Favorite Teachers/Mentors/ Top 5 Wednesday

Favorite Teachers/Mentors/ Top 5 Wednesday

March 28th, 2018

This week's topic was on our favorite teachers/ mentors. Below, I have listed my favorites from books and movies. I cheated and made one of the answers three different people but I could not pick between the three. All of these favorites are in no particular order. 

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining.

5. Ford Prefect from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

- Ford is an unconventional teacher for Arthur. He helps Arthur learn about hitchhiking through experience and then will explain what is going on along the way. I have always enjoyed Ford as a character, he's one of my favorites out of the books. Him and his interactions, especially with Arthur are some of the best scenes in the book.

4. Obi-Wan/ Yoda/ Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars Series (this contains some minor spoilers for the series including from Episode 8: The Last Jedi)
- I wanted to put each of these Jedi masters into a category together because they are all favorites of mine. Each has a specific way of teaching their Padawan's/ pupils that fit their personalities perfectly.

- When he is younger and older, Obi-Wan tries to impart the wisdom of the Force and tries to help his apprentices to mature and grow in knowledge and wisdom. We see Obi-Wan teach at two different times in his life and both of his teaching methods are based on what he has experienced. This is also true with Luke and Yoda.

- Yoda's teaching methods, especially in The Empire Strikes Back are some of my favorite scenes in any of the movies. Yoda is not at all what Luke is expecting from a Jedi master but over time he learns a great deal from him. A lot of how he teaches Luke is through aphorisms and philosophy. Luke similar to his future mentee is expecting something else entirely from his mentor. Luke does not only learn how to use his Jedi powers as a way of defense but also as a way of meditation. Yoda challenges Luke and also tries to show him what he has to work on through strengths and weaknesses.

-Luke is an interesting teacher/ mentor for Rey. We have seen a change in Luke from the end of Return of the Jedi to The Last Jedi, from the farm boy turned Jedi. His optimism is gone and this is a change that many including Rey were not expecting to see. He has dealt with a lot in the thirty or so years and has become disillusioned because of a mistake he made with Ben Solo. Rey goes to Luke expecting something completely different than what she actually got. This sort of mirrors Yoda's first appearance in Empire. Luke has become a legend in our world but also in his own galaxy. His lessons for Rey deal with not only himself but also of the mistakes of the Jedi of the past. The problem of hubris with the Jedi is one of these lessons.

3. Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings Series
- There is an archetype that is well known called "the wise old man". Gandalf has always been one of the characters that I first think of when I hear this phrase (the other is number one on this list). He is first introduced in the books as an old man riding in a cloak with a long white beard. Characteristics of the archetype themselves but also not all of it. Gandalf is a wise man who teaches Frodo and also many others in the Fellowship. I remember really loving his character as a child and I still do to this day. He's a teacher/ mentor that I would have enjoyed to have myself.

2. Morrie Swartz from Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
-The only real person on this list. I first read Tuesdays with Morrie in high school and loved it. Morrie was Mitch's college professor but also his teacher in his adulthood. The lessons that Mitch learns in the book are life lessons that each of us could use. Morrie was a man who imparted valuable information onto his students. This wonderful man's last months left a lasting impact on Mitch but also on so many other's. I still remember this memoir to this day and think about it often.

1. Merlin from the King Arthur tales
- I was first introduced to Merlin with the Disney movie The Sword in the Stone
(I later read the wonderful book). Merlin has had so many iterations over the years and I have enjoyed the ones that I have come across. The one from the Disney movie has always stuck in my head though.

Favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy in Other Media/ Top 5 Wednesday

Favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy in Other Media

Top 5 Wednesday

March 21st, 2018

For the topic this week, we were meant to pick our favorite science fiction and fantasy from media other than books. These are some of my top favorites from movies and a radio show. 

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining.

 

5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Tis but a scratch"
I have loved King Arthur stories since I was a child and this one has been my favorite since around 2009. Monty Python has made some of the best movies of all time and this is one of them. They are some of the best at surrealist humor. This is about King Arthur and his Knights of the Roundtable who go on an adventure to find the Holy Grail for God and the ridiculousness that ensues. It's a parody of historical events and also fantasy stories. Below, I have placed some of my favorite scenes from the movie. I recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.

4. Hook:

This has always been one of my favorite "Peter Pan" movies. Peter Pan has grown up to be a workaholic man who does not spend much time with his family. When Captain Hook steals his children, Peter has to go back to Neverland and use his youthful spirit to save them. Robin Williams does a perfect job playing both sides of Peter in this movie and is incredible in it. Dustin Hoffman was also a great pick for Captain Hook. He's one of my favorite Hooks. This movie holds just as much of the wonder and magic as the original story of Peter Pan and is a lot of fun. It has been a favorite of mine for years and just thinking about it brings back happy memories.

3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio show:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of my top five favorite books (where it is on the list depends on the day). This radio show was actually what started the stories of Arthur Dent and the rest of the gang. It has changed a good amount in many of its formats but the overall story has stayed the same. Douglas Adams had this way of writing that I adore. The dry wit and surrealist humor is a favorite of mine. He's one of the best with British humor.

2. The Lord of the Rings series movies:
This is what I call the quintessential fantasy movies and trilogy. Every single aspect of these movies brings back so many memories for me and I have thought highly of them ever since I first saw them. As a child, I loved these movies but I did not even realize even then how incredible they really were. I have yet to read the books but I plan on rectifying that in the near future. This and my next favorite are two of my top favorite series of movies. Frodo and Sam are two of my favorite characters of all time and their adventure along with everyone else's is one of my favorite stories ever.

Also, when I was younger I could do an almost spot-on impression of Gollum. "My precious." He is great.

1. The Star Wars movies:
These movies along with the Disney movies are the earliest forms of entertainment that I remember consuming. This series is what holds the most memories though for me. My brother and I would always watch them together and we still make sure to go with each other to see the new ones. I remember watching them when I was little and being completely sucked into each of the stories. I fell in love with the characters, who really feel like family to me after all of these years.

My brother now is part of the 501st Legion, an international organization that dresses up as Star Wars villains for charities and events mainly for children (They make their own outfits. He's a  Stormtrooper). I have enjoyed going to these events with him and seeing the joy that Star Wars brings to those kids. It makes me think of my own love of it all and I'd love to join eventually (I would be a Royal Guard or a Praetorian Guard because I love those outfits). There is nothing like standing next to Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers. I still get chills standing beside those characters myself even though I know that they are just volunteers. I can only imagine what the kids think.

Star Wars has been a major part of my life for almost twenty years and I don't see that going away ever. I'm glad that it has continued on for the new generation and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

No movie viewing experience will ever feel as great as seeing a Star Wars movie for the first time. Especially with that opening crawl.

Books You Didn't Get to In 2017

January 10th, 2018

Top 5 Wednesday/ 

Books You Didn't Get to In 2017 

These are the books that I didn't get to in 2017 that I plan on reading this year.

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining. 

1. S by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst

This is a book that I have wanted to read for years and I will be picking it up most likely this month. I have been waiting to read this for when I had the time and now I just look forward to it so much. The premise of it intrigues me and I will be making time for it pretty soon. I can't wait. 

2. Cinder by Marissa Meyer: 

I have been wanting to get into this series for years. Retellings are sort of my favorite thing, well at least one of them. And these books have a science fiction twist, which is awesome. Also, I really loved Marissa Meyer's Heartless. So I need to read this soon. 

3. The Beauty and the Beast 
by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, MinaLima (Illustrator):

Yet another classic that I would love to read this year. I have known the story for years because of the Disney version but I have always wanted to read the original. This version looks so gorgeous and I cannot wait to experience it. The MinaLima collection of classics are my favorites. They are the best. 

4. The Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke:

This is another series that I wanted to finish off last year but never did. I read Inkheart years ago but have never finished the series for various reasons. One of them being the fact that I was spoiled for a major plot point that sort of makes me not want to continue. It makes me sad though because I adored the first book. This is one that I hope to get the motivation to read this year. We will see. 

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusack: 

Another book that I have heard nothing but amazing things about. I have been wanting to read this one for years and I plan on trying to get to it soon. Most likely, I'll pick up the audiobook. I have heard pieces of it before and loved what I heard. 

Top 5 Wednesday/ 2018 Reading Resolutions

January 3rd:

Top 5 Wednesday/  2018 Reading Resolutions

For this Top 5 Wednesday, we were supposed to pick our top 5 reading goals for the year. I decided to put my six down on the list.

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining. 

6.) Read more series that I own. I have plenty of series that I want to read this year. So a majority of what I want to read are those series. 

5.) Read at least one classic a month, one of them is definitely going to be Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Also, to go along with this, I am going to also have two classics months, April and May that I read five classics that I will pick out before. I did this last year and really enjoyed it.

A list of more that I want to read:
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Candide by Voltaire
The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
One of Jane Austen's books

4.) Read more of Rick Riordan's series. Last year I read the Percy Jackson series and this year I would at least like to read one more if not more.

3.) Read at least one of the Discworld series books by Terry Pratchett a month if not more.

2.) This is a reading/ blogging goal. I would really like to start a series monthly where I compare a book to its movie adaptation or adaptations. This is something that I have been wanting to do for so long.

1.) Finally, I would like to read at least a hundred books this year. I will be writing a review of each book I read this year here on my blog and Goodreads. This will be on Sundays.

Bookish Things You're a Grinch About/ Top 5 Wednesday

🎄 Bookish Things You're a Grinch About/ 

Top Five Wednesday- December 6th, 2017 🎄

"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch"

For this week's top 5 Wednesday, we were supposed to pick out petty bookish things that bother us/ that we hate. (Stuff about covers, dump tropes, etc.) These are not serious topics that we hate (like a lack of diversity or abusive relationships in fiction, etc.). Basically, have fun with it. 

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining. 

5. Different book sizes- This usually bothers me when books in the same series change sizes. Also, the fact that there are so many different sizes for both paperbacks and hardbacks. I kind of wish that there was one standard size for both types.

4. Series that do not have the numbers on them- When series are not numbered it makes it hard to know what order they are in. I buy a lot of series at book sales, for instance,  the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde and there are versions of the books that are numbered and then those that are not. It became a pain because since I have not read the series yet I didn't actually know the names of every single book in the series (I do now).  This is just one example. I wish that they would have the numbers on all series. It really just makes it so much easier. Also, don't start the series and not put numbers and then decide by the third book in to put them in. Ugh. 

3. Book series that start out with one perspective and then add more as they go on- There has been one series that has done this that I have read, the Divergent trilogy. Maybe I'm the only one but when Veronica Roth decided to write Allegiant in both Tris's and Four's perspective it made it very obvious to me how the book was going to end. Also, if you can't make the perspectives distinct enough what is even the point of doing this. Again, I have not really read any books that have done this again but this is just annoying to me.  

2.  Stickers on covers- This is something that I really don't deal with too much anymore because most of the books I get are online or at book sales (sometimes I do find them on these though). I have always hated when there are price stickers or "This is going to be a movie" stickers. They always leave a sticky residue on your book after you pull them off, which then causes all kinds of junk to stick to it. It just really bothers me. The worst times with this though are when the stickers will not come fully off of the book without wrecking it so you have to leave it on the cover.

1. Cover design changes halfway through a series- I have no problem when series get new cover designs after the full series is out, but why do they do it in the middle of the series. The worst case scenario is when every single book has a different cover design. This is for visual reasons mainly for me. No this does not actually affect the content of the book but if I'm going to have these book sitting on a shelf together I kind of want the books to match. 

Good example The Diviners series- I mean come on why does each book need another cover. The first was gorgeous. Also, the first two books at least are an example of being different sizes (I don't have the third so I have no clue if that one is).

Lair of Dreams looks to be about twice the size of The Diviners

but it has 611 pages to The Diviners - 578 pages. 

Books You're Thankful For/ Top 5 Wednesday

Books You're Thankful For/ Top 5 Wednesday

November 22nd, 2017

For this week's topic, we were supposed to pick out our top 5 books that we were thankful for. 

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining. 

5.) Disney's Wonderful World of Knowledge Vol. 10: Myths and Legends- This was one of the
books that I first fell in love with when I was probably about eight. I really do not know how many times that I actually read this book, but it was a lot. The major focus of this book is on Greek Mythology and this was my introduction to many of those myths. I have always loved Greek Mythology and I believe that this is one of the reasons. Also, Disney's Hercules. Each of the World of Knowledge books was told by a certain character and this one was by Minnie Mouse, which I had loved at that early age. I haven't picked this book up in a very long time and I might just do it sometime soon. It would be great to see again what really got me into Myths and Legends when I was a kid. I'm thankful for this book because of the love of both of these that was instilled in me at such an early age. This whole series is very good for children. I loved every book I read from them.

4.)  Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett- I decided to put all three of these authors together because I am thankful for them for the same reason, their humor. Each author has written plenty of books that I could place on this list. Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of my favorite books and its dry sense of humor never ceases to make me happy. Even just thinking about this book brings a large smile to my face. If I had to I'd probably read it every day. Neil Gaiman's books also have this British humor. His books are all very different but there is almost always this wonderful humor. I love the wit that his books hold and they have become favorites because of it. Finally, Sir Terry Pratchett. Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is slowly becoming one of the best series that I have ever read. He's also becoming one of my favorite authors, let alone one of the authors that I admire highly. My one wish was that I could have met him and Douglas Adams before they passed away. I could not pick between any of these books or authors because I'm thankful for them quite equally. They all will also be on next week's list.

3.) The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger- This is my ultimate recommendation. It was one of my first adult fiction books that I ever read and became a favorite right away. I had first heard of this book when the trailer came out for the movie. I saw it at my high school's library and had to take it out before I saw the movie. The day afterward I stayed home very sick from school and literally laid on the couch all day reading it. Over the years since, I have read it five times. Each time I have still connected to it just as much as I did about seven years ago. I'm thankful for the writing style of this book. It is incredible with the non-linear format that Audrey Niffenegger writes in. This is the book that I could probably read at least once a month and would still adore it. It's my favorite book for a reason.

2.) The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer- I'm a big fan of retellings, especially fairy tale retellings. I grew up with the Disney movies and those stories became a passion of mine early on. Chris Colfer was my favorite actor from the tv show Glee and I remember finding out that he was writing a series with fairy tale retellings. I pre-ordered every single one of his books so far and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. Chris's books are some of my favorites and are my favorite retellings. I love his way of playing with the classic tales and making them his own. Watching his main characters, Alex and Conner grow up throughout the series has been a joy. This year the last of the series came out in July. It was a great wrap-up to the series. I'm thankful to be able to enjoy such a great series again that makes me think of my childhood with Harry Potter. The last time I felt the way I did at the end of a series was with Harry Potter and that was ten years ago. These books are everything to me and really are some of the best that I have ever read.

1.) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling- Like many who are fans of this series, it was the series that got me majorly into reading the way I do now. I was a reader before Harry, but I became an avid reader after Harry. It was actually the third book Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban that made me fully immersed in Harry's world. I received the first three books as a Christmas gift when I was around maybe nine. At that time I read the first book but did not enjoy reading too much. Then I saw the first and second movies. The Chamber of Secrets did not help matters (I had a large fear of spiders. I still do). Then I watched the third movie and fell in love with the story. I become totally engrossed in the series and I had to finish the series. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were and still are my favorite characters. I am thankful for this series because when I think about it I become so happy. It brings back great memories of waiting patiently for the seventh book to release at midnight, staying up until three in the morning reading, and getting emotionally attached to so many characters for the first time. Harry Potter was and still is something I am most attached to and I don't know who I would be without this series. I'm thankful to call this my favorite series of all time and I would never change that for anything.

Nostalgic Book Boyfriends/ Top 5 Wednesday

Nostalgic Book Boyfriends/ Top 5 Wednesday

November 15th, 2017

This week's topic is pretty self-explanatory, we were supposed to pick the book characters that we liked when we were younger. At first, I had a hard time picking characters for this, but then I really thought about my younger self and thought of the characters below. Some have some funny stories to go along with them. I also enjoyed thinking back to my time as an early reader for some of these books and characters. I really had a good laugh thinking about all of this. :)

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Reads Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining.

5. Prince Caspian from the Chronicles of Narina (in Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and part of The Last Battle)- Probably my first book crush, that I remember adoring when I was about ten. The Chronicles of Narnia was a series that I loved with all of my heart when I was young, I still do. My second favorite of the books is Prince Caspian. I enjoyed reading about Caspian growing up and the adventures that he went on throughout the book. Also, he was a daydreamer that always dreamed of escape. He escaped into adventures and I escaped into books.


4. Harry James Potter from the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling- Harry was a character that I briefly had a crush on back a long time ago. I was not going to originally include him on this list, but I guess I have to admit to this. At the age of twelve, I wanted to be Mrs. Potter. It was probably because of his snarky attitude from the later books. I have always enjoyed this side of him. Now almost twelve years later, I can only laugh at this. :)


3. Adam Wilde from If I Stay by Gayle Forman- I first read this when it first came out when I was a freshman in high school. I then read it again in my junior year of high school and Adam reminded me of someone in my life at the time. What can I say, I like guys that can sing. I have yet to read the sequel, I'm kind of afraid that I won't like it as much as I love the first one. Also, I really wish they would have kept the original cover design for the second book. I have always loved this cover.


2. Kostos Dounas from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants- I read this series all within three days (well besides the fifth which wasn't out at the time) in 2007 when I was in eighth grade. This was probably the quickest I had ever read a series of books up until this point. Kostos was one of my earliest crushes from literature. I had always loved his relationship with Lena and could not get enough of his scenes in the books. In ninth and tenth grade, I would read certain scenes from the books over and over again. His scenes were some of the many that I would do this with. Now looking back on it, I really am not completely sure of what I really liked about him, but I do remember being obsessed with the books and him when I was fourteen. These books were everything to me when I was very young. They will always be special to me for those years.


1. Peeta Mellark from the Hunger Games Series- This was a series that I actually was not interested in reading until a good friend recommended them to me in my senior year. I blame her for my obsession with it. I borrowed each of them from my high school library and read them in three days, in between writing two essays. I specifically remember rewarding myself with another chapter (which became about five) each time I finished writing a paragraph. Needless to say, I became utterly enthralled in this story. One of my favorite aspects of these books was Mr. Peeta Mellark. I had a thing for the baker's son, from his first introduction. He's cunning, caring, smart, and a steady rock for Katniss when she is most vulnerable. I loved seeing him grow throughout the books and was devastated at the end of Catching Fire and in Mockingjay. He was the definition of selfless often willing to sacrifice himself for Katniss. So yeah, he was my favorite part of this series. I'll have to reread these sometime soon, it's been too long since the first time.

Genre Benders/ Top 5 Wednesday

Nov. 1: Genre Benders/ Top 5 Wednesday 

For this week's Top 5 Wednesday, we were to pick our top five books that defy genre or that are hard to place in a certain category. Some of the most genre bending books that I have read are magical realism books. Technically magical realism is a genre, but these books are really a mixture between contemporary/realistic books and fantasy.

Top 5 Wednesday is a group created by Lainey of Ginger Read Lainey on Booktube. It is now hosted by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes on Booktube. Here is a link to the group on Goodreads if you are interested in joining.

A few books that I want to read that fit in with genre bending are: 

~ Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore: This book came out this year and I have yet to pick it up yet. It's about a girl that has five different choices to make that will determine the course of her life. I have heard that each of these decisions is a separate genre. It's got a fast-paced spy thriller, a psychological horror story, a science fiction, and a fantasy decision. This is one of the books that I look forward to reading soon. I can't wait. 

~ The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry: I have this book and have been wanting to read it for quite awhile. It's been compared to Friday Night Lights and The Time Traveler's Wife (my favorite book of all time). The genre bending of this book sounds really cool. The main character is visited by an apparition that she calls "Grandmother" and is told that she has to save a young man. This is a time-traveling book set in our contemporary world. What I have heard of it makes me intrigued. I cannot wait to read this soon. 

My Top Five Genre Benders: 

5.) The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer: Told through a frame narrative, Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, has many different tales told from many of his characters. We get a tale from the Miller, the Knight, the Friar, the Squire, the Wife of Bath, and many others. Each of their tales fit into many different categories and genres. The frame narrative fits into historical fiction based in the time of Chaucer. The various stories that are told could fit in the following genres: chivalric romance, myth, Breton Lais (set in the Brittany region of France, they were tales of magic, fairies, and folklore), beast fable (giving animals human characteristics), fabliau (humorous, bawdy tales that could be very disgusting), mock romance, and many others. For those that like historical fiction and short story collections this might be a great choice for you. The tales can be quite good but some of them are also disgusting and childish. What I really enjoy about the idea behind this book is that the stories all fit into the overall frame narrative and that it all deals with a competition to tell the best tale. 

4.) The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery: This book seems to be realistic when you are first reading it, but then as the story goes on we see some fantastical elements. It's about a little boy who travels the universe after living on a little tiny planet with just a flower. I was not expecting what I read in this book but was impressed by it. The mixture of genres was interesting and one of the best parts of this. 

3.) The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: Set in Sussex, England, where a middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. The house he used to live in is long gone, but he is more drawn to the farm at the end of the road. There he met a girl named, Lettie Hempstock, when he was seven years old. She lived in the house with her mother and grandmother. The man hasn't seen Lettie for decades, but he still sits there at the pond (the pond she said was an ocean). This is where he starts to remember a past that he has suppressed in his mind for a long time. As you read the novel you find out more and more about this boy, this family of women, and the weird occurrences that happened many years before. This is a chilling story that can be quite terrifying at times especially thinking about what this poor boy went through. The whole time reading though I wondered what had actually happened or if this was the imagination of a little boy. It is an example of Neil Gaiman's incredible magical realism writing. The genres blend to create a thrilling story that I believe is an amazing example of Gaiman's talent as a wordsmith. 

2.) My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows: Lady Jane Grey and the Tudor family in general has always interested me since I was around fifteen years old. I found King Henry VIII's story and his whole family to be one of my favorite parts of my tenth grade history class. Really, I have been wanting a book just like this one since then. So, when I heard about this historical fiction novel based on this part of history, I wanted to read it right away. This is part historical fiction, most of the characters are based off of real people and some of the events are similar. It also throws in fantastical elements that greatly add to the appeal of this novel. The humor is my favorite part of the novel and I really loved the blending of genres throughout it. I cannot wait to read the next of the "Lady Janies'" books: My Plain Jane which is about Jane Eyre and also the author Charlotte Bronte. It comes out next year and I'm thrilled to pick it up. 

1.) The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: My favorite novel of all time focuses on the love story of Claire and Henry (who just happens to be a time traveler). Most of this book could be considered a contemporary/realistic fiction book. The major aspects focused on throughout the course of the novel are issues that we ourselves deal with on a daily basis. It focuses on how Henry and Claire deal with their normal lives through steady jobs, their good friends, having children of their own, and their relationship as a whole. Another obviously important part of this story is the fact that Henry can travel through time and how this affects their relationship. My favorite aspect though is the writing style where we see Henry and Claire throughout their entire lives in a non-linear format. This style is incredible and is what originally drew me in. Many would say that this is a science fiction novel, but I would not just say that. It is very much a contemporary with a portion dedicated to some science fiction. This is at its heart is a love story with a bonus of some time-travel.