Books You'd Save in a Fire | Top 5 Wednesday

Presumably, there wouldn't be much time to think so I would probably reach for books I've read and loved:

1. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

2. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Because of the irony.

3. One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak
Read my review here.

4. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

5. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

What book(s) would you save in a fire?

1. Photo by nikkitheknack 2. Photo via Goodreads 3. Photo by nikkitheknack 4. Photo via Goodreads 5. Photo by nikkitheknack

Books that take place in Canada | Top 5 Wednesday

I love this topic because it's important to me to read things that take place in Canada and close to where I live. Personally, I think it's so cool to be able to imagine the characters in places I've been, or imagine myself in the places the characters are!

1. The Scott Pilgrim Series by Bryan Lee O'Malley

2. The Sweet Hereafter by Russell Banks

3. Road Ends by Mary Lawson

4. Barnacle Love by Anthony De Sa

5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

1. Photo via Goodreads. 2.-4. Photos by me. 5. Photo via Goodreads.

Authors you would like to Meet | Top 5 Wednesday

This week's Top 5 Wednesday topic is to discuss the top 5 authors you'd like to meet. These are people I would love to have a conversation with, partially because I think they're awesome people and also because they're great writers and I want to get in their heads and learn about their creative process. These are five authors I would like to meet:

1. Gillian Flynn

Read my review of Gone Girl here.

HOW does she come up with all these creepy, sadistic, psycho/sociopathic characters and stories? It's incredible. She's brilliant when it comes to writing characters that simultaneously repulse and intrigue you, and I'd love to know how she comes up with these things. 

2. Amy Poehler

Amy released her first book last year, but she's been writing for TV and film for years. From SNL to Parks & Rec, she's made me laugh 'til I had tears streaming down my face - I love her humour. Can she just be my friend please?

3. Victoria Schwab (a.k.a. V.E. Schwab)
Read my review of Vicious here.

Another master of writing! At so many points while I was reading Vicious, I seriously wondered which of the main characters I should be rooting for, if any. I love it when an author can make me think a certain way one moment, and then have me questioning everything the next.

4. John Green 

Read my reviews of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns.

John Green has made me laugh, he's made me cry - ok, mostly cry. And not just cry - he's made me sob giant salty tears of grief. But I digress. He seems to have a talent for creating lovable characters and tapping into readers' empathy. Plus, I love Nerdfighteria and watching the VlogBrothers - DFTBA!

5. Laini Taylor

I just started reading Daughter of Smoke & Bone, and I already love it. The way Laini describes the setting makes me feel like I'm there and it's just beautiful. I'd love to learn some tips from her on how she creates such a vivid world...and how she maintains her gorgeous hair colour!

Which author(s) would you like to meet?

Photo Credits: 1. Photo is cropped. "Local Author Night at The Book Cellar" by Amy Guth via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. 2. "You Are Here 01" by GabboT via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License. 3. Photo via Victoria Schwab's Goodreads page. 4. "John Green" by Gage Skidmore via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License. 5. Photo is cropped. "Project Book Babe" by TaraRebeka via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

Series you want to start this Year | Top 5 Wednesday

I have SO many series on my shelves, many of them quite popular. There are several that I haven't started yet, but I can't wait any longer! These are the five series I want to start this year:

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

"She hasn't read Divergent??" you ask yourself. No, I'm sorry. Soon, I swear.

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

"She hasn't read The Hunger Games either??" I'M SORRY.

3. The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters

The lovely people over at Quirk Books sent me this series and it sounds awesome. End of the world? I'm in.

4. The Beauchamp Family by Melissa de la Cruz

Witches of East End is one of my favourite TV shows, so I want to read the books the show was inspired by!

5. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

I've heard so many good things about this series and it's been recommended so many times. This is one I have high expectations for and I'm super excited to read it!

What series do you plan on starting this year?

Top 5 Books of the Year! | Top 5 Wednesday

2014 has been a fantastic book year for me, not only in terms of what was released, but also for the sometimes slightly older books and series I discovered. I'm glad to have found these stories this year:

1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Read my review here!

2. Zac & Mia by A.J. Betts

Read my review here!

3. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Read my review here!

4. Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Read my review here and read about my experience meeting Moira Young here!

5. The Saga series by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Read my review here!

Honourable mentions:

Black Widow, Vol. 1: The Finely Woven Thread by Nathan Edmondson
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Come Closer by Sara Gran
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

What's one of your favourite books you read in 2014?

Top 5 Wintry Reads | Top 5 Wednesday

These books are all excellent in their own respects, but I love the way they remind me of winter with their beautifully-described settings and the feelings they evoke.

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Christmas break. Need I say more? I love knowing what Hogwarts is like when so many of the students are back home: the grounds are covered in snow, the halls are practically empty...it adds another aspect of magic and mystery to the place.

2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

If you've ever experienced social anxiety, or found yourself deeply in love with a TV show, movie, or book and its characters, you'll probably love this novel. The lovely descriptions of the snow falling at night when there are so few people on campus take me back to my school years.

3. War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Read my review here!

Joey the horse takes us through all the seasons of the year, but the winter scenes really stuck with me. Not only was it dreary, it was also incredibly dangerous for the soldiers and the horses to be out in the cold for so long - the injuries sustained were just terrible. This is an emotional book, and well worth the read.

4. The Shining by Stephen King

The Overlook Hotel is iconic not only for its grand beauty and murderous tenants, but also for its isolation come wintertime. If you like being creeped out and want to prepare for the upcoming winter, this book is for you!

5. The Sweet Hereafter by Russell Banks

In the wake of a tragic bus accident that killed several children, residents of the small town Sam Dent try to cope - but with all their secrets and lies, who is to blame? Like in The Shining, the winter setting emphasizes the loneliness and separation the townspeople feel in the aftermath of the accident.

What's your go-to wintry read?

Top 5 Historical Books | Top 5 Wednesday

This week's Top 5 Wednesday topic is "Top 5 Historical Books", or, any book that isn't set in the present time.

I'm not going deep into the past with these because I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but the books on my list do take place at least one decade into our past.

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This series takes place in the glorious 80's, although because it involves so much space travel, we mostly get to see what the rest of the (hilarious) universe was like back then.

2. War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

Read my review here!

This is such a beautiful book. It shows how awful WWI was, not only for humans, but also for the animals used. It's a new perspective - a horse's! - and I think it does a wonderful job of showing the deep bond between humans and animals and how it can transcend tragedy.

3. Watchmen by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons and John Higgins

Set in the 80's, Watchmen is a critique of the superhero genre that manages to be satirical, philosophical and political all at the same time. And it doesn't stop there, either.

4. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Read my review here!

Without giving any spoilers about the plot, there are scenes in this novel that take place in the present time, and also scenes that take place in 1940. It makes for a truly fascinating read.

5. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

A poignant tale that questions and re-imagines what it means to be human, this novel takes place in the 90's.

What are your favourite novels set in different times, past or future?

Non-YA Books | Top 5 Wednesday

This week's Top 5 Wednesday topic is "Non-YA Books". Now, YA novels are great, but there's a plethora of amazing books that are non-YA as well! These are my current top 5:

1. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

2. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

3. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

4. The Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle

5. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

What are your favourite non-YA novels?

1. "the ocean at the end of the lane" by theNerdPatrol via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. 3. "End of the Pier" by Adrian Scottow via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License. 4. "cornelius" by kakisky via morguefile. 5. Photo by Author.

Top Book Spines! | Top 5 Wednesday

This week's Top 5 Wednesday topic is to list your favourite book spines. There are some gorgeous book spines out there, so I've been looking forward to this week!

1. Landline by Rainbow Rowell
2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
3. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
4. Shades of Grey Jasper Fforde

5. The Lusiads by Luis Vaz de Camoens

What are some of your favourite book spines?

Photo by Author

Top Love Triangles | Top 5 Wednesday

Ah, yes - the love triangle: the romantic trope that pervades fiction of all sorts. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's really, really not. My list includes both kinds:

1. Cath, Levi and Nick in Fangirl

I love this entire book. As far as love triangles go, I think this one was really well done. At one point, I loved both of Cath's love interests a lot and was conflicted about who I wanted her to end up with. 

2. Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan and Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby

This is perhaps literature's most tragic love triangle of all, but it's also highly debatable whether it's a love triangle or not. Gatsby's love for Daisy was more of an obsession than it was love, but it makes it onto this list because he felt he loved her.

3. Kathy, Tommy and Ruth in Never Let Me Go

You might be thinking, "Man, she's got a thing for Carey Mulligan movie adaptations". 'Tis but coincidence - she's been in awesome movies. But I digress. This book was so emotional and I felt for all the characters in this triangle, which makes it one of my favourites. I like it when books make me feel all conflicted inside.

4. Juliette, Adam and Warner in Shatter Me

Read my review of Shatter Me!

As with many love triangles out there, this was insta-love between Juliette and Adam. I'm not a huge fan of insta-love, but I did enjoy all the action and suspense involved in this story. Warner's love for her certainly doesn't seem healthy, but I've yet to read the sequels so I'll update that statement in a later post.

5. Bella, Edward and Jacob in Twilight

Yes, I know. But no matter what you think of the series now, at one point or another most of us were interested in or somehow affected by these three, so they make it onto the list.

What's your favourite love triangle?

Image Credits:

1. Photo by Author

2. "Great Gatsby Cover Spray Painted" by Edward St. Alban Reardon V via deviantart in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

3. Photo by Author

4. "Broken Heart Grunge" by Nicolas Raymond via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

5. "Edward-Bella-Jacob-Eclipse-Wallpaper-twilight-series-12351953-1097-931" by you me via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

Top Blue Covers | Top 5 Wednesday

This week's Top 5 Wednesday topic is your Top Blue Covers that you own! I scoured my bookshelves for the colour blue and to my surprise, I found that I don't actually have a lot of blue covers. The important thing though, is that the blue covers I do have are pretty cool.

1. Road Ends by Mary Lawson

I love this cover. Those who know me outside of the internet know I love Winter, so this cover, to me, is beautiful. The dreary-looking, snow-covered roads seem to be in a small town, which is another thing that interests me, so this cover draws me in and makes me want to be in the depicted scenery.

2. The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane

Another gorgeous cover! This cover has intrigued me since I first laid eyes on it, and I finally bought the novel last month. The details in the wild cat design are beautifully done, including the sleeping person in the literal mouth of the beast.

3. The Passage by Justin Cronin

Trees and forests are another form of scenery I find beautiful. The iridescent cover adds to the mystery - are we seeing the Passage right now?

4. The Great Gatsby and Other Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This is very simple and very stunning. I love the design of the flapper woman toward the bottom, and the title's font evokes the 1920s. In terms of colours, the gold writing is striking against the navy blue cover. This is one of my favourite book covers, period.

5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Read my reviews of the book and the movie!

And last but not least, TFiOS. There was no way this would not be on this list. I've always liked this: the black and white clouds contrast nicely against the sky blue cover and the cartoony clouds make it seem like you're in for a light, care-free read. That's incredibly ironic, given the novel's content.

What's your favourite blue cover?

Photos by Author