Category: Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Romantic Things Book Characters Have Said

Posted November 14, 2022 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 40 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is “favorite ‘awwww’ moments in books”. Interpret this however you’d like. Can you think of times in books when characters have said/done something sweet, gone through a touching experience, had something work out just right in their life, gotten a cute new pet, had a baby, or been touched by something someone else did for them? To me, this topic means romantic, swoony moments between characters. I love those declarations of love and devotion, so today I’ve chosen to share some of the swooniest, most romantic, most lovey dovey things that book characters have said to each other.

1. “You’re like a song that I heard when I was a little kid but forgot I knew until I heard it again.”
― Maggie Stiefvater, Shiver

2. “For there are no limits to the stars, their numbers infinite. Which is precisely why I measure my love for you by the stars. An amount too boundless to count.”
– Kerri Maniscalco, Hunting Prince Dracula

3. “I am broken and healing, but every piece of my heart belong to you.”
– Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury

4. “I think I died to be reborn with you”
― Jodi Meadows, Incarnate

5. “There is no end to our story.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm

6. “I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I’d catch myself walking around to find you, not for any reason, just out of habit, because I’d seen something that I wanted to tell you about or because I wanted to hear your voice. And then I’d realize that you weren’t there anymore, and every time, every single time, it was like having the wind knocked out of me. I’ve risked my life for you. I’ve walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I’d do it again and again and again just to be with you, just to starve with you and freeze with you and hear you complain about hard cheese every day. So don’t tell me we don’t belong together.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone

7. “I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you.”
— Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire

8. “Your soul sings to mine. My soul is yours, and it always will be, in any world. No matter what happens.”
— Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone

9. “I have no need for a world without you in it.”
— Claudia Gray, A Thousand Pieces of You

10. “How could you not know?” His voice was full of wonderment. “You changed me utterly. You were like a…like a bright, wonderful bloom in a garden full of weeds. Like a graceful capital on a page of plain script, a letter decorated with the deepest, finest colors in all Erin. Like a flame, Caitrin. Like a song.”
― Juliet Marillier, Heart’s Blood

What’s your very favorite romance novel? What about your favorite romantic quote or scene? I’d love recommendations, or to hear your thoughts on the quotes I shared!

(This is a recycled list that I wrote up 4 years ago for a TTT Valentine’s Day freebie. Yesterday was pairing day for Broke & Bookish Secret Santa, which means I spent hours matching people up and emailing out assignments. My brain was just too worn out to write up a list today!)


Five Series I’d Like Start & Five I’d Like to Finish

Posted November 7, 2022 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 19 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is on book series I’d like to either start, catch up on, or finish (regardless of whether or not the complete series has been released or if it’s still being written)! I was going to try and focus on just one of these options instead of two, but I don’t read nearly as many series as I used to. So here we go!

Series I’d Like to Start

(I’ve read no books in these series)

Bow Street Runners series by Lisa Kleypas

Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas

Virgin River series by Robyn Carr

City of Love series by Juliette Sobanet

Stud Club series by Tessa Dare

Series I’d Like Finish

(I’ve read at least the first one and want to continue.)

Madigan Mountain series by Sarina Bowen, Rebecca Yarros, and Devney Perry
I’ve read the first one. Two to go!

Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn
I’ve read the first 5 and have 3 left!

A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas
I’m halfway through the third, and have a few left (some unreleased).

Wallflowers series by Lisa Kleypas
All I have left is the Christmas one, which I’ve been saving for my holiday reading this year!

Love by Numbers series by Sarah MacLean
I’ve read the first and half two left!

What series do you love?
Are there any series I’ve been dragging your feet on finishing?


Top Ten Lovable Villains

Posted October 31, 2022 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 22 Comments

This week’s topic is unlikeable characters you can’t help but love, but I chose to narrow that a little to lovable villains! I tend to love the bad boys in books, and I love seeing them usually end up softening or showing their good sides. Can’t wait to see your lists and what you did with this topic!

1. The Darkling from The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
He’s dark and sexy and charming and dangerous, and people are just drawn to him for some mysterious reason.

2. Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
He was the villain in the beginning, but he captured al of our hearts.

3. Valek from Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Valek is a master assassin and trains Yelena in the art of poison. He makes her pretty miserable until…

4. Akiva from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.

It did not end well.”

It didn’t start so well, considering Akiva attacked Karou at their first meeting. lol.

5. Bastien Toussaint from Black Ice by Anne Stuart
Bastien is a ruthless assassin, hired to take out Chloe for knowing too much about his illegal arms dealer employers, but he eventually decides to protect her instead.

6. Ty from Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher
I have no idea how Lucy Christopher got me to sympathize with the kidnapper, but she did!

7. Alexander Moncrieffe from What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long
Alex initially wanted to seduce his rival’s little sister as revenge. Making her fall in love and then breaking her heart is the perfect way to get back at Ian Eversea. He falls for her, though. Of course. So many swoons in this book!

8. Luke from Lament: The Faery Queen’s Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Luke is an assassin who has been assigned to kill Deirdre. He shows up mysteriously and Dee is totally drawn to him. He’s in love with her, but do we trust him?

9. Beast from Hunted by Meagan Spooner
I love this guy for pretty much the same reason I love The Beast in Beauty and the Beast. He’s tortured, brooding and… beastly. He’s holding Yeva prisoner in his castle. But… then the swoons happen.

10. Joshua Templeman from The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Josh is the enemy. He’s Lucy’s nemesis. They hate each other, and are fighting for their place in the company they both work for. But there’s a very fine line between love and hate, and they don’t seem to know where it is.


Top Ten Halloween Picture Books I Loved As a Child

Posted October 24, 2022 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 15 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! Fall really hit my city in the face his past weekend, with temps going from 70 degrees to 25 (Fahrenheit) overnight! So I am finally feeling like Fall is here, and with Halloween coming up soon it’s the perfect time for the weather to change. It’s also the perfect time for the annual Halloween freebie topic! I love aspects of Halloween, including atmospheric reads, candy, pumpkins, black cats, and cute kids in costumes. Super scary is not for me, so I’ve chosen to share my favorite Halloween books from when I was a kid!

1. Popcorn by Frank Asch
2. Trick or Treat, Little Critter by Gina Mayer and Mercer Mayer
3. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
4. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz and Kara McMahon (Adapter)
5. The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat by Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain

6. Clifford’s Halloween by Norman Bridwell
7. Franklin’s Halloween by Paulette Bourgeois
8. Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
9. Clifford’s First Halloween by Norman Bridwell (I really loved Clifford!)
10. Sherlock Chick and the Case of the Night Noises by Robert M. Quackenbush (This is not Halloween-themed, but it was spooky for little Jana!)

Did anyone else grow up in the late 80’s and the 90’s like I did, and read any of these? It was so much fun strolling down memory lane and coming up with this list today. 

I hope you have a happy Halloween next week!


Top Ten Words I Love to See in a Book Synopsis

Posted October 17, 2022 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 13 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is favorite words, but I chose to narrow it a little and share words I get excited to see in a book’s synopsis. Seeing these words immediately makes me perk up and get even more interested in reading the book. And if any of them are combined, it’s even better!

1. Christmas

2. Pirate

3. Pretend (as in pretend dating/marriage/engagement)

4. Atmospheric

5. Stranded

6. Blizzard/Snow

7. Sweet

8. Heist

9. Funny

10. Italy (or anything that indicates travel, really. I’m not picky.)

What’s your favorite word?
What words do you see in a book synopsis that make you want to read it?