Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten Posts That Would Give The Best Picture of You

 

Here are some of my favorite posts at Novel Days that I think reveal the best portrait of myself:

• Sartorial Lit | Lessons from The Women of District 12: I think one of my favorite aspects of Novel Days are my Sartorial Lit features, because there's a place inside of me that loves dabbling in fashion. Challenging myself with the task of translating literature into something you can wear...that excites me!
• Shades of Milk and Honey Book Review: I've always been enamored by historical romances, particularly those likened to Austen. Who doesn't love romance, propriety, and a bit of magic?
• Pride and Prejudice Soapbox: Onto another Austen pick, I find myself really excited about this chronicling of my impressions of this highly lauded novel. Having a place where I can have a fun discussion about it is great. Please, join in. I know I'm not the only one who's been a bit put off by it. 
• The Subteranneans Book Review: I'm pretty much in love with Jack Kerouac. He's effected how I view writing in such a significant way.
• Perfect Chemistry Book Review: I love a good romance, and especially one that is surprising.  
• All These Things I've Done Book Review: Obscure little novels rock my world!
• ArmChair BEA Introductions: A couple of questions answered, and even a ukulele performance from, moi.
• Clockwork Angel Book Review: Team Will (Not that I don't love Jem...this is just a hard decision to make). Just saying.
• Kippa Picks | Reason To Breathe Book Review: Reading Reason to Breathe showed me an example of the awesome talent that exists within Self published titles. Now, I've such a soft spot for self published novels.
• Discovering the New Adult Genre: And last but not least, my discovery of the genre my novel falls into: New Adult.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to perusing through your post self portraits!  

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten Most Vivid Worlds/Settings in Books

Victorian London- The Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare: I spent the last week in Cassandra Clare's 'Steampunk' London and I loved every minute of it. I loved it's rich gothic setting, The Institute, and walking with Jessamine through a foggy, tree lined park. It was a very lively picture of historical London.

Forks, Washington/La Push Beach- Twilight- Stephenie Meyer: There are two things I love about Forks and LaPush: 1. That they are actual places that you can experience time and time again, 2. That they were vividly portrayed. I love the hominess that Forks seems to have. It seems a regular, small town, with its own little quirks that you probably would never know unless you lived there. I love the surrounding Rain Forests, as they are depicted by Meyer in such a lushly beautiful way. La Push seems like a dream. With the surrounding mountains, and frothy surf, it reminds me of a sunnier Welsh beach!

The Delphic- Hush Hush- Becca Fitzpatrick: I think this is one of the greatest imaginary settings that I've ever read. The Delphic in an amusement park run entirely by angels in the Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick. Who wouldn't want to ride a roller coaster surrounded by angels in hiding?

Central America/Mayan Ruins- Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard: I LOVED Kirsten Hubbard's descriptions of Central America. It is as if she took us by the hand and led her readers to these awesome little places you might never have heard of before. Constellation filled nights, soft winds, exotic drinks, and beasts, and the scent of history all around you. Sounds like paradise!

Paris- Anna and The French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins- Having been to Paris, I thought that Stephenie Perkins' portrayal was beautiful! It is a setting to dream in. I loved her descriptions of the bustling crowds,, Notre Dame, Point Zero (Which was a new discovery for me), cafes, secluded cinemas. Brilliance.

District 1, Panem- The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins- There are too many places within Panem that I would love to visit, but District 1 would take the cake. Even just for a second....When the games aren't on. (I'm no fool :-).

Tokyo- After Dark by Haruki Murakami: After I graduated college, I began to entertain ideas of visiting Japan, and Murakami's writings have done nothing but fuel my desire to explore. After Dark particularly made me want to visit his portrayal of Japan. Anything can happen in the world of Murakami, and I love his surreality. Especially between the hours of 12 and 6 AM.

Sword and Cross Boarding School- Fallen Series by Lauren Kate- When I first started the Fallen series, Sword and Cross is what stuck out to me the most. I kept picturing a historical school likened onto Oxford, or Harvard, with it's foggy, gothic setting...once again, teeming with angels on all sides.

Sleepy Hollow- The Hollow Series by Jessica Verday: I LOVED Jessica Verday's portrayal of the legendary town of Sleepy Hollow. It's rich in fragrance, autumn, spice, and stays true to its haunting nature.

The Met Nightclub- All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin: As soon as I read of The Metropolitan Museum of Art becoming a night club in Gabrielle Zevin's futuristic Birthright Series, I was blown away. This is a place I adore, and pass at least twice a week. I can totally see it as an exclusive night club!

What are your top ten most vivid worlds/settings?

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday's is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Rapture by Lauren Kate: I know that I'm not the only one looking forward to finally having unanswered questions about Luce and Daniel answered, and seeing a spectacular ending in this war of epic proportions.

Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: I think this title has delightfully surprised readers out there. I'll admit I definitely judged this novel by it's title, but according to countless recommendations, as well as a stellar one from John Green, it has landed a spot on my TBR list. My cousin Ashley, who is a cheese detector read the first page of this novel, and decided that she loved the main characters voice, and is now excited to read it. Who doesn't love Paris?

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green: This title is actually representative of all of John Green's work in that I've decided to read everything he's ever written this summer. I can't wait to go on an adventure with this poor guy who's had bad breaks with girls named Katherine. 

And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky: The wonderful Nova Ren Suma, author of Imaginary Girls, hosted a giveaway on her blog, which I am so excited to say that I've won. This novel focuses on a young woman trying to put the pieces of her life back together whilst staying in her technologically desolate grandmothers house with a copy of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and an old fashioned typewriter. Just the mention of an old typewriter caught my fancy, but with an added dash of Sylvia Plath it must be an awesome read.

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli: Of course, I can't let one Top Ten Tuesday pass without a Stargirl mention. Though I've read Stargirl cover to cover, I haven't taken the time to read through the sequel, Love, Stargirl. This beauty is written in Stargirl's point of view, and I couldn't imagine going through summer without a bit whimsy.

Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin: After taking in the genius that is Haruki Murakami, I wanted to find more Asian novelists to soak in. I glimpsed this after perusing GoodReads for recommendations and thought that it would be a fabulous mystery to add to my summer reading list. I'm excited to discover the many secrets the characters uncover about their mother after she goes missing in a crowded Korean train station.

Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal: I had a fabulous experience reading the first installment of this series, Shades of Milk and Honey. Kowal's writing is so beautiful, calming, and smooth as warm milk, that I had to include it. I fell in love with Jane and Vincent, and would totally follow them through whatever journey their gift of glamours will open them up to.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: This novel is one that after seeing so many wonderful recommendations around the blogosphere, I felt I had to read it myself. I love the thought of a mysterious circus appearing out of nowhere, and the lyrical writing that will no doubt describe this world.

Between Seasons by Aida Brassington: I'm most excited to begin this novel about a man who's passed away, and the woman who can sense his presence when she moves into his old house. This love story sets out to be heartfelt, haunting, and emotional.

The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long: This seems the perfect ending to what will be (God Willing) an awesome summer. I discovered this novel whilst perusing GoodReads. First I fell in love with the title which is a painfully gorgeous concept. The next is its world where people can be swallowed by trees. I smell a great story, ladies and gents.

What's on your summer TBR list

Top Ten Tuesdays: My Top Ten Favorite Books Ever

Top Ten Tuesday's is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Echo by Francesca Lia Block: I remember the year I decided to get serious about my writing. It was my senior year in high school, and I had to take on night classes. This novel stuck out to me whilst perusing through Barnes & Noble, and I thought, why not. I sat in my night class sneaking peeks at Echo, blown away with her lyricism, beauty, and ability to turn this ordinary world into a land of angels and magic. I knew then, I wanted to write magical realism. Each story in this novel is beautiful and heartbreaking. 

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson: This novel! Another school house favorite of mine. When I was in 4th or 5th grade, my class read this novel, and I couldn't dislodge myself from its world. I remember going home, and trying to recreate Terabithia in my room, or in the bathroom with blankets, a flashlight, and glow crayons. This novel showed me the beauty and blessing of being able to imagine farther and wider than ones own environment.

The Collected Stories of Guy de Maupassant: I'll admit that I've never been a huge fan of short stories. I always felt as if they tried so hard to be profound, and they bored me a bit. That was until I found Maupassant. I purchased an early Penguin edition, which I highly recommend. His stories are sublime, disturbing, lovely...so many words for them. The Graveyard Sisterhood is one of my favorites of his. Maupassant showed me what a short story should be, and I look forward to giving others a chance, like Salinger's 9 Stories.

Krik, Krak by Edwidge Danticat: I discovered this collection of short stories during one of my Undergrad courses that I considered crucial to the development of my adult self. Krik, Krak is striking. One of the most well written collections I've ever read! Beautiful tales of Haitian life, dealing with trauma, love, and self discovery. It really caused me to understand the beauty of being a woman of color, and the beauty of talent in our communities.

Washington Square by Henry James: Here's another novel from my Undergrad years. I consider Henry James one of the most overwhelmingly intimidating writers that I've encountered. Nevertheless, this novel was such a wonderful read. I sympathized with the main character so much, as she is, in many ways, forced into silence by her father's disdain of her, and belittlement from around her. Great book!

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers: This novel is literally the only Christian Romance that ever need to be read. Why? Because it portrays a hard, complicated, and freeing love as the hero of the story loves a young woman that is so battered by her past experiences that she cannot open herself to love. It also portrays the love that God has for us, even as we spurn Him, and turn to other people, places, and things to fulfill us, He still pursues us with a passionate love. I HIGHLY recommend this novel to every single person out there seeking a deeper understanding, in novel form, of God's love.

On The Road by Jack Kerouac: Of course you guys saw this one coming. This novel is a bit different from the rest of the list. I've been reading this novel for the past three or four years now. While I still haven't finished the novel, it ranks up there with my top ten because I relate to Jack. I love his experience with humanity, his lyrically spontaneous prose, his musings on living life with passion and drive (though, I obviously don't condone most of the shenanigans he gets into with his friends). His writing will move me to read anything he's written, simply because of it's sincerity, risk, and love of the craft.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli: All I can say about this novel is, Stargirl is my hero, and a role model for every one, ladies and gents.

Drown by Junot Diaz: Here's one more title I discovered whilst in school! Diaz is a PHENOMENAL writer and storyteller. Drown is a collection of hopeful and haunting short stories that are sure to draw you in. It tackles harsh topics such as drug use, neglect, cultural identity. I loved the color and rhythm of his prose as he spotlights his experience of what it is to be Dominican. Beautiful!

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint Exupery: This is such a darling little tale, with little nuggets to imagine to. There are bits where I wanted to cry at its adorable profundity! There's nothing like a great children's tale to get a smile on your face.

What are your top ten favorite books?