Top Ten Tuesday #66: Ten Books That Should Be Read In Creative Writing Classes

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 
 
This Week's Topic:

Ten Books That Should Be Read In Creative Writing Classes

 

When I took a Creative Writing class in high school, we would spend one day each week just reading, so here are a few books that I think students should read!

 

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If I were to teach Creative Writing, I'd want my students to read a wide variety of works. From Middle Grade to New Adult, and Fantasy to Historical Fiction, I'd want them to experience different genres to find out which one they like the most. DoSaB was actually recommended to me by my CW teacher, and I recommended The Chemical Garden Trilogy to her after she saw the chapter page design.

 

What would you have your Creative Writing students read?

Top Ten Tuesday #62: Ten Books Set Outside the US

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 
 
This Week's Topic:

Ten Books Set Outside the US

 

1.

While the book starts off in the US, Etta and Nicholas spend most of the book traveling from country to country, with places in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

 

2.

All of the places visited here are London, but different versions set in different worlds.

 

3.

Even though it does have fantasy elements, it's still set in a futuristic dystopian China, France, Sahara Desert, and Moon.

 

4.

I'd say that being set in outer space would be pretty outside of the US.

 

5.

This is the only book I've read set in Scotland, and I hope to find more set there as it's incredibly beautiful!

 

6.

I don't know of any other books set in Norway, but I'd like to find more.

 

7.

I really loved this series and it's set in England, the South Pacific, and Scotland in total.

 

8.

Yes, the first book is set in Philadelphia, but the second and third are set in France and Egypt respectively.

 

9.

I loved this series, as it was set in Imperial Russia, a setting that I'm absolutely obsessed with.

 

10.

Even though it begins in Texas, I'd say that it's mostly set in Wonderland, and I loved the creepiness of it.

 

So here are some of the books I've read that are set outside of the US. I have read a few more, but overall I haven't read that many. I'm hoping to read more books set in new places.

 

Waiting on Wednesday #24: "Winter" by Marissa Meyer

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

 

Title: "Winter"
Author: Marissa Meyer
Expected Publication: November 10, 2015

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long. Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

I'm SOOOOOO excited for this book! I love this series and am so pumped, and sad, for this book. I don't want this series to yet, but I want to know how things end! I'm so torn!

Preorder

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

What are you waiting on?

Top Ten Tuesday #35: Author Duos I'd Love to See Write a Book Together

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

This Week's Topic:

Ten Author Duos I'd Love to See Write a Book Together

 

1.

Sarah J. Maas and Susan Dennard (I know they have an online book, but I want it to be a physical book)

 

2. Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas 

 

3.

Jodi Meadows and Cynthia Hand
 

4. Jodi Meadows and Susan Dennard 

 

5.

Jennifer L. Armentrout and Kiersten White

 

6.

Elizabeth May and Sarah J. Maas

 

7.

Marie Rutoski and Susan Dennard

 

8.

Leigh Bardugo and Marie Rutkoski

 

9.

Jodi Meadows and Sarah J. Maas

 

10.

Marissa Meyer and Susan Dennard

 

This list involved a ton of fangirling. Can these authors PLEASE write books together? Pretty please?!?!

 

Top Ten Tuesday #33: Books to Read if You Like Sarah J. Maas

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

This Week's Topic:

Ten Books to Read if You Like Sarah J. Maas

1.

Reason: Other half of Team Sarusan. Plus it has an amazing female protagonist who learns how to kick butt. review

2.

Reason: Fairytale retellings of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White. All feature strong girls who do whatever it takes to save those they care about. review

3.

Reason: An orphaned girl must do whatever it takes, even risk using her magic, to get back her kingdom that was attacked when she was young. review

4.

Reason: Fantastic world full of magic and strange creatures where a meek girl finds that she holds a great power within her that she never knew existed. review

5.

Reason: A magical world full of lies and hidden secrets that no one remembers, and only one girl can uncover the truth. review
 

6.

Reason: A girl finds herself in the middle of a rebellion after buying a slave from the enemy country her people conquered. review
 

7.

Reason: A terrifyingly creepy retelling of Alice in Wonderland where a teenage girl finds out she's Wonderland's only chance of survival. review
 

8.

Reason: Three arguing kingdoms find themselves in the middle of a war after the murder of a young man, and four teens are thrust into the roles of saving themselves and their kingdoms. review
 

9.

Reason: In Imperial Russia, a girl must hide her necromancing abilities from those around her, especially from the Tsar and his family, until she accidentally reveals it. review
 

10.

Reason: After agreeing to stay with a polar bear for a year, she must save him from a troll princess who plans to marry him. Also, this is one of the stories that ACOTAR pulls elements from. review
 

Most of these have elements similar to ToG or ACOTAR, whether it be a retelling, fantasy, or magic. I highly recommend all of them!

Review ~ "Fairest" by Marissa Meyer

Title: "Fairest"
Series: The Lunar Chronicles, #3.5
Author: Marissa Meyer

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

Published: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Pages: 220
Format: Hardcover
Source:  Library

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told. Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all? Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Top Ten Tuesday #28: YA Fantasy and Paranormal 101

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

 

This Week's Topic:

Ten Books that Would be on My YA Fantasy and Paranormal Syllabus

 

 YA Fantasy

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YA Paranormal

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5. 

 

There are plenty of other books that I could pick, but I wouldn't want my students to do too much reading. Ha ha! They could read more for extra credit though! I think that it'd be really cool to compare/contrast the two genres. They have so many similarities, but tend to have different settings, which is the main difference (in my opinion).