Category: Top Ten Tuesday

#TopTenTuesday: Books I Want In My Physical Library

Dini @ dinipandareads20 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: books I want in my personal library (perhaps you checked it out, borrowed it from a friend, received it for review, etc. and want to own it yourself). This week’s prompt was submitted by Annemieke @ A Dance with Books! If you haven’t checked out her blog yet I’d suggest you do it! She has awesome posts about all things fantasy 😊

For this week’s prompt, I decided to focus on books I want to add to my physical library specifically. Since purchasing a Kindle several years ago, I’ve started and finished many a book and series on it, but there are some that I want to add to my physical shelf because I enjoyed them so much! It was actually a little difficult to narrow this list down to ten books, especially when I’ve read at least a few hundred on my Kindle. I do have the physical paperback copies for two of these, but I want to splurge on special editions/hardcovers so they’ll last longer! Without further ado…. Here’s ten (e)books I love that I want to add to my physical library!

The Name of the Wind: 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition by Patrick Rothfuss
This edition has loads of extra goodies that I want to get my hands on as soon as my budget will let me! It’s pretty expensive, but considering all the extras that we get inside plus the sprayed edges, I think it’s worth it. I’ve seen some of the illustrations and they’re BEAUTIFUL!

The Oremere Chronicles by Helen Scheuerer
I admit that I haven’t read the full series yet, but I read Heart of Mist (Book 1) and I loved it. I have the other two books in the trilogy already lined up, plus I’ve got 10 of the prequel stories that the author shared with her mailing list with the release of Book 3: War of Mist. The covers are beautiful and I think they’d look good on my shelf 🤪

A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3): Collector’s Edition by V.E. Schwab
I have the first two collector’s editions and the third one will be coming out in October 2019, so I’m excited to scoop that up. You (might) know by now that the Shades of Magic series is one of my all time favorites, and this collection is the first collector’s editions that I’ve added to my library. Yay!

Saga Series Book One & Book Two by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
This series was my first foray into graphic novels (as an adult) and I haven’t been able to stop raving about it since I picked it up. Saga isn’t finished yet and it ended in THE WORST CLIFFHANGER OF CLIFFHANGERS EVER and I’m just dying to know what happens next. But Vaughan and Staples are taking a break right now (since last year, actually) and I’m trying to ever so patiently wait for the next issue/volume to come out. For now, I want these two babies in my personal library. They’re $$$!

An Ember in the Ashes Series by Sabaa Tahir
I started this series on my Kindle because at the time I don’t think An Ember in the Ashes was available in the bookstores here. I’ve continued to get the new books on my Kindle because living in Indonesia means I don’t get newly released books for ages, even if I pre-order them! 😭 It sucks but I’m so grateful to have a Kindle so that I don’t have to wait impatiently, not knowing if and/or when the book will ever arrive! 😅

The Sixth World Series by Rebecca Roanhorse
This series isn’t finished yet (two more books to go!) and I also haven’t picked up the second book? But I loved the first book and I think it’s one of the more underrated series, which is unfortunate because people are missing out on awesome story based on Native American mythology, a badass female lead, and insane world building with gods and demons alike. It’s so so good.

The Getting Lucky Series by Meghan Quinn
Throwing in a contemporary romance series because I don’t actually have many (I can only think of one) on my physical shelves! The second book in the Getting Lucky series was just released today (WOOHOO! I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR IT!) and there should be two more after this. But I know I’m going to love this series because it’s full of tropes that I love in a romance and I’m already a total sucker for the Knightly family, the brothers especially! Duh. 😬

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
I read Eleanor Oliphant last year before I joined the book community and before the crazy hype for the book really took off. I absolutely loved it! This story broke my heart and filled it back up again. I definitely want to add this to my physical shelf because I think it’s a story I’ll want to revisit often!

Sourdough and Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
I think Robin Sloan is another author whose books are unfortunately underrated. They’re both such feel good, slightly bizarre, highly improbable stories with a quirky cast of characters that worm their way into your heart. I feel like I can read Sloan’s books repeatedly whenever I need a pick me up!

Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
Mrs. Everything was released earlier this year in May and I thoroughly enjoyed this multi-generational family saga following the lives of the Jo and Bethie Kaufman. The sisters experience so much in their lives and so the book covers a wide range of issues that shaped the sisters as much as it shaped America from the 50s until the present(ish) day. It’s an emotional historical fiction but I think it’s one I’d like to keep on my shelf because it’s full of hope!

What are books that you want to add to your physical library?
If you’ve done a TTT for today, don’t forget to leave your links in the comments below and let’s chat 🙂

#TopTenTuesday: Favorite TROPES!

Dini @ dinipandareads27 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: favorite tropes. Does the topic of tropes feel overdone? Maybe, but it’s still fun to do every now and again! I know I’ve actually done a post on favorite tropes last month, (Friday Favorite: Tropes) but I also only listed five, so I thought I’d list another five on this post because there are always more tropes that I find I love and hate every time I open a book. TL;DR my other trope post, I’ve already listed: enemies-to-lovers, (best) friends-to-lovers, villain redemption, brooding characters who are actually cinnamon rolls with marshmallow hearts, and friendships formed during trying times.

Small Town Romance
I love a good romance and I especially love a good romance that’s set in a small town. You know, the ‘old-timer’ meets the ‘new-comer’, they’ll probably clash because they don’t see eye-to-eye, they’ll find the other incredibly attractive but they’d never admit it, and everyone and their friend will be scheming to get them together or pull them apart. Families play a big role in these types of dramas too! It’s got a good mix of many things that I love and I’m always here for it!

Found Family
I know this sounds very similar to ‘friendships formed during trying times’ but I see it as a step beyond that, when friendship groups turn into family. This trope is always so heartwarming and I will always love a good story with a found family!

Multiverses / Alternate Dimensions
I don’t know how I became obsessed with the idea of multiverses and alternate dimensions but I can’t get enough of stories that have multiple dimensions or universes where multiple yous and outcomes are infinitely possible. I’m not a science person, so I don’t know the accuracy of whatever is being spouted, but to be honest, I don’t care as long as it’s enjoyable!

Quests/Hunts
I love it when a book includes a good quest or hunt to find the truth about something. I love the search for clues, trying to decipher meanings, but also the bonds that form in the characters throughout their journey!

Magical Competitions
I’m definitely thinking along the terms of Harry Potter’s Triwizard Tournament and The Essen Tasch from Gathering of Shadows! Who doesn’t love a good magical duel (and obviously the part where the MC impossibly kicks the rude opponent’s ass)?! Yaaas!

What are some of your favorite tropes? If you’ve also done a TTT for today, don’t forget to leave your links in the comment and let’s chat 🙂

#TopTenTuesday: Book Characters I’d Love to Be Besties With

Dini @ dinipandareads31 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: book characters I’d love to be besties with (submitted by Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Blog). Fun! There are so many bookish characters that I’d love to be besties with, but these are the first ones that popped into my head!

Tanner Scott from Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Tanner is one of the ultimate cinnamon rolls and I think being besties with him would be so awesome. Not only is he a reader (and a writer, duh), but he’s funny, sweet and so caring.

Elisabeth, Nathaniel and Silas from Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
I know I should probably just pick one of these characters, but honestly, they’re like the Three Musketeers and I can’t imagine being besties with one without expecting to become besties with the others too! I love these characters so much!

Hannah Martin from Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Hannah Martin is just like me in so many ways. I think we’d be able to relate on so many levels.

Jessica Pan, author of Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come
Jessica Pan is a real person but she’s featured in her memoir, which I loved, so this totally counts, right? Honestly, I’d love to be besties with Jessica Pan because not only is she absolutely hilarious but I feel like we’d get on well because we’re both (sh)introverts and going through a lot of similar things people in their early 30s go through? Lol I’m not tryna be creepy though 🙈

Hazel from Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
Hazel is hands down one of the most hilarious and unapologetic characters I’ve had the pleasure to read. She’s loud, she’s clumsy, she’s always into doing her own thing, even when everyone else thinks it’s weird, but she does it anyway. I think we’d have the best time hanging out!

Mateo Torrez from They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera
Mateo is so freaking pure. He’s so selfless and I just want to protect him at all costs. What better way to do that than by being his bestie!?

Knightly Brothers from That Second Chance (Getting Lucky #1) by Meghan Quinn
As much as I’d love to find myself in a relationship with either one of these amazing brothers who believe in a crazy love curse, I also really love their very different personalities and their hilarious banter. Although I’d probably get teased and pranked to no end, they’d be so much fun to hang with!

Lois Clary from Sourdough by Robin Sloan
I really love how passionate Lois is about everything and I admire how she dives into even the most unprecedented things and fights her way through to the other side. She’s so full of life and energy, plus she makes a really mean sourdough! We’d have awesome adventures in San Francisco!

The Illuminae Files Gang from The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Um, do I really need to have a reason why being besties with ALL OF THEM would be so fun? I love all their personalities and I mean, tbh, if I were going to be living in space, and finding myself fighting crazy battles for survival, these are the people I’d trust to keep me safe lol

Raymond from Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
I loved Raymond so much. He has the biggest heart and to be honest, he kind of reminds me of a bestie I lost several years ago to a horrible freak accident. I think being besties with Raymond would bring so much warmth and comfort into my life.

What characters would you want to be besties with? Would you wanna be friends with any of these characters? If you’ve also done a TTT for today, don’t forget to leave your links in the comment and let’s chat 🙂

#TopTenTuesday: Cover (Re)Designs I Love/Hate

Dini @ dinipandareads30 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: cover redesigns I’ve loved/hated. Okay, I admittedly struggled with this one because I realized that I’m actually not very aware of what book covers have been redesigned. Are different editions of books considered cover re-designs? Like, international vs US vs UK editions? I’m still not very clear on it but I’ve made a list of some covers that I’ve loved and hated. I think most of the time when a cover changes I’m pretty okay with it, although sometimes, I’m disappointed that the original covers get pulled and we mere mortals won’t ever have the chance to get our hands on it without kissing our monies goodbye! *drama*

Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo
I know that a lot of people have commented that they like the original cover so much more, but I actually really like the redesigned cover more. I think this is mostly because of the colors!

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas
I like the cover redesign so much better than the original cover. It’s just honestly so much more bad ass and fitting of the fierce killer character that Celaena is introduced as!

Northern Lights (His Dark Materials #1) by Philip Pullman
This one also has a different name: The Golden Compass but I prefer The Northern Lights name and cover much more. There are so many versions of both titles but I think these are my two favorites!

Vicious (Villains #1) by V.E. Schwab
One of my biggest book related regrets is not buying that original/first edition cover of Vicious before the series became popular. I don’t know why I didn’t do it, but I was a silly duck. I do love the editions that I have now, but the details in the first edition are awesome and if I were to buy one now, I’d have to sell an arm, leg and liver for it (probz, you know) 😅

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Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
This probably doesn’t count but I’m making it count because I’ve only been able to find the movie cover locally and I don’t know why they’d ever change it. That first cover is gorgeous!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) by Laini Taylor
I don’t know what to say about that cover with the mask except I really hate it. I also hate that it was actually the redesign? Or is it just the the US edition? Whichever it is, I’m really not here for it lol

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
While I don’t dislike the cover with all the hearts on it, the colors are beautiful and stand out, but I like the simple cover with the girl on the front so much more.

The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid’s Tale #1) by Margaret Atwood
I actually do love the original cover, but I don’t hate the cover of the modern vintage edition.

An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) by Sabaa Tahir
I actually don’t mind both covers although I do love the redesign because I love seeing the characters’ on the front and I love seeing how they change through the rest of the book covers!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling
Obviously depending on where you’re from and what edition you’re reading, it’s also The Philosopher’s Stone! The HP books have gone through so many cover redesigns/editions but the ones I will always love most are the first (US) ones. It takes me back to my childhood and I’m not so much a fan of the newer editions (sorry not sorry)!

Do you like cover redesigns or different cover editions? Are any of the ones you’ve liked/hated on this list too? If you’ve also done a TTT for today, don’t forget to leave your links in the comment and let’s chat 🙂

#TopTenTuesday (Freebie): Books from A Genre I Want to Read More of…

Dini @ dinipandareads27 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: a freebie! You’d think this would be easy, right? But it actually took me quite some time to figure out what I wanted to post. I was tossing up a few topics that sounded fun, including some older TTT posts from when I hadn’t started blogging yet (there are tons!) but after some deliberating, I settled on: books from one genre that I’d like to read more of. It’s not the most exciting topic but I’ve been feeling a bit low on inspiration lately (see: severe sleep deprivation due to sleep issues). Every year I tell myself that I’m going to read more non-fiction and while I do make some effort, meaning I add a few non-fiction books to my shelves, I still end up only reading one or two at the most. It’s not that I don’t like NF, but I always find that unless it’s written in a very compelling fiction-esque way, my attention will waver faster than you can say go. But here are ten books that I’d love to pick up (soon?) from this genre that always eludes me 🙂

Side note: You’re very quickly going to see a pattern develop on my list today because I love true crime. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be true crime. There’s just something about these wickedly disturbing people and the horrifying things they do that compels to read all about it. I just want to know everything (pls don’t judge me. I’m not a creepy sociopath or serial killer, I promise).

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
This has been on my wishlist for forever and I finally got my hands on it a few weeks ago. I really hope that I don’t let this one languish too long on my shelf. 🙈

The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story by Ann Rule
This is another one that has been on my wishlist for ages. Ted Bundy is terrifying but I’m just so curious to know more about how he functioned. Ann Rule was his close friend. I can’t even imagine what it’d feel like to realize that someone close to you is a serial killer. *shudders*

Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Edward Douglas & Mark Olshaker
Criminal Minds featuring the BAU of the FBI is one of my all time favorite shows EVER. I find criminal profiling incredibly fascinating. Fun fact: I thought I wanted to be a criminal behaviour specialist when I majored in Behavioural Studies for my BA. Criminal Behaviour was my fave class!

Columbine by Dave Cullen
As far as I recall, this was the first time I’d heard of shootings in American schools and it was unfathomable to me that a massacre could occur in high school to kids my own age. It will never get easier to hear about these things. There’s a lot of praise for this book, so I’m looking forward to learning more about what happened that day.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
I actually started this on audiobook but there was a lot of information to take in. I felt I needed to have the physical book to follow along to so I put it aside. It’s tragic that McNamara never got to see what came of her years of work, but I’m glad that her husband, Patton Oswalt, saw it through.

The Lost City of Z: A Legendary British Explorer’s Deadly Quest to Uncover the Secrets of the Amazon by David Grann
I read my first David Grann book last year, Killers of the Flower Moon, and I shocked myself with how quickly I devoured it. I finished it in one day! Grann’s writing is the perfect example of NF that reads like fiction and I was completely hooked. Of course I had to add this to my shelf right away!

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore
Call me ignorant, but I’d never heard of The Curies’ use of radium in the products until I (somehow) stumbled across this book title earlier this year. It’s absolutely shocking and vile that they denied the nasty side effects of RADIUM on their workers. I’m so curious to know more about what happened.

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
 I’d seen this a lot in the bookstores when it came out but it never occurred to me to pick it up. Of course now that it’s no longer readily available in book stores here, I want it desperately. I heard it’s not only very funny (I mean, look at that cover) but it also gets very real about depression.

Becoming by Michelle Obama
I actually have this on audiobook but I’m really bad with audiobooks. So I’m waiting for my physical copy to come in (which I coincidentally just bought this morning as it was on sale)! There’s no way I’m not reading this one. I’m very excited. Michelle Obama is so inspiring!

Educated by Tara Westover
So I’ve actually been seeing a few mixed reviews about this book now that the incredible hype surrounding it has died down a little. People are saying it’s not authentic? Westover’s background is world’s away from what I’m familiar with, and her journey sounds very inspiring, so I’m looking forward to finally reading it (hopefully this year)!

Have you read any of these non-fiction books? What’d you think of them? So curious to know what others have come up with for their TTT freebie this week! Don’t forget to leave your link in the comments below so I can swing by your page and we can have a chat!

#TopTenTuesday: Settings I Want More of…

Dini @ dinipandareads35 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: settings I’d like to see more of. I think one of the reasons many of us love reading so much is because stories have the ability to transport us to places so far removed from our realities, whether they’re real existing places or fictional worlds that are so well built that they pretty much feel real. I mean, when you’re bogged down by #thatadultlife and can’t afford to travel to places you’re desperate to visit, there’s no better feeling than immersing yourself in a book that takes you there for a comparatively small price. 😉 Here are a few settings I’d like to see more of!

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Space à la Illuminae Files and Aurora Rising
I mean, I really just want more space. Especially when it’s space like in these two amazing books!

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Magical Libraries à la Sorcery of Thorns
Who doesn’t want more magical libraries? Especially if they’re full of magical books like in The Great Libraries of Sorcery of Thorns?! I would even take the grimoires that have all the evil power and can do bad things to a person. I’ll take it!

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Caraval
The world of Caraval is honestly like a dream. But not only full of really beautiful, fun and magical things but also dangerous and sinister things. How gorgeous is this cover of the Taiwan edition?!

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Red London of ADSOM
I’m tempted to even say that I want more of all the Londons from ADSOM? But I don’t think I’ll go that far. I just want more of Red London and Rhy, Kel, Lila and Alucard. Lol but really, I’d love more of this shade of london.

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London Below of Neverwhere
I fell so in love with the otherworldly London Below. It was so cool to see this ‘other side’ to familiar stations and locations from when I used to live in the UK (and often visited London to meet friends). I’d love to spend more time in London Below and explore its dark and dangerous side some more!

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Alaska
So maybe my view of Alaska is still on the more ‘romantic’ side but after reading The Great Alone, I’m not unaware of the harsh reality of living in such an environment. In my mind it’s a combination of terrifying nature and impossible beauty, especially with the Northern Lights! I’ve honestly always had this weird thing for Alaska!

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Edinburgh, Scotland
I’ve only been to Edinburgh but in the almost-two-years that I lived in Norwich, I think I went up to visit the city four times? I couldn’t get enough. It’s such a beautiful city and I often miss the magic of it, although I get to experience it when I read books set there. I especially love when a book talks about a place that I’ve been to, seen, or heard of in real life. It makes it feel extra special 🙂

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New York City
It’s manic but there’s a certain energy to NYC that so many people fall in love with. In reality I get incredibly overwhelmed with all the people around me, so what better way than to experience more of the city through a story? I find that stories in NYC are always so upbeat and full of hope 🙂

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New Orleans.
This is another ‘weird’ one on my part lol I think back in the day when I started reading romances of the steamier variety I read a few that were set in New Orleans and I basically ended up falling in love with my impressions of this city. It’s old charm, superstitions, vibrancy and food! I definitely always end up wanting to read more of this city.

Winter/Christmas/Snow.
I love everything about this type of setting. Despite living in the tropics, I love the cold and snow and I especially love the feeling in the air when Christmas rolls around (in Western countries), when it’s cold but everything feels extra warm and cozy. There’s a feeling of comfort that comes from these settings and I love experiencing it through books, especially if I can’t IRL!

What settings would you like to see more of? If you’ve done a TTT this week, leave your link in the comments and let’s chat favorite locations!

#TopTenTuesday: Autobuy Authors

Dini @ dinipandareads37 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: autobuy authors. I tried to diversify my list a little bit instead of repeating authors and books that I’ve already mentioned on here countless times, but you can’t avoid the inevitable because these authors are my all time faves, so they’re bound to make an appearance! It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be to just recall all the authors I’d auto buy, so I had to do a little bit of rummaging around my memory (it’s really that bad) and came up with this list. Yay!

Neil Gaiman. Gaiman is a master of crafting words into incredibly bizarre and delightfully magical worlds within our actual world. I’m always left in awe of his stories. They’re dark, funny, did I mention bizarre, and oddly touching. When I read Neverwhere for the first time a few years ago there was no looking back. He’s been an autobuy since! I’ve really enjoyed everything of his that I’ve read including American Gods, The Graveyard Book, and The Ocean At the End of the Lane, to name a few!

Taylor Jenkins Reid. So I’ve only read two of TJR’s books: Maybe In Another Life and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Both took my feelings and ripped them to shreds and I loved every minute of it! These reads are so emotionally packed and I’ve found elements of relatability in both of them, which obviously made it more impactful.

Jodi Picoult. I’ve loved Jodi Picoult since I first discovered her in high school. I think my first book by her was The Pact and it just wowed me with the writing style and the storylines. Since I read most of her books in high school, I don’t think I fully appreciated the complexity of her characters and their situations. I’d definitely love to re-read my favorites at some point!

Robin Sloan. Sloan’s books are so odd, intriguing, and full of quirky loveable characters that worm their way into your heart! Sourdough is probably one of my all time favorite books — no joke. It just makes me feel warm and so happy. Mr. Penumbra’s was also such a fun-tastic adventure with BOOKS and who wouldn’t love that?! I wish it were easier to get my hands on more of his books!

Helen Hoang. Hoang has only put out two books (The Bride Test and The Kiss Quotient) so far but I’ve loved both of them dearly! I love the diversity of her romances. They’re awkward, funny, sweet, (so) steamy, and have left me feeling light-hearted after each read. I am also eagerly looking forward to reading about QUAN in her next book, The Heart Principle. She describes it as: “kind of a cross between a gender-swapped Sabrina and Say Anything” … I MEAN C’MON. All the 😍 emojis.

Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff. I’m a little embarrassed to mention this but I’ve only ever read anything by both authors that they’ve written together. So that’s The Illuminae Files and Aurora Rising. It’s not that I don’t want to read what they’ve written separately, there are just SO MANY books and so few waking+non-working hours! But I will buy anything these two write together. They are the ultimate dynamic writing duo and slay me with their stories and characters!

V.E. Schwab. After finishing ADSOM I immediately knew it’d be one of my all-time favorite series and Schwab immediately jumped onto my auto buy authors list. I loved the writing, storyline and characters. The magic really came to life! I’ve since read and loved her Monsters of Verity and Villains series.

Christina Lauren. It’s as simple as I love CLo and pretty much everything that I’ve read from them! Josh and Hazel‘s Guide to Not Dating is undoubtedly one of my all-time favorite romances. This duo never fail to make me laugh, swoon, squeal, and generally have the most fun reading experience with their books. I’m so looking forward to reading Twice In A Blue Moon when it comes out!

Jane Harper. I discovered Harper this year after reading The Dry and there was just no looking back. Her writing is just stunning. It’s so deeply atmospheric, reading her stories takes you straight into the punishing dry heat of the Australian outback. Although her books are classified as thrillers, I’d say they’re more mystery, but they kept me guessing right up to the end.

Brian K. Vaughan. He’s the writer of my all time favorite graphic novel series, Saga. I’ve mentioned this one countless times already on my blog but it’s seriously so freaking good. Anytime someone asks me for graphic novel recs, Saga is the first one I mention. He’s also written Paper Girls, which I enjoyed!

Who are your auto buy authors? If you’ve done a TTT this week, leave your link in the comments and let’s chat auto buy authors!

#TopTenTuesday: Bookish Characters I’d Like to Befriend!

Dini @ dinipandareads37 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week is a Character Freebie and since I’ve just finished reading a book that reminded me why I love reading about books in books and characters who are passionate about books, I thought I’d do my post today on bookish characters that I’d like to befriend. Most of these characters might be from my more recent reads, since they’re fresher in my mind. Either way, I’d love to be friends with these fellow book lovers–I think we’d have so much fun reading?! Without further ado, here we go!

Elisabeth Scrivener from Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. This book and this lady is my inspo for choosing today’s topic. I would probably feel safe being Elisabeth’s friend in a library because I know she’s bad ass enough to protect me, if I can’t protect myself 🙃 She just seems like a really cool girl. Also, Sorcery has fast become one of my favorite reads this year so all I’m going to say is (please) READ IT!

Kya Clark aka Marsh Girl from Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Kya is… one of the strongest characters I’ve read in recent years. Her development and growth blew me away and I would love to hang with her in the marsh, exploring the beauty of nature that she captures through her books. I think she’d be an amazing friend to have, which is one of the reasons my heart broke so much when reading this book.

Tanner Scott from Autoboyography by Christina Lauren. It’s pretty obvious Tanner is a bookish character, especially since the book revolves around him writing a book within four months. Tanner sounds like he’d be so much fun to hang out with and his heart is so pure, I’d love to have him as a friend (so we can talk about books, boys and everything else).

Cath from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I think the title of this book pretty much sums it up. Cath is a super relatable character (book nerd and fangirl) and I’d love to have met someone like her at uni (or even now, really). I feel your thoughts, girl.

Elizabeth Bennet from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. Although this book appears so often on my blog, I would be remiss to not include both the character and book in this list because Elizabeth is a classic bookworm. I love this book, and her character and I love that she values books and reading so much! I don’t know what it’d be like to befriend her, but I really want to be 😂

Penny Lee from Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi. She’s awkward, full of anxiety and totally absorbed in her make believe worlds, but I’d absolutely love to be Penny’s friend. I think she’d definitely make you work to be her friend, but it would be 100% rewarding. Buried deep under all that outer awkwardness, I think she just wants to be a cinnamon roll.

Matilda Wormwood from Matilda by Roald Dahl. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be friends with this adorable, witchy little bookworm? It’d be so much fun! Would avoid diabolical Trunchbull and her weirdo “parents” at all costs though!

Belle from In Bed with the Beast (Naughty Princess Club #2) by Tara Sivec. If you can’t tell, this is a retelling of Beauty & the Beast. This Belle works at a library and as the title suggests, gets to share a bed with a very sexy beast. I loved Belle’s nerdiness and all the facts she would spew at very inappropriate moments! If we were friends, I reckon I’d be laughing and reading 24/7, not to mention I’d learn so much!

Lazlo Strange from Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) by Laini Taylor. So at the end of this book, Lazlo becomes something more than just a Junior Librarian, so it’d be amazing to have a friend with such powers. But on the real, Lazlo is such a genuinely sweet, good guy who loves books and the stories as much as all of us book lovers (if not more)!

Honorary Mentions:
(The OG) Belle and Hermione Granger. Obviously these two have to make it onto this list because they’re classics just as much as Elizabeth Bennett is and I’d love to be both their friends. Hermione would teach me so much magic (and just knowledge in general lol) and I would get lost in Belle’s (and Beast’s) library and basically end up living in that grand place.

Would you want to befriend any of these bookish characters?
What character freebie have you done for today’s Top Ten Tuesday? Leave your link in the comments and let’s chat characters!

#TopTenTuesday: Childhood Favorites

Dini @ dinipandareads29 Comments

It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is: Childhood Favorites. Wowow. Did I love this walk down memory lane or did I love it? Writing this post was so much fun! Honestly, with my very terrible memory, I’ve pretty much forgotten the majority of what I used to read as a kid. But yay for Goodreads and Google because it really helped to jolt my memory. As a kid I would spend hours in the library; during play breaks and over lunch mostly to avoid bullies, and I’d beg mum to let me stay late after school so I could spend more time in there. It was my refuge and for always books have given me a sense of comfort and protection from the outside world. Here are some of the favorites that used to line my bookshelf at home.

Little Critter Series by Mercer Mayer.
I loved this little guy. The stories were so sweet and cute and just looking at these covers makes me wish that I still had copies of these books. I read all of them multiple times!

Arthur Adventure Series by Marc Brown.
Who doesn’t love Arthur, his friends, family and daily adventures?! I loved the TV series just as much as I did reading the books.

The Magic School Bus Series by Joanna Cole.
The magic school bus was magical and I learned so much through this series. I always wished science was as fun as this in real life and that my teacher would be as cool as Ms. Frizzle. On the Ocean Floor was absolutely my favorite. I had a real thing for the ocean when I was a kid. At one point one of my childhood dreams was to become a marine biologist.

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.
Do you remember the first book to ever make you cry? I’m pretty sure this book was the first one to make me bawl so hard. This was also the book that taught me that having dogs in books is not always a good thing because more often than not, your heart breaks at the end. I still remember how excited I was when I came home with this book–it was my treasure! Oh, the memories 🥰

A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein.
Oh my goodness, Silverstein’s books were my absolute favorite. These were the books that made me love poetry and the magic of playing around with words and rhyming. I’m pretty sure I checked out this book and Where the Sidewalks Ends from the library dozens of times. I definitely want to add all of Shel Silverstein’s books to my shelves!

Goosebumps Seriesby R.L. Stine.
Anyone who knows me now would never believe that there was once a time I’d voluntarily read scary books. I’m pretty sure it was reading Goosebumps that turned me into the ultimate chicken because now I can’t stand the stuff—I’m just not made for it (sorry 🤷🏻‍♀️)! That said, my younger self used to love scaring the bejeezus out of myself because I had a whole load of these books. My favorites were the ones where you could “pick your own adventure” (basically a nightmare) and I’d go through the books again and again to read all the different endings. Fun times!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket #1) by Roald Dahl. My love for this book will never die. I remember being so blown away with the idea of this book — that there could be such magic in a factory full of choccies, sweets and all the wonderfully sweet (and unfairly forbidden) treats that I loved as a kid. This book and Charlie’s adventures in Willy Wonka’s factor was absolute magic to me and to this day, thinking about it still reminds me of how happy reading this story made me as a kid!

Animorphs Series by K.A. Applegate. OK, seriously, who remembers this crazy cool series!?Because I was legit obsessed with the Animorphs when I was in middle school. I loved the idea of shape shifting and generally kicking ass. I guess you could say this was my first foray into Sci-Fi. They were the best.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. Looking back now I realize how strong a character Karana is. I loved this story of survival and it was just a bonus that it was a story with the ocean and dolphins. I 100% would have perished on that island lol

A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle.
I think this was the first book that I read in my early teens where I fell in love with romance in books. I was obviously already into boys and had loads of crushes, but this book made me want that summer love so bad! I was also part of the marine biology club in school at the time, so the fact that this story involves the ocean was even better. Funnily enough, every time I think about books I loved when I was younger, this cover is the first one that comes to mind, though I could (sadly) never remember the title, but bless Google. It’s amazing what you can find!

Did you read any of these as a child? What are some of your favorite childhood books? If you’ve done a Top Ten Tuesday post for today’s prompt, leave your link in the comments below and let’s chat 🙂

#TopTenTuesday: My Summer 2019 TBR!

Dini @ dinipandareads25 Comments

We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is: Books On My Summer 2019 TBR. YAY! I love these types of list and coincidentally, I’m also doing the Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge so this post is going to be fairly painless to write 😂 (lucky for me since my brain still isn’t at 100% capacity after last week’s insanity)!

Since I live on a tropical island it’s basically summer all year round, but this time of the year is actually the nicest time to visit Bali (FYI for any travel lovers out there), as it’s winter in Australia and we get nice cool winds coming up to temper the blazing heat of the southern sun! When I think of summer reads I picture something along the lines of “lighter” contemporary fiction, romantic comedies, and even some thrillers; although I’m not averse to “heavier” reads either. I’m sharing a question that I asked in my GR summer reading challenge post: What months make up summer for you? It’s fun to see what everyone says because it’s quite different worldwide. I’ve always thought of summer as June – August! Anyway, without further ado, here are some of the books I hope to tackle in the coming summer months that we have left!

The Flatshare Beth O’Leary. I’ll be reading this for the GR challenge prompt: In the friend zone: Read a book that a friend has recommended. I’ve heard some mixed reviews about this one, although still mostly positive. It honestly sounds like something I’ll love though (I have a feeling it’ll tug on my heartstrings), so I’m really keen to finally read it!

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim. Ok, so this one isn’t really a “light summer read” but it’s one of my most anticipated ones of this year! It’s still not out in Asia, and I don’t know when it’ll ever be, so when I won a giveaway last month, I didn’t hesitate to request it! It finally arrived in the mail two weeks ago and with work and other book ‘obligations’ (i.e. ARCs and book club reads) I haven’t got around to it. SOON THOUGH 😍

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. I’ve been looking forward to this book for a while and it’s been on my TBR for some time too. I’ve heard many rave about it, and it’s on my pride month reading list, but unfortunately I don’t think I’ll get to it before June ends. So, summer it is!

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves. This has been a little hyped on bookstagram, but there’s something about this book that I feel like I’ll love–probably because it will rip my heart to shreds and I’m a crier and a total sucker for pain (Kidding! Sort of).

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. Doesn’t this cover just scream summer? And also death, and possibly death in the water? But definitely summer vibes!

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas. I started reading a bit of this the other day when I was lounging around on my couch and feeling too lazy to go into the bedroom to grab my current read. Not only did the blurb pull me in but what I read so far has me intrigued!

Aurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. This duo won me over with the Illuminae Files and honestly, I’m not expecting any different with this one. I’m ready for my feelings to get sucker punched–BRING IT ON!

More than Words by Jill Santopolo. Aside from being unable to take my eyes off the cover of this book, the blurb sounds like something that I’ll really enjoy. I’ve never read any Jill Santopolo before, but I’ve heard good things from quite a few people!

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith. I adore this cover, the story sounds really sweet/cute, and it’s not a very thick book, which makes it perfect for light pool/beachside reading!

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I’ll be reading this as a group/buddy read in July and I’m also reading it for one of the summer reading challenge prompts: Armchair traveler: Read a book set in a destination you want to visit. So, I’m lowkey obsessed with Alaska and I have no idea when that obsession started. But yeah, I want to go there. Definitely a bucket list location!

What are some of the books on your summer TBR?! If you’ve done a Top Ten Tuesday post for today’s prompt, leave your link in the comments below and let’s have a chat 🙂