Top 5


Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss a different bookish topic each week.

“Friendship is worth celebrating.” While many of us may love romance, let’s take some time for today’s prompt to feature some of our favorite non-romantic friendships we’ve read about in fiction!

Luckily, there are a lot to choose from:

1, Miles Vorkosigan and Ivan Vorpatril by Lois McMaster Bujold

2, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

3, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee by J. R. R. Tolkien

4, Fafhard and the Grey Mouser by Fritz Leiber

5, Temeraire and his Captain Will Laurence by Naomi Novik

In comics:

1, Modesty Blaise and Willie Garwin by Peter O’Donnell

2, Kitty Pryde and Ororo Munroe by Chris Claremont in the X-Men

3, Oracle and the Black Canary from DC’s Birds of Prey

4, Cutter and Skywise from Elfquest

5, Spider-Man and the Human Torch by Marvel

Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss different bookish topic each week.

Happy International Women’s Day! To honor today’s holidays, feature five books that have been written or co-written by female authors!

Some of my favorite books and series have been written by women. Today, I’m going to highlight writers I haven’t talked about much but whose books I’ve enjoyed.

1, Murder in the Place of Anubis by Lynda S. Robinson

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Who has dared to desecrate the sacred place of embalming with a murdered corpse? Pharaoh Tutankhamun orders Lord Meren, his chief investigator, to find out quickly, before power-mad priests use the incident to undermine his royal authority.

Everyone is a suspect, for the body belongs to the notorious scribe Hormin, hated by all who knew him. However, Lord Meren is no mere courtier but the Eyes and Ears of the living god. In the terrifying Place of Anubis, where unquiet spirits dwell, in the sunstruck city of Thebes, where Hormin’s sons and his beautiful concubine plot, and in the royal court, where intrigues abound, Lord Meren hunts his quarry, peeling back the secrets of nobles and slaves in his quest for the truth.

But more important by far is Meren’s responsibility to protect the young Pharaoh from his enemies — who are no farther away than the length of a dagger . . . .

2, Inceptio by Alison Morton

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New Yorker Karen Brown is caught in a tangle of hot foreign agents, vicious maniacs and tough families. Running for her life, she flees into the alien culture of Roma Nova, the mysterious last outpost of the Roman Empire in Europe. Apart from kidnapping, heartache and a close encounter with Latin grammar, she must contend with a fascinating but arrogant Praetorian special forces captain.

Plus a crazy killer wants to terminate her for a very personal reason.

Part action adventure, part military thriller, laced with romance and coming of age, this is Roman fiction brought into the 21st century through the lens of alternative history and driven by a female protagonist with heart and courage. If you enjoy thrillers and mystery books for women with twists, this is for you!

3, The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

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On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.

Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

4, Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron

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As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don’t cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn’t fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience.

Now, sealed in human form and banished to the DFZ–a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit–Julius has one month to prove that he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.

He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons…

5, A Devil in the Details by K. A. Stewart

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When it comes to demons, always read the fine print.

Jesse James Dawson was an ordinary guy (well, an ordinary guy with a black belt in karate) until one day he learned his brother had made a bargain with a demon. Jesse discovered there was only one way to save his brother: put up his own soul as collateral, and fight the demon to the death.

Jesse lived to free his brother – and became part of a loose organization of Champions who put their own souls on the line to help those who get in over their heads with demons. But now experienced Champions are losing battles at a much higher rate than usual. Someone has changed the game. And if Jesse can’t figure out the new rules, his next battle may be his last…

Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss a different bookish topic each week.

There are plenty of amazing books that have been getting published in recent years, but let’s take some time to spotlight books that were released before the 2000s! These titles could be debuts, sequels, or a mix of both. Have fun sharing your love for “old” published goodies!

Most of my favorite books belong to this category so it was difficult to choose just five but here goes:

1, Lois McMaster Bujold: Cordelia’s Honor (1996)

This is an omnibus of the first two books in her Vorkosigan series. The main character is Cordelia Naismith, an exploration starship captain.

2, Anne Logston: Shadow (1991)

”Never trust an elf, a thief, or a woman. Shadow is all three… Shadow, a light-hearted (and light-fingered) elven thief, returns to her homeland after several centuries’ absence only to find that a great human trade city has grown up next to the forest in which she was born. Now the elves and the humans maintain an uneasy alliance, but when Shadow steals a magical bracelet, she finds herself caught in the middle of a plot that may tear the city-and the alliance-apart forever. ”

3, Steven Brust: The Book of Jhereg (1983)

Another omnibus, this time of three books.”The Book of Jhereg follows the antics of the wise-cracking assassin Vlad Taltos and his dragon-like companion through their first three adventures: Jhereg, Yendi, and Teckla. From his rookie assassin days to his selfless feats of heroism, the dauntless Vlad will hold readers spellbound and The Book of Jhereg will take its place among the classic compilations in fantasy.”

4, Elizabeth Peters: The Last Camel Died at Noon (1991)

The sixth book in the historical mystery series starring the inimitable Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson. They and their friends and family solve murders in Victorian Egypt.

5, Kerry Greenwood: Cocaine Blues (1991)

Another historical mystery, this one is set in 1920s Australia. Phryne Fisher is the first lady detective in Australia. Good thing she isn’t easily intimidated.

Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss a different bookish topic each week.

Author duos are increasingly becoming more and more common, especially within the indie author community. For today’s prompt let’s feature titles that are written by two or more authors!

This was a pretty difficult prompt but I managed to find five titles I’ve enjoyed a lot.

1, James S. A. Corey

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Two authors write the popular Expanse SF series: Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. Abraham wrote fantasy before tackling the Expanse and Franck was a screenwriter.

2, Phil Foglio and Kaga Foglio: the Girl Genius comic

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This is a fun steampunk/gaslight online comic. It’s available for free online.

3, Wendy Pini and Richard Pini: Elfquest comic

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A wonderful fantasy comic that is also available online.

4, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman: Good Omens

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“The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch” is a comedy playing with the apocalypse. It was made into a TV series, as well.

5, Matthew Costello, Neil Richards: Murder on the Thames

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They write a cozy mystery series set in the small village of Cherringham.

Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss a different bookish topic each week.

I happened to come across this reading prompt recently and thought it could be for a Top 5 Wednesday prompt! Go to your Goodreads “want to read” bookshelf and click on “avg rating.” It should organize titles on this shelf by either ascending or descending rating. Using this feature, share five of your highest reads on your want-to-read shelf! (If the feature isn’t working, share some of the highest reads you see instead.)

This was a fun prompt and made me realize that I have over 1500 books and comics on my want-to-read shelf. These are some of the top-rated books:

1, Lexie Dunne: How to Save the World

In the third book of Lexie Dunne’s action-packed Superheroes Anonymous series, Hostage Girl returns once again to save the world.

Gail Godwin—once so famous for being kidnapped by supervillains, the media still calls her Hostage Girl—is done with superheroes and their shadowy schemes. She’s got a cute boyfriend, a great roommate, and she’s even returned to her old job. For the first time in years, life is exactly what she wants it to be.

But when a figure from her past resurfaces, he brings with him a plague that changes the game for every superhero and villain out there. Now Gail must team up with both friend and foe to help save the world she thought she had left behind.

2, Paula Guran ed. the Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Novellas 2016

The collection has nine novellas. I’ve read two of them elsewhere and really liked them.

3, Susan Jane Bigelow: Extrahumans

Being “The Sampler” isn’t easy. As the weakest member of the Extrahuman Union, Jill is overlooked by just about everyone. After all, no one cares about an Extrahuman who possesses every possible superpower, but can barely use any of them. Jill is a nobody, on the run and out of a job, with no home and barely any friends to her name.

To make ends meet, Jill turns back to one of her favorite jobs: stealing. When her latest job goes terribly wrong, Jill is left with a mysterious alien artifact—one that starts whispering to her, unlocks impossible powers, and shows her incredible things.

Now Jill is on a quest for answers that will take her from the high mountains of Valen to the depths of interstellar space; from a bizarre prison planet where old friends and enemies are held captive, to the roots of St. Val’s mysterious letters and decade-spanning plans. The fate of her friends, her world, a vanished alien species, and the entire Confederation will rest on Jill’s shoulders.

Extrahumans is a tale of superpowers and long-forgotten mysteries, and the fourth and final book in the critically acclaimed Extrahuman Union series.

4, Egan Brass: Esper Files

Set in London during the latter part of the 19th century. An experiment goes wrong at The Oxford Academy of Science, giving certain people extraordinary powers which turns them into ‘Espers’. An institute is set up to teach Espers how to control these power, and stop corrupt Espers from abusing theirs. Nathan and James, two agents from the Institute team up with Freya, a young Esper whose brother (gifted with the strange ability to manipulate emotions) is abducted by a ruthless Baron. The group has to fight against a dark threat to protect the fragile peace of Victorian London… And the rest of the world.

5, Chris C. Wright: Alliance

The Alliance lays the groundwork for a 6-volume science fiction series, combining both space opera and post-apocalyptic elements of Earth’s thrilling journey from dystopia to utopia to interstellar travel and space colonization, and the evolution of diverse societies—some human, some not—across the centuries, all in the shadow of a galactic menace.

There is a definite pattern here. 🙂 I really should read Superheroes Anonymous and Extrahumans. It’s rare to have 4 out of 5 ratings for the third and fourth books in a series.

Use a random generator or letter of your choice to share five titles that start with that said letter! (Example: If you choose or randomly choose the letter “L,” then all five of your picks would start with the letter “L.”)

I chose the letter M.

1, Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan

Years ago, Elizabeth I forged a pact with Invidiana, her faerie counterpart and ruler of the Onyx Court, to secure both of their thrones. Now that alliance is in danger.

The first book in a historical fantasy series.

2, Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett

In this book, Pratchett tackles Hollywood. Victor Tugelbend (“Can’t sing. Can’t dance. Can handle a sword a little”) and Theda Withel (“I come from a little town you’ve probably never even heard of”) battle the forces of evil and cinema advertising. But the real star of the book is Gaspode the wonder dog.

3, Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie

An archaeologist’s wife is murdered on the shores of the River Tigris in Iraq.

It was clear to nurse Amy Leatheran that something sinister was going on at the Hassanieh dig, something associated with the presence of ‘Lovely Louise’, the wife of the celebrated archaeologist Dr. Leidner. But she couldn’t pinpoint it.

In a few days’ time Hercule Poirot was due to drop in at the excavation site. With Louise suffering terrifying hallucinations, and tension within the group becoming almost unbearable, Poirot might just be too late…

4, Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold

The dwarfish, fetally damaged yet brilliant Miles Vorkosigan has more than his share of troubles. Having recently escaped an assassination plot whose tool was a brainwashed clone of himself, Miles has set the clone, Mark, free for a new chance at life. But when he decides to let his clone brother assume his secret identity and lead the Dendarii Free Mercenary on an unauthorized mission to liberate other clones from the outlaw planet of Jackson’s Whole, things get really messy.

The mission goes awry, Miles’ rescue attempt goes even more wrong, and Miles ends up killed and placed in cryogenic suspension for future resuscitation. Then, as if that weren’t bad enough, the cryo-container is lost! Now it is up to the confused, disturbed Mark to either take Miles’ place as heir of the Vorkosigan line or redeem himself by finding and saving Miles.

5, Murder in the place of Anubis by Lynda S. Robinson

Who has dared to desecrate the sacred place of embalming with a murdered corpse? Pharaoh Tutankhamun orders Lord Meren, his chief investigator, to find out quickly, before power-mad priests use the incident to undermine his royal authority.
Everyone is a suspect, for the body belongs to the notorious scribe Hormin, hated by all who knew him. However, Lord Meren is no mere courtier but the Eyes and Ears of the living god. In the terrifying Place of Anubis, where unquiet spirits dwell, in the sunstruck city of Thebes, where Hormin’s sons and his beautiful concubine plot, and in the royal court, where intrigues abound, Lord Meren hunts his quarry, peeling back the secrets of nobles and slaves in his quest for the truth. But more important by far is Meren’s responsibility to protect the young Pharaoh from his enemies — who are no farther away than the length of a dagger . . . .

Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss a different bookish topic each week.

Christmas is right around the corner, and for some of us in the reading community, we’re still thinking about what books to pick up for the readers in our life! For today’s prompt, share five books you think would make great Christmas gifts!

I read a lot of series, so I think the first book in a series is a good gift, especially when they don’t end in a cliffhanger.

1, The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

For epic fantasy lovers who are tired of teenage boys as the main characters.

2, The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

For people who enjoy alternative worlds, spies, dragons, and the fae.

3, The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

For people who enjoy humorous fantasy. Thursday Next is a literary detective which means that she can enter into books.

4, Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

For people who enjoyed Hidden Figures, an alternative history of space travel.

5, The Daedalus Incident by Michael J. Martinez

For people who enjoy a mix of science fiction genres: an Edgar Rice Burroughs type of planetary romance and modern SF set on Mars.

Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss a different bookish topic each week.

Sometimes we pick up new series at the start of the year and realize after a few volumes, the series might not be a good fit for us. Other times we try new series and absolutely love it more with every new release! What is an ongoing series you have continued to love as this year comes to a close?

I have so many that it’s hard to choose just five but here goes:

1, Rachel Aaron’s Heartstrikers

This urban fantasy series has dragons as the main characters. Most of the are cruel schemers but the main character Julius is the nicest dragon ever.

2, Genevive Cogman: the Invisible Library series

Irene Winters is a spy and a librarian for the Great Library between worlds. The last book has come out but I haven’t had the heart to read it yet.

3, Seanan McGuire: Toby Daye

I just adore the characters in this urban fantasy series.

4, Kerry Greenwood: Phryne Fisher series

The series is set in 1920s Australia and Phryne is a very unconventional, independent woman. I also adore these characters. The TV show is good, too.

5, Steven Brust: Vlad Taltos series

It’s been a few years since the previous book came out but a new one is hopefully coming out next year. Another one I read for the character (and the mysteries and the humor).

Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss a different bookish topic each week.

Halloween is right around the corner, and with this holiday, many are dressing up to celebrate! Whether you are planning to dress up or not, share about some characters who you would love to dress up as! Maybe you’ve dressed up as them in the past or are planning to this Halloween, but either way, let’s have a fun time imagining potential future cosplays!

I have my trusty Zorro cape, mask, hat, and sword but beyond that, I don’t plan on doing cosplay. But it would be fun to dress as these characters:

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Top 5 Wednesday is a GoodReads group where people discuss a different bookish topic each week.

Time to celebrate some covers we love! What are some of your favorite themed dark-colored covers?

I don’t read much horror but I do like these darker covers:

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