Top Ten Tuesday -- 2014 Goals and Resolutions

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!

Blog and Reading Resolutions:

1. Read over 50,000 pages -- Dropped it a bit from last year.  I like having a fairly manageable page goal instead of a book number goal.
2. Get rid of at least one box of books -- Again, same as last year.  Really want to free up space in the office closet.
3. Add in my new features/update weekly schedule -- Really this is adding in more of my Project Life spreads and my monthly goals posts.
4. Focus on reading my own books -- Not necessarily a library ban, but limiting my visits.  I have way too many books sitting in the closet to constantly be picking up outside books.  I'm setting a goal of 80% of my 2014 reads to be ones I own.
5. Focus on my perpetual lists -- In fact, I am using my perpetual challenges for a majority of my year's reading challenges.

Life Resolutions:

1. 30 Day Challenges --- Instead of yearly goals, I need to focus on smaller and shorter goals.  So, I will be posting monthly goals containing a mix of one time activities and 30 day challenges.  As an added bonus, many of the 30 day challenges I am scheduling will knock off a few Day Zero Project goals.
2. Documentation through Project Life -- I started in October and am absolutely loving the process.  I hope to keep my momentum through 2014.  I purchased a January PL class through Studio Calico to start the year off right.  Hopefully I will get some good tips and inspiration to sustain me.  I will be sharing our spread monthly.
3. New food adventures -- I don't really like to cook, but I love new recipes.  I want to focus on trying at least one new recipe a week.  I have many cookbooks and multitudes of recipes saved online.  I need to start weeding out the crap and the ones we love.  Maybe I'll create theme months... or weeks... or quarters.  This is one of the new features that I'm still thinking about starting on the blog.
4. Losing the baby weight -- I gained 30 pounds with Arthur on top of the extra 15 I had been carrying around since my miscarriage in August 2012.  I want to make 2014 the year of getting back to being comfortable.  I want to get down to my prepregnancy weight.  I'm starting this off with a January month goal of losing a pants size.  I'm eating better, I just need to exercise more.
5. Exploring the Bay Area -- I feel like we've only seen a fraction of things in our area. Since we won't be taking a big out of area vacation this year, I want to spend the year exploring our local region.  I've already got a few ideas of fun with the boys during the summer.  I'm also kicking around a possible weekend trip to Yosemite...  In fact, my word of the year is EXPLORE!  I don't really follow through with all the One Little Word hoopla, but I am going to attempt to use my word and feature it in my Project Life pages.

Revisiting the 2013 blog and reading resolutions:

1. Read over 60,000 pages -- Nope...  Got pretty close with 53,622 pages.
2. Get rid of at least one box of books — Definitely accomplished this one.  However, I think we only got rid of one box.  I hope to make a bigger dent in 2014.
3. Finish any series started — I did a fairly good job on this one.  I joined the Seriously Series Reading Challenge to help me focus.  With that, I finished 10 series.  I'm hoping to repeat my success next year.
4. Finish 75% or more of the reading challenges I join —Woohoo!  This is the first time that I met this goal.  So excited!
5. Read more on the iPad — Read more than I have ever have before on the iPad. But I still need to decrease our physical book inventory.  I'm sure I'll keep reading ebooks in 2014.
6. Be stricter about DNFs — I DNF'd 3 books this year.  I probably could have added about 2 more to that total, but I'm okay with not.  I am getting better at putting books aside if they don't interest me at all.
7. Read the book before seeing the movie — Fairly decent job at this.  I read a ton of books that I had already seen the movie years ago.  I also read a few in anticipation of their movie release.  Continuing this in 2014.
8. Do at least six readathons — I did 10 throughout the year.  Great accomplishment.  I'll probably do most of these for 2014.
9. Focus on my perpetual lists -- Failed at this goal.  I read maybe 6 books off my perpetual lists.  My failure is the reason I decided to change up my reading challenges for 2014.
10. Limit by book buying — I think I only bought 7 or 8 books throughout the entirety of 2013.  I call that a success!  Unfortunately, I probably added about 30 free ebooks to the iPad.  I really need to work on resisting those free deals.  Just because it's free, doesn't mean that I have to download it...

Top Ten Tuesday -- New to Me Authors 2013 Class

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!

I love finding new-to-me authors each year.  Of course, their back catalogs always make my TBR list even longer, but it's worth it to discover great talent.  I only found six authors to highlight, but they are good ones...

1. Neil Gaiman -- Okay, okay, not really new to me in 2013.  But this past year, I really came to appreciate his writing.  I can't wait to read everything else he has ever written.
2. Sarah Addison Allen -- I love her magical realism...  Need to read the rest of her books.
3. Justin Cronin -- The Passage was amazingly terrifying.  I really need to read The Twelve.
4. Colleen Gleason -- I really really enjoyed the Victoria Gardella series.  I finally downloaded the first in the next related series.  Can't wait to read it!
5. Laurie R. King -- A book club friend recommended her mystery series and I really liked it.  We also saw the author speak at the local library (she's based in the Bay Area).
6. George R.R. Martin -- I finally jumped on the band wagon and made it through the first three books.  I plan on reading the fourth in the Song of Fire and Ice in January.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Winter TBR

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!

Only a few days left in 2013. A whole new reading adventure awaits just around the new year.  I have just a few reads I want to finish before January 1st.  I've spent some time thinking about the rest of winter and I have a great list to get me through the season.

2013 Finishers

1. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
2. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (in progress)
3. Tanglefoot by Cherie Priest
4. Sandition by Jane Austen
5. Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

2014 Reads

1. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
3. Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein
4. In the Company of Secrets by Judith Miller
5. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Fall TBR Recap (7/10): Decent total for this list.  Looking forward to getting my 2014 reading started right.

1. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
2. Children of Men by P.D. James
3. 1984 by George Orwell
4. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
5. Billionaire Wins the Game by Melody Anne
6. Her Ladyship's Companion by Evangeline Collins
7. The Sandman Vol. 11 and 12
8. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
9. Locke and Key Vol. 6 -- The trade won't be published until February 2014, so I've move this to my 2014 TBR list.
10. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Top Ten Tuesday -- Scary Book Covers

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!

In celebration of Halloween, this week's topic is scary book covers.  I must preface this list with the fact that any book cover that includes clowns would be number one.  However, I hate clowns so much that I can't even put pics of those covers on my blog.  Instead, I'll be highlighting some other scary book covers.

1. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz -- The classic series that scared the crap out of me as a child.  And yet I continuously reread these books...

2. The Passage by Justin Cronin -- I found this alternative cover for the book.  There's something about little children on covers that creeps me out.

3. The House of Dead Maids by Claire Dunkle -- Something about the no eyes that is extra creepy.

4. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff -- Maybe it's becuase I just had a baby.  Babies are creepy.

5. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs -- Another creepy little kid.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Mandatory Reading

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 week is all about mandatory reading.  Remember back when we were all in school and had reading lists, except we didn't populate those lists ourselves.  Did you not read some of those books because they just looked bad?  I know I did.  But there were many that I gave a try and loved. Or do you have a friend, relative, even an frenemy who forces you to read certain books?  I certainly have one of those (love you J!).  Here's my top ten books I was forced to read and ended up loving:

1. The Awakening by Kate Chopin -- My 10th grade English teacher picked my book for my hour-long.  She told me I would love it.  And it ended up being my favorite book to this day.  Speaking of, I really need to make some time to reread this one.
2. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein-- The next five choices were all hoist upon me by J.  He keeps trying to get me to read science fiction.  And surprisingly, more of his selections I really enjoy.  There have been a few that I didn't absolutely love, but they were definitely different.  He's always giving me more and more choices.
3. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
4. Have Spacesuit - Will Travel by Robert Heinlein
5. Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
6. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
7. At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols-- Required by my friend a few years ago.  She picked this one up at the coffeehouse bookshelf.  I read it and fell in love with the characters.  Such beauty!
8. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot -- Book club selection that I never would have picked up on my own.  This was surprisingly entertaining and heartbreaking.
9. Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer -- Yeah, yeah I know.  But back in 2008, my high school students told me I had to read the series.  I ended up finishing the entire thing in about a week.  Really entertaining at the time.  I don't the movies have lived up to the books at all, but that's normal.
10. The Boys series by Garth Ennis -- Another J recommendation, but in comic book form this time.  This series is not for everyone, it's super violent.  But I love Ennis' discussion of human nature, society, and politics.  Overall, the series seems very timely given the climate in America today.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Fall TBR List

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!

The year is coming to an end!!!!  And I have so many books yet to read!  I decided to focus this list on some of the challenges I can complete. Here are my top 10:

1. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon -- I keep putting this book off.  Don't know why because I absolutely loved The Shadow of the Wind. (Completes Sub-Genre Challenge, Dusty Bookshelf Challenge)
2. Children of Men by P.D. James -- Another book that's been sitting around forever. (Helps complete Dystopia Challenge and Book to Movie Challenge, Dusty Bookshelf Challenge)
3. 1984 by George Orwell -- A classic that I haven't read in many many years. (Helps complete Dystopia Challenge, Dusty Bookshelf Challenge)
4. The Road by Cormac McCarthy -- I've heard mixed reviews about this book.  Hope I like it!  (Helps complete Dystopia Challenge, Monthly Key Word Challenge, Book to Movie Challenge)
5. Billionaire Wins the Game -- Some fluffy romance to even out the heavy reads. (Helps complete Romance Challenge, Monthly Key Word Challenge, Ebook Challenge)
6. Her Ladyship's Companion by Evangeline Collins -- Another fluffy romance.  This one's been hanging out for awhile now. (Helps complete Romance Challenge, Dusty Bookshelf Challenge))
7. The Sandman Vol. 11 and 12 -- Really love this series.  I want to finish the main series this year. (Helps complete Neil Gaiman Challenge, Seriously Seres Challenge)
8. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman -- Been loving the Gaiman lately.  Hope to finish out the challenge strong. (Helps complete Neil Gaiman Challenge, Blogger Recommendations Challenge)
9. Locke and Key Vol. 6 -- Waiting and waiting for this volume to make it to the library.  I may have to wait until I go back to Indiana and get it from that library on my mom's card. Must read the conclusion! (Completes Graphic Novel Challenge)
10. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas -- Carry over from my Summer TBR.  Still really want to read this one, it just keeps getting overlooked... (Helps complete Classics Challenge, Blogger Recommendations Challenge, Book to Movie Challenge)

Summer TBR Recap (4/10): Didn't do a very good job with my summer TBR.  Oh well!  I did read a ton this summer and knocked out a ton of reading challenge spots.

1. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
2. Love the One You’re With by Emily Giffin -- Decided I didn't like the author that much. Sold at HPB
3. Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir -- Moved to 2014
4. Collapse by Jared Diamond -- Moved to 2014
5. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray -- Still hope for read for 2013
6. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
7. Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason
8. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas -- Carried over to Fall TBR
9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
10. Wicked by Gregory Maguire -- Still hope to read for 2013

Top Ten Tuesday -- Movies Wanted

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!

I struggle with this topic.  There are many books I would love to see come to life, but there's always that little bit of me that fears for the results.  I've seen too many great books become bad bad movies (looking at you The Golden Compass).  In a perfect world, I think these books would make great movies:

1. Locke and Key comic series -- A very dark and demented horror story.  I love the characters in this series.  It could be very spooky!
2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn -- An awesome psychological thriller.  My only concern would be how they set up the main characters.  Both are twisted, but the audience shouldn't figure that out until halfway through the movie.
3. Sarah Addison Allen's books -- Not picky on this one.  Choose any of her books, they would make great romantic movies.  I'm thinking in the vein of Practical Magic or Hope Floats.
4. The Magicians by Lev Grossman -- Would never get made because it would have to be rated R and people would complain that it was a ripoff of Narnia.  But I would watch it in a heartbeat.
5. Sunshine by Robin McKinley -- To break the reliance on the cuddly sparkly vampires.  Con is none of those things and yet this story is just beautiful.
6. Looking Glass Wars series by Frank Beddol -- Love, love, love this retelling of Alice in Wonderland.  I think it would make a fun, yet dark adventure tale.
7. Blades of the Rose series by Zoe Archer -- These would make some great adventure movies.  Pretty generic, but the locations would be gorgeous.
8. Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger -- How awesome would this movie be?  I absolutely love the characters in this series.
9. Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz -- Maybe not a movie, but a CW series a la The Vampire Diaries.
10. The Affinity Bride by George Mann -- Great steampunk detective adventure.  Would love to see the world created on screen.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Make My Life Easier

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 week's topic is things that make my blogging and reading life easier.  I decided to split my list into things that made blogging easier and things that make reading easier.

Reading:

1. Comfy chair -- I love my chair!  It's the perfect old library style chair to relax and read in.  Add in an ottoman and maybe a fuzzy blanket (on the off chance that it's actually chilly around here) and I have the perfect place to settle in and read.
2. Good cup of tea -- I always have to have something to drink when I read.  A hot spicy cup of tea is just the thing.  I prefer a chai or an herbal blend, but most kinds of tea would work in a pinch.
3. Background music -- I can't read in silence but I also can't read with the television on in the background.  I like some very familiar music to be quietly playing in the background.  I've found that The Civil Wars or Mumford and Sons is just about perfect.
4. Yummy snacks -- How can I have a good cup of tea with some yummy snacks?  It's just not possible.  I'm trying not to snack a huge amount, but some crackers or cookies every once in awhile is just the right amount.
5. Tylenol -- This pregnancy has given me so many headaches.  Some days I just need a little bit of help to sit and focus.

Blogging:

1. Goodreads -- My first stop for TBR suggestions and a general book count.  Plus, it's a great way for my book club ladies and I to see what each one of us is reading.  We also use it to choose possible selections.
2. Amazon -- My stop for buying books (mostly in the past, but I do love the occasional free ebook) and getting general book information for blog posts.  It's an easy way to get summaries, page totals, and publishing information.
3. The Library -- Even though I have too many unread book sitting in the office, I still love hitting up the library for the occasion blind find.  There's something about browsing through the stacks that calms me.
4. Evernote -- This little application is a godsend for helping to plan out and keep track of all my blog posts.  I have an easy system of laying out the recurring blog topics and making sure to notate when I've finished the post.  This way I rarely miss scheduled posts or duplicate topics.
5. J -- I am not super technical.  So I always turn to my own personal geek to help with the day to day of managing a blog.  We just went through a hosting change, so you may notice a few slight differences.  Without him, I wouldn't have a blog.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Most Intimidating

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!

Very few books intimidate me. After thinking long and hard I came up with a few.

1. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray -- It's been on my TBR list forever.  Every time I think about reading it, I pick up this huge book and promptly put it down.  I put the novel on my Summer TBR list, so I better get over my hear and read it!

2. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo -- Another hefty classic.  I almost joined a few Les Mis readlongs I before the movie was released, but I just couldn't push myself to actually take the plunge.

3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy --  Ahhhh!!!  The Russians are coming.  They are a little too bleak for me...

4. Siddartha by Herman Hesse -- One of J's favorite books.  I just don't love philosophy enough to actually dive into this one.

5. Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein -- I've been working my way through the major Heinlein novels.  This one still scares me.

6. The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Robert Heinlein -- See #5

7. The Foundations series by Isaac Asimov -- Hard scifi is just not my favorite.  I find it very intimidating.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Favorites Read in 2013 (so far)

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!

I went back and looked at all the books I've read so far this year.  These are my top 10, in no specific order.  I expect these books will also make an appearance on my end of year favorites list.

1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

2. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

3. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

4. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

5. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

6. One Day by David Nicholls

7. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

8. The Passage by Justin Cronin

9. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

10. Emma by Jane Austen

Top Ten Tuesday -- My Summer TBR List

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!

I love these TTT posts.  They force me to reevaluate my reading goals for each season.  I have a ton of books I want to read, but these are the 10 that I am going to focus on.

1. The Host by Stephenie Meyer -- Reread for me.  Also, I wanted to reread the book and then rent the movie to compare.

2. Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin -- As part of my chick lit/women's fiction section.

3. Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir -- Really need to read more historical fiction.

4. Collapse by Jared Diamond -- A long time shelf resident just wanting to get read.

5. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray -- Been on my TBR list for ages and ages.

6. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan -- The boys and I's number one reading priority this summer.  We desperately want to move forward in the series.

7. Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason -- Been wanting to start this series forever.

8. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas -- A great action adventure reread for the summer.

9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen -- It's been a few years.

10. Wicked by Gregory Maguire -- Read this one years ago when it was released.  Really want to revisit.

Spring TBR Recap (5/13) : So failed at completing this list.  This books are still sitting around my house just waiting to be read.

1. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
2. The Postman by David Brinn
3. Chicago Fire trilogy by Susan Wiggs
4. Lost by Gregory Maguire
5. Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire
6. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
7. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern 
8. Gale Force by Rachel Caine
9. Cape Storm by Rachel Caine
10. Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine
11. Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond
12. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
13. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Top Ten Tuesday -- Featuring Travel

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!

I love to travel.  I wish I could travel more.  Instead, I have read some great books that involve traveling.

Travel writing

1. No Touch Monkey by Ayun Holliday -- Hilarious lessons learned while traveling the far flung reaches of the world.  I feel like I need to reread this soon.

2. Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes -- I like the book fine, but I think I like the book even more.  Either way we get some great travel writing

3. Journals of Lewis and Clark -- Loving the historical discoveries made by Lewis and Clark.

4. Stephen Fry in America -- Who doesn't love Stephen Fry?  I certainly love him and his writing.

Nonfiction involving travel

5. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick -- A great account of the travels of the Pilgrims across the Atlantic to their new home.

Fiction involving travel

6. Blades of the Rose series by Zoe Archer -- These action adventure novels take us to all kinds of exotic places.  I especially loved the travel to Greece.  I want to go there now!

7. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne -- A classic action adventure travel book.  I know you can't travel to the center of the earth, but I do love the story.

8. The Odyssey by Homer -- Another classic travel story.

Top Ten Tuesday - Freebie: Favorite NonFiction

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 week's topic is a freebie.  I think 99% of the TTT lists are focused on fiction books.  So, I thought this week would be a great time to highlight my favorite nonfiction books.

1. Anything by Mary Roach -- Roach has this amazing ability to take the weird, the macabre, and the downright technical, and make me clamor for the information.  Her writing is dry and yet incredibly funny.  I can't wait to read her latest book: Gulp.

2. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain -- Somehow I never got around to reading Bourdain's memoir.  Thankfully I rectified this oversight last month.  The book is just like Bourdain is talking straight to me.  Loved it!

3. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson -- A story of a cholera outbreak in Old London... sounds pretty boring.  But Johnson weaves this beautiful story of human despair and survival while highlighting the amazing scientific discoveries.

4. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson -- Unbelievably hilarious!!!!  I laughed out loud throughout the entire book.  Very embarrassing reading this in the coffeehouse.  You must read this one!

5. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick -- I do love my history stories.  Just like Johnson, Philbrick weaves an amazing story of despair and survival.  May be a bit dense for nonhistory fans, but this is definitely a good one.

6. Birth by Tina Cassidy -- A little alarming for my upcoming delivery, but I loved all the scientific knowledge I learned reading this book.

7. Mythology by Edith Hamilton -- The ultimate collection of Greek and Roman stories.  Very enjoyable.  I plan on introducing this to my boys soon.

8. Thomas Paine by Craig Nelson -- A historical biography.  Definitely dry for non-historical fans, but I really enjoyed learning more about one of my favorite Founding Fathers (and yes, I am including him in the group).

9. Chicks Dig Time Lords -- A collection of essays about Doctor Who.  If you're a fan of the show, this is a great high level discussion of topics in Doctor Who history.  (Note: this book covers all of Doctor Who, not just the reboot)

10. Ten Discoveries that Rewrote History by Patrick Hunt -- A nice summary of some of the big discoveries in history.  I knew almost all of these, but enjoyed the summary.

Top Ten Tuesday - Something Light & Fun

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!

My definition of Light and Fun may not be yours.  These are the books that I've read since beginning the blog that I thoroughly enjoy and don't feel drained afterward.

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams -- Hilarious!  And light and funny!  This is a constant reread.
2. Any Historical Romance -- After reading a deep, through provoking, emotion wracking book, I almost always grab a fluffy romance.  They're predictable.  They have happy endings.  I love taking the romance journey.
3. Graphic Novels like Scott Pilgrim -- Not all graphic novels are alike.  I would not put The Boys or even Fables in this category.  Scott Pilgrim is just a delight.  Go read it!
4. Mammoth Anthologies -- Short stories are always a great way to pick something fun.  I often use these anthologies to jump reading during a slump.
5. Cozy Mysteries -- I don't read these very often (too predictable), but they can be great easy, fun reads.
6. Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger -- I sped through this series laughing and crying, but came away with a light heart afterward.
7. Novels of Jane Austen -- I consider Austen to be light and fun.  Maybe it's because I reread these all the time.  Maybe it's because her novels end happy.  Maybe it's because I love her quips throughout.  Whatever the reason, these are always on my list.
8. Novels of Rick Riordan -- I might like reading his books even more than my 10-year-old boys, and that's saying a lot.  I love diving into a new adventure.
9. YA Fairy Tale Readings -- Usually I can predict the ending of these, but I love the familiarity of the class fairy tales.
10. Living with the Dead series by Jesse Petersen -- Zombies and comedy!  How can you go wrong?

Top Ten Tuesday -- Fave Pre-Blogging Books

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 is a really hard topic.  I can only think of I few books.  I know there are more, but these are my absolute favorites, my rereads, my go to books.

1. Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

2. Novels of Jane Austen -- Or the ones I haven't reread and reviewed on my blog so far.  That is Pride and Prejudice and Emma.

3. The Host by Stephenie Meyer -- I will be rereading this one during this month. I hope to finish in time to see the movie in theaters.  I am intrigued...

4. The Awakening by Kate Chopin -- My all time favorite.  I think it's about time for a reread...

Top Ten Tuesday -- Crushing of Fictional 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!

Loving this topic today.  I choosing based on my love of the characters.  I didn't pay much attention to age.  If the character is a teen, I aged them up in my head.  Okay...  now that that's out of the way.  Here's my list:

1. Lord Maccon from Gail Carriger's Soulless series -- As the rugged handsome warrior crush

2. Robb Stark from George Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series -- As the rugged handsome almost warrior crush

3. Shaun Mason from Mira Grant's Newsflesh series -- As the zombie killing warrior crush

4. Dodge from Frank Beddor's Looking Glass Wars series -- As the boy next door warrior crush

5. Arthur Dent from Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide series -- As the ordinary, but hilarious, boy next door crush

6. Constantine from Robin McKinley's Sunshine -- As the way to mysterious and sexy crush

7. Cas Lowood from Kendare Blake's Anna Dressed in Blood series -- As the persistent lovelorn warrior crush

8. Lewis from Rachel Caine's Weather Wardens series -- As the powerful mysterious crush

9. Percy Jackson from Rick Riordan's series -- As the hilarious warrior crush

10. Puck from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series -- As the hilarious mysterious crush

I think I have a thing for the warrior type.  Or maybe it's the books I've been reading lately.

Top Ten Tuesday -- I Had to Buy But Neglected

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!

I am so bad at this!  I have to buy all these fancy books and then they languish on my shelves for years.  Thankfully for all those books, I have put myself on a book buying ban for the year.  And I'm doing awesome!  I've only bought two books so far, but both were book club selections that I didn't own.  Here's a list of some of those neglected books that I hope to get to this year:

1. The Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig -- really the entire series

2. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

3. Ireland by Frank Delaney

4. The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming -- supposed to read this last December, obviously didn't get to it

5. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer -- Actually on my TBR list for this year

6. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest -- Another set book for this year

7. Vanity Fairy by William Makepeace Thackeray -- Ditto

8. Neferitit by Michelle Moran

9. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

10. Alexander Hamilton by Richard Brookhiser

Just for fun, I did this topic two years ago (March 1, 2011 specifically).  Let's revisit and see how many of those I have read:

• Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
• Wideacre by Philippa Gregory
• Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Magicians by Lev Grossman
• Love in the Time of Cholera by Marquez

Not very good.  Only 50% read.  I really need to add that other 50% to my TBR pile.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Spring TBR List

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!

I love these weeks.  They help remind of those "must-read" books I somehow put off.  This quarter, I'm going with a ton of books I have lying around they have been put off and put off...

1. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin -- The second book in the Fire and Ice series.  I'm saving this one for my plane ride back to Indiana at the end of the month.  Can't wait!

2. The Postman by David Brinn -- The next science fiction book that J wants me to read.

3. Chicago Fire trilogy by Susan Wiggs -- A fluffy romance trilogy to tide me over this spring.

4. Lost and Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire -- I read these years ago.  I've been wanting to reread them for awhile.

5. The Host by Stephenie Meyer -- Another reread.  I want to finish it before the movie releases.

6. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern -- Been on my list for ages.  I really want to get it read and rewatch the movie for comparison.

7. Gale Force, Cape Storm, and Total Eclipse by Rachel Caine -- The last three books of the Weather Warden series.  I've enjoyed it so far, just need to finish it.

8. Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond -- Years ago, I made it about halfway through before losing momentum.  I really want to finish this one.

9. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain -- A classic that's been on my list for years.

10. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa -- I received a copy a few months ago.  This spring I want to finally read it.

Winter TBR Recap (7/10) -- not a bad result at all

1. The Magician King by Lev Grossman
2. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan 
3. Mythology by Edith Hamilton
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
9. The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming
10. Rest of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series

Top Ten Tuesday -- Series I Want to Start

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!

1-2. Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices --  I have the first four books the TMI and the first book of ID.  I need to read at least the first TMI before the movie comes out later this year.

3. Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series -- I have about half of these books sitting in a box.  They seem like my kind of books.  Soon...

4. Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series -- I have most of the series sitting on my shelf.  And yet I haven't started reading them yet.

5. JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood -- Another series I have a ton of the books and have yet to start.

6. Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles -- The boys and I loved the Percy Jackson series.  I think we need to start his other series now.

7-10. Lots of romance series from Mary Balogh, Candace Camp, Christina Dodd, Julia London, Paula Quinn, and many others.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Favorite Romances

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!

1. Pick an Austen Pair --I love them all, but my favorite is Anne and Captain Wentworth.

2. Snow and Bigby from Fables -- I love this series and these two are just so cute!

3. Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan -- Not a great romance, but there's something about these two that always wants the story to end up differently.

4. Emma and Dexter from One Day - This is a recent love.  I read the book and it destroyed me.  The back and forth between these two characters put me on the edge of my seat.  I just wanted them to get together and be happy.

5. Jamie and Claire from Outlander -- Duh!

6. Mary and Colin from The Secret Garden -- I always rooted for them in the end.  Reading the novel, you can see a great fiery romance brewing...

7. Shaun and Georgia from Newsflesh trilogy -- OMG!  I did not see this coming, but I loved where they took the series.  I was definitely rooting for them and cried with them.

8. Howl and Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle -- To be in love with a wizard...  the ultimate dream.  I love them both.

9. Percy and Annabeth from Percy Jackson series -- Another romance where they hated each other at first.  But how can they not be together.  I still need to read The Mark of Athena to see what happens to them...

10. Sunshine and Constantine from Sunshine -- Not a traditional romance.  Not even really a romance.  But an amazing connection.  I would have loved to read more about these two.