Category: Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday | Characters I’d Like to Go on Vacation With

Posted April 15, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 34 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is a Characters I’d Like to go on Vacation With. I had to really think about this one. There are many characters I love, but not necessarily for going on vacation with. Some I’d happily go on adventures or quests with, or if I’m escaping from prison or running a heist or killing monsters, but for a nice, relaxing vacation? Hmm…

Top Ten Characters I’d Like to Go on Vacation With

  1. Ren, Gray, and Vargo from The Rook and Rose series – I love them so much and I would so love to hang out with them doing whatever. Maybe reading pattern together or tarot cards, telling fortunes for fun, or just having drinks together. I think they can be chill and fun companions for a vacation.
  2. Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables – I can imagine just sitting at a nice breezy cottage reading side by side with Anne, maybe going on walks enjoying the scenery, picking flowers, making up whimsical stories and fairy tales together. This could be such a nice, relaxing vacation.
  3. Viv, Tandri, and Thimble from Legends & Lattes – Honestly, I don’t so much want to go on vacation with them, as much as I want to go on vacation to them. I’d love to visit Viv’s cafe, drink some coffee, have some of Thimble’s delicious baked goods, hang out and get to know the regulars, listen to the bard playing music, play chess with the old man even though I can’t play chess, try to pet Amity. And I’d love to chat and become friends with Viv, Tandri, and Thimble if he’ll talk to me!
  4. Rocky from Project Hail Mary – I could take or leave Ryland Grace, but I’d love to go on vacation with Rocky. I think he would be such a fun companion, and I wouldn’t even mind that he watches me while I sleep, and of course I’d return the favor. I think we’d have fun conversations, maybe develop a few inside jokes, and I know I’d love learning more about him.
  5. The Wayfarer crew from The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet – I don’t know what kind of vacation we’d be having, but I just really want to hang out with them and be a part of their vibe. I love how they get along with each other, respect each other, learn from each other. I think there might be a couple of them I’d get annoyed with while on vacation, but I’d still want to be there with all of them.

Have you read any of these books? Did you like the characters? Would you go on vacation with them?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Books with Cats in the Title

Posted April 8, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 35 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is a Freebie so I’m going with Books with Cats in the Title. If you’re wondering how I came about this brilliant topic, what I did was reach out for the first object on my left, and it was my cats! (I might have cheated, but you’ll never know!)

Top Ten Books with Cats in the Title

  1. Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood – I read this as a young adult and it made a significant impact on me. It showcases the dynamics between girl friendships in a time where girls were pitted against each other. I feel like we’re getting better but there’s still a lot of progress to be made. It’s been a while since I read it so maybe it’s time for a reread.
  2. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody – I’ve been reading this book on and off because I find it fascinating, but there are spoilers for a lot of books I haven’t read so I skip parts and sometimes put it down until I read the books in question.
  3. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron – Nonfiction books about animals inevitably make me cry. I read this book a long time ago and I barely remember the details, but I definitely remember the sobbing.
  4. White Cat by Holly Black – I read this so long ago I don’t even remember reading it, but I love Holly Black and apparently there are two more books in the series. This is a great excuse to reread and read the other books too!
  5. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss – Can you believe I’ve never read this?
  6. Grumpy Cat by Grumpy Cat – I haven’t read this one either, but I’ve seen the memes and love them!
  7. The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa – I remember hearing a lot about this book a few years ago, and I was initially planning to do a buddy read, but I got busy at the time and then just never came back to the book. If you’ve read it, is it still worth reading?
  8. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams – A classic I’ve heard about but haven’t been interested in. I’d love to hear what other people think about it.
  9. Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut – Another classic, one that I am interested in reading. Hopefully soon.
  10. Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy – My husband and I watched many episodes of My Cat From Hell before we ever decided to adopt our cats, and it has helped us so much in understanding how to care for them. The book was good too; it had a lot of touching and interesting stories about himself and his experience with cats.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Rainy Books

Posted April 1, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 42 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is April Showers

These are all just random books that I found when I looked for books that have anything to do with the rain. Some I’ve read or heard of, some I want to read, others I have no interest in but just like the covers. Or to be more accurate, I do have some interest in all of these books, but if I added every book I came across to my TBR… well, you know the perils, my fellow book lovers.

Top Ten Rainy Books

  1. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein – I read this book years ago and loved it, and I also watched the movie adaptation recently and loved it. I have no idea if it stayed true to the story because there was so much time in between, but enjoying both experiences is a win, I think!
  2. The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard – I haven’t read this one but it sounds really interesting and I’m struggling to not add it to the TBR.
  3. The Rainmaker by John Grisham – I don’t love all of John Grisham’s books, but his books are really great for fast-paced, bite-sized reading, and I really enjoyed this one.
  4. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger – I’ve read this and watched the movie, but I don’t remember a single thing! I remember liking them both though.
  5. All The Little Raindrops by Mia Sheridan – I’m sorry but despite my resistance, this one is going into my TBR. It sounds too interesting to just forget about.
  6. Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie – This is another one I’m trying not to add to the TBR, but it just sounds so good!
  7. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – This one is already on my TBR. It’s a story set in Malaya (Malaysia) by a Malaysian author, and I must read it!
  8. If It Rains by Jennifer L. Wright – I have a slight fascination with the Dust Bowl so I really want to read this, and it sounds so good but I’m trying to talk myself out of it.
  9. History of the Rain by Niall Williams – I think by now, we’ve established that I don’t have much self-control when it comes to not adding books to my TBR, but luckily, I have no desire to read this one. If you’ve read this book and loved it, please don’t tell me! I don’t need to know!
  10. Wisdom from a Rainforest by Stuart A. Schlegel – This one sounds interesting too, but it’s a really old book and I can’t find it in my library and it’s probably going to be hard to find anywhere, so too bad.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Books Beginning with A

Posted March 25, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 29 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Movies/TV Shows That Would Have Made Amazing Books

I can’t think of very many ideas for today’s topic, so from now on I’m going to go with books in alphabetical order every time I need an easy go-to topic, an idea I’m stealing from Pam @ Read! Bake! Create! I think it’s genius!

So here are the Top Ten Books on my TBR beginning with A. These are all books I intend to read, hopefully soon, but definitely eventually.

Top Ten Books Beginning with A

  1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy – I actually got about 30% into this audiobook but stopped because I was getting confused with the names and characters and wanted to switch over to a printed copy. I’m not sure if I’ll pick up where I left off or start over again. Or maybe I should just keep going with the audiobook and not worry about getting all the details right.
  2. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint – It’s been on my TBR since a Greek mythology binge a few years ago. I’d love to finally read it some time really soon!
  3. A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan – I’ve read this, but not the other books in the series. And I read it long enough ago that I don’t remember a thing and have to reread before diving into the next books.
  4. All That’s Left to Say by Emery Lord – I’ve read a few of Emery Lord’s books and enjoyed them, so I really want to read this one too.
  5. Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter – I’ve heard so many good things about this author but haven’t read a single book by her. I thinking I have to remedy this and also possibly use it for the 52 Book Club Prompt 25: An author “everyone” has read except me.
  6. A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal – Another author I’ve heard good things about, and another possibility for the same prompt.
  7. A Theory of Haunting by Sarah Monette – So this books sounds really scary and satisfyingly creepy, and for some reason I feel the need to give myself some sleepless nights.
  8. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells – The second book in the Murderbot series. I read the first and loved it and I wanna read the rest of it!
  9. A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross – The second book in the Elements of Cadence series. I read the first one and I really want to know what happens next.
  10. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid – I love fairy tales and tales about faes. How can I resist?

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Books on My Spring 2024 TBR

Posted March 18, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 42 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Books on my Spring 2024 TBR

Well, it’s time for the Spring 2024 TBR list! I only finished 4/10 of my Winter 2023-2024 TBR list, so if I was a good girl, I would’ve brought them forward to this list. But I’m not a good girl, and the heart wants what the heart wants, when the heart wants it.

Disclaimer: This Spring 2024 TBR list is non-binding and I reserve the right to change my mind and this list at any time.

I would like to finish all of these if I can because at the time of compiling this list, I assure you, I am very excited for all of them, but I am constantly distracted by new and shinier books all the time, so we’ll see how I end up doing!

Top Ten Books on my Spring 2024 TBR

  1. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett – Because I loved the first book and want to continue with any and all sequels!
  2. Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree – Same as above, and even more so because I love it so much!
  3. The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin – I’ve read two of the author’s books and loved them. I’m sure I’ll love this one too.
  4. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson – It sounds so intriguing and I must know what everyone is raving about!
  5. The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed – I need this book, it sounds right up my alley. It gives me chills! In a good way.
  6. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck – I’ve been so curious ever since the TTT prompt for things you googled because of a book.
  7. Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman – This would be a reread, but I’ve been wanting to reread the whole series.
  8. Funny Story by Emily Henry – I am very, very, impatiently waiting for this one to be released!
  9. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie – My online book club seems to be having a disagreement about whether this book is good or not, and we are required to choose sides, so I have to read it before making my decision!
  10. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – A story set in Malaysia, written by a Malaysian author. I must support my countrywoman, and besides, the book sounds really good!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What’s on your Spring 2024 TBR?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Books I Love to Reread

Posted March 11, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 32 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Books I’m Worried I Might Not Love as Much the Second Time Around

I love to reread and most of the time I enjoy the books just as much, if not more, on the second/nth read. However, there are a few books I used to love that haven’t aged well and/or that I’m worried I might not like the next time I read them (Gone With The Wind, and Mists of Avalon), but I can’t think of enough to make a top ten list, so I have decided to go with the Top Ten Books I Love to Reread instead.

Most of these are books I’ve reread multiple times, some of them even in the double digits. There are a few more books I love to reread as well, but these are my favorite comfort reads.

Top Ten Books I Love to Reread

  1. The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie – This is probably the most underrated one on my list, and the most read. For a time, ever since I read the book for the first time as a pre-teen, I would reread it every year for many years. I’ve lost count but I’m sure it’s been at least 10 times, probably closer to 20. It’s a book set in ancient Roman and Germanic times, with a badass female protagonist, and it’s one I always recommend any time I can.
  2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – I’ve also lost count on this one, I’m currently rereading it on what might be the 9th or 10th time, I’m not sure. It’s one of my favorite classics and somehow despite the intensity and subject matter, it’s a comfort read.
  3. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins – I remember the first three times I read this series was first on physical copy, then e-book, then audiobook. After that, the rereads were mostly on audio, but I love it every single time and keep getting something out of it.
  4. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster – This is such a sweet and comforting book. It’s a shorter book, and filled with illustrations, and just a nice read for whenever I need a comfort snack. I’ve read it more times than the others simply because it’s so easy to pick up and read quickly.
  5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – Another sweet and comforting book. I very hardly reread the rest of the series for some reason, but I always enjoy this first one.
  6. On Writing by Stephen King – I have read this book on print, and have a hardcopy of it, but it’s just better when you listen to it on audio with the author himself narrating. It really feels like he’s a friend talking to you and it’s so inspiring to listen to. I respect his work ethic and his approach to writing so much. Sometimes when I’m in between audiobooks and if this one is available, I borrow it just to listen to his voice lull me to sleep.
  7. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – I probably wouldn’t classify this horror story as a comfort read, but it’s one of my favorite stories to come back to when I want a chill down the spine. I don’t come back to it as often as the other ones on this list, but I love that this is a story about flawed humans (and monsters). I get so much out of it, and more, every time I read it.
  8. Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck – This particular book has the dubious honor of being my favorite, most-read book that I’ve never finished. I don’t see it as a dnf, but as one of the best stories that should’ve ended sooner than it did. I love this book from beginning until 99% of it and I just never finished the last few pages, even with all my rereads! Maybe on my next reread, but I don’t feel a need to read the last 1%, so we’ll see.
  9. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown – Technically, I read and reread all of Brene Brown’s works indiscriminately, because they’re all just so good. She also tends to repeat her stories in many of her talks/videos/platforms and I love hearing them over and over again because they inspire me and make me feel less alone. Her works are lifesavers, and I read them any time I need a boost.
  10. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – I’ve probably done the 12-week course three times (or 2.5 times, I don’t remember if I finished the third), but I listen to the audio every once in a while without doing the exercises, and there was a time when I was taking walks every night while listening to this audio. It’s one of my favorite memories because I was going through something, and just listening to this book helped me get my mind off things and gave me so much peace.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read or reread any of these books?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book

Posted March 4, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 31 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Weird or Funny Things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book

I had some trouble with this topic because I couldn’t think of many things I’ve googled because of a book. I think most of my googles might have been boring fact-checks that I don’t remember after because they’re just boring. Which is a problem because the topic specifically states weird or funny things.

However, I’ve cheated by changing my topic to just Things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book, and I went ahead and cheated even more by asking my friends about their weird and funny googles because of books they read, so I could add more to the list. Theirs are definitely weird and funny, and some are NSFW, so I’ve put them under spoiler tags. Read at your own risk!

Things I’ve Googled Thanks to a Book

1. Dark Visions by L.J. Smith

I read this series a long time ago and remember being fascinated by the description of the inukshuk. I didn’t actually google at the time I read it, but it stayed with me for so long that I googled it later, and it was the first thing that came to mind with today’s prompt.

The inukshuk

The word “inukshuk” means “in the likeness of a human.” For generations, Inuit have been creating these impressive stone markers on the vast Arctic landscape. Inukshuks serve several functions, including guiding travellers, warning of danger, assisting hunters and marking places of reverence.

2. Bury Me Deep by Christopher Pike

Another one I read a long time ago, but I remember being fascinated by one of the plot points and googling it later.

The bends

Decompression sickness, also called generalized barotrauma or the bends, refers to injuries caused by a rapid decrease in the pressure that surrounds you, of either air or water.

It’s also the name of an album by Radiohead, but that’s got nothing to do with the book. It’s just one of the things that pop up when you google “the bends”.

3. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

More recently I googled how long an octopus could live out of water, and while Marcellus in the book stated he could go 18 minutes, the answer I googled said it was around 20-30 minutes, which is close and totally makes sense.

4. Watership Down by Richard Adams

Full disclosure: I haven’t read this book, but while googling about the book, I found out that Watership Down is actually a place in Hampshire, England.

Watership Down is a hill or a down at Ecchinswell in the civil parish of Ecchinswell, Sydmonton and Bishops Green in the English county of Hampshire, as part of the Hampshire Downs. It rises fairly steeply on its northern flank, but to the south the slope is much gentler.

Now on to my friends’ googles that gave me giggles!

Things My Friends Have Googled Thanks to a Book

5. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

They googled the etymological history of “goal” because they were curious about “jail” vs “goal”. We didn’t get into a deeper discussion about it because we were busy laughing about the other answers.

6. Pod by Laline Paull

NSFW
They googled dolphin vaginas. Apparently in the book, the females were constantly being called “spirals”, which were meant to be disparaging and perhaps the equivalent to the word “cunt”.

I did not read this book, so I have no context to what that referred to. It has made me curious about the book though!

7. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

NSFW
This one is for shark penis. So in the book, the main characters are a husband and wife, and the husband has a condition that would slowly turn him into a shark. I have not read the book, but I was given the impression that there’s reason to be curious about sexual relations between a shark and his human wife, maybe…

I haven’t read this book, but it was on my TBR before this conversation, I swear! Now I want to read it more!

8. The Gentleman’s Gambit by Evie Dunmore

NSFW
And this one is for nipple piercings in a historical setting. What prompted my friend was a bad review for this book where the reader didn’t like it because one of the characters had a nipple piercing and they didn’t think nipple piercings were true to the times. My friend decided to google it, and apparently, it is accurate to the times!

I don’t know the context for this book, but I do know that our ancestors were often a lot more liberal than we give them credit for, so I totally believe it!

I don’t have any more at the moment, but I loved this topic and finding out what my friends have googled. I’m excited to see what everyone else’s answers are too. This topic has definitely made me want to keep better track of what I google because of books, and hopefully the next time we come back to this topic, I’ll have funnier answers!

What weird or funny things have you googled because of a book? I’d love to hear it!

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Top Ten Tuesday | Covers/Titles with Things Found In Nature

Posted February 26, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 48 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Covers/Titles with Things Found In Nature

Most of these are books I’ve read, but there are a couple that I haven’t yet read – The Priory of the Orange Tree, and The Fox Wife. All the ones I’ve read are books I’ve loved, and I have high expectations for the two I haven’t read.

Top Ten Covers/Titles with Things Found In Nature

  1. Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher – This is probably the most recent book I’ve read out of this list. I love T. Kingfisher and I love fairytale retellings, this one is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story.
  2. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon – I have not read this one. I have been wanting to, but the size of it is daunting! One of these days, though!
  3. Grass by Sheri S. Tepper – This is one of my all-time favorite sci-fi stories. It’s been a while since I read it, so it’s probably time for a reread, but I remember being fascinated by the alien world, alien beings, and the incredible world-building.
  4. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo – A heist story, a group of people with different skills brought together, found family. How could I not love this?
  5. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black – Holly Black is one of my favorite authors. Her stories are so good, so simple, and yet so rich. This book is about the fae, the changeling, but told from a different POV.
  6. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway – Some have said that this book is boring because it’s only about a man fishing, but for me, it’s thrilling because I used to go fishing with my father when I was young, and there’s nothing like the thrill of having a fish caught on the hook but not yet landed. This book describes that feeling so vividly and I love that it was able to put into words what I never could.
  7. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman – Neil Gaiman is another one of my favorite authors and I would read anything he writes. I read this book for the second time a couple of years ago, and it was so much better the second time around. It was much scarier, and more horrifying, and so wonderful.
  8. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel – This is an old book I haven’t revisited in a while. There have been some new books in the series since, but I haven’t read them. It’s probably time to reread from the beginning. All I can say is that I loved the story, and the wonderment of discovering things along with the characters.
  9. The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo – This is the newest book on this list, and that’s the only reason I haven’t read it. It was just released two weeks ago, and I’m impatiently waiting until I can read it! I’ve loved the author’s two other books, and I expect to love this one too!
  10. Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi – This book is set during WW2, and it’s one of the most heartbreaking books I’ve read. I probably read it around 20 years ago and I’ve forgotten most of the details, but that feeling of heartache still lingers even after all these years.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Bookish Superpowers I Wish I Had

Posted February 19, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 37 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Bookish Superpowers I Wish I Had

I had a lot of fun coming up with ideas for this topic and asked some of my bookish friends this question for fun. I ended up liking some of their answers more than my own, so I’ve stolen their ideas and added them here!

Top Ten Bookish Superpowers I Wish I Had

My own ideas:

  1. Books on my library waitlist always come at exactly the right time, staggered, and not all at once!
  2. Invincibility to FOMO
  3. Books I want to buy always just happen to be on sale when I want to buy them
  4. Ability to stop time while I savor reading
  5. Ability to remember every single detail of books I read – unless I want to reread, in which case, I forget everything except the fact I loved it, and get surprised all over again!
  6. Automatically forget any accidental spoilers so books never get ruined for me

Ideas I stole:

  1. Ability to read in every language
  2. Always picking up the exact books with the exact tropes you want in the moment
  3. Ability to know if you’ll like a book once you pick it up, so you don’t waste your time on books you wouldn’t like
  4. The artistic prowess for bookbinding and fore-edge painting so all my books look unique and beautiful!

Oh, how I wish some of these were real and actual superpowers I could have! What bookish superpowers would you wish for?

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Top Ten Tuesday | Favorite Book Relationships

Posted February 12, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 50 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Love Freebie and I’m doing my Top Ten Favorite Book Relationships

Happy Valentine’s Day! This list will include all kinds of relationships; romantic, platonic, familial, symbiotic… I wanted to feature all the characters I love and their love for each other.

Top Ten Favorite Book Relationships

  1. Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables – I think the books represent the evolution of their relationship a lot better than the mini-series but it was just so sweet to see them grow up and grow older together. They were horrible to each other when they were children, but once they grew up, they were just perfect together.
  2. Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth from A Song of Ice and Fire – An actual enemies to (sort-of) lovers story? I’d say respected comrade, but it’s clear they trauma-bonded in some way and feel deeply for each other. Look, I’m not saying that it’s a healthy relationship, but it was clearly a meaningful one. It was just amazing to see the way they had to trust each other, first out of necessity, then later out of respect and feelings.
  3. Darrow and Sevro from the Red Rising series – Darrow and Sevro are my ride-or-die people. I can’t bear it when they are at odds with each other. I need them to be okay with each other, more than I need Darrow with Virginia. If anything happened to their relationship, I will riot!
  4. Aurianne and Marcus from The Light Bearer – This is a very underrated book that I love with my whole heart. I love Aurianne because she’s one of the strongest, smartest, bravest woman I’ve ever met (read about), and Marcus is an incredibly intelligent strategist. And while they are both amazing as individuals, together they are the most powerful of power couples, and I love them!
  5. Vargo, Ren, and Gray from the Rook and Rose series – This isn’t a throuple, I promise, but a very unique relationship that comes from complete love and trust for each other. I love Vargo especially because of how badass his reputation is to everyone else, but how vulnerable he is with Ren and Gray. I am in love with them all!
  6. Pi and Richard Parker from Life of Pi – This was one of the most intense relationships I loved reading about. I don’t think Richard Parker loved Pi in any way except symbiotically, but they had such a beautiful relationship, nonetheless. I mean, not that it’s anything I’d want to aspire to, but in the context of the story. From fear of each other, to tolerance, to trust. Oh, I don’t know, it’s just such a complex thing to read about and it elicits so many feelings.
  7. Rocky and Ryland Grace from Project Hail Mary – Amaze! I am in love with Rocky, and I love Ryland Grace more because I see him through Rocky’s POV. I love how they bonded. I love how they learned about each other, how they adapted and respected each other’s needs, customs, and more. It’s just such an example for how we should treat people different from us. Do you agree? Fist my bump!
  8. Peter and Bea from The Book of Strange New Things – Full disclosure, it’s been 10 years since I read this book and I don’t remember very much, but I remember thinking that this was one of most interesting books I’ve ever read that showcased what a marriage was like, and this while Peter and his wife, Bea, lived on different planets for pretty much the whole book! You know what, I should probably reread this sometime soon.
  9. Alice and Leonard from This Time Tomorrow – This was one of the more recent books I read, so you can read more about what I thought about the book here. Alice and Leonard are daughter and father, and I loved how they loved each other. I loved how present Leonard was for his daughter. I loved how Alice realized that having more time with her father was what was most important for her. It was just such a wholesome relationship, with all its beauty and bittersweetness.
  10. Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games series – I’m sorry if it’s overdone and overrated, but there are so many reasons why I love The Hunger Games, and Peeta with Katniss is just one of the reasons. Peeta accepts Katniss as she is, with all her flaws, and he’s totally willing to die for her. It might have taken Katniss some time to feel her feelings, but that’s part of what I loved about their relationship; that it wasn’t insta-love. They had real reasons for falling for each other, each in their own time.

Who are your favorite book relationships? Why do you like them? Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

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