Top Ten Tuesday – Favorite Tropes

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

Ah, tropes. We love them. We hate them. But, let’s face it, we all have ones that we can’t go without in our books, right? So, here are a few of my favorites.

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• Fake dating/marriage

Okay, but this needs to happen more?? Preferably, not in a contemporary setting. I far prefer it in fantasy — which was why I loved Serpent & Dove so damn much — but I still love it. It’s probably my favorite trope. I don’t know why, but I need more of it.

• Enemies-to-lovers

This one is a trope that I love when it’s done well. I’ve read some books where they weren’t convincing enemies. Or, I’ve read some with the lovers not really convincing me either. But, when it’s done well, it’s so amazing. Like in The Wicked King. That blew me away and damn is it good.

• Friends-to-lovers

Another one that I enjoy when done well! It doesn’t necessarily have the same issues that enemies-to-lovers has, but I really have to be convinced that they’re friends first.

• Sassy sidekick

Gotta love the sassy sidekick. Granted, I love anyone who’s sassy, but if you don’t have a sassy sidekick, what are you doing with your life? I mean that seriously, too. Try to think of a fantasy book that doesn’t have one. I’ll wait.

• Antiheroes

Antiheroes are, like, the best. I love those morally grey characters. Whenever I think of this trope, I always bring Jorg to mind. If you haven’t met him, he’s the MC in Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. Boy is he shitty.

• Likable villain

I feel like this goes with antiheroes, but I mean this as a villain that you don’t want to like, but you do like. Maybe they’re funny. Maybe they’re quirky. Either way, they are solidly the villain in the story but you still kinda like them.

• “Villain” who goes through a big change and switches over

I call Wicked Saints to mind with this one. The person that the “good” MC hates and sees as the villain has a change of heart and realizes that what they believe is wrong and joins them. Gotta love that trope. Even if it is wordy.

• All-knowing narrator

I always think of The Book Thief for this one. I love a narrator who has their own mind and who does their own thing, but knows everything and is telling you about it all. It’s a great trope, although, like some of the others, it can get really annoying when it’s not done well.

• Magic school

I can’t not have this on my list. Harry Potter would be left out. But, also, I read Magic for Liars and that had it in there as well, with a unique twist that more reminded me of The Magicians with how dark it was.

• Character with a *~dark~* past

Last but not least. That one character who has a super dark past that they don’t want to talk about. Bonus points if they keep reminding the reader they have a dark past by dropping hints. This one, I love and I hate. Like, it’s annoying when I hate the characters because I want to throttle them and scream at them to spit it out. But when I like the characters, I want to coddle them.

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Do we share any favorite tropes?
What are yours?

August 20, 2019August 16, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - favorite tropes, ttt 7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Book Characters I’d Love to Be Besties With

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

Book besties. We all want them desperately. And I know I have a fair few. When I was drafting this, I kept wincing to myself at how many kept coming up and that I was going to have to limit it. Here are a fair few of them!

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• Fred and George Weasley

My fellow Aries! I’d love to be friends with them. They are, in a word, hilarious and amazing. We would be great birthday buddies, too.

• Lou le Blanc

Hilarious? Check. Bit of an Aries? Check. Stubborn as hell? Check. Slightly rash? Check. Lou and I would get along well in real life because I loved her in that book.

• Death (The Book Thief)

Gotta be specific, right? Either way, Death was one of my favorite characters from the book. He was so poetic and human. I’d love to be besties with him. And terrify everyone in the process.

• Mr. Darcy

Mr. Darcy is me and I am Mr. Darcy. Someone I can be awkward with and vaguely rude, especially without realizing that we’re being rude.

• Elend Venture

My baby Elend. I think he’d be fun to be around because he’s honestly pretty funny and also reads a lot. Totally here for someone who reads a lot.

• Wen

Wen is a side character in this series, but Jade War cemented my love for her. She’ll do anything for her friends and family. Once you have her trust, you have it forever. And I love that in friends.

• Charlotte Holmes

Charlotte was a complex character. She was fantastic, too. I loved her smarts — I’d love to listen to her talk — and her personality. I bet she’d be a lot of fun, and she needs all the people possible to help her work through her trauma.

• Felicity Montague

I need more aroace friends. So if any of y’all are aroace (or just ace) you need to hit me up so we can chat more. And I love Felicity’s passions. She’d teach me a lot and I definitely need that in my life.

• Evelyn Hugo

As I need more aroace friends, I also need more Slytherin friends. And Evelyn is the Slytherin we all need in our lives. I think she and I would get along pretty well.

• Cardan Greenbriar

Finally, Cardan seems like he’d be a fun friend. Maybe not fun for me as a human, but he knows how to have a good time. And to plot hella good.

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Do we share any book besties?
Who would you choose?

August 13, 2019August 13, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - book characters i'd love to be besties with, ttt 10 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Cover Redesigns I Loved or Hated

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

Admittedly, I don’t pay too much attention to cover changes and I don’t let them get to me. However, there are some that I noticed. A couple for the better, but mostly for the best.

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First up, the ones that I hated.

• Seafire by Natalie C. Parker

I hate this cover redesign deep in my bones. The first is the original hardcover (for the US) and the second is the paperback. And, guess what? The rest of the series is going to have people in it. Ugh. I do not like it. The first cover was better.

• The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

I don’t know why, but I’m not a fan of the new coloring. Meh. I like the white background more than the orange one. Plus poppies, to me, are red. Not orange.

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Now, the changes that I loved!

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JKR

I love the new American covers. They look so good! They’re so modern and lovely and ugh. I seriously adore them.

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Yep, the one that has Liesel dancing with Death is way better. I’ve said it. I think it just looks so much better and is an apt cover for the story.

• Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

I like this one more because I think it’s more representative of Vin’s character. And, it’s not as busy/confusing. It looks more professional. I really do like it more. This redesign is a win from me.

• IT by Stephen King

• All of the Pelican Shakespeare copies

I have no idea what the original Shakespeare copies look like, but omg do I love the Pelican copies!! Right now, I’m trying to just get my favorites, but I’d love to have a whole collection of them because they’re just so. damn. pretty.

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But, that’s it! That’s my list. I love more book covers than hate them.

Which covers do you love? Which do you hate?

August 6, 2019August 2, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - cover redesigns i loved/hated, ttt 13 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Best Books of 2019 So Far!

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

So, today’s a freebie where we pick our own topics. That means I want to talk about the best books I’ve read so far this year! All links will take you to my reviews.

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• The Wicked King by Holly Black

This was so. Fucking. Good. I just loved it. And I’m dying for the next book, which will probably slay me.

• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Huge standalone queer fantasy with dragons? It’s like it was written for me. Seriously enjoyed this one. It was such a fun read.

• The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

I was destroyed by this book. It gutted me and left me an emotional wreck. I already want to reread it.

• A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

It was beautiful. I really loved this one and the themes behind it. Like, I connected so well with it all.

• The Air You Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles

I’m the only one gushing about this book, it seems. And, you know what? That’s okay even though y’all should read this queer historical fiction that’s set in Brazil.

• The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

The joke’s on me that I thought the first book would be the thing that destroyed me. This book really killed me. And I loved every second of it.

• Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

This is one of those books where I wasn’t sure whether I would love or hate it. But, in the end, I loved it. Such a good one.

• House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

This was a beautiful story about family and grief. It was just so good. I don’t think that it’s been hyped enough, tbh.

• I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver

Another one that I didn’t expect to love as much as I did! It was so sweet and just a great queer story with a nonbinary voice that hasn’t been explored enough.

• Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali

Finally, this gem! I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, but it blew me away. Family support and grief and ugh. It was such a good and deep read.

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What are your favorite books so far?

July 30, 2019July 23, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - best books of 2019 so far, top ten tuesday - freebie, ttt 17 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Settings I’d Like to See More Of (Or At All)

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

One thing I love about books are the settings. I always pay attention to that since they often have something to do with the worldbuilding. Some are stale worlds, but these are definitely some I want to see more of.

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• Scotland, Ireland, or Wales

Don’t get me wrong. I really, really love England and stories that are set in England. But, I really want to see more of the UK. Wales is such an under-used setting. And, I mean, think of all the fun you could have in Northern Ireland! Someone I know who lives there has described it as kinda lawless at times, so that sounds like a great setting.

• Russia

Russia would be another super interesting setting to use in books. I’ve seen it more lately, but it’s still so under-utilized. I hope I start seeing it more.

• Ukraine

Going off of Russia, the Ukraine would be another fantastic place. (Plus you have the places that you’re not supposed to travel to and are being taken over by Russia little by little.) It’d be such an interesting place to see in books.

• Central/South America

I’m tired of North American settings (except Canada). I’d love to see more things set in Central or South America. It’d be so much fun and the magic or worlds inspired by that would be great.

• Lao

I’m loving all the Asian-inspired worlds, but I’d love to see something outside of China, Japan, or Korea. I work with lots of people from Lao and I think that it’d be a great setting for a book

• Queerness is the norm

This is one thing that I want to read more of. I’ve only read it a few times and I always need more. I want books where it’s fine and normal and not a big deal that characters are queer. Lots of books, even ones that are fantasy or sci-fi, still make a huge deal out of it. Nope. I want it underhand and just a normal thing.

• Wars of the Roses era/inspired

This is my kink right here. I love this era of history. It’s so fascinating and I know that people kinda use it more these days (thanks, GRRM) but I never get tired of it.

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What settings do you want more of?
Do we share any?

July 23, 2019July 16, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - settings i'd like to see more of (or at all), ttt 14 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Auto-Buy Authors

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

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• Mark Lawrence

So far, I’ve read two of his series (The Broken Empire and Red Queen’s War) and I’m in the middle of reading — although it’s on pause because I need to read it all in one go — his Book of the Ancestor series. Either way, he blows me away with his characters and worlds. Always an auto-buy author.

• Mackenzi Lee

I know that Mackenzi is getting a lot of heat right now. You’ll actually be able to read my take on her latest book, The Madness Blooms, tomorrow. I’ve really enjoyed her books and she’s definitely an author I’ll keep buying.

• Seanan McGuire

I’ve only read her Wayward Children series and Middlegame, but I will 10000% keep reading her books! They’re fantastic and always so imaginative. I just have a lot of catching up to do.

• Stephen King

King is really hit or miss with me, but, more often than not, I like him. I can only think of a couple of books I didn’t like and I just have learned to avoid his short story collections. Still an author I’ll be reading and buying until the end.

• Sarah Henning

She’s a fantastic local author for me! I loved her debut, Sea Witch, and I’m eagerly anticipating the sequel and, basically, everything else she’s coming out with in the near future.

• Erin A. Craig

Her first book isn’t even published yet, although I had a chance to read the ARC, and I can tell that Erin Craig is going to be a new favorite author. I’m definitely going to add her to my auto-buy list.

• R.F. Kuang

Yep. I’ll read anything she writes. I love her to pieces because both of her books have emotionally destroyed me. Never fails to impress me.

• Caitlin Starling

Earlier this year, I read and loved The Luminous Dead which was her debut. So. Damn. Good. I’ll be reading more of her in the future!

• Becky Chambers

I decided to delve into her Wayfarer’s series and I loved it. Totally will be reading more of her stuff when she publishes more. It impressed me and showed me how great sci-fi can be.

• Emily X.R. Pan

Last, but not least, is this author. She’s fantastic. I absolutely adored reading The Astonishing Color of After. It broke me and it built me back up. I’ll be reading whatever else she publishes. You can count on that.

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Have you read any of these authors?
Do we share any on this list?

July 16, 2019July 11, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - auto-buy authors, ttt 14 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Characters I Hate

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

Today is a character freebie, so I wanted to talk about characters I hate! I’ve kinda done this before, but I always have more hate to spread.

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• Severus Snape

I will be honest. I hate him. I don’t think he’s a redeemable character. His obsessive love is fucking creepy — if you found out someone loved you for that long and obsessed over you, I hope you’d call the police. He’s abusive to children and anyone else, really. I just hate this man.

• Sirius Black

I rewatched the movies a couple weekends ago after not watching them for 5+ years and I forgot how much they sanitized Sirius’s character! No huge fight with Snape. Not abusive to Kreacher. But, the book Sirius? I know exactly why I didn’t like him. He’s that high school bully who never grew up and grew out of his tendencies. He’s nice to his friends but cruel to others. And, I just don’t like Sirius. Never have.

• Lila Bard

Don’t like her. She’s a character that I can’t get behind. I think she’s dumb and reckless. Like Sirius, I get her psychology but I still don’t have to like her. Reckless characters, who are reckless just to be reckless, kill me.

• Dolores Umbridge

Pretty sure that this one is a no-brainer, right? She’s a fascinating character who I love to hate, but, in the end, I desperately hate her.

• Taryn

Oh, Taryn. I remember getting ready to read the first book and seeing all the hate towards her. I didn’t understand it until I did. And, God, do I hate Taryn. She only gets worse.

• Will Henry

I never see anyone reading this series and I do not expect anyone to understand why I hate him. Hell, if you haven’t finished the series you won’t get it. But, Jesus. This boy ruined my mind and ugh. Just a huge mindfuck at the last page of what you know will be the final book.

• Percy Wetmore

If y’all aren’t familiar with The Green Mile you won’t get the reference. But, Percy is a son of a bitch who just gets worse and worse. He got what was coming to him.

• “Wild Bill” Wharton

Another Green Mile reference here. But, I hate him so much. He’s literally so awful that I can’t even describe him.

• Amy Dunne

I’ll tell you who she is. A horrible person. (Her husband is horrid also, but she’s a bit worse from what I remember.)

• Edward Cullen

I know everyone hates Bella and tends to leave out Edward, but he’s so much worse. Bella was a young teen who had low self-esteem and was pretty neglected. Edward groomed her, stalked her, and was super abusive towards her. Edward’s worse.

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What characters do you hate?
Do we share any?

July 9, 2019July 2, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - character freebie, top ten tuesday - characters i hate, ttt 7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Childhood Favorites

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

Hello and welcome to the Top Ten Tuesday where Caidyn shows just how weird he was as a child and worries everyone about his sanity.

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• Harry Potter series by JKR

This series started when I was a baby, but I joined in when the fourth book was out and the movies were starting up. Definitely was a favorite in my childhood! I couldn’t get enough of these books.

• How to Care for Your Monster by Norman Bridwell

Now. I’ve owned this book since I can remember. Literally, I don’t remember a time where I didn’t own this book. But, I read it over and over and over and over again as a kid. I still own it to this day and it gave me life.

• Wenny Has Wings by Janet Lee Carey

This book is about a kid who was hit by a car with his sister. He lives, she dies. And it’s about grief and pain and learning to survive. And I loved this book as a kid?? I don’t know. I genuinely don’t. (My review.)

• Goosebumps by R.L. Stine

When I was a kid, Stine was in his damn prime. He’s making a comeback now, but nothing can compare to the 90s-00s era. These three were ones that scared me the most and ones I really remember. The Barking Ghost scared me shitless. Say Cheese and Die is one that I remember as a bit freaky and also very clever. It Came From Beneath the Sink was super freaky but also very, very interesting.

• The Fear Street Saga Trilogy by R.L. Stine

Now, I don’t know if y’all know about Fear Street. Fear Street is a street that has a lot of crazy shit happen on it. And this book series is the beginning of it all! How Fear Street became this way through the Fear family. I love origin stories and this book, as a kid, was it for me. Also, super gory which gave me joy.

• Fear Street Sagas by R.L. Stine

If this isn’t confusing enough, this book is the continuation of the Fear family (which is a family and a street). It’s a collection of books that have to do with the Fear family and what happens with them through the years. These three were my favorites! A New Fear is the first book after the trilogy listed above and is the most direct book. Really gory and creepy. Forbidden Secrets is one that I remember loving as a kid. Again, it was gory but also really twisty and the ending messed with me. The Hidden Evil is another one that I remember being twisty, gory, and the ending was a great twist.

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What did you read as a kid?
Was I the only one with a Stine obsession?

July 2, 2019June 24, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - childhood favorites, ttt 2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Want to Buy This Summer

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

I don’t make seasonal TBRs since I’m a major mood reader and it changes month to month. So, I took my twist on the prompt! These are books that I want to buy this summer that don’t include preorders. (Also, all these are on my Amazon wishlist which is in the bio if someone wants to take pity on me.)

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• Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

I read an ARC of this and thought it was super enjoyable. Definitely want the finished copy on my shelf! (My review.)

• I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman

I’m on an Oseman kick after I read Radio Silence. This will be my third one, but I need to buy it. Since it’s a UK only release, I have to go through Book Depository but I really want to buy it!

• Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

I read this back in April and thought it was fantastic. Totally an amazing series that I’m excited to watch. And a fantasy heist book that I need on my shelf! (My review.)

• ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

I read this a long time ago and I’m really getting ready for a reread. I don’t remember much of it at all. However, I want to read it on my own time rather than with the pressure of a library book.

• The Hound of Justice by Claire O’Dell

I read A Study in Honor with Chantel earlier this year and I really enjoyed it, so I want to read the rest of the series once this comes out in July. I have a hold on it through the library, but I’m sure I’ll want it for my Sherlock shelf.

• All Out edited by Saundra Mitchell

I rarely like short story anthologies. I like them better than short story collections (aka, one author), but they’re not my favorite. Either way, I really enjoyed this and I want it for my shelf. (My review.)

• The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

I read an ARC of this and enjoyed it. But, I never preordered it and I still want it for my shelf. A great story with Muslim main characters. I didn’t expect to love it, but I did. (My review.)

• Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

I love You. I love Hidden Bodies. It’s a shocker that I don’t own this book yet, isn’t it? (My review.)

• Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

The book that started my new interest in this author. But, I really want to own this one and it makes me sad that I don’t already own it. (My review.)

• Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

While this isn’t my favorite Gaiman book, I really want to own it for my Gaiman collection! (My review.)

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What books do you want to treat your shelf to soon?

June 25, 2019June 21, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - books on my summer 2019 tbr, ttt 6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018!

As you know, I don’t keep track of new releases like some people do. All these books are ones that I’ve preordered and/or gotten ARCs of.

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• The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

My review for this will be posting tomorrow, so keep your eye out for that! After reading this, still can’t wait to get my hands on it. It was so good and there was so much intrigue in this book. Cannot wait until the third one!

• Sea Witch Rising by Sarah Henning

Not only is this a local author for me, I also really enjoyed Sea Witch! I can’t wait to see where the next book goes and I’m so excited to get this preorder in the mail.

• Dispel Illusion by Mark Lawrence

I haven’t been reviewing this series on the blog — I don’t have much to say about them even though they’re enjoyable — so it hasn’t been featured as much. Still, I’m really enjoying how he’s pushed out a whole series in one year! Can’t wait to see the ending.

• Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao

I know this book has a lot of controversy around it. However, I’m still really looking forward to it and I’m glad that Zhao took a step back, edited, and then is coming out with it. I have this one preordered!

• The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

If y’all have been following this blog long enough, you’ll know how much I loved this series. The Wicked King left me absolutely breathless. This finale will probably kill me, but I’ll love the process of dying.

• The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

I’m a huge fan of Morgenstern so I’m just damned excited that she’s finally coming out with a new book! I have this one preordered through Waterstone so I get their exclusive edition.

• The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Sky in the Deep, but I’m still excited about this book. I have an ARC of it, so after I reread the first book (even though this isn’t a traditional sequel) I’m going to jump into this one!

• Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff

This is another ARC that I have! No clue how I swung it, but I did! I wasn’t in love with Nevernight but Godsgrave was a big step up so I’m excited to see how the story concludes. Especially with that cliffhanger!

• Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Everyone keeps talking about this book! I’m so excited for it. I have an ARC of it and I honestly can’t wait to see how amazing it is.

• Crier’s War by Nina Varela

Last book. Chantel told me about this one and I looked into it. Sounds very good! I was able to get an ARC so I’m planning on reading this one ASAP because I can’t wait for more f/f fantasy

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Are we anticipating any of the same books?
What books are you really dying to read?

June 18, 2019June 12, 2019 by bwreviews Categories: caidynTags: book blog, book blogger, book tag, t10t, tag, top ten tuesday, top ten tuesday - most anticipated releases of the second half of 2019, ttt 6 Comments