Wednesday 26 February 2014

Top Ten Awesome Quotes

I've done this topic before, but as today's Top Ten Tuesday is a rewind post, I thought it was a good opportunity to share some more quotes I adore.

1. "'You love me. Real or not real?'
I tell him, 'Real.'" - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.


2. “Our bodies aren't strangers,' he said, his voice ragged. 'Our spirits aren't strangers'.
 He held her face in his hands. 'Tell me what part of me is stranger to you and I'll destroy that part of me.'
And she wept to hear his words.” - Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta.


3. "For a moment, I believe, there was stillness. A shocking realisation by all things - beetles, dormice, the spiders spinning their webs in the moonlight, even the hot metal of the tracks and the wind in the trees - that Death had just shrieked past like a stinking black eagle and made off with a remarkable man." - Stuart: A Life Backwards by Alexander Masters.


4. "Mum says when wanting collides with getting, that's the moment of truth. I want to collide. I want to run right into Shadow and let the force spill our thoughts so we can pick each other up and pass each other back like piles of shiny stones." - Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley.


5. "Here my last love had died." - Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.


6. "He shook hands with Margaret. He knew it was the first time their hands had met, though she was perfectly unconscious of the fact." - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.


7. "Gilbert, waiting for her in the hall below, looked up at her with adoring eyes. She was his at last, this evasive, long-sought Anne, won after years of patient waiting. It was to him she was coming in the sweet surrender of the bride. Was he worthy of her? Could he make her as happy as he hoped? If he failed her - if he could not measure up to her standard of manhood - then, as she held out her hand, their eyes met and all doubt was swept away in a glad certainty. They belonged to each other; and, no matter what life might hold for them, it could never alter that. Their happiness was in each other's keeping and both were unafraid." - Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery.



8. “I woke up and the last piece of my heart disappeared. I opened my eyes and I felt it go.”  - This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers.


9. "'Who am I, that you should love me?'
'You are My Queen,' said Eugenides. She sat perfectly still, looking at him without moving as his words dropped like water into dry earth.
'Do you believe me?' he asked. 
'Yes,' she answered. 
'Do you love me?'
'Yes.'
'I love you.'
And she believed him.”  - The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.


10. “This will be a new amputation. You've been a part of my flesh, underneath all my skin. Your removal will bleed and leave me lame for a time.” - All the Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry.


Sunday 23 February 2014

Review: Such Sweet Sorrow by Jenny Trout



I almost didn't read this because the cover put me off (it's pretty, but those kind of covers tend to come with books I don't like), but the concept intrigued me, and I ended up really enjoying it, so I'm glad I gave it a go! Basically, this is what would have happened if Romeo didn't die from poison at the end of Shakespeare's story, and went on a quest through the underworld with Hamlet to find Juliet and bring her back to life. If you don't think that sounds awesome, this obviously isn't the book for you. If you do - well, then, you might just like it!

I loved the characters in this book. I'm not overly familiar with Shakespeare's Hamlet (I had to study it for uni but only read the parts I needed to get by, ahem), but I adored him in this. He's conflicted and angsty but also brave and good and warm-hearted. Romeo I liked a lot less for most of the book, though he grew on me in the end. I loved the growing friendship between Romeo and Hamlet. It was like an old school, really dangerous and kinda dark buddy roadtrip.

I think Juliet was probably my favourite character. I admired her fierceness and strength - being dead obviously brought out the best in her. I was totally shipping Hamlet and Juliet for a big chunk of the book (whoops), but there were some touching scenes between Romeo and Juliet in the latter half that brought me back onboard the canonical ship. Mostly.

The journey through the underworld, and the various tests and mythological creatures the trio has to face, makes for an action-packed, entertaining plot. I found it hard to put the book down at times. I loved the way Trout intertwined so many different strands of mythology and literature to create her own world. If you're a purist then this probably won't be for you, but personally I found it really interesting.

The writing is strong throughout the book, and there are some really beautiful moments. The pacing is good, and I liked the ending, although it definitely left me wanting more. I hope there's a sequel! 

Rating: 4/5

Fine Print
Published: February 2014, Entangled
Source: Netgalley

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Top Ten Reasons I Love Being A Book Blogger


1. The amazing community. I have made so many friends through book blogging, and I love how supporting and encouraging everyone is of one another. It makes me really, really happy.

2. Challenges. I'm a big fan of book challenges, they have definitely broadened my horizons - even if I don't always reach my target!

3. Focus on reading. One of the reasons I started this blog was to make reading a priority in my life - and it has worked! I read many more books now than I had in the years before I started blogging.

4. Discovering new books. Thanks to my fellow brilliant bloggers, I am always coming across new books to read. It's dangerous for my TBR pile but it's a good problem to have.

5. Being aware of bookish news and events. I'm not as in touch as I'd like to be, but I'm much more up with the news than I used to be - again thanks primarily to the great bloggers I know!

6. Writing about books. Reviewing is a great way of to keep track of my reactions to books - and fangirl/vent when necessary!

7. Bookish social networks. Goodreads is so fun, even with all the drama (which I try to ignore these days), and talking to bookish people on Twitter is one of my favourite things.

8. Writing in my spare time. I write for a living but it's nice to have something that's all my own to create and control in my own time.

9. A fun hobby/distraction. When I started my blog, I had been in a bad headspace for about six months. The six months after that, when I was fully into my blog, updating constantly and loving it, were the best I've felt, mentally, since. It's a good way to channel my energy and avoid ruminating. I'm not sure if getting back into my blog more regularly will make me feel that good again, but I want to anyway, just for the fun of it.

10. Celebrating books and reading with like-minded people. What's not to love?

Monday 17 February 2014

Audiobook Review: True Strength by Kevin Sorbo, Narrated by Kevin Sorbo and Sam Sorbo

Look at this smug git! Ugh.
This is the first book I have ever returned because it was so damn bad. That's the upside of Audible - if you don't like an audiobook you've just listened to, you can exchange it for a credit. And it felt oh-so-satisfying to select "I didn't like this book" and hit return.

It. Was. Terrible. I went in thinking I'd get a nice nostalgia hit, having been obsessed with Hercules growing up, as well as learn a thing or two perhaps about resilience through Kevin Sorbo's medical issues, which I hadn't been aware of before.

Resilience, ha! He spent the whole book raging against everything and everyone. Whyyyyy has this happened to him? Don't you know who he is, God?! HE'S HERCULES HE'S PERFECT HE DOESN'T GET SICK?! He actually seems to have believed that he was Hercules in some way. Perhaps it was because of his Herculean ego. This guy is so far up himself he comes out the other side. It oozes from ever sentence. He just thinks he's so damn wonderful.

Through the whole book he keeps on going on about his great sense of humour. He uses example after example of his "sarcastic jokes". Really? He's just being an asshole. And that's when he thinks he's actually being endearing! The rest of the time he's an outright asshole. He gets angry at the doctors, his wife, his colleagues, everyone. Now, I can understand being angry and frustrated when people can't tell you what's wrong with you (believe me, I know), but he spends 80 per cent of the book that way. Towards the end he states how he learned to accept his situation and he's not angry anymore... well, you could have fooled me, Kev! I honestly don't know how his wife put up with him. He just seems like such a selfish human being.

Sam Sorbo, his wife, actually narrates a few chapters herself, telling her perspective on things - mainly how gorgeous and amazing she thinks he is. Every time either of them recounts something about their love story it is so incredibly cringe-worthy. It was like they were saying, "ha, we were so clever, we were so flirty and edgy with each other" but what I was hearing was "CHEESY CHEESY CHEESY WITH EXTRA CHEESE ICKINESS."

Hmmm what else... oh yeah, Kevin Sorbo is a terrible actor. He tries to do accents for various foreign people in the book, including Italian, Kiwi, Australian and Chinese. It is so horrendous it is bloody offensive.

I could go on and on but I feel like I'm starting to resemble Kevin Sorbo too much and just raging against the world here. The only way I finished this book was by listening to it on 3x speed. And it still took too long. It actually makes me sad because I have such fond memories of Hercules...

Rating: 1/5
That's being generous.

Sunday 16 February 2014

Audiobook Review: False Colours by Georgette Heyer, Narrated by Phyllida Nash


Omigod this book was SO FUN. It was just pure delight and put a smile on my face more than once. Which felt a bit silly because I was listening to an audiobook, usually on public transport, and sitting there grinning like a fool to myself. But I didn't care because it was awesome. What could be more fun than twins switch places?


Oh right, hot twins switching places. In Regency England. And having to pretend to be engaged. And actually falling in love. And all the many complications such a situation entails. You see, Lord Denville disappears, which is not necessarily something for his family to worry about, coz he's like that, except he's supposed to meet his new fiance's family. It's a marriage of convenience on both sides but it's important because his mother is badly in debt and he needs to get married to get his inheritance and help her out. Luckily, his twin Kit, who lives overseas, has a bad feeling in his gut and shows up just in time to pretend to be his brother for one night for the important dinner. Except one night turns into weeks when his brother's fiance's grandmother invites herself and her grandaughter to stay with Kit-as-Denville and his mother at their house in the country. Hilarity ensues.

But, importantly, this story isn't mere farce, thanks largely to the touching and genuine-feeling relationships. Kit is devoted to his brother and mother - indeed it's the only reason he allows himself to be dragged into the kerfuffle to begin with - and both are equally devoted to him. There is so much endearing affection in every interaction between the three, but especially between Kit and his mother, as it's their relationship that is at the centre of much of the book. I also really liked the openness and communicative nature of Kit's developing relationship with Cressy, false identity notwithstanding. There was a delightful chemistry between them and it was all very charming. Even Kit's relationships with his devoted-but-blunt servants were heartwarming.

Phyllida Nash was a great narrator, with an engaging voice, distinct and natural-sounding characters and easy pace. However, perhaps because I'm not overly familiar with Heyer's writing, having only read a couple of her works years ago, I did struggle with the language a bit. While it being an audiobook helped somewhat with understanding the tone, it did have the downside of not really being able to stop and look up a work or phrase when I needed to (otherwise I would have been doing so constantly). A few times I was a bit confused and had to relisten, and eventually I did look up a Heyer glossary which helped a little. But I didn't really mind relistening, anyway - in fact, I quite enjoyed it. That's how much fun it was. Even without fully comprehending everything, I adored this story, and definitely want to read - or listen to - more of Heyer's work.

Rating: 5/5

Fine Print
Published: 2013, AudioGo
Get It: Audible

Review: The Accident by Kate Hendrick


I don't think I've read an Australian YA that hasn't been great. The Accident by Kate Hendrick is another amazing addition to the genre. It tells the interweaving story of three teenagers, jumping back and forth in time around an accident, and slowly unraveling how they're all connected and exploring how your life can collide with others in unexpected and irreversible ways.

Eliat's story is "before", she is a teen mum AND foster child who does well at school but copes with life by drinking every night and partying on the weekends. Will's story is "after", as he struggles to connect with his writer mother and two sisters as they go about their own separate lives, despite living in the same house, and Sarah's story is "later", as her family struggles to move on from a car accident that killed her brother and left her severely injured. At the heart of each subplot is the importance of family, and how the relationships we build with the people in our lives form a home more than any blood ties do. It's also largely about grief, isolation, loneliness and identity, the struggle so many teens face of trying to find who you are and where you fit in. It's an emotional, powerful read.

The switching points of view and timelines is a little hard to get used to at first, and can be a bit confusing, but once you get into the rhythm of it it's quite engaging. You don't want to put the book down as the three timelines converge and you begin to see how all the pieces fit together. Hendrick did an amazing job of balancing the three plots and time periods, making each character sound distinct and authentic, and creating an individual emotional journey for each that somehow complemented the others beautifully.

I loved the way Hendrick used the weather - the drought and a threatening storm - to enhance the atmosphere of the story and reflect the turmoil in each character's lives. The writing overall is truly beautiful, without being too verbose. There is some powerful imagery and vivid symbolic moments that allow the reader to connect with these characters on an emotional and intimate level. It's just such an elegant, thoughtful and well-written book.

Rating: 4/5

Fine Print
Published: 2013, Text Publishing
Get It: Bookworld



Mini Reviews: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me, Bonjour Cherie, Hold Me Down Hard and Ripped


Is Everyone Hanging Out With Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
I cannot love Mindy Kaling more after reading this book. She is like a combination of much more awesome version of myself and my ideal best friend. Seriously, I related SO MUCH to everything in her hilarious and engaging memoir. I loved learning more about her life and her path to success, and adored the way it was written. It was like a series of anecdotes you'd tell a friend. Which is why, of course, I am now best friends with Mindy. She just doesn't know it yet.
Rating: 4.5/5

Bonjour Cherie by Robin Thomas (Source: Netgalley)
This was a short, easy-to-read, fun novella about a girl who is obsessed with all things French and the Australian guy she's attracted to but who doesn't meet her strict criteria for a boyfriend (top of the list being someone who is French). Beth, the main character, annoyed me a fair bit, especially how she really didn't have her shit together but acted like she did, and totally judged others for not being up to her standards. She was quite superficial, especially at the beginning. But I quite liked Zach, the love interest, even if certain aspects of his story were completely predictable. It was enjoyable enough overall.
Rating: 3/5

Hold Me Down Hard by Cathryn Fox (Source: Netgalley)
This was so terrible. The characters were completely unbelievable caricatures, there was no chemistry between the main pair, the guy was a paternalistic ickcanoe, the small amount of plot was pretty ridiculous, and it wasn't even hot. Now, I'm not overly familiar with romance books in general and BDSM in particular, but from reading this book I got the impression it was written by someone who wanted to cash in on the trend and be all EDGY without any knowledge of it themselves. It was too bad to even laugh at.
Rating: 1/5



Ripped by Sarah Morgan (Source: Netgalley)
This novella was a lot more fun. It starts with Hayley being embarrassed at her ex's wedding when her hideous bridesmaid's dress tears during the ceremony. Nico, the best man, rescues her but also seems to be angry at her for some reason. She thinks he hates her but they somehow end up making out anyway. They have good chemistry and I liked seeing their relationship play out. Nico was actually pretty damn hot and not overprotective and douchey. One of the reasons he's attracted to Hayley is her intelligence and passion about her job. Yay for modern men.
Rating: 3.5/5

Saturday 15 February 2014

Recap: Garden of Shadows by Virginia Andrews, Part 4

Catch up:


I'm ba-ack. We left off with Malcolm treating Alicia like crap because she rejected his creepy advances, and pick up months later with not much changed. Malcolm is being meaner to everyone, especially Mal, who loves sissy stuff like music. One day he comes  home to find Mal playing piano with Alicia, even though he has forbidden it, and while Alicia protests, he drags Mal off to be punished (read: beaten). This upsets Alicia, which makes Olivia happy, because she wants her to hate Malcolm so she doesn't respond to his "amorous approaches", coz she totally would otherwise.

Soon Christopher turns three and Garland and Alicia throw a big party, which makes Malcolm totally jealous. Malcolm has daddy issues as well as mummy issues. But his mummy issues win out when Alicia looks all pretty at the party and he can't stop looking at her. Seriously, he just sits there staring at her the whole time. Not creepy at all. 

Later that day, as Olivia is heading to bed after everyone else, she hears a scream from the SWAN ROOM and runs in to find Garland crumpled on the floor, Alicia screaming in half-torn clothes, and Malcolm with a scratch down his face. The doctor is called and pronounces Garland dead from a heart attack. Alicia is understandably distraught, and when Olivia later tucks her into bed she demands to know what happened. Alicia reveals that she thought Garland was coming in to see her in bed, but it turned out to be Malcolm. Olivia says, "what did he want?" Because apparently now she is really stupid. Alicia says, "he wanted me". Surprise!


Malcolm told Alicia that Garland was too old to satisfy her and he could, and it was totally OK because he was Garland's son. Gross. Alicia of course tried to fight him off and managed a scream, which caused Garland to run into the room and see his son attacking his wife. Garland and Malcolm had a fight that ended with the former collapsed on the floor, and Olivia is all up to date. She goes to confront Malcolm, who blames everything on Alicia because he is The Worst. Olivia feels bad for him because she thinks he'll fell guilty for the rest of his life. She's in for some unpleasant surprises...


There's a big funeral and Alicia is a drugged-out mess, so Olivia takes care of her, and feels like she's welcoming her into her own miserable world. Just the type of person to help you through grief. Malcolm goes back to ignoring Alicia's existence, which is apparently really easy to do because she walks around "like a ghost" with, gasp, no makeup on! Her depression soon gets on Olivia's nerves, because Olivia is quickly joining Malcolm as The Worst, so she gives Alicia a stern talking to and tells her to start being a mother again and setting a good example to her son. This lecture works too well for Olivia's liking, because at dinner Alicia comes down with makeup and jewellery on and Malcolm starts talking to her again because he is actually The Worst. 

Alicia, not ready to leave Foxworth Hall yet despite Olivia's urging, is nice to Malcolm because she reasons he must feel guilty. She is literally too nice for her own good. Malcolm soon takes the opportunity to rape her repeatedly and it is awful. Olivia discovers the truth when she finds Alicia crying in bed, and is told that Malcolm has been forcing himself on her for weeks, calling her his mother's name - Corinne - and threatening to hurt her son if she told anyone. It is sickening to read about. 

Olivia blames Alicia for being "too trusting and innocent", because this wouldn't be a V.C. Andrews novel without a heavy dose of victim-blaming. She thinks she must have enjoyed it in some way, and asks Alicia what she did to "tempt" Malcolm and I want to throw the book across the room again. Alicia is really upset and confesses that she's telling Olivia the truth now because she "has to" - she's pregnant. Olivia is pissed off and judges Alicia for being so weak and crying. She gets even more pissed off when Alicia reveals she went to Malcolm's room earlier to tell him she was pregnant, because Olivia has never been to his room while he was in bed, so how dare she?! Ugh. 


Alicia then tells Olivia that Malcolm wants her to have the baby in secret, so he can raise it with Olivia - and that if she does what he wants, she'll get to leave with Christopher and her inheritance, but if she doesn't, he will drive her out penniless. He just keeps getting better and better (by which I mean WORSE AND WORSE). Malcolm is convinced Alicia is pregnant with a girl and Olivia agrees it must be the case because he always gets what he wants. She admits to herself she should have helped and protected Alicia more, but then decides she has no respect for her, and while she ENVIES her she has no sympathy for her. Olivia, I have no sympathy for you. 

Olivia contemplates herself in the mirror and we get the description Cathy will later give: a mouth like a "thin, crooked, knife slash" and breasts like "twin hills of concrete". Because that's totally the way people describe boobs, especially their own. Olivia then realises she's kinda happy because she sees an opportunity for power over Malcolm. She takes charge, telling Alicia she will pretend to go away while Christopher stays at Foxworth Hall, and then will sneak back in to be shut away in a certain room that connects to an attic. Olivia, meanwhile, will pretend to be pregnant herself while bringing food up to Alicia every day. Something is very familiar about this scenario...

Next time: Olivia's plan is set in motion.

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Top Ten Books That Will Make You Swoon

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. One of my fave YA romances, featuring an English boy with a French name at an American school in Paris. The chemistry between St. Clair and Anna is perfect.

Yes.

2. Persuasion by Jane Austen. I love all of Austen's love stories but Captain Wentworth is dreamy and THAT LETTER ungh.

Oops there goes my ovaries.

3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. This whole series is great, and there's more than one swoon-worthy moment. Dimitri is a stone cold Russian fox.

This will always be my Dimitri. Sorry movie dude.

4. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. Such a cute, sweet road trip rom com (with a serious side).

Yes. This is the Roger in my head. Uh huh.

5. Dare You To by Katie McGarry. If there's one thing McGarry knows how to write, it's a hot YA romance. Dare You To is my fave in the series.

I like pretty boys OK.

6. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. See above.

IKR.

7. False Colours by Georgette Heyer. I just finished listening to the audiobook for this and it was so fun and adorable and there was TWIN hotties.

Double.

Swoon.
8. Adorkable by Sarra Manning. I know not everyone loves this book but I adore it. I love the realistic but still super cute dynamic between the two main characters.

Hai.

9. The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Three words: As. You. Wish.

TWU WUV.

10. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris. Eric gets amnesia and cares about nothing but banging Sookie, basically. It's the highlight of the series.

If you insist.

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

Sunday 9 February 2014

Mini Reviews: Pride and Promiscuity, Raven Girl, A Christmas Carol, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty


Pride and Promiscuity: The Lost Sex Scenes of Jane Austen by Arielle Eckstut and Dennis Ahston
Ugh, this book was the worst. THE WORST. Curiosity and hope that it would be funny caused me to read it. But it was more cringe-worthy than funny. It is what the title suggests: sex scenes involving Jane Austen's characters. And Jane Austen is now rolling in her grave. It's basically really bad fan fiction, and some of it is incredibly disturbing. The worst is a scene in which the Bingley sisters basically rape Jane Bennet. It's awful. Don't read this book.
Rating: 1/5

Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger
As a modern fairy tale, Raven Girl is everything a fairy tale should be: whimsical, magical and just a bit violent, sad and disturbing. It tells the story of a man who falls in love with a raven, and the halfling daughter they have. The notion of a human and raven having a baby - or, more specifically, the implication of what they did to have one - is pretty icky, but if you focus more on it being a fairy tale with fairy tale rules (or lack thereof) it is easier to enjoy. I liked the way it blended more fantastical elements with modern realities like science and medicine. The illustrations are ugly but beautiful at the same time, and they fit well with the overall tone of the story. I would actually love to see the ballet version of this.
Rating: 3/5

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, narrated by Tim Curry
Yes, this is how far behind I am with my reviews. I listened to this audiobook over Christmas. While the story was as wonderful as ever, I have to say I was disappointed with Tim Curry's narration. I expected amazing things so that didn't help. It just didn't feel right, and some of his voices were ridiculous and distracting. I think this year I'll just reread it again rather than listen to it (or at least this version).
Rating: 2.5/5



The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber, narrated by Ben Stiller
This is a super short audiobook - like, 11 minutes long. Obviously this is the basis for the movie, which I haven't seen, but judging purely from the trailer they haven't kept a lot from the original story. Walter Mitty is an old man who escapes the tedium of his life and his nagging, annoying wife by going on fantastical adventures in his head. It was a good short story, if a little depressing, and Ben Stiller's narration was quite good. I don't know that I'll bother with the Hollywood version of this story though.
Rating: 3/5

Mini Review: The Grisha, Books One And Two, By Leigh Bardugo

Considering I am SO over paranormal books, love triangles and Speshul Snowflake Chosen One characters, I enjoyed these books A LOT. I didn't think I would, but Jaz at Fiction in Fiction in Fiction insisted they were awesome so I gave them a shot. And she was right!



The fantasy world of The Grisha is based on Russian culture, which I kind of loved. It was different to the usual Western European influences, and the world building and plot premise was quite unique and engaging. What I liked less were the Chosen One and love triangle tropes I already mentioned, but the book was good enough otherwise that these things didn't bother me so much.

I quite liked Alina as a main character but I have to say this is one of those books where the villains/anti-heroes are much more compelling than the heroes. The Darkling was the highlight of The Gathering Dark, and I loved how you couldn't tell whether he was really good or really bad. The chemistry between him and Alina was hot. The same cannot be said for poor Mal. I feel like he is probably endgame but he's really a bit of a drip. He's not only eclipsed by The Darkling but also Sturmhond in the second book, Siege and Storm. It was kind of annoying that another apparent love interest was being introduced, but he was kinda worth it. Sturmhond quickly became my favourite character in the series - I love his charm, wit and yes, his chemistry with Alina. Basically everyone has better chemistry with her than Mal. I feel like Mal is more of a brother figure but she doesn't realise it yet.

The second book was probably my favourite out of the two. I really enjoyed the action scenes and the surprising twists.

I really enjoyed these two books and am excited about the next one in the series. They're well written and entertaining enough to overcome the standard formula of YA trilogies that can get so tedious.

Rating: 4/5

Head Cast
Not exactly how the characters are described but once they pop into my head they won't go away:

Taissa Farmiga as Alina

Evan Peters as Mal 
Jon Snow Kit Harington as The Darkling

Hook Colin O'Donoghue as Sturmhond


Tuesday 4 February 2014

Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry

1. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. Matthew gets me every time.


2. Wildlife by Fiona Wood. I had to put this book down seven pages in, I was so upset.


3. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I sobbed for a good half an hour after finishing this book.


4. On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. I can't even talk about it.


5. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. This book still haunts me.


6. The Reluctant Hallelujah by Gabrielle Williams. The ending kind of blindsided me, in the best way possible.


7. Checkers by John Marsden. This is the first book I remember crying over, and it still makes me cry today.


8. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Anyone who doesn't shed a tear for Beth clearly doesn't have a heart.


9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The characters in this book burrow into your heart... and tear it apart.


10. If I Stay by Gayle Forman. So much sadness in this book, but Teddy in particular is a punch in the gut.


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish