Top Ten Tuesday | All the Single Ladies

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

Happy Valentine's Day! This week's theme is all about romance, and as I talked about my favourite OTPs last year, I figured this year would be a good opportunity to talk about the characters I think should have remained single.

Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games trilogy: Sorry Peeta fans (specifically Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight), but I hate the ending of Mockingjay. My ideal happy ending for Katniss was for her to live somewhere peaceful with Prim and if that couldn't happen then I wanted her to either live alone or die. I know that sounds grim, and I understand the comfort she probably finds in Peeta because he's gone through so much of what she's gone through, but I hate the way people use Peeta against her. I wrote a whole post about it here if you're interested.

Rachel Green from Friends: The more I re-watch Friends, the more I realise Rachel should have stayed on the plane. Ross is a pretty awful person and he consistently makes her choose between him and her career and it pisses me off. When they're first dating he's constantly looking down on her interest in the fashion industry, but if someone says they're not interested in science it's like they just told him Santa isn't real. He's a hypocrite and I don't like him, and to be honest by the tenth season I think Rachel and Joey have way more chemistry.

Juliet Capulet from Romeo and Juliet: SIX PEOPLE DIED. This applies to Romeo too, I guess, but to be honest Romeo's always seemed pretty flaky to me while Juliet has all these amazingly violent monologues throughout the play and has always felt like the more fleshed-out character to me. I understand that she doesn't just want to marry some stranger her father picks out for her, but was there really no other option for her than a whirlwind romance that KILLED SIX PEOPLE? Come on, Juliet, you're better than that.

Jane Eyre from Jane Eyre: I think Jane and Mr. Rochester have amazing chemistry but let's be honest: Rochester is a problematic fave. Let's not forget that he literally locked his wife in the attic and then lied to his second wife about it. What exactly in that scenario suggests great husband material?

Sansa Stark from Game of Thrones: In no way can Sansa's marriage to Ramsay Bolton be described as a relationship because he was abusive and she was in no way able to give any form of consent. Really I'm just angry the writers gave her that storyline at all; she deserved better than to be abused in that way, especially after already spending so long at Joffrey's mercy.

Tauriel from The Hobbit movies: I love the fact that someone thought 'we can't ask little girls to sit through 9 hours of film without a single main female character', but they butchered any progress when they created Tauriel just to act as eye candy. There didn't seem to be any depth to her character, instead she was a watered-down mix of Eowyn and Arwen.

Marianne Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility and Lydia Bennet from Pride and Prejudice: I'm putting these two together because I think they'd be good friends if they met, and I'd love to see the two of them travelling around Europe together, Marianne could play her music and Lydia could act on the stage, because frankly they both deserved better marriages than the ones they end up in. Especially Marianne, because at Lydia can hold her own and still have a bit of fun with Wickham, whereas Marianne gets a General who, while he may be lovely, is far too boring for her.

Desdemona from Othello: Othello's a prick. That is all.

Anna from Frozen: Elsa won't let her marry a guy she's known for a day, but apparently a guy she's known for two days is fine. I don't really like Frozen anyway, I think it's full of plotholes and one day I may write a post about it, and this is one of the reasons why. It tried to be witty with its 'oh isn't it funny how Disney princesses marry men they barely know?' only to repeat the same mistake.

Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Disney one's fine, albeit old-fashioned, but in the original tale the Prince carries Snow White away while he thinks she's dead, only for the apple to dislodge from her throat and wake her up. In other words, the original Snow White marries a necrophile. Poor girl.

What did you talk about this week?

Top Ten Tuesday | The Warm Fuzzies

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is a Valentine's freebie, and today I've decided to talk about some of my OTPs. I'm not usually a book boyfriend kind of person, I'd much rather see two people get together than imagine one half of that couple getting together with me. Over the years I've accumulated quite a few OTPs, so today I thought I'd share my top ten eleven with you; these are all from films and TV shows, because I've noticed I tend to 'collect' OTPs from visual media much more than I do books. Don't know why!

Evy Carnahan & Rick O'Connell from The Mummy and The Mummy Returns

Third movie? What third movie? Hahaha, there was never a third movie! If I keep saying it, it means it's true. I have to be honest: if someone said to me my life depended on choosing a fictional boyfriend, I'd probably go with Rick O'Connell. He's cute, he's funny, he's cheeky and he's very people smart, plus he can kick butt. What I love about Rick, though, is how he's never intimidated by Evy's intelligence. The Mummy's set in the 1920s, Evy's from a fairly wealthy family and is struggling to muscle her way into academia because of our arch-nemesis, sexism. Rick ends up owing his life to her, but he doesn't let her saving his ass make him feel bitter or emasculated, and on top of that he never mocks her for her enthusiasm. When Evy has something exciting to tell him - even if exciting for her means 'oh look at these cool scarab beetles I found, they totally ate people ALIVE' - he listens. Like, actually listens. I just think these two are a wonderful pair, and to this day The Mummy is still one of my favourite movies of all time.

Tohru Honda & Kyo Sohma from Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

Compared to some of my friends I haven't watched much anime at all, but Fruits Basket and Inuyasha are tied for my favourite anime. Fruits Basket is the first 'proper anime' I watched, and I've loved it since I first watched it. Tohru and Kyo are such an adorable couple, in the anime and the manga, and it was definitely through them I realised one of my 'types'; I've always loved couples where one half is a ray of sunshine and the other's a complete grump, and these two represent that perfectly. If you've never watched the anime or read the manga, I recommend doing both - it's a great story!

Eowyn & Faramir from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

I've only seen the movies (I know, I know, I should read the books) but I love Eowyn and Faramir. I like the two of them separately and together, as is the case for pretty much all the couples on this list, because I think that's when you really care about their relationship. What I really like about these two, though, is that they were challenging gender stereotypes long before Katniss and Peeta were; Eowyn's a shieldmaiden, a warrior princess who dresses as a man to join the battle and achieve glory, while Faramir's an unloved second son who can never meet up to his cold father's standards. Faramir's quiet, bookish and gentle, all the things we might associate with traditional female characters, whereas Eowyn is angry, passionate and impatiently awaiting her chance to do something. They work wonderfully together, and separately they're fascinating.

Monica Geller & Chandler Bing from Friends

I love Friends, but the older I get the more I dislike Ross. You watch the show now and he's so jealous and possessive and just a bit of a prick. In recent years I've realised that Rachel should have stayed on the plane, gone to Paris and had that amazing career while Ross wallowed in self-pity. Monica and Chandler, on the other hand, I adore. They work so well together as a couple; Monica helps Chandler to grow up, and Chandler helps Monica to let her hair down a little.

Vanessa Ives & Ethan Chandler from Penny Dreadful by John Logan

I LOVE THESE DORKS. If you like Gothic literature and you haven't tried watching Penny Dreadful yet, you're missing out. I was very sceptical when I first learned a show was being made that threw classic Gothic characters, from Dorian Gray to The Wolfman to Frankenstein, together into one story, but I think it's done really well. I love Vanessa and Ethan's relationship because while it's clear they love each other in a romantic sense, they also love each other in every other way, too; they're friends first, and they genuinely care about what happens to one another. Also I think there's something vaguely Evy and Rick-ish about their relationship, which might be why I'm so fond of it...

Rae Earl & Finn Nelson from My Mad Fat Diary

My Mad Fat Diary is a fantastic British show. The way it deals with issues like self-harm, mental illness and eating disorders is brilliant. These two are just... ugh, my heart. Finn is the sweetest guy on the face of the earth, and Rae is the kind of heroine I wish had been on TV when I was a teenager. I highly recommend watching this show!

Amy Santiago & Jake Peralta from Brooklyn Nine-Nine

More dorks. I think there's something vaguely Evy and Rick-ish about these two, too; what I love about Brooklyn Nine-Nine is you think the characters are going to fall into certain stereotypes, and then they completely surprise you. Jake initially seems like a bit of a douche, and he can sometimes be a douche because, hey, he's human, but for the most part he's actually a really decent guy. And then there's Amy who's this hard-working, adorable cinnamon roll. I love this show - it's one of the few funny shows I've seen that genuinely makes me laugh.

Leia Organa & Han Solo from Star Wars

Who doesn't love these two? I don't give a damn about Luke Skywalker, I watch the original Star Wars films purely for these two; Leia's a brilliant heroine, and Han's a cutie patootie.

Belle & the Beast from Beauty and the Beast

There seems to be a consensus among fans that the Beast's name is Adam, but Disney has never actually confirmed that. You would think Belle would have asked him for his name at some point, though... Oh well, this is still my favourite film of all time. These two just give me a lot of feelings. I know a lot of people think their relationship is Stockholm Syndrome-y, but I vehemently disagree: when the Beast lets Belle go, she leaves. Gaston throws her book in the mud, the Beast gives her a library and listens when she reads to him. I just love this film.

Inuyasha & Kagome from Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi

I mentioned Inuyasha earlier, so I had to mention these two. I fell in love with Inuyasha when I was around 15/16, and it's just so much fun to watch. I love these two dorks.

Gambit & Rogue from X-Men

I looooved the X-Men animated series as a child, and I especially loved these two. I just think there's something heartbreakingly romantic about someone being hopelessly in love with a person they can't touch. They're so much fun - I love them!

What did you talk about this week?

Top Ten Tuesday | Favourite Movies/TV Shows

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find out everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten Favourite Movies or TV Shows' - it's a chance for us bookworms to share some of our other favourite stories which happen to be told through a different medium. 

I decided to stay away from any book adaptations, even though there are a few that I love, so without further ado, here's my list!


Beauty and the Beast (1991)

I am a Disney nut, so obviously at least one Disney film was going to be on this list and it had to be this one. Why? Because not only is Beauty and the Beast my favourite Disney film, it's my favourite film period. I love this film so much and I'm never going to grow out of it; in fact people who claim they've grown out of Disney are just as bad as people who claim you can grow out of YA. Stories are stories no matter how old you are.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

Honestly a lot of the films and shows on this are going to be ones from my childhood/teens that have stayed with me, and this is one such show. Can you believe it's turning ten years old next year? This show may be animated, but it's not only for children. This show is just gorgeous and it explores some really mature themes without talking down to its audience. If you love character-driven shows and you haven't watched this yet then I recommend it. It's just beautiful story-telling!

The Mummy (1999)

This film is another one of my all time favourites, and it's just so fun. When it was originally released I was only eight and I don't think I watched it until I was at least ten or eleven, which was probably for the best; the scarab beetles terrified the life out of me when I was younger.

The Mummy has a little bit of everything. It's got action, adventure, humour, romance and a fantastic female lead - what's not to like? Plus Brendan Fraser and Arnold Vosloo aren't too bad to look at, either.

Firefly (2002)

I didn't actually get around to watching Firefly until this year, but I always knew I was going to love it. Who knows why I waited this long to watch it; perhaps because I'm very lazy when it comes to tv shows (I really have to force myself to watch them sometimes) or maybe because the show was cancelled, and I was reluctant to become invested in something that was going to end sooner than I'd like.

Usually when I watch shows with a relatively big cast of main characters I'll have one or two that are my absolute favourites, but what I love most about this show is that I love all the characters and I'm not sure that I could pick a favourite. This show is so much fun and there's a character for everyone - if only it hadn't been cancelled!

The Tudors (2007-2010)

This show is the kind of show that polarises people. There are those who love it despite its flaws and there are those who are too invested in historical accuracy to enjoy it. Now I love me some historical accuracy in my fiction and dramas, and I'm well aware of this show's flaws - in fact I'm as willing to point them out as someone who hates it - but what I love about this show is the way it humanised all six of Henry VIII's wives.

When it comes to famous historical figures it's so easy for us to look at old, stiff portraits and think we know everything about the person in the picture. What this show did was give Henry's wives, and Henry himself, as many likeable qualities as unlikeable ones. This show reminded its audience that these people, though they lived 500 years ago, were still people, and as someone who writes historical fiction I can't help but appreciate that.

Friends (1994-2004)

It's so bizarre to think that this show started a month before I turned 3 years old. 20 years on and it's still being enjoyed and watched, and if that's not the mark of a good show then I'm not sure what is.

I discovered Friends during my teens, a couple of years after the show finished, and my best friend and I watched it and loved it whenever I slept over. Like Firefly, this show is another show in which there's a character for everyone, but I love them all. It still makes me laugh, and if I'm ever feeling down, sad or depressed all I have to do is stick on an episode of this and I feel better.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Did this film really come out 11 years ago? Bloody hell.

I feel very lucky in that, as a child of the 90's, I got to witness the releases of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings, the Harry Potter series and the Pirates of the Caribbean films during my childhood and adolescence. I've no doubt in my mind that these films were formative.

The Pirates films are so much fun. I know I've said that for several of the films/shows on this list, but I guess that's just what I enjoy to watch. If something isn't fun then why watch it? These films made pirate stories cool again, and they introduced me to Captain Jack Sparrow, my one true love.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Here we have another Jack, and this one sparked my life-long admiration for Tim Burton's work. I was only 2 years old when this film came out so obviously I can't remember its release, but watching it is a constant memory throughout my childhood. I loved this film when I was little (and still do) and I can't remember a Halloween or Christmas when I didn't sit down and watch it.

To this day it's still my favourite of Tim Burton's films, despite the fact that he didn't direct it, and I'll be watching it again as soon as October rolls around!

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

I don't think I've met anyone who watched this film and didn't love it. Watching this film reminds me of the feeling I got reading Grimm's Fairy Tales when I was younger; it's dark, spooky, melancholic and hopeful, and frankly I don't watch enough non-English speaking films.

I think Guillermo del Toro's a brilliant storyteller, and I continue to love his work.

Orphan Black (2013-present)

Orphan Black's another show I didn't start watching until this year - in fact I accidentally marathoned the entire first season in the space of 3 days - and I'm in love with it. Tatiana Maslany is amazing at what she does and, like Firefly and Friends, I love all the clones so much that I find it hard to pick a favourite.

What I really love about this show is how it's addressing themes such as a woman's right to her own body and what she does with it, and right now I think it's so important that we're talking about it; especially when there are still people out there who think they have the right to shame women into having or not having abortions, or think that it's justified to blame a woman when she is a victim of sexual abuse.

I just think this is a very important show, and it addresses all these issues so beautifully while maintaining an excellent story and gorgeous character progression.

So what are some of your favourite films and/or shows?

J.