Top Five Wednesday Archives

Top 5 SFF Authors I Want To Give Auto-Buy Status

Today’s Top 5 Wednesday is all about science fiction and fantasy authors. More specifically, it is about what people rely on as auto-buy authors. Now, I am not a cool kid who reads tons of sci-fi or fantasy consistently. So, this post is kind of wishful thinking (and a bit of a prediction, perhaps).

5. Gail Carriger

I only read the first novel in her Parasol Protectorate series and it was such a blast. Following her on Twitter and Goodreads kind of led me to see just how incredibly talented and hilarious she is. I don’t know if steampunk counts as fantasy or science fiction but I am counting her among my favorites.

4. Victoria Schwab

Cool kids know that Schwab writes complex morally ambiguous characters like no one else can. I just keep thinking of A Darker Shade of Magic and how Holland was such a haunting figure. Plus, the connection between Kell and Rhy, Lucard and Lila, was just impeccable. I randomly remember parts of that finale and get shivers.

3. Cinda Williams Chima

Again, I have seen her books mentioned in so many places. I ended up gathering quite a huge number of her books. When I had read the Demon King, I struggled with the pacing a bit but loved the characters. All I need to do is read more of her work and adjust to how SFF normally comes across in books. I really am out of practice with science fiction and fantasy as a genre.

2.Neil Gaiman

Okay, this man is incredible. I only read The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It blew my mind (quite a bit). Obviously, I am going to read more of his work. I already have a really good feeling about Gaiman novels. My hope is to perhaps find the stories that resonate with me.

1. Brandon Sanderson

Some people say that this dude had (or used to have) negative attitudes toward the LGBT+ community. It sounds like he doesn’t think the same way anymore (or something along those lines). I am aware of these things, and so I have mixed feelings about having him be an auto-buy kind of writer to me. Still, I do think that people grow and change. Plus, his books sound really good. I haven’t found anything to show that he holds these beliefs anymore.

Quick note:

To me, auto-buy authors are kind of a very loose category of writers because, technically, nobody is really an auto-buy author to me. I like to know more about the books they have written first. These writers are just ones who have written about topics I found interesting.

Who are your auto-buy SFF authors?

Top 5 Funniest Characters in Young Adult Novels I Have Adored

For this week’s Top 5 Wednesday, the prompt was to share the funniest characters in books, movies, or shows. Naturally, I am narrowing it down to the (mostly) Young Adult novels that I have adored thus far in my reading experience.

5. Derrick from the Falconer by Elizabeth May

Words cannot possibly describe how much I love Derrick the Pixie. His love for honey and Aileana know no bounds. He somehow balances being funny with being brave, kind, passionate, and always, always hungry. Loyal and feisty, he is my favorite pixie ever.

Here is a brief description of his behaviors from the perspective of someone who has seen some messed up things in this world.

“What the hell is wrong with your pixie?”-Gavin

4. Monty from the Gentleman’s guide to vice and virtue by Mackenzie Lee

Sometimes, being a spoiled privileged and entitled brat can amuse people around you. Monty is just so clueless. It is often when he asks questions that seem so simple, that is when I laugh at him most.

Here is one of my favorite moments featuring him and my darling queen Felicity.

“Just thinking about all that blood.” I nearly shudder. “Doesn’t it make you a bit squeamish?”
“Ladies haven’t the luxury of being squeamish about blood,” she replies, and Percy and I go fantastically red in unison.”

3. Blue Sargent from The Raven Cycle by Maggie

That girl is way too cool for me to fully express it. I find her limitless in her humor, wit, and charm. She is the teenager who ticks you off for being a smart-ass but you still want to write down what she says. Blue Sargent, a girl with a doomed love life and a heavy burden to carry, is not only funny sometimes. She is often met with things not going her way on such an epic scale, it makes me laugh.

Here:

“Wait!’ called Blue. ‘Will you tell me about my father?”
“No,” Gwenllian replied. “I will get mayonnaise.”

2. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

While Aza’s OCD strikes a nerve, I do think she and Daisy say the funniest things in this novel. It overwhelms me sometimes to think of this book because of Daisy. Her perspective changed my approach to friendships as someone with obsessive thoughts and depression. Her commentary on mundane things made me laugh, though. She’s a good kid.

1. The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Sarah Rees Brennan is hilarious. She and Cassandra Clare make me laugh, without fail. I have read The Demon’s Lexicon ages ago. Many books later, I still fondly think of Nick and Jamie’s interactions.

Here’s an example:

“I expected something a little more castle-shaped,” said Jamie.
“Nothing lasts forever,” Nick said. “Except demons, of course.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a charming conversationalist?” Jamie asked.
“No,” Nick replied honestly.
“I cannot tell you how much that surprises me,” Jamie told him, and Nick gave him a half smile.

Here is another one of those gems:

“Sometimes when you pull knives on people, they get this impression that you’re going to hurt them, and then they’re completely terrified. Crazy, I know!”

“Okay,” said Nick. He turned to Jamie & popped his left wrist sheath again. “Look.”

Jamie backed up. “Which part of ‘completely terrified’ did you translate as ‘show us your knives, Nick’? Don’t show me your knives, Nick. I have no interest in your knives.”

Nick rolled his eyes. “This is a quillon dagger. That’s a knife with a sword handle. I like it because it has a good grip for stabbing.”

“Why do you say these things?” Jamie inquired piteously. “Is it to make me sad?”

“I didn’t have you cornered,” Nick went on. “You could’ve run. And this dagger doesn’t have an even weight distribution; it’s absolute rubbish for throwing. If I had any intention of hurting you, I’d have used a knife I could throw.”

Jamie blinked. “I will remember those words always. I may try to forget them, but I sense that I won’t be able to.”

Top 5 Teachers in Young Adult Literature But Not from Harry Potter

Welcome to another Top 5 Wednesday. The prompt for this week is about the top 5 teachers or mentors. For me, I am going to focus on more recent reads that are not the typical answers I use.

Investigator-type teachers: A Madness so discreet

Not all teachers stand in classrooms. And, not all classrooms are in schools. The doctor in this story is an investigator who helps Grace come to terms with her own mind. To me, some lessons are less about scholarship and more about acceptance and forgiving oneself. Grace leads a whole journey into vengeance and peace within herself in this story. While the story was not 100% entertaining, I found the end result to be powerful.

Plus, that voice-person in the insane asylum was also a teacher I will never forget.

camp half blood’s teachers: Chiron

I actually feel like Chiron is much closer to how I view effective teachers. He balances between hands-on teaching and providing students with some distance to grow as heroes. He is patient, withholds the right amount of information, and leads students into a comfortable existence but also one that has tasks and challenges.

“I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.”
― Albert Einstein

roaring good time teachers: Under the Never Sky

Okay, so I have not finished this series yet, but the first book amused me endlessly. Mainly, Roar stole the show. I loved how he and Perry teach Aria about living outside of the world she grew up in. There is also a character living among the “savages” who is very modern in his reliance on technology. I want to see more of him. He is interesting.

Finally, the best teacher ever has to be Perry’s nephew. He teaches Aria and Perry that some things are universal, like family.

The glittering Court Teachers

Adelaide is a countess who escapes the stifling future she was expected to have and steps into the life of one of her maids as a student in the Glittering Court. While I think Cedric and Adelaide teach each other plenty of things about a religion frowned upon, about love, about the importance of equality within a marriage, I think also they mostly learn about the foundations of relationships beyond the confines of their time.

Besides, I have a feeling that Adelaide’s two roommates will also be incredible teachers. I am curious about Mira and Tamsin; how will their points of view change my perception of the story! They certainly are mysterious ladies.

lovers as teachers: an ember in the ashes

This book quickly became a favorite of mine. At first, I hesitated to pick it up because it sounded rather grim and upsetting. But, once I started reading it, it became impossible to stop. My favorite teachers within the story are Laia and Elias, sure, but also Helene. I want to see more from her perspective as Elias’ friend and as someone who is pushed and urged to question the ways of her people. The attitude toward the scholars and the slaves is one that these two friends grapple with throughout the story, particularly the end. I am eager to see how they’ll make peace with that.

My Favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories in Film As a Newbie to the Genre

I didn’t immediately gravitate toward science fiction and fantasy stories as a whole. But, particularly in film, there was something inaccessible about the genre for me as a woman of color. Many people are rather protective of these science fiction and fantasy stories, and it is intimidating. For Top 5 Wednesday, I will be sharing my top five favorite science fiction and fantasy stories in films (as a newbie to this genre).

5. Super 8

While I do not recall how this story came into my life, I remember the impact it had on me clearly. A tale of a group of friends who curse a lot as they navigate a strange series of occurrences in their town. Curious, they investigate further.

At a surface level, this story does not seem to fit the science fiction mold. Afterall, it is very much set in this world, our real world. But, the beauty of this is the eerie fantastical wonderment of the main group of characters, all young boys, and one girl.

4. Princess bride

I will never forget watching this film for the first time. It has shaped who I am as a person who loves and appreciates a good fantasy. The humorous tone of the story, light and accessible, was devoid of all pretension. Granted, it is not science fiction in any way but it is still other-worldly and charming.

“Inconceivable!”

3. Merlin

The BBC show of this story was something I stumbled across in a very bizarre set of circumstances. My family does not have cable television and I somehow found a channel streaming the very first episodes of the show. It was the Livejournal days, and people were using Merlin mood themes. I was intrigued so much that I squealed upon seeing these two dudes onscreen for the first time.

Besides dealing with characters I was curious about, I found the relationship between magic and non-magic folk to be fascinating.

2. guardians of the galaxy

As much as I like Captain America and Tony Stark, my heart will always be set on the underdogs, the unlikely heroes, and the strangely comical but brave. I love Star-Lord and his crew of guardians.

It is funny because I hesitated to watch these Marvel films for so long and now I am such a fan of them. They cheer me up.

Nevertheless, Guardians of the Galaxy remains as the most tangible and relatable characters. I love them.

“I am Groot.”

OH, and Spiderman is another favorite (Plus Iron Man).

1. Star Wars

Even though I started truly enjoying this saga after watching The Force Awakens, I am actually uncertain about the latest installment (I haven’t watched it yet). So far, I love Rey, Poe, and Finn, but I worry about the series not connecting as beautifully as the original trilogy did.

Princess Leia and Han Solo are going to be dear to me forever. They were so charming and real. Still, I am intrigued by the nature of evil and good, friendship, love, and all the shades of grey that can be explored in the newer trilogy.

Like Finn, I don’t want to go back to Jakku.

My Top 5 Most Out of this World Urban Fantasy Young Adult and Middle Grade Books

In my early days of reading for pleasure regularly, I was mostly relying on one genre. This genre is, and will probably always be, my safe place. It is urban fantasy. For Top 5 Wednesday this week, the topic is to share our top 5 urban fantasy novels. I am very excited to talk about these books.

5. City of Bones by Cassandra clare

I had read some of Clare’s fan fiction in my early college days. She makes me laugh. Many people do this thing where they list every rumor about an author, every damning coincidence, or every mistake they ever made. When it comes to Cassie Clare, there’s a lot of stigma. Her work is somehow belittled because, oh, it has things in common with other work. It deterred me from reading her stuff for a long time.

However, when I did start reading her books, I was inspired and comforted. It still doesn’t sound like anything I’d ever read. It’s funny, because when I was working on my thesis, it became very clear how derivative literature can be. That’s the fun part. Anyway, this book brings me so much joy.

4. Percy Jackson and the Lightning thief by rick riordan

When I read this book, I was early in my graduate school days. I remember getting it from the library, and simply not knowing how awesome it was going to be. This series is often mocked, too, as you’ll notice a common thread within my post. It got so bad with people calling it “childish” and “unoriginal.”

To me, this series created such a fun and humorous series of adventures, cool characters, wonderful relationships. All of these things were established with the backdrop of rich mythology incorporated into the average daily life.

3. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizi

Another quite rich world presented with a balance between adventure and normalcy. Three siblings go on a quest that is so breathtaking in its richness. I find myself thinking of this series often, particularly how it flows into another trilogy afterwards. With that said, I think the cool feature of this series is how it is accessible to younger readers while not being patronizing to older ones at the same time.

2. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

This novel flirts with magical realism, and it makes me happy. To me, one of the features of urban fantasy involves younger characters going on quests despite their age and stature in society. We have Adam Parrish in these books, a poor boy from an abusive family, and he is given so much power and agency. It really is empowering to readers, I find. Same with Ronan Lynch.

But, even more beautiful is the commentary on strength in its varying forms. Sometimes, you don’t really do much to be powerful. Look at Blue Sargent’s abilities, her lineage, personality. Perfection.

1. Soulless by gail carriger

Steampunk is hit or miss for me so far. In this story, the main character is witty, with a seemingly normal appearance. Many side characters claim that she is not a conventional beauty due to heritage. And, she is soulless-all powers of the supernatural do not work on her. Romance, intrigue, mystery are all rolled into one delightful candy-like novel.

Top 5 Women-Who-Love-Women Books

Happy Valentine’s Day, peeps! This week, we will continue with the love theme on our Top 5 Wednesday. I am going to be listing my top 5 women who love women books that I have read. My big warning here is that a) there may be spoilers ahead.

Let’s go.

5. A Great and Terrible Beauty by libba bray

I read this book ages ago, and so I don’t recall the details or character names, which is good. This means I cannot spoil the story. All I will say is that there’s a queer couple in the story. Unfortunately, it was revealed as a spoiler, but I’d say the author respected the characters and wrote them beautifully still.

4. Dreadnought by april daniels

I just wanted to include my favorite trans girl (so far. I am working on including more diversity in my reads). This book angered me quite a bit, because I connected with the main character on an emotional level. We may be quite differently placed on the LGBT+ spectrum, however, I empathized with her struggles to be taken seriously.*

*I read the first book from the library and did not get to the next one yet.

3. Born wicked by jessica spotswood

I have not read the final book in this trilogy yet, so I remain unaware of what will happen to the queer couple in the story. However, reading about them broke my heart. Yet, I remain passionate about them and my hope for their happy ending continues to live on. Furthermore, I enjoy this character’s family acceptance of her feelings towards this person. (Goodness, being spoiler-free is so hard). This is particularly a fresh image to be portrayed within the rather stifling setting.

2. The Upside of Unrequited by becky albertali

There are two queer couples in this story, and they are both wlw. I love the familial love in the main character’s life. It warms my heart to see happy families depicted in novels, particularly novels featuring queen characters.

And finally…

1. Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

Featuring queer Latina girls attracted to the one and only Bay Bryar, this book is magic. McLemore is one of my absolute favorites. She writes with sensitivity and doting love toward her characters, her imagery, her themes, her plot. She honors her characters by offering a complex presentation of their lives. She writes so beautifully. This novel, being her latest, is my favorite one yet.

Top Favorite Male/Male Ships

It’s the middle of the night leading into Wednesday, February 7th, and I am antsy. This week’s Top 5 Wednesday prompt is to share our favorite male/male ships. Now, this is not just cis gendered folks in male/male relationships, but also trans, pan, ace, bi, and so on.

5. Six of crows by leigh Bardugo (Jesper and Wylan)

Listen, Jesper and Wylan are the cutest that ever cute-ed. From my own understanding, I gathered that Jesper does not identify as gay. He loves dudes, but not only dudes. He and Wylan clash quite a bit at first, because Wylan is pure sunshine. And, let’s all be honest, Jesper has issues and he gambles a lot. He’s a mess. Yet, Wylan makes him smile.

So, I end up smiling.

“Maybe I liked your stupid face.”

I love them so much.

*Ugly crying*

4. carry on by Rainbow Rowell (simon/baz)

Everything I hoped for Draco and Harry to go through, I got out of this book. It was just perfection, from beginning to end, and I loved every second of Baz and Simon glaring at each other. That odd moment when the supposed fanfiction of a character ends up more satisfying than that darn epilogue.

Oh yes, I am throwing shade. I’m still not over the whole, “OH, she has red hair, so you know. They have to be together.”

Gag. Life does not have to a be nicely tied with a bow on top.

3. simon vs. the homo sapiens’ agenda by Becky Albertalli (simon/Blue)

The cuteness, the mystery, the sweet reveal of Blue’s identify: they all led to a brilliant book that just brings a smile to my face. Becky Albertalli writes beautiful characters who sound real and honest. And, man, do I hate Martin or what.

(Spoiler: I do hate him so much).

Besides, he is passionate about Harry Potter. What more can you ask for?

(The answer is NOTHING, OKAY?)

‘“What’s a dementor?”
I mean, I can’t even. “Nora, you are no longer my sister.”
“So it’s some Harry Potter thing,” she says.”’

2. the raven cycle by maggie stiefvater (adam parrish and ronan lynch)

Come on. Ronan, with his bad-boy image and sensitive earnestness, coupled with Adam who is such an ambitious boy coming from a rough home; they sound lovely together. They are so very different, and yet they sound so perfect for each other. I can see Gansey being their biggest ally and fangirl.

1 . the gentleman’s guide to vice and virtue by mackenzie lee (Monty/Percy)

This whole book is essentially a journey to owning one’s privilege, and recognizing how that privilege affects one’s perceptions and experiences. Monty learns a lot about the society he lives in, and the way his able-bodied, white, and rich status helps me be in an advantageous position. Compared to Felicity (my dear asexual soul sister) and Percy (who is biracial and deals with epilepsy. Fun fact: I get pseudo seizures, and it made me so happy to see a character in canon who deals with something I can relate to first hand). Their romance is perfection.

Honorable mention: Obviously Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood are kings in my world. But, I didn’t feel like they got enough attention to be considered main characters. Oh, but Cassandra Clare is doing much better with Kit and Ty.

Top 5 Books I Disliked But Still Love Discussing

I am back with another Top 5 Wednesday. This week, the list centers on the books I disliked but enjoy(ed) discussing. Because these are books I am not too fond of, please do not be upset by this post. I am going to be very careful with how I phrase things, because I know how it feels when someone bashes a favorite book.

5. fire study by maria v. snyder

It often pains me to talk about this book, because the series felt strong in the beginning and slowly became not for me at all. I think of this show as a downward spiral for Valek, who was one of the most cunning Slytherin-y characters I had encountered. There was also the thing with Lief, who I never fully liked. It had such a powerful potential as it could have chronicled the rise of a woman’s ability and stature after being a victim of sexual abuse. If anything, the sexual abuse theme in these books was so promising.

4. The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heileg

I was curious to read this one, because, you know, biracial time-traveler is intriguing to me. Yet, I did not like the crew she worked with. Still, I like talking about this book because it showed a female character who was not socialized to behave in traditional feminine ways. That part made me happy. I just wish there was more of a challenge of these traditions, especially since Nix is from such a distinct culture (time travelers).

3. Timekeeper by Tara Sim

This book came highly praised, and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. To me, talking about this book highlights the murky waters of steampunk romances. I think it’s important to have LGBTQ+ representation in literature. However, I disagree with the erasure of cultural and social circumstances in the setting of a story.

2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

A classic among retellings, this book is so hyped and loved. I often feel bad for not enjoying it the way others have. Nevertheless, I think we need to have a serious discussion about how women were treated in many classics. You are retelling the story. Perhaps you can flesh out these oppressed voices within literature. It is okay to have a more complicated story, one that stretches beyond the doomed lovers narrative. (Besides, I want to talk about unlikable characters, like Achilles and his lover, who I refer to as What’s His Face).

1. The School for Good and evil by soman chainani

It started with a rather promising premise. Two girls, one seemingly good and the other seemingly evil, are sent to the school of opposite disciplines. Here’s what I like discussing: the way both girls were mistreated within the text and reduced to stereotypes of good and evil. I don’t know. In grad school, I took a class on evil, and so it’s something I like discussing.

Top 5 Wednesday: Five Book Categories I Did Not Get To in 2017

Welcome to Top 5 Wednesday. In this week’s edition, I will cheat (as usual) and discuss book categories (with examples) rather than only five examples. Here, I will talk about the Five Book Categories I Did Not Get To in 2017.

5. Big book series

Listen, I am still a fetus reader in some ways, because I get genuinely intimidated by big books that aren’t Harry Potter. For instance, I had only read the first book of the Mistborn series. The silly part is that I enjoyed it. However, it remains daunting. Another example is Illuminae, which I only read towards the very end of the year. Name of the Wind also comes to mind.

4. big series, not necessarily big books

The Bone Season series, The Legacy of Kings series, and even shorter series set in the same world by Cinda Williams Chima are examples of this epic fail on my part. Again, I worry that I will get bored of the same world, as if you have to read all the books back to back. (My thought process is very complex, okay…Okay, yes, it is not that complex).

3. slower paced books

I think that, with the right attitude, I can enjoy a lot of books. Yet, I tend to hesitate if the story is kind of slow. For example, all Anna-Marie McLemore books had a certain flowery slow paced story lines. Don’t be fooled. I loved every single book of hers. So, who’s to say that I won’t enjoy Laini Taylor’s writing? (She’s one of the main authors I am intimidated by). Rae Carson is another author I am genuinely afraid of her pacing because when I read the first book of hers, I struggled so much.

2. complicated fantasy worlds

Again with the Cinda Williams Chima books and the Brandon Sanderson stories. Sometimes, the pacing drags, and the magic system is complicated, with the occasional surprise thing that happens when you are not paying attention.

1. multiple perspectives

Ahh. (Sorry, I have to scream for a bit, because I get scared of multiple perspectives in novels). What if I can’t tell the voices apart? Furthermore, what if I hate all the perspectives and want a minor character to be the one narrating the stuff in the story? This mainly scares me when it comes to Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (everyone seems to hate Lucia).

Top 5 Resolutions to Shape Up my Reading for 2018

This week’s top 5 Wednesday is all about resolutions. In other words, folks all over the blog-o-sphere will be discussing their bookish resolutions. For me, I am going to discuss my top 5 resolutions that (I hope) will shape up my reading for 2018. Let’s do this.

1. read at least two hours a day

My biggest problem is how much time I spend online. It took me a while to recognize this as an issue. The more I focus on other people’s lives, I get more anxious and slip into this arena of comparison. It’s like, “Oh wow, so and so read this many books so far. I am a failure,” and so on.

While I understand that the Internet helps me a lot, I also am trying to minimize my reliance on it because, you know, it is slowing me down in terms of reading (and getting things done, in general).

So, I am trying to get off the Internet earlier, and read at least two hours or more before bed time.

2. read more diversely and more critically

I know there is a surge to be reading from different diverse groups, and I like this movement. However, I think sometimes I don’t notice certain things when it comes to representation. Like, is it authentic? Is it catering to an “other” audience? What do some # ownvoices folks think of this representation?

In doing so, I would be exercising my critical thinking muscles, which have been mostly dormant because of my confidence issues. I worry that I am offending someone now that I have a blog. And, I admit that I get anxiety just thinking of any kind of backlash.

But, I am trying to get comfortable with the idea of conflict being part of life.

3. remembering that all things are problematic

I have to be mindful of this idea: anyone can find a work problematic based on their experiences. Getting comfortable with acknowledging the ways a work fails to incorporate a certain perspective doesn’t diminish my own appreciation of it.

As someone who has been trained in analysis of literature, I used to be more emotional in how I reacted to books, then I became too afraid to stray from the norm to avoid confrontation.

An open mind can guide my reading life to be less driven by fear, and more driven by thought and growth.

4. read more widely

Kind of different to number 2, I promise. I understand that reading diversely from popular literature’s growing batch is always going to be a thing for me, because…I like some of these stories. However, I would like to venture into classics again.

5. keep statistics on my reading

Emily was sharing her statistics of 2017, and I was so intrigued by it that I am going to give this a try in 2018. I want to keep track of what I read and how it relates to the world. Hopefully it will guide me to develop reading habits that reflect how I want to participate in the reading realm.