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Top Ten Tuesday -- Frustrating Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

Instead of specific characters, I'm going to focus on types of characters that frustrate me.

1. The Damsel in Distress -- A woman can be strong and vulnerable, but to be completely helpless is just annoying.  I can't stand these girls.

2. The Misunderstood Bad Boy -- Such a stereotype.  Not every bad boy has a heart of gold underneath all that leather.  I just get a bit annoyed when the heroine constantly tries to reform the bad boy.

3. The Virgin to Sex Addict -- I see this happen in a ton of romance novels.  The heroine goes from the naive virgin to overly adventurous sex addict after one encounter.  This isn't to say that many women have a sexual awakening.  I think it's very healthy.  However, I just don't see this happening in every occasion.

4-6. The "Woe is Me" / "My Life Sucks" / "No One Understands Me" Girl -- Can I just say... get over yourself!

7. The Ugly Duckling to Prom Queen Girl -- It's the silly fairy tale.  It gets old after awhile.

8. The Nonexistent Parents -- Why do I constantly see seemingly nonexistent parents in young adult novels?  Where are they?  Why can't we see healthy parent-teenager relationships?

9. The Unrequited Love Next Door -- Girl to boy or boy to girl, it's just a bit silly.

10. The Athlete with a Sensitive Side -- Why does every jock have to be misunderstood with a hidden "geeky" passion?  Every one we meet.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 01.29.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Settings to See More Of

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This was a difficult list to create...  I just can't think of a ton of different settings.  So, I've got just a few, but ones I really want to see.

1. Fantastical Realms -- I love well-constructed fantasy worlds.  The more complex, the better.  I just read The Magician King and I was blown away by the richness we am immersed in.  I want more!

2. Dystopian Worlds -- Dystopias call to me.  There's something about the bleak, but hopeful atmospheres in dystopias.

3. Realistic Cityscapes -- I am a city girl at heart.  I love it when stories are set in real cities.  I love the inclusion of neighborhoods and shops and attractions.  Can I read more set in San Francisco?  Please, please...

4. Space -- Space, the final frontier...  Slightly cheesy, but still super intriguing.

5. Small Towns -- Even though I'm a city girl, I like reading about small town stories.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 01.22.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 7
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- I Resolve to Read...

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

These are books that have been sitting on my shelves for awhile.  They are my top picks for January.  I want to knock some of these out and get a great start on the New Year.

1. Emma and Mansfield Park by Jane Austen -- Rereads, but I haven't gotten to them in a few years.

2. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman -- I am determined to read more Gaiman this year. I'm even devoting a whole reading challenge to him.

3. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

4. Matched, Crossed, and Reached by Ally Condie -- I won the first book last year, but never read it.  Then at a book swap in October, I grabbed Crossed.  I should really read these now.

5. Lightworld/Darkworld trilogy by Jennifer Armintrout -- Sitting on my shelf for at least two years, I will finish this trilogy.

6. The Passage by Justin Cronin -- Another long time shelf occupant.  I heard such good things, but never started.  Bad me!

7. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon -- Adored The Shadow of the Wind, really want to read the rest of his books.

8. Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen -- Been meaning to get around to these.

9. Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro -- Acquired at that October book swap.  Really want to dive into this one.

10. The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming -- Long time shelf resident, needs to be read.

tags: TBR Pile, Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 01.01.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- 2012 New-to-Me Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

I read a ton of New-to-Me authors this year.  Here's my 10 highlights:

1. Mira Grant -- I thoroughly enjoyed Grant's Newsflesh trilogy.   I can't wait to see what else I could read from this author.

2. Rhiannon Frater -- Another great zombie trilogy.  I've been seeing a huge bunch of rave reviews for Frater's other books.  I must check them out.

3. Madeleine Roux -- I'm sensing a trend of great zombie authors...  Anyway, loved these two companion novels.

4. Libba Bray -- The Gemma Doyle trilogy was great.  Looking forward to other books.

5. Philip Pullman -- Very layered books

6. Mike Mullin -- Scared the crap out of me.

7. Kendare Blake -- Another scary book.  I really want to read the sequel.

8. Carlos Ruiz Zafon -- The Shadow of the Wind was a great love letter to books and literature.

9. Robin McKinley -- Sunshine was so beautiful, I'm kind of afraid to read her other books for fear that they won't live up to it.

10. Lev Grossman -- The Magicians was very complex and interesting.

tags: authors, Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 12.11.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Santa Please Bring

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

Here's my Christmas wish list this year:

1. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

2. Reached by Ally Condie

3. City of Lost Souls, Clockwork Prince, and Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

4. The Twelve by Justin Cronin

5. The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

6. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

7. Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

8. Empress of Rome by Kate Quinn

9. A Lady Most Willing by Julia Quinn

10. Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

tags: gifts, Top Ten Tuesday, wish list
categories: Books
Tuesday 12.04.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Winter TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

I'm cheating this week.  The real topic is "2013 New Releases I'm Looking Forward To,"  but here's the thing: I don't usually keep up with new releases. Sure, I grabbed them from time to time, but it's usually because someone else recommends.  I don't sit and wait for the new releases.  Instead of the real topic, I'm sharing my Winter TBR list.  The topic seems to have been left off the list for this season.  These books are all those that I need to read by the end of the year to knock out some reading challenges.

2012 Still Need to Reads

1. The Magician King by Lev Grossman

2. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (about halfway through)

3. Mythology by Edith Hamilton (currently reading)

4. The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

5.  The Firemaster's Mistress by Dickason

6.  Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes

7. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

8.  The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees

2013 First Up Reads

9. The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming

10. Rest of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series

Fall TBR Recap -- How I did based off of previous TTT post.  Pretty close to reading them all! (20/27)

  1. As the World Dies trilogy by Rhiannon Frater
  2. Feed by Mira Grant
  3. Deadline by Mira Grant
  4. The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming
  5. The Maiden's Hand by Susan Wiggs
  6. At the Queen's Summons by Susan Wiggs
  7. P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
  8. A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn
  9. Mythology by Edith Hamilton
  10. The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison
  11. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
  12. The Girl from Junchow by Kate Furnivall
  13. The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall
  14. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees
  15. As You Like It
  16. King Lear
  17. Pericles
  18. Cymbeline
  19. Othello
  20. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick
  21. Snow Crash By Neal Stephenson
  22. Outlander series
  23. HP 7
  24. A Wrinkle in Time by L'Engle
  25. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
  26. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
  27. Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes
tags: Top Ten Tuesday, Winter TBR List
categories: Books
Tuesday 11.27.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Bookish Wants

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's topic was a freebie.  With the holidays coming up, I thought I would take the opportunity to highlight some of my bookish wants.  Now this won't be a list of books I want, but rather bookish gifts I want.  Enjoy the pretties...

And to any relatives or friends looking for gifts for me for Christmas, these are great ones.  Plus I have a wishlist posted on Amazon including specific books I want.

1. Jane Austen Penguin Classics -- I know I said no books, but these are more like art than books.  I really really really want the entire set for my house. Check out those gorgeous spines... I especially love the feathers on Persuasion.  Link is to only Persuasion, but will lead to the others.

2. Out of Print's Pride and Prejudice Shirt or the Matching Tote

3. Storiarts Persuasion Scarf on Etsy

4. Library storage bins from RoadsidePhotographs on Etsy

5. Hand Painted Necklaces from Heather Kent on Etsy -- variety of designs

6. Vintage Dictionary Prints from TheRekindledPage on Etsy -- Love the Alice ones!

7. Pride and Prejudice necklace from JezebelCharms on Etsy

8. Doctor Who and Alice mashup print from Parodies Lost on Etsy -- two of my favorite characters in one print!

9. Red Riding Hood tee from binarywinter on Etsy

10. Beautiful handmade journals and sketchbooks from Bookgirls Studio on Etsy

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 11.06.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 5
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Kick Ass Heroines

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

Just in time for Halloween I present some Kick Ass Heroines.  Dress up as one of these awesome ladies!

1. Katnis Everdeen from The Hunger Games -- She's just awesome.  I think we can all agree that she did the best she could with the lot given.  I love her battle moments and the quiet moments.

2. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter --  I think if these books had come out when I was young, I would have dressed as Hermione for every Halloween.  Even at the beginning of the series, you know she will eventually kick some serious ass.

3. Alexia Tarabotti from Parasol Protectorate -- You wouldn't immediately think proper Victorian lady for this list, but Alexia can kick ass when she needs to.  I love her "proper" fighting!

4. Madame Lefoux from Parasol Protectorate series --  Her inventions are killer (sometimes literally) and she has style.  Even when she betrayed Alexia, she did it for love and family.  I love her character throughout the series.

5. The Female from The Boys series --  Her story is tragic.  She never speaks.  And yet, she's the deadliest weapon The Boys possess.

6. Death from Sandman series -- Come on, she's Death!  How bad ass is that?  Plus, she's a great counterpoint to her brother Dream.  And she still has a kick ass wardrobe.

7. Annabeth from Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series --  The ultimate daughter of Athena (always my favorite of the Greek goddesses).  She is smart, gorgeous, and dangerous.  The perfect woman.

8. Thalia from Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series --  She sacrifices everything first to guard Camp Half-Blood and then becomes a Hunter of Artemis.  She is a bad ass!

9. Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -- Not an obvious choice.  But she does navigate Wonderland and defeat the Queen of Hearts in a way.  I love her...

10. Cinderella from Fables series -- The ultimate spy posing as a fairy tale princess.  I loved the glimpses of her in the main series.  And she even gets her own spinoff.  From Fabletown with Love.

And for your viewing pleasure, check out the BAMF Girls. Hilarious!

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 10.30.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Spooky Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

It's the haunted holiday season...  I thought I would share my favorite spooky books.  But anyone who knows me, knows that I love love love zombie books.  So my Top Ten is going to be the Top Ten Spooky Zombie Books.  Enjoy!

1. Autumn by David Moody -- Very dark, very adult zombie series.  Full of gore, just how I like it.  And I must say that this entire series really does scare the crap out of me...

2. Allison Hewitt is Trapped and Sadie Walker is Stranded by Madeleine Roux -- I loved the idea of Allison Hewitt blogging the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse.  The second book a lovely treat of zombie books.

3. Newsflesh trilogy by Mira Grant -- A different type of zombie book, but oh so good!

4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies -- One of my favorite classic books mixed with zombies while still keeping the Austen style and passages... loved it!  I liked Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters a bit less than P&P&Zombies.

5. As the World Dies trilogy by Rhiannon Frater

6. The Walked Dead comic series -- I started reading the comic series after I started watching the TV series, but the comics still hold their own.  I love the stark black and white cells.  A masterpiece of spontaneity.

7. Living with the Dead trilogy by Jesse Petersen -- A more funny zombie novel about a couple reconnecting throughout the ordeal.   I loved this series so much...

8. World War Z by Max Brooks -- Documentary style highlighting the after effects of the zombie apocalypse.  I was really looking forward to the movie version, but I hear it's on the rocks right now.  Boo...

9. The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy by Carrie Ryan -- My favorite YA zombie series.  I love the look of the world years afterward.   The first one was my favorite hands down, but the other two were really good also.

10. Zombie Blondes by Brian James -- Stepford Wives meets zombies in this YA novel.  It was plenty creepy to keep me entertained.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 10.23.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Favorite Places to Read (Rewind)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's topic is rewind; choose a previous TTT topic.  I have moved since doing this topic, so I thought  I would revise my favorite places to read.

1. Living room chair -- J often finds me draped over the arms of the chair reading a book.   I still love my chair, but if we had a bigger place, I would love a couch to read on.

2. My bed -- Every once in a while I read a few chapters before bed, but I get too sleepy for marathon reading.

3. The balcony -- We get a nice breeze on our balcony, plus I get natural light!  It's only annoying when there's a ton of loud people in the pool.

4. Beside the pool -- Usually only during the weekday when no one's there.  I like the sun but really love the peace and quiet.

5. At the local coffeehouse: Bean Scene Cafe on Murphy St, Sunnyvale -- Love the atmosphere and the coffee...  Plus it's only a few blocks from the apartment.

6. The Sunnyvale Library -- Not that often.  I prefer to grab books and go, but I have been known to sit and read.  It's got nothing on ACPL...

7. Starbucks -- If it actually gets a bit cooler, I love grabbing a pumpkin spice latte.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 10.09.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Series I Haven't Finished

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

I've really worked at finishing unfinished series I have lying around, so this weel's list is going to be shorter than 10.

1. Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus --  The boys and I were in the middle of reading Neptune's Son when they went back to Indiana.  So I will have to wait until Thanksgiving and Christmas to get back to this one.  I may not have the will power and may just finish reading it before then...

2. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander -- I read Outlander two (three?) years ago at the urging of a friend.  I loved it!  But somehow I never continued reading the series.  I've had them on my reading challenge list for the past two years without success.  I really really really need to read these.

3. Lev Grossman's The Magicians -- I finally picked up The Magicians this year after J's constant bugging.  Loved it!  Couldn't wait to read the sequel.  And yet it sits unread on my iPad.

Comic series

4. Neil Gaiman's The Sandman -- I'm six volumes in.  I will be finishing these next year for my potential Neil Gaiman reading challenge.

5. Bill Willingham's Fables -- Waiting for the new volumes to be out and at the library.

6. Garth Ennis' the Boys -- Awaiting the arrival of the last volume of this series.

7. Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead -- Four books in, I really should finish these.  I'm sure they will be on my first reads for 2013 and my next year's graphic novel reading challenge.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 09.25.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Bookish People to Meet

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

Last time I did this topic, I picked a mix of living and dead authors.  This time I wanted to highlight only living authors.  So here we go...

1. Neil Gaiman -- I've really gotten into his Sandman series and now want to read all of his works.  Maybe I'll make that a 2013 reading challenge.  Plus he's married to Amanda Palmer (love her!) and his Twitter feed is just great.  I've put the new hardback version of Stardust on my Amazon wish list.  I would love the signed version (so expensive), but unsigned is okay.

2. Lev Grossman -- I was blown away by The Magicians.  J keeps bugging me to read The Magician King and I really should, but so many books...

3. Richard Castle -- Okay I'm cheating a bit...  But I really would love to meet Richard Castle and discuss his process.  As a bonus I would get to meet Nathan Fillion... Swoon!

4. Rick Riordan -- The boys and I have fallen for his Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series.  I missed my opportunity to meet him back in Indiana a few years ago.  I don't want to miss another.

5. Garth Ennis -- The Boys is one of my new favorite series.  It's so dark and twisted.  I would love to ask Ennis all about his inspirations.

6. Bill Willingham --  On the lighter side of comics, I adore the Fables series.

7. Robin McKInley -- Sunshine may be my favorite book of the year, even beating The Hunger Games.  I would love to discuss fairy tales with McKinley.

8. George Martin -- If only to encourage him to write faster and finish the series...

9. Mike Mullin -- He has created one of the scariest series I have ever read.  And I'm a huge horror fan...  Must discuss super volcanoes with him.

10. Libba Bray -- I liked her Gemma Doyle series and hear that her other books are amazing.  Plus every blogger who has met her has great things to say.  I should add her other books to my next year's TBR list.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 09.18.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Fall TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

My Fall TBR list is really my "I need to read to finish my reading challenges" books.  So really this should be a my Fall TBR categories and number of books.  Some of these are already sitting on my TBR shelf and others are definitely not going to get read...  So sad!  I'm sure some of these will end up on my Winter TBR list.

1. Zombie (7) -- Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies trilogy; Feed and Deadline by Mira Grant; Sadie Walker is Stranded by Madeleine Roux

2. Fantasy (2) -- The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming

3. Romance (3) -- The Maiden's Hand and At the Queen's Summons by Susan Wiggs; P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern

4. Fairy Tales (5) - A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn; Mythology by Edith Hamilton; The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison; The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

5. Historical Fiction (6) -- The Girl from Junchow and The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall; The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees;

6. Shakespeare (5) - As You Like It; King Lear; Pericles; Cymbeline; Othello

7. Science Fiction (3) - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick; Snow Crash By Neal Stephensob

8. Outlander series (5)

9. HP (1)

10. Classics (5) -- A Wrinkle in Time by L'Engle; Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson; Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes

11. Lots of nonfiction (too many to list)

Summer TBR Recap -- more than half, but not great progress

  1. His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
  2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  4. Mythology by Edith Hamilton (started)
  5. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
  6. Neptune’s Sun by Rick Riordan (started)
  7. The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman
  8. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
  9. A Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray 
  10. Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead 
  11. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
  12. Persepolis 2 by Marjane Satrapi
  13. Fairy tale retellings
  14. Lots of romance from Susan Wiggs, Nora Roberts, Julia London, Paula Quinn and others
  15. Finish the Semi-Charmed Summer Challenge
tags: Fall TBR List, Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 09.04.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Bookish Confessions

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

A round of bookish confessions.  I am a bit ashamed at some of these...

1. I am woefully behind on my original 2012 TBR list...  I've read 116 books this year, but I'm somehow behind.  As J keeps bugging me, I haven't read many of the books that I said I would read back in January.  I really need to to get back on track for the last few months of this year.

2. Sometimes I don't want to read, I'd rather watch TV or some movies...  Is this a horrible thing for a book blogger to say?  At times I tire of reading, and I just want to rot my brain in front of the TV.  And so I do.

3. I've seen many movie versions of books before reading the book...  Thankfully I have gone back to read the book in many cases.  It's been on of my unofficial rules to read the book before viewing the movie, but it just hasn't happened in every case.

4. I have a library addiction...  I have hundreds of book in my Mount TBR list, but I still find myself patronizing the library for more books to read.  I need to get this under control.

5. I own too many bookmarks...  I have dozens of bookmarks and yet i only read on book at a time.  So why do I need so many bookmarks?  I have no idea.

6. Stories I read find their way into my dream...  I rehash some plot lines, but I star in them instead of the original heroine.  And sometimes my brain makes changes here and there to make a slightly different story.

7. I add ~20 books a week to my TBR list...  I think this has gotten a bit out of control.  I now have thousands of books on my TBR list.  I don't think I'll ever get through all those books.

8. I prefer physical stores for book browsing...  I love the serendipity moment of stumbling upon a great looking book in the stacks.  I just don't get the same thrill looking at online retailers.

9. I read in spurts...  I'm not a consistant reader at all.  Sometimes I read 5-6 books a weeks and other times I fail to complete one.

10. I love literary paraphernalia...  I would love to decorate my house complete in literary crap.  Etsy is my downfall.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 08.28.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Favorite Blog Featured Reviews

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's post highlights my favorite book reviewed on the blog.  I decided to limit my list to books I first read for the blog.  Otherwise the list will be full of Harry Potter and Jane Austen books.

1. At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols

2. Autumn by David Moody 

3. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

4. The Prestige by Christopher Priest 

5. The Fables series by Bill Willingham

6. Soulless by Gail Carriger

7. The Affinity Bridge by George Mann

8. The Magicians by Lev Grossman

9. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

10. Sunshine by Robin McKInley

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 08.21.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- My Favorite Blog Posts

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

I tried to find some posts and talk about me more than the books to read.  And it was hard.  I tend to lean on music, movies, and books.  But I found some good ones from the early days of my blog.  Please read some of these to get to know me...

1. About my love of Wine (how I miss you...)

2. Thoughts of Style and Fashion

3. For the Love of Jane Austen

4. My Name (and why I hate it)

5. Some of my favorite things

6. My favorite book

7. A short fiction piece: The Fortune Teller

8. Top Ten Tuesday: All About Me

9. Coffeehouse annoyances

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 08.07.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Love Jane Austen

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week's topic is to pick and an author and then recommend their books...  Well my favorite author is Jane Austen and she has only six novels.  So I rounded out the list with some Jane Austen-esque books.  For the Austen authored books, I put them in the order I think someone should read them.

1. Northanger Abbey -- Her first novel.  It's short.  Catherine is a feisty young girl.  It's a fun little gothic tale.

2. Pride and Prejudice -- Probably the most popular.  And for a reason. Enjoy!

3. Emma -- Emma is a love her or hate her type of character. Upon multiple readings, I really like her now.

4. Sense and Sensibility -- Almost a companion to Pride and Prejudice.  Elinor still bugs me sometimes.

5. Persuasion -- My favorite, but you have to get into the Austen mindset for this to be completely satisfying.

6. Mansfield Park -- Fanny Price is the least likable of Austen's heroines.  But she comes alive after reading the others.

7. Austenland by Shannon Hale -- It's a great modern telling of Pride and Prejudice mixed with reality shows.  I can't wait to read the sequel.

8. My Antonia by Willa Cather -- It's a decidedly American book, but something of Cather's storytelling reminds me of Austen.  I loved it!

9. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery -- A beautiful love story...  must read.

10. Any Georgette Heyer -- She's a successor to Austen.  Written in the early 20th Century, the writing and ideas are a beautiful companion to Austen's.

tags: Jane Austen, Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 07.03.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Characters Like Me

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

There have been a few characters in literature that I identify with, that remind me of myself.

1. Mary from The Secret Garden -- I think I have the same need to be independent and strong as Mary.  But like her, I definitely need friends.

2. Beth from Little Women -- Beth has this quiet vulnerability.

3. Anne Elliott from Persuasion -- I just love her so much.  For some reason, I think that I'm a lot like her.

4. Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -- Alice is curious.  Alice is confident (most of the time).  Alice is trying to find out who she is.  All things like me.

I could only find a few characters that are like me.  Funny how they are all from classic books that I love.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 06.26.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Top Ten Tuesday -- Summer TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

I love these quarterly TTT posts.  It forces me to list my top reads for the season.  I do so love being organized.

1.  His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman -- J has been bugging me about this series for just about forever.  I promised I would read them this summer.  And we have this uber pretty box set...

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the Deathly Hallows -- I have only two more books to finish my series reread.  I'm so close!  And once I finish these, I will have another reading challenge completed for 2012.

3. Mythology by Edith Hamilton -- I think this one has been on my list since high school.  Twelve long years it has languished on my TBR list.  I think this summer is its time to shine.

4. The Lost Hero and Neptune's Sun by Rick Riordan -- The boys and I have been reading The Lost Hero since last summer.  To be fair, they only live with me during summer and school breaks.  Thanksgiving and spring break we didn't get any reading done with traveling and family events.  We're getting close to the end of Lost Hero and they already can't wait to read Son of Neptune.  The third book will probably be read next summer.

5. The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman -- Another "why did it take me this long to read these?" series...  First three volumes are completed, I'm hoping to finish the others this summer.

6. Rebel Angels and A Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray -- I've had these series for absolutely forever.  Finished the first one a few months ago and really ned to complete the series this summer.  I'm looking forward to these.

7. Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead -- I got the first one from the library on a whim and now I'm hooked.  I currently have 2, 3, and 4 sitting in the ottoman to read.  I hope to finish the entire series this summer.

8. Persepolis and Persepolis 2 by Marjane Satrapi -- Really looking forward to these.

9. Fairy tale retellings -- I've been grabbing a few of these from the stacks at the library.  I want to continue the trend throughout the summer...

10. Lots of romance from Susan Wiggs, Nora Roberts, Julia London, Paula Quinn and others -- I love me some light and fluffy romance during the summer.  Definite pool and beach reads!

11.  Finish the Semi-Charmed Summer Challenge -- I need to read 7 more books including the Gemma Doyle trilogy, 2012 World Book Night selection, book or movie based on book from 1982 (possibly Blade Runner?), School read (Mythology), "Ugly" in title, and a random pick from library/bookstore.  I think it's doable.

tags: Summer TBR List, Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 06.19.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Top Ten Tuesday - Never Read Books (Rewind)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

This week was a rewind week -- pick a previous topic.  I chose "Books I Can't Beleive I've Never Read."  I promise these are all on my TBR list, but it is ever so long...

1. Anna Karenina -- I really need to read it before the movie releases.  Plus, J is appalled by my lack of Russian authors.  (To be far, I have read a town of Russian plays, just not novels)

2. War and Peace -- See #1

3. Mark Twain except for Huckleberry Finn -- How is it I never read anything else by him?  I must remedy this.

4. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters -- More that this has been on my TBR shelf for at least 6 months and it's still there.

5. Outlander series -- I loved Outlander and never seemed to read the rest.  I am disappointed with myself.

6. Game of Thrones and subsequent books -- Another I can't believe it's on my shelf and I haven't gotten to it yet.

7. Jane Eyre -- Love the story, never fully read the book.  It's on my short list right now.

8. Charles Dickens except Great Expectations -- For my love of literature, I just haven't been able to get into Dickens.  I didn't really enjoy GE and I think it has colored my view of him.

9. Science Fiction -- Make a list, I probably haven't read it.  J really wants me to change this.

tags: Top Ten Tuesday
categories: Books
Tuesday 06.05.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 
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