Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. I thought this would be a fun way to share a condensed version of potential rambles and thoughts that I have.

This week’s theme:
Top Ten Books That Made Me Cry
(with FEELS)

Initial Thoughts:

I don’t read many books that prompt the water works so I’m adapting this week’s theme to involve crying…but with feels; loosely redefined as an emotional (happy or sad) response. My equivalent. These are done retrospectively from just thinking of the book title and the events I can conjure up on face value. But I’ll be extremely vague on certain fronts so I don’t spoil anything.

This list is adapted from books I’ve read during or were published in 2013 specifically.

1. Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins)

Full disclosure: I decided to read the books as the movies came out so I’ve yet to read Mockingjay.

Feelsy moments: The death of certain individuals and the realization of the games design during the 75^th hunger games. Although I must say that the book had a bigger impact for me than the movie. This isn’t even due to knowing what happens, it’s more about the build-up in the book that was more feels.

degree of feels: sad feels.

2. Allegiant (Veronica Roth)

Feelsy moments: Brain injury incurred from the explosion (WHY?!!!?!?!?) and the last scene of the book. Also, the Room B13 scene in Divergent is an honourable mention.

degree of feels: super sad feels.

3. Backward Glass (David Lomax)

Feelsy moments: When Kenny is introduced to Star wars and Mario (of Nintendo fame), the scene in the Silverlands, and the Prince Harming rhyme finally making sense.

degree of feels: gleeful and awestruck feels.

Continue reading [Top Ten Tuesday] – #6 – Top Ten Books That Made Me Cry (with FEELS) →

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. I thought this would be a fun way to share a condensed version of potential rambles and thoughts that I have.

This week’s theme:
Top Ten Worlds I’d Want/Never Want To Live In

Initial Thoughts:

Pretty sure I’m not the only one, but I have this love-hate relationship with wanting to test the waters in a particular world. Either way, I’ll give reasons for several worlds that I’d want and not want to live in – because it’s one of those either-or situational debates. As long as there’s one positive aspect that I’d want to experience, it will somehow outweigh the thousands of reasons and negatives that suggest otherwise.

1. Hunger Games: Panem (or Battle Royale: Japan).

Why? I’d want to be reaped to be part of the Games. Call me crazy but I’d want to test my limits in the games, and let’s be honest, pretty sure there’s part of you that would want to as well. Don’t get me wrong though, you’ll hear my cannon and see my face on the first day. No question bout’ it.

2. Any Shakespeare-verse.

Why? I’m intrigued by conversing in fluid, lyrical diction. I can’t make much sense of it now but hopefully I’d be able to achieve clarity there. I guess my main reason for not wanting to live in this era is the lack of technology. So unless I was preoccupied every second of my life giving a monologue or plotting a death, I would sure wither in boredom.

3. The Wizarding World: London/Scotland.

Why? So it’s mostly London/Scotland and therefore not metaphysically far-off from current society. But the integration of the Wizarding World and bam I’m excited. But it is quite unfortunate that I’d be a muggle. So I guess that’s a downside.

Continue reading [Top Ten Tuesday] – #5 – Top Ten Worlds I’d Want/Never Want To Live In →

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. I thought this would be a fun way to share a condensed version of potential rambles and thoughts that I have.

This week’s theme:
Top Ten Things On My Reading Wishlist

Initial Thoughts:

The theme for this week is based on what I wish to see (more) from writers or books, and frankly, I feel a massive brain fart incoming because this theme was difficult to conjure considering I’m not the most creative person around.  And I’ll probably get flamed for some of these opinions but whatever, hater’s gonna hate.

So what do I want to see? Well:

1. Writer’s who push their craft for themselves and not for others. I’m not an artist of a craft by any means so these are probably unsupported observations I have, but regardless of the form of content, I see it often where creators start with something and have it seemingly pan out (for series in particular) in favour of readers. There’s a distinction between understanding your target audience and writing for them. The onus isn’t on the writer to please their readers; although that’s a definite plus. With hype trains and fandoms that litter the Internet in positive toxicity – totally patent pending this term – it’s not surprising to read into plotting a happily-ever-after (as a prime example). But this isn’t Disney. I mean, if that was the endgame intent, then I’m all for it. Otherwise, I hope writers don’t get caught up in trying to please every living organism.

2. Incorporating controversial topics. This is generic but needs more attention. Pick and choose any one or many and seamlessly integrate these unspoken truths into the development without explicit detailing in the synopsis. The “oh shit” value, I find, is much more impactful especially when it’s out of left field, relevant, and fits into a narrative. A plus is if it’s used in the context of young-adult. Bam, the elephant is in the room.

3. Integration of subcultures. Whether its cosplayers, freerunners (parkour), drag queens, hippies, derby boys/girls, etc., used in any way possible, I think I’d enjoy something to these extremes.

Continue reading [Top Ten Tuesday] – #4 – Top Ten Things On My Reading Wishlist →