Top Ten Tuesday: Top (Almost) Ten Reading Resolutions for 2016

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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 Resolutions for 2016.

I don’t generally go for formal resolutions, but here are a handful that I’ve come up with that relate to my reading life. Will I stick with them? Time will tell.

resolve

1) I resolve to concentrate on reading the books I already own.

2) I resolve to ease my guilty conscience by finally catching up on my NetGalley books from last year.

3) I resolve to read all the books I urgently needed in 2015, which I bought as soon as they came out and then left sitting on my shelf.

4) I resolve to resist the urge to participate in challenges or any other sort of activity that tells me what or when or how much to read.

5) I resolve to (attempt to) read series as a whole — all books in a row — rather than reading them as they come out and then forgetting all the details in between volumes.

6) I resolve to attach my backlog of graphic novels. Buffy, I’m looking at you!

7) I resolve to branch out just a wee bit when picking books from the library, sampling genres and subject matter that I might not normally read.

8) I resolved to continue my recent trend of Reading On a Whim! (Stated in bold upper case, because I want to hammer it into my own head…) My best and most enjoyable reading happens when it’s unscheduled, not glued to a calendar, but driven purely by whatever strikes my mood when I’m looking for the next book. It doesn’t always work that way, but it’s certainly the reading pattern I want to strive for.

9) And in non-bookish resolutions… I need to exercise more, explore my city more, and make more of an effort to play and relax.

Resolved

That’s what I’m aiming for in 2016!

What are your bookish (and non-bookish) resolutions for 2016? Please share your links!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Shelf Control and 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 Can’t-Wait Books for the 1st Half of 2016

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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 Most Anticipated Releases For The First Half of 2016.

Organized by release month, here are the books I’ll be dying for in the first six months of 2016… some of which I already have on preorder!

January:

1) All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders: A new sci-fi novel by one of my favorite writers and recappers at io9.

All the Birds

 

February:

2) Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys: About a WWII-era tragedy. Sounds amazing.

Salt to the Sea

3) All the Winters After by Seré Prince Halverson: Fiction set in Alaska! I’m in.

All the Winters After

March:

4) Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs: The new Mercy Thompson book!!! I love this series so much.

Fire Touched

5) The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters: After reading three of her novels in 2015, I’ve officially moved Cat Winters onto my “must read no matter what” list of authors.

Steep & Thorny Way

April:

6) Fellside by M. R. Carey: I loved The Girl With All the Gifts. This new book sounds deliciously creepy.

Fellside

7) Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld: The newest volume in The Austen Project is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, and for me, it’s a must!

Eligible

May:

8) The Fireman by Joe Hill. Yes. Just yes.

The Fireman

9) At the Edge of Summer by Jessica Brockmole: I loved the author’s previous novel, Letters From Skye!

At the Edge of Summer

10) Peace Talks by Jim Butcher: the 16th book in the always amazing Dresden Files series!

No cover yet for Peace Talks, but here's a classic Dresden image.

No cover yet for Peace Talks, but here’s a classic Dresden image.

 

What books are you most eager to read in 2016? Please share your links!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Shelf Control and 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 (and Bookish Goodies) I’d Love To Get As Gifts (2015)

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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 Wouldn’t Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year. Since I don’t have a tree and I’m not on Santa’s route (and my winter holiday has already come and gone), I’ll stick with books and bookish items that I’d love to get as gifts — any time at all!

For the most part, my list consists of books and related things 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 necessity — I just most likely wouldn’t buy these for myself. (Ahem, secret gift givers — are you paying attention??)

1) The new illustrated Harry Potter: This looks absolutely gorgeous! Next time I find myself with a giftcard in my hands, this will be my treat to myself.

HarryPotter_illustrated

2) Also related to Harry Potter, I’d love to get the complete series as audiobooks:

Audio HP

3) This one has been on my “want” list for years: 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.

 

4) This one too: 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?

5) The gorgeous hardcover collected edition of the first three volumes in the Saga series:

Saga deluxe

 

6) Sticking with graphic novels, I’d love to own my own set of the Alex + Ada trilogy, which I read this past year thanks to my public library:

7) I have a perfectly functional Kindle — but it’s one of the old-model keyboard Kindles, and I’m kind of itching for an upgrade (for no good reason, really, since it works just fine and I enjoy using it). Still, if I were to get a newer Kindle, I’d probably go for the Kindle Voyage, ‘cuz it just seems cool.
Kindle Voyage

8) I love all the amazing book-related shirts, totebags, mugs, etc over at Out of Print:

OOP1

9) I’d definitely love to receive pretty much any of the Collectible Edition books available from Barnes and Noble:

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)

10) There are several memoirs and non-fiction books that I’ll probably borrow from the library eventually, but wouldn’t mind actually owning — among them:

boys in the treesWitchesAccent

 

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 our regular weekly features, Shelf Control and 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 (or so) Books I Read in 2015

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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 2015. I pulled up my Goodreads stats for 2015… and discovered that I gave 5-star ratings to 48 books.

Granted, some of these were re-reads (A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein) or audiobook versions of classics I read long ago (all the works of Jane Austen), but still, it’s kind of thrilling to see how many books I truly loved in 2015!

For the purposes of this list, I’m narrowing it down to the best of the bunch, excluding re-reads and graphic novels, and probably leaving out some of the books I’ve already raved about ad infinitum. 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) Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova (review)

Inside the O'Briens

2) The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant (review)

Boston Girl

3) Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf (review)

Our Souls At Night

4) The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (review)

Invention of Wings 2

5 & 6) The Uninvited (review) and The Cure for Dreaming (review) by Cat Winters

CWinters

7) The Marvels by Brian Selznick (review)

The Marvels

8) Winger by Andrew Smith (review)

Winger

9) Depth by Lev AC Rosen (review)

Depth

10) The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson (review)

the bookseller

Look, I read too many great books this year to stop at 10… so onward we go!

11) You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day (review)

You're Never Weird

12) The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher (review)

Aeronauts Windlass

13) The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian (review)

light

14) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (review)

All the Light

15) The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (review)

The Boys in the Boat

What were you favorite books from 2015? Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10… or 15!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Shelf Control and 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 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 & a Teaser for Tuesday

Tuesday

Switching things up a bit this week…

Usually, I participate in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and The Bookish… but for this week’s topic, I mostly drew a blank. So, I thought I’d do a two-fer post: Two memes for the price of one! (Hey, don’t worry! There’s no cover charge on Tuesdays… )

First up, for Top Ten Tuesday: The topic is Top Ten Covers I Wish I Could Redesign. I couldn’t come up with more than five, so here’s my abbreviated list:

1) Joyland by Stephen King: As I said in my review, this cover really bears almost no relation to the content or the tone of Joyland, which is — for me, anyway — a nostalgic look book at a special summer, in which the main character unravels a murder mystery but more importantly does some serious growing up. Here’s the real cover, on the left:

JoylandAnd on the right, ferris-wheel-100234_640_2here is my not-terribly-artistic attempt at something that better captures the mood of the book. (Pretend someone with actual design skills made this, and use heaping doses of imagination):

2 & 3 & 4) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: I love the Harry Potter series so very much… but seriously, the cover art on the first three books makes Harry look so dorky!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

From Goblet of Fire onward, Harry looks much cuter and cooler. I mean, I love him no matter what — but I was much happier with the cover art for books 4 – 7!

5) The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones:

The Uninvited Guests

When I checked this book out of the library, I expected — based on the cover and the synopsis — something a bit Downton Abbey-ish.

But no. The book is a weird muddle of a comedy of manners and a ghost story, and perhaps it’s just because my expectations were so far off, but it didn’t work for me at all (Read my review, here, if you want to know more!) Give this book a spooky or sinister image on the cover, and maybe it would have worked out. Truth in advertising, people!

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And for my second Tuesday book meme, it’s Teaser Tuesday!

TTe

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading, and here’s how it works:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share a few “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• Link up over at Should Be Reading!

My teaser this Tuesday are from Just One Day by Gayle Forman:

On the ride back to Utrecht, I call Agnethe the Dane to see if Lulu sent her any photographs, if there had been any correspondence. but she hardly remembers who I am. It’s depressing. This day, so seared in my memory, is just another day to everyone else. And in any case, it was just one day, and it’s over now.

Do you have a top 10 list or a teaser to share this Tuesday? Leave your link in the comments and I’ll be sure to come check out your blog! Thanks for visiting Bookshelf Fantasies… and have a great Tuesday!