Monday, August 29, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday - School Freebie!



Why hello again! This week is a school themed freebie. The books I've been blogging about have been increasingly serious in content. I feel the need to kick up my heels a bit and talk fun. So, this week's theme is 'Top Ten Throwback Books I Read for Fun in School". Books that trended in my library, books that I read over and over again, books that I'm amazed I got into, books that were my THING, etc.

Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene



I am entirely incapable of starting this list on any other note. Nancy Drew was my homegirl, my spirit animal, my secret weapon for all things boring/frustrating/insertchildhoodangsthere. I would like to say that I never got into the newer series/versions of Nancy Drew. Technically Carolyn Keene was many authors. But, I was incredibly partial to the originals. As in those yellow bound, vintage illustrations, and all lined in a row at any library you went to books. ;) 

The Royal Diaries Series by Various Authors


Before there was the likes of Phillipa Gregory and such - there was...The Royal Diaries. They spanned all the cultures, all the eras, all the time periods. AND THEY WERE ALL ABOUT THE LADIES. I learned so much about history, strong female leaders/figures, and world history in general from the pages of these books. I had a special affinity with Queen Elizabeth. Her Dad got married alot, as did mine. lol. 

Heartland Series by Lauren Brooke


HORSES. I went through a huge horse series phase and Heartland was the star of this fascinating, diverse (coughs) phase of my literary ventures. I was about twelve, wanted an ARABIAN horse, and was like so sad that my parents didn't see why this was the best thing that could ever happen to me. Shout-out to the TV show up in Canada (love it) for adapting this series wonderfully. The location might have changed by the characters remain as awesome as ever.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli


Stargirl! Everyone ever needs to read this book at least once. Especially when they're in school. It's a must-read. 


The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy by Clare B. Dunkle


I am sure that I've mentioned this one before. If you're a fan of Labyrinth, Beauty and the Beast, and/or maybe The Neverending Story - this is a good pick. Not many people have heard of it so I like to pull it out when I have a chance. Two sisters kidnapped by Goblins! One to be a Queen and the other because she's the sister and doesn't want to part with her sibling. lol. It's charming.


Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn


I FORGOT ABOUT SUMMERS AT CASTLE AUBURN! HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT THE BOOK I CHECKED OUT LIKE A DOZEN TIMES?  It was one of my comfort reads in...middle school? Yea, it would have been middle school for sure. 

Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer


Rowan Hood - daughter of Robin that he didn't know because he thought her Mom was a dream - strikes out on her own to find her Dad and starts her own little band while dressed up as a boy. I love, looking back, how her conception was so glossed over. As an adult I'd be like SO HOW DID YOU FORGET HER MAMA, MAN? Well, there's some elven forest-people blood involved or something. lol. 


Daughters of the Moon by Lynne Ewing


Daughters of the Moon trended SO HARD in my HS library. It's no joke. There were like twelve in the series, I think, and if you wanted to read you're way through you better be at the same reading pace as the person before you or you'd be stuck waiting for the next book for a while. I was fast reader. I was pretty much screwed. lol. 




Meg Cabot - sang the song of tween/teens in YA back in the day. I do believe she still has a full grasp but I've been mostly invested in her adult books as of late. As I am an adult. Or like to think I am.... Oh! Notice that I didn't put The Princess Diaries cover up there. TPD were and are obviously her most notorious work. I, however, had a fondness for her paranormal fiction. Liza, sister of mine, loved her Mediator series. I was particularily fond of her 1-800-Where-R-U series. And not just because the main character and I shared the same name...


Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume


Yea, I just can't have a list of books from my schoolhood days and not have a Judy Blume shoutout. So this is me. Shouting out. TIGER EYES WAS MY JUDY BLUME NOVEL. If you've read Blume then you have at least one that's 'yours'. Tiger Eyes is mine. 


Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe


This is hilarious. I got into it because Meg Cabot (I was an avid follower of her blog as a teen) was friendly with the author and did some posts with her or something. Anyway, got the book - died of laughter. And wanted to bedazzle everything. Thankfully I didn't have one - or my wheelchair back then would have had a serious make-over...and probably not as good as I would like to think my bedazzling skills would have provided. lol. 


And that's a wrap! Honorable mention to the Redwall Series by Brian Jacques (with special attention towards Mariel of Redwall, Salamandastron, Triss, and The Long Patrol!) and Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

Until next week!

Jess

Saturday, August 27, 2016

The Butterfly Garden - Dot Hutchison

Published : June 1st, 2016
Publisher : Thomas & Mercer
Page Count : 288 pgs (E-book)
Genre : Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Fiction
About the Author : Website

"Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden. In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself. As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding..." - Nabbed from Goodreads Blurb


It's been a while since I've read a book that kept me up all night. Whether or not this is a good thing, I'm not sure. The Butterfly Garden kept popping up at me on Kindle Unlimited. I don't normally voyage into thrillers. I have yet to read Stephen King (on my to-do list, I just haven't decided what I want to read). I love mysteries, I'm not afraid of the darker tales and the elements and plot decisions that come with them, and I like a good dose of originality no matter the genre or context. The Butterfly Garden has all these things. And I stayed up all night reading it. But, it didn't quite add up to five stars for me. I'd have to settle at three and a half - almost a four. Still impressive and nothing to scoff at. 

It immediately drew me with the way the narrative was constructed and the story presented to the reader. I won't give too much away but imagine we're in a intense, psychologically-thrilling cop movie or miniseries and we start in the aftermath - in the police room interrogating the one person who can give true light to the horror that has unfolded. It's because of this that you're not entirely sure until the very end that you're not being led on a wild, crazy goose chase. That Maya (the communicator of this horrific tale) isn't completely insane from her experiences, suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, or just trying cover herself up. There are cracks in her story, threads that need to be tied together (or maybe were already tied?). 

Yet, we understand Maya as time goes on and so does the cops. She's a real character surviving a horrific environment. Things need to be sacrificed, decisions have to be made, and there is very little hope. Not even for us, because, the way the discovery of the victims is describes in the start of the novel leads us to believe it was as accidental and unintentional. Fantastic work there, Police Force. One of the victims was like a US Senator's daughter. The psychological and emotional toll on the victim (or is she?) is clear and communicated. It's not entirely communicated straight forward like but it's easy to see and to understand. 

The pace was a bit slow. I kept reading because I wanted to know what was happening and I wanted to see the ties tied up (or not). The influencing factor on this pace is the creative presentation of narration. It's true to form. And, if we're being honest - if you're kidnapped by a insane man and tattoo'd up, called a Butterfly, raped and molested, and expect to die young, and all of this in a weird underground garden - it's going to be a long, emotional process. It's not all action, it's not all fast-paced. The weight of the trauma is...emotional and psychological. I applaud the authenticity of the writing and the presentation. It just makes the plot drag on for a time in the middle. 

I would suggest this read to anyone who has an interested in thrillers, in mysteries, and can stomach the darker. However, I need to add before I conclude this post - that this is not a Young Adult novel. I saw on Goodreads that some were complaining that it was categorized as such. I wouldn't categorize it as YA. Does is have young adults in it? Yes. They're the victims, the 'Butterflies'. But, that's it. I wouldn't suggest it to a teenager unless I felt they were ready to handle the content. 

Three and a half stars - almost four! The Butterfly Garden will draw you in from the start and - in my experience - you'll go to the end because you're just not quite sure what's what and how it all is going to play out. 

Until next time readers, 

Jess

Monday, August 22, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday - Books That Have Been On My TBR From Before I Started Blogging


This list is going to be embarrassing. Books that I should have read ages ago...but alas..haven't gotten around to...yet.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte


I just couldn't finish Heathcliff and Catherine's brooding, tragic love affair. I tried a couple of times. And it still remains on my TBR list.


Graceling (#1) by Kristin Cashore


My best friend has been wanting me to read Graceling since forever and I don't think I've ever gotten around to it. Since she is all knowing and well-versed in my likes and dislikes I know she hasn't been suggesting this lightly and thus me not reading it yet is completely terrible. 


Austenland by Shannon Hale


I recently watched Austenland (yes, I know...I really should have read the book before I watched the movie). I just found my copy and am finally cracking it open...as of today. 




I watched the movie (Lifetime version, I think) but I never read the book. It's a book I know I'll most likely enjoy which for some reasons puts it down lower on the TBR list for me? I'm saving it for a potential 'I have no books to read' day.


The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger


I think I have a pattern emerging. Because I watched the movie before I picked up the book and the book was written a bit oddly so I put it back down for a later date. Still haven't picked it up even though I've been wanting to give it another go. 


The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood


This one I vow to read before the movie! I just haven't picked it up yet, I keep getting distracted with shinier ones. I've been known to pace myself on the reads that are going to stretch my brain or have a high probability of Impacting Me. Too many in a row and they all blend together and lose their potency. Firm believer in a well-balanced literary diet. ;)



I keep meaning to hit up Wicked. It's got a solid fandom, I'll eventually see the musical - I'm sure - and its one of those things that you know will be an inevitable part of your life in the future...just sometime. Not sure when. lol. 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith


I never really wanted to read this book until I watched the movie. I'm a bit of a stick in the mud about things like zombie-fied versions of a favored literary classics. I had it on my TBR list in the sense of someday I would get around to reading it. I watched the movie with some friends and it was hilarious and now I'm interested. 

True Women by Janice Woods Windle


I have this miniseries and I've had it forever. (Angelina Jolie is in it before she was big!) I have yet to track down a copy in any library and/or digital version. 


Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens


I have accomplished Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and of course - A Christmas Carol. But, I have not ventured further into Dickens for quite a few years. Little Dorrit is my next stop! When...I get around to it. 


Looking over this list and the reasons I give I sense a pattern. I really ought to read the book before I watch the screen adaption. And I really should just check a few off my list instead of putting them off for a rainy day. Because when rainy days come - I'm usually distracted with whatever I'm currently reading. Because, in all honesty, there's no damn way I'm going to actually run out of books to read. 

Please, share your list with me. And have you read any of these? 

Until next week, 

Jess

Friday, August 19, 2016

The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher

Published : November 12th, 2014
Publisher : 47North
Page Count : 183 (e-book, paperback, etc)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairy Tale
Find the Author: Website

"Young Rhea is a miller’s daughter of low birth, so she is understandably surprised when a mysterious nobleman, Lord Crevan, shows up on her doorstep and proposes marriage. Since commoners don’t turn down lords—no matter how sinister they may seem—Rhea is forced to agree to the engagement. Lord Crevan demands that Rhea visit his remote manor before their wedding. Upon arrival, she discovers that not only was her betrothed married six times before, but his previous wives are all imprisoned in his enchanted castle. Determined not to share their same fate, Rhea asserts her desire for freedom. In answer, Lord Crevan gives Rhea a series of magical tasks to complete, with the threat “Come back before dawn, or else I’ll marry you.” With time running out and each task more dangerous and bizarre than the last, Rhea must use her resourcefulness, compassion, and bravery to rally the other wives and defeat the sorcerer before he binds her to him forever. "- 'Borrowed' from the Goodreads Blurb.




This book is responsible for my niece and I deciding that hedgehogs would make an excellent pet. And that if I were to ever get to the place in my life where I could be a hedge-hog mama - that I should name her Matilda the Magnificent. Because...it's a fantastic name. If my potential, maybe-someday Hedgehog Matilda the Magnificent is half as cool as the hedgehog (who doesn't act like a typical, normal hedgehog even though it insists that it is - a normal hedgehog) in the book..that it will truly be Magnificent. 


The Seventh Bride is a clever fairy tale for adults. It's centered around a strong, determined heroine who lives in a world where she is the entirely declared under-dog. She had no choice in becoming Lord Craven's new betrothed. Her family works hard for what they have but ultimately they don't really have it at all. It's up to their liege Lord - who happens to be pals with Lord Craven. Even though she is forced into the marriage - she never stops trying, never stops fighting. She is practical, resourceful, determined, and her internal voice brings much spirit to the table.

Between the uncompromising darkness that surrounds our girl Rhea and her future sister-wives is wit, resilience, and a bit of humor. The wives are clearly victims, they are (even Rhea at times) submissive to the will of their shared husband, and they cope with their trauma in various ways. But, scratch the surface - even just a little - and you will see survivors. And that gives you hope. I'm not going to lie - until the very end you might be entirely certain that this is going to end up with all of them deader than dead and haunting that huge house they've been locked up in. I won't tell you their fate. You'll have to read it to be certain of it.

The plot continues at a prompt pace. It doesn't dilly-dally but gives enough time to the surrounding characters, the emotional toll the experience takes on Rhea, and the series of tasks and challenges she faces to create a well-rounded, continues plot. The ending, however, was a little abrupt. We don't see much beyond the ending and - again - I'm not giving away the ending...but after each fate of the wives is tied up (including Rhea) we don't anything after all. And in that word, where anything can happen, you wonder if their ending is truly an ending but just a beginning.

I had the pleasure of nabbing the audible for this story. One of the biggest challenges of reading is the knowing that I can't be productive during the day and hold a book and/or reading device in my hand. However, I can listen while I work. And, I was delighted! The narrator has only done The Seventh Bride but I hope she reads more books. She did the accents, she did Rhea superbly, she was fantastic. Perfect choice to narrate the story.

Four out of five stars. I suggest to anyone who is looking for a tale with a little bit of everything geared to a more mature audience. (I would go out on a limb and say it's appropriate for teenagers - just not for a young person. I might have talked about it with my niece (who is ten) but I wouldn't read it to her or have or have her read it. We just bonded over the awesome hedgehog (another reason you should pick it up, btw).

Happy reading, 

Jess

Monday, August 15, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday : Books Set In...


This week's TTT is a partial freebie! I've chosen to set my book setting in 'American History'. SHOCKER! Not really. I love historical fiction. And it's probably the setting that I can actually think of ten books for. 

The Smell of Other People's Houses - Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock


A favorite from recent history. Alaska post-statehood and the young adults living in that world. It was a refreshing, unique pocket of history and location to read. 

The Help - Kathryn Stockett


Do I really need to sum this up? Don't just watch the movie (although please do watch the movie if you haven't!). The book is worth the hype. 
Eleanor and Park - Rainbow Rowell


Yes. THIS COUNTS. It's set in the eighties but written now. It's like reading a completely relevant eighties movie with a damn good soundtrack.

Lily's Crossing - Patricia Reilly-Giff


I think I read this at least five times when I was a kid. I remember being asked 'What's your favorite book?'. And me being like 'Lily's Crossing!' (among many other titles). 



My favorite out of the series. I really wanted to live in that damn house. 



A classic that is too often over-looked. It's like reading a song, or something. It makes me want to get incredibly poetical. I could wax and wane about Francie and her family. There are quotes in this book that are contenders for my someday-maybe quote tattoo.


Thank you, Grammy, for gifting this to me! The voice is resonating and completely on point. The medium is classic but originally presented. Sarah is the kind of woman we all want to be. 


I knew I had to add a Dear America on this list. And when I was looking through the several that should be mentioned I remembered this one. Again, it was one I read more than once. 

A Tyranny of Petticoats (Anthology) - Edited by Jessica Spotswood


If you haven't read this one yet. Please do. It's got it all. 
The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd


Sue Monk Kidd in her finest! She was meant to write a book like this. I think that it's a accumulation of all that she's been writing and working towards. The Secret Life of Bees is still my favorite of hers. But, this is a close second. 

And that's a wrap for this week! What setting did you choose for your list? Do you have any to add for mine? 

Jess

P.S. Honorable mention goes to Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman ( https://twitter.com/erin_bowman) I keep mentioning it in all my lists and stuff so I resisted the urge to fangirl out about it. 



Saturday, August 13, 2016

Books to Screen - Jane Eyre

Welcome to the first 'Book to Screen' post! I love when books are turned into films. And so I thought of having a series called 'Book to Screen'. Comparing books to their movie/tv counterparts (and occasionally visa versa)! There's no specific schedule for this series. I have tons of ideas and tons of material so I shall not be without inspiration anytime soon! :)

I thought the best way to start off my new series was with none other than our favorite independent not-a-bird-to-be-caged classical heroine - Jane Eyre. I have not seen every adaption of Jane Eyre. Why? Because according to a google search of 'Jane Adaptions' there are like ten. However....I have seen four...yes. I think four? Now I can't remember! Either way - I'm covering four adaptions within the post. Let us commence with...

The Book

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte


Published : October 16th, 1847
Page Count : 448 pgs (paperback)
Genre: Classical, Fiction, Women's Fiction, Romance. 
Find the Author: Goodreads Page

"Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed. With a heroine full of yearning, the dangerous secrets she encounters, and the choices she finally makes, Charlotte Bronte's innovative and enduring romantic novel continues to engage and provoke readers." - Nabbed from Goodreads




I'm not going to even try to review it - why? Because it's a classic. My favorite. And no words could ever do it justice. Every reader has a classic that is just THEIRS and Jane Eyre...is mine. It's okay, don't worry - I share. 

The Screen(s)

Jane Eyre (1942)
Cast : Virginia Bruce & Colin Clive
Rating: 1.5 Stars

Well, it automatically gets kudos for being the first adaptation to have sound? (Thank you Google for sharing that tidbit fact with me!). The actors are nice in a very old school, vintage film sort of way...and that's as far as I can go with compliments because whoever concocted this version probably never actually read Jane Eyre. If they did they missed...basically everything. Jane Eyre is pretty. Rochester is...charming? They brush over tons of things. I considered it a bad film fan-fiction of Jane Eyre. 







Jane Eyre (1996)
Cast: Charlotte Gainsbourg, William Hurt, Anna Paquin, Joan Plowright.
Rating: 3.5 Stars


This is a far more accurate retelling of the story than the above film. Anna Paquin as young Jane is resounding. Although, I'm partial because she's a favorite actress of mine. I think, from all the other little Jane's I've encountered, she embodies her the best. But, again I might be a teensy bit biased. Charlotte Gainsbourg does a good job with Jane but she's not my favorite. There is something a little too subtly pretty about her and the way she moves. And William Hurt doesn't quite add up as Rochester. He's not brooding enough. But, they do follow the plot and hit up most of the major points. It's a condensed version that's not quite on point but it's forgivable and I would recommend it to anyone looking for another adaption of Eyre to view.



Cast : Ruth Wilson, Toby Stephens, Cosima Littlewood, Georgie Henley, Tara Fitzgerald, Pam Ferris, Claudia Coulter, Christina Cole.
Rating : 5 Stars

This was my first introduction to Jane Eyre on the screen. It is by far my favorite. All of the actors are the perfect embodiment of their iconic roles. Wilson as Jane is dear to my heart. Stephens is ALMOST too handsome in the classic sense to be Rochester. But, he embodies the Rochester energy so easily that he transforms into Rochester. The setting is completely gorgeous and appropriately brooding and beautiful. They rarely miss a beat. Of course, it has the luxury of being a two-part Masterpiece Miniseries. (Does Masterpiece ever go wrong?). They have a great deal of time to weave it all together. Of course, if you don't have the patience for a miniseries - I'd probably stick to a shorter adaption. Also, if you have a copy of the DVD and/or feel lucky on Youtube - look up the deleted scenes. Seriously.



Jane Eyre (2011)
Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench, Jamie Bell, Dario Marianelli.
Rating : 5 Stars

The most recent adaptation and by far the most creative. It doesn't approach the story line in a linear way. It flashes forward, flashes back, and loops around. But don't worry - it makes sense! Wasikowska is the most 'fae-like' Eyre I've encountered but she does not tread into the 'too pretty'. She brings a innocence to Eyre that brings her strength into focus while reminding you how very vulnerable she was. Fassbender as Rochester is brilliant and appropriately brooding. He's my second favorite Rochester. From little Helen Burns to the Rivers siblings - the cast is well-rounded and perfectly executed. This is a condensed version that is will entice long-standing devotees with it's creative presentation and intrigue and capture the imagination of viewers new to Jane Eyre.



Out of the above selection the awards for...

Top Notch Adaptation Condensed - Jane Eyre (2011)
Top Notch Adaption Extended - Jane Eyre (2006)
Best Jane Eyre : Wasikowska (with Wilson as a very close second)
Best Rochester : Stephens. 

Like I mentioned before - these are just four film adaptions out of at least ten that google informed me was out there in film-land. I only covered the ones I have viewed prior to thinking of this post topic. Please feel free to comment/link your own thoughts below on this versions and any others you've experienced. 

Happy reading and viewing, 

Jess



Monday, August 8, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday : REWIND!



This week's is a rewind edition! I scoured the spreadsheet of possibilities and what I came up with was "Ten Character's I'd Want On a Deserted Island". Allow me to set the scene...due to an unfortunate accident I am perilously stranded on an island. It's not tropical (terribly cliche to be stranded on a tropical island!) island. It's more of a forest-y island. The probability of this occurring (beingl stranded on a forested island that isn't tropical) is pretty much nil. But, let us imaginate! And as I am seeking consciousness on the beach...a face looms over me....and insert one of the below listed characters!

The Most Skillworthy and/or Badass Characters

Katniss Everdeen - The Hunger Games Trilogy (Suzanne Collins)


She is probably the most obvious choice. She'd slay enough on a deserted island to make up for the utter lack of skills that I obviously would bring to the table. 

Atreyu - Neverending Story (Michael Ende)


He will never, ever give up on you! (Not unless it's completely hopeless and the fate of the world is on his shoulders and you basically tell him to get lost and go save the world). He's the best, most loyal friend! I read this book for the first time this past year and it's become a favorite. He's the chosen one, he'll defeat the greatest of odds, and he can obviously keep me alive long enough for the rescue to get their heads out of their asses. And if they don't? Well, I've got a great friend. We'll make a helluva a fantastic tree house.

Ghost - A Game of Thrones (George RR Martin)


Out of all the characters from Game of Thrones I could have picked...why did I pick a Direwolf? Well. as much as I'd love to screw Jon Snow's brains out, and as much as I'd love to create some great survival stories with Arya...one cannot deny the great companionship and serious back up a direwolf can bring to the deserted island table. Ghost would be loyal, fiercely protective, and instinctively designed to survive on a wild, uncivilized island. And if it was cold, as a non-tropical forested deserted island would probably be, there is one BIG furball to snuggle up to.

Nancy Drew - (Carolyn Keene)


She can do it all! And I am quite positive that Nancy Drew could not only keep us alive on the island...she would somehow ingeniously flag down help and/or create one badass raft and compass system to navigate us to civilization/safety. 

Tristan Ludlow - Legends of the Fall (Jim Harrison)

Legends of the Fall is one of those works you just need to read. That being said, I can never not see or envision Tristan as...well...as pictured above. lol. The movie was definitely my introduction to the novella. I'd be very happy to have Tristan along side me on wild deserted island. Not only would we survive but I would seriously enjoy....his presence. lol. 

Karana - Island of Blue Dolphins (Scott O'Dell)


A old friend from my childhood. Karana has massive amounts of experience to bring to the whole stranded on a island thing. She can make a house out of whale bones, make spears and hunt for food, tame a wild wolf. She jumps over a boat to try to save her brother when he's left behind. She's fierce enough to avenge his death but gracious enough to know when not to kill and instead make friends. She'd be big time major back up to have on the deserted island. But considering how long she was on the island by herself and the one or two times there were actually people there on the island and she didn't do anything - I'd probably be the one in charge of #OperationGetUsOffThisIsland.

Jamie Fraiser - Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)


I've been saving him. He's just too perfect to NOT have on a deserted island. He's got the survival skills (he once lived off of grass). He's got the protective, hero thing going on. He's a total badass with a tender heart. Honestly? I'd get myself stranded on a deserted island if it was for certain he was my companion. Not joking. Ok. Maybe a teensy bit..no, wait..not even a teensy bit.

Kate Thompson - Vengeance Road (Erin Bowman)


I know, I know. I keep circling back to the same books/characters every week. lol. I just CAN'T leave the best bad-ass cowgirl hellbent on revenge hanging out there like that. She wouldn't stop until we were off that island in one piece. Miss Kate wouldn't stop for nothing. Any wild animals on that island would just have to bow down to the Goddess of Grit and Get 'Er Done. And when we got off that island she and I would have some killer tales to tell. 

Westley, AKA Dread Pirates Roberts - The Princess Bride (William Goldman
He survived pretty much everything ever. Including a couple of versions of death. I'm supremely confident that we could survive on island together. Once we got settled and realized that there was no one coming for us - he has supreme nautical skills from his time being The Dread Pirate Roberts. I am sure we could rig up a raft and sale straight toward civilization. 

Agnieszka - Uprooted by Naomi Novik

She has MAGICAL POWERS Specifically pertaining to nature. She's so good at it she's not constrained by the preciseness of spells. Plus...epic friend. Above and beyond for her people. She's the best friend you wanted to have all along and will never ever leave again. I've probably mentioned Uprooted like a gazillion times on this blog since I read it. I can't stop, it just has EVERYTHING. And Agnieszka - well, she's THE person to have with you when it gets hard. Or when you're some how tragically stranded on an island. 

I'd like to throw out some honorable mentions that may or may not be in the literary world. 

Sayid (LOST TV Show)


One of my favorite shows. He's my pick from the cast of characters to be stranded on an island with. 

Bellamy Blake (The 100)

I didn't like the actual book and don't remember him specifically. BUT I LOVE THE SHOW. And Bellamy.... ;)

Yara Greyjoy (GoT, primarily show)

She's got a different name in the series and I've only read the first book (waiting until he finishes) but I LOVE YARA GREYJOY. I love her so hard. She'd kill at being on a stranded island. 

Ok! All done! :) Who would you want to be stranded with on a deserted island? *Waggles Eyebrow*. 

Until next week, 

Jess