Tag: bionic book worm

AllMemesTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 Magical Creatures

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Oh boy. I have a feeling I’m about to break a bunch of rules with this this week’s Top 5 Tuesday. Or at least spark a few debates about what qualifies a creature as magical. Or something as a creature. Or the purest example of ‘a waste of time.’

Anyway… MAGICAL CREATURES!

 

Fawkes —Harry Potter

Let’s be honest. Most of us could probably fill out this whole like with creatures from the Harry Potter series. That’s why I restricted myself to choose ONE creature from any book/series. It was tough, but I had to choose Fawkes. And is it just me or are there a lot of similarities between Harry and Fawkes. Always there when needed, usually providing the key to defeating the enemy, rising from the dead. Just saying.

Anouk — Grim Lovelies

The mouse turned person, turned slave, turned rebel, turned BAD ASS!

Black Rock Witch – HEX

Maybe my most debatable choice… She certainly was a person at one point. But she’s hundreds of years old. Seemingly disappears and appears at will. Magic? Check. Creature? *shrug*

The Six-Armed Warrior – Godsgrave

This choice probably comes from how recently I finished reading this book, and how in love I am with everything connected to it. But that six-armed warrior was a total bad ass. Made me think of Mortal Kombat! And yes, I have completely forgotten its real name. Six-armed warrior will have to do.

Domovoy — The Bear and the Nightingale

Okay. I want some of these for my own house. I have absolutely no problem leaving bread and milk out if it gets things around the house taken care of. If I do that now, the only things that show up are ants!

Fun fact about this post: Kind of wanted to add Zombies  from ALMOST EVERY BOOK OF ALL TIME! Creature? Debatable. Magical? Not usually.
All

Top 5 books I want to reread

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Who has time for rereads?! There are so many books still waiting for first reads!

I’m going to assume that Shanah’s Top 5 Tuesday this week takes place in a magical world where time is limitless and I have no other responsibilities or distractions to pull me away from reading.

I CAN ROLL WITH THAT!

Illuminae

Illuminae

Maybe I spoke too soon about not having time, because I am in fact re-reading this one. But maybe I spoke too soon about that, because I already put the book aside to deal with a few others…

Red Rising

If I did read this again, it would be the third time through. Nothing wrong with that.

Six of Crows book cover

Six of Crows

I’d especially like to do this one since I’m going to be reading Crooked Kingdom soon.

Robopocalypse

This is kind of an odd one, because it wouldn’t really make any other top 10 lists of mine. But there’s a sequel and I’d really like to remember what happened in this one before moving on.

Ex-Heroes

Again, for sequels, but also because it was such a fun thrill-ride the first time. I burned through the pages so quickly the cover was smoking by the time I was done!

Fun fact about this post: A Robopocalypse re-read will be happening shortly, in audiobook form!
AllMemesTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 sequels I need to get to

Posted on by J.W. Martin

There’s no shortage of options for this one! I’m great at starting a series, and awful at continuing/finishing them. Hopefully this doesn’t end up being a Top 500 Sequels I need to get to…

Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by the prolific and always-entertaining Shanah the Bionic Book Worm. Join in.

Ex-Patriots by Peter Clines (Ex-Heroes #2)

Ex-Heroes is such a fun book. If there are 2 things I can’t enough of, it’s superheroes and zombies. This has both. Even Zombie-Superheroes!

Firefight by Brandon Sanderson (The Reckoners #2)

MORE SUPERHEROES! Sanderson is usually known for his fantasy, which he’s also excellent at, but the first entry of Reckoners (Steelheart) is incredible. Very cinematic and keeps you guessing until the end.

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch (Gentleman Bastard #2)

To be fair, I pretty much just finished book 1, The Lies of Locke Lamora, but this sequel is still high up on my TBR because of how phenomenal the first one was.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows #2)

I have no excuse for having not read this one yet. I read Six of Crows over a year ago. I have this book sitting in my shelf. It just needs to happen. Soon.

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (The Illuminae Files #3)

Another one sitting on my shelf, though I only got it recently. Plus, I’m putting it off a little to re-read books 1 & 2 before jumping into number 3!

Fun fact about this post: I was tempted to include Iron Gold from the Red Rising series, but it’s kind of the start of it’s own trilogy…
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Top 5 Predicted 5-Star Reads

Posted on by J.W. Martin

It feels like it’s been a minute or two since I took part in one of the Bionic Book Worm’s T5T posts. I miss it when there’s a topic I don’t really had any idea about, or in the super rare case of an off week. This week is something that everyone can relate too. Regardless if you think you’re right, or if you’re unsure about anything, all you really need is unbridled hope to put together a list of Predicted 5-Star Reads!

Obsidio

This feels like a 5-star series. Everything related to it, or these authors seems likely to follow suit.

Crooked Kingdom

Loved the first one. Ashamed it’s taken me so long to get around to reading the second. Story of my life, it seems.

A Darker Shade of Magic

Can’t believe how long it’s taken me to… Oh, right. Covered this with the whole ‘story of my life’ thing.

Iron Gold

The original trilogy might be my favourite trilogy of all time. I have very little doubt that this new trilogy will be just as incredible.

Warcross

This is the only one I’m not feeling 100 on. Most of what I’ve heard is good, but there have been a number of Luke-warm feelings on it as well. I’m banking on having a strong connection to it with the gamer aspect.

Fun fact about this post: I almost included Godsgrave, which I’m reading right now, but didn’t want this to end up being a “5 Books I haven’t read yet by Jay Kristoff” which, knowing Shanah, might be an upcoming topic.
AllMemesTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 Friendships | Top 5 Tuesday

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Today’s Top 5 Tuesday (my favourite weekly meme hosted by Shanah @ The Bionic Book Worm) we’re talking ships. But not romantic relationships. Nah, we’re talking friendships. These are the duos (or groups) of people that seem destined to stay together for life, one way or another. I’m sure anyone who normally reads my Top 5 list won’t be surprised at the people I have listed below. Let’s jump in.

Darrow & Sevro

Darrow is kind of a horrible friend, while Sevro would do absolutely anything for a friend he loves and respects.

Parzival & Aech

No barriers can come between these two. Not sixers, not the contest, and not even RL. 😉

Cliff Hubbard & Aaron Zimmerman

Probably the unlikeliest of friends on this list, but find they have way more in common than any friends they already had (or didn’t have.)

The Raven Boys

These friends might be more like a family. Gansey acts like the dad, while the rest are constantly bickering brothers. Though I think that just means they hit a whole other level of friendship at some point. Who says you can’t choose family?

Liesel & Hans

This one is super fresh in my mind. And while I know Hans is Liesel’s step-father, their friendship begins before any other kind of relationship. Even after years, it’s still the friendship you can see rising above everything else.

Fun fact about this post: Runner up was The Bear and The Nightingale‘s Vasya & all the little spirits she talks to around the house and barn. 
AllMemesTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 Book Spines

Posted on by J.W. Martin

This week, Shanah’s Top 5 Tuesday asks about our favourite book spines. This was a tough one for me, because while I own a fair number of books, it’s nowhere near the amount of books that I’ve read. Audiobooks, ebooks, library books, etc. There are probably some really lovely spines among those books, but I can work with what I have. So here they are:

‘Nuff said.

Fun fact about this post: I’ve only read 1 out of my 5 choices.
AllMemesTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 Books for Slytherins

Posted on by J.W. Martin

It’s the final Tuesday of Harry Potter month for Shanah’s Top 5 Tuesday. Slytherins are last. Not sure if this is Shanah saving the best for last, or putting her least favourite house last.

While my own wife is Slytherin, these aren’t necessarily books for her as much as books for people that are ambitious, shrewd, cunning, and strong.

Six of Crows book cover

Six of Crows

If Kaz Brekker isn’t a Slytherin, then I don’t know who is. The green and silver might not appreciate all the moments where someone pulls some death defying feat for another’s safety, but they’d definitely appreciate Kaz.

Themis Files

Our narrator is pure Slytherin material. Don’t like him? He doesn’t care.

To Kill a Kingdom

Large parts of this book seems to be able people who are out for themselves.

Nevernight

Nevernight

If murder and assassination was a class at Hogwarts, it would be full of Slytherins (and one mis-understood Hufflepuff.)

How to Win Friends and Influence People

They might not be so worried about the friends part, but the rest, absolutely.

Fun fact about this post: J.K. Rowling claimed that as far as she was concerned, the legendary wizard Merlin would have been in Slytherin house.
AllMemesTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 Books for Hufflepuffs

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Here we are in week 3 of HARRY POTTER MONTH in Shanah’s Top 5 Tuesday! So far we’ve covered books for Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Today we move on to those friendly, super-cuddly, Cedric Diggory, probably-should-have-had-Neville-Longbottom-y HUFFLEPUFFS!

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe

At first this book seems more like a Slytherin thing. Everyone hates everyone else, and insults fly even more often than fists. However, it takes a quick turn and by the end of this book the message is very clear. Friendship is everything. So be nice, you jerks.

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Is there anything more just or loyal that the relationship of a man and his faithful dog? Maybe. Why are you asking me? I’m a Ravenclaw.

Graveyard Book

I’m quickly realizing that out of all the Hufflepuff qualities, I’ve really latched onto the Loyalty aspect, because once again that’s the strongest theme going in this book.

They Both Die at the End

Yup. More loyalty.

Grim Lovelies

Grim Lovelies centers around a main character who is completely willing to do whatever anyone asks of her and does it with a smile on her face, and is loyal to her master despite some shady treatment. She seems a girl without an ounce of threat within her. Until you mess with the people she loves. Then she’s like a feral badger. And she does magic.

Fun fact about this post: Next week is the 4th and final Harry Potter Top 5 list. Slytherins.
AllMemesTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 Ravenclaw Books

Posted on by J.W. Martin

I’M A RAVENCLAW! That being said, you might think that putting together the list for this week’s Top 5 Tuesday would be easy, but you would be WRONG! If anything it was more difficult. I had to recommend books for people like me, and I like a lot of random things. How do you recommend books that will cover the wide gamut of what Luna or Cho might be feeling on any given day?

Ah, well. Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure. Here we go!

Ready Player One

You have to know I was going to put this one under my own person house, right? No explanation needed. It’s awesome. Ravenclaws are awesome. Match made in heaven Hogwarts.

Illuminae

Illuminae Files

Wait. Am I just picking Sci-Fi titles for Ravenclaw? Let’s be honest, though. All houses are going to love The Illumae Files because they’re (mostly) human.

The Name of the Wind

It’s got magic, but it takes a real scientific angle with it. I think Ravenclaw’s would appreciate that. It’s more than just hand-waving while some sparkles. There’s reason and logic to everything.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

This is a historical fiction that takes place during the golden age of comic books. Creation of Superman and all that. Really fascinating stuff for a comic book nerd like me. And if there are any comic nerds at Hogwarts, they’re most likely wearing blue. Or maybe yellow…

The Martian

Mark Watney seems to have everything a Ravenclaw would look for. Smartest man on an entire planet, yet continually pulls off miracles that only seem possible with a little magic.

Fun fact about this post: I technically haven’t finished The Martian, but I’m almost there!
AllMemesTop 5 Tuesday

Top 5 Books for Gryffindors

Posted on by J.W. Martin

Top 5 Tuesday, for the whole month of February, is Harry Potter themed. Each week will be a top 5 list for one of the houses. Week 1, Gryffindors. As stated by the Top 5 Tuesday Tycoon, The Bionic Bookworm:

They are experience oriented, honest, practical, blunt, passionate, playful, funny, trusting, idealistic, stubborn and procrastinators. They live in the moment, don’t take themselves seriously, are wary of manipulators and liars, have a strong moral centre, and are unafraid to seize opportunities and make changes.

Red Rising

In my mind, Gryffindors are all about bravery. The first in this series of heroic books is Red Rising. Darrow could have been in just about any house if he went to Hogwarts, but I think he’d end up in Gryffindor. And really, wouldn’t Gryffindors want to read books about people that would be Gryffindors?

Mistborn

Small band of rebels trying to take down a crooked system of power. Sounds a bit like Order of the Phoenix…

The Raven Cycle

I think Gryffindors would get into the mystery, intrigue, and strong relationships in these books.

Hunger Games

Trade the bow for a magic wand and you’ve got Hermione.

Lord of the Rings

Since Harry Potter takes place in our world, they have our books. And I’d like to think that most Hogwarts students have read Lord of the Rings and that most Gryffindor students aspire to be like Gandalf. Dumbledore certainly looks like he does.

Fun fact about this post: I almost spelled Dumbledore wrong, and spell check wasn’t about to help me.