T5W: No Thanks

 Characters in unthankful situations.

1. Harry Potter (The Whole War Thing)

All the wizards (and arguably muggles) are having a rough time, fearing for their lives, fighting it out against he who shall not be named. Though not all of them have the same pressures on them quite like the chosen one does.

2. Game of Thrones (The Whole War Thing)

Like Harry Potter the characters in this story all find themselves in situations that are far from preferable. No one is safe, people are dropping like flies, everyone is related...

3. Red Rising (The Crazy School Thing)

Literally thousands of gold youths study and fight to be chosen to go to a school that is every level of f*cked. Also, this book is amazing and I highly recommend you picking it up.

4. The Maze Runner (The Unescapable Maze Thing)

Imagine being stuck in a situation in which you are living in a small compound surrounded by tall walls in the middle of a large maze with no memory of yourself before getting there. Your goal, to run the maze all day, making it back before nightfall of course, in an attempt to make a map that helps you gtfo. I don't know about you, but I would be very disgruntled, to say the least.  

5. The Lord of the Rings (The Whole Ring and Evil Eye Thing)

Poor Frodo was given an evil ring and basically forced to embark on a journey far into enemy territory in order to destroy it and Sam had to put up with his sh*t the whole time. I will say though, if I were in their situation, I probably would have died before I even made it to the Prancing Pony. 

T5W: Topaz

 This weeks topic was originally supposed to be Latin Lit, where we discuss Latin authors characters and the like. But, since I wouldn't come up with a list that followed the guide lines I am going to use the alternative topic. Topaz, this one is all about books that have covers similar to the color of Topaz. 

1. Fangirl Manga Vol. 1 - I have no idea how many of these they are going to make but I have a feeling it is going to kill me slowly inside waiting for the other volumes. 

2. Attachments - An adorable office romance. As someone who is dating someone they met in the office, this story brings up so many emotions and pretty darn cute. Pretty much exactly what you expect from Rainbow Rowell.

3. Dark Age - RED RISING IS AMAZING. (Though everything after the initial trilogy is not nearly as good as the original three)

4. Uprooted - I am a sucker for a retelling. This is the only thing I have read from this author but some of her other work is on my list of books to read. If you have any loved retellings please let me know, I am in the market for some more. 

5. The Name of the Wind - I both love this duology and am disappointed with it all at the same time. Story aside, I can't get over how great this looks on a bookshelf.

Thanksgiving Feast Book Tag

 This tag was created by Elley The Book Otter. I have been reading the same long book for over two weeks now so I have been in the mood for a book tag. I honestly found this one by simply googling "Thanksgiving Book Tag" but it sounded fun, so here we go. Be prepared though, you may get kind of hungry reading the prompts. 

Turkey: The centerpiece of any Thanksgiving Feast, but it’s always dry and actually isn’t that great… – A book that everyone likes, for some reason that completely escapes you.

Stuffing: Warm and filling, and best when smothered with gravy – A comfort read.

Potatoes: Boil ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a stew – A book that’s great in any format – hardcover, digital, audio…

Green bean casserole: the obligatory side dish that you have to have… whether you want it for not. – A book that you were obligated to read (for school, for a book club, because it was a gift…)

Jello salad: Look, this is dessert, how on earth does jello with bits of fruit and marshmallows and whipped cream get classified as ANY sort of salad? – A book that is really bizarre.

Cranberries: Do you serve real cranberries, or canned cranberry jelly? A book that is highly divisive – and you have strong opinions about it.

Pie: Whether it’s pumpkin, apple, pecan, or French silk, it’s not Thanksgiving without pie – A book you can’t live without.

T5W: Non-Fiction November

This weeks topic was all about non-fiction that I really enjoyed and would recommend to others. I usually only read autobiographies about funny comedians and you will see below but there are actually a few here that I learned a lot from. Also, as always, let me know in the comments if you have any non-fiction recommendations, I have been trying to broaden my horizons and get more into the genre. 

1. Girl Logic: The Genius and the Absurdity

“Hard work and intention often go unnoticed. All people see is what you don't do or what they think you should be doing better.”

2. Yes, Please

“However, if you do start crying in an argument and someone asks why, you can always say, "I'm just crying because of how wrong you are.”

3. Scrappy Little Nobody

“Oh my god, I just made out with Legolas!' Again, I’m not going to name that actor, as I wish to respect his privacy”

4. The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus

“To mess around with Ebola is an easy way to die. Better to work with something safer, such as anthrax.”

“You can’t fight off Ebola the way you fight off a cold. Ebola does in ten days what it takes AIDS ten years to accomplish.”

5. When Asia was the World

I wasn't sure what quote to pull from this. This is a fascinating book that takes place from 700AD to 1500AD and talks about everything from the spice trade on the silk road to the apothecaries who exchanged medicine, discussing all sorts of travel from China to the Middle East, sharing knowledge, culture and so much else.

P.S. Happy Veterans day to all those who serve and have served. 

T5W: Read in Translation

 I am going to start by saying that I have no idea if this post is 100% accurate, I literally just googled, "what language was ____ written in?" to figure it out so if I am wrong....sorry. Also, I am very curious what books you have read that were translations of the original, comment down below if you participate in T5W so I can check out your lists. 

1. Inkheart (German)

I read this back in like 8th or 9th grade and I remember being pretty bored through it. But, in the decade since I feel like my tastes have changed and that I may actually enjoy this now if I pick it up, I am just scared to be wrong *awkward laugh* If you have picked this book up please let me know what you think, I am so indecisive.

2. The Little Prince (French)

I picked up this lovely little story a few years back when Netflix released a short of it I really wanted to watch but refused to do so until I had finally read the story....I still haven't seen the short.

3. Persepolis (French)

This was one of those books I had to read in one of my High School English classes and I am so happy that they made me pick it up. It is such a good story but I know that I would probably have never picked it up if I hadn't had to.

4. The Alchemist (Portuguese)

This book was both incredibly beautiful and incredibly frustrating all at the same time. I 100% recommend the read. Just do it, it's short so you have no excuse not to.

5. The Witcher Series (Polish)

Such a good series but I felt like it lost me a little towards the end. I binged the whole series (8 books I think) in like a month and a half and while I don't regret it, I wasn't completely happy with the outcome. It is so hard to talk about without giving anything away. I will give him props though for creating characters I actually cared about and a very rich world.