Top Ten Tuesday - Authors you own the most books by

Top Ten Tuesday is an original meme created by the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish.

Now I am a lady who gets attached to particular authors and then proceeds to buy ALL THE BOOKS they've ever written. Or at least multiple editions of the few books they did. So this topic is perfect for me.

Let's get cracking!

1. Tamora Pierce - MY QUEEN! Now I have 27 Books  by Tammy which is almost unprecedented I know. One is a duplicate copy of Trickster's Queen because my first copy has got a worrisome crack in the spine, it hasn't fell apart but one can never be too cautious in these cases! But yea, Tammy is my most owned author and will probably remain so for a long time to come.

2. Enid Blyton - This is not so significant when you think that I have all of the Famous Five books plus a few of the Secret Sevens. So 25 Books is almost a small Blyton collection.

3. J.K. Rowling - Now I bet some people are wondering how good ol' J.K. has got so high on this list when she's only really written 13 unique books but when you own two full sets of Harry Potter in english, plus 6 in French and 2 in Spanish it's gonna add up to an overall total of 24 Books.

4. Daphne du Maurier - If anyone has been following my blog/youtube since my Uni days y'all might remember that I developed a bit of an addiction to buying cheap copies of Du Maurier books whenever I found some I didn't have. This added up to a collection of 18 books that is predominantly unread *sigh*.

5.  Jane Austen - See entry no. 3, hell see this video here and you'll how it's possible to end up with 16 books by the lady who only had 6 published novels and 3 unfinished works. *facepalm*

6. Elizabeth Chadwick - Ditto as with Daphne, I bough TONS of her books while I was at Uni and many of them are still sat up on a shelf somewhere unread. 15 books man what am I doing?

7. Charlaine Harris - Even though I don't own the last Sookie Stackhouse book I have 14 books by her including the Harper Connelly mystery series. Might soon cull the hell of this collection though.

8. Sarah Dessen/Sir Arthur Conan Doyle/David Eddings/Stephanie Laurens/Maria V. Snyder/Richelle Mead (as of later today) - Ok the crazy tie is because I have 11 books by each of these authors. Richelle will be sneaking into this group once my copy of Silver Shadows drops through my letterbox :P

9. Ally Carter - Ally has got this group all to herself for now with just a mere 10 books, maybe more will join her in time :P

10. Trudi Canavan/Cassandra Clare/John Green/Georgette Heyer - This is another case of "How did *that* author sneak in here? I own 3 freaking copies of TFIOS and a french edition of Looking For Alaska that's how I have 9 books by John and these other authors.

So that's my top ten(ish) authors that I own the most books by! It's a seriously scary list when you think that all these account for nearly 250 books in my library! That is a quarter of all the books I own right there!

Anyone else got a similar addiction to buying multiple pretty editions of books by authors you love?

Have a great Tuesday folks!

Ray x

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YALC Readathon Preparations

So later this month between the 23rd & 29th there is going to be a Readathon for anyone who fancies reading some of the books by authors who are going to be going to YALC in July. You don't have to be going to the Lit Con yourself but if you are it's an excellent opportunity to make sure you have read some of their works before you meet the authors.

The Readathon is being hosted by several awesome bloggers; Jess of JessHeartsBooks (Bestie Extraordinaire), Vicky at Books, Biscuits & Tea, Carly at Writing from the Tub, and Michelle at Fluttering Butterflies. For all the deets and to sign up with your own blog post click here to go to Jess's blog where there is a linky.

For my Readathon I've got a stack of books that I'm planning to try and get through. I won't be able to spend as much time reading as I would like *shakes fist at work* but I'm gonna try my best to work through these books in the week I've got. It's a pretty good-looking pile if I do say so myself. Only two new-to-me authors but most of these have been lingering on my TBR list for a while and this Readathon will be a great chance for me to finally read them.

On the Stack
Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman
Dead Romantic by C.J. Skuse
The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher
A Kiss in the Dark by Cat Clarke
Trouble by Non Pratt
Say Her Name by James Dawson
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
More than This by Patrick Ness
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

A vair nice selection no? I have a good mix of Contemporary novels, of both the more light-hearted type and also the dramatic thriller type. Plus the dystopia entry from our Children's Laureate, Paranormal from Holly and the Horror/Supernatural entry from James Dawson.

There's no fantasy in this stack but I did read Amy McCulloch's debut book The Oathbreaker's Shadow the other week. And since the sequel to this is due out around the start of July I shall have to pick that up after the Readathon.

So that's what I'm planning to read for the YALC Readathon. Do you think I'm missing anything important? I have read several other books by the authors in the pile but I am aware that there are a lot of authors going to YALC that I've never heard of before. Although there is a limit to how much I can read in the readathon and what I can schlep to the Lit Con in the Trolley of Awesome (see Jess's Instagram for context).

But check back to ze blog on the 23rd for when the Readathon starts and keep an eye on Twitter for updates during that week.

Now to get on with last minute ironing,
Toodles chaps!
Ray

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Top Ten Tuesday - Books I resolve to read in 2011

Howdy folks, since this Tuesday was feeling a bit empty and all I decided to get all listy and participate in this week's Top Ten meme.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature created at The Broke and the Bookish because they rather like making lists and love to share them with their fellow bloggers! 

Ten Books I want to read in 2011

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Everyone and their auntie have been raving about this book and since my copy just arrived this morning *pats book beside her* it's going to be one of my top priorities this year.
2. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray - I have been putting off reading this mammoth book for a couple of years now but since I finally read Rebel Angels last year I think I'm gonna have to bite the bullet this year, even if it is scarily big.
3. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak - I know I must be one of the last people on the planet who hasn't read this but I've been wary about the hype and the one time I actually started it I didn't get past page 40. But I shall try again and see how I go.
4. All the Things We didn't Say by Sara Shepard - I received this as part of an Early Review program back in February and I still haven't got round to reading it. Must do it soon!
5. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness - Since I adored the Knife of Never Letting Go I really need to get on with reading the other two books in the trilogy. 
6. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain - Why haven't I read this yet? Who knows but I will get to it in the next few months.
7. Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - I have so many classics I should read so this one is as good a place as any to start.
8. The Way of the Shadows by Brent Weeks - I did get a fair way into this High Fantasy book but then I got distracted by other books and never went back to it. I want to re-start it so I can read the others in the trilogy.
9. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller - It's one of those books you kinda have to read n'est-ce pas?
10. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - I've read 3 Austen books this is one of the 3 I have left  to read.

So that's my list of books that I wholly intend to read in 2011 *snorts* although whether I actually do will remain to be seen since I am notoriously bad for making a list and ignoring it entirely.

Have a great Tuesday y'all

LadyV

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Top Ten Books Read in 2010

Hurrah! I finally got round to looking through my stats for 2010 and deciding on my Top Ten favourite reads for the year. It turned out to be easier than I expected since out of the 36 books I rated 5 Stars half of them were re-reads :P

I'm now going to list my Top Ten (plus Notable Mention) in the order in which I read them in 2010 because then I don't have to pick an outright favourite- although I still might :P

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
I read this back in January and was blown away by it, one of the classics that really ought to be read. It was also the first book I actually reviewed on this blog. You can find the review Here

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Don't be fooled by the intimidating size of this tome, it may be chunky but the pages fly by in a whirlwind of plots, schemes and revenge! I was really glad to have read this although I think if I'm going to re-read it at any time I'll try and find an e-book to save my wrists!

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

This debut novel was raved about by so many people although for some it was a bit of a Marmite book (Either Love it or Hate it). I adored it and Lauren's second book Delirium is also fabulous.

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

While this isn't a terribly recent book, this Dystopia novel should be a staple read for every person who loves the genre. Hard-hitting and heart-breaking it really gives you food for thought. 

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

If anyone saw my tweets after I read this you might remember how totally blown-away I was by this novel. A big book with quite a bite, and a fabulously creative style of writing. The review I did for this is Here and I can tell you that the two sequels are going to be high priority this year.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

 A beautifully written book which really  makes you think about the tough choices.  Can't wait to read Where She Went.

World War Z by Max Brooks

Extremely unsettling (in the best way) zombie apocalypse novel. Although it's fiction you can be very easily fooled into thinking it's fact. My Review is Here.

 Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Fascinating and wonderfully written novel. A blend of contemporary and historical and two heroines whom you are rooting for the whole time despite their flaws.

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

The book we had all been waiting for. The book I read in record time. The book that revealed the fate of some of the best characters in YA vampire fiction :P My review of this amazing book is Here.

Entangled by Cat Clarke

Although this book isn't technically released until 6/1/2011 I read it just after Christmas and holy cow! Stunning debut novel that I will be reviewing shortly.

So that is my Top Ten favourite Reads for 2010! Honourable mention goes to the Lord of the Rings which I finished back in February although since my edition was in 3 volumes it was only The Return of the King which I rated 5 Stars but the trilogy as a whole was epic (although I do also love the films :P).

I'm very much looking forward to seeing what awesome books 2011 throws my way.

Ciao

LadyV

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My Fav Female Characters

Ok I know that the Top Ten Tuesday meme did Favourite Heroines last week but I was going to do this anyways (I may start doing the Top Ten meme at some point), I'm gonna wax lyrical today about some of my fav gals from the books I've read. I don't really know if I'll put them into any kind of ranking since I like them for various different reasons and I don't reckon it'd be fair to rate one higher than another.

Katniss Everdeen
Of course, there's no way that I can have a list of fav characters *without* including the ever ass-kicking Katniss. She's the type of heroine that people would kill to either have as a friend or to actually be in real life. She's got mad skillz with a bow and has survival know-how in buckets. She'd protect her friends and family at any cost, even if you got herself killed in the process. Yea she's not entirely sure of her own emotions but that makes her even more awesome cos we know she's still human and not perfect. I love her most in the Hunger Games since she gets a tad "damaged" in the next two books and get increasingly unstable in her mental state but her essential Katniss-ness is retained.

Hermione Granger
Ah Miss Granger, she's probably the first fictional character that I was deathly envious of since I so badly wanted to be a witch after I read the Philosopher's Stone for the first time. She was the smart, sensible goody-two-shoes who I could really relate to back then (I'm not half so sensible or rule-abiding nowadays). For all she could be a right fuss-pot sometimes she really did kick some ass, or slap some gits i.e. Malfoy, as the series progressed she evolved so much from the bushy-haired prissy little 11 yr old in the first book although she did always keep a little of the snotty attitude for when she got mad at either Harry or more often than not Ron. Bizarrely though I kinda hate Emma Watson in the films - she's just *too* prissy for my liking and frankly I wanted to be Hermione gosh darn it! *stomps foot*

Rose Hathaway
If I ever were to get into a fight where vamps might be involved I'd want Rose on my side cos she seriously knows how to kick the shit outta bad guys and that's always a useful skill to have methinks. She's sassy and totally confident in herself and will take serious offence if someone judges her unfairly - just *try* calling her a blood whore and live. Like Katniss she's fiercely protective although Rose knows her heart much better and will follow it when she feels it is the right course of action. She's also pretty darn sexy and not afraid to flaunt it when the situation demands it. All in all I reckon Rose is sort of the Megan Fox of the fictional world, both guys *and* girls would fancy her :P

Faythe Sanders
Well I don't know how many of y'all read Rachel Vincent's Werecats series but those who do will know how awesome the main character Faythe is in these books. She the feisty daughter of a Werecat Alpha who lives with the heavy burden of being one of a very small number of female werecats who are expected to marry and produce children in the hopes that another tabby will be born to continue the line. Although she can be rather impetuous and sometimes makes rash and irresponsible decisions I do admire her for the spirited attitude and desire to live her own life instead of the restricted existence that the other women of her kind must live because of their importance to the Werecat race. Also she's pretty kick-ass when it comes to working as an enforcer for her Father, oh and she has one of *the* most rugged and bad-ass werecats vying for her affection - Marc Ramos *swoon* (he'll be appearing in my fav male character posts). Faythe definitely has a few issues with authority and responsibility but her heart is in the right place and she does want to do right by her Pride and her Father so it's really going to be a shame when this series ends after the release of Alpha at the start of October cos I think Faythe is such a cool character.

Now since I have 12 characters that I want to mention methinks I'll keep to 4 per post and make it a three-part deal so keep your eyes peeled for the second lot coming soon. Do feel free to tell me in the comments who some of *your* favourite heroines are.

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Summer Reading List

Evening folks, terribly sorry for the general lack of posting these last few days, I've been in a rather lethargic mood and haven't really had the mental energy to write reviews (which I badly need to do) or come up with any other vaguely original post. Since last Sunday I've almost mindlessly devoured nearly two seasons of Stargate SG-1 which is one of my nerdiest guilty pleasures but it's all I can really concentrate on right now. This weekend I will try and get some posts done and hopefully next week I'll be able to have a fairly regular week of blogging before I go away for two weeks - I'll have to see if I can get several reviews ready to post over that time so the blog won't be completely silent until I get back.

Now that I've waffled long enough I shall get back to the point of this post which is to share with you lovely people the books I'm hoping to get read this summer before I go back to University at the end of September.
My TBR list according to LibraryThing is currently at 108 books although I have at least 5 books in the Currently Reading collection. I want to try and cut down my TBR pile and buy fewer new books this summer so I can feel slightly less guilty when I read a book I bought that day over a book which I've had over a year.

Books to Read this Summer

1. Complete Novels of Jane Austen (not all in one go but I'd like to read all of them over the holiday)
2. The Gemma Doyle trilogy (I have read this first book but I want to re-read it before I tackle the others)
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (It's just one of those books that you kind of have to read)
4. The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick (For my Books off the Shelf challenge)
5. The last 4 Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (For my BotS Challenge)
6. American Gods by Neil Gaiman 
7. The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks (I started the 1st book ages ago and got sidetracked)
8. By Royal Command by Charlie Higson (the last Young James Bond book)
9. All the Things we Didn't Say by Sara Shepard (my ER book which I need to finish)
10. Four Daphne du Maurier books (For my Monthly du Maurier challenge)
11. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (For my BotS challenge)
12. Sepulchre by Kate Mosse (Also for my BotS challenge)

That's all I'll put on the list that I'd really like to get read because my reading mood can change rather dramatically so I might spend several weeks re-reading books I really like instead of reading books I've got on my TBR pile. There's enough variety there to suit several different moods and I really hope I can get most if not all of those books crossed off. If you add up the multiples of books for each entry there's actually 27 books in total on that list which will be a fair target to reach over the next 3 months although I reckon I can do it even with re-reads of other books. 

So there you go that's my hopeful Summer Reading list, not including the books I'm anticipating getting in the next few months - hello Mockingjay anyone? Those books will probably be read straight away regardless of any commitments I may have ;-)

Anyways I'd best be off as it's getting kinda late and I want to actually get some reading done before I go to sleep.

Ever Lazy

LadyV

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