Top Ten Tuesday | My Spring TBR

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 Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR, and this week I've split my list into fiction and non-fiction. There are lots of books I want to read, but right now these are the books I'm either most inclined toward or put me most in the mood for spring. My non-fiction selections certainly have a theme as March is Women's History Month (woohoo!) so I'm hoping to absorb all the women's history I can throughout spring and beyond.

The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig: I have such fond memories of reading The Girl from Everywhere last spring that it only feels natural to pick up the sequel, which has been released very recently, this spring. I'm looking forward to seeing where Heilig takes this story!

The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown: To me, Matthew Hopkins is one of history's most wicked villains. He's also known as The Witchfinder General, and we have him to thank for the persecution of thousands of women across the UK and in the US. It's thanks to a book written by Hopkins that the Salem Witch Trials took place, such is his influence. This novel, another recent release, is about Hopkins' sister and I can't wait to read it; I think it'll be really interesting to read Hopkins through the eyes of a female relative.

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth: Something about spring puts me in the mood for fairy tales, and Bitter Greens has been on my radar for a while. Recently I finally got a copy for my kindle and I keep thinking of picking it up so I think I'm going to read it soon; rather than the Brothers Grimm, I think Bitter Greens focuses more on the many women who told fairy tales before the Brothers Grimm collected them and subsequently took the credit for them.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson: Another thing spring puts me in the mood for is contemporary, and I've owned this novel for longer than I'd like to admit. Not only does it sound like a charming, very British book, but with the focus on the relationship between a white man and a Pakistani woman, a woman who isn't thought particularly highly of within her community, I think it's going to be a timely and important read, too.

Chocolat by Joanne Harris: I really like the film but I still haven't read the book, and frankly what better book is there to read over Easter?

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly: I saw the film not so long ago and absolutely adored it, it's one of the best films I've seen in a long time, and now I can't wait to read the book and learn more about the African-American women who helped get man to the moon.

Heartthrobs: A History of Women and Desire by Carol Dyhouse: This is another recent release and a book that sounds super interesting to me. I've seen plenty of books and articles about the male gaze, particularly when I was at uni, but I don't think I've ever read anything about the way men are portrayed for women, and I think this will be a fascinating read given the worrying love some women have for men such as Heathcliff and Christian Grey.

She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth by Helen Castor: I love to watch documentaries and Helen Castor's are always fantastic, but I've yet to read any of her books. This one sounds brilliant and will hopefully fill some of the gap in my historical knowledge; my favourite era of history is the 16th century, particularly the reign of the Tudors, but my Medieval knowledge is lacking, so I'm hoping this book will teach me about some of the amazing women who paved the way for Elizabeth I.

Take Courage: Anne Brontë and the Art of Life by Samantha Ellis: I loved Samantha Ellis's memoir, How To Be a Heroine, and I've been looking forward to this book since I found out she was writing a book about Anne Brontë, who is my favourite of the three sisters. I'm looking forward to reading it!

Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey by Nicola Tallis: I've always had a soft spot for Lady Jane Grey ever since one of my primary school teachers introduced me to her story as the Nine Days Queen, but other than the basics I know very little about her. I know what happened to her and I know that was a very intelligent young woman, but I don't have a feel for her character in the same way I do her cousins, Mary I and Elizabeth I. I've heard very good things about this biography so far and I'm looking forward to getting to it soon.

What are you planning to read this spring?

Books to Encourage Acceptance and Equality

America has decided, and in doing so the country has taken one step forward and two steps back, electing a man who is a sexist, racist, ableist, transphobic, homophobic, xenophobic, power-hungry, nasty little man who, despite being a very wealthy businessman, can't afford a more natural looking toupee.

First Brexit and now this. 2016 is looking more and more like the beginning of a dystopian novel. I feel very disheartened today, and I'm frightened for the kind of world we now live in, where it's more acceptable to sexually assault women than it is to use the wrong email address, but I refuse to stop fighting, in the little ways I can, each and every day. If someone says something inappropriate I will forever call them out on it, however annoyed it makes them, and I will always shout out for what I believe to be right. I refuse to let hatred win.

And to all of my American friends, and all American people, who have woken up today feeling unsafe in the country they call home, I can only say I'm here for you - as are the rest of Britain's 48%.

So I'm not going to be gloomy today, instead I'm going to turn to what I always turn to when I'm feeling low: books. Today I'm going to share ten books with you, five I've read and five that are on my TBR, that encourage equality, acceptance and love above all things, because heaven knows we need it today of all days.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: A classic, yes, but a book we can still learn from. I only read this for the first time last year and I fell in love with it, I can understand why so many teachers get their students to read this in school. If more people were like Atticus Finch, the world would be a better place!

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley: Talley's heart-wrenching debut takes place in 1959, when black children were first admitted to previously all-white schools in the US, and focuses on the relationship that develops between two girls, one black and one white. It'll make you think, and given the current racial issues in the US I think it's an important book to read.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers: One of my favourite books of all time and one of the most hopeful books I've ever read. Chambers uses her sci-fi setting to explore race, gender, sexuality, war, peace, family units and what it means to be human. It's exquisite and you need to read it if you haven't already.

Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson and Various Artists: A wonderful graphic novel series starring an American-Muslim girl written by an American-Muslim woman. Read it!

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: This is such a quick read that I think it should be required reading in schools worldwide. It's a wonderful introduction to feminism, particularly for anyone out there you know who keeps confusing feminism for misandry.

The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King: I'm planning to pick this up next, once I finish Lucy Jones's Foxes Unearthed, and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm sure parts of it are going to be heartbreaking but I think it's an important book to read because I know so very little about the history of North America's indigenous people, and I'm very eager to learn.

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor: A novella I'm hoping to read very soon. It's giving me The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet vibes; I've heard wonderful things about Okorafor's stories and I'm really looking forward to the kind of cultures she's imagined in her sci-fi universe.

The Good Immigrant edited by Nikesh Shukla: I had the pleasure of seeing Nikesh Shukla speak at the London Book Fair this year and this edited volume of essays written by immigrants has never been more necessary than it is right now. I've seen fantastic reviews and I'm hoping to get my hands on a copy soon.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson: A novel that takes place in a small English village where a retired British Major strikes up a friendship with a Pakistani shopkeeper over their shared love of literature. When their friendship turns into something more, it's up to him to stand up to the racism and xenophobia in their village. I've heard lovely things about this one.

Kaleidoscope edited by Alisa Krasnostein and Julia Rios: An anthology of diverse YA sci-fi and fantasy stories, featuring characters who are transgender, disabled, LGBT+ and poc.

Stay positive but be sad if you need to be sad. Ultimately, just remember that love trumps hate.

Top Ten Tuesday | My Summer TBR

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 freebie, so I'm going to share my summer TBR with you!

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson: I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley which I still haven't read because I've been saving it for the summer months - I think it sounds lovely.

Summer Days & Summer Nights ed. by Stephanie Perkins: I really enjoyed My True Love Gave to Me, so I'm looking forward to diving into this summery anthology!

Diving Belles by Lucy Wood: My family and I are off to Cornwall in the last week of July. and I'm planning to take Diving Belles with me; this is a short story collection in which all of the stories have been inspired by Cornish folklore, making it the perfect book to take on holiday with me!

The Muse by Jessie Burton: I loved The Miniaturist so, naturally, I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Burton's second novel at the end of this month.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray: I'm pretty sure Beauty Queens was on my summer TBR last year too, but I still haven't got around to reading it - it sounds like a great read for the summer, and I'm looking forward to some tongue-in-cheek, feminist fun!

The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger: I finally read Soulless this month and had so much fun with it that I'm planning to read the rest of the series, and I'd love to get all of the books under my belt over the summer.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: As it's Charlotte Brontë's bicentenary this year, it only seems right to re-read her most famous novel. I love Jane Eyre but it's been quite a while since I read it, so I'd love to read it again this summer.

Which books made your list this week?

Top Ten Tuesday | New to my TBR!

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 'Top Ten Books I've Recently Added to my TBR'.

Fiction

Harrow County, Vol.1: Countless Haints by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook: I want to keep reading more graphic novels, and this series sounds like a lot of fun. Ever since I started reading Shirley Jackson I've been a little bit in love with Southern Gothic so I'd love to check some out in graphic novel form!

The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew: I haven't read any dystopia in a long time, and this one sounds very unique. Although I always find it weird when the main character in a book or movie or tv show is also called Jess...

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston: The author behind A Thousand Nights has turned her talents to a Shakespeare retelling. We can expect to see a lot of those this year, what with 2016 marking 400 years since Shakespeare's death. I'm not a big fan of The Winter's Tale, but I love the sound of this book; I really appreciate how much anti-rape culture we're seeing in YA lately.

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson: I have an eARC of this novel from NetGalley, and it sounds like a quiet, charming little read. I plan to read and review it soon!

Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal: I still haven't read Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories series, but this book sounds very cool; I love stories involving mediums.

Non-Fiction

Do It Like a Woman... and Change the World by Caroline Criado-Perez: I just love the sound of this one. I'm all for feminist non-fiction.

Female Gothic Histories: Gender, History and the Gothic by Diana Wallace: I started working at the University of Wales Press this month, and this is one of their books; they have a brilliant series of Gothic literary criticism and I'd love to read this one, as it's all about historical fiction and how female authors have used the Gothic to reclaim their place in history through historical fiction.

My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff: A memoir about a writer who works in publishing. I wonder why I want to read that... In all seriousness, though, this sounds like a really interesting read.

Science in Wonderland: The Scientific Fairy Tales of Victorian Britain by Melanie Keene: I love Victorian Literature, it was my favourite period of literature to study at university, and this book sounds so cool. Given that the 19th century was a period of such huge scientific change I've always been fascinated by the effect that had on the literature of the time, so I can't wait to read this one.

The View from the Cheap Seats: A Collection of Introductions, Essays, and Assorted Writings by Neil Gaiman: Neil Gaiman's one of my favourite authors, but other than his Make Good Art speech I don't think I've actually read any of his non-fiction - this sounds good!

Which books made your list this week?