Top 10 Classic Books



Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

1. King Lear: I love Shakespeare, every play I've seen or read and all the remakes and cameos. King Lear is a story about pretty lies and harsh truths, and I don't think it gets enough attention lately. People who truly love you will tell you the truth and you have to be strong enough accept it.
2. Frankenstein: Ever feel like you don't fit in? Did it make you mad? This is the classic for you.
3. Atlas Shrugged: A world built on pity will not survive. The few that do can not shoulder the many that won't forever. At a time when the world wasn't worth holding up Atlas Shrugged.
4. Animal Farm: Anyone for a little political satire?
5. A Christmas Carol: Material gains only take you so far. This is a look at what is really important in life with a surprisingly charming and snarky narrator.
6. Flowers For Algernon: Is there such a thing as too smart? What happens when the greatest gift you're given starts to slip away?
7. Candide: More satire, and crazy times.
8. Are You There God, It's Me Margaret: This is the best introduction to becoming a young woman I know of, or have heard of.
9. Pygmalion: My Fair Lady, Pretty Woman, She's All That.. this book has spawned some of the most fun remakes but the original has something none of the other's do - a kickass prologue from the author's point of view and a whole different ending. All the versions are awesome in my opinion, though.
10. The Jungle: What a hard hitting look at the industries that built America? The things you learn you will never forget.  
11. Fahrenheit 451: Had to add this one, because where would a book lover be without it?

Challenge Update

• TBR Double Dare: I am about two books behind where I'd like to be, but I am loving every book this year so far.
• Eragon: The first years old TBR I'm picking up and dusting off.
• I have bought and lusted over new books (didn't want to do that...), but I haven't read them (yea! I have some resolve)
• I got rid of a book. My first official DNF. I have decided it's ok to accept this book will never be on my read list, it will also never agin breach my TBR to be ignored forever.
• DAC: Ditched was great. But I have not picked a 2nd DAC yet, I've been grappling over a couple.

Which DAC should I read?

The Ask and the Answer

Published: September 8th 2009 by Candlewick Press
Pages: 519
Audio Performance: I don't think I would have read this book. The written dialogue is not one I
could imagine well, and that would have been a shame because it is a wonderful story. I am very glad for this performance.
Part of a Series: Chaos Walking #2 ***Read this review at own risk. If you have not read the first in the series moments could be spoiled***
Read For a Challenge: No
Recommended By: The gut-wrenching cliff-hanger of the The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1)
Teaser: "Better the devil you know... I wonder why the only choice is between two devils."
In a sentence or so:
*Rating: 9/10
GoodReads Description:
Reaching the end of their tense and desperate flight in THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO, Todd and Viola did not find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing where her wounds are treated. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, aimed at overthrowing the tyrannical government. Todd, meanwhile, faces impossible choices when forced to join the mayor’s oppressive new regime. In alternating narratives — Todd’s gritty and volatile; Viola’s calmer but equally stubborn — the two struggle to reconcile their own dubious actions with their deepest beliefs. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

1. Type of story: YA Dystopia/Fantasy (Free 1 point)
2.Consistency: No fail. (1 Point)
3. Flesh: The love the main characters feel for each other, the insanity of a tyrant, and everyone in between doing what they can just not to be murdered. (1 Point)
4. Flow: Dragging survival. It moves at a day to day pace, just making it. (1/2 Point)
5. Character Growth: From young adults to hearts of leaders. From running towards hope somebody's got to do it. (1 Point)
6. A Point/ Purpose/ Journey: Love, see number 8. (1 Point)
7. Witty Dialogue: Adding Viola voice does add a little. The way I'd describe the voices here, though, is pure. (1 Point)
8. Love: Todd and Viola sharing so much love they would sacrifice anything to save the other. Many levels of love and the strength derived from it. (1 Point)
9. Evoke Realistic Images: The first book was about the world, this is more about the people. The descriptions of Mayor Printess, Davey, Spackle, The townsfolk of Haven. I can picture them all so clearly just thinking about the book, it's like I've met them. Actually more like I've observed them, I can see them in detail. (1 Point)
10. Writing/Story telling: This one has a grungy drag to it. It starts out with Todd, beaten and without Viola and just goes through violence, violence, so mach violence it stops touching you. The last quarter is when I remembered why I was so obsessed with this story. (1/2 Point)


Reread Worthy: Only as a whole series reread.
Recommendation: Can you handle the violence without getting jaded and then bored? There is a meaning here in this part, but it is the middle of a bigger picture, it's more dull than the first story, this one could not stand alone, also can't be left behind.

*Click Rating to see post about my 10 aspects of a great book.

Top Ten Favorite Covers

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I love a lot of covers. I hate to say it but it is often the cover that gets me. With so many books in the world my attention must be grabbed. Though attractive covers get my attention if they don't relate well to the story beautiful covers are ultimately forgettable. These are some favorites I feel relate well to the stories within.



1. Ella Minnow Pea: Everything about this book expresses a love for language in a fun and slightly silly way. This cover expresses the whimsical nature of a story about a town that loves the alphabet and their interesting politics.

2. Lamb: An imagination of what Christ was like as a young man is wonderfully captured here. I think this special edition is bond like a gospel and it fits perfectly.

3.Anna Dressed In Blood: This girl floating here -- Beautiful, long black hair, gorgeous white dress from her first young adult party, ... and her blood staining white red, so much blood, her blood -- is a girl rightly bent on revenge from being cut down in the prime of her life. The cover is eerie and strong and unforgettable, just like Anna.

 4.White Oleander: Life really beats down on Astrid. This cover expresses that feeling for me, of being exposed and open to people and getting destroyed, face in the ground, over and over.

5. Speak: Trees live so long, see so much, they hide our secrets. This imagery expresses the emotions of the main character hiding her pain, being stoic, and quiet; unable to speak the truth.

6. Looking For Alaska: The story is mysterious and lovely, the labyrinth is mysterious and lovely, Alaska is mysterious and lovely. Just like smoke. There are also inferences to candles that can be taken after finishing the story.

7. Atlas Shrugged: When the people of the world were no longer worth holding up Atlas Shrugged. I love Greek mythology and the reference to the few people who are the driving force of this world as Atlas.. I just love it.

8. Where The Sidewalk Ends: It is very literal and amusing. It is my favorite book from childhood and I think the accent of Shel's art to his writing sealed the deal.

 9. A Monster Calls: The Green Man comes walking with stories of the complicated nature of humans. The Illustrations in this book are amazing. Check out my review.

10. Fahrenheit 451: A burning man, to me, shows the growth of the character in the story -- from a man that blindly follows orders to burn books to the internal burning of the questions he must answer after seeing people who would sacrifices their lives rather than be without literature.

This was more difficult than I thought it would be. What criteria did you judge your favorites by?

Review: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Published: January 10th 2012 by Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 318
Part of a Series: No
Read For a Challenge: The TBR Double Dare
Recommended By: Hank Green
Teaser: "Some infinities are bigger than other infinities."
In a sentence or so: Don't let death take you before it takes you for good. Live, love, laugh with everyday you're given.
*Rating: 10/10
GoodReads Description:
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

1. Type of story: YA Contemporary/Romance (Free 1 point)
2.Consistency: This is like a joke to discuss with loved, established authors such as John Green. John and his loved publishing team have proven time and again their worth in this area; TFIOS is no exception. (1 point)
3. Flesh: Pulsing bleeding, human flesh and bones. These characters are so real, and often they are in real pain. (1 point)
4. Flow: Runs as I imagine a short life must run. Or how my life runs with a goal and a deadline. This story isn't rushed and it isn't action!action!intrigue! but it most definitely is not slow. It travels at a pace that includes what is necessary to feel all the things but doesn't waste time with anything unnecessary.
5. Character Growth: These characters are pretty great people to begin with, but they do learn a bit about human relationships.
6. A Point/ Purpose/ Journey: Living your best life, today.
7. Witty Dialogue: A whole new level! Witty, literary, and dry humor laughing in the face of a disease that destroys many. These characters refuse to let cancer kill them before they're really dead.
8. Love: This book is all love, in all types.
9. Evoke Realistic Images: This TFIOS universe wants you to acknowledge it and it has been created worthy of your attention. So much does TFIOS make you notice in the story that when ripped to reality you notice our universe anew.
10. Writing/Story telling: John Green, I have loved your work for a while and thought your style was pretty well established, but then BLAM! You hit another level. This story is a lifetime favorite kind of story - a change your life outlook book, a yearly reread.

Reread Worthy: Hell yeah, I wanted to reread right away. Unfortunately my TBR is glaring at me.
Recommendation: Everyone who wants to truly live their lives to the fullest.

*Click Rating to see post about my 10 aspects of a great book.