Friday Link Dump: Game of Thrones Costumes, Bunny Island and Drunk Amy Poehler

-I love this discussion of the hairstyles on Game of Thrones and what they indicate about the characters. Meanwhile, here are some how-tos on emulating those styles. And here is how the talented costume embroiderer created some of the iconic pieces.

-J. K. Rowling talks to Goodreads about how she crafts characters, and reveals more fascinating information on the Robert Galbraith website.

-BuzzFeed lists 19 book cover cliches that should probably go away now. 

-Tweeting Mr Thornton quotes and pictures all day, Thornton Bot is my new fave Twitter.


-Apparently, I am Hermione Granger.

-Expectations vs reality of being a writer. Ha.

-Abandoned mansions are both fascinating and hella creepy.

-I'm not a fan of Nicolas Cage, but I am a fan of memes. So this page makes me happy.

-Awesome nail art is awesome.

-There is a BUNNY ISLAND. I want to go to there.

-I also want to go to all of the theres on this page. Nature porn!

-And now architecture porn! Victorian houses, le swoon.

-I don't know whether I like drunk Amy Poehler better than sober Amy Poehler. I do know both are amazing. I want her to play with my hair.

-This YouTuber talks about the perks of being blind and it's both hilarious and touching.

-This story of a dog rescuing a kitten may cause your heart to explode from the adorable.

-ROFLZOO is my new go-to when I need a smile.

-This YouTube channel of celeb face mashups is both brilliant and super disturbing.

Top Ten Authors On My Auto-Buy List

 
1. Melina Marchetta. I was going to make a joke about being so willing to buy anything she writes, I'd purchase her shopping list, but then I realised that sounded totally stalkery and so I won't mention it at all. Ahem.

2. Markus Zusak. I loved The Book Thief and am eagerly anticipating Zusak's next novel, Bridge of Clay. In the meantime I should really get around to reading his earlier stuff.

3. Caroline Overington. Overington's stories cover so many important issues, but at the centre of them all are very authentic characters and realistic emotions. I've loved everything of hers that I've read.

4. Shirley Marr. I love Marr's writing style and the unique stories she writes. Cookie cutter they ain't.

5. Gayle Foreman. Foreman's If I Stay and Where She Went shattered my heart into a million teeny tiny pieces. I admire a writer who can do that.

6. Stephanie Perkins. On the other end of the spectrum, Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss made my heart all light and happy. It's literary fairy floss at its finest.

7. Craig Silvey. I have a bit of a literary crush on Mr Silvey. I devoured Jasper Jones and adored The Amber Amulet, and have Rhubarb on my husband's Kindle waiting for me to steal it away. I can't wait to see what Silvey does next.

8. J. K. Rowling. C'mon. It's the Queen.

9. Charles Dickens. I know, he's dead, but he managed to release a helluva lot of books in his lifetime that I'm slowly making my way through. I've loved what I've read so much I don't hesitate to buy his work, especially when I come across a really cool edition. I totally judge books by their covers.

10. Charlotte Bronte. Same deal as Dickens, except I've actually only read one of her books, that I happened to absolutely love. So I really want to get the rest of Bronte's work.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books I Want Santa To Bring Me

1. The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling. I feel like the only person in the world who hasn't read this book.

2. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Everyone I know adores this book, and every time I see a new, glowing review, I kick myself for not owning it.

3. Metamorphoses by Ovid. I love Greek mythology and I've been meaning to read the Metamorphoses for years, so I'd love to get it as a gift.

4. Saved by Cake by Marian Keyes. This not only looks like a totally adorable cookbook, it also sounds like an interesting and potentially moving read, focusing on how baking literally saved Marian's life as she recovered from depression.

5. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson. This twist on the Peter Pan tale sounds intriguing and has gotten amazing reviews from people I trust.

6. The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens. I loved The Emerald Atlas when I read it last year, and I've been looking forward to reading its sequel for awhile. I just need to get my hands on it!

7. Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart. I'm obsessed with Miranda's self-titled sitcom, and her book sounds just as hilarious and delightful.

8. On Writing by Stephen King. I'm hoping to focus more on my creative writing in the new year, and it seems like this book is a must-have for all aspiring authors!

9. The Illiad and The Odyssey by Homer. I specifically want the Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classics edition of Homer's work, because it looks gorgeous. I'm obsessed with this collection.

10. The Original Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. This edition of Mary Shelley's classic includes two versions of the story: the original that Mary wrote, and the version we all know, which was heavily edited by her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley. I'd love to see the original and compare the two.

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

What's on your wishlist?

Mini Review: Harry Potter, The Prequel by J. K. Rowling

I was so excited when I saw this on Goodreads. I think a Harry Potter prequel focusing on the adventures of the previous generation when they were at Hogwarts would be amazeballs. Sadly, that's not what this is. This is a brief scene that could take place if such a prequel were to exist. It follows James and Sirius as they speed around on their magical motorbike and taunt Muggle police. I think their cheekiness is supposed to be charming, but they came off a bit beastly, if you ask me. I'm inclined to agree with Snape's impression of the boys as buttheads. It doesn't help that there's absolutely no context for this scene - we have no idea why they're doing what they're doing, or why we should care (other than the fact they're Harry's father and godfather, of course). If an actual prequel is ever written, I do hope it focuses on Lily or Snape's perspective. J.K. Rowling, forget the adult stuff, we want moar magic!*

Rating: 3/5

*I haven't actually read The Casual Vacancy yet. But based on the summary I don't know that I'd bother if it wasn't J.K. Rowling. I'm just curious - like many others I'm sure - to see what her work is like outside of the Potter-verse.

Reading Icons: Lisa Simpson

Lisa Simpson: Ms. Rowling, I love your books. You've turned an entire generation on to reading.
J.K. Rowling: Thank you, young Muggle.
Lisa Simpson: Could you tell me what happens at the end of the series?
J.K. Rowling: [exasperated] He grows up and he marries you! Is that what you want to hear?
Lisa Simpson: [dreamily] Yes.

All images via The Lisa Simpson Book Club

Follow Friday: Five Living Authors I'd Love To Meet

Follow Friday is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. This week's topic is about authors we want to meet: "Name three authors you would love to sit down and have a meal with, just talking about either their books or writing advice."

Because I'm a) Mildly OCD and like everything to be in multiples of five, and b) Chronically indecisive, I'm going to cheat and name five authors I'd love to sit down with. To make it more realistic (like it would ever actually happen), I'm going to stick to living writers. Coz otherwise my fantasty dinner party would be pretty dead (badum bum).

1. J.K. Rowling. I'd say: "What would it take for you to write the prequel of Harry Potter, and tell the story of Snape, Lily, James and co's time at Hogwarts in more detail?!" Then I'd do whatever it took - hand-feed her chocolates, make endless cups of tea, fan her with palm leaves... Just call me Dobby.

2. Markus Zusak. I'd say: "How did you get so awesome?! Can you rub some awesomeness off onto me?" Because The Book Thief is just 100 per cent pure awesomeness and amazes me every time I read it.

3. Charlaine Harris. I'd say: "Will Sookie end up with Eric at the close of the series?" If the answer is no, I might have to hold her hostage, Misery-style, until she gets it right. What? I'm not crazy. Just crazy for Eric.

4. William Goldman. I'd say: "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me Fezzik doesn't die in Buttercup's Baby." If you've read the anniversary edition of The Princess Bride, you'll know how much that "bonus" chapter/fake sequel leaves you hanging - literally, in Fezzik's case.

5. Stephanie Perkins. I'd say: "Be my best friend?" I'm guessing she's as fantastic in real life as she is in her writing.

Pash, Pick or Pass: Hogwarts Edition

In honour of the end of the Harry Potter movies (*tear*), this week's Pash, Pick or Pass is Hogwarts-themed, complete with two rounds of contenders. To play, all you have to do is create your own post (linking back to this one) stating who out of each trio you'd pash, who you'd pick for a relationship and who you'd pass on altogether. Then share your post in the linky and check out how everyone else divided their affections! P.S. If you can't create your own post, play in the comments!


Round One: Gryffindor's Greats - Ron, Harry and Neville

My Choices

Pash: Neville. Because the boy is looking rather dashing these days, but the prospect of spending the rest of my life discussing plants isn't particularly exciting.

Pick: Ron. Look, I'm not gonna lie - as much as I love gingers, I don't really find Ron appealing (it doesn't help that Rupert doesn't appear to be washing lately). But hey, at least he'd make me laugh.

Pass: Harry. I love him as a character and he's sweet and all, but not someone I can really see as relationship (or pash) material. At all.


Round Two: Slytherin's Stars - Voldemort, Snape and Malfoy

My Choices

Pash: Voldemort. I know, those teeth are nasty, but I'd just close my eyes and think of Tom Riddle.

Pick: Snape. Despite his snarky exterior, the man sure knows how to love - and is long overdue for some affection. How great would he be as a boyfriend?! Plus with his potions skillz I'm sure he'd be a good cook (don't ask me why everything always goes back to food with me. I have a sick mind).

Pass: Malfoy. Ugh, I hate Malfoy. He's a whiny, unattractive little Daddy's boy. PASS.

Who would you pash, pick and pass?



Next Week: Stay tuned to play Pash, Pick or Pass old-school style, with three of my fave Austen heroes - Darcy, Knightley and Wentworth.

Top Five: Secondary Characters in Harry Potter

With the impending end of the Harry Potter film series upon us, I thought it would distract me from my sadness be fun to list my top five characters in the series, not counting the main trio of awesomeness - because, well, their awesomeness goes without saying. One of the wonderful things about Harry Potter is the rich array of characters that J. K. Rowling has created; even the most minor figures are fully fleshed out and fly off the page. Here are the ones I love the most (SPOILERS ahead)...

1. Severus Snape. The question of whether he's really good or evil provides one of the most compelling mysteries in the series, and the powerful payoff is well worth all the suspense. The flashback sequences building up to the final reveal all give Snape's character so much complexity, depth and, ultimately, heroism that it's his story more than any other which really stuck with me after finishing the books.

2. Hagrid. I've got a thing for gentle giants (think Fezzik in The Princess Bride). Hagrid is Harry's first friend at Hogwarts, and while he may not always get things quite right, he's loyal to a fault. His love for all creatures great and small is adorable, while his devotion to Dumbledore is truly touching.

3. Neville Longbottom. I loved Neville's character in the novels, especially the parallels he draws with Harry. Of course, his role in the final battle - and the image of him pulling the sword of Gryffindor out of the sorting hat - is the ultimate Neville moment, and the culmination of years of quiet bravery and strength. (P.S. How fine is that boy lookin' these days?!)

4. Dobby. Not gonna lie, I hated Dobby at first. He's so damn annoying in Chamber of Secrets. But by the end of the series he's completely lovable - not to mention unforgettable. It's utterly gut-wrenching when he dies, made even more so by the fact that it's because he was saving Harry and his friends. It's one of the saddest moments of the whole series.

5. Voldemort. He's one sick mother chucker, but we couldn't have Harry Potter - or Harry Potter - without good old Voldie. My favourite book in the series is The Half-Blood Prince, mainly because of the insight we get into Voldemort's character. I love the flashbacks to Tom Riddle. But it's Voldemort himself - the twisted biatch he is today - that is most fascinating. He's definitely one of the greatest villains ever created.

Coming soon: Pash, Pick or Pass - the Gryffindor edition! Our contenders will be Harry, Ron and Neville. Stay tuned for the post and linky!

Who are your fave non-trio Harry Potter characters?