TOP TEN TUESDAY, BOOK DEBATE #6 - DESERVING OF THE HYPE

This title is a mouthful and a half, but I'm combining my 'top ten tuesday' and 'book debate' series to bring you my top ten overhyped books/series/authors that I believe deserve all the hype they get. (I'm excluding Harry Potter from this list because that one is a given). There are certain books and book series that everyone seems to have read and nearly everyone seems to have enjoyed. Recently, I have found myself not enjoying some of the books that people seem to love the most. The following list are some of the most overhyped books that I've read and agreed with the general consensus on; these are the overhyped books that I really enjoyed and I think are worthy of the vast amounts of praise they get.

1. 'The Book Thief'- Markus Zusak
Like everyone else, this is one of my favourite books. It was so clever and well written and I cried so hard during it. I do love a book that makes me cry.

2. 'The Hunger Games'- Suzanne Collins
I didn't read this when the film first came out and everyone else was reading it, because I was snobby and didn't want to be like the crowd. I am so original, I know. I then watched the film, fell in love with it, watched it three times in a row, and binge read the whole trilogy super quickly. Such a fantastic, classic dystopian trilogy.

3. The Raven Cycle- Maggie Stiefvater
Everyone loves this series, I love this series, and it's so, so, so deserving of all the praise it gets; one of my absolutely favourites and I am a tiny bit obsessed.

4. The Lunar Chronicles- Marissa Meyer
I had little interest in this series, and I hypocritically said I was never going to read it. I picked it up when 'Winter', the final book came out, purely because of how obsessed everyone was with it, and I was just suddenly really tempted to try it out. Ended up loving it, definitely worth all the praise.

5. 'Anna and the French Kiss'- Stephanie Perkins
Everyone loves Stephanie Perkis' 'Anna and the French Kiss' companion trilogy, and for good reason. The stories are so much fun, the characters are great and the romance is to die for. I was hesitant to read these books at first, as I wasn't sure I'd enjoy the plot, but I ended up absolutely loving them (especially 'Anna and the French Kiss') and now I kind of want to go to boarding school in Paris.

6. Morgan Matson
Morgan Matson is a well-loved, contemporary author and I've really enjoyed every single one of her books. They're the definition of a perfect summer read, and she deserves all the praise and hype she gets.

7. Sarah J. Maas
As with Morgan Matson, Sarah J. Maas is an incredibly popular author, and I've absolutely loved every single one of her books. She's such a strong writer and storyteller and her books leave you dying for the next one. I know she can only get better.

8. 'A Darker Shade a Magic'- V.E. Schwab
I started this when it first came out, but I found it a really slow read and I gave up at about 100 pages through. Fast forward a year to when the second book was coming out and, like with the Lunar Chronicles, everyone was obsessed and, again, I was suddenly tempted to give it another go. At the time, it was really cheap on Kindle, so I downloaded it and read it super quickly and fell in love. So deserving of the hype, I'm so excited for the next book.

9. Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan is a genius. He deserves all the praise he gets, not just for his great stories and fantastic characters, but also for the fact that his work is so accurate to the mythology and he's just so damn clever in the way he can seamlessly link it all into modern culture.

10. 'Fangirl'- Rainbow Rowell
'Fangirl' is the most popular book of a well-loved author for good reason. It's so relatable to so many people and it doesn't shy away from the honest fact that university can be really hard, and isn't all perfect and easy and fun. Very often, it's the books with the most relatable characters that are the most popular.

Rosie

TOP TEN TUESDAY - ALL TIME FAVOURITE BOOKS (2016 ED.)

Today's Top Ten Teusday post is one which I personally love hearing about when other people talk about it, my all time favourite books. I've called this one the '2016 edition', as my favourites will almost definitely change over time as I read more things. (In no particular order, except the first three).

1. 'Anne of Green Gables'- L.M. Montgomery
I've spoken about this book so many times but it's my favourite book of all time. It's the definition of all feel-good book and it makes me feel warm and happy and desperate to live on P.E.I.

2. 'Ballet Shoes'- Noel Streatfeild
I don't think I've mentioned this before? But this book comes in very close behind Anne with just how much I love it. There's no particular reason, I loved it from the moment I read it and it's high time I gave it a re-read.

3. 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'- J.K. Rowling
I couldn't choose a favourite Harry Potter book, so I've gone with the first one as it's the start of it all and it's so wonderful and magical and warm and I really don't think I need to say any more about it.

4. 'The Importance of Being Earnest'- Oscar Wilde
This is my most favourite play of all time, occassionally I'll forget about it and then I'll rediscover it and remember how hilarious it is and how much I adore the characters and I'll fall in love with it all over again.

5. 'The Luxe'- Anna Godbersen
Part one of my favourite books/authors that no one else has ever heard of. This is a guilty pleasure, historical romance fiction set at the end of the 1800s and it's so much fun and so swoony and I love it.

6. 'The Looking Glass Wars'- Frank Beddor
Part two of my favourite books/authors that no one else has ever heard of. I don't really want to share either of them. This is a retelling of Alice in Wonderland and it's such a fantastic take on the story.

7. 'The Book Thief'- Markus Zusak
It's everyone's favourite.

8. 'The Dream Thieves'- Maggie Stiefvater
Everyone knows how much I love the Raven Cycle quartet, but I think this one is definitely my favourite of the series. If you haven't read it yet, what are you doing?

9. 'How to Be a Woman'- Caitlin Moran
Caitlin Moran is one of my favourite writers, she's hilarious but also so relatable and clever and she has a way of writing about serious topics in a way that's funny without undermining the topic. I'd go as far as to say that this book changed my life.

10. 'A Christmas Carol'- Charles Dickens
It's just a really enjoyable read (plus Muppet's Christmas Carol is my favourite film and it's really accurate to the book).

Plus an honourable mention to 'The Year of Reading Dangerously' by Andy Miller, I wanted to include it but couldn't fit it on the list but HA I've snuck it into the post anyway.

Rosie

This was hard

TOP TEN TUESDAY - THINGS I WANT TO WATCH

I was originally going to make this about the top ten things I want to watch on Netflix, but some of the things I want to watch most aren't on Netflix (big problem for Rosie) so I've opted for a more general list.

1. Parks and Recreation
I am so desperate to watch it but, like many great shows, it's only available on Amazon's version of Netflix (I can't remember the name) and I can't justify the need to have both that and Netflix. I need, need, need to watch this, it's ridiculous how desperate I am, I know I'm going to love it.

2. The US Office
This is a bit of a sore spot for me, I was half way through series 5 (out of 9 series) when it was removed from Netflix. I was a combination of furious and heartbroken and I really want to finish it.

3. Season 6 of Community
Can Netflix just have this available already please?

4. Outlander
Everyone should know by now that so many people are obsessed with this, and it's no secret that I read the first book and really didn't enjoy it. Saying that, I watched the first half of series 1 of the show and I really enjoyed it, and I'd like to see where the rest of the series goes. I'm definitely going to be watching it rather than reading it, though, once again, this is only available on Amazon.

5. Gilmore Girls
I've heard nothing but good things about this show and it's just become available on Netflx, so I think I'm going to have to give it a go.

6. Love, Rosie
I read the book of this and really liked it, and the film is on Netflix, I just haven't got round to watching it yet.

7. Game of Thrones
I've watched the first series of Game of Thrones, I own the first three series on DVD, but I wanted to read the entire book series before I watch any of it. I've got two books left to read, but the show has been getting so much praise recently that I really want to watch it.

8. Now You See Me
I've watched the first half of this film but didn't get a chance to finish it. I thought it was absolutely genius; magic tricks confuse me so much but they're so clever, I really want to see how this one ends.

9. Guardians of the Galaxy
No one can believe that I haven't see this yet, but it's finally on Netflix and now is my time.

10. X-Men
My best friend raves about these (along with all Marvel films, which I need to catch up on) and I really want to give them a go. I just have no idea where to start.

Rosie

Too much TV to watch

TOP TEN TUESDAY - THINGS TO WATCH ON NETFLIX

Welcome back to another Top Ten Tuesday. Today's topic, as you can see, is my top ten favourite things on Netflix that I think everyone should watch. Happy watching, y'all.

1. Community
Arguably the best show on Netflix. Fight me. Community is hilarious and wonderful and lovely and so, so, so, so damn funny. Watch it. Please. (Seasons 1-3 are the best, though).

2. Orange is the New Black
Obviously the next best thing on Netflix. Everyone knows what OITNB is and you're clearly living under a rock if you haven't watched it. It's so fantastic, season 4 will ruin your life.

3. Pride and Prejudice
This is not just any Pride and Prejudice, this is the 1990s BBC Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth and it is the best version of Pride and Prejudice ever. No arguments.

4. Clueless
Clueless is one of the greatest films ever made and don't waste this opportunity of it being on Netflix.

5. Death in Paradise
Death in Paradise is undoubtedly the best murder mystery series out there. It's not only ridiculously clever, it's set on the most gorgeous Caribbean island, and if that's not reason enough to watch it, I don't know what is.

6. Rugrats
Rugrats is my absolutely favourite TV series from my childhood and some of it's on Netflix. Very exciting.

7. Gossip Girl
Everyone is obsessed with Gossip Girl so I thought I'd give it a try, and it's really, really addictive. Don't try it, you'll get hooked.

8. Just Go With It
The most important thing you must know about this film is that it's set and filmed in Hawaii. HAWAII. Need I say more? You should also know that it's an Adam Sandler rom-com, meaning that it's not the finest film (though it does also star Jennifer Anniston), but it's really enjoyable, really compelling and I just really like it.

9. Full House
A feel-good, if not slightly cheesy, classic sit-com. It's really, really good, it's a cult favourite for good reason.

10. Wet Hot American Summer
This is a cheat one because it's actually two-in-one. Wet Hot American Summer is both a film (the original) and a TV series (made last year). It's a lot of fun and it'll make you really want to be an American summer camp counsellor.

Rosie

I watch too much Netflix 

TOP TEN TUESDAY - BOOKS ON MY TBR

If you remember back a couple of months ago, I made a post talking about a new idea I'd had called 'Top Ten Tuesday'. The premise is simple, on a Tuesday (but not every Tuesday) I will post a list of my 'top ten' of a certain thing. I do love a good list. So, to start us off with the first ever Top Ten Tuesday post, here's the top ten books on my TBR (To Be Read) list.

1. Anne of Windy Willows
Anne of Green Gables is my favourite book series of all time, but I've never gotten past the third book. This is the fourth book in the series and this is going to be the year that I finally read it.

2. The Handmaid's Tale
The sound of this book really appeals to me and I've wanted to read it for ages, so I probably should soon.

3. Great Expectations
I watched and loved the BBC TV mini series of Great Expectations when it was on a couple of years ago, but I feel like I was too young to properly read Dickens at the time. I've read A Christmas Carol twice since and I love it, so it's high time I have a go at another Dickens' novel.

4. Sense and Sensibility
Every year I read a Jane Austen book, and this year is going to be the year of Sense and Sensibility. (Again, I love the film of this).

5. The Grisha Trilogy
I've wanted to read this trilogy for a while now; I read and really enjoyed Leigh Bardugo's other book, 'Six of Crows', so I have high hopes for the trilogy it's based on.

6. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
As with many of these books, they're books I just haven't got round to reading yet. I've read the Hobbit a couple of times and watched the Lord of the Rings films multiple times, and I have no idea why I haven't read the books yet.

7. Bossy Pants
Last year I went on a bit of a mini rampage and read loads of books by female comedians, but I never got the chance to read Tina Fey's book and I want to rectify that because she is great.

8. Love Nina
My best friend recommended this to me years ago but I've never got round to reading it.

9. Illuminae
This book has been on my TBR list on Goodreads since I first heard about it in March 2015. I've heard countless amazing things about it and there is no excuse for why I haven't read it yet.

10. The Cuckoo's Calling
I want to read more murder mystery books and Robert Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling, seems like a pretty good place to start. My mum loves these books, I've heard only great things and obviously I trust Galbraith's/Rowling's storytelling and writing abilities!

I refuse to believe that it's the end of March already.

Rosie