

6. Eoin Colfer - I am looking forward to more in the Artemis Fowl series.

7. Susanna Clarke - I enjoyed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and thought the time to get through it worth it in the end, and the stories in Ladies of Grace Adieu. Its been almost six years since the later was published. Supposedly she had been working on another book, but the article referenced on Wikipedia is five years old, so who knows. Hopefully....

8. Lloyd Alexander - This is what I read in elementary school. I loved the Prydain Chronicles, and while I've not read all of his works, I still wish there were more.

9. Katherine Howe - The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane was a favorite of mine, and a I can't wait for The House of Velvet and Glass to come out, hopefully this spring.

10. Elizabeth Gaskell - I got introduced to her writings by the miniseries Wives and Daughters, and now have read half of her novels. Wives and Daughters was her last, and unfinished

Top Ten Covers

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme started at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a specific topic for a top ten list. Link up, visit some new blogs and add to your ever growing TBR list.

We've all been told not to judge a book by its cover. But we all do it. We also judge books by their titles. I know that a lot of work goes into cover art - and so I think it's an acceptable factor in your decision to spend $15-$20 on a book that it cover and/or title be pleasing. So here are 10 books that I've judged and bought based on their cover art and/or title. And whether or not that judging led me astray.

Guilty as charged. I have been sucked into checking out or buying a book because of the cover. I have to remind myself when I'm in the store, that I should not buy a book just because of the cover. I actually skipped over We, the Drowned twice in Borders closing sale because of it, only to see it on my Goodreads to be read list, so I actually let myself cave for it.

My Top Ten covers (that I can think of):

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Top Ten Tuesday: Top ten Sequels I'm Dying to Read

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Sequels I'm Dying to Read
I read a great deal of series, I seem to get stuck in some long ones, so this will be repeated somewhat from last week's list.

1. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan I preordered it last summer, but have yet to read it.
2. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon My next one in the series. There was a mention of Jaime and Clare in Into the Wilderness, and I've been wanting to pick it up since.
3. Dawn on a Distant Shore by Sara Donati I pretty much inhaled Into the Wilderness when I checked it out. So when I found a near mint copy of the second book at the library sale, I snatched it up.
4. A Clash of Kings by G.R.R. Martin Been itching to pick this up since the tv series ended
5. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness A Discovery of Witches is still my favorite book that I've read this year. I am eagerly awaiting release of the second book hopefully next summer.
6. Crossed by Ally Condie Loved Matched, so this will be one of the highlights of November.
7. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini Been looking forward to the end of this series.
8. I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett Wintersmith was one of the first Discworld books read, and probably part of the reason I picked up Wicked Lovely. This was one of my Borders finds.
9. Beat to Quarters by C.S. Forester I have a thing for Regency set military. The Hornblower series was one of the first I started, but I haven't read any since I started using Shelfari. I've had this since then, but haven't read it.
10. A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin I love the Mistress of the Art of Death series. Its like the book (and original) Temperance Brennan set in the medieval period. This is the final book in the series, unless another is discovered in Diana Norman's papers, since she died earlier this year.

Top Ten Fall TBR list

Top Ten is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is the top ten books on our TBR pile for the Fall.

In no particular order....
1. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini - The last book in the Inheritance cycle
2. Seizure by Kathy Reichs - Second book in the Virals series, her YA series with her son. Has to good stuff from her Temperance Brennan series, but a YA setting, with a smidge of science fiction added.
3. Crossed by Ally Condie - I loved Matched, and since I've seen this pop up on the Goodreads Early Review giveaways, I just can't wait.
4. Which ever book is picked for the Historical Fiction Group's October read - The theme is witches, and I have 3 of the books already, and the fourth is on my TBR list.
5. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan - I got this last year when it was released, and haven't gotten to it yet.
6. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan - Need to read The Lost Hero because The Son of Neptune is out this year.
7. A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon - The next book for me in the Outlander series. Its been a year about since I read The Fiery Cross, and I've been wanting time to get back to Claire and Jaime
8. A Clash of Kings by G.R.R. Martin - I've been dying to find out whats up next for my favorite Starks
9. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England by Carol F. Karlsen - I purchased this on my vacation to Boston earlier this year, and have been looking for time to read it. Might read it with the group read in October.
10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - One of my first Nook purchases, and I've not gotten to it. I'm curious to whether it lives up to the hype.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish, this is a place to share all of your top ten based on the weekly theme.

This week's theme: Top Ten Bookish Websites/Organizations/Apps, etc
In no particular order.....
1. Google Reader - Not what you were expecting, right? Any blog I want to follow gets added to Google Reader. Those using GFC automatically get added (though sometimes you need to visit your Blogger dashboard for it to kick in). This is my first bookish stop of the day.

2. Shelfari - Second bookish stop of the day. It was the first site I started using to keep track of what was on my bookshelves. I've found some great active groups there, and my tbr has grown because of them.

3. Goodreads - I like this because it connects with Twitter and Facebook. Its much easier to sort you book lists than Shelfari, and its a much faster load time. Plus it has the Goodreads First Reads program, and you can keep track of favorite quotes. It does have a book swap program, but I've yet to try it.

4. Goodreads App for Nook Color - First app of its kind for the Nook Color. Lets me do a quick update on my reading without firing up a computer or using the Nook Color's browser.

5. Library Thing - Bare bones and no fuss site. Very quick load time, and it too can connect with your facebook and twitter accounts. It has an early reviewers program, and a Members Giveaway program. I have received several e-books through the latter, from authors wanting reviews (look for those once the library stops bum rushing me with holds). If you miss out on a giveaway on Goodreads, you can always try here (they get several of the same), and vice versa. There are free and pay versions of accounts (free maxes at 200 books on your list), but right now pay is a one time only thing, and I might consider doing that in the future. It also features local events near you, and author chats.

6. Book Depository - We over on this side of the pond sometimes get the shaft when books are originally printed in the UK. They don't always get picked up by an American publisher, so we have to go elsewhere. For a single item shopping, Book Depository is great, and free shipping. Not always cheaper than Amazon UK, but easier by far.

7. Unbound Blog - Barnes and Noble's blog about all things Nook related. They feature their monthly selection, new apps, some of their sales and guest blogs here.

8. Barnes and Noble's Bargain Books - Sales are good, and if you don't have to have it right at release, this portion of the site is awesome. Around the time when the paperbacks are hitting the stores, B&N puts the hardcover versions on clearance for a time. I have upgraded series that I loved to hardcover copies because of this. Its hard to beat a hardcover copy for under $5.

9. Librivox - Most bookish people have heard of Project Gutenberg by now. Librivox is Project Gutenberg for audiobooks. Volunteers record books in the public domain and make those available for download for free. If you use Itunes, you can subscribe to a book so it will download into the podcast section, instead of in a massive archive file, or multiple smaller files.

10. Ebay - If you are looking for something out of print, Ebay is my favorite place to start. I suffer from the 'but my series books must match' condition, so I have completed a few of series sets this way. And my recent stash of French books.