Categories
Books Memes

In Praise of the Plot Twist

It’s time for Top 10 Tuesday again! This week we are looking at books that caught us by surprise – for better or for worse – and I’m sticking to the “plot twist”. Here are 10 books that went to a totally unexpected place for me.

Plot Twist!

1 | Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

All that obsession with the first Mrs. Maxim de Winter was bound to end some time.

2 | The Queen of Attolia/ The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

A thief ends up marrying the lady who cut off his hand.

3 | One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus

A brainiac, an athlete, a princess, a criminal and a “basket case” walk into detention.

4 | Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

No, Jane – Rochester is not the hero you thought him to be…

5 | Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

There are worlds within worlds, and nothing is as simple as it seems.

6 | Game of Thrones/ A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

Anyone remember the infamous Red Wedding scene (from the show)? Phew!

7 | The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Epic and sensational – not a Biblical premise anyone could’ve guessed.

8 | In the Woods by Tana French

The reveal of the culprit was slow and right at the end – made me rant full time.

9 | The Inugami Curse by Seishi Yokomizo

Not the whodunnit, but the how-dunnit was the real plot twist here.

10 | We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

Heart-wrenching tale full of strange experiments and the repercussions.

So, what’s your list looking like? Any jaw-dropping plot twists, unexpected endings, other things that caught you by surprise?

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Categories
Memes To Be Read Books

Ten Hidden Gems: Because you said so

It’s time for Top 10 Tuesday again! I love picking up book recs from fellow bloggers — the lesser known, the better! There’s some extra happiness in locating those hidden gems, you know. So, here are 10 that I’ve picked up in recent months.

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Categories
Best of List Books Memes

Bookish Wishes: Careful What You Wish For!

For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, we are looking at bookish wishes. I am taking it rather literally, about bad bargains, perilous wishes and the hazards of ambition. Here’s a quick list:

1 | Shakespeare’s Macbeth – Prophecies, anyone?

2 | Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine – This heroine has been given the gift of obedience!

3 | Half Magic by Edward Eager – Only half of what these kids wish for comes true

4 | Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit – These kids’ wishes will expire promptly at sunset.

5 | Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll – Tall or short, please can she make up her mind?

6 | The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde – He wished all of his aging on a portrait.

7 | Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba – Writing down criminals’ names in a magical death book is not so heroic.

8 | The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien – You get a ring of invisibility but just makes Sauron see you more clearly.

9 | Faust by Goethe – This guy though success on earth is worth selling his soul away.

10 | The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller – Experimenting with fairy contracts? Oops!

What do you think? Do you have any books to add to this dangerous booklist on worst bookish wishes ever?

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Categories
Best of List Memes

Eye of Newt: Fictional Food for Thought

A very intriguing prompt for this week’s Wyrd & Wonder: Eye of Newt! Magical ingredients, spell components or fantasy cooking… or any story tropes or character ingredients that make the perfect brew for the reader in us. This got me thinking of some of the interesting fictional cuisine items that I have come across in fantasy books!

Butterbeer | Harry Potter series

Lembas Bread | The Lord of the Rings

Wonka Chocolate Bars | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Queen of Hearts’ Tarts | Alice in Wonderland

Goblin Fruit | The Goblin Market

Death of Marat | Sunshine

Nobby’s Mum’s Distressed Pudding | Discworld series

Pop Biscuits | The Folk of the Faraway Tree

Groosling Soup | The Hunger Games

Just… some Honey | Winnie-the-Pooh

Any of these be your “eye of newt”? Did you recall any of these dishes? Did you ever try to give them some mundane world recipes? Did this post bring on some hunger pangs? Spill the beans! 😉

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Categories
Best of List Memes

Predicted by the Stars (or what have you)

Wyrd & Wonder has super interesting prompt(s) on the art of reading past, present and future by magical means. So, let me pick your brain on how to make some predictions. I could come up with 7 ways, none too dire, I hope!

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Categories
Best of List Memes Music & Poetry

Magic Mayhem Music

(Credits: Portal by Tithi Luadthong)

The wonderful Wyrd & Wonder reading/ blogging marathon is being hosted by Annemieke (A Dance With Books), Ariane (The Book Nook), Jorie (Jorie Loves A Story), Lisa (Dear Geek Place) and Imyril (There’s Always Room For One More).

This Sunday, the prompt is our favorite songs that we associate with the Magical. Some great food for thought – and obviously my chance to conjure up some music for magic and mayhem.

Scenario 1: You are a dark witch, brewing something strong

Yaima – Magician
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Categories
Best of List Books Memes Starred Recommendations

Wyrd & Wonder: Favorite Magical Systems

The wonderful Wyrd & Wonder has started off again, hosted by Annemieke (A Dance With Books), Ariane (The Book Nook), Jorie (Jorie Loves A Story), Lisa (Dear Geek Place) and Imyril (There’s Always Room For One More). Thanks so much to them for all the effort that goes into this!

(Credits: Portal by Tithi Luadthong)

This Sunday, the prompt is top 5 magical systems (or spells) that we have come across in books. Obviously, world-building plays a huge role, but my picks are based on certain really striking book scenes.

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Categories
Best of List Books Memes Recommendations

If you like… Mythological Fantasy

This week we have a genre freebie for Top 10 Tuesday, and I am going with Top 10 Mythological Fantasy Books. I really do like a plot where the gods get interested in mortal affairs, leading to much chaos — and great world-building.

1 / The Chalion Series / World of the Five Gods series by Lois McMaster Bujold

2 / Inheritance Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin

3 / Paternus Trilogy by Dyrk Ashton

4 / Malazan Book of the Fallen Series by Steven Erikson

5 / Edda of Burdens trilogy by Elizabeth Bear

6 / The Queen’s Thief Series by Megan Whalen Turner

7 / Tales of the Magatama Series by Noriko Ogiwara

8 / Indulgence Series by Erin Kellison

9 / The Wicked + The Divine saga by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie

10 / The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

Have you read or are you interested any of these mythological fantasy books? Please feel free to leave as many recs as possible too!

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Categories
Best of List Books Memes

… And the Book OTP Prizes Go to …

For this week’s Top 10 Tuesday meme, we have a Valentine’s Day freebie, so let’s showcase some of those OTP (One True Pairings) that deserve extra attention today. Disclaimer: All of this is intended in good fun only!

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Categories
Best of List Memes Starred Recommendations

Favorite Books of 2022

How did 2022 fly by so quickly? I barely got any reading done (especially in the second half) and DNF’ed more books than ever (my watchlist fared way better!). For better or for worse, here they are, the few books that stood out as my “favorite books of 2022”.

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