I was tagged on Instagram to do the #toptenfictionalcharacters tag. I decided I would list more details for the tag here as well as my list on Instagram. Let’s get started, in no particular order.
- Hermione Granger – Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
- Hermione will forever be my favorite character. She is strong, intelligent, and a bit quirky. I love how much she cares for her friends and all the people of the wizarding world as well as the muggles.
- Katniss Everdeen – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Katniss hooked me when she volunteered for her sister. My sister is my everything and I would do the same thing for her as Katniss did for her sister. I love how strong she is even in the worst situations. She is also very real and emotional when she can and should be.
- Don Tillman – The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
- Don was such a fun character. His analytical mind trying to mix with love and life was hilarious and relatable. I loved both books in this duology and I miss this character all the time.
- Augustus Waters – The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
- Augustus is the ideal character dealing with the not ideal situation. His outlook on life, even when his isn't promised, made me feel hope for the future. The way he took care of Hazel was heartwarming.
- June Iparis – Legend by Marie Lu
- June was a loveable character. She was out to do whatever it took to make things right. I loved her energy and the ability to see what was actually happening versus what 'they' wanted her to think was happening.
- Alice Cullen – Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
- Alice, oh Alice. I don't know what to say about her. I could go on and on about how awesome was as a friend, sister, daughter, vampire, ect. I loved her character through the entire series. And yes, I am not shy to say I loved Twilight when I first read it and I am glad to have enjoyed it during my early reading years.
- Scout Finch – To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
- Scout has been a favorite character of mine since I read this book in junior high. She was so determined to prove how strong and lovable she was.
- Newt Scamander – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
- Newt is just hilarious. He is so blunt and has a strong will for his work. I love that he was so adventurous.
- Percy Jackson – Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
- Percy was a fun character to watch develop. He wasn't necessarily the best at everything, but he made the best of the situation he was in. His friendships were to die for and I loved his personality throughout the series.
- Scythe Anastasia – Scythe by Neal Shusterman
- Anastasia (Citra) was a fun character. I recently read this book and I loved her development throughout the book. She was so shy and grew into a wonderful leader.
Here are some honorable mentions with some of my favorite Disney characters.
- Woody – Toy Story
- Ralph – Wreck It Ralph
- Olaf - Frozen
What are some of your favorite characters? If you haven't done so, take some time to do this tag as well and comment your link below so I can check it out!
Adventure On,
Amanda
Title: Hunted
Author: Meagan Spooner
Published: 03/14/2017
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Format: Audiobook
Length: 9 hours (384 pages)
Rating: 4/5 stars
“There’s no such thing as living happily ever after – there’s only living. We make the choice to do it happily.”
Goodreads Overview (3.93/5 stars)
Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them.
So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance.
Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?
First Thoughts
How did I miss all of the craziness in the Disney story?
Review
OK, so I have to give myself a break, I watched the Disney movies in a totally different state of mind. And, as this is a retelling, things are very different and much more obvious. Throughout the book, there was tension and haste towards life and its meanings. A few strong points that stuck out to me during this retelling were Stockholm Syndrome and bestiality. I didn’t really recognize these things in the original Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, but man did it stick out like a sore thumb here (more towards the end than anything). This retelling is a mix of Beauty and the Beast and Russian folk tales and I loved the combination of both. I was disappointed in the ending and felt it was so rushed. I believe the beginning could have happened faster and then allowed for a smoother wrap up at the end. Overall I would definitely recommend to both lovers of retellings and those not so fond of them.
Characters
Yeva, nicknamed “Beauty”, is a strong woman with a love for the wild. She is supposed to be a proper young lady ready to marry a man courted to her. She loves to hunt and is more of a tomboy than the fine princess she is destined to be.
The Beast, nicknamed “Eovan”, is a sheltered and miserable beast. I was confused during most of the story when they referred to “we” instead of “I”, but with no spoilers, you will figure out why. He doesn’t have too much to say throughout the book, but his small parts really have an impact.
Moral of the Story/Take-away
The moral of this retelling is different than that of the original. I gathered that there’s nothing magical that will make you happy, no man/person will make you happy, and no amount of money will make you happy. You are the only one that can make you happy and the choices you make daily strongly affect that.
Title: The Perfect Christmas
Author: Debbie Macomber
Release Date: September 29, 2009
Page Count: 232
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3/5
"Maybe money can't buy love - but it can get you practically everything else."
Goodreads Summary
"For Cassie Beaumont, it's meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing's worked. Not blind dates, not the Internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.
What's left? A professional matchmaker. He's Simon Dodson, and he's very choosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a difficult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.
Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a children's party and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all --- and she's finally ready to meet her match."
First Thought
Well that was Hallmark-ish.
Review
This was a sweet, short, and quick read for me. I started reading this in December of 2017 and just wasn't feeling it at the time. I re-started reading it yesterday and read the whole thing in one sitting. It really was an easy read.
I enjoyed the idea of paying for the perfect or "most suitable match" ($30,000 was far fetched), but I felt like the story was left short. Although the tasks were very entertaining and I did giggle a few times, I didn't feel the tension in the love story. Of course I knew who would end up with whom by the end, but I was hoping to feel the emotions a bit more.
It was decent, I'd recommend it for a quick cozy holiday read. Not on my to read or purchase lists though.
Happy New Year! I know I have been completely MIA for the last part of 2017 and I really have no excuse except I haven't been reading a ton. I have lots of goals for 2018 including reading, personal, and business goals. You can check out my business goals on my other blog Amanda's Krafty Korner. So, all this being said lets move onto the Top 5 Wednesday topic for the first week of January 2018.
Top 5 Wednesday is a Goodreads group with a new topic each week. This weeks Top 5 Wednesday topic is 2018 Reading Resolutions - Self explanatory. Let us know 5 of your reading goals for the year.
This is a great topic to kick off 2018. I am also including my reading blog goals. Here are my top 5 reading/blogging goals for the year!
1. Complete my Goodreads challenge of 60 Books.
Last year I read 54 which was more than the 32 the year before, so I have high hopes for this year.
I posted my list and the first book I completed on the tab labeled 2018 Reading Challenge up above. Are you doing a reading challenge this year?
3. Read and attend some of my local libraries book club reads.
I have been wanting to do this, but just never have. I am trying to decide if I attend the adult or young adult book club. I really want to go to the YA one, but what if I am the "old lady" of the group?!
4. Review at least 1 out of 3 books that I read.
This is more of a blogging goal, but I really want to step up my reviewing this year. Even a short paragraph on Goodreads and linked here would be more than what I have been doing.
5. Participate in #T5W at least 2 times per month.
I really want to put out a top five list each week, but I can't commit to that. Some lists I am not a fan of and others I just can't think of anything!
I have so many business goals this year as well, so I hope I can stay on top of my reading and blogging here. What are your goals for 2018?
Top 5 Wednesday is a great Goodreads group with a new topic each week. Check out my original post for more information! This week's Top 5 Wednesday is Nostalgic Book Boyfriends/Girlfriends. Characters you swooned over when you were younger. This was a topic from our suggestion board.
I struggled with this one as I never really had crushes on characters and thought that they were "my boyfriend", but it was fun to put this list together.
1. Finnick Odair – Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
While everyone was swooning over Gale and Peeta, I was hooked on Finnick. His confidence was so amazing. The way he stuck with everyone was admirable.
2. Jacob Black – Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Yes, I was #TeamJacob.
3. Percy Jackson – Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
I loved how Percy handled himself as he stumbled through his new life.
4. Hermione Granger – Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
So I know most people will have Harry, Ron, the twins, Cedric, or even Draco, but I absolutely LOVE Hermione. She is amazing.
5. Erik Night – House of Night by P.C. Cast
Zoey’s “other” boyfriend was one of my favorite boys in the House of Night series when I first read them many moons ago. I understand more now about the possessive side of him, but he was such a geeky and hot.
What are your nostalgic book boyfriends/girlfriends?
Top 5 Wednesday is a great Goodreads group with a new topic each week. Check out my original post for more information! This week's Top 5 Wednesday is Non-Horror Books that Scared You. This can be entire books you found frightening or just specific scenes from those books, but discuss books that weren't technically supposed to scare you, but did.
1. The Host – Stephanie Meyer
Maybe more creepy than anything. Species taking over the mind of humans…. NO THANK YOU!
2. The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
This is considered YA Mystery, but it seriously scared me. Recounting a murder from the young teens perspective in heaven.
3. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die – April Henry
I read this after moving to a farm in the middle of nowhere. It’s a YA thriller/mystery so it’s kinda of cheating, but I still think about how much this scares me. Sadly this was loaned out and never returned to me :(
4. Gemina – Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff, and Marie Lu
Seriously I only need one word here…. COWS
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling
OK, let me explain. I was so scared of what J.K. Rowling would do to my beloved characters as it was the final book. I don’t want to spoil anyone who still hasn’t read these, but I was heartbroken to hit the end.
So, I realized that Harry Potter is mentioned A LOT in my Top 5 Wednesdays. Honestly, I should challenge myself to chill on that, but they are one of my favorite set of books!
Anyways, if you participated this week stick your link in the comments. I’d love to read it!
Top 5 Wednesday is a great Goodreads group with a new topic each week. Check out my original post for more information! This week's Top 5 Wednesday is Books Featuring Paranormal Creatures. Here is the previously mentioned paranormal creature topic. This topic will revolve around one type of paranormal creature of your choice. So books featuring vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, demons, fae, zombies, etc.
I have changed this weeks up a bit to include paranormal creatures in general as I didn’t do the other topics this month. I have included witches, wizards, supernatural humans, demi-gods, and more!
1. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
First, I haven’t finished this book. I love it, but I am just not reading. It’s horrible! But, what I’ve read so far I love the characters in this book and all of their quirky characteristics. This is my first Leigh Bardugo book and I am so hapy I finally picked one up. I had to return this to the library, but once my reading mojo is back I think I will just pick this one up from the bookstore.
2. The Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima
I have ready book one, The Warrior Heir, so far and love the take on witches, wizards, and the like. The two different sides, Red Rose and White Rose, are so intriguing. I loved the magical tournament idea and look forward to reading the rest of this series.
3. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
I don’t want to give much away, so I will stick with what is summarized on Goodreads. Reds are commoners living in a Silver world where they have god-like superpowers. A young red is thrown into the Silver Palace without knowing what’s going to become of her. I really enjoyed this series and recommend it to all those who want to read about a young heroin looking to fix the segregated world.
4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
What list of paranormal creatures would be complete without Percy Jackson and his world of creatures. I love all of Rick’s work and mythology in general. I love the fast paced story line and the young heroes and heroines in these books.
5. House of Night by P.C. Cast
Lastly, I had to include vampires. I think the House of Night is very under-hyped. I think more people would love this series if they were to pick it up. I read this a few years ago and haven’t kept up with the new releases, but in total there are 12 books in the series. This serious shows the challenges of young vampires living in a mixed world of human and vampire. The characters attend a vampire school and deal with their own world of problems.
Honorable mentions, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling and Vampire Diaries. I figured that Harry Potter was a given and I shouldn’t use it. But I mean who doesn’t love all of the paranormal creatures, witches and wizards in Harry Potter? I didn’t include Vampire Diaries because I haven’t actually read the books, but I have watched the TV series and LOVE it.
What are some of your favorite books featuring paranormal creatures?
Title: The Adventurers Guild (The Adventurers Guild #1)
Authors: Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Page Count:320
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5
"Few ever asked to join the Adventurers Guild. . . . Their members often died young."
Summary:
Freestone, one of the last cities standing, is surrounded by Dangers. The city uses guilds to keep everything running smoothly The least favored guild, The Adventurers Guild, has been known to turn up missing or injured members. They are the ones responsible for keeping the city safe and venture out into the trees to gather supplies. Nobody wants to be part of this guild, but they get to draft whomever they choose. When Zed and Brock find themselves part of this guild, they uncover a conspiracy they never thought could be true. It will take everything they have to save their city.
First Thought
When's the second one releasing!
First, thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC. Second, thanks for leaving me in suspense for book 2 before this one is even published.
I really enjoyed the world building and suspense in this book. The story goes at the perfect pace and provides a dual perspective of an adventure unlike any other. It's a great introduction to fantasy with elves, dwarfs, and magical creatures. My favorite parts of this book have to be the characters and relationships built. I thought the two main characters, Zed and Brock, were perfectly different. They showed the power of teamwork when things get rough and playing to eachother's strengths.
I would recommend this to the Percy Jackson/Harry Potter loving reader. I can't wait for the second installment!
Top 5 Wednesday is a great Goodreads group with a new topic each week. Check out my original post for more information!
This weeks topic is Books to Read Without the Synopsis. We all know that some synopsis writers spoil events that happen halfway through the book or have heard reviewers say "its best to go into this one blind." Discuss those books.
This was incredibly hard for me for two reasons. First, I usually read books I have heard about around the book community. Second, my memory is horrible! But here are 5 books to just dive in and read. I won't be putting any information for these, because well, you should just go read them! I do want to add that any and all sequels should be on this list.
1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
2. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
3. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
4. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
5. The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
What books would you add? Did you post a T5W, link below!
Title: The Warrior Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Page Count: 426
Genre: YA Fantasy
Controversial Topics: Segregation
Rating: 4/5
“Just remember who you are... The world will try to change you into someone else. Don't let them. That's the best advice anyone can give you.”
Summary
Jack thinks he’s just another nerdy kid doing his best to get through school. His main worry, making the soccer team. He never realized the world he was born into. Jack is a wizard or a warrior, who can really know with his experimental surgery and all.
First Thought
OMG, seriously!
So, it took me longer than it should have to read this book. I would read a few pages and get mad and not want things to happen so I would close the book and scream! I was happy to say I was in my car on lunch at work when I swore out loud. I knew something was happening with two of the characters, but I didn’t want to believe it.
This magical world was exactly what I needed. The two different roses fighting over a warrior was intriguing. The history of the families and the meaning behind the weapons were thrilling. I am excited to read the next book in the series.
This was recommended by a co-worker and was my first read by this author. I have already picked up the second and third books. However, I might need an emotional break from them first.
