Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish in which we list our top tens of different topics each week!

This week’s topic is “top ten series I’d like to start but haven’t yet.”

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I will include images later today when I’m free.

1. THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST SERIES by Rick Yancey

I have had the first three books in this series for over a year and I think it’s time that I dive into them. I am about to begin reading Rick Yancey’s The 5th Wave so it’s great that I have his previous works that he is well-known for, and I will pick them up immediately if I love this start of a new series of his (although I’ve been meaning to read The Monstrumologist all along anyway).

2. THE WHEEL OF TIME by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson)

All right. So this series has finally come to end with Brandon Sanderson writing the final three books after Robert Jordan passed away. There’s 14 books in the series and I have planned to get stuck into this popular fantasy series… finally! The first book The Eye of the World was published in 1990, three years before I was born, so of course I couldn’t stat the series back then. Maybe I should have picked the series up years ago, but ever since I started blogging and reviewing mostly Young Adult books I’ve rarely had the opportunity to read the genre of books I love most, which is Adult Fantasy (and Science Fiction). The Wheel of Time series is one of those fantasy series in which I am pushing myself to read over the coming years – beginning this year.

3. THE MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN by Steven Erikson

Like The Wheel of Time series, Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series spans numerous books – I believe there’s 10 so far, in addition to a spin-off. This is another series I have wanted to read. I own the first three books, which is a pretty good indication of my wanting to read them. Like most fantasy books Steven Erikson’s books are pretty dense, but nevertheless, despite my young adult reviewing endeavours, beginning this series is also on my to do list.

4. DEPARTMENT NINETEEN SERIES by Will Hill

With only two books and a third coming out in the next few months Will Hill’s Department 19 series has garnered great reviews from readers young and old. It is a paranormal/supernatural series about a secret organization responsible for policing the supernatural. So I guess it’s along the lines of Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy trilogy, but I must say, Will Hill may have done a way better job with this concept since Kiersten White’s is a paranormal romance and Will Hill’s is a not-so-much romance and with more action and adventure.

5. THE BENNY IMURA SERIES by Jonathan Maberry

I have the first book Rot & Ruin after hearing so many amazing things about this young adult zombie series, so, you know, when you hear amazing things about a book you just want to read it yourself and experience that same amazement that others had experienced. I haven’t read many zombie books compared to everything I’ve read, so this may be great (actually, I read Darren Shan’s Zom-B recently but I didn’t enjoy that as much as I had hoped). And let’s hope it is!

6. THE ENEMY SERIES by Charlie Higson

Another zombie series on this list; I guess I feel like I’m missing out on some zombie action. Ever since the first book came out I have had my eye on these books but I just never got the chance to read them despite owning the The Enemy and The Dead. Since I have finished reading the Gone series by Michael Grant, I suppose this would be a series to indulge in as they’re kind of similar with the children of 14 thing.

7. THE CURSE WORKERS by Holly Black

Another series I’ve heard nothing but good things about. I have the first. I want to read the first. I want to read it all! (I also don’t think I’ve ever read Holly Black – *gasp*)

8. THE DEMON CYCLE by Peter V. Brett

I’ve had the first two books The Painted Man and The Desert Spear for close to three years and I think it’s also time to begin them as the third book, The Daylight War, came out last month in February. What also has made me intrigued even more is hearing normal readers (not, say, bloggers and reviewers who constantly read) like my uncle saying to me: ‘Have you read Peter V. Brett’s books yet? They’re fantastic!’ THAT makes me want to read a book, and as I work at a bookstore and getting to be in contact with many many many everyday readers and what they recommend or what book they specifically adore always adds books to my list. This is another fantasy series.

9. THE DUNE CHRONICLES by Frank Herbert 

The classic science fiction Dune Chronicles by Frank Herbert. I have to admit I have not read these yet. I should’ve picked them up in high school as I always saw them in the library but I just didn’t have that urge to back then. But now, NOW, I will definitely attempt to read these six books.

10. THE RIFTWAR SAGA by Raymond E. Feist

Another fantasy series. Yes! Another fantasy series, I know. Along with Robin Hobb’s books, which sadly should be on this list too, Raymond E. Feist’s fantasy books are some that I desperately want to read as well. In time I will. In time.

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Thanks for checking out my top ten this week.

Don’t be afraid to comment and I’ll make sure to visit yours in return.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish in which we list our top tens of different topics each week!

This week’s topic is “top ten authors that I’d put on my auto-buy list.”

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I would first like to say a big SORRY to those authors I love dearly and would buy anything of too, but I just couldn’t decide who to list. This was a tough top ten. No hard feelings, okay? Okay! Good. Let’s go… (These are not in any particular order, except maybe for number one.)

1. MICHAEL GRANT

Michael Grant is an author who I will read and buy anything of. In his young adult books, especially that of the Gone series which is one of my favourite series ever, he does not shy away from the dark issues that are present in modern day teenagers such as suicide, depression, eating disorders, alcoholism and the slightly lighter issues such as self-discovery, self-acceptance, self-control, power, and whatever else you believe are important in the young adult age group. Michael Grant has an honest mind, an imagination that transcends levels of understanding. His characters are real and raw. And then you have the mind-blowing amounts of creativity in his works. BZRK is another standout for me in the messages that it delivers.

This reminds me… I should probably find Animorphs volumes that Michael Grant wrote since I may have when I was younger but just didn’t know.

2. JULIE KAGAWA

Ever since I first read The Iron Fey series when they came out I was mesmerised by Julie Kagawa’s ability to transport me to another place such as the Nevernever with her vivid descriptions and fantastical creatures. Those books – and Meghan – were what made me be a supporter of Julie Kagawa. Whatever she writes I will buy as I know I will be forced onto an adventure whether I like it or not. I’m currently reading The Eternity Cure and that’s what exactly there is: adventure.

As Julie is a rockstar on my shelf she has her own rockstar name, Jazza Kags. After that seven figure deal for that yet to be written urban fantasy series which has also been picked up by Universal… how can she not be a rockstar? Right?

3. ANDREA CREMER

I’ve stated many times that I will be reading Andrea Cremer’s upcoming erotica novels set in the Nightshade world… any excuse just to return to that world even if it IS NOT a genre that I read or IS a genre that is on my never-to-ever-ever-ever-go-near-even-if-I-do-work-as-a-bookseller list. Maybe Andrea should be number 1 on this list. I guess she should’ve since I’m being tempted to pick up a dirty erotica book. (hehe!)

But since I began the Nightshade and its follow-ups, especially Bloodrose, I have had an obsession with Andrea. I won’t call it an obsession because that sounds creepy, but there’s this must read everything she writes thing I have with Andrea. At this moment I’m anticipating every book of hers coming out in the next year such as her co-authored book Invisibility with David Levithan, The Inventor’s Secret, start of a speculative, historical steampunk series, and that exciting new book that was announced a few weeks ago, Snakeroot, another book to the Nightshade books from Adne’s point of view. Queue squeeeeeeeeeing. I sincerely hope I get to meet Andrea next year at BEA or SDCC or whatever event I go to in the US (I guess that’d be the same with all these authors besides the ones I’ve already met when they’ve come down to Australia for signings and events).

4. MELINA MARCHETTA

Do I need to say anything? Although I’m not the biggest fans of contemporaries at the moment, Melina Marchetta’s contemps are some that I absolutely adore and even better is her fantasy trilogy The Lumatere Chronicles, which are simply divine.

If there’s an MM book out…

you. can.

bet. I’ll.

be. buying. it.

5. JAY KRISTOFF

Alright. Fair enough. Jay has only come out with the first book in The Lotus War trilogy, Stormdancer, but you know that feeling that you read something and there’s this magic that happens and you just get addicted to an author’s writing and imagination and world? That’s what I found in Jay Kristoff’s Stormdancer and hope to find in the sequel, Kinslayer, as well as all his future books. Wait, there’s no hoping; I know I will find that.

But I do wonder what Jay is going to write post-Lotus War. Hmmm…. I bet something with way more blood, which I love to read about. More war. More conflict. More death. More destruction. Yes, please.

6. BETH REVIS

I need more explosions in my life and I know that whatever book Beth Revis comes out with that there’ll be explosions in it. Hence why Beth is on this list. Great achievement.

7. JAMES DASHNER

James Dashner’s Maze Runner trilogy just thrilled me and although I still need to read his middle grade books (I have the first of the 13th Reality series) that doesn’t stop me from not putting him on this list. I really am excited for his upcoming YA Eye of Minds.

8. JESSICA SHIRVINGTON

Jess has provided me with a strong heroine to fall in love with in Violet Eden, especially with what she does in Endless. I also have been excited about her upcoming standalone contemporary thriller Between the Lives which I have an uncorrected proof to read. Whatever else Jess comes out with I will buy and read because I want to support this breakout YA Australian author, even though the most well-known Aussie authors are those that write contemporary.

9. CASSANDRA CLARE

Okay. I’ll admit. I have unabashedly not read City of Lost Souls yet, but that’s because I’m holding out for City of Heavenly Fire. But Cassandra Clare has this knack for bringing a fantasy world and mingling it within our own world just like Jo Rowling did with Harry Potter (she should be on this list too but that’s a bit too obvious). I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see Cassandra Clare write something unrelated to the Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices world, and although I said I may ban myself from reading the Dark Artifices series, I might have to take that ban off and read them since I have put CC on this list.

10. BRANDON SANDERSON

If you’re a fantasy fan like I am then Brandon Sanderson may be a no-brainer. His books are full of creativity, imagination and worlds of adventure, intrigue and wonder. I need Stormlight Archive book two… like… now!

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Thanks for checking out my top ten this week.

Don’t be afraid to comment and I’ll make sure to visit yours in return.

Owl Post is a feature at Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading which was inspired by The Story Siren’s In My Mailbox.

The books I’ve acquired this past fortnight are:

And the e-ARCs I received this past fortnight:

Did you get any exciting books recently?

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Happy Friday and welcome to Book Probe! Hello to everyone stopping by my blog for Follow Friday (which is hosted by Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read), either it be for the first time or you’re a returning follower. *HI!* Leave your blog’s link when you comment and I’ll certainly visit and follow you back – it’s in my best interest to.

This week’s question is:

Happy Mardi Gras! If they were throwing the HOTTEST books off of a Mardi Gras float — what would you do to have them throw to you…?

I’d get a friend to pretend that he’s stealing my wallet or something of most importance from me. I’d scream. I’d flail. I’d try – poorly – to push this “thief” away. People are too interested in the naked gay men dancing on the floats, even the men holding their wives’ hands. The wives are admiring the sculpted bodies, the body she wishes her husband has instead of his beer belly. Teenagers are too busy listening to their iPods, earphones in their ears, or on their iPhones messaging the person next to them. Kids are too excited from all the rainbow streamers and bright colours flying all around them, picking up complimentary condom packets that shoot out of the streamer guns.

The book fairy passes by on his float.

And then… a barrage of books rains down on me – on my friend, really. My friend is knocked out by the corner of a hardback, acquiring a concussion. I pick up the books – the HOTTEST books – my heroes – and run away, books in my pants, held in place by my belt; books in my arms, stacked to my nose so I can just see where I’m going.

Sorry about my friend, though. He was a dear sacrifice. That’s what friends are for, right? To get the HOTTEST books? Your HOTTEST books?

• • •

Leave your Follow Friday links in the comments below and I’ll make sure to check them out and follow you back.

Owl Post is a feature at Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading which was inspired by The Story Siren’s In My Mailbox.

As I’ve currently been on the Gold Coast seeing my dad since the 15th I don’t know what I got in my mailbox at home. So if I got anything they’ll be in next week’s Owl Post (or the week’s after that).

Recently, however, HarperCollins put loads of new books on Edelweiss and since I’m auto-approved and can download directly… DUN DUN DUNNNNN! I ended up with ten more books than I had only a couple days before. And, now, I will share what those titles are. My Sony Touch is going to get a LOT of loving in the next couple of months.

The End Games by T. Michael Martin
Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider
Reboot by Amy Tintera

Night School by C.J. Daugherty
Towering by Alex Flinn
Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

The Ward by Jordana Frankel
Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike
September Girls by Bennett Madison

House of Secrets by Chris Columbus & Ned Vizzini

A BIG thank you to HarperCollins for these e-galleys, acquired through Edelweiss.

SO MANY “AHHHHHHHHHHH!” TITLES!

I’m particularly extremely interested and looking forward to reading The End Games as I haven’t read many zombie books and I think this one sounds pretty awesome, Born of Illusion as it reminds me of The Diviners and I lurrrvvved that book, September Girls because at first glance I believed it was a contemporary romance with a female main character but really is a romance story WITH a boy protagonist WITH mermaids WRITTEN by a male author and it sounds like one of those “special” books, and then there is House of Secrets which I just want to dive into the water on the cover and embark on the adventure that Chris Columbus (director of Harry Potter films) and Ned Vizzini have in store for us.

What books did you acquire this week?

Happy Friday and welcome to Book Probe! Hello to everyone stopping by my blog for Follow Friday (which is hosted by Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read), either it be for the first time or you’re a returning follower. *HI!* Leave your blog’s link when you comment and I’ll certainly visit and follow you back – it’s in my best interest to.

I haven’t participated in Follow Friday for more than a year, but I thought in 2013 I would try it out again and stick with it. What pained me was the time difference living in Australia and unsure of the time that the question or topic will be posted. But this year I will stay updated as best as I can. Also I will be participating every second Friday as per my schedule I’ve organised in 2013.

This week’s question is:

What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

The last book… hmmm… I can’t think of my last book that kept me up reading well into the night, but I do recall Jay Kristoff’s Stormdancer doing that back in June last year. On the morning I received Stormdancer from the publisher Pan Macmillan was the morning I began reading it. Not only that, but it was on the morning of one of my exams and I just couldn’t help it. Then, as soon as I got home that night, I read it and didn’t stop until I had consumed it whole, staying awake up until about 3am – a lengthy time to read a book, but I was just totally enthralled by this world and the characters and was soaking it up ever so slowly to cherish every moment there was between Yukiko and Buruu. I think I even reread a quarter or half of the book as soon as I finished it… so there would’ve been some more hours staked in that morning.

P.S. The title for book two was revealed recently:

KINSLAYER

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Leave your Follow Fridays in the comments below and I’ll make sure to visit you.

Owl Post is a feature at Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading which was inspired by The Story Siren’s In My Mailbox.

I had a bit of a debacle before as I was debating whether I should film a video or not. But then I realised, it would have been another form of procrastination through filming and editing. So here are the latest books my owl Raptor (above) brought me:

Bitter Blood • Reached • Finale

Blood, blood, blood, blood… eewww – it’s bitter. Will be biting into Bitter Blood (hehe!) next week before exam study and I’m incredibly curious as to what happens next in this ever-changing series by the masterful plot-bender Rachel Caine. It’s only been near to six months since Black Dawn, but I have missed my favourite quartet. Also, I cannot wait to see Rachel Caine again in a few weeks time, even if the signing/event is on the afternoon of the day I have an exam, with another exam the next day (eh, Cognition is multiple choice – easy!). Thanks to my awesome Penguin friends.

I loved Matched, but I couldn’t say the same for Crossed. Because of how Crossed was, I was not anticipating to read Reached as much as other titles. However, I have heard that Reached is fantastic so I am looking forward to seeing how this soft-dystopian ends. Thanks again to my Penguin friends. Will try and get this read next week too.

And then there’s Finale! I have read the prologue so far and all I want to do is finish the rest of the book. Been hearing such great things about it. And looking forward to finishing another series. Thank you to Simon & Schuster.

Hammering Iron • Demon Eyes • Slated

Swapped with Lisa @ BadassBookie for Hammering Iron when I caught up with her when she was down here in Melbourne last weekend. I won Demon Eyes from Fiktshun (I still have not read Witch Eyes, which I won from Fiktshun as well last year – will wait until the third book) and I won Slated from a Facebook competition by Hachette Australia. Looking forward to Slated. A. Lot!

What did your owls bring you this week? Leave your links in the comments so I can check out your goodies.

Owl Post is a feature at Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading which was inspired by The Story Siren’s In My Mailbox.

Here are the latest books my owl Raptor (above) brought me:

Sanctuary • Rot & Ruin • Shine Light • Diary of a Penguin-Napper

Sanctuary is the third and final book in The Outcast Chronicles by Rowena Cory Daniells. In July I read Besieged the first book and loved it (review here) so having the next two books to read now is fantastic! The three books were published in subsequent months, which I believe was a fantastic marketing and publishign schedule – readers would not have to wait a year or more for the next book and slightly forget; only a month. Wonder how it will all end. Will first have to finish reading Exile, the second book, first.

I have heard fantastic things about the Benny Imura series by Jonathan Maberry; that these books are much more than just about zombies. So I got the first book Rot & Ruin and I absolutely love these covers, especially the paperback cover with the first page under the cover which has the face again but with an empty eyeball socket – so cool!

Thank you to Random House for sending Shine Light for review, the final book in Marianne de Pierre’s Night Creatures trilogy. As soon as I received Shine Light I began reading it and I devoured it in a matter of hours. My review will be up on October 25th (Wednesday) and you can read a little about what I thought here. All questions are answered! The cover is divine, too.

As for Diary of a Penguin-Napper, the author Sally Harris sent me an email last month seeing if I would like to participate in her upcoming blog tour. Sally is a self-published writer from Melbourne and it’s great to be supporting her with this middle-grade novel of hers. It sounds cute and a bit quirky and you can find out more at the link underneath the photo. Thank you to Sally for sending an uncorrected proof to review.

That was all the books I got these past couple of weeks. What did your owl bring you?

Hello, strangers! Were you expecting me? I thought so. If you have been following my tweets you would have known that I have been completely busy doing uni assignments so the blog went on the backburner for the last couple weeks until I finished them. However, I have not finished them all; I have another two due in two weeks so I have to do them as well. And then that doesn’t count exams in November.

Now whenever I try scheduling posts I fail a week later. But I’m going to try again and get some posts scheduled for the rest of October and November so that I can return in December and feel satisfied that I haven’t left you hanging completely. One post I really need to get on is an interview with Melina Marchetta, which after two weeks I’m still having trouble coming up with questions. So if you have any questions you would like to ask Melina Marchetta please leave them in the comments. I also have reviews to write for Crusher by Niall Leonard and The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. Also maybe for Fire in the Sea by Myke Bartlett which I read in September.

So here’s an Owl Post for your pleasure to kick of the next couple of month’s posts. (By the way, do you like the new image I designed for this post? Bit retro?)

Owl Post is a feature at Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading which was inspired by The Story Siren’s In My Mailbox.

Here are the latest books my owl Raptor (above) brought me:

The Casual Vacancy • The Perks of Being a Wallflower • Every Day

These are books I bought. I bought The Casual Vacancy from work. I am one of those readers that can read anything and can adapt efficiently to a different genre. When reading Adult Fiction, in particular something like The Casual Vacancy, you have to leave behind what you became used to. The Casual Vacancy isn’t for everyone, but I’m currently about 140 pages in and have been enjoying getting to know the different characters present in Pagford and the effect that Barry Fairbrother’s death, a central figure in this little English town, has on these characters. I’m loving the characterisations of each of these characters because they are completely real. It is not Young Adult, and it is not Harry Potter; it was never meant to be either of those. This is a completely adult book – much more adult than I thought it would be – and I love it. It makes me want to read more Adult Fiction than I normally do so as to balance out my reading considering 75% of what I read lately is YA. The Casual Vacancy is a change, and a wonderful change it is.

Considering The Perks of Being a Wallflower film is coming out late November here in Australia (well is out in the US already) I thought it is about time I read this book that everyone raves about and adores. I have a feeling I would really connect with it, because from what I’ve seen on the trailer, Charlie has some traits that I possess – at least I think! I wouldn’t be completely sure until I read the book and watch the film. And I seriously can’t wait to! As for Every Day I just love the cover and the premise is great – I can already tell that this is a book about tolerance. Also when David Levithan was down under earlier in the year he read the first chapter of Every Day to a few of us at this little chat (no one else had read it then), so I really want to see where A’s story takes us after theat chapter.

 Mystic City • Time Between Us • The Mark of Athena • House at the End of the Street

For review, Random House sent Mystic City and Time Between Us – I’ve heard some positive things about Mystic City. It’s another dystopian with magical elements, however it does remind me of quite a few other books. And I really haven’t heard a lot about Time Between Us but it’s a love story with time travel or something like that. Thank you Random House Australia.

A BIG thanks to Penguin Australia for sending me The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan, the third book in the Heroes of Olympus series. It was a surprise as I was incredibly excited to read it. You’ll be getting a review of it soon from me, but just know that this book is LOVE! And oh that ending… oh! Oh! My heart. Now, House at the End of the Street is another one of those film turned into book sort of thing that Atom always does (like Snow White & the Huntsman) and I’m not really a fan when that happens. I’m not sure if I would read this, but it has JenLaw on the cover and she’s my babe, so what the heck, I’m keeping it even if I don’t read it. Thanks to Hachette Australia for that.

I Made Lattes for a Love God • The Diviners • Breathe • Eleven Eleven

On Wednesday Raptor dropped a box at my door; it was surprise! I wasn’t expecting a box of books from Allen & Unwin/Bloomsbury (Thank you!) – well I was expecting one book The Diviners by Libba Bray, which was sent for the blog tour at the end of the month and in November. Also Libba is coming down under in May! *jumps ecstatically* As for the others I had no idea were coming. I haven’t heard a lot about I Made Lattes for a Love God and it sounds like a cute contemporary novel – it’s Australian too. I’ve seen Breathe around a lot – yes, another dystopian. I wonder how the bubble-thing/dome is described in the book. I was happy to have been sent Eleven Eleven by Paul Dowswell as I love reading historical fiction and I loved his previous book Sektion 20.

That was all the books I got these past couple of weeks. What did your owl bring you?

Owl Post is a feature at Eleusinian Mysteries of Reading which was inspired by The Story Siren’s In My Mailbox.

*No video this week – well I filmed one but scrapped it as it. was. bad!*

Won:

Thanks to Harlequin Teen Australia, on Facebook I won a copy of The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa, the collection of novellas for The Iron Fey series: Winter’s Passage, Summer’s Crossing and The Iron Prophecy.

Review:

The Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost has been on my wishlist is no long on my wishlist. I’m looking forward to see what this book holds, because all I know about paladins is the paladins in World of Warcraft (lol!).

I also received Crusher by Niall Leonard (E. L. James’s husband) which is YA crime. I’m currently reading this… am only at page 8 so far though. But even then, I can tell he’s the husband of an erotica novelist as there has already been reference to wanking, jerking off – same thing – and computer porn… hmmm. Interesting. Thank you to Random House Australia for these two books.

Bought:

Had an order of books that I know I will read – with still a couple left to find their way to me. The books I bought were:

I got Exile by Rowena Cory Daniells, the sequel to Besieged which I read last month (review here). I’m eager to discover what happens next in Sorne and Imoshen’s lives.

Sarah recommended Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist as she loved it and there’s a darker take on faeries which I’m interested in reading.

Zoe Marriott has been an author whose books I have wanted to read for a while, so I finally got myself Shadows on the Moon.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi was $4.50-something on Book Depository so I said why not?

The Girl of Fire and Thorns has been a YA fantasy that I’ve wanted to read and the sequel Crown of Embers was published a few days past.

This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel has had a lot of positive reactions and I’ve been told many times that it is fantastic so I want to see for myself how good this book really is. Such Wicked Intent, the sequel, was published last month in August. First I must get around to reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

And then I got myself the US hardcover of Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff… because I just could not live without having all books and covers of it in my life and on my shelf. Both editions, UK/AUS and US, are beauties.

What did your owl bring you this week? Anything mind blowing? Anything too good for your owl to bring to you?