Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’d Love To Get As Gifts (New & Improved for 2014!)

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Note from your friendly Bookshelf Fantasies host: When I looked back at my 2013 post for this topic, I realized that about 80% of it still holds true a year later! So, with a few minor changes and updates, here’s my list from last year — since I still want ’em all!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Bringing Me.

Sadly, my house is not on Santa’s route (and I promise, it’s not because I’ve been naughty this year!) Still, if some magical bearer of gifts happened to drop by, these are the books I’d be hoping for! As I did last year when this topic came up, I’m filling up my list with books that I’d love to receive, but for whatever reason — high price, feeling like too big an indulgence, a “nice to have” but not really a necessary book — I just most likely wouldn’t buy these for myself. (Ahem, secret gift givers — are you paying attention??)

1) Firefly: A Celebration by Joss Whedon

fireflyDescription: Titan’s three bestselling Firefly titles collected together at last, just in time for the 10th anniversary of Joss Whedon’s beloved series. This huge, 544 page full colour volume is simply one of the most lavish books ever produced for a TV show, and is presented in a foil-stamped leather-effect binding. Plus, as an exclusive bonus for this edition, a pocket at the back of the book contains 9 frameable photo prints of the cast, featuring rare and previously unseen images, and a facsimile of one of the prop banknotes used in the show.

2)Bone: Full Color One Volume Edition by Jeff Smith

bone slipcoverBone is one of my very favorite things ever. I love the artwork, the story, and the ridiculous stupid rat creatures. We have the 9 individual books, but I’m sure lusting after this all-in-one version. However… at about $100, this isn’t an edition I’m likely to buy unless I’m suddenly discovered by some long-lost wealthy relative… I can dream, can’t I?

3) Harry Potter stuff:

This gorgeous Harry Potter collection:

potterDo I need another set of Harry Potter in my house? Well, no. But I’m so enchanted by the cover artwork by Kazu Kibuishi… and this boxed set would look so pretty on my shelf…

hp-deluminatorI’d also be happy with some cool HP memorabilia like, oh, a deluminator or something… or if someone really wants to splurge, there’s also this amazing movie collector’s set:

HP colleciton

4) The Hobbit: Illustrated Edition by J. R. R. Tolkien; Illustrated by Jemima Catlin

Hobbit-Jemima-Catlin1Have you seen the images from this illustrated edition of The Hobbit? Just gorgeous. This may be one book that I’ll end up treating myself to. Want, want, want.

Hobbit_Dwarves._V368536400_

5) I would be tickled pink to receive pretty much any book from the Barnes and Noble Collectible Editions library. Here are few that I especially covet… but really, I’d take ’em all if I could:

Dracula and Other Horror Classics (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions)The Bronte Sisters: Three Novels (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions)Anne of Green Gables (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions)

And now, new for 2014:

6 & 7) My comic fixations:

I have the trade paperback editions of all Fables volumes published so far — but now I wish I had the deluxe edition hardcovers. And those Fables bookends are pretty sweet too…

Image via pinterest; source unknown.

Image via pinterest; source unknown.

And while I’m on the subject of deluxe editions of my favorite graphic novels series, the same goes for Y: The Last Man. I have all of the volumes in paper, but those deluxe edition hardcovers look amazing.

8) I can’t see buying this for myself, but I think a great gift would be The World of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin:

Aegon_on_Black_Dread_J.Gonzalez-1024x683

Image from The World of Ice and Fire, via http://www.georgerrmartin.com

9, 10, and a bit more) There are a whole bunch of books that I’ve read over the years, borrowed from friends or from the library or read on my Kindle. that I’d really like to have my very own hard copy of on my bookshelves. I can’t quite justify paying full price for these, but if a holiday elf wanted to drop one off, I’d be grateful!
Lifegirl with all the giftsThe Snow ChildWonderstruck

And a bonus pick:

This isn’t a book, but it’s certainly bookish. Two years ago, I used a holiday gift card to treat myself to My Ideal Bookshelf by Thessaly La Force and Jane Mount. It’s an absolutely beautiful book, and I’ve had so much fun leafing through it and picking out all of my favorites. But now, what I really covet is one of the prints available through the Ideal Bookshelf website. My only difficulty is in picking just one: Do I want:

Ideal Bookshelf 660: Girl Stars

Ideal Bookshelf 660: Girl Stars

or perhaps:

Ideal Bookshelf 629: Fantasy

Ideal Bookshelf 629: Fantasy

If I had unlimited dollars and unlimited wall space, I think I’d want them all! Or maybe totally splurge, and get a custom painting! (Check out the options here.)

So that’s my little holiday cheer list for whatever extra-special pixies are circling my house bearing gifts!

What are you hoping to find under your tree, in your stocking, or in the UPS driver’s hands this year? Whatever you’re wishing for, I wish you good health, good friends, lots of laughter, and amazing reading!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out my regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Read in 2014

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I Read in 2014. I read so many great books this past year, and I’ve already raved about quite a few of them. In no particular order, here are the best of the bunch:

Note: If you want to know more about any of the books mentioned here, click on the links to see my reviews.

1) I Shall Be Near To You by Erin Lindsay McCabe

IShallBeNear

 2) The Martian by Andy Weir

martian

3) Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon

MOBY

4) The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

AJFikry

5) Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

Midwinterblood

6) Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

unbroken

7) We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

jackson

8) The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey

girl with all the gifts

9) Archetype and Prototype by M. D. Waters

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10) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

rebecca

What were you favorite books from 2014? Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014. What fun! I “met” so many authors this year for the first time. Here are the best of the bunch:

Note: If you want to know more about any of the books mentioned here, click on the links to see my reviews.

1) Erin Lindsay McCabe: One of my very favorite books of 2014 was Erin Lindsay McCabe’s debut novel I Shall Be Near To You. A simply stunning love story set during the Civil War, written with power, grace, and true emotion.

IShallBeNear

2) Liane Moriarty: I’m thrilled to have discovered this talented Australian writer. In 2014, I read The Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lies, and absolutely want to read more.

big little lies

3) Jamie Ford: I finally read Jamie Ford’s break-out bestseller, The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, and loved it. I’m really looking forward to reading Songs of Willow Frost in the coming months.

hotel

4) Andy Weir: The Martian was one of my biggest surprises this year! I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.

martian

5) M. R. Carey: Just when I thought the topic of zombies was completely played out, along came The Girl With All The Gifts!

girl with all the gifts

6) Patricia C. Wrede: Thanks to reading with my son, I finally caught up with this children’s author who excels at magical world-building! I enjoyed her Frontier Magic trilogy, and I’m currently 3/4 of the way through her Enchanted Forest Chronicles. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author, especially Sorcery & Cecilia, which people have been recommending to me for years.

frontier magic

7) Mur Lafferty: If you like your paranormal fiction on the light and snarky side, then check out Mur Lafferty’s two very funny books, The Shambling Guide to New York City and The Ghost Train to New Orleans. The conceit wears a tiny bit thin by the second book, but I still had a lot of fun with both.

shambling

8) Andrew Smith: Grasshopper Jungle was one of the weirdest books I read in 2014 — and I loved it. I haven’t read anything else by this author yet, but I intend to.

grasshopper jungle

9) Alexander McCall Smith: Okay, here I’m extremely late to the party — but I finally read The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, and thought it was terrific! I picked up a stack of books from the series at a used book sale this fall, and I look forward to reading these on and off during the coming year.

no 1 ladies

10) Nomi Eve: Henna House is moving and lovely, and I’m looking forward to reading it again when my book club reads it in 2015.

henna house

I can’t wait to see who I’ll meet in 2015!

Which authors did you discover in 2014?

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’m Looking Forward to Reading in 2015

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

What am I looking forward to reading in 2015? Let’s see…

For this week’s list, I’m going to stick to books that I haven’t already drooled over in recent TTT posts. Keeping that in mind, here are ten books I’m excited about for next year, including brand new releases plus a few new paperback editions scheduled for 2015:

 1) The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

the nightingale

2) Beastkeeper by Cat Hellisen

beastkeeper

3) Blue Stars by Emily Gray Tedrowe

blue stars

4) The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

darkest part

5) I Was Here by Gayle Forman

i was here

6) The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson

the bookseller

7) Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder

girl runner

8) Vicious by V. E. Schwab
(paperback to be released January 2015)

vicious

9) Lock In by John Scalzi
(paperback to be released August 2015)

lock in

10) All I Love and Know by Judith Frank
(paperback to be released April 2015)

all i love

What books are you dying to read in 2015?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on My Winter TBR List

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is about reading plans for this winter. What’s on my to-be-read list? Ha, what isn’t? Not that I ever end up sticking to a plan — but as of now, here are the top 10 books I’m looking forward to reading during the next few months.

 1) Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.
It’s about time that I finally read this, right?

mistborn

2) Noggin by John Corey Whaley

noggin

3) The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

invention of wings

4) The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian

light

5) The Hundred Year House by Rebecca Makkai

100 year house

6) Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

station eleven

7) The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

last letter

8) Washington’s Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger (because it’s about time that I venture outside my little world of fiction and read some history, yo)

washington's secret six

9) Saga by Brian K. Vaughan (need to re-read volumes 1 & 2, then go on to read volumes 3 & 4)

saga 4

10) The Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue

boy who drew

What books will be keeping you warm this winter?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Sequels I Can’t Wait to Read

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is about hotly awaited sequels… the ones that keep us jumping and down in crazy anticipation.

My choices fall into two general categories:

Sequels coming soon… and we already know when:

By release date:

1) Symbiont by Mira Grant (sequel to Parasite… ick!) – to be released 11/25/2014

symbiont

2) The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion (sequel to The Rosie Project) – to be released 12/30/2014

rosie

3) Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega series, #4) by Patricia Briggs – to be released 3/3/2015

dead heat

4) Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell (sequel to Doc) – to be released 3/3/2015

epitaph

5a) Fables, volume 21 by Bill Willingham – to be released 3/3/2015

and

5b) Fables, volume 22 (6/2015) … which I’m not really eager for because IT’S THE LAST IN THE SERIES! I’m seriously upset about Fables coming to an end.

not the actual cover...

not the actual cover…

6) Prudence by Gail Carriger – to be released 3/17/2015 (I know, I know: Technically, this isn’t a sequel — it’s the start of a brand-new series — The Custard Protocol — but since it follows The Parasol Protectorate series, I’m saying it counts!)

prudence

7) Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray (sequel to The Diviners) – to be released 4/1/2015… although at this point, it’s been so long since I’ve read The Diviners, I’m not sure how much I really care about continuing with the series.

lair

Since I’m not convinced that I actually want to read Lair of Dreams, I’m including an alternate #7:

7) Stiletto by Daniel O’Malley (sequel to The Rook) – to be released 7/1/2015

stiletto

Sequels coming eventually… but no actual date has been announced:

8) Peace Talks by Jim Butcher (#16 in the Dresden Files series).

dresden

 9) The Winds of Winter by George R. R. Martin (#6 in A Song of Ice and Fire)

winds

And last, but not least — and certainly the book that I want to read more than any others on this list (but too bad it’s not written yet!):

10) Untitled 9th book in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

outlander-series pm

 

OK, yes, my top 10 list has 12 books on it… but the more the merrier!

Did any of mine make your list? What sequels are you most eager to read?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Characters Who Deserve Their Own Books

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is about characters we love so much that we’d love to see them star in their own books.

My top 10 are:

1) Young Ian (Ian Murray, Jr.) from the Outlander series by Diana GabaldonIan doesn’t appear until book #3, Voyager, but he instantly makes every scene he’s in simply awesomesauce. Ian is funny and fierce, and one of the big delights of the series is watching Ian grow from gawky teen to… well, I won’t say (spoilers!), but he’s just the best, and I’d happily read a whole book from his point of view.

2) Sirius Black (Harry Potter): I’m not sure what else there is to say about Sirius, but his brief time in the series always broke my my heart, and he remains one of my favorite (and most tragic) book boyfriends.

3) Likewise from Harry Potter, I could never get enough of the Weasley twins or older brothers Bill and Charlie. So how about a story about the Weasley brothers (well, those who remain) after the battle for Hogwarts?

4) Bran Cornick (Mercy Thompson series): Bran is the Marrock, the most powerful werewolf in North America, and I find him to be one of the most fascinating characters in the Mercy-verse. He’s always off to the side, pulling strings, and even though we see much more of him in the Alpha & Omega books, an entire novel centered on Bran would make me very happy indeed.

5) Thomas Raith (Dresden Files): Harry Dresden’s vampire half-brother Thomas brightens up every scene he’s in, and usually my only complaint after finishing a Dresden book is “not enough Thomas”. So let’s get Thomas his own book (Backup, at 70 pages, doesn’t really count) — or better yet, his own series of books.

6) Finnick Odair (The Hunger Games): Okay, I’m not entirely sure I’d want to read a whole book about Finnick — but I do want more of Finnick and Annie’s story than we got in the Hunger Games books.

7) Kate and Elliot (50 Shades): Yes, I read the books! (hiding under rock…) While I thought the books were mostly ridiculous, I did actually like the characters of Kate and Elliot and wouldn’t have minded seeing more of them. As people. Not more of them as in without clothes. Oh, you know what I mean.

8) Aragorn (LOTR): I have a hard time separating book Aragorn from movie Aragorn… but all Aragorn is good Aragorn, right? I’d happily read nothing but Aragorn stories for a week or two. He’s my king!

9) Reagan (Fangirl): I love Cath’s prickly roommate and would love to hear more about her life.

10) Gallowglass, Ysabeau, Philippe, Hamish… and more (All Soul’s Trilogy): One of the things that makes this trilogy so phenomenal is how deeply developed all of the supporting cast is. I’d feel like there’s so much more to know about the rest of the characters, and really hope that Deborah Harkness decides to revisit this world in future novels.

What characters would you like to see taking the lead in their own books?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’d Love to Re-Read

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic focuses on books that we’ve read already… but that are calling out for a re-read!

Here are my top picks for books I’d like to revisit:

1) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: I read this during high school, and that was a really long time ago! I feel so derelict for not having re-read it sooner, but at least I have a copy now. I’m going to try to make time for a re-read during the next few months.

mockingbird

2) Lord of the Flies by William Golding: Another one from ye olde school days that I should probably revisit.

lord of the flies

3) Either Emma or Persuasion (or both!) by Jane Austen. I really love both of these, and it’s been far too many years since I’ve picked up either book.

emma persuasion

4) Any of the Vonnegut books I’ve known and loved — top contenders being Cat’s Cradle or Galapagos.

galapagosCat's Cradle

5) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. I kept waiting to re-read this one, thinking perhaps that I’d convince my son to read it with me. He’s consistently turned me down, so it’s probably time for me to just read it on my own, and then maybe read the other books in the series too.

wrinkle

6) The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny: I never did finish this series. Of the 10 Amber books, I think I read only the first five, but it’s been a really, really long time. I should read the entire series, start to finish — and I’d really love to spend more time in this world, thinking about the labyrinth.

amber

7) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: It hasn’t been that many years since I first read this one, but I’ve only read it once and feel like I’d enjoy absorbing more of the story and the atmosphere during a 2nd go-round.

graveyard book

8) Some older Stephen King: Could be any of his earlier works, but I’m leaning toward re-reading The Stand or The Eyes of the Dragon.

the standdragon

9) Anything by Louisa May Alcott, other than Little Women: I’ve read Little Women probably a dozen times, but there are quite a few books by Louisa May Alcott which I read once and barely remember now, such as Little Men, Jo’s Boys, Rose in Bloom, and Eight Cousins.

rose in bloom

10) His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman: I re-read The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife back when The Amber Spyglass was about to be released, but that’s already a long time ago. I think it might be fun to read all three books straight through, even though I’m dreading the heartbreak that certain parts will inevitably bring me.

HisDarkMaterialsUS

 

What books are are you itching to re-read?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books to Get in the Halloween Mood

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week, we’re talking about books for getting into the Halloween spirit. With a pinch of ghosts, a dash of terror, and a few other supernatural creatures to add some chills and thrills, here are my top 10:

PicMonkey Collage1

1) A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans: What’s Halloween without a little possession?

2) Misery by Stephen King: Really, just about any Stephen King book could fit on this list. I love that Misery manages to be terror-inducing without the slightest shred of the supernatural. Just a crazy woman with an axe…

3) NOS4A2 by Joe Hill. Like father, like son… I could just as easily put Horns or Heart-Shaped Box on this list, although NOS4A2 has the scariest evil dude that I’ve encountered lately.

4) Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger: Because sometimes you just need a good ghost story. Bonus points for taking place next to (and in) an awesome cemetery.

5) The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian: Another fabulous ghost story. Absolutely a five-star read.

6) The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan: Blood, guts, gore, and existentialism. Quite the introspective murderous werewolf.

7) Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore: When you prefer your vampires with silliness and laughter. A great San Francisco setting doesn’t hurt a bit.

8) The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe: Smart witches, example #1.

9) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: Smart witches, example #2. Plus, you know, a sexy vampire — and there are even trick-or-treaters.

10) And finally, The Boys Are Back in Town by Christopher Golden: For those who like a straight-up over-the-top horror fest:

PicMonkey Collage2

 

What books put you in the Halloween mood?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

PicMonkey Collage

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is the top 10 places we want to visit because of books. And luckily for me, fictional places count too!

Without further ado, my 10 top book-related destinations:

1) The Scottish Highlands, thanks to the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.

scottish-highlands

2) Paris, because of SO many books — most recently Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins. (I’ve actually spent time in Paris, but I’d go again in a heartbeat!)

paris

3) Amsterdam, thanks to The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

amsterdam2

4) Japan, thanks to Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

japan

5) Botswana, thanks to The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

botswana

6) Australia, thanks to The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

australia

7) Italian Riviera, thanks to Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

Manarola at Dusk, Cinque Terre, Italy

8) New Orleans, because of every Anne Rice book I’ve ever read.

New-Orleans-178292

Honestly, there are so many real-world places I’d love to visit, and every time I read a book with a new or different setting, the list just gets longer and longer. I’d happily travel the world, books in hand, for the rest of my life!

To round out my top 10, I’ll just add in a couple of the fantasy worlds I wish I could get to… but alas, they only exist in fiction.

9 & 10 & beyond — the many lands of Middle-Earth:

Someone please figure out how I can get to Hobbiton (I’m short enough to fit comfortably):

hobbiton

Gondor:

gondor

and Lothlorien:

lothlorien

And that’s not even mentioning Narnia, Fillory, Westeros (well, no, too dangerous), and so many other favorite fantasy worlds.

Where will your bookish travel bug take you?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly feature, Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!