fiction

My Most Anticipated Sequels

/ caitlinemccann / 10 Comments

This week’s Broke and the Bookish weekly meme is about the top ten sequels I cannot wait to get a hold of. Not all of these are super current, some of these sequels are from older series that I’m just now catching up on while others are highly anticipated treasures. Either way I’m anxious to get reading!

*Pictures and links sourced from Goodreads.com*

The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy, #3)

1. The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

I try really hard not to buy too many hardbacks because they’re space hogs on my book shelves. This book, the final book in the All Souls Trilogy, has been out since July and I have been bidding my time until it is released in paperback. I can barely stand it. I am enamoured with Harkness’ series and cannot wait to see how this ends! I’m equally excited to see what she does in the future.

 

Prototype: A Novel

2. Prototype by M.D. Waters

This is part two of a two book series. You can read my review of book one, Archetype, if you click here. I am so compelled to know what happens to Emma Wade!

 

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4)

3. A Feast For Crows by George R.R. Martin

Anyone who has tackled a Martin book knows that these books need to be planned. You can’t casually pick up a book in the Song of Ice and Fire series and just expect to knock it out. Well, you can, but you likely won’t get any work done or have much of a social life. I’m trying to do both at the moment, but mayhap around Christmas time?

 

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)

4. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

I read Cinder a few months ago and got sucked in. I’ve just been waiting on a break in my reading schedule to dive into the second book in The Lunar Chronicles. Must. Know. What. Happens.

 

Crimson Night (Crimison, #2)

5. Crimson Night by Trisha Baker

I really need to get over myself and just buy a used copy of this on Amazon or eBay. This is an out of print series that I fell in love with before I realized it was an out of print series (anyone else have this problem?). Rumor has it that it’s being reprinted, but I live in fear of author edits in series that have been out of print for a significant length of time. One day, I’ll make it happen!

 

Dark Skye (Immortals After Dark #14)

6. Dark Skye by Kresley Cole

Cole has been building up this storyline for several books now, and I’m so excited Thronos and Lanthe finally get their story told! If you couldn’t tell, I’m a big fan of paranormal romance and Kresley Cole has one of the best, farthest reaching range of creature-characters that fit together in a way that makes sense. Cannot wait to read this one!

 

Rapture (Fallen Angels, #4)

7. Rapture by J.R. Ward

When I started reading J.R. Ward it was for her Black Dagger Brotherhood series (which is still great) but lately I’ve been more drawn into her Fallen Angels series. Both circle around Caldwell, New York and have very similar types of male protagonists, but I’m always excited to see where Ward takes her characters next. I’m behind on both series but will look forward to catching up!

 

The Vampire Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles, #2)

8. The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice

This one is probably more wishful thinking on my part. When I get around to reading Anne Rice, I really enjoy it because she has a cinematic quality to her writing. But I hardly ever get around to it. The Vampire Chronicles is one of those series that I always think about and go, “Oh yeah, I should start that back up again.” We’ll see if I get off the ground with this one or not.

 

Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20)

9. Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton

It’s officially rare for me to be complete a Top Ten Tuesday without mentioning Laurell K. Hamilton. Currently there are twenty-four books in the series, and this is number twenty. Hamilton is still writing the Anita Blake series though so that’s good news for me. This particular novel involves Edward, one of my all time favorite characters in the Anita Blake series. He doesn’t appear often, but when he does I get pumped.

 

Voyager (Outlander, #3)

10. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

I tend to go long stretches in between reading the different books in the Outlander series, which could be bad for my memory. But these books are such commitments. Don’t get me wrong, they’re worth it every time. I just have to schedule reading this size book. However, I feel the urge coming on again, so perhaps sometime soon.

So there are my most anticipated sequels. Hopefully I’ll be able to dig into a few of these through the new year.

Thanks for popping in!

Characters That I Relate To a Little Too Well

/ caitlinemccann / Leave a comment

This week’s Broke and the Bookish meme is all about Characters that I [fill in the blank]. So I chose to take on the idea of characters that I relate to in ways that are sometimes not the best. Good literature is like looking in a mirror; your reactions to characters both good and bad can allow you to see something deeper about your self. In no particular order, here are the characters I connect to in some way, shape, or form.

  1. Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale: She’s trapped by her society and caught in her past. Offred’s way of  handling these external and internal forces isn’t always wise. Atwood’s novel is a terrifying glimpse into a future that doesn’t seem as impossible as we would like, and I appreciate that she didn’t populate her narrative with any gradient of perfect people. Offred fights depression and a sense of hopelessness with raw emotion and aggressive rebellion. Who the heck hasn’t done that?
  2. Susie Salmon in The Lovely Bones: It feels a tad strange to say that I relate so well to a twelve-year-old girl who views the world from her perch in Heaven. But she seeks the best in situations that are absolutely dismal; it doesn’t always work for her but I certainly appreciate the effort. When I first read this book in the seventh grade I felt so connected to Susie’s disconnection. It’s all about that first read when it comes to relating to characters.
  3. Esther Greenwood in The Bell Jar: Within reading the first five pages of Plath’s infamously autobiographical novel, I felt a kinship with Esther. And then my next thought was, “Well, crap, that can’t be healthy!” There’s just something in Plath’s tone and language that feels like her words could be mine too. Dealing with issues of stability and sexuality is something plenty of readers can connect with, regardless of your current state of mental health.
  4. Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre: Any girl (or hey, any guy) who has connected with Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when they treat her like poo on the bottom of their shoes in the boutique can connect with Jane Eyre. It’s the same general principle of feeling alienated and being made to be a lesser for their perceived station in life, only more darkly Romantic. Jane has more of a vengeful streak than Julia though, which I think makes her more interesting.
  5. Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones’s Diary: My inner frantic nutbag connects with Bridget. That is all.
  6. Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Gurrrrrrrrl, I have been there. In your most passionately desperate moments–in the throes of love or even lust–you know you have pulled a Helena. I read her dialogue and simultaneously wince and nod in sisterly understanding. Such is life, I suppose.
  7. Briseis in Daughter of Troy: Oi. Briseis is selfish, haughty, and just this side of vain. But she is also strong, empowered, and captivating. One of my favorite books of all time as well as one of my favorite characters.
  8. Danny Saunders in The Chosen: Danny can be abrasive and unyielding in his opinions. His push-pull with tradition and family is something I could truly connect with though. I’ve got a lot of love for this character.
  9. Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities: Such a bad man! I love him more than any other character in the book. Who needs Lucie? I was so compelled by Sydney and felt like he was the person I was most interested in following along with.
  10. Gene in A Separate Peace: Given the ending, I feel a tad guilty about connecting with Gene. His introvert characteristics and wicked streak of jealousy are avenues I’ve been down myself.

None of these characters are “bad people”. They’re complex and potentially brooding and there is something relatable in all of them. It’s all in how you connect as a reader, and our darker sides connect with characters just as readily as our lighter sides.

Hope you enjoyed my Top Ten Tuesday post. Happy Reading!