Top Ten Tuesday | Daddy, Daddy Cool

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 Father's Day freebie, so I figured I'd talk about some of my favourite father/father figure-daughter relationships in fiction!

Hans Hubermann and Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

‘I'm not such a good reader myself, you know. We'll have to help each other out.’

Will I ever be over The Book Thief? Probably not, no. It's not everyone's cup of tea but the book made me bawl like a baby and the relationship between Hans and Liesel has to be one of the purest, most loving relationships in fiction. I love Rosa, too - as a mother figure she has a brash charm all her own - but Hans is too sweet a man to leave off this list.

Atticus and Jean Louise Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

‘If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.’

Atticus Finch is the original DILF and I love his relationship with Scout. He has to be one of the most soothing, comforting fathers in fiction and I adore him. I've chosen to ignore the existence of Go Set a Watchman because I'm still not certain Harper Lee really wanted that book to be published.

Theoden and Eowyn from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

‘Duty? No... I would have you smile again, not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed.’

I haven't read the books - sorry! - but I adore the films and I love the relationship between Eowyn and her uncle. He could have been a better guardian but he could have been a hell of a lot worse - looking at you, Denethor - and there's no denying there's a genuine love and affection between them. Eowyn loves him enough to stay by him and protect him even when Rohan was a dangerous place for her and her brother, so there's clearly a strong bond there.

Mo and Meggie Folchart from the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke

‘I don't know any father who's more besotted with his daughter than yours.’

I loved the Inkworld books when I was younger and it's such a shame the 2008 adaptation of Inkheart was pretty poor because Brendan Fraser was a great choice for Mo. To be completely honest with you Meggie started to irritate me as the books went along, I do think it's a shame her story became more along the lines of choosing which boy she loved more while Mo got all of the action, but their relationship is a lovely one and they're clearly very close.

Mr. and Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

‘Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.’

It's so hard to find gifs of these two! Also yes, I prefer the 2005 version to the 1995 version. Come at me, bro. Mr. Bennet is probably my least favourite on this list, on account of him not being a very good father. His relationship with Elizabeth is lovely, but he doesn't hide it from his four other daughters that she's his favourite and therefore the one most worthy of his time. Mrs. Bennet is often seen as a silly woman there for comedic effect and while the woman is pretty insufferable, she's actually the better parent when we consider the Bennets' situation; should Mr. Bennet die their house will no longer be theirs, and Mrs. Bennet wants her daughters to be provided for and safe in a society that won't let them inherit their father's house because they don't have a penis. That they might marry someone wealthy is a bonus and isn't unusual for the time - a big part of marriage was the chance to climb up the social ladder. So Mr. Bennet's relationship with Elizabeth is a lovely one, but he's not the best parent and I think Elizabeth knows that, too.

Belle and Maurice from Beauty and the Beast (1991)

‘My daughter? Odd? Where did you get an idea like that?’

Maurice is a bit of a ditz, clearly intelligent but not so people smart, but it's clear he thinks Belle is the best thing since sliced bread (and so he should). Their relationship is clearly a close one considering Belle literally gives up her freedom to set her father free, something I'm sure she would have done whether he was sick or not. The Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast added an extra song for Belle and her father, 'No Matter What', and it's one of my favourites.

Sara and Captain Crewe from A Little Princess (1995)

‘I believe that you are, and always will be, my little princess.’

This is one of those occasions where I prefer an adaptation to the original book; Frances Hodgson Burnett's book is lovely, and I recommend reading it, but I grew up with the 1995 adaptation and I'm so fond of it. It still makes me cry. Captain Crewe (played by Liam Cunningham, aka Davos Seaworth in Game of Thrones if, like me, you've been trying to figure out where you've seen him before) is a doting father and and all-round very nice chap and his relationship with Sara makes me feel feelings.

Annie and Mr. Warbucks from Annie (1982)

‘Absolutely not! I'm a businessman. I love money, I love power, I love capitalism. I do not now and never will love children.’

Unfortunately the gif is from the 1999 adaptation, which isn't a bad adaptation but isn't the one I grew up with, as yet again the gifs are scarce. Yes it's corny, but I love Annie and I love the way that it encourages the idea that children are allowed to love their birth parents and their adopted parents.

King Mongkut and Princess Fa-Ying from Anna and the King (1999)

‘I will be there in your dreams, as you will be in mine.’

Really, internet? Not a single gif?! Oh well. Anna and the King is essentially a more serious version of The King and I without any of the sing-a-longs, and it's probably one of my favourite movies. It's not perfect, but I get swept away by it every time I watch it. The relationship between King Mongkut and his monkey-obsessed daughter, Princess Fa-Ying, is so sweet and if you watch the film you'll probably cry.

Fa Zhou and Fa Mulan from Mulan (1998)

‘The greatest gift and honour is having you for a daughter.’

Fa Zhou says some things at the beginning of this movie that certainly hurt his daughter's feelings, but it's clear the two of them are close: Mulan literally risks death, by execution or warfare, by posing as a man and taking his place in the army so he doesn't have to go to what's likely to be his certain death now that he is old and fairly frail.

What did you talk about this week?

Fandon Mashup | We Will Rock You

Fandom Mashup is an original featured created and hosted by the lovely Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows Reviews. Each week she proposes a unique fictional scenario and then invites you to build a dream team of five fictional characters from five different fandoms to help you to complete the task. Make sure you check out Micheline's blog for more info!

I've been meaning to join in with this for ages now but because I tend to be so lazy on a Sunday I forget about it, but this week I remembered! (Just in time). Thanks for creating this fun feature, Micheline!

This week's scenario: You find yourself in ancient Rome lined up to become a Gladiator. Woah.  The one upside is that you get to pick your own team to train you up for the task. Who do you pick?

(I don't know about you, but whenever I think of gladiators I think of that Pepsi advert with Beyonce, P!nk and Britney Spears...)

Finnick Odair

Finnick is essentially a futuristic gladiator, right? He even uses similar weaponry. Not only that but he already knows how to coach people to help them use their own skills and he knows how to appeal to the crowd, too, because your survival could all be down to how popular you are with the crowds in Ancient Rome. Just like the Tributes in Panem, Ancient Rome's gladiators were celebrities, too.

Wolf

Lunar Chronicles - Wolf © Laura Hollingsworth

Scarlet first sees Wolf fighting and the guy's pretty brutal - he's been biologically altered into a killing machine - so I think he could teach me how to fight dirty, which I'd definitely need to do if I wanted to win.

Éowyn

Any woman who can take down the Witch King of Angmar is a worthy teacher in my book, plus Éowyn is probably my favourite character from The Lord of the Rings and I feel as though she doesn't get as much love as she should. This woman is the ultimate warrior princess, and the inspiration for so many others.

Xena

Speaking of warrior princesses, I'm pretty sure there's nothing about gladiatorial combat this woman couldn't teach me. If Xena spends her days fighting evil, I'm sure she can spare some time to teach me how to kick someone else's butt.

Wonder Woman

If Wonder Woman can't teach me how to win a fight (or at least survive one) then I don't know who can. She's the original feminist superhero and I'd want her on my team. Plus if I'm not doing so well, hopefully she and Xena will step in and defend me...

Who would you choose?

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?

My Top Fifteen Songs From Musicals! (Part One)

I love musicals, though sadly I don't get to see them as often as I like. The best place to see musicals in the UK is London, but it's just so expensive. That doesn't stop me from listening to the music, though! And I listen to it a lot.

I was going to make a top ten list of my favourite songs from musicals, not only to share my love of musicals but also to try and showcase some of the lesser known musicals out there, but as I was compiling my list I realised I couldn't narrow it down to just ten songs, so instead I have fifteen! 

This post is the first of three, so without further ado, here are the first five of my top fifteen songs from musicals!

(These are in no particular order, I just love them all!)

Home - Beauty and the Beast

I mentioned a little while ago that Beauty and the Beast is my all time favourite film, and the music from the Broadway production is just gorgeous. Sadly I've never seen the musical, but I'd love to. If I'm perfectly honest I love pretty much all the songs from this musical (in fact I love pretty much all the songs from all the musicals I'll be mentioning!) but this one in particular is very special to me.

People Will Say We're in Love - Oklahoma!

Contrary to what I just said, this is probably the one musical on this list whose soundtrack I've never listened to in its entirety. I should really get on that! This song is so much fun, and to be honest it's on this list purely for Hugh Jackman the lyrics: "Don't stand in the rain with me; people will say we're in love", which I think are beautiful.

The Cat and the Moon - The Lord of the Rings

This is a really, really fun song! If you're a fan of folk music that gets people dancing and you haven't listened to this song then you need to listen to it right now. Now, go on!

Shadowland - The Lion King

This is the one musical in part one that I have actually seen! My parents took me to London when I was ten years old, which was very exciting for someone who'd never been before; while we were there we decided to see a show and my parents let me pick one, so, being the Disney lover that I am, I obviously chose The Lion King. And it was amazing. In fact I really want to go and see it again. 

This song is gorgeous - I love that there's more of Nala in the musical than there is in the film - and it's stunning live, too. If you ever get the chance to see this show then you have to see it!

Some Things Are Meant To Be - Little Women

We finish part one with a more melancholy song, but it's still beautiful. I love the story of Little Women, and it's just as great in musical form!

I've always had a fondness for Beth because I played her in an amateur dramatic production of Little Women when I was eighteen, but a lot of the time I think she's seen as a tool for Jo's story (which, in some ways, she is). I love this musical because each of the sisters is given a voice, and this song in particular does a wonderful job of expressing the love that Beth and Jo feel for each other. I have two sisters myself, and this song just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and sad.

I'll be back soon with the rest of my list!

J.

Top 5 | Fictional Friendships

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about my Top 5 Fictional Siblings, and in that post I said I wanted to write more like it to celebrate the relationships in fiction which are often forgotten in favour of romance. So today I'm going to share with you my Top 5 Fictional Friendships!

Harry, Ron and Hermione, from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

"Why is it, when something happens, it is always you three?"

No list like this would be complete without the inclusion of the Golden Trio. A lot of the time in books our protagonist will have just the one best friend, and in a lot of these books that friendship is often forgotten and brushed over so our protagonist can concentrate on their love life. Harry, however, has two best friends, and they're both fantastic.

What I love about the Harry Potter books is that friendship is so much more important than romance. There's such an emphasis on friendship and loyalty and comradery; even though it could mean the death of them, Ron and Hermione pack up their bags, leave Hogwarts and follow Harry into the big bad world so that he doesn't have to face Voldemort alone. What are friends for?

Lirael and the Disreputable Dog, from The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix

"I am the Disreputable Dog. Or Disreputable Bitch, if you want to get technical. When are we going for a walk?"

Here we have another book in which romance is forgotten entirely, resulting in one of my all time favourite fictional friendships. Most of us, at some point in our lives, will have wanted a pet, and the only thing better than a pet is a pet than can talk.

Of course the Disreputable Dog isn't a pet, but she is a talking dog. A hilarious talking dog. Her relationship with Lirael is one of the most beautiful things in The Old Kingdom series, and that's saying something because this series as a whole is amazing. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it; Nix is a master at writing female-led fantasy that doesn't focus on romance for a second.

Cinder and Iko, from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

"See? Injustice. Here we are, risking our lives to rescue Kai and this whole planet, and Adri and Pearl get to go to the royal wedding. I'm disgusted. I hope they spill soy sauce on their fancy dresses."

I knew I wanted to include The Lunar Chronicles in this selection, but I have to be honest it took me a while before I decided who to mention because I love them all. I love Cinder's relationship with Thorne - male/female relationships that stay purely platonic make me incredibly happy - and I love her relationships with Scarlet and Wolf, too. In the end, however, I just had to include Cinder and Iko, though to be honest Cinder, Iko and Thorne also make a fabulous little trio.

Iko is there for Cinder most when no one else is; in fact she's been with Cinder since the latter was just a little girl, and despite the fact that they're very different (not only in personality, but also in what they actually are) they make a great duo. Iko might be an android, but she's incredibly loyal and there's genuine affection between the two of them. Considering the amount of crap Cinder goes through, she needs a friend like Iko.

Legolas and Gimli, from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

"Forty-two? Oh, that's not bad for a pointy-eared elvish princeling. Hmph! I myself am sitting pretty on forty-THREE!"

Legolas and Gimli: the ultimate bromance. All joking aside, however, I love the friendship that blossoms between these two for many reasons (even if I am cheating a little because I haven't actually read The Lord of the Rings yet). I think most of us are probably friends with someone now who, years ago, we never thought we'd be friends with - it's funny when things work out that way. These two are a beautiful example of overcoming prejudice; they both come from a race of people who despise the other, and yet by the end of their adventure they are willing to die side by side. I love these two.

Katniss Everdeen and Johanna Mason, from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

"I don't care if you're knocked up. I'll rip your throat out."

If that doesn't scream best friends forever, then frankly I don't know what does. Katniss and Johanna are my favourite characters from The Hunger Games trilogy, and I've always been slightly disappointed that we didn't get to see more of them together; in fact by the end of Mockingjay Johanna seems to just... disappear. 

Everyone in the trilogy was impressed with Katniss, as, of course, they should be, but I love how Johanna doesn't give her any special treatment. She treats her exactly how she treats everyone else, and I think that's something Katniss needs - she never wanted to be a 'celebrity' in the first place.

Do you have any favourite friendships?

J.

Author Shame!

No matter how much we read there are always going to be those books that we just haven't gotten round to yet. Don't worry. It happens to the best of us.

However, there are a few authors out there that I'm ashamed to admit I haven't read yet, and today I'm going to share some of them with you so you can judge me from afar!

J.R.R. Tolkien

I think Tolkien is the one author on this list I am most ashamed at not having read yet. I've been meaning to read The Lord of the Rings for years - I actually mentioned it in my 2014 Booket List! - because I absolutely love the films. I love the story, but I've always been rather intimated by the book/s themselves (I have a boxset with three separate books, but I know some people prefer The Lord of the Rings as one entire volume).

I'm determined to at least start read The Lord of the Rings this year!

Daphne du Maurier

Like The Lord of the Rings, Rebecca has been on my TBR for a long time now, and earlier this year I acquired a second hand copy in excellent condition from a charity shop, so now I really have no excuse not to have read any du Maurier.

Honestly I'm not entirely sure why I haven't read any of her novels yet. I suppose it could simply be that I didn't want to pay the full price for a book (books seem to be getting more and more expensive!) that I probably wasn't going to read straight away. I'm eager to read Rebecca now that I finally have my own copy, and I'd love to read Frenchman's Creek and some of du Maurier's short fiction, too!

Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb is a well known name in the fantasy genre, and I'm ashamed to say that it wasn't until last year that I realised she's a woman! This realisation has made me even more eager to read her books, because it's a rarity to come across entire shelves in the fantasy section taken up by the works of a female author. It's a sad fact, but it's true.

Hopefully I can get my hand on one of her books this year and read it - I'm particularly interested in her Rain Wild Chronicles!

H.G. Wells

I love me some Victorian Literature - in fact when it comes to classics I turn to the Victorians more than any other era, so I'm sure you can imagine just how ashamed I am to admit I've never read any Wells. One of the big reasons for this is, until this year in particular, I haven't been all that interested in science fiction. Now that I'm becoming more interested in the genre, however, I'd love to read some more classic science fiction - after all, one of my favourite classics of all time, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, is considered to be the very first science fiction novel!

I'm not too bothered about picking up The Time Machine - no idea why - but I'd love to read The Island of Doctor Moreau soon!

Now you have knowledge you can hold against me in future - oh no! Are there any authors you're ashamed not to have read yet?

J.

Top 5 | Fictional Siblings

When it comes to the relationships in the books we read I think romantic relationships tend to get the most focus, which often means that other relationships - whether they're platonic or familial - are forgotten. This is a real shame, because there are so many amazing friends, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles and grandparents in fiction that deserve to be celebrated.

This is the first in a small series of blog posts celebrating the underappreciated relationships in fiction. So, without further ado, here are my personal top 5 favourite fictional siblings!


Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa, from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

At number 5 we have a set of characters who are rather different from the other siblings on this list, because we don't know an awful lot about them. The majority of the siblings I've chosen for this list I've chosen because I love the way they interact with one another, but in the entire Harry Potter series we never see all three of the Black sisters together. We meet each of them individually - and indeed Narcissa and Bellatrix are still on speaking terms - but we have no idea how the three of them acted around one another when they were younger.

These three are some of my favourite characters in the series, and while I would love to have known more about them I can understand why we don't learn everything. Their relationship is not integral to Harry's journey.

What I love most about these three is that everything they do, they do for love. Bellatrix's unhealthy obsession with Voldemort drives her crazier than she already was, and she does things for him no sane person would ever do. Andromeda defied her family and ran away so that she could spend her life with a muggleborn, distancing her from the sisters who, at some point in her life, she must have loved. And then we have the fantastic Narcissa, who lies to Voldemort's face to save the life of a young boy because she's a mother, and she knows that if the tables were turned she'd hope Lily would do the same for Draco.

I just love these three a lot.



 Boromir and Faramir, from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

At number 4 we have the only brothers on this list! While I was compiling this little list I began to notice how few books I actually own that include brothers. I had plenty of sisters to choose from, but I really had to look hard to find any brothers on my shelves who I felt strongly about.

Technically I'm cheating a bit here, because while I adore The Lord of the Rings I haven't actually read the books yet, but as I mentioned in my 2014 Booket List I'm hoping to cross The Lord of the Rings off my TBR list this year!

I am a huge fan of the films though, and I love the relationship between Boromir and Faramir. What I love about these two is that they so easily could have been a pair of siblings who hated each other; Denethor's favouritism could have distanced the two of them so much, but instead Boromir takes good care of his little brother. In fact Boromir acts like more of a father to him than Denethor does, and Faramir in return loves his brother unconditionally.

These two make me wish I had a brother.


Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

At number 3 we have a set of sisters I couldn't possibly leave out of a list like this. This book and its characters are on many of my favourites lists; it's one of my favourite classics, includes one of my favourite heroines and one of my favourite fictional friendships. While I love Jo's friendship with Laurie and her relationship with Professor Bhaer, it's her relationship with her sisters that I love the most.

What's lovely about these four is that they're all so different, so each of their relationships with each other is different, and yet they all compliment each other beautifully. There's a sister for every kind of person; in fact for a 19th century author Alcott does a pretty wonderful job of portraying women who are desperate for independence and women who are desperate to be married, and treating all of these women with equal respect.


Georgia and Shaun, from the Newsflesh trilogy by Mira Grant

At number 2 we have a fairly recent discovery of mine. I read Feed, the first book in the Newsflesh trilogy, just last week and I absolutely adored it, even though it broke my heart.

I'm glad I came across this book when I did because I've been wanting to compile this list for a while, and yet I noticed I had a distinct lack of important brother and sister relationships in the books I read. Then I read Feed, and fell completely in love with Georgia and Shaun.

What I love about them is not only are they funny - so funny, I love their banter - but they're also not at all ashamed that they're close. They love each other absolutely and they will defend each other until the ends of the earth.


Katniss and Prim, from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

At number 1, it really just had to be the Everdeen sisters. 

When it comes to The Hunger Games I find a lot of people tend to argue as to whether or not they're on Team Peeta or Team Gale, but for me the real love story in The Hunger Games is between Katniss and Prim. In fact nothing that happens in these stories would have happened if Katniss hadn't had a little sister that she loved more than anything else in the world. Katniss enters the Games to save Prim, and she ultimately ends up becoming the Mockingjay to avenge Rue, who reminds her of Prim.

For such a popular trilogy the relationship between these two is incredibly underrated, and personally I feel as though Peeta gets a lot of the credit that really belongs to Prim. Katniss wasn't a closed, cold young woman until Peeta came along; Prim is proof that everything Katniss does comes from a place of fierce love.

Who are some of your favourite siblings in fiction?

My 2014 Booket List!

I was hoping to have a review of Neil Gaiman's American Gods for you today, but alas uni work has taken priority on my to-do list so my review will just have to remain unfinished for a little while longer!

However, I am determined to provide a new blog post every Monday and Friday so I have something else for you. Instead of a review I'm going to give you a list of books I'd like to finally tick off my TBR list by the end of 2014!

I've picked one book each from eight genres - Historical Fiction; Science Fiction; Fantasy; Contemporary; Horror; Crime; Classic; Non-Fiction - as well as a duology, a trilogy, and a longer series.

I know there are even more genres than the ones on my list, but if I picked a book from every genre imaginable this list would be endless...

Classic

The Count of Monte Cristo

by Alexandre Dumas

Imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, Edmond Dantès spends 14 bitter years in a dungeon. When his daring escape plan works he uses all he has learned during his incarceration to mastermind an elaborate plan of revenge that will bring punishment to those he holds responsible for his fate. No longer the naïve sailor who disappeared into the dark fortress all those years ago, he reinvents himself as the charming, mysterious, and powerful Count of Monte Cristo.

The Count of Monte Cristo was the first book that I mentioned in my previous post about Classics I'd like to try and read this year. Out of all the ones I mentioned this is the one I'd like to read most this year, not only because it's huge but because I've owned my copy for about four years and it's ridiculous that I still haven't read it.

Contemporary

Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

I actually purchased my copy of Fangirl back in October when my sister gave me some spending money for my birthday, but I've yet to get around to reading it. Story of my life really. I took it home with me over Christmas with the intention of reading it but I just wasn't in the mood for a contemporary read, and since then I've spoken to a friend of mine (whose blog can be found here) who also hasn't read it yet. So we've decided to read it together when we both have a copy to hand!

Historical Fiction

Fingersmith

by Sarah Waters

Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a "baby farmer," who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs. Sucksby's household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves - fingersmiths - for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home. 

One day, the most beloved thief of all arrives - Gentleman, a somewhat elegant con man, who carries with him an enticing proposition for Sue: If she wins a position as the maid to Maud Lilly, a naïve gentlewoman, and aids Gentleman in her seduction, then they will all share in Maud's vast inheritance. Once the inheritance is secured, Maud will be left to live out her days in a mental hospital. With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to the plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless mark and care for Maud Lilly in unexpected ways. . . 

To be perfectly honest with you I just want to read some Sarah Waters in general. She's one of those authors I'd somehow never heard of before last year, and then I stumbled across all of her books at once. I also discovered she did her English MA at my university! I'm pretty sure Fingersmith is the novel she's most famous for, and I managed to find a copy in great condition in a charity shop in South Wales so I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.

Fantasy

Throne of Glass

by Sarah J. Maas

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?

If you'd asked me which book I'd put in this category this time last month I'd've said something completely different, but as it happens I stumbled across a copy of Throne of Glass for less than a fiver and picked it up because I've heard nothing but praise for it. I think there's six books planned for this series so far, and I know book two's already out, so I'd better get started!

Science Fiction

Cress

by Marissa Meyer

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard. 

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

What a surprise, right? Perhaps I'm cheating a bit here - The Lunar Chronicles might not be what some people think of when you mention sci-fi - but unfortunately I'm not a big reader of the genre. I definitely need to read more of it in future, and right now The Lunar Chronicles is doing a great job of coaxing me into it. I'm currently half way through Scarlet, the second book in the series, and I pre ordered my copy of Cress just the other day. I can't wait for it to arrive next month!

Horror

The Magic Cottage

by James Herbert

"We thought we’d found our haven, a cottage deep in the heart of the forest. Charming, maybe a little run down, but so peaceful. That was the first part of the Magic. Midge’s painting and my music soared to new heights of creativity. That was another part of the Magic. Our love for each other – well, that became the supreme Magic. But the cottage had an alternative side. The Bad Magic." 

"What happened to us there was horrendous beyond belief. The healings, the crazy sect who wanted our home for themselves, the hideous creatures that crawled from the nether regions, and the bats – oh God, the bats! Even now those terrible things seem impossible to me. Yet they happened..."

Here we have yet another genre I've barely read any of, and I haven't read any James Herbert at all. I think The Fog might be Herbert's most famous novel, but I've been meaning to read The Magic Cottage for years because it's my Dad's favourite of Herbert's novels; he made it sound very creepy when he told me about it. Now I just need to get my hands on a copy!

Crime

Die for Me

by Karen Rose

A secret cellar
A multimedia designer is hard at work. His latest computer game,Inquisitor, heralds a new era in state-of-the-art graphics. But there's only one way to ensure that the death scenes are realistic enough...

An isolated field
Detective Ciccotelli's day begins with one grave, one body and no murder weapon. It ends with sixteen graves, but only nine bodies and the realisation that the killer will strike again...

A living hell
When it's discovered that the murder weapons are similar to those used in medieval torture, Ciccotelli knows that he's up against the most dangerous opponent of his career - let the games begin...

When it comes to this particular genre I'm more likely to read it when it's mixed with something else. Basically, I read an awful lot of Historical Crime, but not a lot of Contemporary Crime at all. I really want to cross this book - and the ones that follow it Scream For Me and Kill For Me - off my list because it's been on it for far too long. With any luck it'll get me into reading more Crime set in the modern day.

Non-Fiction

The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England

by Ian Mortimer

The past is a foreign country - this is your guide.

We think of Queen Elizabeth I's reign (1558-1603) as a golden age. But what was it actually like to live in Elizabethan England? If you could travel to the past and walk the streets of London in the 1590s, where would you stay? What would you eat? What would you wear? Would you really have a sense of it being a glorious age? And if so, how would that glory sit alongside the vagrants, diseases, violence, sexism and famine of the time?

In this book Ian Mortimer reveals a country in which life expectancy is in the early thirties, people still starve to death and Catholics are persecuted for their faith. Yet it produces some of the finest writing in the English language, some of the most magnificent architecture, and sees Elizabeth's subjects settle in America and circumnavigate the globe. Welcome to a country that is, in all its contradictions, the very crucible of the modern world.

When it comes to Non-Fiction it's books like this one that I read the most. I'm a huge History nerd and the Tudor era fascinates me just as it's fascinated generations of people before me and will continue to fascinate people in the future. While the Tudor monarchs themselves were incredibly interesting I was so excited when I came across a book that could teach me what life was like for the Average Joe in the 16th/17th century. Not only will this book be fun to read, but it'll also be a great help considering the novel I'm working on for my MA is set in Elizabethan England!

Duology

Eon

by Alison Goodman

Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he's been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life.

There aren't enough duologies in the world and I've been dying to read this one for a while now. I love the idea of reading two books and finishing a series; in fact there are plenty of trilogies out there which could have done without being spread across three books! I don't own either of these books just yet, but I think I might order them in time for my Easter holiday so I can complete a series while taking a break from uni life.

Trilogy

The Lord of the Rings

by J. R. R. Tolkien

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

From Sauron's fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, his power spread far and wide. Sauron gathered all the Great Rings to him, but always he searched for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

Out of all the trilogies in the world I have yet to read this is the one I really need to read the most. I love Peter Jackson's adaptations of Tolkien's masterpiece but I so want to read the original stories - so far there's just been something so intimidating about them! I'm thinking of saving them for the summer and working my way through the trilogy in July and August.

Series

Gone

by Michael Grant

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents-unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers-that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

I bought my copy of Gone a couple of years ago, and long before that it always caught my eye each time I passed it in the book shop. Last year the series finally came to an end with the release of Light and now that the series is finished I'm eager to get started on it at last; especially as one of my friends recently read the entire series in the space of two weeks because she enjoyed them that much!

What are you hoping to cross off your booket list this year? Check back next week for my review on American Gods and at the end of this week for my January Wrap-Up!