Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme for bloggers who like books and lists. It's awesome and is graciously hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
It's been forever since I've done a TTT! This week's topic is kind of a fun one and not one they've done before or at least recently. It's to put together a Holiday Gift Guide for X, like so:
Holiday Gift Guide freebie (ten books to buy the YA lover in your life, 10 books to buy for your dad, etc.)
I love the idea of recommending books around a theme but had exactly zero ideas except for really generic categories like people who love mysteries or nature lovers. I also feel like I'd done all those before.
So what does one do when one has no ideas? Plagiarize! (Just kidding - never plagiarize!) My favorite book podcast is one that Book Riot produces called Get Booked. It's a write in recommendation show - anybody can write in and ask for a recommendation to fulfill whatever niche or not so niche reading craving they are having. The two hosts are WONDERFUL and way more widely and diversely read than I and I have added SO many books to my TBR because of them. However, I thought it would be fun to tackle some of the requests they get myself! Here Goes: (P.S. I don't mean to infringe on copyright or be a grabby thief so if anyone thinks this is either of those things let me know and I will take the post down!)
************
1)QUEST: Someone who likes re-tellings of fairy tales, classic stories etc... (from Episode 1).
These are middle grade graphic novel re-tellings of the Rapunzel and Jack and the Beanstalk tales set in a magical American wild west. I adored them. The art is great and the twists on the tales are great. Also Shannon Hale is almost a specialist in re-telling old stories so really you can't go wrong with anything by her! The Goose Girl is another favorite by her.
2) QUEST: For someone who loves essay collections, especially smart and snarky ones. (Episode 5)
ANSWER: Stiff by Mary Roach
My answer to this question all week long and twice on Sunday will be Stiff by Mary Roach. It changed how I felt about non-fiction and is still the best, most interesting and funniest science related book I've ever read. It probably doesn't really count as an essay collection but each chapter is on a different topic related to cadavers and the book does not really progress like a narrative so I'm counting it. Honorable Mention (because this was supposed be a book good on audio as well): A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.
3) QUEST: Personal finance book for just getting started twenty-something. (Episode 44)
ANSWER: The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke by Suze Orman
First of all I really second the hosts' rec of The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. The book and his process really make sense. But I also love Suze Orman and my friend, who is much more savvy with his finances than I, got me this book 10 or so years ago and it was a godsend in educating me on a lot of the basics of personal finance. Her advice is also very sensible, straightforward and realistic.
4) QUEST: For someone who likes portal fantasy where there is a magical world hidden within our recognizable everyday world. (Episode 16)
ANSWER: A Corner of White (Colors of Madeleine #1) by Jaclyn Moriarity
I am probably just not down with the young folks but I'd never heard a peep about this book until I picked it up. The book takes place in two alternate realities/worlds - one our normal one and one where colors are like storms and can be dangerous. The two worlds used to be open to one another but all the ways were closed until a girl in our everyday world and a boy in the magical world start an accidental correspondence through cracks in the barrier. It's thoughtful, a little melancholy but really delightful.
5) QUEST: For someone who likes books with a mysterious element but which aren't a traditional mystery (Tana French is mentioned - so character studies with mysterious elements is how I'm reading this). (Episode 17)
ANSWER: Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart or Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg
Both of these books have a mystery at their heart but are also very heavy on the character development and the mysteries are very personal.
6) QUEST: Book for an Arthurian Legend lover. (Episode 39)
ANSWER: The Winter King (The Arthur Books) by Bernard Cornwell
I could go SO many directions with this because I am an Arthurian legend junky (and co-sign the hosts' recommendation of the Mary Stewart series). This trilogy by Bernard Cornwell is a little unique in that it grounds the Arthurian legend story in history and tells the story from the perspective of one of Arthur's spearmen (i.e. no one you've ever heard of). Cornwell does a fantastic job with it!
**********
Six is all I have time for this week so I'll turn it over to you! Do you have any great book ideas for these particular reading needs? Definitely check out the Get Booked Podcast if you haven't already - they have so many great recommendations!
No comments:
Post a Comment